Game Opinions
Well the game went very well I feel. There was a different feel to it compared to last season. I think in general, the atmosphere felt more relaxed than I’ve seen it in past seasons. There was a lot more co-mingling, but the concept of factions hasn’t gone away. The surviving Free Companions didn’t really gel into a unified presence. It looks more like they’re going to fragment out to the Tribes, Delvers or wandering into the Independent camps. I think if they had someone to take point and act as a leadership contact for them they could ride this through, but the only one who wanted to do that was Dickerson and he isn’t returning as far as I know. Ryan Lakes could, but I think he’s smart enough to not want the burden of leadership. So things are changing on many levels, as was promised.
The new look for the Burning Zombie has me very happy. It all came together on site and looked really good. It definitely set it off in the corner as something other than Tavern. Tunky’s baking of pizza bagels and cookies was very well received by the folk at large. The beverages were well received. I like the new dispensers, but one will have to be exchanged since it leaks badly. I had lemonade all over the place. Other than that mess, things went well enough. The tea chests were well received as well. It certainly made it easier for people to pick a flavor. Lastly, I am very happy with the metal light house candle holder I got. With the oil lamp in it, I think it really added a nice touch of fire for the Burning Zombie. I really like how people have taken note of the red cord marking out the Wall of Souls when it’s needed. It’s good to know that the little touches are appreciated.
The costuming for the dead pool worked really well. I feel like a little mini-logistics in the back now. Having the summons available made a huge impact for my game play. And all my dead poolers had a good time of it. I’ll have to send them down for shifts in NPC camp to get some training though I think. They’re really green and it shows. Still, having a Wraith on tap, or a Zombie Warrior… It really made me feel safer having a body guard. At times they were more of a speed bump, but still it made it so I didn’t die all weekend. I was dropped a lot, but I never needed resurrected. It’s also rather interesting how people treat you differently when there is an undead body guard at your side. It was nice to get a little respect for that in character. At this point I am really looking forward to making some permanent undead to ‘staff’ the shop.
Speaking of the shop, it was a very profitable weekend, in large part to Lorne. That boy was everywhere and working every angle. He helped me a lot in getting a new spell out of the Lyceum, an exceptional breast plate, and a lot of other sales. Merrick though was the principle backer for a good amount of it, and is proving to be a stong ally in game. Maybe the Burning Zombie is evolving into a faction in its own right?
The changes and direction of the werewolf plot were interesting to note. It didn’t take long for several people to decide and involve me in it. My feelings are a bit mixed on it, as the vision certainly shifted, but to see people role-playing it out and enjoying the moral dilemmas and such was positively faboo. *grins* Watching one of the afflicted take full measure of the damage immunities and become a bad ass fighter for it was very entertaining. If you can turn something like that to make a heroic moment, I think the plot was well worth starting. The game is about being heroic, and turning a challenge like that into something positive makes me proud. Seeing the new boffer claws made by one of the afflicted for phys-repping the condition made me jealous. I so need to get two pair of them for wraiths! So anyway, it is certainly going to be very entertaining in the next few months.
As far as the Logistics went, I have to say that even severely short handed, Dave put on a very good game. So far I can’t tell which are the core plots versus the PPC threads; which I find to be excellent. I have no idea what plots the Night Watch are planning, but it is all blending in seamlessly. I hope it continues to go this smoothly for them. I suspect they’ll have an easier go of it as they are so close knit. It shouldn’t degrade into a one man show like it did with me last season. I’m still burned out on that.
I have some things I noticed and really noticed and appreciated that I feel I have to mention. Speaking of the Night Watch, I loved their monsters. They weren’t out to slaughter people on threads and really pulled back on their skill to make sure it remained fun! Kudos for that as they could have steam rolled us on the Ogre dungeon. It could have been an ugly fight. As is we fell down a lot, but we didn’t feel out classed. Similarly with the deep goblins thread, they were very mindful, as were all the NPCS, of how effective the heroes were and kept it drilled in solidly. What was really nice in my mind was how several encounters were resolved *peacefully* while I was out there. One bandit group was bribed and went away. The priest of Yael presiding over a funeral was a nice role-play element where it could have been a fight. One thread I ended up tagging along on with Horatio could have been really ugly, and I helped Azeal negotiate it to a peaceful parting. Yes, they’re likely bastards who will haunt us later, but for today they were strangers that we gave the benefit of the doubt to. To have several people come up and say thank you for helping diffuse the scene before they had their asses handed to them made me feel welcome. That thread I felt was particularly effective for all the secondary role-play it generated. Azeal’s apology, Horatio having to begrudgingly accept a wraith, all the interpersonal role play… I think it really made a touch stone plot that enhanced the weekend.
It seems that I am helping with the fine Necromancer tradition of playing nice with big bads and questionable PCs. Silas can come for tea. Drianna can come to consult on matters. Shadowfire and Makaia got their time in the trenches so now it is my turn. It seems I made an impression on the “Professor” and his travelling university. I also have made the acquaintance of a fine dealer in Antiquities. As I said to Horatio, better to have the items come through me so we can try to keep anything really evil, cursed, etc out of circulation if possible until the undead swarm of pissed off mummies come to get their property back. *grins* I can smell a potential disaster in all this, but repercussions build character. That and as long as the profits out strip the penalties, it’s worth the risk. I know the game is about heroes, but not all can be shining beacons of goodness. Some aer a bit tarnished. Rom ends up tarnished a bit, but I like to think he does it for the right reasons. Rather like Londo from Babylon 5. Just like Londo, I have no illusions that it isn’t going to get the better of him someday.
So now I play hurry up and wait with the Lyceum to get a hold of rituals, and then do the quests to find reagents. I’m hoping that I can get the weapon rituals soon and starting making equipment for people. I have Rom real close to the ideal sheet I wanted on him to facilitate things. Now I just need time to work out the details.
The new look for the Burning Zombie has me very happy. It all came together on site and looked really good. It definitely set it off in the corner as something other than Tavern. Tunky’s baking of pizza bagels and cookies was very well received by the folk at large. The beverages were well received. I like the new dispensers, but one will have to be exchanged since it leaks badly. I had lemonade all over the place. Other than that mess, things went well enough. The tea chests were well received as well. It certainly made it easier for people to pick a flavor. Lastly, I am very happy with the metal light house candle holder I got. With the oil lamp in it, I think it really added a nice touch of fire for the Burning Zombie. I really like how people have taken note of the red cord marking out the Wall of Souls when it’s needed. It’s good to know that the little touches are appreciated.
The costuming for the dead pool worked really well. I feel like a little mini-logistics in the back now. Having the summons available made a huge impact for my game play. And all my dead poolers had a good time of it. I’ll have to send them down for shifts in NPC camp to get some training though I think. They’re really green and it shows. Still, having a Wraith on tap, or a Zombie Warrior… It really made me feel safer having a body guard. At times they were more of a speed bump, but still it made it so I didn’t die all weekend. I was dropped a lot, but I never needed resurrected. It’s also rather interesting how people treat you differently when there is an undead body guard at your side. It was nice to get a little respect for that in character. At this point I am really looking forward to making some permanent undead to ‘staff’ the shop.
Speaking of the shop, it was a very profitable weekend, in large part to Lorne. That boy was everywhere and working every angle. He helped me a lot in getting a new spell out of the Lyceum, an exceptional breast plate, and a lot of other sales. Merrick though was the principle backer for a good amount of it, and is proving to be a stong ally in game. Maybe the Burning Zombie is evolving into a faction in its own right?
The changes and direction of the werewolf plot were interesting to note. It didn’t take long for several people to decide and involve me in it. My feelings are a bit mixed on it, as the vision certainly shifted, but to see people role-playing it out and enjoying the moral dilemmas and such was positively faboo. *grins* Watching one of the afflicted take full measure of the damage immunities and become a bad ass fighter for it was very entertaining. If you can turn something like that to make a heroic moment, I think the plot was well worth starting. The game is about being heroic, and turning a challenge like that into something positive makes me proud. Seeing the new boffer claws made by one of the afflicted for phys-repping the condition made me jealous. I so need to get two pair of them for wraiths! So anyway, it is certainly going to be very entertaining in the next few months.
As far as the Logistics went, I have to say that even severely short handed, Dave put on a very good game. So far I can’t tell which are the core plots versus the PPC threads; which I find to be excellent. I have no idea what plots the Night Watch are planning, but it is all blending in seamlessly. I hope it continues to go this smoothly for them. I suspect they’ll have an easier go of it as they are so close knit. It shouldn’t degrade into a one man show like it did with me last season. I’m still burned out on that.
I have some things I noticed and really noticed and appreciated that I feel I have to mention. Speaking of the Night Watch, I loved their monsters. They weren’t out to slaughter people on threads and really pulled back on their skill to make sure it remained fun! Kudos for that as they could have steam rolled us on the Ogre dungeon. It could have been an ugly fight. As is we fell down a lot, but we didn’t feel out classed. Similarly with the deep goblins thread, they were very mindful, as were all the NPCS, of how effective the heroes were and kept it drilled in solidly. What was really nice in my mind was how several encounters were resolved *peacefully* while I was out there. One bandit group was bribed and went away. The priest of Yael presiding over a funeral was a nice role-play element where it could have been a fight. One thread I ended up tagging along on with Horatio could have been really ugly, and I helped Azeal negotiate it to a peaceful parting. Yes, they’re likely bastards who will haunt us later, but for today they were strangers that we gave the benefit of the doubt to. To have several people come up and say thank you for helping diffuse the scene before they had their asses handed to them made me feel welcome. That thread I felt was particularly effective for all the secondary role-play it generated. Azeal’s apology, Horatio having to begrudgingly accept a wraith, all the interpersonal role play… I think it really made a touch stone plot that enhanced the weekend.
It seems that I am helping with the fine Necromancer tradition of playing nice with big bads and questionable PCs. Silas can come for tea. Drianna can come to consult on matters. Shadowfire and Makaia got their time in the trenches so now it is my turn. It seems I made an impression on the “Professor” and his travelling university. I also have made the acquaintance of a fine dealer in Antiquities. As I said to Horatio, better to have the items come through me so we can try to keep anything really evil, cursed, etc out of circulation if possible until the undead swarm of pissed off mummies come to get their property back. *grins* I can smell a potential disaster in all this, but repercussions build character. That and as long as the profits out strip the penalties, it’s worth the risk. I know the game is about heroes, but not all can be shining beacons of goodness. Some aer a bit tarnished. Rom ends up tarnished a bit, but I like to think he does it for the right reasons. Rather like Londo from Babylon 5. Just like Londo, I have no illusions that it isn’t going to get the better of him someday.
So now I play hurry up and wait with the Lyceum to get a hold of rituals, and then do the quests to find reagents. I’m hoping that I can get the weapon rituals soon and starting making equipment for people. I have Rom real close to the ideal sheet I wanted on him to facilitate things. Now I just need time to work out the details.