[MetaGame] Where to go from here?

[BSF]

This is a completely metagame discussion. Meaning, this concerns the players much more than the PC's.

What kind of game are you guys looking for right now? So far, I can't tell that the group has a unified goal, or purpose. Right now, your big motivation is to either pay off your fine, or to finish your sentence. Sage has been very accomodating by having his character become interested in serving the local lord that you are all working for. But, that motivation really isn't all that interesting for me to run a game through. Sure, I can keep coming up with missions for you to work on. But, then it is just a vaguely related series of one-shots with me, as the DM, in control of what events drive your characters.

Where would you like to see the game go?
Do you want to make Greerson your long-term base of operations?
Do you want to make it back down to Stormhaven?
Do you want politics and intrigue to play a role in everything?
Do you want to go hunting bad guys to kill?
Do you want to explore forgotten dungeons and wilderness?
Do you just want to get enough money to settle down?

These are not necessarily exclusive. It is possible to mix some or maybe even all of these. But, it does require a more active role in what you want to do. On the in-character side of things, you can work to resolve some of these issues at whatever pace works for you. But, on the metagame level, I would like to know what kind of adventures will be fun for you.

 

[Eeralai]

Since I am not sure what my plans are for the game, I'm not sure how to answer this. I still think I would like to do more in Stormhaven with political intrigue, but I am not stuck to that notion. Actually, the kind of character I will play probably depends on how this question is voted on by the rest of the group. I don't want to make up a character for one purpose and have it be the wrong kind of character again!

 

[Macbeth]

Li is definately interested in staying in Lord Tannerson's service, but hopefully that is fairly open ended. In literature, there are lots of wandering samurai, still in the service of a Lord, but working for the general good of their lord, instead of focusing on specific missions. Hopefully Li could do something like this: serve Lord Tannerson in a general way while tarveling with the party, and peridocially sending progress reports, possibly even visiting Greerson fomr time to time.

Where would you like to see the game go?

Can't say I really have a particular idea of this. Li is a pretty versatile character. Combat, Inrigue, being a noble warrior he can fit in with a lot of styles.

Do you want to make Greerson your long-term base of operations?

Li would be willing to make Greerson our base, but as I said above, hopefully lord Tannerson would be ammenable with having Li be a roaming warrior, working for his interests.

Do you want to make it back down to Stormhaven?

As a player: sure, I would like some intrigue in a big city. I have finally gotten around to reading PKitty's story hour from the begining (I made the summary document into a PDF and have all 125 pages of it on my Palm Pilot for further reading), since before I had only read the ocassional update here and there, and always been a little lost.
As for Li's view: Stormhaven was completely unlike anywhere he had been before, but looking back now, it might be a good place to find like minded individuals to form his new order of samurai.

Do you want politics and intrigue to play a role in everything?

Sure! Li has had some experience with court intirgue in his past, being that samurai were nobles, not just warriors, and often played a role in politics.
The only problem I have as a player is that I can see some characters (Keldorn obviously, and maybe Tormal or Ayla) having little to do in court intrigue. Li does have some diplomatic training (and his skills reflect this), so he works well in any situation, but ic an see Keldorn having little to do in a formal setting.

Do you want to go hunting bad guys to kill?

This option also sounds good to Li. Finding evil and thwarting it would definately be in line with my view of a wandering samurai. But really I would prefer if instead of searching for a fight, we went where we want to, and if we find some butts that need kicking, we get down to buisness.

Do you want to explore forgotten dungeons and wilderness?

Hmmmm. To be honest, not really. Li has no particular need to enter the wilderness, and has no love for underground caverns. As a DM, in the game I run, I have basically got rid of even the idea of dungeons filled with monsters in my world, and it works fine. Combat comes from other places, such as gaurds, bandits, wild monsters, the Illithids that are invading the worlds, the ancient evil entity that has awoken, and is now moving towards the inhabited worlds, etc. I don't mind Dungeons, or wilderness, and Li can definately play a part in adventures in those enviroments, but I think we could do fine without them.

Do you just want to get enough money to settle down?

Nope. Li is an adventurer at heart. He is a Samurai, and his role in life is to serve his master, doing good in his name. This is one option I can definately say Li (and I) have no interest in.

 

[BSF]

Sage,
it all sounds good to me. I'm just trying to figure out what the group in general wants. Overall, it is a large group and I try to benchmark periodically so we are all, hopefully, having a good time.

 

[Macbeth]

Sounds good. Glad I could give you some input.

 

[Tormal]

What kind of game are you guys looking for right now? So far, I can't tell that the group has a unified goal, or purpose. Right now, your big motivation is to either pay off your fine, or to finish your sentence. Sage has been very accomodating by having his character become interested in serving the local lord that you are all working for. But, that motivation really isn't all that interesting for me to run a game through. Sure, I can keep coming up with missions for you to work on. But, then it is just a vaguely related series of one-shots with me, as the DM, in control of what events drive your characters.

Where would you like to see the game go?

As a player I like the epic style of roleplaying. I enjoy having that massive, almost impoossible, goal that you have to strive for while dealing with all of the smaller problems along the way. Our first campaign did this exactly and thats what i loved so much about it. I would like to see something to that effect - but that certainly doesn't mean it has to be a huge army again. I'm sure there are many ways to do this - especially with politics involved!

Do you want to make Greerson your long-term base of operations?

It doesn't really matter to me as a player, wherever we are we are (i guess?). But as a character, if you were to ask tormal, he doesn't much prefer the location. On the otherhand Tormal is open to learn new things - after all - that is why he left. Over time things will get more comfortable and who knows what the forest will teach him!

Do you want to make it back down to Stormhaven?

Certainly, I love the idea of big cities.... Tormal says he loves em too!

Do you want politics and intrigue to play a role in everything?

I'd say everything is a bit to strong of a word. I believe it should be a good 90 percent... but every now and then there should be a break in there, if possible.

Do you want to go hunting bad guys to kill?

Of course! but I also want there to be a solid goal or underlying movitation.... of... epic proportions!

Do you want to explore forgotten dungeons and wilderness?

If it fits the campagin, certainly.

Do you just want to get enough money to settle down?

Certainly not yet, I have a personal goal on my mind.

 

[Ayla131]

Over all for where I want the game to go, it does not really matter to me. I would like to kill creatures, but have politics as well. Ayla does not want to settle down as of right now because she has other plans. Right now for Ayla getting back to the Stormhaven area is a goal that she has, and the sooner the better.

 

[Kultar]

1 Do you want to make Greerson your long-term base of operations?
2 Do you want to make it back down to Stormhaven?
3 Do you want politics and intrigue to play a role in everything?
4 Do you want to go hunting bad guys to kill?
5 Do you want to explore forgotten dungeons and wilderness?
6 Do you just want to get enough money to settle down?

1 not overly
2 yes
3 some
4 yes
5 on occasion
6 not yet though eventually