D&D 5E A brief rant about Rime of the Frost Maiden, farming, logistics, and ecology

[TaranTheWanderer]

But generally, when these sorts of things come up in novels or movies, the expected answer is "you are thinking too much about this, just focus on enjoying the story the author is telling". The problem with this as a DnD experience is that we are the authors, even as players. And this sense that we are incorrectly "thinking too deeply" about the setting, the goals, the motivations, and the consequences of the world... is a little jarring for me. We should encourage deeper thought, I would expect, not treat this the same way we treat more passive media.

Speaking of focusing on the story the author is telling, it made me think of this:

The Cremation of Sam McGee

There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam…

www.poetryfoundation.org

 

[MarkB]

A priest, a rabbit, and a minister walk into a bar.

The bartender says to the rabbit, "What's going on, here?"

The rabbit says, "No idea. I'm just here because of autocorrect."

Sounds more like a clerical error.

 

[Wasteland Knight]

Link, for us old farts?

https://twitter.com/hexcrawl?ref_sr...thealexandrian.net/in-the-shadow-of-the-spire

 

[robus]

https://twitter.com/hexcrawl?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^profile:hexcrawl&ref_url=https://thealexandrian.net/in-the-shadow-of-the-spire

Funnily enough this:


Makes it sound like there are two parts, but I think my point still stands because the overarching problem is present right from the start rather than being a change that causes the PCs to go on an epic quest.

But I don't agree that it's a problem for the adventure to narrow down to a linear plot (as long as it's not as fragile as most of WotC's plots that hang on critical connections that are forced upon the PCs - see pretty much every 5e adventure ). As a DM, I'm buying this adventure so I don't have to make one that scales with the PCs. I don't want to try and build an epic adventure from a bunch of parts and do all the balancing etc etc. So I guess I don't understand that aspect, but it's probably because we want different things from these adventures.

Edit: Now that I've thoroughly derailed this thread, I should probably see myself over to the "Running" thread... Pardon my mess!

 

[Ovinomancer]

Sounds more like a clerical error.

Yup, that's the follow-up punchline.

 

[MichaelSomething]

So you a bunch of you would be cool if the adventure cut three or four encounters and filled those pages with situation exposition and world logistics instead?

 

[Coroc]

I have tied some pcs to Ten-Towns. Some people have paid 5GP for rumors. I give them the rumors on slips of paper. Those rumors also go on to the Facebook write up, and the big map. Currently my messenger feed is dinging at me. They are plotting on taking over the gem mine. Current plan is to murder the mine owner. Use the kobolds as slaves. Feed them using the cauldron of plenty. Some players do want to pay the kobolds some money. I have two counters to this but some of my players read this forum.

i am so glad i always alter the coinage system in official settings ( would be silver for FR)

The "paid 5g for rumors" made me cringe.
Translated to modern RL this would be like: "You give the drunkard that tells you that there might be a crocodile in the sewer 1000$ for sharing his insights ."

 

[Coroc]

I think that’s because they want it to double as an Icewind Dale campaign setting as well as an adventure, so they’ve written locations to be as generic as possible so people can use them in their own adventures with minimal effort if they want to.

It tracks with previous 5e adventures. They’re all meant to be pretty cut and paste.

well if that is the case they could give a twofold description aka " the tavern is crowded" vs "two meagre people on the edge of starvation try to warm themselves up on the small fire burning in the chimney."

 

[Coroc]

So you a bunch of you would be cool if the adventure cut three or four encounters and filled those pages with situation exposition and world logistics instead?

one does not mandatory imply the other.

 

[jasper]

i am so glad i always alter the coinage system in official settings ( would be silver for FR)

The "paid 5g for rumors" made me cringe.
Translated to modern RL this would be like: "You give the drunkard that tells you that there might be a crocodile in the sewer 1000$ for sharing his insights ."

Or you playing a game of dominos with the locals and your turn to buy a round. And you know somehow the locals were cheating on you. GP has always equal $$.