....It feels like all the minutiae of gaming have been getting a lot more attention and airtime than the actual epic parts of gaming. There are things that just don't translate to online gaming from tabletop, mostly because typing takes so long. A single random combat encounter ends up swallowing an entire session. Treasure division ends up almost the same. Never mind travel ... for a 12-14 level party it feels a bit ridiculous for getting home to take a month or more.
(Sarynlee, on the other hand, was hilarious.)
I think this portion of Memnus' commentary is key. I felt myself losing the 'epic' element to my DMing and then and there realized I was becoming burnt out as DM.
As far as the latest thread, part of the blame can be placed firmly on my shoulders for turning over the DM hat partway through the thread. For this I apologize. It is tough to pick up where another DM left off.
I'm hoping that we will embark on a new thread tonight that will bring back the 'epic' feel this campaign has had and is the prime reason it has lasted so long (along with the shear stubborness of some of its Players/DMs). Possibly something totally new, not related to any former threads, is in order. Random encounters do have their place, especially as fill-ins when RL gets in the way of inspiration, but I'll have agree, the umpteen random combats getting back from the Abyss had the effect of taking away from the epic feel we've come to enjoy.
If we get back to using the Tavern/News Threads more for Treasure Divvying and other thread development such as upcoming combat strategy, it will save on game time. There have been times when nearly an entire encounter has been accomplished through the tavern. (This is for the Players too....) I'll post in the Tavern shortly as a seed to this. Hopefully, others will follow suit.
As an aside...I will have to say, Ark's firm command of the rules (as compared to my not-so-firm command) is a bonus over my DMing. I know my need to look things up, especially when it came to spell-casting, slowed things down. Knowing the rules well can definitely speed things up. Just please don't let the rules get in the way of fluid game flow, common sense, and creativity in combat and social situations.
All this being said, I look forward to what is coming and trust that, whomever is DMing, if we strive to maintain the epic feel and utilize all at our disposal to keep up the flow of the game this campaign will continue to be exciting and vibrant.
(Putting my soapbox away....see everyone tonight)
Argus would be NPC'd or wandering off on his own then, but whatever.
