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I'm reading the Forgotten Realms Novels- #202 The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson (Dungeons 2)
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8999092" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p><strong>#187 Blackstaff by Steve E Schend (Wizards 1) </strong></p><p><strong>Read 16/4/23 to 21/4/23</strong></p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]282616[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>It's just not my cup of tea.</p><p></p><p>Don't get me wrong The Blackstaff is better than Elminster, but this high level magic-spin-around-the-realms is just not what I am into, particularly as it all seems just so complex, and so constructed, and... well, nothing much to do with my game. It's like when I was trying to DM high level 3e (& 3.5e) D&D, there'd always be one guy (and it was 100% of the time a guy) who would have more splatbooks than was good for any one soul, and their 14th level Wizard would be capable of a dozen devastations. I always felt, as the DM, that there was one game going on for all the other PCs, and an arms-race to oblivion with the Mage.</p><p></p><p>I don't like the tons of magic world as depicted here, there are magic items being handed around to all and sundry, and some daft names for them- the Cowards Cowl of Chirpy Chestnut, obviously I've just made that up- but it's closer to the truth than you'd think (and hope). Later a who's who of Weave-wielders are whisked in for the final finale, and... it's just name after name, and I think I'm supposed to remember some of these folk from the other books, and yet... there's Elminster (thank god, that's one name I've remembered, although there's a Harpell here also- that's two). Isn't there always Elminster though- although he's as nice as pie here, funny that.</p><p></p><p>Don't get me wrong, there's nothing here that's badly written, and truth be told in the first three days I got 200+ pages into it, it's an easy story to follow (caveat- see above) and while the action count is low (at times) there's lots of nice intrigue and story, it's... just not my kind of thing. The problem being that the last 100 pages damn near killed me, that's when the roll call of famous mages really started getting going... inevitably leading to a dozen or more fraught conversations as a variety of would-be Elminsters see who can pee the highest. Which is... alright, but more likely, I suspect, surplus to requirements. The last arcane pile-on is more like a who's who, if only there was more room for- action, event, or just a bit more cliff-hanger style plot.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and in the space of this one I seem to remember the Blackstaff dying maybe a dozen times (but not dying of course) there's a moment apres the latest spell battle in which the old man is left limping around on just one leg. In a crypt somewhere, "no, don't bother with me, I'll be alright- it's just a flesh wound", he confidently states, as always.</p><p></p><p>The scene just made me laugh. I'm not sure that was the correct reaction. </p><p></p><p>I like Tsarra, and more so because she's well written, certainly she's a better person than the (present) Blackstaff, but I get it- the son of Arun has the weight of the Realms on his shoulders. Tsarra seems more emotional (and that's not a criticism) and therefore more humane (or whatever is the correct word for a multi-race/species society/world). </p><p></p><p>There's a mad lich out to do bad things to reality, a millennia old prophecy, an attack on Blackstaff's tower, the Pentad (I really like the idea of the Pentad- best thing in the book for me) and then a jumble of teleporting/reality striding journeys at the end of each either more chatter (90%) of the time or else brief spells of arcane Armageddon. Some of which is great, some of which is... this again.</p><p></p><p>If that's your bag, and there was always one Mage at my table, then this is the book for you.</p><p></p><p>Read.</p><p></p><p>Stay safe and well you lovely people.</p><p></p><p>Cheers Goonalan</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 8999092, member: 16069"] [B]#187 Blackstaff by Steve E Schend (Wizards 1) Read 16/4/23 to 21/4/23[/B] [ATTACH type="full" width="188px"]282616[/ATTACH] It's just not my cup of tea. Don't get me wrong The Blackstaff is better than Elminster, but this high level magic-spin-around-the-realms is just not what I am into, particularly as it all seems just so complex, and so constructed, and... well, nothing much to do with my game. It's like when I was trying to DM high level 3e (& 3.5e) D&D, there'd always be one guy (and it was 100% of the time a guy) who would have more splatbooks than was good for any one soul, and their 14th level Wizard would be capable of a dozen devastations. I always felt, as the DM, that there was one game going on for all the other PCs, and an arms-race to oblivion with the Mage. I don't like the tons of magic world as depicted here, there are magic items being handed around to all and sundry, and some daft names for them- the Cowards Cowl of Chirpy Chestnut, obviously I've just made that up- but it's closer to the truth than you'd think (and hope). Later a who's who of Weave-wielders are whisked in for the final finale, and... it's just name after name, and I think I'm supposed to remember some of these folk from the other books, and yet... there's Elminster (thank god, that's one name I've remembered, although there's a Harpell here also- that's two). Isn't there always Elminster though- although he's as nice as pie here, funny that. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing here that's badly written, and truth be told in the first three days I got 200+ pages into it, it's an easy story to follow (caveat- see above) and while the action count is low (at times) there's lots of nice intrigue and story, it's... just not my kind of thing. The problem being that the last 100 pages damn near killed me, that's when the roll call of famous mages really started getting going... inevitably leading to a dozen or more fraught conversations as a variety of would-be Elminsters see who can pee the highest. Which is... alright, but more likely, I suspect, surplus to requirements. The last arcane pile-on is more like a who's who, if only there was more room for- action, event, or just a bit more cliff-hanger style plot. Oh, and in the space of this one I seem to remember the Blackstaff dying maybe a dozen times (but not dying of course) there's a moment apres the latest spell battle in which the old man is left limping around on just one leg. In a crypt somewhere, "no, don't bother with me, I'll be alright- it's just a flesh wound", he confidently states, as always. The scene just made me laugh. I'm not sure that was the correct reaction. I like Tsarra, and more so because she's well written, certainly she's a better person than the (present) Blackstaff, but I get it- the son of Arun has the weight of the Realms on his shoulders. Tsarra seems more emotional (and that's not a criticism) and therefore more humane (or whatever is the correct word for a multi-race/species society/world). There's a mad lich out to do bad things to reality, a millennia old prophecy, an attack on Blackstaff's tower, the Pentad (I really like the idea of the Pentad- best thing in the book for me) and then a jumble of teleporting/reality striding journeys at the end of each either more chatter (90%) of the time or else brief spells of arcane Armageddon. Some of which is great, some of which is... this again. If that's your bag, and there was always one Mage at my table, then this is the book for you. Read. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers Goonalan [/QUOTE]
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