Rune
Once A Fool
I would probably have known that if I had kids.Matthias is a character from Frozen 2
I would probably have known that if I had kids.Matthias is a character from Frozen 2
Didn't watch, so...noMatthias is a character from Frozen 2
I felt that so hard, and I felt it even more hardly reading each and every one of these judgments, which, I have to say, were some of the three most wildly differing judgments I've ever read for a single match; let alone one involving me. To say it was nerve-wracking would be an understatement. Now, I am glad that I'm competing, but my goodness has every adventure I've read this year been excellent and tough to beat. I feel fortunate and grateful to be returning to the final round, and I'm very much looking forward to getting to write one last full adventure for y'all. I'm pretty sure that it's not going to be all that great for my heart thoughWell, I’m glad I’m not competing.
If there were ever any doubt about the idea that the judges all do our evaluations without consulting with each other, I'm sure this round has put all of that to bed.I felt that so hard, and I felt it even more hardly reading each and every one of these judgments, which, I have to say, were some of the three most wildly differing judgments I've ever read for a single match; let alone one involving me. To say it was nerve-wracking would be an understatement.
Maybe it's something about me, but I've don't think I've ever had a group of players that played good guys... maybe because I run games where they don't have to be. I've had individuals that tried to be good guys, but they almost invariably ended up corrupted by their fellows or died vaingloriously. I also have never played a character that was good aside from Lord Exsixten on L4W who was Lawful Stupid. Played some deeply flawed characters that other PCs tricked or cajoled into doing the right thing, but never a good character.So when @Rune said:
Responding to the critiques:
- This wasn't my first Iron DM adventure featuring children PCs; but it was the first that was specifically geared towards children players. I figured it would be risky; as Rune points out, none of our judges are really the target audience for this particular adventure. It paid off this time, but it very nearly didn't.
- I was particularly worried about the "Salacious" ingredient. "Onanism" was a late addition to the Arson, Murder, Jaywalking list at the end particularly to hint a little more at that (without leaning into anything more decidedly icky and inappropriate), but on balance I think I was better off just leaving it out. I am glad that people appreciated the "Copyright Infringement" gag though.
- The target audience is why I didn't sweat the linearity at all. I tried to put together a good excuse for why these disparate villains were working together, and what their end goal was, but ultimately nothing came to me. I decided that "how cool is it that we're fighting Hook and his pirates AND the Soldier Cards from Alice together? And with Peter Pan?!" was more important that putting together a cohesive, nuanced villainous plan. Not the best excuse, of course, but I'm fine with "the bad guys are bad because they're bad guys" being the extent of what these players have to confront at this point.
- I'll also note that I specifically had my daughters and her friends in mind; 6-7 year-olds obsessed with Frozen and Winnie the Pooh and protecting nature from this imaginary "black rider" they all made up. The younger the kid, the more likely I am to err on "rule of cool" versus "nuanced and grounded". Probably not a tack I'm likely to take in the future, but we'll see how the ingredients of the future treat me.
- But also "Lost Boys" "Winter Court" and "Salacious Homonculus"? Lost Boys, Frozen, and the Pleasure Island with Pinocchio on it just immediately sprang to mind. And what does "Wicked Grin" remind one more of than the Cheshire Cat? I don't think I could've gone in any other direction with it. Knowing that I was definitely going to get a lot of the criticism that I got in any case, I was ultimately happy with it.
- one of these days I will thaw your frozen heart* and convince you that PCs that are good and that are motivated by doing the right thing actually exist and are indeed quite common.
I believe you that such groups are out there in the same way I'm pretty sure penguins are real even if I've never seen one in the flesh (feathers?)
Well, he did say “in the flesh”.I'm not sure which I find more odd - the idea of never having played with heroic PCs, or not having ever seen a penguin....
![]()
I feel like we should take up a collection to buy someone a zoo membership somewhere...Well, he did say “in the flesh”.
I'd say it's from Penguins of Madagascar, but your kids are too young for that by far! Mine are just right, and they are older teens now. My daughter's going into grade 12! Makes me feel sooooo old!I feel like we should take up a collection to buy someone a zoo membership somewhere...
True story... this year taking the kids to the zoo, three of them (ages 2 and 3 and 5 at the time) were noticeably more interested in the Penguins than the Lions. Granted, the lions were mostly just sleeping, and the penguins were waddling around somewhat comically, and swimming, but when I was a youngin, the African animals were always the most interesting for me to watch. Not sure why that is. But apparently the newest generation (Generation Alpha??? Who names these things?) is very pro-penguin.
My oldest is 25 this year. I have 21 yr old daughter engaged to be married. Wait till you have to start talking to your daughter about how she needs to be setting a wedding date so you can actually budget in her wedding. Anyway, I can sympathize with your sentiment.I'd say it's from Penguins of Madagascar, but your kids are too young for that by far! Mine are just right, and they are older teens now. My daughter's going into grade 12! Makes me feel sooooo old!
Ironically, one of the most moral groups I've had was a crew of Blades drug dealers. When the creepy probably-a-vampire dude who hijacked a lightning tower wanted to sell them ghost drugs in exchange for virgins, I was surprised when they never once even brought up the possibility of actually complying and jumped straight into the heist to break in and mug him.I'm not sure which I find more odd - the idea of never having played with heroic PCs, or not having ever seen a penguin....
![]()
That sounds like a story worth elaborating on!Ironically, one of the most moral groups I've had was a crew of Blades drug dealers. When the creepy probably-a-vampire dude who hijacked a lightning tower wanted to sell them ghost drugs in exchange for virgins, I was surprised when they never once even brought up the possibility of actually complying and jumped straight into the heist to break in and mug him.