Iron dm summer champion announced!
- Thread starter Rune
- Start date
Rune
Once A Fool
Round 1, Match 4, Judgement
Wulf Ratbane vs. lightful
Once again, the quality of submissions rises. I found both works to be delightfuly inspiring and deviously creative. Neither was entirely perfect, but both were pleasing to read.
I'll start with the hooks, since these were all funcional. Lighful provides varied and sound, although, if truth be told, I found them to be slightly lack-luster. Wulf, on the other hand simplifies his hooks into three fundamental motivations, making things easy to understand for the DM. Consequently, we have some very good hooks that would be hard not to use.
Wulf sometimes enters submissions that are less tight than others, but this isn't one of them. The plot of this scenario is intricate and well-constructed. Really, flawless. I kept thinking that there were some very interesting similarities with the Dark Crystal. A cynic might presume that this is evidence of Wulf writing specifically for the judge, but I'll just mildly say that the quality will stand on its own.
I wish I could say lightful's scenario is as tight as Wulf's, but it raises too many little questions that should not have to be figured out. For instance? Why phase spiders and treants? That seems like a strange combination. Another thing that troubled me was the fact that this was for higher level characters. That, in itself, isn't bad, but I would like to see some more game mechanics detailed, especially for higher level scenarios.
But, When the game hits the ether and, especially, the withered garden, that's where lightful's entry really hits its stride! I love that garden! Tracking phase spiders across the ethereal is a damned cool image, and the atmosphere of that garden is top-frikkin notch! And zombie treants will definitely find their way into one or more of my games.
Of course, this doesn't mean Wulf isn't creative. Far from it! Good god, I love that tower! I mean, I really want to marry it and bear its man-babies. Or at least yoink it.
Both scenarios lay down strong hooks to be followed up on, as well, but I have to give Wulf the edge, here. He doesn't actually list anything, specifically, but there are so many good questions left unanswered, that it would take amazing self-restraint to not follow up on them.
So, as for the ingredients, I believe that both contestants used the phase spider well. Actually, lightful's phase spiders seem a bit awkward and tacked on, but the creative use he makes of them with the experimentations offsets the problem. Wulf's spider has a very intricately designed niche and good tactics, as well.
Both entries have amazingly creative specimen collections, although both opted for a live collection. Wulf's collection is more specifically delightful to me; it displays rat bastardy and style! Lightful's collection, though a very different type, is wonderfully atmospheric. Still, the complex web with which Wulf wove his ingredients together, generally, really shows itself, here.
The albino elves are also creepy in both scenarios. I like Wulf's inbred, mentally clumsy, but ultimately likeable tools of the bad guy and I also like lightful's eery nearly insectoid culture.
I'm a bit disappointed in Wulf's use of the withered gardens. It's strong, but not especially inspiring. Contrast this with lightful's withered garden! This is, I feel, lightful's strongest ingredient, and it really does get the gears in my head turning. Beautiful.
I also feel that both entries poorly implimented the prayer beads ingredient. It is true that in Wulf's entry, they're important, but they still feel out of place.
Likewise, the ancient elf that Asquilla appears as in lightful's entry seems like it could really be anything else. In Wulf's, on the other hand, we see his strongest use of an ingredient. We have a chilling, alien, incomprehensible creature that builds on the typical elven fascination with death (and not dying) and explores what happens when an elf becomes obsessed with immortality. Truly terrifying.
Lightful, you have a good entry with some wonderful things in it. Truly wonderful. But, Wulf can be a juggernaught when he's on top of his game, and this time, he was definitely on top of his game. Wulf Ratbane wins round 1, match 4 and advances to round 2!
Wulf Ratbane vs. lightful
Once again, the quality of submissions rises. I found both works to be delightfuly inspiring and deviously creative. Neither was entirely perfect, but both were pleasing to read.
I'll start with the hooks, since these were all funcional. Lighful provides varied and sound, although, if truth be told, I found them to be slightly lack-luster. Wulf, on the other hand simplifies his hooks into three fundamental motivations, making things easy to understand for the DM. Consequently, we have some very good hooks that would be hard not to use.
Wulf sometimes enters submissions that are less tight than others, but this isn't one of them. The plot of this scenario is intricate and well-constructed. Really, flawless. I kept thinking that there were some very interesting similarities with the Dark Crystal. A cynic might presume that this is evidence of Wulf writing specifically for the judge, but I'll just mildly say that the quality will stand on its own.
I wish I could say lightful's scenario is as tight as Wulf's, but it raises too many little questions that should not have to be figured out. For instance? Why phase spiders and treants? That seems like a strange combination. Another thing that troubled me was the fact that this was for higher level characters. That, in itself, isn't bad, but I would like to see some more game mechanics detailed, especially for higher level scenarios.
But, When the game hits the ether and, especially, the withered garden, that's where lightful's entry really hits its stride! I love that garden! Tracking phase spiders across the ethereal is a damned cool image, and the atmosphere of that garden is top-frikkin notch! And zombie treants will definitely find their way into one or more of my games.
Of course, this doesn't mean Wulf isn't creative. Far from it! Good god, I love that tower! I mean, I really want to marry it and bear its man-babies. Or at least yoink it.
Both scenarios lay down strong hooks to be followed up on, as well, but I have to give Wulf the edge, here. He doesn't actually list anything, specifically, but there are so many good questions left unanswered, that it would take amazing self-restraint to not follow up on them.
So, as for the ingredients, I believe that both contestants used the phase spider well. Actually, lightful's phase spiders seem a bit awkward and tacked on, but the creative use he makes of them with the experimentations offsets the problem. Wulf's spider has a very intricately designed niche and good tactics, as well.
Both entries have amazingly creative specimen collections, although both opted for a live collection. Wulf's collection is more specifically delightful to me; it displays rat bastardy and style! Lightful's collection, though a very different type, is wonderfully atmospheric. Still, the complex web with which Wulf wove his ingredients together, generally, really shows itself, here.
The albino elves are also creepy in both scenarios. I like Wulf's inbred, mentally clumsy, but ultimately likeable tools of the bad guy and I also like lightful's eery nearly insectoid culture.
I'm a bit disappointed in Wulf's use of the withered gardens. It's strong, but not especially inspiring. Contrast this with lightful's withered garden! This is, I feel, lightful's strongest ingredient, and it really does get the gears in my head turning. Beautiful.
I also feel that both entries poorly implimented the prayer beads ingredient. It is true that in Wulf's entry, they're important, but they still feel out of place.
Likewise, the ancient elf that Asquilla appears as in lightful's entry seems like it could really be anything else. In Wulf's, on the other hand, we see his strongest use of an ingredient. We have a chilling, alien, incomprehensible creature that builds on the typical elven fascination with death (and not dying) and explores what happens when an elf becomes obsessed with immortality. Truly terrifying.
Lightful, you have a good entry with some wonderful things in it. Truly wonderful. But, Wulf can be a juggernaught when he's on top of his game, and this time, he was definitely on top of his game. Wulf Ratbane wins round 1, match 4 and advances to round 2!
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Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Re: Round 1, Match 4, Judgement
Before I enter into any exposition, I'd appreciate it if you could list out those similarities. Because as much as I would have liked to toy with the judge thus, in this case it was entirely coincidental.
Props to my worthy opponent... hang in there, lightful! Stick around and watch me bungle round 2, as usual!
Wulf
Rune said:
Before I enter into any exposition, I'd appreciate it if you could list out those similarities. Because as much as I would have liked to toy with the judge thus, in this case it was entirely coincidental.
Props to my worthy opponent... hang in there, lightful! Stick around and watch me bungle round 2, as usual!
Wulf
cool hand luke
First Post
what EXACTLY is rat bastardliness?
Rant/Exposition/Whine
God’s spit !
I had him ! I really thought I had him !
Rune’s right; Wulf, at the top of his game, is a juggernaut, nay, a force of nature. His “opium fields” adventure is the only Iron DM entry I’ve used nearly verbatim, and it threw the players for a loop, just as it should.
But this time…this time, a golden opportunity was wasted. When I saw the ingredients I thought: “Wulf and elves…good for me”, when I saw he was “breaking” his NDA on the 3.5 MM and moaning about having lots of work to do I thought: “This is looking good”, when I completed my entry I was reasonably satisfied and hoped that all would be well, and then I saw Wulf’s entry and I thought I really had a legitimate shot.
Elaborating on Rune’s observations I’d like to say that writing higher level adventures usually means, in my mind and experience, less detailed game mechanics. At high levels PC’s can do so many varied things that trying to keep them all in check would drive a DM nuts. You just pose problems and assume (rightly 95% of the time) that they’ll be able to work through (or around) them.
The phase spiders and treants were the servants of Noxilea and Asquilla, respectively, I thought that was obvious and fail to see why, in that light, it would be unusual. Rune makes a point of saying that he feels that the phase spiders were tacked on – I think that there couldn’t be a more logical servant for a drow loyal to Lloth living in the ethereal !
Prayer beads are used for counting prayers, nothing else, which is precisely what Asquilla is (albeit in vain) doing with them. Rune also comments on my use of the ancient elf ingredient. I agree that she could just as well have been a middle aged elf, or even an old one – but I think it’s fairly obvious that she has to be an elf. Personally, I found the image of an ancient elf, mindlessly counting off against the prayer beads almost as compelling as the garden Rune liked so much.
When I saw the two elven ingredients it was obvious that the adventure had to be elf-centrique. Personally, I’m not terribly fond of them, or the drow for that matter, but I love the spider imagery…phase spiders ! If you’ve got Lloth, then the prayer beads point to a definite divine link, while the garden just grew on me (he he) as I was fleshing out the story. The only ingredient that I really couldn’t fit in, and had to shoehorn, was the specimen collection, which I tried to cover up with a lot of variety. My hooks aren’t heavy, but that always risks leaving the adventure un-run, while the follow-ups are no more than a natural progression. I’d agree with Rune that they were neither good nor bad (and sometimes that’s as bad as it gets !)
And now for something completely different !
I was certain I would be getting the Dark Crystal points ! I thought that the scene where the Bielaja are grabbed by the phase spiders strikingly similar to the one where the spider-creations (Garthim ?) of the Skekses (?) grab Pod People ! It wasn’t intentional, but still…
It occurs to me, writing this, that I feel more and more as if I should have won. In fact, what I’d really like to write as a follow-up is a critique of Wulf’s work and Rune’s judgement of the same. Would that be in really bad form ?
Also, Rune, if you care at all, I preffered the way you formatted your first 2 decisions, it’s much more concise and you get a better feel for your reasoning.
Wulf, congratulations (although it might have/should have been me) and the best of luck in Round 2 !
God’s spit !
I had him ! I really thought I had him !
Rune’s right; Wulf, at the top of his game, is a juggernaut, nay, a force of nature. His “opium fields” adventure is the only Iron DM entry I’ve used nearly verbatim, and it threw the players for a loop, just as it should.
But this time…this time, a golden opportunity was wasted. When I saw the ingredients I thought: “Wulf and elves…good for me”, when I saw he was “breaking” his NDA on the 3.5 MM and moaning about having lots of work to do I thought: “This is looking good”, when I completed my entry I was reasonably satisfied and hoped that all would be well, and then I saw Wulf’s entry and I thought I really had a legitimate shot.
Elaborating on Rune’s observations I’d like to say that writing higher level adventures usually means, in my mind and experience, less detailed game mechanics. At high levels PC’s can do so many varied things that trying to keep them all in check would drive a DM nuts. You just pose problems and assume (rightly 95% of the time) that they’ll be able to work through (or around) them.
The phase spiders and treants were the servants of Noxilea and Asquilla, respectively, I thought that was obvious and fail to see why, in that light, it would be unusual. Rune makes a point of saying that he feels that the phase spiders were tacked on – I think that there couldn’t be a more logical servant for a drow loyal to Lloth living in the ethereal !
Prayer beads are used for counting prayers, nothing else, which is precisely what Asquilla is (albeit in vain) doing with them. Rune also comments on my use of the ancient elf ingredient. I agree that she could just as well have been a middle aged elf, or even an old one – but I think it’s fairly obvious that she has to be an elf. Personally, I found the image of an ancient elf, mindlessly counting off against the prayer beads almost as compelling as the garden Rune liked so much.
When I saw the two elven ingredients it was obvious that the adventure had to be elf-centrique. Personally, I’m not terribly fond of them, or the drow for that matter, but I love the spider imagery…phase spiders ! If you’ve got Lloth, then the prayer beads point to a definite divine link, while the garden just grew on me (he he) as I was fleshing out the story. The only ingredient that I really couldn’t fit in, and had to shoehorn, was the specimen collection, which I tried to cover up with a lot of variety. My hooks aren’t heavy, but that always risks leaving the adventure un-run, while the follow-ups are no more than a natural progression. I’d agree with Rune that they were neither good nor bad (and sometimes that’s as bad as it gets !)
And now for something completely different !
I was certain I would be getting the Dark Crystal points ! I thought that the scene where the Bielaja are grabbed by the phase spiders strikingly similar to the one where the spider-creations (Garthim ?) of the Skekses (?) grab Pod People ! It wasn’t intentional, but still…
It occurs to me, writing this, that I feel more and more as if I should have won. In fact, what I’d really like to write as a follow-up is a critique of Wulf’s work and Rune’s judgement of the same. Would that be in really bad form ?
Also, Rune, if you care at all, I preffered the way you formatted your first 2 decisions, it’s much more concise and you get a better feel for your reasoning.
Wulf, congratulations (although it might have/should have been me) and the best of luck in Round 2 !
cool hand luke
First Post
First off, I'd like to thank Rune for the time and effort he's putting into this.
I really enjoyed your critique. Talk about bad formatting thought! it looked ok in word, then I copied it, and was amazed at how it turned out. oh well, luckily I lived through that round, and that is at least EASY to change.
Hooks have always been my weak point as a dm. but some of you guys have really showed me how it should be done, so there should be improvement in that area.
The carnies needed the IOUN stones to get inside so they could fence them. didn't make that clear. the ring of animal friendship shows my laziness, didn't look up the stupid description.
for the carpet shop, I had in mind that it was really a carpet shop, and the owner wound up owing one of the Paisans a favor (clearly stolen from the opening scene of the godfather, with Bonasera, they undertaker, Some day, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But uh, until that day -- accept this justice as a gift on my daughter's wedding day.) and his payment was letting his store be used to move the goods.
I really enjoyed your critique. Talk about bad formatting thought! it looked ok in word, then I copied it, and was amazed at how it turned out. oh well, luckily I lived through that round, and that is at least EASY to change.
Hooks have always been my weak point as a dm. but some of you guys have really showed me how it should be done, so there should be improvement in that area.
The carnies needed the IOUN stones to get inside so they could fence them. didn't make that clear. the ring of animal friendship shows my laziness, didn't look up the stupid description.
for the carpet shop, I had in mind that it was really a carpet shop, and the owner wound up owing one of the Paisans a favor (clearly stolen from the opening scene of the godfather, with Bonasera, they undertaker, Some day, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But uh, until that day -- accept this justice as a gift on my daughter's wedding day.) and his payment was letting his store be used to move the goods.
seasong
First Post
Do you know much about the BDSM scene? Because rat bastardliness is essentially the same thing for roleplaying, as opposed to bedroom playing. At its heart, it's about giving the players what they want in terms of impossible challenges, vicious plot twists, political Ben Dovers, and enemies that they want to tear into tiny pieces... and giving them just enough that they really get into it, without going too far and making the game unfun.cool hand luke said:
For an IronDM tournament, it's more about providing a basic foundation of Bad Situation and then providing a ton of hooks and options for Making It Worse - the idea being that a proper rat bastard scenario is one that provides tools a proper rat bastard GM can use.
Rune's interpretation, of course, may vary significantly from mine
.
Rune
Once A Fool
From the Rat Bastard DM's club boards:
I'm not judging entries on rat bastardry, but it never hurts to see it in an entry.
I'm not judging entries on rat bastardry, but it never hurts to see it in an entry.
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cool hand luke
First Post
"awed paranoia"
I love it!
I love it!
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Re: Rant/Exposition/Whine
I am not sure if there is precedent. But don't expect me to respond to your rebuttal, however interesting it is to read. Better to just let you have your say and let it go.
I know where you are coming from, I had a couple of entries I thought should have won. There's just no predicting the whims of the Iron DM judge.
In retrospect: spiders, prayer beads, and two sets of elves-- yep, very obviously a Lloth tie in, there. I wonder why I didn't use that?
Wulf
lightful said:
I am not sure if there is precedent. But don't expect me to respond to your rebuttal, however interesting it is to read. Better to just let you have your say and let it go.
I know where you are coming from, I had a couple of entries I thought should have won. There's just no predicting the whims of the Iron DM judge.
In retrospect: spiders, prayer beads, and two sets of elves-- yep, very obviously a Lloth tie in, there. I wonder why I didn't use that?
Wulf
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