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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rune" data-source="post: 958847" data-attributes="member: 67">Round 1, Match 4, JudgementWulf Ratbane vs. lightfulOnce 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!</blockquote>

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