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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hellcow" data-source="post: 1604021" data-attributes="member: 15800">Hey folks!Obviously I'm biased on the balance thing, so I'll leave this to other folks to argue. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> But I will address one specific point...  Dr. Strangemonkey hit this right on the head. Until recently, Droaam was even more chaotic than it is now, with a number of very powerful warlords scattered about. It's not a question of how the medusas would have dealt with humanity; its a question of how they would have dealt with Mordain the Fleshweaver, Xor'chylic, the Dark Pack, and the other forces of Droaam. Now that the Daughters of Sora Kell have established some sense of order to the region, the Queen of Stone is certainly looking at ways that she could usurp that power. With that said, what's giving you the idea that there are thousands of medusas in Cazhaak Draal? Page 167 specifically say "she has relatively few subjects (and those are rather independently minded)." This isn't a disciplined army of thousands of medusas; it's a few hundred medusas, many of whom have their own ideas about how things should be and who should be in charge. And as the good doctor said, they still haven't laid claim to all of their own city; they're in no rush to try to conquer the world. Addressing another point, it is certainly the case that there have been high level NPCs in the past. But high level characters are heroes, and they don't come around ever day; most of the heroes of the current age were killed during the century of war. I look at it as a story: the main characters are special people with a potential beyond the common folk. Just because some guard has been protecting Gondor for 20 years doesn't make him the equal of Legolas or Aragorn, and what would be the fun if it did? A 5th-level character *is* pretty impressive, and that veteran should be looked at with respect; put him up against a group of 1st-level warriors and see how he does. But 5th level may simply be as far as he can go; he just doesn't have the unlimited potential that characterizes a PC (or a significant villain). There are powerful forces out there -- people like the Keeper of the Flame and the druid Oalian. But they are not nearly as powerful as the epics seen in some settings, and they have reasons why they can't solve the world's problems.  If your characters get to the highest levels, then they can become the new legends of the world. People should be amazed by what they can do, not simply yawn and say "Yes, we've seen that before -- every metropolis has a few 18th level wizards." They can take on challenges that have in the past devastated civilizations -- forces like the Dreaming Dark or the Daelkyr. Anyhow, that's the theory behind it. Obviously, it's not for everyone, and I'm sorry if it's not for you!</blockquote>

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