"Out of the Frying Pan"- Book IV - Into the Fire [STORY HOUR COMPLETED - 12/25/06]
Ciaran
First Post
Great work as always. I do hope you write up the reunion sessions, possibly as a separate thread (an "epilogue" or "coda" rather than as part of Book IV), but of course this shouldn't take precedence over working on the new campaign! (Or grad school... 
)
Oh, and you seem to have forgotten Hurgun's last gift to Martin. You will add it in, right?
)Oh, and you seem to have forgotten Hurgun's last gift to Martin. You will add it in, right?
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Ciaran said:Great work as always. I do hope you write up the reunion sessions, possibly as a separate thread (an "epilogue" or "coda" rather than as part of Book IV), but of course this shouldn't take precedence over working on the new campaign! (Or grad school...
Yeah, maybe. . . I feel like I already miss writing this thing! But then again I am getting on a roll with finishing my detailing of Thricia for the next game and will be also working on the Black Islands Barony for another Aquerra campaign to be starting early next year to be run by a friend living up in New Paltz.
Ciaran said:
I found it and added it to the last installment. So everyone go back and see what Martin's gift was. . .
Well, I finished reading the last section of this story hour yesterday so I just had to start the thing from the beginning to find out where the whole business started.
I have to give you props for some very good writing. I was particualrly impressed that you turned what could easily have been a rather long and dull journey into the Little Kingdoms into an interesting series of adventures. Also, lots of different plot arcs and twists and small personal side quests and issues really add to the mix. It has been a very enjoyable read and I am still not finished (about to start part 2 of the second section).
Having said that a couple of things have niggled me throughout.
1. Use of the egyptian pantheon? Was there any particular reason you chose to go with them. The setting doesnt seem to have much of an egyptian cultural theme to it and personally I found the use of the names a bit jarring and tended to break the mood somewhat.
2. Is there any particular reason you decided to hit arcane casters so hard with the nerf bat and yet leave clerics mostly alone?
3. You have mentioned a few times that Aquerra is low magic and yet it still seems to have lots of arcane casters around. I can definately see it as low magic item, but certainly not low magic.
I have to give you props for some very good writing. I was particualrly impressed that you turned what could easily have been a rather long and dull journey into the Little Kingdoms into an interesting series of adventures. Also, lots of different plot arcs and twists and small personal side quests and issues really add to the mix. It has been a very enjoyable read and I am still not finished (about to start part 2 of the second section).
Having said that a couple of things have niggled me throughout.
1. Use of the egyptian pantheon? Was there any particular reason you chose to go with them. The setting doesnt seem to have much of an egyptian cultural theme to it and personally I found the use of the names a bit jarring and tended to break the mood somewhat.
2. Is there any particular reason you decided to hit arcane casters so hard with the nerf bat and yet leave clerics mostly alone?
3. You have mentioned a few times that Aquerra is low magic and yet it still seems to have lots of arcane casters around. I can definately see it as low magic item, but certainly not low magic.
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Gold Roger
First Post
Very, very nice. Thanks for sharing all of this. I certainly learned a lot about DMing from reading your SH.
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
jensun said:
Thanks a lot for reading the ending and going back and tackling it from the beginning, and I am glad you enjoyed it.
jensun said:
I chose the Egyptian pantheon way back in '89 when I was 17 and first started detailing Aquerra. I think after years of people almost exclusively using Greek & Norse gods I just wanted something different - but I also knew that (at that time anyway) people were not excited about totally made-up pantheons - so I took the general form of Egyptian gods with their familiar names (and unfamiliar stories) and just used them as needed - using some Egyptian stuff for flavor, but not really caring if I got it "right".
Later, when I was detailing the pre-history of the setting (what they call 'The Time Before') I described something akin to a fantastical Nile delta/Egypt.
By now, we are all so used to it, no one blinks.
jensun said:
I don't know that I left clerics "mostly alone" if anything - they are the most changed class in my set of house rules.
However, all the priest classes have strong ethos that must be followed, essentially limiting how they can use their powers if they want to keep them.
Wizards have no such thing.
jensun said:
I think it is only "low" in comparison to the power creep common to the standard D&D magic guidelines. I have always prefered the term "moderate" magic - but no one knows what the means when I used it.
Jon Potter
First Post
Mixed emotions...
I'm conflicted over this. On the one hand, the Story hour that first drew me to ENWorld way back when is finally complete. But on the other hand, it's finished and I can't look forward to any more updates. I'm not sure what to think. :\
But let me echo the praise that others have lavished on you. This thread has been nearly equal parts entertainment and learning experience for me, and I can't thank you enough for both. In particular, the time travelling bit toward the end was inspirational and I intend to use a similar set up in my own campaign.
Thanks for sharing this SH with us, el-remmen.
I'm conflicted over this. On the one hand, the Story hour that first drew me to ENWorld way back when is finally complete. But on the other hand, it's finished and I can't look forward to any more updates. I'm not sure what to think. :\
But let me echo the praise that others have lavished on you. This thread has been nearly equal parts entertainment and learning experience for me, and I can't thank you enough for both. In particular, the time travelling bit toward the end was inspirational and I intend to use a similar set up in my own campaign.
Thanks for sharing this SH with us, el-remmen.
