Ptolus: Midwood - "The Dark Waters of Moss Pond"

[Trench]

Actually I think Bufer is given the letters. (But that's later in the stories...)

 

[Trench]

Tock's death. Or fake death.

Let's call this a really good bluff roll. See, Kat is blindly trusting and naive. If Tock appeared dead, he was. That blew Kat's mind.

I'd been playing Kat as partially autistic, but the thing that happens when you write is that your characters go places you weren't expecting. Kat ended up not being as far emotionally removed as I thought he'd be. Instead, his emotions (when he has them) are almost all surface. He's got no censor. Bluff roll? Never heard of it. And Sense Motive is not even an option for him.

So when the only person (besides his father) who had shown occasional affection for Kat "died". Kat's priorities shift very quickly. I had intended him to be a Monk meets Indiana Jones type. Now he has a very different focus.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I actually figure Tock was just knocked out in the retcon. D&D doesn't handle head injuries like that well, but DM fiat does.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Parents in town for baby shower. I hope to post Saturday morning.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Renraw's player pointed out that it would sort of suck for Katadid and Renraw to be on the road without their spellbooks. Since they're already on the run without a healer or anyone capable of wearing armor heavier than chainmail, I agreed that we could have his brother -- previously seen as part of the Tiberius scam -- be caught on the road with all their goods they hadn't brought to the festival.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Rivenoak is a riff on the Roanoke Colony: It was intended to be the second settlement in the new Barony of Midwood, north of Middleborough. The winter after it was founded, though, it was cut off from the first settlement by snow. When the spring thaw came, explorers heading to Rivenoak found it empty and the entire site overgrown with old growth trees.

 

[Emus Graymullet]

I understand how important this adventure was for the direction that the two groups would take, and that the single, massive group we all were at level 1 was unwieldy, but I was kind of sad at the end of this adventure. I'm never fond of PCs killing other PCs, but it led to some drama between friends, which is never fun to see.

Plus, the fugitives don't have a healer! Suckers!

 

[Renraw Kem]

Just to clarify, all the players thought Tock was really dead when he fell off that apple cart. INCLUDING Tock. We were all shocked when he woke up.

And, as funny as the exit line Stotch's player wrote was, I'm glad to see it gone. It means to me that 'Stotch' could still out there somewhere. (Unlikely to return to the game, yes, but out there!)

The thing that stands out the most to me is just how OVER THE TOP bad Renraw's dialogue was. I don't feel like I write him quite as flamboyant anymore, but maybe I'm wrong. It makes me groan in places...how did anybody put up with it?

I understand how important this adventure was for the direction that the two groups would take, and that the single, massive group we all were at level 1 was unwieldy, but I was kind of sad at the end of this adventure. I'm never fond of PCs killing other PCs, but it led to some drama between friends, which is never fun to see.

Ah, quit bein' a sap! We'll all get back together someday.

And, oh, the fireworks on that day...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The thing that stands out the most to me is just how OVER THE TOP bad Renraw's dialogue was. I don't feel like I write him quite as flamboyant anymore, but maybe I'm wrong. It makes me groan in places...how did anybody put up with it?

They mostly redirect it at Khenemet-Apep, who is a higher level (and more successful -- so far) Renraw Kem.

 

[Trench]

They mostly redirect it at Khenemet-Apep, who is a higher level (and more successful -- so far) Renraw Kem.

See, I don't see it. Until I realized who Apep's influence was- I saw Apep as decidedly slick. And nowhere near as frantic and manic.

This changes with a damn funny scene with him later of course...