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Message: <blockquote data-quote="limeskeleton" data-source="post: 9494797" data-attributes="member: 7047820">Over the past few weeks, I've been doing an inordinate amount of reading (lurking, really) here on the forums. In particular, I've been binging [USER=42582]@pemerton[/USER], [USER=82106]@AbdulAlhazred[/USER], and [USER=6696971]@Manbearcat[/USER]'s advice, campaign logs, and similar to get a better understanding of the "story now" approach to GMing games, which feels like a natural fit for my own preferences. Fortuitously, I'd already been working with my D&D group to begin a 4e (homebrewed heavily) campaign in a co-created setting. I explained the basic precepts during our Session Zeroes (sessions zero?) and the players seemed interested in the approach.For context, the players wanted some modern influences in a fantasy setting, so things like the 'EverNet' (the internet, but magitech and powered by psionic/arcane energy), elemental locomotives, and intercontinental corporations exist. We decided on a "fight the power" antiauthoritarian bent to the campaign's narrative, with the PCs wronged by powerful people and being capable and heroic enough to "punch up" and overcome overwhelming opposition from the status quo. The various Themes (as detailed below) were pulled from setting elements or ideas that players introduced and wanted to explore during the game.I thought I would share my experiences here.First, the PC Roster:[SPOILER]Celeste, a Pixie Arbalest with the 'Plays Pro Sports' Theme. Arbalest is a homebrew Martial Controller that combines elements of the Ranger and the Seeker mechanically. In this case, she's a former pro sharpshooter who got framed for match-fixing by her old team and is trying to clear her name (and get vengeance in the process). Ibz, a Kobold Warlord with the 'Influences the Masses' Theme. He's a Warlord who comes from a long proud line of commanders, but he came of age right as the centuries-long war between the Dwarves and Kobolds ended, leaving him without a purpose. Since then, he's been traveling and recording content to try and get the word out about Dragons, hoping to revitalize his nation by saving them from industrial experimentation and restoring their homes in the wilds.Kellen, a Human Swordmage with the 'Delves the Depths' Theme. Some of my players were inspired by 'dungeon core' fantasy novels, so Dungeons in this setting are aberrant, extradimensional creatures that grow like plants, spawning monsters and treasure inside of themselves as a means of attracting victims. Kellen was a professional dungeon-clearer, but the noble family that employed him joined a cult and turned against him, forcing him to be on the run from the law.Nimble, a Halfling Druid with the 'Protects the Wilds' Theme. Nimble is a climate activist and saboteur who's been compiling evidence against the Cinderfell Conglomerate, which killed his family and clear-cut his home grove to make way for mining operations.Thorgrim Tax-Dodger, a Dwarf Berserker with the 'Fights the Power' Theme. Thorgrim is described by his player as having a "room temperature IQ' and was sentenced to a lifetime of working the bronze mines of his home city for refusing to pay taxes. After falling into a Primal Rage, he accidentally arrived on the surface, and is trying to make his way in a world that he doesn't understand.Ursaline, an Orc Vampire with the 'Communes with Cats' Theme. Previously a barmaid and occasional lounge singer, Ursaline's life changed shortly before the campaign began when her tavern hosted an event for Cinderfell Conglomerate elites. She doesn't remember much, but she woke up the next morning a Vampire and she wants to find out what happened to her.[/SPOILER]Session Intro[SPOILER]Dahaska’s Fountain Square buzzes with excitement. Crowds gather under the towering plateaus, the sky above alive with the flicker of the Dahaskan Roc's wings as it patrols. At the center of it all, a sleek, holographic banner proclaims, "Mr. Beef's Ultimate Dungeon Challenge!" The EverNet celebrity, Mr. Beef, stands in the spotlight, flanked by private security from the Cinderfell Conglomerate and his personal bodyguard, Druz.In his typical over-the-top style, Mr. Beef addresses his followers—hyped fans and treasure hunters alike—inviting them to enter the mysterious Living Dungeon behind him. The stakes are clear: defeat the Core Guardian and claim the treasure, and an incredible prize awaits, all sponsored by the Cinderfell Conglomerate. The energy is palpable as eager contestants prepare to dive into the unknown depths of the dungeon, with Mr. Beef livestreaming every moment to his growing audience.There are, however, a few people present who are not fans of Mr. Beef. As the hovering Wyrdcaster Drones capture your likeness, what do the thousands of audience-members see? You all have your own reasons to be here, but it seems that there are no more spots left in Mr. Beef's challenge. What do you do?[/SPOILER]Session ItselfThe PCs decided to take a non-violent approach, which I ran as a Complexity 2 Skill Challenge. This involved a lot of interesting approaches. Nimble guilt-tripped some fans into handing over a ticket, Celeste flirted with the security guards and compared weapons, Thorgrim wanted to do a "flashback" where he'd accidentally acquired a ticket during a drunken brawl the night before. This gave me a fun way to introduce more drama, the bloodied-and-bruised man from the night before arrived on the scene, mistaking Kellen for the fighter, and began causing a ruckus. Ibz had a great moment as well where he went on stage and redirected the flow of the streaming towards Mr. Beef's controversies, resulting in him trying to cut the stream and the fans getting restless.Once they arrived in the Dungeon, they had a freeform roleplaying scene with Venomcoil, a centipede primal spirit who was unhappy with the Cinderfell Conglomerate's "fracking" (for liquid residuum, in this case), offering them help in getting to the Dungeon Core if they brought Mr. Beef to him. There was some good roleplaying here, especially from Nimble, who has a close connection to the conglomerate, and from Thorgrim, who was curious about the long-abandoned dwarven settlement underneath the dungeon. The party "called out" Mr. Beef on their streaming device, so I was able to improvise a combat encounter using a Crystal cavern battlemap I had on Roll20. The fight involved Mr. Beast (a controller), Druz (rival of Celeste and artillery), and a few Security Officer Brutes to round things out. The players are still getting used to the system, so it was slow-going, but the reception seemed positive during the fight! We ended on a cliffhanger as dwarven ghosts erupted from the grounds and began wailing just as a pack of Kruthiks burrowed through the walls and began spitting acid on everyone.Would welcome any thoughts, questions, or feedback. <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=":)" /></blockquote>

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