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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 214707" data-attributes="member: 11">My immediate thoughts about  Wicht’s excellent entry was that it might be better served to introduce the PCs to the scenario while the other fire priests are still alive, but slowly being picked off.  This can create the creepiness of gothic murder mystery, especially if one of the PCs happens to be a fire priest.But putting that aside, the nature of the mystery and conspiracy is wonderful. The manipulative and corrupt priest double-crossing the repentant vampire and his own clergy is a great idea that can be drawn out 9esp. using the above idea) to make what is happening not so obvious to the PCs ~ the introduction of a few other members of the church could also draw suspicion away from the “benign and helpful” fire priest.  Wicht’s multiple plot hooks are also excellent, and among the best and most varied of those ever presented in the handful of IRON DM competitions I have run here and on other boards.Rune has fewer, but nearly as elegant hooks for the PCs.   As long as the PCs get to the city it does not seem like it’d be too hard to get them involved in the action.  Even if they are not persuaded by the beggar family’s story of their missing daughter, they could be approached by the fire priest’s daughter, the ghost, or simply be interested (esp. if pilgrims) in investigating the rumors of the dying flame that is never supposed to die.This is perhaps the hardest judgment I have had to make in this game.  The key difference in these two scenarios is that Wicht’s comes to a particular climax (or at least it could) that can resolve the whole thing, while Rune’s is much more open ended, leaving more room to expand the elements of the adventure into more campaign wide themes –esp. if they choose to help Diamond, or seek to fill the power vacuum and become involved in what seem to be the convoluted and cut-throat politics of the place.And there is where I laid my decision.  It is easy to imagine the PCs getting wrapped up in the events of Rune’s scenario even if they do nothing – the church guards could easily see them talking with the beggar girl’s family, or overhear them asking about the (or simply being told about) the rumors of the waning power of the fire – or see them conversing or even battling the ghost of the former fire priest.  The politics implied by Rune’s description strike me as the kind of place where it’d be hard for people as curious as PCs usually are to keep from getting in trouble.So, in the end I give the edge Rune. . . especially, keeping in mind that his repentant undead is a bit more believable – a ghost who chose to commit one evil act over another – as opposed to a vampire who feels remorse, why?  It did strike me that the vampire would have been cooler if he were an actor or bard – someone dramatic who wanted a dramatic end, wh owas simply tired of his long unlife, as opposed to feeling bad about his killing – and maybe wanted to explode in a blaze glory that would always be remembered.Wicht, great entry!  As usual. . I feel bad having to eliminate you at this point – but the upset goes to Rune – who will face either Wulf or RG in the final round. . .P.S. I know some people will complain (the Wicht fanboys <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />) about Wicht’s loss, but ya can’t please everyone and it could have gone either way.</blockquote>

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