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Zad/Wizardru's Story Hour (*final update 11/12*)
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<blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 3649396" data-attributes="member: 151"><p>Indeed. That won't be the last change to an NPC, either. One thing that's bothered me for a while is that, since I've been using the SCAP close to as-written, that certain elements of my setting were largely off-screen, as the characters weren't really seeing it. While I had a lot of the answers to how my version was different from Greyhawk and the RAW SCAP, it wasn't apparent to the PCs at all. They have now hit 11th level...such changes should become noticable, and now they have.</p><p></p><p>One of the players, I don't recall which, wondered what the Scaled Council, among others, thought of what was happening in Cauldron. A lot of power-brokers in the world appeared to be ignorant of said events...which in some cases stretched credulity unless explained. Even now, the question of how Celeste was able to remain on the Prime is a question that has been asked (though they'll have to find out themselves). In some cases, it's simply a logical extrapolation of what the players know of the world and in some cases it's a simple curiosity of how the campaign has changed since the players were in it.</p><p></p><p>I won't name names, but there's at least one important NPC who's eventual fate is just NOT IN THE BOOK (or if it is, it's REALLY well hidden). It's possible that it's meant to be left to the individual DM or that it's not THAT relevant to the later game, but it really, REALLY bugged me. One of the sins of the SCAP is a classic one: some modules are more interesting to READ than they are to PLAY. As DM, I can see why Sir Alek does what he does and what happened...but unless I embellish certain events, it's not clear or not important to the players.</p><p></p><p>Case in point: Sir Alek helped the players in "Drakthar's Way". While this wasn't originally scripted, it made sense as soon as they needed help (and he would have volunteered to lend them aid sooner or later)....and more importantly, made him a character they knew. His disappearance in Demonskar Legacy means something, emotionally, because he's not just 'some guy'...he's a real face with a real story. </p><p></p><p>Some of the modules in SCAP are no-brainers: motivating the players to rescue orphans and explore an abandoned magic factory? EASY. Convincing a battered party to accompany an OBVIOUSLY evil dude to a THE ABYSS? HARD SELL. Sure I made it work...but only because the players were willing to meet me half-way. The deck simply isn't stacked that well...and ultimately, while it has a greater campaign arc reason, that reason is poorly defined in the module for both DM and player....especially player.</p><p></p><p>I found this session very satisfying. Did I perhaps slather on a tad much of the previous campaign tie-ins? Probably (and you should realize, Zad left OUT some details, like the Lucky Monkey's new manager). But it was, IMHO, necessary to do a course-correction.</p><p></p><p>Understand, though, that this isn't an indictment of the SCAP....but of how the SCAP doesn't fit my players or my style that well. It does it's job pretty well...and it lasted a LOT longer than the WotC Adventure Path, whose shackles I was chafing before the second module was done.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WizarDru, post: 3649396, member: 151"] Indeed. That won't be the last change to an NPC, either. One thing that's bothered me for a while is that, since I've been using the SCAP close to as-written, that certain elements of my setting were largely off-screen, as the characters weren't really seeing it. While I had a lot of the answers to how my version was different from Greyhawk and the RAW SCAP, it wasn't apparent to the PCs at all. They have now hit 11th level...such changes should become noticable, and now they have. One of the players, I don't recall which, wondered what the Scaled Council, among others, thought of what was happening in Cauldron. A lot of power-brokers in the world appeared to be ignorant of said events...which in some cases stretched credulity unless explained. Even now, the question of how Celeste was able to remain on the Prime is a question that has been asked (though they'll have to find out themselves). In some cases, it's simply a logical extrapolation of what the players know of the world and in some cases it's a simple curiosity of how the campaign has changed since the players were in it. I won't name names, but there's at least one important NPC who's eventual fate is just NOT IN THE BOOK (or if it is, it's REALLY well hidden). It's possible that it's meant to be left to the individual DM or that it's not THAT relevant to the later game, but it really, REALLY bugged me. One of the sins of the SCAP is a classic one: some modules are more interesting to READ than they are to PLAY. As DM, I can see why Sir Alek does what he does and what happened...but unless I embellish certain events, it's not clear or not important to the players. Case in point: Sir Alek helped the players in "Drakthar's Way". While this wasn't originally scripted, it made sense as soon as they needed help (and he would have volunteered to lend them aid sooner or later)....and more importantly, made him a character they knew. His disappearance in Demonskar Legacy means something, emotionally, because he's not just 'some guy'...he's a real face with a real story. Some of the modules in SCAP are no-brainers: motivating the players to rescue orphans and explore an abandoned magic factory? EASY. Convincing a battered party to accompany an OBVIOUSLY evil dude to a THE ABYSS? HARD SELL. Sure I made it work...but only because the players were willing to meet me half-way. The deck simply isn't stacked that well...and ultimately, while it has a greater campaign arc reason, that reason is poorly defined in the module for both DM and player....especially player. I found this session very satisfying. Did I perhaps slather on a tad much of the previous campaign tie-ins? Probably (and you should realize, Zad left OUT some details, like the Lucky Monkey's new manager). But it was, IMHO, necessary to do a course-correction. Understand, though, that this isn't an indictment of the SCAP....but of how the SCAP doesn't fit my players or my style that well. It does it's job pretty well...and it lasted a LOT longer than the WotC Adventure Path, whose shackles I was chafing before the second module was done. [/QUOTE]
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