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[ZEITGEIST] The Continuing Adventures of Korrigan & Co.
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<blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 7600968" data-attributes="member: 79141"><p><strong>A Dizzzying Anti-climax</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>I thought I would add a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes of our last session, because it was both surprising and interesting:</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Before embarking on this section of the adventure I noticed that pretty much whatever the players do during the trial - whether they win, lose, or something in between - at some point, Sigismund will try to immolate himself, and when he does it takes 5 rounds.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Now 5 rounds is long enough for some combats, so my thinking was it probably wouldn't happen - the players have enough ways to prevent it and they would have 5 goes each.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Obviously, as DM, I kind of wanted the Catastrophe dragon to appear, but I didn't want to screw the players over or railroad them, but as we are playing in Cypher System, I knew that I could rely on the GM Intrusion XP mechanic, whereby a player receives 2XP when the GM nerfs their powers (passing one to an ally).</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>I was pretty sure this would work, and also sure that we would reach this climactic point by the end of the session, so I brought along my Wizards of the Coast Colossal Red Dragon Mini (which is still in its box... $$KERCHING!!!$$) and kept it in a big laundry bag under a nearby chair. (I'd got a handy fib ready in case anyone noticed it, but no one did.) </strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The session went pretty much as expected, with Leon acing his checks at the trial. As mentioned above, this was the same night Notre Dame went on fire, so images of that started popping up on players' phones during the earlier parts of the session, which I thought was a pretty weird coincidence. Then they got to the cathedral and Leon rolled a 1 during his final remarks.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>As that outcome would cause the most confusion (and keep Vitus' allies on-side) I was going to intrude to insist he not reroll it (another Cypher mechanic), but Uriel used his Undo spell, and Leon passed. So Vitus was now isolated and took it upon himself to execute Triegenes.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Uriel, Gupta and Leon were the first to try to stop him. As planned, I began handing out tokens to nerf each power, whereupon the players turned the Cypher System mechanics against me for the first time since our reboot two years ago:</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The system allows for players to <em>refuse</em> a GM Intrusion, turning down the XP offered, and spending one of their own. This was the first time they chose to refuse. Interestingly, their reasoning was that thousands may die if he did so, and it felt far more important than anything else they had done that session. </strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Gupta refused first, baffling Vitus with one of her trademarked Questions. I figured 'oh well, it will only last a round'. Then Leon hit him with Curse of Mouthless Muttering, and also turned down the XP. That spell lasts for a minute.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>I had one of those panicky 'it's all going horribly wrong moments' before years of DMing experience kicked in and I realised that it was, in fact, all going horribly right. That this was a fantastic outcome for the players and for the campaign.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>But I couldn't resist showing them what they could have won - in fact I quoted from the adventure text: “Congratulations, the PCs have averted a catastrophe, and they never have to face that lava dragon on the cover.” (Which I couldn't help but deliver with a tone of sarcasm.) Showed them the cover; showed them the mini; then wrapped up adventure 11 at least a week earlier than I had planned, without the climactic final encounter.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>It was oddly exhilerating and cathartic. </strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Also, it means that the players managed to get through the whole of Act Three of Gorged on Ruins without getting into a single fight, which is pretty impressive.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Next week, a solo outing for King Baldrey. ...</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gideonpepys, post: 7600968, member: 79141"] [b]A Dizzzying Anti-climax[/b] [B]I thought I would add a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes of our last session, because it was both surprising and interesting: Before embarking on this section of the adventure I noticed that pretty much whatever the players do during the trial - whether they win, lose, or something in between - at some point, Sigismund will try to immolate himself, and when he does it takes 5 rounds. Now 5 rounds is long enough for some combats, so my thinking was it probably wouldn't happen - the players have enough ways to prevent it and they would have 5 goes each. Obviously, as DM, I kind of wanted the Catastrophe dragon to appear, but I didn't want to screw the players over or railroad them, but as we are playing in Cypher System, I knew that I could rely on the GM Intrusion XP mechanic, whereby a player receives 2XP when the GM nerfs their powers (passing one to an ally). I was pretty sure this would work, and also sure that we would reach this climactic point by the end of the session, so I brought along my Wizards of the Coast Colossal Red Dragon Mini (which is still in its box... $$KERCHING!!!$$) and kept it in a big laundry bag under a nearby chair. (I'd got a handy fib ready in case anyone noticed it, but no one did.) The session went pretty much as expected, with Leon acing his checks at the trial. As mentioned above, this was the same night Notre Dame went on fire, so images of that started popping up on players' phones during the earlier parts of the session, which I thought was a pretty weird coincidence. Then they got to the cathedral and Leon rolled a 1 during his final remarks. As that outcome would cause the most confusion (and keep Vitus' allies on-side) I was going to intrude to insist he not reroll it (another Cypher mechanic), but Uriel used his Undo spell, and Leon passed. So Vitus was now isolated and took it upon himself to execute Triegenes. Uriel, Gupta and Leon were the first to try to stop him. As planned, I began handing out tokens to nerf each power, whereupon the players turned the Cypher System mechanics against me for the first time since our reboot two years ago: The system allows for players to [I]refuse[/I] a GM Intrusion, turning down the XP offered, and spending one of their own. This was the first time they chose to refuse. Interestingly, their reasoning was that thousands may die if he did so, and it felt far more important than anything else they had done that session. Gupta refused first, baffling Vitus with one of her trademarked Questions. I figured 'oh well, it will only last a round'. Then Leon hit him with Curse of Mouthless Muttering, and also turned down the XP. That spell lasts for a minute. I had one of those panicky 'it's all going horribly wrong moments' before years of DMing experience kicked in and I realised that it was, in fact, all going horribly right. That this was a fantastic outcome for the players and for the campaign. But I couldn't resist showing them what they could have won - in fact I quoted from the adventure text: “Congratulations, the PCs have averted a catastrophe, and they never have to face that lava dragon on the cover.” (Which I couldn't help but deliver with a tone of sarcasm.) Showed them the cover; showed them the mini; then wrapped up adventure 11 at least a week earlier than I had planned, without the climactic final encounter. It was oddly exhilerating and cathartic. Also, it means that the players managed to get through the whole of Act Three of Gorged on Ruins without getting into a single fight, which is pretty impressive. Next week, a solo outing for King Baldrey. ...[/B] [/QUOTE]
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