Random DM nagging 2: Endless nagging

[Anastasia]

In your mind, had that ever happened before? You mentioned the .01% before, so assumedly it'd happened at least once in the last thousands of years?

Probably not. There had been a few close calls, but they'd been unable to deal with the final challenges. One was a single wizard 22//fighter 22 who managed to get to the bottom and fight his way through a few ruins. He ultimately was overcome by a templated tarrasque and several kolyarut wizards in support. Another was an adventuring party around level 21, they were wiped out at the light generator as they couldn't deal with it fast enough and were obliterated.

I wasn't kidding when the last challenges were noted to be dangerous.

[Corwin]

So why did the door of nothingness have a crush on Lucy?

[Anastasia]

So why did the door of nothingness have a crush on Lucy?

It reacts a little differently to outsiders is the short version. Demons in particular are associated with destruction and entropy, so it's like seeing a big sister.

[Nephrite]

What did Jetina see when she was dealing with it? Did she see something different than Lucy?

Also, what was up with the clones in the closet?

[Anastasia]

What did Jetina see when she was dealing with it? Did she see something different than Lucy?

Some unrelated things, closer to what others say.

Also, what was up with the clones in the closet?

Representations of light clones. Fairly straightforward and mindscrewy.

[Iron Dragoon]

What could I have done with the book I brought back?

[Anastasia]

What could I have done with the book I brought back?

Learned a bunch of useful skills and information with it. Easier said than done.

[Anastasia]

I'll be starting to move on new game stuff around Thursday or Friday. Think I needed a bit more downtime than I expected.

[Anastasia]

What I'm tentatively going for:

Vastwoods 2. The game will start in Sal Farano, which was mentioned a few times. Excerpts below. It'll start with a fresh batch of PCs.

From the footnotes here: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,102721.msg1045960.html#msg1045960

3 An elven lord who died at 2380 as the result of wyvern poison tainted wounds, which caused this army's defeat in the Battle of Sal Farano.

From the Epilogue and Ribby.

[19:28] <@Kotono> "Sure is," Ribby agrees, "There's forces up there that are moving...and a woman in Sal Farano who can help you stop them before they use it. So," Glancing at them, "Are you up to another quest?"
[19:28] <@John> "Always!"
[19:29] * Feather snorts, saluting Ribby with his mug. "Idiots won't stop themselves. If they need help, that's us."
[19:30] <@Kotono> "I guess it is," Myann agrees, "Sal Farano's a long ways away, to the west, though."
[19:30] <Gildas> Gildas frowns. "They really don't know when to leave good enough alone."
[19:31] <@Kotono> "You have time," Ribby remarks, "It'll take them a few years to get everything together. There's a lot to tell," he goes on, "But you can afford tonight to rest and celebrate. It's the end of one year and the start of a new one." Taking a long pull from his mug, "Right now, let's drink to the fairies being less of a problem." He raises his mug up, "Cheers?"
[19:32] <Feather> "Cheers!" Feather echoes him.
[19:32] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "Cheers to that. The world is a better place."
[19:32] <@Kotono> "Cheers!" Myann taps her mug against his, starting to smile, "To happier todays and better tomorrows!"
[19:33] <@John> "Cheers," John leans over and clinks his mug with everyone.
[19:35] <@Kotono> After another long drink, "Tomorrow's problem..." Ribby murmurs, as he begins to talk. But that's a story for another time. Right now the party is warm, happy and at peace. For the moment, that is enough.

From here: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103168.msg1052260.html#msg1052260

[19:22] <@Kotono> There is more silence. "Is it called the Lalestos?" The dragon asks, calming.
[19:23] <Gildas> Gildas blinks. "Yes, actually."
[19:24] <Feather_> "I know it's just a dream, but there was this guy who sounded all crazy. Felt like he'd use it just because he can."
[19:24] <@Kotono> "Who?" The dragon asks right away.
[19:26] <@John> "I don't remember a name," John admits. "Only person that seemed to know just called him the bastard."
[19:27] <Gildas> "He was made of silver." Gildas responds. "I don't... think we got his name, no. He was too intent on trying to kill us."
[19:28] <Feather_> "Angry silver bastard sounds right to me."
[19:30] <@Kotono> Silence. Your answer is silence. "His name is Xanam." When the dragon breaks it at last, it is with that. The Lalestos is the weapon of last resort against the aberrations, able to destroy entire regions. It was supposed to have been destroyed by common agreement once the war was won. But you say it was activated?"
[19:31] <Gildas> "Ah... well, it was in a dream..." Gildas says. "So it's only a possibility... We can't tell you for certain."
[19:32] <@John> "Yeah, s'weird since all the stuff there was meant to come from our own minds, but that - and the stuff with your mother, sure as hell didn't."
[19:32] * Joins: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net)
[19:32] <Feather> "There was this woman that opposed him, and we're trying to see if she's real," Feather informs the dragon. "If she is, we can just ask her!"
[19:33] * Quits: Feather_ (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net) (Ping timeout)
[19:35] <@Kotono> "What is her name?" The dragon asks.
[19:36] <Feather> "Uh, she had an accent? And was from Sal Farano?"
[19:36] <@John> "Don't know that either," John admits. "It was a dream and it just kinda threw us into the thick of these battles, to challenge us and awaken our strength for dealing with the mantle thing. What ifs, they were, if we'd taken different roads. But we just skipped right to the climactic battles."
[19:40] <@Kotono> "I see. This information is...worth allowing you to go. I may be in contact again," The dragon rises and takes to the air, calling down, "I am capable of finding you."

From here: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103110.msg1051258.html#msg1051258

[18:22] <@Kotono> It's not too long for everyone to arrive. Robert's first, followed by several of the brood. He stands before it, hands on hips, "What in TARNATION did all of you do this time?!" The Missus follows along with Em, the two staring with big eyes.
[18:23] <@Kotono> Rashen's next, just giving it a long look over before whistling.
[18:23] <@Kotono> Missy-Anne's next, looking utterly transfixed. She then turns to John and casually asks, "John, do you own that or some of that?"
[18:23] <Gildas> "Do you want the actual story, or one that sounds better to retell to people?" Gildas asks with a small smile.
[18:24] <@Kotono> Hylath follows along, "I haven't seen a castle like this since the time I saw images of Sal Farano," he comments, "Truly, most impressive!"
[18:24] <@John> "These guys had a big flying castle, right? So we took it off them and it turned into that," he jerks his thumb at the edifice. At Missy Anne's question he just shrugs, "Dunno if we ever figured on ownership really. Never much wanted it meself."

This may or may not involve the Lalestos situation. It will take place after Vastwoods, though how much in the future is still to be determined.

I'm thinking starting from 5-7 or so? Vastwoods doesn't skew as high as Balmuria for levels (I don't really consider the epic rules for it, for example), so that's fairly well established in the world. Could start lower but probably not higher. Sal Farano's one hell of a big city and generally elven dominated, so PCs from it will most likely be elven. However, variety is welcome. You should probably stick to things from this layer, though creativity can work around that if you saw something you'd like to play with.

Things to bear in mind.

1. The Lalestos and the strange woman who can help with it. Will you deal with her at all? What sort of woman is she? Does she matter at all in Sal Farano?

2. The fey have recently changed. Would that have impacted your PC at all?

3. What sort of city is Sal Farano? It's primarily elven but they didn't establish it. The roots of the city are human with some influence with raiders from another continent. Expect a flavor article on this well before the game starts.

4. Generally, I expect city slickers in contrast to the rural flavor of the Vastwoods. A typical PC would take one look at the old party and think that they're a bunch of overarmed countryfolk.

If any of this is a dealbreaker for y'all, now's the time to speak up. Y'know, before I get too deep into my prep.

[Ebiris]

I definitely don't want to deal with hooks left over from the last game, so the Lalestos would better be ignored.

I'd kinda prefer going higher level too, but that's not a deal-breaker. (not necessarily starting higher, just having room to grow higher)

[Corwin]

It kind of nixes my first/second choices in some things, but I could make it work.

I'm interested in playing a fey. What is available, and how would it work? Frostwind Virago, Nymph, something explicitly mantle-based (I figure you must have a few builds there)?

What about classes? Vastwoods was harsh on divine casters and paladins, but that could be a facet of the whole village environment and not the world itself.

P.S.
Agreement with ninja Eb.

[Anastasia]

I definitely don't want to deal with hooks left over from the last game, so the Lalestos would better be ignored.

I'd kinda prefer going higher level too, but that's not a deal-breaker. (not necessarily starting higher, just having room to grow higher)

How high level is high level, anyway?

[Anastasia]

It kind of nixes my first/second choices in some things, but I could make it work.

I'm interested in playing a fey. What is available, and how would it work? Frostwind Virago, Nymph, something explicitly mantle-based (I figure you must have a few builds there)?

Short and off the cuff? The mantle system changes have had a ripple effect. The fey are slowly changing, so it's possible you could be a fey. That would come with baggage, though. Bear that in mind. More details as I polish and work things out.

Assuming I allow SS for this for balance. If the others end up playing standard elves, it might not work out to have you be a fey, since they have a higher power level. That comes down to party composition stuff, so we'll see. I haven't even posted chargen rules, so going too deep into this is premature.

What about classes? Vastwoods was harsh on divine casters and paladins, but that could be a facet of the whole village environment and not the world itself.

More 'civilized' classes would be preferred. Things like cleric, paladin, wizard. Less rangers, druids and nature classes.

I mostly handwaved religion in the Vastwoods, since it wasn't the focus of the game (plus at the time a contrast from Balmuria was desired). There's a lot of space to work with there. I'll be sorting that out more in the coming prep.

[Ebiris]

Well like getting up to 20 or so. I don't really care for epic but we could edge into there if it runs long enough.

I mean we got to like level 10 in Vastwoods and that basically made us the best around. I'd like more room than that.

[Anastasia]

Well like getting up to 20 or so. I don't really care for epic but we could edge into there if it runs long enough.

I mean we got to like level 10 in Vastwoods and that basically made us the best around. I'd like more room than that.

To be honest, I wouldn't see a Vastwoods campaign going past 15. 18 at the highest and that's probably optimistic.

It's not really the campaign for super high level stuff, or even stuff past the early/mid teens for levels. There's a tad more of a curve in Sal Farano than the Vastwoods (fey excepted), but not that much more. The setting really isn't designed for the sort of things high level characters bring to play.