LSO OOC Thread II

[JadedDM]

Here are my notes for the last session.

The title of this session, "Dark Side of the Mond" is a play on words of "Dark Side of the Moon." Mond is actually the German word for Moon and Deimos is one of the moons of Mars. The moon is often associated with chaos, so it all fit with what the League was doing.

Something I've noticed is that when the party is around NPCs of authority, they always defer to them. This is such unusual behavior for PCs, I never seem to expect it. Both with Sierra, back in the first arc, and just recently with Saren. It's strange that a party of such Chaotic characters would crave strong leadership so much.

The wounded elf they found was never asked for a name. He wondered aloud why the slaad that attacked him left him alive. Well, now we know. He had an egg-pellet implanted into his chest. The party lost track of him, so there's a chance he won't receive treatment and will 'give birth' to another slaad at a later date. Ew.

Another thing I thought was interesting was that the party members seemed fairly certain, at least at first, that the actions of the citizens in Mond were due to some kind of enchantment. If you remember back on the tribal island, there was a similar vein of thought--that the tribals were being controlled somehow through magic. At first I wondered if the party was just incredibly naive ("surely people don't kill each other over religion and politics!") but after some thought I wonder if perhaps the fantastical setting of a D&D game has kind of affected the thinking of many players. The idea that neighbors were killing each other over a political or religious disagreement just seemed too mundane a possibility in a world with demons, magic and mind-control?

I'm surprised Val is now trying to sell her trade goods. Vaneil is a very lawful, stable island with a strong law enforcement--i.e., a place that doesn't really need weapons and armor. Mond, however, is very chaotic and war-torn, as we saw. Tialis mentioned several times that the League would pay handsomely for weapons and armor, and Val never even reacted to it. Perhaps she decided that the side with the most cash wasn't the morally right one after all?

As we later learned, the frog-like creatures the party fought were Slaadi. This is the first time the party has fought extraplanar beings. They come from Limbo, which is the Chaotic Neutral afterlife. The League is CN themselves, which is why they would summon them.

The two mages, Kilmanjaro and Kadol, were old characters from an old game, although only Horizon would have recognized them. They are both quite mad and very powerful (10th level), so they seemed like good leaders for the League. The party was wise not to engage them. Although it's possible they could have defeated the mages, there likely would have been some PC deaths involved in the process.

The battle with the zombies wasn't supposed to be hard. As a level 5 cleric, Jocelyn can turn them without even rolling--it's automatic. So I was surprised when she never bothered and instead cast Protection from Evil on herself (Zombies are TN, so...). Seems like Turn Undead would have been ridiculously useful there.

I had originally intended to continue roleplaying Areilon until the end of the arc (although I admit, I never wanted to). But after she and Andar were wounded, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to write them out of the game. Especially with Gallath joining the group to replace her.

However, Andar was still carrying Jocelyn's bedroll and Val's two waterskins and her battle axe. I mentioned this numerous times in game, but nobody retrieved them, so they're gone for good.

The quest for the cannon of light was a call-back to the ending of the first arc. Never one to leave a plot thread hanging, I reintroduced the Eonian artifact here as an excuse for another big quest before the party faces the pirates. It should be a great opportunity for lots of XP, treasure and magical items.

In Gallath's Vignette, I actually had a whole plotline involving Naishe. Investigating her for possibly being in the League was meant to employ many of the skills Gallath has, including pickpocketing, lockpicking, eavesdropping, hiding and sneaking. Once he had the proof, he would have a choice; he could turn Naishe in, or let her go, or try and convince her to leave the League or maybe even join him as a henchman. But, Spyguy didn't seem interested in it. He kept posting he was 'passing the time' over and over again, so I took the hint and skipped over to the big battle at the end instead. Well, perhaps she'll turn up again later in the game.

Anyway, I'll get the next chapter up soon. What did you all think? Any feedback, questions, comments, so forth?

[HorizonsDream]

So yeah, I want to do a scene with Brock visiting his family's grave or whatever. She'll also do some shopping for some new clothing and a new bedroll since it is gone.

[BishGada]

Regarding the women, well, it could be Terra if the chance is there, it could be someone from the group that would also like sight-see and otherwise if he meets a local attractive woman at the Tavern he will tell his heroic deeds and offer more tales (and buying drinks) for guidance in town and hospitality.

There is another thing I thought about doing in Narin, but that involves Jocelyn too, as it was her idea in the first place. Why wait to ask the church help only when she returns to her town? There is a local church/temple here and they might want to help the situation at Mond as any other place. They might not be very powerful but if persuaded they can speak with the high ranks. So if Jocelyn, with the help of Baeros and the others who seek to end the League brutality will start to stir things right now, it might prepare the ground for future actions.

[JadedDM]

Regarding the church, you can try, but I should point out the temple here is to Gonto, not Octhanus.

[BishGada]

We should try anyway. I think as Gonto preach for civilization, craft and knowledge they wouldn't appreciate the League's actions. (just read about what Gonto preaches for )
BTW, Baeros would also train his dog and would ask Jocelyn to heal him if that's possible.

[spyguy1503]

Not the most patient person here... shoot, a henchman would be cool.

[Breila]

I don't think it's craving of leadership that leads the PCs to defer to Sierra or Saren. Saren in particular offered a safe haven after a difficult time, and it was gladly accepted no questions asked.

True, I find it difficult to play a chaotic character. I've tried to let Ouragana behave more whimsically in the last few posts after noticing she was a little too well-behaved and predictable.
I guess she still has the belief that people are intrinsically good that has been instilled to her by her tutor, and her everyday dealing with magic makes her think "enchantment" first when she encounters evil.

[Nuke]

Sorry for being MIA. Lost my computer and everything else we owned to a house fire on Monday. No one was home nor hurt so things are going as well as can be.

[JadedDM]

Wow, that's awful. I'm glad you're all okay, though. You guys were insured?

[HorizonsDream]

Oh wow. I'm glad you guys are okay!

[Breila]

I'm sorry to hear that. Hope you'll recover soon. It's a hell of a lot of work.

[Nuke]

Yeah Jaded. I will say the insurance company has been on it. He set up an EFT Monday when I reported the claim and set us up in a local motel.

The community support has been over whelming. Now we are working on mid-to-long term things. Finding a temporary place until we can get a replacement deal done.

[spyguy1503]

I'm really sorry to hear that man.

[BishGada]

Glad you all are OK and being take care of. Hope you will be back on your fit in no time!
Do you know what caused the fire? Is it a private house of a flat in apartment?

[Nuke]

I think it was electrical, but it's going down as undetermined. Doesn't matter at this point insurance has settled. It was a mobile home.

At least we own the land now, gonna replace it.