Traceroo
Rogue
Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the Plot Team for 2017 with Team Prometheus, and 2018 with Team Daedalus! I am deeply grateful for the chance to serve our community by putting our game together, and expanding some of its creative horizons.
Some of my favorite moments in the larger scheme, more than any one event, include:
And now my watch has ended....
Trace Moriarty
Retiring staffer from Safety & Weapons Marshal
Team Prometheus, Team Daedalus, 2018 National Event Plot
Some of my favorite moments in the larger scheme, more than any one event, include:
- Howling Woods: Vincent and I shared a goal between us to make monsters scary, interesting, and possessed of motivations that are decipherable and able to be anticipated, maybe even manipulated. Paul joined us in this presentation in 2018, and will carry the torch (yes, through the woods) in 2019. We created the role of the Vysen, introduced the darkness in the woods, showed you the Gnarltusk ogres, Vilker hobgoblins, Ulrathi, Blackwood, and Black Locust orcs, all of the Vysen competing tribes played by you last year, and the mysterious "Circle of Thorns" rumored to be out there. Vincent created the witches. Sark emerged as a surprising leader, in contrast to Azug and Nogra, and other individual tribal leaders. Your BGAs and in-game actions strongly affect the status of the duchy's western border, especially along Tiatar and Warchester. Of everything we did in two years, Vincent and I are most proud of the development of politics and schemes among the monsters, and expansion of the story here.
- Thieves: Team Prometheus was strongly pro-rogue, and we set a rule: Every mod has at least one Legerdemain encounter. The ATG re-organized itself. We tried to provide more opportunities for thieves, spies, and ne'er-do-wells, and we hoped you enjoyed your time in the shadows as we did!
- Baronial development: I loved getting to present the Baronial Reports every month, and incorporate your team lore and Players Guide material, BGA actions, and expand the main story to show its effects offstage in your character homeland. There are parts of each area that remain beloved by me: Wolfwatch Keep in Tiatar; Wildwood, Charming, and Port Tyrok in Warchester; and all the many small and large homeland characters from both Rivervale and Bayenna, in their endless lacrosse rivalry! Mike, I'll sure miss that bird in Bayenna Keep! Cassie, rest assured that Dame Arikaya's estate will always have only normal animals. The Jackal will rise again! And Rivervale, if you're homesick and need a break, I have it on good authority that the Baroness still receives regular reports of lumber mill production, lacrosse training updates, and Lord Erik's latest gossip from Brixton's Quarry! Tevas and Nirrabex, I couldn't possibly do without my regular reports of what happens next at Navigo, and I volunteered for 2019 Plot to keep writing your BGA responses for that. I hope that I managed to add some color and care to the offstage world for those players who take interest in such things. Take good care of her during the next watch!
- Blue cards: These were Ian's idea - he deserves the best credit! We loved getting to make your Craftsman skills meaningful and useful. I think these added a fun "choose your own adventure" element that players can pursue on their own time, and without feeling hurried. Of all the things we introduced on these two teams, I hope that 2019 Plot will keep these going! We really had such fun finding creative applications for your skills event after event to involve them -- here's to you, Truffle Hunter!
- Nobles and squires with personality and factions: What I loved best in our political machinations of the past two years was getting to write, or portray nobles with personalities and individual motivations, agendas of their own -- neither "good" nor "evil" at base, but just believeable people. I loved getting to add some consistent appearances of NPC nobles and squires into the mix of things... Honestly, my favorite NPC I've gotten to play in this game is actually Squire Alissayre! Just someone happy to be on the show, and with a simple task, needing some help. Thanks for following her efforts to build an orphanage, along with Lady Thyria and her Accounting plot, and Dame Grey - the least sexy mystic wood elf in history.
- Getting to see what you do! Of all these things, my very favorite part of being on the Plot Team is getting the bird's eye view of each of the PCs! So many of you are doing such neat things behind the scenes and out of the public eye, with the richness in the details, in your BGAs. I love seeing what quests you've taken up, and helping you with them one step at a time. The coolest things done in this game aren't the ones you see in the spotlight usually, at the end of a field battle -- it's all the little steps along the way. I sure hope that Team Prometheus and Team Daedalus were able to honor these efforts properly, and make each and every one of you feel a little special, at least once, and know how much we loved getting to participate in your individual goals. I'll miss getting the insight on these when I'm back on your side of the curtain. If you ever want to share some gossip with me privately as a player about you sister's beehives in Warchester, or the single goblin you saved in the Howling Woods, the old lady along the river shore whom you helped, motivating the families back home to get off their duffs, how your trained dogs are doing, the new contacts you made around the duchy, what this year's latest fashion trends are, the secret blood oath you recently swore, that soup kitchen for the poor that you're funding, or your blackmail attempts of the local town council -- I'll always remain all ears!
And now my watch has ended....
Trace Moriarty
Retiring staffer from Safety & Weapons Marshal
Team Prometheus, Team Daedalus, 2018 National Event Plot