I honestly thought after the undead attack and it was past midnight - that was it for Friday. Until today really, I thought that plot went to you guys in Bayenna/Warchester on purpose and it wasn't meant to be like, overall storyline arch. Like we got the undead, you guys got the chaos stuff.
Saturday night I was kinda bored-cold-tired and wanted to help Juliet and Ray cleanup the party. Several hours of cold guard duty with nothing happening makes me more tired than anything else tbh - a few encounters during guard duty probably would have woken me right the hell back up. The previous event I was all about those last two plots that went super late, but I'm totally sure they kicked off/started earlier than this event's main plots did. IG, I went with duty of Guarding the Baroness (well drag her with next time most likely), and OOG - I was just exhausted.
Regardless I'll be up till 2-3am for sure Friday/Saturday at the next event, although I may lose the Ninja-Murder Deer OOG wife to sleep. 5 hour energy to the rescue for me. Just from a sort of "Wouldn't it make more sense?" thing to me personally, I'd assume it would be better to run the bigger plot stuff as before midnight as possible. But in the end if its the standard to not run big plots until close to midnight, I'll adjust
This event was amazing. I am consistently impressed by the quality and involvement of our players (and, of course, NPCs and Plot!). I am in love with our site, though next time I'll take the road through Colorado Springs and avoid the terrifying switchbacks of doom.
A few shout-outs:
Tavern staff! You kept us well-fed. Very important for us poor NPCs who are running the entire time.
Plot! I continue to be amazed by the quality of story and level of preparation, and by the ability to improvise and adapt as the situation calls for it. (No plot survives the first encounter with the players, after all!)
The summoning of the Chaos elemental was my favorite. Favorite encounter/event of the whole time. It was eerie to be in this island of quiet in the circle, chanting and concentrating, as battle raged around the circle. Cassie and Mike, your knightly PCs are perfect. Player reactions to "I RIFT IN ONE!" were happy-making for me... in a sadistic way. PC reactions in the aftermath, even though I only heard about that part and didn't see it, was perfect.
Trying to rift out the earth scholar NPC and Aneia grabbing on (*fist shake*). And then the follow-up to that in the dark. Bwahah.
Thinking I was going to be able to outrun everyone as the pumpkin thief, but I hadn't seen that Casamir had joined the party until I was waylaid. *fist shake again*
Chivalry school continues to be utterly delightful. I was so pleased and surprised that all the active participation by characters caused it to run long with debate and really thoughtful discussion. I love how it's a regular thing and how it's becoming an active custom.
Moral quandaries, moral/legal conflicts! I love these, I love seeing how they play out and how people engage with these conflicts. (see: goblin slavery...)
The Vigilant! You three were a fantastic addition to the game. I really loved the exchange at chivalry school on the topic of lying and deceit and what must be done. And playing the paranoid survivalist Vigilant member (Dar) was so fun, mostly because of the interactions I had with you (and with the other PCs who weren't Vigilant... eheh).
The Masquerade! Wow. Tiatar and everyone else who contributed, you really went all out. The spirit walk was cold but amazingly atmospheric, and I hope it becomes a yearly tradition, because really. Also, Molly's story during the storytelling competition... I could not stop laughing.
Hearing the ogres yelling about Dargok from a good distance away.
The Chaos elemental fight on Saturday night. I ran so much during that fight... then died, respawned, and ran some more. Thoroughly exhausting and yet so, so much fun.
...so many more things! I want to continue listing but I've got to stop sometime, and there's a lot I can't say because I don't know how well known it is.
Things I want to see more of:
Bayenna and Warchester! I want to get a better feel for your baronies. Tiatar and Rivervale are pretty clearly defined and very highly visible; I know Bayenna's really just getting started (do you guys even have a Baron/ess player?) and Warchester's baron wasn't able to make it, so we haven't had the opportunity to see a ton of the "flavor" of Bayenna and Warchester, but I am intensely curious. The interactions I have had with Bayenna and Warchester members have been fantastic.
NPCs. As in, more of us. Because Jesse keeps describing all the ideas he has and the environment he wants to create and we need more NPCs to pull it off. >_> This is a want and a wish... we had 12 NPCs this event, that's actually really good. And still... MOAR.
Different ways of organizing all the stuff in NPC camp... but we have Plans for this, and already brainstormed in camp the last day.
I'd like to see more of the camp! I didn't get to make it out to Greenwood at all, and I only barely saw Lucky Circle because I was playing a wandering encounter troll and happened to chase some PCs up there. Didn't get to see the cabin interiors or anything.
