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Damanandros is like...

Dang!

From this end of the MAIN ACTION, to this would-have-been fluff closeout.

The Dice giveth, and the Dice taketh away.

Let's do this then.

My loose ideas of what the ending should be like:

All the principle players should get in on the ending of Igolio and the chapter.

Maybe Gennadius starts us off by throwing a net over the zombie?
Then, Xenophon spears him or chops off his head?
The body continues to move. Gundus casts a blessing of Turas?
Damanandros and his little green buddy join in with something that combines with Gundus' efforts and the zombie's skin withers and becomes dry like paper?
Then, Syrena lights him up with the torch?

I imagine the death like that of George Benning from the 1982 The Thing

(watch @ 6:30)

This sounds good to me. I think Damanandros has had his moment in the spotlight. Take us home!

The Thing is one of my all-time favorites, that scene is appropriately weird and horrifying.

Sounds good to me.

Apologies for being AFK most of the past week. Real life, busy, yadda yadda yadda...

Maybe it is just me, ok, I'm sure it is just me, but I like the idea of hightailing it out of there. Just knock the zombie down, grab the loot, and go. Gennadius does want to give *some* of the loot to the soldiers from the previous towers - mostly so he is looked upon as some sort of hero, but also a little as an honest sense of justices, and an decent portion of fear and wanting all the extra muscle he can get to help put down these monstrosities.

Net the zombie, knock it down, several thrusts of swords and spears, an attempt to burn it. Last scene of the group leaving the fort, heavily burdened by their treasure and statue, and a continually burning zombie clawing at the shut gate, causing it to start to go up in flames as well.

Congratulations, Players' Club!

Thanks for that series of entries - it built a PERFECTLY DRAMATIC final scene. I was smiling and enjoying the whole thing immensely as I read through it start to finish this morning. Bravo!

And that's a perfect bounce pass and slam dunk for the new entry in Ascendency. Check it out.

I haven't done all of the math down to the penny, but I think the series of entries through the episode should bring everybody to the big watermark. Intent is definitely to shift PCs to a WELL-EARNED 2nd Level.

If it happens to turn out that anyone comes up a little short on XPs to cross the finish line for the level increase, mention it to me here - we'll work something out.

The XP pace in this game is tough, y'all. Monster killing for XP does NOT provide the fast track. It's quite the opposite: on the risk-to-reward analysis, it's not the way to go. Haha! A good reminder to me that the game is centered around exploration and specifically TAKING THE LOOT. Treasure is King for sure. I guess that is the intent and spirit of the game within the old system and the throwbacks to it like ACKS.

In any case, a very cool chapter. A lot of variety, strategy, and interesting entries by all of you. Nothing like I had previously envisioned during concept development, but far superior in every way.

Congratulations again, and thanks sincerely for all your work and commitment to our game.

J

Wow! I've actually never watched "The Thing" but have heard so much about it. Listened to a one hour podcast about it a few months ago. It sounds like a legendary production. I've got to take time for a viewing sometime this summer.

With the close of the chapter, I'm going to take my leave for the reasons mentioned a week ago. Impressive writing by everyone! I wish you the best of luck on continuing this adventure.

I suspected this was coming. Len, thanks for sticking with it for the run. I hate to see you go. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Xenophon in action - pinnacle hoplite, spear/shield expert, trireme mercenary archetype achieved!

I hope there are no hard feelings or underlying issues. If so, please catch up with me by PM. Also hope that I might ally with you on another project in the future, even if it is of a different sort.

More importantly than gaming though, I hope you and the family stay well and have a great summer. You've got my comms info, and I hope you know you can contact me anytime if you need anything.

Stay at it, buddy.

For the rest of us, we'll circle during the week to do a pulse check on game future.

But first things first: immediate goals are to 1) get final entries to close the chapter, and 2) take any actions related to Character Level increase (roll HP on roll table, update Character Sheets, etc.).

Impressive ending to the chapter. The chaos kicked up by the magic item is exciting. I like the thought that magic items aren't just toys left scattered around to be found for someone else to play with. They are dangerous and unpredictable for the untrained. Maybe Damanandros will be up to the task.

I really like the idea of taking this in the direction of dungeon adventuring. It is a style I am very familiar with, though I am curious about how it will go in this format.

Sorry to see Len go. God speed and I wish you the best!

One of the reasons I signed up for this game was to get experience in PBP in an interest in running one myself. It seems like a lot of work for the GM. It is one thing for us to make a quick post or two on the daily, but you have much more of the load on your shoulders just with the player facing side of it. Not to mention the work that goes into planning, gathering props, and bringing it all together into a cohesive narrative.

Hats off to you DMJ! Respect from a fellow GM for sure.

I am not sure I have the chops to run a game like this. Is your style typical in the PBP format? I know some PBP GMs have multiple games running at once plus more traditional games. I can't imagine!

Unless I overlooked something, I came up 126 xp short of level 2.
Willing to entertain any idea of how to make it up. Borrowing from the next adventure is one way, but what you think best, is fine with me.

Absolutely this. I really enjoy how immersive PbP gaming can be (much more so than real-time games, which are fun in other ways), and DMs that 'go for it' like DMJ maximise that strength.

@Len It's been a pleasure gaming with you. I hope we can do it again someday. All the best, mate!

Real quick housekeeping on this one: be sure to check to apply bonus XP percentages to all awards, if you have the Prime Requisite score. With Damanadros's high INT, I think he gets to add 10% to all XP. In the awards entries, 3 made so far, they do not include any bonus percentage at all.

But if after all that has been verified, just let me know what the number is (126 XP or anything else) - and in essence I'll just make another "loose change" XP award to everyone for that amount.

Dear Players' Club,
Thanks for all the kind words above. You are very generous in your compliments. And the feeling is mutual. You are all great players - top tier category.

I've enjoyed this last 2 months immensely - the game content has been great - and this team is a real pleasure to work with.

That's why I've struggled to find a way to avoid this and continue gaming, but I just have to come forward to say that I need to pull the project to a close for now.

I truly love this stuff, but I do a terrible job at balancing my level of input and attention. I completely sperg out on developing a game and a setting and a story thread - go all in, all the time, and get really distracted from other things. It seems like it should be a quick fix like: "OK. J, just don't do that." Ha! Sounds right enough, but somehow I just can't seem to pull it off on the half-pedal stance.

So this recent 2.5 months' run is all I can give. I need to get back to focus effectively on work primarily - as a lot of projects are ongoing and upcoming for me there - but also on family, fitness, farming, and study. I've fallen behind in every category lately - my own fault.

I hope that I might be able to see the rest of this story someday though. A big confrontation against the adversary group would be a lot of fun, plus mixed in with the exploration and discovery of the Vault, Sanctum, Dungeon. Dig it.

I'll be up front for credibility and full honesty: I can't make a promise that I'll be back on GP. Nothing against the site or anyone on it, it's just that I'm not sure I will be gaming at all. But if I could come back, it would be around November of this year. I won't presume anyone would want to take the game up again. I know I might be torpedoing it for all time right now. But unless anyone leaves record here saying otherwise, I'll reach back out to everyone then by PM if I get the account revived - and check to see if there is any interest.

If we are all a go - What a reunion! If there turns out being no interest - no hard feelings at all, and I'll just remember this first part of the story as a badass short term game with great friends - file it away to the archives.

I'll just close it out by saying most of all: Thank you. Thanks for trying out the game concept and the obscure rules system. Thanks for sticking with it whenever it was difficult to find time, or when the moment was a bit boring. Thanks for bearing with me prodding it on (I know I am a slave-driver sometime on pace and direction). Thanks for your understanding if I made a mistake or made a call you didn't agree with. I know it's tough to maintain a devoted game with a group - so I don't take it for granted when 5 people are willing to stay at it almost every day for 10 weeks or so straight.

And aside from that, I'll say again that I really loved both the characters and having the friendship with y'all. Captivating story. Memorable scenes. Each Character's personality and style rose up to weave a separate thread, yet they all came together for an exciting whole story - like an actual book or a movie. And I know it's all of your own personal style, writing, storytelling, and interesting personas that made it happen.

So I'm on the exit soon. I go hard on everything - work, play, and even signing off - so I'll be off the platform entirely by tomorrow at the latest. If you have anything you need from me, send it here on Admin, or you are welcome to PM me anytime.

Good luck with all projects. Happy gaming. Have a good summer (for all you north of the equator continentals that is - Robago, you know we all discriminate by hemisphere, but we still send love to all our mates down there with the strange reverse seasons and time warps). Best wishes to you and your families.

I hope to catch up with you again someday.

Over and Out,

J

It’s been my honor to have my first PBP game with all of you. Thanks for enduring my writing and other challenges I have faced, but I come out if this far better than I went in. It’s hs been a blast! Feel free to message me any time!

Obsession is rarely healthy, but it also can lead to some of the most amazing and appreciated art the world has to offer.

Thank you so much @DMJ for the hours and hours of research and writing for what amounts to just a creative engagement between a small group of friends spread out across the globe.

I know well how a creative fever can detract from the rest of life in unhealthy ways. Please do take time to catch up and rebalance. Hopefully we can all get back to it again in the future, with a little more workPbP/life balance - always improving!

I think next time I might opt for a weekly post rate rather than daily. I've seen games fizzle out due to lack of engagement, so that pace might not be the best. It's a tough hobby to pace correctly!

Thank you @Leo9sign, @Robago, @RageRed, @Len! Without fail, every week each of you brought your character's to life. Real personalities and detailed world building. I am in awe, and totally jealous.

@DMJ Thanks so much for running this game. It's been instructive and enjoyable. Terrific effort, mate. Please do reach out if life ever brings you back to GP.

Thank you @RageRed @Leo9sign and @Constablebrew you've been a great group to game with. Hope to see you around the boards.

Wishing everyone the very best in life and gaming!

I'm very sad that our story must end here or be put on pause indefinitely, but I can understand the why. Best of future games and life to each of you.

@DMJ, @Len, @Robago, @Constablebrew, @Leo9Sign,
Thanks guys for an unforgettable journey.