GM Endless Forms' PFS 07-11 Ancients' Anguish (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Thanks guys, I'm glad to hear that!

You're an evil man, Mikko! :-)

To quote the Operative from Serenity: "What I do is evil. I have no illusions about it, but it must be done." :-D

Hope to see another before long.

I'll be writing at least one adventure in 2016, two if I'm lucky.

Yes, thanks for a great scenario, I really mean all the praise I gave it in the Gameplay thread! The research mechanic was neat but after GMing PbP for several years now, I've come to realize some things like that which are cool in concept and probably even work just fine on a tabletop can be a bit onerous or even fail completely via PbP (I'm looking at you, Assault on the Wound!*) so unfortunately I had to hand-wave a little bit of it to keep the game moving. Most writers don't write with play-by-post in mind (and they're not expected to!), so sometimes PbP GMs need to adapt to things like that which threaten to slow or halt the momentum. I did like it,

I also really like any scenario which gives the players a choice, especially when there's no clear 'right' decision. I think 05-02 The Wardstone Patrol* was the first one to really capitalize on that idea and that scenario still stands as one of my all-time favorites. A few others since have done a similar thing and they always stand out to me as more interest for that reason. So of course meeting Sinuhotep was a great moment for me in this scenario. Similarly with the girtablilus; I like it when there is at least one combat during the scenario which starts out with some dialog and a choice between working with the NPCs or hacking them to bits. Too many scenarios just assume the PCs are going to rush in and hack things to bits and it gets stale.

So overall, no real complaints about this scenario. It really hit a lot of the points that I like.

*You may have noticed these are both Season 5. I really had a tough time with season 5. They made quite a few changes and tried some new things, which isn't bad, but the quality of the scenarios fluctuated wildly. It had a few fantastic scenarios which still make my favorites list and some really terrible ones. Season 6 and 7 have been much more consistent.

I totally agree that the research mini game wouldn't work well in PbP. It requires a lot of group decisions and a bit of planning if you want to maximize your chances of finding the right shelf in time.

On a tabletop it can really keep the group on the edge of their seats when the temple is threatening to collapse on the PCs and they realize they won't have enough time to go through all the 7 shelves. By the way, the dark iris should actually go haywire very soon after the PCs enter the temple, so there is a reason for the PCs to hurry.

It's true that PFS authors probably don't write with PbP in mind, but next time around, I'll try to give it a bit more thought than I did while writing Ancients' Anguish.

I don't think you need gold or PP to revive the petrified PC, you found a wand of break enchantment in the secret tomb. ;-) Useful for removing curses, too.

By the way, the dark iris should actually go haywire very soon after the PCs enter the temple, so there is a reason for the PCs to hurry.

Yeah, after I posted the research rules I realized I should have described the effects of the quake/collapse sooner but then I didn't want to disrupt the research after we have started so I just waited a bit.

Yeah, the research mechanic is tricky enough on tabletop; I have a hard time imagining any way it could work besides the way EF did it in PbP.

And for the record: I hated Assault on the Wound. Hated hated hated it. I ran it 3x at PaizoCon in 2014 and if I never have to open that scenario again, it will still be too soon.

I will echo what others have said--I had a great time with a great scenario, GM, and party. Thanks everyone!

Mikko, I look forward to your next one!

Also more than willing to pitch in coin for Hal's return. Let me know.

Thanks! If we want to do gold, the break enchantment spell is only 450gp. That's 150 each for me, Hercule, and Bruxo (or 75 each if everybody wants to contribute). Cheaper than the Prestige cost in my opinion.

I'm also happy to pay for all of it. I've got plenty of gold.

Hercule, I'll leave it up to you since you made the original offer.

I am retiring the character anyway, so I am perfectly happy to expend the prestige on your behalf :-)

Fair enough. Thanks!

(And thanks anyway, Bruxo.)

Um...I offered too. :/ First even. :P

So you did, and I missed it! Thank you as well!

;)

And for the record: I hated Assault on the Wound. Hated hated hated it. I ran it 3x at PaizoCon in 2014 and if I never have to open that scenario again, it will still be too soon.

Yeah, don't get me started. I'm so glad I didn't have to run it at GenCon a couple years ago but I tried to run it via PbP and it was the most boring and frustrating game I ever ran. And it took nearly twice as long as any other scenario I've run.