I GMed it today. We started off well but by the end the whole thing just crashed and burned.
I hope its just me not getting stuff but the opinion I have now is there are so many contrived things, I'm not even sure what was I supposed to do and how to translate them into play?
I really wanted to make it work.
So here are things that bothered me:
- not that it mattered but - you have a ghoran seed. It sprouts a ghoran. He then does what? plants the same seed? plants himself? just grows a new body? I absolutely got lost with the whole ghoran thing.
Also, what was supposed to happen with that experimental seed? seems like the same thing as with regular ghorans.
- ok, so there is the Verdant Spark. Then it kills ghorans with radiation but later on makes green stuff grow. Am I missing something?
- ghorans died, got buried and planted a tree on top of them - why is that supposedly the reason verdant spark doesn't talk with the tree?
Does it carry some sort of resentment? Also if there is no love between that tree and the spark why does the protection of Mercy look like a huge aspen growing out of *that* tree? Again am I seriously completely missing things?
- what is the purpose of the quarrel between blacksmiths and carpenters again? it seemed like a completely local thing and I couldn't find any relevance to anything. Is it just a red herring?
But why even mention it in the letter?
- the cloaker - oh boy - the shadow puppet dance thing - completely lost me on that. What was it supposed to do except scare people, flap around and then flee when the doll jumps in?
The way PCs follow the neverending stream of bats is yet another contrived way to push PCs.
Why did it share the cave with the Spark? Was there some sort of real, intentional connection with the Spark? Or was it just convenience?
OK, I get he is worshiping madness but so many things seemed so random - why killing only travelers and not villagers? why not just plucking one of them on the main square and making it more urgent for PCs to do something?
- why is the dolls neck broken and sprouts a tree? Is it the copy of what happened to Amenira?
I had a great group, I really wanted to make it a great session but the more I think of the story, less sense I get and I'm just frustrated at this point.
Even with that, kudos to John for being available online for questions. I read how the process went so I'm not too surprised there are many problems.
I just want to figure out the whole thing before I run it again (well, in case I ever dare to do a redo)