Because No One Asked For It: Round 5 Exit Poll!

[Feros]

Because someone was going to start it soon anyway and I have time:

Monica Marlowe — Down the Blighted Path

Honorable Mention:

Christopher Wasko — The Hollowheart Conquest

[Anthony Adam]

In the words of a very beautiful lady and actress...

Ditto.

[GM_Beernorg]

While Anthony is unlikely a very beautiful actress (assumed) I will steal his words and note, also..

Ditto

[Curaigh]

Well GRAWLIX!
After reading all the entrants, I've narrowed it down to four.

[PathlessBeth]

Curaigh wrote:

Well GRAWLIX!

After reading all the entrants, I've narrowed it down to four.

I narrowed it down to four BEFORE reading the entries!

[Oceanshieldwolf]

I cannot in any conscience vote for any of these. I did not like one, nor do I see anything beyond the adventure proposals in this round from previous rounds to help me vote for a designer, rather than an adventure. Last year I voted for the adventure I wanted to see, which won when I clearly should have voted for the designer I thiught best, who did not.

This year I am disappointed. The specificity of Nar-Voth not just in this round, but through round(s) has cruelled the contestants rather than spurred them into writing creatively within confines.

And no, I won't tell you how I really feel. ;)

[Mark Nordheim]

The two best entries were both very solid pitches and I'd be happy to see either of them win. They had very different strengths and weaknesses from each other as well, making them difficult to compare. But ultimately I too had to go with Down the Blighted Path.

[James Whittaker]

They all need a bit of editing, but thats to be expected given the short notice the contestant were given. I voted for 'Down the Blighted Path' in the end because I felt that had the strongest and most focussed story, as well being the one that would require the least effort to rework into something printable. The choice of villain and the stage for the final conflict are what really set this one apart, and I think if given more time the contestant can write even more 'dark fey necromantic shenanigans' that put this a cut above the rest. I was sold at 'Dark Pixies riding Stirges protect the fortresses Airspace'.

My Favourate however was 'Journey into Midnight'. Cos Vegepygmies + Flail Snails + Tiefling Monks = Win. As much as I liked the ideas in that one tho, it needed the most work to forge it into something printable. The Midnight Jungle is one of the areas of Nar-Voth I've wanted to explore since I purchased the Darklands pdf years ago, and this does alot with it beyond the archetypal pulp dinosaurs. The adventure would benefit from a better introduction tho as the chelish tiefling monks gone missing angle is not as strong a plot hook as the book deserves.

As for the others. Bellflower in the Dark has a solid core storyline and premise that would have been the clear choice. Were it not for many of its central themes such as the Derro and a Chelish Mine, having been used before in 'No Response From Deepmar'. I thought the npc's were particularly well conceived and interesting.

The Hollowheart Conquest sounds like the best module on paper. Just going on Synopses I would have been all over a Dwarf-Duergar conflict themed module. But despite the contestants clear talent (Deeplit was my favourate monster in my favourate round), I think masquerading the fairly directed plot as an underground sandbox falls short.

Just my 2 Pence

[CripDyke]

I was sure I posted to this thread earlier today.

A big long thing. Humph. Now I don't know where it is

Sorry to Christopher, though, it was largely a long apologia for not voting for you.

[Thomas LeBlanc]

The Hollowheart Conquest by a hair. More my style of game/place and didn't like a few of the design choices in my runner up, Down the Blighted Path.

[Lucus Palosaari]

I preferred the Hollowheart Conquest and voted for that. My reasons are in my post.

Solid entries from the other three, and I'll add commentary to yours shortly if I haven't already.

[French Wolf]

I hope Monica gets plenty of work after this because she deserves it. However I hope Chris wins the title.

Vote for Hollowheart Conquest.

cheers

[Curaigh]

Hmmm... If one of them does have the title & former Top 32 Andrew or Nick get in next year, are we seeing the beginning of a Dynasty?

History folks, its happening now!

[Andrew Marlowe]

Curaigh wrote:

Hmmm... If one of them does have the title & former Top 32 Andrew or Nick get in next year, are we seeing the beginning of a Dynasty?

History folks, its happening now!

Curaigh in the case of the Marlowe household this is the last Superstar year for us. So our dynasty ends with Monica thoroughly destroying my two Top 16 tags with at least a Top 4 tag... *grin* ...and I couldn't be prouder.

Spoiler:

Well it ends here unless one of our kids decides to enter then you never know. Could be multi-generational.

Anyway, I'm happy with the work I've been getting and don't really feel the need to compete again. Next year I'll be happy to just root everyone on from the sidelines. Then too as an added bonus I'll feel free to talk and express my opinions on every round.

[Garrett Guillotte]

Hollowheart Conquest by half a dwarf's nosehair.

I'd buy any of them after some development work and I expect this year's class will show up in many a product to come. (Hell, Paizo already hired Jason out of the Top 16.) But I really want to play Hollowheart.

[Lord Gadigan]

I went with Down the Blighted Path with the Court of Ether connection, non-evil undead, dwarven elements, orphenes, stalactite tower, and overall solid construction.

Journey Into Midnight appealed to me too (with the Midnight Jungle, flail-snail integration, Court of Ether involvement, vegepygmies, root dragon, and neat overall thematics), but Down the Blighted Path seemed like the stronger overall adventure to me.

[mplindustries]

Feros wrote:

Monica Marlowe — Down the Blighted Path

Honorable Mention:

Christopher Wasko — The Hollowheart Conquest

Yep, I agree. They've been consistently my favorites throughout, too. Christopher was my second favorite in every single round, which was awesome until this last vote. Sorry if you don't win, but you should both get work from this.

[Zesdead]

I ended up voting for 'The Hollowheart Conquest' - all of the entries had merit but, after a time reviewing the best two in detail, I had to vote for the one which I found more exciting, evocative, ambitious and ultimately the one I would most like to run / play.

[Plerumque]

I voted for the Hollowheart Conquest, because although I thought Down the Blighted path was a great entry, I'm a sucker for sandbox-style adventures, and I really want to see it fleshed out.

[elcoderdude]

Down the Blighted Path. I liked the Hollowheart Conquest, but maintaining an adventure in the midst of a massive battle seems a tricky thing.

[Lady Firedove]

I chose Down the Blighted path. I really want to get that adventure in my hands!

However, the Hollowheart Conquest is great, too, and I'd enjoy that one as well!

Cheers! :)

[Jacob W. Michaels]

So looks like 9 public votes for Down the Blighted Path and 6 for Hollowheart Conquest.

If you throw in Andrew Marlowe and Nick Wasko, it's probably 10-7 (I'll let you all decide which one of them you think is voting for which proposal).

Looks like it could be either one (not even counting last year's poll, which IIRC showed Robert Brookes' entry winning by a 2-1 margin before Victoria ended up taking the title).

[Curaigh]

Aye very close! Still keeping the excitement up. Nice job Monica & Christopher & all the Top 32!

[Lady Firedove]

And the exit poll concludes its streak of perfection this year!

Congrats, Monica! :)

[Kalervo Oikarinen]

Superpoll.

[GM_Beernorg]

Congrats to all of this years contestants, whether you are a vet, a newbie to the contest, or somewhere in between. You combined you powers to make one heck a ride this year! And of course congrats to Monica, hope that first sip of celebration tastes amazing, you earned it the hard way!

[Oggron]

Kudos to all who took part.
Its been really fun reading what you all came up with.