(no subject)

[hwango]

Tonight's Exalted session was a bit odd. I can't quite put my finger on what made it odd, though. Partly, I think it's that the group didn't react quite the way I expected to the Giant Stone Automaton. The fight with the Sandstorm Walkers went okay, though. The critters didn't inflict a whole lot of damage, but it was still an interesting fight, I think. They didn't ambush as effectively as I thought they might - I guess more people in the group have charms that react to surprised attacks than I though. Ah, well. The automaton is my newest piece of art, but the sandstorm walker picture is actually really old - September 2002. It was originally going to be something else, but it got cut from the game. I repurposed it for another encounter, but that part of the scenario kept getting pushed further and further into the future. Good to finally get to use the critter, at least.

Comments

[krzzl.livejournal.com]

I really like the Automaton, and not just because it has a cool name :)

[lconover.livejournal.com]

I really liked the Sandstorm Walkers - great idea for a monster. I agree - it was an interesting fight.

I'm looking forward to the next session and seeing whether we can do anything with/about the mysterious Giant Stone Automaton.

[incarnadine.livejournal.com]

The Walkers were wicked keen. I really dig monsters
that spew stuff. Sand, fire, acid, bugs, hamsters, molten
glass, whatever, I'm not picky. Monster that suck stuff up
through their legs and *then* spew it out seem even cooler
some how, being dual-action and all.

I also liked the Automaton Of Firey Beating, but that
might just be because it remind me of a lot of the Bandai
toys I collected back in the day.

~Pax

[octophobic.livejournal.com]

I wonder what happened with the Automaton after I left? I know Incarnadine always likes to press on. ;)

I'm not sure what we should have done differently. I bet it was one of those cases wherein we were supposed to show a lot more caution and exploration than we did. I find whenever I plan for something like that in my Ravenloft game it NEVER goes that way. A couple of sessions I had planned for a lot of plotting and scheming on the group's part but it never happened. (I thought you guys liked to quibble over the details for hours! ;)

[hwango.livejournal.com]

We didn't do anything else, unless you weren't there for the initial attacks on it.

It's nothing you should have done differently. Partly it was that people didn't seem to comment much on the appearance of a giant, walking artifact. People had talked before about Warstriders, and this is the closest thing to that you're likely to see in the game. I thought it would generate more table discussion, I guess. Then there's the fact that I thought you guys would probably try very, very hard not to break it. I know how fond you are of collecting toys. I was surprised to hear the current plans for dealing with it. I expect you guys to come out of this with a lot of scrap jade.

[octophobic.livejournal.com]

That will be a shame but I'm not sure anyone really expected to keep it. Or to be able to control it. It's kind of like finding a long gone wizard's stone golem. It would be nice to take possession of it but there's no reasoning with its smashy fists. ;)

I guess I shouldn't apply D&D logic to the game though. It's much different. :D

[hwango.livejournal.com]

I didn't say whether or not you actually could preserve and control it, just that I expected you to try. There's nothing wrong with that, I was just surprised.

[incarnadine.livejournal.com]

For me, it's a bit of the "what player wants vs. what character
would want" conflict. I love the toys, yes I do. But Talon is pretty into his new friends, and doesn't like the idea of one of them getting...burned?...squashed?....well, hurt *real bad*, at any rate.

Plus...I really didn't think you'd have set it up so we could control it.
Large, powerful, permanent Artifacts don't seem to be something you want much of in our hands.

~Pax

[hwango.livejournal.com]

Wow, I thought your journal was dead. Anyway...

Yes, I try to keep a tight reign on how many new toys the group gets. Very powerful toys would overshadow the existing abilities of the character, and that would suck. Other toys might just unbalance the game in distressing ways. Whether this particular toy would be possible to control or not...well, I won't say anything about it before the next session.

[incarnadine.livejournal.com]

If the Exalted game could go on till I saw the sun
coming up, that'd be grand.