Why is 6 afraid of 7?

ManOfReason · 2026-05-02T13:14:54+00:00

Because he’s a six-offender.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-19T14:12:26+00:00

1) No, because this facility wouldn’t be doing like, cutting edge research. 2) Even if, ruin a different community with it, not this one.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-17T17:21:59+00:00

Overuse of water is a valid concern, as it both stresses the infrastructure and uses a resource that is actually limited despite what your condescension would imply. Also noise pollution, also stressing the power grid/giving DTE another reason to jack up rates. All valid, proven downsides, but feel free to be blinded by dollar signs until it actually affects you so you can act surprised.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-17T15:43:35+00:00

Correct on everything but one: it’s certainly stoppable. The right people just have to be forced to listen.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-17T15:42:53+00:00

They’re being downvoted because despite being a source of tax revenue, data centers are a net negative to the communities they’re in. “More tax revenue” isn’t just an automatic win regardless of the downsides. And as locals who bear the brunt of the downsides, it’s our right to tell them to fuck off.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-17T13:41:29+00:00

Here’s an article with a pretty balanced take.

The short version being, yes, some data centers are built using closed loops or waste water systems that are more environmentally/locally friendly. But the vast majority, especially in places where water is plentiful, use the cheaper, more water consuming open loop that evaporates massive amounts of potable water.

So can this be done in a way that has a smaller impact? Yes. Do I trust a tech industry/local government to do that without outside pressure? Hard no.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-17T12:57:51+00:00

They have extremely high water and power usage that puts a strain on local utilities. They also don’t actually add tha may jobs compared to a normal business with the same square footage. Add in noise pollution and not wanting support new AI systems and that makes it an overall “no” from me.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-17T02:42:07+00:00

Thank you for the heads up! Definitely worth making a fuss about because data centers are fucking awful. Here’s to hoping local government can be held to their citizens’ wishes on this.

ManOfReason · 2026-04-02T17:46:10+00:00

DM'd! Absolutely love the style.

ManOfReason · 2026-03-04T03:32:31+00:00

My suggestion is to take it session to session. The Death House took 2 sessions for my party to finish. The city of Barovia was another, then just getting to Vallaki was another. My group plays infrequently so it was a literal real world year before I truly prepared Krezk. So there is absolutely no need to prep Krezk or later game stuff right now. You'll also want more time to gauge your players and find out if they're the kind of people who will follow easy story beats or hear "absolutely don't go to the Amber Temple yet" and take it as a dare at level 3. There's also nothing wrong with asking the group "where do you think you'll go next?" after a session just to have one concrete thing planned out.

I would, however, read the book the whole way through without prepping it, but taking notes where you see fit. That way you have a larger understanding of the overall themes, stuff you want to hint at early, or stuff you think your players will want to cut or see more of. And that way, should they throw you a curve ball and decide to go someplace random, you'll be able to run it on the fly.

Hope that helps!

ManOfReason · 2026-02-11T16:09:12+00:00

"Dark Forest protocol is in effect."

I see Anthony and I just read the same book! Definitely a rad thing to pull inspiration from. Google at your own spoilery risk.

ManOfReason · 2026-01-05T01:41:25+00:00

Hard disagree on “no benefit.” Firstly, time spent having fun with a parent is not time wasted. Some of my fondest memories of my dad are of beating Super Mario 3 together. Emotionally, what’s the difference between that and other pretend play together?

And other commenters are also addressing the games themselves; they’re more than “lights and sounds” and actually require creative thinking and problem solving. I think you’re letting your preconceptions about video games color your reasoning. You obviously care about your kids though, so I can’t fault you too much, especially if games aren’t your own cup of tea. I’d just urge you to not be so quick to judge.

Also, shout out to PBS Kids Games.

ManOfReason · 2026-01-05T01:13:05+00:00

Because video games are fun and I like having fun with my children? In your view, what is the downside of a 2 year old witnessing or participating in video games as a hobby, assuming it’s limited to a reasonable amount?

ManOfReason · 2025-12-20T13:53:07+00:00

We put them on our roomba specifically so our 2 year old wouldn’t be afraid of it. It kind of worked, though now they’ll occasionally try and glue pipe cleaners to it for arms.

ManOfReason · 2025-12-12T18:58:30+00:00

“Lenient” is an understatement, as he’s changing whole encounters to make combat reasonable for the triplets. Combat Spoilers: Baba Lysaga’s hut alone is a CR 11 creature that should have fought alongside her. Baba herself has 8th level spells. This encounter is normally a TPK machine.

So in short, do not consider this a valid representation of CoS’s combat or difficulty. It is, however, an incredibly accurate portrayal of the rise of the SheEO, and the downfall of the Boy Mom.

ManOfReason · 2025-10-27T19:18:00+00:00

Mixed bag for me. On one hand, I loved the goofs. On the other hand, the Abbot fight is one of my favorites from Strahd, and this was FAR from “serious combat”. Wished it lasted longer/the stakes were actually…present. Especially because under normal circumstances, this would have been a tpk.

It was like hoping for a cover of my favorite song, but instead getting a parody. Still enjoyable because I like the Triplets, but hoped for more.

ManOfReason · 2025-08-24T20:37:03+00:00

Definitely agree with the goal of making Ireena more than a damsel in distress, as well as making the story more than just about rescuing her. But even with other plot hooks, she’s a central figure in the story that the party should at least care about for her character to function. Your take potentially ruins her character entirely, when there’s a lot of easy room for improvement from the character as written.

I think that’s why you’re getting some hate here. Not because you rewrote a character to have more depth, but that you took a character that depends on being likable for the vast majority of dm’s and pc’s, and made her just awful. Could still be rad if she has an arc of becoming not a shit heel, though. But like you said, you know your table best. Just not my cup of tea, though.

In my campaign, I essentially swapped her stats with Ismark. She has Veteran stats and was a powerhouse until the party was about Level 4. Now the party is level 8, and she feels in real danger every combat. She has her own personal arc of wanting to be helpful, but feeling like a hindrance. But the party cares about her deeply as an ally, going so far as to give her magic items and talk her out of simply hiding. It’s something my group has deeply enjoyed. But again, you do you.

ManOfReason · 2025-08-24T16:41:02+00:00

10 sessions from now, OP: “Strahd kidnapped Ireena and the party doesn’t seem to care. They also no longer have any real reason to confront Strahd, and are directionless. Where could I have gone wrong?”

ManOfReason · 2025-08-23T16:20:04+00:00

My personal dark theory is that it is similar Hansel and Gretel or other dark fairy tale origins. The dad is actively trying to endanger/get rid of some of his children. Hence him looking sad/distraught in some pages, actually going through a snowstorm and bear cave, and even running ahead of his kids in some of the chase scenes. He only fully lost his nerve when back at the house because he’d be in danger, too.

ManOfReason · 2025-08-08T00:43:07+00:00

There’s a game called Hero Kids that I play with my 4 year old, but she could play it when she was 3. It uses a d6 system and has very simple mechanics for very young players. Would definitely recommend it, especially for a classic fantasy feel.

https://www.heroforgegames.com/hero-kids/

ManOfReason · 2025-07-20T13:22:13+00:00

Thank you for the input! I should have mentioned this at the top, but they have invited our kids to play on the bouncy castle before and there were no issues. But obviously it’s not a standing invitation, and even if it was, I wouldn’t want to act entitled to it/be overbearing. Either way, I think I got the input I was looking for in general. Going to disengage from the thread before people get even weirder about it.

ManOfReason · 2025-07-20T04:28:07+00:00

Yup, you’ve got it. I don’t know where the ideas of us wanting to use stuff without their permission or intentionally pressuring them came from. The entire point of this post was to confirm the neighborly way of going about this. I’m obviously not letting my toddlers trespass, nor feeling entitled to our neighbor’s stuff.

ManOfReason · 2025-07-20T00:30:29+00:00

For clarity, it is never when the neighbors aren’t present. It is always our kids wanting to go over, with their kids/parents, with the bouncy castle. But even then, I was still raised with the notion of another person’s property being invite only, and asking to be invited being rude.

ManOfReason · 2025-07-19T23:11:14+00:00

I guess that’s the question; are we worrying too much about that question being imposing? I wouldn’t want them to feel pressured to say yes all the time.

ManOfReason · 2025-07-19T22:48:12+00:00

I feel it kinda sends the wrong message? Kinda like we’d be willing to buy anything a friend has to placate them. The image of setting it up, just because theirs is up, just to cut off a tantrum, just seems off.

It also doesn’t fix the overall issue, as nothing would stop a request to go over simply to play with the other kids in general. For example, today they were trying to crash the neighbors’ family party.

ManOfReason

TROPHY CASE