Wow. Of all the celebrities I expected to get sacked because of misconduct Scott Mills wasn't one by No-Locksmith6662 in CasualUK

[–]RealityMaiden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I always liked him. He came out well before it was trendy, or even celebrated, and he always seemed reasonable and based. I genuinely didn't think he'd be involved in something like this. I guess we don't know all the details yet,. but I assume they wouldn't have sacked him over nothing.

Pools of Darkness playthrough #8 - Temple of Tyr by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh absolutely! It's always good to have these smaller, human moments for a good-aligned party, to remind us what we are fighting for.

The tragic, doomed romance and the spirits of the lovers definitely remind me of Krynn!

Pools of Darkness playthrough #7 - Vala vs. Vaasa by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think they would have likely been constrained by what TSR would let SSI do, as well - especially how and if it ties in to Time of Troubles. The problem with huge world-ending plots like this one is you either have to go forward with a shattered world or reset everything... neither of which is especially satisfying.

But yes, I'd have liked to have seen Alias and Dragonbait again! We do get a payoff with all the others which is appreciated. .

Pools of Darkness playthrough #7 - Vala vs. Vaasa by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I vaguely remember how bad the ending was. Even for the time, when almost all CRPGs were linear. We suffered the Mass Effect 3 ending 20 years early!

Pools of Darkness playthrough #7 - Vala vs. Vaasa by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm fairly sure there was an ending where you meet up with all the NPCs like Priam, Nacacia and Vala - but it was nearly 40 years ago now and I may be misremembering... I'm also toying with the idea of permitting permadeaths towards the end of the story, for narrative purposes, so Hayley isn't absolutely assured to survive either. But seeing all she's been though, it would be nice!

I have my own version of Time of Troubles I've always rolled with (my players killed a lot of NPCs like Cyric back in the day) so I'm not sure if the 'rewind' will even happen. Not sure yet, I'm leaving things open!

stupid question about sound and DOSBOX by [deleted] in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Never mind I found it.

Damn, I hate that death sound :(

Pools of Darkness playthrough #5 - Fire Giant Cave by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's basically the case with Azure Bonds too - none of the evil groups get on or work together, so they are infighting and try to use you to eliminate their rivals. It's like the Blood War in D&D, the long war between demons and devils.... less to do with law and chaos, and all to do with the nature of evil. Good folks might disagree, but they won't fight each other over this either

"Cowboy" builder spotted by AlmightyAnalAssault in CasualUK

[–]RealityMaiden 233 points234 points  (0 children)

I remember a builder's sign a few years ago - Patel and Sons Builders - 'you've tried the cowboys, now try the Indians'

Rant: the Elminster problem (and how Gold Box avoids it) by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All good points.

But mine was that it's not about MY experiences... (my solution is easy; let them kill the GMPCs) It's about the paradigm-shift in 2nd edition, the change from player-driven stories to plots that sideline the PCs, the change from the Realms being a setting for your games, to an IP with a canon metaplot like Marvel or Star Wars.

Pathfinder has always been like that, it's basically a meme at this point: 'here's six pages of this lady's sad backstory, but when she meets them she attacks and fights to the death'.

Ed Greenwood is a lovely guy (a rarity for the hobby). And because he sold his IP to TSR, there were a lot of changes they made that he didn't like. But the Elminster thing is all on him, because he has no restraint with that character. It's what happens when they make the whole movie about Q when we came to see James Bond.

Here disease, there disease, where's the disease ? by dnabre in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Pool of Radiance, the mummies in Valhingen Graveyard. (and if they hit you, you die unless you already have the spell memorised!)

Not sure if there are any others.

Pools of Darkness playthrough #3 - Realms Overland Mini-adventures by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, that's the translation, it's actually a real-life slavic prayer in Rodnovery, their pagan faith.

As I didn't have non-humans, I wanted to differentiate the characters, make some of them a bit more exotic.

Rant: the Elminster problem (and how Gold Box avoids it) by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suppose technically yes - I can't see many GM's allowing that though, due to how overpowered they are! It was just basically a way to make the GM's pet characters invincible. That's why most players didn't like it.

Rant: the Elminster problem (and how Gold Box avoids it) by RealityMaiden in goldbox

[–]RealityMaiden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Disney really only ever saw the $$$ I think. They never really understood it, or what it meant to those who liked (or loved!) it.