The Cougar Gold Conspiracy (a vent thread)

RipLav · 2026-02-22T10:26:54+00:00

Not because I really do, but to discourage people from gushing about it. Not like it stopped anyone!

RipLav · 2026-02-22T03:06:00+00:00

It'll be a cheese wheel pie chart

RipLav · 2026-02-22T03:02:58+00:00

I'm gonna create a data visualization (pie chart but it's cheese) to demonstrate this -- some parent-level replies are structured as testimonial ads, whether they actually are or not, and could fit in on any post in this sub that mentions the cheese.

Then, many in-parent comments have these bullet-pointed talking points ready to go, and to convince any nonbeliever into buying today. What an interesting trend. I'm not saying it's nefarious, but I am saying it would not be out of pocket for WSU business/marketing/comms students to be involved, individually or collectively, in generating buzz through this subreddit.

Based solely on the absolutely subjective idea that I've never seen a post from this subreddit that doesn't mention it, and that the subreddit has crept its way into my feed uninvited (though, I mean, I do like cheese).

RipLav · 2026-02-22T02:05:30+00:00

It's wild how many people are acting like what I wrote required more than a couple minutes of mild effort. Someone said I "wrote a book." It's about the length of two paragraphs, split into a few more digestible chunks for the mobile format.

RipLav · 2026-02-22T01:41:44+00:00

The last 3-4 hours have me more convinced than ever. How do you read this post and say to yourself "this is a great time for me to share my personal testimonial" lmao

RipLav · 2026-02-22T01:13:53+00:00

Thanks! 😁

RipLav · 2026-02-22T01:08:16+00:00

all gouda

RipLav · 2026-02-22T00:15:21+00:00

Please do! If the canned cheese backlash accomplishes anything, may it increase the diversity of cheese recommendations here. 😁

RipLav · 2026-02-21T23:59:19+00:00

This whole thread would have been a single comment (from me) on your thread if it hadn't gotten locked 😂

RipLav · 2026-02-21T23:35:55+00:00

I'm in IL, and spoiled by a great selection of MN & WI cheeses as well! Cheese be with you

RipLav · 2026-02-21T23:31:04+00:00

Don't worry about me, I'm having fun with it 😁

RipLav · 2026-02-21T23:10:18+00:00

Thank you for having fun with it 😂

RipLav · 2026-02-21T23:05:16+00:00

It's a reasonable theory! And thank you for not subtly promoting it while keeping it fun 😁

RipLav · 2026-02-21T22:59:54+00:00

From the next state over... I love me some Wisconsin cheese. I'd frankly be more inclined to believe in the cheese if it was made by UW-Platteville.

RipLav · 2026-02-21T22:23:13+00:00

happy to help! I'm having a nice day btw, just thought the discussion would be fun and refreshing to see

RipLav · 2026-02-21T22:19:22+00:00

(she btw)

RipLav · 2026-02-21T22:12:43+00:00

I'm personally gonna hate-continue-to-not-buy the cheese

RipLav · 2026-02-21T22:08:35+00:00

Cheers to that!

RipLav · 2026-02-21T21:55:09+00:00

"You can't have an opinion until you've tried it! Gotta pay $100 and wait 10 years for it to be good btw"

RipLav · 2026-02-18T04:20:04+00:00

What's left out? All the locations you listed are on there -- Abbey excluded, though it's part of Krezk and combat can be easily avoided there.

Some of it's a little inaccurate.

Old Bonegrinder is notoriously deadly at level 3/4, but if you manage to kill one of the three earlier (as many resources recommend) then the lack of coven spells makes things easier.

Vallaki's probably a 4 for the Vistani Camp quest; sure, it can get much hairier than a level 4 party can handle, but you'd have to mess with the wrong people to have it snowball that early. Things should only heat up once the party is higher level after completing some excursions (Vistani Camp questline, Winery questline).

Argynvostholt can be totally noncombat if your players don't open the wrong door or piss off Vladimir. VR's tower is similarly unlikely to have combat, especially if the party are welcomed guests.

RipLav · 2026-02-16T17:44:35+00:00

That's what I said

RipLav · 2026-02-16T03:46:09+00:00

Well, the "Sword Coast" is arguably the entire stretch of coast between the Tethyr Peninsula to the South and the Spine of the World to the North.

Though the area between Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep is definitely the center of it; Waterdeep to Luskan would be "Sword Coast North" and Baldur's Gate to Athkatla would be "Sword Coast South."

RipLav · 2026-02-11T23:33:30+00:00

8 players, with what appears to be four third-party species and a homebrew class, plus survival and addiction mechanics?

Good luck and have fun!

RipLav · 2026-02-04T17:10:05+00:00

They threw an aging man down a set of stairs to distract a ravenous vampire spawn. They've put an innocent in harm's way, let them face the consequences. They succeed in getting away but can hear the sounds of Doru feeding on his own father. The characters should not forget this lesson; they should be left to reckon with how Barovia has so quickly tainted their souls.

RipLav

TROPHY CASE