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Andorax
Still here? Wow.
(5/5/03 6:59 am)
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Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Well, folks...for those of you who read the latest (255th) post in "Andorax's Sunday Night Campaign", you know that my nearly two-year adventure running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil has ended.
I will be glad to post any answers to questions you might have (as I always have been), and have strongly encouraged my players to come here and join in the discussion now that it's ended.
Once I can get everything working, I even have some pictures from the final night.
It's been a great game, my poor module is practically worn thin, and yes...I'm looking for a group of players to start it all over again with!
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Trithereon
Here quite a while
(5/5/03 7:27 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
GG Andorax!
I have enjoyed reading your campaign. Not only was it fun to read how other players have reacted to the challenges but educational!
I certainly hope that you do continue to hang for awhile, as I will likely have many questions as I move my players through the Fanes, the Recovered Temple and Fire Node.
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SSShadowcat7
Here for a while
(5/5/03 8:07 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Very well done! Congratulations!
My thanks go out to you for all the time and effort you have put into your log. It's been a great read and very educational as well. I look forward to hearing what your players have to say about things.
Thanks again for all the fun!
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mirrorsh
Here to stay
(5/5/03 9:21 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Two years? Did you guys play weekly or less? Our team's been playing (mostly) weekly for almost a year.. but we are so slow. It'll probably take us at least 3 years...
Anyway thanks for all the posts. I've just started reading everyone's logs ... lots of info and good advice all around. It's nice to post-mortem games too to figure out what went well from the trouble spots.
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Blackthorne
Here for a while
(5/5/03 9:48 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
This is the way this board´s number one campaign log should end...with a bang.
Thank you, Andorax. I learned much from reading your log, and it inspired me (and dozens of others, I guess) to start my own.
Devourer Of Worlds, Destroyer Of House Rules |
Andorax
Still here? Wow.
(5/5/03 12:02 pm)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Thanks for the comments, guys. We played weekly, but had a lot of missed weeks for one reason or another. Busy schedules, adult lives, and a very distracting four-year-old (my son, Michael). Typical session was from five to six hours, including dinner.
As promised, I have pictures!
The Throne Room of Imix
The Triumphant Heroes
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
SLyssa
Looking around
(5/5/03 12:21 pm)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Lyssa staggers into the tavern, though she had plainly been to several others already this evening. She is battered and bruised, though surprisingly not scorched given where she has been. She sits down at a table with two companions, leaving three seats empty. She nods to Cordieliea and Bryan.
"'S'all over. (hic) E'bile has been crushed under our boot heels." She belches loudly, and contemplates her flagon of ale for a moment, then seems to gain clarity.
"The orbs are destroyed. They did plead pitifully for their lives, though their power must never be used again. I still feel their taint upon my soul. The use of them may linger there for years to come. Cordealia, I hope you do not have to suffer for your brief encounter with the main orb as I have from the use of the lesser one." Lyssa shudders.
"The champion is dead, though for how long is unknown. Death is not permanent in this world. Imix assuredly is NOT the only Prince of Fire. Darn things likely breed like bunnies. His sword, though while too big for us to wield will rest as a prize in the Temple of Kord."
Lyssa seems to loose coherency for a bit, takes a long pull from her drink, sets it on the table with a loud bang, and raises her voice. "If EVER those [b]bashterds[/b] try to raise this templee..er... thing again, may they meet with the sharp shide of our shwords.(hic)" The other patrons glance her way, then go back to their conversations.
*****************************
ooc.
Hello all. As you know, Andorax finished his campaign last night. I was one of his PC's, and his wife. (Some days I am sure he wished I wasn't playing, though he was very good at keeping plot elements from me, darn it!)
Every week for the last several months, I have felt that there has not been much keeping us between life and death. It would have been nice to have a short break to run to Verbobonc to rest and restock. We didn’t want to run back to Rastor (poor pathetic town with no gold anyway) let alone making the day's journey to Verbobonc. Things were just too intense! The one time that we did get there, we hauled a literal ton of items to get cash and restock. It sure helps matters to have extra dimensional spaces AND people with sickening strengths. We came back with lots of goods, most of which were used up well before the final battle (darn it... I wanted those things for that!), though the scrolls of mass heal did come in extremely handy! 
I can hardly believe that the character I started at 4th was the ONLY one that didn't die last night. The only frustrating part was that I have had a new character concept on the back burner from about 8th level onwards. Last night, the use of the Orb of Silvery Death and the Air gem saved the one person that was listening to me, the character who's player had to work late. I went against my personal better judgment, and had my character have some longish talks with the skull. She was CG after all... though after all she has been through, shifted to CN. Lyssa has been having some anger "issues", and getting frustrated at being so close and yet so far from the end of her chase.
I never intended for her to be a leader in any way. It just seemed to happen. The day she came back into Rastor wearing bruises and a grimace and having to rebuild a party is where she became a bit of a leader. She has seen more death, more hatred, more evil than she expected. Trust was given. Trust was broken. Life is fragile.
Monty, this module is evil. I should have learned my lessons with Labyrinth of Madness. You really like playing with player's emotions. When does the next one come out?
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Andorax
Still here? Wow.
(5/5/03 12:44 pm)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Thanks for the writeup, love...and to answer your question, it's already out.
Demon God's Fane from Malhavoc Press has been out for some time now, and it's just about right, level-wise, for a followup to RttToEE. I suppose we could always have a talk with the rest of the gang.....
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
SIERK
Here for a while
(5/5/03 2:39 pm)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Congrats!
Andorax's campaign is just about the only one I take the time to frequent. My campaign has a Druid/Shifter, a BBn1/Templar1/Cle of Kord 9 wielding a greatsword, and a boom-boom sorceress among others, so I've felt a little kinship to this group.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" has also become a catch phrase around the table.
I'm sorry to see the end of the weekly updates. Hopefully you can find another group and keep us all entertained for years to come.
BTW, were there any pictures of the stuffed beholder?
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Andorax
Still here? Wow.
(5/5/03 2:47 pm)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Shhh...my wife's already mad at me for forgetting to get a picture taken while we were over there
Seriously, I *will* eventually get pictures of the Plushie Beholder out. And they won't be fuzzy. No, wait...they will be...but in the RIGHT way.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
 Monte Cook
Was here before any y'all
(5/5/03 3:57 pm)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Congrats! Sounds like a great time.
Monte
http://www.montecook.com |
SLyssa
Looking around
(5/5/03 4:16 pm)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
I have a few more beholders to get finished, just as soon as I can reorganize my fiber stash. Too many projects, too little time. Too many gamers glaring at me as I prick my fingers with sewing needles, ruining a perfectly good room description. Now that we wont have AS intense of Sunday campaign, I should be able to get my over due projects finished.
Andorax, the pictures are only fuzzy because the subject moved. I can almost guarantee that beholder pictures will be fuzzy. They do seem to have a life of their own.
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 Siobharek 
Still here? Wow.
(5/5/03 11:04 pm)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Andorax, congratulations. I can't wait to feel the sense of accomplishment you must have now. I'm glad that you're on for the 3.5 conversion of RttToEE. That - if nothing else - will serve as a guarantee that you'll stick around. Once again, you've done great .
Lyssa, congratulations on having one of the best DM's I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. In addition to running one killer of a campaign, he's been consistently helpful and with his advice "remember, the heroes are SUPPOSED to win", he's probably headed off more TPKs at the pass than anyone will ever know.
Oh, and should you ever decide to selll one of your plush beholders, I'd be very happy to buy one (I can send funds via PayPal and I'm sure we could work out an alternative arrangement).
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. |
The guy from Belgium
Here for a while
(5/6/03 3:48 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
a sincere congrats from your biggest belgian fan out there (maybe your only belgian fan, but that's irrelevant)
great job, both ingame around your table and outgame, here on these boards
your comments and suggestions were always appreciated and several of them have been thoroughly used
once again, congrats to you all and do stick around!
cheers!
Philip
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Infiniti2000
Still here? Wow.
(5/6/03 5:32 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
Congrats, Andorax! Especially congratulations to your players for sticking it through. At times, it seemed like a very difficult proposition to continue. Hurray for the good guys and girls! Er, at least they used to be good.
I, too, would love to have a plush beholder. I certainly don't have the requisite skills to make one, and my wife says she will not do it either (actually, she's more into home repair and working with table saws than sewing needles). Send me an PM if you have one available.
To Andorax's players, I echo Siobarek's words. Also, keep in mind that Andorax has come up with some of the simplest yet most effective combat tactics and has spread his "evilness" to campaigns all over the world. Rest assured that your party is not the only one to encounter the silenced large air elemental. My group will not be pleased with that gem. 
Thanks for all the help and the great stories!
-- Lance, who only drives an Infiniti
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SLyssa
Looking around
(5/6/03 7:36 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
ACK! Bad air elemental. NOOO!
The whole air temple area was just unfriendly to Lyssa... Most unkind to take her weapons and armor, leaving her only a floral shift. (Found in town, for "modesty" issues)
By this weekend, I hope to have my bits and pieces for beholders rounded up agian, and possibly even have another one done. I will keep people posted, and try again to have Andorax take a picture of them.
It was a bit strange around Christmas time to walk into the living room and see three finished beholders floating in the middle of it!
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Infiniti2000
Still here? Wow.
(5/6/03 7:38 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
You should name one of them Tsindin's Bane.
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HeresDaryl
Here for a while
(5/6/03 8:01 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
An inspiration...thats what you've been. Specifically, I would not have even started recording my own campaign had I not read yours. I hope my group stick it out as well as yours did!
Thank you.
Daryl
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Andorax
Still here? Wow.
(5/6/03 8:41 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
I'm thrilled to see all the campaign logs that have come behind mine. It's a great tradition, and it's also very helpful to the DMs themselves to go back and re-read what they wrote from last week. It makes for a good summary to refer to.
Other quick lessons learned from the campaign:
1) Organize your notes. Get a notebook and keep it with the module (or possably the module inside the notebook, I had a 1" 3-ring binder for mine). You're going to have countless little details to track, so try very hard to keep them all together and ORGANIZED.
Critical DM aids that I've used:
A page listing the descriptions of magic items I've given the PCs, and the actual nature of the items, so that when they're identified I have an easy reference. I make sure the players refer to the item by the left-most description. For example:
Chat's Rapier | Rapier +1
Chat's Buckler | Buckler +1
Chat's Wand | Wand of Invisibility (12 charges)
A breakdown of each PC's spot, listen and SCRY checks. This way, if I need to, I can roll my own spot/listen checks for sneaking up opponents, or even scry checks when the party's being scried upon. I don't have to ask the PCs for information.
A list of equipment looted from PC's bodies, along with a breakdown of who gets what, and what has and has not yet been identified.
2) Keep your Enthusiasm Up. Long adventures like this are draining on a DM. Especially with the CRM in the middle, it's hard on the DM as well to keep after it, and to keep DMing WELL rather than just going through the motions. I know I didn't "have my game on" every single week, and that it got harder towards the end.
So do whatever it takes to recharge your bateries as DM. Chatting about the campaign here helped me a lot (hense the long campaign log, in part). I also email other DMs back and forth with campaign ideas. Perhaps even play a different session at the same time! If you don't have a second night to devote to gaming, maybe you could hook up with a PBP somewhere.
Just be aware that it's tough to keep DMing at peak performance for such a long, sustained effort, and look for help and opportunities to get yourself recharged and re-excited about the adventure.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
JRGiant
Here for a while
(5/6/03 9:07 am)
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Re: Andorax's Campaign Wrapup
My hearty congrats on an excellent campaign! Reading your log has me terribly excited for each new session I run. Lyssa, congrats on a terrific character and what must be an all-time great campaign.
Guys, I know we can't put the entire campaign log in the BoB, but here's my nomination for a cut and paste on Andorax's final advice in the above post!
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JDragonatWork
Here for a while
(5/6/03 9:51 am)
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second BoB and other stuff
Congrats to you and your players on making it thru this monster of and adventure. As mentioned above I know I have already learned alot from your logs and answers to my ?'s.
I second JRGiant's call for Andorax's suggestions to the BoB. 
Also, I would be interested in one of those beholders if you ever get that many made. 
Thanks again.
JDragon
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