Session 180 – GM Talk – 18th May 2019

- GM’s note: This session wasn’t really a Grant/Ethan gaming session. Instead we planned out what we wanted to see and what we didn’t want to see in the next story arc. In no particular order: 

- The Gods have departed the Legendary Realm before its ‘destruction’ – where do they go? They probably hold a grudge against Ethan.

- There are other creatures that escaped the Legendary Realm – eg: via forestwalking or pathfinding to other places. The fey for example can get from one realm to another and no one really understands how they do this.

- Ethan had a lot of help to get people out of Bloodstone (the Legendary Realm) before the realm collapsed. Where do they go? (Legendary Isle, Marindar, Skandia, all over the place). Plenty of mileage in this because we are talking about people with Paragon-ranked stats in worlds that they are ‘too strong’ for.

- Bloodstone folks include a Stone Giant, a Dragon (Bambi), Griffins, Dwarves and Gnomes. Maybe a seed of a ‘Legendary Tree’ to carry on the spirit of the Legendary Realm? What else came through the sorcerous teleport that Ethan didn’t expect? (are there sea monsters now in the North Sea?)

- Ethan adopts Hilda. She spends some time with Abbie as well as Ethan so that Ethan isn’t pinned down in a single realm.

- With the Legendary Realm gone, the portals to other realms are also gone.

- However, the sorcerous backdoor routes via Zendikar still exist. It is a limited network though. Nothing like the Grand Stair.

- GM’s note: We then had a lengthy conversation about different modes of transport form realm to realm:

- Transporting armies via sorcery is a risky affair. Counterspells could kill the entire army. Drake may use an Icon to contact troops, but then pathfinders and sorcerers are brought in to stabilize the area before bringing the rest through via a stable portal. Mass teleports aren’t used unless the need is dire.

- The Dwimmerlaik move their troops via the Stair as it is stable and reliable (and scalable).

- Most Sorcerers with ranked Psyche still struggle to teleport across realms. Ethan can do things that most sorcerers cannot.

Sorcerous Exit – how to dissuade PCs from following sorcerous teleports for powerful sorcerers:
• a) Cover Tracks
• b) Misdirection (portal goes somewhere else)
• c) Warded destination (eg: piece of a bone in order to work magic there)
• d) Guarded (sentinels/sentries)
• e) Double-hop (move twice - trapped or dangerous waypoint)
• f) Teleport to place - but sorcerer has already left by mundane means

- GM’s note: And then we moved back to what we want to see in the next arc:

- Hunting down the Red-Eyed Dwimmerlaik. (Ethan would prefer to bargain rather than fight)

- Following up some of Grant’s loose ends including: Finding the ‘Golden Ones’, investigating the Turn-based realm, stabilizing Marindar after the incursion on Naso and possibly some Earth-based plots.

- Like to see normalized relations with the Dwimmerlaik. Also Drake shouldn’t hate the Dwimmerlaik so much because his son Eric is alive (because Grant/Ethan rescued him in Session 100)

- Potentially, what if the Dwimmerlaik came to Grant asking for help (eg: what could be threatening them?)

- Nexopolis under Drake’s control – but for how long?

- A resolution to the Ethan, Abbie and Isabelle triangle. (I think it will always be awkward until Abbie makes up her mind about what she wants. I think it will probably happen rather suddenly – she just decides one day that she wants Ethan in her life and it’s done. Out of the blue, they’re back together and…. poor Isabelle…… but we’ll see. I have no idea what the future holds).

- More recurring characters (eg: Grimples, Ernest, Abbie)

- GM’s note: Finally, we started talking about the motivations of the major NPCs:

- Lucien: wants to find out more about the Typhonians, seek new knowledge, find mysteries to solve (David to GM)
- Vala: peacemaker, stabilize – want to see more of this character in the next story arc (Bruce to GM)
- Drake: battle-scarred, hates war but doesn’t know how to stop, a general who doesn’t know how to do anything else, seeking a measure of peace. High Concept – Hates the Dwimmerlaik (Bruce to GM)