Riftwalker Campaign - Overview and Thoughts (Sessions 8-9)
Over the last few weeks we trialled a few new mechanics for players and creatures. The game did not feel dangerous enough and the players felt a little stale in their abilities. We also started a new side adventure quest of following the Venture Syndicate after one of their members was killed early on in the campaign.
Mechanics trial
Monsters do not have powers and actions, just actions (legendary monsters have automatic effects)
2 successes needed from players for different effects - monsters
Some effects have hard or harder, easy or easier effects - monsters
2 different checks for secondary effect - monsters
Players track effects against them and remind for monsters
No manoeuvres for players - want players to get creative in their regular actions by making checks
The players felt the following:
One liked fighting outside the different timeline abilities, and the saves against abilities
One said they didn’t feel super dangerous - more damage from the knife ability might work next time
One said the critical hits were good - them coming up more. They also loves being asked as to the explanation of action they would do
The building on the rules to make good choices about what a turn is - to now being more free form - free form checks all in one move - disadvantage if it is too much in one turn
An idea new idea was brought up for a variant speed rule (say roll a d6 at the start of initiative and add to the speed)
Maybe fate points to interject - in the initiative
Session 8 - The Venture Syndicate Returns
The Owlbear Rodeo battle map
After having an excellent adventure in the world of oceans and pirates, the crew come home and relax. They head out to a lazy day in the markets when they get approached by a man in a trench coat. He asks if they are the folks who solved they murder of the Doomsayer Priest, and if they remembers his friend who they killed. He pulls out a detonator and blows up a nearby building to cause havoc. A massive combat ensures. The party fight a woman with throwing knives and chains, a man with a wrecking ball, a halfling who sneaks around and the trench coat wearing leader. Ralph got big and jumped around to smash foes. Esbara trialed her new illusion and vine magic. Khazgan hide in the crowd to sneak and shoot foes. Zadymka used his bone staff to mess up enemies. The crew was all killed except one who ran away. The team had questions for Zadymka’s corruption. The team now has questions to why they were attacked.
Session 9 - The Search for the Venture Syndicate
The skull puzzle
After the combat last week, the group visited their friend Frinkle the Orcish work carver to find out information. As a bit of a gossip, he is at first coy about information. Once the group commissions some wood work (some boxes and a pendant), he locks the shop to warn the group of the Venture Syndicate. They have gotten really powerful and not known for “wholesome” activities. He gives them the location and the name DeLander. They discover a chute after investigating a crack in the east wall of the Central Bureaucracy. They make their way to a hallway of doors to have a comedy of errors as several of the doors were trapped. They found a table that had a skull puzzle that revealed a door number. Once through it they found their way in a trapped hall that had blades and crushing pillars of stone. Some creativity from Esbara summoning ants to collect a frame, saved the day. It mentioned another door. They visit the Venture Syndicate lair, a smooth underground building, luscious lounge bar, private nightclub, gambling den, exclusive brothel and offices. There are dancers on a stage, jazz music, a long bar, a hookah lounge. Some card tables and a job board at the back of the room. The order some drinks and get a meeting with DeLander. She tells them they are a bounty after killing one of their agents in the city. She says they will remove the bounty if they do a job for her. The job is to stakeout one of the Alpha Council members (in which she also sits on) as she says there is something wrong with the decisions he has been making recently.
