First off, I want to apologize to Kiel. I haven't stripped those arrows in a year, and though I built them with one inch of dense foam above the 1.25" Delrin head, then an additional inch of furniture foam in front of that (similar to the hammer I use at Waypoint), the use and abuse those arrows get mean I need to take better care of them and check them before I drop them off. I wasn't expecting to personally use them this event, but I like to make sure the NPC staff has archers if they like. But they were not constructed unsafe. *sorrysorrysorry*
This event fell solidly into the negative column for a lot of previously stated reasons, boiling down to miscommunication and overpowered, out of control NPCs.
Friday night I got started early with the cockroaches leading to the Power of Pim plot, and I let Cirrus take a step back because Amanda was trying to steer Cirrus' event a little - I always end up running around helping out every little thing that comes her way. I also enjoyed the opportunity to play up her phobias a little - I've tried my best to flesh her out as a sentient character, and just stabbing things repeatedly gets old for Amanda. Mentally, I filed it away, and went to talk to Snacky later and got involved with the map to find the cavern where the power was located. That was an AWESOME puzzle, and I'd like to see some of the same type of mechanic used at future games for changing locations and the map. (Also, I will be scanning it and using it for my own reference
)
Next, everyone was going on the Red X. My reservations for Xs usually stem from lack of others' interest - Cirrus is totally down for high-risk, high reward, but Amanda knows Cirrus' limitations, and will refuse to go with a group that doesn't match her expectations for what happened on the first run. With 80% of the town going, I tagged along, despite my usual inclination to stick around the tavern for the roleplay and let everyone else enjoy the high rewards.
Having a puzzle themed X was great. It was right up my alley to scribble at a Sudoku on the flat of Four, constantly checking the periphery for baddies, sighing in relief when they passed me by, grinning in elation when I was able to get a number under fire, screaming incoherently or stabbing when they did end up attacking me, and I loved cooperating with Karuna and Tannalys to finish it off. Even getting Four shattered and having to mentally rescale my calls wasn't the issue at the time, because this was a Red X - high risk, high reward, right? Except since the loot was scaled to the puzzles that were taking hours to finish because of lack of Recall thanks to Scream, unable to be consistently finished because one mistake made them explode, and half of them were obscured from sight because of out of game circumstances that the GMs didn't allow to change the out of game mechanics of the encounter. Instead of taking the time to lead the PCs around the edge of the clearing because no one can find your landmarks, give them half of the puzzles outright. I think part of the reason we were getting demolished so hard during that battle was that a third of our force was scattered around trying to find something to make this grinder worth it.
Because I certainly didn't get the memo that the only things we'd find were those Xs, and the relevant treasure. Three magic items for 15 players who got shredded is pretty sad. I would hope that scouring the field for 15 minutes with Scout and Improved Spot would get me at least enough shiny things to replace Four, but I got a pity Steel tag. At least it wasn't the piece of Scrap Metal that was the remainder of my curved blade. Despite Cirrus' greed, I don't expect loot, but if that's the name of the game for a plot, deliver. Have the king who dropped the hook give a reward on the other side of the portal. The exit portal leads to a stronghold hidden in the Wildlands full of goodies. The key we found early on unlocks a mysterious box we find somewhere. The case of water was the best reward we got out of that plot - kudos Jim!
I also agree Scream was a little heavy handed with only three Master healers on field (Marcus, Karuna, Elan) - I was hobbling across the field towards Marcus, roleplaying my woundedness, and in the time it took me to wobble 30 feet, I dropped to 0 from 6HP. Thankfully, there weren't any times where I WAS at 0 that I got hit with Scream.
I was dead tired, but hey, there were some zombies with a crazy necromancer outside. Easy pickings, right? Nope, more miscommunication - these were constructs that moved superfast, took multiple 18s to down, and only died when their master did. Playing dead saved my ass, and we all feared the worst for Octavius since all the healers had gone to bed, only to discover that he was just incapped. That plot induced a major case of "boop it" and I set up my hammock, only to be forced back inside by mosquitoes and coyotes at dawn.
I got barely 90 minutes of sleep before everyone else woke up and decided to have a conversation at full volume within 20 feet of my bunk. I know I have a good Hide modifier, but seriously people. I was even reassured at one point that the conversation would move, only for me to request to join them on their way to the tavern an hour later. Not to mention the players who came to keep me from sleeping by trying to twist my arm to go on a plot. (I also realize this is slightly pot and kettle since Saturday night I was engaged in tradecraft in the Inn until waytoofuckinglate in the morning, and I will apologize for that.)
I inhaled some granola bars and tried to rehydrate, waiting for some roleplay to roll in. Gregory and the Sparrow was definitely my favorite plot of the weekend - nice little bits of combat, using more of the camp (I didn't even know that field was there!) and a cool Spirit World mechanic (hopefully I don't have to remember what I got drained to for next event...) Having both of the NPC Macguffins we were trying to find (for that plot and the Power of Pim) in the same place, with the same next progression step, was a little clunky, but I understand the collation of plots given that it was nearly Game Break at that point.
Running into Buddy on the path was a great bit of roleplay too. I wonder if I wasn't getting hit with the effects because I had Anticipation charged, or it was my absurd volume of hugs that saved my tail. It was problematic on our end to have our recall Guthrie also handling our heals, but that was poor planning. Yay tamales.
The event started to go downhill after Game Break. Encountering the friendly magical creatures for the first bout of Buddy's tea was great roleplay again, but going down the murder hill to face fresh NPCs was not. I enjoyed the battle, but the PCs were clearly getting overwhelmed yet no effort was made to scale the combat. We were forced to flee UP that hill, with the entire complement of fairly competent heroes completely eviscerated. I only saved myself from chips by blowing a hero point so I could keep using Flee (the skill). Thank boop I drank that Five Hour. Others took over from there, but I didn't get the chance to see the resolution to that because I had to argue for the completion of the plots that I tried to get out of getting involved in the first place. It only increased my displeasure later when I found out there was no real reward for that plot either (I didn't hear anything about a boon, nor a return next event). But yay interaction.
We managed to wrangle people together to go release the tethers, and were waiting for NPCs when we got attacked by random NPCs. I can understand attacking loitering PCs at NPC camp, but there is absolutely no reason why it should happen when we're being forced to wait for the other things to grind us down. I saw a few PCs specifically choose to ignore the attacks because of the sheer amount of bullshit. Worse, the GM on hand did nothing to rein the attackers in, even when specifically called on it.
The NPC bullshit increased when we used the dust I totally didn't snort to go to the Black Mountain. When we entered the scene, it was described there were two drakes attacking two friendlies we needed to protect for 10 minutes. Fine, huddle up and defend, Abaddon can tie them up for a bit and it should be easy (and it should have been, given that there was another bigger fight to follow). Instead, the NPCs continued to pop drakes, darting through gaps no creatures the size of a car should be able to negotiate, leaving the field for barely 5 seconds before repopping, and swinging all out. Nell and Marcus had to play dead in order to get enough time to finish the task, despite having plenty of PC bodies to shield them, and I was worried not that they'd be attacked and disrupted, but that they'd be stepped on by overzealous NPCs.
The run up to the throne room was a great fight, despite the lights. Please get some red cellophane or wax paper to dull those down. The enemies were varied and required different tactics, I liked the change up of the defensive mechanic, and that the NPCs here mostly kept to attacking the periphery, as should have been done in the previous battle. Though charging and heavy swings were STUPID PREVALENT. I nearly had the prosthetic swiped off my face twice, and my knuckles got hit so hard I had trouble using the hand the next day. I know some of my blows got deflected into faces as well, and no one seemed to be having a good safe battle.
Charging needs to be addressed. The idea that you aren't charging if someone is running backwards is
BULLSHIT. I never go above a lope if I'm chasing someone who is running forwards, and no one can backpedal faster than you can run, promise. I fully expected some people to bash their heads into a shield or bowl someone over, especially with a dewy field. I could not physically get my blade between some of my assailants, let alone get it into a position that I could block, let alone swing. Of course I backpedaled, which spurred them on to faster movement. How do you expect to react in time if someone trips when you're going that fast? PLEASE remember we're trying to be safe here people? Pretty please?
Also bullshit was the idea that the magical calls suddenly became only one element. That stunk to high heaven of "Nope, you don't get to use that anymore because reasons." Thank you for clarifying that wasn't a field call Mike, but still super cheesy.
The actual drake was the worst offense of it. Though I enjoyed the idea of Cirrus being up there and frantically blocking shot after swipe (POST POST POST), the charging and machine gunning made that so super meatgrindery. I understand the bite attack is used at CARPS, but here it's a super special flavor of illegal. Stoppit. My entire experience of that part was run up, get whacked through 25 soak in about 10 seconds despite being almost completely on the defensive, run away and get healed again and repop my CR, lather, rinse, repeat. I don't even want to try counting how many times I saw Argus go down. (<3 Brand) And I totally almost stabbed the thing right through the skull when it was shrunk, pet or no. I took a quick glance around the periphery for something that would be utilized by entities who could overwhelm the king and queen, then teleported us back. Hey, that was the only reward we got out of THAT meatgrinder too? Hooofuckingray.
Final roleplay to finish off the Power of Pym and get Sparrow in Gregory's head. Nothing from those? Sure. Everyone's gone to bed, including the NPCs? Pack it up, check out, shower and finally sleep.
The next morning, half of the people were gone from my side of the cabin, leaving behind their stuff, dirty bathrooms, stuff caked in the sinks, sand on every part of the floor. Weird.</sarcasm>
I felt better after hashing out some of the major problems with Mike and Taki while we were cleaning up NPC camp, but I was severely frustrated and angry Sunday morning, and I want to apologize for how bitter I was behaving. It didn't help anyone's mood about how I was rehashing how terrible of a time I had.
Like Kiel said, roleplaying is Final Haven's strength, and it should be the core focus. What plots I experienced were generally great on that front, but resolutions, vicious NPCs, and miscommunication almost ruined this weekend.
Great to see Nelkie on the field! I had such a great time fighting you!
You are what you dare.
RESEACRH
I appreciate the help so I can get back to scheming. 
