Interesting Times is a long-running roleplay using the Pathfinder system in a custom-created world — the realm of Illyrium, a "new world" situated on a continent called Vespia, across the ocean to the west of Avistan. After a shower of mysterious magical meteors, Illyrium was changed to an astounding degree, and it's in this new, complicated setting that the characters have their adventures.
The campaign has been running since June 2012, and is currently in its fourth "season" — now with a whole new cast of colourful and interesting characters. The Game Master, nicknamed "The Bear", has many years of experience both as a player as a GM, and puts it to use during every session — both to create fascinating scenarios and to curb the attempts of the players to circumvent every challenge.
His greatness and grandeur also proved to be his undoing. Satisfied with nothing but complete domination, he decided to launch a huge campaign aimed at uniting all of northern Golarion under his rule. The neighboring nations, prompted to set aside their differences and unite against a common foe, managed to launch a massive counter-offensive on several fronts. This proved to be too much even for Alardd and his mighty army. The king was defeated, his only heir died in unexplained circumstances and everything quickly fell into disarray, with five lords fighting over who has the right the be the next king. This proved to be the nation’s undoing.
The five scarred and poverty ridden counties, which currently make up what remains of Ilyrium, can only dream of their former glory. Each of them manages to scrape by on whatever resources they managed to secure during the schism: the nations of the south and south-west make use of their fertile lands to grow abundant crops and sell them to the north, which in turn prides itself on whatever few mines and rare ores are left in its possession. These however offer little help, when one has to constantly face hordes of orcs and other beasts, coming from the snowy mountains. The south-eastern nation did manage to secure the only major dock after the war, establishing its dominance over the other nations in terms of trade. A very unstable status quo started to emerge.
The fame and power of Ilyrium quickly faded, replaced by the reputation of a mediocre yet reliable trading partner, not really worth considering in any power plays or diplomatic scandals, unless one was really desperate. And nobody really wanted to change that, especially not the lords, still too busy licking their wounds after the war.
All that changed six months ago, when, as the bards would later put it, the gods got peeved. A huge meteor shower took place over Ilyrium, most of it concentrated directly over the remains of the kingdom. The land once again saw destruction (Walendorn, a capital city, was almost annihilated during said shower). But fear and anger quickly gave way to curiosity and greed. The hated rocks from beyond the sky contained great riches in the form of diamonds and Adamantium – a metal of unimaginable strength.
One did not have to wait long – the word spread, and with it came adventurers, scholars, diplomats and all sorts of misfits. The delicate balance is quickly falling apart, the lords once again trying to assert their dominance and everyone is desperate to make their own fortunes by any means necessary, before all hell breaks loose.
What follows below is a collection (or rather a recollection) of tropes from a Pathfinder based adventure called Interesting Times. Based in the world of Golarion, Ilyrium is a self-contained world, with its own economy, factions, politics etc., although some major players do make an appearance or contribution to the storyline (e.g. Cheliax). You can follow our merry band of outcasts as they try to navigate a complex maze of political and mystical intrigue, try to sort out their own pasts and problems, all the while trying to stay alive in a bleak and unforgiving world ravaged by conflict.
The old team consisted of:
- Alvis: a somewhat ditzy thief with a penchant for falling into traps and getting into trouble.
- Cynthia: a psychotic barbarian and the brawn of the team - the only real man around, despite being a woman.
- Reich: a positive minded cleric who has trouble fitting in.
- Tybald: a noble elven mage, usually either absorbed in his books or plotting some Machiavellian scheme.
The new cast of characters includes:
- Gwen: a peculiar druid, focused on mountains instead of forests. Determined and kind-hearted. Currently missing after mysterious misadventures in a forest inhabited by other druids...
- Camra: a half-orc defence attorney who met the group on the road and ended up representing them in court soon after.
- Eliash: a paladin in the service of Lady Iomedae. A simple but righteous man. Sometimes too simple. Currently on a break from adventuring and resides in the Bastion of Iomedae.
- Wincent: a thief with a heart of gold and a close friend of the team’s paladin. Perhaps that’s how he hasn't been brought to justice yet.
- Cloten: a priest of Lady Iomedae and the paladin’s handler.
- Laertes: an eccentric and wizened elf, whose true thoughts and motives are a riddle for everyone, probably including himself. Very proud of his hair.
- Lorson: a ranger on a quest of vengeance who's always accompanied by a white wolf called Atlas. Seems to hate dwarves for some reason.
Each adventure has its own folder, in which you will find a short teaser, the group's progress map, link to a session log, as well as Tropes the team has encountered. The Tropes applicable to the setting itself or present throughout each session can be found in the "General" folder.
In case you're curious as to what the situation in Ilyrium is like right now, check out the political map: http://goo.gl/60I8dQ
Interesting Times the Role-play:
Teaser: A ragtag bunch of misfits want to try their luck in the recently famous kingdom of Ilyrium. Their dreams of gold, fame and Adamantium are however tested even before they set foot in the kingdom itself - the border is closed to all. What should have been a simple quest turns into a swear-filled dungeon crawl of almost epic proportions as the team learns its first lesson: dwarves are f***ing insane. Also, you can't stab a hydra's head off.
- Hydra Problem - in the literal sense. The team's final enemy before they were allowed to leave the dwarven catacombs was a hydra. It should have been a breeze, but our heroes suddenly found themselves with a lot of piercing or blunt weapons, but not a sword or capable swordsman in sight. While in the end everybody managed to pull through on some really basic swordsmanship and vials with acid and/or fire, the battle itself was more of a hectic parody than a real fight.
- Malevolent Architecture - the team's first encounter with the wonders of dwarven architecture. Also the birthplace of the "dwarf walks into toilet and dies" joke. Dwarves of Ilyrium have turned out to be some of the most paranoid beings around, with traps, blind doors and retractable stairs galore. And that's just off the top of the trauma list.
- Fetch Quest - the path not taken: the captain of the guard lost his armor plate to a goblin raid. The team was given a choice of either retrieving said armor from the goblin camp or going through some decrepit dwarven ruins. If only they knew what awaited them ...
- Broken Bridge - the closed border.
- Interesting Situation Duel - Fighting a hydra while in a semi-submerged corridor is a... peculiar idea.
Teaser: After successfully making it through the Dwarven Catacombs, the team finally sets foot on Ilyrium's soil. And not a moment too early: lord Kivan has a small favour to ask of a group of unaffiliated, yet highly organised and combat-capable people who happen to come by his castle. The favour: take back the Forge of destiny from the greenskins and resupply his army with high quality weapons. But when has anything ever been as simple as it seems at first sight...
- Aggressive Negotiations - the party's solution to an orc party wanting to negotiate the team's safe passage? Hurl an angry dwarf at them!
- The Reveal - nobody really suspected the only dwarf in the mines to be evil... it’s somewhat obvious that in order to survive and hold an angry orcish mob at bay you need to resort to some dirty tricks. But raising the dead and worshipping evil gods is a whole different story.
- Golem - as if traps themselves weren't enough, this dwarven dungeon now comes with mechanized stone guardians ready to crush any would be intruders. Neat!
- Malevolent Architecture - yet another example of dwarven paranoia, with traps galore and an entire magically driven self-defense system capable of utilizing giant construct to vanquish foes.
- Don't Go in the Woods – a old forest being cut down by workers who suddenly start to disappear – it rarely gets more straightforward than this!
- Failed a Spot Check – the main villain was actually a frequent visitor to the nearby town’s pub, where he would regularly boast how he’ll bring about the end of that pesky sawmill and how the owner did him wrong and how he would get his revenge… needless to say nobody on the team paid him any mind. [FALSE!]
- Benevolent Boss – the owner of the Gryphon sawmill genuinely cared about his workers, despite (or maybe because of) being a true capitalist at heart and was even ready to pay a ransom for their release.
- Bar Brawl – the Sword & Cloak is famous for it’s regular brawls, which seemingly start at even the most flimsy excuse.
- The Need for Mead – Alvis and Cynthia satisfy their alcoholic needs first, evidently proven by choosing the typical adventurer’s tavern as their first place of interest in solving the mysteries of the Court of Wonders.
- You Do NOT Want To Know – “Rainy Morning” Olo, the democratically elected “king” of the Court of Wonders has a reputation for having his ways to maintain order. When asked how he does it, he merely points to his trusty pipe and ignites it with his fire magic. That, coupled with a strong psychotic, vibe effectively stops anybody from questioning his authority.
- I Have My Ways – Olo yet again, when asked how he knows so much about everybody and how he’s capable of maintaining any semblance of order within the wall of the Court.
- Drunk with Power – when fighting the Hippogryph-riding mercenary on the roof of the Academy, Tybald goes a little bit overboard… drying the guy, his bird and pretty much a good chunk of the surrounding horizon. There go any potential leads.
- Wizarding School – a university for magic people! Do I need to say anything more ?
- Magical Society – the Mages have a surprisingly developed society, akin to some of the more developed universities, with their deans and chancellors as well as departments or even graduate and post-graduate students.
- Shock and Awe – the Tower’s go to defense mechanism - high-yield thunderstorm carpet bombing which can turn the entire area into a scorched wasteland. Supposedly not a default function but actually an effect of the magic core overloading, but everybody has their doubts about that…
- Rite of Passage – the obstacle course that can be found here is finally at least somewhat justified – what the team encounters during this adventure is a sort of proving ground where young dwarves become manly bearded killing machines. Or die trying.
- Accidental Public Confession - more of a meta-gaming problem, but asking whether a spell will hurt you if you're 'hypothetically' evil is somewhat of a dead giveaway. At least we didn't have any doubts regarding Cynthia's alignment after that - we also try not to turn our backs on her.
- Aristocrats Are Evil – the baron’s wife turns out to be the leader of the local Urgathoa cultist convent. With her husband helping and profiting from it.
- Mystical Plague – the cultists plan to spread the “cleansing breath” of their goddess over the land of Ilyrium, claiming it as rightfully theirs in the process. The plague turns out to be some good old tuberculosis, but beefed up with magic.
- Religion of Evil – the cult of Urgathoa, worshipping the goddess of pain and death, aiming to achieve a sickening abundance of pleasure and disfigure themselves the most to please their twisted goddess.
- Cult – with robes, secret rituals, cannibalism and some other peculiar features, they more than qualify.
- Indy Ploy – it just so happens that Cynthia more or less resembles the Avatar of Urgathoa. So let’s take her, make her walk down the length of a festive table for 50 people and decapitate the cultists’ leader while they watch in awe and fear. It worked…
- A Friend in Need – Aras more than met his match here. He accidentally (he’s a MAN and he CAN’T control it) made the cultists’ leader fall in love with him. The cultists being the weird people they are proceeded to express their happiness by tying him up to a chair and making him watch and then eat dead sick people. The team managed to break him out just in the nick of time.
- Captured by Cannibals – Urgathoa’s cultist eat people. Aras got captured by those guys. Enough said.
- Off with His Head! – What happened after the Indy Ploy of a plan – the leader was decapitated with a scythe and it was epic.
- Kill It with Fire – at the end of it all complete chaos broke out with ghouls running rampant – Tybald employed his typical fireball crowd control tactic.
- Just in Time – Aras was tied up to a stone throne, probably about to be eaten alive. The team made it just in time.
- Lethal Diagnosis – the strange sickness rampant throughout the surrounding area. If you as much as cough, you’re as good as dead and sent to a quarantine zone.
Teaser: Before the Kingdom of Ilyrium rose to its former greatness, it was a land of elves. Nobody really knows what brought the very abrupt end of their reign, but many powerful artifacts can be found across Ilyrium that give testament to their power and glory. One of these is the Tower, built by the most powerful elven mage of the time. Rumors and books of ancient lore point to the northern ruins as the place where one can begin his ascent of the Tower. Needless to say, our team immediately heads up there to tackle the challenge in their own unique way.
- Riddle Me This – the riddle’s which the team constantly has to solve in order to progress seem to be the long-gone mage’s favorite locking mechanism, culminating in the final riddle based on decision theory.
- Only Smart People May Pass – the whole purpose of the guardian statue and the trials was to stop almost everybody and only admit the worthy to the secret entrance of the old Forsaken Tower.
- MacGuffin Delivery Service – the Spinx’s modus operandi and the team’s role during the final showdown at the top of the fake tower.
- Riddling Sphinx – subverted, as she couldn’t solve the final riddle herself and thus made the team solve it for her.
- Animate Inanimate Object – during the early stages of the Doorways Gauntlet, the furniture would come to life and start attacking the team, should they make a wrong decision.
Teaser: Destiny is a capricious lady - what it gives, it can easily take away. Plagued by the ever growing feeling of despair and looming threat, our protagonists decide to go above and beyond their standard modus operandi and try to foresee what their futures hold for them. What better place to do this than the Source, a placed rumored to hold all the answers to one's life. To rumors also say that some never return from their date with destiny. After all you yourself are your greatest enemy...
- "Freaky Friday" Flip – the whole spiel of the Pond of Destiny, as Alvis ever so aptly named it, was to make the team exchange bodies. Tybald’s mind went into Alvis’ body, Alvis went into Halungalom and so on. Panic and mild fascination ensued.
- Because Destiny Says So – everyone got a vision of what they are suppose to do in order to fulfill their destiny at the very end. The vision itself was pretty clear cut and only mildly open to interpretation.
- Dream Land – where everybody went, as it later turned out, due to an evil witch’s magic.[FALSE - she was only using it against others, not creating or controling it]
- Magical Negro – the shaman, for lack of a better word, living in the forest outside the cave is one of the very few non-caucasian people in Ilyrium and she has a more than apt knowledge of all things magical, include some rather very obscure spells and references…
- Hellevator – the Pond of Destiny, sucking in Alvis and then the rest of the team and basically placing each and every one of them in a Dream Land version of their hell/life.
- Human Chess – Tybald’s dream with destiny include life-sized chesspieces of everyone he’s ever met, with him as the main player
- Don't Think, Feel – Alvis failed to grasp to concept of sorcery and spontaneous casting, opting instead to remain cold-hearted and analytical with a crossbow
- "Groundhog Day" Loop – what it looked like at first, until the team figured out the pattern to the dreams they were seeing.
Teaser: The team has acquired a portal stone, enabling them to lay the foundations to their very own fast travel system. The question? Where to put such a portal, so that no unwanted soul would dare venture there and discover it. The answer? In the sewers. A quick romp through the sewage systems of Silandorn quickly takes a turn for the unexpected, with cultists and monstrosities abound. Also housing permits, mortgages and cutting in lines at hospitals by faking mental illness.
- Absurdly Spacious Sewer – justified, as it’s the largest city in Ilyrium and also it’s the ruins of another, much older and bigger city
- Down the Drain – the team gained entry to the sewers via a sewage drain in the hospital’s morgue
- Obfuscating Insanity – Aras had to play this in order to get the team admitted into the hospital and to buy enough time for Alvis to scout out the location of the sewer entrance
Teaser: One could argue that all the signs were there. That it was all really inevitable in the end. As the ever growing conflict between the local princes finally reaches breaking point, the principality of Waldenfold makes a sudden move. Facing an invasion by a well trained and armed foe, Waldenfold and Durlagfold forge a rushed alliance and send their own armies to intercept. And our somewhat intrepid heroes find themselves in the middle of it all - choosing sides, trying to prevent a shattering defeat and in the end facing something no one was prepared for. The sky itself comes crashing down in this adventure, and in the literal sense.
- Anyone Can Die – Alvis died during the decisive Walden push and Halungalom was beaten during the team’s battle with the alien abomination. Alvis was successfully resurrected while Halungalom was not – it served as a reminder that the team is not invincible and exempt from death.
- The Alliance – Kivanfold and Durlagfold decided to put aside their difference and form The Coalition in order to withstand Waldenfold’s military might.
- Came from the Sky – during the decisive push, a castle fell down from the sky. Nobody really paid it’s highly alien design any mind, nor was anybody too surprised to see invincible creatures made from black energy being spawned beneath it. Everybody just sort of hanged at the moment the castled started to burrow itself into the ground in order to disappear off the face of the Earth.
- The Worf Effect – when a monster is capable of beating the unbeatable tank of a man that is Cynthia, you know things are serious.
Teaser: After the decisive battle of the Coalition - Walden blitzkrieg leaves both sides scampering to lick their wounds and prepare for round two, our heroes are also left beaten and separate. With some on the verge of death, others need to find their way out of the underground cavern system and look for help. Time is ticking, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little heart to heart. With old secrets revealed, the team is one step closer to finding out what is really going on in the land of Ilyrium.
- Ancient Tomb – the team finds itself in the ancient catacombs beneath the battlefield where the final battle of Ilyrium took place.
- Dem Bones – a large number of old soldiers decided to take up arms again as skeletons.
- Remembered Too Late – Alvis finally remembered that the book he was suppose to deliver during his early days in Walden contained a picture of a castle falling out of the sky, not unlike the one that almost crushed our heroes. Tybald got slightly upset and politely told Alvis not to withhold such substantial information next time.
- Backstory - The boys share their life stories over a fire in a cavern. Also the first time anybody learns about the magnitude of knowledge Alvis actually has on what's going on (some of it actually surprised even him).
Teaser: With research into the true nature of their new foes underway, our team is tasked by the Council of Durlagfold with a peacekeeping mission. The annual Combat Arts festival is about to start. Once a simple retreat for those more combat inclined, it is now a symbol of hope and stability, uniting the people of all counties and offering some respite from the brewing conflict. But when you put the most skilled fighters of Ilyrium in one place, things are always bound to get ... interesting.
- Not Just a Tournament – the annual festival plays host to a number of intrigues – somebody is incapacitating enemy players, there’s a strange sickness going around and the water tastes plain weird ...
- Mystical Plague – subverted – it was actually a very common plague they were trying to spread, without the added mysticism of pneumonia.
- Blood Sport or Deadly Game – a FIGHTING tournament, where one can find medieval equivalents of deathmatch and team deathmatch. While clerics are on standby to heal and/or revive those less fortunate, it still stands to reason it’s somewhat brutal.
- Crippling the Competition – one of the more puzzling cases which the team couldn’t figure out – there one clearly a saboteur in the ranks, but he didn’t limit himself to just one team, as if trying to handicap the entire tournament…
Teaser: Have you ever wondered what kind of impact you have on those around good? Are you a force of good or perhaps a vessel of destruction? You might have to take responsibilities for your actions when you least expect it. As our heroes venture into an old dungeon beneath an abandoned temple in search of certain scrolls, old foes make themselves known once again.
- But for Me, It Was Tuesday – the team supposedly proved to be a pivotal force in the lives of some disgruntled people, but for the team it was just another day, which they soon forgot about.
- Mind Rape – The Illusionists way of unsettling the team – induce upon them visions of horror and anguish. The visions included blood flowing out of stone walls, dismembered heads starting to speak and paintings coming to life.
- Ritual Magic – the whole premise was a dark ritual that would grant the Disgruntled Three their much coveted revenge. They managed to pull through and placed a curse upon the team, but that was sadly it and no immediate effects manifested themselves. The team learned of it later.
- Shameful Strip – the punishment the disgruntled Three received after their plot was discovered – they were given a stern talking to and given the option to flee in only their underwear, which they gladly took.
Teaser: The Council has a new mission - a paladin has gone rogue. After being a paragon of good for almost his entire life, he has now turned to stealing and murdering. Seeming desperately intent on finding something, he spares nothing in his wake. Of course the best way to counter an unstoppable force is with another unstoppable force. Our heroes venture into the far south to track the rogue paladin down, all the while oblivious as to what awaits them at the end of their journey.
- Our Dragons Are Different – the team met the western subtype of dragons, complete with a reptilian appearance, scales and startling intelligence. This one was different in that he decided to breath acid instead of fire. He was also very keen on learning new things, which actually proved to be the one and only possibility to talk to him.
- Dragon Hoard – As per every dragon’s habit, this one proved to sport a sizable room filled with treasure. Alvis found a new trusty sword here and a lot of gold and silver, which he then promptly spent, in case the dragon ever decided to come back and take what is “rightfully” his.
- Tunnel Network – the Kobolds, who consider themselves to be very close friends with the dragon (it’s mostly a one-sided relationship), have built a rather impressive nest adjacent to the dragon’s cave, complete with a hidden passage straight to his treasure room.
- Black Knight – it’s where the team first met Victor, the fallen paladin. He proved to be more than a fair challenge.
Teaser: To search for further clues and adventure, the team decides to venture east to the busy town of Elenport. But first they make a stop at the idyllic city of elves, the very last in the kingdom. With an endless summer-like weather and its inhabitants the (arguable) paragons of virtue, there can't really be any dark secrets hiding behind such a colorful facade...
- Hidden Elf Village – Exactly What It Says on the Tin – a village full of elves, hidden away from prying human eyes.
- Bystander Syndrome – the elves consider themselves unattached to human affairs, mostly because of a somewhat Holier Than Thou attitude. You can really feel it within the confines of the town.
- Close-Knit Community – they rarely leave their town and everybody basically know everyone else.
- Treetop Town – while the town itself has a few traditional buildings made of masonry to its name, there is also a fair share of tree-top housing, evoking a sense of one with nature in more ways than one.
- Dead-Hand Shot – the session ended on a very dramatic note, with Alvis being kidnapped by a mad female vampire (which is probably the worst possible girl you can get kidnapped by).
Teaser: The team launch themselves in a frantic pursuit after Minevra as Alvis slowly suffocates in his unknown prison. All bets are are off as one of the more powerful immortal vampires engages in a battle of wits with the team's merciless sorcerer. There's death, there's panic, there's epicness and there's also some very specific and careful choking for medical reasons.
- Shell Game – Alvis or Minevra were supposedly travelling inside a coffin on a cart. Sounds simple enough – just stop this impromptu convoy and all is good. Not quite… there are three group, all exactly the same, travelling in different directions. It’s time to place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.
- Buried Alive – Alvis turned out to be trapped inside a freshly dug out grave, slowly suffocating while Minevra played the waiting game.
- The Bus Came Back – Aras made a heroic (more or less so) comeback.
- Terror Hero – when seeking shelter in a nearby town, the team did what every group of noble heroes would do – barged inside people’s houses at night, beat up the owners and simply took over.
- Instant Drama, Just Add Tracheotomy – Romeo tried using his healing knowledge to choke a person ‘just right’. He doesn’t really seem to respect the “do not harm” rule.
- Night of the Living Mooks– Minevra’s defense force or at least what the team suspected at first, seeing overturned graves in every village they passed by.
- Don't Go in the Woods – the woods surrounding the old Elven capital, to be exact. Only Macbeth knows what lurks there for sure (as he went inside himself), but he’s not talking.
Teaser: After the team successfully rescues their favorite inept thief (sans right arm), they set out for Elenport. But it's a long way there and there's this superb inn nestled against a mountain along the way and everybody is very tired... now why the heck is everybody dressed up as their patron deity? Oh right ... halloween! Costumes! Poker! People on fire riding horses and eternal damnation!
- Stomach of Holding – When engaging in a drinking contest with the newly acquainted bard Balrin, Romeo tried to cheat by applying magic that would offset the effects of poison on himself. Barlin used a simple dispel and it kind of screwed up everything.
- Headless Horseman – the team saw it out of the window of their room – a person on fire riding a horse.
- Masquerade Ball – The tradition of All Gods Eve is to dress up as your patron deity (or any deity for the matter) or one of their servants.
- Drinking Contest – Romeo challenges Balrin to such a contest to prove that elves are superior to dwarves. Everything goes downhill from there…
- Bar Brawl – What the Drinking Contest inevitably ends up with …
- Elves Versus Dwarves – the whole underpinning of the Balrin vs Romeo debacle, but in reality it was simply to get Barling drunk and then to pillage his room. Still, it was mainly Romeo’s idea, so one might still argue that it all boiled down to a racial dispute.
- Haunted House – what the whole Eve turned into very quickly, with strange illusions and monsters from foreign lands invading the inn.
Teaser: After almost burning down the inn and probably scarring at least one bard for life, our heroes set out in the direction of Elenport once more. But alas, fate has something entirely different in store for them… a very elusive hole has opened up in the ground right off the beaten path and there’s some weird green gas coming out of it that poisons anyone who comes in contact with it. In light of these developments our protagonists do what any sane person would do in their place - jump right in an take a deep breath !
- Ambushing Enemy - the crystal troll hidden inside a crystal wall. Pure ninja skills combined with Alvis’ incompetence.
- Combat Tentacles - Alvis and Mr. Giant Squid - especially after said squid caught Alvis and proceeded to go full hentai on him. Luckily he managed to squirm out just in time.
- Deadly Gas - the very reason our brave psychopaths embarked on this quest - a strange, poisonous gas coming out of a hole in the ground. Turns out to be a mix between actual poison gas and a cloud of spores from the mind-controlling fungus residing downstairs.
- Dungeon Crawling - one of the most typical dungeon crawling adventures the group has attended, but with a nice twist at the end.
- Everything Trying to Kill You - the doors are electrified! The friggin’ doors! Floor panels of doom, portable tendon-cutting knives, wall-arrows and trained giant spiders are understandable. But the doors!? What next? Spiked toilet seats?
- Fantastic Flora - on more than one occasion. First there were colorful fish without gills, and later what seemed like 3-5 kinds of mushrooms all rolled into one somewhat disgusting and disfigured plant.
- Fungus Humongous - starting at level 3, the true cause of all the strange things going on becomes apparent. A strange kind of fungus has strewn itself across the underground passageways and rooms. Said fungi are somewhat large, but he truly humongous ones appear on the last level, right next to the cray priest responsible for the infection.
- Giant Spider - Level 4 was strangely quiet, until the team met the pet tarantulas. How they managed to survive for so long (roughly 1000 years) without food is a whole different matter…
- Giant Squid - the final boss - the mad priest jumps into the pool of poisonous goo, turns into one and proceeds to rip our heroes a new one.
- I Have No Idea What I'm Doing - Alvis started using this a lot during this session. Especially obvious with the secret room he found at the end, of which he supposedly had no previous knowledge, which he didn’t see and which he found entirely by accident.
- Locked Door - Alvis’ nemesis on level 2 - after some failed attempts and skewed logic the door finally got fed up and electrocuted our lovable thief. The same trope awaited the team on level 4, with the whole floor being one giant locking mechanism for the hatch in the middle.
- Magic Versus Science - for what little the team has managed to piece together, the previous owners of the forge tried to construct a steam engine and usher in a world without magic. They were punished accordingly it seems…
- Malevolent Architecture - the dungeons our brave explorers fell into via the above-mentioned hole turned out to be a forge built by dwarves. And we all remember their affinity for traps… Also the birthplace of the “suddenly - an axe to the head!” group meme.
- Mushroom Man - the residents and the scouting party sent in to amend the situation were turned into these via the parasitic spores emitted by the fungi.
- Our Ghosts Are Different - Unfinished Business seems to be the case here, with a certain dwarf caring about his machines even after death and asking out heroes to clear the room of those pesky ‘shrooms so that said machines can “work” again.
- Precision-Guided Boomerang - the throwing hammer the team stumbles upon. With enough skill one can easily throw, chain-hit a few enemies and have the hammer come back to him like a boomerang. Is that you Mjolnir?
- Shock and Awe - whatever kind of dwarves were living here previously, they certainly had an affinity for electricity, what with all the lightning-based traps (if the trap relied on magic in any way, it was usually lightning-based).
- Watch Out for That Tree! - it’s more like loose bricks and giant stone spikes, but Alvis did mange to score a spectacular fail when swinging from one platform to another. Luckily enough, he hit the pavement right in front of the team’s cleric, who was already prepared, as if expecting the painful outcome from the very start.
- Slapstick + Amusing Injuries + Shot in the Ass + Accidental Aiming Skills - Alvis really pulls of the comedic relief act in this one, with tons upon tons of slapstick coming his way. The most notable highlights include being electrocuted by a door, getting shot in the butt (twice in one fight!), smashed around by a troll and speared a few times by angry goblins. The poor dude just can’t catch a break!
Interesting Times the Role-play: Season Four:
- Creepy Crows: and many other birds - it's harder to tell their species when they're all unusually monochromatic.
- Deliberately Monochrome: anything touched by the magical forces on the island loses its colours.
- Island of Mystery: the Parrot Island has many secrets.
- Amputation Stops Spread: the group managed to save Halgrak the half-orc by removing his foot before the bacteria killed him.
- Driven to Suicide: Sir Rekkart, upon having realised the truth. Thankfully, he was stopped in time.
- My God, What Have I Done?: leads Sir Rekkart to wish to sacrifice himself.
- Creepy Doll: Abigail's little protectors.
- Innocuously Important Episode: while at first it seemed to be a one-off mission, it was also the first time the group met several key players.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: the group encountered several Ankhegs in an underground network of tunnels... and then some more.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: Eliash was faced with one while the rest of the party explored tunnels - he overheard goblins passing by, as well as their weeping captives, but was previously told to guard the rope his companions entrusted him with at all costs.
- Lost World: the forest is full of remains of a long-gone civilisation.
- Magic Music: in a moment of inspiration, Wincent decided to try playing the magical flute from a few quests ago in the ruined amphitheatre. His performance was so good the party ended up with stat bonuses.
- Nature Spirit: the group encountered a lake nymph. It ended badly.
- Psychopathic Manchild: the goblins.
- Ruinsfor Ruins Sake: there are plenty Elven ruins in the entire forest. Some of them are simple - roads, statues, mausolea... Others are a giant amphitheatre.
- The Undead: plentiful - from vampire goblins to ancient elves stolen from their coffins for this purpose.
- Villain Song: the song sang by goblins certainly qualifies.
- Deus est Machina: the entity which wanted to "improve" Wincent and Laertes behaved as if it was following commands much like a computer.
- Eldritch Location: the place Cloten, Eliash and Gwen were sent to after Wincent and Laertes disappeared.
- Happy Flashback: Wincent's memory of the town fair.
- Journey to the Center of the Mind
- Mysterious Past: Laertes' memories didn't make much sense to the group.
- Psychic Surgery: psychic brain surgery, even.
- Only the Knowledgable May Pass: The Secret Heart can only be found after following a series of inquiries and figuring out a puzzle.
- Running Gag: Introduces the one about Laertes' wish to own the flying carpet.
- Path of Inspiration: The monks with possible ties to an Urgathoa cult and definite ties to a mysterious monastery in the north.
- Fate Worse than Death: being sent to the prison fortress.
- Room 101: the "prison cells" for especially dangerous criminals.
- Abandoned Mine: Ujarak's residence of choice.
- Power Crystal: Laertes discovered some, though their exact attributes are known only to him.
- Taken for Granite: Wincent's body began slowly turning to stone after an encounter with strange crystal creatures deep in the mine.
- Fertile Feet: the giant walking through the forest caused all plant life to grow at an accelerated rate.
- Plant Person: the druid shopkeeper.
- Big Word Shout: an important part of any courtroom drama.
- Combat Pragmatist: Prince Gavril.
- Continuity Nod: during the court session, it turns out the party is suspected of being the adventurers from the previous party.
- Genre Shift: From your usual fantasy adventures to courtroom drama.
- Homage: to the Ace Attorney videogame series.
- Breather Episode: Mostly an extended sight-seeing and shopping trip.
- City of Adventure: While Waldendorn has a more serious atmosphere than Elenport, it still has many interesting locales and citizens.
- Magnetic Plot Device: The remains of the meteorite that struck the palace a year ago.
- Continuity Nod: after leaving the tower the group is deposited at the bottom of the Poison Well, which the previous group travelled through.
- Deus ex Machina - after the group is captured by the latest residents of the Poison Well, Droxit suddenly appears, stops time and teleports our heroes outside of Elenport.
- Mage Tower: The group makes a detour through what once was the base of operations of an ancient elven wizard - Gideon.
- Marathon Level: The Poison Well.
- Mission from God: Lorson receives a vision for Abathur pertaining to the Poison Egg which was supposedly taken from the bottom levels of the Well. In this vision, Abathur tasks Lorson with retrieving the Egg and bringing it back.
- Mushroom Man - while most of these seem to have been cleared out by whoever was here last, the group still encounter some fungi ridden dwarves and hobgoblins.
- Portal Network: The entrances to different levels of Gideon's tower are strewn across the land in such a way, that it could technically be classified as one.
- Put on a Bus: Camra, the group's favorite (and only) lawyer had to stay behind in Walden's capital for some "research".
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Refitted for Sequel - arguably the Poison Well would classify. The set piece is the same, but the residents are quite different this time! - The Bus Came Back: Gwen came back! By sneaking up on the party in the middle of the woods... what the hell Gwen!?
- Warp Whistle: Laertes claimed he found an old portal network that would allow the group to travel across Ilyrium. Turns out it was just an entrance to Gideon's tower.
- Alchemy Is Magic: As well as an incredibly potent tool in the wrong hands - the great fire of Elenport was caused by alchemy.
- Hellgate - what Xert plans to open just before the group manages to stop him.
- Real Song Theme Tune: "God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash.
- The Reveal - our heroes finally catch up with the man in the hat. He turns out to be Alvis Lestrade, the last surviving member of the previous group.
- The Song Before the Storm - playing "Highway to Hell" just before the final showdown deserves a separate mention just because of how awesome it was!
- Villain with Good Publicity - Cheliax is bringing some much needed law, order and supplies to the otherwise ravaged metropolis. While one could argue they're also harvesting the souls of its residents, said residents really appreciate the food and shelter.
- Watching Troy Burn - when our heroes return to where their adventures began, they find the majority of the city of Elenport burned down and being occupied by inquisitors of the Cheliaxian Empire.
