DM Notes: Lakeshore 06

On this episode of Many Realms, the protagonists get the closest they've been so far to actually forming a team. A lot of valuable information is shared, and pieces of the picture start moving into place. It's a big win, but it doesn't come without some challenges.

First off, there's the meeting between Nox and Susan (or should I say Gregory and Delilah?) and Angela Whitcomb. It's no secret that I love NPCs that are impatient, acerbic, and driven, and Angela is no exception. Some NPCs should inspire feelings of love, protection, and comfort, and some should inspire annoyance, fear, and dread. Balance in all things.

Angela is inspired by other scientist characters, with a little bit of Bentley the turtle and a lot of Overwatch's Moira. She could stand to be a great ally or a powerful enemy in the gang's journey, depending on how they treat her. 

The same goes for Ilyana, who continues to string Roman along with promises of fey magic.  As these characters take on more baggage, debts and complicated relationships, the webs around them only tighten further, all but guaranteeing an explosive conflict. Don't forget, Roman decided to hang on to that vial of sunshine...

But the final scene of this episode is definitely my favourite. In trying to keep a more sandbox style of campaign, I resisted the urge to force the characters together against their will. As a result, the first act of Lakeshore features a lot of solo scenes and side adventures.

This has pros and cons, I think. The listener gets to learn about each PC separately and in detail, ensuring no one gets lost in the shuffle. But it also means there's less of a back-and-forth at the table, and a lot of moments where I narrate, play major NPCs, and help structure scenes--all of which are important DM tasks, but which in tandem tend to produce scenes that are a little more one-sided.

So it was a breath of fresh air to listen to all of these characters bounce off of one another, to ask probing questions to encourage them to open up, and watch them hatch their own scheme. In a lot of ways, these first sessions have really painted a lively backdrop of a vibrant, magical city, but episodes 4, 5, 6 really exist to set the characters into exciting motion.

And you won't believe where they end up next!