EPISODE 149 — Ambassador of Evil

[JulyDiaz 2797]

Steve and Blaine are back just in time to continue the original journey. We rejoin our heroes as they recently escaped some weird pool and carnivorous trees. As they notice a great sky eagle battle going on they must figure out if they will make good with the darkness.

[Shampoodler 1489]

:|

[clams 242]

 

 

"Hey guys, I tried!"

 

Dan did a great job as DM, keeping a story going and the gang on track!

[Ytse 17]

Well, it was fun while it lasted

[SublimeBW 59]

Man, I was really hoping they would screw up the wish. I love listening to my players sit there and debate the best way to craft the wording of a wish only to overlook a completely obvious flaw and have it snap 'em in the ass.

 

Side note: I got a bit of a half-mast when Blaine said that he wants to get back in the Blacky Green saddle. I once heard that his CHA is actually 19!

[jedesto 8]

First let me say how good it is to have everyone back. Ken, Blaine, and Steve, your antics were sorely missed.

 

Dan, I mostly made this account to tell you: Really awesome job DMing. It was really cool to see how much the group engaged with your story. I think it was last episode, (or maybe the one before that), when Brian said "Aww man!" when you guys hit the hour mark. I haven't heard the group that wrapped up in the story since the Sark days. Keeping such a big group of hilarious dudes on track is no easy task, and you're great at it. I think in the 4 hours that you DM'ed, there was a solid 3.5 of D&D, which really brought this podcast back to its roots.

 

I was so excited for this episode, that I accidentally checked for it yesterday and was disappointed to remember they come out on Wednesdays.

 

Now that it has been released, I have to agree with the

 

There was a little bit more progression than usual, but the episode very quickly became the same old:

"You're walking... you're walking... you're walking..."

and then ...

"You're flying... you're flying... you're flying... is it time yet? No? ... you're flying..."

 

I too had a pang of excited nostalgia when Blaine mentioned that he'd like to PC again, even if it was a joke. A lot of people want Blaine as a character again, and that's because he's great at it. Most of Blaine's humor is reactive, and he has a lot more material to work with when someone is feeding him the descriptions and action. Not only that, but he's good at D&D. He knows his equipment and spells, and he uses them intelligently. I smiled when I remembered the good old days of Blackie zipping around with his fly spell and "a little thing called.... that's right... eldritch blast." Oh what I would give for Blackie's Arcane-Fighter cousin "Forest" to join the party.

 

Sorry for the wall of text, but it's been building up for a while. The dang forum's account validation wasn't working for a long time.

[Party_clown 4]

Well that is a bummer, was hoping for Dan to take the reins. Good to have everyone back, was just wanting a change up to the DM spot.

[Munchkins & Flagons 6]

goddamnit. i was finally ready to start listening regularly again. wake me up when it's over.

[DoctorGeniusPHD 135]

Y'all some negative people. This was a pretty interesting episode. I do hope that they can somehow roll Elzid or another Brendon character in the campaign because that sort of goofy is missed right now and he seemed to genuinely enjoy playing as a new player. That was the fun part for me. Of course they record these in advance and two or a three at a time it seems so it'd be a while before all the positive feedback entices him back to the show.

 

Anyway, I'm into this black land thing. I love that the wish ring went off well and that our adventurers have captured this idea that they should join with the force all the giants are fighting because the giants are dicks. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out (probably with them all dying because the black land is the worst place to go if I had to guess).

 

Keep em rollin bros

[PandaMachine0 64]

Winter's total elation with the fact that he was flying made me smile. It is fun to know that in addition to arsonist and phallic enthusiast Winter has the golden heart of a child.

 

In his backpack.

[JustinPeacock 18]

Am I the only one that got super excited when they brought up the possibility of wishing away from the giant land?

[Francis 5]

Still a good episode. I always enjoy Nerd Poker.

I do hope they shake up the show, Dan DMing and Brendan Small's brief residency was a huge improvement.

But I don't mind finishing up the current adventure! If it takes a few more episodes to finish their journey in the land of multicolored giants, I don't mind. Hopefully the gang will embark on a new adventure soon.

[Francis 5]

Well, it was fun while it lasted

I'm hoping they just want to wrap up the current adventure, to give people closure. Then they can jump into something new!

[SukhwantAtwal 11]

It's only been a week and I already miss Elzid Falconcrow...that crazy half-elven / half-samoan bastard!

[Obi Wan Disrobi 32]

Y'all some negative people. This was a pretty interesting episode.

I'm sorry, but no... it wasn't. This has been the same old tired travelling that has been going on for months now. The events of this week's adventure should have been something that transpired in about 5 minutes of decent roleplaying. This never-ending cycle of hostility, zero storyline and what I'm now going to call "the trail of listener's tears", is just beyond stupid. This coming on the heels of weeks of well done gaming with interesting dialogue and characters was a regression that was definitely not needed.

[Obi Wan Disrobi 32]

From Clerks 2, Randal's reenactment of the LoTR Trilogy is the living embodiment of what this "giants land" has become.

[Party_clown 4]

 

I'm sorry, but no... it wasn't. This has been the same old tired travelling that has been going on for months now. The events of this week's adventure should have been something that transpired in about 5 minutes of decent roleplaying. This never-ending cycle of hostility, zero storyline and what I'm now going to call "the trail of listener's tears", is just beyond stupid. This coming on the heels of weeks of well done gaming with interesting dialogue and characters was a regression that was definitely not needed.

This right here. Role playing is not just murdering things in endless fashion and in between the murdering having the characters talk about how many hit points they are down. I miss hearing actual conversations between characters and NPCs, and not just mumbles and then the player characters being attacked.

[ThomasAmerman 2]

ARRG!!

You guys should have wished to go to a land without giants. Where Dan is the DM and Blaine is anybody else and NPC's can have actual conversations.

 

Blaine, i love you but your endless path of elemental giants, garbled NPC comments and "kind of a, sort of a" descriptions is getting us nowhere. Literally, nowhere.

 

Regardless, I love the show and all of you and will continue to listen. But maybe consider what we're all crowing about...?

[DoctorGeniusPHD 135]

It seems I am on the other side of why people like this show. I still maintain that this a comedy show about having fun with your friends framed around playing a game of D&D, not a serious show about a game of D&D. My favorite parts are the dumb shit that everyone says as friends getting to hang out and play a game together. Just like when Rich Sommer was doing his Cardboard! podcast on Wolfpop, where my favorite parts were just friends having regular conversation and going off on tangents. While it is fun to see things progress as far a story goes I think more important is the group hanging out together and bullshitting. There are other podcasts, youtubers, and so on which offer 'serious about roleplaying' content which you others are probably more interested in. Quick examples in order of silly to less silly: check out Crit Juice, Critical Role, and Titansgrave (a Wil Wheaton Thing)

 

Since apparently I have to be this shithead to keep this place from being a giant echo chamber, I will voice that I would not enjoy listening to the show with Dan as the DM. I appreciate his presence as a PC on the show and that he tries to keep the rest of the party on track in terms of progression and roleplaying. Maybe Blaine might not be your ideal after Sark but for me the highlights of the past few episodes were Brendon's presence -- the different energy that he brought to the group and his flowing exuberance in playing this game -- and not Dan's DMing.

 

The probably should have wished to get away from the giant land, but remember that they weren't sure how the wishes would work and if they'd have a Twilight Zoney twist. The state of where we're at in the story is not something I put on Blaine, but the decisions that the party has made first with the roc and then with the mishandling of the helm of teleportation. Now with the decision to pick sides in a continental war, and who knows what else in the future. The party has managed to stay alive but they have in general made terrible story decisions to far, they have picked poorly at nearly every turn -- don't forget that this campaign started with them burning down a bar and having to escape the police -- regardless of what is offered by the DM. How's that for your roleplaying game guys?

 

So basically no offense meant to Dan of course but I'd rather listen to Blaine than Dan as the DM in this podcast. I don't think I'm alone in this though we are apparently in the minority.

[DoctorGeniusPHD 135]

And ya know I'm gonna post more shit because I know someone will bring up that they made bad decisions in Sark's campaign too. But Sark had been the DM of this group for years when they started recording the show so he may have been more accustomed to dealing with the group (the original group) when they would act in unanticipated ways. The show was always plagued with Gerry's absences, and then with his and Sarah's both (she had a kid). Blaine was gone for a bit when his wife gave birth. Sark also had familial availability conflicts with the show which led us to only having three of the original group of six playing. Steve has come on often but seems to have to leave early or is just not able to be there often. Dan is there regularly but he was not someone the group played with in the past (not saying that he is an outsider but there is a chemistry missing in some areas just because he simply has not hung out with all of these people for decades) and so his style is different.

 

Straight up this is not 'the same' show that it was a couple of years ago and you need to accept that it is never going to be. For me the spirit of it does feel the same and I find myself entertained by it every week. I just don't know how I can help those who keep listening every week only to come on here and complain about why they don't like it.