[Game Thread] Round 2; Match 1: Unko Talok vs bubsmcp

[Inem]

Round 2; Match 1: Unko Talok vs bubsmcp

Originally Posted by The 'Honorable' Chairman

"Ah, it's you two. Good, good. Come." The Chairman's words imply that the contestants have a choice in the matter, but apparently they don't really, because both of them suddenly find themselves swimming in the middle of a raging ocean made of purple water, with only two small islands offering anywhere to stand and do battle. "I got a little bit bored of the theme, so I've decided to switch it up. What do you think, isn't it great?"

Here you will battle in the purple sea, under the watchful eyes of of the great and honorable judges:

• MoonZar
• GinJapan
• PIG

Gesturing to two heaping tables with his staff, the Chairman proclaims: As has happened many times before, and must happen again, you will now face off against each other! Only by using the following five ingredients,

• A Drunken Bugbear
• A Playground
• A Deadly but ineffective spell
• Politically active halflings
• Barely controllable mania

and crafting an adventure with your own talents, can you hope to survive! One of you will be fortunate enough to be eliminated, a reprieve you each will treasure by the time your time here is done. The other will be forced to advance to the semi-finals!


Let the Dungeon Mastering....BEGIN!!

Rules You are to write an adventure using the five items / concepts above. All rules found here are to be followed. The guidelines for the Judges' scoring can be found here. The entry is to be no longer than 2000 words, which includes *everything* you put into the post. Judges are instructed to stop reading at that time, or to deduct points if you go over. The use of a spell check and word counter is highly recommended. Please make a simple post in this thread when you first read it, to let the judges know have seen it, and that you are on board. It doesn't have to be anything more than "read!", or something like that, though roleplaying it is also perfectly acceptable! Do not edit this post after making it; when it comes time to post your entry, do that in a second, separate post. You have 7 days from the time this post is made to complete and submit your entry (in a new post; don't edit your first post!). It is not expected that you use all this time - the extra time has been given to ensure that, no matter what your timezone, your schedule, your sleep habits, your work or student life, or emergencies that could crop up, you should have ample time to complete your entry. Posting when you are done, and not waiting until the end, is also recommended, and rewarded. You should post your entry into this thread within the generous timeframe, and ensure it is secreted (to the above judges) and spoilerbuttoned. Feel free to also PM your judges to let them know you have posted, if you wish. (DO NOT PM them your entry - just let them know your entry is submitted). If your post is not made within the 7 days, you will be automatically disqualified. If you have issues, be sure to PM Inem *before* your round is closed. Once posted, do not edit your entry. The use of the "preview" function is thus also highly recommended.

[Unko Talok]

Unko, creature of Iron that he is, finds it odd that he can stay afloat on this sea of purple. He swims to the Island, trying as best he can to listen to the Chairman as he goes. It's only after he's stood up and looked across the way at his challenger that he is truly given pause.

That face. Or lack of a face. "Don't I know you from somewhere?..." he asks the man with no mouth. He wonders if his challenger will be able to respond...

Before he has a chance, Unko continues, looking up at the Chairman. With impudence he asks, "So is this purple stuff... Is it Fanta? Or grape Kool-Aid? Or maybe it's wine, and the lighting is just throwing me off. If I'm gonna make something with these ingredients, I want it to pair well..." That finally brings Unko's attention to the ingredients. "Oh, man! What am I supposed to do with this?... Alright, alright... let's see if we can't make something digestible..."

[bubsmcp]

At the chairman’s bidding, the blank man finds himself sinking down into the purple sea until a darker, almost black rush of purple swirls up from the deep and propels him back to the surface. An unctuous voice comes ringing once again into his brain, “Come now starchild. You’ll have to try harder than that I’m afraid.”
The old man makes his way to his designated island and climbs aboard. The challenger addresses him and his wrinkles pucker into a simulacrum of a smile. A long lost feeling of sehnsucht enters his being and he once again draws together his ingredients in a warm embrace.

[Unko Talok]

 

Sins of the Father	A Savage Worlds adventure For 2-4 Seasoned characters
Introduction
The war ended three generations ago. Magitech had promised "Better Life Through Magery." Instead, it brought unprecedented destruction... The apocalypse isn't as bleak as expected. People are more resilient than imagination suggests. Survivors banded together to rebuild. No community is more emblematic of recovery than Emdrup. A small city, primarily halfling and goblinoid, Emdrup has surged with energy to right all wrongs. They formed a government, they rebuilt infrastructure, and they put resources toward fixing any problem brought to them. Their energy seemed endless, their sensitivity unmatched, and their harmony inspiring. ⠀ Recently, this hyper-vigilance has taken a darker turn. The halfling community has been agitating about smaller and more ludicrous problems. Worse still, their focus has not been on fixing problems so much as lashing out against them. They have become exceedingly irritable, and will explode at the smallest slight. Can the party get to the bottom of this destructive turn?
Hooks
Possible adventure hooks include: The party is from the community, trying to ease rising tensions. The party is hired by Old Haggard to find the entrance to the military complex, or hired by MEGA to assassinate Old Haggard. They could be travelers just coming upon the city of Emdrup for the first time. The party might be hired by an organization to find and handle dangerous magitech remnants.
System Info
Savage Worlds is a setting-agnostic, classless ruleset that emphasizes pulp action. Confrontations are swingy, brutal, and short. Core Mechanic: 1dX (4,6,8,10, or 12), exploding. Exploding: whenever the maximum number is rolled, roll again and add the result to the running total. Unless opposed, the target number is 4. For each 4 points the target number is exceeded, a "raise" is gained, offering additional benefits. Other System Info: The system uses "bennies", limited points that players can spend to mitigate a bad roll. ⠀ Page numbers throughout refer to "Savage Worlds Deluxe: Explorer's Edition."

GM Info

Background During the Old War, Emdrup was home to an Enchantment Magitech research facility. Their Manhattan Project was the Manic Hyper-Trebuchet, or "The Machete". (Arcanists love improperly-constructed acronyms.) It induced clinical mania in the surrounding populace, including insomnia, hypersensitivity, and violence. Mages theorized that this would lead to societal discord. A prototype was constructed, but deployment was delayed. A pair of Bugbear mages argued the weapon would go critical, inducing a global mania, harming all. Before the weapon could be fixed, more conventional destructive magic did the job. The Emdrup research facility had been secretive, and was mostly destroyed. In rebuilding, a playground was built where the facility once stood, using the rubble of war to make something beautiful. Beneath the playground, the Machete survived. Its arcane core is destabilizing, just as the Bugbears feared. For decades, it has been influencing the populace of Emdrup, and their political hyper-vigilance has been a result of the weak mania-inducing waves from the Machete. As its core destabilizes further, the mania has become stronger. Halflings have been effected first because the playground is closer to their borough, while the goblinoid borough is further away. Some political factions that have recently risen (feel free to invent more) are described below. HADD (Halflings Against Delinquent Drunks) sees alcohol as a major societal ill, and argues that drink engenders complacency that will destroy society. MEGA (Move Every Goblinoid Away) thinks that goblinoids being in control of the brewing industry is taking away halfling jobs, and that goblinoids should move to their own city. PARC (Playgrounds Are Really Cool) argues that having just one playground isn't enough. Plus, the current playground's Merry-go-round is rickety. There should be at least 7 playgrounds, one for each borough. DNC (Don't Need Colleges) thinks that higher learning is what lead to magitech and the war, and advocates a halt to schooling. GOP (Grind Out Pacifism) believes that war with nearby cities will stimulate the economy. The party has three days to solve the problem, or the Machete will go critical. If the party is defeated in combat, they wake up in a hospital a day later. The populace is not yet bloodthirsty. Balancing encounters in Savage Worlds is highly party-dependent. Feel free to increase the Fight skill of combatants by one die or increase/decrease the number of opponents in a given combat.

Set and Characters This adventure is set the fantasy-medieval city of Emdrup. The world has standard fantasy races including halflings and goblinoids. The city is agricultural, with brewing being a major industry run by the goblinoid borough. The following NPCs appear in this adventure: NPC Fluff Crunch Halfling Villager The commoners of Emdrup; volatile and irritable. Attributes: Agility:d6, Smarts:d6, Spirit:d8, Strength:d6, Vigor:d6; Skills: Fighting:d8, Notice:d6, Shooting:d6, Stealth:d8, Throwing:d8; Pace:5; Parry:5; Toughness:7; Gear: Pitchfork(Str+d4). Special Abilities: Size-1. Old Haggard (Wildcard) Bugbear Elder. Constant drunk, grandson of two Machete researchers. Was a small child during the war. Attributes: Agility:d6, Smarts:d4, Spirit:d6, Strength:d8, Vigor:d8; Skills: Fighting:d6, Intimidation:d8, Notice:d6, Shooting:d6, Stealth:d6, Throwing:d6; Pace:6; Parry:5; Toughness:8(1); Gear: Leather Armor(+1), Scimitar(Str+d8), Wand (Blast 5/day). Special Abilities: Size+1. Infravision: Halves penalties for poor light. Magitech Golem (Wildcard) Ancient remnant of a defense system. Attributes: Agility:d4, Smarts:d6, Spirit:d4, Strength:d6, Vigor:d8; Skills: Fighting:d6, Notice:d10, Shooting:d8; Pace:10; Parry:5; Toughness:10(4); Special Abilities: Armor+4 (removable and wearable), Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken, called shots do no extra damage. Fearless: Immune to fear and Intimidation.

Part 1: Political Bugaboos

Info The first phase of this adventure involves information gathering in volatile Emdrup. Describe the recent rise in political tensions, a few political factions, and major locales. There are three main locales that the party might gain information: The local Tavern "Emdrup in the Bucket", City Hall, and the Goblin Borough. Emdrup in the Bucket HADD is currently protesting here. Entering the tavern requires an Agility roll from each party member-- a total number of successes and raises equal to the party size is required. Failure means someone bumps a protester, and the party enters a Social Conflict (pg110) using Streetwise rolls. Failure means the party is attacked by 2 halflings + 1 for each margin of failure. Inside, everyone is drinking to drown out the political insanity in Emdrup. Starting a conversation requires a Persuasion roll (+1 for every 10gp spent) to reveal a rumor, +1 rumor for each raise. d6 Rumor 1 "Drink calms me down-- I should talk to a priest about that!" 2 "Gramps usedta say the playground was where them mages did their research. Building got destroyed..." 3 "Haggard's the only citizen who was alive during the Old War. Probably drinks to forget." 4 "HADD wants to stop all the brewing-- idiots! It's how Emdrup pays the bills!" 5 "During the Old War, Emdrup developed some weapon that never got finished. Supposed to drive people mad." 6 "The playground's Merry-go-round is wobbly!. My kid tried to move it, but I told him he shouldn't destroy property." Note that the party can buy alcohol here for 5GP per drink-- this can be relevant for Part 2. City Hall Groups from every political faction are here. Their cacophony is overwhelming, though they don't block the entrance. City council members listen and respond, making promises they can't keep. Inside, a single clerk tries to perform all functions of government. He can hardly focus. The party can find several informative documents here, but each request annoys the clerk. The party must perform some task or test for each piece. They could instead subdue the clerk and search for the information with an Investigation roll, but they must know what they're looking for. Information available: A map of the playground revealing an entrance to the research facility under the Merry-go-round. Tax paperwork confirming that brewing is responsible for 25% of the city's revenue. Documents confirming that Haggard's grandparents worked on the Machete project (but not what it was). Possible tasks/tests (one document each): A bribe of 500gp. A Smarts roll arguing the citizens' right to documents (or similar argument). Removing the rabble outside. This can be done through any means to cause offense, but might include a Taunt roll, followed by a Chase (pg94, Foot Chase rules pursued by 12 halflings). Goblin Borough The Goblin Borough is filled with breweries, and is bustling with goblinoids. The breweries lead to widespread drinking, which may offer protection against the Machete. Citizens also deeply revere their elders, and the eldest is Old Haggard. As such, Haggard's house is guarded by 4 goblins (pg159), who let no one pass without reason. Mentions of the Machete or Haggard's grandparents are heard by Haggard who invites the party in. Otherwise, the party must persuade, deceive, or intimidate the goblins with a Persuasion or Intimidation roll, sneak in through a back window with a Stealth roll (a single success is sufficient), or fight their way in. In combat, Old Haggard joins using his Wand. Haggard's house is a mess of age-yellowed notes scattered on every surface. The Bugbear's speech is mumbled and incoherent. A Notice roll reveals that this is not a problem of age-- he is exceedingly drunk. A Heal roll, or monitoring him for a full day without drink can remedy this. Alternatively, a character can make a Smarts roll to understand him. Haggard can explain that the notes are his grandparents' research, and that the Machete's Arcane Core can be deactivated via a ritual involving the Blast spell. Haggard has no idea where the Machete is hidden. His grandparents weren't allowed to record that information for secrecy concerns. If the party knows the location, Haggard gives them his Wand. If Haggard can't be understood or is slain, the ritual can still be learned with an Investigation roll and one day's time.

Part 2: Playtime's Over

Info Whenever the party first makes their way to the Playground, children are there. On seeing the party, the children run away-- the Machete's power has manifested as terror in the children. If the party leaves and returns before deactivating the Machete, the playground is patrolled by 4 PARC members with 4 dogs (pg167), who assault the terrible folk who make playgrounds unsafe. The Merry-go-round conceals the entrance to the research facility, A Notice or Investigation roll reveals this if the party doesn't otherwise know. Moving the Merry-go-round is trivial for an adult. In the research facility, include additional rooms and encounters here if your palyers are craving more combat and treasure. Otherwise, most rooms have collapsed. Walking down a long hallway, the party finds the Magitech Golem guarding the Machete, and it attacks. During and after combat, the Machete releases waves of its enchantment magic (below). After combat, the party must spend 1 minute total (10 rounds) performing the Arcane Core shutdown, which requires either someone that can cast the Blast spell themselves, or using Old Haggard's wand. Interruptions in the process do not reset the 10 rounds' work. Machete Every 2 rounds, the Machete releases a wave of energy, forcing everyone to make Spirit rolls. Those who fail become enraged with another character of their choice. They must invent a reason (real or fictitious). Whoever is chosen can immediately attempt a Persuasion roll to calm their accuser, but this consumes their next turn. Otherwise, the accuser must attack the target of their ire on their turn. A character can drink alcohol to gain a +1 bonus per drink on their Spirit rolls for 1 hour, suffering -1 on Agility-based rolls per drink.

Aftermath

Aftermath Possible ways to continue the campaign: If the Machete went critical, an apocalyptic campaign ensues. The party is tapped by a secret organization to find and destroy/recover other magitech artifacts. Grievances sparked by the Machete remain, and the party is hired by various factions, e.g. to burn down school buildings or incite war (or opposing such plots).

 

Ingredient	Usage
Drunken Bugbear	Old Haggard
Playground	Built over military facility
Deadly but ineffective spell	The Machete
Politically active halflings	Citizens of Emdrup
Barely controllable mania	Machete's effect, suppressed by alcohol

[bubsmcp]

 

High School is Hell A 5E Adventure for Teenage Characters of 1st Level! In Eberron!!! Overview The realm of Xoriat, the plane of madness, has opened beneath the grounds of Sharn Towers High School. Students have gone missing, teachers are acting strangely, and mysterious rumors are spreading across school. A group of unlikely heroes step out of the stereotypical stratification of high school social hierarchy to confront the aberrant evil. Adventure Flow The adventure starts in Home Room and proceeds to the next class when the bell rings. The party has full access to the school between classes but must be in their next class quickly or else run the risk of being caught by a teacher and considered Suspicious. If a student is caught being Suspicious five times, they will be sent to detention in the Auditorium. If a teacher discovers the party after this, they will be attacked immediately. There is a 25% chance of being caught when moving to other rooms during class periods and a 75% chance if the party goes outside. Teachers are considered Cultists for battles. The class schedule will guide students through the first 7 of the Important Rooms in the order they are listed in the table below. The DM should move the characters along to the next class if the party is not making progress in the room or if they have discovered all that the room has to offer. While students could follow this order, exploration is rewarded and students may find aid for their risk-taking. Each Important Room will reveal either a Rumor or provide an encounter. These along with generic rooms, can be explored in any order, but the party only has 7 periods to uncover the truth. Once the students have learned all five Rumors, they will know that the plane of Xoriat is being opened under the Jungle Gym, and that they must defeat the PTA there to prevent the Daelkyr from coming through. School Layout The high school is set next to a junior high and elementary school on a wide-open campus. The building is made up of 20 rooms located on both sides of two long hallways each joined by shorter hallways at the middle and each end of the major hallways. The playground is between the three schools. Each room can be assigned an identity by rolling a d20 and referencing the table below. Important Rooms may be altered if visited during or after class. Dice Roll Room 1 Home Room 2 History 3 Biology Lab 4 Cafeteria 5 Art 6 Dwarven Language 7 Music Room 8 Principal’s Office 9 Supply Room 10 Auditorium 11-20 Generic Classrooms (Feel free to give these other identities like Alchemy, Goblin Lit, Math, etc.) Important Rooms Home Room The party witnesses a student get sent to detention for leaving his seat. Soon after the bell rings. History The teacher is so boring that he’s lecturing himself to sleep. A classmate gestures at the teacher and you notice green slobber dribbling from his mouth. Stealth (DC 5) when moving around or talking in the room or be caught acting Suspicious. Talking to the classmate lets them know Rumor 1: The Biology Teacher bred an animal that all of the halfling students were allergic to. Biology Lab The lab is quiet and the students are busy with their vivisection experiments. Pieces of animals are strewn over the benches with students hunched over -removing bits of flesh from their specimens. Upon investigation, the party finds a cage with a strange looking animal inside. Perception (DC15) or Nature (DC5) reveals that the feline has a remarkably familiar face. In fact, it's the face of the Student Government President! Apparently, the teacher has made literal the term, "Teacher's Pet." Rumor 1 refers to this animal. Handle Animal (DC15), causes Teacher's Pet to follow for the rest of the adventure. Cafeteria During: The Cafeteria is filled with hungry teenagers scarfing down their lunches. Teachers are surveying the crowd with hawk-like attention, and take away students for any infraction. Several teachers hover around one particularly nervous half-orc boy. If the party has a low-key way to communicate with him, they can learn Rumor 2: The all-halfling Parent Teacher Association (PTA) poisoned the other parents that were running for PTA at the last bake sale. They may also attempt to supply a diversion so that he may pass Rumor 2 to the party as a note. Deception/Performance (DC10) will succeed, but a failure will cause the teachers to consider you Suspicious. Perception (DC25) will reveal that a student from your Dwarven language class is blinking madly at the party in Dwarvish code. The code is Rumor 3: Teachers are infected by Daelkyr Symbionts and are kidnapping students for some ritual at the Jungle Gym. After: The hall monitor blocks entrance to the Cafeteria because of a PTA meeting. If the party gains entrance, they will find the room filled with teachers watching the PTA president forcing a fat, purple worm up someone’s nose while they scream. The party learns Rumor 3, but they must exit the room quietly Stealth (DC10.) Upon failure, all teachers will turn their heads slowly toward the party-revealing various tentacular deformations on their faces. The party must flee and they are now considered Suspicious. Art Room During: The shifter art teacher insists that students pour a thick, red liquid all over themselves to paint with-noting how much more lively the paintings look when they do. If the party refuses, she will consider the party Suspicious. If the party assents, they must succeed on Constitution (DC15) or get sick. Upon failure, they will be forced to visit the nurse in the Principal’s Office One after another, students will begin to stand and shriek secrets until a squad of teachers comes in and removes the students. Learn Rumor 5: The PTA is actually a secret cabal of cultists trying to open a pathway to Xoriat underneath the Jungle Gym and release a Daelkyr into Sharn. Perception Check (DC10) reveals a can of blood that contains a Jagged Dagger. This dagger has the properties of a Rapier. After: The room is filled with empty paint cans and the Jagged Dagger sits on the teacher’s desk. Next to the weapon is a list of student names including yours! The first 6 have been scratched out in red ink. Dwarven Language The classroom is filled with dwarven runes and ancient chunks of rock. The substitute teacher knows very little about Dwarven culture and even less about Dwarven language, so he does not care what the party does. History (DC20) reveals that the stones have been touched by the Daelkyr. Learn Rumor 5. Investigating the rocks reveals that two of them could be used as Warhammers. Music Room The music room is crescent-shaped with rows of students sitting transfixed as their gnomish teacher sings at them in piercing falsetto. The party may sneak past the teacher and reach his office Stealth (DC10). Upon a failure, he will focus his song at them. Wisdom (DC15) or be transfixed until the bell rings. Instruments may be used as improvised weapons. Searching the teacher's office will yield a Scroll of Hold Person as well as a jar of Daelkyr Symbionts. Learn Rumor 3. Playground Aside from the jungle gym in the middle of the playground, there is little to this space outside of an open place to run. The jungle gym is guarded by the Principal. Before Learning 5 Rumors: The Principal confronts the party, considers them Suspicious, and takes them back to their scheduled class. After Learning 5 Rumors: The Principal watches the party and laughs hideously. The final bell rings and he disappears into the Jungle Gym. Maniacal students from the elementary and junior high schools flood the playground. Acrobatics (DC10) or lose an item at random as you are jostled in the crowd of raving children. If the Bugbear Janitor is with the party, he will make a path for the party without losing items. Consult Wrapping Up. Supply Room If the party walks by the Supply Room between classes they will hear crying inside. The dark, cramped space is a disorganized mess of shelves and cleaning supplies. The party is greeted with loud sniffling and an occasional gruff snort. An Everbright Lantern sits next to the doorway and when activated, the party will find the school's Bugbear Janitor crying in the corner and drinking from a bottle of cleaning liquid. If the party speaks with him they will learn that he tried to stop the PTA’s plot, but failed. Persuasion (DC10) results in the bugbear drunkenly telling the party two Rumors they don’t yet know. Persuasion (DC20), or great roleplaying, will cause him to join the party. He is a Bugbear Fighter of 2nd level with disadvantage on stealth checks due to the drinks. Auditorium Rows of theater seats line this pitch-black space as the floor slopes downward where it meets a stage. With light, the party will see two students on the stage; bound, gagged, and strung up like marionette puppets dangling from above. As the party approaches, the puppet master enacts a grotesque play between the living puppets. The catwalk above houses a huge tentacled mass (a reskinned Giant Octopus) controlling the two puppets. Rescued students, provide 2 Cure Light Wounds Potions and a set of Stage Armor (Leather Armor) for each member. They will also tell the party one Rumor they have not learned yet. Principal’s Office The office is empty except for the Principal's desk which features a photograph of the halfling, a stack of papers, and a coat on the wall with a bulge in its pocket. The papers are the minutes from the latest PTA meeting. Learn Rumor 1. The coat contains a vial marked, "Warning!!! Allergy Medicine” and an accompanying description. Rumor 4: The Principal developed a spell to cure allergies, but it caused blood to pool in the head until it popped instead. Bathrooms Investigating the latrine stalls will reveal a headless halfling on the toilet with a note. It reads, "Take one drop of Allergy Medicine as symptoms persist." Learn Rumor 4 Investigation (DC10) reveals a Wand of Magic Missile under the wash basin. Wrapping Up Upon entering the jungle gym, you find yourself in an extradimensional space with insane symbols adorning the boundaries of the place. The party is greeted by 3 halfling PTA members and the Principal adorned in colorful cultist robes. The Principal steps forward and speaks, "Well done children. You've figured us out, but it's all worked out in the end. We needed one more sacrifice to finally pierce the veil into Xoriat. A simple sacrifice does not do the trick, however. The offering must be knocking at the door of madness already. In fact, no greater gift is there to the great Daelkyr than a maladjusted teenager! And now young misanthropes, give yourselves unto this beautiful madness!" Finishing his soliloquy, the principle sheds his cloak and you see his body writhing with pustulant masses and extra mouths. His PTA board does the same and they move forward to strike. The enemies are effectively Dolgrim. The Allergy Medicine has one charge and will instantly kill the enemy that it touches. If the party has the Teacher's Pet, she will cause the halflings to sneeze - granting advantage to attack rolls against them. Upon defeat, the halflings are swallowed up by the earth followed by pieces of the Jungle Gym. Once the party escapes, the Jungle Gym implodes. With the cultist threat removed, the symbionts fall out of the noses of the teachers and all realize what’s happened. Needless to say, the party are heroes and the rest of the school year is canceled! Ingredient Use Drunken Bugbear Depressed Janitor Playground Site of Unspeakable Ritual Deadly but ineffective spell An Allergy Cure Politically Active Halflings The PTA Barely Controllable Mania Children at Play

[MoonZar]

Sins of the Father - Unko [40 pts]
Good intro to set the scene. Really love the plot, it's original. Perfectly runable and enjoyable. The ingredient are well integrated. Good job, It's one of my favorite entry from the two first rounds.

High School is hell - Bubsmcp [30 pts]
Intro is fair and the school is well detailed. It's different to propose a heavy skill quest, which is fine. Yet, not sure all players would enjoy this. If I would play as a warrior class, I would probably be bored. Some of the DC are high also for a level 1 character. Component wise, it's a fair job, though some feel a bit stretched and don't bring that much value to your story.

[G in Japan]

 

Sins of the Father

DM Perspective / The Technical (11/15 points)
• How easy would it be to run this scenario/adventure? (3/5 points)
From my very, very limited knowledge of Savage Worlds, everything here seems to be in order. Adding the hooks and suggestions for continuing the adventure was also great. It will take a bit of time to get together a town map with all of the kooky extra places players like to visit, but the main locales are mentioned and detailed.
• How well is the scenario/adventure presented? (4/5 points)
I liked your use of formatting, both with tables and with the fonts. It made things stand out easily.
• How well is the scenario/adventure written? (4/5 points)
Mostly fine, but with a few spelling, punctuation, and word-use errors.

Player Perspective / The Story (11/15 points)
• What would this scenario/adventure be like to play? (4/5 points)
This felt like it could be played with a good mix of characters. Obviously with political intrigue, it is going to be skewed slightly toward certain character archetypes than others, but you give opportunities for combat should parties be more inclined for that sort of playstyle (the potential for combat with the HADD demonstration, for example).
• Is the story interesting to read? (3/5 points)
This was a hard one, because I thought the conflict was interesting and I like your plot, but it’s lacking character(s). You tried with the groups and the characteristics of the members (I must be an anarchist because I loved the acronyms) but there isn’t a named NPC beyond Haggard. You (wisely, in my opinion) put in a lot of crunch and something had to suffer for that. It’s not a huge issue, but it’s noticeable.
• How creative is the scenario/adventure? (4/5 points)
I think it is creative scenario and the acronyms alone would have players talking about it after the game concluded.

Audience Perspective / The Ingredients (20/25 points)
• How well was the ingredient used? (5 points each)
You blended the ingredients together so well that it was just too difficult for me to give feedback on individual ones. The mania, the spell, and the even the politically active halflings all flowed together so seamlessly that it’s hard to imagine they were three randomly selected items. Very nicely done.

Total Score: 42/55

 

High School is Hell

DM Perspective / The Technical (10/15 points)
• How easy would it be to run this scenario/adventure? (2.5/5 points)
The simple layout out of the school helps, although I wasn’t completely sure what you meant when describing the hallways and how the rooms are located. There are also some holes in how things can happen. In the ‘after class’ section of the cafeteria, for example, it states that the hall monitor is keeping people out because of a PTA meeting but if the PCs can get inside, they see what they see. How do they get inside? The end fight is going to be really hard unless they can gather the Teacher’s Pet and the Allergy Medicine.
• How well is the scenario/adventure presented? (2.5/5 points)
My biggest issue with the way the scenario is presented is the information on the rumours. It would have been much easier to pick them out and tell what information has already been given out if they were in a table. For example, players learn Rumour 3 in the music room but that rumour is listed in the description of a room six blocks of text up.
• How well is the scenario/adventure written? (5/5 points)
I didn’t notice any issues.

Player Perspective / The Story (9.5/15 points)
• What would this scenario/adventure be like to play? (3/5 points)
Some of the skill checks are very daunting. Unless rolling for stats, a 25 is going to require a natural 20 for pretty much anyone at this level. I like where you were going with that, but I think it needs some work. However, I also think you tried to incorporate a lot of different skill usages which gives a lot of player agency. Second, the pacing feels off. Certain players will have a lot of fun with this while others... I like the scenario and how you have presented it, but I don’t know how much fun it would be to actually play. Finally, I liked that you gave multiple ways to find out the rumours and allow the players to piece things together.
• Is the story interesting to read? (2.5/5 points)
I thought it was a fun read. There were some fun scenes that reminded me of campy 80’s and 90’s horror comedies. It could have been helped with some NPCs to flesh things out.
• How creative is the scenario/adventure? (4/5 points)
It was a fun read. I got a very strong The Faculty vibe from it. There is enough weirdness that I think the players will have something to talk about for a while.

Audience Perspective / The Ingredients (11.5/20 points)
• How well was the ingredient used? (5 points each)
A Drunken Bugbear (1/5): He’s a bugbear. And he’s drunk. He’s also just kind of… there. Could have been removed completely and it would have made no difference at all.
A Playground (3/5): It’s where the endgame will play out, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more from it.
A Deadly but ineffectual spell (5/5): Easily your best ingredient. I thought it was very creative and it’s going to be very important if the group wants to win that fight at the end.
Politically active halflings (2.5/5): I get that they are all halflings and being on the PTA is political, after a fashion, but why are they all halflings? This feels very forced. You mentioned a bake sale and how they poisoned the other people running for the PTA. If you had mentioned that the halflings used their culinary skills to pull off that poisoning, I would have given you a much higher score as it would have given me that reason to say “Oh, I see why they’re halflings.”
Barely controlled mania (0/5): I literally only noticed this usage because you listed it in the chart at the end.

Total Score: 31/55

 

I hereby cast my vote for Unko Talok!

[PIG]

Only one can move forward. I choose:

bubsmcp

When I first added the points I thought they were tied. I liked both of them so much that I was a little worried about what I do next. Then I re-added to find that bubs was just a little higher and was relieved that the points spoke for me.

The direct simplicity and invention has me choosing good ‘ole “bubs” over the 'ole grand master ‘Unko’ at a very close second. They were both fun to read.

 

DM Perspective / The Technical {11 points}

1. How easy would it be to run this scenario/adventure? {03 points}
2. How well is the scenario/adventure presented? {03 points}
3. How well is the scenario/adventure written? {05 points}

I found this adventure both fun and adventurous. I also found it convoluted and slightly complex. I know what’s happening but I feel like there’s too much happening in one direction over the other. I think the Savage Worlds system helps with the fact that it simplifies some of the mechanics. For a Round 2 a lot was happening and it felt too ambitious because a lot of detail is lost to the overall drive.

As always, it’s written perfectly and I think everything was excellently categorized and organized. It just feels like too much was packed into the “Politically active halflings” which (as funny and genius as it’s influence is on the game) too overpowering and overwhelming the game.


Player Perspective / The Story {12 points}

1. What would this scenario/adventure be like to play? {03 points}
2. Is the story interesting to read? {04 points}
3. How creative is the scenario/adventure? {05 points}

On a personal note, I think everything is overtly politized today. Furthermore, we are approaching an important election right now. The incredible Unko kinda tapped into my own emotions on the matter and created a world where they can be explored. As a DM I would find it kinda hard to compose but as a player I think exploring, digging, and building in it very interesting between the political fractions and racial divide of halflings vs goblinoids. Seriously neat stuff here.

Audience Perspective / The Ingredients {18 points}

How well was the ingredient used? A Drunken Bugbear {04 points}
I like it fine. The bugbear influences the origin of the Machete and why Emdrup is even a city of goblins. I was going to a middle 3 but the goblinoid factor (a kinda want to DM a halfling/goblin city now) raises it to a full 4.

How well was the ingredient used? A Playground {02 points}
It felt a little forced. The story is always tied to it. Even PARC tied back to it (I loved the acronyms) but it just becomes the place in the city where the underground secret remains.


How well was the ingredient used? A Deadly but ineffective spell {03 points}
Core to the story, in any way possible. Extremely deadly. Very vague of how it works in the world and why the nation even concentrated upon its creation. Our own Manhattan Project is a mystery of human achievement where it is a folly of progression and science in hopes to defeat the enemy with deadly effects.

A spell is rarely this powerful on its own. Nuclear level of total fallout, to end a world, would probably be a combination of divine or arcane spells. It felt like a reach in the end. I love how the DM reached for the stars in this ingredient but I felt it was a little too far.


How well was the ingredient used? Politically active halflings {05 points}
If I could give a 7 on this I would. But we will give it a 5 for the sake of the rules. Wow. It’s hallfings and their politics, both, that build the game and define it. This is just an excellent ingredient to the game and one of the best in my years of experience as Iron DM player and Iron DM judger both. Well done!!!!!!

How well was the ingredient used? Barely controllable mania {04 points}
This ties nicely with the deadly but ineffective spell and it’s an interesting delivery of the mania. Pretty straight forward.




TOTAL POINTS {41 points}
This guy is always a master of the ingredients and totally professional. The setting would actually be pretty fun to be in. I think the “politically active halflings” way overmastered the other ingredients, especially the Playground.

 

DM Perspective / The Technical {14 points}

1. How easy would it be to run this scenario/adventure? {05 points}
2. How well is the scenario/adventure presented? {05 points}
3. How well is the scenario/adventure written? {04 points}

SO easy to run. SO laid out for me. I knew what to do on the first read right away. The contestant has to start separating paragraphs with spaces, everything kinda runs into each other too much. Keep that in mind if you move forward to the next round.

Nothing else to say here. I think the points speak for themselves.


Player Perspective / The Story {11 points}

1. What would this scenario/adventure be like to play? {04 points}
2. Is the story interesting to read? {03 points}
3. How creative is the scenario/adventure? {04 points}

Not exactly my cup of tea but I think it would be kinda fun actually. I don’t know why lol Something about blending the very categorized, systematic, and planned layout of high school with D&D was a bit endearing enough for me to give it high points. I probably won’t keep voting for these silly adventures all the time (the ingredients sometimes leave little choice in the matter, I completely understand) but I think I can make a total exception with this one. Just keep in mind that I will usually give low points for frivolous scenarios as you move into later rounds.

Audience Perspective / The Ingredients {18 points}

How well was the ingredient used? A Drunken Bugbear {03 points}
This was cute and the contestant made the bugbear important to moving forward. The drunken guilt works okay but there is no reason for a bugbear. Unko based a whole goblin race in a city around that. There should be more about the bugbear reason in this.


How well was the ingredient used? A Playground {05 points}
Another great hit. Pretty sure the whole scenario is built off of this and it completely matches the setting and is important to the game.


How well was the ingredient used? A Deadly but ineffective spell {03 points}
As a substitute teacher I’ve had to keep this in mind and know where to get an EpiPen right away if there is an incident. It’s not only important to the game, it completely uses the setting to make it proper for the location. The points were deducted because it in no way reflected a spell of any sort.


How well was the ingredient used? Politically active halflings {03 points}
Pretty funny and a little poignant about the biased bureaucracy of the school system. The PTA weren’t exactly crucial to the story for me but the fact that you could turn this ingredient into a logical fixture in the game is just too good.

How well was the ingredient used? Barely controllable mania {04 points}
Okay I totally think you’ve worked at a school now. It’s barely controllable mania, almost all the time. As the adult in the room you’re just herding cats after a while. How you cam up with all these clever ways of tying this together is beyond me.


TOTAL POINTS {43 points}
I don’t really like goofy games, not really. Some humor here and there is much needed but it can it boring for me real quick. But this adventure is just too clever. As a player I don’t think it would be my first choice but I could easily run it, it was an interesting way to unfold a mystery, it was unique, and the ingredients were pretty strong throughout. Also, unless you were home schooled, everyone has been to a school so they can all relate. Fantastic job.

Who is this up and coming person called ‘bubs’?

[Inem]

The purple sea recedes, joining the islands into one land mass that expands until there is no sign of the water and instead there is ground to walk on everywhere. Then, from the edge of your vision, the 'Honorable' Chairman comes into view, walking forward over dry ground, without getting wet.

"Now then, let us take a look, shall we? A valiant effort by both of you, and a split among the judges in terms of favorites. But only one of you can move on, proving he was, this time, too much for the other to handle." With a gesture of the chairman's staff, the roaring sound of an ocean wave can be heard, and when the competitors look up, a large purple wave can be seen approaching, as the ocean returns. It doesn't touch the 'Honorable' Chairman or Unko Talok, but bubsmcp is dragged beneath the waters, not to be seen again.

Originally Posted by The Record

Unko Talok defeats bubsmcp and advances to the semi-finals.

 

Judge	Unko Talok	bubsmcp
MoonZar	40	30
GinJapan	42	31
PIG	41	43
Early Submission	2	1
TOTAL	43	35.7