Hall of Fame Nominations 2018

[Nimlos]

It's that time of year again, time for one of the most anticipated events in the RPG Crossing calendar. It's time for the Hall of Fame (2018 edition)!

The Hall of Fame is already home to some of the greatest games this site has seen, but we know there are more out there that deserve to join the esteemed ranks of the HoF. It's time to let us know about them.

Game Criteria Solo Games must have at least 300 in-game posts. 'Regular' Games are eligible if they meet one of the following requirements: the game must have been active for at least a full year on this site (this means the game's first in-game post must be dated on or before July 29, 2017); or, the game must have at least 750 posts and reached its intended conclusion (please demonstrate how it's reached that conclusion). Games which were inducted into the Hall of Fame during a previous running are ineligible for nomination during this running. However, if a game was nominated during a previous running but DID NOT make it into the hall of fame, it is eligible. Staff-run games are eligible for nominations. Inactive games are eligible for nomination! Just because a game is finished or has died off, it doesn't mean that it's not a prime example of what we like to see. You can nominate any game that meets the criteria, even if you were/are a DM/player! It's not arrogant. It's nominating a game that you loved and thought was great -- and that's what we want to see. You must have at least 100 posts to nominate a game.

What we are looking for in a game Quality posts -- good role-playing is always a plus. Longevity -- dedication to a game on this site is one of the highest aspirations of a DM and players. Good Implementation -- Whether it's a very unique game idea or if it's a classical game idea done very well, a masterful DM and players make any game fun.

Nomination Format Name: (include a link) DM(s): Self-explanatory. Current Players: include past players if you wish Reasons for nomination: Describe your reasons for nominating the game and why you think it deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame. Links: You must provide a link to a section of ten posts which you would like reviewers to read. This link is allowed a paragraph of up to 300 words to set the scene. You can provide up to two of these. All of this makes it easier for the Community Supporters to review.

"Second"-ings should contain their own nomination and description so that the thread isn't cluttered with "second"s. Nominations that are a simple 'I second this nomination' will be deleted. Please do not "third" or "fourth" or "fifth" a nomination. It's annoying.

On August 19, there will be a public poll to narrow the list down. Approximately a week after that, these games will be brought over to the CS Forum where the Community Supporters will decide which games make it in!

Want a hand in the final voting process? Go ahead and become a Community Supporter!

You can peruse all the previous Hall of Fame inductees here.

[MoonZar]

Starfall

The hunt for the fallen star begin!

Why this campaign is special? This campaign is my first trial to run multiple groups that are seeking the same goal concurrently. Two groups of adventurers started in the same city and took a different path to find the star. A total of 20 characters (13 actives) are working toward the same goal and have finally crossed path after 14 months of gaming. Will they collaborate, become competitors or beat the crap of each other? I'm looking forward to seeing the story continue and unravel in the next year. This is one of the most active campaigns on the forum with 5000+ posts with an impressive crew of epic players and quality posting. We are literally writing a novel out there! The mystery of the star slowly reveals itself, with an invading race of strange hive-mind aliens that are seeking the star, human mutants, underground elvish ruins under the meteor crash site, a It's a secret, right?secret magic device that conjures monster, a scourge of blood elves who captured the star first and intend to use it for wicked plans.

A five hundred years old prophecy Isolon Adar was a Sunalyan wizard and reputed seer who wrote collections of prophecies five hundred years ago that has since become widely famous. He predicted the two greater wars of the last centuries, the death of a god, the destruction of the elvish realm of Wyzlar and the great earthquake that sunken the city of Payunu. His predictions came true, except his vision of the Starfall. He wrote that a star from the heaven will fall at the feet of the Phoenix mountains in the country of Sunalya precisely during the summer solstice. Whoever is first to grasp the star will see his wish come true. Every summer, several factions and adventurers camp and await the coming of the star. Over the years those camps eventually became a permanent settlement, that grew into a village, known today as Starfall Five hundred years after the cosmos prophecies were written, Starfall townfolks and numerous visitors still celebrate the fallen star legend each summer solstices. The original prophecy is now believed to be a myth by most. Starfall is prosperous, over the centuries it developed a solid economy around the festival by developing a major bazaar to take advantage of the large crowd that visits the city in summer.

The prophecy come truth 1st Mystaria, 7375th year of the moon calendar City of Starfall, Sunalya Realm In the middle of solstice festival, a shooting star pierces the sky over the city. The marvel over the head of thousands of people dancing and enjoying the festival stop the celebration abruptly. At first, the spectacle looks like a light coming from the heaven, but quickly turn out to be a large fireball breaking the sound barrier. A long tail of smoke and secondary smaller debris light up the sky and shower the city with flames, while the star crashes on the world one hundred miles from the city of Starfall. A wave of fifty monsters attacks aggressively the city five days after the disaster. Their bloodlust is only equal by their horrible appearance, climbing walls, tearing flesh, eating guts, it took an hour for the city guards to find all of them and repeal the mysterious force. The sages living in the city thinks that most of them are aberrations, others are claiming that those are monsters coming from another world beyond the stars. All kind of theories and supposition sprays like the wind in the city. The most popular one is that the star that fell from the sky is transforming anybody that approach it into monsters, many bards sing that an egg fell from the sky containing all those creatures, clerics claim that this is a trial sent by the gods and call upon the people to pray and rally under their patron deity. Unfortunately for the brave citizens of Starfall, this attack is only the beginning of horrors beyond imaginations.

A star has fallen - Post 1 to 10 Each of the heroes have their own motivation to find the star and get one of the wish come true as per the legend of the local seer who died a long time ago. Unfortunately for them, the city enter a state of crisis as a ball of fire falls from the sky and destroy several buildings in the city. https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthread.php?t=174085

Blood has been spilled - Post 28 to 38 The heroes' city is threatened by an invading force coming from beyond the stars. Their first encounter with this horror from the void really set the tone of the campaign. The treat is alien and mysterious, which is kind of an important concept of the story, the heroes have no idea what the enemy is, their motive and weakness. To survive the heroes need to learn about the enemy on their own, by experimentation and research. https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...28#post7572128

Game: Starfall (Started in June 2017)
Game Link: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16197
Active Players: Wodine, Thorsten, Dalangreen, Kaylara, Darkmemories, Ricktur63, Black Jim, White Stag, Battlefries, Ytterbium, Exhibit A, Kinder, and Maghnuis
DM: MoonZar
Reasons for nomination: See above

[MoonZar]

Jade Regent

Why this game is special? Another AP some might think? Have a look and judge for yourself, this version of Jade Regent is quite unique. Half the players are part of the original crew and after 3 years and 7000 posts we are in the middle of book 3. I don't know of any AP who made it to the end, but we are all committed to make this happen and prove that it's possible! I joined this community in 2014 and that's the only game that lastest more than a year for me as a player, it makes it very special for me after seeing so many games dying. Thanks, Hound for all your efforts to stay sane and keep that boat on track!

Game: Jade Regent (Started in August 2015)
Game Link: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14623
Players: MoonZar, Kaylara, Wodine, Exhibit A, dbaque, Fyre2387
DM: Hound
Reasons for nomination: See above

[ByronBulb]

The Last Journey

(First advertised 10th December, 2016. Game began officially on the 23rd February, 2017.)

GM(s):

• RHagen (retired)
• ByronBulb (current)

Players:

• Wynamoinen
• Xian
• gotha
• secretID
• Aerandor
• Bifko (retired)
• SiroVai (retired)
• RGetz (retired)
• Avner (retired)
• imafrog (retired)
• ByronBulb (promoted?)

Reasons for nomination:
A brilliant man once wrote that “Beginnings have an irritating but essential fragility, and one that should be taken to heart by all who occupy themselves with history.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this wasn't written with PbP gaming in mind, but it is remarkably applicable. It's an unfortunate reality that the number of games with brilliant premises, heaps of interest, and motivation from all involved, that die anyway (through nobody's fault) are too many to count. Beginnings have an irritating but essential fragility. Early in its lifespan (just over 60 posts in), the original GM of The Last Journey had to retire, first from the game, and then the site, for personal reasons. Having been captivated by the initial premise, and then further so by the other selected characters, I volunteered to step in as GM. I couldn't bear to see the game fail before it had had the chance to make good on the potential I glimpsed in that first advertisement. Unfortunately around the same time several of those original players also had to leave the game. I have, and I'm certain I'm not the only one, seen this scenario play out before. The game limps along for a little while; new players may or may not provide brief injections of fresh enthusiasm, but that initial magic is gone. Everyone goes their separate ways, finds new stories to tell, new characters to live in for a while.

The Last Journey has been the exception. This game is, in my opinion, and I hope I am not alone, exceptional.

We found more players. Not as simple as it might sound, given the preference many players have for creating their own character from the ground up, rather than putting a spin on an established character occupying a non-negotiable narrative position. Not only did we find them, but the game flourished! I can say without reservation that the current and past writers of The Last Journey are among the finest, and finest role players, that I've had the pleasure of knowing. The world of Ragnari grows a little deeper, a little more real with every post from these spectacular players. As a collaborative storytelling exercise I genuinely believe that this game is truly something special. If you appreciate complex, nuanced takes on characters who inhabit a primitive, brutal world (with a dark secret at its heart, but I'm not spoiling that until it's time) then look no further.

I invite you to read some of the contributions from the members of The Last Journey. You won't be disappointed.

Links:
FIRST LINK - Here the chosen have been exploring the Eagle's Nest, ancestral home of the Stone Shields, one of the most advanced of Ragnari's tribes. They learn something of Stone Shield history, and then a great deal more of their hospitality. In return the chosen each give something of themselves in return for the honour offered them. Among these posts is December 2017's PotM winner, courtesy of Wynamoinen, who plays Hansi Greyfeyn. I consider this to be a selection of wonderful insights into the characters that make up the game's roster.

SECOND LINK - Here the chosen fall into a dream-state in order to walk free of their bodies and gain the favour of the Great Eagle, the Stone Shield totem spirit. During their transition, the six learn a little of the true nature of the world for which they intend to give their lives in sacrifice, and the spirit realm proves not to be all that they had imagined it might be. This is the beginning of an atypical combat encounter; one which is part role playing puzzle, part group skill challenge, and part desperate melee.

[Dressedtojazz]

Nomination Name: Legacy of Fire DM(s): PIG Current Players: Ekidnu, Jarl11, Squeak, Admin TeufelHeunden, ShinobiMaster123, GallupsMirror, Blackfyre, Dressedtojazz Reasons for nomination: Ask yourself this: How many of your games have rich and deep stories that take big swings to attach with the initial backstory of player characters, poetry to set the stage, an adaptable game system under constant revision to suit both players and gamemaster; and epic grand scale combat scenes with near tangible descriptions for your senses? Well PIG's Legacy of Fire have it all. There is magic involved I am sure. It is quite a feat, with all the richness that exist on this site, to claim a game as your sole on-site dedication, but our porcine puppet master have done just that and we feel it in each of his posts - OOC and game posts alike. Several times over the years, the game have been introduced to player controlled enemies. It heightens the flavor of the game, the combat and the secrecy and it takes a whole lot of juggling from our beloved DM. Right now, Blackfyre is pressing an assault of his demon gnoll against the PCs. Go read it. The game has been running since January 2014, with a multitude of people in and out and some of them still standing tall among the current crew. I am among the newer initiates and finds much inspiration to my other games in the DM strategies and the player posts of this particular game. I think you should do the same and vote for Legacy of Fire to the Hall of Fame to make it stand out as a source of inspiration for everyone who wants to create deep immersive games on RPGX. A Taste of Marrow Links: Part II - House of the Beast (post 601-611) Introducing the Carrion King's witch to the game, PIG also set the stage for combat in one room, a wild empathy challenge to sway a powerful ally in another chamber and a flight away from it all further away. Read along and you will see some of the magic I talked about earlier. Gunshots carried by the wind? PIG have something prodding our interest outside of the current game scope while he juggles 11 PCs and NPCs and 29 enemies! Part II - House of the Beast (post 316-326) A battle have just been fought and the PCs follow an obnoxious sample of a goblin NPC. Note that the introduced NPC share background with one of the PCs and make for some interesting role playing chances. In these posts two of the characters in the game really shine and get a chance to play out their characters to their full extend and the DM build up relationship between PCs and NPCs.

[Still_Pond]

Submission withdrawn due to not quite meeting requirements.

[DarkMemories]

Name: Starfall
DM(s): MoonZar
Current Players: Two teams are currently running this game

Phoenix Defenders
-WhiteStag As Leviticus Silverspade (Magus Archer)
-Thorsten as Sorcha Nallnae (Sword Magus)
- Kaylara as Cara Valontus (Paladin)
-Wodine as Yanorli Twilightshield (Cleric)
-Kinder as Sophie (Druid)
-DarkMemories as Kess (Investigator)

Shadow Hunters
-Dalarangreen as Len (Oracle)
-Black Jim as Djavi Khahm (Rogue)
-Gadron as Garion Valens (Fighter)
-Ytterbium as Brother Yohan (monk/sorc)
-Exhibit A as Meeya Timnit (bard)

Reasons for nomination: In my experience on rpgx, games that go the distance has always been something worthy of respect. In the case of MoonZar, his worlds are designed from the get go to last. Rich, full and original design makes the World of Zar as adaptable and fulfilling as any official campaigns. With this in mind, I second Starfall as my second foray into this wonderful world.

Starfall mixes mystery and classic adventure. An unknown threat falls from the sky, bringing with it monsters never before seen in the world. Both groups of adventures set out from the eponymous city, seeking to stem the tide of monsters and seek the power of the Fallen Star of Prophecy. Two divurgent paths appear, one leading deep into the realm of the Blood Elves, who've already claimed a piece of the star for their own. The crisis would reach a breaking point if that ghoulish race unlocked the star's power.

The other path lead into the ancient catacombs under the city of Starfall itself. The horrors from beyond harass the heroes every step of the way, but what is it that they are really after? Are these creatures sentient? Are they a massive hive mind?

Links: -Here- The Phoenix Defenders have managed to make it to the town of Red Bridge, the settlement closest to where the star fell. Upon finding it abandoned and strewn with signs of battle, the troupe discovered the involvement of the Blood Elves deep beneath the mines. They set out delve into the dark below, but the varied members of the party have different interpretations of the threat. How will they deal with the conflict and why are the dwarf and the unusual masked half-elf so dead set on the blood elven threat?

[savoylen]

Descent: A Dragon's Tale

DM: Savoylen

Players (Their dragons and their people):
Code H (Former) as Wyowen (human fighter) and Domari (Copper)
Gryffinsong (Former) as Trill (gnome bard) and Valloran (Green)
QuilledNinja (Former) as Kharis (elf monk) and Ember (Red)
Ratpigeon as Theran (half-elf cleric) and Aeragenys (Bronze)
Still Pond as Raxavier (gnome druid) and Fothrostili (White)
Ultrasmurf as Khivah (half-orc rogue) and Churjuroc (Black)
Vallesh as Corisal (genasi sorcerer) and Dunquole (Blue)
Wynamoinen as Amaury (human wizard) and Clarion (Brass)
Bio as Brinn (wood elf ranger) and dragon egg (expecting)
Hafrogman (human barbarian) and dragon eff (expecting)

Reasons for nomination: Each player takes on the role of a pair of characters - a dragon and a person that are linked to each other, "Two minds, one heart." I think the reason that this game is deserving of a spot in the HOF was best put by one of the players in last year's nomination. I think it could only work here on RPGcrossing - the players posts are AMAZING year after year as they work out the relationship between their dragon and their person as well as with their flight of dragons and 'their' people. They are having to discover their way in a world that they hardly understand but are destined to save.

Set in the backdrop of Laerakond in the Forgotten Realms (though this just came to light in the current act - Act 4 - for some of the players), the characters escaped attempts to kill them from their hatching to the present day. They have also unlocked some of the secrets of dragon magic that links them through their genetic memory all the way back to the very first of their kind - the Primus Dragons during the Tearfall.

Heraldry and alliances are a huge part of our game - think Game of Thrones meets Kingmaker meets the Forgotten Realms with a dash of Dune but with MANY more dragons and you have something like our game.

Example 1 Act 4 Scene 2: The Doturog Shataug In this scene the flight learns from the ghost of the Blood Witch of the People in the Isles of Broken Dreams that dragon blood magic is used to link her life and memories to those who came before her so she could best serve The People. Miri (the Dragon Blood Witch) is explaining this to the team and asks them to find her a replacement because they are in a way responsible for her death.

Example 2 Act 4 Scene 6a: A Land without Roads (posts 61+) This is a battle with a cast of hundreds. The dragons and people are just around level 3 (dragons have 12 growth stages) but even so, they are already affecting regions. The very territorial and secretive Yuan-Ti have fielded over a hundred actors, our 6 dragons, 6 characters, and 12 orc units (about 120 orcs and leaders) are in heavy battle. I love how the players handled balancing their narrative between the dragons, their people and their orc troops.

Thank you for reading this far. This is a truly epic scaled story with amazingly dedicated and talented players.

Our first post was in October 2015 and we now have somewhere between two and three thousand posts.

- Savoy

[Xian]

Nomination - The Forsaken Plane Name: The Forsaken Plane: The Plane of the Elder Evils First Advertised - 01 January 2016; Game 22 January 2016 to Present DM(s): Xian Current Players: Digorig kaylara OneDarkness GeoAvanti dbaque WhiteStag PopCultureBard (inactive) pianoman90 (inactive) "Evil is... a moral entity and not a created one, an eternal and not a perishable entity: it existed before the world; it constituted the monstrous, the execrable being who was also to fashion such a hideous world. It will hence exist after the creatures that people the world." -Marquis De Sade, L'Histoire de Juliette, oules Prosperites du Vice. Reasons for nomination: One of the most difficult challenges, in PbP or tabletop gaming, are horror themed games. The fear and the sense of uncertainty that are the lifeblood of these settings is difficult to create because the players and their characters have the means to possess certainty in their abilities and knowledge of the challenges and creatures they face. This is what drew me most to Ravenloft, my all time favorite settings in gaming history, and more importantly it resonated with my personal love for the Gothic Horror theme in general. By design, the setting took this certainty away and created that sense of dread by making a character's power a vulnerability, twisting the familiar monsters and abilities into things wholly different from what was known, and specifically nerfing magics or means that provided that perfect knowledge and certainty. Players no longer had magic to determine definitively what was evil or who the monster was. They would have to determine that on their own and often with incomplete understanding... and often the answer not being who/what they may have expected. It was this kind of game, these kind of stories, as player and GM/DM, I had sought to find and bring to life. So through the medium of PbP and with the help of a very special and talented crew of players, this game, my tribute to Ravenloft, emerged and has now run for over two years and well on its way to its third. This game has been both a labor of love and guilty pleasure for me on this site, as I could bring to life themes and dilemma of Gothic horror in a sandbox with a wonderful group of players that continually surprise and keep me on my toes. The quality of the role playing and writing is what makes it special and the Gothic atmosphere is the centerpiece of this game. It is also the reason that after much soul searching that I decided to offer it up for consideration in this contest to recognize the maturity and the quality of the writers that I am privileged to have as my players and my pride in this project. Many players would find it challenging to contend with and write in situations where there is no true happy ending and no "good" choices with only the dilemma of choosing the least terrible outcome. I have challenged these players and they responded to produce a true Gothic style horror game and some of the best writing on this site. These two examples below are just highlights of a great body of work that I feel is worthy of anyone's read. Links: The Fight in Haunted Manor The group is fighting its way through a haunted house they find themselves after following a creature stealing away children. The group is presently battling the two apparent villains of the house and to save the children. At this critical point in the fight, one of the party members, Dennis, comes to the conclusion that villains are drawing power from the children and makes the unthinkable choice of targeting the children to prevent the defeat of the party at the hands of the evil spirits. The remainder of the posts following is the aftermath of that choice and the discovery that there was more to the house than just the pair of creatures... and dark spirits tempt the players with offers of power and victory. Rider in The Dark In this example, the party's aasimar sorcerer, Kallev, had launched a powerful bolt of lightning to defeat a group of monstrous insurgents known as the Black Wolves, but had also set a fire that now destroyed over half of the town. The Royal Inquisitor accuses Kallev for violating the country's laws regarding the use of magic and hold her responsible for the fire that has destroyed over half of the town. In exchange for her surrender, the inquisitor offered to recuse the rest of the party because of their past efforts on behalf of the town. Kallev then wrathfully responds and deliberately summons the dark rider, her twisted knight-prince, to kill the inquisitor. The result was not what she expected and the aftermath indicative of the price exacted by the Dark Powers for their boon. The response of her party mates after the outcome are also excellent as each individually struggles to come to terms with what had just occurred. Thank you for your consideration! Onward! Cheers, Xian

[Dakkon]

To The Callhill About To The Callhill Name of the game/setting: To The Callhill DM's:Founder - Bluejack DM's - Dakkon (To The Callhill, Journey of the Wise) Eourl Thorson (Callhill Adventures) Avner (Darkness in Thay) Unforgiven (To The Depths of Hel) Assistant DM - Dragonsabin Players: fuerdrake creed Maladict tomplum Halcyon Berith Coldbones Elwen Xalnaga Begon Ugo mjb MarcusAmonodel Skep Retired Players:Bluejack Bhelogan Geldar BB 3 Shaolindelt GhostlyDaemon Peachyco TheGreyWulf Lemonhead LdyZamara -Launched: 07-30-2016 Reason for Nomination: In a game originally founded by Bluejack, he helped develop a select group of players into a group he felt very highly about. He helped some of us elevate our game, and taught a few of us how to DM. It went from a single game with one DM to a small group of DM's each hosting a game in a shared setting, along with a great community of players from throughout RPGcrossing. Through friendships forged and connections made, we brought in great players and DM's to elevate a setting we were passionate about. Everything is connected to what Bluejack had started years ago, in some obvious, and some not so obvious ways. The beginning. This initial chapter shows a group of rpgx members really pushing to make something new special and memorable. And by the way the community has grown and expanded, those early efforts had proven significant. The Tears of Horus. This chapter had proved to be some of the best work ever from the community. We had all pushed ourselves, and each other, to elevate our ability to play D&D and to rp, and together to weave a fantastic story. The Story To The Callhill is a story about the good folks of a village called Phandalin, of it's mighty heroes, and the generation that came after the oh so victorious win at the Mines of Phandelver. The Heroes of the Mine have grown older, have become leaders of the land, and with new dangers hanging heavily upon the good folk of the land, they are in need of a new generation of heroes. Decades after the original heroes of Phadalin retired, the village is in danger once again. Orcs, Goblins, and giants threaten the good folk of the land. The Giants, goblinoids and orc-kin attack the good village of Phandalin, setting the stage for a new epic tale. A story about a group of young wanderers whom have gathered together to stop an evil figure hiding behind the scenes who is at the root of all the chaos forming and spreading. After risking their lives, the young adventurers defeat an evil necromancer and his minions, whom have all been in hiding and setting up various conflicts throughout the land. But in defeating the necromancer and his minions, they found in his possession an ancient and evil artifact, the Book of Orcus. And in one last act of evil, one of the necromancer's minions slayed one of the young aspiring heroes, which set the survivors on a long quest to secure their village, defeat a growing evil to the north, to destroy the artifact, and to stop the various evil factions from the Crags to Neverwinter from killing the innocents.

[Avner]

Hall of Fame Nomination for Arbiters of a New Age Name: Arbiters of a new Age DM: WhovianBeast Current Players: Acathala Avner Drachenspirit gravenimages Shylocke Retired Players: Attitude Bluejack Classic Gamer MrKinister Sierra 159 Tover TheFirkraag PalladiaMors What Makes this game Unique? I have played in many games on RPGX for many different systems, and I can easily tell you that this particular game is something a little different than all the rest. Of course, you may be able to see that yourself from the average post rate of 6 posts per day per PLAYER for over the last year. You would think that for a play by post game to move that fast, it must be cutting corners, chock full of one-line posts in a shell of a world, but that is not the case. WhovianBeast creates a world that is so real and fleshed out that the players can't help but come back for more. Sure, the lightning pace of the game has lost a few players along the way, but it has managed to collect a strong quality of roleplayers that constantly contribute to full and engaging storylines that could easily be published as a set of novels. WhovianBeast does this by letting his players flow in and out of various game threads, interacting with themselves and the various characters in a world they have been challenged to save. All the while, there is a perfect balance of light hearted humor, action, and even heart wrenching drama at times. This is an adventure you have to read to believe. I challenge anyone to delve in (It may take awhile, the archive alone consists of 35 threads including over 13K posts) and not be completely enamored with the characters and the story. This game is something special and deserves to be recognized as such. That time Orrin was the Smart One Orrin is a Golem, and the champion of the Arbiter (read God) of Earth and Kringle the champion of Boreas teamed up to go hunt a Demon, who had been rampaging across Canada. When they were putting on a show to bait the demon, they ended up drawing the attention of a group of antagonists known as the Tradesmen. The Antagonist known as Hatch had been trying to recruit Orrin for the Tradesmen, thinking that the company was saving the world. In truth, they had kept Hatch in the dark about their real motivations to keep his loyalty. As Orrin comes toe to toe with his Nemesis The Hunter (who has now joined the Tradesman), he tries to find the good in Hatch to win him over to the Champions side and give him a chance at redemption. The antagonists include a Chaos Elemental named Black Eyes, The Hunter (a man cursed to immortality until he kills all of Golemkind), Vore (a former military brat with an insectoid mouth that can eat anything), Nova (a sniper assassin, who despite multiple encounters with the champions, remains one of the Tradesmen's key assets), Alistair (a British hunter who hunts down Kringle's allies the Klausen), and Hatch, a metahuman with the power to open portals and the commander of this metahuman squad of Tradesman. It is a complex moment of tension, as Orrin the typical enforcer and brute of the game struggles with his moral code to do the right thing while vengeance on the Hunter who has been killing his family for generations seems within reach. Link: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...06#post7990306 That time Enoch's prospective In-laws were Angels Sometimes you find love at Death's doorstep. At least that was the case for Enoch, medical genius and controller of nanobots that could cure almost any disease. Enoch cashed in a boon from Death to save Kali from his service, and slowly the two grew a romantic connection for each other. In this scene Enoch is meeting Kali's grandfather Adriel for the first time, who he recently found out was actually an angel. Adriel is the only one available to ask the blessing for wedding, Enoch finds things are more complicated when Adriel decides the best way to see if Enoch is worthy is by reading his mind at smite-point. Link: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...17#post8045517

[ricktur63]

I somehow got left out and Gadron has gone inactive but if this is not a second then I would like to Second this game myself. We also have a new player, Maghnuis as Alkateaux.

Originally Posted by DarkMemories

Name: Starfall
DM(s): MoonZar
Current Players: Two teams are currently running this game

Phoenix Defenders
-WhiteStag As Leviticus Silverspade (Magus Archer)
-Thorsten as Sorcha Nallnae (Sword Magus)
- Kaylara as Cara Valontus (Paladin)
-Wodine as Yanorli Twilightshield (Cleric)
-Kinder as Sophie (Druid)
-DarkMemories as Kess (Investigator)

Shadow Hunters
-Dalarangreen as Len (Oracle)
-Black Jim as Djavi Khahm (Rogue)
-Gadron as Garion Valens (Fighter)
-Ytterbium as Brother Yohan (monk/sorc)
-Exhibit A as Meeya Timnit (bard)
-Ricktur63 as Smiddag the Forgemaster (Cleric)

Reasons for nomination: In my experience on rpgx, games that go the distance has always been something worthy of respect. In the case of MoonZar, his worlds are designed from the get go to last. Rich, full and original design makes the World of Zar as adaptable and fulfilling as any official campaigns. With this in mind, I second Starfall as my second foray into this wonderful world.

Starfall mixes mystery and classic adventure. An unknown threat falls from the sky, bringing with it monsters never before seen in the world. Both groups of adventures set out from the eponymous city, seeking to stem the tide of monsters and seek the power of the Fallen Star of Prophecy. Two divurgent paths appear, one leading deep into the realm of the Blood Elves, who've already claimed a piece of the star for their own. The crisis would reach a breaking point if that ghoulish race unlocked the star's power.

The other path lead into the ancient catacombs under the city of Starfall itself. The horrors from beyond harass the heroes every step of the way, but what is it that they are really after? Are these creatures sentient? Are they a massive hive mind?

Links: -Here- The Phoenix Defenders have managed to make it to the town of Red Bridge, the settlement closest to where the star fell. Upon finding it abandoned and strewn with signs of battle, the troupe discovered the involvement of the Blood Elves deep beneath the mines. They set out delve into the dark below, but the varied members of the party have different interpretations of the threat. How will they deal with the conflict and why are the dwarf and the unusual masked half-elf so dead set on the blood elven threat?

[MontageManiac]

Yeohven: Fall From Grace

A world where magic and technology open possibilities, but the interests of individuals often compete, and chaos always looks to break the order of the world.

How did it Begin and why is it nominated? You know those times when someone tells you something isn't going to work, and rather than accepting that opinion, you decide to prove the person wrong? Well, in my first Iron DM competition, I wrote an adventure for 6 PCs that went from Level 1-3, and broke it down in the 1500 word cap (I think?) for the competition. I got quite good scores from most of the judges, except for 1 judge, who said that my chase scene that kicked off the adventure would be difficult to implement, and he essentially couldn't see how it could work. Well... that spawned an obsession with developing the city, and the world of that campaign. To an almost obsessive degree. I went on World-Building subreddits, I went on accurate mapping sub-reddits, like to the point where you determine the tectonic plates of the world, how they shift, how that creates mountains and realistic rivers and temperature currents, etc. I made the world map, from that I determined the continents, from there I determined where the races of D&D 5e would fit, how they historically interacted, how the Gods featured in this world, how the consequences from millennia prior made themselves manifest in this world, all so I could come back to the Iron DM adventure I made within a week's time, and could make it makes sense in the world's context. I originally set out for 1 group in my application, knowing I was going to run this adventure and prove the Judge wrong. Well... I got a lot of interest. A LOT... and I couldn't just decide on a 6 PC group. I didn't want to do more than 6 PCs in that adventure, and I had friends from other games I was playing in who I wanted to enjoy this world-building. So, 1 group became two.... then there were so many good applications I was getting that 2 groups became 3. I had players who were definitely going to play asking me "Mont, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want 3 teams playing the same game? That's a lot to handle, even if it is the same campaign." To which I replied, "Oh no... they're not playing the same campaign. They're just in the same city... to start." So not only did I take 3 groups on... but they each have 3 different campaigns and stories, and all 3 are currently happening at the same time, in the same city. They even cross paths, or at least their actions do. See, I listened to a lot of Dungeons and Randomness, and the fact that they had 3 groups of adventurers exploring the same world, and sometimes witnessing the consequences of one group's actions and what that meant for another group's interactions with the world... well that fascinated me. I wanted that to happen. I wanted the world I obsessed about creating to feel alive. So... in the interest of a depth of world building that would do Mercer of Critical Role fame proud, I got in deep, and each of the 3 groups have their own campaigns within the same city, at the same time, and encounter many of the same NPCs, and witness the consequences of many of the actions of other groups. One team has the Watch helping them out finding something in the city? Well, another team doesn't have quite so much support from the Watch because their forces are tied up. One group starts off in a tavern that ends up having a brawl? Well when another group comes by that same tavern, they're cleaning up the mess. Yet one more group is witness to a giant fire that engulfs a warehouse? Well when another group has a small fire happen someplace else in the city, it grows a little bit larger than it should, because the firefighters are busy at another location at the moment. Each of the groups may not realize this is happening if they just focus on their own game thread, but for those who read the other groups adventurers (and surprisingly I do have a few of those players), they get a kick out of the crossing paths. So, this game uses D&D 5e rules, its setting is similar to Renaissance Europe, at least where they are now, and many of the race options feel familiar, but there are some differences in this world that make it not quite so... easy to traverse as one normally would in a fantasy setting. First game post was April 23, 2017. Since then the Game Thread has 4,157 posts. For a game that is a little over a year old, with 3 separate campaigns running simultaneously, with no repeated encounters or dialogue, the players I managed to secure have been very active, creative, and wonderful posters. As far as the D&D 5e games that are currently active on the site go, and that are not an arena type format, the only games that have greater posts are 9,875 postsScales of War 5e (my first DM game), 7,115 postsThe Temple of Elemental Evil (which has been going since 2015), and 9,655 postsMysoth - Winds of Change (started in 2016). The creative output of the players is immense, entertaining, and I would like to be recognized for their hard effort in keeping the games going. For all of these reasons, I think the game is at least a worthy Nomination for Hall of Fame this year, and I hope if you take a look at the work that has gone into it, and the love the players show the game, you will agree as well.

Game Specifics Link DM: MontageManiac Current Players: Team A Player PC Race / Class Homeland (City) Nasrith Rorimack "Thunderweed" Millbridge Halfling Rogue Coir'Tosai (Porthburn) Huhart Mazdak il-Shakdi Tiefling Warlock Idhan’Dhahabi of the Mirascilar Empire Sassafrass Manawak Riverrunner Orc Druid Kith (Nations of Gaes-Raz) TheRedHunter Ziyen Teah Aarakocra Fighter/Cleric Imperial Euraidyia (Originally Protectorate of Air) Skylarious Vasile Raducan Human Paladin Valcoria Team B Player PC Race / Class Homeland (City) tomplum Mankarat Darkeye Minotaur Warlock Nandeasia Maskain Leon "Glint" Mangrove Rock Gnome Barbarian Republic of Diemhjart (State of Voborg, Delantri Tribe) Syne Adariel Wyscath High Elf Warlock Kingdom of Naofial (Duchy of Vifec) Team C Player PC Race / Class Homeland (City) Zubene Eghan Sachaion Half-Elf Druid Delaur'l (The Eternal Forest) Avner Kipp 'Darkluck' Acheron Drow Hexblade Warlock Kingdom of Naofial (Duchy of Issaild'lt) Dragonsabin Laura Howlett Shifter Monk Aeradurnea (Mistform Mountains) ByronBulb Chatty Padraic Aasimir Bard Sith'elan (Abhain Calmir) CaptainRadio Gillis Oakencask Dwarven Paladin Reothadia

Links Link 1: The Chase Begins! This is the start of Team C, which follows the Campaign I submitted for the first round of Iron DM. It is the chase scene which I got questioned about. Was it difficult to run? To a degree... but honestly I don't think I've come across a more fun way to get the PCs together that didn't involve "You're in a tavern..." or "Welcome to the Guard! Your first assignment..." It's fast paced, it's quick, and it forces the players to think on their feet from the get-go, and really worked to establish how each of these characters are, and what the Players could expect from the game at large. I think it should definitely be considered one of the first places to look if you want to get a sense of what makes this game work. Link 2: Little Euraiydia Team A is on the hunt for a renegade mage who has been killing people in the city, part of that is following leads which brings them to a part of town that is the equivalent of a Chinatown in most cities. The group splits up, some going to a "tavern", while others go to an Arts College in the hopes of finding some research. It's a good example of the world-building that's gone into make this place feel "alive". See, Chinatowns hold a very important role in our cities, it serves as a way to consider how other cultures integrate into foreign cities and town to both a) offer a safe haven for people of that culture in a foreign land, and b) become a place for people to sort of... "experience" the culture, but in a very watered down and "palatable" way. This is the group's explorations through a slice of Imperial Euraiydia in the city of Abhain Calmir.

[gravenimages]

’Arbiters of a New Age Well. Hall of fame nominations are here. Maybe it’s time to throw our hat in the ring. He takes a sip of his scotch, swirling the remainder in his cup as he considers. Well, let’s see what we’re up against. Hmm. DND, Pathfinder, DND, DND… Sensing a theme here. Let's try something different, shall we? Take a load off, be our guest for a few minutes, fortunate reader. Ease on out of that plate mail, put down the holy symbol and components for a spell. I'm Loki, kind of the unofficial spokesperson for the game. Yeah, I know you were expecting ’this guy’ Nice guy, but kind of... Wishy washy, though, don't you think? You want someone to really OWN that role, right? Like their life experiences have prepared them for it. Junior as Tony Stark. Reynolds as Deadpool. Me as Loki. But I digress. Up above, we have the Arbiters. Some of you might call us gods. Pretty good cross section too. Favor the greek and roman gods? We have Athena, Boreas, Vulcan, and Poseidon. Like the Norse gods? Excellent taste if I may say so. Well represented by my humble self and my hard-partying brother, Thor. Like it biblical? Each of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Want something fresh and new, maybe a little bit of a hippie vibe? We have Petran, god of the earth, and Ferocus, god of nature. Down below… Well frankly kind of a mess. How about we watch a little clip to bring you up to speed? ’We don’t need no education’ Bright fluorescent lights shine overhead as the door flies open and Loki strides through, now dressed in a tweed suit with patches on the elbows. He picks up a piece of white chalk and waves it thoughtfully as he speaks. "So, it's an education you want? Then an education you must have!" He begins drawing crude figures on the chalkboard. "Well, first thing you should know is that there are three, no four, sides. There are the angels," he draws a crude cartoony figure with wings and a halo to the right "the demons," he draws another figure with horns and a tail to the left "the humans," he draws an unornamented figure in the middle "and the Arbiters, the neutrals like me." He finishes with a fairly elaborate drawing just above the human of a judge in a fancy wig sitting behind a desk with his hands folded. He puts down the piece of chalk and picks up a yardstick, which he uses to gesture at the figures as he speaks. "Now, the demons and the angels HATE each other, " he spells out HATE on the board "and the poor humans down on Earth get caught in the middle. It is our job to protect them, to keep the peace between Heaven and Hell. However, the last, oh, four dozen times we tried this directly, the world was tragically destroyed. So, oh, several thousand years ago, we came up with the idea of, hey, why don't we block EVERYBODY from coming down to your world. So, we forged a barrier, and with a few exceptions, it's worked pretty well." He turns back from the board and straightens his purple bow tie. "But, in order for it to work, we needed to stay on our side as well. Needless to say, we all decided 'Nothing doing!' and we all chose vessels to mop up the occasional spill on earth. This worked, but over time, fewer and fewer champions have been around. It may surprise you to learn that in the past two hundred years, there have been more incidents of a mystical persuasion than in the preceding forty centuries. This naturally concerned us, and it was decided that yes, maybe we should pick some Champions again." Oscar-worthy performance, if I must say so. But we don’t just have angels and demons. We have pretty much else you can think of. Vampires? Sure. Wizards? Yep. Zombies? Absolutely. Santa Claus? YES! Shadowy multinational paramilitary organization bent on eliminating all of the above, while using many of the same resources to accomplish this? Check. Frankenstein's monster? Sadly no, but one of our Champions speculated that it wouldn't actually be that hard. We keep a close eye on that guy just in case. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. I see there's a form to fill out. Let’s see... Name, sure. Current players, gotcha. Past players optional? Sure, why not: ’Game Info’ Name: Arbiters of a new Age DM: WhovianBeast Current Players: Acathala Avner Drachenspirit gravenimages Shylocke Retired Players: Attitude Bluejack Classic Gamer MrKinister Sierra 159 Tover TheFirkraag PalladiaMors ’Reason for nomination’ As Avner stated, the game is definitely something unique. First off… Each player gets to feel like the star of the show. WhovianBeast shows an uncommon ability to juggle several different instances seamlessly, and bring along new characters with a full, rich ‘prequel’ experience based largely on their own character bio, while advancing the main story as well. Frankly, I’m not sure he’s human. [WhovianBeast adds: hey now, those guys from Area 51 never found me after I escaped so I get to stay] The posting rate and overall volume looks like a score obtainable only via a video game hack. Despite this the game has a rich storyline, vibrant settings, and an abundance of well-portrayed NPC characters. We have a little more wiggle room that a conventional game. It’s OK to split the party. It’s actually encouraged. You don’t have to get along with all the other players. Or characters. Plenty of time is given to interact with the other players without having to go rescue a princess or slay a dragon. Characters are able to develop deep and nuanced relationships with each other, and the many NPCs in the game… Be it friend, rival, or foe. Death is not the end. Ol’ Morty himself, Death, the Horseman, is kind of a jerk. But he does keep a spatula handy to scoop up dead PCs and put them back to work. Now, to some this would seem like a removal of serious consequence. However, WhovianBeast has effectively traded the “When you die, I can’t hurt you anymore.” maxim for ‘“He who hath friends and family members hath given hostages to the GM.” Several of the characters have seen this come into play already, and the others are fearfully awaiting their turns. ’links’ All right, that’s enough talk. Let’s have a look at a few clips to see the game in action: Every good superhero team needs a secret base. The Champions’ base is set beneath a mountain in a very secluded area of backwoods Canadian wilderness. The remote area has been commented on by more than one character… The general observation being ‘We looked all around Manhattan but couldn’t find a really secret spot’. The ‘build-a-base’ thread was their introduction to our new digs, as well as a place to roleplay downtime. Build-a-base, 2-11 Newly anointed Champions Enoch and Orrin commiserate during the middle of a mission to find and heal a critically injured compatriot of another Champion. This should have been the end of the mission, in fact, if not for one critical element. Handling the situation involves exploring each character’s moral response to the situation, and sheds a bit of light on their backstories. Friendship is Magic, 200-209 I have ten clips just as good raring to go, but even Arbiters must answer to a higher power. It’s a really entertaining read if you start from the beginning, even though it was the GM’s first effort onsite and with the system for that matter. Now, for those of you heathens out there who like jumping in at the middle and trying to puzzle out the whys and hows, you’ll be entertained as well if not baffled. Thanks for taking the time to review this nomination. In closing, I’ll just say… Hoard those hero points.

[Sassafrass]

Tyranny of Dragons The Cult of the Dragon rises. Long a powerful organization in the darker workings of Toril, the Cult of the Dragon has lacked primary leadership for a long time. Disparate but widespread, their disorganized cells, relics, resources, and personnel has never allowed them the prestige, power, or threat that other organizations have gained over the many years. The Cult of the Dragon is powerful, but not world-threatening. Until now. For the first time in its long history, whispers speak of a unified Cult, led by a new, mysterious leader, who seeks to bring strange Draconic relics together for nefarious purposes. As attacks increase across the newly reunited Forgotten Realms, and panic begins to spread, brave adventurers are sought to fight back the rising tide of Cultists and Dragons that terrorize the Sword Coast. But are they enough to stand against the Tyranny of Dragons? Dramatis Personae GinJapan as Evendur Greycastle and Sora Huhart as Visverax Neqq and Captain Radio as Gukan "Clawmarked" Titaniadaoro MontageManiac as Rhokax Soulreader Maskain as "Bannerless" Dane Aethera as Puma   with Peachyco as Talyn Wyvernmark Witchwolf as Sabezdyn A'Daragon Spankucus as Barnabas B. Barrelbringer and Sassafrass as the Dungeonmaster Game Link Tyranny of Dragons is my first 5e game I've run myself, period. I cut my teeth in this game trying out the system, and these buggers humored me. I adopted select players from previous iterations on the site run by others, let them build new characters or reuse elements they liked, and started from scratch. And so we did, and they amazed me. While we've lost some of the initial players, we have managed to gain a full roster and maintain amazing characters. Our three new additions are swell and fit the group like a glove, plus they bring a lot of great new narrative options to the table. They have great dynamic, interact with the world gladly, and I don't have to pull any teeth to get them to post. What's not to love? ToD would be an excellent addition to HoF for its players, their characters, and the writing skills alone. They give it all: humor, sorrow, rage, joviality. We even killed a PC, legally! I do my best to keep up with them and despite a less than stellar post rate from me, we've survived and now thrive. Who knew combat could be so much fun? Examples of Excellence: Example 1: Evendur's Fall Greenest is under attack by cultists, Kobolds, and a Dragon. The odds against a group of level 1 PCs is high, but they've used their wits to get around. Until now. Called out and with high stakes, GinJapan's Evendur goes forth to face baddie Cyanwrath. Their duel is not quite as one-sided as Cyanwrath might expect, but Evendur, who seeks to avenge his family, finds not the revenge he seeks, but the cold embrace of steel. G's dedication to story is amazing here, and I adore everyone's reaction to it, varied in complexity and response. It sets up everything we'll be doing for the remainder of the game, and asserts the PCs beautifully. Example 2: Counterattack While a previous raid against the Cult of the Dragon failed and saw a PC captured (and still MIA), it saw a new ally join the group, and later two more. Now leading a full counterattack, the group finds the Cult has... vanished. Despite this, there are still signs of life and as they go to investigate, they are discovered by Bane-worshiping mercenaries. The group is divided into two groups, the top that chooses combat, and the bottom that... well, read for yourself. This is ongoing but I adore everything we're doing right now, and it only gets better from here.