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Post by Oneiros on Feb 7, 2018 8:56:02 GMT
OR: "A Tragedy, In Several Parts"
Good night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing... well, maybe, let's not go that far.
Um, how about - And the rest is silence... ? That wouldn't make for a good podcast, though...
...
The choices have been made. The curtain has fallen. All that's left now is to pick up the pieces and sweep the stage clean. First Zolf leaves, now Bertie (albeit more permanently, give or take - this is D&D after all). And Sasha doesn't seem to be faring too well, if Grizzop's 'healing' is anything to go by. And poor Hamid - has his wits restored, only to discover this? Maybe he would have been better off remaining blissfully ignorant...
It's the end of an era - a bawdy, pun-filled, arrogant era, highlighting all the worst traits of the privileged and entitled, admittedly, but an era nonetheless. Bertie has been awesome and awful by parts, often in the same episode, and will be sorely missed. The legacy of Sir Bertrand MacGuffingham will long be remembered.
We wish James all the best whilst he steps back to take care of family commitments, but he still has a room in Rusty Towers. No doubt we shall see him in the fields anon.
For anyone wondering, this was not a 'deus ex' to ensure that Bertie died, James and Alex both made sensible, in-character choices which led to this outcome. Was it engineered? Yes, to an extent - but this does showcase how you can handle the very real situation of circumstances changing and a player having to leave, i.e. Player and GM working together to give the PC a fitting narrative and gameplay conclusion.
So, let us take this space to eulogise the fallen son of House MacGuffingham - what was YOUR favourite Bertie moment from the series?
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Post by hyoscyamus on Feb 7, 2018 13:10:28 GMT
Aaaah, what a dramatic episode! It was glorious and still funny beside all the drama! Honestly, there were so many great Bertie-moments that I can't list them all, just as for everyone else, really. Basically every time James' dice rolled as if they were made for the character and allowed him to make Bertie incredibly successful in bedazzling people and awfully ignorant of others and their troubles. He was an awesome parody of the worst stuck-up, entitled upper-class people and James has a great talent to let his characters cause trouble and strife while being hilarious. I will miss this a lot and hope to hear him return some day! That said, I wish him the best for whatever family live throws at him!  Poor Hamid indeed! I'm very curious to hear how he will cope with the death of his sister, since he takes losses and casualties quite badly. He's a very emotional person, something I like about the character a lot. But it's obviously also hard for him to deal with a tragedy like this. Sasha was amazing here again! Especially once she had enough and told everyone where to stick it. I love her so much! And the Grizzop-catching-dragon-baby-Hamid moment was so funny! *Like, walkies? Walkies?* *snarl puff growl* XD Hm, given that Grizzop is made with an optimizing build in mind the party could work with 'only' three people. A Paladin as the Fighter/Healer-combo, a Rogue and a Mage are a good combination of abilities and tasks. Although Sasha's botched resurrection makes the healing bit quite difficult. I love her vital-y challenged state, though. Firstly, because it already made for really hilarious events (like the attract undead Will-saves) and secondly, because it's such a very unusual thing to happen. But only three people is rather difficult when it comes to challenging fights. There are so many talented people at Rusty Towers, I personally would be delighted to hear a forth character being added! (Maybe a Necromancer who can take care of Sasha 'healing' or, well, whatever you would come up with, really!) |
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LaCelestina
Alphabet Squire
Binge-listening to RQG
Posts: 16 
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Post by LaCelestina on Feb 7, 2018 15:21:54 GMT
First of all: Take best care of your wonderful baby and family. We're going to miss you, James! <3 Raising kids is the longest, most expensive and hardest side quest you'll ever undertake. It is also possibly the most rewarding one! We're sure you are up to the task, and I wish you the very best. Onto the episode, I think it can only be summed up by this:  "Two days ago, I had a whole team. And now, I have you!" She took the words from my mouth, honestly. Not that Grizzop is a bad alternative or anything. He's a pretty great guy. I love how all the characters are still given plenty of spotlight time. With Sasha, at her sudden, rather eloquent shoutout at people who could vanish her faster than she could fire her springloaded daggers; Grizzop trying to baby a dragon and just carrying him casually like, this is just part of my job, may as well get it done, I ain't got time for this delay nonsense; but poor Hamid. It wasn't going to end well for him regardless. I think he's going to need a couple of days to recover, if he stays in the party at all. Going forward, I definitely can see the party operating with just the three of them, though you'll hear no complaints if a fourth one stumbles upon! With Grizzop's powerful healing powers for himself and Hamid, Most favorite Bertie moment: When he carried the gnomes before the siege and leaving Paris, and kept them on his papoose while the gnome muttered "I'm unconscious--sooo unconscious" and Bertie didn't notice. It was hilarity. And at the very end, the will reading. I can only imagine the will reading as having a bit of a hologram of him as he's dictating and tapping the magical mic, while nuzzling Brutor. Memories of a better time. Let us not forget his greatest moments: How he quieted an active angry mob into submission, including the local army; how he became the living statue in all of its glorious splendor; when he befriended a guard dog intent on chewing his face; when he didn't take one for the team because he was true to himself to the very end... Ah, Bertie. You will be missed. To all: Managing Bertie's departure went excellent. You wouldn't even know it was planned. You guys always do such awesome work. Everything worked out... as much as it could be worked out. I will still grieve for him and maybe for Sasha. Let's hope necromancy doesn't become a crime, or things will get very difficult between her and Grizzop. |
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urchin
Right Honourable Poster
Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.
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Post by urchin on Feb 7, 2018 16:21:38 GMT
Poor Hamid! The fact that the listener knew his sister was dead from the beginning of the episode, but Hamid didn't find out until the end made for some excellent tension. He's so soft-hearted, though... I really have to wonder if losing his friend and his sister all at once like this might change Hamid in a significant way.
It was cool to see Sasha taking the wheel when it needed to be done. She's not naturally a leader, but she's grown a lot and has a lot more confidence than she did at the beginning of the series. Strong character development!
I love Grizzop's practicality. It's a nice contrast to the classic overly-idealistic, lawful stupid paladin. I look forward to learning more about him and where he came from. He's the only goblin we've seen so far, if I recall correctly, so I wonder what their place in this world is generally.
James has been amazing and I wish him all the best on his child-rearing adventures!
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urchin
Right Honourable Poster
Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.
Posts: 52
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Post by urchin on Feb 7, 2018 22:50:31 GMT
Hm, given that Grizzop is made with an optimizing build in mind the party could work with 'only' three people. A Paladin as the Fighter/Healer-combo, a Rogue and a Mage are a good combination of abilities and tasks. Although Sasha's botched resurrection makes the healing bit quite difficult. I love her vital-y challenged state, though. Firstly, because it already made for really hilarious events (like the attract undead Will-saves) and secondly, because it's such a very unusual thing to happen. But only three people is rather difficult when it comes to challenging fights. There are so many talented people at Rusty Towers, I personally would be delighted to hear a forth character being added! (Maybe a Necromancer who can take care of Sasha 'healing' or, well, whatever you would come up with, really!) I think there will have to be a fourth. None of the remaining party is a melee combatant. It's too easy for something to run up and squish Hamid flat, and too hard for Sasha to get that sweet sneak attack damage. |
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Post by hyoscyamus on Feb 8, 2018 2:38:17 GMT
I think there will have to be a fourth. None of the remaining party is a melee combatant. It's too easy for something to run up and squish Hamid flat, and too hard for Sasha to get that sweet sneak attack damage. Ah, but Paladins are fighters first and foremost with caster-abilities, as far as I see it. Aren't they? Grizzop wears heavy armor, so I guess he has the heavy armor feat already. If he gets the Heavy Armor Master and Tough feats this will give him a lot of HP and a high AC with which he could even tank rather well. Two melee fighters are always good, but not inevitably necessary. Someone with good ranged attacks can also work well. A Warlock is also a neat class, melee or ranged combat abilities combined with spell-casting. That's of course a decision for them, but the more Rusty Quill people the more delicious fun for us! So I'm all in favour of a fourth player, regardless what the person would choose to be. (But wouldn't it be hilarious if it were a Bard? *waits to hear Bryn groan* XD) And I had to re-listen to the whole Prague episodes again, they were so great! But I forgot that Hamid actually worked towards having the opera run as planned so he could hear his sister sing. That adds a really big heap of awful to his loss. Can't wait to hear how he deals with everything! *pets-pets* |
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urchin
Right Honourable Poster
Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.
Posts: 52
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Post by urchin on Feb 8, 2018 3:09:59 GMT
Ah, but Paladins are fighters first and foremost with caster-abilities, as far as I see it. Aren't they? Often, yes, but everything we've seen so far of Grizzop has looked like his primary weapon is a bow. Goblins get +4 dex and -2 str, so it would be pretty synergetic for him to be primarily a ranged character. Of the core classes not currently covered in the party, I'd think a fighter, barbarian, ranger, or monk would be the options for a melee character. I have no idea what monks look like in this world, and it's a very urban game so a ranger would be odd unless they were something unusual (or connected to nature that we haven't really seen explored thus far). I'm kind of hoping for barbarian just for variety, and to see how an instinct-driven character plays out in a party with Sasha's untrusting nature and Hamid's background as it is very tied up in the established structures of society. Whoever the new character is (if there even is one), I'm sure they will be great and I'm very excited to find out what happens next!  |
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LaCelestina
Alphabet Squire
Binge-listening to RQG
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Post by LaCelestina on Feb 9, 2018 0:29:38 GMT
I too was thinking a barbarian would be interesting, though it will be terribly hard to... out-barbare(?) outdo Bertie. Even if he is was a fighter, I can't imagine anyone else being quite... the outspoken 2h user.
We've had two bow users so far, so I am voting for a 1h/shield user. A monk for increased difficulty.
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Post by Brave Sir Robin on Feb 9, 2018 11:30:50 GMT
That's of course a decision for them, but the more Rusty Quill people the more delicious fun for us! So I'm all in favour of a fourth player, regardless what the person would choose to be. (But wouldn't it be hilarious if it were a Bard? *waits to hear Bryn groan* XD) The plan for season 3 is actually to retire all the current characters and just have a party of 4 bards. The entire podcast will be performed in song. |
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Lowri
Alphabet Squire
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Post by Lowri on Feb 9, 2018 11:42:42 GMT
But I forgot that Hamid actually worked towards having the opera run as planned so he could hear his sister sing. That adds a really big heap of awful to his loss. Can't wait to hear how he deals with everything! *pets-pets* Ah! I had forgotten that too! Oh dear, poor Hamid. My favourite Bertie moment has to be when the party are in the magical safe room and he blurts out that he's under a curse - I laughed out loud on the street at that! |
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Post by Brave Sir Robin on Feb 9, 2018 11:52:12 GMT
But I forgot that Hamid actually worked towards having the opera run as planned so he could hear his sister sing. That adds a really big heap of awful to his loss. Can't wait to hear how he deals with everything! *pets-pets* Ah! I had forgotten that too! Oh dear, poor Hamid. Whilst I agree that it is how it comes out, that is absolutely not how Hamid sees it. So whilst we will see him deal with his loss, I don't want people to be disappointed that we don't deal with this angle. |
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Post by Brave Sir Robin on Feb 9, 2018 11:53:33 GMT
My favourite Bertie moment is still when he shouted down the riot. Though a close second is still from like episode 3(?), when he got the joke about Chessington and the world of adventures.
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Lowri
Alphabet Squire
Posts: 9
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Post by Lowri on Feb 9, 2018 12:01:36 GMT
Though a close second is still from like episode 3(?), when he got the joke about Chessington and the world of adventures. Ah yes, that was a good one! And the whole 'Bertie? Wellington? BERTIE! WELLINGTON!' exchange. *sigh* good times, good times. |
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Post by hyoscyamus on Feb 9, 2018 13:43:08 GMT
The plan for season 3 is actually to retire all the current characters and just have a party of 4 bards. The entire podcast will be performed in song. So just an Opera then. Do we need to gift Alex a conductor's baton? XD Seriously though, that kinda reminds me of the " Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg", the singerwar/minstrel contest on the Wartcastle, a story full of scheming and rhymes and songs. Oh, good! *phew* I'm glad about that. That would've been so much more awful for him! Though a close second is still from like episode 3(?), when he got the joke about Chessington and the world of adventures. Ah yes, that was a good one! And the whole 'Bertie? Wellington? BERTIE! WELLINGTON!' exchange. *sigh* good times, good times. That was a great one! And continued to be fun in the carriage. "I think they speak upper-class." XD And dropping the piano on an enemy. And the papoose thing. Dressing Brutor up as his ugly daughter. And so much more! |
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Post by scottfrombeantown on Feb 9, 2018 16:26:43 GMT
I will always have a fond memory of Bertie rolling a critical fail while trying to navigate out of the Chunnel.
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