[Meta Thread] Dragonstrike's Pokerole Test Game: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Lord Windos]

So, now that I've introduced my four major elements for my test game (Space-Time Distortion, Mystery Dungeons, Primal Pokemon, and Shadow Pokemon), what do you guys think of the story I've been weaving so far?  

I know we had a really long period where nothing was really happening, but now that we're getting into the meat of the plot, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Hmm....it'll take a little while to fully summerize my thoughts on this, but right now I can confidently say you certainly are doing a well enough job of mixing all these disparate elements together into a cohesive and rational story arc. The fact you've mostly telegraphed these element's introduction with characters that reference them but don't explicitly state it so as to keep some level of suspense is a nice narrative touch too, though it did spoil the surprise and impact of the elements somewhat . I'd be a lot more taken off guard about Mt. Coronet becoming a Mystery Dungeon (to some degree) if Scizors weren't around to explain it, for instance, and the resulting scenario would probably be quite puzzler IC for our protagonists to work out. 

The element I'm most uncertain about is the S-T Distortion aspect, as that has the potential to go horribly right or wrong if the things it can bring to the table or the influence it exerts over the setting gets out of hand. Right now you've done a fine job at managing it, but all it takes is one particularly interesting event to shake things up for us in an unpleasant way. The element also essentially turns the whole campaign into a sort of open ended massive cross over with any Pokemon relative universe you want to include, which is a fun idea in of itself, but I'm uncertain if future inclusions (or even current ones, potentially) will have a lot of story relevance or the opposite problem (too much).

The element I like most is the Mystery Dungeons, as they add quite a lot of spice in navigating and interacting with the campaign for both player and DM, and it opens up the possibility of potential replays that end up whole unique for new and old players (Which the S-T Distortion Element can significant help out with). They do have the potential to turn into a slog if our rolls for what rooms we end up with turn out to be crap outs or dead ends, but I imagine you have a certain amount of rooms per Floor limit that would reduce such long treks for all but the most super massive dungeon Floors. That, or you summon The Wind to kick everyone out of the Dungeon or where you need everyone to git too if we can't clear a Floor in time, but in the former case redoing the Dungeon would be a rather disheartening experience (as well as wholey detrimental, due to all reality breaking down at a steady, unhalting rate), and in the later wherever we end up will probably be terrible to reflect our failure to progress through the former challenges.

Finally, I'm somewhat concerned by the fact that it feels like the group is either going to be stuck in the Mystery Dungeon for a quite a bit and it's going to end up somewhat taxing on us, or we'll breeze through it quickly enough but have little time to really benefit off the Treasures/Pokemon we acquired within it before confronting the Big Bad for the campaign, after which point the game will end and such things don't matter unless they carry over in some way to your proper campaign. The story progression is great so far, and its all enjoyable so far (for me, at least), but I'm worried I won't get the chance to have Ran try to build up his bonds with his new/old Pokemon (Like with Sekhmet, Belladona, or the new Paula, who probably Evolves based on Maxed Happiness/Loyalty, unless you decide to follow the main game's approach on Friendship Evos, which means I'll have to increase her Level when she ha high enough Happiness/Loyalty) or grow his own character before things come to the inevitable climatic head. Game would still be a great experience in the end (provide we all don't fail horribly in our quest, or something happens that undermines the whole experience), but I'll always feel I 'missed out' on what I could've achieved. Which could be partially my fault for not focusing on that stuff, but the time I had to do so is also a factor.

Overall, I think you've done a good job at the story you've made so far, narratively speaking, which is remarkable consider this is your first proper campaign you've made and DM. Then again, you had Iron's and my to drawn upon as a foundation for yours (and what not to do, mostly drawing from the mistakes I made with mine), so I guess you've just been a good study! 

Mechanically speaking....I have my own set off criticisms about the campaign, but I'm saving them up until all's said and done with it, and see if they're really so bad in retrospect or if I'm just taking them out of context based on what I'm used too.