Re: Ge´Neva

From: "tauster" <chefseehund@???.de>

> i also
>don´t really like the concept of herospace, i don´t think that i would
>introduce it into _my_ game. at least not as a world the heros would
>actually visit; as a source of rumor and legend, it´s ok.

I've always thought of it as a place to send characters when you get fed up playing them.

>the first time i read about it, i had the feeling that the whole idea
>behind herospace (without a capital S, *grin*) was somehow "not authentic",
>not believable. i cannot really specify what exactly i don´t like (apart
>from GE´Neva), but i _know_ that it wouldn´t be well received by my
>players...

The thing that I think is wrong with Herospace is:

* It is impossible to get into the system without being surrounded by 10 ships,
* It is impossible to land on a planet without a crystal shard,
* It is impossible to use spells like teleport or travel etheally to bypass this
requirement and
* It is impossible to get a crystal shard without being vetted by the magistrates.

But it is possible for someone on one of these planets to use let people in with a device
as simple as a crystal ball. Admitedly it is a non-standard crystal ball but I still think
that it is inconsistant with the above stuff.

*WARNING PLOT SPOILER*

I think that this plot device (used to get rid of an NPC that could have helped the PCs
later on in the adventure) is possibly the problem. I think that with the rest of the
restrictions there should be some sort of blockage against scrying onto or off of these
worlds. And there should definately be no way to use scrying as a method of bypassing the
crystal shard requrement!

I think I'd prefer to keep that NPC alive, so that he could be used later, in another
adventure. If this was done there would be a reason for the PCs to revisit Herospace from
time to time. Instead of just being a "retirement home", it could turn into a source of
information. The PCs could even occasionally run errands for the Magistrates (to pay for
access to the crystal shards).

However, if someone really wanted to keep the fight in the adventure, I think it would
feel more believable if the NPC sage picked up his special crystal ball, got onto the
Hummingbird and told the players to fly him to Borden. Back on Borden the players can
either ask the Magistrates for permission to use the crystal ball or scry without their
knowledge. If the scrying scene took place there any cross planar travel would clash with
the setting less than it would on the planet. I also think it would be better if the PCs
had a realistic chance to save that NPC. On Borden the guards of the Magistrates could
arrive after several rounds and join in the battle.

The battle could be ended by destruction of the crystal ball and if the DM wants to "get
rid of" the sage without killing him, he could incapacitate the NPC and have a cleric from
Borden tell the players that the sage will take at least a week to come out of a coma.
This time will take the players over the time they have been granted to stay in the
system. They will have to move on anyway as they have an entire crystal sphere to save.

If the PCs want to stay then they could be called before the magistrates and ordered to
pay compensation for damages caused during the fight. As they don't have enough money to
pay compensation, they can be ordered to leave immediately and not return until they have
sufficient funds to put things right.

This sort of change would get the PCs out of the system, but still leave it as a place
they might return to one day. Better still the damage payment could be used to get rid of
excess player funds later on.

Herospace might be a less exciting sphere, but in a universe/multiverse where Gnomes use
giant space hampsters a rew places where nothing exciting usually happens can balance
things out.

>besides: there are more than enough worlds (spheres and
>locations) out there to fill the SJ universe- reasojn enough for me to
>ignore what i don´t like! :o) i´d rather populate the known spheres with
>all the moons of the month and in exchange cut out herospace; i think that
>would be a great tradeoff! in fact swapping only _one_ motm with herospace
>is something i would deem an improvement in quality. :o)

LOL

Well that is the best solution, just redirect the local phlogiston rivers and send your
PCs somewhere else!

:-D

David "Big Mac" Shepheard
Virtual Eclipse Role Playing Club
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/virtualeclipselrp/links/d20_system_001071937434/Spelljammer_001071430476
http://virtualeclipse.aboho.com/