So the group is about to meet on Saturday. This time we had a very long delay between sessions, due to RL issues, and a Shadowrun session in the middle. My head was focused on other things, and if that was the thing with me, I can't quite say what it will be with my players.

I've also been doing quite a lot of thinking in lieu with some changes in my life. For those interested, you can check them here. (Warning though- not actual game related! And long... you know me )

I've talked with the SR GM about the problem of playing every so often in long running continuous campaigns. There are two main problems here as I see:
1) The players lose track about what happened, they lose the continuity of it all- NPCs, current goals, not to mention small nuances and subtle things.
2) Once people come to a session, they seek to have the blast there and then. There is less patience for a build up for several sessions, as that build up is lost, and what you get is an "on the way" adventure, which feels disjointed and lost.

So my thoughts is something on the following lines (I'll ask this as well on the general roleplay forum): I'm thinking to sort of change the structure of the session to feel more like self contained episodes in a long running series. Think of Buffy, Babylon, Deadwood, Firefly, and lots of other shows- each chapter posed a problem, a few different kind of scenes, mostly dealing with the problem, but 1-2 with hints to the bigger story, and usually some sort of an end scene/ climax to seal up the chapter and current problem.

Using these mind frame- providing an "inside the session" problem, with it's own dealing and climax, will help the players focus their minds and attention more, and will give them their "roleplay dose", which they've come to get this month. The climax is especially important for that!

I think this is why the former session (Dealing with the temple, camp trouble, and battles in the sands) went quite well- The temple gave a concise "in session" problem to deal with, and gave a nice climax which the party loved. I noticed that after it there was some unwinding, and losing of attention. But even then- the players were mollified- they had their fix, and went along amiably.

This is also why the session previous to that (The Battle at keeper's canyon) did not work well. It was just a progress along the route, but without any concise problem to deal with other than "get through obstacles" (Which is always kinda boring) More impotently- there was no resolution, no climax to the issues presented there- The teleporting demon, and the changes Red and Mad dog went through.

There was no outlet of frustration, no conclusion, no finalizing the session, and so it felt incomplete, unsatisfying. Had they scored other major victories, that could be forgiven. But without them, well, there was no excuse...

Climaxes are IMPORTANT!

Now this may be problematic, since players will do what players are won't to do, and won't prescribe to any preplanned time frame or plan. But... I think if the GM has this "inside session problem resolution leading to climax" mind frame, he can adjust, improvise and make sure SOME sort of a climax (Even if not the initial one, which may be delayed to later sessions, altered or such) takes place.

As in the series, each chapter usually have a few hints about larger things, and 1-2 scenes that progress these. These are ok, as long as:
- They stand up enough in the players' memories, they are big enough, influential enough to leave a lasting memory.
- They are not the main thing, and do not fully deter from dealing with the main issue.

Notes for the coming session

The party is supposed to go through the vesacrator's caves. Yeah, I'm gonna scratch that. It's a boring encounter, which feels "on the way" (Like Keeper's canyon) which does not add to the main problem at hand.

What will be the main problem at hand? Handling the siege of Drezen! A few things about this. As the "Issue" of the session, it will be preparing for the siege, with problems without and within harming their way. My idea is to make it feel tenuous, a big effort of dealing with quite a few stuff, with the main problem is trying to keep the army functioning. Main efforts:
- Getting the 6 objectives outlined in the module (the 3 mass battles, and 3 party- battles)
- Nurah's shenanigans: Sabotaging the siege engine (There may be a replacement), turning the army against itself, Making Commander Johan leave
- Retribution: There is of course Soltengrebbe, but I'd like to add some stuff... How about- the Vesecrators? Descending upon the army to madden it, to destroy it's equipment and so on? With a queen in tow? Won't that make it interesting? I also plan on a possible assassination attempt by Excorius, perhaps... not sure.

So, quite a lot of elements here. No set out plan, just knowing the pieces, and adjusting to the players' actions. But, what about the climax? So a few ideas:
- The currently planned climax is Soltengrebbe. I intend to have quite a lot of in session build up for her (Wounded soldier- "the Beast of Drezen will take you!", and lots of other mentions. I want to find a few sound bites of a lion/ dragon roaring and play them sporadically, as she bellows behind the walls). The big advantage is that she can appear anywhere, and that defeating her pretty much wins the siege (Other than... um... the actual castle). Problem is that she is a tough challenge for even 7the level party, so I need to see they get there at least.

- But what if they don't? Then there is a fall back- Nurah and Excorius. I intend to play them as have known each other during these few days. I will plan some appropriate betrayal (and hopefully it's foiling? ) to give the party a battle with them, and perhaps a few summoned demons. Or perhaps even... some of their own troops, who have been "persuaded" by Nurah the party are monsters? Perhaps during one of Mad Dog's tranformations? "The demon has returned! We must kill him!"

Again, this is going to be fluid, and call for some nice timing. But I DO intend to give the party some sort of a climax. and resolve at least ONE of the two major issues in the game (Winning the siege/ main threat of Soltengrebbe OR the problems within their own camp). Hye perhaps they'll be able to manage even both?

Hope this works. Thanks for reading!