So it's been a week now since the end of Cross into Shadows, and some of the dust has begun to settle. Now is about that time I go hunting for some feedback, good and bad. So please reply back to this post, or if you wish you can even just send me an email at GS4-KENSTROM@PLAY.NET

Please be as honest as you can. I listen and take notes from all of these feedback posts, because I never take it personal. We're all here to have fun, and we love the game. No one will have it right, all of the time, so by knowing what you liked, and what you didn't like, and why, helps me to find ways to keep up the good, and adjust the bad. So I appreciate your time on this, and your opinions, and like I said, I equally value the positive and negative feedback, so long as it's constructive and not just trolling, hah. I need to know what worked, and why, so I can make that type of stuff even better, and I need to know what didn't work for you, and why, so we can address that as well.

I'm going to ask a series of questions, both about Chapter 4 of Cross into Shadows, and then about the entire storyline in general. Thanks everyone!


* What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?


* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?


* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?


* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?


* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?


* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?


* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?


* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?


* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?


* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)


* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!






-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

Alrighty.. per requested here are my answers :)



* What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

It kept me busy with plenty of undead and demons to battle. Every part of the story, even parts I wasn't involved in, I enjoyed because of the people and the GM support to make things come into play to keep the story moving and fun.

* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?
The only two things I can suggest (not so much dislike) were the long hours on end as usually I'm ready to fall hard into bed by 11:30 / midnight Central time. Otherwise the only other suggestion / discouragement is that not everybody can hit demons. Granted, I have a demon bane axe and other folks have demon bane / 8x weapons but I never heard anything of a suggestion for a bane potion for demons that would work similar to the pure potions allowing weapons to hit undead unless they have some other special ability that neglects it.

* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

They were well thought / plotted out and I enjoyed being able to catch visions, and what GM players would say when their texts are in yellow vs normal. The storyline itself - it was very entertaining and fun all around.

* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

The only thing I didn't like too much were when story lines went beyond 12am, however; I was always ready when announced with enough time to plan to take a nap.

* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?

Ronan's shrine being destroyed then the fixing of the altar with a new flame atop the altar. The visions from Ronan, the story of Sir Davard (Which I was planning on trying to rescue him as my paladin disagreed with the punishment. But sinceI had accidently slept through it, I never got a chance to try), finding more Ronanites and sharing stories with them... meeting Gliss, the gatherings at the steps.. Xayle messing with us.. I can go on and on.. even the shivers/whispers I receive randomly from being in the Shadow Realm are fun oocly. I think my most fun and favorite of the whole storyline was getting turned into a kobold and then turned again to a kobold on Halloween and then New Years Eve ;)

* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

He is wiser, trained more, and still devout as ever. He just wishes he could soon hear from Ronan and Chaeye soon and possibly begin taking the step to reclaim Ronan's temple in Ronan's name.


* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

Easily. However; I still found a balance between assignments and gametime and thus thankful most important plots occurred at night.

* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

Absolutely. Arkati (especially Ronan) keep me interested.. even just fighting evil as that would be with Ronan would want done.

* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

It just depends on the storyline.. if it makes sense on the nature of the storyline then my god.. make it take the time it needs. If it makes more sense to be 3/6 months then let it do so instead of just dragging out. The Cross into Shadows is an excellent example of 12+ months needed as you don't just confront a god like being and just make him disappear. :)

* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

Usually between 7pm and 12AM and sometimes during the day (just depends on what's going on but right now that's a luxery so I don't count on it)


* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

I'm just waiting on the aftermath and hoping something can catch my attention although I'll likely be hunting in the Rift when not at the Shrine of Dreams less I catch wind of something. One still very loose end is Athamael and the stolen book from the Hall of Mages I might add so we don't forget.

__________________________
- Kobold in Disguise Falvicar

You swing a silver-edged black veil iron katana at Sevynne!
* Sevynne drops dead at your feet!
* Sevynne just bit the dust!

I would also like to add, in regards to this:

<What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

Inclusion, inclusion, inclusion...this was my pet peeve for years and this story-line proved, beyond the Shadow of a doubt (get it? he he) that anyone that wished to can be included. This was, by far, my favorite part of the entire thing, and the credit for that goes to GM's AND players alike for putting forth the effort to make it happen.

General Radeek Andoran
Drakes Vanguard
Defender of Wehnimer's Landing
Black Raider of the Mir'Sheq




Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato

<<* What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

I personally liked the diversity of the character base that got (and remained) involved in this part. There were people from all walks of life immersing their characters into various parts of the storyline. I love this, as a player. I tend to not want to get involved when it’s just the “good guys” or “bad guys” running the show. This chapter continued what I loved most of all- a continual running commentary of good, bad and neutral. It was inclusionary, for anyone who wanted to get involved.


<<* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

I am an east coast person. During the week, I’m up VERY early for work. I hated having to miss things (some important, some not) because of my old-lady bedtime. However, the players made a point of posting both IC and OOC summaries on the boards, and THANK YOU all for doing that. It helped immensely with letting those of us who couldn’t be there still somehow feel connected. And, Kenstrom generally having game changing things happen on the weekends helped. A lot.


<<* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

First and foremost, the people I met along the way. I’d come back to the game in September, testing the waters, after a few year absence. It was the storyline with Rinhale, and then Talador, that convinced me to stay. The people I met in The Bitter Bite were wonderful, and the situation gave me the opportunity to start thinking, really thinking, about my character again.

Also, and I can’t stress this enough, this was the first time I actually felt that what my character did, and said, had an effect on the storyline. (Both good and bad!) It was amazing to really feel as if I was a part of the story, rather than someone watching a storyline unfold and simply be a spectator. This, Kenstrom, was magic.

I also really, really appreciated the variety of “little moments” that were given to so many players. I don’t know how you did it, but I think you really went out of your way (and by you, I mean all of the GM’s who were involved in this storyline in any capacity) to make many people happy/angry/shadowed/confused/etc. Honestly, I said this already, but I have to say it again- I don’t know how you all managed to do it so well.

<<* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I can’t say there’s much, other than the lack of sleep, and “missing” things. But, again, players and GM’s were really great about keeping things moving on the boards.

I’d love to see consequences for some of these actions we’ve taken, but- that’s probably coming. Be careful what you wish for, and all that.


<<* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?

Talador, for me, was the “beginning” of my character re-thinking who she really was (and who she’s really been, all along).

The assault on Elithain Cross’s house was one of those love/hate moments for me. It was spectacular. And it was one of the most frustrating things I (the player) have done.

The angst I (me! the player!) had after the Cosima debacle. There was some real frustration on my part figuring out how to deal with that mess.

All the intrigue. My character loves the intrigue.


<<* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

I don’t even know where to begin here. It’s this entire storyline that helped my character become the Bekke that she is now.

The storyline has made her (a little!) more open, more accepting, and less cautious with people. There are many, many more she would call “friend” than before, and does not have to spend the majority of her time hiding and/or talking to the cat.

And, then, of course, the night in Idolone, fighting Cross by unraveling one of his own doings, if only for a brief time.. using everything she’d ever learned, and everything she ever believed in for one brief moment of perfection? Come on. I’ll never forget that night. My character is now ORANGE (to quote Ephya)- and I need all new clothes. So literally and figuratively, I'll never forget that night. :)


<<* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

Totally. I’ll never catch up on all that lost sleep. There were mornings I tried logging onto my work system with my Play.Net information. Ridiculous.


<<* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

Yes. Bekke has already started her own little "CiS the Aftermath" scheming and plotting. She loves that intrigue.

<<* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

I absolutely loved this long storyline, and agree with someone who said earlier that it was one long storyline made up of many smaller parts. It was the first time I’d ever been involved in something this long, and that’s even with a break. I’d been around a few years back when Brinn and Cryheart were hanged, and when Stone sent all those women into the Portal of Doom. I was much more tentative, then, however, even though Bekke stormed the museum to reason with Stone. It was well done, in that I felt anyone could come in, and pick at least a “piece” of what was going on, at any point.

Let’s do it again!

<<* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

Early evening during the week. I’m generally out by 10 EST. Weekends are much easier.


<<* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

Allowing the players to, by their actions, or lack thereof, steer the storyline? Amazing.
And, to the GM NPC’s out there, keep it up. You all were integral to this story. Please, please don’t stop.


Thank you.

Christine and Bekke.

Oh, and Bekke says, "Any protectorate, by definition, is weakened of its sovereignty."

What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

I particularly liked the gradual changes in atmospheric messaging as the situation grew more and more dire - sure, they repeated themselves an awful lot, but they were a good touchpoint to remind ourselves that the multiple planes of existence were kinda coming apart on us. I also really enjoyed how epic the final Imperial battles felt and how every portal closure had its own unique flavor.


What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

The level of exhaustion that kind of washed over the entire playerbase (which I'll elaborate on, a few questions down) and how the story kind of lost some coherency in its final stages. It was uncomfortably obvious in spots that narrative corners were being cut for the sake of an efficient finish, and that kind of poured gasoline on player fatigue. Entirely understandable, considering! But also kind of a bummer, all the same.


What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I loved the level of individual attention and how easy it was to get involved or stand out in a crowd of dozens. I loved how evenly spread everything seemed to be across the various groups: the Gryphons and the Imperials, Sarvia and her blood mages, Greg and the LDI, Turin and the Crosslings, Crux and the Shadowsworn, even fringe characters like Hapenlok - everyone who put real effort in seemed to get a turn. So many participants got a Moment, and the GMs were so responsive to e-mails and mychars and so often helped shape those Moments into something special.


What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

The length. By Thanksgiving-ish even I was wearing out, and I've only been around since summer. Story burnout, which I mentioned a few questions up, had built up to pretty insane levels among some of the older players, which often meant I'd get excited about what I thought was a new and interesting plot twist... and everyone else had been there, done that, and was kinda exasperated. It let the air out of my sails more than once, but I totally get where they're coming from: they were worn out and hungry for some kind of resolution.


What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?

I feel like I should mention the Lylia/Crux ritual with Koar and the marking, or the marathon two hour Sevynne torture scene, but really I enjoyed the five minutes you let me up on that stupid chimera more than anything else I've ever done in GS. That was hilarious.

Aiska, the character, was hit hard by the Cosima debacle. It was the first time the horrors of war had a face attached to it, and the first time that she recognized that her actions could have unexpected and unwanted outcomes. These days, she takes time to turn matters over in her head, and is less afraid to question orders or find creative loopholes - even if those orders come from Bristenn.


Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

I hit the grid in the middle of the Taladorian War and Aiska was entirely shaped by the events of Chapters 2, 3, and 4. In the beginning, I imagined her as this skinny little hellraiser with a big honking axe, plunging into bloodbaths and cackling wildly all the while - and well, that part has more or less remained in place. Her pivot back toward the Empire and subsequent squirehood were far from my original vision of her, and it's been a challenge for me as a player to maintain those conceptual elements I enjoy while still convincingly portraying someone who is expected to behave with a degree of decorum.

As tensions have mounted between Landing and the Imperials, there's been a slow, steady change in Aiska that has surprised me greatly: how observant she is, how badly she wants to understand all of the political nuance, and how much questioning she's doing about her place in it all. She's shockingly aware that she's an ambassador of sorts, and very earnestly endeavors to be the change she wishes to see in the Empire. She wants to be the best possible foot the Sun Throne can put forward.


Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

There is a strong chance I would have quit if I hadn't been involved in CIS.


Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

I've actually been thinking about the months to come, because once guildmastering and capping are out of the way? By summer, I'll have very little to occupy my interest in GS. Gonna have to kinda feel things out.


Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

Smaller. I come from a game where 3-4 monthers are the norm, and have about 1-2 month breaks in between. An 8-monther nearly caused a player revolt. I'm not sure how I would've handled CIS had I been here from beginning to end.


What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others?

I was PST until around a month ago, and am now CST. I'm usually free weekday evenings after about 7 CST and flexible on weekends, depending on my social calendar.


General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

I'm very grateful to both the players and GMs for their open-armed welcome of me, which can be difficult in these older games with such entrenched populations. There have been very, very few interactions and events that left me with a bad taste in my mouth - overall, my experience with CIS was an extremely positive one. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to share this story with you guys, and I hope each of you know that I am happy to play in any story or scenario your imaginations can cook up. Thank you.

---

[LNet]-GSIV:Rhaz: "Aiska needs to come with a warning label"

>>What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

I returned to the game after 15+ years away and it was quite a pleasant shock to find accessible, thoughtful, and detailed storylines. I liked that the weather changed so I could look for action since virtually no one knew Katie to invite her along. I appreciated that there were a number of players who actively encouraged inclusiveness.

>>What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

I returned to the game after 15+ years away and it was quite an overwhelming shock to have so much to catch up on. I still don't know what half of Katie's spells do, am horribly clueless about any number of mechanical changes, half the geography of the world was brand new to me, and the sheer volume of backstory was intimidating - especially since it was not a black/white good/evil story. This is an observation not a complaint--the story is more compelling with the shades of grey. But I was completely lost on what the heck was going on for quite some time!

>>What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I only saw the last two-three months. I adored the pylons. I liked the diversity of the events - some focused on community or characters (the Arkati love-in, the Walkar-Kiske saga, Phever's restoration), others were quest-like (charging up the Reach, the attempts to save Mestanir), some were intended to cause discord and increase tension/conflict, and then some were just your everyday standard carnage and/or bickering.

>>What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I only saw the last two-three months. I appreciate that Katie is lucky as a mid-level cleric to have "something to do" during invasions. That said, spending extended time in massive healing/resurrection screen scroll is... not always fun. There was one night that I spent an extended time in screen scroll and then, at 2:45 AM, the group went up to the Reach to do stuff that I really wanted to see! But it was 2:45 AM. I was about to pass out. I'd spent 2+ hours in late-night screen scroll and ended up missing something I'd have loved (I know because I saw a log) because it was just too late.

>>Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?
The past few months have been an intensive catch up. The storyline has been the most enjoyable thing to catch up on. It has also given me a way to MEET people and get to know them. (As after so much time, all of my old peeps have moved on.) If it wasn't for the storyline, I'd recognize far fewer people in today's game.

>>Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

Definitely kept me up WAY too late! I was routinely up past 2am and then got up at 6am for work. I never would have stayed logged in that late for run-of-the-mill hunting.

>>Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

Given how extremely late I was to the party and the spectacularly vast amount of stuff I did not know, it made a lot of sense to me to keep Katie as mostly an observer. Now that I've politely kept a low profile for the last pages of the GS-equivalent of War and Peace, It'd be fun to step it up a bit for future stuff.

>>Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?*
Whatever makes sense given the storylines at hand.

>>What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

My "dream" time would be 9pm to midnight, eastern time. I will stay up for the middle of the night, but quite frankly, I was often glad to be an observer as I was often REALLY tired. Exhaustion and thoughtful RP don't always go well together.

>>General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

Even though I was clearly self-selecting not to return with a big, splashy cannonball into the storyline pool, several times GMs noticed my character and reached out to include her in small ways. That was sweet. Further, I returned from the same GS3-era as Lylia and I agree wholeheartedly with her closing remarks - and I, too, love what you've done with the place.

Like many, I found the time to be a largely insurmountable barrier, so my ability to participate was non-existent. I'll answer the portions I can

>> * Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

Shorter. Especially in light of how confused people were at the end, it just feels more self-contained. That being said, it doesn't have to be a complete resolution, just separate into arcs and allow people to catch up etc. Also, shorter storylines will probably be less difficult for people coming back from long breaks to join in.

>> * What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

Since I'm eastern, any time between 6pm-12am can be made to work, with 9-12 being the most likely to also play well with the west-coasters.

>> * General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

This is something that's been bothering me since I came back in September. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of GM encouraged roleplay beyond the "big massive story." It might make everything a bit more accessible if there were smaller, possibly 2-4 week storylines that were run during other time windows, possibly even during non-peak times. Something where it's more the scope of a town, where 1 GM could sign up for just a 1 month commitment, might help things feel a little more alive.

Also, I know there's a large contention point around RPA's, and how with the fact that most of the storyline is so late, it makes people who want to participate but can't (because of real world concerns, like being able to afford a subscription) feel cheated. Is there any thought to putting something like say a weekly/monthly cap on the # allowed (to prevent things getting out of hand) and using smaller storylines or one-off roleplayings sessions as a mechanism? I hear about maybe one or two players every month that get an RPA out of the main storyline, and then hear about people who can attend the main storyline go 10+ levels in two months without ever NOT being under a boost.

Now yes, I know some people may argue "you shouldn't be role-playing just to get an RPA" and I agree completely, but if people want to make that argument, they should be against them being given out entirely.

>> This actually did happen. Just not in the same town as the big storyline.

I may just be suffering from trying to live in the landing then. If there were any since I came back to the game, I didn't catch wind of them, I'm afraid. Was I just not looking in the right places? Is there some way some un-subtle (but possibly more subtle than 6 weeks of blood rain) hints can make it into the game of where to go? Would be much appreciated. I know there are some one-off evenings (frequently posted on the calendar), those aren't what I'm referring to.

>* What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

>* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I'm combining these answers into one, because I admit that my brain struggles to separate the chapters.

Good things:

-Having a fairly reliable schedule for events. It reduced anxiety about missing stuff.
-Good communication about things happening. It was very easy to tell if something was going on.
-How inclusive everything was (and both of the aforementioned things helped with that) - not every event was necessarily for everyone, but there was a role somewhere for everyone
-The attention to detail. It was incredibly impressive how you managed to keep all of the little personal details and motivations of the billion player characters involved straight, and actually make them relevant. I think that's why some of this story had so much impact that some others I've participated in: you made a point of making it personal for all of us. This was amazing.
-More exposure for the Empire. The Empire is huge and has so much in-depth development, but it always feels like we never actually see it in game, thus its resulted in The Empire being more of an abstract concept than a part of the world. This storyline opened up the Empire in a way that's never happened before (which was one of the reasons I got involved). I loved how we really got some perspective on the size and variety that it had to offer. (And getting to visit The Swale was sort of the cherry on top of it all.) I can’t wait to see more.
-Shades of grey. I liked that there were no right answers.
-Pylasar! There were a lot of fantastic NPCs from all of the GMs involved, but I think Pylasar's going to have a lasting impact on my character like no other.
-The End. The palpable sense of impending doom was well-done. We knew we were running out of time and we could feel it.
-The players. Everyone was fantastic. I was impressed. Seriously.

>* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

>* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

Likewise, combining these as well. Honestly, I was pretty happy throughout this whole thing. I haven't gotten this much enjoyment out of the game in awhile... so I don't have much to complain about. Most of what I do... makes me feel like I'm being a bit nitpicky.

-I suppose I would have actually liked a little more time at the end. There are aspects of all the pieces of the end that I would have liked to see a bit more fleshed out - like what was up with the Reach, more from Aralyte, etc. There was a LOT going on near the end that we didn't get much time to explore... which may have contributed to some of the feelings that we didn't have much impact on the end. We were following instructions while maybe lacking some of the meaning/understanding behind our tasks?
-Stone was maybe another area where I think we, as players, felt a bit powerless. So many characters knew that something totally sketchy was up. So many red flags were raised... but we couldn't quite seem to make it matter.
-I'm super biased on this one but... the Empire is BIG. The Empire is POWERFUL. I know there are still consequences to be doled out, but sometimes it just felt a bit too easy to undermine the Empire throughout this. We spent a lot of time on the boards trying to illustrate the scope of the Empire, but sometimes I don't know if their status as a superpower has really been felt. (But still... I honestly feel like this one storyline gave the Empire more exposure than every other storyline combined ever has. So, maybe this is just a way of me saying I still want more!)
-I have not gotten enough sleep this year.

>* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?
I think my most memorable moment was when Raelee lost her magic. Selfishly, I actually wish it lasted longer. (If it had, I imagine she would have just lost it at some point.) It opened up a major vulnerability and exploring that was a lot of fun. In a broader sense, the presence of the Hall was extremely validating to me as a player - it definitely legitimized a lot of the history I cooked up for Raelee and made her associations feel more real than ever. (And Raelee's last chat with Pylasar in the museum... I confess. I got misty-eyed. The mad purple mage managed to say exactly the right things to her... )

>* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?
Yes and no, and I say that mostly because I want to argue about the semantics of "growth!" I don't think she's grown much yet, but it planted about a million seeds that have the potential to really change who she is. Without a doubt, though... it's impacted her in a big way. She's always been very certain of her priorities. Knowledge matters above all. The magic and the work, that is what's important. Family does not matter. Friends to not matter. Loyalty does not matter. Nothing else matters.

This storyline exposed her to a lot of very personal things, revisited a lot of old insecurities, and opened some old wounds. Suddenly she was back home in The Swale. (She HATED the fact that people were not just visiting The Hall, but visiting the Hall in The Swale. It felt like a bunch of strangers were walking through her childhood.) Suddenly her family was within reach again. Suddenly the Hall is staring her in the face in a way that it hasn't since she was very young. Then, she found that a lot of things that weren't supposed to matter did matter... and they mattered a lot. (I think this is the big reason she was better behaved in this storyline than in her other two apocalypses - and didn’t pull any of her usual sketchy stuff.) But she's stubborn and doesn't take personal change well... so it's going to take her awhile to process this.

>* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?
Absolutely. I was only involved in the storyline for the last year... but before this past year, I was barely logging in. Now I'm logging in for several hours every night.

>* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?
I want to! I think I just need for things to keep happening. It certainly doesn’t have to be at storyline pace or intensity, but little things every now and again to give us something to talk about...

>* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?
I'm a BIG fan of longform storytelling. (Comic books, where our drama goes on for 20 years!) So, I definitely appreciate a long, epic saga with lots of complexity and detail. That said, I can understand how it get get exhausting for all involved. I think my ideal is a long storyline that came in shorter chapters like this, with a definite break between chapters. (I did generally feel that our chapter breaks could have all used an extra week.)

>* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)
I’m another EST player, though I'm a definite night owl. My prime playing hours are usually between 10pm and 1am, sometimes starting a bit later. The start times for events were actually fine for me, but at times things ran a bit late... even for me. (I missed Davard's surrender a few chapters ago because I nearly fell asleep on my keyboard twice, and decided to give up.)


>* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. Thanks. This was pretty awesome.


Signed,
Raelee and her Strings

>Speaking to Zyllah, Alyias says, "See? Raelee knows all."

Now for the survey:

> * What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?
Hunting in Wyrdeep and getting ingredients together.

* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?
I was a bit frustrated when Walkar just had to keep not listening to reason during his descent, but I see how his madness was sort of non-negotiable, and I'm basically okay with it.

* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?
Reasons for characters to pick different sides. Real sense of sacrifice and loss, so that victory seemed worth more. Temporary hunting areas. RPAs. The night we rescued Stone.

* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?


Now for the survey:

> * What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?
Hunting in Wyrdeep and getting ingredients together.

* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?
See last post. Also, stuff started happening a bit earlier than I could get logged in for, I guess because of the vagaries of DST.

* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?
Reasons for characters to pick different sides. Real sense of sacrifice and loss, so that victory seemed worth more. Temporary hunting areas. RPAs. The night we rescued Stone.

* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?
I was a bit frustrated when Walkar just had to keep not listening to reason during his descent, but I see how his madness was sort of non-negotiable, and I'm basically okay with it.

* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?
I still don't have a well-articulated reason why, but Goat was absolutely crushed after "winning" an invasion one night and then seeing a tree go evil in the Swale. The fact that this character, who I invented in my own head, surprised me a little... it was pretty cool.

* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?
I think it Goat now has a stronger feeling about protecting Elanith in general, but he was sort of that way in the first place. He gained a lot of respect for Ronan. He will be interested in developing his fledgling scrying skills, which will go well with his desires to learn about as many magical and martial arts he can. I’d say he grew a bit, but it’s more accurate to say he gained a lot of depth. If anything comes up involving Stone, evil trees, Glethad, or Aralyte (and some others), he’ll have much richer motives and memories I can draw from. Same goes for some player characters, as well.

* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?
Yes. If it weren’t for storylines and temp hunting areas, GS would probably become just a treadmill experience for me. This storyline, and the others I’ve been involvedin, makes the fictional world seem alive, evolving, complex, and worth being part of.

* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?
Yes. I'm very interested in what comes up with Stone. It was maddening trying to be half-allied with him, and it’ll probably be pretty fun if he ends up being an outright adversary. Goat would go through a lot to try to save Aralyte, too.

* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?
Either is fine. I hope there will still be epic nights like Lord Winter’s mansion or the trip into the Swale, regardless of how long the story has been working out. Right now seems like a good time to do smaller ones, since there are a variety of open questions to look into.

* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)
I’m pacific and I log in later. I usually get home from work around 7-7:30 (pacific), then my wife wants attention for a half hour, we eat dinner while watching a TV show, and then I log in around 9 and play for a couple hours. Sometimes I’m on earlier, and I can often get in earlier if I know something is going to happen.

* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!
I would love to have just a little more warning, and a little more often, of when stuff will be going on. I’m not asking for a hard schedule 2 weeks in advance, but it would be awesome to get a heads up on the boards the day before (of morning of) when something a bit more significant than normal is going to happen. I can try to get home a little earlier, etc.

I was only watching at the end, because I have been mostly absent since GS3. But I will answer some of these, because the events are inescapable in their impact.

* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

When I left way back when, "scale" was one of the things under my skin. I would have worded it something like, "Where are the orcish hordes, demons, and evil cabals?" Intermediate scale powers. The political intrigues given the intricate socio-political histories, accessible actions-and-consequences, not "archmage says the wrong word, world stops spinning." Basically, I am saying "this kind of thing" fixes my old taste issues, which was lack of sufficient realism. This was obviously much more sophisticated, a lot more subtle, with things that actually make sense in terms of world logic. Urnon golem is something I would have actually suggested. Also, the rest of you guys, I was almost culture shocked by the quality of the roleplaying.

* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I wasn't there for most of it, so I have a steep learning curve for figuring out "the present state of affairs." I'm not sure what I would have noticed or interpreted differently from any second-hand accounts, but I guess that comes with the territory, it is just that the character I am playing is supposed to know these things and I was already way rusty on my Empire. That isn't really a bad thing, because it's a product of the human history being the most plausible, least idealized. Many of the other documents feel like they are built around character classes, along the lines of "if you want to be this race and this profession, be a member of this tribe/clan/house/whatever which that race uses for those professions."

* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

Xorus was intended to be an Ur-Daemon cultist, but was still mostly closeted when I left. It was not as simple as "they worship demons", it was more of a false religion, ascension oriented with an apocalyptic vision. His own special focus was killing deities and ending the world, so this would have been right up his alley. I would say he hasn't grown at all, because he has been waiting, hoping Althedeus would do a lot more damage before being taken down. The change will likely be him being more open about his identity, with less pretending to be an ordinary Faendryl, and more pushing for the virtues of genocide, treating major demons as "dark gods", and collapsing barriers between planes of existence.

* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

Indirectly. I seem to be sticking around this time.

* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

More likely to be involved after the storyline. The character was a "shadow in the background", so to speak, and would ultimately have turned on Althedeus. He will want to seduce Elves and Dark Elves especially toward ending the Turamzzyrian problem, probably trying to convince the Illistim that "dark magic" can only be warded against by embracing it. He would try to convince the Faendryl that there is some serious stuff in the Landing (e.g. The Reach, Broken Lands) that the humans should not be allowed to control. He thinks the world is much more vulnerable to demonic incursions since "the Eye" in the Drake Shrine was destroyed in the Vvrael incident, so he expects that these problems with dark powers will increasingly become the norm in the West. In other words, he is very optimistic, for the first time in centuries.

* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

Length proportional to impact.

* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

Late, late, late.

* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

Dark magic, demons, and sinister cabals. More magic that is not part of whatever we learn through these guilds, maybe NPCs who are supposedly other things that could just as easily be (or maybe in other cities are) their own guilds, and black arts which could only have been picked up through dark channels or Despana style searching for forgotten ruins and powerful artifacts. There was a whole Age of Darkness, and an Age of Chaos, for all kinds of warped religions or whatever else to have come up with some really wicked stuff.

Perhaps the Faendryl have been leaking things out through the sorcerer guilds to be subversive, going way further than its dubious societal tolerance now, with increasing religious and political backlash because of all the problems being caused by forbidden knowledge. (And maybe a certain nameless society that doesn't exist could acquire some kind of understandable purpose.) I've also always kind of wanted to know something, even incompletely, about whatever other continents are out there so Elanith doesn't feel like the whole world...

Also, blood rain induced famine seems reasonable, all considering.

- Xorus' player

---

The vereri says, "You have no reason to fear me, Xorus."

The nedum vereri smiles soothingly at you. You feel your resistance melt away!
d100 == 1 FUMBLE!

Thank you for this opportunity. My character has been through a few of these story lines since I had him defrosted in 2005. This is the best one yet as far accessibility for youngins and marginal characters like mine, who find consistency in their RP a challenge,or the character is simply too weak to have much play any where near the front lines. The evolution of fighting infrastructure that let the younger player into the fight was particularly robust and appreciated! Also having the enemy send in lower level front line invaders at the start of a given siege,is very nice.
The depth and complexity of the story line is something your rightfully proud of,and as you have mentioned, has opened entire chapters for plot line development and opportunities of interaction of player characters.

I guess my big turn off , after the graphic depiction of the murder of the generals lady by Drangel, was the cynical use of the image of an abandoned little girl desperately trying to escape a Chimera by pounding and begging at a closed magical portal.This narrative was unnecessarily sadistic. I know to complain of entertainments that turn the horrors of war into a game because the description is too close to the real, is frankly, hypocritical. But ANY entertainment about war is entertaining because it isnt TOO realistic, and follows certain, albiet hackneyed stereo type plot restrictions. Although I resisted the introduction of children character/victim NPCs into this game..I have to admit they brought 'life' to Wehnimers Landing, and the heart string tugs, added depth and dimension to play.
But lines need be drawn..its one thing to have distant reports of the horrors of war..quite another in actual 'real time' depiction, of images of crying children suffering immolation (or worse) at the hands of demonic monsters. When that 'line' was crossed, I stepped away from much more than helping defenders at sieges.

Other than that, 'Cross' raised the level of play ..literally and figuratively.

Congradulations..and thank you!

Elbromo

I started writing responses to the questions last night, and I put myself to sleep. Permit me to craft this response, instead.

Kenstrom and company (I'm using the phrase 'and company' because I do not want to fail to omit those GM's who were part of things and my addled brain might forget to mention),

This storyline was a work of art. I do agree that the ending seem rushed, but others have pointed out the intangibles where that is concerned.

Here is the thing. I think, no.. I know that I am not alone in wanting my character to have shiny moments. Truly, quest hog that I am, aggressive and interactive, there has been no other experience in GS where I felt so much in the thick of things, which is saying quite a lot, because I feel that I excel at sticking my nose where it doesn't necessarily belong. That is the thing, then. You managed, miraculously, to make so many people feel that way. Enabled. Empowered. Which on the one hand, grants a tremendous experience for the player, and on the other hand, sets the bar VERY high and I question whether that is sustainable, as more and more people realize that they, too, can have a personalized shiny moment in an epic, world-shattering storyline.

I say that, because there were moments where I felt I messed up an opportunity. Maybe we miscommunicated. Maybe I zigged, when I should have zagged. Maybe I pushed against the brick wall, ran with something when there was nowhere to go - or - I sat back to let others have their moments, when I should have done more. Are these complaints, criticisms? No, not really. If this is the problem, it's a good problem to have. We live in an entitlement age, where folks think they are owed something, because everyone is a butterfly snowflake. I don't want to be that guy. But, I do want to be -a- player you can lean on to make things happen amongst whatever niche I happen to be in, because frankly, I feel comfortable in a role enabling others. I struggle with writing this, I hope this makes sense.

The complexity, the muddy morality, the implementation were all brilliant. It's been stated that the interest in the 'dark' avenues were somewhat unanticipated, and so ... I have nothing to add to that. But, for what it's worth, I've made friends and gained respect for folks RP directly as a result of being with the followers of Cross. There's a lot of talent there, and people with whom I hope our paths will continue to cross (HAHAHAHA, SEE WHAT I DID THERE?).

For instance, one of the things I enjoyed the most was the raid on Talador, and the abduction of Cosima - not because of the action, but because I was able to coordinate a pretty massive, impactful event that was sparked by an exchange of whispers and a couple of letters. In this, I had a few moments as a player, and have absolutely no room to complain. I will say that I had never had that experience as a player, and I nearly botched it here on the boards - but the IG concept, the IC event, that .. that was glorious.

But, you know, those shiny moments become a drug, and you're like Denzel Washington in American Gangster. I honestly don't know how much is too much, or if I'm doing good, or if I'm being greedy. I don't want to be a greedy, spoiled crackhead. I am certainly appreciative of anything and everything, because it's more than I've ever managed in any other storyline, ever. I mention this now, as we're moving forward, because after this storyline, I feel that I've found my character's niche, but the only way to be sure is through practice and engagement.

Speaking of which, storyline length is an interesting issue. The longer the storyline, the higher barrier to entry and the more likely that entrenched PC's will be running the show, which may feel exclusive to new faces. Consider that many former players are diehard RP'ers, and as news of your successes and efforts continue to spread, I am confident that new faces will be on the scene, whether they be returning characters or current characters come to see what all the fuss is about. There were certain niches that were filled, while others wanted to beat on that door. I know, above, I speak of wanting to fill a niche, but I am not alone in that, nor do I expect to be the only to be able to do so.

Let me give you an example. Knights. I'll never be a Knight, so it's a thing to watch and observe. That's a niche, closed group, usually getting some special time and treatment. However, it's not just ONE PERSON. You got this Sir and that Sir and that Madam and some are in this group and some are in that group. Then, along comes Aiska, and manages to get in with that group AND have an impact on the storyline in X ways. She's not a Knight, but she's well on her way, and your storyline allowed that - BECAUSE - that niche wasn't too entrenched within ONE PC. Now, maybe Aiska isn't getting the name recognition and handshaking and formality that Cryheart gets, but she's well on her way. IN MY OBSERVATION.

I don't know how to apply that particular brilliance to all the niches and subsets of every little snowflake butterfly in Elanthia. But, it's something I pay attention to, because that was my goal with forming the Dae'Randir, an RP organization centered around Onar worship. To be very clear, I think you did great with giving SO MANY PEOPLE their drugs, er.. their shiny RP spotlight moments.. but I question whether this is sustainable, moving forward, without leading to that feeling of favoritism and exclusivity and high barrier to entry that turns people away from storylines - because, as I said, people are going to want to be part of what you are doing here.

*

This last leg of the quest touched upon every single thing I have ever dabbled in with my character. Blood Magic (marginally), Wyrdeep Forest (major), Mindwalking / Scrying (I miss Charna!), Assassination, Intrigue (my entire focus 5-6 years ago), killing Empire soldiers. Angst. Stress. IC Conflict vs Not being sentimental (huge, pivotal lesson for character development), and of course Arkati worship/faith. The whole storyline, I was a fat kid in a candy store, trying to get me some juvenile diabetes.

*

What a babbling mess. Look, I'm overtired, I got some RL bs going on, and I'm having a hard time thinking clearly as of late, but I wanted to give you a big fat high five with a little constructive criticism. I have absolutely zero complaints, is the bottom line, because I've nothing to compare this to. I've never been so excited about playing the game, about writing, about plotting, about the "what if" than I have been in the 10 months since my return. Yea, I face some frustrations as a player, but they're the same frustrations because of the choices I've made in playing this type of character, which have very little to do with how the GM's have orchestrated this storyline.

*

I work afternoons and evenings, and usually can get settled to log in between 10/10:30 pm EST. I live in the Bible Belt, so Sunday is the best day to play, because everything here is closed. Haha? I like what you did increasingly towards the end, that of several announcements, and the gist of the informative RP happening relatively early on. I rather like the concept of .. if there's a big event one night that runs late, maybe the next night, a quick little "review" from the relevant NPC - for either those who missed it, or couldn't stay up so late.

The other thing you did that I loved were the IC posts, the news reports from here and there, which also helps to compensate for the time differences and people's RL just getting in the way. If players are doing that, that's great.

We need to consider what I call.. town buzz.. after this or that thing happens, one should be able to go into Helga's and sit at the bar and eavesdrop on the commoner's conversations. Since that does not happen (although, there's an idea for ya*), we have the posts on the boards which equate to the same sorta thing.

* NPC Shade McBeerDrinker, been living in the town for years, knows when and where to hide when things go wrong, his parents were killed by the feithidimor or some such.

Ask shade about Cross.
Shade sips on his beer and says, "Well, they be sayin' that dere Arcane Summoner was stabbed by his own daughter. Serves him right. Who turns their kid into an urnon golem? Koar almighty."

give shade 100 silvers

Shade takes your coins and glances around nervously. "Well, I did hear that the Rooks were gonna meet beneath the town on the Eve of the Huntress, the 23rd. But you didn't hear that from me!"

give shade 100 silvers

Shade takes your coins with a smile. "I ain't got nothing new to tell ya, but I reckon you owe me, and I am appershative of you buying me a drink."

Then you can post on the boards when good ole Shady's been updated with new information, and we can do it all in character. AND/OR you can have Shady read the 'alignment' of characters and reveal the relevant information. He won't give Ronanite information to a Sheruvian, for instance.

Just a thought.

Anyway, thanks for everything! You are all awesome.

---

~ Bill, Coyote.

The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination.
~ Voltaire

1. Was not involved much during the Demon Rising event due to skill level, but did however like going after cross with the group and even managed to live through out most of the event, lol.I also liked the idea of having separate areas for different skill levels, kudos to you.

2. at 50 trains the creatures were either to big or to small for me to gain any experience the krolvin necromancer were the only things i gained experience on but was not much so wasnt even worth it for me to go there to hunt, dont get me wrong loved the idea of aged areas just need to broaden it a little more maybe.

3. enjoyed the long story line alot always knew that action was just around the corner, wish you could or would do a story line like the griffin sword saga where there were demons and invaders 24/7 for over two weeks, realy enjoyed the hell out of that saga but sadlt that was a long time ago.

4. Also learned that Kenstrom likes wearing frilly pink panties.

I play mostly between the hours of 5pm and 10pm eastern so it would be nice to have more action during those times.West Coasters suck!

My involvement was only sparse here and there, but I'm happy to offer a bit of feedback as I can. Maybe I should have a better distinction among the different chapters that I don't really have (or not). Hopefully I am imagining that Chapter 3 involved Barnom the Lich King, and Chapter 4 is what's happened since that time, and this is basically correct (starting roughly with shrine desecration, etc, in December 2013).

* What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

All the things that specifically happened to both players and shrines, etc. Blue haze in the eyes, characters that were unable to cast spells, weird bats with faces of my friends invading the town, etc. Shrines around the Landing being systematically destroyed or defaced, etc. None of these happened to my characters, but it was really fun and interesting none-the-less. This really helped to flesh out the degrees of connected-ness. Maybe you weren't directly affected, but you were probably only one or two friends away from people very directly involved.

* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?

I feel like I was waiting for something more about the demons that I never really saw. There were demons invading town sometimes. I saw some summoning circles on some krolvin ships. And eventually there was the demon wall. As the player of a character very interested, and at least marginally well-versed in, the study of the valences, I was rather surprised to find there was really nothing actually interesting going on with demons at all (or if there was, I never really found out about it or made the connection). Demons were at best sideline players, and maybe I just got tired of waiting, or parsed over summaries of events too quickly, but anyway that was my feeling. It sucks to see NPCs and other entities in game doing major demonic summoning when even after all is said and done, players of demonologists were left right back where we started. Anyway, I at least learned nothing more about demons, either in theory or in practice. So the title seems deceptive to that end.

My character had met Barnom, and didn't want to join with him. I also showed up to a summoning of Althedeus (right before the bat-faces came out), but didn't cross over for that either. I had wanted to take the side of some demonic entities pretty much all along, but there was never a good chance that suited my interests. And demons kept trying to kill my character who wanted to befriend them. I always got the impression the demons were on someone's side but never really their own, and I had never felt inclined to side with most any of the different factions in this story line.

* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I can only speak back to the beginning of the Lich King story line. Crashing the game as we went to destroy the phylacteries was pretty amazing. Lots of different things happened in different places around Elanthia, including some areas we could access as players. Generally similar feedback with the positive of chapter 4: things actually happened to players that had consequences outside of RP 'opinion.' You couldn't just pretend, for example, that the lich-born were this way or that, but should have to draw your conclusions based on physical evidence of what happened to them. Release of areas like Lich's Landing that are still accessible after the events are over. All these things lead to a lasting impact of the storyline on the game.

* What were some things you disliked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

It was pretty convoluted and had so much going on, it felt nearly impossible to isolate events or times of strong interest to my character. It seemed like I had to just show up any time I heard things were going on, and hope it might be something that interested my character. Sometimes show up and it's totally boring for me, or I hear about something like the desecration of Imaera's shrine, and I'm like, "Wow it really sucks that I missed that."

The story dividing characters or trying to force us into tough decisions was very interesting, but not without its downsides. Since my character has no vested interest in WL (for example), and really didn't think any of the different "sides" of the story were compelling, the results were more and more that I'd just avoid the entire storyline and hang out in another city, as is my usual MO. So I felt the conflict of the story kind of kept me away, because I could never find a side worth joining, and figured the different sides could go on trying to annihilate each other without me.

The number of players who continually attempted to be involved for no clear reasons of their own at any time or any place was definitely detracting. (There seemed to be a lot of RPA hunting, where players would show up or feign interest just for selfish reasons of the player when the character didn't appear to be contributing anything.)

* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?

Game crash. All the weird black trees. My character getting moulis from one of the WL council members. The blood ritual with the shaman to remove the anti-magic curses. Seeing people getting wrecked by awesome demons.

* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

Astoundingly, almost not at all. I searched and searched for my niche, and either was never present at the right times, or it just wasn't there. Kind of a bummer, but my character is also the oddball. I did piece together some important parts of his backstory concurrently as the storyline progressed, but I don't think there is a strong relationship here. (More likely at Vathon's uncommon rune events, where demonology and valence lore was more of a topic and got the cogs turning.) He had poisoned some orphans, and I thought this might lead to something interesting, but mostly it didn't.

* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

This is a tough question. Since I was playing sometimes at my desk at work, I suppose the answer must be yes. But the question of what "normally" means is unclear. Is my baseline normal RP, running CHE events, going to a big merchant festival, doing my weekly Gift, or what? There were definitely some aspects of the story line I found very engaging. It was usually best if I had some notice of them beforehand, since I'm on the other side of the world in terms of time zones.

* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

The storyline, while interesting, didn't actually engage my character almost at all, despite my (at least minimal) efforts. But I was and still am interested to stay involved with the game, events, and storylines of the future. Seeking to understand my character better is always interesting to me, and I really enjoy the challenge of searching for his niche or defining moments.

* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

Got to say smaller. It's so hard to follow things over such a long time with so many angles. Even some key players who were involved in Chapter 3 weren't around for Chapter 4. Then again, if I'd really gotten strongly involved, I'm sure I'd want it to last as long as possible. The duration chosen was not unreasonable.

* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

I kind of neglect my answer here, since I'm in Japan. If 8pm is good for me, it means 9 or 10am for EST. But I probably won't be in Japan for more than another year (Europe next, perhaps).

* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

The story line was imagined and executed in a really amazing way.

---

>Kayse scrambles to avoid being sucked into the void!

What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why? * What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

The new areas to explore. The amount of work that went into these places is very much appreciated. Loved seeing Wyrdeep live. Thank you for that. The new mechanics that aid the less experienced in invasions. It's not as exciting as sweeping the streets but you get to be involved. And taking down an airship is pretty cool. I really liked the tiered invasion. What happened to that?


* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

Information overload. Night after night of new twists. I can't imagine how you kept it all together. As fun as intricate plots and weaving stories are, it must be exhausting and sometimes..it felt cut short. I would love to see one great idea fleshed out to be inclusive rather than splintered approaches which sometimes feels more like exclusion.

* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?

The Wyrdeep calling Glyhne's name touched her. I wish I had done more with that. Time constraints, other things going on etc seemed to overwhelm any personal exploration into that. It was a cool night though. I hope someday to flesh out the ideas I almost started.

The war with Talador really tore her to pieces. She found a soft heart and also a fierce tongue.


* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

Of course. Which way she grew is yet to be seen. She found a soft side, a hard side, a sassy side, a berating side, a judgemental side and then saw that thrown back. She grew, she regressed, she was quieter at the end, she was loud when she didn't know what the hell was going on. It was fun to be a mess. Thank you so much to those close to me for forgiving, and letting that blossom. <3's.

* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

I'm a lonely gal one hour outside of EST. Most of the story happened a bit too late for me. I enjoyed catching up on the boards. Rowmi kept me in the loop, as did others but still I whined about missing it :P. I might have stayed up until 4 am once or twice but you can't enjoy enjoy anything at that point. I'm not a night owl.


* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

I'm experiencing somewhat of an overload. I will continue to be involved but not intensely. Wouldn't mind a bit of rebuilding and sorting out. Getting a handle on other stuff for a bit. I look forward to fleshing out personal stories and seeing others blossom as well.


* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

As epic as CIS was, the amount of information and activities from night to night did make it extremely hard to keep up with. I like the 3 months...Then have trickle down like CIS did. Some bad guys live and will return. New nemesis' emerge from the bitterness etc.


* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

8-12pm est weeknights.


* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

Just another general thank you to all the GMs that put so much hard work into CIS and making sure everyone felt involved, not just a few. Thank you Rowmi and to all Glyhne's buddies and not so buddies. You all make this the intricate tapestry of fun and depth of spirit and story one can only hope for.

What were some things you liked most about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why? * What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

I loved how this story drew me back in. New elements with old elements and characters from previous chapters gave it a sort of charm I found irresistible.

The many ways we could involve ourselves, and how this involvement was nurtured in a variety of ways, was just amazing. That returning characters, also, like Stormyrain and Lylia, and a new character like Aiska were able to connect to it so quickly is a testament to how eager you, and the other GMs were to pull us in for this ride, and what a fine ride it was.

The changes in how we see Elanthia, as a result of what has happened, are a milestone. I posted on this briefly, before, but the more fully realized picture of our fantastic world remains one of the greatest achievements, to my mind, of this story. I know I was inspired to research the Turamzyrrian Empire more, and have made (gasp) a human to play from some part of that perspective. I find this one of the better developed but underused parts of game documentation, and hope to see more come from it!

Player and character interactions: This was the best. My circle of game friends grew through this story, and my character interactions grew even more.

The pylons! These were a wonderful way to offer varied ways of participating in the town defense, and gave these invasion scenes what I can only describe as a Battle of Britain sort of feel on the airship invasion nights. Major kudos for how this was done.

The Deadfall and The Demonwall: Ya know, I like to hunt, STILL. Having a capped hunting ground that wasn't a serious expedition to get to from the Landing was VERY nice. All portals through the Hall were excellent, though I was not able to get involved in any of their climactic battles.

* What were some things you disliked about Chapter 4: Demon Rising, of the Cross into Shadows storyline, and why?* What were some things you liked about the entire storyline, Cross into Shadows, and why?

It was hard to avoid the sense of being on a set track, for the finale,, and this is perhaps the hardest part of an epic story: To make the end anything as surprising and wonderful as the journey towards that conclusion. This was offset, though, by some wonderful surprises along the way, which appear to be leading into future stories.

* What were some memorable moments from Cross into Shadows for you, as a player, and then also your character?

Stone's return really drew my character out of his usual detachment. The ferocity this inspired left me a little surprised, and lent a sense of absolute surety to how my guy behaved.
My character's involvement, quietly, in something I saw as potentially critical to how part of the story turned out, was quite rewarding.
The way those who initially followed Cross were haunted by that choice, later, became very important to how my character saw his own role develop, as a friend and adviser. This was perhaps the biggest surprise, for me.


* Has your character grown from the experiences of the storyline? If you don't mind sharing, then how so?

Yes. I essentially made him near the beginning of this story, with no idea where it was going to lead. He's become far more involved, personally, with those around him than I ever expected, but, at the same time, has maintained a very independent perspective on what is important.

* Did the storyline keep you engaged, and logged into the game more than you might normally?

Not as much as it did the first year of the story. I just can't do the late hours the way I used to.


* Will you continue to stay involved in the game, and ongoing events, even after the storyline? If so, what are things that keep you interested?

Yes. Things to do with the Empire. Things to do with Stone. Things to do with the Star. Krolvin things. Political things. Religious things. Pretty much, things relating to the story you've already spun, and probably any new ideas you care to throw in. I like what you've done.


* Do you prefer smaller storylines (3-6 months) or longer storylines (6-12+ months)?

I like epic, but a few smaller arcs would probably be good, for a bit, perhaps building back into something bigger.


* What times of day/evening are you able to be in-game more easily than others? (This is a nice way for me to help keep track of peoples schedules, and maybe plot future storylines across different windows of time)

8-12pm est weeknights. Staying up later has gotten HARD!


* General Comments and Suggestions. Go Nuts!

I'd love to see more stories taking us into parts of the Turamzzyrian Empire. This was such a huge pleasure, over the past year, that I've developed a taste for it. The hunting, the places and things and foods and wow! This was great! Of course, I'm also open to playing tourist in other cultures and locales.

>>We need to consider what I call.. town buzz.. after this or that thing happens, one should be able to go into Helga's and sit at the bar and eavesdrop on the commoner's conversations. Since that does not happen (although, there's an idea for ya*), we have the posts on the boards which equate to the same sorta thing.

I did this briefly, with an NPC dockworker on the North Docks before Shadows began. He had 5 or so rumors you could ask about. Then because of Shadows, I never got around to updating him like I wanted to on atleast a quarterly basis, so I moved him away for now. I intend to revisit this, and a few other options in the coming months. Rumor mills are fun!

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

>>The room descs in the shadow land. I really enjoyed what I read of them. They seemed almost too good for an event like this, where hardly anyone could stop for a minute and let them sink in.

Xayle did an awesome job on these rooms (and now we question her sanity even more). But it may not be the last time you see these rooms....who knows!

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

>>It was hard to avoid the sense of being on a set track, for the finale,, and this is perhaps the hardest part of an epic story: To make the end anything as surprising and wonderful as the journey towards that conclusion. This was offset, though, by some wonderful surprises along the way, which appear to be leading into future stories.

I think this hits it really good. A lot of the fun of Shadows, was the flexibility, the ability to make it twist and turn depending on the players, and the finale was definitely less of that element, with no real way around it per se. Heck, even once I thought, wouldn't it be a nice twist if they couldn't destroy Althedeus, but instead divert him into another realm, essentially signing the death sentence for that world, while saving their own? hehe. But I did still enjoy the finale, and any shortcomings I've learned from and hopefully endings can be a little more organic, at least that's the goal! :)

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru