In an essay on time travel, the science-ficton author Larry Niven postulated that in any universe where time travel was possible, it would never be developed. His reasoning was that in such a universe, people would travel in time until they intervened in the timestream in such a way as to catastrophically interfere with their culture's ability to travel in time. Once time travel became an impossibility, the timeline would no longer change. Go to Comment

The famous professor Lirekfen Kcabreist in his his book "Beyond Yesterdays Humbug" Made note that, no one had ever claimed time travel because once you exit the present, you no longer exist in that time line and as such can not return to it. When I say return I mean interact. You therefore are unable to boast and claim time travel.

Lets take a person known as Jim, ourselves and our perspective on the three separations of time.
A denotes past.
B denotes Jim's Present
C denotes future.
(A)
Jim stumbles across a time machine and travels back in time. Even tho he lands perfectly at 1820 he cannot interact with it in anyway. He is like a ghost, unseen, unheard and definitely unable to change. Because what he is seeing has already happened you see. Even tho from his perspective he is at the moment. That moment has already happened.
The girl gets run over by the milkman, its already happened. Jim is powerless to change something that has already transpired. We know its transpired because of the numerous happenings that can be traced back to that event. Even tho he has traveled back from the (B) to (A) he cant change (A) from our perspective, because to us (A) has already transpired. The dog is chasing its tail.
He can of course observe (A).

(B)
Poor Jim can now however no longer return to (B) as (B) from his perspective and ours has moved on. He wasn't there when his boss burst into the room to catch him red handed at the scotch bottle, instead of doing his work. Jim was also,unable to breath out, in the split second after he time jumped and thus did not pass on the flu virus, to the tea lady who was just about to enter and offer him afternoon tea. So Jims future from our perspecitve is changed dramatically, in that same way as if Jim has suffered a fatal heart attack. Those who's time lines are connected to his are changed.

(C)
Jim cannot find a stable lock on the future, because it hasn't transpired yet. That is, the intricate and chaotic events, from which the time fabric is weaved, can at any one moment produce zillions of future outcomes. Because that trigger event has not yet transpired, one cannot jump to the next event or end result of the string of events. That future stone may not exist at all or be anywhere from a few milliseconds to hours from a predicted path.

Jim is lost in time, to time. He has no way of reconnecting himself back to a timeline that we can observe.

Lirekfen also goes on to observe and dispel, the possible link or theory that haunted houses and ghost n such are simply lost time travelers. Lirekfen was reported to have rebuked a student at one of his lectures once with.

"Did you not listen! At point (A) you can not interact with anything from that time. If for example you saw a ghost, you may stop, or scream. Those events however trivial would change the course of events. But we the observers know the course of events, we have history, we have evidence. Now sit down, before I really show you how to create ghosts. And next time, think of A and B before you mutter and create a C that shouldn't exist." Go to Comment

mm maybe I was too subtle in my above text. I was eluding too this thought. It might be of interest for a bunch of characters to end up together in this "outsidetime". A plot, a location, a world, in itself, fighting off whatever falls in with them and desperately trying to find themselves a "timehome". Go to Comment

It started out great and I was sucked right in and then it seemed to run out of air. The rape thing was a great idea and a very interesting problem but there is no clues on how to fix this dilemna. They will remain guilty forever, even if somehow the bush is proved to be stolen...that really doesn't have anything to do with the actual plot that the PCs are involved with. I doubt the princess would get in much trouble for stealing a bush, regardless of its value. There are no clues on how to prove that anyway.

Just not sure what to do with it, but there is definitely something there! I loved the first half, just needs a better ending in my mind. Go to Comment

They should, and they will! Soon! Go to Comment

I like the formatting and the writing, but must complain of one thing: the plot is horribly linear, made to force a group of heroes into the story exactly as it is written. Oh, and they will be wanted criminals in a large city while being completely innocent - and are not likely to be able to prove it after the plot is over.

Don't get me wrong, you've shown what could be done out of this exotic mix - it could be easily enlarged to a mini-campaign, with the PCs falling into the thrall of the Lady, maybe even stealing the plant themselves; and at last recognizing her true nature, at which point she would promptly condemn the group to death. The payback would be more than sweet, whether just by executing her; or by proving her role in the invasion (smart PCs could even argue for peace between the city and the invaders). More could be made of this. Go to Comment

Oh, a first plot! Then it is a premiere - and you are determined to continue, which is all well.

(By the way, the quest isn't over yet, so you are more than free to expand the plot - and more options never hurt. ;) ) Go to Comment

This was a delight to read, I hadn't considered other people using my submissions in their quest entries. Good job CM. Go to Comment

More people should vote for this. Go to Comment

Get used to it then. Your subs are in my quest list too! ;) Go to Comment

Hear that CP? You are famous now! Go to Comment

Updated: In final proofread stage. Go to Comment

I most definitely agree. I was annoyed with how linear it turned out, but I figured any GM worth his salt could work within the spaces to make things interesting (as well as less linear and railroaded). Unfortunately, this is my first plot ever created, so I'm not shocked that it's horribly linear. Everyone has crappy beginnings. Just look at CP!

Thank you for the honest feedback though. I appreciate people being brutally honest, as I can see many flaws in all of my works. Go to Comment

People, even bug people, do crazy things when religious icons are involved.

That said, you're right. There could be a heck of a lot more done with it. I'll get back to it eventually. Go to Comment

As others have mentioned, its a bit linear, but heck, these are not easy to do! So, much props, CM!

I particualrly like the formatting, and the adventure in and of itself isnt bad! Go to Comment

I love the formatting and the writing is a very easy fast paced read that has an excellent deliberate and straight forward style to it.  I am always impressed and envious with how well you communicate your idea.  

But I agree with all the others, the characters aren't really trapped in schemer's web as they are side stepping it.  The PC have nothing to gain by getting involved and no motivation to do so other than clearing their name which as outsiders acused by a golden child of the city, would seem impossible, uncessary and at best a victory of principle only.  

If they aren't interested in clearing their name then the PCs motivation will be to get as far away from the plot as possible.  Perhaps a good courtly intrigue plot draws the characters into the plot rather than drives them away.  As Vlad said, it is a railroad plot and the PCs should just run away.  unless this is about clearing the PC's name. Yet the focus of this write up is not on clearing the PCs name, but shuffling them through a castle on a tour of The Five posts.  

The intergration of the five does really just come as a gallery rather than a real weaving of the ideas into a story.  The is best exemplified in the encounter with Blossom of Rage and the Kyth.  As you have it written the smartest play would be for the PCs to sit and watch.   Ara the blade just knocks them out leaves the story the and the write up does not give the PCs a path into Espeth's life or web.  So there is a web and plot here but the story you have outlined seems to be the Free Parking-Advace to GO path around the board. 

 

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My only problem with this plot is that it starts as a steamroller plot, which I hate. I think are more subtle approach apart from 'surprise you're under arrest by overwhelming force.

If something could be set up where the PC's own greed or bloodthirst could entrap them, that would be much better. Go to Comment

Only voted Go to Comment

This one is rather brief in my opinion, though it is good to see some thoughts on the subject. While I could mention hook, line and sinker and then begin talking about cohesiveness, storyline threads and such things, I am rather going to ask two questions:

1. While outright ripping of a story is bad, what about borrowing bits and pieces from a book? Additionally: Books might spawn ideas that are not from the book itself. Example: A sentence within a book inspired the entire Black Legion plot I recently posted. That was one sentence and it mentioned souls trapped within the candles of a wick-witch.

2. Getting a plot for the scenario is but one step. Can you think of other steps? Hint: Getting the characters involved in the scenario, preparing a location for the scenario, flow of the game (prelude,climax,anti-climax and aftermath), potential side-quests, character weave, foreshadowing, etc... Go to Comment

MoonHunter: CM: I might change the name of the article, you aren't really telling them scenario building, you are generating tips and advice about plots

MoonHunter: Your piece is focusing on where to get ideas for scenarios

MoonHunter: rather than actually building them. Go to Comment