Proper Villains was my last choice in the pilot poll, and I've definitely enjoyed it more than I thought I would! But Stonetop just holds more interest for me - there seems like more there to comment on, about where we want the characters to go and how we see them developing. They seem like they have more varied directions. Vahid could go full villain, for example, as he becomes a storm lord. Events could put Padrig in charge of the Delve, in fact if not in name. Anwen's legend could take any number of forms. I'm not really seeing that type of possibility with these characters, even though they're interesting and fun to read about.
This makes a lot of sense. I think I can do some more thinking about what these particular characters are about, and what the Jessek Gang as a whole could become.
I felt the Stonetop characters were all very lovable, and there was an element of wonder and discovery as they explored the world.
In Proper Villains, only Emma gets that reaction from me, and only the Burnt King plot really has me waiting to see what we learn next. The rest of the world is clearly drawn and has a strong vibe, but it feels like if I just guess “depressing and classist with no mobility”, it’s close enough to right. The score and recover cycle also feels really ponderous in writing.
I’m still pulling for That Devil, Sam Crow over here. 😂
I also agree with this; Proper Villains is depressing. I was very interested in TDSC as well but have the same fears about it - it'd be important to have some good guys, so that Sam Crow can be a strong antagonist (e.g. if all the American institutions are oppressive in some way, then Sam Crow doesn't seem so bad, especially if he's messing with them - funnily, the best way for Sam Crow to be a good story might be Weird West + a modernized Magnificent Seven or something, where the heroes only have a dash of anti-heroism). Stonetop could also have some sad outcomes but I don't have the same feeling that things will just turn out poorly and people will always be corrupt in Stonetop the way I do here.
* Each session is a monster hunt, so we’d be pulling for “the good guys” trying to save some people;
* The characters all seem to be more of the “dark past but trying to do better” sort, or not even a dark past in Justos and Ross’s sake. (Hard to say about Ulysses.) But more like Anwen angry at injustice and Padraig trying to do better. Though Rose is more like the hdour, only not threatening everything we care about.
* Their ultimate quarry definitely seems to deserve it.
I do wonder if the Badlands can deliver that sense of a big, strange, magical world though.
I don’t think it’s the lack of optimism in the setting so much as it somehow feeling predictable. Maybe that’s a side effect of the Dickensian historical feel? It felt like you couldn’t travel for a day in Stonetop without kicking over some weird threat.
I guess the scope is also less epic - Duskvol isn’t (yet?) at risk of being destroyed with only our plucky heroes able to save it. 🤔
I'm enjoying Proper Villains; it was my second vote after continuing with Stonetop. That was mostly cause Blades is the game I'm next most interested in trying to run after Stonetop. I do think it's a harder system to turn from tabletop into written narrative, just given some of the design conceits. I think it's also a challenge, as some people name in other comments, in that the PCs are scoundrels, even if they have some redeeming and underdog characteristics, and they're trying to scrabble for survival in a very dog-eat-dog world. That's just gonna have a specific vibe and flavor.
I'd still be most in favor of returning to Stonetop, both for continuing to see how you run the engine and because you've written such compelling characters! Proper Villains would still be my second choice to continue, because I do enjoy it! Though, for whatever it's worth, it's not quite at the level of "drop everything and read" that the Stonetop arcs have been for me. I don't think that's for any lack on the content's part, just some of that is just a current state of busyness of my own life as well, and how much I adore the OG Stonetop setting. Still very much enjoying it though and plan to continue to read, whichever arcs and settings you experiment with.
I very much know the feeling of a life of increasingly busyness. :) Thanks for your feedback, you're one of the O.G. Stonetop readers and I'm glad to hear the new stuff is working for you, even if it's not quite as much of a bullseye as Anwen, Padrig and Vahid! :-D
I think there'll be a chance to return to Stonetop this year, after we get the Jesseks to a good and interesting place!
Proper Villains was also my last choice, but like Ananda, I’m enjoying it more than I thought too!
You’re a great writer so once I get reading I’m into it, but overall the lengthy exposition and tone of the overall story can feel heavy so it takes me a bit to open Substack and read each week. I want the story to move forward a bit more than it currently is but like others mention, the depressing feel of it all makes me wonder what it moves forward to?
I’m definitely excited to see what Emma chooses and how it unfolds so I must say I really liked the cliffhanger of the last episode!
I've been following since near the end of your Stonetop season and I've been enjoying reading the Jesseks, for me personally I like to wait a little bit then binge read when I get some time free so I don't catch things as they happen.
I imagine I'm not your typical reader, however. And I really empathise with how the tighter structure of Blades can constrain fiction writing, sometimes it feels like the game is almost pushing back on how you want to write.
I heartily recommend continuing the Jesseks' journey because I'm invested in reading the tale that will come out the other end.
We'll definitely continue with the Jesseks for the time being -- get to a decent stopping point with some interesting questions resolved, and then we'll figure out where to go next!
Proper Villains was my last choice in the pilot poll, and I've definitely enjoyed it more than I thought I would! But Stonetop just holds more interest for me - there seems like more there to comment on, about where we want the characters to go and how we see them developing. They seem like they have more varied directions. Vahid could go full villain, for example, as he becomes a storm lord. Events could put Padrig in charge of the Delve, in fact if not in name. Anwen's legend could take any number of forms. I'm not really seeing that type of possibility with these characters, even though they're interesting and fun to read about.
This makes a lot of sense. I think I can do some more thinking about what these particular characters are about, and what the Jessek Gang as a whole could become.
I felt the Stonetop characters were all very lovable, and there was an element of wonder and discovery as they explored the world.
In Proper Villains, only Emma gets that reaction from me, and only the Burnt King plot really has me waiting to see what we learn next. The rest of the world is clearly drawn and has a strong vibe, but it feels like if I just guess “depressing and classist with no mobility”, it’s close enough to right. The score and recover cycle also feels really ponderous in writing.
I’m still pulling for That Devil, Sam Crow over here. 😂
I also agree with this; Proper Villains is depressing. I was very interested in TDSC as well but have the same fears about it - it'd be important to have some good guys, so that Sam Crow can be a strong antagonist (e.g. if all the American institutions are oppressive in some way, then Sam Crow doesn't seem so bad, especially if he's messing with them - funnily, the best way for Sam Crow to be a good story might be Weird West + a modernized Magnificent Seven or something, where the heroes only have a dash of anti-heroism). Stonetop could also have some sad outcomes but I don't have the same feeling that things will just turn out poorly and people will always be corrupt in Stonetop the way I do here.
I had the same worry about TDSC, but I re-read the pitch (https://ptfo.substack.com/p/introducing-that-devil-sam-crow), and I think it avoids that:
* Each session is a monster hunt, so we’d be pulling for “the good guys” trying to save some people;
* The characters all seem to be more of the “dark past but trying to do better” sort, or not even a dark past in Justos and Ross’s sake. (Hard to say about Ulysses.) But more like Anwen angry at injustice and Padraig trying to do better. Though Rose is more like the hdour, only not threatening everything we care about.
* Their ultimate quarry definitely seems to deserve it.
I do wonder if the Badlands can deliver that sense of a big, strange, magical world though.
Yeah, I miss the optimism too. I do want to see if some of that brightness can find its way into Duskwall, despite how grim it is overall.
I don’t think it’s the lack of optimism in the setting so much as it somehow feeling predictable. Maybe that’s a side effect of the Dickensian historical feel? It felt like you couldn’t travel for a day in Stonetop without kicking over some weird threat.
I guess the scope is also less epic - Duskvol isn’t (yet?) at risk of being destroyed with only our plucky heroes able to save it. 🤔
I'm enjoying Proper Villains; it was my second vote after continuing with Stonetop. That was mostly cause Blades is the game I'm next most interested in trying to run after Stonetop. I do think it's a harder system to turn from tabletop into written narrative, just given some of the design conceits. I think it's also a challenge, as some people name in other comments, in that the PCs are scoundrels, even if they have some redeeming and underdog characteristics, and they're trying to scrabble for survival in a very dog-eat-dog world. That's just gonna have a specific vibe and flavor.
I'd still be most in favor of returning to Stonetop, both for continuing to see how you run the engine and because you've written such compelling characters! Proper Villains would still be my second choice to continue, because I do enjoy it! Though, for whatever it's worth, it's not quite at the level of "drop everything and read" that the Stonetop arcs have been for me. I don't think that's for any lack on the content's part, just some of that is just a current state of busyness of my own life as well, and how much I adore the OG Stonetop setting. Still very much enjoying it though and plan to continue to read, whichever arcs and settings you experiment with.
I very much know the feeling of a life of increasingly busyness. :) Thanks for your feedback, you're one of the O.G. Stonetop readers and I'm glad to hear the new stuff is working for you, even if it's not quite as much of a bullseye as Anwen, Padrig and Vahid! :-D
I think there'll be a chance to return to Stonetop this year, after we get the Jesseks to a good and interesting place!
Proper Villains was also my last choice, but like Ananda, I’m enjoying it more than I thought too!
You’re a great writer so once I get reading I’m into it, but overall the lengthy exposition and tone of the overall story can feel heavy so it takes me a bit to open Substack and read each week. I want the story to move forward a bit more than it currently is but like others mention, the depressing feel of it all makes me wonder what it moves forward to?
I’m definitely excited to see what Emma chooses and how it unfolds so I must say I really liked the cliffhanger of the last episode!
I have enjoyed this a lot.
I think the pacing and the crunch might be a bit of a tougher fit.
I'd be cool moving on to another game after another session or so... I was persuaded by your Hearts of Wulin idea.
Hearts of Wulin is the scariest one for me. :) I don't write a lot of romance, but that's a good reason to try it!
I've been following since near the end of your Stonetop season and I've been enjoying reading the Jesseks, for me personally I like to wait a little bit then binge read when I get some time free so I don't catch things as they happen.
I imagine I'm not your typical reader, however. And I really empathise with how the tighter structure of Blades can constrain fiction writing, sometimes it feels like the game is almost pushing back on how you want to write.
I heartily recommend continuing the Jesseks' journey because I'm invested in reading the tale that will come out the other end.
We'll definitely continue with the Jesseks for the time being -- get to a decent stopping point with some interesting questions resolved, and then we'll figure out where to go next!