An update from my Stonetop campaign
Today I sent this message to my players in our Stonetop campaign server:
I have an update for the table. I made a miscalculation when prepping for how long it would take to cross the Great Wood. I assumed it was about eighty miles across, but it's supposed to be more like hundreds of miles. This means it would realistically take much longer than planned were you to walk the entire way.
So what does this change? We can assume that Ulrik and Mieke have inaccurate info on how lengthy this journey was. Keep in mind that these two are impatient, uncooperative, and generally ill informed. The players, kin, and friends of people who have plied the Great Wood for generations know the following:
There are rumors of swift-moving conveyances below ground, said to be built through an upper layer of the Labyrinth and left behind by Stone Lords. Maeve, Magda, and Ciara would likely be the most knowledgeable party members on this front. Risks: The Labyrinth is lousy with monsters on a good day. You would need to maintain a source of light and watch out for dangers associated with cave diving. There's also treasure within the deeps, provided you don't get lost. And then there's the horses to account for. This is the most dangerous but potentially most thrilling option available
Afon has definitely shared details with Fflur about Fae waystones and would offer to guide them on the Fae paths with the help of a spirit (more on that if you all want to go this route). This is a simple "point a -> point b" option with a catch: you need to avoid getting caught bringing iron or steel into the Fae realms, of which Ulrik and Mieke carry much. There's also the matter of needing to tune in and drop out enough to open your minds to the Paths... This choice opens up the possibility of visiting a Fae domain, with everything that entails.
Cadfael and Mervyn, being members of some of the oldest families in Stonetop, have heard the legends of a Green Lord portal in their abandoned city of Vor Svetelik that connects to remote lands. It can almost certainly get you to the Manmarches. To get there, you all will need to travel further into the Great Wood on the West Road, a now crumbled and faded (but sparsely magical) Maker Road. The portal in Vor Svetelik is deadly and can lead to casualties or unleashing monsters, but is the easiest to reach. You would likely be dealing with typical Great Wood threats on the way (Drakes, Crinwin, bigger monsters, adverse weather, etc)
Keep in mind that Ulrik and Mieke belong to a vast community, all of whom are aware of this boon that keeps the Crinwin at bay. The three things outlined above aren't your only options--the possibilities that lead to knowing what they know are wide! And really, who are these guys anyway? I wonder if they have friendlier neighbors...
If anyone desires, read these over and think about what you want to pitch to the group for your next move. Consider the advantages you all possess: crewmates, spirit-talking, magical staves, a connection to Aratis, cleverness, etc. Don't be scared to do something wild.
What does this all mean? Basically, at our last session I talked my players into agreeing to cross a massive, dangerous forest at the behest of some strange Easterners who wanted to trade information for an escort. It'll take, like, three days, I told them. Wrong!!! The Great Wood is hundreds of miles wide. But we're here now, and I wanted to give them choices such as a) evil mine cart ride, b) Yellow Submarine, and c) traveling to a cursed legendary portal. Of course, they could come up with their own path forward.
I feel a bit as if I turned the process inside out by proceeding this way and am learning an important lesson about GMing as we go. Imagine if I had realized before our first session that crossing a massive, primeval forest would have taken more than a few days and did it like this: Hey players, there's some people in town offering a big reward for getting them across the Great Wood fast, a feat only possible through unconventional methods. What do you do?
Then, maybe, the Fae paths and the Labyrinth carts (not in the books, btw) and the Vor Svetelik portals could have been their idea. There's a core opportunity for players to invest into their own adventures this way. But on the other hand, it also demands setting familiarity, and I know most of them aren't reading the setting book. Maybe for now it's okay that we're approaching it like a point crawl instead of a Choose Your Own Adventure experience. My goal for when this adventure resolves is as follows: Let them decide how they're getting home. Go completely hands off and simulate how the world responds to them only. I can write beautiful points for the crawl, but I want them to be free!
I'm torn between regret and acceptance and mostly have just decided to proceed on a "Fuck it, we ball" basis for my past decisions. For now, I think the possibilities I suggested are exciting and rich even if they're not totally consistent with my vision of a perfect process. That is okay, we learn by doing and this will be memorable. Now to wait... and wait... until Saturday... when I get to see what they do!