Lifethief Playtests

Now that the Lifethief is solidly launched, there’s time to kick back and look at what happened in the playtest. There were some brilliant moments, and the Actual Play videos reveal some, but they’re slow to sit through. So, here are some quotes, with context:

"Orren has had a vision that I took two swords to Prax." - Orlston
stares - Broamast
"Here. Take my sword when you go." - Broamast

The PCs have been to Prax before. Out of character they were eager to go back. In character, they were absolutely not going to do that if they could help it, as Prax is a terrible place.

"Fire! That's my favourite of all the elements." - phyphor

I streamed the game on twitch, and the peanut gallery arrived, and they were very funny. We call that ‘the voice of the gods’ because I’m happy with the PCs taking advice from the chat channel, as long as they know that I may use it to mess with them.

"Trying to defend against a fire attack with a shield? That'll cost you an arm and a leg. Also an abdomen." - phyphor
"I kinda regret it, but it's better than eating the whole thing to the face on a failed 43% dodge." - Orlakt
"43% ? That's almost 50-50, which is almost guaranteed!" - phyphor

As you may be aware, there are nasty things out in the Dead Place. We’ve provided a variety of broo, and this is the point where I decided maybe I had overcooked some of the powers they had. I wrote some very stern advice to GMs after this scene.

"Today I learned, a lot of things have blood and humans bleed red." - DerVarrater
stops to explain how human she is and how many toes human people have - GM

The cheap seats pitched in with foul calumnies. There was also a discussion of how and why I hide bits of magical bodies.

"If you gain knowledge and die in the process does it make a sound?" - phyphor

In Session 2, the scribe had the opportunity to attempt that. However, this particular discussion was about just how much he wanted to learn something, when he was in fact in danger of it killing him. This happened a lot.

"I have an entry here for what happens if you eat the lichen." - GM
"I mean it's good that it's accounted just for the offchance (100%) that I do it." - DerVarrater

… Really, there’s always one. And that’s the one.

"It screams in New Pelorian…" - GM
"Oh good, I don't understand that. Eases the morals of dinner." - DerVerrater

Sometimes, when you’re creating a world, tiny details are helpful. In particular, if you have friends who are trolls.

"Are you asking Berra about what likely happens if a character burns a body in the game or what happens when Berra personally burns magical bodies?" - phyphor
"I feel either way you take that she would know." - DerVerrater

See? I told you they were maligning me.

"NONE of these people like Prax any more." - GM

They love playing there. They just hate the place and never want to have to go there again.

"Oh, it would be SO MUCH FUN to burn it…" - GM
"A quote that needs no context." - phyphor

….

"I want to go back." - the entire group, after getting out safely

… Well, there’s no accounting for that sort of behaviour, but it did let me playtest the bigbad properly, and was very nearly my first TPK.

Still, all was good, and the trial of the Humakti for kinslaying went well.

If you want to see how the first and second sessions went, in all their glory, then you can see the triumph of hope over experience at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn54vJbLPLI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaGKMiblySg