First Session Wrap-Up

Here's a full page of wrap-up writing, and other notes, from after the first session. The top section of the page is a reminder, for me, of the information that Thrym and Dreyka received in the first session. Alvy was not yet created, and a deeper reading of the Big Red Book indicates that Alvy didn't enter the game until the 3rd session at the earliest.

The middle section gives a general breakdown of the composition of the "monster lairs" of the surrounding wilderness. Only one such lair was ever visited by the Wildlanders, in the famous "Battle of the Cleft Cave." The population of the Cleft Cave was quite different from what's delineated here. Only one aspect of this paragraph wound its way into the game, after a fashion. I set forth the idea that one 5th-level Kobold sorcerer was the "highest-level monster in any lair." Actually, it was a 5th-level sorcerer, Rako, who led the monster attack on the eastern Ranger Station of Stoneborough. (Although I'd better be careful about how I use the word "monster.")

The final paragraph sets up the emerging dynamics in Bahar Dar. For the second time in as many paragraphs related to that city, I use the word "consortium" to describe the powerful interests there. This strike me as unique. Stoneborough has a "Council" (as does the Mercane metropolis of Union), and Ras Dashen has an Oligarchy (that also organized as a council), but the word "consortium" is only ever used in conjunction with Bahar Dar.

Another interesting note on this page points toward a difficult preparation challenge. In the "what the party has been told" section, clearly there was a discussion about the caravan from Hamsterfield being attacked near Zazamanc. However, the page ends with greater development of the Bahar Dar power structure. Clearly, I was trying to steer the party toward Zazamanc. However, I couldn't be sure that they would take the bait, and I wanted them to have full control over their direction and choices.

In order for the Corridor to work as a campaign setting, it had to feel to the players that the environment was three-dimensional. Things ("triggered events") were happening in Bahar Dar, Zazamanc, Hamsterfield, etc., on multiple levels. Although this made preparation more challenging and time consuming, ultimately it led to a more believable and fun game/story experience.