It's funny, having heard some of Chris' comments at the DM panel at PAX and what happened here. (Spotty recall from memory in 3...2...1...) The other DMs on the panel seemed to imply that Chris generally was the 'evilest' of them all. AKA, he'd be the one most likely of those present to let PCs die. Chris went to some length to discuss player death in campaigns. I have a hard time seeing where anything went wrong. The DM let the PCs do what they wanted. I get the impression that had they not snuck past the dwarves, but encountered them there, then moved to the robot room, things might've played differently. Putting my DM hat on, I see it as an encounter in the room with the dwarves, then an encounter with the robots. The players just took actions to blend those encounters together. Based on the very tail end of the last podcast, it seemed like there was still an encounter or two to be had, so if the players hadn't retreated there was still more to go. However, everything seemed like in character things to do. You make the dwarf looking out for revenge get the 'ghost in the ass', then if he tricks you, you kinda pay for it. I'm generally neutral on Kurtz, but both he and Wil showed crazy amounts of RPing in this session, which is applaud. Something I'd hope I could bring out in my players when I DM. And yes, this rp lead to, in my opinion, Binwin acting on revenge somewhat screwing the party by combining two encounters, and Aeofel should've stayed with teh group, but it seemed totally in character for him to split off. As to the gcube, it does seem kinda odd, but Perkins has earned enough trust for me, over the course of three separate delves, to look past one glaring issue like this. It's entirely possible, had AcqInc cornered the dwarf, or had time to explore more of the keep, a plausible reason for the cube, the teleportation circle, prisoner, and the banditry could have been tied together.

Well, again, despite the fact that things went as they should have under the circumstances, they didn't need to go that way. Having an experienced rogue should have been a "get out of catastrophic turn of events free" card. If the ghost suggested a certain act was a bad idea but Binwin went with it anyway, then sure. But how about Binwin immediately taking the party into a potentially bad situation, and (Sethir?) going "Uh, guys, your fighter's about to get you all murdered." I just feel Perkins dropped the ball. Not because it wasn't what a good DM would do, just because it's a podcast created for entertainment, and featuring items that would go up for auction. I'd totally buy the dice from the first or second podcasts. This one made me sick. >_< Well, I can't blame Jim for self-preservation by sticking the ghost in the Dwarf. And it was hilarious at the time. But immediately forgetting what they'd incorporated Sethir for in favor of walking blindly through without asking questions? I can appreciate Aeofel's roleplaying, as well as Binwin doing what he did, but as I said, he just passed the buck on and blamed everyone else for what should have been a party wipe, but simply ended with losing Aeofel permanently. I LIKED Aeofel! He was the most dignified of any of those guys. I know they'll probably reroll him or something, but... it ain't right! The teleportation circle, I buy. The bandits, I buy. The prisoner, I buy. But that frickin' CUBE! Guard Dogs, sure! Hell, even leaving that cube in the library but magically trapping it there so it couldn't get loose... but just letting it randomly roam around where it can invisibly kill other visiting dwarves? Sheesh. Maybe I'm just looking too far into it. At least I never asked where Splugg ended up. (For the record, the dwarven bandits that were robbing trade caravans hanging out right in Ambershard Manor? It's almost like creepy guys with machine guns and switchblade knives lurking around in the offices of Chicago political figures. Not to say there aren't... just one more thing, I guess.)

(For the record, the dwarven bandits that were robbing trade caravans hanging out right in Ambershard Manor? It's almost like creepy guys with machine guns and switchblade knives lurking around in the offices of Chicago political figures. Not to say there aren't... just one more thing, I guess.) I thought it was mentioned in the second or third podcast that everyone in the dwarf town sort of knew what the Ambershards were doing re: your brains^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H the bandits. Just that the Ambershards had enough political/military clout for anyone to do anything about it.

It made for a helluva story though. The DM interfering because the game was for charity would have really cheapened it for me. The characters being at risk is what makes it interesting. Sometimes, the good guys lose. Now they have an established grudge against the Ambershards that should make for a much more enthralling storyline in later podcasts.

It WOULD make for a hell of a story if they go with it... I suppose it depends who you're asking, but in my honest opinion (without sugar-coating it to curry favor with anybody), this adventure didn't stack up well against the first two. Anticlimactic, depressing, lacking flow, lacking logic on at least a couple fronts... Don't get me wrong, I still love AcqInc and their zany antics (although they're one man down now...) but this one was less about zany antics, and more about... I'm not sure what. I guess just promoting WOTC's "Don't split the party" marketing thing. (Insert diatribe of preference toward an edition where splitting the party didn't mean instant death here, and I'm out.)

I was fine with how it ended up, simply because Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler they mentioned the possibility of Raven Queen interference even if Aeofel doesn't get revived, the podcasts this time around were still pretty damn funny, albeit not as funny as series 2. Hearing Wheaton go on about how Perkins brought back the Tomb of Horrors was awesome

Still need Vin Diesel, people. So I guess this was recorded in June? I can't remember if that was before or after they started calling for him... /edit Curses! Far later! I agree with general stupidity in the last few eps, but for the most part it was roleplay induced stupidity, and I can live with that. I couldn't pinpoint the bit though where all the characters learned Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler that Aeothel... Aeolthel... Al... died, which made me sad. It seemed like table-talk bled into it. Oh, also? The Dwarven Knight sounded more like he was the type to go BESERK if you killed his pig, not cry into his beard and run away. Just sayin'.

...or, one of the ideas Chris Perkins has thrown about on his blog is to have Wil DM and Chris take over a PC for Season 4. http://community.wizards.com/christo...plit_the_party Or, as a lot of people are commenting there, have Mike DM. Have that though rattle around in your brain for a bit...

I agree with general stupidity in the last few eps, but for the most part it was roleplay induced stupidity, and I can live with that. I couldn't pinpoint the bit though where all the characters learned Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler that Aeothel... Aeolthel... Al... died, which made me sad. It seemed like table-talk bled into it. Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler it was on Jim's turn, Chris told Mike that he heard Aeofel's screams, Jim told the other party members I too, was confused

OK... Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler What was up with the guy on the roof? They never explained that and it was one of my favorite scenes in the podcast.

Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler They cut it short because of Aeofel's death, we may find out more about this adventure in the next set of podcasts.

Is there a date for when the next part of serires three will be released?

There is no next part. That was it.

By the way, I noted in Episode 6 or 7 that Will noted that he was bloodied at... 23 or 26, not 13. So I think he would've gotten at least another turn to try and escape the pit.

Where can I find the Binwin comics Scott talks about in the last podcast?

He occasionally posts it on Sundays on his site, and sometimes does a week of binwin comics replacing pvp. Here is the latest Storyline: http://www.pvponline.com/2009/06/21/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/06/28/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/05/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/12/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/20/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/21/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/22/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/23/ http://www.pvponline.com/2009/07/24/