No straight lines in Ringwell? They say of the Acropolis where the Parthenon is...

"And, they're not normal Xorn. That wouldn't be very interesting. They're MCDM Xorn!"

3:37 "My players rarely enjoy meeting people that have conviction in any department." HAH! Applies to the Chain, but often many game groups I think! I keep trying in hope my PCs can pick up on the mood and have conviction themselves, perhaps foolishly, but man's reach should exceed his grasp etc.

I learn just as much about DMing from your campaign diaries as I do from your running the game videos. I love it!

I know your campaign is very tactical and stuff, but I always love the RP moments, so the scene where Boots and King talk to the Prisoner were really great in my opinion.

As a player of a cleric with a very high wisdom, I really enjoy having a week in between sessions to ponder over my character's decisions. I think wisdom represents that, knowing how to act and react "wisely", sometimes I am really dissappointed with my decisions that happen later during a sessions when everyone gets tired :-)

I love how much opportunity you give your players to think about their characters thoughts and actions, and I was very happy to hear your concession to the idea of the game as a storytelling game at the end there. It feels like you are very successful in giving your players agency in the world beyond just which monsters they kill. You may be evil Matt, but you're awful good!

The rod might be a good way to bring back the undead lady's husband back.

Matt, I think this was your best and most important video you've ever put out. The advice, examples and theory in this video are top notch and get to the nitty gritty of playing and running RPG's. Great stuff, dude.

Thank you Matt! You have no idea how much we appreciate all your hard work on these diaries!

Campaign diaries are the juice of the channel. keep the awesome content mate!!!

If the Rod is an "Artifact" then identify will not work on it. Although finding that rule in the DMG is not trivial.

He is ancient! He is the land!

Ringwell was built to avoid the Hounds of Tindalos

5th Level "Modify Memory" would fix the problem, but I don't think they have access to it.

An early morning double campaign diary? Woot! Woot!

Dammit Matt, that crumb isn't enough! Two dynasties end in invasion, and the third in Ringwell? What the hell is going on in your setting!?

I really cant believe Matt straight up had strahd references and people aren't freaking out

Legit made my Wednesday. I really look forward to these campaign diaries! Also, in part because of you (I think I'm deserving of some credit) I'm a DM now! Ran my first D&D session. My players rolled up a character each and went into a house to look for a kidnapped family being used to manipulate somebody important. We had fun and I'm so pleased to have finally started DM-ing!

“This effect cannot be uncaused” * King Crimson wants to know your location *

In all honesty, the party didn't actually explain to Lady Arosavar - forgive my spelling - why she can't tell the Church. They just told her she can't, and then when she wanted to leave they got aggressive. I think if they explained to her in detail that the relics in Ringwell were locked up for a reason, and if they were to get out it may cause havoc in Capital, and perhaps even cause hysteria she may listen to their rationale.

A proper use of "inception" ... im in love

So, the Butcher shop and now a Candle shop ... is there going to be a Bakery involved as well? 🤔

Bill Woodson's "Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice" is the inner monologue narrator of my childhood...and my adult self.

2:39 Something really ominous about this line/delivery/editing.... 52:16 Goddamit Matt, how do all these awesome titles for your sessions just fall into your lap like this??? Usually I can't think of titles for my campaign diaries better than "Big Oof" or "We Are The Walking Pest", which are basically just dumb puns or memes based on what happened. Calling one episode "Idle Hands" and the next "The Devil's Work" is just soooooo satisfying to me. Great work as always, looking forward to seeing how the Chain sorts out this mess :D

I've always said: Chaotic Neutral is The Player Character Alignment.

good god his undercommon voice is great haha!

Love your videos, love watching the Chain. I have been a D&D player since 1978 in Jr. high. For the last 15 years I have been a DM. I feel sometimes I get writers block. Since watching almost all your videos, you have inspired me in so many ways. Thank you!! keep it up. Huge Fan

I sat up right when it was said “he his the land”. Flash backs to I, Strahd right there.

Matt, this video isn't in your campaign diaries playlist; I missed these episodes the first time I listened to your summaries of the campaign. I'd recommend that you add this to the playlist to help keep the story of the Chain as complete and coherent as possible.

I REALLY love these campaign diaries. They always get me hyped about D&D, as much if not more that the running the game videos. Plus, since I like to watch them in the morning, it gives me something to think about at work other than "Ugh. I want to go home". Thanks Matt!

I like these because they give me ideas for my game. Usually theyre completely unrelated to your content, but somehow it gets the juices flowing anyway.

You're talking about the dragonborn knight being a zelot and considering multiclassing her into barbarian so I feel the need to tell you that there is actually a barbarian subclass called "zelot" in Xanathar's Guide To Everything which would fit pretty well.

There is a song by The Builders and the Butchers called Raise Up, and there is a repeated refrain in that song that goes “When you make fire with The Devil, don’t be surprised when you get burned. You are among the lucky ones, and he only took your hands.” When I heard that, I found it such a great GMing philosophy : Get your players to the point where they willingly take options that they know are going to have negative reprocussions instead of the safe, easy options.

I had wondered what you'd meant when you said you were gonna use Strahd for something. If this is what I suspect, then you're a devious man

THE PANTHEON ON HAGAR! I NEED IT!

Best birthday gift I've received today!!

46:48 why is Soot my favorite character even tho I didn't watch last week's episode yet lmao

You should have them find echoes of nails at points in the future to deliver exposition

On the last point of taking time to work out a flash decision, one other factor I think is that the characters have had years of life and teamwork together, and taking even a couple weeks realtime to figure out and reflect that definitely seems like a worthwhile thing to do.

Love these campaign diaries! Thanks so much Matt!

As I sit watching this campaign diary of episodes I have already watched, a beautiful thing has happened. 30 seconds after Matt says ‘the next episode will probably be called “the devil’s work” ‘ the notification slipped down from the top of the screen to say Episode 24 - The Devil’s Work has arrived on KZfaq 😍 ah the high, life is good

That's a classic way to deal with golems. One game I was in 15 or so years ago, we fought a magic immune iron golem. In a fit of drunken genius I cast a disintegration ray at the golem's feet and made it fall like 500ft down a chasm from the bridge we fought it on. Game night was done about an hour early that night....

Dang, Matt. The sessions were great, the diaries were an awesome cherry on top! I look forward to catching last night's game when I get off tonight, and seeing how this turns out. Thanks for following your passion, the results are super entertaining!

Instead of eldritch knight or paladin the knight strikes me as zealot barbarian.

Awesome recap, looking forward to watching the next one

They could have avoided this problem by simply binding her while she was unconscious. Their choice to be compassionate then is now coming back to bite them. They had the chance to control the situation and gave away that control. If you are going to take a prisoner, you need to neutralize their ability to harm you, especially when they tell you repeatedly that they intend to do something you believe will absolutely harm you. Well done, Matt! This has been a pleasure to watch.

I love characters interacting/learning with/through Myths of your world!

I've been really enjoying the diary series! It gives me a special insight in how a veteran runs and thinks about a campaign

I think that they could negotiate with her if they want. The question is whether they consider that as an option. There are several ways out of this.

so exciting! I couldn't watch last night, so I'm eagerly anticipating for it to be posted! I started just watching the Campaign Diaries, but now that I'm caught up I love watching both

Mentallic abilities? Ajax = The Mule confirmed!

Oooh, I like the turn limitations as an area effect of the Inextrical of Time.

Gosh, I tuned out for a bit thinking this was going to be a massive "clearing rooms" Dungeon crawl. I am so glad I am tuning back in because just watching this makes me stressed and excited for the players, sorry for ever doubting

Please DOn't stop these. I enjoyed listening to both the podcast and matts top level intereptation of events, it made the story feel more whole and multifaceted to me.

It looks like this video is missing from the 'Campaign Diaries' playlist, just by the way. The play list jumps from #21 to #24.

If I had to guess, probably would need to like load the Navigator into a psionic cannon to blast the wall down.

Me, at The Chain: "In the words of Saint RuPaul, don't fuck it up."

Two more Moorcock mashups, specifically The Runestaff and The Warrior in Jet and Gold! Keep 'em coming Matt! “MCDM Xorn”? Can we hope to see them in Flee, Mortals! ?

I believe you mean Sumat Pol.

This one isn't in the playlist (unless I missed it somehow). It should be added. I only found it because KZfaq recommended it.

I've been ruined by Call of Cthulhu, because I see "a room without right angles" and I immediately jump to "Ah, clearly somebody was worried about the Hounds of Tindalos!"

I guess my problem with this kind of game is I don't play to be frustrated. I play to escape frustration.

Great Episode. Of course there are no straight lines in Ringwell to keep out all the Hounds of Tindalos. Or is that Hound of Tindaloses?

Awesome as always!

I hope that as some point in my gaming life I have the pleasure of playing under a dm of your caliber. I have had many a good dm but, you sir are a cut above the rest I really enjoy watching these videos.

At first I thought that Lady Orozavar was somebody who had been stuck in the Ringwell for ages, sort of time traveller from the past. But it is certainly more interesting that dealing with her has bigger consequences for the politics of Capital.

I love the editing in this video. Also, what's not to love about a double campaign diary.

Right on time when i got off work! 😄

There are hitches designed to be tied with one hand. A few years back Lindeybeige demoed one designed to be tied with one hand with dexterity limited by a heavy mitten (reindeer hitch).

Hall of Justice? Shouldn’t it be the Legion of Doom?

It's an interesting observation; "most players want to be chaotic neutral". True I think D&D starts as an exploration of having both the ability and licence to do what you want which frankly is a nice break from real life. I will argue that overtime players grow and start to explore more interesting alignments (aka everything other than CN).

Very excited for the episode tonight. I do hope the Knight doesn't die. I do really like her.

So happy to see more of these! Not that phil wasn't doing great, but I need more chain updates! NEED!

fun fact: burrowing is part of the movement and doesnt require an action or a bonus action, this is how xorns are supposed to play, its part of their strategy :)

also consider that the characters have a moment to consider it but a lifetime of understanding the world they inhabit. meanwhile the players only spend moments in character but have lots of time to understand what to do.

The chain, the "not" chain, the anti chain, and the anti "not" chain. Some needs to make that

Riduced instruction set combat? Thats a RISCy scenerio.

Love the video!

"Unlike you, fine people" caught me by surprise lol

Thanks for this video, good recap but better prompt for thought.

Thanks for the straight dope!

LOVE this series, rewatching it for, the 50th or so time xD Wanted to ask, this one seems to not be in the Campaign Diaries playlist and I never realised till today! Would you SO kindly add it to the playlist?

Hey Matt I know this video has been out for a while, but I couldn’t find it in the campaign diaries playlist. Could have just been that I missed it but wanted to give you a heads up!

Can’t fucking wait for tonight. Excellent campaign diary

I really thought Von Glower was a version of Gulthias, what with the reverences to his grove/garden and whatnot.

If they attempt to murder the knight, I hope you don't hold back at all. And King? If he's NG, he should immediately shut that down or face loss of absolutely all of his cleric abilities (unless some other ... entity steps in to off him power for obedience.) Regardless, attacking the knight in this way seems like an auto-alignment shift toward evil (so NG becomes TN, LN becomes LE, etc.) Guess we'll see ...

Love that dungeon map! There wouldn't happen to be a link somewhere, would there?

6:30 I disagree. If it's not a dangerous situation, then it makes perfect sense to split up, but how often does the party actually encounter not-dangerous situations? And if it is dangerous, any halfway competent party will know that defeat in detail is a major danger, from the times when they've inflicted it on their own enemies. This is reinforced by the fact that D&D parties tend to have strong synergies, and are greater than the sum of their parts. There is what I would call "good metagaming" in not wanting to overburden the GM, but it also makes perfect in-character sense to not want to split up. 28:20 they were trying to create a sanctum safe from my puns. The only way to do that was by not having any straight lines. 38:20 wouldn't be be pissed off about the fact that they were the ones who imprisoned him in the first place?

After watching this I really really really want an MCDM Monster and Villans book!!!

Question: if the church’s god could say where their knight died then why wouldn’t he/ she tell them where to find ringwell? Here is an answer I think would be good/ add tension: ringwell has some ability to go unnoticed, even to gods. That way they still could possibly get away with it but the church would still know where the knight was going and what part of the city she was in before she disappeared. So the church would slowly move into the neighborhood investigating

I hope the players can make an impressive enough answer that, even if it means that they have to deal with and appease this knight, they can convince her to be quiet.

Doors are forever the bane of every D&D party.

I have a player who is obsessed with looting and killing. He gets genuinely upset to a pretty wild degree when he doesn't get what he wants. It's very enjoyable to listen to the other two players roleplaying calming him down. They sort of brute-force pull him from player anger into character roleplaying.

Anytime a good cleric is talking about killing another good character it had better be for a REALLY good reason. Otherwise said Cleric will be out of a job and probably will be hunted down and brought to justice.

17 seconds ago. Best end to the workday

He’s back!!!!!

You say there is no right answer to the situation with the Knight, but seeing as her Order will find out about Ringwell either way, it seems like the "less wrong" answer is to let her go and not make an enemy of her organization.

Yaaaaaa, very nice, very nice.

Tonight, the change comes to the Chain! Let’s rumble!