I have a big suggestion that would help combat downtime for both PCs and Monsters, and also reduce the amount of fighting in the Tavern.
I suggest setting up a game area somewhere close to the Dragon Den, maybe where the noobie mod was run on the 1st event. This in game area would be the grotto, fields, caves or whatever other term you guys would want to use. Essentially any monsters just chilling at camp with nothing to do would go to the grotto. Players who have nothing to do and want to do something could either just go there, or inform the Dragons Den that they were going into the grotto to fight monsters. Maybe the monsters could have treasure.
It wouldn't be popcorn recycle but rather wave format, so every monster would have to drop before the next wave would attack and players could restreat between waves when they have had their fair share of combat.
I like this idea personally because it would give me something to do inbetween mods or meal or open play, also monsters just sitting around the den would have something to do as well. Also it would reduce fighting in the tavern which I believe would be good for two reasons 1.) sometimes you just want to chill out and drink water in the tavern, and 2. it would greatly reduce the percentage of any of those lights from getting knocked down.
For it to work I believe one of the monsters in the grotto should be a experience Orn player who can stat people up or down accordinly based on the group, this person could be the chieftan or captian of the monsters.
That is my idea, thank you for considering it and thank you for the hard work you all put into running the game and making it great.
Thanks for the suggestion, Josh. I think the idea has merit. Things would be a bit less organic, but there's a benefit to choosing the sort of content you'd like in open play. It'd be a bit more like a computer RPG, where you go to town to RP and trade but go out afield to fight randoms. It'd need to be somewhere very close to the den so monsters could be called back as needed for scheduled content. We'll talk it over among ownership and the den keepers and let you know if we decide to give it a trial run.
Very good suggestion. One thing to keep in mind is that monsters need their downtime as well. That may just be my age talking there, but I thought it should be said.
Not only for those who love to battle but those who like watching a good sparring contest too.
Again, I agree whole heartily with Josh.
Dylan and I talked about it, and I'm all for it from a den keeper stand point. If attendance allows, have groups go to the car field Heather mentioned, with a walkie talkie and case of water. We can call monsters back as needed, and run encounters in town at the tavern and such, while people are free to seek out a fight and maybe a couple copper.
I also like this idea because it seems to me that written encounters can be often times missed or ignored in favor of random monster attacks. It would also open the tavern up for more unitterupted roleplay as well which would be great. This would also make it easier for the dragons den to focus on the written encounters I think instead of them sitting there trying to imagine up monsters and scenarios to go send to entertain players who may or may not want to be entertained or even around. I'm a newbie so I have barely any experience but to me it seems like it can be a little hard to know what's an encounter and what's a theatric and whats just a random monster attack. But that might just be me :p
Encounters get sent out quite frequently, but few are written for every event. Also keep in mind that some people miss them as they are on mods. So while it may seem like they aren't being used, most of the time they are, as long as the party in play is appropriate for the encounter subject.
Also if it were within site of the den and you guys needed some monsters for a mod you could just go shut it down and tell the players the monsters have wandered off or the area seems secure for the time being.