Nikita

The more I think about the one-shot we ran, the more I come to the conclusion that it was poorly designed and poorly played. It was an empty city, an empty building, and the players had mostly useless interactions with the environment. There were basically three combat encounters: one NPC was wiped out in 3 strikes; ten NPCs lasted for 2.5 rounds and then disappeared; and the BBEG who was destroyed in 1.5 rounds. The second one resulted in an instant teleport to the BBEG's room without any clear reason. There was no explanation of the plot, no answers about what had happened just the end of the session. Starting at level 4 with a bunch of equipment also felt pointless - I think I spent more time choosing gear I never got to use than actually engaging with the story in-game. Shawn seemed like a nice person who has his own fan base of regular players, and he clearly tried hard to make the session welcoming to everyone. But the game itself turned out not to be my thing.

This was the perfect start for me even before we sat at the table. I'd been poking Arnold all week with questions, trying to dive into the world and my character while juggling a bunch of unfamiliar mechanics, and he responded with a fully thought‑out answer that covered all the bases. From the first seconds of the session, I felt a calm and respectful attitude toward me as a new player to these mechanics, and toward a party that already had history together. I’m truly thankful to Arnold for being so helpful and patient. And I have to admit, his Eastern European accent for NPCs is magnificent.

It was my very first adventure as a newcomer, and Colin ran it perfectly. He mixed in all the flavors you can encounter in a game and added a seasoning of ambient sound plus NPC and action voice acting, which all led to a wonderfully entertaining night with a delightful aftertaste that lasted for days. I am really grateful that fate let Colin be the one to introduce me to this world. It was a pleasure, and I hope I will have the chance to join his table again.