When Things Finally Come Together...

Despite the setbacks for our young adventurers the previous evening, Blarrney, Dascool, Factotum, Murders, Robinous and Obsydiian managed to collect themselves together for a small excursion through one of the Gianthold's greatest challenges... the Madstone Crater.

Of course, with any significant challenge, there must be some significant reward. Otherwise, why would anyone rise to face the challenge?

Well, I can certainly tell you that the reward wasn't in the offerings of Blaze ar'Rhind or his minions. Especially on completion of the quest. It seemed that no one was offered anything more than vendor trash. Although, I wouldn't really consider Madstone to be a "loot run" type of quest.

But, there was a greater reward to be had...

Experience.

You see, Robinous has been working, ever so slowly, to rise to the ranks of the elder heros. Unfortunately, he's still at Level 10 at the moment. Though, after a few more adventures such as the Madstone Crater, he'll be Level 13 in no time.

Particularly since he earned nearly twenty *thousand* experience points for his effort last night.

'course, he would've earned nearly twenty-two thousand, had he not released to resurrect himself. But, those are the breaks of the game. There are some times where you have to make a tough call. It's simply unfortunate when you do. I don't know many folks who enjoy the prospect of losing experience when they're working so hard to earn it in the first place.

The group was lucky, though.

The quest had been opened only on Normal, making it a Level 14 quest.

And, none of the group were above Level 13.

Additionally, most of the group were seeing the crater for the first time with the characters they'd brought along. And some even had the trinket, the Voice of the Master, earning them some bonus experience.

I must say, with the release of Module 8, the developers did make a few adjustments to the quest.

All in all, I'd say some very good adjustments.

Despite some of the challenges the group had faced, it seems to me that they had much more fun than in previous excursions through the crater. Mostly, I think, because the quest now requires players to be engaged the entire way through now.

And, that silly giant skeleton at the end is now susceptible to certain arcane spells once again.

I look forward to the group's next adventure out in Gianthold. I hear tell that both the Prison of the Planes and the Crucible are calling Robinous' name...

Keep it fun!