Post date: Mar 19, 2013 10:59:7 PM
So, here we are, one session left.
So how does one "conclude" such a long running campaign.
First, do not wrap up every thread.
You want the players to always wonder, what if... or what happened to... its alright. Life is rarely an open and shut case. Threads left waving in the wind leave doors for *gasp* the Sequel. But more importantly it lets the players in their own mind have the ending their way.
In this campaign several threads will remain open.
1) The actual wedding of Dr Preacher and Grim, how did it go?
2) How successful were they at building a library when Moriarty and Dark Lord Madrid meet up, especially when DLM still thinks Moriarty is a nemisis?
3) Will Jim loose his baritone buttery voice?
4) What about Corey Vegas and that chick from Railyard?
and so many other stories that create possible adventures but are never pursued by the players, and that is alright.
Let them go.
Set those Side quests aside, it's okay to let them drift away. The momentum for the big finale has been building, the players have long waited for this confrontation. Let them have it!
Second, make it EPIC!
Plan for it, make sure the foes are the bada$$es you have made them out to be. Waves of foes, tough decisions, timed choices. Whatever it takes make it feel like it is the do or die moment, that sacrifices may be necessary, that no one walks away with polished smile. So sit down, give this moment, the finale, some serious thought.
Now think about how each player will/must get their spotlight moment. This is the final act, make sure everyone gets that moment to shine, where the table is focused on them and they choose the fate of the party upon their actions. Let me repeat - everyone gets the spotlight.
Next, you will probably have to cheat. The big bad does not die in one hit, even if the dice says so. Or if he does, have him be a minion for a bigger bad that will come out. In any case, be ready to cheat. Have in mind what it will be so you are not surprised. Body double, decoy, forcefields, whatever it is, make sure you know how to deploy it. Same applies to the PCs, if it is more dramatic to have something do damage to their nigh impossible toughness, know what it takes and make sure it is there. Just know that will be used against you once they kill that foe. But cheat only to make the finale what it needs to be, epic! Remember you are not here to win as the GM. You are here to make the adventure adventurous. Even Gary Gygax is quoted at saying "A DM only rolls the dice because of the noise they make." So take that to heart, make some noise, shake your head, and ratchet up the tension.
Third, conclude with painting broad strokes.
Paint a future for the world based on the character's actions, but do not paint the characters into it. Tell them what happened to such and such a town after their actions were completed, but do not say what their characters did to make it happen. Never assume the role of the player's character and minimizing them as an NPC.
Fourth, celebrate!
After such a long campaign comes to an end, celebrate. It could be simply making cookies shaped like their famous foe, or finding the right beer that matches on in the campaign. Or it could be getting something customized somewhere (like cafepresscom) and giving it as a parting gift from GM to players thanking them for their commitment to play in the world you built.
Finally, decompress.
Now, I am not saying, "do not run something", I am saying to "do not run something that is similar." So in my instance, do no run post-apocalyptic using savage worlds. So for me, I am making a break both in setting and rules. Going to do Fantasy with Pathfinder. One of my players wisely noted that if we did anything Savage Worlds, more than likely everyone would remake their existing character reskinned for the setting. If I did Post Apoc with a different rule set, they would make their same characters reskinned for the rules. So a clean break is necessary to allow you the GM to flex your thinking and decompress from the world and rules. Or if you truly want to decompress, go to the other side of the table and play.
So there you go, my advice for wrapping up a campaign.
Now one more blog post for the final session, and then I will probably re-photograph my collection of minis I created for this campaign and post them here. Hard to believe in nearly 50 sessions over the span of 4 years.