NAVIGATING ONWARDS: Mastery, Undertakings & Memories.
Greetings adventurers,
Moving forward with the business has required some tough decisions lately. I have officially decided to close down the eBay store that started this whole journey. Considering everything, I sent in the application to do so today. Honestly, it feels like a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Every adventurer knows when it’s time to retire a specific questline to focus on new goals. Lately, I’ve realized that my energy is better spent elsewhere. Leaving that chapter behind allows me to dive back into what I truly love: the gaming itself (& perhaps other areas of the business). Even though it’s the end of an era for Sure Treats on eBay, the spirit of the brand lives on in my local sessions & my heart.
Running a new Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition campaign has been my latest focus. Engaging with a younger audience of players has brought a whole new level of energy to the table. Every session is a blast (even though it has only been 2 so far), especially since I’ve been weaving in some deeper lore. Specifically, I managed to get permission from my own DM to tie these events into my Barbarian’s history.
Connecting the kids' session to the Barbarian events from a couple of weeks back was a stroke of genius. Using those past events added so much weight to the story they are currently unfolding (even though they they couldn’t influence key events happening in their vicinity - it would create a paradox!). Nothing beats seeing a young face light up when they realize the world is interconnected. Truly, it was one of the most fun sessions I’ve had the pleasure of leading.
Mastery of the DM screen is definitely a journey, but I’m loving every minute of this specific path. Of course, my Barbarian is on the path to creating a legacy which is starting to influence new heroes. The way they handled the latest encounter shows they are ready for anything I throw at them. Having that creative outlet has been exactly what I needed lately. Entering the world of Night City, alongside tabletop adventuring, once again has also been a major highlight for my downtime. Replaying Cyberpunk 2077 after all the recent updates has been a revelation Bartmoss would be proud of.
Leaping back in for the Phantom Liberty expansion was the best decision I’ve made recently. Everything about Dogtown is absolutely epic, from the atmosphere to the sheer gritty scale of it. Although I haven’t finished the expansion yet, I am absolutely hooked on the new content. V is taking a different path this time around, as I’m playing her as a lethal female Streetkid Netrunner. Enhancing my build has been fascinating, especially with the superb redesign of the skill trees.
My focus has been on the core skills rather than the Relic tree, as it feels much more balanced now. Even the combat feels fresh and more strategic than I remember from my first playthrough.
Anyone who hasn’t tried the 2.0 update really needs to give it a look. Losing myself in the neon-soaked streets is the perfect way to unwind after a busy day. Overall, I’m just enjoying the ride and seeing how all these improvements have polished the experience. Next time I update, I might finally be through the expansion and ready to share more. Every session, whether it’s at the table or on the console, reminds me why I love these worlds so much!
– Stuart.
