The Person Among Muppets is the fifth episode of season 3 of Adventuring Party, which features the main cast. They answer fan questions following the sixth episode of The Unsleeping City: Chapter II.
Guests[]
Cast[]
Highlights[]
The episode focuses on the discussion of Tony Simos and how his portrayal as a villain differs from traditional villains. They delve into Tony's personality and actions, particularly his manipulative tactics, and how this creates a different dynamic for the players. The discussion then moves to examine the characters' journeys and how they are evolving throughout the game. The segment concludes with a fun conversation about the actors' favourite holiday movies, food, and personal anecdotes.
Questions Asked[]
From Mystery Mod: “Tony Simos is such a great, interesting antagonist for the game. He's not an outright villain and everything he said at the end was technically in parentheses, "correct." That being said, he was engaging in non-stop microaggressions, toxic masculinity and general manipulative slash threatening behavior. Was this intentional? To make us think Tony would be more of an outright villain? But make his villainy a little more akin to the shittiness, one would encounter in real life."
- Brennan explains that one of his goals with Tony Simos was to create a compelling antagonist who wouldn't be immediately killed by the PCs. This is particularly challenging in a grounded setting like "The Unsleeping City," where outright villainy often leads to swift and decisive action from the heroes. To make Tony Simos a more nuanced and enduring threat, Brennan crafted him as someone who operates within the boundaries of plausible behaviour, mirroring the subtle "shittiness" individuals encounter in real life. This approach adds complexity and realism to the story, forcing the PCs to navigate a more morally ambiguous conflict.
- Tony Simos represents a specific brand of "old school" New York machismo that is resistant to whimsy and playfulness. Brennan likens him to the kind of person who would scold a child for being too imaginative, embodying a cynical force that seeks to stifle joy and creativity. This characterisation taps into a recognisable societal dynamic, highlighting the tension between those who embrace imagination and those who seek to control it.
- Tony Simos's antagonism also serves to challenge Sofia's worldview and force her to confront her own beliefs. As a young and accomplished hero, Sofia initially navigates the world with a sense of idealism and confidence. Tony Simos's presence disrupts this equilibrium, pushing Sofia to question her principles and grapple with the complexities of good and evil. His manipulative behaviour and toxic masculinity become obstacles that Sofia must overcome, both on a personal and philosophical level.
- Zac expresses surprise and amusement at the revelation that Tony Simos, the seemingly powerful antagonist, was merely recording the party's encounter with his mobile phone.
- Ally expresses frustration with Tony Simos, calling him a "toxic alpha male" whose "shitty energy" made them immediately want to "kill [him], literally". They also note that they found it difficult to know how to interact with the character, as Brennan "just [didn't] give [them] anything to go off of".
- Siobhan describes him as "the perfect work enemy" and someone whose behaviour evokes feelings of frustration and anger, mirroring real-life experiences with toxic individuals.
- Zac notes that, while both straightforward villains and nuanced antagonists can be enjoyable, Tony Simos offers a more layered and engaging challenge, providing more "internal story" for the characters to explore
From Gareth: “Zac, Ricky went from the ideal human perfect body, perfect attitude, doing good in the world, chosen by the questing blade with a caring, smart, strong partner, et cetera, to being laid low like never before, the questing blade specifically did not choose him again. He feels somewhat lost without his firefighter gig and identity as Mr. March and is starting to deal with feelings of doubt, jealousy and resentment for what to do the first time in a long time. Was it more fun playing the perfect chill dude or this more conflicted version of Ricky?"
In season one, Ricky Matsui is presented as an almost archetypal superhero: physically fit, unfailingly kind, and dedicated to helping others. This “perfect chill dude” persona resonated with audiences, earning Ricky comparisons to Superman and solidifying his status as “New York's good boy”.
- Zac describes Ricky’s season one arc as “simpler” in terms of its trajectory. The character’s inherent goodness and clarity of purpose made for relatively straightforward decision-making, as Ricky always knew the “right thing to do”. This simplicity, however, also presented a unique challenge for Zac as a player. As Brennan points out, it can be difficult to create compelling storylines for characters who lack inner conflict or flaws.
- Despite the potential for narrative stagnation, Zac embraced the challenge of portraying Ricky’s unwavering goodness in season one. He successfully conveyed Ricky’s genuine desire to help others, creating a character that was both relatable and aspirational for viewers. Brennan highlights a moment where Ricky's innate goodness is put to the test when Patricia Sinclair, the Fury of Despair, attempts to uncover darkness in his soul but finds none. These instances further solidify Ricky’s “Superman-esque” image and highlight Zac’s ability to portray unwavering goodness in a compelling way.
Season two introduces a more conflicted version of Ricky. He loses his firefighter job and his status as “Mr. March”, experiences the rejection of the Questing Blade, and grapples with feelings of inadequacy and jealousy. This shift in characterization allowed for a more nuanced and “textured” portrayal of Ricky’s heroism.
- For Zac, the introduction of conflict into Ricky's character arc presented a new and engaging challenge. As he states, playing the "more conflicted" version of Ricky “makes [it] feel like more of a real person [and] definitely… easier to play”. This shift towards greater complexity allows Zac to explore a wider range of emotions and reactions, making for a more dynamic and rewarding acting experience.
From Johnny five ACEs: "Do you have the same disdain for Staten Island in real life, that your characters have on the show? Not counting Sofia. How would you rank the NYC boroughs?"
- Brennan is flustered by the request to rank the boroughs as "it's too personal, It's just too much to do with where you're from."
- Siobhan jokes it's all of the boroughs and then Staten Island.
- Lou insists no badmouthing Staten Island or Pete Davidson. No one can criticize it but him. Staten can't be ranked fifth; fourth is acceptable.
- Ally jokes Lou is under contract to defend Staten Island.
- Zac never lived in New York or visited Staten Island.
- Siobhan says riding the ferry to Staten Island just for fun is great—it's free, you get fresh air, and see the Statue of Liberty. There's a bar on the ferry. It's a short ride, 20-30 minutes.
- Brennan says Staten Island is hard to define with so many people; it has a couple of knocks, mainly its Republican voting and trashy image. He mentions it's home to the Wu-Tang Clan.
- Lou says Staten Island paid him to promote them as he lived on Staten Island for a month.
- Brennan mentions Sebastian Kanally, a funny Staten Islander, keeps the NY accent alive, unlike other New Yorkers.
- Brennan highlights The Bronx as the birthplace of hip hop. Visiting family in the Bronx was a hassle with the car seat.
- Siobhan mentions how getting to the Bronx from the Upper West Side is tough due to train routes.
- Brennan stresses that each borough has its charm; no Staten Island bashing here.
- Lou chants "We are one New York!"
- Brennan makes an interesting comparison: Ireland has 6 million people; NYC has 8 million, plus 1-2 million tourists daily. Some boroughs surpass entire countries in population. NYC’s diversity means every few blocks offer a new vibe, food, and culture.
from Colby: "For all in this campaign, downtime is a really big part of the story, do you all feel like you get to do everything your characters would do in a couple of weeks? Or was it challenging to figure out one big thing you want your characters to do?"
- Zac acknowledges the inherent challenge of balancing the diverse motivations and independent lives of adult characters within the constraints of an episodic show. He expresses a sense of realism, noting that characters likely have many things they would do in their downtime, but not everything can be explored within the limited timeframe of an episode. He implies that some potential storylines are deemed less interesting or relevant and are therefore set aside.
- Brennan emphasises that downtime is not intended to limit characters to a single significant action within a two-week period. He suggests that the constraint lies in balancing important activities against the demands of daily life, such as work, errands, and social obligations. This mirrors the experiences of the players themselves, who have to juggle their personal lives with the demands of the show.
- Ally highlights the potential for the DM to use downtime strategically, creating a tension between engaging in exciting activities and maintaining essential life routines. This element of "taunting" players with tempting opportunities while forcing them to prioritize basic needs adds another layer of complexity to the downtime system.
From Mystery Mod: “Brennan, would you seriously have PERMA killed Pete Conlin in episode six ps Ally, way to surprise us with those clutch RP nat 20, before the finale low and behold a Beardsley Nat 20 mid season, are we this fortunate? Or are we this blessed? I can't believe it."
- Brennan admits that he had initially intended to kill Pete in the scene where Ally rolled a natural 20 to resist banishment. He describes feeling "rattled" and his brain going into "overdrive" as he tried to figure out how to avoid killing Pete in that moment. Brennan states that the DC for the saving throw was 21, and Pete only had a +1 modifier, meaning that the natural 20 was not only an automatic success but also the bare minimum needed to clear the DC. He even goes so far as to say that the natural 20 "saved him too" as the dungeon master, as it provided a narrative justification for Pete's success in banishing the entity.
- Brennan reveals that Ally's natural 20 forced him to significantly alter the course of the campaign, "rewriting the rest of the campaign to accommodate" Pete's survival. He describes having to "shuffle some cards around" to adjust the story.
- While Brennan acknowledges that he was "truly baffled as to how to not" kill Pete in that specific scene, he doesn't express a particular fondness for killing player characters. He clarifies that he doesn't "love to kill PCs", implying that character death is a narrative tool he uses judiciously rather than for shock value or personal satisfaction.
From Elijah: "Hey y'all, what do you think would be your unsleeping city characters, favorite Christmas/holiday movie?"
- Iga Lisowski: Elf and White Christmas - Siobhan explains that Iga loves Will Ferrell and that Elf is a family favourite. Siobhan's personal favourite is Muppet Christmas Carol. Brennan says "I really believe that, if that one of the most noble and powerful callings a human can receive in life is to be the person amongst Muppets." which is where the episode title comes from.
- Kingston Brown: The Wiz - Lou states "It's Thanksgiving and it's black wizard of Oz."
- Cody "Night Angel" Walsh: Nightmare Before Christmas and Die Hard - Zac states that Cody enjoys telling people that Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
- Pete the Plug: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Ally describes Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a "Christmas Eve" film and says "Happy Christmas Harry,"
- Ricky Matsui: Least favourite movie is Home Alone - Zac explains that many good Christmas movies involve people getting hurt, putting up Christmas decorations and things like that. Zac's personal favourite Christmas movie is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- Esther Sinclair: Enjoys all Christmas movies - Brennan infers that Esther enjoys all Christmas movies because she was afraid to watch them for a long time before the family curse was broken.
From Boston Powers: "The winter season is coming and the unsleeping city always seems to take place, right when the weather's getting colder. AKA the perfect weather for soups. What are your favorite soups, stews, chillies?"
- Siobhan Thompson: Senegalese chicken soup from Hale and Hearty in New York City.
- Brennan Lee Mulligan: His dad's Pretty Good Chili.
- Lou Wilson: Butternut squash soup, pumpkin soup, beef and pork and yam chilli (non-turkey), and classic chicken stock.
- Ally Beardsley: Straight chicken broth.
- Zac Oyama: Ramen.
Additionally:
- Brennan mentions that Hale and Hearty also had a fully loaded baked potato soup.