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Author: jason

Crowdfunding Projects Worth Looking At

Crowdfunding Projects Worth Looking At

There are currently a few crowdfunding projects I would like to point people towards. First up is Reaver from Raven God Games, I recently did an interview on the podcast with Joe Salvador and I am very excited this has finally come to Kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ravengodgames/reaver-sword-and-sorcery-role-playing-game

Next is Sleepy Hollow, long time listeners know I love The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and I just had one of the creators on the podcast to discuss this project. It is on Backerkit and powered by the Year Zero Engine, check it out!

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/kids-in-the-attic/sleepy-hollow-a-tabletop-roleplaying-game-of-early-19th-century-folk-horror#top

Last I would like to point out that there is still time to back two adventures for The Troubleshooters! I am a big fan of this system. It can run everything from Tin Tin to Scooby Doo!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/helmgast/ghosts-and-thieves-two-troubleshooters-adventures

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 31

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 31

Day 31 Main Prompt: Game or Gamer You Miss

One of my favorite retroclones is Fantastic Heroes & Witchery. It seems to be BECMI based but also incudes pulp and space opera classes. Sadly the designer seems to have moved on and nothing new has appeared for years. At the moment it is still available on DrivethruRPG and Lulu.

Day 31 Alternate Prompt: Dragons and my d10 roll is a 9, Write an eavedroppable dialogue

“Donnie, I hear that all dragons have a weakness, all we need to do is find this one’s.”

“Do you know hard that will be to do, Mark? How are we supposed to find this wyrm’s weakness?”

“It can’t be that hard, all we have to do is some research, each dragon is unique so surely there are records of this one. Worse case we can hire a seer to divine it’s weak point. It might be a hole in it’s scales, it may vulnerable to a certain type of metal, perhaps it can’t resist the charms of a virgin.”

“Can’t resist eating virgins you mean Donnie, that is why we were hired, to stop the lottery.”

That’s all for today, until next Friday be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 30

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 30

Day 30 Main Prompt: Person You’d Like to Game WIth

I’m going to cheat and give two answers, these are game developers I greatly admire. Kevin Siembieda of Palladium Books, you can find his work here: https://palladiumbooks.com/

and S. John Ross, creator of Risus and many other wonderful things. You can find his blog here: https://rolltop-indigo.blogspot.com/ and he posts regularly at dice.camp here: https://dice.camp/@SJohnRoss

Day 30 Alternate Prompt: Trap and my d10 roll is a 4, Invent an Item

The Wand of Traps

This wondrous wand is found with a variable number of charges. It has the unique ability to conjure believable illusions of traps, similar to a Phantasm Force spell in some systems. Unless the victim successfully disbelieves the trap, which is only possible if they have a reason to not believe, they take damage as if the trap were real. Spear, arrow, or dart traps cost one charge, pit traps cost two charges (spikes at the bottom are free), and rolling or falling stones cost three charges.

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 29

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 29

Day 29 Main Prompt: Awesome App

Rand Roll has quite the repository of links to online random generators for all types of table top role playing games. You can find it here: https://www.randroll.com/

Day 29 Alternate Prompt: Knight and my d10 roll is a 1, Describe a Monster

Damned for atrocities committed during the Crusades there is a group of knights that live on in undeath, sustaining their wasting away forms with blood. Although their eyes have long since rotted away they have supernatural hearing able to track their victims by the sound of their heartbeat alone.

These knights are still protected by their plate mail armor and armed with longs swords. They wear tattered black robes over the armor and ride ghoulish undead steeds that they can summon at will when outdoors. While their physical forms can be destroyed they will come back the following night, forever cursed to roam until the end of the age.

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 28

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 28

Day 28 Main Prompt: Great Gamer Gadget

Today I will discuss the absolute best gamer gadget I have found in the last two decades. It is my smart phone. I personally use an iPhone but I have dabbled with Android and Blackberry in the past. Smart phones let us store and read PDFs, use virtual die rollers, access the internet and in some cases virtual table tops. I don’t use D&D Beyond but I understand that it and other programs can provide virtual character sheets for players. Internet access lets me participate on discord and various online forums from anywhere and through Zoom and other methods I can even play games on the road. That isn’t even touching the ability to listen to podcast and watch videos / movies. All in all there is nothing that has increased my ability to stay in touch with fellow gamers , access game materials, and play games than my smart phone.

Day 28 Alternate Prompt: Mimic and my d10 roll is a 8, present an idea for a random encounter

“The noises came from the refrigerator. It was an awful voice, I won’t go back in the house as long as it is there.” Billy said.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it,” Ann said in a comforting voice as she winked at Joan, “supernatural manifestations are our bread and butter.”

The investigators entered the house leaving the disturbed homeowner on the porch.

“What a wimp, where do you find these guys Ann?” Joan didn’t have a lot of patience for silliness and the idea of a haunted refrigerator was very high on her list of silly things. “I’m not getting any readings here. No temperature change, no EMF readings, this is stupid. I hope he doesn’t stiff us. Listen …” she stopped as Ann touched her arm, “what?”

Ann’s voice was an octave higher than normal, “Joan, maybe we should get back up.”

Joan looked up from her detector to see the refrigerator had not only moved to the center of the kitchen it had also split to expose a jagged mouth full of silver, metallic teeth and what appeared to be slobber was drooling out of the impossible maw.

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 27

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 27

Day 27 Main Prompt: Marvelous Miniature

The works of Ray Harryhausen. His work with miniatures and stop motion revolutionized the movie industry and fueled the imagination of gamers world wide. Take a minute to poke around The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation website and then rewatch some of his amazing films. If you haven’t seen them yet I envy you because you will be thrilled and amazed by his creations. Website here: https://www.rayharryhausen.com/

Day 27 Alternate Prompt: Shapeshifting and my d10 roll is a 6, create a random table

With a mighty blow the tall, gaunt man falls down and before your horrified eyes starts to change, his body twists, his skin becomes malleable, and he turns into a: Roll a d10

1 wolf

2 large rat

3 tiger

4 gold dragon

5 tall, white, featureless humanoid form that looks like a mannequin.

6 goose

7 Dire Wraith

8 tall, gaunt woman

9 spitting image of one of the PCs

10 pile of pink goo

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 26

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 26

Day 26 Main Prompt: Superb Screen

Oft times the first is still the best and that is the case with the Judge’s Shield from Judges Guild. It was the first game master’s screen to hit the market and is still one of the best implementations of one. For reasons I won’t go into here Judges Guild products are now something you have to primarily get on the used market but I do believe it is important to give credit where credit is due and this product remains one of the best examples ever produced.

(Image from Wikipedia)

Day 26 Alternate Prompt: Tattoo and my d10 roll is a 4, invent an item

Of course this is a cursed tattoo gun. When used it opens up a connection between the person with the tattoo and a demonic dimension. The percentage of total body area covered by tattoos made with this gun is the percentage chance a demon can take control of the body of the person with the tattoo. They will remain conscious but will be helpless as their body is possessed and used by the demon for all sorts of unsavory activities.

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 25

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 25

Day 25 Main Prompt: Desirable Dice

Time for some blatant product promotion! Dice suitable for role playing games are a dime a dozen and we all have box fulls of them but some of the more desirably ones to come to the market in recent days are this set from Runehammer.

(Image from Runehammer web store)

Here is the sales blurb:

“This seven-die premium resin set has been in development for over a year, refining the materials, feel, and exact specifications to create that elusive every-damn-session set you can’t live without! Our goal was to develop a die that had the look and feel of a troll’s tusks, was beyond readable, and had a silky feel. The edges are beveled for a smooth roll, but not a roll off the table. The sizes are well beyond most sets… big, chonky, “molars” you can count on week after week. The just-a-bit translucent ivory finish picks up light colors with magical ease.

-Each box includes a protective outer sleeve for those rough backpack rides across town.

-Each box includes a ‘socketed’ foam insert that can be used or removed, complete with dragon battle mural interior box art.

If you’re a ‘weekly grind’ player who needs that one hard-working set to just WORK… no fancy colors, no hard-to-read numbers, no wacky rolling behaviors, this is your set.”

If that sounds good to you they are available here: https://www.runehammer.online/online-store/Official-Runehammer-Dice-Set-p564679890

I am not affiliated with Runehammer nor do I get any compensation for mentioning these dice, I just think they fit today’s prompt of ‘desirable.’

Day 25 Alternate Prompt: Mutant and my d10 roll is a 7, create a simple mechanic

What does the Wasteland Mutant eat? Roll a d4

1 meat, human flesh is prized above all else

2 vegetarian

3 no food needed, survives off radiation alone

4 Same thing as you and me silly!

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 24

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 24

Day 24 Main Prompt: Acclaimed Advice

“Be a fan of your players”

This is one of Karl Rodriguez’ mantras. You can find Karl on The GMologist YouTube channel or on his podcast, The GMologist Presents.

I love this mantra and try to incorporate it in my games. If the players want to try something, let them. If it is likely to get them killed make sure they understand that too. If something happens and there is a chance they could survive help them look up the rule, or take a minute to look up the rule yourself, to give them every opportunity to survive. An example of this was during an AD&D 1E session run by the M.W. Lewis from The Worlds of MW Lewis podcast and author of the module The Mystifying Marvel of Nicomeiden’s Tower which you can buy here on Amazon. During the session a drunk cleric in plate mail fall out of a boat. M.W. gave us a chance to grab him, gave him saving throws, and looked up the rules for drowning in the various AD&D books to make sure every possibility was exhausted.

This does not mean you should fudge dice! If the player character dies, they die. The cleric in the example I just mentioned ended up drowning but it was no fault of the GMs and death is part of these games.

It does mean that you should not gloat when a PC dies and you should cheer when things go well for them. Do not bemoan the fact they one shotted your big bad, be happy for them!

The attitude of the GM goes a long way towards the overall feeling of the session. I do not believe it is the GM’s job to entertain their players, a role playing game is a group effort, but a negative GM can really put a damper on a session.

Day 24 Alternate Prompt: Antique and my d10 roll is a 3, Write a Bulletin Board Quest

Wanted: Internet Researcher and Antiquarian.

Assistance needed in finding unique antiques that were inadvertently sold. Discretion mandatory. Pay good. Some field work required. Current life insurance policy and living will highly recommend. Inquire at Vendredi’s Antiques, ask for Micki.

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10. 

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 23

#RPGaDAY2024 Day 23

Day 23 Main Prompt: Peerless Player

I’m going to give a shout out to a player that will remain nameless but he was in the play test campaign for Joe Salvador’s Reaver Sword & Sorcery RPG which goes on Kickstarter next month, you can sign up to be notified when it launches here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ravengodgames/reaver-sword-and-sorcery-role-playing-game

Anyhow this player plays Lazlo, a warrior in Reaver, but has played with us in a number of other games as well and is the epitome of a great player. He takes time to learn the rules, is respectful of the other players, and works to get inside his character’s head. He also skirts the line between player his character honestly and “but that is what my character would do!” He is always welcome at my table and I truly look forward to every game I get to play alongside him. This one’s to you nameless Reaver playtester!

Day 23 Alternate Prompt: Ritual and my d10 roll is a 8, Present an Idea for a Random Encounter

1987’s House II: The Second Story doesn’t get the love it deserves. While the first movie with William Katt is a horror-comedy the sequel is definitely a comedy-action film. Just take the sequence with John Ratzenberger (Cliff from Cheers) as Bill Towner, the electrician they call to help with a wiring problem, and adapt it. I don’t want to ruin the sequence if you haven’t seen the movie but it is easily adaptable to just about any game. If you haven’t seen the film what are you waiting for? By the way you don’t have to watch them in order.

That’s all for today, until tomorrow be excellent to each other!

August is #RPGaDay2024 and I am going to posting daily responses to the prompts. You can find more information about #RPGaDAY2024 here: https://www.autocratik.com/2024/07/announcing-rpgaday2024-for-august.html

There are two sets of prompts this year and since I have room to do so on the blog I will answer both. In episode S2E6 of my podcast titled RPGaDAY2024 Panel Discussion I assemble an esteemed panel and we go through the main prompts for the entire month’s so I will try to give different answers here on the blog but may end up repeating myself occasionally.  

On their podcast Mirke the Meek suggested using the alternate prompts to create a setting and that is a great idea so I’m going to steal that. The setting I am going to craft for this month will be a modern, conspiracy style setting. Nominally I think we’ll set it in the 1970’s to avoid the problems cell phones and the internet can cause if player characters have access to them.

Here are the main prompts:

And here are a set of alternative prompts suggested by Skala Wyzwania, look at the day on the left, pick the theme, then roll d10.