#RPGaDay 3: Character moment you are proudest of

RPG a Day 2016 image

Each year we celebrate Autocratik’s #RPGaDay, where we spend a month celebrating RPGs, discussing what we love and what we love about them. Here are the responses of the TRF crew. Be sure to tweet, blog, or post your own with the #RPGaDay!

For August 3, what is the character moment you are proudest of?

Aser – Looking back, I can’t honestly think of a character moment I’m “proud” of. The closest thing I can think of is a scenario set on an aircraft carrier when my character rode an atomic bomb as it plunged towards the spawn of an elder God. That was kind of cool…
John D. – Probably The Strange when Agent Bradley Davis was the only one to look back at the planetvore eating the enemy fortress and realized his brother’s sacrifice was worth it.
Jonn P. – I’d have to say it happened during a Hunters game. I was playing Marshall Barsoom, a retired Airforce colonel, who had volunteered at Camp Northstar in Florida. The company running the camp had drawn out a local cryptid, a skin-changer. They were using the creature to harvest fear and profit off the wealthy students by providing the leadership opportunity of rescuing the low-income campers from the skin-changer. Unbeknownst to the any of the students, the head counselor had given the wealthy students a charm to protect them from the monster. Marshall had worked out that the friendship bracelets were the protective charm and using his leadership skills he lead a group of camp kids in creating enough friendship bracelets for themselves and the other camp kids. The moment when he charged into the fray unarmed save for two fist fulls of friendship bracelets was probably one of my most memorable moments in a game ever.
Landan – The most current one I can think of is when Megan let my character Sir Eliath Guinness use his Lion’s Shield Magical Bite attack to prevent him from falling off of a cliff.
Megan – I think it might be Captain Myra Cole’s decision at the battle near Orion’s Light on Firefly Podcast.
Mike G. – This year, my Loremouse (MouseGuard) rushing the traitor with an axe and planting it right into him! Go team bookworm!
Patrick – I once had a Halfing thief that had been practice with garrotes since the beginning of the adventure and I wanted to live the dream of using a locking garrote from D&D 3.5. Our party was trying to track down a cult that was attempting to summon a demon and sent me in to infiltrate the compound and find the ritual chamber, which I did. Just after the Thorn demon had been summoned. The cultists rushed out of the room as my party made a ruckus outside in the courtyard as planned, leaving me to deal with the freshly summoned demon. Long story short after attempting to lock the garrote on the demon’s throat for six rounds I finally had done it and then promptly succumbed to the massive bleeding caused by the demon’s thorny exterior, but not before lighting his last bit of pipeweed. The rest of the party charged into the ritual chamber expecting the boss fight (I had been moved to another room for my recon job) and found a strangled demon, and a dead, smiling halfling with a lit pipe hanging from his mouth.
Phil – Jake’s poignant scenes in Firefly podcast. Or Nigel’s demise (thanks Megan!).

#RPGaDay 2: Best game session since August 2015

RPG a Day 2016 image

Each year we celebrate Autocratik’s #RPGaDay, where we spend a month celebrating RPGs, discussing what we love and what we love about them. Here are the responses of the TRF crew. Be sure to tweet, blog, or post your own with the #RPGaDay!

For August 2, what has been your best game session since August 2015?

Aser – There have been so many, it’s really hard to pick one that stands out as the best. If I had to pick though, I’d have to say it would be the Delta Green game I ran at GeeklyCon, the first time I’d ever run a game in person. I am so glad it was Delta Green, that I was able to introduce the game to a whole new group of players, and that they had fun watching their whole world come apart around them. I love it when everyone around the table buys into the particular brand of crazy the GM is selling and business was good that afternoon.
John D.  – Wow, that’s tough.  Maybe the playtest for Delta Green’s ‘The Star Chamber’ as we each had two characters and the stories kept contradicting each other. Megan GM’d that real tight too.
Jonn P. – That is a hard decision because there have been a few over the past year. I narrowed it down to two sessions and but will talk about the one that doesn’t contain Rising Awakening spoilers.
My Wednesday gaming crew wrapped up a year-long campaign called Mysterious Tavern. It was mostly collaborative storytelling game—the D&D ruleset got incidental usage. The GM had presented a whimsical setting where the is a strong sense of realism, with sudden jarring shifts towards the stylized. Khyrs is good at changing the mood and tone to warp tradition themes and challenge PC way of thinking.
I was playing Captain Morgan Roberts; a merchant-rogue turn corsair who was chivalrous but suffered from alcoholism and an irrational hatred for spell casters. During the session, she revealed that the adolescent child that he’d grown attached had hidden the fact she was skilled sorceress in addition to being the younger sister of a sorceress he had been butting heads with the majority of the campaign. The conflict created by the clashing of the relationship, his beliefs, and his motivations—not to mention the present danger—made for some great drama and memorable spotlight moment for Morgan in the campaign.
Landan – In Rise of the Runelords when Megan had a Deck of Many things pop up in the loot and amazing things happened.
Megan – I think the finale of Mysteries of the Ninth World, episode 25. It was the wrap up of the first long term campaign I wrote myself, and I put a lot of planning into the whole thing. Seeing it all culminate in a really great session was very rewarding.
Mike G. – We played a Fiasco game where we all belonged to a community theater. The way we messed with each other throughout, had to go “off script” at random moments, and just how dark and sinister the  hole thing became still makes me laugh at odd moments.
Patrick – Mostly spoiler free : It involves a Wendigo, a Bronze Dragon, and a really really good good initiative roll.
Phil – There are too many to pick one, but many of them involve beheadings…

#RPGaDay 1: Real dice, dice app, diceless, how do you prefer to ‘roll’?

RPG a Day 2016 image

Each year we celebrate Autocratik’s #RPGaDay, where we spend a month celebrating RPGs, discussing what we love and what we love about them. Here are the responses of the TRF crew. Be sure to tweet, blog, or post your own with the #RPGaDay!

For August 1, Real dice, dice app, diceless, how do you prefer to ‘roll’?

Aser – I like real dice, the feel of a tangible expression of the probabilities at work. Random number generators may offer a purer randomness than these little pieces of plastic, but feeling and hearing the dice tumble and roll imparts something special to the roll. Even if the randomness is more illusory given the nature of the game, isn’t that part of the fantasy too?
In another important sense, the dice I use are a constant reminder of the inventiveness and inclusiveness of the tabletop gaming community. I use Braille dice, designed by a woman who wanted her friend to be able to experience this iconic activity that forms such a major part of the hobby and brought to fruition through funding from hundreds of people on Kickstarter who thought the idea was worth making a reality. One of our players also bought me a full set of these dice and then some, one of the most meaningful and profoundly appreciated gifts I have ever received.
John D. – Real dice for the true randomness and sound but often online I have been using a free app.
Jonn P. – Real dice when the system is straight forward like fate, savage worlds, etc. For systems like 3.5/Pathfinder with a bunch situational modifiers and iterative attacks, dice apps to preserve what remains of my sanity.
Landan – I prefer to roll dice whenever possible, but in some instances I like digital rollers if it is a ton of dice to make the math quicker.
Megan – I prefer real dice. There’s just something satisfying about listening to them roll. But if I’m rolling more then 10 dice, I’m probably going to use a roller.
Mike G. – Real dice, and I prefer to roll.
Patrick – 100% real dice, forged in the fires of Hades, and kissed by Fortuna on my namesday.
Phil – I prefer a dice app for convenience (esp for dice-heavy games like firefly) but what RPG fan doesn’t like rattling the bones for real…

Only War: Jungle Death Worlds are the Worst

An Ork Nob charges furiously toward the viewer, wearing red armor

The 13th Elysian Drop Troops are delivered to Skrynne to help stop an Ork encroachment. Unfortunately for them, one squad is selected for a special mission.

Featuring Aser, John, Megan, and Zack. Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Killers”

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What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

Reflections
This two person game lets you and the person you’re playing with build up tension as you build up the history of two samurai that were once friends, but now are mortal enemies. It’s a rewrite of the game A Single Moment, but it looks like the changes really help build up the background.

“Reflections is a two-player RPG about samurai that will duel to the death. The game begins with the two players setting the scene of their duel, then flashing back to play through the events that have led them to this moment. The game ends when one, or both, samurai are dead.”
Continue reading What’s Cool on Kickstarter

Mysteries of the Ninth World 16: Stronger Today, Stronger Tomorrow

A varrakith menaces a now headless body. It has long insect like limbs with skulls at it's joints

The party descends into the mysterious caverns, where challenges to their wits might be the most deadly of all. Also, there are monsters.

Featuring Aser, Chuck, Megan, Mike, and Shaunna. Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions”.

This episode was edited by Desmond A. Interested in having him edit your podcast? Contact him at Desmond@DesmondA.com

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What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

Mutant Crawl Classics RPG
Goodman Games goes post-apocalyptic with a sci-fi twist on the old school Renaissance in this game full of long lost technology tempting those willing to risk the hazards of an unfriendly world. We’ve been wanting to play Dungeon Crawl Classic for quite a while, but this might just be more up our alley.

“You’re no zero. You’re a wasteland wanderer: a mutant, a seeker, a robot-killer, a stoic shaman guarding forgotten ancient sciences. You seek triumph and technology, winning it with mutations and magic, soaked in the radiation and quantum fields of the mutated, the savage, the semi-sentient, and the artificially intelligent. There are treasures to be won in the taboo lands and ruins, and you shall have them. Return to the glory days of science fiction gaming with the Mutant Crawl Classics Role Playing Game. Adventure like it’s 1978 again, with modern rules grounded in the origins of post-apocalyptic role playing. Fast play, a mysterious future, and 100% compatibility with the DCC RPG system await you — just activate your artifact…

Mutant Crawl Classics (MCC RPG) is a stand-alone setting that applies the DCC RPG rules to a post-apocalyptic setting. You’ll love MCC if you like Gamma World, Metamorphosis Alpha, or DCC RPG. You don’t need to own DCC to play MCC.”
Continue reading What’s Cool on Kickstarter

Lovecraftian Shorts: Into the Mountain

An army  attempting to cross the alps

After their dirigible crashes in the Alps, three strangers need to find a way back to safety.

Featuring Aser, Megan, and Phil. Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Alchemist’s Tower”

Interested in this game? Look it up on DriveThruRPG.

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Mysteries of the Ninth World 15: The Desert Vortex

A lorub, a sea monster that looks like it's from the age of dinosaurs with red skin

With Kellnar’s mind in hand, the adventurers head across the desert to find the mutant city of Nihliesh and their next task.

Featuring Aser, Chuck, Landan, Megan, Mike, and Shaunna. Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions”.

This episode was edited by Desmond A. Interested in having him edit your podcast? Contact him at Desmond@DesmondA.com

Direct Download!

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What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

Heroes of Red Hook
Unfortunately, a lot of Lovecraft’s writing was racist and based on a fear of the foreign. Fortunately, there’s books like Heroes of Red Hook that delve back into the worlds Lovecraft built and fill it with stories from viewpoints that Lovecraft avoided. Whether it be LGBTQA, women, or other races (or some combination there of!) if you want to read stories that have that same creeping horror with a whole lot less bigotry, this is an anthology worth checking out.

“Heroes of Red Hook is a collection of cosmic horror tales taking place during the Jazz Era with a very important focus. The protagonists of this anthology are members of the various under represented demographic in Lovecraftian fiction. Our heroes and heroines are the outsiders who are most often blamed (wrongly so) for the actions of various alien horrors of the mythos. Our stories put the spotlight on ethnic and religious minorities, immigrants, independent free thinking women, those with special needs, and members of the LGBT community. This collection features people struggling to overcome not only the horrors beyond mankind’s understanding, but an oppressive society seeking to deny them basic human rights.

The vast majority of the fans of Cosmic Horror Fiction struggle to reconcile their love for the genre with inherent racism of the original works of its creator, H.P. Lovecraft. Many of us are disturbed that bigots and hateful groups treat Lovecraftian fiction a manifesto to support their racism. They point to stories like The Horror at Red Hook and say, “See there, that is what’s wrong with the world.” They point to places like Brooklyn, and all they see is taint, corruption, and shadows.

We here at Golden Goblin Press reject their message and their ignorance, as we stand up and try to guide our genre towards a more inclusive future. We see the mixing of races, cultures, genders, and orientations not as a negative, but as mankind’s greatest strength. These are not shadows to be fearful of but our brightest light guiding us to a more enlightened tomorrow. Together we can change the legacy of Lovecraft, from one of blame, fear, and bigotry, into something more representative of our greater humanity. We know that one little book won’t solve the problem in our genre, but maybe it can be a nudge in the direction it needs to move coming into the 21st century.

That might be a lot to ask from one book, but those familiar with cosmic horror know all too well the power one little book can sometimes wield.”
Continue reading What’s Cool on Kickstarter