I put out a survey about running games for kids a while ago to help with the creation of Adventure Hour!. When asking about tools and resources, one response asked for: Tables, locations, names, plug and play encounters, hooks/quests. Plug and play encounters. I knew what they meant immediately because I've been working on scenes … Continue reading Plug n’ Play Scene: Choppy’s Cooking Challenge
Month: October 2021
Non-violence
The diamond-headed guy has it rough, methinks. Lots of talk about non-violent RPGs in the community. To me, the idea of non-violent RPGs is weird. To me, violence is an approach. Talking is an approach. Climbing is an approach. Theft is an approach. Feeding someone is an approach. Feeding someone to someone else is an … Continue reading Non-violence
The Arcane Beginning
When the first wizard wrote the first book for the first time, the pages broke away by the thousands and flew about the world. They tucked themselves under rocks and riverbeds. They scattered into the night sky and among the tallest trees. They tore into dark caves and the deep places of the earth, hoping … Continue reading The Arcane Beginning
Clever Hobbitses: The Plant Mech
In the Labyrinth, the players came across the Hedge Beasts (pg. 104). Six large hedge animals charged them: a serpent, bull, spider, lion, gorilla, giraffe. Players take 'em out with a strategy involving heavy weapons. Pretty straightforward fight. Then there's just this mass of plant-stuff in front of them. "How were the hedge beasts made … Continue reading Clever Hobbitses: The Plant Mech
The E-hack
Ever almost release a game and then someone makes a hack of it? Yeah, same. This blew my mind. A student of mine on Outschool shared this with me. She sent a game and adventure and tables all in a Google doc. Her excitement about the game got me excited. Another student in the same … Continue reading The E-hack
Ranged attacks in fantasy
Most fantasy RPGs are base-melee. They assume swords, claws, and clubs from adventurers and monsters alike. Many modern and sci-fi RPGs are base-ranged. They assume pew-pew lasers and bullets. Balancing ("preserving interesting choices" for) these two options can be tricky. A good question for fantasy RPGs is this: why NOT use a ranged weapon? There … Continue reading Ranged attacks in fantasy
Squid Game Meditation (and why Werewolf/Mafia stinks)
Debuting art by my cousin 🙂 Childhood games made deadly for money. Squid Game is a Netflix show lots have been watching a talking about. It's a Korean gambling show filled with people in debt, but incredibly deadly and for the sick entertainment of others. It's like Hunger Games with money? Or Kaiji if you're … Continue reading Squid Game Meditation (and why Werewolf/Mafia stinks)
Laws of the Dungeon: Procedure for Creating Free Association Adventure Sites
Inspired by this post from Was It Likely on Free Association Monstrosities. Pulling also from Electric Bastionland. Everything (dungeons included) has three purposes: OriginalCurrentTangent Each of these places we'll be creating today will have the "Current" purpose of Dungeon. It's meant to be explored, survived, and looted! We'll roll for the Purpose that it was … Continue reading Laws of the Dungeon: Procedure for Creating Free Association Adventure Sites
Playing with Youngers: Moving Right Along
"Let's not ring the gong THIS time." This is part of the Playing with Youngers series. It takes little context to enjoy on its own. I run games for kids. I run them online. There are troubles that come with these two facts. One, they're kids. Things come up. For example: *Student raises hand*Me: Yes?Student: … Continue reading Playing with Youngers: Moving Right Along
Goofy voices (d66)
Students. Just regular students and not from anything you know, no siree. This table didn't make it into Adventure Hour! but it has a special place in my heart. Enjoy. Bad impressions are better than good ones at the table. Except it makes being consistent from one session to the next difficult... Ah well. If … Continue reading Goofy voices (d66)