Egon: “Don’t cross the streams” Pete: “Why?” Egon: “It would be bad.” Peter: “I’m fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean ‘bad’?” Egon: “Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule[…]
Read more
Category: Role-Playing Games
RPG-a-Day 2021: Inspiration (Alternate)
When it comes to inspiration, I love a little chaos. I often turn to online generators and random tables when I’m brainstorming session ideas (or just need a quick name for my game … which inevitably spawns a new NPC[…]
Read more
RPG-a-Day 2021: Flavor
A big part of the tabletop gaming experience is food. Back in the early days of the Blackrazor campaign, we prided ourselves on trying as many sodas as possible, eventually compiling The Great List of Soda. That list included the[…]
Read more
RPG-a-Day 2021: Throne
The Malachite Throne of the Great Kingdom is one of the legendary artifacts of Greyhawk. The seat of power of the corrupt and collapsing kingdom of Aerdy (aka The Great Kingdom), the Fiend-Seeing Throne sets the tone for the entire[…]
Read more
RPG-a-Day 2021: Weapon
My World of Greyhawk campaign started over 30 years ago, with the seeds being planted in my college campaign at Lock Haven University. It’s continued, on and off, ever since. During that time, it’s featured a number of unique weapons, a few[…]
Read more
RPG-a-Day 2021: Tactics
Long ago, my gaming group came up with a list of tactics for the Blackrazor Guild, our notoriously chaotic adventuring company in the World of Greyhawk setting. Full frontal assault Spring the ambush, fight your way out. Party member as bait. Stake[…]
Read more
RPG-a-Day 2021: Map
I love hand-drawing maps. In the past, I hastily sketched maps longhand or spent hours attempting to render them using computer programs, but when I hit my forties I found a new appreciation for sitting down and really drawing a[…]
Read more
RPG-a-Day 2021: Scenario
When I think of scenarios, I think of conventions. I think tightly focused, 3-4 hour-long sessions, usually with pre-generated characters and flexible, but straightforward, story arc. I find scenario writing a very different exercise from prepping for my weekly campaign-style[…]
Read more
Looking back on ZineQuest 3
ZineQuest3 is officially over. Zines funded by the initiative are counting their cash, revising their project plans, and, in a few cases, starting to ship PDFs of their product. Going into ZineQuest3, I knew I wanted to back it at[…]
Read more
RPO Replay: Tomb of Horrors
The Ready Player One Replay is an exploration of the games that inspired the novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Quote But then, during the course of my research, I discovered an old Dungeons & Dragons supplement called Tomb of Horrors, which had[…]
Read more