#RPGaDay2018 – What do you love about RPGs?

A close up view of the spines of numerous role-playing game books.

The thing I love most about role-playing games is how they force my brain into creative, collaborative, and improvisational modes. RPGs in all of their forms are dynamic. The constantly changing circumstances forces players to think on their feet. While this is true for everyone at the table, it’s particularly true for game masters. As … Read more

#RPGaDay2018

A close up view of the spines of numerous role-playing game books.

RPG-a-Day is an annual event in which bloggers spend a month talking about different aspects of role-playing games. I enjoyed participating in the event in 2017 and decided to do it again in 2018. Keep track of what other bloggers are writing for the event at the official Facebook page.  Last year I wrote my entries … Read more

Game Day: Weird Summertime

Four kids with bikes look at the looming shapes of cooling towers peaking through the mists.

It’s summertime. And things are getting weird. The slipcase two-volume edition of Delta Green arrived in early June after two years of waiting for the Kickstarter to make its production run. After reading lots of positive reviews, I picked up the Tales for the Loop RPG, which features kids on bikes investigating mysteries in a … Read more

Red Lasers! Blue Lasers! Freedom!

Heroes and villains fight on a chaotic, G.I. Joe-like battlefield.

The Kickstarter for Freedom Squadron, a Savage Worlds-powered homage to 1980s cartoon action heroes, is in its final days. Inspired by G.I. Joe, Transformers, and their 80s brethren, Freedom Squadron‘s campaign looks to fund two setting books: the Commando’s Manual, which is the character-building book, and the Freedom Squadron Plans & Operations Manual, which is … Read more

Game Day: Blades in the Dark

A rogue, left-side illuminated by red light, the right in shadows, stares out from the image.

Blades in the Dark is a fantasy role-playing game in which characters take on the roles of thieves in the night, planning capers and trying to survive in a ghost-haunted, ever-dark industrial city. Descended from Powered by the Apocalypse, authored by John Harper and published by Evil Hat, the game’s generated a fair amount of buzz … Read more

Lessons Learned at MEPACon 2017

A large conference room at a game convention, with many people playing games at round tables.

For years it was matter of pride that I ran three events at every MEPACon, our regional gaming convention. It gave me a chance to represent some of the non-D&D games that I love — Savage Worlds, Star Wars: Saga Edition, Risk 2210, etc. — and my registration fee was waived, which made the weekend a little more affordable. … Read more

Podcast Playlist: December 2017

Art representing Gnomecast, Misdirected Mark, Dungeon Master's Block, and Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff

With Nuketown’s re-launch and the return of Radio Active, I’ve been spending time listening to podcasts as a way of getting caught up on the state of the geek community as well as current topics in gaming. As I mentioned previously, my sweet spot for podcasts these days is 15-25 minutes. That corresponds with the length of my commute, … Read more

Endless Dungeons

A small conventional graph paper dungeon featuring blocks, hexagons, and connecting passages.

Dungeons are the cornerstone of the fantasy RPGs. Even as games become more story-driven, even when we give up slaying the dragon in exchange for founding a kingdom, the lure of the dungeons is still there. This page is dedicated to dungeons in all their impossible glory.

Dicember 2017, Day 2: Oldest Dice

Dozens of polyhedral dice.

Tales of a GM is running the 12 Days of Dicember, a project dedicated dice in all their randomized glory. The question for the second day of Dicember is “Which is your oldest die?” The answer is … I honestly don’t know. I have a number of ancient dice that date back to my original Dungeons & Dragons Basic … Read more