Libris Monstrum #3: Worm That Walks

We are back with the third entry into the Libris Monstrum. This time I chose the subject, but next week I will be posting a Twitter poll looking for your input again. This week's monster is a creature I have always been fond of, mostly for the creep factor, but also for all the ways these creatures can exist.


Person Or Swarm?
The worm that walks is a crazy creature that is actually a lot of smaller creatures. Well, sort of. For those who have never heard about the worm the walks, its most common form in Dungeons & Dragons is that of a hooded figure. Perhaps it is a priest, a mage, or a cultist. Silhouetted the creature looks humanoid, can pass as humanoid without a look at its body, but if you do grab a look at it you realize it is nothing like that. No, this creature is one made of a writhing mass of worms that just happens to be human-shaped. Despite this form, it is somehow one, powerful creature that moves and acts like the person it pretends to be.


Before There Was Kyuss
Well before the advent of the famous demigod who would herald the Age of Worms, there was Lovecraft. To be fair, H.P. Lovecraft wrote about indescribable horrors and many of those descriptions are vague or wild enough that there are plenty of interpretations. Nevertheless, there are a few descriptions that are commonly interpreted as a worm that walks. For one of those accepted references, just read The Festival. Of course, this isn't the instance of the worm that walks outside of fantasy RPGs, but we can talk about some examples in a little bit.


Kyuss And His Wormspawn
As a fair warning I do not know a great deal about the Greyhawk setting. Nor have I run Age of Worms or gotten to go crazy with that concept (awesome as it is), so if I am incorrect in any of my specifics, just leave a comment! Anyways, Kyuss used to be a simple priest but now he is a demigod bent on bringing about the end of the world. The Wormgod appears to be the original Worm that Walks within this context and has created a great deal of spawn for a variety of reasons. In the Age of Worms itself, this was not limited to the undead followers of Kyuss, but also minions that may have once been living lizardmen, dogs, dragons. Basically, you think it and a Kyuss worm could turn it into an undead monster aiding the undead entity in its quest.

I'd start running right about now. Great art from dungeonsanddrawings.blogspot.com

But What Is It?
So we haven't really discussed what the worm that walks is. First off, it doesn't have to be a mass of worms, it could be a mass of any small creature. Vermin are common and things like bugs, spiders, or worms are most common. There are two major things that go with the worm that walks, no matter what. First is that it is a swarm that moves together well enough to act as if it is a single human. Secondly, the swarm has a hive mind. While not necessarily required, there are a few other common qualities. One of these is the idea that the worm that walks will always be back. Often this is the result of the idea that as long as one of the individuals of the swarm survives then the worm that walks, that greater being, also survives to return after it has recovered. Because the creature is a swarm, and people are people, fire is generally the answer, as in: kill it with fire!!


Unique Versions
There are plenty of monsters that would qualify as the worm that walks, but lets talk about some interesting ones. The rat-king is one such creature, sort of. So the legend of the rat king is from before there were New York sewers. Dirty "modern" (for the time) cities have always had lots of rats right? What if there were so many their tails started growing together? That is the rat-king: a horrible mass of writhing, angry, tangled rats. The truth of the matter is rats are pretty clean animals. Sure they go in sewers and trash, but they won't create a situation where there are so many of them together and certainly not long enough for a rat-king to develop. But in your world, why not. Hells, go one better and make it some magical accident and it is a smarter creature that will re-create itself from a single surviving rat.

Another great example is Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The villain of the movie, the afforementioned Oogie Bogie, is the worst of all the Halloween monsters. He wants to take over the town and is generally an asshole. When he is finally defeated it is when his body falls apart. The thread holding the burlap together into his body is pulled out and all of his insects and spiders and such escape. With that, Oogie Boogie is defeated. Of course there was also a snake in there and if it escaped, perhaps Oogie will be back.

Who would I be without pushing Doctor Who? In the introductory episode of the character River Song, there is a horrible creature that kills people within the library planet that the episode takes place on. That creature is called the vashta nerada and it is an unseeable swarm of shadow things. These live in the shadows and even get into the space suites of the characters. They are then devoured and only their bones and the suite are left. What makes these more than just a swarm is the odd ability to take over and animate the suites. With in-lit helmets, the skeletons that walk around are terrifying. Add the repetitive nature of causing the suits to transmit the last thing the victim said, "hey, who turned out the lights?" and these creatures become one of the creepiest on the show.


Using The Worm And More
As a GM, there are some pretty simple ways to use the worm that walks. You can take the undead cult of demigod worshiping monsters. You could also do a recurring unique villain. Those are simple methods of using them, and there are even more you can find in various horror and supernatural films. I have some ideas for you though. First is by creating a recurring mummy villain. Screw the lich, he is a little over done and everyone knows to look for the phylactery. Take a mummy instead. He can be the powerful undead priest equivalent for some long-dead god. Now, instead of a phylactery (or in addition if you are really mean) do the "from a single maggot" part of the trope. If one gets away the creature can eventually reconstitute itself. Perhaps even if it dies than the villain has a phylactery. You will drive your players nuts! You could also take the idea and apply it to a rogue group of druids who become so one with their vermin swarm forms that they too can regrow from surviving shapeshifted from a single worm.


Do you have any ideas for how to use the worm that walks trope? Any good stories or a movie to watch for ideas? Leave comment and let us know!

RPG Blog Carnival: Encounters & Rewards

A few weeks ago I wrote an article for this month's Blog Carnival considering how encounters can be defined. Specifically, I discussed what an encounter is for me and why I categorize them in such away. Hint: it is all about rewards. You can find that article here, but the long and short of it is that I need three things to qualify an encounter: an event, an instigator, and effort. If all of these things exist then the scene, be it combat, social, or puzzle, is considered an encounter in my mind. That is the point where I judge the ease with which is was done, the intended difficulty, and the rewards. Sometimes encounters are planned, sometimes they pop up, and sometimes you don't even know about them until they are over. Today I want to talk about how I plan for encounters and how that effects rewards.

Planning Encounters

This is a fairly simple process. You have an idea of what you want to happen and you make sure you have the notes you need for it. Of course that oversimplifies the idea, as the more complex you make the encounter, the more complex the planning. Still, I'm just getting at the basic idea. There are certain things you plan out. Maybe its in judicious notes or just thoughts you had floating around in your head. Regardless, there is probably something that initiates an event. Those two parts of encounters are, in my opinion, the easiest to achieve and easiest to plan for.

Monsters and combat. Traps and puzzle solving. Guards and diplomacy. These happen all the time and they don't always need to be called encounters. Remember, for me, an encounter = a reward. Combat is the most easily recognizable as nearly always earning rewards. XP is built into combat in games like D&D. It costs nearly all the resources the mechanics of the game contain. But so can others. 

When I am planning out any type of encounter there has to be some cost. Puzzles may take time, cleverness, and good skill checks. Combat will take HP, arrows, and spells. Diplomacy may see a give and take of information or other resources like money. If an event or scene does not come at a cost to the players, even when they are taking agency in that scene, it may not be worth much or anything. A smooth persuasion check to get past the guard probably isn't worth XP, but a series of guards who are persuaded, bribed, and avoided may be worth a bit.

Encounter Compositions

There are tons of ways for a RPG to play out. Combat and intrigue abound. Crafting, planning, brute force, cleverness, spells, bribery. Things happen in limitless ways and that is what makes the games fun. Nevertheless each individual scene has a specific composition. The intended make-up may differ from the result, or the encounter could begin one way and end another. Mixing and matching different styles can increase the fun of the game and diversify rewards and how they are earned. The key is to make sure you players know that they are rewarded for things like NOT fighting or finding a way out of the situation you hadn't anticipated.

Here are some ways you can make encounters more interesting or more difficult:

• series/waves of enemies, traps, or puzzles
• terrain hazards
• traps hidden within a combat area
• unexpected social attempts
• skill requirements
• exploitation that require skill checks
• equipment
• a changing strategy

When planning things out you should have an idea of how difficult this should be for your group. This is part objective and part subjective. What do the numbers say? Figure out if it is too much damage or requires things that the players have limited access to. Is it a puzzle the players themselves are good at or one that notoriously stumps them? If you didn't plan the encounter out, look back and try to determine how hard it should of been for them. Did they create a difficult situation or an easy one?

Rewards!

When all is said and done, players expect to get something out of the events. What that is can vary greatly. Information, advancement, money, XP, status, equipment, or leverage. Perhaps they earn a companion or an insider to information for the future. Maybe it is an alliance between two groups or a keep to call their own. Regardless, it will be up to you to determine the reward. XP is always good but the other things make a great mix too. Sometimes the decision is easy though, dungeons will have treasure but don't have allegiances waiting for you at the end. Unless of course that's part of a larger story!

Be sure to consider the encounter as a whole when it is done. Determine what was involved, who was involved, and the things that got left out. From beginning to end what were all of the obstacles along the way? Figure out the base XP that those should reward. Books like the Dungeon Master's Guide will help out with this, but often it may be up to you to decide. Monsters have XP and often traps do too. For social encounters I generally use the standard encounter value of combat for the party level as a base. Such encounters tend to be of similar challenges throughout game play because much of it is based on the players and not the stats.

Once I have figured out the XP for all of that, I always adjust. Was the tactic super risky? Was it the least risky option? Perhaps the risk wasn't worth the outcome. Sometimes players are just really clever or come up with great ideas or tell great stories along the way. All of these can earn some extra XP. Taking the easy way out may earn them a little less. Personally I find that adjusting the base XP reward for how difficult the fight ended up being is the first step. Maybe they didn't catch a hint you thought was obvious or they thought of something super clever and round-about. I increase or decrease, respectively, the reward for those situations . Then I go back and start adding little bits for role-playing, cleverness, and other extras.

Of course this all comes into play for non-XP rewards, as well. Sometimes it may be a good idea to reduce the reward for an easy encounter some other way. Give them all the XP but have those the players wish to be impressed, less so. If they were really clever have the king give more money to balance a reduction in XP. You can add or take away different rewards in full or in part as the result of play. Most of all be sure to talk to your players if they question how they are being rewarded. Be up front and make adjustments to your practices when needed.

The thing about RPGs is that they are always flowing, always changing, and always developing. Stuff happens to the players and because of them. Events, obstacles, and rewards may all come naturally most of the time. An encounter is really just a fancy way of categorizing these things, often with the thought of combat = XP in mind, at least mechanically. For me an encounter is a category that helps determine when I need to reward my players. It helps me plan and helps me determine those rewards later. Most of the time I don't even use the word, and I am sure you don't either, but the concept of it is still there. Hopefully sharing how that works for me has given you some useful insight or ideas!

Resources For Every GM: Reference Part 8

Good afternoon everyone! Last week the Resources article got passed over, but I could not let that happen twice in a row. Today I have three reference books for you from my personal library that wouldn't be bad editions to your shelf. In fact, you might find these to be amazing books for your shelf even if you aren't a GM. Two of them are sort of a pair, but concern enough differences that I didn't want to lump them as one reference. The other heads towards the science fiction end of the spectrum, but only in original setting.


Star Wars: The Essential Guide To Alien Species (Ann Margaret Lewis): This is a fantastic book for any Star Wars nerd, especially one interested in creatures and races. The one I have on my shelf is from 2001 and is the first edition of this book to be printed. Obviously, there have been some additions since the Phantom Menace. Nevertheless, this book is of great use. If you are playing a Star Wars game, this book is almost essential because of how much data there is to it. As good as FFG's rule books are they can just not compare to the detail in books like this one. There are others in the series such as characters, weapons, droid, and planets. Alien species is the most universally useful one, however. Not that you need this book to make a rancor for your D&D game, but every page has something new you may not be aware of. Take the Amanin, for example. You get one shot in, Jabba's Palace (?), and an action figure. This takes it further describing the hunter-gatherers and just enough info for you to make a race from. They are slow, unless swinging from trees or, of course, rolling up into a ball and rolling at you. What an odd people to find in a D&D jungle. Give shamans some spells and you got a crazy NPC race of neutral tribesman. Yes, if you seek fleshed out creatures and races to spice up your table, this is a perfect book for you!


Diablo III: Book of Cain (Flint Dille): This book, and the next, are recent additions to my shelf thanks to Christmas gift cards and I love them. To be fair I am in love with the Diablo world and the mythos that Blizzard has given it over the years. The battle between good and evil is amazing and takes interesting turns on the world of Sanctuary. The Book of Cain reads like part fantasy world reference book, part history book, and part journal. That's because it is a representation of the in game object of the same name. In it the last Horadrim, Deckard Cain, tells the tale of how his order has fought evil over the centuries. It tells of the Lords of Hell, the Angiris Council, the Hells, the High Heavens, and more. The history of human-kind and the world are detailed here, as are some details from before Diablo III. Add this to a set of D&D books and do some work on monster stats and you could play quite the adventure in the Diablo world, even without ever having played it.


Diablo III: Book of Tyrael (Matt Burns & Doug Alexander): Yes, another Diablo book. Surprise! Tyrael is one of my favorite characters in the series because of his purpose in the story. He represents a lot to that story: humanity, justice, learning a different point of view, change. If the Book of Cain is the must have to run a Sanctuary adventure, then this is the must have for a prolonged campaign. Much of what is in here you can learn about in the game if you play it and if you looks for and listen to all the journals. This book provides it in a manner usable at the game table, though. Not only that, but it gives so much more. There is a timeline and a section on the various regions, orders, and people that exist in the world. If you aren't looking for a way to play a Diablo campaign, this books is still a great source of inspiration. Steal NPCs or orders for your game, or take notes on how they interact with their world. And, when it comes down to it, you need these two books if you love the Diablo series.

Untamed Rant 5: Storytelling

It's a day late, but here it is, the 5th episode of the Untamed Rant!!

Review: Cat By John Wick

Have you ever wondered why cats are such loving creatures, but also appear to be sadistic self-proclaimed overlords? I'm sure there are a lot of answers out there, like because they protect us from the dangers of ancient Egyptian undead. Anyways, John Wick has provided us a way to explore the answer to that question in the form of the role-playing game Cat: A Little Game About Little Heroes.

Now, Cat is not a new game as the edition I have was published in 2014 and that certainly isn't the first. In fact, the first edition of this game was finished in 1999! As a smaller, indie game it is one of those that you don't see popping up everywhere. You probably won't see it at most local game shops and you definitely won't find it at Barnes & Noble. Nevertheless, it is still being published and still worth your time to at least get a preview here. If you are intrigued and want to know what it is like to play you can also check out our one-shot adventure on Untamed Dice. The playlist for that can be found here.


The Mechanics
Let's begin here, because the mechanics of a game can turn a lot of people off of it. On the other hand, an interesting set of mechanics could be the reason you pick up the game. Either way, Cat is a very simple one. You may not enjoy simplicity, and if you need some heavy complexity, mechanics, and math turn away now. The GM, or Narrator, will probably just reach out and push your stuff off the table anyways.

Personally, I enjoyed the simplicity of the game and thought it left a lot of room for the important part of the game: playing. Don't get me wrong I love D&D and other complex games for what they do, but I don't need a ton of rules to know that a cat is an asshole, but its a lovable asshole. They do things, for REASONS, and then pretend they didn't. In the game there are certain difficulties set by the Narrator which determine the number of needed successes (1-5). Then you roll however many dice you have in a stat (3-5). Evens succeed and odds do not. Got it? Good, because that is all there is too it.

The only exceptions to this is that there are limits to what cats can and cannot do. There are also specific ways around those limitations. Magic is straightforward and based on the tail stat. Spells are specific, require a certain tail score and may ask you to roll. There aren't a lot, you don't have to choose them, and you just have them or you don't (again based on tail). There are a few other bits like what you are good at might add a dice and scars which temporarily reduce your scores because you're hurt, but these are simple +/- a dice functions. What it comes down to are that the mechanics are very simple, easy to learn, and meant to create drama. They are not there to create a complex world, that is up to your imagination.


The Story
Spoiler alert: cats are here to protect us from the boggins and other nasty things. The idea behind Cat is that cats are here to protect humans. There are reasons for this, mostly because they won the Contest and we lost. They get to rule the world, but have to protect the losers. That is how the Contest works, after all.  I don't want to go too heavily into the story, because you can read John Wick's short at the beginning of the book if you get it. The story is good and really puts the game, its intent, and its purpose all into perspective.

The story of the game at your table? Now, that we can talk a little about. As Narrator and players the basics are the same, no matter what: monsters are real, cats rule the world, cats protect people from monsters. But the genres and stories that include cats, all the ways you could work with cats, those are quite varied and many are mentioned in this book. Wick provides you with folklore about cats that is true, and facts about cats that are false. He also provides context for running a game which includes the various bogeymen that might have to be dealt with to where cats might come from (Ulthar perhaps?). There is plenty there for a group to sink their teeth into.


Playing It
When playing this game, the Narrator has the job of providing an enemy, a goal, and creating drama throughout. Because there are not a lot of mechanics this is easy in some ways, mostly not having to look much up or figure out various things when the players decide to try something crazy. The difficulty comes in with creatively responding. It is on your shoulders to do it, do it well, and not take too much time.

The weight of the game, the story, and how it unfolds is much more in the hands of the players, or at least it seemed so. It is really hard to tell with Cat. It is a game that really lends itself to acting almost as if you are just telling a story with each of you jumping in for a turn. Of course that's what RPGs are, but the few mechanics and the fun of the setting make you lost to that fact. It's a great feeling and tons of fun. There is a lack of structure to the game, but because you're cats the story easily comes around to something happening that causes you to get back on track. The game just lends itself to happening without effort and without pause.


Presentation
I have mixed feelings about the presentation of the book. It is not a large game and it certainly doesn't need to be. The book is quite small, but could actually be made smaller. The font isn't huge, but the spacing is generous. The table of contents is fantastically laid out, but some boarder or chapter number on the corner or page edge would make quick look ups a lot easier. Instead, there is a paw print motif that runs up the side of pages. Well, some of them...randomly. It isn't a terrible look, or even distracting, but it is a bit random. There are plenty of good cat pictures and silhouettes of cats throughout, but I would have liked to see more art like the cover with a cat protecting its human from unknowable monsters. To me, that would have added to the feel of the setting a little more.


Final Thoughts
Overall, Cat is an amazing game. It is a ton of fun to play and takes virtually no thought process to learn. You can sit there and have plenty of silly fun mixed in with epic misadventures and get plenty of laughs doing it. No, it isn't super complex. Yes, it is made for adults AND kids. But those things are why I like it. You probably won't play a giant campaign from it, but that's not the goal of the game either, At John Wick Presents you can find it in print and PDF for just $15 and it is well worth the cost, in my opinion. Sure the production value of the book is low compared to the giant hardcover, full-art games like D&D but it isn't a book that will make you go, "why did I spend money on this?" It gives you exactly what it says it will, and you shouldn't expect more. Cat is a gateway to a fun time, and John Wick is very obviously passionate and committed to this game as a part of his design career. I won't play this game all the time, probably not even that often, but I know that I will play it, have fun, and I am glad I own it.

Libris Monstrum #2: The Mimic

Welcome back to the Libris Monstrum! Last time, I talked about nagas and their rich history within the myths of the real world. The incarnations of naga have remained pretty stable over the years, at least within D&D, but we will get back to naga later. Tonight, I want to talk about something that doesn't come from the real world: the mimic!

Why talk about the mimic? Because you asked me to, and you voted on it! The mimic is a classic monster and virtually every person who has played more than one game of Dungeons & Dragons knows what it is. It is a creature that sits on a list of iconic monsters encountered at the table, alongside beholders and gelatinous cubes. Some of you were curious as to why to include them as an underutilized monster, so common as they are. Well, the mimic isn't so common.


Man-Eating Treasure Chests
The mimic is seen quite often in lower level dungeon crawls to trick players and punish them for blindly opening, or attempting to open, random treasure chests. But do we ever see them after that? Sometimes we do when we start new games, have forgotten our lessons, or take part in classic adventures, but not often enough. And certainly we are nearly guaranteed to see them as chests. It is, after all, the classic look. In fact, it is so classic its an entire trope with these types of creatures showing up in video games and other artistic works outside of D&D.


Getting More
Mimics are capable of so much more than that, though. Early on it was decided that those wizards who held many valuable items, and made their homes in strange dungeons, needed something to protect their hoards. Why not a magical shapeshifting treasure chest that eats people? They have been able to transform into a lot more, anything made of stone and wood at least: door frames, short walls, statues, bookshelves, all the common dungeon decor. Aside this ability is the ability to secrete a glue that holds attackers firm to them, making the kill all the more easy. Of course don't forget that there are smaller ones, smarter than their killer cousins. These can be fed and befriended, even speaking to those who have pleased them. Just look at some of the images below by Vempirick on Deviantart for some terrifying ideas.

Similar Ideas Or Different Species?
OK so the mimic doesn't corner the market pretending to be something it isn't. Of course, I know these aren't the same thing as the mimic, often very different, but the idea is fun to think about. It also benefits you, the game, and the poor mimic if you change it up once in a while. Wouldn't it be something if they treat a cloaker like a cloaker when it is really a mimic!?

So, let's look at some of those creatures now. The cloaker is as good a place as any to start, and a great one to be sure. Hanging up on a rack, alongside many other cloakers, the cloaker looks just like the rest. Some nice buttons and some bone clasps, or are they? Nope they are extra eyes and terrible claws and this thing will eat you as soon as you try to put it on. Oh, and they can fly. If you want to be even more devious just use the trapper, a creature that molds to the floor it is on, becoming the floor. Walk on it and you will become food. Or the piercer. One of those stalagmites looks odd, maybe loose? You don't understand the truth until it lets go stabbing you from above and hoping to kill you outright!

The grey ooze is another fantastic classic! Sure oozes suck in all their forms, but the grey ooze is fun for its ability to look like stone. Fill a whole in a wall with the ooze or create a small half wall with a few of them. Your players never know what hit them. My favorite, though, is the one that doesn't live in dungeons, but in the woods. The wolf-in-sheeps-clothing is an awesomely odd and fun creature. While it looks like a tree stump with a small wounded animal atop it, it is actually a horrible carnivore. Heroic characters can never resist the urge to help a small creature, especially when there is a druid. When they discover that its a woodland anglerfish, well you players may never trust you again.


Mimic-Like Cousins
Not all not-quite-treasure-chests are mimics. Some of them are a lot more fun. Take the Luggage for example. This creature is from the Discworld series and is unmistakable unique. It is, essentially, a combination treasure chest, bag of holding, and batman-butler. It's determination and ability is amazing, but it is no true mimic. Similarly, the next two things are incapable of shapeshifting, but they do act as other objects and are likely to try to eat you. The Bag of Devouring is my favorite cursed item. It acts as a bag of holding, most of the time anyway. When it isn't, it is eating your stuff...or you. There is always a chance that the bag eats something you have put into it and can never retrieve it again. Of course, it could just try to pull you inside as you try to retrieve an item. While not as terrible, the Monster book of Monsters from the world of Harry Potter is a book equally likely to eat you. If you know how to treat it, you will be able to read from the text, but it is still a dangerous creature.


Dungeons, The Mimic, & You
A lot of this entry to the Libris Monstrum hasn't, technically. Unlike other entries, the mimic doesn't have a culture. In fact, its major lacking feature is the tendency to use it as a chest and forget about it. So how can we get the mimic to come back to the table? First off, I believe we need to consider the second, more intelligent species to be quite a useful device. Perhaps an old familiar or just the secret leader of a dungeon, the mimic would be difficult to find if it didn't want to be.

Then, of course, a mimic can eat and grow and eat and grow. There are two ways to make a great dungeon from that fact. First off, if it is reproductively active (which is just through fission!), then a dungeon might end up being full of the creatures. Every time goblins, treasure hunters, bears, or anything else moves in they just get eaten. This would leave an eerily empty dungeon, not only clean but with plenty of loot!

On the other hand, we could say the mimic does NOT reproduce. Or, at least, not a lot. We could have a dungeon with one small section controlled by one or a couple, extra large mimics. Imagine a high level party, already having overcome the trouble of mimics and dragons, only to find a mimic the size of a bed or a desk or even bigger! It would be surprising to say the least and quite dangerous. Any of these options utilize the mimic in a much broader and fuller sense than it generally gets.

I suggest you take it and go crazy, get creative. That is how we can stop the mimic from being so under utilized while still being so well known.

RPG Blog Carnival: What Is An Encounter?

The RPG Blog Carnival is being hosted by Tabletop Terrors this month and features the topic of encounters. This will probably be the first of two submissions to that effort I will take, because it is a topic I have been concerning myself a lot with lately. To begin I am going to look at how I define encounters and why. Next time I'll go into how to extrapolate a variety of encounters from this and how to reward those encounters.


Defining Encounters
OK, so most of us probably understand what an encounter is, at least at a certain level. The primary thing that comes to my mind when someone says encounter is that of a monster, or group of monsters, that must be fought to the death. Personally, I have put a lot of effort into redefining what encounter means in the context of a game in order to get away from treating all encounters as combat situations. There are all kinds of encounters that can happen when you utilize the term in its normal definition. You could encounter a monster, adversary, salesman, puzzle, obstacle, or trap. These could result in the use of combat abilities, socialization, role play, or skills.

Those two lists only begin to describe what can come from an encounter, so we should probably narrow it down a little better. After all, there is probably going to be some form of context in the game that relates to encounters and how many there should be. This is especially true in games like Dungeons & Dragons. Here is how I tend to define an encounter in RPGs: an event that takes place after something is happened upon which requires party resources to be utilized.

Let's break down my definition and go into why I do it that way. First of all it is purposefully vague to allow for all the variety of possibilities. However, it includes three specific things: an event, an instigator, and effort. Each of these things is key to creating a fully realized encounter. I set these requirements for encounters, because I feel that these are all necessary for advancement of some kind. That advancement could be story, XP, or loot and often all of the above. Encounters or events that don't have all three of these happen, of course they do, but even the simplest games are driven by complexity. Whether you are deciding to reward XP, give out loot, go to another scene, hand out cyphers, or provide time to rest, this definition works.


Requirement 1: The Event
The event is the whole process that takes place. It begins with the instigator (see below) and ends with some form of resolution. Actions must be taken by the players during the event. Witnessing something does not count. Being captured suddenly, and narratively, doesn't count. These things can drive the story forward but aren't something the players have any agency in per se. There is no restriction to the proceedings of the event. PCs might even end up not acting, the simple choice of being challenged but not responding or ignoring commands is itself an action (of choice) at the very least. Generally, the event requires that there are consequences to the PCs actions or inactions, that they have agency, and that that agency is rewarded and/or punished. Eventually a resolution will occur that ends the encounter, or perhaps even become the instigator to another.


Requirement 2: The Instigator
The instigator in my definition is what begins an encounter and it comes in many forms. This is the thing that the party happens upon in their journey. For a combat encounter this is when the PCs happen upon monsters, monsters happen upon the PCs, or they stumble into each other. Of course the instigator itself doesn't necessitate violence. It could end up as a social encounter with roleplaying involved and some trading of information. What evolves from it is varied but there has to be something that begins the process. Monsters and NPCs work well, but it could also be an object, a location, or a trap that the PCs discover. It could be a choice being made, like the fork in a road, or an event such as an avalanche coming down the mountain towards the party. Regardless, the instigator is something that requires the PCs to react in some way.

Requirement 3: Effort

This is the most important part of how I judge what qualifies as an encounter when I prep, as well as when I reward. To be a true encounter the players must put in some form of effort and this can come in two major forms: player effort and character effort. Often the two overlap, but they don't have to in my opinion. Player effort comes from personal decisions, roleplaying, or reacting in character. These are things that don't generate die rolls but do generate responses and results. It is OK to have a social encounter with no dice rolled and effort is certainly still involved. Character effort is much easier to track. This comes in the form of dice rolled and usually generates the use of special abilities. Getting hurt, needing to use Hit Dice, spending inspiration or benefits, and casting spells all qualify. These things may be restored at the end of the day for the character, but they limit what the characters can do in that day. Why have them if you don't use them? Both types of effort can easily cut into character supplies like food, water, gold, or even rope. This is important to consider as well.

Why Define The Encounter?

Personally, I mostly play Dungeons & Dragons, so it is important to define encounters. The game is designed around combat encounters, especially. A certain number of them at certain difficulty determines a good, hard day for the PCs. It is the basis for experience and treasure. My games, however, tend to involve less combat events in one day and focuses on a number of things. I have players who also like to go off on tangents when there are things like festivals around. I want to be able to plan for such events, give them complex and varied encounters, force them to make decisions on resources outside of combat, and reward them for all of it. Using this definition helps me plan an in-game day. I can plan for a social encounter, hazard encounter, and combat encounter. I can plan on them using resources and the rewards they earn from the effort I expect them to require. In the end, this definition is all about me planning a set of events that challenge the players in the short term and as a whole, as well as to maximize the spread of rewards to maintain play as varied as the challenges.

In the next entry for this topic, I am going to go into how I shape some different encounters. Some of that work comes in planning, but some of it comes after the fact. I will show how I reward encounters and give some examples on how I adjust that reward on the fly. There will also be some discussion on multi-aspected encounters and how that effects the challenge and the reward. I like a wide definition, but I don't want to level the party every 5 minutes!

The Good Of D&D Streams & Podcasts

A few weeks ago there was a surge in the discussion (on Twitter) about RPG streams and podcasts. The major start to this discussion was from the blog post by Goblin Stomper about Critical Role, and you can find that here. Another large piece of input to that discussion came from Terminally Nerdy's vlog about the subject which you can find here. The conversation derived from the initial Tweet is here and there are other conversations that popped up, with folks adding their own input. I decided I should insert my take on the situation and what that media has done for me.

Before that I want to say that these folks all make good points, many of which I don't even disagree with. However, I do believe that a lot of it is perception and expectations, but then again so is a lot of life.


Acquisitions Incorporated & Critical Role
Lets start here, because this was my first exposure to the idea of an actual play podcast or stream of some type. It began in 2007 if I remember correctly, the Fall before the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons came out, as a way to help push the new edition. At the time I had not played much D&D, and those experiences were mixed. It had been a couple years since I had stepped back from the DM's chair. While 4th Edition had peaked my interests as an edition that was easier for me to manipulate as a DM, I was fairly uncertain still. Listening to this show turned that all around.

At once I was ready to play D&D again, and not just play but Dungeon Master. I was more excited for D&D than I had been in a long time. Part of it was the rules that I heard get used, part of it was the articles I was reading about the system, and part of it was the fun of listening to those low level characters get into trouble. Over the next couple years, especially during my stint working the overnight stocking job, I proceeded to discover and listen to other podcasts like Flagons & Dragons and the Strand Gamers. Each of these made me excited to play D&D, gave me ideas on things I could do in my stories, revealed truths to how the rules could be manipulated, and generally were great fun to enjoy. Needless to say, I was on board the instant Geek & Sundry announced Critical Role.

Almost ten years after I began listening to actual play podcasts and took back my DM's chair, I discovered D&D streaming via Critical Role. Since then I have watched Titan's Grave, Force Grey, and the Waffle Crew, all of them big names and big groups in the D&D world. But the fun I had with Critical Role, the inspiration I got working on my own campaigns while tuning into the show, the letters they got from others about how they started playing or they just appreciated sharing that with them - these were awesome things, and it inspired me to finally say, "Hey, let's start a podcast. For real."


What It Meant For Me
We are almost 13 months out from my foray into podcasting our games and it has been lots of fun doing it. Untamed Dice doesn't have a ton of listeners (yet!) and we certainly are no Critical Role, but that has never harmed our table or our expectations. To be fair even our new players didn't watch Critical Role until after we introduced them to D&D. All I can say is that podcasts and streams inspired me to play, to DM, to create, to share, and to podcast. Without Acq. Inc. and Critical Role this article, this blog, and our podcast might not exist.

I will grant, I was eased into it with the first Acq. Inc. adventures and some of the "small-time" podcasts of 6-10 years ago. Perhaps that made everything more reasonable and changed my expectations. Maybe it made those expectations more realistic. I know I will never be a voice actor leading other voice actors in a campaign world I have created that well, but that won't stop me from trying. And frankly, those shows help inspire me to do more. They make me want to share my experiences with you, even if only some of you listen.


What It Means For Others
Here's the thing though, those other guys, they have some great advice and insight. First-timers cannot expect to run a Matt Mercer or Chris Perkins level game. Nor can the players expect that kind of intensity, drama, or comedy. That takes time, practice, experience, and some skills you may not possess. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try, however.

These folks make their own mistakes. Recently, Chris Perkins admitted that he had probably used a number of ever-changing crit rules for the Waffle Crew. He works for Wizards and he still isn't necessarily consistent or all-knowing. What he is, is experienced and skilled at keeping the game flowing. As for Critical Role, that group sits there for hours without peeing or eating much except during their break, which lasts for 15 minutes. All the big-time shows have a production value of some sort and your table, well, it won't.

Other podcasts aren't for everyone either. They won't live up to the productions of Acquisitions Incorporated or Titan's Grave. They might not have the equipment, editing know-how, or a table talk you enjoy. But you still might find one  that you do enjoy. It might entertain you, inspire you, or teach you. Hopefully all of the above! Just don't listen to every podcast expecting it to be Critical Role. I like horror movies, most of them anyways, but it doesn't mean I expect them all to be of incredible story-telling quality or have production values of things like Marvel movies. It doesn't mean I skip them either.

Podcasts and streams are good, in my opinion, for the hobby. It is a sharing of creative work, of happiness, of enjoyment. It is a place to find inspiration and learn a thing or two while being entertained. Take cues from these great entertainers and learn from what they do. If you want to share what you do, do it. There is great joy in sharing your work, even if not everyone enjoys it. Aspire to be the next Critical Role, but don't expect it. There is plenty of room for us little guys and plenty of good to come from it.

Resources For Every GM: Settings Part 3

I guess Sunday is becoming the regular day for these articles as I accidentally find myself writing them at the end of the week, but that's ok! Today I want to share with you three more setting to inspire you. Their links will take you to the wikis, mostly because most of you geeks will be vaguely familiar with them already. My goal today isn't to reveal new settings to look at, but to tell you why I think they are some of the best to take inspiration from. The theme today? Sci-fi!

Star Wars: Star Wars has been a sci-fi inspiration for decades and there is good reason. These movies are science fantasy as much as anything. Psionics (the Force), knights, different races, swords. Star Wars has it all. Technology is so advanced, and yet things are incredibly mundane in so many ways. Regardless, Star Wars has grown and developed into something so much more than it originally was. There are so many eras, characters, creatures, stories, themes, etc, etc, etc. Just look at what Fantasy Flight Games is doing for it as an RPG right now. One rule set to tell the story of bounty hunters, explorers, rebels, or Jedi. If you want, all of them! The setting is so diverse, and yet easily recognizable and containing of a certain feel. No matter what type of game you are playing there is a Star Wars story out there for you to take clues and hints from.

Star Trek: Star Trek is far more science fiction than Star Wars. Technobabble at its finest, space exploration, technological oddities, and futuristic problems. Sure there are fantasy like elements, just take Q for example, but when you get that deep into sci-fi that is bound to happen. When it comes down to it these are just handled differently. Advanced alien life forms vs. gods and goddesses. The thing about Star Trek is that it is a wonderful amalgam of large scale problems and small scale missions and exploration. There are dozens of races who are friendly and work together, some who haven't been seen yet, some who are neutral, and some at war with the Federation. It is a wonderful tableau of a campaign setting. Star Wars is diverse but its a very good vs. evil story. Star Trek is where you dive into the grey areas, the questions, and the unique situations. A GM can learn a lot from an episode of Star Trek!

Doctor Who: How could I make this list without including Doctor Who? This show represents a whole other side of science fiction. It is at once incredibly complex, but very simple. Time travel, paradoxes, life and death situations, impossibilities. Doctor Who isn't about fighting the enemy, it isn't about good vs. evil, and it isn't about exploring in the strictest sense. Doctor Who is about right vs. wrong and the grey area exists quite heavily in the show. It is about confronting wrong and doing something about it and it is about growth. It is about overcoming odds, no matter how overwhelming. Tabletop roleplaying games are about the same thing, overcoming odds. Sure exploring a dungeon is fun. Sometimes it is literal evil you are fighting. But sometimes, it is about confronting a problem there is no good answer to and making a choice.*

*Despite my praise for Doctor Who in these regards I do recognize Star Trek does the same, often. Just hear Picard's line, "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose."

Untamed Rant New Year's Special!

A couple days later than intended but the New Years special resource episode of the Untamed Rant is uploaded! Check it out here!


UPDATE-here are those links I forgot yesterday

-http://www.sfwa.org/
-http://arcadia.net/Cruinne/DnD/Articles/worldbuilding.html
-http://inkarnate.com/
-https://www.dmsguild.com/
-https://slack.com/
-http://www.dmsupportgroup.com/
-http://tvtropes.org/
-http://whothefuckismydndcharacter.com/
-http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html
-http://jamesclemens.com/
-http://www.kimharrison.net/
-http://www.peterclines.com/
-http://www.jameslovegrove.com/

Libris Monstrum #1: Naga

Welcome to the very first entry in the Libris Monstrum! Here shall be a series of entries going over some of the most commonly included monsters in game manuals. But, no, I am not going to be going over things like dragons or goblins. At least not at first, because those monsters are not just included but staples of games like Dungeons & Dragons. My goal is to talk about the monsters that often get missed and forgotten. To begin I want to talk about one of my favorites from mythology: the naga!


Serpent Entities

Naga, or nagini as the females are called, are serpent creatures of various Asian mythos. Most notably, nagas are part of the various Indian religions. The spread of religions like Hinduism and Buddhism throughout Asia caused quite a diversification of nagas over time. Nevertheless, nagas are almost always related to the king cobra and thus have similar hoods. Aside from this, there are a few other common physical features. The more frightening, and interesting, are the human faces. How human the faces are can vary. Still, the image of a serpentine creature whose head is very human, but whose eyes and forked tongue are still snake-like, is unnerving. Some even have multiple heads like the hydra of greek mythology. Nagas can also be capable of shapeshifting into human form, disguising themselves among people.


Purpose

There are mixed stories about the type of beings that naga and nagini are. Generally speaking they are seen as evil creatures, capricious and deceitful. Sometimes though, they can act as a neutral party or may even be willing to be good and helpful. Regardless though, there seems to be a general regard of nagas to be guardians of some kind. Treasure is one such thing, but more often they are natural resources, especially water. Rivers, lakes, and underground springs can be the home of guardian naga. Even those helpful naga must be shown respect and their sacred water source treated well.


Nagas In Dungeons & Dragons

Nagas have been included in D&D for decades, always showing up in the monster manuals as serpentine entities. These come in a couple varieties, each of which tends to focus on a specific aspect of the mythos. Common types include guardian, dark, and water nagas which become associated with sacred places / treasure, evil, and nature protection respectively. This division is also tied to alignment with guardian naga being good and dark naga being evil, for example. This variety is kept throughout the edition, though there are often more added in various books. These days the naga have a very cobra-like appearance and slightly human faces. They are considered immortal monstrosities and all are capable of some form of spell casting.


Nagas In Pathfinder

Pathfinder is one of my favorite games in regard to the treatment of creatures from a variety of mythos and sources. Nagas are no exception. Like D&D, Pathfinder links different types of naga to some aspect of the mythos, as well as alignment. There is a little less emphasis on guardianship, but a strong linking to other specifics. That list of things has been expanded and explored by Paizo and includes interesting naga types like royal, slime, and dream. The nagas in Pathfinder art have much more human faces and their serpent forms divert from the cobra occasionally, providing a nice variety. Like D&D nagas, these ones can cast spells, but they are mortal beings. Instead of one naga lording over a place or people, a lineage of nagas take the name of a predecessor allowing the shorter lived races to assume it is but a single individual.


Nagas At The Table

The obvious use of a naga is to act as a guardian of a certain area or item that the party may be looking for. While interesting and different in the moment, this does not do the naga justice. D&D has emphasized the naga in 5th Edition by discussing their connection to the Yuan-ti, another serpent people. The war between the two go so far back that the yuan-ti even have a horrible ritual which kills a naga and raises it as an undead known as the bone naga. This enmity could be the basis of an entire setting or campaign. Perhaps the PCs must choose sides in a developing war, or maybe they get caught as a third party between the two sides. Another idea I had was to have the two groups working together. What would cause such unprecedented and dangerous agendas?

My favorite use of the naga is completely different, however. There are a multitude of powerful entities or persons that can act has NPCs, but why not naga? Utilize the mythical predilection towards guarding something and helping those who help them, as well as their ability to look human (or some fantasy race). Give them age, knowledge, and power beyond what is the base stat block. Their ability to cast spells naturally make them even more formidable. I would argue that ancient nagas (with levels in some spellcasting class) would be more powerful than many dragons, and they certainly provide a different way of filling a similar role. Hey, you could even give them a treasure hoard like dragons have!

Resources For Every GM: Rules & Supplements Part 7

Greetings everyone! Today we get back to some core resources for your bookshelf. While these resources will be much more directed towards the Pathfinder or Dungeons & Dragons GM, they are pretty great book in general. The topic of this trio is equipment, especially weapons, because who doesn't need more diverse (or insane!) equipment??


Arms & Equipment Guide (3rd Edition D&D): I love this book. It wasn't gigantic, and it wasn't in color, but it was full of great stuff. The great thing about books like this is that gold value is relatively maintained throughout the editions, so that you don't need to go into much editing or double-checking there. This one, in particular, makes great use of that with all the various mundane items that can be found in Chapter 2. Clothing, food, drink, and trade goods are just a few of the items you can find here. Trade goods could be especially useful in filling out a dragon's hoard. I know what you're thinking too, but this stuff is in the main manual I use. Yes you are right, but this gives a large variety of examples to flesh out your world and make different locations unique from one-another. Vehicle, hirelings, creatures, and mercenaries are also helpful from this book even if you only use price points. The mechanics of it may not be the most helpful to everyone's game, but if you need a compact list of resources and items then this should be added to your library.


Weapons of Legacy (3.5 D&D): This book almost didn't make it on here. It is very mechanic heavy and entrenched in the 3rd Edition feat rules. However, it provides an example of something that few other books did: provide scaling magical items. I have always loved this idea. If I player find or even creates an item and grant it a name (magical or otherwise) it deserves to have a legacy. Granting magical effects and increasing its power over time with that of the character makes it more meaningful. There are also some good examples of this happening recently. In Critical Role, the vestiges gain power as they are used and their potential unlocked. In World of Warcraft, there are now legendary weapons that scale with your level and can be imbued with more and more power. In Destiny items can be consumed to increase the light level of the one you wield. Personally, this book is a great how-to guide, an example of how you can go about doing the same in your game. The fact that there is a whole chapter of optional rules provides just that much more insight into the process and the things associated with using scalable items. If you want a whole book of prime examples, this is the best one I have seen.


Adventurer's Armory (Pathfinder): This is the Pathfinder version of the Arms & Equipment guide. While it doesn't have things like the gelatinous cube mount, it does have a ton of fantastic stuff (and full color artwork!). Included are a number of unique weapons, like the boomerang, with rules how to use those and some unique weapon properties (like the ability to choke someone). In addition there are more great ideas for mundane items and their price points. Also included are examples (in the form of feats and the like) of equipment tricks you can learn and how to use certain items as spell foci. Other awesome sections include alchemist's ingredients and how they might effect a concoction, as well as a brief example of how to utilize items within a social encounter. For those who continue to love variety for their games, this is another book for you!

Running My First Published Campaign And Killing Everyone

Despite many years of playing Dungeons & Dragons, and other table top games, I have never actually run a published adventure or campaign. I have come close to doing so, taken pretty direct inspiration from them, but never held one with the intent of following that story directly. Not until Curse of Strahd came out last year.

We introduced a couple new players to D&D using Death House and with the great fun and success of that one-shot, we decided to move on to Curse of Strahd. It has provided a couple of significant challenges as a DM for me, which I have mentioned a couple times in passing. Today, I wanted to discuss it a little further, especially given last night's session. Never have I killed so many PCs in a session or a campaign. It may seem unlikely, but it is true, the other near TPK situations I have had were generally converted to capture situations. Needless to say, Strahd has been quite an experience so far.

It's Ready For You

The (obvious) thing about published adventures is that they are made for you. You don't have to do any of the normal prep work that goes with a home game. Instead, you have a good amount of reading ahead of you. It may sound odd, but this has not been the easiest way for me to run an adventure. 

Preparation for this adventure includes reading more between sessions. Figuring out what the players have done and how their actions have rippled through that book. The problem, for me, is that it's not unlikely that the players have done something that commits drastic changes to the written story. Now, that much should be pretty obvious for most GMs. The players will always derail anything you run for them. As those changes pile up, though, it becomes a little difficult to prepare. The hardest part is when you are leading them down a (narrative) road and discover that the road was destroyed multiple sessions ago by their actions. It isn't the worst thing to happen, it is just a bit annoying because that discovery could come mid-session not during your planning between.

Look It Up Instead Of Make It Up

When running the published game I get as prepared as possible to know what is in that book and keep the most likely relevant information at the top of my thoughts. Of course this always goes to shit, so I also have been getting more familiar with where to find what for the inevitable, "let me look that up," moments. Now, you may be saying that I should just do things on the fly, make it up, and fix it later. For a number of things, I very much do that, but there is a line where I have to decide I don't know enough off the top of my head to make it up. If I did I would create a lot more work for myself later, and possibly create unknown narrative roadblocks elsewhere.

In Curse of Strahd, the thing I end up looking up most is individuals' statuses. Are they allies or enemies of Strahd? Who are they friendly with? I NEED to make sure I get those right when the players ask those questions. The whole story is written around those relationships. Now, my players don't mind me double checking, but I find myself most comfortable in a home brew world where I KNOW those relationships. And the ones I don't know, well that is when I make the decision myself.

The Death Of A Party....Or Two

Curse of Strahd was taken as a difficult, high risk adventure. I knew that, my players knew that. Two of them died in Death House. Death hasn't been a problem for the group or the game, but it has happened. Up until last night, however, the two newbies (through sheer luck) had survived since their arrival to Death House. They provided a narrative backbone for story progression and knowing what was going on and why. At least enough to say, "hey new guy who isn't from here I have some bad news...."

The deaths alone aren't bad. They were all made in doing something good. Death House is cleansed. Ireena and her brother have escaped the Village of Barovia. The Wizards Of Wines vineyard is beat up, but saved and one gem returned. Those who aren't ghosts of Barovia will likely be back, some as vampires. The player's know this and I think it will be a fun session when they have to fight their former selves. It's the line we have gotten to now, with no original party member left, that creates a problem.

But everyone died yesterday. Two at the hands of a vampire nest. One after really bad-mouthing Strahd from the stocks and failing a Wisdom save. The last was hung for murder (a story in its own right). That last one was brought back from the dead, but he was new to the party and only knows what is happening second hand. Now new travelers have come to Barovia, and the party is together as outsiders who know that the only way home will be to defeat Strahd. They even had new cards read and that reading has aided the campaign track nicely.

But what happens if there is a TPK, or close enough to one? If it is too soon, that might be the end of Curse of Strahd. I don't think the players would even find it enjoyable to so quickly make a whole new party and go through introductions, get new card readings, and discover how many may have fallen before them. Maybe at a later date when the horrors of Barovia are a memory. If there is quite a bit of story before any deaths, then the likelihood of deaths lessens and the players get stronger. It will be easier to resurrect or replace one of them, and continue. That problem, though, the problem of too many deaths too soon; it lurks right around the corner.

Learning Curve

Running a published game has been quite the learning curve, especially given the added burden of character deaths by the wagon-load. It has been a fun one, however. While I may be more comfortable in my own worlds, I don't dislike the published adventures. In many ways I spend less time preparing, though that may be my many years of student experience. I know how to take notes and look things up. Creating my own things may be easier, but it is certainly time consuming. I get better as the sessions go on, and the start of the next one will prove to be smoother (from my point of view at least). And my home brew games, I can apply what I learn in this form of GMing to those too. There is always something to be learned, and I look forward to learning.

Oh, and if there is a TPK soon, or even if Strahd is eventually defeated, we will have to move onto In Strange Aeons, because why go for a less horrific adventure the second go?

Resources For Every GM: Internet Part 8 / Audio Part 1

This week's resources article is another internet trio, despite the fact that I wanted to get away form that group for a little while. Two problems with that though. First, I really wanted to finally get around to throwing up three audio resources. Background music has really helped games for me in the best, and I know it helps a lot of other tables enjoy their games. The second problem is the simple fact that I am not sure there are quite enough resources for audio out there. OK, I take it back. As I write this I am duo-ing Internet Part 8 and Audio Part 1. This introduction will remain as such for everyone to know why. Forever!


Syrinscape: This is not even a web resource, technically. It's a application which you can get from the internet and, honestly, I love it. I wish I used it more often and may start reintroducing background tunes to our not-recorded-games. So Syrinscape has a free version / sound set. You can use this without registering, and can also purchase as many of the wonderful variety of sets as you like. Some of them are themed and some of them are designed for specific adventures (Pathfinder Adventure Paths). They come with ambient tracks, ambient sounds, and sound effects that exist within a mixer. The greater your collection grows the more you can do. If you can afford regular payments, subscribe and have access to the whole library of sounds. This library, of course, is only getting bigger. And do not worry, if you purchase separate sets you don't need to have a current subscription to access those. Needless to say, but there are almost too many ways to use this tool and if you really want those kind of audio options it is definitely the one for you!


Tabletop Audio: This is another fantastic ambient noise tool, and this one is on the web. While not quite as prolific as Syrinscape, this site has continued to grow. The library of tracks is up to over 100 at the time of writing this. These include themed tracks that might be ambience, music, or a combination. The variety is pretty good here, despite the fairly low track count, including everything from riverside town to a nighttime forest and an alien cantina to a luchador fight. To add on to this, the website has a new(ish?) feature that I have only just learned about: sound pads. These are similar to what Syrinscape has going on with sound effects. Each has a themed set of ambient noises, sounds, and effects for you to use in the background. Add a tab with music going and you could have a great scene set for your players, complete with effects. Of course, I haven't explored it so when you make your own pad on the site, I wouldn't be surprised if you can add a music track (if they aren't already lurking on those pads). Definitely a beautiful resource!


Ambient Mixer: This is a website I have only just begun exploring as a recent introduction to my bookmarks. The fantastic thing about this site is it is a mixer site to create the kind of atmosphere you want or need for whatever you are doing. Some of the top mixes on the home page include common areas of various Hogwarts Houses, Lord of the Rings locations, and the TARDIS. Obviously, there is a lot of sound here that can be used to a general feel for whoever you are. Greatest of all is that this site is all the shared audio templates are under a Creative Commons License. Thanks to the amazing creators of those works the site uses there is the ability to use the work for more than personal reasons. Be aware, of course, of the rules associated as such and take responsibility for going about that the proper way!

RPG Blog Carnival: Prophecies & Omens

Here we are in 2017 and it is time for another month of RPG Blog Carnival entries! I have missed the past few months, but given the topic of January I thought it might be a auspicious time to rejoin. The topic is that of prophecy and omen, a great story telling device that can be a bit complex when you are not the only one telling the story. To aid in that endeavor, I want to share the ways in which I have learned to utilize prophecy.


The Future
Whenever you are playing a role-playing game, there is virtually no predictability in what is to come. Unless you are the worst kind of railroader or your players have no desire to propel the plot themselves, you will inevitably hit some sort of speed bump, turn in the road, or sudden cliff. That's OK and is one of the main reasons we play these games with each other. Anything can happen!

But some of the greatest tales include glimpses of the future and you may be driven to do the same. This may be through signs, omens, written prophecies, visions, or some other divination. Regardless of what form this insight comes in, you have a limited amount of control in whether or not it comes to fruition. There are a couple ways to make sure, however, that these premonitions of the future are not only true, but don't require you to take away player agency.


Setting It Up
The first thing you need to make sure occurs is that you have control over the point of prophecy. When it happens, how it happens, and what it pertains to. This is fairly simple, as most events come from your narration of the world or your control over discovered secrets and NPCs. Second, you must have the prophecy prepared ahead of time. Making it up on the fly could put you in a sticky situation later. "What about this part of the prophecy?" a player might say when you completely forgot that was a thing, or that it was completely avoided by the party. The less meaning a prophecy has as it comes to fruition, the less implication a party might put on future ones.


Be Late, Be Vague
The easiest way to have a prophecy be meaningful is to have whatever insight the PCs gain be incredibly vague. If you are too specific the prophecy might be too easily avoided or, if you force it to occur, the players may feel something has been taken away from them (agency). Use general phrases and words. Utilize things that have more than one meaning. Name things via description and not directly. Think of a misdirect to include that may be easy to latch onto so that the true meaning is ignored. Use titles, names, or descriptions that fit multiple things, people, places, or times.

Of course none of this will matter if the players forget or ignore the prophecy. That's where being late comes in. Do not give them a prophecy before anything happens. There is no sense of urgency then, and nothing to keep it in memory. Instead, include something that has already happened at the beginning of the premonition. Follow up with something that can happen at the time of the prophecy or immediately thereafter. This will make it real and give them a good starting point. From there they can realize that things are happening right now, figure out what has already happened, and have some clues or context for what might happen next.


Prophesize Guaranteed Events
OK, this might sound like railroading, but there's a distinction to be made. Instead of including parts of a vision that relate to a PC, relate the PC to parts of the vision later. That way they are taking on the prophecy themselves, rather than it being thrust upon them. In a way, parts of the prophecy might become self fulfilling or more simply, the PC takes up an important role in the prophecy without being the only one who could.

When you design the prophecy make sure the events that happen are things that cannot be avoided. An eclipse, the full moon, summer, fall. Times are always could indicators, as are unique events (a red full moon). The events that occur should be something that needs to be responded to rather than stopped from happening. Make the prophecy a race to mitigate evil / disaster. You may not be able to stop the waking of the tarrasque but you can be prepared to put it right back to sleep. This gives the players some agency in the story without a prophecy losing its meaning, and allows more parts of the prophecy to remain a danger. Of course providing context like "or else" gives two outcomes prophesized and may give you, the GM, more breathing room.


Using A Vision
This is my favorite form of omen or prophecy. A vision can be presented in numerous ways and can take numerous forms. I have used magic, dreams, oracles, and some good old fashioned seer reading to reveal visions to players. These allow me to prepare them ahead of time and narrate the experience. The vision can be written on paper and handed to the player so they may choose to keep its contents secret.

Visions are dream-like and mutable so they are automatically vague, even in their specifics. Something in the vision may be true, or it may be influenced by personal feelings. One thing may represent another. Nevertheless, you can include scenes related to that which has happened, that which the players hope to happen, and that which is guaranteed to happen. Every bit is left to be dissected by the person or people who receive it.


In The End
At the end of it all the vision serves three purposes: to inform, to drive, and to confuse. Prophecies always reveal information that is, more often than not, confusing right up until it occurs and then it becomes blatantly obvious. The information provided sits on a fulcrum of uselessness and imperativeness. This handful of information and not knowing what to do with it can be a drive in itself. When that isn't enough knowing you are caught up in prophesized events coming true and leading to disaster, well that is generally enough for heroes. The vagueness and confusion is also a drive and tool you can use. You can draw characters back into a storyline or introduce NPCs to help them as a result of the prophecy.

With a little thought, you should have no trouble using prophecy to help propel your game. Your players will get a glimpse of what is to come and have something to look back to when they are losing their way. You too will have a tool to draw on and drive the story as you see fit, letting the PCs know the world moves around without them. Maybe they should do something about it. Regardless, prophecies can be short term and long term fun for any campaign.

Resources For Every GM: New Years 2016

Happy New Year all! If you are reading this you survived 2016, congratulations! Yesterday I looked back at last year's list and discovered I hadn't bought any of the games I meant to, but I did manage to play four out of the six I wanted to. Today I want to make a new list of games to try to play this year. Like the last one this will be a mix of games I have played before, haven't yet played, and still need to obtain!


Play Again

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness: This was an obvious pick to move from still haven't played to play again. It was a bunch of fun and the party was pretty fantastic. After playing a one-session adventure, we have a decent grasp on the rules and how rough a fight can be. Knowing that, it will definitely lend itself to a multi-session adventure. I will probably do some kind of retrospective-review-thing for TMNT when the session airs on Untamed Dice, but for now I can say that the game feels pretty good. The way the system works combat is fairly loose and seems like it could take a long time, but it passes by quicker than you'd expect. Chances are this game will make it back to the table before the year is even half over.

Monster of the Week: I really enjoyed this Powered by the Apocalypse game but I didn't get to play as much of it has I would have liked. Tackling it again would be awesome for Untamed Dice, or just to play in general. The system was interesting enough for me, that I want to look into the other PbtA games out there, but for now I think I can settle for some awesome supernatural mysteries. Of course, the game isn't restricted to the supernatural. You can do an X-Files style game if you wanted, the game just represents that genre of weekly TV show. Just making the characters gives you a good feel for that. Hopefully, this makes it back to the table soon.

Cypher System: A new discovery for me in 2016 was the Cypher System. I had heard of Numenera and The Strange but never looked into them. When I finally did I discovered Cypher System, though I did not have the time or money to delve into another universal system. Then I found their Kickstarter for worlds of Cypher System. It was all over then and right before I received Gods of the Fall I picked up the core book. We had a great time playing it (that game is the origin of ceiling buffalo we occasionally joke about) and all want to play it again. For me, I would like to start fresh (we only did one session many, many weeks ago) and dive into Predation when it arrives at my door. As soon as that happens you can expect to see an adventure coming to Untamed Dice!

Honorable Mentions: Cats, End of the World, Kobolds Ate My Baby, Star Wars, Shadowrun, Mouse Guard


Still Haven't Played

Our Last Best Hope: Purchased alongside Wield and Cats during PAX East last year, this game sits next to its companion book which I purchased later in the year. Sadly, neither has been used yet. The thing about this game is that it is GM-free. To me, this game feels like a hybrid between a board game and a TTRPG. It isn't the only one that could make this claim, but it was one of the only ones I have see that approaches this from the RPG side of things. For those who don't know this game, it represents a whole campaign in one sitting. What kind of campaign? The disaster movie. Giant monster, sudden ice age, killer asteroids, that kind of thing. I really hope we make the time for this game to hit our table, and it shouldn't be hard to pick just one night.

Kult: This one makes the list though I don't technically have it yet. I no fairly little about this game still, but I do know I love horror. When this Kickstarter popped up on my feed one day i had to check it out and the trailer immediately caught my attention. It's the kind of game where everything is dark a gritty and the world is nothing that you think it is. To me the game seems very Lovecraftian in many ways, but without going full cosmic horror and tentacles. Instead it is more of a dark, supernatural feel to it where the world is very different and way scarier than we ever thought. Recently the released the quick start guide to us backers and I am excited to dig into it and hopefully get a game in soon.

Star Trek Adventures: I had to include a second game that isn't technically out yet, because I am just so excited about it. The qualifier for this one is that beta testing is out and I haven't managed to run it for our group. We signed up, excited to take part in a play test where our adventures can influence the released product. Sadly the initial play testing documents came out about a month ago and, as you know, December was really busy. While we won't be sharing it on Untamed Dice, this game is one I am really excited to get onto the table and I really hope the game (and I) can share the awesomeness of the Star Trek universe with my uninitiated friends.

Honorable Mentions: Torchbearer, Wield, CthlhuTech, Call of Cthulhu, All Outta Bubblegum, Dread, Open Legend


Games To Buy

Ryuutama: I NEED this game. OK so, again, I know little details about the game or the system. Once again, however, I also know what I like and I love the idea of this game. Explained to me as a cross between Oregon Trail and a Miyazaki movie, I instantly picked the game up. Flipping through the book I was also greeted with art that gave me a nice relaxing but incredibly fun feeling as I recalled similar art in old Harvest Moon games. I was so drawn to the game that I almost bought it instead of the three games I did buy at PAX East. I also specifically didn't read too much of that book otherwise I may have done just that. Not that it would have been a bad decision, per se, but three games trumped one. If I see the hardcover at PAX this year, I will be picking it up.

Masks: Last year a different superhero game took a spot on this list. I never ended up getting it and, though I still want it, this one has replaced it in my list of priorities. Every time I heard about this game I heard Young Justice mentioned. The more I heard this the more I wanted to play Masks. Now, I haven't yet played it at all, but I've been looking for a good supers RPG for a while now. If this system makes for a good Young Justice or Teen Titans adventure, then I have to have it. Such a game style would be perfect to get the group into a supers RPG.

N.E.W.: This is just half of a new RPG pair, the other being O.L.D. The headline for the system is What's Old Is New and I like that idea. N.E.W. is the sci-fi half of this system and O.L.D. is the fantasy half. The idea is different from most games that come out these days, as far as I can tell. Instead of being rules light and narrative, it is very crunchy. Lots to dig your teeth into, but a toolbox to let you do virtually anything you want. The concept intrigues me and I am interested to look into playing something with more old school crunch.

Honorable Mentions: Tales of Arcana, Icons, Dungeon World, Paranoia, Titansgrave

Resources For Every GM: Christmas 2016

For this years holiday special I wanted to list some inspiration for winter adventures. While the holidays are beginning to draw to a close, it doesn't mean you have gotten to them in your game. Many of you are on hiatus for the holiday, but you can bring the holiday back to the table with these Yule-time horrors.


Jolakotturinn, the Christmas Cat: I only recently learned about this guy, and i want to know who has been keeping him a secret. While we all know Santa encourages you to be nice throughout the year or else you get coal instead of toys, the Christmas Cat is a lot more dangerous and wants you to make sure you work hard. It is a tradition, Icelandic I have read, that you get new clothes for Christmas, but only if you finished your work on time. Those who are lazy are punished by becoming a sacrifice to the Yule Cat and, well, eaten. The needy might not have jobs, so children are also encourage to do enough to gift clothes to the needy so they do not become sacrificed unnecessarily. Imagine the one-shot you could do with this terror!


Gryla and the Yule Lads: These are another Icelandic monster come to threaten you if you have been bad. Gryla, who has in more recent times become the mother of the Lads, is an ogress whom will kidnap, cook, and eat children who are bad. There are 13 (maybe more) Lads and all of them are terrible in their own ways, but they have habits of stealing things from you. Ketrokur, for example, uses a hook to steal meat from you. Sounds like the perfect group for an extended Yule adventure! Oh, and if that's not enough for you, rumor has it the Yule Cat lives with old Gryla.


Frau Perchta: Another witch to terrorize you for the holiday. In Germany and Austria, you better be good if you want gifts. Hells, you better be good if you don't want a horrible torture. Those who are sinful are punished by Pertcha and will probably wish they were actually dead. You see, the Frau rips out your intestines and replaces it with trash. That's right, who needs internal organs when you have trash? Honestly, I like this one because there is a mystery layer that could be added to an adventure. A little magic could allow the afflicted to survive a bit and then when discovered, you get a who dunnit. And witches? A classic that is underused these days if you ask me.

Resources For Every GM: Cartography Part 4

For today's Resources article I have three more map-related links for you to check out!


Map to Globe: This incredible tool was shared on the DM Support Group recently, and I couldn't help but push it up on the resources to share here. This tool allows you to take an image and upload to be turned into a globe. Not only can this be rotated but there are plenty of options from which to edit the globe or look at it differently. The direction and intensity of the sun can be adjusted, a pole line can be created, and the background can be manipulated. Screenshots are available to be downloaded, as well as GIFs of the globe rotating! There are also sketch views and a number of map projects that can be applied to the image. Frankly, the ability to take an image and turn it into a globe (even if its virtual) is an awesome tool, plain and simple. To take that and play with it in so many different ways is just fantastic and definitely worth checking out for your home brew worlds.


How Fast Could You Travel?: The great thing about Twitter is the sheer number of random things you can encounter. This was one of those things. The article discusses the change and development of travel in the United States over the course of it's early history. There are maps through out it showing you how far you could have expected in how long. How long would it take to get to Florida from New York City in 1800, for example. The answer? At least 2 weeks. In between all the maps is the article explaining why these things changed as paths and roads were developed and later trains. This is an invaluable resource for getting a good idea of how travel would work in a fantasy setting. Pair it with some quick Google searches for maps with terrain and a distance key and you begin to understand some things a bit better than before. This article is worth the read for anyone who wants a bit more realism / accuracy when they tell players how far things are (something I have a tendancy to just pull out of my ass).


Custom Cloth Maps: There is little more to say about this one. Geekify, Inc has developed a very cool service for us Game Masters. Among the other things you can get from them, they also provide you with an opportunity to take an image of your home brew world's map and get it printed on cloth! Of course, this comes in many sizes and doesn't have to be a map. Perhaps it is a scroll or some other prop for you to use in games. While a bit expensive, it provides an option for you to take your map and prop game to the next level. I know it would certainly surprise my players!

Latest Untamed Rant!

Good morning everyone! Thursday saw our release of the third episode of the Untamed Rant. If you haven't already caught it, this one is about thaumaturgy and the way 5th Edition changed up how cantrips were tackled. Stay tuned because later today I'll also have episode 2 of the Luxarrah game!!!

Resources For Every GM: Settings Part 2

Ok, so for this week's resource article I really wanted to share some of the settings that have been inspiring me to work on some of my worlds recently. They are unique worlds that have a lot to offer in both general inspiration or as entire settings from which to run a game.


Mutant New York (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles): Honestly how could you not love the idea of this kind of game. It crosses the lines of so many different genres / subgenres that it isn't even funny. The TMNT could, in various adventures, qualify for any number of games. You have intrigue, you have super-heroics, science fiction, martial arts, and all around action movie action. TMNT is incredibly diverse but everyone knows it when they see it. Ninja turtles. The only other place you get that is in something trying to emulate the Ninja Turtles. If you see the Foot Clan or Utroms or mousers, you know what you are in for. In fact, I would bet anthropomorphic triceratops would lead a lot of people back to TMNT. I mean who doesn't love some space triceratops people!? Not only do you get all this from the TMNT, but there are a number of eras from which you can play or take influence from. The original comics, the IDW reboot, the 90s cartoon, the 2000s cartoon, the most recent cartoon, or either of the movie series. There is so much flexibility without loosing what makes this setting unique: mutants and martial arts. Personally I cannot wait to play the TMNT one shot next weekend, and hope to play it again in the future.


Robot Future (Mega Man Universe): I love Mega Man. I cannot actually describe how infatuated I am with the Mega Man franchise. Now, to be fair I don't own all the games, nor do I own the comics. However, I watched the cartoon growing up and I played days worth of hours worth of Mega Man X. I have also dabbled in wikis. It is just the entire concept of the basic Mega Man universe and all the concepts that build out of it. Its an indeterminate future with lots of advancements, and yet not quite so many. It is almost entirely robotics based. We have a robot for everything. And that, of course, means robots for evil, or turned evil, or corrupted in some way. But the idea that there are sentient robots and some of them are "alive" and some of them don't seem to be and there are a handful which can borrow the abilities of others? It is so cool. I forget what forum I read it on, but the person argued it very well and I agree, Mega Man is within the super hero genre and it exists there in a very specific unique way. That's one of the reasons I love it. It's not just a fun platformer franchise, it is also a marvelously developed world. If you want even more reason to love it look up The Megas, specifically their Get Equipped album. Beautiful. Anyways, this setting has inspired an entire setting of my own. If there was a Mega Man RPG I would play it, but I am almost as excited to share the world inspired by it.


Slumberland (Little Nemo Universe): This universe will either be completely familiar to you, hugely nostalgia inspiring, or something you have never heard of. My first introduction to it was in the NES game Little Nemo: The Dream Master. I remember two things about this game. First it is an incredibly interesting idea that includes a crazy world and the ability to feed certain animals candy and, in return, you ride them and gain special abilities. It was rather difficult and I admit to utilizing a Game Genie to surpass a tree climbing portion which involved, I believe, a difficult to make jump and an angry buzzard. Later I was introduced to Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumber Land, many years later. This was a terrific anime movie that informs you much more about the world and how interesting it is. Both of these things are based on a comic strip from 1905. Yeah going to the way back machine here, but that is because of the unique style of this setting. Sure dream-based worlds have existed in the decades before the adaptations, but not like this. As such it made a good game, a great movie, and wonderful setting. I am using it to influence the Fae realm of Luxarrah and it alone would make for some terrific adventures.