![[Gauntlet Calendar: Online Tabletop RPG Play]](/uploads/7/7/8/1/77811662/gauntlet-calendar-square-172x172_orig.jpg) Greetings, and welcome to the weekly Gauntlet Calendar video roundup! Enjoy these recordings of online games organized through Gauntlet Calendar and the Gauntlet RPG Community. These recorded sessions represent only a portion of the selection of games available every week, and anyone is welcome to join the fun! If you'd like to play or watch more games like these, check out the links and information at the bottom of the post. Star Wars Saturday
MoonPunk (Session 3) Rich Rogers runs for Francisco Olivera, Steven Watkins, and Will H The Punks deal with Imps and Corps trying to take their housing, and we see glimpses of their past. Gauntlet Quarterly Last Fleet (Session 5) Jim Likes Games runs for Bethany H., Brandon Brylawski, Joe, Lowell Francis, and Patrick Buechner This week: The aliens attack. Empire City Bite Marks: Werewolves of Wall Street (Session 3 of 3) David Walker runs for Bodhi, Donogh, Jim Likes Games, and Leandro Pondoc In the climax of our Bite Marks Actual Play, Xenophon makes a deal with the creature at the heart of the spider's web. Maxim seeks the pack's acknowledgment of their claim as Alpha. Jessica is forced to make a choice and Briar has a family reunion Gauntlet Calendar Tales from the Low Cantrefs: A Winter's Journey (Session 3 of 4) David Morrison runs for Anders, Bodhi, Leah Libresco Sargeant, and Sabine V. After the disturbance at the Dancing Oak, the children make a perilous journey into the mountains to follow Cari's vision. Gryf stands strong in defence of his friends, Laurel digs deep to stand up to dangers physical and spiritual, and Cord awakens an ancient power. Space Wurm vs Moonicorn (Session 7) Tyler Lominack runs for Bethany H., Brandon Brylawski, Chris Sellers, Lowell Francis, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri A new figure arrives from out of space and time. The tide begins to turn in Space Wurm's favor. The gang goes on a rescue...and Moonicorn's just gotta Dance, Dance, Dance! Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (Session 2 of 2) Donogh runs for Clint Smith and Puckett Ricky Rocket's investigation of the Irish mob gets entangled by the Triad's interests, but as Huang Chen is pushed into war against the Mafia, his attention turns to deciphering the mystery of the elderly assassin instead... Quest: Spelljammer (Session 3) David Walker runs for Chase Ordonis, David Morrison, Leandro Pondoc, and Robbie Boerth The crew of the Spiritfarer plans to rendezvous with the charismatic spy Hallow. Little do they realize that Hallow is in over their head, well - over their feet at least. This is an actual play of Quest played in a setting inspired by teenage dreams of the AD&D setting Spelljammer. Unincorporated: Witchy Little Town (Session 1 of 2) Maria M. facilitates for Anders, Kyle H., and Marleigh It's all fine when Amelia Earhart shows up in someone's shower and promptly becomes the Worst Roommate (TM), right? Tired of Amelia's midnightly rituals and desecration of the coffee pot, Agatha recruits her friends to conduct a ritual at the lake. The lake the Bertram may or may not have tried to get rid of his doppelganger in and the lake that Diane knows Tillie has been dreaming about. Or is that Tillie's been dreaming about Agatha and/or Amelia? Oh, and Diane has a talking spell-book that's looking for a new owner. Nothing can go wrong! Unincorporated: Witchy Little Town (Session 2 of 2) Maria M. facilitates for Anders and Kyle H. Now that Agatha's left in a jetplane completely unhexed truck with a spell-book, Diane needs to find a way to turn herself back from a walking body of water into something more suited for rising to power in a small town. Bertram's dealing with being merged with his other self. Tillie just wants protection. Enter, Chad and the Corporate Cult under the Triple B and the spell-book of buzzwords! But solving some problems opens new opportunities for other problems and city government Mayor Sam has some business for Bertram and Diane. ALIEN: Ruin (Session 3 of 4) Jason Zanes runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, and Will H The team tries to figure out how to accomplish their mission and escape Herbert 4 while Noah goes full auto versus a giant xenomorph, Bryant manipulates everyone, and the young prospector Baldy finds a new use for a cutting torch. Ma Nishtana: Why is this Night Different? (Session 2 of 2) Jamila R. Nedjadi runs for Bodhi, Danielle B., and Sherri Ma Nishtana: Why is this Night Different? is a story game modeled on a Passover Seder, a ritual meal and collaborative re-telling of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt. There are opportunities to eat all of the ritual foods or perform more abstract (and remote play-friendly) rituals. Together, players breathe new life into the Exodus story by embodying their own version of a key character and roleplaying a series of structured scenes called "Rituals," culminating in the deliverance of the Hebrew people from peril. Players take turns guiding these scenes, perform ritual actions, and collaborate in building a shared world filled with wonder, terror, and deep care. We explore the emotional ties of the characters and through their eyes discover what Passover has to teach us: the weight of sacrifice, the strength of community, and the responsibility we have to those who seek a place called home. Ultraviolet Grasslands: Season 12 - Blues for the Red Sun (Session 3 of 3) Horst Wurst runs for Alex Greenshields, Brandon Brylawski, Chris Thompson, and Puckett Ivory Plain Heart: Sickness Unto Foolish Death (Session 3 of 4) Leandro Pondoc runs for Bodhi, Brandon Brylawski, and Jake Redcap Grove is meant to be a simple, seedy stop amidst the Heart's splendor. But for our escorts, shepherding a nervous drown noble to the deep, it instead becomes a nexus for the contradictions and complications that span the Heart itself. Nekkra blunders into an afterlife they didn't expect to find, Dolwyn faces despair as forces target the Hive and Lynesse comes into conflict with a defender of heartsblood. Free from the Yoke: Firebird Suite (Session 4) Lowell Francis runs for Alexi S., Bryan, David Jay, and Scot Ryder Hollow vengeance is achieved and the Arbiter's project reaches completion, leading to a turning of the ages as ten years pass. Night's Black Agents: Underworld Promises (Session 8) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, Pawel S., and Will H Jimmy returns from England with documents detailing the EDOM conspiracy but when the Orphic Vampires' conspiracy is revealed, the team swerves to a new purpose. Space Wurm vs Moonicorn (Session 8) Tyler Lominack runs for Bethany H., Brandon Brylawski, Chris Sellers, Lowell Francis, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri The heroes face the Great War with the Vastness as our story comes to an end. Gauntlet Campaigns Déclin Oblige (Session 1) Jamila R. Nedjadi runs for Lowell Francis, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri Déclin Oblige (working title!) is a social game of political intrigue. Players are nobles who are a part of the last seven houses of a broken land. These nobles wield terrible and awesome magic, tied to the land, that has been cursed from invaders centuries ago. Nobles will scheme and plot, working towards fulfilling their own agendas, in a world of decadence, high magic, immense power, and hubris. In this prologue Seventhaw seeks out a new mark, Vinta offers human souls to help their brother, and Cirenia learns about a fate tied to betrayal. We slowly begin to formulate our schemes! Gauntlet Book Club Wolfsong/Bite Marks (Session 5 of 6) David Morrison runs for Drew D., Jamila R. Nedjadi, and Sabine V. Jax, Ghost and Ivar have a heart-to-heart conversation over unicorn frappuccinos. Ghost confronts some old memories of his mother, while Jax and Ivar confront her in the real world. You can see all these videos (plus all the ones that have come before) on The Gauntlet YouTube channel playlists, and be sure to subscribe to catch all our great podcasts! If you'd like to catch these sessions in an audio-only podcast, check out the community-run Hangouts Podcast at http://gauntlet.hellomouth.net/. If you'd like to play in games like these, check out the calendar of events and the Gauntlet Forums where games are announced. To support The Gauntlet, please visit the Gauntlet Patreon. Everyone is welcome to sign up for Gauntlet Calendar games, but Patreon supporters get extra options like priority RSVP for Gauntlet Calendar games and joining the Gauntlet Slack team where special events and pickup games are announced. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!
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Greetings, and welcome to the weekly Gauntlet Calendar video roundup! Enjoy these recordings of online games organized through Gauntlet Calendar and the Gauntlet RPG Community. These recorded sessions represent only a portion of the selection of games available every week, and anyone is welcome to join the fun! If you'd like to play or watch more games like these, check out the links and information at the bottom of the post. Star Wars Saturday
MoonPunk (Session 2) Rich Rogers runs for Dr. Jason Cox, Francisco Olivera, Steven Watkins, and Will H A new Punk joins the crew in time for a festival in the park followed by a Stormtrooper raid at their favorite dive bar and a jail break! Gauntlet Quarterly Last Fleet (Session 4) Jim Likes Games runs for Bethany H., Brandon Brylawski, Joe, Lowell Francis, and Patrick Buechner This is the fourth episode of a planned ten-episode 'quarterly' run of Last Fleet, a tabletop RPG of humanity's flight from an implacable alien adversary intent on wiping them out. In this episode, Cosmo returns, secrets are getting out, and Journalism that Matters. Empire City Bite Marks: The Werewolves of Wall Street (Session 2) David Walker runs for Bodhi, Donogh, Jim Likes Games, and Leandro Pondoc Empire city is a shared urban supernatural game world set in New York. In a city of power, the trappings of wealth and power are held by the ultimate predators. Do werewolves get hangovers? Guess we'll find out! In a masterclass on what to do when hard move after hard move is invoked by bad dice roll what was to be an investigation escalates John Wick bad as the cub's ex-girlfriend lets Grandmother Spider's Digital Web seeps into the real world. Rosa's hard-assed Alpha shit leads the Prodigal to step to the plate, the Enforcer, who hates the Prodigal's guts has to make a hard decision, and the Howl steps seamlessly into the web - let's hope they have a way home. Bite Marks - come for the sexy-looking wolves stay for the spill. Gauntlet Calendar Dungeon World: The Gloom IV Blake Ryan runs for Adam, Jeremy, Mander, and Will H Earwigs & Harpy Wings Tales from the Low Cantrefs: A Winter's Journey (Session 2 of 4) David Morrison runs for Anders, Bodhi, Leah Libresco Sargeant, and Sabine V. As the others return from the forest, we see Cord the Door helping her grandmother dry herbs. Laurel alerts the village elders to the threat of the wolf, while Cari is turned away from the village shrine by Intercessor Nest. Following another of Cari's visions, Gryf and Cord bicker over leadership duties before the gang unearths a secret buried beneath the Dancing Oak. Tales from the Low Cantrefs: The Path Unwinding (Session 4 of 4) Alexi S. runs for Chris Newton, Dan Pucul, David Morrison, and Rosamund In the finale of our series, the village celebrates the Festival of the Long Night...under the ominous gaze of the Beast's skull, displayed as a trophy. Luned meets a possible fiancé, Ruga weaponizes a friend on the dance floor, Gwyn opens the Door of Stone, and Barrow rediscovers the power of the Yew tree. Trophy Gold: The Soul Sword Forge (Session 1 of 4) Sam Zimmerman runs for Daniel H., Jan, Jon Grim, and machinic Castle Rex has lain abandoned these last 20 years. Since the Creator disappeared and the great war ended without resolution, no one has been able to retain control over the castle. Stories of ancient magics, terrific treasures, and a forge of creation itself have lured you into the castle depths. Will you make it out alive? Back Again from the Broken Lands (Session 1) Rye runs for Rus, Sam Zimmerman, and Steven S. In which our characters traverse the The Steel-Sown Field, cross the The Great Sapphire Bridge, and are surrounded in the The Torchlit Swamplands. Back Again from the Broken Lands (Session 2) Rye runs for Rus, Sam Zimmerman, and Steven S. In which the characters escape the The Toadstool Forest, traverse through The Labyrinthine Canyons and escape the Hunters with the help of the Frost Princes, and encounter the Lightning General at the Frozen Maw of the Earth. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (Session 1 of 2) Donogh runs for Clint Smith and Puckett Conflict between the Triad and the Irish Mob simmers in Cleveland; Huang Chen, the Triad's most trusted and deadly assassin contends with and aids the green detective Ricky Rocket. Quest: Spelljammer (Session 2) David Walker runs for Chase Ordonis, David Morrison, Leandro Pondoc, and Robbie Boerth Our adventurers take their chance to steal a strange spelljamming vessel from the Iron Lord of Bral and escape into a cosmos of adventure. This is an actual play of Quest played in a setting inspired by teenage dreams of the AD&D setting Spelljammer. Ultraviolet Grasslands: Season 11 - Monoliths and Dimensions (Session 3 of 3) Horst Wurst runs for Abe Lincoln Jr., Chris Thompson, and Puckett Ultraviolet Grasslands: Season 12 - Blues for the Red Sun (Session 1 of 3) Horst Wurst runs for Alex, Brandon Brylawski, Chris Thompson, and Puckett Ultraviolet Grasslands: Season 12 - Blues for the Red Sun (Session 2 of 3) Horst Wurst runs for Alex, Brandon Brylawski, Chris Thompson, and Puckett Trophy Gold: The Soul Sword Forge (Session 2 of 4) Sam Zimmerman runs for Daniel H., Jan, Jon Grim, and machinic Castle Rex has lain abandoned these last 20 years. Since the Creator disappeared and the great war ended without resolution, no one has been able to retain control over the castle. Stories of ancient magics, terrific treasures, and a forge of creation itself have lured you into the castle depths. Will you make it out alive? Pasión de las Pasiones: The Night Floors (Session 2 of 2) Shane runs for Abe Lincoln Jr., Kyle H., Sabine V., and Will H In today's episode of The Night Floors, Anselmo expresses his love passionately, Roberta faces certain death, Margarita processes her feelings out loud, and Bobby reveals a shocking truth...but are these characters FBI agents, TV stars, or just the latest carriers of an infection that corrodes identity and destroys reality? Featuring special guest star The King In Yellow as himself. Ma Nishtana: Why is this Night Different? (Session 1 of 2) Jamila R. Nedjadi runs for Bodhi, Danielle B., and Sherri Ma Nishtana: Why is this Night Different? is a story game modeled on a Passover Seder, a ritual meal and collaborative re-telling of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt. There are opportunities to eat all of the ritual foods or perform more abstract (and remote play-friendly) rituals. Together, players breathe new life into the Exodus story by embodying their own version of a key character and roleplaying a series of structured scenes called "Rituals," culminating in the deliverance of the Hebrew people from peril. Players take turns guiding these scenes, perform ritual actions, and collaborate in building a shared world filled with wonder, terror, and deep care. We explore the emotional ties of the characters and through their eyes discover what Passover has to teach us: the weight of sacrifice, the strength of community, and the responsibility we have to those who seek a place called home. Space Wurm vs Moonicorn (Session 6) Tyler Lominack runs for Bethany H., Chris Sellers, Lowell Francis, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri Night's Black Agents: Underworld Promises (Session 7) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, and Pawel S. An aged scientists reveals more about the shady operations at Site 53 and the group escapes a serpentine trap before heading to Barcelona to track down the Orphic Vampire conspiracy. Against the Dark Conspiracy (Session 3 of 3) Alun R. runs for Brandon Brylawski, Daniel Westheide, Danielle B., and Leandro Pondoc The team follow clues about "Mistress" to Bucharest where Matthew (the former CIA Provocateur) has a heart to heart with his Uncle Aurel on family history and obligations; Nadia (the Hacker) tracks a car number plate to one of the less salubrious districts of the city where Minder Two (former MI6 Scalp Hunter) stakes out a VERY select Spa with a Graeco-Roman theme. Meanwhile, Victoria (the Handler) confirms Mistress is the Countess Galina Sofia Federovna who was 30 when she bought out some Soviet utilities in the 90's...the regular appointments at the Spa must be keeping her VERY well preserved. There's a visit by a cosmetology expert with a case full of 'samples', a janitor who looks good in a short toga with more than a mop in their trolley, a new spa member and her PA who 'handles' front of house security...then a secure 'Emperor Suite', Uncle Aurel in trouble, the traitorous Minder One, and a literal Blood Bath... Gauntlet Book Club Wolfsong/Bite Marks (Session 4 of 6) David Morrison runs for Drew D., Jamila R. Nedjadi, Sabine V., and Steven S. Ivar leads the pack into the dark heart of the woods, Ghost has talks with their siblings, Cody attempts a family reconciliation of his own, and Jaxon meets someone traveling through the forest to visit their grandmother. Other Games ALIEN: Ruin (Session 2 of 4) Jason Zanes runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, and Will H Noah finds himself in the den of xeno worshipping cultists, Bryant makes a new friend, and Darius faces the monstrous adult sand beast. You can see all these videos (plus all the ones that have come before) on The Gauntlet YouTube channel playlists, and be sure to subscribe to catch all our great podcasts! If you'd like to catch these sessions in an audio-only podcast, check out the community-run Hangouts Podcast at http://gauntlet.hellomouth.net/. If you'd like to play in games like these, check out the calendar of events and the Gauntlet Forums where games are announced. To support The Gauntlet, please visit the Gauntlet Patreon. Everyone is welcome to sign up for Gauntlet Calendar games, but Patreon supporters get extra options like priority RSVP for Gauntlet Calendar games and joining the Gauntlet Slack team where special events and pickup games are announced. Enjoy, and have a great weekend! By Jason Cordova The Hunt Roll is the most frequently used mechanic in Trophy Gold. In my experience, 50-60% of all die rolls in the game are the Hunt Roll, with the rest being split roughly evenly between the Risk Roll and the Combat Roll. Because of that, it’s very important that you understand how the Hunt Roll works before attempting to run or play Trophy Gold. The good news is that it’s a fairly straightforward mechanic. However, it’s just novel enough to warrant a careful examination, and that’s what I’m going to do in this blog post (which otherwise assumes you understand the basics of Trophy Gold). Here’s the text of the roll:  When Do you Trigger the Hunt Roll?
The text of the roll is fairly clear on this point: when you press ever deeper in pursuit of your goal and say how you are exploring the environment. If a player describes their character moving carefully down a corridor, keeping an eye out for traps, go to the Hunt Roll. If they describe their character using a spyglass to get a better view of what’s on the other side of the chasm, go to the Hunt Roll. If they’re looking for the name of a lost heir by scouring genealogical archives, go to the Hunt Roll. The key here is the player needs to meet two conditions: 1) their character is pursuing some sort of goal and 2) they have to describe how their character is exploring the environment. For example, it’s not enough for the player to say, “I want to check out that sarcophagus.” They have to couple that statement with how they are examining the sarcophagus, and a GM can and should prompt them for that information before allowing the Hunt Roll. Likewise, if they say, “While we’re at camp, I’m going to be studying my tomes,” they have not done enough to trigger the Hunt Roll; there has to be a reason for studying the tomes, and the GM should follow up with, “What are you hoping to learn by doing so?” I also look to the text of the first light die in the roll to determine if it has been triggered, particularly the part that says they get the die if they ask questions about the world. If a player asks questions about the world—in character or out of character—I will ask them if they wish to trigger the Hunt Roll, and, if so, how is their character exploring the environment or pursuing the answers to those questions. Gathering Dice This is the most straightforward aspect of the Hunt Roll. The first light die is a gimme: basically, if they trigger the roll at all, they’re getting the first light die. The second light die is also fairly simple: a skill is usually implied when the player describes how their treasure-hunter is exploring, and if it’s not, the player can get the second die by incorporating a piece of equipment (including combat equipment) in their description. Important to note: you can never get more than two light dice on the Hunt Roll. GMs with players who are new to Trophy Gold will want to be mindful of two things: 1) New players frequently settle for one light die on the roll. That’s perfectly fine, but the GM may want to remind them that doing so is extremely risky, since they’re at the mercy of that single light die, and if a “1” is rolled, they’ll lose all their accumulated Hunt Roll tokens. The GM should instead encourage them to reframe how they’re describing their exploration so it implicates a skill or piece of equipment. Two light dice is far less risky than one light die. 2) New players frequently don’t understand how equipment works. They will look at the three fixed items in their pack and decide that none of them are applicable, and then just go for that single light die, which, as noted, is very risky. They misunderstand that the three open slots in their pack can be any of dozens of different things from the Additional Backpack Equipment list. They’ll have to be reminded of this the first session or two. What does the Treasure-Hunter Learn from the Hunt Roll? Interpreting the results of the Hunt Roll is the trickiest part of the Hunt Roll. At the start, new players and GMs alike may be wondering, “What does a character actually learn from doing the roll?” This is the most important thing to remember: the Hunt Roll does not guarantee any information is actually learned. The only positive outcome guaranteed by the Hunt Roll is a Hunt Roll token. It’s largely up to the GM how much actual information is learned from the exploration, irrespective of whether the die roll “succeeds” or “fails.” The GM may decide there is nothing to be learned, either because the text of the incursion says (or implies) nothing is there, or because the manner of exploration wouldn’t turn up anything useful. If, for example, there is a chamber with a secret passageway hidden behind a wall, and the player describes their character tapping around on the floor of the chamber looking for traps, the GM might decide they simply can’t find the hidden chamber, no matter the result of the Hunt Roll, because they didn’t investigate the wall. Or perhaps there is an ancient fresco in the dungeon with words written in a forgotten language on it, and the player describes their character trying to interpret what the words mean. The GM might decide that, no, nothing can be learned by simply trying to read the words, because the language is not one the character knows. But here is where I must warn you: this is an art more than a science. What if, in the case of the secret passage in my above example, the treasure-hunter has the Awareness skill or a skill associated with structures and architecture? The GM might decide that the presence of those skills would help such a character discover a secret in the wall even when they are directly focusing on the floor. Conversely, perhaps the treasure-hunter is examining the wall, but they have a Condition that makes them dazed or distracted. The GM may very well decide that the Condition makes it impossible for them to notice the secret passage. In my fresco example above, the treasure-hunter may have a skill in languages, in which case, even though the words are written in a forgotten tongue, the GM might decide the character is able to learn something from reading them. Alternatively, the GM might decide the language on the fresco is well and truly forgotten, and nothing short of magic will make them readable. What about when the text of the incursion is unclear about what is actually available to be learned? Again, this is more of an art than a science, and requires a bit of improv: the GM uses their judgment about what might be there, usually based on what is implied by the rest of the incursion. There may be something or there may be nothing, but the GM should at least give it some thought before simply saying, “You don’t learn anything.” In all cases, the most important thing is for the GM to be honest in the moment, and being honest means not only saying what is or is not there based on the incursion’s text and their notes, but also being flexible and open-minded about what might be there. One last thing: the text of the Hunt Roll suggests the GM can ask for players’ input about what might be discovered as the result of the Hunt Roll. This is an easy part to forget, but it’s important, because Trophy Gold embraces a high degree of player-authored fiction. If the GM is unsure about what is learned, or if they simply want to take a break from worldbuilding, they should turn the matter over to the players. After all, the GM can deny any suggestion that would be too disruptive to the story. Encountering Something Terrible A treasure-hunter will “encounter something terrible” 5 out of 6 times they do the Hunt Roll, and so it’s important we address this part of the results. Here’s the key thing: “encounter something terrible” does not necessarily mean they encounter a monster (though they certainly can). The word “encounter” is traditionally associated with monster encounters in the TTRPG hobby, and so it’s easy to think that “encounter something terrible” means the character is about to face a monster. But that is simply not the case in Trophy Gold, and, in fact, the game will go sideways really quickly if you interpret it that way, because combat in Trophy Gold is extremely dangerous. If you had a combat every time a player rolled a 1-5 on the Hunt Roll, the treasure-hunters would all be dead within an hour. Instead, think of these moments as an opportunity to establish a mood, warn of pending danger, and/or immerse the players in the dungeon environment. “Something terrible” can be as simple as a creepy or disturbing sight in the dungeon. Incursions written for Trophy Gold have lists of Moments that are perfect for satisfying the “encounter something terrible” part of the die roll. “A pit begins to froth and sizzle, as a brief, hysterical scream is loosed and then silenced,” “stalks of corn, tall and rotting,” and “stacks of brown and gold burlap sacks, stuck together by caked blood,” are all “terrible” things that help create a creepy, dreadful tone in the game, but do not automatically lead to combat. You can get the same effect in a dungeon not originally written for Trophy Gold by reading bits of the dungeon’s descriptive text (highlighting potential “terrible” encounters before you start playing is a smart move). You can also just make something up! A bit of improv constrained and informed by the incursion’s theme is a great way to land on some terrible encounters that are pure set dressing. All that said, the Hunt Roll may very well lead to encountering something immediately dangerous, like a monster or trap, thereby triggering Combat or Risk Rolls. That’s a completely legitimate outcome of the Hunt Roll, but I would advise GMs to make sure there is some build up to that moment, especially in the case of monsters. Maybe the first Hunt Roll reveals the sounds of the monster’s approaching footsteps coming from deeper in the dungeon, and the second Hunt Roll is when the monster actually shows up. This is where incursions originally published for Trophy Gold are helpful, because the monsters all have a list of six habits which can be used to build up to the direct encounter, but even non-Trophy Gold dungeons usually give an indication of what a monster is doing when not fighting the treasure-hunters. I’ll end this part of the blog post with a quote from Jesse Ross, creator of Trophy Gold: “GMs might want to consider the actual value of the highest die rolled when considering how terrible a terrible encounter is. A 1 might be a monster is right there ready to attack, while a 5 might just be an eerie sound off in the distance. I'm planning to incorporate that feedback into the roll itself in the hardcover edition.” Hunt Roll Tokens Hunt Roll tokens, and the power they give players to shape the narrative of your game, is an important topic, but probably a bit outside the scope of this blog post. I may do a future post diving deep into the topic, but until then, I strongly recommend a podcast episode I did called “How to Run Trophy Gold: Set Goals and Hunt Rolls.” It can be found in The Trophy Podcast feed, and here: https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/trophy-podcast/how-to-run-trophy-gold-set-goals-and-hunt-rolls The Hunt Roll versus The Risk Roll I’m going to close with a few notes about when to use the Hunt Roll and when to use the Risk Roll. In most cases, it will be very obvious: if the character is exploring, that’s a Hunt Roll; if they’re trying to overcome an obstacle or avoid danger, that’s a Risk Roll. But there are definitely edge cases that are worth talking about. Consider, for example, the case where the treasure-hunter is trying to open and search a sarcophagus they know to be trapped. Is that a Hunt Roll or a Risk Roll? On the one hand, you could say it’s a Hunt Roll because the character is exploring the environment. On the other hand, you could say it’s a Risk Roll because they know that opening the sarcophagus may well trigger the trap, and so they’re actively trying to avoid that while they search. My view here is probably unsatisfying, but I think it’s the right one: the GM simply has to make a call based on their gut. Personally, I would have it be a Hunt Roll, and the “encounter something terrible” result would be the trap going off. That would then lead to a Risk Roll to avoid being harmed. But it would really depend on how the player describes what they’re doing. If they are “exploring” by first attempting to disarm the trap, that’s probably a Risk Roll to start. Another note from Jesse: “When deciding between a Hunt Roll and a Risk Roll, ask: is this action likely inflict harm on its own? If it can, then choose a Risk Roll (since Hunt Rolls can't actually make a treasure-hunter's Ruin go up).” Greetings, and welcome to the weekly Gauntlet Calendar video roundup! Enjoy these recordings of online games organized through Gauntlet Calendar and the Gauntlet RPG Community. These recorded sessions represent only a portion of the selection of games available every week, and anyone is welcome to join the fun! If you'd like to play or watch more games like these, check out the links and information at the bottom of the post. Star Wars Saturday
MoonPunks (Session 1) Rich Rogers runs for Francisco Olivera, Steven Watkins, and Will H A Politician, a Techie, and an Enforcer find out someone's gunning for Punks with Lunch, a group who give food to the homeless and poor on Wothe, the moon of Belthu where they all live and work. Gauntlet Calendar Dungeon World: The Gloom III Blake Ryan runs for Adam, Jeremy, and Will H Ghoulfriends and Owlbear Dances. Tales from the Low Cantrefs: A Winter's Journey (Session 1 of 4) David Morrison runs for Anders, Leah Libresco Sargeant, and Sabine V. (With separate introduction video!) In this first session we are introduced to the coastal village of Sindle, nestled between sea, mountains and woods, and some of its young inhabitants. Laurel the Bell, the eldest daughter of a well-to-do family of weavers who has the trust of her elders, if not the respect of her younger siblings. Her cousin, Cari the Loom, daughter of the village tanner, who is the recipient of visions from the future and a frequent visitor of the shrine to the Great Trees. And Gryf the Blade, a young man who dreams of fighting dragons as he helps support his mother, an incomer to the village, and definitely doesn't have feelings for Laurel. The trio venture into the snowbound woods in search of Arthur the Goat, but may be stepping into the jaws of disaster... Against the Dark Conspiracy (Session 1 of 3) Alun R. runs for Brandon Brylawski, Daniel Westheide, Danielle B., and Leandro Pondoc Nadine (the former German Government Hacker) gets a tip-off relating to the loss of her agent husband in Romania, which sees her joining Victoria (the former MI6 Handler), 'Minder 2' (also former MI6 and with access to a sniper rifle...), and Matthew (the ex-CIA Provocateur of Romanian heritage) on Hampstead Heath for a meeting with 'Jane'. There's some disappearances, a low rent West End '80s-themed night club with an unusual link to a homlessness charity, and a fat bloke in a white suit and gold chain heading for the toilet...then...a surprisingly slim bloke in a white suit emerging from the toilets, chaos on the dance floor, a trapped office door, and a Conspiracy pseudo-scientist who isn't quite the push-over he appeared to be... Pasión de las Pasiones: The Night Floors (Session 1 of 2) Shane runs for Abe Lincoln Jr., Kyle H., Sabine V., and Will H Anselmo, Roberta, Bobby and Margarita investigate the disappearance of a promising young artist in a strange building with a sinister history - but will their secrets, passions and resentments undo them before they can uncover the horrors of the Night Floors? Quest: Spelljammer David Walker runs for David Morrison, Leandro Pondoc, and Robbie Boerth Upon the Rock of Brall we meet three very different adventurers are given the chance to aid the rapscallion Blue Rose in their plan to steal a Spelljamming ship from the very Iron Lords themselves. Free from the Yoke: Firebird Suite (Session 3) Lowell Francis runs for Alexi S., Bryan, David Jay, and Scot Ryder Have wrung victory from the Red Forest, the families turn to pushing forward their own agendas, some of which align with the Arbiter's desire for an aqueduct. Night's Black Agents: Underworld Promises (Session 6) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, Pawel S., and Will H A search of the bombed out lab leads deeper into the web of conspiracy and betrayal where they discover the outline of the vampires' horrific researches. Last Fleet (Session 3) Jim Likes Games runs for Bethany H., Brandon Brylawski, Joe, and Lowell Francis This is the third episode of a planned dozen eleven ten-episode 'quarterly' run of Last Fleet, a tabletop RPG of humanity's flight from an implacable alien adversary intent on wiping them out. In this episode, wee meet a new PC, Cosmo recovers, and a couple of Breaking Points. NOTE: we took a couple of weeks off so that I could move (in a blizzard during a pandemic!), so this is a shorter episode than usual because we did some catch-up and on-boarding for our new PC. Alien: Destroyer of Worlds (Session 6 of 6) Jon Grim runs for Jason Zanes, Mark, and Matthew Arcilla Our finale! The marines race to restart the fusion reactor and get the space elevator working, but dangers are around every corner. Shocking discoveries keep everyone on edge, and some well deserved retribution is dished out via a barrage of grenades. Polaris: Chivalric Tragedy at the Utmost North (Session 3) Robbie Boerth facilitates for Brandon Brylawski and Kieron Tragic doom tightens its grip on our knights, and the Prince of the South seems to be the key to their unfolding destiny. Andromeda has chosen to betray the leader of her order; Acamar finds his lover's corpse in a rescue attempt gone bad; and Heka discovers that her demon-groom has adopted a more insidious attack aimed at those she loves. Against the Dark Conspiracy (Session 2 of 3) Alun R. runs for Brandon Brylawski, Daniel Westheide, and Danielle B. Nadine (the German Hacker) digs up some dirt on the captured Dr Markov while 'Two' (the British Scalp Hunter) softens him up. Together they give Matthew (the American Provocateur) the leverage he needs to get solid leads that take the team to Berlin. There they investigate Dr. Markov's charity, discover there's something going on in the basement of a nondescript suburban office building, and plan the Operation...then there's a subterranean 'hospital', 'unusual' treatment regimes, and...Ghouls. Other Games ALIEN: The Ruin (Session 1 of 4) Jason Zanes runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, and Will H In this off-calendar game featuring Gauntlet players, ex-marine officer Darius gets the gang back together to save humanity. Synthetic person Noah is separated from the others and makes a new friend. Former ship captain Bryant talks with an android and agrees to carry its head around in his bag. You can see all these videos (plus all the ones that have come before) on The Gauntlet YouTube channel playlists, and be sure to subscribe to catch all our great podcasts! If you'd like to catch these sessions in an audio-only podcast, check out the community-run Hangouts Podcast at http://gauntlet.hellomouth.net/. If you'd like to play in games like these, check out the calendar of events and the Gauntlet Forums where games are announced. To support The Gauntlet, please visit the Gauntlet Patreon. Everyone is welcome to sign up for Gauntlet Calendar games, but Patreon supporters get extra options like priority RSVP for Gauntlet Calendar games and joining the Gauntlet Slack team where special events and pickup games are announced. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!  by Alun Rees This story starts with a fantastic game I have always wanted to play … Night’s Black Agents (by Robin D Laws). It has vampires; it has cool spy stuff; and it has a conspiracy to investigate … this game has everything I want to play in and play with. The problem: it has too many rules for me to digest, particularly as I’ve played more and more online. The solution: find a lighter system that gives me some of the Night’s Black Agent experience without the crunch.  First attempt … Hack an existing, lighter, game system. Operators (by Kyle Simons). In play we found the novel use of fate/fudge dice interesting, but the mechanic didn’t provide the explicit fail-forward mechanism we’d hoped for. Learning: the core mechanic must ensure forward momentum. Failure should always be on the table, but with an explicit option of succeed at a cost. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the game, though, is the way that the game is structured. The Director Sheet explicitly breaks down the game’s structure into gameable cinematic chunks. This really blew my mind!
 Second attempt … Don’t try too hard, just let it happen. Cthulhu Dark by Graham Walmsley As soon as I read ‘when you confront a Mythos creature, describe how you die’, in Cthulhu Dark, I was in love! However, despite Cthulhu Dark’s slick and elegant mechanics it is still a game of inevitable failure. I don’t mind playing to fail, but I want to decide to fail in play, rather then know I’m going to fail from the start. Learning: find a way to offer players hard choices between inevitable decline and slower decline at a cost. Test how much they are prepared to risk or lose to stay ahead of the horror. Then, Rich Rogers ran a two-shot of Hutt Cartel, a re-skin of Magpie Games’ Cartel Quickstart, for play in the Star Wars Universe. I’d read Cartel but it felt a little sharp edged for my escapist inclinations; but in play the stress and drug moves were brilliant drivers for the individual character and the broader story.. Learning: write a move called seek relief from the horror which reduces character Stress if they give in to vices or baser instincts. Give the move consequences that complicate the narrative. Bingo!  Acthung! Cthulhu (from Modiphius Games) is a Cthulhu game about competent professionals who might win … particularly in the Fate version. So, I re-read it. Learning: you could play a Cthulhu game and experience success … sometimes. While confronting a Mythos creature probably kills you there are always minions vulnerable to a commando knife or grenade. That gave me the idea for confront the [threat of choice]. It also mattered whether you had a grenade or a commando knife so I lifted the Forged in the Dark concept of selecting a Load but picking specific gear during play, as it was needed. You can see where this thinking got me in Projekt Dark Prometheus and Alien Dark. Third attempt … build on what you know works … and discover what doesn’t … Projekt Dark Prometheus gave me confidence that I had some solid mechanics that would enable competent characters to confront potent adversaries, and players could have fun doing it. What was missing for a supernatural techno-thriller was the benefit of using ‘the right tool for the job’, so I added the ‘right tool die’. Learning: Graham Walmsley didn’t come up with the dice mechanic in Cthulhu Dark by accident. Adding the ‘right tool’ dice to most rolls made the game too easy. The players went away feeling hyper-competent but too safe! Instead, flip the relationship between character expertise and gear so instead of getting a bonus die for the gear, require the gear in order to get the expertise die. “No, Hacking isn’t going to help you with this unless you select a laptop from the gear list …”  Fourth attempt … it’s alive!!!! Against the Dark Conspiracy (by Alun Rees). The first session always begins in media res as the characters get an initial lead while having the chance to show us what they are good at. A one-shot or Session 2 onwards always involves a cut scene in which we see the Conspiracy reacting to events the characters have triggered. This adds atmosphere and gives players concrete antagonists with motives shaped by their actions.  Each character has an ‘investigative scene’ to follow-up the lead and gather intel; the abstracted fruit of their investigations. They then spend intel to define the nature of the operation they’ll undertake or spend it to force the revelation of the powers or weaknesses of potential supernatural foes … and go in blind. Intel can still accumulate during the operation so maybe they’ll get lucky and learn enough after the Op has started. Maybe …
Character Stress inevitably rises through a session, indeed a key function of the GM is to prompt ‘roll for Stress’ by using any backstory prompts to unsettle characters. However, seeking relief from the horror can keep them functioning at the cost of doing something reckless or revealing. The lowest personal cost is always to reveal something about someone they care for … but that puts that person on the Conspiracy’s hit list. Alternatively, they could reveal something about their backstory with either the member of the team they care most about, or the one they care least about, and risk it turning into a shouting match, or worse. Sometimes succeeding at a cost isn’t good enough so characters can get out of a hole by doing something cool or flashing back to call on a contact … both of which cost them Stress but that’s not a problem … is it? Clumsy failures or success at a cost generate Heat that raises the Conspiracy’s level of alarm and preparedness until they come after the team, their contacts or, worst still, the person they care about, their Anchor. That can have lasting effects on a character’s capacity to absorb Stress. Success in an Operation can, though, reduce Heat and Stress as they degrade the Conspiracy’s effectiveness. They can reduce it further by spending Intel against the Conspiracy to distract them; another hard choice about where to spend a limited resource. I believe that what I’ve ended up with at the end of this design journey is a game that offers players hard choices in the moment but also hard choices across a narrative arc and that the mechanics are light and stay out of the way of a shared narrative. While it’s not an ‘investigative game’, it rewards investigation without the need for the GM to have plot details or clues at their finder-tips, instead it gives players a chance to shape where their investigations take them. If this intrigues you then Against the Dark Conspiracy is part of ZineQuest 3 on Kickstarter launching on 11 Feb 2021, and you can find the first of a series of 3 Gauntlet sessions here. Greetings, and welcome to the weekly Gauntlet Calendar video roundup! Enjoy these recordings of online games organized through Gauntlet Calendar and the Gauntlet RPG Community. These recorded sessions represent only a portion of the selection of games available every week, and anyone is welcome to join the fun! If you'd like to play or watch more games like these, check out the links and information at the bottom of the post. Star Wars Saturday
HyperspaceD6 (Session 5) Rich Rogers runs for Cody Eastlick, David Walker, Sabine V., and Will H Our heroes liberate the TIE Shellcracker from Hammer Base and race home to find Arda II under siege! Will they defeat General Dardano and free the people of their adopted home? Empire City Urban Shadows 2e: Everybody is Going Uptown (Session 2 of 3) Jesse A. runs for Brandon Brylawski, Jex Thomas, Philip Rogers, and Sam Zimmerman Sunday meetings: In church, at brunch, at the club and over supper. Urban Shadows 2e: In which moves and choices are made. (Session 2 of 3) Jesse A. runs for Brandon Brylawski, Jex Thomas, Philip Rogers, and Sam Zimmerman Bite Marks: Werewolves of Wall Street David Walker runs for Bodhi, Donogh, Jim Likes Games, and Leandro Pondoc Wall Street is owned by real Alpha Predators - but someone has killed one of their own. When the prodigal returns they are drawn back into the politics of the pack. Who killed the cub's sponsor? What is clear is the alpha's Enforcer is watching their backs - and the Howl's journey is just beginning. Gauntlet Calendar Dungeon World: The Gloom II Blake Ryan runs for Adam, Daniel Kušan, Jeremy, and Will H Save Deidra + Your Heart! HyperspaceD6: Scoundrels (Session 4 of 4) David Walker runs for Leandro Pondoc, Sabine V., and Terry (He/Him) Our thrilling conclusion to our HyperspaceD6 actual play. Will Yuno Sunfell be able to pilot the Stacked Deck past the Imperial Pursuit Ship, can Kat Foy'loni resist the temptations of an Inquisitor, and will Quake be able to intimidate Jabba the Hutt's Rancor into not eating them! Monsterhearts 2: Tomb of Horrors (Session 4 of 4) Shane runs for Adam Oh, Matthew Arcilla, Rye, and Sam Zimmerman Our emotionally volatile teenage monsters progress from DnD to an actual dungeon beneath their town. Can Cain satisfy his unholy patron? Can Iris escape her past? Can Hope find her true purpose? Can Dorian finally convince everyone he's not actually bad at DnD? All these questions will be answered in our bloody and disturbing conclusion. Eotenweard: Hospitality (Session 5 of 5) Alun R. runs for Sawyer Rankin, Tyler Lominack, usnavi, and Will H Having bargained with the Fae Lady for the freedom of the unquiet spirit characters return to Aethelburh to find armed visitors have arrived. Eadric the Commoner finds out more about the visitors while Cennus the Sword of God takes his friend Madog to one side to explain what they have done and what needs to be done. Hild the Outlaw engages the visitors in conversation at table and discovers all may not be as it seemed. Meanwhile, Gildas the Fae Changeling observes all through a hole in the great hall's thatch. There's an accusation that silences the rowdy feast, an apparition that causes uproar, a lady in need of protection, and a surprise attack from an unlikely source...then an earthly negotiation, an unearthly bargain, and the arrival of twins...all leaving one renowned hero and three faced with a tragic future... Thirsty Sword Lesbians: Crush of the Titans (Session 4 of 4) David Morrison runs for Diana Moon, Gerwyn Walters, and Steven S. Rhode and Berenike steal fabulous treasures and some moments alone in the labyrinth beneath the palace of Ithaca, and Nymphadora comes to their aid as the death traps are triggered. Back outside, there is betrayal, declarations of love, and the promise of epic family strife as this chapter of the journey comes to a close. HEIST: Get Rich or Die Trying Donogh runs for Clint Smith, Elizabeth, Jake, and Jon Grim Arthur, the Mastermind gathers a new crew together for one last job: stealing the Wall Street art installation. Scoot the machinist will deal with the mechanical challenges of the theft, Sueng-Hun the Tourist has a deep knowledge of the secret subway tunnels below, and Anastasia the Widow knows exactly the right strings to pull to get them through this... Space Wurm vs Moonicorn (Session 5) Tyler Lominack runs for Bethany H., Chris Sellers, Lowell Francis, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri Space Wurm seeks peace with the Aliens, a terrifying enemy begins making moves, the Princess exerts control in her realm, our Mutant tries to be neutral, and Moonicorn runs into trouble. All this and a Spy with conflicted loyalties enters the scene. Night's Black Agents: Underworld Promises (Session 4) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, Pawel S., and Will H The team decide to avoid the Barcelona trail, and instead pursue the threads leading back to the ones who set them up for the Paris bombing, but the split investigation points to deeper dangers. Night's Black Agents: Underworld Promises (Session 5) Lowell Francis runs for Alun R., Paul Rivers, Pawel S., and Will H The team begins to sift through the leads on the hard drive and elsewhere before pulling a con on an MI6 Lamplighter. But running down his info leads them toa vampire, a pair of unnatural assassins, and a lab bunker. Alien: Destroyer of Worlds (Session 4) Jon Grim runs for Daniel H., Jason Zanes, Mark, and Matthew Arcilla In the midst of the UPP invasion, the marines are forced to decide if they'll fight to get everyone back no matter the cost, or prioritize taking care of themselves. Either way, the road back is full of danger and options for getting off this moon are disappearing. Alien: Destroyer of Worlds (Session 5) Jon Grim runs for Jason Zanes, Mark, and Matthew Arcilla The Fort, and possibly escape, is in sight, but the nightmare is only beginning for the marines. Some quick thinking and a lot of luck is going to be necessary to make it out alive. Gauntlet Book Club Wolfsong/Bite Marks (Session 3 of 7) David Morrison runs for Drew D., Jamila R. Nedjadi, Sabine V., and Steven S. Ghost is troubled by portentous dreams and a visit by a familiar figure, Jaxon tales an important next step in his relationship, Ivar feels some of his burden lifted but still has secrets to keep, and Cody looks for romance even as he steps into his new role. The pack comes together to protect their territory, but learns there are still secrets to be unearthed. You can see all these videos (plus all the ones that have come before) on The Gauntlet YouTube channel playlists, and be sure to subscribe to catch all our great podcasts! If you'd like to catch these sessions in an audio-only podcast, check out the community-run Hangouts Podcast at http://gauntlet.hellomouth.net/. If you'd like to play in games like these, check out the calendar of events and the Gauntlet Forums where games are announced. To support The Gauntlet, please visit the Gauntlet Patreon. Everyone is welcome to sign up for Gauntlet Calendar games, but Patreon supporters get extra options like priority RSVP for Gauntlet Calendar games and joining the Gauntlet Slack team where special events and pickup games are announced. Enjoy, and have a great weekend! By Leah Sargeant
Whether I’m playing an rpg, watching a movie, or reading a novel, one of my questions about the fictional world I encounter is, “Is it really full of people?” A small group of protagonists may be the ones in the spotlight, but I want to be able to believe they move through a world of people who are the protagonists of their own stories, passing through the PCs’ lives as they take care of their own urgent business. As a GM, it can be hard to live up to my own expectations, particularly in the Powered by the Apocalypse systems I love. PbtA games encourage me to be responsive to the plot as it unfolds, rather than preparing a sheaf of NPCs with fully-fleshed-out backstories. I want to make our game’s NPCs vivid and distinct, without having to know them completely, I want to be able to make a single, key choice quickly, and then be ready to discover more. One of the best tools I’ve found for this kind of quick NPC detailing is in Magpie Games’s Masks, a game of teen superheroes. Creating an antagonist means detailing their conditions, which specify how long they can stay in a fight, and what kinds of reactions they’ll have to being opposed (e.g. a villain with Angry in play might break the environment, while one with Hopeless might lash out by revealing a secret that shakes a PC’s faith in a mentor). But what’s most important is choosing their Drive. The Drive tells you what the antagonist is trying to do, and it works best when there’s a little about why. So, “Steal the fabulous Baseball Diamond” isn’t as helpful a drive as “Cultivate a nemesis worthy of my brilliance by stealing the fabulous Baseball Diamond.” The Drive helps suggest what the NPC is doing when they’re off screen—they’re not just in stasis waiting for the plot to shine on them again! Because Masks is a game of teen superheroes deciding who they want to grow up to be, I often think of my antagonists’ drives as serving one more purpose: the villain’s drive poses a question to the teens about who they are or will become. I’d be most likely to match my diamond thief against a Brain, wondering if she can really be part of a team when she thinks so differently from her friends; or maybe a Protégé who is getting close to a playbook change and the question of whether that means they’ve outgrown their Mentor; or even a Joined, who may feel sympathy for a villain who is seeking the security that the Joined feels in his partnership. The villain’s Drive allows each PC to consider their own desires for respect and belonging. When Alexi Sargeant and I began expanding our game Back Again from the Broken Land (originally published in Codex: Home) into a new edition for Zinequest, I wanted to find a similarly strong way to develop NPCs. Back Again from the Broken Land is a game about small adventures walking home from a big war. The Doomslord has been defeated, and your fellowship played a small but crucial role in the victory. As you travel home, you have to name and reckon with the Burdens you carry. Burdens are the only way of tracking anything like health in the game. You are small people in a big world—when you come across serious peril, your choices are Run, Hide, or Make a Desperate Stand. Hit points are for a very different sort of adventurer, one who could go toe-to-toe with the Doomslord’s Hunters. If you fight them, for the most part, you will simply die. Instead, your job is to stay quiet and to try to make it home whole. You begin with unnamed Burdens, and you continue giving names to your Burdens as you tell stories of your Journey and of the Home you are returning to. You have to know what you are shadowed by in order to set down the Burden that weighs on you. If you make it home, the number of named and unnamed Burdens you carry will determine what is waiting for you. I wanted a parallel system for NPCs, something that would suit our Principle of “Explore the tolls of war and the costs of victory.” In our expanded zine, we now have a section for the GM on detailing NPCs by naming their “Wounds.” Back Again from the Broken Land interprets NPC pretty generously—as befits a land marked by magic. Our system of Wounds is meant to cover anyone from an innkeeper to a town to a river. You might run into a young man with the Wound, “struggling to fill his mother's place for younger siblings” or the dirt of a battlefield with the Wound, “the earth misses the mud that was mixed with battle's blood and cannot meld back into the whole.” Like a Drive, a Wound is meant to flesh out an NPC by giving them something that they’re actively struggling with. An NPC’s appearance may be brief, or their Wound may lead the fellowship to delay their journey home, using the Gaze into the Distance move to ask, “How could I make peace here?” Littleness is a major theme of Back Again from the Broken Land, and Wounds are part of how we hope to make the bigness of the world believable. It also colors the advice I give to GMs and players about responding to the Wounds of the people they meet:
Cloven Pine Games' Back Again from the Broken Land is on Kickstarter through Feb 14th. |
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