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6/24/2022

Gauntlet Video Roundup - June 24, 2022

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[Gauntlet Calendar: Online Tabletop RPG Play]

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.

Gauntlet Calendar

The Between: Incense & Cigar Smoke (Session 2)
David Morrison runs for Bryan, Darold Ross, Elle, and José Feito
We meet our fourth resident of Hargrave House, Prof. Alois Cockburn, who alongside his work as a hunter is an Acolyte of the Esoteric Conclave of the Darkened Moon. Lady Camila is contacted by a blackmailed civil servant to investigate Madam Sorokin and the St. Petersburg mirror, while Priyanka and Fujisawa go to church, and Prof. Cockburn stakes out the home of Madam Sorokin. As night rolls around, Lady Camila and Fujisawa attend a seance, while Priyanka and the Professor break into the Limehouse School.

Hearts of Wulin: Wrath of the Shark Finger Princess (Session 2 of 2)
Lowell Francis runs for Anya Reyes, Kyle H., Michael D., and Mona
Our wuxia heroes arrive at the wedding and quickly become embroiled in secrets and betrayals, leading up to the revelation of exactly who and what the Shark Finger Princess is.

Fate of Umdaar (Session 3 of 5)
Alun R. runs for Alexi S., Brandon Brylawski, Sabine V., and Will H
As the Champions of Umdaar head North in search of the Cudgelord, Thorian the Warrior-Scholar of the Rad-Folk must guide their climb from the deserts of Dustball up to the Temperate Plains. Only the swift action of Victory, the Watchful Mutawarrior, and her Zhevra mount, stop Princess Zenobia from falling to her death. Above the cliff Lars, the Remorseful Dragonfolk Runesmith, leads the Champions into the camp of the Exiled Marmots of the Tundra, who are building a monument to their 'lost god'...Aquata. There's heated theological debate, tough moral questions are asked, and Zenobia answers them so that a priesthood teeters...then there's an icy crevasse, surprise attack and...the Husks of the Cudgelord...

The Between: Incense & Cigar Smoke (Session 3)
David Morrison runs for Bryan, Darold Ross, Elle, and José Feito
Prof. Cockburn recovers from an unpleasant experience with a pie as Hargrave House's otherwise peaceful breakfast is interrupted by news the Limehouse Lurker has struck again. Fujisawa reflects on her past, Lady Camila glides effortlessly between high and low society, Prof. Cockburn continues in his efforts to clean up after his Society, and Priyanka meets some of London's stranger denizens.

Against the Fae Queen (Session 5)
Will H runs for Alun R., Horst Wurst, Paul Rivers, and Puckett
The Operators take the soul out of the goose - and now it's time to put it back in Koschei and kill him once and for all! It's time for a showdown in Central Park. Special thanks to Shane for the campaign frame.

Against the Fae Queen (Session 6)
Will H runs for Alun R., Horst Wurst, Paul Rivers, and Puckett
The Wild Hunt chases the Operators out of Central Park and they must track find another safe house. Then it's time to fetch the Vorpal Blade - currently in the hands of the Goblin King... (Hopefully you've seen Labyrinth more recently than any of my players.) Special thanks to Shane for the campaign frame.

Against the Fae Queen (Session 7)
Will H runs for Alun R., Horst Wurst, Paul Rivers, and Puckett
Can the Operators stop the Wild Hunt from finding its prey, the lost heir to the Summer Court?

Voidheart Symphony: Forgotten Concerto (Session 8)
Lowell Francis runs for David S., Mendel Schmiedekamp, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri
In their pursuit of the Third Vassal, the team discovers deeper truths and confront the crises dogging their heels.

Gauntlet Quarterly

Hearts of Wulin: Odyssey of Jade and Stars (Session 10)
David S. runs for Greg Fulford, José Feito, Maria M., and Max Airborne
Zhou Jiang is reunited with his long-lost love with the assistance of Cloud Crow's exorcism, but their reunion is cut short by an attempted arrest by Blackwood Palace's elite cavalry riders. Yelang must make a tense decision between present duty and past attachments--with life or death consequences. Meanwhile, Wu Qiufeng receives a perilous order from The Unseen Hand, placing them on a dangerous collision course with each of the other three wulin.

Hearts of Wulin: Odyssey of Jade and Stars (Session 11)
David S. runs for Greg Fulford, José Feito, and Maria M.
Zhou Jiang embarks on a moonlit rendezvous with Violet Widow and finally uncovers the secret behind both his heritage and family curse. Meanwhile, Yelang and Wu Qiufeng are pit against one another by the evil Unseen Hand, leading to an intense duel and narrow escape.

Star Wars Saturday

Spirit of 77 (Session 2)
Rich Rogers runs for Anders, Greg G., Steven Watkins, and Will H
The crew cheeses it when some troopers show, then they plan a big to-do, and investigate some trouble to get the skinny.

Stars in the Dark (Session 29)
Anders runs for Mark (they/them), Rich Rogers, and Steven Watkins
Season 3, Episode 7: Rumble on Temple Avenue! - Val and Bade work behind the scenes to set up a medicine pipeline from 1313 to 1314 in order to gain favor with House Niromal. Then Etema tries to make contact with the Alderani expats and things take a turn...

Spirit of 77 (Session 3 of 4)
Rich Rogers runs for Anders, Greg G., Steven Watkins, and Will H
A big party! Blaster fights on rooftops! Split-screen action scenes! This one has it all.

Gauntlet Reading Club

Alas for the Awful Sea: Invisible Kingdom (Session 3)
Steven S. runs for Ben Bond, Chet, Dana Pena, and Donogh
The crew of the Fast Folly continue our run of Alas for the Awful Sea inspired by G Willow Wilson and Christian Ward's Invisible Kingdom. Zarza gets to know the locals, Maze gets herself neck deep in it, and Mx. Blyss gets a lead about the captain's shady connections.

Where to Find More

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, or catch one of our Gauntlet Community Open Gaming online mini-conventions.

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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6/15/2022

Boarders of Hargrave House

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beautiful & bizarre

Boarders of Hargrave House

Approaches to Side Characters in Jason Cordova’s The Between
By Ben Bisogno and Steph "Chaotic" Jamgochian
For a formatted and printable version of this piece, see here.

If you play The Between long enough, or games that are Carved from Brindlewood, you may find that recurring Side Characters have a tendency to gather around a playgroup. Often these Side Characters’ motivations and reason for being by the player characters are neglected or are distorted with time.

The following approaches illustrated below are to provide inspiration for how you may structurally approach helping Side Characters remain vibrant and relevant to your campaign's narrative arc. Although the following is written for Jason Cordova’s The Between in mind, and specifically geared toward Side Characters that take up residence in that game’s “Hargrave House”—the residence where main characters live—these suggestions may be incorporated into many games that are Carved from Brindlewood.

The approaches are presented in increasing complexity and each are accompanied by a custom Side Character that demonstrates how you might use a given approach at your table. Adjust and reimagine them to fit your own table’s circumstances. If you like, you may even introduce an example Side Character presented below in your own campaign.

Approach One

“Take plus 1 on the Information move when you…”
One of the ways we can be encouraged to interact with Side Characters on a recurring basis is to reward a player character with information.

In Threats like the Limehouse Lurker or the Nutcracker, some of the Rewards include characters with whom interactions give bonuses to certain Moves. You could make a specific kind of interaction with a Boarder of Hargrave House work similarly.

Perhaps if you happen to have a Boarder in Hargrave House that is a vampire, as may be the case if the hunters adopt the above mentioned Lurker, you can develop a mechanic that highlights a theme about them, perhaps the Lurker’s innocence: “when you provide fresh blood to the Lurker or help them otherwise cope with their new unnatural existence, you can take plus 1 on the next Information move in which you inquire into the innocence or monstrosity of a Threat or another character.”

An Example Boarder…
Young Lady Matilda Wells she/her
A young lady of privilege, she always has a beast of some variety following in her wake, usually her lemur Fig, but also neighbor’s pets, and even wild animals. Her rooms in the arboretum chatter with birds, marsupials, and insects of paradise. She bears satin silks, and a rouge that is quite inappropriate for a youth of her standing. She is currently under a form of house arrest after she had a bear devour her mother’s left leg.

Quote: “I cannot believe my father has me caged here…and with the likes of you. You, my supposed keepers, are the true beasts around here. Now fetch me my tea, dog.”

Dangers
Animals of all varieties may enter hunter’s personal quarters..
Animals of all varieties gravitate to Hargrave House, drawn to Lady Wells.
If she is threatened she will command all of her beasts to consume a hunter.

Benefit
When you give the Lady a privilege fit for a member of her class, or otherwise bend over backwards to grant her petty requests, you may take 1 on the information move when inquiring into the habits and psychology of animals.

Approach Two

“Unlocking an Opportunity...”
You can encourage certain types of interactions between hunters and Side Characters using a simple trigger to unlock a compelling opportunity, especially a simple ”when a hunter does this, that happens” situation. Below is one hell of a cook who, if hired by Hargrave House, helps the hunters tackle the future with more prescience.

An Example Boarder…
Tod, The Cook they/them
An exemplary cook, Tod was recently fired from their position as sous chef at Rouget's on Castle Street, Leicester Square, but still carries the regal bearing of a respected member of a fine-dining establishment. Perhaps what led to their dismissal is the whispering void where Tod’s eyes should sit, and the aroma of ash that wafts about them, entirely distinct from the acridity of tobacco products.

Quote: “To be or not to be is not truly the question. The question is: when will you heed my warnings?... [ominous pause] Also, your breakfast is ready Madam.”

Dangers
Clergy members at times are seen tied up in Tod’s quarters.
They savor the death of a hunter, and will hasten one given the opportunity.
Tod uses boiling hot water for daily baths, which add up to be quite expensive.

Trigger
When a hunter employs Tod to work full time at Hargrave House and helps them enact revenge upon their previous employer at Rouget's, unlock the following Custom Move.

Visions of Death
When you consult Tod about how they see your death, hold 3. Whenever
you are about to perform an action that triggers a roll, you may spend 1 hold to
explain how this situation relates to one of Tod’s visions and mark 1 XP. For that roll, on a 6- result you must mark a Mask of the Future.

Approach Three

“A Clock Ticks…”
As all people do, side characters have their own plots and plans. There is always something happening off screen unrelated to the hunters. For this reason every Threat has a “If Hargrave House Ignores the Situation” section. A Clock is a useful way of representing and articulating this off screen behavior.

A Clock is simply a countdown that, when complete, triggers a narratively compelling event. The clock segments could relate to character actions and the development of the in-story fiction. For example, “every time a hunter murders a Side Character, you mark a tick on the Clock”. Another type of Clock could relate to the meta-structure of the game. For example, the Coven Threat’s Clock reads “If Hargrave House doesn’t resolve the Threat within six Night phases, the coven completes their terrible ritual.” Another Clock is included in the Orphan Threat: “If Hargrave House doesn’t resolve the Threat within six Night phases, the orphan will invade Hargrave House and wreck it.”

When you introduce a Side Character to board at your Hargrave House you can create a Clock associated with the character, tied to its themes, with an interesting event that is immediately relevant to Hargrave House at the end. See an example below.

An Example Boarder…
Cain, A Fat Floof He/Him
Cain is Hargrave House’s resident chonky cat, almost entirely black and floofy except for white socks and one knowing corn-yellow eye. He enjoys scritches but perhaps the reason he outlives most of the hunters who have cared for him is his preternatural intelligence, which he often uses to get into locations and food stuff he shouldn’t.

Habits
Cain tends to lay in the afternoon sun in the library or in the gardens.
His mews are much softer than you would expect from a predator his size.
He presents mice, Clues, and the love-bites to Hunters who give him affection.

Clock
When a hunter scritches his head or belly, mark the following Clock.
When all segments are marked, unlock the following event.
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

A Gathering of Cats
During this holy night a vast clowder of cats meets in the gardens of Hargrave House.
Paint the Scene: Cats of all pedigrees and stripes gather here on this most holy of nights to mate, feast, and frolic before a fountain featuring a bust of Bastet, Egyptian god of cats. What do you see or feel that indicates this?

Special Rule: Bastet demands an offering of meat, catnip, or a human host to embody as an avatar tonight. If you give such an offering, you may add the Blessing of Bastet to your Personal Quarters, and The Pride playbook is unlocked.

Approach Four

“A Custom Move associated with a progressively strange or dark narrative arc…”
Like the Janus Mask, any Move that provides a series of memorable narrative beats is something to value. A Side Character could provide this sort of interactive fiction, where whenever you meet with them or interact with them in a meaningful way, you progress a narrative.

The following “Custom Move” is highly elaborate, amounting to a prestige playbook of sorts, given how much it changes a player’s relationship with their character. You are of course free to work this into your campaign if you like, but the aspect of it I would like to draw your attention to is the series of narrative beats that grow progressively grim each time a player decides to interact with it. It is an example of a consensual way to lead a hunter down a dark path.

An Example Boarder…
The Symbiote, An Extraterrestrial Nightmare (see below)

Psalms of the Symbiote

A Custom Move for Jason Cordova’s The Between
By Ben Bisogno

They said when ships descended from the clouds the stars would fall into the sea.
Is this not one?

The following feature of Hargrave House is unlocked when the Mastermind is Gesod, High Imperator of Venus. It may be introduced during any given Dusk Phase.

The Impact Crater. A streak of light descends from the heavens and directly strikes the gardens of Hargrave House. They are transformed into an alien landscape, almost unrecognizable. What has been lost or twisted that you feel personally impacted by? And what of the entity, at the center of the crater? In what manner is it not of this world?

The following Mask is now available to be marked at any time. However, its prompt may only be answered by the hunter who marked it.

The Mask of Genesis - Narrate a scene in which an alien creature invades your body and fuses with your physiognomy. Is it pleasurable, like the kiss of life exchanged between Adam and his creator? Or a process of suffering? Take the Permanent Condition Symbiotic.

You are fused with a sentient cosmic being, a parasite that is dependent on your life to develop and learn about the human world. As it develops a sense of individuality, you will learn more about its history, and with increasing intimacy you will be challenged to find a balance between your identities or be subsumed. As your body betrays you, and you transform in ways you haven’t since perhaps adolescence, you must ask yourself: Who you are, if you can never be alone? And what will become of your fates, stars crossed eternal?

The following rules apply.

You must add the Symbiote to your Personal Quarters. It cannot be crossed out.
When you use the Symbiote for Advantage, mark a Benefit instead of the Symbiote.
When you use the Symbiote for Advantage and roll a 6-, mark the next available Consequence as well.

Benefits
Mark the first available Benefit.
◯ Narrate a scene in which you ask the Symbiote its origins and it struggles to answer. You may now uncover the nature of this entity, through dialogue or research.

When 3 Mastermind Clues are revealed: Narrate a scene in which you learn that the Symbiote is one of the last primordial stewards of the Earth, which escaped into the chill of space during an apocalyptic event.
When 6 Mastermind Clues are revealed: Narrate a scene in which you learn that the return of the Symbiote was foretold in prophecy.
When 9 Mastermind Clues are revealed: Narrate a scene in which you learn the Symbiote plans to execute judgment on mankind for abuses to the planet.
When 12 Mastermind Clues are revealed: You may now use the The Mask of the Revelations, below, whenever you feel is appropriate.

◯ Narrate a scene in which the Symbiote agrees to make itself useful. You may now employ it to handle small tasks for you without undue effort.
◯ Narrate a scene in which you get emotionally vulnerable with the Symbiote: You may now optionally perform the Vulnerable Move with just the Symbiote present. Ask a fellow player to voice it when doing so, and they may mark 1 xp for their efforts.
◯ You are now able to sense and home in on the whereabouts of unearthly entities.
◯ Add +1 to Vitality (No maximum). At will, you may now stretch, transform, and use your body as a weapon. When you do so, take the Unearthly Condition.
◯ You may now splay open like a venus fly trap and swallow Dangers, Servants, and Side-Characters whole.
◯ The Symbiote cherishes you, but moreover it is attached to this earthly existence and will not permit you to perish. If you are to mark the Blood Soaked Portal, you must now mark a Consequence instead. Additionally, from here on, if you were to mark a Benefit, you must mark a Consequence instead.

(Locked) The Mask of Revelations - Narrate a scene in which you come to understand what Gesod, High Imperator of Venus, fears above all else. What is it? This is a Mastermind Clue.

Consequences
Mark the first available Consequence.
◯ Narrate a scene in which you attempt to remove the Symbiote from your body, only to discover that it is indeed impossible.
◯ Narrate a scene in which you struggle with the Symbiote over a simple task and wreck a room in Hargrave House.
◯ Narrate a scene in which the Symbiote acts on its own base instincts, disregarding all human social norms—leaving you to handle the fallout.
◯ Narrate a scene in which the Symbiote punishes you socially or physically for straying from its desires and disobeying its commands.
◯ Narrate a scene in which you discover a deeper contempt for humanity than you have yet ever experienced. If you have not already, mark the Darkened Threshold.
◯ Narrate a scene in which the Symbiote takes dominant control of your body, and you become entirely unable to disguise your Symbiotic Condition. If you have not already, mark the Cosmic Passage.
◯ You must mark the Mask of Lamentations before the end of session.

(Locked) The Mask of Lamentations - Narrate a scene in which your physiognomy transforms and the entity with whom you have been cohabitating your body fully manifests, bent on enacting judgment on humanity. Describe the moment you become a Servant of the Mastermind. Your playbook is now retired.

Approach Five

“A Side Threat In Itself…”
Although Hargrave House attempts to keep its boarders from becoming festering problems in London, sometimes they do get out of hand. A Side Character in Hargrave House may have a problem the hunters have an interest in solving. Some players worry that Side Characters may distract from investigating Threats changing the frame of The Between. The Special Rule articulated below is an attempt to address this concern.

The Peaceful Public Universal Friend Does Women’s Suffrage Now Portend
The Public Universal Friend (often called the “Friend”) is an American preacher who, reanimated in 1776, has vowed to walk the earth until world peace is achieved. Fleeing the New World, they have taken up residence in Hargrave House’s chapel. The Friend wears adrogynous clothes and has shunned their birth name and gendered pronouns. They stress a message of freewill, sexual abstinence, and women’s rights. Their followers in London, the Society of Universal Friends, gender-fluid individuals, lesbians, and radical feminists associated with the movement toward women’s suffrage, have been visiting Hagrave House for strange and vocal “conciousness raising” rituals each night this week.

Direct to a hunter who has knowledge of American society or one of your choice:
You invited the Friend to stay at Hargrave House. What is your relationship with them such that you felt compelled to do so?

Pose to all the hunters: You see the Friend’s true plans. They are fomenting anarchic acts of uncivil disobedience and even violence in order to further a suffragist agenda. From observing or participating in the Society of Universal Friends’ “consciousness raising” rituals, how do you know this?

Special Rule: During this Side Threat, whenever a hunter finds a Clue related to another Threat, they may interpret it as applicable to this one. When they do so, they either mark Penny or Dreadful. Each is associated with special Moments. When each column is full then a unique Question and Opportunity is unlocked, one associated with Penny, the other with Dreadful. Without unlocking one of these, the Threat is not resolvable. When both are full, a Custom Move is unlocked (see below).

The Friend has a croaking voice, unearthly and sepulchral. Quote: “After negotiating the Treaty of Canandaigua, establishing a legal keystone of relations between the States and the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, I was unappreciated in America. In London, I aim to continue working in the name of amity. Paul, saint of public workers, says that "there is neither male nor female" in Christ. I live to embody those words.

Penny

Escapees from St Bernard's Hospital have pitched tents in Hargrave House’s gardens and are landscaping with animal bones in honor of the “rising of Athena.”
A women’s hunger strike is held inside the St. Pancras railway station, which just opened.
A constable raps on Hagrave House’s door with a warrant for the Friend’s arrest.
Saint Joan of Arc is revived in a grand ceremony as a half-fleshed monstrosity, aiming to bring honor to the French by castrating King Henry VI of England and all men who support his reign (Note: Henry VI is long dead). She is a Danger and will turn against the hunters if they do not assist in fomenting revolt.

Dreadful

The Friend invites you to a cavortic, yet chaste ritual that delivers a participant their ideal body. Do you wish to follow suit?
A Side Character asks the hunters to sign a petition to return political power solely to the Queen. Quote: “Men cannot be trusted to make decisions on our behalf.”
The Friend offers to bless you if you make a vow of celibacy. If you do so, take the Condition A Friend. So long as you have it, take Advantage on rolls with Sensitivity. This Condition can only be cleared by engaging in sexual intimacy.
The Friend frames Hargrave House for fomenting violence and the hunters end up at Scotland Yard.

When all boxes in Penny are marked, the following Question and Opportunity is unlocked. How does one detonate London Bridge without getting caught? (Complexity 4)
Resolve the Threat by detonating London Bridge at the height of a march for women’s suffrage, intimidating parliament into signing women’s voting rights into law.

When all boxes in Dreadful are marked, the following Question and Opportunity is unlocked. What is the core tenet of the faith the Public Universal Friend has in themselves or that people have of them? And how does one destroy it? (Complexity 4)
Resolve the Threat by convincing the Friend or their followers to abandon their cause and present them something more worthwhile to believe in.

When all boxes in both Penny and Dreadful are marked, the following Custom Move is unlocked: The Enemy of My Enemy (see below).

The Enemy of My Enemy
When you pit one Threat or Danger against another, through persuasion or trickery, take 1 Hold. You can spend this hold in the following ways by the end of the Night Phase.

Make a bosom-friend of a Side Character. When you do so, describe how you suspect you may influence your new acquaintance for the worse… or vice versa.
Find a Clue related to the relationships between dark entities in London. Ask the Keeper what it is.
When you assist another hunter with an action you may take the Enemy of My Enemy Condition and the other hunter may add 1 to their roll (no maximum).

Rewards

The head of a politician.
A casement of dynamite.
A sealed letter addressed to you from the Public Universal Friend.
A remarkably preserved original papyrus draft of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata.
A memento from the investigation; ask another hunter what it is and then add it to your Personal Quarters.

Conclusion

In this article we have presented five possible ways to give Side Characters ongoing drama, especially those Side Characters your players interact with often. We hope they may assist you in thinking about how to give them more tactility at your table.

Whether 1) illustrating guidance for an Information move, 2) providing a fictional trigger with an opportunity, 3) developing a Clock and with a compelling outcome, 4) detailing a dramatic Custom Move that may draw a hunter down a dark path, 5) or crafting a Side Threat, no matter how you approach your Side Characters, as long as you do so in a manner in which your players can interact with them in mechanically clear, or fictionally significant, ways they will stay vibrant and relevant to your campaign.

If you like, please feel free to use any of the Boarders described above in your own table’s Hargrave House.

May you find light and hope in the darkness, for the Night is long, Dawn is distant, and the halls of Hargrave House echo with a void yearning to be filled.

Ben and Chaotic 2022

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6/10/2022

Gauntlet Video Roundup - June 10, 2022

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Gauntlet Calendar

The Between: Incense & Cigar Smoke (Session 1)
David Morrison runs for Darold Ross, Elle, and José Feito
We meet the residents of Hargrave House - the Explorer, Lady Camila Betancourt-Davies, the Vessel Priyanka Bellacqua, and their Factotum Fujisawa. The hunters learn of a vampire stalking the cramped allies of Limehouse, and begin their investigations. Priyanka uses her powers of clairvoyance to gain insight on the killings, Fujisawa makes a connection with a sailor far from home, and Lady Camila meets Lucien Belasyse, 4th Earl Fauconberg, as the pair of them slum it in Limehouse.

Dungeons & Dragons: Eberron: The Glass Keys (Session 3)
Lowell Francis runs for Chris R., Joe F, and Tim Leitner
Our party of inquisitives descend down into The Cogs, but a meeting with their contact doesn't go as planned. Picking up a replacement guide, they follow the trail of a previous expedition, leading to a deadly fight and a twist in the mystery.

One Shot
Donogh runs for Sabine V.
Louis Mercer has ruined a town and a community with his greed and corruption, all in service to his railroad and the Chicago way. Community leader and teacher Sam Carver has had enough, and he can't let Mercer get away with this. As unlikely as it seems, Sam has vengeance in his sights and won't let his mentor, student or sister stop him...

Blades in the Dark: Crash Course
Donogh runs for Alun R., Ben Bond, José Feito, and Paul Rivers
We play through a heist, using Pre-Gens, and spend some time having side-discussions about mechanics and GMing techniques for Blades in the Dark.

Fate of Umdaar (Session 2 of 5)
Alun R. runs for Brandon Brylawski, Sabine V., and Will H
'Vikki' the Mutawarrior leads Princess Zenobia through the tunnels of the Pit of Pain but has to leave her Zhevra lest it attract the attention of Thorian the Warrior-Scholar and Elementalist Lars Gloomfall, who they do not trust ... There's a bronze skinned torturer, a rescued fellow pilgrim, and a perilous journey through the less travelled by-ways of the Pit. Then, a guardian demonstrates violence is not always the best policy, relatives confront one another, and a fallen Master negotiates their release ... before a World Aspect changes!

Gauntlet Quarterly

Hearts of Wulin: Odyssey of Jade and Stars (Session 9 of 12)
David S. runs for Greg Fulford, José Feito, and Maria M.
The quarterly's final story arc begins as three wulin attend a funerary ceremony for a fallen companion. The mysterious Yelang conceals his hidden identity, while fellow member of The Unseen Hand, Wu Quifeng, balances a revenge plot with their unrequited love for Zhou Jiang. Jiang, meanwhile, consults with Miao Renxing, Lord of Blackwood Palace, regarding the cursed opera mask his true love has been trapped within.

Star Wars Saturday

Stars in the Dark (Session 28)
Anders runs for Marc Majcher, Mark (they/them), Rich Rogers, and Steven Watkins
Season 3, Episode 6 - Xai is Back! - The crew continue to seek allies on 1314, both among the nobility and the street gangs. Featuring the Rattataki Gunhand Etema, the Pantoran Hound Boko, the Pledge Bade, and the Mother Val.

Spirit of 77 (Session 1)
Rich Rogers runs for Anders, Steven Watkins, and Will H
In the Dueling Ring in the Upper City of Taris, three erstwhile allies discover a Black Sun plot.

Gauntlet Reading Club

Alas for the Awful Sea: Invisible Kingdom (Sessions 1 and 2)
Steven S. runs for Ben Bond, Chet, Dana Pena, and Donogh
The crew of the Fast Folly deal with the damage to the ship and unexpected guests before putting into port at the Aurelian Crown.

Where to Find More

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, or catch one of our Gauntlet Community Open Gaming online mini-conventions.

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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6/3/2022

Gauntlet Video Roundup - June 3, 2022

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Gauntlet Calendar

Against the Fae Queen (Session 4)
Will H runs for Alun R., Horst Wurst, Paul Rivers, and Puckett
Baba Yaga is dead and the Koschei bratva is moving swiftly ahead with their plans. But to stop the immortal sorcerer Koschei the Endless, the Operators need to find his soul. Which is only hidden inside of a hair inside of a needle inside of a duck inside of a box on an island guarded by mobsters and worse. Simple, right?

Wanderhome: Bright Young Things (Session 7)
David Morrison facilitates for Donogh, José Feito, and Neil H
As our current journey draws to a close, Barnaby, Tal, Dom and Quoth meet up on the great East Road. The journey to The Edge, the fabled end of the world itself. Exploring the ancient ruined temple in the salt flats they meet the enigmatic hermit Fran. Quoth learns more about the fate of the Slobbering God, Barnaby releases one of his gods to a new home, Dom has second thoughts about his travel decisions, and Tal contemplates the broken swords that line the temple approach.

The Fate of Umdaar (Session 1 of 5)
Alun R. runs for Alexi S., Brandon Brylawski, Sabine V., and Will H
We meet rebellious Princess Zenobia on the run from her father, a sinister Master of Umdaar, and her friend and protector the watchful Mutawarrior Zhevra Rider, 'Victory Through Perseverance'. Coincidence brings them to the same Dustball tavern as Lars Gloomfall, the Remorseful Dragonfolk Runesmith, who is bringing terrible news to his friend Thorian, the Warrior Scholar of the Psyker Rad-folk. The door bursts open and...chaos, a tavern full of big blokes, the kick of a Zhevra, and a frightened trader called Witcha. Then...rumours of the Hammer of the Beasts of Umdaar, the Pit of Pain, a successful con...and sudden suspicions...

Voidheart Symphony: Forgotten Concerto (Session 7)
Lowell Francis runs for David S., Mendel Schmiedekamp, Patrick Knowles, and Sherri
The group catches their breath and explores the fallout from their defeat of the second vassal before beginning to uncover the damage of their next target, the third vassal who uses city systems to relocate communities and disrupt the lives of those who cannot fight back.

Gauntlet Quarterly

Hearts of Wulin: Odyssey of Jade and Stars (Session 8)
David S. runs for Greg Fulford, José Feito, and Max Airborne
Dongshan, Jiang, and Cloud Crow make a risky descent into hell to liberate the Elixir of Immortality. Mass combat and dramatic reveals bring the three warriors face-to-face with the devil "Infernal Mantis," a cursed opera mask haunted by an unexpected ally, and a heroic sacrifice that changes one wulin's fate forever.

Star Wars Saturday

Stars in the Dark (Session 27)
Anders runs for Marc Majcher, Rich Rogers, and Steven Watkins
Season 3, Episode 5: Imperial Underground Speeder Railroad! - While Bade and Boko look for connections on 1314, Etema tries to find a way into the Rattataki community. They also take on a job for Tor Bracken, one of the Rebel leaders on 1313.

Apocalypse World: Burned Over: Dathomir (Session 4)
Rich Rogers runs for Alun R. and Steven Watkins
A nightsister and a naïve Undaunted band together to try and rid the Fallen City of Imperial Entanglements, but at what cost?

Magical Multiverse Tour

Cartel: New Capenna Rumble (Session 3 of 3)
Alexi S. runs for Marc Majcher and Sam Zimmerman
It's the blood-soaked finale of our series as everyone's secrets come home to roost. Missing angels, mob shootouts, and a spy running out of places to hide. Can Zephyr conceal the fact she sold out Gordo from the rest of her gang? Can Cormella claim an angel-in-disguise for the Obscura without losing her cover or her marriage? Only one thing is certain on the streets of New Capenna: somebody's gonna pay, dearly.

Where to Find More

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, or catch one of our Gauntlet Community Open Gaming online mini-conventions.

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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