Gnome Stew
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Gnomecast 226 – Get this Party Started
Posted: Wed, 03 Dec 12:00:04
Category: Gnomecast
Comments: https://gnomestew.com/gnomecast-226-get-this-party-started/#respond
Posted: Wed, 03 Dec 12:00:04
Category: Gnomecast
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GC_226_Getting_Started_final.mp3 Join Ang, Chris, and JT as they discuss different methods to pulling a party of characters together at the start of a campaign. They talk about everything from strangers shoved together to deeply established connections. How are you going to get it started? Links: Making Connections Philadelphia Area Game Expo Running GAGG Buckeye Game […]
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Background Events
Posted: Wed, 26 Nov 11:37:23
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, background
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Posted: Wed, 26 Nov 11:37:23
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, background
One of the things I love about Blades in the Dark is that it has a mechanism for creating background events for your campaign. During Downtime (though I do this after a session), you roll to see how various factions make progress (or not) on their goals. Mechanically, this is a series of Fortune rolls […]
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Prepping Your Game in Obsidian
Posted: Fri, 21 Nov 14:00:51
Category: Game Mastering, Tools for GMs
Comments: https://gnomestew.com/prepping-your-game-in-obsidian/#comments
Posted: Fri, 21 Nov 14:00:51
Category: Game Mastering, Tools for GMs
The perfect game notebook doesn't exist. That said, out of all of the notebooks I've tried—physical, digital, or otherwise—I've yet to find an option as close to perfect as Obsidian. I love it a lot, and what's the point of writing for a TTRPG blog if you can't share that nerdy love with others? So here's a rundown of why I think you should try Obsidian with some tips for how you can use it to organize your campaigns, improve your prep, and evolve the way you run sessions.
Comments: https://gnomestew.com/prepping-your-game-in-obsidian/#comments
Gnomecast 225 – What’s Your Type?
Posted: Wed, 19 Nov 12:00:40
Category: Gnomecast
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Posted: Wed, 19 Nov 12:00:40
Category: Gnomecast
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GC_225_Whats-Your-Type-.mp3 Join Ang, Jared and Josh as they talk about the types of characters they like to play, why they love those types, and why it’s also good to branch out and try other characters. Links: Global Comix Seth Skorkowsky – Closed vs. Open RP Bastions & Guildhalls by Czepeku Also, Visit your Friendly Local […]
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Make It Personal
Posted: Fri, 14 Nov 11:00:03
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Player Advice
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Posted: Fri, 14 Nov 11:00:03
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Player Advice
Session zero is packed. Like, really packed, with so many things to do and consider and take care of. There’s establishing the style/theme/tone of the game. Discussing safety tools. Establishing a genre to experience. Determining which system to use. Figuring out what setting to romp around in. Collaborating on character creation. Maybe even some shared […]
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Gnomecast 224 – Tabletop Safety Toolkit Interview
Posted: Wed, 05 Nov 12:00:05
Category: Gnomecast
Comments: https://gnomestew.com/gnomecast-224-tabletop-safety-toolkit-interview/#comments
Posted: Wed, 05 Nov 12:00:05
Category: Gnomecast
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GC_224_Safety-toolkit-list-Final.mp3 Join Jared as he interviews Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant-Monk, the folks behind the Tabletop Safety Toolkit, a resource providing gamers with access to a variety of safety tools. There’s a ton of options out there and their site provides options for every table. TTRPG Safety Toolkit Links: Legend in the Mist – 5e […]
Comments: https://gnomestew.com/gnomecast-224-tabletop-safety-toolkit-interview/#comments
Preludes
Posted: Wed, 29 Oct 10:00:18
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, engagement
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Posted: Wed, 29 Oct 10:00:18
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, engagement
In my current Blades in the Dark game, I started to post preludes in our Slack channel a few days before the game. These preludes are short narrative pieces, centered on one of the characters, and convey some information to the players about the upcoming session. It is not the first time I have employed […]
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Small Groups vs. Large Groups
Posted: Fri, 24 Oct 10:00:09
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, group size
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Posted: Fri, 24 Oct 10:00:09
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, group size
How large is your RPG group? Small? Large? Average? What are the ramifications of each size of group? Do you have too few players? Too many? It all depends on what you’re looking for in your games and sessions. Back in early high school, the largest group I was part of had 15 players and […]
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Gnomecast 223 – Getting Spooky with Bridgett Jeffries
Posted: Wed, 22 Oct 11:00:23
Category: Gnomecast
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Posted: Wed, 22 Oct 11:00:23
Category: Gnomecast
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GC_223_Getting-spooky-with-Bridget-Jefferies_final.mp3 Join Ang as she chats with guest Bridgett Jeffries about all things spooky and scary games. Need some insight into how to bring the best of horror to your table during this spooky season? Listen to Bridgett! Links: Contact Bridgett at Chaosium Symphony Entertainment
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Making Second Chances Cinematic: Introducing the Invocation Reroll
Posted: Fri, 17 Oct 11:00:35
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Call of Cthulhu
Comments: https://gnomestew.com/making-second-chances-cinematic-introducing-the-invocation-reroll/#respond
Posted: Fri, 17 Oct 11:00:35
Category: Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Call of Cthulhu
The problem isn’t the mechanic. It’s the framing. Rerolls are inherently dramatic — a refusal to accept failure, a desperate second chance — but most games treat them as paperwork.
The solution is simple: give rerolls a ritual.
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