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Not really asking for advice because the situation resolved itself but curious to see how others might approach it.

So lets say you're playing a game with a very established setting and lore. Think Vampire the Masquerade, or Lancer, or Exalted.

Lets say there is a clear intended interpretation of one or more elements of that setting that while presented as complex, have a common core interpretation that most of the people who play in it will agree with. Like 'The Camarilla is stable but very Evil and therefore not well liked' or 'The Union is Utopian but Limited and is hampered by their inability to be everywhere at once' or 'The wide-scale persecution of Solars in the modern age is doing more harm than good on several levels and the Siderials should probably swallow their pride and apologize for the genocide.'

Then lets say you're setting up a new game, you recruit a bunch of people, and you have session zero to lay out expectations for what the game's going to be about, and then you get started and have a couple sessions. And then you realize one or more players has Wildly different ideas about what 'correct' view of the situation is.

Like they say something like "Well because the Camarilla is Stable that must mean they're Right. If they weren't Right they wouldn't be so Stable. Ergo the Evil is exaggerated propaganda and I'm going to get mad at every NPC who tries to say that the ends don't justify the means or that they're blatantly corrupt. And then I'm also going to get mad at the GM for having bad opinions."

Obviously I'm being kind of hyperbolic with the example, but it's that feeling of going 'hang on did we read the same book here' that always throws me. Me having NPCs who don't like the Camarilla should not be shocking nor is it signposting that they're secretly a villain. A lot of people don't like them. They're divisive. Intentionally written to be divisive! So are all the other factions. We're all monsters that's the point.

Normally what happens is the dissonant player ends up leaving the table. I don't think I've ever had more than one in four who disagrees with me that vehemently which makes me feel like my read of a given setting is generally correct? Or at least statistically average. I suppose if I had the entire table going wtf I'd be more likely to assume I was the one who'd misread something.

Curious if anyone else has encountered this and what the resolution was. I don't want to imply this happens a lot, it's come up maybe twice in the last three years, but insert 2 nickels meme here.

Hi, all - as the title says, I'm selling off my collection because my kids aren't interested in 1st/2nd edition AD&D. I've got some extremely rare stuff from my time at TSR (like a prepress copy of S2 White Plume Mountain; promotional art packages for Dark Sun, Al Qadim, etc.) as well as 1st and 2nd edition modules, adventures, campaign settings, and so forth. What are the places you'd recommend for listing and selling?

The game is set on Poseidon, an ocean planet where humans are trying to build underwater colonies while dealing with hostile environments, powerful corporations, and alien lifeforms. The Alexandrian covered it in a review a while back.

It's gone through a few publishers, but as of this year Gallant Knight Games has released a new edition. I'm wondering if anyone has played the new version of the game?

Last year I wrote a piece on my website, on what I call full spectrum games, and included it, but I don't know much about the new version. Basically a full-spectrum game is a tabletop RPG world where success requires mixing multiple gameplay modes like combat, stealth, hacking, diplomacy, magic, usually in the same adventure.

These are very versatile tabletop RPG systems and settings, and I put together a list of the top 8, but I don't know if the new version qualifies or not, so if someone has I'd like to pick your brian.

Hello, I am currently in the process of converting our Mothership RPG Gradient Descent campaign into video versions for YouTube, the latest example of which is Here. I was wondering if all the effort is worth it, or that people don't really care about video and just throw youtube actual plays on in the background or a second monitor.

For those of you that do enjoy actual plays on youtube, is having video or displaying graphics/maps/portraits important? Or not really a big deal? Does the editing and production values help with sticking with a show, or should audio quality the top priority of actual plays.

I would note that ai tools are not being used, obviously that would cut a lot out of the artwork time. I tend to listen to most actual plays when consuming them, but I'd admit I sometimes like throwing on the video versions of some shows (when I have some rare free time to sit and watch) What do ya'll do?

"One does not simply 'one-shot' [insert chonky TTRPG as thick as a phonebook]"

Hi all! I really need some advice on designing a one-shot session, as I am planning to (finally) start going to cons and demo something I've been working on.

The trouble is, I have extremely limited experience designing one-shots, particularly for more dense games that typically rely on a certain amount of player experience and time investment (think of trad games like Shadowrun that have a lot of moving parts and require at least some time introducing/aligning on the setting). You know... the type of game built for enduring campaigns, with no possibility of capturing all the nuances/options in a single session.

Basically, I want to design a One-Shot session that is 1) fun and 2) able to show off some of the game's most important elements, all in a 2-3 hour session, but with a game that I'd consider medium complexity. I get the fundamentals of having tailor-made pregens to show off certain things, and including session events that let each of those pregens get the spotlight. But that's where my knowledge on this topic ends.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has run one-shots of chonkier games, and especially anyone who has designed said one-shot sessions.

Thanks in advance!

After a year long 5e campaign of curse of Strahd, I hung up my 5e hat, I then shot it and buried it at sea.

God has it been great, we've played blades in the dark, cyberpunk, CoC, Delta green, mothership, Fabula Ultima, savage worlds.

None of them take a full session to run a fight, None of them have objectively bad character creation choices, No Rangers, No Martial-Magical Divide.

They want you to play and explore! No spells like Identify, Detect Creature or Detect thoughts killing any feeling of mystery just so you can shut up and get back to the two hour long fights.

But my players won't stop talking about how they miss 5e.

Will they play a martial class? Oh no, the martials are boring and broken,they say, if you aren't playing a spellcaster you're basically worthless!

But they still clamour for the character building, the number go up machine.

So I'm asking you, the horde of GMs who have forever cast the D from their titles, I ask you;

What the fuck system can I shove in their plebian gullets to make them never say that dreaded system's name again?

Edit for the Yanks: I'm british, this is banter, I talk like this to my friend's faces and they hit me with it back. I don't hate the people in my life, I am not being held hostage. I know we are varying levels of Autistic here but c'mon I'm literally asking for system suggestions as a compromise for my group.

Hi. I just finished reading Trail of Cthulhu 2e and trying to get my head around the premade adventure in the GM's Guide. I loved the game mechanics&philosophy on paper but as a gm who is more into the improv/low-prep game lines, found the system a bit heavy on prep side. Without some approach similar to Brindlewood Bay, it seems really hard to improvise clues that are relevant/coherent as a whole and serve their purpose as a clue, even though I established the Core Clues beforehand. Has anyone had an experience with this issue, and found a way to overcome? Thanks for any effort to help!

I find it tricky when one PC decides to take an aggressive stance on a subject that is, within the in-universe setting itself, considered a hot-button wedge issue, and makes it their ambition to have their camp "win."

This is tricky for me because I have to strike a very fine balance between presenting both sides of the issue. I have to alternate between vindicating the PC (showing evidence that they are right, presenting NPCs sympathetic to the PC's side) and challenging the PC (showing evidence that they are wrong, presenting NPCs who oppose the PC's side). Then, if and when the PC ultimately triumphs, I have to make the victory feel worthwhile, without it being "Hooray! It turns out you were 100% right all along, and everybody hails you as a hero!"

How do you personally handle it?

Here is an example in a game I am running. It is a mixed Chronicles of Darkness game, mostly Mage: The Awakening 2e and Changeling: The Lost 2e. The local mages and changelings frequently mingle.

One mage PC has recently learned about fetches and is horrified... not because fetches are artificial, soulless doppelgängers of humans kidnapped by the True Fae, but because many changelings kill fetches to reclaim old lives. This mage recognizes that some fetches are violent and amoral, but reckons that since many fetches are normal people with some quirks, then changelings are conducting a morally reprehensible genocide. This mage PC has thus resolved to stop to this genocide: in the city, anyway.

By my read of the Changeling: The Lost 2e core rulebook, the subject of fetches is, in-universe, supposed to be morally ambiguous and a matter of intense debate amongst changelings themselves. I have no strong out-of-universe stance on this subject, so I am inclined to keep it morally ambiguous.

Thus far, this PC has met a highly sympathetic fetch (i.e. vindicating and supporting the PC), but has also met an aggressively anti-fetch Summer Court changeling whose stance seems roughly supported by other changelings (i.e. challenging the PC). They have yet to meet any violent and amoral fetches, but have already preemptively rationalized that such are in the minority.

Right now, there are two complications for the PC. One, it is currently summer, which is traditionally fetch-killing season. Two, the Duchess of Truth and Loss is in town, and she is metaphysically recognized as the #1 fetch killer in the world.

Further twisting the situation, said Duchess is actually embarking on a research project to help fetches become human. The PC even met and helped the Duchess on this. However, the PC has decided that the Duchess's kill count is too high and too unforgivable, and she must be brought to justice regardless.

How would you handle this balancing act satisfactorily?

Going to quote the Changeling: The Lost 2e core rulebook for its own view on the subject:

The Fetch as a Question of Humanity

Strictly speaking, changelings don’t have to feel bad about killing fetches. Not only are they manifestly not human, they are creations of the Gentry. They are living reminders of what a changeling has lost, and of the ongoing power the Gentry wield over the world. Destroying a fetch is not like killing a human being, not in any moral or literal sense.

It is possible for a fetch to adopt humanity, in a way. If a fetch displays human traits, and treats other people with respect and empathy (both of which can be learned), then in what meaningful way does it differ from humanity? One changeling might say it doesn’t, and try to come to some kind of resolution. Maybe the changeling helps the fetch adopt a new identity, or maybe the changeling, altered by her time in Arcadia, moves on, letting her fetch have the life the Gentry took from her.

Another changeling might claim that aping humanity is irrelevant. The fetch is an automaton, a living (or at least animate) lie of the Gentry, and destruction is perfectly justified. Both changelings are “right.” Both positions are defensible. Both have the potential for powerful stories, especially if the changeling makes her decision but then has to deal with other Lost who “know better.”

The current plan is to present a new scenario: some completely normal person who caught a glimpse that their spouse, whom they have been having sex with and trying to conceive with, is actually some horrific monster. They are now looking for some sort of "monster hunter" to deal with the problem.

But also, there has to be some vindication.

I've been running a long campaign. Just like many campaigns, in the beginning we had really good intentions of each player creating a session journal entry that would be paired with the GM session journal. I created a google site to put all of the journal entries on. These would serve at least two purposes. One, reinforce for the players what happened so they don't forget as easily, two keep a long running narrative of the campaign that everyone can look back on at later dates so they can not have rely on their memories to know something. I created other pages on the site too, like People, Locations, Organizations, etc. that I, the GM, am responsible for updating as the story progresses.

Here is my problem and question: I'm not nearly as diligent as I should be as a GM, and after sessions are over, I have more often than not, forgotten to update the GM session journal, and my players have missed theirs too. As you can probably guess, all of us, the GM and the players, forget key details from previous sessions, or even worse, sometimes the players remember things the GM has forgotten.

And now the question: How do you, the GM, the players, anyone, remember all the info that has built up over the course of a campaign? Maybe other campaigns aren't as detailed as mine, so its not a concern? Do you use a system similar to mine but are just better at keeping it up? How much of a pain in the butt is doing that? How much time do you spend doing that? Maybe your memory is just plain better than mine?

Hello guys, so I have been playing some stealth games lately, and also got into OSR. I really enjoyed the more emergent narrative games that are born from it and the wealth of stories that random tables can bring and the sheer elegance of it.

In that spirit, I have come up with a short and simple stealth mission generator for my OSR games. And I wanted to get feedback and also ideas on how to flesh out my table.

The idea is very simple:

Stealth involves concealing your presence by using opportunities and dealing with OBSTACLES.

Opportunities are circumstances that allow your character to hide in the first place.

Obstacles are impediments that would make stealth difficult or even impossible. Obstacles must be overcome, avoided, or removed. Sometimes, opportunities are hidden behind obstacles.

What I have so far includes:

OPPORTUNITIES

1. Darkness: Dim light, Shadows, dark alleys, the shroud of night
2. Verticality: Rooftops, beams, pillars, bookshelves, tall ceilings, Treetops
3. Weather: Rainstorms, Snow, Sandstorms, Floods, Infernos, Earthquakes, Crashing Waves, Being downwind
4. Vegetation: Shrubbery, Bushes, Treetops, Tall grass, Thick vegetation
5. Guests: Someone or something must enter or exit a certain place at a certain time
6. Disguise: Act in accordance to a norm to blend in and look like you belong
7. Crowds: Multitudes of people and activity makes you blend in
8. Hidden Passages: Vents, Sewers, Gutters, Old service entrances
9. Deafening Noises: Thunderstorms, Marching bands, Loud chatter, Fanfares
10. Chaos or Conflict: Fights, Battles, Crisis Responses, panicked crowds, riled warriors, large scale panic.

OBSTACLES

1. Guards: Individual groups on patrol
2. Sentries: Elite individuals with special clearance and/or advantageous positions
3. Security Systems: Alarms, Regular guard checkups, passwords, checkpoints
4. Fortifications: High Walls, Paliçades, Barred Windows, Reinforced gates, walls or doors
5. Traps: Tripwires, Bear traps, ambushes, false floors, false doors.
6. Scrutiny: Strong local cultura or xenophobia makes you stand out, strong cultural or aesthetic norm, mandatory searches, needed doccuments or clearance.
7. Beasts: Animals or other non sapient creatures that might react umpredictably.
8. Magical Protections: Wards, Constructs, Summons, Scrying
9. Barriers: Locked doors, Blockades, Impossible or Dangerous Terrain
10. Noise makers: Creaky floors, bells on windows, cluttered furniture, rusted or heavy doors.

The basic procedure is, if you want to generate a quick stealth mission, you roll a certain amount of opportunities, a certain amount of obstacles, and a certain amount of oportunities locked behind obstacles. As an example:

2 Opportunities

• 6 — Disguise
• 7 — Crowds

3 Obstacles

• 5 — Traps
• 6 — Scrutiny
• 9 — Barriers (Locked Doors)

3 Opportunities Locked Behind Obstacles

• Opportunity 2 / Obstacle 1 = Verticality locked behind Guards
• Opportunity 1 / Obstacle 2 = Darkness locked behind Sentries
• Opportunity 8 / Obstacle 1 = Hidden Passages locked behind Guards

This in and of itself tells a story. The overt opportunity being disguises and crowds imply that this might be a very social mission, perhabs a ball. The obstacles being traps, scrutiny and barriers imply that the gathering might have very bizantine etiquette, be VERY exclusive or both. Traps and Barriers imply that there might also be a reason to keep the guests in one place, maybe a high profile person is attending or an important object might be auctioned.

The other oportunities also spice things up

Verticality locked behind Guards could mean the rooftops are heavily patrolled, but offer a great vantage point if breached.

Darkness locked behind sentries could perhabs mean that there are dark rooms around the ball or maybe a courtyard and that it's patrolled by elite guards, prowling around the dark to root out interlopers

THe hidden passage locked by guards is a more straighforward description, maybe that high profile target came through here to arrive at the location.

What I like about this system is how it gives the players freedom to engage with it. Getting the documents and building a convincing disguise to enter the ball might be an entire session. And perhaps the opportunities locked behind obstacles are secret, and must be discovered through investigation.

I don't think I came up with something particularly ingineous and wouldn't be surprised if something similar existed. Wanted to share it anyways

What do you guys think? And do you guys have any sugestions?

Hey! I've looked through some posts, but I'm not sure if this has been requested before. If so, could you please direct me to the answers? Thanks a mil!

If not, I'm looking for a two-player pen-and-paper roleplay game for me and my boyfriend. However, it shouldn't be one of those where one of us has to be the dungeon master.

I have already checked out dndduet.com, but it seems like one of us would have to be the dungeon master.

Ideally, we would both be adventurers and simply follow a campaign where the story is our dungeon master and one of us simply reads the story out loud.

Does something like this exist? Ideally for free? I don't mind paying the creators if I like their campaign, for example via Patreon, but I'd prefer to try it out first.

Thanks a mil in advance!