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Love my OSR blogosphere - it's a major part of the culture of the scene, and I like blogs as a format a lot more than video and social media. Would love to see what blogs are out there looking at the more trad and storygamey etc sides of things - I'm aware of a few, but also figure I'm stuck in something of a bubble and won't find them unless I seek them out (which I'm doing right now.) What should I add to my RSS feed?

Hey folks! I'm currently crowdfunding Second Gig, an expansion for my retrofuture cyberpunk RPG Hard Wired Island. If you think you might be interested in a cyberpunk game set on a space station in the distant future of 2020-2025, please check it out!

A year ago, I DM’d a game of Cyberpunk2020 for my two friends. It was all of ours first experience playing a TTRPG. We picked Cyberpunk2020 as they had recently played Cyberpunk2077.

Anyway, the way I set up the game was that they made their characters in a session 0, and then I wrote a mission set in Night city for session 1. One of them was a fixer, so, I had them be called up to do a job and, basically, solve who did a hit on a gang.

However, I recently watched Quinns’ Quest on Mythic Bastionland and it got me interested in OSR, and it made me wonder if I did 2020 all wrong. The book is so laden with all the different things that make up the life of Night City and the lives of each of the classes. My game used none of that. It was all set dressing and backdrop for me to facilitate the players completing a job.

I’m wondering, if maybe, I should have just done a kind of mission board style game where I just drafted the basic outline (problems, motivations, goals) of 6 basic missions and had the fixer pick for themself what they wanted to do (if anything). Then as my PCs are going about their day random events can occur (based on the goings on of Night City) and they can engage with that as they will.

Rather than me come up with a setpath for each mission, they can just propose ideas or solutions and we can find out together if that works and if they fail that’s that because its not a full quest but part of their life and they could have just as easily decided to chase down the random who hit and runned their car.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. I just don’t understand what it is to DM and each game has a different style and I’m wondering if maybe taking a more relaxed improvisational approach is more appropriate for 2020 or is the setting to realised and inflexible for me to play it off the cuff

I'm fairly sure i saw it in a Quinns' Quest RPG. An indie style rpg set in a uk folk horror milieu that I think used cards.

That's all i can remember! It was a youtube clip, of that I'm sure, and it wasn't the Grimsbury rpg (because I downloaded and checked!)

I first caught wind of Stonetop about two years ago, and have been running a campaign mostly since then. It's been in actual development for years longer than that, and we've had an amazing time playing it over 40+ sessions already.

What is it and why is it so good?

Non-traditional iron ages hearth fantasy about being the protectors and champions of a tiny town called (you won't believe this) Stonetop. It's a PbtA game that derived directly from Dungeon World, but the Welsh-inspired folkloric setting is deep and vast... in my own campaign we have still never explored even 1/4 of the ancient legends or distant (by foot) lands in the setting material. As you might expect from a PbtA game it's not very demanding of prep, although it is a bit blorbier than you might think and it certainly rewards prep.

Those legends and locations are full of rich detail and characters that helps bring them to the table with ease. They're also anti-canonical with lots of details left to you or your table to decide on. There is a lot of lore to explore here, and it's very satisfying and well-connected.

The creatures and threats are evocative and cool, while not straying deeply from common-ground fantasy. Plus, dinosaurs.

The character playbooks are evocative, and while they are also pretty mostly cleanly derived from traditional fantasy (you've got your ranger, your fighter, your cleric, your druid) they all have specific new life in this setting with its particular gods and practices, and they each have clever little pulls and tugs that will draw them into the world and into conflict with each other.

The gentle systems and extensive guidance might be the real stars of the show, though. A ton of that thick page count is taken up with vivid examples of how to follow through on the rules and the principles in play, which serves to achieve the core objective: making Stonetop feel like a real place full of real people that matter, that the heroes have to stand up for (or at least tolerate). A murderhobo campaign in Stonetop will not last long

In short, it's a game that has been a tremendous source of fun for my group for a long time now, and I can see it going another 40 sessions without difficulty. It also seems to be a game that can move at a pace that suits you. I've heard others describe their own games in very different terms from ours in terms of time passing, the town developing, power level, etc.

What do I still wish was a little different?

Honestly, I could live without the D&D 6-pack of attributes and the HP system. The game takes tradition and improves on it so well in so many other areas that I wish more had been done here. Obviously it's hardly been a deal-breaker.

This is not really a wish, but if you like a short game, Stonetop is probably not it. I'd say 6-10 sessions is probably the minimum I would recommend, it's a game that wants to stretch out and breathe and will reward what you put into it.

Updated with link: https://plusoneexp.com/collections/stonetop

Last night I ran my first game of DC Heroes in 30 years. It was an impromptu Suicide Squad one shot game. I forgot how amazing the MEGS system works. We will be looking to run it in the future.

I am working on a system that aims to tell investigative or mystery stories with a particular focus on character psychology. The main references I have in mind for the tone are the first season of True Detective, Disco Elysium, and Twin Peaks. It could be said that the mysterious plots are almost a pretext for creating narrative conflict, while the substance of the experience should be to navigate the inner world of one's character and in relation to others.

To do this, I have drawn up a list of 12 skills, which should represent not only the abilities but also the attitudes, tendencies, ways of doing and thinking of a character. During the game, increasing the level of these characteristics allows you to overcome more difficult obstacles but also exposes you to the risk of losing control and giving in to destructive impulses that can only be contained at a certain cost to the character.

The list contains 12 stats that overlap to a certain extent to allow different characters to perform the same action with different psychological nuances, developing associated traits and quirks. No character has to use all of them. I am also considering reducing the number to 9, perhaps by merging some statistics, but I am very fond of them and would not know which ones to choose. Each statistic contains a "poetic" description in italics and a list of use cases.

What do you think? Do any of them intrigue you? Do any seem too powerful or useless? Are any of the boundaries too vague? Which ones would you merge, if any?

PHYSIQUE

The physique is your anchor in the world, the point you occupy in reality. Your skin is a boundary that says: this is where I end. Inside it lies your true identity, your vital impulses that pour out through the speed of your nerves and the strength of your muscles. You are a raging river, vital and unstoppable in your constant change.

Useful for: demonstrations of strength, intense physical activity, fighting against someone, drawing on your physical resources and challenging your limits, experiencing and understanding physical attraction, being in touch with your basic needs, knowledge of bodily pleasures, intuitive understanding of anatomy, trivial jokes, understanding of violent dynamics, tendency to interact closely and personally, courage, confidence in your physical abilities. In extreme cases: it can lead to descent into unbridled hedonism or irascibility and a propensity for violence.

PRESENCE

Presence is the silent language of bodies: love and fear, hatred and understanding, apprehension and reassurance unfold in space through gestures, distances, and positions. You counterbalance the volatility of words with the solidity of a handshake or a pat on the back, the ethereal charm of an interrupted glance, the consummate skill with which you wear the mask of your face on the stage of the world.

Useful for: physically projecting your personality into a room, being dominant, attracting attention, being easily heard in crowded or tense situations, knowing how to adopt an intimidating, reassuring, or attractive physical attitude, knowing how to manage proxemics, knowing how to seduce, being able to communicate without speaking, being able to maintain eye contact for a long time, a tendency to express oneself physically, a tendency to attract attention and generally stand out in any context. In extreme cases: possibility of coming across as oppressive or drawing too much attention to oneself.

GRIT

Your lungs are burning, your right eye is swelling up, and you probably have a broken rib. At this point, anyone else would have given up, but not you: you know that what makes you different from a mere animal is the ability to endure suffering for a greater purpose. You think back on everything you've endured to get this far, and a secret smile crosses your lips: you won't let your efforts be in vain.

Useful for: ability to tolerate strong physical or emotional stimuli, ability to perform a task even in conditions of pain or fear, determination, stoicism, avoiding rumination, ability to endure prolonged effort without losing heart, ability to control the effects of psychoactive substances, ability to stick to one's convictions when they are challenged. In extreme cases: stubbornness, insensitivity, disregard for one's health, and self-harm.

INSTINCT

Instinct is a pact with the ancestral fear that has tormented human beings since the dawn of time: the predator lurking in the shadows, the invisible disease that kills, the cold and darkness of the night. This fear, formless but lethal, still burns in your chest today: your senses are on high alert, searching for the slightest sign of danger, anticipating thoughts and movements, scouring the world so that nothing and no one can catch you off guard.

Useful for: perceiving tension or danger in the vicinity, the ability to react quickly and effectively, not panicking in crucial moments, quick reflexes, identifying signs of hostility in the attitude of others, timing, presence of mind, a tendency to unconsciously study the surrounding environment in search of hidden threats or escape routes, and, in general, a tendency to be a reactive person. In extreme cases: it can lead to paranoia, antisocial behavior, and difficulty trusting others.

DISCIPLINE

The body as a tool: every movement you make is controlled, essential, straight to the point. You create yourself through continuous exercise; your reliable muscles and trained synapses are the tools of your will. The paths you have refined over the years give you confidence, a map of gestures superimposed on reality that allows you to navigate it with efficiency and elegance. After all, nothing is more beautiful than a well-tempered instrument.

Useful for: ability to exploit one's practical skills, physical coordination, ability to replicate observed or learned behaviors, elegance of manner, ability to act with speed, precision, efficiency, relying on one's muscle memory, playing an instrument, painting, dancing, shooting a firearm, handling a knife, professional ethics, tendency toward empiricism and practicality. In extreme cases: over-reliance on one's own automatisms and rigidity in applying behaviors that have previously yielded good results.

METHOD

The world is a chaotic place, torn apart by unpredictable chains of causality, twisted into intricate knots. However, it is possible and necessary to untangle these knots, restore order where confusion reigns, and make clear and legible what seems obscure. The only tool suitable for the task is your reason, which with surgical precision structures a geometry of existence, separates and unites, categorizes tirelessly in its endless work.

Useful for: deductive reasoning, intellectual rigor, noticing contradictions, testing hypotheses, realism, being calculating, thinking with a cool head, anticipating the consequences of one's actions, creating connections between events/objects, abstraction and synthesis skills, developing valid arguments, exposing fallacies, reconstructing the course of events from partial information, solving puzzles, weighing multiple possibilities, verifying sources. In extreme cases: coldness, attachment to form, rejection of irrationality, tendency to view others in an instrumental way.

KNOWLEDGE

The infinite variety of the world fascinates you in ever-new ways: your driving force is the wonder you always find in the pages of a book or in a foreign country. For you, knowledge is freedom and purpose. You are your memory and your ability to use it, the texts you have read and will write, your boundless curiosity. Seeking and sharing knowledge is like breathing for you.

Useful for: anecdotal, theoretical, and professional knowledge, general culture, basic science, history, philosophy, religion, remembering information relevant to the situation, memory, curiosity, trivia, anecdotes, having a coherent image of the world, mastery of cultural phenomena, knowing how to interpret reality culturally, interest in literature and folklore, willingness to obtain information, interest in mystery. In extreme cases: morbid curiosity, obsession, disregard for danger, useless trivia.

INGENUITY

The world is nothing more than a series of problems waiting to be solved. Your quick wit allows you to see where the missing pieces fit, the lines of tension, and the breaking points of objects and situations. Thought and action are one and the same: your hands naturally follow the paths and steps necessary to realize your vision, one problem at a time, one solution after another.

Useful for: learning by trial and error, making use of your technical and craft skills, improvising solutions with the elements at your disposal, understanding the workings of complex devices and mechanisms, interacting with technology, repairing or modifying machines or other objects, skill in fine manual activities and the use of tools, tendency to be a practical person. In extreme cases: impatience in the face of obstacles, need to experiment firsthand despite danger, inability to resign oneself to the impossible.

VOICE

Words carry the greatest power imaginable: they have built and destroyed loves, empires, religions. Your voice carries a trace of this power: you are able to communicate your ideas and feelings, you know how to stir or calm the spirits of those around you, incite hatred and provoke shame or comfort desperate hearts. You have been taught that language has limits, but you do not yet think you have encountered them.

Useful for: the ability to express oneself clearly and engagingly, appealing to the emotions of interlocutors, storytelling, catching people off guard, controlling the conversation, creating pathos, creating lyrical images and effective narratives, pressing with questions or insinuations, provoking, putting pressure on others and inducing them to make mistakes, casting arguments or people in a bad light, opposing others and not allowing oneself to be dominated, and wanting to have the last word. In extreme cases, flattery, pride, a tendency to manipulate or engage in pointless arguments.

PERCEPTION

Your Perception is your ability to surrender to the world and let it flow within you, suspending expectations, judgments, and fears. Sounds, shapes, colors, and information form a constantly renewing fabric of reality: you carefully examine its texture, searching for the smallest details, the slightest variations that herald past, present, and future developments in the eternal dance of matter.

Useful for: trusting your senses, being a good observer, noticing details, understanding distances, reading space and situations, going beyond first impressions, noticing things out of place, eidetic memory, quickly grasping details, examining a room or a person, proprioception, awareness of your appearance, awareness of your relational, physical, social condition. In extreme cases: hesitation, conformism, embarrassment, difficulty in managing the amount of detail.

EMPATHY

The world you live in is fundamentally, intimately relational. You are attracted to and enveloped by human bonds: you sense the harmony and fragility of complex balances that you could disrupt or alter. The emotions of those around you appear crystal clear to you: you know fury, depth, irresistible passion, pain and loss, lies, desire, love, and generosity. Nothing that is human is truly foreign to you.

Useful for: understanding the feelings and emotions of others, appreciating other points of view, anticipating the intentions of others, equanimity, perceiving the emotional or physical needs of others, understanding how to defuse tense situations, self-sacrifice, understanding the suffering of others, grasping the deep or unconscious motives behind actions or words, dealing with irrationality, hypothesizing courses of action of people you know, tendency to be a compassionate person. In extreme cases, allocentrism, psychological subordination, inability to judge severely, paralysis when faced with the possibility of causing pain.

SHADOW

Everything in the world casts a shadow: it is a dark and uncontrollable image that, if properly observed, can reveal hidden and unfathomable truths that escape rational explanation. Events, places, your own psyche in its deepest movements: new meanings appear to you like a secret watermark of existence, accessible only through intuition, imagination, and transcending the senses.

Useful for: grasping the invisible, trusting your feelings, connecting with your subconscious, being able to trust in fate, not letting objections get to you, formulating more or less realistic scenarios, the ability to imagine, perceive the bizarre and disturbing, predict courses of action, experience spirituality, find inspiration, consider the supernatural, guess, perceive the benevolence or malevolence of a person or place, and have premonitions of future events. In extreme cases, fatalism, self-suggestion, irrational fears, mysticism, unreason.

Trying to identify a vintage polyhedral dice set from the late 1990s — help appreciated!

Hi all! I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me identify a polyhedral dice set I remember from the late 1990s. Here are the details I recall:

• It was a 7-die polyhedral set (the standard RPG set: d4, d6, d8, d10, d%, d12, d20)
• Each die was a different solid opaque color with black numbers
• The d20 was orange with black numbers — this is the most distinctive detail
• The other 6 dice were each a different solid color (I believe a variety like red, yellow, green, blue, purple, etc.)
• It was sold in the late 1990s, possibly at Waldenbooks stores or hobby shops that carried RPG supplies
• It was not the Chessex Nostalgia set (that set has a white d20, not orange)
• It was not the Koplow Games Rainbow set (those dice are white with multicolor numbers)

I do not remember the brand name or packaging, but it was a fairly common retail product at the time — not a specialty or limited item. It may have been manufactured in Taiwan and sold under a brand like The Armory, Crystal Caste, or possibly even a store brand.

Does anyone recognize this set? If so, I'd love to know the brand name, product name, or possibly the correct colors of the other dice in the set — along with any other details that might help me track one down. Photos or links would be amazing if you have them!

Thanks in advance!

Before I even start in on this, please be kind. This isn't a troll post or a shit post. I am genuinely trying to determine if I'm in too deep.

TL,DR: I have like 13 RPG systems, 2 young kids, limited time; and I'm trying to determine if there's any point in keeping all but 2-3 systems.

So my wife and I are trying to sell our house, and it's giving me cause to cut down on my RPG and miniature collections. (I wont even address the gray plastic shame part of this.)

I definitely have the collector gene, so it's very hard for me to let go of things. That said, I'm not sure if I have the time or opportunity to run all these games for many years to come, so why am I continuing to fall into sunk cost fallacy?

Also of issue, i have two kids, ages 6 & 4, and their extra curriculars are starting to ramp up, and no doubt that will continue until they're house of the house. So I am looking down the barrel of 12-14 years of likely limited game time.

I own a wealth of systems, (basically the entire Free League catalogue, plus a few others,) and I'm very intrigued to run ALL of them for various reasons. However, I can't really see a world in which i'd get to play them all -- even just one shots -- for at least a decade.

So in your most polite manner, (I really dont need shitty takes or attitude, i have enough stress as it is,) is it time for me to whittle down the hoard and just focus on a handful of systems that would cover all the bases?

If you don’t know what a Capsule Game is: Knight at the Opera and Rise Up Comus have both explained it in the past.

Unfortunately their posts are rather outdated and even then, they didn’t try to give a comprehensive list of games. After playing Mythic Bastionland I started to wonder: what other such games are there?