A newsletter and podcast focused on Friday Strout's fiction and tabletop roleplaying games. Featuring top industry contributors from both the professional Game Master scene, game designers, writers, artists, and more!
David Shulman (he/him) is the co-founder of dScryb and we chat about everything from how they got started to what they’re doing now. They routinely publish tens of thousands of words for their ongoing subscribers.
LINKS:
Affiliate link: https://dscryb.com/friday (save 10% by using coupon code: FRIDAY)
The Vineyard Collection: https://dscryb.com/?s=&ep_filter_nearby=the-vineyard
Hey y’all! I recently posted in opposition to SPG’s policies concerning AI art for use in their marketplace and consequently had a brief meeting with Devon Chulick, the co-founder of Start Playing Games.
AI art has been all the rage if you scroll through the marketplace on SPG, despite there being a lot of licensed art made available by SPG. Some of which are actually… really fucking good. Check out a couple of these royalty-free Shutterstock licensed pieces that are now available whenever you click on the art link in Game Templates.
Devon has stated that “a policy that you cannot enforce is not a good policy.” When asked about integrating an AI detection tool like Hive into their process, Devon did not want to begin developing an entire system around software that not only makes them dependent on another company, but that may become less accurate over time. Instead, the SPG team would prefer to focus on the things they can do to positively impact their GMs.
An Artists Program where pro GMs who are also illustrators and graphic designers are highlighted has been floated as a new initiative they are working on. This would potentially bring more work to those working GMs who also belong to the art community.
“These [Artists Program & more stock art] are the action items that came out of the original AI talk back in February/early March!” – Devon
Email to email messages
Perhaps soon you won’t have to struggle through logging into your SPG account on your phone when you get a new join or message.
Some users may find it’s easier to just email someone than log into the site, so that may soon be available.
Required GM Onboarding
SPG wants to give people the tools to succeed.
GMs who take the onboarding are 400% more likely to run paid games than those who do not.
Most GMs who have negative reviews are those who didn’t take the onboarding.
Thanks so much to everyone who has supported our Kickstarter! If you know of any friendly local game stores who you think would be interested in backing our KS, please email me their contact info! I’d love to get in touch. I understand the Retailer Tiers are pretty tight on margins for FLGS, but I’d be willing to give out some absurdly low priced deals to those retailers once we start shipping.
Being able to rise to the occasion of a planned epic moment within a session isn’t accomplished with good improv, it’s properly planning. Your routine does not have to be complex – mine isn’t. Try these techniques to bring your best to the session.
An hour or two before a session I like to go on a walk and listen to music. I deliberately build a list that I can glance at once in a while of things I want to ponder and build hypothetical tools to fall back on. Sometimes this requires that I take notes to reference later – which often means I just voice to text into my Notes on my phone as I’m strolling.
This allows me to formulate “scenario hooks”. This is a concept prominently featured in several The Alexandrian YouTube videos and advice blogs. Scenario hooks are top tier ways to provide yourself with options to improv off of as a starting point.
You don’t necessarily have to squat heavy weight like I prefer to, sometimes all you need before a session is a set or two of pushups to get your blood pumping. I most often use this before a confrontational opening – like when you’re starting a session with initiative into combat or altercation. Having your blood pumping will help you engage with the confrontation – your roleplaying will be more present.
Sometimes I only go into sessions with 3 bullet points, depending on how comfortable I am with the area the party is currently playing in. The more reading I’ve done (or development) for the world surrounding a location, the less actual prep I need to do. I have a heavy-improv style, so you may want to outline more and more until you feel comfortable.
These bullet points are often things that force the party to engage. Something that just happens, rather than relying on the party to choose to do something beforehand. Example 1: “A guard arrives and questions the party about their identity and accuses them of being X group of thieves.” Example 2: “A roc swoops down and begins attacking the village.”
That’s it for today! Thanks to all of our Kickstarter backers for bringing us to $17,000! We’re over 1/3 of our way to funding The Vineyard RPG. If you are thinking of pledging but you’re uncertain – I encourage you to shoot me your questions to my Twitter, Discord, or send me an email (isfriday at gmail dot com) with any questions. I’d love to hear from y’all!
HELLO INTREPID ADVENTURERS we have with us Rick Perry (he/him), the Creative Producer and Production Designer for Dimension 20! We chat about being Washingtonians, art school, design, everything D20, and more!
LINKS:
https://twitter.com/RichardHPerry
Our Kickstarter is LIVE and we appreciate your support if you can pledge! Every little bit helps us reach our goal!
There’s a lot to cover in a Session 0! I tend to bring everyone together for a 45-60 minute document read through, discussion, and safety/consent checklist before we even talk about characters. Feel free to use and modify this as you see fit.
Please DO NOT USE THIS DOCUMENT VERBATIM IF YOU ARE NOT ABIDING BY IT.
Let other people play their PCs how they want to play them. Don’t “backseat drive” another character.
Try to share “stage time” or “spotlight” with other players at the table.
Pass the ball as often as possible to involve other PCs to build greater relationships in game and create a richer experience.
Respect one another!
What is your experience with D&D?
What are you looking for in a D&D game?
Roleplay?
Combat?
Mystery/Intrigue?
Puzzles?
What is your favorite thing about D&D?
Is your schedule regular for this time?
Consent – Consent is in a constant state of flow and a player should feel empowered to express that they’re uncomfortable with a theme or situation.
Lines & Veils – Lines are a hard no. Veils are a fade to black or behind the curtain situation. We’ll gather preliminary lines/veils prior to play but all players can change their mind mid-game or post-game.
X – Whenever you feel like you might want to stop what is happening because you’re uncomfortable… DM me an X or put it in chat, or utilize your open door.
Open Door – Any player can get up and take a break – walk away from the game. It’ll alert me that I need to check in with them when they return.
Check Ins – I will try to do my best to check in with players regularly to receive feedback and check on everyone’s well being.
Debrief – I don’t want a formal debrief with players. I want post-game to be the players’ opportunity to unwind informally. Typically after I call a session my players will naturally hang out for 5-15 minutes and discuss the game itself, complete their quest log as a party, and ask clarifying questions of me. I want this also to be the space for players to compliment each other about their play or to be excited about something that is happening. The only thing I’d ask for as a DM is 1 Star and 1 Wish sent to me post-session.
Stars & Wishes –
Star: Something you enjoyed about the game and thought was fun.
Wish: Something you wish the game had. Sometimes I will ask questions about these or discuss the topic privately with a player.
Flirting
Sexual harassment (will not appear)
Sexual assault (will not appear)
I tend to be more reactive than proactive with sexual content in play. Before I begin engaging PCs with NPCs who are going to flirt I always check in for consent with the player prior to the session. (e.g. “Are you interested in an NPC flirting with your PC as a story arc?”) I understand that being a GM means I’m wielding an imbalanced position at the table and gaining consent while someone is roleplaying their character has a higher chance of discomfort or regret – especially with sensual/sexual situations. If a PC begins to engage one of my NPCs in a way that I think is flirting I usually clarify with a direct GM to player question. (e.g. “Is your PC flirting with this person?”)
Relationships between PCs require consent out of the game.
It is probable that your PC will die.
It is possible that your PC will become undead and out of your control.
If I make a ruling mistake, I will unkill your character
Fairly loose with rules. I will make stuff up, sometimes.
I will ask you for clarification on your abilities a lot if I’m uncertain.
I will ask you “What does that look like?” often for description of things if I need a moment or need help. That’s not you being wrong, it’s me needing a hand.
I will ask you “What are you doing?” This is usually an indicator that I either want the party to interact or that I need a moment before I can present something for the party to react to. This is not the player being wrong.
Other times I will prompt you via NPC to engage the party in roleplay, but do not think that the NPCs are running the show.
I will present the party with The Problem. It is up to the party how to resolve The Problem. I encourage you to pitch me ideas as a party. If your plan is possible, I will tell you realistically (from GM to player) “This is going to be tough and it is dangerous because <reasons> but you can do this if it goes well.” This does not mean it will work out as intended for a specific result, however. My intent is to meet you in the middle for verisimilitude, not to give you a skeleton key to the game.
Pre-game chatter may include discussion about sex, romance, and other personal details. We have an open environment where everyone is encouraged to share but anyone may opt out.
I’ve excluded some sections that are game specific, such as “homebrew rules”, etc. Having this discussion along with forwarding folx to a safety/consent checklist for lines/veils is so important for setting the stage. From here I go into PC creation and group formation. That’ll be another article!
Thank you to all of our amazing Kickstarter backers! We’re now at 15k. Let’s keep it going and get to 40%+ in the first week! I’d love to hit some of our incredible stretch goals, not just fund at 100%.
In the Limited Tier add-ons you can reserve a 3 session mini-campaign with me using the Vineyard RPG material! I have it listed as Tower of Atonement on the KS page, but I can run anything, really.
Thanks for all your support!
The genderfluid BBEG really is a piece of work. Check out our preview of the head of the Vineyard!
Aisling is a tempter in whatever form is necessary to wring the secrets from mortals. A whispered voice that can be taken for one’s subconscious – a beautiful vision – a set of recurring dreams. Aisling will become anything to anyone and give them just what they want… if they serve. Everyone serves Their Majesty in the end.
Motive: Obfuscate their return and ascend to Godhood once again.
Flaws: Mortal form, reliance on scarcity of appearance, and ambitious subordinates.
Strengths: Lack of morality, skillful manipulation, and immense arcana knowledge.
Aisling has been running a centuries-long con on the God of Wealth, presenting themself as the divine entity of Beauty.
The God of Wealth and those loyal to the temple have been unintentionally funding the Vineyard.
The God of Wealth’s influence and power has waned as Aisling’s grew, resulting in the Vineyard expanding into this economic gap.
Aisling’s unification with the spirit of the Undead God of Secrets was crafted by the wishes of wizards seeking lichdom. Every secret incantation, murmured ritual, and inhumane deed done in the search for immortal power had its essence tucked away by the encubus. After a century of ritual, these notes manifested into the budding next cycle of the undead deity. The Wandering Mother harnessed this process to give life to a new people in the Guts – the Whisperborne – who contributed to the rise of Aisling’s metaphysical power. Given enough time: Their Majesty will acquire enough power to unlock the Undead God’s prison and coalesce into Godhood.
“You’ll make for a fine example.”
“After I have broken you, the shell that remains will serve me.”
“You believe that you’re heroic, don’t you?”
“You may tell me your secrets now – or I can rip them from your corpse.”
“You cannot destroy me – I’m the embodiment of this City. I am the avarice of your people. I am every hope and whispered bit of grief they know.”
“You must remember: Everyone serves Their Majesty in the end.”
“Debts can be collected. Always.”
“Do not fool yourself into thinking there is something I do not know.”
Aisling stands slowly, their robes of charcoal ruffling, form drifting between the shapes of a hundred different persons before settling. The air is suddenly sharp with the scent of sulfur. A splatter of sizzling ink gathers at their feet in a pool – grasping hands reach out from the depths to worship them.
[Ask the players to describe the person they love the most. Tell them “That is what you see in Aisling.” If they do not give an adequate response, tell them “You see yourself.”]
Pledge today! We want to bring to you the best possible book and we cannot do that without your support. Thank you to everyone who has already supported us.
I had the privilege of chatting with Shay Snow (they/them) who has been freelancing since 2020 and got their start from an open call on Twitter of all things. They’re worked on Pathfinder, Starfinder, Coyote & Crow, and works as the Pathfinder Society Developer now!
LINKS:
Shay’s site: https://shayjay.carrd.co/
Backwards Southern Gothic: https://backwards-games.itch.io/
Pathfinder Scenario 412 by Mahpiya (https://twitter.com/skymahpiya) (https://paizo.com/products/btq02ed6?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-412-Negotiations-for-the-Star-Gun)
Also, we are LIVE with our Kickstarter Vineyard RPG! Please support us if you can – every pledge helps us reach our goal!
I’m back with another Kickstarter reward blog for hitting $10,000 on our funding goal!
Listen first
Ask clarifying questions
Own mistakes, but don’t dwell on them
Do not tolerate intolerance
It was a big change for me going from my identity as a “man” to a queer transfem. One of the biggest hurdles I personally had and I know others do: I always assume I can bring something of value, no matter the topic. If you’re not queer and there are queer issues or identity being discussed, take a moment to pause and listen to others’ experiences first.
Even if you do not “agree” with someone’s expression or life experience, it’s important not to deny that to others.
When you’re confused and want to learn more, you can ask questions. However, it is not a requirement that every queer you meet educates you on a topic. In fact: It can get pretty exhausting if they’re already doing so for friends or family in their own community. I believe a good middle-ground is to ask: “Do you recommend any resources I can look over to learn more about that?”
I mess up pronouns frequently as a queer person. It takes some getting used to being corrected, but if you are then just accept that and move on. The more you react or make it a scene, typically the less welcome you can make a queer feel at a cis-majority table.
Insert Nazi analogy. If you do not stand up for the queers at your table, do not expect them to stick around. There’s always other places to go online, which is why many queers attempt to find community there in the first place. Many queers do not have the safety to be themselves with others in their local community.
I hope this was helpful. Thanks so much to our Kickstarter backers! See you again at 12k! Check out the Vineyard RPG on Kickstarter today! Every pledge matters.
Listen to our AMA with RPGBOT and learn more about the project. We talk about our adventure the Tower of Atonement, the art, and more! We’re joined by a few on the team including: Kienna Shaw, Nathaniel Kreiman, V.J. Harris, Matt Duckett, and Dave Walker!
Support us on Kickstarter here! Your pledges are very important for our success!
I entered the scene in 2020 as an open call performer to a D&D show. 6 months later: I was putting together an actual play show. I was freshly out of the military and had GM’d a single AP one shot a Candlekeep Mysteries adventure the same week the book released. I read the adventure at midnight and prepared for my first on camera GMing experience about 18 hours later.
When I first started getting involved in the channel I was eager to learn more. I found myself gravitating toward more managerial duties, production, etc. A lot of my inclination was to take everything very “seriously” because I very much was in love with the idea of theater once again being in my life. It was such a free-spirited place to exist after over a decade of regimented behavior, expectations, and gender.
I enjoyed mentorship, community, camaraderie – all of that – in the military. There was something uniquely different about it in the creative industry I was entering, though. It was just plain weird interacting with people “normally”. I remember weeping in my bed for hours because I’d misgendered a coworker. I wanted so badly to be accepted in this new group – a new community for me that might accept me for who I was.
I was not out yet. I didn’t plan on coming out. I didn’t really know. Then I saw and heard more trans stories. I kept saying “I can relate” often. Wait – why do I relate to all these trans people? Oooooh. Right.
When I came out to my wife she rolled away from me, asked me not to touch her, and we weren’t intimate ever again after that. Coming out to my wife and being rejected, then my father and being denied my identity, then ostracized by some people I thought were my friends in the Marines – 2021 was a lot.
It was around that time when I was developing that AP show and crafting this story I built of a city split into different districts. They were ruled by their respective merchant oligarchs with the law enforced by mercenaries. I included The Vineyard as a “cool idea” I hadn’t thought about too much other than: undead crime mob. There were some other factions, too.
While I retreated into playing various fem forms I had developed Aisling Rovehnna, a gender fluid crime boss. They were everything I wish I could be, wrapped up into a neat mysterious package. The AP party only encountered her once; Aisling warned the party not to take sides with a rival of theirs.
Our artists: Yorsy, Matt and Elaine (artist and Art Director) have done such a fantastic job recreating the intensity of Aisling. There’s something different from each interpretation that you’ll find in the paintings done by the artists. A new perspective on the same enigmatic figure.
I think it is important to say intentionally and meaningfully: I developed Aisling as I was introduced to queerness. For me, Aisling is a vessel for purity of purpose. They are absolutely devoted to themselves, who they are, and they’re selfish. He absolutely believes he deserves it, whatever it is. She is comfortable in every sort of presentation, masc or fem. Something I wish for myself someday.
They’re also a terrible corporate ghoul, but you know, everyone has a toxic trait.
If you enjoy these Director’s Blogs, please share them, comment, etc. Also pledge to the Kickstarter!
