The Roleplaying Exchange Podcast (RPX Adam)

 

Next on the Roleplaying Exchange, problem players and the GMs who love them.

Areas of discussion: changes to the podcast, solving tabletop problems, rules lawyers, cheaters, and disengagement.

“Upwind is a narrative style RPG set in a strange alternate world of floating island nations, flying sailing ships, long lost technology, wild elemental powers, looming war and forgotten legacies.”

Jeff Barber, game designer and founder of Biohazard Games demos his new game Upwind at Gen Con 2016.

 

 

Upwind is a fantasy RPG currently being Kickstarted about exploration and survival in an endless sky filled with ancient technology. We interview the game’s designer, Jeff Barber, to pick his brain about non-traditional mechanics, old-school animation, and ecology in game worlds.

For more information on the Upwind project please visit the Upwind Kickstarter page.

Learn more about Biohazard Games, Upwind, and the Q-System please visit Biohazard Games.

 

Eldarak is a live action roleplaying event that aims to take LARPing from pastime to profession.  Sponsor LiveGame entertainment aims to create a reality TV sensation with competitive LARPing.  Participants at the debut event, Eldarak, compete for cash prizes and chance to become a professional LiveGame LARPer.  As four friends make their way toward Eldarak, not even a successful spot hidden roll can save them from Fear Itself….

 

 

 

After having just witnessed and nearly been a part of a car crash, the four larpers finally arrive to Eldarak.  To win the LiveGame challenge these four friends will need to do some questionable to get the upper hand.

 

Today we sit down to discuss table control and how to implement it in both the real and virtual settings.

Areas of discussion: planning, combat, table talk, group rolls

 

With Eldarak well under way, the larpers delve deeper into the forest and madness.

Warning: The game is cut a bit short due to Adam’s daughter getting sick.

 

 

 

Trying to get a leg-up on the competition, our larpers descend deeper into the forest.  As emotions run high, Eldarak goes sour and they have to fight for their lives.

 

Note: The conclusion of this mini campaign was accidentally published as episode 4 before the release of this episode.  The conclusion has since then relabeled as episode five.  Sorry for the confusion.

 

 

Finally, our epic four-part one-shot comes to an end. Having survived the chaos of Eldarak the group tries to settle back into their normal lives, but some things can’t be put to rest so easy.

Warning: This episode does contain references to animal cruelty.

Stay tuned for an upcoming tabletop workshop session where the players discuss with Adam ways to improve upon the game and game mastering.

Note:  Episode 5 was previously published as Episode 4.  A special thanks to listener and friend of the show Kyle for pointing out the error.  This episode has been relabeled to reflect the correct order.  Sorry of the inconvenience.

 

 

Today we sit down to discuss the beast that was 2016. While skirting past many of the more troubling elements of 2016, we focus our discussion on new tabletop rpgs, the state of the hobby, and rpg related Kickstarters that we backed.

Areas of discussion: new games of 2016, kickstarters we backed, new rpgs we played, the state of tabletop rpgs in 2016

 

On the morning of October 1, 2014 the bodies of Dr. Tibalt Grieves and Amanda Griffin were discovered at their residence in Mill Creek, Washington.  The bodies of both Grieves and Griffin were found with wounds to the face and a congealed blue substance surrounding the mouth.  The discovery of a hidden bio-hazard lab within the residence with several hundred thousands of dollars worth of equipment prompts officers to cordoned of the house and contact the CDC and FBI.  A brief examination of the site by CDC infectious analyst and Delta Green friendly Dr. Roberta Kane prompts her to contact Delta Green and Operation Malta is activated.

The agents of Operation Malta continue their investigation into the mysterious deaths, a string of seemingly unrelated events unfolds throughout Seattle. Meanwhile, Flight 191 CDC Secure carrying the unknown biological substance found at the crime scene goes down over the Clearwater National Forest. As the agents search for the killer, a string pet disappearances lead Sgt. Hudson and Agent Baker to a deadly confrontation.

Note: Please take a few moments to complete a quick poll *spoilers*  about the events that unfolded during this episode.  Thanks.

 

Players create one character, game masters create the rest. Join us as we discuss how to build believable NPCs that help bring your game to life.

Areas of discussion: NPCs, architypes, creation strategies, Mary Sues

 

After losing an agent to the inhuman creature stalking a Seattle suburb, the team splits up to follow up on leads.  Sgt. Hudson and Agent Gould head to Billings Montana to investigate the deceased Lt. Ulee.  Meanwhile, Agent Tell goes to Clearwater National Forest to investigate the mysterious crash of Flight 191.

 

Author and game designer Greg Stolze stops by to discuss Unknown Armies and “You”, his new work of Unknown Armies fiction that is currently Kickstarting through February 18, 2017.

For more information please visit the You Kickstarter page.

For more information on the Greg Stolze and to sample his free fiction library please visit his homepage.

 

All signs suggest that the Ulee creature is making its way to Billings Montana to ‘reunite’ with its long lost wife and son.  As Sgt. Hudson and Agent Gould lie in wait in the unoccupied but recently fortified Ulee house, Agent Tell and Ranger Salt race to Montana to meet up with their fellow agents.  Will the agents’ preparations pay off?  Will Aaron lose yet another character?  Tune in for this dramatic conclusion of the Dennis Detwiller scenario, Viscid.

 

For Viscid and other Delta Green scenarios visit Dennis Detwiller’s Patreon

 

Check out our fist crossover episode with the crew from the Technical Difficulties Gaming Podcast.

“What good is $10 million if you can’t have real money.” –Jesse Livermore It’s not the body that’s the problem; Howard Rochester has been on his last legs for months now. No, the real problem is everything else; the death of the richest man in Hitchcock Reserve Gated Community leaves a very big power vacuum. Rochester had a lot of secrets dealings, obligations, and there was that unfortunate business with Susan Grossman… Now the money, power, (assisted) sex, and lies are crashing down, and it’s up to you to pick up the pieces. How do you act after you’ve achieved the American Dream, and watched the white picket fence rot?

 

Warning:  We get a bit political here.

 

 

Like any bad partner in a relationship, we may have forgotten Valentine’s Day, or pushed this episode back to make room for the Greg Stolze interview.   But, putting Stolze ahead of your needs does kind of sound bad, forget we said anything.  So, please accept this lackluster gift and our most sincere apologies.  We’ll do better in the future, we promise.

In this episode, we (awkwardly) discuss adding romantic elements to your tabletop games.

 

Areas of discussion: romance, hot loving, smooches, long walks along the beach, Catherine (videogame), Riverdale

 

 

In a multi-podcast crossover with Greg Bennett from Technical Difficulties and Ray Cox from [Insert Quest Here], the medical crew of the interstellar starship Raptor must save their sick captain Darcy before the evil alien brain worms do something probably evil! Get ready for high tension, well-scripted, evenly paced medical drama!

 

Please visit our friends at Insert Quest Here & The Technical Difficulties Gaming Podcast.

 

For more information on Lasers With Feelings, please visit One Seven Design.

 

The Copper Kings, a taker crew out of Anaconda, MT, are in dire straits. Stuck in west Montana , strapped for cash, and five years out in the Loss, they’ve come up with a score that should be able to get them out of the Loss. But they need the starting capital to even get there, which means getting the contract for an outside job. Unfortunately, their group’s negotiator is out of commission. How will the B team negotiate a good contract without their social specialist?

 

Adam, Noah, Chris and RPX actual player Aaron discuss their experiences using improvisation techniques to shape their role-playing games.

 

Areas of discussion: Improvisation, Player Vs. GM Improvisation, Stocking Your GM Toolbox, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nier: Automata, Yakuza 0,

 

Please check out Noah’s new podcast based of the CW’s Riverdale, Blood Money, Maple Syrup.

 

 

 

A group of federal employees with special clearance are scrambled to Crofton, Maryland, as the Program comes to fear infiltration by a non-human lineage. The body of William Garrett, NSA analyst and Delta Green friendly, has been discovered in his townhouse. Garrett’s cadaver appears to have been partially transformed into a reptilian, or possibly aquatic, hominid monstrosity. Have the Program’s efforts to track and sever the Innsmouth bloodlines been in vain? What killed William Garrett, and how? Operation PELAGIC has been activated at short notice to plunge into murkier depths than anyone could possibly expect in this original scenario. Note: Some of the material Patrick was quoting in this episode “Intelligences” which can be found in Dennis Detwiller’s Tales from Failed Anatomies.

Detwiller, Dennis. Delta Green: Tales from Failed Anatomies. Chelsea, AL: Arc Dream Publishing, 2014. Print. (MLA citation, because we are that professional)

 

The Copper Kings have been contracted by a man calling himself Goodyear: they need to secure a supposedly abandoned air force base housing an experimental airship. But they need to get to the site first: a journey, on foot, through zombie-infested hillside. Will the crew be able to make a profit on their journey, or will Thumb screw shit up?

 

You ever get nostalgic about your first love? Tell Chris about it and you’ll feel shame.  In this episode Noah explains the world of Shadowrun and Chris suffers an aneurysm.  So strap on in there chummer, this is Shadowrun.

Swing by A Fistful of Misanthropes to listen to Noah and fellow misanthropes ply Shadowrun.

Also, check out this promotional Shadowrun video from the 90’s, A Night’s Work.  It’s a gem.

 

The crew has finally made it to Fort Seeley, but the base is currently occupied by DHQS operators, and under surveillance by Canadian nationals. They’ve come up with a plan to neutralize both sides by kiting a horde of casualties to the fort, but it’s a high risk plan. Will they be able to secure the site without any setbacks, or will Thumb slip up again?

Flat Cap – Patrick xXxN3RF_V3C70R5xXx420 – Nathan Thumb – Noah Farrier – Adam

 

It was supposed to be the perfect getaway. A group of Miskatonic University students travel to a small island off the coast of Rhode Island to throw a weekend long beach party in celebration of Spring Break. Celebrations quickly turn to horror when the partiers discover they are not alone. Will the students overcome what they’ve uncovered, or will the dark forces hidden within the island turn this into nothing more than a bloody Slasher Flick?

 

Adam                          Noah Marden Amber Randy

Chris                            Andrew Anderson Ron Morris Skyler Nancy Woods

Daniel                        David Patterson Ashley Simon

 

A special thank to Jen for running this game for us. Please check Jen’s store Eclectic Eccentricities for handmade D20 and Dice Jewelry!

While it is ideal that everyone gathering around the table knows how to play the game, many times it is up to the GM to not only run the game but educate players while they do so. In this episode Noah, Adam, and Chris explore best practices of how to show players an RPG system.

Areas of discussion: new players, new system, character sheets from hell, free rpg day, Origins, and Car Hitler

 

Pre-orders for Red Markets launched on 6/69/2017.  Get Your Red Markets pre-order at BackerKit .

For all other information Red Market’s related please visit the Red Market’s homepage.

 

 

 

The sleepy little town of Innsmouth is under attack by a dark force, something that has plagued humanity for years, targeting the hungry and poor: gentrification. Artists, socialites, and tastemakers are flocking to the seaside village, flooding the street with fixie bicycles and artisan coffee shops. But little do these hipsters know, something older resides in Innsmouthsburg, and the call haunts the dreams of the long-time residents. Everyone has an agenda, and that can only lead to… a Fiasco.

 

Sean – Phillip Ward

Aaron – Gus West

Darth – Scylla Marsh

Chris – William Carter

Adam –  Lewis Ward

*The following post and podcast was originally posted on the Technical Difficulties Gaming Podcast.  Please subscribe to their feed as well to stay current with the 10K Lake campaign*

 

We’ve gotten together with The Roleplaying Exchange and [Insert Quest Here] to create a living campaign setting for Red Markets, set in the great state of Minnesota. Our upcoming actual plays will be divided amongst the three podcasts (and any others that join in) with a drop-in/drop-out play structure.

Episodes will be up in the next few weeks, but until then you can listen to us create a post-Crash Midwest. You can also join in on the discussion on the recently created LifeLines Forum.

*The following post and podcast was originally posted on the Technical Difficulties Gaming Podcast.  Please subscribe to their feed as well to stay current with the 10K Lake campaign*

The members of Freelance, a crew of Takers with a rotating workforce, go out on their first job. The enclave of New Hamar needs an item delivered to them, but what could be so valuable as to require the services of our band of mercenaries?

Aaron S. – Loveless – A shy, mechanically inclined Latent.

Adam L. – Misty – A dangerously detached debutant wielding a spear (that’s only a spear).

Chris H. – Iditarod – A dog trainer burned by the last movie they worked on and trying to buy their way back into the industry.

Laura – Woodsman – A former high school science teacher, wandering the Loss with a bow and dog. Somehow not dead yet.

Lonnie – Martin Luther – A young Latent on a Mission from God. Wields an axe.

More information about the campaign can be found here. The next episode will be released on July 24th, 2017 on The Roleplaying Exchange podcast.

 

Back for their second job, Freelance is contracted to recover a drone that mysteriously went down in somewhere in the forest. To make matters worse, there are rumors of a vectors in the forest and the takers have only the vaguest sense where the drone went down….and Chris is running the game.

Adam L. – Misty -A deeply troubled girl skilled at spears and boys

Laura – Woodsman – A man who survived for years with a dog and a BOW until he met a feral girl.

Lonnie – Martin Luther – A Latent cultist with a big dream and a very small axe

Greg – NRG – A hustling mechanic with crippling debt that knows a guy.

Patrick – Catfish – A misguided youth that found himself lured and abandoned in the Lost.

 

 

Chris – Creative (GM) Aaron M – RJ Swank Aaron S. – Rick Buckman Ray – The Azure Fist Adam – Moonshiner Joe

In our first recorded World Wide Wrestling game, Aaron from The Technical Difficulties Gaming Podcast and Raymond from Insert Quest Here swing by to do join in on the fun.

In tonight’s opening match Rick Buckman & Moonshiner Joe square off followed by a no-holds barred match between The Azure Fist and RJ Swank.

 

A grisly discovery leads to a mind-shattering experience! Convinced to open the apartment door of a tenant who has not been seen or heard from for several days, the landlord and a group of concerned people gather outside his door. A final knock before opening it brings no response.

 

Geoff – Keeper

Adam –  Ashley Porter (bookstore owner)

Kyle – Stefano Pastoria ( beat cop)

 

 

 

Adam and Patrick sit down to talk about their upcoming trip to Gen Con 50 while Chris sulks in the corner.

 

Area of discussion: Gen Con, Planning for Gen Con, Fun Things to do while at Gen Con. Persona 5, Tim Power’s On Stranger Tides, Edgar Cantero‘s Meddling Kids: A Novel, Knifepoint Horror podcast, and Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities.

 

The job was posted as an escort: get a person from a to b. The client refrained from telling Freelance that they’d have to bust their escort out first.

The next episode will be released on September 13th on The Technical Difficulties Gaming podcast.

The Players

Ethan – Taxey – A street tough hustler rapper with a new dependent on the way.

Laura – Woodsman – Former high school science teacher testing the laws of physics out on zombies with a bow and arrow.

Adam T. Shears – Latent beautician tired of your mansplaining

Nathan – Nerf – Black Math cultist trying to get that high score.

 

 

Greg Stolze, Cam Banks, Colleen Riley discuss the new third edition of Unknown Armies.

Areas of discussion:

• The process of creating UA 3.
• Setting game objectives.
• Antagonistic vs. Facilitating Gm-ing
• Providing inspiration to first time players.
• The creation of character identities.

Janey ain’t been right since getting hit by lightning on the mesa – & she’s not the only one. People go up there; get hit, come down changed.

Special thanks to Unknown Armies designer Greg Stolze for allowing us to record this con game.

Please excuse the audio quality of this recording, it was a con game,

Gen Con 2017 panel. Kyle Carty (Roll/Play), Andreas Walters (Metal Weave Games), Douglas Cole (IGDN), Jason Andrew (IGDN) discuss how to break into the RPG industry.

 

*Special thanks to Kyle Carty for providing this recording*

Noah, Patrick and Nathan talk about their experiences at Gen Con 2017 while Adam breathes loudly into the microphone (sorry).

Areas of Discussion: Gen Con 50, Lessons learned at Gen Con TimeWatch, Delta Green, Ten Minutes to Kill, Red Flags, Unknown Armies.

 

 

Posthuman Studios discuss the upcoming release of Eclipse Phase 2nd Ed.

Points of discussion:

• Changes to the original game
• Future books
• Kickstarter
• Audience Q & A

The crew is out of cash again, which means they need to go on the take. They’ve been hired to find someone whose stolen information from the Archivists, but not all is not what it seems. How will they put the clues together?

Players:

Laura – Woodsman – A former high school science teacher, wandering the Loss with a bow and dog. Somehow not dead yet.

Aaron M. – Low End – The bass playing Taker.

Raymond – Colt – Combat medic who can gun two ways.

Ethan – Taxey – A street tough hustler rapper with a new dependent on the way.

Nathan – Nerf – Shooty shooty, gun gun

 

Game designer and The Drunk and Ugly podcast member Greg Predmore swings by to discuss his new game Gobblin’, which is currently kickstarting on, well, Kickstarter.

Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, the goblin race has been banished from their home dimension. Humans may or may not be present, but they’ve sure left a lot of great toys laying around the goblins to play with and/or destroy themselves with reckless abandon.

 

Actual plays of Gobblin’ can be found at Role Playing Public Radio (RPPR) and The Drunk and Ugly Podcast.

 

Check out Gobblin’ on Kickstarter today.

 

Also, check out Greg’s other podcast, Anime Daydreams.

Before the Crash, Thomas Naroth made a name for himself as the director of Their Billion Hands, a trilogy of zombie films that were wildly popular before actual zombies became a thing. No one has seen Thomas since the Crash, but a collector in the recession has reason to believe that the original film reels are stored somewhere in Naroth’s cabin in the Loss. In what should be a straightforward job, Freelance needs to travel to Naroth’s cabin to grab the reels, and loot his house for some more sell-able memorabilia. Will the maladjusted crew be able to pull off the job, or is their own makeup their undoing?

This game is based on the story “Undead” by Soren Narnia. Please check out the podcast “Knifepoint Horror” for more spooky stories

Aaron M. – Low End – The bass playing Taker.

Chris H. — 0perator — She’s totally not a Steward.

Adam T. –  Shears – Latent beautician tired of your mansplaining

Lonnie – Martin Luther – A Latent cultist with a big dream and a very small axe

Sid – Professor –  visiting academic going on a hunting trip with his son when the crash hit

Jared – Factotum – A man with two daughters and a supposed silver tongue

“This is “Kickstarter Your RPG” in which we talk about a lot of the front end nuances and planning required to successfully run a Kickstarter. It’s not that easy, I assure you. ” – Kyle

Kyle Carty (Roll/Play Studios) Andreas Walters (Metal Weave Games) Mike Myler (mikemyler.com), Ivan Van Norman (Geek & Sundry)

Special thanks to Kyle Carty for providing this recording.

 

An apocolyptic ice storm has crippled Lafontaine, Missouri. The Agents must secure a forgotten storage facility packed with artifacts of past Delta Green operations. They soon confront a horror that gruesomely invades and mutilates its victims. What is preying on the citizens of Lafontaine besides the weather? Can the Agents overcome the threat with decisive action, or will they doom everyone in the horror’s path?

Korie – Alberto Rockshaw

Nick – Theodore Banning

Ben – Caleb Cartwright

Toni – Abend Rabe

Adam – A cruel and uncaring world

Roads have broken down 5 years after the Crash, meaning the residents of the 10k have to find alternate modes of travel. The folks at Kennel have hired Freelance for a simple delivery job – get three sleds with attached sled dogs to their clients over at Castle Danger. Surely, this will be a milk run.

Adam L. – Misty –  A dangerously detached debutante wielding a spear (that’s only a spear).

Laura B. – Woodsman – A former high school science teacher, wandering the Loss with a bow and dog. Somehow not dead yet.

Patrick – Catfish – A misguided youth that found himself lured and abandoned in the Lost.

Ian – Vapor – No sacrifice is too great for this taker to achieve their goals – but they don’t want to lose their soul.

Sean B – Gurney – East Coast EMT caught on the wrong side of the Recession.

Have you ever found your mind wandering while at the table?  Does your podcasting co-host constantly play with his fidget spinner while you’re recording?  If so then this is the RPX episode for you.  Join us as we discuss techniques to both plays and game master focus at the table.

Areas of Discussion: being an active player, note taking, including all player characters in on the action, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Evil Within 2 (and Noah’s Twitch stream), and a few other things we got distracted and forgot to mention.

The Crash affected everyone differently and just because you survived does not mean that you could cope with what your life had become. Add to it forced servitude under a Randian Cult and desperation can quickly follow. Freelance is hired by Doc Williams one of the indentured medical staff of Mayo to procure a sizable amount of lithium for him to produce “medications” as part of his eventual plans for escape.

Chris H – Operator – She’s totally not a Steward.

Adam T – Shears – Latent beautician tired of your mansplaining

Ian – Vapor – No sacrifice is too great for this taker to achieve their goals – but they don’t want to lose their soul.

“The neighborhood’s always been pretty nice, if quiet. Good schools, low crime, nice restaurants. The only problem is the mail: a man keeps sending bizarre letters to the residents. It’s up to three residents of the neighborhood — a down-on-his-luck cop, a drug addict, and a city councilor — to figure out the source of these letters and make life cozy again.”

Trigger Warning: this actual play contains the writings of Francis E. Dec, a very ill man with horrible views on race. This game is meant to unsettle and entertain, but Chris, tonight’s GM, doesn’t want to blindside anyone who has been negatively affected by mental illness and racism. Be forewarned.

Caleb Stokes, author, game designer, founder and owner of Hebanon Games, and RPPR co-host, runs a special game for his upcoming indie RPG, Red Markets, for Kickstarter Backers.

Synopsis: The Road Crew, a group of takers from the Troutfit enclave venture into the lost for a ‘high’ stakes job.

For more information on Red Markets please visit  the Kickstarter page.

For more on Caleb Stokes and Hebanon Games, please visit Hebanon Games.

Spring Cleaning. In for a penny, in for a pound - the Breadwinners will help Elevation survive no matter what, but they need to get paid in order to clean up a granary where silence is key. Nick –  Nex – The salesman for the Breadwinners, who had a surefire business opportunity. A slick tongue and good business strategy means nothing when going up against a controlled economy, though.  Brownie – Von –  A tinkerer familiar with a wrench as tool and weapon. A bit too fussy for his own good, and with, uh, Extreme Luck.  Adam – Skidz – Her taker brother vanished, so now she has to take up the taker life to care for her niece. She’s quick and on-edge, which is an asset on the job.  Chris – Decoy – The hero of Elevation, who played a crucial part in taking back the grain silos during an occupation. Definitely not dumb as a post.

Star Trek Double Header While returning to Federation space the Tigris receives a distress message in an outdated Star Fleet code.  Is it a trap?  Tune in to find out. ******* Upon returning to Federation space, it becomes abundantly clear that a great battle has taken place and the allies have lost.  While scanning the location for survivors, the Tigris receives ghostly transmissions from a battle that had already taken place.

Joe – GM Birk- Lenara Maro – Trill medical officer Sean –Thashiv ch’Tharat – Andorian chief of security Aaron Carsten –Lieutenant Platt – Denobulan engineer.

 In our inaugural episode we will be looking at Free League Publishing’s Vaesen: Nordic Horror Roleplaying game.  Join Adam and Crazon as they explore the world of Vaesen and walkthrough character creation.   So grab a character sheet and let's Rollup. Music: Nordic by Crowander  (Todays RollUp Characters)

 

While is important for a game master to have clear objectives when plotting out a campaign, it is also equally important to allow players the opportunity to fill in the gaps with content based on their decisions.  In what could be called an ‘organic’ episode (we started talking till a topic developed) Adam, Crazon, David and Rob discuss how to establish player buy-in.

Note:  Contrary to what the background noise might suggest, we did not record this episode in a Chuck E. Cheese.

Music: Ketsa - Love Heart

After having discovered a serpent folk structure in the cliffside of a mountain, our brave investigators make a second discovery immediately upon exiting the structure, a very large and angry beast.  If they survive this encounter, then all they need to worry about is the ticking timebomb, the encroachment of the Dreamlands into reality, and a viral outbreak.

Geoff – Keeper

Adam – Eustace Hardin – Former Pentecostal missionary still doing the good Lord’s work.

Cam – Rudolph  Paul Brady – Parapsychologist with the gift of clairvoyance.

D –  Roderick Heath – Hard-boiled detective with prior experience with the explainable.

Laura –Irene “Hunter” Alexandria Hallott – Cultural anthropology professor at NYU on sabbatical ..with her guns. 

A Church with A View

A death by stabbing occurred in St. George’s yesterday.  Following up on a potential lead on their lost brother Jack, the uncles travel to the small town of Melville to investigate the the supernatural elements surrounding the murder.

 

Adam - GM

Chris - Branson Martin (The Flake)

Crazon - John-Jacob Buttress “Jingleheimer” (The Initiate)

David - Tariel the Angel (The Divine)

 

The team has received an invitation to participate in War and Peace's annual Fracas—an event combining a gun show and exhibition. During this gathering, prospective buyers engage in a battle royale to evaluate the latest merchandise featuring shock ammunition. Adhering to our commitment to maintaining a separation between professional obligations and recreational activities, our mission is to discreetly eliminate a high-profile target amidst the activities of the Fracas.

GM – Joe Adam – Banshee Brownie – Watch Chris – Craig Sirota David – Elena Lobacheva Jeremy – Julian Black

The Great Canadian Star Bear Pt 2

As the investigation continues, and the Uncles actions begin to escalate, something awakens in this very sleepy town.

Crazon - GM

Adam - Frank "Doodle" Buttress (The Wronged)

Chris - Branson Martin (The Flake)

Trigger warning: Spire deals with themes of racial inequality and fighting against social injustice.

  

Brother Knife’s identity has revealed to authorities. Already, he has been arrested and executed. Since no one else from the crew has been picked up, it is safe to assume that Brother Knife didn’t break. Given the nature of their work, the crew has reason to believe that it was a fellow drow that revealed their companion’s identity. Loose ends have got to get tied up one way or another.

GM - Patrick

Adam – Opel – Bound 

Chris – Pander – Firebrand

Ethan – Naro – Midwife

Vince – Scythe – Masked

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In the wake of a merchant ship’s destruction from an apparent saboteur, the members of Tachyon Squadron hit the streets (space streets) to uncover the culprit.  However, their checkered past and less than stellar history draws the suspicion of investigating authorities. 

Joe – GM Adam – Adrik “Lockout” Ivanov Birk – Avery “Yardbird” Fisher Jeremy – Gene “Grandad” Hallock Nathan – Kwan “Songbird” Kozlov

 

*Note: This should have posted before episodes 7 & 8, but labeling stuff correctly is hard.  Fortunately, nothing is really affected by this error.  Enjoy!*

“The Great Canadian Star Bear” 

A call from Penny’s mom brings the Uncles running in the dead of night. In her room, Penny has been sitting up straight with her eyes rolled back and spouting several verses over repeatedly: “When the sky cries stars, over the prairies of Ry’leh. They will descend and they are cunning. People’s dreams and emotions are their honey. They are very hungry bears...”

Crazon - GM

Adam - Frank "Doodle" Buttress (The Wronged)

Chris - Branson Martin (The Flake)

Deep in the Guatemalan rain forest, a group of conquistadors hunt a band of Mayan warriors.  As the group traverses through the hills and valleys and into the mountains, they soon discover it is they who are hunted.

Adam – Peter-jan Middelkamp – Sell sword

Ethan – Diago - Cadet

Joe – Rotendo Botha – Barber Surgeon

Tucked away in an eerie, dilapidated mansion in Providence, Rhode Island, lies a haven for neighborhood cats. Every day, they rely on the kind-hearted old lady who resides within the creaky walls to provide them with their beloved meals. But when feeding time arrives, the old lady is nowhere to be found.

As hunger gnaws at their bellies, our courageous felines must rise to the challenge. Together, they embark on a daring quest to find her and uncover the truth behind her sudden disappearance. Will these fearless feline adventurers find the old lady in time to stave off hunger's cruel grip? Or will they succumb to the perils that await them in the eerie depths of the mansion?

Chris  GM

Adam – Mayor Butters Brownie – Thumpy Crazon – Ozzy Rob – Tybalt

Mutants in the Now is a tabletop roleplaying game where you can play as a mutated animal in the modern world. It's inspired by classic mutant animal cartoons from the 80s and 90s.

In this episode of RPX Rollup, David takes us through character creation using both the core rulebook and the latest supplement, Mutants in the Next. With over 130 animal species and 200 mutations to choose from, there's no telling what kind of character you'll create.

So grab a bowl of cereal, curl up on the couch, and get ready to enjoy Mutants in the Now!

Track: "80s Kickflip", Frank Bramble Music provided by https://Slip.stream  Free Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/2PWeD0

Note: Apparently mislabeled this actual play.  Sorry about the confusion.

In a 1987 that never was, strange things are happening in Boulder City, home to the US Loop. Odd dreams plaguing students and adults, strange power outages, and a unique new pen pal all crop up as a group of kids try to survive school long enough to make it to Summer Break. Will they have what it takes in order to solve the mystery without getting grounded? Probably not, but hey, that's part of the fun!

 

Adam – Aiden – Computer wiz

Chris -   Oscar – Rebel, Aiden’s first cousin

Patrick – Olaf – Swedish exchange student

Vince – Zelda – Musician and dreamer

David – Frankie – Troublemaker with a heart of gold

Note:  As you may have noticed, the game I posted last month and the copy text didn't match.  This series of games was a continuation of an early Loops game that I meant to post.  Since it is too late to fix that, I'll make the original game a prequel.   - Adam

Our crack team of bumbling misfits has found a possible suspect for the strange happenings around town. Peter, a school dropout, has set himself up at a local store known as the Dream Shop.  In order to get to the bottom of this mystery, the kids come up with a plan to sneak into shop and figure out if Peter's behind everything. Hilarity ensues

Adam – Aiden – Computer Geek.

Chris -   Oscar –Weirdo. Aiden’s first cousin.

Ethan - Kip - Tech savvy hick.

Patrick – Olaf – Jock. Swedish exchange student

Vince – Zelda – Rocker and dreamer

David – Frankie – Troublemaker with a heart of gold

After returning from the mirror universe, the Mercury is immediately docked at star base.  As specialists examine to warp core to ensure that such an accident never occurs again, Ensign Platt is given leave to attend his aunt’s third marriage. Intrigued with the opportunity to experience Andorian culture, Dr. Maro tags along to partake of the festivities and perhaps solve a murder.

 

Joe - GM

Birk- Lenara Maro – Trill medical officer

Aaron Carsten – Ensign Platt – Denobulan engineer.

 

The neo-noir cyber chickens have come home to roost. The walls are closing in fast on the crew. After their daring assaults sparked an all-out secret corporate war, they find themselves trapped squarely in the crosshairs of vengeful megacorp overlords. Meanwhile, someone has put a price on Craig’s head – and they are willing to go through his family to get him.

GM – Joe Adam – Banshee Brownie – Watch Chris – Craig Sirota David – Elena Lobacheva Jeremy – Julian Black

It's moving day and do or die for Elevation. The Breadwinners have been tapped to protect the enclave’s precious cargo as it makes its way by train to St. Louis. They're prepared for a nasty fight, but can they overcome the enemies they’ve made along the way?

 

Nick –  Nex – The salesman for the Breadwinners, who had a surefire business opportunity. A slick tongue and good business strategy means nothing when going up against a controlled economy, though. 

Brownie – Von –  A tinkerer familiar with a wrench as tool and weapon. A bit too fussy for his own good, and with, uh, Extreme Luck. 

Adam – Skidz – Her taker brother vanished, so now she has to take up the taker life to care for her niece. She’s quick and on-edge, which is an asset on the job. 

Chris – Decoy – The hero of Elevation, who played a crucial part in taking back the grain silos during an occupation. Definitely not dumb as a post.

With tensions rising in the area, who knew meek, and raiders and devilied eggs oh my would end up being so profitable? They will have to be with needy dependents, uncertain payouts, bad jokes, and loose Frank Sinatra references.

Nick – The Market

Adam – Shake – A soon to be family man, fringer, unemployed weed dealer, current grow op operator, living outside of the enclave society.

Brownie – Road Salt – Crash Hero, Mining Engineer, Not Funny.

Crazon/Review Cultist/Chris – Balto – Pre-crash medic with a latent brother and an ambulance as a dependent. Playing the Driver Tough Spot.

Ethan - St. Bernard - A deeply flawed man, cracked in detachment, definitely not Benny. He's our face, but can handle himself in a fight. Playing the Fenceman tough spot.

It is believed that the enigmatic Comte Fenalik presents a danger to the crown.  With no other options available, Captain Malon tasks the soldiers with infiltrating the nobleman’s estate in neighboring Poissy and finding hard evidence to link Comte Fenalik to the grisly murders of the printers.

Ian – Keeper Adam – Michel Beaumains – Soldier Ethan – Thierry Renault – Sergeant Joe – Christophe Pressi – Soldier Vince – Joseph Hugel – Provisioner

The crew has  gotten too hot, so they’ve decided to throw their lot in with Psigen’s main competitor, Nanolink. The suits have offered safety for one simple job: put a worm into Psigen’s network.

GM – Joe

Adam – Banshee

Chris – Craig Sirota

David – Elena Lobacheva

While studying signs of rudimentary life developing on an asteroid, the crew of the U.S.S. Mercury are visited by a hostile force with news on the current state of politics in the galaxy. 

 

Birk-  Lenara Maro – Trill medical officer

 

Aaron Carsten – Ensign Platt – Denobulan engineer. 

As the party delves deeper into the station, they encounter unexpected resistance from its former inhabitants. The once-friendly researchers have become aggressive and hostile, driven mad by the strange plant growth that has taken over the facility. It quickly becomes clear that the crew of the Narzalus must act fast to put a stop to the plant's deadly spread before it's too late. But with danger lurking around every corner, the mission is far from easy.

Adam - GM Chris – Samioh Amin (Artist) Joe – Rouya Ghallab (Soldier)  Korie – Nima Dol-Soufi (Pilot) Will – Dr. Armita Wana (Scientist)

Our friends Noah Carden (RPX & Maple Syrup, Blood Money) and Aaron J. Shelton (Kame House Part & Technical Difficulties Gaming Podcast) just started a new podcast about anime titled “Thinking Too Hard About Anime”.  Currently this dynamic duo is reviewing and discussing every episode of Cowboy Bebop.  Today Noah and Aaron join us to talk about their new podcast and how to gamify Cowboy Bebop.

Be sure to check out and subscribe to Thinking Too Hard About Anime.

Follow Thinking Too Hard About Anime on Twitter @ThinkingAnime

 

The time has come when all tabletop gamers make their yearly pilgrimage to Indianapolis to attend Gen Con.  In this episode Adam, David, Jeremy, Joe, and Kristi discuss the Gen Con 2023 experiences. Everyday Heroes: Modern-day D20 action game Pasion De las Pasiones: PBTA telenovela Swords of the Serpentine: Gumshoe swords and sandals Brindlewood Bay: One-part Golden Girls, one-part Murder She Wrote PBTA We Deal In Lead: Weird west adventure game Orbital Blues: Lo-fi space western game Into the Odd: surreal dystopian exploration rpg. Gran Meccanismo: Clockpunk in Da Vinci’s Florence Good Strong Hands: Play fantasy creatures in a world of beauty and loss Gay Poems For Red States: The title says quite a lot. This is a collection of poems, just over a hundred pages of poetry. Some short, some long, all heartfelt. This collection was written by a friend of the podcast and the book is important to us for a variety of reasons.   Track: "Tinkering" Music provided by https://Slip.stream

The crew is in the thick of it.  Banshee has received a mysterious offer to participate in Death Race 20XX with Watch riding shotgun.  Craig is devising an “Undercover Boss” scheme to infiltrate CyGen’s corporate defenses.  And Elena? Well, she’s taking the extreme entry approach, planning a   hang-gliding  (while bungee jumping? ) to infiltrate CyGen.

GM – Joe Adam – Banshee Brownie – Watch Chris – Craig Sirota David – Elena Lobacheva Jeremy – Julian Black

Behind enemy lines and separated from the Seventh Fleet, the Tigris finds itself adrift in the remnants of an ancient alien war.  Hiding amongst the wreckage and inactive starships, the crew of the Tigris have got to figure out a way to distract the enemy forces long enough to escape.

Joe – GM

Birk- Lenara Maro – Trill medical officer

Sean –Thashiv ch’Tharat – Andorian chief of security

Aaron Carsten –Lieutenant Platt – Denobulan engineer.

 

After finishing Elevation, the Red Markets campaign written by Sean Farris, we all got back together to discuss the experience we lovingly nicknamed ‘The Gauntlet’. Join us as we reflect on our favorite moments from Elevation.  Learn how things might have played out differently had the Bread Winners made other decisions. 

 

Music: Anonymous 420 - Interstellar Capitalism 

Our story begins with the Die Hards, a taker crew who have survived the horrors of the Loss and are close to achieving their retirement dreams. They only need to complete one more job for a Mr. JOLS. In taker slang, JOLS stands for “just one last score”, a term used by takers who are looking for a big payday that will allow them to escape the Loss and return to the Recession in luxury. But Mr. JOLS is not a generous employer and many takers who attempt this last score pay the ultimate price.

Nick - The Market Brownie -  Emmet "Brick" Brickowski Chris - Hollow David - Mr. Hadley Jessie - Convict Rina - Mav

In this climatic finale to our first arc, the Kids must contend with Peter and his shadowy "friends".  How will Oskar and Olaf face off against these terrifying entities and will the others be able to keep themselves out of trouble enough to help them? Only one way to find out!

 

Adam – Aiden – Computer Geek.

Chris -   Oscar –Weirdo. Aiden’s first cousin.

Ethan - Kip - Tech savvy hick.

Patrick – Olaf – Jock. Swedish exchange student

Vince – Zelda – Rocker and dreamer

The Three Ankylos (Little Fears) Part 2

Fall 1998/Drumheller, Alberta. The kids struggle to find and stop the golem-like ankylosaurs causing trouble around their neighborhoods.With friends new and old, can they keep their loved ones safe? What will they do if things escalate? Find out!

Chris - GM

Travis - Jolencia Miller (9)

Adam - Timmy Jones (8)

Lars Foxwell was once the gold boy for megacorporation Nanolink.  When his developments in artificial intelligence caught the wrong kind of attention he was forced to flee.  Now presumed dead by many, he reaches out to the crew with a target they can’t resist, Cygen.

GM – Joe Adam – Banshee Brownie – Watch Chris – Craig Sirota David – Elena Lobacheva Jeremy – Julian Black

In the summer of 2020, Dungeons and Dragons announced that along with removing past racially insensitive material from its books and adding more diverse writers and game designers, that they were also removing the well-used trope of “evil races” from their game.  Since it has been nearly a calendar year since that announcement, we here at the Roleplaying Exchange decide to weigh in on this topic.  If you have listened to us for any amount of time, you can probably guess where we are going to land on the matter.

Joining in on this conversation is Adam, Chris, Laura May, Rob, and special guests/honorary RPXers David from RPPR and Crazon from Al Dente Rigamortis and One Less Die.

 

Music:– Fire Style and Dream Sound Effect by David Fesliyan 

Note: The following game is a spin-off game from our Ectozoic Park campaign.

Late Spring 1999/ Cave Run Lake, Kentucky. Following leads from an old company Project and it’s researcher’s notes, a Team was sent to investigate the national park. However, a week into their survey, the Team went missing. Now Cloutmann Chemicals and their Department of Environmental Concerns and Surveys have assembled another team to uncover what transpired near this artificial lake.

Adam - Brad Thompson - EPA Agent

Ian - Estevan Demon - Anthropologist / Ufologist.

Crazon - GM

Welcome to Canada’s Wonderland, where the rides are fun and the arcades are… currently being looked into for possible contamination of an Alien Cognivore species.

 

Crazon - GM

Adam - Frank "Doodle" Buttress (The Wronged)

Chris - Branson Martin (The Flake)

David - Tariel (The Divine)

Rob - Allister Creedence ( The Crooked)

In a change of pace, Full House decides to investigate a murder in the Conda instead of heading out of the enclave. Family and governmental ties are tested.

 

Chris - The Market

Jesse - Bird -  Bird loves that his adopted dad got him into Yale, and he’s ready to reconnect with his bio dad. The DHQS, though…

Brownie - Grey Beard - Father and son bonding is great, especially when it comes to app games!

Nick - Legs - The Latent Cyborg. Poor guy wants to help everyone, but he’s become a Taker due to “spooking the livestock”

Adam - Boots - He was boots on the ground for the crash, but not for his kid. Now they’re catching up on lost time

Session 2: Welcome to Dolphy’s Cove Part 2 The Uncles approach the strange abandoned Theme Park as dusk approaches. As shadows cast longer and deeper in the Hollow, they know not what they truly face, but they will.

GM - Crazon  Uncles: Adam - Frank Buttress “Doodles”  (The Wronged) Chris - Branson Martin (The Flake)

Note: We mentioned this on the Patreon, but forgot to add this notice to the main feed.  This Tachyon Squadron campaign is incomplete.  While we were finishing up the campaign Covid 19 hit and we just never got back to it.  Typically we never post games that fizzle out, but we all enjoyed this one so much that we just had to share what could have been.

With the Dominion of Unity temporarily repelled, members of Tachyon Squadron are sent out on patrol to investigate the disappearance of several Draconis vessels

Joe – GM Adam – Adrik “Lockout” Ivanov Nathan – Kwan “Songbird” Kozlov Patrick – Kazimir “Bairn” Benedict

Note:  AP originally appeared on Al Dente Rigamortis and appers of RPX as part of a cross-podcast promotion.

An Actual Play game based on a discussion on ADR about the Japanese internet urban legend: Hachishakusama (Eight Feet Tall).

A quiet evening at home is suddenly interrupted by a strange phone call from a distant relative warning that “she’s coming for you”.

Adam – Marcus Sato – College student / herse-chasing psychic. Travis – Ellis – Camboy, online gambler, gym rat, catfish, but other than that, a nice dude.

Note: It is recommended that you listen to the AP for Hachishakusama before listening to this discussion. Spoilers: We spoil the scenario.

Music: Synthwave by Ryan Anderson

Friend of the show Review Cultist of Al Dente Rigamortis drops by to discuss the creepy pasta inspired Fear Itself scenario he recently ran entitled Hachishakusama. Along with sharing some of the inspirations for this game, Review Cultist also offers up some goodies for gamifying creepy pastas.

Hachishakusama can be found on both Al Dente Rigamortis and RPX.

 

Music: Synthwave by Ryan Anderson

A group of adventurers set out on a mission to help the desperate villagers of a remote town.  When the party arrives in the village, they discover the panicked townsfolk pleading for their help. They quickly learn that a mysterious creature has been snatching children in the dead of night, leaving no trace behind. While the villagers are at a loss, they hesitate to accuse a local vampire coven, with whom they have a treaty with. The coven has attempted to locate the children but to no avail, and swear they have nothing to do with the disappearances.

Our adventurers must investigate the situation and uncover the truth behind the kidnappings. Will they be able to save the children and put a stop to the creature's rampage? 

DM - Rina Aaron – Aubrey Havenwhirl Human Warlock

Brownie - Thekar Forgesun – Dwarf Cleric

Chris – Bindle Bloodfoot Gnome Fighter

Nick –  Bloop Grung Ranger Special thanks to our guest DM Rena.  You can find more about them over on The Oldways Podcast.  To find more scenarios created by Rina over on DriveThruRpg.

Paris, 1794. It has been five years since the raid on Comte Fenalik’s manor, and a lot has changed in France.  The investigators find themselves once again working in the Paris catacombs where they will meet an even greater threat and an otherworldly ally.

Ian – Keeper Adam – Michel Beaumains – Soldier Ethan – Thierry Renault – Sergeant Joe – Christophe Pressi – Soldier Vince – Joseph Hugel – Provisioner

With repairs completed, the Mercury returns to space only to experience catastrophic warp drive failure. Upon returning to the Star Base 364 for repairs, it becomes immediately clear that engine failure was the least of the Mercury’s problems.

 

Birk- Lenara Maro – Trill medical officer

Sean –Thashiv ch’Tharat – Andorian chief of security

Aaron Carsten – Ensign Platt – Denobulan engineer.

The stakes keep getting higher for agents Faust and Noory.  As more boneless yet still living bodies keep getting discovered, Noory’s medical expertise will be put to the test as he attempts to excise bizarre plant growths from his partner.  Can Faust be saved?  Will the agents have enough time to stop this supernatural threat before more innocents are exposed?  Tune in for this and more in the exciting conclusion to “Driftbone”

Crazon – GM

Adam – Officer Ben Faust

Chris – Paramedic Art Noory

Music Break : Casa Bossa Nova by Kevin MacLeod 

As the Tigris continues on its mission behind enemy lines, a distress call from a Cardassian planet draws the crew into a rebellion and viral epidemic.  

Joe – GM Birk- Lenara Maro – Trill medical officer Sean –Thashiv ch’Tharat – Andorian chief of security Aaron Carsten –Lieutenant Platt – Denobulan engineer.

When the Chieftain’s son does not return from his rite of passage quest in the Devil’s Marsh, brothers Baldun and Tag are tasked with uncovering the youth’s fate.

 

Joe - GM

Adam – Tagh – Hunter

Ethan – Baldun – Warrior

Despite a mistake or two being made, the investigators have acquired enough information to condemn the Comte Fenalik.  With orders direct from Captain Malon, the soldiers are to raid Comte Fenalik’s manor on the night of one of his infamous parties.  

 

Ian – Keeper

Adam – Michel Beaumains – Soldier

Ethan – Thierry Renault – Sergeant

Joe – Christophe Pressi – Soldier

Vince – Joseph Hugel – Provisioner

 

Being on an island full of casualties is bad.  Realizing that the casualties are being looked after by a group of ex-military latent shepherds is worse.  Having the said shepherds cordially inviting you to their base is astronomically worse.

Nick – The Market Brownie – Emmet “Brick” Brickowski Chris – Hollow David – Mr. Hadley Jessie – Convict Rina – Mav

Branson is incarcerated in Michigan. While there to bail him out, again, the Uncles discover something foul in Detroit.

Crazon - GM

Adam - Frank "Doodle" Buttress (The Wronged)

Chris - Branson Martin (The Flake)

David - Tariel (The Divine)