"Dark Reflections" Brings Me Back To The World of Darkness (For Now, At Least)

Folks who've been following my work for a while know that for several years I was an active creator on Storyteller's Vault for a variety of games in both the World of Darkness and the Chronicles of Darkness. Though I stepped back due to financial reasons, I thought that maybe I could dip a toe back in to see if things were worth coming back for. And because it seems I'm not capable of doing things in half measures, the first release I've had on Storyteller's Vault in years is the supplement with the largest word count of anything I've published except for my full RPG Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic.

So if you haven't checked out the 24,000+ word supplement that is Dark Reflections: 50 Sights To See in The Penumbra, do so now while it's still hot off the presses!

Seriously, help push it up to Silver at the very least!

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Delivering On A Promise...

For folks who don't watch the Azukail Games YouTube channel (though you should watch and subscribe if you haven't yet), I made a video for my show Discussions of Darkness a little while back asking viewers what corner of the World or Chronicles of Darkness they'd like to see me tackle. And while there was some back and forth, it was a toss-up between more Changeling, and getting back to Werewolf, the two games I had made the most content for thus far.

In the end, my decision erred toward Werewolf specifically because of how much undiscovered country there still was for me in that game, but also because of the success of my video essay The Problem With Pentex. Because it seemed at a glance that there were a lot of Apocalypse players out there who would be interested in seeing me step back into the Storyteller's Vault fray... and with this supplement I very nearly pulled a creative muscle due to the scope and scale of it. The result, though, I feel speaks for itself.

When I first set out, I wanted to do something similar to my 100 Strange Sights To See In The Hedge for Changeling: The Lost. The idea was that I wanted to put together a guide for Storytellers to draw on to make the Umbra feel like a truly bizarre place, to give their players a sense of unreality, and to bring across how surreal the world of spirit can be. And the first few entries started that way... but they quickly grew into something more.

You see, my thought process was that while some games might go deep into the Umbra, not all of them would. But practically every game of Werewolf will take you into the Penumbra; the area of the spirit world that is pushed right up against the material world, acting as a dark reflection of it in many ways. For context, though, I had to create both the real world location, as well as the location in the Umbra so that the symbolic twisting and expression of the real world would make sense in its spiritual mirror. And once I had those two aspects I wanted to offer a general guide to the kinds of spirits one was likely to find in this place, along with the Denizen. The Denizen is a powerful spirit that is tied to a given location, and it is not something that can just be dispatched; it has claimed this area as a domain, and even if defeated, it will reform again and again unless the source of its power is weakened or eliminated.

Something very similar happened with my 50 Geists supplement a while back. What was meant to be a simple, straightforward list felt a little too anemic for the purpose at-hand, so I expanded on the individual entries and fleshed them out enough that players and/or Storytellers could take the rope and run with it. And, just like the geist list, the word count on Dark Reflections was edging into untenable territory. If I had followed through with my original plan to make a 100-item list then the supplement likely would have crossed into the length of a novel... as it was, it's already well past the minimum word count for a novella.

Which seemed like quite a deal, all things considered.

Should I Stay, Or Should I Go?

From my end of things, I feel this supplement was pretty solid. I haven't done anything for Werewolf: The Apocalypse in a while (and most of my previous contributions can be found in the 100 Kinfolk Bundle, with the addition of Evil Inc.: 10 Pentex Subsidiaries), and I wanted to test the waters to see if this was a good sphere to come back to. Since there were so many folks asking for content that could be used with the 5th Edition, as well as with older editions of the game, I thought this was a solid swing.

But only you all can send a message regarding whether or not this one connects.

So let me tell you how to make it happen.

If you're someone who has enjoyed my WoD/CoD content in the past, go and get yourself a copy of Dark Reflections: 50 Sights To See In The Penumbra. And if you're one of the handful of people who have picked up copies for themselves at time of writing, please leave a rating and a review on DTRPG so that more people find it. Lastly, consider sharing a link to the supplement on your social media pages, and telling your various gaming friends about the supplement... the algorithm is stamping down harder than usual, and it has been all but impossible to make headway as a creator looking to connect with an audience.

And if you haven't checked out all my other supplements for the World and Chronicles of Darkness yet, check out this Pinterest board with links to all 37 of them! From Vampire and Werewolf, to Changeling, Mage, Geist, and even a few general use supplements, I've put quite a lot of work into my contributions for this setting over the years.

If I haven't touched on your favorite game yet, leave a comment below letting me know what you'd like to see me cover! And if you're one of the Wraith players, don't worry, your game is on my to-do list... I just have to find some time to actually read up on it, since I never got a chance to sit down and play it during its heyday.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Ironfire Compact: A Series of Stories in Sundara (That Could Turn Into More)

As folks who've been following me for a while know, I tend to put out a lot of fiction in addition to just writing gaming content. While I have written several novels over the years ranging from my sword and sorcery tale Crier's Knife, to the dystopian sci fi thriller Old Soldiers (perfect for any fans of my Warhammer 40K stories), to the gritty mystery novels about an alley cat in New York city Marked Territory and Painted Cats, I also put out a lot of significantly shorter stories these days. And while most of those short fiction pieces wind up hosted on Vocal.media, a lot of them also get turned into audio dramas over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel.

Today I wanted to talk about one of these upcoming collections of shorts that could, if you all are interested, turn into something more!

Let's get into it, shall we?

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

The Ironfire Compact

I made a video about this a little while ago, but unfortunately not as many folks watch the video updates on the Azukail Games channel as read my blog (though I highly recommend folks do watch this video, and leave their thoughts on this topic to be sure my publisher sees them).

To give you the short version, though, when I started writing TTRPG supplements for my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting, I included little pieces of flash fiction in them to set the scene and give readers something to sink their teeth into. The first book was about Ironfire: The City of Steel, and it told the tale of a mysterious outlander fighting a duel in the city square. And to help promote the supplement, I turned this piece of flash fiction into an audio drama (it's rough, but I stand by it!)

For years that story was just a fun little stand-alone... but when I penned Merchants of Sundara, I decided it might be fun to have a little call back to our mysterious outlander, and why he was in Ironfire in the first place. This led to a follow-up story, Swords and Sand, where we learn that he has ties to this city, and that he's been away on some kind of adventure... and he came back to Ironfire to do more than just visit his uncle at the House of Black Banners.

And since this story was fresh in my mind when I started working on the Phase 4 releases (collections of Whispers and Rumors for each of the major cities released so far), I decided that I was going to expand on the tale of our outlander. As such, the introductory fiction for the Whispers and Rumors releases involves him traveling to each of the major cities, and recruiting someone for his next endeavor. In Ironfire he needed a thief. In Moüd City of Bones he found a necromancer who'd given up his guild status to play guitar in a bar. In Silkgift City of Sails he finds an alchemist struggling with a crippling condition that may just make him an invaluable asset. And in Hoardreach City of Wyrms he mades a deal with a frost giant to help him and his companions find room on her skyship for her next trek, which will take them to Archbliss the Floating City of The Sorcerers.

What is in Archbliss that they need? Well, stay tuned, and you'll find out!

My Question Is... Should I Expand On This?

I started making audio drama versions of the introductory fiction pieces in my supplements as a way to give my publisher some extra content to fill out their YouTube channel, and as a way to put something more interesting as a preview on the DTRPG pages for my supplements. However, there have been some listeners who have spoken up and told me they really love the stories I tell, and the work I put into making these shorts... they just wish I could expand them, and make more out of them.

So, as I asked in the recent Speaking of Sundara update... is this something you'd like to see? Or, well, hear?

If I expand on the Ironfire Compact, would you like to see me write it as a novella, akin to the stories Legacy of Flames and Blightbane's Gambit that Isaiah Burt wrote for Sundara? Would you prefer a much longer audio drama on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, either a bigger, singular episode or something that might be told in multiple episodes? Or would you just like to see references to adventures like this buried inside of future releases for those who want to read between the lines and piece together the stories?

There are a lot of options, here...

If this is a project you'd like to see put on my work desk, then I'd urge you to do the following:

- Pick up copies of the Whispers and Rumors supplements (linked below) along with any other Sundara supplements that catch your eye.

- Watch the audio dramas on the channel, leave comments, and share them around. Also, subscribe if you haven't yet! When numbers go up, the publisher notices.

- Leave comments here, but also on the video I made about the Ironfire Compact, because then I will see them and my publisher will see them, which will let us know people are paying attention.

Again, thanks for stopping in this week, and reading this far. This might be the last time I talk about Sundara for a little while (I have a lot of work to get done on other projects for the near future), but rest assured, I have not forgotten the setting!

Catch Up On "Sundara: Dawn of A New Age"

Cities of Sundara

The setting first began with the Cities of Sundara splats. Self-contained guides to some of the larger and more powerful centers of trade, industry, arms, and magic, these unique locations provide plenty of fodder for character generation and plots. Not only that, but each one comes with unique, mechanical goodies for players and GMs alike to take out for a spin!

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and DND 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

- Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A floating city in the sky, Archbliss has been a refuge for sorcerers for thousands of years. It's only in relatively recent years that the city has allowed those from the ground below who lack the power of a bloodline to join them in the clouds. However, while there are certainly amazing wonders to behold, there is a darkness in Archbliss. Something rotting away at its heart that could, if not healed, bring the city crashing to the ground once more.

Gods of Sundara

- Gods of Sundara (available for Pathfinder and DND 5E): In a world with no alignment, and where the gods are often genuinely mysterious forces that are far too large for mortals to truly comprehend, the divine feels genuinely strange and unknown... something that really does have to be taken on faith. This supplement provides a sample pantheon for Sundara, but also provides instructions on how to easily make your own gods in a world where you can't cast a spell and tell whether someone is good or evil.

Species of Sundara

Sundara is filled with creatures that many of us recognize, but I wanted to give greater depth to their cultures, and a wider variety of options. After all, humans always get 15+ ethnicities, languages, and unique histories, while elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings, etc. are almost always left with footnotes, or maybe with a handful of offshoots. So, in short, I wanted to give all the fantastical creatures the treatment that humans usually get in our games.

And there is no human book yet. If readers demand to know more, then I may sit down to pen one... but I figured that humans didn't need to be front-and-center in this setting just yet.

- Elves of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Elves are one of the most quintessential fantasy creatures... but if you want to see more than just high elves, wood elves, and elves of the sun and moon, then this supplement has you covered!

- Dwarves of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): The children of the primordial giants who were meant to fill in the details of the world they'd made (or so the myths say) there are as many kinds of dwarves as their are kinds of giants... and possibly more, depending on who is keeping count.

- Orcs of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Supposedly a creation of the elves, none can say for certain exactly how or why orcs have been made. What most agree on is that these creatures are far more than most may think at first glance.

- Halflings of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Little cousins to the dwarves, halflings are tough, clever, and not to be underestimated. From living beneath the hills, to taking up residence in the deep forests, halflings in Sundara come in quite a variety!

- The Blooded (Half-Elves and Half-Orcs) [Pathfinder and DND 5E]: When orcs and elves mix their bloodlines with other creatures, the result is one of the Blooded. This inheritance takes many forms, and it can even wait generations before manifesting when the right combination of individuals come together to have a child.

- Gnomes of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Gnomes are strange creatures, found in places where the spirit of the land has coalesced and made children of its own. The sons and daughters of the ancient nymphs, they are the stewards of these places, and they change as often as the weather and the land.

Organizations of Sundara

Phase 3 has been going strong, but there's still a few titles left in it! So if you haven't seen them, consider checking out:

- Sellswords of Sundara: With power structures being smaller in scale in Sundara, standing armies aren't often maintained for long. As such, soldiers of fortune are quite common! This supplement contains 10 mercenary companies, their history, uniform, sample members, whispers and rumors, as well as either an archetype or subclass for playing these unique warriors. Grab your copy for Pathfinder of DND 5E.

- Cults of Sundara: Faith comes in many forms in Sundara, and there are as many gods in the Prim as there are dreams in the minds of people. This supplement contains write-ups for 10 cults, their histories, sample members, rumors about them, their beliefs and tenets, and a unique magic item for each. Get your copy for Pathfinder or DND 5E.

- Guilds of Sundara: While cities and villages may be relatively local, guilds are spread across the length and width of Sundara. From professional orders of skilled miners and dredgers, to monster slayers and bounty hunters, this supplement has 10 guilds with histories, sample members, rumors, as well as unique feats one can take to represent the skill and benefits of joining this order. Available for Pathfinder as well as DND 5E.

- Merchants of Sundara: While city states might be the largest form of government you find in the setting, merchants hold an outsized amount of power. From huge mercantile houses, to small brands infamous for their quality as much as for their price, there are a lot of options listed in this particular world building supplement.

Rumors of Sundara

The newest series of supplements in the setting, these are meant to add to the cities, and to give GMs ideas for plots, or just to provide a little extra grist for the mill in terms of what people are gossiping about!

- Whispers and Rumors For Ironfire, The City of Steel!

- Whispers and Rumors For Moüd, City of Bones!

- Whisper and Rumors For Silkgift, The City of Sails!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Table Talk. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

What Would It Take For You To Check Out "Sundara: Dawn of a New Age"? (Pathfinder & DND Setting)

As regular readers around here know, I've been releasing content for my own fantasy RPG setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age for about four years or so. A supplement-based setting that can be used either on its own, or pulled apart into its component pieces and integrated into your own homebrew world, the idea seemed pretty sound when I first started putting out stuff for it. And while there has been some interest in the setting as the years have gone on, it does seem to have waned over the past year and change.

The question is whether that's a result of changes to the algorithm, or changes in the audience... which is what I'm asking everyone out there to help me with this week.

Such as this one, which is a setting bestseller.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

What Is Sundara, Exactly?

In case this is your first time hearing about it, Sundara: Dawn of a New Age is a setting that's been released for both Pathfinder's first edition, as well as for Dungeons and Dragons' 5th Edition. The setting removes alignment entirely, and simplifies the metaphysical into a single realm referred to as the Prim; a place of raw possibility, where dwell thousands of gods, spirits, and outsiders, and which is the place all magic is drawn from. The setting also attempts to move away from the idea of a backward-looking golden age, and it's intended for players and Game Masters to be able to engage with the world and come up with creative solutions to the problems they face in their adventures.

And, as was mentioned above, the setting has been released in condensed supplements, rather than in a single setting book. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, it really brings home the modular nature of the setting, allowing you to get and use what you want at your tables. Secondly, this is a very small operation from a relatively small publisher; releasing the setting in parts and pieces like this is far more feasible for me to keep working and paying my bills than rolling the dice and hoping I can successfully Kickstart it if and when I get all the parts and pieces assembled over several years of work.

There's also a 50-video series about the setting over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, and you can check them out in the Speaking of Sundara playlist if you wish!

So... What Would Get You Interested in This Setting?

If you want a game, setting, or even a novel series to keep expanding, it needs to have a core audience that supports it so that it can justify its existence to the publisher. And while there's plenty of stuff left that I'd like to explore with Sundara as a setting, I'm trying to get a sense of whether or not there are players out there who would support it... and if you don't support it as it stands now, what is something that could be done to change your mind, and potentially get you to walk through that door?

There are some people reading this post right now (I hope) who don't need to hear any more; they've already interested. For those folks, please scroll down and check out the links to the various Sundara releases that are currently available at the bottom of this post. However, if you're still not entirely sold, or there is something you would need to see in order to get you to check out the setting for yourself, what would do it for you?

For example:

- System Conversions: While available in DND 5E and Pathfinder, do you play a different system that you would like to see a conversion for? Would you like to see the setting converted to Pathfinder's 2nd edition, perhaps? Or Savage Worlds? Even something like Castles and Crusades, for those who enjoy a more niche game?

- Different Products: We currently have setting books, factions, gods, player species, and even tables of Whispers and Rumors to go along with the various cities, as well as novellas set in Sundara... but would you want to see something else? Adventure modules have been discussed as a possibility, for example, but there would need to be a loud demand for them. Would you like to see additional stories? Guides for playing additional species (gargoyles and minotaurs have both been discussed)?

- Actual Plays: While I will be the first to admit that actual plays take a lot of time, energy, and work to put together, that is something that could be possible if there was enough support over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel for it. It might also be possible to run games at conventions, if and when I reach the point where I'm attending events that have a game room once again.

Or is there something else you would like to see from this setting as a player? Villainous factions, perhaps? Lost legends that could lead to additional campaign seeds? Or something else entirely? Leave it in the comments below, or better yet, comment on this video (Speaking of Sundara: Is There Support For The Setting?) to guarantee that my publisher sees your words so we can hear your thoughts loud and clear.

I come to you all this week and ask this because, like I've said in other posts and videos, I do like making content for this setting. I love when players and GMs who've followed it get excited about the new releases... but I'm not psychic. So I'd rather just ask folks what they want to see more of, than to sit here with a crystal ball guessing at shadows. I want people to actually play in the sandbox I'm building, and to try to make that happen, I want to know what it is that's going to get you excited to really dig in!

Catch Up On "Sundara: Dawn of A New Age"

Cities of Sundara

The setting first began with the Cities of Sundara splats. Self-contained guides to some of the larger and more powerful centers of trade, industry, arms, and magic, these unique locations provide plenty of fodder for character generation and plots. Not only that, but each one comes with unique, mechanical goodies for players and GMs alike to take out for a spin!

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and DND 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

- Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers (Pathfinder and DND 5E): A floating city in the sky, Archbliss has been a refuge for sorcerers for thousands of years. It's only in relatively recent years that the city has allowed those from the ground below who lack the power of a bloodline to join them in the clouds. However, while there are certainly amazing wonders to behold, there is a darkness in Archbliss. Something rotting away at its heart that could, if not healed, bring the city crashing to the ground once more.

Gods of Sundara

- Gods of Sundara (available for Pathfinder and DND 5E): In a world with no alignment, and where the gods are often genuinely mysterious forces that are far too large for mortals to truly comprehend, the divine feels genuinely strange and unknown... something that really does have to be taken on faith. This supplement provides a sample pantheon for Sundara, but also provides instructions on how to easily make your own gods in a world where you can't cast a spell and tell whether someone is good or evil.

Species of Sundara

Sundara is filled with creatures that many of us recognize, but I wanted to give greater depth to their cultures, and a wider variety of options. After all, humans always get 15+ ethnicities, languages, and unique histories, while elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings, etc. are almost always left with footnotes, or maybe with a handful of offshoots. So, in short, I wanted to give all the fantastical creatures the treatment that humans usually get in our games.

And there is no human book yet. If readers demand to know more, then I may sit down to pen one... but I figured that humans didn't need to be front-and-center in this setting just yet.

- Elves of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Elves are one of the most quintessential fantasy creatures... but if you want to see more than just high elves, wood elves, and elves of the sun and moon, then this supplement has you covered!

- Dwarves of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): The children of the primordial giants who were meant to fill in the details of the world they'd made (or so the myths say) there are as many kinds of dwarves as their are kinds of giants... and possibly more, depending on who is keeping count.

- Orcs of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Supposedly a creation of the elves, none can say for certain exactly how or why orcs have been made. What most agree on is that these creatures are far more than most may think at first glance.

- Halflings of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Little cousins to the dwarves, halflings are tough, clever, and not to be underestimated. From living beneath the hills, to taking up residence in the deep forests, halflings in Sundara come in quite a variety!

- The Blooded (Half-Elves and Half-Orcs) [Pathfinder and DND 5E]: When orcs and elves mix their bloodlines with other creatures, the result is one of the Blooded. This inheritance takes many forms, and it can even wait generations before manifesting when the right combination of individuals come together to have a child.

- Gnomes of Sundara (Pathfinder and DND 5E): Gnomes are strange creatures, found in places where the spirit of the land has coalesced and made children of its own. The sons and daughters of the ancient nymphs, they are the stewards of these places, and they change as often as the weather and the land.

Organizations of Sundara

Phase 3 has been going strong, but there's still a few titles left in it! So if you haven't seen them, consider checking out:

- Sellswords of Sundara: With power structures being smaller in scale in Sundara, standing armies aren't often maintained for long. As such, soldiers of fortune are quite common! This supplement contains 10 mercenary companies, their history, uniform, sample members, whispers and rumors, as well as either an archetype or subclass for playing these unique warriors. Grab your copy for Pathfinder of DND 5E.

- Cults of Sundara: Faith comes in many forms in Sundara, and there are as many gods in the Prim as there are dreams in the minds of people. This supplement contains write-ups for 10 cults, their histories, sample members, rumors about them, their beliefs and tenets, and a unique magic item for each. Get your copy for Pathfinder or DND 5E.

- Guilds of Sundara: While cities and villages may be relatively local, guilds are spread across the length and width of Sundara. From professional orders of skilled miners and dredgers, to monster slayers and bounty hunters, this supplement has 10 guilds with histories, sample members, rumors, as well as unique feats one can take to represent the skill and benefits of joining this order. Available for Pathfinder as well as DND 5E.

- Merchants of Sundara: While city states might be the largest form of government you find in the setting, merchants hold an outsized amount of power. From huge mercantile houses, to small brands infamous for their quality as much as for their price, there are a lot of options listed in this particular world building supplement.

Rumors of Sundara

The newest series of supplements in the setting, these are meant to add to the cities, and to give GMs ideas for plots, or just to provide a little extra grist for the mill in terms of what people are gossiping about!

- Whispers and Rumors For Ironfire, The City of Steel!

- Whispers and Rumors For Moüd, City of Bones!

- Whisper and Rumors For Silkgift, The City of Sails!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

What Are Your Character's Politics?

"People can't just be doing whatever the hell they want," Lounds said, slapping the top of the wooden table before taking a long drink from his mug. "We live in a society, and that society has rules. If we don't follow those rules, then we ain't any different from animals!"

"Animals don't let their own go hungry," a soft voice said from near the fire.

The tavern grew quiet. The only noise in the place was the crackling of the blaze in the fireplace, and the creak of a stool as Lounds stood. The big man set his mug down carefully, put both his large hands on the table, and looked over at the figure seated there. The badge of the green lion was clear on Lounds' chest, but it seemed that the man sitting near the flames either didn't see it, or had no idea what it meant.

"Not sure I heard you, friend," Lounds said, though it was clear he had. "Would you care to repeat that?"

"Animals don't let their own go hungry," the man said, taking the long pipe out from between his teeth and blowing out a breath. He tapped some ashes into the fire, before setting the pipe on a side table. "Animals protect their own. They don't hoard kills that others could live off. They understand that survival means everyone works together. Animals don't kill indiscriminately. Animals don't put each other in chains. Animals don't abandon their own just because they're old, or lame."

The sound of Lounds grinding his teeth was loud in the room, and the big man's face was turning purple. He was storming around the table, mouth open to say something, when the man by the fire shifted his cloak, and revealed a stubby crossbow pointing straight at Lounds' chest. The blue steel of the bolt gleamed in the light, and those close enough to see recognized its unique, horizontal blade pattern; it was a man-killer shaft.

"Animals don't kill out of cruelty or hate," the man said, slowly turning his face to look at Lounds. The light danced in the stranger's gaze, making it glimmer like a cat's eye in the shadows of his hood. "So why don't you sit back down again, and finish your drink. You can be mad all you want, but I'd rather you keep sucking air into your chest than have to kill you because you forgot how to use your words."

Let's be civilized, and agree to disagree.

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Politics Touches Everything

Now, most of the time when people say they, "Don't want politics in their games," they're talking about things like allegories for current events, or issues that people are struggling with in the real world. I've written about that before on this blog, and I even penned an adventure module titled False Valor which is all about kicking fantasy versions of the Proud Boys in the teeth, for those who were curious where I stood on the matter.

However, that's not what I'm talking about this week. What I'm talking about is what are your character's political opinions about the world they live in? And what do those opinions and beliefs say about them as a person?

Also, for those who are curious, I did touch on this a while back for Discussions of Darkness. It was Episode 14: Politics is an Inherent Part of The World of Darkness over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel.

As an example, does your character come from a society with a strict social hierarchy in place? If so, do they believe that the nobles at the top of the order deserve that position, and that they belong there, because they are the ones best trained to guide the populace? Or does your character believe this inherited power and position leads to moral decay and corruption, and abuse of those beneath them?

Perhaps just as importantly, why does your character believe that? Were they a peasant, or part of the warrior class, who was taught to be proud of their place in the greater machine of their society? Or were they a noble who looked around as their friends and family, and saw with their own eyes how callous and cruel they were precisely because there was no one with power over them to hold them to account for their actions?

Take a moment to consider your character's politics, both in the general, as well as the specific. Do they, for example, believe that kindness is a virtue, and that people should feed the hungry, give to the poor, and that everyone should be cared for? Or do they believe that everyone must earn what they have with the sweat of their own brow, and that to give people things is to devalue those very necessities? Do they believe that the crippled, the old, and the sick should be cared for by the powers-that-be, as that is the mark of a functioning society, or do they feel that such things should be left up to charities, monasteries, and other such organizations? Or if you want to get more specific, does your character support an ongoing war, for one side or the other? What are their opinions and beliefs on taxes? Do they feel that laws regarding drugs or weapons one can possess are inherently controlling, and there should be no limits, or do they believe that some control and regulation is necessary to stop the general population from being endangered?

A person's politics are an extension of their morals and beliefs, so it's important to ask what your character believes in, and what they're willing to do in order to get engaged. Are they someone who will vote in public polls and elections, if they're held? Will they come to a protest? Will they bust heads, and if so, will they do so reluctantly, or do they believe that is the best way to enact political change?

Asking those things can really help you come at your character from a different perspective, and get a sense of just who they are, and how they engage with the power structures of the world.

Lastly, if you enjoyed this entry, consider checking out 100 Questions To Ask About Your Characters along with 100 Dark Secrets to help you flesh out your next character!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Climbing YouTube's Mountain (And Boosting The Signal For Some Other Creators)

As most folks around here know, the Azukail Games YouTube channel finally got monetized at the start of 2025. It was a 3-year struggle to get it to that point, but with all of your help (and a little dash of luck) we managed to get over the hump! However, we don't want to rest on our laurels, so we're trying to push forward to hit our next goals, and to expand beyond where we are now.

That's why this week I wanted to give folks a break down on where we're at, what we're doing, where we'd like to go, and how you can help us make it happen! And after all that, I wanted to give a shoutout to some other channels that could use your help climbing up the mountain as well.

A hand up can make a WORLD of difference.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Where Azukail Games Is, And Where We're Aiming For!

When it comes to YouTube, numbers and statistics mean a lot to you as a creator. At time of writing we're just shy of 1,600 subscribers (tiny in terms of the platform, but really impressive for us as a very small channel), and our video views garner roughly $25 - $35 a month on average.

It's definitely not nothing... but we've got a lot of room to grow! I also talked about the process a little while back on an episode of Tabletop Mercenary, for those who are curious.

Where would we like to go, though? What is a reasonable, achievable goal? Well, I have some ideas.

What I would love to pull off is, by the end of 2025, to have the channel's subscriber count up to at least 2,000 people. 3,000 would be amazing, but I'm trying to set some reasonable expectations. And, ideally, I'd like to double the amount of videos getting seen so that we can bring in a minimum of $50 a month from our views.

More would be nice, but again, I'm trying to keep things reasonable.

What's my plan for making that happen, you might ask? Well, first and foremost, I aim to keep our current content going on a fairly regular schedule. That means more episodes of the shows Speaking of Sundara (where I talk about the Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting for DND 5E and Pathfinder), Discussions of Darkness (where I talk about the World/Chronicles of Darkness setting and games to provide insight for those running and playing them), Tabletop Mercenary (where I talk about the behind-the-scenes aspects of working in the TTRPG field), Tactical Plastic Report (where I talk about my RPG Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic), as well as the audio dramas and short stories that regularly go up on the channel.

You can't get new results just doing the same thing, though, so I have some additions to this plan!

First and foremost, I'm still plotting additional video essays (since The Problem With Pentex blew up so big, and is the main reason we're currently monetized). The next one I have on the list is going to be regarding Radio Free Fae, which is an aspect of Changeling: The Lost that I feel often gets overlooked. And that particular video essay ties neatly into the upcoming audio drama podcast (which will be backed up on the channel) Windy City Shadows! The first season of this show is going to put us squarely into the world of Changeling, and if the first season goes over well, then I intend to do at least 2-3 more.

If you're interested in the show, then check out the AMA I did for it a little while back!

What Can You Do To Help Make These Things Happen?

If you want to help keep the Azukail Games channel going, and you want to make sure I can bring these projects to fruition, the two main things you can do are subscribe to the channel, and actually watch the content we make. While we have nearly 1,600 subscribers, new videos barely break 100 views most of the time... which is a problem, because the views are what earn us ad revenue. The subscriber count, bu contrast, is what lets the algorithm know that we're growing, so it should kick our videos out to more people.

Both of these are necessary, and we really need to increase the numbers on them!

But what if you're already subscribed to the Azukail Games YouTube channel, and you already watch our videos regularly? Well, you can hit the bell to make sure you get notifications, which will make sure you don't forget about us, and that our new videos show up on your feed. You can also leave comments of at least 7 words on our videos, because that's the number of words the algorithm needs to kick into gear. Lastly, share our video links on your social media platforms to help boost our signal... you might only be able to watch a video once, but if you've got 10, 50, or even 100 folks on your friends list, or in a FB group, discord, or subreddit that would like to check it out, that can make a big difference for someone that's still in the minor leagues on the platform.

As always, thank you in advance. Without you checking out the stuff we make, we wouldn't be able to make it.

A Few Other Channels You Should Check Out!

Before I go today, I wanted to give a shout out to some other folks on YouTube who could use a bit of a signal boost. My hope is that folks reading this can lend a helping hand, and give a few other creators a much-needed boost!

#1: Owen KC Stephens

For folks not familiar with the name, Owen KC Stephens is a fellow whose name is on a wide variety of RPG projects. Perhaps best-known for Pathfinder and Starfinder, he's been doing this at least twice as long as I have, and most folks refer to him as the favored uncle of the RPG space. He struggled recently with a cancer diagnosis, then beat the cancer, but is still fighting to pay down debt, cover bills, and keep his prescriptions filled.

He's got more than enough subscribers to get the channel monetized... but you can always use a few more. So stop in, watch some of his videos, leave some comments, and see if a sharp spike in his figures will help his YouTube presence!

#2: KHR Arts

If Alice looks (or sounds) familiar to some folks, it's because she's been in several of the videos over on the Azukail Games channel in the past. KHR arts is her video gaming channel, and it's packed full of Minecraft, classic SNES games, and more that can just be fun to listen to and relax. She has sort of the opposite problem of a lot of folks, though, in that she has plenty of views, but she's really having a hard time hitting the subscriber count (she's just past 600 at time of writing, and needs 1,000 to get fully monetized). So drop by KHR Arts and subscribe... and go through the archive while you're there!

And if you're more of a writer and board game enthusiast, you should also go by her second channel Alice The Author, which is full of unboxings, book reviews, and advice for folks who want to make a living as creative professionals.

#3: Altered State Adventures

Folks who know me know that I have a soft spot for the grim darkness of the far future. Forever and a day ago I wrote a story about a long-forgotten knight, and his return to the fray with a new pilot on a world that had forgotten him, and which had fallen into barbarism and darkness. If you never got a chance to read Broken Heroes, I'd highly suggest you check it out, along with my other stories over on Vocal... and then go subscribe to Altered State Adventures, and check out some of their audio dramas (including their production of my story) because they are a lot of fun to listen to!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Dungeon Design Tips: Ticking Time Clocks, And Wizard Bullets

There is a common complaint among many Game Masters that players ride roughshod over their dungeons and encounters without any serious challenge. Things are just too easy, and there's rarely any real risk to them. However, once Game Masters start pulling back the curtain, it becomes clear they're leaving out an important aspect of the game... namely, that sometimes things need to be done quickly.

For more installments of this series, check out:

- Consider Removing Doors From Your Dungeon

- Combine Combat With Traps

- Cover, Firing Lines, and Dynamic Arenas

- Antagonist Action Economy (Never Fight Just One BBEG)

- Pay Attention To The Environment

Seriously, it makes a difference...

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

A Timer Makes A Big Difference!

Now, before we get going on this, it's important to remember that not all events should have a ticking time clock on them. Sometimes the party should be allowed to take their time, explore, and go at their own pace. However, time should be treated as a resource in an RPG, and like any resource it should be finite. Not only that, it should be more finite in particular instances than others as a way of creating additional challenge.

For some examples, consider the following situations:

- The party must reach the heart of the Shrine of Eternal Storms... but it is only ever accessible for 3 days out of a year. If they fail in their quest, they will either need to escape and wait another year, or they will be trapped inside!

- A jailbreak is happening tonight! They need to get themselves, and a specific fellow prisoner, out... preferably before the guards realize what's happening!

- A force of the dread warlock Al-Kazir is approaching the ruins with the intent to seize the Bloodstone. They need to get it first, otherwise it will fall into his hands... then there may be no way to stop him and his legions if that happens!

While there are just a few broad strokes, you get the idea. It's not just that the party has to fight their way through a dungeon, or explore a dangerous crypt, or acquire a certain relic... it's that they don't have the luxury of time. This means that they will have to make choices based on the sand falling through the hourglass as much as anything else, and it will likely lead to some hard decisions.

We don't have time for this...

As an example, the smart thing to do in a dungeon is to carefully check every inch of the floor for traps... but if you have enemy forces closing on your position, you don't have the luxury of crawling along the floor and fiddling with every door. So now the rogue is rushing the job, or alternatives methods are used. Does the barbarian or the fighter bulldoze their way down a hallway, counting on toughness or armor to save them from the worst of the trap's damage? Or does the necromancer take one of her least-robust servants, walking the undead down the hall to trigger any tripwires or slicing blades, sacrificing the zombie in order to gain a few precious minutes of efficiency?

The same is true of combat situations in the dungeon. While a party might normally decide to clear a dungeon room by room, fighting anything that resists them, that can turn into a slog, and use a lot of resources that requires members to rest, recuperate, and replenish themselves. Alternatively, the party might like to try diplomacy and negotiation, but such tactics can be unreliable at best, and they often eat into the amount of time one has allotted. Does the press of minutes mean that the characters embrace stealth or guile instead? Perhaps attempting to sneak in without being seen, getting close to their goal and rushing out before they can get caught? Or do they attempt to blend in, don the uniforms and forms of creatures or warriors who should be present in this place, avoiding battle as much as possible in order to get what they came for and get out?

These are the kinds of pivots and changes that can be made when players don't have time to rush in, face first, sword swinging, before retreating half a dozen times to try again the next day once they've had 8 hours of rest, a Gatorade, and a chance to replenish all their spells and class features.

This is Where The Wizard Bullets Come In

Vancian magic is the dominant form of magic in Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and similar games. Characters start the day with a certain amount of spells, and even if you aren't a spellcaster per-se, you often have a class feature or power that has a pool of points or resources (a cleric's channel energy, an alchemist's bombs and extracts, a monk's ki pool, a swashbuckler's panache, and so on) that runs out as you use them. This acts kind of like the bullets in a gun, which means that spellcasters and similar characters are extremely dangerous as long as they still have ammunition, but once they run out of their resources, they have a serious problem.

The problem arises when players have no time limit on their activities, and there's no penalties for rushing in, empting their magazines (so to speak), and then retreating to rest and recharge before coming in fresh. Because the challenge of these games is set up in such a way that a party should go through between 3 and 5 encounters between when they first loaded up to fight, and when they are supposed to be drained of their abilities.

By putting a time constraint on your players, you eliminate them retreating and "reloading" after every single encounter (or only a small handful of them), thus forcing them to conserve their resources and make tougher decisions about where they're going to use their powers, and how they're going to handle things going forward.

Oh balls... Guys, I think I'm tapped out!

For example, does the sorcerer really want to cast a spell just because it's their turn? Or will they use a wand or a scroll that will still be a helpful contrinbution to the battle while keeping their own powers in reserve? Does this battle really warrant the barbarian using their Rage, or can they handle this with their raw, brute strength and clever maneuverability? Does the ranger want to use their special arrows on this fight, or should they save those for the upcoming boss fight, knowing they only have a handful of them?

Because if players know, academically, they're on a time crunch they are going to get a lot more creative with their resources. Not only that, but they're going to really ask whether it's worth pulling the trigger when they only have so many rounds in the magazine... or should they just let the fighter with the greatsword handle it, even if it means the spellcaster has to wait a round or two while the martials mop up the rest of the battle?

If your players can just go in, guns blazing with no repercussions for walking back out and taking 24 hours to rest and recuperate to get themselves fully locked and loaded before wading back in... well, that's certainly going to undermine your threat and danger. But if they know they have to do all of this in one go, and the only resources they have are the ones they bring in the door with them, that's going to be a very different (and usually much more tense) adventure.

Additional Recommended Reading

If you enjoyed this piece, then I would recommend checking out 100 Tips And Tricks For Being A Better Game Master, along with the companion piece 100 Tips For Being A Better RPG Player. Both of these supplements have been quite popular, and they collect some of the best field-tested tips that have been covered on this blog over the years!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Crunch post! To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!