Dungeon Design Tips: Ensure There Are Ways To Deal With Environmental Challenges and Penalties

In one of the earlier installations of this series, Pay Attention To The Environment, I mentioned that a lot of the time Game Masters forget that there are actual environmental hazards that exist in a lot of the dungeons we create. Everything from toxic air, to deadly temperatures, to inclement weather is a possibility, and all of these things provide a unique flavor and challenge to a particular dungeon.

However, I wanted to provide a late caveat to this advice. Namely that these hazards and difficulties should have some way for player characters to deal with them, and that they shouldn't just exist as a blanket middle finger. Because giving players the chance to do something clever (or to find the resources to deal with the hazard in the dungeon itself) will let them feel accomplished, and like they earned something. If they can't do anything about it, they'll just feel like they're being punished.

There will still be times where there's not much to be done... but those should be used sparingly whenever possible.

Anyone else's lungs tingling? I feel like there's something in the air down here...

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!

Hazards Need Solutions (So They Don't Feel Like Punishments)

Let's take a moment to present a concrete example of what I'm talking about here. Your party needs to cross a room. A low fog bank hides the floor, as well as the places where there's weak spots, or outright holes. The idea is that the party cannot see the places they're treading on until it's too late. Whether this is meant to be a tense room to cross, or there are monsters they have to fight while dealing with this hazard, it's meant to represent an area of challenge.

Now, players could just bite the bullet, rush in, and hope they pick the proper path through the mist, trusting on their reflexes and abilities to save them from serious harm. But there should be some way to dispel the mist, even if it's for a limited period of time. When it comes to solutions, there are usually a couple of options... but most of them boil down to:

- Player Abilities: One or more of the characters has a feature that allows them to bypass a particular obstacle or hazard.

- Environmental Off-Switch: There is something in or near the hazard itself that allows the player characters to either reduce the penalty, or remove it either entirely or for a period of time.

- Loot-Based: There is a piece of gear or loot somewhere in the dungeon that will allow players to overcome the current hazard, or greatly reduce its efficacy.

Now, ideally, a Game Master should have some combination of all three solutions present to ensure there's always a way to deal with the obstacle in front of them.

I wonder if the pocket watch we found has something to do with this...

Let's return to the example of the mist-covered floor, and the hazards it's concealing. I'm going to use Pathfinder examples because it's the system I know best.

 

Now, for the first solution, let's say someone is playing a Burn Rider barbarian archetype, which gives them the extraordinary ability Cindersight. This allows them to see through smoke, fog, and mist as if it's not there, provided they have enough light to see otherwise. So at least one character can just see where the holes in the floor are, as well as the enemies who are lurking within the mist. Now, that character could just dictate to the other members of the party where the hazards are, and what routes are safe, which partially solves the problem, but it doesn't negate the concealment for enemies like iron cobras (or just regular cobras) lurking in the fog... for anyone other than the barbarian, at least. Alternatively, a spellcaster could use something simple like gust of wind to blow away the mist, revealing what's beneath it... for a time, at least.

But say there's an environmental off-switch. Perhaps there are grates that could be forced open with a high Strength check (once they're found), and they will suck the mist away. Perhaps smashing out a boarded up window would naturally allow in sunlight and wind, dispersing the mist. Or if the mist is being generated by a magic item like an eversmoking bottle, capping it would naturally cut off the mist and allow what already exists to dissipate. Ideally an environmental off-switch is something any character should be able to interact with, but it likely requires some variety of danger to accomplish, or a particular ability (like the high Strength to flip the switch) in order to make the arena safe.

Lastly, there's a loot-based solution. Ideally an item will exist somewhere else in the dungeon before the hazardous room, and players should face some kind of difficulty in order to acquire it. As an example, say there was an encounter with several cultists, and their cult leader in a previous room. Players who slay them might find their enemies were wearing Goz masks, which among other things allow the wearer to see through smoke and mist (it's also a heinously expensive item, but it will work for this example). Alternatively, the party might find scrolls of spells like gust of wind, ensuring that even if that spell is not on the casters' lists, or they didn't prepare it today, they still have the resource needed to deal with this hazard.

Don't worry... I've got this.

Incorporating this design philosophy does several things for you as a Game Master. First and foremost, it makes your dungeons feel more like a puzzle that needs to be solved, and players who go in prepared may find that they can save themselves a lot of time, energy, and effort... but if it turns out they don't have the abilities to bypass a particular challenge, they can still choose to brute force it (likely risking serious harm to their characters in the process), or they can examine the area to find a solution to the problem.

Ideally, you want your players to be thinking, observing, and treating your arenas like organic parts of the world, rather than as pass/fail locations where you either brought the correct solution with you, or you have to pay a pound of flesh to get past. Also, as a bonus for players who are willing to get really stuck in, it's also possible that denizens of the dungeon may know of ways to get past difficult areas, or they can turn off particular hazards for the party, assuming the party bribes, threatens, or performs the proper social interaction. As I said in Monsters Don't Have To Be MONSTERS, encouraging social interactions with various creatures can really keep your players on their toes!

Also, for those who would like to see this philosophy at-work, consider checking out my own adventures A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn (for Pathfinder) and The Price of Iron (for Dungeons & Dragons 5E).

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 the dark sci fi channel I contribute stories to, The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

You Have My Permission To Play How You Want (In Case You Need It)

When people first get into roleplaying games, it can feel like diving into a deep and chaotic sea. There's all the rules, builds, combinations, and mechanical options, but there's also the lore, roleplaying, history, and setting. It can all feel like one giant mishmash, and that can be overwhelming for a lot of players. And it's for that reason that a lot of players (and a lot of Game Masters) tend to stick to archetypes, stereotypes, and classic interpretations. It's sort of like strapping on a life preserver... you're still in the sea, but you've got some support to help stop you from getting lost in the sauce.

However, a lot of the time we can cling to these interpretations, even when the frameworks we were using to support our ideas instead start limiting our ideas. Which is why I wanted to take a moment to do something sort of silly, but which might be helpful for some folks.

You have my permission to be weird. To be creative. Anything you come up with that doesn't violate the letter of the rules, or your GM's edicts for the campaign, is fair game. So go, and be free!

The only limitations are your mind, and the consent of your table.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my 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!

Who Am I (And Why Does My Permission Matter?)

First and foremost, I am just a guy on the Internet who writes about games. I have also been writing for RPGs for something like 14 years or so now, and a lot of the titles I've put out on the market like 100 Tips For Being A Better RPG Player or 100 Questions To Ask About Your Characters are meant to help players make the most out of their time at the table. However, it's my Unusual Character Concepts series (and the reactions to it) that reminded me to reach out to players who might be hesitating this week.

For folks who haven't checked out my articles like The Hedge Knight or The Janissary, the basic idea of this series is to come up with unusual or unexpected twists on character classes and stories to create something new, unique, and fun. And a lot of folks comment that they hadn't thought of a class in those terms before, or how this background makes something they thought was boring and buttoned up into a much more interesting concept.

There are some players, and even some Game Masters, who aren't used to swimming without that life preserver on. Because while it keeps you safe, it also limits you in a lot of ways. Creative freedom can feel risky, but it can also feel liberating... but sometimes you just need a little reminder of your power. A little push in the right direction.

And I'm happy to give folks a pressure valve.

Because you have always had the power. You can do anything you want when you explore your imagination. However, it can sometimes feel like you're doing something wrong when you step off the well-trodden path. Whether you want to make a Beer Brewing Witch, or a Fire and Brimstone Cleric, you can do all that without even twisting the rules of the game.

So go forth, be weird, and if you'd like even more suggestions, then check out the rest of the Unusual Character Concepts list for yourself!

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 the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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 A.L.I.C.E. Files" Had Our First AMA, And We're Gearing Up For Season 2!

We're coming up on a year since I started putting together the trailer and first episode for The A.L.I.C.E. Files, the audio drama series I launched on YouTube in partnership with Alice Liddell which is best described as Alice in Wonderland pushed through the filter of The X-Files. It's been a year of learning a bunch of new audio and video editing tricks, writing scripts, plotting the overarching story, and trying to reach out to find an audience who is willing to dive into the world of these strange stories to see where it is we're going.

We recently finished Season 1, and we're digging into episodes for Season 2, I wanted to let folks know that we put together an Ask Me Anything to wrap up our initial collection of stories. I also wanted to take a moment to talk to folks who made it this far, because we really need your help in keeping this project going right now.

Don't worry, we aren't asking for money. We just need you to click a few buttons on our behalf... shouldn't take more than 30 seconds or so, and it would make a huge difference to us!

So come on in, and let's see if our tales can entice you!

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!

Answering Some Questions (And Making A Simple Request)

To begin at the beginning, after the Season 1 finale we first put out a video from Director Harrington, asking as many folks to give us their questions and curiosities as possible. And while we did have to prod a couple members of our audience, we did get quite a selection of queries when all was said and done!

And once we had all of those questions (and we collected a few others from social media posts and the comment sections of our other videos) Alice and I sat down in front of the camera and decided to give our viewers what they wanted... as best we could, at any rate!

While we're making good progress (in my opinion, at least), we've got a long way to go before YouTube actually starts sharing revenue with us... and that is where the favor I have to ask comes in.

For folks who don't know, when I proposed this YouTube collaboration between Alice and myself about a year ago, my hope was that we'd be able to get the YouTube channel monetized, and that we could turn it into a legitimate source of income. These things take time, but my hope was that after a season of stories we'd have built up some momentum, and we'd be close to hitting a couple of goals. If it took us a little longer, well, that was okay, because we had plenty of time and ideas to go through.

Well... it turns out that time is something that isn't actually on our side anymore.

First and foremost, to get a channel partially monetized (which gives you access to super fan tips, subscriptions, etc.), YouTube requires you to have 500 subscribers, and 3,000 watched hours in a single 365 day span. To get a channel fully monetized (which is all the previous stuff and you now get a cut of the ad revenue on your videos) YouTube requires you to have 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 watched hours of content in a single 365 day span.

At time of writing we have 396 subscribers, and somewhere around 2,100 watched hours. So if we keep a steady pace, we should clear that first hurdle by the end of 2026... unfortunately, things are changing in January 2027.

And it is giving us a MASSIVE headache...

I wrote about this over on my sister blog The Literary Mercenary in the post Thanks To YouTube's Recent Announced Changes, The A.L.I.C.E. Files Needs Your Help!, but if you didn't see it, the short version is that YT is doubling the amount of watched hours it takes to get fully monetized. So instead of 4,000 hours (which already takes something going at least a little viral to actually clear), you'll now need 8,000 hours in a single 365 day span... or 22 hours a day, every day, without fail, for an entire goddamn year!

If that sounds like they're just trying to avoid ever paying smaller creators a part of the revenue the site rakes in from advertising... yeah, that's basically what's going on.

And while that is bad enough, there's even more difficulties on our horizon. Because the real Alice is being forced to relocate herself rather rapidly, and moving on practically no notice is expensive. I gave the details on how folks can help in Author and RPG Designer Alice Liddell Is Moving, And Really Needs Our Help To Make It Happen!, however, the short version is that she needs as many income streams as she can possibly get to try to land on her feet.

So if you want to make sure this project gets to at least finish the second season, and that we can keep the lights on and food in the cabinets, please go to The A.L.I.C.E. Files on YouTube, subscribe to the channel, and give Season 1 a watch! Because if we can get at least 104 more subscribers, and just under 1,000 more hours, we'll at least be able to eke out enough to keep telling more stories in the short-term.

Thank you in advance to everyone who can help. We're strained to our seams over here at the moment, but I'm hoping that if we call the banners we can get enough folks to rally behind us that we can storm YouTube's battlements, and actually make them share the bounty that we're earning!

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 more involved audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

Author and RPG Designer Alice Liddell Is Moving, And Really Needs Our Help To Make It Happen

First and foremost, I wanted to apologize to folks. Things have been truly hectic on my end of the screen, with a lot of people in my circles having to pull stakes and get out of their current situation in a hurry. And one of those people is my partner and co-creator Alice Liddell. She is facing a serious uphill battle, she needs to move quickly, and could really use some help to make the ends meet on this rope trick.

I know money is tight for everyone right now, so let me say this up front. If you have money you can lend to the cause, please do that. But if your belt is tight, there are things you can do that don't cost a single red cent that will help. The full list is below, but please, if you've read this far, we need as many hands on deck as possible, and in whatever capacity you can.

Thank you in advance to everyone out there. It really means a lot to us.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my 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!

Here's How You Can Help

 

I'll get right to the point this week. We are facing a lot of expenses, and a lot of bills to make this happen. And while Alice and myself are cranking out as much content as we can for folks' enjoyment, it hasn't made us wealthy. And if you want to help get her settled in a safe place of her own where she can keep writing books, streaming, and recording more audio dramas for folks' enjoyment, please take a look at the following list.

If You Just Want To Donate Money

 

This is the most direct way to help ensure that Alice has cash in-hand to pay bills and cover costs. If you just want to give Alice a little extra money to cover costs (even if it's just a couple bucks), then go to her Ko-Fi page, and send a small donation.

If You'd Like To Buy Some Coffee

 

In addition to a Ko-Fi page (which is a place that people can go to just give Alice a tip), she also has a partnership with Bones coffee. Given that massive layoffs were just announced in the trucking industry, and the fact that the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, it might be best to have enough bags of brown joy on-hand to last you a month... or two... or six.

 

So go through Alice's link, buy some Bones, and you'll get tasty coffee, while she gets her affiliate payment.

If You'd Like To Buy Some Books

Alice writes a lot of books, and she's got a little something for every taste. From Succumb To Darkness, which is about vampires during the French Revolution, to Geisha Hands, which is a historical novel which she also illustrated about a geisha's life in Japan, there are a lot of options. Check out her main Amazon author page (as well as her secret Little Alice author page which has even more books) and grab something for your next read. Kindle is good if you don't mind digital, but if you get a physical copy she can sign it for you if you run into us at an event!

If You'd Like To Check Out Her RPG Supplements

Like myself, Alice has also published several titles through Azukail Games. So if you're one of the regular RPG folks who come to this blog, I'd recommend taking a look at her titles:

- 100 Stat Boost Potion Recipes (this one goes deep, and I'd highly recommend it)

- 100 Flowers and Trees Sure To Boost Your Stats

- 100 Avian Beasts

- 100 Witches

- 100 Dangerous Plants

While I can recommend each of these titles, I will say that if you want to get all of them we should have a bundle deal coming out for them soon. If you just want one or two, though, it's a good idea to pick them up sooner rather than later!

Free Things You Can Do To Help

The previous sections are all things that are guaranteed to put cash in Alice's hands relatively quickly, and in a lot of circumstances you also get a tasty bit of merch. But if you want to go the extra mile (or you just don't have the extra money to spare for the other options right now), then please do the following things:

- Subscribe to Alice's gaming YouTube channel KHR Arts (she needs 17 more subscribers to cross the monetization minimum, and then all she has to worry about are the watched hours before it starts paying her every month).

- Subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files (this is the ongoing audio drama series she and I have been working on. We're only 109 subscribers and 1,000 hours of watched content away from unlocking the initial monetization options, which would allow us to start earning with that channel).

- Subscribe to Alice The Author (this is Alice's channel where she talks about being an author, and you could subscribe to all 3 of her channels for the hat trick. This one is only 43 subscribers away from the initial payout level, and only needs 1,000 hours and change to cross that goal, thanks to a recent semi-viral video).

- Follow Alice on Instagram, and interact with her posts (Instagram is one of the only social media sites where she was/is monetized, but she's been effectively shadow banned for being too LGBTQ+ friendly. So let's boost her numbers, and force the algorithm to give her the exposure she needs to get paid)!

- Follow Alice on Twitch (she hasn't been streaming since the basement flooded, which was the inciting incident that has led to the current troubles... but she'll be back to it as soon as she's in a space where she can, and having a bigger audience waiting for her would be pretty nifty).

All Your Help Is Deeply Appreciated

It feels like every time we turn around there's another creator, artist, or community that's in desperate need of help. So if you've read this far (especially if you did at least a few of the things I listed above), thank you. Every little bit helps, as the old saying goes, and we're just doing our best to roll with the punches... but this one is an uppercut, and it's got us seeing stars.

So again, thank you.

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 the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

A New Worldbuilding Supplement Just Dropped... What Should I Add Next?

One of the primary joys for a lot of folks who sit in the big chair is crafting their own world, and building a sandbox for their players to explore. However, even the best Game Masters sometimes need a bit of a push in the right direction to grease the wheels, which is why a while back I released the supplement 100 Worldbuilding Questions To Ask For A Fantasy City, since I've spent so much time the past several years putting together cities and figuring out all the little tricks to make them feel truly organic.

Well, that supplement received enough positive attention from readers that I thought it deserved a sequel... so I decided to follow-up on one of the other ideas I originally posed with 100 Worldbuilding Questions To Ask About Fantasy Faiths!

Which you should absolutely pick up if you haven't, yet!

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my 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 Worldbuilding Topic Should I Cover Next?

For folks who read my older post, My First Worldbuilding Supplement Just Dropped... Should I Make This A Series?, this might feel a bit like Second Verse Same As The First. After all, in that post I was asking you all, as my readers, what kind of topics you'd like to see me cover in future supplements in this vein. However, I wanted to add a bit of a twist with this update... especially since I haven't decided where I'm going to go just yet, so the floor really is open!

The questions I have for you as my readers are short and simple:

- What topic would you like to see? (legends, nations, outposts, noble families, etc.)

- What genre would you like to see? (more fantasy, some sci fi, perhaps even a horror supplement?)

That's it!

The first two entries in this series have been fantasy, but that's mostly because fantasy is the genre that a lot of RPG ideas get tested in for me before I port them to other genres. And I know there are a lot of sci fi and horror lovers out there who follow my work, but I also know there might be folks who want to see me tackle something else... worldbuilding questions to ask about a noir mystery, for example? Just to change things up?

Mostly, I'm just looking for your input. So if you have thoughts, leave them in the comments below with your answers to the above questions. Or, even better, buy a copy of 100 Worldbuilding Questions To Ask For A Fantasy City or 100 Worldbuilding Questions To Ask About Fantasy Faiths, and leave a comment in the review of that supplement! Because if you do that my publisher will see it, and I'm certain to hear about it!

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 the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

How Is Your Party Connected?

The dread necromancer Elara Shann, wreathed in funerary black. Kurdack Deadhand, a hulking orc-blooded brigand that's Wanted in seven nations. Litana Veil, Voice of the Queen of Shadows. Vor, the red-skinned devil speaker born from the ancient Rite of Conjunction beneath the darkened moon. While each of these characters might be interesting on their own, each with their own backstories like what you'd find in The Small Legend, it's important to ask how it is they all know one another, and what brings them together in this endeavor?

Because that knowledge can make your campaign go a lot more smoothly... and sometimes it can be funny as hell!

It has been some time, my old friend. I suppose I have one more adventure in me.

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!

Who Are You Adventuring Beside... And Why?

Campaigns take a wide variety of forms. From glorified bank heists, to tracking down dangerous bounties, to fighting cults and stopping ancient prophecies, so-called adventurers tackle all sorts of deadly tasks that are beyond the skills of any single individual. The question you should ask, though, is when you need to deal with a dragon problem, or root out a roost of manticores, who are you going to ask to come along on this errand with you?

Because that can be an interesting story all on its own!

Ragnar, you old sot! Remember that favor you said you owed me...?

On the one hand, we can have the vague, fill-in backstories to justify the party coming together. Perhaps a local lord put out the word for adventurers to deal with an infestation of the undead, the party were all taken captive by slavers and they band together to free themselves, or they all happened to be in the local tavern when something happened that required them to leap into action. And if the players around the table are willing to take the plot hooks dangled in front of them, this can work fairly well.

But consider what additional story could be made by creating the bonds between the characters in order to create extra context and story. For folks who don't usually try this method, the best way to do this is by examining what things the characters have in common, or what things might act as a bond between them.

As an example, consider a party where all the characters have a missing father. Maybe that was done intentionally, and maybe it wasn't, but it's a commonality with them. Is it possible that all of them have the same father, and they're looking for him? If you want to play into a silly stereotype, said father might be a wandering bard who moved on from town before realizing his previous partners had fallen pregnant. And each of his children has a very different tale to tell, from the half-elf wizard whose mother described him as learned and quick, to the half-orc fighter whose was told her father was a fierce champion with a battle cry that could banish fear and a rage that couldn't be matched, to the farm girl paladin who was told her father was the most handsome man who ever graced the village, and that he'd sung the dead back into their graves when they wouldn't lie still. Each tale is true, in its way, but each paints the man in a very different light... and when the siblings find each other, they have a chance to find more than just their absent father. Bonus points for him being the BBEG of the game!

Come my children... join me, and together we can rule!

Things don't have to be so explicit and overlapping, of course. Characters might have an individual connection to one another, and it becomes a game of tag along. For instance, one character might be a noble born wizard, and when attacks from raiders harry the border of his family's lands, he's bound by honor and duty to go stop it. However, he knows going alone is a death sentence, so he asks his father's Mistress of The Hunt to come with him. The ranger understands the danger, so she reaches out to a warrior she served with in the army. The fighter has a bit of a limp and several scars, but he agrees to come with on one condition... the wizard gets a pardon for his half brother. The half-elf rogue has been rotting in jail for months, but jumps at a chance at freedom, even if it's a dangerous one... and his partial sibling will be keeping an eye on him the whole time.

In this scenario, all the characters are still highly motivated to deal with the problem that's been presented, and each of them has a connection to at least one other player character that's strong enough to solidify them as a member of the party. However, this still allows them to form impressions, roleplay organically, and come together as a closer group by the time the initial challenge is done with... and that bond likely means that when they uncover a deeper threat, or a new problem rears its head, the party will saddle up once more to handle business.

This Is One Of The More Fun Parts of The Game

A lot of players don't go through this stage of the story, they just create their characters in a vacuum and expect them to come together when it's a necessity... but a lot of the time this leads to friction and problems because players had different ideas and visions for how the game was going to go. That can all be avoided by sitting down and adding a little extra polish to the story.

For instance, does one player have a barbarian character who loathes spellcasters, and another player is bringing a sorcerer? Well, figuring out a way to make that less of an issue before the dice hit the mat can be an interesting challenge. For instance, does the barbarian believe the sorcerer was touched by the gods because he was there when their bloodline manifested, so that character is an exception in his mind? Do both characters want revenge on the same person, so they've agreed to work together until that goal is achieved before they settle their differences? Are they actually related, and no matter how much it twists the barbarian's gut, it is dishonorable in the extreme to slay one's own kin?

Getting your table into these little story writing sessions, and finding answers that gets everyone excited for the game, is a great way to start off your first session with a bit of momentum, and I highly recommend folks at least try this method out if it isn't a part of your Session 0 setup yet!

Lastly, if you'd like to check out some supplements of mine that can help with chiseling out the details on your character, consider taking a look at:

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: Picking a direction and putting gas in the tank, this supplement helps you figure out what they want, and even why they want it.

- 100 Questions To Ask About Your Characters: Everything from what their favorite food is, to what kind of partner they'd like to marry, and even how they want to die, there's a lot of questions in here!

- 100 Dark Secrets: If your character is holding something close to their vest, something that could change the way people perceive them, this supplement can get your imagination flowing.

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 the dark sci fi saga of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

A Late Patron Shout Out (And 2 DTRPG Bundles For Good Causes)

I wanted to start off this Monday's post with an apology. August was one hell of a month, and a lot of stuff slid through the cracks... including my regular monthly shout-out for my patrons who are at the appropriate level! So I wanted to offer my apologies, as well as my continued thanks to:

- Chris Dundon (To Valhalla, my friend!)

- Brenton Ayres (You're doing more than your part to keep the wheels turning!)

- Tracy Bailey-Mathews (Hopefully some of what I write is helping with the campaign!)

- Joy Von Holle (One of my oldest and most appreciated supporters on this list!)

My patrons are what make these blogs possible... so if you want to make sure I keep putting out fresh posts, consider heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page, and consider making a pledge today. Or, if you don't want a subscription, consider tossing a tip into my jar on The Literary Mercenary's Ko-Fi page instead!

No pressure, though...

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my 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!

And Now, A Pair Of Bundles You Should Really Check Out!

An unfortunate trend we've been seeing a lot with RPGs lately is tragedy befalling many of our creators. And since we're surviving under late stage capitalism, there aren't exactly safety nets in place to help them get what they need, or stay on their feet. Which is why I wanted to highlight two bundles this week that you should definitely take a look at!

The first is the Ross A. Isaacs Emergency Fund, which is going to help support Ross, who is trying not to get swallowed up by expenses for his various life expenses (including, as I understand it, medical needs). There's supplements for Pathfinder, Starfinder, Icons, Call of Cthulhu, DND 5E, After Zombies, OSR systems like OSRIC, and more! Great value, and a particularly good cause that I recommend folks check out.

The second bundle is Mutual Aid For Darren Pearce. Another RPG designer, he's experienced major familial losses, and is currently trying to keep his head above water while grieving, and trying to handle all of the expenses and changes that come with such losses. This bundle includes supplements for Fantasy Age, the world book for Punktown, OSR adventure modules, the RPG Bloodwraith and its follow up books, and a slew of other games and supplements. It's pricey, yes, but you get three times the value of the content in it, and it goes to help someone who is reeling right now.

So if you're looking to help out a good cause, and to get an absolute treasure trove of gaming materials, I'd recommend picking up these bundles if you can. And, of course, spread the word about them as as many folks as possible see them. Sharing this blog entry is a great way to make that happen, in case you were wondering!

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 the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

Just Because The Mechanics Say You Can Do Something, That Doesn't Mean You Should

When playing an RPG, the mechanics are how you interact with the world your character exists in. The mechanics are what determine whether a blow lands or misses, whether a character can lift a particular burden or not, whether a spell is successfully cast, and whether someone is robust enough to overcome a deadly poison.

With that said, just because the mechanics allow you to do something, that doesn't mean that you should do that thing. And players and Game Masters need to learn to have these conversations respectfully so that everyone can enjoy the game, and set their expectations accordingly.

Just because the manual says you can, please don't.

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!

What If We Removed The Naval Blockade?

An example of what I'm talking about comes from book 1 of the Pathfinder adventure path Hell's Rebels, Hell's Bright Shadow (and there's a Pathfinder 2E conversion for this adventure path, for those who are interested). For those who haven't played it, the adventure begins as a fascist tyrant takes control of the city of Kintargo, and the city is cut off from trade via a naval blockade. The purpose of the blockade is to make it clear that there are a limited amount of resources in the city, and that players will not be able to simply travel somewhere else in order to acquire more limited resources. While it exists, mechanically, the purpose it serves is to turn the city into a pressure cooker.

You aren't supposed to try to remove the blockade. Even if you are technically capable of doing so.

When I played this adventure path, my vigilante and his sorcerous sidekick figured out that we could destroy this blockade with relative ease at early levels (it was after level 2, but before level 7, my memory is vague). The vigilante had acquired an adamantine gauntlet, and with his focus on delivering punch-based attacks, that gauntlet had proven the bane of locked doors, jawbones, and a building or two in the city. We sat down, and did the math. Using magic to allow the vigilante to breathe underwater, and a pair of swim fins for movement, he could easily scuttle the warships without the crews being able to do much in the way of retaliation before the ship sank. The sailors were prepared to fight the city, or other ships, not to go beneath the waves.

Not even bell diving marines!

However, when we came to our Game Master with this information, we did so asking, "If we did this, would it work?" Both in the sense that we wanted to know if our math and rule interpretations were correct, and if there was something we didn't know about that might come to bite us. Paraphrased, the answer we received was, "Yes, you could do this, but please don't, I'm not set up for that."

And upon receiving that answer the two of us nodded, fist-bumped, and then went back to the plot we'd actually been hip deep in, regarding fighting back against the city's new "mayor" and his crack down on freedom and expression.

Capabilities, Actions, And The Arms Race

I've talked about this before on this blog, but when players and Game Masters are adversarial, the use of mechanics can become and arms race. Players are trying to find the super special combination of abilities and resources that will allow them to destroy the Game Master's plot entirely, while the Game Master focuses less on creating a world or telling a story and attempting to control, punish, or counter what the players are doing.

And I can tell you from experience, this is a bad dynamic to put in place. Firstly, because it divides the game into winners and losers (something you should try to avoid in most RPGs), and because the Game Master always has more than the players do. They have access to every monster, every spell, every magic item and conditions... but "defeating" the players isn't the goal of the game.

It's a zero sum game, and those aren't fun to play.  

Take the above example, and consider what would have happened if there had been an adversarial approach. The Game Master could have installed secret panels underneath the ships, blocking attempts to scuttle them by putting in hidden adamantine armor. They could have put shock troops on the vessels, ready to be deployed at a moment's notice to deal with the vigilante's plan. Or they could have upped the ante, let us scuttle the blockade, and then sent in a far more aggressive force that would have complicated everything else from that point forward, giving us more enemies, more resistance, and so on.

But it was just easier, and more expedient, to have a simple conversation where it was made clear those ships don't have stats in the book, and they exist as a plot device to facilitate the current challenge. While our numbers were correct, bringing in such an outside event would lead to ripples they didn't want to deal with. And we, as players, respected that.

And this is the kind of conversation you should be able to have between GMs and players. Whether it's players going too far afield in a direction that will make FAR more work for the GM than they signed up for, a player misunderstanding how a mechanic works and being corrected by a GM, or even a GM asking a player to please limit their use of particular abilities or resources that are becoming a problem, it's important to be able to talk things out collaboratively.

Generally speaking, acknowledge that all of you are there to make a better story, and to have fun doing it. In this case, consider the players as actors, and the Game Master as the director... you're all allowed your own visions, and you should be working together so that the final product best suits what all of you want.

You all have the same goal... or, at least, you should. And cooperation always leads to a better result than instigating a mathematical arms race over whose methods will be victorious.

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 the dark sci fi channel I contribute stories to, The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!

You Aren't Your Character... You're The Author (A Perspective Shift)

We've all had those moments sitting around the table where things don't go our way, or the story gets complicated in a way we wish that it hadn't. Too many of us end up frustrated by this, and we can end up dejected, losing our zeal for the game. As someone who has rolled more natural 1s in a single session than some players have rolled in an entire campaign, I understand, and feel these feelings. However, there is an interesting mental trick you can use to help deal with fate going against you.

Remember that you aren't your character... you are the author of their story.

It can be a small thing... but a helpful one.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my 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 Step Back, And A Different Perspective

When we make our characters for an RPG, we tend to get really close to them. We construct their lives, we talk with their voice, and in some cases we even crawl into their skin. However, when we take on the role entirely, we tend to equate the character's success with our own success... but also their failure with our own failure.

And on the one hand, that is the double-edged sword of roleplaying; you get the highs and the lows. However, it can be interesting to take a moment to purposefully consider yourself and your character as separate entities, and to treat yourself as the author of their destiny. So the question is not whether they win or lose... the question that you're treated to becomes, "And how are they going to deal with this twist of fate?"

Okay, that failed... but HOW did it fail?

Take a situation that is far from uncommon in RPGs at early levels. The party was ambushed on the road by something (bandits, goblins, or even a cadre of wandering undead at the behest of a necromancer), and despite their best efforts, they fell in battle. Now, that might be disheartening, but if the characters aren't dead yet, then the story continues on. If they awaken in the wilderness, injured but alive, now they have fresh challenges to meet. If they were taken prisoner, or are being held hostage for ransom, there is now a fresh arc in their story to tell.

A fresh arc that you, as the player, should be excited to tell. Because yes, it might be frustrating that the dice didn't reward your character with a victory in the last episode, but in this fresh episode there's a new danger, new stakes, and a fresh path to take and explore!

And just how the hell are we going to get out of here?

 

I will say that this shift in perspective only works if you have a GM who is following the advice I gave in Dungeon Design Tips: Find A Reason For PCs To Survive (And Try Again). Because there is a huge difference between being able to follow a character's journey through misfortune, and being able to just shrug off a character dying, and being told to go make a new one. Generally speaking, there needs to be some kind of reassurance that a character doesn't die upon their failure in order to keep players interested and engaged.

Put another way, if you're reading a fantasy novel, and the protagonist blacks out after being stabbed in a duel, and you still have half the book left to read, you usually keep reading because you want to see how they come back from this. Was the protagonist bound and put in prison? Are they wounded and on the run? Are their whereabouts kept secret for a few chapters until they return in some way? Because we will absolutely accept that a character has failed, fallen, and is facing fresh difficulties... but if we open a new chapter on the latest installment of our favorite series only to find that Conan is dead, and some random character we've never heard of is taking over for the titular barbarian, a lot of us are going to give up and stop reading entirely.

Clarification and Closing Notes

Now, to be absolutely clear here, I am not saying that GMs cannot kill PCs. I'm not saying that characters should never die, and that they should be given chance after chance to try, try again. However, what I am saying is that if the primary failure state is death with no way to undo it and continue the story (even if undoing it is difficult, convoluted, or both), it becomes very hard for players to get invested in their characters and to be excited to see what twists and turns are coming.

Because if the character dies, there's no more story to follow.

Additionally, I am not saying that players should think of themselves as the author of the entire campaign, and to view their character as the protagonist. Rather, every player is writing their character's story, but that story is prompted by the game world around them. This helps engage your sense of the dramatic, and to actually tell a story, instead of just focusing on whether the character is winning or losing, succeeding or failing, which can make for an overall more engaging story for yourself, and for everyone around the table!

It's a cooperative exercise, and putting on your writer's cap can get you thinking about your character and their actions as a part of an unfolding narrative, instead of just something personal to you and your own scoreboard. It also makes those fail states sting a little less when you view them as plot twists to roll with, instead of the dice punishing you arbitrarily.

And now, to tweak things just a little more...

Lastly, I wanted to offer some additional reading for folks out there. Because putting a few finishing touches on your character can make it that much more interesting to pull them along through their adventures! So, if you want to go a little deeper with the next character you put together, check out:

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: Why does your character keep going? What are they trying to accomplish? Answers to these questions lie within!

- 100 Dark Secrets: Just what it says on the tin, this supplement provides you with a slew of secrets to bury in your backstory... you should probably tell your GM about them, though.

- 100 Questions About Your Characters: Everything from their favorite foods, to where they learned their skills, to how they want to die can be found in this supplement, rounding out a character's finer details.

- 100 Tips For Being A Better Player: Lastly, this is for the players behind the sheets. Everything from table etiquette to habits that will help you have more fun at the table, I highly suggest giving this one a read!

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 the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like 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!