Catch The One Week Bundle For Silkgift, The City of Sails (Before It's Gone)!

I've been steadily releasing supplements for my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age fantasy RPG setting for a few years now. A world that's meant to look forward rather than backward, where the city-state is the largest official form of governance, and where the weird and the wild run rampant, it's a unique place for players and Game Masters alike to explore. And if you're a GM who prefers to make their own homebrew worlds, well, a lot of what's in Sundara is designed so that you can pick it up, and plop in down in your world like a Lego piece, helping you build something bigger without all the heavy lifting.

And while several of us are working on expanding the setting with some releases that should be dropping before the end of 2026, Adrian has a pair of One Week Bundles out for one of my personal favorite places in the setting... Silkgift, the City of Sails!

And if you haven't taken a look at it yet, now is definitely the time!

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!

Invention, Alchemy, and Impossible Engineering

When I started releasing the original Cities of Sundara supplements, my goal was to make sure that each location was unique, organic, and that it had an identity that made people want to dig deeper into it. Silkgift started life as a collection of several villages who made a unique form of sailcloth that could be found nowhere else... hence the name. What made the industry truly shine, though, was a dwarven woman named Clever Elsie, whose inventions automated the process of weaving, increased the yield of crops, and led to a culture of discovery, study, and scholarship. The city draws cranks and geniuses alike, but the profits and yields generated by the creations of Silkgift goes to support the citizens, ensuring that everyone has food, shelter, and chances to learn skills and trades to better help their friends and neighbors.

And, of course, Silkgift is also the center of aether technology in Sundara, the most infamous versions being the compressed air pistols and rifles used by hunters and adventurers alike! For folks who want a deeper dive into aether weapons, as well as spellslinging firearm alternatives found in the setting, check out my older post Seeking Alternative Firearms For Your Game? Check Out "Sundara: Dawn of a New Age"!

A more fantastical version of something like this historic example.

Over the past several years quite a few supplements have been released for Silkgift (as well as for most of the Cities of Sundara line). Supplements for whispers and rumors, supplements that detail specific locales within the city, the original city book of course, and more besides! In fact, if you want to turn the City of Sails into a fully-fleshed out place to either host a campaign, or to use as a major hub, the various supplements can do a lot of heavy lifting for you.

And that is why I wanted to let people know that Adrian Kennelly now has them on-sale! You can get either the One Week Bundle: Silkgift for Pathfinder or the One Week Bundle: Silkgift For D&D 5E, depending on which engine you'd prefer to use to drive your games. Each of them contains 6 separate supplements, and overall saves folks who get them a couple of bucks.

So whether you're looking for a fresh fantasy world to explore, or you've been looking for a little extra help in sculpting places for your own setting, consider grabbing these before they're gone! And if you'd like a little more information about Silkgift than I gave above, check out the video I made about it a while back.

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!

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

- Whispers and Rumors For Hoardreach, City of Wyrms!

- Whispers and Rumors For Archbliss, City of The Sorcerers!

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!

Leaving Spell Slots Empty For Later (A Prepared Spellcaster Hack For Pathfinder)

There is a noted wariness among a lot of Pathfinder players when it comes to prepared spellcasting classes. Wizards, clerics, alchemists, and so on may have the ability to choose from larger lists of total spells, but they have to choose which spells they're putting in which slots, and if they choose the wrong spells, well, then they're screwed. Or so the thought process goes.

However, there's a piece of fine print that a lot of folks miss, or don't really think about. Prepared casters largely have the ability to leave a certain number of spell slots empty when they prepare their spells, and they can then perform a small ritual to fill that slot later, thus providing them some wiggle room to ensure the character can choose the proper spell when they actually need it.

It's a strategy that comes with its own risks, but it's still worth exploring to see if it will work for you.

Magic is all about rules, loves. Twist them until they serve.

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 Little Ace In The Hole

If you read through the description of classes like the wizard, cleric, and alchemist, you'll note in the fine print about their spells that the character may choose to leave spell slots open for the day, essentially acting as blank storage spots. These rules are also repeated in the Magic chapter of the Core Rulebook. At any time before the next time the character prepares their spells, they may go through a smaller version of their spell preparation ritual in order to fill that slot with a spell. Whether it's reading from a spellbook, going through a small religious rite, or breaking out their field laboratory to mix a fresh extract, these small rituals typically don't take more than 5 minutes.

This seems pretty straightforward. As a prepared caster, you are essentially hedging your bets that you might need a specific spell during the coming day that you can't predict, so you're leaving a slot open, and hoping that you have the time to prepare the spell safely. Time is the key, here, because as long as you're in a situation where you can crouch down and do some quick reading, praying, etc., this strategy is perfectly sound. When it isn't sound, though, is realizing that in the middle of combat, or when a trap has gone off and the walls are closing in to crush you, you have the perfect spell to deal with this situation... you just didn't pick it that day!

Ah, balls... I didn't take Commune With Eldritch Horror... it's on my list, though...

The strength of prepared casters is that they have access to a wider variety of spells than spontaneous casters do. Additionally, metamagic feats are more efficient when applied to prepared spells. However, while they might be a Swiss army knife in a lot of ways, the drawback is they can feel cumbersome. This is one strategy that can be quite useful, but it's one that should be done sparingly. Because sometimes you'll have the breathing room you need to memorize the new spell that will save the day... but other times if you can't whip out the solution in the next 6 seconds, it isn't going to matter.

As with everything else, though, it's important to have a varied approach to using magic as a tool... especially if you're a prepared spellcaster.

Consider checking out my older article 3 Advantages of Wands in Pathfinder, for instance. Because wands, potions, and scrolls are great for keeping access to certain spells on-hand that will be really powerful in specific situations, but they aren't something you want to keep memorized every day, taking up space in your spell allotment. Additionally, if you're playing a wizard or a cleric (or you're combining the two for a Mystic Theurge with 2 aces in the hole) take the bonded item feature for the former, and gain the bonded holy symbol option for the Ecclesitheurge archetype in the Advanced Class Guide. These features allow you to, once per day, immediately cast a spell that you know which is on your class list as if you had prepared it that day, making it a get-out-of-screwed-free card if you have the perfect tool for the job.

Taking a layered approach with a prepared caster can help ensure that you really are prepared for every situation you might come up against. So make sure you've got a variety of tools in your bag, and help get yourself (and your party) through your next adventure!

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 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!

Legacy Campaigns: A Fresh Chapter To Continue Your Story

For a lot of us, the idea of completing a full campaign with a single party of characters is the height of gaming accomplishment. And if you've managed to do that, then you might very well want to play a different system or setting entirely as a kind of palate cleanser. But if you're the sort of player (or the sort of Game Master) who enjoys continuity and sequels, then I would recommend considering the idea of a legacy campaign... because they can take a variety of forms, and you can usually tailor them to fit your game, and your players.

As we turn the page, another set of heroes are enmeshed in our tale...

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 New Chapter In Your Quest

There are a couple of different ways a legacy campaign can go. First and foremost, it can be the literal legacy of the former PCs, whether it's their children, students they've trained, squires they've knighted, etc. The idea is that the PCs of the last campaign are passing the torch to the new party, providing some kind of continuity between the characters, if not the actual story of the campaign. Alternatively, the legacy might be a continuation of the events and story from the first campaign, but in a different location with different characters who aren't necessarily connected to the characters of the previous campaign. For a quick reference, the connectivity between the Pathfinder adventure paths Shattered Star, Rise of The Runelords, and Return of The Runelords follows this path.

However, it's also possible to combine the two into a single campaign, if that's what you and your players want to do!

I am here to earn my spurs, and to make my father proud.

As I said in The Key To A Sandbox Is To Make Sure It's Populated, And Stuff Is Happening, though, a legacy campaign requires a bit of setup to really sell it!

Now, that doesn't mean the Game Master has to plan a three-campaign series right from the jump. But you do have to have the first campaign planned, plotted, and completed so that you have all the information about what happened during the first story that you can use as a springboard for the second one (and from the second to the third, if you want to be industrious). You need to know which characters completed what deeds, which NPCs lived and died, and which of the villains were sentenced, which ones were slain, and which ones returned to the outer darkness to join their alien masters. And once you have all of that information, you can then properly plan the sequel to that game!

If you're the Game Master, picture yourself as the head of a successful TV series. You received enough of a budget to shoot the first season, so you made something relatively self-contained, but which has the potential for spin-offs and sequels. You finished it, and it was popular enough that your audience wants more. Maybe you had some ideas in mind for where it could go next. Maybe you were just hoping the first season did well enough you could scoot across the line. Either way, with this format, and your very narrow audience, it's a good idea to make sure the first season is as polished and enjoyable as possible before you spend too much time working on the second or third season that you might not even get.

The most important thing, though, is that you need to be sure you have player enthusiasm to see more. Because while the idea of following up a campaign with a legacy sequel might be intriguing (especially if the players get to see the results of the previous game, and hear the tales of their old characters' adventures), it's equally possible that your audience might have been just fine with a one-and-done for that game, that story, or that system. Don't over-invest in making a multi-part story told over several campaigns if you know your players don't have that kind of stamina.

With that said, however, keep in mind that a "campaign" doesn't have to be a years-long, level 1 to level 20 endeavor. A campaign could just as easily be a story that takes characters through a 5 level progression, or even a 10 level progression. As long as the story is complete, the GM reaches the end point, and the plot is solved, that's a full campaign... just make sure you let your players know how long the story will last before you get started so they can plan accordingly!

Game Master Resources

If you're planning on running a legacy campaign, whether it's for a passing of the torch, or you want players to have to deal with further permutations of the threats that were seen and opposed in the first story, I would recommend getting your hands on some of the following supplements:

- I'm Back! 25 Reasons For A Villain's Survival: Whether it's the big bad they thought was defeated, a hated henchman, or even an ally they thought was dead, this book can be fun for more continuity.

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: Good for your players to take a flip through, but very important for understanding the motivations and machinations of your game's villains.

- 100 Dark Secrets: Something that can put allied NPCs into a different context, and which could provide something deeper to find for your villains, can also be good for giving your PCs something to keep under wraps.

- 100 Tips & Tricks For Being A Better Dungeon Master: A supplement that collects a majority of the good advice I've covered here on this blog to help make your games the best they can be.

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 additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! 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!

"Exalted" Makes Its Way To The A.L.I.C.E. Files

Regulars on this blog likely know that in addition to writing RPGs, novels, and short stories, I also do a fair bit of work with audio dramas and dramatic readings. It's why earlier this year, in partnership with Alice Liddell, I was part of the launch of the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files over on YouTube. While most of the episodes we've put out so far have been dramatizations of original fiction by Alice and myself, and narrations for public domain stories, we recently provided a glimpse into a fan story set in the world of Exalted, using the Dark Pack agreement.

But how File 006 - The Butcher's Toll came to be is almost as interesting as the story itself... so I wanted to take a moment to tell everyone the background of this tale, and let you know how you can expand the story of Barabbas the Butcher if you enjoy this little glimpse of his adventures.

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!

Try It, You Might Like It!

I have played a lot of different games in my time, but generally speaking I'm not a huge fan of wuxia RPGs, and I'm not a big fan of games where the PCs are mythical in terms of their power. Knowing that, you'd think that Exalted, as a game, really wouldn't do it for me... after all, what I just described is kind of the game's meat and potatoes.

However, Exalted (and specifically Exalted 2nd Edition) is a good friend of mine's favorite game (or, at least, one of their top favorites), and they were determined to find some way to share this experience with me. I wanted to find some way over the barrier, as well, because I knew a lot of folks who enjoyed Exalted, but everything I found about it just left me kind of struggling to find purchase.

Until, that was, my friend handed me the book Manual of Exalted Power: The Infernals.

This cover doesn't do justice to how messed up this content is.

This was the book that unlocked my interest. Because while I found the fallen magitech setting of Creation interesting, the standard solar exalted just weren't really grabbing my attention. Ditto for the lunars, the sidereals, and even the alchemicals. But the idea that mutilated gods that had been banished to hell, twisted into terrible, broken reflections of what they once were, stole some the solar exalted souls and wrenched them into corrupted weapons to set loose upon the world to reclaim it again in their name... well, now that was something I could get behind!

However, while I read the base book and the infernal book cover-to-cover (not an easy or pleasant experience on a screen), I felt the need to create a character who didn't have some great, grand destiny. Someone down-to-earth, who would have been happy to live a simple life, had circumstances gone differently. Someone that the world wronged, and let down.

And thus Barabbas was born.

A simple butcher, he lived with his wife, his son, and his daughter. When the servants of a Death Lord assaulted his village, and kidnapped his sister-in-law (among other folk), he took up his hewing tool to try to save them. When one of the dragon blooded came with his men, he thought they'd been rescued. Instead of helping the people of the village, the dragon blooded had the survivors all thrown in irons, and the village burned. Torn from the rest of his family, Barabbas was condemned to a mine. He led a failed uprising, and was the be painfully tortured and executed in front of the other slaves.

 

So when a servant of Malfeas, the broken king of hell, offered Barabbas power, he took it without a second's hesitation.

I was so proud of this character, and his tale, that I made an audio introduction to share with the rest of the players. I had been planning on doing the same for other folks who were interested so we could have a bit of a sizzle reel. And while we had the first few sessions of the game, sadly, it had to go on hiatus almost as soon as it began.

But That Doesn't Mean The Story Ends There

It's been years since I put Barabbas together, and I have copious notes about his tale. His journey through hell, which of the yozi that he spoke to, and which of them gave him gifts that he accepted. I have details about the places he went, the allies he gathered, and even about what his war against slavery would become as he tears apart Creation in search of his wife and children. The vibe I was going for was Conan by way of The Incredible Hulk, if he was powered by hell, with a heavy dash of Journey to The West.

And if that sounds like a story you'd want to hear, then there are steps you can take to make it happen!

Do I have your attention?

File 006 is what's called an "orphan" file by the Carroll Institute... to translate that for the audience, these "orphans" represent possible starts to a longer series of stories, should folks want to know more.

This could go a number of different ways. For instance, further reports could happen in the series canon, dropping every now and again when Alice is in the office and reviewing material from the archive. Alternatively, we could put the stories together as a side project that goes up between seasons of the main plot. We could even give the series its own slot, much like how Alice's Adventures in Wonderland currently has a chapter-by-chapter playlist.

A lot of that, though, is going to depend on what you want as our audience!

So if you are someone who would like more than just this little sample of Barabbas's story, here's what you need to do to make sure we hear you, and have the resources to make it happen:

- Subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files

- Upvote The Butcher's Toll

- Leave a comment on the video telling us you want a sequel

- Share the video on your own social media pages, and tell your friends about the show

Sadly, we're a long way off from the 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours we would need to get the channel fully monetized. But, in fairness, if The Butcher's Toll can get 17,000 views, I'm pretty sure that would put us over both goals quite smoothly.

And if that happens, we'll basically be free to write, record, and edit whatever kind of episodes you all want to hear!

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 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!

My Monthly Patreon Shout Out (And A Signal Boost For Fellow Creators)

It has been one hell of a June/July, and I'm trying to juggle a lot of crises. Still, with that said, I wanted to make sure I gave my shout-outs to all the folks who help me keep my bills paid over on Patreon, and anyone who would like to find themselves on this shout-out list should go to my Patreon page and pledge at least $10 a month to help me keep this blog (as well as my sister blog The Literary Mercenary) up and running!

 

So, a big thank you to:

- Chris Dundon, my newest patron (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!)

In addition to this shout out, though, I wanted to take a moment to signal boost a couple of folks out there who could really use your help. So if you have some spare time to push a couple of buttons, watch a few videos, or subscribe to a new Patreon or two, please keep reading!

Because everything is rough, and the wheels don't stop just because we're tired.

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!

Creators Who Could Use A Lifeline

While I'm still very much on the scramble (and it seems like every time I turn around there's some new bill I have to pay with money I was planning on saving), I want to take a moment to shine the spotlight onto two creators who could really use a hand up.

The first is my partner, Alice Liddell. Alice works with me on the YouTube channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files, we've done many conventions together, and I was the one who introduced her to Azukail Games where she's published supplements like 100 Dangerous Plants or the tome that is 100 Stat Boost Potion Recipes (it's the length of a full novel, so be aware that's what you're getting when you see the price tag).

However, in the recent storms that swept over the Midwest, the basement she lives in was flooded. This damaged a lot of her stuff, and it has drastically disrupted her ability to work as the place is dried out, she tries to salvage what she can, and to figure out how she's going to get back up on her feet.

So if you're out there, please consider checking out any of Alice's RPG supplements, buying some of her books found on her Amazon author page, or just buying her a Ko-Fi so she can keep her bills paid during this recovery period.

And if you don't have spare dosh lying around, Alice is trying to get several of her free content streams monetized. So in addition to subscribing to (and watching) The A.L.I.C.E. Files, consider checking out her author YouTube channel Alice The Author where she talks about what goes on behind the screen, as well as her gaming YouTube channel KHR Arts, and stop in to say hi on Twitch as well! It might be a while before she streams again, but as soon as the environment allows, she'll be back to it!

The other person I want to give a shout out to is Owen K.C. Stephens. For folks who don't know, he's one of the more established folks in the gaming industry, and you'll find his name on Pathfinder, Starfinder, and dozens of other games, as well as hundreds of other supplements. He's been fighting with a lot of physical ailments (cancer was chief among them until recently), and he's also had to recover from flooding and other home damage.

So, if you'd like to help Owen pay his bills and keep what he has so he can continue making the kinds of games we enjoy, consider hitting him up on Patreon, or even getting yourself a copy of the Owen Stephens Summer of Survival TTRPG bundle if you haven't done so yet! And if you've done all of that, but still want to help out, Owen also has a YouTube channel of his own, which you should subscribe to and watch to get his numbers up.

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 additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! 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!

"Sundara: Dawn of a New Age" Is Finally Getting Some Adventure Modules!

It's been several years since my fantasy RPG setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age debuted with the first supplement, Cities of Sundara: Ironfire for Pathfinder. Since then there's been dozens of supplements covering cities, species, gods, cults, mercenary companies, and more, and well over a quarter million words have gone into building up this world (and that's just my contributions). One of the things we haven't released, though, has been adventure modules.

Until today, that is! Which is why I wanted to write this little update to let folks know that Isaiah Burt's module The Invocation of Bael-Kharn is now live on Drive Thru RPG and ready for you to play!

So check it out, and give this setting a look for yourself!

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 Call To Adventure in The City of Steel!

To begin at the beginning, this module is for a party of characters ranging from level 6 to level 8, and it uses the Pathfinder Classic system. According to the preview, an elf who has been working for centuries to bring down the vaunted City of Steel may be moving closer to her goal. And while there are enough mercenaries and alchemists in Ironfire to win most wars, all the weapons in the world will do one no good if you can't see the threat coming, and you don't understand where to aim them.

I don't want to give more than that away, because I want as many folks as possible to discover the world of Sundara, and this adventure, as they explore what's been presented. However, with that said, I would recommend checking out some of Isaiah's other contributions to the setting that will be great supplements to have on-hand for this module (at least for the Game Master): Settlements of The Dragonsbreath Mountains, 100 Lizardfolk of Sundara, and his novella Legacy of Flames, all of which provide solid support right alongside the initial Cities of Sundara: Ironfire book, and the companion piece 100 Whispers & Rumors For Ironfire, The City of Steel.

And for folks who want a rapid rundown, I talked about the City of Steel a few years back when I was in exile at a hotel. So consider checking out the video to see if this is something that will perk your interest!

Why Did It Take So Long For Modules To Start Dropping?

Folks have been trying to get me to write modules for Sundara almost since it started releasing going on 3 years ago. So why is this adventure the first one that we're seeing? Well, there are a lot of reasons for that, and I wanted to explain them to folks here so you all know the score.

First and foremost, adventure modules are overall one of the worst-selling types of supplements on the market. There are modules that do well, and there are writers out there who move a lot of copies of them... but that's like saying that because there are a few bestselling novelists that everyone who wrote a book is paying their bills. A lot of GMs outright refuse to use modules, so a majority of them languish, unseen, and unplayed.

Secondly, modules are hard as hell to write. You're basically writing a short story, with math, and you have to try to provide a wide list of things that individual players may choose to do so the GM has alternate paths available to them.

Thirdly, modules require more supplemental material than other kinds of RPG products. There's the interior art, the maps, the covers... all of that adds up over time. And while most writers have the ability or resources to some of the things a module requires, most of us do not have the ability to do all of those things.

And when you spread minuscule profits across a team of people... well...

Now, I will be the first to tell you there is another adventure module for Sundara coming down the pipe from yours truly... however, it comes with a catch. Because the publisher doesn't want to take a loss on producing modules (again, I do not own Azukail Games, they just publish a lot of my work), I'm accepting a smaller, up-front fee to get this thing published. However, if you want to see more modules for Sundara (or just more modules in general from Isaiah and myself), then make sure the numbers are doing some serious talking! Because if these modules sell a hundred copies (or even a few hundred copies) that is saying a lot in the TTRPG world... and a product that has a proven audience is a lot more likely to get approved in the future.

Lastly, if you've already picked up Isaiah's adventure, consider checking out some of the following from myself:

DND 5E Adventures

 

- The Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh - A trudge through a swamp full of terrors to save a small town

- False Valor - A murder mystery where the party must solve a killing to prevent a war

- The Curse of Sapphire Lake - Beowulf meets Friday the 13th in a frontier settlement to the north

- The Price of Iron - A single night watching a warehouse turns deadly when dark fey arrive

Army Men Mission Modules

 

- A Night At Breckon's Beacon - The search for a missing squad gets deadly on a stormy night

- Assault On Outpost 13 - Can the squad keep hold of a prisoner when an entire gang wants him freed?

Victorian Gothic

- Dreadful Tales - A collection of 3 short adventures for this percentile-based system for Victorian horror

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 additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! 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 Is Your Character's Relationship History (And How Has That Affected Them)?

Let's be honest with ourselves, there has always been a streak of romance in a lot of RPGs. Whether it was the relatively chaste quest to prove oneself worthy to wed the princess like something out of an Arthurian story, or the party heading down to the local brothel to spend a sack of coin they earned from their last bounty, the elements have always been present. However, that isn't what I'm talking about today. Because even if you're playing an RPG where you don't want romance-related plots (to say nothing of the more explicit content that exists in games like Lewd Dungeon Adventures or Foreplay: An Erotic Storytelling Game), it's worth asking what kinds of romantic experiences your character has had, and how that's shaped them over their lifetime.

Look, I'm telling you, make the proposal special. Trust me, I speak from experience.

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!

It's Part Of Your Path (Even If The Character Lacks Experience)

Whatever character you're playing, however strange, unusual, or perfectly plain they are, take a moment and ask yourself what kinds of romantic relationships or entanglements they've had, and how that has affected them as a person. And, before folks start typing in the comments that they don't need to think about their character's sexual history when making a dungeon crawler, that isn't what I'm talking about. Specifically ask what kind of relationships your character has had, what this says about them, and how it affects their outlook. Good or bad, abusive or loving, it will leave a mark on them.

As an example, take the archetype of the fresh-faced fighter. We'll even go the extra mile, and make him a farm boy hero with dreams of glory. If his whole romantic experience up until the time he leaves to go on an adventure, or perhaps to join the militia, is just reading fairy tales about happily ever afters then he's not going to have a frame of reference in mind for when he encounters people out in the world. What will he do when the bard tries to wingman him with the bar keep? How will he react of a noblewoman tries to twist him around her finger? What will he do if he encounters a succubus?

Now ask how that same character would be different if he had a girl back home that he's planning to come back to. He loves her very much, sends letters and money when he can, and he's out trying to make good, and to prove to her father that he can provide for her. What if this character was older, served time in the militia or the army, retired, got married, and now he's a widower who has to find a new way to earn a living, but can't stay in that home with all its memories?

 

She's in every brick of that place... I can't even sleep there anymore.

The types of relationships a character has had, the experience that's garnered them, and what kind of person that's made them into, is an often-overlooked aspect of their history... hence why it's worth thinking about. And the more unusual the character, the more unusual their frame of reference might be.

For example, did a bard master her song as a way to serenade a boy she was infatuated with, but he was betrothed to another? Did that rejection lead her to keep her future relationships shallow and physical, never letting someone get really close to her emotional core? Did the paladin swear an oath of chastity when he first took up the sword, and so all relationships must be physically chaste (even if he might be sorely tested)? Does the cleric serve a love god, and so they are intimately familiar with a variety of relationship styles and troubles, often acting as match maker or counselor? And has this helped their own relationships, or made it even more difficult for them? Does the barbarian come from a tribe where polyamory is normal (like the Takatori dwarves in my Species of Sundara supplement for both DND 5E and Pathfinder Classic), and thus they are used to a completely different relationship dynamic than more "civilized" folk, making mistakes and unintentionally insulting people because they don't understand one another's expectations?

There's no need to make a big deal out of the character's relationship history, but it can be an interesting or fun little mix-in for your game. For example, if your bounty hunter ranger is always talking about the one that got away, it might be a fun little twist that she's been hunting for her ex, who also happens to have a sizable reward on her head. Doubly so if she stole something expensive, hoping the ranger would come after her, because she was too awkward or scared to talk about her feelings. If the halfling rogue is always talking about his wife back home in terms that makes her seem dainty, soft, and delicate, but then the party meets said wife to find out she's a full-blooded orc who will destroy anything that comes between her and her husband, that juxtaposition can be fun and amusing. And if the grim-faced cleric of the death goddess melts whenever there are kids present, finding out that he and his wife never had a chance to have their own before she passed of a fever can add a dimension to him that the rest of the party didn't expect, and it adds a tragic, human side of him that he might keep under wraps until he truly trusts someone.

Which is why this aspect is worth thinking about. Because even if romance isn't a driving force behind a character, their experience with it, and desire for it (or the lack thereof), will be part of what has shaped them up until the point where they hit the mat.

Also, if you are looking for inclusions of something that is definitely going to be an adult element in a game (but which doesn't actually have any explicit content in it), then I'd recommend checking out the following series of supplements by yours truly:

- World's Oldest Profession: A Baker's Dozen of Brothels

- World's Oldest Profession: 100 Courtesans and Concubines

- World's Oldest Profession: 100 Rumors To Hear in a Brothel

- World's Oldest Profession: 100 Titillating Titles To Find in a Lewd Library

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 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!