A New Mission (In A New Genre) Drops For "Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic"!

We just passed the 1-year anniversary of my first RPG Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic a little while ago, and while it hasn't blown up, the game is definitely making some gains! The core book, as well as the first supplement Army Men: Threat Assessments have hit Copper status, and are still moving copies. Not only that, but some of the other supplements are starting to get a bit of attention, which is exciting.

And now I've got a fresh mission available for folks to try! It's the first to take place in the Styric Republic, but it also shows there's more than one kind of mission that troopers can be sent on.

And you should definitely grab a copy 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 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!

Mystery, Betrayal, And Gangland Shootouts!

Folks who have gotten a copy of Army Men (or who have simply watched a few episodes of Tactical Plastic Report over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel), often have the impression that this is a very streamlined game with a single way to play. After all, you're a squad of army men, so you're obviously out in the trenches, stalking through the woods, or raiding nests of the colossal insectoid creatures called vespoids that are the game's main antagonists, right?

And while you can make an entire campaign out of that, as I mentioned in The Threats You Face in Army Men, there are so many more problems that your squad might be dispatched to deal with.

The new mission, Assault on Outpost 13, is me giving an example of some of the other kinds of enemies you might need to fight, and missions you'll need to accomplish.

In this mission, players take on the role of troopers in the Styric Republic, called in to provide assistance to a fellow military member who needs backup. She's captured a high-value criminal target, and needs to hold onto him until he can be transferred to her commander. The Rostok crime syndicate isn't going to take the loss of one of the family's favorite sons lying down, though, and troopers are going to have a fight on their hands.

Not only that, but they might find that in addition to enemies without, there may be enemies within. A syndicate doesn't get to be that successful without at least a few state personnel on their payroll, after all...

While the previous module A Night At Breckon's Beacon pits troopers against a vespoid threat, this module asks them to do more than point and shoot. Troopers need to decide where they stand in regards to the standoff, they need to try to see behind the lying disguises of their enemies, and they need to uncover evidence and interrogate prisoners in order to get a grip on just what is happening, and what kind of hornet's nest they've put their feet into. Or perhaps they use the James West approach of shoot first, shoot later, shoot some more, and then when everyone is dead try to ask a question or two... a viable approach, but one that may make the module significantly harder for a squad of trigger-happy troopers.

And this mission gives us a couple of milestones for the game, as well! For example:

- It's the third total mission (including the mission in the base book), which means players can now have their first level-up without the GM doing any additional work!

- It's the first mission in the Styric Republic, which means we've (technically) received missions for 3 of the 4 nations that make up the Plastos Federation.

- It's the 5th supplement to be released for Army Men as a game so far, which feels pretty special to me as the creator.

So, while I'm putting in as much work as I can going forward, I wanted to ask folks out there... what sorts of things would you like to see more of for Army Men as a game? What would really get you invested? Leave your comments below, or on any of the videos for Tactical Plastic Report, because my publisher will see those and take note of them going forward!

All of Army Men's Releases So Far!

If you want to get in on this game and help me take the next hill so I can keep making cool stuff, then consider grabbing one (or all!) of the material for it linked below!

And if you do... don't forget to leave a review!

- Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic: The core rulebook, and technically the only book you need to play this game.

- Army Men: Threat Assessments: A book of extra enemies and threats for players to deal with, this expands your bestiary quite substantially!

- Army Men: Medals of Honor: This book introduces the Medals System, which allows you to reward your players from one mission to the next for their achievements.

- Ungentlemanly Warfare: A Baker's Dozen of Booby Traps: Traps are quite common on many battlefields, and if you're looking to increase the threat in your next mission this supplement has you covered!

- [Mission Module] A Night At Breckon's Beacon: Your squad is tasked with finding out what happened to a patrol that went missing in the rough country on the borders of United Polymeria.

- [Mission Module] Assault on Outpost 13: Your squad is tasked with helping protect a prisoner so he can be properly transferred. His syndicate isn't going to let him go without a fight, however.

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!

How Does Your Character Want To Die?

The warrior dragged the whetstone along the length of his sword, first one edge, then the other. He moved slowly, methodically, dripping oil onto the steel at regular intervals as he maintained the weapon. Jasper looked over at him, and the halfling frowned as he watched this ritual the same way he had practically every night on this journey... every night there had been a fight, at least. Which had been most of them.

"You know, people in your profession rarely live to see their elder years," Jasper said.

"Good," the warrior replied, dragging the stone along the edge once more.

The halfling took his pipe out of his mouth, frowning. "You afraid of being old enough that your strength leaves you?"

"I won't have the luxury," the warrior said, laying the stone aside and tapping his chest. He coughed, then turned his head, and spit. "Lung rot."

Jasper suddenly realized he was still smoking, and tapped out his pipe. A sardonic smile quirked the corner of the warrior's mouth. The halfling frowned at him.

"You could live a lot of years with that sickness, if you cared for it," Jasper said.

"I could," the warrior replied. He lifted his sword, and looked along its length. Satisfied, he slid it back into its scabbard. "But I don't want to."

Some of us would rather die young than infirm and in bed.

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!

One of Life's Two Certainties

Everyone pays taxes, and everyone dies. While RPGs often hand wave that first one, the second is very much a part of most games. While danger is a part of every storyline, and there's no telling if your character will die at the hands of an insidious booby trap, in the jaws of a dragon, or on the receiving end of a dire spell, the question you should always ask is if they were given the choice, how does your character actually want to meet their end?

Death can come in many ways.

For example, does your character want to die in battle, believing that is a noble end for a warrior? Or do they want to die that way because their faith tells them warriors ascend to the highest of heavens? Do they believe they have committed some great wrong, and they will never stop fighting until they are slain in open combat? Or, as with our introductory story, do they know they have a limited time in this world already, so they throw themselves into danger in the hopes that something other than their degenerative disease or awful curse will kill them?

Alternatively, does your character wish to live a long life? Do they have too many places to go, and too many things they want to do, to cut their life short so soon? Do they fear death, and they're hoping to find ways to prolong their life during their adventuring career? Or do they simply wish to die in a way where they'll never know it happened, such as peacefully in their sleep?

Whatever your character's attitude toward death is, it matters because that will shape not just how they approach an adventure, but also how they respond to danger. It can also lead to serious moments of character growth.

For example, a character who is looking to die gloriously leaping into battle against overwhelming odds is completely expected. However, a character who fears death, or who has always done what they can to save their own skin taking that kind of action is a mark of someone facing a serious fear. Additionally, a character who was wanted to die in service to their god so they can be reunited with their loved ones in the afterlife allowing themselves to be raised from the dead to help their companions is a mark of great loyalty, and shows that they are growing beyond the singular desire to leave this world to enter the next.

If you're looking for more ways to get insight to your characters, consider grabbing some of the following supplements that I put together for just such occasions:

- 100 Questions To Ask About Your Characters: If you're looking for additional ways to get a slightly better grasp on who your character is, or to discover unexpected things about them, these 100 questions can give you some surprising insights!

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: It's important to know what your character is hoping to achieve, and in some cases whether a particular death for themselves is actually on that list!

- 100 Dark Secrets: Whether it's a shameful past, a terrible disease, or even a curse, many characters have secrets they hide even from those closest to them... and it might be the very reason they put themselves in such danger.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

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

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

Digital Game Products Don't Come With Tariffs! (A Run Down Of This Nonsense)

There are always a contingent of people who say that you should keep politics out of gaming... the problem is that politics affects everything, your games included! There has been no more obvious, on-the-nose example of this than the American Republican regime's intention to put huge tariffs on countries across the world without any seeming rhyme or reason. And this is going to hit everything, tabletop games included.

In fact, one might argue this is going to hit tabletop gaming particularly hard.

We're doing what we can, but you need to understand what's happening.

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

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

What's Happening (And What You Should Be Ready For)

For those who've been living under a rock, the U.S. is currently doing the same thing it did in the early 20th century that was a major contributing factor to the Great Depression... putting tariffs on across-the-board imported goods. A tariff, for those who don't know, is basically an extra tax the government puts on a good imported from a specific country. The company pays that tax to the government, and then (typically), they pass that cost along to the customer by increasing the price of a good.

So if you wanted to get a 12 pack of a particular soda that comes from overseas, and there's now a 10% tariff on that good, the company importing it has to pay the U.S. government that extra cost, and they'll typically just raise their prices to compensate. So if it cost you $5 before, that extra 10% tariff will now raise it to $5.50... at least.

And that's not a big deal for an individual unit, perhaps. But when your inventory is thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of units, that cost adds up. And that tariff has to be paid as soon as the goods come in, and you pay it regardless of whether or not those goods sell.

With me so far? Good.

Now, the stated purpose of a tariff is generally to discourage trade with a particular nation, and to make businesses and customers seek out goods produced in their own country. Given the massive interconnected modern world we live in, that isn't what happens, but that's at least the stated purpose.

The problem, however, is that America is not a nation of manufacturing, and hasn't been for decades. Ever since the 1980s (and arguably earlier), corporations have been moving manufacturing overseas, shutting down domestic operations, and reaping the benefits by paying foreign labor a pittance to make goods they then sell to the American public, pocketing the difference. This is how it's possible at all for us to buy goods that seem ridiculously low-priced. From fast fashion to Wish.com's rock bottom prices, it's a shell game of companies making things overseas for a cheaper cost, then shipping them to the U.S.

And this is where we circle back to tabletop RPGs and board games.

Because practically every part of your games are manufactured overseas and imported. Books, dice, board games, playing cards, and all the little bobs and bits that go into these games are all made somewhere else. And there are two major reasons for that. The first is that companies who make these games have paper-thin profit margins, and so they are forced by necessity to seek out the lowest-cost options possible just to make sure they don't take a loss on their games. I believe my own RPG Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic was printed in China because it was the only viable option for keeping costs down.

The second reason is, of course, these facilities don't exist in the U.S. So when there is no alternative for you to turn to, you're just stuck with your costs being blown up astronomically for no real reason by the government, which has the potential to take a bat to the knees of the entire gaming industry.

We're Going To Need Your Support More Than Ever

Making a living in TTRPGs is already hard. Anyone who's watched my series Tabletop Mercenary over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel knows that already. This obsession with tariffs and trade wars is already leaving gaming companies scrambling because even if companies started setting up U.S. manufacturing today for the things we need, it will be at least 5 years (and more likely a decade) before there's even a robust enough sector to handle what it is gaming companies would need to produce.

And, honestly, that's really unlikely to happen. The best case scenario is that we manage to hold out long enough for someone to undo these disastrous decisions, and ensure that the industry can function at least as well as it was this time last year.

Between now and then, though, there's going to be a lot of creators and companies scrambling to stay afloat. And we are going to need you to help us get to the other side of this!

As the war bonds posters said... we need you!

If you aren't sure how to help the companies and creators you like, but you want to make sure we can keep making games for you to play, then consider the following options:

- Purchase Digital Options: Whether you get digital supplements and books, or if you want to purchase 3D printing schematics to make your own minis at-home, putting something in the coffers is going to be key to helping people survive. If you want to help me out specifically, you can find my 191 titles on Drive Thru RPG at this link, or you can check out my Pinboard for them!

- Subscribe To Their Channels and Social Media: A lot of creators and companies make more than just games. So check to see if the people you want to support have podcasts, blogs, YouTube channels, and follow them on every social media platform you can. The more engagement they get, the more views, listens, and comments you provide, etc., the more they will get paid, which will help balance out the hits from the current tariffs. Again, subscribe to the Azukail Games YouTube channel if you want to help me out!

- Donate To Their Crowdfunding: Whether there's a Kickstarter going on, something on BackerKit, or there's a Patreon or Ko-Fi that you can drop some cash into so they can survive one more month, consider getting directly involved. And even if you don't have the money to do a lot right now, use your social media presence to boost signals, and spread the word. And if you're inclined to help me out, I have a Patreon and a Ko-Fi.

Everyone is reeling, and a lot of us are tightening our belts. But if you have the ability to help creators get through this storm, that's the only way they're going to still be making games when we come out on the other side of it. We're all in this together, and escapism is going to be a big part of what is going to help a lot of us maintain our sanity.

So please, help if you can, and understand why things are getting so ridiculously expensive right now. We are (for the most part, at least) just trying to keep making stuff so we can keep you all entertained!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

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

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

Dungeon Design Tips: Pay Attention To The Environment

Our adventures are supposed to take place in dangerous, terrifying places. From lost ruins, to dense forests, to haunted castles, our parties go to places where most normal people would never go. However, as Game Masters, we always seem to forget that the environment they're in isn't just limited to the box text we read at the beginning of the scene... it should show up on the mat as well!

Because environmental factors can be a huge component of any encounter.

Previous entries in this series (for those who haven't seen them) include:

- Consider Removing Doors From Your Dungeon

- Combine Combat With Traps

- Cover, Firing Lines, and Dynamic Arenas

- Antagonist Action Economy (Never Fight Just One BBEG)

Initiative? Ah hell... I can't see a damn thing!

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 About More Than Light And Darkness

When it comes to environmental factors, the most common aspect Game Masters remember to use is light levels. If the party is sleeping around a campfire, and they're ambushed by orcs in the dead of night, then the firelight only goes so far, and beyond that there's darkness. This situation obviously benefits creatures with darkvision (such as the attacking orcs), and penalizes those who don't have the ability to see in the dark.

And while that is an important consideration for your combats, it is far from the only environmental condition one might have to overcome.

All right... let's get this fire going.

For example, consider some of the following environmental effects your party might have to deal with, and how they could drastically tilt the challenge level of a quest, and the encounters in it.

- Temperature: If the temperature is too cold, or too hot, it can require very specific gear, spells, and potions to combat it. This can also greatly reduce viable armor choices, or favor the natural abilities of certain species over others.

- Visibility: Whether it's from mist and fog, dense trees, or even rain, visibility is a huge deal when it comes to encounters. This is particularly true when it comes to enemy movements, and the difficulty this can inflict on those who focus on ranged weapons and spells during combat.

- Wind and Storms: There are half a dozen spells for dealing with wind, and we rarely end up using any of them. Whether it's affecting those trying to track by scent, interfering with arrows and bolts, or it's significant enough that it poses a real hazard to Small-sized creatures, this doesn't factor into nearly as many campaigns as you'd think it would. And when you add in lightning strikes, deafening thunder, and other aspects, it can be a real issue to overcome!

- Miasma: Whether it's the rotting stench of a swamp, or the bad air deep in a dungeon, breathing in the wrong thing can be unpleasant at best, or dangerous at worst. Add in the fact that it can hide the stench of dangerous enemies, or render the ability to track by scent impossible, and you have a serious obstacle.

- Water: The existence of water and water hazards changes things up entirely. Whether it's ankle-deep water that hinders movement, waist-deep water that can be a serious hazard for Small-sized characters, or deeper bodies that are a risk for anyone who can't breathe under the waves, water comes in many shapes, sizes, and choices.

These are just a few of the options when it comes to the enviornment that we often overlook as a Game Master. Because as I've mentioned in previous installments of this little series, putting your party in a plain, white room or an open field with perfect lighting, clear sight lines, and no cover on concealment means that you've handed your players a straight-up fight.

Why would your monsters ever do that?

While you don't have to stack the deck against your players like a death run by Tucker's Kobolds, consider the environmental effects that should be an issue for them, and possibly for their enemies. If the dungeon is underground, or it's night time, what source of light is the party making use of? Do their enemies also need a light source, or can they see using other means? Is the air laced with spores of poisonous mold that don't bother the necromancer's undead minions, but which can be a serious problem for the party? Is the exposed side of the Dragon Mountain a place of cutting winds and potential avalanches, both of which might be used by yeti and ice dragons to wear down and kill their enemies?

So before you decide to just add more hit points to your enemies, or to slap another dozen monsters onto an encounter, ask yourself whether you've considered possible environmental effects. Because they might not be a make-or-break part of an encounter, but they can be that little extra bit of challenge that can put an edge on your game.

Lastly, if you're looking for some extra things to throw into your games regarding weather and strange conditions, consider these classic encounter lists:

- 100 Random Encounters For On The Road Or In The Wilderness

- 100 Encounters In A Fey Forest

- 100 Pieces of Floatsam and Jetsom to Find on a Beach

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

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

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

Improved Initiative Is Undergoing An Update (And I Could REALLY Use Your Support)!

It's been one hell of a year so far, and it feels like every day brings us a new four-alarm fire that requires yet another response. Even narrowing things to just my little corner of the world of TTRPGs, we've had an uphill battle getting folks interested in the stuff I'm putting out, Drive Thru RPG's roll out has slashed organic discovery on the site to nearly nothing, social media continues to decay, and of course there are a slew of challenges as major companies in the hobby make changes that send shockwaves through the landscape that smaller creators have to try to weather.

However, despite all those challenges, I am still trying to push forward, and to keep making cool stuff for all of you to consume! And I try to keep the costs as low as I can because I know that a lot of my regular readers are on threadbare budgets as it is, and you all may not be able to afford just one more cost.

With that said, though, I'm currently dealing with a 2-on-1 assasult, and I could really use your help to get to the other side of this fight.

We're adjusting... your patience, and help, would be appreciated.

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

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

The Two-Front Financial Assault

For folks who are regular viewers of my show Tabletop Mercenary over on the Azukail Games Youtube channel (which you should subscribe to if you haven't yet), you already heard about the most immediate challenge I'm currently facing. The short version is that, thanks to finally getting my portion of the earnings from the Kickstarter for Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic, I got kicked up into a new income bracket. So instead of cutting a check for $300-$400, which is my usual, this year I owe roughly $1,700... which is more than half of what I actually earned from the Kickstarted in the first place.

More details can be found in the latest episode, Talking About Taxes For TTRPG Creators, embedded below.

That is, of course, a hell of a punch to the gut. I spent the year getting as many receipts for business expenses and charitable donations as I could, but in the end it just didn't matter. This isn't going to leave me penniless, but it is basically knocking me down the ladder to where I was at the start of last year, wiping out any progress I made, and just at a time when earnings are going into a serious downturn all around.

And that is... well, that's bad enough. But if that was the only problem I was dealing with, I wouldn't dedicate this Monday's update to the situation.

There is, of course, a second issue I'm dealing with. Since late 2024 I've been working on getting the details together for my audio fiction podcast Windy City Shadows. This show will be set in the world of the Chronicles of Darkness, and season 1's scripts are slowly coming together. However, since I already updated my video editing software in late Fall of 2024, I figured that this would be a good time to update my audio equipment as well. What I have is perfectly functional, but I was thinking on moving out of the realm of standard USB microphones, and getting something that would capture a slightly richer sound before I started recording for this podcast. After all, I don't want to be 3 episodes in, and then have the style and quality of the sound I'm producing radically shift.

Again, if this was the only challenge I was dealing with, I'd just handle it behind the scenes. But these two things happening at the same time is... less than ideal, to say the least.

How You Can Help

I'm not going to lie, I could use a hand to clamber up a few rungs. I also know that everyone is struggling right now. So if you're someone who'd like to help me dig my way out of this hole, but you're not sure you have the ability to do so, I've arranged the options in descending order. If you have spare dosh you'd like to throw my way, that's a great help! If you've got no spare money, but you have time and eyeballs, that can also be a major boon!

Let me explain.

If You Just Want To Give

If hearing about this situation makes you just want to throw money in my tip jar, that would be greatly appreciated. If you just want to do a one-time tip, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or if you want to become a regular contributor consider Becoming A Patreon Supporter.

This is the most direct way to help, and the most efficient in terms of funds going directly to me as a creator, which is why I put it first. The others on the list are equally good, though, so feel free to take advantage of them as well!

If You Want To Make A Purchase

If you're the sort of person who wants to support me by buying stuff I've made (and there's a lot of it for sale) there are two major categories you should check out.

The first is my rather large archive of tabletop RPG games and supplements. I've made a TTRPG pinboard for all of them for ease of browsing, but if you prefer to avoid going to Pinterest as a website you can also find everything I have on Drive Thru RPG through this link.

Secondly, for folks who don't know, I also write novels and short stories. You can find a majority of my books on my Amazon author page, and several of my titles are also available at other bookstores if you see something you like, but you're trying to avoid buying from Amazon. Defunct super soldiers, mystery-solving cats, a sword-and-sorcery novel that reads like Conan if he was from Tennessee... all these and more await you!

If You Want To Help Without Spending Money

I get it, funds are in short supply these days. Or maybe you already did one (or both) of the previous options, but you'd like to put a cherry on top of your efforts to support me as a creator. Well, there are several things you can do that won't cost you any money whatsoever, but they still go a long way toward helping me pay my bills, recoup my losses, and get the new equipment I'm looking at for my upcoming projects.

These are listed starting with the most impactful.

- Read Articles From My Vocal Archive: This archive has 326 articles at time of writing, and they're all free for you to read! However, for every 1,000 reads, I earn about $6. So if a couple hundred people all read 1 article a day, that's going to be a noted difference in my income every month. For extra points, share the articles you like on your social media platform of choice to get more eyes on them!

- Watch My YouTube Videos: I contribute a lot of content to the Azukail Games YouTube channel, and when last I looked I think I've got nearly 200 videos on there. As with the above option, folks who watch just 1 video a day consistently can make a big difference (and an even bigger one if you upvote, leave comments of at least 7 words, and subscribe to the channel while hitting the bell icon to get updates)! Thanks to platform decay, it's hard as hell to get eyes on these, but whether you want to hear me talk about my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting, my Army Men RPG, advice for the World of Darkness, audio dramas, or dozens of other things, adding views to these videos makes a difference.

- Subscribe To Me: Whether it's on social media platforms, the YouTube channel I just mentioned, or becoming a free member on my Patreon page, anything that puts more bodies in my queue helps tell the algorithm to pay more attention to me. Interacting with my posts, leaving comments, sharing stuff, all of that helps as well, but even just clicking to follow me as a bare minimum makes a difference. Social media sites can be found below, for folks who want to take this option!

My Thanks In Advance

In an era where it's getting harder and harder to tell stories for any kind of living, you are the folks who help keep me afloat so I can keep doing this. Because without you, I don't know where I'd be... and that's pretty scary.

So thank you. Thank you to those who've been with me since the beginning, and thank you to folks who are just coming across me. All of you help keep me going, and it's my hope that the things I make enrich your lives just a little bit.

Here's hoping we reach the other side of this challenge together!

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!

Would You Like To Hear Broadcasts From Mr. Nowhere? (Changeling: The Lost Updates)

As most of my regular readers know, I'm currently elbow-deep in working on a fiction podcast for the Chronicles of Darkness setting. This will be a continuation of many of the short fiction pieces that have already appeared on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, and there will be returning voices (as well as returning characters) from some of those stories!

However, the host of the show is someone a lot of you may have missed. The faceless, enigmatic voice on the airwaves, Mr. Nowhere. While there's little enough known about this elusive Winter Courtier, Mr. Nowhere could be making an appearance in other videos quite soon... assuming, of course, regular readers are interested to hear what he has to say.

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!

Where You Could Hear Mr. Nowhere (Cast Your Vote Today!)

While Mr. Nowhere is going to be the voice of the intro and outro of each episode (as well as the commercial break in the middle of each episode, assuming we can find ourselves some proper sponsors!), this podcast is going to take a lot of behind-the-scenes work and time to pull together. As I mentioned in previous updates, it's likely going to take me months just to finish writing all the scripts, firming up the details, etc., before I can start getting people together to record.

But to sort of warm up the crowd and get people interested, I had a couple of smaller videos I'd like to make. My hope is that they'll catch some people's attention, and get more folks to tune-in when the full podcast starts dropping episodes.

One of my first thoughts is to put together a second video essay for Changeling: The Lost that's all about Radio Free Fae. This Winter Court organization is used to broadcast coded messages, and to share information among the Lost in ways that can be vital to the community... and Mr. Nowhere is a member of this particular organization, covering the Windy City as well as the greater Chicagoland area with his broadcasts. As such, this video essay would have a much more meta tone than previous ones have, allowing a character from the setting to give the audience the run down of who he is, and what the organization he represents does.

However, that's just one possibility for where folks may hear Mr. Nowhere next!

In addition to that video essay, I was also thinking of providing some short character bios in order to give listeners insight to season 1. These might be particularly useful for those who are not Changeling: The Lost players, and who would like a brief cliff notes dossier so they aren't left scrambling to pick up context of what's happening when the show starts. From discussions of major players in the seasonal courts that make up the changeling power structure in the city, to persons of note, to insights into recent events for the main cast, I figure this might work as a gentler introduction to the upcoming story.

Lastly, Mr. Nowhere is likely to be heard on the official trailers I want to make for season 1 of Windy City Shadows. I'm planning on making somewhere between 1 and 3 of these videos which will be short little samples of what's to come that will (fingers crossed) get more listeners interested in the show as we get closer to its official debut.

What Is Something You'd Like To Hear Next?

So, out of all those options, what is something that appeals to you most?

Would you like:

#1: At least one video essay voiced by Mr. Nowhere as he leads us deeper into the Chronicles of Darkness setting, and Changeling: The Lost in particular?

#2: Character bios as Mr. Nowhere gives new readers and listeners a cliff notes version of the setting of Windy City Shadows?

#3: Trailers for Windy City Shadows to draw folks into the setting?

Now, it's likely that all three of these projects are going to happen at some point. However, where I put my energy and time will be determined by you, the readers and listeners! So if one of these categories has a distinct lead over the others, that is the one that's going to go at the top of the to-do list when I manage to free up time in the production schedule.

So please, leave your vote down in the comments below, on social media where you came across this page, and in the comments section of The Liminal Horror of Changeling: The Lost so that I and my publisher can see them, count them, and tally them! And if you want to help push projects like this up in the algorithm, and make it easier for me to keep getting ideas like this greenlit, subscribe to the Azukail Games YouTube channel, and hit that little bell to get all of our updates while you're at it!

Lastly, if you enjoy the little samples you've seen of Mr. Nowhere and you'd like to grab a few supplements I've released that have featured sneaky references to him or his activities, you could also grab these supplements I've written for Storyteller's Vault!

- 100 Mourning Cant Dialects, Phrases, and Meanings: Delving into the secretive communication styles of the Winter Court, this supplement helps you really take on the feel of clandestine operatives.

- 100 Strange Sights To See In The Hedge: The Hedge is a bizarre place full of impossible creatures and landscapes... and if you look closely, you might catch sight of a signal tower, swallowed in the greenery.

- 100 Rumors To Hear At The Freehold: Whispers are as deadly as daggers among the paranoid Lost... and very few people can collect more rumors than Winter.

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, my hard-boiled noir series featuring the street beasts of NYC in Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Bue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

Game Masters, Take Some Lessons From Video Game RPGs When It Comes To Memorable NPCs

Most of us who enjoy rolling funny-shaped dice and talking in outrageous accents have (usually) also spent at least some time playing RPGs on a console or computer over the years. And whether you prefer something that's hack-and-slash like Diablo, or you're more of an action-RPG fan who prefers some of the offerings in Bethesda's stable, these games are a great way to play when we don't have time, energy, etc. to get a crew together for an adventure around the table.

And while criticizing Game Masters (as well as players) for being too "video gamey" in their approaches is a common thing in the hobby, I feel like there is value in looking at what these games do right. And while we can argue about which games have good narrative design, and which ones give you freedom of choice, I feel there is a particular aspect a lot of GMs might overlook... namely the merging of function and form that typically happens with important NPCs.

Stay a while, and listen.

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

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

A Merging of Function and Form

Any time you have a recurring NPC in a video game, they tend to serve some, mechanical function in your game. It might be a character like Blacksmith Andre in Dark Souls, who repairs and upgrades your gear, or it might be someone like Wirt in Diablo who gives you rare and unusual items if you're willing to gamble on them, but the idea was that if you were going to have an NPC who got animations, art, and voice lines, then they needed to be a functional part of the game as well as a part of the story in order to justify the time, work, and expense of rendering and including them.

Now, as a Game Master, you can spin up NPCs from out of thin air, and use them to plug in whatever need you have... however, doing that can eat up a lot of time, energy, and effort, and it can leave you with an ever-growing roster of characters you have to keep track of that can make your story feel a bit bloated as you try to keep track of who is who, while not losing your grip on the story you're telling. So, to keep your list somewhat streamlined, it's a good idea to make sure that particular NPCs you want to keep around serve a specific role in the game, as well as occupying a particular place in the story you're telling.

Hello there! How can I be of service today?

There is, however, an additional factor you need to balance, here. Because regular, recurring NPCs should serve some mechanical purpose, but at the same time you don't want them to be more powerful than your player characters. You can end up walking a very fine line when it comes to what an NPC can do... but sometimes that can be a fulfilling part of the challenge that can also add to the flavor and lore of the character in question!

For example, let's say you have a shady NPC who hangs out on the rough side of town. Maybe his original purpose was to get rumors to the party, and to act as a way for them to gain access to black market goods like poison if they stay on his good side. That function doesn't require him to be a powerful character in his own right; he could be a level 1 thug who just happens to have a network of contacts that lets him act as a dispensary for the party. But what if you wanted a character to act as a source of lore, or to help identify magical items, spells, etc. that the party can't figure out for themselves?

This is where that creativity comes in.

For example, does your party form a relationship with an acolyte who lives in the large, arcane college's library who does all the research, devoting their time and energy to giving the PCs answers because they know how to comb through the collected knowledge of the institution rather than because they themselves are a master of the magic arts? Do they instead talk to a local hermit who was once a cleric, but who has since turned his back on his faith, meaning that he still has all his knowledge (and maybe a few spells kept in reserve), but he is only a shadow of his former self? Or is there an eccentric noblewoman who has devoted her life to the study of magic, fascinated by everything it offers even if she has no skill beyond theory and history?

The key here is to walk that fine line. Because if the PCs interact with a particular NPC for long enough, then they will often end up becoming their go-to ally or source. This will help you keep interactions going, deepen relationships with these characters (hopefully), and allow you to toss out some pieces of their lore as time goes on.

It can also be a particularly good method for making sure that you don't have to make up a new roster of NPCs every time your players want to go shopping for new gear, replenish their spell components, or commission a new weapon or armor set. Which will save you a lot of time and energy by the end of your campaign... even if you just establish a fresh set of useful NPCs in every new location when you get to a fresh arc of your story.

Looking For Some NPCs To Fill In Your Gaps?

You should definitely check these out if you haven't yet!

If you're a Game Master who wants a little help with the heavy lifting of NPC creation, I've been putting together a lot of supplements on this subject. And while a lot of these NPCs are just scene fillers like the drinkers at the end of the bar, or the merchant dealing in leathers, all of these supplements are interspersed with NPCs who have the kind of mechanical roles I've mentioned above. So whether you're looking for curators of alchemical goods, underworld figures who know how to get you illegal goods, weapon smiths of extraordinary skill, or curious scholars who can find the lore your characters need to advance the plot, consider picking up some of the following supplements:

- 100 NPCs You Might Meet At The Tavern: The flagship product of my blue-book covers, this one is a bestseller for a reason, in my opinion, and it has a little bit of everything in it.

- 100 Helpful Hirelings: A collection of folks who are more than happy to help out the party, this collection has everything from laborers and squires, to locksmiths, arcane scholars, and more!

- 100 Merchants To Encounter: From traveling magic item dealers and fey marketeers, to ironmongers, tanners, and booksellers, this collection has a long list of folks who can be ideal for getting the right items into the party's hands... and many of them also provide secondary services that can be quite useful!

- 100 Nobles To Encounter: Whether they're meant to act as paymasters, as someone who can open doors for the party, or just someone who is willing to help whenever possible, it's a good idea to know what nobles one can find in the area.

- 100 Town Guards: A collection of the town's investigators and enforcers, these NPCs are often good for getting information into your party's hands, for giving them some leeway with their methods, or even providing them with some unusual tools, if they play their cards (dice?) right.

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!