How Is Your Party Connected?

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

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

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

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

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

Who Are You Adventuring Beside... And Why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Is One Of The More Fun Parts of The Game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the dark sci fi saga of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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

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

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

- Chris Dundon (To Valhalla, my friend!)

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

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

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

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

No pressure, though...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What If We Removed The Naval Blockade?

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

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

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

Not even bell diving marines!

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

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

Capabilities, Actions, And The Arms Race

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the dark sci fi channel I contribute stories to, The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Step Back, And A Different Perspective

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

Clarification and Closing Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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

The Season 1 Finale For "The A.L.I.C.E. Files" Is Finally Out! (And A Peek At What's Coming Next)

It's been one hell of a ride thus far, but I wanted to take a moment to throw some confetti in the air, and to celebrate the completion of Season 1 of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! It's been nearly a year of work (if you count all the pre-launch efforts that went into the first few episodes), and we managed to get everything out without a single delay, and only minimal problems. And even though we aren't where we need to be with it yet, I didn't want to just let this accomplishment pass by without remarking on it.

And whether you've been following the project since its inception, or you're just now hearing about it, I wanted to take a moment to ask for your help. Because in order for us to keep the wheels turning, we're going to need help from listeners like you.

Don't worry, though, we aren't asking people for money.

 

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!

What's The Show About (And What Can You Do To Help)?

For folks who are just joining us, The A.L.I.C.E. Files is a YouTube channel I launched in partnership with Alice Liddell earlier this year. The two of us combined our efforts to produce audio versions of various stories (our own stories, public domain stories, and a couple of fan works), which are all part of an overarching narrative about a young woman designated Alice who has accepted a position with the Carroll Institute. This shadowy organization explores parallel dimensions, and the stories that Alice witnesses are the reports sent back by the agents who went through the Rabbit Hole... and even if they didn't make it back, their stories did.

So the vibe is one part SCP Foundation, and one part Delta Green, with a hefty dose of Alice in Wonderland thrown in for good measure!

 

The trailer is only a few minutes long, if you want to check it out for yourself before reading any further. 

 

Now, the plan for Season 1 was to essentially lay out the general format for the show, and to get listeners used to Alice's new routine. We follow her as she explores the parts of the building she's allowed inside, we meet several of her coworkers, and we get little hints here and there of the greater lore of the setting. Mostly, though, the first season focuses on the files she witnesses on behalf of the Archive. However, sharp-eyed folks (or just those who read the entry Can You Spot The Clues in The A.L.I.C.E. Files (What Are Your Theories?)) may have also noticed that we started dropping plot seeds early, in addition to putting a couple of ARG elements into the show for those who enjoy trying to follow the bread crumbs of an unfolding mystery.

As far as Season 2 goes, Alice was given a serious choice in the finale. Confronted by a bizarre being she can't explain, she's handed a key, and a mystery. Will she report it to her superiors? Will she follow the mystery as it's handed to her? Or will she simply push it out of her mind, put her head down, and just try to keep doing her job? Our goal with Season 2 was to start branching out into an in-universe storyline, and to incorporate a number of popular creepy pasta stories and ideas into the plot, in addition to the more traditional dramatized stories we put together in Season 1.

However, if we're going to get through this, we're going to need help from readers like you.

Again, we're not asking for money. Just the press of a few buttons, and your ears.

Our goal when we started The A.L.I.C.E. Files was to get the channel monetized so that we could earn money from ad revenue, audience tips, and all the other methods available to creators. It would be a tough road, given that YouTube requires a channel to have 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 hours of watched content in a 365-day period (which is roughly 11.5 hours a day, every day, all year long), but we were confident that we could do that. It might take us a while, but we knew we'd be able to get there eventually.

Unfortunately, thanks to a decision from YouTube, we don't have eventually anymore. We have until the end of the year, sink or swim.

 

I recently laid out the details over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, but the short version is that YouTube is doubling the amount of watch hours a channel needs to have before it can be monetized starting early next year. So we no longer have a couple of years to build up multiple seasons and a large enough audience... we have just under 4 months, and the clock is ticking!

So whether you're just finding out about the channel, or you've been cheering us on since we started back in the spring, please, do the following to help us keep the wheels turning:

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

- Watch the episodes that are out

- Upvote episodes you like, and leave comments (the algorithm likes it when people do that)

- Share the show on your social media pages to help more people find out about us

At time of writing we have 369 subscribers, and we're just over 1,600 watched hours. We've still got some time left, but we need as many people out there to please add your voices, hit the buttons, and tell people about this project.

There are already a lot of shows that got a 1-season trial, and then disappeared due to audience disinterest. If we can get people to click that subscribe button, and actually show up for our episodes, we've got at least 3 seasons planned. Possibly 4, if folks really want to see more! But if we get the door shut in our face by YouTube, then sadly we might have to move on to something different instead.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my more involved audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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

My First Adventure For Sundara Is Finally Out!

As regular readers know, I've been putting out supplements for my own fantasy setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age for years now. The setting is available for both Pathfinder Classic and Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, and while I've covered species and cities, towns, gods, cults, and guilds, I hadn't actually written any adventure modules for it. Because... well, at the end of the day, adventures take more work and resources than any other kind of supplement I've made, and they almost always sell worse than anything except for tie-in fiction.

But the stars aligned, and I wanted to take a moment to tell folks about how my adventure A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn came to be!

Also, I make certain to call it my first adventure for Sundara... Isaiah Burt actually beat me to the punch on writing the first adventure set in Sundara with The Invocation of Bael-Kharn, which I'd recommend for folks who are looking for a mid-range, level 7-8 adventure to run for folks!

And if you haven't picked up a copy yet, grab one for your table today!

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!

How This Adventure Came To Be

Rather than being something that was just put together in the past few months, I actually wrote this adventure module several years ago. I won't name names for who was supposed to release it, but after inquiring as to when it was supposed to release (and then if it was supposed to release), I finally got word back from my contact that the time had expired on it, and I could place it somewhere else if I had someone who might be interested in it.

I, of course, reached out to Adrian Kennelly, since Azukail Games handles the bulk of my gaming supplements. He was definitely interested, but wanted to know if I could gear it for Sundara, rather than just releasing it as a stand-alone module. So I broke out the red pen, and added the town of Hag's End to my setting... while also taking care to file off the alignments that had been given to various characters, as that was something that I did away with back when the setting was first conceived.

Which raises the number of smaller towns in the setting to 11.

And that, as they say, is that. This adventure that was once a stand-alone piece now invites players inside my setting, and it can act as a jumping off point to an entire campaign! An oncoming storm causes people to seek shelter at the one inn Hag's End has to offer, and it's while they're within its heavy walls that they have a chance to rest, eat, and get to know the people they're trapped with. And when something bizarre begins happening, they'll have to band together... if they don't want this to be their last night at the Slaughterhouse Inn, of course.

A Challenge That I Need Your Help With!

I mentioned in the above section that adventure modules require the most work, and they typically make some of the fewest sales. It's for that reason that I had to negotiate with Adrian as to the costs of A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn. I accepted a higher royalty rate for it than I normally get, but that was because my per-word rate for it was much lower than I would normally receive. This was doable for me because the adventure was already written, but I would not have been able to put together something this involved from scratch under those circumstances.

However, Adrian did offer me an additional incentive. You see, most adventures don't even reach Copper status (51 copies solid), much less Silver status (101 copies sold) on Drive Thru RPG. So he made me a deal... if I can get this supplement up over those humps, he'll give me a little bonus, in addition to my royalty for managing to kick those numbers up!

It's a long way to the top, but I would appreciate some help getting there!

If you're one of my regular readers, or just someone that's wondering what I'd put out for a Pathfinder Classic adventure instead of one of the other systems I've worked in, please do the following for me:

- Buy a copy of A Night At The Slaughterhouse Inn

- Rate and review it on DTRPG

- Share the adventure on your social media pages, and tell your friends about it

I've said this before, but the only way that writers of any stripe can put out new work is if people actually consume what they make. And after at least 3 years of not being able to scrape together the time, energy, and resources for modules set in Sundara, this adventure (as well as The Invocation of Bael-Kharn) is kind of a shot in the dark, hoping to hit the bullseye.

So if you're one of the folks out there who wished that Sundara would get some adventures to help give people a taste of the setting, I could really use your help now. If you're one of my regular readers who wished I'd write more adventures, don't sleep on this one. And if you're someone who wants to have a fast adventure module you can run when the power goes out and everyone wants to gather round by candlelight while there's a storm outside, this is definitely a game you should print out and keep in a three-ring binder like an old school GM would.

And if you're one of those people who has already bought your copy of this new adventure... well, consider grabbing one of my other adventure modules! There's not a lot of them, and only a few have even earned a Copper rating for sales. If I could change that for some of them (or all of them, if I want to get crazy optimistic) that would be a pretty solid achievement to skate toward the end of the year on!

- False Valor: A murdered girl might be the spark that reignites a war that's been over for nearly a hundred years... but the elves of the dark woods have long memories, and they don't reckon things the way a man would. (DND 5E)

- The Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh: An isolated town along the Old Swamp Road is beset by horrors that come when the sun sets. Mercenaries and crusaders alike have come to free the town from its fate... but will they be able to? (DND 5E)

- The Curse of Sapphire Lake: An old settlement seeks to rebuild, but they are beset by a phantom that's destroying roads, smashing homesteads, and driving off people who'd hoped to put down roots. Something from an old and terrible myth, will those summoned to the north lands be able to stop this threat? (DND 5E)

- Dreadful Tales: A collection of three short adventures, my dark little drama involves a doctor that's gone missing. The only one with a clue to his whereabouts is a scarred, violent criminal who won't say what's happened. Those who dig, however, might find the answer curdles their dreams, and keeps them awake at night. (Victorian Gothic)

- The Price of Iron: A simple job guarding a warehouse takes a dark turn when terrible fey monsters are unleashed within the structure. The only thing standing between them, and the unsuspecting city, are the ones who gave their word to stand their ground. (DND 5E)

- A Night At Breckon's Beacon: A squad went missing while out on maneuvers, lost in the rugged country along the Polymerian frontier. You and your fellow troopers are charged with finding what happened to them... but will you survive a Night at Breckon's Beacon? (Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic)

- Assault on Outpost 13: A dangerous scion of a crime family has been taken prisoner, and your squad is called up to help hold him until reinforcements arrive. Corruption runs rampant through the Styric Republic, though, and you will need to figure out who you can trust if you want to get out of this alive. (Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic)

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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

Going Electrum on Storyteller's Vault... Can We Make Gold? (Breaking Down Trends)

In the past I have been a regular contributor to Storytellers Vault, and I've created supplements for a variety of games in both the World and Chronicles of Darkness. However, as I've talked about previously, one of the reasons I stepped back from doing as much with that platform as I had previously was that it just wasn't financially feasible for me. I take a 50% up-front pay cut whenever I write something for the platform (1 cent instead of 2 cents per word) and when you're writing tens of thousands of words, that adds up.

However, the other day I noticed something... several of my supplements have actually crossed the line into Electrum metal sellers (meaning they've moved at least 251 copies through the One Bookshelf websites). It was actually a surprising number of them. And since folks seemed to enjoy the break down I put out in An Autopsy On My Recent Deal Of The Day, I figured I'd take a moment to talk about what the numbers are telling me, and what this may mean for future supplements from me in the future.

And if you have opinions, there's going to be a way for you to contact me directly!

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

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

What Do People Respond To?

This is the question that every creator asks when they put something together, and throw it out into the void to see if it can find an audience. More specific aspects of this for Storytellers Vault include:

- What game line gets the best response?

- What format do people respond to?

- Do people prefer mechanics over flavor, or the other way around?

- Is there a particular subject that seems to be more popular than others?

Well, let's see what the numbers say, shall we?

To begin at the beginning, Werewolf: The Apocalypse has the most Electrum sellers for me. Whether it's the 101 Savage Kinfolk collection I wrote for the Savage Age, or the more "normal" kinfolk supplements I wrote many years ago, it's one of my most popular games. However, interestingly, only the 100 Kinfolk supplements for Glasswalkers, Get of Fenris, Silver Fangs, Bone Gnawers, Shadow Lords, and of course the Black Spiral Dancers have made it over that Electrum line. And while I've written supplements for things other than NPCs, those seem to be the supplements that have moved the most copies for this game.

The second-largest number of Electrum sellers comes from Changeling: The Lost. And unlike Werewolf, the offerings here are a little more diverse. The high sellers include: 100 (Mostly) Harmless Goblin Fruits And Oddments To Find In The Hedge, Buyer Beware: 10 Goblin Markets, 100 Hobs To Meet In The Hedge, 100 Strange Sights To See In The Hedge, and 100 Frailties. While there's a mix of mechanics and flavor in there, what seems very clear to me is that (for Changeling, at least) my top sellers are for things that concern the Hedge. And after all, why wouldn't they? It's a huge, constantly-shifting realm that's full of possibility, and a lot of Storytellers need some kind of starting point to help the Hedge take a more concrete shape in their games. While I've put out far more supplements for Changeling than just these 6, the ones that focus more on mortal world NPCs, on whispers and rumors, or even on the True Fae themselves just don't seem to be as popular.

Lastly, while I've written supplements for several other splats, the only other one that's reached Electrum status is 100 Resources and Rumors To Find On SchreckNet for Vampire: The Masquerade. While I have a handful of other supplements for Vampire (mostly focused on ghouls, but with another providing a list of potential havens), this seems to be the only one that's remained popular. And while it seems to go against the grain of the previous two games, where the most popular supplements seemed to be widely applicable overall, this supplement seems to be doing well exactly because of how specific it is. Which, when one considers that Vampire is the largest game in terms of the sheer amount of supplements and overall content made for it, makes sense from a marketing perspective.

So What Does All Of This Mean?

Sadly, even going over the numbers and successes, there is no clear formula for writing a supplement that is guaranteed to do well. Everything is a roll of the dice, and nothing is certain when it comes to popularity or sales.

With that said, however, the trends that I've noticed are:

- Supplements that provide support for the vague other-worlds of games often do all right

- Supplements that are hyper-specific to a part of the lore can do well

- Supplements that have broad use for Storytellers and players alike often do well

- Supplements in a complete series/bundle tend to do well (once the series is complete, at least)

I'm hedging my language a bit (if you'll pardon the Changeling pun) because even following these simple findings don't guarantee good sales. After all, Dark Reflections: 50 Sights To See In The Penumbra for Werewolf never even broke Copper, even though it's functionally very similar to supplements I wrote for Changeling. Is it the format? The fact that more Werewolf games are focused on exploring the real world and its plots instead of diving deep into the Umbra? Is it there are more Umbra-based resources, whereas the Hedge was still big, vague, and largely undefined for so long? It could be any or all of those things... but there's just no telling what.

I've often compared writing RPG supplements to gazing into a crystal ball. I can see some vague shapes and patterns, but there is no clear reception. So at the end of the day, I try to follow what trends I can, and to incorporate past successes... but there's often no way to know for certain which things are flukes, and which things are actual trends. And worse, there's no knowing how long a trend will hold true before what was once a solid investment of time and energy simply stops being popular with players.

How To Make Your Voice Heard

I've often said that to make up for the loss in initial income for a Storytellers Vault supplement, every, single one I release would need to hit Gold status (501 supplements). Not a single one of the things I've written out of the 40-something supplements has done that well... yet, anyway. As such, I am taking an initial loss on writing these... I repeat this to drive home to folks how much I love these games, and how refreshing it can be to dip back into them from time to time.

But it is a lot easier to work on more of these if I actually have a definitive idea what it is folks out there want to see more of.

 

Now, if you're someone who has a strong opinion of what you'd like to see me (or Adrian) release for future Storytellers Vault supplements, here's what you need to do. Go to the video I linked above. Leave a comment telling me what you want as specifically as you can (because saying, "I want more stuff for Mage," is less helpful than something like, "I would like a supplement for running the awakening scenes for new mages in Mage: The Awakening."). Once you've left your comment, toss the video a like, subscribe to the Azukail Games YouTube channel if you haven't, and share the video around so we can get more people's opinions.

These actions accomplish several things. First and foremost, the publisher gets pings when new comments are left, so this means you're going to get a direct line to us. It lets us see at a glance what people want us to work on. Also, the more views, comments, etc. a video gets, the more likely it is that the algorithm boosts our signal, and the more people will find out about who we are, and what we do.

Because Storytellers Vault might be a relatively small pool, but I'd wager a majority of folks who play these games have no clue who I am, who Adrian is, and that Azukail Games even exists. So helping shine a spotlight on us, while also sending us clear messages about the kinds of games we should be working on, will help a lot!

Lastly, I do still have a pair of supplements that haven't even hit Copper status yet. So if you have a moment, consider helping these two get their feet under them:

- Dark Reflections: 50 Sights To See In The Penumbra (Werewolf: The Apocalypse)

- Agents and Assets: 100 Personnel and Contacts For Task Force VALKYRIE (Hunter: The Vigil)

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

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