Trench Crusade: A Miniature Skirmish Game You NEED To Check Out

The drums of battle sound, and the hymns of war boom through the conflict, carried on the burning drafts of artillery. Blasphemous slugs tear through the air with a demonic screech, rending apart the flesh of those whose faith isn't strong enough to see them across no-man's-land. Devils prowl the trenches, and the zealous howl their prayers so loudly they can be heard over the thunder of the guns.

The Crusade marches onward... do you have the conviction to see it to the end?

It smells your fear... and it will feast on the souls of those weak enough to let it.

What The Hell is Trench Crusade?

Trench crusade is a grim look at an alternate timeline of horror where a portal to hell opened in the center of the Holy Land. From that point onward, the war never stopped, and now in addition to steel and faith it's a clash of arcane powers and infernal machinery as the dark reflections of the worst of humanity try to push into our world, and to claim more and more of it for themselves.

That short description is fun enough by itself, but the art is what sells this game for me. Looking like the bastard hate child of Beksinski and Bosch, these hellish illustrations (many of which already have minis) will call out to the hearts of those who love Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Warhammer 40K, along with other terrible, grimdark fantasy settings. Mike Franchina is the major name and talent behind much of this art, and in conjuction with designers like Tuomas Pirinen (a designer who worked on Mordheim) and sculptor James Sheriff, this game looks just the right kind of disgustingly beautiful!

Come on... LOOK at this damn thing!

The playtest rules, and a lot of the lore are currently available at the Trench Crusade website, and I highly recommend folks grab them and take a look. Not only that, but you should follow them on Twitter to make sure you get their updates as well!

As a final note, I owe a small bit of thanks to the folks who have been pitching a fit about wokeness ever since Games Workshop announced there were (and retroactively always had been) female members of the Emperor's Custodian Guard. It appears that many of them jumped ship from Warhammer 40K (good riddance), and started looking for other communities to take their unwanted views to. A lot of them found Trench Crusade, and started trying to plant their flag in this game. However, as the mods in their communities made clear, Trench Crusade is not a place for people to discuss real world politics. They also made it clear that a person's sexuality and gender presentation is not a political issue; it is simply who they are, and they should be respected as individuals. People who wanted to start a beef over that have found very quickly that this community has no time for any of that nonsense.

So, if you ask me, that's one more great reason to go and support this game! Or at least check it out so we can keep getting art, lore, and minis for it.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or 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 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!

Make In-World Media For Your Game (Your Players Will Appreciate It)

Game Masters are always looking for ways to enhance immersion, and to really get players stuck into their games. Some GMs will put together playlists and background ambience for particular scenes, others will put together physical props like wallets or maps that the characters may find during their adventure. However, something that a lot of us might not think to do, but which you can get a lot of mileage out of, is creating in-game media that plays into your ongoing campaign.

And while this can be just one more hat for the GM to wear, trust me, few things will draw players in quite the same way as these little extras.

And they can even be fun to make!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, 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!

Newspapers, Radio Broadcasts, and More!

As an example of what I'm talking about, let's take your average high fantasy game. Maybe it's Dungeons and Dragons, maybe it's Pathfinder, or maybe it's something else entirely... whatever your system, you should find a way to put in some kind of local newspaper (or at least a broadsheet) that can act as both a recap of your party's adventures thus far, but also as a combination job board, and way for them to potentially get news about the rest of the setting.

This could be a straightforward re-telling, or you could even add a bit of a slant depending on what kind of public persona your PCs have. You might even give it the Jonah Jameson treatment, where the person behind the paper is constantly trying to paint the party as a menace, acting as whole other obstacle to be overcome. You could have quotes from NPCs they've interacted with, eyewitness reports about particular noteworthy moments, and then in the back pages, some personal ads. If you want to get extra clever you can even bury secrets in those want ads so that characters who know spy codes or thief craft may realize there's a bit of doublespeak going on there, and that if they dig deeper there could even be hidden plot points to pursue.

For another example, consider these broadcasts I create from Mr. Nowhere, a representative of Radio Free Fae in my Changeling: The Lost game.

For those who have not played the game before, Changeling: The Lost is about people who are kidnapped by god-like, alien entities from another dimension. These True Fae tear out a captive's soul, pour fae magic into the gap, and then alter these people to be their servants. Those who escape and make it back to the real world find themselves changed, hence the name changelings, and they tend to come together for mutual protection, as well as to help one another cope with (and perhaps even heal from) their traumatic experiences.

Changelings often join large organizations called courts for mutual protection and support, and one of the most common types of courtly arrangement are the courts of the four seasons. The Winter Court are known as spymasters, information brokers, and when necessary, assassins. Radio Free Fae is one way that Winter Courtiers will occasionally broadcast information to other changelings, letting them know about dangers and risks in the area... though these broadcasts tend to be put into coded language so that only those in the know can interpret the true meaning.

The above broadcast was the one I made for my players this Summer. This emotional weather report (named for the Tom Waits song, and because changelings feed off powerful emotions to fuel their magic) talked about which areas of the city are currently dangerous (north side is vampire turf, hence why it might seem dead, but is quite dangerous), where there will be good places to harvest emotions (construction season is peak time for absorbing rage from passerby), and even warnings about dangers that are coming in from outside (a specific reference to white supremacist groups that were causing problems in the city).

And since it's been up for a few months, I went a step further. For those who go to the full page for Emotional Weather Report (Broadcast From Mr. Nowhere), you will find some clues buried in the video tags. Winter Courtiers love to talk in code, after all, and the phrase "Beware The Ashen Lady," was an early warning about one of the True Fae who was making her way to the area. Mr. Nowhere didn't know what her deal was, but knew she was dangerous, and that everyone in the area needed to be warned. To put the other tag in context, Froebischer is a large, emperor penguin in a Hawaiian shirt that breathes fire who wanders through the local Hedge... the message that he is not a penguin could simply be a red herring, or there might be a deeper meaning to it.

If any of my players are reading this, consider whether or not this is a clue.

The first Emotional Weather Report turned out so well (and was so positively regarded by my players) that I've decided to make it something of a seasonal thing. Now Mr. Nowhere acts as an early warning system, allowing players to glean some hints and clues about things that are coming, so long as they put in the effort to maintain good rapport with him, and to do their part to make sure tragedy doesn't befall him, or his broadcasts.

As to what this most recent report above means... well, it's still fresh, so I don't want to spoil anything. But rest assured, I will have a full write-up down the line, once all the actions are taken, and the story is complete. For those who want to stay on top of these broadcasts, as well as other audio dramas I make, don't forget to subscribe to the Azukail Games channel on YouTube, as well as to my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary!

And if you're curious, Froebischer is one of my creations that came out of the supplement 100 Hobs to Meet in The Hedge, so check that out if you'd like to add some odd little NPCs to your own Lost chronicle!

It's Work, But It's Worth It

I'm the first to admit that making this kind of media for your players is definitely a lot of extra work, even if you have the know-how and resources to put it together. However, it is a great way to take your game up to the next level, and to really get your players' enthusiastic about the campaign.

Not only that, but if you're crafty, you can even get your players to participate in the creation process, which spreads the work out for you!

For instance, if you have a player who likes to write short stories, they might do a dramatic write-up of an adventure, and then that could be published as a kind of dime novel in your game's setting (not dissimilar to what I did for my Hell's Rebels game with The Silver Raven Chronicles). You might have someone who makes music, and their tunes end up getting played at the next bar you go to (whether the songs are about the heroes, or praising the villains, that depends on the inspiration). You could have players volunteer to write the secondary articles or ads in the newspaper so that you can focus on the game relevant ones (and leave the players guessing since they don't know who wrote which parts of the newspaper). And if you want a super easy way to keep folks involved, have players write letters to NPCs (with return letters coming their way over time), or keep journals to chronicle their adventures going forward.

All of this takes energy, no doubt. But when it comes to RPGs, you get out what you put in... and if you've never tried your hand as this sort of thing before, at least give it a whirl! If nothing else, it's often one of the things you're players are going to latch onto, and tell stories about for years to come!

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 Daily Motion channel!. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, 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 Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

What Does Your Character Do For Entertainment?

"This is what you're spending your night doing?" Albrecht asked, taking a sip from his thin beer.

"You didn't have to come with," Baren said, not even turning her head to look at him.

"You talked them up, figured I should at least give them a chance." The bearded man plucked a flask from an inside pocket, pouring a shot of stronger stuff into his mug.

Albrecht was about to say something else, when the lights went out. A cold wind went round the tavern, blowing out candles and torches, leaving the place in darkness. Out of the shadows, a rhythmic thumping came from the stage. It was joined by a cymbal, hissing like a metallic serpent in the dark. A whisper of strings under a bow, and then a rising note from an inhuman throat. The growl rose higher, and higher, and the dark was pushed back by bobbing, red globes. Standing on the stage, surrounded by wisps of acrid smoke, was a band from hell. Wild-haired and sharp-eyed, they were a collection of claws and teeth, horns and tails that looked like something out of a fever dream. Their lead smiled, flashing her fangs to crowd.

"Like to start you all off with one of our favorites," she said, her husky voice filling the room before Devil's Bargain launched into Good Intentions, one of their most infamous tunes.

"Well?" Baren said, grinning as the first song drew to a close.

"Hell of an opener," Albrecht said, though he was smiling behind his beard. "Let's see if they can keep it up."

And now, let's take it down a notch. This is Black Queen's Bargain!

What Does Your Character Do For Entertainment?

When we sit down to make our characters, we tend to think of them in terms of their skills, their role within the party, and their eventual goals. They're wizards, warriors, priests, and scoundrels, looking to make that big score, earn a knighthood, start their own business, or what have you. However, one thing we often ignore (or which just doesn't occur to us) is to ask what our characters do for entertainment. Whether it's out on the road, or when they finally get some leave in town, what do they seek out to blow off some steam? And what does that say about them?

Does going to the tavern count?

As an example, is your character a tourist who loves seeing historical sites? Even if it's something bland or boring to most people, do they seek out sites of battles, events of minor import, or just try to take in as many road side attractions as they can find? Is your character a foodie, seeking unusual cuisine like salamander steaks or shallow bay oysters (a few examples off the menu in 100 Fantasy Foods) to expand their palate? Do they have a tendency to pick up fresh tattoos to mark personal achievements, new levels, or just because they're in a unique location (like the Ketch's Knot or Fortune's Torc found in 100 Fantasy Tattoos, And The Meaning Behind Them)? Do they tour art galleries or museums, taking in the culture and looking at installments dedicated to particular artists?

Do they love live music, like Devil's Bargain in the story above, drawn right out of my 100 Fantasy Bands supplement?

This isn't just a downtime question, either. Because there's often a lot of time spent in transit when you're a PC, and that's a lot of time to get bored. So what does your character do? Do they like to play cards, either alone or with others? Do they prefer to shoot dice? Is there a game equal to chess, or checkers, that they use to pass the time? Do they read the equivalent of dime novels while they travel, just slouched down in the back of the cart while they wait for the party to get where they're going? Do they like to sing, whether or not their companions enjoy the performance? Do they like to spend the evenings fishing, or whittling, or sketching?

Everybody's Got Hobbies

We've all got hobbies, and things we enjoy spending our money on when it's time to unwind. And while there's nothing wrong with a good pub crawl (especially if you're hitting some of the bizarre bars in 100 Random Taverns to spend your share of the treasure), you can get a lot more out of your character if you dig a little deeper than that.

And it can get even more unique/unusual when you start embracing the weird, wild, and magical aspects of a game.

For example, did the wizard learn a game when she was still an apprentice using prestidigitation that's the equivalent of Pong that they play with the sorcerer? Does the tiefling enjoy cooking strange and bizarre things using their bare hands, because burns are a thing other people have to deal with? Does the druid plant fruit trees wherever they go using their magic to ensure the fruits grow, turning the entire world into their garden to ensure there's also fresh fruit along the routes they and other travelers follow?

While this aspect of a character might not define them in major ways, it can say a lot about who they are, and what makes them happy. Not only that, but it can make a character feel more organic, more real, and it's often these little details that can flesh them out, and add interesting details to the world as their hobbies carve out areas of culture and flavor that other folks may not have thought about.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent 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 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!

Getting Into RPGs as a Business? You Need To Know How You're Making Money

Since shut downs and social distancing started, a lot of folks have decided to throw their hats in the RPG ring. Some people have used their systems and settings as a kind of pandemic project, taking all the time they now have to get their games ship-shape and market ready. Others are just looking for an outlet, or to build up a side hustle they can work from home. Some aren't really sure what they're doing yet, but they've always wanted to turn their hobby into their job.

And to all these game creators out there, both those who never thought they'd be here and those who've been hemming and hawing about taking the plunge for years; welcome. It's a rough gig, and sometimes it can feel like it's literally a roll of the dice whether you sink or swim. However, I wanted to point out something I've seen from a lot of creators, old and new alike.

In short, if you don't have a plan for how you're going to turn a profit, you need to stop what you're doing right this second. Go back to the drawing board, and do not resume work until you know exactly how this thing you're making is going to not just pay for itself, but put money in your bank account.

 

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Step One: Create Content, Step Two: ???, Step Three: Profit!

It's a Fun Job, But It's Still a Job

I've talked about this before on my sister blog The Literary Mercenary, but today I want to address RPGs specifically. Because there's a lot of numbers involved in this game, and a lot of the folks who are getting into it right now don't know what they're looking at, or what they should expect.

So I'm going to do my best to break it down for you.

Because as with any game, it's all about the numbers.

First things first; you need to understand that you are creating a product. That is your job as an RPG creator. Maybe you're assembling map packs, or you're writing blog entries to help GMs run better games, or you're going the distance and creating a full RPG of your own; end of the day, you are making a product. For you to actually turn a profit, that product has to in some way earn you money.

For example, say you've got a bunch of files you've created for really cool cavern maps you've used in a home game. It's your art, so you can do whatever you want with it! So you put them together into a pack, and you toss it up on Drive Thru RPG for a couple of bucks. Whenever someone buys a map pack, part of the profit goes to the website as the host, and the rest of it goes right into your pocket.

Pretty simple so far, right?

The problem that a lot of folks I've spoken to recently is they're starting from scratch. They don't have any art assets, they don't have any modules they've been tinkering with, and they've got no supplements (or anything else) for them to put out there to try to start some money flowing to them. Alternatively, someone might have a little bit of cash flow, but they want to do something big and ambitious; like set up an entire online platform for game masters, or put together a full campaign that's going to be 4-6 books of content by the time it's done.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news... but it is highly unlikely that you'll be able to sell enough copies of something that big in order to break even, much less turn a profit. Also it can take a long time to complete something like that... and if you're using that time to create, your profits need to cover your future expenses, as well as pay your bills for the time being.

Making enough to pay one month's rent doesn't do you a lot of good if it took you 6 months to make the thing, if you see what I mean?

Time, Effort, and Keeping The Lights On

I talked about this in Writing a Book is an Investment, as Well as a Gamble, but creating a product takes time. Whether it's a relatively small and straightforward supplement like 100 Merchants to Encounter, or a module like Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh, or something bigger like a core rulebook for a unique game, or a full-sized campaign, everything takes time.

As an example, my turnaround time on a simple supplement like the merchant list above? It's at least a few weeks. Once I have it written and edited, it has to go through proofreading, it needs to be properly formatted, given art and a cover, priced, etc., etc. I don't handle those aspects of the publishing, but those things still need to be done.

Minimum turnaround time on something like that? Two to three weeks if you're thorough, but if it's the only thing on your to-do list you might be able to get it done faster. So let's say, nose to the grindstone, you put out 2 small supplements a month. You might be able to do more, but that's a realistic estimation of time, energy, and progress.

And then money, yes?

So, let's say you busted your butt during that month, and you got your supplements polished up and looking pretty. The art pops, the text is tight, and you do a big fanfare for release. Great, you got it done!

Most RPG products that go up on the market, though, don't even sell 50 copies (hitting Copper status on Drive Thru RPG). So a "good" debut of 50 copies each might net you... anywhere between $50 and $100 depending on your pricing, and how much of that cost actually ends up in your pockets. Even if you produced that supplement, module, whatever for no cost, using only software you had, free-to-use art, writing and editing the text all on your own, chances are good that your monthly expenses for food, rent, etc. are a lot more than a C-note.

And that's if you did well. If you don't already have an existing audience, or you don't manage to catch the eye of passing traffic, it's entirely possible that you could bust your hump all month, sweating and straining to get these products out there, and then sell exactly 0 copies, making no profit whatsoever.

 

The good thing is that once you complete something and get it up, it stays up. So it's possible that something that has a slow debut may build steam over time. Something that starts popular may even stay popular, selling steadily as time goes on. But realistically, you need to build up an archive of products/work; making a big profit off of your first two or three offerings is basically buying a random scratch-off and hitting the $24 million prize out of sheer, stupid luck.

Mercenaries Aren't The Answer To Your Problem, Either

 

A lot of new creators on the scene try to shorten their design time by hiring folks like me to help turn their ideas into reality. The problem you're going to run into there is that mercenaries need to get paid. While rates for RPGs are criminally low (half a cent per-word on the laughable end and 3 cents per word from more reputable companies), even low rates are very quickly going to dig you into a hole if your sales don't keep pace with what you're paying out. And the more text, art, etc. you want to get from freelancers to shorten your development time, the more copies you're going to have to sell in order to turn a profit when all is said and done.

Not only that, but freelancers get paid up-front. So if you shell out a couple hundred bucks to get your writing or art done by someone else, and then you only sell a handful of copies once your product has released, you're firmly in the red when it comes time to try to make and market the next thing. Again, you might make it back over time, but if you don't have any cushion then that's not very comforting.

You don't want to be halfway through your jump before realizing you miscalculated.

This doesn't just apply to full RPG products, either. A lot of folks try to maintain blogs, hoping to draw fresh eyes to their sites so they can get a larger audience for their future content. If you need content, the cheapest most writers are going to go is $20 for an article. Unless you have ads, or a Patreon page, or some way for your blog to pay you, there's no WAY you're going to make that back off of content that is, essentially, free for your audience to view.

For reference, It would take me about 3,500 reads on articles in my Vocal archive to earn back that much money. So unless you have sponsored content, affiliate sales links (more about those in If You're An Author, You REALLY Need an Affiliate Marketing Account), a crowd funding audience, or some other way to make back the investment you're paying out to other folks, you're basically throwing your money into a hole in terms of generating profits so you can keep making more stuff in the future.

Kickstarter Isn't a One-Size-Fits All Solution, Either

This one is for all the folks out there who think that crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter (and Patreon to a lesser degree) are going to swoop in and save you. I can tell you from experience that getting Patreon patrons is a bitch and a half, and that keeping them around is even harder. For a Kickstarter, you should really have a majority of the work done before you try to fund it, as well, thus ensuring minimal chances of failure, and showing your audience you're a reliable investment in the future.

You also need to market whatever it is you're creating. And you need to figure out how to raise your voice above every other Joe Schmo with an idea for a new, fast-paced RPG, board game, deck builder, etc. who's up on their own soap box, cane slapping and voice raised to try to get folks into the tent.

By all means, roll the dice... but know you're taking a risk.

In a lot of ways this is the creative equivalent of, "Hell with it, I'll just become a stripper!" It takes a lot of work to make something so intensive (between makeup, physical exertion, performing skill, customer service chops, persona creation, etc.) look effortless. Selling a game is the same way.

Just because you hear one success story of someone hitting it big with a patron landslide, or a huge Kickstarter campaign, keep in mind that you're not hearing about the dozens (or more realistically hundreds) of people who aren't getting any traction on the platform at all.

With All of That Said, You Should Still Do The Thing!

It might feel like I've just been tossing out doom and gloom this whole time, but you are far more likely to succeed if you set yourself realistic goals, and keep attainable expectations. And though RPGs are possibly bigger than they've been since the hobby began, it's important to remember this is still a pretty niche market.

However, with that said, you should still do your best to make your mark. So whether you want to start a blog writing reviews, make a new game, put out modules and supplements, or just make maps and cool gaming art, do that thing! Because making games matters, and if you don't take your shot then you're never going to get anywhere.

But remember, if you're doing this either as a side hustle or with the intention of making it your job, you've got to treat it as such. You're not just making a pet project for yourself and your friends, or messing around creatively for fun... you're creating a product. And you need to find (and entice) an audience who wants or needs the thing you're making if you want to stay in business.

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 YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, 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 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!

All Games Are Inherently Political

Of all the phrases I've grown to hate over my years of gaming, there is one in particular that makes me sigh. It is a phrase that lets me know I'm in for a long, and often frustrating discussion. And, many times, it's a phrase that lets me know that this person is not someone I'd enjoy having at my table.

What's that phrase, you ask?

"Get your politics out of my game!"

Pictured: The kind of character this protester often plays, perhaps missing the irony.

The problem here, for those who are wondering, is that there is no such thing as a non-political RPG. Roleplaying games, by their very nature, have messages in them. Those messages convey meaning, establish themes, and generally speaking are what provide the context for the story we're all telling, here.

Because of that, all games are inherently political in some way, shape, or form. And I'd take that one step further to say that most forms of art (especially things we geeks love like movies, comics, sci-fi and fantasy novels, etc.) are also inherently political.

Do You Remember Stan's Soapbox?

Though it will likely cause all of us pain, I'd like to talk about Stan Lee for a minute. Because while we can argue about the man versus the persona, and the nature of an artist and their legacies, one thing that Stan made very clear was that he and many of the artists he worked with at Marvel were sending very clear, direct messages with the stories they told. From Spider-Man's lessons on power and responsibility, to the X-Men's civil rights metaphor, to Black Panther beating the holy hell out of a white-clad hate group, Marvel's stories were not shy about their politics.

And for people who missed it, or who thought they might have been accidental, there was the handy little feature of Stan's Soapbox.

No gray areas, no miscommunication.

Stan Lee, and other creators, felt that these messages were important enough that they needed to be spelled out in plain English once the story about super-powered men and women in Lycra costumes was over. Because, at the end of the day, they had things they wanted you to take away when you closed the rear cover of that comic book.

That tradition hasn't stopped with the modern iterations of Marvel's comics and films, by the by. Captain Marvel is one of the biggest successes they've had in a while, and the story it tells is about a woman who breaks free from a controlling relationship filled with lies and gaslighting to embrace who she really is. Something with a lot of parallels to Jessica Jones, I'd add. Guardians of The Galaxy tells a story of the importance of personal connection to others like yourself, showing that being adopted (even under odd or unusual circumstances) doesn't make you any less of a family. And, of course, Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out pretty heavily against a surveillance/police state.

Just for a few examples.

But What Does This Have To Do With Gaming?

You can pick up practically any play, any novel, and any game, and find messages like this lurking just under the skin. All you need to do is look at who the heroes are, who the villains are, and what the conflict is over. Are ugly creatures viewed as inherently monstrous and deserving of death, or do we find that orcs, goblins, ogres, and others have a vibrant culture and drive to survive past all the war paint and skulls? Is racism seen as tolerable as long as it's against elves or gnomes, or is that prejudice used to clearly mark someone who is backwards at best, and a villain at worst? Is enchantment seen as an appropriate, non-lethal way to end a conflict, or is its ability to violate someone's mind and consent seen as an art practiced only by the wicked?

Do traditional paladins define what is unquestionably good just by existing?

All of those messages, and many more, are coded into our games. Even if we're not thinking about them. And, generally speaking, players will accept those political points without question. Even defending them virtuously in-game, if they're heroes. Yet for some reason they'll suddenly roll their eyes if, say, a game includes the message of, "Being gay is all right," or, "Humans come in multiple ethnicities, and confining them to imaginary borders on a map makes no sense in a world where immigration is a reality."

Sure, those are political messages in a game. However, it's no more political than the belief that those with magic should be the ruling faction of a nation, or that chattel slavery is wrong and should be smashed at every opportunity. All of these things are inherently political (and dare we say it, moral and philosophical) points that show up in our games, and that's been true since the first dice were ever rolled in an RPG.

Don't Duck The Subject

If you disagree with a particular message in a game, that's fine. I'd even go so far as to say that's great. However, simply demanding that people keep politics out of a game doesn't help, because it would mean staring at a blank piece of paper. Instead, explain why you feel this particular political statement should be kept out of a game, or why you feel it should be altered in some way for the game to better fit your desires as a player.

We do this all the damn time. Sometimes a DM will do it by making certain creatures inherently evil and corrupt, so that slaying them is always a righteous act rather than a callous case of murder. Or players will make it clear that they feel violence is not the answer to problems by always trying to use Diplomacy or Intimidate before actually drawing their weapons. So if you feel that a certain issue doesn't belong in an RPG, you should feel free to say which issue, and why you feel that way.

But just saying, "Ugh, why is everything so political now?" does nothing but make other people think you haven't been wearing your critical thinking hat this whole time.

Speaking of Messages...

As a brief aside, I wanted to let all you fine folks out there know that I recently put together my first gaming supplement with High Level Games! It's a supplement for Werewolf the Apocalypse titled 100 Get of Fenris Kinfolk. And since we're talking about messages in our games and art, I thought I'd provide everyone a sneak preview of the message I wanted to send with this piece by giving you the description of the first NPC in this list.

Sigurd “Ziggy” Bowers: A towering black man whose roots are just starting to go gray, Zig runs one of the most successful outlaw tattoo parlors in upstate New York. His whole life, Zig was pushed to use his size and strength to its best possible end, making him a fiercely competitive boxer, and a champion weightlifter on the amateur circuit. Mostly retired from competition, he’s been known to throw down when provoked. While he sports a great deal of ink, those who see him in his working vest can’t miss the prominent runes across his chest that read, “Fuck Off Nazi Scum.”

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday installment! Hopefully it gave folks plenty of things to talk about.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or, if you're more interested in books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, head over to My Amazon Author Page instead.

To stay on top of all my latest releases, you can follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest, too. To help support me consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! If you do that, you'll be able to get in my regular, monthly giveaways as well as knowing you're doing your part to help keep this blog going.

What is Graffiti Like in Your World?

The urge to leave our mark wherever we go is as old as humanity itself. Whether it's a poem about defecation in a bathroom, spray painting Frodo Lives on a back alley, or scratching Halvdan was here into the Hagia Sophia, graffiti is something individuals and cultures have been practicing for centuries.

So, stop a moment, and ask what kinds of graffiti you might find in your setting. Especially if that game has elves, dwarves, trolls, and all kinds of magic that could do things even modern paints never could.

Just wait... hundreds of years from now, people will think this is important.

Defacement, Art, and Everything in Between

While we might like to think that ancient peoples had deeper thoughts and keener realizations than we do today, if you translate the graffiti, you see a lot of similar messages. People saying they were here, people carving messages of love, and people talking shit. Although, in some circumstances, graffiti was also used as an advertisement. Particularly for services like brothels... if you could interpret the message, that was.

Well, according to this, there should be a tavern around here somewhere.

Graffiti can have a lot of different purposes, and fulfill a lot of different roles. For example, in urban areas, graffiti could allow someone familiar with local signs to track gang influences, and to see where the invisible turf lines have been drawn. Secret signs might also indicate where thieve's guild holdouts are, or mark certain places as neutral ground. Particularly for communities like orcs, who may need to leave clan marks indicating where safe spaces for their people are. Alternatively, graffiti might be used as a way for artists to build their reputations... especially for illusionists whose graffiti will vanish, in time.

In a dungeon, graffiti might give clues to what's happening. Marks written by ogres could warn the party of dangers, if they can read the crude language. Hobgoblin marks could leave a trail, allowing the party to piece together what happened to a previous party, and figure out the dangers they faced... or to be warned that the "treasure" is a myth, and only death lurks beyond.

Even if graffiti doesn't serve a greater purpose in your setting, it can be used as a way to add extra details to your world. After all, if the tavern tables or privvies have graffiti on them, then that speaks to the quality of the establishment. If public works are being defaced, that speaks to the climate of the city. However, if graffiti is encouraged as an art form, then that could make for a unique and colorful setup.

And it gives you a handy way to sneak in some useful information... if that's what you need to do.

That's all for this week's Fluff post. For more work from me, check out my Vocal archive, or head over to the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. If you want to stay on top of all my latest releases, then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter. Lastly, if you want to help support me, become a patron over on The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page, or Buy Me A Ko-Fi. Either way, my eternal gratitude and some sweet gaming swag will be yours for the asking!

Need A Character Portrait? Ask Tamaj, She Can Help!

We've all been at the table with that one player. The one who always has a sketch book held just out of sight, and their tongue stuck very firmly in the corner of their mouth as they work. Then, when you're going around and giving character descriptions, they hold up the page for all to see. Because a picture really is worth a thousand words... especially at an RPG table.

All of us have characters we love, but not all of us have the skill to illustrate them. Fortunately, there are people out there who can help with that. People like Tamaj.

Come On Down To The Ink And Paint Room!

So what are you playing? A druid who specializes in taming displacer beasts? A gynosphinx who asks too many questions in lieu of riddles? Perhaps you have a summoner whose eidolon is so unusual that words fail you when you try to tell the rest of the table what it looks like?

No matter what you're working with, Tamaj can take your fantasy, and turn it into an illustrated reality. And for a fairly reasonable fee, too.

Maybe you want your cohorts illustrated too? Bugbears are known to have big families.

If you want to get a sense of what you're shopping for, you can browse Tamaj's galleries at her Facebook page, The Ink and Paint Room, or on her Deviantart page. A simple sketch can be had for as little as $5, where full black and white portraits for for $30, and full-color with all the bells and whistles are $50. Assuming you're using PayPal, that is.

If you want multiple characters in your portrait, add half the cost per character. Backgrounds tack on an extra $10, and anything that's heavy on the detail work may incur extra costs.

Extra cuteness, on the other hand, is free.

Even if you don't have any characters you desperately need portraits for (right now), Tamaj's work is still available to anyone who loves fantasy art. She also has a Patreon page, and if you want to help her keep doing her thing that's a great way to show some love. Of course, you should also like and share her Facebook page, since that doesn't cost you anything.

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday update! It's been a while since I've bigged up another creator, so tell Tamaj that I sent you her way if you stop by her page. If you're still gripped by the Christmas spirit, feel free to drop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page, too, since every pledge helps me keep Improved Initiative going strong. Lastly, if you haven't followed me on Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter yet, well, what's stopping you?

Meet Brent Chumley... No Seriously, You Really Should

Given that it's Monday I'd normally have something clever or witty to post here. Maybe I'd offer a bit of obscure history, or just post a funny picture that made an obtuse gaming reference. However, I just spent the past several days as a booth assistant in Artist's Alley at Gen Con 2014. As such I'm too exhausted to offer anything insightful, funny, or even droll for your guys.

Check this guy out instead.

Yes, this guy.

For those of you who don't know who this is, well you're in the same boat I was on the morning of the 14th. This fellow's name is Brent Chumley, an he's an accomplished artist as well as a surprisingly well-rounded gamer. He was also my neighbor at Artist's Alley, and he's a very driven, talented artist. He's done a great deal of work for Legend of the Five Rings (as well as other companies and game systems), and his art is as diverse as his gaming tastes. From a traditional Asian spearman at rest after a battle to a biplane being chased through a clear blue sky by a dragon, he's got a little bit of everything.

Seriously, go check out his webpage right here. You'll thank me later.

I should be back on my game (so to speak) quite soon. Until then you know the drill; follow me by filling in your email address in the box on the right, or following me on Facebook and Tumblr. If you want to keep me going then buy a book, stop by my tee shirt shop, leave a tip by clicking the "Bribe The DM" button on the right, or stop by my Patreon page and become a patron today!

The Gardens of Bomarzo: A Park Full of Renaissance-Era Monsters

Roleplaying games are full of crumbling ruins strewn with bizarre, horrifying statues. In fact most players would be jarred not to find half-rotten plinths topped by tortured caryatids or twisted monsters. But how would players actually react to walking through a place like that?

If you ever get a chance to go to the Gardens of Bomarzo, you'll find out.

I check that motherfucker for traps.

This room, known as the Mouth of Orcus (I shit you not, that's the name) allows those who enter to be heard by those at the base of the stairs, even if they're just whispering. And this is just one of over 20 statues and buildings strewn through the gardens, which are found north of Rome, Italy just outside a little town called Bomarzo.

A Brief Background

If you want the full details I did a more in-depth run down in this article, but the short version is that in the 16th century a nobleman and artist commissioned this park upon the death of his wife. This artist, who was in the same weight class as Michaelangelo, labored for decades with a select few craftsmen to build a park of dark wonders the likes of which the world had never seen before.

Guy didn't fuck around, either.

These sculptures were scattered over a scenic garden, featuring everything from demonic mouth-caves, to dragons, to war elephants crushing Roman legionnaires. It never caught on, and in time the place of beautiful madness fell into decay. For centuries wars were fought, families raised, and the monsters of Bomarzo slumbered.

If that isn't a great game opener, I don't know what is.

The park was brought back into the light of day when new caretakers took over after the second World War, and they've restored much of the statuary and buildings to their original, Gothic glory. Great and terrible, this park is the kind of place that real people get chills down their spines in the full light of day. This place is a rich well of nightmare fuel, and if you want to terrify your players (or see if you can spot the statues that inspired classic Dungeons and Dragons artwork) it's a great place to start digging.

As always thanks for stopping by Improved Initiative and checking out our Moon Pope Monday feature. If you want to keep up to date both with myself and with the blog then feel free to follow on Facebook, Tumblr, or by typing in your email address in the box on the top right. If you want to support me and this blog, then drop by my Patreon page and become a patron today, or just drop your loose change into the tip jar by tossing a quick PayPal donation my way through the "Bribe the DM" box on the top right.

The Avengers, Fantasy Edition

This week on Moon Pope Monday we do away with the amusing and present something amazing! The Avengers are assembled, but their looks have been tweaked for a fantasy setting. If you've ever wondered what the team would look like wrecking medieval mayhem, well wonder no longer!

Also, for those who are curious, Pathfinder builds for every character (excluding Nick Fury... for now) may be found here. Lastly, for more updates, follow us on Facebook or on Tumblr; the latter is where I found this series, but the originals may be found at Deviant Art here by the Durrrrian.

Now, without further ado...