Doing Something A Little Different With This Supplement For Arcane Academies

I've been writing TTRPG guides and supplements for quite a while now, and one of the unfortunate necessities of the job is that you need to write to the biggest market you can. After all, tabletop games are a pretty niche market as it is, and you need to command the biggest possible portion of that audience you can reach... which is why a majority of the stuff I've put out has been geared toward generic high fantasy with elves, dwarves, and orcs, or generic sci fi that could run the gamut from Starfinder to Mothership.

 

Sometimes, though, I find a way to step outside the usual boundaries, and to make something that will stretch into some more niche games... which is why I wanted to talk about my latest supplement 100 Sights To See At An Arcane Academy!

 

And if you haven't checked it out yet, you really should!

 

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.

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Putting A Twist On My Normal Releases

 

First and foremost, it's entirely possible to use this supplement in a high fantasy game, and the sights contained within it could show up in a Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder game, particularly in the worlds/settings that have arcane colleges that train arcane spell casters. However, the mix of the weird, whimsical, and outright dangerous were more meant to evoke the feeling one would find in the great tower in Grimm where kids can learn to become witches and wizards (at great peril to themselves), or in a game like Kids on Brooms. So in the event you're running a more niche game like that where you're going to have a magic school as one of the main locations or themes, I would highly recommend grabbing a copy of this supplement and flipping through it.

 

Also, as an aside, the necromantically-charged dust bunnies are probably one of my favorite pieces in here. Since dust is primarily made from dead, shed skin, the department that deals with darker magics needs to keep a clean house... otherwise they might end up with some truly dangerous dust devils trying to bite their fingers off!

 

Not all bunnies are cute and fluffy.

 While there are the usual sentient suits of armor and odd celestial happenings, this supplement also has angry, sentient mops that will bludgeon someone unconscious if they step on the wet floor, creeping ivy that tends to steal from students who leave the windows open, and even an ominous bell that tolls to warn of coming doom... supposedly, at least. So whether you just need a bit of inspiration for an encounter, you want a touch of mystery and lore to add to your academy, or you just want a couple of organic details floating around in the background, I highly recommend giving this one a look!

 

And if you're one of the folks out there who wished I would do more weird and unusual stuff like this that isn't entirely focused on Pathfinder, Starfinder, Dungeons & Dragons, etc., then the clearest way to send that message is with a purchase and a review. Because the main reason I stick to safer waters is that everything is getting more expensive, and I have to pinch every penny I can.

 

The more niche (or at least niche-usable) supplements sell, though, the more likely it is that Azukail Games is going to be willing to give me more leash to explore with. So help me help you!

 

And speaking of other supplements that are a little off the beaten path that I'd recommend folks check out, take a look at the following if you haven't yet!

- The Blade Itself - Corrupt Equipment For Hunter: The Vigil:  Hunter: The Vigil is a game I feel doesn't get enough love, and my first supplement for it focuses on the idea of Corrupt Equipment; items that are tied to the dark force that creates Slashers and Tainted Places alike!

- Like A Good Neighbor - Portraying The True Fae in Your Chronicle: The True Fae are beings of terrible power and bizarre, inhuman natures. This guide is for Storytellers who are planning to bring them into their Chronicles of Darkness game whether it's as antagonists, "allies," or anything in between.

- 100 Academics, Adventurers, And Information Brokers: While written for the traditional Jazz Age period where many Lovecraft-inspired games take place, this supplement can be used with any pulp adventure supplement... though it does work best for those exploring the horrors of the Mythos.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

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

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

Grimm: The Only Rules-Light Game I Wholeheartedly Recommend

Regular readers know that I'm a rules-dense sort of fellow when it comes to RPGs I like. I enjoy tomes worth of rules that lay out everything from the effects of cold temperatures on a traveling party, to what checks you need to make to swing down on a rope and attack a target at the end of the charge. From how your rate-of-fire on your weapon interacts with an ability to increase one's speed to superhuman levels, to tactical rules for cover and concealment, these are all things I really enjoy in a game.

And I have tried my share of rules-light games in the past. After all, a game is a game, and you should at least try something before dismissing it. And while I've had some fun with lighter games, they never really scratch my itch, or get me excited to come back to the table.

Except for one... Grimm.

I can't recommend it highly enough, if I'm honest!

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

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

What Makes Grimm So Great?

For folks who haven't played the game before, the general pitch is that you all play children who have been sucked into the Grimmlands; an alternate dimension where Jacob and Wilhelm banished all the trolls, witches, night things, monsters, and mad kings found in their stories. Now you need to find your way out, before the terrors of this world swallow you whole... or worse, you become a permanent resident of this place!

The mechanical setup is that you all have classes that reflect the cliques of children (jock, nerd, bully, outcast, etc.), with abilities thematically appropriate to that stereotype. There's some customization available, as well as the mystical element of Imagination, which can become manifest in the Grimmlands due to their very nature, and their interaction with childlike belief.

This version of the book was also written by Robert J. Schwalb (of Shadow of The Demon Lord fame), and it was a slimmed down version of the original Grimm game which was originally released as a D20 Modern port. For those who care about gaming pedigree, and such.

Welcome to the checkerboard kingdoms, kids.

They key that unlocked this game for me, I think, is that a simplified rules system really plays into the fact that your characters are somewhere between 10 and 12 years old. They're individuals, yes, but they're still very broad, and they're figuring themselves out as they're thrown into this horrendous situation. As for resolving checks, you have a handful of skills and abilities, and they're measured by a Grade level (playing into the overarching theme). When you want to make a check, you'll roll either 1d6 or 2d6 (the latter for if you're very good at something). On a 2-5, you operate at your grade level in that ability. On a 6 it explodes, pushing you up one, and you roll again. On a 1 it goes down, and you roll again. That's it... you now know all of what you need to in order to play this game!

The fact that it is unrelentingly grim also helped. Because just like the old German fairy tales, there are terrors and horrors lurking around every corner, and your end won't be a pretty one. Just because your protagonists are kids, that doesn't mean they're safe from any of the monstrous fates awaiting them.

I was thinking about this game today because I was looking at the Shadow of The Demon Lord bundle from Azukail Games (which you should check out if you haven't), and I remembered seeing Grimm was available in PDF on Drive Thru RPG, though the hard cover book still seems to be out of print at time of writing. It has a great premise, it's easy to learn, and if you like games that don't pull punches it's one that definitely should have a place in your library.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

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

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

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

5 Rules Light RPGs (That I'd Actually Recommend Playing)

Most regular readers know that, given the choice, I will take a rules-heavy RPG over a rules light one any day of the week. I enjoy being able to really tinker with systems, customize characters in meaningful ways, and explore a wide and varied toolkit of options. With that said, I understand there are also players out there who like a game they can pick up and play with minimal learning curve, and who don't need an extensive underlying skeleton to enjoy the game; they just want to get into the action.

If you're one of those players (or you just feel the need to put your complex planning instincts on a shelf for a little while), there's plenty of stuff out there to try. And if you haven't tried the following games, these are a few that I would actually recommend along with what I think makes them a cut above the competition.

#1: Grimm

Get your hands on it if you can.

Sadly it seems like Fantasy Flight's Grimm is out of print at time of writing, though I'd highly recommend checking back from time to time to see if a copy resurfaces... because this game is great!

Originally a complicated offshoot of the D20 Modern line, Fantasy Flight stripped Grimm down to its essentials. Players take on the role of children lost in the horrific realm of the Grimm Lands, and they have to figure out a way to survive and escape using only their wits and imagination! The game takes about 10 minutes to learn, and really takes nothing more than 2d6 to play. It's cut down, super simple, and the world it's set in is strange and bizarre enough that the archetypal nature of the classes sort of fits the theme. While the kids are still characters, they're also very clearly being pressed into broad archetypes of children, and allowed to fill traditional roles in a story.

I gave this one the top slot for a reason.

#2: Feng Shui

Hong Kong action theater, anyone?

Feng Shui was the first time I'd ever played a rules-light game, and it was an engaging experience. Billing itself as a Hong Kong action style game, it's far more concerned with the story beats, cinematic descriptions, and awesome look of a scene, rather than in overly complicated die rolls, precise distances on a map, or the exact radius of the explosion caused by the grenade you threw.

What really makes this game work is that it leans into the cinematic conceit, making it something of a ball for fans of action films who want to let loose their inner John Woo. My two cents, that's the key to enjoyment; if you lose that, "This is supposed to be a movie," feeling then the game is going to start going sour pretty soon.

#3: Savage Worlds

If you're going to get one game, get this one.

Some folks might argue that Savage Worlds doesn't belong on this list because it provides you with a huge variety of options and game genres you can play. However, a rules light game is one with relatively simple mechanics, and in my experience you can teach someone to play this game in about half an hour or so. Most questions they've got will be completely answered within the first hour of a given session, and from that point onward they're good to go.

Where Savage Worlds really excels is in the sheer variety of genres and settings it offers, all using this simple, near-universal system. Whether you want to do Weird West shenanigans in Deadlands Reloaded, or you want to stalk monsters through the London back alleys in Rippers Resurrected, there's something for every taste with this game!

#4: Pie Shop

This is one of the weird ones.

Pie Shop is one of the most bizarre RPGs I have ever played. In case the Sweeney Todd reference didn't give it away, you and all the other players are serial killers. There's no metaphysical happenings, no demons, no vampires... you're all just deeply disturbed individuals who feel a compulsive need to murder other people.

What makes Pie Shop so strange is that in order to create a workable premise for a party (since serial killers so often work alone) you almost have to put together some bizarre, fantastical setup. Whether it's a dark web gladiatorial bout, or a government experiment using murderers as disposable assassins, or some underground convention of crazed killers, it can get ridiculous.

My two cents; embrace the discomfort of the premise as it's delivered. This is a game for adults, and if you feel squirmy playing it don't worry... that just means you're not really a serial killer on the inside.

#5: Dread

Ah... we meet again.

If you haven't heard about Dread, what makes this game infamous is that it has a particularly unique mechanic. In short, it uses a Jenga tower instead of dice, cards, or something else to determine the results of your actions. Even if you're good at moving the pieces in one of these tower games, the very mechanics of Dread means that sooner or later one of your actions is going to fail. And when the tower comes down, that's lights-out for your character.

That said, if you want to give the rest of the table a chance, you can opt to knock the tower over to sacrifice yourself to save the others.

I will add a caveat to this endorsement, however. Because while Dread is a phenomenal system for running one-shot horror games where it's likely that most (if not all) of the characters are going to die horrible deaths before the night is done, the game is not really good for anything beyond that. This makes it an extremely niche activity that's really more use for seasonal one-offs or occasional light fare... you're not going to get a long-running campaign out of this unless you pull a Friday the 13th and the only recurring character is whatever monster the GM keeps killing you all with!

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!

Teddy Bear Battles Nightmares In Short Film By Tyler Novo

For those who don't know the teddy bear was named in the early 1900s. President Theodore Roosevelt was out hunting and there just seemed to be a lack of deadly predators (perchance they had heard Teddy's mighty footsteps and decided to go elsewhere?). As a gesture other members of the party caught a small bear which was really more of a cub, tied it up, and offered it to the president for a trophy shoot. Roosevelt refused to do such a thing since it completely violated all ideas of sportsmanship. The news story exploded across the country, and a toy maker on the East coast had an idea of creating "Teddy" bears as a way to commemorate the event. The toys were a smash hit, and remain part of our culture today.

They're also why we have images like this one.

Teddy bears are immune to fear.

This picture has gone viral more often than I can readily count, but as cool as it is there are so many unanswered questions. What is that thing? Can the teddy actually take it? Are all teddy bears so awesome, or just a few? Can things like this be worked into games like Monsters And Other Childish Things or Grimm? I do not know. What I do know is that now we have a short film courtesy of Tyler Novo that is just as (if not more) awesome than the above image.

Since you're curious, here it is.

I know, right? Check out Tyler Novo's other work right here on Vimeo.

Hopefully you enjoyed this week's update, and if you'd like to help keep Improved Initiative going then stop by my Patreon page and become a patron today! If you want to get all of my updates then plug your email into the box on your right hand side, or follow me on Facebook and Tumblr.

The Best Roleplaying Games (You've Probably Never Heard Of)

Pathfinder. The World of Darkness. Call of Cthulhu. All Flesh Must be Eaten. These are the heavy-hitters every gamer has at least heard of, even if it isn't a particular player's game of choice. However, it's important to remember that while these might be some of the most popular games on the market, they are far from the only games available. For players looking for something a little bit different though, Improved Initiative is here to point you toward what might become your new favorite games.

Grimm

Boy is it ever.

Originally released as part of the D20 Modern series, and re-released by Fantasy Flight Games with a stream-lined and simplified rule system, Grimm is a game of terrible tales and adolescent adventure. Players take on the roles of children (no younger than 9 and no older than 12) who have passed into the Grimm Lands; a place full of every monster and myth the brothers Grimm sentenced into their book of stories. They have to travel through the checkerboard kingdoms, seek out ancient items of power and try to find their way back home again.

Grimm's major advantages, aside from the great flavor of the world and the novelty of playing children who can take things like "Bully" and "Dreamer" as classes, is that the system is simple and easy to both play and run. There's no XP to grant at the end of a session, there's no complex feat choices, and all of a character's abilities are very simple and straightforward. All players, and the storyteller, need are two six-sided dice and the base handbook. That makes Grimm a relatively cheap investment, in addition to being something that can almost literally be run at the drop of a hat.

Lastly, and I feel this must be said, Grimm can be as dark or as cutesy as you want. If you want to have a Disney-fied game because players are a little younger, then that's perfectly possible. However, the game itself trends toward the dark and the traditional, with child-eating witches, murderous lunatics, and capricious magic that end up destroying sanity and warping flesh. Just because characters are children, that doesn't make this a children's game.

Spycraft 2.0

D20 Shaken, Not Stirred

For players who want to get more use out of their dodecahedrons, Spycraft is a game that's gotten very little love over the years. Whether someone wants a full-on "Mission Impossible" style team, or they want to take their cues from shows like "Leverage", Spycraft is the ideal game for players who would like something a little more complicated than just kicking in the door and killing the monsters.

What this game lacks in knights in shining armor it more than makes up for in the variety of roles and the sheer possibility of missions. Storytellers can run a Call of Cthulhu style game where government agents send in investigation teams to uncover and deal with extraterrestrial encounters and their associated cults of worshipers. On the other hand it's equally possible to run a Hong Kong action theater style game where a team of mercenaries goes toe-to-toe with a drug cartel in an exotic locale. The Cold War, World War II, Vietnam, nothing is off limits in Spycraft. The system is solid, and it makes a refreshing shift from monsters in dark alleys and riding through the woods to the next goblin raid.

X-Crawl

This is how we roll.

XCrawl did something that no other game had ever tried to do before; it combined the dungeon crawling aspects of traditional Dungeons and Dragons with the glamour and drama of professional wrestling. The result is a modern-fantasy-gladiatorial-death-match-reality-TV-show that runs of the base of any D20 system the storyteller prefers.

In all fairness, XCrawl is less of a game and more of a skin. It can work with any edition of Dungeons and Dragons, but it can also be paired with D20 Modern, Pathfinder, or any of a number of other systems. If it involves a 20-sided die and all of its compatriots, then XCrawl can invigorate players' imaginations and present them with something so far outside their normal sphere of play that it gets their hearts pumping while it kicks their roleplaying up a notch. The game requires showmanship, number crunching, and a dose of off-the-cuff bravado, but if a party can put that together the results will be stories that get told for a long, long time.

Pie Shop

It is exactly what you think it is.

The last entry on this particular installation (I'm sure there will be others) is Pie Shop. For those of you who've seen Sweeney Todd, the title is a bit of a spoiler. You play a serial killer; that's it. There's no magic powers, no higher goal, you're just a group of deranged sociopaths looking to let a little blood and have a good time.

Pie Shop is refreshing in its sheer brutality... but it has one fatal flaw (aside from not being able to find the book too terribly easily). That flaw is that getting a group of serial murderers to all work together, unless they have a shared psychosis, is really difficult. The very act of creating a plot can sometimes mean putting together a scenario so ridiculous that it undermines the realism of the game. The government is capturing serial killers and using them as black ops agents? Sure! The mafia is recruiting dangerous, unpredictable mentally ill murderers as a special hit man squad? Eh, why not?

On that note though, if a storyteller can get over the hump of finding the right premise, Pie Shop is a game unlike anything else out there.


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