the other matt's rpg blog

Somehow made it through this week! I haven't been keeping up with my session reports, and it seems like doing that would be a much better use of my time, lol, but my "school" filled with (checks notes) "roach goblins, bees, and robots" is chugging along. This week, I pretend the school has a robust technical program and space for some arts.  Every school I've worked at has had a daycare run by students learning child development so that is here too. I still think of this as a more post apocalyptic gonzo thing, something I wouldn't necessarily run with d-n-d, but with something that has mutations, psychic powers, and also magic. I've taken my own advice and decided that these "seven room regions" will now be occupied primarily by one type of entity, which if I was running the game would appear on a 1-3 on the encounter die, and on a 4-5 a creature from a neighboring area would show up, and on a 6 something from the next level down would show...

I made it to a second week!  Victory to me is simple: do this whole thing! I have found that in my "extra" moments throughout my days I drift towards planning, and my mind starts listing types of rooms.  Later, when seated and writing, the list comes back and I can pick my favorite room and then riff off it. I am not paying any attention to number of traps, treasure, tricks, or monsters.  If I ever actually use this thing then I can fill those in as part of my prep for a given session.  I am trying to really not worry about using this at all though: it makes it much easier to just scribble down my thoughts or ideas without worrying too hard. I didn't add much to my "trophy" or "graffiti" list, which is something I should think back on as I expand, although those can of course just be a part of that "actual prep that would happen if I was really running this thing..." It is fun to imagine I'd use it though! this week, the school heads outs...

I decided to do dungeon23! The only possible way I could make it work would be to follow the very simplest version of it: 30 seconds to one minute writing.  at the end of the week, upload. I already "bullet journal" so I didn't want to carry around a second fancy notebook, and I didn't want to combine my bujo with my dungeon23 notebook, so I ended up printing out these lovely monthly pamphlets from shouting crow My principles are simple: - it is for me; I don't need stats or lots of details.  ideally I'd use this at some point, I just need ideas to riff off of an a skeleton to hang things off of. - I'm not drawing a proper map.  it is a skill I like and something I'd probably actually enjoy, but that would take lots of time, and the whole thing with this is just trying to carve out a tiny 5 minute window each day to write these little snippets. - make it to December 31st 2023 At the end of each week I am going to post here my weekly spread. My "th...

Game : Troika! + Ultraviolet Grasslands Module : Ultraviolet Grasslands Players : 4 This was session 4 of the weekly Troika! game I’m playing with friends online.  I’m still getting the hang of writing play reports as a player, and I have a strong feeling that writing “in character” is maybe annoying to read, but also the way I’m leaning towards.  I’m gonna try it out here. Characters : Higbert, Ardent Giant of Corda, my character Walter Arnold, Member of the Sublime Society of Beefsteaks (a long running character.  Her player played this character in my year long Troika! Pandemic game, and as such has many skills, items, and experiences waaaay beyond a beginning character) Phil, a Gremlin Catcher who is heavily inspired by Edward Norton’s character in Moonrise Kingdom Mr. Zoravu, a sorcerer from the academy of doors Session : To recap everything from beforehand: Our characters are drawn to a strange, floating portrait which acts as a dimensional portal.  We each bel...

Game : Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha Module : n/a Players : 4 This was session 5 of the twice monthly runequest game I/ve been playing online.  Sorry there aren’t reports for sessions 0-4 but I’m trying to make sure I write play reports from when I am a player.  Since I was a player I think my report will naturally focus more on my character’s perspective. Characters : Oli, my humakti duck Galgo, a lodrili caladralander Sera, Ernaldan Sartarite Mago, the storm bull sartarite Session : To recap everything from beforehand: Sera, Galgo, and Oli played through the events of the quickstart: The Broken Tower.  We recovered most of the cattle and captured Danakos.  Idrima remains in the tower. Back in Clearwine, we spoke to the events that happened, and after attending to our seasonal duties, were charged with traveling to the Shaker temple to ask the priestess how to deal with Idrima. The group hired a duck boat, and plied their way past the upland marsh, and to the ...

I started this blog as a way to keep track of my RPG sessions.  I wanted some kind of record of my gaming, and play reports felt like an easy way to do that.  On a couple occasions, sharing the play reports has also been interesting, but the main goal was to write it for myself, to look back on. And I have!  I have taken the time to look back and reread how a scenario or an adventure or module went, and I’ve looked at how it was homebrewed by me or if it was a published scenario.  And I’ve enjoyed that.  But it seems clear to me that: I like writing session reports for games that I GM I don’t like writing session reports for games that I am a mere player in I wonder why?  I’m not sure, but if my blog is a record of my gaming, it is sorely lacking.  I’ve been a player in a Troika!+UVG game on Fridays for about 4 sessions, and I’ve been a player in a Runequest Campaign for about 5 sessions as well.  The games are interesting and fun and completely d...

  Session Notes (08/18/22 - 11/12/22) I’ve been busy but I haven’t been typing up my session notes! Dungeons & Dragons (5th edition) Almost every Wednesday since school started, the tabletop gaming club has met to play Dungeons and Dragons.  We’ve had a steady number of students each week.  One student has been running horde of the dragon queen for a dedicated group, whereas I’ve been running an open table game for the students that are more infrequent.  The game has been a rollercoaster, and I’m getting madder and madder at D&D for being D&D hah (I’m so tired of it!  I was tired of it 4 years ago!).  But there have been some highlights.  The best one for example being when the deck of many things was introduced and two players both drew “the sun” which raised them to 9th level immediately.  It was an exciting time and everyone was high fiving, which is basically the best possible outcome in a D&D game. UVG+TROIKA! My group of onli...