They Talk Back : The Walking Dead

 
Hard choices.

Unrelenting threats. No guarantees. Stay quiet. Stay sharp. Stay alive. THEY TALK BACK.

This is a 13-episode mini-campaign of The Walking Dead the RPG. I'm running it for Denmotherplays on Twitch every Wednesday for the next few weeks. Very excited to run these for this mixed group of players (some I've run for before like Denmother and Sin who were in the Changeling the Dreaming game I ran for them, while others are playing with me for the very first time). This is also the first of my 12 New Games Each Year personal challenge. And unlike most games I've run, this is completely off-the-cuff sandbox in approach with me doing as little to no prep as possible. Hope you all enjoy this horror romp!

Hello 2025

 First of, wishing you all a Happy New Year!  

Here begins a whole new year of opportunities, challenges, and memories to embrace.  For the few of you who continue to remain subscribed to this blog, lemme share some updates that I owe you.

Let me begin with apologies.  I have been tremendously less productive in the tabletop rpg side of my life when it comes to writing games and supplements.  To be honest, I was actually quite eager to start writing for The Companions of Arthur.  Ever since we first were told of this Community Creator opportunity to eventually launch, I had been quite excited to get the fingers typing out a few supplements for King Arthur: Pendragon.

But sadly, trauma still reared its ugly head and I found myself second-guessing each page I wrote, fearing what new details might be nitpicked or what may be taken out of context.  In the end, I stopped writing and ended up shucking the file into the TO DO folder.

I refocused my brain and at least got it moving in other directions.   I've been busy working on my graphic novel, DILIMAN GENERATION NOW, which is a standalone "sequel" to my first graphic novel way back in 1997.  For those who might be curious about it, you can check out the 30-page teaser here:  https://globalcomix.com/c/diliman-generation-now

It might not be for everyone, but it is definitely something that I feel very attached to and I hope you enjoy it.  Just bear in mind, it is a comic meant for mature audiences.

Also, completed this year's 12 New Games for 2024 Challenge!

I like making sure I try at least 12 different game systems, or incarnations of game systems, to better experience how different games can give one a different experience.  Too often, people end up getting trapped in the "this game system is my favorite and it can do everything I want" mindset, which leads them to just modding the same system over and over again for different fluff.  But that just sadly ignores the wealth of creativity and opportunities that are out there.   I don't think others will easily adapt my mindset in this.  But I do know I used to believe the World of Darkness Storyteller system was the ONLY system I ever needed to enjoy gaming forever.   And boy am I grateful to have broken free from that self-limiting mindset.  I started this self-challenge in 2013.  So yeah, I've played more than 100 different game systems in the last decade of doing this.  And trust me when I say I've definitely expanded my horizons.

Also, was able to complete the 6x6 Challenge.

This challenge was about running at least six sessions of six different RPGs.  I actually did more with a few other mini-campaigns which I ran but didn't count among them.  A new challenge has been offered for this year, but I don't know if I'll embrace it as I realize it.. kind of fights against the one-shot mentality of the 12 New Games Challenge I already do.

So here's to more games this 2025.  

But only after we've successfully moved.

Curseborne - In Between Places

Very humbled and honored to have the chance to try the latest Onyx Path game, Curseborne. 
With Denmotherplays as the GM, and Lanz and John as fellow players, we are taking a dive at this new urban horror game.

 Catch the 3-part livestream here:
https://www.twitch.tv/theonyxpath/video/2264874854

Magnificent si Wang - Wraith: The Oblivion Actual Play

 Part of our ongoing mini-campaign joy is a cozy death storyline  using Wraith: The Oblivion.  This six-episode story is called Magnificent si Wang and it is only possible thanks to Denmotherplays. 



Watch the ongoing growing list of episodes here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHqjihiX4sE&list=PL1iQyBFVvNKzRyyxMH_BYsP36dVVsm3-P

The last few episodes are coming this Thursdays! 

One of Us Will Die: Actual Play

Was part of an actual play session of Titus' One of Us Will Die game. 
Drawing inspiration from Arthurian myth, the story 

Also got to play with so many amazing people. 
Just happy to finally be gaming with more friends again.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 24 : Acclaimed Advice

  

 RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 24 : Acclaimed Advice

I think there was "Fall Forward" as the biggest game-changer for me. From previously running things very simulational, the idea of focusing on keeping the game flowing even if the rolls were bad was unheard of. The idea that TPK was a possibility was the norm. But now, I hate TPKs as it feels like time got wasted for everyone. So I prefer embracing falling forward to also mean the game ends in a way that is satisfactory for the players, even if their characters died/failed. You want even failure to feel fun and meaningful in a game.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 23 : Peerless Player

 

 RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 23 : Peerless Player

I believe I shall have to award this to the Great Old One, Adrian, who has wonderfully portrayed the fascinating personality of Engineer Benjamin Marsh, who remains shellshocked from his time at the war.  And now strangely carries a tome of occult knowledge within his very flesh.  His portrayal of a man tragically obsessed with protecting others is balanced with his gentle and kind soul desperate to nurture and embrace companionship.

Of equally awesome note would be my partner, Rocky, for his portrayal of the infamous Sir Gilmere the Younger, Regent of the Hedge, and possessor of the mantle of Merlin.  As Merlin's chosen, Gilmere struggled against his father's fear of magic and fought to find his own path in handling the Otherside.  But eventually, he succumbed into his fate as the Warlock and was forced to do Merlin's dirty work to ensure Arthur's continued reign.  Now he awaits at the Glass City at the End of Time for the final battle against evil.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 22 : Notable NPC

 RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 22 : Notable NPC

I think this will have to be awarded to Sony Kapoor, our beloved driver and companion in our Call of Cthulhu: Horror on the Orient Express campaign. And yes, partly because I fashioned him after Dev Patel, but also because he's truly beloved and kind, with an eager heart to be a knight despite lacking the strength and skill to do so effectively.  But he's all heart, which really makes him endearing to the group.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 21 : Classic Campaign

        

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 21 : Classic Campaign

The classic campaign that remains dear to my heart is the four-part Giovanni Chronicles which really explored a HUGE swath of Vampire the Masquerade metaplot in a way that players could engage with. And while there was quite a heavy hand of railroading involved it it, I still loved the fact it allowed players to be "at those events" in vampiric history. It made their very existence feel both the worst thing ever and the most awesome memorable moments.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 20 : Amazing Adventure

       

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 20 : Amazing Adventure

I think the most amazing adventure I ever experienced was a three-generational story of Changeling the Dreaming which I ran back in college for a group of friends.  These were three "campaigns" that were connected as they played characters who were descendants of their early characters.  The interconnectedness of the stories were just so fulfilling in seeing how they changed through time and based on the events that the players created. 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 19 : Sensational Session

      

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 19 : Sensational Session 

For this one, I would have to bring back the story of our LACUNA: The Creation of Mystery and the Girl from Blue City campaign and how I prepped one game session to truly immerse the experience for the players.  Hours before the session, I prepped the room for the game.  I photoshopped and printed out all these different EYE images, hiding them behind cabinet doors and tucked onto shelves.  I recorded a video loop of my own eye flickering around before staring at the camera, then set the clip to play on the television set once needed.    Then I gathered a bunch of Christmas lights, taped them to the window in the shape of an eye, then covered it with a curtain.  Our group loved making games feel quite immersive, so I wanted to be able to deliver.

During the session, the Mystery Agents were warned that they were being watched.  And as we played through the session, I would occasionally stand up, walk to a shelf or cabinet, and reveal the eye.  More and more, as the session played, the players saw more and more eyeballs staring at them.  When one tried to contact Control for help, I switched on the eye on the screen, describing how every screen in the city now had that eye looking for them.  And finally, when they tried to Eject, their escape succeeded just as i hit the lights, light the Christmas lights, and revealed the glowing eye that was emerging from the very city facade. 

It was amazing.  The group had a dinner break and we were just absolutely jittery with the entire experience.   Gotta admit, I miss face to face games. 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 18 : Memorable moment of play

     

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 18 : Memorable moment of play

I used to have a lot of memorable moments of play.  But after I had been made to question if any of my previous game experiences were as memorable as I believed, I now struggle to embrace them as actual good memories without second guessing myself.  It is sick, I tell you. But that's how it is now.

I guess for now I can choose to at least mention that our Great Pendragon Campaign still has some of the most memorable and powerful moments of play.  And while we're currently working to get it moving again, some quick summaries of powerful stories include:

The Geas of Sir Par
The Passion of the Warlock
The Hag and the Lost Father

and finally,

The Comedy of Chaos.

The players can all readily share those tragic tales.  And how each of them would make an incredibly moving tale .

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 17 : Engaging RPG Community

    

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 17 : Engaging RPG Community

I have no answer. 
I shy away from most communities.  Just too many triggers and sources of stress.

However, I would say that there are current groups in the Philippines that are really healthy gaming communities.  You can tell based on how the people in charge are truly passionate about allowing everyone to celebrate what they love. 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 16 : Quick to Learn

   

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 16 : Quick to Learn

Gotta admit, the quickest game to learn for me would be Shauermarchen.  With only one major rule to keep in mind, the game can be taught in a single minute and you are ready to play.  Quick to learn, however, does not mean it is a shallow game experience.  The interplay of Hope and Fear in your gameplay, and how success relates to your actions if it were hope or fear is quite evocative and intense.

Still, not a game for everyone.  That much I've learned to accept.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 15 : Great Character Gear

  

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 15 : Great Character Gear

When it comes to defining gear, two games take the top spot for me in this regard:

Weapons of the Gods had a magnificent way of mixing key words and system in their approach to weapons.  Weapons can even have their own Lore Sheets which allowed you to get Entangled in their destiny or even get drawn to them just because your own destiny is too strong.

Wield is sort of a cheat, because it is a game where you as players portray WEAPONS or magical objects that can imbue their wielders amazing power. 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 14 : Compelling Characters

 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 14 : Compelling Characters

Of the many games I've played, the game with the most compelling characters I ever experienced would be Count Kether from Houses of the Blooded, who is the most charming, seductive, and charismatic man you can ever meet... until you cross him.  And then suddenly, he is a villain that puts even Lex Luthor to shame with his schemes and machinations to utterly destroy you.  

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 13 : Evocative Environments

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 13 : Evocative Environments

First, there's Planescape's signature city, SIGIL, which just brings awe and fascination in how it both looks, functions, and thrives. Serving as a gateway to so many other places, I cannot help but remember the excitment of shows like Star Gate.

The second would be Exalted. From the gargantuan statue city called the Lap, to the wondrous places of Yu-Shan and the remarkable Chiaroscuro, there are just amazing vistas to see and explore.

Last would be Changeling the Dreaming. The depths of the Dreaming, the Deep Dreaming, and the nightmare realms are mind-bending and twisted in ways Alice in Wonderland would have approved. But the fact that these locations CHANGE YOU as you visit them, I can only imagine if these books indirectly inspired how worlds work in Kingdom Hearts.Of all the games I've tried, three stand out with very evocative environments that make me wanna explore them.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 12 : RPG WITH WELL-SUPPORTED CAMPAIGNS

    

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 12 : RPG WITH WELL-SUPPORTED CAMPAIGNS

What on earth are well-supported campaigns?  If this means having a game that has a really well-done campaign, then King Arthur: Pendragon takes it by spades.  The Great Pendragon Campaign is truly a remarkable feat with an adventure spanning generations. 

But if its about campaigns that received additional material to support it, I would have to stare at Masks of Nyarlathotep which not only has so much material for it, but also has props and the like created to support it! 

I mean, just look at that:
https://store.hplhs.org/products/masks-of-nyarlathotep-gamer-prop-set

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 11 : RPG WITH WELL-SUPPORTED ONE-SHOTS

    

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 11 : RPG WITH WELL-SUPPORTED ONE-SHOTS

I will have to hand this to FIASCO.  The sheer number of playsets out there, the variety, the scope, the genres, no one has done this better than that game, in my opinion.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 10 : LIKE TO SEE ON TV

   

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 10 : LIKE TO SEE ON TV

To be frank, any rpg, SO LONG AS THEY DON'T COMPLETELY IGNORE THE PLAYERS AT THE TABLE ASPECT.  The Dungeons and Dragons movie?  Beautiful. But its basically a movie on the setting, not about gaming, and that feels like its no different from any other fantasy movie out there.  

Same with the FALLOUT series.  Clearly they drew from the videogame.  Despite there being a Fallout RPG.  So one might even say its NOT a television series based on the game at all.  

That's why we need a movie that FEATURES the player aspect of the concept.  Astropia (which was horribly and terribly renamed, Dorks and Damsels) as closer to a great approach. Flight of Dragons too if you consider it opens with the boardgame.  But so far, all other adaptations have adapted ONLY the setting side and not the player side.  And that, for me, is a huge disservice to the hobby.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 9 : ACCESSORY YOU'D LIKE TO SEE

  

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 9 : ACCESSORY YOU'D LIKE TO SEE

I would LOVE to have official "clickable" LACUNA devices for LACUNA: THE CREATION OF MYSTERY AND THE GIRL FROM BLUE CITY.   Can you imagine having those actual things on your person as you play, then feeling that point of no return as you decide to stay longer or click it to eject and save yourself?  That would be such an experience. 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 8 : ACCESSORY YOU APPRECIATE

 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 8 : ACCESSORY YOU APPRECIATE

The RPG accessory that I really really appreciated in the many years I've played would be one that I was able to enjoy with my players for many months of play.  Admittedly, my experience would be colored by the fact that I don't often by a lot of rpg accessories.  So my vote would go to REVELATIONS OF THE DARK MOTHER, which I've used as so many things, from in-game material, to player props, and more. While the Book of Nod was a similar tome, too many parts of the Book of Nod felt too strangely modern and comic-like in its rendering.  So revelations really was the one that hit the spot for me.

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 7 : RPG with GOOD FORM

  

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 7 : RPG with GOOD FORM

I have no idea what this is meant to mean.  I can think of different interpretations of "good form" but given we only have this as the reference, I guess I'll just have to choose a game which I feel tried to accomplish multiple things and did them well.  King Arthur: Pendragon would get that vote for me.  This game first accomplishes its main objective, that being to allow people to experience the challenges, excitement, and drama of being a knight swayed by their traits and passions.  But then, the game includes knights to allow players to still explore the game even if they wanted something that was more in tune with the times.  The main book (5.2 edition) includes the necessary information for the GM to not just run the game, but also to build each knight's history. Then there's even information on generational stories, on solo adventures, and even seeds for long term plans for romantic knights and the like.  

That, for me, is a RPG that is done with good form.

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 6: RPG with Great Writing

 

RPGaDAY 2024 : Day 6 : RPG that is easy to use

I think I will have to nominate jim pinto's PRAXIS rpg for this category.  It is zero-prep with concepts that only seem strange until you play through your first turn.  Suddenly, the rest of the system snaps into place and you barely focus on it and just enjoy creating your story with your friends.  PRAXIS is an incredible work that more people should play.

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 5: RPG with Great Writing

 

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 5: RPG with Great Writing

For this one, I will have to give my vote to LACUNA: THE CREATION OF MYSTERY AND THE GIRL FROM BLUE CITY.  The book reads like an employee manual.  And yet includes system.  And yet redacts information to throw you into the mystery.  And then gives you enough meta moments in the book itself to make you realize this game is not close to anything typical. 

And that's a great example of  exceptional writing.

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 4: RPG with great art

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 4: RPG with Great Art

Was a huge fan of Planescape when it first came out. That was truly a wonderful book with awesome art.  Then there was A Red and Pleasant Land with its very unpleasant creator , which is such a pity as the book visually was just stunning beyond belief.  I will give my last vote to the classic World of Darkness Vampire books. Timothy Bradstreet created an era of artwork that holds up until now.

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 3: Most Often Played RPG

RPGaDAY 2024: Day 3: Most Often Played RPG

If I were to base this on number of sessions, King Arthur: Pendragon would be the winner given we have been and still are playing this game since 2017. HOWEVER, if I were to base this on separate INDIVIDUAL game sessions, I believe the winner would be LACUNA: The Creation of Mystery and the Girl from Blue City. I fell in love with that game so much that I ran over thirty game sessions with it with a variety of groups, and yet still made sure it was part of one interconnected metaplot. If you have never played that game system, please let me know and I would love to run a session for you.

RPGaDAY2024: Day 2 : Most Recently Played

 

Day 2: Most Recently Played
As of this writing, the most recently played game would be King Arthur: Pendragon.   I haven't been able to get my TAGBites oneshot sessions moving again for quite some time, but I am happy that we were able to get our Pendragon campaign moving again. (We started it way back in 2017).

RPGaDAY2024: Day 1: First RPG bought this year

Day 1: First RPG Bought This Year
I had to go back to my computer and check what did I buy this year.  And as it turns out, it would be John Wick's BANNERS, which is sort of his take on King Arthur Pendragon.   Read through the book and while I do like seeing some familiar elements (Houses of the Blooded, I love you so much), the way the game sort of reaches backwards towards something closer to d20 kinda makes me feel less excited.  

Plus, too many instances of "make it up yourself" which kinda gives less the "shared narrative control" feels and more "do the work for me" feel. I will admit, this was far from what I was hoping to see given the awesomeness of Houses of the Blooded and 7th Sea. 

Anyway, that's the first game I bought this year. 

A Second Moment in print!

 Well, sadly, not yet.  But I received a lovely email one day from Oren who was kind enough to ask permission to make a personal printed copy of my book. Additionally, they had a number of questions about how the game worked and why certain design decisions were done with A Second Moment.

With his permission, I can show the images of the printed personal copy here:

For those who don't know, DriveThruRpg does allow independent publishers to have work in their print on demand options.  However, it does mean needing to have your document laid out to work for print which in itself requires certain considerations.   (If you look at the pic, I messed up in the back cover, not leaving adequate space for the ISBN bar code!) They also allow a test printed copy to be sent to you for checking. 

However, that means spending a larger amount of money for layout which is sadly beyond my grasp.  And given I'm based in the Philippines, this means a much greater cost implication for having the test print shipped to me.  I did have a possible publisher before for this edition, but well, life happened.  And so, I resigned myself to the thought of never seeing this book reach print.

Thank you to Oren and his wife for being kind enough to allow me to see photos of what the book could have looked like!  It truly brightened my day.

A Second Moment is available at DrivethruRpg.
Grab it today if you haven't!