Five Inspirations for King of Storms

Memes

The Invisibles


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The Cloud Atlas

Elliot and Margo from The Magicians



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Easter from American Gods

Once Upon a Time in Jianghu Kickstarter cancelled.

Once Upon a Time in Jiangu Kickstarter cancelled.

Please find the full statement here:
http://www.gallantknightgames.com/gallant-knight-games-wunderwerks-statement-regarding-once-upon-a-time-in-jianghu/

Continuing my 12 New Games Self-Challenge

Slowly continuing my journey through this year's 12 New Games Each Year.

The games I have played or run so far include:
1) Bubblegumshoe
2) Headspace
3) Cold Shadows
4) Praxis: King of Storms

Cold Shadows was quite a wonderful session. The group was a nice mix of players as each contributed to the growing narrative in their own unique ways. For the game, I drew inspiration from Matt Kindt's amazing Mind MGMT comics, which mixed spycraft with human-centric stories and weird science.

Praxis: King of Storms on the other hand was an interesting mix of magic, drama, and humor. We really enjoyed setting the game in the modern ages instead of its usual fantasy setting, and that gave it a powerful relatable vibe. The game started to remind many of us in the game of American Gods. The group is already hoping for a chance to go through all five Black Monk books by jim pinto.

At work, we're looking at the possibilities of getting games moving again. More so with the new employees who have joined us.  I'm tempted to try setting a session of The Sword, the Crown, and the Unspeakable Power or two for the group. Or perhaps get people to try Prince Valiant, or even Tiny Wasteland.  An officemate, however, is a huge Battletech fan, and the idea of running that old classic is oddly tempting. The opportunities are nearly endless.

Very happy also with these dice. If only shipping them overseas wasn't such a pain. They were definitely dice that fit perfectly with the Praxis game we played.

My Statement

This statement is made solely on behalf of Tobie Abad, and does not speak for anyone who works alongside him, TAG Sessions, or our partners in the game industry.

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Today the admin team behind the Philippine Table-Top RPGs Facebook Group decided to have me removed as a member due to allegations made against me last week. The actual complaint consisted of four statements - two by individuals who used to be close friends and two by other members who were more likely relying on secondhand information as I have had limited interactions with them thus far. On May 4 I submitted a 17-page document refuting the allegations against me at the request of the admin team but the removal was the outcome of that supposed investigative process. As the admin team stated that they “...are not a legal court that is supposed to judge the moral character of any individual,” their decision feels like it was based on an effort to err on the side of caution more than anything else.

I do not agree with the decision and hold that the allegations against me are false. I do not fully understand the motivations behind these continued attacks on my character over the years by the same group of former friends. Regardless, I will continue to contest their assertions to be untrue.

I have been running tabletop RPG sessions for over 30 years for a wide range of players both locally and abroad. I have learned a lot when it comes to the complexities of running games for a variety of people with different backgrounds, interests and comfort zones. Given the social nature of this hobby, I’ve always held that honest communication between everyone at the table is integral to ensuring that everyone is comfortable and ultimately having fun creating a story together. This communication is not limited while together at the table but extends outside of it.

If my accusers feel that gaming with me for years had turned out to be an unpleasant experience in hindsight, I apologize that I was not able to do more to address that at the time. But despite the many channels of communication available and my repeated efforts to ask about their feelings regarding the games time and time again, it seems there was a lack of clearly communicated concerns, leaving me with nothing to act on or address in terms of how I moderated those sessions.

Like any other GM, I could only act on the information I was given and that break-down in communication had inadvertently resulted in a bad gaming experience somehow. Sadly, this unfortunate series of events led to an even worse break-down in the friendship. I can only surmise that the negative feelings from their experience have somehow fueled this extended effort against me despite years of no communication or contact and now all that has been blown out of proportion into this narrative of alleged abuse.

All I can say is that I never intentionally tried to cause emotional duress of any kind for this group of players. I apologize nonetheless for any pain that may have been experienced because that is the furthest thing I would want for anyone to experience in a tabletop RPG or in life in general. I wish things had ended differently or at the very least learned of such concerns directly instead of through the court of public opinion and the weaponization of social media.

Upon reflection, I suspect that this fracturing of the friendship, that I did not understand the nature of at the time, unfortunately, spilled over into our working relationship in a volunteer gaming organization. It was during this time that the accusers blocked me on social media and this further complicated efforts at communication and possible resolution to their concerns or at the very least an amicable parting of ways.

Over the past 3 years, I have remained silent despite the continued social media posts in an effort to just put this all behind us and move forward. There have been vague posts and there have been slanderous ones that have explicitly named me and still, I have not resorted to fighting fire with fire.

Given the efforts to besmirch my character, I feel the need to reiterate the following facts:


Every game I run is tailored to players. Even before the first session starts, I engage in lengthy discussions to determine what the players would like to explore along with what topics they prefer to avoid. I employ the same approach whether preparing for a long-term campaign or one-shots with strangers.

Player agency and sharing narrative control have always been things I value in my game sessions. I firmly believe the best sessions are when players and GM work together to create a memorable story.This is why I advocate for more people to try newer indie systems - particularly those that have taken interesting approaches to making shared narrative control a key mechanic in the game experience.

I believe that role-playing games, like film and literature, can be powerful tools for exploring difficult subject matter. But I also understand that what is acceptable varies from player to player and thus consent from everyone at the table is paramount. When I started gaming, we generally trusted one another to communicate boundaries in the game but I’m glad that the hobby has progressed to incorporate the use of Safety Tools such as the X-card and others. And anyone who has gamed with me in the last years would know that I fully embrace and endorse the use of these tools to ensure gaming remains inclusive and safe.

There are many more things to say, but for now, these are the most important points I want to address in this statement.



I stand by my integrity that my statements are true and remain prepared to explain my side and defend myself as needed in the appropriate venue. I do not believe in public smear campaigns and airing dirty laundry. Despite the lost friendship, I continue to respect the time I once spent with my accusers when we were all still friends and I regret all the other people in the community who have been dragged into this mess.

I shall continue to celebrate the tabletop gaming hobby be it through running games or sharing my knowledge with the community. I will miss being able to network with fellow gamers through the Philippine Table-Top RPG Facebook group, but I am thankful that there are other channels available to me to reach the larger community beyond social media. I will continue to work on creating games for the industry in general and welcome opportunities to celebrate Philippine culture through gaming when I can. I will not choose the path of hatred.

For those of you who wish to contact me, whether it is to set a game schedule or discuss anything else you have in mind, you can reach me through the following channels:

TAG Sessions Facebook Page
Twitter @AllTobieNoShade
tobito_abad [at] yahoo.com

I am thankful for my partner Rocky, whose unwavering support and level headedness has helped me through this difficult time. I am also thankful for the many friends who have reached out and shared their support. Your trust in me shall not go to waste.

Once Upon a Time in Jianghu Teaser: Burning Mountain Ring

The game features over fifteen different factions that players and Villains can be part of. Each grants the Honorable Hero a Secret Move that they can use.

But more interestingly is how the Grand Master is given access to additional information on how they can use that Faction in their games. When I was working on the book, I wanted to make sure gaming groups were empowered to find ways to make the game and its setting their own.

For instance, for the players, they get this information on the Burning Mountain Ring. 

Only the greatest and the strongest can claim to be part of the Burning Mountain Ring, the one true Martial Brotherhood in Sihai. While not everyone is part of this Society, those who do gain their favor find themselves gaining respect and reputation typically reserved for legendary heroes. It is said that its founder, Ubiquitous Dan, once watched his dear friend Relentless Fus who fought against the natural order of things and sought to conquer even Heaven itself at the peak of the Burning Mountain. 

Ubiquitous Dan was forced to learn all the Secret Arts necessary to challenge his dear friend and bring peace back upon the land. The Burning Mountain Ring now stands as a structured system of Ranking, allowing those who reject the natural order to channel their desire and passion towards improving themselves, rather than destroying the world. They send out invitations to those deemed worthy to join their tournaments and train others in expanding their understanding of the martial arts. Many warriors of the Ring have come face-to-face with agents of the Door and the Cult, earning their ire. The general consensus also sees the Triangle as laughable in their lack of actual strength.

Secret Move: Awareness of Deadly Intent
Cost: Free
Ambushes and murder attempts are like screaming children in a library for members of this faction. When anyone seeks to do commit violence upon a Burning Mountain Ring warrior, their intent is unconsciously sensed as the warrior’s fighting spirit senses a kindred soul. At any point someone seeks to do you violence, you sense it. It does not matter if you were asleep or intoxicated, the very aura of deadly intent is a palpable presence you cannot ignore.

Whereas for the Grand Master, information on the Burning Mountain Ring is given in this manner.

Burning Mountain RingReputation: Chaotic Fighting Ring Type: Directionless Sect Alignment: Heroic Conflicting Factions: The Obsidian Door, Inquisitive Dog Triangle, Invincible Ghost Gang, Cult of the Conqueror Worm
Said to have once been called the Wulin, the Burning Mountain Ring is a fractured echo of what was once an incredible gathering of the world’s greatest warriors. Now, it stands more like a fighting ring where many prove their mettle as they beat on their rivals. Ubiquitous Dan stands at the peak of the mountain blinded by the clouds and distance from the world. He still mourns the loss of Relentless Fus and has left the lower ranking warriors to run the sect. The Invincible Ghost Gang is poised to challenge them and might have what it takes to bring true change to the organization.
Secrets or Story Hooks: The GM can use any of these secrets as true in their game:

• Relentless Fus still lives. Despite his hubris and punishment, Fus now survives as an amnesiac man living alone at the edge of a city’s limits. When endangered, he instinctively fights with martial skills he has no remembrance learning.

• Ubiquitous Dan is no more. The Dan that remains is a shadow double, created by the Crying Prince who has infiltrated the sect and conquered it from within. It uses the sect as secret font to recruit his agents.

• Heroic Secret Move: The Palm of Peace

• Said to be the penultimate expression of mastery of all the possible secret Martial Arts, the Palm of Peace causes all within an entire region to lose any aggressive or destructive intentions or motivations for an entire day. Performed last by Ubiquitous Dan after he realized Relentless Fus had died, he brought twenty-four hours of peace by simply completing the strike upon the very strands of destiny.

Key NPC: Ubiquitous Dan Heavy set and powerful, most mistake Dan at first glance as some loitering untrained worker who made a wrong turn and slipped into the arena by mistake. But a single punch is usually enough to knock anyone onto their senses in seeing how Dan is one of the few high-Ranking warriors that are still active. He has a soft spot for goats and has been known to stop and make an effort to pet any he sees, once going as far as leaving the honored seat during the opening ceremonies of a festival to greet a kid carried by one of the guests.
Views: Dan once respected the Golden Emperor and his goals to unify the world. The Fighting Ring was meant as a means for aggression and disagreements to find an organized and controlled means of release. He truly believes in honorable combat, choosing to fight with his eyes closed, and using only one hand while balanced on one foot when he was challenged by a weaker opponent.

 Traits: Artisan (Mysteries of Yin and Yang, Formless Arts of the Face), Scholar (Qi Cultivation), Warrior (Lightfoot)
 Weakness: Priest (The Birth of Seals)

 Roleplaying Notes: Laugh openly. Praise others for their physical and martial prowess. Decline any challenges unless the other deserves to be treated a lesson. Waive away complex philosophical arguments and always flex your fingers and arm muscles before you fight.

 As an ally: Express your disdain for violence beyond fights within the Ring. Offer to teach those who are untrained in martial combat. Openly praise those who are fearless in celebrating their attachments to each other.

 As a Villain: Call those who know are powerless to best you, “little goat,” as a double-edged form of endearment. Never threaten. Just state the facts on how you will defeat the other. Then do it if they persist. You would rule Sihai if you wanted to, but for now the

 Traits: Artisan (Mysteries of Yin and Yang, Formless Arts of the Face), Scholar (Qi Cultivation), Warrior (Lightfoot) Weakness: Priest (The Birth of Seals)

Roleplaying Notes: Laugh openly. Praise others for their physical and martial prowess. Decline any challenges unless the other deserves to be treated a lesson. Waive away complex philosophical arguments and always flex your fingers and arm muscles before you fight.

As an ally: Express your disdain for violence beyond fights within the Ring. Offer to teach those who are untrained in martial combat. Openly praise those who are fearless in celebrating their attachments to each other.

As a Villain: Call those who know are powerless to best you, “little goat,” as a double-edged form of endearment. Never threaten. Just state the facts on how you will defeat the other. Then do it if they persist. You would rule Sihai if you wanted to, but for now the Golden Emperor can worry about that. You’ll be there when someone finally defeats him to take it from the victor.

Support the Kickstarter today and help us hit our stretch goals!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/381911690/once-upon-a-time-in-jianghu