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Five Tips for Writing a Holiday Adventure

Five Tips for Writing a Holiday Adventure

Hello heroes! It’s that magical time of year again. People are feeling festive, carols are playing in every grocery store, and the steady arrival of Amazon packages are a constant reminder that the holidays are upon us. We here at the Untold Stories Project love to dedicate these last few months of the year to our annual Holiday One Shots Limited Series!

We’ve been doing this for three years now and I like to think we’ve gotten pretty good at this whole holiday game thing. I wanted to share some of our advice for those of you running games this holiday season:

  1. Follow the Fun: This one probably goes without saying, but holiday games are meant to be a fun occasion. Give yourself permission to indulge in some silly nonsense. This is a great time of year to run a pallet cleansing session based on a hilarious premise. Want to run a whacky, Clue-style murder mystery at the North Pole? Do it! Have a villain steal Christmas, turn everyone into snow people in Florida who need to figure out how to change back before they melt away. Get whacky and so unserious!
  2. Indulge the Pun: One of my favorite things to do when I’m designing a holiday one shot is to come up with a pun title and build the adventure around that. We have Slay Bells Ring, The Fight Before Christmas, and Silenced Night here on the channel. I’m also running a little game called Batman Got Run Over by a Reindeer too. A pun title inspires story beats and sets tone all before you write down any notes or roll any dice.
  3. Keep it Low Stakes: Adventures from this time of year shouldn’t be the stories that your whole campaign hinges on. Make it a side mission with a whacky villain and a scheme that ultimately doesn’t hurt anything more than holiday cheer and possibly a gingerbread village. Players are looking for a chance to cut loose and relax, give yourself some grace and keep the stakes low.
  4. Let the Villain Get in on the Festivities: The villain of this story does not need to be Xanathar the Xecutioner with a massive axe and sawed-off shotgun, plundering her way through the winter wonderland sowing orphans and misery in her wake, unless your group is into that. Consider instead using a twist on a holiday figure: Jack Frost, Frosty the Snowman, and Krampus could be excellent candidates. Perhaps the Yule Cat if you’re feeling a T-shirt hating kaiju or a pack of reindeer bullies that need to learn some manners. Andy had us fight a guy who was basically a living chimney who took Santa’s sleigh for a joyride in this year’s Power Rangers event. The only limit is your imagination and your willingness to make festive icons naughty instead of nice.
  5. Share the Good Times: One of the great things about a holiday adventure is that you don’t have to tie it into the wider events of your ongoing campaign and thanks to the amount of people traveling for the holidays you probably have access to friends and family you don’t usually get to play with (as do your players.) It’s a wonderful chance to bring in an extra player or two for a fun session.
  6. Super Special Bonus Tip as a Little Holiday Gift From Me to You! One fun thing I like to add to any holiday game gathering is a Secret Santa or White Elephant gift exchange. It’s a fun way to add some additional festivity to your game group but everyone gets to feel included. One of the groups I play with regularly is doing a White Elephant dice exchange this year. Each of us is bringing a set of dice and our GM has worked up an initiative system and Sleight of Hand test for us to steal from die each other. I’m looking forward to being one of Santa’s dice goblins for that!

NaNoWriMo 2023 Reflections

NaNoWriMo 2023 Reflections

Hello heroes! I just wanted to check in with everyone now that National Novel Writing Month is behind us. NaNoWriMo is an amazing challenge that comes up every November. The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days, and it is a lot more difficult than it looks. I personally have attempted it five times so far and I’ve only won the first time. Turns out working professionally as a writer means you get your attention split a lot of different ways. Even though I didn’t win, I always appreciate making the attempt. This was our first year attempting it as an organization and I’m very proud of everyone who spent time writing this month, whether they made the goal or not. The pure task of writing is so vital and empowering that I truly believe everyone should attempt it, whether they do it for money or just personal exploration. We hosted several write-in streams as a group which provided space to share writing tips, triumphs, and to commiserate the challenges.

I may not have finished the project I set out to do, but I did get a ton of writing done and I got to share some of my wisdom and experience with my friends. It was a great time! I am hopeful that we will put together another team next year and maybe I’ll even win this time! I am planning to write a hilarious project that I’ve had on my backburner for a while; a novel involving a vampire named Gary who has to search the post-apocalypse for fruit farms to feed upon.

We did have one person who won this year! Aunt Puppy went the distance and finished the rough draft of her first ever novel! A story she wrote about her new character from our Something in the Dark stream: Dr. Carrie Pembroke. I asked her if she would write up some of her thoughts about the experience, which I’ve included below.

“Well first off I want to start by saying it was hard, but dammit did this girl win! As someone who is a completist and a collector the best fuel I had was me vs me. I collected badges and steps like a champ. Then it hit me, the holidays and SAD all at once which dropped my productivity.

Overall I enjoyed it. I was a writer of poetry when I was younger and this really helped to feel the spark again. I loved the community that it introduced me to, with this being my first experience I still had some anxiety about meeting up or participating in any live events but I think as I try again I will get braver and participate in more events. As the month went along I learned that short bursts, or what the group called a sprint, was the most effective. The sprints were done in our local Discord group and were done in 20 minute increments. I really enjoyed the feeling of competition and encouragement those brought on, if it weren’t for that I would have never finished.

I can see how people can become easily disillusioned with everything very quickly. It feels very daunting when you start to fall behind. I think if I would have stayed the path and hit my goal each day I would not have felt so overwhelmed but there were some days that the creativity just didn’t hit me. I will say some great advice I got from some of our USP veterans that have participated in NaNoWriMo before was to not edit, which goes against my nature but if I had gone back and really edited I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did.

In conclusion, would I do it again? Hell ya and you should too!”

I don’t have anything more to add other than to second her last statement. Hell yeah you should give NaNoWriMo a chance. The world needs more stories and all of you have at least one in you.

USP Thanksgiving Blog 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello heroes! We wanted to use our blog post this week to talk a little bit about what each of us is thankful for in regards to tabletop roleplaying games. All of our lives have been enriched by this hobby that brings us together. We are thankful as a group for all of you who tune into our games, join us at conventions, and support us as we give our stories to the world. Here are some of our thoughts below:

Alex:

I am thankful for the friends and family I have cultivated through RPGs, for the creative outlet they offer, and for the life-changing career I have pursued in this industry. Mostly I’m grateful for the connection gaming allows me to keep with my father even though he has passed on. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if he hadn’t introduced me to roleplaying games. It’s a magic I get to capture every day!

Jonesy:

Gaming has brought me so much to be thankful for. I have forged lifelong friendships and found my family while repelling alien invaders, hostile dragons, machinations of elder Kindred and other crises. Of all the blessings it’s given me, the thing I am most thankful for is the community that welcomed and embraced me when I came out. To this day that group of Garou and Kindred that supported and loved their ST unconditionally was more than I could have ever dreamed possible.

Chris:

40 years allows for many things to be thankful for…the friends I’ve made, the places I’ve been able to travel to and see, the opportunity to improve as a person and be the accepting inclusive person my home environment would never understand or have allowed. For all of my faults, of which there are many, my strengths have been developed and nurtured at the gaming table. THANK YOU.

Brandon:

I’m thankful for the friends!

Jo:

I mean…. Can I be supremely sappy? Because I wouldn’t have my partner, I wouldn’t have come to terms with parts of my sexual identity/relationship styles, and I would not have found most of my NeuroSpicyFam without ttrpgs….So basically much of my happiness and foundations for self-care is rooted in collaborative storytelling and interconnectedness of collective pretend.

Aunt Puppy:

I’m grateful for getting to live lives I’d never get to in the real world with people all over the place. Allows for escapism of everyday stuff for just a short time.

Wiccy:

I’m thankful to have a completely normal outlet for all the voices in my head.

Deuce:

I’m thankful for the people who have shared all the stories over the years with me. Whether in the game or around it, I always find those moments as the fondest of memories shared with people who have made this life such a beautiful thing. Also thankful for all the poor unfortunate souls who have to put up with my bad jokes and still find the strength of will to come back. Don’t know how you do it but glad you do.

Andy:

I’m thankful gaming gave me an outlet in which to be creative. I’m thankful it gave me a way to connect with different people, and connects us even though we’re not always close.

Teegan:

I’m thankful for an outlet for the wild insane stories I come up with.

Gemmy:

I think the amount of adventures and stories I’ve been able to have and share because of these games, and how many friends I’ve made by getting to ramble back and forth about chaotic stories from different sessions we’d had with our friends.

Aaron:

  1. I’m thankful for the OGL. Despite the recent ruckus caused by the changes to OGL, OGL did create a new landscape for tabletop RPGs. Without the OGL, we never would have seen Pathfinder when D&D 3.5 went away, we never would have seen the first edition of Mutants & Masterminds, and in general our hobby would be much poorer.
  2. I’m thankful for all of the family, teachers, and friends who didn’t make fun of gaming, or fall to the “Satanic Panic.” Because of their encouragement, I’ve been able to meet some of my closest friends, and have had countless hours of enjoyment and entertainment.
  3. Modern dice makers. When I got into gaming, dice were hard lumps of plastic that required you to color the numbers in. Now there are so many beautiful and customizable dice that it just makes gaming more fun and colorful. I love it when a player comes to the table with their Pride-colored dice, or their latest metallic dice from Norse Foundry, or whatever other bizarre dice they have.

Kat:

The amount of people I’ve met through ttrpgs that have made my life infinitely better.

National Novel Writing Month 2023

Greetings from USP! Welcome to November, where for a lot of us here we are sharpening our pencils, filling up our quills and putting ink to page (physical or digital) and writing up a storm! Why? Because November is also NaNoWriMo, otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month, and several of our members are participating!

Being that our channel is based on telling stories through the medium of TTRPG’s, it’s not so far off base to imagine that a lot of us have stories that we would like to tell the wider world. NaNoWriMo is our opportunity to join together with hundreds if not thousands of other aspiring storytellers in our local communities and throughout the world as we all encourage and support each other throughout the month to that end.

Did you know that NaNoWriMo allows you to set whatever goal you want to complete during the month? Is it to write a 50k word novel? Is it to write several poems? To write up family recipes to save for future generations? Or is it even to just map out and plan a whole host of RPG adventures for your gaming group? You get to decide what it is you are working towards, and look to the community for support in that endeavour.

As part of our planned activities for the month, we will be hosting virtual write-ins on our Twitch channel six times during the month. You can find the link to the channel below, as well as the schedule. Join us for any or all of them to ask questions/bounce ideas/commiserate on how the process is going. With the support of everyone, we can all make our storytelling dreams come true!

  • Virtual Write-in 1: Saturday, Nov 4th at 1130am
  • Virtual Write-in 2: Saturday, Nov 11th at 1130am
  • Virtual Write-in 3: Monday, Nov 13th at 7pm
  • Virtual Write-in 4: Monday, Nov 20th at 7pm
  • Virtual Write-in 5: Saturday, Nov 25th at 1130am
  • Virtual Write-in 6: Monday, Nov 27th at 7pm

Twitch Channel – https://www.twitch.tv/untoldstoriesproject
NaNoWriMo Website – https://nanowrimo.org/

And if you want to be NaNo buddies with any of us, our profiles are listed below:

USP Earth-Prime Tarot

USP Earth-Prime Tarot

The Tarot have fascinated people for a long time, and the intersection of comics and the Tarot is nothing new. In some ways, the cards of the Tarot make their own little comic every time they are laid out for a reading – and the story of the Fool as he makes his way through the Major Arcana is its own narrative. There have been superheroes and supervillains who have used the Tarot, and there are commercially available Tarot Decks using characters from Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Vertigo.

With all of that in mind, I thought it might be fun to assign each of the Major Arcana to characters from our own Earth-Prime universe. So, with that in mind, we’ve prepared the following list.

Before we begin, it’s important to note that the Tarot and its meanings can be subjective. Similarly, characters in role-playing games are interpreted not just by the person playing them, but also by those who sit at the table with them, and in the case of these characters, the audience observing their adventures. So, while I tried to take the thoughts and opinions of the creators of these characters into consideration, this list represents my own personal biases.

0 – The Fool

Crucible

Meaning Those new to tarot could mistake The Fool as a card of silly, uninformed actions on the horizon. This Major Arcana holds a much more positive meaning, though. The Fool represents fresh starts and new beginnings. You may be about to embark on a journey with a child-like wonder. Take this card as an indication to stay in the present and have a hopeful attitude in your endeavors.
Why was this character chosen? Crucible isn’t a fool, but he certainly appears to be one. Ethan’s life is one focused around fresh starts and new beginnings – he is leaving behind his home, his family’s expectations, and his college major to focus on the things that give his life meaning – a relationship with Khione, being a hero, and following a career of social work. And while this is frightening, Ethan approaches it all with a sense of wonder and excitement.

1 – The Magician

Alexandrite

Meaning The Magician is the card of manifestation. Most decks show a man with one hand to the ground and the other to the sky, representing his abilities to turn dreams into reality. Pulling The Magician is a sign you’ll be able to create what you desire with hard work and a bit of imagination.
Why was this character chosen? Alexandrite is the GemStar of magic, which makes her a perfect fit for this card in a literal sense. But more than that, she is a woman who has literally brought dreams to reality. She broke a cycle of enslavement and destruction that Shadowfall embodied, and with her friends, saved Leifandi and brought it to a different reality.

2 – The High Priestess

Muse

Meaning The High Priestess is all about divine female intuition, which every one of us possesses, regardless of our gender. She rules emotions, mystery, and psychic ability. This card is an omen that it’s best to step back, meditate, and get in touch with your intuition before making any major decisions.
Why was this character chosen? Muse isn’t female, but they also aren’t male. The High Priestess represents a connection to the divine, and Muse’s magic is about the combination of magic, music, numbers, true names, all seen through the lens of their connection to divine magic. While they’re very studied, they also perform their magic intuitively through the playing of their instruments.

3 – The Empress

Trinity

Meaning The Empress is a card of sex, fertility, and beauty. She also represents beauty and self-care, reminding you of the importance of making time for yourself. She wants you to get more sleep and even pamper yourself with a spa visit.
Why was this character chosen? Trinity fully understands the need to take care of yourself (or yourselves). Just as importantly, an additional meaning of the Empress is about bringing disparate groups together – which Trinity does literally with the three sisters, but is also something she managed with bringing the crew of the Marian together.

4 – The Emperor

Professor Cephalopod

Meaning Rules and regulations drive The Emperor, but — don’t worry — he governs fairly. Drawing The Emperor could indicate the advantage of adding more structure to your life. He wants you to keep in mind that if you’re embarking on a new project or relationship, you should take your time, and focus on getting all of the details right.
Why was this character chosen? Have you met Cyrus? Cyrus is all about rules, laws, order, structure. He focuses on details and precision, and in many ways, he is the leader of the Stormbreakers. Others may not like the rules he lives by, but he implements them fairly.

5 – The Heirophant

Morganite

Meaning The Hierophant is the masculine counterpart to the High Priestess, but remember, we all contain masculine and feminine energy. Consider The Hierophant as the card of institutions and collectivism. Pulling it may indicate it’s time to organize your workplace or become more politically involved.
Why was this character chosen? While Morganite doesn’t seem to have much in the way of masculine energy to her, the fact that we all contain both masculine and feminine within us is deep within her. But just as importantly, Morganite has embodied the need to get more involved in the world, and for people to come together.

6 – The Lovers

Orpheus & Eurydice

Meaning The Lovers card is pretty self-explanatory. Although it depicts two people happily in love, The Lovers also emphasizes the importance of honesty and communication in your relationships. Finding a partner is one thing, but having the emotional maturity to keep the spark alive requires dedication and hard work.
Why was this character chosen? Sometimes, the obvious card is obvious. Orpheus and Eurydice are the archetypal lovers, but the duo also embody the other meanings of this card. Honesty and communication, and dedication to keeping relationships alive is what they are all about.

7 – The Chariot

Chimera

Meaning The Chariot is an emblem of willpower. When this card appears in a reading, take The Chariot as a sign that you can accomplish your dreams — but only if you keep going and take action. You may feel frustrated and tired, but success is just within reach. Be brave, keep your head up, and keep fighting.
Why was this character chosen? This may seem like a strange one. After all, Chimera has no dreams, and does not get frustrated. Except… he does. Chimera has a spark of humanity inside of him, and his journey is one of willpower and overcoming limitations.

8 – Strength

Doctor Irons and Ruby

Meaning The Strength card typically depicts a woman taming a lion, which represents animal instincts. Rather than let fears or passion control us, she reminds us that we are in control, and can use these powers for good and to our advantage. Drawing this card might make you more aware of your personal power and how you can use it to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Why was this character chosen? Ruby and Carol both are women who found themselves in a position where their fears could control them, but instead managed to find the inner strength to take control and use that power to protect themselves and those they care about. It also doesn’t hurt that either one of them is capable of lifting up a dumptruck and hurling it several miles.

9 – The Hermit

Sodalite

Meaning Sometimes, The Hermit represents a teacher or a healer who we can learn from. Most times, it symbolizes the importance of retreat. We live in a world that demands constant work and action, but the reality is rest and taking social media breaks can make us healthier, happier, and more productive in the long run.
Why was this character chosen? Sodalite – or whatever other name she is using at the moment – is a hermit. She is isolated, and keeps to herself. But she also has a great deal of wisdom to share, and she is learning how to use her isolation as a strength, and how to overcome it herself when the time calls for it.

10 – Wheel of Fortune

Wild Card and Emerald

Meaning What goes up must come down. The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that the only constant in our lives is change. When things are going well — perhaps if you’re making money or madly in love — make sure to enjoy every moment because, at some point, something bad is going to happen again. Sorry to sound like a downer, but this is just the reality of life. On the other hand, if you’re having a hard time and struggling, the Wheel of Fortune promises life will not always be this way, and before you know it, you’ll be on top again.
Why were these characters chosen? The only thing constant is change. And when either Emerald or Wild Card are around, one thing you can count on is your fortune changing. Reality isn’t always real, and lucky breaks (or unlucky ones) are a constant possibility. Emerald and Wild Card both remind us to live life in the moment, and to be ready for things to be different tomorrow.

11 – Justice

Bowman and Bolt

Meaning Justice is the card of karmic balance, reminding us that cutting corners, taking advantage of people, and lying rarely work out in the long run. If you’ve been duplicitous, your actions will catch up with you. Don’t expect to get away with them. If you’ve been dedicated and caring to your work, though, don’t think Justice doesn’t notice. You’ll receive love and acknowledgment for your honorable nature.
Why were these characters chosen? Our vigilante duo embody justice. Both Fletch and Jason are only able to be heroes because they didn’t take the easy way out – they had to train their minds and bodies and carefully craft their equipment to be the match of those gifted with superpowers. Similarly, as the normal mortals among demigods, Bowman and Bolt focus on the little crimes, and those who think that their actions are beneath the notice of the city’s heroes.

12 – The Hanged Man

Cassian

Meaning The connotation of The Hanged Man card isn’t as sinister as it may sound; the figure on the card is actually upside down in a state of meditation. You may be under a lot of stress right now, but the best thing you can do is surrender. Pulling this card can be a reminder to take a break, let the universe do its thing, and trust you’ll end up where you need to be.
Why was this character chosen? Cassian is on Earth because the universe yanked him from Leifandi to Earth-Prime. And his reunion with his sister is only going to happen because of his surrender. He fought against becoming a hero, he wanted to fight to return home. But by relaxing into his roles and responsibilities, he’s become reunited with Morganite. Cassian shows us that by accepting what the universe has in store for us, things will work out as they need to.

13 – Death

Mortis

Meaning Speaking of things that sound terrifying but aren’t, this is one of my favorite cards. Death is a harbinger of transformation. Just got broken up with? Well, this card knows you’re hurting, but it also knows it was for the best. Now, you get to build yourself back up with the help of your friends, dye your hair a fun new color, and come out happier than you were before.
Why was this character chosen? Once more, the obvious card is obvious. Mortis absolutely fits the imagery of the Death card – but he also fits its meaning. Death isn’t literally about dying, it’s about transformation and rebirth. By that token, Mortis shows us that death itself is just a step through a door. Through the Crossroads, Mortis walks from one state of life to another at will. And his engagement reminds us that death can be a change – not an ending.

14 – Temperance

Resonant

Meaning Temperance usually appears during a stressful time to tell you to take it easy. Maybe it’s not a good idea to take on extra work just for the sake of distracting yourself from how you’re really feeling. If you’re going through a hard time, this card encourages you to be patient. Just as the Wheel of Fortune promises, change is coming.
Why was this character chosen? One might have expected Resonant, as a Master Mage, to appear in the role of the Magician. But she truly embodies the ideals of Temperance. Although Gemma absolutely understands the importance of hard work and pushing through difficulty, she is also the heart of the Freedom League Dark, and is most often the voice who tells the others not to judge themselves so harshly.

15 – The Devil

Dr. Henry Bearister and Eddy Bear

Meaning Some interpretations of The Devil point to unhealthy vices, such as problematic drinking, but it generally focuses on indulging in pleasurable things that make you feel good, like consensual kinky fun, a night out dancing, or downing a pint of ice cream. For instance, in the original Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, the card is illustrated with a man and a woman, much like The Lovers, standing by the Devil with a chain around their necks. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the chain is very loose, and the couple can remove it anytime they please; they just don’t want to because they’re having a good time.
Why were these characters chosen? At first, Eddy would seem to be the reason that this duo was chosen for this card, but allow me to posit that both Henry and Eddy give in to the things that make them feel good. Henry certainly sees Eddy as a literal devil, but Eddy is also his outlet for anger and destruction. Similarly, Henry pursues his own pleasures even when they are destructive. And as recent episodes have shown us, Henry isn’t all good, nor is Eddy all evil.

16 – The Tower

Portal

Meaning Destruction and sudden endings are The Tower’s cornerstones, and there’s no way around that. In most decks, a lightning bolt hits a skyscraper, sending people flying out of the windows. It’s terrifying but will appear in a reading when a doomed relationship is on the rocks or you’re this close to quitting a job in a toxic workplace. The ending will hurt, but the card assures it’s for the best.
Why was this character chosen? Portal might seem like an unconventional choice here, but again it is important to remember that the Tarot can have many different meanings. The Tower is about a sudden ending and destruction, but one that is ultimately for the best. Portal could only be set on the path of becoming a hero by being rejected by family and friends and being sent to jail – which is absolutely a form of destruction. It was only through that experience that he could have a new beginning where he has found purpose and meaning.

17 – The Star

Captain Flynn and the Marian

Meaning It’s no mistake that The Star comes after The Tower in the Major Arcana lineup. After stress and destruction, The Star asks you to take time for self-reflection, to heal your wounds, get back in touch with yourself, and then, get back out there.
Why was this character chosen? In much the same way that Portal embodies the Tower, Captain Flynn is the perfect match for the Star. Flynn’s past is also one where there was stress and destruction, but Flynn is currently with his chosen family because he has reflected on his past and who he is, healed his wounds, and he is literally back out there among the stars, finding purpose and joy in life.

18 – The Moon

Elara & Ersa

Meaning As pretty as The Moon card may be, it can call out unresolved trauma and past pain that’s still causing problems for you today. For instance, if you had an absent, unfaithful father, dating can understandably stir up trust issues for you. You deserve healthy love, so this card encourages you to work with a therapist to work through what’s ailing you on an emotional level.
Why were these characters chosen? If I hadn’t chosen the Moon-moon twins to represent the Moon, I think I probably would have been lynched, just for the obvious symbology. But Elara and Ersa’s tale is one rooted in past pain that still causes them problems. They both deserve better than what they have endured, and deserve love. Hopefully, they will be able to put aside the abandonment issues and hurt of their past and find that love in the future.

19 – The Sun

Centuria

Meaning The Sun carries warm, fulfilling rays of sunshine. Take account of its optimism and joy. If you pull this card or simply feel the happiness radiating from you, embrace it with everything you have.
Why was this character chosen? Centuria hasn’t had an easy road, but despite her occasional flashes of anger and judgment, she remains a bright presence in this world. It is, in some ways, ironic that she is here to fill the card of optimism and joy, or happiness radiating out from her. But while she may not always be filled with those feelings herself, it is undeniable that she brings them out in those around her.

20 – Judgment

Amber

Meaning After a time of spiritual growth and renewal, The Judgement card can appear. You’ve probably been working hard to grow, heal, and become a better version of yourself. Now, you’re ready to start dating again or go after your dream job. Treat yourself for making such important progress.
Why was this character chosen? The former Grue who became the Gemstar Amber had to do a great deal of spiritual growth to become who they are. From a mindless drone and an extension of the meta-mind, they have become a person with feelings, emotions, dreams, friends and family. Braelin is pursuing their dreams not by denying who they were, but by overcoming what their past has meant.

21 – The World

Overdrive and Speed Demon

Meaning As the final card of the Major Arcana, The World focuses on completion. Seeing it in your spread should bring you a feeling of wholeness, perhaps in a healthy relationship, or satisfaction after finishing a creative project. Take time to celebrate, and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. You’ve earned it.
Why were these characters chosen? No one is able to complete tasks faster than our resident speedsters. Both Vincent and Dave are able to look at those completions and take satisfaction with them. However, they also represent the reversed meaning of this card. Their great speed means that sometimes they never come to the end of anything, because they move on to the next task before the first one is done – and those tasks aren’t always physical acts, but sometimes represent relationships and personal growth.

Meanings of the cards were taken for this blog from Allure.com

USP Holiday Limited Series Preview!

USP Holiday Limited Series Preview!

It’s October, which means that once more we’re going to be taking some time away from some of our regular series and bringing you some Limited Series – some of which are distinctly holiday themed, others not so much. We used to always call this our “One-Shots,” but we’ve come to realize that’s merely wishful thinking.

So, without ado, here’s what you can expect from USP on Wednesdays for the remainder of 2023.

November 1

“Up Around the Bend”

Deadlands Reloaded
GM: Deuce
Players: Wiccy, Kat, Alex, Calvin, Brandon, Jo

The sequel to last year’s “The Long Black Train!” The Posse left Yulcaipa on the last train towards Lost Angels. The workers of the Wasatch Railroad working the engine are very curious as to what happened in the town and want answers from a confused Posse and the lone little girl they brought with them. Yet the fear that pervades the town may also have hopped a ride too.

November 8 & November 15

TBD

November 22

“A Titan City Thanksgiving”

Mutants & Masterminds
GM: Alex
Players: Andy, Kat, Calvin, Jonesy, Kevin

A follow up to last year’s Christmas adventure, a group of Titan City heroes find themselves tasked with saving Thanksgiving.

November 29

Heckin’ Good Doggos

GM: Wiccy
Players: TBD

Details still TBD

December 6

Power Rangers

GM: Andy
Players: Aaron, Alex, Deuce, Laura, Carl

The rangers are back for another holiday adventure.

December 13 & December 20

“The Fight Before Christmas”

Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game
GM: Aaron
Players: Gemmy, Wiccy, Andy, Jo

When a mysterious billionaire announces a street fighting tournament to be streamed live on PPV Christmas Eve, with an unspecified prize that would be the “ultimate Christmas present,” up-and-coming fighters from all across the world try to secure a spot. But when signs emerge that suggest Shadaloo is using the tournament as a cover for their latest operation, the stakes are raised far beyond what is in the ring.

December 27

“Dreams of Desolation”

Star Trek Adventures
GM: Kevin
Players: TBD

The USS Gryphon is patrolling the dangerous unaligned sector nestled between the Beta Quadrant powers. What discoveries await the crew on the neutral world of New Cairo? Beam on down to find out!

Something in the Dark Announcement

We’re one day away from the debut of our new show, Something in the Dark. Something in the Dark will be a part of our connected Earth-Prime universe, which currently consists of Netherwar, City of Destiny, Guardians of Haven, GemStars, Freedom League Dark, Heroes of Tomorrow, and our Freedom City and Emerald City Pride events that were done as a part of our Trevor Project fundraiser.

New Orleans. The Big Easy. Crescent City. These names bring many things to mind – from incredible Cajun cuisine, to Mardi Gras parades, to riverboats, and to  the best damn Jazz music ever made.

But there is a darker side to the city. New Orleans is known just as much for Voodoo and vampires and ghost tours. On Earth-Prime, New Orleans holds the headquarters for ARCADE – the American Research Center for the Arcane Defense of Earth. Few know of ARCADE, and that’s the way they want it. Let the Freedom League and the Stormbreakers have the nightly news. If ARCADE does its job correctly, no one will ever know they existed.

Join us, as a new group of magically touched heroes find themselves drawn into the web of mysteries and secrets that surround this organization. They’ll either save the world, or end up damning it.

The latest chapter in the USP Earth-Prime universe for Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Edition begins soon. On this show, you’ll find mages and mystics, monsters and men, semi-divine beings and infernally-touched warriors, including a visitor from outside of Earth-Prime’s cosmos. We’ll be making extensive use of ideas from the Supernatural Handbook for Mutants & Masterminds.

Your host and GM for this series is Aaron, and our cast will be:

  • Alex (Anson Walker) (Coming to the show in November, 2023)
  • Aunt Puppy (Professor Daffodil Carrie Pembroke)
  • Brandon (Orpheus & Eurydice)
  • Deuce (Babel)
  • Gemmy (Muse)
  • Wiccy (Harper Graves)

Now, while Alex may have promised (and failed to deliver) on a “lighter tone” with Guardians of Haven, Something in the Dark promises the opposite. This is a story where bad things happen. Drug-use, sexual situations, domestic violence, and slavery will all be on display here. This will be a story of heroes standing against some of the worse elements of humanity, and the supernatural elements that are behind them are only nearly as scary. That said, this will be a story of heroes, and at the end of the day, they will (hopefully) have held the darkness at bay.

Hope to see you tomorrow night!

A Conversational Gem

A Conversational  Gem

(Editor’s Note: This takes place between Episodes 21 and 22 of Heroes of Tomorrow, and before Episode 32 of Freedom League Dark.)

“So, why don’t you tell me what happened?” Gemma asked as she took a couple of mugs from her kitchen cupboard, then set the electric kettle on the counter to boil.

“Oh god,” Cassian groaned, throwing himself down into the kitchen chair and burying his head in his hands. “It was horrible. I totally lost my cool. I was a complete whack job.”

Gemma turned back towards him, a couple of boxes of tea in her hand, and raised an eyebrow at that statement. “Putting yourself down isn’t the best way to start telling me this story, Cass. Just start from the beginning with what actually happened and we can unpack things as we go.”

He took a deep breath in and raised his head, staring into the distance but not really looking at anything at all. “It started Saturday morning. We were awake at the crack of dawn for some stupid Next-Gen tradition where we all eat cereal and watch cartoons together. I had been up with Jason, just talking, way too late and I barely got any sleep. Once we got down to the basement where the meeting was, I got a bowl of cereal and was just sitting down to eat it when something really weird happened? I can’t remember exactly how, but all of a sudden the character in the show was talking to us? And then it’s like we got sucked into the TV somehow. I know it’s hard to believe, but it really happened. We started out in this weird cartoon where we all had blue skin and white hats, and there was some crazy kid there controlling it all. Quirk, I think his name was.”

At the mention of Quirk’s name, Gemma took in a short breath, recalling her own experience with the interdimensional imp. She put the tea down on the counter, then turned to give Cassian her full attention.

“Anyway, so we got pulled through a bunch of really traumatic scenarios; we fought a dinosaur which was cool but then we ended up in Leifandi. I couldn’t believe it. I was actually there, seeing it with my own eyes. And then, even weirder, I saw Mari. Mari! But she wasn’t how I remembered. She was my age, or close to it. She was 7 when I left. She should be 12 at most, but I was staring at an almost fully adult Mari. I hugged her as tight as I could, but soon we were transported away again and eventually Quirk got bored or something and let us out. I was exhausted physically and emotionally, but Jason had been hurt pretty bad so I wanted to make sure he got up to his room okay. Once we got up there he asked if I wanted to go for a jog. That’s not really my ideal form of exercise, but he was looking at me with his big brown eyes and he looked so sad that I ended up saying yes. Thankfully I had a pair of athletic shorts and an old T-shirt all the way at the bottom of my trunk, so I threw those on and off we went. I really am not good at jogging and I embarrassed myself to the point where I’m pretty sure he faked a cramp just to help me save face. It was really sweet of him, but of course I played it off like a jackass and acted like I was fine still. We ended up having a strange conversation about trauma, like an idiot, because what else would you talk to the guy you like about? Then we did some parkour stuff instead of just going back to jogging, which while I wasn’t great at it, it was much more forgiving since I’m used to flinging myself around to build up energy for my arm. When we got back we were called to meet with Headmaster Summers and he launched us into some big trial thing where we had a limited number of time to save a hostage and a bunch of walls went up, separating us from each other. I jogged as fast as I could through the maze, and even got Damien to punch me so that my arm would be charged, but all I could hear were grunts from Jason as whatever was in there was kicking his butt. It took me a while, but I finally found him and he had just been thrown into a wall by some giant gorilla man, and all I felt was rage inside. I wanted the gorilla dead for hurting him.”

With a concerned look, Gemma started to lean forward, trying to find a moment to catch Cassian’s attention, but the animated teenager just kept going, sparing little time for breath.

“I flung some flame at him that didn’t seem to do much. It wasn’t until after I did that that I realized he was holding on to a hostage. My flame didn’t go near her, but I was so hyper fixated on Jason being okay that I literally didn’t even see the girl we were trying to save. The gorilla hit me, recharging me and I ended up jumping on his back and blasting flame right into his face. It didn’t really help, but it gave Vincent a chance to swoop in and grab the hostage. And then, what really made me mad, as I’m literally grappling a gorilla, Jason gets up and just runs right past me. Off by himself. Again. He did it in the first fight that I fought with them, he did it when we were in the TV and he was doing it again. It’s like he has no sense of self preservation. Here I was, doing everything in my power to save him and he was literally plunging right back in BY HIMSELF. Alex rescued the 2nd hostage pretty soon after that, and the simulation ended. Summers came in and he and a couple other people who had been involved said some words about us not sucking as much as they thought, but I couldn’t even focus on what they were saying. I was so angry. None of us were working as a team that whole time. Especially Jason, who is supposed to be our ‘leader’ or whatever. Jason said something about getting my car into the lab and I said something short, and ran out of there. I needed to get away from them. Jason ran after me and asked me what my problem was and I exploded. God, Gemma, I yelled at him. I started screaming about him not going off on his own and not knowing how to work as a team and I don’t even remember what I said, I just remember this burning feeling inside. I thought it was rage, but now I’m sorta worried that it was fear? I had known this kid for one day and I was absolutely terrified of losing him. And he’s ready to throw himself at anything that comes our way, dangerous or not, with or without me. And then I’m having this stupid, weak moment and I sense Alex just standing there. Just watching me have a mental breakdown. I ended up snapping at them too, and then I stormed off again. I got up to my room and just screamed and kicked things and did a lot of unnecessary damage to my stuff. I just don’t know what to do. I had been hesitant to join the group in the first place, but I thought… god, I thought that maybe they could help me get back to Leifandi. And then watching everyone just throw teamwork out the window made me realize that’s not going to happen. I’m never going to see my parents again. I’m never going to see Mari again. I’m stuck here. And, honestly, what makes it worse is that just for a second I thought that maybe it wouldn’t be horrible to be stuck here. Maybe I could work out these feelings for Jason, and maybe he would have feelings back for me. Maybe I could work with this team and have a new family. And that feels like a betrayal to my real family.”

Cassian’s eyes filled with tears as he forced himself to look into Gemma’s eyes. “I don’t know what to do Gemma. I don’t know how to exist here without feeling the immense guilt that I should be somewhere else. I don’t know how to be happy here without feeling like I’m betraying the people who used to make me happy.”

Ignoring the now boiling water, Gemma pulled a chair out from the table and sat down, reaching for Cassian’s hand. When she had it, she squeezed it gently. “First off, that was a lot to deal with in a really short period of time, and Headmaster Summers shouldn’t have put you through an exercise right after dealing with Quirk. He did know about that, right?”

Cassian averted his gaze, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “Uhhh. We may have, uh, forgotten to tell him beforehand?” Cassian’s cheeks blazed red as he knew what was coming.

Gemma frowned. “Not telling him what happened wasn’t the best idea, but I understand why you didn’t. I know it’s not easy trying to fit in, trust me, but part of learning how to be a hero means knowing when to trust those who have been doing this for a while. Chances are they’ve been through similar things and can help you develop techniques to deal with them. And besides, that way you can call them out when they forget their own lessons.”

Cassian smiled, letting out a small laugh. “In my defense, I didn’t know that Summers was going to shove us into a room and directly into a fight. But I understand what you mean. I should have told him as soon as I saw him.”

She smiled as he chuckled, then released his hand to stand up and prep their mugs, adding the water to them. Dropping in some honey, she stirred that into the water before placing a mug before Cassian, the boxes of tea following closely onto the middle of the table. Taking her seat again, she placed a bag into her own water, then looked at him again.

“Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, and your friends would have been mad had you said something to him. But knowing that you’d all just had an ordeal, that you’d all suffered both physically and mentally? That’s the time to ask for help, and not just pretend nothing happened.”

“I was just,” Cassian paused, searching for the right word. “Distracted? So much had already happened that I really wasn’t thinking about telling him.”

Giving her tea a stir, she set the spoon onto the napkin and brought her mug to her lips, sipping at the hot liquid to test its potency. Setting it back down, she looked at Cassian with understanding.

“I know seeing your sister, your home, must have brought a lot of emotions forward for you, and to have it all ripped away so quickly, it’s enough to magnify those emotions significantly.” Gemma’s gaze drifted down to her own mug, watching the leaves shift as the tea steeped. “It’s not easy for me, knowing I can’t go back to my Leifandi, to always process those emotions healthily. But, you know your sister is ok, and that’s something I know you were very worried about. And she knows you’re ok too, and with everything that’s going on right now, it’s possible we can find a way to get you back home.”

“But what if that’s just another universe and not my sister? It doesn’t make sense how old she was, unless I somehow missed 5 years. I don’t know, can time work differently in different universes? I can’t stand the thought that I completely missed her growing up.”

“It absolutely can. Centuria is from ten years further along in her universe than we were when she swapped places with ours. And from what you’ve told me, your universe is a lot further along in its timeline than here.” Gemma shook her head, thinking about what he’d told her about the life her other self led in his universe.

Sighing, Cassian slowly lifted his cup up to his lips, taking a small sip. “This is really good. Thank you for making it. I can’t really do anything about not being in the correct universe right now, but do you have any advice on Jason and the team? I need to figure out how I can bring them closer together and get Jason to stop running off on his own.”

Gemma tapped a finger on the table. “I know we’ve talked about how it’s important to take care of yourself before others, but I think you’ve been following my own example of not doing that to heart. I’m trying to be better about it, but it’s not easy. It sounds like Jason really should have stayed in, if he was hurt as bad as you say he was, and you should have known that both he and you needed your rest after something like that. But, it sounds like he’s a lot like Fletch; always trying to prove that he can keep up with those of us with abilities, pushing himself to, or beyond, his limits to prove he belongs.”

“Well, he didn’t choose his dad’s best quality to adopt. I’m trying to help him, and it’s like he doesn’t want it. And I’m afraid if I continue pushing him on it I’m just going to make him hate me, which is the last thing I want.”

She took his hand again. “He’s not going to hate you. Sometimes it just takes someone a while to realize that they need someone else, that they need that help. It’s not easy to say you’re not able to do everything yourself, and, knowing Jason, he’s struggling with that. He needs you, and the others, to help show him that he’s not alone in all of this.”

“I will keep trying, but I might have blown it. We haven’t really talked since Saturday and it feels like we’ve been awkwardly avoiding one another even though we live like 2 doors down from each other. I’m not really sure how to bridge the gap I’ve created by yelling at him.”

“Well, first start by apologizing.” Gemma scolded him. “All this talk about wanting to help, to be there for him, you can’t do that by avoiding him. Own up to what you did; it’s going to be painful, but it’s the only way to move forward. You tell him exactly what you told me, as part of that.”

“That sounds like the worst thing ever. I don’t really know how to be that open with him. Like it should be easy, but I don’t want him to laugh at me if I start going super heavy on the feelings.”

Gemma shook her head. “The only thing you can do is control your response, not his. I know it’s not easy to apologize, to tell someone the why of what you did. But clearing the air will be good for you. It should be helpful to both of you to get this out in the open. Jason needs to know that what he’s doing is actually hurting those around him, but also that you have his back and want to help him make the team better.”

“I guess you’re right. I’ll talk to him. I promise.”

“As for the exercise Headmaster Summers put you all through, I remember that one myself.” Gemma’s gentle smile turned into a slight frown. “And if you are sure they told you all that you didn’t ‘suck as much as they thought you would’, then I’m going to have a word with those so-called teachers. That sort of negative bend to what should have been a positive moment, albeit also a teachable one, from the rest of that story, is not the way to encourage you all to be better heroes. It’s just going to erode the confidence you do have, make you question whether or not you’re right to rely on your own instincts. And that doubt, that fear, is going to end up hurting you.”

Gemma stopped for a moment, and Cassian could see her trying to collect herself. As she took in a deep breath, he searched his brain for something he could say to help.

“That’s not what they said, exactly… and it was members of the previous Next Gen team, so not really teachers. The teachers seem… nice, I guess?” Cassian ran a hand through his hair, dropping his head back in his hands. “And even if they had said that… They aren’t wrong. We were a mess in there, Gemma. Everyone was completely split up and doing their own thing. Not much of a team, if you ask me.”

Gemma looked back up at Cassian. “That it’s the previous Next Gen doesn’t make it any better. They’re your predecessors, and my guess is that there’s some underlying desire to live up to their legacy living in your teammates.” She sighed, remembering her own time at Claremont. “It’s not easy to work as a team, especially with people you’ve just met. And the previous Next Gen should have remembered that. It’s also easy to say that you’re a leader, and expect everyone else to follow you. Good leaders need to communicate what their expectations are, but they have to be open to listening to those they are leading, who’ve had different experiences and can provide a different point of view. Can you tell me if your team appointed Jason the leader, or did he take that mantle on himself? Or did one of the teachers pick him to lead?”

“I think Jason was picked as the leader before I even got there. He has experience from his time with Bowman, and when I got to the scene at the bank he was already giving orders. I guess I never really questioned it. I think he could be a good leader, if he learns how to actually depend on his team.”

Gemma smiled. “From what I know of him, I’d agree with your assessment. But he needs to learn a few lessons that Fletch has, and part of that will come from you and the others on your team. The rest, well, maybe I’ll have to give Fletch a head’s up on how Jason’s settling in.”

Cassian’s eyes widened. “Oh god, don’t tell him I told you. He’s going to think I just snitched on him to his dad. It’s bad enough I’m telling you! And I’m really sorry to burden you with my teenage drama, but…” he hesitated and looked down at his hands that were laying open on the table. “I don’t really have anyone else to tell.”

Her smile disappeared, as she settled her gaze back on Cassian. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around to be more helpful. Things are a bit crazy with what we’re trying to stop, and I have to focus everything on that. We’ve had to leave a couple of issues to Daedalus and the rest of the Freedom League, and that doesn’t sit well with me. But, I have to trust in their ability to get things done, even if it’s cleaning up a mess we couldn’t. After all, they’ve been doing it longer than I have. They’re pretty good at this hero stuff. Just like you are.”

Cassian smiled. “Please don’t apologize. You had a random teenager show up on your doorstep, and you’ve done so much more than anyone else would have done for me. You don’t have to worry about me while you’re saving the multiverse. I will be okay.”

“Can’t tell me to stop worrying about you, even if I’m not here.” She said, sipping her tea. “I know how easy it is to feel lost, like you’re totally alone here. We both share the experience of being taken from everything we knew and dropped somewhere that was completely…..alien, for lack of a better word. I wouldn’t be much of a mentor if I didn’t try to do what I could to ease that burden for you.”

“I appreciate the thought, but please don’t let my burdens add to the burdens you already have. I don’t want to be blamed for weighing down one of the greatest superheroes of all times.” He flashed a small smile at Gemma.

She scoffed. “I’m not one of the best superheroes of all time. I really don’t know if I consider myself a hero. If I was, I wouldn’t have abandoned my friends for almost ten years because it got to be too much to try to help everyone, to see nothing really change even though we ‘beat the bad guy’. That said, I know why I did, and they do as well. It took me a while to be able to tell them that though. Don’t wait to tell your friends what you’re feeling; it’ll go a long way towards making you a better team.”

Getting up, Gemma headed to the fridge, leaving Cassian to think on what she said. Opening the freezer, she rooted around until she found what she was looking for; the last two ice cream sandwiches. With a grin, she grabbed them, and tossed one his way.

“As for your last thought, that you’re betraying your family? That’s utter nonsense. Your family will always be a part of you, no matter how far away from them you are. I know because I still have a connection to mine, even though I can’t get to them. But you’re allowed to find a new family, to connect with people with similar thoughts and interests. It’s part of growing up.” Gemma said, unwrapping her ice cream.

Cassian tore open the wrapper to his ice cream sandwich and closed his eyes as he took a bite. “If it makes any difference, you’re my favorite superhero. And I guess you’re right, but I still can’t get over the feeling that I’m not where I’m supposed to be. That I’m not who I’m supposed to be. But I suppose there’s not much that I can do about that now.”

Gemma paused before taking a bite of her ice cream. “Think about this then.” She said, angling the sandwich towards him. “Maybe you’re where you NEED to be, so that one day you can be who you ARE supposed to be. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up and take on responsibility you aren’t ready for.” She brought the ice cream back towards her, but the smile slowly disappeared from her face. “If you do it before you’re ready, it can become a weight that drags you down until you hit rock bottom, even if you don’t realize what it’s doing.”

Cassian set his half eaten ice cream down on the table, carefully placing it on the wrapper to avoid making a mess. Standing, he made his way over to Gemma and threw his arms around her. “I hope you know that I appreciate you more than words can say. I think you should take your own advice sometimes.”

Gemma sat there for a moment, surprised by Cassian’s embrace. Smiling, she returned it, feeling a bit of the weight release off of her shoulders. “I know.” she said, letting him go. “Sometimes it’s hard for the healer to take time to treat their own wounds. But, I’ll try.”

Cass held on a little longer and then moved to sit back in his chair. Taking another bite he looked back at Gemma. “I worry about you sometimes. That there’s too much on your plate. I know that I’ll always be that 12 year old boy that wandered into your store, lost and confused, but I’m always here if you need to talk. And I’m also always here if you need to get away from work. Both of your jobs, I mean.” He smirked, and finished his ice cream sandwich.

Gemma returned his smile, then grabbed a couple small bites of her ice cream before it melted any further. “Look at you; the student becomes the master.” She giggled, then downed the last of her sandwich in three big bites. “You’ve grown a lot from that lost boy who showed up here as I was figuring my own life out. So I know I can count on you to be there if I need you. How’s this; once I get back from the mission we’re on, you can give me a tour of campus. It’s been a while since I’ve been there. I can meet your friends, get away from work for a while. And maybe tell you all a couple stories of my own days at Claremont with Overdrive and Mortis.”

“I would like that.” Cassian leaned back in his chair and gave it some thought. “Actually, I’m really interested to hear what you three got up to together. It’s a deal.”

(co-written by Andy and Kat)

Claremont Academy – Class Photos

Claremont Academy – Class Photos

Here at the Untold Stories Project, we have created a unified Earth-Prime universe flowing across most of our Mutants and Masterminds games. The games included in that up through now include Netherwar, City of Destiny, Guardians of Haven, GemStars, Freedom League Dark, Heroes of Tomorrow, and our Freedom City and Emerald City Pride events that were done as a part of our Trevor Project fundraiser.

Many of the characters across these campaigns have attended the Claremont Academy in Freedom City. So, today we are sharing some of the class photos from the various eras on that campus. You may note that timelines don’t entirely match up with the ones published in Earth-Prime sourcebooks by Green Ronin. Hey, it’s our campaign.

The first class of Next-Gen. (L-R) MegaStar, Nereid, Bolt, Seven, Sonic
The second class of Next-Gen and the Alterni-Teens. (L-R)(Flying) Resonant, Magni (Ground) Whoop-Ant, Death-Gate, Changeling, Dauntless, Relentless, Darkstar, Elite, Overdrive
The third class (all except for Miss Kitty have recently graduated) (L-R) Miss Kitty, Wraith, Elflight, Blue Bolt, Junior, NGM, Catalyst, Silver Eagle
The most recent class of Next-Gen. (L-R) WildCard, Bolt, Cassian, Speed Demon, Damian Irons, Dr. Henry Barrister. Not pictured: Eddie Bear

Artwork of the original Next-Gen taken from Freedom City (© 2003 Green Ronin). Artwork of the Alterni-Teens taken from Hero High (©2007 Green Ronin). Artwork of the third class of Next-Gen taken from Hero High, Revised Edition (©2016 Green Ronin). Artwork of the second class of Next-Gen created by Cody Conyers for our Netherwar campaign. Artwork of the most recent Next-Gen created by Savanna Sheer for our Heroes of Tomorrow campaign.