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Anton and Luther

Anton and Luther

We’re trying something new for the blog this week, giving you a spotlight on some of the NPCs who have appeared in our shows. First up, the duo of Anton Lupescu and Luther Sorbo, from Season One of Something… Something… Dragons.

Anton and Luther are life-partners, who have been a couple since the days when they first met Professor Lorrimor during an affair with a cursed carnival. Both of the two had been with the carnival beforehand, but they hadn’t met until Lorrimor’s involvement, so they credit him with their getting together.

They arrived in Ravengro just a day late for the funeral, but they were friends and companions through the party through most of the investigation of Harrowstone prison. During that investigation, Anton became romantically involved with the Professor’s daughter Kendra, and the three are now a polycule with Anton functioning as the hinge. Anton and Luther both first showed up in Episode 9 “Welcome to Ravengro“. Below are their character sheets as they appeared upon their exit in Episode 34 “Rest in Peace“.

Anton Lupescu

Anton is charming, charismatic, beautiful, and if you have any sense at all, completely untrustworthy. Anton is a Witch, who gains power from the Death Patron through his familiar Crow. Crow has a name, but it can only be pronounced in Abyssal, and sounds a lot like demonic screeching, although it is literally just the Abyssal word for “Crow.”

As a Dhampir, Anton’s resistance to Negative Energy served as both a benefit and a hinderance to the party as they dealt with the undead. Fortunately, Thalia’s ability to selectively channel Positive Energy kept Anton from the worst effects.

Unfortunately, Anton’s reliance on Enchantment spells meant he was not of great use fighting the undead of Harrowstone, but he did aid the party with the use of his hexes and spells as much as he possibly could.

Luther Sorbo

Luther is tall, dark, and somewhat sober, but a generally pleasant fellow. He is a hunter, bonded to the wolf, Silver, who he shares a great deal with – including a secret. Luther is not just a man, but is in fact a Skinchanger of the wolf variety.

In combat, Luther favors his bow, although he is equally adept with the axe he carries. He is not afraid to use magic. He knows that he is not a clever man or charming man, but he is usually content to let Anton do the talking for the both of them.

Luther is fearless in battle, and generally selfless. He is also completely head over heels in love with Anton, and would be more than willing to die for him.

Listening as a GM

Listening as a GM

A couple of weeks ago, I had an interesting opportunity as a Game Master, and it didn’t even require me showing up to the table. I had to miss our weekly Monday night Netherwar stream, but rather than cancel the game that night, my players did something amazing. They got together, without me, and did a recap of the first eighteen sessions of our campaign. This was roughly the first four story arcs of the series. I thought this was going to be like a thirty-sixty minute conversation, but they blew me away and chatted for three hours. During the course of this talkback they covered all kinds of things: favorite moments, villains they hated, speculation on future plot points, comparing notes, describing their thought process behind different decisions they had made. Not only was it entertaining, it was a gold mine of information that I can use as I sculpt the story going forward.

This got me thinking about something that I think is largely unspoken in the GM community, just how important it is for us to listen. As Game Masters we talk a LOT. We bring all of the essential NPCs to life. We describe at length about what the characters see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. We narrate combat scenes and we answer rules questions. GMing is a vocal activity, but the quiet moments are crucial to having success in our field.

Imagine this. The heroes have just triumphed in a climatic battle and now they’re taking a break in the dungeon. As everyone is healing up and taking stock of their lost equipment, the players begin discussing what just happened. You have two choices here, you can hurry through the break and move on to the next encounter you have planned, or you can sit back while they roleplay for a bit. If you let them talk to each other, in their characters’ POVs, you can glean so much information. They could commiserate about how difficult that fight was. They can theorize about why there were Bugbears in the Mind Flayers den and what it means. Perhaps they’re curious why their employer sent them down here without a proper warning. Listen and take notes. Hearing these questions and their theories around them increases player engagement with each other and the story, and it also shows you what they’re thinking.

Some of my greatest “plot twists” have been the result of me hearing a good idea from a player and just quietly taking credit for it when the players found out it was “true the whole time.” If you let your players talk; they will do some of the work in this group storytelling activity for you. It’s amazing. I’ve had whole sessions of games that were just 3-4 hours of the players roleplaying and discussing what has been going on, and those have been some of my tables’ favorite games ever.

Episode 25 episode of our Netherwar stream is entirely roleplaying, and it is the favorite episode of all of the players’ so far. I didn’t have to do anything, but show up and turn them loose. It was great! So with that in mind, as a GM, you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to listen to your players. If they’re roleplaying with each other, and everyone is engaged, let that play out. Some GMs end a roleplaying scene prematurely. Granted you shouldn’t let it ramble on forever if it’s not productive conversation. Adjudicating this can be complicated, but as in all things I would err on the side of player choice.

You might also consider letting the players handle the beginning of session recap. I typically choose this route with my home games. Asking the players to refresh everyone’s memory about the last session, gives you the chance to see what made an impression. It also shows you what the players consider to be important from session to session. Take notes and consider fleshing those plot points out, and be willing to drop plot lines that don’t leave an impact.

It’s also important to do temperature checks with your players at the end of sessions, or particularly heavy scenes. This is doubly true if your game contains mature or upsetting elements. Check in with your players, ask them if they’re still comfortable with what’s going on. If they say they are great, keep on keeping on, but if they’re not, be prepared to tame some of those elements, or yadda yadda them. Everyone is playing this game to have fun, and the level of things people can tolerate in this space can change from session to session or even moment to moment. Listen and look for signs of discomfort and adjust things as needed.

Finally, tying back to the beginning of this blog, if you can schedule a time in the middle of a campaign or once every 3-4 months to just chat with your players about how the game is going and what some of their highlights are, go for it. Even if it’s just a half session, or a group dinner before game night you’ll get so much value from the conversation. After listening to the Netherwar recap, I have so many ideas for subplots, villains I want to introduce (or bring back), and tweaks that I can make to drive home the idea that this is our game together. This is a group activity. I know the GM is often held up as the leader of the group, but the best leaders know how to listen and adapt based on their team. Happy listening!

Essential Questions for an Effective Session Zero

One of the best things you can do as a successful Storyteller/GM is run a clean Session Zero. Of course, you’ll ask the basics about the character concepts your players have come up with, but there’s more to it than that. Thoughtful questions for your players are essential to running an amazing campaign. Knowing what your players are looking for, making a safe environment, capturing themes to explore or avoid: these are all pivotal fundamentals in assuring your success. Here are a few questions to ask of your players to make sure they’re comfortable and ready to enjoy themselves. After all, fundamentals are the building blocks for fun.

What type of campaign are you looking for? This one should be fairly obvious. There are different types of campaigns that speak to different players. Some look for long, sweeping story- an epic tale akin to Tolkien. Others are more interested in a procedural set up- focused on character as opposed to plot. Knowing what your players want will help inform what kind of campaign you’re running.

What was your favorite thing that’s ever happened at in a TTRPG session? Encourage the players to be as specific as possible, and explain why it impacted them in a positive way. You don’t want to replicate those moments exactly in the upcoming campaign, but it should give you insight into something that will make a player fall in love with their character, your story, and the time you all share around the table.

What types of encounters would you like to experience? Combat? Puzzles? Skill Tests? If you’ve played TTRPGs for a while, you know that there is more than one means to a given end. Do your players just want to smash and murder, or are they more interested in creatively solving problems? Someone interested in slaying a dragon may be bored by solving a sphinx’s riddle, or vise versa. A mix is always ideal to keep everyone on their toes, but knowing what someone wants can help you build the best balance.

How do you feel about romance in-game? Between players and NPCs? Between two (or more) players? Role playing can be deeply personal at times. It can drive people to be insecure if the wrong topics come up, or if they are pushed into encounters or experiences that they don’t expect or want at the table. At the top of the list is romance between players. Be clear at the top of the campaign what the expectations are: Is it something to look for, or is it off the table? It may change how Bart the Bard interacts with the other players on his team…

How do you feel about a session with no combat? There are (arguably) too many things to do when it comes to TTRPGs. Sure, many of us play to slay beasts, end wars, and save the world. But some of us play for other reasons. Maybe there’s a shopping episode where we pick up awesome magical items. Do you want to build a business and make tons of money? Maybe there’s a fantastic court room session to show off a characters diplomacy and wit. What do the characters do in free/down time? Do your characters want to explore these moments, or just the action that pertains to the overarching plot of the story?

How do you deal with a character when a player can’t make a session? It’s inevitable… there will be a session that someone has to miss. How are you as the GM going to deal with that? Is the character controlled by another player? Are they just missing from the adventure? Do you as the GM have to find a clever reason for their absence, or is it just assumed that they can come and go? This is a situation that always seems to come up, and is hardly ever flushed out beforehand.

What topics or themes should be considered off limits? Role playing should first and foremost be fun. Sure, it’s nice to challenge ourselves, but only in the places where we are comfortable going. Everyone has topics and experiences that can be triggering. Knowing what topics your players are unwilling to explore is as pivotal as what they’re looking for. It’s important to remember that this is a game, not a therapy session. Your players are already juggling math and magic (along with role playing a different person from themselves); don’t make them feel more vulnerable at the same time with subjects they won’t enjoy.

Of course, you may have other necessary questions to ask based on what game you’re running or how long you’ve known your players. Frequency of sessions, drinking and/or cursing at the table, dealing with PC death. There are a number of other things to think about when working through a session zero- this list is in no way comprehensive. Hopefully, it helps navigate through some of the essential details before moving on to the fun bits.

The Last Good Day

The Last Good Day

by Kat

Kate was finally home. It had been a long day.

She walked through the door and was pummeled by a chocolate Labrador. Brutus. Kate picked the dog up and held him like a baby. “How is my good boy? Did you destroy anything today?”

A familiar voice came from the kitchen, “I got home 45 minutes ago, and discovered the trash spread out all over the living room. So, the answer is yes.” She looked up to see her husband come around the corner.

She set Brutus down and walked over to Dave. “Good thing you’re his dad. You can clean up the mess in less than a second.”

He smiled as he met her and wrapped her in his arms. “Yes, but I shouldn’t have to. We need to get this dog trained!”

“Oh shush, he just misses us. I would raise hell if you left me for a couple of days, too!” Kate smiled as she breathed in his scent. He must have showered when he got home. She could smell the body wash and shampoo that they had just bought at the store the previous day. He had let her pick her favorite, blue cedar and cyprus.

Dave pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “That’s days. He was left alone for a few hours!”

“I guess we can look into it. Anyway, what is for dinner? It smells delicious!” She exclaimed as she started towards the kitchen.

He zipped in front of her and blocked her path. “So, uh,” he began sheepishly. “I started to make the fancy chicken that we had at that restaurant in Italy because I wanted to surprise you… but I burned it, so I ran out and got Chinese.”

Kate laughed, ” I appreciate the thought! After the day I’ve had, I could probably eat something out of the dumpster behind McDonald’s.”

“Awww, I should have just kept the chicken then. I threw it in the dumpster behind McDonalds!”

She laughed again and pushed him aside. “So, what did you do today?”

Walking to the counter, he grabbed the food and took it over to the table. “I caught some robbers down at the bank on 3rd. Nothing too fancy. They were in handcuffs in the police cruisers before they even realized I was there.”

“Impressive!” She grinned as she sat down and opened her container. She loved hearing about his day, and he was always so happy to share his experiences. “I don’t know why people even bother to commit simple crimes like robbery. They get caught every time. Why risk it when you live in Freedom City? There must be a better use of their time.”

“I’m not sure, but it gives me something to do, so I don’t mind. I also got to interview Derrick this morning for the daily paper. They wanted to know what made him change his ways and become Mortis. It was fun to watch him pretend to not know me. Cody got some really nice pictures, too.” He gave her a knowing smile as she groaned at the mention of Cody, Dave’s photographer who didn’t seem to know that women were people and not objects. He nudged Kate’s hand. “What about you? Anything exciting?”

“Today was a sad day. Daedalus and I went to help out a girl who was being held hostage by her father. He kidnapped her from her mom’s house and was demanding money in exchange for her life. There was a bomb strapped to her, and he had a speaker set up outside so that he could state his demands. All the windows were bolted, doors locked, and he kept saying that if I got close to the house, he would blow them both sky high. Daedalus tried to negotiate, and we were on the phone with Fletch who was going to lend us the money he was demanding when the father’s finger twitched. They both blew up right in front of us.” A tear fell down Kate’s cheek. “She must have been so scared. I should have been able to do more. I’m Centuria for heaven’s sake.”

Dave gave her a sad look. “Unfortunately, even we can’t save them all. There are some really horrible people out there. You did everything that you could.” he reached out and wiped the tear from her cheek. “That girl deserved better than what she got. Some parents…” he cut off, banging his fist on the table.

Kate hesitated. “I know this is a sensitive topic, but… do you ever think about expanding our family? I’m not even sure how our DNA patterns would work together, but do you ever think about giving it a try?”

Dave stared at his clenched fist on the table. “Kate, I-” he unclenched his hand and ran it through his red hair. “I don’t know if I would make a good dad. What if… What if I go bad like my dad?”

“Dave! You have one of the purest hearts I’ve ever seen. You are the most compassionate, caring, and all-around good person I have ever met. That’s why I married you! That’s why you became Overdrive! You wanted to help people. You could never be like him.”

Dave exhaled heavily and looked up with a hopeful gleam in his eye. “You think so?”

She smiled and grabbed his hand. “I know so.”

Dave stood up and glanced towards the bedroom. “Well then, we better get started!” he joked and started pulling Centuria with him, their meals forgotten on the table. She ran her hands through his hair and reached up to press her lips against his when they heard a loud banging on the door accompanied by the sound of Brutus barking.

They looked at each other and Dave zipped over to the door, while Centuria followed slowly behind. “Gemma?” she heard him say.

She came around the corner to see Gemma standing in the doorway, a panicked look on her face and her normally tan skin looked sallow. “Una’s back”. She grabbed onto Dave’s forearm and looked Centuria dead in the eyes, loose dark hairs from her braid whipping around her face. “Una’s back, and she’s coming for us.”

Five Things Your Gamemaster Wishes You Would Do

Five Things Your Gamemaster Wishes You Would Do

Game Mastering is one of the hardest ways you can have fun. It is a job with an inherently large amount of work both during session and outside of the game. There’s adventure prep (either writing their own or modifying a module), character coordination, handout creation, and/or research. Some have to then load all of that stuff into the virtual tabletop or print a bunch of stuff off to bring along to game night. Even with all of that work, there’s no guarantee that the session will go well. Even after all these years, every time I sit down to run a game, there’s this nervous feeling that the players won’t enjoy the game I’ve prepared. However, it isn’t wholly the GMs fault or responsibility for the game to go well. Players have just as much, if not more, of an impact on creating memorable adventures or campaigns.

To that end, I’ve compiled a list of five things that players can do to help ensure their games are engaging and fun. Not only that, if you do these things, it will make your GM feel happy and appreciated.

  1. Take Notes: This might just be a personal preference, but nothing makes me feel more secure in my storytelling at the table than seeing at least one of the player’s taking notes. It shows me that they are present in the moment and that they are approaching the collaborative story we’re telling with an eye for detail and an interest in contributing. This is especially helpful if they run into a NPC that I need to make up a name for on the fly, or if they go down a rabbit hole I have to heavily improvise. Sometimes I’ll even ask a player after the session if they can send me their notes from the night, just so I can keep those adjustments or new details accurate from game to game. I also appreciate when players volunteer to do a recap based on their notes at the beginning of a session. It helps me clue in to their train of thought and let’s me know which details they thought were important enough to jot down.
  2. Give Your Character Flaws: It is difficult for a GM to deal with a character who is inhumanly perfect or incorruptible. We love to find the things that make your character tick and introduce drama that relates to their flaws. The flaws can be physical, mental, social, emotional, anything that adds realism and complication to your character. Trying to work around characters without flaws is hard, not only from a storytelling perspective, but from a player engagement perspective as well. If you never feel like your character is challenged or in danger, the game will become boring very quickly. This requires a level of trust between the player and GM, but if you feel like your GM is out to get you, it’s time to find a new GM.
  3. Know How Your Character Works: There are a ton of rules in any TTRPG, and no one should be expected to memorize all of them. The GM should be proficient enough with the rules that they can be a fair and competent moderator. That doesn’t mean you should rely only on the GM to know what’s going on in the game. One thing you can do to make your GM’s life easier, is to know the rules that pertain to your character. Is your character a spellcaster? Take notes on what certain spells do. Learn how many actions you get a turn. What do various damage conditions do? These are all things that you should be familiar with so you can be the most optimized version of your character. In this same category, you should be prepared for your turn when your turn comes up. If you need to look up the effects of a spell, do that before it is your turn in initiative. Be present in combat encounters so you can immediately say, “I want to do this,” when the GM declares it’s your turn. If everyone does that, combat encounters will be more exciting and cinematic.
  4. Work with Your GM: This is perhaps the most important point on this list, and it is something you can do in EVERY aspect of a campaign. You should be collaborating with the GM, and the other players honestly, from session zero to character creation to game night. I’ll break those down further below:
    1. Session Zero: Be prepared to listen to the genre, setting, and tone the GM establishes in their pitch for the game and then make a character that aligns with that vision. Ask open questions: “What are some of your influences for this game? What kind of races and classes are you picturing for this campaign? How does magic work in this world? Is anything not permitted?” Tell the GM if there are things you think sound exciting about the series and things that you think are less exciting. Give the GM a list of things that you would be interested in seeing based on that session zero pitch. Ask if you can collaborate on some world-building pertaining to your character if you have some ideas that can enhance their idea.
    2. Character Creation: Make a character that fits the game. There’s nothing more frustrating for a GM than saying, “I want to do a four-color comic series” and then having Grimdark Punish Daddy show up to join the party. Work with your GM to establish ties to the campaign world. Come up with an interesting backstory with opportunities for the GM to weave your character in the fabric of the story. Give your character some goals and open some possible subplots for the GM. The more ammunition a GM has the more often they can design scenes or whole subplots that center on your character. Also ask the GM what method they are using for character creation and have them authorize any homebrew options you want to bring to the table.
    3. During Game: Grab plot hooks when they arrive. Don’t leave your GM out to dry if they clearly have something they want you to go after, especially in the first few sessions of a new campaign. As the story goes on and the characters come to life/establish chemistry there will be more room for “free-roaming” but if you aren’t willing to engage with the story, there’s a good chance you’re disrupting the session for everyone. Also be present in the game, even if it isn’t your turn. Ask questions, TAKE NOTES, narrate your actions, actively listen to the GM and your fellow players. Also if the GM is giving flavor text, please don’t interrupt them to say you have darkvision when they say it’s dark in the corridor. We know you have darkvision, we’re trying to set the mood!
  5. Share the Spotlight: This is one that can be hard for new GMs and players to grasp, but this is a group story-telling activity. It’s not the GM reading their novel to you, and it’s not your one-man talent show. The game is at its best when everyone gets the chance to shine. If you see something that is clearly meant for another character (a magic item, a NPC, a story beat, etc.) let that player take the lead. If it feels like you’ve been talking a lot, give someone else a chance to chime in. Ask your fellow players what they think about the plot twist the GM just threw at you. Remember that conversations are not a competition, and actually listen to your comrades, rather than thinking up the next super clever thing you’re going to say so you can “win.” This also applies to the GM. If the GM is giving a villainous monologue, don’t interrupt them by shooting them in the face. Let the GM have that moment, they spent time writing that little speech, and I promise they’re not planning to end the monologue with a disintegration spell.
  6. BONUS! I know I said this list was only five, but it’s my list and if I want to give an extra gift I can! The bonus thing your GM would appreciate is simple, but goes SO far. If you’re having a good time in a game, please let us know. We love to hear that a session was fun, or what you enjoyed about game night. It makes us feel like all of the hard work is worth it!

So there you have it. Six things that you can do as a player to make your GMs life easier. This list is far from comprehensive so please feel free to comment below any other tips you have for your fellow players.

Lost In Transit

Lost in Transit

“I thought you said this was going to be an easy job!” Minerva shouted at Liam over the cacophony of machine gun fire that dominated the night at the Titan City docks.

“Aye, ’twas supposed to be! Damn Ruskies musta got wind that me old crew was expecting a shipment tonight and decided ’twas theirs for the taking.” Liam said, glancing over the large crate that was providing the two of them cover. He jerked back quickly as a stray bullet tore through the top half, chewing on his cigar like a nervous tic. “Last time I trust James when he comes to me with a tip, boyo must be playing all sides of this to his own benefit. Whatever’s in that shipping container must be really important.”

Minerva shook her head. “It’s not what, it’s who, Liam. The Kelly Gang and the Russians have been escalating their little arms race lately, using their contacts in Europe to ‘help’ monsters make their way to Titan City, promising a better life, only to enslave them when they get here for their own purposes. Every shipment of these we stop helps those just looking for that better life.”

Liam adjusted the lapels of his suit, then gave her a knowing grin. “Aye, and that’s just what we’re gonna give ’em, once we get ’em out of here.” He looked down at his Tommy Gun, then back to her. “The usual?”

Popping her head up to survey the scene at the docks one more time to take note of the gangs’ positions, Minerva turned her head towards him and nodded. “Long as you’re sure your luck will hold out.”

Liam gave her a short laugh. “Y’know better ‘en I that even if luck were to run out, we’d still need to get this done, and we would.” He reached down and hefted his Tommy Gun to his shoulder, then took a big drag on his cigar, exhaling the smoke out. It coalesced around him, wrapping him in a dark gray cloud that seemed somehow less permeable than it let on. “On three?”

Getting her hands under the bottom of the crate next to the one providing them cover, Minerva nodded back towards Liam, tensing her body as she readied to heave the box into the middle of the firefight.

“THREE!”

The crate launched effortlessly into the air, powered by Minerva’s inhuman strength. It reached its apex, smashing into the crane towering over the docks, raining debris down upon both gangs. They stopped firing, scattering towards cover from the aerial assault. Night fell mostly silent around the docks, the staccato of multitudes of firearms traded in for one, as Liam stepped out from behind the crate. He took another drag on his cigar and smiled wide, raking his Tommy Gun back and forth towards both his former allies and their rivals.

Smoke roiled around him, enshrouding his form in a nebulous aura. As the gangs recovered from their initial shock and found cover where they could, they turned their attention towards him. Once again the night was filled with the clamor of gun fire. Liam disappeared into the maelstrom of bullets that tore through the night, his Tommy Gun barking out rounds of deadly fire.

Minerva’s sprint had already begun across the docks before Liam started his assault, her course heading straight towards the gangs’ intended prize. She reached the container just as the mobs turned their attention towards his distraction. Noting the lock, she ripped it and the attached chain off, then swung the door open just enough for her to step inside. She could feel the humidity in the air and took a quick breath. The air was fetid, but not from rot or decay; moreso the press of unwashed bodies kept in close proximity to one another. “I’m not here to hurt you.” she said, the magic inside her translating her words to the native tongue of whoever had called this cage home for the last few months. “I need to turn on a light before I get you out of here. Don’t be alarmed.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small stone that flared to life, bathing the area in a dim, almost ghostly light. Various faces stared back at her; green, gold and red scaled, slit pupils in their large eyes, shying away from this human who’d just entered their midst, unsure how she could speak their tongue. They looked vaguely like Naga, except their coloration was more vibrant.

“I know you don’t have any reason to trust me,” Minerva said, addressing everyone inside the container “But I can get you out of here, to the life you all came here for. You might have been led here by a falsehood, but if you come with me my friends and I can get you somewhere safe, somewhere where the men outside can’t get to you.” Her voice was steady and firm, her posture confident and sure. With her persuasive nature on full display, she saw an older male look at her and nod curtly, accepting her words as truth. The others took notice of this and nodded towards her as well.

Smiling, she worked her way to the back of the crate, to the curiosity of those gathered. Reaching the back of the crate, she jabbed a hand into the metal and wrenched it back like a can opener, the metal screeching as it contorted out of shape. Stepping through, Minerva motioned for the rest to follow her, and pointed towards a boat loosely moored at the dock. “My friends are on that boat and will help you get out of here, get you somewhere safe. Go, quickly.”

The elder nodded to her. “Thank you for your kindness.” he said, his voice low and melodic, with a hint of a lisp from the long tongue that slipped from his lips as he pronounced the s. Motioning for the rest of the group to follow him, he then took off across the dock in the direction Minerva indicated.

Minerva kept watch as the refugees streamed out of the container and towards the boat. She saw Eric and Sarina pop out from their hiding spots as the first of the group made it; Sarina hurrying them onto the boat while Eric got the motor going. A cry from behind her caught her attention; she spun, seeing a male helping a female stand up after stumbling, almost falling. She seemed to be clutching a large bundle tightly to her chest, desperately trying to keep it from slipping out of her grasp but failing. Minerva rushed over to help, kneeling down to catch it before it could hit the ground. It was then she noticed it was an egg, bound in soft fabrics. The female glared at her, hate seeming to cloud her vision before the gold scales around her eyes softened. “Thank you.” she said, as the male finished pulling her up to her feet, before they both recoiled slightly.

The steel barrel of a pistol pressed into the back of Minerva’s head, causing her to freeze. “That doesn’t belong to you,” the figure at the other end of the pistol said. “None of ’em do. Now stand up, nice ‘en slow, and hand the egg over like a good lass.” Minerva stood, slowly, keeping the egg cradled to her chest. She looked at the couple, portraying confidence, before turning around towards her assailant.

The man looked to be in his late 20s and solidly built. The fedora on his head and the lack of much ambient light kept Minerva from seeing his eyes, but she saw the leering grin on his face. “Looks like the rumors were true; little vixen running around the city helping out the monsters. Hand over the egg, and the rest of our property, and I might be inclined to let you go.” he said, keeping the gun pointed at her head.

“I highly doubt your boss would approve of that.” Minerva said, her eyes scanning the crates behind him, checking for Liam, but she only saw a couple of wounded Kelly Gang members making their way to their boss.

“Surely right, but as long as I get what the boss wants, he doesn’t need to know. Can’t have him knowing me and the boys weren’t able to protect his shipment from a couple would-be ‘heroes’.” The man sneered and looked back towards his men. “Now, the egg, and be quick about it. Then the boys and I take the rest of ’em, and you get to live. Any funny business, and, well, you don’t.”

Minerva sighed, forcing the air out of nonexistent lungs, and slowly made to hand the egg over. At that moment, she saw a cloud of smoke appear on one of the crates. “Craddoc, you bastard!” Liam shouted, firing his Tommy Gun at the feet of the three Kelly Gang members. As the gunman, Craddoc, Minerva assumed, turned to get a look at this new assailant, she quickly tucked the egg under her left arm and swung a haymaker with her right. Her fist connected with Craddoc’s jaw, the inhuman strength sending him flying backwards towards Liam’s location. The other Kelly Gang members ran for cover, leaving Minerva free to escape. She grabbed the female’s hand and took off, pulling the pair towards the boat.

As they reached the boat, Minerva handed the egg back to the female, who grasped it tightly. The male embraced her and the egg, then looked towards the boat. Sarina reached out a hand to help the pair onto the boat, then helped Minerva on, as she was looking back towards the firefight, which had died down considerably. “He’ll be along.” she said, before reaching out to hold Minerva’s hand, giving it a squeeze. Sure enough, a flare of a match soon caught Minerva’s eye, and Liam stepped out of the smoke, raising a new cigar to his lips. He eyed her with a look. “What, didn’t think I’d make it ou’ a that lil’ scrape?”

Minerva smiled and offered him her hand. “Didn’t doubt it for a second, Lucky Liam.”

Dance Like You’ve Never Been Hurt

illustration by William Macke

Her footsteps echoed up the empty staircase as she made her way to the dance studios on the fifth floor of the building. She had a shoulder bag slung over one arm that held two pairs of shoes and socks that came to her mid calf. The lights were dim in the staircase, as befit the fact that she was technically here long after the building was closed. But it was part of the campus of NYU in the City That Never Sleeps, so as far as Kennedy was concerned they really should have been prepared for someone to use the studios at 3 a.m. Not that the dim light bothered her.

Even though she was inside she could feel the moon high in the autumn sky outside. It was nearly full but not quite, pregnant with anticipation and the promise of what was to come. Her moon sign, her auspice, the Galliard moon, and she could feel its song beating in her heart.

That was why she was here. It had been months since Fya had left, and while her ID had let Kennedy into the buildings for a short time afterwards, once tuition stopped being paid, the ID no longer allowed Kennedy access to the studios. It had been months since she had been able to get access to a proper dance floor – and with how busy the Pack had been, it hadn’t even been like there had been time to regret not dancing.

But they were back in the City, back from the deep Umbra, and whatever terrors the Wyrm had to throw at them were still distant. There was only so much time you could spend in preparation and study. With the Galliard moon high in the sky, she had to dance.

Fortunately the only locks between her and the studio space were mechanical, and no match for a well-placed claw. Shifting just enough for claws to appear on a single hand was still novel to her, but while her jacket was dedicated to stay with her while transforming, a full shift into Crinos would have destroyed the shorts and sports bra she currently wore beneath the black leather coat.

Her wandering mind kept her occupied until she realized she was in the studio. The mirrored walls, the bars along the edge of the room, and most importantly the floor and the soundproofed walls, the window showing the moon outside, high in the sky.

Tossing her jacket to the side she closed the door, and pulled out her iPhone, plugged it into the speaker system built into the room, and blasted her warm-up music.

Over a dozen years of training and habit made her feel wrong not stretching before she started to dance, so dutifully she went through her stretches. Calf-raises, lunges, seated stretches, the routine was automatic to her. As natural as breathing. Of course, now that she was Garou, pulling a muscle was hardly a serious setback, and although she was outside of her “prime” dancing years at the advanced age of nineteen, she was in better shape than she had been even when she was expected to take the O16 championship at Worlds two years ago.

Feeling a slight sheen of sweat begin to coat her skin, Kennedy decided she was ready. She was agitated, full of passion, full of Rage. “Ye’ve got an unquiet mind, dove,” her teachers would tell her. And they were right. Sitting and waiting and talking was for others, it was never Kennedy’s style. Liam and Emily? They were the thinkers in her circle. She was like Brian, always ready to jump into a fight, even before her First Change.

Which is why she forced herself to lace up her soft shoes. With a selection on her phone, the gentle melodies of the slip jig began to come over the speakers. Taking her position, she forced herself to stand stick straight, hands locked down at her sides, feet turned out as she waited for her time to begin the dance.

There was passion in the slip jig, but it was a dance of being airy and controlled. “In that, it was like the Changelings,” she thought. Memories of Lord Devon Mayfair invaded her mind as she moved through the dance. Some of those memories were from her recent meeting with him in his new form, but she knew some were from her ancestor – the White Howler who he had enslaved in his previous existence, and who in turn earned her the right to wield the Klaive she now carried.

She hadn’t even realized that the song was over until she found herself bowing to the non-existent judges. “Stupid girl,” she thought to herself. “Letting yer mind wander like that. Focus on the damn dance.”

Kennedy looked around the empty studio. “Fuck it.” Trying to stay focused and do the dances to their proper forms was an exercise in futility. She wanted to punish the floor with her dance, she wanted to work herself into a state of sweaty exhaustion. It may have simply been Mother Luna calling to her through her Auspice sign, but with the passion she was bursting with and the way her mind kept drifting, she needed to either fight, fuck or dance herself into oblivion. The first two were irresponsible, no matter how tempting they might be. And the latter meant that the only dance that was going to satisfy her was a Treble Reel. Quickly she changed into her hard shoes, set her phone to play the Dropkick Murphys, and began to dance.

As her body moved through the studio, feet hammering into the floor in complex rhythms and patterns, Kennedy let herself go. Her form was perfect, every step hitting the beat in perfect time. It was a prize-winning performance, although no one was there to see it. But as she lost herself in the dance, she lost herself in her memories too. Her body knew what to do, even as her mind went back to all that had happened over the past year. Fighting trolls and Black Spiral Dancers. Nearly dying at the hands of a damn leech who drained her blood at a distance using magic. Watching her friends fight and nearly die battling an impossible creature that warped reality. None of her pack died that night from the Nexus Crawler, although there were scars earned that night, but she had to watch as Lishta sacrificed herself.

Why? Why would she do that? They had barely known each other, but there was something about the Dancer Galliard that had called to her. Maybe it was the ties in blood from Kennedy’s own White Howler ancestry. Maybe it was just an attraction to her lithe form and dark hair. But there might have been something there, even though they were on different sides of this war. She’d never know, because Lishta was dead.

Thoughts of Lishta led to thoughts of Fya. Her runner’s body, her short stature, the mischief in her eyes as she learned about the world they could explore together. She had left months ago, but Kennedy still thought of her. But of course she had left, everyone left. Or they died.

Everyone. It had been so long since she let herself remember, but the memories were there. The alley. Liam, Emily, Katie, Brian, and Bridget. They were young and invincible.

Kennedy’s thoughts swirled around her mind as her body whirled around the room, feet beating a stacato pattern that could be heard even over the punk rock music.

She told herself that she had blacked out. But that wasn’t the truth. She remembered everything. Every moment as Brian stepped forward to confront the five men. She watched as they tore Brian’s throat out, the blood splattering across the alley.

It was the splash of Brian’s blood on her skin, the scent of his death that triggered the change. Kennedy had been angry before, but that was the first time she felt her Rage. The change was as natural as breathing and the creature that killed her ex-boyfriend was no match for the nine-feet of angry muscle and blazing red fur that was on it in a second. The one that had done the killing was drunk on Brian’s blood, and never knew what killed him.

His friends, however, knew. Kennedy would never know if they had met a Garou before, but they knew enough to be afraid. They fought, but it barely mattered. The Galliard Moon had been high that night, and Kennedy was in a full on Frenzy as she tore through the leeches. She had howled with Rage and a newfound sense of freedom as she looked down on the bodies of her enemies at her feet.

And then… then the memory she had been suppressing for so long. Katie freaked out at the sight, and in a blind fury ran towards Kennedy, swinging her purse as some sort of stupid, ineffective, improvised weapon. The Beast that rode Kennedy in that moment only saw Katie as another threat, not knowing the long nights that Katie had practiced with Kennedy, the secrets they had whispered to each other, the first kiss they had shared when they were thirteen before Katie decided she didn’t like girls “that way.” The Beast remembered none of that, it only saw a threat, and it thrust a heavy clawed hand straight through the slender girl’s body.

Tears poured down Kennedy’s face as the memory came back, as she danced across the room. Four songs had played already, and she was exhausted, but she would not… she could not stop. She danced like that was the only thing left in her life, and maybe it was.

Liam and Emily tried to run, but the Beast only saw them as prey and it easily overtook them, tearing them apart with a powerful combination of tooth and claw.

But Bridget… the girl Kennedy had crushed on for over a year, the girl who Brian had left her for, causing her to be jealous not over her ex-boyfriend, but jealous of him for being with her… she simply cowered before the monster.

Perhaps… perhaps if that had not been Kennedy’s First Change… perhaps she might have recovered her senses.

Perhaps. But that was not what happened.

Kennedy howled a scream of pain and rage into the empty dance studio as her muscles gave out. She collapsed to the floor, exhausted, hurting, filled with impotent rage.

“When the fuck does it get easier?” she asked no one in particular, the empty studio surrounding her. “Is any of this worth it? The pain, the loss, the death?”

The moon shone its light on her. Giving her no answers. And Kennedy Donovan, known to her pack and the Garou as Blood-on-the-Dance-Floor simply collapsed to the floor, crying out her pain and sorrow. Later, perhaps even later that night or morning, she would again be a warrior for Gaia. A Galliard of the Fianna. A part of the Trail Mix pack. But in that moment, she was just a girl who had lost nearly everything she knew and loved.

“Live like there’s no tomorrow. Love like you’ve never been hurt. And dance like nobody’s watching.”

First Annual Untold Stories Project Contest!

Welcome to our first ever Untold Stories Project contest! As we near the one-year anniversary of our debut on Twitch, we here at USP wanted to showcase the talented and amazing people in our community. Thank you so much for your support through this last year and we can’t wait to see all of your amazing entries. We are actually running two separate contests through the month of May and beginning of June: a short fiction contest and an art contest.

Short Story Contest:

Theme: Gaming (This can be a story about gamers, something set in the universe of a game world, a few thoughts from the perspective of a favorite personal player character, or a hilarious story from a con in written format, just as a few ideas.)

Format: ~1,500-2,000 word story (We aren’t going to run it through a word counter, but shoot for that range)

Prize: $25 (paid via PayPal) and an Untold Stories Project t-shirt (your choice of size and colors)

Art Contest:

Theme: Gaming (A portrait of a character, a landscape, a map, a prop or weapon replica, etc.)

Medium: Any, but it has to be delivered to us digitally, even if that means taking a picture of it and emailing it to us for judging.

Prize: $25 (paid via PayPal) and an Untold Stories Project t-shirt (your choice of size and colors)

How to Submit:

Please email your entries to uspcontest@gmail.com between now and June 4, 2021. Contest entries will be posted to this blog for the community to vote on their favorites.

Judging:

We have three members of the Untold Stories Project crew who will perform a blind review of each piece and that trio will select the winner in each category. We will also have a community favorite for both categories who will also win a piece of Untold Stories Project merchandise! (specific prize TBD, but we’ll try to make sure it’s cool)

Disclaimer:

By submitting your entry to us, you grant the Untold Stories Project the right to share your work across our platforms (including but not limited to this blog, our Twitch stream, social media, etc. but not including being sold as merchandise without separate arrangement with the creator.) All rights are reserved to the original creator of the work, which can be shared by the original creator anywhere else, once the contest is concluded.

Why Character Flaws Are Important

Let’s face it: if you’re like most people, you don’t like talking about your flaws. I know I don’t like mentioning my irrational fears, my vices, my obsession with all things cotton candy… But enough about me. On to serious matters.

While we might not like chatting about the skeletons in our closets the truth is we have them, and so should our characters. They round us out, give us dimension, and make for better stories. Conflict doesn’t solely come from the mind of your GM/DM/Storyteller, it can spark from the characters we create just as easily.

Think of the last book you read. Hopefully it was one you couldn’t put down, with fascinating characters who develop as you become more immersed in the story. Was the protagonist flawless from the start- a shining pinnacle of virtue? Most likely not. It provides no room for growth as the story progresses. In the best stories, the lead character evolves with you through the book. If the character was a paragon form the start, what would they be able to mature into?

This is not solely true of books. It can be seen in any storytelling medium: theatre, television/movies, and even video games/TTRPGs. In the latter examples, this is partially done by the leveling of players: characters at level one can’t do the same amazing things as more experienced and higher level characters. But it’s also done by certain game systems and clever GM/Storytellers who ask us to think deeply about who our characters are. When they ask us to come up with our flaws and setbacks, they aren’t looking for opportunities to kill our beloved characters: they’re trying to challenge us with obstacles that make us heroic.

When you’re sitting at the table, one of the most rewarding things that can happen is overcoming something within your character. Sure, slaying a dragon and looting its lair is cool. It’s what’s expected in our campaigns. But everyone can connect to someone who’s trying to better him/herself.

An example: You’re a rogue thief who is illiterate. You walk into stores unable to read the signs, unsure of what you’re actually stealing. You rely on everyone to tell you what town markers say, you can’t read your mail. You can’t so much as order off a menu without assistance. One day, a deal goes wrong in your crime syndicate because you misread (or couldn’t read) a letter from your boss. Now, you’re on the run from your leaders. It spawns conflict, sure, but it also provides you something to rise above.

What if you enroll yourself in a group reading class? You find yourself surrounded by five-year-olds, maybe one or two whom you actually enjoy. You’ve opened yourself to new settings, NPCs, and something to eventually triumph over. It won’t be as easy as an 80’s movie montage, but with the effort will come the reward that you’ve developed into a better, shinier character. That wouldn’t happen if you started off with the ability to speak and read in twelve languages.

Reading the Room, or the Table for That Matter

Today’s the day, it’s the start of your new campaign. You held your session 0, got all the players together and ran them through creating a group ready to embark on the adventures you’re about to set in front of them. And then, an hour or two into the campaign, there’s no enthusiasm, no buying in for the plot hooks. The players look disinterested, the characters aren’t meshing like everyone thought, it seems to be a train wreck. Have you had this happen before? Or something similar, like something tragic happens and your players suddenly dislike the way the game is going? Are you ready to handle this if it occurs?

Hopefully the above won’t happen in your home game, but being prepared for it is something a GM should always be ready for, and one of the ways to be ready for it is to know your players pretty well. Or, maybe a bit more specific, know the type of experience that your players are looking to have with the game you are running. Are they looking for those big gorram hero moments? Are they more into smashing and bashing their way through with little in the way of dialogue with each other? How do they feel about failure in a game? What does failure mean to them?

I bring this up because recently I realized something about myself as a player; I don’t really like the “no win” scenario, or at least the very low chance of successfully defying the odds that were stacked against you. While it hit me just recently for TTRPGs, I’d known about it for longer as it came to board games. If you’re familiar at all with a game called Shadows Over Camelot, you know that the game is one that you just are not going to win all the time. Truth be told, you aren’t likely to win all that often when playing that game. Not only is the “enemy” given an advantage against you to start with, there is also a traitor mechanic where one of the players at the table is out to sabotage the rest of the group from achieving their goals. Please note, I am not trying to knock the game at all. It’s wonderfully designed and can be fun to play.

For me though, knowing that the game is slanted against the players, and that someone within the group is working against the rest of the party rankles me, even though I know it’s a mechanic of the game. So for me, I’ll likely tend to avoid games where this is the norm; games that the players are meant to get so far but ultimately fail, or where the mechanics lend themselves to the party turning on each other in a quest for personal power (or various other reasons). If I know the GM, and know how they run their games, I may be open to it. I’m just less likely to sit myself at a convention table with someone I don’t know for a system that is known for these types of scenarios.

Returning to the overall topic of the blog, this type of knowledge about your players will help immensely in the long run of planning out your campaigns. You’ll know what excites them the most about a game, and some of the more negative actions that you, at the very least, want to lean on less heavily within a game. I would never say to throw out all the mechanics that players say they dislike, because you want to have enough tools in your GM belt to keep the players on their toes, involved, and enrapt in the story you and they are weaving collaboratively. You just want to be aware of what the players are looking for at the onset of the game, and then check in with them periodically throughout the story to see how things are going. Keep an eye on your players at the table as you introduce plot points or mechanics that they might have issues with, and gauge how they are doing with it. Set up some time to talk with them after the session or the next day, to see how they felt about things. Communication is key in this process to keep your players engaged in the game, and to keep everyone having a good time.

You might ask, what about a convention game, where you won’t know the players before hand? Or you might not know the GM for a game that sounds interesting that you want to play in? For running the convention game, you may want to make sure players are aware of what the session will entail at the onset, see if anyone has any trouble with it. For joining a game with a GM you’ve never played with in a game that maybe has some elements you’re not sure about, you’ll have to know yourself well enough to try something a bit outside your comfort zone. Be willing to communicate with the players and the GM, and make use of any safety tools (like the X Card or similar tools) if things go in a way you don’t like. Gaming should be fun for everyone, it can just take a little extra communication to get there.