A home for the Untold Stories Project streaming network. Show information, cast bios, and blogs!

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!

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.

Untold Stories Project at Origins 2023!

We’re less than a week away from the registration for Origins Events for the 2023 Game Fair (which runs from June 21-25). Registration begins this Saturday, April 29th, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. With that in mind, we’ve laid out our schedule chronologically and have included event descriptions and who the GM will be. We’d also like to take a moment and recommend any of the events being run by Matinee Adventures. That is the group that Alex and Andy usually GM for at Origins and they are all truly skilled GMs. Some of them are alumni of our channel, including Laura who ran our East Texas University series and Paul who has been a wonderful Daedalus for us. You can’t go wrong with any of Matinee’s games!

We’d also like to draw special attention to our Saturday night Mega-Event: Hades Invasion. This will be a game for up to 25 players, spread across five tables, where players get the opportunity to play some of the main characters from our channel! The Freedom League, Freedom League Dark, Storm Breakers, Guardians of Haven, and Heroes of Tomorrow all come together to stop as Hades decides to violate the Pact and attempt to conquer the Earth.

Wednesday

12:00 p.m.

Crash Pandas: Trash Santa!
  • Synopsis: A group of whacky Raccoons must fill in for Santa on Christmas Eve Night. Drive the sleigh, deliver some gifts, avoid the neighbors, and win Christmas! There will be cartoon hi-jinks and ridiculous shenanigans!
  • System: Crash Pandas
  • GM: Wiccy
Deadlands: Long Black Train
  • Synopsis: The posse is on the way to Yucaipa, CA to take the train to Lost Angels. On the way, their stage breaks an axle and they are forced to walk the rest of the way. The posse arrive much later than expected and find a much darker scene than the sleepy whistle stop they expected.
  • System: Deadlands
  • GM: Deuce
Justice League: Security Breach at the Bat-Cave?
  • Synopsis: Bruce has been working on security upgrades at Wayne Manor ahead of Alfred’s birthday bash. Several members of the bat extended family have been asked to attend incognito just in case, but really, what could go wrong in Gotham….at a birthday party…in Wayne Manor?
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Chris Skinner

1:00 p.m.

Mega Man X: Fractured Future
  • Synopsis: Come play a game set in the Mega Man video game universe, with the chance to play a character from either the Mega Man or Mega Man X game series! This game is using Mutants and Masterminds to simulate the power of these powerful robots and reploids as they fight to keep their timeline from collapsing!
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Andy

6:00 p.m.

Marvel’s Avengers: What’s Wrong With Hulk?
  • Synopsis: After a recent run-in with new enemies in New York City, Bruce and Hulk seem to be having an identity crisis. The Avengers will need to once again assemble to solve the mystery before one personality is lost forever.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Chris Skinner
Rocketeer Corp: Valley of the Red Gates
  • Synopsis: The Rocketeer Corps stands ready to lend their aid in defending the world from the Axis. Allied Intelligence has sent the Corp to Southwest Poland to investigate reports of the Thule Society having taken up residence in the area.
  • System: Hollow Earth Expedition
  • GM: Andy

Thursday

8:00 a.m.

Mutants & Masterminds: Nightmare at the Magic Kingdom
  • Synopsis: The final(?) entry in the “Magic Kingdom” series. A group of teenagers who share the power of Disney heroes must come together one final time to stop the greatest threat to the Magic of Disney – one that threatens the existence of Mickey Mouse himself.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Aaron

9:00 a.m.

Titan City Chronicles: No Good Deed
  • Synopsis: A cry for help is heard over the music and chatter of the party within the hotel. Deciding to help only leads to more questions and problems for those people who still care enough to try and do good. Just remember what they say, “No good deed….”
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Deuce
The Shepherd’s Burden
  • Synopsis: You’ve tried to reinvent yourself over the course of your high school career, but is the Senior class trip your last chance? And if so, what happens if you don’t like who you become?
  • System: Things From the Flood
  • GM: Andy

10:00 a.m.

Crash Pandas: Trashtown Blitz!
  • Synopsis: Players are a group of street racing racoons out for glory by working together to drive a car and win a street race in this game of cartoon hi-jinks and ridiculous shenanigans!
  • System: Crash Pandas
  • GM: Wiccy
Justice League: Security Breach at the Bat-Cave?
  • Synopsis: Bruce has been working on security upgrades at Wayne Manor ahead of Alfred’s birthday bash. Several members of the bat extended family have been asked to attend incognito just in case, but really, what could go wrong in Gotham….at a birthday party…in Wayne Manor?
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Chris Skinner

4:00 p.m.

Marvel’s Avengers: What’s Wrong With Hulk?
  • Synopsis: After a recent run-in with new enemies in New York City, Bruce and Hulk seem to be having an identity crisis. The Avengers will need to once again assemble to solve the mystery before one personality is lost forever.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Chris Skinner

6:00 p.m.

Mutants & Masterminds: Whatever Happened to the AlterniTeens?
  • Synopsis: Claremont Academy has seen many famous heroes come and go through its halls. But when those alumni go missing, can the current Next-Gen solve the mystery and protect Duncan Summers’ legacy?
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Aaron

7:00 p.m.

A Superman for All Seasons
  • Synopsis: A group of Supermen from across the multiverse are summoned to stop the machinations of one of their own gone rogue.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Alex

Friday

8:00 a.m.

Titan City Chronicles: No Good Deed
  • Synopsis: A cry for help is heard over the music and chatter of the party within the hotel. Deciding to help only leads to more questions and problems for those people who still care enough to try and do good. Just remember what they say, “No good deed….”
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Deuce

9:00 a.m.

Rocketeer Corp: Cold Steel
  • Synopsis: Once again Allied Intelligence calls on the Rocketeer Corp, this time to rescue a compromised British spy team with vital intel from being lost to the Nazi’s prison camp working on a railway in Northern Norway. What intel does this team possess, and why is it vital the Rocketeer Corp rescue them?
  • System: Hollow Earth Expedition
  • GM: Andy

10:00 a.m.

Crash Pandas: Racoon vs. Racoon!
  • Synopsis: Players are street racing racoons out for glory! Teams will go head to head as they work together to drive a car and win the big race! This is a PvP game of whacky cartoon hi-jinks and ridiculous shenanigans! Prizes will be awarded!
  • System: Crash Pandas
  • GM: Wiccy

1:00 p.m.

Deadlands: Long Black Train
  • Synopsis: The posse is on the way to Yucaipa, CA to take the train to Lost Angels. On the way, their stage breaks an axle and they are forced to walk the rest of the way. The posse arrive much later than expected and find a much darker scene than the sleepy whistle stop they expected.
  • System: Deadlands
  • GM: Deuce

6:00 p.m.

Justice League: Security Breach at the Bat-Cave?
  • Synopsis: Bruce has been working on security upgrades at Wayne Manor ahead of Alfred’s birthday bash. Several members of the bat extended family have been asked to attend incognito just in case, but really, what could go wrong in Gotham….at a birthday party…in Wayne Manor?
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Chris Skinner

7:00 p.m.

Titan City Chronicles: Enemy at the Gates
  • Synopsis: A cry for help is heard over the music and chatter of the party within the hotel. Deciding to help only leads to more questions and problems for those people who still care enough to try and do good. Just remember what they say, “No good deed….”
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Alex

Saturday

10:00 a.m.

Marvel’s Avengers: What’s Wrong With Hulk?
  • Synopsis: After a recent run-in with new enemies in New York City, Bruce and Hulk seem to be having an identity crisis. The Avengers will need to once again assemble to solve the mystery before one personality is lost forever.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Chris Skinner

6:00 p.m.

Mutants & Masterminds: Hades Invasion
  • Synopsis: When Hades reneges on the Pact and launches an attack against Earth-Prime, heroes from across the Freedomverse must band together to stop the attack. A mega-event, spread across 5 tables and GMs, culminating in the fate of Earth-Prime itself.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Aaron, Alex, Wiccy, Deuce, Chris Skinner

Sunday

8:00 a.m.

Mutants & Masterminds: Nightmare at the Magic Kingdom
  • Synopsis: The final(?) entry in the “Magic Kingdom” series. A group of teenagers who share the power of Disney heroes must come together one final time to stop the greatest threat to the Magic of Disney – one that threatens the existence of Mickey Mouse himself.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds
  • GM: Aaron

B-I-N-G-O!

B-I-N-G-O!

If you’ve been watching our shows, or listening to our podcast shows, you might have heard us make mention of Bingo cards for our shows. I mean, let’s face it, every game and gaming group ends up with stock phrases and in-jokes that get used a lot.

So, with that in mind, we’ve put together Bingo cards for each of our shows. If you’d like to play along with us, please do! Just click on the Bingo card below and you will be taken to a customized card for you for that show. And if you get B-I-N-G-O during an episode? Share it with us either in the chat, or over on our Discord.

Freedom League Dark Bingo
GemStars Bingo
Heroes of Tomorrow Bingo

We Welcome the Heroes of Tomorrow to the Untold Stories Project

We Welcome the Heroes of Tomorrow to the Untold Stories Project

Greetings! If you’re on our old RSS feed for Something… Something… Dragons, or saw our posts elsewhere, then you got to hear the first three episodes of our brand new podcast that is a part of our Untold Stories Project Earth-Prime Tabletop Universe – The Heroes of Tomorrow!

This past week, you were thrown right into the middle of our teenage heroes engaged in battle with the Thieves Guild, but getting to know them will take a few more weeks. So, we’re giving you a little peek behind the curtain and a chance to get to know the students of Claremont Academy directly.

Bolt (Jason Beaumont)

Played by Wiccy

Age: 16

Jason’s young, single mother died the night he was born. She’d come to the hospital with nothing more than the clothes on her back and the hospital staff knew only that her name was Jaye, it was the one thing she would tell them. As they had no way to track down the new baby’s father or any extended family the Staff decided to call him Jason and turned he and his case over to the proper authorities. Eventually, Jason was given over to the care of social services where he bounced around several foster homes for the first four years of his life, before ending up in Beacon House Group Home on the south side of Freedom City.

Beacon House was grossly overpopulated and underfunded. The caretakers there were overworked, underpaid, ineffective, and negligent in their duty of care toward the children under their roof. This left Jason and the thirteen other kids with no choice but to fend for themselves, and each other, by whatever means necessary. For most of them that meant joining local gangs or participating in other various less than legal activities.

Jason’s intelligence and aptitude for mechanics and technology showed at an early age, but like many gifted and overlooked kids, he never flourish in the typical school environment. Instead, he was focused on his own interests and inventions, which often led to detention and other disciplinary action. At Fourteen, Jason simply stopped going to school altogether, spending most of his time in an abandoned garage that he’d turned into a sort of workroom and clubhouse. When he wasn’t in the clubhouse he was usually out trying to find, or steal, or earn money for scrap and parts from around the city for his various projects.

The night he tried to take a broken down motorcycle he found hidden in a bush during one of these supply runs changed his life forever. Not only did the motorcycle turn out to belong to Bowman, one of Freedom City’s well known Superheroes, but said hero caught him in the act. Instead of turning him over to the police, Bowman saw the potential that every other adult around him had missed and decided to take him under his wing. That night Bowman gave him a project and sent him off to the quiver. His time with Bowman was filled with superhero support training and hotpockets. Before either of them really realized what was happening Jason had become a full-fledged sidekick. He adopted the name of Bolt (only later to realize that he’d accidentally taken on a legacy name, thought he quickly earned the approval of the man who had once held it) and joined his mentor and the rest of the Freedom League Dark on the battlefield, doing his part in the mission to protect Freedom city and defeat the mystical baddie known as Una.

After Una was defeated, it was decided that Jason should attended Claremont Academy where he would train to lead Freedom City’s next generation of Superheroes, the Freedom League Jr. In order to make that happen, he needed to become the official, legal ward of one Fletcher Beaumont III aka Bowman and so in addition to his care, friendship, and purpose Bowman also gave him his name.

Random Info:
Lots of adults and older kids around him liked to tell him that his dad was definitely in jail or dead or other terrible things as a way to shit on him and at least part of him has come to believe it. So much so that he has no interest in knowing who his father actually is for fear they were all right.

He’s not exactly the edgy teen type, but did grow up in a tough neighborhood, mostly taking care of himself. He knows how to fight and how to hide and he has parkour skills occasionally needing a quick get away.

He never had any interested in gangs, despite members of Toyboy’s and other gangs trying to recruit him.

Beacon House was a bit of a system cycler and a revolving door, so he never developed any special bonds or close friendships with any of the other foster kids, but some of the older kids would look out for him when he was younger and he tried to do the same for the younger ones who came after him.

Most of the kids at school either stayed away from or bullied the “passed over orphies” so developing friendships is a skill Jason never had any real chance to hone.

View Bolt’s PL8 Character Sheet here!

Cassian Quinn

Played by Kat

Age: 17

Cassian is a blonde haired blue eyed boy with tan skin He is a stereotypical pretty boy. His entire left arm and part of his torso is made of fluorite, there is a diagonal jagged scar that peeks out from over the collar of his tshirt which separates the gem side from the regular skin.

Cassian doesn’t have a stereotypical hero costume, he wears jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket with one sleeve cut off to show off his gem arm. The t-shirt has the word “Mortis” printed on it in black script.

Cassian was born in the mystical gemworld of Leifandi – a pocket dimension where magic originates from gemstones. An accident led to Cassian being taken from Leifandi to Earth, where the young man was found by the hero Resonant. He’s been enrolled in Claremont Academy for a few years now, but has refused to join the hero team until this year.

His powers mainly center around the absorption of kinetic energy, and redirecting it as flames.

View Cassian’s PL8 Character Sheet here!

Damian Irons

Played by Brandon

Age: 16

Damian is a surly teenager of Korean, Afro-Latino, and Italian descent. His anger hides and protects him from the pain, loneliness, and despair he has bottled up inside. He’s slim and of average height with average-length, straight, black hair.

Damian is a Silver Stormer, whose powers include the ability to control machinery – including the nanites within his own body. He is also the child of Cyrus Dillon and Carol Irons – versions of which who are now the Storm Breakers Professor Cephalapod and Doctor Irons. Damian is not dealing with the fact that his parents – who he believed to be dead – are now a human brain in an octopus body piloting a mech suit and an alternate-universe superstrong doppleganger.

It’s…. complicated.

View Damian Irons’ PL8 Character Sheet here!

Dr. Henry Barrister/Eddy Bear

Played by Alex

Age: 1

One part of the entity that makes up Dr. Henry Barrister is a spirit that has been around for many, many years, inhabiting one beloved toy after another through the generations.

The other part is a sociopathic teddy bear created by Toyboy, who has superstrength and a vile temper.

The entity came into existence during the Netherwar, and in the wake of Netherwar, Henry took over the body, finding himself as the beloved teddy of a young girl. When it became apparent that Henry could not keep the girl safe from Eddy, Henry instead enrolled himself in Claremont Academy.

View Dr. Henry Barrister’s PL8 Character Sheet here!

View Eddy Bear’s PL8 Character Sheet here!

Speed Demon

Played by Calvin

Age: 15

A speedster since a young age, Vincent always assumed that the constant pressure from his parents to develop powers was due to their background as physicists with a focus on superhuman abilities. Once his powers began to show, that pressure increased as they tried to teach him to become faster and faster. They eventually decided to send him to Claremont Academy, believing the school’s resources and training would prove useful in ways they couldn’t be.

After starting at the academy, Vincent finds himself wanting to be away from home more and more. Though he felt a need to be competitive and could be at times abrasive towards others, he also didn’t have his parents looming over his shoulder every minute of the day. After taking a short run to Freedom City to stretch his legs, Vincent was debating running away from home entirely when the sky ripped open and a massive three headed figure began terrorizing the city. Vincent quickly found himself trapped with other civilians by the massive mage’s army of demons and the crumbling debris of their rampage above. Before he could react, Vincent saw the oncoming red blur of the hero Overdrive. In a split second, the speedster had taken the crowd blocks away to safety. To the others it was in less than the blink of an eye, but Vincent’s senses could perceive what was happening, even though he was practically a statue in comparison.

Since then, Vincent came to realize his powers could be used for more than just getting faster. He could use them to help people too, in ways his parents never taught him. He’s still often impulsive, reckless and feels a need to prove himself to nearly everyone he meets but genuinely wants to do more with his abilities. However, their destructive nature often leaves him discouraged, regardless of how he tries to hide it.

Speed Demon’s powers come from his superspeed, however, his powers are flawed, causing him to generate heat in ways that most speedsters are able to avoid.

View Speed Demon’s PL8 Character Sheet here!

Wild Card

Played by Gemmy

Age: 14

Alex Selinofoto has always had a knack for trouble. They weren’t necessarily trying to cause anyone harm – they were just easily bored, and tricking people was a great way to cure that boredom.

They never knew their mother, and their father was distant (and not accepting of their gender identity), so they quickly found themselves spending as much time away from their home in Emerald City as they could, leading to the day that they discovered an abandoned warehouse filled with lava lamps.

When their powers of illusion first appeared shortly after the Silver Storm, Alex assumed that they were a Stormer. For a few months they embarked on a crime spree – of sorts. Using invisibility and illusions to sneak into homes and taking nothing – but leaving behind a lava lamp, which ensured that they knew that they would live rent-free in those homes forever.

However, a meetup with the Storm Breakers revealed that they were not actually a Stormer. Helping out with a disruption of the EC Pride Parade, they met their “Aunt” Eris, the Goddess of Discord. Eris stripped the young demi-god of a significant portion of their power (although still more than enough to cause problems for others), at which point the visiting Lady Liberty told Alex that they would return with her to Freedom City and begin classes at Claremont Academy.

View Wild Card’s PL8 Character Sheet here!

Schedule Shift!

Schedule Shift!

Hello everyone! Wanted to give you a big heads up as to some stuff that will be shifting on the network beginning in late February/early March!

Due to some real life shifts, we’ll be moving our Monday night stream to Wednesday, and will be debuting our Freedom League Dark stream on February 22nd. This stream will be the continuation of the team from Netherwar, and will see a new member join the team while an old friend will only be around for special occassions. Make sure to set your calendar to join us for the beginning of this new project!

Along with this change, as a way to combat both player and GM burnout, USP will be implementing another change in our usual schedule. Each of our shows will be off one week a month, but never where we won’t be live with one show a week, barring any unforseen circumstances or issues. GemStars will be taking the 1st Tuesday of each month off beginning on March 7, and Freedom League Dark will be off the third Wednesday of each month, beginning March 15. Even superheroes need a break every now and again!

Thank you all so much for your support of our small but growing channel as we continue to work on bringing you the best stories we can tell. We hope you’ll join us when Freedom League Dark begins it’s run, and that you’ll continue to tune in to GemStars!

February

  • Feb 6 – A Familiar Tale
  • Feb 7 – GemStars
  • Feb 13 – A Familiar Tale
  • Feb 14 – GemStars
  • Feb 21 – GemStars
  • Feb 22 – Freedom League Dark
  • Feb 28 – GemStars

March

  • March 1 – Freedom League Dark
  • March 8 – Freedom League Dark
  • March 14 – GemStars
  • March 21 – GemStars
  • March 22 – Freedom League Dark
  • March 28 – GemStars
  • March 29 – Freedom League Dark

April

  • April 5 – Freedom League Dark
  • April 11 – GemStars
  • April 12 – Freedom League Dark
  • April 18 – GemStars
  • April 25 – GemStars
  • April 26 – Freedom League Dark

What’s Next for NetherWar?

What’s Next for NetherWar?

Hello heroes! Alex checking in from the restful halls of my streaming break (more on that in another blog post) to let you all know a little bit about what we have in store for you when I return. I’m spending most of this month working on the next leg of our shared Earth-Prime saga which will be the return of our NetherWar heroes. I’m putting together a story that I am calling Freedom League Dark and the Multiverse of the Master Mage. I’m beyond excited to present this tale to you alongside my gifted cast of players.

This will be an epic piece spanning the breadth of the superhero genre in a way I haven’t tackled before. We will be visiting so many universes and facing off against some of the biggest threats in the Earth-Prime omniverse and beyond. There are so many villains in this piece that I have been dying to play for most of my superhero gaming career. As a writer, I’m approaching this very much with the mentality of an “epic level” campaign and our Freedom League Dark is the perfect group of characters to handle such a cosmic threat. Our characters are starting this game at PL 13 275 points and we’re only going up from there. I imagine we will probably reach PL 15 by the conclusion of this story arc; a Power Level I don’t think I’ve ever run a consistent game for.

I’ll be ramping up some more lore information about the story in the next few weeks, but we left the Freedom League Dark after their triumph over Una, Queen of the Netherworld, a victory that preserved Earth-Prime, but caused untold devastation elsewhere in the multiverse. This destruction was seemingly planned by their ally Adrian Eldritch, the former Master Mage of Earth. Our heroes are going to work with a coalition of notable heroes to try and set this right, while tracking down their erstwhile Master Mage before he can do anything worse, and they might just find themselves on the trail of one of the elusive Preserver Stones. It’s going to be a huge step forward for the overarching narrative of our shared universe, but also for the characters involved.

We’ll be seeing Resonant, Centuria, Mortis, and Bowman returning, but Overdrive seemed to have hung up the spandex at the end of last season, so Kevin’s character is a bit of a mystery…

These heroes survived a great deal in NetherWar and I’m excited to see them continue to grow and mature as the story goes on. I’m not even going to bother promising a lighter tone with this story, we’re going to be dealing with some pretty traumatic stuff in some pretty bleak places. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be light. There are some uplifting plot points on the horizon that I’m excited to explore such as Mortis’ wedding, Resonant’s role in inspiring a new group of heroes in a Leifandi not unlike her own, Centuria reunited with Davey (even if he is in Ray Gardner’s body), and Bowman becoming a better mentor to his sidekick.

As for where we’ll be traveling in the multiverse, I won’t spoil everything, but I have a sizable list of locations to explore including:

  • GemStars version of Leifandi
  • Anti-Earth-Prime
  • Earth-Primal, but everyone’s an animal
  • The Terminus
  • Titan City
  • The DC Universe
  • The Marvel Universe
  • Earth-Prime 2140

Our heroes will be free to explore the multiverse at their own pace. I will be leaving most of the direction of their investigation in their hands, and my intent is to make this experience a sandbox in a way I never have as a GM before. It’s a challenge I’m eager to face. The Freedom League Dark will be based out of a location I’m calling the Nexus Point. The Nexus Point is a side effect of NetherWar, the cascading magical energies caused the Nerian Nexus, the Sanctum Sanctorum, Club Tartarus, and the Tower of Fate to collide and reform into this bizarre architectural monstrosity. The Point will have its own mystery to solve, and I’m eager to see the players’ reactions to it.

The last thing to announce is when this show is getting on the road. We will begin the Multiverse of the Master Mage on February 20th, 2023 and we will be back to our weekly Monday schedule. I anticipate that this story will take at least a year to tell and I am so excited to have you along the way to support us. Thank you again for bearing with me while I take some time to get this game going and I look forward to seeing you all again real soon!