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Cake day: July 18th, 2023

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  • The thing about the From Software games is that they’re (mostly) fair. Most action games give the player a huge leg up compared to the enemies - the boss has a glowing weakpoint that can be revealed with the item you found in the dungeon - or you’re a badass cyborg assassin vs rank and file goons.

    In Dark Souls, you’re just a stubborn dude with a sword - and even the lowliest enemy can take you out if you get careless. But everyone is playing by the same rules, it sucks when an enemy staggers you and hits you while you can’t move - but you can figure out how to do the same to them. And the bosses really are doing everything in their power to make you dead.

    The satisfaction of Dark Souls comes from meeting those challenges head on and beating them at their own game - or being clever enough to bypass or weaken the obstacle. It’s not for everybody, and it’s certainly not for anybody all the time - but it’s pretty awesome when you get to be David finally taking down Goliath.



  • Over the years, I’ve found it’s less helpful to think of the campaign as a planned road trip - and more helpful to think about it like you’re in a car chase and your brakes have been cut.

    Don’t plan out meticulously, just prioritize steering into the next interesting thing that can happen, ideally one that the party is already kinda heading towards. You can have some ideas about things that could happen afterward, but you have no idea what your players will do yet.

    They could befriend the lich’s minions, commit the crime before the villain has a chance to, or just straight up die to terrible luck.


  • This year, I started a campaign of Geist: The Sin-Eaters set in Washington DC.

    GtS is a game about interacting with ghosts and laying them to rest. (For example, by bringing their killer to justice)

    So my search history has been:

    • Maps of Washington DC (for setting info)
    • Nitty gritty examinations of government structure (for politicking & world building)
    • Information about murders, cover-ups, decomposition, and body disposal

    So I’m on a list now…