Author Archives: Kallak

Tabletop Tidbits: The Ballad of the ‘Live Free or Die Bard’ Party

As a GameMaster, you never quite know what sorts of difficulties or issues are going to crop up during the course of your campaign – particularly at the outset. There are simply too many variables to factor into the calculus. Things could be going swimmingly for months of sessions, when suddenly an aspect of the game system’s physics drives one player to argue about movement rules for an hour; or maybe that ancestral sword you approved at character creation comes back to haunt you; perhaps a player is forced to depart the game and leaves the Party missing a crucial element. Situations like these, and a million other possibilities mean you must always be on guard. It can be quite the challenge…

Weekly Site Update – November 16, 2018

Greetings OPers,

It’s going to be somewhat of a brief update this time around, but here we go nonetheless. Please feel free to give us your thoughts, opinions and feedback in the comments below, and as always – take care.

Tabletop Tidbits: Dirty Cop – A Case Study of the Narrative Danger of a Hasty “Yes”

One of the classic lessons taught to new GameMasters early on by various guide books and resources is what I refer to as the Benevolency Rule. The basic premise goes like this: As the GM, it’s your game, and you have the right to say no when your players make requests for things relating to the campaign; However, in the spirit of being a fair referee (not to mention a good friend), you should try to say yes unless you have a specific reason not to. It’s generally a solid rule of thumb, but what it doesn’t state is that utilizing that “try to say yes” attitude without proper care can produce circumstances that could adversely affect the game.

Weekly Site Update – October 31, 2018

That’s right friends, we’ve moved the weekly updates to the blog! After looking at all the options, we believe that the tag and category functions available here will make following the updates and reviewing them later easier and more efficient! So have a read, and feel free to discuss in the comments below! We look forward to hearing from you!

So let’s get on with it!

Obsidian Portal Campaign of the Month October 2018 – A Matter of France

Few are the legends that approach the greatness of Charlemagne and his Paladins. Bold warriors in fierce battles; Mythic deeds told in song. Such events are more than just a matter of fable or folklore. They are a matter of foundation; of history. They are A Matter of France – October’s Campaign of the Month! So steel your courage, for destiny awaits – destiny and GM sirlarkins!

Tabletop Tidbits: The Measure of Success in Relation to the Mental Movie

One of the things people often say about success is that it’s a state of mind. The basic idea being that if you think of yourself as a success, or in terms of success, then that positive outlook will assist you in overcoming obstacles and you’ll start being more successful. With respects to GameMastering, I always sort of translated this premise as the mood I was in when writing. If I was “in the zone” while working on my game, then surely that would find its way into the material, and eventually into the presentation of the campaign itself.