As I’ve referenced many times before, I’ve been slowly pulling together a science fantasy roleplaying setting for well over a decade now. Originally it was a Phantasy Star rules conversion for Pathfinder First Edition but I shifted it to a custom setting after the release of Starfinder. The implosion of the Starfinder Psionics Guide kickstarter…
Category: Tabletop
All about tabletop gaming – primarily roleplaying ala Pathfinder but a bit on other venues.
Pathfinder 2e Beginner Box with Kids: Sessions 1 & 2
It’s been three long years since I wrapped up my last in-person tabletop roleplay, put my miniatures into storage, and moved to another country. I did get some virtual tabletop and play-by-post in during that time, but for the most part there was very little roleplaying going on for me. This summer we were able…
Controversial Opinion: Rules Light vs Rules Heavy
On one end of the spectrum we have freeform roleplaying and the other end of the spectrum we have GURPS. I’ve roleplayed with both and many other systems in between. Based on that experience I want to push back against a recent trend that portrays rules heavy systems as innately negative. Some people have claimed…
Mapmaking in Fantasy Grounds Unity
In addition to The Absalom Initiation, I’m running a second group through a test run of Pathfinder Second Edition and Fantasy Grounds Unity using the Fall of Plaguestone published adventure. We had our Session Zero on Saturday and, as they finished up characters, I quickly put together a map for them to practice the basics…
The Absalom Initiation
It’s around midnight here. We just finished up our first play session with Fantasy Grounds Unity. This is our third session with this virtual tabletop system and we’re starting to get the hang of it. For this test run, we are working our way through the Pathfinder Society module The Absalom Initiation. It always feels…
Plate Tectonics on the cheap
I’m doing some worldbuilding for a homebrew setting. After deciding on the general concept I decided to use some improvised plate tectonics to build the geography. First I cut up an old city map. The city districts make for semi-random tectonic plates. Next, I pushed the plates a bit. I noted where fault lines might…
Character Creation: Roles
Twelve years ago, I tried out a new form of character creation for a play by post game on the Giant in the Playground forum. The general concept was that players would audition for specific roles in the game. If the audition was successful, the player would then design their character around the role. The…
Fantasy Grounds Unity
It feels like a lot has happened, both in my personal life and in the world, since my last post a little over a year ago. As I noted I’m now living in another country and at the moment in person tabletop is not an option here. Now that we’re settled and over the initial…
Celestial Winter – Session Sixteen, Fin
In March, I learned that we would be moving to another country. It’s an exciting opportunity but unfortunately it means saying farewell to friends, family, and – until we get settled – tabletop. So, on Saturday, we ended the Pathfinder Celestial Winter campaign. I may run it again one day in the future but that’s…
Celestial Winter – Session Fourteen, Taking Off
After consulting together, the group decided on the following stratagem. Edward and Bridgette would rescue the expedition members held captive throughout Berdent. At the same time, Caldus and Kendra would break in Farbod’s palace and rescue Eibon. Deciding that sneaking in the servant’s entrance didn’t play to their strengths, Kendra and Caldus broke into the…