Natural Six

This week we began with a brief but vital chat about sitting on a d4. Look, we had it, so you need to listen to it. Mercifully, we then moved on to discussing I (the character, not the me) taking control of the narrative. We talked about the Gloam camp - what the players were expecting and how those expectations were confounded by reality. This led to discussion of overthinking and overplanning wh...

In the quiet of the forest, a plan begins to smoulder. While talent may prove reliable, it’s far from innocent, and with the air thick and heavy, not everyone is breathing easy. Some find themselves climbing to unexpected heights, though whether from inspiration or inhalation is anyone’s guess. In a forest where everything is watching, it pays to move carefully, speak softly, and keep the distract...

We’re back with Action Surge and this time? That orb’s got some bounce. This episode had it all. A little bit of travel, a bit of combat, and the newly dead once again proving that if you leave them alone long enough, they will start arguing. But let’s talk about that combat. Because honestly? This might have been our most Avengers moment yet. We were coordinated. We were flashy. We even got to se...

As autumn settles in, questions begin to form: of purpose, of planning, and whether the chapter of this story was simply by chance or design. Here in the forest, some things are sweet, others sharp, and some look fine until you discover what’s hiding inside. When you don’t know what you’re reaching for, you can only hope your friends are quick enough to keep the worst away. But the trees hide more...

We start with energy. Chaotic energy. At the time of filming Episode 33, it had been nearly six weeks since we sat round the table and played a game of D&D together for our main campaign. And if you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll know we tend to get rather feral when we’ve been apart too long. But this episode is more than just our chaotic start. As we symbolically close one arc and...

Some goodbyes are felt only in silence, in the quiet closing of a chapter. Others are painted in colour and contemplation. Some choose to burn, their smoke rising as a final signal of what’s ended. Yet with every ending comes a new beginning, a moment to plant the seed of change, to learn, and to lead. As the pinks of dusk give way to yellows of a new dawn, hope begins to flower. Even the smallest...

Okay, we won’t lie. That episode was a marathon. Yes, it was too good to stop, and in fairness, we didn’t want to stop either. But the weight of what did, didn’t, and almost happened left us emotionally and physically drained. Worth it? Absolutely. This was a true reunion, for both players and characters, and the Newly Dead came back together in the only way they know how: dealing (and taking) a h...

Bartering takes many forms. Life for life. Belief for power. Captivity for freedom. But not every exchange is forced. Sometimes, trust is given freely, without trade or consequence. Yet it isn’t always magic, or steel, that saves you. Sometimes all that remains is faith, and the hope that those whom fate has tangled into your story will be there to catch you when you fall. And together, even the c...

We’ve tried, but this time, it just wasn’t possible. With so many secrets flying around, we had no choice but to continue the theme and split the party for Action Surge too. On the plus side, all that getting up and down from the table probably means none of us are getting a DVT. Silver linings. As you may have guessed, these episode descriptions are written by someone who is not the DM, which mea...

Paths split. Adventures diverge. And yet, somehow, they remain twisted. Tangled like thorns, each thread pulling against the others but never quite breaking away. Some find strength in solitude, standing where no one else can, even when what you discover isn’t what you meant to seek. Sometimes rest brings revelation. And sometimes revelation brings a cost. We sacrifice pieces of ourselves, and som...

It’s all going really well… until it isn’t. In this episode of Action Surge, Harry reflects on the delicate balance between giving players freedom and pushing them toward the decisions that matter. Aoife opens up about being the centre of attention, how she doesn’t always love it, how Dolly handles it, and why it’s easier when it’s on her own terms. We break down how a perfectly timed natural 20 c...

They tried stealth. They tried grand plans. But this time, they take the front door. After all, they are delivering exactly what was promised. While the Gloam do not welcome their arrival, the Children of the Midnight Moon fall silent, awestruck, as the goddess they have waited for appears before them, though not all who are worshipped come willingly. The Newly Dead came seeking answers, not adora...

Harry wants you to know, none of this is personal. This week on Action Surge, Harry starts things off by expressing how deeply grateful he is that we filmed Episode 29 on a Sunday, not a Saturday. Apparently, he wasn’t prepared for... well, any of it. Which means, clearly, we’re winning D&D. That’s how you win, right? Just completely ignore whatever your DM had planned. And sorry again to Mark...

In the forest of endless summer, there isn’t one clear path, there are many. As one takes a risk and disappears into the shadows, moving with nothing but silence and sheer nerve, as another stumbles into something far stranger. Learning of an old acquaintance with a new name, and a following that worships the Midnight Moon. Between whispered conversations and quiet revelations, not everything is a...

This week on Action Surge: neigh means neigh. We kick things off with a quick reflection on the episode that saw Dolly temporarily hoofing it back to the battle, because when the plan falls apart, sometimes four legs really are better than two . The Gloam might say anyone can put on a cloak, but infiltrating their ranks? That’s another story. We reflect on the fight, the messiness, and the distinc...

The sun is warm, the forest is vast, and for the first time in a while, the Newly Dead breathe easy. But there’s more than pollen drifting on the air. Trust begins to bloom too. Beneath the trees, secrets are traded, not in whispers, but in truth. And in that rare stillness, something begins to mend. But peace in this place is fleeting. Not everything that grows in the forest should be picked. A p...

No Alex this week, but we do have champagne courtesy of Dr Kagon, so honestly, who's complaining? If Elowen and Dolly can’t have bottomless brunch, then Hollie and Aoife absolutely will. Episode 27 gave us lore, chaos, and one very dramatic amphibian moment. A true episode of two halves: story-rich setups and an epic (and slightly froggy) fight that saw the cast go toe to webbed toe with a creatur...

The tunnels twist on, pressing in from all sides. Pressure, as they say, can forge diamonds, but will the Newly Dead begin to shine? Each step deeper into the dark forces them to confront what lies beneath, not just in the stone, but in themselves. Old wounds ache. Doubts gnaw. And when shadows twist and fear creeps in, it’s not just trust that wavers. But not everything in the dark is there to br...

We begin, once more, inside Raidion… This week, we’re deep in it. Blighted, bruised, and still somehow standing. We kick things off with yet another reminder that balancing fights for this party is…a challenge to say the least (Sorry, Harry). When your main damage dealer misses every hit and the enemy still drops? That’s tricky, to say the least. Ben unpacks Raidion’s fearlessness, his willingness...

Bruised, broken, and some even blighted, the Newly Dead take their first steps into the depths, seeking the elusive Kobold God, Themself. But in the winding caves below, where the history and stories of the Kobold tribes echo through the stone, there are far worse things to fear than what lurks in the dark. The weight of their own doubts press heavy, as whispers from The Web weave their way into w...

The atmosphere this week? Thiccc. Yes, with three C's! Tensions are high as we break down the heavy conversation between Dolly and Raidion, and the impact it had on the entire party. Some moments leave a mark, but this one really lingered. We also dive into the importance of laying ground rules between players, especially when characters come in hot. Navigating those intense moments isn’t always e...

Sometimes the last thing between you and the dirt is a well-placed dagger, but what does it mean when it’s lodged in your back? The Spinner’s words have left a wound that no blade could carve, splitting the party in ways they might not recover from. But there is no time to dwell on fractured trust and growing tension—if they want to reach The Old Dark first, they have to keep moving, even if this...

Action Surge is back, and we have a lot to unpack—starting with the undeniable truth that the dice have their own story to tell… and that dice tower? Absolutely cursed. This week, we dive into Wildshape with an emphasis on the wild , as Kelnys goes full feral—in more ways than one. Some days, you really do just want a fight. Speaking of chaos, we also reflect on the longest we’ve ever been a split...

The Newly Dead aren’t the only ones in Alveleon, as the shadowy organisation known as The Gloam already lurks in the ruined city’s depths, making their search all the more deadly. With danger closing in, the party is forced to divide and conquer. Raidion and Dolly must spin a web of charm and deceit to uncover the truth (and make it out alive)—though some secrets are best left unspoken... or in so...

Action Surge sneaks up on you… here we are again! This week, we kick things off with a very important reminder—Doug couldn’t fly. Unfortunately, everyone except Doug had completely forgotten that, leading to an unforgettable (and gravity-assisted) trip from the top of The Sanctum to the lake below. When the dice dictate the options, you just have to roll with it… literally. Ben dives into the phil...