Storyteller Conclave

TTRPGs have always relied upon certain stereotypes: Orcs are evil, elves are haughty, etc. Recently, there has been much talk of these perpetuating harmful racial biases that mirror real prejudice. This week, Sara & Rob discuss the place of fantasy stereotypes in the TTRPG hobby. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on...

As storytellers, we feel the draw to create whole worlds for our players to run around in. But where do you start? When do you stop? Sara & Rob talk to David Somerville, creator of Planegea, a successfully Kickstarted and published D&D5e supplement. Planegea : The Prehistoric Fantasy Setting for D&D 5E Available at: https://atlas-games.com/planegea Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watc...

Our System Spotlight this month is MÖRK BORG, A pitch-black apocalyptic fantasy RPG about lost souls seeking redemption, forgiveness or the last remaining riches in a bleak and dying world. This week Rob & Sara explore an OSR that is light on rules but HEAVY on everything else. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on y...

Many RPG stories revolve around a “McGuffin,” an object both the heroes and villains are trying to obtain or control. For this month’s Storytelling 101, Sara & Rob explore how to keep a story with a McGuffin moving in interesting ways, and not devolve into simple tug-of-war. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Li...

The success of Critical Role shook the TTRPG world, fast-tracking D&D’s rise to popularity. Along with the new generation of players, however, came the “Matt Mercer Effect.” This week, Sara & Rob look at the last 7 years and see how gaming has changed for better or worse. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . L...

Online TTRPG discussions are filled with “RPG Horror Stories” and “Is my DM wrong?” discussions. Red flags that your Storyteller is bad can be elusive, so Sara & Rob are here to help you spot them, or see if you’re guilty of them yourself! Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favor...

ARC is a role-playing game where heroes defy the cruel Doomsday Clock to save their world from a looming apocalypse. Rules-light, tension-heavy. This week Sara and Rob throw the system spotlight on Arc: Doom! Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amazon Audible Find us on Twitter ( @st_conclave )...

No plot ever survives contact with your players! We as Storytellers try to plan for every outcome, but sometimes, our players toss us a curveball we didn’t account for. This week, Sara & Rob continue our Storytelling 101 series, talking about improvisation, and setting yourself up for success when things go off the rails! Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr...

Storytelling can be an exercise in frustration, trying to keep your players focused on the plot you’ve prepared and not chasing random shiny objects. This week, Sara & Rob discuss hooking your players, building investment, and keeping them on-track without railroading. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your...

Running a TTRPG requires us to have a main story that we’re trying to tell. Often, though, we want to include “B-Plots”- Side stories about a character’s backstory, or a paladin’s personal quest. This week, Sara & Rob discuss how to successfully run B-Plots in your stories! Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-co...

You Died. The iconic message is not something you often want to see, let alone hear, in your ttrpg. This month’s system spotlight is Dark Souls RPG, an adventure, horror, and tactical combat system that is set in the lands of darkness and flame where hollows, demons, and Abyssal creatures abound. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Li...

Great TTRPG stories pull the players in, get them invested, and make them care about the NPCs, the conflict, and the world. How do we, as Storytellers, create that investment? Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amazon Audible Find us on Twitter ( @st_conclave ) – Instagram ( st_conclave ) Supp...

Stories are born from adversity, and usually in TTRPGs, that’s the ubiquitous “Big Bad Evil Guy.” But, can we tell stories that have no BBEG? No villain to conquer? Where would the adversity come from? This week, Sara & Rob discuss how to tell stories with no villain Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to...

Writing stories for your game is a complex task. Hours of discussion have been devoted to making the body of the plot flow well. Two often overlooked aspects, though, are beginnings and endings. This week, Sara & Rob discuss how to introduce a story, and how to wrap it up. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your f...

Starting as a Dungeon Master or Storyteller can be a daunting task, and long lessons on how to DM can feel like work to learn. This week, Sara & Rob discuss short, easy-to-implement tips we wish WE had when we first started Storytelling! Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amazon Audible Fi...

Based on the best-selling novels by Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn TTRPG is set in the world of Scadrial. Rob and Sara will be examining this D6 and narrative system to master the primal forces of Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amazon Audible Find us o...

Worldbuilding can be a daunting task for any Storyteller, let alone new ones! This week, Sara & Rob aim to demystify the act of breathing life into your world with NPCs and worldbuilding in this month’s Storytelling 101 discussion Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amazon Audible Find us o...

High stats, powerful magic items, and optimized characters can make challenging a group of D&D players very difficult, even for a seasoned DM. Having a party full of “broken” PCs can be fun for them, but frustrating to DM for. Sara & Rob discuss these dynamics at the game table.   Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conc...

We all have had dreams of creating the perfect space for gaming. Oak tables, sunken play screens, custom shelves for books… Critical Role even built it! This week Sara and Rob discuss what their ideal gaming space might look and feel like. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amazon Audibl...

One of Rob’s favorite games is 7th Sea. When the second edition came out he wasn’t as eager to jump in. This System spot light Rob and Sara will shine a light on 7th Sea Second Edition; its mechanics, setting, and the rift between its praise and dissent. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or Amaz...

For this week’s Storytelling 101, Rob and Sara will be talking about campaign flow. We will discuss how to string together adventures to create a cohesive story campaign, while allowing players agency to change and interact with your world in meaningful ways. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on your favorite device! Or...

TTRPGs are constantly being updated for newer editions. Often, when an edition falls flat, we say it “doesn’t feel like the same game.” How much can a game system be changed before it’s no longer the same game anymore? Sara & Rob discuss revisions and identity of game systems. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave . Listen to us on yo...

When we sit down at the table, there is a social power dynamic between the storyteller and the players. But there are much deeper layers to the social dynamics at the table, between players, characters, and the story. Tonight Sara and Rob have invited Dr. Jason Cox to discuss power dynamics in gaming. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave...

Meta discussions, between players, at the table go well beyond what the characters know. But as a storyteller, should you join in on them? And if so, how much? After all it is a cooperative game and even the storyteller is playing. This week Sara and Rob take a stroll and have some meta discussions. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave ....

Rob and Sara take you into a far future where fear is the mind killer. The Imperium is a place of deadly duels, feudal politics and mysterious abilities in a universe where a blade can change the fortunes of millions. This month’s System Spotlight is focused on The Dune: Adventures in the Imperium. Listen to us live, every Wednesday night at 7pm EST, at http://www.mixlr.com/storyteller-conclave ....