Bones of Contention – reviews for the rest of us
A group of people in the tabletop RPG scene – some of whom are already in the recommended blogs list here on Torch in Hand – have come together to form the Skeleton Crew. They intend to review tabletop RPG material with a different angle than the typical review blog: the GM and the players can share their thoughts about any given adventure module that they play together. It gives readers a variety of perspectives rather than just one.
It may prove especially beneficial to adventure writers, bother professional and hobbyists. What should be
included in material to be useful? What kinds of settings will engage the players? What exactly makes an adventure great for both GM and player? If material is working for the players, but cumbersome or annoying to use by the GM, what can be done to fix it on the fly?
Really looking forward to see what comes of the crew and their project.
Throne of Salt – keep those scraps to make “Slushpiles”
Dan D. of the Throne of Salt has been compiling what he calls “Slushpiles” since 2018.
In his first Slushpile, he explains: “I accumulate ideas like pockets
accrue lint, which means my apartment is filled with notebooks and
scraps of paper covered in ideas for story and game material that might
never see the light of day.” To ensure that the ideas aren’t doomed to
such a fate, they’re collected and shared in these piles of slush.
It’s handy to see a collection of ideas that aren’t necessarily polished. His latest Slushpile is an eclectic bunch of concepts, free of any kind of theme or unifying idea. Anyone in the hobby that maintains a public blog should be encouraged to share drafts in a similar vein. Just because the ideas aren’t fully fleshed out doesn’t mean they won’t inspire or prove useful.
Ruth White – master of electronic weirdness
Ever since playing games made by Stephen Gill-Murphy, I have greatly enjoyed music composed by Ruth White. In her 1969 album Flowers of Evil, she blends poetry and strange sounds to create some truly haunting pieces. Her use of electronic instruments in Short Circuits from 1970 makes even classical compositions otherworldly to our ears. A particular favorite is White’s interpretation of Isaac Albéniz’s Asturias (Leyenda).
A new campaign idea is forming in my head based almost exclusively on
using this piece of music as the campaign’s theme or leitmotif.