UNLOCKED - S9, Ch. 18: Post-Session Discussion

Stonesword Key was lost with use

Every session, we record a little extra debrief and discussion after we finish the game. This is usually reserved for the Tableside edition of the podcast which is available on our Patreon. But in this one we Spout Lore that’s both interesting AND useful, so we decided to release it on the main feed for everyone to check out.

Minor spoilers for Chapter 18 of the Cyclopolis, so consider listening to that episode first.

This conversation is packed with stuff: video games and what does or doesn't translate readily to the tabletop, how to make evolving magic items, magic items as progress, how can we hit a vibe at the table, and when secrets are worth keeping between players. Plus a tiny hint of something I'm working on. There’s quite a bit to be mined here, so give it a listen.

During our talk, we mention Hard-Knock World by TroyPress. It's PWYW and definitely worth a look. Check it out here. 

If you enjoy this bonus episode, check out our Patreon to get our post-session chats with every episode we put out. Plus, we’re very close to a Patreon goal that will have us starting a monthly stream with us playing, viewing, or reviewing different media and tabletop games in which we’ll discuss lessons or ideas that you can bring to your own games. We’ll also be uploading the recorded audio from those into the feed for those that can’t catch the live stream. I’m gonna call it Appendix C, I think.

Weigh in on our discussion on either Twitter, Instagram, or in the comments of this post.

If Patreon isn’t your thing check out our merch or leave us a review! We’ll send you a Discord invite no matter how you support us, just let us know and we’ll send you the link!

Series IX: Cyclopolis of the Damned - Chapter XVII

After being taunted by 138-Heads-On-Spikes, Milio the Bard, Uraziti the Spellblade, and Kimin the Shaman, as well as their traveling companion Navaath come face-to-skull with Tmuc, the last warrior-poet of the giants, who was cursed to eternally protect the gate of the Cyclopolis into which our party is seeking entrance.

This one gets fucking wild.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi's spellbinding ukiyo-e triptych of a gashadokuro, a giant skeleton from Japanese folklore, was absolutely a massive part of my Appendix N for this whole series. I'm in love with it. You’ll find it below.

Consider checking out our Patreon! You can find the full rules for the Tropaion custom move and the magic items everyone received on there! Plus discord access, session debriefs, and more.

We have merch here. And we're on Twitter and Instagram.

Series VII: The House of Dust and Ash - Chapter II

Despite the appearance of a ghostly castle appearing in the sky, the Jatakan festival continues, and our adventurers must fight once again in the pits, this time coming eye-to-eye with a flying tiger!

Series VI: The Sons of Arahallin - Chapter VIII

An easy and well-earned rest in the halls of Hed's floating castle (now inhabited by Krekki) is ruined when Pyimir's army takes advantage of our adventurer's respite.

Series VI: The Sons of Arahallin - Chapter VI

After a pyrrhic victory over Iggthot the Valleymaker, our adventurers grieve and convalesce. Krekki shows his usefulness as Hed rears his ugly... well... head.

This episode was hard. Greeg was a favorite of our characters, and his sea-salt cantankerousness was a joy to build around. And despite the early conversation in this episode, I was extremely sad (and sorry, to Zach) when he died. There was a hush at the table (and, later, when listening back to the recordings) coupled with a fear of how we’d procede.

But we kill our darlings.

More to the point, though, Last Breath is the best move in Dungeon World and to bend the rules to accomodate (read: force) a narrative is disingenuous and works to errode both the emotional stakes of the game and the main tenant of Dungeon World: play to find out what happens.

Krekki has legs, though (literally now!) and we’ve had a lot of fun playing the Brute Playbook in games off-air before now, so finding a(n almost) suitable replacement was easy. And as usual, Zach is more than capable of bringing one of my half-ideas to vibrant and wry life.

Let’s see what happens now. At least Socks is OK.

-N

Series VI: The Sons of Arahallin - Chapter V

After fighting off his followers, our adventurers gather within the great earthen exoskeleton of Iggthot, the Valleymaker and combat the powerful cyclops to the death.

Series VI: The Sons of Arahallin - Chapter IV

The adventurers attack Dodjal, the second son, from within and without, after aid from the sword construct Krekki. Plus, The Chimaera's storied history of making too much of a fight out of gropus of troglodytes continues!

Series VI: The Sons of Arahallin - Chapter I

Nulsc, Greeg, and Ozier step foot on the island of the dead cyclopean god Arahallin for the first time, with promise to kill his five sons.

Here, they encounter Laharisfur, whose inherited breath feeds the kiln he mans with myopic attention.

V: Dimansion of the Tectomancer - Chapter XVI

After passing successfully through the mirror passage, Omid, Row, and Gashana have reached the innermost sanctum of Ypsilanti. But to explore it they first must survive a fight with its guardian when they're already weak.