Dicey Stories
388 episodes
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Creator: Dicey Stories
Science fiction Audio RPG
Synopsis:
stories shaped by dice - a (mostly Genesys) tabletop RPG actual-play podcast with emphasis on storytelling - listen to us play or read the serialized narrative
Language: English
Format: Audio RPG
Writing: Improvised
Genres: Science fiction
Not tagged: [RPG system] [Continuity] [Voices] [Maturity] [Creator demographics] [Character demographics] [Country of origin] [Transcript] [Completion status] [Content warnings]
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Episodes:
DS384 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Saurian Standoff | Part 3 of 3
Wed, 14 May 2025 08:00:20 +0000
Elves, humans, and saurians recover from the assault.
I originally thought the campaign was going to end with a trek across the Bitter Swamp to Mal-Ravanal’s fortress for a final showdown there. I was going to ambush the players with drakes along the route. However, as events in our story developed organically, that ending grew less and less likely. I still wanted to bring in drakes, though, and having them attack the saurian allies was the perfect opportunity. I don’t feel like I managed to make my drakes quite as intimidating as the ones in the Battle for Wesnoth video game, but I was still glad to give Drake Gliders and Clashers some air time. You also got to hear Tric spout lore about Flamehearts. As for other units from the video game, this combat let us see the pinnacle of saurian fighting prowess, the Flanker, as well as a return of our old friend, the Mudcrawler.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS383 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Aftershocks | Part 6 of 9
Sun, 11 May 2025 08:00:29 +0000
Marina collects more data on chironic connections to resonance energy.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS382 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Saurian Standoff | Part 2 of 3
Wed, 07 May 2025 08:00:25 +0000
Sprizz and her drake allies attack Hezzis and Bzzazz’s encampment.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS381 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Aftershocks | Part 5 of 9
Sun, 04 May 2025 08:00:03 +0000
Scarmouth the siege worm deals with some pests.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS380 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Saurian Standoff | Part 1 of 3
Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:00:02 +0000
Tric and Heppa experience daily saurian life up close and learn more about the society.
Of all the peoples that Tric and Heppa interacted with during this campaign, the saurians have always felt to me like the most foreign. They have very short lives, they have a very rigid gender divide in their societal roles, and they are not mammalian. Those are all details drawn from their entry in the Battle for Wesnoth wiki. I decided to lean further into all that in this arc, inspired by the various fish, reptiles, and amphibians that can change sex (ref: https://www.treehugger.com/animals-can-change-their-sex-4869361). Although Salras is not transgender in the same sense as a human in the real world might be, I did talk with the transgender player in our group prior to introducing this topic, just to make sure I handled it in a way we would all be comfortable with.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and the Legend of Wesmere, as well as references to Ashen Hearts, a User-Made Content campaign.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS379 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Aftershocks | Part 4 of 9
Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:00:58 +0000
Cleve and Mariah head back to the domes.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS378 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heist | Part 5 of 5
Wed, 23 Apr 2025 08:00:43 +0000
With the chase over, a battle ensues in the swamps.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS377 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Aftershocks | Part 3 of 9
Sun, 20 Apr 2025 08:00:56 +0000
Checkerboard gets settled into her new life at Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS376 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heist | Part 4 of 5
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:00:47 +0000
Wolf-mounted goblins pursue Tric, Heppa, and their loaded cart of recovered people and items.
Note: This episode uses our Chase rules. Find them here.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS375 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Aftershocks | Part 2 of 9
Sun, 13 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000
While Datajack Prime attends to systems at Data Haven, Mariah helps Takuto reach out to Arx.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS374 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heist | Part 3 of 5
Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:00:53 +0000
Kachen pursues one additional goal at the orc encampment.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS373 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Aftershocks | Part 1 of 9
Sun, 06 Apr 2025 08:00:53 +0000
Mariah and Cleve instigate a few more changes in the Morgan Domes before heading back to Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS372 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heist | Part 2 of 5
Wed, 02 Apr 2025 08:00:58 +0000
While Tric and Heledd barter for Anador’s circlet, Heppa and Kachen search for the missing journals.
Mainline orcs in the Battle for Wesnoth video game don’t have any magic. For Gugdish, I once again took my inspiration from the expanded units featured in the User-Made Content campaign A War of Life and Death, which includes the Orcish Conjurer. Some of the other orc units that inspired me were the Orcish Assassin and the Orcish Warlord. We’ll see other units from the video game as this arc continues, including Goblin Pillagers, a Wraith, and a new unit for our characters, the Nightgaunt.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS371 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 9 of 9
Sun, 30 Mar 2025 08:00:02 +0000
Peace is made between Morgan Industries, the Stepdaughters of Chiron, and Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS370 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heist | Part 1 of 5
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:00:03 +0000
Heledd’s carefully crafted plan gets the team within reach of their targets.
The Battle for Wesnoth video game has a take on orcs and goblins that I haven’t seen anywhere else. They’re the same species, as are half-orcs. The different designators arise from the physical capabilities of the individuals. Orcs are the strongest, half-orcs are less muscular, and goblins are considered runts. This then sets their social standing. This doesn’t come up much in any of the mainline campaigns, but it’s included in the write-up on the official wiki, and I used it to inform how I portrayed those characters.
This arc contains references to the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS369 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 8 of 9
Sun, 23 Mar 2025 08:00:11 +0000
Morgan Industries’ new board of directors convenes for the first time.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS368 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 7 of 7
Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:00:32 +0000
Each in their own way, Tric and Heppa seek to improve Kachen’s situation.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS367 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 7 of 9
Sun, 16 Mar 2025 08:00:15 +0000
With a surprise election underway, the domes of Morgan Industries are abuzz with excitement.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS366 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 6 of 7
Wed, 12 Mar 2025 08:00:28 +0000
Heppa and Tric enjoy a discussion of magic theory with Cwuml, a silver mage.
Tric’s story about using symbols to teleport between established locations was inspired by the teleportation system in the video game, Betrayal at Krondor. I’ve never played it myself, but Tric’s player did when she was younger.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS365 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 6 of 9
Sun, 09 Mar 2025 08:00:16 +0000
With elections underway, Mariah and Cleve each use their own unique skill sets to support Fritz.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS364 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 5 of 7
Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:23 +0000
While Heppa sees to one more patient, Tric gains one more quest.
Lots of units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game are going to come out in this epic battle, as I’m sure you can imagine. We had a Goblin Pillager and an Orcish Crossbowman menacing Heledd in her Rhaessa disguise, and we referred to Tric not being Dunefolk enough to be a Horse Archer. Endathalas was chewed on by a Ghast, and Tric encouraged him to be an Elvish Rider, which is the upgrade of the Elvish Scout. And of course, there are the Chocobones, which I always find a real challenge in the video game, as well as Terwaen’s promotion from Knight to Paladin. We also finally get our first Silver Mage!
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS363 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 5 of 9
Sun, 02 Mar 2025 08:00:18 +0000
Mariah and Cleve meet with Nwabudike Morgan, CEO of Morgan Industries and chair of the board.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS362 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 4 of 7
Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:14 +0000
Terwaen secures medical treatment for Tric and Heppa, who in turn secure her a promotion.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS361 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 4 of 9
Sun, 23 Feb 2025 08:00:20 +0000
Cleve and Mariah try to convince Xiao to delay the blockade.
Note: A pretty powerful monsoon rolled through during this part of the play session. Please bear with us as we incorporate it into the story. I’ve cleaned it out of the audio as best I can, but there’s only so much one can do against the power of nature.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS360 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 3 of 7
Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:22 +0000
Vicious skeletal cavalry threaten Tric’s carefully selected team.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS359 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 3 of 9
Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:00:36 +0000
Cleve and Mariah get more support for Fritz in the upcoming election.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS358 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 2 of 7
Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:55 +0000
Tric’s crack team braves the dangers of the swamps.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS357 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 2 of 9
Sun, 09 Feb 2025 08:00:37 +0000
The groundwork is laid for a Morgan Industries reorg.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS356 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Battlefield | Part 1 of 7
Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:00:11 +0000
Tric leads his special scouting task force around the edge of the battlefield.
This episode makes reference to birds that carry and drop burning sticks. This isn’t something I made up. If you’re interested in learning more about this tool usage by some Australian birds, I’ve linked an article here: https://altoona.psu.edu/feature/researching-firehawks.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion, Delfador’s Memoirs, and The South Guard.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS355 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Improvement | Part 1 of 9
Sun, 02 Feb 2025 08:00:28 +0000
Mariah and Fritz meet with Leyland Campos to pitch changes to the Morgan Industries board of directors.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000
Dicey Stories is going on a mid-winter hiatus. New episodes resume at the start of February.
DS354 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Family Matters | Part 3 of 3
Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:00:20 +0000
Tric’s contingency plans regarding Thrandolil do not go over well with Heppa.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS353 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Is Where the Heart Is | Part 5 of 5
Sun, 05 Jan 2025 08:00:48 +0000
Cleve and Louisa race against the clock to rescue Snacker before he gives Fritz up to the authorities.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS352 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Family Matters | Part 2 of 3
Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:00:02 +0000
House Thrandolil hosts a large family dinner, much to Penna’s displeasure.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS351 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Is Where the Heart Is | Part 4 of 5
Sun, 29 Dec 2024 08:00:42 +0000
Louisa brings news of a new threat.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS350 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Family Matters | Part 1 of 3
Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:51 +0000
Tric welcomes his sister Terwaen to Estbryn Forest while Heppa brings Alric in for his first visit.
I got the new alcoholic drink in this episode, Joli Rouge, from a song of that name by the Dreadnoughts. It’s got a really fun video that think you should check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yeh1S_kl8YI.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and South Guard.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS349 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Is Where the Heart Is | Part 3 of 5
Sun, 22 Dec 2024 08:00:43 +0000
Mariah and Cleve meet with Shu-Fen about unseating Nwabudike Morgan.
Coming out to someone you care about is rarely easy. Mariah and Fritz each take a risk here in being open, and fortunately it works out for them. Scene 14 of this arc hits close to home for several of us at Dicey Stories. If someone comes out to you, please believe them and try to be supportive. Thank you.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS348 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Overwintering | Part 6 of 6
Wed, 18 Dec 2024 08:00:02 +0000
Tric and Heppa pay the dwarves of Untdunben another visit.
There are no trains in the Battle for Wesnoth video game, at least not any of the campaigns I’ve played. So why do these dwarves have a train? Well, while contemplating this rematch with the dwarves of Untdunben, I rolled on the Mythic GM Emulator’s event meaning tables for inspiration and got Develop and Vehicle. Mining tracks are well-established in the video game, so I decided they weren’t all for carts—some were for trains.
Oh, and if you’re interested in the songs that you heard snippets of from Tric’s player, one was On the Railroad by The Longest Johns (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udICE0keewk), and the other was an American folk song called Red Iron Ore. We like the version performed by Bob Gibson (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbt6_gmAfqE).
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS347 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Is Where the Heart Is | Part 2 of 5
Sun, 15 Dec 2024 08:00:41 +0000
All is not well at the shop of Fritz the Tailor.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS346 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Overwintering | Part 5 of 6
Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:00:08 +0000
Tric and Heppa negotiate with saurians.
This arc, we used a number of video game units to help flesh out our story. Tric imagined Breda as an Elvish Captain. Quemilya’s magic theory discussion was influenced by the Sorceress write-up, as Tric’s training is by the one for the Elvish Lord. And some of the rapid-seeming changes in the society of our short-lived saurian allies came from the descriptions and artwork of such units as Skirmisher, Ambusher, and Soothsayer. Some cultural details are pulled from the general overview of saurians on the Wesnoth wiki, but I put my own spin on them.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS345 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Dome Is Where the Heart Is | Part 1 of 5
Sun, 08 Dec 2024 08:00:53 +0000
Mariah and Cleve get unexpected help reaching the main Morgan dome.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS344 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Overwintering | Part 4 of 6
Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:00:05 +0000
Tric and Heppa return to the Foul Fen.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS343 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: All at Sea | Part 4 of 4
Sun, 01 Dec 2024 08:00:36 +0000
Pastor Thara shows off the wreckage of the colony pod.
This is the first we hear of Pravin Lal, who you might know as another faction leader from the Alpha Centauri video game. There, he leads the Peacekeepers, a democratic group devoted to the original Unity ideals. In our game, it remains to be seen what kind of society he heads.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS342 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Overwintering | Part 3 of 6
Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:00:02 +0000
Tric begins training in preparation for his future as an elvish lord.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS341 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: All at Sea | Part 3 of 4
Sun, 24 Nov 2024 08:00:08 +0000
The current inhabitants of Cliff Island are not thrilled to have visitors.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS340 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Overwintering | Part 2 of 6
Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:51 +0000
Thrandolil’s research begins to cause disquiet in the young elves who have been performing his field work.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS339 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: All at Sea | Part 2 of 4
Sun, 17 Nov 2024 08:00:10 +0000
Mariah and Cleve explore Cliff Island with a ranger and an ensign.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS338 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Overwintering | Part 1 of 6
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:00:50 +0000
Tric and Heppa return home with presents and news of the wider world.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and South Guard. There are also references to A War of Life and Death, a User-Made Content campaign.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS337 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: All at Sea | Part 1 of 4
Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:00:28 +0000
Cleve and Mariah leave the Garden of Chiron aboard Xiao’s ship.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS336 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: After Party | Part 6 of 6
Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:00:23 +0000
Tric continues to clash with his mother but grows closer to Kachen.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS335 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Pruning the Garden | Part 6 of 6
Sun, 03 Nov 2024 08:00:22 +0000
Datajack Prime holds talks with the Stepdaughters of Chiron council to work out the details of the new alliance.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS334 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: After Party | Part 5 of 6
Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:00:28 +0000
The cleanup of South Tower begins.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS333 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Pruning the Garden | Part 5 of 6
Sun, 27 Oct 2024 08:00:35 +0000
Mariah reflects on recent events and what they have taught him about himself.
This episode depicts a mental health counseling session. Mariah has recently been through an incredibly traumatic experience. While he makes progress in a single session here, in real life, a breakthrough can take months or more. Therapy can be constructive in many situations; don’t be reluctant to seek help.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS332 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: After Party | Part 4 of 6
Wed, 23 Oct 2024 08:00:31 +0000
Tric and Heppa clash with the Rats again.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS331 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Pruning the Garden | Part 4 of 6
Sun, 20 Oct 2024 08:00:52 +0000
After helping train a xenodragon, Mariah and Cleve visit Sal to learn about some prophecies.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS330 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: After Party | Part 3 of 6
Wed, 16 Oct 2024 08:00:33 +0000
The city of South Tower burns.
Note: This episode uses mechanics detailed in Skill Adventures by David Shamp, available from the Genesys Foundry on DriveThruRPG.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS329 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Pruning the Garden | Part 3 of 6
Sun, 13 Oct 2024 08:00:54 +0000
An attempt to view the prophecies of the Cult of Chiron does not go as intended.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS328 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: After Party | Part 2 of 6
Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:00:36 +0000
Tric and Heppa learn more about Kachen’s recent activities and his past with Rhaessa.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS327 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Pruning the Garden | Part 2 of 6
Sun, 06 Oct 2024 08:00:36 +0000
Mariah holds a wide-ranging conversation with Deirdre’s son Jack.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS326 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: After Party | Part 1 of 6
Wed, 02 Oct 2024 08:00:30 +0000
Alric, Heppa, Tric, and Glammur entertain themselves at South Tower’s After Harvest Festival.
The players really enjoyed the Full Bloom festival early in our campaign, so I decided to give them a chance to experience another. Inspiration came from a lot of places. For one, there are the youtube videos by Pupsi where he carves vegetables into ocarinas and then plays pop music. Check out his performance of Africa by Toto. Another inspiration was a renaissance faire, where Danielle and I saw a melon catapult years ago. The shoveling part of the pitchfork competition was inspired by a sand shoveling competition we saw at another fair. The throwing part was because in the Battle for Wesnoth video game the Peasant unit has a ranged attack with the pitchfork in addition to a melee attack.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS325 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Pruning the Garden | Part 1 of 6
Sun, 29 Sep 2024 08:00:10 +0000
Cleve and Xiao meet with the mysterious rangers.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS324 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 9 of 9
Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:00:40 +0000
Additional allies arrive to join the fight against shadow mage Godol and his Rat confederates.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS323 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 12 of 12
Sun, 22 Sep 2024 08:00:58 +0000
The Prophet of Chiron and some followers pay Mariah a visit at the hospital.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS322 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 8 of 9
Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:00:38 +0000
The elves and their allies clash with Godol the shadow mage and his.
Most of the NPCs in the fight today are units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game that we’ve already seen in earlier encounters, like Ruffians, Shadow Mages, and Efa the Bandit. The only new one here is Tric’s merfolk friends, who are based on the Netcaster line.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS321 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 11 of 12
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 08:00:02 +0000
Cleve and Marina secure proper care for Mariah.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS320 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 7 of 9
Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:00:28 +0000
Rhaessa and Heledd join Tric and Heppa in their investigation of necromancers underneath South Tower.
The exploration of the space under South Tower was heavily inspired by combat maps from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Cave terrain frequently has mushroom tiles, mining cart tracks, and old fortifications. And if you see a big stretch of water, you can be pretty sure a Tentacle of the Deep is lurking in it to attack any of your units that get too close!
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS319 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 10 of 12
Sun, 08 Sep 2024 08:00:03 +0000
With the help of a mysterious ranger, Mariah’s friends keep him out of harm’s way.
Rangers, in our game, are actually based on embassy guards. Some countries require their guards to all have a uniform appearance, even down to strict height limits. Inspiration really can come from anywhere.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS318 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 6 of 9
Wed, 04 Sep 2024 08:00:48 +0000
Tric catches up some with Kachen and gets to know the new server at the Parting Glass.
Note: This episode uses an adaptation of our Fight Night rules. Find them here.
In this episode, we finally get a scene that closely resembles our campaign artwork! When we commissioned the piece from Del Borovic the tableau was chosen simply to get a bunch of our major characters all together in a location that was important to us. It was six more months before I was able to orchestrate all the pieces coming together at the game table. The only inaccuracy is that Kachen has his staff in the illustration. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS317 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 9 of 12
Sun, 01 Sep 2024 08:00:05 +0000
The briar beasts make their move to consume Mariah.
Note: The battle started in today's episode continues in next week's. From a writing standpoint, it made sense to combine Mariah's viewpoint into one scene, and the exterior viewpoint into another. So if you read this write-up, you'll get some spoilers for next episode and you'll also notice things from this episode are missing if Mariah didn't observe them.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS316 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 5 of 9
Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:00:47 +0000
Tric recruits the white mage Rhaessa to help with whatever foul magics are afoot beneath South Tower.
In the Battle for Wesnoth video game, there are undead units whose attacks have the plague quality. Any unit killed by one of these rises again as a Walking Corpse—unless they were standing in a village when it happened. I’ve taken that video game mechanic and translated it into some more magical philosophy, to appease the constantly questioning Hepalonia.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS315 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 8 of 12
Sun, 25 Aug 2024 08:00:06 +0000
Mariah is finally reunited with his friends, but that doesn’t solve all his problems.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS314 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 4 of 9
Wed, 21 Aug 2024 08:00:08 +0000
Kachen shares a little of what he was up to over the summer.
In the Battle for Wesnoth video game, the only mainline unit with teleportation is the Silver Mage. They are able to move between villages that their side controls. In terms of the battle map, that means any villages flying their side’s flag. I’ve translated that mechanic into the bit of magical philosophy we encounter here: that for risk-free teleportation, one must travel between places of safety. The video game’s artwork for the staff of the Silver Mage is also what inspired the description of Kachen’s staff we gave the artist.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS313 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 7 of 12
Sun, 18 Aug 2024 08:00:07 +0000
All of Dr. Yerin Gupta’s plans come crashing down around her.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS312 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 3 of 9
Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:00:04 +0000
Tric and Heppa deal with a late night intruder.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS311 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 6 of 12
Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:00:09 +0000
Briar beasts run rampant in the Garden of Chiron.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS310 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 2 of 9
Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:00:01 +0000
Tric reconnects with some of the Dunefolk of South Tower, but neither his mother nor Damal are terribly impressed with him.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS309 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 5 of 12
Sun, 04 Aug 2024 08:00:10 +0000
Mariah remonstrates with his captor.
Note: In this episode, you’ll once again hear us using social material and maneuver mechanics that come from a Genesys supplement called I Declare! Adjudicated Social Encounters for Genesys by Micah-Shalom “FatCrab” Kesselman. You can find it on the Genesys Foundry at DriveThruRPG here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/349232/I-Declare.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS308 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Old Haunts | Part 1 of 9
Wed, 31 Jul 2024 08:00:06 +0000
Upon returning to the Parting Glass, Heppa delivers to Alric the message from his parents in Weldyn.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Liberty. There are also references to Dead Water.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS307 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 4 of 12
Sun, 28 Jul 2024 08:00:11 +0000
Mariah’s reunion with his old friend Deirdre does not go as smoothly as Cleve’s reunion with Roze did.
When we describe Mariah’s view of the sunset-lit world as featuring diamonds, and an ocean of islands, and a forest deep and silent, we’re quoting there from Mariah’s theme song, which is “Rivers in the Light” by Tide Lines. Cleve’s player does not tend to associate songs with her characters, but when asked about one, she jokingly suggested “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, a very apt song indeed for the fatalistic Cleve.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS306 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 7 of 7
Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:00:10 +0000
Tric and Heppa bid farewell to Terwaen’s household with several revealing conversations.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS305 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 3 of 12
Sun, 21 Jul 2024 08:00:12 +0000
Marina takes Cleve and Mariah to the Stepdaughters of Chiron council building.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS304 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 6 of 7
Wed, 17 Jul 2024 08:00:11 +0000
Tric duels Dame Merriver.
Note: This episode uses our Fight Night rules. Find them here.
The Battle for Wesnoth video game inspired a lot of specific events and NPCs in our tabletop campaign. I leaned heavily on the closing events of the Eastern Invasion campaign, even quoting from the epilogue where Gweddry and Owaec are granted their rewards. But one specific part of the video game’s lore that stood out to me was that the period after the war with Mal-Ravanal is considered Wesnoth’s Silver Age—but it only lasts the length of King Konrad II’s reign. Why did the Silver Age end? Why did Wesnoth fall to ruin again after that? Well, one outlandish theory from my players was that Konrad II had actually died long before history records it, and various nobles were keeping that a secret. That idea is what led to Merriver’s righteous rage about the treatment of her father in court.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS303 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 2 of 12
Sun, 14 Jul 2024 08:00:14 +0000
Some among the Stepdaughters of Chiron prove less easy to get along with than craws are.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS302 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 5 of 7
Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:00:13 +0000
Tric and Heppa talk with Dame Merriver about threats to the kingdom… and her illicit weapon shipments.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS301 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Whatever It Takes | Part 1 of 12
Sun, 07 Jul 2024 08:00:15 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Marina visit with some farmers on the outskirts of Stepdaughters of Chiron territory.
The description of the farm in this episode is actually inspired by alter eco chocolate bars. The inside of the packaging has a labeled graphic of regenerative agriculture in practice, which we thought fit very well with the ethos of the Stepdaughters of Chiron. Creative inspiration for TTRPGs can come from anywhere!
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS300 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 4 of 7
Wed, 03 Jul 2024 08:00:14 +0000
Sir Anyc shows Tric and Heppa around and presents them to Dame Merriver.
Dame Merriver is a character we’ve had floating around our campaign from way, way back. All the rumors and theories about her is what inspired me to give her the special ability Ominous Reputation. She also has a theme song in my campaign playlist, which I would play on repeat while pondering what makes her tick. It’s Ye Jacobites, specifically as performed by the group Scocha. The energy it has—the feeling of righteous anger at a political situation—fits her quite nicely.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS299 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Monsoon Jungle | Part 6 of 6
Sun, 30 Jun 2024 08:00:08 +0000
The team debates how to handle the remaining demon craw.
In humans, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a crucial treatment for situations like menopause or gender transition. Personally, HRT helped me become myself for the first time. For Checkerboard, the proposed HRT regimen might help her undo the Progenitor abuse.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS298 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 3 of 7
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 08:00:16 +0000
Tric and Heppa learn of some tensions within Terwaen’s household… and within her people.
There are a number of mounted units in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. In preparation for this arc, I reviewed their descriptions and artwork for inspiration. Terwaen and Anyc are Knights, and Rugg and Inyc are Paladins. While not every unit type has an NPC in our game, there are still discussions of Grand Knights, Horsemen, and Lancers to give more flavor to the culture of the Horse Plains. And for orcish forces, the mounted units are the Wolf Rider line. Those are just talked about around the dinner table here, but don’t worry, we’ll see them eventually.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS297 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Monsoon Jungle | Part 5 of 6
Sun, 23 Jun 2024 08:00:01 +0000
The team deals with the repercussions of Dr. Citali’s errant pistol shot.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS296 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 2 of 7
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:00:20 +0000
Tric and Heppa are welcomed to Terwaen’s home.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS295 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Monsoon Jungle | Part 4 of 6
Sun, 16 Jun 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Demon craws attack.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS294 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Plains Problems | Part 1 of 7
Wed, 12 Jun 2024 08:00:46 +0000
As they approach Terwaen’s village, Tric and Heppa befriend a knight after observing a duel.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Heir to the Throne. There are also references to Northern Rebirth.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS293 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Monsoon Jungle | Part 3 of 6
Sun, 09 Jun 2024 08:00:57 +0000
The Progenitor research facility holds a few surprises.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS292 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 7 of 7
Wed, 05 Jun 2024 08:00:44 +0000
Heppa and Tric study Mal-Vektor’s staff—which is almost as dangerous as the man himself.
We won’t be seeing Ash and Aglana again in this campaign—at least not together as a couple. So I’ll take this opportunity to fill in some of the backstory that informs their behavior, but that didn’t get stated openly at the gaming table because our loveable PCs actually showed some discretion!
Aglana is the child of the main character in the Battle for Wesnoth Dead Water campaign, a princess among the merfolk, and her being in a relationship with an elf would not be approved there. That’s one of the reasons Ash keeps quiet about her when around elves. In addition, her comment that she is not to put herself at risk is because of her royal standing. Aglana comes to the rivers of the Heart Mountains to get away from all the expectations put on her by her family.
And Ash… Well, Ash is the first RPG character that I intentionally designed to be asexual. Ash entered our storyline in October of 2021 (yes, you’re listening to some real archive footage here! I’m recording this commentary in April of 2024). It would be a few more months before I figured myself out enough to talk with my spouse about how the term asexual applied to me. Making Ash was a helpful exercise for me, a chance to inhabit a character who felt romantic attraction to someone, but not sexual attraction. I love that RPGs give us that kind of space, to explore different interaction styles, different personalities, different intelligences, different ways of being human (even if you’re playing a non-human).
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS291 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Monsoon Jungle | Part 2 of 6
Sun, 02 Jun 2024 08:00:52 +0000
Their new friends lead Mariah, Cleve, and Marina to a Progenitor ruin.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS290 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 6 of 7
Wed, 29 May 2024 08:00:45 +0000
The elves extract what information they can from their necromancer prisoner.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS289 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Monsoon Jungle | Part 1 of 6
Sun, 26 May 2024 08:00:02 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Marina face some unexpectedly tough negotiators.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS288 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 5 of 7
Wed, 22 May 2024 08:00:47 +0000
A necromancer joins the battle against the elves.
As usual, I got my inspiration for NPCs from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. I prepped Giant Spider and Yeti encounters, since those are units found in caves and mountains. I also wanted to broaden the range of undead my players had to deal with, and so I turned to a unit line we hadn’t yet seen: Ghoul to Necrophage to Ghast. Mal Vektor’s appearance is based on the art for the Necromancer, no surprise there. And then, of course, there’s Aglana. I really like the Dead Water campaign—it’s one of the few that I can reliably complete!—and there weren’t going to be many places to involve merfolk in our tabletop campaign, so I seized this opportunity. I combined aspects of Mermaid Priestess and Mermaid Enchantress to develop her look and powers. And yes, in the Battle for Wesnoth video game, merfolk are incapable of moving on mountain terrain tiles.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS287 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Reformatting Data Haven | Part 5 of 5
Sun, 19 May 2024 08:00:47 +0000
Data Haven enacts its plans to slow down Morgan’s Planetary Security Force.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS286 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 4 of 7
Wed, 15 May 2024 08:00:42 +0000
When Tric, Heppa, and Ash return to the scene of their last fight, they find that the situation has grown more dire.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS285 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Reformatting Data Haven | Part 4 of 5
Sun, 12 May 2024 08:00:49 +0000
The Council of Datajacks deliberates on action against Morgan Industries and alliance with the Stepdaughters of Chiron.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS284 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 3 of 7
Wed, 08 May 2024 08:00:40 +0000
Before reengaging the undead threat in the caves, Tric and Heppa develop a plan with Ash and Aglana.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS283 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Reformatting Data Haven | Part 3 of 5
Sun, 05 May 2024 08:00:51 +0000
Political talks continue in Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS282 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 2 of 7
Wed, 01 May 2024 08:00:38 +0000
At their request, Ash takes Tric and Heppa big game hunting for a giant spider, but the cave system holds more significant dangers than just webs and venom.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS281 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Reformatting Data Haven | Part 2 of 5
Sun, 28 Apr 2024 08:00:53 +0000
Cleve and Mariah begin recruiting for the new Data Haven council and sounding people out on how to stop Morgan’s Planetary Security Force.
You might notice how often characters in this arc talk about “vendettas.” In the Alpha Centauri video games, factions don’t “declare war.” To fit the sci-fi theming, they declare “vendetta” against each other. In both the video game and our campaign, however, the meaning is official violent conflict.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS280 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Heart Mountains | Part 1 of 7
Wed, 24 Apr 2024 08:00:27 +0000
Heppa deviates from Ash’s carefully chosen path as he leads her and Tric up into the Heart Mountains.
While preparing for this arc, I studied up on the Mountain Travel section in Skill Adventures by David Shamp, available from the Genesys Foundry on DriveThruRPG. It gave me some ideas for ways different skills could come in handy during a travel montage and directly inspired the scene with Butterbell the pony almost falling off the cliff.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Dead Water. There are also references to Northern Rebirth.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS279 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Reformatting Data Haven | Part 1 of 5
Sun, 21 Apr 2024 08:00:37 +0000
Cleve makes deliveries around Data Haven while Mariah recovers from his injuries.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS278 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wesmere Welcome | Part 6 of 6
Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:00:05 +0000
Extended family helps Heppa with her corruption and Tric with taking on the mantle of his noble heritage.
As usual, many NPCs in this arc are derived from units in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Ash is an Avenger, and with Ruthiel, we get our first Shyde, the ultimate unit in the Druid line in the mainline game. User-made content campaigns have a ton more units, though. Soliana is thus a Star, a non-mainline step above Shyde.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS277 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 10 of 10
Sun, 14 Apr 2024 08:00:02 +0000
In which the dangers of siege worms are made completely clear.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS276 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wesmere Welcome | Part 5 of 6
Wed, 10 Apr 2024 08:00:09 +0000
Heppa seeks guidance from Soliana, an elf steeped in knowledge of fae magic.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS275 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 9 of 10
Sun, 07 Apr 2024 08:00:08 +0000
On the way back to Data Haven, the group comes across some ominous remains.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS274 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wesmere Welcome | Part 4 of 6
Wed, 03 Apr 2024 08:00:18 +0000
Tric and Heppa present the needs of the Grey Woods woses to the most prestigious elvish council of all, the Ka’lian.
This whole episode with the Ka’lian is very much indebted to A War of Life and Death by Mystical_Warlord. In that non-mainline campaign for the Battle for Wesnoth video game, Scenario 13 sees the primary character, Lord Ardonath, asking the Ka’lian for aid. I took NPC names—and to some extent, personalities—from that conversation. Aolis, Theodmer, Gaelira, Soliana—they’re all from that scenario. Neia, who we met earlier this arc, is too.
One other thing I’ll add about our meeting with the Ka’lian… If you are familiar with the “BOOST” series in the Genesys Foundry at DriveThruRPG, you might recognize it. I used this encounter as the basis for my submission to BOOST #7, Modular Encounters, where I gave tips for running a similar encounter and adapting it to different settings. BOOST stands for Book of Online Sourced Triumphs, by the way. They’re a variety of community-built resources for Genesys, and they’re free to download from DriveThruRPG.
https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/390112/boost-7-modular-encounters
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Liberty. There are also references to Eastern Invasion and to Crin of Crenlyn, a User-Made Content campaign.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS273 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 8 of 10
Sun, 31 Mar 2024 08:00:09 +0000
Reunited, Cleve and Mariah patch each other up and share information on their new contacts.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS272 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wesmere Welcome | Part 3 of 6
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:00:26 +0000
Tric and Heppa enjoy a dance party with the young elves of Wesmere and then cookies with their grandparents.
The special items gifted to Tric and Heppa were created with input from the players on what type of item they were interested in. Tric’s player wanted something stealth-related, and since the shadow ring turned out to be too creepy, I created the cowl. Its description is based on the artwork for the Elvish Avenger unit in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. I asked Heppa’s player what type of magic she wanted made easier for her character, and based on what she said, I designed the thorny bramble wand.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS271 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 7 of 10
Sun, 24 Mar 2024 08:00:11 +0000
Mariah and Cleve find different ways out of the dome.
It was a spur of the moment decision to have Fritz be the same character as Morris. The tailor was intended as a single-scene NPC, but Mariah took a liking to him. This was the perfect place to bring him back and showcase a consensual encounter. But who knows what fate has in store for these binary-star–crossed lovers?
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS270 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wesmere Welcome | Part 2 of 6
Wed, 20 Mar 2024 08:00:30 +0000
Tric and Heppa get acquainted with an unexpected new relative.
In this episode, we meet Ash, an NPC who holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons I’ll get into more some time in the future. But for now, I’ll share that Ash sneaking around Carcyn on the way to the Grey Woods without being spotted by humans is akin to Hide and Seek, Scenario 5 of the mainline campaign Liberty. Ash is an Avenger, which is a unit from the Battle for Wesnoth video game, one step above a Ranger.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS269 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 6 of 10
Sun, 17 Mar 2024 08:00:13 +0000
An unexpected additional rescue opportunity presents itself.
The University of Chiron in our tabletop game is a mix of University of Planet and Lord’s Believers from the Alpha Centauri video game. This melding of science and religion was itself inspired by the Supremacy affinity in Beyond Earth. Supremacy is highly technological but uses religious names for most in-game units. Time will tell how this new faction interacts with Data Haven and the Stepdaughters of Chiron.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS268 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wesmere Welcome | Part 1 of 6
Wed, 13 Mar 2024 08:00:28 +0000
Newly arrived in Wesmere, Tric and Heppa settle in and meet Neia, an ambitious young shaman.
In this episode, we meet Neia, a character from the User-Made Content campaign A War of Life and Death, and the information she shares with Tric and Heppa is basically a summary of that campaign. We also get our first look at Wesmere. As the home of the Ka’lian, the most prestigious elvish council, this forest is a pretty big deal. It has its own paragraph on the Geography of Wesnoth reference page on the video game’s wiki. That’s where I got the names for its villages and other prominent features. The description of the Ka’lian itself, to come in a future episode, is based on how it appears on battle maps.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion, Liberty, The Rise of Wesnoth, and A War of Life and Death, a User-Made Content campaign by Mystical_Warlord. There are also references to Heir to the Throne and The Sceptre of Fire.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS267 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 5 of 10
Sun, 10 Mar 2024 08:00:51 +0000
Mariah and Arx search for a way out of the Hospital for Experimental Miasma Treatment.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS266 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 7 of 7
Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000
Bruised and battered, Tric and Heppa leave the Grey Woods for Wesmere, bearers of the woses’ call for aid.
The first Wesmere elf we meet, Filvarel, is a minor character from Scene 13 of A War of Life and Death by Mystical_Warlord. This user-made campaign has many more types of units than mainline Battle for Wesnoth, and Filvarel is one of those, an Elvish Guardian. The description of his appearance and equipment is based partly on the art that was in the video game when I played it. I also wanted to indicate that Wesmere was a more industrially developed forest than Estbryn. We’ll be meeting a lot more characters from A War of Life and Death in the next arc, including more non-baseline units.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS265 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 4 of 10
Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:40 +0000
Mariah gets Arx released from Dr. Bingyi Khan’s care.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS264 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 6 of 7
Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:15 +0000
Society of Shadow remnants clash with Tric and Heppa deep in the Grey Woods.
This combat features more units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Donella, like Efa, is styled after the Bandit and was fighting alongside a Poacher. In the video game, the Bandit has a morningstar attack, while the Poacher has both a bow and a dagger. The new type of undead in this combat is a Wraith, and yes, in addition to its blade, it does have a wail attack in the video game.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS263 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 3 of 10
Sun, 25 Feb 2024 08:00:22 +0000
Cleve and Mariah overcome physical and emotional challenges on their way to the hospital where Arx is imprisoned.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS262 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 5 of 7
Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:28 +0000
Following the fight against Gaenyn, Tric and Heppa return to the Society of Shadow encampment to ensure no stragglers linger.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS261 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 2 of 10
Sun, 18 Feb 2024 08:00:23 +0000
Cleve and Mariah attract some unanticipated attention during the Planetfall Day festivities.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS260 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 4 of 7
Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:26 +0000
The shadow mages launch their ambush… as do the elves and woses.
One of the inspirations for setting our tabletop Wesnoth game in the aftermath of Mal-Ravanal’s war was me playing through A War of Life and Death, a User-Made Content campaign by Mystical_Warlord. It is set in a similar timeframe, and at the very end of this arc, we’ll even meet a character from it. The caravan attack in today’s episode was heavily inspired by its Scenario 15.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS259 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Excising Arx | Part 1 of 10
Sun, 11 Feb 2024 08:00:50 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Takuto enter the main dome of Morgan Industries.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS258 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 3 of 7
Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:12 +0000
Tric and Heppa gain further insight into forbidden magic and the corruption that the woses can sense in the Grey Woods.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS257 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Cryopod Caper | Part 4 of 4
Sun, 04 Feb 2024 08:00:54 +0000
Cleve, Mariah, and Takuto explore a Progenitor wreck.
This is the first real look we have at Progenitor technology and design. In the Sid Meier’s Alien Crossfire expansion, these aliens have lost some of their technology and are relatively peers with the human factions. On our Chiron, however, we only see ruins.
To design this little prison block, I worked backward. I wanted Progenitors to be relatively large yet not just big humans. I took inspiration not only from the video game, but also from the Overlords in Arthur C. Clarke’s novel, Childhood’s End. They will likely remain mysterious for some time; how big a role they play in the overall campaign is yet to be seen.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS256 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 2 of 7
Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:11 +0000
Ulf introduces Tric and Heppa to Gaenyn, the leader of the shadow mages, who has uncomfortable ideas about how he and the elves might collaborate.
Our Society of Shadow grew out of the shadow mages from the mainline campaign Liberty in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Gaenyn’s physical appearance is based on the artwork for Shadow Lord Helicrom, the leader of those shadow mages. Unlike other human mage units, Shadow Mages have swords, which is why I gave Gaenyn one.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS255 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Cryopod Caper | Part 3 of 4
Sun, 28 Jan 2024 08:00:34 +0000
Mariah and Cleve negotiate for the right to recover data from their cryobeds.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS254 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Society of Shadow | Part 1 of 7
Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:54 +0000
Ulf guides Tric and Heppa through the Grey Woods.
When preparing for this arc, I scoured the mainline campaigns of the Battle for Wesnoth for any mention of the Grey Woods. There are battles there in both Liberty and Secrets of the Ancients. We’ve already seen ideas from Scenario 6 of Liberty in all the clues that have been dropped about the Society of Shadow. Secrets of the Ancients is set much farther back in Wesnoth history, but I was able to bring in a witness to those events because woses are so long-lived. The elf Isthiniel that Dolmathengalin speaks of comes from the introduction to Scenario 12 of that campaign. The main character of Secrets of the Ancients goes by Ardonna and Ardryn-Na; we mention her a few times, too.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Liberty and Secrets of the Ancients. There are also references to Eastern Invasion, and I took inspiration from A War of Life and Death, a User-Made Content campaign by Mystical_Warlord.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS253 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Cryopod Caper | Part 2 of 4
Sun, 21 Jan 2024 08:00:45 +0000
Morgan Prospecting’s activities at the crash site do not go unnoticed.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS252 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Downtime in Dan’Tonk | Part 4 of 4
Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:42 +0000
At the pottery market on the outskirts of Dan’Tonk, Tric and Heppa bump into an old acquaintance who is able to help them with the next stage of their journey through Wesnoth.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS251 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: The Cryopod Caper | Part 1 of 4
Sun, 14 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Takuto head out on a recovery job for Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS250 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Downtime in Dan’Tonk | Part 3 of 4
Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:47 +0000
Tric and Heppa learn about a previous Manu expedition to the Sandy Wastes. Then they round out their Dunefolk education by attending a morning of Dune School.
The Dune School scene in this episode is based on the experiences of some of my childhood friends. I’m not close enough to my forebears' cultural heritage to have attended any myself, being a fourth generation American. But I had friends who spent weekend mornings at Polish school or Hebrew school or Chinese school, learning the associated languages and traditions. I drew on stories of those experiences to design the Dune School scene, and I populated it with bits and pieces of lore discussed on the Battle for Wesnoth forums.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS249 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Defragging Data Haven | Part 4 of 4
Sun, 07 Jan 2024 08:00:55 +0000
Takuto makes his case for going on the next trip out of Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS248 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Downtime in Dan’Tonk | Part 2 of 4
Wed, 03 Jan 2024 08:00:43 +0000
Tric and Heppa spend time in Dan’Tonk’s Dunefolk quarter meeting with the glassmaker, the weaver, and the falconer/scribe.
The Luminary Council and Paragon Council, as presented in this episode, had their origins in a discussion of potential Dunefolk politics on the Battle for Wesnoth forums (https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=52367). I took some of those ideas and spun them out into what you see in our campaign. This session was played in July of 2021. In the time since, the Luminary became an actual unit with the release of Battle for Wesnoth version 1.16. It’s a level 3 unit, the pinnacle of the Herbalist line and the strongest Dunefolk healing unit. In our game world, however, a Luminary is a sufficiently advanced artisan, a leader in one of the scientific disciplines. Similarly, the Paragon is now an actual unit—a powerful level 4 fighting unit separate from any of the other unit lines.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS247 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Defragging Data Haven | Part 3 of 4
Sun, 31 Dec 2023 08:00:51 +0000
Roze shares information gleaned from the network node job.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS246 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Downtime in Dan’Tonk | Part 1 of 4
Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:00:17 +0000
A travel montage gets Tric and Heppa from the Wesnoth capital Weldyn to its largest city, Dan’Tonk.
If you listen to as much folk music as I do, you may recognize the name Lily the Pink. I heard it on an album from the Irish Rovers. I don’t consider it a fabulous song, but it was the perfect source for a spur-of-the-moment charlatan NPC. I thought it was particularly apt because two major streams of magic in Wesnoth are white and red, and pink is a combination of those two.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Liberty. There are also references to Eastern Invasion and to Crin of Crenlyn, a User-Made Content campaign.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS245 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Defragging Data Haven | Part 2 of 4
Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:26 +0000
Mariah spends time in the medical center while Cleve helps Tenoch with expedition equipment.
Tenoch’s rover is a direct copy of the Alpha Centauri video game rover. It does look something like a futuristic, more aerodynamic jeep that’s fully sealed. For Mariah and Cleve it means faster and safer transportation through the wilderness. As anyone who’s owned a car can relate, however, a vehicle can come with its own set of troubles.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS244 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Whirlwind Tour of Weldyn | Part 5 of 5
Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000
Tric and Heppa enjoy a spooky nighttime ghost tour of the battlefields around Weldyn.
The Battle for Wesnoth mainline campaign Eastern Invasion can end one of two ways: a giant battlefield or a private duel. I decided to make both versions of Scenario 17 true as far as the history of our tabletop campaign is concerned. I use details from those in the ghost tour. Many of the units from the video game also fed into those descriptions, such as Paladin, Mage of the Light, Shadow, and Nightgaunt—the latter two are the scarecrow-like members of the Ghost line.
Note: The audio for this episode also includes events that really belong with the start of the next arc, so their write-up will be released with that.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS243 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Defragging Data Haven | Part 1 of 4
Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000
Mariah and Cleve return to Data Haven along with Corazon, Dr. Citali, and their prizes.
The discussion of what’s edible and how to process different foods is lightly inspired by the Alpha Centauri video game. In that, xenofungus tiles only produce food and other benefits after extensive research—except for the faction that inspired our Stepdaughters of Chiron. In our game, the characters have to work out what changes to the environment (or to themselves) they need to make. Finding that balance and blending is an ongoing theme of the campaign.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS242 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Whirlwind Tour of Weldyn | Part 4 of 5
Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000
Tric and Heppa share a meal with Alric’s parents and learn more about the Manu clan.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS241 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Network Node | Part 6 of 6
Sun, 10 Dec 2023 08:00:39 +0000
After Mariah and Cleve get rid of the repo squad, they encounter another familiar face out in the wilds of Chiron.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS240 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Whirlwind Tour of Weldyn | Part 3 of 5
Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000
For the first time in their lives, Tric and Heppa meet an elf not of Estbryn Forest.
Sir Deoran is the primary protagonist of the South Guard mainline campaign of the Battle for Wesnoth video game. In Scenario 5, he is given the choice to ally with human bandits or with the elf Ethiliel, who has already lent him aid. For the purposes of our story, he made the latter choice. In the video game, she’s a Shyde unit, but given what she’s experienced in the years since, I have her as a Sylph here, more an attacking unit than a defending one. If you ally with Ethiliel in the South Guard, the campaign ends with Scenario 8a, which has her in conflict with the Elvish Outrider Eltenmir, while the Elvish Marshal Ithelden is supportive of her. In my imaginings, Ithelden was the leader of the Aethenwood council, and once he was taken out of the picture, Eltenmir seized power and exiled Ethiliel for her “betrayal” in siding with the humans against an elf. After that point, there was on-and-off open conflict with the humans, which included the battles Knots and the Beard participated in.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS239 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Network Node | Part 5 of 6
Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:00:37 +0000
As they prepare to head back to Data Haven with their prizes, Mariah, Cleve, and Corazon share some pieces of their pasts.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS238 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Whirlwind Tour of Weldyn | Part 2 of 5
Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000
Tric and Heppa meet Alric’s parents, a papermaker and a falconer.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS237 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Network Node | Part 4 of 6
Sun, 26 Nov 2023 08:00:47 +0000
The team deals with Mariah’s sudden collapse.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS236 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Whirlwind Tour of Weldyn | Part 1 of 5
Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:20 +0000
Tric and Heppa arrive in Weldyn, the capital of Wesnoth, but not without a minor magical mishap first.
The Battle for Wesnoth video game is a tactical turn-based strategy game that also involves some resource management. Each unit needs to be paid its level in gold every turn. The standard day/night cycle has six parts: dawn, morning, afternoon, dusk, first watch, and second watch. This is the source of my payment schedule for mercenaries in Rhodri’s caravan. The day/night cycle also provides bonuses or penalties to units based on their alignment. The four alignments are chaotic, neutral, lawful, and liminal. Most elvish units are neutral (getting no bonuses), and most Dunefolk units are liminal (getting bonuses at dawn and dusk). So you may sometimes hear us reference those things. I don’t hew closely to it in my adversary stat blocks, but sometimes it results in a setback here or a boost there.
This arc contains major spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign The South Guard, and of course spoilers for Eastern Invasion. There are also references to the Rise of Wesnoth and Heir to the Throne.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS235 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Network Node | Part 3 of 6
Sun, 19 Nov 2023 08:00:45 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Corazon assault Morgan’s network node and encounter some unexpected phenomena.
Network Nodes are an adaptation from Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. In the video game, it’s the first building which boosts science output. In our setting, with miasma cutting off long range communications, cable must be physically laid. Similar to old telegraph repeater stations, our Network Node is a data relay, ensuring communication can flow over a physical cable.
The Morgan Autonomous Security-Trons, however, aren’t from anything in particular. Because of the miasma, there wouldn’t be human guards, nor remote operation. So the robots have to manage a variety of situations with limited artificial intelligence. And yet, somehow Morgan Robotics still found enough power to compute debt on the fly.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS234 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Caravan Shenanigans | Part 6 of 6
Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:41 +0000
Following the ambush, Tric and Heppa get to know Knots and the Beard a bit better.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS233 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Network Node | Part 2 of 6
Sun, 12 Nov 2023 08:00:43 +0000
Cleve guides Mariah and Corazon through the wilderness to Morgan’s network node.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS232 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Caravan Shenanigans | Part 5 of 6
Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:00:31 +0000
Tric and Heppa deal with ambush clean-up.
Once again, units from the video game informed NPCs in this arc. Tomos was a perfect vehicle for leaking more information on Kachen. He is very much based on the basic human Mage. The nagas at the ambush were based on the basic Naga Fighter, except for Zlek, the Naga Myrmidon. Even the environmental hazard of the Mudcrawler was from a video game unit. The fun part of Knots and the Beard for me was getting to show off Genesys talents that my players would never take. However, they are the rare characters in this campaign not drawn from a Wesnoth unit. As far as I know, there are no dual-sword wielders or axe-and-shield fighters among the human units.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS231 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Network Node | Part 1 of 6
Sun, 05 Nov 2023 08:00:21 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Corazon spend some time in Data Haven resting and preparing for their data recovery job.
Data Haven is an original location, heavily inspired by my experiences in hackerspaces and machine shops in the United States. I adapted that kind of freewheeling creative culture into a contained environment. They’ve got basic needs like food and housing covered (for now), so what do they get up to?
Roze develops perhaps the most unique voice of the contingent. They embody the “information wants to be free” ethos of Data Haven. Yet they are tempered with the years of living underground, cut off from the world.
Dr. Marina Citali also starts to develop. I wasn’t ready to directly introduce Deirdre Skye yet, but Marina offers us insight into the Stepdaughters of Chiron. And like Corazon (or rather, “Hypercor”), she was born on Chiron, so she sometimes challenges the PCs’ “planetfaller” expectations.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS230 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Caravan Shenanigans | Part 4 of 6
Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:00:29 +0000
With some help from their new friends, Tric and Heppa ambush the ambushers.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS229 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 7 of 7
Sun, 29 Oct 2023 08:00:03 +0000
Roze offers Cleve, Mariah, and Corazon a job, but Dr. Citali has her own ideas on what it should include.
In this arc, we see several characters and creatures adapted from the video games. From Civilization: Beyond Earth, we have the Wolf Beetle, the Siege Worm, and the ever present Miasma. From the original Alpha Centauri, I also lifted Xenofungus (which is perhaps related to Miasma).
I only took character inspiration from Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri. During our Session Zero, I asked the players for ideas on NPCs aboard Unity that their PCs knew. For most of those, I matched player NPC descriptions with existing leader profiles from the game. Cleve’s NPCs are Sinder Roze and the Santiago family, represented by Corazon. Mariah’s are Dr. Deirdre Skye and the “killer HR” of Nwabudike Morgan. You also heard mention of Professor Prokhor Zakharov from The University and Captain John Garland, who led the Unity expedition.
Aside: In this episode, we make a reference to an upside down battlestation. That was the setting of several arcs of our StarCraft: FRAWD Investigators campaign, starting with A Very Special Mission.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS228 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Caravan Shenanigans | Part 3 of 6
Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:00:27 +0000
When a collapsed bridge halts the caravan’s progress, Tric and Heppa conduct an investigation.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS227 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 6 of 7
Sun, 22 Oct 2023 08:00:01 +0000
Mariah, Cleve, and Corazon reach Data Haven.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS226 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Caravan Shenanigans | Part 2 of 6
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:00:24 +0000
Tric and Heppa make the acquaintance of some veteran mercenaries also serving as guards on the caravan.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS225 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 5 of 7
Sun, 15 Oct 2023 08:00:59 +0000
Mariah and Cleve have their first close-up encounter with Chiron’s atmospheric miasma.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS224 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Caravan Shenanigans | Part 1 of 6
Wed, 11 Oct 2023 08:00:09 +0000
As the caravan heads down the bank of the River Weldyn, Tric and Heppa search for a missing child.
This episode’s description of Falcon Sight was inspired by information from What It’s Like to Be a Bird by David Allen Sibley. In case you hadn’t guessed it yet, we really like birds. Also, this episode also introduces several new NPCs. Prior to starting this arc, I asked the players what types of characters they were interested in encountering on this journey. They gave me the basics: another spin on human mage, a precocious child, grizzled veterans, and so on. This whole arc was mainly conceived as vignettes centered around those ideas.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion, The South Guard, Descent into Darkness, Secrets of the Ancients, and Liberty, with references to Delfador's Memoirs.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS223 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 4 of 7
Sun, 08 Oct 2023 08:00:57 +0000
Mariah and Cleve protect Corazon Santiago from the Morgan Repossession Team.
The Stepdaughters of Chiron is an adaptation of the video game faction, Gaia’s Stepdaughters. It remains to be seen if they are as peaceful as their video-game equivalent (which itself takes inspiration from real-world organizations like Greenpeace), or if they truly are “ecoterrorists”.
Why change the name? “Gaia” is sometimes a name for Earth, but this campaign takes place on the planet Chiron. The stepdaughters are trying to adapt to their new home, not remake their old one.
Note: In this episode, you’ll hear us using social material and maneuver mechanics that come from a Genesys supplement called I Declare! Adjudicated Social Encounters for Genesys by Micah-Shalom “FatCrab” Kesselman. You can find it on the Genesys Foundry at DriveThruRPG here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/349232/I-Declare.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS222 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Westward Bound | Part 4 of 4
Wed, 04 Oct 2023 08:00:58 +0000
Tric and Heppa take care of their business with Damal and Heledd in South Tower.
Tracking currency is not something I particularly enjoy in RPGs. And yet, here I saddled my players with debt, which had the potential to push them away from story-oriented playing to money-grabbing. Why did I do this? Well, the simple reason was to continue giving them reasons to return to the Parting Glass to interact with the NPCs there. The players really liked the Parting Glass and its cast of characters, but I didn’t want them to have to bend over backwards trying to justify time in South Tower when there was a whole country of Wesnoth to explore. This way, they’re free to follow the story wherever it leads, confident that I’ll provide space for them to return to their secondary homebase at some point in the future.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS221 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 3 of 7
Sun, 01 Oct 2023 08:00:55 +0000
Mariah and Cleve meet another human and learn some of the current situation on Chiron.
Corazon is perhaps the NPC most loosely inspired by the original video game character of the same name. Rather than have her focus be militarization as in the source game, I reinterpreted that at a more personal level as someone who is a bit reckless. Plus, early on, I wanted an NPC who was born on Chiron, not a “planetfaller.” Someone who would have a different perspective on society. Both because they don’t have Earth to compare to, and because they didn’t get a choice in coming to this planet.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS220 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Westward Bound | Part 3 of 4
Wed, 27 Sep 2023 08:00:57 +0000
Tric and Heppa reconnect with Heledd and Alric at the Parting Glass.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS219 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 2 of 7
Sun, 24 Sep 2023 08:00:51 +0000
The first extraterrestrial lifeforms that Mariah and Cleve encounter are less than happy to see them.
During our Session Zero, our group made a list of things we either really wanted to have or really wanted to avoid in the campaign. Both players were interested in something supernatural to fit into the sci-fi setting. For Cleve, this translated to an ethereal animal companion. For Mariah, it was magic-like powers tied to the new planet. Neither PC had the experience necessary for those talents right away, but because we knew they wanted them, we began laying the groundwork for that early. The items that Cleve keeps finding and the purple glow to Mariah’s eyes are the first hints of what’s to come.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS218 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Westward Bound | Part 2 of 4
Wed, 20 Sep 2023 08:00:53 +0000
Tric and Heppa meet with Thrandolil about their next project for him and then head back to South Tower.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS217 | Alpha Centauri | Chronicles of Chiron: Planetfall | Part 1 of 7
Sun, 17 Sep 2023 08:00:55 +0000
Mariah and Cleve leave Earth aboard Unity, seeking a new life on the planet Chiron in the Alpha Centauri system. But something goes wrong on the way there.
You might be wondering why I set this campaign 30 years after planetfall rather than coincident with it. By setting it later, the world has already had some chance to develop into factions that the PCs have to deal with. This also ensures that there’s a mix of built-up regions and wild regions. A campaign starting right at landing would have involved a lot more exploration and “human vs nature” conflicts than we wanted.
I also wanted to see how the named NPCs changed over those 30 years. This gave the players something fresh to experience even with an NPC they “made.”
I did talk about the extra 30 years of cryosleep with my players before launching the campaign, however. As always, it is important to obtain consent. After all, this is a cooperative story among players and GM. I encourage groups to bounce ideas off each other (and separate player from character knowledge).
In this episode, we also hear about our first planetside faction, Morgan Industries. One of Mariah’s NPCs took inspiration from CEO Nwabudike Morgan from the Alpha Centauri video game. It was straightforward to project what 30 years of unchecked capitalism might look like on a pristine planet.
Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com.
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DS216 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Westward Bound | Part 1 of 4
Wed, 13 Sep 2023 08:00:39 +0000
High Lord Volas commissions Tric and Heppa to undertake a task for him on their upcoming journey.
High Lord Volas is a character from the Battle for Wesnoth mainline campaign, Eastern Invasion. The assassination attempt we refer to is from Scenario 4a of that campaign. He does not have much dialogue in that, so his personality is mainly my invention here. His physical description is that of the Elvish High Lord unit from the video game.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Northern Rebirth, with references to The South Guard.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS215 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Inquest | Part 3 of 3
Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:02 +0000
Tric and Heppa exchange information with Kachen before he leaves on his own job for Thrandolil.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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Alpha Centauri: Chronicles of Chiron
Sun, 03 Sep 2023 15:00:39 +0000
Jump to Arcs | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3
Open Datalinks. Subject: Honest Assessment of Earth in 2100. Result:
The few billion people and perhaps half as many kind souls don't agree on much, but they do agree that Earth is ruined. The environment. The politics. The war. The Mistake. Sure, there are pockets where things are mostly okay, if you've got the credits. But you know it's gotten real bad when even the rich people want to leave. Of course, with everything so fractured, no one person or state was rich enough nor smart enough to figure out how to get away on their own. So despite all of humanity's failures, we came together for one last job.
Mars is a fool's errand; we shoot for the stars! FTL is a myth. We designed cryosleep pods to last us the 100 year journey at 5% the speed of light. We took what readings we could remotely. The new planet seems to be habitable, but we're bringing extra resource pods to be safe. Who knows, maybe one day the colonists will be able to come back and fix Earth. Or heck, maybe we can learn from this project to fix our own house rather than ruining someone else's. What’s more likely, though, is that humans never change, and they ruin the new planet before too long.
Copy Editor Syd Meijer (under pseudonym, Dequiem), Don't Let The Door Hit YouOpen Datalinks. Subject: Informational Brochure on Habitable Alpha Centauri Planet. Result:
Earth is the past, but Alpha Centauri holds the future! Be one of the select 100,000 colonists to a new world! Relax in our patented Peaceful Cryosleep™ pods and wake up to a planet of limitless possibilities! But it's a one-way trip, and cellular service is limited! Remote lifescans, however, show a pristine planet brimming with flora, fauna, fungi, and fun! Perhaps you'd like to generously help fund the project, and thereby secure your place as a founding colonist. Or are you a driven scientist? Then there may be room for you in the Academy or Biogenetics modules. We want the best in many disciplines. There are many ways to join and contribute to Humanity's greatest achievement! Competitive positions are limited, so act now!
Copy Editor Syd Meijer, Firaxis Marketing Brochure #3Welcome to the newest campaign by Dicey Stories! Alpha Centauri: Chronicles of Chiron takes place in a sci-fi setting exploring humanity’s attempt to escape Earth’s problems on a new planet. While the focus is on our two PCs, the overall story is also at times political. Where my StarCraft campaign was more on the sillier side, I’m trying to grow as a GM by running a more narratively-driven dramatic campaign. Some concepts we address head-on are finding a place to belong, duty versus obligation, the environmental impact of human expansion, cycles of wealth inequality, and revenge.
Alpha Centauri: Chronicles of Chiron is played using the Genesys roleplaying system now published by Edge Studio. We also occasionally reference the Mythic Game Master Emulator’s event meaning tables for inspiration. The release of each episode’s audio will be accompanied by a serialized, narrative write-up of the adventure. This time, they will primarily be written first-person from the point of view of one of the PCs.
Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri and its expansion, Alien Crossfire, are the most direct inspirations for this campaign, but we also draw on elements of the more recent Civilization: Beyond Earth. If you know nothing about these, that’s fine! Neither did the players prior to starting this campaign. I enjoyed both video games, the story more in the former and the gamepla
DS214 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Inquest | Part 2 of 3
Wed, 30 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000
The Estbryn Forest council decides Kachen’s fate.
I really enjoy the social components of the Genesys system. I like learning characters’ motivations and leaning on them when I can. I like the way social combat helps flesh out an exchange and gives players an opportunity to both gain and lose ground simultaneously. I was excited to have the chance to try out this different kind of social scene, an adjudicated encounter. Although we don’t have many more opportunities to use I Declare this way in the rest of the campaign, we really liked some of the concepts in it. Social weapons (in the form of material) and additional social maneuvers fit quite easily into Genesys and provide some additional spice for social-heavy campaigns. For that reason, even if you don’t see yourself running an adjudicated encounter ever, I still recommend this supplement to expand your social encounter toolkit. At the low, low price of pay-what-you-want, it’s definitely worth the investment. You can find it in the Genesys Foundry at DriveThruRPG here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/349232/I-Declare
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS213 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: The Inquest | Part 1 of 3
Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:00:34 +0000
Tric and Heppa take a stab at defending Kachen before High Lord Volas and the council.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Northern Rebirth.
This arc uses a Genesys supplement called I Declare! Adjudicated Social Encounters for Genesys by Micah-Shalom “FatCrab” Kesselman. I do my best to explain its mechanics to my players at the start of this episode, but any mistakes in that are my own. If you’re interested in reading it for yourself, it’s available as pay-what-you-want in the Genesys Foundry at DriveThruRPG here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/349232/I-Declare. I’ll talk more about my impressions of it at the end of the next episode.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS212 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 7 of 7
Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:00:01 +0000
Heppa and Tric continue their fighting retreat as the undead menace approaches the population center of Estbryn Forest.
In this arc, we see a few new units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game. The Revenant is one of those units. The Wolves, too. In the video game’s campaign Secrets of the Ancients, you can raise Wolves into Walking Corpses, so that was what inspired me here.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS211 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 6 of 7
Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:00:59 +0000
The Battle for Estbryn Forest begins with a skirmish between elves and undead in a wooded gully.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS210 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 5 of 7
Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:00:57 +0000
The elves of Estbryn Forest prepare to face a new threat.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS209 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 4 of 7
Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:00:55 +0000
Heppa and Tric deal with the crisis caused by Fenowin’s rash response to Kachen.
Damal’s treatise on the four elements was inspired by a thread on Dunefolk Lore that I read on the Battle for Wesnoth forums here. The part that particularly caught my attention was this:
Four elemental forces each bleed through into the material plane. The Sun bleeds through and creates the scorched deserts. The Seas bleed through and create the fertile coasts and river valleys. The Winds bleed through and create the windswept highlands. The Deeps bleed through and create the mineral-rich underground.
forum user ghype, 14 Apr 2020After this part, there was some discussion of the Aether, which factored heavily into my explanations of magic as our game progressed.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS208 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 3 of 7
Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:00:52 +0000
Kachen’s first evening in Estbryn Forest passes uneventfully, but the following morning there are some problems.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS207 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 2 of 7
Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:00:31 +0000
Tric escorts Kachen to meet with Thrandolil, who has been conducting research with Heppa.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS206 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Up | Part 1 of 7
Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:00:49 +0000
As spring advances, Heppa gets some advice from older elves about romancing humans while Tric works the Estbryn Forest border patrol.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Northern Rebirth.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS205 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Staff Infection | Part 4 of 4
Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:00:21 +0000
Tric spends time growing closer to his father and his bird, while Heppa works on her relationships with her sister and Alric.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS204 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Staff Infection | Part 3 of 4
Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:00:19 +0000
The elves search Estbryn Forest for the missing necromancer’s staff.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS203 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Staff Infection | Part 2 of 4
Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:00:15 +0000
Tric and Heppa find someone willing to talk to them about Anador.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS202 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Staff Infection | Part 1 of 4
Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:00:10 +0000
Tric and Heppa settle back in with their families in Estbryn Forest.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS201 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Closing Time | Part 5 of 5
Wed, 31 May 2023 15:00:21 +0000
Tric and Heppa fend off the skeletons uncovered by Ulf’s excavation.
As usual, I used some Battle for Wesnoth units as inspiration for this arc. You heard us talking about liches that have four arms. That is based on the artwork for the Ancient Lich unit. Sir Marthynec and his fellow knights were guarded by Revenants. In the caverns, our heroes are attacked by Skeleton Archers. The staffs that Tric and Heppa have recovered match the two examples in the artwork for the Dark Sorcerer. The rod that Ulf got to keep was based what a regular Mage carries.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS200 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Closing Time | Part 4 of 5
Wed, 24 May 2023 15:00:19 +0000
Tric and Heppa look for artifacts in the cave system below South Tower.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS199 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Closing Time | Part 3 of 5
Wed, 17 May 2023 15:00:14 +0000
Before leaving South Tower, Heppa and Tric visit Damal’s apothecary shop.
I love it when players produce extra material for the game, like writing songs, drawing sketches, or even just doing research on their character’s interests. These sorts of things extend way beyond just learning the rules of the game and spending XP. I find this so rewarding, as it shows that the world I’m creating for them really resonates with them in some way and stretches into their lives beyond the play session. If you’re interested in seeing the map that Heppa left for Alric (and that Heppa’s player was kind enough to draw for my entertainment), you can find it here.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS198 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Closing Time | Part 2 of 5
Wed, 10 May 2023 15:00:04 +0000
Heppa and Alric go on a date. Tric and Heledd most certainly do not.
I did a fair bit of research in preparation for the date in this episode. Since Heppa had shown interest in herbalism, alchemy, and alcohol, I decided to combine them. If this is the sort of thing you’re interested in as well, I recommend the following book by Amy Steward: The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks. Here also is a link to a lengthy article about milk punch from Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/science/844-articles/story/the-key-to-crystal-clear-cocktails-milk-really.
If this is of no interest to you at all, don’t worry. Once they leave the Parting Glass and Alric behind, our elves will spend much less time sampling alcoholic beverages. And finally, for a special treat from our bard, check out this ode to Alric's past: Fresh Prince of South Tow-air
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS197 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Closing Time | Part 1 of 5
Wed, 03 May 2023 15:00:37 +0000
After the closing ceremony of the Full Bloom Festival, Heppa and Tric get in some weapons practice and then go birding.
If you’re interested in learning more about the style of draw Mhaev uses with her composite bow (the thumb draw rather than the three-fingered draw), then check out this video by NUSensei: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK82xdoFAqY
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and Liberty, as well as references to the Rise of Wesnoth, Legend of Wesmere, and the Hammer of Thursagan.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS196 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 9 of 9
Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:00:30 +0000
The victory over the Rats has some unanticipated emotional repercussions for Heppa.
I didn’t anticipate Alric becoming a romantic interest for Heppa. When I introduced him to the storyline, my goal was to provide Tric with a different perspective on the Manu, a younger, less jaded one than some of the others. As well as to provide Heppa with a source of information on Kachen—though she ended up not prying there, out of respect for Alric’s focus on privacy. Heppa’s player, however, did express interest in adding this romantic dimension to the game. Hence the flirting you’ll observe between Heppa and Alric. It was important to me that the player guide the course of the relationship, though, which is why at the end of this episode, I explicitly ask how she wants the scene to end. I also consulted with her a lot in between game sessions to make sure this proceeded comfortably for everyone involved.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
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DS195 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Coda | Part 3 of 3
Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:00:18 +0000
Imogen and Lilly narrowly escape and make one last report.
Note: This marks the end of our StarCraft campaign! Lilly goes on to be a real member of Raynor’s Raiders, helping Jimmy more directly with reconnaissance and combat operations in the fight against Mengsk. As for Imogen, well, once things are more settled, she opens a school for psionic children to learn techniques in a properly supportive environment. At least, that is what we imagine for them. We hope you’ve enjoyed our story and that our use of the Genesys roleplaying system inspires your own play. And now, a word from our GM….
It was a delight to explore characters, scenes, and themes from Blizzard’s StarCraft video game in RPG form. Lilly and Imogen were amazing to see brilliantly solving a problem in one scene and snapping at each other the next. Lilly’s flashbacks were a wonderful way to see backstory and sometimes deliver key information to the players. And Imogen—though her psionics fried her nearly as often as they helped her—showed how a ghost could maintain their sanity with this power. So many of the NPCs were fun to play, but it’s probably no surprise that my favorite was Malorn. He was so easy to slip into, sometimes being helpful, but always dripping with scorn. Thanks for following our escapades!
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS194 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 8 of 9
Wed, 19 Apr 2023 15:00:24 +0000
As rain sets in, a mysterious falcon joins Heppa and Tric in their fight with the Rats.
Once again, units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game were an inspiration for elements of this arc. The Cuttlefish has an ink attack with the poison quality. Lady Sabine is an Arch Mage. Sleidr is a Thief, and the male portrait of that inspired his look. The fight had many units from both the “lawful” and “chaotic” alignments of the video game. (Elvish units are of “neutral” alignment, by the way, which you will sometimes hear Tric’s player reference.) Henrick is a Sergeant, and that determined his armaments. He brought Bowmen and Javelineers with him. On Sleidr’s side there were Thugs, Footpads, and the Bandit Efa. Alric’s “action mode” is inspired by the Assassin—not that he was ever of that profession!
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS193 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Coda | Part 2 of 3
Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:00:15 +0000
Down on Dead Man’s Rock, Imogen and Lilly arrange to send not one, but two crucial messages to ensure the sector’s future.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS192 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 7 of 9
Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:00:13 +0000
With help from the town guard, Tric and Heppa launch their ambush against Sleidr and the Rats.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS191 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Coda | Part 1 of 3
Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:00:25 +0000
Saffron makes a pit stop at Hyperion before going after the Xel’naga artifact.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS190 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 6 of 9
Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:00:11 +0000
Tric makes plans to strike back at Sleidr and the Rats while Heppa immerses herself in more magic theory and medicine.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS189 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 7 of 7
Sun, 02 Apr 2023 15:00:11 +0000
Lilly and Imogen make good their escape.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS188 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 5 of 9
Wed, 29 Mar 2023 15:00:10 +0000
Tric and Heppa trick Sleidr into giving them the stolen rings.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS187 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 6 of 7
Sun, 26 Mar 2023 15:00:33 +0000
Neiman and Narud make their way through a Xel’naga temple in search of a powerful artifact while Lilly and Imogen do some precision thievery.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS186 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 4 of 9
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:00:06 +0000
With some help from their friends, Tric and Heppa disguise themselves as humans.
When the players first reached South Tower, I expected that they would gain access to the House of Light by some means and there obtain a new artifact as well as information related to the mysteries surrounding Kachen. However, as play progressed, it became clear that they were not going to do that. So, I had to get them the information some other way. Heledd’s theft was the first part of that; I brought the artifact out of the tower for them. Sir Marthynec was the second part. Rather than Heppa looking through Rhaessa’s books and potion supplies, here now was a patient from whom she could get the same information about the dapper inkcap mushroom. Sometimes a GM has to be flexible. Sir Marthynec, by the way, comes from Scenario 4c of the Eastern Invasion campaign in the Battle for Wesnoth video game.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS185 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 5 of 7
Sun, 19 Mar 2023 15:00:25 +0000
Lilly and Imogen prepare their traps for Neiman and Narud.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS184 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 3 of 9
Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:00:07 +0000
Alric reveals himself to be well-suited for helping Tric and Heppa plan the recovery of Heledd’s stolen goods.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS183 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 4 of 7
Sun, 12 Mar 2023 15:00:23 +0000
Lilly and Imogen investigate the Xel’naga temple they are using as the lure for Neiman.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS182 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 2 of 9
Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:00:37 +0000
While Heppa treats Heledd’s injuries, Tric and Alric investigate the scene of the crime.
After our Wesnoth campaign had been going for a while, Heppa’s player was missing the special ability she had when playing Lilly in our StarCraft campaign. Not that she wanted that exact flashback mechanic again, but just something that felt special and could gift her with knowledge that she did not already have. My solution to this was to look at the Heroic Abilities in the Realms of Terrinoth supplement. Heppa and Tric each got one that their player liked, and their introduction did succeed in injecting something special into the mix. Note that we don’t use them entirely as depicted in Realms of Terrinoth, as usually we’re interested in a more narrative application of the ability.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS181 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 3 of 7
Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:00:21 +0000
Imogen, Lilly, and Malorn relocate the terran population of Stryko II in advance of the Swarm’s arrival.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS180 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: There’ll Be Heledd to Pay | Part 1 of 9
Wed, 01 Mar 2023 15:00:03 +0000
Things are a little hectic at the Parting Glass due to a missing waitress.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion, as well as references to the Hammer of Thursagan and the Sceptre of Fire.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS179 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 2 of 7
Sun, 26 Feb 2023 15:00:19 +0000
Imogen and Lilly pick a planet for ambushing Neiman, but it turns out to be less than ideal.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS178 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Look Who’s Coming to Dinner | Part 2 of 2
Wed, 22 Feb 2023 15:00:11 +0000
The dinner with Mhaev and Terwaen goes about as smoothly as can be expected. Afterwards, the younger attendants use everything they have learned to draw up Tric’s family tree.
Going into this family dinner, I was not sure at what point the players would figure out that Terwaen was Tric’s half-sister. The secret benefitted from the fact that the relationship between Terwaen and Mhaev is somewhat chilly. Still, I thought some of the license Mhaev took with Terwaen might tip them off. When it became clear that the players were still not getting it, not even after Terwaen called Tric her brother, that’s when I decided a diagram was necessary. Sometimes you just can’t beat a visual aid. The family tree is below if you’re interested in double-checking your comprehension, too.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS177 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: The Ambush | Part 1 of 7
Sun, 19 Feb 2023 15:00:16 +0000
Imogen shares her master plan for saving the Koprulu Sector from Earth, and Lilly helps her set it in motion.
Note: During the scene in Egon’s lab, when Imogen examines the Xel’naga artifact, a real life monsoon rolled through our recording location, dropping a torrential downpour around us as we played. Feel free to pretend that the noises you hear are psionic static. However, if the background sound of rain is too much for your ears, you can stop listening there, read the write-up for Scenes 3 and 4, and pick up listening with the next episode.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS176 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Look Who’s Coming to Dinner | Part 1 of 2
Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:00:20 +0000
Tric and Heppa return to the Parting Glass to get ready and then welcome their dinner guests.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS175 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 7 of 7
Sun, 12 Feb 2023 15:00:30 +0000
While Lilly burns bridges, Imogen plots Lost & Found’s next moves against Neiman.
Note: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS174 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Tourney | Part 3 of 3
Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:00:05 +0000
Tric has a tense meeting with his mother Mhaev and then relaxes at the joust with his cousin Heppa.
In this episode, I sprang one of the surprises I’d been planning ever since Tric’s player gave me carte blanche for things pertaining to Tric’s parentage. I knew that finding his mother would be something Tric would want to accomplish early in the campaign, but I didn’t want the mystery to stop there. With the introduction of a mysterious father as well, I created the next hook for Tric. Hooks for Heppa were somewhat more challenging. She was always so curious about everything, that I was often not sure of what would stick. Ultimately, magical theory became a key interest to her, and this arc gave a space for that to really start growing.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS173 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 6 of 7
Sun, 05 Feb 2023 15:00:26 +0000
Lilly and Imogen get the escaped prisoners to safety aboard Hyperion, where Lilly finally calls Durian.
Note: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS172 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Tourney | Part 2 of 3
Wed, 01 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000
Heppa hangs out with the White Mage Rhaessa learning about human healing magic. Meanwhile, Tric chats with Dame Terwaen of the Horse Clans, with whom he has more in common than he expected.
The NPC Ulf suddenly sprung into existence in this arc. At the start of this episode, you hear us establish some things about him with 69: Ruin and 2: Dreams. That is us consulting the Event Meaning Tables of the Mythic GM Emulator. The Action table is a set of one hundred verbs, and the Subject table is a set of one hundred nouns. I often roll 2d100 and consult these tables when planning for an upcoming session just to get some prompts for where the story might go. They can also be helpful for responding to unexpected situations at the game table.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS171 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 5 of 7
Sun, 29 Jan 2023 15:00:22 +0000
Imogen presents the escape plan to the liberated prisoners while Lilly leads marines away from Saffron.
Note 1: This episode uses our Chase rules (starting around 12:30). Find them here.
Note 2: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS170 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Tourney | Part 1 of 3
Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:00:04 +0000
Tric and Heppa enjoy the opening of the Full Bloom Festival. He tries his hand at the archery competition, while she participates in the duels.
Once again, units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game inspired characters in this arc. I happen to think the sprite for the Javelineer is adorable, so I had to include that unit among the guards. One of the competitors in the archery competition is a Trapper. Terwaen is obviously a Knight. Mhaev is inspired by the Dune Windrider, a unit that was not retained in the most recent release of the Battle for Wesnoth, version 1.16.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion, as well as references to Liberty.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS169 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 4 of 7
Sun, 22 Jan 2023 15:00:45 +0000
Imogen makes arrangements for a rendezvous with Raynor’s Raiders while Lilly deals with Dominion military forces.
Note: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS168 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Great Performances | Part 6 of 6
Wed, 18 Jan 2023 15:00:31 +0000
Tric and Heppa antagonize yet another former resident of Hisanham, but then Tric manages to entertain the patrons of the Parting Glass with his first stand-up performance.
Once again, units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game inspired characters in this arc. Gwaffalyn is a mash-up of the Fencer and Duelist units. Rhaessa is a White Mage. Heledd is a Thief. Aderyn is an Elder Falcon, a type of unit in Dunefolk armies. Damal is a Dune Herbalist.
As of this arc, Tric Manu has learned that he is a member of the Manu clan of the Dunefolk. At this point, I should mention that there are no mainline campaigns featuring Dunefolk characters in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. The lore in our game world is derived from unit descriptions, discussions on the Wesnoth forums about what could go into official lore, our personal experience living in arid environments, and our own imaginations. Also, we started playing our tabletop roleplaying game while version 1.14 was the current Battle for Wesnoth release. Since then, version 1.16 has come out, and it made a lot of changes to Dunefolk units. So some of the characters in our campaign are based on units that no longer exist in the current release.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS167 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 3 of 7
Sun, 15 Jan 2023 15:00:42 +0000
Lilly and Imogen enact their plan to conceal Saffron, sacrificing some scantids and Dominion troopers along the way.
Note: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS166 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Great Performances | Part 5 of 6
Wed, 11 Jan 2023 15:00:29 +0000
Tric makes friends with a local magpie while Heppa savors the flavors of human food and drink.
Following the scene with Alric and his falcon, Tric’s player expressed interest in an animal companion. Although falcons fit with Tric’s Dunefolk heritage, we settled on a magpie to better fit Tric’s personality. Then it was up to me to introduce the animal in a way that a bond could form between them. Mate’s stats are derived from the falcon in the Genesys Expanded Player’s Guide with a few key modifications. We are most familiar with Australian magpies, having lived among them for a couple years, so we gave Mate a swooping ability as well as some basic mimicry for communication purposes. You can see him in our campaign artwork by Del Borovic, where he is playing with some flags in the upper left of the picture. Heledd is also in that picture, which means you have now been introduced to everyone detailed in it.
The map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS165 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 2 of 7
Sun, 08 Jan 2023 15:00:50 +0000
Imogen talks with the former prisoners, trying to convince herself that the future of the sector will be in good hands once they are delivered to Matt Horner. Meanwhile, Lilly secures access to a crucial vespene supply.
Note: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS164 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Great Performances | Part 4 of 6
Wed, 04 Jan 2023 15:00:27 +0000
At the Parting Glass, Tric uses his knowledge of Merriver’s underground arms purchases as leverage for arranging a meeting with his mother, South Tower’s captain of the guard.
This episode brings our characters to the Parting Glass for the first time. Although our campaign ranges all over Wesnoth and the lands around it, this inn serves as one of the anchor points. It is the setting of our campaign art piece by Del Borovic, in which you can also see both Alric and his falcon, Aderyn. The name of this tavern comes from the traditional Scottish song The Parting Glass. I particularly like the version performed by The Longest Johns, featuring Natalie Holmes. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0lD6y-R6yc
The map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS163 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Fallout | Part 1 of 7
Sun, 01 Jan 2023 15:00:47 +0000
Lilly and Imogen plan an approach for keeping Saffron undetected until Jim Raynor can rescue them.
Note: This arc was recorded in Summer of 2020, and like many people, we did not have full control over our environments during lockdown. Please forgive the noise from the flatmate’s TV. I scrubbed out as much of it as I could.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS162 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Great Performances | Part 3 of 6
Wed, 28 Dec 2022 15:00:25 +0000
The two bumbling elvish cousins succeed at making many humans uncomfortable around them.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS161 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Ten Tines the Trouble | Part 5 of 5
Sun, 25 Dec 2022 15:00:40 +0000
Lilly and Imogen flee Ten Tines with all the prisoners.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS160 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Great Performances | Part 2 of 6
Wed, 21 Dec 2022 15:00:22 +0000
A helpful human fencer named Gwaffalyn shows Tric and Heppa around South Tower.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS159 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Ten Tines the Trouble | Part 4 of 5
Sun, 18 Dec 2022 15:00:38 +0000
Violence breaks out on the surface above Ten Tines Prison.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS158 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Great Performances | Part 1 of 6
Wed, 14 Dec 2022 15:00:38 +0000
Tric and Heppa journey to the bustling city of South Tower that has grown up around the old Southern Outpost.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion, as well as references to the Legend of Wesmere.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS157 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Ten Tines the Trouble | Part 3 of 5
Sun, 11 Dec 2022 15:00:35 +0000
Lilly gets her old friend Sally to safety while Imogen tries to get out of a prison on lockdown.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS156 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wose Is Me | Part 4 of 4
Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:00:16 +0000
On their way to South Tower, Heppa and Tric meet some human farmers who provide yet another perspective on the war with Mal-Ravanal. To Heppa’s delight, she also gains more insight into the human condition from them.
Once again, units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game inspired characters in this arc. Roombledoombledeur is from the Wose unit line. The so-called fancy skeleton, Mal-Uldhar is a Lich, and specifically one from the first scenario of Eastern Invasion. Tilyn, with his straw hat and pitchfork, is a Peasant, and his father Gumreddoc, back in his adventuring days, was Heavy Infantry.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS155 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Ten Tines the Trouble | Part 2 of 5
Sun, 04 Dec 2022 15:00:48 +0000
Lilly and Imogen gather what intel they can inside Ten Tines Prison.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS154 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wose Is Me | Part 3 of 4
Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:00:14 +0000
Tric and Heppa learn more about the humans who used to live just south of the Estbryn Forest and the undead who chased them away.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS153 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Ten Tines the Trouble | Part 1 of 5
Sun, 27 Nov 2022 15:00:04 +0000
Lilly and Imogen gain access to the Dominion’s Ten Tines Prison Facility.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS152 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wose Is Me | Part 2 of 4
Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:00:10 +0000
Tric and Heppa meet the current inhabitants of the abandoned human village just south of the Estbryn Forest.
This arc took a lot of inspiration from The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben. It’s a fascinating non-fiction book that combines the observations of a forester with recent scientific research. The author does tend to anthropomorphize trees a bit more than I think is justified, but as an inspiration for woses, that was spot on. It’s definitely worth a read if you love forests!
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS151 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Moving Forward | Part 6 of 6
Sun, 20 Nov 2022 15:00:28 +0000
Lilly and Imogen spend some quality time with the protoss of Browder II before beginning their next double-dipping job.
Note: This episode uses our Fight Night rules. Find them here.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS150 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Wose Is Me | Part 1 of 4
Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:00:41 +0000
Tric and Heppa explore the former settlements along the southern edge of the Estbryn Forest.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion, the South Guard, and the Rise of Wesnoth.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS149 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Moving Forward | Part 5 of 6
Sun, 13 Nov 2022 15:00:17 +0000
Imogen and Lilly release two protoss back into the wild.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS148 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Homeward Bound | Part 4 of 4
Wed, 09 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +0000
Tric and Heppa get ready to leave on their next mission for Thrandolil.
Mushrooms play a larger role in our campaign than they do in the Battle for Wesnoth video game, where fungus is just a type of terrain. In the real world, in addition to having some wild shapes, mushrooms have some pretty crazy names. For some examples to incorporate into your own games, check out the list linked here.
This arc also sees another set of Battle for Wesnoth units come to life as characters. The attacking creature at the keep was a Ghost. Renwick’s appearance and personality are informed by the video game’s artwork for the Elvish Hero unit. Fenowin is a Druid. Baeowin is an Elvish Rider, and Endathalis is an Elvish Scout.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS147 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Moving Forward | Part 4 of 6
Sun, 06 Nov 2022 15:00:16 +0000
A drunken Lilly tries to play matchmaker between Malorn and Durian.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS146 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Homeward Bound | Part 3 of 4
Wed, 02 Nov 2022 15:00:55 +0000
Tric and Heppa reconnect with their families back in Estbryn forest.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS145 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Moving Forward | Part 3 of 6
Sun, 30 Oct 2022 15:00:15 +0000
Through a revealing application of psychometry, Imogen and Malorn come to better understand what has shaped each to be the person they are today.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS144 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Homeward Bound | Part 2 of 4
Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:00:52 +0000
Glammur helps Tric and Heppa try to make sense of Kachen’s past actions.
In the Battle for Wesnoth video game, whenever a unit moves onto a village, a little flag shows up, marking the village for their side. When you move one of your units onto an opponent’s village, you replace their flag with your own. In the video game, those flags are used to generate income for your army. We’ve adapted the flag concept to fit into our game world, and you can see some of that in the artwork Del Borvic did for us, where several of them are on display in the upper left.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS143 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Moving Forward | Part 2 of 6
Sun, 23 Oct 2022 15:00:14 +0000
Karax takes Imogen to task on her use of psionics. Lilly’s day is also rough; a supply run to Mar Sara City takes a devastating turn.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS142 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Homeward Bound | Part 1 of 4
Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:00:37 +0000
Tric and Heppa face new mysteries when they return to Kachen’s ruined keep with the dwarvish bard Glammur.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion, with references to Northern Rebirth.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS141 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Moving Forward | Part 1 of 6
Sun, 16 Oct 2022 15:00:02 +0000
Imogen and Karax perform surgery on Malorn. Lilly and Li June provide the refreshments.
Note: There is a lot of unwise alcohol consumption in this arc. These are fictional characters. We advise you to make better choices in real life.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS140 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Dwarvish Discourse | Part 6 of 6
Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:00:51 +0000
Tric and Heppa learn about the power of stories from the dwarvish bard Glammur.
The Battle for Wesnoth video game is a turn-based strategy game. Gender identity and sexual orientation don’t factor into it. However, tabletop roleplaying is an immersion into a full world. For me, that means a world populated by a diverse cast, just like real life is. Although I don’t necessarily introduce characters by explicitly announcing these things, as the GM, I make that the reality in the game. You may have noticed that Glammur is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. This campaign includes characters who are, among other things, nonbinary, genderfluid, transgender, homosexual, bisexual, and asexual, just like the world we inhabit does. You may not always realize when a character has one of these traits… again, just like in real life.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS139 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Intrigue at Iceberg Station | Part 4 of 4
Sun, 09 Oct 2022 15:00:53 +0000
Lilly and Imogen escape Iceberg Station with protoss in tow, a wounded Malorn and a newly liberated Karax.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS138 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Dwarvish Discourse | Part 5 of 6
Wed, 05 Oct 2022 15:00:44 +0000
Tric and Heppa make an appeal to Lord Knutan, leader of the Untdunben dwarves.
Several units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game make an appearance in this arc. The party was attacked by Vampire Bats. Mari-Elin is a Footpad. Trigadur is a Dwarvish Thunderguard. And Lord Knutan, not only is he a Dwarvish Lord unit, but he’s actually a character from Eastern Invasion, where he makes an appearance in Scenario 2. One of the fun things about making an RPG campaign from the video game was picking out little pieces of lore here and there that could inspire far more elaborate events at our table.
This episode also introduces the bard Glammur. Their importance to the campaign is reflected in their inclusion in our group character portrait, where they can be seen sitting on the right. Their look was inspired by the Dwarvish Explorer unit.
The map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS137 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Intrigue at Iceberg Station | Part 3 of 4
Sun, 02 Oct 2022 15:00:50 +0000
Lilly, Imogen, and Malorn confront Lendasha. The rematch goes much worse than their first meeting at DORF.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS136 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Dwarvish Discourse | Part 4 of 6
Wed, 28 Sep 2022 15:00:40 +0000
Tric and Heppa tour the forge, refinery, and mines of the dwarvish stronghold Untdunben.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS135 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Intrigue at Iceberg Station | Part 2 of 4
Sun, 25 Sep 2022 15:00:45 +0000
Imogen and Lilly convince Malorn to adopt their plan for getting access to Iceberg Station.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS134 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Dwarvish Discourse | Part 3 of 6
Wed, 21 Sep 2022 15:00:40 +0000
Now at the dwarvish fortress of Untdunben, the presumed source of the tainted water in the Estmark Hills, Tric and Heppa begin asking questions.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS133 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Intrigue at Iceberg Station | Part 1 of 4
Sun, 18 Sep 2022 15:00:07 +0000
Lilly and Imogen arrive on Deadman’s Rock to meet Malorn, but a rough landing sends them to Mira Han for more than just mail delivery.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS132 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Dwarvish Discourse | Part 2 of 6
Wed, 14 Sep 2022 15:00:33 +0000
Having been recently rescued from their own troubles by Mari-Elin, Tric and Heppa repay the favor by helping the human carter in return.
Part of this arc was inspired by The Mary Ellen Carter by Canadian folk music legend Stan Rogers. I’d had the idea for this encounter bumping around in my head for a while, but I had no specific plan to use it in this arc. However, when the bats were getting the better of the PCs at the end of last episode, that seemed the perfect time to bring Mari-Elin into play. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGRP3jxwD_A
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS131 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 9 of 9
Sun, 11 Sep 2022 15:00:40 +0000
Lost & Found lines up additional work for both zerg and protoss clients.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS130 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Dwarvish Discourse | Part 1 of 6
Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:00:06 +0000
The saurian Hezzis guides Tric and Heppa to a cave system where they run into some of the natural dangers of the underground.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS129 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 8 of 9
Sun, 04 Sep 2022 15:00:27 +0000
A couple infested terrans welcome Imogen and Lilly to Char and present them to the Queen of Blades.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS128 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Release | Part 5 of 5
Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:00:10 +0000
Tric and Heppa uncover more information about the water quality issue in the Estmark Hills. Tric makes another deal with the saurian skirmisher Hezzis to advance their investigation.
The Realms of Terrinoth fantasy supplement for Genesys has a talent called Templar that makes Divine a career skill for your character, but lets them only cast one spell per encounter. We made a similar talent for Primal for use in our game, with an Improved version that takes away the casting limit. As of this episode, Heppa has the initial talent, with plans to acquire the Runic Lore talent, as well. Meanwhile, Tric plans to acquire the Bard talent. There are no bards in the mainline Battle for Wesnoth unit list, so this is an area where we just make up our own lore. Runes do exist to some extent in the Battle for Wesnoth, but we make up a lot for ourselves in that area as well.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS127 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 7 of 9
Sun, 28 Aug 2022 15:00:31 +0000
Imogen and Lilly spend some time at Li June’s compound, solidifying their friendship with the recluse while advancing Imogen’s research.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS126 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Release | Part 4 of 5
Wed, 24 Aug 2022 15:00:07 +0000
Heppa studies both the necromantic artifact and the unwell human mage who helped recover it. Meanwhile, Tric focuses on camp tasks, demonstrating more outdoor survival prowess than he may actually possess.
Several units from the Battle for Wesnoth video game make an appearance in this arc. The party was attacked by Walking Corpses. Hezzis is a Saurian Skirmisher. The staff the party finds is that of a Necromancer. And most of all, there’s Kachen.
Kachen’s appearance and some of his qualities were strongly influenced by the Dark Adept unit in the Battle for Wesnoth video game. Also, by my own sleep issues. For me, GMing is an opportunity to explore all sorts of personalities and world views. It provides an avenue for grappling with real-life issues as well. In this case, my periodic insomnia and shallow sleeping. Through Kachen, I could give it a face and a name, and at least this one fictional character understood what I go through some nights.
Anyway, that all was the starting point for Kachen, but he became much more over time. His importance to the campaign is reflected in his inclusion in our group character portrait, where he can be seen standing in the shadows on the left.
The map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS125 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 6 of 9
Sun, 21 Aug 2022 15:00:28 +0000
Imogen takes Jim Raynor to task over the goals and implementation of his revolution.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS124 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Release | Part 3 of 5
Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:00:09 +0000
Heppa, Tric, and Kachen find a necromancer’s staff but are set upon by other denizens of the swamp.
At the end of this episode, you hear me once again review with my players what they and their characters are interested in doing. This was a technique I picked up from the Mythic GM Emulator. When playing with that, you specifically keep track of story threads, adding new ones to the list when they crop up and crossing them off when they are resolved. I find it a helpful practice particularly at the start of a new campaign, when everyone is getting used to their new characters and a new world.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS123 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 5 of 9
Sun, 14 Aug 2022 15:00:23 +0000
Lilly and Imogen seize control of Mar Sara City communications to support the attack by Raynor’s Raiders, but things take a nasty turn.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS122 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Release | Part 2 of 5
Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:00:08 +0000
Tric and Heppa meet Kachen, an unsettling human hermit who is also looking for something in the swamp.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS121 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 4 of 9
Sun, 07 Aug 2022 15:00:20 +0000
Imogen and Lilly help Raynor’s Raiders with preparations for the liberation of Mar Sara City.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS120 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Kachen Release | Part 1 of 5
Wed, 03 Aug 2022 15:00:08 +0000
Tric and Heppa investigate the remains of long-ago battles in the swamp where Connie and Marvin get their peat.
This arc contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaign Eastern Invasion, as well as references to the Legend of Wesmere.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS119 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 3 of 9
Sun, 31 Jul 2022 15:00:17 +0000
Li June helps Lilly recover the information from her adjutant.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS118 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Still Waters Run Deep | Part 2 of 2
Wed, 27 Jul 2022 15:00:53 +0000
Tric and Heppa get lost in the Estmark Hills and stumble upon a criminal enterprise.
I had definitely intended the campaign to start with an exploration of the southern battlefield, but a failed Geography check took us way off course. Fortunately, I already had some ideas bouncing around in my head for adventures further down the line. The events in this episode were inspired by the Irish folk song Hills of Connemara. I particularly like the version performed by Gaelic Storm. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rREMPw8U2No
The character of Hepalonia started our game with Intolerance as her Flaw, and in the first few sessions, her player wrestled with how to portray that, hence some of the ignorant comments about humans that you hear in this episode. Eventually, we shifted her Flaw to Ignorance, since that was more comfortable for the player. One of the things I really enjoy about RPGs is watching characters come to life through play. For Heppa's player, discovering the character as we play is more important than the adventures that happen around that, so it was important to get her to a place where she was comfortable.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS117 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 2 of 9
Sun, 24 Jul 2022 15:00:13 +0000
Lilly and Imogen spend some time in Mar Sara City getting Frank set up in his new life as Mervin and meeting with Jim Raynor.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS116 | Wesnoth | Echoes of Invasion: Still Waters Run Deep | Part 1 of 2
Wed, 20 Jul 2022 15:00:50 +0000
Lord Thrandolil of Estbryn Forest commissions his daughter Hepalonia and nephew Tric Manu, two young elves at loose ends, to seek a magical artifact on his behalf.
This arc is the Echoes of Invasion season 1 opener. It contains spoilers for the Battle for Wesnoth campaigns Eastern Invasion and the South Guard, as well as references to Liberty and the Legend of Wesmere.
Prior to starting play, we decided as a group that the PCs would be cousins and settled on the general concept of the game involving searching for magical artifacts on behalf of a patron. I asked the players when making their characters to come up with some NPCs in their village. This first episode was a chance to bounce the PCs off of those NPCs to help the players get comfortable with their new characters.
The character of Tric Manu, who is inspired by the writings of outdoor humorist Patrick McManus, is a half-elf. You will frequently hear us refer to him as an elf, since that is his cultural upbringing. The player gave me, the GM, permission to do whatever I wanted with the background of Tric’s parents, some of which I start hinting at right from the beginning. That's going to be a major thread running through our campaign.
Our character art by Del Borovic and the map we refer to (by me!) can be found here.
Our music is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
DS115 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Liberation Day | Part 1 of 9
Sun, 17 Jul 2022 15:00:08 +0000
Removed from the warfront, Frank regains equilibrium with the help of Lilly and Imogen. Lilly has drinks with Durian on Korhal while Imogen meets Kate Lockwell in a dark Augustgrad alley.
Note 1: This arc is the FRAWD Investigators season 3 opener.
Note 2: This arc features Ted, who appeared previously in our unrecorded pilot. If you’re curious about the events discussed, read the narrative write-up of that story here.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Wed, 29 Jun 2022 20:00:00 +0000
Thirtysome years ago, the lich Mal-Ravanal and his undead hordes were beaten back from the gates of Weldyn, capital of the human kingdom of Wesnoth. In the intervening decades, Wesnoth has recovered under the benevolent rule of King Konrad II. Of course, all of this is irrelevant to two young elves simply looking to see the world and avoid responsibilities in their small forest. Isn’t it?
Jump to Arcs | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3
Wesnoth: Echoes of Invasion is a tabletop roleplaying campaign set in the world of the video game The Battle for Wesnoth. It takes place during the Silver Age, three decades after the events in the mainline campaign Eastern Invasion. Our characters are young elves from a small forest on the edge of the Estmark Hills, two cousins both eager to avoid settling into a boring career. Their first adventure together is to seek an artifact on behalf of a researcher in their village, a task which sets in motion events that will change their lives in ways they never imagined. The themes of Echoes of Invasion include belonging, healing, responsibility, judgment, and legacies.
Echoes of Invasion is played using the Genesys roleplaying system now published by Edge Studio. We also occasionally reference the Mythic Game Master Emulator’s event meaning tables for inspiration. The release of each episode’s audio will be accompanied by a serialized, narrative write-up of the adventure.
If you know nothing about The Battle for Wesnoth, that’s fine! Neither did one of our players prior to starting this game. But if you do know Wesnoth, don’t worry; the rest of our group is quite familiar with the world from playing the video game. Although I enjoy turn-based strategy and am partial to hex maps, what I really like about Battle for Wesnoth are its storylines. When my turn to GM came up, I decided it would be the perfect world to explore in a tabletop RPG. Echoes of Invasion draws heavily upon Eastern Invasion, but I pulled details from many other campaigns as well, including some User-Made Content (UMC). I will provide specific spoilers and references for those as we get to them. I also made frequent use of materials at wesnoth.org, including the timeline, maps, unit descriptions, campaign dialogue, and discussion forums. Some details, though, we have made up for ourselves, drawing inspiration from the Realms of Terrinoth fantasy sourcebook for Genesys.
Our lovely character illustration was done by Del Borovic. She was great to work with. You can find her online at delborovic.com. As for our map, I drew that. It is nowhere near as beautiful, but I had fun pulling out the colored pencils.
The music for our podcast episodes is sampled from Return to Wesnoth by Matthias Westlund (aka West), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, part of The Battle for Wesnoth Project. Visit them at wesnoth.org.
1. Still Waters Run Deep - Heppa and Tric, two young elves looking to avoid responsibilities at home, agree to ventu
DS114 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Adjutant Acquisition | Part 4 of 4
Mon, 09 May 2022 01:00:24 +0000
Lilly finds everything she was looking for, but leaving Tarsonis behind is a little rougher than anticipated.
Note: Dicey Stories is going to take a short break. We’ll be back in July.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS113 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Adjutant Acquisition | Part 3 of 4
Mon, 02 May 2022 01:00:20 +0000
Imogen negotiates with Captain Hawke for control of the Confederate adjutant that implicates Arcturus Mengsk.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS112 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Adjutant Acquisition | Part 2 of 4
Mon, 25 Apr 2022 01:00:20 +0000
An old ally helps Lilly deal with a zerg attack in Tarsonis City Metro Station.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS111 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Adjutant Acquisition | Part 1 of 4
Mon, 18 Apr 2022 01:00:34 +0000
Lilly, Imogen, and their marine escorts return to Tarsonis.
Note: This arc is the FRAWD Investigators season 2 finale.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS110 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: (Re)Socializing | Part 6 of 6
Mon, 11 Apr 2022 01:00:14 +0000
Imogen desocializes Frank the Tank.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS109 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: (Re)Socializing | Part 5 of 6
Mon, 04 Apr 2022 01:00:12 +0000
Lilly shares more of her secrets with Durian while Imogen juggles her own relationships with Dominion servicemen.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS108 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: (Re)Socializing | Part 4 of 6
Mon, 28 Mar 2022 01:00:10 +0000
Despite a variety of setbacks, Imogen finally acquires some terrazine.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS107 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: (Re)Socializing | Part 3 of 6
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 01:00:06 +0000
Lilly shares parts of her past with Durian while Imogen starts taking steps to reverse a resocialization.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS106 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: (Re)Socializing | Part 2 of 6
Mon, 14 Mar 2022 01:00:04 +0000
While Lilly rubs shoulders with the brass at Durian’s promotion ceremony, Imogen digs for information in the seedier parts of assault platform Imperative.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS105 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: (Re)Socializing | Part 1 of 6
Mon, 07 Mar 2022 01:00:36 +0000
Imogen and Lilly get a job offer from the Queen of Blades.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS104 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: A Very Special Mission | Part 6 of 6
Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:00:08 +0000
Kate Lockwell’s team successfully completes the PR stunt on Tarsonis, but Lilly and Imogen uncover a reason to linger in the system.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS103 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: A Very Special Mission | Part 5 of 6
Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:00:05 +0000
The Special Mission goes fine until other Dominion forces get involved.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS102 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: A Very Special Mission | Part 4 of 6
Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:00:04 +0000
Lilly and Imogen go on dates, and the Special Mission starts with a bang.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS101 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: A Very Special Mission | Part 3 of 6
Mon, 07 Feb 2022 01:00:02 +0000
Imogen and Lilly present their case for a Special Mission to the military comptroller.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS100 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: A Very Special Mission | Part 2 of 6
Mon, 31 Jan 2022 01:00:00 +0000
With the zerg incursion dealt with for now, the real danger—Dominion bureaucracy—rears its ugly head.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS099 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 22 of 22
Wed, 26 Jan 2022 16:00:58 +0000
Tcho obtains evidence of the moff’s plans.
JT helps Tcho understand what he has uncovered.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Note: This episode uses our Chase rules. Find them here.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS098 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: A Very Special Mission | Part 1 of 6
Mon, 24 Jan 2022 01:00:39 +0000
Lilly and Imogen make their way to Dominion platform Imperative, in orbit above zerg-controlled Tarsonis.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS097 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 21 of 22
Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:00:30 +0000
JT sets up an intervention activity on Naboo for the moff.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS096 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Lost & Found | Part 6 of 6
Mon, 17 Jan 2022 01:00:59 +0000
Back on Korhal, Imogen and Lilly prepare to join the assault on Tarsonis.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS095 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 20 of 22
Wed, 12 Jan 2022 16:00:55 +0000
JT solicits donations at the gala.
Tcho gains access to the moff’s equipment.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS094 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Lost & Found | Part 5 of 6
Mon, 10 Jan 2022 01:00:20 +0000
Ramping-up Dominion military activity intrudes upon Lilly and Imogen’s workaday lives.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS093 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 19 of 22
Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:00:44 +0000
Tcho snoops around the moff’s quarters while the gala gets underway.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS092 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Lost & Found | Part 4 of 6
Mon, 03 Jan 2022 01:00:18 +0000
Lilly and Imogen make a delivery to the protoss colony on Browder II.
Note: This episode uses our Fight Night rules. Find them here.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS091 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 18 of 22
Wed, 29 Dec 2021 16:00:43 +0000
As the Maelstrom tears the ship apart, Tcho and the Blue Streak disrupt the Zann Consortium’s plan to seize Dame Metropolis.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS090 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Lost & Found | Part 3 of 6
Mon, 27 Dec 2021 01:00:15 +0000
Lilly and Imogen go bengalaas hunting on Antiga Prime.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS089 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 17 of 22
Wed, 22 Dec 2021 16:00:16 +0000
The Blue Streak performs reconnaissance on the captain’s enemies.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS088 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Lost & Found | Part 2 of 6
Mon, 20 Dec 2021 01:00:30 +0000
Lilly and Imogen work their new business in the Mar Sara wastes.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS087 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 16 of 22
Wed, 15 Dec 2021 16:00:41 +0000
Tcho and Captain Rowan investigate mutineer activity on the bridge.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS086 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Lost & Found | Part 1 of 6
Mon, 13 Dec 2021 01:00:09 +0000
Lilly and Imogen make a smuggling delivery to Joey Ray in Mar Sara City.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS085 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 15 of 22
Wed, 08 Dec 2021 16:00:39 +0000
Cerean athlete Kerr-Lonn-Ny chases the mutinous Frozian Adalat across Dame Metropolis.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Note: This episode uses our Chase rules. Find them here.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS084 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 8 of 8
Mon, 06 Dec 2021 01:00:22 +0000
After some post-battle decompressing, Lilly and Imogen head back to the Dominion.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS083 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 14 of 22
Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:00:48 +0000
Tcho and Kerr-Lonn-Ny rescue the captain from a mutineer.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS082 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 7 of 8
Mon, 29 Nov 2021 01:00:50 +0000
With the psi-disruptor destroyed, Imogen ensures Jackson's Revenge will never take off again.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS081 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 13 of 22
Wed, 24 Nov 2021 16:00:43 +0000
Tcho and Kerr-Lonn-Ny investigate a possible mutiny belowdecks.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS080 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 6 of 8
Mon, 22 Nov 2021 01:00:47 +0000
Lilly, Imogen, and their crew make their move against the psi-disruptor aboard Jackson's Revenge.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS079 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 12 of 22
Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:00:00 +0000
JT meets with Ursa Diol for some quiet meditation and a heart-to-heart on the moff.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS078 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 5 of 8
Mon, 15 Nov 2021 01:00:45 +0000
The assault on Jackson's Revenge begins.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS077 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 11 of 22
Wed, 10 Nov 2021 16:00:23 +0000
JT meets up with Tcho outside Dame Metropolis.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS076 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 4 of 8
Mon, 08 Nov 2021 01:00:42 +0000
Lilly and Imogen interrogate their pirate prisoner, and Malorn causes trouble before he even lands.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS075 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 10 of 22
Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:00:54 +0000
Sergeant Renault chases Tcho across the ship, exactly according to plan.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Note: This episode uses our Chase rules. Find them here.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS074 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 3 of 8
Mon, 01 Nov 2021 01:00:39 +0000
Lilly consults with Aiden about Snowball while Imogen summons another ally to join their cause.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS073 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 9 of 22
Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:00:51 +0000
JT, Kerr-Lonn-Ny, Tcho, and Gomarr all meet up in JT’s room for a much-needed break. JT helps Tcho deal with his injuries while they discuss the ramifications of the day’s events.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS072 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 2 of 8
Mon, 25 Oct 2021 01:00:37 +0000
Following the fight in the factory, Lilly and Imogen find themselves worse off than before they decided to search it for supplies.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS071 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 8 of 22
Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:00:49 +0000
A sympathetic passenger finds Tcho and helps him get away from the Snowscape.
Note: This scene sees the return of Gomarr, a minor character from our Star Wars story Resh Hour 3: Into the Dark.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS070 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Owendoher’s Revenge | Part 1 of 8
Mon, 18 Oct 2021 01:00:54 +0000
Lilly, Imogen, Lief, and Aiden return to the wrecked factory in search of resources for their attack on Jackson's Revenge. Unfortunately, the crash had some survivors.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS069 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 7 of 22
Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000
JT makes some new friends while locked up in the passenger recuperation area.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS068 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Aiding Aiden | Part 4 of 4
Mon, 11 Oct 2021 01:00:00 +0000
Aiden and Imogen catch up and make a plan for moving forward.
Note: This arc features pirates. There is more than our usual amount of drinking by fictional characters and swearing, though nothing that would exceed a PG-13 movie rating or an ESRB Teen rating. Just thought I'd warn you.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS067 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 6 of 22
Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:00:05 +0000
The moff questions JT about activities in the cargo hold.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS066 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Aiding Aiden | Part 3 of 4
Mon, 04 Oct 2021 01:00:57 +0000
Bullets and invectives fly as things come to blows aboard the factory ship.
Note: This arc features pirates. There is more than our usual amount of drinking by fictional characters and swearing, though nothing that would exceed a PG-13 movie rating or an ESRB Teen rating. Just thought I'd warn you.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS065 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 5 of 22
Wed, 29 Sep 2021 16:00:23 +0000
Sergeant Renault and his stormtrooper squad chase Tcho Praetor through the Snowscape.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Note: This episode uses our Chase rules. Find them here.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS064 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Aiding Aiden | Part 2 of 4
Mon, 27 Sep 2021 01:00:53 +0000
Lilly provides a distraction so that Imogen and Lief can sneak around the pirates' outpost.
Note: This arc features pirates. There is more than our usual amount of drinking by fictional characters and swearing, though nothing that would exceed a PG-13 movie rating or an ESRB Teen rating. Just thought I'd warn you.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS063 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 4 of 22
Wed, 22 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000
JT has a lunch meeting at the Imperial with Ursa Diol, the moff’s chief-of-staff.
Note: Here we break with canon because at the time I somewhat randomly chose Moff Quarsh Panaka, I did not know at what point he died in the official timeline. We retcon that death to suit our own purposes.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS062 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Aiding Aiden | Part 1 of 4
Mon, 20 Sep 2021 01:00:38 +0000
Lilly, Imogen, and Lief infiltrate the pirate crew at the coordinates Uncle Leo provided.
Note: This arc features pirates. There is more than our usual amount of drinking by fictional characters and swearing, though nothing that would exceed a PG-13 movie rating or an ESRB Teen rating. Just thought I'd warn you.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS061 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 3 of 22
Wed, 15 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000
JT explores the cargo hold with the help of a crew member who seems to have as many secrets as she does.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS060 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Homecoming | Part 3 of 3
Sun, 12 Sep 2021 23:00:47 +0000
Imogen meets with Uncle Leo and investigates her brother Aiden's activities with help from Lilly.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS059 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 2 of 22
Wed, 08 Sep 2021 16:00:24 +0000
As she gets settled in for the cruise, JT runs into some old friends and some new problems. An Imperial presence aboard Dame Metropolis is interfering with arrangements for her gala!
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS058 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Homecoming | Part 2 of 3
Sun, 05 Sep 2021 23:00:42 +0000
Imogen and Lilly make sure Saffron will pass Umojan environmental checks... the hard way.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS057 | Star Wars | Cruise Control | Part 1 of 22
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 16:00:37 +0000
Embracing her new role as charity director for the War Orphans Fund, Force-sensitive outlaw technician Jai Tessa, known as JT to her friends, schmoozes with wealthy passengers while waiting to board Dame Metropolis on Corellia, hoping to get some of them interested in attending her fundraising gala during the cruise.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS056 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Homecoming | Part 1 of 3
Sun, 29 Aug 2021 23:00:22 +0000
For a change of pace, Imogen and Lilly deal with the Umojan bureaucracy instead of the Dominion one.
Note: This arc is the FRAWD Investigators season 2 opener.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Thu, 26 Aug 2021 01:00:00 +0000
Welcome aboard Dame Metropolis, the largest, most majestic cruise starship in the entire galaxy. During your stay with us, hobnob with the movers and shakers of the galaxy over lunch at the Imperial restaurant or mingle with elite society at a charity fund-raising gala. Relax on the sand in the Beach Zone or enjoy a vigorous swim in our sector-sized pool. Prefer the cold? Hit the slopes or ice rink at the Snowscape. Runners, there are plenty of places for you to get a workout, too! Cool down afterwards in the meditative gardens. The more scientifically-minded might enjoy a lecture from a resident professor or the stellar phenomena visible from the Observation Lounge. You younglings will be well-cared for in entertainment facilities that include a reconfigurable playground and a holo-park. Parents, leave them in our care while you get your shopping done on the Bazaar Deck. Any extra baggage can be stowed safely in our secure cargo holds. And don't forget to get a tour of the bridge from the captain! Our friendly staff will be on hand at all times to help you with any logistical, medical, or scheduling needs. Leave the concerns of the galaxy behind as you step aboard Dame Metropolis.
Star Wars: Cruise Control is played using Fantasy Flight Games' Genesys and Star Wars roleplaying materials and the Mythic GM Emulator, set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.
After completing our Star Wars: Resh Hour trilogy with the Mythic GM Emulator, my spouse and I batted around ideas for what other spin-off stories could be fun to tell in the expanded universe of our old Desert Rose Solutions campaign. Renci's and Renn's stories had run their course, having grown from NPCs to PCs in their own right. For a while we considered various other NPCs of the DRS campaign who could get upgraded to PCs. One idea I kept coming back to, though, was another adventure for Renci's girlfriend, JT (my spouse's PC in the original DRS crew). What would JT get up to following the intervention that Renci staged to get JT back on track after her Dark Side experiences? We knew from the close of the DRS campaign that JT had wanted to spend more time on a set of charities she had helped start, but how could we make that into an adventure?
I came up with the concept of a charity fund-raising gala held on a space cruise disrupted by a mutiny. After asking around on the old FFG forums for ideas [ref, ref2], we started play with the Mythic GME in one hand and the WEG module Riders of the Maelstrom in the other. We do not follow the plot of that module, but it was an excellent source to draw from. I also pulled some ideas from FFG's Suns of Fortune source book, as well as the novel Leia, Princess of Alderaan, by Claudia Gray. FFG's Allies and Adversaries and the SWRPG adversary decks helped fill the ship with NPCs, and we frequently consulted the fan-made Direct MP3 link
DS055 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 7 of 7
Mon, 28 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen tie up loose ends on Mar Sara, then respond to an unexpected summons.
Note: Dicey Stories is going to take a break for July. We'll be back in August.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS054 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 6 of 7
Mon, 21 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen get all the captives, terran and zerg, to safety.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS053 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 5 of 7
Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen bring all their resources to bear to disrupt Neiman's research.
Note: Sound quality back to what passes for normal around here!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS052 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 4 of 7
Mon, 07 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen prepare their assault on Neiman's zerg training grounds.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS051 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 3 of 7
Mon, 31 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen find one of the people Neiman abducted, learning more about the ghost's plans and Lilly's past.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS050 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 2 of 7
Mon, 24 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000
A hydralisk with a neural implant bars the way farther into the Cerberus facility.
Note 1: This episode includes physical combat where the goal is to not kill the other side.
Note 2: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS049 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Challenge on Chau Sara | Part 1 of 7
Mon, 17 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen form an unlikely alliance for raiding the Cerberus facility on Chau Sara.
Note 1: This arc is the FRAWD Investigators season 1 finale.
Note 2: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS048 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Changes | Part 3 of 3
Mon, 10 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Back on Mar Sara, Li June shares her research on zerg catalysts, and Lilly acts on it.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS047 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Changes | Part 2 of 3
Mon, 03 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen wrap up loose ends on Korhal and investigate Grom's new lead at the local spaceport.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS046 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Changes | Part 1 of 3
Mon, 26 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen take Spearmint to meet Grom at the mining company's headquarters in Augustgrad.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS045 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Bad Behavior on Browder | Part 5 of 5
Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen make plans for moving forward, and Lilly comes clean to Imogen about her past.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS044 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Bad Behavior on Browder | Part 4 of 5
Mon, 12 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Selendis interrogates Lilly and Imogen about their true goals at the protoss base.
Note 1: Social combat, right from the start.
Note 2: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS043 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Bad Behavior on Browder | Part 3 of 5
Mon, 05 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly is reckless, and Imogen is ambitious. It catches up with them in the icy wastes of Browder II.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS042 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Bad Behavior on Browder | Part 2 of 5
Mon, 29 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Selendis questions Lilly and Imogen about their business on Browder II and then grants the terrans some leeway at the research base.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS041 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Bad Behavior on Browder | Part 1 of 5
Mon, 22 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen are accused of connections to the tal'darim when they return Arudin to his people at the protoss base on Browder II.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS040 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 8 of 8
Mon, 15 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen get better acquainted with the terran Spearmint and the protoss Arudin, making plans to take them off Antiga to get them the help they need.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS039 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 7 of 8
Mon, 08 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen locate the psi emitter and disable it, which does not make its current owner happy.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS038 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 6 of 8
Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen negotiate with an anti-technology cult to gain the battery that Snowball needs. In return, they agree to deal with the device that attracted zerg to Antiga to begin with.
Note 1: Social combat starts around minute 18.
Note 2: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS037 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 5 of 8
Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen complete their investigation of the ruins and pursue a lead on Lieutenant Spearmint's current whereabouts.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS036 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 4 of 8
Mon, 15 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen search the local ruins for the man who attacked their truck… and has the battery they need for Snowball.
Note: Episodes 36-52 have sound quality different from our usual. If it doesn't work for your ears, please enjoy our narrative write-ups and jump back into listening with Episode 53.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS035 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 3 of 8
Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Returning to Saffron proves more of a challenge for Lilly and Imogen than they expected.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS034 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 2 of 8
Mon, 01 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen recover materials from the Exploracorp facility to improve Saffron.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS033 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Antiga Antics | Part 1 of 8
Mon, 25 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen arrive on Antiga Prime and begin salvage at an Exploracorp science vessel manufacturing facility.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS032 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 7 of 7
Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen end their stay on Korhal by following up on some leads related to missing witnesses for FRAWD's case against Rose Incorporated.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS031 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 6 of 7
Mon, 11 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen let Durian enjoy the limelight following their successful operation at the Dominion Optics Research Facility.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS030 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 5 of 7
Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000
The inevitable combat: Malorn's tal'darim rival Lendasha shows up to confiscate the protoss laser weapon being tested at the Dominion Optics Research Facility.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS029 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 4 of 7
Mon, 28 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000
Dr. Brine provides a tour of the research lab at the Dominion Optics Research Facility to some FRAWD agents.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS028 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 3 of 7
Mon, 21 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen complete their plans for recovering the protoss weapon from the Dominion Optics Research Facility, and their mercenary friend Durian joins the operation.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS027 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 2 of 7
Mon, 14 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen conduct reconnaissance on the Dominion Optics Research Facility.
Note: Social combat starts around minute 44.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS026 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: DORF Star | Part 1 of 7
Mon, 07 Dec 2020 03:00:11 +0000
The exiled tal'darim Malorn prepares Lilly and Imogen to steal a protoss weapon from the Dominion Optics Research Facility on Korhal.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS025 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: One Quiet Night | Part 4 of 4
Mon, 30 Nov 2020 03:00:22 +0000
Lilly and Imogen sort out the vermin issues aboard Hyperion and get Saffron in proper working order.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS024 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: One Quiet Night | Part 3 of 4
Mon, 23 Nov 2020 03:00:43 +0000
Lilly and Imogen encounter other alien lifeforms during their search for their zerg larva Snowball aboard Hyperion.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS023 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: One Quiet Night | Part 2 of 4
Mon, 16 Nov 2020 03:00:46 +0000
Lilly and Imogen search Hyperion for Snowball after the zerg larva goes AWOL.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS022 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: One Quiet Night | Part 1 of 4
Mon, 09 Nov 2020 03:00:18 +0000
Lilly and Imogen explore Hyperion, the flagship of Raynor's Raiders.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS021 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Old Red and Saffron | Part 6 of 6
Mon, 02 Nov 2020 03:00:50 +0000
Lilly and Imogen take drastic steps to ensure Rory Swann will help fix up Saffron.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS020 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Old Red and Saffron | Part 5 of 6
Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:00:47 +0000
Imogen burns a bridge while Lilly mugs a zerg.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS019 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Old Red and Saffron | Part 4 of 6
Mon, 19 Oct 2020 03:00:55 +0000
Lilly and Imogen explore the Cerberus science vessel.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS018 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Old Red and Saffron | Part 3 of 6
Mon, 12 Oct 2020 03:00:12 +0000
Lilly and Imogen contend with the dangers of the Mar Sara countryside.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS017 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Old Red and Saffron | Part 2 of 6
Mon, 05 Oct 2020 03:00:56 +0000
Lilly and Imogen visit Li June for a Snowball update and some sweet tea.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS016 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Old Red and Saffron | Part 1 of 6
Mon, 28 Sep 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Imogen creates a distraction to get through the Mar Sara spaceport quarantine, and Lilly has to clean up the mess.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS015 | Star Trekkish | Voyages of the Starship Raptor | Part 2 of 2: Hive Hijinks
Fri, 25 Sep 2020 03:01:00 +0000
The crew of the Raptor gets help from an inside man as they seek to restore their void crystals, but the galaxy may never be the same again.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS014 | Star Trekkish | Voyages of the Starship Raptor | Part 1 of 2: Nacelle Hell
Wed, 23 Sep 2020 03:02:00 +0000
A threat... the Hive Armada wants to... steal/capture the... void crystals which will... start a war/invasion!
We refer to a few other systems good for one-shots, Everyone is John from Gamer Nation Studios and One Last Job by Grant Howitt (both of which we have played with a Star Wars flavor).
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS013 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Rendezvous on Redstone | Part 5 of 5
Mon, 21 Sep 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Abandoned in Dead Man's Port, Lilly and Imogen pursue new opportunities.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS012 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Rendezvous on Redstone | Part 4 of 5
Mon, 14 Sep 2020 03:00:00 +0000
A couple people get very angry, and it's not Lilly and Imogen.
Sarah Kerrigan/Queen of Blades
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS011 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Rendezvous on Redstone | Part 3 of 5
Mon, 07 Sep 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen repurpose an old mining platform.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS010 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Rendezvous on Redstone | Part 2 of 5
Mon, 31 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen spend some quality time with the crew of the Smashing Star, which maybe should've been named the Crashing Star.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS009 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Rendezvous on Redstone | Part 1 of 5
Mon, 24 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen prepare for their next job, then remember to check in with their actual employer.
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS008 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 8 of 8
Mon, 17 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Once again, Lilly and Imogen are denied health coverage.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS007 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 7 of 8
Mon, 10 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen enjoy some sweet tea and get offered yet another job.
Note: Social combat starts around minute 14.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS006 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 6 of 8
Mon, 03 Aug 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen get everything in place so they can walk away from the plot.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS005 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 5 of 8
Mon, 27 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly makes another friend. Imogen makes phone calls.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS004 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 4 of 8
Mon, 20 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Quite the clinic.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS003 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 3 of 8
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Some people are cut out for refinery work. Some aren't.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS002 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 2 of 8
Mon, 06 Jul 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen make some new friends at a bar.
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
DS001 | StarCraft | FRAWD Investigators: Mayhem on Mar Sara | Part 1 of 8
Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:00:00 +0000
Lilly and Imogen get a new assignment. And some new jobs.
Big Daddy Browder's Gas & Guns
Need context? Jump to the start of the series!
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com