calamitypod

[calamitypod]

Hi, this is a big post about my new TTRPG, Defy the Gods, which I’m Kickstarting soon. It’s a queer sword & sorcery adventure-romance set in fantasy ancient Mesopotamia. I was inspired by Conan, Clash of the Titans (1981!) and Princess Mononoke. (I've also got a BlueSky megathread going about it.)

Sign up to be notified when the Kickstarter launches!

Art by Thalie Shelen! @thalieshelen

(Btw hi I'm Chris, a queer, trans game designer in Columbus, Ohio. This will be my second published game. The first was a furry pack of nonsense called Raccoon Sky Pirates.)

Defy the Gods is sword & sorcery as a story game. My favorite PbtA games emulate specific stories and lead you to resonant emotional moments like you find in those stories. Here, I used PbtA to emulate sword & sorcery, with an emphasis on the romantic moments—but also plenty of metal 🤘. You use the flirtation mechanics (taken from Thirsty Sword Lesbians) to tempt, support, or thwart others. But then, you can roll too high (taken from Apocalypse Keys), where you get more than you bargained for. Like Conan running out of the Tower of the Elephant while it crumbles around him.

Also like Conan, you have a glorious destiny, but in this case it ain’t good. Rising to your most powerful self makes you monstrous, heralding your character’s end as a hero and their beginning as an NPC antagonist.

It’s a queer game. You can fall in love with anyone, or make them fall in love with you. But because the game is also about power, the gods and tyrants wait to stomp on you if your enticement falls flat. Like if you flirt with someone in the wrong neighborhood. Every character has their own arc, and one of the things I had the most fun with was making those feel like queer problems as well as ancient-world sword & sorcery problems.

Play a fierce Sword, chaos-loving Sorcerer, fugitive Revenant, mischievous Sailor, immortal-sworn Vessel, or wild-raised Wolfling. (All character portraits by Thalie Shelen @thalieshelen)

The Sword is big-hearted and violent. You have a move that lets you kill any human-sized mortal NPC within arm’s reach, without rolling, if you’re not already in combat. This always causes more problems than it solves.

While most players roll just 2d6 & add their stat, the Sorcerer casts spells by rolling a lot of dice & looking for patterns in them. If you can’t find any patterns, your sorcery runs amok. This chaos is kind of lovely. For instance, you're always changing your body—sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. But always gorgeous.

The Revenant is like Inanna, or if Eurydice made it out. They escaped the land of the dead. They aren’t who they were in their past life, nor who they were as a shade. They're still figuring out who they are now. Demons pursue them to claw them back to the Underworld.

The Sailor can call on a cast of past friends and lovers for help. They always have a plan, and an eye for the exit. One of their moves lets you fill in the map of the otherwise unknown world.

The Vessel is in love with a minor god. They channel their patron’s power by wounding themself, but their patron can also soothe their pain.

The Wolfling was raised by animals in the Wilds and is curious about the humans, but they belong in neither world. They're definitely the part most directly inspired by Princess Mononoke.

The World Forces are the antagonist. You build them at the table, in quick rounds of pick lists. They are:

The Pantheon: gods, goddesses, and demons. They make the rules, but maybe you can break them.

The City: tyrants, the wealthy, and others with the gods' blessing. They push you to the margins, but you can fight to be seen.

The Wilds: gigantic creatures and their trackless wilderness home. It's place of danger and new rules, but you'll probably break them.

The Shadow of Atlantis: long-gone elders. They dared to scorn the gods, and the Pantheon destroyed them for it, but through you they may live again.

Death: a hungry, totalitarian force. Its underground domain is the end for all mortals and the mockery of hope. But maybe you can return.

Art by Shan Bennion! @anonbeadraws

This was an intensely personal project, but it was too big for me to do by myself. Here are all the people who helped make it a reality:

Avery Alder: Design advisor

Basheer Ghouse: @basheerghouse Cultural consultant

Cat Tobin: Mentor https://www.pelgranepress.com

Cris Viana: Graphic designer & layout artist

Ezra Rose: Interior art

Kanesha Bryant: Interior art

Katrin Dirim: Interior art

Jaqueline Florencio: Cover art

Lyla Fujiwara: Developmental editor https://www.jarofeyes.com

Mary Verhoeven: Interior art

Omar Ramadan-Santiago: Cultural consultant

Rae Nedjadi: Developmental editor https://temporalhiccup.itch.io

Rue Dickey: @ilananight Copy editor

Sean D’souza: World-builder & writer https://linktr.ee/seandsouzax

Shan Bennion: Interior art

Thalie Shelen: Interior art

(art by Shan again! @anonbeadraws)

Thanks for reading! You can sign up at https://prelaunch.hecticelectron.com to know when the Kickstarter launches.

[calamitypod]

the end has come.

our first dig 2 graves finale is available here on spotify, or wherever podcasts are found

[calamitypod]

it’s tomorrow!!

faith and despair. hope and heartbreak. eternity and loss.

our final episode of first dig 2 graves will soon be with you.

[calamitypod]

also, of course

faith and despair. hope and heartbreak. eternity and loss.

our final episode of first dig 2 graves will soon be with you.

[calamitypod]

if you haven't heard our first gameplay episode, you can listen to it here, or through your podcasting platform of choice!

faith and despair. hope and heartbreak. eternity and loss.

our final episode of first dig 2 graves will soon be with you.

[calamitypod]

faith and despair. hope and heartbreak. eternity and loss.

our final episode of first dig 2 graves will soon be with you.

[calamitypod]

hey hi so here's the deal. our second episode of first dig 2 graves is up right now on various podcasting mediums, and you should listen to it! however. if you wait a couple days. it may be replaced by a version with a smidgen of bonus audio in flashback 2 which is useful as character information and themes going forward (if our soft soft audio can be salvaged).

zee and i (avery) have been unbelievably hyped about this game since our initial recording, and our editor has done a phenomenal job and constructed a bewitching soundscape for this world and these characters. we're delighted to share our quasi-angelic creatures and their philosophical battles with you all---and before their final confrontation, we hope to offer you a shade more insight into their inner workings.

[calamitypod]

spoiler-free first dig two graves posting

our world/character creation session is up! join zee and avery as we enter a world in the shadow of calamity and prepare to embark on a pilgrimage

[calamitypod]

200 Word RPGs 2024

Each November, some people try to write a novel. Others would prefer to do as little writing as possible. For those who wish to challenge their ability to not write, we offer this alternative: producing a complete, playable roleplaying game in two hundred words or fewer.

This is the submission thread for the 2024 event, running from November 1st, 2024 through November 30th, 2024. Submission guidelines can be found in this blog's pinned post, here.

[calamitypod]

200 Word RPGs 2024

Each November, some people try to write a novel. Others would prefer to do as little writing as possible. For those who wish to challenge their ability to not write, we offer this alternative: producing a complete, playable roleplaying game in two hundred words or fewer.

This is the submission thread for the 2024 event, running from November 1st, 2024 through November 30th, 2024. Submission guidelines can be found in this blog's pinned post, here.

[calamitypod]

hi, it's itchio creator day! this means itch doesn't take a cut of any sales today, which makes it a great time to support me if you've been thinking about picking up one of my games!

EYES ON THE PRIZE is a fake marriage comedy of errors for 2 or 4 players (1 or 2 pairs); think coppola marie antoinette meets austen meets the birdcage. it's pick up and play, and all you need is an 8-sided die per player + one standard pack of playing cards!

(and yes, it can be played online, with a few easy tweaks, and yes, it can be hacked for polyam play -- see some dev notes here!)

LAMPLIGHTER'S FESTIVAL is a worldbuilding/map-drawing game that can be played solo or collaboratively. it's fantastic for developing locations + then breathing life into its inhabitants, whether you're a DM or just fleshing out locations for other projects! (and you get to use your ENTIRE set of polyhedral dice all at once. look me in the eye and tell me you've never wanted to ball all 7 dice up in your fist and just chuck them.)

i also have two free games on my page: SMOKE WEED AND DO SOMETHING (YOU DON'T HAVE TO SMOKE WEED BUT YOU DO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING) and X-COURSE MEAL.

SWADS(YDHTSWBYDHTDS) is a zine/game???? about lowering the stakes until you can tackle your shit; X-COURSE MEAL is a horrible dinner party game inspired by human centipede, with rules so concise that they fit on the back of a business card.

as mentioned, these are both free, but if you've ever enjoyed my art and you'd like to throw me a tip, you can name your own price when you download these!

and if you already own + have enjoyed my games: thank you so much! leaving a 5-star review and/or comment on the game pages helps other people discover me, and it's another really appreciated form of support!

[calamitypod]

200 Word RPGs 2024

Each November, some people try to write a novel. Others would prefer to do as little writing as possible. For those who wish to challenge their ability to not write, we offer this alternative: producing a complete, playable roleplaying game in two hundred words or fewer.

This is the submission thread for the 2024 event, running from November 1st, 2024 through November 30th, 2024. Submission guidelines can be found in this blog's pinned post, here.

[calamitypod]

hey folks! we've got something a little different for you this week, in that we're having a chitchat about a deck-based dungeon-generating tool that Jack's been developing!

you can listen to us talk about it wherever podcasts are found, including here, or download it for yourself off our linktree!

[calamitypod]

Playing a horrifying game of Home by Doug Levandowski and Yeonsoo Julian Kim

Our playthrough won't be on podcast but everyone should try out this deck-based map building ttrpg it's fucking fantastic!!

You can order it at your local game store or Amazon but like .... Amazon 🖕

[calamitypod]

Hey folks!

We’re on a brief hiatus until after GenCon—we’re busy prepping games, engaging in cosplay con crunch, and coming up with panel questions!

Love you all; back soon!

[calamitypod]

[calamitypod]

In our final episode of Eyes on the Prize, our couples finally go head to head. That's right! It's Time! To! Duel!!!!

But even that may not be enough to fully break the tension! As Pennyrose and Lady Elwood put the final touches on their assassination scheme, Selwyn and Cressida find themselves---and their goals---changed by their growing affection, and begin to lay plans of their own.