Hello folks,
Inspired by the recent uptick in TTRPG discussion (thanks to the OGL fiasco) and seawoowaes's successful recruitment thread, I realized that I am also able to offer to run a campaign. I've wanted to start up something with Hexbear users for some time, and now is as good of a time as any.
Schedule wise, I often work late so I can only consistently do weekday nights (starting around 8pm EST). Wednesdays probably look the best for that now, but I could maybe swing Monday or Tuesday. I can also only commit to every other week (2 sessions a month). This would be a voice game. I can make a burner account for discord, but if someone has a more secure VoIP recommendation, that would also work. No video, but we'd probably use some sort of VTT.
Another thing that I want to note is that my games make good use of TTRPG safety tools, such as the X-card and lines and veils. No one wants to be part of a RPG horror story, and I can say that I and everyone else at the (virtual) table should be taking others' feelings seriously during play.
Personally, I am not too big on d20-based games (modern D&D, Pathfinder, etc...) but here's some things that I think I would enjoy running. I have plenty of experience teaching TTRPGs, so feel free to sign up even if you don't have prior experience.
Electric Bastionland
System: OSR (old-school renaissance). Vibe: Dungeon-delving, weird fantasy, misadventure, anarcho-Fabianism, Muppets. Experience: I've ran and played multiple sessions of Electric Bastionland, and I would love to run a extended campaign.
More Info:
"Bastion is the only city that matters. Everybody's here, and everything is here. You have a failed career and a colossal debt. Treasure is your only option."
This is old-school style RPG taking place in a "weird fantasy" setting that resembles early 20th century UK. Character creation is fast, with every character starting out with one of 100+ failed careers, which range from occupations like the Professional Gambler or Gang Enforcer to more esoteric pursuits such as the Contract Castaway, Urchin Pack or Acupressurist of Inanimate Objects. With only a few trinkets and possibly a meaningful skill, you will delve into the imbroglios of Bastion, the reaches of the Deep Country or the depths of the Underground to find treasure and pay off your collective debt.
Blades in the Dark
System: Forged in the Dark (derived from Powered by the Apocalypse). Vibe: Crime fiction, heist films, Dishonored, punkpunk (steampunk, electropunk, ghostpunk, etc...) Experience: I've ran two full-scale campaigns of Blades in the Dark, and have played a lot of Forged in the Dark games as well. It's certainly one of my favorite games and TTRPG settings.
More Info:
"Blades in the Dark is a game about a group of daring scoundrels building a criminal enterprise on the haunted streets of an industrial-fantasy city. There are heists, chases, escapes, dangerous bargains, bloody skirmishes, deceptions, betrayals, victories, and deaths."
This is a relatively modern system that came from the "Forge" scene of indie RPG designers. It takes place in a late Victorian but almost post-apocalyptic setting. It's been a millennium since the Gates of Death were broken and the sun was shattered, but most people are still just trying to get by. You all are criminals, bad people for the most, trying to make it big in the city of Doskvol. You'll have to manage your personal vices, contend with your rivals and other criminal factions, and stay on the run from the law if you want to survive. Most of you are going to bail out, burn out or bleed out, but if you want to retire to a life of comfort, well, there's only one path forward.
Fabula Ultima
System: Fabula Ultima (derived from Ryuutama). Vibe: Final Fantasy, Dragonquest, other JRPGs (you know what I'm taking about). Experience: I picked up the game recently and have only ran a single one-shot, but I am eager to run this game more!
More Info:
Fabula Ultima is a table-top RPG inspired by Japaneses RPGs (both video games and "table-talk" RPGs) that provides a toolkit to build "TJRPG" stories on a foundation of eight pillars:
"Ancient Ruins and Harsh Lands, A World in Peril, Clashing Communities, Everything has a Soul, Magic and Technology, Heroes of Many Sizes and Shapes, It's all about the Heroes, and Mystery, Discovery and Growth."
It pairs a lot of modern design sensibilities with a novel and intricate class/combat system (deep, but not fiddly). There's no pre-built setting, but Fabula Ultima provides the tools to create a own setting that echoes classic JRPGs.
As for other games, there are other OSR, FitD, PbtA and many other games that I wouldn't mind running in the future. However, these three are the ones I am feeling most interested and most able to teach/run for hexbear right now. If you are interested or have questions, you can comment below!