Welcome to the first episode of Mining Media, a short brainstorming style series that will come out every 3rd Tuesday of the month where I discuss a book, TV series, movie, video game, or any other kind of media I've been binging and think about what kind of inspiration and ideas you can take from it to use at your table and better your gaming experience.   This first episode dives into John Gwynne's The Faithful and the Fallen book series. It's generally low-fantasy and skirts the edges of grimdark, with plenty of battles, violence, and classic fantasy tropes worn proudly on its chain shirt. It subverts some tropes, leans into others, but reads very relatable to tabletop RPG campaigns, which I think makes it a great series to talk about mining ideas from.   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Rain, Book And Cup Of Tea by | e s c p | https://www.escp.space https://escp-music.bandcamp.com

Welcome to this month's Mining Media where I help you think about ideas from other forms of entertainment that can elevate your tabletop RPG experience. In this episode we're talking about Sabotage Studio's retro JRPG inspired Sea of Stars - a love letter to the 90s/early 2000s 16-bit JRPGs of my youth.   The game itself is a beautiful game with very evocative locations and, most importantly for this episode, interesting combat mechanics that I think would work to spice up your RPG's combats in very cool ways. The main takeaways from this episode are to include mini-puzzle like conditions to be achieved by your PCs mid-fight in order to mitigate (or altogether stop) a powerful special attack from going off, as well as encouraging teamwork combos in battle through connections made between PCs in or out of combat.   I forgot to mention another great bit of Fabula Ultima's combat mechanics that would work well for that telegraph/countdown to special attack is their option to take the Objective action and work toward a clock that would change the battle. It is generally used for more "end the conflict overall" type of actions, but could be scaled back potentially for this kind of use.   Games Mentioned in this Episode: Fabula Ultima TTJRPG | BREAK! RPG   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | https://www.escp.space https://escp-music.bandcamp.com

Welcome to another Mining Media where we turn your binging into better TTRPG experiences. In this episode we're talking about Delicious In Dungeon - a manga turned anime currently streaming on Netflix about a group of adventurers delving a massive dungeon and eating the monsters they encounter along the way!   This show is so obviously inspired by traditional TTRPGs from decades past, but does such an incredible job of environmental storytelling through meticulously designing each level of the titular Dungeon to portray a well thought out, functioning ecosystem. As a biologist/ecologist by day, this show is inspiring in its devotion to depicting believable dungeon ecology that helps tell a cohesive story and makes for much more interesting monsters/encounters.   So the next time you're prepping (as a GM) or exploring (as a player) a dungeon, take the time to think about how every creature here is carving out its place in the food web/ecosystem, what resources are abundant or scarce and how that affects survival or behaviors in the nearby region, and ask questions about how you can use them to your advantage!   If you want to read it, here's Sage Latorra's A 16 HP Dragon article!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Music by Patrick A. from Pixabay

Welcome to another Mining Media where we turn your binging into better TTRPG experiences. In this episode we're talking about Fonda Lee's incredible gangster fantasy trilogy The Green Bone Saga. This series is one of *very* few (maybe the only?) that I've rated 5 stars down the line. It has enough magic and urban fantasy to feel wondrous, incredibly emotional character development, intense martial arts action scenes, harsh betrayals, drugs, sex, crime, corruption, generational trauma and expectations... I could go on and on forever - please read it and talk to me about it!   Anyway, the take home points for how to make your TTRPG sessions better with The Green Bone Saga include: Hack your favorite system to use the Jade Disciplines as Stats (along with others for non-Green PCs)Consider using a relationship map/web to constantly keep pressure on your PCs from their connections, making every move dangerous in a faction-based turf warIf your setting has magic, include a culture or people who are immune or resistant to that magic - how are they viewed in society? How do they overcome this?When making factions always have allied, antagonistic, and neutral parties to the party's goals. The Penitents & religious folk of these books are very cool, silent monks who are the ears of the gods - give them emotional, cultural depth   In the end, I think this episode was less "here's what to use in your game," and more "PLEASE READ THESE AND LET'S PLAY AN RPG CAMPAIGN IN THIS WORLD TOGETHER." If you're interested, please let me know. And Fonda Lee, if you ever see this and want someone to make your world an RPG, I'll help!   Download Rene's One-Page RPG One Last Quest and bring back your favorite characters for one more mission as elderly versions of themselves!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Midnight Room by | e s c p | https://www.escp.space https://escp-music.bandcamp.com

Welcome to another Mining Media where we turn your binging into better TTRPG experiences. In this episode we're talking about Amazon Prime's new video game to TV adaptation Fallout. Based on the hit video game franchise, season one takes some liberties with what's been established in the games but succeeds in making an enjoyable, pretty true to universe story that uses a lot of great techniques you can pull for your tabletop RPG campaigns.   The take home points are: Give your characters "ghosts" (from YouTuber ALuckyMuse), which are people, events, and obligations from their past which continue to haunt PCs, either through traumatic experiences, voices always heard when they look inward (trusted or derogatory), or similar which inform their misconceptions about the world, their beliefs, and can justify their actions when they're not necessarily the best.Don't worry about character imbalance when it comes to power. Everyone has a role in the party, it's okay for someone to be overpowered in one aspect, but make sure it has a drawback (e.g. the Ghoul's need for the drugs, Maximus's inexperience with the jumpsuit, Lucy's naivety).When adapting canon, don't play in what's known - focus on the "what ifs." What if this took place in the northern forests of Canada? Each faction might still exist, but they'd have very different goals, problems, and methods. What if we played our story before the events of New Vegas? or after?   Download Rene's One-Page RPG One Last Quest and bring back your favorite characters for one more mission as elderly versions of themselves!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/adi-goldstein/i-dont-need-your-love License code: FSMKKQOUT4ZD4EHK

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Perspective Checks, the new take on the DMs After Dark discussion show Modified Rolls!   In this series, I will be interviewing friends and folks from the hobby about something they like to think about when it comes to this wonderful world of tabletop RPGs, and what better way than to start with one of the first people to ever introduce me to the world of D&D, Troy Bliss!   You know Troy from the DMs After Dark, our Team Chaos wacky character loving ginger half of Blissbot, and he joins me to talk about something appropriately self-reflective - Why Players Have a "Type" and the usefulness of Tropes in RPGs. Troy has always been an incredibly hard worker, pushing his body and mind to their limits, and has recently gone back to school for more Psychology, so this kind of deep thinking about why we play what we play is something that he is clearly passionate about.   Hopefully you enjoy what you hear, and hopefully it makes you think about your own type or style. Comment or email with what you think your "Type" of PC is, we'd love to hear from you!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with a friend in the tabletop roleplaying game world and discuss a topic of their choice!   For this episode I was joined by artist, video game streamer, and long-time home party member of Rene's - Matt Raso. Matt is the graphic designer behind both the DMs After Dark and Rene Plays Games logos, and you can find his art on Instagram and game streams on Twitch. Matt is a big fan of the grimdark genre from Berserk! to Souls games, and really has a great penchant for bringing emotionally charged characters to the gaming table. We discuss hallmarks of the grimdark genre, setting elements, and why some of the most important moments in these stories are the little wins, the faint rays of hope, and the attachments made in a world so quick to tear you down.   Hopefully you enjoy that chat and get some ideas for your own games!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with a friend in the tabletop roleplaying game world and discuss a topic of their choice!   This time Rene is joined once again by Troy from the DMs After Dark to talk with Liz Greene, LMHC MFT TGM/DM GT, a licensed Geek Therapist who uses games and popular media in her sessions! We discuss games as a community, using characters as buffers to experiences, practicing social skills, and putting consequences into perspective, and more.   Please check out these amazing resources and tell us about experiences at the table you've had that have helped you in hard times!   You can find Liz at Serenity Coaching & Counseling, Psychology Today, and find other geek therapists in your area at Geek Therapeutics.   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with a friend in the TTRPG world and discuss a topic of their choice!   This time I'm joined by a fellow podcaster and GM who I respect and listen to constantly - Adam Kelly of The STF Network! The Strange Table Fellows have a whole lot of shows and content for you to enjoy, but we talk about the massive 3 Adventure Path kitbash Adam and friends put together to form the story of the Apollo Protection Agency, as well as his other experiences in gaming and the music world.   Adam was so easy to talk to and really cares about community in the creative scene. He gives great advice about running or playing in your home games, tips if you're thinking about podcasting, and has more than a few spot on analogies that show his background in music and TTRPG skills go hand in hand.   Find more of the STF Network on their website, join their Discord, subscribe to their podcast feeds, and maybe I'll see you at STFConline!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with a friend in the TTRPG world and discuss a topic of their choice!   This time I'm joined by another one of the OGs of Rene's nerdy life on the internet - Baby DM Sara from the DMs After Dark! If you're following this channel, you likely know that I've been playing games with these wonderful nerds for the last few years, and they're continuing to play games over on their Twitch every other Friday, I still edit their audio for podcasts and consider myself a member even though I can't play as often as I'd like on their schedule.   Sara is the youngest of the DMs, a fellow member of Team Wholesome, and came on to talk about something that happens to a lot of us when we get really into the TTRPG hobby (or any hobby really) - burnout. She recently took a little hiatus from the streaming and we discuss checking in with yourself, your fellow players outside of the game space, finding ways to be creative outside of the expectations of content creation, the importance of being silly, and more!   Content Warnings: language, Orcfuck, and silly one-shots being the leg day of the RPG hobby (this is just a good analogy)   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to the Sundered Isles, a setting expansion for the incredible Ironsworn: Starforged roleplaying game by Shawn Tomkin & Joshua Meehan.   In this series I'm going to be playing the (as yet) unreleased rules for the Sundered Isles setting, an age of sail take on Starforged with naval exploration, pirate themes, and general discovery built into the game. It was added on a stretch goal for the massively successful Starforged Kickstarter and is slated to be crowdfunded sometime in early 2024.   In episode 0 we talk about the basics of the system, Choose Our Truths to create the setting of our Sundered Isles game, and create our main character - Dyne, the young Merchant Sorcerer.   This episode is completely optional, but if you want to hear how Ironsworn games get started, I hope it's helpful and entertaining! (spoiler: we get a monkey companion, so ... pretty great)   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Salt Marsh from TabletopAudio.com

The series begins in earnest! Dyne Aloma and his crew of the Venture are called upon to aid The Morien and Eldarian Resistances on the isle of Isto Mavana against the Kyrody Dominion arriving to claim the island after their victory in a generations long war... However, these islands far out in the Reaches will not fall easily, and the first punch in a long fight is thrown. All the while, Dyne looks for ways to visit the sky isle where his Mystic Trial awaits...   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands High Seas Pursuit from TabletopAudio.com Trireme from TabletopAudio.com Explosion sound effect from Freesound.org

After the successful strike against one of the three Kyrodi battleships to procure medicine for the Eldarian Remnants on Isto Mavana, the crews decide it's time to find a new home for the resistance. Dyne takes his crew Laolo & Ephraim to the nearby island of Gamadar, half-torn into the sky a few leagues above during the Cataclysm. The expedition encounters some nasty local flora and one of the crew is in danger.   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Floating Market from TabletopAudio.com Jungle Ruins from TabletopAudio.com Starforged Fray from TabletopAudio.com Game Show Quiz Sound Effect obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

Dyne, Laolo, and Ephraim return to Isto Mavana to seek medical attention for the puppet vine sprouting from Ephraim's arm. After an unfortunate surgery, the Resistance decides that the island explored by the crew of the Venture is the most promising, and they must return. This time, however, Dyne and friends are tasked with exploring the skyward half of the island floating above the oceans nearby, where more dangers await them than just flora and fauna.   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Distilled Tropical from TabletopAudio.com Mushroom Forest from TabletopAudio.com Puzzle Dungeon from TabletopAudio.com Shaman's Hollow from TabletopAudio.com

Dyne unintentionally initiates his first Mystic Trial - the Trial of the Storm, and makes some mistakes (and a bit of a mess) before he gets a handle on his powers. However, he comes out the other side with a little more control and a lot more to do, both in his own journey to master his sorcery and the resistance against the Kyrody Dominion.   Pre-order Starforged physical books or get it digital from Modiphius!   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Ancient Beacon from TabletopAudio.com Lush World from TabletopAudio.com Starforged Fray from TabletopAudio.com The Voyage Begins from TabletopAudio.com Designed Lightning 2 & Record Scratch from ZapSplat.com

Dyne & crew wait out the night on the island of Gamadar, afraid of being spotted by the Dominion sky ship that flew out to the Cynosure Society research station after Dyne's Trial of the Storm. The night does not go peacefully, and their delay in returning to Isto Mavana does not help their cause either - all villagers are being tested for sorcerous potential - and it only gets worse...   Pre-order Starforged physical books or get it digital from Modiphius!   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Shaman's Hollow from TabletopAudio.com Escape the Shadow from TabletopAudio.com Investigator's Office from TabletopAudio.com

Dyne is taken prisoner by Captain Vega and brought to a secret sea cave the Kyrody sailor has been stockpiling equipment in, as well as where he is experimenting with sky iron. An escape is attempted, but this episode keeps riding the dice luck of the previous, and things just keep getting worse...   You can sign up to be notified when Sundered Isles goes live on Kickstarter and/or pre-order Starforged physical books or get it digital from Modiphius!   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Covert Ops from TabletopAudio.com Drowned Sailors from TabletopAudio.com Sunken Temple from TabletopAudio.com

Dyne is dragged out to sea after swearing an iron vow on the sky iron shard in Vega's Cave. The flooding recesses and pulls all of Captain Vega's Kyrody sailors out to a watery grave, but Dyne finds himself on a dry circle of sea floor at the bottom of a maelstrom - a shipwreck graveyard... What awaits him for his Trial of the Sea?   Go check out the sample guidebook and back Sundered Isles on Kickstarter! Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Trireme from TabletopAudio.com High Seas Pursuit from TabletopAudio.com Sunken Temple from TabletopAudio.com

Dyne and the crew of the Venture make moves to secure The Chimera before a storm comes in and score a warship for the Resistance, which they plan to use to attack another of the Kyrody fleet with unexpectedly. However, villagers from Isto Mavana have been tested for sorcerous potential and taken captive aboard the remaining two Kyrody ships - The Warden and the flagship Ironclad.   The Resistance attempts to take The Warden from Commander Gavin, but learn that they don't know the whole story about the Kyrody Dominion's presence in these waters...   Go check out the sample guidebook and back Sundered Isles on Kickstarter!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Ancient Beacon from TabletopAudio.com Nordic Noir from TabletopAudio.com Pirates! from TabletopAudio.com

Aboard another Kyrody Warship, Dyne and Ephraim learn the truth about the Kyrody Dominion's presence out here in the Reaches. However, the truth comes with a twist, and Dyne's attempts to persuade the sailors to accept an alternative option lands on deaf ears. His failure comes at a heavy cost, and a friend is lost...   Maezyu convinces Dyne to finish what's been started - a win against the Kyrody would be celebrated by all they've broken in the wake of their brutal war campaign. Together, the crew of the Venture flies to the cursed sky island of Manao for Dyne's last Trial, but the dying island is a terrifying maze of dry caves and colossal bones. What awaits Dyne at its heart?   Go learn more about everything Ironsworn and get your solo gaming on!   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter | Threads | DMs After Dark email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode: Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands Dark Continent from TabletopAudio.com Drowned Sailors from TabletopAudio.com High Seas Pursuit from TabletopAudio.com Shaman's Hollow from TabletopAudio.com Solemn Vow from TabletopAudio.com Trireme from TabletopAudio.com