After Serenity

In this episode of the Cyberpunk campaign, the Edgerunners navigate the treacherous Elysium HQ after awakening Hera, a vengeful AI. They embark on a mission to plant AI-spawned seeds across the city, facing various challenges including combat with scavengers and the emergence of the Glow Boys amidst a radioactive sand storm. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Chapters 00:00 The Awakening of Hera02:41 The Mission to Plant the Seeds07:06 Combat and Chaos in the Garden Level11:41 The Escape Plan28:02 Exploring the Map and Game Mechanics35:23 Encountering the Glow Boys43:12 Inside the Building and Tactical Decisions48:50 The Growl of Danger52:40 A New Challenge Emerges01:00:41 Critical Moments01:07:13 Tactical Decisions in Close Quarters01:08:47 The Aftermath of Battle01:10:55 Resource Management and Vehicle Repairs01:20:15 Conclusion and Future Adventures Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Cyberpunk RED Chapter 11: Get Out on YouTube. Show Notes Recap: Edgerunners awaken Hera, the vengeful AI, and agree to her mission Objective: Plant AI "seeds" in three Hercules Industries locations Immediate goal: Escape Elysium HQ on foot without a vehicle Encounter: Hostile scavvers attacking cyber-corvids for chrome Tactical choices: Split between sneaking out and running headfirst into danger Surprise threat: A radioactive storm arrives mid-escape Retreat to shelter: Players take refuge in a ruined garage Combat: Coydogs attack—Bob attempts diplomacy with kibble Atlas falls dramatically out a window Bob uses glow sticks and a flashlight to reveal threats Players defeat coydogs and trick the Glow Boys into thinking they're dead Final escape: Hotwire a barely-working car and roll out of the Hot Zone Featured Image Meta The glowing ruins of downtown Night City, as depicted in the Cyberpunk RED core rule book. Credit: R. Talsorian Games.

On this episode, we talk about ShadowDark monsters! We look at a number of monster bestiaries, a zine dedicated to creating and adapting monsters for the game, and two dedicated monster-finding tools. What more ShadowDark? We've got more ShadowDark! d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made (S4E19) d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15) Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) Unboxing Cursed Scrolls 3: Midnight Sun for ShadowDark Chapters 00:00 Introduction00:54 Monster 2403:02 VALHOLL!04:21 Shadowfinder Complete Bestiary05:24 Creating and Adapting Monsters for ShadowDark14:16 The Monster Overhaul15:12 Ruincairn Bestiary17:20 ShadowDark Monster Tools19:34 Conclusion and Future Discussions Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d8 ShadowDark Monster Resources on YouTube. Show Notes ShadowDark specific Monster Resources Monster 24 Cost: $2 (pay what you want) 250 monsters by Tom Phillips, who spent 2024 creating monsters and publishing them to Reddit. This compiles his various critters into one document. Includes gaggles of hags (forest hags, tomb hags, venom hags), plenty of plants (carnivorous cave moss, blood orchid, vampire grass), and oodles of oozes and slimes (chaos pudding, green slime, umber jelly) VALHOLL! Nashcraeft #1 Cost: $6.99 A fanzine that builds on Cursed Scrolls #3: Midnight Sun. Introduces a bunch of monsters as well as a “lot system” as alternative to carousing, new magic items, new blessings, and 4 classes. Shadowfinder Complete Bestiary Cost: $25 (PDF) $29 (POD+PDF) as part of the Kickstarter Every PF 1E bestiary, #1-6, converted for Shadowdark RPG. The kickstarter is over; hopefully they'll release this for sale when the Kickstarter-created book releases in October 2025. Creating and Adapting Monsters for ShadowDark Cost: $5 (pay what you want) Very handy, fan-created rules for making your own monsters (or converting them from other systems). Advice on creating monsters including “VIBES OVER COMPLEXITY”, “USE NATURAL LANGUAGE”, “MONSTER SPELLS ARE WEIRD”, and “RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN” Options include: BUILD BY EQUIVALENTS If your monster is like a knight, bugbear, or zombie … just use the stat block as is. BUILD BY ADAPTATION Say you want to recreate the 5e Bandit Captain, you take the ShadowDark bandit, and beef it up.  BUILD BY BENCHMARK E.g. converting Yakfolk warrior. Look at the CR (in this case, CR 3, compare it to CR3 monsters in ShadowDark, and start building. It has a talent bank describing all kinds of monster capabilities and a big list of monster spells.  It includes a bunch of horrors as well, including blink dogs, ettins, pseudodragons, unique horrors like the  “Eyeball Wall”, and a number of NPCs (pyromancer, cultist, etc.). ShadowDark adjacent Resources Runecairn Bestiary Cost: $13.49 100 Norse-inspired monsters for Runecairn, an Old School Renaissance RPG. The OSR stat blocks are close enough to ShadowDark to make conversion pretty easy. Includes sabertooth cats, grave newts, ogres, and giant octopi. The Monster Overhaul Cost: $30.00 (PDF) $60 (PDF+Print) Come for the 200+ monsters, stay for the ecology and random table pieces. Uniformly praised online. It's got entries for NPCs (adventurers, barbarians) each with d100 names and character traits. For monsters, it delves beyond the stat block. Goblins get the same d100 names and traits PLUS physical descriptions, motivations, mounts, elite weapons, and loot.  Plus there are random tables like “50 mercenary jobs” and generic maps of locations like a wizard tower and a village. ShadowDark Monster Tools ShadowDark Tools: Monster Reference Filter monsters from the ShadowDark core rules + the first three Cursed Scrolls. Criteria include monster level, environment, type (e.g. angel, aberration), movement type (burrow, climb, fly), attack (blood drain, petrify, venom),

The edgerunners finally flipped the switch at the bottom of Elysium HQ's subbasements. As the power surged back, a wrathful AI queen named Hera burst to life, proclaiming her refusal to serve any false gods or corporate masters. She sees to draw the crew — APT, Angry Bob, Omen, and Atlas — into her web of revenge against Jason Antilles, a tech bro CIO who escaped Earth's devastation for an orbital Olympus. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Chapters :00 Intro1:04 Recap of the last mission2:27 Hera awakens, demands loyalty5:00 Digging into Antilles' backstory7:15 The wrathful queen's digital gifts10:00 Team heals up in eerie med-labs15:00 Planning escape routes, avoiding turrets20:00 Discussing Erebus, Cerberus, and past scars25:00 Moral debates and fixer mysteries30:00 Stepping back into the hot zone35:00 Prepping next moves and research42:00 Outro and episode wrap-up Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Cyberpunk RED Chapter 10: Hera's Wrath on YouTube. Show Notes Recap of the team's mission: descend into Elysium HQ, flip the switch, collect payday Activation of Hera, an AI queen filled with rage against Hercules Corp and Jason Antilles Team dialogue with Hera: pledging loyalty (for now) to survive, receiving cryptic gifts (golden apple, pomegranate, persimmon) Background on Antilles, Olympus orbital, and corporate lore Tension builds over the meaning of Hera's demands and the risks of unleashing AI beyond the Blackwall Characters reflect on past wounds (both physical and emotional) while healing in futuristic med bays Planning next steps: research Hera, investigate who hired them, understand the nature of the gifts, and strategize upcoming infiltrations Banter and camaraderie among players, with moral dilemmas surfacing Cliffhanger: the team escapes the ruins, heading into Night City's dangerous streets on foot, fruits and fate in tow Featured Image Meta A marble bust of the Greek goddess Hera.

Grab your coffee and join the Lair crew as we unpack the challenge of fostering player agency in tabletop RPGs. We explore how to spark proactive decisions, avoid the paralysis of infinite choice, and leverage mechanics that reward bold, cinematic play. Chapters 0:00 Intro1:00 Star Wars Sparks and hesitant players3:00 Fear of splitting the party and analysis paralysis6:30 Encouraging proactive play and giving permission10:00 Using patrons and clear motivations14:00 Narrative hooks and inciting actions17:00 Video game parallels and open-world stress20:00 Mechanics: fate points, plot points, and inspiration24:00 Player chaos: volunteering as hostages26:00 Minion promotions and closing comments Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Player Agency on YouTube. Show Notes Erin's Star Wars SPARKS games: hesitant players and dusty Star Destroyers Fear of splitting the party and the paralysis of choice Giving players permission to act and making decisions cinematic Narrative hooks: long-lost brothers, ticking clocks, and patrons Game mechanics fueling agency: Fate Core, Cortex, Savage Worlds, inspiration points Stories from the table: defeating big bads too quickly, volunteering as hostages, “Benny from The Mummy” moments The balance between modules and improvisation Open-world video game parallels (No Man's Sky, Red Dead Redemption, Skyrim) The episode's closing: minion questions, potential promotions, and how to connect with the show Featured Image Meta A collection of twenty-sided dice.

With the first arc of our Fallout 2d20 campaign completed, we sit down with some coffee to reflect on the game. We talk about the 2d20 system's strengths, campaign story arcs, funky dice, perk cards, and immersive mechanics. Looking ahead, we think about future campaign goals, new characters, and deeper dives into Fallout-style survival gameplay. Want more Fallout 2d20? Check out: Post: Fallout 2d20 Campaign & RPG Resources Podcast: Gore and Lore in Fallout – Campaigns & Coffee Podcast: Fallout Zones Chapters 0:00 Intro & Fallout Campaign Overview1:17 First Impressions of the Fallout 2D20 System3:38 Luck as a Game-Breaking Stat?6:05 Perks, PDFs, and the Art of Scavenging8:22 Critiques: Special Dice, Proprietary Components10:23 What Didn't Work—Or We Didn't Use13:40 Cheat Sheets and GM Tools14:44 Favorite In-Game Moments16:42 Character Growth and Future Arcs20:15 Would You Play It Again?21:56 Combat Mechanics and Cover23:04 Planning the Next Arc: Session Zero Redux24:56 Minion Mailbag: Dungeon Guard Duty Snacks26:10 Outro Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Wrap-up (Campaigns & Coffee) on YouTube. Show Notes Fallout 2D20 system wrap-up after six sessions Reflections on long break and return to post-apocalyptic play Mechanics discussion: perks, action points, special dice, and the role of luck Praise and critiques: rulebook usability, proprietary materials, and gameplay smoothness Favorite moments: Pip-Boy puzzles, Nurse 17's goldfish crusade, and ghoul roleplay Hopes for future arcs: deeper scavenging, zone maps, and expanded character growth Josh contemplating retiring "Lucky Buck" Session Zero for planning future campaign direction Bonus question: Best snack for dungeon guard duty Featured Image The door from Vault 81 in Fallout 4.

Join us for the Lair of Secrets' annual summer reading list! We run down a few of the books on our respective lists, but we're always looking for more! Featured in this episode are: Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente Infinite Archive (The Midsolar Murders #3) by Mur Lafferty Vicious by V.E. Schwab As well as side quests to talk about Iain Banks' The Culture series, Terry Prachett's Discworld, and Neal Stephenson's Seveneves. Suggest your own book ideas in the comments! Chapters 0:00 Intro & Rocket Misfires0:40 Red Sonja: Sword & Sorcery Revival1:45 Moon Cheese Madness: Scalzi's Absurd Apocalypse3:10 Seveneves vs. Moon Made of Cheese4:20 Ghosts in Cryo: Cold Eternity Breakdown5:35 Space Opera and the Glam-paign Idea6:50 Infinite Archive: Murder, She Wrote in Space8:00 Vicious by V.E. Schwab: Superpowered Rivalry9:10 The Overflowing To-Read Pile10:20 Pratchett's Final Discworld Reflections11:20 Saying Goodbye to The Culture Series12:00 More Books, More Time: Summer Reading Goals13:10 Share Your Book Picks!14:00 Outro & Call to Action Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Summer Reading List 2025 (S4E24) on YouTube. Show Notes Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone (Ken) - I got this as a Christmas present, and I'm looking forward to Gail's take on Red Sonja in novel form (I already read the comic book series she wrote; it was great). From the book blurb: The gutsy, wild, tortured free spirit, forged in pain yet unafraid of life or death, Red Sonja, the famous, fiery She-Devil and barbarian of Hyrkania has never concerned herself with the consequences of her actions. She's taken what she wanted, from treasure to drink to the companionship of bedfellows. She's fought who deserved it (and sometimes those who didn't). And she's never looked back. But when rumors start bubbling up from her homeland—rumors of unknown horrors emerging from the ground and pulling their unsuspecting victims to their deaths—and a strange voice begins whispering to her in her sleep, she realizes she may have to return to the country that abandoned her. And finally do the only thing that has ever scared her: confront her past. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (David) - I've been a fan of most of Scalzi's books. This is one of his more humorous books like Starter Villain and Kaiju Preservation Society. I'm looking forward to it. It's also going to hold me over until the next Old Man's War book comes out. The moon has turned into cheese. Now humanity has to deal with it. For some it's an opportunity. For others it's a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now... something absolutely impossible. Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and terminal patients at the end of their lives -- over the length of an entire lunar cycle, each get their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to pray, to laugh and to grieve. All in a kaleidoscopic novel that goes all the places you'd expect, and then to so many places you wouldn't. It's a wild moonage daydream. Ride this rocket. Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (Ken) – Barnes' third sci-fi/horror/ghost story novel is out. I loved the creepy atmosphere of the first two, which makes this one an easy pick. Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago… The cryo program,

The crew infiltrates a raider lair to rescue a kidnapped girl, navigating irradiated sewers, sentry turrets, and a heavily armed Thriftway gang. Steve NuGunnar faces off against his nemesis Thriftway in a brutal final encounter to reclaim his prized NuRay 3000. Chapters 0:00 Intro & Recap2:10 Turret Ambush!4:59 Raider Chase Begins7:35 Ghoulardi Loots, Team Pushes […] The post Fallout 2d20 Chapter 5: Thriftway Throwdown (S4E21) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

On this episode, Ken recaps running ShadowDark, Mothership, and Gaslands Refueled at a local RPG convention. We also delve into how to support your local conventions (MEPACon in the Pennsylvania, and Who's Yer Con? in Indiana). Chapters 0:00 Intro & MEPACon Setup2:10 Venue Upgrade & Con History4:00 ShadowDark: Morka Norden Recap7:00 Learning from Live Play […] The post Support your Local Convention: ShadowDark, Mothership, & Gaslands Recaps (S4E21) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

After some bartering in Covenant, the Wastelanders continue their quest to hunt down Thriftway's raiders. The Wastelanders' goal? Recover Steve NuGunner's NuRay 3000. Oh, and a girl who was kidnapped from Covenant by the raiders. Chapters 0:00 Intro & Wasteland Recap5:15 Covenant Refuge and Raider Fallout13:10 Upgrades, Bartering & Lars' Plea20:40 Junkyard Clues & Mole […] The post Fallout 2d20 Chapter 4: Shotgun Justice (S4E20) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Ken and David explore Moonbeam.stream, a streaming platform made for tabletop gamers and creatives, while sharing their live-streaming experiments and future content plans. They also dive into their respective ShadowDark campaigns, filled with dungeon chefs, dagger-bound skeletons, and low-level party drama. Ken preps for his return to Philmont, while David tempts fate with yet another enticing Kickstarter. Moonbeam sites Moonbeam.streaming The Lair's Realm on Moonbeam Chapters 0:09 What Is Moonbeam.stream?1:19 Streaming Past and Present2:48 Live Streaming Experiments3:28 Ken's OBS Trials & Switch Bridge Setup4:50 Drawing Dungeons and Mothership Maps5:46 Streaming One-Shots and Actual Plays6:07 The DIE: Die Improvement Environment7:24 Portal Vibes & Co-Working Streams9:29 Scheduling & Chaos Coordination14:21 Ken's Training for Philmont18:18 Altitude, Monsoons, and Backpack Logistics25:04 Cooking in the Dungeon: ShadowDark Update28:24 Party Health Woes and Lucky Rolls30:55 Skeletons, Dire Rats & Goblin Politics33:49 ShadowDark Western Reaches Kickstarter35:13 Alien RPG Evolved Temptation35:55 Wrap-Up and Community Links Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Moonbeam Chasing (S4E20) on YouTube. Show Notes What is Moonbeam? Not a crypto-currency. Ok, it is, but we're not talking about THAT Moonbeam. It's a streaming platform, currently in beta, that's meant to have better moderation capabilities and a more creator-friendly pay structure. What are we doing with Moonbeam? Game Prep Campaign Notes Map Prep FoundryVTT exploration Random experiments Video Games? Maybe.  Ken's thinking about a Switch bridge. Actual Play RPGs The Die Improvement Environment or D.I.E. Helping rehabilitate those recalcitrant dice. Stuff we like so far Co-working Streams Random folks playing video games Haven't watched an RPG session yet (probably should) Stuff we probably need to figure out A recording schedule? Posting? Figuring out how Realms work. (We've got a Lair of Secrets realm, but how does it interact with other realms?) Featured Image Meta A black and white image of the moon over Lake Champlain. Photo by Ken.

On this episode, we talk about the top mistakes we made running ShadowDark (aka “how Ken accidentally enabled hard mode for his campaign”). Our mistakes include “overly complicate torch management”, “create deadlier rat diseases”, “don't use Luck points”, and more! Looking for more ShadowDark content? Check out these Lair episodes: Listen to the Episode Watch […] The post d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made (S4E19) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Our group of wastelanders (and one former Vault dwelling weapons tester) defend the fortified town of Covenant from raiders in the latest chapter of our Fallout 2d20 Actual Play campaign. The raiders defeated, the group gains access to Covenant, where they uncover rumors about a ghoul named Thriftway dealing in slaves for the Enclave. Chapters […] The post Fallout 2d20 Chapter 3: Raiders & Rumors (S4E18) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Fallout 2d20 uses zones instead of conventional battle maps or theater of the mind to describe where your characters (and their enemies) are in the game world. In this episode, we talk about how Fallout zones work, offer advice on how to use them, and take a peak at some other games that use zones. […] The post Fallout Zones (S4E17) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

As our Fallout 2d20 Actual Play campaign continues, the party treks across the wasteland toward the settlement of Covenant. Along the way they encounter dangers both grotesque and ridiculous, from gutting radioactive bugs for dinner to dodging their own teammate's grenades. And yeah, Steve's still trying to recover his prototype laser pistol from the bandit […] The post Fallout 2d20 Chapter 2: Covenant Clash (S4E16) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

On this episode, we delve far from the light to geek out about Shadowdark. The old-school-inspired RPG strips Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition to its essentials, and then adds in some modern sensibilities. We talk about our favorite mechanics, how it's impacted our other games (looking at you D&D 5th Edition!), and our players' penchant […] The post d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

We kickoff our Fallout 2d20 campaign with the protagonists (not sure we can call them “heroes” just yet) waking up in the Wasteland. Chapters 0:00 – Intro & Audio Shenanigans3:15 – Meet the Survivors8:40 – Escape from the Hospital Basement14:55 – Reg the Super Mutant Chef22:10 – Journey Through the Wasteland29:30 – EyeBot Encounters & […] The post Fallout 2d20 Chapter 1: Wasteland Wake-Up (S4E14) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Ken elaborates on the Attention Economy – how many things people need to keep track of – for D&D 2024, and how it differs from the 2014. (and yeah, this explains his initial reaction to the Blade Ward cantrip back in Episode 5). He reviews the idea of the Action Economy (how many things a […] The post The D&D Attention Economy – Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 7) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Ken recaps his group's second session using the D&D 2024 rules, with specific looks at Blade Ward (spiffy spell, won't save you from critical) and Mastery (a character ability that unlocks special characteristics of weapons). Chapters 0:00 – Welcome to Greyhawk '761:10 – The Burrow Boys Arrive: Ogres, Halflings, and a Goliath3:20 – Trickery and […] The post Enemy Mine – Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 6) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

After venturing into the dark with only a torch to guide their way, the Campaigns & Coffee crew talks about their experiences playing the ShadowDark RPG (where they ARE very likely to be eaten by a grue). They discuss the dungeon-delving, old-school-inspired game's real-time torch mechanics, its focus on fast-paced and high-stakes decision-making. They also […] The post Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

On this episode of Lair of Secrets, we present the our guide for new Game Masters, packed with advice, tips, and encouragement for those ready to take the GM seat. We explore choosing the right game, gathering players, preparing efficiently, and rolling with mistakes while ensuring a fun and engaging experience. Chapter List 0:00 – […] The post The Lair's Guide for New Game Masters (S4E13) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Building immersive cities for RPGs takes center stage on this episode, with inspiration from real-world examples like San Antonio's Alamo and Chicago's reversed river. We dive into tools and techniques for making cities that evolve, feel lived in, and resonate as characters within campaigns. From quirky city rivalries to handling disasters, this episode offers creative […] The post Build Better Cities – Campaigns and Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Ken rants about the new and improved Blade Ward cantrip. in Dungeons & Dragons 2024. Chapters 0:00 Intro – Welcome to Greyhawk '760:15 Why I Hate Blade Ward1:10 Blade Ward: 2014 vs. 20242:00 The Action Economy Problem2:30 Final Thoughts & Playtesting3:00 Outro – Like & Subscribe Listen to the Video Watch the Episode Watch “I […] The post I Hate Blade Ward – Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 5) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Ken talks about lessons learned during his first Dungeons & Dragons 2024 adventure, “The Lost Coins of Cousin Ernest”, including: Chapters 0:00 Intro0:35 Setting the Scene: The Treasure Mine1:50 Rival Factions: Fairheights vs. Witherwinns3:10 Water Weird Ambush4:20 Rogue Abilities Shine5:15 Hand-Drawn Maps and Retro Vibes6:30 Lessons Learned: Rules and Mechanics7:45 Blade Ward: Overpowered or Balanced?8:30 […] The post Our First D&D 2024 Adventure – Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 4) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

On this episode of Greyhawk '76, Ken talks about the essential books for running a World of Greyhawk campaign, including the new Dungeon Master's Guide (2024), the World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) and the Expedition to the The Ruins of Greyhawk (2007). Chapters 0:00 Introduction1:00 Greyhawk ‘76 Campaign Kickoff2:30 Reviewing the 2024 Dungeon Master's […] The post Build a Greyhawk Library – Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 3) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Meet the adventurers taking center stage in Ken's Greyhawk '76 test drive campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 2024! Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch “Meet the Party – D&D 2024 (Ep. 2)” on YouTube Show Notes In the second episode of Greyhawk '76, Ken talks about the player characters the campaign is using […] The post Meet the Party – D&D 2024 (Ep. 2) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Welcome to Greyhawk '76, a test drive campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 2024! (aka D&D 5.5). This episode introduces the test drive, what it hopes to accomplish, and explains where the campaign gets its name from (hint: it takes place in the Common Year 576). Chapter List 0:00 Intro to Greyhawk '760:45 The Legacy of […] The post Test Driving the New D&D – D&D 2024 (Ep. 1) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

We explore our favorite game conventions, from the chill vibes of CinCityCon to the dynamic events of Gamehole Con, to the cozy fun of MEPACon. We also look ahead to Philadelphia Area Game Expo, a new-ish convention happening in January 2025. After the convention stories, we dive into our RPG experiments, including David's mechanical torchlight […] The post Convention Season (S4E12) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

In this episode, we brainstorm ways to launch your campaign without resorting to “they meet in a bar”. Providing fodder and inspiration is Greyhawk '76, Ken's upcoming D&D 2024 test drive campaign, and David's just launched open table ShadowDark campaign. We talk about how to engage players through immediate conflict, emphasizing choice, and balancing proactive […] The post Ignite Your Next D&D Campaign – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

We look at The Electric State RPG, a role-playing game game featuring a slow motion apocalypse, haunting artwork, and a cyberspace plague so intoxicating that people died playing it … simply because they forgot to eat. We start with Simon Stålenhag's original art/fiction book, which depicts a young woman's journey across the wrecked remains of […] The post The Electric State RPG (S4E11) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Campaign prep is something every dungeon master a needs to do … even if “prep” is something you throw together five minutes for the session starts. On this episode, we talk about our individual game prep strategies, from structured approaches like Chris's multi-phase plan to Ken's adrenaline-fueled last-minute inspiration. Josh and Erin share insights into […] The post Campaign Prep Tips – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Get in. Do a thing. Get out. Look awesome doing it. That's your typical cyberpunk adventure, and it always involves some sort of security. On this episode, we discuss real-world hacking inspiration, cinematic heist scenarios, and strategies for balancing game difficulty. We dive into the nuances of netrunning, social engineering, and how even the best-laid […] The post Cyberpunk Security (S4E10) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

So your Dungeons & Dragons campaign went on hiatus … how do you restart it? In this episode of Campaigns & Coffee, Ken, Chris, and Josh talk about how to re-engage with a not-quite-dead-yet role-playing game campaign. They dive into how a game can lose momentum, with real-life interruptions causing campaigns to stall or be […] The post Restarting an RPG Campaign – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

In the latest expedition through the Lair of Secrets, David Moore, Ken Newquist, and Chris Miller delve into the art of map design, specifically focusing on the peculiarities and challenges of modern and near-future maps in gaming. The discussion kicks off with Ken recounting his creation of the “worst best map ever” for a Mothership […] The post Modern Maps (S4E9) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

The edgerunners are at Elysium HQ. All they need to do is descend through three sub-levels of the abandoned corporate headquarters and flip a switch on an old server. But first they have to get past these cybernetic corvids … and the remains of the edgerunner crews that came before them. Quotes Chapters 0:00 Intro […] The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 9: Flip the Switch (S4E8) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Chapter 7 of our Broken Loop campaign for Cyberpunk RED ended with a cliffhanger as the edgerunners faced an unexpected … enemy? Friend? Belligerent hivemind hell bent on stripping everyone of their chrome? In this episode of Campaigns & Coffee, we talk about that actual play session, it's unexpected turns, and how we rolled with […] The post Cyberpunk Red takes a MURDEROUS Turn – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

After talking and driving their way past the factions controlling access to Night City's radioactive core, the edgerunners are approaching the ruined Elysium corporate headquarters. Their goal is to infiltrate the building's sub-levels and flip a switch. First though, they have to get past the Glow Boys, a cult of radiation Worshiping cyborgs … and […] The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 8: Fresh Meat and Chrome (S4E6) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

It's convention season, and David talks about Origins, a big-but-cozy game convention in Columbus, Ohio, meeting Shadowdark RPG creator Kelsey Dionne, plans for Gen Con 2024, and gaming with Jon Hook of the Modern Mythos podcast. Meanwhile, Ken geeks out about dynamic lighting in Roll20 (and his hopes for using during the Lair's upcoming Cyberpunk […] The post Into the Shadows: Origins, Shadowdark, & Hades (S4E5) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Chapter 7 of our actual play Cyberpunk RED campaign sees the edgerunners venture into the Hot Zone at the center of Night City as part of their mission to flip a switch in the basement of Elysium HQ. Get Cyberpunk RED: Chapters 0:00 Intro2:10 Mission Briefing5:30 Gear and Supplies10:45 Entering the Hot Zone15:20 Encounter with […] The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 7: Into the Hot Zone (S4E5) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

In this episode of “Campaigns and Coffee,” hosts David, Josh, and Erin dive into convention season, offering tips and sharing personal experiences. The trio discusses their preparation rituals, with Erin highlighting her dedication to the Sparks campaign—a Star Wars role-playing game using the West End Games D6 system. Josh shares his strategy for attending Gen […] The post Gen Con Tips for Newcomers – Campaigns and Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

In the latest episode of the Lair of Secrets podcast, we delve into our summer reading lists, exploring a mix of thrilling, nostalgic, and intellectually stimulating books. Ken kicks things off with Action Park by Andy Mulvihill, reminiscing about the notorious amusement park of his youth. David follows with a dive into sci-fi novels, including […] The post Sci-Fi & Fantasy Summer Reading List 2024 (S4E4) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Our Cyberpunk RED campaign continues with Chapter 6: Anticipating the Glow. Previously, the edgerunners accepted a mission to venture into the irradiated core of Night City, descend into the depths the ruined Elysium HQ headquarters, and flip a switch. Being somewhat cautious mercenaries, they decided to do a little research first before venturing into the […] The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 6: Anticipating the Glow (S4E3) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

In this thrilling episode of Campaigns and Coffee, David and Ken delve into Ken's epic Elemental Apocalypse D&D campaign. The heroes are on a quest to reunite a fallen angel with its lost sun sword amidst a world torn apart by elemental forces. Ken shares his creative process, discussing map-making with Incarnate, integrating skill challenges […] The post Overland Exploration in D&D – Campaigns and Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Mind the crates; we're still unpacking Season 4 of the podcast! On this episode, Ken talks about playing Monster of the Week mysteries, David flips through his Dreams and Machines rule books, and we delve into our respective reading lists. Chapters Show Notes Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with […] The post Lunchtime Ghouls & Sci-Fi Encounters (S4E2) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Our cozy, Saturday morning show continues with a discussion of cyberpunk, but different from our usual cyberpunk. Instead of the dystopian future of R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk RED, hosts David, Ken, and Chris talk about Chris's homegrown, Cleveland-based, cyberpunk campaign which uses the Cities without Number rule set. We explore the challenges of learning different systems […] The post Cyberpunk, But Different – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Season 4 kicks off with this episode as we experiment with a new format and geek out about everything from death rays to Dragonbane. We rundown the role-playing games we hope to play this season, review the games we delved into during the hiatus, and geek out about technology in our campaigns. Chapters 0:00 – […] The post From Death Rays to Dragonbane (S4E1) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Fallout – the post-apocalyptic game set in an alternate, atomic-powered reality – kicks off our new Campaigns & Coffee short-format podcast. With the sound of laughter echoing through the vast caverns of the Lair, we talk about the new streaming series on Amazon Prime, the video games that inspired it, and the session zero for […] The post Gore and Lore in Fallout – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Our Cyberpunk RED Recap episode looks at the first season of our actual play campaign. We talk about our favorite moments, how the characters grew, reversals we didn't see coming (or did, and loved anyway) and more. The post S3E32 Cyberpunk RED Recap and Review appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.

Join us for a lookback at our Savage Worlds-powered actual play campaign, Sundered Horizons! In this podcast retrospective, the crew discusses the three episode arc and asks one of the most important questions you can ask in a campaign: should we continue or try something else? Sundered Horizons was our first “Side Passage” adventure – … S3E31 Sundered Horizons – Season Look Back Read More » The post S3E31 Sundered Horizons – Season Look Back appeared first on Lair Of Secrets.