The Lore Foundry

Crafting a villain for a tabletop campaign is no easy task. What details are important? What if I get bogged down in the details?  Never fear, sweet listener, for Daron and Greg go through the basic framework for creating a villain, and you can too!  Check out the write up here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vuSc459-xMdROhtnID5FOvfRlOXwPwG0hntveL88wCo/edit?usp=sharing 

You are part of the Wizard Inquisition. You hunt down practitioners of magic that don't follow your arcane laws. Unless, of course, those practitioners are favored by the noble elites who are also your biggest benefactor.   Join Daron and Greg as they look into what it would be like to have a fertility  cult that the nobles just HAVE to have around. 

Greg had something on his mind about Charles Darwin and the pals get into the weeds about party roles. Enjoy!

You approach the ancient ruins of Atal-Dur. The crystal necklace around your neck begins to glow. In your bones you feel a connection to this place. Something ancient. Primal. Your Ork blood burns with forgotten cultural memory.  Come with Greg and Daron as they build out a fallen empire with some Ork flair. lorefoundry.com

A monstrous mass of ooze slowly creeps through a maze. The cult of the Ooze looks on and frantically charts its path onto their own maps. They look to this ancient entity to divine for them ancient paths and pathways to other worlds. Come along as Daron unloads his excitement about slime molds and the duo talk about how they could add this to their fantasy settings

Upon a derelict ship there lives a sailor abandoned by his company and crew. Why was he abandonded? What if he wasnt' alone?  Well, Greg and Daron are about to talk about it.  www.lorefoundry.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zD-KjuGuiM  

You wander the many halls of the vault of glass. Within it, all timelines are known. - You - are known. You are looking for something the Vault does not want to give you. You have an artifact that will aid you. How will you make your way through its timeless halls? Vault of Glass lore video: https://youtu.be/1xwzkM2UGDQ

The people have spoken and guilds are OUT! Well, most of the guilds. Some on the edges of society remain, and there is a movement of people in response. Let's talk about it!

You're familiar with spells, spell components, focuses, costs, preparation, etc... But what is it REALLY? Well, strap in because Greg and Daron go down the rabbit hole talking about how exactly spells COULD work and what shenanigans that could cause.  We also go over some downtime stuff! 

As the dust of the last war settles, a revolution is underway. Two sides, pitted against each other for control of the country. But the most powerful faction is... unaligned? Greg tells us about one possible central tension you could use for your campaign based on the Czechoslovak Legion from WW1. 

You died. Tough luck, really. What happens now? Well, depending on where you are, what kind of shape you're in when you die, and how your remains are handled after you kicked it, you could end up in a WILD variety of places. Let's talk ideas about it. 

Into the Mistlands you wander, not knowing what you'll encounter next. In the eerie distance you hear the guttural groans of a long dead company of soldiers. You put out your fire and hide among the bushes. A forward party of the Company of the Dead approaches.

What happens when you are entered into the brotherhood? Greg and Daron discuss possibilities...

I hope you weren't expecting a real episode for this one. This is just Daron trying to rip Greg for his terrible taste in vehicle fantasy dreams. Greg defends it by talking about how useful and fun it would be. Enjoy!  Podchaser verification: CK5NodNVyQnIZpzR7g4u

Greg asks: "What if you can divine the future not through one dream, but through LOTS of dreams?" Then we talk about it for a while. Dreams - Big Data Edition.  

The Court Hypnotist arrives and begins the usual steps take place. Both parties step into the room and undergo the standard hypnotism. They stare deeply into the opalescent swinging stone, the hypnotist says his words, the parties involved submit, and the trail goes on, ensured that honesty will prevail in this court of law. Greg goes in deep on hypnotism, and we discuss how it affects this and other parts of his setting. Strap in!

The Benevolent ever-living monarch is sick. Oh no! What shall we do! Well, Greg and I talk about it in this latest minisode of THE LORE FOUNDRY. Strap in, it's gonna be a short one.  lorefoundry.com thelorefoundry@gmail.com

He descends from the altar, sponsor nearby. The old king is dead, long live the new king, chosen by the church and ordained by the god's angel itself. His predecessor, having been smote from leadership as an unworthy of bearer of the god's blessing to rule, left a gaping hole in the power structure that only the divine coronation could fill. Explore this and more in this episode of the Lore Foundry.  lorefoundry.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_right_of_kings

You arrive at the phylactery. Your mission, given to you by a mysterious patron, is now complete. You take a holy hammer and destroy it. Somewhere, in a battle far away, your patron gains ground in an ever-ongoing war for lunar supremacy. 

Lauren is still around for this episode and this time we're talking with her about the similarities, differences, and other things relating to worldbuilding for a novel vs a TTRPG. Listen in! Links www.lorefoundry.com  thelorefoundry@gmail.com Check out Lauren's writing here: www.inkshares.com/books/the-elements-descension

Daron recently sucked the soul out of a character in his campaign. He promised she'd be resurrected, but only if she goes along with playing another character. Here's that character. Listen along as we collaborate with Lauren on bringing this character off the sheet.  Links www.lorefoundry.com  thelorefoundry@gmail.com www.inkshares.com/books/the-elements-descension 

What happens when Daron wants to build a society based on Beekeeping? Something along the lines of an almost hive-minded rat society that worships a galaxy rat-king. Tag along as we build it LIVE! References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_king https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/bee7.htm Other Links:  https://lorefoundry.com/ thelorefoundry@gmail.com  

There's a black mist that's rolled into town. People have died, with specters rising from them, haunting their own remains. A dark force protects a brazier upon a spire.  Join Daron and Greg as they figure out what the heck kind of challenges awaits a party looking to lift this curse and save the day! Tales of the Black Mist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FFGBPXNeU lorefoundry.com thelorefoundry@gmail.com

What happens when you dream? Well, in Greg's setting, you go to an MMORPG-like plane of consciousness guarded by the Dweller on the Threshold. Find out more in this episode of The Lore Foundry! lorefoundry.com Reference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL22J3VaeABQD_IZs7y60I3lUrrFTzkpat

You wake up. Dragged across the sands in a net by desert scavengers. You are their latest and greatest find. A humanoid made of metal.  Greg and Daron explore how these robot people (EXO, as Daron calls them) fit into his setting and how they can be unique and impactful in a TTRPG setting.  https://lorefoundry.com https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/warforged https://www.ishtar-collective.net/cards/ghost-fragment-exo?highlight=exo

"The wingless dragon's gaze pierces into your very soul. Your wants, your needs, your deepest desires. The ruby-encrusted lizard of the earth says in its deep, raspy voice 'look to me, O Liberators mine, and at my bounty. Take what you wish, should only you wish.'" - Obmanshik the wish dragon, in its deep raspy voice.  4th wall-breaking, wish-granting, gemstone encrusted, Ahamkara ripoff dragons incoming. https://lorefoundry.com/  thelorefoundry@gmail.com https://www.destinypedia.com/Ahamkara

So there's a man who knows a thing, only he's unconscious. How are you getting that memory out and (possibly) save them? Well Daron and Greg delve into it in this episode of THE LORE FOUNDRY.  https://lorefoundry.com Memory Palace Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci https://artofmemory.com/wiki/How_to_Build_a_Memory_Palace    

Would you like to know why your character ought to know before heading onto the high seas? Well here you go anyways. This includes why singing sea shanties is a necessity, why different superstitions exist on a ship, and dressing the background behind seaborne dangers.  http://lorefoundry.com/ Link to High Seas Document:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wdUL4eJWTN9jod5AhW-s_liK3WHWHuUAQu8TUhw8fPU/edit?usp=sharing Pattycake's Tumblr: https://legomocfodder.tumblr.com/

You know what grinds Greg's gears? Detail that doesn't mean anything in a TTRPG setting. Don't know what we mean? Tune in and find out why building detail into your setting for the sake of having cool lore isn't good enough. https://lorefoundry.com

So you have a general idea of what a place is going to look like and you've figured out the scope. Let's use the SPERM principle to grind out the important background information to make this place come to life. 

The crew of the Sea Maiden's Revenge finally see land, leaping for joy as their journey finally comes to an end. They take their longboats through the shallow bay and into port. The crew galavants inland for a jolly night on the town, and the party parts ways with their sea-salty companions to resume their mission. What do they see? Who do they meet? What is this place like? Daron and Greg delve into the aspects of building a city using examples from their own settings and more.

A sword that shoots lightning, but only during a thunderstorm. A lost crown said to contain the undying soul of a long lost king of men.  Greg and Daron sit down to talk about magic items, the role they play in a TTRPG, how they're selected, and how they're built. Tizona, Sword of El Cid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tizona Lobera, Sword of Saint Ferdinand III https//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobera_(sword) https://lorefoundry.com

Using magic to get from point A to point B instantaneously is pretty sweet. One second you're in a cavern, running into the teleportation circle your wizard pal is warming up for you. You hop in and in a flash, away you go, back to wizardland. But what happens between the cave and wizardland?  Join us as Greg regales us with what he calls The Space Between Spaces.

Your group of travelling traders are set out for the mysterious and magical Kingdom of Set.  Join us as we explore exactly what this place is, where it came from, and who runs the dang thing. 

In the soul of every being in Lyrios lies the essence of the Sky and the Deep, mysterious forces that shape the attributes of all life. Join Daron (in this published-way-after-it-was-recorded episode) as he enlists Greg in helping nail down exactly what these are, what they stand for, and what effects they have on the world at large. In short, Greg drills Daron with concrete questions and Daron responds with washy answers For more on the inspiration behind this, check out MyNameIsByf's videos on some Destiny lore here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F31lHP9DbHM Also, don't forget to check us out on https://lorefoundry.com/  

An Island continent in League of Legends' world of Runterra, where the humans try to strike a balance with nature in this place where magic flows like water. There's mystical anthropomorphic humanoids, blade-dancing children, and ninjas. What's not to love? This episode focuses much more on lore itself than how to implement it in-game. We held off on releasing this for a while, but decided more content is better than less, so here you go!

Hordes of undead rampage across the plains as swaths of negative energy turn ordinary dead into skeletons, zobies, and corpse monsters. This natural disaster ravages the countryside, forcing entire villages into hiding.    This is just one way to make your players remember that undead in your setting are something to be remembered and feared. This and more brought to you by Greg

You reach out into the ether, pleading with fate to give you back your hand. You hear a knock on the door. You open it to see an unnaturally tall figure made of hands staring at you without eyes. Daron and Greg explore what exactly this thing is and what it does.  Inspired by Zedeck Siew's Grasping Demon found here: http://zedecksiew.tumblr.com/post/174042351286/grasping-demon

A party of adventurers are headed towards the west coast of Nessia to the port city of Hiadh. What's in Hiadh? Greg asks Daron a bunch of questions to find out.

From nothing, a whisper. The sleeping Ur speaks into existence creation and his creations obey his laws. Though... the Urspawn are not alone, and the world of Vallen has a great many things that lie in the shadows of reality. Greg explains it and Daron asks some questions! Four titans, formed out of elemental chaos form the world. A comet of 4 primordial serpents then slams into it. What happens next? Worldbuilding, of course. Daron tries to explain it and Greg interrogates him.

In this episode, we take a questionnaire designed to help flesh out campaign settings and answer it for ourselves!

In this episode, we take a questionnaire designed to help flesh out campaign settings and answer it for ourselves.

In this episode, Daron and Greg take take a stroll down the elven boardwalk and land somewhere in the great expanse of the histories of Lyrios and Vallen.

Not sure about worldbuilding? Join Daron and Greg as they take a moment to talk about the more meta aspects of worldbuilding and their experiences within them.

Not sure about worldbuilding? Join Daron and Greg as they take a moment to talk about the more meta aspects of worldbuilding and their own experiences within it.

This is the first episode of The Lore Foundry, formerly known as Greg and Daron do Worldbuilding. In this test episode we talk about Greg's new character in our DnD 5e campaign after his first one died. We also go about building some lore for Daron's world based around the idea of "Twin Immortal Souls" similar to the Dalai and Panchen Lama.