A New RPG Blogging Network… rpgSPOTLIGHT

When I first got into blogging several years ago, I found the concept of a blogging network to be really cool.  I got to find and read several other blogs dedicated to gaming, while drawing in visitors to my site as well.  It just kind of felt cool to be a part of something, right from the get-go.

Then the network that I joined stopped getting updated, and then it went down.  Soon after, another network went up, and that was cool, but it also eventually went down.  I don’t know the particulars about those two networks, but they were cool while they lasted.  If you’ve been a reader of Stuffer Shack for any length of time, you might know that I’ve always tried to foster a community among gamers.  Well, I feel it’s time to start up a new network, so I did.

But it’s not just a network; it’s also a simple little website that showcases all the cool RPG things that are out there.  I’m going to put the spotlight on them, if you will.  And why not?  Cool RPG things (such as awesome articles, products, and resources) deserve attention, so I’ll be shining the light on them every chance I get.  Maybe not everyday, but I can try.

So, check out the rpgSPOTLIGHT Network.  It’s super easy to join, and there’s no long wait times, I promise.

Halloween Sale at DriveThruRPG

Do you like buying things at a discount?  DriveThruRPG is having a Halloween Holiday Sale.  BILLIONS (billions?) of downloadable horror-themed products have been marked down by over 30%, including our Truly Terrifying Vampires (it’s about $2 right now).  Or, here is a link to peruse all of the horror-themed items for sale.  Happy haunting!

Don’t Touch My Dice!

Across the folding table John tossed his d20, this was an important roll. It caught on his finger and went high into the air. The die came down, hit the edge of the Player’s Handbook open in front of him, and shot across the table towards me. Reflexively, I dropped my forearm along the edge of the table to keep it from continuing its runaway path across the room. It bounced back to the center of the table and end its path with an 18 on top.

“You touched my dice!” Continue reading “Don’t Touch My Dice!”

A Brand New 30 Year Old Franchise: The Dark Eye

Many refer to The Dark Eye as Germany’s Dungeons and Dragons. It is a fantasy RPG featuring elves, mages, dwarves, and all the typical things one might expect from a fantasy RPG, and until recently, it was only offered in German. In November of 2016, however, the 5th edition of the game was translated into English, allowing thousands to finally dig in to the system that has captivated the gamers of Germany. Continue reading “A Brand New 30 Year Old Franchise: The Dark Eye”

Damn. $528 Bundle for only $25. Let’s help with Hurricane Relief.

106 products for only $25.  That’s 95% off.  Need we say more?

“Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria a few short weeks ago, and is in dire need of humanitarian assistance and relief. We’ve organized this bundle to provide what help we can. The proceeds for this bundle will be going entirely to GlobalGiving’s Puerto Rico and Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund.”

Also, if you purchase this bundle, editor Chris Stevens will give you a free download link for his Truly Terrifying Vampires supplement.  No proof of purchase is needed – just let him know you bought it and what email you use for DriveThruRPG.

Get the Bundle.

Interview with Venger Satanis. Also, a $500 Contest!

Venger Satanis does not shy away from the controversial… He is the author of Alpha Blue, an RPG that places sexual themes into a spotlight, and his new Adventure Writing Like a Fucking Boss puts an expletive directly into the title of each book. Regardless, his distinctive style provides content for a niche in the RPG industry that most RPG authors leave empty, and Venger has recently released Adventure Writing Like a Fucking Boss to empower fellow writers in creating their own unique creations.

To help motivate writers to put his tips to use, Venger is running an adventure writing contest. Winners receive $500, and their adventure will be published for free on OneBookShelf (art, editing, and layout provided by Kort’Thalis Publishing). To learn more about this contest and the man behind it, I went straight to the source for an interview. Continue reading “Interview with Venger Satanis. Also, a $500 Contest!”

Class-Based Thoughts on Gnomes

Gnomes have been present in mythology since the 16th century. Their roots can be seen in several mythologies, among which are the type of domestic fey that resided in people’s homes fixing broken items, gnomes that played pranks on people, gnomes that made deals in exchange for something, a type earth elemental, and the subterranean type of creatures that were used synonymously with such creatures as dwarves, goblins, brownies, kobolds, and the like.

Many times these creatures were depicted as being ugly or deformed in some way. These ideas coalesced into the gnomes that we know today in RPGs where they’re often depicted as being either mad scientists/ crafty inventors or illusionist specialists. Unfortunately these ideas as to what gnomes are can be unnecessarily shoehorn them into only these roles. But by looking at the roots of the character, examining their strengths, and seeing what various games have to say about them, a more complex depiction of these creatures can be derived. Continue reading “Class-Based Thoughts on Gnomes”

Review: Fragged Empire

A concession of middle age, but I’m finally starting to warm up to space opera or, science fantasy themed RPGs. I’m still yet to delve into the major IPs. I haven’t read any RPG version of Star Wars, nor did Star Trek ever make it to my table. I’ve played Traveller twice. Admittedly, it’s taken awhile. While the excitement about Paizo’s recent release of Starfinder is almost tangible… And on the cusp of Wade Dyer’s third successfully funded Kickstarter, now might be a good a time as any for closer look at Fragged Empire.

 

Continue reading “Review: Fragged Empire”

The Store has Re-opened! (sort of)

I had to shut the store down a few months ago due to time constraints – I just didn’t have enough of it!  However, I have received multiple emails asking for some exceptions, so I’ve come up with a compromise… I’m opening the store back up, but the selection of products has been reduced.  I’ll only sell our best products, and only as they become available.

Right now, I have plenty of materials to make Mini Counters, Mini Markers, and Number Tokens.  When I get more materials for other products (like Horse Minis), they will become available as well.  If you’d like to take advantage of what you see here, now’s the time to order!  Click here to see prices and options.