On the Shoulders of Dwarves – Details, episodes & analysis

What do we mean when we say rewards beyond loot? Not just money, treasure or magic items. Let’s give a few examples and it’ll be clear. ## Non loot rewards (01:24) Some examples: - Land  - Titles - Association (part of a guild/group/etc) - House / Place to live - Renown  - Something personal - Narrative power ## GMs - What can we do with non treasure rewards (09:33) Why should we use Rewards in our game? - Used for character development - Flash out the setting - Connect the characters to the setting - Give players a chance to expand on what interest them in the setting - Allow a sense of accomplishment without shifting game balance ## For players (13:04) Important tips: - **Use the reward**: Otherwise it is meaningless - you have a title? Use it. You have land, define it and do something with it. You are part of the stonecutters guild? Send them rock samples, keep a journal of interesting rocks you encounter, read on wikipedia about different rocks  - **Signal what interest you**: signal the GM what is the reward you might enjoy getting. How? Establish it as one of your character’s goals. - **Leveraging personal items** - **Using story items:** e.g. taking a defeated enemy’s weapon ## Summary (20:12) Non loot rewards are a great way to create engagement, character development, enhance the setting and discover what is interesting for the GM and players. Consider listening to [episode 27](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/slaps-and-bennies-episode-27-364a24326f571a/) and [episode 19](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/customising-the-campaign-to-the-players-episode-19-36082ec3b14f62/) to rethink some ideas. * * * ## Taking the load off (22:51) **Uri**: New 5th edition game, Playtesting for “The Makabim game” **Eran**: Sentinel Comics RPG Starter Kit  * * * Email us at [show@dwarfcast.net](mailto:show@dwarfcast.net) with questions, topic suggestions, and comments, and check out [our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast). We have a [Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion. Also, most links to [DriveThruRPG are affiliate](http://drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=29668), which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you. Intro and outro based on On the Shoulders of Dwarves by the Cliches Duo. On the Shoulders of Dwarves is shared under [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). * * *

What is an information dump? When a large amount of information is dumped upon the players. Mostly tedious information. Here are some ways to make dumping information more interesting. Show, don’t tell (00:26) This is the most basic and fundamental principal. Don’t just tell things.  - Effects: Think what will be the result of the information you want to say and present the results. Don’t say “there is a dragon up north”. Let the party discover burned bodies and abandoned villages”. Information as entertainment (07:40) Sometimes the delivery of the information can be entertaining by itself. Jokes, common phrases, old motivational posters, newspapers headlines, bards tales - all over the top about something. Information as background details (09:28) Deliver the important information as minor details of something more important. As background details: If we want to talk about the ruling system of the kingdom, we could provide that as minor details of our heist plot. “So, the best time to break into the vault would be during the queen's birthday celebrations”.  Pick the top 3 things you *need* your players to know, and put them into the first few scenes. Information as reward (12:22)  Asking for a roll - Deciphering puzzles & riddles - Don’t hoard information, share it. (remember our Mystery Plots episode) Real world comparisons and agreed upon markers (15:38) Providing a real world comparison: “This town is ruled much like ancient rome” . TIAPP-FAA: ”This Is A Perfect Place For An Ambush” Connect information dumps to the characters themselves (18:40) One of the characters know something because they are special or different.  In summary - What’s important? (25:04) Email from an anonymous bee: I have a big problem with the delivery of information. I'm great with giving the details of the city, the sights and smells and NPCs, but I just don't know how to explain how the government works, and why it works like this. When I do this as a conversation with NPCs, the players are bored. Are the players expected to interact with this bit of the world? Either the government matters in the game, or it doesn't.  If it doesn't, no need to expand more than the players are interested in hearing. Confront them with the governance in action, and give them an opportunity to ask.  In front of the inn there's an auction of items "confiscated according to the Law of Foreigners", with people shouting numbers. The party can ask about it or participate. When they buy equipment, the seller hands them a piece of paper with an official prayer, or says "not including hog tax, of course". the players can then ask about it. This might make the government interesting to the players, and therefore, it might start to matter. If it already mattered to the game, then do the same, but as part of the narrative - the characters get into a situation created as a direct result of the way things are handled in town. Taking the load off (25:36) Uri: Even more playtesting. Star Crossed Curses, the one night stand RPG. Eran: Starting Adventures in Middle Earth  Email us at show@dwarfcast.net with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode. We have a Patreon page, in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion. Our Facebook group. Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no

In this episode we will speak of the phenomenon of “GMing Anxiety”. DIsclaimer: We are not therapists or psychologists. So, what we will do in this episode is present some issues that we encountered and how we dealt with it. Remember: Anxiety is what we feel, not what is actually happening. It’s an emotional reaction to outside stimuli, but it does not mean it’s a *good reflection* of what’s actually going on. # Uri’s take (01:00) I think that GMing anxiety is a mixture of two dominant issues: **What is Imposter Syndrome? (03:55)** “the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills”. There isn’t a bachelor degree in GMing. We don’t have an external reaffirmation for being a good GM. and even if we did it wouldn’t matter.  **How Uri deals with imposter syndrome:** Keep a list of success and failures - At any work I had, I created two folders. One is called Ego and the other is called Hubris. Whenever I mess up I put something into the hubris folder. It might be a screenshot of an error, a copy of an apology I sent.  **What is Performance Anxiety? (08:09)** The fear that you will not be able to perform well in a specific task. Stage fright falls under this category and I had to deal with that very strongly as an Improv artist.  **How Uri Deals with Performance Anxiety** - Failure and success as a spectrum: A sentence that a friend once told me about an improv show “relax, You haven’t done you worst or best show yet”. I find that strangely comforting. It reminds me that yea, everything can go up in smoke but there is also a chance that everything will be amazing. - Accept that there are external forces: when I fail at something I literally say “well, that a natural one, shit”. It reminds me that there are a 1000 things not in my control as a GM. and they all affect the game. One player having a bad day could ruin the session for everyone. But we, the GMs, will still blame ourselves for it.  - Level: if you’re thirty, you are a level 30 human. I bet that you’re really good at being a human. Using all your muscles and breathing and such. If you’re GMing for 4 years you’re a level 4 GM. and trust me, you weren’t such a great example of a human when you were 4. Give yourself some room to improve. - Share & vent: find some sort of support group to share with. Some people do it to get some positivity, I usually do it for the other viewpoints. You could be angry at yourself for something that 10 other people might notice immediately that is not your fault. I recommend with someone that isn’t your players since you might need to vent or simply need the objectivity of others to accept their points. - Saya No Uchi no Katsu: prepare in advance. All undead are less scary when you have holy water, all trolls less scary when you have a flaming torch handy. # Eran’s point of view: (13:55) Before a game with people I don’t know, or don’t know well. So mostly one-shots. Especially when I’m in a teaching position, running a demo or introducing someone to RPGs.  I feel very responsible for everyone's enjoyment, the burden of being the main attraction and entertainer. This is not actually the case, and more importantly, it’s usually not the players’ expectations.  How to handle my insecurities:  - Know the rules well enough so you feel comfortable to pull a quick ruling. That’s why I love Genesys dice. - Have solid character sheets. It’s the most basic thing a player needs in order to interact with the game. Put the basis for some conflict on it, to help yourself pull at something during the game. - Know the beginning, the middle and the end. Even if in only general terms, like “a big fight in a cathedral”. It’s a compass that guides your decisions. - If I run a demo/introducion,

A recurring event is something that the players can learn about, use, or be influenced by. How is society changed during this event? What is now permitted or expected? **3:00 Creating events quickly** Make any event special: It's not just any ball, it’s the princess’s birthday or an anniversary of some important battle. An implementation of the “Specific beats generic” rule. Have a list of types of things that people commemorate: [The Queen’s official birthday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Official_Birthday), a big historical event, a remarkable death, tax day, religious days. [Roman Triumphs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_triumph) [Wikipedia's list of holidays](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_holidays) [Ars Magica](http://www.atlas-games.com/arm5/) You can also switch between cause an effect - in Laflaf Land you must celebrate the mid-winter eve, or the winter simply won’t pass. [Magical thinking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_thinking) Each culture celebrates the main parts of nature’s yearly cycle, especially the most basic ones, such as harvesting food; They also celebrate the _government, _like by __having the tribes meet to choose the yearly leader, etc. [Three Suggestions for Supernatural Weather](http://www.dmsguild.com/product/207806/Three-Suggestions-for-Supernatural-Weather?affiliate_id=29668) **14:00 How to celebrate** Feasts, fasting, pilgrimage, family gatherings. [Broken Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Age) begins with celebrating the ritualistic sacrifice of girls to a giant monster. **17:40 PC-related events** The locals decide on a new holiday honouring the party. A big festival in the village’s square. An amazing reward for players. [Jaynestown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaynestown), from Firefly. Uri tends to connect between players' birthdays and their characters' birthday. It doesn’t always make sense but it's FUN! Remember to consider using events as part of a PC’s backstory, and remind players to think about events when they [create cultures](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/03/creating-cultures-collectively-weekly-podcast/). Is one of the characters religious? When is the day she celebrates her deity? Is one of the characters from a specific kingdom? When is their “independence day”? Finding events and holidays that relate to the characters help you ground the character in the setting. **23:45 Holidays in the adventure** As a background: a normal thing occurs, but it's set against the backdrop of event X. What is changed because of this? Use the characteristics of the specific holiday to add colour and flavour to the event. As the main motivation: someone is exploiting the holiday to do something. It’s the king birthday so someone is planning an assissnation as he parades down the streets. For foreshadowing: like we talked about at length on [episode three, random encounters](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35b01984be7a3e/). **28:50 Spice up the gaming table with holiday trappings** If you run a session set in Halloween, why not place a few spider webs in the room? If you described a specific dish in the session (even if it’s a fantasy setting where the ingredients aren’t available) make a simulacra of that dish. Have your characters to visit a herbedeshary to dress up for the event. [Eberron](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eberron) **33:55 Taking the load off** Uri's new article, [How Uri Runs an Introduction Game](https://dwarves.podiant.co/how-uri-run-intro-games/) Eran's new article, about [using NPCs for exposition](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/12/explaining-mr-exposition/) Venture Forth now available to buy. [Dwarves discount](http://www.drivethrucards.com/browse.php?discount=9639de26bd&affiliate_id=29668)!

**2:35 Why would you want to play in a known setting?** You know and love the world and its setting. You want to explore ideas, concepts or characters from the main setting. You think your players could make a better plot than the original. **6:35 How to get the feel of the setting?** Check for the tropes of the specific setting, from [TV Tropes](http://tvtropes.org/). Example from Star Wars: * The heroes are usually outlaws of some sort, spies, criminals, rebels, smugglers, mercenaries etc. * Everything is dirty and mechanical. Only the villains have a clean and slick design. [Used Future](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UsedFuture) * No major cities and major systems. Most of the plot is in the rim or “outback”. [Cowboy Bebop](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Anime/CowboyBebop) Not just tropes, but also themes: * Family ties * Trust and betrayal * Good vs evil, order vs chaos * Old order vs new order 14:40 Where and when to inject your game into the known setting? Some ideas: Alternative history; side quest or side characters in the central story; the distant past or future; far far away from where the main plot takes place. Maintaining a balance between enjoying the verse, the experience of the known, and not being overrun by the rigidity of canon. Alternate history - it’s the same story, but not the same story. Considering the point of divergence vs the start of the game. **22:40 Who should you play? Who shouldn’t you?** Who not to play? The original protagonists. The more established a character is, the less you can give of yourself to it. It becomes acting, less playing. Who to play? Similar but different. The original protagonist after a drastic change. The brother of, a clone of. Play a group that keeps the dynamics and archetypes of the source. **26:00 What is the same? What is different?** [Microscope](http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/91183/Microscope?affiliate_id=29668), highly recommended, for a variety of reasons. **29:10 Star Wars RPG systems** Uri goes on a tangent. **31:40 How to use tributes, references and spoilers warning?** Tributes are awesome. This is part of the reason you’re playing in this settings. Uri’s rule of references - a reference is good if it still works if you didn’t get the reference. Always make sure that things make sense even if no one gets the reference. **34:45 Summary** **35:10 Taking the load off** Eran: Venture Forth now available to buy. Click through here to get a [dwarven discount](http://www.drivethrucards.com/browse.php?discount=9639de26bd&affiliate_id=29668 "Link: http://www.drivethrucards.com/browse.php?discount=9639de26bd")! (also includes our affiliate code) Uri: Darths & Droids: [http://www.darthsanddroids.net](http://www.darthsanddroids.net/ "Link: http://www.darthsanddroids.net/")

**00:36 Our email guidelines** **2:50 Lloyd’s email** [Our recap episode](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35b5aaeaa2ea42/). [11 ways to be a better roleplayer](http://lookrobot.co.uk/2013/06/20/11-ways-to-be-a-better-roleplayer/) The lack of engagement is a symptom, incentives won’t work here because they don’t address the root cause. **6:10 Dedicated Plotlines** Uri’s plot formula: the number of plots equals the number of PC +1. Each player character has its own plot line, plus one uber-plot. Every personal plot is the answer to the question “what does the character want to achieve?” or “what is the character running from”?. The uber plot is the answer to the question “why are all these characters staying together?” My parents were killed by orcs - [not necessarily unimaginative](http://www.dmsguild.com/product/198330/Three-Suggestions-for-Motivations-for-a-Character-Whose-Parents-Were-Killed-by-Orcs?affiliate_id=29668)! **11:35 Why do they come to the table?** There are many types of players, and they all enjoy different things. Some like deep roleplay, and for them it’s all about the interactions between the character, some are hack n’ slashers, and for them it’s all about the killing monsters and getting loot, there are rule lawyers who enjoy tinkering with the mechanics of the game, there are collectors who enjoy playing with miniatures and maps, there are those who are there for a sense of “winning” and those who enjoy cooperation or solving puzzles. The list goes on and on.Also, most players have all of those in some combination or other. To have a successful long-term campaign, it's important to understand what is fun and interesting for everyone around the table. What strings can you pull in order to create a resonance with your players? These strings are the one you need to use on the guitar of DMing in order to play the perfect music of your campaign. **15:55 This is a game, allow everyone to play it** Remember that roleplaying games are games. And like all games, they should be enjoyable. Fun doesn’t mean bad things doesn’t happen; the game should be fun for the GM and players, not necessarily to the characters. **19:25 Maintaining excitement** How to make them want to think about the game even outside of the session. Keep a WhatsApp group for discussions, share funny stuff, create memes and encourage others to do the same. All of this can be done as a player. **21:15 Assigning responsibility** Caretaker of information: Keeping a log of what's happening. Caretaker of NPCs: Keeping track of the NPCs the players meet. Assign short, fun tasks between session, that also help prepare the next session, and enrich the world. **25:17 Weekly question** The weekly question is an invaluable tool. If you want to dig deeper, here's my [full explanation of the weekly question](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2016/03/rp-tool-question-week/), and [examples for its uses](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2016/03/rp-tool-examples-fro-weekly-questions/). **27:27 Not everyone’s as into RPG as we are** Finally, it’s possible that some people just aren’t into RPG as you are. **30:50 Summary** **31:45 Taking the load off** Kind of excited for [Legacy of Dragonholt](https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/legacyofdragonholt/). On [Crystal Ball](https://www.patreon.com/posts/gaze-into-ball-15511128), the people decided - sails! [The weekly RPG article](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/12/the-forced-reaction/), based on what’s happening in the Crystal Heart page, is about forcing a reaction by establishing situations and then having NPCs act.

The Dwarven Forge concept is directly inspired by [NPC Cast’s Campaign Crucibles](https://npccast.wordpress.com/tag/campaign-crucible/ "Link: https://npccast.wordpress.com/tag/campaign-crucible/"). Our previous forges, [in Hebrew](http://www.dwarves.org.il/tag/campaign-crucible), include: * Masterwork, a secret conflict in medieval times between guilds such as The Bakers, The Weavers and others, using the magical means of their craft; * It is Good to Die For Our Country, a horrific reimagining of the first few Aliyahs to Palestine, in which the dead were re-tooled to keep working for the Yishuv; * Skies of Loot, a Borderlands-like campaign in a barren world and tons of guns; * Binary Interference, the 20th century but with robots who are trying to be more human; * Teddy, Save Me, in which your toys come to life to combat the nightmares that come in the night; * and others. **2:45 The three elements** Uri: Secret government organizations Aviv: “Empire” - [Assassin’s Creed: Origins](https://assassinscreed.ubisoft.com/game/en-gb/home/); [Europa Universalis IV](http://www.paradoxplaza.com/europa-universalis-iv/EUEU04GSK-MASTER.html); [Crash Course World History](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9); Eran: Guns **4:40 Themes** Uri: secrecy, double life, outside of the public sphere but operating within it, hidden from public view. [Vampire the Masquerade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire:_The_Masquerade); [The Masquerade trope](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Masquerade). Aviv: military expansion, multicultural, an overarching government organization. Eran: availability of guns, the great equalizer. **8:35 What are the players doing?** We are agents saving the populace of Mars from the underground aliens. [Tyranny](https://www.tyrannygame.com/) [Cowboy Bebop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_Bebop) [X-COM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-COM) **15:15 People** Uri: Old one eye Track - the unofficial judge of a mining community. Aviv: Amanda Jackson - a conspiracy theory, believes in aliens. Eran: Xan-Yah - major captain-general of the province. Apparently, [all Asians know martial arts](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AllAsiansKnowMartialArts). **21:50 Places** Uri: old mine, Tritium. Aviv: The Colossus - terrace pyramid that looks to be artificial but is actually a bunch of rocks and sand… or is it? The Face on Mars, [in Cydonia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cydonia_\(region_of_Mars\)). Eran: Olympus Mons, seat of power, space elevator. **27:00 Adventure Hooks** Uri: find Mit the lost kid that was lost, maybe kidnapped by the aliens. Aviv: a mining pod landed. People want it, the empire wants it as well. The empire will get what it wants. Eran: an old enemy and his posse want to gun us down. We need to handle an alien artefact/First Settler technology while escaping them. **33:50 Who would we play** Uri: Chuckless - a big burly man with a big burly guy. Aviv: Karim - Earth born, a duster (a scavenger). A spiritual man, on a pilgrimage. Eran: Colin - An Elsi, into history and archaeology. A peoples person. **39:00 Gaming system** Uri: [Shadowrun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowrun)? No, [Starfinder](https://paizo.com/starfinder/)? No, [Modern d20](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D20_Modern)? Yes. Aviv: [Savage Worlds](https://www.peginc.com/product-category/savage-worlds/) (maybe [Delta Green](http://www.delta-green.com/) without the horror) or [Genesys](https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/6/27/genesys/) Eran: Savage Worlds or Genesys. [Deadlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadlands) **42:35 Would we play in this game?** Uri: Yes. Aviv: IDK. Eran: I would like to run this. **45:45 Name?** Uri: The Wild Red? ARES - Agents of the Royal Elysium Security Aviv: Dust Devils - Agents of ARES Eran: out in the dust, red something? **50:50 Taking the load off** Eran’s [new RPG post](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/11/some-alone

What’s in a recap? Quite a lot, actually. **1:30 The ritual announcing the game has begun** Every session starts with 15 or so minutes of a social gathering. The recap usually marks the stage in which we enter the game: getting into character, reminding ourselves of the atmosphere, remembering the story, separating everything that happened so far from the game itself. We did a recap - the game has begun. [Fear the Boot podcast](http://www.feartheboot.com/ftb/). **4:08 The importance of rituals** Roleplay is a social activity and as such it requires boundaries. In a martial art dojo, there is always an opening ceremony. Bowing to one’s master, bowing to an opponent at the beginning and ending of each fight. These rituals are there for a reason. They allow us to decide to be something else for a limited time, with a trigger to be something else and to return to ourselves. More opening rituals: Uri had a campaign called the Lament of Prepartum, and every session started with the same verse: “The world is a story / that began as a game / and will end in a mistake / and the song the world sings / is Pentartum’s Lament”. **6:00 Recap to remind us where we were** In real life time passes between session. Maybe your character had its blade on the throat of its father’s killer and was about to finally avenge his death, but the next second for the character could be a month to the player. The most obvious use of a recap is to remind everyone what’s happening in the story. Usually, people will ask questions during, or at the end of the recap; if they don’t, ask one yourself. It’s time to re-focus ourselves on the background we all agreed upon for our story, our canon. **8:20 Recap as a tool for establishing an atmosphere** Tone of voice, things emphasized, phrasing. Reminds everyone of the tension level from the end of the last session, to which we might want to return. Looking back vs looking forward. [Establishing atmosphere when setting up the scene](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/09/setting-up-the-scene/). **11:55 Having a player responsible for the** **recap** We had a player who did it with an energetic and exciting style, and excitement is catchy. Dassi was the one in charge of keeping tracks of notes, so she did the “previously on” when she gave all the main headlines, in order. Generally speaking, giving players responsibilities help them feel they’re necessary for the continued function of the group, and that encourages them to feel invested in the game. **15:30 Switching recap responsibilities between players** Especially useful when you have some “low-energy” players in the group. When you’re required to do a recap, it forces you to participate. More importantly, a recap shows the GM what the players remember, and therefore, what they perceive as important. If a player doesn’t mention rescuing the princess, that means something. As a GM, it shows me if I managed to deliver the information, and the motives, I was trying to deliver. It also gives me an excellent opportunity to learn what the party likes and what’s fun for them - the recap is one of the only times when everyone’s saying out loud and with very obvious reactions, what they liked and didn’t like about the previous session. **20:20 Recap in-play vs off-play** If you’re the player giving the recap, be theatrical, play with your hands, talk in tone, tell a story. [Storytelling](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/08/storytelling/), and [storytelling examples](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/09/storytelling-examples/). **21:40 Recap as a GM tool** As a GM, you can emphasize specific things, thus drawing attention to them and bringing them to the front of the players’ minds. The players tend to forget the smaller picture... and also the bigger picture, and the GM should remind them of both (short and long-term goals). The GM might fo

What's the point of having random encounters? How to create them, how to utilize them, and why. [Xanathar's Guide to Everything](http://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/xanathars-guide-everything), D&D's latest sourcebook, does random encounters right, mostly. **4:30 Why have random encounters?** Deliver information about the world: There are dragons in the mountains to the north. Sustain the illusion of a consistent world: Things are happening even when the characters are not around. Tell the "story" of the world: There used to be a dwarven empire in these lands. Create a certain atmosphere: Chill and unease, in preparation for the haunted castle. **6:15 Enriching the world with encounter tables** [Show, don't tell](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShowDontTell) [Sandbox style](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WideOpenSandbox) [West Marches](http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/78/grand-experiments-west-marches/) No such thing as "just goblins", see [our previous episode](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35aab600eb0406/). **15:15 Foreshadowing** [Foreshadowing](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Foreshadowing) Using random encounters to show the consequences of past actions that hint at future action; introduce villains through their minions or doings. Make that encounter feel at home in that moment in time in the plot. **19:30 Create adventure seeds with truly random encounters** Keep a seed journal, of tidbits from the past. A list of open-ended details. [Retcon](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Retcon) **26:45 Creating a sense of journey** You don't have to use random encounters for that. [13th age](http://site.pelgranepress.com/index.php/category/products/13th-age/), you should really check it out. **31:50 Creating an encounter table** [Uri's table, now on our website](https://dwarves.podiant.co/random-encounters/). [Outline of relationships](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_relationships), from Wikipedia. [Bits of Wilderness](http://drivethrurpg.com/product/12283/Bits-of-the-Wilderness-Into-the-Wildwood?affiliate_id=29668) (affiliate link) **39:55 Taking the load off** [Come meet me at Dragonmeet](https://www.patreon.com/posts/were-in-2017-15435364 "Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/were-in-2017-15435364")! [Venture Forth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVZ7upy41Ek "Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVZ7upy41Ek&t=8555s") recording. Soon to be available through [Leisure Games](https://leisuregames.com/), my local store. [](https://tracking.podiant.co/d/spoke/dwarves/episodes/audio/35aab60d933b6a.mp3?referrer%5Bdomain%5D=dwarves.podiant.co&referrer%5Bformat%5D=episode_detail) _The intro and outro are taken from “Silly Fun” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com); Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)_ _On the Shoulders of Dwarves is shared under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)_

2:35 What's a cliche? Tropes are not bad. Things are not cliched by themselves - it's the way we portray them, bring them into the game, that might make them cliche. Stereotypes can be useful tools, by establishing expectations. Drizzt Do'urden, the drow. 4:45 Two types of cliches At the character level, and/or the campaign world level. Orcs in Warhammer 7:30 Avoiding cliches Changing one thing - and asking "what's the reason for this?" On the personal level: Why is this person different in this way, from the rest of their race? On the campaign level: What are the consequences that must arise out of this change? How does this sub-race behave? 9:50 Retro justification creates depth Just avoiding a cliche isn't, really, enough. Usually, we also want to also add complexity. Consider not only what is different about this character, but also the reasons that this character decided on that change. 14:20 Sub-races and ethnic groups Having some sub-races in your campaign encourages the players and the GM to think about the possibility that this specific character is different in some way. Whenever you encounter "a dwarf", you'll all find yourself asking "Okay, but WHICH dwarf? What's different about them?" Eberron Golarion Curse of the Crimson Throne Chelaxians Forgotten realms human ethnic groups 19:45 Creativity through constraints Find a picture of your desired race in it, and ask yourself, why is this happening? 23:15 Help yourself play a less cliched character Challenge yourself, maybe a little more than what you're used to, a bit out of your comfort zone. Use a one-shot or a mini-campaign as a testing ground. 28:35 Help someone else play a less cliched character Have them play a sub-race, and ask them to say something about it. Introduce NPCs of cliched races, that are not cliched themselves. 33:10 Some examples Earthdawn The excellent Denizens books: 1st, 2nd. Warhammer Fantasy dwarves Mistborn, based on the book series Legend of the Five Rings 37:25 Summary If you want to dig deeper: Stratified NPC Complexity 38:37: Taking the load off Uri is angry about misusing latin phrases (online etymology) High Realm from Exalted. I talk about creating a character in Mouse Guard The intro and outro are taken from “Silly Fun” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com); Licensed under Creativ