The Watch House

Roundup

I’m always glad when RPGaDAY rolls around, and happy to have questions as well as single-word prompts.

As noted in passing I did consider a double post with Vampire-related prompts due to some of the words chosen being relevant, but that got hit with some bad timing.

One of these years I might actually do more than some blogging, but that’s summer for ya.

Bluesky was the biggest place for activity that I saw, a nice lively bunch of posts findable by hashtag. RPGnet was sadly just me and the dauntless TardisCaptain, but Facebook was a bit better too.

Autocratik roundup

Runeslinger roundup, where I’m “quite possibly the most devoted participant and certainly one of the most”

RPGaDAY 2026 31: Edge

31: Edge

31. Why does a character think they have an edge?

Often literally when I make them. See my post on Distance for sword guys versus gun guys.

Generally I prefer if players have some way to avoid a single die roll messing up their big moment. This was a system in place by the time I got to Marvel Super Heroes Advanced in the 80s, where PCs had a whole lot of Karma to throw in to guarantee success. Most games I’ve played since with something like that have a more limited pool of “I win” points, but as long as it’s not zero I’m happy.

Ian explains Edge in Marvel SAGA, the game he ran for years in which I played Charity Chance!

Hugo Awards 2026 news at Reactor

Hugo Awards 2026

As is traditional I am most invested in the Dramatic Presentation awards, have seen all the Long Form, a strong field and HELL YEAH SINNERS WON

Sunday, 30 August 2026

Hunter: The Reckoning V5, summer 2026

A short summer game, a chance to play the V5 version of Hunter: The Reckoning, briefly considered a gun guy for the most basic option, a book-heavy researcher but we have one already, a thief due to the Underground Creed, recreate Cara but would need a lot of Edges and Perks, settled on an idea from Huntober 2022 for The Unusual Hunter and influenced by Ligeia:

Violetta Rossellini

“I hear the voices of the dead. Victims crying out for justice. Can you help them?”

RPGaDAY 2026 30. Pride

30. Pride

30. A game event that you are still proud of.

Some of the high concept episodes of The Watch House, notably the time two of the PCs found themselves behind the scenes of the TV series they were in the cast of, the time Natalie became a fairytale princess, the flashforward to a hellish possible future. You can trace where I swiped and adapted from, gotta know your classics. (And see how many Supernatural did after us.)

And some the players brought in that caught me by surprise as well, like the Milli and Ziggy bodyswap, Andy the werewolf getting split into human and superwerewolf with his player stepping up to play both, and Matthew’s player dropping the spell to make Natalie see her possible new boyfriend in a negative light going wrong as he grumbled jealously about how cool he was...

And some of the developments in season arcs as well, like a villain reveal, a starting Big Bad being written out, heel and face turns and more.

Saturday, 29 August 2026

RPGaDAY 2026 29. Labour

29. Labour

29. Labour: Thing you are most willing to work on for a game.

I often focus on visuals as my memory works more that way, so my recurring cast of Vampire: The Masquerade NPCs all have photo references and hardly any of them have character sheets.

Printing them out also meant I could map out who was standing with whom at Elysium.

This visual focus extends to cutting together video trailers and title sequences, making custom action figures and miniatures, commissioning art including mini painting, and even actually drawing myself.

Friday, 28 August 2026

RPGaDAY 2026 28. Devotion

28. Devotion

28. Devotion: Game you have played the most!

GMed - Due to a long history with it and several year-long runs recently probably Vampire: The Masquerade, though Buffy The Vampire Slayer is the longest I’ve run a series, almost six years.

Played - Star Wars is probably up there, mostly the D6 classic but also tried others (and wanted to go back to the D6 classic). Also a lot of the various Star Trek games almost all with one keen GM, up to Star Trek Adventures currently. Longest single games, there’s the four-year Werewolf: The Apocalypse run with that Star Trek GM and about as long with a Silver Age style Marvel SAGA game.

Autocratik - “If you’ve done every day of #RPGaDAY since it began, this is your 400th entry to the challenge. I feel tired just thinking about that!”

Garbage, No Gods No Masters

Thursday, 27 August 2026

Cassie Workman is Witchy AF

Cassie Workman is Witchy AF trailer, via EP Lilly Wachowski

A puppet-heavy drinky history of the occult by Australian comedian Cassie Workman, starting September 16th. Hail Satan!

Halsey, The Girl In The Tower

Halsey, The Girl In The Tower concert film

Shirley Manson at 60

Happy birthday to Shirley Manson!

RPGaDAY 2026 27. Hunger

27. Hunger

27. What do you hunger for most from a session?

What is the game meant to do? I want experience X from game X, Y from game Y - a bit of Z might be a fun addition or might spoil the whole thing for me.

This is a formative preference going all the way back to my first couple of games, where Middle-earth Roleplaying gave me no Tolkien feel and TOON gave me a lot of Looney Tunes feel.

I want my superheroes to be amazing at something, my horror protagonists to be at risk though not necessarily doomed but sometimes doomed works too, my cool vampires to be cool and my sad vampires to be sad, my teenage monster hunters to be badass and funny and occasionally emotional wrecks. I want a moment creating the kind of thing that makes a genre appealing. If it feels wrong, I’m probably not going to play that game for long.

Also, Hunger Dice are the most evocative version of blood use in a Vampire game so far.

Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Buffy comics delayed

The new Buffy and Angel comics that were due to start weeks ago have now been resolicited to launch later, with bigger first issues. Fingers crossed?

Tim Curry

Clue tonight I think.

RPGaDAY 2026 26. Regret

26. Regret

26. One game you regret not trying?

Having read the full adventure series for Orpheus I couldn’t really play it when offered a chance, though it was a few years later. I’d really have to run it.

And scheduling has prevented me playing Buffy and Adventure! at the Nationals, Alien and Mothership in the last two years at GEAS, and more.

As a GM there are... let’s say a few I’d like to get to the table someday. Including a break from “first chance to play this, do something normal” setups for the games I do run, like high society historical Vampire instead of usually scuzzy modern, or going all-in on the black market and thief setup that didn’t come together last year. Running Trinity Continuum would be nice too.

Okay, Orpheus is a good choice for one, as it’s a reference to someone who regrets looking back. Ha ha.

Coop

Coop was security director for World Of Darkness live events including the Grand Masquerade and recently Darkness Emergent, the first port of call if someone needed help or to find a safe space.

Tuesday, 25 August 2026

V5: City Of Angels 41

Vampire: The Masquerade - City Of Angels session 41

Paris got to use her event planning skills for the third time this chronicle, to make it look like we weren’t just hiring a venue as a potential ambush spot.

And on meeting a Nosferatu spy: “Rat? What, were you at the end of the line for nicknames? Or the start?”

Dolly Parton

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

Her family ask those considering a gift support the Imagination Library sending books to children.

Her production company Sandollar got Buffy made, and when she learned Sandollar producer Gail Berman was being paid less than the other (male) producers she cut a cheque for the difference.

RPGaDAY 2026 25. Familiarity

25. Familiarity

25. One game you want to get more familiar with?

I would like a chance to play Storypath Ultra someday, and try the Quick Play variant too, as they’re streamlined next steps after the version used in Trinity Continuum.

Buffy toy update

A first look at Monster High versions of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel, and a newly announced Polly Pocket set coming out in September 4th. Why this is happening now I dont know, but okay I guess?

Can I use the school library mini-diorama...

Monday, 24 August 2026

RPGaDAY 2026 24. Distance

24. Distance

24. Your preferred distance in any type of RPG conflict?

I’m much more up for playing an in-your-face fighter than a sniper. I want to trade barbs as well as blows, and put myself between opponents and anyone else they might be targeting. It also means not having to worry about tactical positioning and all that kind of thing.

I did recently play a gun guy (who could also do magic, so another distance effect) but this was after playing the kick-down-doors sword guy with the same group.

I mean, I’m playing a sword girl in Mage: The Ascension.

(Though not in Star Trek Adventures. Even I have my limits.)