After Serenity

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 (S4E7) 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.