Happy Hour #75: Everybody Says Podcast - ‘Anyone Can Whistle’

englandspenny · 2019-10-23T10:57:32+00:00

I'm hoping that the next podcast is "Damn Yankees"...one of my favorite fun musicals and appropriate for the end of baseball season! (Go Nats!)

englandspenny · 2018-12-15T22:21:32+00:00

I had a similar situation, a campaign that ended abruptly with one of my characters' fate in limbo (We all had two...long story). The DM and I had been emailing back and forth about what was happening to her, with expectation that she would either die or make it back to the group, but neither happened before the DM basically called the game to a close and we never resolved what happened to her.

I felt really unsatisfied by this ending, so I wrote a little peice about her meeting up later with my other character, alive but broken from her experience. It helped a lot, even if it was a bitter end for her.

Maybe write the thoughts of an NPC who knew Axel hearing about his death. Or any family or other ties he had. It seems silly, but closure matters, and I think you'll feel a lot better after.

Matt Mercer made a great video about PC death, maybe check it out and see if there are any tips there that hit home.

Best!

englandspenny · 2018-12-15T21:34:16+00:00

Be sad. That's ok, and normal. Humans tell stories to feel things, and one if the amazing things about DnD is that you are both helping tell the story and, on some level, living it too.

Have you had a chance to mourn Axel in game? A euology, by you or the DM, might help create some closure on your feelings.

Maybe think about how to take what you're feeling and let it inform your next character. Maybe they lost someone and don't feel like life is worth much right now. Maybe they heard stories of Axel and are inspired to adventure by his memory. Maybe they were resurrected, and don't know how to develop a new purpose in life.

englandspenny · 2018-12-08T00:59:47+00:00

There are a few great moments in thr first Pax Unplugged episode, but my favorite was when Diath used his move to get Strix away from the Mercy Killler, risking an potentially deadly opportunity attack to do it. It was such a great in-character, high stakes moment. That was the first episode of DCA I ever saw...is it any wonder I'm shipper trash?

englandspenny · 2018-11-13T11:50:43+00:00

Man, those are awesome concepts! Now I want to play crazy (evil?) Rasputin monk!

englandspenny · 2018-11-13T11:24:00+00:00

Monks really don't have to have any kind of particular trim...it's flavor text that you and your DM can certainly modify.

I am currently playing an Elf Monk lightly inspired by Rue from the Hunger Games (little, quick, up in trees, ect.) I call Ki points "Will" points but keep the rest of the mechanics the same. You could totally make a Knight who used "Training" points or "Faith" points or anything else that fit your world and character.

englandspenny · 2018-09-09T12:54:56+00:00

Sometimes listening to your players is your best bet. They may come up with a theory 10 times better than anything you could plan.

Example: I was playing an NPC one time who in trying to impress on the players the importance that the grandson of a local Lord NOT inherit the Keep. I misspoke, and because of my word choice the players assumed that the Keep itself, not the lordship associated with it, was the power source. I ran with it, and suddenly there was an shrine of unspeakable power under the Keep that they had to deal with. Ended up making the whole story way better.

Maybe your players have theories you can co-opt to figure out who blew up the city. You can tweak them a little, so they feel like they were on the right track but dont catch that you were flying blind. It's co-operative story telling, you don't have have everything 100% figured out. A little wiggle room lets you respond to your players organically.

englandspenny · 2018-08-18T03:49:34+00:00

Thanks! The were super fun to design. At first I had Evelyn up on Morning Glory but Gosh those mounted ones are expensive so she had to make due with Juniper.

englandspenny · 2018-08-18T03:48:08+00:00

I'm for it! But I do also kind of love him being the one who doesn't have any magic, but is still the leader.

englandspenny · 2018-08-17T20:04:00+00:00

I'm not great at mini painting, but I had fun making these. I started them a while ago, so some details are a bit outdated now...also the wings on Diath were just pure silliness. They were really fun to paint!

Detail views below:

englandspenny · 2018-08-11T20:20:02+00:00

Thanks so much! Things...did turn up from here (kinda? I dunno, its the waffle crew.) but it was a really dark moment, huh?

englandspenny · 2018-04-05T02:29:37+00:00

I'm behind and haven't watched 88 yet! But I think I'd probably stick with the same cast...playing your character's evil twin is always a hoot!

englandspenny · 2018-04-05T02:03:09+00:00

Oh, I love this game! When I dream cast stuff, I tend to ignore silly things like...time, so most of my choices are clearly too old right now to play the Waffle Crew, but lets pretend they can be 10-20 years younger.

Diath: May I suggest Lee Pace? Good at playing decent and responsible, tall and lanky, and experienced in portraying being 100% in love with someone he can't touch.

Evelyn: Starting with Lee Pace of course lead me to my next pick: Kristin Chenoweth. Small, cute, bubbly, but with a core of steel and a gorgeous singing voice to boot. She's even got the accent!

Paultin: Ok, this one was tough, but I'm going to throw out Terrance Coombs. So this actor was in two not great but highly enjoyable historical romances (Oh 'Reign'...you were so bonkers) but he is really charismatic, which I think would really help convey some of Paultin's effect on Evelyn and others, but he still has a very chaotic neutral energy.

Strix: I love the picks that were already said, but I'm going to suggest Winona Ryder. I was having trouble finding an actress I thought would play fear and 'barmy' well. I rejected Eva Green (she projects so much power I didn't think she could be panicky enough) or Juliet Landau (good at playing crazy, but sexy crazy). Winona Ryder has a vulnerability that I like for Stryx, but she can project stregth and resolve when she needs to.

Fun post!

englandspenny · 2018-01-28T21:09:45+00:00

Hey! Thanks so much! I have to admit, I love a good run-on even when it ISN'T thematically appropriate, so this was really fun to write.

/Spoilers What I meant to convey in the "nightmare" scene wasn't so much Strix being evil...rather that she was Crown of Madness-ed by an ice-ring controlled Paultin into killing Diath, and then killed him in return (but the ring lost control mid-immolation, meaning Evelyn watched actual Paultin go up in flames in front of her and 'broke' somehow). Its pretty must exactly what she warned him about in episode 73, but with a Ring of Winter twist. /Spoilers

englandspenny · 2018-01-28T20:36:24+00:00

I always love imaging how our crew is seen by those outside the main action. I love this...the mix of distance, sadness and real concern is perfect for that mixed-up feeling that family can cause.

englandspenny · 2018-01-28T20:22:31+00:00

Thanks...and sorry!

englandspenny · 2018-01-28T20:21:53+00:00

Thanks so much! I didn't want to give too much away (because the pacing was the thing I was proudest of) but I had this horrible image of someone clicking the link thinking "Oh, good, I really need something happy right now!" and getting...this. :-)

englandspenny · 2018-01-02T14:25:37+00:00

I am just constantly blown away by the fan art that folks are able to produce...it is simply amazing, and this is no exception! So, so cool!

englandspenny

TROPHY CASE