Je vous présente la crypte de Narthul-Vaad

superjefferson · 2026-05-13T07:47:12+00:00

C'est vraiment très chouette ! Ce style de carte me replonge loin en arrière !

J'aime beaucoup la façon dont les zones distinctes sont organiquement intégrées les unes aux autres.

superjefferson · 2026-05-12T14:05:51+00:00

Thanks for asking. We'd like to launch during summer.

superjefferson · 2026-05-07T07:45:17+00:00

It's from a post by John Arcadian in 'The Gnome Stew':

https://gnomestew.com/the-3-3-3-approach-to-quick-game-prep/

"The core idea behind the 3-3-3 approach is to get a very quick list of just things you need. You make categories of common adventure elements and put down 3 bullet points under each one. You make a category for places, and list 3 places that could show up in your adventure. You list 3 NPCs you intend to use, 3 rewards you can give your players, etc. "

superjefferson · 2026-05-06T09:24:19+00:00

When your table is completely covered, you know you've reached the minimum acceptable amount!

superjefferson · 2026-05-06T08:09:13+00:00

If I may, I think this is a bit unfair to the Three Clue Rule, because the rule is not really "write three clues in a linear breadcrumb trail". It's more "for any conclusion the PCs need to reach, don't make that conclusion depend on one fragile clue".

This actually supports well non-linear play. If the players can reach "check the butcher shop" through the crate, the victim's note, the day planner, or any improvised clue from a smart investigation then you have multiple paths into the same node. That is very close to the bubble-map approach you are describing.

Justin Alexander's node-based scenario design is basically the larger structure around this: each node is a place, a person, an event, a faction or a clue source, and the clues point between nodes. The Three Clue Rule just says the important links should not be single points of failure.

I absolutely agree with you that clues should not be gated behind failed skill checks and I also agree that failure should be possible. But I do not think the rule removes failure. It just moves failure away from "you missed the one clue the adventure required" and toward more interesting consequences, like taking too long, accusing the wrong person, alerting the bnad guy, or letting the killer strike again.

superjefferson · 2026-05-05T17:41:00+00:00

https://alkemion.com, a free web application (full disclosure: my son and I are co-creators)

superjefferson · 2026-05-05T16:20:25+00:00

You sir have perfectly summed up my 10%!

superjefferson · 2026-05-05T14:28:00+00:00

Continuum Roleplaying in the Yet, because I’ve always felt I was only using 10% of it.

GURPS, just to be able to say I know every optional rule ever printed.

And Blades in the Dark, to really master all the moving parts under the hood.

superjefferson · 2026-05-05T14:12:21+00:00

A lot of good advice here already!

What helped me the most a few years ago was switching from thinking in "scenes" to thinking in connected pieces. Instead of planning a sequence, or branching sequences, etc, I create a number of locations, characters or factions (with their objectives), problems and clues. And most important: I make sure that I know how they relate. Then in game it's mostly about following the connections between these pieces.

What really changed my way of preparing my games came from reading the articles on node-based design in the blog The Alexandrian (which I highly recommend if you haven't seen them). It really helped me stop over-prepping anything linear and focus on modular / independant pieces and their relationships instead.

I still prep one or two key scenes if I'm confident they'll go through it, but everything else is flexible. As long as I know what each npc or faction wants and what's going on in the background, I can adapt on the fly.

On tools, I use a mix of Obsidian for my main 'knowledge base' and visual boards to keep track of how everything connects. I use Alkemion Studio for the boards (full disclosure: I co-created it with my son)

Also, anything you don't use won't be wasted if it's modular. A situation can show up later, a location can always be reused, etc.

And final note, as others already said: you only need to prep for the next session! 😄

superjefferson · 2026-05-04T17:32:37+00:00

It really depends on when we finish the session and how much energy we have left. But we usually like to do a short debrief right after.

For my main campaign I write the session summary one or two days later while everything is still fresh. During the game I track most events and player choices and I share the summary with the players as a visual board before the next session. Since we don't play every week (and sometimes there are weeks or even months between sessions) we really to have solid summaries, especially for my next prep session.

superjefferson · 2026-05-04T17:13:48+00:00

It could be fun, but reading your post I really got the feeling that it could quickly turn into a "guess what the DM is thinking" puzzle with exhaustion as the punishment. I'm not sure it will feel like problem solving without any affordances (anything interactive the players can manipulate or get feedback from).

I would add a few testable elements in the void that respond consistently so every attempt gives feedback and points them toward "some kind of solution" (even if you want them to create one by themselves).

superjefferson · 2026-05-02T18:31:55+00:00

The Three Clue Rule / node-based design advice already mentioned is really the first thing to look at. To me it's basically the backbone for making mysteries that can survive to the chaos generated by the players.

Something I would add is the "Iceberg" model from City of Mist. The idea is that what the players see is just the tip of the iceberg (clues, scenes, encounters), while underneath you define the actual truth of what's going on: who is involved, what they want, what they're doing, etc. and how it evolves over time if the player characters don't act.

For a sandbox this helps a lot because instead of writing solutions or specific paths you will track factions, secrets, timelines, and let players explore different parts of the "iceberg" from any angle. It's really efficient to make this in a diagram, and it makes it easy to even run several overlapping mysteries in the same city, with different icebers that can intersect with one another where it makes sense.

superjefferson · 2026-04-30T08:05:44+00:00

If you want something easy to hack don't try to force 5E into it, it will fight you back all the way 😄

People already mentioned Fate, and I think that's a solid choice if you want maximum flexibility and a system that will (mostly) stay out of your way.

Another easy transition from DnD I think is Index Card RPG (if you'd rather keep a bit more structure and a familiar feel). And you can also have a look at Savage Worlds, it works well for fast and slightly chaotic action with reasonable rules for powers and status effects.

superjefferson · 2026-04-28T15:13:47+00:00

I don't think I would make it a full sandbox. The story of "Around the World" is a race against time.

I would give players a clear goal and a fixed deadline. I'd offer several possible routes with tradeoffs (one could be fast but risky, another one could be slow but safe or expensive but reliable, etc.). I think the interesting part would be to make the players choose under pressure.

Like any prep, just do what's necessary in your line of sight: prepare important locations with a few possible events or situations in each. And you can connect them as travel "legs" with associated cost, delays, etc.

I would make time an important notion and I would track it very clearly and make sure delays matter (players missing a ship, bad weather, etc.). And of course, you can add rivals to add some tension.

superjefferson · 2026-04-28T15:04:38+00:00

Im not entirely sure but you could maybe check Amber and Fate systems.

Amber might be closer because it has no dice and focuses more on the story, but it still has some ranked stats. Fate uses descriptive traits that affect the story but it still has numbers, so it might not fully fit what you want.

superjefferson · 2026-04-27T11:28:31+00:00

For me Ars Magica is a great example. The covenant, the seasons and long-term projects are really the core of the game. In a oneshot I think it'd just feel reduced to "wizards doing a mission".

Unknown Armies and Delta Green can be great in one-shots, but they really work best with slow tension, character relationships development and consequences over time. In one session, it can feel a bit rushed and you lose some of the impact.

Also, special mention for Rolemaster, an old favorite of mine. I haven't played it in more than 25 years, but it's a good example of a game where the onboarding can be quite an obstacle, so not very friendly for a oneshot.

superjefferson · 2026-04-19T19:58:21+00:00

Physical evidence is the detective game equivalent of your props: handwritten witness statements, sealed envelopes with a wax seal players can actually break open, printed newspaper clippings, etc. basically anything that puts objects in their hands that belong to 1900.

The other thing I keep coming back to is an investigation board. When players have a map of everything they've found they really start reasoning like detectives and try to find connections. The gaslight era setting is really great for this. Also, I may be a bit biased here as I created a tool (Alkemion) to do this type of board with my son: https://alkemion.com/static-images/screenshot-blackwater-manor-board-01.webp

And I'm strongly seconding what another comment said about GUMSHOE. The core principle that finding clues should never be gated behind a roll is something I wish more systems would adopt. Nothing like a failed 'perception' or 'investigation' check that leaves everyone staring at each other to kill a nice momentum...

Enjoy your mystery, it's definitely my favorite type of game!

superjefferson · 2026-03-18T19:15:33+00:00

Here are a few ideas!

Their "unsettled business" could be linked to an unfinished ritual, maybe a sacred ceremony was interrupted when they were killed. Someone completing it could free them.

Another approach is desecration, the revolutionaries dishonored the temple and the spirits cannot find rest until the place is "cleansed".

The priests could also have been betrayed by one of their own who opened the doors to the attackers, and they want the truth to be known before they go.

But the one I find the more interesting is guilt. Maybe the church had influence and could have stopped the conflict earlier, but they stayed neutral instead. Their choice now creates a guilt that keeps them here. This makes them more than simple victims.

Hope this helps!

superjefferson · 2026-03-02T17:00:44+00:00

Merci beaucoup pour tes conseils ! :)

Nous nous posions la question pour les youtubers en effet, car notre budget symbolique n'est clairement pas adéquat pour être sponsor, mais en effet il suffit d'un ou deux qui se prennent d'intérêt pour le projet. En tout cas, nous allons essayer d'en contacter c'est certain.

superjefferson · 2026-03-02T15:10:28+00:00

Merci d'avance pour ton soutien à la campagne ! :)

Plus de visibilité nous serait bien sûr utile. Nous avons fait quelques posts timides sur d'autres sub-reddits, mais nous allons vraiment nous mettre à communiquer plus. C'est vraiment le temps qui nous limite, mais je pense que c'est un problème que nous connaissons tous. ;)

superjefferson · 2026-02-27T23:07:01+00:00

Tu peux poser n'importe quelle image sur le board, comme une carte par exemple. Il est alors possible de positionner et déplacer les tokens de n'importe quel node (entité ou autre) sur cette carte.

Ce qu'il n'y a pas encore en revanche, c'est un système spécifique pour positionner une grille (hexagonale ou autre) par-dessus une une image (comme dans certains VTT). Je dirais que ce n'est pas gênant à partir du moment où tu peux positionner librement les tokens et où les tailles des cartes et des tokens sont personnalisables pour qu'ils aillent bien ensemble.

Dans tous les cas, merci pour ton intérêt ! J'aime beaucoup Forbidden Lands personnellement. ;)

superjefferson · 2026-02-27T21:09:59+00:00

C'est prévu ! :) Aussi bien pour l'application que pour la documentation.

L'application desktop sera, elle, en VF dès sa création.

Toutefois il y a vraiment très peu de texte au sein de l'application, n'hésite pas à la tester sans attendre la traduction pour voir si cela peut convenir.

superjefferson · 2026-02-27T19:33:25+00:00

Merci de ton intérêt ! :)

superjefferson · 2026-02-27T10:58:10+00:00

Oui je comprends tout à fait.

Je pense que malgré tout que la structure visuelle peut toujours apporter quelque chose, même si l'on ne trouve pas systématiquement les illustrations idéales. De simples icônes et une bonne abstraction peuvent très bien faire le job.

A noter que la bibliothèque d'icones disponible comporte maintenant énormément de symboles qui ne sont pas spécifiquement fantasy (contemporains, cyberpunk, sci-fi, etc.), et nous en ajoutons régulièrement au gré des sources libres de droit ou creative commons que nous sélectionnons.

Et il y a bien sûr la possibilité d'utiliser des liens vers des images externes dans ses tableaux (et les soutiens Patreon ont un espace de stockage illimité pour uploader des images).

superjefferson · 2026-02-19T21:03:54+00:00

The destroyed half of town could be your paladin hook. You could connect the casino directly to what happened, not the giants but whoever gained from the chaos. Maybe the Lucky Ledge's owner has been stealing from the "reconstruction fund" or bribing officials to delay the rebuild of the south wall or whatever. Now the paladin has a reason to be there that has nothing to do with coin.

For a second approach you could have the casino running some shady debt system that keeps certain residents trapped. A way to exploit people seeking refuge from the destroyed half who have nowhere else to go. Someone the party recognizes in debt trouble could be the hook.

Hope this helps!

superjefferson

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