We just released Episodes 05 and 06 of Children of the Eight-Legged She, the newest series in our We Hunt the Keepers! Dungeon World campaign. One of the things I think is so awesome about WHtK!, and it is exemplified in this particular series, is that we’re showing how you can have a Dungeon World campaign that isn’t obsessed with combat. Combat still happens, but the focus is definitely on relationships, weirdness, and lore. That is simply my kind of Dungeon World.
Another nice thing about this series is the really fantastic collaborative worldbuilding that is going on.The main thrust of the adventure comes straight from me, but the contours and the nuance are coming from all of us at the table. There is a great example of this in Episode 05, where we learn the legend of Brandan Barkbender, a character in the mythology of our world that I 100% did not foresee but nevertheless managed to work into the broader story.
And that leads to my final point about what makes WHtK! so great: if you pay close attention, you can see how I am incorporating player-generated details and themes into the broader story (in a way the players aren’t even immediately conscious of). For example, in the last series, the character Arcon went on at some length about creatures from the spirit world, and how those creatures were associated with different colors. He made regular reference to the “Brown Creature of Disobedience,” which turned out to be the spider goddess Malgoliant. But in this new series, as you’re about to see, “colorful creatures” are a major element of the story. And, indeed, the very idea of color is hugely important, as you’ll find out in the episodes to come with Weary and the Grey Rangers (whose name, btw, is also kind of a joke about color, or the lack thereof).
Enjoy!
Cc: Fraser Simons Gerrit Reininghaus steven watkins David LaFreniere
As I had taken the colourful creatures as pure mystical fluff for my own character background and Arcon just babbling about weird prophecies to get on his companion’s nerve it took me wonderfully by the surprise how the world was suddenly around these ideas. As was the case for the Shadow Court with Weary and Isabella for Logan and so on.
The Brogar people came to this “elven” temple knowing they MUST destroy it. The colorful creatures dominate the spirit world. What could happen next? 🙂
As I had taken the colourful creatures as pure mystical fluff for my own character background and Arcon just babbling about weird prophecies to get on his companion’s nerve it took me wonderfully by the surprise how the world was suddenly around these ideas. As was the case for the Shadow Court with Weary and Isabella for Logan and so on.
The Brogar people came to this “elven” temple knowing they MUST destroy it. The colorful creatures dominate the spirit world. What could happen next? 🙂
One thing I’ve loved about the series so far (and I’m excited to listen to these two episodes!) is its sort of pulpy amorality. You folks are killing a kind of Fritz Lieber/Robert E. Howard sword and sorcery vibe that I don’t feel like I’m getting too many other places. There’s this focus on the characters’ personal goals and the weirdness of their environments over the larger quest, with questions of right and wrong kind of bracketed aside, that captures the feeling of those old pulps. It’s awesome!
One thing I’ve loved about the series so far (and I’m excited to listen to these two episodes!) is its sort of pulpy amorality. You folks are killing a kind of Fritz Lieber/Robert E. Howard sword and sorcery vibe that I don’t feel like I’m getting too many other places. There’s this focus on the characters’ personal goals and the weirdness of their environments over the larger quest, with questions of right and wrong kind of bracketed aside, that captures the feeling of those old pulps. It’s awesome!
Jesse Abelman I have always viewed the player characters as the villains of this story, so that definitely makes sense to me.
Jesse Abelman I have always viewed the player characters as the villains of this story, so that definitely makes sense to me.
Jason Cordova They may be villains, but it’s not like their opposition are heroes in any meaningful sense. They’re all we’ve got, and the focus on “relationships, weirdness, and lore,” like you said, especially relationships, makes them feel less villainous, even if they’re clearly not heroes. Super Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and I love it!
Jason Cordova They may be villains, but it’s not like their opposition are heroes in any meaningful sense. They’re all we’ve got, and the focus on “relationships, weirdness, and lore,” like you said, especially relationships, makes them feel less villainous, even if they’re clearly not heroes. Super Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and I love it!
I love how much content is coming out lately. I get to get behind with things and then binge while I clean my house.
I love how much content is coming out lately. I get to get behind with things and then binge while I clean my house.
I hate to tell you, but the GoT character is also Brandon 😉 More seriously, I just listened to these two episodes and enjoyed them immensely. Itching to run some more DW.
I hate to tell you, but the GoT character is also Brandon 😉 More seriously, I just listened to these two episodes and enjoyed them immensely. Itching to run some more DW.