This is Faith in Play #14: Wickedness, for January 2019. In discussing Dungeons & Dragons® alignment, as we began last May with True Religion and continued looking at that which the game calls “good” in Goodness, it is important to remember that each alignment is something in which people actually believe. That becomes a problem … [Read more…]
Last November we published Overview of the Articles on the New Christian Gamers Guild Website, in which I attempted to index everything that had been posted to the site in the previous eighteen months–the time from when our capable webmaster Bryan launched the new web log-driven format through the republication of the entire Faith and … [Read more…]
Part three of the Compendium of Lands Around Blackwater Lake, the gazetteer for the Northumbria campaign. These are being published out of order because the next Beckett family adventure takes place in the village. Part two, describing the keep, is coming later this month. Agents of the Frangian Crown supposedly founded the village of Lakesend … [Read more…]
This is RPG-ology #13: Cities, for December 2018. When I wrote about Country Roads I promised to return at some point and write about city streets. However, as I thought about it, I realized that before you can understand city streets, you have to understand cities–why they exist, why they form where they do, and … [Read more…]
Several years ago, I ran a fantasy horror game for a group of teenagers from my church. It was their very first roleplaying game, and I felt both very privileged to have the opportunity to introduce them to the hobby and very responsible for keeping them on a godly path in their play. My own … [Read more…]
This is Faith in Play #13: The Evils of Monopoly®, for December 2018. It is perhaps almost a joke, that whenever uninformed people begin talking about the evils of role playing games a gamer will respond with the notion of the evils of the game Monopoly®. I mentioned it myself in my 1997 article Confessions … [Read more…]
This Beckett Family Adventure follows Terror in the Tower, part 2. Background The session began with the PCs at the ruined Temple of Pholtus, a few hours from small village of Lakesend. This was their third foray to the temple. The first time, they spotted harpies flying about the tallest tower in the complex. They … [Read more…]
This is RPG-ology #12: Aphorisms, for November 2018. One of the hardest aspects of creating worlds is creating cultures. Different cities, different countries, different peoples all have differences in everything from dress to architecture to courtesy. The elves of Lothlorien have a different culture from those of Mirkwood. One article is not going to serve … [Read more…]
There are some characters that will develop multiple GIFTS. Functionally they are home in any of their Houses and are culturally viewed as a representation that all the Houses are to be united in their work in the world. Often they work as liaisons between the Houses. Not surprisingly, most often do not have time … [Read more…]
This is Faith in Play #12: Fiction and Lies, for November 2018. I once encountered someone who held the view that all of Jesus’ parables were literally true, that they were recountings of real events of which He in His omniscience was aware. There really was a Good Samaritan, a Prodigal Son, a woman who … [Read more…]