DMs After Dark

Bonus - 2022 Resolutions & Random Thoughts

For our first stream of 2022, we decided to hop on and just chat about the first few months of DMs After Dark as a group, turning our hobby into a stream, and, technically, celebrating our one-year anniversary of gaming together in one way or another.  
We briefly discuss our goals for 2022, as well as talk about our favorite moments thus far, games we're looking forward to running soon, and ways we can embarrass ourselves for your continued support.
Just a simple bonus episode before we dive into our next games.
Clarification - Multiple times in this talk we mention Good Society coming up as our next game, but sickness is spreading among us DMs, and we're going to be putting it off until our GM Sara and others feel better.  If you'd like to watch us play a goofy one-shot the night this episode airs, please tune into our Twitch and watch us have a blast playing something silly!
As always, come hang out and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on our YouTube.
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Music in the episode:
Auld Lang Syne (Rock Version) by Belvedere Sound

Modified Rolls - Gender in RPGs

In the first Modified Rolls episode of 2022, we talk about gender as it's represented in RPGs!  This is NOT a deep dive into the mistakes that have been made over the decades, but rather a discussion about strides that have been made in RPG game design lately and our opinions on why we like playing genders not our own.
When you make characters, do you prefer playing the gender you identify as, another gender, or change it up regularly?  Let us know!
 
Content Warning: Rene after a few Margaritas, Shattering the Patriarchy, Balls & Boobies.
 
Games Mentioned in this Episode: Sagas of the Icelanders | Invisible Sun | Thirsty Sword Lesbians | Good Society | Pathfinder 2e | Wanderhome | Call of Cthulhu | War Birds | Bluebeard's Bride | The Wheel of Time RPG | Night Witches
 
Please follow us and catch our live streams alternating Friday nights over on Twitch or catch up on our games over on our YouTube.
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Feel free to email us with questions, comments, or just to tell us how awful our ideas are at DMsAfterDark@gmail.com
 
Music in the episode:
Tango de Manzana by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4460-tango-de-manzana License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

‘Twas Christmas One-Shot

Happy Holidays and to a happy new year!
Jess's first time running a game for the DMs is our 2021 holiday one-shot and our last stream of the year.  The game is 'Twas - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas and our player DMs assume the roles of toys tasked with saving Christmas from something threatening to take over Santa's operation!  Will the toys be able to stop this powerful figure?  Will they get consent before roasting chestnuts in a nutcracker's mouth?  Listen and find out!
What's your favorite take on a Christmas or holiday-themed game / session / experience?  Reach out to us and share your stories!
Content Warning: Famous Actor Sequin Blankets, Canadian Accents, Nuts in Mouths
As always, follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on our YouTube.
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Music in the episode:
The Snow Queen by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4511-the-snow-queen License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
We Wish you a Merry Christmas by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4612-we-wish-you-a-merry-christmas License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

Modified Rolls - Running Games For Younger Players

Hello and happy holidays to all of you out in podcast land!  The DMs are back with a short one this week discussing how to approach running games when your players are a bit younger than your average group.  We discuss session length, different dice systems, learning moments, reinforcing good behavior, and, as always, give recommendations for good RPGs aimed at younger players.
 
Have you ever played with younger players?  What's your best advice, story, or lesson learned?
 
Please follow us and catch our live streams alternating Friday nights over on Twitch or catch up on our games over on our YouTube.
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Feel free to email us with questions, comments, or just to tell us how awful our ideas are at DMsAfterDark@gmail.com
 
Music in the episode:
Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventureLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Avatar Legends: Session 2 - The Fight for the Earthen Fire Refinery

Avatar Aang and friends have come together to end the Hundred Year War and stop Fire Lord Ozai's campaign to impose Fire Nation rule on the Four Nations.  With the Air Nomads effectively wiped out, Avatar Aang and crew decide to build a new place in the world where all are welcome to cooperate and work toward a future where everyone comes together for a greater cause.  They choose the coastal village of Cranefish Town on the western shores of the Earth Kingdom to eventually become what will be known as Republic City.
In the third and final episode of our Avatar: Legends mini-series, the group heads to the Earthen Fire Refinery to stop the Badgermole Mafia from taking over from the secret tunnels.  Once there, they realize they're too late.  Can our heroes find a way to stop Don Moshan and save the refinery?  Or will they make more dick jokes and take over the mafia? 
Content Warning: Ai's Girthquake, Blinds
As always, follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on our YouTube.
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Music in the episode:
Temple of the Manes by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4468-temple-of-the-manesLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The DMs After Dark Holiday RPG Buying Guide

Just in time for that wonderful time of year where you're worrying about what to get who and what you're going to do with the gifts you'll undoubtedly never use, we've got some recommendations for games that may be what you're looking to play in 2022!
Christian, Rene, and Sara gush over their favorite games within multiple genres, available and upcoming, to get you hyped up for some new tabletop roleplaying games to line your shelves.
Tell us some games you're looking forward to playing or games you'd like to watch us play!
Follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on them over on our YouTube.
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Feel free to email us with questions, comments, or just to tell us how awful our ideas are at DMsAfterDark@gmail.com
 
Music in the episode:
Holiday Weasel by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5517-holiday-weasel License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

Avatar: Legends - Session 1: Corruption in Cranefish Town

Air. Water. Earth. Fire.
Avatar Aang and friends have come together to end the Hundred Year War and stop Fire Lord Ozai's campaign to impose Fire Nation rule on the Four Nations.  With the Air Nomads effectively wiped out, Avatar Aang and crew decide to build a new place in the world where all are welcome to cooperate and work toward a future where everyone comes together for a greater cause.  They choose the coastal village of Cranefish Town on the western shores of the Earth Kingdom to eventually become what will be known as Republic City.
In the second episode of our Avatar: Legends mini-series, the group figures out what to do next after being brought together in a shared knowledge of corruption in Cranefish Town.  The Badgermole Mafia has set up smuggling tunnels under the burgeoning city and is working with at least one city official to do their dirty work unpunished.  Can our heroes find a way to prevent the city from falling into the wrong hands?  Or will they make dick jokes and drink cabbage spiced lattes?  Probably the latter...
Content Warning: Ai's Small Weiner, Exotic Animal Hybrid Trade, Cocaine?!
As always, follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on our YouTube.
Like, follow, and subscribe to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Music in the episode:
Temple of the Manes by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4468-temple-of-the-manesLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Modified Rolls - Running Games With Canon

In this episode of Modified Rolls, the DMs discuss their ideas and approaches to running games in popular fictional worlds with established lore.  From Disney, Pokemon, Avatar, and Conan to middle age book series and, technically, even Dungeons & Dragons itself, the DMs break down ways to make sure your games don't feel like second rate stories in beloved worlds.
 
Have you ever played or run a game in an established universe?  How was your experience and how far from the source material did you stray?  Let us know!
 
Follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on them over on our YouTube.
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Feel free to email us with questions, comments, or just to tell us how awful our ideas are at DMsAfterDark@gmail.com
 
Music in the episode:
Vivacity by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4593-vivacity License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Nowhere Land by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4148-nowhere-land License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

Avatar: Legends - Session 0 & Character Creation

Air. Water. Earth. Fire.
Avatar Aang and friends have come together to end the Hundred Year War and stop Fire Lord Ozai's campaign to impose Fire Nation rule on the Four Nations.  With the Air Nomads effectively wiped out, Avatar Aang and crew decide to build a new place in the world where all are welcome to cooperate and work toward a future where everyone comes together for a greater cause.  They choose the coastal village of Cranefish Town on the western shores of the Earth Kingdom to eventually become what will be known as Republic City.
In our first episode of our short Avatar: Legends series, Rene runs the DMs through Character Creation and we work together to come up with some ideas about what kind of story we want to tell in the world of Avatar.  A crew comes together, though not all for the same reasons, and discovers a menacing secret threatening the very foundation of Republic City.  Will they be able to bring balance to the city, or will they wind up on the wrong side of some dangerous people?
Content Warning: Mafia stereotyping, Swamp Ass, A War in Ba Sing Se?
As always, follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on our YouTube.
Like, follow, and subscribe to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Music in the episode:
Temple of the Manes by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4468-temple-of-the-manesLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Kids on Bikes Halloween-ish One-Shot

The last in our October spooky horror & (not-so-horrific) Halloween one-shot series here at DMs After Dark sees the DMs playing Renegade Game Studios' Kids on Bikes, a nostalgic tabletop RPG where the players assume the roles of kids, teens, and adults in small towns experiencing strange happenings.  Reminiscent of 80s movies like The Goonies, the 90s' Hocus Pocus, and, more recently, series like Stranger Things, Kids on Bikes really does a lot to nail the genre in a rules-light, fun game.
This session takes place in the fictional New England town of Monadnock, New Hampshire, and pulls together teens (and an awkward little brother) from different circles together to stop a long-forgotten ritual rekindled when the mayor reads off rediscovered, very old town documents.
Content Warning: Violence to children, kidnapping, bullying, evil plants?, human sacrifice, and lots (and lots) of dick jokes.
As always, follow us and catch our live streams at https://twitch.tv/DMsAfterDark or catch up on our YouTube
Like, follow, and subscribe to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Music in the episode:
Newer Wave by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7016-newer-waveLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Neon Laser Horizon by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7015-neon-laser-horizonLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license