In the e-Mail: Casting the Runes [GUMSHOE]

The full title is Casting the Runes: Occult Investigation in the World of M. R. James; and the title really does say it all. “Casting the Runes is a roleplaying game based on the works of M.R. James, the father of the modern British ghost story, and uses the GUMSHOE system for investigative RPGs. The unique character of James’s stories, and his own personality, inspire the game.” It’s Edwardian-Era intangible horror, in other words. I picked it up because ghost stories sound like they’d work well in GUMSHOE’s system, and because they’re throwing in the PDF along with the print book for free. I’m down with that.

The Between the Devil & the Deep GUMSHOE RPG Kickstarter.

Pirate adventures for GUMSHOE! And the Between the Devil & the Deep Kickstarter is being done by the people who got their print run once pulped by the PRC, so I’m reasonably certain they’ll be able to avoid using slave labor to print their books. I think I got burned once or twice in that regard lately, so I’m trying to be more careful. Check it out!

I could use a blind playtesting group for the FERMI RESOLUTION RPG worldbook.

Both a group that has familiarity with GUMSHOE, and one that does not would be acceptable; or, indeed, both. I’d learn different things from each. Either way, if people are interested I’d need them to grab the rules and play the game in August, and get back to me with feedback by the end of August. Hopefully by then I’ll have an editor to go through the text so I can get it to the layout artist and then get it back to be sold. And maybe the print run Kickstarted.

Either way: if you’re interested, feel free to apply via comments here or email me via Backerkit. If you backed the Kickstarter then you should already have the playtest version in your mailbox already; if you did not, well, it comes free with FROZEN DREAMS in certain pre-orders and I’ve reopened the store.

Drives for the FERMI RESOLUTION RPG setting.

What I’ve been working on tonight, among other things. GUMSHOE tries pretty hard to keep the players on track to play, and Drives are a helpful way to do that. As the below notes:

Drives

Each PC follows a drive, a personal motivation giving him, her or it good reason to act heroically and curiously. By following your drive, you keep the story moving and ensure that your behavior is in keeping with the adventuring-investigative genre.

Continue reading Drives for the FERMI RESOLUTION RPG setting.

Oh, nice: the Swords of the Serpentine RPG is coming out soon.

I helped playtest Swords of the Serpentine

…and when I clicked on the order link I was helpfully reminded that Past Me had pre-ordered it, too. Which was smart of Past Me. I mean, yeah, this would be on the list.

Some GUMSHOE adaptation work for FERMI RESOLUTION campaign project up on Patreon.

Link here. I think mostly what I need to do with this project is duplicate the stuff that you’d need to generate a character* and equipment lists, then just direct them to use the main rules in Trail of Cthulhu or whatever. This is supposed to be a campaign world for the Kickstarter, not a standalone game. It’s also supposed to be something besides a ten year project.

Moe Lane

*And sample characters. Hmm…