After Serenity

When it was released in December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was glitchy as hell. Five years later, we’re still playing it … but why? Chapters 00:00 The Allure of Cyberpunk 207701:53 Cyberpunk's Reflection of Reality04:24 Exploration and Discovery in Night City06:55 Game Mechanics and Play Styles09:43 Updates, Mods, and Community Engagement12:36 Emotional Storytelling and Character Impact17:54 The Evolution of Cyberpunk 207722:37 Realistic Dialogue and Player Choices24:32 Interweaving Storylines and Lore26:39 Bittersweet Endings and Moral Compromises32:00 Gameplay Mechanics and Character Development36:31 Future of Cyberpunk Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Why We Keep Coming Back To Cyberpunk 2077 on YouTube. Show Notes Huge, Immersive World We want to discuss how Cyberpunk feels oddly familiar…like, even with all the over-the-top-ness of the ads, the violence, etc, the concepts are familiar because we are sort of living in it right now. I have THOUGHTS on this.  ( we

In between shoveling out from snow storms, we took the time to talk about cozy video games. We delve into the expected (Animal Crossing, Tiny Bookshop, Planet Crafter) and the not-so-expected (Fallout, Cyberpunk 2077, No Man's Sky, Red Dead Redemption 2). Chapters 00:00 Defining Cozy Games02:35 Exploring Popular Cozy Games05:16 The Role of Objectives in Cozy Gaming07:44 Unique Cozy Game Experiences10:16 The Impact of Gaming Platforms on Cozy Experiences12:53 Crafting and Terraforming in Cozy Games15:41 The Whimsical World of Slime Rancher19:49 The Thrills of Open-World Exploration21:22 Cozy vs. High-Risk Gaming Experiences23:36 The Importance of Homesteading in Games27:07 The Comfort of Building and Community30:17 Cozy Survival in The Long Dark32:16 Artistic Expression in Gaming33:20 Finding Comfort in Cyberpunk 2077 Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Cozy Games - Campaigns & Coffee on YouTube. Show Notes Definition of what is a cozy game. From Wikipedia: A cozy gam

Our cozy Saturday morning coffee and games show returns to answer the question … what is cozy? Reading a book while sleet pounds the windows on a winter night? Putting your phone in a Faraday cage so you can get a few minutes of non-digital peace? We give a couple of definitions cozy can be … and then talk about what we personally find to be cozy. Chapters 00:00 Defining Cozy02:21 Personal Cozy Rituals and Experiences05:01 The Role of Sensory Input in Creating Cozy Atmosphere07:50 Cozy Games and Downshifting in a Digital Age10:20 The Importance of Cozy Practices Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Cozy Games - Campaigns & Coffee on YouTube. Show Notes Defining Cozy Hygge (/ˈh(j)uːɡə/, H(Y)OO-gə; Danish: [ˈhykə]; Norwegian: [ˈhŷɡːə]) is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality. As a cultural category with its sets of associated practices, hygge has more or less the same meaning in both places and in bot

Join us to explore the growing world of solo role-playing games, from zines (Thru-Hiker, Hope is Not a Plan) to journaling games (Thousand-Year-Old Vampire, Be Like A Crow) to full-fledged systems like Ironsworn and Star Trek: Captain's Log. We discuss the appeal, challenges, and deeply personal nature of solo gaming, emphasizing discovery, immersion, and the freedom to explore without an audience. Along the way, we share favorite titles, philosophical insights, and unexpected parallels to acid trips and corporate burnout. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Solo Role-Playing Games02:51 Types of Solo RPGs05:03 Reasons for Playing Solo RPGs09:06 Exploring Specific Solo RPGs18:12 Adapting Traditional RPGs for Solo Play27:22 Solo Mode Board Games28:17 The Value of Solo Play in RPGs30:36 Mindset and Preparation for Solo Gaming34:16 Exploring Narrative Flexibility in Solo RPGs38:21 Understanding the Complexity of Game Mechanics44:43 Successes and Challenges in Solo RPG Experiences49:12 The Importance of Immer

Our Fallout one-shot continues! The Eggheads -- a group of wasteland mercs -- travel to Hardscrap to re-supply and gather intelligence on the murderous, double-crossing Moose Men. Need more Fallout? Check out our Fallout 2d20 Actual Play Campaign! Watch our Gore and Lore of Fallout episode on YouTube. Learn about the game by watching d10 Reasons Fallout 2d20 is Great (S5E10). Confused about movement and zones? We’ve got an episode for that: Fallout Zones. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Wasteland Adventure03:41 Engaging with the Mole Rats07:30 The Role of Luck and Chance09:35 Final Confrontations and Outcomes15:41 Entering Hard Scrap: A New Community17:44 Strategic Decisions and Resource Management19:40 Negotiating Trade and Repairs33:20 Explosives and Their Uses37:08 Preparing for the Journey to Sky Garden45:18 Far Garden49:09 Planning the Assault on Sky Garden57:54 Options for Infiltration01:01:31 Concluding Thoughts Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watc

Fallout Season 2 is out on Amazon, and the Lair is back to look at what makes the Fallout 2d20 RPG so much fun to play. Post: Fallout 2d20 Campaign & RPG Resources Podcast: Fallout 2d20 Campaign Podcast: Fallout 2d20 One Shot: Crawl Out Through the Fallout Podcast: Gore and Lore in Fallout – Campaigns & Coffee Podcast: Fallout Zones Chapters 00:00 Reason 1: Quick to learn03:28 Reason 2: Quick to play at the table6:48 Reason 3: Aesthetics and connection to the video Game08:10 Reason 4: Layered Systems and Optional Complexity10:15 Reason 5: Zones - the sweet spot between theater of the mind and battle maps.13:17 Reason 6: Action Point Economy15:45 Reason 7: Luck18:43 Reason 8: Special Effects21:28 Reason 9: Lots of product support23:21 Reason 10: Solid VTT Support Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d10 Reasons Fallout 2d20 is Great! on YouTube. Show Notes Reason 1: Quick to Learn The 2d20 system is easy to pick up. While all 2d20 games are a b

Our Shadowdark RPG one-shot concludes as the adventurers confront the vampiric horror lurking in the depths of the Lost Temple. Missed the first part? Catch up now: Raiders of the Lost Temple, Part 1/3 Get the dungeon: EnWorld – Kelsey Dionne publishes two new free Shadowdark adventures New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library. Want to know more about Shadowdark? Check out our episode "d12 Reasons Shadowdark is Awesome!" Chapters 0:00 Intro – Return to the Lair of Secrets2:10 The Vampire Dilemma – Rest or Risk It?8:00 Light, Lore & Vampire Prep19:00 Into the Darkness – Back to the Temple28:00 The Encounter Begins – Shanti Attacks43:00 Shanti Regenerates & The Party Struggles54:00 Boulder Trap & Split Paths1:06:00 Chalice Theft & Bat Form Battle1:21:00 Vampire On Fire – The Final Confrontation1:51:00 Outro – Victory, Loss, and Escape Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Raiders of the Lost Temple, Part 3/3 on YouTub

In this one-shot actual play scenario for Fallout 2d20, the Eggheads -- a new crew of wastelanders -- finds themselves double-crossed and left for dead in a radioactive crater. They barely survive thanks to a regenerating ghoul, a rebooting robot ... and a very confused Child of Atom named Jonathan. Need more Fallout? Check out our Fallout 2d20 Actual Play Campaign! Watch our Gore and Lore of Fallout episode on YouTube. Confused about movement and zones? We’ve got an episode for that: Fallout Zones Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Dicetown02:31 Meet the Eggheads04:11 Crawling Out of the Crater09:10 The Shrine of the Last Stop19:07 Dancing with Danger24:19 Is that a mini nuke, or are you just …30:45 The Nuka Grenade Threat39:52 Sleep tight, Child of the Atom50:57 Arrival at Hardscrap54:20 Mole Rat Attack!58:30 To Nuke or not to Nuke Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Crawl Out Through the Fallout, Part 1 on YouTube. Show Notes Fallout 2d20 actual play, one-s

We talk with Derek White, one of the minds behind DarkSpace, a science fiction rules hack for Shadowdark. Together with his co-creator Than Gibson, they created and released the basic rules through DMing the World and DriveThru RPG Now they’ve got a Kickstarter for an expanded version that quickly blew past their $15,000 goal and just crossed the $70,000 threshold. Join us to learn more about the 200+ page Shadowdark hack, new sci-fi rules and options, and the Kickstarter. DMing the World - DarkSpace homepage Kickstarter: DarkSpace - Sci-Fi Rules for Shadowdark New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to DarkSpace and Its Inspiration05:42 Design Philosophy: Rules Light and Player Collaboration11:16 Archetypes vs. Classes: A New Approach to Character Creation16:41 Psionics and the Triad Powers19:52 Kickstarter Success and Future Plans23:00 Challenges in Running Sci-Fi Games25:42 Kickstarter Stretch Goals and Community

When is a monster not a monster? We’re talking about those classic threats known as oozes, cubes, and puddings. These creatures appear as puddles, cubes, and rolling masses of ick ... and they're sure to challenge your players. Want more Shadowdark? Check out our episode “d12 Reasons Shadowdark is Awesome!” Watch our Shadowdark actual play: Raiders of the Lost Temple New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Oozes and Puddings00:08 Grey Ooze05:50 Zomblob11:32 Gelatinous Cube16:35 Cran Gelatinous Cube22:18 Black Pudding23:39 Heal Cube22:45 Are Slimes a kind of Ooze? Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d6 Oozes , Cubes, and Puddings on YouTube. Show Notes Grey Ooze Source: Core Rulebook, p. 223 Description: Slick puddles the color of stone  Monster Level: 2 Notes: This ooze dissolves metal, so using swords, spears, and other metal weapons against it is risky: At

The Lair crew continues their Shadowdark actual play by venturing deep into the Lost Temple, exploring its strange environs and encountering factions within the group defending it. Missed the first part? Catch up now: Raiders of the Lost Temple, Part 1/3 Get the dungeon: EnWorld – Kelsey Dionne publishes two new free Shadowdark adventures New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library. The quickstart set includes example characters, essential rules, and a ready-to-play dungeon. Want to know more about Shadowdark? Check out our episode "d12 Reasons Shadowdark is Awesome!" Chapters 0:00 Intro & Party Recap5:00 Gorgoroth’s Offer & The Blood Chalice13:00 Ruby Theft & Suspicious Snake Rooms22:00 Drum Ritual & Prepping the Ambush29:30 Total Darkness & The Battle Begins41:00 Chaos Combat: Priestess vs. Party55:00 Rilmorn Falls, Light Restored1:10:00 Strategic Recovery & Magic Mishaps1:26:00 Showdown with the Serpent Priestess1:45:00 Aftermath, Regroup, a

The Lair Crew takes on Shadowdark as they play Kelsey Dionne's free Raiders of the Hidden Temple adventure. In the first actual play episode, they venture into a snake-infested dungeon, discovering dangerous monsters and potential allies. Get the dungeon: EnWorld - Kelsey Dionne publishes two new free Shadowdark adventures New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library. The quickstart set includes example characters, essential rules, and a ready-to-play dungeon. Chapters 0:00 Intro & Setup – Welcome to Shadowdark in Foundry VTT 6:30 The Temple Doors & Snake Trap Puzzle 14:10 The Hypnotic Pool & The Emerald Dive 22:40 Meeting the Snakefolk & The Cursed Dilemma 31:15 Bloodthirsty Prisoner & Party Tensions Rise 39:50 Enter the Chapel & Alessa's Mission 48:00 Ambush! The Vampirodile Attacks 59:45 Blood, Magic & Betrayal – Combat Escalates 1:16:00 The Final Blow & Tactical Retreat 1:29:00 Aftermath, Drumbeats & What Comes Next

Ken returns to the Dungeon of Dread by Rose Estes, the first of TSR's Endless Quest books for Dungeons & Dragons. The book places you in the role of a young warrior who befriends a halfling thief. The halfling just escaped the lair of a magic-user, so naturally he's up for going back there with you… It's a classic book, and one that went on to inform a lot of Ken's early D&D campaigns (and his ongoing affection for water weirds…) Chapters 0:27 A D&D Geek's First Endless Quest0:56 Mechanics and Flavor Text – No Dice Required1:55 Cryptic Warnings and Classic Monsters3:22 The Nostalgia Factor4:27 Next stop … Gamma World?5:00 Outro – Share Your Own Endless Quest Stories Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch "Dungeon of Dread - Endless Quest Book Review" on YouTube. Show Notes Overview of Dungeon of Dread (1982) by Rose Estes Introduction to the Endless Quest series (1982–1987) Roleplaying without dice: choose-your-own-adventure style Your character: a slim 5'

With help from the Lair community, we collected eight house rules for Shadowdark. On this episode, we run through these rule hacks, offering our thoughts on how they might impact the game. Most of these are not rules we've tried ourselves, so we'd love some more field reports! And yep, we're looking for even more rules variants. Leave your feedback and/or house rules in the comments, or email us at podcast@lairofsecrets.com. Want more house rules? Check out d8 Shadowdark House Rules Chapters Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d8 ShadowDark Hacks on YouTube. Show Notes 1. DM Scottie’s house rule for luck dice Details: https://youtu.be/x13wXuszkLA?si=6B2P4DQjArcXLrOP  Provided by Matthew McGuigan Our thoughts: David - Getting luck or luck dice for failure is interesting. It gives you something for losing a turn in combat. It will change how Shadowdark plays though. You can’t give dice to others like you can with luck. You can accumulate a lot

Ken digs up the Timex Sinclair 1000. When this tiny computer was released in 1982 for $99, it was the cheapest home computer on the market. Ken walks through the device's features, his challenges using it, and contemplates what it will take to get the thing running again (a rainy Saturday project if there ever was one). Chapters 0:00 Introducing the Timex Sinclair 10000:35 First Impressions & Form Factor Throwback1:15 The Tech Behind the Machine2:25 Programming Memories & BASIC Adventures4:10 From Sinclair to Commodore 64 Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch "Timex Sinclair Computer" on YouTube. Show Notes Unboxing the Timex Sinclair 1000: cheapest home computer of 1982 How it worked: plugged into a black-and-white TV, used cassette tapes as storage Membrane keyboard woes: sore fingers, missed keystrokes, and perseverance Programming in BASIC from magazine printouts (like Byte Magazine) Memories of building a skiing game and early D&D tools Sinclair's

We're back for Season 5 of Lair of Secrets! On this episode, we take a look back at our favorite episodes of Season 4 including: the actual play episodes for Cyberpunk RED and Fallout GM advice episodes on modern maps and building cities our cozy Saturday morning show "Campaigns & Coffee" We also look ahead into Season 5, which will include: New seasons of Fallout 2d20 and Cyberpunk RED as well as a new Shadowdark actual play. Delving into Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk RED Single Player Mode Shadowdark house rules and advice Chapters 0:00 Welcome Back to the Lair – Season 5 Kicks Off0:30 Cyberpunk Red Recap – Flipping the Switch & Hera Awakens1:57 Modern Maps & Mothership’s Corporate Horror3:25 Building Better Cities – Real World Inspirations8:30 Fallout 2d20 Finale – Lasers, Zones & Tailspire Maps6:58 Shadowdark Fails – Mistakes & GM Reflections10:27 Unboxings – Fallout, Electric State & Savage Worlds15:39 Season 5 Preview – Fallout, Cyberpunk & Shadowdark Actual Play24:40 Geek

With help from the Lair community, we collected eight house rules for Shadowdark. On this episode, we run through them, offering our thoughts on how they might impact the game (most of these are not rules we've tried ourselves, so we'd love some more field reports! Leave them in the comments, or email us at podcast@lairofsecrets.com. Enjoy the episode? Check out our other ShadowDark-focused shows: d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made (S4E19) d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15) Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) Unboxing Cursed Scrolls 3: Midnight Sun for ShadowDark Chapters 00:00 Introduction to House Rules00:25 House Rule 1 - No Torch Alarms02:16 Digression: David's real-world LED torch timer04:14 House Rule 2 - One Hour Minus 1d12 on Torch Timers07:30 House Rule 3 - Henchmen09:39 Rule 4 - Constitution Score as Hit Points13:32 House Rule 5 - 30-minute timers for torches16:22 House Rule 6 - Sneaky Triggers18:43 House Rule 7 - More Magic Missiles21:12 House Rule 8 - The Crawling

We unbox the GM Companion for Shadowdark, a supplemental rulebook designed to make the game master's life easier. Written by Chubby Funster, it's got a ton of random charts for the world above and the world below, plus monsters, treasure, and much more. Get the GM's Companion for Shadowdark at DriveThruRPG. Chapters 0:00 Intro & GM Needs for Shadowdark0:07 Unboxing the Book & Initial Impressions1:15 Exploring the World Above: Hex Crawling, Biomes & Hazards3:43 Cities, Settlements, Shops & Taverns5:30 Class-Based Carousing & Downtime Options7:13 The World Below: Dungeon Generation, Rivals & Traps9:52 Monsters, Treasure & Magic Items12:08 Final Thoughts Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Unboxing GM Companion for Shadowdark on YouTube. Venture Deeper for more Shadowdark! What more ShadowDark? We’ve got more ShadowDark! d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made (S4E19) d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15) Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) Unboxing Curs

In this episode of the Cyberpunk campaign, the Edgerunners navigate the treacherous Elysium HQ after awakening Hera, a vengeful AI. They embark on a mission to plant AI-spawned seeds across the city, facing various challenges including combat with scavengers and the emergence of the Glow Boys amidst a radioactive sand storm. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Chapters 00:00 The Awakening of Hera02:41 The Mission to Plant the Seeds07:06 Combat and Chaos in the Garden Level11:41 The Escape Plan28:02 Exploring the Map and Game Mechanics35:23 Encountering the Glow Boys43:12 Inside the Building and Tactical Decisions48:50 The Growl of Danger52:40 A New Challenge Emerges01:00:41 Critical Moments01:07:13 Tactical Decisions in Close Quarters01:08:47 The Aftermath of Battle01:10:55 Resource Management and Vehicle Repairs01:20:15 Conclusion and Future

On this episode, we talk about ShadowDark monsters! We look at a number of monster bestiaries, a zine dedicated to creating and adapting monsters for the game, and two dedicated monster-finding tools. What more ShadowDark? We've got more ShadowDark! d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made (S4E19) d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15) Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) Unboxing Cursed Scrolls 3: Midnight Sun for ShadowDark Chapters 00:00 Introduction00:54 Monster 2403:02 VALHOLL!04:21 Shadowfinder Complete Bestiary05:24 Creating and Adapting Monsters for ShadowDark14:16 The Monster Overhaul15:12 Ruincairn Bestiary17:20 ShadowDark Monster Tools19:34 Conclusion and Future Discussions Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d8 ShadowDark Monster Resources on YouTube. Show Notes ShadowDark specific Monster Resources Monster 24 Cost: $2 (pay what you want) 250 monsters by Tom Phillips, who spent 2024 creating monsters and publishing them to Reddit.