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In preparation for my group’s upcoming fantasy one-shot, I’ve put together the initial story hook. The title of this adventure gives away a bit too much, so I will hold that back until after my players have had their chance to run through it. Once they do, I’ll share the full write-up, including the stylized
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Most of what I write leans into horror or fantasy, usually with something magical, supernatural, or just a little off from reality. Strangers on a Train is different. There’s nothing otherworldly here. Just everyday fear. The kind that comes from silence, routine, and the things we never say out loud. I wrote this about six
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The finale of our first session. If you have seen them yet, check out Part One and Part Two. I hope you enjoy. Evelyn Cross stepped into the tent, her expression composed and businesslike. She greeted the group with a polite nod, then asked John Miller and Father Mateo to remain behind. The others were
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Continuing from Part One, the party is finally assembled and things are not as they were expected. Stay tuned for Part Three! They were ushered into the white tent, the air thick with paper dust and the sour smell of damp ink and mold. Folding tables filled the space, cluttered with open boxes and stacks
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Since the transcription bot refused to cooperate, I had to rely on a quick voice recording from memory right after the session. That means some dialogue and narrative beats couldn’t be perfectly reconstructed, and a few smaller details may have slipped through. I’ll be rebuilding this one in parts, blending what I remember with my
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This is the full narrative of our presession for Strange Beginnings, the first story arc in my homebrew The End of the Institute campaign. The actual Session One took place last night, but unfortunately, our transcription bot died mid-way through and took the record with it. I’ll be recreating that session from memory as best I
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One of the things I love about the Cypher System is how streamlined it is. But sometimes that elegance leaves gaps where I want just a little more teeth. Case in point: There are ways to shut down magic in Cypher, but none of them happen in the moment. Nothing that lets you throw yourself
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Sometimes the dice are kind. Sometimes they are just wasteful. That is where Rolling Advantage comes in. If a player rolls with advantage and hits a natural 20 on the first die, they do not need the second roll. They have already struck gold. So instead of throwing that second die away, they can bank
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In my games, initiative is more than just a number. It’s a tone-setter. And sometimes, it deserves teeth. That’s why I use Critical Initiative. If a player rolls a natural 20 on initiative, they gain advantage on their first action in combat. If they roll a natural 1, they suffer disadvantage instead. Simple. Clean. No
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If you’ve watched Acquisitions Inc. or followed Chris Perkins’ games, you’ve probably seen the Perkin’s Crit in action. It’s not official rules, but it should be. Here’s how it works. When you land a critical hit, you deal maximum damage for your weapon’s base dice, then roll those same dice and add the result. So
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Mason Beck Fiction 