Lair Of Secrets

What do icy waterfalls, greasy floors, and light stealing smoke have in common? They’re all hazards!

Welcome to Lair of Secrets. In this episode we're talking about Shadowdark hazards. The things that drown you, crush you, blind you, steal your memories, and more!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Shadowdark Hazards02:33 Types of Hazards in Shadowdark04:50 (Spoiler Warning!) Examples of Hazards in Gameplay07:25 Creating Hazard Charts09:57 Combining Hazards for Greater Challenges12:38 Future Adventures and Hazards15:01 Conclusion and Call to Action

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Watch the Episode

Watch Shadowdark Hazards 101 on YouTube.

Show Notes

What is a hazard? Hazards are often environmental effects like quicksand, rushing water, and falling debris. They're things you might be able to mitigate or evade, but per the rules, there's often no way to "defeat or permanently disable them". The core rulebook defines them on page 115. 

Hazards are divided into three types:

Movement: Slow or stop movement.

Examples: Caltops, tar fields, steep incline

Damage: Ongoing damage that characters suffer while exposed to the hazard

 Examples: Acid pools, lava, pummeling hail

Weaken: Saps the character's physical capabilities, mental grit, or resources.

Examples: blinding smoke, memory stealing, snuffs light sources, 

The rules note that you can combine these to create particularly dangerous threats.

Movement + Damage

Exploding Rocks (Damage) + Loose Debris (Movement)

Movement + Weaken

Grasping Vines (Movement) + Sleep-inducing Spores (Weaken)

Damage + Weaken

Icy Water (Damage) + Snuffs Light Sources (Weaken)

What the rules don't do is give you specific stats or mechanics for the example hazards, which hurt my brain, which grew used to having things stated out under the various editions of Dungeons & Dragons. 

While the core rules don’t give any written mechanics for hazards, the Arcane Library's published adventures *do* give us a few examples of how they're used in adventures.

Hazards Chart: Published Examples, Sample DCs & Damage, and Homegrown Hazards

Check out our "Shadowdark Hazards Chart" post for the hazards chart we reference in the episode, as well as example hazards quoted from Lost Citadel of the Scarlet Minotaur and Cursed Scroll #3: Midnight Sun.

Featured Image Meta

Cover artwork from the Shadowdark RPG game master screen. Credit: Arcane Library.

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

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Watch 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 were raised on Star Wars, or Trek, Or Harry Potter, and Cyberpunk. Which of those actually gives you a blueprint for today?)

Exploration of the sights, sounds, and in world storytelling is deep. I have played several times and still discover something new when I have another playthrough.

Ignore the main quest, focus on the small stuff

THe main quest is pretty great, but there is SO MUCH small stuff that it is a lot of fun on replayed to focus on different small sidequests and details. 

One criticism: you can max out your level and such fairly early by doing this. I’d love a mod that lets you keep levelling up. 

Multiple starts

Latest editions of the game added some RPG lines specific for each start, which was good. I’m not sure they made a difference in the overall story plot, but it was good from an immersive RPG standpoint. 

Great being able to play the game for the 4th? 5th? time and still get a new experience when going the Corpo route.

Multiple endings

Yep, and even the ones for Phantom Liberty are noteworthy. 

And can be very noir – endings that are not tidy. Or even truly happy. 

So Many Toys…

So Much Lore

The texts you find, the documents you read in the side quests, they often reference other sidequests or jobs. 

There is a ton of lore you can learn if that’s your thing. 

The old just won’t leave us.

It tells a good story. It brings into question what we are here for and how we leave this life.

When I think about this game, I think a lot of the joyful/rageful defiance that informs Punk.  The question “How does one live when all signs point to being trod upon and powerless?” comes up, and Cyberpunk (fiction in general) often answers this with that defiance, usually in the scenery or side characters.  Usually it means breaking the law, but in this situation where the law is corrupt and unjust, it is easy to see why that decision is made. 

I believe this dovetails into my earlier thoughts about CP being familiar on a level. 

Mods:

Dark Future mod for Cyberpunk 2077

DayDream Gaming Night City Videos

36 Streets

Featured Image Meta

Edgerunner artwork from Cyberpunk 2077.

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 game (cosy game in Commonwealth English) is a video game which emphasizes non-violence and relaxation. Initially derived from the life simulation genre, cozy games commonly include activities such as gathering and growing plants and nurturing other characters. They often have open-ended goals that encourage self-expression.

Chris' definition: "Cozy game is any game that evokes that cozy feeling within you"

Our Big list of Cozy Games

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Strange Horticulture

Strange Antiquities

Tiny Bookshop

The Planet Crafter

Slime Rancher 2

Red Dead Redemption 2

Fallout 4

No Man’s Sky

Dystopika

Lightyear Frontier

The Long Dark – Pilgrim Mode

Aloft

Lonely House 

Outside the Blocks

Cyberpunk 2077

Featured Image Meta

Cover art from Animal Crossings video game for Nintendo Switch.

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 Defining Cozy - 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 both languages;[1] however, the emphasis on hygge as a core part of Danish culture is a recent phenomenon, dating to the late 20th century. In the 21st century, the concept has also been familiarized abroad.

Gluggaveður (GLOO-ga-veth-ur): Weather that looks appealing from inside but would be unpleasant to be outside in.

What is cozy?

No wrong answers ... but here are ours.

Ken:

Hockey jerseys

Coffee, comfortable mugs, and good books (or comic books)

Cold, dark winter nights with Christmas trees and chill music

Lo-fi listening

Cabin camping in winter /Hammocks on the Lake

Snuggling puppies

Chris:

Storms, sitting on the porch or in the garage with the door open in a storm

Reading

Cooking and listening to 1920-1940s music and radio

Coffee & coffee shops

Coding while listening to music

Sipping bourbon hot cocoa w/ the Xmas lights on in the dark

Being off the internet

David:

Rain on the roof as I head to bed

Reading a good book on the couch or in a comfy chair while warm and cozy

Laying out under an umbrella on the beach, sometimes with a book, sometimes looking at the surf

Music around the house while puttering around and doing minor chores

Sitting out on the porch in the predawn hours with a cup of coffee

Cozy Links

Darth Vader Yule Log

Nick Offleman drinking scotch

 Star Trek: Titan LCARS display

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Featured Image Meta

A yellow Labrador retriever puppy snuggles with an older Labrador retriever.

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 Immersion and Aesthetics in Gaming

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch Solo Role-Playing Games on YouTube.

Show Notes

What are Solo Role-Playing Games? And why do we play them?

What are they?

Solo RPGs are games that you plan on your own, without a gaming group. 

Approaches

Focused zine-style games (Be Like A Crow, Loner)

Dedicated full Solo RPGs (Ironsworn )

Adapting traditional RPGs to solo (Dungeons & Dragons, Shadowdark)

Journaling Games (Thousand-Year-Old Vampire, Secrets of the Vibrant Isle, Journey,)

Tools 

Dice

Cards

Block Towers (aka Jenga)

Oracles

Why?

Some assume people play solo when they can’t find a group. 

But there are other reasons:

You’re in a pandemic lockdown

Taking a break from your regular group

Playing games your regular group doesn’t want to play

Telling stories your regular group doesn’t want to tell

Learning a new system 

Used to augment a current system or setting (Ex Novo, Journey)

Engaging in something creative

Quality downtime / Alternative to low quality Youtube. :)

Solo Role-Playing Games We’ve Played

Zines

Hope is Not a Plan (Zine)

A solo journaling game in which you will document your attempts to deliver a very complicated engineering project on time and under budget.  You hope for success, but you will most likely fail, damage your reputation, and lose your job. So it goes.

THRU-HIKER: A Journaling Game of Long-Distance Hiking

a journaling game of telling stories of long-distance hiking. Using your writing instrument of choice, a pack of playing cards, and a series of writing prompts, you will create stories of the joys and challenges of being on the trail for days, weeks, or months at a time.

Mork Borg: Basilisk

A print and play dungeons scrawler, inspired by Dark Fort and Dungeonquest/Drakborgen.

See also: Dark Fort Online

Void 1680

In the queue: 

Clever Girl

Welcome to Dino Land, a dinosaur theme park ravaged by escaped predators. You don’t know what caused the incident that set the dinosaurs free, but it was catastrophic. A pack of highly intelligent and oddly fixated raptors are hunting the last surviving human in the park. Will these prehistoric predators claim one final victim, or with the cunning human survive long enough to be rescued?

Solo RPGs

Be Like A Crow

Thousand-Year-Old Vampire

Journey

Loner

Void 1680 AM

Mythic - Tools for GM-less role-playing

Gamebooks - Legendary Kingdoms

Star Trek: Captain’s Log

Solo rules for Star Trek Adventures

Ken’s currently play this one. It’s another test run for a possible real-world game, though the rules are much simpler than standard 2d20 games.

Traditional RPGs with Solo Modes

Ironsworn, Ironsworn: Starforged, The Sundered IslesIn Ironsworn: Starforged, you are a spaceborne hero sworn to undertake perilous quests. You will explore uncharted space, unravel the secrets of a mysterious galaxy, and build bonds with those you meet on your travels. Most importantly, you will swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost.

Forbidden Lands

Book of Beasts 

includes solo rules. 

Forbidden Lands - Solo Expansion

Expanded upon by the author in a PDF supplement.

Ken played this as a test run for his lunchtime campaign. Thought it was going to be rules light and fast, but funky dice and a fair amount of crunch made him realize it’s not.

In the queue:

Cyberpunk RED

Single Player Mode

Ken's considering using this to do a solo-run featuring the Maker Enclave, a faction from our Broken Loop campaign.

Shadowdark

Solo Rules for Shadowdark

Solo Mode Board Games

Dark Tower, Arkham Horror (board game and card game - Edge of the Earth), etc

Successes and Challenges with Solo Role-Playing Games

Ken:

Challenges:

Creating your character and universe are more fun than playing the game (Starforged,)

Realizing the game is going to be more complex than you anticipated (Forbidden Lands)

Getting stuck in the narrative (Captain’s Log)

You’re not writing a book (see mindset)

Can’t stop hacking the rules

Ken finds he wants faster advancement

AI?

Successes:

Playing dedicated zines with a focused rules framework helps.

Chris

Challenges

Finding the mindset

Give yourself permission to have fun without purpose.

NOT blogging

Settling in to learn the rules

Successes

Real immersion

Being OK with not writing a novel

Solo Role-Playing Games Tools

Solo Game Master’s Guide

All gaming is play.

Mythic Game Master Emulator Second Edition

Engine for adapting regular RPGs to solo

Loner

A Solo RPG for Emergent Storytelling

Minimal rules. Maximum story. Play anywhere, anytime.

Thanks for joining us! Like and subscribe on YouTube and find our show notes on LairOfSecrets.com.

Featured Image Meta

Cover art from the Ironsworn RPG.