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Episode 253: That’s More of a Gloss on Aristotle

August 4th, 2017 | Robin

The Gaming Hut falls all over itself answering a question from Patreon backer Daniel Krauklis: “What does the choice to have fumbles in your rules that tell us about your game and the moral universe in which the characters operate?”

We fortify the Cartography Hut for a workshop on designing strategic locations into your world.

How to Write Good examines tragedy and anagnorisis.

And the Consulting Occultist gets all semiotic to reply to a query from Patreon backer Polydamas on what the Secret Masters were up to when they invented post-modernism.

Want to pose a question to the show? Get your priority question asking access with your Support for the KARTAS Patreon!

Snag Ken and Robin merchandise at TeePublic.


In Unknown Armies, Atlas Games’ modern-day, occult roleplaying game, you play the heroically broken people who conspire to fix the world. That conspiracy just got easier, with the arrival of the game on store shelves near you!

The book has been written. The book has been read. Now it rewrites you. Across time it spreads, creating dread new realities. And you’re in all of them. Robin’s epic new GUMSHOE project, The Yellow King Roleplaying Game has concluded its Kickstarter run, but is now available for pre-order at the Pelgrane Store for those who missed it. (You think you hear us say Backerkit in the ad in this episode, but that’s just a reality shattering manifestation caused by your exposure to the Yellow Sign. Please bear with us as we clear that up.) Do intervals between episodes plunge you into Hite withdrawal? Never fear! his brilliant pieces on parasitic gaming, alternate Newtons, Dacian werewolves and more now lurk among the sparkling bounty of The Best of FENIX Volumes 1-3, from returning sponsors Askfageln. Yes, it’s Sweden’s favorite RPG magazine, now beautifully collected. Warning: not in Swedish. John Scott Tynes’ Puppetland is ready to knock the stuffing out of a game store near you in its gorgeous new full-color hardcover edition. Join the good folks at Arc Dream in battling the horrific forces of Punch the Maker-Killer!

4 Responses to “Episode 253: That’s More of a Gloss on Aristotle”

  1. Will Ferguson says:

    Anyone having problems downloading this week’s show?
    The usual long press on the download button is instantly showing a “download failed” message rather than beginning the usual download process

    • Will Ferguson says:

      Ah! Well this is embarrassing, it certainly works now.

      Thanks computer people and / or passing deities

      Cheerio

  2. Adam Baulderstone says:

    A game with a fumble mechanic and no critical mechanic is Ghostbusters, from game designing super team of Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis and Greg Stafford. It was the first dice pool system, and your pool always included the Ghost Die, which was a six-sider with a Ghostbusters logo on one face. If that face came up, something bad happened regardless of whether you succeeded or not.

    This was a comedy game, so having something ridiculous come up once in every six rolls worked just fine. It was also a very light system, so the number of rolls in a session wasn’t that high.

    My players looked for opportunities to be funny in that game, so rolling a ghost was greeted with enthusiasm. It was also a system with no death, so you didn’t have to worry about a bad roll causing you to cut your own head off.

  3. Finn Cullen says:

    I was just musing on Macbeth as your tragedy section progressed and thinking how far short he fell from the usual Tragic figure and then as if you were reading my mind you unpacked the whole character. Great work guys!

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