The Unpossiblog

2023

 
 
 
 
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2022

 
 
 

UJ is Back!

less than 1 minute read

After a long hiatus, I’ve finally given UJ a well-deserved overhaul.
 
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2021

Degenesis: Justitian Review

10 minute read

The two-volume Justitian setting book describes the Protectorate and the largest city in Europe, and gives the GM NPCs and plot hooks galore. Read all about it.
 

First Look: Rune & Steel

5 minute read

Adventures in a realm of Viking mythology await in this Kickstarter-funded game from a father-son team.
 
 
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2020

2020 Report

2 minute read

An update on website traffic, which pages and blog posts were most popular, and what other UJ trends appeared in 2020.
 
 
 

Going on Leave

1 minute read

Sometimes you have to take a step back and assess.
 

First Look: Quest

4 minute read

Quest is a new game that takes an unconventional approach in pursuit of two goals: making it easier for newcomers to get rolling, and facilitating online play.
 
 
 
 

Gamemastering with Airtable

25 minute read

Guest author Erwan Raoudaut has bent the Airtable online database to his will, and uses it to manage his campaign. Now he reveals all his secrets.
 

A New Player’s Guide to Degenesis

7 minute read

‘The Degenesis setting is complex, and can seem overwhelming at first. This guide will help you make sense of it so you can start playing.’
 

Learn to Play Degenesis

5 minute read

The two big books and richly detailed setting can make Degenesis appear intimidating. Here is a smooth onramp to the game.
 
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2019

Gamemastering Complex Settings

19 minute read

Intricate settings full of history, factions, and wonder can be intimidating. Here are some tips on how to approach them as a GM.
 

2019 Report

4 minute read

An update on website traffic, which pages and blog posts were most popular, and what other UJ trends appeared in 2018 and 2019.
 
 

One Way to Use Trello as a Game Master

1 minute read

Some people use Trello for tracking business projects. Others use it for far more important purposes, like managing tabletop roleplaying campaigns.
 

Starting Your First Campaign

6 minute read

It can be hard for new GMs to get past the nuts and bolts of game mechanics and into actually running sessions. Here are some tips that may help.
 
 
 
 
 

Review: Your Best Game Ever

8 minute read

If you’ve ever wished for a comprehensive introduction to tabletop roleplaying, filled with tips for players and GMs, take a look at this.
 
 

Burrito King’s Guide to GURPS

15 minute read

GURPS has a reputation for complexity. In this post we get a painless breakdown of how to get started and the best path to GURPS mastery.
 

Guest Review – Degenesis: Black Atlantic

5 minute read

Black Atlantic is the third and final adventure in the Jehammed Trilogy for Degenesis. In this guest post Pablo Ruiz Valls provides his assessment of the book.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Three for Thursday: Alignment

1 minute read

Few things are as contentious in tabletop roleplaying as the concept of character alignment. Here are three different lenses for looking at it.
 
 
 

Tropes: Subvert with Care

4 minute read

It can be a lot of fun to subvert gaming tropes, but it is also important not to go too far with it.
 
 
 
 

Gamemastering Inspiration from The 100

5 minute read

Yes, it can be cheesy, but CW’s post-apocalyptic serial is propulsive. Everything is in motion, nothing can be taken for granted. And the show provides insights for gamemasters.
 

“That Game is Broken”

5 minute read

‘You see the phrase all the time, often in reference to successful games. So how are we to reconcile the popularity of broken games?’
 
 

Actually, You’re an NPC in My World

3 minute read

It is tempting to think of NPCs as bundles of stats, but the most interesting of them are personalities that catch the attention of players.
 
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2018

 
 

Getting Outside the Emotional Box

4 minute read

Tabletop roleplaying games give us room to try things we wouldn’t otherwise attempt. Making use of a broader emotional palette is one of them.
 
 

Running an In-Campaign One-Shot

5 minute read

With a one-shot you can provide a new perspective inside an ongoing campaign without derailing the central narrative.
 
 
 

Wecome, Streaming Fans

1 minute read

If you are discovering tabletop roleplaying by way of a streaming show and are curious how to run games at your own table, this is the place for you.
 
 
 
 

Going Beyond Dungeons and Dragons

8 minute read

D&D is the 800-lb gorilla of the tabletop roleplaying world, but there are lots of other mammals out there. Let us take a look at a few of them.
 
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2017

2017 Report & Plans for 2018

2 minute read

In what has become an annual tradition, I offer a year in review analysis of UJ and thoughts on what’s coming in the next year.
 

On Sabbatical

less than 1 minute read

Sometimes you gotta step back.
 

Minimum Viable Campaign: Starting

11 minute read

The concept of Minimum Viable Product, adapted from the world of software development, can be used to help gamemasters focus on first things first.
 
 

Q&A: Song of Swords Kickstarter

8 minute read

The Kickstarter for Song of Swords is in full swing, and this Q&A with one of the people behind the game digs into the details.
 
 
 

Inspiration: Whiteout

3 minute read

The graphic novel Whiteout is a classic for its spare visual presentation and tight writing. But it also provides inspiration for gamemasters.
 

2016 Report

4 minute read

An update on website traffic, which pages and blog posts were most popular, and what other UJ trends appeared in 2016.
 
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2016

 
 

Hibernation

less than 1 minute read

After making a few changes to UJ, I need to assess the future of the site and how much time I am willing to devote to it.
 
 
 

Capturing Lighting in a Bottle

2 minute read

In any collaborative creative endeavor there are occasional moments when everything comes together just right.
 
 

One Last Shot

7 minute read

This is the story of a gamer who reached the end of the line and decided to turn in his dice.
 
 

2015 Report

3 minute read

An update on website traffic, which pages and blog posts were most popular, and what other UJ trends appeared in 2015.
 
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2015

 
 

Roleplaying in Glorantha

6 minute read

Glorantha is one of the oldest settings in the world of tabletop roleplaying, and there are now multiple ways to have adventures in its many lands.
 
 
 
 
 

Four Roleplayers, Four Stories

15 minute read

The tabletop roleplaying hobby is more diverse than the one-dimensional nerd tropes of old would have us believe. These profiles of four gamers illustrate that point.
 
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