This Damsel is in Distress!

Gelatinous Cube episode 16 is up and we're talking Damsels in Distress. 

The Princess has been captured by a fire-breathing dragon! What's a girl to do in such a predicament? Rosie's had a bash at answering this question, creating a table of Princess Stress Responses to lend colour to her plight. 

Our discussion covers the problem of women as victims, combat as a point of crisis for monsters, and the value of thinking beyond fight or flight. 

Then it's over to the Gelatinous Cube, who has come up with a princess you definitely want to keep calm - you won't like her when she's angry.

Full encounters here!

This Story Seems Familiar...

Not just an encounter but an entire adventure this week, and the story may sound familiar...

For Gelatinous Cube 13 we dig into Rosie's fairytale adventure Red Riding. We lean extensively on the work of the luminous Angela Carter to explore how RPG's resemble fairytales, recipes, and even soap operas, and all of these genres can help us to think in new ways about our creations. Then we trip on over to the Gelatinous Cube, who confronts the adventuring party with the price of fame. You can get the PDF of the Cube's encounter here! 

The key reference is the introduction to Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales. It's a quick read and, like everything Carter wrote, incredibly insightful. 

Rosie also spends time rhapsodising about Richard Ruane's A Quiet Midwinter: An Old School Heist with the Hallmarks of a Holiday Special, an exquisitely festive time that we would highly recommend. 

And finally, please do check out Red Riding. It was quite the labour of love.

Red Riding: B/X pdf

Red Riding: 5e pdf

Red Riding for 5e on Roll20

These Mushrooms are Glowing!

Classic dungeon master moves on Gelatinous Cube this week, as we consider Rosie's dingy encounter "These Mushrooms are Glowing!" 

The humble mushroom provides inspiration for all manner of folklore and fantasy. This time they're touched with a little magic to create a low-level trap that introduces an entire world. Then it's over to the Gelatinous Cube for a woodland trance party and the psychedelic offerings it yields. 

Full encounters here!

Lots of references this week:

Frank Dugan's excellent article on mycophobia and mycophilia:

Dugan, F. M. 2008. Fungi, folkways and fairy tales: mushrooms & mildews in stories, remedies & rituals,from Oberon to the Internet. North American Fungi 3( 7): 23-72.

Rosie also discussed her deep and abiding love for the Exile and Avernum series of games, created by Spiderweb Software. 

And finally if you would like to encounter a Machine Elf (seems inadvisable but you must follow your own path) you can find out more about them here. 

This Prize Pig Talks!

We're in double figures!

For Gelatinous Cube #10 we're e-i-e-i-o'ing our way through Adam's dark fairytale encounter "This Prize Pig Talks!"

We discuss why the weird is privileged over the uncanny in RPG creation, horror in the familiar, and motivating players through moral appeals. Plus over preparation and what do if your players sidestep an encounter than you've spent an age crafting.

Then we hurry over to a baleful dinner party, where the Gelatinous Cube is about to serve up a very talkative fish.

Full encounters here!

This Mountain has a Witch on it!

Cackling intensifies for episode 5, as we discuss Rosie's encounter, "This Mountain has a Witch on it!" and get into designing with random tables, the problems of sneaking, and the history of wicked stepmothers. 

Then it's over the the fabulous witch chalet of the Gelatinous Cube, it's filled with all manner of curious staff and set to explode!

Reference-wise, there's a couple of irons in the fire this time around, as Rosie has drawn from Weapons of the Weak by James F. Scott, and From the Beast to the Blonde, by the peerless Marina Warner. 

Full encounters here!