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No Plot, Only Lore: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Josh Varty and Kristoffer Hansen
Two old men talking about the art and craft of collaborative storytelling games.
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- 4 weeks ago14 min
Building Theory-Craftable Worlds: Lessons from Deltarune and FNAF
How do you build a world that players can’t stop talking about between sessions?In this video, we analyze the narrative techniques used by Toby Fox in Deltarune and Scott Cawthon in Five Nights at Freddy’s to create "theory-shaped holes." Using the lens of a Tabletop RPG Game Master, we break down five specific strategies for building mysteries that encourage deep engagement and player speculation.Topics covered in this breakdown:Character Gaps: Using selective backstories—and conspicuous absences—to create narrative anchors like Ralsei.Lies and Misinformation: Why unreliable narrators and conflicting information are essential for player agency.Bicameral Division: The power of dual worlds (Light World vs. Dark World) in creating doubt and curiosity.Mechanical Echoes: How "useless" items, like the Egg, serve as fuel for community theories.The Art of Silence: Why the most important thing a narrator or DM can do is stay quiet.Whether you are a Game Master looking to improve your campaign's mystery or a fan of mascot horror lore, these principles of "shutting up" and "environmental storytelling" provide a roadmap for creating immersive, theory-heavy worlds.
- May 1, 202616 min
Steal Everything: One Piece Lore
Last week, someone pointed out that I accidentally did a plot. Well we can't have that, not around these parts! So today I'm going to go through One Piece Lore that I barely understand and look at how we can apply that to a tabletop RPG!
- Apr 25, 202618 min
One Piece Season 2 is a Chaotic D&D Game
Crazy twists and turns, sudden ass-pulls, quick stops to change the story because a player couldn't make it this week, and forcing your little brother to play the cleric - all in this season of One Piece.
- Apr 17, 202629 min
Failure to Thrive
Josh isn't around, so I have an opportunity to do something proper philosophical and In the Weeds about games theory, but instead I'm gonna get personal and talk about failure. Failing at things in life, failing at podcasts, why games fail to thrive, and also why I'm going to keep doing this podcast with Josh as long as he'll let me because I like having an excuse to talk to him about nerd stuff.Visit https://hecticelectron.com/ for more information about Defy the Gods and Raccoon Sky Pirates: Total Chaos Edition! Raccoon Sky Pirates: Total Chaos Edition Kickstarter
- Apr 10, 202633 min
Meditations on Evil
D&D dropped some "evil" class options. What does "evil" actually mean in this case? Can you be a *good* plague cleric? If having evil ancestors makes you evil, what does that mean for tieflings?
- Apr 3, 202637 min
Badaptation
In this episode of No Plot, Only Lore, Kris and Josh dive deep into the messy, often heartbreaking world of media adaptations. Whether it’s a sprawling fantasy book series becoming a TV show or a legendary video game hitting the tabletop, the transition is rarely smooth.The guys kick things off with a post-mortem on the Wheel of Time television series—discussing how a show can find its footing in season three only to be unceremoniously canceled. They then pivot to the core of the discussion: Why do so many adaptations fail?
- Mar 27, 202642 min
Tabletop Adaptations - What works and what doesn't when adapting an IP to the game table?
This week we delve into the world of... worlds! What needs to be in place for a successful adaptation of your favorite smutty romantasy series? Why does Magic's Universes Beyond piss us off so much? What are some games that have gotten it very right?
- Mar 20, 202633 min
Seasons of Dungeons & Dragons - Examining the Change to the Publication Format
Dungeons & Dragons is moving to a seasonal release schedule. Josh and Kris get into what that means for the hobby at large, and their feelings around subscription-based gaming.
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