Lingering Shadows Part 5 - Campaign Stories

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This story comes from the community-created Share Your Campaign series, where the Eternity TTRPG community shares their games' stories. To see more from this series and others, visit the Share Your Campaign page.


Ekern

Ekern and Vatra had shared rumors about the Black Mist Forest. Having no concrete evidence or knowledge, they planned on the “what ifs” of a situation. They were about to discuss how to funnel opponents to slow their advances until Vatra noticed DroGi in the other room opening the drawers. Ekern grew concerned when he noticed a blemish on the floor that didn’t shine light like the rest of the surface did. If he could see it from a distance, DroGi would surely see it soon enough.

 

They watched as DroGi continued his detective work. Ekern reached for the handle of his short blade in anticipation. This house was no longer supposed to be a final resting place for anyone, but secrets must be kept in the meantime. Looking to Vatra for orders, Vatra signaled to wait. “What are you doing, friend?” Vatra asked. DroGi had traced his fingers along the floor, tried to pry the cabinet away from the wall, then rested his head against the wall looking for something. Ekern exposed the slightest amount of blade from his scabbard and rolled his shoulder to loosen the joint.

 

Frustrated, DroGi pushed away from the wall, turned and told Vatra to meet him at the estate. Ekern turned slightly, allowing the weight of his short sword to drop softly into its sheath. He opened the door to allow for a quicker exit for DroGi just in case he changed his mind and decided to reinspect the bedroom. DroGi left without a word of thanks, leaving only behind the sound of clanking metal as he dropped off the step and rolled over a compact dirt walkway. Ekern watched as he leaned forward with every propulsion and thought how sad it would be to be such a strong soldier bound to a chair with what others would consider false hope. “That one is impulsive,” he said.

 

“Yes,” said Vatra, “and there is no changing it.” Ekern closed the door and turned to see Vatra now standing facing the bedroom. He was thumbing a black ring around his forefinger, similar in design to the one DroGi had been wearing, but his was a faded charcoal gray. “We need to be more careful.” He walked to the room’s entryway. Ekern followed and looked over his shoulder. He couldn’t tell what DroGi had seen on the floor that made him so fascinated with the cabinet, but he knew his intrigue was dangerous. Vatra turned to Ekern. “This will be the last time I come here. I have too many people looking into my whereabouts now.”

 

Ekern agreed and added, “We should have someone come and blemish this house. Its cleanliness makes finding imperfections more noticeable and raises too many questions.” Vatra agreed to this. “You can have the servants hold a party here.”

 

“The servants?” asked Vatra. “Why not the other house guards?”

 

“Too strong. If they get drunk enough, or rowdy enough, they may decide to throw one another or the furniture. If they notice that the cabinet is not moving, they’ll make it move.” Vatra nodded. “The servants, for the most part, are weak and timid. They’ll see the house as a rental and do their best not to damage anything beyond disrepair.”

 

“What would the party be for?”

 

Ekern thought for a moment. “One of the housemaids is with child and should be delivering within the next few weeks. One day, they’ll celebrate and give gifts. On another day, you can offer the space for the delivery. The blood, sweat, tears, and other liquids will stain the air and the floors.”

 

Vatra seemed disgusted by the idea, but also acknowledged the sense it made. “And, on a third day, they will have the celebration of the child’s life.” Ekern nodded once. “This is why you need to stay and take the lead in my absence.”

Ekern dropped his gaze away and thought about the conflict. He had a strong desire to protect his friend, but he also knew that he was the only one who knew of Vatra’s plan and the tasks that needed to be done. If anyone were to hear word of what the two were planning, the entire plan would unravel and everything they had done so far would be for naught. He also began to wonder if he had grown dependent on Vatra, then considered that they were partners, not a child to a parent. He asked, “Should we go?”

 

Vatra nodded and grabbed his robe hanging from a rack. Ekern opened the door, stepped out to investigate the safety, then stepped to the side to allow Vatra to exit. He looked into the small darkening house once more before shutting and locking the door. Still uncertain whether or not his father had spent his last day here, he felt a hollowness when observing the eerie space. If he could have it his way, he would’ve burned the house down months ago with at least one body in it.

 

Making their way through the streets, the locals greeted both Ekern and Vatra. “Have they already forgotten?” Ekern asked himself. People were tending to their personal gardens, sweeping the dust out of the entryway, and feeding the chickens or goats they kept. Average people doing average things, absolutely clueless to the happenings behind closed doors. Ekern supposed everyone had their own secrets, varying in degree of darkness. He knew he couldn’t stop all the violence in the world, the lying, the cheating, or the wrath. Still, though, he wanted to find a way for people to not have to resort to such actions. He believed the majority of bad things that people do to one another is out of desperation. No one wants to steal, but sometimes they have to if they’re going to feed their family. No one wants to have to lie, but to get a need they must. It’s usually the ones who have too much that indulge in the darkness of man. Rich men were taking advantage of poor people’s desperation to put food on the table or to protect their own. If a man were to refuse, it wouldn’t be a big deal to the rich man. They could easily find someone the next street over.

 

Ekern was well aware of Vatra’s snakes. He helped come up with the idea. The children were well taken care of without bringing suspicion to anyone. Each child was paid for their truthful service regularly. They’d all report to Ekern and no one else. Ekern and Vatra had come up with a communication style that involved a sequence of blinks and eye positions. The eye version involved looking to the corners, sides, up and down. Using the directions and up to three blinks signaled a letter or sound. Words being relayed were signaled to be sounded out rather than be taken as literal translations. Using this method, vowels were seldom used unless it was of dire importance. A forward gaze meant “I’m done”. A long inhale meant “I understand. Anything else?” A long audible exhale meant, “That’s all, no further need to stay.” Only the older children were allowed to communicate with the adults. When they were in their last year before being taken in, they’d find someone to replace them. The older kids would be taken as squires for Vatra’s personal guard or had their way paid to become a squire of a town guard. A newer system, but Vatra had already established a good number of snakes within the town guard. Some were employed by Vatra, then brokered a few out to the more affluent families. These snakes of the street were now snakes within a den. Vatra had a quiet loyalty within multiple households and was able to manage deals that fit his plan. As of yet, there have been no defectors. That was the benefit of treating a snake like family, you’re less likely to get bit.

 

Vatra was kneeling to be at eye level with a little girl no older than eight. Out loud, she was telling Vatra she had to buy a new tray and how she sold out of her shellfish and mollusks. She must be one of the newer relayers based on how young she was. A prospect would normally train with an older kid for roughly two years before they were taken off the street. Secretly, her eyes darted around looking like a nervous child trying to tell a story that went nowhere. Ekern was only able to catch a few words from his heightened perspective. He was able to catch “B.O.T.” for “boat”, “L.F.” for “elf”, and “K.P.N.” for “captain”. There was no letter “C” in this version of the alphabet. It would be replaced with an “S” or “K” depending on its sound. “Q” was left in to create the “ch” sound. Vatra pretended to give the girl a high five, covertly giving her a griever hidden away by his thumb and palm. She giggled as Vatra stood and tussled her hair. She ran off with a “Bye, Mister!” Ekern wondered if he would have been smart enough to be a relayer at her age. He doubted it, but liked to think he was smarter than he thought he was. The thought of a child that young being in the streets almost brought a tear to his eye, but he understood that life wasn’t always going to be fair and from this situation she would learn how the real world worked. In a few years time, she’d be off the street and working indoors. The moment had Ekern thinking about his sister, and reminded him how because of greed he could never see her grow into an adult and have children of her own. Her life and youth were stolen from her, and no one offered her a chance. This is why the snakes were created. It gave purpose to those society had turned their backs to. Regardless of what the parents did, the child should not have to be punished for their wrong doing. One day, he was certain, the snakes would be running this town.

 

The Journey

Before leaving Murgana, the trio took enough esper from Vatra’s state to resupply and obtain new gear. They rummaged through Vatra’s family’s underground vault to find anything of use. DroGi got stuck in a Soul Mirror for a moment, and the other two took advantage of its force to have the inhabitant tell the truth. It was more of a way to poke fun at the situation rather than obtain any pertinent information, but it brought a much needed humor before the three traveled the wilderness.

 

Using their obsidian rings, the three teleported to the Shield’s location and hired him to modify their gear for the travels and potential dangers ahead. Shield Rayl was a burly man they had encountered in a dungeon near the Ward of Bastielle. Indebted for saving him from being stranded beyond a deep crevice he became their official armorer with, what he considered, a “discounted rate.” The armorer's own armor was evidence of his skill. Intricate filigree work embellished his plates, depicting horses, mythical creatures, and symbols of protection. Embedded gemstones, each with its unique magical property, were strategically placed across the armor, providing both aesthetic appeal and magical reinforcement.

 

Heading south, they stopped in a small town of Seorim known for its healing waters. Testimonials and vague promises enticed Drogi to attempt these waters to the point where he spent a full week submerged from the chest down, hoping his legs would heal. At an esper a day, the results were surely a gamble. Iceliat would join him for the comfort and the second hand result of having his newly acquired blisters and old scars form new skin. Vatra, on the other hand, traversed the streets recruiting new snakes and attempting to build business dealings with the locals. Borrowing Iceliat’s ring, he traveled back to Murgana to orchestrate the means to bring two of the older snakes and leave them as hired help for two of the affluent members of Seorim. It would be their duty to further train the “baby snakes” and establish a network of communication.

 

After a week of soaking, DroGi’s results did not meet his expectations. Both Vatra and Iceliat suspected that his inability to walk was from the atrophy and deconditioning. DroGi wouldn’t accept this. He was able to walk short distances with the use of an assistive device, but it did not provide him with the warrior’s body he had grown accustomed to. DroGi’s anger erupted to the point where Iceliat and Vatra had to restrain him and pay for property damage already done. DroGi was able to obtain his sensation which needed some getting reacquainted with. It started as a dull, numbing sensation not being able to discern sharp from dull. Eventually he was able to feel temperature and precise pressure. Though his normal function did not return, the ability to finally feel his pants on his legs, his boots shift against his heels, and the weight of the food he’d lay on his legs were a sign of progress to him. His legs could help him propel by pulling with his heels giving his arms and shoulders a break from pushing. If he needed to, he could also kick off to perform a tactical retreat. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was thankful the other two stayed with him during that week.

 

Iceliat was able to conduct his business dealings with the local riverfront dock workers and his constant shipment of humans. The captain he met with was one he had grown to know well over the years, which made the exchange of information much easier and less time consuming. The less time he used to speak with a ship captain he, presumably, didn’t know, then the less suspicious it would seem. The lands around his home were still unaffected by the Phoenix and business continued to prosper. He informed the captain to relay the fact that he was heading to the Black Mist Forest as a precaution. He doubted anyone would come looking for him if they hadn’t heard back anyways.

 

Vatra

The three stood at what could be considered the entrance of the forest. It consisted of the clearest path of lightly compacted dirt to allow a smoother ride for DroGi and highest head clearing to prevent the need to duck as much as possible. As they pressed forward, the tracks left by a wheelchair and feet lasted only a moment before the dirt and moss leveled itself off again. The air was damp and humid making cooling off by perspiration impossible. Everyone’s clothes were holding water and sweat breaking down the integrity of their skin. A thickening fog grew in intensity the deeper they trekked. What was once a clear, noon day, had now been enveloped by a milky white vapor as clear as a dead fish’s eye. The trees, when they could see them, were too wide and unstable to attempt to climb. The canopy didn’t allow for light to shine through, not even enough to taunt them with illumination.

 

Making their way through, observing the ominous trees that seemed to stare, Vatra thought of the Treant, BloodRoot. “He knew,” he thought to himself. Vatra and DroGi had sought out BloodRoot during their first meeting and subsequent departure. Beyond the wizards at the university up north, he heard a rumor that BloodRoot would be the closest to know something about all artifacts and relics with magical properties. While DroGi questioned the treant, he couldn’t take his eyes off of him. Calm and precise with his wording, he pointed to Vatra and almost outed him. “How could he possibly know,” he thought. BloodRoot told him the trees spoke and shared secrets beyond any human’s, or human descendent, reach. This made Vatra realize he’d have to be more cautious than he thought was enough. Darkness and disguise would be his friend from now on. But first, he’d need to learn the most efficient way to practice these methods. Vatra considered taking care of BloodRoot as a loose end, but he also knew that treants tend to keep to themselves. His pointing Vatra out was more of a matter-of-fact rather than an accusation or judgment. Knowing this, however, if someone were to still question Vatra’s innocence, they would only have to pay him and visit and give him something he found precious or rare. DroGi attempted to offer BloodRoot water to get the information about the mirror they sought, but this only made him give his equivalent of a guffaw. Eventually, a mixture of threats and griever was enough to get the information DroGi needed to move on. Vatra didn’t want to be the cause of such a respected being’s death, but he also knew he couldn’t take any chances having gone this far in his plan.

 

The party reached the remnants of what they assumed was an old stronghold. Scattered wood planks used for scaffolding and a perimeter of shaped stone littered the area. Nothing man-made higher than chest height remained. Everyone picked a spot as theirs and proceeded to drop their gear. “Any idea what we’re looking for, DroGi?” asked Iceliat.

 

DroGi was removing his boots and stripped his wet socks off. He looked at his toes as if he were trying to willfully wiggle his toes, but nothing visible to the others was noticed. “Nelvis told me there was a lake, and in the middle of it should be what we’re looking for.” He wrung his socks creating a little pool to the side of his wheel.

 

Vatra didn’t expect much more than that to come from DroGi. Nelvis was pretty vague and distracted the last time they asked him for help, and Vatra had a weak moment of throwing a few books and papers into a fire trying to strongarm information from him. Vatra was certain if he were to be present in asking Nelvis for details they’d most likely be led astray. He leaned forward stretching his lower back, came back up and leaned side to side with his arms held high. Opening his eyes after the muscular release he saw in the distance what he thought was a clearing. It was obscured by the fog, but what he could make out was a tall, narrow darkness. Pointing, he asked, “You guys see that? Might be a clearing.”

 

“I don’t see shit,” responded DroGi eyes squinting and strained.

 

Iceliat, with his honed elven eyes, similar to Vatra’s, was able to see the darkness in the distance. His eyes were more attuned than Vatra’s, so he was able to make out a little more detail. “It seems to be swaying,” he said. “Not just swaying. I believe it’s moving toward us.” Vatra, now standing next to Iceliat, attempted to observe what Iceliat saw. As the figure grew closer and larger, they noticed that it was levitating. DroGi pulled forward, now also able to see the figure. They continued to watch as what looked like a long, dark robed essence approached. A skeletal frame was outlined and a skull could be seen when its body swayed softly into the little amount of light available. “Wraith,” Iceliat finally said in a silent surprise. Backing up and already calling upon his summon, everyone followed suit and prepared for an expected fight.

 

“Sword. Right hand,” DroGi reported. The wraith was holding a standard length sword with a bright, crimson blade. It was made of a metal unfamiliar to the crew and its characteristics seemed to shout that it was no ordinary sword.

 

Vatra and Iceliat positioned themselves equidistant from DroGi, to be within attack range and have a clear view of the creature. DroGi began his charge and performed a double swing. The wraith swiftly moved out of each blade's arc uncharacteristically for how slowly it approached them. With a low, guttural roar it raised its crimson blade and struck down onto DroGi. A blast from Iceliat was able to deflect the blade. Without looking, the wraith raised his sword once more and slashed downward. DroGi was able to perform an x-block with his blades, in time to prevent a devastating wound but still able to cut into his right trap. The exposure and contact with the blood made the blade glow brighter. DroGi’s eyes widened as his energy left his body.

 

Obviously not a mortal wound, the other two knew he must have fainted from whatever power the sword possessed. The wraith turned its attention to Iceliat and his summon. Vatra ran to DroGi’s side. He lay slumped in his chair, eyes closed. Vatra checked the cut to see that it had left what looked like an ordinary cut. It was deep enough to require stitching, but didn’t hit anything life threatening. He thought the sword itself must have drained his energy directly from his blood. His pulse was beating at a normal rhythm and his breathing was steady as if he was sound asleep. Vatra turned to Iceliat, still distanced from the wraith being held back by his summon. They made eye contact and Vatra signaled to retreat with a head jerk to the side. Vatra began to run pulling DroGi by the back of the chair, castor wheels raised, and DroGi reclined to prevent falling forward during the departure. Iceliat understood and released a blast at the ground near the wraith resulting in a large plume of dirt, debris, and smoke engulfing the creature’s sight. Iceliat tactfully retreated and circumnavigated the woods until he intercepted the others.

 

Iceliat took a rear guard position as everyone left the scene. “He’s waking up,” Iceliat said aloud.

 

Vatra scanned the area and noticed a more intact, small fort, “There.” They entered what was once a room, now only having three of its walls remaining and sky exposed. As the two runners caught their breath, DroGi regained full consciousness. “Any idea what happened,” Vatra asked.

 

DroGi, blinking hard and shaking his head, said “No. I felt the blade cut me, then a jolt went through my body. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I must’ve passed out immediately.” He looked at the cut on his shoulder, “Well, shit,” he said. He looked the others over and said, almost upset, “Not even a scratch on you fuckers, huh?” They shook their heads and looked around. “Still alive?” he asked.

 

Iceliat mentioned how he was able to strike the wraith a few times with his blasts, but they seemed to dissipate upon contact. The wraith seemed to hardly notice the impacts from both Vatra and Iceliat. “Maybe we teleport out of here, to Nelvis, and regroup. Try to figure out what we’re up against.”

 

Vatra, uncertain about the location, hesitated briefly before nodding in agreement. All three clenched their fists tight and thought of Nelvis. Marcelle Rasler, the advisor to the King of Kel-Nagrand and the one who gifted them rings, instructed them in the use of these rings and explained how they could only teleport to others wearing the sister rings. Marcelle, Nelvis, Shield, Old Briar, and the trio each had a ring. The group were offered six in total, but after news of Vatra’s warrant, he requested to have one back. Marcelle and Nelvis already had their own, so the two remaining rings were given to Shield and Old Briar. Before opening his eyes, Vatra heard DroGi say frantically, “The fuck?” He opened his eyes to see that they had not moved. He looked at the ring and noticed it had grayed as if it were depleted of charge. “What’s going on?” DroGi asked, confused and angry.

 

“The forest,” Iceliat said, biting his bottom lip quizzically. “Something dark is keeping us here.”

 

Vatra, peering around the wall, noticed the wraith slowly approaching as it had before. “It’s coming back.” Iceliat came to his side to confirm. “Any ideas?” Iceliat shook his head, pointed to his side and readied another summon with a flick of his wrist.Vatra saw this and wondered if he could learn this. He already had ideas for how something like this skill could be useful. Vatra shook his head back into the present, stepped back and said, “We don’t die today.” Closing his eyes, the color from Vatra’s skin began to disappear. His hair went translucent reflecting a blueish-white glow. The skin around his mouth began to wrinkle like old leather. His cheeks sunk in and his frame became more slim as if his body had been degrading for weeks in that single moment. Vatra’s eyes reopened exposing grayed irises and a deadpan stare. Taking his Lich form, Vatra now had a limited amount of time to aid in this situation. In a new, hollowed tone, he said, “Go.”

 

Vatra led the way pointing his staff at the wraith and unleashing a volley of fiery blasts. The few that did make contact dissipated as it had a few moments ago. Iceliat did the same and sent his summon to attack and halt its progression. The wraith’s sword was no longer as bright as it had once been and presented like an imperfect ruby. As the wraith forced the summon away, it gave its low roar and raised its arm to swing at Vatra. DroGi came from the side, one weapon blocking the blade, the other hooked between the grip and the wraith’s boney palm. Iceliat’s summon approached from behind and grabbed the wraith around its hooded head and pulled backward. A simultaneous blast from Iceliat and Vatra jerked the wraith backward resulting in DroGi being able to pry the sword from its hand. The wraith fought as it was dragged backward from the party. The crimson sword clanked as it hit the ground and rippled in a lightning of bright red.

 

“Ooh. Dibs!” DroGi declared. Vatra and Iceliat being distanced fighters paid no mind and watched as the summon continued to drag the wraith away. “Ho ho ho ho!” DroGi laughed as he picked up the sword. “This thing is swe-,” DroGi stopped speaking. Like before, his eyes went wide before he slumped into his chair unconscious. Contact with the sword, itself, drained him, not the cut. Without thinking, Vatra grabbed the sword, knelt, and shook DroGi. DroGi gingerly reopened his eyes looking at Vatra, “Oh come on. Again?” He shook and straightened himself up. “Well? The fuck?” He up-and-downed Vatra. “Why aren’t you passing out? You’re a little bitch.”

 

Vatra, still a Lich, stood and finally noticed he had been holding the sword for longer than DroGi could. In his hand the blade began to glow to a brightness similar to the moment DroGi had been cut. Vatra raised the blade, pointing it to the sky. “Well,” he began, then enunciated the next few words, “this is interesting.”

 

The sound of Iceliat’s summon and the wraith struggling had intensified then ceased. Looking over, the wraith had wrenched itself free and destroyed the summon. At its normal slow pace, the creature, again, approached the trio.


Author Credit

Sean Kuttner

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Jacob Tegtman Eternity TTRPG Creator

Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


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Josiah Mork: Creator of Starset RPG and Pen RPG

Interview with Game Designer Josiah Mork: Creator of Starset & PEN

By Jacob Tegtman • March 27, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9In5gaz65s8 Transcription Jacob Tegtman (00:01.848) Hey everyone, welcome back to Eternity TTRPG, where we cover really everything tabletop gaming related, Dungeons and Dragons. Now we're finally jumping into some of my favorite topics, which is game design and getting to spend some time with great game designers up and coming, people who are established. And today we're interviewing Josiah Mork, who is the owner and lead designer for Hoodwink Gaming. So welcome to the show. Thanks for being part of the channel. Josiah (00:33.142) Thanks, it's my pleasure. Yeah, it's been great working with you on eternity and getting to swap ideas. So I'm really looking forward to being able to talk through some of that process with you. Jacob Tegtman (00:44.478) Awesome, Ben. Yeah, I've been looking forward to talking with you. We always have a lot of fun when we catch up. I think this will be a really good conversation. There's so many parts of your mini games that I've wanted to ask you about for really such a long time. And it always felt like we were working on some project or discussing something. But now I have a really good excuse to just nail you down for maybe about an hour-ish and hopefully die. Josiah (00:50.028) for sure. Josiah (01:04.972) There's always something. Jacob Tegtman (01:14.352) dive into what you've been doing and why you've made some of the decisions you've made, which I think are really interesting. I'm sure, yeah. So do you just want to maybe start by introducing yourself more, know, who you are, what you've done, and yeah, where you're going? Josiah (01:20.968) Yeah, well, hopefully I've got good answers for you. We'll see. Josiah (01:32.756) Yeah, absolutely. yeah, like you said, I'm Josiah. I'm from Michigan, living just out of DC now. I've been designing and playing board games since my early teen years, I guess I would say. I love creative writing and storytelling. That's just been an amazing way that I've found to connect with people. My actually my undergrad and my grad degrees were in communication and looking at how communication connects us and strategies and stuff behind it. And so I find a storytelling a really compelling way to do that. But before I had gotten into school and whatnot, you know, I was homeschooled. I was in late middle school and I was reading this cartoon. Maybe you are some of your viewers have seen it. Foxtrot comics. And there are some. Have you seen it? Highly recommend, highly recommend. It's really funny. But there are these two characters, they're really nerdy middle schoolers and they were playing Dungeons and Dragons in the comic. And I just thought that was the coolest thing. But my parents, know, I'm a Christian, my family's Christian, fairly conservative. And so my parents were more familiar with like the 80s, like D &D scare, very like Stranger Things season four. And so they were not really like, yeah, not really D &D fans. And so I was like, well, okay, I'll create my own. And that's how it all got started, you know? And then it was a great way to make friends in my Boy Scout troop. You know, we would play, would swap ideas, we would... Jacob Tegtman (02:51.202) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (02:55.042) Not too far ahead. Sure. Yeah, that's awesome. Jacob Tegtman (03:08.12) time. Josiah (03:09.972) you know, go on crazy adventures with rules that didn't quite work. And then over time, you know, I just realized that there were all of these cool avenues to explore and storytelling that D &D didn't necessarily do. And so I just felt really passionate that this is my way to connect with people and connect people with each other is through writing games. Jacob Tegtman (03:30.508) That's amazing, man. Yeah, it's funny, like the ways that we get into gaming too. Like you mentioned those comics. you ever see Dexter's Lab? Okay. Okay. Yeah, was probably a little bit before. Yeah. There was like an episode that was kind of based on Dungeons and Dragons and I saw it when I was like six and that's what got me into it as well. yeah. Josiah (03:39.616) Yeah, well, I've heard of it. Yeah, I've seen clips from it, yeah. Josiah (03:52.972) It's so funny how it seems like every show, know, Community, Gravity Falls, like, there are all these shows of every different genre, and they all have like a D &D episode for some reason. And I love it, you know, but it's so random. Jacob Tegtman (03:58.679) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (04:05.302) Yeah, like all of them. Me too. Yeah, it is. Yeah. I also like the takes that different shows have on like nerdy board games. I think was like Parks and Rec had, I forget what the game was called. Yeah, you remember it. Yeah. Yeah. That's so cool, man. Josiah (04:20.81) The Cones of Dunshire, yeah. Love that, love those episodes. Jacob Tegtman (04:29.646) So I want to dive into really all of those things more, but what games do you currently have available then? And your website will post it in the show notes as well, but it is hoodwinkgaming.com for anybody who's interested. But yeah, tell us about some of your games. And again, I feel like I want to go into all of these in more detail, but yeah, give us the summary version at least for now. Josiah (04:55.05) Yeah, so it's a little deceptive at the moment. My original titles and kind of most of the games that I do are under the pen brand. So play easily now is the acronym. We have war game and role playing game. But actually neither of those are on the market at the moment. If you go to my website. Yeah, we've got a landing page for the war game and we've got a preview for the RPG. And I've actually I've got. Jacob Tegtman (05:12.95) really? I was actually, yeah, I was checking it out like yesterday, so. Josiah (05:24.422) know, prototypes of both of those here. But they are still in development because of various different reasons of wanting to refine some ideas or just kind of ended up having to move to other projects. So they're almost launch ready. But those are the ones that they're working on for the longest, just the newest editions aren't quite together yet. Jacob Tegtman (05:29.506) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (05:39.96) Yeah, nice. Jacob Tegtman (05:46.04) Very cool. Josiah (05:46.164) And then the one that I've been working on most recently, and that we actually have a new project launching next month for, is Star Set. So that's a grimdark survival-oriented tabletop role-playing game that we launched initially a couple years ago, and then just did a relaunch for the second edition for, which is much more crunchy, much more mechanical, and much more narrative-based. So really looking forward to building that out. Jacob Tegtman (06:14.542) That's exciting. Yeah, I can attest that game is great. I really enjoyed reading through it. Everything from the design of the book to the art to the way that you have, especially character building in that, I find super fascinating. You can just tell, yeah, the amount of attention to detail in there is like out of this world. It really feels like you guys... Josiah (06:27.148) Well, thank you. Josiah (06:34.966) haha Jacob Tegtman (06:38.478) You took the lore of the game and you baked it into every part of the game. Whereas I think a lot of games like, you know, we'll talk about D &D later. D &D is like the game that's everything. So it's like if it's in a fantasy book or movie or anything, like we'll just jam it into D &D somehow. And, you know, that kind of has its place, but for building characters and stuff, you know, like you don't, I don't know. It's supposed to be able to fit many different genres and you're Josiah (06:42.72) Mm-hmm. Jacob Tegtman (07:08.612) I think what's so cool about is that when you're playing Star set you're playing Star set Because from the very first thing you do with your character and their background and their skills even it's all based on the lore of this whole universe so Josiah (07:19.902) Mm-hmm. Well, I really appreciate that. mean, that's really the heart behind it when we were working on it is, we had a story that we wanted to tell and really created the universe to tell that story. And one of the things, you know, that I picked up studying communication is that, you know, we are attracted to details. And even if it's details that, we haven't necessarily experienced in our own lives. Jacob Tegtman (07:24.963) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (07:33.324) Yeah. Josiah (07:45.324) hearing vivid details or strong emotions in other people's stories lead us to be more connected with them. And so that was something that we really trying to flesh out in Star Set. hopefully, from the sound of it, it hopefully worked pretty well. Jacob Tegtman (08:00.352) I think so, yeah, absolutely. So, what do we talk about first, man? Like, what do you want to talk about first? Josiah (08:01.452) Thank you. Josiah (08:11.672) man, I could talk about games for hours and hours, so I better let you guide that conversation. Jacob Tegtman (08:14.944) You Okay, I just want to make sure we cover like the big things before we dive into the nitty gritty here. Yeah. Yeah. Josiah (08:24.332) Oh yeah, I mean, I kind of touched on, I guess I'll throw it out there. I'll throw it out there because it's really important to me and kind of the company into my story. you know, I really do, we're about to, you know, dig into the nitty gritty, like you said, and Dungeons and Dragons and all the different games that are out there. And I just think, you know, before whether you're a designer or a player, whenever you kind of step into a game, I think the most important thing and what's in the mission kind of a hoodwink that we try and do differently is that Jacob Tegtman (08:33.379) Yeah. Josiah (08:53.446) The games are just kind of an excuse. Really, the games are just an excuse to get together with people and to have FaceTime with people. And if working in social media has taught me anything, it's that people need that more than anything. And that's why we call it Hoodwink Games, because we kind of have all these substitutions. get hoodwinked into thinking that socializing is something that it's not. And really, it's just fellowshipping with people and joining community and FaceTime with people. and talking about the things that matter with people. And the way to do that from going from stranger to best friend is in my experience games. And so that's kind of the heart behind it. Jacob Tegtman (09:30.658) That's been a cool one. Yeah. You know, it's interesting you bring that up too, because this is something I've been thinking a lot about recently, especially as everybody's been seeing more AI come into their work, into their lives. And I feel that more than ever, people are wanting that human, real human interaction. And so as good as video games are looking nowadays and as fun as MMOs are and stuff like that, and I like all of those, I don't think I've Josiah (09:43.628) Mm-hmm. Josiah (09:53.004) Mm-hmm. Jacob Tegtman (10:03.53) found anything that's as fun is sitting around playing a tabletop role-playing game, especially in person. mean, even, you over FaceTime like this is fun, but something in person about it just makes it one of the best experiences. Josiah (10:09.729) video. Josiah (10:13.142) Mm-hmm. Josiah (10:18.686) It really does. It's those shared memories and those shared jokes. And, you know, I work in politics, doing social media for politics. And the thing that just aggravates me the most about politics, but also religion, people say don't talk about politics or religion because people care about it so much. And it's like those are things that we care about the most. So we should be able to share those with people. But you can't because as soon as you bring them up, you know, there are all these walls. Jacob Tegtman (10:39.48) Sure. Josiah (10:48.062) and games when you've played for a couple hours with somebody and slayed the dragon and made a couple jokes, then it's like, well, okay, now your opinion isn't the thing that I'm defining you on. The thing I'm defining you on is that, you know, you're a half drunk elf paladin or something like, and it just makes it easier. Jacob Tegtman (10:48.416) I guess. Jacob Tegtman (11:04.014) Yeah, that's so true. That's so true. Yeah, it definitely does break down those walls and give you that sense of shared history, even if it's like a shared mental history, theater of the mind. So, yeah. Josiah (11:17.27) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's great. Jacob Tegtman (11:21.428) I agree, man. Especially when you're doing... So I haven't read through all of the lore of Starseq. There's just so much in there. I've read through a good deal of it. But I think one of the things that also stands out about at least that game, because I know Penn's still in the work in progress... Josiah (11:38.599) the Jacob Tegtman (11:39.446) that, you know, it does cover a lot of political things and it covers a lot of religious things and you aren't like pushing a view on anybody, but just inherent to human life is politics and religion. so games let you approach these topics like in ways that allow you to explore what could be, but in a safe way and have conversations about what could be without feeling like you're being attacked or told. Josiah (11:53.856) Mm-hmm. Josiah (12:01.6) Thank you. Josiah (12:05.836) Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's really the, again, I'm really glad that you feel that way about the game, because that was one of the number one priorities of it, is there are just really hard conversations that should be had. And that game kind of came out of COVID, where there were a ton of hard conversations people were having. And I think you could spend every day, every minute of every day with people. Jacob Tegtman (12:14.306) Yeah, for sure. Jacob Tegtman (12:23.394) That's right. That's right. Yeah. Josiah (12:33.664) but if they're not people that you feel like you can have hard conversations with, then you haven't really been in community at all. And so having a medium like that, where, like you said, I don't wanna tell anybody what they should believe. There are things that I believe are true about God and about the world and about politics and stuff, but those things have to exist relationally for them to mean anything to you. so... Jacob Tegtman (12:39.788) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (12:50.542) Sure. Josiah (12:58.954) to have that space to kind of explore and talk and then role play through just makes it fun for one thing, but also makes it so much more personal and so much more impactful, I think. Jacob Tegtman (12:59.374) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (13:10.772) I agree. So what is the next thing that you said you're working on with StarCert? I think I missed that when you mentioned earlier. Yeah. Josiah (13:16.436) Yeah, so my co-writer, Emily, and her husband Ryan, who did some of the art for Star Set, they have actually written and illustrated the first campaign for it. It's called Echoes on Mars, and that's going to be launching on Kickstarter next month. Jacob Tegtman (13:31.822) Okay. Okay, cool. That's exciting, man. So what number of Kickstarter will this be for you? Josiah (13:38.092) Thank Josiah (13:42.294) That's Josiah (13:46.806) seven maybe six or seven. I'm doing this one well I should say the plan is to do it on Kickstarter but changing a lot of things. I'm still talking to them. My wife is behind me. I still want to talk through some of them with her because it had a lot of very negative Kickstarter experiences and learned a lot. So we're to do this one if we end up doing it on Kickstarter very slim down and very different than some of the other ones. So it's a constant learning experience. Jacob Tegtman (13:48.43) Sort of. Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (13:54.094) Sure. Jacob Tegtman (14:16.43) Yeah, I just remember I feel like every year or so I feel like you're launching something on Kickstarter successfully. So at least from the outsider's view looking in, it's like man Josiah just knows what he's doing with selling games. Josiah (14:30.208) You Well, I know a little bit more than I did last time and that's the goal. Yeah.
An anime-style character with long white hair

Interview with TTRPG Renaissance Man: Mildra the Monk

By Jacob Tegtman • March 25, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si26EW5kj4Q Transcription Summary Final Fantasy Legend Edition TTRPG discussion covered the game's high customization and free distribution via mythos inspiration and iterative research. Final Fantasy Legend Edition Origin Legend Edition is a medium-complexity TTRPG developed over 4 years to emulate the entire Final Fantasy mythos, avoiding a focus only on the SNES era. The core goal was to create a neutral sandbox emphasizing high customization that supports high fantasy, steampunk, and futuristic settings. Design Philosophy and Research The game is distributed for free to continue the tradition of high-quality, free fan-created content within the TTRPG community. Extensive research was conducted on the IP, including cut content and Ultimania books, which led to the design pillars of iteration and experimentation. Customization and Unique Features Character creation allows hybrid archetypes via the selection of 3 classes from over 50 available options with variable progression speeds. Unique Legend Edition features include row-based combat and active defenses, creating a tactical risk-reward system. Details Introduction to Final Fantasy Legend Edition Project : Jacob Tegtman welcomed Mildra The Monk, the lead designer and spearhead of the Final Fantasy Legend Edition project, to the Eternity TTRPG channel for their first interview of this kind. Mildra The Monk expressed appreciation for being hosted and agreed to begin by discussing their background and the nature of the project (00:00:00). Mildra The Monk's Background and TTRPG Contributions : Mildra The Monk introduced themself as a content creator who has reviewed games, run playtests, and conducted over a thousand interviews in the last five years. They cover third-party D\&D material, indie games, and fan games such as Naruto 5e and Dungeons of the Dragoning, the latter of which started as an April Fool's joke that combined five different RPGs (00:01:03). Most recently, they served as the lead designer and project lead for the Final Fantasy Legend Edition TTRPG (00:02:26). Running a Final Fantasy Legend Edition One-Shot : Mildra The Monk mentioned they had been running a one-shot using the Legend Edition for the past few weeks with rotating party members and ran one for Jacob Tegtman as they were planning content on the game (00:02:26). They noted that a community member has been developing a work-in-progress Roll20 sheet for the game, which had recently received a significant update (00:03:26). Virtual Tabletop Support for Legend Edition : When addressing the question of virtual tabletop support, Mildra The Monk stated that they have not done any real coding in at least ten years and lack the skill set to build a custom sheet from scratch for platforms like Roll20 or Foundry. They acknowledged the community's support, noting that people are using their own time to support the game with tools like the Roll20 sheet (00:03:26). Summary of Final Fantasy Legend Edition : Legend Edition is a medium-complexity TTRPG that took about four years to create, aimed at emulating the Final Fantasy mythos. The project originated from Mildra The Monk's pet peeve that previous tabletop versions of Final Fantasy heavily skewed toward the SNES era (IV, V, and VI), neglecting entries like VII, XIV, and XVI which appeal to newer generations of fans (00:04:21). The goal of Legend Edition is to use the recurring Final Fantasy mythos as a neutral sandbox for tables to build campaigns in any direction, prioritizing customization (00:06:43). Game Design Flexibility and High Customization : The game was designed to be equally viable in high fantasy settings, like Final Fantasy III or IV, as it is in steampunk settings, such as Final Fantasy VI or XIV, and futuristic entries, such as Final Fantasy VIII or XIII. Jacob Tegtman noted that playing the game demonstrated that the number of classes and intricate character details allow players to create characters fitting any Final Fantasy experience they desire (00:06:43). Reasoning Behind Free Distribution of Legend Edition : Mildra The Monk explained that the game is available for free because they came up as a tabletop player seeing high-quality fan games that were just as good as paid games, and they wanted to pass along that torch to the community (00:09:44). They expressed the desire for someone to take their work, hack it, and put up their own version, continuing the chain of free content (00:11:02). Research and Design Philosophy for Legend Edition : A major focus of the project was capturing the soul of Final Fantasy, which involved extensive research, including reviewing existing games, cut content from games, behind-the-scenes interviews, and Ultimania books (00:11:02). The core philosophy derived from this research was "iteration and experimentation," which led to the game's foundational design pillars (00:12:16). The Inspiration to Focus on Final Fantasy : Mildra The Monk is a devoted Final Fantasy fan, but other factors drove the project, including a desire to carry on the lineage of prior Final Fantasy TTRPG fan projects like the mid-90s Returners project (00:12:16). A core motivation was bridging the gap between video games and tabletop gaming, using Final Fantasy because its consistent mythology allows for adaptation that goes beyond merely replicating the video games (00:14:29). Avoiding the Trap of Literal IP Adaptation : Mildra The Monk highlighted a common problem with tabletop adaptations of existing IPs, where designers attempt to adapt the source material wholesale, citing the early TSR run of Indiana Jones as an example where they only allowed players to play as movie characters. Instead, people generally prefer to create their own character within the world, such as being a student at Xavier Academy rather than playing as the X-Men (00:15:49). Emulating the Mythos Over One Game : Mildra The Monk emphasized that designers should emulate the overall mythos of a franchise rather than hyperfocusing on one game or one era (00:17:00). For Final Fantasy, this is supported by recurring elements such as job names, play styles, spell names, summons, and abilities that maintain a consistent theme (00:18:09). Classes, Character Creation, and Flexibility : The customization in Legend Edition is demonstrated by the character creation system where players select three classes with different progression speeds, allowing for a unique hybrid character from over 50 classes (00:21:27). This approach is a compromise that provides the strong thematic elements of the job system without restricting player choices, such as customizing weapon lists to be setting-agnostic and avoid favoring one style of fantasy (00:20:06) (00:22:24). Key Design Pillars of Final Fantasy Legend Edition : Mildra The Monk outlined the three major pillars of the game's design: "mythos not setting," "customization is king," and the **phase structure** (00:24:24). The phase structure involves four acts—preparation, exploration, encounter, and downtime—which is loosely inspired by the Asian four-act format (kishōtenketsu) and the Town-Field-Dungeon trinity pioneered by Dragon Quest (00:25:34). The Research Process as a Favorite Part of the Project : Mildra The Monk stated that the research phase was one of their favorite parts, which allowed them to discover early concepts for the video games that were eventually cut (00:27:50). Examples included the early name for Materia being "spheres," which was later revisited for Final Fantasy X, and a puzzle tattoo mechanic for Final Fantasy X's sphere grid, which was cut (00:28:33). Inspirations and Creative Liberties in Design : The research led to design inspirations such as an unused Chocobo Lancer concept art from Final Fantasy XI resulting in the Chocobo Knight class in Legend Edition, addressing the long-desired idea of Chocobo cavalry (00:29:32). The team took certain liberties, like creating the speed-based Dervish to serve as an answer to the Berserker class, and the Ravager as a spell-spamming class, drawing from inspirations like Final Fantasy XIII (00:31:48). Development of the Yo-kai Class : The Yo-kai class began as an idea for a controllable summon, similar to the Aeons in Final Fantasy X, but was changed to avoid replicating one game (00:31:48). The final concept for the Yo-kai, as avatars for Eidolons, was inspired by the design of Yoko in Bravely Second and the concept of the rider or shioal spiritualist in Voodoo (00:32:43). Impact of Extensive Research on Project Quality : Jacob Tegtman acknowledged that the depth of research, spanning Final Fantasy lore, mythology, and diverse concepts like Voodoo, enabled Mildra The Monk to create over 50 classes, each with up to seven tiers of abilities, amounting to hundreds of unique mechanics that synergize well (00:33:58). Mildra The Monk affirmed that this extensive research, modeled after the preparation of Star Trek producer Harve Bennett before producing *Wrath of Khan*, was a necessary baseline (00:36:10). Historical Context of Final Fantasy Combat System : Mildra The Monk highlighted Hiroyuki Itto, the pioneer of the job system and the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, noting that he cited American football and Formula 1 as inspirations for ATB (00:39:09). Mildra The Monk asserted that the shift toward action-based combat, seen in games like Final Fantasy XV and XVI, was an evolution building on foundations laid decades ago by Itto, not a radical shift (00:40:15). Snapshot of Unique Legend Edition Features : For those unfamiliar with Legend Edition, Mildra The Monk listed key differentiators, including high customizability in the job system, easy creation of hybrid archetypes, fewer but more impactful skills, and multiple character creation/advancement methods (00:41:59). Jacob Tegtman added the unique row-based combat and active defenses, such as parrying and evading, which create a tactical, risk-reward philosophy in the design (00:43:17). Future Vision and Upcoming Projects for Mildra The Monk : Immediate future plans include overseeing support elements like new Excel and HTML solo-play sheets, as well as writing world book guides, which are lighter books focused on emulating individual Final Fantasy entries like FFIII or FFVIII (00:45:13). They are also considering TTRPGs based on 2D fighting games, aiming for a defined setting like a fighting game version of Night City, and they intend to create a fantasy-themed mech game and a Wuxia-themed RPG (00:46:24). Ongoing Efforts to Promote the TTRPG Community : Mildra The Monk is continuing their mission to showcase the totality of tabletop role-playing games by highlighting the international scene, including content from Brazil, Germany, and Sweden (00:50:01) (00:52:17). They mentioned forthcoming streams covering the Spanish Anima Universe, Sword World, and *We's Blade*, a game compared to *Panzer Dragoon* (00:51:15). Availability and Support for Mildra The Monk : Mildra The Monk can be found streaming regularly on YouTube and Twitch, on Twitter where they highlight artists and indie games, and in their personal Discord (00:55:07). While Legend Edition remains free, they have set up support mechanisms like Ko-fi for those who wish to leave a tip (00:56:19).
A gnarled, dark tree stands in a misty forest under a pale moon.

Playable Monster Races in D&D: the Gnarlborn - Haunted Treants

By Jacob Tegtman • March 22, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuryVcZdp4Y Transcription There are kind two ends of the spectrum for D&D races. There’s Story-specific races: These come with a strong, built-in narrative that fits specific campaign worlds or settings, that almost tells you how to play them. Then there’s more Flexible races. These are much easier to slot anywhere because they don’t necessarily come with an expected tone or backstory. You can sort of fit them into any campaign with ease – like playing a human. Some D&D player races feel like they’re built for a specific kind of story. Others feel flexible enough to drop into almost any campaign. Gnarlborn from Crooked Moon… sit somewhere in between—and that’s kind of what makes them interesting. They have strong flavor, but they aren’t restrictive for your campaign. They come with built-in lore that gives you instant roleplay direction, but they aren’t so specific that you can only play them in your Crooked Moon campaign. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG.  As you can already tell, today we’re looking at a lesser-known player option for playable races, which is the Gnarlborn from Crooked Moon. If you’ve seen my other videos on the topic, Crooked Moon has become one of my favorite D&D settings of all-time. We’re going through each of the races presented in Crooked Moon, and today getting to the treant-like Gnarlborn. Starting with the basics, Gnarlborn are – well, born – from the soil of a region called Ardengloom, a forest that’s less “peaceful woodland,” and more “haunted, thinking ecosystem.” The forest itself is filled with these massive trees called Elderwoods—each one housing lingering Fey spirits. Gnarlborn commune with these spirts and Elderwoods, forming an intricate and well-connected forest community. So yeah, you’re playing basically “a tree person.” But you’re also playing something that exists in a constant, low-level conversation with ancient, possibly unreliable spirits. That alone gives you a strong roleplay hook without needing a complicated backstory, as your tie to those spirits, and who/ what they are could gain any level of depth that you’d like, over the course of a campaign – or even a few adventures. Visually, Gnarlborn are humanoid, but like the trees in your yard, everything about them is asymmetrical—branches, moss instead of clothing accents, glowing hollows where a face might be. No two look the same. Some might feel ancient and slow, while others might come across as curious or even a little disconnected—like they’re only partially focused on the present. And since they can live for hundreds—sometimes thousands—of years, you can decide how much that actually affects your character. Are they wise because of their age, or are they just... slow? Ok, when it comes to core mechanics, let’s talk about what you actually get—because this is where Gnarlborn become very usable. First, we have: Deep Roots You get advantage on checks and saves to avoid being moved or knocked prone. This is simple, but it can be very useful against certain enemies. Next is: Elderwood Whispers After every long rest, you can pick up a new skill, tool proficiency, or even a language. Temporarily. This is probably the most interesting trait the Gnarlborn have. It’s not flashy, but it gives you day-to-day adaptability, which can be nice. It rewards players who like planning ahead—or improvising, based on expected challenges for the day. Third, we have what may be the Gnarlborn’s most *potentially powerful effect, which is: Grasping Branches As a Bonus action, you restrain a creature if they fail a Strength save. Or slow them if they succeed. The main issue here is the saving DC isn’t very high (it’s 8, plus your Constitution modifier, plus your proficiency bonus). But! Even on a successful save, the creature has half speed for a turn. So, grasping branches can be decent battlefield control without requiring you to be a spellcaster. And because this effect recharges on a short rest, you may just actually use it. It’s not overwhelming—but it’s consistently useful. Root Sense gives you tremorsense out to 60 feet. So, the ability to find Invisible enemies, Creatures behind walls, etc. And lastly, you have: Towering Size Which gives you advantage to end being grappled, and – if your group actually tracks carrying capacity, you can in fact carry more stuff. Nothing flashy—but admittedly, very practical. Playing a Gnarlborn definitely isn’t for every player. They don’t provide anything to spike damage, or even do anything unpredictable, really. But you are resisting disruption, controlling space, and adapting between sessions. They fit really well in parties that need consistency rather than specialization. From the roleplaying side, Gnarlborn also work really well in campaigns that lean into: Fey themes, Haunted environments, or Long timelines with ancient histories since they naturally connect to all of those. Gnarlborn feel connected to something bigger: whether that’s the Elderwoods, nature, fey-touched spirits, or an ancient grove deep in the dark woods. So, if you were to play a Gnarlborn, what direction would you take your character? Would you pick them for their subtle combat control, or more to explore their connection with the wilds? Whether you’ve played them in a campaign already, or you have ideas for what you might like to try, let me know in the comments. Thanks for watching, and I’ll catch you in my next Crooked Moon race guide.
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