Speculate!

This episode carries content notes for arbitrary punishment, scissors, workplace anxiety, falling asleep at the wheel, The Dream Knights have survived their first mission without Euphony, and now turn to managing their obligations. Vik tries to protect a student from unreasonable punishment and Nina deals with a scary episode on the highway. Fractal Spire is […]

Mike, Brandon, and Greg talk about Faction Turns/GM turns in ttrpgs, systems seen in games like Stars Without Number, Urban Shadows 2E, Blades in the Dark, etc. Brandon shares some of their experience playing in a faction turn for Elder County TN, Mike talks about scope and intention with Faction/GM turns, and Greg muses on […]

After a short recap of our Court of Blades series announcement, Greg, Mike, and Brandon gather to discuss some games they’re excited about, from games currently crowdfunding to games farther on the horizon. They talk about style, scope, and genre across the recommendations. Court of Blades announcement – https://www.patreon.com/posts/announcing-court-65998407 Games mentioned: Blade Runner – Free League […]

This episode carries content notes for violence, falling, medical trauma, and caretaker trauma. Dice and Ruth clash again, then finally talk about what’s going on and why Dice is working with the Conspiracy. The Dream Knights make their way out but end up not where they expected. Fractal Spire is a joint production with Greg’s […]

This episode carries content notes for submersion in a sticky liquid, violence, giant animated toys, and head injuries. The Dream Knights gather tools to free Nina, which lands them in an even bigger problem. Deed appears to dive into the fray. Ruth and Dice square off again. Fractal Spire is a joint production with Greg’s […]

This episode carries content notes for submersion in sticky liquid, toilets, mention of starvation, and general horror. Nina is trapped in a hole. But also a pool of soda? Dreams are weird. The remaining Dream Knights dive into Nina’s dream to rescue her and discover far more than they expected. Fractal Spire is a joint production […]

This episode carries content warnings for police action, enclosed spaces, reference to home intrusion, and alcohol. Ruth makes a quick exit from his late-night activity before the cops arrive. Once home, Vik and Nina have a disconcerting dream that doesn’t behave like it should. Vik rallies the Dream Knights to respond. Fractal Spire is a joint production with […]

This episode carries content warnings for hand-to-hand combat, blood, profanity, sprained wrist, references to grievous bodily harm, and police raids Dice shows off for Ruth as their underground fight club match begins. Dice performs not just for the crowd—ravenous for blood, for spectacle, and for the clash of bodies—but also Ruth, who is not impressed. […]

This episode carries content warnings for hand-to-hand combat, blood, surveillance, reference to facial injuries, alcohol, Ruth gets an invite to a pop-up underground fighting ring. Cat investigates the card left at Somnio by a client and takes some precautions about it. Ruth squares off against a “friend”. Fractal Spire is a joint production with Greg’s […]

This episode carries content warnings for violence, being knocked into unconsciousness.   The Dream Knights meet up very late, after they’ve all been through the wringer. Vik brings up the announcement of the Eye and recalls the times when Euphony and they crossed paths with Rüstem Demir. The group make uneven attempts to re-connect with one […]

This episode carries content warnings for stalking, workplace harassment, and a reference to choking.   As she’s preparing Somnio for opening, Cat helps a co-worker at Somnio deal with a stalker. Nina is caught between staying late at one job to finish things up and being late for her other job.. Nina visits Ruth to check […]

This episode carries content warnings for anxiety, hostile work environments, roadkill, animal funerary rituals, police violence, police harassment and threats. Tech mogul Rüstem Demir announces “The Eye”, a new product from megacorp Dreamshine Technologies, which threatens to even further intrude into people’s lives and minds. Vik gives a history lesson and gets chewed out by […]

The group reflects on the worldbuilding and character choices they’ve made and discusses some potential names for the series. Names are hard. Brandon reveals the dream tarot they created. The group discusses the missing fifth member of the team, the person that assembled the team and mysteriously disappeared at the end of last season. This series is a […]

The group discusses avatars, perfect expressions of a character’s will that they can summon and have guide their actions in the dreaming. In a world that forbids and represses authenticity, the character’s real selves are revealed in the dreaming world. But the relationship between characters and their avatars are not always cut-and-dry.   This series […]

The team talks about their characters’ roles and playbooks as we continue our session zero work using the “In a Maze of Dreams” playset. We’ve got a weary caretaker, a time-traveling oracle, an unlikely hero, and more. Then the crew discusses some of the logistics and symbolics of dream travel in the series. “Fractal Spire” […]

Speculate! kicks off a new campaign with Session Zero of “Fractal Spire,” playing Girl by Moonlight: a multi-genre RPG of Magical Girls grappling with destiny: hopes thwarted, defended, redeemed, and betrayed.   The team talks about their process of deciding on the “In a Maze of Dreams” playset and begin the process of collaborative worldbuilding using the […]

This episode carries content warnings for divine magic, ectoplasmic blasts, flashbacks, cursed artifacts, combat, death, ghosts, and food.   Ash helps the crew get the drop on Aldo and his Hull. Ring deploys their contingency plans. Skelly deals with Aldo’s reinforcements. Crossroads lets loose. With the case closed, the Strange Friends take care of loose […]

This episode carries content warnings for divine magic, cursed artifacts, soulless bodies, and ghosts. The Strange Friends assemble for the big run at Aldo Booker. Skelly scopes out Aldo’s security. Ash leads the group’s infiltration and uses her divine gifts. Crossroads discovers yet more horrors of Aldo’s operation. “The Case of the Cindered Seal” is […]

A familiar face drops by Ash’s shop for tea and makes an unexpected offer. Ash consults the stones. Melvir doctors aggressively at Skelly. Crossroads gets some upgrades. “The Case of the Cindered Seal” is a joint production with Greg’s Twitch channel, playing Blades in the Dark by John Harper. Brandon O’Brien (@therisingtithes) GMs for the crew of […]

This episode carries content warnings for war flashbacks, gunfire, children in peril, dangerous artifacts  Ring gets some last-minute intel. Ash and Crossroads realize what they’ve got in their hands (and claws). “The Case of the Cindered Seal” is a joint production with Greg’s Twitch channel, playing Blades in the Dark by John Harper. Brandon O’Brien […]