Theory meets practice. After months of discussing scenario design methodology, character development frameworks, and action cinema techniques, we finally sat down and played through the delve portion of The Library of Apan'ra—and we're here to tell you what happened.

Join Peter Randel, Carsten Eriksen, Christian Eriksen, and Eli Tremors for an informal conversation about our first hands-on experience with Coriolis: The Great Dark. As players new to the system but experienced in narrative gaming, we descended into The Maw on Nirgal B, confronted Builder glyphs that resisted interpretation, tracked Blight accumulation on our character sheets, and listened to the distant explosions of a rival crew racing us to the Prism.

What worked? The atmospheric approach through Auriga's jade-green Veil. Serah Voss as our traumatized guide. The slow dread of resources depleting as we pushed deeper. What needs work? We have thoughts—and concrete suggestions for chase sequences, puzzle expansion, and rival crew confrontations.

This is what playtesting sounds like: honest assessment, genuine enthusiasm, and practical revision notes for making the scenario stronger.

#Coriolis #TheGreatDark #TabletopRPG #TTRPG #RPGPodcast #ScenarioDesign #Playtesting #CosmicHorror #ScienceFictionRPG #FriaLigan #YearZeroEngine #GMAdvice #GameMaster #Delving #BuilderRuins #RPGCommunity #ActualPlay #GameDesign #GreatDarkResources #ExplorerGuild

What happens when two delve crews compete for a starship captain's favor while facing cosmic horror in the ventilation ducts? Join our playtest crew for lessons in layered scenario design.

Journey through slipstream space with veteran roleplaying gamers as they playtest "The Library of Apan'ra," a Coriolis: The Great Dark scenario built using Ask Agger's methodology. Host Eli Tremors and Peter Randel's longtime friends Tim Rasmussen, Mikael Andersen, and Høgni Kallehauge explore how the journey to Auriga created multi-layered tension through biological horror, political rivalry, and cosmic mystery.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• Create layered obstacles that operate at multiple scales simultaneously
• Integrate cosmic horror with practical problem-solving for maximum impact
• Use rival NPCs to generate ongoing tension without forced combat
• Design journeys that functionally prepare players for main events
• Balance crisis moments with routine for natural pacing rhythm

THE PLAYTEST EXPERIENCE:

Discover what happened when the crew volunteered for ventilation duct clearance while competing with a suspicious "geological survey team" for the captain's favor. Experience claustrophobic horror as they crawl through passages filled with crystalline arthropods and bioluminescent colonial structures that violate conventional biology.

Høgni's laboratory analysis reveals organisms with crystalline matrices integrated into living cells—impossible by standard science. The crew faces a dilemma: share findings with rivals or maintain information advantage? Small decisions during the journey create lasting factional consequences.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Minutes 1-6: Meet the rival crew and learn how professional courtesy masks strategic competitionMinutes 6-17: Into the ventilation ducts—cosmic horror meets practical engineeringMinutes 17-21: Intelligence gathering and the cost of information sharingMinutes 21-25: Scenario design principles—why these techniques work

WHO SHOULD LISTEN:

Game Masters designing scenarios for any science fiction RPG • Coriolis: The Great Dark players and GMs • Scenario designers interested in Ask Agger's methodology • Cosmic horror enthusiasts • TTRPG veterans who appreciate intelligent game design discussion

ABOUT THE GUESTS:

Tim Rasmussen brings 30+ years of experience, strategic thinking, and high-level Magic: The Gathering expertise. Mikael Andersen combines military tactical analysis with statistical risk assessment. Høgni Kallehauge applies scientific methodology from rare disease diagnostics to cosmic mysteries.

Format: Conversational playtest debrief with scenario design analysis

TOPICS: Coriolis The Great Dark • Tabletop RPG • Scenario Design • Cosmic Horror • Ask Agger Methodology • Game Master Tips • Science Fiction RPG • Builder Ruins • Player Agency • Free League Publishing

📝 Full show notes: greatdarkresources.wordpress.com

NEXT: The arrival at Nirgal-B and descent into the Maw—where the journey ends and the horror begins.

Created by Peter Randel | Content created under Fria Ligan AB's Coriolis: The Great Dark Third Party Supplement License.

This is a background materials file that I use to get inspiration on how to describe Builder ruins and make them come to live in the scenario I am working on.

It was generated using Google's NotebookLM.

I use this to listen and learn about the subject before I then go into the process of writing.

#CoriolisTheGreatDark #Coriolis #Builderruins #ruins #archeology #space #RPGPodcast #TabletopRPG #TTRPG

#SciFi #Storytelling #Mystery #Adventure #Gaming #Podcast #RPGers #TableTop

#LostCivilizations #AlienMysteries #SpaceExploration #CosmicHorror #DeepTime #RuinExploration

Translating Cosmic Dread: Fidelity vs. Function in Coriolis's "The Quarantine Station" Nightmare

Going over some of my old roleplaying materials I found the classic Mansions of Madness collection for Call of Cthulhu, and of the scenarios - the Sanatorium is a favorite of mine, and I thought how if this was transformed into a Coriolis the Great Dark scenario.

So with the aid of Claude, I tried to work with the idea, and I think it could work.

This Debate is a discussion about this. So is the previous episode, which used the Deep Dive format to discuss the same material.

It was generated using Google's NotebookLM.

I use this to listen and learn about the subject before I then go into the process of writing.

#CoriolisTheGreatDark #Coriolis #Builderruins #ruins #archeology #space #RPGPodcast #TabletopRPG #TTRPG

#SciFi #Storytelling #Mystery #Adventure #Gaming #Podcast #RPGers #TableTop

#LostCivilizations #AlienMysteries #SpaceExploration #CosmicHorror #DeepTime #RuinExploration #call #callofcthulhu #cthulhu

Going over some of my old roleplaying materials I found the classic Mansions of Madness collection for Call of Cthulhu, and of the scenarios - the Sanatorium is a favorite of mine, and I thought how if this was transformed into a Coriolis the Great Dark scenario.

So with the aid of Claude, I tried to work with the idea, and I think it could work.

This Deep Dive is a discussion about this. So is the following episode, which uses the Debate format to discuss the same material.

It was generated using Google's NotebookLM.

I use this to listen and learn about the subject before I then go into the process of writing.

#CoriolisTheGreatDark #Coriolis #Builderruins #ruins #archeology #space #RPGPodcast #TabletopRPG #TTRPG

#SciFi #Storytelling #Mystery #Adventure #Gaming #Podcast #RPGers #TableTop

#LostCivilizations #AlienMysteries #SpaceExploration #CosmicHorror #DeepTime #RuinExploration #call #callofcthulhu #cthulhu

This is a background materials file that I use to get inspiration on how to design Coriolis The Great Dark scenarios. I use this for inspiration for the scenario I am working on.

It was generated using Google's NotebookLM.

I use this to listen and learn about the subject before I then go into the process of writing.

#CoriolisTheGreatDark #Coriolis #Builderruins #ruins #archeology #space #RPGPodcast #TabletopRPG #TTRPG

#SciFi #Storytelling #Mystery #Adventure #Gaming #Podcast #RPGers #TableTop

#LostCivilizations #AlienMysteries #SpaceExploration #CosmicHorror #DeepTime #RuinExploration

Part 3 of 3 (segment 4): From Concept to Publication

How do you transform sophisticated scenario design into a usable document that game masters can actually run at the table?

In this concluding episode, hosts Peter Randel, Carsten Eriksen, Christian Eriksen, and Elisabeth Tremors explore the often-overlooked art of scenario publication. Building on the structural foundations and action design from previous episodes, we examine how visual design, information architecture, and thoughtful handout creation determine whether The Library of Apan'ra succeeds in practice.

• Information ecology: designing for multiple reading modes (prep, play, deep study)
• Typography and layout as functional infrastructure, not decoration
• Creating essential delve maps: surface overview and depth cross-section
• Handout philosophy that enhances immersion without creating barriers
• Campaign integration frameworks that support both episodic and ongoing play
• Editorial techniques that make complex content accessible without dumbing it down
• The publication as teaching tool: showing methodology, not just content

Whether you're publishing scenarios for others, creating materials for your own table, or studying how design choices affect usability, this episode provides sophisticated frameworks grounded in practical application.

Scenario designers preparing for publication • Game masters creating custom adventures • Anyone interested in information design and usability • Fans developing Coriolis campaigns • Designers studying how layout supports play • Writers transforming ideas into usable documents

#CoriolisRPG #TheGreatDark #TableTopRPG #RPGPodcast #ScenarioDesign #DelveCrawl #ScienceFictionGaming #FreeLeague #RPGDesign #GameMaster #PublicationDesign #InformationDesign #ArchaeologicalAdventure #CosmicHorror #AskAggerMethod #FiveRoomDungeon #RPGTheory #TabletopGaming #SciFiRPG #AdventureDesign #NarrativeGaming #IndieTTRPG #RPGCommunity #GreatDarkResources #BuilderSites #SpaceArchaeology #ScenarioWriting #LayoutDesign #UsabilityDesign

Part 3 of 3 (segment 3): From Concept to Publication

How do you transform sophisticated scenario design into a usable document that game masters can actually run at the table?

In this concluding episode, hosts Peter Randel, Carsten Eriksen, Christian Eriksen, and Elisabeth Tremors explore the often-overlooked art of scenario publication. Building on the structural foundations and action design from previous episodes, we examine how visual design, information architecture, and thoughtful handout creation determine whether The Library of Apan'ra succeeds in practice.

• Information ecology: designing for multiple reading modes (prep, play, deep study)
• Typography and layout as functional infrastructure, not decoration
• Creating essential delve maps: surface overview and depth cross-section
• Handout philosophy that enhances immersion without creating barriers
• Campaign integration frameworks that support both episodic and ongoing play
• Editorial techniques that make complex content accessible without dumbing it down
• The publication as teaching tool: showing methodology, not just content

Whether you're publishing scenarios for others, creating materials for your own table, or studying how design choices affect usability, this episode provides sophisticated frameworks grounded in practical application.

Scenario designers preparing for publication • Game masters creating custom adventures • Anyone interested in information design and usability • Fans developing Coriolis campaigns • Designers studying how layout supports play • Writers transforming ideas into usable documents

#CoriolisRPG #TheGreatDark #TableTopRPG #RPGPodcast #ScenarioDesign #DelveCrawl #ScienceFictionGaming #FreeLeague #RPGDesign #GameMaster #PublicationDesign #InformationDesign #ArchaeologicalAdventure #CosmicHorror #AskAggerMethod #FiveRoomDungeon #RPGTheory #TabletopGaming #SciFiRPG #AdventureDesign #NarrativeGaming #IndieTTRPG #RPGCommunity #GreatDarkResources #BuilderSites #SpaceArchaeology #ScenarioWriting #LayoutDesign #UsabilityDesign

In This Episode:Perfect for:

This is a background materials file that I use to get inspiration on how to describe Builder ruins and make them come to live in the scenario I am working on.

It was generated using Google's NotebookLM.

I use this to listen and learn about the subject before I then go into the process of writing.

#CoriolisTheGreatDark #Coriolis #Builderruins #ruins #archeology #space #RPGPodcast #TabletopRPG #TTRPG

#SciFi #Storytelling #Mystery #Adventure #Gaming #Podcast #RPGers #TableTop

#LostCivilizations #AlienMysteries #SpaceExploration #CosmicHorror #DeepTime #RuinExploration

This is a background materials file that I have created for my own personal learning. This was created using Google's Notebook LLM and a prompt created by Claude.

This is primarily made for my own listening to revisit chapter 10 and 11 of the rulebook.

#ScenarioDesign #NarrativeDesign #CreativeWriting #GameDesign #StorytellingTools #RPGDesign #GameMaster #TabletopRPG #RPGDesign #GameMaster #TabletopRPG