This Christmas, we are taking a little break from Reliquiae and heading somewhere far more festive!

Welcome to Santa’s workshop, where the party is over, the mess is real, and our characters are very much on clean-up duty. Alex takes the reins for a festive one-shot where our elves (well, technically gnomes, but you get the idea) are paying the price and dealing with more than just the mess from the office Christmas party. Because when danger threatens the peace, someone has to step up and protect the Christmas spirit!

Dice will roll, chaos will ensue, and yes, it is exactly as silly as it sounds.

EGGNOG! 

Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Doug Cockle, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, and Aoife Wilson.

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An interesting episode of Action Surge this week. Mark at Crafted Campaigns made pretty much everyone hot, and once we recovered from the bi-panic he managed to induce, we had plenty to discuss.

We start by talking about how this might not have been a deadly encounter, but that did not mean we could afford to take too many hits. And this time, I (the character, not the me) did not shrink away! We are still not sure if it was Alex or I, but someone woke up feeling ready for a fight, and ready to break the old hide-shoot-hide-shoot rhythm of a classic rogue.

We also had minis. Yes, we know some people have been itching for action, and in this episode, we had more incredible minis from Mark at Crafted Campaigns. Harry also talks about the limits of his improv, which incidentally seems to be playing someone universally agreed to be incredibly fit. Also, he was apparently going to leave a note in someone’s bag. Do not be a coward, Harry.

We discuss Spare the Dying and how that might have saved Torrian. We also talk about how Harry previously establishing death saves for certain characters might have helped him live to see another day. Either way, if we are trying to keep Elowen from spiralling, then killing her family is not exactly helpful. After all, who does she fight for if not her family? We also break down more information about her brothers and Elowen’s relationship with each of them.

Look, rules are hard, and the application of rules is even harder. We love trying new things at the table, but sometimes, no matter how many times you read something, it is not until you try to use it that you realise how tricky it can be. Lucky for us, all of that is captured on camera. Are we flawless? Absolutely not. But we’re learning as we go, and not being scared to share it is part of our journey too. We will try again next time.

We also talk about supporting each other and supporting our characters. How the DM chooses to pass that information along, how exciting it is to arrive in a new city, and what we might expect when we get there.

Winter sports in Reliquiae? Yes, we discuss those too.

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Strength may hold you steady, but in the chaos of battle, when fear takes hold, even the surest hands can falter, and what once felt like control can begin to slip away.

When reality feels like a nightmare, and dreams feel like the truth, trust begins to fracture beneath the weight of doubt, and when everything you love might slip away, whispers of power can be too sweet to resist. But between the safety of home and the road that still calls, sometimes strength isn’t found in the swing of a weapon, but in the act of letting go.

Yet among it all, when armour can be traded for something far less guarded, there are still glimmers of what makes the fight worth enduring: a spark of laughter, a flush of colour, and the quiet reminder that charm can disarm just as easily as any blade. And when an impressive display turns every head, even those that hadn’t realised they were looking, it’s easy to forget that not every encounter requires a blade. Some of them might have you wanting to go a bit more slowly before deciding to yield.

Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Doug Cockle, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, and Aoife Wilson.

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Before we can even begin doing what Action Surge is actually here for, which is reflecting on the previous episode, we somehow open the show with legs above the heart and a sexual intimidation roll-off. Naturally. How else were we meant to concentrate?

We talk about how Harry tried to deliver story, lore, and information to the party without dumping it on the players. Despite the warmth and safety of a good, comfortable inn, Raidion's decision to stay sober for an entire session was a genuine moment of character growth. We also look at the role reversal in this episode. Kel really let his hair down, and we were all delighted.

It has also been a while since we met any of the Grēnweard brothers, so Harry shares a bit more insight into the most bookish of them, Torrian, especially when compared to Eiddon. Realistically, not many people compare to Eiddon. And let us be honest, who among us does not have a crush on Dolly? Plus, it might actually be comforting for Elowen to hear news of her brother after everything she has been through.

Naturally, we also talk about the hotties of Reliquiae so far. From Morgan, to Aska (who can absolutely make us feel special any time), to Medea (everyone has a type, we are not here to judge), and now Lovak. The group might have been a little starved for attention, and we're thrilled to hear that he knows what he's doing.

Then there is the amulet. Raidion might not have been drinking, but he certainly didn't stay out of trouble. We chat about that moment, the beauty of detail-oriented Doug and Kelyn's, and how he loves encouraging little character beats to happen.

Finally, we talk about death at the table and the important role it can play when it is used thoughtfully. Harry has never really hidden that he sometimes regrets not killing a brother or two back at Castle Grēnweard. And we also learn that the song From the Darkness Light does not actually have any lyrics, which is frankly devastating. We simply want to hear Harry sing.

Oh, and the Reliquiae master document? It is currently sitting at 328 pages and still growing.

Also, gag reflexes. For reasons.

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To all who would stand for Reliquiae,

The gods are dead. Murdered by those who sought to break the world they built. For millennia, they gave their strength so that Reliquie might endure, their light burning so ours could remain.

Now that light falters.

Barabask and those who feed his hunger twist the truth and poison hearts. The Gloam march beneath his name, bringing the promise of a world drowned in shadow. They would see Reliquiae unmade, the gift of the gods turned to ash.

But we will not let it fall.

Stand with us. Rise against their deceit. Protect what remains of the light. Let your blade, your voice, and your faith hold the line.

The shadow will not flood.

The truth will be illuminated.

-- The Last Light

Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Doug Cockle, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, and Aoife Wilson.

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Look, we just think it’s narratively satisfying.

We discuss how everyone interprets things differently at the table (it might not be what Harry said, but it’s definitely what we heard). He doesn’t want to say we’re wrong, but…

Today Harry gave us two things, and after that we sort of did whatever we wanted. We talk about how Harry plays with fast travel, what we did and didn’t do, and how we choose to interact with the world around us.

We chat about Dolly and how she sets the tone for the group, how Harry would always choose to save the penguins, and the difference between help and hope.

The Newly Dead are, for now at least, no longer the enemy, and we get a peek behind the screen at who we could have met (hello, Twinkle), the changes to Lesser Restoration (and how that might have completely changed our plans), and how our group seems determined to hold themselves to some very weird standards.

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Hope moves in mysterious ways. It can be found deep within, bestowed upon you by chance, or something you simply search for in others. But with hope comes fear, the fear of failing, of carrying a burden you never asked for. And though so many seek it, hope can so easily be lost somewhere between the harshness of winter and the reality of war.

Yet hope offers a chance to teach, a moment to heal, and an opportunity to break bread with others. Even when feelings are still too raw, too heavy, or sometimes just a little too salty to ignore, it can still be found by those willing to look for it.

In a world where nightmares and anger threaten to throw you off balance, sometimes the only thing you can do is stand up, take a swing, and let it all out. Because while the road ahead might still feel heavy, there is strength in knowing you don’t have to walk it alone.

Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Doug Cockle, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, and Aoife Wilson.

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We open with the important questions, like why Alex always walks in circles and how sock puppets somehow entered the chat. Do not worry, there are many voices of Doug Cockle to make up for it.

It is the first time we have filmed for a whole weekend in a while, and Harry talks about how much he prepped, and how much we actually explored. For the first time ever, we have left without tying up all the loose ends. They can figure it out for themselves, right?

We chat about the team finally getting a moment to breathe, how they interact when the pressure is off (spoilers, they drink), and, how much Harry hates fast travel.

Dolly and Aoife both chose chaos this week, and we break down her decision to stab straight through the middle instead of, well, literally anything else. Honestly, she just wishes they had kept the receipt.

We get intimate with I, and unpack exactly what Raidion saw with that Nat 20. There really are no secrets among friends.

Then it is story time with Doug Cockle. We talk patience, lore, and the perfect sprinkle of flakey salt that made Kelnys’ moment shine. He is such a unifying force, and it felt so good to learn more about him.

Finally, we talk about Raidion treating this episode like a bottomless brunch, and Alex treating us to the gun show. Because why not?

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As winter greets them with open arms, the air feels cold, clean, and gloriously alive. Now, as the world stretches wide once more, breath can turn to laughter instead of fear.

Yet, while freedom might taste sweet, it can be a little unsteady, and the path ahead may yet prove far bumpier than expected, and not everyone is built for the ride. Still, laughter carries on the wind, and joy finds its place amidst the chaos, offering a chance to reflect on love, loss, and lives once lived. In a world full of promise and poor decisions, if you choose to dance to the beat of your own drum, you’d best be ready for the rhythm that follows.

And as the fire crackles and the snow falls quietly, they learn that even in a world where everyone knows your name, even the Newly Dead can still get ghosted.

Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Doug Cockle, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, and Aoife Wilson.

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In this instalment of action surge, we reflect on an episode that - despite being our shortest episode yet - was jam packed with story, character and with everyone needing to think on their feet. 

We talked about how discussions away from the table can result in further discussions at it, and how these moments offer characters the chance to change and grow. Ben revealed parts of Raidion’s story that many of the characters had not yet been party to regarding the family he remembers and the darkest corners of his past. 

Next we moved on to balancing mechanical efficiency and character authenticity, reflecting on what it’s like to play at a table where people don’t want to tell the story in simplest ways - Aoife giving insight into Dolly’s discomfort with her newly acquired drum.

Then we moved on to the last half of the episode and the discovery of the way out of The Old Dark. Harry let us in on his thought process as he tried to balance creating atmosphere and handling seat-of-your-pants mechanics. We talked about responding to interesting ideas your players come up with, and trying to reward them for their ingenuity. It’s always about telling the story together.

After a brief video game discussion detour, we moved on to what happens next. Could an alliance between the kobolds and The Children of the Midnight Moon benefit both parties? Do the Newly Dead need to start building bridges, or is it enough to keep burning them down? We’ll have to find out next time…

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