Welcome back for another episode of Colostle - Dungeons!

Sybil and the Rookling are joined by the traveling Bastion monk, Zorn, who is searching for something known as a Rookling Forge after many of the rooklings from his monastery have left to destinations unknown. When their expedition hits a dead end, they are waylaid by a Lichen Rook and rush away only to find that Sybil's Whisperstone is pulling her somewhere. Remembering her strange experience with a Spectral Rook, she follows it into a labyrinth where she finds another unique rookstone as well as more clues about the Spectral Rooks...

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Monsoon Temple by Tabletop Audio

Cerebral Ensemble Mix B by Monument Studios

Tomb Guardians by Tabletop Audio

Descent by Tabletop Audio

Rock Fall, Dragon Roar, and Rock Fall B by Monument Studios

Lair of the Wyrm by Tabletop Audio

Hopeful by Monument Studios

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!

This month's episode is with Craig Hatler (a.k.a. Tezrak the Impslayer most places on the internet), a game designer and educator who came on to talk about the importance of a game's communication and resources when sitting down to learn how to play, run the game, or even for designers before it goes out. We talk about his game Shadowlight & Personae, a genre-agnostic neutral system aiming to be able to emulate any type of story, and the work he's done to improve his layout, resources, and more.

This episode bounces around a lot, but we primarily stick to the topic of "how can we, as designers or players engaging with a game, ensure that the rules and mechanics are effectively spelled out so we can just get right to the gameplay." Even as an admitted hoarder of TTRPGs, the act of sitting down to read a rulebook isn't the most exciting thing, I'd rather be reading an actual book to get ideas going, I just need the game book to explain how to do the thing. 

We talk about Daggerheart's cards, pre-generated character sheets, player resource sheets, the read-along rules from For the Queen, and more to lower your game's barrier to learning!

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome back to the new series of Colostle - Dungeons!

Sybil ventures out of the hanging city of Oubliette with her ice rookling in tow to attempt to find her way back to the surface. The two have more time to appreciate the immensity of the subterranean world and its architecture, but hear a cry for help while investigating a chained rook husk. The find a stranger bound with spectral chains, but before they can help, he is pulled away into the darkness below. When Sybil and the rookling give chase, they find an archaeological dig site for a Fostle, and brave the poisonous fumes to go in and rescue this stranger.

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Dusk to Dawn by Vindsvept

Vault of Terror by Tabletop Audio

Forcing Fate's Hand by Vindsvept

Origination by Monument Studios

Simple Atmos B by Monument Studios

Dungeon C by Monument Studios

Choir Ensemble by Monument Studios

Invisible Mountain by Tabletop Audio

Dreamscape by Vindsvept

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Bonus Halloween day episode release and it's one we teased wayyyy back in February in our Valentine's Day bonus episode! I'm joined by my wife Lynn to play another game of Star Crossed (and in digital) by Alex Roberts, published by the wonderful Bully Pulpit Games, but this time we're not leaning hard into the expected romance tropes or characters, we're getting spooky! (spoiler: it is not, in fact, spooky).

In this Halloween-flavored game of forbidden love, we take on the roles of a House and the Ghost that really, really wants to haunt it, but they really, really can't.

Neither of us could have ever expected where this episode was going to go, but in the end, I think it comes together quite nicely. Also, Rene's a sucker for a happy ending, so... that tower's bound to fall.

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

The Witch's Familiar by Vindsvept

Can't forget to do a solo one-shot for spooky month, so here is my one-player one-shot experience of Spellbook by DValeris a.k.a. Edaureen Muhamad Nor! This game is based on a familiar game from last year's holiday one-shots, Bucket Of Bolts by Jason Price and uses the Lost & Found SRD to simulate the life of a sentient spellbook that is past down through the hands of witches over three Acts. It was a very fun session and I fully admit I fall hard into stereotypical Rene tropes (sorry not sorry).

Definitely give this and more of Edaureen's games a look!

Also, shout out and check out friend of the show C.R. Rowenson's new LitRPG book Spawn Point, Book 1 of the New Eternity series! And if you want to watch me and some other creators play a short TTRPG series in that world, check out Clark's YouTube channel - The Magic Engineer!

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Elder Magic by Vindsvept

Kingdom of Mist by TabletopAudio.com

Mushroom Forest by TabletopAudio.com

Witches Dance by TabletopAudio.com

Dark Future by TabletopAudio.com

Pieces of a Memory by Vindsvept

Daybreak by Vindsvept

Welcome back to the new series of Colostle - Dungeons!

In episode 4, new friend Thorug guides Sybil and the Rooklings to the capital of the Dungeons - the Hanging City of Oubliette! This incredible city hangs from the top of an enormous cavern, lit up in all different colors in a perpetual nightlife. Run by four clans (Cups, Rings, Keys, and Shards), the city is both powerful and dangerous. What will Sybil find in Oubliette?

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Windswept Realms Vol. I by Vindsvept

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!

This month's episode is with Kate the Great Cosplays talking about the many, many angles she approaches the TTRPG scene through. Not only a cosplay event coordinator including TTRPG cosplay photo sessions and meet-ups, but an actual play performer and producer of the Don't Kill My Character stream, Kate does a lot in the games world! 

Personally, I couldn't agree more with her personal motto on games: "We never grow out of our need to play." Too true!

The conversation wanders throughout the episode, but Kate shines when talking about the meaningful choices of making a character, how to really inhabit them in play, through conscious choices and ongoing growth like curating music playlists, thinking about their physicality, outfits, etc. If you like Kate's vibes, I highly recommend the Don't Kill My Character backlog of videos on their YouTube and hopping into their live streams!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

It's spooky month 2025, and that means bonus episodes! They can be Halloween-y, generally spooky, or related to common tropes of the season, but this year it's kicking off with a one-shot of The Witch Is Dead by the incomparable Grant Howitt! 

The Witch Is Dead is a one-page RPG by the master of the one-pager about a kind and good witch who is brutally and unfairly MURDERED by a witch-hunter! Luckily, you are the cute woodland animals this wonderful witch taught some spells, and she told you to avenge her death and bring her killer's eyes to her body within one week so she may be resurrected. Will our chaotic crew be able to pull it off?!

Go get Grant's excellent games, support his Patreon, and if you're feeling really creative, he's currently hosting the One Hundred One Page Games Jam over on itch, where you can combine two of his absurd one-page RPGs into one game and submit it for folks to play! So do it!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

DMs After Dark Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome back to the new series of Colostle - Dungeons!

In episode 3, Sybil has escaped the major labyrinth of the Cistern only to find herself forced to explore further down into the Dungeons, which turn out to be much more interesting than expected. Incredible architecture and mechanisms are in place from who knows when - a whole world beneath the surface of the Roomlands... But before she can do much investigating, one of her new rookling friends wanders into another labyrinth!

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Magic in Bloom (feat. Elvya) by Vindsvept

Clockwork, Part Two by Vindsvept

Checkpoint by Monument Studios

Crystal Glass Shelved by Monument Studios

Simple Atmos by Monument Studios

Renaissance Combat by Monument Studios

Rock Fall by Monument Studios

Spellbound, Part Two by Vindsvept

Into the Silence, Part Two by Vindsvept

Skymning by Vindsvept

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

It's time for another one-player one-shot!

The Librarian's Apprentice is a solo game I've had near the top of my list to play for a LONG time, and it's a shame it's taken me so long to get this to the table. This is a game by friend of the channel Daniel Bronson-Lowe, a.k.a. Almost Bedtime Theater who you may remember from the Tabletop Tutorial episode of i'm sorry did you say street magic? where we built a city within this game's infinite library together on this podcast!

This is a game about playing a Librarian-to-be in an infinite library and working your way through its halls to find documents and uncover truths that will prove you worthy of the title Librarian. It is full of mystery, amazing oracles, prompts, and is so easy to play thanks to its elegant design. Not only that, the presentation of this game is so beautiful, coming in a package that unfolds into trifold pamphlets with bookmark character sheets, a library card, and the recently published Song of the Scryptwyrm expansion mystery adds even more amazing art through little hidden details and messages in the text. I can't recommend this game enough.

For this one-player one-shot, we follow apprentice librarian Corbyn on his first document retrieval assignment, slowly uncovering information about the strange inhabitants of the library known as the gnosiphages, a.k.a. booklickers.

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Windswept Realms, Vol. I by Vindsvept

Darkness Fading by Vindsvept

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands