The Lair of Secrets returns as Ken and David delve into their respective stacks of books, contemplate new video game including Gloomhaven, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, and then talk about their favorite game master hacks.

Library 64 (or "Ken has more books than time")

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

More video game nostalgia. But not as good as the original (where “good” is a highly subjective term).

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy (Book I: Chaos Rising) by Timothy Zahn

Who cares what it’s about. More Thrawn!

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

Fourth book in the epic Stormlight Archives. Prime winter break reading material.

The Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

“epic story of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet.”

The Saints of Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton

Transhumans battle against aliens intent on “saving us” so we can meet their god at the end of time.

The Game Room

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

More JRPG squad-level tactical combat, this time for the Switch

Ken told himself he wouldn’t get it until he completed Fire Emblem: Fates: Birthright.. And then he misplaced his3DS…

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

Ken's a huge Marvel fanboy, and right now he could use a video game that includes all his favorite heroes (including the X-men)

Meanwhile ... in yet another Library

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

David is currently reading this.

Alex Verus: Forged by Benedict Jacka

If Harry Dresden were British and could divine the future

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold

Seems to be the last of the Miles Vorkosigan series

Penrick’s Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold

Novella - part of a fantasy series

The Transporter Room

David picked up the trial for CBS All Access for a week

Watched the two seasons of Lower Decks, felt like Futurama meets Next Generation

Inspired David to watch Discovery and have watched all the way up to the part 1 of the two part-er in season 3.

Finished Picard after skipping a few episodes. David definitely enjoyed Discovery and Lower Decks more. Picard just didn’t feel quite like Star Trek to him. .

A Haven for Gloom

David's been playing the Gloomhaven video game

Been playing for a few weeks now with some friends and I am quite enjoying it

It doesn’t replace sitting around a table with friends to play the board game, but it does have the advantage of doing all of the fiddly things for you

In early access, still a bit buggy and the interface could use some polish

Game Master Hacks

Check out the Game Master Box of Holding companion post for photos of the boxes in action.

Plano Cases for real-world gaming supplies - replaces crumbling IKEA box held together by (badly matched) nuts and bolts.

For D&D:

Plastic minis repurposed from Heroquest

Yellow and white crystals for “inspiration”, plot points, etc.

Red and blue gems to represent things. Like “paralyized” or “damaged”.

White and yellow gems to represent other things.

Pool of d6s and my “Ragnorak” travel dice. Plus a few more sets of dice, because who doesn't need more dice?

Index cards for initiative

Wet erase markers

Extra pencils, tape measures, and other misc. tools

Random dungeon dice by Inkwell ideas

Room for two or three hardcovers, depending how much I’m bringing with me to a game.

For Savage Worlds

A smaller case, which holds smaller rulebooks

Most of the same things as above (pencils, wet erase markers, etc.

Modern themed minis from Star Wars, Reaper, etc.

Poker chips for bennies

Oversized playing cards for initiatives

Power cards, status cards, and adventure deck (thanks Kickstarter!)

At the table

Index cards for initiative, global status indicators (“remember, everyone is blessed!”) and note passing.

Dice Cup of Shame (for those who forgot their dice)