Adam’s riding solo on this one, and he’s pulling a bundle of helpful tricks and tips out of his Storyteller’s saddlebag—especially for folks just starting out running Mage games. If you’re a veteran, you might hear some familiar ground, but if you’re new to the Storyteller’s seat, this one’s a gold mine.
Show Notes- 🔍 Mysteries in Mage
How to prep, run, and avoid dead-ends in investigative stories using the Three Clue Rule, leads vs. evidence, and flexible scene design. - 📉 Failing Forward
Why a botched roll doesn’t have to mean failure. Let the players move forward with consequences instead of slamming the brakes. - 🎲 Let It Ride
One roll covers an entire scene—less stress, more fun. A simple rule to keep the tension without constant dice-checking. - 🏙️ Portraying Cities with Flavor
Bring your setting to life! Split the city into districts, add landmarks and “scenic encounter” tables to make your urban Mage game sing. - ⏰ Faction Clocks
A slick little tool to track what NPC factions are up to, using clocks to show progress and raise stakes in the background. - 😈 Villain Advice
Three time-tested tips:- Let worthy foes emerge from play
- Keep villains offscreen and safe until the big showdown
- Don’t be afraid to let bad guys run away when things go south
- 📚 Source of Inspiration
Much of this wisdom comes from Justin Alexander’s book So You Want To Be A Game Master and his legendary blog The Alexandrian, with Mage-friendly tweaks and examples sprinkled in. - 🎧 Related Episode
Missions, Mysteries, and Magick: Paranormal Investigation in Mage - Using weird artifacts, team dynamics and investigations that make sense in the World of Darkness.