Since 2015, the DovahQueen has been taking your questions and giving advice to improve your games. Now the tables are turned in this DovahQueen series; Loren is asking the questions and a panel of guests answers. It’s time to Bend the Knee!
First, let’s meet today’s guests.
Guests – The Loaded Dice Rollers Cast of Season 2
We are friends and award-winning actors, sound designers, and editors. We love Pathfinder so we produce a well edited version of our real-play game for viewers. Basically we took our homebrewed game nights to a whole new level! @loadeddicerollers
GM Macleods – Executive Producer
Currently, GM is an Executive Producer of Microsoft’s “Brand Studios” a half-hour News style show and is completing his first two animated pilots. Additional television experience includes a four-year Executive Producer deal with ITV Studios where he developed and produced a multitude of scripted and reality shows for WE, ABC, FOX, Food Network, Travel, Discovery ID, TLC, MTV, GSN, and A&E to name a few. GM’s Company, has produced “Crowded House,” a series on HGTV, Game Show Flashback for GSN, Eureka Springs for TRU TV, and 11 seasons of a travelogue series for AXS Network. Producing nearly 300 episodes in total. GM is an Executive Producer on the Billy Bob Thornton feature film “SMELL OF SUCCESS” and the Hillary Duff, Winona Ryder, Chevy Chase, and Jon Cryer movie “STAY COOL.”
Brett aka Buzz aka Rules God
My passion for the TTRPGs goes way back to the original days of AD&D playing after school with my brothers and next door neighbor. Boy, do I miss those days of having no responsibility and roleplaying 3-4 days a week. Perhaps when I’m rich enough to retire one day, that will become a reality again! My involvement with GM MacLeods & Loaded Dice Rollers Seasons 1-3 has been a blast. I’ve had the luxury of assisting the GM by playing multiple NPCs throughout the seasons. In addition, I have fun acting as the rules referee aka “Rules God”.
Brooke Eyler
Heya! I’m Brooke, and I’ve been playing TTRPGs for around 5 years now. D&D 5e was my introduction to these incredible worlds, and I’ve been hooked on creating epic stories ever since! When I’m not in session, I dabble in cosplay, act, dance, and try to keep myself educated and informed.
Deanna Bakker
I was recently introduced to role play gaming, and fell in love immediately. I’m a lifelong actress with an emphasis on improv and trained in dialects which comes in extremely handy!
Allyson Severyn (@allyseveryn)
I’ve spent many years as a professional musical theatre actress in the LA area. Most recently I was a part of the cast of Frozen: Live at the Hyperion at the Disneyland Resort, but I have also performed in many other spaces across LA and even into Utah!
I was introduced to tabletop RPG’s just a few years ago but absolutely fell in love with it. While I am a newer player, I enjoy and embrace the challenge of creating great characters and diving into stories. I’ve often found myself leaning towards magic wielding characters, but have also played around with a few characters who are more skilled with a blade and bow.
If I’m not playing tabletops RPG’s, or other games, I can often be found watching good TV shows and movies. Can you tell I love a good story? Or, I’m often out taking walks and hikes to spend some time in nature.
Today’s Question
“Trouble stirs in the land. Far to the west, two rival kingdoms, The Orclands and the Deathmarshes, are considering an alliance against your homeland. Fortunately, you’re known as somewhat of a local hero for your previous exploits, and your queen has thusly summoned you. When you arrive at the castle, you’re quickly ushered into a large meeting room with a long wooden table. At its head, Queen Sivrunn sits flanked by a score of diplomats and military commanders. You’re asked to have a seat and join the conversation about the actions the country should take. It is decided that a rider should be sent to Elmdale, a potential ally, to request their support. Because Elmdale is very near to the Deathmarshes and enemy spies are likely everywhere, the rider will travel alone to attract less attention. Both the danger and the importance of this mission cannot be understated. For this reason, you will be the rider. Queen Sivrunn has ordered the court wizards and royal huntsmen to work together in order to secure for you whichever mount you see fit for the journey. Name a beast, and it shall be broken and trained as your loyal mount without fail.”
Pick one of your characters to serve as the rider. Who is it; describe your character. When given the opportunity to pick any monster or beast, and it will serve as a loyal mount, what do you pick and why? Lastly, give your mount a name.
GM MacLeods
GM Macleods’ NPC, the rat “Noyman” who rides a stallion between the ears on top of the head and is often heard yelling, “Elmdale!” His mount, “Honrus,” used to be a rat but was turned many years ago by a hag who polymorphed him. Queen Sivrunn had them as pets many years back, but since the castle mage cast a spell on the rats so they could speak, things have become very complicated and the Mage quit so the Queen is flat out of luck. She is happy to see.
Brett aka Buzz aka Rules God
I picture my character being an old powerful wizard with common sense. Resembling Gandalf the Grey in appearance. I would name him Felmore the Wise. And he would only be visiting the castle if he knew he would somehow benefit from the situation or if he owed the Queen a favor. And if I were ordered by the Queen to serve a dangerous & important quest to seek help from a nearby town of Elmdale, I would kindly tell her “Your majesty, I have a better idea. Rather than risk my life traveling through the dangerous terrain, how about I cast this prepared spell of mine called Sending to the leader of Elmdale. Elmdale will get the message in seconds, and it will save you and the militia valuable time.” But if the Queen persists I go in person, I would tell her fine. “I will teleport to the town and be back in a jiffy”. And if the Queen is determined I travel on foot with a loyal beast of my choosing, I would become extremely irritated and would request a Giant Snail who is slow as molasses just to irritate her for being so foolish.
Brooke Eyler
Lady Adrienne is of small stature, built willowy with a bird-cage chest and wide, colorless eyes. A wild mane of coiled, ivory hair puffs from her scalp, doing little to conceal the ram-like horns sprouting from her forehead. She looks frail, dainty, and most importantly, she looks the caricature of a damsel in distress. There is, however, an undeniable sharpness to the quirk of her lips, something unsettling in the way shadows curl toward her as if to caress. They tend to underestimate the power of a Sorceress. She calls upon a large hound, attuned with the shadows as she is. The creature, a mastiff with rows upon rows of blackened teeth that stretch its jowls grotesquely, may meld into the shadows with her. The blood that sings in her veins croons a symphony of darkness with the creature, allowing them to become incorporeal in the darkness of night. You cannot hit a target that is unseen, and you may not attack your own shadow. They appear weak, though any who attack them as they are visible in the light of day will be sorely mistaken. The goodest of boys, Chompy, will be sure of that.
Deanna Bakker
I am flattered by the request of my queen. However she knows I need no steed as I quickly stealth in the shadows hopping from one to the next as I travel at night. But also I know a mage who can teleport me to where I need to be and back. Again I am the most resourceful in all the lands and my queen has chosen correctly again.
Allyson Severyn (@allyseveryn)
The Queen knows me best as I lead the Griffin Rider Knights of the Queendome. My Griffin, Taco, has bonded with me many years ago, but I can request magical armor upgrades and a spa day for Taco to bathe the feathers, sharpen the claws and beak. Making this journey is routine for the Griffin Rider Knights so the path is well known to me. I will hitch the flags and fly them high as I make this diplomatic journey with Taco!
