Tony Spengler / March 23, 2023
For my podcast work, I have done a lot of searching for indie creators that had fun and unique content to use for my games. From monsters to items to NPCs, I looked for it all. I found it all with Jack at Of Gods and Gamemasters. Over time I got to learn who Jack was, learn about his content, and see his workin with the community. Such a great person within the TTRPG community, and I decided I had to have him on my list of interviews.
Origin: As Connor MacLeod, the Highlander, said, "Lots of different places."
Name/Handle: Jack Kellum, Jack the Giant-Killer, Of Gods and Gamemasters.
Experience: Gaming experience is...well, 41 years long. I've played so many games I can't remember them all. I've run games that entire time, including three long running LARPS.
Age: 49
Q) Could you elaborate on your origin? Are you in the States?
A) I was born on a Navy Base in Spain, moved all over the US when we got back, from Louisiana to North Dakota. Spent the most time, I guess, in Louisiana as a kid, Georgia as a teen, and here in Jacksonville, FL since I got out of the military over 25 years ago.
Q) I haven’t gotten a chance to listen to your stream, but it's on my list! Could you give an elevator pitch for your actual play for our readers to know what you’re about?
A) Fantasy unbound. A modern egalitarian take on old fantasy tropes. Stays faithful to the roots of fantasy and myth while updating them to match a progressive sensibility. Older and deeper than, and younger and newer than, standard Anglo-centric fantasy. Tired of having a world that is just a hodgepodge of the same ten fantasy tropes? If you are then check out the Successor States of Rega. Familiar and new all at once, a world of infinite possibilities with new assumptions. Now an actual play, viewable on Twitch on Thursdays at 8 pm, and always available on my YouTube channel, Of Gods and Gamemasters. I also make supplements for that world (and others).
Also got a short form podcast where I tell the legends.
Q) Do you have an episode that you would suggest to get a good taste of your AP?
A) Any episode, but the first one catches the feel pretty quickly.
Q) What are your favorite races, archetypes and/or classes?
A) I honestly don't have favorites, I play nearly everything.:)
Q) Are you experienced in other ttrpgs? If so, which?
A) The TTRPGs I have experience with is a long list, it's easier just to look at the front page of my website. I've played every single edition of DnD and nearly every official published setting. I design for [D&D] 5e, Pathfinder 1e and 2e, FATE, GURPS, Genesys, Mutants and Masterminds, Scion 1e, Chronicles of Darkness, Cypher, and likely to do more in time, like Fantasy AGE.
Q) How long have you all been working on this AP?
A) This AP is pretty new, honestly. It started last year as a charity game during Tales from the Table Studios: Day of Tales.
Q) Behind the scenes, what kind of equipment and/or software do you use for recording?
A) We use Zoom for the game, Owlbear for a VTT if we really have to have one. You'd be better of asking @thelionknight42 on Twitter what we use to record, he handles the production side.
Q) I've used some of your content before in my podcast, and plan on using more in the future. It's great stuff, how often do you create content for public use?
A) Several times a week, honestly. For DND5e, always at least once a week. Cosmic horror alternatives to illithids, aboleths, and beholders, encephalids, cetocephalids, and witnesses are all in DND and Pathfinder 2e, encephalids and cetocephalids are in Mutants & Masterminds and GURPS as well.
Q) So your AP, what world is it set in?
A) My own world, the Successor States of Rega. I linked my supplements for it above, and I have a big monster book coming out for it soon, well over a hundred new and/or improved monsters.
Q) What is the geography like? Is it one massive continent that makes up the Successor States?
A) Well, it's basically just the south part of one continent and the north part of another, similar to the Mediterranean Region. There are full continents to the north, south, and east. The Successor States are specifically what's left of an empire with similarities to Rome, but lasted 3000 years and became truly cosmopolitan before it fell.
Q) Are the rest of the continents to the north, south and east fleshed out? What lies beyond the horizon?
A) Not yet. I have basic ideas of what lies there, but worldbuilding never ends. I want to make sure the initial play space is as deep as possible.
Q) So is there a sea in the center like the Mediterranean Region?
A) Absolutely. You can see the region in my promo.
Q) Have there been any adventures out at sea yet? Or has it been all inter-city at this point?
A) All the adventures in the AP have taken place in the northeastern part of Skaria, near the mountains, near the town of Bersovia.
Q) What is your party doing now in the AP, what's the current main quest?
A) They are looking for a crypt beneath the town, to discover the fabled and feared Crown of Avarice, and possibly the monster wearing it, which they are sure is a dragon, and suspect may be undead.
Q) Sounds like they are in a zone consisting of danger. You mentioned this started as a charity game, which charity was it?
A) It was the National Network of Abortion Funds.
Q) How well did that turn out? Do you guys think you'll do another charity game again?
A) It did really well. I'm not running that game, but I will be running Mutants and Masterminds for charity this Sunday during Days of Tales 2, for Tales from the Table Studio.
Q) Same charity?
A) Nope, this time, we're giving to the National Alliance on Mental Illness!
Here's the promo:
Q) Who are you running this game with?
A) My Producer is @thelionknight42 , one of my players is Overgoblin (not on Twitter), Jack from @RPGsUncovered, and someone named Mr. Island from the Core Roleplayers Guild.
Q) Will you guys be running regular charity games from here on out?
A) We have at least one more scheduled this year.
Q) Are there table rules that you use in your games that stand out, or do you stay true to RaW for the system you are playing?
A) Mostly RAW, but we tend to roll stats using some high method ( [D&D] 5e, it's 4d6 [and] drop the lowest, reroll 1s and 2s, arrange as desired) and max hp per level. And a certain amount of “Rule of Cool” flexibility.
Q) Do you plan on having guests on your AP?
A) At some point, probably. I have plans for some guest stars from my own circle playing NPCs, but nothing else concrete yet.
Q) Have you been a guest in someone else's running AP?
A) Not a guest, but I have played in a short campaign of Blades in the Dark on Ampersand d20.
Q) Time to wrap it up, any parting thoughts for our readers?
A) Just share what you enjoy with others. They may like it too!
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