Episode 04 - Developing Character Backstories

Special guests Marko (Degenesis creator, SIXMOREVODKA CEO) and Erik (Unpossible Journeys, Train to Baikonur) join us on this special post-Justitian episode to discuss the worldbuilding and design choices that go into Degenesis: Rebirth. We also talk about what we think makes Degenesis unique compared to other tabletop RPGs on the market today.

For the season one finale of THE CLUSTER SPEAKS, we talk about two kinds of character endings: deaths, which every Degenesis player comes to expect, and the conclusion of a character's story arc.

The lore of Degenesis: Rebirth is brimming with opportunities for Game Masters to create and develop one-shots for their players. Whether the players are brand new to Degenesis or veterans of the world, the exciting one-shots we discuss in today's episode should provide hours of fun for everyone.

Join us as we explore one of the least defined and most variable "Cult" of Degenesis, the Clanners. In this episode, we discuss a few of the Clans that populate the world, as well as make our own Clan from scratch.

Special guest Pablo from the Discord community joins us to discuss the short stories and audio experience released on the website since its launch in April. Warning: There are spoilers at the end of the episode for the story "The Gift" so read that before you listen!

The published adventure books for Degenesis – In Thy Blood, The Killing Game, and Black Atlantic – are written in specific ways, with specific orders of events and specific outcomes in mind. Some Game Masters feel restricted by this, thinking they have to stick to the adventures as they are written. We're here to tell you that's absolutely not the case, and here's what you can do instead.

Special guest Erik from Unpossible Journeys joins us this week as we discuss how to strike a balance between careful planning and clever improv. Afterward, check out the excellent tabletop RPG and Game Mastering advice at his blog, unpossiblejourneys.com!

This week, we make a Player Character together for a hypothetical campaign. During the process, we discuss how to develop character backstories, how to take advantage of Legacies and Concepts, and how to draw ideas from other forms of media.

This week, we answer one of the most frequently asked questions by new Degenesis players: "How can all these people from different Cults interact and work together? Especially ones that are ideologically opposed, such as Anabaptists and Jehammedans, or Chroniclers and Palers, or Spitalians and Apocalyptics?"

Degenesis: Rebirth is known for its deep and complex lore, and nothing is more complex than its metaplot. Join us as we discuss how to tackle this daunting behemoth of the universe. Afterward, share your metaplot theories and in-game revelations with us on the Degenesis Discord server: http://discord.gg/degenesis