Hippogryph Issue One
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in this issue:
- fandom as religion - In the past decade fandom has become contentious and un-fun. With the mainstreaming of things formerly relegated to the fringes¸ is there any reason to continue supporting an increasingly toxic fan culture?
- novel-style character profiles - A character sheet is only good for the game system it was created for¸ but a character profile is truly universal. Learn how to create character guides the way fiction writers do.
- worldbuilding basics - Create a setting from scratch by starting with the most important information ‐ the things the players need to know at the beginning of the campaign¸ and what the gamemaster requires to run it.
- supplication: a different type of adventure - What happens when the player characters are downtrodden and persecuted¸ and have to appeal to those in authority for help? A departure from power-fantasy roleplaying tropes.
- the future of hippogryph - A look look at what's planned for future issues¸ an explanation of what the "semi-weekly" release schedule means¸ and some long-term plans for this zine assuming it doesn't immediately crash and burn.
A hippogryph is the poster child for two things that¸ by all logic¸ should not go together. Yet somehow¸ they merge into a new entity that not only works¸ but elevates both components. It's a strange hybrid creature¸ combining elements of a giant eagle with a horse. Various cultures over time have used the hippogryph as a symbol for everything from the perplexing nature of religious belief to the immeasurable power of romantic love. For me¸ it represents how the whole can be more than the mere sum of its parts. It's lofty yet grounded¸ poetic yet practical.
I named this project Hippogryph because it's full of such dichotomies. The hobby at its core is the melding of wargaming and storytelling. My strongest influences are both heavier legacy games like Dungeons & Dragons¸ and lighter¸ free-form systems like Fate Accelerated. My goal is to leverage the strengths of each element¸ use them to compensate for their collective flaws and drawbacks¸ and create something singular¸ entertaining¸ and useful.