00:00.00 sidekqpodcast All right? So we are starting on the new recording and away we go so hello everyone and welcome to another exciting episode of sidekicks and side quests still the best unofficial dungeons and dragons podcast in my humbly biased opinion. And you're joining us now at officially episode number 101 we've done it. We've made it past 100 episodes. What a momentous time and achievement and ah before I unveil who our returning mystery guest is got to go ahead and give a shout out and a plug to my first sponsor plus one e xp. You know Tony Vicinda is the mastermind behind plus one ep he makes all the beard balms and all the best beard stuffs ah out there on cybert space. So go to his website. Go ahead and get a little can of 1 of his beard bals that he makes and they're. They're all named after the basic stats from d and d so if you want to get a plus one or a plus ah if you want to get a plus one strength or plus one dexterity or charisma or something like that to your beard. You can totally go ahead and do that and of course the whole game that launched this whole franchise beards and beyond is available on his website. And it is ah not the only game that Tony's developed because he's also worked on repugnant I toaster down we go through the void vampnugula and brainstanding just to name a few. Um, so if you go to plus one e xp and you buy something on their store or you go to the itch page. 01:30.74 sidekqpodcast Tony plus one dot it io all that money goes to help funnel into the plus one Ford program which seeks to support additional indie tabletop content creators to continue making awesome stuff. So if you're not already following Tony and plus one eexp on all those social platforms. You should. As well as get on that Discord server because there's all sorts of cool happenings going on there and when you go to the website plus one yeah exp.com and you see that box for a special code to get a discount type in randolphrandol ph and you can get some savings on your purchase at no extra cost to you again that codes Randolph. On the website plus one eexp.com so without further ado hello mystery contestant was you care to reintroduce yourself to our audience tell us who it is that you are and what is it that you do Thanks. 02:18.61 Mark Wilson Why hello and I think it would be well I'll introduce myself in a moment but there's some excitement in being the mystery guest and not being named just yet. So that's exciting I could go the whole episode and just be the mystery guest. But no, my name is Mark Wilson and I'm a returning guest. So first off, thanks for having me on thanks for having me back on and congratulations on a hundred plus episodes. Um I'm excited to be back on here for triple digits. So it was. It was a lot of fun the first time and I'm a fan of the show as well. I have not. 02:46.95 sidekqpodcast Yeah, yeah. 02:54.58 Mark Wilson I have not had time to do all hundred and one episodes but I've I've listened I've listened to a number of them. So I'm a fan of the podcast as well. So this is really exciting and little bit about me. So I've been involved with gaming tabletop gaming board gaming for many many years. 02:59.00 sidekqpodcast So awesome. Yeah. 03:14.55 Mark Wilson And have have become embedded I feel like in certain aspects of the hobby. So since 2019 I have managed a website called bumbling through dungeons you can find it at bumbling through dungeons dot com. Originally it was d and d content only I've extended that umbrella. Somewhat to just include tabletop gaming in general and that is other ttrpgs and I do a lot of board game reviews now as well. So I've been able to grow a reasonably sized audience and and and traffic numbers to that and I have a lot of fun. Um. Writing for the website and then there are some ancillary projects that I do so I have I have a Youtube channel I actually shuddered that at one point just because it was getting too much to it was getting too much to do I might reopen it at some point. But honestly I'm um. 03:57.16 sidekqpodcast Oh m. 04:06.35 Mark Wilson Happy to say that like the videos that I made were instructional for me and they're sort of evergreen for fifth edition D and D so until we move into whatever comes next of course. But um, so that was a lot of fun. 04:10.80 sidekqpodcast sure sure no we're going to be fifth edition or die. It's fifth edition or die right. 04:23.43 Mark Wilson I Don't know I'm I'm kind of addition agnostic, but but it's it's whatever I'm able to play with my with my friends and get to the table that I tend to enjoy the most. But I also create supplements for for ttrpgs mainly five E D and d. 04:31.80 sidekqpodcast Sure. So. 04:39.49 Mark Wilson And a lot of those are available on the dms guild and drive through rpg and so those have those have come out sporadically since I started the site and will continue to so I have some plans I have additional plans for more that will be coming out this year probably as you know between now and whatever this episode is released. So it's been a lot of fun. It's a creative outlet. It's a social outlet. Um, you know my my social media presence is similarly sporadic but it also allows me to stay in touch with what's going on in the hobby and that's really fun just because it's it's you know it's a national and international community. At this point. And it's also something where you know I can just sit down with friends every week and play. So it's it's a very unique thing in my life and I do more in board games now as of this morning as of today I have my first board game designer credit on board game geek. So yeah. 05:20.48 sidekqpodcast Yeah, yeah. 05:31.80 sidekqpodcast So Wow that's awesome. What board game. 05:36.37 Mark Wilson So it's actually a very simple card game a Tableau builder called high and low. That's an ampersand in the middle so you can find it. It's as of right now I'm still kind of fleshing it out with like a how to play video the rules documents some pictures things like that. It's very much an introductory effort into board game design. But. 05:40.42 sidekqpodcast Okay. 05:54.15 Mark Wilson I've been working with a play test group and doing more in that realm as well and so it's another great creative outlet within gaming and within my local community here in I'm based in Columbus Ohio and so that's been exciting for me. The game itself is. Is simplicity itself and was kind of like I said an introductory effort of something that's functional and pleasantly thinking but also just allowed me to refine something and get used to the play testing process. So there'll be more to come from me there and in coming months and it's it's not something that I ever imagined. That I would be doing this long or this intensely It's just been something where I've followed my passions into it and that's allowed me to meet people and get more creative about different things and see the awesome creativity elsewhere. Whether that's podcasts or. Adventurers in d and d or other board games and it's just so interesting. It's endlessly fascinating and so that side of the that side of the hobby tabletop gaming in general is so interesting to me and outside of playing it's it's another outlet which is really fun. 06:54.92 sidekqpodcast Um. 07:02.53 sidekqpodcast Yeah, awesome. Yeah because I know when I was I had to remember this when I was editing your episode I think that was ah after all this turmoil with me doing various moves and. Having a kid and surviving snowpocalypse and so I think I remember your episode kind of coming out a little delayed but it definitely has been a very popular and strong episode. So if you haven't gone into our back catalog and listened to it didgebram stone song the dwarf Hop Bard dwarf hip hop bard. 07:15.40 Mark Wilson Right. 07:32.10 Mark Wilson Yep I actually have ah I actually have a fun quick story in relation to that character. So right now I'm playing in I kind of alternate with some people in my group dming for for D and d. 07:33.52 sidekqpodcast Was a great fantastic episode. 07:39.30 sidekqpodcast Yeah. 07:48.37 Mark Wilson Um, and I'm playing in an adventure right now Wild Beyond the witchlight which is one of the adventures for fifth edition D and D and I'm I'm playing the like descendant of digital Bra Stone song So it's like the great that I'm playing the great grandson. 07:53.82 sidekqpodcast Um, yeah. 08:02.66 sidekqpodcast Wow. 08:07.98 Mark Wilson Of digjabra and he is a dwarven bard. He's trying to live up to the um to the legendary tale of his ancestor and he's he's he's having a hard time of it because it's ah it's a tough legend to have to live up to and it's been. Ah, it's been a harrowing adventure for him so far. So. 08:15.70 sidekqpodcast Wow. Sure. 08:27.30 Mark Wilson I don't but he is He is silly. It's allowed me to like pull out all of my my silly little raps and rhymes and things like that. So it's a lot of goofy fun at the table. Um, and it's also it was a way for me to create an interesting connection to something that I had done. You know at this point. 08:38.31 sidekqpodcast Um. 08:45.58 sidekqpodcast Yeah, well hopefully by this point in time Digbram has beaten ah that ah arch fairy or whoever the God that cursed him and was able to pass on to that. 08:45.68 Mark Wilson Years ago with you on the podcast. 08:55.60 Mark Wilson Yes, yes, yes, right in his backstory like he he achieved he achieved. He achieved his goal and that was like the the end point the endpoint of his life so you know tales are told about that and at this point in the campaign that happened you know centuries ago. So it's just like. 09:02.71 sidekqpodcast Oh nice. 09:14.83 Mark Wilson Gone into myth and legend. But it's still a story That's told within the family of of my player or my player character I should say. 09:21.77 sidekqpodcast Yeah, so it sounds pretty easy giveaway then that you have been able to play D and D and some of these other ttrpg since the last time we spoke and interviewed. 09:34.55 Mark Wilson Yeah, yeah, absolutely so I dabble in some other systems I frankly don't get to play a whole heck of a lot that isn't d and d. That's just so easy to get to the table and that's always fine by me because again as long as I'm with friends I'm having a good time. Um. So I'm I'm in a play by play by Email Lord of the rings are pg right now. Yeah that I'm co gming which is which is really interesting so we're doing like an alternate history of of Lord of the rings like a scenario from it. Um. 09:53.87 sidekqpodcast Interesting. Okay, so. 10:04.85 sidekqpodcast Okay, so. 10:08.22 Mark Wilson And there are some other titles like I always like to to see what's coming out and even if it's not to play it or run it I get to see what's coming out and read some of the interesting systems right now I'm making my way through the Avatar Legends rpg. 10:21.41 sidekqpodcast M. 10:24.50 Mark Wilson And that's one that so everyone in my d and d group actually really loves avatar the last airbender and I'm hoping at some point to kind of pitch them on it and say hey I understand the system now. Let's let's you know, let's run maybe like a mini campaign like something that's 5 to 10 sessions something like that. And so I'm hopeful that I'm going to get to play that in the next year but there are others like that where I'll find my way into like a one shot of certain systems. So it's mostly d and d but yeah, definitely still active. 10:54.77 sidekqpodcast Awesome! and ah as you remember this podcast being themed upon sidekicks and side Quest have you come across any new or interesting sideca or Npc characters since the last time we spoke. 11:08.60 Mark Wilson Yes, so I um I thought about this a little bit and it was staring me in the face and it's actually from the I p that I just mentioned the the avatar of the last air vender I don't know how familiar you are with with that. Okay. 11:18.50 sidekqpodcast Oh yeah, no no I I watched all of Atla on Netflix years ago and then when the pandemic first hit my wife and I binged the entire thing again and then we actually sat down and finally watched Quora because we had never actually seen and watched Quora all the way through. But yeah, we've. 11:24.78 Mark Wilson Yep. 11:38.30 sidekqpodcast Consumed all of the appropriate avatar materials. 11:39.96 Mark Wilson Yeah, yeah, and so I never watched it when it first came out I only first discovered it couple years ago and it was again kind of a binge scenario and I heard it from enough people and I'm like all right I'm gonna see what this is about and of course I raced through atla and then I watched Cora and. 11:48.83 sidekqpodcast I. 11:55.65 sidekqpodcast But. 11:59.87 Mark Wilson So now you know now I'm potentially preparing to run an rpg in that world and so the you know the the kids are the protagonists of that and there are so many interesting characters and it's really the characters that drive that and one of the most beloved. What. Characters from that entire from that entire world is uncle iro and so and I think there's so many brilliant things the show does with Ira and I started to think of him as I started to read the avatar legends book. 12:23.10 sidekqpodcast M. 12:38.20 Mark Wilson I Started to think of him and others as Npcs and that's what that's what inspired me to to think of this answer and he's I mean you could almost think of him as ah, one of the protagonist. One of the main characters but he's not. 12:44.91 sidekqpodcast Um. 12:52.72 Mark Wilson Everything everything that he represents is in service of like the story arcs of the main characters and the change that they go through and I think he's a really brilliant example of how you craft an Npc who is present who has a reason to be. 13:01.58 sidekqpodcast Um. 13:11.58 Mark Wilson Present for in a lot of different situations and for a lot of different characters and whose backstory is intricately woven into the world and the conflicts that the players and the the main characters are going to be involved in but he never he never detracts from their story. He's the Guy. He's the Mentor. He's um, you know with with Zooko. He's even the antagonist sometimes because it's it's like a foil to him so to facilitate his journey and everything he represents is in some way in service of the journey that the main characters are taking and. 13:30.64 sidekqpodcast Um. 13:35.48 sidekqpodcast So. 13:49.92 Mark Wilson The more I thought of that I thought this is this is really one of the best Npcs that I've ever seen fleshed out in. You know, not originally in an Rpg but very much in an Rpg sense of that word. Um. 13:55.80 sidekqpodcast Um. 14:05.17 Mark Wilson Where he feels very naturalistic. It's not just somebody standing there waiting to give you a request. It's somebody who's really built into the world in a way that makes sense. 14:16.13 sidekqpodcast Yeah, awesome. Yeah, we love we stand uncle io I guess as the internet likes to say yeah Uncle Ira we love him. He's ah he's the best dad in an atla for sure. Um, yeah, and and to go along with it. What's been a new or interesting. 14:21.92 Mark Wilson Ah, yeah. 14:31.86 sidekqpodcast Side Quest that you've come across and why is this side Quest stuck out with you. 14:37.11 Mark Wilson Right? Ah so this isn't a new side. Quest I was actually pouring through my memory to see to to to find a side quest that resonated with me and I'm going to get a little bit metaphoric. Maybe or a little bit abstract because it wasn't one quest but it it was a type of quest and I'll point to some specifics in a second. So as you know I played world of I play world of Warcraft for many years and it's it's also been years since I've played it at all, let alone seriously. So we're we're talking. 14:55.22 sidekqpodcast Um. 15:00.74 sidekqpodcast Capture. 15:11.65 sidekqpodcast Um. 15:13.45 Mark Wilson Quite a few years ago and there are a million quests in world of Warcraft and most of them are forgettable and some of them are actively annoying and so you know people have their favorites and least favorites and a lot of times the annoying ones are what's known as dailies. These things that you have to do to get progressive rewards but you got to go back and do it every day or as many days as you can and there was always 1 group of dailies that I loved and everyone else seemed to hate and I started to hone in on those on those quests and I thought to myself. What was I getting out of it that. 15:36.51 sidekqpodcast Um. 15:50.26 Mark Wilson They weren't and it was in the wrath of the lynch King expansion up in an area called Storm Peaks So Anyone who I know I'm losing anyone in your audience who doesn't play Wow But if you do like you're imagining it. You can see it and. There were these dailies that had really good rewards but it meant doing like the same quest 50 times and the point was though like you got these quests and then it sent you out into the wilderness and there was so much going on with the plot and the world and the main antagonist. So What you were trying to do. And then here were these quests that like sent you out just into a blizzard pun not intended with the yeah with with the company name right? right? right? The developer and it sent you out into this absolute austere harsh wilderness. 16:27.78 sidekqpodcast The developer. 16:39.70 Mark Wilson And the music as it often is in world of Warcraft was absolutely beautiful. So I would have the music turned on and I'd be doing these daily quests and it was almost like a zen experience for me. It was like a meditation because it was this removal from everything else that was present. In the game where you had to get the best gear and practice and learn boss strategies and do this and do that and yes and I was working toward that but I was just like out there in the wilderness with this beautiful music and I got to like sort of relax and it it removed me from that male strip. 17:17.80 sidekqpodcast Um. 17:17.86 Mark Wilson Of everything else going on in the game and it made me realized that there are a lot of quests in in d and d where I kind of enjoy being for not for a long time but just for a brief moment like being pulled out into some remote location. And whether it's a forest or a desert or a cave and it doesn't need to tie to the main plot. It doesn't need to be intricately woven into everything you're doing it can just be this respite from the stress of of all the all the other stuff you're trying to get to and. It was it was this interesting little sidebar for you know, an interesting side quest for me and I would always get a lot out of it just because it was my respite. It was my my break time within the game where I was still doing something useful but it was relaxing to me and so. Using those wilderness aspects which certainly exists in d and d and many rpg systems. So if you go into any setting you're going to have your urban settings. You're going to have your wilderness settings and finding ways to cut off the players from like the civilization that maybe they know. Can help create a contrast like I could feel that contrast in world of Warcraft when I was out there in the in the snow fighting. whatever for whatever like I don't even remember the specifics of it but I just have a warm feeling about it and that's that's the feeling that I retain. 18:44.41 Mark Wilson I Don't exactly remember how long ago it was but this is probably over a decade ago and I can still like sort of just smile and remember the music and what I felt I don't even remember what I was doing exactly but I remember what I felt and I think that in our. Oh we need the dialogue scene and we need the combat scene we need all these plot beats We forget that like we can just create a tapestry with maybe you have music or not your game that doesn't even necessarily matter but just like painting a scene and allowing players to exist in it. It can be an interesting removal. From the rest of what they're doing. 19:22.43 sidekqpodcast Interesting. Yeah, no the Ah? yeah, no I dig the whole aesthetic vibe and you were explaining the answer in it. Yeah, it made me think of ah you know oh you go out into the wilderness for isolation for prayer for contemplation and you're just like you're just existing. You're just. You know, basking in being itself and you're just like I'm here and I'm content and I'm enjoying the world and I'm communing with it. So That's really cool. Yeah, and I'm sure some of our most recent previous guests would probably try and encourage you you should get back into Wow because what is this dragon flight. 19:40.72 Mark Wilson Um, right? yeah. 19:57.29 Mark Wilson Ah, yeah, oh Wow. Okay yeah, I'm so far removed from it that I don't I didn't even know that but that that sounds like sounds exciting. No kidding Yeah, see if my see if my my log key button still works. 19:59.60 sidekqpodcast Expansion Now that's come out so you can like fly dragons or something. 20:06.30 sidekqpodcast Time to boot up the old safe files and see if they work. 20:15.58 sidekqpodcast 5 20:17.33 Mark Wilson To get me in. But yeah I'd like it's a weird game where I still miss it. But it's such a time sink that to get the most out of it. You do kind of have to commit to it and so I've I've stayed away and I've kept that's been okay for me because I have those nostalgic memories and I'm happy to treasure those? um. 20:22.25 sidekqpodcast So. 20:35.70 Mark Wilson Rather than worrying about like keeping up with it. But if I had infinite time I would absolutely I would absolutely hop back in. 20:42.58 sidekqpodcast And then to round out the personal interview catch up section. Have you discovered any new passions or hobbies since the time we talked and and what are they. 20:54.90 Mark Wilson Who it's a good question. Um, probably last time I was on I I would have talked about gaming probably swing dancing. Um, so the the pandemic changed many things. 21:09.48 Mark Wilson And on the other side of it. A lot of things got rearranged. But I'm starting to get back out into into nature more and finding ways to stay active because as great as gaming is I made a computer all day at at work. 21:24.23 sidekqpodcast M. 21:27.13 Mark Wilson And then I made a computer a lot of times in the evening and gaming is sitting and you know it might be over drinks or food or whatever and it's lovely. It's wonderful, but it is sedentary and so I get a little restless. So ah. We're still at it's it's March right now and I'm looking at I looked outside. There's no outside right now where I'm at and so it's not quite nice enough to do some of what I'd like to do but I do have I go kayaking here in in Columbus where I'm at so I have an inflatable kayak that I take out on the river. 21:44.61 sidekqpodcast I. 21:58.82 Mark Wilson And that again is something where it's It's exercised, but it's also something that's like relaxing and I have some friends that I go with other times. It's just me Yes, right? if I had I don't I don't have like the the mobile. Um. 22:05.36 sidekqpodcast You play world of Warcraft music and you're just Serene and you enjoy the the area. So. 22:18.27 Mark Wilson Mobile I almost said Walkman I am aging myself so whatever, the modern equivalent of a walkman is um and yeah I don't have I should play some wild music that would be that would be lovely. So I also have recruited. 22:31.25 sidekqpodcast And make new friends while you're out on the River be like hey is that world of warcraft music. 22:36.19 Mark Wilson Yeah, right, Just bring a speaker with me and just play it it as I go along for the people along the River or who are on on the River with me. Yeah, that would be that would be funny. Um, So I do that here and there it's not not right now this time of year. But once it gets nice I'll be back out and I also have a group that I go rock climbing with. And that's been a lot of fun. So It's most of them are better than me. So It's a humbling experience but it's also good, fun and and nice Exercise. So. 22:59.22 sidekqpodcast So. So that's awesome. All it's been great to catch up here in the the personal interview section that now I think it's time to head into a segment called npc creation and of course you know npc creation is brought to you by you. The podcast audience and our patrons from patreon so now is the time of the show where we give a shout out to our comfortable patrons and above with a loud hurrah. So do you Katie Downey Aka Goblin Katie an Jablinsky and my parents we say? cheers. And of course this is for patrons who donate $2 or more a month and these folks are among my highest tier wealthy level patrons. So that means they also get to introduce an element of chance to random tables that we might get to use here today in npc creation. So if you want to learn more and join the cheapest podcast. Patreon Community out there go to the show notes below go to my podcast website or just go directly to patreon.com/sidekicks and sidequest to find out more about our 3 tiers 1 two four dollars a month and help us expand our operations at the levitating platter. 24:13.50 sidekqpodcast And this demiplane and Worlds Beyond all right? So of course you remember this section is where we get to build out the Npc last time you brought us Didbram Stone song. And ah this time What are we doing? Do we have another character that we're unveiling. Are you going to actually ah take a chance at the random tables and see what we get. 24:34.10 Mark Wilson Oh boy, Um, let's let's start. Let's start with with a bass and then randomize some things does that sound all right. 24:40.41 sidekqpodcast Okay, so yeah, that sounds good to me. Okay, so you've got an idea and we're gonna start with that and then when we need to. We will go ahead and roll some dice to fill in those other details. So the first question we have here is. What is the name of our character. So do you have that name or would you like to randomly generate that okay, so that is a d 20 role. 25:05.66 Mark Wilson Let's randomly generate that one. Oh okay I reminded myself that I needed dice and then I forgot to grab them can I can I I'll be right back. 25:16.10 sidekqpodcast Sure Yeah, go for it. 25:27.25 Mark Wilson Um, connection to. 25:46.13 sidekqpodcast I was wondering if that was a cardigan or a blanket and you said there were snow so it's like ah it's cold that would make sense as to why he has a blanket draped over his shoulders. Yeah. 25:54.16 Mark Wilson Um, right right? Yeah, a little bit chillier than I'm used to this time of year but stay more all right? So d twenty let's see what we get I as a 19 26:09.51 sidekqpodcast 19 wow. Okay, ah the spirit definitely guides this podcast because your answer was provided by previous guest Bobby Angel the name you have is Leroy Jenkins so very much a mythical figure within the world of Warcraft certainly and. 26:31.51 Mark Wilson Oh my gosh brilliant brilliant. That's that's too good. Um all right? So my good. So so now I have this whole image in mind of what Lee Roy Jenkins is but hopefully hopefully we can take it at a slightly different university. 26:36.82 sidekqpodcast Yeah. 26:47.53 sidekqpodcast Differentiate or maybe like this is like the third or fourth generation after the original Lee Roy Jenkins um yeah so now we get to determine the ancestry of the character. So if you already know this or if you'd like to randomly generate that ancestry that. 26:49.70 Mark Wilson Yeah. 27:01.39 Mark Wilson The ancestry. Let's stick with random. That's that that was incredible. 27:08.18 sidekqpodcast Okay, all right? So then ah the random ancestry role is a d 100 or two d ten s so. 27:12.78 Mark Wilson Um, two. Okay, yeah, are's see. 27:23.83 Mark Wilson 94 27:27.34 sidekqpodcast Number 94 okay as I scroll down the list. Ah okay, so you have ah you have some choices here. We have vampire dam fear or sterogi. 27:37.92 Mark Wilson Okay, so the so one of the ideas floating around in my head is actually for a vampire So we're definitely picking that one the vampire. Yes. 27:48.45 sidekqpodcast Okay, so we've got Leroy Jenkins the vampire the vampire. Um, okay, and now we need to figure out what is the job or role in society for le Roy Jenkins if you would like to randomly generate that that is a d 10 role. Otherwise if you know what that is let us know so. 28:07.51 Mark Wilson All right? So let's the the randomization has worked out well. But um I think in the not in the spirit of the original the Jenkins but in the spirit of someone who might come after and want to distance themselves from from that that that myth. That legend. Um, let's let's make Leroy Jenkins the vampire a painter. 28:26.44 sidekqpodcast Um. 28:30.76 sidekqpodcast That's interesting. Okay so spends all day painting. Okay, all right? and then let's oh oh right? right? Yeah and then he he's got to sleep in the day of course. Um, okay, and then we need to determine the age range of our character. 28:32.57 Mark Wilson Um, yes, well spends all not spends all night painting I Assume yeah. 28:48.69 sidekqpodcast Um, so this could be another um Digibbram Stone song situation where it's immortal. But if you roll a d eight. Um. 28:54.45 Mark Wilson Immortal. Yes, all right? Yeah, let's let's do that again because that worked out well last time so I'll roll randomly here. It's at 3 this time. 28:59.41 sidekqpodcast Sure Okay, young adult so you know he's a vampire so he could still be a young adult or maybe he's imortal but he just appears as a young adult. Whatever you're thinking. So. 29:12.34 Mark Wilson Yeah, and it depends a little bit on like you know you can become vampiric at least in you know d and d and a lot of as various races and so if you're an Eric Cochrane vampire young adult might be 2 years old. But if you're an elven. Young adult you might be 87 years old so 29:32.91 sidekqpodcast Yeah, so maybe maybe to clarify since you know we did say vampire and you can truly be a vampire in any other ancestry. Do you want to keep Leroy Jenkins a human or do you want to go with something else. 29:48.81 Mark Wilson Um, ah yeah, we can We can. We can keep them the human. 29:53.56 sidekqpodcast Okay, so Leroy Jenkins is a young adult human in appearance but he is a vampire and a painter. Okay, so with all these key pieces of information in mind. Can you describe the physical appearance of our Leroy Jenkins the painter who's ah. 29:56.52 Mark Wilson Um, yeah, it. 30:11.44 sidekqpodcast Human vampire. Yeah. 30:12.56 Mark Wilson Oh okay, so I'm imagining that if if we have a vampire who is maybe trying to go against type a little bit and and certainly against the the. 30:25.96 sidekqpodcast And. 30:31.93 Mark Wilson Fullhardy ancestry of of the Leroy Jenkins name that they're going to be very sophisticated very put together very well groomed and very well spokenke like soft spokenken so soft spoken. 30:35.00 sidekqpodcast So. 30:51.58 Mark Wilson Because everyone's everyone's anticipating them just like yelling out. Whatever they're very, they're soft spokenken and they want to let their their painting silently speak for them their paintings and so it's it's it's nature paintings or still life or. Wherever they find wherever wherever they find Beauty. So Just very opposite unlike Le Roy Jenkins How do I just run the opposite direction. So That's what that's where my head's at right now. 31:12.51 sidekqpodcast Interesting. 31:18.32 sidekqpodcast Sure Yeah, he's an aesthetic monk that lives in the desert and eschews all material goods. 31:27.78 Mark Wilson Oh my sure? Um, yeah, so he could be. He could be a bit monastic. Um, the desert though the desert though that might imply certain quests too because like how does he get anywhere in the desert. 31:33.75 sidekqpodcast In that way. 31:42.14 sidekqpodcast I Mean he's a vampire he can probably travel super fast or whatever because he's got a fly speed or something right. 31:47.62 Mark Wilson That's true. That's true. Okay, right right? Yeah, so he makes like night trips into the into the city or something. Okay. 31:56.56 sidekqpodcast Yeah, or you know maybe he's in a generic. Ah you know, ah temperate ah fantasy land or something like that that may be akin to Europe you know it's whatever you want or maybe he's in a. Ah, the world of Warcraft World just living in the outskirts of ah of a major hoard or alliance community or something like that. 32:19.55 Mark Wilson I Like the idea that he's in in a desert I Like that suggestion that you made so like ah a desert cave that he's sort of created into like an underground mansion. 32:30.79 sidekqpodcast Mm So he's using the natural beauty of the world to actually create his his manner as it were. 32:35.80 Mark Wilson Yeah, it's very naturalistic but sure like if he can he can probably I don't know that he's entirely moral so he's he's probably he uses his vampiric powers to maybe like hypnotize people into you know, helping him create his underground world. Um. 32:43.78 sidekqpodcast M. 32:52.56 sidekqpodcast Sure or I was going to say if he took it over for someone like he just like maybe this used to be like an ancient temple or a Palace or something like that in the desert in the natural caves or rock splendor or whatever and then he just moved in and was like well this is mine now or something. 32:55.00 Mark Wilson You know if it's it's it's. Oh true. 33:10.98 Mark Wilson Okay, yeah, that makes sense like a sunken like buried by the desert. Ah the sands of time and all that Yeah, okay and that yeah you can get some really poetic imagery with that too. If you have like you know some temple to the gods. That's just become sunken. But. 33:15.71 sidekqpodcast That could be could be. 33:26.57 Mark Wilson Sort of unearth it and reveal the beauty but it's still mostly just you know it's mostly buried you just have to get into it. 33:32.58 sidekqpodcast Okay, and then if you had to describe hourly Roy Jenkins with 3 adjectives what 3 adjectives would you use. 33:42.60 Mark Wilson I like that you had to make that distinction very clear hourly leave word Jenkins um, let's see I think I already landed on 1 of them softpoken and. 33:52.44 sidekqpodcast So. 34:02.42 Mark Wilson Polite like doesn't interrupt and um. 34:20.50 Mark Wilson Shy isn't the right word they wouldn't be. They wouldn't be shy necessarily but I think part of the mysterious. Yeah, so not not revealing of too much. So. 34:22.69 sidekqpodcast Mysterious and. 34:31.56 sidekqpodcast Okay, and um I don't know if it got said when you were describing the physical appearance of ar lee Roy Jenkins does he bear like a very similar striking image to his ancestor or does he look like completely different than you know the progenitor. Leroy Jenkins 34:47.98 Mark Wilson So let's say that he does and he does as much as he can to avoid that in his like demeanor and dress and so like the resemblance is obviously there but in. 35:03.58 sidekqpodcast Mm. 35:04.87 Mark Wilson Like culturally he's trying to avoid the comparison. 35:09.17 sidekqpodcast So very interesting. A vampire kind of going against the um you know the aristocratic nobility sort of attire. You know like is just like and you know I don't know if he's in sackcloth or just like Camel hair robes or whatever else. 35:23.50 Mark Wilson Like yeah, very very plain clothes. Probably yeah fuck functional. Um, and if he's out in the desert. There's probably things to make sure that like to limit sun exposure even if he's asleep mostly during the day So and this is all to say like. 35:25.16 sidekqpodcast Um, but just yeah playing clothes and. 35:37.51 sidekqpodcast Yeah. 35:42.54 Mark Wilson Mark loves the holy Roy Jenkins video and tale and all that. So the fact that the fact that our npc is kind of like distancing himself from it is is perhaps is the npc only so I think it's I think it's delightful. 35:52.71 sidekqpodcast 3 36:01.79 Mark Wilson So I think it's a great bit of wildloer. 36:04.30 sidekqpodcast Yeah, maybe blizzard will listen to this episode and they'll decide to stick like a descendant vampire npc character out in one of the deserts there in ah in the world of Warcraft. 36:14.35 Mark Wilson That would be ridiculous blizzard if you're listening I will I will reup my wow account if you if you put this Nbc into the game just to just to monkey with all your players and and mess with them a little bit. 36:28.89 sidekqpodcast So is there a story behind how he became a vampire did he deliberately seek this out as a way to like distance himself so he wouldn't inherit. Ah the legacy that was kind of maybe going to be foisted upon him as a Jenkins man. 36:43.16 Mark Wilson No I'm I'm thinking probably it's not necessarily all legacy based so like you don't you don't get driven out and to the desert and become like a recluse nomad for that alone and just to avoid like scrutiny because of your name. So I'm thinking maybe like thinking maybe he was turned and wasn't wasn't a fan but being a vampire at first and eventually accepted his his lot in life. His fate. Um, but. 37:15.98 sidekqpodcast M. 37:20.61 Mark Wilson Wants to escape you know wants to escape that as Well. So whether or not he's you know whether or not he's like the the stereotypical Evil vampire or not I'm not sure. But um I think he's probably trying to escape his past in some way. Which is undoubtedly related to having been turned into a vampire. So Maybe his family turned on him once once this came to light you know and it has to be relatively recent as well because you know if he's still a if he's still a young adult and he hasn't been a vampire for too long. So He's still kind of he's still kind of dealing with this and figuring out what he wants to be because he's Looking. He's looking ahead at a life that's going to be you know potentially centuries long. 38:05.23 sidekqpodcast Yeah, because I'm just trying to imagine like his npc backstory like his family's encouraging him to carry on the Jenkins name so you have to be this great adventurer and go out and maybe his first big quest was. Oh sure I'm a Jenkins I can take on a vampire no problem and the vampire quickly turned him and then he just kind of had like a well I don't know if he had a mental break or he just had a crisis of faith as it were and it's like what am I doing do I even want this kind of a thing and then just kind of fled to the desert like maybe we're imagining and. 38:30.39 Mark Wilson Dear. 38:39.46 sidekqpodcast He's like no I'm just going to be an artist I'm just going to live by myself and you know not worry about what my family says or what my legacy says I should be so. 38:49.84 Mark Wilson Yeah, and I think that gives us the character a little bit more nuanced. There are you have your classic sort of ah larger than life villains that are vampires like strad and stuff in in in D and D but then. 39:00.35 sidekqpodcast Um. 39:02.91 Mark Wilson There are also ones that are more conflicted I'm thinking of like interview with the vampire if anyone's seen that movie where you have people who sort of embrace this life and ah live a debaucherous lifestyle and others who see it as a curse and so he's He's so new to this. He probably hasn't settled on what he's going to become. 39:14.23 sidekqpodcast I. 39:22.55 Mark Wilson He's sort of trying to figure it out and he knows that all right. He's been ostracized and now he has a long time to figure out what his life is going to look like what what? what? he's going to to do with it I like I like though that maybe he started out as an adventurer who was in the mold of. 39:38.16 sidekqpodcast He cried his name ran in ran into the tomb got bit by vampire and his friends assumed he was dead but then he woke up and was like I'm a vampire now. 39:41.96 Mark Wilson Yep yep yep. 39:49.14 Mark Wilson Right? So it happened exactly like the original Leeroy Jenkins except he just woke up after it. He was like oh I'm not dead. 39:58.61 sidekqpodcast Oh man, that's awesome and of course we like all of our Npcs to have a valuable item maybe a piece of law a secret or an ideal or concept that they ascribe to so if this is something you want to generate randomly. You know we can do that or if you have some ideas of. Maybe some of these kinds of things that come to mind obviously maybe his vampireism is a secret you know it sounds like he does have to venture into a nearby town to ah you know to feed or to acquire art supplies or whatever else I'm just curious if he's actually selling his work in the town. 40:31.16 Mark Wilson Straight. 40:36.34 sidekqpodcast And maybe that's if he's like trying to be like well I'm going to be this artist and I have to afford a income somehow I know I'll just be like this anonymous painter that that drops my art off at this gallery and the person knows to set aside money for me and I come and collect it at a later time or something. 40:53.50 Mark Wilson Yeah, honestly like the reclusive painter and probably commands a decent price for for his work so that could be that could be the source of income and how he you know how he does some things there. Ah so magic item though. So I had ah a had an idea when you were talking. 41:08.22 sidekqpodcast Sure. 41:10.70 Mark Wilson And it actually it actually relates to this is this is an item that I sort of homebrewed in D and D for a campaign that I ran and it it ties in pretty well to a vampiric nature. So It's a sword. That basically some some magical sword with some limited amount of senseis that that drinks drinks and absorbs the blood um that it draws and writes. 41:32.40 sidekqpodcast Okay. Okay, so yeah, I'm getting cra I'm getting craven edge vibes like from a critical role. You know the sword that like sucks in the blood and then like makes the person stronger or whatever when they attack the sword and. 41:52.31 Mark Wilson Okay, yeah, yeah, so so ironically I'm thinking of something again I'm aging myself a little bit I'm thinking of of a sword that existed in a dark sun video game like that like thirty years ago almost now. Um, and. 42:01.45 sidekqpodcast Oh okay, sure. Yeah. 42:08.97 Mark Wilson I based ah a weapon off of it in fifth edition and it basically heals you for a certain amount of so it like absorbs the blood and transfers it to the owner. So it's it's like a vampiric blade that helps heal you but then the more you use it the more corrupted you become. 42:09.97 sidekqpodcast Okay. 42:19.67 sidekqpodcast Okay, oh okay. 42:26.65 Mark Wilson And so there's ah, there's a corruption aspect of it and eventually like if you overuse it like bad things could happen where you either have to like eventually master it or like you start suffering certain consequences and it it could change you into a more feral persona. Um. 42:42.22 sidekqpodcast Interesting. 42:45.54 Mark Wilson Yeah, and so this I mean maybe this is how he like draws blood and absorbs it without killing but it's still slowly corrupting him. 42:52.23 sidekqpodcast Interesting. So he's an ethical vampire in that he doesn't want to like actually like bite into someone physically, but he will murder someone with this sword and then that's how it's feeding him the blood that. 43:04.51 Mark Wilson Yeah, and like you could even it doesn't even have to be lethal So I'm thinking that like regardless of whether or not he's killing you know he could just be wounding but it's still slowly corrupting him and he's still. 43:11.84 sidekqpodcast And a lot of wounded people in this desert town. 43:20.90 Mark Wilson Right? Yeah, it's like people keep getting these horrible paper cuts I don't know what's going on. Um, yeah so I'm thinking he's probably close enough to an Urban center that he can do some of this covertly. But. 43:31.62 sidekqpodcast Okay. 43:37.19 Mark Wilson Like regardless he's track. He's trying to fight the corruption but it's not. It's not. It's not working like he's slowly he slowly dissenting. 43:41.31 sidekqpodcast Um, and did he have this sword pre-existing to his having become a vampire was it in the abode that he just found that. 43:50.72 Mark Wilson Man maybe it was on the um I mean maybe that was like related to how he got turned like that was Luke from that from that done that dungeon. Yeah, where he you know went went in and did the thing but then died and came back and he was a vampire. 43:58.46 sidekqpodcast Oh from that dungeon. Okay. 44:07.57 Mark Wilson And they had also slain enough creatures that there was some loot left over so this is like the curse transferring so from from one to the other. So whatever they killed and turned him was the previous owner of this sort. 44:10.60 sidekqpodcast Oh. 44:21.98 sidekqpodcast Oo interesting so his party wiped out the vampire that he failed to kill and then when he came to like this is the sword like the rest of his party was like no this is damaged goods. We can't this is evil cursed. We can't take it but then he woke up and was like oh. 44:30.80 Mark Wilson Yep. 44:38.90 sidekqpodcast Okay, cool sword I'll take this. Okay. 44:38.65 Mark Wilson Yeah, and he was alive and there was a magical sword and he took it and then he you know realized after the fact that oh oh goodness this is this This is helping me but it might not also be a great thing. So. 44:53.99 sidekqpodcast And also interesting then in this scenario that his party just decided to leave him because you figure like oh a D and D party like if someone dies we're going to go in there and retrieve your body. Um, you know and try and bring it to a cleric to resurrect or something like that. But the fact that. 45:03.32 Mark Wilson True. 45:10.82 sidekqpodcast His party left him behind and because maybe they were too scared because like ah vampire or maybe they had to do battle with a vampire and then they just yeah, it's kind of interesting now wondering why he got left behind. 45:18.85 Mark Wilson Yeah, well maybe if he pulled a Leroy Jenkins they were just so upset him and. 45:25.90 sidekqpodcast And they were like his greatgregrafather did this. We can't we knew we shouldn't have brought him on the adventure and yeah. 45:31.80 Mark Wilson This is why did we bring? Why didn't we bring this jerk. He just he just ran in. He did the exact thing we told him not to do and now we're all going to die. So maybe they just thought that he got his just desserts and and they left it out. There are probably other. There are probably other explanations. But. 45:43.62 sidekqpodcast M.I. 45:50.40 Mark Wilson That one to me seems seems very thematic to the character name at least? yeah. 45:54.29 sidekqpodcast Okay, and then of course we like all of our Npcs to have side quest offer up so what's going to be your particular quest that our Lee Roy Jenkins would be willing to recruit or hire player characters to go and do so if you want to randomize that it's a d 12 role or if you have an idea What do you think the side quest would be. 46:14.74 Mark Wilson And. 46:22.51 Mark Wilson I want to create something that's tied into I think we I think we giving given the um random curveball of a name that we got I think we crafted a pretty decent backstory for for for Leroy here. Um I'm wondering if. 46:34.18 sidekqpodcast So. 46:39.36 Mark Wilson So he's in he's in the desert but he's not too far from an urban setting and I'm wondering if something got stolen from him or he's looking for something maybe a way to turn back from a vampire or even if it's just like a stolen painting. That's very dear to him of like someone he knew in his former life. 46:40.89 sidekqpodcast I. 46:50.54 sidekqpodcast Okay, okay. 46:57.64 sidekqpodcast M. 46:59.25 Mark Wilson But it' it got it got stolen and they actually like went into the desert and so like the other direction in a way where he's not gonna be able to make that trip and he's not going to have the protection that he needs and so it wasn't that they could take a vampire. It's just that they got away and now the environment itself is the protection. 47:06.98 sidekqpodcast So. 47:17.62 sidekqpodcast M. 47:19.24 Mark Wilson So he he wants the he wants the group. He wants the group to like pursue somebody who's taken something from him so it's it's sort. It's sort of a fetch quest but it's related to like a very dear item to him and potentially something that could help him either like. 47:24.45 sidekqpodcast Ok, next. 47:37.68 Mark Wilson Ah, Sage is his blood lust or if he's a brand new vampire. Maybe even you know like find some magical means to overturn it. 47:43.70 sidekqpodcast Okay, all right? So a painting of someone dear or just like a painting that he really likes or that he cherishes got stolen from his residence within the desert and they fled in the opposite direction deeper into the desert and. It's in such a way that he's not able to protect himself and survive that journey which is why he asked the player characters to go. Okay and so then it's a matter of confronting this person and getting it back whether that means by lethal means or stealth or thievery or whatever else, But what is going to be. 48:17.10 Mark Wilson Yeah, bright and to 50 48:21.81 sidekqpodcast Ah, reward you think if they are successful in getting it back. The painting. 48:26.91 Mark Wilson Um, um, so if he's if he's a painter of any renown. Um, he could. 48:43.44 Mark Wilson Do commissions for them to gain wealth or influence like if they're you know he's not going to have the type of gold probably like just money or physical. Yeah, he's not going to have like a bunch of stuff that he can just hand over to them but he can. 48:55.73 sidekqpodcast Squirrled away. 49:02.32 Mark Wilson Basically repay them with art that if they want want to keep it. It could be. You know if he's making these personalized pieces of art for the adventurers. Then you know what's special about them. They could gain influence in the area through through this notoriety or if they just need to pawn it for some money. 49:02.99 sidekqpodcast Okay, okay. 49:20.11 sidekqpodcast Um. 49:21.91 Mark Wilson It's It's worth a fair amount because it's It's high quality art. 49:25.36 sidekqpodcast Sure Yeah, and the the it's Ill It's the elusive painter of the desert did this portrait of of my of my character. It's like ah I can look really cool above the mantelpiece of my stronghold and give me notoriety and prestige or I can sell it. 49:39.65 Mark Wilson Right? I'm imagining how much I've paid for like character artwork portraits for for my my characters in the past and so this is like the in-game equivalent of that. It's like hey do you want your adventuring party drawn. Well I'll do it for you. So. 49:39.83 sidekqpodcast And get a pretty penny from it. Interesting and. 49:51.27 sidekqpodcast So. 49:57.96 Mark Wilson Yeah, they they would basically be able to just have ongoing commissions from him that they could use how they however they want so they could give to them. They could sell them. They could you know, just use them to to decorate their their homes and keeps and castles and whatever else. 50:11.70 sidekqpodcast Okay, and then what do you do you think this then also opens up a future side quest if he if like hourly Roy Jenkins is truly wanting and desiring to. Remove his vampiric affliction depending on if you use rules as written or you have to do some other creative means of getting rid of the vampireism and. 50:30.38 Mark Wilson Right. 50:38.55 Mark Wilson Yeah, it's a good question I don't know um like if it's yeah so like you would I would probably if this were me running this I would probably have a series of like Charisma checks that involve the players somehow to like. 50:39.58 sidekqpodcast He or he likes being a vampire. 50:56.13 Mark Wilson Break him of his of whatever corruption he has in him already. So I wouldn't make it a yes, no question I would I would kind of leave it up to the dice rolls and the actions of the players as to whether or not he stays corrupted or continues on that route and also like if you're chasing someone into the desert. 50:59.64 sidekqpodcast And. 51:14.84 Mark Wilson You know there are a lot of different things you can do too in certain complications there of course you know did the person did the person who stole it get get killed and now it's you know there are creatures that have it. Do they hide out in some you know like Cave or keep that's in the desert or in the mountains. That you have to infiltrate So There are a lot of different ways you could take that to add complications that I think could be interesting that would that would make it trickier than just oh let me go track this person down either steal it steal it from them or kill them and and take this painting Back. So I think there's a lot of. 51:38.14 sidekqpodcast I. 51:43.49 sidekqpodcast I. 51:51.41 Mark Wilson A lot of nuance that you could flesh out there I'm not entirely sure which way I would take it though. 51:51.93 sidekqpodcast But yeah, or if the players decide to Snoop and they find the sword and that the sword is like a pretty major corrupting influence because I know you were saying like a series of of checks. But maybe if they. Investigate and they they find this sword and it's what magic it possesses they might gain gain some insight or advantage and being able to be like well see. Actually this thing is corrupting you and making you think you should want to be a vampire but if you don't want to be a vampire. You don't actually have to be if you don't want to. 52:26.70 Mark Wilson Yeah, and you can maybe leave some clues to that like maybe he's like whispering to the sword or something as though he's having a dialogue with it so giving the players the sense that like something's a little bit off here. 52:38.57 sidekqpodcast Okay, very cool and then of course we have to consider the opposite. What's going to be the consequence of failure or refusing the call to the adventure. 52:46.97 Mark Wilson Who Well yeah, so if if you refuse well it if if you fail let's say so this is a vampire who? Yeah, so this is a a very dear. 52:58.27 sidekqpodcast Um, yeah, like the painting's destroyed in the process of trying to get it. 53:06.30 Mark Wilson And a very dear item to Leroy to send somebody out and and make these promises then he's on a descent into like a dark place and so eventually the the party might gain the animosity of Leroy. 53:16.11 sidekqpodcast Moving. 53:23.65 Mark Wilson And maybe more so if they accept the quest and fail than if they just turned it down initially. So maybe he starts to get paranoid like oh these people that I sent to get the painting. Did they steal it for themselves or you know did they do something rash and get it destroyed. 53:29.00 sidekqpodcast I. 53:42.36 Mark Wilson Why haven't they gotten back to me. Why did why didn't they fail So eventually there might become like an obsession or a paranoia that results in ah overt antagonism from this character who they they failed to help in some way. 53:53.89 sidekqpodcast Interesting. Okay, yeah, or you know he just progressively sends more more vampiric minions and and undead after the party you know as part of that paranoia before he you know maybe gets high enough level himself that he's just like all right Big bad evil. 54:03.84 Mark Wilson Yeah. 54:12.40 sidekqpodcast Vampire Leroy Jenkins I'm gonna one v one. All of you. 54:16.28 Mark Wilson Yup, and you got the perfect tagline for when he charges into so he just he did a full one eighty back to his roots and just screams Leroy Jenkins before charging in and attacking the party. Oh no. Yeah, and and in that moment he he fully loses his soul because he's given up and everything that he that he wanted to avoid. 54:34.64 sidekqpodcast You. Awesome and did you want to consider any of the other optional questions or do you feel like Lee Roy's pretty well flushed out. 54:49.38 Mark Wilson I Think we're probably in a pretty good place so that is um, as with anything I Love this I Love this process for creating npcs. 54:56.77 sidekqpodcast And. 54:58.60 Mark Wilson I rarely go into this much detail from I npcs but asking questions like this and mixing it with randomization and things like that is a great method in general. So I think especially after I did the podcast with you. The first time I did similar things a few times to build out npcs who were going to be recurring. But yeah I think we have a pretty decent npc going. 55:19.66 sidekqpodcast Okay, well now that we've ah crafted our Lee Roy Jenkins I think it's time we take him into a segment called the random encounter all right? So this random encounter is brought to you by no ads because at the time of this recording. We don't have an ad for this spot. So if you got some money. Or anything like that something you want to promote ah feel free to drop me an email and ah let me know what you got going on and I'd be happy to display it at this part of the show. So you know I appreciate everybody who listens and supports me and in turn I can do that for you? Um, maybe if you've got a little. Ah, coin in your pockets that might help out but again feel free to email me all those details and ah, we'll be happy to figure something out so all of you rich noble all of you rich noble women and eccentric lords feel free to drop me a line. Okay so random encounter. So this of course is the vignette. The roleplay segment of the show. So um, what kind of scene are you interested in showcasing Lee Roy Jenkins is is Lee Roy Jenkins going to meet a podcast player character ah is this going to be. Ah, the impetus for him charging into the dungeon alone and becoming a vampire or him interacting with some sort of um servant in his castle or maybe even the confrontation with the thief who steals the painting and makes off into the the desert nights. 56:51.56 Mark Wilson Oo That's that's a lot of check and yeah, that's a lot of choice. Um, let's do let's do like the let's do like the meeting with the with the player. 56:52.51 sidekqpodcast Or the desert dawned because that would probably be the better time to try and steal it for. 57:07.95 Mark Wilson In like an alleyway this would probably happen like not in the tavern but like off to the side. You know where? um yeah, sure. Yeah. 57:11.85 sidekqpodcast Okay, so you want to meet a podcast player character then sir so sure so to remind you who we have and we've added some characters since last time we have Duncan who's the recklessly brave happy. Go lucky adventurer for hire. We have Sonia the warrior woman who started off as a barbarian and multiclassed into a paladin serving the god who redeems the undead we have co act the lawful evil arcane trickster roish dwarf. We have chrisly the herbalist botanist woodolf druid who multiclassed. Into a cleric serving living memory. Um, we've also got oion who is the astral elf allusionist wizard who's kind of like a spock sort of a kind of a guy and then we have a brand new character that was just recently made she is a tiflling sorcerer wild magic. Ah, fay wild sort of flavored sorcerer named a gape and so of all of those ah characters who are you most interested in playing the scene off with and. 58:19.58 Mark Wilson So um I didn't I forgot the name but the Barbarian turned paladin who redeems the undead I think is is yeah I think that's too perfect not to choose for this for this particular scenario. 58:25.69 sidekqpodcast oh oh Sonia 58:31.68 sidekqpodcast Okay, excellent. So as I do some quick looking here in my notes to see where was the last place that we left our dear Sonia do do do do do do do aha. Okay there. See that episode but is there any other since then I don't believe so okay, all right? So I will I will take us in so where we last left our hero Sonia she had wandered into the fay wild. And she had wandered into a court and met Moose who was the fabled dressmaker of the fay wild. She told a wordy tale and helped set moose free from the service of that fairy court and ah helped escort moose back into the prime material plane and reunite her with her. Descendants and and and reunited her with her descendants of her family and it's not long before that sonnya finds ah an opportunity to meet up with ah axios. Ah her her sponsor and they decide to. Take a journey and they start heading off towards the desert and they find this rough and tumble desert trade hub kind of nestled out there in a ah oasis sort of a situation and it's ah they're arriving into town. 01:00:08.14 sidekqpodcast Of course Axios has been journeying for a while and axios is doing his thing where he has to like power down for like a couple of days before he's actually able to continuing on with the journey of finding the undead creatures and redeeming them. And so in this time while Axios has been set up in a safe place in the local Tavern Sonia is exiting ah the tavern and is beginning to take in the cool of the evening because there's like ah maybe an outdoor evening bizaarre or something going on because now that the heat of the day is done. You can actually do. A little bit of shopping and peace and so where are we going to find Leroy Jenkins as Sonia is exiting from the tavern to make her way towards this um evening bazaar. 01:00:53.56 Mark Wilson Sure so I would probably have some some minion with a small satchel of of gold pieces approach Sonia and basically say you know my master wishes to speak with you in private and and basically indicate. Me Leroy a a cloaked figure just kind of in the shadows just into an alleyway between between buildings here. 01:01:21.27 sidekqpodcast Okay, and so Sonia will look and regard this minion who I guess is a a human I'm supposing okay and so she'll look over and like that's the barbarian warrior instincts kicking in but she'll subtly hold up her hand and there's like a a pulse. 01:01:27.85 Mark Wilson Check, yeah. 01:01:40.56 sidekqpodcast And as she does like a divine sense and she looks up and her eyes lock on with the hooded figure and content and consents like his undead nature and so you know keeping her cool keeping her warrior focus. She walks over approaches slowly with um the servant of. Lee Row Jenkins and so she'll say how can I be of service to you. 01:02:04.66 Mark Wilson Oh I Hello Thank you for taking my inquiry by the look of recognition in your eyes I can discern that you know my nature and I let the yeah I kind of let I kind of let the moonlight. 01:02:17.63 sidekqpodcast She nods slowly. 01:02:24.12 Mark Wilson Cascade across my face and briefly show like a fang and a glints in in the moonlight before I recede back into the shadows I have heard of your I have heard of your adventures and your cause. 01:02:32.70 sidekqpodcast And. 01:02:42.87 Mark Wilson I Am new to all of this and searching for my own redemption. 01:02:51.97 sidekqpodcast Okay, and she'll roll an insight check and we'll say she rolls really high so is is he being truthful. 01:03:01.90 Mark Wilson At this point. Yeah, um, ah I believe so so eventually as we discussed. Maybe maybe that could change but at the moment. Yes, he's he's conflicted but it is a truthful intent. 01:03:14.46 sidekqpodcast Okay, and so then ah yeah, she'll relax her stance a little bit. Maybe not be as defensive or ready to go and so she'll say yes I I am here with my colleague who has the power. Um. To redeem you to help you on that path of atonement but he is at rest and will be for the next several days So in the meantime how is it that I can provide you comfort and aid. 01:03:42.80 Mark Wilson Thank you for the offer of the assistance. No. No, we can trust you we must trust someone sorry my apologies I I'm sometimes scatterbrained I was speaking to someone who is not here. And that was him kind of looking down at his scabbard and and and talking pointedly at it before looking back up at Sonja as I say I am in need of assistance which I believe you can provide but I have a more urgent matter. 1 that is more time-sensitive I have lost I have lost all friends or connections some of it willingly much of it. Not one of the few connections. 1 of the only things. 01:04:19.97 sidekqpodcast Ok. 01:04:37.92 Mark Wilson Allows me to retain what I once knew the warmth that I once knew of my friends and family was lost to me a painting of my only true friend. Her name was saffron I have not seen her for many years but a painting of her. All that I had left. It was taken from me now one such as I has means of reacquiring such things but they left into the desert I can give you information on them but could not follow them myself. It is too treacherous. For me to leave the safe confines of the land that I know the desert is not a kind place to one such as I retrieve it for me I beg of you it and she are dear to me I retain so little of what I once was. 01:05:34.31 sidekqpodcast And and. 01:05:36.70 Mark Wilson And believe it will help I will believe it will help me in in my return to the light. 01:05:39.81 sidekqpodcast And and and and having that insight and believing you to be truthful. She tries to do an Arcana check. But at this point her arch on Arcana Check is not very strong so when she saw him looking at the sword she was trying to figure out something but she just she wasn't able to. 01:05:50.97 Mark Wilson Okay, right right? red? yeah. 01:05:59.70 sidekqpodcast Discern it and so she just kind of like you know she doesn't understand what happened in that moment but she accepts it as like okay you know he's maybe he's like fighting his nature and stuff like that and so she'll just be like okay well yes I can I can help you like I said my my mentor my friend is Here. He's resting. But as soon as as soon as axios is rested he will he will He will put you on the right path. So What is it? Yes, Tell me where it is that I must go and I will I will retrieve this this painting. 01:06:29.47 Mark Wilson Excellent I Believe the thief left with this item in a Merchant Caravan less than a day ago I will point you toward its its path. They trade with the the tribes in the desert and. Is not a path that I can take a loan you will have enough information and to retrieve the item I entrust you with this and I will repay you in kind this painting is not for sale but others will be I can provide many for you. They can. As gifts or simply as Gold. They are treasured in this part of the World. You have my word on this. 01:07:14.60 sidekqpodcast Ah, she'll she'll nod and she'll ah agree to the terms and so then we'll begin the montage of acquiring the directions and the descriptions of ah the certain individuals and so then she will say um. 01:07:25.80 Mark Wilson Um, yeah, yeah. 01:07:34.18 sidekqpodcast All right I'll rest up I'll ah I'll get some supplies from the market and then she'll say you know she'll tell you where to find axios in the meantime. Um, you know if you if you need him sooner. He should be able to help you kind of a thing and ah she is and so she will after resting she will set forth. 01:07:47.19 Mark Wilson Chair. 01:07:53.27 sidekqpodcast Into the desert after the art thief and. 01:07:54.60 Mark Wilson Yeah, and I think if the quest is successful. It will mollify him a little bit and so it'll be easier to help redeem him. But if not then like he'll be more erratic when when when she gets Back. So I think I think that would be. Ah, good. A good little good little quest line. So with multiple ways it could end yeah and seen. 01:08:16.29 sidekqpodcast And seen yeah and seen there we go so we did it and what did you think getting to be Leroy Jenkins as opposed to Leron Jenkins 01:08:27.30 Mark Wilson Ah, yeah, it was quite different. So I knew I knew it was going to be a lot of fun. So I I had some ideas in my head and as soon as as soon as I rolled that and you said Leroy Jenkins I'm like oh here we go. Because this is going to take a different turn than anything I was anticipating so I did actually yeah so I did actually get to pool in a couple um couple ideas that I had prepped before beforehand but it was certainly guided a lot by those those random roles so that was a lot of fun that was a lot of fun. 01:09:00.20 sidekqpodcast Awesome! Yeah, and I. 01:09:03.23 Mark Wilson Yeah, and and honestly so you said oh maybe blizzard will put a new Leroy Jenkins in I think I'm hoping blizzard doesn't listen to this because like the the actual fear as they say well Leroy Jenkins is a blizzard property which which they wouldn't do either. But. 01:09:15.93 sidekqpodcast Right? I sure yeah and now that you're 2 for 2 on this podcast. How has it been. You know your original time. 01:09:22.12 Mark Wilson That that thought crossed my mind when you mention that So but yeah that that was a heck of a lot of fun. 01:09:34.70 sidekqpodcast Your second time. 01:09:37.25 Mark Wilson Ah I was a lot less nervous this time I think so I'm more used to I'm more used to improvising it's It's a couple more years of gming experience. Maybe so when you get thrust into you you semi randomly roll an mpc and then suddenly you're roleplaying as them in a scene. 01:09:45.34 sidekqpodcast Yeah. 01:09:54.24 Mark Wilson Like that can be intimidating and the more you do that the easier it becomes so not that you know, not that that scenes or any scene is ever perfect, but like just being able to jump in and out of different characters comes up comes with time. So I've also I feel like I've yeah. 01:10:05.74 sidekqpodcast Yeah. 01:10:12.24 Mark Wilson More so than before because I came with a little bit more of a pre-made. Ah Npc last time I appreciate the value that randomization provides and I won't say so when I run I Run a lot of sandbox campaigns and I'll have like the overarching structure of the plot in my head. But so many of the details I don't really know in advance and I leave a lot of it up to chance or fate or you know whatever you want to call it and so I'll build out a bunch of tables and I'll know what's on the tables. So It's not entirely random to me but I don't know what's going to come up at what point. 01:10:38.43 sidekqpodcast I. 01:10:48.56 sidekqpodcast And. 01:10:50.83 Mark Wilson And how the how the players are going to react to it and how those things eventually mix together into into things that you can't predict and so many wonderful things in the campaigns that I run come out of these moments that are a surprise not just to the players but to me as well and so i'm. Definitely started to embrace that more and honestly I think one of the more fun moments of that for me was that first podcast where I think I accidentally like you told me the wrong die and I rolled immortal for digibpro and. 01:11:24.89 sidekqpodcast Um. 01:11:25.53 Mark Wilson It was because it was supposed to be a da and I rolled like a D twenty or something and so anything up above anything above, you know was gonna be imortal but that was really funny because it helped us create ah a cool story about the character and I remember that moment as being something that I would not have thought of on my own that only came about because we. Randomized it. 01:11:46.21 sidekqpodcast Yeah, awesome and ah yeah, so you know as we're talking here in the final thoughts and we're getting you know your your concluding. Um, you know ideas and opinions on on how your second time on the show has been you know I'm just glad. Um, to have you back on you know I always wanted to be able to have returning guests and so to get that perspective shift from like oh the first time I was nervous now the second time is like oh I'm a pro I could do this in my sleep all day long kind of a thing right. 01:12:04.80 Mark Wilson Um, yeah. 01:12:11.80 Mark Wilson Well I did that isn't quite what I said less nervousness. But yeah I like always always always room to improve. But yeah, definitely definitely fun both times but a lot more a lot more comfortable with it this time and. You know and thank you for having me back on because otherwise you know we wouldn't have gotten to catch catch up and you know have another interesting conversation and create another interesting npc. 01:12:39.24 sidekqpodcast So yeah, so any plans for Lee Roy Jenkins do be showing up in your game anytime soon. 01:12:46.43 Mark Wilson Honestly I think the hardest part of this character to use in a campaign would be the name I think I think everything else could could exist pretty easily like that vampire character could be slotted into a lot of different settings and campaigns. Um. 01:12:59.90 sidekqpodcast And. 01:13:02.98 Mark Wilson So I might I might change the name slightly to evoke Leroy Jenkins but not be exactly Lee Roy Jenkins but I also think that having that name exactly for us made for a lot of fun because it gave us a lot to think about and start building the character from. So. 01:13:07.12 sidekqpodcast I. 01:13:22.32 Mark Wilson Yeah, absolutely in the same way that I didn't use my first character from the podcast exactly but I was able to build off of that and make a set make a similar one who's now a pc not even an npc and and use that as kind of backstory. 01:13:29.68 sidekqpodcast I. 01:13:36.90 sidekqpodcast Yeah, so. 01:13:39.94 Mark Wilson Just just keeping these ideas in the back of your head regardless of how you came up with them can occasionally reap rewards because you never know when it's going to make sense to have a vampire character like this as you know as a side quest or recurring npc or whatever you know potential antagonist or but you know. Evil villain if it fails like there's a lot of different ways. It can go so and that's one of the neat things about um so many characters that get created on on your podcast because you're going 1 level deeper into not just oh here's a name and a voice and 1 personality trait. You're really getting into what. What motivates the character and that's when some of the most interesting quests and plot beats happen in campaigns. So hopefully I get to use. Hopefully you know if if we if we get do this again in episode you know 200 and something. I'll I'll be able to come back and say I used a version of the vampire character. 01:14:36.20 sidekqpodcast Awesome! And so yeah with the final moments of the podcast. Let's go ahead and hear those plugs for whatever you got to share if we can follow you on social media if there's websites or causes or passion projects or anything like that that we need to know about let us know. 01:14:55.61 Mark Wilson Yeah, thanks. Um I won't go on for too long I think I honestly mentioned most of it toward the beginning so you can find me bubbling through dungeons.com so I'm I'm very active on board game geek and rpg geek as well. So my username there is Ma Wilson 4 so I I run a blog on I have my own blog on board game geek I'm active with you know the design community so you can find me on Twitter it's at bt dungeons. So it's a reference to the bumbling through dungeons website. You can always hit me up there and so i'm. Really looking forward to hearing the episode come out and you know see again, really excited to see you into the second hundred so congrats again on 100 plus episodes and hopefully you you hit a lot more. Hopefully. 20300 and it's still going strong so it's been It's been cool to see sidekicks inside quest grow as you know as it seems to have done and to have been a tiny part of that. So. It's been a lot of fun. 01:15:59.42 sidekqpodcast All right? Well thank you so much again. The the passion and the thanks and the enthusiasm goes right back at you and can't wait to have you back on to make even more interesting and pcs. Okay, so I'll.