Nicholas King
Bio
I'm a graduate of the University of South Florida's Creative Writing program. Currently, I reside in Florida, where I've spent the majority of life. In my spare time, I write fiction and poetry.
Stories (43/0)
The Controversies of White Wolf
In my previous two essays on Vampire: The Masquerade and White Wolf Publishing, I have talked about my love for the TTRPG and the lore behind it. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the controversies, missteps, and complete screwups White Wolf has done over the years. This is not a comprehensive list by any stretch but it is a highlight of some that I have found over the years.
By Nicholas Kingabout a year ago in Gamers
The Endless Game
One of the hallmarks of Vampire: The Masquerade (and for that matter the vast majority of the White Wolf games) is the Metaplot, the overarching storyline that was always in the background of the materials published for the game. Intricate, contradictory, and byzantine in its structure, the backstory of Vampire: The Masquerade drew from every form of mythology available, specifically the Biblical account of Cain and Abel.
By Nicholas Kingabout a year ago in Gamers
Everything's Got a Price
When you look at a setting like Night City in Cyberpunk Red, the first big question is this: How does anything get done in this kind of urban hellscape? From the corporations screwing over everyone, Solos and Netrunners looking to make a quick buck, and the Lawmen working side deals just to keep above dirt for another day, it’s a marvel that anything would get accomplished in the Dark Future of this game setting. And that’s where Fixers come in. For the right price, and a few favors to be named later, a Fixer can get what you want and what you need.
By Nicholas Kingabout a year ago in Gamers
Selling Your Soul
When the corporations rule the world, why settle for being a street rat when you have the chance to become the elite? Then again, a good degree isn’t all that will get you to the top. You’ll have to borrow, steal, even kill to get that cushy corner office. You’ll have to collect dirt on your superiors to keep yourself in their “good graces”. And you’ll need dirt on your subordinates to keep them in their place. In the Dark Future of Cyberpunk Red, this is the moral crossroads of playing the Exec Role.
By Nicholas Kingabout a year ago in Gamers
The Digital Fifth Estate
Finding the truth is one thing. Getting the truth out there for the masses without getting flatlined is another. And getting people to pay attention and believe it is something else entirely. The Media Role in Cyberpunk Red (affiliate link for DriveThruRPG) puts a player in the middle of the action as the “intrepid reporter” trying to find dirt on anything or anyone. In the Dark Future of Cyberpunk where the Megacorporations still wield considerable political and military might, sometimes it’s just a single voice that can cause the greatest amount of change.
By Nicholas Kingabout a year ago in Gamers