Colonel Mustard is the Best Character in Clue

May 2024 Monthly Newsletter

I meant to write this newsletter two hours ago, but then I got distracted writing a rant for Twitter and an unnecessarily long pitch for Podcast Movement. This is all to say, I have too many things I can write ad nauseum about. What should the Kyle’s Corner for next month be?

New Episodes

This month marks a big occasion: our first crossover episode that ISN’T a special!

• Turnaround Big Top (Part 2)

• Fright at the Museum

Fright at the Museum is meant to stand on its own, but if you like our Tsarvian co-stars, you can listen to the prequel episode Welcome to Tsarvia!

News & Neat Stuff

• At long last, we’re releasing our cookbook! Kindof! In America’s Quest Kitchen, Hallie and newcomer Maya will be attempting to replicate recipes from Quest Friends! history, often only having a one-sentence description and a slightly silly name as a reference point.

• Nominate us for the CRIT awards by May 31st! Some categories include:

  • Best Actual Play Series

  • Best Podcast

  • Best Podcast Host

  • Best Game Master - Indie

  • Best Player - Indie

  • Best NPC

  • Best Villain

  • Best Audio and Sound Design

Patreon Highlight

We’re still doing Rest Friends! Each month, we get together to discuss the most recent episode… usually. This one involved a lot of discussion of Sonic the Hedgehog and a full four-minute presentation on why Colonel Mustard is the best character in Clue.

Necromonicon Entry: Mimeo

One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do. Two can be as bad as one, especially if the second is this Necromon, which can perfectly replicate any inanimate object… as long as it’s directly next to that item.

• Mimeo has the “Mirror” element, which is reserved for Mon that copy some aspect of their target. Other Mirror Necromon include Goom, Wardlet, and Play-Doge.

• While most Mirror Necromon have a standard form (like how Ditto normally looks like a pile of goop), Mimeo is deeply attached to its targets, feeling intense emotional and physical pain when not copying something.

• One of the Hereafter’s most notorious serial killers was initially believed to use Mimeo in their crimes - eventually, it was discovered that the killer was a Mimeo itself.

Kyle’s Corner: Sense and Sensitivity Readers

My twitter rant tonight reminded my of the time I ranted about sensitivity readers back in 2021. It was a pretty good thread, so I figured I’d share it here.

"[Having a diversity consultant] isn't exactly feasible, because tabletop games are all about improvisation, and don't necessarily have the time to interrogate story decisions that are made on the fly." Let's talk about how to use sensitivity readers in your tabletop show.

For anyone not familiar, a sensitivity reader is someone you hire to review your work and ensure that it doesn't include harmful elements (racist, sexist, ableist, etc.). Readers tend to focus on specific elements related to their experiences. On the surface, this doesn't work with improvised productions, because there isn't a script for a reader to review until the game is played. BUT there are elements of TTRPGs that are often prepared before any session. Specifically:

-The World
-The Characters
-The Story Arcs

This list, while snappy, certainly isn’t comprehensive. For example, what game you choose to play and its mechanics can have sensitivity consequences, as well!

Let's look at an example. Sera Brackleberry is an NPC introduced in the fourth chapter of "Quest Friends!" She is a transgender woman who uses a wheelchair, while I have none of those traits. So, knowing Sera would be an important NPC, I realized I needed sensitivity readers. The first thing I did was figure out what traits Sera had that needed consultation. I ended up with:

-She's a trans woman
-She's disabled and uses a wheelchair

I then found at least two consultants who were specialized in reading for each trait (four total).

Having multiple consultants is vital to the process. Marginalized identities are not a monolith, and it’s unfair (and not very useful) to have one person act as the spokesperson for an entire group’s experience. Having at least two readers gives you a much more nuanced perspective, which is vital when determining the core cause of issues and main areas of opportunity.

Then came the tricky part for TTRPGs: what to write. Tabletop games are improvised, and I never knew what Sera would say specifically. However, I knew how I would describe her, what her personality was like, and how she fit in the story. So I wrote that. The document included a summary of the podcast, a write up of the character, an explanation of how she fit into the story, and any specific concerns I had. Sera definitely got more planning than most NPCs, but I've done this for less planned-out characters, as well.

These five pages saved the character. By being specific about who the character would be and what concerns I had, I got feedback that not only addressed what I had written, but gave me further insight into the experiences Sera would have. And critically, not every consultant agreed. I think multiple consultants is vital for any sensitivity reading, but especially for something so broad as an NPC or story arc, having those multiple perspectives is vital for effective feedback.

It’s also important to check in for each character, because they’ll have unique opportunities and pitfalls. I actually had a minor deaf NPC I had to cut because I had just had blind sensitivity readers with Ein, and I thought that knowledge would translate over to this NPC. As it turns out, I made some very basic mistakes, like assuming American Sign Language only used your hands. I caught this mistake before the episode came out, but far too late to fix the character, and they ended up being scrapped.

So that's it! If you're running a TTRPG show, find those things you do have planned out, figure out what specific aspects require consultation, and hire multiple consultants to look at a read-up. And be vigilant. If you think something may warrant consultation, then it does.

(Quick addendum to add that the best way to ensure a healthy diversity of characters is to have a healthy diversity of cast. Consultation and diverse casting should work together, though; one is not a replacement for the other.)

And that’s the thread! If you enjoyed it, I actually did a follow-up on Tumblr, where I discussed some of the ways a show’s representation can fall short, even with sensitivity readers.