Timothy S. Brannan "Tim"

@timsbrannan.bsky.social

Other Side Publishing and 2x ENnie finalist. Author of RPG books dealing with witches, vampires, and other horrors. I do not answer DMs unless for business purposes. https://bit.ly/m/timsbrannan

I was/am a hard core TTRPG guy, but when Vampire TM came out, I was largely concerned with other things (grad school then marriage, mortgage, kids...) So, for me Natalie P's insights here are known to me, but only as an observer. I would love to know more some day.

Natalie P (is not a vampire) 🦇@sashette.bsky.social · 10h ago

I've got something in my brain about #ttrpg players and parasocial relationships, but I'm not in the right headspace. We've all witnessed the rise in a parasocial relationship with D&D5e alone, buoyed by Critical Role and a few key others. But that pales in the shadow of Vampire: The Masquerade.

The cover of Vampire: The Masquerade, Revised Edition.

A single red rose lays beneath the title.

Day 4: Charm The most charming GMs I know share one trait. It’s not that they’re the best storyteller, top improviser, or most confident. It’s simply that they’re genuinely excited to be there. They love the game, love seeing players surprise them, and that enthusiasm is contagious. #RPGaDAY2026

It’s day 4 of #RPGaDay2026, and if we’re designing a character that meets the prompts of “Intellect”, “Charm” and “Full of Grace”, I expect you’re probably building another spy then. So let’s not do that. Instead, let’s look at a game that combines those qualities in a most pleasing way. 1/

A venn diagram, made up of the Weekly Filter "Intellect", the Daily Filter "Full of Grace" and the Daily Prompt "Charm"

4.) Un momento de encanto que salió mal: Hace un millón de años, los PJs estaban hablando muy amigablemente con una anciana que en realidad era una bruja. Suceden cosas, la bruja ataca a un PJ. Respuesta del jugador: “¿Pero qué hace, buena señora?” #RPGaDAY2026

#rpgaday2026 4) CHARM In one memorable game the whole party became secretly charmed one at a time over a couple of sessions. We had to testify in court on behalf of the only un-charmed member. He was genuinely shocked when we all said he was guilty and pleaded for the maximum sentence!

#RPGaDay2026 Day 4 - Charm I have a soft spot for charming games, wholesome stories with low stakes, problems overcome by friends working together. Camp Flying Moose does this well, with adventures in a girls' summer camp, but also Golden Sky Stories with its cutesy anthro-animals antics.

#RPGaDay2026 Day 4 - Charm. We once played an emergency replacement session where the Mcguffin was a charm bracelet, and one of the charms happened to be a One Ring equivalent (I think it was a silver elephant). Much cheesy cliched fun was had at the expense of Tolkien, Lewis and the rest 😁

Shaun Baughn