Interact with the Pathfinder Heroic Endeavors Liveplay!
Pathfinder Heroic Endeavors is a new, limited-run weekly Pathfinder actual-play live stream featuring a rotating cast of players and GMs (14 and growing). The game is set in a homebrewed world first explored on the Dragons and Things Network that has now been given a home on Paizo's official twitch channel Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Each episode, the licensed heroes of Heroic Endeavors Incorporated risk life and limb to protect the people of Cavaloshia at reasonable rates unmatched by “other” adventuring companies. Every episode offers a complete adventure arc, allowing new viewers to tune in any time Heroic Endeavors is live without missing a beat.
Interact with the Pathfinder Heroic Endeavors Liveplay!
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Pathfinder Heroic Endeavors is a new, limited-run weekly Pathfinder actual-play live stream featuring a rotating cast of players and GMs (14 and growing). The game is set in a homebrewed world first explored on the Dragons and Things Network that has now been given a home on Paizo's official twitch channel Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Each episode, the licensed heroes of Heroic Endeavors Incorporated risk life and limb to protect the people of Cavaloshia at reasonable rates unmatched by “other” adventuring companies. Every episode offers a complete adventure arc, allowing new viewers to tune in any time Heroic Endeavors is live without missing a beat.
Pathfinder Heroic Endeavors: Series Premiere!
We’ve already produced four episodes and you can find them archived on the Heroic Endeavors Playlist on YouTube. We are working on uploading all the episodes to podcast too!
Heroic Endeavors also uses some technical production features you might enjoy! The liveplay features four Blackmagic Studio cameras, one PTZ Overhead “Dice Cam,” and complete lighting control. Viewers can experience interactive elements like Cinematic Mode, which removes all on-screen graphics and immerses the viewer in a more dramatic point of view by changing the lighting, color correction, and aspect ratio.
You can Toss a Coin and give 1 gp to a player of your choice or grant 1 Hero Point to the group pool. The cast members read comments live and have select "Comment Breaks" to help make sure the game and the break from immersion happen at only key intervals to avoid any undue interruptions to the storytelling.
Even better, all interactive elements can be activated by chat for free using channel points. Some have the ability to be purchased via donations that support TheDaTNetwork, an independent fan-supported endeavor. (We are producing the show financially, but ‘tis fun to show your gratitude to the players, yes?) All donate options offer the ability to use channel points as a free alternative. The cast members are always happy to receive financial support from fans but believe strongly that donations should not prohibit anyone from engaging with the liveplay’s content.
Heroic Endeavors plans to add even more interactive elements as the story unfolds. The cast members seek to balance gameplay and interaction to create an experience unlike any other that Paizo has offered to date on Twitch!
About The DaTNetwork
Starting with their flagship show, Dragons and Things, the DaTNetwork has been a premium source of live-streamed TTRPG content with a focus on building a community of people who like to tell stories and play games. Every show on the network features top-notch production, amazing on-screen talent, and opportunities galore for the audience to become a part of the story. Check out past DaTNetwork content on https://www.youtube.com/thedatnetwork and you'll soon see why we always say "DaTFam, Best Fam." You can also watch the network's newest Pathfinder show, Dragons and Things: Vantam, only on twitch.tv/thedatnetwork.
On Tuesday, February 25th at 6 p.m. Pacific, The Dragons and Things Network is beginning an all-new chapter in the Dragons and Things actual-play saga. DaT: Vantam kicks off with a brand-new storyline complete with new characters, new cast members, playing the new Pathfinder 2e system, on a brand-new set, in a brand-new studio. There's just a lot of newness happening here. For fans of the first DaT campaign following the Krag Krew, one thing that won't change is the fantastic camaraderie we share with our fans as we play one of the most incredible TTRPGs ever written.
Dragons and Things Returns
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
On Tuesday, February 25th at 6 p.m. Pacific, The Dragons and Things Network is beginning an all-new chapter in the Dragons and Things actual-play saga. DaT: Vantam kicks off with a brand-new storyline complete with new characters, new cast members, playing the new Pathfinder 2e system, on a brand-new set, in a brand-new studio. There's just a lot of newness happening here. For fans of the first DaT campaign following the Krag Krew, one thing that won't change is the fantastic camaraderie we share with our fans as we play one of the most incredible TTRPGs ever written.
We've come a long way from our hastily built set in a friend's garage. The core of the show remains an awesome campaign and epic storytelling, but DaT: Vantam is a serious upgrade for actual-play live streaming as a genre. This new campaign achieves that not just with a compelling narrative and impressive visuals, but by exploring a world in greater depth than any other show by telling two concurrent stories set against the same immersive backdrop. Every Tuesday, DaT: Vantam will feature a party of fledgling heroes looking to make it in a fast-paced city brought to its knees by a magical disaster of terrifying proportions. Then, each Friday, DaT: Vantam will focus on a tale of survival and intrigue as prisoners in an underwater prison struggle to escape a facility crumbling around them as a consequence of the very same disaster their surface counterparts attempt to contain. While each story is a self-contained plotline that serves as a complete experience on its own, fans able to watch both streams live will certainly appreciate the way the two tales intersect.
While the spine of DaT: Vantam remains epic storytelling, its heart remains the interaction between the fans and the players. Joining a live stream gives every member of the audience a chance to kick back, chat with the cast, hang out with DaT Family, and even affect the game directly with their contributions. Send bonuses and buffs to the players, or sow chaos with wild magic effects if you choose, there are a wide range of options for joining in on the action. If you'd rather just chat, the community is welcoming and vibrant, and the cast reads and responds to comments live on the stream.
If you're looking for a new story to sink your teeth into, DaT: Vantam is the perfect opportunity to get in on the ground floor. Every stream runs for 3 hours, with a short break at the mid-point where you grab a re-fill on snacks or watch some silly shorts. The Tuesday run begins on Feb 25th, and the Friday run starts Feb 28th, all streams starting at 6 p.m. Pacific. If you can't make the stream live, VOD episodes will be available shortly after the LIVE episodes, and audio-only versions will be made available as well. Just tune in to twitch.tv/thedatnetwork. Welcome to DaT Family!
Show Synopses and Cast Lists
Dragons and Things: Vantam - Tuesdays
A crew of adventurers-for-hire thrust into the middle of a monumental disaster will decide how far they are willing to go for the promise of profit. As the powerful try to buy the heroes' loyalty, they are left wondering whether their job is to put fires out or start new ones. When no good deed goes unpunished, and every bad deed offers pay, this crew must ask themselves whether they are heroes or mercenaries.
Cast
Meghan Caves
Jamie Mills
Katie Wilson
Adam Rady
Nathan Ondracek
Dragons and Things: Vantam - Fridays
On the day of their release, two former inmates and their advocates find themselves trapped in an underwater prison in the wake of a terrible disaster. With no way to access the surface and return to their disrupted lives, they struggle to survive as the prison threatens to collapse and kill everyone inside. Can they find a way out of an inescapable facility, and even if they can, is there any place for them in a city that already took away their freedom once before?
As an actor and a fan of nerd culture, I have been blessed in many ways for the past three years. One way, and how some of you might recognize me, is that I was honored to be part of a show called “Dragons and Stuff” all last year. It is now “Dragons and Things,” and we play a homebrew campaign live on Friday nights for our dedicated, wonderful fans. I am also blessed by playing Yukon Cornelius in the national tour of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the Musical,” based on the the ani-magic movie, every November and December. It is a blast. However, the drawback to having these two exhilarating jobs is time constraints. I cannot do both at the same time. But this year, I decided to combine my two worlds into an experience I will never forget.
Guest Blog: Ben Burch (Dragons and Things)
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Ben Burch is an actor based in Los Angeles, CA who loves playing games. Check him out on “Dragons and Things” every Friday night 6 pm PST at facebook.com/DaTDragonShow.
As an actor and a fan of nerd culture, I have been blessed in many ways for the past three years. One way, and how some of you might recognize me, is that I was honored to be part of a show called “Dragons and Stuff” all last year. It is now “Dragons and Things,” and we play a homebrew campaign live on Friday nights for our dedicated, wonderful fans. I am also blessed by playing Yukon Cornelius in the national tour of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the Musical,” based on the the ani-magic movie, every November and December. It is a blast. However, the drawback to having these two exhilarating jobs is time constraints. I cannot do both at the same time. But this year, I decided to combine my two worlds into an experience I will never forget.
I knew I wouldn't be able to exist without Pathfinder for two months. Playing consistently for so long ignited my passion for the story. I loved being a PC and feared becoming the evil, soul-stealer that led the group. But when Humble Bundle advertised their Paizo sale for Extra Life, I decided to strap on my GM boots and give it a go. I scoured over books. I carefully plotted who my first group would be. I dreamed of machinations of torment for my future players. Most importantly, I devised a plan. I would get my cast mates of “Rudolph” as excited about Pathfinder as I am and run my friends through an epic quest. I knew it would be difficult, but when is GMing ever not difficult?
Through rehearsals, I helped these new players through character creation and backstory. Then it was time for my wife (one of those players) and I to pack our lives into two bags and three carry-ons and venture forth. You can imagine how hard it is to pack up the necessary equipment for Pathfinder as well as preparing for a two month away-from-home endeavor, but we made it work. We arrived at the airport, received quizzical looks for having a map sticking out of my backpack, and were stopped by airport security to search my bag of d20s. Through all of this, nothing was going to stop me.
I sat down at our first official game in Fort Worth, TX, and felt prepared. I asked the front desk for an area where a group could meet to play a game. They peered at one another with questioning glances. To them, I looked like a bearded sack of trouble. As I saw their minds about to say “no,” I clarified that it wasn't drinking games or anything nefarious but to play a nerdy RPG. They heaved a sigh of relief, giggled slightly, and showed me a nice room where we could play.
Preparing encounters was easy, but I wanted the environment to be pristine. I played with lighting, something that was surprisingly easy on the road. Once, I even brought down lamps from three separate rooms. I adjusted the dimness of two corners of the room, completely extinguished a panel of lights, and set the lighting above the table to a perfect level where it would draw my players in without straining their eyes. I had my iPad filled with important Paizo documents on one side, my phone with Syrinscape on the other, and beautiful Legacy of Fire Pathfinder Dice. The work was worth it when my players arrived flabbergasted. It was time to unleash the Beginner Box on my friends.
There are many interesting problems that occur when you are playing a game without home-field advantage, the first of which I learned that night. If you are not clear about the time frame in which you plan to play, someone will come and kick you out of your beautiful playing space. Tension mounted as a group of goblins trapped and disarmed twos of the five PCs. The rest watched in horror as I scurried in for the kill, when suddenly security barged in and told us we had been there too long and must leave. So much for dealing with generous front desk staff. It was getting late, but we couldn't end the session like that. We packed up the mat, dice, computer, iPad, phone, character sheets, minis and GM screen and headed upstairs. Our rooms were very small. It was difficult to fit everyone inside, and I could tell that the delay had ruined the moment. Not to mention it gave time for the cleric to think up obscuring mist and escape scot free. They were tired and the moment gone. Yet, the story was all they could talk about the next morning. They were so excited about the growth of their characters, the story that was unfolding, and NPCs that they loved to hate. So, we decided to play again that night. We had a four hour bus drive from Fort Worth to Austin, and we were ready.
We hopped from one location to the next playing games. We went from Austin, in a room deemed “The Murder Room” due to the staff requiring that we be locked in, to Fayetteville, Arkansas where we practically played poolside. We had days of rest in between; after all, you cannot play a three hour session after three shows of “Holly, Jolly Christmas” being sung into your face during the day. We spent most of our time travelling by bus, extolling our tales to curious cast mates, and late nights/early mornings would be filled with passerbys peaking their heads into conference rooms to figure out what undead creature these strange guests were
talking about. The game ravaged forward, and they ended the Beginner Box triumphantly. In my heart, I knew there was more story to tell, so I continued their journey with a homebrew. But, many other cast mates wanted a part of the tapestry I was weaving for their companions. It didn't take me long to decide that I could multitask and take another group through the same box. Afterall, I knew the module. How hard could it be?
On the next bus ride, a particularly long travel day, I helped five brand new players roll up characters, along with leveling up my five previous players on a bumpy bus. I was exhausted, but I knew (due to time) that I should start right away. They went to the closest game store to purchase dice, and when that store had a terrible selection (as some small town stores do), they found a different one. Honestly, it was all going swimmingly. One group played at nights whenever we could sleep in the next day, while the other group would play the mornings on those same days. I lost some sleep, but didn't care. My friends were having the time of their lives. Unfortunately for me, the most distracting and frustrating moments for both parties happened on each of their respective “last nights.”
The second party, with minimal time, was able to get through the Beginner Box. It was in Columbus, Ohio, that their story, with me at the helm, would close. I knew the game itself had gripped their attention and they would want to continue to play, but Ohio proved to be difficult. The fanciest hotel we stayed in was also the stingiest. They told me I could play in a private dining room, yet withheld information that this room was actually public and the doors could not be closed. They showed me to another group area (this one had kids climbing over the chairs) and told me this was another option. After an hour and a half haggling with the front desk, I was able to secure a room. They forced me to pay for a cleaning fee, but the story was more important than a measly twenty five dollars. It was an interesting situation to be in. Normally, I would feel confident and prepared for a session, but this aggravation uneased me. In a moment of clarity, I realized this night wasn't about me or my struggles. It was about their tale. When we ended, emotions around the room were high. Blood was spilled, characters died, and heroes formed.
The original party felt similar sensations, but the situation was much different. With the tour ending, we played our last session in a LaQuinta check in/breakfast nook in Abilene, Texas. This group took their characters from Texas to Alabama, Michigan, Wisconsin and many other states only to end up in Texas again. The perfect moment arose in game. The sorceress walked slowly around the spirit of her deceased husband as he revealed the true nature of her djinni bloodline. As I was about to drop the bomb, a disheveled man barged to the front desk complaining about water pressure in his room. Later an elf laid unconscious at the feet of a bearded devil as the group slowly backed away from the deadliest villain they faced. With his evil intentions made clear, he struck the rouge with a coup de grace. The players jaws dropped. And they jumped with surprise as the front desk staff clambered about cleaning the coffee machine. Obviously, this was not an ideal situation, but I had already learned this lesson. The words flowed from my mouth without fear or hesitation of what these other guests or staff thought. The rest of the world dissipated as I sat with my friends at a real table that now existed in an imaginary world only we inhabited. The players cried, laughed, died, rose again, and defeated the enemy.
In the same sense, I defeated my own enemies. I had many fears when deciding to GM, especially in such a unique situation. The fear of telling pure strangers that I was playing an RPG in their hotels lived in me. The fear that I could not adequately perform the story was real. The fear that I was not good enough existed. In the end, all fears fell away as I learned that you don't need to be perfect to do this. You don't need the perfect map or the perfect knowledge. You don't even need a quiet, secluded space. You need people who are willing to dive in with you and swim in the deep end.
I guarantee that more of my friends are interested in playing. They haven't told me so, but I know that they are out there. I refuse to let time get in my way, to let my fears drive me away from something I love. As GMs, we are duty-bound to tell stories to players who are interested. And if doing two or three shows a day, traveling on a bus to a new city or state every night, and living out of a suitcase didn't stop me, what's your excuse?
