A Thank You From The DM
Hey Nerfherders!
I posted episode 50 of the show during the wee hours of the morning today and with that wrapped up the story that I had been trying to tell over the last 2.5 years. Scruffy Nerfherders was the third table top RPG campaign that I had ever been the dungeon master for and the difference in system as well as format made it a huge learning experience for me. I can’t believe that story ideas that I’ve had swirling around since I started prepping the campaign in 2016 have finally come to fruition. I want to be clear that the show isn’t finished, but we will be seeing some changes.
We’re going to do a check in episode to discuss ideas for what’s next. I’d love for people with questions or comments to email me (case.aiken@gmail.com) or message me on Twitter (@CaseAiken). We’ll probably be recording this either Monday or Tuesday of next week (June 24th or 25th) but it hasn’t been scheduled yet.
However, I need to also thank everyone who made this show happen. 50ish hours of a Star Wars Story is a big task and has only been possible because of a number of amazing people who brought it together.
Addy Thomas - I didn’t know Addy before the start of the Certain PoV network, but once we were introduced, we clicked immediately. When I suggested we do a side feature where we play the Star Wars RPG, he jumped on it. In addition to playing Pho Sho for the first part of the series and Arvis Reed for the second part, he was the editor for the first half. He set the tone for how we pace an episode and helped me gain confidence that, no matter how far afield we got, we could always cut it down into something coherent. As a player, he found his voice, coming to the game without a lot of experience in role playing, and now has one of the most defined characters we’ve seen.
Ben Milton - Ben and I knew each other for many years before he brought me on board to CPoV. Ben and I discussing off mic our shared love of D&D really sparked the idea that we could pull this off. His enthusiasm to try new things with his show led for two show to launch and turned us from a show with no specific goal into a network…with no specific goal. As Phallus Vojkiller, he helped set the tone for what kind of adventures we’d have, making it a relaxed and jovial occasion that has made it so easy to stick with. He’s been a great friend and a huge part of making this happen.
Shawn Lyons - Shawn had been helping out with CPoV stuff prior to us launching ‘Nerfherders. He designed the borders used for Certain PoV artwork that would later be modified to be used with the D20 game too. He brought a very particular comedic style to Fend’er Pikkup that I think we all fell in love with. When his personal life pulled him away, I was sad to see him go and we tried to work around it for a stretch. He was a great sport about sending in audio files to flesh out flashbacks. My only regret is that he and I concocted a great send off for the character, only for it to be eclipsed by what popped up in actual Star Wars media. Shawn was always a great part of our recording sessions and I can’t thank him enough for being a part of it.
Cory Putnam - While most of the players on the show were Star Wars nerds, but didn’t have experience with role playing, Cory was a performer through and through who was more just culturally aware of Star Wars. However, Cory’s take on Huuf Lung Dung was amazing and perfect for the group dynamic. Every session recording with him was an absolute blast. However, Cory also doesn’t live anywhere near the rest of us and we record our sessions in person, and that started to take a toll. He’s contributed where he can, and I am so thankful for that, and hope to have him on in the future. For now, I just really appreciate having had the chance to work with him.
Jmike Folson - Jmike was strong armed into joining the game after being a part for of the network on the production side for a long stretch. While we joke that Stembolt Tanoor didn’t have much story, he was actually built with some of that in mind when Jmike and I first started discussing what kind of character he wanted to play. Like most of the crew, he knew Star Wars but not role-playing and I will forever feel bad that I threw him into the deep end for his first session at our lukewarm live show. Since then, however, he’s had some of my favorite quips and banter. I’m extremely glad we pushed him onto the show and feel so rewarded by contributions.
Sarah Moonen - Sarah was the first person I thought of when I decided to have someone voice Mara Jade. She’s been a good friend for years, who first introduced me to the Machete Order for Star Wars movies (Geoff pulled up the article, but Sarah is the one who started talking about it), and is also a real life ginger so…CASTING! We worked out a system where I’d record the session with the character as just another NPC and then she’d record the lines based off my transcript and the audio clips I provided. I think it really worked well and has allowed for me to open the show to other cameos, but Sarah was the first. No matter how much she insisted that she wasn’t an actress, Sarah nailed the part and opened a new direction for the show.
Geoff Moonen - Geoff was introduced to me by our boss with the words “You two need to be friends.” and that was goddamn true. Geoff was an early frequent co-host on Another Pass and our friendship opened the door for Certain PoV to become a network outside of just a Sometimes Star Wars podcast and its spin offs. He recorded Sarah’s lines for the Mara Jade material, so was involved in story line planning log before the show started branching out as much as it would. Geoff was the logical choice to DM the Round Robin Session and his Imperial Officer was striking. After moving back to DC, I did a day trip up to NYC to help with a Surprise Birthday Party/LARP, so I think he knows how much I treasure our friendship, but I want to say it here.
Matt Storm - Matt is a man of many podcasts, but it was his show with Geoff that really brought the network into the form it would become. Matt was probably the first person who I first got to know on Twitter before coming to call them a true friend. Matt quickly connected with the group and brought his experience as a podcaster to help us define our voice. When I suggested that we swap shows for April Fools Day, he developed a great character in Dreg Crashblaster, just as I would expect from a veteran Pathfinder player.
MJ Bradley-Lestrange - What can I say about MJ? She is organized and pensive when most of us can be described as brash and enthusiastic. I aspire to be as capable an adult as she is. When the Round Robin was agreed upon, she was the one who actually made it happen. Her ability to eloquently express the burden of choice and internalize it in game settings has made her show, Reignite, one of my favorite podcasts and inspired me to get back into the Mass Effect series at her recommendation. Her portrayal of Akerwia was was a delight and brought what I knew she was capable of from her reflections on her own role-playing experience.
Rachel Schenk - Rachel makes me laugh on command. I regret only getting to know her after leaving NYC, because I’d love to see her perform more often. As it is, both Screen Snark and The Infinity Podcast are among my favorites in part because of her charm. Her take on Mag was charming and hilarious, just as I knew it would be.
Pat Edwards - I met Pat at the 2018 Geeklycon. We hit it off quickly and I was delighted to be introduced to his own various podcasts. When I reached out to him about having guests come on when Phallus was split off, he immediately hopped to work making introductions with the hosts of “Let’s Rewatch”. He had a funky take as Arri Atti, a hilarious Wookie. I can’t wait to do a panel with him at Geeklycon 2019!
Ash Blodgett - When Pat brought the hosts of “Let’s Rewatch” to guest on Nerfherders, everyone had different approaches. Ash came with enthusiasm and a desire to help me tell the best story I could. Her character of Dell was one of those initially understated types that would come to steal the show in pivotal moments.
Samantha Wilson - Sam’s another one who can make me laugh on command, though I don’t think she realizes that she has that power. When she drops a joke, I laugh deeply, and I first realized that when she offhandedly explained that her character of Mac had been standing the whole time our characters had been having a conversation seated around a table.
Bret Eagleston - Bret had a great pitch for the character of P3-3N that got me to waive my usual hesitation for droid characters. Since then, he’s shared his experience as an audio engineer with me, while also bringing a sharp wit.
Heather Antos - Definitely the “and” name on this list. Heather formerly was the editor for Marvel’s Star Wars line of comics and was gracious enough to come on Certain PoV to talk about that experience. When I asked if she would voice Princess Leia, I honestly thought that she wouldn’t be able to, either because of legal restrictions or professional commitments, but Heather is one of the most engaging public figures I’ve encountered. She gave a tremendous performance and provided an amazing send off to this campaign. I really can’t thank her enough.
Anyway, that’s it for my individual “Thank Yous” but I also want to thank everyone who has been listening to the campaign. Every time I speak with someone who actually follows the show, I get a thrill that is difficult to describe. This has been an absolute blast and I’d do it just for the sake of it, but knowing that anyone is listening has really made it feel worthwhile.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Case Aiken, The Dungeon Master