Be sure to read about my cracker-barrel chat with Stefan Surratt over at Dragon Peak Publishing about Whistlepig Breakdown.  I've been a fan of Stefan's work for a while and have been enjoying reading through his campaign book, The Conquest of Chaos.  I recommend subscribing to Stefan's substack, if you haven't already.

In the interview, Stefan asks me about the inspiration for Whistlepig Breakdown, my pitch for roleplaying in the Shudder Mountains, and a whole lot more.  I won't repeat any of the interview here, since I know you'll read it if you're interested, but I will add a few thoughts on what I said there about the Shudder Mountains as a setting.

The pitch I made to Stefan was really the argument I would make to someone (like most of us) with a history of gaming in a mostly Tolkeinesque or similar settings with dragons and knights.  The pitch to someone new to tabletop RPGs is a little different.  Some folks who just aren't sure how to roleplay a dwarf or a cleric, will throw themselves into the character of a hearty mountain man or a smilin' fast-talkin' preacher.  It's about familiarity.  You don't need to know anything more than you already know to have fun in a Shudder Mountains game.  So, even if you didn't grow up trading dog-eared novels from Appendix N with your friends, you probably know the Appalachian or Americana tropes of the Shudder Mountains.

So, gather some friends for an evening of good 'ol Shudder Mountians story-tellin'.  Whether they've been at the table a hundred times or this is their first, the Shudders will fit like a pair of well-worn boots.

--Jeff
Tricksy Grue Games