This was posted months ago, but… courtesy of Andy Kitkowski’s blog, a shocking glimpse into the world of Japanese doujin RPGs, beginning with H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Moe.

“For my sessions, I planned to wear a mask to hide my face. I chose a mask similar to the one used by the phantom of the opera, except that it covered both sides. White and expressionless to erase my appearance of humanity and partially detach the players from the notion that I am anything but the concept of the storyteller. It also creates an air of mystique, drawing the players’ attention further into the story you tell.”

Something very close to my own heart — a thread on rpg.net started by a masked Dungeon Master for hire. Thanks to Mike Montesa for drawing my attention to this. Of course I’ve always wondered if it would be possible to make a living as a Dungeon Master — haven’t we all? — but would the players feel entitled to Monty Haul-esque special treatment because they were paying the DM? Then again, you pay psychiatrists and counselors, and they aren’t supposed to go easy on you. (In theory. In practice, on the other hand…)

Hmm. What about if the whole community pitched in to support the DM? Like a collection jar?

They’ve finally done it, those maniacs. The first translated Japanese tabletop RPG is *not* the long-awaited Tenra Bansho… instead…

Maid RPG

And it was translated by one of the main project coordinators was Andy Kitkowski, who taught me everything I know about Japanese tabletop RPGs, back when I was working on “Bastard!!” I highly recommend his JRPG blorum http://www.j-rpg.com/talk/, although technically you’re only supposed to post if you have some working knowledge of Japanese.