Snyder’s Return

Interview - Eugenio Vargas - TTRPG Podcaster/Streamer/Actor/Musician

November 02, 2021 Adam Powell / Eugenio Vargas Season 1 Episode 75
Snyder’s Return
Interview - Eugenio Vargas - TTRPG Podcaster/Streamer/Actor/Musician
Show Notes Transcript

Today I talk with multitalented performer, DM, Player, Podcaster and Streamer - Eugenio Vargas

We discuss The Last Refuge Podcast, Rivals of Waterdeep, Into the Motherlands, Content Creation and much more.

You can find Eugenio Vargas and all of his content via the links below.

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/DMJazzyHands
https://twitter.com/dndlastrefuge
https://twitter.com/MotherlandsRPG
https://twitter.com/RivalsWaterdeep

Website:
https://app.pillar.io/shop/dmjazzyhands
https://lnk.bio/Qwpr
https://motherlandsrpg.com/
https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Eugenio%20Vargas%20(aka%20DM%20Jazzy%20Hands)
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/ftod

Please leave reviews on ITunes to help us to learn and grow as a Podcast

Yours Sincerely,

Adam 'Cosy' Powell

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CAST & CREW

Host: Adam Powell

Guest: Eugenio Vargas

Sound Design: Adam Powell

Edited by: Adam Powell

Music: Epidemic Sound

Cover Art: Tim Cunningham - www.Wix.com

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http://snydersreturn.squarespace.com

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Snyders Return:

Hello, and welcome to Snyder's return EA tabletop roleplay podcast. My guest today reaches for the hands of excitement and triumph, open and ready to guide us to a place of safety. He brings to a stories told of another place, a place steeped in maternal love, culture, and freedoms. What's more, my guest has pens, such tales of haunting grace, and weird words to lead us through the veil. That no matter the challenge, he has repeatedly gone beyond the dragons from the very start overloaded our senses, from content, heart and style. Here to pull on our adventurous heartstrings as we conduct this interview is actor, singer, music director, podcaster streamer and writer. You're henio Vargas, you Henny, welcome to the show.

Eugenio Vargas:

Wow. Goodness, thank you so much for having me. And thank you for that introduction. I'm going to have to write all that down.

Snyders Return:

I can always send it to you after it's been perfect, perfect. So before I get to some of the things alluded to there in the introduction, anyone, how did you get into tabletop role playing games originally, if you wouldn't mind?

Eugenio Vargas:

much later than most people sort of expect. I only really started playing tabletop games. Very shortly before fifth edition came out back in 2014. And from there, I A few years later, I decided to start an actual play dungeon dragons podcast. And that was sort of my first foray into the community in the industry as more than just a consumer. And from there, I would say the rest is history. But then there were a few years of puttering about. And then the pandemic sort of took the first set of things you said about me out of the equation and left me with a tonne of time to dive even deeper into the tabletop community and industry. So here we are now.

Snyders Return:

Yeah, indeed. So with the podcast that you mentioned there, the last refuge. I mean, it's while you're on episode 205, which shows how much of a legacy that the show has, what was it like getting that off the ground, and how is it developed and changed in these years,

Eugenio Vargas:

when we started the last refuge, we didn't know enough to be nervous or concerned, the bliss, the the blissful ignorance of the inexperienced was, was really sort of our greatest, our greatest recommendation was was just that we all had been playing together, the crew that is on the show had been playing together for a while for the most part. And I had started to dip my toe into listening to actual plays, it was a medium that sort of fascinated me. And there were a couple of shows in particular that I really enjoyed. And thought, you know, I would love to do something like this. And, and I'll be honest, there are a few things in both of those shows, which I absolutely love, and which are wonderful shows. But there were things that I thought, Oh, you know, I would love to try that. But try it this other way. Because all of us, you know, have that have that thing that we've decided we can do better. And then the other truth is that, you know, I've been playing with this group for several years, and we were constantly saying, I wish we had a record of that session because it was that thing happened. And it was so funny, but we can't remember the exact you know, details of the moment or Oh, that was one of the most touching story moments we've ever had in the game and we just don't really remember how it went. So with all of that sort of coming together we said well let's let's play a game let's let's run a campaign. Let's record it. And the worst thing that will happen is that no one listens. And we have a running record of our campaign that we can refer to in these moments. And obviously that wasn't what happened. We really enjoyed it. We really sort of dove in headfirst I learned audio editing and I had a player take over the website and the social media and sort of all the things and and it became a thing but it really did just start with us having an idea and and not knowing better than to do anything but just do it. I think this show started as in terms of the content of the show and the story of the show, you know I had an idea for a campaign as any dm does and wasn't really sure where it would end up. But as I have as the story has continued as we have all learned how to play with each other in this in this very different structure right in what is essentially 45 to 60 minute chunks we record for about three hours that ago but we come With basically two hour long episodes out of all of that, so learning how to do that and how to make it engaging, but still tell our story and still play our game. And as I became more sort of engrossed in the ttrpg industry and and sort of just learned more about what was out there, we began to incorporate other elements that I'm really proud of with the show you know, we one of the things that we are very proud of with the show is that we take any of the sort of base assumptions about d&d lore and, and put in particular about monsters and racism, things like that, and turn pretty much everything on its head. And that wasn't a thing that I set out to do because I wanted to make a statement about racial assumptions and Dungeons and Dragons. It was the thing that I did cuz I thought it would be interesting to sort of subvert subvert whatever my players were expecting. And as we sort of had a chance to do it I realised oh actually it is both things and that is great that it is both things I am surprising my players but I'm also showing how simple it is to our listeners to take something that now in this you know, the year 2021 we recognise as sort of a harmful stereotypical representation at how simple it is to just toss it out and do something else the numbers on the stat block stay the same and the story becomes what you want it to be so that's that's sort of that was our that was our journey in a nutshell you know going from Hey, let's do a fun thing to really finding that actually we have created this really cool space where we can create things and and improve upon things and and make statements about things in the industry while still just playing our fun game and having a blast the five of us together for a few hours every other week. Yeah, definitely

Snyders Return:

and two points there quickly. One of them is you mentioned people coming to find you so we will do the social media plugs Now where is it people can find you and find this content, this amazing podcast and everything else you are working on your your myriad of projects.

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, so the most central place is just to find me on Twitter, links and announcements and everything else always go up there so I'm at de m jazzy hands on Twitter might have the podcast has its own Twitter and website at DN de last refuge. And we you know, always post our episodes up there we have a website DND last refuge calm where you can get all kinds of information about the backstory and BIOS on the players because we really don't spend a tonne of time you know, just being ourselves we do we do usually five to eight minute sort of bantery intros, which is your peek into us without the the mask of our characters. But if you want to know more, that's all on the website, too. Yeah, that's those are the most central places you know, and from there, you can find my twitch channel and my personal website and the the websites for the other projects I'm working on into the motherland and rivals of waterdeep and all of that, but Twitter's our central hub.

Snyders Return:

Well, links to your central hub will be in the description below this podcast, please scroll down and support everything that you're thinking of, and what every other project you've mentioned, there turns out as amazing content and some of which we are going to talk about in a little while. Just in case, someone's like, the last refuge that that that seems to me, but um, would you mind giving a quick precis of the story?

Eugenio Vargas:

Sure, sure. Yeah, inform so we the beginning of the story, the four characters awaken in a new world that they do not recognise and they don't know how they got there. And so most of the first season of our show is about them exploring this world and getting attempting to get their memories back and figure out what on earth they're or what on most of the first season is about the characters learning about their new setting and how they got there. And then once they sort of get that information back the story is suddenly a race to save this world from sort of an invading deity they Island hop and go from place to place racing against a an opposing team of adventures and trying to protect this new world that they have learned to call their own and you know, it was a chance for us to create a world unfettered by Canon and existing expectations and to discover it on our own and and that's that's sort of what the show is about. You know, we have one player who is a little newer to the game than the rest of us so yes, in the show we do you know, occasionally especially early on take the time to talk about the rules and you do here are dice rolls and here is with numbers. Not all actual players sort of go that route I realised but you definitely know that we're playing Dungeons and Dragons, but it's an enjoyable story about a group of folks learning how to live in their new world and then becoming very attached and wanting to protect it.

Snyders Return:

I have to say that the website you mentioned and again the link will be in the description below looks phenomenal the artwork is amazing the character BIOS are fun and engaging the player BIOS are fun and engaging. So definitely please go and check that out. Highly recommended. And again, a time of recording Episode 205 Roberts touch if I've read it correctly.

Eugenio Vargas:

The Robert do I believe? Yeah, I only know that because I just right before we started this interview was working on episode 206. Because that drops, two days after we are having this chat.

Snyders Return:

brilliant, brilliant. Well, should I subscribe to that podcast and enjoy? But moving slightly on from the creation of the podcast? Where did Where did from a creative standpoint, where did that lead on to next.

Eugenio Vargas:

So from the last refuge, a couple of the players and I decided once we realised that it was something we did enjoy doing and had a few episodes out there. We decided that we would start going to cons to conventions, gaming conventions, none of us had ever been most of the crew really was sort of brand new to to the gaming sort of community in any real way. So a couple of us decided to start going to cons and just taking you know some cards and we had some t shirts made up and just to go and meet people and see if we could drum up any interest in the show. And looking back I had sort of incredible fortune. In terms of the people that I met in those very first few cons. I had the great fortune of meeting Tanya to pass very early on at gamer x East here in New York City. A couple of the players and I went to origins Game Fair several years ago and had the great fortune of meeting some some real luminaries in the field. We met Dan Dillon and Greg Tito and Shelly Meza, noble who are all at Wizards of the Coast, we met James hake, and James inter Casso and, you know, names that that if you are plugged into the community, you would recognise, but I certainly didn't at the time, they were just cool folks who wanted to talk about nerdy stuff, so, but that was sort of really the beginning of us and of me getting out there into the industry in the community. And you know, from there, I sort of I fell in love and Dove deep, got to become active on Twitter, got to connect with some of those folks on Twitter and started, you know, started getting involved. And that meant things like, you know, commenting on new products that came out at first it was just sort of that do it yourself thing and then being invited to, to be on shows with folks to guest on shows and, and it just sort of built from there, I really was very fortunate to sort of have things certainly not fall into my lap. There was definitely work involved, but to have the connections sort of really crop up very early on for me in a really fortunate way.

Snyders Return:

Yeah, we're gonna skip ahead to go back because that's the way timelines working in this wonderful universe we live recently, you you mentioned sort of reviewing things and having a look at things you did the Phantom rogue with a new doll and for d&d, beyond getting to sort of delve into new classes and builds and things What's it been like, exploring that side of above the content and the community?

Eugenio Vargas:

Oh, it's, it's been great, because I have to say, one of my favourite things about this community of creators and players and consumers and participants, is that well, a, there's a tonne of incredible talent out there, which means a tonne of really great content, you know, official, third party, homebrew, whatever it is, but the other thing that's so great is that it is for the most part, of course, you know, this is a generalisation about about a community that has has its ups and downs, but for the most part, it's a remarkably How do I say it it's a remarkably encouraging community there really are not particularly those folks who are doing well in producing a lot of content and are very visible, there is not the sense of it being a zero sum game. You know, Dan Dylan, when I met him did not know me from anyone he was working with kobold Press primarily at the time was a name that people recognise had his name in the credits of all sorts of amazing books. And he listened to if you ever to the podcast and loved it, we asked him to guest out of the blue we didn't i didn't know i we are now very good friends. But at the time, I didn't really know him very well. We met once he agreed to guest on the podcast, he told his designer friends about the show, he tweeted about it. That's the sort of thing that's been so amazing about this community is finding these people who want you to succeed right alongside them, not instead of them or that they need to instead of you. And so the more involved I get and the more I get the chance to review other products and check out other content and interact with all of these great things. I love now, I mean, look, I certainly don't mean to compare myself to Dan Dylan at that time. He certainly had a few more credits under his belt, but But even so, you know, I love getting to gas up other people. All who have great stuff to end knowing that that is sort of, you know, with the best perspective on on a varied community, that's one of my favourite things about it is getting to see all of the other fun stuff and use it and and review it and tell people about it.

Snyders Return:

Yeah. And so with with this sense of community, the sense of achievement, this sort of sense of, of wanting, wanting is all to improve and grow and show our creative talents and things you have gone from podcasting to streaming and are not just streaming on one or two shows you've you've have a smorgasbord, shall we say, of appearances and credits. And as So, what has been some of your favourite to work on? What do you work on at the moment that really excites you as a creative person?

Eugenio Vargas:

Oh, goodness, well, there's some obvious ones that I know we're going to talk more about. So I'll leave them till the end of the list. And sort of think back to some of the other projects I've gotten to work on, I got to do a short run series of a game published by Renegade Game Studios called over light. And that is this really sort of, it's funny to say this, I suppose for a tabletop right, like pen and paper game, but it is a visually stunning game, the the descriptions and the lore have a lot of focus on sort of colour and visuals. And I played that with some really incredible people had a had a blast, exploring that new system, and really getting to see how we can tell stories that are vivid and bright. But still be through an audio, I mean, a video medium because it was a stream, but it was, you know, our faces, but otherwise, and otherwise, audio mediums, I really enjoyed the overnight game that I got to do. What else me Oh, here's one, one of the very first sort of big streaming projects I got to work on, was this part of a team of four dmws, who streamed waterdeep Dragon heist right after it came out. And each of us took a different season. So if you're not familiar with, with the adventure, basically the replayability is real high. And that was one of the things that was just talked about, because you can set the adventure in any of the four seasons and have a different villain, based on what season you're setting. So the four of us split up and each took a season, but we linked the campaigns and the tables together. Something that happened in one season might affect a later season, and things like that. And it was a very cool, big, collaborative stream. But I mean, I assume the people who watched like enjoyed it, they kept coming back, but certainly those of us who were playing had a good time. So those are a couple of the projects from from yesteryear that I've really enjoyed. Of course now I am so so incredibly proud of the work that that all of us are doing on projects like into the mother lands and we just started up season 11 of rivals of waterdeep which is it's sort of a mind boggling honour to get to be invited to play with them. Because I remember when they started watching them and thinking how great that was, too So yeah, there's been a lot and I I really am very fortunate and have have learned a lot and I'm you know, I've got to say I'm proud of a lot

Snyders Return:

brightly. So one thing that you must be proud of is we'll come back to the streaming and the podcasting in a minute but moving away from the microphone away from the cameras in the screen and to the desk, pen in hand pen to paper, the writing the things you've released an edited What's it been like giving your imagination over to other DMS or gems because the stuff can be used however people can can manipulate it for their desires. So what's it been like publishing,

Eugenio Vargas:

that's been a real surprise to me, I have to say I, you know, for many years, when I was still sort of, let's say full time in the theatre industry, I always said I you know, I'm not a writer, I enjoy taking other people's work and interpreting it as an actor and a singer does or as a keyboardist, you know, I love to make music. But I'm not, I'm not the sort of generator of that that isn't really where I find my my bliss. And, and then tabletop happened. And I realised that in fact, that isn't an old true. I just needed a different medium. So in terms of publishing, you know, it started I had a couple of adventures that I had sort of created top to bottom for my home groups. And I thought, well, I have a bunch of notes on all of this when we see what it looks like if I put it into a layout and toss it up on the DMS Guild. It was never meant to be anything other than I'm curious if anyone will download and be if anyone who downloads will bother to leave a review because I'm curious what they think. And it was So exciting to me to lay that out and organise those adventures and right, really sit down and take the creative writing of the story of the backstory and the narrative of the of the of the adventure. And layer on top of the mechanics things turns out, I'm a real numbers mechanics nerd too. So I loved that part of it. And it was a joy. And for a while, you know, that was fine, I put out an adventure not not particularly often, but I put them out on the DMS guild every once in a while. But then I started having the real great fortune of being invited to collaborate with others, either as a writer or more recently as an editor. And I don't know it has been such, we'll say there has been a definite learning curve. But it's been so thrilling and exciting to sit down and have a task from, you know, from the from the dancing around saying like names or specifics, because there are a few things that I had the great fortune of writing on that have not been announced yet. But just having the project lead sort of say, Hey, this is what we're going for, let's see what you can come up with, and writing something out, tossing it to them, getting my redline, edit back, seeing what they were drawn to what they loved what, you know, just got the axe, which is part of the process, and that's okay has just been so thrilling in a way that I never would have expected. And then you know, the more stuff I put out, the more opportunities I've had to, to hear from folks who have used this content. And personally, I particularly love it, when they find a use for it, or a way through it, if it's an adventure or whatever that is completely outside of anything I ever imagined. That's exciting to me, because to me, that means that whatever I put there was just exciting and just inspirational enough for you to then go and have your adventure for you to then go and play your game and tell your story. So that's that's what I love. And as a few more of the projects that I'm working on now get announced and get out there and people's hands. Really excited to save some keywords on my Twitter search just cast about and see what folks think.

Snyders Return:

Exciting teasers and I will say the stuff that you put on the DMS Guild, I will put a link to in the description below. So please go and support you and the other creators that have worked on on the projects that you edited for as well because there's some fantastic names involved in those projects as well. So they will be down in the description below. So tying in someone you met in the past and bringing us more up to date and mentioning systems and and projects, Tony to pass and into the motherland's, how has that been seeing that one get kick started into into life? The pun intended, I guess, and then having the system under your storytelling control for the players?

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, it's we just had pretty recently as of this recording had our one year anniversary, so one year since our very first stream, which, of course was not the beginning of our work, but was the beginning of our public facing work getting away. And it's been an incredible ride, you know, into the motherland's was really my first opportunity to build something from the ground up with, with, how do I want to say it with these other real luminaries, you know, who were guiding me. And we were all sort of teaching each other as we went, obviously, last refuge was built from the ground up, but it was five of us, six of us actually, including my story consultant, sort of making it up as we went along into the motherland's had the feel of I now am on the ground floor of something that is going to be this really spectacular project with these incredible people who are going to make it something really special. And so far, it has not disappointed in terms of the stream game, building that out, exploring this world that we are creating underneath us as we go has been amazing. And I could not have asked for a better group of players to have with me for that, because every single one of them from the very beginning has understood the project that we are doing, and has has just really given it over to the we're making this up as we go along. And we're going to try something and if if if you know we decide that isn't right, then we'll fix it. But just all of them have such openness to creating this world with me that that the stream has been a joy. Now that the Kickstarter is completed and we're deep into the work of the setting book that is a whole other sort of amazing process, codifying all of these things, taking some things that were created just very off the cuff during a stream episode and making it part of part of the law. Equally exciting sometimes is taking something that was at the stream show that absolutely cannot be lower anymore and fixing it and changing it and moulding it and discovering those things. It's it's been an incredible joy and to see folks gravitate towards us and be excited with us and for us and for the project has been has been amazing. You know, seeing that Kickstarter continued to climb and to close out where we did I don't think any of us expected it I think we were all relatively optimistic that we would fund but certainly not that quickly and certainly not that many times over and that has really just given us you know, a lot of fuel to go off and create and it's it's been amazing I don't know I keep it keeps talking in those generalities of, Oh, it's great. Oh, it's amazing, because it's also you know, incredibly overwhelming if I stop to think too much about what we're doing. No,

Snyders Return:

that's entirely fair. And not only did you you finish the first season there's a second season expanded sort of player base as well so more more minds to feed into that that melting pot of creation that you guys are working on.

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, that was that was really well I will admit nerve wracking leading up to it but exciting from the minute we started Season Two adding a Bria Iron Guard to the past you know, that was sort of a in some ways it was a small test of have we created something that makes sense and is accessible to an outsider not just as an audience member but someone who's going to come in and then begin to interact on our level with the with the you know, whatever it is with the content and so that was it was a little nerve wracking leading up to it you know, is this something that is clear to abri it is a real on the same pages as and within minutes It was very clear that she was and it's been so exciting to have her in particular as someone who watched the first season and now gets to participate in its creation to see what she has brought to the table has been amazing.

Snyders Return:

Yeah, and somewhat of a barrier may be over but long long male breeding continues which is fair. And you know, each of you have these fantastic platforms. You've been a DM it's it says on your your website, you've you've dm diversity, everything. Bah, I think it's the hoard of the dragon queen. I guess the only

Eugenio Vargas:

one the only published official ffiv adventure that I missed.

Snyders Return:

There's always time in the future. If If you have free time. But you've you know, you've damned all these games, the podcast, you've moved on to a new system you are creating with into the motherland. And now you're you've I won't say jumped because that sounds almost aggressive. You moved into the CO and co dm seat from rivals of waterdeep wise. Two questions, I guess. What's it like being placed in in this the iconic 11th season of rivals of waterdeep? And what is co dming? like for you? The two questions like you don't have to throw them both in the same answer,

Eugenio Vargas:

though, that's all right. It's been my entire experience with rivals, which is now two seasons and season 11 is my third season with them has been has been amazing. They are such a fun group to watch because I have always felt when I got to watch rivals in previous seasons that live shows and on their stream, that they are very much at ease with each other in a way that is super fun to watch. It's one of the things that we have always tried really hard to maintain also in the last refuge in the podcast, that it is a group of us who enjoy each other's company love to, you know, bounce ideas and stories off of each other and be a little silly sometimes and rivals very much had that same energy as I watched them through the seasons. So getting to join them and be a part of their 11th well 910 10 seasons and now 11 seasons in whatever capacity was was is incredible. Co dming with Brian has been such a joy. We just did our second episode yesterday as we're recording this. And you know, I knew when I joined rivals that there was a good chance that eventually assuming the show continued and the cast stayed together, there was a good chance that eventually I would pop behind the DM screen. Because that's the way rivals do we trade off DMS every season. But I figured it would be a while you know Brian and I both joined in season nine we were the newest comers to the cast. And when we decide when we were thinking about season 11 a perfect example of how you know how familial The cast is together. The very first suggestion out of a couple of people's mouths was will do either of you newcomers want to dm I mean that level of trust just right away Hey Do either of you want to do it? And I had sort of chatted with Brian a little bit about it before That because I thought I had a feeling I knew what his position was going to be which was which was going to be I'll tell on him which was going to be absolutely not no thank you and I was right you know what I sort of was like Is that a thing that you would be interested in doing because I'd absolutely support you if you wanted to you know it was absolutely not no thing so I said well, we both came on at the same time our characters are in a relationship and obviously connected anyway. And so you know, if one of us does dm we're either going to have to figure out a way to have your character join us or figure out why it is okay that this you know, a couple have split up for season so I said why would it make you feel a little better and more comfortable if we did it together? And he thought about it for less time than I was expecting and said yes, Brian and I have always had ever since we started playing Virgil and Ken together have always had a real easy rapport with each other and so he said yes, and I said you know, I know you're nervous about the rules you can always lean on me for that. I think you're brilliantly creative and I think you have some really great story ideas so we you know, I will let you take the lead on that to the extent that you are cool with it and comfortable and so far these two seasons have been an absolute joy I was nervous honestly because there is something to knowing that you have the control as a DM and the ability to to react unilaterally quickly to an unexpected situation. I wasn't sure how that would translate but Brian and I you know we have a little 30 to 60 minute planning session together right before every episode and from there we just seem to be on a wavelength and it has been such a joy to allow ourselves to bounce ideas off of each other in real time to split up the NPCs and pick the ones that we know we will best represent and just to tell this story with our with our good friends and and have a good time with it it's it's very different but it's been a real joy so far

Snyders Return:

that's that's amazing and that shared responsibility the the wavelink as you say must be so important to keep that float so the game doesn't Are you saying I'm I would who whose am I? You know just Yeah, no, I mean, I mean or people that can co dm having not only the ability to take but also trust their co dm and that

Eugenio Vargas:

that's the key I don't mean to interrupt but I want to since you just said the word that's it that is exactly what I was going to to say was it's about the trust it's it's trusting you the other dm that that you know there they have got as much investment and care of the story as you but also trusting yourself that that you are going to collaborate with this person well and yeah there are times where we you know there's a pause and Brian and I sort of stare at each other in the zoom window but again one of the best things about rivals is that we are the type of group and the type of show that will then have those few seconds and then acknowledge it and be like well either one of us was gonna do this I don't know we'll just make it happen and that's okay right I don't there isn't unless you are doing a fully produced an advanced edited whatever sort of story show right that isn't it maybe it happens to be a tabletop game that is informing it but but you're just doing a story show if that's not what you're doing, I don't I am personally of the opinion that you know, it's only going to be more enjoyable when you acknowledge those moments of like oh whoops and so Brian and I are both very much on that page and so even when it doesn't work perfectly and it doesn't always work perfectly that's okay we you know make a joke about it. We get we get a bit of a bit of guff in the chat and then we move on and and trusting each other to like be okay with that and step on each other a little bit and still know that it's it's you know, it's just in service of the story. All of those things all of those levels of trust are imperative I think

Snyders Return:

you have the last refuge that you do on your own your podium with Brian for Rob was awarded dp storytel for into the motherland but you are stepping to the player side of the screen for an hour I'll make sure I get the night for courts of the shadow favoured little red.do tell them more

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, I'm so happy that we are this is actually going to be Season Two sort of Of course of the shadow fe we we started it out oh A while ago now and did a few episodes did several episodes and just had such a good time sort of exploring the world with dot that we didn't finish the module. So we got to come back for some more but it's it's such a fun cast if people that I didn't know i dot and I had worked together before actually dot was the GM on the overnight stream that I mentioned earlier. So she and I had worked together before and I was familiar with preset for off, we sort of knew each other but hadn't played together. But mathematic and rocket Fox, the other two players were brand new to me. And it's it's such a fun group, the campaign style, the adventure style courts of the shadow phase, very much about courtly intrigue and that sort of thing. So it's a very different feel from a lot of d&d module published d&d modules. And I, it's a great group, we have all kinds of fun, and it's so nice to be on the player side, every now and again, I do prefer dming, I do sort of gravitate towards it. But I, I don't, I think I would burn out much more quickly if I didn't occasionally have a chance to engage with tabletop games. As a player. You know, I love knowing all the things as a DM, but the flip side of that is, I love going to call for courts of the shadow fe and knowing that I don't have to know anything, then I just shouldn't know my character's name and maybe what class he is. And that is what I bring to the session that day you know, it's it's a it's it's a different prep experience on one that I find very valuable to remind myself that I love this, I love this game. I love telling stories this way. And it isn't always you know, sitting at your desk audio editing, it isn't always planning out the mechanics of the stat blood of the monster that the party is going to encounter next episode, that sometimes it is just popping in telling stories, casting spells and going on your merry way. So I'm really excited. And we are we are premiering Season Two tonight, actually, just a couple of hours.

Snyders Return:

So exciting times. I'll be sure to read through that all today. Because if I do it later, then they won't make any sense to anybody. But so you mentioned there sort of the prep time knowing things getting either side of the screen, taking a load off. So what is it you'd if you have free time, between dming storytelling playing? And work? Should we say do you what do you do with that? Do you have downtime? Do you get downtime? How do you relax away from performing in that respect?

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, I you know, I do. I think one of the things that I have very much learned about myself, I guess, although I can't imagine I'm the only person who sort of feels this way, during this pandemic, and during this pivot to really working more in in the games industry is that I do need I have to have my downtime, it doesn't necessarily have to be a tonne. But I really do try to pick, you know, a day Every week I try and, you know, lean into Saturdays or whatever, so that it isn't during business hours because I am a product of the system. And I believe that Monday through Friday is work days or whatever nonsense But anyway, but I do I have found it really, really important particularly because I have so many projects to have to give myself a day. And, you know, learned it the hard way learned it when I got very close to some some real ugly burnout really just sort of wasn't enjoying things because it was because it's so easy, right in this in this industry in any industry where you're a freelancer, so it's true in theatre to or it can be because it isn't about going in Monday through Friday nine to five because you can sort of work at your pace, it's very easy, especially for someone like me, who was not used who was used to being a freelancer as an actor, which meant auditioning and then having a very rigid rehearsal and performance schedule. But I was not used to set my own schedule in terms of getting writing done or getting prep done or getting editing done. And so it's very easy to sort of always think Oh hey, I have stuff to do. I'm not currently working on anything else I should be working on that because it is a thing that I have to get done. Of course then you know you think that at three o'clock on a Wednesday and that's one thing but you think

that at 10:

30pm on a Saturday and suddenly you find yourself really just not giving not giving any sort of care to rest and rejuvenation and whatever that is. And I thought well okay, but I can do it. Which I think is what a lot of us tell ourselves and you know for what it's worth here's one more voice telling you don't do that you're wrong. You can for a while and then you can't and so you know, how do I relax on those days that I forced myself to take I don't really don't do any. I do my partner and I we will we will you know we'll have a TV lineup and we'll order in dinner. And we'll I mean it really is just sort of out veggies about spending time with him and getting to enjoy the fact that you know, we can sit together on the couch and watch you know, any night mass in one go or whatever it is right and I'm sure like those things. You know, being engaged in the current sort of cultural scene, of course, that involves creative endeavour. So of course, all of that is on some level, you know, feeding what I do is for work and in the community, but but that certainly is not is not the goal. The goal is simply to allow myself to not be at the computer to know that yes, that deadline is coming. But yes, you have planned well enough that it will get done and you can take this time to not worry, that is my day. Oh, there it is. I got there eventually. I rambled but I got there. That is what it is. My downtime is not so much about what I'm doing. It's about the ability to let myself not worry about what eventually has to get done.

Snyders Return:

Yeah, that's sage advice, I would say, Well, I try. I'd succeed, I must say 200, over 200 episodes of a podcast streams, games, publishing, proves you can do it and not push yourself beyond your limits, as you mentioned, have come close to in the past. speaking more in the wider sense. You played Dungeons and Dragons you played overnight, you've played into the motherland. As that system is being created as you go through and getting codifies, as we mentioned before, there are no other systems you enjoy any other systems, you're like, definitely gonna give that a try. When I get an afternoon or evening, away from my other commitments.

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, I've got a shelf full of stuff I will get to eventually. And I had the real great fortune of working and getting to play with Lisa Penrose on a couple of different things last year, some of the stuff she produced and some of the stuff we both just happened to be players on, but to go through those real quick and it's funny because Well anyway, so one of them is burn bright. It's a science fantasy game that was developed explicitly to be run on roll 20. So taking advantage of the virtual tabletop and roll 20s capabilities. One of the lead designers on that is my good friend James and Chuck so and he did a really that he and the rest of the team did an amazing job on that. So we did a couple of seasons on roll 20s channel with that and loved that system. And then at least produced a series of of games of short run games two to four week games that were set in a universe that we we have since dubbed the fluid verse. And the first one of those games was called the hunting of good society. We used good society, which is a Jane Austen role playing game spook, refined it a little bit added some you know, ghosts and vampires and such, and told a Jane Austen ask ghost story about three sisters, the claret sisters, sort of discovering that things had gone a bit Tinky in their hometown. And we had such a good time with that, with good society that we decided we wanted to do more. So then we also in that same universe played a game of 10 candles, which is this really, really fascinating. role playing game if you're not familiar, everybody dies at the end. And knowing that from the beginning is incredibly empowering. So we had another spooky jaunt with 10 candles that was a tonne of fun. I think if there any other games but those three for sure, I knew very little about before doing those shows and and just found them to be a tonne of fun and, and also different that they really you know, if you feel like sort of having a lot of words in your story, right, if you want to write letters to other characters play good society. If you want to have a good magical romp in space, play burn bright, if you want to just like have the security to do what ever you want to do with your character because you are sure they're going to be dead by the end of the session, play 10 candles, there's so much cool stuff out there. And that's, that's why my shelf is full of things I hope to play one day. I imagine there's much much more.

Snyders Return:

I think, I think most of us have a shelf like that to be for sure. So, we've we've covered a lot and and something I want to implore people and we've mentioned it very slightly there is is that you have a I mean that along with everything else we've mentioned that you do you have a Patreon and a cofee. And if if no. When, when people come and support you on Patreon. What sort of things to do you sort of give to these patrons?

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, so the Patreon is directly linked actually to the podcast. So all of our benefits there are surrounding the last refuge. So some of the things on there you know, the basic level stuff is is I feel it well, at least in my experience, fairly standard for ttrpg podcast things you get access to the episodes a little bit early. Every once in a while you have access to the players character sheets, links to those on demand. Beyond, you know, we shout out, patrons have a certain tier higher on the show. But as you sort of begin to step up, we have some other gameplay involved things. For example, one of the quirks of the world that we've created in the last refuge is that for the three days of the full moon every month, if you cast a spell, something weird happens, and we have a sort of modified version of the Sorcerer's wild magic table that we use. But if you have a patron of a certain Tier or higher, you can submit an entry to that table and work with me on creating a new magic effect. And I promise we have not fudged these rolls. I think we've rolled three or four already that on a on a deep 100 table that that patrons have submitted and it's one of our favourite episodes was a body swap episode. And that came about because of a patron introduced magic surge. That's one of the fun things we also we do out of game things to certain tiers of our Patreon can get outgoing voicemail messages recorded by us, we will create a parody musical theatre song about one of your d&d characters, all kinds of fun little things that sort of tie in to various episodes or quirks of our show.

Snyders Return:

That's amazing. That's amazing link there's going to be about 30 links below this podcast I implore you to go and click and follow them all I'm just in awe of your of your content output but you know we've we've covered a lot in this interview and I'm sure there's so much more I can ask you I do have one more question towards the end but is there is there anything we haven't touched on that you wanted to bring to the fore something about the ttrpg community something about the next setting something about a particular module or anything like that The floor is open for you to voice

Eugenio Vargas:

there's so many things that I would love to mention right now but that I need at least another couple of weeks before I can but I you know I think it was it's funny I actually just was chatting with someone earlier who is writing a book about well about a lot of things but the portion that that I was interviewed for was a portion about the ttrpg community in particular and a couple of figures in it I have been so welcomed by so much of this community just from the very beginning and i i think you know, without without getting too preachy, your Sage or whatever, I just I think that this is such an exciting time I don't wanna say moment because I actually think that it's been building for several years now is such an exciting time to be engaged in the gaming sphere whether that is you know, gaming Twitter or twitch or just tabletop content in general playing games and getting the supplements that that third party publishers and Wizards of the Coast and whoever else are putting out there's so much good stuff. And I I would just say you know as you find stuff do this show is such a wonderful example of what I'm about to say and I have to compliment you because lifting up others I know we talked about this already but like just as simple as letting other folks know I found this thing and I think it's great, check it out is is what is going to continue to make this community and this hobby and this industry more and more well certainly inclusive and diverse and all of those things but also on top of that just more exciting and creative and fulfilling. Creating in a vacuum is no good for anybody and and creating in a in a setting that feels zero Sonny I know I mentioned that earlier is is going to is going to just really limit what ends up being put out there. So you know, I just want to say like, get involved to whatever level you would like and but even if that is very simply a consumer and to player, you know, tell tell your friends about cool stuff that you find particularly cool stuff that you find that isn't full of names that we all already know. You know, myself included, you know, if you are listening to this podcast, and you want to go check out my stuff, awesome, but find someone else to that isn't on the show yet. Right? And that has is doing other things and just share that. Because I think there are so many really great people in this industry and who are creating content right now that for whatever reason, right? And I'm not. I'm not interested at this moment in exploring the whys that these folks haven't been recognised despite their incredible levels of talent and ability. But they're out there, there's so many of them out there. And as much as I enjoy creating things, I enjoy showing off my friends cool stuff. And I think that that is such an important thing for all of us to do.

Snyders Return:

I'm gonna say that's A perfect place to to bring the interview to a close because I don't think I have a question that will top that or we completely echo that sentiment and and sharing and highlighting it and that is something that I think is perfect to in this interview on your it's been such an amazing privilege to have you on the show, learning about yourself, your creative process and everything you're involved with. Would you mind just giving everyone a heads up of where they can find you on social media again, justing you know, if they've been so excited through this podcast, they've not scrolled down and found your links, please just give everyone a quick reminder where they can find you, please.

Eugenio Vargas:

Yeah, of course, most central place is going to be on Twitter. I'm at de m jazzy hands. You can also find the last refuge podcast on twitter at att de en de last refuge. And you can get links to all the things from those two Twitter accounts. But if you wanted to check out a little bit more of my stuff and see a few things from my past, and hopefully future again life as a theatrical performer. You can also check out my website, which is Daniel Vargas, calm,

Snyders Return:

perfect links will be in the description below. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'd love to have you back on the show in the future discussing further projects yet to be released but slightly teased out there. So it's very exciting. And you know all the future developments that are that are going to come from your creative mind, body and soul.

Eugenio Vargas:

Well, thank you. It's been a real pleasure chatting with you. And I did absolutely mean what I said I think this is such a wonderful platform to share awesome creators work with with as many people as possible. So thank you for your work to

Snyders Return:

like, we will speak again soon. Definitely. Thank you for listening. If you'd like to learn more about the show, then go to WWW dot Snyder's return.squarespace.com. Alternatively, you can find us over on Twitter. At Return Snyder, you have a link tree link in the description of this episode. And if you want to support us, come and join us over on Patreon and we also have a Discord server. Please leave us a review because we'd love to learn how to improve the channel and provide better content out for for those who are listening until we until we speak again. Thank you