Mundane Roleplay & Animus Update - The Mind Eye's View
This edition features a new D&D monster, updates on my upcoming book, and TTRPG roleplaying tips!
You’ve arrived 29 minutes early for afternoon tea… if you come back in 29 minutes I will have tea.
- Michael DeBondt Out-Of-Context, 5-21-2025
Culcat (D&D 5e Monster)
The perfect critter for your players to smack around but quickly can become dangerous if you let too many group up. They work great to challenge your tank characters without making it over dangerous for your other players.
Armor Class: 11 HP: 13 (3d6+2)
Type: Small Aberration CR: ¼
Resistances: Psychic Vulnerabilities: Thunder
Proficiency: +3 Passive Perception: 8
Special Abilities
- Alien Mind: Any effect trying to look into their minds inflicts 2d6 psychic damage. They have advantage on effects to charm or mentally control them.
- Scatter Tactics: The culcat takes half-damage on any saving throw it fails and no damage if they save. If the saving throw is to save against psychic damage, it rolls with Advantage.
Actions
- Fang Storm: Melee/Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit reach 5/60 ft. one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage. Fang Storm increases its damage by +1 per Fang Storm attack made against the target this turn.
Animus PoD Book & Deck
I’m so excited to have gotten the proofs for Animus. It is always a thrill to have something you’ve spent so much time creating physically in your hands. Unfortunately it is looking like a 2nd proof will be needed. The book has some sizing issues with the word banks at the end though it really is my fault for expecting 8 pt font to be legible.
The deck needs a touch up as some of the Power markings were very off center. Thankfully I just need to upload the fixed file and don’t need to get another proof of the cards like is needed for books printing through DTRPG. Overall the June launch date is looking good. For the most part…
The House
My partner, Jenna, and I are moving come the first week of June. If that isn’t exciting enough on it’s own, we are moving into our first home! You won’t believe how excited we are about this but it does mean on top of moving we will be busy fixing the place up. This means the physical version of Animus is going to launch the third or fourth week of June. As there is a bunch of advertising I want to have setup beforehand and I’m not going to have enough time to finish it before I start moving.
TTRPG Advice: Roleplaying Through Mundanity
Something I didn't realize would have such a positive affect on my players is when I ask them to do something in character that is considered an everyday thing. Such as signing their name or asking how they eat. Simple things we do everyday but we each have our own slightly different way of doing it. It's something players can easily use to express who their character is without having to draw out an entire scene to achieve.
In my public Adventure Point game I write down the monster hunt quest on an index card for them to choose from. On a whim I decided to ask each player to sign the card as their character if they've finished the quest. I thought it would just be a fun way to look back on who went on which quest since I often get new players as it's a drop-in drop-out game. But every player got really into it. Developing their own flourishes, showing off small character aspects through their style, and even reminding me if I forget.
I've since started scanning these signatures and adding it to a poster mock up of the quest they completed. Don't miss these little opportunities in the mundane, they might have more value then you think.
