Here at the start of this society, let me greet you, friends, and talk a bit about where this idea came from, and where I can hope it will go.

The idea started as I realized how much experience I have on the subject of RPGs. I’ve bought, and read, so many books of systems, genres, philosophies of gaming manifest into hard copy. I love being able to wax eloquent on all sorts of subjects. And unless people like me spread the word, how do people hear of concepts like Microscope? If I don’t share my journey of trying to find the superhero game that’s right for me, then the things I learned in this journey is lost. Not that folks don’t have to go on their own quest, but it’s nice to hear of some starting places…

One of my favorite RPG experiences is after game night, when the GMs and the players are just standing around in the parking lot, shooting the breeze, talking about the RPGs they know, bring up problems they had, things they’ve tried that have worked or have failed or are still ongoing.

And speaking of trying things, I’m constantly building little add-ons for my tables, creating abilities and mechanics to make my game work a bit more how I want. Many GMs tinker with things behind the scenes, making new ways to play out of whole cloth, or find ways to implement neat ideas from other RPGs at our tables.

And there are a LOT of neat ideas out there. Each RPG that exists has a few new ways to do things, if they aren’t a complete inversion of how to think about role-playing! There are so many nifty things that we can work into our games.

That’s what the Magpie Arcanum is about. We find the bits of treasure, the shiny parts, and bring them to our nest of a library, where they can be seen and shared.

The Vision

When I first had the idea to make a society, my mind went wild. I saw this organization growing, sharing knowledge, with many authors expounding their viewpoints, podcasts, videos, a wiki, books. We can be huge, if we choose to be, but no matter the destination, we start here, small. As an organization, our growth can’t be dictated by the founder, but by the members, as they join and become part of us.

So, I can’t see where the future actually lies, but I wish that the Arcanum will have neat articles to read, as Gamemasters share their favorite elements of games, and the creations they have made. I wish that discussions in the discord can become immortalized, as people take their opinions and do things with them, making vague intentions real. I want people to think of the Magpies as the new Dragon Magazine, or whichever gaming mag you prefer. I hope to develop a knowledge base, where people can read what many systems have to say on mechanical elements that they can add to their games.

I can’t do it alone, although I will lay the groundwork as best I can. Heed the call of the Magpie, and enter the Arcanum. We’d love to have you.

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