http://www.allsparkhypnotherapy.co.uk/

Sparkfinder, 49 Hoadswood Road, Hastings (2025)

01/08/2025

Hero of the Week
Requiem of the Week 🕯️

No Hero of the Week this time—because, frankly, it’s been a brutal one.

All three of our games ran this week, but in two of them, disaster struck.

🕵️‍♂️ Outlaws of Alkenstar
The Gold Tank Reserve Bank job took a deadly turn. After successfully sneaking into the staffroom, our crew entered the bank proper—only for a clockwork guard to Nat 20 Degreth with a thrown javelin before the group even had a chance to act. Salviano healed him back into the fight, but moments later, Degreth went down again—this time to the “Gold Tank Broker,” who delivered knockout punches like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em champion. Salviano had a chance to bring him back a second time but chose instead to help the also-fallen Degu. Degreth then failed his dying check. One bad choice. One good intention. One death. A gut-punch for the whole table.

🐝 Seven Dooms Thursday
A routine encounter with an alchemist poisoner went spectacularly wrong. Joran and Ciprian rolled crit fail after crit fail, and while the GM couldn't hit a barn door for most of the fight, two poisoned dagger strikes eventually found their mark. A few failed Fortitude saves later, both heroes lay dying in the streets of Sandpoint, unseen and unheard by their allies. By the time the rest of the party found them, there were three corpses in the street and no clear idea how it had gone so wrong.

Never split the party.
And don’t let your bard wander off.

So now, Steve, Graham, and Jared are rolling up new characters this week—with some intriguing concepts already floating around.

As a GM, I hate character deaths. We've only seen six in 2.5 years (one TPK and two individual deaths), so losing three in two days hit hard.

Let’s hope next week we’re raising tankards to heroes… not lighting candles for them. 🕯️

25/07/2025

*video contains swearing*
So recently we attempted to have a recorded game that, on the last Sunday of the month, we'd record 2 episodes. Technical difiiculties put pay to that plan and things ground to a halt.
I recently discoved OBS Studio and the learning curve didn't seem that steep, even for a luddite to me, to produce something half decent.
THis was a test video to see how things would be when we recorded (some teething problems but optimistic things will be quite cool when we do record)
Though this isn't a group we're going to be recording (that'll be the one with Tommy, Kirsten, Will and Rik) I'm pretty happy with how things turned out on this - and it gives you the chance to see how much fun we have with our Sparkfinder sessions.

Oh and I wasn't actually going to insert a previously on in there....

25/07/2025

🏹🔥 Hero of the Week: Taka (Again!) 🔥🏹
"When the electricity's out but your monk's still lighting up the battlefield..."
Fewer Sparkfinder sessions this week, thanks to a slightly inconvenient flood and a complete lack of electricity. Because as we all know:
No lekky, no likey.
But! We still managed to power through with games on Sunday and Thursday, and Sunday’s session? Well, it was all sunshine and critical hits for our PCs: Jhared, Taka, Hagor, and Tavia.
They rolled like dice gods, which made life very easy for them... and very hard for their poor, beleaguered GM.
But one hero stood out, grabbing his second title in three weeks—and this time, he swapped grapples for a bow.
🎯 That’s right—Taka, our towering orc monk, took things up a notch with his +1 Striking Flaming Composite Shortbow (try saying that five times fast).
After discovering a surprise route back into The Pit, the party ran into a pack of Dero. While Hagor and Tavia held the front line, Taka unleashed absolute mayhem from the back.
In just two actions, he let loose three flaming arrows—
🔥 All three hit.
🔥 All three crit.
🔥 Over 100 damage in one turn.
Let’s just say the Dero weren’t applauding his aim—mostly because they weren’t standing anymore.
👏 Congrats to Taka—who’s clearly not just a grappler, but a full-blown crit machine.
It seems when Taka draws his bow…
He always leaves a mark.

22/07/2025

🧠👞 Neuroscience Now: “Dress to Your Shoes”… and Your Brain ✨

During lockdown a little phrase gained traction: “dress to your shoes.”
Translation: even if you’re not leaving the house, make an effort with your appearance—you’ll feel the difference.

Now, anyone who knows me might raise an eyebrow at me saying this. I’m a shorts‑and‑T‑shirt guy, my hair usually edges toward “chaotic neutral.” But there’s solid neuroscience behind that slogan, and I felt it firsthand this week.

Why looking sharp sharpens the mind
👔 Dopamine hit – Completing a small “achievement loop” (shower, trim, smart shirt) delivers a micro‑reward that lifts drive and focus.

💡 Serotonin & self‑esteem – Taking pride in appearance reinforces self‑respect, nudging mood‑balancing serotonin upward and dialing stress hormones down.

🧑‍🔬 Enclothed cognition – Studies show what we wear changes how we think: a lab coat boosts attention, a suit raises abstract reasoning. Clothes act like subtle brain priming.

👁️ Self‑perception loop – When the mirror shows “prepared & professional,” the brain updates its internal story: I’m ready; I’ve got this. Motivation follows.

My mini experiment
After a couple of sluggish days—nothing dramatic, just low drive—I decided to go full NPC‑to‑PC transformation: hair plaited, beard trimmed, smart shirt, waistcoat, tailored slacks. I’m typing these words at my desk right now (yesterday for you reading), knowing only Kirsten and one evening client will see the upgrade.

Result? Mood up, to‑do list flying, creativity unlocked. And yes, my client’s going to be pleasantly surprised by the “bonus charisma modifier.” 😉

Try it yourself
1️⃣ Pick one day this week.
2️⃣ Dress like you’ve got somewhere awesome to be—even if you don’t.
3️⃣ Notice the shift: energy, focus, confidence.

Because sometimes the fastest way to reboot your brain chemistry is as simple as brushing the hair, buttoning the shirt, and—yep—dressing to your shoes.

22/07/2025

🧙‍♂️ New Campaign Launch – Pathfinder Meets Personal Growth 🧠
✨ Welcome to Sparkfinder: A Journey in Roleplay and Resilience ✨

Are you living with anxiety or depression?
Do you love getting immersed in the worlds of Pathfinder or D&D?

If so, Sparkfinder could be exactly the adventure you're looking for.

We’re assembling a new group of 4 players for a Monday night Sparkfinder campaign starting Monday 25th August—a unique experience where tabletop gaming meets group therapy, designed to foster connection, self-understanding, and emotional wellbeing.

🔹 What You’ll Get Each Week:
🎲 2.5-hour Pathfinder 2e session on Foundry VTT

🧠 30-minute group therapy session before each game

💬 Monthly one-to-one solution-focused psychotherapy session

All for just £15 per week.

Sparkfinder already runs long-standing games on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays—now’s your chance to jump into something brand new from session one.

Before the campaign begins, you'll have a personal consultation where we’ll explore how your brain responds to stress and how the Sparkfinder format is built to support mental resilience and growth.

Once we’ve gathered the group of 4, you’ll vote on which Paizo Adventure Path we dive into:
Sky King’s Tomb
Strength of Thousands
Quest for the Frozen Flame

And as for those one-to-one therapy sessions—think supportive conversation, not swinging watches. These sessions combine forward-focused therapy with a calming relaxation technique that helps your brain tap into its natural solution-finding strengths.

🧭 Sparkfinder – Where roleplaying becomes a path to healing and self-discovery.

18/07/2025

🎉 Hero of the Week: Degu! 🎉
“Explosions, heists, and pleasant dog breath—just another day in Alkenstar.”

Bad news: This week saw tech hiccups and player absences, so only one game got rolling.
Good news: It was a brand new campaign, which means four brand new heroes… and our very first Outlaws of Alkenstar Hero of the Week!

💥 The game kicked off in true Alkenstar style—with a bang! (Thankfully, just some dramatic performance art in the saloon.) At the Barrel and Bullet, four strangers united by revenge were brought together by bar owner Foebe Dunsmith, who laid out an ambitious plan:
Heist a corrupt bank tied to August Muglud and Angelique Loveless—the very villains who wronged them.

Our outlaws scoped the area, gathered intel, and worked their contacts. But one hero stood out...

🪄 Degu, our charming and resourceful Kholo Sorcerer, used his wit and whiskers to get the job done.
✨ He sweet-talked (and sweet-breathed?) a disgruntled bank employee into parting with a set of keys, giving the crew easier access.
✨ Later, when the team’s alchemist was spotted—and promptly punched—by the bank’s clockwork guards, Degu came through again with a well-placed Ventriloquism spell, drawing attention away and saving the plan from going sideways.

No flashy combat moves. Just smart, magical misdirection and a nose for opportunity.

👏 Well done, Degu! First session in and already showing everyone how it’s done. Here’s to a long and chaotic career in Alkenstar’s criminal underworld.

13/07/2025

📘 Book of the Week — Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This one took me a few weeks — not because it isn’t gripping, but because it’s a substantial tome and I was juggling other reads (which I’ve already shared as previous Book of the Week posts).

I'd just finished and absolutely loved Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky, so I picked Empire in Black and Gold from .books, eager to see his take on a fantasy setting after such a mind‑bending sci‑fi experience.

What’s striking is how Tchaikovsky blends familiar fantasy tropes with astonishing original world-building. Yes, there’s a fellowship of four young protagonists who each undergo growth or uncover hidden secrets about themselves. Yes, they’re working to thwart an “evil,” expansionist empire. Yes, there’s a wise, older mentor guiding them. But layered on top of that is a meticulously crafted world showing entirely new races — or, really, different aspects of humanity — shaped by tribal identities and insectlike cultures that feel wholly fresh.

Where some of the character portrayals felt less developed, the narrative ex*****on is fluid and compelling. You're hooked from the off and rarely let go. For readers who crave political intrigue, swordplay and full‑scale battles, gangster‑style power struggles, industrialisation, and magic, all unfolding across multiple factions, nations, and settings, this delivers. These are perspectives and concepts that inevitably echo real-world tensions, and the characters are ones you can really root for, whilst simultaneously being left to mull over grey areas where your choice of support is questioned. This is the kind of impressive read that deserves rare high praise.

I’ll be diving into Dragonfly Falling, the second book in the Shadows of the Apt series, and yes, that’s just increased my ever-growing TBR pile!

An impressive 4.2/5 and if the character work was more consistent would have scored higher!

11/07/2025

🥇 Hero of the Week: Taka 🥋
“It’s not always the flashiest hero who wins the day… sometimes it’s the one who just won’t let go.”

This week was a tight race for Hero of the Week, with three strong contenders throwing their names into the ring:

💣 Jhared Burlman, last week’s hero, came in swinging (well, lobbing). In one explosive round he connected with three different bombs, scoring two critical hits. The guy's on fire—or at least, his targets are.

🕵️ Joran Copperminer put on a sneaky masterclass, tailing a suspicious figure through the streets with four Nat 20s in five Sneak rolls. If his final Seek check had been a success, allowing him to see what the subject of his sneaky tail was up to, the crown might’ve been his. So close, yet so unseen.

But this week’s honour belongs to the quiet powerhouse himself:
🟩 TAKA, our gentle (but terrifying) giant orc monk.

Standing at 7’2” of pure discipline and reach, Taka made his mark with a single, simple action—a successful Grab. He latched on to a foe and never let go, turning the tide in favour of his allies. No crits. No fireworks. Just smart, effective control that let the 7-Dooms Sunday Group cruise through the session.

(Well… right up until Jhared got arrested. But that’s another story.)

Taka’s calm, steady presence reminds us:
It’s not always the biggest rolls that win. Sometimes it’s the biggest grip.

👏 Congrats, Taka. This week, you truly held it down.
Until next time… Ta-ra!
(Or should we say… Ta-ka!)

10/07/2025

🧠💤 Neuroscience Now: Sleep Like a Hero 🌙⚔️

Okay, I know this image looks like it belongs on one of my RPG posts... and honestly, it kind of does. But it’s also the perfect prompt to talk about something essential to all adventurers—sleep.

Because while your body rests, your brain? It’s very busy.

🔄 In deep sleep, your brain clears out waste—literally rinsing itself clean via the glymphatic system, flushing out proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline.

🧠 It’s also consolidating memories—moving what you learned today into long-term storage—and restoring neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which keep us balanced and emotionally regulated.

😵‍💫 No sleep? We’re foggy, forgetful, reactive, and more prone to anxiety and low mood.

🌅 What controls all this? Your circadian rhythm, managed by the tiny pineal gland in your brain. It produces melatonin—the sleep hormone—but only in darkness. Light exposure, especially from screens, tells your brain to stay awake.

☀️ That’s why getting outside twice a day—morning and late afternoon—helps reset your internal clock. Just 10–15 minutes can make a huge difference.

🛌 Want to sleep better? Practice good sleep hygiene:
📆 Stick to a regular sleep schedule
📴 Limit screens before bed
🔁 Create a wind-down ritual (read, stretch, journal)
☕ Skip caffeine after mid-afternoon
🧘 Clear your mind before bed—try breathing or jotting down thoughts

💡 Sleep isn’t just for recovering hit points and getting your spells back—it’s vital brainwork. When we sleep well, we level up in focus, emotion, memory, and energy.

So tonight? Power down. Rest up.
Your brain (and your party) will thank you.

10/07/2025

What’s Been Good?
I recently put the call out for a new Wednesday night gaming group—our fourth Sparkfinder table—and as of yesterday, all the slots are filled! 🎉

The new party lineup is already full of flavour:
🗡️ Degreth al-Rayabi Casmar’ne Katapesh, a Kelesh*te human thaumaturge (yes, that took some typing).
🔥 Degu Deathtouched, a Kholo (gnoll) sorcerer with ties to psychopomps.
🧪 Salviano Casca, a Chelaxian human alchemist/chirurgeon with surgical precision.
🔫 And finally, Dolly (placeholder name), a halfling 'Way of the Sniper' gunslinger with nerves of steel.

They’ll be diving into Outlaws of Alkenstar from Paizo Publishing—a gritty, high-octane adventure set in the soot-streaked streets and whisky-stained saloons of the City of Smog.
Their journey starts with a bang—literally—with a bank heist against a corrupt money-laundering operation tied to their nemesis, Ambrost Muglund. Revenge never smelled so much like gunpowder.

What makes this even better?
This crew includes two Sparkfinder regulars, one returning player, and one brand-new recruit (Hi Marion! 👋). It’s always exciting to blend familiar faces with new energy. There's a special kind of magic that happens when a fresh party takes shape—and I can't wait to see it unfold.

So here’s to new beginnings, dusty shootouts, chaotic alchemy, and maybe even a Hero of the Week on their very first outing.

Roll on Wednesday. 🤠🎲

08/07/2025

🧠✨ MYTHBUSTING ✨🧠
Hypnotherapy isn’t going to ‘magic you better’

In my Sparkfinder therapeutic games, you might play as a spellcasting druid or wise old wizard—but real-life hypnotherapy? It’s not magic… even if the results feel magical.

💬 So what is it really?
Solution-focused hypnotherapy is a talk-based therapy, backed by neuroscience and supported by a period of relaxation.

But it’s not passive.
You won’t be “zapped better” while in trance.
In fact, you’ll be doing the work—not rehashing trauma, but focusing on solutions and positive change.

Here’s what a session looks like:
1️⃣ We start with a simple exercise to get you into your intellectual brain (your calm, rational problem-solver).
2️⃣ Next, we do a quick check-in and chat about how the brain works—just enough to make things click.
3️⃣ Then comes the talk therapy. This is where we work—hard sometimes!—to explore goals, strengths, and what is working.
4️⃣ Finally, you enter trance—a deeply relaxed state where the brain starts weaving it all together.

🧬 In trance, your brain’s default mode network lights up, allowing it to process ideas, form solutions, and reinforce the positive pathways we’ve discussed.

So no spells. No wands.
Just a calm, structured, and empowering process that helps you move forward.

🪄 But hey—change can still feel a little bit like magic 😉

06/07/2025

📚 Book of the Week: Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey 🐉

I first visited the world of Pern in 1976, when I picked up the newly released Dragonsong. I was instantly hooked. The following year, Dragonsinger arrived and swept me even deeper into the Harper Hall. After that, I circled back to discover the earlier books—Dragonflight and Dragonquest—and from then on, I eagerly picked up each new release as they came, right up until The Masterharper of Pern in 1998… and then, nothing.

This is my first time revisiting these beloved books in over two decades, and I’m reading them in chronological order this time around. I finished Dragonflight a couple of months ago and was fully prepared for it to feel dated. But to my surprise, both—and especially Dragonquest—have aged remarkably well.

Dragonquest dives deeper into the tensions between the dragonriders of the Weyrs and the Lords of the Holds, following the struggles to unite a fractured society in the face of the deadly Thread. Lessa and F'lar are now trying to lead a new era, but with the Oldtimers (dragonriders from the past) increasingly at odds with the present, conflict brews both politically and personally. Meanwhile, new alliances are forged, secrets of Pern's distant past begin to surface, and the emotional threads (no pun intended) running between characters give this installment an added layer of richness that, for me, even surpassed Dragonflight.

Next up is The White Dragon, which I’ll be picking up soon from .books. But before I return to Pern, I’ve got a few other reads to tackle: finishing Empire of Black and Gold, diving into Gods of the Wyrdwood (a Jayde recommendation), and starting Shadow and Bone after thoroughly enjoying Six of Crows.

Sparkfinder

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