discussing story, system, and what makes RPGs tick…
As game masters and writers, we want to expose how narratives and mechanics influence each other, shaping the outcomes of our games. Sometimes we will include one shot Actual-Plays to demonstrate different systems or methods of play, and have various guests join in the discussion.
Ep.18: freemarket
We run a FreeMarket actual play and break down its reputation-driven sandbox—why it’s hard to grok, how scenes and stakes work, and what tools you can steal for any RPG: goal-driven framing, social capital as currency, and persistent consequences.
Ep.17: Trinity Storypath
All four hosts hit the table as Scott storyguides Trinity Continuum: Æon by Onyx Path—our first full-group sci-fi session. We push the Storypath system hard, spotlighting how Attributes + Skills drive pacing and how resource choices raise the stakes. It’s a tight preview of the tone and playstyle in our live-streamed campaign launching October 2025.
Ep.14: Mothership
Modern Mythology dives into the sci‑fi horror of Mothership RPG with guest Johnathan Lee. Build a (potentially) doomed crew in minutes, ride through a five‑scene crawl, then dissect how the stress‑and‑panic engine steers narrative beats. Actualplay, sharp design talk, and practical pacing insights—perfect for tabletop RPG fans, actual‑play listeners, and game designers hunting fresh sci fi and space horror tools.
Ep.13: Echoes of the Veil, a CBR+PNK Hack
This one is special to us because we bring on board Raffi, a Philadelphia local who has developed an expansion for the Forged in the Dark masterpiece of design, CBR+PNK. Not only do we pick Raffi's brain about process and system but they run their demo scenario for their expansion, Echoes of the Veil.
You can find this amazing project on Kickstarter now!
Ep.12: Launching Our Sci-Fi Arc
Episode 12 marks our shift into sci-fi as lifelong D&D DM Sean joins James, Scott, and Mark, widening the show’s range. After a brisk round-table on Sean’s background and each host’s approach to house-rules, we contrast favorite mechanics with the D&D baseline before launching an actual-play primer of Free League’s Coriolis, showcasing its dice pool, position-based modifiers, and tension-driven Darkness Points.