Episodes

WIll Malkus brings Chase Cameron, aka Showtime, to the table. Chase is a teenager who recently became a superhero when he found a watch that can stop time. Will and I nerd out on comics, deconstruct the women in refrigerators trope, and discuss how TTRPGs let us play out better futures. This character is built for Masks: a New Generation by Brendan Conway. Will Malkus is an ex librarian, ex music journalist, ex photographer, and current streamer, producer, and editor, mostly for the not-for-p...

Justin Gagliani brings Jessica Jeroux to the table. Jessica is a drow trans woman pursuing knowledge of lost civilizations. Justin and I discuss what it means to be a trans woman in gender-segregated drow society, learning to explore and express your gender, and the narrative implications of D&D mechanics. This character is built for D&D 5e. Justin Gagliani is a co host of the So You Want to Be a Dungeon Master podcast, a TTRPG content creator, and a published writer. You can learn more abou...

Blerdy Disposition brings Chris Strausman to the table. Chris is a Twitch streamer with a lot of growing up to do, searching Reddit and relying on his followers to find his missing sister. Blerdy and I compare Lovecraftian horrors to YouTube comments, discuss the importance of being there for your community, both in and out of character, and talk about growing up in a landscape of social isolation and internet-only friendships. This character is built for Call of Cthulhu 7e. Blerdy Dispositio...

Content Warning this episode for brief mentions of forced sterilization (49:03-49:53) and death of a child (57:40-57:48). DJ BeeZee brings Everett Nichols to the table. Everett is a union man, through and through, who defends those closest to him. DJ and I discuss healing from generational trauma, the union history of Appalachia, and how finding player agency in TTRPGs can be cathartic when we lack agency in our lives. This character is built for Old Gods of Appalachia, a Cypher System game b...

Adrian Lawrence brings Don Rigals to the table. Don is a fur-obsessed secret communist delving into New York's underground to find his brother. Adrian and I discuss being outspoken about your political values, the power of representation, and not being "Mexican enough." This character is built for Call of Cthulhu. AC Lawrence is a Mexican-American DM who co-hosts a podcast named Dungeons & Degrees, where he interviews individuals in the TTRPG space to show that the path to creativity isn't ju...

I've been bringing characters without stories and the creators who made them to the table for TWO YEARS! It felt like a good time to get reflective and talk about something I've been working on - diversifying my guests and the games we talk about. I also did a two year anniversary giveaway - tune in to find out who won! Send us a text Cover art by The Curiographer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast: https://dashboard...

Content warning this episode for discussions of sexual assault and sexual harassment. We don’t go into any detail, but if this topic is a trigger for you, I recommend you skip it. Alejandra Wilhelm brings Reyna to the table. Reyna is a fierce and loyal barbarian hiding her identity from the archfey her father sold her to. Alejandra and I discuss parasociality, bad behavior on Discord, and roleplay on TikTok. We also talk about self-insert characters - from physical appearance to emotional trau...

Juicy Garland brings Grammarye Praise-God Winthrop to the table. Grammarye is a teenage witch and the black sheep of a family with a 400 year vendetta against the Salem Witch Trial judges who killed their ancestor. Juicy and I share our love for witchy touchstones like The Craft and The Witch (or as we say The VVitch), sympathize with Grammarye's desperate attempts at validation, and discuss how roleplaying in actual plays is different from home games. This character is built for Monsterhearts...

Savannah Rayne brings Kit to the table. Kit is a con woman on the run in disguise as a man, who finds family and the confidence to harness her innate magic on a pirate ship. Savannah and I discuss roleplaying away from a table in private chat and public cosplay. We also talk about Savannah's two favorite tropes - found family and the sorcerer gaining the confidence to wield her magic. This character is built for D&D5e. Savannah Rayne is an RP enthusiast, art witch, and podcaster. While relati...

Navaar Seik-Jackson brings Oba Manu to the table. Oba is a dad who wants nothing more than to live the simple life, but is pulled back into adventuring for "one last job." Navaar and I discuss having a family both at and away from the table, needing to protect your family while avoiding violence - and how scary that can be as a Black father, and power fantasies. Navaar also convinces me to play Pathfinder. This character is built for Pathfinder 2e by Paizo. Navaar Seik-Jackson is a narrative ...

Stephan Kelly brings Lancelot to the table. Lance is a blind martial artist in a coven of witches, doing his best to leave the world a little bit better than when he found it. Stephan and I discuss building a character while you're building the system, testing the limits of system mastery, and an unfortunate jousting accident. This character is built for Coven and Crucible, a game created by Stephan, his wife roach, and his daughter Charlotte. https://13thmoongames.com Stephan Kelly is a retir...

Grant brings Orco the Magnificent to the table. Orco is not a very good wizard, but he gives it his best shot. Grant and I discuss religious trauma, high school theater, and the opposite of min-maxing. This character is built for D&D5e. Grant Nordine is the titular game master of Game Master Monday and the guide for Bella's Comet. Grant is an award-winning actor and writer with stage, film, music, and podcasting credits. As the GM of Game Master Monday, he runs a new one-shot in a new system ...

Tori Fica brings Tendertwig to the table. Tendertwig is a Leshy Oracle who moves through life with the confidence of a child - because they are actually only 1 year old. Tori and I discuss the freedom of playing a character utterly devoid of imposter syndrome, how being cute is a special ability, and playing a literal baby. This character is built for Pathfinder 2e. Tori Fica is a TTRPG enthusiast, actual-play performer, and GM. She is one of the creators of Level 1 Geek, a TTRPG education an...

Chriss brings Rhan Halvard to the table. Rhan was a wizard who became a revenant in the service of Istus when her attempt to change her fate had unexpectedly dire results. Chriss and I discuss death, grief, and catharsis, the role of fate in a fantasy story where gods are real, and how much backstory you truly need. This character is built for D&D5e. Chriss Knight is a life long creative who found her calling with D&D in college where she earned a degree in theatre. After a winding road of va...

Sam Dunnewold brings Exit to the table. Exit is a scavenger living on the edges of a dangerous psychic mist and a society that demands they conform. Sam and I discuss building a character within the context of a post apocalyptic world, being brave because you have to be, and transparency in gaming. This character is built for Apocalypse World by D. Vincent and Maguey Baker. http://apocalypse-world.com Sam Dunnewold is a Minnesotan game designer, screenwriter, and podcaster living in Hollywood ...

Aetherius brings Riley Howard/Jean Pierre Baptiste to the table. Riley is a Ministry kindred masquerading as Jean-Pierre, a Toreador in the Camarilla. Aetherius and I discuss being your authentic self, being the only Black player at the table, and writing strong yet flawed Black women. This character is built for Vampire the Masquerade 5e published by Renegade Game Studios. Aetherius Bordeaux is your new favorite Vampire Himbo. He is a mystery/thriller/horror content creator and lifelong answ...

Joseph brings Otto Von Kurtzel to the table. Otto is a family man who built a mech suit to help him live with a degenerative disease. Joseph and I discuss punching dragons, having people worth fighting for, and tinkering for good. This character is built for D&D5e. Joseph Byler, an aspiring TTRPG writer and nurse. They're also a proud redneck and leftist. You can learn more about Joseph at: https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/joseph-byler This episode, I recommend the podcast Bl...

Alex brings Nix to the table. Alex is a traveling magician who cheerfully becomes a hero. Alex and I discuss mad libs character creation, the nature of magic, and being inspired by a hat. This character is built for Quest. Alex, also known as Apples_n_Cinnamon, a ttrpg enthusiast and a blooming forever GM. They make TTRPG content somewhat sporadically but play in a variety of games in as many systems as possible! You can learn more about Alex at: https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/gues...

Rook brings Dale Dorries, AKA Alehat to the table. Alehat is a greedy, rotten scoundrel feeding his retirement fund with ill-gotten gains. Rook and I discuss filling a role in a party, using characters to try out game mechanics, and being out for yourself. This character is built for Blades in the Dark. Roger Peters, who also goes by Rook, is the owner of Epic Sages, a multi-TTRPG focused hosting site. He’s played and/or ran various TTRPGs for over 15 years. You can learn more about Rook at:...