Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff

The Gaming Hut looks at the key difference in scenario design, between what happens to the player characters, and what they can do. The Tradecraft Hut checks into a classic London spy world location, St. Ermin’s Hotel. Still in London, the Food Hut unpeels the 1633 banana astonishment. Finally Conspiracy Corner engages in flightless Canadian […]

Taking inspiration from a previously dropped idle phrase, the Gaming Hut proudly presents Dinosaur Flying Aces. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Jake Maas, a home state edition of the Crime Blotter investigates Chinese mob involvement in Oklahoma grow farms. Estimable backer Mark K convenes the Cinema Hut to ask Robin to expand his […]

The Gaming Hut advises players assigned the role of ringer or traitor. The Archaeology Hut tours the Papoura Hill Circular Structure in Crete, recently added to the list of possible inspirations for the labyrinth myth. Ripped from the Headlines looks at Nepal’s fake mountain rescue scam. Finally Ken’s Time Machine reveals what 11th century England […]

In the Gaming Hut we wonder what encumbrance rules would look like if they were fun. The History Hut profiles a figure who appears in Ballad Hunters, the servant who passed herself off as a Javanese royal, Princess Caraboo. The Horror Hut looks at the installation horror sub-genre. Finally the Consulting Occultist gives us the […]

The Gaming Hut provides tips for staying true to the path of the doom as a player in Page Turners. The Monster Hut ventures into the forest for a meeting with its protector, the curupira. Finally Ken’s Bookshelf paws over a mere half of the plunder from Ken’s recent Bay area shopping excursions. Want to […]

In the Gaming Hut Ken recaps his just-concluded, seven year long FALL OF DELTA GREEN campaign. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Sam Harris, the Culture Hut reveals why there had to be two separate blues titans named Sonny Boy Williamson. The Narrative Hut wonders if a credible motivation for murder is necessary for […]

At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Manfred Gabriel, the Gaming Hut shows how to keep the heat on the PCs when they’re on the run. Whether he’s a legend, an alias, a symbol, or as in Ballad Hunters, a supernatural being, the Mythology Hut knows all about General Ned Ludd. The Stock Character Hut […]

The Gaming Hut entertains a salty take as we wonder whether GMs who say rules don’t matter are actually using them in the first place. Beloved Patreon backer Pagurus unrolls a Cartography Hut segment on maps and deception, as revealed in Mark Monmonier’s How to Lie With Maps. Equally beloved backer Irène Delse invokes her […]

The Gaming Hut takes you through the process of devising a supporting cast for a Page Turners scenario. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer bt, the Crime Blotter ponders the ritual significance of the flower-bedecked effigy at the funeral of Chicago mobster Mike Merlo. Finally, as is their wont at awards time in the […]

In the Gaming Hut we explain why idiot plotting is an even bigger problem in tabletop rpgs than fiction or movies. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Ginge the Tradecraft Hut rips the lid off of the submarine exploit that was Project Azorian. The Mythology Hut goes to the woods to reveal the surprising […]

In the Gaming Hut we create a Page Turners protagonist. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Charles Picard the Architecture Hut examines the work of Julia Taylor, from the Chapel of the Chimes to Hearst Castle. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Robin talks to Tristan Zimmerman about his game Ballad Hunters, […]

The Gaming Hut starts us off with a contemplation of introductory adventures. The Horror Hut unearths the surely vampiric backstory of a loin-cloth clad 4th century Saracen warrior whose spectacular blood-drinking turned the Visigoths from the gates of Constantinople. The Stock Character Hut celebrates the release of Page Turners with a look at the disapproving […]

We start in the Gaming Hut by looking at providing clues to players. In the History Hut we ask which saint had the highest body count. Was it Norway’s heavily armed St. Olaf, or someone else? Finally the Ken’s Bookshelf recalls a previously undocumented raid on NYC’s Strand Books. Want to pose a question to […]

Before beloved Patreon backer Sikander can betray us, the Gaming Hut answers his question about the Mr. Johnson trope in roleplaying games. Special guests Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan and James Wallis join us in the Mythology Hut for a paradoxology quiz. Which weird beliefs from ancient Greek and Roman texts are authentic to those texts, and which […]

In the Gaming Hut we reluctantly rouse ourselves to answer beloved Patreon backer Toonspew’s request for a look at the Church of the Sub-Genius. At the request of estimable backer Neon Fox, the History Hut finds the real story between the alleged temporal straddling of the S. S. Warrimoo. In the Food Hut we flavor […]

In the Gaming Hut we look at the sorts of stories that work as Page Turners scenarios. The Archaeology Hut digs into the case of the Russian archaeologist arrested in Poland for damaging the Crimean site of Myrmekion. In Ask Ken and Robin, beloved Patreon backer Fred Kiesche asks Robin to talk about his role […]

The Gaming Hut follows up a previous pedagogical segment by wondering what a course syllabus for tabletop rpg development and editing might look cover. The Crime Blotter peers at the surprisingly long list of criminal forensics techniques that fail to meet scientific standards. The Stock Character Hut looks at that perennial force for narrative chaos, […]

As you may have heard in our previous episode, a mysterious technical event ate our recording of our live episode at this year’s Dragonmeet. In the face of this tragedy we prevail with a not at all convincing recreation of the in-person event, with better sound quality and much worse applause. The Nerdtrope Deck demands […]

The Gaming Hut wonders what would happen in an F20 world where the smoke from burned magic scrolls produced a potent intoxication? Thanks to the Secret Maps exhibition at the British Library, the Travel Advisory veers into the Cartography Hut. Which means we must be back from London, occasioning our annual UK edition of Ken’s […]

Beloved Patreon backer Ben A. takes the Gaming Hut to New York’s Chinatown in 1973 for tips on a game that mixes triads with the Bruce Lee legacy. Estimable backer Philip Masters gains access to the Tradecraft Hut for an account of a recently busted spy ring run by previous subject Jan Marsalek. How to […]

In the Gaming Hut we look at a core part of the rpg designer’s skill set, table sense, or the ability to predict what players will do with your material. The Mythology Hut tells the story of a historical figure reputed to turn invisible, Qin Dynasty consort Zhongli Chun. The Word Hut hosts a game […]

Beloved Patreon backer Darcy Casselman summons us to the Gaming Hut in search of tips on playing a gestalt or troupe-style leader character, such as a starship captain. The Architecture Hut peers at Sibiu, Transylvania, the town of 7,300 eyes. Try to keep a lid on it as the Stock Character Hut looks at the […]

In the Gaming Hut we examine the principle of design by subtraction. The Crime Blotter investigates the career of thief turned detective Eugène-Francois Vidocq. We wrap up the Cinema Hut Fantasy Film Essentials series with some late-breaking indie titles and a look back at what we learned. Finally the Eliptony Hut tunes into Bernard Kazhinsky’s […]

The Gaming Hut continues its preview of Robin’s new game Page Turners with a demonstration of scene calling choices. The History Hut takes a garden stroll to look at ornamental hermits. A great wasteland is traversed in the Cinema Hut as the Fantasy Film Essentials series shoots from 2011 to nearly the present day. Finally […]

With the print run imminent for Page Turners, Robin’s new game of dramatic interaction for one player and one GM, the Gaming Hut takes it for a spin, with Ken defining the unmet needs of his jazz age protagonist. Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else features Ken’s chat with Matt Orr of Wet Ink […]

The Gaming Hut pays tribute to Halloween by envisioning a game pitting classic monsters against the non-Euclidean horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos. The Cinema Hut Fantasy Film Essentials series rounds out the 1990s. And the loss of Portland bibliophiles is our hero’s gain as Ken’s Bookshelf groans with his recent Powell’s Books purchases. Want to […]

Now that Ken has finally seen it, beloved Patreon backer Justin Mohareb can pitch his Kpop Demon Hunters question to the Gaming Hut: how could it be used as a game, and how would that be a Feng Shui campaign? Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else features a chat with Richard Ruane, designer of […]

The Gaming Hut examines parallels between killer dungeons and horror movie slashers. Impelled by beloved Patreon backer Jurie Horneman, the Tradecraft Hut looks at the career of financial fraudster turned Russian operative Jan Marsalek. The Cinema Hut’s fantasy film essential series continues to bask in the golden era of the 1990s. Finally the Conspiracy Corner […]

The Gaming Hut looks at the peace paradox, in which players successfully negotiate their way out of a conflict and then feel let down by the anti-climactic result. Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else features Lyla Fujiwara, project lead on the Cosmere RPG. The fantasy film essentials series returns to the Cinema Hut for […]

The Gaming Hut becomes a pit stop as beloved Patreon backer Aser Tolentino asks how a tabletop game might reproduce the spectacle of Formula One racing. In the History Hut we ask if Elizabeth Bathory was framed. Robin shares his KARTAS-friendly discoveries from this year’s Robin and Valerie International Film Festival in the Cinema Hut. […]

In the Gaming Hut we wonder what might appear on a tabletop roleplaying design course curriculum. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Charles Picard the History Hut looks at the Welsh settlement in Patagonia. Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else features Elliot Davis, designer of Rom Com Drama Bomb, and such solo games […]

Recorded live at Gen Con, Ken, special guest co-host Darcy Ross and a cameo from Robin’s disembodied voice, this extra-special episode features the obligatory nerdtrope deck plus meatloaf secrets, Templar channeling points, Indiana’s mythos patron, and onesies for goth infants. Want to pose a question to the show? Get your priority question asking access with […]

In the spirit of the episode number, we kick off a demons and devils special in the Gaming Hut. Robin pitches Ken three ideas for a game with demon PCs; Ken picks one and we flesh it out. In the Mythology Hut we figure out what the big deal is with the number 666 anyway. […]

Clutch your stakes and polish your silver bullets as the Gaming Hut looks at the special vulnerabilities that allow player characters to defeat monsters. In the Stock Character Hut, we look at a key type essentials to Robin’s upcoming game Page Turners, the confidant. The Cinema Hut Fantasy Essentials series returns to solid footing as […]

In the Gaming Hut we look at how the unsatisfying nature of real life persuasion leads to player dissatisfaction with social combat systems. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Ken sits down the Pat Mooney of Flagbearer Games. The Cinema Hut Fantasy Essentials Series reaches the heartbreaker era of the mid 80s. Finally […]

Beloved Patreon backer Sikander orders and/or bribes the Gaming Hut into a discussion of game mechanics that require players to take in-genre actions versus those that offer rewards for doing so. At the behest of estimable backer David Sowa, the Tradecraft Hut peers into the world of private espionage organizations. Wielding Excaliburs both silly and […]

Ken is back from Gen Con to share his main takeaways from the 2025 show in OUR latest Travel Advisory. The Cinema Hut fantasy film essentials series covers the early 1970s. Speaking of Gen Con, the ENnie Awards just celebrated their 25th anniversary. Organization director Stacy Muth joins Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else […]

In the Gaming Hut we look at ways to run prelude scenes in scenarios, set before its main objective becomes apparent. The Word Hut gets judgmental as we look at archaic, obscure and rarely used words and decide which of them deserves to enter the general lexicon. Our Cinema Hut Fantasy Film Essentials Series covers […]

The episode starts with a retreat to the Gaming Hut as we talk about the importance of a safe headquarters for player characters. The Command Hut looks at Aggressor, Krasnovia, and other fictional geopolitical adversaries used as targets in US military training maneuvers. The Cinema Hut’s Fantasy Film Essentials Series makes its way through the […]

In the Gaming Hut we consider the two meanings of the term roleplaying. Through the joint auspices of Travel Advisory and the Culture Hut we profile surrealist occultist painter Ithell Colquhoun, subject a career retrospective show current at Tate Britain. The power of fantasy becomes the subject as the Cinema Hut’s Fantasy Essential Series turns […]

Beloved Patreon backer Tennant Reed seeks Gaming Hut tips on scenarios where  the player characters discover that they’re not who they think they are. The Crime Blotter profiles Old West cattle rustler and creative evader of consequences Climax Jim Nephew. The Cinema Hut Fantasy Film Essentials series focuses on postwar tales of ghosts, love, and […]

Settle back for some Gaming Hut disambiguation as beloved Patreon backer Bart Mallio asks us to explain the difference between a setting and a campaign frame. The Mythos Hut listens to a conch and screams when estimable backer Ludovic Chabant seeks the Deep One shenanigans behind the Margate Shell Grotto. The Cinema Hut Fantasy Essentials […]

The Gaming Hut gets informative as beloved Patreon backer Daiv Barr asks for campaign frames built around the librarian answer-seeking list Stumpers-L, aka Project Wombat. The Mythology Hut looks at St. Cuthbert, the historical Anglo-Saxon saint who became a D&D god.  Our Cinema Hut fantasy essential series continues with the early 40s. Finally Ken’s Time […]

As assigned by an anonymous beloved Patreon backer, the Gaming Hut ponders a university urban fantasy campaign where the syllabuses matter as much as the sylphs. The History Hut retreats to the high ground to meet estimable backer Robert Wolfe’s request for the esoteric and gaming ramifications of Dayton’s Great Flood. Our Cinema Hut Fantasy […]

The Gaming Hut has stacked up the non-perishables and gas masks to answer beloved Patroen backer’s Jason Thompson about a campaign that starts on the day of the apocalypse. The Stock Character Hut returns to examine a trope with a truly ancient provenance, the wily servant. Part two of the Cinema Hut Fantasy Essentials Series […]

In the Gaming Hut beloved Patreon backer Michael Cule wants to know more about the role dice play in roleplaying games. Fun With Science answers estimable backer Jurie Horneman’s request to look into a case of brain diagnosis by inner voices. The Cinema Hut kicks off our tour through Fantasy Film Essentials with the formative […]

In the Gaming Hut we talk roleplaying the French Revolution at the behest of beloved Patreon backer Dr. Nick. The Tradecraft Hut profiles English spy George Blake. The Cinema Hut kicks off a new Fantasy Film Essentials series by examining the boundary of the genre and setting some ground rules. Finally the Consulting Occultist obeys […]

Beloved Patreon backer beckons us to the Gaming Hut seeking tips on keeping PC hope alive when the bad guys run the authorities. In the Tradecraft Hut estimable backer Scify wants to know if DOGE has been cutting funding for CIA front operations. Urban cows are just the beginning as the Food Hut looks at […]

Much has changed since our last anniversary episode, but one thing that remains the same is our dedication to celebratory LIGHTNING ROUND!!! questions from our beloved Patreon backers. In quick startling fashion we dispatch inquiries, most not lists, favorites, or lists of favorites, concerning tabletop games, time travel, food & drink, spy stories and horror […]

The Gaming Hut finds reasons for player characters to show mercy toward defeated opponents. Hoaxing is usually a white collar crime. Not so, as the Crime Blotter explores, in the case of Mark Hofmann, whose production of forged Church of Latter Day Saints historical documents escalated to murder. The first installment of the Stock Character […]