The Billowing Hilltop - A TTRPG Actual Play Podcast

In this bonus episode we sit down with Gareth Hanrahan, game designer, adventure writer and fiction author. Gareth talks us through his new project for Rowan, Rook and Deckard - DIE: Metadungeon, and we chat about adventure design, the history of rpgs and Gareth's approach to writing fiction. You can back DIE: Metadungeon here: rrdgames.com/metadungeon You can find out more about the DIE:RPG here: https://rowanrookanddecard.com/product/die-the-roleplaying-game/ There's more about the DIE comic here: https://diecomic.com/ And you can find out all about Gareth's work here: https://garhanrahan.com/ For a full list of Gareth's game work visit his RPGGeek page: https://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/13834/gareth-ryder-hanrahan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyuss has been destroyed, but what lies in the future for the Slayers? We tie up some loose ends and leave others open. We look back over the campaign, run through your questions, and look forward to the future of the pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, is it? Lashonna joins the fight as the Slayers face the final reckoning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are deep into the final showdown with the Wormgod. Kyuss is almost at full strength. Can the Slayers find the means to his destruction? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re way past the end of the beginning, the beginning of the middle, and the middle of the middle. The end of the middle is a distant memory. So is the beginning of the end. Come to think of it, didn’t we just go past the middle of the end? That can only mean one thing… …After more than six long years of playing time, 60 days of game time, and more than 300 hours of episodes, the Slayers begin their final confrontation with Kyuss himself! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With their missions complete in the city of Frostanger, the Slayers rest up and prepare for their ultimate confrontation with Kyuss! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the Slayers convince the townsfolk of Frostanger to follow them to salvation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers have a plan to evacuate the terrified civilians from the Frostanger docks, and lift the morale of the city. Is it a just-might-work plan? Or is it a never-gonna-work plan? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers head to the docks to take on the forces of Kyuss. Can they swing the balance of the battle for Frostanger? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the Slayers hunt down the sniper and guide all the civilians to safety? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darl Quethos has surprised Parker on the cathedral roof. What is the Eye and does Parker possess it? These and other questions are not answered in our Christmas episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers are in the Temple of Bann Shivu. Parker investigates a hall of mirrors, while Sessions undergoes a transformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We return to our Age of Worms adventure. With the Unlife Vortex finally (finally!) disabled, the Slayers follow B’Kruss to Lashonna’s manse. Whatever a manse is. James Garner’s Animal Rescue Fund: https://www.jgarf.org/about   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a break from our scheduled programming, we take a break from our adventure. We chat about our gaming preferences, the systems that interest us, and what might lie in future for the Hilltop once the Age of Worms is over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the Slayers finally disable the Unlife Vortex and return to the struggle in Frostanger? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers have to start all over again after Burple’s momentary lapse of reason. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers only need to hang on for a vital few seconds and the Unllife Vortex will be permanently disabled. What could possibly go wrong? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While most of the Slayers face Lashonna and her vampire followers in battle, some old acquaintances await Uncle Buggie outside his stone sanctuary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers must keep the dreaded Lashonna and her Vampires at bay for 30 seconds to ensure the Unlife Vortex cannot be repaired. That’s five rounds. Should only take three or four weeks to play through. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At last, the Unlife Vortex has been disrupted, and Burple and Sessions can concentrate on recovering their lost comrades. Unless, of course, the architect of the apparatus has other plans… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And then there were two… Can Sessions and Burple disrupt the Unlife Vortex machine? Or will they just make things worse? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers are in trouble. They get in more trouble. They try to work out how to get out of trouble. They end up in even more trouble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The plan is simple: Hold off the forces of Kyuss for long enough to disable the Unlife Vortex Machine. The reality is very different. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A giant Ghost Avolakia guards the machine room. Hinge-headed Kyuss Liches flank the party to the west. Can our heroes make the breakthrough? Well, you won’t find out in the next 40 minutes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers need to find the source of the Unlife Vortex, but a gaggle of nasty Kyuss greeblies have other plans! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our heroes have completed their dreamlike journey through the Timberdark. Now they must explore the depths beneath the Boneyard in search of the Unlife Vortex! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The green devil’s head has been found. Can our heroes work out a way to extract the Sphere of Annihilation safely? Or have they all dump-statted intelligence to the point that it is an impossibility? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have the Slayers been transported to a piece of D&D history? And if they have, can they remember anything about it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The situation is finely balanced in the Katzenjammer planetoid. Can Scaly, Sessions and Parker hold off the Piranha Demons long enough for Uncle Buggie to complete his ethereal mission? CONTENT WARNING: Episode contains an interminable discussion of Scaly’s slots that some readers may find distressing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burple has been eaten by a Piranha Demon. Can the remaining Slayers find the Hearth Spirit and deliver their explosive payload? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time to kick some asteroid as our cosmic crew attempt to deliver their deadly payload! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Anvil of Thump come to the Slayer’s rescue, and take them to meet an old friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers have teleported  back to Truespire Island only to find a scene of devastation. Can they survive the onslaught of their friends-turned-enemies? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We begin Book 12 of the Age of Worms! With Dragotha vanquished, our avaricious heroes turn their attention to his treasure hoard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dragotha engulfs the Slayers in toxic gas, and turns the necromantic nature of his lair against them. Is this the final showdown? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss high-level encounter balance briefly, before returning to the showdown with Dragotha and his minions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Diamond-Eyed Dwarf of Doom tries to frazzle the brains of our gallant gang. How will we tell the difference? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Diamond-Eyed Dwarf of Doom has plunged our heroes into darkness. Can they see their way to victory when they can’t even see each other? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers are engulfed in a surge of necrotic liquid and toxic gas. It could not have come at a worse time, what with the Dracolich and everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a river of green horrible. Kyuss grubs seethe all around. Scaly has been swallowed by a giant worm. Now the Slayers must face the full might of Dragotha. Fair to say, the situation is not ideal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers ascend the green pipe of horrible. Does Dragotha lie in wait for them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers spend an awfully long time trying to work out what to do next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The wormdrake is defeated, but the other trials of the Tabernacle remain. Will the Slayers keep exploring, or retreat and recuperate? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers face a life-or-death confrontation with the wormdrake! Can Buggie cling on to its slimy rump? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The wormdrake has forced its way through the barrier and has Scaly and Sessions in its sights! What awful nastiness is it about to exhale all over them? We’re guessing it’s wormy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mother Maggot dances her hypnotic dance. The animated cage lashes out in search of a victim. The gargantuan wormo-dragon throws itself at the windows. The Slayers have got their hands full. Can they make any progress? Or will they just bicker and wander around aimlessly? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buggy has charged ahead, but what awful beast has he disturbed? Whatever it is, it isn’t happy. Readers! We would be most grateful for any nominations for this year’s Crit Awards. Especially for Best Legacy Podcast, but for any other category you think we deserve! you can nominate here. Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mother Maggot has Uncle Buggy trapped up a pipe. Can his tiny, wizened, unwashed form resist her eldritch magicks? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parker has disappeared up a pipe in the ceiling. Is he OK? And since it clearly isn’t the real Parker, do we care? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slayers are beset on all sides in the Temple of Kyuss. Will Parker fall victim to the diamond-eyed Dwarf of Doom? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices