The GROGNARD Files

In this episode, we talk about The Pirates of Drinax, the epic sandbox campaign created by Gareth Hanrahan, developed and published by Mongoose Publishing.Matthew Sprange from Mongoose talks about the project and Traveller in general.Judge Blythy reflects on running the campaign with some recommendations and highlights.Nevermind the Dice Rolls is a fantastic zine that you can get from Patreon and Drivethru RPG.It is virtual GROGMEET soon. There are still slots available over on Warhorn.Please consider supporting us on Patreon.The post The Pirates of Drinax, Traveller RPG (with Matthew Sprange) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, we are in Manchester Central Library talking to GROGSQUAD member Tomas Rawlings. He has a long history of working in video games, but he also has many interesting thoughts on role-playing games and he’s currently writing a book about the evolution of Warhammer 40k.In our discussions we talk about how developments within Games Workshop shaped the nature of chaos and its popularity as an aesthetic.You can read more from Tomas at his substack.Judge Blythy get’s into the pub to face a chaotic Games Master’s Screen to talk about how chaos manifests in role-playing games.Dirk has been on the Smart Party talking about Blades 68. Please consider supporting us on Patreon.The post Chaos in RPGs and beyond (with Tomas Rawlings) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, Kalum from the Rolistes Podcast is in the zoom of role-playing rambling to talk about French speaking RPGs. He has spoken about Nephilim elsewhere and he tells us more in this episode.He’s also Kickstarting his game The Magic of Inventorying which will be familiar to attendees of virtual GROGMEET.Blythy and Dirk review their year in role-playing and give out GROGGIE awards.Caroline Munro has revised her memoir.Please consider supporting our Patreon.The post The GROGGIES Review of 2025 (with Kalum) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Chaosium is celebrating 50 years since the company was founded by Greg Stafford. Their games have always been at the core of what we play, so it was great to have more time with returning guest, Rick Meints.Rick is the president of Chaosium, perhaps more importantly, he is the Head of the Department of Nostalgia, the custodian to the extensive, if chaotic, archive of the company. He started as a collector, and ended up heading the company.We set him the challenge of finding five items from the archive that represent the development of the company over fifty years. What products are the milestones of progress in the history of Chaosium? There are some unexpected items in there. Let us know what you think.The interview was recorded in front of an audience as part of GROGMEETish in November. In the room of role-playing rambling, I’m joined by resident rules-lawyer Judge Blythy to review GROGMEETish. We also talk about NPCs or Games Master Characters and how to handle a ‘cast of 1000s’.The advert is for Eldritch Stories from Mason and Fricker.Why not support us on Patreon? Offers are now available apparently.DirkThe post Five Items that Made Chaosium (with Rick Meints) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Do you need a companion as you wash up after a big day of festivities? Here you go. What do YOU do with your left overs? Here at the GROGNARD files, we don’t like them going to waste. We like to splice them together to create a treat for Patreons.Given it is the season to be jolly, we are giving this edition Dirk’s Dossier in the main feed for you to enjoy. You’re welcome.In here Judge Blythy talks about Into the Dungeon Revived, Graham Bottley talks about Savage Gladiators while we reflect on running our fantasy, mass-participation online game of Gladiators before more from Magnus Seter. If you would like to hear more of this bobbins in the future, follow the PatreonThe GROGNARD files episode is coming soon.The post Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode Dirk talks to Magnus Seter about Outside the Box, How Sweden Conquered The World of Role-Playing Games. Learn the fascinating story of how RPGs reached Sweden and were transformed by the play culture.Thanks to Fandrake, the publisher of Outside the Box, we have books to giveaway. Share this episode and make a comment below to be in with a chance of being drawn from the hat (finishes on 31st December 2025).Judge Blythy is in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling talking about Mutant: Year Zero RPG.Make sure you keep it Eldritch by listening to Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Stories.The play out music is Mumble One by Aidan Support the podcast and the stuff we do by joining Patreon.The post Swedish RPGs (with Magnus Seter) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

September and October have been replete with gaming sessions. Can you have too much of a good thing? That’s the question we ask this episode.Dirk is joined in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling by Graham Bottley from Arion Games, which is celebrating 20 years publishing games and supplements. It has had the licence for Advanced Fighting Fantasy, Mealstrum and more, so continues to publish vintage RPG material.In September, we participated in Glorantha Games, Owl Bear and the Wizard’s Staff, and MORPcon as well as playing loads of games. We talk about Hidden Isles, Blade Runner RPG as the NEW games that we have played.We are trapped in the worlds of Gareth Ryder Hanrahan as we are playing in Pirates of Drinax for Traveller, The Borellus Connection for Fall of Delta Green and Dirk is about to do Dracula Dossier in 24 Hours.The conversation also covers Planescape and much more.An advert for Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Tales.To support the podcast, you can tip some coins in the beret over at PartreonThe post Arion Games and other RPGs (with Graham Bottley) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This time we return to the topic of Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) with Judge Blythy, our resident zealot.Appendix G, our never-ending list of influences, expands with the wonderful Swords Series from Fritz Leiber nominated by Dave Paterson. We talk about our preparation for a busy September of gaming.Paul Fricker has released Gatsby and The Great Race for 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu.Please support us on Patreon.The post Dungeon Crawl Classics Continued (Ep.85) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

It was 10 years ago today, that we first came out to play! In this episode we jump every shark in sight by reflecting on the past ten years of the podcast.We invited listeners to ask us anything, as long as it was looking back over the past 10 years, so we could lean back in our armchairs and reflect on what we have done.Also, joining the fun is @dailydwarf, who looks back on Small Ads and letters in White Dwarf, in an adapted essay that first appeared in the GROGZINE. We head to the shed at the end of the garden to see Eddy the Armchair Collector in Chief, who hasn’t appeared for a while.Meanwhile in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling Judge Blythy works through the Thunderphase questions at a medium-fire pace.Thanks to everyone who has supported us over the years. Especially anyone who has contributed to the Patreon, or commented, given us a review and passed it on. The post 10 Years of The GROGNARD Files first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this GROGPOD, Judge Blythy talks about his initiation into the cult of DCC. We look at what makes it work.Goodman Games, the publisher of DCC, is hosting DCC Day on 19th July 2025.We are joined by Brendan LaSalle who talks about DCC and his futuristic variant, XCrawl Classics where you can have a spectator sport in the dungeon.Next time we will look at some more settings. You can support the GROGNARD Files on Patreon.The post Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (with Brendan LaSalle) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, we continue our examination of magic in Role-Playing Games with a look at Ars Magica with Science Fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky. He talks to us about the setting, the rules and the way that magic works in the game.We haven’t had chance to play it yet, so Dirk and Blythy meet in the Lass O Gowrie pub in Manchester and discuss the difficulties of ‘fitting it all in’.We have been to UK Games Expo so we give our initial views of attending the event this year.Dirk has been on Orlanth Rexes Gaming Vexes and What Would the Smart Party Do? recently.Patreon has been refreshed – annual contribution at discount and ‘it’s your birthday’ award for the top level of support. Thanks for all who listen and contribute.The post Ars Magica RPG (with Adrian Tchaikovsky) Ep 82 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Returning guest Stephen Brotherstone, co-author of the Scarred for Life series of books and shows, joins us in the zoom of Role Playing Rambling to examine the witchcraft and horrors that haunted our childhood years.You can see Ste as his show is on the road during 2025 and the latest volume of the series is now available. Highly recommended as it is packed with gaming nostalgia content.Also in this episode, Dirk and Blythy watch The Hammer House of Horror (1980) together and consider what impact it had on them at the time and how it can inform our games now.We also reflect on the games that we played at virtual GROGMEET, including Liminal, Mutant Year Zero, The Dee Sanction and Savage Worlds.You can see Tim Olsen interviewed by Toni Arthur.If you want to support the podcast and get access to additional podcast content, then please consider supporting us at Patreon.The post Scarred by Magic in the 70s & 80s (with Stephen Brotherstone) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Magic in RPGs is a continuing obsession for Dirk the Dice and Blythy in this latest episode of the podcast.We talk about Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) and Powers and Perils (Pee & Pee) and marvel at how we played in the early 2000s, when we didn’t know any better and were more willing to freeform and ‘make stuff up’.Also in this episode, we are pleased that GROGSQUADer China Miéville provided his first, last and everything. I think that I need to find out more about Tales of Argosa .Mike and Roger over at Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice have an interesting discussion about magic – following our mention of it last time.Please consider supporting what we do on Patreon.The post More Magic in RPGs (with China Miéville) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

It’s a kind of magic, in RPGs. This time we are joined by Stu Horvath, podcaster (Vintage RPG Podcast) and writer, who talks about his book Monsters, Aliens and Holes in the Ground, which takes us decade by decade through the history of RPGs.He also contributes to our discussion about magic in RPGs. What would we like to play, stay on our shelves or give away?Virtual GROGMEET is available to register on Warhorn.Support us on Patreon.The post Magic in RPGs (with Stu Horvath) Ep.79 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This time we are talking about GROGMEET our annual Role Playing Games meet up in Manchester.We were joined by game designer, publisher and entrepreneur Paul Baldowski who talks about Dangerous Journeys, PBMs and his game Sanction.Blythy shares his experiences and how we played Gatsby and The Great Race by Paul Fricker.If you want to find out more about Dice on the Borderlands you can find it at Warhorn.Please support what we do at Patreon, thanks.The post Sanction RPG (with Paul Baldowski) Ep 78 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Join us in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling as we investigate the highs and lows of role-playing in 2024.Thanks for supporting us. Why not consider tipping a couple of coins in the beret over at Patreon. The post 2024: A Year in RPGs Ep. 77 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This GROGPOD features a special recording of an interview with writer Ben Aaronovitch, the creator of The Rivers of London series of books. An RPG has been developed by the team at Chaosium. Ben talks about the project, his formative years in gaming and gives insight into his creative process.The interview was recorded live as part of GROGMEETish which took place in November. It features additional questions from the GROGSQUAD.Dirk the Dice gives a quick review of the game based on his experience of playing the game over recent months.Music is by Static Music Club.Please support what we do at PatreonThe post Rivers of London RPG (with Ben Aaronovitch) Ep76 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Following Part 1, we are now ready to open the spurious envelopes on our 1984 experiences.We also issue a challenge to listeners to help us discover new enthusiasms. At Daily Dwarf returns with an overview of what was happening in the pages of White Dwarf.Please pass on The GROGNARD files to your RPG friends and consider supporting us at Patreon.The post 1984: A Year in RPGs Ep75 Pt2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Welcome to the zoom of role-playing rambling where we are looking backwards to look forwards. This time we are transporting you back to the heady days of 1984. We are joined by the fabulous Bob Fischer who shares the highlights from his 1984 diaries.Judge Blythy, our resident rules lawyer, joins Dirk to determine the RPG Highlights of 1984, but get distracted (see part 2)Make sure you check out the wonderful projects from the Haunted Generation.You can support the podcast at Patreon.The post 1984: a year in RPGs (with Bob Fischer) Ep75 Pt 1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

En garde! Yes, this time we are investigating the worlds of 17th Century Europe and asking, “is this the true mode of all fantasy role-playing high-adventure?”We are joined by Graham Kinniburgh, who tells us about his Oscar night triumph with An Irish Goodbye and what it was like being at The Battle of the Bastards.He is adding The Three Musketeers to Appendix G.In the Zoom of Role-Playing rambling we talk about Flashing Blades. You can read more from the author, Mark Pettigrew, in this interview.We also cover En Garde!, 17th Century Minimalist, Seventh Sea, and Barbarians of Lumuria.You can join the Patreon by following this link.The post Flashing Blades RPG Ep. 74 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Welcome to the third and final part of our Monsters in Role Playing Games (RPGs) episode. This time we are joined in the Room of Role Playing rambling by Tomas Harenstam from Free League. He talks about his formative years in Swedish role playing and how to create a great Bestiary.Dirk and Blythy answer listener Monster questions before having a chat about When we were Wizards.Support the Patreon for access to exclusive content.The post Bestiaries in Role Playing Games (with Tomas Harenstam) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

We continue to explore the worlds of monsters in role-playing games (RPGs). In this episode, we are joined by James Holloway, from the Monster Man podcast. He adds a new entry into the ever expanding Appendix G.Judge Blythy and Dirk talk about the famous monsters of Hollywood and beyond and consider what we can learn from them.The end music is Concrete by Omari, from Phunk MediaPlease support us on Patreon and update your podcatcher feed with the Patreon audio – RSS feed to get some additional content. The post More Monsters in RPGs Ep 73 Pt 2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This time we are looking at bestiaries from our book shelves. We talk about:Numenera, Forbidden Lands,Call of Cthulhu, Dragon Warriors,13th Age,Vaesen,This was at the request of GROGSQUADer China Miéville who Dirk talked to at an RPG Symposium earlier this year.Next time, James Holloway, Monster Man joins us, because monsters are great.Support the podcast on Patreon.The post Monsters in RPGs Ep.73 Pt.1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Image by Lee Williams Following our podcasts about home computing in the 1980s, we turn our attention to the emerging culture of ‘Cyberpunk’ and how it shaped a new imaginative space – especially for gaming.We look at Neuromancer by William Gibson, with writer Alister Davison who has added the novel to Appendix G, the list of media that has inspired us. Do you have any suggesions?Judge Blyhty is in to Roome of Role-Playing Rambling to look at Cyberpunk Red and its influnce.Please support us on Patreon The post Cyberpunk RPG Ep.72 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

We’ve talked about our formative years in RPGs, what about computers? They were as important as a common-ground to become friends.In this episode Dirk and Blythy talk about their exposure to computers in the 80s.Also, we discuss Rippers for Savage Worlds and the crisis of confidence when creating a setting.Please consider supporting us on Patreon.The post 80s Computers and RPGs Ep71 Pt2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

At this year’s virtual GROGMEET we were joined by Dan Whitehead, the author of Speccy Nation, who took us on a tour of The ZX Spectrum. The 8-bit computer was a staple of our every day lives in the 1980s. There’s an advert for Third Floor Wars which recently featured Burn After Running’s Guy Milner.The next season of the Book Club features classic science fiction.Please support us on Patreon.The post ZX Spectrum Games (with Dan Whitehead) Ep.70 Pt. 1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Welcome back, just when you knew you had enough of Dirk the Dice and Judge Blythy rambling on and on about TTRPGs, they’re back with more.These are the answers to the GROGPOD listener questions that didn’t fit into the first part.There’s also a Post Bag section, where we talk about to the favourite covers of White Dwarf identified by our listeners.Please support us on PatreonThe post ThunderPhase! TTRPG Questions and Answers Ep.70 Pt.2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

The return of @dailydwarf with an article about Good, the Bad and downright Odd covers of White Dwarf from 1 – 106 (when they stopped doing RPGs). Join us as we go into a time capsule and review some of our favourites.If you’d like to play along and let us know your favourite White Dwarf cover, then head to Daily Dwarf’s site where he has helpfully put together a catalogue of the covers.Dirk and Judge Blythy join in the fun as well as answering listener questions. There’s more to come (sorry about that).There’s an advert for Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes Podcast, where Dirk recently appeared talking about ‘Why we RPG’.If you would like to know more about the symposium Dirk attended, then follow the substack.Support the podcast by giving 5 star reviews at your favourite podbox and joining the Patreon.The post White Dwarf RPG Covers (with ThunderPhase) Ep. 70 Pt. 1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, we have a very special guest. Marc Miller is the creator of the Traveller Role-Playing game and in this interview he talks to Dirk the Dice about his first encounter with Dungeons and Dragons. He also talks about the origins of Traveller and his trip UK Games Day.Judge Blythy, our resident rules lawyer, revisits the rules that we looked back at in Episode Three and assesses the changes that have been developed in the latest version. We are playing Traveller regularly again, and really enjoying it.Space Ship art by Ian Stead (thanks for making the contact!).The outro music is My Face will Murder Me by The Static Music Club (Omari)Please support us on Patreon.The post Traveller RPG Revisited (with Marc Miller) Ep 69 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

This episode follows the theme of the previous one, where we looked at Adventure Design. This time at the book club we have the amazing Johnn Four who shares his Five Room Dungeon method and explains how story techniques can add to our gaming.Judge Blythy and Dirk the Dice look back at the games that they have played over the past 12 years and try to identify what made them work.They also set out their resolutions for 2024 – a year on the grog.Dirk is recommending the following podcasts: The Rest is History, The Rest is Entertainment, Immortals, Land of the Giants: Twitter, ACFM, Scarred for Life, Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Tales, Bud and Griff’s Gaming Creepshow, and Between 2 Cairns.Please support us on Patreon. The post Five Room Dungeons (with Johnn Four) Ep. 68 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Another year comes to a close, we review the gaming highlights and award The GROGGIES … We talk about our highlights and low lights of the year. Well done to the GROGGIES of the year: https://bonhomiegames.uk/We mention our appearance on Orlanth Rex’s Gaming VexesUnconventional GMs What would the Smart Party Do?You can find all of Gaz’s community content listed below:Call of CthulhuBurning DesireA year after the investigators defeated a daemon-summoning cult, their allies have been in touch. Murder, arson, disappearances. Could the Siblings of Burning Desire be back? The investigators must return to the scene of their former victory and get to the truth lest disaster befall them, their friends and everything they hold dear.https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/463092/Burning-DesireVaesenUnbearableThe small village of Alsen has enjoyed a peaceful and traditional existence in harmony with the natural world for many generations.A new world is upon us though, the old ways wane and the vaesen are forgotten. Sadly for the villagers, their vaesen do not forgive and forget.https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/363819/UnbearableSugar and SpiceProgress descends on the rustic lands of Sweden, and it is not only the people who must move with the times. Vaesen are displaced and rub up against each other, causing frictions that will lead to disaster if left unattended. Thursday’s Children must learn what is going wrong and fix it for the sake of the actual children of the village.https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/445162/Sugar-And-Spice–VaesenMidnight HuntAn ancient tradition in the wilds of Sweden has become problematic, as new-age mysticism messes with old ways and a city slicker huntsman sets his sights on one last expedition. Strange beasts stalk the night and villagers are going missing. Can the investigators resolve the mystery before perhaps they too disappear?https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/391679/Midnight-Hunt–VaesenTales From the LoopPuppy LoveA chance encounter with a missing pet leads to a missing child, and then altogether too many pets and children. Can the Kids learn what’s going on, get things back to normal, before they find themselves in Trouble? What will the Kids do when faced with a moral dilemma?https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/362159/Puppy-LoveLooking GlassSchool football captain Sture Lagerwall, is a popular, well-liked kid and so when he is out of sorts, it’s time for the Kids to investigate what’s wrong. Sture’s mother is an ambitious scientist of no small vision. Where has she gone, and more importantly, what fresh hell has her experimentation wrought?https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/436852/Looking-GlassD&D (DMs Guild)The Bone AlchemistA missing prince, nefarious magical goings on and fantastical beasts combine for a thrilling adventure taking characters from 1st level through to 3rd level in the style of Arabian Nights mixed with The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.https://www.dmsguild.com/product/356191/The-Bone-AlchemistShadow of the DevourerWho will put a stop to the desperate plans of the deranged cult to summon a world-eating daemon? Dynamic struggles in ancient tombs awaits! (Levels 3-5)https://www.dmsguild.com/product/382966/Shadow-of-the-DevourerThe post Review of 2023 in RPGs (with Gaz Bowerbank) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Live from GROGMEET 23, join us as we roll back the years with Mike Mason. We look at the key moments in the history of Call of Cthulhu: its origins and its early campaigns.In Library Use, Blythy and Dirk look at Cults of Cthulhu and Different Worlds and consider the world populated by people who are ‘tuned in’ to Cthulhu.Mike Mason and Paul Fricker have a new podcast projectYou can support the GROGNARD files at Patreon.The post Cults of Cthulhu (with Mike Mason) Ep 66 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

A homecoming. The GROGNARD files returns to Glorantha, the setting where our RPG life began. 4mins – Jeff Richard joins us at the Book Club to talk about The King of Sartar, Greg Stafford’s epic book of The Dragon Pass. The discussion also includes The Cults of RuneQuest.26 mins – Judge Blythy and Dirk are in the Library looking at Different Worlds issue 1 and Wyrms Footnotes 5.44 mins – Closing time chat about Liminal and adapting old White Dwarf scenarios.Want to see some Glorantha action with vim and vigour? Check out Unconventional GMs, don’t forget your cow.Join the GROGSQUAD tribe at Patreon.The post Glorantha (with Jeff Richard) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Behold the man! Michael Moorcock joins us in the room of role-playing rambling to talk about memoir, the multiverse, movies and much more.I recommend Sanctom Secorum and Appendix N Bookclub interviews too.I have appeared on Breakfast in the Ruins talking about Letters from Hollywood.I recommend Moorcock’s latest trilogy The Sanctuary of the White Friars.Please support us on Patreon.The post Michael Moorcock Ep. 64 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, we continue looking for inspiration from urban horror/fantasy.C.K. McDonnell joins the book club to talk about his career and his series of novels set in Manchester, The Stranger Times, about a newspaper covering the supernatural. There are three books in the series, with another coming in a couple of months, and a podcast that supports the novels.Dirk and Blythy are in the Las O’Gowrie discussing the seventies children’s TV Classic, The Children of the Stones.If you want to find out more about the book club, including the forthcoming guests, then follow the page on this site.Please support us on Patreon.

Welcome to the world of Liminal. Dirk and Blythy are in the throes of discovering a world where the ordinary and extraordinary interact.Joining us in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling is the creator of Liminal, Paul Mitchener who has provided an insight into the game and its influences.Support the GROGNARD files on Patreon.

Another repeat! This the next in the ongoing campaign to remaster the files from the early GROGPODs. Some of the early ones are difficult to hear, so this has been equalised. It does result in some strange gaps and distortions, but nothing too distracting I hope. The roll of dice are missing from here because I got complaints about it hurting peoples’ heads.I mention Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice, which is still going strong.GAMESMASTER’S SCREENBehind the screen I have a table of Call of Cthulhu supplements. I’m joined by Judge Blythy who rolls the 1D100 to select 5 for detailed discussion.ED’S BARGAIN SHEDEd, The Armchair Adventurer’s Chief bargain-hunter provides an e-Bay price index for the supplements under discussion.POSTBAGA selection from listener comments, including a fascinating look at The Lovecraft Variant – an early Cthulhu adaptation for Tunnels and Trolls.The Lovecraft Variant is now a fully fledged game.Follow me on Twitter @theGROGNARDfile

It’s that time again! We went on the road in a charabanc and headed to England’s 4th City, Birmingham, for the UK Game Expo 2023.We report on the games we played, the people we saw and the stuff we bought in a spectacular weekend.Learn how we became Pookie Porters carrying his impressive haul, which can be seen revealed on this video.There is also news from our bar-side chat with Paul Fricker and his podcast recommendation of Filthy Ritual, the true crime podcast. He has also written about it on his substack.Dirk participated in a panel of fellow podcasters with the RPG Repair Shop. There is an edited sample featured here, but if you want more, then listen at Frankenstein’s RPG.If you would like to support the podcast, then please support us on Patreon. Thanks.

Join Dirk the Dice, climbing to the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh for an episode that we used to label ‘extra’ but who cares if they have an episode number?Jon Cohen from Tale of the Manticore joins us to share his First, Last and Everything. He mentions Mythic and The Quiet Year in a conversation recorded at this year’s virtual GROGMEET.Blythy and Dirk are in the Las O Gowrie answering listener questions in a Thunderphase! segement.Join our Patreon to support the podcast and get a ‘a little extra’.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. This is a remastered version of episode 2 (part 1) with some additional edits and the levels balanced and an extra segment reflecting on the episode eight years later.Open Box – reliving the memories of playing the game for the first time and the faltering start.Judge Blythy Rules! – The Armchair Adventurers’ Resident Rules Lawyer discusses the finer points of the rules and style of play. We also speculate on what horrors have faced British Prime Ministers.White Dwarf – @dailydwarf talks about his early experiences of playing Call of Cthulhu and selects his favourite item from the pages from the halcyon days of the UK’s best gaming magazine.An invitation to listeners to contribute their stories of playing Call of Cthulhu in the early days.Look out for a Micro Grog Pod coming soon featuring a list of our favourite CoC supplements and a current online pricing guide.Episode 3 will feature TRAVELLER RPG

Still Dirk. Star Frontiers returns. This time we are looking at the adventures that were created for the game. Dark Side of the Moon and Face of the Enemy were very sophisticated modules produced by TSR.Wayne Peters joins us to talk about Space 1999 and add it to the every-expanding Appendix G.We mention a great Call of Cthulhu adventure, Of Sorrow and Clay, which we played at virtual GROGMEET.Why not support us on Patreon?

Join the Galactic Legions with Dirk and Blythy as we explore Star Frontiers.Introduction: An apology for the misreading of the shrine last time. The background to Star Frontiers as a setting explained.Book Club: Ben Riggs joins Dirk in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling to talk about the history of TSR as explained in his book. Slaying the Dragon.Daily Dwarf: The triumphant return of the Daily Dwarf essay looking at how Imagine magazine covered Star Frontiers.Speed-Rating: Judge Blythy and Dirk give the low-down on the game including the highlights and the things that don’t quite work.Save for Half: an advert for our friends at The Save for Half podcastI’ll get mi coat: Monster of the Week and Planescape, our latest obsessionsOutro: Virtual Grogmeet, the Book Club and join us on Patreon.I guess I was Never There – new EP from Omari (Dirk Jnr)

Introduction: We look at the Satanic Panic in this episode. We have touched on it before, during our interview with Tim Harford. We are part of the Scarred for Life generation, so were met with mild bemusement rather than a moral panic.I somehow manage to croak through this … apologies … normal service will resume as soon as the Lemsip kicks in.Open Box (3.45) Author of Dangerous Games, Joseph Laycock, Professor of Religious Studies at Texas State University, joins us in the zoom of role-playing rambling to explain the history of RPG moral panics in America.GROGGLEBOX (34:41) Blythy and Dirk watch the made for TV Mazes and Monsters (1982) It has been released on BluRay with friends of the show, Scott Dorwood, How we Roll and Seth Skorkowsky Appendix G (01:11:00) Kehaar aka Clarky adds Dr Who and the UNIT campaign to Appendix G and talks about he became the poster-boy for satanism on The Wirral. I’ll Get My Coat (1:22:00) Dirk and Blythy look forward to the forthcoming Moorcock Weekender and reflect upon the end of the first season of The Pirates of Drinax.Outro (1:31:0) sniffle … Bookclub …. Substack ….sniffle …. virtualGROGMEET … sniffle … thanks for being a Patreon. *coughs*

INTRO – What was one of the triggers that stopped me playing back in the day? The discovery of cult movies. In this episode we explore the late night television schedules in the form of Moviedrome.Starburst Memories: 4.15 – we are joined in the room of rambling by Mr Jim Moon of the Hypnogoria podcast. We talk about the fabulous first season of the Moviedrome, presented by film-maker Alex Cox.Speed Rating: 51. Blythy tries to resist the taste of Summer by hiding in the stock cupboard and talking about one of his current favourite games: Vaesen from Free League.Save for Half – we are proud to advertise one of the greatest vintage games podcasts out there (and a friend of the show).I’ll Get Mi Coat: Weakness, thy name is Dirk.Please support us on Patreon.

It has been another incredible year for The Armchair Adventurers. We review the experiences that we have had with games old and new and reflect upon the year in general. There may be some irrelevant Beatles chat too. INTRO – A new review and a breakdown of what to expect in the latest issue (including a ‘less’ v ‘fewer’ subtext).GROGGIES Part 1. (4.10) Find out more about Red Markets in our appearance on Orlanth Rexes Gaming Vexes.Bookclub (31:00): We were joined in the Book Club by the You Tuber Bud from Bud’s RPG reviews to talk about Viral the Modern Day Call of Cthulhu scenario.GROGGIES Part 2.(51:00) Banging on about The Beatles for the UNIT campaign and awarding GROGGIE of the year for an amazing experience.Outro. The annual round up of the new podcasts that have been added to the roll call this year. Appearances on The Smart Party Podcast, twice on Frankenstein’s RPG and performing on Tale of the Manticore. Recommendations include Baz’s incredible RuneQuest Year Zero, Ludo and Jorge’s The God Learners, The Titterpigs RPG Podcast, Beatles Books, and The Video Archive.Like what we do? Please support it on Patreon.

At GROGMEET22 we had a great gaming experience with members of the GROGSQUAD. In this podcast we look back on some of the highlights.Introduction to Chris McDowall. Chris talks about his formative years as a gamer and the influences on his design choices.12:00 A GamesMaster Prepares – Dirk and Blythy discuss their experiences GMing the multi-table Mothership game and the other great games.42:00 OpenBox – Chris McDowall introduces Into the Odd and Electric Bastionland.01:12 GamesMaster Prepares more – A discussion of more games played, including Old School Essentials using these great pre-generated characters. Thanks to everyone who made the event possible.

This is the GROGPOD naked. There’s no interviews or GROGSQUAD sections, it is just Dirk and Blythy talking bobbins. Swordbearer was a game that we played a lot for a brief period. We liked it, but for some reason it didn’t connect and become a game that did not stick in our repertoire. Why not?Intro: This is The GROGNARD files and we are talking SwordBearerSpeed-Dating: Open Box, Judge Blythy Rules! Monster off! we explore the SwordBearer game and its amazing innovations. Advert: Third Floor Wars – great interviews with game designersGamesMaster’s Screen: We look at some of the games that are on our shelf that we have not yet played. Should we Play, Stay, or give away:Würm – the prehistoric tribal RPGIcons – the Super Hero GameApocalypse World – the ground-breaking RPG about post catastrophe role-playingWarrior, Rogue, Mage – an OSR game with neat ideas Ironsworn Band of Blades Outro: Don’t forget that you can still join virtual GROGMEET over at WARHORN. If you want to support the Patreon, now is good time to join as the benefits are about to be refreshed.

This is the second part of our episode all about Savage Worlds. This time we look at some of the settings that we have enjoyed playing in over the past few years.3.15 Titan Effect, interview with Christian Nommay. The new Declassified edition is available on Drive Thru RPG24.43 The GamesMasters Screen – Judge Blythy joins me in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling to look at Deadlands, Slipstream, The Day After Ragnarok, Necessary Evil and others to explore the varied Savage Worlds you can play in.You can read more about Wages Ophir on this very site.1.11.50 Appendix G. Michael Butler asks us, “who watches the Watchmen?”1.35.01 I’ll Get Mi Coat. Closing Time chatter about Kult and where is the role-playing?You can find out the latest about GROGMEET here and support the podcast at Patreon.

Art by John Sumrow INTRO: Welcome to another Book Club Extra. We take break from the usual format to give you a little something extra. The Great Library of RPGs Book Club meets on the first Sunday of the month between 9:30 – 11:00. You can join at the Bookclub app if you are interested and follow developments on the discord server (contact me for an invite).Full Fathom Five (2.30) – Paul Fricker talks to us about his scenario Full Fathom Five which is available at the Miskatonic Depository. He has recently contributed to the Story Telling Collective, giving guidance on writing Call of Cthulhu adventures. We look at some of the influences on Full Fathom Five including Moby Dick, the story of The Essex, and Master and Commander. Paul is one of the hosts of The Good Friends of Jackson Ellias (I appeared on there, talking about Gangsters and Gozu).Actual Play (46.16) If you are a Patreon of the GROGNARD files, you can take part in the monthly one-shot club. This is a bit of sample play of Full Fathom Five. The rest will be released on The Patreon feed later in September.GROGGLEBOX (56:23) Blythy and Dirk talk about The Thing (1982)Tale of the Manticore advert (1.32) I’ll Get mi Coat 1.32 – The end of one campaign and the start of another.

Welcome to an episode that we have been talking about for a while. The Armchair Adventurers Club have played more Savage Worlds over the past few years than any other game, so why has it taken us so long to get to this episode? There is so much to cover and this first part goes on forever! Thankfully, with new chapter breaks, you can take your time to find a way through it.Daily Dwarf (4.34) Makes a return, telling the story of how we got into Savage Worlds in the first place and what White Dwarf in its hey day had to say about generic systems. @dailydwarf credits What Would the Smart Party Do? for championing the system.Open Box (14.18) Eric Lamoureux, host of the Wild Die Savage Worlds podcast, joins us in the Zoom of Roleplaying Rambling to talk about Wise Guys, his excellent gangster game, and other Savage Worlds projects.Judge Blythy Rules (50.34) When it comes to Games Mastering Savage Worlds, we have had different experiences. Blythy has run campaigns in the published settings, I have done one shots in my own settings. In the noisy Las O Gowrie pub in Manchester we compare some of our favourite aspects of the game.Talk Top Talk from Third Floor Wars (1.47.0) We recommend this great podcast which really gets under the skin of games design in interviews with people who make games.I’ll Get mi Coat (1.47.30) Closing time chatter about the games that we are working on at the moment and some of our thoughts. Incudes Things from the Flood and The League of Eternal Guardians.We also mention Run the Adventure and Roll to Save podcasts. If you are interested in Owl Bear and the Wizard’s Staff convention, you’ll find information about the face-to-face event on the site, while the online convention sign ups are on Warhorn.The Bookclub membership is managed via Bookclubz, where you’ll find more about our meetings on the first Sunday of every month (except when it isn’t)Thanks for giving us a monthly tip at Patreon. It is very much appreciated.