Welcome to Masters of Pen and Paper!

This podcast centers around the discussion of various Tabletop RPG game systems, along with various conversations of all related topics!

In this episode, Finny and DG are discussing the ins and outs of Dungeons and Dragons 5e. Ever wanted to learn what it's all about? No better time than now!

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Welcome to Masters of Pen and Paper!

This podcast centers around the discussion of various Tabletop RPG game systems, along with various conversations of all related topics!

In this episode, Finny and DG are showing you how you can stick pretty close to that really popular D20 system while not purchasing from certain magic users of the edge of a sea. Is Pathfinder something you want to learn about? Check this one out!

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What do a runaway sky-pirate bride and a glitching mech pilot have in common?

In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, DG and Finny dive into two ultra-lightweight RPGs with serious storytelling punch:

Lady Blackbird – a sky-fantasy escape drama with pre-gen characters, lightning sorcery, and one of the best one-shot setups in indie RPG history
Shutdown – a tactical mech brawler built around syllables, overclocking, and creative destruction

Whether you’re running from an empire or gunning down enemy mechs, this episode has something for every one-shot warrior.

Get yourselves a copy of each of these games FOR FREE!

Lady Blackbird: https://johnharper.itch.io/lady-blackbird

Shutdown: https://geok.itch.io/shutdown

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments! Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What if your knight’s greatest battle wasn’t a sword duel—but surviving the story itself?

In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, DG and Finny delve into Mythic Bastionland, the rules-light, lore-rich Arthurian hexcrawl from Into the Odd creator Chris McDowall. With just 16 pages of core rules and over 140 pages of evocative myths, seers, and knightly trials, this game is as much a storytelling engine as it is a TTRPG.

Mythic Bastionland is a tabletop RPG set in the imagined past of Into the Odd and Electric Bastionland , built on the same lightning fast, ultra-streamlined rules system. Designed by Chris McDowall and illustrated by Alec Sorensen. 

Want to check out a copy for yourself? Head over here: https://chrismcdee.itch.io/mythic-bastionland

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments! Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What's better than one super rules light TTRPG? TWO super rules light TTRPG's of course!

Finny and I are going through World of Dungeons and Lasers and Feelings today, both of which are COMPLETELY FREE and only a single page. What do you have to lose? Let's have a chat about some quick to table and easy to learn games!

World of Dungeons is a simple, quick-play, dungeon crawling game, using one of the core mechanics from the Powered by the Apocalypse rules system.

It's compatible with Old School Renaissance and original D&D monsters, dungeons, and adventure modules.

Lasers & Feelings is a quick-play role playing game, based on the songs of The Doubleclicks.

You are the crew of the interstellar scout ship Raptor. Your mission is to explore uncharted regions of space, deal with aliens both friendly and deadly, and defend the Consortium worlds against space dangers. Captain Darcy has been overcome by the strange psychic entity known as Something Else, leaving you to fend for yourselves while he recovers in a medical pod.

Want a copy for yourself? Check out World of Dungeons here: https://johnharper.itch.io/world-of-dungeons

and Lasers and Feelings here: https://johnharper.itch.io/lasers-feelings

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

A rules-light, flavour-heavy roleplaying game of industrial horror and cosmic strangeness

Bastion is the only city that matters. In its industrial age, it sits as the smoke-shrouded hub of mankind, surrounded by a world of lurking horrors and cosmic interference. The Underground spreads beneath our feet and the stars loom above. You are an Explorer, braving places too far for maps and too old for records. Your expeditions touch the bizarre, wondrous, and horrific. You search for riches, but also Arcana, mysterious devices with unnatural powers. This remastered version of the classic indie RPG revisits Industrial Bastionland, giving the original Into the Odd a lavish hardback, full-colour restoration with expanded content.

The book is written by Chris McDowall (Electric Bastionland) with graphic design by Johan Nohr (MÖRK BORG) and printed and distributed by Free League Publishing.

Want to buy a copy of the game? Check it out here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/399483/into-the-odd-remastered

Get a hardcopy version here: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/shop/into-the-odd/

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

A scurvy-ridden, rules light, art heavy tabletop RPG.

Inspired by history, fantasy, horror and rum. Your cutlass & flintlock won’t save you from the hordes of skeletons, the Kraken, or even your own crew.PIRATE BORG is a complete game based on and compatible with the award -winningMÖRK BORGRPG. But it’s also a tool kit. Most of the tables can be hacked and used with any tabletop RPG.

This game is about being a greedy, filthy, scoundrel.

Find a ship. Recruit some crew. Raid, pillage, plunder, and otherwise pilfer your weasley black guts out. Get a bigger ship. Kill some things. Upgrade your ship. Sneak into a fort. Raid a port. Acquire treasure. Bury said treasure. Become infamous. Search for someone else’s treasure. Flee in terror from unfathomable creatures from the deep. Drink all of the rum. Die on the high seas. Roll a new character and do it all again.

Included in the 166-page book are eight character classes, easy-to-learn naval combat rules, stats for 18 vessels, 80+ NPCs & monsters, 90+ system agnostic tables, andThe Curse of Skeleton Point, a sandbox style adventure with 11 pirate-themed locations.

Want to buy a copy of the game? Check it out here: https://www.limithron.com/pirateborg

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Heroes Against Darkness is a free, fast, flexible, and fully-featured fantasy d20 RPG system. The game is quick to learn and play, while offering progressively greater options and flexibility as players develop their characters and explore the breadth and depth of the system.

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

TTRPG's are complex and complicated games that have different rules and every player comes to the table with a slightly different expectation of what they're about to recieve with a night of playing.

With a Sesson 0 you're setting out to make sure everyone's on the same page but doing it in an interactive way that promotes good group cohesiveness and discussion to ensure everyone's getting exactly what they need from it!

Join DG and Finny while they have a quick chat about how a Session 0 works and why it's important!

(This is a "Behind the Screens" episode where we discuss different TTRPG topics and not specific game rulesets like normal episodes!)

Want to get in touch? Send us an email at: mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Call of Cthulhu is a horror fiction role-playing game based on H.P. Lovecraft's story of the same name and the associated Cthulhu Mythos. The game, often abbreviated as CoC, is published by Chaosium; it was first released in 1981 and is in its seventh edition, with licensed foreign language editions available as well. Its game system is based on Chaosium's Basic Role-Playing (BRP) with additions for the horror genre. These include special rules for sanity and luck.

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Paranoia is a humorous role-playing game set in a dystopian future along the lines of Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World, Logan's Run, and THX 1138; however, the tone of the game is rife with dark humor, frequently tongue-in-cheek rather than dark and heavy. Most of the game's humor is derived from the players' (usually futile) attempts to complete their assignment while simultaneously adhering to the Computer's arbitrary, contradictory and often nonsensical security directives.

It is notable among tabletop games for being more competitive than co-operative, with players encouraged to betray one another for their own interests, as well as for keeping a light-hearted, tongue in cheek tone despite its dystopian setting.

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Dragonbane is a classic fantasy tabletop roleplaying game full of magic, mystery, and adventure. It is designed from the ground up to facilitate fast and furious play, with very little prep time and adventures that are a breeze to run. This is a game with room for laughs at the table, while still offering brutal challenges for the adventurers. Straight out of Sweden with a focus on strategy and a dash of wargaming, what's not to love here?

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Fast paced, fantasy themed, old school D&D with some funky dice. This will scratch that grognard feeling from yesteryear. Take a handful of commoners and run them through the funnel to determine which one will be your hero for Dungeon Crawl Classics!

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

We're opening up the mailbag and answering your questions and giving DM advice! We're going to run through a few scenarios and let you know what the DM's are thinking behind the screens!

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What if your supernatural detective story could fit into a single game night? Maybe you want to change up the BBEG every time you sit down with your group, or maybe you just need to break free from your hum drum run of the mill fantasy TTRPG

In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, DG and Finny dig into Monster of the Week, Powered by the Apocalypse TTRPG system, where every session is a monster-hunting TV episode in disguise. Inspired by Buffy, Supernatural, and The X-Files, this narrative-first system is all about dramatic choices, cinematic failures, and building tension through play.

We're going to let you know everything you need to know to play this one and give you our thoughts on this episode!

Want to check it out yourself? Head over to https://evilhat.com/product/monster-of-the-week/ and grab yourself a copy!

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

Are you someone who dreams of being a space explorer? Maybe you just watched Firefly and wanted to live out a life in space! The guys are running through one of the very first Sci-Fi based tabletop RPG in Traveller!

More specifically, we're talking about Mongoose's 2016 "second edition" Pathfinder!

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

In this episode, Finny and DG are busting out their heavy metal outfits and instruments to run through Mörk Borg!

Created by Swedish game designers Pelle Nilsson and Johan Nohr and published by Free League Publishing in February 2020 this game not only boasts absolutely stunning art, but packs it away in a really compact rules light format!

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What if your D20 rolls could mutate you into a radioactive plant-person with laser claws?

In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, DG and Finny explore the gloriously gonzo world of Mutant Crawl Classics, a post-apocalyptic TTRPG that blends ancient tech, deadly mutations, and Zocchi dice chaos into one beautifully mutated ruleset.If you love DCC, Gamma World, or anything that combines dice tables with apocalyptic wastelands—this one’s for you.

If you want to send a question or scenario in send us an email! mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What if your choices didn’t matter—and the game still expected you to care?

In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, DG and Finny go Behind the Screens to explore one of the most essential pillars of tabletop roleplaying: player agency. Whether you’re running a gritty heist, a high fantasy saga, or a chaotic one-shot, agency is what turns a script into a story—and your players into protagonists.

We're diving into:
- What “player agency” really means (and how it differs from sandbox or open-world play)
- How DMs (and even players!) unintentionally strip others of control
- The fine line between guiding and railroading—and how to spot the difference
- Why asking questions beats writing monologues
- When it’s actually OK to limit choice—and when it’s not

Whether you’re a new DM or a veteran storyteller, this episode will help you build trust at the table, avoid burnout, and craft stories that feel alive.

What if the price of survival was your last sliver of humanity?

In this episode, DG and Finny jack into the glitchy, brutal world of CY_Borg, a cyberpunk TTRPG where style, violence, and anti-corporate rage collide in a data-drenched dystopia. This MÖRK BORG spin-off throws you into a decaying city of slums, corrupted tech, and rules meant to be broken.

If you love neon grit, random tables, and flipping off the megacorps—this one’s for you.

Want to get in touch? Send us an email at: mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What if the monsters weren’t lurking in the shadows—but seated right at your gaming table?

In this episode, DG and Finny delve into Vampire: The Masquerade 5e, the gothic-punk TTRPG where you don’t play the heroes—you play the vampires. This deep dive explores the blood-soaked lore, intricate rules, and storytelling potential behind one of the most iconic games in the World of Darkness.

Curious if this TTRPG is your next dark obsession—or an unreadable nightmare? Tune in and find out.

Want to get in touch? Send us an email at: mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

What if you could embark on an epic TTRPG adventure… without a group?

In this episode, DG and Finny explore Ironsworn, the award-winning solo RPG that lets you take on quests, forge bonds, and shape your own fate in a harsh, Nordic-inspired world.

We cover:

The unique mechanics behind its d6 vs 2d10 “moves” system
How your vows and momentum define your story
The incredible Oracle system that replaces a GM
Why this is perfect for solo players—and what GMs can steal from it

Plus, our honest takes on the design, mechanics, and art style.

Want a copy for yourself? head on over to https://tomkinpress.com/pages/ironsworn and download it completely for free!

Want to get in touch? Send us an email at: mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!

This week on Masters of Pen and Paper, we're back with Part 2 of our Rules-Lite TTRPG spotlight, featuring two radically different but equally creative one-page RPGs.

It Is Said – A haunting, folklore-based story game where you’re lost in a mysterious forest filled with spirits, myths, and strange creatures from Lithuanian legend. Armed only with hope and old stories, will you find your way home?

Newtype – A mech-based skirmish RPG inspired by Gundam and Evangelion, where your vocabulary and wordplay literally build your pilot and mech. One part narrative, one part tactical—this one’s made for imaginative brawlers.

We cover:

Want to run a tabletop RPG but don’t know where to start? In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, we break down the fundamentals of being a Game Master (GM)—whether you're running Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), Pathfinder, or any other TTRPG.

Hosts DG and Finny cover how to start as a GM, tips for running your first session, avoiding common pitfalls like railroading, and keeping your players engaged. Plus, we share must-have resources and our best advice from over 20 years of experience!

If you've ever thought about running a game, this episode is your guide to building worlds, telling great stories, and leading an unforgettable adventure.

(This is a "Behind the Screens" episode where we discuss different TTRPG topics and not specific game rulesets like normal episodes!)

Want to get in touch? Send us an email at: mastersofpenandpaper@gmail.com

Let us know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comments!

Want to join our discord? You can find us here: https://discord.gg/YkhAQtDDRz

Now - On with the show!