Explore every episode of the podcast Around the Hearth
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known Territory: Ep 2 Good Society | 24 sept. 2026 | 00:43:45 | |
Welcome to another episode of our new series on the Around the Hearth podcast feed: Known Territory: GMs Talk Games. Each episode we sit down with an experienced game facilitator who has played a specific TTRPG extensively. They will discuss how they pitch the game, best practices for running, useful tools, potential pitfalls, and more. This time we have designer, consultant, and co-creator of Asians Represent!, Agatha Cheng. She's here to talk about the amazing game Good Society, a diceless TTRPG of romance, passion, and drama. We talk about a lot, including the Kickstarter for Good Society 2nd Edition. Good Society 2nd Edition Kickstarter Games Mentioned Agatha on itch.io If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. This episode's host is Lowell Francis, designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. He's the co-author of the Transverse Noir series of Shadowrun novellas. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 24: Trespasser, The One Ring 2e, Slugblaster | 17 sept. 2026 | 00:42:01 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Dominik talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Guy and Anders discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Trespasser, The One Ring 2e, and Slugblaster), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Games Discussed: Shared Hearth Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 23: Talking Arium | 03 sept. 2026 | 00:39:48 | |
In this episode, Gwen talks with community member & layout/designer David MK and game designer Will Munn about Arium the Worldbuilding RPG. They cover the game's core concepts, adaptability, and new elements added by Arium: Evolve. The Kickstarter for the new boxed edition of Arium, which includes the new supplement, runs through Wed, Sept 16th, 2026. The Arium Kickstarter Shared Hearth free open gaming event is coming October 1st - October 4th, 2026 Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 22: Basic Fantasy RPG, Fearful Symmetries, Void Technicians | 27 août 2026 | 00:37:25 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Tea talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Moria and Shane discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Basic Fantasy RPG, Fearful Symmetries, and Void Technicians), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: Moria Hobby blog: https://trashpile.blog/ Carrd: https://the-trashpile.carrd.co/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Shane-Marble/videos
Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 10 - White Whales | 20 août 2026 | 01:00:57 | |
...to the last, I prattle with thee; from a studio apartment, I yap at thee; for the game's sake I pod my last cast at thee!! In the first-ever live studio recording of the show, José & Ian spend a (very warm) summer evening bouncing off of each other about games & gaming. We discuss bringing newcomers into the hobby, embracing (and even aiming for) imperfection, and our forever-implausible "ideal" games. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla 01:05 - Intro | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 21: Blades '68, Firebrands System, Dungeon World 2 | 13 août 2026 | 00:46:06 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Gwen talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Jex (Bump in the Dark) and Mads discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Blades '68, Firebrands and Dungeon World 2), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lastpinepress.com Itch: https://jexjthomas.itch.io/ RPG Trader: https://rpg-trader.com/creator/197/last-pine-press Mads YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Madelancholy Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/madelancholy.bsky.social Itch: https://madelancholy.itch.io/ Gwen Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/drgwenmarshall.bsky.social Itch: https://drgwenmarshall.itch.io/ Games & Misc Discussed: More about Good Society 2E playtesting You Can Check Out Any Time You Like, But You Can Never Leave Hearts of Magic: Threads Entangled Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction 02:06 Jex & Blades '68 09:36 Mads & The Firebrand System 24:05 Gwen & Dungeon World 2 35:47 Giving Me Life | |||
| Known Territory: Ep 1 Band of Blades | 06 août 2026 | 00:58:24 | |
Welcome to the first episode of a new series on the Around the Hearth podcast feed: Known Territory: GMs Talk Games. Each episode we sit down with an experienced game facilitator who has played a specific TTRPG extensively. They will discuss how they pitch the game, best practices for running, useful tools, potential pitfalls, and more. We hope this will be a useful primer for both GMs and players interested in this game. For this first episode we have on Jim Crocker to discuss Band of Blades, Evil Hat's military fantasy Forged in the Dark TTRPG. Jim's run complete campaigns of this striking and complex story game of military survival and horror. Games Mentioned If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. This episode's host is Lowell Francis, designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. He's the co-author of the Transverse Noir series of Shadowrun novellas. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness | 23 juil. 2026 | 00:46:01 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness, one of the earliest and most successful licensed supers games, kicking around for many more years than any competitors. We talk about the game's mechanics, how it conveys the pitch, and the unique approach to splitting combat and skills. We then cover the publication history of the line and how it helped cement Palladium's role in the TTRPG industry. We talk a little about the Turtles themselves and how important this game is to the history of the TMNT licensing behemoth. We finish up by giving our general thoughts about TMNT and the recent Kickstarter reprint. If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. He's the co-author of the Transverse Noir series of Shadowrun novellas. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
00:00 Intro | |||
| Talking Romance | 09 juil. 2026 | 01:04:12 | |
Love, lust, friendship, strong attachment-- the emotional beats which support drama and play. In this community talk, we consider romance in TTRPGs: running it, playing it, planning it. Drawing on experiences we explore break ups, cool mechanics, the line between system and play, objects of affection, good romance GM moves, and more. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks. Selected Links Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
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| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 9 - Character Interiority | 02 juil. 2026 | 01:25:37 | |
Ian, José, and special guest Elle discuss the inner worlds of our characters and of ourselves! How do we as players express interiority and why would we want to, anyways. Along the way, there are guilty confessions, moments of uncertainty, and unexpected plot twists. Elle’s work: https://bloodygorgeous.carrd.co/ Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
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| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 20: Planet Raygun, Embers of the Void, A Land Once Magic | 25 juin 2026 | 00:33:45 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Tea talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Amanda (Sprigs and Kindling) and Cale discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Planet Raygun, Embers of the Void, and A Land Once Magic), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: Cale: https://warboard.vengefulpickle.com/ Games discussed: Planet Raygun (in development) Embers Of the Void (in development) Games mentioned: Pirate Borg by Limithon Starhold: a Space-Themed Survival Horror TTRPG A Fool’s Errand by j strautman and b marsolier Trophy: Ruin D&D
Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
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| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 7 The End of the World | 18 juin 2026 | 00:48:31 | |
In our seventh episode of Roll for Mutation, we look at a game series originally from a Spanish publisher, translated and released in English by Fantasy Flight. We talk about mechanics, how each book is structured, and the presentation of "mid-" and "post-" apocalypse. We then talk about cross-company publication history and Fantasy Flight's swingy history with TTRPGs. Lastly we talk about some media touchstones, the five scenarios in each book, and our thoughts and impressions of this line-- including our favorite concepts. References Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio Chapters | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 19: Raccoon Sky Pirates, Capers, Traveller | 11 juin 2026 | 00:45:50 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, Lowell (edige23) talks with a pair of community members about their gaming. This time Chrys Sellers (Defy the Gods) and Jolene discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Raccoon Sky Pirates, the Masks hack Capers, Star Wars Citizen for Mongoose Traveller 2e), Lowell worries about complexity, and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: Chrys Central: https://hecticelectron.com Itch: https://hecticelectron.itch.io/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hecticelectron.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hecticelectron/ Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/hecticelectron Stag Dance: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/708446/stag-dance-by-torrey-peters/ War Rocket Ajax: https://zencastr.com/War-Rocket-Ajax Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
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| Talking PbtA | 04 juin 2026 | 01:12:50 | |
Powered by the Apocalypse games still remain a strong force in the indie TTRPG space and heavily represented here on the Open Hearth. For this talk we're going to consider where PbtA has been, where it is now, and where it could go. We'll talk broadly about PbtA as a system and specifically about folks' experience with different PbtA iterations. Lowell has ideas, and he'll be leading this discussion group– relying mostly on the participation of folks who join us and desperately filling dead air in between points. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks. Selected Links Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
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| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 18: Paint the Town Red, The Last Caravan, & Midnight of the Century | 28 mai 2026 | 00:46:17 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, Lowell (edige23) talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Dominik and Donogh discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Paint the Town Red, The Last Caravan, & Midnight of the Century), Lowell waxes rhapsodic about a recent TPK, and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: https://rpggeek.com/geeklist/370389/2026-rpgg-challenge-play-five-rpgs-you-have-never https://www.reddit.com/user/DonoghMC/comments/
Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
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| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 9 Aberrant | 21 mai 2026 | 00:51:49 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks at Aberrant, part of a trilogy of games which defined a major pivot point in the history of White Wolf Publishing. We talk about the game's pitch, how it's predecessor Trinity "isn't" a supers game, and the general system mechanics for Aberrant. We then cover the publication history of the line-- a brief heyday followed by a rapid burnout-- followed by what we see as the important media influences for the vibe and themes of the setting. We finish up by giving our general thoughts about Aberrant, metaplot, and "wide-screen" supers action. If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Intro | |||
| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 6 Mutant Year Zero | 07 mai 2026 | 00:55:49 | |
In our sixth episode of Roll for Mutation, we talk about one of the greatest modern post-apocalyptic games: Mutant: Year Zero (and the rest of the Mutant line). We talk about mechanics, important since this engine ends up powered a ton of Free League games in various versions. We talk about the publication history, drawing heavily on Magnus Seter's masterful book Outside the Box, and the media spin offs and properties associated with the franchise. Finally we talk about our thoughts and impressions of this game and the line as whole. References Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla
Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio Chapters | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 17: Under Hollow Hills, Raccoon Sky Pirates, CAIN | 30 avr. 2026 | 00:40:11 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Tea talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time maiya and Sina discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Under Hollow Hills, Raccoon Sky Pirates, and CAIN), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: maiya on the OH Discord Sina is Beatingaroundthebooks on Discord You can also check out their work at https://adhdandme.kit.com/ Tea is Tea_amat on Discord and @tea-amat.bsky.social
Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 8 - Your Home Table | 14 avr. 2026 | 01:02:17 | |
Ian, José, and special correspondent Danny put the knowledge we've gained from past episodes into practice. We talk about figuring out what you actually like in a game and advocating for it, playing to lift our fellow players, and Danny's 4-step method for iterative improvement through play. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: 0:03:38 - Pick Your Poison | |||
| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 8 Smallville & Marvel Heroic | 07 avr. 2026 | 00:46:49 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks at two closely linked licensed supers games: Smallville and Marvel Heroic. To dig into this pair, Lowell and Jay bring on Rich Rogers (Hit the Streets: Defend the Block; +1 Forward) to give his perspectives as a GM and player. We talk about the system mechanics of the two games, including the big differences, the publication history of MWP, the media touchstones for these properties, and then give our general thoughts-- including wondering where our Smallville retroclones are... If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. You can find Rich's game, Hit the Streets here. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Intro | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 16: Ars Magica, Long Campaigns & Modern Supers | 31 mars 2026 | 00:47:25 | |
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Lowell Francis (edige23) once again talks with a couple of community members about their recent gaming. This time we have veteran community couple Tyler and Patrick. We talk preparations for an upcoming Ars Magica campaign and how it fits with past campaigns, the challenges and joys of long-running story campaigns, and the intersection of current events and modern superhero gaming. We finish up with some of the things we've been digging recently. May the Fourth: Star Wars Minicon 2026 Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| Talking Playtesting | 24 mars 2026 | 00:53:46 | |
This episode presents a community talk from back in 2022. It features Rae Nedjadi, David MK, and myself talking about managing and working with playtests. It seemed like a useful thing to get back into the feed, so I've cleaned up the audio for posting. We talk about planning playtests, setting expectations, dealing with feedback, and filtering input. Rae Nedjadi on itch.io Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 5 Tank Girl & Wizards | 17 mars 2026 | 00:50:16 | |
In our fifth episode of Roll for Mutation, we look at two different licensed post-apocalyptic TTRPGs from the 1990s. First, World of Tank Girl, part of West End Games Masterbook series which apparently launched even before the film it was based on hit the theaters. Then we cover Ralph Bakshi's Wizards, based on the eponymous wild animated movie from the 1970s. We talk about what both games do, the source materials, their specific apocalypses, and how both games showcase 1990's game design tendencies: for better or worse (Lowell says worse). References For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History. Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio 00:00 Introduction: Licensed Apocalypses | |||
| Talking Long Campaigns | 10 mars 2026 | 01:10:48 | |
While the Open Hearth Community has often focused on one-shots, two-shots, and monthly short campaigns, there's always the siren call of running a longer series: a quarterly or beyond. In this community talk we're going to talk about "long" campaign best practices, planning, dealing with burnout, and more. Lowell has ideas and he'll be leading this discussion group– relying mostly on the participation of folks who join us and desperately filling dead air in between points. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks. Links Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 7 - Showing & Telling | 03 mars 2026 | 01:05:21 | |
Ian, José, and special guest Shane explore the space between direct exposition and embodied demonstration during play. How are these two approaches different? What are their best use cases? And how can they, when used well, support each other, the player, and the entire table? Jason Morningstar's great essay, "How to End" - https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-end-116645883 Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: | |||
| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 7 Mutants & Masterminds | 24 févr. 2026 | 00:50:42 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks all four editions of one of the most important modern supers TTRPGs, Mutants & Masterminds. Jay and Lowell talk about the core elements of the game-- what has remained the same and how the powers system has shifted over time. They then cover the publication history of the game and how each edition rolled out, followed by talk about how M&M has dealt with media, genres, and a few IPs. The episode then wraps up with a general discussion, where *spoilers* Lowell talks about why this has become his favorite trad-leaning supers game and his most embarrassing convention story.
If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Intro | |||
| Talking Adapting Modules | 17 févr. 2026 | 01:07:34 | |
Since almost the beginning, game publishers have supplemented games with pre-generated dungeons, scenarios, and campaigns. Some of these have becomes touchstones among players: Isle of Dread, The Enemy Within, Masks of Nyarlathotep, and beyond. But sometimes you don't want to run that system; would like to swap the scenario over to another genre or setting, or don't want to commit to a two-year campaign outline. Rich Rogers- veteran of many Star Wars adaptations and beyond- and Lowell Francis talk about some tactics for adapting these stories and along with questions, comments, and input from community members. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks. Against the Dark Conspiracy Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 4 Apocalypse World | 10 févr. 2026 | 00:55:17 | |
In our fourth episode of Roll for Mutation, we look at one of the most important post-apocalyptic games, Apocalypse World. We consider both the impact of PbtA and the depiction of "the Apocalypse" in AW-- and how it differs from other contemporary games. Hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the short but rich history of AW and its long tail. We talk about what Apocalypse World is, where it fits in gaming history, our experiences playing it, and our general thoughts about the game. References For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History. Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio 00:00 Introduction: Apocalypse World | |||
| Talking RPG Cities | 03 févr. 2026 | 01:08:29 | |
What makes a good city in a role-playing game? People, places, factions, rumors? We're going to be talking about that and bringing together your insights. This community discussion ranges widely but includes: tools for building cities, techniques for making cities feel alive, mapping, citybook resources, and more. While we don't follow my outline, you can see my planning doc here. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 6 - The Gift of Offers | 27 janv. 2026 | 01:17:25 | |
As the first installment in a series of episodes on improv tools at the gaming table, Ian & José are joined by Karen Twelves, the author of Improv for Gamers, to discuss how players can make and receive meaningful offers in TTRPGs. Timecodes Karen's Work Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: | |||
| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 6 Godlike & Wild Talents | 20 janv. 2026 | 00:47:35 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History looks at two related RPG systems. First Godlike, the World War II supers game that leans into realism and consistency. Second Wild Talents, the evolution of the systems from Godlike which can follow that history or be recast into a generic supers RPG. The hosts look at what both games do, their place in the history of gaming, and the influence of related comics media. They wrap that up general discussion, including what what's weird and what they dug. If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Thanks to Rich Rogers for the edit of this episode. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Intro | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 15: Mythic Bastionland, Villa Encantata, Rapscallion | 13 janv. 2026 | 00:40:51 | |
In this episode host Lowell Francis is joined by Kieron Gillen and Cat Rambo to talk about recent games, plans for future games, current writing projects, and more. Kieron Gillen Cat Rambo Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| Open Hearth Games of the Year 2025 | 31 déc. 2025 | 01:51:38 | |
A collection of favorite tabletop RPGs of 2025 from our community members. It's split into three sections, with host picks in-between. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community SPOILER | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 14: Going for Broke, Grimwild, Band of Blades | 25 nov. 2025 | 00:59:01 | |
In this episode host Lowell Francis is joined by Michael D. and Alun R. to talk about the ups and downs of "funny" game mechanics, a modern approach to traditional fantasy, and facing down what feels like inescapable doom. They examine light rules for sitcoms, new rules with an old feel, and a game that puts you on the losing side of a war. Please note that we will not be releasing any more episodes in December, but look for our upcoming annual Games of the Year episode dropping at the start of 2026! Going for Broke Panda's Talking Games Lowell's Dumb Honkai Star Rail Returning Player Code Michael Alun Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 3 Paranoia | 18 nov. 2025 | 00:57:28 | |
Note: we had some audio issues with this recording (apologies)! In our third episode of Roll for Mutation, a look at the history of Post-Apocalyptic TTRPGs, we bow in abject obeisance Friend Computer and the incomparably perfect TTRPG Paranoia from West End Games and then Mongoose. We consider the different editions and how we live in a phenomenal time which sometimes necessitates updating. But of course it never actually changed, since the Computer tells us that it has always been that way. Hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the extended history of the game and how it desperately raced to keep itself contemporary. We talk about what Paranoia is, where it fits in gaming history, our split experience playing it, and our general thoughts about the game. References For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History. Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio 00:00 Introduction: Paranoia | |||
| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 5 - Playing to Fail | 11 nov. 2025 | 01:13:23 | |
Content Advisory: character death, ritual sacrifice Ian & José are joined by Wyllora to explore what it means to fail in an RPG, and why we might want to do it on purpose. How do we define "success" in games, and what are the ways we can step outside that limit with agency? Wyllora’s Work: Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: | |||
| Talking Space Opera | 04 nov. 2025 | 01:17:40 | |
Lets talk widescreen, big idea sci-fi. Games of space fleets, interstellar empires, sometimes aliens-- big ideas and lasers. Games like Star Trek Adventures, Traveller, Fading Suns, Space Wyrm vs Moonicorn, Dune, Coriolis, Scum & Villainy, Ashen Stars, Star Wars, Last Fleet, and the like. Talking Space Opera is another in our series of community discussions. It looks at sci-fi gaming and this tent-pole sub-genre. Our discussion ranges widely but includes: What is Space Opera, Space Combat, Aliens, Space Travel, Making Characters Not Feel Small in a Big Universe, Collaborative Building, and more. Selected Games Mentioned Recommended Reading: Colonialism and the Emergence of Science Fiction Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 5 Base Raiders | 28 oct. 2025 | 00:44:19 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History jumps forward significantly in time to just after the d20 boom/bust cycle. Today's focus is Ross Payton's independently produced and Kickstarted Base Raiders. They go over what the game is, its place in the history of gaming, and what was going on in comics media at the time. They then move to general discussion, including what what's weird and what they dug. We talk a little about how you might adapt this elsewhere and its place in the history of Fate. If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Intro | |||
| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 2 Twilight 2000 | 21 oct. 2025 | 00:52:08 | |
In our second episode of Roll for Mutation, a look at the history of Post-Apocalyptic TTRPGs, we tackle Twilight 2000 from GDW, focusing on those original editions but with some discussion of Twilight 2013 and Twilight 2K. Hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the extended history of the game and how it desperately raced to keep itself contemporary. We talk about what Twilight 2000 is, where it fits in gaming history, why there used to be a "Men's Adventure" section in bookstores, and our general thoughts about the game. References For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History. Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and larps inspired by the works of Philip K Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio 00:00 Introduction: Twilight 2000 | |||
| Talking White Whales and Inadvisable Ideas | 14 oct. 2025 | 01:08:09 | |
What's the game you've wanted to get to the table but haven't been able to? What's the campaign premise you've considered but don't know how to make it work? What's the rpg that just couldn't actually function if you tried to run it online? What's the wild concept that you know would crash-out but it amuses you just the same? In this group chat for our Shared Hearth Open Gaming Con, community members talk about the ones that got away and the ones they're fearful of pursuing. We talk about a ton of different games including: Mage, Hearts of Wulin, Slugblaster, Good Society, Legacy: Life Among the Ruins, Scarred Lands, Mountain Home, and many more. A great discussion thread on our Discord inspired this conversation. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Design Chat: Pedro Barrenechea & Rotted Capes 2e | 07 oct. 2025 | 00:56:08 | |
This week we present a bonus episode for both Roll for Origin & Roll for Mutation. Lowell chats with Pedro Barrenechea, lead designer for Rotted Capes 2nd Edition, a post-apocalyptic game of superheroes. They chat early game experiences, how the first edition came about, revising the rules, and more. Rotted Capes 2e Backerkit Sign Up Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Talking One-Shots | 30 sept. 2025 | 01:03:40 | |
For this episode we've cleaned up the audio from an older community seminar on running one-shots. Like several of our other "Talking" episodes, this has Lowell Francis giving a talk, mixed in with questions from the chat and a Q&A at the end. We cover pacing, set up, safety, problem players, structure, and more. You can check out the outline for the talk here. Other Resources:
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 13: Ex Tenebris, Wise Women, Star Trek Adventures | 23 sept. 2025 | 00:43:53 | |
In this episode Host Lowell Francis talks with Becky Annison and Josh Fox of Black Armada games about what they've been playing, herbal witches, the final frontier, their Kickstarter for Ex Tenebris, and much more. Black Armada Games Josh Bluesky: @armadajosh.bsky.social Wise Women Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Introduction | |||
| A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 4 - Bleed | 16 sept. 2025 | 01:22:03 | |
Content Advisory: colonialism & imperialism; sexual violence in a horror/vampire context; death of loved ones, including miscarriage; excessive immersion; grief & bleakness. Mads joins Ian & José to talk about the relationship between player & character, the Magic Circle that divides them, and how experience can Bleed through from one to the other. Along the way we discuss some of the pitfalls of immersive gameplay, how to dial up or down that immersion, ways to stem the Bleed once it’s already started - and, of course, vampires! Mads’ Work!! Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Our info: | |||
| Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History: Ep. 4 Champions (1st-3rd Editions) | 09 sept. 2025 | 00:49:24 | |
Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History returns to one of the earliest and most important superhero ttrpgs: Champions. Hosts Jay Brown and Lowell Francis talk about a game which is near and dear to their hearts-- both having played these editions extensively. They go over what the game is, its place in the history of gaming, and what was going on in comics media at the time. They then move to general discussion, including what what's weird and what they dug. This episode focuses just on the earliest editions-- prior to the release of the Champions 4th Edition, the "Big Blue Book." If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. Jay's the author of By Aecer’s Light, The Clockwinders for Fate, Cortex Prime's Supers, and a contributing author on Pathfinder’s Mwangi Expanse, Trophy Gold, Hit the Streets: Defend the Block, and the upcoming Lifted: Indomitable RPG, a supers game about everyday folks with extraordinary powers in a tech-aggressive world. Check out Mad Jay's work at Play.Fearless and at the Diceology Podcast. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community 00:00 Intro | |||
| Open Hearth Podcast Ep 12: Rangers of a Broken World, Aberrant, Masks | 02 sept. 2025 | 00:58:55 | |
In this episode Host Rae Nedjadi (Apocalypse Keys, Once More into the Void) talks with Sebastian Yūe and Matthew Arcilla about games, superheroes, villainy, gender, and much more. They look at Evil Hat's forthcoming ttrpg, a classic from White Wolf, and a more modern take on heroism (which is apparently getting a second edition). Content warning for second segment: mention of sexual assault in a short story. Rangers of a Broken World (aka Heroic Chord) Matthew can be found here: experimentego.bsky.social 00:00 Introduction | |||
| Tribes in the Dark Kickstarter: Roll for Mutation Bonus Ep | 28 août 2025 | 00:42:23 | |
In this "bonusode*" for Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History, we talk with Wil Hutton aka Rivetgeek, lead developer for Tribes in the Dark. TitD reworks and re-imagines Tribe 8, Dream Pod 9's fantastical post-apocalyptic rpg from the late 1990s. This new version adapts the Forged in the Dark mechanics to this game of tribes, outcasts, and prophecy. Tribes in the Dark is Kickstarting through September 14 2025. *term borrowed from the Ranged Touch podcast... Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio | |||
| Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 1 Gamma World | 26 août 2025 | 00:46:35 | |
First episode of Roll for Mutation, a new series looking at the history of Post-Apocalyptic TTRPGs. In this one hosts Lowell Francis and Marc Majcher cover the extended history of Gamma World, with a focus on the first two editions (of many). We talk about what Gamma World is, where it fits in gaming history, what the media context is like, and our general thoughts about the game. Roll for Mutation won't be covering things chronologically, but we do hope to hit the "tentpole" games in the genre early. References For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History. Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and larps inspired by the works of Philip K Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio 00:00 Introduction: Gamma World | |||
| Open Hearth: What Is It? | 19 août 2025 | 00:37:21 | |
Lowell Francis provides a short introduction to the Open Hearth Gaming Community: what we are, what we do, how you can join, and how you can support what we do.
00:00 Introduction | |||
| Talking Mysteries: Running Mystery TTRPGs | 12 août 2025 | 01:05:16 | |
This is the edited version of an older seminar by Lowell Francis talking about planning and running TTRPG mysteries. It's about 50 minutes of talk followed by a Q&A. Lowell talks about his approach and best practices for running mysteries in rpgs. Topics include:
...and more. See here for an outline of the talk Lowell is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community | |||