Dekahedron Fannish Podcast

I’m look at two different player models: the classic academic GNS Theory (Gamist, Narrativist, Simulationist) and the hilarious 1983 joke "Real Men, Real Roleplayers, Loonies, and Munchkins."

I also share my spoiler-free thoughts about Widows Bay on Apple TV+ and give an update on a trope-heavy, narrative martial arts RPG I’m tinkering with.

Show Notes & Links:

• The 1983 Chaosium Document: https://df.lth.se/~jespe...

YouTube commenter MrRourk made some comments about magic users in Holmes that I wanted to address. I also answer other comments from recent episodes.

Stay Connected

Thanks for listening and for all the feedback! If you want to weigh in on the episode, tell me what you think of the new format, or suggest topics for future episodes, here is how you can reach me:

Voice Message: 562-RPG-CAST (562 774-2278‬)

Email: feedback@dekahedron.com

O...

Welcome to a new era for the show! After hitting the 200-episode milestone, I’ve decided to broaden the focus. While I’ll always have a special love for tabletop games, the podcast is officially expanding to cover all things fantasy and science fiction.

This Episode’s Highlights:

Geek Out: I kick things off with my thoughts on the Amazon Prime series Spider Noir. It was a fun watch with a great take on the character...

I continue my step-by-step series on building a sandbox campaign from scratch. Following the framework of Jeff Rients’ 20 Questions, this seventh installment does rapid-fire answers to questions 11 through 20 to define where and how players can be healed and look at how magic users interact with the Concilium Arcanum.

Promised Links:

• The 20 Questions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your....

Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age--the new versions of T&T is out! I looked it over and these are my thoughts.

Spoiler: This isn't the T&T you're looking for!

Promised links:

The T&T: A New Age free quickstart: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/555881/tunnels-trolls-a-new-age-beta-quickstart-rules

TunnelQuest: http://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/tunnel-quest-v3-5

Note: this site seems down so here it is at the Wayback Machine: htt...

I continue my step-by-step series on building a sandbox campaign from scratch. Following the framework of Jeff Rients’ 20 Questions, this sixth installment answers questions 7, 8, and 9 to define where and how players can be healed and look at how magic users interact with the Concilium Arcanum.

Promised Links:

• The 20 Questions: ⁠⁠⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠⁠⁠⁠

Share your ...

I continue my step-by-step series on building a sandbox campaign from scratch. Following the framework of Jeff Rients’ 20 Questions, this fifth installment dives into questions 4, 5, and 6 to establish the major power players in the region.

I define the mightiest figures in the land, moving away from high-fantasy tropes to create characters that fit this gritty, historical-fantasy setting.

Key topics discussed in this episode:

Where do adventurers actually buy gear in a grounded, early‑medieval sandbox? In this episode, Joe tackles Questions 2 and 3 from Jeff Rients’ “20 Quick Questions” and shows how equipment, specialists, and custom items really work in a low‑tech fantasy world.

Learn why general stores don’t belong in Dark‑Age settings, how market days shaped real commerce, and how to use demographics to decide which NPCs your ...

How do you create a pantheon for a sandbox campaign? Episode 191 continues my 'How I Create a Sandbox' series. I explore the 20 Questions of world-building, focusing on the cleric’s religion. Learn about building a three-point alignment system, naming deities using Icelandic roots, and creating conflict between the Northern and Southern kingdoms.

Promised Links:

• The 20 Questions: ⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty...

In the second of a multi-part series, I talk about how I'm stealing from history to make Almsfjord different, and I ask about how I should continue the series.Promised Links:- The Trelleborg ring fort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_ring_fortress- The 20 Questions: https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html- Riley's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diegetic-advancement/id1720667088...

In the first of a multi-part series, I go through my process for making a sandbox campaign, this one based on longhouses.

Share your thoughts via:

🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron

📧 feedback@dekahedron.com

📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278)

More information is at dekahedron.com

0:00 Introduction: Starting a Sandbox Campaign Series

0:37 What is a Sandbox Campaign? (A Quick Definition)

1:10 The First Two Steps: A Hook and An Anchor

2:47 Brainstorming ...

@marcusblacknell-andrews1783 asked me "What is Tunnels & Trolls?" Here's my answer! Not to oversell it, but Tunnels & Trolls (T&T) from Flying Buffalo is one of the most important games in history. I'll tell you why it's the reason the entire RPG industry exists today, paving the way for everything after D&D. I'll also break down the rules that make T&T a unique, rules-light favorite!

Share your thoughts via:

🌐 s...