Around the Hearth

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 GillenNewsletter: buttondown.email/KieronGillen/ Comics: bindings.app/shelf/1FLv6kLb Website: www.kierongillen.com@kierongillen.bsky.social on BlueSky Cat Rambohttps://www.catrambo.com/Wayward Wormhole Workshop @catrambo.bsky.social on BlueSkyFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp00:00 Introduction​01:52 Kieron Gillen & Mythic Bastionland11:42 Cat Rambo & Villa Encantata (still in design)19:53 Lowell & Rapscallion30:31 Upcoming Publications & Giving Me Life

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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.campSPOILERDominik | Apocalypse KeysRae Nedjadi | HarvestAlexander Marchant | Last Train to BremenHorst | Mystic BastionlandMarc Majcher | Triangle Agency / Ultraviolet GrasslandsMads | Trophy DarkAnders | Sentinel Comics RPGKieron Gillan | Seven Part PactMike Minutillo | The WatchJim Crocker | Band of BladesSean Smith | OD&DTea | Sundered IslesFerret | PrometheanSherri | DIEJesse Ableman | HarvestWill | Mystic BastionlandWyllora | Triangle AgencyCasey | Yazeba's Bed and BreakfastMike Ferdinando | Ultraviolet GrasslandsAlun Rees | GrimwildJex Thomas | ExileNat Knight | Blood FeudGerrit Reninghaus | Pizza BoxLloyd Gyan | DaggerheartMichele | AnamnesisGuy Milner | You Must Leave This Party AloneRich Rogers | SmallvilleLowell | Writers' RoomSina | Apocalypse KeysThomas Manuel | Last Train to Bremen, Impossible Landscapes, HarvestGabe | Mystic BastionlandWill S | Triangle AgencyMichael D | Yazeba's Bed and BreakfastDom | Cats of CthulhuShane | OddfolkAmanda Mullins | NumbskullsDonogh McCarthy | Star Trek Adventures 2nd edCat | Triangle AgencyDavid MK | Stonetop, AWBO, Ex-CapesBez | Chapter Dungeon CrawlerJosé | Girl by Moonlight

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 BrokeGrimwildBand of BladesPanda's Talking GamesViva La QueerBar (English)Viva La QueerBar (Deutsch)Lowell's Dumb Honkai Star Rail Returning Player CodeMichaelhttps://kpopandrpgs.itch.io/KPOPandRPGs on social media or @kpopandrpgs or Michael D on Discord.Alunhttps://gallusgames.itch.io/@gallusgames or Alun R on Discord@gallusgamesar.bsky.social on BlueSkyFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp00:00 Introduction01:55 Michael & Going For Broke16:10 Alun & Grimwild29:24 Lowell & Band of Blades49:19 Giving Me Life

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.ReferencesParanoia on WikipediaParanoia on RPG GeekRPGNet Interview with James Wallis, Grant Howitt & Paul DeanThe Toothpaste DisasterDesigners & Dragons Volume 2 The 1980s 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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.campMusic: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio00:00 Introduction: Paranoia00:45 What is it?09:28 Gaming History21:10 The Media Context28:47 Our Thoughts

Content Advisory: character death, ritual sacrificeIan & 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: Art - https://www.artstation.com/wylloraGame Design - https://wyllora.itch.io/Triangle Agency Holiday-themed Game Jam! - https://itch.io/jam/time-and-a-halfFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp Our info:email: adifferenthex@gmail.commusic: https://lloydeaves.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-kind-of-hex

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 MentionedOnce More into the Void Cluster Rust Hulks Fellowship Starscape Storm Furies Rebel Few Tachyon Squadron Superbandit Stars Without Number Golgotha Through the Void Uncharted Worlds Recommended Reading: Colonialism and the Emergence of Science FictionFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp 

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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp 00:00 Intro00:58 The Pitch05:11 Gaming History08:12 Comics & Media History12:09 Thoughts  

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. ReferencesTwilight 2000 on WikipediaTwilight 2000 on RPG Geek Grognardia on Twilight 2000, Merc 2000 RPGNet Review of Twilight 2013 Designers & Dragons Volume 1 The 1970s 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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp  Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio00:00 Introduction: Twilight 200001:43 What is it?08:34 Gaming History16:46 The Media Context21:44 Our Thoughts 

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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

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 Rotted Capes 1e on DTRPGPedro aka StatMonkey on BlueskyFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp   

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:Burn After Running: RPG One-Shots (probably the best resource for this out there)Running One Shots from Age of Ravens One Shot Podcast Network Keith Stetson on Running Itras By as a one-shotFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp   

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. The Ex Tenebris Kickstarter Black Armada GamesBlack Armada on itchJosh Bluesky: @armadajosh.bsky.socialBecky Bluesky: @beckyannison.bsky.socialWise WomenRapscallionStar Trek Adventures 2eSecrets of the Silent WitchFind out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp  00:00 Introduction​01:45 Josh & Ex Tenebris16:25 Becky & Wise Women25:02 Lowell & Star Trek Adventures 2e36:26 Giving Me Life

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!!Youtube ItchSprigs & Kindling Vol. 2Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp Our info:email: adifferenthex@gmail.commusic: https://lloydeaves.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-kind-of-hex

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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp 00:00 Intro00:58 The Pitch07:00 Gaming History17:46 Comics & Media History20:00 Thoughts 

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)AberrantMasks: A New GenerationNever Whistle at NightBurn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in HollywoodRules, retcons, and rightsholders: The tough road for superhero RPGs Sebastian can be found at: sebastianyue.ca, sebastianyue @itch and bsky.socialSign up for SHIFT here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shiftrpg/shift-rpgHit Point Press: https://hitpointpress.com/Matthew can be found here: experimentego.bsky.social Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp 00:00 Introduction02:55 Rangers of a Broken World14:58 Aberrant26:35 Masks: A New Generation46:50 Giving Me Life

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. Tribe 8 on WikipediaTribe 8 on DTRPGTribe 8 on RPGGeekWil on Bluesky  @rivetgeek.aggregatecognizance.com‬ *term borrowed from the Ranged Touch podcast...Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp  Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio 

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. ReferencesGamma World on WikipediaGamma World on RPG Geek Grognardia on Gamma World Grognardia on Gamma World 2e Designers & Dragons Volume 1 The 1970sGame Wizards 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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp  Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio00:00 Introduction: Gamma World02:05 What is it?10:10 Gaming History19:12 The Media Context25:30 Our Thoughts

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. WebsiteDiscord InvitePatreonPlayablShared HearthCommunity Code of ConductOnline Play ResourcesAround the HearthPlaying at the HearthYouTubePlay IssuesGamewayContact Us: openhearthgamingcommunity@gmail.comFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp  00:00 Introduction00:52 What is Open Hearth04:07 Joining Us07:36 Signing Up For Games14:20 What Happens When You Sign Up17:03 What to Expect from Play19:38 Getting Into Sessions21:37 Running Games23:25 Play Issues26:53 Open Hearth Projects and Events 34:06 How to Support Us

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: Kinds of mysteries (set, set variable, improv) Plotting mysteries The power of the timeline Information handling Keeping player involvement Table management ...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 CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp 

This time Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History jumps forward in time to the mid-1990s. Hosts Jay Brown and Lowell Francis look at Underground (1993), Mayfair's attempt to build on the DC Heroes system with a dystopian, cyberpunk supers setting. Content warning: cannibalism, PTSD, transphobia, regressive treatment of disabilities and mental illness. We go over what the game is, its place in the history of gaming, and what was going on in comics media at the time. We then move to general discussion, including what we found weird and what we 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. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found here Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp 00:00 Intro00:25 The Pitch03:35 Gaming History11:40 Comics & Media History15:42 Thoughts