Modern Mythology | Story & Setting in RPGs and beyond

In this episode, Jamie and Scott dig into troupe-style play—campaigns where each player might run multiple characters over time instead of a single, fixed PC. We talk about what changes when you treat the cast as an ensemble instead of a party, and how that shift can affect spotlight, continuity, and the kinds of stories your table can tell.Using games like Ars Magica, Pendragon, Blades in the Dark, Street Fighter, and Call of Cthulhu as examples—plus related play styles like West Marches, (featured in the newest Critical Role campaign), we trace how different designs handle rotating characters, support casts, and backup sheets. Some lean into covenants, households, or crews as the “real” protagonist; others quietly assume you’ll have replacement investigators or alternates waiting in the wings.We also get practical. Why would you run a campaign in troupe mode? How do you build emotional investment when players are juggling multiple sheets? What are the pros and cons—the real pitfalls like prep overhead, continuity snarls, uneven buy-in—and what tools actually help you avoid them?Topics discussed:00:00:45 What is Troupe Style play00:07:15 Why?Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon Series00:16:50 Pros and Cons00:30:00 The Funnel/AttritionElder Goblin Games00:39:00 Generational Play00:42:00 Exploring the setting00:49:40 The Hex CrawlLegendary Kalmatta #61 OSE West Marches Hexcrawl Actual Play00:57:00 ImplementationArs MagicaFor more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel.ModernMythology.net

Next in our first line-up of sci fi RPGs, we get to play a really exciting game in our catalogue – Freemarket by Luke Crane and Jared Sorenson. This is a system-forward, reputation-driven game that’s brilliant and notoriously opaque, at least at the outset. FreeMarket runs like an open-world sandbox. Your choices broadcast to the network; the network pushes back. Stakes aren’t hit points but status, access, and who will work with you tomorrow. The game excels in long-form play, but this session spotlights the core loop: scenes framed by goals, conflicts resolved without binary pass/fail, and consequences that reshape what you can credibly do next.We run a short actual play to show that loop in action while Scott lays the groundwork so you can see how it operates. We close with tools you can lift for any RPG: treat social capital as a resource, let player-defined objectives pull content, and use mechanics that reward collaboration while still pricing trade-offs. If the setting or rules feel unintuitive, this episode makes them legible—and immediately useful at your table.Topics discussed:00:00 Character Creation16:25 Scene Development 24:00 Initial discussion about “The Brand”42:30 “The Hand That Feeds You”70:20 “Party With Dodger”85:25 “Desperate Search for Attention”98:50 “Right Place, Right Falafel”110:55 Endgame121:00 Reflecting on FreemarketFor more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel.For podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net

All four hosts join the table as Scott storyguides Trinity Continuum: Æon by Onyx Path, marking the first full-group session in our sci-fi series. We put the Storypath system through its paces, showing how Attributes + Skills shape scene pacing and spotlight moments, while smart resource management heightens tension and demands sharper decision-making. It’s a clear demonstration of our story-meets-mechanics approach—and a preview of the tone and tempo you’ll see in our live-streamed sci-fi campaign launching October 2025.Canon note: for the online campaign, the mission-briefing org is The Directive, not “Aegis,” to align with Trinity canon. For more on the discussion of System and Style check out James' article series, Rules in Practice and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel.Topics discussed:00:02:40 A piece of history00:15:20 Actual Play - What are we doing here?00:18:15 The crew of the Keres00:23:20 Karu V00:27:55 The Away Team00:56:00 Planetfall01:21:16 Day 2 - Second Wave01:42:24 Recap of StoryPath SystemFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net

Recorded just before Episode 13 (Echoes of the Veil), this session has Scott running Mind the Gap—Emanoel Melo’s compact introduction to CBR+PNK—for James and Sean. The pamphlet delivers a self-contained cyberpunk heist in the Forged-in-the-Dark lineage, offering both a crash course in the system’s flow and a taste of its sharp, high-pressure style. We used it as a baseline for comparison with Raffi’s expanded version in Episode 13, highlighting what the core rules do well, where questions remain, and how the system might evolve when stretched into longer form play.Topics discussed:00:01:15 Getting started with Characters00:17:30 Getting started with Play00:20:35 Car 1800:21:38 Determine the package00:23:32 The first thing that happens...01:08:10 Entering Car 1901:16:00 The lights turn red01:19:00 Change direction!01:23:00 Car 1701:28:00 Car 16 -- turned around?01:34:04 The Simulacrum01:35:14 The bunny is a virus01:47:46 Deliver to car 1201:49:52 Denouement -- Crispr doesn't actually have a family, Diz has terminal cancer01:55:08 Discussion on CBR+PNK and some comparisons with BitDFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net

Jamie and Scott dig into how we’re all wired to find creativity in different ways. This is a critical part of the process. Not only are we talking about how structure drives us all differently but communicating those expectations at the table. We circle back to some ideas we referenced early on and begin our exploration of OSR ideas and GNS.For more on the discussion of System and Style check out James' article series, Rules in Practice and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel.Topics discussed:00:00 - Intro 03:54 - Structure vs tyranny of the blank page05:55 - Fiction First07:15 - the Social Contract. Matt Colville, Language Not Rules11:15 - Game Design with Luke Crane & Thor Olavsrud12:00 - GNS13:45 - Save the Cat14:40 - Structure generating creativity vs. restricting creativity 16:40 - Investment in story vs characters 17:35 - Kishōtenketsu20:25 - Player agendas21:20 - Verisimilitude in RPGs25:35 - the fruitful void25:25 - GM responsibility to contextualize27:00 - Torchbearer30:15 - Consequences to feed narrative 31:50 - Play by vibe34:14 - Relationship of character to story36:50 - What players bring to the table 42:45 - Not everybody is a creative writer 46:00 - Real life experience + playing well in a rpg51:45 - LitRPG

Long‑time friend of the show and gamer Johnathan Lee drops in as we crack open Mothership, the d100 panic engine from Tuesday Knight Games. A brisk build phase shows how quickly you can assemble a potentially doomed crew. Then we plunge through a five‑scene drift where hull plates groan and heartbeat monitors spike. Note the scenes that kicked off TOMBS (Transgression, Omens, Manifestation, Banishment, Slumber). Afterward we really begin to dig into some of the push and pull between mechanics and story and how we see different games engage with the material in a different manner, potentially creating very different results even between similar scenarios.For more on the discussion of System and Style check out James' article series, Rules in Practice. More installments in this series to come. Topics Discussed: Mothership AP00:01:00 Setting00:07:00 Characters & System Briefing00:16:40 So it begins - Transgression00:28:45 Stasis Pods00:38:00 The Cockpit00:40:10 Check the Bounty00:46:00 Waking the Captain - Omens01:02:00 Run Ship Diagnostics01:10:15 Enter the Chapel01:17:15 Engine Room01:26:00 Gear Up01:30:15 Space Flames - Manifestation01:34:50 Shut It Down!01:46:10 “Perhaps Battle Dress is in order"01:50:10 VacSuits01:52:20 Freedom!01:59:00 Solar Pilgrimage02:10:00 Panic02:14:45 Ultimatum - Banishment02:15:00 Controlled Burn - Slumber02:27:30 Wrap UpDeconstructing Mothership and System/Style discussion 02:32:00 Execution03:00:00 Exposition03:07:00 EvolutionFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net

On this special episode we bring fellow Philadelphia-based designer Raffi onboard to explore Echoes of the Veil, a new expansion that turns the Forged in the Dark masterwork of design CBR+PNK into a quick-fire mini-campaign engine. We jump straight into character creation, unpacking the new runner-growth track and “Weird" options, modular downtime boards, and other Veil-specific mechanics along the way—smart add-ons that deepen play without slowing the momentum that made CBR+PNK a cult favorite. Expect tight action, abrupt pivots, and a city that pushes back as hard as you lean in. After the session we dive into a far-ranging discussion of style, system, and all things RPG. Listen now, grab free sample pages, and back Echoes of the Veil on Kickstarter to keep indie cyberpunk thriving.Heartfelt thanks for joining us, Raffi. Go support this fantastic creator!Topics Discussed: Echoes of the Veil Actual Play00:02:30 Character Creation00:13:37 Safety and Guidelines00:14:29 Background00:24:00 The Drop00:30:55 The Toll00:39:40 Break & Entry01:17:00 The Twist01:28:10 The House of Po-Po02:01:45 EpilogueInterview Raffi02:13:35 What have we been playing?Traveler Character Generator02:28:00 Digging into process with Raffi02:38:30 Inspiration02:49:14 Bringing The CBR to our PNK02:53:15 Get your gamism onTherapeutic approaches to RPGSIntentionally Therapeutic TTRPG resourcesFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net

Episode 12 welcomes clinical-tech nerd—and lifelong D&D DM—Sean, deepening the Modern Mythology bench to four hosts. (Sean, James, and Scott are on-mic this time). A quick opening discussion uncovers Sean’s gaming roots and, in the process, reveals some of how each host hacks rules at the table, a topic we will surely return to. Scott—who has logged hundreds of systems—champions underrated mechanics and explains why he drifts from Dungeons & Dragons even as the podcast keeps circling back; Sean defends single-system mastery; James moderates the middle ground.With philosophies compared, the crew jumps to the Third Horizon for Free League’s Middle-Eastern space opera Coriolis for a short actual play. Two linked scenes showcase the streamlined dice-pool engine and its signature tension lever—Darkness Points, a GM resource that turns player pushes into creeping cosmic peril—setting the stage for the show’s new, sci-fi-focused chapter.Check out our YouTube channel for a development discussion about Coriolis.(Trigger warning: suicide)Topics Discussed:00:00 Meeting Sean00:05:03 Characters on the fly00:06:20 Resource management 00:09:50 System experience00:23:05 Minis & the Grid00:26:10 Coriolis AP00:38:16 Character discussions00:46:55 Scene one - Pinned down01:02:25 Scene Two - Divide and conquer 01:20:49 Scene Three - The getaway01:23:15 Scene Four - The sacrifice02:02:40 DebriefFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net

Our horror TTRPG spotlight winds down—for now. Jamie, Mark, and Scott unpack game mechanics that subtly shape pacing and tension, exploring ritual framing, partial successes, player-facing rolls, and objective-driven rewards.We also discuss two cult-favorite horror rpgs we haven’t covered before—Unknown Armies and Kult—before diving into a brisk (~30-minute) actual play of Don’t Rest Your Head.Topics Discussed:01:30 Podcast milestone05:59 Honorable mentions09:25 Unknown Armies23:00 Kult40:30 Applying these ideas at the table66:20 Don’t Rest Your Head — actual play88:40 DRYH debrief90:00 More games we love100:00 What’s next?Listen on ModernMythology.net or your favorite podcatcher, and catch more from Scott about Unknown Armies on YouTube.Keep an eye out for upcoming articles from James exploring play style versus system on the Modern Mythology blog.

In Episode 10, Mark, Jamie, and Scott follow up our discussion on story-facing design by zeroing in on player spotlight: who talks when, who takes control of a moment, and how game systems shape pacing and participation. This episode asks a simple but essential question—how do you decide who gets the scene? From GM-led framing to player-initiated action, from systems that distribute authority to those that leave it to group consensus, we discuss how spotlight is shared, negotiated, or wrestled for. It’s not just about giving everyone equal time—it’s about making every moment count, and using mechanics to support scenes that land with emotional clarity and narrative weight.Topics Discussed:00:00 What is the “spotlight “ about 00:03 “Splitting the party” 00:09 Character perspective 00:11 Player vs character 00:22 Systems that drive spotlight 00:43 When dice drive spotlight 00:47 Player driven spotlight 01:04 Scenes and pacingFor podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

We sat down with Sacha Lightfoot of Slightly Reckless Games to talk all things Ronin—a brutal, beautiful RPG about masterless samurai and the weight of honor. We dig into where the game came from, what makes it sing, and why we think OSR games are SHITE (clickbait, we actually don't).Sacha shares what’s next from SRG, and we get into how Ronin adapts and builds on Mörk Borg’s core concepts. There’s death, duty, and just enough darkness to feel real. As always, we talk theme, tone, and what we’re really chasing in an RPG.Stick around for a preview of our Ronin Actual Play with the Late Night Marauders, and don’t miss the chance to back SRG’s upcoming expansion, Densetsu.Also, check out Scott’s StartPlaying page for weekly Ronin sessions—featuring both original and published scenarios:👉 https://startplaying.games/gm/myth-forgedTopics Discussed:2:00 What are we working on 8:10 Slightly Reckless Games 17:20 Lets talk about Ronin 23:40 Death and Resurrection 32:30 Exploring OSR 40:10 Honor System 46:00 Densetsu Kickstarter on its final week https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/slightlyreckless/ronin-densetsu 53:00 Third Party Development for Ronin 58:00 Ronin Actual Play excerpt (1 hour) of module 13 Demons of Akuma Saizo by John Ossaway.For podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

Here is our inaugural conversation about story structure and the ways both system and choice shape our RPG sessions. In this episode, we focus on the classic three-act structure—how it translates into collaborative, improvised play over the course of an ongoing campaign, or within individual sessions.We explore a few core questions:Where does the responsibility for story lie in an RPG?What games drive narrative through structure, and how do they do it?How can we think differently about the formulas we bring to the table?Our goal is to offer several ways to create story in nearly any type of game, including those without explicit narrative mechanics. This is the beginning of a longer conversation about how stories emerge in play, and the different tools we can use to shape them.More to come on this topic, we’re sure.Topics Discussed:00:01:00 What we’re playing?00:18:50 Narrative Structure00:24:00 Site-based games00:44:42 Sandbox games01:01:00 Player facing01:08:00 Story Driven Structures, ie Three Acts01:10:00 The Inciting Incident01:19:00 Act Two01:27:00 Reluctant Heroes01:29:00 Act Three01:33:20 Wrapping UpFor more podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

This is an auxiliary episode highlighting an exciting new story game from Bully Pulpit Games, Zhenya's Wonder Tales, a GMless rpg driven by cards to tell grim slavic-inspired fairy tales. We do our first interview with the game designer, Jason Morningstar - prolific designer of Fiasco, Shab-al-hiri Roach, and Gray Ranks, among others.Check out Zhenya's Wonder Tales on Backerkit - Campaign ends April 4th. Topics Discussed:00:00:45 Intro00:07:30 Green and Narrow Bed00:12:12 Zhenya's Wonder Tales00:24:00 Art by Momatoes00:32:20 Safer spaces in rpgs00:37:25 Explicit stakes in *moves*00:48:30 No dice?00:54:00 Interview Wrap-Up@jmstar on social mediaActual Play00:56:20 Rules Read AloudWe ran Zhenya's Wonder Tales in Roll2001:04:00 Choose characters01:10:10 Enjoy as we play Zhenya's Wonder TalesFor more podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

The crew have a conversation about how to convey information at the table. The GMs responsibility and the roles players have to bring the fiction to the game. This is a big topic but we chat about props, failing forward, NPCs and other tools we employ to bring depth and color to our worlds. As usual, our conversation ranges far and wide. Topics Discussed:00:01:00 Introducing the ideas00:07:50 No One Cares About Your Lore (until it becomes part of the story)Enter the Dungeon00:10:50 Show, Don't TellThomas FlightGM Paizo GameMastery Cards I don't think they produce this anymore but you may be able to find aftermarket versions00:22:10 Bringing It Into the Fiction00:27:00 Character Backstory00:39:30 World Lore00:58:10 More Out of Character Info01:04:00 The Perception Check01:11:10 Handouts & Learn from Teachers01:18:20 Power of “Meta Knowledge"Games we talk about: Dungeon World, Invisible Sun, Trail of Cthulhu, Burning Wheel, Apocalypse World.For more podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

The gang has a discussion on structure in TTRPGs. How does structure make a good horror game? How does setting inform players what they can and can’t do? Some examples of story structure in World of Darkness, Invisible Sun, and Dogs in the Vineyard. Then the crew plays a short session of Whispering Vault, Mike Nystul’s 1993 story game inspired by the likes of Hellraiser and Nightbreed. We play it fast and loose but hope we hit in the key elements of play and this intriguing game’s explicit ritualistic structure.Topics:1:45 Weird forward games2:25 Is Mark a god?3:30 Where is the Weird in WoD, Invisible Sun, and Lovecraft Country6:50 Where is the horror?11:25 Setting Expectations as Structure: Implicit vs Explicit Structure23:15 The Illusory World tropes 36:00 Whispering Vault Actual Play36:30 Character Creation48:40 System overview51:10 The Call (game begins)57:20 Navigation to the RealmOf Flesh60:00 Dismissing the Guardian67:57 Creating Your Vessel72:45 Healing the Enigma115:38 Binding the Unbidden116:15 Wrapping UpFor more podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

In episode 4, Jamie and Scott have a lot to say about agency at the table. Who controls what? Who drives the story? Who narrates die outcomes? Traditionally the GM handles a lot of this but we challenge groups to explore situations where you can hand over a lot of that responsibility. And we discuss over a dozen games that change how we think about agency.Topics:1:00 Seriousness 3:35 Ginni Di - https://youtu.be/DXUnEk4cuYI?si=M_5Dr4dv_b_E-1vH4:50 Monte Cook - https://www.montecookgames.com10:35 Characterization Agency13:30 Combat16:24 Losing control of PC19:00 Blades in the Dark22:30 metagame23:40 Invisible Sun28:00 "Action" Agency35:00 Torchbearer37:00 die rolling42:30 Apocalypse World44:35 Cypher System 45:35 Plot Agency52:10 Proactive RoleplayingHow To Be a Great GM - https://youtube.com/@howtobeagreatgm?si=Fze0DEXg5gbr456E54:20 Novel characterization 63:43 John Harper65:15 Setting canon66:18 Shock70:00 Hero Wars & RuneQuest75:40 Burning Wheel79:35 "Push-Pull" Agency90:00 Community & IT Crowd92:29 Dice adjudicating conversationsFor more podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net

In Episode 3 of Modern Mythology, we continue our exploration of horror RPG systems with Chronicles of Darkness, the successor to White Wolf’s World of Darkness and the “new” World of Darkness. While the editions’ lineage may be complex, the system’s core mechanics remain intuitive and accessible. To demonstrate how it plays, we dive into an Actual Play with a simple yet evocative premise: “Your characters work at a 1990s convenience store.” From character creation to the gradual escalation of tension, the scenario unfolds, transforming the ordinary into something unsettlingly extraordinary. At the end we talk a bit about what we learned and the pros and cons of "traditional" RPGs. 5:20 Virtue and vice 7:25 Aspirations 16:00 Story begins49:35 CoD Breaking Point61:45 Wrap up the game63:00 One Shots64:22 Discussion about cultural appropriation 67:00 Where’s the horror?69:00 The Big Lie74:25 Health and recovery76:00 System driving player behavior For more podcasts and articles check out our site ModernMythology.net

Welcome to modern mythology, a podcast that explores the many intersections of story and system in every episode. We will discuss some facet of how RPGs function as modern myths, providing a shared canvas for creativity and the collaborative discovery of new worlds. Episode 2 Collective Stories. Getting on the same page with Session 0 by the end, and we begin our exploration of RPGs with Blades in the dark actual play. Collision of Myth and roleplaying 0:26 Some of our favorite RPG moments 3:35 Film and media 6:25 Growing up gamers 9:05 What kinds of characters do you play? 11:40 Social Contract and games 15:08 Safety tools 18:30 Break 29:15 We’re back talking about horror games 29:40 Blades in the Dark Actual Play 30:00 Wrap up 1:40:00Visit ModernMythology.net for more episodes, content, and links to our other podcasts.

In the first episode of Modern Mythology, hosts Scott and James have an introductory discussion about how RPGs function as modern myths, blending ancient storytelling structures with collaborative, character-driven gameplay. We explore how mythology and archetypes inform the way games are created and played, with RPGs often becoming shared narratives that draw from communal ideas and personal creativity. Highlighting the importance of player agency and story structure, they aim to inspire listeners to deepen their approach to games. Future episodes will explore different genres, online versus in-person play, play styles and cultures of play, and how RPGs can evolve as a storytelling medium.Writers or gamers 1:30Processes 2:30The Old Formula 3:12Fantasy and beyond 7:15Different story structures 8:25Kishōtenketsu Save the Cat Beat SheetJoseph Campbell's Hero's JourneyGods and Monsters 12:00A Pattern in RPG books 13:30Format 16:00What do we want to get out of this 18:00What will we bring to the discussion 25:55More about Modern Mythology RPG podcast.