RPG Reanimators

Episode Notes In this episode, we consult on some good player habits and practices which we always like to see from our side of the GM screen. Consultations are free-form topic discussions based on our own GM experiences, preferences, and gaming philosophies. We hope some of this gibbering madness can be helpful to other GMs dealing with, or considering using, these issues at their table (or at least add new and exciting chattering voices inside listener's heads). All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Listen to a live recording of our nearly sold-out panel at Chaosium Con 2025 where we discuss sources of inspiration for new Call of Cthulhu scenarios in underused decades between the traditional 20s-30s settings and modern day! We cover different ideas and themes for mythos horror scenarios in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. You can also tell this is a live recording by the sounds of a door repeatedly slamming as folks moved in and out of the talk, and definitely not from a tentacled creature breaking the barriers of our reality to return our call. All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, we meet with horror author Hailey Piper to discuss queer horror as a genre and how we might apply some of her expertise from novel writing to emphasize queer themes, characters, and narratives in horror TTRPGs. We also discuss lots of queer media recommendations and TTRPG systems, as well as a mildly concerning amount of Shrek - possibly due to some cross-contamination between Beth of the David Behaviour podcast and Fiona of the What am I Rolling podcast (mostly Beth though...) Links: You can find Hailey at her website, Bluesky, and IG and check out A Game in Yellow releasing in August and Teenage Girls Can Be Demons in September! The Gender as Body Horror YouTube video referenced You can find us on Discord, YouTube, and Bluesky, and support us on Patreon if you would like. All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, the Reanimators have some cross-contamination with Beth of the David Behaviour book review podcast to branch outside of the RPG space to interview horror author Todd Keisling to see if there are any lessons we can learn from novel writing that could be applied for writing or running horror TTRPG scenarios. We cover a range of topics, including creating characters, motivations, and traits, creating monsters and original cosmic horrors, manifesting personal fears as threats or themes in stories, and some key elements of writing for different vibes, including folk, analog, and surreal horror. You can find Todd's website here: https://www.toddkeisling.com/ As well as a reading of one of his short stories Midnight in the Southland on Pseudopod here: https://pseudopod.org/2023/10/20/pseudopod-887-midnight-in-the-southland/ Also check out David Behaviour for horror book reviews and discussions: https://david-behaviour.pinecast.co/ All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, we ask our consulting expert Fiona of the What am I Rolling? podcast (and many other podcasts) about a variety of topics, including techniques to help teach new RPGs to players new and old, some best-practice methods to promote accessibility and using safety tools in RPGs, as well as improv techniques which can help players and GMs. You can find a link to Fiona's awesome lines and veils spreadsheet in our lab's google drive here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1b2HEKM7Qi88rgFJpNfwjwPvqHfExw0B6IN6NKY9xih4/edit?usp=sharing so you can make a copy for yourself You can find more of Fiona's stuff via the WAIR podcast website and YouTube channel All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, we dissect and reanimate The Code written by Christopher Lackey with Lynne Hardy for Call of Cthulhu 7e, and available as part of the Mansions of Madness vol. 1 collection from Chaosium (links below). We're also joined by special guest Jon Hook from the Modern Mythos podcast! Jon has been a huge fan of this scenario for some time, and shares his plans to transplant this scenario to the Gaslight setting, which he plans to run at Chaosium Con 2025! Reanimation starts around 1:10:55 Links: Mansions of Madness: Physical: ⁠⁠https://www.chaosium.com/mansions-of-madness-vol-1-behind-closed-doors-hardcover/?srsltid=AfmBOorzGWHzhApBWS8kGoTrhN2In7lwsCvndJxsc9d1xeZKJRhHqVa- PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/310791/mansions-of-madness-vol-1-behind-closed-doors⁠ Plaintext handout resources: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d3YyDVeiN3w6oXs-mw93q7DtXOUWr38i?usp=drive_link Choice Cuts 2, as mentioned during this episode: https://pnc.st/s/rpg-reanimators/63fcaee1/lights-out-spilsbury-9485-the-mummy-of-pemberley-grange-wreck-this-deck-choice-cuts-2 Jon's previous run of the code with Into the Darkness: https://youtu.be/weNoovb2AJc?si=gFOe8yqiEzhYgFXb RPG Reanimators Discord invite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠⁠ All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Call of Cthulhu scenario UNLAND written by Scott Dorward, with the author himself! We dissect the creepy amusement park rides and talk about Silent Hill 2 more than a bit, while Scott shares how he runs this scenario very differently than written, as the scenario that made it to print became quite different than he'd originally envisioned it to be! The scenario is in the Fear's Sharp Little Needles collection, which is available here: ⁠https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/245289/fear-s-sharp-little-needles-26-modern-day-call-of-cthulhu-scenarios Additionally, our Beating Heart-tier Intern Zander made some awesome custom handouts and gave us permission to share them, available in our Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JT-mFFRhNrfkHJjC5VCVgx2aMi-4z12x?usp=sharing If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8 ⁠⁠⁠⁠ All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, we meet with Good Friend Matt Sanderson to talk about his favorite Call of Cthulhu scenario The Burning Stars, written by David Conyers for Call of Cthulhu 6th edition. I describe this as "the most Call of Cthulhu-y-est scenario I have ever played" and for the first time, I'll recommend to anyone who has not already read or played this scenario to carefully consider if they want to spoil themselves on it by listening here, as it has a really fantastic twist that needs to come through at the table. You can purchase a PDF of the Terrors from Beyond collection which contains this scenario from Chaosium here: https://www.chaosium.com/terrors-from-beyond-pdf/ After this recording, we also got permission from Thom Raley of Into the Darkness to share the fantastic updated handouts that he hasmade for this scenario, which you can find in our Google Drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IRMWBjHWd0ISXjiywCPKcca3fPpdEafP?usp=sharing All music and sound effects were made using attribution-free creative commons resources. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes In this episode, we bicker about how to handle realism and verisimilitude vs. explosive pulpiness when we run RPGs, and how this can vary depending on system, scenario, and players. (Spoiler: Communication is still key) Consultations are free-form topic discussions based on our own GM experiences, preferences, and gaming philosophies. We hope some of this gibbering can be helpful to other GMs dealing with, or considering using, these issues at their table (or at least add new and exciting chattering voices inside listener's heads). All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes In this episode, we hack apart another game system, Cthork Borg, with its mad scientist creator Richard Kelly. Cthork Borg is a low-prep cosmic horror RPG set in the gloomy jazz age. As it's name suggests, it's an aberrant mutation from the Mork Borg core ruleset with some interesting changes by Richard that help it feel fresh, wriggling, and fun for GMs and players looking to try something a bit lighter than Call of Cthulhu, but still fully capable of delivering horrors at the table. We also talk about a lot of different games & systems in this interview: It's Alive! Cthork Borg APs Where to find Richard Kelly: https://kumada1.itch.io/cthork-borg ; https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/382082/cthork-borg Stygian, a game of Lovecraftian RPG inspiration: https://store.steampowered.com/app/779290/Stygian_Reign_of_the_Old_Ones/ Free copy of the Mork Borg Bare Bones edition: https://jnohr.itch.io/mrk-borg-free Richard's recommended games to check out: Behond the fence, Below the grave - https://t-akw.itch.io/beyond-the-fence-below-the-grave Mendicant Spell Vixens (not "Menda Can't Spell 'Vixens', as I have now learned) - https://kumada1.itch.io/mendicant-spell-vixens/purchase Hollow Halls - https://rotten-shotgun-games.itch.io/hollow-halls-shallow-grave-edition T.H.A.W. - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/477078/thief-healer-arcanist-warrior All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes In this second Choice Cuts episode, we dissect and reanimate 3 short one-shot scenarios and a card game(?) back-to-back in the following order: Lex shares Lights Out, by Joe Trier (starts ~1:19) Holly shares Spilsbury #9485 by Adam Gauntlett (starts ~10:22) Alex shares The Mummy of Pemberly Grange by Allan Carey & Nic Holland (starts ~25:38) And Nathan shares Wreck this Deck, which is definitely not a YuGiOh! RPG (starts ~36:11) Lights Out and Spilsbury are part of the Fears Sharp Little Needles collection: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/245289/fear-s-sharp-little-needles-26-modern-day-call-of-cthulhu-scenarios Mummy of Pemberly Grange can be found here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/329641/the-mummy-of-pemberley-grange And Wreck this Deck can be found here: https://blackarmada.itch.io/wreck-this-deck All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes In this episode, we provide our non-expert opinions on using props and handouts in TTRPGs, including both physical and digital versions for in-person or online games. Consultations are more free-form topic discussions based on our own GM experiences, preferences, and gaming philosophies. We hope some of this gibbering madness can be helpful to other GMs dealing with, or considering using, these issues at their table (or at least add new and exciting chattering voices inside listener's heads). Links: Nathan's introduction of Professor Diggleby Invite to our Discord server Our free Patreon Freesound.org for free sound effects All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Delta Green scenario Presence written by Shane Ivey. We give our tips and advice from having read, ran, and played this scenario both as a multi-session investigation, as well as an explosive one-shot! Also, here is the player-friendly map we referenced. You can find the scenario at: https://shop.arcdream.com/products/delta-green-presence-paperback (Physical) or https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/432077/delta-green-presence-apu8165 (PDF) And also check out both of our APs to see how different GMs can approach the same content: Nathan's 3-session run: https://youtu.be/tvRe-jKxKz4?si=cc5U9ETesof6ubq0 Alex's explosive one-shot run: https://youtu.be/TrBUoqyxcPE?si=FF9beTgb7wTJtib3 You can chat with other listeners on our Discord ⁠⁠⁠and Reddit, and find more resources and downloadable episodes on our free Patreon. All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

This week, the RPG Reanimators discuss the dreadful game of Bedlam Hall, an RPG where you regrettably play the staff of a manor somewhere between Downton Abbey, the Addams Family, and Lemony Snickett. This in an Aberration where we focus a full system, rather than just a scenario.Unfortunately, Bedlam Hall was written by David Kizzia and published with Monkeyfun Studios. If you would want to make the terrible decision of purchasing this system for yourself, you can find it secreted away from public view here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/216652/bedlam-hall?src=hottest_filteredAll music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Kingdoms - Consultation with Sophia TinneyIn this episode, we consult on the Kingdoms system with the author, Sophia Tinney! Sophia discusses the origin of the system, provides some guidance for game masters, and chats about the upcoming game Fever Dream Nexus. We reference our playthough of Kingdoms a fair bit in this episode, and you can find all 4 episodes (plus a session 0) on our It's Alive! AP series on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzg78zoNtepyAka8Wu7QePVVYx2XRpWPYou can pick up a copy of Kingdoms at https://dapirate.gumroad.com/ and can also follow the progress of Fever Dream Nexus at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dapirate/fever-dream-nexus If you'd like to join our Discord for more discussions: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.