Rene Legault brings Mogmoden to the table. Mog is a teenage academic in the pursuit of practical knowledge and answers to intellectual mysteries in his first time venturing out into the world. Rene and I discuss creating characters who are curious about the world, imaginary bestiaries, and the drama of JRPGs. Mogmoden is built for Fabula Ultima by Emanuele Galletto. Rene Legault is one of the founding members of the DMs After Dark streaming group focused on highlighting small publisher and indie...
Mar 02, 2025•52 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Rowan Zeoli brings Petty Dreadful to the table. Petty is a rage-fueled, attention-seeking drag queen Playing to Win. Rowan and I discuss gender performance, radical imagination, and the parallels between reality television and actual plays. Petty Dreadful is built for Deathmatch Island by Tim Denee. Rowan Zeoli is a journalist covering the intersection of progressive thought and niche cultural movements. She is co-founder of Rascal News, a worker-owned, reader-supported, tabletop journalism outl...
Feb 15, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Andrew Beauman brings Sarge and Norma to the table, and we create Harmony together. Sarge, Norma, and Harmony are survivors of a spaceship crash hoping to make it back out of orbit. Andrew and I discuss troupe-style mechanics and playing multiple characters - and how that changes the way we create characters. We discuss finding empathy through TTRPGs and learning that not everything is made for our perspective. These characters are built for Out of Orbit , currently Kickstarting as part of Zine ...
Feb 01, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Taylor brings Captain Aria Godey to the table. Captain Aria is a pirate who touched a gold piece that is slowly consuming her and turning her into gold. Taylor and I discuss belonging as a Black creator in the TTRPG space, learning to accept that plus size bodies can be desired, and how cosplay informs character building. This character is built for Thirsty Sword Lesbians by April Kit Walsh. Taylor is a Black variety content creator and TTRPG performer located on the east coast. She loves to cos...
Jan 18, 2025•59 min•Season 4Ep. 1
WIll Malkus brings Chase Cameron, aka Showtime, to the table. Chase is a teenager who recently became a superhero when he found a watch that can stop time. Will and I nerd out on comics, deconstruct the women in refrigerators trope, and discuss how TTRPGs let us play out better futures. This character is built for Masks: a New Generation by Brendan Conway. Will Malkus is an ex librarian, ex music journalist, ex photographer, and current streamer, producer, and editor, mostly for the not-for-prof...
Oct 14, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Justin Gagliani brings Jessica Jeroux to the table. Jessica is a drow trans woman pursuing knowledge of lost civilizations. Justin and I discuss what it means to be a trans woman in gender-segregated drow society, learning to explore and express your gender, and the narrative implications of D&D mechanics. This character is built for D&D 5e. Justin Gagliani is a co host of the So You Want to Be a Dungeon Master podcast, a TTRPG content creator, and a published writer. You can learn more ...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 17
Blerdy Disposition brings Chris Strausman to the table. Chris is a Twitch streamer with a lot of growing up to do, searching Reddit and relying on his followers to find his missing sister. Blerdy and I compare Lovecraftian horrors to YouTube comments, discuss the importance of being there for your community, both in and out of character, and talk about growing up in a landscape of social isolation and internet-only friendships. This character is built for Call of Cthulhu 7e . Blerdy Disposition ...
Sep 14, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 16
Content Warning this episode for brief mentions of forced sterilization (49:03-49:53) and death of a child (57:40-57:48). DJ BeeZee brings Everett Nichols to the table. Everett is a union man, through and through, who defends those closest to him. DJ and I discuss healing from generational trauma, the union history of Appalachia, and how finding player agency in TTRPGs can be cathartic when we lack agency in our lives. This character is built for Old Gods of Appalachia , a Cypher System game by ...
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Adrian Lawrence brings Don Rigals to the table. Don is a fur-obsessed secret communist delving into New York's underground to find his brother. Adrian and I discuss being outspoken about your political values, the power of representation, and not being "Mexican enough." This character is built for Call of Cthulhu. AC Lawrence is a Mexican-American DM who co-hosts a podcast named Dungeons & Degrees, where he interviews individuals in the TTRPG space to show that the path to creativity isn't j...
Aug 17, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 14
I've been bringing characters without stories and the creators who made them to the table for TWO YEARS! It felt like a good time to get reflective and talk about something I've been working on - diversifying my guests and the games we talk about. I also did a two year anniversary giveaway - tune in to find out who won! Send us a text Cover art by The Curiographer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast: https://dashboard.m...
Aug 10, 2024•12 min
Content warning this episode for discussions of sexual assault and sexual harassment. We don’t go into any detail, but if this topic is a trigger for you, I recommend you skip it. Alejandra Wilhelm brings Reyna to the table. Reyna is a fierce and loyal barbarian hiding her identity from the archfey her father sold her to. Alejandra and I discuss parasociality, bad behavior on Discord, and roleplay on TikTok. We also talk about self-insert characters - from physical appearance to emotional trauma...
Jul 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Juicy Garland brings Grammarye Praise-God Winthrop to the table. Grammarye is a teenage witch and the black sheep of a family with a 400 year vendetta against the Salem Witch Trial judges who killed their ancestor. Juicy and I share our love for witchy touchstones like The Craft and The Witch (or as we say The VVitch), sympathize with Grammarye's desperate attempts at validation, and discuss how roleplaying in actual plays is different from home games. This character is built for Monsterhearts 2...
Jul 06, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Savannah Rayne brings Kit to the table. Kit is a con woman on the run in disguise as a man, who finds family and the confidence to harness her innate magic on a pirate ship. Savannah and I discuss roleplaying away from a table in private chat and public cosplay. We also talk about Savannah's two favorite tropes - found family and the sorcerer gaining the confidence to wield her magic. This character is built for D&D5e. Savannah Rayne is an RP enthusiast, art witch, and podcaster. While relat...
Jun 22, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Navaar Seik-Jackson brings Oba Manu to the table. Oba is a dad who wants nothing more than to live the simple life, but is pulled back into adventuring for "one last job." Navaar and I discuss having a family both at and away from the table, needing to protect your family while avoiding violence - and how scary that can be as a Black father, and power fantasies. Navaar also convinces me to play Pathfinder. This character is built for Pathfinder 2e by Paizo. Navaar Seik-Jackson is a narrative gam...
Jun 08, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Stephan Kelly brings Lancelot to the table. Lance is a blind martial artist in a coven of witches, doing his best to leave the world a little bit better than when he found it. Stephan and I discuss building a character while you're building the system, testing the limits of system mastery, and an unfortunate jousting accident. This character is built for Coven and Crucible, a game created by Stephan, his wife roach, and his daughter Charlotte. https://13thmoongames.com Stephan Kelly is a retired...
May 28, 2024•57 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Grant brings Orco the Magnificent to the table. Orco is not a very good wizard, but he gives it his best shot. Grant and I discuss religious trauma, high school theater, and the opposite of min-maxing. This character is built for D&D5e. Grant Nordine is the titular game master of Game Master Monday and the guide for Bella's Comet. Grant is an award-winning actor and writer with stage, film, music, and podcasting credits. As the GM of Game Master Monday, he runs a new one-shot in a new system...
May 11, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Tori Fica brings Tendertwig to the table. Tendertwig is a Leshy Oracle who moves through life with the confidence of a child - because they are actually only 1 year old. Tori and I discuss the freedom of playing a character utterly devoid of imposter syndrome, how being cute is a special ability, and playing a literal baby. This character is built for Pathfinder 2e. Tori Fica is a TTRPG enthusiast, actual-play performer, and GM. She is one of the creators of Level 1 Geek, a TTRPG education and e...
Apr 27, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Chriss brings Rhan Halvard to the table. Rhan was a wizard who became a revenant in the service of Istus when her attempt to change her fate had unexpectedly dire results. Chriss and I discuss death, grief, and catharsis, the role of fate in a fantasy story where gods are real, and how much backstory you truly need. This character is built for D&D5e. Chriss Knight is a life long creative who found her calling with D&D in college where she earned a degree in theatre. After a winding road ...
Apr 06, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Sam Dunnewold brings Exit to the table. Exit is a scavenger living on the edges of a dangerous psychic mist and a society that demands they conform. Sam and I discuss building a character within the context of a post apocalyptic world, being brave because you have to be, and transparency in gaming. This character is built for Apocalypse World by D. Vincent and Maguey Baker. http://apocalypse-world.com Sam Dunnewold is a Minnesotan game designer, screenwriter, and podcaster living in Hollywood li...
Mar 09, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 5
Aetherius brings Riley Howard/Jean Pierre Baptiste to the table. Riley is a Ministry kindred masquerading as Jean-Pierre, a Toreador in the Camarilla. Aetherius and I discuss being your authentic self, being the only Black player at the table, and writing strong yet flawed Black women. This character is built for Vampire the Masquerade 5e published by Renegade Game Studios. Aetherius Bordeaux is your new favorite Vampire Himbo. He is a mystery/thriller/horror content creator and lifelong answere...
Feb 24, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Joseph brings Otto Von Kurtzel to the table. Otto is a family man who built a mech suit to help him live with a degenerative disease. Joseph and I discuss punching dragons, having people worth fighting for, and tinkering for good. This character is built for D&D5e. Joseph Byler, an aspiring TTRPG writer and nurse. They're also a proud redneck and leftist. You can learn more about Joseph at: https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/joseph-byler This episode, I recommend the podcast Bla...
Feb 10, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Alex brings Nix to the table. Alex is a traveling magician who cheerfully becomes a hero. Alex and I discuss mad libs character creation, the nature of magic, and being inspired by a hat. This character is built for Quest. Alex, also known as Apples_n_Cinnamon, a ttrpg enthusiast and a blooming forever GM. They make TTRPG content somewhat sporadically but play in a variety of games in as many systems as possible! You can learn more about Alex at: https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/a...
Jan 27, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Rook brings Dale Dorries, AKA Alehat to the table. Alehat is a greedy, rotten scoundrel feeding his retirement fund with ill-gotten gains. Rook and I discuss filling a role in a party, using characters to try out game mechanics, and being out for yourself. This character is built for Blades in the Dark. Roger Peters, who also goes by Rook, is the owner of Epic Sages, a multi-TTRPG focused hosting site. He’s played and/or ran various TTRPGs for over 15 years. You can learn more about Rook at: htt...
Jan 13, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Jeffrey Baker brings an unnamed soldier to the table. The unnamed soldier is a grizzled drill sergeant who motivates his party through tough love and (bardic) inspirational speeches. Jeffrey and I discuss playing older characters with life experience, roleplay bleed and after care, and being the party dad. This character is built for D&D5e. Jeffrey Baker is a dad, LARPer, and game designer; Jeffrey has been playing TTRPGs ever since his older brothers would allow him to join. His creative we...
Dec 30, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Wes Ascolese brings Trypoxylus "Tryp" to the table. Tryp is a newborn hive mind formed from a group of Japanese stag beetles looking to learn about the world they are seeing with new eyes. Wes and I discuss how bugs think, trying to build a unified identity, and discovering yourself through your characters. This character is built for The Wildsea by Felix Isaacs: https://myth.works/collections/the-wildsea-homepage Wes Ascolese is a leftist TTRPG collector and enthusiast, amateur bookbinder, and ...
Dec 16, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Nate (Beardic Inspiration) brings Ed'varay Fiero to the table. Ed'varay is a noble ranger, restlessly wandering in search of transcendental experiences. Nate and I discuss creating random characters for real people, being shaped by your environment, and the controversy surrounding Wizards of the Coast's attempt to withdraw the Open Gaming License (OGL). This character is system agnostic. Nate grew up in the small town of Seward, Alaska as a theatre kid who grew up working on boats. He’s now a bo...
Dec 01, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 14
In this very special episode, I interview my costars on DnDenial's The Moonstone Matriarchy actual play stream, an all-women D&D game set in the home brew world of Solandria. I Sneeze Stars is the DM GM of Reven is Anemone Juniper is Clover Mamaicailleach is Delphra Dungeon Mistress Katie is Rosalind Scxrlet is Syn These characters are built for D&D5e. View the previous mini-campaign and watch the full campaign of The Moonstone Matriarchy on Twitch Saturdays at 5:30PM PST starting Novemb...
Nov 11, 2023•1 hr 36 min
Jordan Peacock brings his tarot deck to the table. In this episode, Jordan and I collaborate to build three characters using tarot spreads. Dagamot, inspired by the Hermit card, is a reclusive healer with a painful past reevaluating his life on the road. Content warning: brief mention of suicide at 7:00. Jordan and I discuss going beyond tropes, building latent potential into characters, and Canadian TV. This character is built for Coyote and Crow. Jordan Peacock is an independent game designer,...
Aug 18, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Owen Kerr brings Asher Novaak, aka Rhadamanthus Lehrer, to the table. Rhadamanthus is an inquisitor hiding in plain sight as his own throne agent, trying to find the small victories in a world full of insurmountable odds. Owen and I discuss pitting underdogs against empires, wrestling with angels, and finding joy in the struggle nevertheless. This character is built for Dark Heresy. Owen Kerr is a writer, teacher, indie game designer, voice actor, professional game master, TikTok enthusiast, LGB...
Aug 03, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Natasha Ticotin brings Niko de Cielo to the table. Niko is an Oath of Conquest paladin who will soon find out he's not the main character he thinks he is. Natasha and I discuss "fixing" characters from pop culture, finding community in fandoms, and how characters' self-perceptions might not live up to their level 2 realities. This character is built for D&D5e. Natasha is an artist, corgi mom, and Princess of Genovia. You can find Natasha at: Website: https://natashagalya.com TikTok: https://...
Jul 18, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 11
