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Narrative Damage

Narrative Damage

A Games , Leisure and Hobbies podcast

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About the show

An actual play TTRPG podcast where your favourite authors swap their pens for dice and gather together to tell tales. Join them as they explore games including Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, Alien, The One Ring and many more through immersive world-building and high-stakes storytelling (with fun and drama in equal measure!) Between scenarios, we sit down with TTRPG legends for deep-dive interviews. Craft worlds. Roll dice. Tell stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Newest episodes

High Society | City of Whispers: Part 6 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

2 hr 6 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube The crew have heat on them following their theft of the Iruvian necklace, but they've been offered a way out by The Hive - clear their contact's name before a high profile trial next week. All it'll take is mingling with some of Doskvol's high society... Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Vey Basran David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy and Solitary Agents) as Weaver Dalmore Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Mara Keel Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Nev Twist With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 02:35 Opening Credits 04:38 Intro and recap 09:03 The story continues... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paizo's Jason Bulmahn on designing a new type of horror game with 13 Omens

52 min

Watch as a full video interview here Jason Bulmahn is a veteran tabletop game designer and creative manager with over two decades of industry experience, best known as the lead designer of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Formerly the managing editor of Dragon magazine and the Director of Game Design at Paizo, he played a pivotal role in creating Pathfinder and its second edition, earning more than 20 ENnie Awards over the course of his career. His latest game is 13 Omens. We loved getting the chance to speak with Jason, hearing about how he first got into designing games, and how he found himself at Paizo and led the design of Pathfinder. Plus, he tells us how he first came up with the idea for the new Paizo one-shot horror game, 13 Omens, and talks us through his thought process on the game's unique systems. Links: Back 13 Omens on Kickstarter until 13 November Follow Jason on Bluesky Visit Jason's website Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. On IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?, we get authors to try out a new TTRPG system every week. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Escape from Irondale | City of Whispers: Part 5 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

1 hr 35 min

In this special action-packed 'bottle episode', we jump back in time to the night Vey's dad disappeared from Severos, and learn just why he had to escape from Irondale. Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Yago Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Izzi Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Sikko With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 02:32 Opening Credits 04:37 Intro and recap 07:37 The story continues... Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Music by Monument Studios. Detailed maps of Doskvol used with permission of Tim Denee of Old Dog Games - buy them here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/307609/doskvol-street-maps-detailed-maps-for-blades-in-the-dark Spinning map and cinder graphics by EricVulgaris (https://www.youtube.com/@EricVulgaris) Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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All episodes

High Society | City of Whispers: Part 6 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

2 hr 6 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube The crew have heat on them following their theft of the Iruvian necklace, but they've been offered a way out by The Hive - clear their contact's name before a high profile trial next week. All it'll take is mingling with some of Doskvol's high society... Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Vey Basran David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy and Solitary Agents) as Weaver Dalmore Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Mara Keel Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Nev Twist With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 02:35 Opening Credits 04:38 Intro and recap 09:03 The story continues... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paizo's Jason Bulmahn on designing a new type of horror game with 13 Omens

52 min

Watch as a full video interview here Jason Bulmahn is a veteran tabletop game designer and creative manager with over two decades of industry experience, best known as the lead designer of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Formerly the managing editor of Dragon magazine and the Director of Game Design at Paizo, he played a pivotal role in creating Pathfinder and its second edition, earning more than 20 ENnie Awards over the course of his career. His latest game is 13 Omens. We loved getting the chance to speak with Jason, hearing about how he first got into designing games, and how he found himself at Paizo and led the design of Pathfinder. Plus, he tells us how he first came up with the idea for the new Paizo one-shot horror game, 13 Omens, and talks us through his thought process on the game's unique systems. Links: Back 13 Omens on Kickstarter until 13 November Follow Jason on Bluesky Visit Jason's website Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. On IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?, we get authors to try out a new TTRPG system every week. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Escape from Irondale | City of Whispers: Part 5 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

1 hr 35 min

In this special action-packed 'bottle episode', we jump back in time to the night Vey's dad disappeared from Severos, and learn just why he had to escape from Irondale. Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Yago Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Izzi Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Sikko With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 02:32 Opening Credits 04:37 Intro and recap 07:37 The story continues... Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Music by Monument Studios. Detailed maps of Doskvol used with permission of Tim Denee of Old Dog Games - buy them here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/307609/doskvol-street-maps-detailed-maps-for-blades-in-the-dark Spinning map and cinder graphics by EricVulgaris (https://www.youtube.com/@EricVulgaris) Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe O'Brien on founding the Glass Cannon Network and telling great stories with games

1 hr 17 min

Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Joe O'Brien is one of the founding members of the Glass Cannon Network, and regularly appears on their shows as both a player and GM, including sitting in the Handler's chair for their hugely popular Delta Green show, Get in the Trunk. We had a great time chatting with Joe all about how the GCN got started, why he loves the storytelling possibilities that TTRPGs can bring, and discuss whether he prefers the player or GM side of the screen. Plus, we chat about Impossible Landscapes and the unique GM challenges that brought, get some insights into his GM-ing approach, and hear about his plans for GMing Shadowdark in the Dolmenwood. AND he tells us about some exciting upcoming events for the GCN. Links: Join the Naish Watch all of the GCN shows Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. On IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?, we get authors to try out a new TTRPG system every week. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Haunting of Hollybrook - Part 3 | 13 Omens Actual Play | Is This Your First Time?

1 hr 1 min

Watch as a full video episode now on YouTube Welcome to the final part of The Haunting of Hollybrook! Our Ghost Stormers crew have awoken something terrible in the abandoned Hollybrook Inn. Can they find a way to banish the ghost of Granny Pettywood before she banishes them to Hell? Cast: Rhiannon Grist (Author of Home Sick) as Holly Hollybrook Cailean Steed (Author of Home) as Sam Green Anna Stephens (Author of The Godblind trilogy) as Frank 'Panda' McGee Rafael Torrubia (Author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Cassie Callisto With Marco Rinaldi as The Host Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. On IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?, we get authors to try out a new TTRPG system every week. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Haunting of Hollybrook - Part 2 | 13 Omens Actual Play | Is This Your First Time?

1 hr 5 min

Watch as a full video episode now on YouTube Welcome to the second part of The Haunting of Hollybrook! The gang were hoping for a ghost story when they visited the abandoned Hollybrook Inn, but have found more than they bargained for. Just what is haunting the Inn, and can they survive it? Cast: Rhiannon Grist (Author of Home Sick) as Holly Hollybrook Cailean Steed (Author of Home) as Sam Green Anna Stephens (Author of The Godblind trilogy) as Frank 'Panda' McGee Rafael Torrubia (Author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Cassie Callisto With Marco Rinaldi as The Host Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. On IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?, we get authors to try out a new TTRPG system every week. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Haunting of Hollybrook - Part 1 | 13 Omens Actual Play | Is This Your First Time?

59 min

Watch as a full video episode now on YouTube Welcome to the first episode of IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME?, our new show where we get authors to try out a new TTRPG system every week. On this first episode, we are playing Paizo's new horror game, 13 Omens! Hollybrook Inn has been abandoned for the last 20 years after a grisly series of murders by the owner shut it down. Which makes it perfect fodder for the paranormal investigative crew, The Ghost Stormers, to investigate. But will they find out the truth - or die trying? Cast: Rhiannon Grist (Author of Home Sick) as Holly Hollybrook Cailean Steed (Author of Home) as Sam Green Anna Stephens (Author of The Godblind trilogy) as Frank 'Panda' McGee Rafael Torrubia (Author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Cassie Callisto With Marco Rinaldi as The Host Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Show Announcement - Is This Your First Time?

2 min

Narrative Damage is levelling up! We have too many good games sitting on our shelves, so we decided to do something about it - we're bringing you a new show on the channel - IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME? - where we get authors to try out new (to them) TTRPG systems every week! We're kicking off THIS WEEK (29 October) with a playthrough of Paizo's new horror game 13 Omens - and all three episodes will drop by Saturday, so you can binge just in time for Halloween! Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haunted Memories | City of Whispers: Part 4 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

1 hr 57 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube The jewellery heist from Charterhall University stirs old memories for the crew as Vey is interrogated about her father's disappearance and the gang look further into just what it is they have stolen... Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Vey Basran David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy and Solitary Agents) as Weaver Dalmore Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Mara Keel Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Nev Twist With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 03:35 Opening Credits 05:38 Intro and recap 10:32 The story continues... Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Music by Monument Studios. Detailed maps of Doskvol used with permission of Tim Denee of Old Dog Games - buy them here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/307609/doskvol-street-maps-detailed-maps-for-blades-in-the-dark Spinning map and cinder graphics by EricVulgaris (https://www.youtube.com/@EricVulgaris) Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Royal Reception | City of Whispers: Part 3 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

1 hr 51 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Fresh from one (sort of) successful jewellery heist, The Haunts set course for another one - this time, in the presence of Doskvol Royalty... What could go wrong?? Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Vey Basran David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy and Solitary Agents) as Weaver Dalmore Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Mara Keel Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Nev Twist With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 03:24 Opening Credits 05:25 Intro and recap 11:17 The story continues... Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Music by Monument Studios. Detailed maps of Doskvol used with permission of Tim Denee of Old Dog Games - buy them here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/307609/doskvol-street-maps-detailed-maps-for-blades-in-the-dark Spinning map and cinder graphics by EricVulgaris (https://www.youtube.com/@EricVulgaris) Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dinner with the Dimmers | City of Whispers: Part 2 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

2 hr 8 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Our crew broke into the house of the mysterious Dimmer Sisters last time around and are now invited to a dinner they will never forget... can they escape with the necklace they came to steal - and their spirits intact? Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. Cast:C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Vey Basran David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy and Solitary Agents) as Weaver Dalmore Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Mara Keel Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Nev Twist With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master 00:00 Previously on City of Whispers 02:20 Opening Credits 04:05 Intro and player intros 08:30 The story continues... Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. Visit our website to catch all our episodes. This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Music by Monument Studios. Detailed maps of Doskvol used with permission of Tim Denee of Old Dog Games - buy them here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/307609/doskvol-street-maps-detailed-maps-for-blades-in-the-dark Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome To Doskvol | City of Whispers: Part 1 | Blades in the Dark Actual Play

1 hr 44 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Welcome to Doskvol, where the sun has been shattered and the city is shrouded in mist and soot. Giant lightning towers keep out the spirits of the dead as most of the people in the city struggle to makes ends meet. While the nobles of the Imperium claim to run the city, the real power lies with the many gangs of Doskvol, different factions vying to seize control. Newest among them is a small group calling themselves The Haunts; 4 desperate scoundrels who have decided to make their own bid for power... Cast: C.L. Clark (author of The Unbroken and Fortune's Wake) as Vey Basran David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy and Solitary Agents) as Weaver Dalmore Claire Schultz (author of Even Your Bones Would Do) as Mara Keel Rafael Torrubia (author of The Shipwright and The Shroudweaver) as Nev Twist With Marco Rinaldi as Game Master Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Doskvol 01:57 Opening Credits 03:43 Intro and player intros 06:35 The story begins... Narrative Damage is the TTRPG show that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Check out our other actual plays in a variety of systems on the channel now, along with interviews with creators from the TTRPG world. This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Music by Monument Studios. Detailed maps of Doskvol used with permission of Tim Denee of Old Dog Games - buy them here Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Gracey on the storytelling power of games

1 hr 17 min

Watch as a full video interview on our YouTube channel In this special crossover episode with our sister podcast, Page One - The Writer's Podcast, we chat with the brilliant Jon Gracey! Jon is a writer, actor, producer, games designer and much more! Host of the hugely popular Blood on the Clocktower live, Jon also designs board games and appears regularly on No Rolls Barred as well as other gaming channels playing both board games and roleplaying games. His debut novel will be set in the world of Blood on the Clocktower. We loved chatting to Jon in the studio, hearing how he first got into sketch comedy before moving into the world of games. We talk about how to craft a good sketch show, hear why Blood on the Clocktower live has been such a huge success, and chat about why he wanted to write a novel set in that world. We also discuss the narrative power of both video games and TTRPGs, and how that storytelling differs from other mediums. Links: Follow Jon on Instagram Visit Jon's website Watch the Jon Parkin video that Jon talks about in the episode Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Denee On Bringing The Swinging 60s to Blades in the Dark

50 min

Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Tim Denee is a graphic designer and TTRPG creator who has created resources for games such as Blades in the Dark, as well as developing his own games such as Deathmatch Island, Odyssey Aquatica and, most recently, the Blades in the Dark supplement, Blades '68, which takes the world of Blades 100 years into the future into the swinging 60s. We had great fun chatting with Tim, hearing about how he first got into TTRPGs and then how he began designing for them. We chat about what makes games like Blades so different from more traditional TTRPGs like D&D, and discuss why he wanted to write the Blades '68 supplement which is now available. Plus, we chat about what games he's been playing, and what he is looking forward to working on next. Links: Follow Tim on Bluesky Visit his game site, Old Dog Games Buy Blades '68 now Buy Tim's incredible maps of Doskvol Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Follow on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Emily Friedman on the history of actual play

1 hr 7 min

Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Emily C. Friedman teaches courses on British literature, book history, games, and playful media. Trained as a book historian, narratologist, and digital humanist, her work examines the history of cultural production outside of commercial mass media from the eighteenth century to today, from never-published manuscript fiction to analog games. Now one of the senior scholars and public intellectuals in the field of "Actual Play," a new media form where roleplaying games are performed for audiences, her research on the topic has appeared in multiple academic books and journals, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and the game media site Polygon. Her next book, The Actual History of Actual Play, is forthcoming from MIT Press (2028), and she is at work on a book on the comic and roleplaying game DIE for University of Michigan Press, a multiauthored critical companion to major Actual Play Dimension 20, and future work on microcelebrity and "nerd fame". We loved speaking with Emily about her work, learning about the study of unpublished manuscripts, and how she first got into studying actual play. We talk about the amazing rise of this new form of entertainment (though it goes back further than you may think), hear about the teething difficulties of Critical Role, and much more! Links: Follow Emily on Instagram Visit Emily website Pre-order Emily's book, The Actual History of Actual Play Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damage Assessment: Breakdown and Debrief of From The Dust | Delta Green Actual Play

50 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube We break down our recent actual of Delta Green's From The Dust and get the Handler and players' views on what went wrong, what went right, and what we added and missed from the scenario as written., Narrative Damage is a TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Agent Meridian Tariq Ashkanani, author of The Hollow Boys - Agent Midnight Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Agent Mercator David Goodman, Author of Solitary Agents - Agent Myriad With Marco Rinaldi as The Handler Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Narrative Damage excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property. "From The Dust" written by Dennis Detwiller and published by Arc Dream Publishing. Opening Credits music - The Legacy of Hades by Jok'a'Face (Code: VRTXXQOXR8HQPELK) Background music - Monument Studios 00:00 Intro 00:20 Opening credits 02:05 Debrief begins Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From The Dust - Part 4: Magna Mater | Delta Green Actual Play

56 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube New York, 1993. In the final part of our Delta Green adventure, the Agents have a name to follow and it seems to lead back to Unit 35 and the mysterious door. But what will they find on the other side? And will they ever return? Narrative Damage is a TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Agent Meridian Tariq Ashkanani, author of The Hollow Boys - Agent Midnight Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Agent Mercator David Goodman, Author of Solitary Agents - Agent Myriad With Marco Rinaldi as The Handler Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Narrative Damage excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property. "From The Dust" written by Dennis Detwiller and published by Arc Dream Publishing. Opening Credits music - The Legacy of Hades by Jok'a'Face (Code: VRTXXQOXR8HQPELK) Background music - Monument Studios Chapters 00:00 Start 00:35 Previously on From The Dust 02:41 Opening credits 04:26 Player introductions and recap 05:51 The investigation concludes... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From The Dust - Part 3: Thousand-Faced Moon | Delta Green Actual Play

1 hr 16 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube New York, 1993. Agents Mercator and Meridian choose to surveil the Gerritsen Mansion at night, but find more than they bargained for, while Agents Myriad and Midnight's investigations turn up even more disturbing leads. Just what happened in Red Hook? And is the truth better left buried? Narrative Damage is a TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Agent Meridian Tariq Ashkanani, author of The Hollow Boys - Agent Midnight Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Agent Mercator David Goodman, Author of Solitary Agents - Agent Myriad With Marco Rinaldi as The Handler Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Narrative Damage excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property. "From The Dust" written by Dennis Detwiller and published by Arc Dream Publishing. Opening Credits music - The Legacy of Hades by Jok'a'Face (Code: VRTXXQOXR8HQPELK) Background music - Monument Studios Chapters 00:00 Start 00:35 Previously on From The Dust 02:56 Opening credits 04:41 Player introductions and recap 07:38 The investigation continues... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From The Dust - Part 2: The Mansion | Delta Green Actual Play

1 hr 10 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube New York, 1993. Our four mismatched agents begin to investigate the mansion that Delta Green believes is linked to the disappearances of three young children. What they start to uncover is both troubling and unsettling. Can they find out the truth before it begins to eat away at their own lives? Narrative Damage is a TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Agent Meridian Tariq Ashkanani, author of The Hollow Boys - Agent Midnight Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Agent Mercator David Goodman, Author of Solitary Agents - Agent Myriad With Marco Rinaldi as The Handler Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Narrative Damage excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property. "From The Dust" written by Dennis Detwiller and published by Arc Dream Publishing. Opening Credits music - The Legacy of Hades by Jok'a'Face (Code: VRTXXQOXR8HQPELK) Background music - Monument Studios Chapters 00:00 Start 00:35 Previously on From The Dust 02:40 Opening credits 04:30 Player introductions and chat 06:40 The investigation continues... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From The Dust - Part 1: Green Box | Delta Green Actual Play

1 hr 15 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube New York, 1993. In the sweltering heat of late summer, four mismatched operatives are activated by Delta Green to take part in Operation Blister II. Three young children have gone missing and Delta Green believe it is linked to an old mansion in the Red Hook area of the city. Will our agents find out what happened before the Unnatural threat strikes again? Narrative Damage is a TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Agent Meridian Tariq Ashkanani, author of The Hollow Boys - Agent Midnight Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Agent Mercator David Goodman, Author of Solitary Agents - Agent Myriad With Marco Rinaldi as The Handler Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Narrative Damage excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property. "From The Dust" written by Dennis Detwiller and published by Arc Dream Publishing. Opening Credits music - The Legacy of Hades by Jok'a'Face (Code: VRTXXQOXR8HQPELK) Background music - Monument Studios Chapters 00:00 Start 00:35 Intro 02:30 Opening credits 04:16 Player introductions and chat 06:57 The investigation begins... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damage Assessment - Under A Yellow Moon Breakdown and Debrief

40 min

Welcome to Damage Assessment - our look back at our actual plays, where we breakdown the scenario, talk about what went well, what could've gone better, and what might help you run the same scenario at your table. Under A Yellow Moon is a scenario we wrote especially for our live actual play at Cymera Festival in Edinburgh. Set in 1892 Edinburgh, our investigators must solve the murder of a visiting professor from Miskatonic University and track down the mysterious manuscript she brought with her before they go insane... Watch or listen to our playthrough now and then head back here to hear all about how our players leant into the madness, and listen as we talk about what we might do differently if we were to run the scenario again. This scenario will also soon be available on Miskatonic Repository so that you can download and play it for yourself! Keep an eye on our social media and these show notes for the link! Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under a Yellow Moon: Part 2 | Cthulhu By Gaslight Actual Play

1 hr 13 min

Watch as a full video on our YouTube channel Join us for the second (and final) part of the recording of our live Call of Cthulhu/Cthulhu by Gaslight scenario, recorded at Cymera Festival in June 2026. When a visiting professor from Miskatonic University turns up dead, a motley group of investigators are put into a race against time to find her killer. Why was she murdered? And what happened to the manuscript she brought with her? Last time, our players discovered the professor had been looking into The King in Yellow... never a good idea! And what has happened to Professor McLeod... Watch to find out! Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Dr Terrence Tableau Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Professor Arthur Vane Annabel Campbell, author of The Outcast Mage - Dr. Fiona Murray Ian Green, author of Extremophile - Flora Meiklewood David Goodman, author of A Reluctant Spy - Roland Halliwell with Marco Rinaldi as the Keeper of Arcane Lore Call of Cthulhu and Cthulhu by Gaslight created by and trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Handouts created by Jordan Acosta Under a Yellow Moon written by Marco Rinaldi Music from Monumental Studios Sound FX by Syrinscape Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under a Yellow Moon: Part 1 | Cthulhu By Gaslight Actual Play

1 hr 18 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Join us for the first part of the recording of our live Call of Cthulhu/Cthulhu by Gaslight scenario, recorded at Cymera Festival in June 2026. When a visiting professor from Miskatonic University turns up dead, a motley group of investigators are put into a race against time to find her killer. Why was she murdered? And what happened to the manuscript she brought with her? Join our players (all authors attending Cymera!) as they attempt to follow the clues, uncover dark secrets - or go mad trying! Cast: Benedict Anning, author of Atomic Coffin - Dr Terrence Tableau Nicholas Binge, author of Abyss - Professor Arthur Vane Annabel Campbell, author of The Outcast Mage - Dr. Fiona Murray Ian Green, author of Extremophile - Flora Meiklewood David Goodman, author of A Reluctant Spy - Roland Halliwell with Marco Rinaldi as the Keeper of Arcane Lore Call of Cthulhu and Cthulhu by Gaslight created by and trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Handouts created by Jordan Acosta Under a Yellow Moon written by Marco Rinaldi Music from Monumental Studios Sound FX by Syrinscape Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Lackey Explains His New One-Shot Game System, Strange Stories

51 min

Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Chris Lackey is a podcaster, writer and TTRPG creator who has hosted the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast and Strange Studies of Strange Stories Podcast. Also an American filmmaker and animator, Chris directed and co-wrote the animated feature film The Chosen One and was the associate producer of the films The Call of Cthulhu and The Whisperer in the Darkness. He co-wrote the graphic novel Deadbeats and adapted 'The Temple' for SelfMadeHero's Lovecraft Anthology: Volume II. His new game, Strange Stories, based on the stories examined in his podcast, is launching on Backerkit soon! We had a great time chatting with Chris about his love of and work in the TTRPG scene, hearing about how he loves to explore all sorts of different game systems and why he wanted to create his own. He explains what his new game, Strange Stories, is all about, why it is perfect for one-shots and also new players, and tells us about a genius method they have developed to help prep GMs. Links: Follow Chris on Bluesky Back the Strange Stories game on Backerkit Listen to the Strange Studies of Strange Stories podcast Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Capodicasa explains the origins of The Glass Cannon Network

50 min

Watch as a full video interview on our YouTube channel Matthew Capodicasa is one of the founding members of the Glass Cannon Network, one of the leading actual play podcasts, as well as being an award-winning playwright whose work has been developed and presented across the globe. In addition to his extensive theater work, he has Film/TV projects in development with Annapurna Pictures, Anonymous Content, and XYZ Films. We had a great time chatting with Matthew, hearing about discovering TTRPGs as an adult, how his playwriting background influences his roleplaying, and the importance of failing for the sake of a good story. We also talk about pacing and knowing when a scene is over, and we get some interesting anecdotes about the early days of the Glass Cannon Network! We also spoke with Matthew about his extensive writing career as a playwright and screenwriter on our Page One Podcast - that episode drops on 3 July - listen to that episode here or watch here. Links: Watch the Glass Cannon Network Join The Naish! Follow Matthew on Instagram Narrative Damage is the TTRPG podcast that asks authors to put down their pens, pick up the dice and tell stories together. Watch or listen to our actual plays with authors as the players on our YouTube or listen on your favourite app! Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haunted Fortunes Part 4: The Showdown | Pathfinder played with Nimble | Actual Play

2 hr 1 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Four heroes searching for vengeance against one man: Gaedren Lamm. Last time our heroes managed to take down three of Gaedren's henchmen, only to leave themselves in a precarious position in the hold of an old ship. Can they survive - and finally find their quarry? In the final part (for now!) of our miniseries, we play through an adapted version of Haunted Fortunes, the opening scenario (written by Nicolas Logue) of the epic Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign for Pathfinder from Paizo. To bring this world to life, we are using the brilliant Nimble system by Evan Diaz, a super-streamlined, tactical fantasy RPG. The Cast Anna Stephens: Author of the Godblind and Songs of the Drowned trilogies. Annabel Campbell: Author of The Outcast Mage and its upcoming sequel, The Void Dragon (Out this October!). Claire Shultz: Author of Even Your Bones Would Do (Also writing as Claire Rose, author of The Cove). Modupe H. Ayinde: Author of the epic fantasy A Song of Legends Lost and its newly released sequel, A Dance of Burning Blades. Credits & Assets PC Character Art: Czepeku Music: Monument Studios This podcast uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Paizo Inc., used under Paizo's Fan Content Policy (paizo.com/licenses/fancontent). This podcast is not published, endorsed, or specifically approved by Paizo. For more information about Paizo Inc. and Paizo products, visit paizo.com. Thanks to DMDorga for their adaptation of Curse of the Crimson Throne to the Nimble system - get that conversion here: https://dmdorga.itch.io/nimble-curse-of-the-crimson-throne-chapter-1 Timestamps 00:00 - Last Time On Narrative Damage 02:10 - Welcome & Levelling up 07:50 - Recap 09:10 - The Adventure Concludes... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haunted Fortunes Part 3: The Old Fishery | Pathfinder played with Nimble | Actual Play

1 hr 49 min

Watch as a video episode on YouTube Welcome to Narrative Damage, the actual play TTRPG podcast where authors swap their pens for dice and see where the story takes them! Four heroes searching for vengeance against one man: Gaedren Lamm. Last time out, they found a hideout where his accomplices gathered, and their attempts to sweet-talk their way in failed, leaving them in a tricky position (especially after splitting the party three ways!) Can they survive their (first!) combats and search the hideout for clues to Lamm's whereabouts? In part three of this our miniseries, we play through an adapted version of Haunted Fortunes, the opening scenario (written by Nicolas Logue) of the epic Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign for Pathfinder from Paizo. To bring this world to life, we are using the brilliant Nimble system by Evan Diaz, a super-streamlined, tactical fantasy RPG. The Cast Anna Stephens: Author of the Godblind and Songs of the Drowned trilogies. Annabel Campbell: Author of The Outcast Mage and its upcoming sequel, The Void Dragon (Out this October!). Claire Shultz: Author of Even Your Bones Would Do (Also writing as Claire Rose, author of The Cove). Modupe H. Ayinde: Author of the epic fantasy A Song of Legends Lost and its newly released sequel, A Dance of Burning Blades. Credits & Assets PC Character Art: Czepeku Music: Monument Studios VTT Assets: Featuring the Pathfinder Harrow Deck, played on Foundry VTT. This podcast uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Paizo Inc., used under Paizo's Fan Content Policy (paizo.com/licenses/fancontent). This podcast is not published, endorsed, or specifically approved by Paizo. For more information about Paizo Inc. and Paizo products, visit paizo.com. Thanks to DMDorga for their adaptation of Curse of the Crimson Throne to the Nimble system - get that conversion here: https://dmdorga.itch.io/nimble-curse-of-the-crimson-throne-chapter-1 Timestamps 00:00 - Last Time On Narrative Damage 01:26 - Welcome & Cast Chat 04:...

Haunted Fortunes Part 2: The Hideout | Pathfinder played with Nimble | Actual Play

1 hr 21 min

Watch as a video episode on YouTube Welcome to Narrative Damage, the actual play TTRPG podcast where authors swap their pens for dice and see where the story takes them! Four heroes, all scarred by one man: Gaedren Lamm. Last time, they were gathered together by mysterious Harrow cards, meeting Fortune Teller Zellara, who told them of a way they might gain revenge against Lamm. But first, they have to find him... In part two of this our miniseries, we play through an adapted version of Haunted Fortunes, the opening scenario (written by Nicolas Logue) of the epic Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign for Pathfinder from Paizo. To bring this world to life, we are using the brilliant Nimble system by Evan Diaz, a super-streamlined, tactical fantasy RPG. The Cast Anna Stephens: Author of the Godblind and Songs of the Drowned trilogies. Annabel Campbell: Author of The Outcast Mage and its upcoming sequel, The Void Dragon (Out this October!). Claire Shultz: Author of Even Your Bones Would Do (Also writing as Claire Rose, author of The Cove). Modupe H. Ayinde: Author of the epic fantasy A Song of Legends Lost and its newly released sequel, A Dance of Burning Blades. Credits & Assets PC Character Art: Czepeku Music: Monument Studios VTT Assets: Featuring the Pathfinder Harrow Deck, played on Foundry VTT. This podcast uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Paizo Inc., used under Paizo's Fan Content Policy (paizo.com/licenses/fancontent). This podcast is not published, endorsed, or specifically approved by Paizo. For more information about Paizo Inc. and Paizo products, visit paizo.com. Thanks to DMDorga for their adaptation of Curse of the Crimson Throne to the Nimble system - get that conversion here: https://dmdorga.itch.io/nimble-curse-of-the-crimson-throne-chapter-1 Timestamps 0:00 - Last Time On Narrative Damage 2:04 - Welcome & Cast Chat 7:12 - The Adventure Continues... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haunted Fortunes Part 1: The Reading | Pathfinder played with Nimble

1 hr 27 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube! Welcome to Narrative Damage, the actual play TTRPG podcast where authors swap their pens for dice and see where the story takes them! On the edge of Conqueror’s Bay sits the city of Korvosa, the jewel of Varisia. Ruled by a line of monarchs from atop the Crimson Throne, King Eodred II is its latest ruler. But as whispers of the King’s declining health concern the nobles of Highgate, people wonder if the deadly curse of the Crimson Throne will ever be broken. Meanwhile, the vast majority of Korvosa’s citizens are preoccupied with a much more immediate task: surviving until tomorrow. In the slums of Old Korvosa and the West Docks, justice is often abandoned by the law and claimed instead by the desperate. Tonight, a story of haunted fortunes begins as we follow four such souls - individuals tied together not by blood or status, but by the scars left by a single man. In part one of this three-part miniseries, we play through an adapted version of Haunted Fortunes, the opening scenario (written by Nicolas Logue) of the epic Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign for Pathfinder from Paizo. To bring this world to life, we are using the brilliant Nimble system by Evan Diaz, a super-streamlined, tactical fantasy RPG. The Cast Anna Stephens: Author of the Godblind and Songs of the Drowned trilogies. Annabel Campbell: Author of The Outcast Mage and its upcoming sequel, The Void Dragon (Out this October!). Claire Shultz: Author of Even Your Bones Would Do (Also writing as Claire Rose, author of The Cove). Modupe H. Ayinde: Author of the epic fantasy A Song of Legends Lost and its newly released sequel, A Dance of Burning Blades. Credits & Assets PC Character Art: Czepeku Music: Monument Studios VTT Assets: Featuring the Pathfinder Harrow Deck, played on Foundry VTT. This podcast uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Paizo Inc., used under Paizo's Fan Content Policy (paizo.com/licenses/fancontent). This podcast is not published, endo...

Adrian Tchaikovsky on How TTRPGs Help Him Build Award-Winning Worlds

42 min

Watch as a full video interview here Adrian Tchaikovsky is the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, the Echoes of the Fall series and other novels, novellas and short stories. Children of Time won the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award, and Children of Ruin and Shards of Earth both won the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel. The Tiger and the Wolf won the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel, while And Put Away Childish Things won the BSFA Award for Best Shorter Fiction.   We had a fascinating conversation with Adrian about how his deep love of TTRPGs act as a primary engine for his prolific literary career. He explains how he uses roleplaying sessions as a form of prototyping to test complex world-building and create authentic, multifaceted casts of characters. We also discuss how the unpredictability of a gaming table helps him break out of authorial habits, his preference for blending hard sci-fi mechanics with high-fantasy stakes, and how decades spent behind a GM screen prepared him for the monumental task of managing the sprawling narratives in his award-winning series. Plus, he tells us about the new Children of Time TTRPG coming to crowdfunding soon... Links: Buy Adrian's books here Follow Adrian on Bluesky Learn more about the Children of Time RPG Don't forget you can still win a Call of Cthulhu Starter Set! All you need to do all you need to do is subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment below one of our Loki's Gift videos! Once we hit 250 subs we will pick our winner! Plus - double your chances: Head over to our Instagram to enter there as well. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kieron Gillen on his love of RPGs and Why GMs Make Good Players

40 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Kieron Gillen is a British comic book writer and former video game journalist. He is best known for his work on high-profile titles such as Star Wars, X-Men, and The Eternals, as well as his acclaimed creator-owned series The Wicked + The Divine and Die. A longtime enthusiast of tabletop roleplaying games, he famously helped to develop a standalone RPG system to accompany his Die comic series, bridging the gap between narrative fiction and interactive gaming. He is currently working on new projects like Power Fantasy and Meta Dungeon. We had an absolute blast chatting TTRPGs with Kieron and hearing about about his early, slightly confusing start with Middle-Earth Role Playing at age ten. We chat about why believes the skills of a writer, like spotlight management and the perfect cliffhanger, are directly transferable to the world of games and vice versa. We also talk about this love for idea-dense indie RPG writing, talk about the recently crowdfunded DIE Metadungeon, and hear about a new game he is working on. Links: Follow Kieron on Bluesky Visit Kieron's Website Visit Kieron's gaming blog, Old Men Running the World Don't forget you can still win a Call of Cthulhu Starter Set! All you need to do all you need to do is subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment below one of our Loki's Gift videos! Once we hit 250 subs we will pick our winner! Plus - double your chances: Head over to our Instagram to enter there as well. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seth Skorkowsky's Secrets to Engaging RPG Storytelling

1 hr 32 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube In this episode of Narrative Damage, we sit down with legendary TTRPG creator and author Seth Skorkowsky to peel back the curtain on the art of tabletop storytelling. Seth shares his unique perspective on the "myth" of skill overlap between writing novels and running games, arguing that a great Game Master is more like a campfire performer or a stand-up comedian than a novelist, and why having total control as a writer is the polar opposite of the pure reaction skills required at the gaming table. He also gives us great tips on when to let players explore and when to step in to keep the story moving. We also chat about the different storytelling approaches systems can take, and why some players prefer ones with a fixed solution  Whether you're a veteran Game Master or just starting your first campaign, Seth’s insights on pacing, structure and player psychology provide an essential toolkit for any storyteller! Chapters 00:00:16 Intro 00:03:03 Interview starts - Seth talking about being an author 00:39:01 Main TTRPG discussion Links: Visit Seth's YouTube channel Buy Seth's books Follow Seth on Instagram Visit Seth's website Don't forget you can still win a Call of Cthulhu Starter Set! All you need to do all you need to do is subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment below one of our Loki's Gift videos! Once we hit 250 subs we will pick our winner! Plus - double your chances: Head over to our Instagram to enter there as well. Follow on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gareth Hanrahan on how to make TTRPG writing connect with players

53 min

Watch as a full video interview on our YouTube channel Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan is a writer and game designer. Originally qualified as a computer programmer, he took a three month break to see how “this writing thing” would go. More than fifteen years later, he’s still on that break. The writing thing seems to be going. Gareth has published more role-playing games and supplements than he can even recall, including the award-winning The Laundry RPG, The One Ring and The Dracula Dossier. He is currently working on (among other games) the DIE Metadungeon, tying into Kieron Gillen's DIE comic and RPG. We had great fun chatting with Gareth, hearing about how he first got into TTRPG writing, and learning how he goes about writing across such a huge range of games. We chat to him about the best ways to break in TTRPG writing, and what makes a good and bad scenario. If you want to hear Gareth talk about his novel writing, head over to Page One, where he spoke to us about that in Episode 263! Links: Visit Gareth's Website Follow Gareth on Instagram Back the DIE Metadungeon now! Don't forget you can still win a Call of Cthulhu Starter Set! All you need to do all you need to do is subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment below one of our Loki's Gift videos! Once we hit 250 subs we will pick our winner! Plus - double your chances: Head over to our Instagram to enter there as well. Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chaosium writer Kat Clay on how to make horror matter

1 hr 0 min

Watch as a full video episode on our YouTube channel Kat Clay is an ENNIE and ARPIA award-winning author of tabletop roleplaying games from Melbourne, Australia. Her Call of Cthulhu games, The Hammersmith Haunting, Resort, and The Well of All Fear, are bestsellers on DriveThruRPG. The Well of All Fear won the silver ENNIE in 2024 for Best Community Content, and was nominated for Best Adventure – Short Form. Resort, won Best Scenario at the 2025 Australian Roleplaying Industry Awards. She works as a freelance editor and graphic designer for game publisher, Chaosium. We had a great time chatting with Kat and hearing about how she got into writing for TTRPGs, including how she brings her fiction-writing skills to the scenarios, and why she doesn't think you need to over-playtest scenarios. Plus, she tells us about how to make the horror in your games really land with players. Links: Buy Kat's A Well of All Fear scenario Visit Kat's website Follow Kat on Instagram Don't forget you can still win a Call of Cthulhu Starter Set! All you need to do all you need to do is subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment below one of our Loki's Gift videos! Once we hit 250 subs we will pick our winner! Plus - double your chances: Head over to our Instagram to enter there as well. Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damage Assessment - A Breakdown of Loki's Gift

38 min

Welcome to Damage Assessment - our look back at our actual plays, where we breakdown the scenario, talk about what went well, what could've gone better, and what might help you run the same scenario at your table. Loki's Gift is a Call of Cthulhu scenario from Chaosium's Cults of Cthulhu book by Chris Lackey, Mike Mason and friends. Set in Late Victorian London in 1896, it focuses on the investigation into the death of Charles Gladstone, musician and son of Lord Richard Gladstone. Watch or listen to our playthrough now and then head back here to hear all about how our players went off track causing some panicked moments for our Keeper, and listen as we talk about what we might do differently if we were to run the scenario again. Don't forget you can still win a Call of Cthulhu Starter Set! All you need to do all you need to do is subscribe on YouTube and leave a comment below one of our Loki's Gift videos! Once we hit 250 subs we will pick our winner! Plus - double your chances: Head over to our Instagram to enter there as well. Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Call of Cthulhu: Loki's Gift - Part 3: The Finale

1 hr 13 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Descend into madness with us as our cast of three authors swap pens for dice in the final part of this Call of Cthulhu scenario. The curtain rises... After last week's traumatic ending, our investigators try to piece the final clues together - but can they find out the truth before it's too late? And will they finally see the play that everyone is talking about: Loki's Gift? Cast: - Tariq Ashkanani (author of The Midnight King) as Donovan Ramsbottom III - Nicholas Binge (author of Dissolution) as Rev. Tobias Ashford - David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy) as Lord Wilbur Linklater - Marco Rinaldi as your Keeper of Arcane Lore If you enjoyed the descent into madness, please follow on your podcast app The final part drops next week! Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Subscribe on YouTube This is a playthrough of Loki's Gift from the Cults of Cthulhu book from Chaosium. All illustrations are used with permission of Chaosium and can be found in their Cults of Cthulhu and Cthulhu by Gaslight books. Music from Monument Studios Sound FX from Syrinscape Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Call of Cthulhu: Loki's Gift - Part 2

1 hr 44 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Descend into madness with us as our cast of three authors swap pens for dice in the second part of this Call of Cthulhu scenario. What drove Charles Gladstone to his death? Our investigators continue their pursuit of the truth as they meet those who had contact with Charles Gladstone shortly before his death. What is the play Ernest Chillingworth asked Charles to work on? What does the actress Margaret Cornwall know? And can they track down Charles' fellow composer, Daniel Ridley? Plus, will Donovan's explorer skills finally come in useful? Cast: - Tariq Ashkanani (author of The Midnight King) as Donovan Ramsbottom III - Nicholas Binge (author of Dissolution) as Rev. Tobias Ashford - David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy) as Lord Wilbur Linklater - Marco Rinaldi as your Keeper of Arcane Lore If you enjoyed the descent into madness, please follow on your podcast app The final part drops next week! Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky Subscribe on YouTube This is a playthrough of Loki's Gift from the Cults of Cthulhu book from Chaosium. All illustrations are used with permission of Chaosium and can be found in their Cults of Cthulhu and Cthulhu by Gaslight books. Music from Monument Studios Sound FX from Syrinscape Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Call of Cthulhu: Loki's Gift - Part 1

1 hr 11 min

Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Descend into madness with us as our cast of three authors swap pens for dice in the first part of this Call of Cthulhu scenario. "I must know why my son took his own life." When Lord Gladstone calls three hardy investigators to his London mansion on a cold rainy evening in October 1896, they awaken old scars - and create new ones. What was the music that Charles Gladstone was working on before his death, and why is it so unsettling? Cast: - Tariq Ashkanani (author of The Midnight King) as Donovan Ramsbottom III - Nicholas Binge (author of Dissolution) as Rev. Tobias Ashford - David Goodman (author of A Reluctant Spy) as Lord Wilbur Linklater - Marco Rinaldi as your Keeper of Arcane Lore If you enjoyed the descent into madness, please subscribe and hit the bell icon! Part 2 drops next week! Follow the madness on Instagram Follow on Bluesky This is a playthrough of Loki's Gift from the Cults of Cthulhu book from Chaosium. Music from Monument Studios Sound FX from Syrinscape Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 3 - Writing Mystery and Madness with Mike Mason of Chaosium

1 hr 30 min

Watch as a full video interview on our YouTube channel In the final of our cross-over interview episodes with Page One, we chat with the brilliant Mike Mason! Mike Mason is an award-winning game designer and writer, and the creative director for the Call of Cthulhu tabletop roleplaying game. As well as being the commissioning editor and lead writer for the line, Mike also works closely with artists and cartographers to shape the look and art for Call of Cthulhu. It was great speaking with Mike and hearing how his love for storytelling and Call of Cthulhu led to him landing his dream job. He tells us about how he writes scenarios and campaign books, and how that differs (and doesn't differ) from writing other forms of fiction. Plus, we talk about writing effective horror, and discuss why mystery fiction of all kinds is so popular. Links: Follow Mike on Instagram Visit Chaosium's website Watch the trailer for our actual play of Loki's Gift Follow Narrative Damage on YouTube or its own podcast feed to get more interviews with TTRPG writers, creators and more, plus actual plays with some of your favourite authors: https://linktr.ee/narrativedamagerpg Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 2 - Dennis Detwiller On Why Every Writer Should Read Roleplaying Games

1 hr 23 min

Watch as a full video interview on our YouTube channel Dennis Detwiller is an illustrator, writer and designer who has worked in the field of video games, card games and tabletop roleplaying games. He worked on Magic: The Gathering, and is a co-creator of the award-winning TTRPG, Delta Green, including being author of the legendary Impossible Landscapes campaign. We loved having the opportunity to speak with Dennis, who told us how he stumbled into and then out of the world of video games, and how he created Delta Green. We talked about the impact of his philosophical views on his TTRPG writing, and discuss the whole 'railroading v sandbox' styles of storytelling in TTRPGs. Plus, he discusses why reading TTRPG books can help writers of all kinds, and we discuss how to make horror have an impact in writing. Links: Follow Dennis on Bluesky Buy Delta Green now Follow Narrative Damage on YouTube or its own podcast feed to get more interviews with TTRPG writers, creators and more, plus actual plays with some of your favourite authors: https://linktr.ee/narrativedamagerpg Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 1 - Sydney Amanuel on How Live TTRPG Storytelling Really Works

1 hr 17 min

Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Welcome to the first episode of Narrative Damage - a podcast where some of your favourite authors gather together to roll dice, craft worlds and tell stories together through the medium of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs)! For our first guest, we are delighted to chat with the brilliant Sydney Amanuel. Sydney is an actor and designer from New York. While she is usually spotted in films and TV, she also appears on multiple TTRPG podcasts on The Glass Cannon Network where she plays various characters full of improv comedy, fantasy and fun.  Sydney tells us about how she sort of stumbled into the world of live TTRPGs and tells us about the avenues that these games give for storytelling. We talk about the many similarities between the writing process and roleplaying games, including how she crafts characters, worlds and more. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Narrative Damage on YouTube and on its own podcast feed as we have many more brilliant guests and our own live play games with authors coming very soon! Links: Listen to Sydney on the Glass Cannon Network Follow Sydney on Instagram Visit Sydney's website Follow Narrative Damage on YouTube or its own podcast feed to get more interviews with TTRPG writers, creators and more, plus actual plays with some of your favourite authors: https://linktr.ee/narrativedamagerpg Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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