The GROGNARD Files: Recent Episodes
The GROGNARD Files
The GROGNARD RPG files is a podcast that looks at RPGs from 'back in the day and today'.
Each episode concentrates on the original rules of a featured game, our experiences of playing the game, PLUS excellent contributions from @dailydwarf selecting highlights from the halcyon days of White Dwarf magazine.
In this episode Dirk and Blythy give their account of UK Games Expo 2026 and talk to Laurence Phillips about his new game, Il Fantasma del Giallo.
The post UK Games Expo 2026 Report (with Laurence Phillips) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this episode, we return to the world of RPG zines and speak to John Power of Wyrd Science magazine.
In this episode, we talk about The Pirates of Drinax, the epic sandbox campaign created by Gareth Hanrahan, developed and published by Mongoose Publishing.
Matthew Sprange from Mongoose talks about the project and Traveller in general.
Judge Blythy reflects on running the campaign with some recommendations and highlights.
Nevermind the Dice Rolls is a fantastic zine that you can get from Patreon and Drivethru RPG.
It is virtual GROGMEET soon. There are still slots available over on Warhorn.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon.
The post The Pirates of Drinax, Traveller RPG (with Matthew Sprange) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this episode, we are in Manchester Central Library talking to GROGSQUAD member Tomas Rawlings. He has a long history of working in video games, but he also has many interesting thoughts on role-playing games and he’s currently writing a book about the evolution of Warhammer 40k.
In our discussions we talk about how developments within Games Workshop shaped the nature of chaos and its popularity as an aesthetic.
You can read more from Tomas at his substack.
Judge Blythy get’s into the pub to face a chaotic Games Master’s Screen to talk about how chaos manifests in role-playing games.
Dirk has been on the Smart Party talking about Blades 68.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon.
The post Chaos in RPGs and beyond (with Tomas Rawlings) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this episode, Kalum from the Rolistes Podcast is in the zoom of role-playing rambling to talk about French speaking RPGs. He has spoken about Nephilim elsewhere and he tells us more in this episode.
He’s also Kickstarting his game The Magic of Inventorying which will be familiar to attendees of virtual GROGMEET.
Blythy and Dirk review their year in role-playing and give out GROGGIE awards.
Caroline Munro has revised her memoir.
Please consider supporting our Patreon.
The post The GROGGIES Review of 2025 (with Kalum) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Chaosium is celebrating 50 years since the company was founded by Greg Stafford. Their games have always been at the core of what we play, so it was great to have more time with returning guest, Rick Meints.
Rick is the president of Chaosium, perhaps more importantly, he is the Head of the Department of Nostalgia, the custodian to the extensive, if chaotic, archive of the company. He started as a collector, and ended up heading the company.
We set him the challenge of finding five items from the archive that represent the development of the company over fifty years. What products are the milestones of progress in the history of Chaosium?
There are some unexpected items in there. Let us know what you think.
The interview was recorded in front of an audience as part of GROGMEETish in November. In the room of role-playing rambling, I’m joined by resident rules-lawyer Judge Blythy to review GROGMEETish. We also talk about NPCs or Games Master Characters and how to handle a ‘cast of 1000s’.
The advert is for Eldritch Stories from Mason and Fricker.
Why not support us on Patreon? Offers are now available apparently.
Dirk
The post Five Items that Made Chaosium (with Rick Meints) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Do you need a companion as you wash up after a big day of festivities? Here you go. What do YOU do with your left overs? Here at the GROGNARD files, we don’t like them going to waste. We like to splice them together to create a treat for Patreons.
Given it is the season to be jolly, we are giving this edition Dirk’s Dossier in the main feed for you to enjoy. You’re welcome.
In here Judge Blythy talks about Into the Dungeon Revived, Graham Bottley talks about Savage Gladiators while we reflect on running our fantasy, mass-participation online game of Gladiators before more from Magnus Seter.
If you would like to hear more of this bobbins in the future, follow the Patreon
The GROGNARD files episode is coming soon.
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In this episode Dirk talks to Magnus Seter about Outside the Box, How Sweden Conquered The World of Role-Playing Games. Learn the fascinating story of how RPGs reached Sweden and were transformed by the play culture.
Thanks to Fandrake, the publisher of Outside the Box, we have books to giveaway. Share this episode and make a comment below to be in with a chance of being drawn from the hat (finishes on 31st December 2025).
Judge Blythy is in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling talking about Mutant: Year Zero RPG.
Make sure you keep it Eldritch by listening to Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Stories.
The play out music is Mumble One by Aidan
Support the podcast and the stuff we do by joining Patreon.
The post Swedish RPGs (with Magnus Seter) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
September and October have been replete with gaming sessions. Can you have too much of a good thing? That’s the question we ask this episode.
Dirk is joined in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling by Graham Bottley from Arion Games, which is celebrating 20 years publishing games and supplements. It has had the licence for Advanced Fighting Fantasy, Mealstrum and more, so continues to publish vintage RPG material.
In September, we participated in Glorantha Games, Owl Bear and the Wizard’s Staff, and MORPcon as well as playing loads of games. We talk about Hidden Isles, Blade Runner RPG as the NEW games that we have played.
We are trapped in the worlds of Gareth Ryder Hanrahan as we are playing in Pirates of Drinax for Traveller, The Borellus Connection for Fall of Delta Green and Dirk is about to do Dracula Dossier in 24 Hours.
The conversation also covers Planescape and much more.
An advert for Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Tales.
To support the podcast, you can tip some coins in the beret over at Partreon
The post Arion Games and other RPGs (with Graham Bottley) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
This time we return to the topic of Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) with Judge Blythy, our resident zealot.
Appendix G, our never-ending list of influences, expands with the wonderful Swords Series from Fritz Leiber nominated by Dave Paterson.
We talk about our preparation for a busy September of gaming.
Paul Fricker has released Gatsby and The Great Race for 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu.
Please support us on Patreon.
The post Dungeon Crawl Classics Continued (Ep.85) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
It was 10 years ago today, that we first came out to play! In this episode we jump every shark in sight by reflecting on the past ten years of the podcast.
We invited listeners to ask us anything, as long as it was looking back over the past 10 years, so we could lean back in our armchairs and reflect on what we have done.
Also, joining the fun is @dailydwarf, who looks back on Small Ads and letters in White Dwarf, in an adapted essay that first appeared in the GROGZINE.
We head to the shed at the end of the garden to see Eddy the Armchair Collector in Chief, who hasn’t appeared for a while.
Meanwhile in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling Judge Blythy works through the Thunderphase questions at a medium-fire pace.
Thanks to everyone who has supported us over the years. Especially anyone who has contributed to the Patreon, or commented, given us a review and passed it on.
The post 10 Years of The GROGNARD Files first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this GROGPOD, Judge Blythy talks about his initiation into the cult of DCC. We look at what makes it work.
Goodman Games, the publisher of DCC, is hosting DCC Day on 19th July 2025.
We are joined by Brendan LaSalle who talks about DCC and his futuristic variant, XCrawl Classics where you can have a spectator sport in the dungeon.
Next time we will look at some more settings.
You can support the GROGNARD Files on Patreon.
The post Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (with Brendan LaSalle) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this episode, we continue our examination of magic in Role-Playing Games with a look at Ars Magica with Science Fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky. He talks to us about the setting, the rules and the way that magic works in the game.
We haven’t had chance to play it yet, so Dirk and Blythy meet in the Lass O Gowrie pub in Manchester and discuss the difficulties of ‘fitting it all in’.
We have been to UK Games Expo so we give our initial views of attending the event this year.
Dirk has been on Orlanth Rexes Gaming Vexes and What Would the Smart Party Do? recently.
Patreon has been refreshed – annual contribution at discount and ‘it’s your birthday’ award for the top level of support. Thanks for all who listen and contribute.
The post Ars Magica RPG (with Adrian Tchaikovsky) Ep 82 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Returning guest Stephen Brotherstone, co-author of the Scarred for Life series of books and shows, joins us in the zoom of Role Playing Rambling to examine the witchcraft and horrors that haunted our childhood years.
You can see Ste as his show is on the road during 2025 and the latest volume of the series is now available. Highly recommended as it is packed with gaming nostalgia content.
Also in this episode, Dirk and Blythy watch The Hammer House of Horror (1980) together and consider what impact it had on them at the time and how it can inform our games now.
We also reflect on the games that we played at virtual GROGMEET, including Liminal, Mutant Year Zero, The Dee Sanction and Savage Worlds.
You can see Tim Olsen interviewed by Toni Arthur.
If you want to support the podcast and get access to additional podcast content, then please consider supporting us at Patreon.
The post Scarred by Magic in the 70s & 80s (with Stephen Brotherstone) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Magic in RPGs is a continuing obsession for Dirk the Dice and Blythy in this latest episode of the podcast.
We talk about Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) and Powers and Perils (Pee & Pee) and marvel at how we played in the early 2000s, when we didn’t know any better and were more willing to freeform and ‘make stuff up’.
Also in this episode, we are pleased that GROGSQUADer
China Miéville provided his first, last and everything.
I think that I need to find out more about Tales of Argosa .
Mike and Roger over at Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice have an interesting discussion about magic – following our mention of it last time.
Please consider supporting what we do on Patreon.
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It’s a kind of magic, in RPGs. This time we are joined by Stu Horvath, podcaster (Vintage RPG Podcast) and writer, who talks about his book Monsters, Aliens and Holes in the Ground, which takes us decade by decade through the history of RPGs.
He also contributes to our discussion about magic in RPGs. What would we like to play, stay on our shelves or give away?
Virtual GROGMEET is available to register on Warhorn.
Support us on Patreon.
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This time we are talking about GROGMEET our annual Role Playing Games meet up in Manchester.
We were joined by game designer, publisher and entrepreneur Paul Baldowski who talks about Dangerous Journeys, PBMs and his game Sanction.
Blythy shares his experiences and how we played Gatsby and The Great Race by Paul Fricker.
If you want to find out more about Dice on the Borderlands you can find it at Warhorn.
Please support what we do at Patreon, thanks.
The post Sanction RPG (with Paul Baldowski) Ep 78 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Join us in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling as we investigate the highs and lows of role-playing in 2024.
Thanks for supporting us. Why not consider tipping a couple of coins in the beret over at Patreon.
The post 2024: A Year in RPGs Ep. 77 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
This GROGPOD features a special recording of an interview with writer Ben Aaronovitch, the creator of The Rivers of London series of books. An RPG has been developed by the team at Chaosium. Ben talks about the project, his formative years in gaming and gives insight into his creative process.
The interview was recorded live as part of GROGMEETish which took place in November. It features additional questions from the GROGSQUAD.
Dirk the Dice gives a quick review of the game based on his experience of playing the game over recent months.
Music is by Static Music Club.
Please support what we do at Patreon
The post Rivers of London RPG (with Ben Aaronovitch) Ep76 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Following Part 1, we are now ready to open the spurious envelopes on our 1984 experiences.
We also issue a challenge to listeners to help us discover new enthusiasms.
At Daily Dwarf returns with an overview of what was happening in the pages of White Dwarf.
Please pass on The GROGNARD files to your RPG friends and consider supporting us at Patreon.
The post 1984: A Year in RPGs Ep75 Pt2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Welcome to the zoom of role-playing rambling where we are looking backwards to look forwards. This time we are transporting you back to the heady days of 1984.
We are joined by the fabulous Bob Fischer who shares the highlights from his 1984 diaries.
Judge Blythy, our resident rules lawyer, joins Dirk to determine the RPG Highlights of 1984, but get distracted (see part 2)
Make sure you check out the wonderful projects from the Haunted Generation.
You can support the podcast at Patreon.
The post 1984: a year in RPGs (with Bob Fischer) Ep75 Pt 1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
En garde! Yes, this time we are investigating the worlds of 17th Century Europe and asking, “is this the true mode of all fantasy role-playing high-adventure?”
We are joined by Graham Kinniburgh, who tells us about his Oscar night triumph with An Irish Goodbye and what it was like being at The Battle of the Bastards.
He is adding The Three Musketeers to Appendix G.
In the Zoom of Role-Playing rambling we talk about Flashing Blades. You can read more from the author, Mark Pettigrew, in this interview.
We also cover En Garde!, 17th Century Minimalist, Seventh Sea, and Barbarians of Lumuria.
You can join the Patreon by following this link.
The post Flashing Blades RPG Ep. 74 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Welcome to the third and final part of our Monsters in Role Playing Games (RPGs) episode. This time we are joined in the Room of Role Playing rambling by Tomas Harenstam from Free League. He talks about his formative years in Swedish role playing and how to create a great Bestiary.
Dirk and Blythy answer listener Monster questions before having a chat about When we were Wizards.
Support the Patreon for access to exclusive content.
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We continue to explore the worlds of monsters in role-playing games (RPGs). In this episode, we are joined by James Holloway, from the Monster Man podcast. He adds a new entry into the ever expanding Appendix G.
Judge Blythy and Dirk talk about the famous monsters of Hollywood and beyond and consider what we can learn from them.
The end music is Concrete by Omari, from Phunk Media
Please support us on Patreon and update your podcatcher feed with the Patreon audio – RSS feed to get some additional content.
The post More Monsters in RPGs Ep 73 Pt 2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
This time we are looking at bestiaries from our book shelves. We talk about:
Numenera,
Forbidden Lands,
Call of Cthulhu,
Dragon Warriors,
13th Age,
Vaesen,
This was at the request of GROGSQUADer China Miéville who Dirk talked to at an RPG Symposium earlier this year.
Next time, James Holloway, Monster Man joins us, because monsters are great.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
The post Monsters in RPGs Ep.73 Pt.1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Image by Lee WilliamsFollowing our podcasts about home computing in the 1980s, we turn our attention to the emerging culture of ‘Cyberpunk’ and how it shaped a new imaginative space – especially for gaming.
We look at Neuromancer by William Gibson, with writer Alister Davison who has added the novel to Appendix G, the list of media that has inspired us. Do you have any suggesions?
Judge Blyhty is in to Roome of Role-Playing Rambling to look at Cyberpunk Red and its influnce.
Please support us on Patreon
The post Cyberpunk RPG Ep.72 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
We’ve talked about our formative years in RPGs, what about computers? They were as important as a common-ground to become friends.
In this episode Dirk and Blythy talk about their exposure to computers in the 80s.
Also, we discuss Rippers for Savage Worlds and the crisis of confidence when creating a setting.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon.
The post 80s Computers and RPGs Ep71 Pt2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
At this year’s virtual GROGMEET we were joined by Dan Whitehead, the author of Speccy Nation, who took us on a tour of The ZX Spectrum. The 8-bit computer was a staple of our every day lives in the 1980s.
There’s an advert for Third Floor Wars which recently featured Burn After Running’s Guy Milner.
The next season of the Book Club features classic science fiction.
Please support us on Patreon.
The post ZX Spectrum Games (with Dan Whitehead) Ep.71 Pt. 1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Welcome back, just when you knew you had enough of Dirk the Dice and Judge Blythy rambling on and on about TTRPGs, they’re back with more.
These are the answers to the GROGPOD listener questions that didn’t fit into the first part.
There’s also a Post Bag section, where we talk about to the favourite covers of White Dwarf identified by our listeners.
Please support us on Patreon
The post ThunderPhase! TTRPG Questions and Answers Ep.70 Pt.2 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
The return of @dailydwarf with an article about Good, the Bad and downright Odd covers of White Dwarf from 1 – 106 (when they stopped doing RPGs). Join us as we go into a time capsule and review some of our favourites.
If you’d like to play along and let us know your favourite White Dwarf cover, then head to Daily Dwarf’s site where he has helpfully put together a catalogue of the covers.
Dirk and Judge Blythy join in the fun as well as answering listener questions. There’s more to come (sorry about that).
There’s an advert for Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes Podcast, where Dirk recently appeared talking about ‘Why we RPG’.
If you would like to know more about the symposium Dirk attended, then follow the substack.
Support the podcast by giving 5 star reviews at your favourite podbox and joining the Patreon.
The post White Dwarf RPG Covers (with ThunderPhase) Ep. 70 Pt. 1 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this episode, we have a very special guest. Marc Miller is the creator of the Traveller Role-Playing game and in this interview he talks to Dirk the Dice about his first encounter with Dungeons and Dragons. He also talks about the origins of Traveller and his trip UK Games Day.
Judge Blythy, our resident rules lawyer, revisits the rules that we looked back at in Episode Three and assesses the changes that have been developed in the latest version. We are playing Traveller regularly again, and really enjoying it.
Space Ship art by Ian Stead (thanks for making the contact!).
The outro music is My Face will Murder Me by The Static Music Club (Omari)
Please support us on Patreon.
The post Traveller RPG Revisited (with Marc Miller) Ep 69 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
This episode follows the theme of the previous one, where we looked at Adventure Design. This time at the book club we have the amazing Johnn Four who shares his Five Room Dungeon method and explains how story techniques can add to our gaming.
Judge Blythy and Dirk the Dice look back at the games that they have played over the past 12 years and try to identify what made them work.
They also set out their resolutions for 2024 – a year on the grog.
Dirk is recommending the following podcasts: The Rest is History, The Rest is Entertainment, Immortals, Land of the Giants: Twitter, ACFM, Scarred for Life, Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Tales, Bud and Griff’s Gaming Creepshow, and Between 2 Cairns.
Please support us on Patreon.
The post Five Room Dungeons (with Johnn Four) Ep. 68 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Another year comes to a close, we review the gaming highlights and award The GROGGIES …
We talk about our highlights and low lights of the year. Well done to the GROGGIES of the year: https://bonhomiegames.uk/
We mention our appearance on Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes
Unconventional GMs
What would the Smart Party Do?
You can find all of Gaz’s community content listed below:
Call of Cthulhu
Burning Desire
A year after the investigators defeated a daemon-summoning cult, their allies have been in touch. Murder, arson, disappearances. Could the Siblings of Burning Desire be back? The investigators must return to the scene of their former victory and get to the truth lest disaster befall them, their friends and everything they hold dear.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/463092/Burning-Desire
Vaesen
Unbearable
The small village of Alsen has enjoyed a peaceful and traditional existence in harmony with the natural world for many generations.A new world is upon us though, the old ways wane and the vaesen are forgotten. Sadly for the villagers, their vaesen do not forgive and forget.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/363819/Unbearable
Sugar and Spice
Progress descends on the rustic lands of Sweden, and it is not only the people who must move with the times. Vaesen are displaced and rub up against each other, causing frictions that will lead to disaster if left unattended. Thursday’s Children must learn what is going wrong and fix it for the sake of the actual children of the village.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/445162/Sugar-And-Spice–Vaesen
Midnight Hunt
An ancient tradition in the wilds of Sweden has become problematic, as new-age mysticism messes with old ways and a city slicker huntsman sets his sights on one last expedition. Strange beasts stalk the night and villagers are going missing. Can the investigators resolve the mystery before perhaps they too disappear?
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/391679/Midnight-Hunt–Vaesen
Tales From the Loop
Puppy Love
A chance encounter with a missing pet leads to a missing child, and then altogether too many pets and children. Can the Kids learn what’s going on, get things back to normal, before they find themselves in Trouble? What will the Kids do when faced with a moral dilemma?
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/362159/Puppy-Love
Looking Glass
School football captain Sture Lagerwall, is a popular, well-liked kid and so when he is out of sorts, it’s time for the Kids to investigate what’s wrong. Sture’s mother is an ambitious scientist of no small vision. Where has she gone, and more importantly, what fresh hell has her experimentation wrought?
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/436852/Looking-Glass
D&D (DMs Guild)
The Bone Alchemist
A missing prince, nefarious magical goings on and fantastical beasts combine for a thrilling adventure taking characters from 1st level through to 3rd level in the style of Arabian Nights mixed with The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/356191/The-Bone-Alchemist
Shadow of the Devourer
Who will put a stop to the desperate plans of the deranged cult to summon a world-eating daemon? Dynamic struggles in ancient tombs awaits! (Levels 3-5)
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/382966/Shadow-of-the-Devourer
The post Review of 2023 in RPGs (with Gaz Bowerbank) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Live from GROGMEET 23, join us as we roll back the years with Mike Mason. We look at the key moments in the history of Call of Cthulhu: its origins and its early campaigns.
In Library Use, Blythy and Dirk look at Cults of Cthulhu and Different Worlds and consider the world populated by people who are ‘tuned in’ to Cthulhu.
Mike Mason and Paul Fricker have a new podcast project
You can support the GROGNARD files at Patreon.
The post Cults of Cthulhu (with Mike Mason) Ep 66 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
A homecoming. The GROGNARD files returns to Glorantha, the setting where our RPG life began.
4mins – Jeff Richard joins us at the Book Club to talk about The King of Sartar, Greg Stafford’s epic book of The Dragon Pass. The discussion also includes The Cults of RuneQuest.
26 mins – Judge Blythy and Dirk are in the Library looking at Different Worlds issue 1 and Wyrms Footnotes 5.
44 mins – Closing time chat about Liminal and adapting old White Dwarf scenarios.
Want to see some Glorantha action with vim and vigour? Check out Unconventional GMs, don’t forget your cow.
Join the GROGSQUAD tribe at Patreon.
The post Glorantha (with Jeff Richard) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
Behold the man! Michael Moorcock joins us in the room of role-playing rambling to talk about memoir, the multiverse, movies and much more.
I recommend Sanctom Secorum and Appendix N Bookclub interviews too.
I have appeared on Breakfast in the Ruins talking about Letters from Hollywood.
I recommend Moorcock’s latest trilogy The Sanctuary of the White Friars.
Please support us on Patreon.
The post Michael Moorcock Ep. 64 first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.
In this episode, we continue looking for inspiration from urban horror/fantasy.
C.K. McDonnell joins the book club to talk about his career and his series of novels set in Manchester, The Stranger Times, about a newspaper covering the supernatural. There are three books in the series, with another coming in a couple of months, and a podcast that supports the novels.
Dirk and Blythy are in the Las O’Gowrie discussing the seventies children’s TV Classic, The Children of the Stones.
If you want to find out more about the book club, including the forthcoming guests, then follow the page on this site.
Please support us on Patreon.
Welcome to the world of Liminal. Dirk and Blythy are in the throes of discovering a world where the ordinary and extraordinary interact.
Joining us in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling is the creator of Liminal, Paul Mitchener who has provided an insight into the game and its influences.
Support the GROGNARD files on Patreon.
Another repeat! This the next in the ongoing campaign to remaster the files from the early GROGPODs. Some of the early ones are difficult to hear, so this has been equalised. It does result in some strange gaps and distortions, but nothing too distracting I hope. The roll of dice are missing from here because I got complaints about it hurting peoples’ heads.
I mention Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice, which is still going strong.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN
Behind the screen I have a table of Call of Cthulhu supplements. I’m joined by Judge Blythy who rolls the 1D100 to select 5 for detailed discussion.
ED’S BARGAIN SHED
Ed, The Armchair Adventurer’s Chief bargain-hunter provides an e-Bay price index for the supplements under discussion.
POSTBAG
A selection from listener comments, including a fascinating look at The Lovecraft Variant – an early Cthulhu adaptation for Tunnels and Trolls.
The Lovecraft Variant is now a fully fledged game.
Follow me on Twitter @theGROGNARDfile
You'll need at least two brews and a whole packet of Hob Nobs while go on and on about UK Games Expo 2023.
Join Dirk the Dice, climbing to the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh for an episode that we used to label ‘extra’ but who cares if they have an episode number?
Jon Cohen from Tale of the Manticore joins us to share his First, Last and Everything. He mentions Mythic and The Quiet Year in a conversation recorded at this year’s virtual GROGMEET.
Blythy and Dirk are in the Las O Gowrie answering listener questions in a Thunderphase! segement.
Join our Patreon to support the podcast and get a ‘a little extra’.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. This is a remastered version of episode 2 (part 1) with some additional edits and the levels balanced and an extra segment reflecting on the episode eight years later.
Open Box – reliving the memories of playing the game for the first time and the faltering start.
Judge Blythy Rules! – The Armchair Adventurers’ Resident Rules Lawyer discusses the finer points of the rules and style of play. We also speculate on what horrors have faced British Prime Ministers.
White Dwarf – @dailydwarf talks about his early experiences of playing Call of Cthulhu and selects his favourite item from the pages from the halcyon days of the UK’s best gaming magazine.
An invitation to listeners to contribute their stories of playing Call of Cthulhu in the early days.
Look out for a Micro Grog Pod coming soon featuring a list of our favourite CoC supplements and a current online pricing guide.
Episode 3 will feature TRAVELLER RPG
Still Dirk. Star Frontiers returns. This time we are looking at the adventures that were created for the game. Dark Side of the Moon and Face of the Enemy were very sophisticated modules produced by TSR.
Wayne Peters joins us to talk about Space 1999 and add it to the every-expanding Appendix G.
We mention a great Call of Cthulhu adventure, Of Sorrow and Clay, which we played at virtual GROGMEET.
Why not support us on Patreon?
Join the Galactic Legions with Dirk and Blythy as we explore Star Frontiers.
Introduction: An apology for the misreading of the shrine last time. The background to Star Frontiers as a setting explained.
Book Club: Ben Riggs joins Dirk in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling to talk about the history of TSR as explained in his book. Slaying the Dragon.
Daily Dwarf: The triumphant return of the Daily Dwarf essay looking at how Imagine magazine covered Star Frontiers.
Speed-Rating: Judge Blythy and Dirk give the low-down on the game including the highlights and the things that don’t quite work.
Save for Half: an advert for our friends at The Save for Half podcast
I’ll get mi coat: Monster of the Week and Planescape, our latest obsessions
Outro: Virtual Grogmeet, the Book Club and join us on Patreon.
I guess I was Never There – new EP from Omari (Dirk Jnr)
Introduction: We look at the Satanic Panic in this episode. We have touched on it before, during our interview with Tim Harford. We are part of the Scarred for Life generation, so were met with mild bemusement rather than a moral panic.
I somehow manage to croak through this … apologies … normal service will resume as soon as the Lemsip kicks in.
Open Box (3.45) Author of Dangerous Games, Joseph Laycock, Professor of Religious Studies at Texas State University, joins us in the zoom of role-playing rambling to explain the history of RPG moral panics in America.
GROGGLEBOX (34:41) Blythy and Dirk watch the made for TV Mazes and Monsters (1982) It has been released on BluRay with friends of the show, Scott Dorwood, How we Roll and Seth Skorkowsky
Appendix G (01:11:00) Kehaar aka Clarky adds Dr Who and the UNIT campaign to Appendix G and talks about he became the poster-boy for satanism on The Wirral.
I’ll Get My Coat (1:22:00) Dirk and Blythy look forward to the forthcoming Moorcock Weekender and reflect upon the end of the first season of The Pirates of Drinax.
Outro (1:31:0) sniffle … Bookclub …. Substack ….sniffle …. virtualGROGMEET … sniffle … thanks for being a Patreon. coughs
INTRO – What was one of the triggers that stopped me playing back in the day? The discovery of cult movies. In this episode we explore the late night television schedules in the form of Moviedrome.
Starburst Memories: 4.15 – we are joined in the room of rambling by Mr Jim Moon of the Hypnogoria podcast. We talk about the fabulous first season of the Moviedrome, presented by film-maker Alex Cox.
Speed Rating: 51. Blythy tries to resist the taste of Summer by hiding in the stock cupboard and talking about one of his current favourite games: Vaesen from Free League.
Save for Half – we are proud to advertise one of the greatest vintage games podcasts out there (and a friend of the show).
I’ll Get Mi Coat: Weakness, thy name is Dirk.
Please support us on Patreon.
It has been another incredible year for The Armchair Adventurers. We review the experiences that we have had with games old and new and reflect upon the year in general. There may be some irrelevant Beatles chat too.
INTRO – A new review and a breakdown of what to expect in the latest issue (including a ‘less’ v ‘fewer’ subtext).
GROGGIES Part 1. (4.10) Find out more about Red Markets in our appearance on Orlanth Rexes Gaming Vexes.
Bookclub (31:00): We were joined in the Book Club by the You Tuber Bud from Bud’s RPG reviews to talk about Viral the Modern Day Call of Cthulhu scenario.
GROGGIES Part 2.(51:00) Banging on about The Beatles for the UNIT campaign and awarding GROGGIE of the year for an amazing experience.
Outro. The annual round up of the new podcasts that have been added to the roll call this year. Appearances on The Smart Party Podcast, twice on Frankenstein’s RPG and performing on Tale of the Manticore. Recommendations include Baz’s incredible RuneQuest Year Zero, Ludo and Jorge’s The God Learners, The Titterpigs RPG Podcast, Beatles Books, and The Video Archive.
Like what we do? Please support it on Patreon.
Join us at GROGMEET22 where we meet Chris McDowall, author of Into the Odd and Electric Bastionland.
This is the GROGPOD naked. There’s no interviews or GROGSQUAD sections, it is just Dirk and Blythy talking bobbins. Swordbearer was a game that we played a lot for a brief period. We liked it, but for some reason it didn’t connect and become a game that did not stick in our repertoire. Why not? … Continue reading "SwordBearer RPG Ep.56"
This is the GROGPOD naked. There’s no interviews or GROGSQUAD sections, it is just Dirk and Blythy talking bobbins. Swordbearer was a game that we played a lot for a brief period. We liked it, but for some reason it didn’t connect and become a game that did not stick in our repertoire. Why not? … Continue reading "SwordBearer RPG Ep.56"
This is the second part of our episode all about Savage Worlds. This time we look at some of the settings that we have enjoyed playing in over the past few years.
3.15 Titan Effect, interview with Christian Nommay. The new Declassified edition is available on Drive Thru RPG
24.43 The GamesMasters Screen – Judge Blythy joins me in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling to look at Deadlands, Slipstream, The Day After Ragnarok, Necessary Evil and others to explore the varied Savage Worlds you can play in.
You can read more about Wages Ophir on this very site.
1.11.50 Appendix G. Michael Butler asks us, “who watches the Watchmen?”
1.35.01 I’ll Get Mi Coat. Closing Time chatter about Kult and where is the role-playing?
You can find out the latest about GROGMEET here and support the podcast at Patreon.
Art by John Sumrow
INTRO: Welcome to another Book Club Extra. We take break from the usual format to give you a little something extra. The Great Library of RPGs Book Club meets on the first Sunday of the month between 9:30 – 11:00. You can join at the Bookclub app if you are interested and follow developments on the discord server (contact me for an invite).
Full Fathom Five (2.30) – Paul Fricker talks to us about his scenario Full Fathom Five which is available at the Miskatonic Depository. He has recently contributed to the Story Telling Collective, giving guidance on writing Call of Cthulhu adventures. We look at some of the influences on Full Fathom Five including Moby Dick, the story of The Essex, and Master and Commander. Paul is one of the hosts of The Good Friends of Jackson Ellias (I appeared on there, talking about Gangsters and Gozu).
Actual Play (46.16) If you are a Patreon of the GROGNARD files, you can take part in the monthly one-shot club. This is a bit of sample play of Full Fathom Five. The rest will be released on The Patreon feed later in September.
GROGGLEBOX (56:23) Blythy and Dirk talk about The Thing (1982)
Tale of the Manticore advert (1.32)
I’ll Get mi Coat 1.32 – The end of one campaign and the start of another.
Welcome to an episode that we have been talking about for a while. The Armchair Adventurers Club have played more Savage Worlds over the past few years than any other game, so why has it taken us so long to get to this episode? There is so much to cover and this first part goes on forever! Thankfully, with new chapter breaks, you can take your time to find a way through it.
Daily Dwarf (4.34) Makes a return, telling the story of how we got into Savage Worlds in the first place and what White Dwarf in its hey day had to say about generic systems. @dailydwarf credits What Would the Smart Party Do? for championing the system.
Open Box (14.18) Eric Lamoureux, host of the Wild Die Savage Worlds podcast, joins us in the Zoom of Roleplaying Rambling to talk about Wise Guys, his excellent gangster game, and other Savage Worlds projects.
Judge Blythy Rules (50.34) When it comes to Games Mastering Savage Worlds, we have had different experiences. Blythy has run campaigns in the published settings, I have done one shots in my own settings. In the noisy Las O Gowrie pub in Manchester we compare some of our favourite aspects of the game.
Talk Top Talk from Third Floor Wars (1.47.0) We recommend this great podcast which really gets under the skin of games design in interviews with people who make games.
I’ll Get mi Coat (1.47.30) Closing time chatter about the games that we are working on at the moment and some of our thoughts. Incudes Things from the Flood and The League of Eternal Guardians.
We also mention Run the Adventure and Roll to Save podcasts. If you are interested in Owl Bear and the Wizard’s Staff convention, you’ll find information about the face-to-face event on the site, while the online convention sign ups are on Warhorn.
The Bookclub membership is managed via Bookclubz, where you’ll find more about our meetings on the first Sunday of every month (except when it isn’t)
Thanks for giving us a monthly tip at Patreon. It is very much appreciated.
This is the second part of our exploration of Scarred for Life, the fantastic series of books about growing up in the dark decades of the seventies and eighties. Gen X-rated popular culture shaped our imaginations and informed our gaming.
Content warning for this one as we quote directly from a couple of controversial games from the 80s.
I’ve had a go at putting chapters on this one. In case they don’t pull through, here is the menu:
00:00 INTRO: The incredible ghost voices that appeared on the free flexi-disc from The Unexplained magazine.
03:53 The GAMESMASTER’s Screen. Ste Brotherstone give us insight from the forthcoming volume of Scarred for Life. Phoenix Command, Alma Mater, The Unexplained: Mysteries of Mind, Space, & Time, The Price of Freedom, and 2000ad. I also mention the wonderful Save for Half podcast who did a recent episode on East Texas University.
57:30 Library Use. Judge Blythy joins me in the Room of Role-Playing rambling to look at Unexplained magazine. I make a mistake – it didn’t last for 115 issues, it was 157!
1:33:0 Advert. Frankenstein’s RPG podcast – I appeared on a recent episode about Magic/ PSIonics and Investigation in SF role-playing games.
1:34:0 I’ll Get mi Coat. Closing time chatter about Agon, Delta Green and a brief mention of the UNIT campaign.
1:46:Outro. The Book Club is on the first Sunday of every month at 09:30 GMT for 90 minutes. Owl Bear and The Wizard’s Staff convention is scheduled to take place on the weekend 2nd September. I will be supporting an online version of the event. Watch this space for more details.
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Here we go! After a two year break, Dirk and Blythy are back in Birmingham talking about RuneQuest, DCC, Traveller, Conan, Old School Essentials and into the Odd. It’s good to be back.
Why not support us on Patreon?
The 70s and 80s were the golden age of dark popular culture and Scarred for Life have chronicled the TV, comics, adverts, sweets and others of the period in a conversational but forensic style. There are two volumes available with a third on its way at the end of Summer ’22, which will feature role-playing … Continue reading "Scarred for Life by RPGs (with Stephen Brotherstone) Ep 54 (Part 1)"
Welcome, this is an extra-GROGPOD which is from a live recording made at this year’s virtual GROGMEET. Every month, on the first Sunday, the GROGSQUAD meet to discuss books from The Great Library of RPGs. This time we read The Gutter Prayer and invited Gareth Hanrahan for a Q&A session.
If you would like to be part of the book club, then please let me know in the comments below and I will send an invite.
If you like what we do, then please consider supporting us on Patreon.
One of the foundational films that shaped the games that we played is Excalibur (1981). In this episode we look back on the film and consider how it can continue to inspire our gaming.
To see some of the issues of Starburst that we refer to in this episode, you’ll find images over at Dirk Malcolm’s World of Film where I have written a couple of pieces about how the magazine covered the film.
Also in this episode, David Larkins, Line Editor of King Arthur Pendragon at Chaosium, talks about Berlin Wicked City, The Esoteric Order of Role-players and much more.
Sam Vail adds Robin of Sherwood to the Appendix G.
Please consider supporting the podcast at Patreon.
Join me as I take an idea for a walk across the Gangster RPG shelf in the GROGPOD den. It also features a sample actual play of GangBusters – The Vanishing Investigator.
Games mentioned:
GangBusters
Gangster!
Crime Fighter
Fiasco
Hillfolk
Spirit of ’77
Cartel
Blades in the Dark
Wise Guys
Also mentioned: Good Friends of Jackson Ellias, Will Weaton’s Demonstration of Fiasco, Reviews from R’lyeh, Third Floor Wars, Tale of the Manticore, and Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes.
Join Patreon, for more of the Actual Play.
In this episode, we finally draw the sword from the stone and examine a game that had an enormous impact on gaming in the 80s: King Arthur Pendragon.
David Larkins, the Pendragon line editor for Chaosium, joins us to tell us about the history of the game, how it works and the future developments.
Judge Blythy, our resident rules-lawyer, reviews the mechanics and we discuss how the game works conceptually.
We also have some closing time chatter about hot topics on our table top.
“Get your trousers on, you’re nicked!” We are still in the mood for some old fashioned cops and robbers. In this part we look a bit more closely at how the rules work in GangBusters. Judge Blythy, our resident rules lawyer casts his eye over some of the highlights of the system.
New in this podcast is Appendix G. This segment will invite members of the GROGSQUAD to talk about books, films, TV and other media that has influenced their gaming. Vaughan Allen provides a background to The Sweeney, the UK cop show from the 70s, and talks about how it has influenced his Delta Green game.
Over in the GROGGLEBOX we watch The Untouchables (1987).
Why not support the podcast at Patreon?
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster in an RPG.
This time we look back at a classic from back in the day. Pound the mean streets of LakeFront City as we look back to playing the game back in the 80s. Blythy opens up the box of delights as we recall the old neighbourhood where we used to play.
We are joined by Mark Hunt who has revived GangBusters with some additional material for the old game. He’s also revised the game retro-cloning the BX rules. You can find everything over on Drive Thru RPG.
We are looking for recommendations for youth groups where we can send games from our good friends at bonhomiegames.uk – following fundraising in memory of Mike Hobbs. Please get in touch if you know of a group that would benefit from new games.
Dirk
It’s that time of the year again when our thoughts turn to The GROGGIES, our review of the year, with a series of special awards for the highlights. Get ready to open the spurious golden envelope to find the winners.
We are delighted to have musical accompaniment by Paul Mitchener who also provides his First, Last and Everything. If you want to join the Mitchester Arms, you’ll find a link here.
We mention Kehaar’s White Hound campaign.
I have listed all the podcast appearances in 2021 on the GROGPOD page.
You can support the podcast at Patreon.
Fighting Fantasy Part 3 with Jonathan Green
We return to the subject of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks with our special guest Jonathan Green who has written a history of the publishing phenomena. He is an active gamebook designer with many projects in his repertoire. You’ll find his latest work Ronin 47 (late pledges) kickstarter.
Judge Blythy joins me at the Las O Gowrie as we look at a copy of Warlock issue 11, the Fighting Fantasy magazine. Followed by a monster battle from Out of the Pit.
I’m about to appear on The Good Friends of Jackson Elias podcast talking about Gangsters in Call of Cthulhu.
You can support the GROGPOD by joining the Patreon campaign and throw some coins in the beret.
Dave Paterson hosts Frankenstein’s RPG with Dirk, Blythy, Paul and Ian
Welcome to another extra all about this year’s GROGMEET. This time it includes a live recording made at Fan Boy Three.
Frankenstein’s RPG podcast has been pulling together the best bits of role-playing games this year to produce an epic monster of a game. We got together to decide which would be the best supplement to support the game.
You can catch up with the Frankenstein’s RPG over at anchor.
Also in this extra podcast, I give a personal reflection on the games I played and recommend some podcasts that you may enjoy.
I played Paranoia with Iain Wilson, you can catch some of his actual plays and discussion on his podcast Roll to Save.
Pookie makes quizzes and reviews RPGs.
Newt Newport is a publisher D1o1 games and organises Go Play Manchester.
Tale of the Manticore
What I’m Rolling (Vurt actual play)
Breakfast in the Ruins (Wizardry and Wild Romance)
Fictoplasm (Corum)
Weird Studies
Gaming & BS
The Gauntlet Podcast
Fear of the Black Dragon
Smart Party (Jason Cordova interview)
Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes
Titterpigs
You can find out more recommendations by following the newsletter on Patreon.
It’s that time of year when we are preparing for the GROGMEET convention in Manchester and, this time, online.
Blythy and Dirk discuss the history of the meet-up, give some tips on how to start one yourself, discuss the thorny issue of ‘player sign-ups’ and run through the games they are running at the event.
Ottawa Tom shares the first game he played, the last game he played and the game that means everything to him.
Why not catch up on Frankenstein’s RPG before the GROGNARD files meets up with it!
GROGMEET art is by Simon Perrins.
Support the podcast on Patreon.
We are pleased to say that Ian Livingstone returns to the GROGPOD to face the Games Master’s Screen. He talks about the early days of White Dwarf and the upcoming book, Dice Men from Unbound, and he also talks about his role in shaping computer studies in the UK.
Fabio Vollono shares the first game he played, the last game he played and the game that means everything to him. He mostly talks about his amazing memories of hanging around Dalling Road back in the day. You can find his fantastic miniatures at his etsy shop.
Daily Dwarf has provided another great essay (that I read) about White Dwarf and solo gaming.
Blythy and Dirk watch and discuss South of Watford, a documentary about Fantasy Games from 1984.
You can support The GROGNARD files on Patreon.
Armed with no more than 2 dice a pencil and eraser we are delighted to have special guest Ian Livingstone on Episode 50.
Also in this episode, the return of face to face recording in the Las O Gowrie. Judge Blythy talks to Dirk about his experiences of Fighting Fantasy and reveals his thoughts of the rules. We also talk of Advanced Fighting Fantasy, Troika, and Quarrel and Fable.
Mr Jim Moon, host of the fabulous Hypnogoria shares his first, last and everything.
The return of the excellent Sea Shanty from Daily Dwarf and Lichway Ed Foster.
You can support the GROGNARD files at Patreon.
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Forgotten Futures is the table-top RPG that is based on the scientific romances of the late Victorian and Edwardian period. Marcus L Rowland take us on a tour on his works and the ways that it has been distributed during its years of production. You can find a whole host of fascinating material on Marcus’ website including his other works, such as Diana Warrior Princess and The Original Flatland RolePlaying Game.
Also in this extra GROGPOD there is the return of Games Master Prepares. Dirk the Dice tries to crack the secret code of Cthulhu in Space by using the Marcus L Rowland method.
You can support the podcast and the GROGNARD files community by throwing some coins in the beret at Patreon. There’s an all new zine bundle on its way before the end of the year.
This is the 80th GROGPOD and there is a sense of celebration in the air. We are delighted to have Marcus L Rowland as our guest. He was a stalwart of Whit Dwarf during its hey day. Cthulhu Now! Green Horizon, To Live and Die in Mega City One and the Fear of Flying, his contribution to our gaming imagination back in the day is inestimable.
@DailyDwarf provides a retrospective of his work in White Dwarf.
The first ever Patreon of The GROGNARD Files was Sam Vail and he reveals the first game he played, the last game he played and the game that means everything to him in a lifetime of gaming.
Blythy joins me in the Room of Role Playing Rambling to answer listener questions in the Thunder Phase!
Check out Bud’s RPG Review.
You can support the GROGNARD files on Patreon.
Please note that ‘Download’ is now part of the Player
The GROGNARD files returns with the Return of Call of Cthulhu with the return of Lynne Hardy. This time she faces the Keeper’s Screen to reveal her Arcane secrets. She talks about her contribution to the Dying Earth Role-Playing Game, Cogs, Cakes and Swordsticks, the game she designed, and more news about upcoming Chaosium releases that we can look forward to in the coming months.
In the introduction, I refer to it as Episode 47, it’s not, but what are numbers. I have never understood our bizarre numbering system. This show note counts as Errata. We delve into Different Worlds Issue 19 which was a Call of Cthulhu special and features errata, essays by Sandy Petersen and Lyn Willis and more.
The Post Bag returns with comments from listeners. If you are interested in hearing more from The God Learners podcast, you’ll find it where you get your podcasts.
We share a hoary old story about a trip to Morecambe, where nothing really happened, but it was character forming.
This episode features an advert for Tale of the Manticore.
Please invest in The GROGNARD Files at Patreon.
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The Armchair Adventurers keep coming back to Call of Cthulhu and we are about to begin Children of Fear, written by our guest Lynne Hardy.
In this episode we discuss Lynne’s formative years in role-playing and how she started work with Chaosium with a pitch for this richly detailed and horrific campaign.
Tristan Narbrough is a GROGSQUAD member who currently lives in Japan, he tells us about his first, last and everything.
Blythy is back from the wilderness and in fine form talking about different Cthulhu mythos settings that we have experienced.
You can support the podcast by backing us on Patreon.
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As the Final Score recedes (great result between Arbroath and Queen of the South) it’s time to grab a Tizer and sit down to an episode all about Dr Who.
We speak to Dave Chapman, who is the lead writer on Doctor Who Roleplaying Game from Cubicle 7 about his history with the Doctor, his career in game design.
Michael B has sent his First, Last and Everything from Down Under.
In the zoom of roleplaying rambling we watch Dr Who, Pyramids from Mars on the GROGGLEBOX
Please show your support for the podcast over at Patreon.
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Tim Harford, economist, columnist, broadcaster, best-selling author, podcaster and role-player was the very special guest at virtual GROGMEET 2021.
There were a vast array of games available over the weekend, including a fiendish quiz set by Pookie from Reviews from R’lyeh – thank you to everyone who took part to make it a great event.
It was a joy and a privilege to join Tim in the Zoom of Role-Playing Rambling to discuss his formative years in the hobby, his current game and all about the setting that means everything to him.
You’ll find Tim’s podcast, Cautionary Tales, over at his website and through all your usual pod boxes.
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Whatever happened to March 2021? We may never know, let’s hope that April restores normal service.
In this episode we continue the discussion with Chris Klug about his career in game design:
James Bond RPG (which we covered in Episode 15), Aidyn’s Chronicles, and his work for Chaosium, such as The Smoking Ruin for RuneQuest Glorantha.
Judge Blythy hands over his gavel for Judge Blythy Rules and we introduce a new segment to discuss Deadlands and other matters.
You can support The GROGNARD files by putting a tip in the beret at Patreon.
You’ll believe a Dragon can have hair! Download Episode
The GROGNARD files opens on one of our favorites from back in the day. Blythy bought it from Northern Games Day while I was playing a great game of RuneQuest and he was feeling sorry for himself. We played a lot of this game as it was our swords and sorcery game of choice. In this episode we are reconnecting with the game.
Chris Klug is in the Open Box section talking about how he got into game design and the factors that influenced his design decisions for the 2nd edition of the game.
Rob Archengeli is the GROGSQUAD member who provides an interesting First, Last and Everything. I never expected that The Age of Sigmar would feature in this section.
We watch The Sword and the Sorcerer together in the GROGGLEBOX.
Join our Patreon to take part.
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In this episode we review the games that we have played in 2020 – there were so many! During the discussion we cover our experiences of playing Lyonesse, Savage Worlds, Mutant Year Zero and many more. You can see the report on all the games we played by following this link.
Dave Morris joins us in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling and discusses White Dwarf and other projects he’s been involved with over his long career in gaming. YOu can join his Patreon to support JewelSpider and follow his blog.
There’s a new twitter account for you to follow @theRPGLibrarian follow it and direct mail me if you’d like to know more about the monthly Book Club, starting in Feb.
Follow all of the GROGNARD files projects on Patreon.
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The last GROGPOD of 2020 features a classic British Old School RPG, Dragon Warriors.
You can find out more about Dave Morris at his blog and his Patreon.
Daily Dwarf has a blog too.
Dave Paterson is about to launch a new podcast Frankenstein’s RPG and he’s a regular on Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes.
Dragon Warriors is available at Drive Thru RPG (print on demand) as is Casket of Fays. There is a collection of information at The Cobwebbed Forest.
If you like what we do, then please like, subscribe, tell someone else or support us on Patreon.
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This is a bonus episode featuring a ‘Library Use’ segment that we recorded which looks in detail at issue 52 of Dragon Magazine (published in August 1981). The publication was around the same time as the launch of the Moldvay edition of Basic D&D. We discuss an article where the new edition is discussed in comparison with the Holmes edition. We also review some of the other content in this feature rich issue.
The bonus edition is dedicated to our Patreons who made it possible.
We also mention: Guy Milner’s Blog Burn After Running, and Roll to Save
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This is the second part of the Dungeons and Dragons Episode. Lew Pulsipher returns to talk more about his contributions to White Dwarf, his strategy game Britannia and his contributions to EN World.
Daily Dwarf revisits Holmes Basic D&D and tries to revive the magic.
Cris Watkins from Bonhomie Games shares his First, Last and Everything.
Blythy and Dirk have a ‘cover off’ looking at some of the art that defined Dungeons and Dragons.
Support the podcast by joining the Patreon.
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GROGMEET2020, the fifth annual meet-up of the GROGSQUAD, had to be held online to avoid pathogens. It didn’t stop us having a fantastic weekend which included a Pub Quiz, a Mausritter Tournament Dungeon, and an eclectic mix of games over four time-slots: seventy sessions in total.
To end the event we recorded this live panel in the Zoom of Role-Playing rambling (with an audience of over 50 people!).
Dirk the Dice is joined by Paul (The Good Friends of Jackson Elias) and Gaz (What Would the Smart Party Do?) to answer a series of medium-fire questions from the thunder pot.
This episode mentions Paul’s Full Fathom Five scenario and The Smart Party’s You Tube Channel and much, much more!
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We knew we’d get there eventually.
This episode is dedicated to Basic Dungeons and Dragons.
Our guest is Lew Pulsipher who was a regular contributor to the Golden Era of White Dwarf. He talks about his formative years in role-playing. He is still contributing to EN World and has a Video channel all about Games Design.
Blythy and I talk about finding players and how he fell in love with the game back in the day and his joy in rediscovering it now.
Ralph Lovegrove from Fictoplasm offers his first last and everything. I appeared on his podcast talking about Hawkmoon.
You can sign up for GROGMEETish2020 at Warhorn. Support us on Patreon.
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Welcome to the end of the world! In the latest episode we look at the FGU RPG Aftermath!, a game that is still supported by useful online resources.
I ran a one-shot for GrimCon but working out the rules was a challenge.
Thankfully Doc Cowie is on hand to help me through the twists and turns.
Also mentioned is Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice.
There’s a First, Last and Everything from Doc RPG Griff
Ed and Blythy watch Threads in the GROGGLEBOX.
Support The GROGNARD files on Patreon.
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Blimey, we’ve been doing this bobbins for five years! Good grief! In this episode, we go back to the beginning to look at RuneQuest with Jason Durall, as well as other highlights from his career in role-playing.
Blythy and I face the randomly selected Thunder Phase suggested by Patreons.
First, last and everything is presented by Bud RPG Reviews.
I make a reference to Full Fathom Five, a Call of Cthulhu game that’s currently on Drive Thru Rpg via the Miskatonic Repository.
Here’s to another 5 years!
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Know o prince … the GROGNARD files produces another epic (take your time …). We’ve been playing Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed of, by Modiphius and having great fun emulating the Hyborian world of Robert E Howard.
Jason Durall is an enthusiastic player as well as designer and he gives a great interview talking of his formative years in the hobby and how he approached the Conan project.
We take a look at the rules that seem to provoke a love-hate relationship in players. Are they really as crunchy as they appear?
Finally, Eddy joins us as we discuss Conan The Barbarian (1982). If you can persevere the pops and crackles of Zoom compression, you’ll hear a significant difference of opinion.
Newsletters, one-shots, an incoming ‘zine, why not join The Patreon?
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Loz Whitaker from The Design Mechanism returns to face The GamesMaster’s screen. He talks about The Eternal Champion, Strontium Dog and Mythras.
We have been enjoying a Hawkmoon series of adventures using Mythras using elements of Chaosium’s Hawkmoon and the Mongoose version.
Doc ‘Con’ Cowie shares his First, Last and Everything.
In a new section, we look at vintage magazines Different Worlds and Adventurer.
Support the podcast at Patreon.
Lyonesse RPG
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Welcome to a new GROGPOD about a new game that we are very excited about.
Lyonesse, Fantasy Role-Playing based on the novels by Jack Vance has been released by The Design Mechanism. We are joined by Lawrence Whitaker who tells us about the project and his formative years in role-playing.
Daily Dwarf looks at some of the other literary worlds that were brought to life in the pages of White Dwarf during its hey day.
STIMBOT5000 Andy Stimpson of Breakfast in the Ruins podcast tells us about the first game he played, the last game he played and the game that means everything to him.
Blythy and I look behind the Games Masters Screen to look for inspiration from Vance. We also cover The Dying Earth by Pelgrane Press.
There’s a new ad, produced by the UK’s Premier RPG podcast The Smart Party (I resisted the urge to put Premier in inverted commas).
Steve Ray has started Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes over on anchor.
Please support The GROGNARD files at our Patreon site to catch actual plays and other gubins.
An introduction to the GROGNARD files RPG podcast
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Hello, my name is Dirk the Dice and this is the GROGNARD files podcast. If you are new here, then this is the place to begin as it provides a quick overview of what to expect from the GROGPOD.
It’s probably best to start at the beginning, but time is precious, so this introduction provides some recommendations to help you make your decision.
The GROGNARD files has been going on and on for almost five years with over 60 podcasts to choose from. I hope that you enjoy the back catalogue and stay around for some more.
To put a tip in the beret, then please head over to Patreon. Thanks.
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Welcome to the post apocalypse with Pookie from Reviews from R’lyeh. We talk about how RPGs taught us everything we need to know about the apocalypse.
Old Scouse Role Player shares his first, last and everything.
Please support what we do on Patreon.
MERP Part 2 with Liz Danforth
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Welcome to the second part of the MERP episode. I recommend Menion (AKA Rob’s) podcast ; we speak to Liz Danforth – why not support her on Patreon? Thanks to Per Broden for his excellent First, Last and Everything, the an ad for our good friends at The Good Friends …. and we roll some crits on our new Patreons.
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Popular demand has insisted that we look at MERP from Iron Crown (1984). In this first part we come to terms with Tolkien and our relationship to Middle Earth.
Thanks to Liz Danforth, Daily Dwarf , Graham Kinniburgh, and Steve Ray for their help in putting this Episode together.
Support us on Patreon
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What makes Pulp “pulp” we ask ourselves in this episode.
It features the interview with Paul Fricker that we recorded at GROGMEET19. He’s one of the hosts of The Good Friends of Jackson Ellias, who we joined in the E.N.World Hall of Fame, thanks to the generous votes from the GROGSQUAD.
There’s also a First, Last and Everything from Lee Williams and much more.
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It’s the end of the world as we know it, but we feel fine, because we’ve been gaming, a lot. We review the year in gaming over a pint with Clint, the pub dog.
Jamie Thomson is back looking over his career in Fighting Fantasy, The Way of the Tiger game books, The Fabled Lands and The Dark Lord Series (to the sound of a very noisy computer fan).
Check out EN World and vote for your favourite podcasts.
Recommended here are dPercentile, Role Play Rescue, Monster Man, Smart Party, Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice, Red Moon Roleplaying, GROGTALK, Appendix N Book Club and Breakfast in the Ruins.
Please keep us going by pledging to our Patreon.
Live Action RPG (with Jamie Thomson)
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INTRO: We are still recovering from a successful GROGMEET19. I picked up some new games along the way, including Pendragon and the new Eberron supplement for D&D (thanks to the coverage that they received on The Smart Party).
OPEN BOX (with Jamie Thomson): Features editor for White Dwarf between 1981-84, author of Fighting Fantasy books, the Way of the Tiger and Fabled Lands gamebooks. He has been working on Dice Men: Games Workshop 1975 – 1985 with Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson.
OPEN BOX LARPing: Blythy and I have been friends for 40 years, so we celebrate with a memoir of how we met and share our thoughts on Killer, which is still available for download.
FIRST LAST AND EVERYTHING: Shannon Ferguson aka Angry Monk shares the first game he played, the last game he played and the game that means everything to him.
LARPING part 2: We talk our experiences of DIY Larping in Newton Le Willows.
OUTRO: More details of our Patreon projects.
Only those who seek death, or sell it Download Episode
INTRO: It’s the first anniversary of Greg Stafford’s passing and to recognise the event, we are celebrating one of his greatest, collaborative creations: Thieves’ World. There’s a quick potted history featured here, if you want to see the supplement for yourself, I’ve made a short unboxing film.
OPEN BOX: Eddy has managed to track down a copy of the supplement from eBay. We open it up together.
FIRST, LAST and EVERYTHING: From Californian GROGSQUADer Will Johnson.
WHITE DWARF: @DailyDwarf ‘s back for White Dwarf in the City.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN: Blythy and Dirk try to make the tables work.
OUTRO: Follow us on Patreon.
Numenera RPG
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The GROGNARD files is back with the latest episode which looks in-depth at Numenera RPG based on the Cypher System which was the first new-fangled game that we played when we returned to the hobby.
There’s a great First, Last and Everything from Kaye Elling (make sure you follow the progress of her Judge Death model on Twitter).
Also included is an update on the latest projects. You can support us via Patreon.
Blake’s 7 Actual Play
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As an extra to Episode 30, here’s the rest of the Actual Play. It also features a ‘Games Master Prepares’ segment about using The Five Room Dungeon.
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INTRO: This time we are looking at Blake’s 7 and its influence on our gaming.
GROGGLEBOX: Eddy joins us in a noisy Port Street Beer House in Manchester to discuss ‘Project Avalon’
ACTUAL PLAY: Thanks to Andrew Cousins of lending me his copy of the rules to play. Blythy as Avon, Doc Con Cowie as Blake, Andrew Cousins as Vila, The Welsh Wizard Michael Hobbs as Jenner, and Mark Kitching as Cally.
FIRST, LAST and EVERYTHING: Guy Milner of Burn After Running blog.
THE GM SCREEN: Just how much of a fan is Blythy?
OUTRO: News about the GROGZINE 20
Episode 29 (Part 2) White Dwarf the RPG Years
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In this episode we discover the seven ages of White Dwarf with @DailyDwarf and the First Last and everything from Nick Edwards.
We also bang on a bit about the Patreon which has got some new goals.
Mike Brunton: a tribute
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Mike Brunton, our special guest for Episode 29, suddenly passed away on 18th July 2019. This is the interview in full, released as a celebration of his gaming career. It also features Paul Cockburn adding a tribute to his old friend and colleague.
It’s taken us 50 podcasts to dedicate an episode to White Dwarf. It was the centre of our RPG lives when we were teenagers.
In this episode Mike Brunton tells us how he got into RPGs and worked with TSR UK and Imagine magazine. Next time he will be relating his experiences as editor of White Dwarf and working for Games Workshop.
Neil Hopkins provides his First, Last and Everything. He created solo adventures for Quasits and Quasars
Eddy tells the story of the fateful night when he answered a small ad.
We are encouraging everyone to sign up to become a King of Dungeons (because it is awesome).
Blythy joins me for a run through some White Dwarf bag issues and to talk crisps.
Why not support our Patreon?
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This is a GROGPOD extra, made possible thanks to the generosity of the GROGSQUAD patreons. This is a Newstalgia podcast talking about the things we are playing now.
It is focused on the preparations for the RPGs played at UK Games Expo: Savage Worlds, PSI World and Lyonesse.
Here are some links mentioned in the pod:
Role-Play Rescue: Che Webster’s GM Journal inspired the approach to this podcast
Keehar’s Blog: An occasional blog where Keehar shares his preparation and play reports.
The Smart Party: Listen to the full seminar ‘How to GM at Conventions.
Bud’s RPG Reviews: I met the man behind ‘the hands’ check out his channel.
The Design Mechanism: Follow them to catch the Lyonesse preview when it comes available
More Tunnels & Trolls (with Ken St Andre)
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INTRO: A new review of The GROGNARD files
INTERVIEW: A list of interesting things referred to by Ken: His mini, Trollhala Press, Fours, and Big Jack Brass
ACTUAL PLAY: Hook up with The Smart Party to hear more
FIRST, LAST, EVERYTHING: This time : Steve Ray
GROGGLEBOX: At The Earth’s Core
Outro: Thanks for supporting
Monsters! Monsters! RPG with Ken St Andre
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INTRO: 00:00:16 – This is the first part of a two part episode looking at the games and worlds created by Ken St Andre. He’s one of the founders of the hobby and tremendously influential on the development of RPGS.
OPEN BOX: 00:04:40 – Live from his Troll Cave in Arizona, The Trollgodfather tells the story of his origins and influences. Find Ken St Andre works at Trollhalla.
WHITE DWARF: 00:40:40 @dailydwarf is back! He’s looking at how White Dwarf provided advice on how to get the best out of your monsters!
FIRST, LAST, EVERYTHING: 00:55:10 A brand new feature for the GROGPOD – a member of the GROGSQUAD selects three of their favourite games – the first they played, the last game that got them excited and the game that means everything to them. James Holloway from the Monster Man podcast is up first.
GAMESMASTERS’ SCREEN 01:03:40 Blythy and Dirk in the room of roleplaying rambling playing monsters.
OUTRO: Check out Save for Half and their episode about Monsters! Monsters! The most recent edition of What would the Smart Party do? podcast covers 70s games. If you’d like to hear a Monsters! Monsters! actual play, go to Whartson Hall.
The GROGZINE is coming as a gift for Patreons.
Stormbringer Actual Play
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I was kindly invited to Games Master a game of Stormbringer by the wonderfully macabre actual play podcast Red Moon Roleplaying.
These is a teaser for an upcoming special guest, listen to the show to find out more …
Adventure: The Fang and the Fountain from Perils of the Young Kingdoms
Music by: Ager Sonus, Cryo Chamber
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We’re continuing our Robin of Sherwood theme. We discuss Fate and use it to provide a sample play in Sherwood Forest created by the TV series.
We hope that it will inspire you to invest in some FUDGE dice and have a go at creating your own worlds.
The auditorium was massive!
Call of Cthulhu Actual Play (with How We Roll and Scott Dorwood)
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I attended the first ever PodUk Convention in Birmingham and appeared in a live show. How We Roll podcast hosted a live, actual play, with Scott Dorwood (from The Good Friends of Jackson Ellias) as the keeper.
Hope that you enjoy listening to The Necropolis.
Robin of Sherwood (with Graham Staplehurst)
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INTRO: In this episode we are continuing our exploration of the context of gaming in the eighties, by looking at one of the TV series that influenced how we played.
POTTED HISTORY: This is a quick summary of how the programme came to be made and a bit of background about Richard Carpenter. If you’d like to know more, I recommend the wonderful, comprehensive books by Andrew Orton
OPEN BOX: Graham Staplehurst talks about his writing in fanzines, for MERP and his role in bringing Robin of Sherwood to life in RPGs. He mentions Other Minds magazine and the audio dramas available from Spiteful Puppet.
GROGGLEBOX: A new feature. Blythy and Ed join Dirk to do a commentary on The Seven Poor Knights from Acre episode.
OUTRO: A quick update on our latest projects. Also a shout out for The Lost Art of Ray Willner: The Adventures of Robin Hood.
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INTRO: This is an unusual GROGPOD as it was recorded live at GROGMEET 18. Ian Cooper talks about HeroQuest and there’s a chance for you to win a copy of the game thanks to our friends at bonhomiegames.uk
Show us your favourite handout, character sheet, floor plan, prop, mini or any other physical item you’ve produced for your gaming before the end of Feb to be in with a chance of winning.
INTERVIEW: Ian Cooper talks about his formative years in gaming, oral story telling, Greg Stafford, HeroQuest and his Coming Storm campaign.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN: Blythy joins me in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling to talk about generic systems. Want to know more about Judge Dredd in the world of GUMSHOE? Then check out Steve Ray’s play reports.
OUTRO: Patreon thanks, the latest news about the GROGZINE and the plans for the next episode.
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In this episode we review our year in gaming and dish out our GROGGIE awards.
It also features WFRP actual play, hosted by The Smart Party.
Subscribe to their feed to catch the rest of it, when it is released.
Podcast recommendations: How we Roll, The Chimpions, Vintage RPG podcast, and Appendix N.
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INTRO: We’ve had another iTunes review (we’d love to get more!)
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN: Graeme Davis takes us on a whistle stop tour around his career so far: check out this book-listing at Graeme’s site for all the references mentioned.
WHITE DWARF: @dailydwarf has given another insightful perspective of all of the adventures that appeared White Dwarf for the game.
OPEN BOX: Blythy and Dirk talk about Warhammer and how they can fit it in their gaming repertoire.
OUTRO: Only a few days left to register for a hard copy of the GROGZINE 2019.
https://thegrognardfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Episode-23-Part-1-WARHAMMER-Fantasy-Role-Play-with-Graeme-Davis-21_10_2018-11.08.m4a
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INTRO: The GROGNARD files is dedicated to Greg Stafford (1948-2018)
OPEN BOX: Graeme Davis talks to us about the genesis of the 1st edition of WARHAMMER and some of the plans for the new edition. You find out more about his long and distinguished career in gaming on his website.
WHITE DWARF: The Daily Dwarf reviews the articles that appeared in White Dwarf for WARHAMMER, it’s a long list.
JUDGE BAZ RULES!: Baz Stevens from The Smart Party podcast (The UK’s Premier RPG Podcast… mmm?) joins us in the room of role-playing rambling to get deep and dirty into the rules.
OUTRO: Join our Patreon before the end of November to get a hard copy of the zine.
https://thegrognardfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Episode-23-Dungeons-and-Dragons-Storm-Kings-Thunder.m4a
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Intro:It has been a summer of love for the library – there’s too much on there!
Open Box:We’re in Port Street in Manchester reflecting on the campaign
The White Dwarf:Daily Dwarf goes Against the Giants.
Games Master’s Screen:What’s our favourite class?
Ed’s Shed: Ed decides to ‘bring out the Gimp‘ when he creates a dynamic, digital table top.
Outro: Find out more about the Patreon campaign and the next GROGZINE.
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INTRO: I’ve got one of those blowers with a feather on the end to celebrate our anniversary and the release of RuneQuest RolePlaying in Glorantha.
MOB RETURNS: MOB talks about all the different ways that you can play in Glorantha: 13th Age, HeroQuest, but especially RuneQuest. Here he talks about how RuneQuest appeals to the gamers from back in the day, through its legacy supplements and how it can appeal to new gamers who have discovered Glorantha through The King of Dragon Pass. He also talks about some of the new releases, such as the Bestiary and 6 Ages as well as some of the fan initiatives such as Encounter Role-Play. He also reveals the plans to create a site for Glorantha fan material using a similar model as The Miskatonic Repository.
JUDGE BLYTHY ROLLS: We discuss ‘how to get started in Glorantha’ with an emphasis on ‘play’s the thing’.
ACTUAL PLAY: Gaz and Baz from The Smart Party podcast with Matt Hart from Steam Forged Games join Dirk in a Diana Jones Award winning segment of Actual Play. If you want to see more then head to their site.
JUDGE BLYTHY ROLLS AGAIN: We discuss character creation using the new rules. I try to appeal to the Judge with my new gizmos from Infinity Engine and Q Workshop.
OUTRO: There’s three months to go to join the Patreon campaign to receive a hard-copy of the GROGZINE 19.
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INTRO: Three years of GROGPODing and Forty Years of RuneQuest seems like a great point in time to revisit the game that we played the most back in the day. RQ3 contributed to us stopping playing, so this is a chance to revisit the game and see what happened when we stopped playing. The sound is a bit haywire on this podcast, hope it doesn’t spoil things too much.
OPENBOX: Chaosium’s Vice President tells the stories of his formative years in role-playing and how RuneQuest in Glorantha was so important to him. He was instrumental in keeping the flame alive as a fan as he wrote and developed Sun County, the first RuneQuest supplement produced for 8 years, following Avalon Hill acquiring the game in 1984. He wrote a report in the early nineties for The Tales of the Reaching Moon explaining how the game could be revived. This is a great chat about the nineties renaissance.
THE WHITE DWARF: A survey of RQ3 as it appeared (and disappeared) from White Dwarf, written by the wonderful @dailydwarf
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES! Dirk and Blythy pick over the bones of RQ3 and there’s a monster quiz!
OUTRO: Check out the RuneQuest Actual Play with The Smart Party . If you’d like the GROGZINE 19 and The Collected Daily Dwarf Vol 3 and Judge Blythy’s Book of Judgments — then please chuck us a tip in the beret and join the Patreon campaign
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INTRO (00:00) The GROGNARD files finally sells out to one of those new fangled games. There’s a new iTunes review too, that compares us to Ridley Scott’s Hovis advert.
OPEN BOX (with Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan) (0:07) We are joined by Gar who tells us about his formative years in RPGs, his role in relaunching some of the 80s classics for Mongoose and his role in developing adventures for Night’s Black Agents.
ACTUAL PLAY (41:31) The Virtual GROGMEET twittercrew take on Operation: GROUNDWORM.
JUDGE BLYTHY: (1:02:00) Judge Blythy sinks his teeth into the finer points of spending points.
OUTRO (1:40:02) Up date from the Patreon Projects.
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INTRO We’ve had a great, positive response to the first part of the episode, and a new iTunes review from Steve Race, host of Squadron Chatter, the Unofficial Podcast for Squadron UK RPG.
GM SCREEN (with Simon Burley) Simon Burley returns, to talk about Imagine magazine, his role as a ‘zine editor, his passion for the UK convention scene and the design principles behind his Code of … series of games.
POST BAG We head for birthday drinks in the hubbub of the Las O Gowrie snug and review some of the correspondence that we’ve received
WHITE DWARF @DailyDwarf has written an essay about the articles and scenarios that appeared in White Dwarf to support GOLDEN HEROES.
SHAGGY DOG A long rambling story about the worst game ever.
OUTRO The usual parish notices and thanks to Patreons.
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INTRO: This is a game that embodies the spirit of the podcast. It belongs to a period when the players were informing the gaming industry. Games Workshop decided to do a big budget version of the game. You can see the short film I made here (it’s less than 5 minutes)
OPEN BOX (with Simon Burley): As the co-creator of the game, Simon shares the story of its ups and downs. You can find SQUADRON UK at Drive Thru by following the link.
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES: We examine the rules with our resident rules lawyer.
OUTRO: News of the latest Patreons. and the aims of the campaign.
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INTRO: Thanks to a Poll of Patreons, we are examining a game that we never played back in the day … PARANOIA.
OPEN BOX: (with Paul Baldowski): Paul Baldowski was a writer for the Mongoose edition. He’s also runs Just Crunch which publishes The Cthulhu Hack. Also, make sure you check out the Fighting Fantasy accessories at All Rolled Up.
WHITE DWARF: @dailydwarf provides a survey of the surprising amount of PARANOIA material that appeared in White Dwarf after Games Workshop printed the second edition in the UK
ACTUAL PLAY: A sample from an online game of PARANOIA. You can’t beat a bit of bully.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN: One of Blythy’s clones talks about the game and why we never played it back in the day.
OUTRO: Thanks to Patreons and best wishes to Kalum of the Roliste Podcast
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INTRO A new review on iTunes
WHITE DWARF @dailydwarf “2000ad and Me” a personal reflection on the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic
GAMES MASTER’s SCREEN Marc Gascoigne returns to talk about Fighting Fantasy, EarthDawn (!), The Black Library and Angry Robot. Also, the famous ‘lost’ RPG – Dark Future.
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES an examination of the system and setting of Judge Dredd RPG
OUTRO Details of the GROGSQUAD patreon campaign and an interesting project to document the early years of Games Workshop.
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INTRO: Warning, there’s an unnecessary David Bowie impression in this bit, as the Judge Dredd Board Game appeared in Labyrinth.
POTTED HISTORY: (00:05:00) A brief publication history of Judge in RPGs and news of the forthcoming game from EN Publishing.
OPEN BOX (with Marc Gascoigne): (10:44) We are joined by a giant in the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy publishing. He tells stories about his time editing DragonLords fanzine , working with Games Workshop and designing Judge Dredd.
DAILY DWARF: (00:48:24) @dailydwarf writes an introduction to some of the great material that appeared in White Dwarf, before the sun set on its coverage of RPGs.
ATTIC ATTACK: (01:07:00) Blythy joins Dirk in the loft to reflect on 2000ad and how it influenced our play.
OUTRO: (01:37:00) Dirk is running Judge Dredd at Spaghetti ConJunction in Birmingham on 10th Feb 2017. Also, there’s news about how to get PDFs of the GROGZINE and the forthcoming Virtual GROGMEET.
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Intro: For this GROGPOD, we take a break from the usual format, instead of concentrating on a single subject, we are looking back at some of the experiences that we have had over the year.
Thanks to Phil the Dice Mechanic for his review
Groggies Pt 1: Our annual awards are determined by the random subjects written on the spurious envelopes. In this section we look back on the year in games mastering – some of the highs and lows – we award the Messianic Megalomaniac award for the year.
The Trial of RuneQuest: Earlier in the year, Dirk took the RPG Academy to Apple Lane. This is an edited extract. You can find the full version here and the you tube video here (if you really need to).
Groggies Pt 2: This is the Olive Kinnisberg Memorial Award for players, playing and players and the games that we play. There’s a mention of UK Games Expo, The Heroes Journey and Star Trek Adventures.
Postbag Pt1: Mark Hides has written a memoir of his experiences of RPGs in Sheffield. You can get his book here.
Groggies Pt 3 There have been lows as well as highs
Postbag Pt2 Rog Coe and Wayne Peters are regular correspondents to this site.
Groggies Pt 4 The new game that we have been playing and some of the hopes for the new year.
Outro: Thanks to Patreons and you’ll find details about the Spaghetti Conjunction here
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INTRO: A dedication to Carl T. Ford, the publisher/ editor of Dagon Fanzine.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN 00:02:20 (With Mike Mason) Mike faces the Keeper’s Screen to talk about Traveller, D&D and the all new Masks of Nyarlathotep (coming soon).
DAILY DWARF 00:40:00 @dailydwarf does an incisive assessment of the scenarios that appeared in White Dwarf. CURSE OF THE BONE was the winner of his 2015 Scenario Slam
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES! 01:00:00 We take a look at some of the changes in the 7th Edition rules.
OUTRO: 01:40:00 More news about the Patreon Campaign.
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INTRO 00.00.16
We are returning to one of our favourite games, Call of Cthulhu, to consider what has changed for the game over the past 2 years, since the last episode.
OPEN BOX (with Mike Mason) 06.00
At the time of recording, Mike had just returned from his trip to NECRONOMICON and was fresh with the news of the great success for Call of Cthulhu at GENCON.
Mike shares his experiences from his formative years of role-playing and how his fascination with horror, drew him towards Call of Cthulhu.
ED’S BRAND NEW SHED 50.00
Ed is the first of us to hit 50 and his family have treated him to a brand-new metal shed. He talks us through his Fungi From Yuggoth scrapbook. You can get Mutable Deception from Drive Thru RPG.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN 01.08.00
We’re on a Jolly Boys outing – this is the player reflections on playing the Fungi … campaign.
OUTRO 01.33.00
We had many new Patreons joining us in September. Thanks to you all – sorry for mangling your names – we are very grateful for your contributions and look forward to making the ‘zine available in the next couple of months.
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INTRO
This time we are looking at James Bond 007, a game we didn’t play back in the day, but the GROGSQUAD suggested that we should give it the once over.
We had a great review from Mike Hobbs from Meeples and Miniatures
POTTED HISTORY 03:43This is the story of Chris Klug realising his vision of an espionage game that wasn’t simulationist in its approach.
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES 09:53 Our resident rules lawyer, the man with the Golden Gavel, checks out the finer points of the rules.
ACTUAL PLAY GOLDFINGER 40:38 An extract from our game of Goldfinger.
STARBURST MEMORIES 01:08 Learning from the Bond Villains
OUTRO 01:43 The new GROGZINE is coming! Sign up now.
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INTRO: News about a new PBM ‘zine that we’ve inspired – Bones of the Lost God – if you like Phil’s monsters, he’s put some of his art on Red Bubble.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN (with Ian Marsh): Ian Marsh returns to talk about his editorial-ship at White Dwarf and his involvement in Games Workshop. He also talks about Dr Who and his TimeLord game, before bringing us up to date with his latest endeavours.
DAGON (with @dailydwarf): @dailydwarf gives his usual insightful analysis of literary criticism covered in Dagon ‘zine.
ATTIC ATTACK: Blythy joins me in the attic to talk about ‘zines and comments provided by listeners. I mention Monster Man, a new podcast that is being developed by James Holloway, check out progress at his site.
OUTRO: We’re making a ‘zine – sign up at Patreon – before the end of September 2017 to get a copy.
Thank you to all our Patreons for your continued support; without you, we would not have been going for so long.
If you would like a PDF of the last GROGZINE you can get it at Drive Thru RPG and The Complete Daily Dwarf too. All proceeds will go to YSDC to support the community there.
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INTRO Welcome to the world of fanzines.
OPEN BOX (with Ian Marsh) The first part of an interview with Ian Marsh, who was the editor of DragonLords fanzine and went on to become the editor of White Dwarf.
DAILY DWARF For one episode only @dailydwarf becomes the Daily Dagon as he looks at Dagon and why he thinks is was such a special zine.
OPEN BOX Another one? This time it’s with Blythy as we look at our experience in the world of PBMs.
OUTRO: Thanks to Shop on the Borderlands for providing a copy of DragonLords issue 7 for discussion.
Let us know your favourite ‘zine and send us pictures for discussion in the next episode.
Why not show your love for the podcast, and join the activities of the GROGSQUAD by becoming a Patreon?
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INTRO 00:05
By a strange quirk of fate, Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes has suddenly become available as a PDF from Drive Thru RPG.
We’ve had another five star review on iTunes, this time it’s from Baz, of The Smart Party podcast.
OPEN BOX 05:30
Dirk returns to Whartson Hall to visit Big Jack Brass, our Flying Buffalo correspondent. He talks about his twitter hash tag #overlookedrpgs and provides a potted history of MSPE.
STARBURST MEMORIES 30:00
Following the Top Secret episode, we’ve had some correspondence from DM Mike from the new old-school podcast Save for Half.
Dirk talks about Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Blythy introduces Spooks.
BIG JACK BRASS, RULES! 01:00:00
Wearing the wig this episode is the locum Judge Big Jack Brass, looking at the ins and outs of the MSPE rules.
OUTRO 01:23:00
Jon will be appearing on Desert Island Dungeons very soon
The GROGNARD Files 2017 annual fanzine and The Collected Daily Dwarf are now available on Drive Thru RPG.
Dirk gives news of the next ‘zine and thanks new Patreons. Why not join.
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INTRO – We’re still taken aback at the scale of response to the first part of this episode, but we’re conscious enough to issue a warning about Hob Nob balls.
POTTED HISTORY (3.49) – Kindly provided by @hobgoblinorange who provides an overview of the major players and developments in the miniature figure art in the early 80s. He recommends the site The Stuff of Legends which features lots of images of Citadel miniatures from back in the day.
GMSCREEN (11.29) We return to the wonderful Las O Gowrie in Manchester to continue the interview with Tim Olsen, the former manager of Dalling Road branch of Games Workshop. TV and ZZ Top emerge as he faces the annecdotamator.
If you want to see Tim’s TV AM appearance you’ll find it here from 16:00 (John Noakes!)
THE WHITE DWARF (25.45) @dailydwarf returns with the second part of his Small but Perfectly Formed essay, examining miniatures in White Dwarf before it became all about miniatures.
ATTIC ATTACK (37.14) We climb into the attic of the all-new Dirk Towers to look at some of the interesting minis from our collection.
POSTBAG (01.06.34) There’s been a great response from listeners to the last episode, share some of the game shop memories from all over the UK. Including Alegis Downport who did a great piece on Tunnels and Trolls on his blog. There’s also the last word from Tim Olsen.
Thanks to everyone who joined the Patreon campaign this month. You’ll get a name check next time when I’ll share the details of the next ‘zine.
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INTRO (15 secs)
This is an unusual episode as it is about a place more than a thing. This is about the remembered place that was Games Workshop, when we were kids, and the magical lead figures we found there.
POTTED HISTORY (6.32)
The story about how school friends came together to form Games Workshop and how it grew and grew …
OPEN BOX (WITH TIM OLSEN) (10:17)
I am joined by Tim Olsen who was instrumental in the early days of GW. He was the manager of Dalling Road branch, then Manchester, before taking the first stores to America. He is a fascinating and lovely guy. You’ll enjoy his contribution.
WHITE DWARF (31:35)
The first part of @dailydwarf ‘s contribution to the episode where he talks about his experience of using figures in his games.
OPEN BOX (46:08)
Blythy joins me to talk about minis, memories and how we consume games. There’s a riot going on in the background, sorry about that, it is the sound of Bolton I’m afraid.
THERE ISN’T A LAST BIT (1:20)
A call for the submission of your memories of Games Workshop and a thank you to Patreons.
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For your eyes only. Don’t accept this Podcast if the seal is broken.
INTRO: I love the world of espionage and this is the first in our ‘Spy Sequence’ that we’ll be peppering through the next year. We’ve had another iTunes review too – please give us one if you haven’t already.
OPEN BOX: Top Secret was one of those games that we only played a few times, but it made a lasting impression on us. In this section we remember those early games and I challenge Blythy about whether or not he really likes spy-based games.
POTTED HISTORY: The game emerged from a single vision, born from a college dorm, in this section I talk through the history of the game. If you want to hear the story from Merle Rasmussen’s mouth, then seek out The Dead Game’s society’s interview with him from 2014.
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES!: We roll a character and Judge Blythy complains that there are far too many tables. In a thrilling exchange, there is a transformation as Judge Nutmeg transforms into Mr Hand-Wavey Davey.
~~THE WHITE DWARF~~ DRAGON: Top Secret didn’t appear in White Dwarf, so we turn to Dragon – a magazine that fully supported the development of Top Secret.
STARBURST MEMORIES: Blythy and I discuss our favourite spy moments from films and television in a brand new feature that includes an overly complicated audience participation feature.
OUTRO: There’s a chance to play Top Secret if you join our Patreon campaign. This is a thank you bit for all those who are already supporting us.
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INTRO Blimey Charlie! This is the twentieth podcast!
1:53 GAMESMASTER’S SCREENRick Meints, President of Chaosium, joins us once again. This time we roll on a special ‘plunder’ table to search his fabled collection as he recounts past adventures from back in the day.
42:08 OPEN BOXBorderlands is Chaosium’s classic campaign from 1982 – we’ve played it twice, once in ’83 and again in ’13 – find out why this is very much our ‘foundational document’.
1.25 POSTBAGWe’ve revamped the Patreon campaign – join now and get access to the ‘zine PDF – also, you can join the Valhalla agents at Convergence …
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INTRO We’re back for more podcasts in 2017! We’re returning to our origins and looking again at the game that we began with back in 1981.
OPEN BOX 4.31 – the only President from the USA who really matters is the President of Chaosium, Rick Meints, who joins us to open the box on his early years of play and to talk about how he transformed from a player and collector of Chaosium games, to running the company.
WHITE DWARF 36.50 – @dailydwarf examines my favourite department of White Dwarf – RuneRites with its new creatures, magic and rules for combat.
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES! 50.00 – RuneQuest 6 has been rebranded as MYTHRAS . Ahead of Dirk running his Luther Arkwright scenario at Convergence in March, Blythy casts his critical eye over the rules.
OUTRO: I’ve been appearing on various podcasts as a RuneQuest zealot – Dissecting Worlds and the RPG Academy as well as appearing wild-eyed on Twitch.
The Patreon campaign is being reviewed and renewed for 2017.
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INTRO
Special thanks to Paul Cockburn for his contribution to these podcasts.
This podcast is dedicated to Joe Dever, creator of The Lone Wolf adventure books, who sadly passed away in November.
GAMESMASTERS’ SCREEN with Paul Cockburn
Paul Cockburn is behind The GamesMaster’s Screen to pick out some of the regular highlights from Imagine Magazine: Nick The Novice, Pelinore, and more. He also tells the story of the rise and the untimely fall of the magazine.
THE GROGGIES 2016
Our review of the a year in gaming: Roll 20, Dungeons and Dragons, Tunnels and Trolls, Nights Black Agents, Call of Cthulhu and Numenera are all discussed.
The Last Bit
Thanks to Patreons, reviewers and listeners. Have a great holiday and all the very best for 2017 to you and yours.
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0 INTRO
We have been hard at work producing the GROGNARD files fanzine for Patreon backers. There are still a few hard copies available for new $3.50 backers. They are limited. Once they’re gone they’re gone. PDFs are available for download for $1 backers from 21st November.
6:33 SHOW AND TELL
Blythy joins me in the attic to look at some of the issues of IMAGINE in our collection.
I will be running the Luther Arkwright adventure THE FIRE OPAL OF SET at Convergence in Stockport on 18th March 2017.
43:50 OPEN BOX – PAUL COCKBURN
We are pleased to join Paul Cockburn, editor of Imagine, and he talks about his gaming experiences and how Imagine got off the ground.
He’s back in the next part looking at specific features of the magazine.
01:09 THE WHITE DWARF
@dailydwarf reflects on CRITICAL MASS and Dave Langford’s contribution to White Dwarf and the SF literary hinterland.
01:20 POSTBAG
DM Mike from Save or Die podcast, asks a sensory Pelinore question …
“Don’t mess with me, I’ve been corrupted by Space Monkeys”
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Wednesdays 21:00 – 23:00 Fortnightly, between Sept 15 and July 16 was Traveller Time. During this period we played Traveller online using Roll 20.
INTRO: I put out an advert for players on the site to play the classic 1983 adventure from GDW.
OPEN BOX: 4:27 We discuss some of the benefits and pitfalls of playing online
POTTED HISTORY: 31:57 A run down of the history of the supplement and the characters and players.
GAMESMASTERS SCREEN: 38:22 Blythy and Dirk discuss some of the highlights and lowlights of the adventure
ED’S SHED 01:26 Not bargain hunting this time, instead he offers his views on the adventure.
POST BAG 01:30 Other players offer their views and thanks to new Patreon backers.
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We return to ‘blast away the fiends of boredom’ with another T&T episode. This time we are joined by Big Jack Brass, Jon Hancock.
0.15 Introduction. We had feedback from non-other than Ken St Andre himself…
4.05 Open Box. Jon talks about his early life in role playing and why he was drawn to T&T.
24.04 Actual Play. Jon is the GM for Monsters! Monsters!, where the ill-kin are the heroes.
You’ll find more from the Whartson Hall gaming group at UK Roleplayers forums.
34.01 Gamesmasters Screen. Why is T&T so good? Jon counts the ways.
1.17 Actual Play. Blythy joins Dirk for a solo game and a reluctant example of actual play.
1.31 Postbag. Feedback and thank you to new Patreons.
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Yes, it’s time for Solos and … satisfaction? It’s time for Tunnels and Trolls.
Intro:
Caroline is in big hair and specs, because we’ve had another iTunes in America!
Potted History (4.00):
A quick run through of the origin story of T&T.
Open Box (8.23):
Brought to you from a replica of Dirk’s teenage bedroom, as we bring memories of the early games, until the dog signals that it’s time to leave.
The White Dwarf (30.22)
@dailydwarf has light pickings from the early days of White Dwarf, but there are some great St Andre pieces.
Judge Blythy Rules! (44.36)
We take time to delight in elegant simplicity.
Ed’s Bargain Shed (1.15)
The first games that Ed played were with T&T. Sister Barbara could prevent the discovery of Trolls and Girls at school.
There isn’t final section (1.22)
Update on the Patreon campaign.
Send in your Traveller questions and comments.
Details of the next part of the episode which will feature Big Jack Brass, Jon Hancock, in interview.
-Dirk
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This episode includes odds n’ sods, Old Scroates and Points of View about AD&D.
Introduction 00.15
Dirk muses over the ridiculous, complicated numbering strategy adopted by the podcast and introduces Ric and Tim, the stars of this part of the episode.
Old Scroates (Part 1) 04.15
It’s not a proper theGROGNARDfiles episode without a cheeky mention of Runequest. Tim tells the story of playing with John Quaife, contributor to White Dwarf, back in the day.
Potted History (Part 1) 15.17
The original story of D&D.
Old Scroates (Part 2) D&D Tales 25.04
Tim and Ric share their experiences of playing D&D with reports of games they have played.
Potted History (Part 2) 36.29
What happened to D&D during our deep freeze.
Old Scroates (Part 3) 40.31
Tim and Ric address some of the issues that have been raised in our AD&D episode.
Post Bag 01.02
Blythy joins Dirk as we rifle through the bag of holding to pick out some interesting points of view. Please be aware that your head may rattle when the Demon Overlord appears.
Outro 01.28
Updates on the latest news from the Patreon projects. Please note that contrary to what is said in this bit, GROGMEET is not taking place 10 years ago.
Thank you to all of our supporters and listeners. If you get chance, please pop a review on iTunes. Thanks Dirk.
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The saga continues …
Intro: 0:18 There’s been another review on iTunes. Dirk reveals his love of monsters.
Open Box: 4:37 Dirk and Blythy get all nostalgic about 5e that they started playing 3 months ago.
White Dwarf: 24:42 @dailydwarf has scrutinised every single monster produced in the FIEND FACTORY to pick some of his favourites.
Games Masters Screen: 43:11 In the absence of much discussion about monsters Dirk and Blythy face each other off with a wandering monster table.
Last bit: 1:24 Thanks to Patreons – we’ve been hard at work writing for your ‘zine.
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So, after we’ve covered the Dungeon Masters Guide it’s time for us to get to the nitty-gritty of the core rules.
INTRODUCTION 0:19
The story so far and a review from iTunes. Please review us too, if you haven’t already.
WHITE DWARF SCENARIOS (Part 1) 4:54
@dailydwarf makes his first, controversial, pick from his personal best AD&D scenarios in White Dwarf and lists the ‘also rans’.
JUDGE BLYTHY RULES! 13:24
We got a mention on the very entertaining Old School podcast SAVE OR DIE. They have an interview with Chris Holmes, son of Dr J. Eric Holmes, author of D&D Basic from back in the day.
WHITE DWARF SCENARIOS (Part 2) 44:54
GAMES MASTER’S SCREEN 50:22
Two wizards dual to the death on the blackened heath.
WHITE DWARF SCENARIOS (Part 3) 1:22
POST BAG 1:29
I’ve made a contribution to the Rolistes Podcast Foodie Special.
Last couple of tickets remain for Grog-Meet in November.
Become an honorary member of The Armchair Adventurers by putting a few coins in the beret as a tip, at the Patreon site. Watch the video I made too, I’m very proud of it.
Next Time: Monster Manual and our thoughts on 5e.
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Roll up! Roll up! Finally, the GROGNARD files turns it’s attention to the grand daddy of them all. Make some space in your pod box for a 2 hour spectacular.
Introduction. Dirk shows off his new turn table and invites you to add songs to his RPG playlist
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Daily Dwarf Open Box. 7.04 – Find out how @dailydwarf was introduced to the hobby via Dungeons and Dragons.
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Open Box. 11.08. The Armchair Adventurers talk about the early days of playing D&D with only one third of the rules and discovering the red box in ’83.
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The White Dwarf. 32.39 @dailydwarf begins his personal selection of articles from the greatest RPG magazine of them all.
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Open Box Again 41.00 The Armchair Adventurers rediscover AD&D in the early 21st Century.
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The White Dwarf. 54.11 @dailydwarf continues his picks.
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Judge Blythy Rules! 1.00 Judge Blythy pours over the finer details of The Dungeon Master’s Guide while Dirk rides in on a high horse.
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The White Dwarf. @dailydwarf concludes his choices with praise for Lew Pulsipher’s contributions.
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Thanks to new Patreons and a request for entries to our postbag. Next time we’ll be looking at The Player’s Handbook.
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INTRODUCTION
This is the supplement to the first part … a companion which is all about STORMBRINGER supplements.
We have had some encouraging iTunes reviews … if you haven’t done one, then please do because it will tax all those Apple algorithms.
GAME-MASTERS SCREEN (4:46)
Blythy joins me in the Octagon Tower to look at some of the key supplements for the early editions of STORMBRINGER.
If you want an antidote to our gushing … then please listen to System Mastery for an alternative view.
ED’S BARGAIN SHED (43:07)
Eddy shares his ‘Bargainometer’ to help listeners build up their collection of early STORMBRINGER material.
SHOW AND TELL (56:31)
This is a new ‘occasional’ section where we look at our joint archives to help illustrate a subject. This time we are delving into the boxes labelled ‘Moorcockania’.
Here are a couple of useful links to help you begin your journey into the Multiverse and beyond …
If you want to read Moorcock’s tome that tackles the Inklings – then Wizardry and Wild Romance is still in print.
Colin Greenland’s extended interview in Death is no Obstacle is a bit harder to find.
I’ve created a Spotify playlist entitled Wondrous Stories so you can collaborate in a list of music that you played back in the day for #4rpgmusic
If you have never experienced the joy of Elric before and want to get a ‘flavour’ then the graphic novel The Ruby Throne is highly recommended.
If you want to learn more about The Final Programme, then head over to Hypnogoria where host Mr Jim Moon will guide you … “I have it on good authority that the world is going to end. I’m going home to watch it on television.”
POSTBAG (1:23)
Listener contributions and special thanks to our Patreon members.
If you want to listen to Rolistes Podcast with great Dragonmeet content … then tell Kalum I sent you …
Next time … get calculating your THACO because we are talking ADVANCED Dungeons and Dragons.
The cover on the copy we read in the library
“I think of myself as a bad writer with big ideas, but I’d rather be that than a big writer with bad ideas.” – Michael Moorcock
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The subject of this episode is STORMBRINGER – Fantasy Role Playing in the world of Elric.
We have also opened a Patreon campaign to support the development of the podcast, and to help towards the production of The GROGNARD files fanzine.
If you would like to tip a few coins in the beret, then please go to this site:
The GROGNARD files patreon
SECTION 1: POTTED HISTORY (6:03)
Some background to the Elric stories.
The story of STORMBRINGER’s origins with new material from Ken St Andre – look out for a transcript of the conversation we had with him on theGROGNARDfiles.com, coming soon.
SECTION 2: OPEN BOX (16:59)
Blythy joins me in a faithful reconstruction of his teenage bedroom to discuss the early games we played of STORMBRINGER.
SECTION 3: THE WHITE DWARF (35:41)
A magnificent contribution by @dailydwarf about the dog-days of White Dwarf’s hey day and the brilliant The Madcap Laughs adventure for STORMBRINGER that appeared in the august journal.
SECTION 4: JUDGE BLYTHY RULES! (51:36)
The resident Agent of Law, Judge Blythy takes on the chaotic ‘Guantlet of Hand-Waving’ during an analysis of the rules
SECTION 5: THERE ISN’T ONE (01:23:00)
What to look forward to in Part 2 (supplements, a ‘show and tell’ of Moorcock miscellany’ and listener post bag).
Please write to us by commenting on the site or sticking a review on iTunes.
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In a break with the usual format, The Armchair Adventurers are at risk of disappearing up their own fundament.
It’s too short to break in two, too long to listen in one go, so disappointing either way. Take your time, pause a little, as you listen to the blow by blow account of our big day out.
INTRODUCTION
It’s 30 years since we last went to a Games Convention. We went to Dragonmeet ’15 in December, this is a reflection on what we did when we were there and how things have changed in gaming in the meantime.
This introduction includes a A brief potted history of Dragonmeet, with extra bits of information provided by Modiphius.
OPEN BOX
The morning of the day before, Judge Blythy joins Dirk as we plan the trip and reminisce about Games Cons of the past.
WHITE DWARF
Everything comes back to White Dwarf and it’s coverage of Games Conventions back in the day were our way of enjoying them vicariously.
There’s a quote from Scott Dorwood who reviewed the podcast.
GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN
Some general reflections on our observations while we were there as well as a blow by blow account of some of the experiences we had.
Under discussion:
Call of Cthulhu Dreamlands using 7th Edition
Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 rules distilled into 52 pages
How the market has changed, stuff we bought, and the apparent controversy around the benign Chaosium seminar.
We attend seminars featuring Ken and Robin Talk Quickly About Stuff and the “Is there too much Cthulhu” debate between The Good Friends … and The Smart Party.
While we were there, we interviewed Mike Cule, star of the stage and screen, and the author of RUMBLE AT THE TIN INN (amongst others) and one of the hosts of Improvised Radio Theatre with Dice.
ED’S BARGAIN SHED
Eddy, the resident bargain-hunter in chief, shares his Dragonmeet haul and takes on the 20 quid challenge.
POSTBAG
Listeners share their convention experiences.
Normal service will be resumed next time when we discuss STORMBRINGER.
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In this episode, we return to Traveller, and look at some of the supplements for the game. When it comes to politics, we are as woolly as John Stewart Mill riding a sheep and wearing cardigans, so we examine our attitudes towards the politics of the Imperium.
Games master’s Screen: Judge Blythy enjoys the benefit of High Passage, as his status demands, however he is less enamoured the concept of the D66.
The usual memories and discussion around the selected supplements take place.
Postbag: There’s been much interest in Traveller including a game description by Andrew Cousins. I also reflect upon the recent Runequest Classic kickstarter.
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Introduction – The origin of the game
Section One – Open Box – reliving the memories of playing the game for the first time with Blythy, who was our referee back in the day. We introduce ‘the prime directive’ and Blythy has a black mark on his wall.
Section Two – White Dwarf – @dailydwarf talks about his early experiences of playing Traveller and makes a selection of an article, scenario and ‘Starbase’ column from the pages of the UK’s best gaming magazine.
Section Three – Judge Blythy Rules – Listing three great mechanics and one that doesn’t quite work, the resident rules-lawyer goes ‘under the bonnet’.
Section Four – An invitation to listeners to contribute their stories of playing Traveller. What’s your favourite supplement?
Look out for a Micro Grog-Pod (Traveller – Part Two) coming soon featuring a list of our favourite Traveller supplements and a current online pricing guide.
This is a supplement to the Second Episode of The GROGNARD RPG Files – Call of Cthulhu.
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GAMESMASTER’S SCREEN
Behind the screen I have a table of Call of Cthulhu supplements. I’m joined by Judge Blythy who rolls the 1D100 to select 5 for detailed discussion.
ED’S BARGAIN SHED
Ed, The Armchair Adventurer’s Chief bargain-hunter provides an e-Bay price index for the supplements under discussion.
POSTBAG
A selection from listener comments, including a fascinating look at The Lovecraft Variant – an early Cthulhu adaptation for Tunnels and Trolls.
Follow me on Twitter @theGROGNARDfile
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Introduction – The origin of the game
Section One – Open Box – reliving the memories of playing the game for the first time and the faltering start.
Section Two – Judge Blythy Rules! – The Armchair Adventurers’ Resident Rules Lawyer discusses the finer points of the rules and style of play. We also speculate on what horrors have faced British Prime Ministers.
Section Three – White Dwarf – @dailydwarf talks about his early experiences of playing Call of Cthulhu and selects his favourite item from the pages from the halcyon days of the UK’s best gaming magazine.
Section Four – An invitation to listeners to contribute their stories of playing Call of Cthulhu in the early days.
Look out for a Micro Grod Pod coming soon featuring a list of our favourite CoC supplements and a current online pricing guide.
Episode 3 will feature TRAVELLER RPG
This is a supplement to the First Episode of The GRODNARD Files – Runequest.
I give a potted history of the game, from it’s origins to the present day.
There’s also a selection from the post-bag, featuring the responses from the listeners of the first episode – and their opinion about ducks.
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Enjoy!
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It’s been a steep learning curve, but the period of waiting is over, the first ever GROGNARD podcast is ready for your consideration.
In this first episode, I open up the Runequest Grognard file, as it’s the game that we first played all those years ago.
Open Box – revealing the content within the 2nd edition box set produced in the UK by Games Workshop
The White Dwarf – @dailydwarf selects the best Runequest feature from White Dwarf magazine.
Judge Blythy Rules! – @sjamb7 our resident rules lawyer talks through some of the finer points of Runequest and argues the toss over Ducks.
Games Master’s Screen – Five Runequest supplements randomly selected using my Grognard table with a buyers guide from @Edinthesand
Coming soon, a Micro Grog Pod containing the Origin Story and complete history of Runequest. Until then – enjoy, and let me know what you think!