This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re looking at The Unspeakable Oath, the Call of Cthulhu fanzine from Pagan Publishing (and later, Arc Dream). Debuting in 1990, the zine feel emblematic of its time, while also illustrating a continuity of DIY tradition from the early days of the Amateur Press Associations into the current RPG zine scene. All that plus tentacles!New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re looking at The Unspeakable Oath, the Call of Cthulhu fanzine from Pagan Publishing (and later, Arc Dream). Debuting in 1990, the zine feel emblematic of its time, while also illustrating a continuity of DIY tradition from the early days of the Amateur Press Associations into the current RPG zine scene. All that plus tentacles! New year, new <a href="https://www.nobleknight.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Noble Knight</a> discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store! Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

The Unspeakable Oath

Stu took a sick day so this week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, Hambone called in Tony Vasinda of Plus One Exp, Adam Vass of World Champ Game Co. and Levi Combs of Planet X Games to chat about what’s going on and what’s cool this Zine Month. Hot damn!New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Stu took a sick day so this week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, Hambone called in Tony Vasinda of <a href="https://plusoneexp.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Plus One Exp</a>, Adam Vass of <a href="https://www.worldchamp.io/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">World Champ Game Co.</a> and Levi Combs of <a href="https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/collections/planet-x-games" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Planet X Games</a> to chat about what’s going on and what’s cool this Zine Month. Hot damn! New year, new <a href="https://www.nobleknight.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Noble Knight</a> discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store! Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Zine Month Round Table

Old friends, new looks! This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re looking at NECA’s Ultimates versions of the LJN Dungeons &amp; Dragons action figures Warduke and Grimsword. We also check out Hasbro’s Dungeons &amp; Dragons cartoon series figures — Venger, Dungeon Master, Hank, Diana, Bobby and Uni. All these toys are honkin’ BIG, but are they all GOOD? How much nostalgia is too much? Find out wherever pods are cast!New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Old friends, new looks! This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re looking at NECA’s Ultimates versions of the LJN Dungeons &amp; Dragons action figures Warduke and Grimsword. We also check out Hasbro’s Dungeons &amp; Dragons cartoon series figures — Venger, Dungeon Master, Hank, Diana, Bobby and Uni. All these toys are honkin’ BIG, but are they all GOOD? How much nostalgia is too much? Find out wherever pods are cast! New year, new <a href="https://www.nobleknight.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Noble Knight</a> discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store! Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Dungeons & Dragons Toys in 2023

Dying malls and office buildings corrupted by extradimensional entities? Sounds like this week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re talking about Liminial Horror. A hack of Cairn from Goblin Archives, Liminal Horror takes the barely-there D&amp;D framework of that earlier game and applies to the tropes of investigative horror. It works shockingly well! We also touch on The Mall and The Bureau, two scenario zines. The Mall has intriguing mechanics for introducing stress-related agendas in play that are particularly exciting.New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Dying malls and office buildings corrupted by extradimensional entities? Sounds like this week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re talking about Liminial Horror. A hack of Cairn from Goblin Archives, Liminal Horror takes the barely-there D&amp;D framework of that earlier game and applies to the tropes of investigative horror. It works shockingly well! We also touch on The Mall and The Bureau, two scenario zines. The Mall has intriguing mechanics for introducing stress-related agendas in play that are particularly exciting. New year, new <a href="https://www.nobleknight.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Noble Knight</a> discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store! Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Liminal Horror

Here we are in the brambles. This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re looking at Cairn, Yochai Gal’s ultra-lite hack/remix of Into the Odd and Knave. How few mechanics can you have and still have a D&amp;D-esque RPG? It’s both more and less than you expect, probably. Cairn actually highlights Into the Odd’s differences from D&amp;D by pulling the Odd mechanics in a more old-school direction (Into the Odd lacks a recognizable spellcasting system, for instance). We run it all down. Next up: Liminal Horror!New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Here we are in the brambles. This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we’re looking at Cairn, Yochai Gal’s ultra-lite hack/remix of Into the Odd and Knave. How few mechanics can you have and still have a D&amp;D-esque RPG? It’s both more and less than you expect, probably. Cairn actually highlights Into the Odd’s differences from D&amp;D by pulling the Odd mechanics in a more old-school direction (Into the Odd lacks a recognizable spellcasting system, for instance). We run it all down. Next up: Liminal Horror! New year, new <a href="https://www.nobleknight.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Noble Knight</a> discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store! Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Cairn

We’re embarking on a tour of ultra-lite RPGs for the next few weeks on the Vintage RPG Podcast. Up first: Into the Odd Remastered, Chris McDowall’s extremely streamlined D&amp;D-esque ruleset that is so distilled it becomes a sort of commentary on the tropes of roleplaying games broadly. Next up: Cairn!New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

We’re embarking on a tour of ultra-lite RPGs for the next few weeks on the Vintage RPG Podcast. Up first: Into the Odd Remastered, Chris McDowall’s extremely streamlined D&amp;D-esque ruleset that is so distilled it becomes a sort of commentary on the tropes of roleplaying games broadly. Next up: Cairn! New year, new <a href="https://www.nobleknight.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Noble Knight</a> discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Into the Odd

Back the third party publishing of the 80s — this week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we take a look at GameScience’s Fantasy Gamer’s Compendium (1983), a collection of six smaller books originally created by the short-lived Little Soldier Games (in the mid-70s). Which is also the short-lived Phoenix Games (in like, 1980). It’s a little confusing, and we iron that out. The books themselves, though, are an inspiring collection of monsters, demons, skills, magic systems and new character classes, kinda sorta for D&amp;D, but also for other fantasy RPGs of the time. It’s a great example of the DIY nature of the hobby that’s been with us from the start, and will continue on well into the future.Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Back the third party publishing of the 80s — this week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we take a look at GameScience’s Fantasy Gamer’s Compendium (1983), a collection of six smaller books originally created by the short-lived Little Soldier Games (in the mid-70s). Which is also the short-lived Phoenix Games (in like, 1980). It’s a little confusing, and we iron that out. The books themselves, though, are an inspiring collection of monsters, demons, skills, magic systems and new character classes, kinda sorta for D&amp;D, but also for other fantasy RPGs of the time. It’s a great example of the DIY nature of the hobby that’s been with us from the start, and will continue on well into the future. Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Fantasy Gamer's Compendium

And we’re back! Hope y'all had an excellent holiday season. This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we sort of tackle the third edition of D&amp;D. Not so much the system (though we hit the broad strokes), but the idea of it, where it came from, where it went, what it inspired. It’s sort of a ruminating ramble that seems even more relevant now with the recent kerfuffle over the OGL (though we recorded before that bomb dropped, believe it or not).* * *Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises!Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

And we’re back! Hope y'all had an excellent holiday season. This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we sort of tackle the third edition of D&amp;D. Not so much the system (though we hit the broad strokes), but the idea of it, where it came from, where it went, what it inspired. It’s sort of a ruminating ramble that seems even more relevant now with the recent kerfuffle over the OGL (though we recorded before that bomb dropped, believe it or not). * * * Hang out with us on the<a href="https://discord.gg/XkjMnqK" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Vintage RPG Discord</a>! If you dig what we do, join us on the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vintagerpg" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage RPG Patreon</a> for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition

We decided to take a couple weeks off for the holidays, so we remastered a couple older episodes for your enjoyment. We'll be back with a new episode on January 9.Original show notes:Hey, we're weekly! We talk about what that means for the podcast going forward (forget that we say its December in the episode. It isn't. Schedules change, OK?).It would be rad if you joined us on our Patreon, because that definitely helps keep us going.We also talk about the classic D&amp;D monster, the rust monster. It was born from a cheap Hong Kong "dinosaur" in the 70s and has since become the bane of adventurers everywhere.* * *Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

We decided to take a couple weeks off for the holidays, so we remastered a couple older episodes for your enjoyment. We'll be back with a new episode on January 9. Original show notes: Hey, we're weekly! We talk about what that means for the podcast going forward (forget that we say its December in the episode. It isn't. Schedules change, OK?). It would be rad if you joined us on our Patreon, because that definitely helps keep us going. We also talk about the classic D&amp;D monster, the rust monster. It was born from a cheap Hong Kong "dinosaur" in the 70s and has since become the bane of adventurers everywhere. * * * Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord! If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

The Rust Monster (Remastered)

We decided to take a couple weeks off for the holidays, so we remastered a couple older episodes for your enjoyment. We'll be back with a new episode on January 9.Original show notes:Happy holidays, folks!We’re breaking from format this episode to dig deep into the nostalgia and look at the Sears Wish Book, an important part of our childhood Christmas experiences. Specifically, we’re looking at the catalogs from 1982, 1983 and 1984, which contained, you guessed it, Dungeons &amp; Dragons stuff. They are so much more than that, though, as you’ll discover when you listen!And, while we have you, let us offer our tremendous thanks for following Vintage RPG on Instagram, listening to the podcast and making this whole project fun and rewarding on a daily basis. All the best this holiday season!* * *Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

We decided to take a couple weeks off for the holidays, so we remastered a couple older episodes for your enjoyment. We'll be back with a new episode on January 9. Original show notes: Happy holidays, folks! We’re breaking from format this episode to dig deep into the nostalgia and look at the Sears Wish Book, an important part of our childhood Christmas experiences. Specifically, we’re looking at the catalogs from 1982, 1983 and 1984, which contained, you guessed it, Dungeons &amp; Dragons stuff. They are so much more than that, though, as you’ll discover when you listen! And, while we have you, let us offer our tremendous thanks for following Vintage RPG on Instagram, listening to the podcast and making this whole project fun and rewarding on a daily basis. All the best this holiday season! * * * Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord! If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

Sears Wish Books, 1982-84 (Remastered)

Join Stu Horvath (Vintage RPG, Unwinnable) and John McGuire (Mai-Tai Happy Hour, Ham-Fisted Productions) as they delve into their favorite tabletop roleplaying games from the past, present and future!

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s or 90s and played RPGs should give this a listen.

Escapism in these dark and perilous times

Great job finding the weird and forgotten role playing games of yore.

Great Show!

The Vintage RPG Podcast

Welcome back to the Vintage RPG podcast! We kick things off with the super-appropriate-for-July, Target-exclusive board game adaptation of Jaws. Its fun! The main course is Forgotten Realms, Ed Greenwood's classic campaign setting. We walk through the creation of the world, its absorption into Dungeons &amp; Dragons and just barely scratch the surface of all the stuff that has happened with the Realms over the years. The Realms are huge, so we'll be visiting them again, no doubt. We wrap things up with a look at Things From the Flood, the follow-up to Tales From the Loop, the RPG about the 80s that never existed. Flood moves things up to the 90s and now your kid characters can die, because the 90s are gritty! If you want to buy any of the stuff we mentioned on the show, there's a pretty good chance our sponsors at Noble Knight Games probably have it in stock! Use code SummerMoon from July 21 to August 5 for $5 off orders of $25 or more!

Forgotten Realms

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we travel to the furthest reaches of known space to explore TSR's space opera RPG Star Frontiers! We give you an overview of the game, the setting, the intriguing alien races and the game's surprising connection to the Dungeons &amp; Dragons Spelljammer campaign setting.  And more, including how TSR inevitably messed it all up! * * * After we recorded this episode, I read Bill Slavicsek's memoir about developing the West End Games Star Wars RPG, Defining a Galaxy. Slavicsek's recounting of the bidding war around the Star Wars license leads me to believe that TSR shuttered the Star Frontiers line in anticipation of developing a Star Wars RPG. That's a gut feeling, though. You should read his book (which is EXCELLENT) and decide for yourself! * * * New Noble Knight discount code for y'all: SpringFun. Use that to get $5 off purchases $25 or more, in store or online, from March 16  to April 11! Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord. If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Available on  iTunes,  Google Play,  Stitcher, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud,  Spotify,  YouTube and your favorite podcast clients. Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we travel to the furthest reaches of known space to explore TSR's space opera RPG Star Frontiers! We give you an overview of the game, the setting, the intriguing alien races and the game's surprising connection to the Dungeons &amp; Dragons Spelljammer campaign setting.  And more, including how TSR inevitably messed it all up! * * * After we recorded this episode, I read Bill Slavicsek's memoir about developing the West End Games Star Wars RPG, Defining a Galaxy. Slavicsek's recounting of the bidding war around the Star Wars license leads me to believe that TSR shuttered the Star Frontiers line in anticipation of developing a Star Wars RPG. That's a gut feeling, though. You should read his book (which is EXCELLENT) and decide for yourself! * * * New Noble Knight discount code for y'all: SpringFun. Use that to get $5 off purchases $25 or more, in store or online, from March 16  to April 11! Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord. If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Spotify, YouTube and your favorite podcast clients. Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Star Frontiers

We dive right into it, talking the history of Dragonlance - the modules, the novels, the...animated movie? It is the first major metaplot in tabletop RPGs and catapulted Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weiss onto the bestseller list, but never quite coalesced into the major D&amp;D campaign setting it should have. We talk about the reasons why. After that, Hambone sits down with Craig Bergman, assistant manager of the Fantasy Flight Games Center about, well, the awesome  Fantasy Flight Games Center event space. If you're in Roseville, Minnesota, drop on in! Join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! If you want to buy any of the stuff we mentioned on the show, there's a pretty good chance our sponsors at Noble Knight Games have it in stock! Use coupon code Dragon from August 19 to September 1 to get $5 off purchases of $25 or more. Check out the Kickstarter for Nerdy City's new Kickstarter for their Transformers-inspired RPG  Commandroids!

Dragonlance

This one was a long time coming. This week, we take a long and hopefully definitive look at the moral hysteria of the late 70s through the mid-90s, generally referred to as the Satanic Panic (CW: suicide, sexual abuse). We focus on the controversies around Dungeons &amp; Dragons, but also talk about the larger phenomenon and how it spilled over into heavy metal, children's toys and cartoons and even a couple criminal cases. Its spooky, but maybe not the way you think. Links of Interest The original  BADD pamphlet. Jack Chick's Darkest Dungeon. The 60 Minutes interview. Rob Halford singing court here. The Chicago Police Department  document on ritualistic criminal activity. Michael Stackpole's "Pulling Report." * * * Join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!  Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter.

This one was a long time coming. This week, we take a long and hopefully definitive look at the moral hysteria of the late 70s through the mid-90s, generally referred to as the Satanic Panic (CW: suicide, sexual abuse). We focus on the controversies around Dungeons &amp; Dragons, but also talk about the larger phenomenon and how it spilled over into heavy metal, children's toys and cartoons and even a couple criminal cases. Its spooky, but maybe not the way you think. Links of Interest The original BADD pamphlet. Jack Chick's Darkest Dungeon. The 60 Minutes interview. Rob Halford singing court here. The Chicago Police Department document on ritualistic criminal activity. Michael Stackpole's "Pulling Report." * * * Join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!  Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter.

The Satanic Panic

We crack the cover of the classic Players Handbook (1978) for first edition Dungeons &amp; Dragons. We talk a lot about Trampier's iconic, forbidding cover, of course, but also dig into the equally iconic interior illustrations, the philosophical state of the game at the time, the D&amp;D multiverse, the previous owners of our personal copies (who left their names in the front covers), and much more! * * * Happy Holidays, you dice-rolling maniacs. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

We crack the cover of the classic Players Handbook (1978) for first edition Dungeons &amp; Dragons. We talk a lot about Trampier's iconic, forbidding cover, of course, but also dig into the equally iconic interior illustrations, the philosophical state of the game at the time, the D&amp;D multiverse, the previous owners of our personal copies (who left their names in the front covers), and much more! * * * Happy Holidays, you dice-rolling maniacs. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Players Handbook

This week, we take a look at the famed Dungeons &amp; Dragons module B2 - The Keep on the Borderlands. We discuss how easy it is to find the module, even forty years later, the importance of beginner modules, the weird fact that it isn't an AD&amp;D module and its inclusion in the 5E playtest packet. We also draw some comparisons to RuneQuest's Snake Pipe Hollow and make a surprising number of references to the 1979 cult classic film The Warriors before ruminating on human creativity. A little bit of everything, as ever. * * * Stu owns three separate copies of The Keep on the Borderlands. Corrections: Keep is for levels one through three. Bill Willingham does not have art in it - just Roslof, Otus and Diesel. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

This week, we take a look at the famed Dungeons &amp; Dragons module B2 - The Keep on the Borderlands. We discuss how easy it is to find the module, even forty years later, the importance of beginner modules, the weird fact that it isn't an AD&amp;D module and its inclusion in the 5E playtest packet. We also draw some comparisons to RuneQuest's Snake Pipe Hollow and make a surprising number of references to the 1979 cult classic film The Warriors before ruminating on human creativity. A little bit of everything, as ever. * * * Stu owns three separate copies of The Keep on the Borderlands. Corrections: Keep is for levels one through three. Bill Willingham does not have art in it - just Roslof, Otus and Diesel. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

The Keep on the Borderlands

We dig into the original Monster Manual (1977), which is the dividing line between the old white box and the new first edition of Advanced Dungeons &amp; Dragons. Along the way, we talk about how we organize our shelves, the mysteries of Dave Sutherland’s shifting artistic style, the incomparable Dave Trampier, monster nudity, wood burning, the perils of slickness and more. Monsters! * * * Use code vintagerpg for 10% off all purchases ($5 minimum) at Noble Knight Games from December 3 through December 22 (mind your shipping methods to make sure you get your packages on time). * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

We dig into the original Monster Manual (1977), which is the dividing line between the old white box and the new first edition of Advanced Dungeons &amp; Dragons. Along the way, we talk about how we organize our shelves, the mysteries of Dave Sutherland’s shifting artistic style, the incomparable Dave Trampier, monster nudity, wood burning, the perils of slickness and more. Monsters! * * * Use code vintagerpg for 10% off all purchases ($5 minimum) at Noble Knight Games from December 3 through December 22 (mind your shipping methods to make sure you get your packages on time). * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Monster Manual

Because Star Wars is hitting the critical mass point for 2019, we figured we'd add to the fun with an episode that looks at the Galaxy Guides series of sourcebooks for the West End Games Star Wars Role Playing Game. We take a quick tour through each of the twelve volumes and chat about what they added to the RPG experience and how they formed the backbone of the greater Star Wars Expanded Universe. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Because Star Wars is hitting the critical mass point for 2019, we figured we'd add to the fun with an episode that looks at the Galaxy Guides series of sourcebooks for the West End Games Star Wars Role Playing Game. We take a quick tour through each of the twelve volumes and chat about what they added to the RPG experience and how they formed the backbone of the greater Star Wars Expanded Universe. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Star Wars Galaxy Guides

Hi gang! This week, we’re getting ready for the holidays and wanted to help give you a leg up on your gifts for your friends and family around the gaming table (and maybe yourself too, let’s be real). Below you’ll find link to everything we talk about on the show, plus info on the coupon codes. Han Cholo (ha, that name) for all your nerd jewelry and apparel needs. Dellamorte &amp; Co. (whoops, said that wrong on the podcast) and Black Rider Industries for sculptures and decorative housewares. Ice Cream Dice and Level Up Dice for, well, sweet dice. Exalted Funeral, for all your weird, dark, indie, occult, metal RPG needs (see coupon code info below!).  Zweihander (For the other books in the line, check this link)  The Young Adventurer’s Guides Chaosium –  RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu Starter Set,  Miskatonic University – The Restricted Collection, Khan of Khans Noble Knight Games, for all your tabletop needs, new and old (see coupon code info below!).  Invisible Sun (Stu said on the podcast that it was a relaunch and he has no idea why he did that – it is a new, original game) * * * Use code vintagerpg for 10% off all purchases at Exalted Funeral through December 15 (note: media mail can’t be guaranteed for Christmas delivery). Use code vintagerpg for 10% off all purchases ($5 minimum) at Noble Knight Games through December 22 (mind your shipping methods to make sure you get your packages on time). * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!  Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Hi gang! This week, we’re getting ready for the holidays and wanted to help give you a leg up on your gifts for your friends and family around the gaming table (and maybe yourself too, let’s be real). Below you’ll find link to everything we talk about on the show, plus info on the coupon codes. Han Cholo (ha, that name) for all your nerd jewelry and apparel needs. Dellamorte &amp; Co. (whoops, said that wrong on the podcast) and Black Rider Industries for sculptures and decorative housewares. Ice Cream Dice and Level Up Dice for, well, sweet dice. Exalted Funeral, for all your weird, dark, indie, occult, metal RPG needs (see coupon code info below!). Zweihander (For the other books in the line, check this link) The Young Adventurer’s Guides Chaosium – RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu Starter Set, Miskatonic University – The Restricted Collection, Khan of Khans Noble Knight Games, for all your tabletop needs, new and old (see coupon code info below!). Invisible Sun (Stu said on the podcast that it was a relaunch and he has no idea why he did that – it is a new, original game) * * * Use code vintagerpg for 10% off all purchases at Exalted Funeral through December 15 (note: media mail can’t be guaranteed for Christmas delivery). Use code vintagerpg for 10% off all purchases ($5 minimum) at Noble Knight Games through December 22 (mind your shipping methods to make sure you get your packages on time). * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!  Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Holiday Gift Guide 2019

You can’t have Dungeons &amp; Dragons without the dungeons! When you stop and think about dungeons as we understand them from fantasy roleplaying games, they're pretty weird places. We talk about some of that weirdness (where is all the construction debris?), random dungeon generators – particularly Task Force Games’ Casting Call: Dungeons – and the joys of exploring underground death traps with your pals. * * * I am still unclear on the connection, if there is one, between Task Force Games, Flying Buffalo and several other small labels. I suspect someone (Task Force?) was acting as a distribution for a time, but that is just a guess. If you can lay it out for me, get in touch, I’d be obliged. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

You can’t have Dungeons &amp; Dragons without the dungeons! When you stop and think about dungeons as we understand them from fantasy roleplaying games, they're pretty weird places. We talk about some of that weirdness (where is all the construction debris?), random dungeon generators – particularly Task Force Games’ Casting Call: Dungeons – and the joys of exploring underground death traps with your pals. * * * I am still unclear on the connection, if there is one, between Task Force Games, Flying Buffalo and several other small labels. I suspect someone (Task Force?) was acting as a distribution for a time, but that is just a guess. If you can lay it out for me, get in touch, I’d be obliged. * * * If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Dungeons

Hey, we're weekly! We talk about what that means for the podcast going forward (forget that we say its December in the episode. It isn't. Schedules change, OK?). It would be rad if you joined us on our Patreon, because that definitely helps keep us going. We also talk about the classic D&amp;D monster, the rust monster. It was born from a cheap Hong Kong "dinosaur" in the 70s and has since become the bane of adventurers everywhere. * * * But that's not all! Tune in tomorrow for a special bonus episode, the second part of our interview with Jim Zub, in which we discuss his D&amp;D comics and the forthcoming  Dungeons &amp; Dragons vs. Rick and Morty box set. * * * Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Hey, we're weekly! We talk about what that means for the podcast going forward (forget that we say its December in the episode. It isn't. Schedules change, OK?). It would be rad if you joined us on our Patreon, because that definitely helps keep us going. We also talk about the classic D&amp;D monster, the rust monster. It was born from a cheap Hong Kong "dinosaur" in the 70s and has since become the bane of adventurers everywhere. * * * But that's not all! Tune in tomorrow for a special bonus episode, the second part of our interview with Jim Zub, in which we discuss his D&amp;D comics and the forthcoming Dungeons &amp; Dragons vs. Rick and Morty box set. * * * Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

The Rust Monster

Russ Nicholson

This week, we talk to the incomparable artist Russ Nicholson. Russ has created countless iconic illustrations for tabletop RPGs - you probably best know his work from the original Dungeons &amp; Dragons Fiend Folio or from countless fantasy gamebooks, like the Fighting Fantasy series. We chat about his work, his career, Ouija boards, Scottish accents and more in what, as far as Russ can recall, is his first podcast interview ever! * * * A few notes directly from Russ after the fact: "Sorry about my memory and going off at side tangents so often but I enjoyed that...funny I have never talked in regards to the source of my artwork about the 'happenings' at our old house when I was growing up before. At least as I age, these awarenesses are rare and our present bungalow is so new there is nothing directly 'there.' Now artists - there are a few I especially rate (although I made a point of never copying) - Albrecht Durer, the Brueghals, Rembrandt, El Greco, Hals, Velazquez, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Mucha, Klimt, Toulouse Lautrec, Doré, Beardsley and Rackham, to name a few. Also pulps - Sax Rohmer, Howard, The Shadow, Weird Tales, Black Mask stories, Poe, Edgar Wallace, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Merrit, Hamilton, Jules Verne, Rider Haggard and the old pulp serials I saw at Saturday morning children's cinema - loved it all. From age ten on, when I left the countryside life for life in the city, I read a lot (up until then my mother thought I didn't read anything except comics). And that silent film I was trying to talk about - it had something similar, where a man is sitting by a rock pool (?) and these squidgy tentacled things (similar to the Grell toy Stu sent me) come out of the water and drag him to his doom. Scared me as a lad but I was in my teens so no screaming attacks (laf) and am still not fond." * * * You can see scads of Russ' art on his blog, The Gallery. If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

This week, we talk to the incomparable artist Russ Nicholson. Russ has created countless iconic illustrations for tabletop RPGs - you probably best know his work from the original Dungeons &amp; Dragons Fiend Folio or from countless fantasy gamebooks, like the Fighting Fantasy series. We chat about his work, his career, Ouija boards, Scottish accents and more in what, as far as Russ can recall, is his first podcast interview ever! * * * A few notes directly from Russ after the fact: "Sorry about my memory and going off at side tangents so often but I enjoyed that...funny I have never talked in regards to the source of my artwork about the 'happenings' at our old house when I was growing up before. At least as I age, these awarenesses are rare and our present bungalow is so new there is nothing directly 'there.' Now artists - there are a few I especially rate (although I made a point of never copying) - Albrecht Durer, the Brueghals, Rembrandt, El Greco, Hals, Velazquez, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Mucha, Klimt, Toulouse Lautrec, Doré, Beardsley and Rackham, to name a few. Also pulps - Sax Rohmer, Howard, The Shadow, Weird Tales, Black Mask stories, Poe, Edgar Wallace, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Merrit, Hamilton, Jules Verne, Rider Haggard and the old pulp serials I saw at Saturday morning children's cinema - loved it all. From age ten on, when I left the countryside life for life in the city, I read a lot (up until then my mother thought I didn't read anything except comics). And that silent film I was trying to talk about - it had something similar, where a man is sitting by a rock pool (?) and these squidgy tentacled things (similar to the Grell toy Stu sent me) come out of the water and drag him to his doom. Scared me as a lad but I was in my teens so no screaming attacks (laf) and am still not fond." * * * You can see scads of Russ' art on his blog, The Gallery. If  you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Send questions, comments or corrections to <a href="mailto:info@vintagerpg.com">info@vintagerpg.com</a>. Follow Vintage RPG on Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook. Learn more at the Vintage RPG FAQ. Follow Stu Horvath, John McGuire, VintageRPG and Unwinnable on Twitter. Intro music by George Collazo. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Russ Nicholson Interview

Daniel Fox

This week, we sit down with Daniel D. Fox, the creator of the Ennie Award-winning Zweihander Grim &amp; Perilous RPG. We talk about everything from the proper  pronounciation of "zweihander," the origins of the game in Warhammer, the importance of humor, inclusivity in tabletop games and much, much more. This is a big, philosophical discussion about tabletop games, so strap in and get thoughtful with us! * * * Join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! If you want to buy any of the stuff we mentioned on the show, like the massive Zweihander rulebook, there's a pretty good chance our sponsors at Noble Knight Games have it in stock! Use code LONGSWORD to get $5 off orders of $25 or more, in person or online, from September 15 through October 1.

Zweihander - Daniel Fox Interview

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Best Multi-Part Documentaries

The best podcast episodes on non-current politics. Covering topics such as universal basic income, democracy, poverty & justice and more. For anyone interested in learning more about politics that affect that world, not just now, but in the longer term. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!