This Ol’ Dungeon Podcast

One Shot Episode 21 Dave Townsend of Games with Dave

Well folks, I couldn’t let a month pass without getting out some sort of content on this channel, now could I?  So, I sent up some smoke signals and a great many of our gaming friends responded! Hopefully we will get several of them in for a show over the next season.  -But, first to reply was an awesome guy who’s out to bring the RPG world a little closer, Dave Townsend of “Games with Dave.” I’ve been on his interview show and have enjoyed listening to it over the last year or so.  He’s had an amazing array of game designers on with some really great conversations that cover far more than just TTRGPs!  You can catch his show at https://www.youtube.com/@Games_With_Dave. And join his show’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GamesWithDave/.

On this episode we talk a little about what seems to have been an OG fan-favorite AD&D 1^st ed character sheet.  Here's a replica of the sheet if you want a visual for what we’re talking about: https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1467647944694.pdf reconstructed by S. John Ross. I want to thank Dave for coming on and spending an evening recording with me.  Edwin, Bill, and I will be back very early in April to do an episode on the old Dragonlance module, DL1: Dragons of Despair!  If you want to write in with your experiences and thoughts on Dragonlance or any other show items write to: thisoldungeon@gmail.com .

Finally, as Dave mentioned, his online store will be opening April 2nd! Its address is www.GameswithDave.com – be one of his first customers!

One Shot Episode 20 Guts N Glory Volume 1

I (Luau Lou) always enjoy these one shot episodes, where I get to talk with creators about their brand-spankin' new creations and lean a little bit about how other folks go through that process.  This episode is doubly fun because it features the hot new publishing duo "Guts 'N Glory" a partnership of former guest host Ryan Howard and RPG art ninja, The Wonkee (Keelan Halvorsen).  They already did a great job on their Christmas-themed adventure "Oh, Knight Divine" and now they're back with a meater offering . This new Kickstarter features one adventure apiece: "His Heinous Harvest" and "Corpse Walk." These two young fellows are out to take up the mantel of old-school fantasy gaming and craft it within their own generational values to keep that style of play alive and well...  Anyhow, this was a fun discussion and the Kickstarter (if you are listening to this in March of 2024) IS LIVE!!!! Go check it out - For TWO full adventures and some campaign material this is a helluva price! Guts 'N Glory Volume 1 Kickstarter

Episode 40 Sundown on Starmist Star Frontiers

In this episode we go the distance on a couple great "letters from the homeowners association" dealing with all sorts of things like GMs altering player characters through encounter results, variable weapon damage, and the origin of the word "grok."  The center piece is the 1983 Star Frontiers adventure, "Sundown on Starmist." I want to warn you that I accidentally call the Sathar aliens the "Sraath" for the first half of the discussion (Sraath are the worm-like humanoidsI added to my Unnatural Selections monster book in homage to the Star Frontiers game-hence the verbal choke-up).

If you are a French-speaker and interested in being involved with the charity gaming event mentioned by Edwin, below is a flyer about it.  We will attempt to get you more information as it becomes released.

Thanks for all the write-ins, folks!  It really is amazing how much our audience interacts with the program -WE LOVE IT!

Episode 39 Dark of the Moon a Ravenloft adventure

We have a a bit of dissent over the 2nd Edition Ravenloft module, "Dark of the Moon." This werewolf-infested adventure has all the drama of daytime television with the thrill of spending a week vacationing in a gulag. On top of this discussion we cover both Snow Con and the brand new PAGE Con.  At the end of the episode we talk about a situation friend of the show J.E. Shields is going through with the loss of his son.  If you would like to contribute to a go fund me for funeral expenses, etc. you can do that here: Go Fund Me for Ben Shields Or you can support the new game-making team Guts N' Glory with their themed adventure "Oh Knight Divine" as they are supporting this charity with its sales. Oh Knight Divine  Next episode we are preparing to cover one of my favorite old game systems -STAR FRONTIERS! Stay tuned!

Episode 38 Harlequin for Shadowrun 1st Edition

In this episode Bill, Edwin, and Lou talk about the element of “Gonzo” in a RPG game, read some listener mail, and give the “This Ol’ Dungeon” treatment to one of the most famous Shadowrun adventure supplements, “Harlequin” from 1990. We discuss what works and what seems to need renovated within this grandiose set of 8 linked missions meant to tell a tale of revenge and subterfuge spanning what might be over a year of play. Written by a bullpen full of the industries most creative writers/game designers this ambitious product was definitely worth checking out!  We also talk a little shop about Con attendance and are hoping to promote a new con, The Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo running January 5^th through the 7^th.  Many of our industry friends will be appearing at this new convention which seems VERY RPG friendly!  If you’re with in driving distance and have a chance, be there for its inaugural launch! Here’s the site: https://phillyexpocenter.com/events/philadelphia-area-gaming-expo/ .

Otherwise, all of us here at “This Ol’ Dungeon” want to wish you all a happy holidays and many great fortunes in the new year.  We’ll be back (hopefully relatively soon) in January with a 2^nd Ed Ravenloft module!  Till that time, take care dungeoneers!

Episode 37 Mass Day at New Hope from Polyhedron 15

Due to flight delays, Edwin and Luau Lou are left without Bill to record this fun episode featuring a James Ward article from Polyhedron #15, called "Mass Day at New Hope." This Gamma World article is tentatively called an "adventure" but, in true This Ol' Dungeon style, we take turns trying to make this very simple encounter into a full-blown night of gaming - which is what you want for a holiday-themed piece like this.  Robotic Santas, discussions about the 3..uh I mean 4 monkeys, movie reviews, and a lot of pimipin' for December 9th's Crawl for the Cure on the DCC Mayhem's Twitch Channel (Here's the link).  But wait, THERE"S MORE! Bill sent in letter with all his response to the segments (read at the episode's end).  Well, until December, Happy Thanksgiving and keep on gaming!

OneShotEpisode19 Matt Gullet and The Caverns of the Dead God

In this one shot episode I get a chance to hang with Friend of the show and fellow podcaster, Matt Gullet.  Fresh from Texas's Long Con RPG convention Matt has brought his long-running adventure, "Caverns of the Dead God" to publication and is Kickstarting it RIGHT NOW! This is quite the quintessential starting adventure: a well-sketched out village, a neighboring cavern steeped in rumors, and a menacing cult that is operating in the area.  But this game has some really interesting "secrets" to it too, ones that Matt just doesn't want to spoil.  Still, he talks about its development and design intentions. Listen to the interview, but also check out his Kickstarter (which has almost blown through all its stretch goals with just a few days left)! Don't forget to follow him and his partner-in-crime, Eddy, on their podcast, 'The No-Class RPG Podcast" to get all sort of great banter on pop culture and role playing too!

One Shot Episode 18 ...Talking about Halloween Parties with Christopher Tupa

It's that time of year again!  Every year, host Luau Lou sits down with artist and friend of the show, Christopher Tupa (http://ctupa.com/Art_by_Ctupa/Home.html, https://www.youtube.com/@artbytupa3222) to talk Halloweens-past and present.  THIS IS NOT A GAMING EPISODE! No, this is just an excuse for two old friends to get together and talk about their favorite holiday, Halloween.  This year the theme is "What would you have going on at an Ultimate Halloween party?" So if you want to listen to that conversation...well we're inviting you to eavesdrop! If you have some Halloween memories, ideas, or want to talk about the gaming material this podcast is normally about, just write us at thisoldungeon@gmail.com or post on our Facebook page(https://www.facebook.com/people/This-Ol-Dungeon/100052215825539/).

Episode 36 White Wolf’s Loom of Fate for Mage the Ascension

Happy Halloween! For this month of the macabre we went diving for a good October RPG product and turned up, "All Hallow's Eve" a starting adventure from the Mage: The Ascension RPG rule book.  Come to find out, the adventure was expanded upon for the campaign-length 1993 product, "Loom of Fate." So we all took a good walk outside of our usual gaming systems to check out this tale of the weird from the hottest RPG producers of the 90s.  There's a couple letters from the homeowners and Edwin is up for Geek Credit!  If you have questions or gaming memories you would like to share, don't forget to write: thisoldungeon@gmail.com.

One Shot Episode 17 Prisoners of the Secret Overlord with David Matalon

We got the jump on this one!  David Matalon (screenwriter of the up-coming Totally Killer movie) has used his down time from the writers' strike to work on a project within his beloved hobby, and on October 3rd he will be releasing the all-new DCC adventure "Prisoners of the Secret Overlords." This adventure pays homage to many of the great lettered-series of the early days of gaming while just doing an absolute mic-drop on keeping that DCC flavor with the weird, wild, and gritty.  We have a great talk about his intro into gaming, his inspiration to become a screenwriter, and all the facets of this oversized-module that make it such a barbarous romp through one of the most unusual dungeons a band of reavers will ever encounter!