Parallel Worlds

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 4 of Parallel Roles! With this show, we are playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our second season, we are using the new Cyberpunk RED system, and playing a campaign called Chrome Stars in the techno-grimdark world of Night City. In our fourth episode, Cali takes off her helmet, Rake goes hardcore, and Shielder is just done with all of it. CONTENT WARNING: this episode and this season include references to police violence and human trafficking that could be triggering for some listeners. For this season, we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Side-Note: Yes, we are aware that we get some rules things wrong; this is a complicated game! For a review of our experience, check out Parallel Worlds Issue #18.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 3 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our second season, we are using the new Cyberpunk RED system, and playing a campaign called Chrome Stars in the techno-grimdark world of Night City. In our third episode, Cali and Rake get called into the captain's office, get some new jobs, and reunite with an old acquaintance—well, part of them, anyway. CONTENT WARNING: this episode and this season include references to police violence and human trafficking that could be triggering for some listeners. For this season, we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Side-Note: Yes, we are aware that we get some rules things wrong; this is a complicated game! For a review of our experience, check out Parallel Worlds Issue #18.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our second season, we are using the new Cyberpunk RED system, and playing a campaign called Chrome Stars in the techno-grimdark world of Night City. In our second episode, Rake and Zachery Shielder revisit some old friends and get up to some shifty business. CONTENT WARNING: this episode and this season include references to police violence and human trafficking that could be triggering for some listeners. For this season, we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Side-Note: Yes, we are aware that we get some rules things wrong; this is a complicated game! For a review of our experience, check out Parallel Worlds Issue #18.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our second season, we are using the new Cyberpunk RED system, and playing a campaign called Chrome Stars in the techno-grimdark world of Night City. In this game, Angus is GMing, and we’re welcoming Sam to the team while Tom takes a season off. In the first episode, our under-resourced cops—Rake, Cali, and Zachery Shielder—investigate a warehouse where shady deals are going down! CONTENT WARNING for our American audience: this episode and this season include verbal descriptions of police violence that could be triggering for some listeners. For this season, we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Note: For the first season and a half, you will hear us refer to the show as "Parallel Wars." This was our first title, but it didn't really work, so we changed it! Side-Note: Yes, we are aware that we get some rules things wrong; this is a complicated game! For a review of our experience, check out Parallel Worlds Issue #18.

Welcome to episode 6 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our first season, of which this episode is the finale, we are using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and presenting a homebrew campaign, the War at the End of the World. In the final episode of Season One, Shax demands to speak to the manager, Cupboard strikes a deal, and No Affinity learns what it means to Blav(ian)! In our second season, we will be delving into the world of Cyberpunk Red with Angus as our Gamemaster. We hope you join us! For this season and the next, we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Note: For the first season and a half, you will hear us refer to the show as "Parallel Wars." This was our first title, but it didn't really work, so we changed it!

Welcome to episode 5 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our first season, we are using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and presenting a homebrew campaign, the War at the End of the World. In the semifinal episode of season one, our heroes attend a party, Cupboard makes his pitch, Shax nearly loses one of her nine lives, and Barsayus makes his choice! Apologies for Ben's microphone cutting in and out, he wasn't recording in the best location. For this season and the next (which will be using Cyberpunk Red), we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Note: For the first season and a half, you will hear us refer to the show as "Parallel Wars." This was our first title, but it didn't really work, so we changed it!

Welcome to episode 4 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our first season, we are using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and presenting a homebrew campaign, the War at the End of the World. In this second part of No Affinity's investigation of the Flaxenstrand Festival, our heroes face off against the legendary Horned Horror and his dreadful perytons. Shax catches a rat, Barsayus rides a person, and Cupboard takes his shirt off (be grateful this isn't a visual medium)! For this season and the next (which will be using Cyberpunk Red), we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Note: For the first season and a half, you will hear us refer to the show as "Parallel Wars." This was our first title, but it didn't really work, so we changed it!

Welcome to episode 3 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our first season, we are using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and presenting a homebrew campaign, the War at the End of the World. We begin with a brief recap covering our "lost" episode 2, then Shax, Barsayus, and Cupboard—having formed a new team called No Affinity—head to Garrodin City's Annual Flaxenstrand Festival, to hunt down a dreadful mercenary named the Horned Horror and recover his ancient treasure. For this season and the next (which will be using Cyberpunk Red), we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Note: For the first season and a half, you will hear us refer to the show as "Parallel Wars." This was our first title, but it didn't really work, so we changed it!

Welcome to episode 1.5 of our new podcast, Parallel Roles! With this show, we will be playing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in short, half-dozen episode "seasons" exploring various game systems. In our first season, we are using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and presenting a homebrew campaign, the War at the End of the World. In this brief session, with two players absent, Cupboard the bard and Barsayus the monk engage in a daring desert rescue alongside Zebidi the Benefactor! For this season and the next (which will be using Cyberpunk Red), we will be releasing the episodes in podcast form; starting in Season 3, however, we will be streaming our episodes on Twitch and other platforms. More information on that to come. Please enjoy and share with your friends! Also, please check out our magazine, Parallel Worlds, on our website or on DrivethruRPG Note: For the first season and a half, you will hear us refer to the show as "Parallel Wars." This was our first title, but it didn't really work, so we changed it!

In this issue, we revisit one of Asimov’s science fiction classics, get to grips with the Judge Dredd tabletop game, discuss setting in roleplaying, review another cracking board game, continue our fiction serial Acid – and much more! 00:00:18 – The quiet war: exploring the Polity novels of Neal Asher 00:14:27 – Classics of sci-fi: The Gods Themselves 00:20:08 – […] The post Parallel Worlds Issue 14 appeared first on Parallel Worlds.

In Issue 13, we delve into a very 20th century mythology; roleplay in Rogue Trader; continue our guide for gamesmasters; revisit Frank Herbert’s Dune; continue our fiction serial, Acid; and ask: what exactly went on in Twin Peaks? 00:00:18 – Superheroes: the modern western mythology 00:11:15 – Let’s rogue trade! Roleplaying in Warhammer 40,000 00:22:51 – Classics of science fiction: […]

In Issue 12, we catch up on our brilliant serial Acid; take a look at the Terminator franchise; play a bit of Dropship Commander; continue our guide for gamesmasters; pilot some mechs; and discover Empires of the Void II 00:00:18 – Was Terminator 2 a mistake? 00:14:22 – Four Against Darkness: a solo roleplaying phenomenon 00:25:17 – Enter the DropVerse […]

In Issue 11, we leap into the concept of mobility in video games, make it up as we go along, revisit Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, die several times in Outer Wilds, discover the steampunk world of Warmachine, review Journeys in Middle-earth and continue our gripping fiction serial, Acid. 00:00:18 – Press A to jump: mobility in video games 00:08:35 – Gamesmasterclass: […]

In Issue 10, we review a brilliant deckbuilder, evaluate Firefly, get to grips with Pathfinder, discover a brilliant French skirmish wargame, continue our excellent serial Acid, discuss worldbuilding, look back at one of Isaac Asimov’s greatest works, and introduce a wonderful new short story. 00:00:18 – It’s gorram over, Cap’n: why Firefly being cancelled was a good thing 00:16:12 – […]

Peter F. Hamilton is a bestselling science fiction author based in Bristol. His work includes the Greg Mandel series, the Night’s Dawn trilogy, the Commonwealth Saga, short story collections, and the Salvation Sequence. We caught up with him as he launches a new novel, Salvation Lost. Interviewed by Rob Sawyers, edited by Peter Wotherspoon.

This month, we scare ourselves to death with Junji Ito’s Uzumaki, discover a flat fantasy world, play a bit of Corvus Belli’s Infinity, rediscover a dungeon-crawler from 1989, catch up with Aliette de Bodard, dissect Altered Carbon Season 2, continue our Classics of Sci-Fi series, assemble an RPG party, review books and board games, and find out just what makes […]

This month, we catch ’em all, get to know the largest online community of D&D artists, learn about roleplaying’s most overlooked step, find out why space magic is so compelling, interview Anna Smith Spark and Isaac Childres, play some job simulators, and reassess the Star Wars prequels and Lost in Space. As ever, there’s our usual range of book and […]

In this issue, we get to grips with the biggest franchise in wargaming, run an urban RPG, explore cosmic horror, attack some titans, play a bit of Disco Elysium, find out what Twitch has to do with RPGs, pick apart Star Trek: Picard, and review our usual books, games and films. There’s some original fiction, too. 00:00:17 – Editorial 00:01:38 […]

In this issue, we revisit Babylon 5 to find out why it’s still relevant, take sides in the culture war in our discussion on The Rise of Skywalker, get to know the organisers of the UK’s largest wargaming convention, look back at nearly 100 years of Amazing Stories Magazine, choose our own adventure, buckle up for a BattleTech retrospective, and […]

In this issue, we’re all about aliens: we look back at Ridley Scott’s seminal 1979 film, scare ourselves silly in Alien: Isolation, and wonder just how common alien life is in our galaxy. We also interview horror writer Priya Sharma, continue our guides for gamesmasters, uncover a Chinese fantasy author you’ll never have heard of, review books and board games, […]

In this issue, we chat to video game legend Julian Gollop about Phoenix Point; investigate what happened to Half-Life 3; solve some murder mysteries; review Zombie Kidz, In Fabric, Fogbound, Ad Astra, The Majestic 311, Enemy Immortal, and It Chapter Two, look back at Fantasycon 2019, revisit Star Wars Rebels, and take a look at the ongoing development of Anthem. […]

In this issue: Vagrant Workshop, Duchamp Versus Einstein, Earthdawn, budget wargaming, Space Base, Beyond Kidding, Equinox, Homeworld, The Dark Crystal, Terraria, self-published novels, original fiction, and more. 00:00:18 – Editorial 00:02:24 – Interview: Carsten Damm of Vagrant Workshop 00:10:25 – Why aren’t aliens in video games more… alien? 00:23:41 – Wargaming on a budget 00:36:42 – Review: Space Base 00:41:25 […]

In this issue: Netflix’s Dark, Dragonslayer, original fiction, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Worldcon, Star Wars: Outer Rim, Kickstarter Roundup, global government, Star Trek, roleplaying games, World of Warcraft, Half-Life, Magicka, and more. 00:00:18 – Editorial 00:02:22 – Interview: Adrian Tchaikovsky 00:08:33 – Review: Star Wars Outer Rim 00:13:14 – Box half full: why Dungeons & Dragons is so popular 00:25:10 – Mini […]

In this issue: Lovecraft, Blood of an Exile, Star Citizen, Kickstarter Roundup, Tiny Epic Mechs, No Man’s Sky, Call of Cthulhu, Elite Dangerous, Dungeons & Dragons, Hollow Knight, UK Games Expo, original fiction, Dark Souls, and more. 00:00:32 – Editorial 00:02:36 – Interview: Isaac Childres 00:08:22 – Review: Tiny Epic Mechs 00:13:23 – Box full of knives: why Dungeons & […]