Teachers in the Dungeon

Tom and Dan visit with Matt Funk of Witch Please! publishing and learn about his Backerkit launch, Old John Stuart's Mill, an adventure designed for D&D, DCC, and a philosophy classroom. That's a lot to pack into one product, so listen in and find out how this came about.Watch the trailer HERE. Back the project HERE.Remember to like, share, subscribe and comment. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom challenges Dan to come up with five game mechanics that lend themselves to exciting storytelling at the table. Remember to like, comment, share and subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan take a deep dive into the lore of the bronze dragon: Noble, generous and sometimes a little obnoxious, the stories of these heroic creatures always seem to take a tragic turn.Remember to like, share, comment and subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook; @dungeonteachers on X and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Return with us to one of the classic dungeons that was upgraded and included in Tales from the Yawning Portal. Tom and Dan offer an overview as well as advice about how and when to use this dungeon in your own games.Remember to like, share, comment and subscribe.Connnect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan stuck their necks out and invited their collegues to try DnD in a 2-hour one-shot on a Friday night. The results were. . . encouraging. This one's definitely a fun listen.Early bird pricing for our DnD Express Conference for teachers ends May 26. If you're a teacher interested in building up the gaming community at your school, register HEREConnect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers in X and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

(Again, apologies for technical difficulties: our lapel mics glitched a bit but hopefully you can still enjoy the episode.) Tom and Dan talk to Annabelle and Robert, two the student DM's who ran RPGs for game club during the 2024-2025 school year. These thoughtful students have a lot to share about the benefits of RPGs they observed in their players as well as their own lives.Sign up for our Express Summer Conference (July 7-8) HERE.Remember to leave a like, and then comment, share and subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

They're beautiful, paranoid, inquisitive, intelligent and deadly. Elusive emerald dragons are a worthy addition to the draconic bestiary, and they offer a wide range of role play possibilities.Important links: Pre-order Adam Watson's new book HERE.Register for our Express Conference HERE.Remember to like, share, and subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Dan delivers a quick recap of Con-Tribution, the inaugural April gaming convention in Peoria hosted by Tabletop Gamers for Good, including Purple Worms, Game Show Showdowns, Nerdlesque, and tons and tons of board games.Remember to like, share, subscribe!Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

The gang (minus Tom, sadly) concluded their short adventure using 2024 rules. People died! And we offer our concluding thoughts about the rules updates versus the 2014 edition.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.comRemember to like, subscribe, share!And lastly: here's the LINK to register for our Express Conference on July 7 and 8, 2025.

Tom guides Dan through the gelatinous, moist, electrifying dungeon called The Briny Maze. This is a particularly challenging experience for players' intestinal fortitude as well as their combat and social skills, and Tom share all the details.Remember to like, comment, share, subscribe!Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan sit down with colleagues Tara and Kara, who recently demo'd DnD for the first time. They're also coaches of our high school's award-winning cheerleading squad. Talk about a clash of cultures! It's fascinating to hear the observations and insights of individuals who are completely new to the game, and who embrace it as fully as Tara and Kara did.Remember to like, share, comment and subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan share the fascinating and somewhat contradictory lore of the elusive yet friendly, kind-hearted yet capricious Crystal Dragon in DnD.Remember to like, comment, subscribe!Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Family duties kept Tom from us this week, but the rest of us played a one shot DM'ed by our friend Marc, using characters created from the new 2025 Player's Handbook. Listen in to our recap of the game.Remember to like, share, comment!Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Dan ventures into the fetid depths of White Plume Mountain in this week's episode, revisiting a classic dungeon crawl consisting of equal parts danger and unhinged whimsy.Remember to like, comment, subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Author and publisher Andrew Cawood returns to visit with Tom and share details of his upcoming backerkit project, "The Ghosts of Wrath." The adventure is compatible with any TTRPG system, so it's like getting multiple adventures for the price of one. Check out the details HERE.Remember like, comment, subscribe.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Reserved for the most sadistic and heartless of DMs, the green dragon is a must-have centerpiece for any campaign designed to break the hearts--and possibly psyches--of RPG players. Join us as we dive into the lore surrounding the suave, sinister, sadistic green dragon. Oh, and remember to like, share, leave a review, all that good stuff.Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Kind of an update show, folks. We give a quick recap of our time at IDEAcon, a brief overview of the 2025 Monster Manual, and most importantly, a new Backerkit project involving one of our students: Campfire--The Any Story, Anywhere TTRPG. It's definitely worth checking out HERE. Remember to like, leave a review and subscribe. And connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom leads us deep into Wave Echo Cave as we continue our series on famous dungeons of DnD. Dan has actually played through this one, so we're able to discuss this iconic dungeon from both DM and player perspectives.Remember to like, share, subscribe!Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Dan and the Teachers DnD gang hang around after the latest game session to discuss the concluding events of the Telessaria arc, including a tragic death.Remember to like, subscribe and share!Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

In our second installment of our dragons series, Tom and Dan take a look at the mysterious Amethyst Dragon. There's some fascinating lore associated with the Amethysts, and in addition they are a perfect addition to any campaign where you want to keep your players off balance, yet intrigued. Follow, like and leave a review! Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan get a chance to speak again with one of the cutting edge voices of RPGs in education. Adam Watson shares the events he's hosting and taking part in over the next few weeks, including a free workshop for teachers looking to explore the use of RPGs in the classroom. Links to all of the events mentioned in the episode HERE. Remember to like, share and subscribe. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan dive into The Sunless Citadel, a classic starter dungeon for low level characters. Also they detour into some literary commentary on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien, as all good DnDers must do, from time to time. Remember to like, share and subscribe, and connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

It was a busy week for Tom and Dan: teaching teachers to play DnD (and other games); putting on a mini-con with game club students at our high school, and jumping into the final showdown with the BBEG in the Telessaria adventure. It's all here for your listening pleasure! Remember to like and subscribe, and connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Fizban says they're 'The best of the best!' We kick off season 4 with a deep dive into the lore surrounding silver dragons, including a look at their personalities and preferences as well as some suggestions for how to use them and role play them in a campaign. Remember to follow and subscribe, and connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan share their plans for the podcast and ALL things DnD related for the upcoming year. Toms creativity has been unleashed like the Deck of Many Things, so listen in and find out what he's got planned. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com. Oh, we're on YouTube too!

Tom and Dan FINALLY get to play D&D together, and share the horror-tinged plot of this month's session as the party begins exploring the mysterious realm of Cziprinya, replete with deadly plants and animals, and a strange bluish fog that seems almost. . . alive. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

They're not just angels, ya know. Tom and Dan conclude their survey of creature classes with celestials. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Who better to write Worlds and Realms, an immersive travelogue/retrospective of the worlds and planes of the D&D multiverse, than Adam Lee? Adam has been involved with most of the memorable books produced in the 5e era, from Icewind Dale to Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. In our interview he shares his own experiences with D&D, his views on Mordenkainen, and which plane he'd visit first, among other things. Take a look at Adam's current endeavors here. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

With Dan evidently detained by the goblins, Tom sits down to interview Stacy King, author of the immensly useful new Dungeons & Dragons Pocket Expert, to find out how she decided what to include in the handy little guidebook that has just been published. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and the gang experience DCC for the first time, led by the inimitably cold-blooded Marc Kugler. They share their experiences with this high-body-count game and how it compares to DnD. As a bonus, we include Tom's recent interview with Andrew Cawood of Cawood Publishing, whose new Kickstarter is live now:Rivenhelm on KickstarterConnect with us! Teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Matt Funk is a man on an RPG mission, but he took some time out to talk to us about his website RPGs For Teachers, his publishing endeavor Witch Pleas, and his upcoming Kickstarter game system "Camp Fire." And if that's not enough to pique your interest, we also get downright literary, discussing how classic tropes from our oldest literary classics can be imported into today's RPGs. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instgram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan let their greedy hearts roam free as they recommend an extensive list of gifts for the RPG player in your life. We've included links to the small business websites that we mention in the show:Rebekah's Fate 3d designs Phylos Worldbuilding d20 Dinner Limitless Adventures Allen Morris Art Inkwell Ideas Creature Caster The Weathered Dragon Cawood Publishing Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom flies solo sharing the characters he created using the updated Players' Handbook. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook; @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com.

The teachers played DnD at FlatCon this month (except for poor sick Tom) and Dan spins the tale of exploding glyphs of warding, vicious Nabassu, sorcerer snipers, gorillas and plummeting rangers, all jumbled up in the mythic Tower of Ladies. Connect with us: teachersinghtedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Listen and get an inside look at a small, successful gaming con in central Illinois: FlatCon2024. Dan interviews the organizer, Brad Price, and several creative vendors who give their perspectives on taking part in this con. Links: d20 dinner handmade dice Phylos props and tabletop accessories Cephalopod Studios paints (try to ignore Dan's error at the very end of the podcast, referring to this as 'GenCon.' He really does know the difference.) Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

It's October, so obviously we're gonna talk about undead monsters in DnD. Dive into the lore surrounding the creation of various types of undead, and listen to Tom and Dan share their favorite undead monsters to run as DMs. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom knocked down several innocent people to get his hands on the new Player's Handbook at GenCon this year, and now he's ready to tell Dan all about the book. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Facebook and Instagram, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Dan fills Tom in on everything he missed in the most recent session of play: near-shipwrecks, locations of ill-repute, and a very persistent demon who just won't leave the cleric alone. Check out the Adventure Scents Dan mentioned in the episode HERE. The Nations and Cannons 5e compatible material is available HERE Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Continuing our creatures series, Tom and Dan dive into the world of constructs, taking a look at smothering rugs, golems of various flavors, clockworks and of course, modrons. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com Keywords dnd, d&d, dungeonsanddragons, dungeons&dragons

This episode distills much of what Teachers in the Dungeon has come to be, down into a single episode. Tom and Dan discuss the research surrounding the usefulness of RPGs in an educational setting, enhanced by their observations of the positive impact of game club upon students who attend. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com Keywords: dnd, d&d, dungeonsanddragons, rpgs, education

Let's Quest is a non-profit with the goal of putting RPG materials into the hands of schoolkids all over the nation, free of charge! Tom and Dan learn about this exciting new venture from creator John Johnson. Collecting donations from publishers, dice vendors, individuals and more, Let's Quest provides schools with the materials necessary to start RPG game clubs, enrichment classes and more. All they have to do is ask! You can learn more, request materials or donate HERE. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on FB and Insta, @dungeonteachers on C, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Rix, Dirichlet and the rest return as our game table returns to the Telessaria adventure! It's all about ocean travel, nausea Con saves and some rather unpleasant, demonic merrow this session. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Boblin the Goblin makes a brief appearance as Tom and Dan discuss the lore surrounding goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears, as well as the larger, contentious issue of good and evil in DnD 5e. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan share the wisdom they've gained from several years of Con attendance, including the best ways to navigate a vendor hall, the proper attitude toward celebrity encounters, and bathrooms. Especially bathrooms. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Hear that road noise? Yep, Tom, Dan and friend of the show Marc are driving home from GenCon 2024 and reflecting on the most memorable experiences, from Trade Day presentations to game demos to encounters with old friends and new. So listen in and share in their adventures. (And seriously, we're sorry about the road noise.) Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan provide one last overview of RPG Camp 2024, sharing their favorite moments, as well as plans for even more awesomeness in 2025! Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook; @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Since Dan was dragged away from the game table for ANOTHER session, Tom has to fill him in on the finale to the Waterdeep story arc. We also share our plans for this year's GenCon.

Tom and Dan boldly descend into the Abyss AND Avernus to provide an overview of the world of fiends in DnD. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Dan and Tom take you behind the scenes and share the ups and downs of planning and running a 4-day RPG summer camp for 30 high schoolers. We give a preview of the top-notch guests and volunteers who will make this year's camp possible, and a peek into the events and activities students will take part in. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom and Dan talk to the very first person to contact the show with feedback: Jason Jernegan. The wide-ranging discussion touches on playing DnD in a public library and online with strangers, Dragonlance and Drizzt Do'Urden, and the iconic Polynob the Bard (who has an Instagram account). Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com

Tom fills Dan in on a session he missed: poor Nikistos the Bard was sadly sidelined as the rest of the party battled bugbears, goblins and surprisingly dangerous carrion crawlers. Connect with us: teachersinthedungeon on Instagram and Facebook, @dungeonteachers on X, and teachersinthedungeon@gmail.com