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Life is not meant to be lived alone. Throw some midlife stress in the mix and we really aren't meant to handle life's storms without the scaffolding of a community of friends. Toni Collier joins us to share her experience facing huge life challenges and how her friends were there in her darkest moments. What does friendship look like these days for you? Do you feel like you are pulled in multiple directions? You have guilt you haven't offered your friends more of your attention? How about vulnerability? Are you willing to trust those around you? How about repairing when things have been fractured? How can you find friends if you are feeling all alone? We talk through the unique aspects of female friendships in midlife. How to discern who to invest in, who to hold tight, and who to welcome to the larger group. If you are lonely this episode is for you. If you are exhausted this episode is for you. If you want to be a good friend to those around you this episode is for you. FIND MORE ABOUT TONI COLLIER Toni Collier's – Website and Instagram Toni Collier's Book- Don't Try This Alone Toni Collier's Podcast- Still Coloring FEW THINGS MENTIONED -Kurk Thompsons Concept (To be Seen, Soothed, Safe and Secure) -Jim Murphy Book- Inner Excellence -Lysa TerKeurst Book's- Good Boundaries and Goodbyes - Forgiving What You Can't Forget QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE In what area of your life have you been isolating or hiding? Who could you bring into your close circle? If there is one thing you are taking away from this interview, what would it be? LET'S CONNECT! Did you like this episode? Let us know and leave a review on itunes or share it with a friend. Or message us on Instagram – we'd love to hear from you! Get the Daily Dozen Checklist -12 habits that will immediately make you happier and healthier
Hell wasps? Check Vrock? Check Yikes? Big check.Featuring:Erika Jayne as Taryn GrimKasia Wayfinder as Granny SabinkaSeverin Gourley as Dexter Clementineand Julz Burgisser as DMVisit www.fateofisen.com to learn more.Fate of Isen is one of the Feedspot top D&D podcasts in the world! Check out Feedspot here.If you like the show, please feel free to follow us on social media (@fateofisen) or support us on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Intro, outro, and recap music by freesound user, Tyops, and ambient sound by TabletopAudio.com
Ryan and Ben dig into what's new with Wizards of the Coast, D&D Beyond, and Critical Role, then discuss initiative. Community Pages: Emworld's write up on D&D's Franchise Model; Games Industry interview with John Hight; D&D Beyond's Party Inventory; Mega Dungeon Decent Live Play in the Abomination Vaults; Critical Role campaign 4 details and character … Continue reading "Episode 142 – News and Running Initiative"
This week! Jeremy is diving headfirst into the world of contemporary Black cinema, sharing his favorite films from the last ten to fifteen years and spotlighting directors like Ryan Coogler, Jordan Peele, Shaka King, Ava DuVernay, and Spike Lee. Inspired by the brilliance of F.D. Signifier, he also shouts out incredible POC creators including Foreign Man in a Foreign Land, Khadija Mbowe, Kat Blaque, Princess Weekes, and T1J. Along the way, he digs into the current mess of AI on YouTube and what it means for creators, all while celebrating stories, voices, and the power of Black creativity on screen. Also - did you miss out on our first
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
(or, "A Load of Old Bollards") In which our investigators uncover ancient blasphemies, witness strange feeding rituals, and find that there is no safety in crowds… A Call of Cthulhu scenario by Danann McAleer. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Dr. Henry Carraig-Muire - Joseph Chance Rev. Perregrine McCutcheon - Dan Wheeler Lady Helen Marjorie Bjarmia Potts - Dominic Allen CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX from Epidemic Sound Kevin MacLeod, at Incompetech: Vanishing by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4578-vanishing License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4590-virtutes-instrumenti License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license With very special thanks to Finn McAleer for the use of his fiddle music, especially his album ‘Rough As Folk' (with The Great Bearded Tits). More of Finn's music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@finnnnn Epidemic Sound: Radestsky March - Trad. When I am Calling Your Name - Giant Ember Ave Maria - Trad. String Quartet in D - Andante (Trad.) Scorpion Dance - Mike Franklyn Sneaky Fingers (T. Mori) Trollmors Vaggsang (String Quartet Version) - Trad. Prayer - Arvid Svenungsson The Spy - Wendy Martini Hallucinarium - Kalak Lucky Bird - River Run Dry Polska Fran Knaggalve - Trad. Persapojkarnas Polska - Trad. Joyful Occasions - Ludvig Moulin Folksong on Piano - Trad. Horror Composition 5 (SFX Producer) Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 “Spring” II. Largo e pianissimo sempre - Michelle Ross Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315 “Summer” III. Presto - Michelle Ross Largo from Xerxes - Trad. Taproot - Esme Cruz Distant Chanting - Jon Bjork Vacuum Sealer - Edward Karl Hanson It Lurks Below - Trailer Worx Godsend - Johannes Bomlof Amaranth Fields - Reynard Seidel Let Them Try - Hampus Naeselius Evil Intentions - Experia Trailed By Horror - Trailer Worn Av Jord, Till Jord - Silver Maple Hold Me Now - Spring Gang Eye For Detail - Jay Barton It Will Fall - Daniella Ljungsberg Scandinavian Folk 10 - Trad. Sneaky Steak - Daniel Fridell House of Horror - Marc Torch Sign Here - Enigmatic Serenity's Reality 5 - August Wilhelmsson Jokers - Mary Riddle Corrivation - Ethan Sloan Fear of the Dark - Etienne Roussel Shadows Unseen - DEX 1200 Onus - Ethan Sloan O'Connor's Jig - Roy Edwin Williams Game Over - Daniel Fridell
In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, John McMahon and John Kaplan dive deep into one of the most important and most overlooked drivers of organizational growth: the roles of first and second line managers. Joined by Scott Rudy, CRO at Zywave, the conversation unpacks why these leadership levels are vital to sales success, where companies often blur responsibilities, and how to build accountability into leadership structures. From recruiting to development plans, and from forecasting to coaching, this discussion provides practical insights for CROs, VPs, and leaders who want to strengthen their sales engine and avoid costly missteps.KEY TAKEAWAYS[00:00:22] First line managers are the backbone of seller success but face high pressure with new responsibilities like recruiting, training, and forecasting.[00:02:02] Second line leaders should not act as duplicate first line managers; their true role is coaching, simplifying, and plugging gaps for new managers.[00:02:58] Proper segregation of duties—development plans, recruiting involvement, and quality checks—prevents confusion and duplication.[00:03:56] A sales organization's growth is often constrained by ineffective execution at the first line manager level.[00:04:53] Accountability must extend to both first and second line managers, ensuring clarity in responsibilities.[00:06:13] CROs should hold second line managers accountable for development plans and rep performance, not just first line leaders.[00:07:27] Recruiting should be a joint process—first line managers drive it, second line managers coach and validate decisions.[00:08:12] Second line leaders focus on quality, spotting blind spots, and identifying trends in recruiting and management.QUOTES[00:00:49] “Seller success should be the number one objective and North Star for a first line leader.”[00:02:02] “A great second line leader plugs the holes of a new first line leader by coaching and simplifying the job.”[00:02:58] “Segregating responsibilities prevents first and second line leaders from duplicating efforts and confusing reps.”[00:03:56] “One of the biggest obstacles for success is the execution of a first line manager.”[00:06:31] “If I'm the CRO, I'm asking the second line manager first about a rep's performance and development plan.”[00:08:00] “The second line leader ought to focus on quality—spotting trends and blind spots the first line leader may miss.”Listen to the full conversation through the link below.https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-critical-role-of-sales-managers-in-driving-growth-with-scott-rudyEnjoying the podcast? Sign up to receive new episodes straight to your inbox:https://hubs.li/Q02R10xN0Check out John McMahon's book here:Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4Check out Force Management's Ascender platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/
Matt Forbeck is all that and so much more. He grew up in Wisconsin as what he describes as a wimpy kid, too short and not overly healthy. He took to gaming at a pretty early age and has grown to be a game creator, author and award-winning storyteller. Matt has been designing games now for over 35 years. He tells us how he believes that many of the most successful games today have stories to tell, and he loves to create some of the most successful ones. What I find most intriguing about Matt is that he clearly is absolutely totally happy in his work. For most of Matt's career he has worked for himself and continues today to be an independent freelancer. Matt and his wife have five children, including a set of quadruplets. The quadruplets are 23 and Matt's oldest son is 28 and is following in his father's footsteps. During our conversation we touch on interesting topics such as trust and work ethics. I know you will find this episode stimulating and worth listening to more than once. About the Guest: Matt Forbeck is an award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author and game designer of over thirty-five novels and countless other books and games. His projects have won a Peabody Award, a Scribe Award, and numerous ENnies and Origins Awards. He is also the president of the Diana Jones Award Foundation, which celebrates excellence in gaming. Matt has made a living full-time on games and fiction since 1989, when he graduated from the Residential College at the University of Michigan with a degree in Creative Writing. With the exception of a four-year stint as the president of Pinnacle Entertainment Group and a year and a half as the director of the adventure games division of Human Head Studios, he has spent his career as an independent freelancer. Matt has designed collectible card games, roleplaying games, miniatures games, board games, interactive fiction, interactive audiobooks, games for museum installations, and logic systems for toys. He has directed voiceover work and written short fiction, comic books, novels, screenplays, and video game scripts and stories. His work has been translated into at least 15 languages. His latest work includes the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game Core Rulebook, the Spider-Verse Expansion, Monster Academy (novels and board game), the Shotguns & Sorcery 5E Sourcebook based on his novels, and the Minecraft: Roll for Adventure game books. He is the father of five, including a set of quadruplets. He lives in Beloit, Wisconsin, with his wife and a rotating cast of college-age children. For more about him and his work, visit Forbeck.com. Ways to connect with Matt: Twitter: https://twitter.com/mforbeck Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forbeck Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/forbeck.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mforbeck Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mforbeck/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forbeck/ Website: https://www.forbeck.com/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset today. We get to play games. Well, not really, but we'll try. Our guest is Matt Forbeck, who is an award winning author. He is a game designer and all sorts of other kinds of things that I'm sure he's going to tell us about, and we actually just before we started the the episode, we were talking about how one might explore making more games accessible for blind and persons with other disabilities. It's, it's a challenge, and there, there are a lot of tricks. But anyway, Matt, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Matt Forbeck ** 02:02 Well, thank you, Michael for inviting me and having me on. I appreciate it. Speaker 1 ** 02:06 I think we're going to have a lot of fun, and I think it'll work out really well. I'm I am sure of that. So why don't we start just out of curiosity, why don't you tell us kind of about the early Matt, growing up? Matt Forbeck ** 02:18 Uh, well, I grew up. I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I grew up in a little town called Beloit, Wisconsin, which actually live in now, despite having moved away for 13 years at one point, and I had terrible asthma, I was a sick and short kid, and with the advent of medication, I finally started to be healthy when I was around nine, and Part of that, I started getting into playing games, right? Because when you're sick, you do a lot of sitting around rather than running around. So I did a lot of reading and playing games and things like that. I happen to grow up in the part of the world where Dungeons and Dragons was invented, which is in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, about 30 miles from where I live. And because of that I was I started going to conventions and playing games and such, when I was about 12 or 13 years old. I started doing it when I was a little bit older. I started doing it professionally, and started doing it when I was in college. And amazingly enough, even to my own astonishment, I've made a career out of it. Speaker 1 ** 03:17 Where did you go to college? I went to the University Matt Forbeck ** 03:21 of Michigan over in Ann Arbor. I had a great time there. There's a wonderful little college, Beloit College, in my hometown here, and most of my family has gone to UW Milwaukee over the years. My parents met at Marquette in Milwaukee, but I wanted to get the heck out of the area, so I went to Michigan, and then found myself coming back as soon as we started having Speaker 1 ** 03:42 kids well, and of course, I would presume that when you were at the University of Michigan, you rooted for them and against Ohio State. That was Matt Forbeck ** 03:50 kind of, you know, if you did it the other way around, they back out of town. So, yeah, I was always kind of astonished, though, because having grown up in Wisconsin, where every sports team was a losing team when I was growing up, including the Packers, for decades. You know, we were just happy to be playing. They were more excuse to have beers than they were to cheer on teams. And I went to Michigan where they were, they were angry if the team wasn't up by two touchdowns. You know, at any point, I'm like, You guys are silly. This is we're here for fun. Speaker 1 ** 04:17 But it is amazing how seriously some people take sports. I remember being in New Zealand helping the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind. Well now 22 years ago, it's 2003 and the America's Cup had just finished before we got there, and in America beat New Zealand, and the people in New Zealand were just irate. They were complaining that the government didn't put enough money into the design of the boat and helping with the with the yacht and all that. It was just amazing how seriously people take it, yeah, Matt Forbeck ** 04:58 once, I mean, it becomes a part of your. Identity in a lot of ways, right for many people, and I've never had to worry about that too much. I've got other things on my mind, but there you go. Speaker 1 ** 05:08 Well, I do like it when the Dodgers win, and my wife did her graduate work at USC, and so I like it when the Trojans win, but it's not the end of the world, and you do need to keep it in perspective. I I do wish more people would I know once I delivered a speech in brether County, Kentucky, and I was told that when I started the speech had to end no later than preferably exactly at 6:30pm not a minute later, because it was the night of the NCAA Basketball Championship, and the Kentucky Wildcats were in the championship, and at 630 everyone was going to get up and leave and go home to watch the game. So I ended at 630 and literally, by 631 I timed it. The gym was empty and it was full to start with. Matt Forbeck ** 06:02 People were probably, you know, counting down on their watches, just to make sure, right? Speaker 1 ** 06:06 Oh, I'm sure they were. What do you do? It's, it is kind of fun. Well, so why did you decide to get started in games? What? What? What attracted to you, to it as a young person, much less later on? Matt Forbeck ** 06:21 Well, I was, yeah, I was an awkward kid, kind of nerdy and, you know, glasses and asthma and all that kind of stuff. And games were the kind of thing where, if you didn't know how to interact with people, you could sit down at a table across them and you could practice. You can say, okay, we're all here. We've got this kind of a magic circle around us where we've agreed to take this one silly activity seriously for a short period of time, right? And it may be that you're having fun during that activity, but you know, there's, there's no reason that rolling dice or moving things around on a table should be taken seriously. It's all just for fun, right? But for that moment, you actually just like Las Vegas Exactly, right? When there's money on the line, it's different, but if you're just doing it for grins. You know, it was a good way for me to learn how to interact with people of all sorts and of different ages. And I really enjoyed playing the games, and I really wanted to be a writer, too. And a lot of these things interacted with story at a very basic level. So breaking in as a writer is tough, but it turned out breaking as a game designer, wasn't nearly his stuff, so I started out over there instead, because it was a very young field at the time, right? D and D is now 50 years old, so I've been doing this 35 years, which means I started around professionally and even doing it before that, I started in the period when the game and that industry were only like 10 or 15 years old, so yeah, weren't quite as much competition in those Speaker 1 ** 07:43 days. I remember some of the early games that I did play, that I could play, were DOS based games, adventure. You're familiar with adventure? Yeah, oh, yeah. Then later, Zork and all that. And I still think those are fun games. And I the reason I like a lot of those kinds of games is they really make you think, which I think most games do, even though the video even the video games and so on, they they help your or can help your reactions, but they're designed by people who do try to make you think, Matt Forbeck ** 08:15 yeah. I mean, we basically are designing puzzles for people to solve, even if they're story puzzles or graphic puzzles or sound puzzles or whatever, you know, even spatial puzzles. There the idea is to give somebody something fun that is intriguing to play with, then you end up coming with story and after that, because after a while, even the most most exciting mechanics get dull, right? I mean, you start out shooting spaceships, but you can only shoot spaceships for so long, or you start out playing Tetris, and you only put shapes together for so long before it doesn't mean anything that then you start adding in story to give people a reason to keep playing right and a reason to keep going through these things. And I've written a lot of video games over the years, basically with that kind of a philosophy, is give people nuggets of story, give them a plot to work their way through, and reward them for getting through different stages, and they will pretty much follow you through anything. It's amazing. Michael Hingson ** 09:09 Is that true Dungeons and Dragons too? Matt Forbeck ** 09:13 It is. All of the stories are less structured there. If you're doing a video game, you know you the team has a lot of control over you. Give the player a limited amount of control to do things, but if you're playing around a table with people, it's more of a cooperative kind of experience, where we're all kind of coming up with a story, the narrator or the Game Master, the Dungeon Master, sets the stage for everything, but then the players have a lot of leeway doing that, and they will always screw things up for you, too. No matter what you think is going to happen, the players will do something different, because they're individuals, and they're all amazing people. That's actually to me, one of the fun things about doing tabletop games is that, you know, the computer can only react in a limited number of ways, whereas a human narrator and actually change things quite drastically and roll. With whatever people come up with, and that makes it tremendous fun. Speaker 1 ** 10:04 Do you think AI is going to enter into all that and maybe improve some of the Matt Forbeck ** 10:09 old stuff? It's going to add your end to it, whether it's an ad, it's going to approve it as a large question. Yeah. So I've been ranting about AI quite a bit lately with my friends and family. But, you know, I think the problem with AI, it can be very helpful a lot of ways, but I think it's being oversold. And I think it's especially when it's being oversold for thing, for ways for people to replace writers and creative thinking, Yeah, you know, you're taking the fun out of everything. I mean, the one thing I like to say is if, if you can't be bothered to write this thing that you want to communicate to me, I'm not sure why I should be bothered to read this thing well. Speaker 1 ** 10:48 And I think that AI will will evolve in whatever way it does. But the fact of the matter is, So do people. And I think that, in fact, people are always going to be necessary to make the process really work? AI can only do and computers can only do so much. I mean, even Ray Kurzweil talks about the singularity when people and computer brains are married, but that still means that you're going to have the human element. So it's not all going to be the computer. And I'm not ready to totally buy into to what Ray says. And I used to work for Ray, so I mean, I know Ray Well, but, but the but the bottom line is, I think that, in fact, people are always going to be able to be kind of the, the mainstay of it, as long as we allow that, if we, if we give AI too much power, then over time, it'll take more power, and that's a problem, but that's up to us to deal with? Matt Forbeck ** 11:41 No, I totally agree with that. I just think right now, there's a very large faction of people who it's in their economic interest to oversell these things. You know, people are making chips. They're building server farms. A lot of them are being transferred from people are doing blockchain just a few years ago, and they see it as the hot new thing. The difference is that AI actually has a lot of good uses. There's some amazing things will come out of llms and such. But I again, people are over the people are selling this to us. Are often over promising things, right? Speaker 1 ** 12:11 Yeah, well, they're not only over promising but they're they're really misdirecting people. But the other side of it is that, that, in fact, AI as a concept and as a technology is here, and we have control over how we use it. I've said a couple times on this this podcast, and I've said to others, I remember when I first started hearing about AI, I heard about the the fact that teachers were bemoaning the pack, that kids were writing their papers just using AI and turning them in, and it wasn't always easy to tell whether it was something that was written by AI or was written by the student. And I come from a little bit different view than I think a lot of people do. And my view basically is, let the kids write it if with AI, if that's what they're going to do, but then what the teacher needs to do is to take one period, for example, and give every student in that class the opportunity to come up and defend whatever paper they have. And the real question is, can they defend the paper? Which means, have they really learned the subject, or are they just relying on AI, Matt Forbeck ** 13:18 yeah, I agree with that. I think the trouble is, a lot of people, children, you know, who are developing their abilities and their morals about this stuff, they use it as just a way to complete the assignment, right? And many of them don't even read what they turn in, right, right? Just know that they've got something here that will so again, if you can't be bothered to read the thing that you manufactured, you're not learning anything about it, Speaker 1 ** 13:39 which is why, if you are forced to defend it, it's going to become pretty obvious pretty fast, whether you really know it or not. Now, I've used AI on a number of occasions in various ways, but I use it to maybe give me ideas or prepare something that I then modify and shape. And I may even interact with AI a couple of times, but I'm definitely involved with the process all the way down the line, because it still has to be something that I'm responsible for. Matt Forbeck ** 14:09 I agree. I mean, the whole point of doing these things is for people to connect with each other, right? I want to learn about the ideas you have in your head. I want to see how they jive with ones in my head. But if I'm just getting something that's being spit out by a machine and not you, and not being curated by you at any point, that doesn't seem very useful, right? So if you're the more involved people are in it, the more useful it is. Speaker 1 ** 14:31 Well, I agree, and you know, I think again, it's a tool, and we have to decide how the tool is going to be used, which is always the way it ought to be. Right? Matt Forbeck ** 14:42 Exactly, although sometimes it's large corporations deciding, Speaker 1 ** 14:45 yeah, well, there's that too. Well, individuals, Matt Forbeck ** 14:49 we get to make our own choices. Though you're right, Speaker 1 ** 14:51 yes, and should Well, so, so when did you start bringing writing into what you. Did, and make that a really significant part of what you did? Matt Forbeck ** 15:03 Well, pretty early on, I mean, I started doing one of the first things I did was a gaming zine, which was basically just a print magazine that was like, you know, 32 pages, black and white, about the different tabletop games. So we were writing those in the days, design and writing are very closely linked when it comes to tabletop games and even in video games. The trick of course is that designing a game and writing the rules are actually two separate sets of skills. So one of the first professional gig I ever had during writing was in games was some friends of mine had designed a game for a company called Mayfair games, which went on to do sellers of contain, which is a big, uh, entry level game, and but they needed somebody to write the rules, so they called me over, showed me how to play the game. I took notes and I I wrote it down in an easy to understand, clear way that people had just picked up the box. Could then pick it up and teach themselves how to play, right? So that was early on how I did it. But the neat thing about that is it also taught me to think about game design. I'm like, when I work on games, I think about, who is this game going to be for, and how are we going to teach it to them? Because if they can't learn the game, there's no point of the game at all, right? Speaker 1 ** 16:18 And and so I'm right? I'm a firm believer that a lot of technical writers don't do a very good job of technical writing, and they write way over people's heads. I remember the first time I had to write, well, actually, I mentioned I worked for Kurzweil. I was involved with a project where Ray Kurzweil had developed his original omniprent optical character recognition system. And I and the National Federation of the Blind created with him a project to put machines around the country so that blind people could use them and give back to Ray by the time we were all done, recommendations as to what needed to go in the final first production model of the machine. So I had to write a training manual to teach people how to use it. And I wrote this manual, and I was always of the opinion that it had to be pretty readable and usable by people who didn't have a lot of technical knowledge. So I wrote the manual, gave it to somebody to read, and said, Follow the directions and and work with the machine and all that. And they did, and I was in another room, and they were playing with it for a couple of hours, and they came in and they said, I'm having a problem. I can't figure out how to turn off the machine. And it turns out that I had forgotten to put in the instruction to turn off the machine. And it wasn't totally trivial. There were steps you had to go through. It was a Data General Nova two computer, and you had to turn it off the right way and the whole system off the appropriate way, or you could, could mess everything up. So there was a process to doing it. So I wrote it in, and it was fine. But, you know, I've always been a believer that the textbooks are way too boring. Having a master's degree in physics, I am of the opinion that physics textbook writers, who are usually pretty famous and knowledgeable scientists, ought to include with all the text and the technical stuff they want to put in, they should put in stories about what they did in you bring people in, draw them into the whole thing, rather than just spewing out a bunch of technical facts. Matt Forbeck ** 18:23 No, I agree. My my first calculus professor was a guy who actually explained how Newton and Leipzig actually came up with calculus, and then he would, you know, draw everything on the board and turn around say, and isn't that amazing? And you were, like, just absolutely enamored with the idea of how they had done these things, right? Yeah. And what you're doing there, when you, when you, when you give the instructions to somebody and say, try this out. That's a very big part of gaming, actually, because what we do this thing called play testing, where we take something before it's ready to be shown to the public, and we give it to other people and say, try this out. See how it works. Let me know when you're starting out of your first playing you play with like your family and friends and people will be brutal with you and give you hints about how you can improve things. But then, even when you get to the rules you're you send those out cold to people, or, you know, if you're a big company, you watch them through a two way mirror or one way mirror, and say, Hey, let's see how they react to everything. And then you take notes, and you try to make it better every time you go through. And when I'm teaching people to play games at conventions, for instance, I will often say to them, please ask questions if you don't understand anything, that doesn't mean you're dumb. Means I didn't explain it well enough, right? And my job as a person writing these rules is to explain it as well as I humanly can so it can't be misconstrued or misinterpreted. Now that doesn't mean you can correct everything. Somebody's always got like, Oh, I missed that sentence, you know, whatever. But you do that over and over so you can try to make it as clear and concise as possible, yeah. Speaker 1 ** 19:52 Well, you have somewhat of a built in group of people to help if you let your kids get involved. Involved. So how old are your kids? Matt Forbeck ** 20:03 My eldest is 26 he'll be 27 in January. Marty is a game designer, actually works with me on the marble tabletop role playing game, and we have a new book coming out, game book for Minecraft, called Minecraft role for adventure, that's coming out on July 7, I think, and the rest of the kids are 23 we have 423 year olds instead of quadruplets, one of whom is actually going into game design as well, and the other says two are still in college, and one has moved off to the work in the woods. He's a very woodsy boy. Likes to do environmental education with people. Speaker 1 ** 20:39 Wow. Well, see, but you, but you still have a good group of potential game designers or game critics anyway. Matt Forbeck ** 20:47 Oh, we all play games together. We have a great time. We do weekly game nights here. Sometimes they're movie nights, sometimes they're just pizza nights, but we shoot for game and pizza Speaker 1 ** 20:56 if we get lucky and your wife goes along with all this too. Matt Forbeck ** 21:00 She does. She doesn't go to the game conventions and stuff as much, and she's not as hardcore of a gamer, but she likes hanging out with the kids and doing everything with us. We have a great time. Speaker 1 ** 21:10 That's that's pretty cool. Well, you, you've got, you've got to build an audience of some sorts, and that's neat that a couple of them are involved in it as well. So they really like what dad does, yeah, Matt Forbeck ** 21:23 yeah. We, I started taking them each to conventions, which are, you know, large gatherings gamers in real life. The biggest one is Gen Con, which happens in Indianapolis in August. And last year, I think, we had 72,000 people show up. And I started taking the kids when they were 10 years old, and my wife would come up with them then. And, you know, 10 years old is a lot. 72,000 people is a lot for a 10 year old. So she can mention one day and then to a park the next day, you know, decompress a lot, and then come back on Saturday and then leave on Sunday or whatever, so that we didn't have them too over stimulated. But they really grown to love it. I mean, it's part of our annual family traditions in the summer, is to go do these conventions and play lots of games with each other and meet new people too well. Speaker 1 ** 22:08 And I like the way you put it. The games are really puzzles, which they are, and it's and it's fun. If people would approach it that way, no matter what the game is, they're, they're aspects of puzzles involved in most everything that has to do with the game, and that's what makes it so fun. Matt Forbeck ** 22:25 Exactly, no. The interesting thing is, when you're playing with other people, the other people are changing the puzzles from their end that you have to solve on your end. And sometimes the puzzle is, how do I beat this person, or how do I defeat their strategy, or how do I make an alliance with somebody else so we can win? And it's really always very intriguing. There's so many different types of games. There's nowadays, there's like something like 50 to 100 new board games that come out and tabletop games every month, right? It's just like a fire hose. It's almost like, when I was starting out as a novelist, I would go into Barnes and Noble or borders and go, Oh my gosh, look at all these books. And now I do the same thing about games. It's just, it's incredible. Nobody, no one person, could keep up with all of them. Speaker 1 ** 23:06 Yeah, yeah, yeah, way too much. I would love to explore playing more video games, but I don't. I don't own a lot of the technology, although I'm sure that there are any number of them that can be played on a computer, but we'll have to really explore and see if we can find some. I know there are some that are accessible for like blind people with screen readers. I know that some people have written a few, which is kind of cool. Yeah. Matt Forbeck ** 23:36 And Xbox has got a new controller out that's meant to be accessible to large amount of people. I'm not sure, all the different aspects of it, but that's done pretty well, too Speaker 1 ** 23:44 well. And again, it comes down to making it a priority to put all of that stuff in. It's not like it's magic to do. It's just that people don't know how to do it. But I also think something else, which is, if you really make the products more usable, let's say by blind people with screen readers. You may be especially if it's well promoted, surprised. I'm not you necessarily, but people might well be surprised as to how many others might take advantage of it so that they don't necessarily have to look at the screen, or that you're forced to listen as well as look in order to figure out what's going on or take actions. Matt Forbeck ** 24:29 No, definitely true. It's, you know, people audio books are a massive thing nowadays. Games tend to fall further behind that way, but it's become this incredible thing that obviously, blind people get a great use out of but my wife is addicted to audio books now. She actually does more of those than she does reading. I mean, I technically think they're both reading. It's just one's done with yours and one's done with your eyes. Speaker 1 ** 24:51 Yeah, there's but there's some stuff, whether you're using your eyes or your fingers and reading braille, there's something about reading a book that way that's. Even so a little bit different than listening to it. Yeah, and there's you're drawn in in some ways, in terms of actually reading that you're not necessarily as drawn into when you're when you're listening to it, but still, really good audio book readers can help draw you in, which is important, too, Matt Forbeck ** 25:19 very much. So yeah, I think the main difference for reading, whether it's, you know, again, through Braille or through traditional print, is that you can stop. You can do it at your own pace. You can go back and look at things very easily, or read or check things, read things very easily. That you know, if you're reading, if you're doing an audio book, it just goes on and it's straight on, boom, boom, boom, pace. You can say, Wait, I'm going to put this down here. What was that thing? I remember back there? It was like three pages back, but it's really important, let me go check that right. Speaker 1 ** 25:50 There are some technologies that allow blind people and low vision people and others, like people with dyslexia to use an audio book and actually be able to navigate two different sections of it. But it's not something that is generally available to the whole world, at least to the level that it is for blind people. But I can, I can use readers that are made to be able to accept the different formats and go back and look at pages, go back and look at headings, and even create bookmarks to bookmark things like you would normally by using a pen or a pencil or something like that. So there are ways to do some of that. So again, the technology is making strides. Matt Forbeck ** 26:37 That's fantastic. Actually, it's wonderful. Just, yeah, it's great. I actually, you know, I lost half the vision of my right eye during back through an autoimmune disease about 13 years ago, and I've always had poor vision. So I'm a big fan of any kind of way to make things easier, Speaker 1 ** 26:54 like that. Well, there, there are things that that are available. It's pretty amazing. A guy named George curser. Curser created a lot of it years ago, and it's called the DAISY format. And the whole idea behind it is that you can actually create a book. In addition to the audio tracks, there are XML files that literally give you the ability to move and navigate around the book, depending on how it's created, as final level as you choose. Matt Forbeck ** 27:25 Oh, that's That's amazing. That's fantastic. I'm actually really glad to hear that. Speaker 1 ** 27:28 So, yeah, it is kind of fun. So there's a lot of technology that's that's doing a lot of different sorts of things and and it helps. But um, so for you, in terms of dealing with, with the games, you've, you've written games, but you've, you've actually written some novels as well, right? Matt Forbeck ** 27:50 Yeah, I've got like 30, it depends on how you count a novel, right? Okay, like some of my books are to pick a path books, right? Choose Your Own Adventure type stuff. So, but I've got 35 traditional novels written or more, I guess, now, I lost track a while ago, and probably another dozen of these interactive fiction books as well. So, and I like doing those. I've also written things like Marvel encyclopedias and Avengers encyclopedias and all sorts of different pop culture books. And, you know, I like playing in different worlds. I like writing science fiction, fantasy, even modern stuff. And most of it, for me comes down to telling stories, right? If you like to tell stories, you can tell stories through a game or book or audio play or a TV show or a comic, or I've done, you know, interactive museum, games and displays, things like that. The main thing is really a story. I mean, if you're comfortable sitting down at a bar and having a drink with somebody, doesn't have to be alcohol, just sitting down and telling stories with each other for fun. That's where the core of it all is really Speaker 1 ** 28:58 right. Tell me about interactive fiction book. Matt Forbeck ** 29:01 Sure, a lot of these are basically just done, like flow charts, kind of like the original Zork and adventure that you were talking about where you I actually, I was just last year, I brought rose Estes, who's the inventor of the endless quest books, which were a cross between Dungeons and Dragons, and choose your own adventure books. She would write the whole thing out page by page on a typewriter, and then, in order to shuffle the pages around so that people wouldn't just read straight through them, she'd throw them all up in the air and then just put them back in whatever order they happen to be. But essentially, you read a section of a book, you get to the end, and it gives you a choice. Would you like to go this way or that way? Would you like to go beat up this goblin? Or would you like to make friends with this warrior over here? If you want to do one of these things, go do page xx, right? Got it. So then you turn to that page and you go, boom, some, actually, some of the endless quest books I know were turned into audio books, right? And I actually, I. Um, oddly, have written a couple Dungeons and Dragons, interactive books, audio books that have only been released in French, right? Because there's a company called Looney l, u n, i, i that has this little handheld device that's for children, that has an A and a B button and a volume button. And you, you know, you get to the point that says, if you want to do this, push a, if you want to do that, push B, and the kids can go through these interactive stories and and, you know, there's ones for clue and Dungeons and Dragons and all sorts of other licenses, and some original stories too. But that way there's usually, like, you know, it depends on the story, but sometimes there's, like, 10 to 20 different endings. A lot of them are like, Oh no, you've been killed. Go back to where you started, right? And if you're lucky, the longer ones are, the more fun ones. And you get to, you know, save the kingdom and rescue the people and make good friends and all that good stuff, Michael Hingson ** 30:59 yeah, and maybe fall in love with the princess or Prince. Matt Forbeck ** 31:02 Yeah, exactly right. It all depends on the genre and what you're working in. But the idea is to give people some some choices over how they want the story to go. You're like, Well, do you want to investigate this dark, cold closet over here, or would you rather go running outside and playing around? And some of them can seem like very innocent choices, and other ones are like, well, uh, 10 ton weight just fell on. You go back to the last thing. Speaker 1 ** 31:23 So that dark hole closet can be a good thing or a bad thing, Matt Forbeck ** 31:28 exactly. And the trick is to make the deaths the bad endings, actually just as entertaining as anything else, right? And then people go, Well, I got beat, and I gotta go back and try that again. So yeah, if they just get the good ending all the way through, they often won't go back and look at all the terrible ones. So it's fun to trick them sometimes and have them go into terrible spots. And I like to put this one page in books too that sometimes says, How did you get here? You've been cheating there. This book, this page, is actually not led to from any other part of the book. You're just flipping Speaker 1 ** 31:59 through. Cheater, cheater book, do what you Matt Forbeck ** 32:04 want, but if you want to play it the right way, go back. Speaker 1 ** 32:07 Kid, if you want to play the game. Yeah, exactly. On the other hand, some people are nosy. Matt Forbeck ** 32:15 You know, I was always a kid who would poke around and wanted to see how things were, so I'm sure I would have found that myself but absolutely related, you know, Speaker 1 ** 32:23 yeah, I had a general science teacher who brought in a test one day, and he gave it to everyone. And so he came over to me because it was, it was a printed test. He said, Well, I'm not going to give you the test, because the first thing it says is, read all the instructions, read, read the test through before you pass it, before you take it. And he said, most people won't do that. And he said, I know you would. And the last question on the test is answer, only question one. Matt Forbeck ** 32:55 That's great. Yeah, that's a good one. Yeah, Speaker 1 ** 32:57 that was cute. And he said, I know that. I that there's no way you would, would would fall for that, because you would say, Okay, let's read the instructions and then read the whole test. That's what it said. And the instruction were, just read the whole test before you start. And people won't do that. Matt Forbeck ** 33:13 No, they'll go through, take the whole thing. They get there and go, oh, did I get there? Was a, there's a game publisher. I think it was Steve Jackson Games, when they were looking for people, write for them, or design stuff for them, or submit stuff to them, would have something toward the end of the instructions that would say, put like a the letter seven, or put seven a on page one right, and that way they would know if you had read the instructions, if you hadn't bothered to Read the instructions, they wouldn't bother reading anything else. Speaker 1 ** 33:42 Yeah, which is fair, because the a little harsh, well, but, but, you know, we often don't learn enough to pay attention to details. I know that when I was taking physics in college, that was stressed so often it isn't enough to get the numbers right. If you don't get the units right as well. Then you're, you're not really paying attention to the details. And paying attention to the details is so important. Matt Forbeck ** 34:07 That's how they crash from those Mars rovers, wasn't it? They somebody messed up the units, but going back and forth between metric and, yeah, and Imperial and, well, you know, it cost somebody a lot of money at one point. Yeah. Yeah. What do you Speaker 1 ** 34:21 this is kind of the way it goes. Well, tell me, yeah. Well, they do matter, no matter what people think, sometimes they do matter. Well, tell me about the Diana Jones award. First of all, of course, the logical question for many people is, who is Diana Jones? Yeah, Diana Jones doesn't exist, right? That's There you go. She's part game somewhere? No, no, it doesn't be in a game somewhere. Matt Forbeck ** 34:43 Then now there's actually an author named Diana Wynne Jones, who's written some amazing fantasy stories, including Howell's Moving Castle, which has turned into a wonderful anime movie, but it has nothing to do with her or any other person. Because originally, the Diana Jones award came about. Because a friend of mine, James Wallace, had somehow stumbled across a trophy that fell into his hands, and it was a pub trivia trophy that used to be used between two different gaming companies in the UK, and one of those was TSR, UK, the United Kingdom department. And at one point, the company had laid off everybody in that division just say, Okay, we're closing it all down. So the guys went and burned a lot of the stuff that they had, including a copy of the Indiana Jones role playing game, and the only part of the logo that was left said Diana Jones. And for some reason, they put this in a in a fiberglass or Plexiglas pyramid, put it on a base, a wooden base, and it said the Diana Jones award trophy, right? And this was the trophy that they used they passed back and forth as a joke for their pub trivia contest. Fell into James's hands, and he decided, You know what, we're going to give this out for the most excellent thing in gaming every year. And we've now done this. This will be 25 years this summer. We do it at the Wednesday night before Gen Con, which starts on Thursday, usually at the end of July or early August. And as part of that, actually, about five years ago, we started, one of the guys suggested we should do something called the emerging designers program. So we actually became a 501, c3, so we could take donations. And now we take four designers every year, fly them in from wherever they happen to be in the world, and put them up in a hotel, give them a badge the show, introduce them to everybody, give them an honorarium so they can afford to skip work for a week and try to help launch their careers. I mean, these are people that are in the first three years of their design careers, and we try to work mostly with marginalized or et cetera, people who need a little bit more representation in the industry too. Although we can select anybody, and it's been really well received, it's been amazing. And there's a group called the bundle of holding which sells tabletop role playing game PDFs, and they've donated 10s of 1000s of dollars every year for us to be able to do this. And it's kind of funny, because I never thought I'd be end up running a nonprofit, but here I'm just the guy who writes checks to the different to the emerging designer program. Folks are much more tied into that community that I am. But one of the real reasons I wanted to do something like that or be involved with it, because if you wander around with these conventions and you notice that it starts getting very gray after a while, right? It's you're like, oh, there's no new people coming in. It's all older people. I we didn't I didn't want us to all end up as like the Grandpa, grandpa doing the HO model railroad stuff in the basement, right? This dying hobby that only people in their 60s and 70s care about. So bringing in fresh people, fresh voices, I think, is very important, and hopefully we're doing some good with that. It's been a lot of fun either way. Speaker 1 ** 37:59 Well, I have you had some success with it? Yeah, we've Matt Forbeck ** 38:02 had, well, let's see. I think we've got like 14 people. We've brought in some have already gone on to do some amazing things. I mean, it's only been a few years, so it's hard to tell if they're gonna be legends in their time, but again, having them as models for other people to look at and say, Oh, maybe I could do that. That's been a great thing. The other well, coincidentally, Dungeons and Dragons is having its best 10 year streak in its history right now, and probably is the best selling it's ever been. So coinciding with that, we've seen a lot more diversity and a lot more people showing up to these wonderful conventions and playing these kinds of games. There's also been an advent of this thing called actual play, which is the biggest one, is a group called Critical Role, which is a whole bunch of voice actors who do different cartoons and video games and such, and they play D and D with each other, and then they record the games, and they produce them on YouTube and for podcasts. And these guys are amazing. There's a couple of other ones too, like dimension 20 and glass cannon, the critical role guys actually sold out a live performance at Wembley Arena last summer. Wow. And dimension. Dimension 20 sold out Madison Square Garden. I'm like, if you'd have told me 20 years ago that you know you could sell out an entire rock stadium to have people watch you play Dungeons and Dragons, I would have laughed. I mean, there's no way it would have been possible. But now, you know, people are very much interested in this. It's kind of wild, and it's, it's fun to be a part of that. At some level, Speaker 1 ** 39:31 how does the audience get drawn in to something like that? Because they are watching it, but there must be something that draws them in. Matt Forbeck ** 39:39 Yeah, part of it is that you have some really skilled some actors are very funny, very traumatic and very skilled at improvisation, right? So the the dungeon master or Game Master will sit there and present them with an idea or whatever. They come up each with their own characters. They put them in wonderful, strong voices. They kind of inhabit the roles in a way that an actor. A really top level actor would, as opposed to just, you know, me sitting around a table with my friends. And because of that, they become compelling, right? My Marty and my his wife and I were actually at a convention in Columbus, Ohio last weekend, and this group called the McElroy family, actually, they do my brother, my brother and me, which is a hit podcast, but they also do an actual play podcast called The Adventure zone, where they just play different games. And they are so funny. These guys are just some of the best comedians you'll ever hear. And so them playing, they actually played our Marvel game for a five game session, or a five podcast session, or whatever, and it was just stunningly fun to listen to. People are really talented mess around with something that we built right it's very edifying to see people enjoying something that you worked on. Speaker 1 ** 40:51 Do you find that the audiences get drawn in and they're actually sort of playing the game along, or as well? And may disagree with what some of the choices are that people make? Matt Forbeck ** 41:02 Oh, sure. But I mean, if the choices are made from a point of the character that's been expressed, that people are following along and they they already like the character, they might go, Oh, those mean, you know that guy, there are some characters they love to hate. There are some people they're they're angry at whatever, but they always really appreciate the actors. I mean, the actors have become celebrities in their own right. They've they sell millions of dollars for the comic books and animated TV shows and all these amazing things affiliated with their actual play stuff. And it's, I think it, part of it is because, it's because it makes the games more accessible. Some people are intimidated by these games. So it's not really, you know, from a from a physical disability kind of point. It's more of a it makes it more accessible for people to be nervous, to try these things on their own, or don't really quite get how they work. They can just sit down and pop up YouTube or their podcast program and listen into people doing a really good job at it. The unfortunate problem is that the converse of that is, when you're watching somebody do that good of a job at it, it's actually hard to live up to that right. Most people who play these games are just having fun with their friends around a table. They're not performing for, you know, 10s of 1000s, if not hundreds of 1000s of people. So there's a different level of investments, really, at that point, and some people have been known to be cowed by that, by that, or daunted by that. Speaker 1 ** 42:28 You work on a lot of different things. I gather at the same time. What do you what do you think about that? How do you like working on a lot of different projects? Or do you, do you more focus on one thing, but you've got several things going on, so you'll work on something for one day, then you'll work on something else. Or how do you how do you do it all? Matt Forbeck ** 42:47 That's a good question. I would love to just focus on one thing at a time. Now, you know the trouble is, I'm a freelancer, right? I don't set my I don't always get to say what I want to work on. I haven't had to look for work for over a decade, though, which has been great. People just come to me with interesting things. The trouble is that when you're a freelancer, people come in and say, Hey, let's work on this. I'm like, Yeah, tell me when you're ready to start. And you do that with like, 10 different people, and they don't always line up in sequence properly, right? Yeah? Sometimes somebody comes up and says, I need this now. And I'm like, Yeah, but I'm in the middle of this other thing right now, so I need to not sleep for another week, and I need to try to figure out how I'm going to put this in between other things I'm working on. And I have noticed that after I finish a project, it takes me about a day or three to just jump track. So if I really need to, I can do little bits here and there, but to just fully get my brain wrapped around everything I'm doing for a very complex project, takes me a day or three to say, Okay, now I'm ready to start this next thing and really devote myself to it. Otherwise, it's more juggling right now, having had all those kids, probably has prepared me to juggle. So I'm used to having short attention span theater going on in my head at all times, because I have to jump back and forth between things. But it is. It's a challenge, and it's a skill that you develop over time where you're like, Okay, I can put this one away here and work on this one here for a little while. Like today, yeah, I knew I was going to talk to you, Michael. So I actually had lined up another podcast that a friend of mine wanted to do with me. I said, Let's do them on the same day. This way I'm not interrupting my workflow so much, right? Makes sense? You know, try to gang those all together and the other little fiddly bits I need to do for administration on a day. Then I'm like, Okay, this is not a day off. It's just a day off from that kind of work. It's a day I'm focusing on this aspect of what I do. Speaker 1 ** 44:39 But that's a actually brings up an interesting point. Do you ever take a day off or do what do you do when you're when you deciding that you don't want to do gaming for a while? Matt Forbeck ** 44:49 Yeah, I actually kind of terrible. But you know, you know, my wife will often drag me off to places and say we're going to go do this when. Yes, we have a family cabin up north in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that we go to. Although, you know, my habit there is, I'll work. I'll start work in the morning on a laptop or iPad until my battery runs out, and then I shut it down, put on a charger, and then I go out and swim with everybody for the rest of the day. So it depends if I'm on a deadline or not, and I'm almost always on a deadline, but there are times I could take weekends off there. One of the great things of being a freelancer, though, and especially being a stay at home father, which is part of what I was doing, is that when things come up during the middle of the week, I could say, oh, sure, I can be flexible, right? The trouble is that I have to pay for that time on my weekends, a lot of the time, so I don't really get a lot of weekends off. On the other hand, I'm not I'm not committed to having to work every day of the week either, right? I need to go do doctor appointments, or we want to run off to Great America and do a theme park or whatever. I can do that anytime I want to. It's just I have to make up the time at other points during the week. Does your wife work? She does. She was a school social worker for many years, and now as a recruiter at a local technical college here called Black Hawk tech. And she's amazing, right? She's fantastic. She has always liked working. The only time she stopped working was for about a year and a half after the quads were born, I guess, two years. And that was the only time I ever took a job working with anybody else, because we needed the health insurance, so I we always got it through her. And then when she said, Well, I'm gonna stay home with the kids, which made tons of sense, I went and took a job with a video game company up in Madison, Wisconsin called Human Head Studios for about 18 months, 20 months. And then the moment she told me she was thinking about going back to work, I'm like, Oh, good, I can we can Cobra for 18 months and pay for our own health insurance, and I'm giving notice this week, and, you know, we'll work. I left on good terms that everybody. I still talk to them and whatever, but I very much like being my own boss and not worrying about what other people are going to tell me to do. I work with a lot of clients, which means I have a lot of people telling me what to do. But you know, if it turns out bad, I can walk I can walk away. If it turns out good, hopefully we get to do things together, like the the gig I've been working out with Marvel, I guess, has been going on for like, four years now, with pretty continuous work with them, and I'm enjoying every bit of it. They're great people to work with. Speaker 1 ** 47:19 Now, you were the president of Pinnacle entertainment for a little while. Tell me about that. Matt Forbeck ** 47:24 I was, that was a small gaming company I started up with a guy named Shane Hensley, who was another tabletop game designer. Our big game was something called Dead Lands, which was a Western zombie cowboy kind of thing. Oh gosh, Western horror. So. And it was pretty much a, you know, nobody was doing Western horror back in those days. So we thought, Oh, this is safe. And to give you an example of parallel development, we were six months into development, and another company, White Wolf, which had done a game called Vampire the Masquerade, announced that they were doing Werewolf the Wild West. And we're like, you gotta be kidding me, right? Fortunately, we still released our game three months before there, so everybody thought we were copying them, rather than the other way around. But the fact is, we were. We both just came up with the idea independently. Right? When you work in creative fields, often, if somebody wants to show you something, you say, I'd like to look at you have to sign a waiver first that says, If I do something like this, you can't sue me. And it's not because people are trying to rip you off. It's because they may actually be working on something similar, right already. Because we're all, you know, swimming in the same cultural pool. We're all, you know, eating the same cultural soup. We're watching or watching movies, playing games, doing whatever, reading books. And so it's not unusual that some of us will come up with similar ideas Speaker 1 ** 48:45 well, and it's not surprising that from time to time, two different people are going to come up with somewhat similar concepts. So that's not a big surprise, exactly, but Matt Forbeck ** 48:56 you don't want people getting litigious over it, like no, you don't be accused of ripping anybody off, right? You just want to be as upfront with people. With people. And I don't think I've ever actually seen somebody, at least in gaming, in tabletop games, rip somebody off like that. Just say, Oh, that's a great idea. We're stealing that it's easier to pay somebody to just say, Yes, that's a great idea. We'll buy that from you, right? As opposed to trying to do something unseemly and criminal? Speaker 1 ** 49:24 Yeah, there's, there's something to be said for having real honor in the whole process. Matt Forbeck ** 49:30 Yeah, I agree, and I think that especially if you're trying to have a long term career in any field that follows you, if you get a reputation for being somebody who plays dirty, nobody wants to play with you in the future, and I've always found it to be best to be as straightforward with people and honest, especially professionally, just to make sure that they trust you. Before my quadruplets were born, you could have set your clock by me as a freelancer, I never missed a deadline ever, and since then, I've probably it's a. Rare earth thing to make a deadline, because, you know, family stuff happens, and you know, there's just no controlling it. But whenever something does happen, I just call people up and say, hey, look, it's going to be another week or two. This is what's going on. And because I have a good reputation for completing the job and finishing quality work, they don't mind. They're like, Oh, okay, I know you're going to get this to me. You're not just trying to dodge me. So they're willing to wait a couple weeks if they need to, to get to get what they need. And I'm very grateful to them for that. And I'm the worst thing somebody can do is what do, what I call turtling down, which is when it's like, Oh no, I'm late. And then, you know, they cut off all communication. They don't talk to anybody. They just kind of try to disappear as much as they can. And we all, all adults, understand that things happen in your life. It's okay. We can cut you some slack every now and then, but if you just try to vanish, that's not even possible. Speaker 1 ** 50:54 No, there's a lot to be there's a lot to be said for trust and and it's so important, I think in most anything that we do, and I have found in so many ways, that there's nothing better than really earning someone's trust, and they earning your trust. And it's something I talk about in my books, like when live with a guide dog, live like a guide dog, which is my newest book, it talks a lot about trust, because when you're working with a guide dog, you're really building a team, and each member of the team has a specific job to do, and as the leader of the team, it's my job to also learn how to communicate with the other member of the team. But the reality is, it still comes down to ultimately, trust, because I and I do believe that dogs do love unconditionally, but they don't trust unconditionally. But the difference between dogs and people is that people that dogs are much more open to trust, for the most part, unless they've just been totally traumatized by something, but they're more open to trust. And there's a lesson to be learned there. No, I Matt Forbeck ** 52:03 absolutely agree with that. I think, I think most people in general are trustworthy, but as you say, a lot of them have trauma in their past that makes it difficult for them to open themselves up to that. So that's actually a pretty wonderful way to think about things. I like that, Speaker 1 ** 52:17 yeah, well, I think that trust is is so important. And I know when I worked in professional sales, it was all about trust. In fact, whenever I interviewed people for jobs, I always asked them what they were going to sell, and only one person ever answered me the way. I really hoped that everybody would answer when I said, So, tell me what you're going to be selling. He said, The only thing I have to really sell is myself and my word, and nothing else. It really matters. Everything else is stuff. What you have is stuff. It's me selling myself and my word, and you have to, and I would expect you to back me up. And my response was, as long as you're being trustworthy, then you're going to get my backing all the way. And he was my most successful salesperson for a lot of reasons, because he got it. Matt Forbeck ** 53:08 Yeah, that's amazing. I mean, I mean, I've worked with people sourcing different things too, for sales, and if you can rely on somebody to, especially when things go wrong, to come through for you. And to be honest with you about, you know, there's really that's a hard thing to find. If you can't depend on your sources for what you're building, then you can't depend on anything. Everything else falls apart. Speaker 1 ** 53:29 It does. You've got to start at the beginning. And if people can't earn your trust, and you earn theirs, there's a problem somewhere, and it's just not going to work. Matt Forbeck ** 53:39 Yeah, I just generally think people are decent and want to help. I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've had issues. Car breaks down the road in Wisconsin. Here, if somebody's car goes in the ditch, everybody stops and just hauls them out. It's what you do when the quads were born, my stepmother came up with a sign up sheet, a booklet that she actually had spiral bound, that people could sign up every three three hours to help come over and feed and bathe, diaper, whatever the kids and we had 30 to 35 volunteers coming in every week. Wow, to help us out with that was amazing, right? They just each pick slots, feeding slots, and come in and help us out. I had to take the 2am feeding, and my wife had to take the 5am feeding by ourselves. But the rest of the week we had lots and lots of help, and we were those kids became the surrogate grandchildren for, you know, 30 to 35 women and couples really, around the entire area, and it was fantastic. Probably couldn't have survived Speaker 1 ** 54:38 without it. And the other part about it is that all those volunteers loved it, because you all appreciated each other, and it was always all about helping and assisting. Matt Forbeck ** 54:48 No, we appreciate them greatly. But you know every most of them, like 99% of them, whatever were women, 95 women who are ready for grandchildren and didn't have them. Had grandchildren, and they weren't in the area, right? And they had that, that love they wanted to share, and they just loved the opportunity to do it. It was, I'm choking up here talking about such a great time for us in Speaker 1 ** 55:11 that way. Now I'm assuming today, nobody has to do diaper duty with the quads, right? Matt Forbeck ** 55:16 Not until they have their own kids. Just checking, just checking, thankfully, think we're that is long in our past, Speaker 1 ** 55:23 is it? Is it coming fairly soon for anybody in the future? Matt Forbeck ** 55:27 Oh, I don't know. That's really entirely up to them. We would love to have grandchildren, but you know, it all comes in its own time. They're not doing no well. I, one of my sons is married, so it's possible, right? And one of my other sons has a long term girlfriend, so that's possible, but, you know, who knows? Hopefully they're they have them when they're ready. I always say, if you have kids and you want them, that's great. If you have, if you don't have kids and you don't want them, that's great. It's when you cross the two things that, Speaker 1 ** 55:57 yeah, trouble, yeah, that's that is, that is a problem. But you really like working with yourself. You love the entre
Tannis Blaine isn't gone. Not yet. He's stuck in limbo, tethered to his broken body, begging Clarence for help to finally pass over. Back at the hideout, they remember that no one has rescued Wolf from prison. Now it's their mission to get him back… unless he's been reached by someone else already...When crush is around, the stakes are extremely high and- wait… who just ate that?PLAY THE DUST WORLD RPG NOW:We've released the epic RPG Dust world and we want your help. Dust World PBTA is RPG Empire's sci-fi western game that's simple, fast, and Powered By The Apocalypse. Are you ready? Enter The Gun-Filled Lands Of An Obliterated Civilization. Play as gunslinging anime-inspired heroes on their mission to discover the truth behind the lost civilization and its technology. GET THE GUIDE NOW:https://www.therpgempire.com/shop/p/b2ck9ai8u8d7i6j5xs48oojt742uq2Dust world RPG Podcast is an actual play Role-playing podcast like the Adventure Zone Podcast or Critical Role. The setting is a sci-fi western a few hundred years after a great war burned the earth and a virus called white horse dissolved most organic matter into dust creating the wastelands.Dust World RPG is a Powered By The Apocalypse game. Dust World is a Tabletop Role-Playing game created by Paul Parnell Copywrite 2020. The setting was created by Paul Parnell and Michael Yatskar. The game was written by Paul-Thomas Parnell and Dumaresq de Pencier.OTHER PROJECTS FROM THE RPG EMPIRE:Strangers in the Pines: A Monster Of The Week actually play roleplaying podcast inspired by things like Gravity Falls, Stranger Things, and Fringe. It takes place in a small strange town called Pine Forge nestled in the Blackwood national park in Northeast Oregon, USA, and follows, the exploits of 3 unusual high school students as they try to unravel the mysteries of the Strangers in the Pines.https://www.therpgempire.com/strangers-in-the-pinesCONNECT WITH US:Join our Discord Server to chat with us and talk all things RPGs: https://discord.gg/2jnyGv9Follow and send us DMs on Instagram: @theRPGempireJoin the Empire!
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
...or ‘Remembering Too Much' In which our investigators learn a lot, forget most of it, remember too much, and then learn some more, pausing on the way for a cup of tea (?), some light reading, and a touch of haberdashery. A horror mystery in three parts (for Call of Cthulhu 7e) by Jared Twing, Lynne Hardy and Paul Fricker. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Arabella Lockwood played by Joseph Chance Ignaz Bierbaum played by Danann McAleer Dave Kovalevskii played by Dan Wheeler …and Philip ‘Pip' Carrington played by Tom Clark* The Keeper of Arcane Lore is Dominic Allen This episode edited by Dan Wheeler *Tom Clark is host of Mystery Quest — where you can also see Dan and Danann playing Delta Green from Friday 9 August! CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. APOCTOBERFEST! is back, and bigger than ever! Mark your calendars with the necessary occult symbols, the dates in question are: Thursday 2nd October–Sunday 5th October 2025, and the place: Bristol, UK. We will be bringing you two improvised live shows at the atmospheric Loco Klub, the return of our popular one-day convention at the Wiper & True taproom, PLUS 'Providence — The Shadow Over Lovecraft', by Dominic Allen and Simon Maeder! This year, buy a Weekend Pass for £50 and receive a ceremonial Apoctoberfest 2025 wristband which gives access to all events, at an almost 15% discount vs purchasing tickets individually. Tickets and more information: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/checkout/apoctoberfest-2025 The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX in this episode: From Epidemic Sound: Down to the Chicken Shop - Nicky Dowling Merry on the Moor - Bonnie Grace Hypnoria - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen La Marseillaise - Traditional Merry on the Moor - Bonnie Grace Treasure Hunt - Helmut Schenker El Chaman - Alcones Negros The Board Is Set - Dream Cave Remorse of a Murderer - Anna Dager Eine Kleine Nachtmusic - W. A. Mozart Tales From The Vienna Woods - Johann Strauss II Without Words - Lalo Brickman The Pieces Are Moving - Dream Cave Ciao Ciao - Trabant 33 Tvivel - Hanna Ekstrom (1) A Gal I Know - Martin Landstrom Se Fue, Se Fue (Instrumental Version) - Alcones Negros Distressed - Hanna Ekstrom Lost in Desire - John Barzetti Glacier - Anna Dager Gradual Collapse - Jon Bjork Strangled by Piano Strings Part 2 - Ludvig Moulin Lovely Dinner - Franz Gordon Dark Space - Ave Air Past Deeds - Dream Cave The Calling Card - Martin Landstrom Ethelda's Last Breath - Sage Oursler Oro - Hanna Ekstrom The Search - Hanna Ekstrom Deepwater Creatures - Experia The Answer Lies - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen Toxic Water - Jon Bjork Final Days of Captivity - Christian Andersen Path to the Abyss - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen From Artlist: Southside Aces - Whole Tony In the public domain: Victor Military Band - Hornpipe Swiss Yodeling Song – Ernst Ruckstahl-Hasler By Kevin MacLeod: Music: Cool Vibes by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3553-cool-vibes License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://incompetech.com Music: Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4590-virtutes-instrumenti License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
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Wizards of the Coast chart their future D&D plans as a franchise, we explore whether a TTRPG should be balanced or fun, and there's IMPORTANT late-breaking Critical Role news!LAST CHANCE to Set Sail on the Aetherial Expanse: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AEDG_2025_7_933Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.comBen: @TheBenByrneDael: @DailyDaelJames: @jamesjhaeckShawn: @shawnmerwinEditor: @ZsDante Topics:00:00 - Intro03:53 - Aetherial Expanse ENDING soon!07:54 - Critical Role play with puppies08:44 - WotC plans for the future23:29 - Is AI actually the future?33:37 - Adventures with TOO MANY choices43:25 - Does game balance matter?
Board game fans: new releases, expansions, and crowdfunding hotness—yes, including Munchkin Vox Machina! Get the scoop on Munchkin Land! Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at http://patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Munchkin Land continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com NEWS After the base game and the 1st expansion Artifacts Renegade Game Studios will release Curses the next expansion for Vale Of Eternity in Early 2026 in US (Possible release at Essen 25?) $25 Board & Dice will release yet another heavy euro from David Turczi called Thebai, Oct ‘25. (~$60) Devir has announced an early 2026 US release for Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock ( Also available this year at Essen 60-70$) Steve Jackson games has announced a new themed Munchkin set base off of Critical Role. Munchkin Vox Machina - A Critical Role Game. Will hit US March ‘26 ($40) A new flip and Write based off of the amazing classic game RA , RA and Write will be released by 25th Century games Oct 25 ($30) At Gen Con we Saw CGE showing off Adventure Chest for Lost Ruins of Arnak. It was a HUGE storage solution and expansion now CGE announced the release date for the expansion by itself. Lost Ruins of Arnak:Twisted Paths will release Q3 ‘25 ($30-40) Synthezoid Smackdown is a new Scenario Pack for Marvel Champions from FFG and will release Nov ‘25 (~$30) Archon Studios is taking pre-orders for their new World of Tanks TCG. Which should ship late 2025. CROWDFUNDING KICKSTARTER Endangered:Austrailia The Game Makers (Ben Rosset who made a ton of great games but you will remember Formage) Art Society Deluxe Ed and Expansion Last Week Of Summer Airport Empire GAMEFOUND Elden Ring:Rot and Sorcery Ark Nova 3dition The Gilded Realms and Expansion
Board game fans: new releases, expansions, and crowdfunding hotness—yes, including Munchkin Vox Machina! Get the scoop on Munchkin Land! Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at http://patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Munchkin Land continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com NEWS After the base game and the 1st expansion Artifacts Renegade Game Studios will release Curses the next expansion for Vale Of Eternity in Early 2026 in US (Possible release at Essen 25?) $25 Board & Dice will release yet another heavy euro from David Turczi called Thebai, Oct ‘25. (~$60) Devir has announced an early 2026 US release for Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock ( Also available this year at Essen 60-70$) Steve Jackson games has announced a new themed Munchkin set base off of Critical Role. Munchkin Vox Machina - A Critical Role Game. Will hit US March ‘26 ($40) A new flip and Write based off of the amazing classic game RA , RA and Write will be released by 25th Century games Oct 25 ($30) At Gen Con we Saw CGE showing off Adventure Chest for Lost Ruins of Arnak. It was a HUGE storage solution and expansion now CGE announced the release date for the expansion by itself. Lost Ruins of Arnak:Twisted Paths will release Q3 ‘25 ($30-40) Synthezoid Smackdown is a new Scenario Pack for Marvel Champions from FFG and will release Nov ‘25 (~$30) Archon Studios is taking pre-orders for their new World of Tanks TCG. Which should ship late 2025. CROWDFUNDING KICKSTARTER Endangered:Austrailia The Game Makers (Ben Rosset who made a ton of great games but you will remember Formage) Art Society Deluxe Ed and Expansion Last Week Of Summer Airport Empire GAMEFOUND Elden Ring:Rot and Sorcery Ark Nova 3dition The Gilded Realms and Expansion
How does someone go from the baggage hold to the boardroom—and then change the way we think about leadership and revenue growth altogether? In this riveting episode of Predictable B2B Success, Stephanie Chung joins host Vinay Koshy with a wealth of experience spanning 35 years in aviation and a track record that includes breaking historic barriers as the first African American private aviation company president. But Stephanie's story is about more than climbing the corporate ladder—it's about leading billion-dollar teams, decoding the neuroscience of trust, and helping leaders communicate so powerfully that it changes company culture and produces breakthrough sales results. Stephanie reveals the surprising science behind trust-building, listening like a “billion-dollar leader,” and why most leaders sabotage team potential without realizing it. She unpacks her unique ALLY leadership framework and shares real-life stories—from transforming commodity businesses into luxury brands to uncovering untapped revenue by truly understanding human motivation. If you've ever wondered why your sales team stalls, how to retain top talent, or what it actually takes to lead people who aren't like you, this episode is packed with eye-opening takeaways. Stephanie's approach isn't just about diversity—it's about ROI, transformation, and real-world growth. Tune in to discover leadership strategies you won't hear anywhere else! Some areas we explore in this episode include: Stephanie Chung's Aviation Journey – From baggage handler to aviation company president.Leadership Evolution – Why she pivoted from aviation leadership to developing leaders and sales teams.Direct Communication – The pros and cons of being a direct communicator as a leader.Critical Role of Communication in Business – How clear communication affects engagement and performance.The ALLY Framework – Breaking down Ask, Listen, Learn, You Take Action for leadership success.Neuroscience in Sales – The science behind building trust and influencing decisions.Deep Listening and Trust-Building – Going beyond words to truly understand prospects and team members.The EARN Leadership System – Establishing environment, alignment, rallying, and navigating challenges.Diversity and Team Performance – The connection between diverse teams and better business outcomes.Ally Leadership's Impact on Revenue – How Allyship is an ROI Driver, Not Just a DEI Initiative.And much, much more...
Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby! There are a lot of tabletop roleplaying ganes, and there is an almost 100% chance you will never sit down and play them all, and even if you could, there would be a a lot of games you probably wouldn't enjoy. This month's episode is a chat with Willow, a.k.a. The RPG Goblin (which has to be one of the best internet user handles) all about finding the right game for you. Maybe you've only played D&D, maybe you've heard of Daggerheart from all the Critical Role hype, maybe you've even heard of some indie darlings like Blades in the Dark or Apocalypse World, but until you dip your toe in or peel back the curtain and look, you may not know what kind of game fits your style of playing/GMing the best until you read it/sit down and play it! We also go over things like how to introduce folks to new games through one-page RPGs, silly one-shots, going very vibes-heavy on selling a game with a specific touchstone so people come in ready to harness the stylistic expectations and worry less about the mechanics and learning a new system, and more. Willow is great, you should definitely check out her very infectious enthusiasm talking about TTRPGs and mechanics she's exploring on all her social media pages: Linktr.ee / RPG Goblin Podcast / YouTube ----more---- Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: LinkTree | BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark Rene's Games: MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com Music in the Episode (in order of appearance): Easy Breeze by RA from Uppbeat.io - https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/easy-breeze Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands
In this episode, we're tackling one of the most overlooked aspects of tabletop gaming—and no, we're not talking about "min-maxing" or "rules lawyer debates." The hosts explore the art and mindset of playing your home game like you're recording for thousands of listeners, diving into why adopting actual play techniques isn't performative theater but rather a powerful approach for creating more engaging and memorable sessions.Whether you're a seasoned GM who's noticed your players scrolling phones during combat or a newer Game Master wondering why your epic campaign moments fall flat at the table, this episode delivers practical techniques with the kind of hard-won wisdom that only comes from years of watching what works in both intimate kitchen table games and streamed actual plays.Special guest @lexgetspizza is interviewed as we dive deep into the psychology of engagement and explore how narrative pacing, character voice work, and cinematic description can transform even the most mundane dungeon crawl into appointment gaming.Topics Covered:What "actual play energy" really means and why it's not about being performativeThe psychology of engagement: how attention and investment create better storiesCharacter voice and physicality as tools for deeper roleplay immersionSessions that nail the vibe: Critical Role techniques for home tablesDebunking "actual play is fake" and other common misconceptions about performanceThe social contract of engagement: when to dial up the energy and when to keep it casualTeaching cinematic description to players without making them feel like actorsHow structure and intentional pacing fuel memorable moments rather than restrict natural flowManaging the "highlight reel effect" and dealing with comparison to professional showsSo grab your dice, your favorite beverage, and maybe dust off that character voice you've been too shy to use—we're diving into every reason why bringing actual play techniques to your home game will make everyone more excited to show up!Join host Nick Perron as he draws from his expertise in the TTRPG space to explore what makes games truly captivating with creators and players who are elevating the hobby one session at a time.→ Tabletopped's Stuff:→ Tabletopped's website→ Patreon→ Instagram→ TwitterCheck us out on Patreon! We have a new monthly pod as well as behind the scenes clips that you can get on a secret Spotify feed! We will also be dropping some more treats from time to time!Theme music by Mitch Poulin
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
In which our investigators scatter secrets, sweets & sympathies, give the last rites, & attend job interviews from Hell... A Call of Cthulhu scenario by Danann McAleer. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Dr. Henry Carraig-Muire - Joseph Chance Rev. Perregrine McCutcheon - Dan Wheeler Lady Helen Marjorie Bjarmia Potts - Dominic Allen CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX from Epidemic Sound Kevin MacLeod, at Incompetech: Vanishing by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4578-vanishing License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4590-virtutes-instrumenti License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license With very special thanks to Finn McAleer for the use of his fiddle music, especially his album ‘Rough As Folk' (with The Great Bearded Tits). More of Finn's music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@finnnnn Epidemic Sound: Radestsky March - Trad. When I am Calling Your Name - Giant Ember Ave Maria - Trad. String Quartet in D - Andante (Trad.) Scorpion Dance - Mike Franklyn Sneaky Fingers (T. Mori) Trollmors Vaggsang (String Quartet Version) - Trad. Prayer - Arvid Svenungsson The Spy - Wendy Martini Hallucinarium - Kalak Lucky Bird - River Run Dry Polska Fran Knaggalve - Trad. Persapojkarnas Polska - Trad. Joyful Occasions - Ludvig Moulin Folksong on Piano - Trad. Horror Composition 5 (SFX Producer) Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 “Spring” II. Largo e pianissimo sempre - Michelle Ross Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315 “Summer” III. Presto - Michelle Ross Largo from Xerxes - Trad. Taproot - Esme Cruz Distant Chanting - Jon Bjork Vacuum Sealer - Edward Karl Hanson It Lurks Below - Trailer Worx Godsend - Johannes Bomlof Amaranth Fields - Reynard Seidel Let Them Try - Hampus Naeselius Evil Intentions - Experia Trailed By Horror - Trailer Worn Av Jord, Till Jord - Silver Maple Hold Me Now - Spring Gang Eye For Detail - Jay Barton It Will Fall - Daniella Ljungsberg Scandinavian Folk 10 - Trad. Sneaky Steak - Daniel Fridell House of Horror - Marc Torch Sign Here - Enigmatic Serenity's Reality 5 - August Wilhelmsson Jokers - Mary Riddle Corrivation - Ethan Sloan Fear of the Dark - Etienne Roussel Shadows Unseen - DEX 1200 Onus - Ethan Sloan O'Connor's Jig - Roy Edwin Williams Game Over - Daniel Fridell
Critical Role isn't using Daggerheart for Campaign 4! There are a lot of good business reasons for that, but there's still an element of poor planning there that's hard to overlook. WotC's new Unearthed Arcana is an air raid siren telling us that they're planning a Dark Sun release, likely in 2026. This is a huge change from perceived sentiments a couple of years ago that the setting was "too problematic" to get a 5E conversion. Did Crawford, Perkins, and Lanzillo leaving Dungeons & Dragons have anything to do with this shift in opinion? Check us out on Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers) for bonus Deep Dive videos along with early access to the podcast, and original gaming content. Telephone, Telegraph, Tell a Friend about the Goblins and Growlers Podcast. → Bonus episodes and early access on Patreon (http://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers) → Subscribe to our monthly gaming newsletter (https://goblinsandgrowlers.beehiiv.com/subscribe) → Join the Goblins and Growlers Discord (http://bit.ly/goblindiscord) LISTEN, RATE, AND SUBSCRIBE! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and/or your podcatcher of choice. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, the best narrative play)
This episode of The Crux True Survival Story Podcast with Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen explores the harrowing tale of Ryan Wardwell, an experienced canyoneer who survived three days trapped in hypothermic conditions behind the Seven Teacups waterfall in California. The story delves into Ryan's ordeal, the geological and technical challenges of the canyon, the critical decisions made, and the incredible multi-agency rescue operation that saved his life. The episode also reflects on a similar tragic incident that happened a year prior, highlighting the unpredictable dangers of wilderness adventures. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:30 Ryan Wardwell's Ordeal Begins 03:00 The Seven Teacups: A Dangerous Beauty 06:29 The Impact of Social Media on Outdoor Adventures 07:27 Understanding the Technical Challenges of Canyoneering 13:40 Ryan's Decision and the Consequences 16:56 The Struggle for Survival 20:48 The Physical and Psychological Toll 26:32 Factors Contributing to Ryan's Survival 27:21 Psychological Resilience in Survival Situations 28:49 The Critical Role of Calories and Hydration 30:51 Friends' Life-Saving Decision 32:44 The Search and Rescue Operation Begins 33:37 Challenges of Aerial Detection 34:37 The Agonizing Decision to Delay Rescue 35:40 The High-Stakes Rescue Mission 41:36 Medical Treatment and Recovery 44:42 The Psychological Aspect of Survival 45:45 A Tragic History at Seven Teacups 52:40 Lessons from the Wilderness 54:33 Final Thoughts and Farewell Listen AD FREE: Support our podcast at patreaon: http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcast Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/ Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/
Marcus welcomes Rob Israch, President of Tipalti – a late-stage, fast-growth SaaS company in the finance sector. Rob shares his extensive experience from NetSuite, Intuit, and GE, detailing his unique journey from marketing to president, and the "fun ups and downs and pitfalls" of scaling a global business. The discussion delves into the critical aspects of building and leading a company through various growth phases, adapting to market changes, fostering effective communication, and understanding what truly drives sustainable success in a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Key Discussion Points: From Marketer to President Rob's background as a marketer and his career trajectory from CMO to President at Tipalti. The importance of embracing "grey space" – taking on challenges beyond one's immediate job scope and being willing to learn. Why getting results, being humble, and executing, even on "unsexy things," are crucial for career advancement. Advice for CMOs Aspiring to Leadership The necessity for marketers to be analytical, capable of marrying creativity with metrics, and speaking the language of finance and the board. Avoiding sounding "too much like a marketer" by focusing on truth-finding and problem-solving with numbers, rather than just storytelling. The Evolution of a Scaled Business: Tipalti's Journey Insights into Tipalti's growth from 25 employees to over 1,000 in 11 years. Changes in hiring, talent acquisition, and leadership skills needed at different stages of growth. The increasing importance of communication and alignment as a company scales. The Critical Role of Middle Management The immense impact of a strong middle management layer on a successful operation. The challenge of selecting the right leaders, maintaining a high bar, and knowing when to promote from within versus bringing in outside talent. Detecting leaders who "talk a good game but can't actually get results". Operating Rhythms and Communication at Scale The necessity of formalising company values and mission as a business grows, moving past initial cynicism. Examples of operating rhythms, including quarterly leadership offsites, cross-functional business leader meetings, and CEO roundtables. The importance of one-to-one conversations and cross-functional SWAT teams to break down silos in larger organisations. Detecting Hidden Issues (Rot Under the Floorboards) Using a balanced scorecard as a metric system to avoid people gaming a single goal and to gain comprehensive insights. The value of early indicators and actively listening to employees and customers to uncover problems not captured by metrics. What Investors Should Ask (But Rarely Do) The need for investors to dig deeper into a company's identity, target market segments, and differentiators to understand the "why" behind the metrics. Dangers of Misguided Scaling Assumptions The common mistake of assuming that simply hiring "top talent" from prestigious backgrounds will solve all issues, without considering their fit and ability to adapt and execute at all levels. The continuous need for leaders to adapt and evolve every six months as the business changes. Holistic Business Growth vs. Deal Momentum Theatre Protecting against "deal momentum theatre" where new wins are celebrated, but cash flow, retention, and loyalty lag. The shift towards a healthy, holistic approach with happy, advocating customers as the most profitable way to grow, even if it feels uncomfortable. How Tipalti re-emphasised customer centricity through values, committees, and new metrics when growth challenged earlier informal approaches. Regrets in Institutionalising Processes Regretting a period of too much focus on new business conversion at the expense of the entire customer lifecycle. The tricky balance between investing in product vision and addressing immediate customer needs. Balancing Investor Pressure with SaaS Reinvestment The importance of a smart LTV to CAC model to balance short-term gains with long-term sustainability and profitability. LTV to CAC as a filter that guides investment decisions and helps communicate strategy to investors. Rethinking Customer Health: NPS vs. Net Value Score Rob's advocacy for NPS as a humbling and valuable metric for customer-centric culture, though acknowledging its limitations in directly linking to business results and long-term value. Marcus introduces his concept of a Net Value Score which ties customer outcomes directly to revenue retention and margin for a more honest and predictable measure of future relationship value. Loyalty as the North Star The distinction between renewal, repeat purchases, and customer loyalty. Loyalty as the ultimate aspiration for a business, which naturally drives the other two, and serves as a vital "North Star" for employee motivation. Systematising Referrals and Customer Expansion (GoToBase) Using data science and data mining to correlate customer behaviors with LTV to CAC, expansion rates, and product usage. The observation that customer expansion and "GoToBase" motions are often immature in many organisations, with a heavy focus on new logos. The argument that referrals should be a systematised engine, not an accident, and that happy customers are the foundation. Adapting to the New Economic Reality and the Power of Trust The shift from an environment of cheap money and growth at all costs to one demanding profitability and sustainable metrics. The need for go-to-market leadership to adapt or be replaced, with increased importance of customer success, account management, and marketing/channel functions. In an age of decreasing trust due to AI and media, companies that build around trust within their customer and partner base will thrive, making trust a powerful, measurable "operating system" and "North Star". Rob's Best Mistake: Being naive and taking chances in "grey spaces," which doesn't always work out but consistently leads to valuable learning and experience. Connect : You can find Rob Israch on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/robisrach/ Don't forget to like, comment, and share this episode! If you're a leader navigating rapid growth, this conversation is for you. Stay safe and happy selling!
What's up Bad Kids! On this week's episode, Josh sits down with Derek V Song to discuss about the Dimension 20 campaign turned webcomic Fantasy High. They chat about the challenges of adapting over 20 hours of a campaign into a webcomic format, favorite characters, sexy rats, tables, and much more. Thank you to WEBTOON for helping to facilitate this interview. Download the app and read thousands of comics absolutely FREE! Follow Toni Bluesky @derekvsong.bsky dvsong.com & check out Fantasy High on WEBTOON today! Follow WEBTOON: Instagram @webtoonofficial Twitter @webtoonofficial We are looking for new cohosts! if you are interested in joining our team, please reach out to us on Instagram or via email at WUFcohosts@gmail.com. Special Thanks to this week's sponsor Wild Bill's Soda! Enjoy crisp unique olde fashioned soda flavors anytime with Wild Bill's. Head over to drinkwildbills.com and use code FANDOM10 to get 10% off your purchase! Do you have suggestions for the show? Do have specific voice actor or creator that you would like us to interview? We would love to hear from you! Feel free to message us. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review! Follow the show on: Instagram @WhatsUpFandom Twitter @WhatsUpFandomPC YouTube What's Up, Fandom Podcast Follow Josh @JoshLCain Follow Luke @tatted_triceratops Tags: podcast, podcasts, movies, tv, comics, pop culture, fandom, anime, video games, books, webtoon, webcomic, dnd, dungeons and dragons, dimension 20, critical role, fantasy high, freshman year, starstruck odessey, dropout
In this episode of the Look Forward Podcast, host Andy Critchlow, head of news at S&P Global Commodity Insights, delves into the pivotal role of cement in shaping the global economy. Joined by industry experts Abdulhamit Akçay, Vice President of the Turkish Cement, and Binny Sabharwal, Senior Price Reporter at S&P Global, the discussion explores the intricate dynamics of cement production and consumption.
This week! Jeremy, Liv, and Candace are joined by James Introcaso, Lead Game Designer at MCDM and Draw Steel maestro, and Willy Abeel, the Mother of Monsters and creator of the playable clown race, the Clonns, as they share how they joined MCDM and dive into their most legendary nerdy stories. We talk about what a monster really is in Draw Steel, whether the game leans more on mechanics or story. James and Willy also share the inspiration behind the game, how inclusivity and diversity are built into the design, and, of course, some wild Tales from the Table. Also - did you miss out on our first
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
In which Pip shows us how he really feels about his cousin, Dave demonstrates that empty vessels make the loudest sound, Ignaz has ample opportunity to practise his psychiatry, and Arabella gets perilously close to doing some actual investigation, while Keeper Dom gets the rulebook out... A horror mystery in three parts (for Call of Cthulhu 7e) by Jared Twing, Lynne Hardy and Paul Fricker. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Arabella Lockwood played by Joseph Chance Ignaz Bierbaum played by Danann McAleer Dave Kovalevskii played by Dan Wheeler …and Philip ‘Pip' Carrington played by Tom Clark* The Keeper of Arcane Lore is Dominic Allen This episode edited by Dan Wheeler *Tom Clark is host of Mystery Quest — where you can also see Dan and Danann playing Delta Green from Friday 9 August! CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. APOCTOBERFEST! is back, and bigger than ever! Mark your calendars with the necessary occult symbols, the dates in question are: Thursday 2nd October–Sunday 5th October 2025, and the place: Bristol, UK. We will be bringing you two improvised live shows at the atmospheric Loco Klub, the return of our popular one-day convention at the Wiper & True taproom, PLUS 'Providence — The Shadow Over Lovecraft', by Dominic Allen and Simon Maeder! This year, buy a Weekend Pass for £50 and receive a ceremonial Apoctoberfest 2025 wristband which gives access to all events, at an almost 15% discount vs purchasing tickets individually. Tickets and more information: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/checkout/apoctoberfest-2025 The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX in this episode: From Epidemic Sound: Down to the Chicken Shop - Nicky Dowling Merry on the Moor - Bonnie Grace Hypnoria - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen La Marseillaise - Traditional Merry on the Moor - Bonnie Grace Treasure Hunt - Helmut Schenker El Chaman - Alcones Negros The Board Is Set - Dream Cave Remorse of a Murderer - Anna Dager Eine Kleine Nachtmusic - W. A. Mozart Tales From The Vienna Woods - Johann Strauss II Without Words - Lalo Brickman The Pieces Are Moving - Dream Cave Ciao Ciao - Trabant 33 Tvivel - Hanna Ekstrom (1) A Gal I Know - Martin Landstrom Se Fue, Se Fue (Instrumental Version) - Alcones Negros Distressed - Hanna Ekstrom Lost in Desire - John Barzetti Glacier - Anna Dager Gradual Collapse - Jon Bjork Strangled by Piano Strings Part 2 - Ludvig Moulin Lovely Dinner - Franz Gordon Dark Space - Ave Air Past Deeds - Dream Cave The Calling Card - Martin Landstrom Ethelda's Last Breath - Sage Oursler Oro - Hanna Ekstrom The Search - Hanna Ekstrom Deepwater Creatures - Experia The Answer Lies - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen Toxic Water - Jon Bjork Final Days of Captivity - Christian Andersen Path to the Abyss - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen From Artlist: Southside Aces - Whole Tony In the public domain: Victor Military Band - Hornpipe Swiss Yodeling Song – Ernst Ruckstahl-Hasler By Kevin MacLeod: Music: Cool Vibes by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3553-cool-vibes License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://incompetech.com
The Case if getting deeper as the crew are driven to follow the leads to a very dark place with echos of the great war... Welcome to the Circle of Veritas, a Candela Obscura Real Play podcast by the Creative Play and Podcast Network. In the gaslit streets of Newfair, our brave circle of investigators faces ancient horrors, uncovering secrets while battling the supernatural. As they strive to protect the fragile veil of reality, listeners are taken on an atmospheric journey through the shadows that cloak their world. Our circle navigates talents, relationships, and the eerie mysteries of a supernatural tome to collect gear and build trust. Can they maintain discretion and unity while facing the darkness that watches in waiting? As new alliances form and old tensions fade, the investigators are summoned to the Librum Veritas to unravel secrets hidden in the heart of the Briar Green District. With every roll of the dice and strategic alliance, the line between the familiar and the unknown blurs. Stay vigilant, for in the shadows, ancient truths stir. Our first full episode of The Circle of Veritas, our Candela Obscura campaign, is now live! In Session 1, our newly-formed Circle is summoned to the bookshop Librum Veritas and sent into their first case: mysterious deaths in a graveyard, sigils of ash and bleed etched into flesh, and rumors of war-dead walking again… The circle must unravel the truth behind the haunted coin, lost soldiers, and a dark cult on the rise. ✨ Candela Obscura is published by Darrington Press, the imprint of Critical Role, and you can find the core book and quickstart rules at https://darringtonpress.com/candela-obscura. Your support helps us keep the mics on and the mysteries coming—thank you!
Send us a textRolling in the Netherdeep has evolved into Few and Far Between!!Few And Far Between Ep 134A Moonlit IsleThe Favoured Few spend 24 hours on Estrella's island, preparing for the trip into the feywild.Watch us live on Wednesdays 4:30 Eastern/1:30 Pacific on Twitch!Thanks to Critical Role for helping us build worlds of adventure!Connect with us via our Linktree!Ron Murphy – DM, @ron88keysRBDMLaphus Prismawing - Jaiden Ramirez, @ffoxtrotXIVOrgoth Skullcrusher - Bill Roper, @billfreakinroperNorth Star Maedrick - Jaime R. Bishop, @steelcladvicarVoka Nildrith - Mira Luttrell, @cubedmangoesFollow us on Twitter at @SeveredSonsDnD or on Instagram!Join our Discord! Join our Patreon!Now, you can support us through the Buzzsprout website too!Give us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, Spotify, GoodPods or on our Twitter page and we'll read it on the air. Support the show
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Bisa Lewis.
The fight against Caaaaaaaves? takes an unexpected - and extremely challenging - turn. Will the Sidebars make it out alive? It's looking... well... not great.Featuring:Erika Jayne as Taryn GrimKasia Wayfinder as Granny SabinkaSeverin Gourley as Dexter Clementineand Julz Burgisser as DMVisit www.fateofisen.com to learn more.Fate of Isen is one of the Feedspot top D&D podcasts in the world! Check out Feedspot here.If you like the show, please feel free to follow us on social media (@fateofisen) or support us on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Intro, outro, and recap music by freesound user, Tyops, and ambient sound by TabletopAudio.com
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
In which our investigators find that there is no smoke without fire, no kippers without herrings, and no insane occult practises without innocent folkloric studies… A Call of Cthulhu scenario by Danann McAleer. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Dr. Henry Carraig-Muire - Joseph Chance Rev. Perregrine McCutcheon - Dan Wheeler Lady Helen Marjorie Bjarmia Potts - Dominic Allen CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX from Epidemic Sound Kevin MacLeod, at Incompetech: Vanishing by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4578-vanishing License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4590-virtutes-instrumenti License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license With very special thanks to Finn McAleer for the use of his fiddle music, especially his album ‘Rough As Folk' (with The Great Bearded Tits). More of Finn's music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@finnnnn Epidemic Sound: Radestsky March - Trad. When I am Calling Your Name - Giant Ember Ave Maria - Trad. String Quartet in D - Andante (Trad.) Scorpion Dance - Mike Franklyn Sneaky Fingers (T. Mori) Trollmors Vaggsang (String Quartet Version) - Trad. Prayer - Arvid Svenungsson The Spy - Wendy Martini Hallucinarium - Kalak Lucky Bird - River Run Dry Polska Fran Knaggalve - Trad. Persapojkarnas Polska - Trad. Joyful Occasions - Ludvig Moulin Folksong on Piano - Trad. Horror Composition 5 (SFX Producer) Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 “Spring” II. Largo e pianissimo sempre - Michelle Ross Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315 “Summer” III. Presto - Michelle Ross Largo from Xerxes - Trad. Taproot - Esme Cruz Distant Chanting - Jon Bjork Vacuum Sealer - Edward Karl Hanson It Lurks Below - Trailer Worx Godsend - Johannes Bomlof Amaranth Fields - Reynard Seidel Let Them Try - Hampus Naeselius Evil Intentions - Experia Trailed By Horror - Trailer Worn Av Jord, Till Jord - Silver Maple Hold Me Now - Spring Gang Eye For Detail - Jay Barton It Will Fall - Daniella Ljungsberg Scandinavian Folk 10 - Trad. Sneaky Steak - Daniel Fridell House of Horror - Marc Torch Sign Here - Enigmatic Serenity's Reality 5 - August Wilhelmsson Jokers - Mary Riddle Corrivation - Ethan Sloan Fear of the Dark - Etienne Roussel Shadows Unseen - DEX 1200 Onus - Ethan Sloan O'Connor's Jig - Roy Edwin Williams Game Over - Daniel Fridell
Mariano Gontchar: From Boss to Facilitator—The Critical Role of Empathy in Scrum Mastery Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Mariano shares his transformation from viewing himself as a boss in his project manager role to embracing the facilitator mindset essential for Scrum Masters. His journey reveals a crucial insight: you cannot implement Scrum with a "big bang" approach. Instead, success comes through empathy and understanding your team's needs. Mariano emphasizes that working with Agile requires constant practice and learning, but the key lesson that changed everything for him was learning to empathize with his team members rather than directing them from above. Self-reflection Question: How might your current leadership style be limiting your team's potential, and what would change if you shifted from directing to facilitating? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
On today's podcast, Brian and Mandy delve into the news about Daggerheart, the latest announcements for Campaign Four or Critical Role, and the strange controversies surrounding the announcement they would be using Dungeons & Dragons 2024. They discuss Brennan Lee Mulligan's ambitious plans for a Western Marches style campaign, with three different groups of players and the intricacies involved in running such a massive and interconnected campaign. The podcast also touches upon Brian's first time running a Session Zero for Daggerheat, the excitement of creating characters in Daggerheart, and impressions of the first episodes of the new Peacemaker season. 00:00 Introduction and Greetings 00:39 Critical Role's Campaign Four Announcement 01:10 Western Marches Campaign Structure 02:50 Challenges and Intricacies of the New Campaign 06:47 Controversy Over Game Choice 15:27 Session Zero Experience 21:52 Peacemaker Season 2 Discussion 23:08 Future of DC and Marvel 23:40 Conclusion and Sign-Off
The group puts a plan together to find a lost royal.JOIN OUR DISCORDHelp support the show by visiting our Patreon and find even more content on our Website!Intro/Outro Music “Jotunheim (Chiptune Version)” Courtesy of Rush CoilOriginal Composition by Serpent Sound Studios
The group puts a plan together to find a lost royal.JOIN OUR DISCORDHelp support the show by visiting our Patreon and find even more content on our Website!Intro/Outro Music “Jotunheim (Chiptune Version)” Courtesy of Rush CoilOriginal Composition by Serpent Sound Studios
AI training isn't just about GPUs, it's about the network that ties them together. Host Phil Gervasi sits down with Vijay Vusirikala to unpack why job completion time is the true metric of success, how optical interconnects shape AI datacenter performance, and why power efficiency and observability are becoming mission-critical.
Content Warning: References to NSFW, SFW, and SA content. This week! Jeremy, Candace and Liv continue their discussion about the ongoing itch.io and Steam controversy, and how censorship of this nature impacts BIPOC and Queer creators and communities. From the definitions of censorship, the current state of ID Checks, and the blatant bid for data control, and how this all links back to the Satanic Panic. Also - did you miss out on our first
In this episode, I sit down with Katrina Foe, a Functional Nutritionist and Board-Certified Holistic Nutritionist with advanced certifications in integrative oncology, and the founder of cancerfreedom.com.Katrina shares her personal cancer story, including how hidden mold played a major role in her diagnosis. We talk about the critical link between mold and cancer, the importance of functional testing, and the misconceptions that keep so many people from getting to the root cause of their illness.She also lays out the strategic order of healing, why addressing mold first is so important before working on other systems, and shares some of her go-to detox and prevention strategies.One of the more surprising things we get into is her recommendation of coffee enemas for liver support and overall detoxification.
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
In which our investigators discuss not delaying for a second more, not even to discuss how they must not delay in great detail, in great detail, as well as attempting applied psychology and use of the pipe whistle to determine if they're trapped with a psychopath, which may or may not be one of them. A horror mystery in three parts (for Call of Cthulhu 7e) by Jared Twing, Lynne Hardy and Paul Fricker. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Arabella Lockwood played by Joseph Chance Ignaz Bierbaum played by Danann McAleer Dave Kovalevskii played by Dan Wheeler …and Philip ‘Pip' Carrington played by Tom Clark* The Keeper of Arcane Lore is Dominic Allen This episode edited by Dominic Allen *Tom Clark is host of Mystery Quest — where you can also see Dan and Danann playing Delta Green from Friday 9 August! CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. APOCTOBERFEST! is back, and bigger than ever! Mark your calendars with the necessary occult symbols, the dates in question are: Thursday 2nd October–Sunday 5th October 2025, and the place: Bristol, UK. We will be bringing you two improvised live shows at the atmospheric Loco Klub, the return of our popular one-day convention at the Wiper & True taproom, PLUS 'Providence — The Shadow Over Lovecraft', by Dominic Allen and Simon Maeder! This year, buy a Weekend Pass for £50 and receive a ceremonial Apoctoberfest 2025 wristband which gives access to all events, at an almost 15% discount vs purchasing tickets individually. Tickets and more information: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/checkout/apoctoberfest-2025 The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX in this episode: From Epidemic Sound: Down to the Chicken Shop - Nicky Dowling Merry on the Moor - Bonnie Grace Hypnoria - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen La Marseillaise - Traditional Merry on the Moor - Bonnie Grace Treasure Hunt - Helmut Schenker El Chaman - Alcones Negros The Board Is Set - Dream Cave Remorse of a Murderer - Anna Dager Eine Kleine Nachtmusic - W. A. Mozart Tales From The Vienna Woods - Johann Strauss II Without Words - Lalo Brickman The Pieces Are Moving - Dream Cave Ciao Ciao - Trabant 33 Tvivel - Hanna Ekstrom (1) A Gal I Know - Martin Landstrom Se Fue, Se Fue (Instrumental Version) - Alcones Negros Distressed - Hanna Ekstrom Lost in Desire - John Barzetti Glacier - Anna Dager Gradual Collapse - Jon Bjork Strangled by Piano Strings Part 2 - Ludvig Moulin Lovely Dinner - Franz Gordon Dark Space - Ave Air Past Deeds - Dream Cave The Calling Card - Martin Landstrom Ethelda's Last Breath - Sage Oursler Oro - Hanna Ekstrom The Search - Hanna Ekstrom Deepwater Creatures - Experia The Answer Lies - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen Toxic Water - Jon Bjork Final Days of Captivity - Christian Andersen Path to the Abyss - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen From Artlist: Southside Aces - Whole Tony In the public domain: Victor Military Band - Hornpipe Swiss Yodeling Song – Ernst Ruckstahl-Hasler By Kevin MacLeod: Music: Cool Vibes by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3553-cool-vibes License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://incompetech.com
Why NOBODY predicted Critical Role would choose D&D over Daggerheart! And what does a West Marches style campaign mean for Campaign 4? We also invoke the dreaded name of Dark Sun!Get the Grim Hollow Player's Guide on D&D Beyond! https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_GHPG_2025_2_204Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.comBen: @TheBenByrneDael: @DailyDaelShawn: @shawnmerwinJames: @jamesjhaeckEditor: @ZsDante Topics:00:00 - Intro01:16 - A Lorecast actual play?05:16 - Critical Role choose D&D!18:20 - Critical Role and West Marches32:06 - Grim Hollow launches on D&D Beyond!35:52 - Unearthed Arcana hints at Dark Sun
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
In which our investigators get thoroughly dusted, make familial connections, and a trip to the local gaol gives them a hand… A Call of Cthulhu scenario by Danann McAleer. Episodes released weekly. Cast: Dr. Henry Carraig-Muire - Joseph Chance Rev. Perregrine McCutcheon - Dan Wheeler Lady Helen Marjorie Bjarmia Potts - Dominic Allen CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. Human discretion is advised. The Apocalypse Players is an actual play (or live play) TTRPG podcast focused on horror tabletop roleplaying games. Think Dimension 20 or Critical Role, but fewer dragons, more eldritch horrors, and more British actors taking their roleplaying very seriously (most of the time). We primarily play the Chaosium RPG Call of Cthulhu, but have also been known to dabble with other systems, most of which can be found on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/apocalypseplayers We now have a free Discord server where you can come worship at the altar of the Apocalypse, play Call of Cthulhu online, and meet like-minded cultists who will only be too eager to welcome you into the fold. New sacrifices oops we mean players are always welcome. Join here: discord.com/invite/kRQ62t6SjH For more information and to get in touch, visit www.apocalypseplayers.com The Apocalypse Players are: Dominic Allen @domjallen Joseph Chance @JosephChance2 Danann McAleer @DanannMcAleer Dan Wheeler @DanWheelerUK Music and SFX from Epidemic Sound Kevin MacLeod, at Incompetech: Vanishing by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4578-vanishing License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4590-virtutes-instrumenti License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license With very special thanks to Finn McAleer for the use of his fiddle music, especially his album ‘Rough As Folk' (with The Great Bearded Tits). More of Finn's music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@finnnnn Epidemic Sound: Radestsky March - Trad. When I am Calling Your Name - Giant Ember Ave Maria - Trad. String Quartet in D - Andante (Trad.) Scorpion Dance - Mike Franklyn Sneaky Fingers (T. Mori) Trollmors Vaggsang (String Quartet Version) - Trad. Prayer - Arvid Svenungsson The Spy - Wendy Martini Hallucinarium - Kalak Lucky Bird - River Run Dry Polska Fran Knaggalve - Trad. Persapojkarnas Polska - Trad. Joyful Occasions - Ludvig Moulin Folksong on Piano - Trad. Horror Composition 5 (SFX Producer) Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 “Spring” II. Largo e pianissimo sempre - Michelle Ross Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315 “Summer” III. Presto - Michelle Ross Largo from Xerxes - Trad. Taproot - Esme Cruz Distant Chanting - Jon Bjork Vacuum Sealer - Edward Karl Hanson It Lurks Below - Trailer Worx Godsend - Johannes Bomlof Amaranth Fields - Reynard Seidel Let Them Try - Hampus Naeselius Evil Intentions - Experia Trailed By Horror - Trailer Worn Av Jord, Till Jord - Silver Maple Hold Me Now - Spring Gang Eye For Detail - Jay Barton It Will Fall - Daniella Ljungsberg Scandinavian Folk 10 - Trad. Sneaky Steak - Daniel Fridell House of Horror - Marc Torch Sign Here - Enigmatic Serenity's Reality 5 - August Wilhelmsson Jokers - Mary Riddle Corrivation - Ethan Sloan Fear of the Dark - Etienne Roussel Shadows Unseen - DEX 1200 Onus - Ethan Sloan O'Connor's Jig - Roy Edwin Williams Game Over - Daniel Fridell
In this week's episode of The Game Deflators, John and Ryan dive into their latest pickups—from video games to spicy new Magic: The Gathering cards—and share updates on what's been dominating their playtime lately. But the real chaos begins with the ripple effect of Hollow Knight: Silksong's release date announcement, as developers scramble to dodge the indie titan's shadow. The duo also break down Critical Role's Season 4 decision to stick with Dungeons & Dragons over their own system, Daggerheart. What does this mean for the future of actual play content and tabletop publishing? And finally, strap in for a high-octane discussion of Twisted Metal on the PS1. Does the vehicular mayhem still hold up, or has nostalgia taken the wheel? Articles covered: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/silksong-release-date-has-already-prompted-two-game-delays/1100-6534203/ https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/critical-role-campaign-4-west-marches Want more Game Deflators content? Find us at www.thegamedeflators.com Find us on Social Media Twitter @GameDeflators Instagram @TheGameDeflators Facebook @TheGameDeflators YouTube @The Game Deflators Permission for intro and outro music provided by Matthew Huffaker http://www.youtube.com/user/teknoaxe 2_25_18
D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 Sly Flourish News: Lazy 5e Magic Item Prices, Track Turns the Shadowdark Way, 14th Key of Worlds Scenario 05:48 Sly Flourish News: 5e Artisanal Database Treasure Generators 10:11 D&D & RPG News: Ironsworn Bundle of Holding 12:39 Kickstarter Spotlight: Aethereal Expanse Dreams of the Drowned God by Ghostfire Gaming 15:09 D&D & RPG News: Critical Role Season 4 Uses D&D 2024 33:40 D&D & RPG News: Dark Sun Subclasses in Playtesting 37:26 D&D & RPG News: Cypher System 2e Preview from Monte Cook Games 41:01 Product Spotlight: Nimble Boxed Set 51:39 DM Tip: Fixing Counterspell and Spell-Like Attacks 01:02:03 Patreon Question: How to Reveal Character Secrets Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Ironsworn Bundle of Holding Aethereal Expanse Dreams of the Drowned God Kickstarter Critical Role Season 4 Uses D&D 2024 Dark Sun Subclass Playtest Cypher System Preview Nimble Boxed Set Nimble Quickstart Rules
We're trying out Daggerheart by running a mash-up campaign of Call from the Netherdeep (from Critical Role) and Call From the Deep (by JVC Parry). https://jvcparry.com/products/call-from-the-deep https://shop.critrole.com/products/critical-role-call-of-the-netherdeep This program is a production of the Murfreesboro Murder Hobo Old-School Gaming association. Support us at patreon.com/MightyDeedsPod
Content Warning: References to NSFW, SFW, and SA content. This week! Liv, Candace and Jeremy (aka the BG3 book hoarder) are exploring the Steam and Itch.io controversy of delisting games from their platforms revolving around the censorship of adult content, how this specifically impacts marginalised communities in ways these companies have clearly not considered, and how the Payment Giants are Link to the "Tell MasterCard, Visa & Activist Groups: Stop Controlling What We Can Watch, Read, or Play" Change.org campaign Check out Transplanar ! Would you like to have a halfling movie night? Head over to the halfling discord! Also - did you miss out on our first
Part 2 Check out our 2025 Melbourne Live Show!When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat....Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Fearne Calloway, Caduceus Clay, Imogen Temult, Fjord Stone, Beauregard Lionett, Orym, and Braius Doomseed work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure! PROLOGUE DESCRIPTION:For some extra lore about our Tag Team at the Teeth Adventure, check out our official Tag Team At The Teeth Prologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq8RYa0M5EkBells Hells have joined the Mighty Nein at sea in search of Ludinus Da'leth and his safe haven in the Shattered Teeth. As they approach one of the Teeth's mysterious islands, the Nein Hells suddenly find themselves split and separated in parallel realms…Tag Team Team At The Teeth: Two separate cities, two separate adventures, one overarching story. Get Live Show in Australia merch now at our Australia Critical Role shop! Check out our Australia-exclusive tee design, our tour tee and hoodie, and a stunning oversized d20 that holds a map of Exandria within it!Link to shop: https://shop.critrole.com.au/ BEACONWe're excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You'll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Critical Role's 10-Year Anniversary Melbourne Live Show took place on June 19th, 2025 at the Rod Laver Arena.Emceed by Tom Cardy || https://www.instagram.com/tomycardy/"Paint that Lady," "Monster Truck," and "Mixed Messages" by Tom CardyCharacter Art by Hannah Friederichs || @agarthanguide
Disclaimer: Minor spoilers for games in the Balder's Gate series This week! Liv gives Jeremy her recommendations on board games for folks who enjoy TTRPGs. From long form campaign games, to D&D style board games, to the stress of introducing the ADHD enemy of games - a timer! Check out Liv's recommendations here: Gloomhaven - https://cephalofair.com/pages/gloomhaven Decent Legends of the Dark - https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/descent-legends-of-the-dark/ Betrayal Legacy - https://www.board-game.co.uk/product/avalon-hill-betrayal-legacy/ Betrayal at Balder's Gate - https://www.board-game.co.uk/product/betrayal-at-baldurs-gate/ Lords of Waterdeep - https://www.board-game.co.uk/product/lords-waterdeep/ Eldritch Horror - https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/eldritch-horror/ Unfathomable - https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/unfathomable/ Mountains of Madness - https://www.board-game.co.uk/product/mountains-of-madness/ Twilight Inscription - https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/twilight-inscription/ Inhuman Conditions - https://www.robots.management Ultimate Werewolf - https://beziergames.com/products/ultimate-werewolf Blood on the Clocktower - https://bloodontheclocktower.com/buyAlso - did you miss out on our first
Our heroes are deciding the fate of Lexi the bard! Butthole (Ryan LaPlante, @theryanlaplante) spoke with Alyn and determined there is a magical mind-wipe but it can be undone, Juniper (Laura Hamstra, @lauraehamstra) got Mo Dirt to make a more permanent but riskier “mind smear” potion, and Quinny (Tyler Hewitt, @Tyler_Hewitt) made sure Bucky wouldn't talk! But will Lexi choose the potion or the unspoken “Quinny Option”?! Also featuring our awesome DM Tom McGee (@mcgeetd). Enjoying Dumb-Dumbs & Dragons?- Consider becoming a Patron of Dumb-Dumbs & Dice for as little as $1 a month and gain access to a ton of extra BTS fun (https://www.patreon.com/dumbdumbdice)- Buy merch on our website (https://dumbdumbdice.com/)- Watch us on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@dumbdumbdice)- Follow us on Instagram (https://instagram.com/dumbdumbdice)- Follow us on Facebook (https://facebook.com/dumbdumbdice) Artwork by the brilliant Del Borovic- Website & Portfolio (https://delborovic.com/)- X/Twitter (https://twitter.com/deltastic)
Part 1 Check out our 2025 Melbourne Live Show!When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat....Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Fearne Calloway, Caduceus Clay, Imogen Temult, Fjord Stone, Beauregard Lionett, Orym, and Braius Doomseed work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure! PROLOGUE DESCRIPTION:For some extra lore about our Tag Team at the Teeth Adventure, check out our official Tag Team At The Teeth Prologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq8RYa0M5EkBells Hells have joined the Mighty Nein at sea in search of Ludinus Da'leth and his safe haven in the Shattered Teeth. As they approach one of the Teeth's mysterious islands, the Nein Hells suddenly find themselves split and separated in parallel realms…Tag Team Team At The Teeth: Two separate cities, two separate adventures, one overarching story. Get Live Show in Australia merch now at our Australia Critical Role shop! Check out our Australia-exclusive tee design, our tour tee and hoodie, and a stunning oversized d20 that holds a map of Exandria within it!Link to shop: https://shop.critrole.com.au/ BEACONWe're excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You'll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Critical Role's 10-Year Anniversary Melbourne Live Show took place on June 19th, 2025 at the Rod Laver Arena.Emceed by Tom Cardy || https://www.instagram.com/tomycardy/"Paint that Lady," "Monster Truck," and "Mixed Messages" by Tom CardyCharacter Art by Hannah Friederichs || @agarthanguide
Part 2 Check out our 2025 Sydney Live Show!When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat.... Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Jester Lavorre, Ashton Greymoore, Yasha Nydoorin, Caleb Widogast, Veth Brenatto, Chetney Pock O'Pea, and Laudna work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure!" PROLOGUE DESCRIPTION:For some extra lore about our Tag Team at the Teeth Adventure, check out our official Tag Team At The Teeth Prologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq8RYa0M5EkBells Hells have joined the Mighty Nein at sea in search of Ludinus Da'leth and his safe haven in the Shattered Teeth. As they approach one of the Teeth's mysterious islands, the Nein Hells suddenly find themselves split and separated in parallel realms… Get your Critical Role Live in Australia T-Shirt Now! Commemorate a couple epic adventures from down under with this dark green Live in Australia t-shirt featuring a tag-team inspired design of the heroes of Campaigns 2 and 3: The Mighty Nein and Bells Hells. The details of both Live in Australia shows are printed on the front with the official Critical Role 10-Year Anniversary logo on the back.Link to shop: https://shop.critrole.com.au/ Critical Role's 10-Year Anniversary Sydney Live Show took place on June 19th, 2025 at the ICC Sydney Theatre. BEACONWe're excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You'll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Emceed by Tom Cardy || @TomCardy1"Paint that Lady," "Monster Truck," and "Mixed Messages" by Tom CardyCharacter Art by Hannah Friederichs || @agarthanguide
Part 1 Check out our 2025 Sydney Live Show!When characters from both the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells find themselves mysteriously split across parallel realms in The Shattered Teeth, they must unite against a common threat.... Join Game Master Matthew Mercer and the cast of Critical Role as Jester Lavorre, Ashton Greymoore, Yasha Nydoorin, Caleb Widogast, Veth Brenatto, Chetney Pock O'Pea, and Laudna work together to uncover the truth behind their interdimensional separation in this unforgettable live adventure!" PROLOGUE DESCRIPTION:For some extra lore about our Tag Team at the Teeth Adventure, check out our official Tag Team At The Teeth Prologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq8RYa0M5EkBells Hells have joined the Mighty Nein at sea in search of Ludinus Da'leth and his safe haven in the Shattered Teeth. As they approach one of the Teeth's mysterious islands, the Nein Hells suddenly find themselves split and separated in parallel realms… Get your Critical Role Live in Australia T-Shirt Now! Commemorate a couple epic adventures from down under with this dark green Live in Australia t-shirt featuring a tag-team inspired design of the heroes of Campaigns 2 and 3: The Mighty Nein and Bells Hells. The details of both Live in Australia shows are printed on the front with the official Critical Role 10-Year Anniversary logo on the back.Link to shop: https://shop.critrole.com.au/ Critical Role's 10-Year Anniversary Sydney Live Show took place on June 19th, 2025 at the ICC Sydney Theatre. BEACONWe're excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You'll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Emceed by Tom Cardy || @TomCardy1"Paint that Lady," "Monster Truck," and "Mixed Messages" by Tom CardyCharacter Art by Hannah Friederichs || @agarthanguide
Part 2 The diminished but defiant group arrives at the Barrow of Blind Repose, seeking the last hope for the people of Desperloch... DAGGERHEARTDaggerheart is OUT NOW! Visit https://daggerheart.com to learn more. Purchase your copy at friendly local game stores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores, or Critical Role shops:US: https://shop.critrole.comUK: https://shop.critrole.co.ukEU: https://shop.critrole.euAU: https://shop.critrole.com.auCA: https://canada.critrole.com AGE OF UMBRASmall communities hold fast against the darkness of a dying world in Age of Umbra, a dark, survival fantasy 8-part Daggerheart mini-series with Game Master Matthew Mercer and players Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, and Travis Willingham. Death lurks around every corner, but five characters of the small community of Desperloch must band together to fight for hope for their community, risking it all for those they love. BEACONCurious what happens when the camera turns off after an Age of Umbra episode? Watch the Cooldown episodes with the cast discussion after each episode, exclusively on Beacon! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You'll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. CREDITSKey Art & Character Art by Anthony Chong Jones | @robotpencilPlayer Miniatures by Hero ForgeSpecial thanks to Solar Simon DMMain Theme Song by Omar FadelSet Design by Shaun EllisSet Fabrication and Production Design by Noxweiler Berf Due to the improv nature of RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If hearing discussions of certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it's useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources
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