The Vintage RPG Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Orcs Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Waaagh! This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we look at orcs. Particularly pig-faced orcs, but also monstrous humanoid orcs and mushroom people orcs. We also talk about Pig-Head from the Yla Eason's Sun-Man toy line, the swine-things from House on the Borderland and door-shaped shields. It's another odd-ball episode!

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We only scratched the surface here. Of particular further interest, Stu neglected to mention William Blake's diabolical character Orc, who likely also influenced Tolkien in the creation of creatures that wholly embody conceptual evil. Also missing is the demon Orcus, who has interesting folkloric connection here, though we did cover that in a previous podcast episode.

And while we discussed some of the ways orcs can be seen as perpetuating racial stereotypes, we totally neglected to talk about how some folks, particularly in queer communities, have reclaimed the orc. Grant Howitt's Big Gay Orcs is a good example of, well, gay orcs. It's right there in the title.

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Reach of the Roach God Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

Turn on all the lights! This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we delve into Reach of the Roach God, the new, massive hardcover installment of the Thousand Thousand Islands series. It's pretty gross (in the best ways?) and, unlike the previous ATTI publications, Reach is structured like an RPG books, which clearly defined adventures and source material (it's all still system agnostic, though, never fear). The result is something that seems pretty groundbreaking and exciting!

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Reach of the Roach God will be available for purchase in the US at Spearwitch, once Kickstarter fulfillment is finished!

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Cycle of the Werewolf May 29, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we check out Stephen King and Bernie Wrightson's Cycle of the Werewolf (1983). Born as a concept for a novelty calendar, it blossomed into an illustrated novella that is one of the finest modern werewolf stories and contains some of Wrightson's best illustrations. We also talk more broadly about King's career and unearth a surprising fact or two about the 1985 film adaptation of Cycle, Silver Bullet.

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Vermis I May 22, 2023

Show notes

Which flesh is your flesh? This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, well, we don't find out the answer to that question, but we DO check out the mysterious RPG-inspired art book Vermis I, by Plastiboo. This gorgeous artifact takes the form of a strategy guide for a videogame that doesn't exist and draws clear inspiration from the Souls games, early videogame RPGs like Shadowgate and a whole wealth of tabletop games. It's gorgeous and unsettling and deeply intriguing and, hands down, one of my favorite things I've added to the shelf in a long time.

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Expedition to the Barrier Peaks May 15, 2023

Show notes

The best of the first wave of TSR-produced D&D modules? Certainly the quirkiest! This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we check out S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. It's the one with the crashed spaceship full of aliens that, wouldn't you know it, look and act like classic D&D monsters! Even though this was published in 1980, it actually saw play as early as the summer of 1976 at conventions, so as outside the norm as Barrier Peaks may seem, it also shows how early silliness had come to be core to the D&D experience. We dig into that, scratch at the complex legacy of Gary Gygax and even talk a little bit about the spooky stuff that happened down by the railroad tracks when we were kids. Check it out!

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West Marches May 08, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we discuss the concept of the West Marches, a style of play for large groups of players and on-demand GMs (mostly intended for D&D and its derivatives). West Marches was developed by Ben Robbins (Microscope, Kingdom) and offers a pretty unique framework for RPGs that puts a lot of the onus of play on players rather than GMs, and weaponizes the dread Fear of Missing Out. Stu's starting up a West Marches game for Patrons, so it's been on his mind!

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There are tons of resources for and musings about West Marches games, but the place to start, if you're interesting, is Robbins' own blogs on the subject.

Note: while Stu has personally decided that the "Marches" part of the name refers to military walking, and refers to it as such in the episode, a march in this context is actually a kind of borderland. In medieval Europe, these were used as neutral zones between regions, often for military purposes. A whole lot of names and words derive from the concept (including marquis and Denmark), to the extent that once you're aware of it, you see a lot of Europe differently.

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Empire of the East May 01, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we check out Fred Saberhagen's classic science fantasy trilogy. The last volume, Changeling Earth, got name-checked in Appendix N, but all three provided plenty of clear inspiration for Dungeons & Dragons. And they're pretty great reads on their own!

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Amazing Tales Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we talk about Amazing Tales, a simple RPG designed to introduce children into the hobby. And that's just what Stu did with his son a couple of weeks ago. How did Amazing Tales hold up in their first play through? Listen and find out!

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Our friends at Cadabra Records are excited about their imminent Nightlands Festival. Come to New Jersey and join in a celebration of some of the greatest weird fiction through words, music and art. Tickets are on sale now!

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If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!

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Portents of the Degloved Hand Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, we chat with Matt Johnson about Portents of the Degloved Hand, a kinda gross and very risky card-based omen supplement for everyone's favorite doom-ridden RPG, MÖRK BORG! We talk about how it works, how it looks, why you'd want to add more death and disaster to MÖRK BORG and more!

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Portents is on Kickstarter right now! You can keep up to date with Matt on Instagram or on the Raven Portents site.

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New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!

Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!

If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!

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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, Hambone and Alex (our long-suffering editor), go to see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves so Stu doesn't have to! They weave a compelling tale of being entertained by a movie that, against all odds, seems to not suck. Maybe Stu will see it after all.

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New year, new Noble Knight discount code! Use VRPG23 for 10% off all your purchases online or in the store!

Hang out with us on the Vintage RPG Discord!

If you dig what we do, join us on the Vintage RPG Patreon for more roleplaying fun and surprises! Patrons keep us going!

Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast!

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