This Ol’ Dungeon Podcast

Episode 64 Stormbringer!

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:20:12 -0400

Edwin and Lou talk about the interaction of VTT built-in mechanics and their effects on game experience and get quickly into the "This Ol' Dungeon" segment where they discuss the Chaosium "Stormbringer!" RPG and the starting adventure "The Giant's Stairs." Not going to lie, this episode is short and a bit janky, but hey we promised one episode a month, but there were not quality assurances in that contract! Seriously though, you get a pretty good smear of topics for what it is worth! Please don't forget to send in quiz show questions for a chance to win fabulous RPG prizes (thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com) or send us questions, comments, or your own experiences with "Stormbringer!" or the books of Michael Moorcock to thisoldungeon@gmail.com. Thanks for hanging out with us-here's to a brighter April!

Episode 63 Tunnels and Trolls: Mistywood

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:49:46 -0500

In this late-in-the-month episode, we get up to talking about subdual damage and other interesting sub-systems (thanks to a write-in by John Williams), whether you can actually make a "Slasher Film" RPG, and of course, our "This Ol' Dungeon" focus is the classic RPG: Tunnels and Trolls and a solo adventure for it called "Mistywood." Join us for the next episode by writing in with your thoughts and questions to thisoldungeon@gmail.com or send us some Geek Credit multiple choice questions to thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com for a chance to win RPG related prizes! Until next time, may your sessions be fabulous!

Episode 62 G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 23:16:20 -0500

In this episode the gang talks about the PAGE convention, the subtle effects of designing mechanics, and have our spirits lifted by some really kind letters from the listeners! This month's adventure is G2, which, admittedly we have sort of covered a bit before, but here we give it the full "This Ol' Dungeon" treatment. And ONCE AGAIN we get to try out the new version of our Geek Credit segment, with some really good/tough questions from our listeners. You too can write into the show at thisoldungeon@gmail.com or you can send us some multiple choice questions (with the answer marked) to thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com. If we use your quiz question on the episode you will be put in a drawing for some swell RPG prizes!

Episode 61 Masks of Nyarlathotep Australia

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:01:28 -0500

Your dungeon architects are back at it, with this third installment of Masks of Nyarlathotep. This time we take a look at the Australia leg of that world-hopping campaign. We have a good letters section about Christmas RPG memories and some good discussion of using "ships" as the base of an adventuring group. Bill is mysteriously absent from this episode...or is he? You'll have to listen to the whole thing to know for sure!

OneShotEpisode28_Jason Hobbs and Bite the Bullet

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 21:31:30 -0500

Edwin and Lou get a chance to hang with friend of the show Jason Hobbs and talk about his "Into the Odd" inspired Civil War-Era, Post-Apocalyptic Western, "Bite the Bullet." He's doing some cool things with social interaction rules in this among other things! Its a tight RPG that really pushes into character play and leaves a lot of room for setting building that is still supported by in-game themes and mechanics pushing the "wild west" pseudo-apocalypse genre. We also get to hear a bit about Edwin's test-run of his in-development "Dungeon Survivor" RPG system during his running of Crawl for the Cure. You can check out "Bite the Bullet" as a pay what you want here: Bite the Bullet on DrivethruRPG

Chirstmas Talk with Christopher Tupa

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:59:51 -0500

Alright, if you have followed the podcast for any length of time, you know that I (Luau Lou) have this weird ambition to do a podcast with my childhood buddy, Christopher Tupa, where we just talk. It's not about gaming. It is not even really tangent to the theme of This Ol' Dungeon, but I inflict it on you all nonetheless. This year instead of another Halloween episode, we branch off to Christmas! So, if you need the company of conversation, turn us on. If not, you may want to pass. If you have thoughts of your own about some of the topics we cover, please write in at thisoldungeon@gmail.com. Or drop some messages on our Facebook page. Both Christopher and I (and Edwin!) will be on The Crawl for the Cure this Saturday (12/13/25). Here's the blurb:

Live on the DCC Mayhem Twitch Channel: Time Judge / System / Adventure 7:00:00 AM CK Chuck Cumbow - Castles & Crusades - The Dark Crypt of Nagízotl 10:00:00 AM Judge Brendan Lasalle - Xcrawl Classics - The 36 Chambers of Xcrawl 2:00:00 PM Judge Tim Deschene - DCC/MCC MASHUP - Powerman and Defenders of the Cosmos 5:00:00 PM Judge Edwin Nagy - Dungeon Survivor - The Sweetest Curse 8:00:00 PM Judge Luau Lou/Insanti Clawz - Mutant Crawl Classics - A Convenient Stop with Special Guest Chris Holmes 11:00:00 PM Director Randy Miller - Horror Cinemas Classics - Legion on the Lakefront with Special Guests Paul Fricker (Chaosium) and Jon Hook (Modern Mythos) Additionally, Freelance Artist Christopher Tupa will be putting up the incredible artworks pictured for raffle, as well as hanging out in the dcc_mayhem Twitch chat to take your requests for custom artworks! Starting at $25 for a black ink drawing and starting at $50 for color, this is NOT an opportunity you’ll want to miss! The memorial play-a-thon is in memory of Jerry Stefek: gamer, father, friend and altruist. We tragically lost Jerry to aggressive lymphoma in 2018. ALL proceeds will be given to cancer research and patient assistance through Tiltify to the American Cancer Society!

OneShotEpisode27 A Mechwarriior Campaign Experience with Alexander Another-Skip-Davis

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 09:07:05 -0500

In this One Shot Epsiode, Lou gets to sit down with listener Alexander Another Skip Davis and learn about his experiences both playing the Mechwarrior RPG and taking it to the next level as a LARP! Though he hasn't mentioned it on the show before, this creative dude also manufactures a cool style of dice that work as rings rotating around a string or necklace chain. You can check them out at his link here: Turning Dice - for fans of funky dice, these are a must have...and Christmas is around the corner, how convenient!

Episode 60_Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:40:36 -0500

This time we get up to a real classic, "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" by the man himself - E. Gary Gygax! On top of this beaut, we have a great selection of listener mail and (drum roll) the return of Geek Credit! Thanks to the submission of questions by the listeners, we were able to do our first round of the new and improved quiz show! If you have some fun Geek Credit questions for us and want to be inline for a chance to win fabulous RPG prizes, send your questions to thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com. Thanks for giving us a listen, and we'll be back in December with another episode!

Here are the links listener John Williams gave for looking at his 2nd Edition Warhammer materials. For legal purposes, the show is not affiliated with this but loves the archival nature of what he's doing and wants to see fans connect over the love of old systems and gaming material!

Hosted on google drive. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19ZGff8aGyf3g3pR7GN9BkbcnEaOLn1IK?usp=drive_link On DakkaDakka forums. https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/816543.page On the 3rd ed 40k facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/294172802284175 In the 3rd ed 40k discord server. https://discord.gg/hj9s2ZEU

Episode 59 Mechawarrior Null Set

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 01:07:04 -0400

In this, our October episode, Bill is back from the land of the dead, and we finally get a chance to cover “Null Set” a Mechwarrior adventure…oh the things we do to please our listeners… Well, aside from “Null Set” we had some nice listener mail about how to do XP and the use of table props. Edwin gets the bug to design a system, and Bill announces Pacesetter’s release of the Gamma-X beta rules (available here: https://pacesettergames.com/search?q=gamma&options%5Bprefix%5D=last). OH, don’t forget to write-in at thisoldungeon@gmail.com. Also, we will be doing the trivia game (should be next episode) and if you wish to contribute a question you can do so at thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com. Till next time, happy gaming!

Episode58 What It Means to This Ol Dungeon Something

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 19:04:30 -0400

After multiple re-schedules things fell through for the episode we were wanting to give you this month, reviewing the Mechwarrior adventure, "Null Set." With Bill failing his save against the black plague, it is just Edwin and Lou talking about the origins of the podcast and how they go about "this old dungeoning" an adventure. We did not have any Letters to the Homeowner's Association for September, but we did have some Geek Credit questions, though we chose to wait until Bill was back to spring this new quiz format. We do have room for more questions if you still want to write-in (thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com). We will return next month with a regular episode as well as Lou's annual sit down with friend of the show, Chris Tupa to discuss things Halloween!

Episode 57 BH3 Ballots and Bullets

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 18:50:27 -0400

On this month’s episode of This Ol’ Dungeon, we are digesting Boot Hill’s BH3, “Ballots and Bullets.” This adventure sets the PCs in the middle of the mining town, Promise City, where elections for Marshal, Mayor, and Town Council are about to take place. The PCs have 10 weeks to help their supported faction win these elections amid both fair and unfair practices and a lot of potential gun-play. The module itself is like many a political candidate, promising much…but does it deliver? We have a lot of fun talking about this one, and were given some great listener questions about making fantasy campaign games work as well as which board games we love to play. At the end, we give out the information for being a part of our quiz-portion (Geek Credit) that we are trying to start back up. Basically, if you have a good multiple choice, geek-oriented question, you can send it to thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com. if we use it on the show, you will get a shot at winning fantastic RPG prizes! Thanks for listening folks, and we will catch you in September with a bit of Mechwarrior!

One Shot Episode 26 Dungeon Dwelling Creatures with Eddie Bartlett

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 17:19:24 -0400

Friend of the show Eddie Bartlett stops by on this one shot episode to talk about his and John Watson’s up-coming DCC release, “Dungeon Dwelling Creatures” (DDC). This DCC-compatible rulebook puts players in the role of the monsters—and not that sort of cutesy “Oh I’m a cat-person,” or, “Look at me, my father was a dragon…” stuff. No, these monsters are grotesque, wicked little things like Orcs, Wendigos, Debiks, Hags and many more. Eddie talks a lot about the functional design of a game like this and gives us some insight into how some of the classes work, what “Vile” is and how it compares to Luck, and what we can expect in this new DCC-powered game system. This project is going to be live on Backerkit throughout August (launching August 1st). You can follow it here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/3a256628-d20c-4ff6-b74b-a36b89f27015/landing?fbclid=IwY2xjawLyI7FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHiQRGWJ-JnCNIdQiKW3AflCX8j6z85S07U7HV5QMwDl2-xBUwBqzOa1yB5aM_aem_x7LG46rBERYG-2bQypBeaw

It also has a quickstart guide that has been out for a bit, available at DriveThruRPG here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/502566/dungeon-dwelling-creatures-quick-start-rules The quickstart is a great sample of some of these amazing classes, a few spells, and a great adventure to show you just one of the many ways playing the monsters is a unique source of fun!

Episode 56 Allen Hammack and The Ghost Tower of Inverness

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 07:04:05 -0400

You won't believe it, dungeonneers! We have the one and only Allen Hammack -yes, THAT Allen Hammack- on to talk about his seminal creation, "The Ghost Tower of Inverness." We learn about Allen's introduction to gaming, his experiences playing in and writing tournament games. We get a bit of a peek into the early days of TSR and his job there. And of course there's the listener mail segment—where we talk about "monster of the week" type adventures—and the "This Ol' Dungeon" segment—where we learn the reasons behind some of the designs of the Ghost Tower and talk about a few of the things we might change up. Please give the episode a listen. If you have feedback, stories about your experiences with the Ghost Tower or tournament play, or questions you would like to hear our input on, write to: thisoldungeon@gmail.com.

We are also excited to (soon) be getting back to the Geek Credit quiz show at the end of the episodes and have created thisoldungeonquiz@gmail.com where you can send your RPG and geek-related quiz questions and answers. Those questions will be selected to be used by one of us to test the others. All contributors to that segment's questions will be put in a drawing for fabulous RPG prizes! Thanks for your support, everybody!

Episode 55 Against the Cult of the Reptile God

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:26:58 -0400

In this episode we handle some great listener mail discussing important, non-game con items, whether pulp has transformed from a genre to play style in RPGs, and face the aftermath of doing the TSR Indiana Jones game. For our main offering we have the divisive classic, "Against the Cult of the Reptile God." And like the naga that lies at the conclusion of the adventure our thoughts and writhe between praise and reproach of the adventure's parts - you'll never gues who Bill winds up siding with (actually, you will because there are only two other hosts...). Here's the addition Bill's company made to try and fix some of the issues with this adventure: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/263910/n0-5-twisting-trail-of-the-reptile-cult

Episode 54: The Indiana Jones RPG Adventure: Nepal Nightmare FIXED

Sat, 24 May 2025 21:24:21 -0400

Quick apology to those that already downloaded this episode once. There was apparently some corrupt parts of the original file. This version has the entire show on it. Thanks for your patience!

The planets must be ready to align, because in a moment of shocking This Ol' Dungeon history, all three hosts get fired up about this episode's focus, 'Nepal Nightmare." This adventure for the infamous Indiana Jones RPG by TSR has a lot to work from. As mentioned in the episode, the unpublished paper models for Star Frontiers by the late Dennis Kauth can be found through this link: https://www.papermodelers.com/forum/alternate-dimensions/44572-rpg-vehicles-dennis-kauth.html. Please keep the letters coming. We plan to return again mid-June. Happy gaming!

Episode 53 The London Leg of Masks of Nyarlathotep

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 19:17:18 -0400

It's been a minute, but we are back at our trek through the classic Call of Cthulhu campaign, "Masks of Nyarlathotep." This time Bill is sick, so its up to Edwin and Lou to come through. we've got some great write-ins about using other adventure parties as random encounters, a question about XP systems and what they contribute to the feel of a campaign, and then a run through of the London portion of the Masks.

One Shot Episode 25 with Matt DeMicco and Cult of the Winged Skull

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 10:19:14 -0400

Lou gets to sit down once again with creator Matt De Micco who's newest creation is a fantasy setting explored through 4 interlinked non-linear adventures entitled "The Cult of the Winged Skull." You will get to hear all about the Wythmail setting and these adventures as Matt discuss this fantastic undertaking. We're talking rivaling groups of knights, clandestine sects of wizards, new monsters and PIRATES! Towards the end of the episode we also get a sneak peak at his upcoming Weird Frontiers work, and bit about his pulp-baseball RPG. If you want in on this awesome tome of fantasy adventure, check out his Kickstarter! Time is running out! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cclydesdalemassacre/the-cult-of-the-winged-skull?ref=discovery&term=winged%20skull&total_hits=11&category_id=34

Episode 52 Marvel Super Heroes Time Trap!

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 23:58:30 -0400

In this episode we discuss different uses and purposes of random encounter charts (thanks to the suggestion of listener John Williams) and do our best to make a go of "Time Trap!" an early adventure for the TSR Marvel Super Heroes games. If you have suggestions, questions, or gaming stories you would like to share, write us at thisoldungeon@gmail.com or catch us on Facebook!

Episode 51 Treasure of the Hideous One

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 21:11:33 -0500

Well, curtain pulled back, February was a busy month and almost got away from us! So here we go with a fun mini-adventure that was packaged between AC2 Combat Shield..."The Treasure of the Hideous Ones." Like the adventure, this episode is low-key but full of some fun moments!

Episode 50 With Returning Hosts Featuring Lathan's Gold and Merle Rasmussen

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 11:13:28 -0500

We're all very honored to have made it to 50 regular episodes! Suggested by listeners, we tried to hype-up this golden anniversary by having former hosts Briggy and Thomas back on to join the current crew in discussions that range from whether module challenge ratings give accurate information, to hosting our own "dream episode" of TOD, to giving the This Ol' Dungeon treatment to Merle Rasmussen's "Lathan's Gold." Mid-episode you also get a one-on-one interview with the man, himself, Merle Rasmussen. It's a bit of a long one, folks, but you don't hit 50 too often! We had a lot of fun on this one and we hope you will too.

One Shot Episode 24 G3 Hall of the Fire Giant King with Stefan Surratt

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 23:18:18 -0500

Stefan Surratt is launching a cool DCC campaign called "Conquest of Chaos" filled with inspiration from the old "Against the Giants" modules. On this episode, he and Luau Lou sit down and talk about his adventures' designs as well as the finale in the G series, G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King. Its amazing how many little bits of "wow" that very early adventure has smashed between dozens and dozens of fights with giants... If you want a fresh take on conquesting jotnars you should check out Stefan's Backerkit (launching at the end of January): Conquest of Chaos. The regular hosts will be back soon with a regular episode (OUR 50th!), so stay tuned for that as well!

OneShotEpisode23_Pre-Christmas Hanging out With Dave Townsend of Games with Dave

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:55:36 -0500

On Christmas Eve...Eve, I had the opportunity to do a Zoom call with my good friend Dave Townsend. Figuring that we would end up talking about gaming stuff, I asked him if it would be OK to just record the conversation and put it out there as a oneshot for This Ol' Dungeon; just in case there was someone out there that wanted a little company. He was cool with it. In this conversation between friends, we talk about gaming and the holidays, games we played with our siblings and children, 3D printing, the advent of the resin printer, and a bit more. So come hang with us for a conversation...

If you would like to see Dave's amazing webstore, you can find it here: Games with Dave the RPG Store

For his awesome collection of video interviews with a who's-who of RPG legends, check out his YouTube channel: Games with Dave the Youtube Channel

Episode 49: Have a Trappy New Years!

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:29:26 -0500

In this episode, Bill, Edwin and Lou discuss the use of traps in the game, compare their thoughts on the Grimtooth's Traps series, and challenge the listeners to write in with their own reflections (write to thisoldungeon@gmail.com). Have a very Merry Christmas or whatever holiday is warming your heart right now, and may great fortune be yours in 2025!

Episode 48 Caverns of Thracia

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 16:35:04 -0500

Episode 48 might be one of the most personally satisfying episodes for Lou, as he, Bill, and Edwin tackle the Judge’s Guild classic, “Caverns of Thracia.” There’s a lot of gushing over many of its fine qualities and a bit of suggestion as to what might make it more endearing to players and other ways this product might be used. We have our usual opening banter, much of which is devoted to the awesome Long Con RPG convention both Bill and Lou attended recently and to the upcoming (December 14th) Ethernet Version of the Crawl for the Cure (View at: https://www.twitch.tv/dcc_mayhem) (Info at: https://crawlforthecure.net/wpcftc/?page_id=74). Edwin and Lou will be participating in games for the Crawl for the Cure and MANY, MANY great gaming companies are throwing in for prizes for the raffles (all donors get put in for the raffles), so please give the channel a watch on the 14th and make a donation with a crazy suggestion for the judge or the players as they put on these “live plays” for you. There are a lot of cool industry personalities playing and running AND you get to see some great products brought to life on the actual gaming table. Check it out, running all day and into the wee hours of the night on December 14th. Until next episode, have a great Thanksgiving and make those saves vs. sleep! P.S. Here’s a link to get signed up for PAGE con (https://phillyexpocenter.com/events/philadelphia-area-gaming-expo/) and here is one for Total Con (http://www.totalcon.com/) both conventions mentioned in the episode.

Halloween 2024 with Luau Lou and Christopher Tupa

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 21:56:55 -0400

This is that once-a-year, oddball episode where Luau Lou sits down with his old buddy and artist friend, Christopher Tupa and they blather on and on about Halloween-themed topics. This episode gets a bit morbid at one point, as they discuss real life death scenes, but otherwise they try and tell some spooky stories but mostly just go down the river of nostalgia without a paddle to direct themselves... Listen in if you want, otherwise the next official episode of TOD will be in November! Happy Halloween!

Here's Christopher's webpage if you want to check out his cool art! http://www.ctupa.com/Home.html

Episode 47 House on Gryphon HIll with Stephen Clements

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:59:09 -0400

We have a great October Episode for you all! We have Stephen Clements of the Langhorne Creative Group (https://rumble.com/c/StephenClements) on. If you aren't already following his channel on Rumble or YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@stephenclements6158) he is one of the Internet's BEST RPG adventure reviewers-and we're going to need his help on this episode as we take on the critically panned "Ravenloft II: House on Gryphon HIll." This adventure has it all: dream sequences, body-swaps, Mr. Hyde syndrome, first appearance of Azlin the lich... We also get a chance to bring back Geek Credit and get some Halloween themed gaming material into the hands of one of our listeners! Throughout the episode we mention the UK gaming convention schedule given to us by Peter Skanes (http://bit.ly/UKIRPGBGCons) and a drive to get more users on the ever-awesome RPG Market Facebook group (much better prices than eBay for cool RPG stuff) (https://www.facebook.com/groups/rpgmarketgroup/). As always, remember that everyone who writes into the show gets a chance to win fabulous RPG swag, rolled at random for each episode! The best way to contact us is through our email: thisoldungeon@gmail.com but you can leave a message on our Facebook page or here as well! Happy gaming!

Episode 46: Star Wars D6 Strike Force Shantipole with Chris Holmes!

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 20:57:55 -0400

While Edwin is off gallivanting in France, Bill and Lou are joined by former guest host, Chris Holmes! We get caught up with Bill after his big (three month) hiatus from the program, then dig in to the classic Star Wars adventure, 'Strike Force Shantipole." This is one of those "right over the plate" adventures that West End was doing so well when they first launched the line. Meet COMMANDER Ackbar and escort his engineering team as they try to escape from an Imperial invasion with the prototypes for the B-Wing Fighters!

We forgot to do the roll on air for those that wrote it, but fear not! After the fact, a random roll determined The Lone DM to be the winner of this episode's RPG swag. If you want a chance at some cool RPG swag, write in with comments, memories, questions or whatever at thisoldungeon@gmail.com. We'll look forward to being with you again in October with both a regular episode and another special Halloween episode with Lou and his artist buddy, Christopher Tupa!

Episode 45 Almost in Time for August...AD&D Fast Play 1

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 20:45:53 -0400

Feeling bad about not getting an official episode together for the month of August, Luau Lou quickly sat down to record this episode, hoping it would appease the gods of podcasting. In this episode you get a quick run through of the AD&D 2nd edition product "Fast Play #1." This was a free handout that included the basic rules to play AD&D 2nd Ed. and a 4-room dungeon to start you off. Unfortunately, in a rush to get this recorded, Lou forgot to actually "This Ol' Dungeon" it -and so all you really get is a review. The episode ends with a list of other podcasts that put out really good gaming content. We are committed to bringing you a full-blown episode here in September. Till then dungeoneers-take care!

Episode 44 Pendragon's Beast Quest

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 09:42:39 -0400

In this episode, Edwin and Lou talk about solving the problem of gaming at small cons, whether "tangents" hurt or help RPG module writing, the 1000th episode of Skype of Cthulhu (listen here), and how useful the program/podcast "The Why Files?" could be to creating modern RPG adventure content..oh yeah, we also talk about this episode's feature, "Beast Quest" for the Pendragon RPG system (1st edition). As you would expect for Pendragon, "Beast Quest" offers an interesting mix of true Dark Age narrative structure and a hint of whimsy. Check it out! And in case you're wondering we did release Bill from solitary confinement into the charge of his wife. Hopefully he has learned his lesson and will be with us on the next episode. Don't forget to send us some emails, messages, or whatever -there's always a chance to win some great gaming material just for telling us about what you're doing in the hobby, asking us a questions, or correcting us on misspoken facts! Cheers!

One Shot Episode 22: Matt De Micco and Massacre Grounds for Weird Frontiers

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 00:02:59 -0400

Howdy Pard'ners! Have we got a treat for you! With us for this one-shot episode is an awesome new adventure writer, Matt De Micco talking about his experiences gaming, growing up with true-in-the-saddle cowboys out on the Arizona trails and how all that worked its way into his adventure and campaign setting "Massacre Grounds" -currently live on Kickstarter (Kickstarter Link). You can even see this 0-level funnel play out on Youtube with the crew from Steam Steal and Murder here: Live Play of Massacre Grounds. Matt was a lot of fun to talk to, and just blew my mind with some of the cool ways he has integrated real history and history-based fiction into his adventure! We'll be back mid-way through the month with a regular episode (covering Pendragon!). Until then, please give this adventure a look-see, if you like weird west, it seems like it is going to be a blast!

Episode 43 Cyberpunk 2020 With Jame Pozenel

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:41:56 -0400

In this episode Lou, Edwin, and special guest, famed DCC/MCC writer James Pozenel pour through the Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. rule book, discuss the major D&D villains, hear about James's writings, including his up-coming DCC compatible "NetCrawl" project -AND we see a return of Geek Credit!

For those concerned listeners, Bill is alive and well (despite rumors of his death), but had a work emergency. I'm not sure where all the talk of him being replaced by Eddie Bartlett of "The No Class RPG Podcast" is coming from...

You can get signed up for James's Patreon and get monthly goodies at Pozenel Patreon you can get a preview version of "NetCrawl" (along with many of his amazing works) at DriveThru Beta Version , and get signed up to witness the launch of his official finished "NetCrawl" product at NetCrawl on Backerkit

Thanks for giving the show a listen!

Episode 42 Car Wars Convoy

Sun, 12 May 2024 18:57:14 -0400

On this Episode of This Ol' Dungeon, Edwin and Lou talk about their first D&D characters then get into the 1984 Car Wars adventure path "Convoy!" -This game bridges solo with group play and role playing with miniature war gaming!

Episode 41 DL Dragons of Despair

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:07:32 -0400

The episode starts with a nice mail segment that gets us discussing creating variations on standard fantasy RPG settings and face the dilemma of what to do with horses stirred to commotion by a pursing owl bear!

The feature of the month is the first Dragonlance module, DL1: Dragons of Despair. We find this module has a lot more to offer than our memories suggested. A couple tweaks at the beginning and end and Volia! -This adventure is ready to shoe into any game world you want to throw it into...

Next episode we're heading to off to vintage Car Wars territory! Catch you then!

One Shot Episode 21 Dave Townsend of Games with Dave

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 09:10:52 -0400

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

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

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

One Shot Episode 20 Guts N Glory Volume 1

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 01:27:42 -0500

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

Episode 40 Sundown on Starmist Star Frontiers

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 23:51:30 -0500

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

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

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

Episode 39 Dark of the Moon a Ravenloft adventure

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 23:32:46 -0500

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

Episode 38 Harlequin for Shadowrun 1st Edition

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 12:00:10 -0500

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

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

Episode 37 Mass Day at New Hope from Polyhedron 15

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 22:35:50 -0500

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

OneShotEpisode19 Matt Gullet and The Caverns of the Dead God

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:48:35 -0500

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

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

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 16:49:09 -0400

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

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

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 23:10:52 -0400

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

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

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 08:13:27 -0400

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

Episode 35 BSOLO The Ghost of Lion Castle and The Hotel Exorcist

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 23:57:01 -0400

In this episode we take a swing at solo play modules with one of the classics, BSOLO "Ghost of Lion Castle." Solo play modules are making a big resurgence right now and it was a blast to look at how the process was done in 1984 and talk about how that experience could have been improved. Speaking of new solo plays, Bill's company Pacesetter Games and Simulations is finishing out a Kickstarter featuring their take on solo plays with a CAMPAIGN of them-don't miss it! Kickstarter Link

At the very end you get a bonus sit down with John Hambone McGuire from The Vintage RPG Podcast talking about horror in RPGs and his forthcoming project, "The Hotel Exorcist" -launching October 13th! You can get the prequel to this chiller for free off DrivethruRPG! Get the Download! The rules for 3, 2, 1, Action! are available for free there too!

Don't forget to write in for a chance to win next episode when we play Geek Credit. We'll be reviewing a White Wolf product, and possibly announcing a cool writing contest. Keep on gaming folks!

OneShotEpisode16_Jonathan_Sullivans_A_Fairly_Odd_Tale_Per_Aspera_Games

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 21:31:39 -0400

With our full, regular September episode just around the corner, I wanted to sneak one extra One Shot Episode in while my buddy and all around "RPG Idea Wizard," Jonathan Sullivan still has his Kickstarter going. However, we actually spend the majority of this episode talking about his early gaming experiences and what it takes to make an 3PP adventure worthy of the Dungeon Crawl Classics label.

But we do get around to talking about his new adventure, "A Fairly Odd Tale" occasionally and I think you're going to love it! Check it out here... At the end I also mention, friend of the show, Levi Combs's new best of the RPG best extravaganza: "The Closet of the Eye Wizard" with only about 3 days left for backing (Closet of the Eye Wizard). My project called "Cover Stories" (3 gm screen-shaped short form adventures) is also out there too.

Remember that our next regular episode will be coming up and you can get in as a "play at home winner" for the Geek Credit section simply by writing into thisoldungeon@gmail.com or sending us a message on our facebook page (TOD Facebook Page) tell us a gaming story, ask us a question, explain to us why we're wrong or give us a product review idea (remember we want OLD adventures -let's say earlier than 2010). Cheers!

One Shot Episode 15 Adventures of Black Ridge Island for B/X and 5E

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 19:34:07 -0400

Friend of the show Ben Burns is back to talk about all the projects going on over at New Comet Games including the recently released "Horrors at El Dorado Royale" for Call of Cthulhu and his current Kickstarter for D&D 5e as well as Swords & Wizardry, OSE, and B/X! Check out the campaign here: Adventures of Black Ridge Island. We talk about a bit about campaign and setting book production as well as a bit of a discussion of...AI ART (Did I trigger ya'?). Ben's always a hoot to sit down with, so come along and hear about all that he's got underway (including some teasers about his next Zeta Complex product).

Episode 34 Erik Tenkar and Bad Mike Take on B1 In Search of the Unknown

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 16:56:11 -0400

In this episode we have Erik Tenkar and Bad Mike Badolato -the dynamic duo themselves- straight from the "Talking Crit" livestream among their other OSR contributions such as the Tavern blog, The North Texas RPG Con, RPG auctions, Swords and Wizardry Light, and many others.

We get to talk with them all about these endeavors as well as the classic B1: In Search of the Unknown, which is getting a non-canon sequel for NTX this coming year!

These guys are a lot of fun, so sit back and enjoy some banter.

One Shot Episode 14 with Jeff Jones and his Gary’s Appendix Issue 3

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 00:44:16 -0400

Jeff Jones of the RPG Ramblings podcast stops by for a discussion about game design, what it means to create something within the space of of the 1st Edition DMG, and whatever else floats across my mind while were talking. We also get a chance to discuss his Gary's Appendix series - with Issue 3 Kickstarting RIGHT NOW! Give it a listen and go check out the project, its a great one! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1580058713/garys-appendix-issue-3?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=gary%27s%20

Episode 33 Lady in Distress with a Short Interview with Mike Carr

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 23:44:24 -0400

In this episode Bill, Edwin, and Lou discuss the classic Top Secret module, TS003: "Lady in Distress." This GenCon XIV tournament module features a cruise ship taken over by terrorists who are after a secret bio weapon smuggled on board by a rogue Spanish scientist. BUT FIRST: Mike Carr - TSR legend and co-writer of this adventure - spends some of his afternoon with us answering a few questions about the module. Bill is in the hot seat for Geek Credit and the mailbag doth provide... Below we have some bonus anecdotes from Merle Rasmussen the OG Admisstrator and founder of the Top Secret game. We are looking to have both him and Mike back for full-length episodes.

Mr. Rasmussen: "(Mike) and I are long-time friends. Mike was working for TSR before I submitted modern espionage rules. We wrote letters to each other (before the internet) and I sent him a copy of my rules with the working title SPY WORLD (inspired by GAMMA WORLD). Mike sent me the note from Gary Gygax, “Accept this MS [manuscript] as soon as it is typed.” I then hired typists to complete the work. Mike and I independently filed the rules under “TOP SECRET.” When we discovered this coincidence, it was obvious the game should be titled, TOP SECRET®!

I wrote a module to be included in the TOP SECRET® COMPANION. It involved terrorists using Carbonophage Microbes to destroy the carbon-carbon reinforced surfaces of the Space Shuttle. I was paid by TSR, unfortunately, they would hold my product for a year. Space Shuttle Challenger exploded seconds after liftoff killing all crew members on board. This is the problem writing contemporary role-playing games-- reality sometimes catches up.

I also submitted material for TOP SECRET: NEW WORLD ORDER® that ended up on the cutting room floor. Good news! Last night I saw editing on HACKNOIA® GONZO MODERN Role-Playing Game by Jolly Blackburn and Merle M. Rasmussen. SOLARIAN GAMES hopes to publish the conspiracy, supernatural, and espionage rules. They signed a licensing agreement with KENZER & COMPANY years ago. Jolly is a fan of TOP SECRET® and spoofed my serious spy game in his Knights of the Dinner Table® cartoons calling it HACKNOIA®. I suggested we create HACKNOIA® for real. Players create characters like James Bond, but play them like Maxwell Smart. He said he couldn’t write rules. I told him I couldn’t draw comics. We shook on the deal. SOLARIAN GAMES must be nearing completion. They are on their third editor and they politely asked me to stop writing! " -more to come from Mr. Rasmussen in future episodes!

Episode 32 Champions: Dayof the Destroyer and technomancer of Candy Mountain

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 10:25:02 -0400

Edwin, Bill and Lou are back from the North Texas RPG Convention! We answer questions about whether we would want to be full-time game developers and what our favorite dungeons and traps are. Then, we get into the feature segment talking about "Day of the Destroyer" - a Champions superhero adventure.

Stay tune after the closing to hear an interview with Stefan Surrat about his latest Kickstarter bundle, "The Technomancer of Candy Mountain" and "Marvels of the Multiverse" -which both sound like amazing MCC/DCC products!

Here's the link to the KS (ending SOON!): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brimstonecradle/the-technomancer-of-candy-mountain-mcc-rpg?ref=75sly0

One Shot Episode 12 Skeeter Green and The Underlands

Mon, 22 May 2023 21:45:46 -0400

In this episode Luau Lou gets a chance to sit down with friend of the show, Skeeter Green who's about to launch his new Kickstarter project, "Underland" - an amazing adventure/system that builds a "connective" tissue between all your game worlds while introducing some great concepts and rules of underground exploration -this ain't just your daddy's dungeon, folks! There's also a decent amount of banter about Kickstarter complications and other fun - all in (you won't believe this) less than 45 minutes! -A "This Ol' Dungeon" record breaker!

Get onboard for this wonderful Zine deal! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/science-wizard/underland-part-1-for-sandw-dcc-mcc-dandd?ref=discovery

Episode 31 Rappan Athuk 30-Day Challenge with Paladin Reizo

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 21:17:46 -0400

Now presenting Episode 31: an interview with EXTREME Dungeon Master, Paladin Reizo, who’s about to attempt another world-record of gaming by running through the megadungeon Rappan Athuk for 30 days straight! You can sign up to help play or GM below, the event starts in June and is going to be continuously streamed for posterity’s sake.

We also handle some listener mail, discuss this epic dungeon for the main portion of the show, and even get into a little Geek Credit action at the end!

Be a part of the 30-Day Rappan Athuk challenge by using the following links:

The Website: Sign-Ups Will Start on May 1st. Website is still being worked on and will have constant updates as time goes on. https://paladinsarchives.com/

Paladin’s Twitch stream at: https://www.twitch.tv/paladinsarchives

Paladin’s LinkTree that has many other links to various social media such as Tik-Tok, Twitter, Youtube: https://linktr.ee/paladinsarchives

Paladin’s Discord Server (never expires): https://discord.gg/9BW3tFuMYp

One Shot Episode 11 with John ”Hambone” McGuire and 3, 2, 1 ACTION!

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 11:52:47 -0400

First off, I have to apologize – there is an echo in my mic on this recording. I think I chased down the culprit for future recordings, but alas editing only made this recording marginally better.

That being said YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE! We have John “Hambone” McGuire from the Vintage RPG Podcast and designer/co-writer of the “3, 2, 1...ACTION!” RPG on to talk about what it is like designing a system as a small publisher and we get a in-depth look at his newest offering for that game, “The Holiday Action Double Feature.”

You can learn about the system and get the catalog of books at www.321actiongames.com. You can see a live play (with the folks at) here: https://www.youtube.com/live/pSI7OltLJCQ?feature=share

And now that you’re jonesing to be a part of it, you can go back his Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnhambonemcguire/holiday-action-double-feature

One-Shot Episode 10 Artist James Shields and M.A.C.E.

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 23:15:50 -0400

We got a chance to do a “One-Shot” episode where we (yes, Edwin and even Bill eventually makes it in!) sat down with artist and content creator, James Shields to talk about his offerings to the RPG publishing world AND his new monster book project: M.A.C.E. Kickstarting NOW! What makes a good monster? How do you plan a bestiary to keep monsters new, interesting, and challenging without just adding more hit points? You can checkout his Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeshields/monster-and-character-encounters?ref=discovery&term=James%20Shields

Episode 30 DCC1 Idylls of the Rat King

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 23:18:09 -0400

We got the band back together finally, folks! And what a great little module for us to finally sync up for! In this episode we delve into the original DCC#1: Idylls of the Rat King. We go through this early 2003 Goodman product and take care of some long-overdue listener mail. It’s good to be back, baby!

Dont Tell Mom and Dad with Ben Mazzochetti and Ted Gilbert

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 23:39:36 -0400

Luau Lou here. I have been waiting to do this episode for over a year. As many of you know, I publishing a rule set called “The Dare-Luck Club,” themed around misfit adolescents out on adventures. About a year into its run, I saw a product called “Don’t Tell Mom & Dad” on Kickstarter that just looked fantastic and was right in that same game-space. Since then, I’ve been trying to track down that game’s creators, Ben Mazzochetti and Ted Gilbert to talk about their take on this genre, all the cool design features of their system, and just talk shop about the genre in general…And now it has happened! Come hang with us and find out why YOU NEED to be playing these games! You have got to check their book out. Here’s their web page: https://www.donttellmomanddad.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donttellmomanddad/?hl=en and Twitter: https://twitter.com/donttellmomdad?lang=en

One Shot Episode 8: Tales from the Smoking Wyrm with Trevor Stamper

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:46:57 -0500

Author, Publisher, Booksmith, and all around great guy, Trevor Stamper, sits down one-on-one with Luau Lou to talk about publishing Tales from the Smoking Wyrm, and the freedom of having your own means of book production/finishing. Come with us and get an inside look at how Trevor and Blind Visionary Publications are working to evolve the publication of game materials into formats that are conducive to ACTUAL game play. If you yourself are a small publisher, Trevor's analysis of how and why we need to shift the way games are written will make ya' think! Last we talk about Tales from the Smoking Wyrm #6 Kickstarting NOW!!!

Get in on Issue 6 of the Tales from the Smoking Wyrm-but do it quick the KS is about to end!

Episode 29 Stefan Surrat and The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 20:55:32 -0500

On this episode we talk with RPG creator Stefan Surrat about his MANY past endeavors as well as his upcoming Kickstarter, "Elfland: Beyond the Fields We Know." You can learn more about it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brimstonecradle/the-brimstone-cradle-and-the-hills-that-hunger/posts/3689811 OR just go help fund the thing (starting Jan 17th 2023) here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brimstonecradle/elfland-beyond-the-fields-we-know-dcc-rpg?ref=9ffw7v

During the meat and potatoes of the episode we cover a much-loved Gygax classic, "The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth!" I think despite its wild menagerie of dungeon encounters we all found a lot of things we like about this module and a few changes that can help it along at the table...

Aliens Exposed!: A Discussion of the Facts Surrounding Howling Crater

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 21:27:15 -0500

Levi Combs Sits down with Luau Lou (known for his belief in the bizarre and gnostic) and discuss events that happened around the Howling Crater UFO crash site. You can learn more about this event in the newest edition of Levi's book "An Occurrence at Howling Crater" live on Kickstarter right now (December 2022) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/planetxgames/an-occurrence-at-howling-crater-compatible-for-dcc-mcc-and-5e?ref=user_menu .

Episode 28 Masks of Nyarlathotep: New York CoC

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 16:02:27 -0500

In this episode we tackle one of the great Call of Cthulhu adventures, one bite at a time. We are looking at Masks of Nyarlathotep-the New York chapter. We talk about whether this award-winning adventure set is really deserving of all the praise it gets and what we would do to make it...better? Meanwhile, there's some great letter to the homeowners giving us discussion on treasure and some return to talk about meta plot and holiday gaming. Happy Holidays folks!

Episode 27 with Ian McCarty of Silver Bullette and Castle Amber

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 20:16:02 -0500

In this episode we sit-down with Ian McCarty of Silver Bullette Publishing. He tells about many of their cool products such as "The Creeping Cold", Fantastic Geographic, and the upcoming MCC adventure, "Fire in the MOHLE!" We ponder a great listener question about meta plots in RPG worlds and then get into the meat n' potatoes of the show, a talk about "X2: Castle Amber." -Oh and we put Ian through the ringer on another episode of Geek Credit! Don't forget to check out Ian's Kickstarter and send us your letters to enter in for a chance to be an at-home winner of Geek Credit (send emails to thisoldungeon@gmail.com)

One Shot Episode 6 Talking Halloween and Scary Toys with Christopher Tupa

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 22:05:23 -0400

This one is WAY off the beaten path folks! Since the show's inception I have always sat down each Halloween season with my old friend and favorite artist, Christopher Tupa to just wax nostalgic. This year we decided to talk about "scary toys" from our childhoods (and beyond-we're both big kids at heart). Be warned, this has almost NO GAMING CONTENT-though some of these old toy lines could sure inspire a session or two. You can see why I love having Christopher work on my RPG books by visiting his art page here: C. Tupa Art. We'll catch you with a regular episode very soon...

Episode 26 GameHole Almost Live and The Jade Hare

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 01:09:16 -0400

In this fairly raw/unedited episode the three of us talk about GameHole Con while Edwin and Bill are live on the spot. In honor of the Con's sponsor who is well known for his great collection of all things D&D, we also give the This Ol' Dungeon treatment to one of the most valuable adventures from the old days of TSR-"The Jade Hare." This is a quick one (for us) folks! We'll be back soon with another full-length episode!

Episode 25: Levi Combs Returns! We also mention Planescape...

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 22:46:31 -0400

What happens when Levi Combs comes back on This Ol' Dungeon while all 3 hosts are there to jibber-jabber? Well, not much talking about Planescape -that's for sure! Still, we got to learn a lot about what's going on at Planet X Games (https://www.facebook.com/planetxgamecompany/) and some great discussion about lots of design-side stuff, AND got through a pretty nice chunk of listener mail INCLUDING AN AUDIO MESSAGE of a mysterious origin! We also got some fun bumpers from Banjo Destructo at The Heavy Metal RPG Podcast (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs01Fh2P77XDNzKWIA4_46A). Planescape is mentioned, but we have to pledge to come back to it to give it its fair due in a future episode...

Epsiode 24 Fiend Folio with James Holloway

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 09:04:37 -0400

Had a lot of fun on this episode getting educated by James Holloway, the Monster Man, himself! We talk a lot about the importance of the original Monster Manual in setting the stage for these sorts of books and have an interesting debate on whether The Fiend Folio is or isn’t a big departure from what that book had set us up for back in the 1e days. You can catch James’s podcast “Monster Man” at: https://monsterman.libsyn.com/, and you’ll want to sign up for his Patreon feed which has all sorts of great bonuses (like picking episode topics and getting access to the “Patron Deities” show) at: https://www.patreon.com/monsterman. You can enjoy some of his published game content like the “Pamphlet of Pantheons,” and the “Magonium Mine Murders” and more here: https://james-holloway.itch.io/ or at Exalted Funeral in the US: and https://iglootree.com/ in the UK

You might also notice the fun little bumper sent to us by listener Banjo Destructo of the Heavy Metal RPG podcast (https://rumble.com/v1c3ux3-heavy-metal-rpg-podcast-episode-0000-dcc-rpg-and-level-0-funnels.html) who has done lots of cool bits (here’s one of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvR1O_l03gc). Give him a listen, the guy’s a hoot!

Ben Burns and The Zeta Complex

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 21:57:44 -0400

This is a side quest for our podcast, where Ben Burns was kind enough to come on again and talk about his new Kickstarter, "The Zeta Complex" -a product I've been antsy for him to release since playing an early version at North Texas in 2020. As a bonus, Bill Barsh talks about gearing up to launch his Kickstarter for "Tome of Quests" a remastered anthology of his company's early hits. We talk (in general) about Kickstarting, trying to get product out, and the pitfalls of shipping. If you are a small publisher or longing to be, there are plenty of gems of advice thrown out in this discussion. Otherwise, you get to hear about some great RPG products you're not going to want to miss out on!

Episode23 Jason Hobbs and The Secret of Bone Hill

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 00:11:19 -0400

In this installment we all have a great time talking low fantasy gaming (and "Low Fantasy Gaming"), West Marches, great Kickstarters/Drivethru bundles, end boss battles, and even get around to talking about L1: The Secret of Bone Hill. If you've never read/played this classic, or if it's been awhile; join us for a discussion of all its gems and all its blemishes-there's a lot to be mined from this old exemplar! To end it all, we see if Jason can get his Geek credit with 5 questions dealing with Conan, Paintball, West Marches, and Classic D&D Hexcrawling... Don't forget to write in before next episode to be matched up as a "at home winner" for the next playing of "Geek Credit."

Episode 22 Chris Holmes and The Tower of Zenopus

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 00:46:28 -0400

This episode we are joined by Chris Holmes: artist, writer, hobby game designer, and all-around renaissance man. Chris recounts his father's, John Eric Holmes, creation of the original D&D basic boxset as well as telling us about his own "made for the con" game designs-that he does as a way to express his interests and creativity. He tells about an up-coming re-release of his father's Pellucidar books and hangs with us for the This Ol' Dungeon segment where we revisit "The Tower of Zenopus"-also known as the sample dungeon from the Holmes D&D boxset. So, hang with us for another great episode!

-Oh, don't forget to send us some mail to get entered in for a chance to be the "at home winner" on the next episode's "Geek Credit" segment. Our address again is thisoldungeon@gmail.com. Happy gaming folks!

Episode 21 Tim Connolly, Benchleydale, and AD&D 1st Edition Rules

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 08:44:35 -0400

In this episode we had some equipment issues/user errors that lead to a first half containing an interview between Luau Lou and Tim Connelly of the Benchleydale Academy and a second half where the usually crew (Bill, Edwin, and Lou) are together discussing what makes the AD&D 1st Ed rule set unique and then sliding into user mail and OUR FIRST EVER Geek Credit wipeout... You'll have to listen to find out who didn't make it home with their credentials still hanging in the hall of geekdom... Don't forget, if you want to get in on Benchleydale-you have to get on Facebook and ask around or approach Tim (or other members) it is a curated group for a reason! So go find that secret passage into some AD&D goodness...

Tomb_of_Horror_with_Skeeter_Green

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 17:31:52 -0400

On this episode Skeeter Green of SGP Games joins us as we talk about the classic Tomb of Horrors and the difference between arbitrary mechanics and deadly mechanics. Bill joins us (here and there) as he hexcrawls the eastern US and we have our first winner for the "at home" version of Geek Credit. Remember, you too can get enter for being an "at home player" by simply sending us some mail to read online, or just a message saying you want to be a player. Send both to "thisoldungeon@gmail.com" or message us on our Facebook page. Also, check out Skeeter's recent Kickstarter for the next set of Valley out of Time books: Valley out of Time 3&4

Exploring Urban Campaigns with Brett Bloczynski

Sun, 01 May 2022 12:04:20 -0400

On this mega episode we get to talk city campaigns with legendary podcaster Brett Bloczynski from Gaming and BS. He tells us all about his Avalon campaign, what makes it work, and gives some great advice on how to bring these urban environments to life for your players. We got a few Letters from the Homeowners Association, and announce a new "play at home" version of Geek Credit where we will select one at home winner of fabulous RPG prizes IF the guest makes their Geek Credit. To be part of this, just write in with your name and contact information to: thisoldungeon@gmail.com. All contributors to the Letters to the Homeowners Association segment will be automatically entered as well.

Episode 18 Legion of Gold with Matt Gullett

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 21:27:19 -0400

In this episode we discuss Gamma World's first adventure, GW1: Legion of Gold with Matt Gullett of Long Con and No Class RPG Podcast fame. We talk a little Hobbit and some RPG art and YES, Bill even gets to report on some actual gaming he's done! Here's the link to the Long Con, to the No Class Podcast (soon to be on Twitch) and you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for for Matt's Kickstarter, "Caverns of the Dead God." https://longconrpg.com/ https://soundcloud.com/no-class-rpg-podcast

Episode 17 Brian Shutter Neon Lords and Orcbusters

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 20:19:39 -0400

This is a great one, folks! We had a blast with the very talented Brian Shutter-a name to watch as he will definitely be making his mark in the industry! He tells about his epic quest to bring the "cassette-apocalypse" mystique to life in his hot new game, "Neon Lords of the Toxic Wasteland" (available at Exulted Funeral https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/search?q=neon+lords and DriveThru https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?keywords=neon+lords&x=0&y=0&author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto= ). Next, we give the "This Ol' Dungeon" treatment to an adventure from one of my favorite systems, Paranoia's "Orcbusters." Hopefully you'll enjoy this as much as we did! Oh, don't forget to write in if you figure out the "wizard's names" mystery... And finally, here's a real cool resource/channel Edwin had mentioned: The Monster Man podcast (https://monsterman.libsyn.com/) hosted by James Holloway (and currently running a crowd funding for an adventure I helped him play test at https://james-holloway.itch.io/the-magonium-mine-murders).

Episode 16 Sinister Secrets of the U Series

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:21:35 -0500

This is actually a stand-in for the TRUE Episode 16, which was a massively good recording with Richard LeBlanc of http://savevsdragon.blogspot.com/ and New Big Dragon Games talking all about random generators for games and including his awesome D30 line available on DriveThru that didn't (explicative) record! We will cast Charm Person on his merciful heart and get another recording of that episode put together soon. In the meantime, we made a recording covering another proven winner, "The Sinister Secrets of Saltmarsh" and the entire U series with some comparisons to the 5e "Ghosts of Saltmarsh." This is a fun episode and believe it or not, we didn't even break and hour and a half! (Of course, we cut out 3 segments...). Anyhow, hope you enjoy this conversation about this great old product and please check out this fan made site for Temple of Elemental Evil directed to us from Ned Leeds (mentioned in the Letters from the Homeowners Association): https://1eonline.info/t/t.htm

Episode 15 Eddie Bartlett and Temple of Elemental Evil

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 21:14:57 -0500

On this episode we're joined by Eddie Bartlett of the LongCon and the No Class RPG Podcast AND writer of "Carnage in the Casino" to talk gaming and take on a classic adventure, 'The Temple of Elemental Evil." You'll get some inside information about starting a con, some ideas about which dungeon elements are most important, and listen to us take turns berating this classic megadungeon... Ok, calm down! We do point out some of its strong suits and how we would make it playable. So get comfortable, because just like ToEE, this one's a LONG one!

Episode 14 Dark Sun with Ryan Howard

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 22:40:44 -0500

In this episode, we have a lot of fun meandering our way through a myriad of topics with our special guest, Ryan Howard of "Rollin' Bones!" Some highlights include an interview with Ryan, discussion of city campaigns, archetypes for characters, safety tools for RPGs, espionage RPGs, random dungeons, and, OF COURSE, the 1991 original Dark Sun setting and why it fits perfectly with the Dungeon Crawl Classics rule set. So, get comfortable folks, this is a long one! Check out Ryan's Twitch stream at Twitch TV: Rollin' Bones.

Episode 13 Jon Hook and Holiday RPG Modules

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 21:43:40 -0500

St. Nick brings us a surprise, as we are visited by RPG writer/artist Jon Hook just in time to talk about holiday gaming. We get a chance to interview him about his writing for the Call of Cthulhu RPG, Goodman Games, as well as his work for Frog God Games-including the infamous, "Orcus on 34th Level." In the This Ol' Dungeon Segment we transform a D6 Star Wars adventure into a palatable version of the Holiday Special, get turned on to a lesser known Classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure that is ripe for winter festivities, and hear about a half-dozen adventures that make brilliant use of the origins of holidays such as Valentine's Day, Arbor Day, and even Independence Day...

Episode 12: Bill Slavicsek and Scared Stiffs

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:57:08 -0400

So, we had to class up the joint on this one; Mr. Bill "Named that Funky Star Wars Alien" Slavicsek stops by to hang and talk about his very early work, "Scared Stiffs" for the Ghostbusters RPG from West End Games. This was too much fun! Edwin Nagy of Frog God Games and Bill Barsh of Pacesetter Games were good enough to rejoin the cast and hold my had so I didn't turn too "fanboy" on Mr. Slavicsek -though I will admit having to edit out an ending where I stuttered through his name 5 times like Sylvester the cat... Personal highlight of my gaming life, right here dungeoneers!

One Shot #4 Talking Halloween with Christopher Tupa

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 22:53:44 -0400

We take a quick departure this episode as Luau Lou sits down with his old friend and artist buddy, Christopher Tupa, to talk just a little about gaming but a WHOLE LOT about Halloween! We'll be back at the end of the month with a regular episode featuring "Scared Stiffs" from the WEG Classic Ghostbuster's RPG line!

Episode 11 Levi Combs and The Arduin Grimoire

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 01:25:44 -0400

Despite a few bits of audio static here and there, you get to sit in with Levi Combs and hear about some of Planet X's products new and old, some straight-shootin' advice on small publishing, and for our "This Ol' Dungeon" piece we talk about a true foundational piece of fantasy role playing, The Arduin Grimoires by David Hargrave. I had a blast getting to hang with Levi for a night -I hope you enjoy being there with us.

Episode 10 Pacesetter and CHILL

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 21:29:33 -0400

This time Luau Lou is joined once again by Edwin Nagy of Frog God Games and extra special guest, Bill Barsh of Pacesetter Games and Simulations. We talk about a lot of things including game publishing, retro clones, precieved Game Master failures, and of course the central piece a look into the original Pacesetter Games's CHILL RPG -oh and Bill gives us the goods on his company's Gamma X project as well as some teasers for their entry into the horror genre...

Episode 9: CoC The Haunting -"Now with Interim Hosts!"

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 17:07:25 -0400

In this episode Luau Lou is joined by Edwin Naggy, Doctor Duck Butter, and The Frugal GM who kindly throw in their talents to help the podcast carry on while Thomas and Briggy deal with some of life's curve balls. We discuss the Call of Cthulhu starting adventure "The Haunting" (also titled "The Haunted House"). And answer letters from the homeowners association. If you have questions, comments, or challenges for our podcast send a sound file or email to thisoldungeon@gmail.com

North Texas RPG Con Review 2021

Sat, 12 Jun 2021 18:26:19 -0400

This is more proof to our listeners that we are still alive than our typical episodes... Hopefully we'll get back on track soon...

Episode 8 Part Deux (Queen of the Demon Web Pits)

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 00:22:55 -0400

In this 2nd part of Episode 8, we cover 2 quick pieces of listener mail and finally get into the famed "Q1: Queen of the Demon Web Pits." There are a few great "renovations" that shake out as we discuss how to make it a little more "playable," and we do a Geek Credit segment where the Wedded-Duo take on Luau Lou's random spider-related questions...

Episode 8: Part Uno

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 16:13:01 -0500

Despite preparing for a grand discussion on "Q1: Queen of the Demon Web Pits," our long hiatus has weighed us down with lots of listener mail -full of great questions about RPG styles, terms, and a personal favorite: monster encounters! So, we cut this recording as part 1 and will return soon with our This Ol' Dungeon treatment of Q1... In the mean time send us more mail!!!! Write to "thisoldungeon@gmail.com" or catch us on our Facebook page.

Episode 7 Addendum (Lords of Creation Interviews)

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 22:13:40 -0500

Thanks to Lawrence Schick, Allen Hammock, and Mike Monaco we have more to say about this interesting work by Tom Moldvay!

Episode 7:Ben Burns and the Lords of Creation

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 19:54:34 -0500

We have the delight of co-hosting with Ben Burns of New Comet Games. We talk about his journey into game design and publishing as well as taking a loo at an old favorite of his, "Lords of Creation" from Avalon Hill circa 1984...

Episode 3: Star Wars RPG Instant Adventures

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 17:06:51 -0500

In this episode we take on the old WEG Star Wars RPG adventure anthology, “Instant Adventures.”

Episode 6: Drums on Fire Mountain

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 21:40:03 -0500

Thomas and Briggy are back! We have a lengthy discussion about this old D&D Expert module -including asking the question, 'How do you get rid of the 900 pound racist gorilla in the room?" when it comes to this module's representation of Pygmy-style peoples. -But don't worry, we keep it mostly lighthearted.

TOD One Shot #2: Gamehole Con Review

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 21:17:47 -0500

Well, we're still a bit on hiatus from our regular shows. Luau Lou is on this one talking it up about this year's Virtual Gamehole Con. We hope to get back to our review and dissertation on modules and rule sets soon...

TOD Inteview Episode 1Artist Christopher Tupa

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 10:53:12 -0400

In this recording, Luau Lou talks with artist and old friend, Christopher Tupa (of http://ctupa.com/Art_by_Ctupa/Home.html) about his life and art. Christopher has done lots of work within the comic and illustration world as well as many of his own projects and few of Luau Lous! (Century's Edge Role Playing Game and the up-coming Dare-Luck Club Role Playing Game). Visit his sites -you won't be disappointed!

Episode 0 What is "This Ol Dungeon?"

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 19:51:08 -0400

This was our first episode -a test of our equipment an explanation to you our faithful listener of what we've come to do...

Episode 5: Against the Giant Slave Lords

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 19:46:43 -0400

Fiasco to say the least... Bad audio quality, depressed hosts, and a miscommunication that has us trying to do Against the Slave Lords (Scourge of the Slave Lords) and Against the Giants AT THE SAME TIME!!! -So... Instead we talk about tournament gaming... Bear with us!

Episode 4:Our Top 5 Adventures

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 18:51:22 -0400

We break from format here to give you our top 5 adventures written for any system, any edition, and across all time... -Yes, there were some tough choices to be made! We discuss our experience being "molested" by different GMs and go into other gaming rants as well -enjoy!

Episode 3: Star Wars D6 "Instant Adventures"

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 22:22:41 -0400

In this episode we discuss how none of us know anything 'bout Gang Busters, We talk about Dungeon's Top 30 modules, and give WEG's Star Wars anthology "Instant Adventures" the "This Ol Dungeon" once-over...

Episode 2: Beyond the Crystal Cave (UK1)

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 17:29:13 -0400

Lengthy episode (sorry, folks...). In this episode we don't pull any punches on what we feel needed fixed in the classic AD&D adventure, "Beyond the Crystal Cave." We'll try to keep the shows more concise in the future. In the meantime SEND US SOME MAIL! thisoldungeon@gmail.com

North Texas RPG Con Report -Our First One-Shot Episode

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 15:35:28 -0400

So, the "Beyond the Crystal Cave Episode" didn't get recorded yet -soon friends, very soon... Until then, here's Luau Lou yammering about some convention he went to...

Episode 1: The Keep on the Borderlands

Sun, 10 May 2020 18:12:40 -0400

In this episode we take on TSR's "The Keep on the Borderlands." Luau Lou makes a shocking confession about the game, Thomas throws out some cool reskinning ideas for other settings, and Briggy mostly stays quiet (She's never played The Keep on the Borderlands -Do you believe that?). Luau Lou is in the hot seat for Geek Credit this week...