Episode 188: Creature Feature: Goblins

“I’m just a simple goblin. Do you know we don’t have a word for ‘family’ or ‘love’? Suffice to say, I don’t really understand your attachment to the small humans. I have noticed, however, that most of you will do whatever it takes to prevent … misfortune befalling your wee ones. Goblins also don’t have a word for ‘regret,’ but I know you do. Think about the regrets you’ll have if you don’t take my offer.”
-“Glassy” Salo, bootlegger, racketeer, businessman, goblin

In this installment of Creature Features, we look at the lowly goblin. Will you play them as tiny fodder, as roguish antiheroes, or as unchecked capitalists?

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Episode 187: Generalist vs. Specialist Players

The specialist: “How would you make a Jedi in D&D?”
The generalist: “I wouldn’t.”

In this episode, we compare focusing on just one game system (specializing) with playing a wide variety of games (generalizing) to see which is the best approach. Did your approach win?

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Episode 186: Warriors: Maori

“Our people once were warriors. But unlike you, Jake, they were people with mana, pride; people with spirit.”
– Once Were Warriors

Kia ora, mates. This installment of Warriors is about the original Kiwis: the Maori. You won’t be brassed off by this episode. We’re a couple of pakeha, but we give it heaps. This episode is a corker and chock-a-block with elements.  Cheers, bros.

Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!
(Tis death! Tis death! Tis life! Tis life!)

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Episode 185: Literature Lessons: Robert E. Howard

The Red Hands of Idle

The two men met to cast. One spoke with the dangerous ease of a panther, too fiercely supple to be a product of civilization. Nor was his face that of a civilized man: it was as untamed as the primordial ghetto which formed its background. The other was Lyal.

In this installment of Literature Lessons, we look at the work of Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan, Kull, and Soloman Kane.

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Episode 183: Magic and Realism

In a world with jumbo shrimp, deafening silences, and open secrets, we get that some people want realistic magic. In this episode, we discuss magic and realism. While we can’t say that you’ll be able to make the magic in your game realistic after listening to the episode, we can promise that you’ll be able to have it make sense.

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Episode 182: 2014 Wrap Up

In our last (first?) episode of the year, we discuss some of the big stories in the geek and gaming world from 2014. While they may not be the same stories everyone else is talking about, they’re the ones that had the most impact in our little circle across the Pacific.

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Episode 181: Rogues: Burglary

“We all have a little burglar inside us.”
– Chris

In this installment of Rogues, we discuss burglary: how to do it and how to stop it. While we may make it sound easy, it’s best to leave actual burglary to the professionals.

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Episode 180: Creature Feature: Santa Claus

Delivering to O.P.C. (Yeah, you know he)
Betta’ not cry, O.P.C. (Every last kiddie)
Delivering to O.P.C. (Yeah, you know she)
Betta’ watch out, O.P.C. (Every last kiddie)
-“O.P.C.” Naughty or Nice by Nature

In this installment of Creature Features, we discuss Santa Claus. Yes, Santa Claus. Trust us. Merry Christmas.

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Episode 179: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A long time ago in a country far, far away…

It is a period of scheduling war. Having missed one upload date, Chris and Lyal are forced to record without Wayne. During the week, Disney released the trailer for Episode VII, a trailer with the power to break the entire Internet. Pursued by deadlines, Chris and Lyal race to record the episode and restore regularity to the upload schedule.

Hmm. The above might read better if you imagine the Star Wars theme playing. It might not, though.

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Episode 178: Warriors: Persian Immortals

“They hold it unlawful to talk of anything which it is unlawful to do. The most disgraceful thing in the world, they think, is to tell a lie.”
On the Customs of the Persians, Herodotus

In this installment of Warriors, we honour the Persians by only speaking the truth about their elite soldiers, the Immortals. This means that they were probably called the “Companions” instead of the “Immortals,” and that they were regular men in purple and yellow robes instead of dual katana-wielding orc ninjas. Who knew Zach Snyder took some creative liberties with them?

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