Around the Hearth

Open Hearth Gaming Community
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Around the Hearth features discussion on a wide range of topics relevant to tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) featuring members of the Open Hearth Gaming Community. We talk games, gameplay, design, and the games being played at the Open Hearth Gaming Calendar. Our online games are free and open to all! If you'd like to join the fun, visit openhearthgaming.com for more information.

  1. 1 day ago

    A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 10 - White Whales

    ...to the last, I prattle with thee; from a studio apartment, I yap at thee; for the game's sake I pod my last cast at thee!! In the first-ever live studio recording of the show, José & Ian spend a (very warm) summer evening bouncing off of each other about games & gaming. We discuss bringing newcomers into the hobby, embracing (and even aiming for) imperfection, and our forever-implausible "ideal" games. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunityOur website - Check out the Shared Hearth event!Support us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp Our info:Email: adifferenthex@gmail.comMusic: https://lloydeaves.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-kind-of-hexJack de Quidt's Music - https://notquitereal.bandcamp.com/ Help Rae Recover Links  Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla 01:05 - Intro02:53 - José's Poison, the "Pied Piper"14:00 - Ian's Poison, the "Need for Speed"23:47 - White Whales; or, the "ideal" game45:56 - Pearls of Wisdom55:27 - Outro

    A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 10 - White Whales

  2. 6 Aug

    Known Territory: Ep 1 Band of Blades

    Welcome to the first episode of a new series on the Around the Hearth podcast feed: Known Territory: GMs Talk Games. Each episode we sit down with an experienced game facilitator who has played a specific TTRPG extensively. They will discuss how they pitch the game, best practices for running, useful tools, potential pitfalls, and more. We hope this will be a useful primer for both GMs and players interested in this game. For this first episode we have on Jim Crocker to discuss Band of Blades, Evil Hat's military fantasy Forged in the Dark TTRPG. Jim's run complete campaigns of this striking and complex story game of military survival and horror. Jim on itch.io Games MentionedBand of BladesBand of Blades on Roll20Blades in the DarkThe WatchNight Witches If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe. This episode's host is Lowell Francis,  designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. He's the co-author of the Transverse Noir series of Shadowrun novellas. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Help Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Music: ‘Mission Control’ by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

    Known Territory: Ep 1 Band of Blades

  3. 9 Jul

    Talking Romance

    Love, lust, friendship, strong attachment-- the emotional beats which support drama and play. In this community talk, we consider romance in TTRPGs: running it, playing it, planning it. Drawing on experiences we explore break ups, cool mechanics, the line between system and play, objects of affection, good romance GM moves, and more. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks. Selected LinksEyes on the PrizeGirl by MoonlightThirsty Sword LesbiansApocalypse KeysStar CrossedGood SocietyMasksUrban ShadowsPasión de las PasionesEscape from Dino IslandApocalypse World 3eHearts of WulinDIE RpgImage mentioned during talk Help Rae Recover Links  Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

  4. 2 Jul

    A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 9 - Character Interiority

    Ian, José, and special guest Elle discuss the inner worlds of our characters and of ourselves! How do we as players express interiority and why would we want to, anyways. Along the way, there are guilty confessions, moments of uncertainty, and unexpected plot twists. Elle’s work: https://bloodygorgeous.carrd.co/ Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunityOur websiteSupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp Our info:Email: adifferenthex@gmail.comMusic: https://lloydeaves.bandcamp.com/album/a-different-kind-of-hex Help Rae Recover Links  Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla 0:02:16 - Pick Your Poison0:16:05 - What is Interiority?0:25:50 - Why do it?0:28:01 - Plot twists & interiority0:33:20 - José’s guilty confession0:38:05 - Can opaqueness be good?0:54:52 - How to show interiority 1:07:21 - Encouraging it in other players1:18:00 - Pearl of Wisdom1:21:01 - Outro

    A Different Kind of Hex Ep. 9 - Character Interiority

  5. 25 Jun

    Open Hearth Podcast Ep 20: Planet Raygun, Embers of the Void, A Land Once Magic

    In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Tea talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Amanda (Sprigs and Kindling) and Cale discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Planet Raygun, Embers of the Void, and A Land Once Magic), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links:Amanda Cale:  https://vengefulpickle.com/ https://warboard.vengefulpickle.com/ Games discussed:  Planet Raygun (in development) Embers Of the Void (in development) A Land Once Magic Games mentioned: Pirate Borg by Limithon MÖRK BORG  Starhold: a Space-Themed Survival Horror TTRPG  A Fool’s Errand by j strautman and b marsolier Trophy: Ruin Once More into the Void Band-Aids & Bullet Holes Thirsty Sword Lesbians The King is Dead Uneasy Lies the Head The Last Caravan The Emperor is Undead  Fomoria Fearful Symmetries Cairn Armor Astir Advent MF0: Firebrands  D&D The Between  Stonetop Quiet Year/The Deep Forest Exquisite Biome Microscope: Chronicle  Pull Over, I Need to Pee For the Queen Agon Blades in the Dark Help Rae Recover Links  Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp     00:00 Introduction06:27 Amanda & Planet Raygun (in development)12:29 Cale & Embers Of the Void (in development)18:43 Tea & A Land Once Magic26:31 Giving Me Life

    Open Hearth Podcast Ep 20: Planet Raygun, Embers of the Void, A Land Once Magic

  6. 18 Jun

    Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 7 The End of the World

    In our seventh episode of Roll for Mutation, we look at a game series originally from a Spanish publisher, translated and released in English by Fantasy Flight. We talk about mechanics, how each book is structured, and the presentation of "mid-" and "post-" apocalypse. We then talk about cross-company publication history and Fantasy Flight's swingy history with TTRPGs. Lastly we talk about some media touchstones, the five scenarios in each book, and our thoughts and impressions of this line-- including our favorite concepts. ReferencesEdge EntertainmentEdge Studio (where the FF RPGs went)The End of the World: Alien InvasionThe End of the World: Revolt of the MachinesThe End of the World: Wrath of the GodsThe End of the World: Zombie ApocalypseOur Last Best HopeHelp Rae Recover Links Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla For other shows like this, check out Roll for Origin: Supers TTRPG History. Marc Majcher is an award-winning game designer, performer, educator, director, woodworker, writer, and all-around goblin-man recently relocated from Austin, Texas to East Lansing, Michigan. You can find their RPGs and LARPs inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, a bird apocalypse, eldritch startup cults, viral videos, and much, much more at https://majcher.itch.io/ and everything else at https://majcher.com/. Lowell Francis is the designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube, on Itch.io, and on DriveThruRPG. Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp Music: Here Comes the Night Karl Casey @White Bat Audio Chapters00:00 Introduction01:09 Premise and Mechanics07:55 Publication History13:19 Media Sources17:20 Apocalyptic Scenarios24:19 Thoughts and Impressions

    Roll for Mutation: Post-Apocalyptic TTRPG History: Ep. 7 The End of the World

  7. 4 Jun

    Talking PbtA

    Powered by the Apocalypse games still remain a strong force in the indie TTRPG space and heavily represented here on the Open Hearth. For this talk we're going to consider where PbtA has been, where it is now, and where it could go. We'll talk broadly about PbtA as a system and specifically about folks' experience with different PbtA iterations. Lowell has ideas, and he'll be leading this discussion group– relying mostly on the participation of folks who join us and desperately filling dead air in between points. This is part of our Open Hearth series of community RPG talks. Selected Links RyneStonetopRapscallionMasksUrban ShadowsPasión de las PasionesVale of the Failed and the FallenEscape from Dino IslandApocalypse World 3eUnder Hollow HillsArmour Astir: AdventHearts of WulinThe Cluster Help Rae Recover Links  Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp

  8. 30 Apr

    Open Hearth Podcast Ep 17: Under Hollow Hills, Raccoon Sky Pirates, CAIN

    In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Tea talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time maiya and Sina discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Under Hollow Hills, Raccoon Sky Pirates, and CAIN), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently. Links: maiya on the OH Discord Sina is Beatingaroundthebooks on Discord You can also check out their work at https://adhdandme.kit.com/ Tea is Tea_amat on Discord and @tea-amat.bsky.social  Help Rae Recover Links  Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming CommunitySupport us on Patreon!Our actual play podcast can be found hereFollow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpgBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpgMastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp     00:00 Introduction02:07 maiya & Under Hollow Hills09:54 Sina & Raccoon Sky Pirates17:57 Tea & Cain32:24 Giving Me Life

    Open Hearth Podcast Ep 17: Under Hollow Hills, Raccoon Sky Pirates, CAIN
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About

Around the Hearth features discussion on a wide range of topics relevant to tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) featuring members of the Open Hearth Gaming Community. We talk games, gameplay, design, and the games being played at the Open Hearth Gaming Calendar. Our online games are free and open to all! If you'd like to join the fun, visit openhearthgaming.com for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Open Hearth Gaming Community
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Open Hearth Gaming Community
  • Show Website
    Around the Hearth

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