The Whispering GM

CWR
  • 5.0 (6)
  • HOBBIES
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Reviews, Rants, and Old School Gaming

  1. Bags of Holding

    MAR 7

    Bags of Holding

    -- Description -- The Bag of Holding: a classic staple of D&D, a common article sought after by parties on far-afield parties, and a short circuit around one of the core elements of the game: management of inventory and encumbrance. But is it actually a bad item - or have we, as referees, simply been including it wrong? Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: (https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/) Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: (https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast) ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠(https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn) -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:12 - Theme 00:40 - What is the Bag of Holding - and where did it come from? 03:35 - Why a player would want one 07:27 - What's wrong with the Bag of Holding? 11:55 - But where does the Bag of Holding belong in the game? 17:30 - Benediction and Theme

    21 min
  2. OSR Tourists

    JAN 31

    OSR Tourists

    -- Description -- Tourists in the OSR ecosystem: who are they, why are they here, and is it really appropriate to use the term "Tourist" as an insult? Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: (https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/) Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: (https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast) ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠(https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn) -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:20 - Theme 00:43 - Defining OSR and RPG Tourism 02:57 - Who is Not a Tourist 05:50 - Are Tourists a Bad Thing? 10:36 - The real threat: Transplants 12:44 - A Call for Transparency 13:42 - Call In: Riley of Diagetic Advancement on Moldvayan Revisionism 16:00 - ... Filling the Gaps in our Knowledge 17:54 - ... Keeping the Game Going 18:54 - ... Relative Digestibility 19:18 - ... Leaking In 20:26 - Call In: Hobbs, Himself! On Bronze Age gaming 20:50 - ... Blood & Bronze 25:24 - Benediction 27:00 - Outro and Theme -- Links -- Diagetic Advancement: (https://open.spotify.com/show/35GgOCNa3LyucnrDdw0sbv)Jason "Dulcet Tones" Hobbs: - Twitch: (https://m.twitch.tv/hobbs665/home) - Hobbs & Friends: (https://hobbsnfriends.com/) - Random Screed: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/random-screed/id1328949901)Blood and Bronze: (https://bloodandbronze.com/)

    28 min
  3. Moldvayan Revisionism

    JAN 14

    Moldvayan Revisionism

    -- Description -- Moldvayan Revisionism: one of the most damaging poxes and plagues of the modern OSR! But not really. ;-) In this episode, I speak to the propensity of B/X to fungate outwards into other games, how it can impact your experience and social media, and weigh whether or not it's a negative force on the hobby. Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: (https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/) Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: (https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast) ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠(https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn) -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:12 - Theme 00:35 - What is Moldvayan Revisionism? 05:03 - Revisionism vs. Plugging Holes 09:22 - Where did it Come From? Where can it be found? 16:32 - Is Moldvayan Revisionism actually a bad thing? 20:06 - No Call-Ins This Episode :-( 22:23 - Benediction and Outro -- Links -- * Ray Otus - Plundergrounds (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/plundergrounds/id1436755110) * Gary on Prime Requisite: (https://www.enworld.org/threads/q-a-with-gary-gygax.22566/page-814#post-3776101)

    25 min
  4. Lessons on God in Gaming

    12/31/2025

    Lessons on God in Gaming

    -- Description -- DragonRaid was an attempt to connect with RPG enthusiasts and to use that connection to educate and increase their faith. What did it do right? What did it do wrong? What can we do - as Christian gamers - to ensure our tables are authentic both to the game, itself, and to our identities in Christ? Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: ⁠https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/⁠ Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast⁠ ...or join the conversation on Spotify for Podcasters: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-whispering-gm/message⁠ ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Theme 00:22 - Mirke the Meek - DragonRaid?!? 02:35 - What is DragonRaid? 07:27 - Does (or Did) DragonRaid Succeed or Fail? 16:50 - Will I be playing DragonRaid? (Spoiler: No.) 20:52 - Does Losing Diminish God? 26:19 - Gratitude and Direction 29:33 - Benediction and Theme -- Links -- * Mirke the Meek Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3C2sM7eSEd6uZoyXlLc0Yo Itch.IO: https://mirkethemeek.itch.io/ * Ode to '74: https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/2023/10/ode-to-74.html * Chubby Funster, Cognitive Load: https://youtu.be/M7h0VaWM3fM

    31 min
  5. Salted Gaming - Flipping and Turning, No. 5

    12/10/2025

    Salted Gaming - Flipping and Turning, No. 5

    -- Description -- Product Review: Flipping & Turning Magazine, No 5: Nautical gaming for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st Edition, or other OSR-compatible system, in the age of (or spirit of the age of) sail. Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: ⁠https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/⁠ Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast⁠ ...or join the conversation on Spotify for Podcasters: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-whispering-gm/message⁠ ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:23 - Theme 00:45 - Art and Authorship 04:44 - New Rules 12:01 - Articles and Coupons 15:49 - Adventure Scenarios 20:39 - Availability and Apology 27:27 - Benediction & Outro -- Links -- Smoldering Dung Games Website: https://www.smolderingdunggames.com/Amazon Back Catalog: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY2GH54B?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbkGrogTalk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/grogtalkGrogCon Podcast Official: https://www.grogcon.com/podcast/GrogTalk Discord: https://discord.gg/AfXtmjnPulsipher Games: https://www.pulsipher.net/

    29 min
  6. Calls from the Bronze Age

    11/26/2025

    Calls from the Bronze Age

    -- Description -- Continuing discussions of the Bronze Age from a gaming perspective. What some of its strengths are and how it fits into an OSR experience. Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: ⁠https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/⁠ Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast⁠ ...or join the conversation on Spotify for Podcasters: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-whispering-gm/message⁠ ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:41 - Theme 01:01 - Ben Gibson of Coldlight Press: the Bronze Age as the Perfect D&D Setting 06:12 - PizzaReady: Mazes and Minotaurs 09:23 - ... Malazan as a Modern Fantasy Western 12:04 - ... Mixed Technology Levels among Civilizations 15:31 - ... Civilization as a New Thing rather than Ancient and Forgotten 17:49 - ... On Law and Chaos 20:50 - Benediction 23:30 - Outro -- Links -- * Coldlight Press: https://coldlightrpgpress.weebly.com/ - Adventure Site Contest: https://coldlightrpgpress.weebly.com/home/adventure-site-contest-winners - Drive Thru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/11446/Coldlight-Press * Clark Ashton Smith - Zothique Review: https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/2023/07/n-spiration-zothique-final-cycle.html - On Eldritch Dark: http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/ * Mazes & Minotaurs: http://mazesandminotaurs.free.fr/revised.html * The 13th Warrior: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_13th_Warrior * Ricky Pope: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FuApkccHeoQtAqbYyQl97 * Storytelling Ron: https://www.youtube.com/@StorytellingRon

    25 min
  7. Bronze Age Adventure

    09/18/2024

    Bronze Age Adventure

    -- Description -- Bronze Age Adventure! Literature, history, and other reasons why antiquity is a good time to set your campaign - followed by some call ins! Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: ⁠https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/⁠ Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast⁠ ...or join the conversation on Spotify for Podcasters: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-whispering-gm/message⁠ ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:46 - Theme 01:07 - Bronze & Mud 02:58 - Appendix N: Classical Antiquity 07:50 - High Level Games & History Books 12:19 - Heroism in the Bronze Age 17:58 - Misconceptions: Bronze-Core, not Mud 22:02 - And That's About All I Have to Say About That 23:01 - Call In: Nerd's Variety Jason - Chainmail Bikinis: Mechanically 29:23 - Call In: M. W. Lewis - East Tennessee 32:05 - ...M. W.'s Flip DN Screen 32:33 - ...Player Trust & a Quality Table 36:01 - ...On Loincloth Barbarians 37:20 - Outro -- Links -- * Masters & Treasure Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/monsters-and-treasure/id1659703332 * Nerd's Variety Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jason376 * Worlds of M. W. Lewis: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mwlewis - City of Kingsport: https://www.kingsporttn.gov/ - Foldy DM Screen: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006HWLFE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

    39 min
  8. Make Bikinis Armor Again!

    08/21/2024

    Make Bikinis Armor Again!

    -- Description -- Does your campaign look like a Frazetta painting? Why not?! Make bikinis armor again: an exposé on the cultural reasoning behind playing a character who doesn't wear armor, but does like to get stuck in! Like what you're hearing? Visit the blog: ⁠https://clericswearringmail.blogspot.com/⁠ Want to get in on the conversation, yourself? Send in a voicemail on SpeakPipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/WhisperingGMPodcast⁠ ...or join the conversation on Spotify for Podcasters: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-whispering-gm/message⁠ ...or come hang out with all of us on Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/kQnrK4YCCn Thumbnail generated on https://www.craiyon.com -- Show Notes -- 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Theme 01:00 - Historical Loincloth Barbarians 06:42 - The Bikini Armor Esthetic 08:26 - The Item Dependence Problem 11:01 - An Evolving Appendix N 18:51 - Whispers Concludes 20:29 - Call In: Bos - On Scaling 24:51 - Call In: Jason - GM Screens 26:21 - Call In: "Highway Star" M. W. Lewis - Kitchen Sink of Topics 37:35 - Outro -- Links -- MagicMan Meme - https://x.com/ejemek3/status/1818690382344962537 Down in a Heap - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/down-in-a-heap/id1446315881 Greek Marine Panoply Study - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soldiers-put-an-ancient-greek-suit-of-armor-to-the-test-and-it-passed-180984411/ Bos at Border Baronies - https://borderbaronies.bearblog.dev/ Nerd's Variety Podcast - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jason376 Worlds of M. W. Lewis - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mwlewis

    39 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Reviews, Rants, and Old School Gaming

Information

  • Creator
    CWR
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © CWR
  • Show Website
    The Whispering GM

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