Dekahedron RPG Podcast

J.P. Gill

5.0 (3)
GAMES
UPDATED WEEKLY

Dekahedron is a weekly podcast featuring Joe, an old referee discussing tabletop RPGs. Di ve into topics ranging from classic OSR/D&D gameplay to modern systems like FATE. Join the conversation by - Email (text or attach an audio file): email feedback@dekahedron.com - Phone (call or text): 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) - Web: https://sayhi.chat/dekahedron Cover art logo by DesignKat.

2D AGO

194: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 6 (Healing & Magic Guild)

I continue my step-by-step series on building a sandbox campaign from scratch. Following the framework of Jeff Rients’ 20 Questions, this sixth installment answers questions 7, 8, and 9 to define where and how players can be healed and look at how magic users interact with the Concilium Arcanum. Promised Links: The 20 Questions: ⁠⁠⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠⁠⁠⁠Share your thoughts via: 🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron 📧 feedback@dekahedron.com 📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) More information is at ⁠⁠⁠⁠dekahedron.com⁠⁠⁠ 00:00 Jingle 00:32 Introduction to Episode #194 01:55 Question #7: Where can we go for magical healing? 09:07 Question #8: Where can we get big healing and cures? 13:29 Question #9: Are there any special magic guilds? 16:48 Outro

18 min
FEB 16

193: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 5 (Power Centers)

I continue my step-by-step series on building a sandbox campaign from scratch. Following the framework of Jeff Rients’ 20 Questions, this fifth installment dives into questions 4, 5, and 6 to establish the major power players in the region. I define the mightiest figures in the land, moving away from high-fantasy tropes to create characters that fit this gritty, historical-fantasy setting. Key topics discussed in this episode: The Mightiest Wizard: Why the choice of game system (like Tunnels & Trolls) fundamentally changes the flavor of magic and power for spellcasters. The Mightiest Warrior: A look at a veteran soldier whose strength comes from grit and experience rather than flashy magical equipment. The Richest Person: Meet Alfrith, the village's wealthiest resident. He’s a likable but patient man, a petty gambler, and someone who takes the "honor" of a small debt very seriously. Promised Links: The 20 Questions: ⁠⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠⁠⁠Share your thoughts via: 🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron 📧 feedback@dekahedron.com 📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) More information is at ⁠⁠⁠dekahedron.com⁠⁠ 00:00 Introduction 01:58 How Game Systems Shape "Might" 03:18 Question 4: The Mightiest Wizard in the Land 07:29 Question 5: The Mightiest Warrior in the Land 10:23 Question 6: The Richest Person in Elmsfjord 14:04 Closing

26 min
JAN 18

192: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 4 (Gear & Commerce)

Where do adventurers actually buy gear in a grounded, early‑medieval sandbox? In this episode, Joe tackles Questions 2 and 3 from Jeff Rients’ “20 Quick Questions” and shows how equipment, specialists, and custom items really work in a low‑tech fantasy world. Learn why general stores don’t belong in Dark‑Age settings, how market days shaped real commerce, and how to use demographics to decide which NPCs your town actually has. Joe builds a blacksmith live on air—Aegenwulf—and explains how a gift‑based economy changes player behavior, reputation, and roleplay. If you want your sandbox to feel lived‑in, culturally cohesive, and socially dynamic, this episode gives you the tools. Highlights: Realistic medieval trade & market daysWhy “everything is custom” in low‑tech worldsUsing demographics to populate townsLive NPC creation: Aegenwulf the blacksmithRunning a gift‑economy instead of coin‑for‑goodsPerfect for GMs who want deeper worlds and richer player interactions. Promised Links: The 20 Questions: ⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠⁠Medieval Demographics Made Easy (S. John Ross): https://gamingballistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Medieval-Demographics-Made-Easy-1.pdfDekahedron NPC Generator: http:/www.dekahedron.com/NPC/.Fantasy Name Generators: fantasynamegenerators.com....And a 10-Foot Pole (Iron Crown Enterprises): Sadly, I couldn't find it on Drive thru.Basic Fantasy Equipment Emporium: https://www.basicfantasy.org/downloads.html#sn_equipmentemporiumShare your thoughts via: 🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron 📧 feedback@dekahedron.com 📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) More information is at ⁠⁠dekahedron.com⁠ 0:00 Jingle 0:32 Introduction 1:17 Question 2: Where do we buy standard equipment? 3:15 Historical Market Days 3:49 Medieval Demographics Made Easy 5:51 Using Fantasy Name Generators for Cultural Cohesion 7:29 Meet the Blacksmith: Aegenwulf 10:52 The Gift Economy: Price vs. Cost in Elmsfjord 12:53 Question 3: "Everything is Custom" 14:08 Conclusion and Happy Gaming

24 min
JAN 13

191: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 3 (Religion)

How do you create a pantheon for a sandbox campaign? Episode 191 continues my 'How I Create a Sandbox' series. I explore the 20 Questions of world-building, focusing on the cleric’s religion. Learn about building a three-point alignment system, naming deities using Icelandic roots, and creating conflict between the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Promised Links: The 20 Questions: ⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠Share your thoughts via: 🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron 📧 feedback@dekahedron.com 📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) More information is at ⁠dekahedron.com⁠ 0:00 Opening Jingle 0:30 Intro 1:05 The Cleric's Religion 1:30 Political Context 2:20 Historical Inspiration 3:02 Justice & Worldviews 4:09 Philosophies on Real-World Religion 4:22 Naming the Gods 6:22 The Evil Deity: Vondur 7:55 Summary & Closing

12 min
JAN 11

190: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 2

In the second of a multi-part series, I talk about how I'm stealing from history to make Almsfjord different, and I ask about how I should continue the series.Promised Links:- The Trelleborg ring fort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_ring_fortress- The 20 Questions: https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html- Riley's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diegetic-advancement/id1720667088Share your thoughts via:🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron📧 feedback@dekahedron.com📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278)More information is at dekahedron.com0:00 Intro: Apologies for the Hiatus0:38 The Resource: Jeff Rients' 20 Questions1:25 Retconning Elmsfjord: From Homesteads to Villages2:00 The Trelleborg: Harald Bluetooth’s Ring Fortresses2:57 Viewer Poll: How Should I Handle the 20 Questions?3:41 The Options: Grouped Questions vs. Daily Shorts4:10 Clarifying the Research: Viking Ring Forts4:40 Teaser: What’s the Deal with the Cleric?

9 min
12/24/2025 · BONUS

BONUS: Christmas 2025

My annual Christmas poem. Merry Christmas, my friends.

3 min
12/13/2025 · BONUS

BONUS: Christmas Movies 2025 (with Jason)

I'm joined by Jason of The Nerd's RPG Variety Cast and we talk about 5 classic "Christmas" movies, depending how you want to define that... The movies are: * A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) * It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) * The Bishop's Wife (1947) * Desk Set (1957) * Donovan's Reef (1963)

48 min
12/01/2025

189: Making a Sandbox, Part 1

In the first of a multi-part series, I go through my process for making a sandbox campaign, this one based on longhouses. Share your thoughts via: 🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron 📧 feedback@dekahedron.com 📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) More information is at dekahedron.com 0:00 Introduction: Starting a Sandbox Campaign Series 0:37 What is a Sandbox Campaign? (A Quick Definition) 1:10 The First Two Steps: A Hook and An Anchor 2:47 Brainstorming the Hook: Inspiration from Iceland and Longhouses 3:57 Historical Context: Communal Living and Longhouses 5:31 Fantasizing the Longhouse: Clan Structure and Elders 7:08 The Village Power Structure: House Elders and the Jarl 8:21 Creating Conflict: The Village Between Two Kingdoms 9:45 Naming the Anchor Village: Introducing Elmsfjord 10:24 Conclusion and Next Steps

12 min

5

out of 5

3 Ratings

Dekahedron is a weekly podcast featuring Joe, an old referee discussing tabletop RPGs. Di ve into topics ranging from classic OSR/D&D gameplay to modern systems like FATE. Join the conversation by - Email (text or attach an audio file): email feedback@dekahedron.com - Phone (call or text): 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278) - Web: https://sayhi.chat/dekahedron Cover art logo by DesignKat.

Creator

J.P. Gill
Years Active

2022 - 2026
Episodes

265
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© J.P. Gill
Show Website

Dekahedron RPG Podcast