Finding Atoria

Malcolm O'Stephan, Tori Selznick, Arcadia Deschane
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Three friends, each with 30+ years playing and running TTRPGs sit down weekly to tell stories about the games, community and topics surrounding the Table Top Role Playing world.  

  1. 1D AGO

    Multi-Class Clowning – Dimensional Characters at the Table

    Send a text Welcome Back to the Table!  You’ve really locked into a strange one this week!  We have a full studio for a conversation (that just about gets going) on Dual and Multi-Class characters, rules and impacts in D&D in contrast to other games and systems.  Tori introduces us to her Rouge (and more) who are using the rules of Multi-Classing at the table to progress the character through a specific skill tree, with an end result in mind.  Jess tell us of her Wizlock, whose path was forged through the shared story telling between player and GM.  After the break, Arcadia takes us out of the ampersand and into an exploration of how other TTRPGs address the concepts and mechanics of effective ‘Multi-Class’ game play. Comparisons are made, words like “clunky” and “upper-decker”, for some reason, are bandied about with great abandon, in the latest episode and high water mark of hilarity in the FA Studios!   https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: FacebookInstagramA production of WordLeaf Media Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    46 min

  2. FEB 19

    Home Brewing Game Settings – Inspiring A World at Your Table

    Send a text Welcome Back to the Table!  This week Malcolm sits down with Jess to discuss her wildly popular Home Brew Campaign; Japan In Space.  This 5e setting is a product of two great loves, interests and fandoms, bringing together a historical age of strife and change in Bakumatsu Japan and the operatic expansive elements found in Star Wars media.  More than a TTRPG in a Galactic skin, Jess draws from her knowledge base as an academic who Majored in History and someone who has spent years living in Japan to bring unique cultural and historical components to her players at the table.  She offers tips on employing those ingredients into a homebrew game and how offering players the opportunity to do more than hack and slash through the world allows for unexpected moments of great RP and some hilarious character choices!  Enjoy this glimpse into the process of inspiration, adaptation and how to employ the absurd (*see Japanese Fertility Festivals) in ways that bring more joy and enrichment at your table.   https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    39 min

  3. FEB 12

    Vampire: The Masquerade - A Beginner’s Guide to Clans: Exploring Gangrel and Tremere

    Send a text Welcome back to the table — and welcome back for Season 2! Malcolm, Tori, and Jess return for another Clan Comparison from VTM. Tori leads off with Clan Gangrel, a clan made up of strays and rogues who value strength, independence, and survival above all else. These vampires aren’t interested in the shenanigans of courtly politics; instead, they focus on living their unlife on their own terms. Closer to the Beast than most other clans, the Gangrel truly are a different breed. Malcolm follows with Clan Tremere. The Blood Mages represent a very different kind of clan — one born from human origins rather than traditional vampiric lineage. These sorcerers wield knowledge as both weapon and currency, and they’re not shy about showing it. Scheming, calculating, and steeped in secrets they perhaps shouldn’t possess, the Tremere famously seized their place among the undead by transforming themselves through dark means. With a structure that often feels almost mafia-like, they carefully position themselves within the greater vampire society. Thank you for listening and helping make a second season possible! Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    44 min

  4. FEB 5

    D&D Monster Comparison: Adult Blue Dragon

    Send a text Welcome back to the table! This week, as we wrap up 52 episodes in 52 weeks, we’re pulling something special from behind the Patreon paywall just for you. Tori, Arcadia, and Malcolm come together for the second entry in Tori’s Monster Comparison series, diving deep into the Adult Blue Dragon. This monster is near and dear to all of our hearts here at the podcast, and we take a look back at the origins of this chromatic staple of monsterdom—from its earliest days as a desert-dwelling ambush artist to its iconic modern evolution as a lair-loving, combat-savvy, electric death dealer. With our love of Blues well documented, Tori adds extra flavor by exploring the differences between printed versions of this draconic powerhouse across several monster manuals. Sit back, enjoy the electricity, and join us as we close out Season 1 of Finding Atoria! Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    42 min

  5. JAN 29

    Save vs. AI: A Real Discussion About AI Bot Usage in TTRPGs

    Send a text Welcome back to the table! This week, Tori, Arcadia, and Malcolm are in the studio with Jess for a perhaps uncomfortable chat about the predictive elements quickly growing in our hobby space. With no wrong answers, honest conversation sheds light on where using technology as a tool makes sense—enhancing experiences and opening access to TTRPGs. After the break, we shift the lens to focus on what we can agree we don’t like about AI in general, along with its very real—and potential—risks to the integrity of roleplaying at the table. Social media has made this more than most topics feel divisive and ugly to even bring up, but in a community growing as rapidly as ours—one with creative passion and talent at its core—there should always be room for these discussions. Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    41 min

  6. JAN 22

    Life Path Systems: Turning the Tables on TTRPG Character Creation

    Send a text Welcome back to the table! This week, Tori, Arcadia, and Malcolm are joined by Jess for a look at Life Path System character generation. Here at Finding Atoria, we’re longtime devotees of stat block roll-ups and ability-score-driven character creation—but the Life Path System (of which there are many) offers a very different way to build a character. Life Path Systems were popularized early in games like Traveler and later refined into hallmark examples like Cyberpunk 2020. The group weighs in on what we like, what we’re still not sure about, and how these systems push us outside our comfort zones in our own RPG styles. After the break, Malcolm takes a swing at putting the podcast itself through a broad-brush Life Path System character build, modeled after the Twilight: 2000 (4th Edition) method. It’s a blast, it’s a bit clunky, and it’s ALL Finding Atoria. Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    43 min

  7. JAN 15

    TTRPG Character Creation: Tips and Tricks for Course Correction at Your Table

    Send a text Welcome back to the table! This week, Tori, Arcadia, and Malcolm are joined by Jess for a discussion on how to align your character with your taste, your table, and your game. Jess shares great insight into the many aspects of character creation and development—and the occasional friction that can come with bringing a PC to life in your TTRPG. The group dives into what factors are important to keep in mind when settling on a build to play, while also acknowledging that things don’t always pan out the way we expect. After the break, Arcadia leads a conversation on what we can do as players, GMs, and tablemates when course correction needs to happen. Many games have mechanics and options built in to help players grow uniquely and adjust to fit their taste. Sometimes, though, the player needs to be open and bring those difficulties to the GM and the table at large. Knowing what to expect beforehand can only help so much, and a receptive table can be integral in making that correction stick—improving the game experience for everyone and, sometimes… helping you realize that you may not be at Your Table. https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    40 min

  8. JAN 8

    Vampire: The Masquerade-A Beginner’s Guide to Clans: Exploring Toreador and Tzimisce

    Send a text Welcome back to the table! This week, Tori, Arcadia, and Malcolm return to the Clans of VTM. Malcolm moderates as Tori opens with all things Toreador—the elegant artists of the Camarilla. We hear about the pain of needing beauty in your afterlife. Clan Toreador cling to the living world after the Embrace and are often found embroiled in mortal affairs, searching for the artistic inspiration and beauty that can bring a glow back to their dulled, dreary world of undeath. After the break, we hear Arcadia break down the Tzimisce Clan… yikes. These “Dragons” of vampiredom operate outside any brokered peace of the Camarilla and believe the Masquerade is a joke. The Tzimisce hold that knowledge, transformation, and control are the tenets of undeath. Horrible powers allow members of the clan to change the physical appearance of themselves or others—often with hideous results. They are passionless, cold, and calculating in a vampire world where most clans fear the fall of the Masquerade. The Tzimisce ask, “Why would you worry about your lunch knowing you existed?” To them, the Embrace is evolution. Like scientists, they pursue knowledge of both vampires and kine through endless experiments, theories, scientific application… and pain. https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Support the show https://licensebuttons.net/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Contact Us on Our Socials: Facebook Instagram A production of WordLeaf Media

    45 min
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About

Three friends, each with 30+ years playing and running TTRPGs sit down weekly to tell stories about the games, community and topics surrounding the Table Top Role Playing world.  

Information

  • Creator
    Malcolm O'Stephan, Tori Selznick, Arcadia Deschane
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Finding Atoria
  • Show Website
    Finding Atoria