Tales under the cat tree: Conversations on Imagination, Tech & Human Adventure

Duleepa Wijayawardhana | Tech Leader & Storyteller

From the interactive masterpieces of video games to the turning points of history and the thrills of real-world exploration, our reality is defined by the stories we tell. Tales under the cat tree is a weekly exploration of the architecture of imagination. Hosted by tech leader and lifelong geek Duleepa Wijayawardhana, we dive into the mechanics of world-building. Whether that building happens in the code of software, on the tabletop of a roleplaying game, in the pages of literary fiction, or halfway up a mountain, every guest brings a new perspective. Join us for deep, eclectic conversations with creators, adventurers, and thinkers as we dissect the narratives that shape our culture and our future. Because ultimately, words create the worlds we live in. Read more and find full transcripts at https://tales.dups.ca

  1. Ep57: Alternative music creating alternative spaces

    6d ago

    Ep57: Alternative music creating alternative spaces

    Johnny Nolan returns as my co-host for another Newfoundland Alternative music deep dive, but this time we are honoured to be joined by author and journalist Rhea Rolman. We wanted to explore the influence of alternative music on alternative communities in St. John’s, Newfoundland and how music is important in creating safe spaces during the 1990s and even earlier. The 1990s Analogue Culture: Yup this was before the time of Social Media and we had to rely on concerts, gigs, and the radio of all things!Safe Spaces and Organising: Rhea explains how the music scene provided vital safe spaces during a time when minorities, especially sexual minorities, may have faced repression in Newfoundland.Festivals as Catalysts: We chat about how events like the Peace Accord and modern festivals like Lawnya Vawnya bring diverse groups together to exchange ideas.Saving CHMR: Rhea shares the story of the recent community fight to save the funding for the campus community radio station, preserving one of the last remaining creative spaces in the city. About RheaRhea Rollmann (she/her) is an award-winning journalist, writer and audio producer based in St. John’s, NL, and is the author of A Queer History of Newfoundland (Engen Books, 2023).​ She’s a founding editor of The Independent NL and her journalism has appeared in Briarpatch Magazine, CBC, Xtra Magazine, Chatelaine, PopMatters, Riddle Fence and more. Special Thanks for their tracks with permissionBob Earle and Draize Eye TestLiz Pickard and the Lizband for One SongPhil Winters and the band Bung for Ramirez.

    42 min
  2. Ep56: Creating game worlds with designer Brent Knowles

    Jun 1

    Ep56: Creating game worlds with designer Brent Knowles

    Today on the podcast, I’m joined by my old friend and former BioWare colleague, Brent Knowles. We chat all about the art and magic of world-building, drawing from Brent’s several decades of experience as a game designer and writer. Brent shares his creative journey, from drawing fantasy maps on grocery shop paper bags as a child to working on iconic titles like Baldur’s Gate 2, Neverwinter Nights, and Dragon Age. We also dive into his recent tabletop work, discussing his Norse-inspired D&D campaign, Raiders of the Serpent Sea , and how a family holiday to Iceland heavily influenced its design. Key Highlights & Takeaways The BioWare Days: We look back at Brent’s time working on the Neverwinter Nights expansions , especially the creative freedom his team had whilst developing Hordes of the Underdark.A Mapmaker’s Origins: Brent explains how spending time at off-season logging camps with his grandfather sparked his imagination , leading him to draw maps of the woods and invent fantasy creatures.Icelandic Inspiration: How the deep history, sagas, and natural landscapes of Iceland directly inspired his Viking-esque tabletop world.Embracing “Mistakes”: Why collaborating with artists and embracing their misinterpretations or mistakes often results in far cooler monsters and organic lore than originally planned.What Breaks Immersion: Brent discusses his biggest bugbears in game design, like when a video game’s narrative completely contradicts its gameplay mechanics —such as finding a +1 warhammer right next to characters who are complaining about being poor.Advice for Game Masters: Why it’s crucial for DMs to talk to their players to build a shared experience , ensuring it becomes our campaign rather than just the DM’s strict storyline. Check out Raiders of the Serpent Sea: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/424627/raiders-of-the-serpent-sea-campaign-guide-pdf-version Check out more images at: https://tales.dups.ca/p/ep56-game-designer-brent-knowles

    26 min
  3. Ep55: Manufacturing reality

    May 25

    Ep55: Manufacturing reality

    In our previous episode we explored the idea of creating worlds for writing and especially table top roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons. In that episode which is Episode 54 if you want to take a listen, I noted that because our entire lives are spent within the imagination of our own creations, there is a connection to manufacturing reality. This week, I invited back to the show my friend, former professor and long time collaborator on this podcast, Dr. Erwin Warkentin to discuss the topic of creating worlds and the intersection with propaganda. Dr. Warkentin has not only led media and communications at Memorial University in Canada, he has written and studied extensively on the subject of propaganda. Episode HighlightsWe explore the bizarre history of Enver Hoxha, the former First Secretary of the Communist Party in Albania (the picture in the episode is of Hoxha from Wikipedia)Hoxha completely isolated his country and forced his citizens to read his estimated 70 volumes of work just to build a specific world in their minds.We discuss the concept of “Ostalgie” and why some older generations still harbour nostalgia for the old East.Our everyday reality is heavily influenced by television programmes and pop culture, proven by the fact that Canadian PSAs had to remind citizens they don’t actually have American Miranda rights.We examine how celebrated historical narratives, like Canada’s Heritage Minutes, often act as pure fantasy by omitting dark truths, such as Nellie McClung’s ties to the eugenics movement.Dr. Warkentin shares a fascinating story about how post-WWII American forces completely dismantled and rebuilt the German media landscape to prevent dangerous monopolies.We wrap up by challenging the illusion of “social media,” questioning if platforms like TikTok are just one-way broadcasts feeding us untrustworthy narratives without us realising it. Contact me at contact@dups.ca and see more episode notes at: https://tales.dups.ca

    33 min
  4. Ep54: Manufacturing worlds - an introduction

    May 18

    Ep54: Manufacturing worlds - an introduction

    In this episode, we dive into an introduction on creating the fictional realities we love to get lost in. From the shores of Midkemia to the neon-lit streets of homegrown tabletop RPG campaigns, I explore how our imaginations construct and inhabit these spaces. Joining the discussion are my friends and fellow tabletop DMs, Andrés Díez de Castro and Nik Paro, who share the collaborative creative processes behind their own unique worlds. HighlightsThe Foundation of Worlds: Reflections on my early introduction to fantasy through Raymond E. Feist's Magician and then into other worlds. However, it's not just about fantasy and science fictionThe Secret to Relatability: Andrés argues that the best world-building balances relatable cultural elements with fresh magical or technological twists so the setting doesn't feel too mundane or too alien.Finding the "Red Thread": Nik emphasises the importance of having a core narrative thread that ties a fantastical world together, warning that introducing too many contrasting elements can cause a setting to clash.Hyperphantasia vs. Aphantasia: Dups discusses the fascinating spectrum of human imagination. He contrasts his own hyperphantasia—experiencing imagination like a vivid 4K film—with aphantasia.Finding Inspiration: The group discusses their creative influences, from the intricate, storm-ravaged ecology of Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive to the consciousness-transferring, gritty sci-fi of Altered Carbon.Words Over Visuals: Dups shares a personal anecdote about discovering the world of Star Wars through a novelisation before ever seeing the film, illustrating the raw power of descriptive storytelling. Books & Media Mentioned in this EpisodeMagician by Raymond E. FeistThe works of J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, and R.A. SalvatoreBrandon Sanderson’s Stormlight ArchiveAltered CarbonStar Wars, Indiana Jones, and Doctor Who Connect with the ShowWhat is your favourite fictional world? Dups would love to hear from you. Email: contact@dups.caWebsite & Archives: tales.dups.ca

    18 min
  5. Ep53: (Update) The Curious Case of the Diseappearing Internet

    May 11

    Ep53: (Update) The Curious Case of the Diseappearing Internet

    "If tomorrow your digital world disappeared through no fault of your own, would anyone know who you are?" We explore the fragile nature of memory and the misconception that our digital lives are permanent. From the ancient ruins of Sri Lanka to the disappearing "master servers" of early video games, this episode examines how the "ordinary person" remains at risk of being erased from history. The Missing Ordinary: Why history prioritises the powerful and why modern data hasn’t solved the "ruins" problem.The Shrinking Internet: A look at the 25% of the original web that has already vanished and the immense technical challenge of archiving 145 petabytes of data.Digital Fragility: The loss of personal history due to dead formats, forgotten passwords, and the shift from ownership to "cloud" reliance.The Gatekeepers: How corporate whims, server costs, and shifting online sources (like Wikipedia) can effectively rewrite the past.The Chain Letter: A reflection on the host’s story and the potential for our "sophisticated" era to become as silent as the "primitive" ancestors we study. This episode features an original short story "The Chain Letter"

    13 min
  6. Ep52: An anniversary, escaping an arranged marriage, and poker

    May 4

    Ep52: An anniversary, escaping an arranged marriage, and poker

    Welcome to our One-Year Anniversary! In this special milestone episode of Tales Under the Cat Tree, we look back at a remarkable year of profound global change and incredible conversations. From history and pop culture to role-playing games and war photography, we’ve explored it all. We reflect on what it means to embrace being an eclectic "audio magazine" in an algorithm-driven world. Thank you for being one of the 4000+ unique listeners to the podcast over this past year! In this episode: A Year in Review: Reflecting on the diverse voices, topics, and human exploration we've shared since May 2025.Escaping an arranged marriage: Originally published some 20 years ago in CanadaHold'em: An original short story.

    16 min
  7. Ep51: Are Video Games Art? Part 2: Nuance, Effort and West vs. East

    Apr 27

    Ep51: Are Video Games Art? Part 2: Nuance, Effort and West vs. East

    Continuing the previous conversation, Dups and Dr. Erwin Warkentin explore the subjective experience of art, the impact of technological tools on creation, and global storytelling differences. Key Topics: Nuance and Subtlety: Finding hidden details in art, comparing Beethoven's "false cadences" and Rembrandt's framing to the environmental storytelling in games like Myst and The Last of Us.The Definition of Art: The idea that art only exists in the moment it is experienced and interpreted by the audience.Effort vs. Value: A discussion on whether the physical effort of creation defines art, comparing modern game development to the assembly-line nature of Renaissance painting studios.Technology Driving Art: How the tools of the time dictate the art produced, comparing historical paint pigments (Lapis Lazuli, Prussian Blue) to the adoption of CD-ROMs and 3D graphics.Western vs. Eastern Narratives: Contrasting goal-oriented Western RPGs with journey-oriented Japanese RPGs (JRPGs).A Global Medium: The conclusion that video games represent the first truly globally shared art form, utilizing technology and narratives from across the world.

    34 min
  8. Ep50: Are Video Games Art? Part 1 - Brecht and the Ancient Greeks

    Apr 20

    Ep50: Are Video Games Art? Part 1 - Brecht and the Ancient Greeks

    Dups and Dr. Warkentin discuss whether video games qualify as classical art. They examine the philosophy of play and compare traditional theater structures to modern game design. Key Topics: The Philosophy of Play: A look at Schiller’s concept of the "drive to play" (Spieltrieb) and how playing games connects logical and emotional thinking.Aristotle vs. Brecht in Gaming: Comparing linear, fixed narratives (Aristotelian) like The Last of Us to interactive, choice-driven narratives (Brechtian) like Baldur's Gate 3.Player as Co-Author: How a player's individual gameplay style and decision-making process become part of the artwork itself.Digital Ephemerality: The challenge of preserving video games as technology becomes obsolete, and the role of archivists in saving early games.

    22 min
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About

From the interactive masterpieces of video games to the turning points of history and the thrills of real-world exploration, our reality is defined by the stories we tell. Tales under the cat tree is a weekly exploration of the architecture of imagination. Hosted by tech leader and lifelong geek Duleepa Wijayawardhana, we dive into the mechanics of world-building. Whether that building happens in the code of software, on the tabletop of a roleplaying game, in the pages of literary fiction, or halfway up a mountain, every guest brings a new perspective. Join us for deep, eclectic conversations with creators, adventurers, and thinkers as we dissect the narratives that shape our culture and our future. Because ultimately, words create the worlds we live in. Read more and find full transcripts at https://tales.dups.ca

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