Dungeons + Drama Nerds

On this episode, Nick and Percy chat with special guests Heather Kelley and Kaylee Rowena about ghosts, haunted houses, and the roles that these stories play in our culture.  Heather Kelley is a theater artist and scholar whose work focuses on hauntings, the supernatural, and dark tourism; learn more about her here: https://www.colorado.edu/wgst/heather-kelley . Kaylee Rowena is a comic artist, il...

The residents of Our Haunt, both Living and ghostly, prepare for an end-of-semester open mic night.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Percival Hornak and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our core ensemble are Todd Brian Backus, Jovane Caamano, Anthony Sertel Dean, Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Mieko Gavia, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella...

Our campaign of Our Haunt continues: Dale and Mackenzie go out for slushies, Prosper and Romeo share a dance, and Jules takes a moment in the great outdoors.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Percival Hornak and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our core ensemble are Todd Brian Backus, Jovane Caamano, Anthony Sertel Dean, Christopher Diercksen, Ben Fe...

Nick and Percy are joined by game designer Jay Dragon, here to talk about Belonging Outside Belonging games: their origin, their evolution over time, and their relationship to other TTRPG traditions.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Percival Hornak and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our core ensemble are Todd Brian Backus, Jovane Caamano, Anthony...

Join Nick and Percy for a brief explanation of how Our Haunt works and meet our player characters before diving into the campaign! Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Percival Hornak and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our core ensemble are Todd Brian Backus, Jovane Caamano, Anthony Sertel Dean, Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Mieko Gav...

In the first episode of our Our Haunt campaign, the Living residents of the haunt study for finals while our family of ghosts contends with a cantankerous television and pulls a prank on a stray cat. Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Percival Hornak and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our core ensemble are Todd Brian Backus, Jovane Caamano, Anthony S...

This month, we're bringing an episode of our Patreon-exclusive show, Skitbash!, out from behind the paywall! Each month, our ensemble rolls on a table for a random play and a random TTRPG system and try to kitbash them together. In this episode of Skitbash!, Ben, Tess, Percy, and Nick tackle a mashup of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion (and/or the better-known Lerner and Loewe musical My Fair Lady)...

Nick and Percy are joined by ensemble members Chris Diercksen and Ben Ferber to talk all things TTRPG actual play: what draws us to particular shows, how these shows serve as entry points to playing TTRPGS, and what one must consider while recording and producing actual play shows.   Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Percival Hornak and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited b...

Our Dark Time series continues with this conversation between Percy and ensemble member C "Meaks" Meaker about the role of location in horror storytelling. They look at two plays and two TTRPG games/settings to examine the importance of specificity about location in how we make art in the horror genre, with a focus on the way anxiety, metaphor, and history are concretized in a story's setting.  Ch...

In the first episode of our new Dark Time series between actual-play campaigns, Nick, Percy, and ensemble member Leo Mock talk collaborative worldbuilding in TTRPGs and devising, focusing on a definition of worldbuilding as the tangible ways we shape the spaces in which we're making theatre or playing games together. They discuss what works about effective systems of collaborative worldbuilding, w...

Percy, Todd, and Nick here with some announcements about the show’s format and our next actual-play campaign! See you soon with more Dungeons + Drama Nerds.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our theme music is by Anthony Sertel Dean, and our logo art is by Todd Brian Backus. Sea...

Percy sits down with the ARC cast to chat about their experiences with playing this game, things they wish they had had time to explore, and what it was like to race against the Doom Clock!   Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our theme music is by Anthony Sertel Dean, and our log...

Aided by an unexpected ally, our heroes contend with the arrival of Yok Edije and attempt to save Startide Hollow from an impending Doom.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our theme music is by Anthony Sertel Dean, and our logo art is by Todd Brian Backus. Season Three features...

Percy, Chris, Todd, and Nick gather to talk about the way rituals that recharge spells and techniques in ARC blend real life and the game's fiction, and what opportunities that blurring of the magic circle's boundary opens up.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our theme music is...

With a dark ritual complete, our heroes fight on against Kuzbahn’s minions on the City Council - and against the poison they’ve been dosed with! Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our theme music is by Anthony Sertel Dean, and our logo art is by Todd Brian Backus. Season Three fea...

Hot on Kuzbahn’s trail, our heroes learn of a sinister plot afoot and race to the edge of Startide Hollow in an attempt to avert disaster. Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Hornak. Our theme music is by Anthony Sertel Dean, and our logo art is by Todd Brian Backus. Season Three features...

Todd and Chris sit down with our beloved contributor Anthony Sertel Dean as well as Rob Neill, Co-Artistic Director of the New York Neo-Futurists, to talk about their show The Infinite Wrench, a theatrical race against the clock akin to the mechanics of ARC.  Check out the New York Neo-Futurists: https://www.nyneofuturists.org/ https://www.nyneofuturists.org/hit-play And be sure to catch them in t...

After Silt's vision of the approaching Doom, a creature of legend called Yok Edije, spurs the crew to action, Gorm, Deniz, Twili, Silt, and Lemon Sprinkle continue their investigation of the ongoing turtle-fication of Startide Hollow at City Hall.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Percival Horna...

Meet the heroes of our ARC campaign as they prepare for the upcoming martial arts tournament and investigate the disappearance of one of its potential champions! Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and this episode was mixed and edited by Todd Brian Backus. Our theme music is by Anthony Sertel Dean, and our logo art is by Todd Brian Backu...

We kick off our campaign of momatoes' ARC with Chris, Percy, Todd, and Nick as they sit down to go over how to play the game and what they're most excited about in this TTRPG system. Tune in next week for the kickoff to our campaign, and head over to our Patreon for early episode releases and to hear our Session 0 for the game! Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Ho...

Nick sits down with the cast and Keeper of our Brindlewood Bay campaign to talk about their experience playing this system, reflect on the campaign, and hypothesize about all the possible deleted scenes they could have played out.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features co...

In a thrilling finale, our Mavens confront the Midwives of the Fragrant Void and solve the final mystery as they attempt to stop the imminent ritual.  Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana...

Having received an invitation to the re-opening of Beauregard's Bar, the Mavens prepare to face off against the Midwives of the Fragrant Void and unravel the conspiracy once and for all.  Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Fe...

Percy, Nick, and ensemble member Jon Jon talk about the concept of the magic circle and how we can use it as a tool in TTRPGs and in performance, touching on the exploratory power of play, consent and intimacy choreography, and the question of who defines the magic circle in the first place.  Works Cited: - Germaine - “The Magic Circle as Occult Technology” ( https://analoggamestudies.org/2022/12/...

The Mavens continue their investigation of the murder of The Great Grievous and the looming presence of the Midwives of the Fragrant Void that overshadows their efforts.  Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores...