Friends at the Table

This week, we bring our attention back to The Chime who have been hired to take a mysterious artifact from a familiar group... The Iron Choir. Dealing with them was easy enough last time so there will be no problems for our heroes this time around, right? AuDy debates who to confide in, Mako calls an old friend, Aria supports a small business and Cassander learns the value of good antivirus softwa...

Tensions rise throughout the Golden Branch star sector. OriCon megacorporations maneuver for advantage, striking with deniable operatives, market manipulation, and the finest in advertising campaigns. The remnants of Apostolos hope to find a secret strength on the seemingly abandoned planet of Torru. Horizon Tactical Solutions, stretched thin but no less hungry for retribution, strikes at the Odam...

The Chime have tracked down the mysterious Gnosis virus, but they're not the only ones who want it! Two high powered, hard hitting mercs are between our heroes and a payday. Can Aria turn the tables on Jaqi Green? What will Mako find in Horizon's most secure servers? Can Audy keep the Kingdom Come flying under fire? When a conflict of loyalties emerges, will Cass be able to keep his plan from fall...

Even though they're not quite sure what it is (or what they should do with it), the Chime continues to track down the mysterious Gnosis virus. Cass and Mako dive deeper into the Horizon Tactical Solutions R&D labs, Aria Joie runs into a fan, and AuDy enjoys the algorithmically handcrafted atmosphere of the most corporate coffeeshop franchise in the galaxy.  But they're not the only ones on the cas...

The Chime continues their hunt for the Gnosis virus, as Cassander and Mako infiltrate the Snowtrak facility, AuDy finds a nice cafe and Aria goes to a concert. Will Cassander be able to keep their head down? What will Mako find in the mesh? Is Aria the best Aria Joie cosplayer!? This week on COUNTER/Weight: A Home After A Wake... Every dog has their day!   Hosted by  Austin Walker ( @austin_walker...

This week, we enter into The Sprawl in earnest. Big Cass finds himself pulled between familial duty and personal safety, AuDy calls in a favor from a fellow sentient machine, Mako goes digging for information, and Aria finds, to her surprise, that she has a new hit record.  This week on COUNTER/Weight: "A Thing You Know About Nightclubs" Get ready to feel the beat! Hosted by  Austin Walker ( @aust...

After 10 or so episodes of using Jeremy Keller's excellent  MechNoir , we're switching our game of giant robots, neon hair, and gig economies over to Hamish Cameron's upcoming game  The Sprawl . This week, we transfer Aria, AuDy, Cass, and Mako to the new system, but it's also a lot more than just shifting stats around!   After the food crisis that struck Counterweight, tensions between OriCon, th...

Throughout the Golden Branch sector, a dozen little pieces begin to move all at once, each one causing two dozen to move, and each of those, four, and suddenly the whole sector is... What will happen to those loyal souls on the abandoned world of Sage? What tricks does the manipulative headmaster of the September Institute have up his sleeves? What do the disenfranchised do when they find themselv...

The battle continues as The Chime tries to rescue Orth Godlove but they aren't the only ones with their sights set on him... between the Iron Choir and the Netted Wave, this Orth guy is pretty popular! Who knows what they want with him, but who's asking questions when his life--and more importantly, kredits are on the line? This time on COUNTER/Weight:  "Our Hostage Below"   Ready for action?   Ho...

The Chime's sometimes-employer Orth Godlove has gone missing and the group is on the hunt... but the mysterious Netted Wave is just a few steps behind them. A key witness, who is both familiar and strange, leads them to a brand new line on the Starlight Straights MagLev System. Will they find Orth out in the the desert wastes of Counterweight... or will they run into something else altogether?   T...

After a few weeks of recovery and dry times, The Chime finally gets a new job from Orth Godlove: to investigate his own disappearance. Stakes are high but tensions are even higher as protesters fill the streets around the Consolidated Counterweight Technocracy. Just what, if anything, do the protests have to do with Orth? Where is Orth and what else can The Chime learn about him while they have th...

In this episode of Friends at the Table, we introduce the "second layer" to our MechNoir campaign, combining elements from Microscope and Stars Without Number to get a fuller picture of the powers that be in the Golden Branch star sector. Find out what Snowtrak Industries is digging up from the icefields of the planet Ionias. Listen in on EarthHome Entertainment as they put wicked machinations int...

The Chime continues their rescue of Cene Sixheart, the brilliant roboticist kidnapped by Snowtrak Industries and forced to work on a mysterious project in a research and development facility. Surely things couldn't get any worse — or ridiculous — for our heroes, right? AuDy (Jack de Quidt) makes a scene, Aria Joie (Ali Acampora) makes a statement, Mako Trig (Keith Carberry) pushes the limits of hi...

The Chime, our intrepid group  of freelance investigators and problem solvers, managed to survive their encounter with the mercenary band known as The Weightless. But many questions remain unanswered: Who are  The Weightless. What have they done with Cene Sixheart? What does Orth Godlove of the Consolidated Counterweight Technocracy know about all of this?  And who, or what, are the angels of Coun...

In their search for the missing roboticist Cene Sixheart, Cassander Timaeus Berenice (Art Tebbel) and Mako Trig (Keith Carberry) have tracked down the secret hanger of a mysterious mercenary group. But elsewhere on counterweight, AuDy (Jack de Quidt) and Aria Joie (Ali Acampora)  find themselves pursued by the specialized mechs from that very paramilitary outfit!    This episode of COUNTER/Weight:...

In the first session of our new MechNoir game, the freelancer problem-solving crew known as The Chime begins an investigation into the disappearance of their friend, the genius roboticist Cene Sixheart, and the destruction of the recently completed BluSky Dome. Mako Trig (Keith Carberry) and Cassander (Art Tebbel) deal with increasingly absurd robots. Meanwhile, the robotic AuDy (Jack de Quidt) te...

Whether you're a brand new listener or a long time fan, welcome to Friends at the Table, an actual play podcast about critical worldbuilding, smart characterization, and fun interaction between good friends.   This season, we'll be using a combination of games to explore the relationship between individuals, society, and technology. Oh, and uh, there will be lots of giant robots and explosions, to...

Since we've reached the finales of both boat party and ice party's arcs, we take some time to discuss the show and answer some questions during a live stream.   Hosted by  Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Featuring Keith J Carberry  ( @KeithJCarberry ),   Jack de Quidt ( @notquitereal ),  Ali Acampora ( @ali_west ),   Nick Scratch ( @drevilbones ), Andrew Swan ( @andrewleeswan ), and Art Tebbel (...

In the season finale of Friends at the Table: Dungeon World, The Great Fantasmo (Nick Scratch) makes a new friend, Thorondir (Andrew Swan) tries to keep his friends safe, and Hadrian (Art Tebbel) finishes a chase he didn't realize he'd started.   Featuring Nick Scratch ( @drevilbones ), Andrew Swan ( @andrewleeswan ), Art Tebbel ( @atebbel ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith...

In this season finale of the "Boat Party" group, Lem is torn, Fero is frustrated, and Hella finds herself face to face with the last scion of the line of Tristero.   Featuring: Ali Acampora ( @ali_west ), Keith J Carberry  (@KeithJCarberry ), Jack de Quidt ( @notquitereal ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith J Carberry Cover Art by Craig Sheldon ( @shoddyrobot ) Music by Jack...

Hadrian recommends splitting up,  Thorondir grows uneasy,  and  the Great Fantasmo finally finds his voice .   Featuring Nick Scratch ( @drevilbones ), Andrew Swan ( @andrewleeswan ), Art Tebbel ( @atebbel ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith J Carberry ( @KeithJCarberry ) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon ( @shoddyrobot) Intro Music by Jack de Quidt ( @notquitereal )   A transcripti...

The court proceedings continue. Lem leans into conspiracy theory, Fero tries to save his friends by throwing them under the bus, and Hella takes the stand. The crowd reacts. The life of the case comes to a close. Featuring: Ali Acampora ( @ali_west ), Keith J Carberry  (@KeithJCarberry ), Jack de Quidt ( @notquitereal ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith J Carberry Cover Art b...

Hadrian learns it's a tough thing to be obliged,  Thorondir waits patiently,  and  the Great Fantasmo  won't turn down a free meal. And something about Sting   Featuring Nick Scratch ( @drevilbones ), Andrew Swan ( @andrewleeswan ), Art Tebbel ( @atebbel ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith J Carberry ( @KeithJCarberry ) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon ( @shoddyrobot) Intro Music b...

Hella  receives  words from the outside, Lem tries to play his part and Fero starts the show with a show stopper.   Featuring: Ali Acampora ( @ali_west ), Keith J Carberry  (@KeithJCarberry ), Jack de Quidt ( @notquitereal ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith J Carberry Cover Art by Craig Sheldon ( @shoddyrobot ) Intro Music by Jack de Quidt   A transcription is available for...

Thorondir does a little shopping, Hadrian goes for a little jaunt, and  the Great Fantasmo  makes a little mistake.  Austin launches a new podcast about door knobs.   Featuring Nick Scratch ( @drevilbones ), Andrew Swan ( @andrewleeswan ), Art Tebbel ( @atebbel ), and Austin Walker ( @austin_walker ) Produced by Keith J Carberry ( @KeithJCarberry ) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon ( @shoddyrobot) Intro...