Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff

You heard us at Edinburgh, but now it’s time to talk about Edinburgh, and Tabletop Scotland, in our latest Travel Advisory. Speaking of Edinburgh, the History Hut doffs its helmet to the Scotland’s First Warriors show at its National Museum. But wait you ask does Edinburgh have used bookshops? Did Sheila buy enough yarn to […]

From the airport-adjacent splendor of Edinburgh’s Highland Hall, Ken and Robin appear live at Tabletop Scotland to talk Edison’s miracles, wild west icons, successors to The Armitage Files, updating cyberpunk, food allergy protocols, and, of course, haggis. Want to pose a question to the show? Get your priority question asking access with your support for […]

The Gaming Hut gets salty as we look into the dire implications of the standard rpg writing phrase “at the GM’s discretion.” The Crime Blotter recounts the exploits of serial 18th century prison escaper Jean Henri Latude. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Ken talks to Glaiza Champion, designer of such games as […]

The Gaming Hut series of revelations from Robin’s new book Hamlet’s GM Screen continues with moments in which characters just might lose it. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Rob Lightner, the Tradecraft Hut ponders the case of CIA officer David Rush, incarcerated but not so far indicted after being caught with approximately 666 […]

The Hamlet’s GM Screen series continues in the Gaming Hut with tips on paying off player character signature elements. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Ken passes the baton, or perhaps bloody stake, to lead designer of the upcoming new Vampire edition, Diogo Nogueira. The Architecture Hut delves into the psychogeographic consequences of […]

Live at Gen Con 2026, Ken and special guest Darcy Ross talk yokai in the 9 Years war, evil sorcerers, Indy food discoveries, Aleister Crowley, convention games and so much more. Want to pose a question to the show? Get your priority question asking access with your support for the KARTAS Patreon! Our Patreon-backed Letterboxd […]

Don’t get stuck outside the Gaming Hut. Our Hamlet’s GM Screen series continues with a look at barriers and getting past them. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Mark K the Crime Blotter opens the case of the great New Jersey salad oil swindle. Fake it until you make it as the Stock Character […]

The Gaming Hut Hamlet’s GM Screen series continues with a breakdown on finding stuff. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Ken chats with political scientist James Fielder, who researches the politics of game worlds. At the siren behest of beloved Patreon backer Shinanoki, the Monster Hut reveals the dangerous side of nymphs. Finally […]

His head still spinning from the whirl of Gen Con 2026, Ken issues a Travel Advisory covering its news and scuttlebutt. The Gaming Hut’s Hamlet’s GM Screen series continues with tips and tricks for scene setting. With the ongoing Merryshire Detective Club Backerkit campaign in mind, the Food Hut asks which items go in first breakfast […]

The Gaming Hut’s Hamlet’s GM Screen series continues with the handoff, the moment when the players deal with the scenario’s initial choices. In the Horror Hut we enter a hazy borderland, attempting to pin down the distinction between liminal and reality horror. How to Write Good asks when, if ever, one should use the word […]

Our Hamlet’s GM Screen series continues in the Gaming Hut with a look at the prelude sequence in an adventure where the PCs poke around town shopping and bartering. Keeping us in mind of the upcoming Nations and Cannons: Dark and Bloody Ground Kickstarter, the History Hut tells the tale of river pirate James Rivington. […]

We open in the Preamble Hut for an important announcement. This year, along with the rest of the Pelgrane Press crew, we will be attending Tabletop Scotland in Edinburgh. The show runs from September 4 to 6; we’ll both be there with a live show. Note that we will not be at Dragonmeet in November […]

The Gaming Hut tour through Robin’s new book Hamlet’s GM Screen resumes with a look at the beats of Session Zero. The Tradecraft Hut peers into the dossier of Revolutionary War era newspaper publisher James Rivington, who may have been a spy for the Patriots. Pendragon line developer David Larkins takes a seat in the special […]

Beloved Patreon backer Hyperlexic summons us to the Gaming Hut to propose alternate eras for Fall of DELTA Green. Fun with Science reveals the gnarly details of animal attack forensics. Estimable backer Mike Coleman Asks Ken and Robin how they prune their book and DVD libraries. Finally the Conspiracy Corner looks at the latest team-up […]

Our Gaming Hut tour of concepts from Robin’s new book Hamlet’s GM Screen continues with a look at up and down beats, the lifeblood of narrative engagement. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Ken chats with Than Gibson and Derek White about their Darkspace RPG. The Word Hut quizzes Ken on slang terms […]

Gaming Hut starts a deep dive into Robin’s imminent book Hamlet’s GM Screen, by looking at the types of narrative beats as they appear at the gaming table. Ripped from the Headlines dons hazmat suits to look at a recent case of unauthorized biolabs. In the Horror Hut beloved Patreon backer Kristian Groenseth asks what […]

Among My Many Hats presents Robin’s new book Hamlet’s GM Screen, coming in July from Pelgrane Press. The Monster Hut looks around the corner at that long-necked yokai, the rokurokubi, and its sometimes entirely detachable head. In Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else, Ken talks to Jared Twing about his game Of Hearth & […]

The Gaming Hut picks up on our previous general discussion of tuning pregens to a scenario by finding hooks for Trail of Cthulhu Investigators about to enter an old dark house. Beloved Patreon backer Alex Gill convenes the Book Hut for an explanation of a tome sometimes translated as The Book of Mad Desire for […]

Want to make sure that your players feel their successes? The Gaming Hut pitches in by looking at the difference between permissions and rewards. Beloved Patreon backer Andrew Bates revs up Ask Ken and Robin for the secret truth of Toronto raccoons. Finally the mythic land of Michigan surrenders its treasures to our resident bibliomane […]

In the Gaming Hut we get started quickly by asking how much background detail players want in a pregenerated character. Making good on a promise from episode 696, the Archaeology Hut checks out another possible inspiration for the labyrinth, the complex at Gortyn. Beloved Patreon backer Nicolaj convenes the Narrative Hut for a look at […]

Ken and Robin celebrate the astounding 700th episode milestone of their eponymous podcast by once again answering listeners’ LIGHTNING ROUNNNNDD!!! questions. Want to pose a question to the show? Get your priority question asking access with your support for the KARTAS Patreon! Our Patreon-backed Letterboxd list of all films mentioned on the show is now […]

We’re really in the Gaming Hut, honest, as beloved Patreon backer Ben Brighoff asks for deepfake plot hooks. Estimable backer Alexander Arebalo requests an Architecture Hut look at Berkeley CA’s People’s Park. The Stock Character Hut looks at the history and symbolism of the big lug. Finally the Consulting Occultist fulfills a previous promise to […]

The Gaming Hut looks at the key difference in scenario design, between what happens to the player characters, and what they can do. The Tradecraft Hut checks into a classic London spy world location, St. Ermin’s Hotel. Still in London, the Food Hut unpeels the 1633 banana astonishment. Finally Conspiracy Corner engages in flightless Canadian […]

Taking inspiration from a previously dropped idle phrase, the Gaming Hut proudly presents Dinosaur Flying Aces. At the behest of beloved Patreon backer Jake Maas, a home state edition of the Crime Blotter investigates Chinese mob involvement in Oklahoma grow farms. Estimable backer Mark K convenes the Cinema Hut to ask Robin to expand his […]

The Gaming Hut advises players assigned the role of ringer or traitor. The Archaeology Hut tours the Papoura Hill Circular Structure in Crete, recently added to the list of possible inspirations for the labyrinth myth. Ripped from the Headlines looks at Nepal’s fake mountain rescue scam. Finally Ken’s Time Machine reveals what 11th century England […]