Talk of the Table

In this Talk of the Table Roundtable special, Brian & Elliot sit down with Dr. Emily Friedman, Quintin Smith aka ‘Quinns’, and Brennan Lee Mulligan for a discussion on pedagogic actual play. We dig into whether or not actual play is the best tool for teaching games, how we understand skill and learning in TTRPGs and beyond, and who our imagined student is when thinking of actual play as a teac...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Jack Caesar of Caesar Ink, the team behind TTRPG adaptations of beloved IPs like My Little Pony , Discworld , and Labyrinth. We dig into how to approach IP-based games, how to treat adapted properties with respect even if you’re not a typical fan, and how working on licensed games informs Caesar Ink’s work on the original world of Doomsong. Talk of the Table is hoste...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Josh Fox who is one half of Black Armada, the duo behind Lovecraftesque . We get into the exciting new features of the boxed second edition of this emergent mystery game, why safety tools should be a tailored part of game design, and Black Armada’s latest project Ex Tenebris. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty . Links: Back Ex Tenebris  Bu...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Kenna Alexander, designer of Coyote & Crow and owner of Coyote and Crow games, to discuss the lessons she’s learned in the 4 years since the hit science fantasy roleplaying game released. We get into the impact the game has had for native players and beyond, the new horror setting Ahu Tiiko , and what she has planned next for Coyote & Crow. Talk of the Table...

Elliot and Brian are joined once again by Taylor Moore, creative director and composer of Worlds Beyond Number, to discuss the completion of Book 1 of The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One . We dig in on sustainable working practices, narrative payoff in composition, and how he’s applying the lessons of campaign 1 to the next major campaign of Worlds Beyond Number. Talk of the Table is hosted by...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Nevyn Holmes and Quinn Morris to talk about their mythopoetic mech TTRPG, Dragon Reactor. We discuss the importance of language in building a mythic story and Brian explains why this game’s Countdown mechanic restored his faith in downtime mechanics.  Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty . Links: Back Dragon Reactor Dinoberry Press Nova Reco...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Avery Alder, designer of beloved games like The Quiet Year and Monsterhearts , to discuss the many full circle moments of her career, why trigger warnings are actually for the sickos, and how she continues to learn from her designs even after putting them down for over a decade. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty . Links: Buy Going for Bro...

Elliot and Brian sit down for the first ever Talk of the Table LIVE Show at Twenty Sided Store for a follow up conversation with the co-designers of Triangle Agency Caleb Zane Huett and Sean Ireland. We dig into bringing this game to life, the joys and horror of corporate lingo, and where the money actually goes when you raise $380,000 on Kickstarter. Featuring a Q&A from our first ever live a...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Moss Powers of Brewist Tabletop to discuss Book of Leviathan, their new expansion to the religious horror TTRPG HELLWHALERS. We discuss what this game has to say about hope and religious trauma, why gambling with Sic Bo is the perfect mechanic for driving home these themes, and what players can expect from this new expansion. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Dav...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Asher McClennahan, the new Head of Games at Kickstarter, to discuss new features built on community feedback, how TTRPG creators can most effectively use Kickstarter, and how he hopes to regain the trust of creators who have left the platform in recent years due to concerns over AI and more. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty . Links: game...

In this Talk of the Table Roundtable special, Brian & Elliot sit down with Ray Chou of Mythworks and Fred Hicks of Evil Hat for a frank discussion on the state of TTRPG publishing amidst uncertainty caused by tariffs and more. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty .  Hear the rest of this Episode: Talk of the Table on Patreon Links: Mythworks Evil Hat Many Sided Media...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Jess Levine, designer of games like Planet FIST , I Have the High Ground , and Going Rogue —one half of the forthcoming two-game book with Riley Rethal’s Galactic. We discuss bringing this massive collaboration to life, the choice of working in GMless or GMed design, and why the best adaptational media is made with love and hate. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot...

The Many Sided Network is EXPANDING! And as a part of that expansion we are adding FIVE new affiliate shows to our network.  In this episode you'll be getting a proper introduction to each of these phenomenal new shows from the creators themselves. The Many Sided Network is dedicated to TTRPG and nerdy podcasts telling great stories in new and innovative ways and this first class of affiliate...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Daniel Kwan, designer of Wandering Blades to discuss the balance of OSR and storygame design sensibilities behind this new game, how he found inspiration in the beautiful violence of wuxia media, and what designers can learn by playing TCGs. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty . Links: Back Wandering Blades Follow Daniel  Daniel’s wuxia &am...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Zach Cox, founder and creative lead of SoulMuppet Publishing to discuss growing a business while hating capitalism, being a sicko about book production, and creating games that demand play. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty . Links: Back Mad As Hell on Kickstarter Mad As Hell Quickstart Mad As Hell - Radical’s Handbook SoulMuppet Publishi...

Elliot and Brian sit down with Andre Novoa of Games Omnivorous to discuss his latest game The Job and how it uses simple mechanics to elegantly recreate a heist movie for your gaming table. We also discuss what makes Games Omnivorous unique and touch on the TTRPG scene in Portugal.  Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty .  Links: The Job on Backerkit Games Omnivorous Follo...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Realis writer Austin Walker and Possible Worlds founder Tyler Crumrine for a discussion about their collaboration on this exciting new game. We dive into the sentence-based mechanics, how players might imagine their own version of Realis , and where this project fits into the large slate of upcoming Possible Worlds releases.  Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Dav...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Ben Costa and James Parks, co-designers of Land of Eem . We discuss their lifelong collaboration and how it led to the creation of this world that has spawned graphic novels, middle-grade fiction, and now a TTRPG that facilitates how Ben and James love to play games. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty .  Links: Land of Eem Exalted Funeral...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Jason Morningstar, co-owner of Bully Pulpit games and designer of titles like Fiasco , Night Witches , and the upcoming Zhenya’s Wonder Tales . We discuss how to listen to a game when designing, the power of being curious, and why sometimes the best business is built on friendship. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty .  Links: Support Zheny...

BACK A LAND ONCE MAGIC Elliot and Brian are joined by Viditya Voleti, award winning designer of Bloodbeam Badlands , Space Between Stars , and the currently crowdfunding A Land Once Magic (published by our own moreblueberries!). We discuss keeping a sketchbook of games, the love of worldbuilding, and why it’s never too late to bring one of your games to print. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot...

Elliot and Brian are joined by Brian Saliba, lead designer of Monty Python’s Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme . Brian, Brian, and Elliot dive deep on writing a licensed TTRPG, the important distinction between a “Python” game and a comedy game, and why rolling a nat 20 means you’re taking everything way too seriously. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty .  Li...

In the final Talk of the Table Zine Month Special Episode, Elliot and Brian are joined by two designers who are bringing their games to second editions. Adam Bell takes us through the royal court drama game Uneasy Lies the Head . Then, Aaron Lim tells us all about his TWO games Ithaca in the Cards & What Should We Have Tomorrow?. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty A...

In the 3rd Talk of the Table Zine Month Special Episode, Elliot and Brian are joined by two designers who are getting meta with their projects. Graham Gentz tells us all about the “Hallmark-meets- Cabin-in-the-Woods ” game Love for the Love Gods . Then, Jordan Dube takes us through his interdimensional podcast game Warped FM. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty Graham’s...

In the second Talk of the Table Zine Month Special Episode, Elliot and Brian are joined by two designers creating games perfect for before your next fantasy campaign. Ethan Yen tells us about his tactical storytelling game of heroic sacrifice Prequel . Then, Meghan Cross takes us through her game that reimagines the warlock-patron relationship O Patron Mine. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot D...

In the first Talk of the Table Zine Month Special Episode, Elliot and Brian are joined by two designers creating comedy-forward TTRPGs. Tom Lavery takes us through his two-people-in-a-horse costume game Horse Majeure . Then, Stephen Hans shares his three-raccoons-in-a-trenchcoat spy comedy Mission: ImPAWsible. Talk of the Table is hosted by Elliot Davis and Brian Flaherty Tom’s Links: Support Hors...