Worldbuild With Us

In this episode, we're finishing this dieselpunk alt-history Earth by boosting the military horror factor! Jonnie Law joins us once more as we take inspiration from media like Squid Game, Koyaanisqatsi, and Cronenberg's films to set up a few drastically different movie studios, all while contending with pesky cults and carnivorous robots. We cap it off with an adventure that spans the globe...and...

We're gettin' real weird with history this week courtesy of a dieselpunk/blitzpunk prompt from patron Kaiser. Guest host Jonnie Law joins us as we scorch this alt history WWII-era Earth with battles and pollution, and then infuse it with occult artifacts, art-loving robots, and the power of cinema. Scientific accuracy? Ehh don't worry about it, we don't have any idea how diesel engines work either...

"...in the black water with the sun shining at midnight, those fruit shall come ripe and in the darkness of that which is golden shall split open to reveal the revelation of the fatal softness in the earth..." —Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation In part two of this city setting, we explore Palimpsest's depths and roots, and even add a touch of greenery to brighten up the place. Listen to this exciting...

"Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with the worms..." —Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation New patron and first-time prompt-submitter Ewan introduces us to Palimpsest, a city empowered by language and slime molds. We build it up with mysterious poetry, eerie choirs, and layers upon literal layers of construction...But...

Continuing our celebration of the spookiest time of the year, we're bringing the three liches from last episode's Monster Mash into a worldbuilding jam! Random dice rolls guide us into horror subgenres like "psychological thriller" and "haunted house" (interpreted not-always-literally, of course) and we pile on heart-wrenching tragedy in addition to the spookiness. Be sure to let us know your favo...

In celebration of 💀spooky season🎃, we're reimagining another monster from our randomized list: the lich! These powerful undead creatures often attain immortality, but is it always a case of ruthless ambition? Or is it just FOMO on a cosmic scale?  Tune in to hear three very different remixes of these typically-evil beings, featuring black holes, oil barons, and rage spirits...and be sure to list...

WBWU, now in glorious video format! In the second part of this patron-exclusive Aphid Lounge series on AI tools, Daniel walks us through creating character portraits with Stable Diffusion and whipping up ideas with ChatGPT, and shows us the emerging realm of video via RunwayML. We also talk art, accessibility, ethics, and what the future might bring, for better or worse. Watch the full episode at...

This week, we're forging more of this post-apocalyptic setting with everyone's favorites, from demonic blood and dangerous cults to plagues and parties...And we cap it all off with a surprisingly cozy quest. Check out Clark on YouTube and at https://crrowenson.com !   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're...

In this episode, we begin a new setting from patron DiploRaptor where elves, dwarves, and orcs live peacefully...in the aftermath of a genocide of all humans. We're joined by magic engineer C.R. Rowenson to build out this human-less (and cat-less) world by adding demons, plagues, pacts, and poison clouds. Listen in to hear all about uncomfortable subjects (like, y'know, genocide), Dwarf Fortress,...

In the second part of this patron prompt, we borrow from a slew of movies to craft a mostly-subterranean adventure full of zombie dinosaurs, crystalline dwarven-halfling-gnome scouts, spooky sand clerics, and heaps of hijinks! Also, Rob dies inside.   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're feeling particula...

This week, we're starting on a prompt from patron Jonnie Law that seems suspiciously targeted against our tastes. Tune in to hear how we build out this spite-world and its stout, tragically-bloodless denizens, with bonus tangents on The Expanse, Daniel's dislike of mushrooms, and more, along with a most unexpected twist!   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding pr...

In this episode, we delve deeper into this setting full of magic child soldiers and tachyonic geriatric lich kids, sprinkle new factions into the mix, and explore the origin—and potential end—of this seemingly-eternal war. Remember: whoever controls the Space W.H.A.L.E. controls the world.   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k...

A new prompt from patron Gluax brings us to a land of ✨magical children✨...who lack rights and are used as soldiers in a never-ending war. Fun! We start building out this setting with science (sort of), gerontocracies, ghosts, and the implications of immensely powerful mage-babies. But who's really behind this war?   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt...

This week, we're honored to have author, RPG designer, and Game Master extraordinaire Justin Alexander back on the podcast to discuss his upcoming book So You Want to Be a Game Master: Everything You Need to Start Your Tabletop Adventure for Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and Other Systems! Justin gives us a tour of this step-by-step guide and how it can help GMs new and experienced alike run t...

In this episode, we're joined by Ian of the Undercommon Taste podcast for an exploration of a fantastical monster, and an oddly convenient die roll has us diving into one of his favorites: the kelpie of Scottish folklore! We chat about this criminally-underused creature's origins in water safety and its sneaky human-horse shapeshifting abilities, then build out two settings on the fly in the genre...

This week, we conclude this ancient alt history setting by building mecha and embarking on a globetrotting adventure with some very high stakes! So come on down to Atlantisville, where your mech can have a little human sacrifice, as a treat.   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're feeling particularly gene...

In the first part of a new series, patron Cam brings us into an alternate history where mecha were sent down to the Earth in 300 BC! Join us as we reforge history courtesy of these mechs and their many implications for warfare, labor, mathematics, and yes, human sacrifice. Correction: Macedonians (led by Alexander the Great), not Romans, conquered Tyre in 332 BC.   Do you have a setting you'd like...

This week, we're joined by guest host and magic engineer Clark R. Rowenson for a summertime worldbuilding jam! We subvert some tropes and embrace others as dice rolls lead us into space western and cyberpunk territory, featuring a troublesome corporate heir and Box Tops for Immortality™. Plus: a sneak peak at what's in store for Mr. Beast videos in the ultra-dystopian future! Check out Clark on Yo...

Himbos. He-Mans. Roided-out Sailor Moons. Super nuns. In this episode, a long-time listener asks us to build a world where magic swords have mysteriously appeared with high fantasy powers, and we take things in a decidedly beefy direction.   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're feeling particularly genero...

This week, forbidden teachings take root in a leadership academy run by the god of knowledge itself. Tune in to hear all about this school, its lofty goals, and its unlikely (and adorable) professors in a world otherwise encased in a dark age of false despots!   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're feelin...

In our conclusion to this intergalactic setting, we get downright mundane with psychonaut message boards and retired space cops. Pay no mind to the incomprehensibly large cosmic serpent in the background.   Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're feeling particularly generous, you can support us on Patreon!...

Courtesy of patron Commissar Whiskers (and a few other listeners!), we're diving into a setting where remnants of long-dead gods and progenitors are scattered throughout the universe, acting as a source of life, magic, and a whole lot of mystery. What exactly happened way back during this fantastical Big Bang? And just how massive would a weapon of mass destruction need to be in order to kill gods...

We've wanted to go in-depth on the controversial topic of AI for a while, so for this patron-exclusive Aphid Lounge, we're taking the plunge! Professor Daniel gives an overview of the development and current state of AI creation tools like Stable Diffusion and ChatGPT, then we talk about the ethics and implications of it all and discuss the ways that you can use AI to aid in worldbuilding and TTRP...

The Earth was the same...until it wasn't. This week, we're joined by guest host Ian of the Undercommon Taste podcast to tackle a listener prompt about an alternate Earth filled to the brim with magic spells and steampunk technology. An otherworldly curse coinciding with the end of World War I brings with it a slew of fantastical mutations and sociopolitical implications, so listen in to hear all o...

Our conclusion to this magical, demon-infested post-apocalyptic setting has us balancing grimdark-itude with lighter, '80s-movie-inspired story elements...and perhaps the most Courtney moment that's ever been Courtneyed yet on air.   Do you have a worldbuilding prompt you want to send to us?  Send us your prompt! Come chat with us on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/SRFhWV3 Subscribe to our...