On this special episode we bring fellow Philadelphia-based designer Raffi onboard to explore Echoes of the Veil, a new expansion that turns the Forged in the Dark masterwork of design CBR+PNK into a quick-fire mini-campaign engine. We jump straight into character creation, unpacking the new runner-growth track and “Weird" options, modular downtime boards, and other Veil-specific mechanics along the way—smart add-ons that deepen play without slowing the momentum that made CBR+PNK a cult favorite. Expect tight action, abrupt pivots, and a city that pushes back as hard as you lean in. After the session we dive into a far-ranging discussion of style, system, and all things RPG. Listen now, grab free sample pages, and back Echoes of the Veil on Kickstarter to keep indie cyberpunk thriving.Heartfelt thanks for joining us, Raffi. Go support this fantastic creator!Topics Discussed: Echoes of the Veil Actual Play00:02:30 Character Creation00:13:37 Safety and Guidelines00:14:29 Background00:24:00 The Drop00:30:55 The Toll00:39:40 Break & Entry01:17:00 The Twist01:28:10 The House of Po-Po02:01:45 EpilogueInterview Raffi02:13:35 What have we been playing?Traveler Character Generator02:28:00 Digging into process with Raffi02:38:30 Inspiration02:49:14 Bringing The CBR to our PNK02:53:15 Get your gamism onTherapeutic approaches to RPGSIntentionally Therapeutic TTRPG resourcesFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net
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Ep.12: Launching Our Sci-Fi Arc
Episode 12 welcomes clinical-tech nerd—and lifelong D&D DM—Sean, deepening the Modern Mythology bench to four hosts. (Sean, James, and Scott are on-mic this time). A quick opening discussion uncovers Sean’s gaming roots and, in the process, reveals some of how each host hacks rules at the table, a topic we will surely return to. Scott—who has logged hundreds of systems—champions underrated mechanics and explains why he drifts from Dungeons & Dragons even as the podcast keeps circling back; Sean defends single-system mastery; James moderates the middle ground.With philosophies compared, the crew jumps to the Third Horizon for Free League’s Middle-Eastern space opera Coriolis for a short actual play. Two linked scenes showcase the streamlined dice-pool engine and its signature tension lever—Darkness Points, a GM resource that turns player pushes into creeping cosmic peril—setting the stage for the show’s new, sci-fi-focused chapter.Check out our YouTube channel for a development discussion about Coriolis.(Trigger warning: suicide)Topics Discussed:00:00 Meeting Sean00:05:03 Characters on the fly00:06:20 Resource management 00:09:50 System experience00:23:05 Minis & the Grid00:26:10 Coriolis AP00:38:16 Character discussions00:46:55 Scene one - Pinned down01:02:25 Scene Two - Divide and conquer 01:20:49 Scene Three - The getaway01:23:15 Scene Four - The sacrifice02:02:40 DebriefFor podcasts, articles and more, visit ModernMythology.net
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Ep.11: Horror RPG Wrap-Up
Our horror TTRPG spotlight winds down—for now. Jamie, Mark, and Scott unpack game mechanics that subtly shape pacing and tension, exploring ritual framing, partial successes, player-facing rolls, and objective-driven rewards.We also discuss two cult-favorite horror rpgs we haven’t covered before—Unknown Armies and Kult—before diving into a brisk (~30-minute) actual play of Don’t Rest Your Head.Topics Discussed:01:30 Podcast milestone05:59 Honorable mentions09:25 Unknown Armies23:00 Kult40:30 Applying these ideas at the table66:20 Don’t Rest Your Head — actual play88:40 DRYH debrief90:00 More games we love100:00 What’s next?Listen on ModernMythology.net or your favorite podcatcher, and catch more from Scott about Unknown Armies on YouTube.Keep an eye out for upcoming articles from James exploring play style versus system on the Modern Mythology blog.
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Ep.10: Player Spotlight
In Episode 10, Mark, Jamie, and Scott follow up our discussion on story-facing design by zeroing in on player spotlight: who talks when, who takes control of a moment, and how game systems shape pacing and participation. This episode asks a simple but essential question—how do you decide who gets the scene? From GM-led framing to player-initiated action, from systems that distribute authority to those that leave it to group consensus, we discuss how spotlight is shared, negotiated, or wrestled for. It’s not just about giving everyone equal time—it’s about making every moment count, and using mechanics to support scenes that land with emotional clarity and narrative weight.Topics Discussed:00:00 What is the “spotlight “ about 00:03 “Splitting the party” 00:09 Character perspective 00:11 Player vs character 00:22 Systems that drive spotlight 00:43 When dice drive spotlight 00:47 Player driven spotlight 01:04 Scenes and pacingFor podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net
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Ep.9: Rōnin Interview & Actual Play
We sat down with Sacha Lightfoot of Slightly Reckless Games to talk all things Ronin—a brutal, beautiful RPG about masterless samurai and the weight of honor. We dig into where the game came from, what makes it sing, and why we think OSR games are SHITE (clickbait, we actually don't).Sacha shares what’s next from SRG, and we get into how Ronin adapts and builds on Mörk Borg’s core concepts. There’s death, duty, and just enough darkness to feel real. As always, we talk theme, tone, and what we’re really chasing in an RPG.Stick around for a preview of our Ronin Actual Play with the Late Night Marauders, and don’t miss the chance to back SRG’s upcoming expansion, Densetsu.Also, check out Scott’s StartPlaying page for weekly Ronin sessions—featuring both original and published scenarios:👉 https://startplaying.games/gm/myth-forgedTopics Discussed:2:00 What are we working on 8:10 Slightly Reckless Games 17:20 Lets talk about Ronin 23:40 Death and Resurrection 32:30 Exploring OSR 40:10 Honor System 46:00 Densetsu Kickstarter on its final week https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/slightlyreckless/ronin-densetsu 53:00 Third Party Development for Ronin 58:00 Ronin Actual Play excerpt (1 hour) of module 13 Demons of Akuma Saizo by John Ossaway.For podcasts, articles and more visit ModernMythology.net
How do stories and systems intersect and influence each other?
This push and pull offers us a chance to deepen our understanding and appreciation of how writing and role-playing games connect and co-evolve. Through conversations and one shot Actual-play episodes, we explore how the tools we use shape the stories we tell, whether those tools are implicit or explicit.
Whether you’re a veteran or new to the scene, we invite you to join us.
Brasil