Characters Without Stories
Characters Without Stories

Characters Without Stories

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Episodes

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Characters Without Stories is a tabletop role playing game podcast about the roads not yet traveled.

Every episode I bring in a friend to tell me about their unplayed character and their approach to creating characters. I cover all kinds of RPGs - from indies to D&D.

I've had some fascinating conversations about how our characters intersect with and reveal our identities and how play is a gateway to understanding ourselves. I hope you'll give it a listen.

Thank you and may all your characters find their stories.

Recent Episodes

Chase Cameron, aka Showtime - Alternate Futures with Will Malkus (Masks: a New Generation)
OCT 13, 2024
Chase Cameron, aka Showtime - Alternate Futures with Will Malkus (Masks: a New Generation)
WIll Malkus brings Chase Cameron, aka Showtime, to the table. Chase is a teenager who recently became a superhero when he found a watch that can stop time.Will and I nerd out on comics, deconstruct the women in refrigerators trope, and discuss how TTRPGs let us play out better futures.This character is built for Masks: a New Generation by Brendan Conway.Will Malkus is an ex librarian, ex music journalist, ex photographer, and current streamer, producer, and editor, mostly for the not-for-prof...
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64 MIN
Jessica Jeroux, Drow Archeologist - Transition and Leveling Up with Justin Gagliani (D&D 5e)
SEP 29, 2024
Jessica Jeroux, Drow Archeologist - Transition and Leveling Up with Justin Gagliani (D&D 5e)
Justin Gagliani brings Jessica Jeroux to the table. Jessica is a drow trans woman pursuing knowledge of lost civilizations.Justin and I discuss what it means to be a trans woman in gender-segregated drow society, learning to explore and express your gender, and the narrative implications of D&D mechanics. This character is built for D&D 5e.Justin Gagliani is a co host of the So You Want to Be a Dungeon Master podcast, a TTRPG content creator, and a published writer.You can learn ...
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78 MIN
Chris Strausman, Socially Isolated Streamer - Growing Up and Showing Up with Blerdy Disposition (Call of Cthulhu)
SEP 14, 2024
Chris Strausman, Socially Isolated Streamer - Growing Up and Showing Up with Blerdy Disposition (Call of Cthulhu)
Blerdy Disposition brings Chris Strausman to the table. Chris is a Twitch streamer with a lot of growing up to do, searching Reddit and relying on his followers to find his missing sister.Blerdy and I compare Lovecraftian horrors to YouTube comments, discuss the importance of being there for your community, both in and out of character, and talk about growing up in a landscape of social isolation and internet-only friendships.This character is built for Call of Cthulhu 7e.Blerdy Disposition i...
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60 MIN
Everett Nichols, a Protector Who Defends What Matters - Healing from the Past with DJ BeeZee (Old Gods of Appalachia)
SEP 7, 2024
Everett Nichols, a Protector Who Defends What Matters - Healing from the Past with DJ BeeZee (Old Gods of Appalachia)
Content Warning this episode for brief mentions of forced sterilization (49:03-49:53) and death of a child (57:40-57:48).DJ BeeZee brings Everett Nichols to the table. Everett is a union man, through and through, who defends those closest to him.DJ and I discuss healing from generational trauma, the union history of Appalachia, and how finding player agency in TTRPGs can be cathartic when we lack agency in our lives.This character is built for Old Gods of Appalachia, a Cypher System game by M...
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78 MIN
Don Rigals, Communist Clark Kent - Representation and Speaking Out with AC Lawrence (Call of Cthulhu)
AUG 17, 2024
Don Rigals, Communist Clark Kent - Representation and Speaking Out with AC Lawrence (Call of Cthulhu)
Adrian Lawrence brings Don Rigals to the table. Don is a fur-obsessed secret communist delving into New York's underground to find his brother.Adrian and I discuss being outspoken about your political values, the power of representation, and not being "Mexican enough."This character is built for Call of Cthulhu.AC Lawrence is a Mexican-American DM who co-hosts a podcast named Dungeons & Degrees, where he interviews individuals in the TTRPG space to show that the path to creativity isn't j...
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52 MIN