On this week's episode, long-time Patron Commissar Whiskers gives us a magic-system prompt for us to chew on. In a world where the written word crackles with arcane power a bunch of nerds sit around and gush over flowery prose and the function of language. It's cooler than it sounds I swear! There's even an Iron Chef joke! And: do you have opinions…

This week, a first-time listener prompt has us building the mystery of a massive tower where worlds converge. Climbers from those other realms seek the top of it, but it's not just a simple hike: the fate of the universe is at stake, blocked by countless trials of identity and belief. And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to…

In this episode, we're breaking out a newly-expanded genre list for two randomized worldbuilding jams! Suit up for some soft sci-fi plane-hopping, or perhaps joining up with dragonriders is more to your liking? Remember to spay and neuter your dragons and other pets, folks! And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to hear them …

Witness as the planes rend themselves apart and converge on the material plane. What will happen when Chaos suddenly has to play by the rules? How will planar entities adapt to their new surroundings? Find out on this week's episode! Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8…

Adamantium? Unobtanium? Pfft, whatever, we've got SPACE BRASS! Tune in for a listener prompt about a massive space station that travels around gathering tribute from planets! We try to figure out just what exactly that tribute is as we explore the station's origins, the nature of its mysterious pharaoh, what a thousand years of built-up anger does …

This week, we're jamming out with guest Jonnie Law to create two brand new mini settings on the spot! Our interpretations of random dice rolls take us in very different directions, featuring Lovecraftian horror, Neanderthal thots, dragon movies, social media, old man rants, and so much more, for better or worse. Editor's Note: Courtney's recently-a…

Symphony of the earth, blood of the ocean...In this episode, we wrap up this sentient planet and its musical inhabitants by reconciling with unreliability and venturing through air, land, and sea. There are totally no dwarves in this setting, totally. But if there were dwarves, how would they feel when they realize the true nature of that Big Dumb …

This week, patron Sundji invites us to explore a mystical, musical world where the planet itself is sentient and its indigenous tribes use acoustic magic! Listen in to hear how social structures and relationships work, what rituals take place when groups communicate, what a Big Dumb Object might have in store for this realm...and how the planet fee…

In the second part of this shadowy setting, we embrace the darkness and introduce factions and entities that don't always get along. Join us as we discover truth and myth, with healthy servings of spiritual cleansing, Taoism, and divine churros! Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNM…

This week, we're joined by guest Jonnie Law for the first part of a prompt from patron James: with their sun on the verge of a supernova, the population of a world flees onto the plane of shadows, which is supposed to be a reflection of the material plane. But how accurate is this reflection after all? How did this mirrored universe form in the fir…

The wheel of fate is turning...At long last, we return to listener prompts with a soul-focused setting from a first-time submitter! Tune in as we infuse this world with theosophy, spirit photography, conspiracy, and the pursuit of perfection. Don't mess with destiny, folks. Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding pr…

This week, we're joined by magic engineer and body horror aficionado Clark Rowenson for our first worldbuilding jam episode of the year! Random dice rolls direct us into genres like urban fantasy and cyberpunk, and we even break out the Monster Mash list for a little help along the way. Tune in for these three mini settings and their tales of contr…

In our first Monster Mash of 2024, we're joined by guest Jonnie Law to reimagine vampires, everyone's favorite blood-sucking goths! We roll up three random sets of genres and features to create mini-settings on the spot, with everything from vampires in space to Bathory-style bloodbaths to medical mysteries. If vampires aren't your thing, fear not:…

In our last(ish) visit to this longform setting, we pit an unknowable force against an ancient evil, and build out the magic types of the world to unexpected results. Also: the mystique of Cillian Murphy's cheekbones. Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8 And if you're f…

It's the third week of January, which means it's time for the third part of our 2024 longform series! We spice up this mystical setting with new conflicts and layers upon layers of intrigue. That Stag clan is awfully suspicious, don't you think? Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNM…

In the second part of this month-long series, we introduce druid-based factions to this strange world, which, yes, may involve cute animals. We also explore the magical connection between the lands of the living and dead, which is perhaps less cute. For the record, Courtney only has 300 hours in Planet Zoo. Do you have a setting you'd like us to bu…

Happy New Year, beloved listeners! Continuing our tradition from January 2023, we're returning to our roots by embarking on an original longform setting. Without a prompt and with just two tenets each, we start a fantastical realm where the rains contain life itself and where maps and calendars are so much more than static guides. What wonders rema…

The end of the year is upon us, and so we take part in our traditional recap and reflection on some of our favorite settings from 2023! We each pick a world to revisit and expand upon, delving into topics like flesh trains, the dangers of bureaucracy, endless McMansions...and the eternal question of, "Will senpai ever notice Daniel?" Thank you, lis…

In this edition of the patron-exclusive Aphid Lounge, Courtney and Daniel sit down with frequent-guest-host Jonnie Law to chat about using collaborative storytelling to level up your RPGs. We examine the concept of session zeroes and how they can help GMs create impactful adventures while connecting players to the worlds they build...And to show ju…

This week, Rob interviews a few familiar faces—system creator/designer Daniel Quinn, setting designer/mechanics maestro Jonnie Law, and art director/editor Courtney Staples—about their newly-released tabletop roleplaying game OSR+: Advanced Old School Revival. The team talks about the inspiration behind this streamlined RPG system, its years of pla…

Floating islands rising from the ocean, tethered by chains. Prophecies in song, carried on the wind. Prog rock. These are just a few parts of a listener's bronze-age setting built on an idyllic seascape, traversed by kites and boats. But all is not as it seems, and to learn the truth we must go far into the planet's past, when the red star first ro…

In a special holiday season edition of a Monster Mash, we're rolling for a wintry mix of monsters! The fates (or dice, whichever you prefer) have us reimagining toys, elves, and reindeer in some rather grotesque ways, with settings spanning from FAO Schwarz all the way to space. Let Rudolph's blood-red glow guide you through the night, but remember…

This week, a first-time prompt submitter asks us to build out a dangerous, magical world called Warevinet, populated by mermaids, winged humans, and boring ol' regular humans. We take inspiration from important cultural works like The Little Mermaid, The Dying Earth, Zoolander, and I Think You Should Leave to infuse this realm with petty wizards, a…

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…

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 …

"...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 …

"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, an…

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 t…

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…

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 brin…

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! ht…

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 s…

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/F…

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…

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 …

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 …

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 h…

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, t…

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/F4SNMH3k7…

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 …

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…

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/F4SNMH3k7ea…

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://…

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 partic…

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…

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 th…

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 socio…

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 serve…

In this episode, we begin to build out patron James V.'s setting: a planet devastated by the shattered remnants of one of its elemental moons. What powers (and dangers) do these moon shards hold? And what lies within the moons themselves? Do you have a worldbuilding prompt you want to send to us? Send us your prompt! Come chat with us on our Discor…

This week, a complex listener prompt has us tackling water-based teleportation, which leads to weaponized beverages and a surprising amount of undead and...other things. This could have been a happy episode. Plus: our new (but not really) segment called Help Boomer-Daniel Figure Out What Actor and/or Movie He's Talking About! Do you have a worldbui…