Characters Without Stories

Sep 29 2024 9

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.

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Jessica Jeroux, Drow Archeologist - Transition and Leveling Up with Justin Gagliani (D&D 5e)

Sep 29 2024 78 mins

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 th

Chris Strausman, Socially Isolated Streamer - Growing Up and Showing Up with Blerdy Disposition (Call of Cthulhu)

Sep 14 2024 60 mins

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 s

Everett Nichols, a Protector Who Defends What Matters - Healing from the Past with DJ BeeZee (Old Gods of Appalachia)

Sep 07 2024 78 mins

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 cathart

Don Rigals, Communist Clark Kent - Representation and Speaking Out with AC Lawrence (Call of Cthulhu)

Aug 17 2024 52 mins

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 Dunge

Looking Back on Two Years - Diversity Report and Giveaway Announcement

Aug 10 2024 11 mins

I've been bringing characters without stories and the creators who made them to the table for TWO YEARS! It felt like a good time to get reflective and talk about something I've been working on - diversifying my guests and the games we talk about.I also did a two year anniversary giveaway - tune in to find out who won!Send us a textCover art by The CuriographerInstagram: https://ww

Reyna the Lion - Being a Woman Online with Alejandra Wilhelm (D&D5e)

Jul 20 2024 60 mins

Content warning this episode for discussions of sexual assault and sexual harassment. We don’t go into any detail, but if this topic is a trigger for you, I recommend you skip it.Alejandra Wilhelm brings Reyna to the table. Reyna is a fierce and loyal barbarian hiding her identity from the archfey her father sold her to.Alejandra and I discuss parasociality, bad behavior on Disco

Grammarye Praise-God Winthrop, Teenage Witch - Acting Out with Juicy Garland (Monsterhearts 2e)

Jul 06 2024 61 mins

Juicy Garland brings Grammarye Praise-God Winthrop to the table. Grammarye is a teenage witch and the black sheep of a family with a 400 year vendetta against the Salem Witch Trial judges who killed their ancestor.Juicy and I share our love for witchy touchstones like The Craft and The Witch (or as we say The VVitch), sympathize with Grammarye's desperate attempts at validation, an

Kit, the Sea Witch - Friendship is Magic with Savannah Rayne (D&D5e)

Jun 22 2024 45 mins

Savannah Rayne brings Kit to the table. Kit is a con woman on the run in disguise as a man, who finds family and the confidence to harness her innate magic on a pirate ship. Savannah and I discuss roleplaying away from a table in private chat and public cosplay. We also talk about Savannah's two favorite tropes - found family and the sorcerer gaining the confidence to wield her mag

Oba Manu, Family Guy - Parent Tropes and Pastoral Hopes with Navaar Seik-Jackson (Pathfinder 2e)

Jun 08 2024 48 mins

Navaar Seik-Jackson brings Oba Manu to the table. Oba is a dad who wants nothing more than to live the simple life, but is pulled back into adventuring for "one last job." Navaar and I discuss having a family both at and away from the table, needing to protect your family while avoiding violence - and how scary that can be as a Black father, and power fantasies. Navaar also convinc

Lancelot, Blind Fighter - Testing Your Limits with Stephan Kelly (Coven and Crucible)

May 27 2024 56 mins

Stephan Kelly brings Lancelot to the table. Lance is a blind martial artist in a coven of witches, doing his best to leave the world a little bit better than when he found it.Stephan and I discuss building a character while you're building the system, testing the limits of system mastery, and an unfortunate jousting accident.This character is built for Coven and Crucible, a game cr

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