Characters Without Stories

Once again, I’m mad at something I love – or rather, I’m mad at the company that owns it. Once again, it’s Dungeons and Dragons.

About a week ago, a draft copy of the new D&D Open Game License was leaked. Much more restrictive than the Open Game License that currently stands, these changes would hurt the independent third-party creators that built the community that Hasbro is trying to further exploit.

We shouldn’t be surprised.

Submit a character for the podcast: http://characterswithoutstories.com/

For more information:
Dungeons & Dragons’ New License Tightens Its Grip on Competition:
https://gizmodo.com/dnd-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-1-1-open-gaming-license-1849950634

D&D maker backs off new licensing rules that led to fan revolt: https://www.polygon.com/23553669/dungeons-dragons-dnd-ogl-wizards-of-the-coast-licensing

Music by Ryan Muns, Eyes On The Moon Studios: https://ryanmuns.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnTheMoonStudios
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lkBYvF9wlQPgcwHfvFMZt

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Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

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Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Joseph Speak brings Skips to the table. Skips is a sheltered monk who took a vow of silence thrust into a noisy world when dragon-induced tragedy strikes. He becomes a mime to find a way to honor his vow while exploring the world.

Joseph and I discuss challenging yourself as a roleplayer, 'voicing' a nonverbal character, and the perfectly legitimate fear of dragons.

This character is built for D&D5e.

Joseph Speak is a chronic DM that desperately wants to play Dungeons and Dragons but is stuck as the storyteller.

You can find Joseph at:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dungeonsxdragonites
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/josephspeak6366
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_nvzvreth

Music by Ryan Muns, Eyes On The Moon Studios: https://ryanmuns.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnTheMoonStudios
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lkBYvF9wlQPgcwHfvFMZt

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Sophie Katz brings Ekra to the table. Ekra is a dad on a mission, a Kenku finding his own way to communicate in a world that considers him less than human.

Sophie and I discuss how we create and learn language, the trauma of having to speak in your oppressor's language, and other ways that bards can inspire.

This character is built for D&D5e.

Sophie Katz is a Jewish, aromantic/asexual writer, storyteller, and all-around nerd! She is the host of the podcast "I Love This Thing So Freaking Much," currently on hiatus while she finishes up her master's degree.

"Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" is a reference to "Darmok," Star Trek: The Next Generation S05E02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnc74Vljx0

Learn more about Sophie at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/sophie-katz

Music by Ryan Muns, Eyes On The Moon Studios: https://ryanmuns.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnTheMoonStudios
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lkBYvF9wlQPgcwHfvFMZt

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Jim S brings Janie to the table. Janie became a chemically-inhanced super soldier to gain the strength to find her missing sister.

Jim and I discuss what you have to give up to gain the power you need, what it means when your character's strengths become their weaknesses, and going out in a blaze of glory.

This character is built for Savage Worlds Rifts.

Content warning: brief mention of child abuse. Skip 1:17-1:56 to avoid this section.

Songs referenced:
"Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith
"The Gnome" by Pink Floyd

Jim S is an office worker in the Buffalo NY area and a TTRPG player and GM spreading the word about Savage Worlds on TikTok.

Learn more about Jim at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/jim-s

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

VJ Harris brings Varqoor to the table. Varqoor is a mind flayer losing their hold on their host and finding their own path away from the Elder Brain as a spore druid.

VJ and I discuss how their supplement, An Elf and an Orc Had a Little Baby, takes on the problems with race in D&D, what it's like to play a monster, and what mind flayers sound like.

This character is built for D&D 5e.

V.J. Harris is a professional TTRPG designer and pro game master. They're most well known for their work with MCDM Production's Arcadia magazine and An Elf and An Orc Had a Little Baby. They strive to make TTRPGS fun and inclusive for all those that wish to play and respect others.

Learn more about VJ at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/vj-harris

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Abstract brings Torden Stormborn to the table. Torden is convinced he is the prophesied herald of the Everstorm, an apocalyptic maelstrom.

Abstract and I discuss playing evil characters, the limitations of the alignment system in D&D, and what happens when a prophecy doesn't come true.

This character is built for D&D 5e.

Abstract is a forever DM and D&D TikToker working towards owning a gaming store and cafe.

Matthew Colville's video mentioned in the episode: https://youtu.be/DgPhiLBW7jo

Learn more about Abstract at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/abstract

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Damian brings Malcolm Cain to the table. Malcolm was the muscle of an art-smuggling business who finds his brother slain, leading him to become wrapped up in a shadowy conspiracy.

Damian and I discuss how facing the monstrous within the mundane can change you, how a character's skills can tell you a lot about a person, and what goes in a backstory.

This character is built for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition.

Damian is a TTRPG malcontent who just wants to tend their garden and tell stories with friends.

Learn more about Meadow (Damian) at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/damian

This episode was recorded on TikTok Live. Follow me on TikTok to see it live next time!

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Kurt Refling brings Altabella to the table. Altabella is a sea silk diver who is turned into a vampire, slowly losing her memory and becoming a predator in the process.

Kurt and I discuss how a good prompt leads to creative storytelling, what it means to become a vampire, and why we tell sad stories in TTRPGs.

This character is built for Thousand Year Old Vampire, a game by Tim Hutchings.
https://thousandyearoldvampire.com/products/thousand-year-old-vampire

Kurt Refling is a designer, writer, and artist based in Ottawa, Canada. Kurt has published GM-less tabletop roleplaying games including Knots in the Sky, This Spells Trouble, and Faewater. He is currently launching a Kickstarter campaign for his game Here We Used to Fly, a tabletop role-playing game about abandoned theme parks and the bittersweet nostalgia of growing up.

Learn more about Kurt at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/kurt-refling

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

This podcast is about characters. And when it comes to characters in Dungeons and Dragons, there have been problems with how the game defines race from the very beginning. You may have heard about the most recent example, and oh boy it’s a doozy.

The latest Wizards of the Coast release, Spelljammer, contains a character race called the Hadozee. The way the race is characterized and depicted in the book is, to be straightforward, racist.

For more information, here are some creators who have explored this controversy with clarity and depth. Please check out their work:

@KendoMakesFilms on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/KendoMakesFilms/status/1564446392428515328

@tallnerdapollo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tallnerdapollo/status/1564710344190304256

@scholasticdragn on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/scholasticdragn/status/1564467310030618624

@OhYikesMorgan on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/OhYikesMorgan/status/1564664727338471424

VJ Harris on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vjhcreations/video/7137728964826500394

cosmic ibe on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmic_ibe/video/7137705911950282027

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Characters without stories is a TTRPG podcast about the roads not yet traveled.

If you play tabletop roleplaying games you probably have some back pocket characters, characters who are just waiting for the right story. Every episode, I’ll bring in a friend to tell me about their character and their approach to creating characters.

Send us Fan Mail

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share

Support the Podcast

You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/characterswithoutstories.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories

Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!