The Game Master Show

Campaign prep is something every dungeon master a needs to do … even if “prep” is something you throw together five minutes for the session starts. On this episode, we talk about our individual game prep strategies, from structured approaches like Chris’s multi-phase plan to Ken’s adrenaline-fueled last-minute inspiration. Josh and Erin share insights into […]

The post Campaign Prep Tips – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Get in. Do a thing. Get out. Look awesome doing it. That’s your typical cyberpunk adventure, and it always involves some sort of security. On this episode, we discuss real-world hacking inspiration, cinematic heist scenarios, and strategies for balancing game difficulty. We dive into the nuances of netrunning, social engineering, and how even the best-laid […]

The post Cyberpunk Security (S4E10) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

So your Dungeons & Dragons campaign went on hiatus … how do you restart it? In this episode of Campaigns & Coffee, Ken, Chris, and Josh talk about how to re-engage with a not-quite-dead-yet role-playing game campaign. They dive into how a game can lose momentum, with real-life interruptions causing campaigns to stall or be […]

The post Restarting an RPG Campaign – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In the latest expedition through the Lair of Secrets, David Moore, Ken Newquist, and Chris Miller delve into the art of map design, specifically focusing on the peculiarities and challenges of modern and near-future maps in gaming. The discussion kicks off with Ken recounting his creation of the “worst best map ever” for a Mothership […]

The post Modern Maps (S4E9) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The edgerunners are at Elysium HQ. All they need to do is descend through three sub-levels of the abandoned corporate headquarters and flip a switch on an old server. But first they have to get past these cybernetic corvids … and the remains of the edgerunner crews that came before them. Quotes Chapters 0:00 Intro […]

The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 9: Flip the Switch (S4E8) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Chapter 8 of our Broken Loop campaign for Cyberpunk RED ended with a cliffhanger as the edgerunners faced an unexpected … enemy? Friend? Belligerent hivemind hell bent on stripping everyone of their chrome? In this episode of Campaigns & Coffee, we talk about that actual play session, it’s unexpected turns, and how we rolled with […]

The post Cyberpunk Red takes a MURDEROUS Turn – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

After talking and driving their way past the factions controlling access to Night City’s radioactive core, the edgerunners are approaching the ruined Elysium corporate headquarters. Their goal is to infiltrate the building’s sub-levels and flip a switch. First though, they have to get past the Glow Boys, a cult of radiation Worshiping cyborgs … and […]

The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 8: Fresh Meat and Chrome (S4E7) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

It’s convention season, and David talks about Origins, a big-but-cozy game convention in Columbus, Ohio, meeting Shadowdark RPG creator Kelsey Dionne, plans for Gen Con 2024, and gaming with Jon Hook of the Modern Mythos podcast. Meanwhile, Ken geeks out about dynamic lighting in Roll20 (and his hopes for using during the Lair’s upcoming Cyberpunk […]

The post Into the Shadows: Origins, Shadowdark, & Hades (S4E6) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Chapter 7 of our actual play Cyberpunk RED campaign sees the edgerunners venture into the Hot Zone at the center of Night City as part of their mission to flip a switch in the basement of Elysium HQ. Get Cyberpunk RED: Chapters 0:00 Intro2:10 Mission Briefing5:30 Gear and Supplies10:45 Entering the Hot Zone15:20 Encounter with […]

The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 7: Into the Hot Zone (S4E5) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In this episode of “Campaigns and Coffee,” hosts David, Josh, and Erin dive into convention season, offering tips and sharing personal experiences. The trio discusses their preparation rituals, with Erin highlighting her dedication to the Sparks campaign—a Star Wars role-playing game using the West End Games D6 system. Josh shares his strategy for attending Gen […]

The post Gen Con Tips for Newcomers – Campaigns and Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In the latest episode of the Lair of Secrets podcast, we delve into our summer reading lists, exploring a mix of thrilling, nostalgic, and intellectually stimulating books. Ken kicks things off with Action Park by Andy Mulvihill, reminiscing about the notorious amusement park of his youth. David follows with a dive into sci-fi novels, including […]

The post Sci-Fi & Fantasy Summer Reading List 2024 (S4E4) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Our Cyberpunk RED campaign continues with Chapter 6: Anticipating the Glow. Previously, the edgerunners accepted a mission to venture into the irradiated core of Night City, descend into the depths the ruined Elysium HQ headquarters, and flip a switch. Being somewhat cautious mercenaries, they decided to do a little research first before venturing into the […]

The post Cyberpunk RED Chapter 6: Anticipating the Glow (S4E3) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In this thrilling episode of Campaigns and Coffee, David and Ken delve into Ken’s epic Elemental Apocalypse D&D campaign. The heroes are on a quest to reunite a fallen angel with its lost sun sword amidst a world torn apart by elemental forces. Ken shares his creative process, discussing map-making with Incarnate, integrating skill challenges […]

The post Overland Exploration in D&D – Campaigns and Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Mind the crates; we’re still unpacking Season 4 of the podcast! On this episode, Ken talks about playing Monster of the Week mysteries, David flips through his Dreams and Machines rule books, and we delve into our respective reading lists. Chapters Show Notes Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with […]

The post Lunchtime Ghouls & Sci-Fi Encounters (S4E2) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Our cozy, Saturday morning show continues with a discussion of cyberpunk, but different from our usual cyberpunk. Instead of the dystopian future of R. Talsorian’s Cyberpunk RED, hosts David, Ken, and Chris talk about Chris’s homegrown, Cleveland-based, cyberpunk campaign which uses the Cities without Number rule set. We explore the challenges of learning different systems […]

The post Cyberpunk, But Different – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Season 4 kicks off with this episode as we experiment with a new format and geek out about everything from death rays to Dragonbane. We rundown the role-playing games we hope to play this season, review the games we delved into during the hiatus, and geek out about technology in our campaigns. Chapters 0:00 – […]

The post From Death Rays to Dragonbane (S4E1) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Fallout – the post-apocalyptic game set in an alternate, atomic-powered reality – kicks off our new Campaigns & Coffee short-format podcast. With the sound of laughter echoing through the vast caverns of the Lair, we talk about the new streaming series on Amazon Prime, the video games that inspired it, and the session zero for […]

The post Gore and Lore in Fallout – Campaigns & Coffee appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Join us for a lookback at our Savage Worlds-powered actual play campaign, Sundered Horizons! In this podcast retrospective, the crew discusses the three episode arc and asks one of the most important questions you can ask in a campaign: should we continue or try something else? Sundered Horizons was our first “Side Passage” adventure – […]

The post S3E31 Sundered Horizons – Season Look Back appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The edgerunners finished their latest big gig, securing black box tech for the Maker Enclave and surviving an encounter with a Zetatech “negotiation response team”. With the run complete, they’re looking for some much needed downtime. In Chapter 5 of our Cyberpunk RED actual play podcast, we try out the games downtime rules, which allow […]

The post S3E30 Cyberpunk RED Chapter 5: Downtime and the Living is Easy appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Our Cyberpunk RED actual play campaign continues with Chapter 4: Aftershocks. In our last chapter, the edgerunners cracked open the Titan 1X prototype self-driving tractor trailer and secured the Zetatech blackbox that the Maker Enclave hired them to acquire. As they moved the black box to their vehicle, they caught site of a Zetatech-branded AeroCop […]

The post S3E28 Cyberpunk RED Chapter 4: Aftershocks appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

At Gen Con 2023 we interviewed Aaron Shanks, director of marketing for Paizo. We discussed Rage of the Elements, their latest Pathfinder 2nd Edition release and as well as their plans for the new Starfinder 2nd Edition. We also delve into Paizo’s approach to world-building, with system-wide events that progress the story in both games […]

The post S3E27 Gen Con 2023 – Paizo Interview appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Chapter 2 of our Cyberpunk RED actual play campaign ended with the edgerunners staring down the guns of a rapidly approaching Zetatech Aerocop. They had just seized the company’s black box tractor tech from an experimental, self-driving tractor trailer at the “Iron Oasis” scrapyard outside of Night City. In order to get away with the […]

The post S3E26 Cyberpunk RED Chapter 3: An Offer appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

At Gen Con 2023 we interviewed Tomas Härenstam, one of the co-founders of Free League Publishing. The company won big at the 2023 Ennies game awards, taking home seven Gold Ennies for everything from Best Cartography for the Blade Runner RPG Starter Set to Product of the Year for Vaesen RPG: Mythic Britain & Ireland. […]

The post S3E25 Gen Con 2023 – Free League Interview appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In this episode of the Lair of Secrets podcast, we’re talking about generative AI as a tool in gaming! We’re looking at how the overhyped tech can assist game masters and players alike. We provide real-game examples of using ChatGPT prompts both during prep and in game. Main topic: ChatGPT and Generative AI in RPG […]

The post S3E24 Using ChatGPT and Generative AI in RPG Prep appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Our Cyberpunk RED actual play campaign continues with Chapter 2: Iron Oasis! Technical issues with recording this podcast that caused the video to glitch and the audio to get messed up near the end. We’re releasing a summary of this episode so future episodes make sense. Previously … on Cyberpunk RED The edgerunners were hired […]

The post S3E23 Cyberpunk RED Chapter 2: Iron Oasis appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Chris Birch, co-founder of Modiphius Entertainment, joins us to talk about his company’s upcoming slate of games including the hopepunk scifi game Dreams and Machines and the Roman Empire-era Cohors Cthulhu (a prequel to their popular Achtung Cthulhu! role-playing game). We also discuss Modiphius’ Via Modiphius and other programs to foster and promote upcoming RPG […]

The post S3E22 Gen Con 2023 – Modiphius Interview appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

When schedules don’t align or when real-life intervenes in our Cyberpunk RED actual play campaign, we venture down a Side Passage! On this episode, we feature the kick off of a second actual play campaign with David Moore’s dimension hopping, steampunk-powered Sundered Horizons: Navigating the Nexus. It’s powered by Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE). In […]

The post S3E20 Savage Worlds Actual Play, Chapter 1 – “The Most Expensive Adventure” appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode, we answer the question “what is Savage Worlds“? We review the basics of Savage World’s “fast, furious, and fun” rules including character creation, hindrances, and feats. We delve into how to use the core book and the various supplements to build your own campaign world. Overlord Emeritus Chris Miller, who built his […]

The post S3E19 What is Savage Worlds? appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Our Cyberpunk RED actual play campaign kicks off with Chapter 1: Made to Order. The edgerunners are hired by the Makers Enclave to secure some black box tech from the Zetatech. The target – a sealed box approximately 1′ x 1′ x 2′ – is part of a new line of self-directed farming equipment. It’s […]

The post S3E18 Cyberpunk RED Chapter 1: Made to Order appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Summer is here, and that means reading! On this episode, it’s all books, all the time as we talk about our Summer Reading Lists for 2023. Need more inspiration? Check out these posts. The Summer Reading Lists 2023 David’s Picks Ken’s Picks Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us […]

The post S3E17 Summer Reading Lists for 2023 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In this podcast episode, we look at Oracles for role-playing games. Oracles are a kind of random generator popularized by solo RPGs like Ironsworn and the Mythic Game Master Simulator. However the idea of oracles – in which you role some dice to determine a course of action or inspire some aspect of your game […]

The post S3E16 Oracles for Role-Playing Games appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of the Lair of Secrets podcast we look at using different media in your role-playing game sessions. This includes tools like thematic artwork, background music, in-game fiction, and even props. We also look at the new Sentinels of Earth-Prime digital card game by Handelebra (based on the print game by Greater than […]

The post S3E15 Using Music, Art, and Props in Your Game appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode, we talking about changing gears – changing game systems, changing genres, changing roles, changing groups – as part of our May 2023 RPG Blog Carnival hosting duties. Before venturing into those tiny, switching passages, all different, we talk about Ken’s return to backpacking, discuss new streaming series (Lockwood and Co., Picard, and […]

The post S3E14 Changing Gears appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of Lair of Secrets, Ken totally doesn’t buy a new game he doesn’t have time to play, while David fights the good fight against streaming technical difficulties. Our main topic is a look at our favorite card games, including Fluxx, Exploding Kittens, Morels, Race for the Galaxy, and more. Game Room Main […]

The post S3E13 Our Favorite Card Games appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of the Lair of Secrets, we take a look at our favorite board games, including Catan, Carcassone, Pandemic, and Space Hulk. We also venture back to the game room to check out the very modern PlayStation 5, the very retro Atari 50 video game museum/collection, and two newer video games: Sexy Brutale […]

The post S3E10 Board Games We Love appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The Game Master's Toolbox - a physical tool for organizing your gaming supplies - is the focus of this episode of Radio Active. Before delving into our repurposed Plano boxes though, we explore the St. Louis Science Center and take an extensive detour through the Game Room to talk about the Atari VCS, Portal Companion Edition, gaming at work, and consider the benefits of a gamer journal. We also geek out about the new Willow streaming series on Disney+.

The post S3E9 The Game Master’s Toolbox appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On Episode 8, the holidays of the real world inspire a discussion of bringing holidays and special events to our game worlds. We also talk about geek Christmas trees, Seeing Eye puppies, our continued exploration of cyberpunk, and Netflix’s new Wednesday series. The Geek Tree The All-Seeing Eye The Library The Streaming Theatre Main topic: […]

The post S3E8 Bringing Holidays to RPGs appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Winter is coming. The holidays are almost here. How do you keep your gaming group going through the long, dark winter (or at least, the holiday break)? In addition to delving into holiday game survival strategies, we talk about David’s recent trip and the gaming insights he gained from it, Ken gets lost in TaleSpire […]

The post S3E7 Keeping Your Gaming Group Going through the Holidays appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

As we gear up for our Cyberpunk RED campaign, we take some time to brainstorm ideas for for the game (If only reality didn’t keep getting more cyberpunk-ish than cyberpunk). Over in the library, we discuss William Gibson’s Count Zero, then venture to the Game Room to talk about Forbidden Lands, CY_BORG, Mothership, and the just announced […]

The post S3E6 Cyberpunk Brainstorming appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

As we build momentum toward our Cyberpunk RED campaign, we take a moment to reflect on the cyberpunk movies, books, games, and other media that inspires our take on the subgenre. We also talk National Novel Writing Month, hockey (yes, hockey), virtual gaming via NVIDIA GeForce Now, and the TaleSpire virtual table top.

The post S3E5 Cyberpunk Inspiration appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The subject of travel and how visiting other parts of the country and the world can improve your game is the main topic for Episode 4 of the Lair of Secrets podcast. Before we delve into that globe-trotting topic, we geek out about AirPods, resurrecting the game room after the pandemic, variant endings for Cyberpunk […]

The post S3E4 Travel and RPGs, Game Room Reclamation, Steamdeck Redux, Andor, Cyberpunk RED Critical Mass appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On Episode 3 of Season 3, we catch up on a few weeks of geeky pursuits. David discusses not watching to finish Cyberpunk 2077, and then we both rundown the big list of stuff we’re watching (or want to watch) on streaming. Ken’s planning to return to real world game conventions with MEPACon and discusses […]

The post S3E3 Cyberpunk Laments, Streaming Catch Up, Back to Conventions, Steam Deck, Character Background Haiku appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In Episode 2 of the Lair of Secrets podcast, we brainstorm ideas for a rebooted Savage Ringworld campaign, which mashes up high concept science fiction with the Savage Worlds role-playing game. We also delve back into cyberspace with Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk RED, say good-bye to Nintendo 3DS (or at least, its eShop), visit the Rivers of London book […]

The post S3E2 Savage Ringworld appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

As summer ends, the podcast turns it attention to Spelljammer, the fantasy-in-space setting for Dungeons & Dragons. Ken and David look Wizards of the Coast’s new 3-book release and discuss David’s Spelljammer Academy mini-campaign based on WotC’s free Roll20 release. They also talk about the resurgence of all things cyberpunk, including the Cyberpunk RED role-playing […]

The post S3E1 Spelljammer, GenCon, Cyberpunk RED appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In the final episode of Season 2, we talk about exploring strange new worlds, meeting new civilizations, and then … blowing them up. We also delve into the game Nobody Saves the World, undertake an ursine caper to steal some honey, geek out about the Obi-wan streaming series, and look back on the season that […]

The post S2E21 Season 2 Retrospective, Star Trek, Honey Heist, Obi-Wan appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

It’s summer, so let’s grab some books, head to the beach/lake/mountains and read! Main Topic: Summer Reading List The Empire’s Ruin (Ashes of the Unhewn Throne, Book 1) by Brian Staveley (Ken’s pick) Follow up-to Staveley’s Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, in which an Empire tries to survive against conspiracies within and enemies without, as […]

The post S2E20 Summer Reading List 2022 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Lair of Secrets! On this episode, we delve into retro gaming, review David’s expanded reading list, talk about building computers, and explore the weird and dark world of MÖRK BORG. Moar Books! David’s local library has partnered with a larger library network, so he can get access to more ebooks. Lord of […]

The post S2E19 Retro Gaming, Moar Books!, Building Computers, Mork Borg appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Join the cast of our Scum and Villainy campaign as we look back on six episodes of mysteries, pirates, and – of course – ghosts. We talk about the campaign’s highs and lows, and delve into our thoughts on the Scum and Villainy game itself. This episode is part of our Scum and Villainy actual […]

The post S2E18 Scum and Villainy Campaign Wrap-up & Review appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The “Emerald Heart Job” – the concluding chapter of our Scum and Villainy campaign – finds our heroes going up against the Ghosts and their nefarious plans to use the Emerald Heart artifacts to destroy a gate. This episode is part of our Scum and Villainy actual play campaign. Learn about the characters, view the […]

The post S2E17 Scum and Villainy Actual Play, Chapter 6 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

During “The Rescue Job” the crew is tasked with liberating a prisoner with vital information about the Ghosts … and their nefarious plans for the artifacts known as “Emerald Hearts”. This episode is part of our Scum and Villainy actual play campaign. Learn about the characters, view the chapter list, and check out Scum and […]

The post S2E16 Scum and Villainy Actual Play, Chapter 5 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of Lair of Secrets, our loyal denizens are preparing the deepest level of the dungeon to imprison whomever thought up “Natural Scrolling” for the Mac. Meanwhile, David ventured to the Ohio frontier with his family to watch his youngest win 2nd place in the world in Winter Guard A Class! Feature: Talking with […]

The post S2E15 Talking with the Younger Generation appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

During The Cargo Job (Chapter 4 of our Scum and Villainy campaign) the crew is tasked with recovering “living cargo” from a smuggler’s ship. The goal is to snatch the cargo, which belongs to the ethereal scientists/villains known as the Ghosts, and deliver it to a safe location. The crew’s plan involves pretending to be […]

The post S2E14 Scum and Villainy Actual Play, Chapter 4 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Chapter 3 of our Scum and Villainy campaign sees the crew take on The Racing Job, in which they attempt to smuggle a highly-altered racing ship through the Iota system. Along the way, they have a close encounter with a mysterious comet, realize the importance of check lists, and successfully navigate an asteroid (never tell […]

The post S2E13 Scum and Villainy Actual Play, Chapter 3 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of Lair of Secrets, we talk about one of the most rewarding (and occasionally challenging) experiences a geek parent can have: playing role-playing games with your kids. Main Topic: Gaming with Kids For this episode’s topic, we have another former Overlord of The Secret Lair, Kris Johnson. He’s a middle aged geek […]

The post S2E12 Gaming with Kids appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Our Scum and Villainy campaign returns with The Ghostly Job, as the crew is paid by a very peculiar scientist to track a researcher to her laboratory and learn about her research. Little do the crew know that their target is a former member of the Church of the Emerald Heart, which ceased to exist […]

The post S2E11 Scum and Villainy Actual Play, Chapter 2 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this occasionally rambling episode of Lair of Secrets, Ken and David are joined by long-time friend and gamer (and former occupant of a certain secret lair), Overlord Chris Miller. We talk about our gaming lives in the Before Times, the rise of virtual gaming, and look at what might come in the post-pandemic era. […]

The post S2E9 How Gaming Changed During the Pandemic appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Grab a sandwich and a Mountain Dew and join us for this episode’s topic: lunch tie gaming The typical role-playing game session lasts 4-5 hours and happens once a week. Sometimes they’re more frequent, sometimes they’re a little longer, but a four-hour Friday night hangout is pretty typical. With a lunchtime game, sessions may happen […]

The post S2E8 Lunchtime Gaming, Forbidden West, Mutant Crawl Classics, Resident Alien, Electric Cars, Dropout TV appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of the Lair of Secrets, we talk about the concluding season (and book) of The Expanse, geek out about Kobold Press’s Tome of Beasts 3 monster compilation, conclude John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire trilogy, and explore the new xenobiology update for Astroneer. For our main topic, we talk about the session zero […]

The post S2E6 Session Zero, The Expanse, Tome of Beasts 3, Astroneer, Collapsing Empire appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Alien gods walk among us. To further their agenda, we’ve jumped forward in time to praise their machinations … and promote the new edition of Godsend Agenda, now on Kickstarter. Introductions Today we’ve got a guest, coming all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada, Jerry Grayson. He’s a friend and here to talk about his […]

The post S2E7 Godsend Agenda appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Adventure prep for role-playing games is the main topic of this episode of The Lair of Secrets podcast. We discuss the dangers of too much prep vs. too little prep, and seek the Goldilocks prep time in between. After tackling individual adventures, we discuss prepping for a new campaign and tools to help with that. Finally, we […]

The post S2E4 Role-Playing Adventure Prep – fixed audio appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the new year … and a new episode of the Lair of Secrets. The main topic for this episode is “Stealing liberally from other game systems to enhance the ones you’re playing”. We look at game mechanics like bennies (Savage Worlds), aspects (Fate), skill challenges (Dungeons & Dragons), plot points (Cortex) and more! […]

The post S2E3 Improving Games by Stealing From Others appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to The Lair of Secrets podcast, the podcast about gaming and being a geek by two middle-aged geek dads. Yeah, we said middle-aged … because “forty-something” wasn’t quite accurate anymore. This episode finds Ken Newquist caught in a maze of endless meetings, all alike, while David Moore finds that his week went somewhere … […]

The post S2E2 Scum and Villainy Campaign Planning, Reading Time, Animal Crossing Redux, Twilight 2000 Boxed Set – audio fix appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Season 2 of The Lair of Secrets kicks off with a bang (and the muttering of a few spells) as David and Ken interview Matt Forbeck and Marty Forbeck about their Shotguns & Sorcery for 5E Kickstarter. The Kickstarter funded within hours of its launch and runs until 10 p.m. EST, Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Shotguns & Sorcery is a […]

The post S2E1 Shotguns & Sorcery – audio fix appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Lair of Secrets podcast! The podcast about gaming and being a geek by two forty-something geek dads. Ken Newquist is a video game-completing machine who’s probably staying up too late (again). Meanwhile, David Moore is no longer a forty-something geek dad. Summer’s End Ken went to Philmont … but we dedicated a […]

The post S1E21 Fire Emblem Completions, RPGs, GenCon, RPG Ideas, Season 1 Retrospective appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

I’m David Moore and I’ve been sailing in a boat, which is bumpier than a dirigible, and digging heavily into my books pulled from several of the libraries here in the Lair. I’m Ken Newquist and I’m happily buried underneath the many books of my summer reading list. Water-born Dirigibles David is moving forward with ASA […]

The post S1E20 Sail Away, Summer Reading, Gaslands, Self-Healing Switches, Second-hand Tech appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of the Lair of secrets, David reports out on his productive stay-cation, while Ken hikes, runs, swims, and bikes his way along the final stretch of the trail to Philmont (and he could really use a nap) Back in the Printerium David’s new printer arrived – Prusa i3 – MK3S+ He printed a […]

The post S1E18 Dyson Fall, 3D Printing, Wilderness First Aid, Disc Golf, Mass Effect Returns appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The Lair of Secrets get a super-science expansion as David and Ken take a look at the new super-sized edition of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. We also check out the new book You Can Do Anything Magic Skeleton!, talk about work-cations, venture once more into the outdoors, and delve too deeply (or not nearly […]

The post S1E16 Super Science, Dwarven Delves, Magic Skeletons, Work-cation, Horizon Zero Dawn appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

David and Ken stumble out of Episode 14’s time shift to find the temporal demon known as “Daylight Saving Time” playing havoc with reality. In this episode, they talk about the new video game Valheim, catch up on Alan Tudyk’s latest sci-fi offering, venture down alternative timelines with Roger Zelazny’s Roadmarks, encounter a librarian hive mind […]

The post S1E15 Temporal Shifting, Ringworld, Resident Alien, Valheim appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

It may be early fall in the current timeline, but in the Lair of Secrets winter’s freezing grasp can still be felt. In this episode, Ken and David venture into the digital halls of the RPG Vault to see what hidden treasures can be found in their DriveThruRPG collections. David’s adding more books in LIbrary […]

The post S1E13 Venturing into the RPG Vault appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

The Lair of Secrets returns as Ken and David delve into their respective stacks of books, contemplate new video game including Gloomhaven, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, and then talk about their favorite game master hacks. Library 64 (or “Ken has more books than time”) The Game Room […]

The post S1E12 So Many Books, So Much Trek, So Many Game Master Hacks appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Lair of Secrets podcast, where David’s been tinkering in the dirigible hanger trying to get the old girl flying again, and Ken’s just beamed back from halfway across the galaxy. He’s fine. Mostly. Library 67: Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow David’s in the middle of this book. Having a hard time connecting with […]

The post S1E11 Attack Surface, Penric’s Demon, Star Trek, Dinner Subscriptions, Cryptid Campaign Brainstorming appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Episode 10 sees Ken figuring out how to deal with the long, dark, tea time of the soul known as November, while David fends off allergies while contemplating where all the good role-playing game communities went after Google+ folded. Venturing into the Chamber of Infinite Darkness: It’s November. Daylight Saving Time is over. And suddenly, […]

The post S1E10 Battling Darkness, Stellaris, Gaming Woes, Gaming Communities after G+ appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode, David and Ken battle against ghosts, memories, and missing time in an effort to get out another podcast … and launch our first episode! (yes, time remains a bit wibbly wobbly in the Lair). Pens keep on turning, turning, turning… into the future! David turns his first pen. He needed to make […]

The post S1E9 Memory Malfunctions, NaNoWriMo, Wondrous Zines, Middle School Hauntings, Comic Book Quandaries, Ready for Launch? appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

A podcast by two fortysomething geek dads who are even more middle aged than they were during the last podcast. On this episode, we talk about the joys of progressive lenses (see, we told you we were middled aged), the Twilight 2000 Kickstarter, woodworking with lathes, The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (and narrated […]

The post S1E8 Even More Middle Aged, Twilight 2000, Hiking, Fire Emblem, Sailing, Wood Turning, The City We Became, Progressive Lenses appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

David and Ken once again find themselves ignoring linear time to bring you a show FROM THE FUTURE!!! On this epsiode of Lair of Secrets, they discuss their respective summer reading lists for 2021. Ken’s Summer Reading List Ken is going to be spending a lot of time reading away from home, as he finally […]

The post S1E17 Summer Reading 2021 – Corrected appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

On this episode of the Lair of Secrets podcast … David Moore has had a strange few weeks and he’s not really sure who he is anymore. Meanwhile, Ken Newquist digs into a good, scary graphic novel, tries out some new backpacking gadgets, and investigates a small-town murder mystery. David Messed Up Bullet Journaling Rolled […]

The post S1E7 (corrected) Online Gaming Redux, Wild New Jersey, Aliens Graphic Novels, Books (aka The Format Wars) appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Lair of Secrets podcast! On this episode, we talk coffee, bullet journaling with the Leuchtturm1917 (for games) and Paperage A5 (for daily use), new backpacks, and the Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion board game. For the main topic, we discuss the relative merits and challenges of playing role-playing games in the real […]

The post SE1E6 Virtual vs. Real World Gaming, Bullet Journaling, Jaws of the Lion, Brindlewood Bay appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Lair of Secrets podcast! The podcast about gaming and being a geek by two forty-something geek dads. David is a father, coder, gamer, woodworker, and guy with too many hobbies he likes to pursue. Ken is an IT guy who never seems to have enough time to read comic books, but refuses […]

The post S1E5 Day Pack of Holding, Star Trek, Godsend Agenda, Forging Hephaestus, Old Guard, Baseball appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Lair of Secrets podcast! The podcast about gaming and being a geek by two forty-something geek dads. Ken Newquist is an IT project manager, comic book enthusiast, and outdoor guy who is getting outdoors a lot more these days. David Moore is a father, coder, gamer, woodworker, and guy with too many […]

The post S1E4 Sneaker Blowouts, Gloomhaven, Atlantis 2nd Age, Peace Talks, Wondrous Zines, Achieving Consensus with RPGs appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

WE COME FROM THE FUTURE … the future of the Lair of Secrets podcast, that is! David and Ken talk about their latest geeky undertakings, including a return to Atomic Robo, WandaVision, X of Swords, the Forbidden Lands RPG, and even more speculative fiction novels before turning to the main topic: Kickstarter’s Zinequest 3. Ken […]

The post S1E14 Unmoored in Time, WandaVision, Forbidden Lands, Zinequest 3 appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the Untitled Podcast. You know what the name is, we don’t … but we’re getting closer. Maybe. On this exercise, we hit the gym (or at least, the sidewalk) with our respective exercise routines, finish up our Tales from the Loop game, talk physical therapy for dogs, get lost in a few […]

The post S1E3 Geek Exercise, Ex Novo, DragonQuest, Ocarina of Time, and Oh So Many Books! appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

In the second episode of the still-untitled podcast, we talk about David’s RPG mapper project, venture into the challenges of exercising daily, talk about our Tales from the Loop game, and delve into Ken’s obsession with the X-Men. We round out the podcast with a conversation about the joy – and challenges – of gaming with […]

The post S1E2 – Exercise, Tales from the Loop, Comic Books, and Gaming with Kids appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .

Welcome to the first episode of the podcast that didn’t know it’s own name! On this episode, David and Ken introduce themselves before venturing into the irradiated wastes of Gamma World. Running’s a good strategy when confronted by hyperintelligent carrotfolk; it’s also a good way to stay healthy, as Ken talks about his 10K training […]

The post S1E1 – Gamma World, 10Ks, Top 3 New RPGs appeared first on Lair Of Secrets .