The Arcane Alienist

Thanks to Anthony at ⁠⁠Casting Shadows ⁠⁠and Dave at ⁠⁠Autocratik⁠⁠ for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• ⁠⁠Mirke the Meek⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Nerds RPG Variety Cast⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠The GMologist Presents⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Hindsightless ⁠⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Thanks to Anthony at ⁠⁠Casting Shadows ⁠⁠and Dave at ⁠⁠Autocratik⁠⁠ for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• ⁠⁠Mirke the Meek⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Nerds RPG Variety Cast⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠The GMologist Presents⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Hindsightless ⁠⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Thanks to Anthony at ⁠⁠Casting Shadows ⁠⁠and Dave at ⁠⁠Autocratik⁠⁠ for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• ⁠⁠Mirke the Meek⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Nerds RPG Variety Cast⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠The GMologist Presents⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Hindsightless ⁠⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Thanks to Anthony at ⁠⁠Casting Shadows ⁠⁠and Dave at ⁠⁠Autocratik⁠⁠ for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• ⁠⁠Mirke the Meek⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Nerds RPG Variety Cast⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠The GMologist Presents⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Hindsightless ⁠⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Thanks to Anthony at ⁠Casting Shadows ⁠and Dave at ⁠Autocratik⁠ for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• ⁠Mirke the Meek⁠
• ⁠Nerds RPG Variety Cast⁠
• ⁠The GMologist Presents⁠
• ⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠
• ⁠Hindsightless ⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Thanks to Anthony at ⁠Casting Shadows ⁠and Dave at ⁠Autocratik⁠ for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• ⁠Mirke the Meek⁠
• ⁠Nerds RPG Variety Cast⁠
• ⁠The GMologist Presents⁠
• ⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠
• ⁠Hindsightless ⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Thanks to Anthony at Casting Shadows and Dave at Autocratik for organizing this each year.

Be sure to listen to RPGaDay2026 content on these other fine podcasts:

• Mirke the Meek
• Nerds RPG Variety Cast
• The GMologist Presents
• Phantom Thoughts
• Hindsightless

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

Be sure to listen to this episode of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, where we review the newly released film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠⁠

The party abandons combat for shenanigans in the latest session of Horror on the Hill with theater kids. Plus a call from ⁠Mirke the Meek.⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

We also have calls from Joe of the Highsightless and Mirke of Mirke the Meek. Also a shout out to Daniel at Bandit's Keep and this video at Tenkar's Tavern.

Check out the ⁠Cerebrevore crew's recent review⁠ of the new Masters of the Universe movie.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Also, check out the Cerebrevore crew's recent review of the new Masters of the Universe movie.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

In this episode, we have an unboxing and short review of Delve, a supplement for Shadowdark and 5E by YouTube legend Bob World Builder.

Also, I give a long overdue response to a call from Jason of Nerd's RPG Variety Cast.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Here's a special episode in honor of both Veterans Day and Native American Heritage Month, where I create a version of the iconic G. I. Joe character Spirit Iron-Knife using Modern War from Zozer Games.

it's OSR October! What better way to observe it than to dive into my latest Swords & Wizardry game session.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

I also have some calls regarding the last episode from podcasters Joe Richter of Hindsightless and the Pink Phantom of Phantom Thoughts.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Thanks to ⁠⁠Autocratik ⁠⁠and ⁠⁠Casting Shadows⁠⁠ for always putting this together for the RPG community.

Give a listen to these other creators who have also been participating in RPGaDay this year:

• ⁠Phantom Thoughts⁠
• ⁠HIndsightless⁠
• ⁠The Decahedron RPG Podcast⁠
• ⁠The GMologist Presents⁠
• ⁠Nerd's RPG Variety Cast ⁠

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Thanks to ⁠Autocratik ⁠and ⁠Casting Shadows⁠ for always putting this together for the RPG community.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Thanks to Autocratik and Casting Shadows for always putting this together for the RPG community.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Wait... Part 2? This is a crossover episode where Karl Rodriguez and I discuss some of the classic modules from the TSR era of D&D. You can find Part 1 of the conversation at The GMologist Presents.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

In this episode we have calls from Evil Jeff (Minions & Musings) and Mike the Meek with comments about Sigmund Freud and alignment. I also give an update on my "D&D with Drama Kids" campaign and pose a question: What is on your charater's playlist?

Check out my review of Superman with Jason on the latest Nerd's RPG Variety Cast.

And here's the book Mirke mentions about How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Also, I have calls from Daniel (Bandit's Keep), Joe (Hindsightless), and Mirke (Mirke the Meek).

Here are the other books mentioned in this episode

• The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman
• The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
• A Liberated Mind bu Steven C. Hayes
• The Swords Wizardy Book of Options by Matt Finch & James M. Spahn

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

I also have calls from Jason (Nerd's RPG Variety Cast), Karl (The GMologist Presents) and Mirke (Mirke the Meek).

Take a look at Mirke's stuff on itch.io!

Send me a message!

• ​Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• ​Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

This is partially inspired by recent discussions by Che Webster and Anthony Boyd about the nature of roleplaying games and characters as protagonists on the past few episodes of Roleplay Rescue. Give them a listen!

Also, we have a new episode of Cerebrevore out now, where I am joined by the GMologist and Darkfluid.

Send me a message!

• Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com

• Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

My quick review of Black Powder and Brimstone by Benjamin Tobitt. I also, this episode's cover art is the map to my Black Sword Hack have solo game, as suggested by a call from the GMologist. I made it using Inkarnate.

Send me a message!

• Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com

• Leave a voicemail at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

I also have a call from our good friend Riley, host of the excellent Diagetic Advancement podcast. Be sure to give it a listen!

Special music for this episode curtesy of Bleupanda at⁠⁠⁠⁠Pond5⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Send me a message!

• Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com

• Leave a voicemail at⁠⁠⁠Speakpipe⁠

Special music for this episode curtesy of Bleupanda at⁠⁠⁠Pond5⁠⁠⁠.

Send me a messag!

• Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com

• Leave a voicemail at⁠⁠Speakpipe

Special music for this episode curtesy of Bleupanda at⁠⁠Pond5⁠⁠.

Send me a message!

• Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• Leave a voicemail at⁠Speakpipe

Special music for this episode curtesy of Bleupanda at⁠Pond5⁠.

Thanks toMirke the Meek for his call in this eposiode. Make sure you listen to his podcast.

Other great podcasts referenced in this episode were theGMologist Presents andDiegetic Advancement.

Send me a message!

• Email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• Leave a voicemail atSpeakpipe

After character generation and word-building, it's finally time for solo play with Black Sword Hack.

Meet Dolen, once a barbarian thrall, now an agent of a powerful merchant house, as he prepares to deal with a personal tragedy.

Special music for this episode curtesy of Bleupanda at Pond5.

Be sure to catch the latest episode of Cerebrevore, where Arlen and Karl join me to discuss Star Wars.

Leave a comment here, or reach out to me directly!

• You can email me at arcane.alienist@gmail.com
• You can leave a voice message through Speakpipe

Leave a comment, or reach out to me directly! You can email me (arcane.alienist@gmail.com) or leave a voice message through my http://www.speakpipe.com/ArcaneAlienist" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Speakpipe account.

Check out an example of BSH solo play at the Kill Ten Rats RPG YouTube channel.

You can purchase the complete "Ultimate Chaos Edition" or get the free SRD for the game at The Merry Mushmen website.

As we close out the holiday searon and head to the New Year, I want to thank all my listeners. Now go watch our Mörk Borg Christmas Special actual play "Holiday Hellions" at the GMologist YouTube Channel.

I've got calls about Mörk Borg from Riley of Diagetic Advancement and from Karl and Amy of the GMologist Presents, and a recap of the latest D&D with Theater Kids in which we see why random rolls and referee rulings are the raddest route to robust roleplaying.

Also, be sure to check out this episode of Analytic Dice, where Kevin and Gabe discuss Black Sword Hack. It really stirred up some interest in that game for me.

The final installment of my Mörk Borg solo play using ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sölitary Defilement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eldar Rottentoe discovers the corruption that plagues the Rancid Maze of Chrud Nech. Will he survive?

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pond5.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Nerd's RPG Variety Cast discussion of Steven Graham Jones novel The Only Good Indians

The GMologist Presents discussion of Indigenous people in roleplaying games

Another installment of my Mörk Borg solo play using ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sölitary Defilement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eldar Rottentoe must survive an encounter with the walking dead deep within the Rancid Maze of Chrud Nech.

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pond5.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠

I've got a call from the GMologist, followed by another installment of my Mörk Borg solo play using ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sölitary Defilement⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eldar Rottentoe survives a knife fight and discovers a deadly new magical power.

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from ⁠⁠⁠www.pond5.com.⁠⁠⁠

Another installment of my Mörk Borg solo play using ⁠⁠⁠Sölitary Defilement⁠⁠⁠. Eldar Rottentoe goes deeper into the Rancid Maze of Chrud Nech and makes a new friend (much to the chagrin of Urm).

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from ⁠⁠www.pond5.com.⁠⁠

Another installment of my Mörk Borg solo play using ⁠⁠Sölitary Defilement⁠⁠. Eldar Rottentoe enters the Rancid Maze of Chrud Nech and must overcome his first battle with its inhabitants.

I also have a call from Karl Rodriquez of The GMologist.

Be sure to go over to Kickstarter and back Reaver, an amazing game by Joe Salvador of Raven God Games. You can find interviews and actual plays at the GMologist YouTube Channel (linked above) as well as some discussion of Reaver on the latest episode of Cerebrevore.

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from ⁠⁠www.pond5.com.⁠⁠

Also, we have calls from Joe Richter of the Hingsightless podcast and Riley from Diagetic Advancement.

September is suicide awareness month. Help is available at 988 Lifeline. Just call or text 988 or visit the website.

Here's the second installment of my Mörk Borg solo play using ⁠Sölitary Defilement⁠. The story picks up as Eldar Rottentoe confronts a band of goblins guarding the entrance to the Rancid Maze of Chrud Nech.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a reference to suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact a healthcare professional or go to the closest emergency room. Help is also available through the national 988 Lifeline. Just call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to live chat with someone.

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from ⁠www.pond5.com.⁠

In this episode, I dive into Mörk Borg solo play using the supplement Sölitary Defilement by 1d10+5. Listen as Eldar Rottentoe and his weird little dog approach the Rancid Maze of Chrud Nech!

I also have calls from Joe Richter of the Hindsightless podcast and Riley of Diagetic Advancement.

Special music for this episode courtesy of romulosandri, from www.pond5.com.