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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run.

@talesshelfpod.bsky.social
11 followers 18 following 112 posts

Book 2 is Vampire the Masquerade. Join us on our deep dive of this gaming classic. We're on Podbean. Find us on Apple Podcasts. Look for us on Spotify.

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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Hah, what did I say in the last episode? (No insider info here, I could just see it coming) www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/world-...
paradoxinteractive.com
Thank you Renegade Game Studios. - Paradox Interactive
World of Darkness
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
So I have a question (this is based on talking to my Thursday night group about what we're doing) - how do you structure your campaigns? I've never run a long game, after a while I find that I need a creative break - and running a one-shot in a very different genre is as good as a rest for me.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
So I have a question (this is based on talking to my Thursday night group about what we're doing) - how do you structure your campaigns? I've never run a long game, after a while I find that I need a creative break - and running a one-shot in a very different genre is as good as a rest for me.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This annoys me so much that In going to list games that do humanism better than DnD. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
D&D players raise millions in real-life campaign against ‘corporate elite’
Brennan Lee Mulligan’s Dungeons and Dragons push is part of a wider trend using tabletop games for political action
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Jason at Myth-forged @jason-mythforged.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
It also has an existing TES conversion (its the third entry on the page): www.mythras.net#/Pages/Homeb...
mythras.net
Mythras.net
Mythras.net
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Oh, we talked about this kind of thing in the interstitial! Kill the player. I'm joking of course, but this behaviour isn't going to work and, like most problems, involves open talk about why this isn't OK. And, failing an understanding, yeeting the player.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Alright, let's Go! Vampire the Masquerade V5 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... It is really annoying that the generic cover image applies from the link and not the V5 specific one that I worked so hard on
Upper text: Tales from the shelf.
Lower text: Vampire the Masquerade.

The image is a bloody red, a wall with graffiti. On the left is a mini of a black woman with black hair, in gold shorts, white trainers and a red hoodie.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Mark here, been playing Skyrim and wondered - what's a good system for ES games? The Unofficial one is too rules heavy for me. Bonus points for saying 'Runequest' lol.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Listened to the first two episodes and had a great time. Love how it's straight into the action and doesn't let up.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Hmm, maybe I should have recorded a quick Witcher AP to show the rules/system off. I am displaying the same ability to be on the ball by...running Vampire the Requiem while we do the V5 book. 😐
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
we are always happy to support & help out other folks trying to get print media projects off the ground, & with that in mind we're now stocking the ace UK zine Secret Passages on our store alongside US import Glaive wyrd.science/collections/... If you're launching or thinking about...
the covers of the first three issues of Secret Passages, an A5 UK zine covering tabletop games and focusing on the ones we grew up on
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Can’t believe we’re doing ‘which Americans did actual play first’ discourse again. How many times does Simon need to fall into a fucking hole before Treguard of Dunshelm finally gets his flowers, eh?
youtu.be
Funniest Knightmare death ever!
YouTube video by Andy Bill
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
👀
Clyde
@BLOODTYPEBUZZ

Two neurodivergent people having a conversation is literally just a nonstop loop of "oh yeah, that reminds me of [topic that is completely unrelated]"
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
OK, Intermission #1 is heading to your usual podcast app. We're just chilling between books and talking about our experiences getting a group together. Pt2 of this is thoughts on how to level up your group. www.podbean.com/eas/pb-63t7w...
podbean.com
Intermission #1 - Getting a *good* group together
We're taking a break between books to throw out some more general advice and tell stories. This part is about our experiences in getting people together. Next ep will cover levelling up your group.  A...
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Ok, so; I've only seen the cheat sheet, I don't have the online gaming account (also super busy; the OH went for surgery and needs a lot of support) and reading isn't playing. That said, reverting to VtR's mechanic is weird? Adding a humanity track that's...what, about balance than degeneration?
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Modiphius @modiphius.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
🖖Star Trek Blog!🖖 And it's a celebration! Jim Johnson reflects on the 10 glorious years we have had with one of our favourite franchises. 🔗: buff.ly/W0IQs66 #blog #startrekadventures #TTRPG
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Busy editing right now, but you bet I'll be coming back to this.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
I know V5 riffed off/iterated on/borrowed liberally from Vampire the Requiem, but straight-up taking VtR's 'roll a bunch of D10s, you need an 8, 9 or 10 for a success' seems *a bit much*.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
This week Michael and I record the first part of our #V5 #vtm deep dive in time for V6 details to start coming out, so that's great timing on our part and obviously we planned this, don't ask how. It'll be interesting to see what we see as needing change vs what the devs went with.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
But we already have an Anne Rice vampire and other monsters game. It's still a big deal in rpgs! Back when talking about the Witcher, I said that I wanted to know what a new game, aha, 'brought to the table'. We already have a ton of games for this. renegadegamestudios.com/blog/renegad...
renegadegamestudios.com
Renegade Game Studios and AMC Global Media Announce Anne Rice's Immortal Universe Roleplaying Game
Renegade Game Studios and AMC Global Media Announce Anne Rice's Immortal Universe Roleplaying Game Renegade is partnering with AMC to produce TTRPG titles for hit television series includin...
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Been working on something.
A scene suffused in red light. On the left, under a yellow light, is a mysterious figure in a red hoodie and gold shorts. In the centre is a metal double door.A central figure in a red hoodie and gold shorts pulling up her hood. She is standing against a red stone wall. In the top right is black graffiti.A figure in a red hoodie and gold shorts walking against a stone building with art deco windows, lit with yellow uplights.A figure in red hoodie and gold shorts emerging from an alleyway next to a green building with gray cladding. She is standing next to an open door, lit with a shadow cast against it.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
From Reddit: a character builder and campaign manager for the Witcher rpg. www.reddit.com/r/WitcherTRP...
reddit.com
From the WitcherTRPG community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the WitcherTRPG community
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
And V5 is our next book to explore.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
I know we've mentioned Ciri as the Grail; here's a pretty good article that touches on it from Sapkowski's mouth. www.blathancaerme.com/sapkowski-th...
blathancaerme.com
Sapkowski the Pagan - The Grail and the Goddess
Andrzej Sapkowski wrote Ciri as the Holy Grail. Drawing from Celtic mythology and Arthurian scholarship, The Witcher and The Hussite Trilogy explore the Triple Goddess, Wiccan theology, female soverei...
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Did a lot of editing yesterday as we finish the adventure in the #Witcher core book and talk about how it illustrates/magnifies problems we have with the book as whole. Also, might have to call the episode 'The troll is s*** at his job'.
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Question for #VtM #Vampirethemasquerade #Vamily people - what was it with Vampire merch? I had the velvet dice pouch and stylish dice, tie pins and even VtM writing paper... but what was with the action figures, chess sets, etc? It just seems...excessive.
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
"I question who needs it?" I just fundamentally feel like this is a thread that absolutely nobody involved in the world of "all you need are pencils, paper, dice and imagination for years of fun" should ever tug on still, it is hard to think of too many other sectors where the barrier between
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Yikes. My timeline for Vampire (with relevant bits of WW history) is heading for two pages. As a disappointing YouTuber would say, it's a lot to unpack.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
#Witcher, #ttrpg #rpg people, this one is for you. Well, this whole pod is for you, you should listen to it.
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
anyone? before our time and I don't think we have any links to anyone involved
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
... Come the fuck on. How many attempts is this now?
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Currently editing Episode 9: Maybe Lord Nowak's A Biter.
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
need some inspiration for your urban horror scenario or even better a miniatures skirmish game, The Gorbals Vampire is always there side note - I like how a lot of RPGs about kids against supernatural monsters have rules so the kids can't be seriously hurt, & I think we have it the wrong way round
folklorescotland.com
The Gorbals Vampire - Folklore Scotland
The Gorbals Vampire After school, hundreds of children of all ages armed themselves with blades and crosses, stakes and dogs and descended upon the city’s Southern Necropolis to hunt the Gorbals Vampi...
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Gosh, haven’t shilled our awesome magazine today, best fix that. Why not treat yourself to a few hundred pages on everything from indie skirmish wargames and award winning RPGs through to aggro kids comics, fantasy metal, neo folk festivals and lots lots more wyrd.science
wyrd.science
Wyrd Science - TTRPGs, Wargames, Board Games & More!
Wyrd Science is an independent, award winning tabletop game magazine focused not just on the best TTRPGs, wargames, board games around but the culture that surrounds them from science fiction films to...
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Hourly Cosmos @hourlycosmos.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Phobos over Mars - Timbuktu Crater and Aurorae Chaos - ESA Mars Express - From Andrea Luck (andrealuck.bsky.social) - flic.kr/p/2ofhAyW
Download full size image here: www.flickr.com/photos/192271236@N03/52670210462/sizes/o/

Video here: flic.kr/p/2ouEMag

Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck

Map of the area: Map: maps.planet.fu-berlin.de/#map=8/-2402744.48/-394969.99

Colourised image created using data processed from archives.esac.esa.int/psa

Mission: ESA Mars Express
Orbit 17436
Instrument: HRSC
Time: 2017-10-09
Product ID: HH436_0000_S23


Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck

Image used here: universemagazine.com/en/fated-phobos-photo/

Feel free to share, giving the appropriate credit and providing a link to the original image or tweet creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
She loves recording time, that box is her favourite place!
Vee, a dark coloured prarie cat, sleeping in the microphone box. The box is yellow and black and the polysterene inside is apparently incredibly comfortable. Vee, but in a different direction.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Oh, totally forgot - shoutout to @thoughtpunks.com and Vermillion Vespers in this ep. (Hopefully I'll get to run a one-shot this summer.)
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Welp, time to record an interstitial episode between books. In the theme of beginnings, and given how the Witcher's GMing advice went, we're talking about starting a group/campaign.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Mark here. As part of planning my Wrath & Glory campaign, I've been listening more to @arbitorian.bsky.social and enjoying this W&G campaign. I'd have liked something a little less jokey, but everything else is great. Love the Rogue Trader. narrativedeclaration.com/wrath-and-gl...
narrativedeclaration.com
Wrath and Glory - Narrative Declaration
Join this delightfully unqualified warband as they plunge into the Warhammer 40K universe using the Wrath and Glory system!
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
I have a whole forest of those trees, but let's start with what I said in the Witcher world section episode - RPGs need a 'what is this RPG?' section. Not 'what are RPGs', but what THIS game is, what it aims to do, what makes it special/different/emulates the material (or not).
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
So, Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hope is been out for a bit and reviews seem good. I've been playing it way more than I probably should this week, but also now is a good time to recall that there was a BSG #ttrpg! Back when Margarat Weiss Productions was hoovering up licenses...
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Welp, Ep7 release day today. Finally get to talk about something that isn't combat.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
We've yet to start (the plan is to take a break between deep dives to go a little GM advice) but the next book slated is V5. So this is great timing for us! (Doing the history, working out the timeline for the V5, books is a pain though.) www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/world-...
paradoxinteractive.com
Vampire: The Masquerade returns to Gen Con 2026 - Paradox Interactive
Paradox Interactive is a world leading PC games publisher known for games such as Cities: Skylines, Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings.
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Michael, is this your alt?
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Had a painting session today. Michael is working on some 3d printed models, while I managed this one.
Brewess from the Witcher 3 (a corpulent, monstrous creature, with blotchy pink skin,  a bloody aprin and a beekeeper's straw helmet.
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
an illustration of Nurgle's favoured one, Typhus the Traveller, with a speech bubble
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Wyrd Science Magazine @wyrdscience.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Ok, odd, after Goodman Games announced they were working on Moorcock/Elric titles for DCC last week we absolutely didn't expect to get news today that Free League will release a new Stormbringer RPG, using Dragonbane's rules, next year too... Richard Watts who worked on the Chaosium ed. is involved
the cover to the Legends of Stormbringer core rules, featuring Michael Whelan's classic picture of Eric waving his sword about
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Mark here with a Witcher session update. STRIGA'S ARE HORRIFYING! My group investigated a 'beast' terrorising the town, found out an elf's human lover was cursed by her family, who also run the town. Stuck between brothers who didn't want an elf lover back and her lkiber thhreatening to raze
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Tales From the Shelf; deep dives into the games we've run. @talesshelfpod.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Mark here. I think I know what bothers me about the Witcher RPG - I want a game where damaged people hang together in a world in a Time of Contempt. What I get from the official RPG is a game where I'm playing the NPCs, and I don't like that - those people are there to prove Geralt etc right.
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