Why We Roll

Heads up! This episode was recorded in September of 2025, so if you hear some out-dated references... just blame Chris for editing this one late! On this episode, Wythe Marschall and Christopher Pickett talk to infamous mystery artist and proud Midwesterner HODAG RPG! We talk about art, the OSR, the Midwest, the new game PICARO! by Wythe and HODAG, the history of RPGs, the work of illustrating games, and much more. Fun fact: one time, HODAG released 52 games in one year!

☉ HODAG's blog: https://nofoesnotraps.wordpress.com/home/

☉ Find HODAG on Itch: https://hodagrpg.itch.io/

☉ Play PICARO! w. words by Wythe and illustrations by HODAG, published by our good buddies at Plus One Exp: https://plusoneexp.com/products/picaro

☉ For more from Stillfleet: https://stillfleet.com/

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On this episode of Why We Roll: The Indie TTRPG Game Design Podcast of the Stillfleet Studio, Wythe Marschall (PICARO!, Stillfleet) and Christopher Pickett (Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying, Thrall) chat with narrative designer Konstantine Paradias, a video game writer and the author of the upcoming Stillfleet Studio modern sci-fi/alien dungeoncrawler TTRPG, ULTRADELVE. Also joining us is ULTRADELVE artist and graphic designer Anthony Grasso (Blister Critters, AMMU), who shares a ton of gorgeous, Euro-comic-inspired art from the book. We talk about Konstantine's work across video games (including Raft and many others), the pleasures of dumpster exploration, our mutual love for the Strugatsky Brothers' Roadside Picnic, how Kos and Tony worked together to develop a visual style for the game, and how the game plays.

☉ Learn all about Konstantine's work here: https://konstantinewrites.com/

☉ ULTRADELVE will be available here when it drops, along with most of Tony's (and all of our!) game work: https://stillfleet.com/
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Wythe Marschall and Christopher Pickett play the new comedy TTRPG Road Warriors with creators David Piccolomini, Miel Markus, Daniel Metz of Don't Go Broke Games. Listen to us play not-quite-pro comedians on their first road tour together! Road Warriors is a super fun and easy-to-learn TTRPG using a modified Forged in the Dark System. Grab some friends and roll up your stand-up characters!

☉ Make sure to follow Road Warriors as it goes live on Gamefound, fall of '26; https://gamefound.com/en/projects/dgb-games/road-warriors?ref=explore

☉ Check out DGB Games' itch for more funny: https://dgbgames.itch.io/

☉FFor more from Stillfleet Studio: https://stillfleet.com/
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Christopher Pickett (Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying) and Wythe Marschall (Stillfleet, PICARO!) talk to Jon Boyle and Bri de Danann of Bright Bard Games about Axolotl With a Gun 2e, L.G.B.T. (Longsword, Glock, Bat, Taser the game), whimsy in games, expanding/updating existing games, crowdfunds, dice pools, action movies, neotenic animals, and much more! 

We learn facts about axolotls, briefly touch on food games (I Crave the Loop), dive into video-game elements in TTRPGs (coin-operated participation), talk convention sales, and get into direct action and games as political education. Bri and Jon are great, so if you don't know their work, give this episode a listen!

Key links: 

☉Pick up games by Bright Bard: https://brightbardgames.com 

☉ Go back L.G.B.T. – Longsword, Glock, Bat, Taser – on BackerKit: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/... 

☉ Order Axolotl with a Gun: An Arcade-Style Roleplaying Game 2e: https://axolotl-with-a-gun-2e.backerk... 

Follow Bri and Jon everywhere: 

☉https://linktr.ee/brightbard 

☉https://brightbardgames.itch.io 

☉https://bridanann.itch.io 

☉https://www.bridedanann.com

☉The Grit System Game Jam is running all summer ☞ https://stillfleet.com/gamejam2026 

☉Join the conversation: https://discord.stillfleet.com

☉Support the show on Patreon https://patreon.com/stillfleet

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Wythe Marschall (Stillfleet, PICARO!) and Christopher Pickett (Danse Macabre) chat with artist Ethan Gouldini (who illustrated the Stillfleet Core Rulebook and Qadida!) about The Sometimes Kingdom RPG—the climate-tastic, high-fantasy, arch-magical portal fantasy/alter-earth TTRPG using the Grit System, now available in print!

☉Pick up the game in print: https://stillfleet.com/products/the-s...
☉Download the PDF from Itch: https://stillfleet.itch.io/sometimes-...

Are you a game designer?
☉The Grit System Game Jam is running all summer ☞ https://stillfleet.com/gamejam2026
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