Introducing Of Dice and Droids

diceWelcome to Of Dice and Droids, a brand new podcast project here at Tosche Station!

So what exactly is this? Well, it’s is a podcast that will be all about pen and paper Star Wars RPGs. We’ll be talking about the mechanics of tabletop gaming, how to put a campaign together, how to play, and answering questions from listeners. The centerpiece, though, is an actual campaign that we’ll be recording for a twice-monthly podcast.

A few months back, I had tossed the idea of doing a Star Wars tabletop podcast into the winds of Twitter after watching some old episodes of Penny Arcade’s endlessly entertaining Acquisitions Incorporated, the live D&D game they play at PAX Prime and PAX East. The concept of doing a show where a small group of friends create their own adventure for an audience was compelling to me, and as you’ll see below, was compelling to a few other people.

This podcast is going to have something for everyone. If you want to learn how to play the Fantasy Flight Star Wars RPGs, we’ll go over the how-tos. If you just want an original (totally non-canon) Star Wars story being put together by six creative players and one awesome GM, we’ve got you covered. So even if you have no desire to ever play yourself, we hope you’ll stick around just to enjoy what promises to be a supremely entertaining adventure.

Without further ado, the players:

  • Brian Larsen: Editor here at Tosche Station
  • Nanci Schwartz: Editor here at Tosche Station
  • Sho: Contributor here at Tosche Station
  • Jay: Contributor at 1138
  • Rocky: Contributor at 1138
  • Saf: Contributor here at Tosche Station and at every fansite in the multiverse

We are extremely fortunate to have Darth Internous himself, Tom from Del Rey, serving as our Game Master. He has crafted an original campaign for us that will kick off during Return of the Jedi. Tom is a long-time tabletop player and GM. Now, what is this original campaign you might ask? Well, it will be utilizing the Age of Rebellion Rulebook, but what you’re going to find interesting is the name of the campaign: The End of All Things. Episode I will be Darkness on the Edge of Town.

The players have been split into two parties. The first party consisting of myself, Nanci, and Rocky are with the Rebel Alliance. The second party consisting of Jay, Sho, and Saf are hired mercenaries. Each month we’ll be recording two episodes (schedule permitting). One episode will center around the Rebels, and the other episode will center around the mercs. Tom will be GMing both groups.

Later today, we’ll post our special Episode Zero show, which is very much an introduction and workshopping episode that’ll give you an idea of what goes into creating the campaign and characters. You’ll get to meet the players and GM and learn a little about the story we’ll be telling.

Tentatively, the first actual episode is set to be recorded on January 8th.

We don’t want to give away everything, but Tom did write up an opening crawl as a teaser…

THE END OF ALL THINGS

EPISODE I: DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

The Galactic Civil War endures. As Imperial and Rebel forces engage each other in conflicts great and small across the galaxy, pockets of peace are scarce.

Conflict brings opportunity. Crime cartels and gangs – operating at the Edge of the Empire struggle for control, playing both sides of the war and filling power vacuums where they can.

Far into the Outer Rim, the lone desert planet of Tatooine sits on the brink of chaos after the death of Jabba the Hutt. Eager to display strength, the Hutts offer intel on valuable technology that could sway the balance of power in the war….