Modern Mythology | Story & Setting in RPGs and beyond

Ep.26: Alignment

What alignment are you, and what does that mean? Does it drive your behavior? Does your character’s alignment drive theirs? We look at one of D&D’s most durable sacred cows: alignment as personality test, moral framework, table tool, campaign problem, and cosmology. Somehow, we try not to come to blows. We want to hear how alignment plays into your games. 00:00:22 What Alignment Are You? 00:07:45 Origins 00:20:40 Descriptive or Prescriptive 00:25:00 Character Dynamics 00:31:25 Ubiquitous Evil Campaign 00:43:00 In Other Games 00:52:20 Relativistic View 01:14:00 As Cosmology 01:35:50 Recap 01:50:15 Practical Approach For more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles [/articles] and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel [https://Modern Mythology YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrMIHUIXNkY8fJtb2xve5Rg]. ModernMythology.net [https://modernmythology.net]

Ep.25: Cypher Systems

In Episode 25 of Modern Mythology, we take on the Cypher System, a well-known universal tabletop RPG system with a strong reputation for flexible, narrative-driven play. Because Cypher isn’t tied to a single core setting, it gives us a good way to look at how a system’s mechanics shape story across genre—and in this case, through a fantasy lens. We’re joined by SJ McKeen [https://www.twitch.tv/voxandquill]—author, fellow pro GM [https://startplaying.games/gm/sjmckeen], professional voice actor, and streamer—who brings both GMing experience and firsthand familiarity with Cypher to the discussion. Together, we look at what the system does well, how it supports narrative play, and what it offers groups who want a framework that can adapt to different kinds of stories rather than one fixed world. As usual with most of our actual-play episodes, we wrap up with a discussion of what the session surfaced for us about system, story, and play more broadly. Topics discussed: 00:00:35 Introducing the Cypher System [https://youtu.be/AMO68wRyWjM?si=e_gM6bMHbi0iEmCJ] 00:01:20 Special Guest SJ 00:03:35 Broad strokes of setting? 00:06:35 Meet our characters 00:11:20 Monster Hunting 00:12:40 Mountainside Temple 00:44:00 The Gateway 00:53:00 Miasmic Hallway 01:05:45 The Prison 01:10:45 The Inner Sanctum 01:27:30 Charge! 01:54:00 LTB! 01:58:45 Denouncement 02:02:00 Break it down 02:04:10 Combat Downward Spiral 02:12:00 Madness in RPGs 02:21:40 Arcs and XP 02:33:00 Learning Curves 02:37:20 Read Character 02:41:20 Functional Character Sheets 02:48:00 What's SJ [https://startplaying.games/gm/sjmckeen] Up To? For more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles [/articles] and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel [https://Modern Mythology YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrMIHUIXNkY8fJtb2xve5Rg]. ModernMythology.net [https://modernmythology.net]

Ep.24: Setting & System

In Episode 24 of Modern Mythology, we dig into one of the biggest questions in tabletop RPG design: how setting and system actually interact at the table. This is a dense, nearly two-hour conversation about the ways mechanics shape player behavior, how they steer attention toward certain kinds of choices, and how that pressure can either reinforce the fiction or get in its way. As always, we don't come away with a final conclusion so much as many opened avenues of discussion. We spend a lot of time teasing apart what happens when a game’s rules and its setting are working together, and what happens when they might be at cross-purposes. When does system push play forward? When does it create friction? When does a setting give players a strong sense of what matters, when do constraints help and when does they start to constrain the very story the table is trying to discover? How important is a fantasy map? Along the way, we look at the interplay of structure and fiction from several angles, asking how games teach people to play through their mechanics, and how different approaches can produce very different narrative results even when the premise looks similar on paper. One quick correction: during the episode, we say “rules agnostic” a few times when what we actually mean is “setting agnostic.” Apologies for any confusion there. Topics discussed: 00:00:20 Framing the Conversation BTRC [https://www.btrc.net/categories/menu-rpgs] Phoenix Command [https://phoenixcommand.net/] 00:16:00 Simulationism 00:25:30 Setting Agnostic Systems Daggerheart [https://www.daggerheart.com/] 00:53:40 Death in system and setting (more on this in an upcoming episode) 00:58:25 System Informs Setting 01:11:40 Ideas about Setting informing System For more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles [/articles] and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel [https://Modern Mythology YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrMIHUIXNkY8fJtb2xve5Rg]. ModernMythology.net [https://modernmythology.net]

Ep.23: Burning Wheel

Burning Wheel has stayed Scott’s favorite RPG for a reason, and this two-hour episode digs into the specifics. We look at how the game’s tools reinforce each other at the table: lifepath character creation, goal-driven play, organic advancement, and combat with real risk. In combination, those systems tend to produce strong characterization and narrative momentum without forcing outcomes. Burning Wheel [https://www.burningwheel.com/burning-wheel-gold-revised/] is an fantasy RPG designed by Luke Crane that pretty consistently shows up in many of the top lists of Indie RPG’s. It uses a d6 dice-pool engine and centers play on character beliefs and consequential choices. The current core book, Burning Wheel Gold Revised, is presented by the publisher as the definitive revised edition. Even in this short session, the interplay of these mechanics creates standout moments—scenes shaped by player intent, and tension that comes from pressure rather than pre-scripted plot. If you’re interested in how system and story lock together in practice, this episode works as a clear case study. Hope you enjoy as much as we did. Topics discussed: 00:00:30 Introduce Characters 00:16:45 Scene One - The Arrival 00:28:10 Scene Two - The Prodigal Child Returns 00:37:00 Scene Three - The Race to the Throne 00:48:25 Scene Four - Slip Away 00:56:00 Scene Five - Involving the Etharch 01:05:00 Scene Six - The Receiving Room 01:08:50 Scene Seven - Sibling Reunion 01:23:00 Scene Eight- Gathering Storm 01:37:00 Scene Nine - Now We Hunt Orc 01:59:30 Debrief - Song of Unraveling For more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles [/articles] and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel [https://Modern Mythology YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrMIHUIXNkY8fJtb2xve5Rg]. ModernMythology.net [https://modernmythology.net]

Ep.22: Technology

Modern Mythology Ep. 22 — Technology takes a reflective look at how changing technologies have shaped tabletop role-playing games over time. From physical tools at the table to digital spaces that bring groups together across distance, we talk about what stuck, what faded, and why. Along the way, we explore how randomness, connectivity, and new creative tools altered player expectations and game culture. The discussion moves through technology adoption, miniatures, bringing technology to the table, and the question of what the “big jump” was. We also talk about RNG, online gaming, getting the party together, virtual tabletops (VTTs), streaming, and artificial intelligence and LLMs—then close by considering where technology helps the most, and where it’s best to step back. Throughout we ponder the pros and cons and implicit tradeoffs that always arise in the course of adopting technology into our lives. Topics: 00:00:00 A Looming Threat 00:02:00 Jump right in 00:08:30 Technology adoption 00:13:45 Miniatures 00:19:15 Bringing technology to the table 00:25:15 What was the big technological jump? 00:36:40 RNG 00:40:44 Online gaming 00:55:20 Getting the party together 01:05:00 Virtual Tabletop (VTT) 01:13:45 Streaming 01:17:35 Artificial Intelligence and LLMs 01:31:30 Technological Sweet Spot For more on the discussion of System and Style check out our written articles [/articles] and Scott’s additional thoughts on specific systems on our YouTube channel [https://Modern Mythology YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrMIHUIXNkY8fJtb2xve5Rg]. ModernMythology.net [http://ModernMythology.net]