Tales under the cat tree: Conversations on Imagination, Tech & Human Adventure

Ep58: Do you know The Tragically Hip?

This is part 1 of four episodes celebrating Canada. On July 1 is Canada Day, and this year in 2026, it will be my 25th anniversary as a Canadian citizen. It is the country I choose to call home. Canada has as many problems as any other country. As we speak, Alberta, a province I called home for near a decade, is preparing for a referendum on separating from the country. Today’s episode is about something that brings any group of people together: Music, and about a specific band that you have never heard of unless you are Canadian, or know a Canadian of the generations between 1980 and 2015. That band is The Tragically Hip [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tragically_Hip]. When it comes to The Hip, as we like to call them, I cannot think of a bigger fan than my friend Edgar (Eddie) Thomas from Newfoundland and Labrador. Over many drinks we have often philosophized and spoken about music and what it means to us. We talk a lot about the band, so who are/were they? The band members were Rob Baker, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, and Gord Sinclair. Gord Downie, the lead singer was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2015. At the end of the episode I have an essay that I wrote in 2017, shortly after Gord Downie had passed away from his cancer. The essay was written six months into my life here in Helsinki and after a short visit from Eddie. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 1. A Shared Canadian Experience: Eddie and I discuss how The Tragically Hip transcended provincial borders and musical genres to unite a massive, varied country. 2. But he won’t travel alone: A multi-part essay covering my discovery of Canada and the Tragically Hip. EDDIE’S TOP TRAGICALLY HIP TRACKS If you are new to the band, here are links to Eddie’s top picks: 1. 50 Mission Cap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0zWpWALWEI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0zWpWALWEI] 2. Fireworks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC4tjdQiaTM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC4tjdQiaTM] 3. Wheat Kings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il8sGYNdKbw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il8sGYNdKbw] 4. Bobcaygeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxGYnZCeTY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxGYnZCeTY]

Ep57: Alternative music creating alternative spaces

Johnny Nolan returns as my co-host for another Newfoundland Alternative music deep dive, but this time we are honoured to be joined by author and journalist Rhea Rolman. We wanted to explore the influence of alternative music on alternative communities in St. John’s, Newfoundland and how music is important in creating safe spaces during the 1990s and even earlier. * The 1990s Analogue Culture: Yup this was before the time of Social Media and we had to rely on concerts, gigs, and the radio of all things! * Safe Spaces and Organising: Rhea explains how the music scene provided vital safe spaces during a time when minorities, especially sexual minorities, may have faced repression in Newfoundland. * Festivals as Catalysts: We chat about how events like the Peace Accord and modern festivals like Lawnya Vawnya [https://www.lawnyavawnya.com/] bring diverse groups together to exchange ideas. * Saving CHMR: Rhea shares the story of the recent community fight to save the funding for the campus community radio station, preserving one of the last remaining creative spaces in the city. ABOUT RHEA Rhea Rollmann [https://www.rhearolls.com/] (she/her) is an award-winning journalist, writer and audio producer based in St. John’s, NL, and is the author of A Queer History of Newfoundland (Engen Books, 2023) [https://www.rhearolls.com/books]. She’s a founding editor of The Independent NL and her journalism has appeared in Briarpatch Magazine, CBC, Xtra Magazine, Chatelaine, PopMatters, Riddle Fence and more. SPECIAL THANKS FOR THEIR TRACKS WITH PERMISSION * Bob Earle and Draize Eye Test * Liz Pickard and the Lizband [https://lizband.bandcamp.com/album/lizband_] for One Song * Phil Winters and the band Bung for Ramirez.

Ep56: Creating game worlds with designer Brent Knowles

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by my old friend and former BioWare colleague, Brent Knowles [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Knowles]. We chat all about the art and magic of world-building, drawing from Brent’s several decades of experience as a game designer and writer. Brent shares his creative journey, from drawing fantasy maps on grocery shop paper bags as a child to working on iconic titles like Baldur’s Gate 2 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur%27s_Gate_II:_Shadows_of_Amn], Neverwinter Nights [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwinter_Nights], and Dragon Age [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Age]. We also dive into his recent tabletop work, discussing his Norse-inspired D&D campaign, Raiders of the Serpent Sea [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/424627/raiders-of-the-serpent-sea-campaign-guide-pdf-version] , and how a family holiday to Iceland heavily influenced its design. Key Highlights & Takeaways 1. The BioWare Days: We look back at Brent’s time working on the Neverwinter Nights expansions , especially the creative freedom his team had whilst developing Hordes of the Underdark [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwinter_Nights:_Hordes_of_the_Underdark]. 2. A Mapmaker’s Origins: Brent explains how spending time at off-season logging camps with his grandfather sparked his imagination , leading him to draw maps of the woods and invent fantasy creatures. 3. Icelandic Inspiration: How the deep history, sagas, and natural landscapes of Iceland directly inspired his Viking-esque tabletop world. 4. Embracing “Mistakes”: Why collaborating with artists and embracing their misinterpretations or mistakes often results in far cooler monsters and organic lore than originally planned. 5. What Breaks Immersion: Brent discusses his biggest bugbears in game design, like when a video game’s narrative completely contradicts its gameplay mechanics —such as finding a +1 warhammer right next to characters who are complaining about being poor. 6. Advice for Game Masters: Why it’s crucial for DMs to talk to their players to build a shared experience , ensuring it becomes our campaign rather than just the DM’s strict storyline. Check out Raiders of the Serpent Sea: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/424627/raiders-of-the-serpent-sea-campaign-guide-pdf-version Check out more images at: https://tales.dups.ca/p/ep56-game-designer-brent-knowles

Ep55: Manufacturing reality

In our previous episode we explored the idea of creating worlds for writing and especially table top roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons. In that episode which is Episode 54 if you want to take a listen [https://tales.dups.ca/p/ep54-manufacturing-worlds-an-introduction], I noted that because our entire lives are spent within the imagination of our own creations, there is a connection to manufacturing reality. This week, I invited back to the show my friend, former professor and long time collaborator on this podcast, Dr. Erwin Warkentin to discuss the topic of creating worlds and the intersection with propaganda. Dr. Warkentin has not only led media and communications at Memorial University in Canada, he has written and studied extensively on the subject of propaganda. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 1. We explore the bizarre history of Enver Hoxha [https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enver_Hoxha], the former First Secretary of the Communist Party in Albania (the picture in the episode is of Hoxha from Wikipedia) 2. Hoxha completely isolated his country and forced his citizens to read his estimated 70 volumes of work just to build a specific world in their minds. 3. We discuss the concept of “Ostalgie” and why some older generations still harbour nostalgia for the old East. 4. Our everyday reality is heavily influenced by television programmes and pop culture, proven by the fact that Canadian PSAs had to remind citizens they don’t actually have American Miranda rights. 5. We examine how celebrated historical narratives, like Canada’s Heritage Minutes, often act as pure fantasy by omitting dark truths, such as Nellie McClung’s ties to the eugenics movement. 6. Dr. Warkentin shares a fascinating story about how post-WWII American forces completely dismantled and rebuilt the German media landscape to prevent dangerous monopolies. 7. We wrap up by challenging the illusion of “social media,” questioning if platforms like TikTok are just one-way broadcasts feeding us untrustworthy narratives without us realising it. Contact me at contact@dups.ca and see more episode notes at: https://tales.dups.ca

Ep54: Manufacturing worlds - an introduction

In this episode, we dive into an introduction on creating the fictional realities we love to get lost in. From the shores of Midkemia to the neon-lit streets of homegrown tabletop RPG campaigns, I explore how our imaginations construct and inhabit these spaces. Joining the discussion are my friends and fellow tabletop DMs, Andrés Díez de Castro and Nik Paro, who share the collaborative creative processes behind their own unique worlds. HIGHLIGHTS * The Foundation of Worlds: Reflections on my early introduction to fantasy through Raymond E. Feist's Magician and then into other worlds. However, it's not just about fantasy and science fiction * The Secret to Relatability: Andrés argues that the best world-building balances relatable cultural elements with fresh magical or technological twists so the setting doesn't feel too mundane or too alien. * Finding the "Red Thread": Nik emphasises the importance of having a core narrative thread that ties a fantastical world together, warning that introducing too many contrasting elements can cause a setting to clash. * Hyperphantasia vs. Aphantasia: Dups discusses the fascinating spectrum of human imagination. He contrasts his own hyperphantasia—experiencing imagination like a vivid 4K film—with aphantasia. * Finding Inspiration: The group discusses their creative influences, from the intricate, storm-ravaged ecology of Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive to the consciousness-transferring, gritty sci-fi of Altered Carbon. * Words Over Visuals: Dups shares a personal anecdote about discovering the world of Star Wars through a novelisation before ever seeing the film, illustrating the raw power of descriptive storytelling. BOOKS & MEDIA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * Magician by Raymond E. Feist * The works of J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, and R.A. Salvatore * Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive * Altered Carbon * Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Doctor Who CONNECT WITH THE SHOW What is your favourite fictional world? Dups would love to hear from you. * Email: contact@dups.ca [contact@dups.ca] * Website & Archives: tales.dups.ca