# The Diceology Podcast Welcome to Diceology — a podcast network for people who take their games seriously and their tables even more seriously. I'm Mad Jay, GM-at-Large, and this feed used to be one show. Now it's four: Muses of Play — Sarah Doom and I muse about creativity and designers Dice Unknown — actual-play and behind-the-table stories pulled straight from the games I'm running. The Vault — All the episodes that have come before! Think StoryCorps for gamers, spread across three shows instead of one feed doing… Page: Feed: --- ## Muses of Play: Reflections _2026-08-11_ 😋 "The Zoom Cloud Ate It" You didn't miss episode three. We recorded Tim Hutchins . It was unhinged. I loved it. Zoom holds recordings for about 30 days and I wasn't paying attention, so it's gone. My fault — no redundancy, no local pull, just trust in the cloud. Tim's agreed to come back for a redo and we'll tack it onto the end of the season. 🤔 Making Games Alone (and Why Nobody Helps With… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/19630943-muses-of-play-reflections.mp3) ## Muses of Play: Powered by the Bakers, Pt2 _2026-04-21_ A game is “done” when you stop thinking about it, right? The Bakers complicate that in the best way, and it instantly changes how we think about tabletop RPG design, publishing, and the long life of ideas. We start with the deceptively simple question of finishing, then follow it into Apocalypse World, Burned Over, and the broader Powered by the Apocalypse ecosystem where iteration, hacks, and… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/19046959-muses-of-play-powered-by-the-bakers-pt2.mp3) ## Muses of Play: Powered By The Bakers (Broadcast Cut) _2026-03-15_ We sit down with the Bakers to talk about how games and art grow out of everyday family life. We dig into creative conflict, staying unstuck, and why shelving a project can be a sign of craft rather than failure. • building a household that supports making through space, tools, and tolerance for mess • handling creative disagreement by keeping vision ownership clear • collaborating across… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/18846620-muses-of-play-powered-by-the-bakers-broadcast-cut.mp3) ## Muses of Play _2026-01-31_ Creativity doesn’t come with a handbook, so we're building our own. We swap notes on how solo game makers and artists actually get things done: setting a three-influence pillar to keep ideas fresh, designing from mechanics without losing theme, and navigating the murky last 5 percent where projects stall. Sarah shares how Bluebeard’s Bride and Velvet Glove grew from triangulated influences, why a… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/18597134-muses-of-play.mp3) ## The 2024 Wrap with Judd Karlman (Edited) _2024-12-22_ In this episode, we reflect on our favorite tabletop RPG experiences of 2024 and discuss exciting upcoming games for 2025. We explore character creation, the importance of storytelling, and how strange mechanics add depth to our games. • Reflection on standout RPG experiences of 2024 • Insights from Judd Karlman on tabletop storytelling • Exploration of the Ioun City game and its unique narrative… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/16320080-the-2024-wrap-with-judd-karlman-edited.mp3) ## From Hobby to Profession: The Life of Paid Game Masters _2023-12-24_ Have you ever wondered what it's like to turn your tabletop gaming passion into a profession? Judd Karlman and I chat about our extraordinary path from hobbyists to professional game masters (GMs), revealing the quirky, exciting, and sometimes absurd adventures that come with the territory. From hilarious bachelor party RPG requests to the broader implications of monetizing our love for gaming, we… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/14199815-from-hobby-to-profession-the-life-of-paid-game-masters.mp3) ## Jolt #5: Citrus Climax! _2023-12-21_ Jolt and his family are hunkering down at a Hilton Garden Hotel in Jacksonville, guarded by Cherry Bomb's security. It's nearly midnight when Red-Eye calls Jolt... and it's not a "wyd?!" kinda call. Chimaera is making a move to grab Citrus Climax! And you know who's coming to the rescue? I bet ya do! Send us Fan Mail Support the show Thanks for listening to Diceology ! If you enjoyed the show,… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/14186135-jolt-5-citrus-climax.mp3) ## Jolt #4: Daye & Knight (Edit) _2023-06-28_ Jolt #4 - Daye & Knight Nate and Obie encounter some extraordinary security guards when they try to make off with goods from the secret lab they've robbed. Later after getting Jason to a hospital, they have a strange encounter with 3-Pain. That night Nate, Obie, and Maggie strategize for the coming days ahead. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Thanks for listening to Diceology ! If you enjoyed the… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/13125390-jolt-4-daye-knight-edit.mp3) ## Jolt #3 - Cherry Bomb! _2023-05-26_ Ready for an action-packed hour of gaming discussion and adventure? Join Rich and me as we delve into the world of real life and role-playing games, exploring the connection between comic books and gaming, and discovering what it means to truly "play to find out." Experience the thrill of strategizing to keep our in-game characters, Sera and Mason, safe while handling new threats and enlisting… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/12925599-jolt-3-cherry-bomb.mp3) ## [Try Before You Buy, Risk-Free (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/I5aHkMQCJsH6) _2023-05-26 · **Sponsored**_ Free trial hosting plus refunds processed in 12-24 hours, guaranteed. ## Jolt #2 -Orange Blast! _2023-05-22_ Jolt #2: Nathan interviews for the super spokesmodel position at Door Dash but gets an emergency text from his wife and leaves abruptly! 3Pain, the witness protection assassin, has made a house call! Later, Nathan and OB discuss OB's debt to Red-Eye, the wetwork job left undone, and a secret lab OB found while doing that job. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Thanks for listening to Diceology ! If… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/934318/episodes/12873010-jolt-2-orange-blast.mp3)