We are back … we’ve been on our holidays! July was International Zine Month and we have got into the spirit by returning to the topic. RPGzines is our focus in this episode!

Nick Edwards was a ‘zine editor in the 80s and he’s come back with a new ‘zine looking at the old and new. Torchbound is his new ‘zine where he looks backwards as well as the state of the art.

Here in the UK we have a healthy zine scene which Nick is part of, as well as Wyrd Science and Never Mind The Dice Rolls.

Dirk and Blythy are talking in the Zoom of role-playing rambling, looking back at their Starburst Memories of July 1983 and answering questions from the GROGSQUAD.

There are some off-cuts from this episode that will be released as a Dirk’s Dossier – exclusive to Patreon supporters.

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In this episode Dirk and Blythy give their account of UK Games Expo 2026 and talk to Laurence Phillips about his new game, Il Fantasma del Giallo.

The post UK Games Expo 2026 Report (with Laurence Phillips) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, we talk about The Pirates of Drinax, the epic sandbox campaign created by Gareth Hanrahan, developed and published by Mongoose Publishing.

Matthew Sprange from Mongoose talks about the project and Traveller in general.

Judge Blythy reflects on running the campaign with some recommendations and highlights.

Nevermind the Dice Rolls is a fantastic zine that you can get from Patreon and Drivethru RPG.

It is virtual GROGMEET soon. There are still slots available over on Warhorn.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon.

The post The Pirates of Drinax, Traveller RPG (with Matthew Sprange) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, we are in Manchester Central Library talking to GROGSQUAD member Tomas Rawlings. He has a long history of working in video games, but he also has many interesting thoughts on role-playing games and he’s currently writing a book about the evolution of Warhammer 40k.

In our discussions we talk about how developments within Games Workshop shaped the nature of chaos and its popularity as an aesthetic.

You can read more from Tomas at his substack.

Judge Blythy get’s into the pub to face a chaotic Games Master’s Screen to talk about how chaos manifests in role-playing games.

Dirk has been on the Smart Party talking about Blades 68.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon.

The post Chaos in RPGs and beyond (with Tomas Rawlings) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

In this episode, Kalum from the Rolistes Podcast is in the zoom of role-playing rambling to talk about French speaking RPGs. He has spoken about Nephilim elsewhere and he tells us more in this episode.

He’s also Kickstarting his game The Magic of Inventorying which will be familiar to attendees of virtual GROGMEET.

Blythy and Dirk review their year in role-playing and give out GROGGIE awards.

Caroline Munro has revised her memoir.

Please consider supporting our Patreon.

The post The GROGGIES Review of 2025 (with Kalum) first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.

Chaosium is celebrating 50 years since the company was founded by Greg Stafford. Their games have always been at the core of what we play, so it was great to have more time with returning guest, Rick Meints.

Rick is the president of Chaosium, perhaps more importantly, he is the Head of the Department of Nostalgia, the custodian to the extensive, if chaotic, archive of the company. He started as a collector, and ended up heading the company.

We set him the challenge of finding five items from the archive that represent the development of the company over fifty years. What products are the milestones of progress in the history of Chaosium?

There are some unexpected items in there. Let us know what you think.

The interview was recorded in front of an audience as part of GROGMEETish in November. In the room of role-playing rambling, I’m joined by resident rules-lawyer Judge Blythy to review GROGMEETish. We also talk about NPCs or Games Master Characters and how to handle a ‘cast of 1000s’.

The advert is for Eldritch Stories from Mason and Fricker.

Why not support us on Patreon? Offers are now available apparently.

Dirk

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Do you need a companion as you wash up after a big day of festivities? Here you go. What do YOU do with your left overs? Here at the GROGNARD files, we don’t like them going to waste. We like to splice them together to create a treat for Patreons.

Given it is the season to be jolly, we are giving this edition Dirk’s Dossier in the main feed for you to enjoy. You’re welcome.

In here Judge Blythy talks about Into the Dungeon Revived, Graham Bottley talks about Savage Gladiators while we reflect on running our fantasy, mass-participation online game of Gladiators before more from Magnus Seter.

If you would like to hear more of this bobbins in the future, follow the Patreon

The GROGNARD files episode is coming soon.

The post Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more first appeared on The GROGNARD Files.