The Worlds of MW Lewis

The Mystery Book is revealed. William Morris's The Well at the World's End. This review has spoilers and is comprehensive. MW points out surprising similarities between this 1896 tale and the works of JRR Tolkien. William Morris is a known influence on Tolkien and some of his Inkling compatriots. Enjoy what you hear? Like and follow the show!

NEW ORIGINAL COMPOSITION: Totality by the one and only Josh Morris

MW goes to the movies to see Lawrence of Arabia and finds out war broke out in the Middle East during the flick. Angry DM returns. It Takes Character and a Reading from MNAD&D. Enjoy what you hear? Like and follow the show!

NEW ORIGINAL COMPOSITION: Totality by the one and only Josh Morris

In 314, MW plays two games of D&D simultaneously! And introduces "It Takes Characters"--profiles of the characters in MNAD&D. And finally, reads from the first session of 2024.

Enjoy what you hear? Like and follow the show!

MW concludes his review of Tales of the Dying Earth and takes on two sessions of readings from MNAD&D. Also, MW talks about how to play RPGs when you can't dedicate to a regular session. Enjoy what you hear? Like and follow the show!

MW continues with his review of Tales of the Dying Earth. This time, he examines the two volumes on Cugel the Clever. Also, he continues with the readings from MNAD&D.

MW discussing the character with two classes and reads sessions 11 and 12 from MNAD&D.

You too can wait 8 months for MW to respond to your call-ins! Call the Speak Pipe messaging service: 

With the Big Supe over, MW returns to the most pressing issues of the day. As the Russians advance and Putin uses his psionic powers to capture the minds of many Americans, more important topics arise daily on the grogtalk "how to play" which just must be dealt with. (Yes, there will be a NOS: Superbowl Recap). Sessions 8, 9 and 10 of MNAD&D take us to an invasion of the Town of Borgarnes, and the US taxpayer ain't gonna bail out the Thane's little town. But our heroes are slumbering nearby. Will they wake in time to help? FYI: MW tried the new Spotify podcast tool, Riverside, because Borgarnes is a riverside town. The net result is for you to judge!

You too can wait 8 months for MW to respond to your call-ins! Call the Speak Pipe messaging service: 

Three more segments to complete my thorough review of the Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo. The rest of Saturday and gaming with Frank Mentzer on Sunday.

Jazz music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

or follow him on Insta: @jazzreverb You too can wait 8 months for MW to respond to your call-ins! Call the Speak Pipe messaging service: 

Adeins--A New Beginning. MW reads the sessions summaries from the first three sessions!

You too can wait 8 months for MW to respond to your callins! Call the SpeakPipe messaging service: 

MW's last episode of 2023. Music-free. A panoply of thoughts swirling around MW's head. Happy New Year!

You too can wait 8 months for MW to respond to your callins! Call the new SpeakPipe messaging service: 

AD&D a post-apocalyptic world setting? Baloney! It can be...if you want. Some of the modules and settings are/could be. But per the rules as written, come on, man! And, by the way, just what is an apocalypse anyway? MW puts an end to any idea that there even has been a calamity rising to the level of "utter destruction of the world" since, well, the last time the world was utterly destroyed. Angry DM says, "pay attention, lunkheads!"

In the first of last three podcasts of 2023, MW finishes his LOTR v LOTR series with a character assassination of Denethor and comments on more omitted material that "coulda, shoulda" been included in the films. He also reads from the newly revised prologue of his manuscript, The Sword of Kasanta.

This fascinating interview winds and wends its way through the trials and tribulations of DMing AD&D, particularly when you run the Rules As Written. Queller, an active member of the Grogtalk Empire, opens up his book of experience and flips and turns us through the various encounters he's had over the last year or so, including a partial TPK of his game and how it has risen out of the ashes better than ever!

You too can join the Grogtalk empire, where MW is The Admiral His Eminent Grace Baron The Honorable Commander of Metro DC: https://www.patreon.com/grogtalk/posts ; https://www.grogcon.com/heraldry-and-titles/

Music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

The topics are so hot recently, MW had to activate the emergency podcasting system from his recently infiltrated secret base. Any feedback received recently and not included in this episode, which is all Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast, will be included in the future. Angry DM returns.

https://open.spotify.com/show/4oPnUnwitpUqn9saEkFaNf

https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bs-fe-scott-seiss-viral-angry-ikea-tiktok-20210423-k46yppqcivhwff2vl736qv2cc4-story.html

MW delves into the first half of the NFL season with Karl Rodriguez, The GMologist Presents. This incisive analysis of the NFL is better than anything you'll find on the big sports networks...in MW's mind.

The GMologist Presents https://anchor.fm/karl-rodriguez

New music by the one and only Josh Morris returns next time. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

In this episode, good ol' MW steps into the world of Bardicollege, a frequent thought-provoker, antagonist, and humorist on the Grogtalk Discord server, particularly in the "How-to-play" channel. Bardi is kinda sorta new to D&D and DM'ing, so provides fascinating feedback to the game we all love. That's it. That's the episode. Well, that and more jazz from Josh Morris.

You too can join the Grogtalk empire, where MW is The Admiral His Eminent Grace Baron The Honorable Commander of Metro DC: https://www.patreon.com/grogtalk/posts ; https://www.grogcon.com/heraldry-and-titles/

Music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

In this fine edition of The Worlds of MW Lewis, MW muses about backstories. Ripped right from the headlines! Angry DM returns. Music from the jazzreverb.

references: https://www.dndbeyond.com/backgrounds

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/9of7b9/overdone_backstories_at_the_start_of_a_campaign/

You too can join the Grogtalk empire, where MW is The Admiral His Eminent Grace Baron The Honorable Commander of Metro DC: https://www.patreon.com/grogtalk/posts ; https://www.grogcon.com/heraldry-and-titles/

Music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

Episode 222 is dedicated to the all-important debate about player agency and DM railroads. This topic entered the zeitgeist with the release of the Dragonlance modules in the great decade that was the 1980s, and has been a never-ending source of fodder for articles, blogs, and pods ever since. MW just jumping on the bandwagon. Though, seriously, it is important to understand as the topic comes up all the time on the Grogtalk discord. This is the first of a series of inquiries into this very serious subject.

Featured at the beginning of the pod is Joshua Morris singing a duet with his buddy, It Can Happen to You. Then he plays the trumpet. Then he sings some more.

You too can join the Grogtalk empire, where MW is The Admiral His Eminent Grace Baron The Honorable Commander of Metro DC: https://www.patreon.com/grogtalk/posts ; https://www.grogcon.com/heraldry-and-titles/

Music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

Episode 221 has something for everyone. New music from Joshua Morris. A new bit called The Angry Dungeon Master. A new reading from The Sword of Kasanta. An unboxing with commentary on the sad news from the Grogtalk Empire. What more could a listener ask for?

Music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

MW talks about his new Mic, before serving up hours and hours of jibber jabber from his road trip. All remaining clips enclosed. FM stations sampled in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. Interviews with proprietors of game shops: Rob McCallister of Dungeon's Gate Games & Books; Kimon of Gators Games and Hobbies; and Jason of Pawns and Pints Board Game Cafe.

Links to game stores visited (including last episode): https://www.oldtownhobbiesandgames.com/ https://www.gauntletgames-store.com/ https://gamekastle.com/pages/game-kastle-ankeny https://dungeonsgate.com/ https://gatorsfeedsyourneeds.com/ https://www.pawnsandpints.com/

For documented evidence of things discussed in this episode, go to @MWLewis83 on the TWITX and at https://www.facebook.com/mw.lewis.77/ on the old person's social.

Don't forget about the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

In Episode 219, MW shares the many exciting things that happen when you drive from Denton, Texas to Albuquerque via Oklahoma. There's tons of FM radio to enjoy. Sites. Sounds. Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul real-life sets. And RPG gaming shops. What more could you want? Small, legally borrowed music clips from Youtube at "youcanfinditeasily."

For documented evidence of things discussed in this episode, go to @MWLewis83 on the TWITX and at https://www.facebook.com/mw.lewis.77/ on the old person's social.

Don't forget about the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

MW had to throw in one extra August pod as a very important box arrived, resulting in the most amazing unboxing ever recorded. Also, MW finally answers some calls in a walk down the 2023 memory lane.

Find documented evidence of the unboxing at: @MWLewis83 on the TWITX and at https://www.facebook.com/mw.lewis.77/ on the old person's social.

Music by the one and only Josh Morris. Check out his new album on the Spot: https://open.spotify.com/album/0b0IN7LoPz9QO9DlUXFC02

216 is all about MNAD&D. In the readings this episode, we fast forward past the end of the Ogre Mine scenario into the party's journey east along the Wild Coast to the fallen city of Highport. Along the way, they decide to help Svanshol's Overseer, Njal, and rescue his son from the clutches of the Bear Fortress Governor Hrodny. Before the readings, MW talks about his plans to visit gaming stores during his August Road Trip.

Warning: Today's episode has explicit descriptions of death and cursing that could be deemed problematic.

In 214, MW delves into the heavy topic of patriotism and AD&D. He provides a brief and not well-referenced account of patriotism from early Roman times until the modern day, then wonders if a game of AD&D where the characters are patriotic servants of a king or country could be fun. Then, MW rants about how badly Peter Jackson assassinated Gimli and worse, Faramir. Music supplied by Jazzreverb when he wasn't even in 9th grade yet!

LOTR vs LOTR references:

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2003/02/12/25820-the-faramir-changes-arguments-against-2/

https://www.theonering.com/in-defense-of-peter-jackson-part-2-why-faramir-needed-to-change-2/

https://www.theonering.com/peter-jackson-answers-questions-about-the-two-towers-why-the-changes-in-faramir-why-the-different-ending-2/

In this episode, we wrap up the Star Frontiers session at the Virginia Un-Con. Also, a reading from The Sword of Kasanta, MW's in utero novel. Enjoy!

In this episode, MW takes a look at a common Basic-to-AD&D muddle and plays the exciting conclusions to the Virginia Un-Con Star Frontiers game. More music by the recent high school graduate, jazzreverb.

In this episode MW reveals just what happens at Virginia Un-Con 2, the un-convention where a bunch of middle-aged dudes and a teen sat around playing AD&D 1e and equivalents during Memorial Day weekend. This year, MW speaks with Ian, Sonny, Rob, and Sean about their "D&D gap". And for this episode, MW let's all his fans into the wonderful world of Randall's Star Frontiers.

Mentioned in the show: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bryanlarch/random-quest-dungeon-delve

In this episode, MW moves the MNAD&D story ahead by six months of actual play sessions and finds the party on the road to Gatna, where they believe an ogre mine might be found. Also, MW unboxes something!

Featured music is the BCC High School Jazz Band performs Funk City, featuring a solo by @jazzreverb!

After a busy month of April, MW gets back on the pod-o-sphere with episode 209. He briefly discusses Davcon. He updates the world on jazzreverb's big decision. Then, part 2 of Novelization of an Adventure. Update on MNAD&D--a players' agreement! Finally, Hijinks in Greyhawk.

Mentioned on the show: