Around the Hearth features discussion on a wide range of topics relevant to tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) featuring members of the Open Hearth Gaming Community. We talk games, gameplay, design, and the games being played at the Open Hearth Gaming Calendar. Our online games are free and open to all! If you'd like to join the fun, visit openhearthgaming.com for more information.
Welcome to another episode of our new series on the Around the Hearth podcast feed: Known Territory: GMs Talk Games. Each episode we sit down with an experienced game facilitator who has played a specific TTRPG extensively. They will discuss how they pitch the game, best practices for running, useful tools, potential pitfalls, and more.
This time we have designer, consultant, and co-creator of Asians Represent!, Agatha Cheng. She's here to talk about the amazing game Good Society, a diceless TTRPG of romance, passion, and drama. We talk about a lot, including the Kickstarter for Good Society 2nd Edition.
Good Society 2nd Edition Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/storybrewers/good-society-a-jane-austen-rpg-2nd-edition?)
"2 Good 2 Society: Storybrewers do a lot with small changes in the new edition of the beloved Austen-like" (https://www.rascal.news/2-good-2-society-storybrewers-do-a-lot-with-small-changes-in-the-new-edition-of-the-beloved-austen-like/) (Rascal, Thomas Manuel)
Games Mentioned
Good Society (https://storybrewers.itch.io/good-society-pdf-including-deck-of-connections)
Pasión de las Pasiones (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/409558/pasion-de-las-pasiones?affiliate_id=451397)
Woolf Society: Percival (https://egbower.itch.io/percival)
Take the Universe (https://zeropotential.itch.io/take-the-universe)
Gothic Society (https://martianmachinery.itch.io/gothic-society)
Thinly Veiled (https://smallstories.itch.io/thinly-veiled)
Agatha on itch.io (https://mightyyshrimp.itch.io/)
Check Open Hearth's free online gaming event: Shared Hearth happening Oct. 1st- Oct. 4th, 2026 (https://openhearthgaming.com/shared-hearth)
If you dig this series, please rate, review, and subscribe.
This episode's host is Lowell Francis, designer and co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He's the ENnie-winning creator of the Age of Ravens blog (https://www.ageofravensgames.com/) and community manager for the Open Hearth Gaming Community. (https://openhearthgaming.com/) He's the co-author of the Transverse Noir (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/shadowrun-carrying-capacity-transverse-noir-1-by-cat-rambo-and-lowell-francis) series of Shadowrun novellas. You can find Lowell's work on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@lowellfrancis?si=TDEGePDnKqWJYfEF), on Itch.io (https://age-of-ravens-games.itch.io/), and on DriveThruRPG.
Help Rae Recover Links
Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames (https://www.patreon.com/swordqueengames) or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla (https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla)
Music: ‘Mission Control’ by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon! (https://www.patreon.com/openhearthgaming)
Our actual play podcast can be found here (https://aroundthehearth.openhearthgaming.com/)
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg)
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg (https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg)
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp
17 Sept 2026
Open Hearth Podcast Ep 24: Trespasser, The One Ring 2e, Slugblaster
In this episode of the Open Hearth Podcast, host Dominik talks with a couple of community members about their gaming. This time Guy and Anders discuss things they recently played, cover three RPGs in more depth (Trespasser, The One Ring 2e, and Slugblaster), and then the group finishes up with some things they've been digging recently.
Games Discussed:
Trespasser (https://tundalus.itch.io/trespasser)
The One Ring 2e (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/370267/the-one-ring-core-rules?affiliate_id=451397)
Slugblaster (https://slugblaster.com/)
Shared Hearth
Registration is now open for the Shared Hearth free open gaming event October 1st - October 4th, 2026! More information at https://openhearthgaming.com/shared-hearth (https://openhearthgaming.com/shared-hearth)
Help Rae Recover Links
Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames (https://www.patreon.com/swordqueengames) or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla (https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla)
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon! (https://www.patreon.com/openhearthgaming)
Our actual play podcast can be found here (https://aroundthehearth.openhearthgaming.com/)
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg)
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg (https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg)
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Anders & Trespasser
09:43 Guy & The One Ring 2e
22:08 Dominik & Slugblaster
34:07 Giving Me Life
3 Sept 2026
Open Hearth Podcast Ep 23: Talking Arium
In this episode, Gwen talks with community member & layout/designer David MK and game designer Will Munn about Arium the Worldbuilding RPG. They cover the game's core concepts, adaptability, and new elements added by Arium: Evolve. The Kickstarter for the new boxed edition of Arium, which includes the new supplement, runs through Wed, Sept 16th, 2026.
The Arium Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adepticarus/arium-evolve-collaborative-tools-for-any-rpg?)
Arium's Homepage (https://www.ariumrpg.com/)
Aquavertigo (David MK) (https://linktr.ee/aquavertigo)
Shared Hearth (https://openhearthgaming.com/shared-hearth) free open gaming event is coming October 1st - October 4th, 2026
Help Rae Recover Links
Support or donate at https://patreon.com/swordqueengames (https://www.patreon.com/swordqueengames) or https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla (https://ko-fi.com/matthewarcilla)
Find out more about the Open Hearth Gaming Community
Support us on Patreon! (https://www.patreon.com/openhearthgaming)
Our actual play podcast can be found here (https://aroundthehearth.openhearthgaming.com/)
Follow us on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/open-hearth-rpg)
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg (https://bsky.app/profile/openhearthrpg)
Mastodon: @openhearthrpg@dice.camp
Who has been a guest on Around the Hearth
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Gwen Marshall
Ethan Harvey
Marc Majcher
Amanda Mullins
Chrys Sellers
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
203,735
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
63
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
60
Contact Around the Hearth
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