Characters Without Stories

Star

Characters Without Stories is a tabletop role playing game podcast about the roads not yet traveled.
Every episode I bring in a friend to tell me about their unplayed character and their approach to creating characters. I cover all kinds of RPGs - from indies to D&D.
I've had some fascinating conversations about how our characters intersect with and reveal our identities and how play is a gateway to understanding ourselves. I hope you'll give it a listen.
Thank you and may all your characters find their stories.

All episodes

Best episodes

Seasons

Top 10 Characters Without Stories Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Characters Without Stories episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Characters Without Stories for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Characters Without Stories episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Why I'm still talking about D&D - A Response to the Hadozee Controversy

Characters Without Stories

09/30/22 • 3 min

This podcast is about characters. And when it comes to characters in Dungeons and Dragons, there have been problems with how the game defines race from the very beginning. You may have heard about the most recent example, and oh boy it’s a doozy.
The latest Wizards of the Coast release, Spelljammer, contains a character race called the Hadozee. The way the race is characterized and depicted in the book is, to be straightforward, racist.

For more information, here are some creators who have explored this controversy with clarity and depth. Please check out their work:
@KendoMakesFilms on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/KendoMakesFilms/status/1564446392428515328
@tallnerdapollo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tallnerdapollo/status/1564710344190304256
@scholasticdragn on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/scholasticdragn/status/1564467310030618624
@OhYikesMorgan on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/OhYikesMorgan/status/1564664727338471424
VJ Harris on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vjhcreations/video/7137728964826500394
cosmic ibe on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmic_ibe/video/7137705911950282027

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Sign up for my Newsletter to stay up-to-date on the podcast:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/760760/109867356957705889/share
Support the Podcast
You can find Star at:
Website: http://www.characterswithoutstories.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starmamac
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@characterswithoutstories
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@characterswithoutstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/characterswithoutstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cwspod.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/characterswithoutstories
Thanks for listening, and may all your characters find their stories!

Orco the Magnificent, Sh*tty Wizard - Religious Rebellion with Grant Nordine (D&D5e)

Characters Without Stories

05/11/24 • 61 min

Grant brings Orco the Magnificent to the table. Orco is not a very good wizard, but he gives it his best shot.

Grant and I discuss religious trauma, high school theater, and the opposite of min-maxing.

This character is built for D&D5e.

Grant Nordine is the titular game master of Game Master Monday and the guide for Bella's Comet. Grant is an award-winning actor and writer with stage, film, music, and podcasting credits. As the GM of Game Master Monday, he runs a new one-shot in a new system with a new cast every episode.

You can learn more about Grant at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/grant-nordine
This episode, I recommend the podcast Why We Roll. You can check it out here:
https://whyweroll.org
Torchlit Tavern is a D&D actual play podcast set in the homebrew world of Obscuria, where unlikely heroes find themselves at the center of political intrigue and potential global catastrophe.
http://torchlittavern.com

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Aya Bailey, the Rebellious Scion - Decolonizing TTRPGs with Quinn (Scion 2e)

Characters Without Stories

05/23/23 • 50 min

Quinn brings Aya Bailey to the table. Aya has been called by the gods to serve, but chooses instead to serve the people through activism and direct action.
Quinn and I discuss using TTRPGs as a way to learn about other cultures and identities including your own, growing beyond others' expectations of you, and decolonizing TTRPG spaces.
This character is built for Scion 2e.
Quinn is a 41-year-old trans woman who is decolonizing their TTRPG tables one at a time. They are using TTRPGs to explore decolonization and respecting other cultures without cultural appropriation.
In the episode, we reference the protests against 'Cop City' in Atlanta. Since the interview was recorded a protestor, Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán was shot and killed by police and others have been charged with terrorism. I encourage you to read more about the protests: https://theintercept.com/2022/08/18/atlanta-cop-city-forest-abolition-environmentalism/
In lieu of sharing social media profiles, Quinn wanted to share more information about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. If you're in Texas, you can get involved with Texas Rematriate: https://www.instagram.com/mmiw_tx_rematriate
Music by Ryan Muns, Eyes On The Moon Studios: https://ryanmuns.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnTheMoonStudios
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lkBYvF9wlQPgcwHfvFMZt

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Reyna the Lion - Being a Woman Online with Alejandra Wilhelm (D&D5e)

Characters Without Stories

07/20/24 • 60 min

Content warning this episode for discussions of sexual assault and sexual harassment. We don’t go into any detail, but if this topic is a trigger for you, I recommend you skip it.
Alejandra Wilhelm brings Reyna to the table. Reyna is a fierce and loyal barbarian hiding her identity from the archfey her father sold her to.

Alejandra and I discuss parasociality, bad behavior on Discord, and roleplay on TikTok. We also talk about self-insert characters - from physical appearance to emotional trauma.

This character is built for D&D 5e.

Alejandra Wilhelm is a queer Latinx TTRPG creator, one half of the Table Talk Podcast duo and a TTRPG character artist.

You can learn more about Alejandra at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/alejandra-wilhelm/
One Shot's Tavern is a TTRPG Podcast focused on exploring new systems to tell your stories, with pro GMs broadening their horizons by playing new or different TTRPG systems, and sharing their thoughts with you.
https://oneshotstavern.podbean.com/

The Storyteller Squad is a narrative-driven actual play podcast featuring magic, mystery, and vibrant characters inhabiting a world where the supernatural and the mundane intertwine in their Monster of the Week campaign.
https://www.thestorytellersquad.com

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

What is Characters Without Stories?

Characters Without Stories

09/30/22 • 1 min

Characters without stories is a TTRPG podcast about the roads not yet traveled.
If you play tabletop roleplaying games you probably have some back pocket characters, characters who are just waiting for the right story. Every episode, I’ll bring in a friend to tell me about their character and their approach to creating characters.

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Farthing, the Accidental Pirate - Being a Badass with Mobility Aids with Wesley Magee-Saxton (D&D 5e)

Characters Without Stories

09/12/22 • 33 min

Wesley Magee-Saxton brings Farthing to the table. Farthing is a disabled high elf who became an accidental stowaway and an accidental pirate.
Wesley and I discuss finding inspiration in historical research, creating magical items that help bring disabled characters to life in D&D, and how characters who need mobility aids can still be badass.
This character is built for D&D 5e.
Wesley is a disabled, queer performance artist and disability advocate based in Tkaronto Canada. They are the co-founder of Forge Ahead: a Party to Access.
Learn more about Wesley at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/wesley-magee-saxton

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Kit, the Sea Witch - Friendship is Magic with Savannah Rayne (D&D5e)

Characters Without Stories

06/22/24 • 45 min

Savannah Rayne brings Kit to the table. Kit is a con woman on the run in disguise as a man, who finds family and the confidence to harness her innate magic on a pirate ship.
Savannah and I discuss roleplaying away from a table in private chat and public cosplay. We also talk about Savannah's two favorite tropes - found family and the sorcerer gaining the confidence to wield her magic.

This character is built for D&D5e.
Savannah Rayne is an RP enthusiast, art witch, and podcaster. While relatively new to TTRPGs, Savannah has been making original characters and building their worlds and their stories outside of game spaces pretty much her entire life.

You can learn more about Savannah at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/savannah-rayne
In lieu of a recommendation this episode, I'm encouraging you to cast your vote in the CRIT Awards by July 7. Several former and future guests are part of nominated projects!
https://www.critawards.org

The Slovenly Trulls podcast deep dives into the problematic lore and history of D&D with an emphasis on feminist analysis.
https://www.slovenlytrulls.com

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Luz Lozano, a Wizard and a Mess - Finding Comfort in Community with Morgan Nuncio (Urban Shadows 2e)

Characters Without Stories

03/28/23 • 46 min

Morgan Nuncio brings Lucia “Luz” Guadalupe Lozano to the table. Luz is a young Latina wizard learning to control her magic and setting some fires in the process.
Morgan and I discuss finding the comfort in community to play your own race, who's left out when we default to the old white man wizard tropes, and how sometimes you have to make a lot of mistakes on your way to adulthood.
This character is built for Urban Shadows 2e from Magpie Games: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/magpiegames/urban-shadows-second-edition
Morgan Nuncio is a TTRPG writer and content creator. They have written for Kids on Bikes, Teens in Space, and Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall. They are a professional GM and an active actual play streamer and podcaster, most notably with their Podcast, Powered by the Players.
You can find Morgan at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SirenaBesos
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sirenabesos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sirenabesos
Huetopia: https://twitter.com/HuetopiaTV
Powered by the Players podcast: https://geekspective.com/show/powered-by-the-players
Music by Ryan Muns, Eyes On The Moon Studios: https://ryanmuns.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnTheMoonStudios
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lkBYvF9wlQPgcwHfvFMZt

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Madame Azlu, Sailor of the Sea of Stars - Confronting Ableism with Rachel Voss (D&D 5e)

Characters Without Stories

09/26/22 • 31 min

Rachel Voss brings Madame Azlu to the table. Madame Azlu sails across the Sea of Stars, chasing constellations in a crystal ship.
Rachel and I discuss how our characters are influenced by our lives and the media we consume, including disabled characters in D&D, and how TTRPGs have given her the opportunity to confront the ableism she deals with in the real world.
This character is built for D&D 5e.
Rachel Voss, a retired wheelchair athlete who uses her more than 20 years of disability experience to create accurate representation in tabletop roleplaying games. She is the co-founder of Forge Ahead: A Party To Access.
Learn more about Rachel at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/rachel-voss
Character artwork by Rachel Voss.

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Chase Cameron, aka Showtime - Alternate Futures with Will Malkus (Masks: a New Generation)

Characters Without Stories

10/14/24 • 64 min

WIll Malkus brings Chase Cameron, aka Showtime, to the table. Chase is a teenager who recently became a superhero when he found a watch that can stop time.

Will and I nerd out on comics, deconstruct the women in refrigerators trope, and discuss how TTRPGs let us play out better futures.

This character is built for Masks: a New Generation by Brendan Conway.

Will Malkus is an ex librarian, ex music journalist, ex photographer, and current streamer, producer, and editor, mostly for the not-for-profit charity TTRPG Studio Live from the Apocalypse that he co founded in 2021. Outside of Live from the Apocalypse, you can usually find him lifting heavy things for fun like a freak or occupying various corners of the internet under the handle, aWillMScream.

You can learn more about Will at:
https://www.characterswithoutstories.com/guests/will-malkus
PINK FOHAWK is an ENnie-Nominated actual play podcast set in the Shadowrun universe.
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/pink-fohawk-2181312
5 GMs in a Trenchcoat is an award winning actual play where five friends take turns weaving stories through the tabletop system of their choice each season.
https://www.5gmsinatrenchcoat.com

Send us a text

Cover art by The Curiographer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriographer

Show more best episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Characters Without Stories have?

Characters Without Stories currently has 51 episodes available.

What topics does Characters Without Stories cover?

The podcast is about Dnd, Leisure, Hobbies, Dnd 5E, Games, Dungeons And Dragons, D&D 5E, Podcasts, D&D and Ttrpg.

What is the most popular episode on Characters Without Stories?

The episode title 'What is Characters Without Stories?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Characters Without Stories?

The average episode length on Characters Without Stories is 45 minutes.

How often are episodes of Characters Without Stories released?

Episodes of Characters Without Stories are typically released every 14 days, 4 hours.

When was the first episode of Characters Without Stories?

The first episode of Characters Without Stories was released on Jul 26, 2022.

Show more FAQ

Characters Without Stories

Star

Top 10 Characters Without Stories Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Characters Without Stories have?

What topics does Characters Without Stories cover?

What is the most popular episode on Characters Without Stories?

What is the average episode length on Characters Without Stories?

How often are episodes of Characters Without Stories released?

When was the first episode of Characters Without Stories?

Comments