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Tori Selznick Podcasts

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Finding Atoria

Malcolm O'Stephan, Tori Selznick, Arcadia Deschane

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Three friends, each with 30+ years playing and running TTRPGs sit down weekly to tell stories about the games, community and topics surrounding the Table Top Role Playing world.
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Trendy Lobotomy Podcast

Tori Selznick and Krysti Adams

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Old friends discuss local legends starting with the ones they know from their home state. Legendary people, places, and random facts about Indiana abound here. While we started in Indiana, the world is full of legends and we want to explore them. Laughter, history, and spooky facts included. We like getting down to the bottom of these legends and giving both the facts as well as the lore. If history and interesting stories, sometimes with a spooky bent, are up your alley, so are we! We like ...
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Send us a text Welcome back to the table! Malcolm sits down with Rachel Vosgrove and Wesley Magee-Saxton, the founders of Forge Ahead: A Party to Access, to discuss their mission to make gaming more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities. Rachel and Wesley share how their organization works to remove barriers—both physical and social…
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Send us a text Supporting Veterans, One Game at a Time Welcome back to the table! Malcolm and Tori sit down with Jason Cottom, founder of Dungeons & Dogtags, to talk about the power of tabletop role-playing games to bring people together and support those who’ve served. Jason shares the inspiration behind his organization and how it creates safe, w…
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Send us a text Radiance and Random Inspiration: Building Atoria With Oddfish Games Welcome back to the table! In this episode, the FA gang dives into Oddfish Games’ Adventure Engine to help flesh out a mysterious corner of Atoria. This was our first time using the system, and honestly? We had a blast. We put the Radiance deck through its paces to g…
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Send us a text Another Epic Interview With OddFish Games This week, we had the pleasure of interviewing Christina Stiso, one of the hosts of The Epic Adventure Podcast! Christina is a game designer, GM, gamer, PhD student, and Creative Designer at Oddfish Games. She’s also a passionate advocate for inclusivity in gaming and serves as the Outreach D…
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Send us a text Are You Ready for an Epic Interview? After months of emails and coordination, we’re thrilled to feature our very first interview: Steve Kellams, host of The Epic Adventure Podcast. Together, we dive into our shared passions for TTRPGs and the power of podcasting as a medium. Steve shares how his background in law enforcement and earl…
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Send us a text The 8 Types of TTRPG Players (And Their Strengths and Pitfalls) Welcome back to the table—this week, the whole party’s here! Tori took us down a delightful rabbit hole into the world of player archetypes that pop up at so many TTRPG tables. Which one sounds like you (or your friends)? Storytellers Explorers Tacticians Actors Slayers …
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Send us a text Community News, London Pub Scenes, and Player Archetypes Unpacked Welcome back to the table! Malcolm kicks things off with some stories circulating in the TTRPG community. Tori, Jess, and Arcadia dive into topics making the news, including recent moves from Paizo and Glass Cannon Unplugged. The group also takes a closer look at Londo…
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Send us a text Exploring Love, Fandom, and TTRPGs Welcome back to the table! Finding Atoria Studios is packed today for a lively discussion on the rise of Romantasy TTRPGs and their growing presence in the gaming market. Have these elements always been hidden in the gems of our roleplaying games—or is there something different about the current mom…
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Send us a text From Ribbet Tongues to Druid Shrooms With Malcolm out this week, Tori and Arcadia dive into a lively discussion about Ancestries in TTRPGs. The rise of the narrative-focused game Daggerheart has sparked big conversations in the community about what makes it stand out for both players and GMs. In Daggerheart, ancestries aren’t just co…
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Send us a text A New Chapter for World of Darkness Welcome back to the table! Tori takes the moderator seat as Arcadia and Malcolm dive into the topic of White Wolf’s re-emergence. While fans of World of Darkness may have been anticipating the brand’s return, the resurrection isn’t quite the same as the White Wolf we remember from its heyday. Origi…
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Send us a text Alignments: Flexible, Not Flawed Malcolm moderates this episode as the crew dives into the topic of alignment—the classic D&D concept that has shaped characters and campaigns for decades. Alignment may or may not be a big deal at your table, but it’s been a highly rigid rule in older editions of D&D. In some editions, certain races o…
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Send us a text Krysti leads off with the tale of Clipperton Island. This island is now the home to poisonous crabs and that’s about it. This island was “owned” by many countries by the end of its saga. This island was the source of mass amounts of guano which was in high demand for fertilizer. There were fights between countries over this itty bitt…
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Send us a text Last Episode About Gen Con, We Promise! Welcome back to the table! We have a skeleton crew in the studio for our final words on Gen Con 2025 and a massive round of shout-outs. Arcadia and Malcolm hold down the board this week as they focus on some of the names and businesses we interacted with in the Exhibit Hall, highlighting commun…
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Send us a text GenCon Recap: New Games, New Friends, and Chaos at the Table Welcome back to the table! Jess and Tori are both on the mic this episode, and Malcolm and Arcadia share a wrap-up of GenCon 2025, where they represented our crew. From discovering new games to meeting new friends, this year’s convention brought some fresh experiences. Jess…
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Send us a text Tori leads off with King’s Chapel Burying Grounds. This is the oldest cemetery in Boston and has some disturbing tales that go along with it. Krys regales us with the Matamoros Cult killings in the late 80’s. This was a jurisdictional nightmare due to this being on the border between the US and Mexico. This cult was present and cause…
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Send us a text Trade Days, Tabletop Fun, and Community Connections Welcome back to the table! This week, we’re recording outside the studio and missed our Tori, who’s off on amazing adventures! Jess joins Arcadia and Malcolm for a lively discussion leading up to Gen Con 2025. We hop back in the time machine to revisit our Con experiences in 2024, s…
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Send us a text Frogs, Fun, and First-Time GM Chaos Welcome back to the table! In this episode, Malcolm, Tori, and Arcadia finally play-tested Daggerheart and share their impressions and takeaways. Some serious GMing skills were on display, Arcadia got pulled into roleplaying moments, and Tori reminded us all to be a little wary of frogs. While ever…
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Send us a text The Forever DM and the Rules Guy Welcome back to the table! In this episode, we dive into two of the biggest names in the TTRPG world: Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins. Crawford, the rules guru, and Perkins, the forever DM, have been cornerstones of Dungeons & Dragons for decades. Both spent at least 18 years at Wizards of the Coast…
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Send us a text Funky Fresh Mechanics and a Whole Lot of Hope & Fear Welcome back to the table! We continue our dive into Daggerheart, the new TTRPG from Darrington Press. Tori takes a deep look at the rules and mechanics, showing that this is not a D&D clone—it’s its own system with unique twists drawn from other games. Malcolm points out similarit…
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Send us a text A New Game on the Block Arcadia and Malcolm are flying solo this week, as Tori was scheduled to play but couldn’t join to record. They dive into Daggerheart, the new TTRPG from Darrington Press (Critical Role). This game has already made waves in the community, marking a clear step away from D&D while standing on its own. Daggerheart…
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Send us a text Beauty Is in the Eyes of the Beholder Pick an edition, any edition—we’ve got you covered! Welcome to our first monster comparison episode. Tori dives deep into one of her favorite classic D&D monsters: the Beholder. From the original 1st Edition to the most recent rulesets, we explore how this iconic floating horror has evolved over …
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Send us a text Click, Clack, Brain Go Brrrr: Diving Into Tabletop Mechanics There are receipts, and Arcadia gets to GM this episode! Malcolm kicks things off by talking about the future of TTRPGs and how many players are exploring customized and solo gaming. While solo games or mechanics-heavy systems can feel more like a Choose Your Own Adventure …
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Send us a text Adventures Off the Table: TTRPGs as the Inspiration Behind Fantasy Fiction Malcolm is the GM this episode, and Jess joins us in the studio! Tori wins initiative and kicks off the discussion about how TTRPGs have inspired countless stories across books, movies, and TV. Dungeons & Dragons paved the way for worlds like Dragonlance, Forg…
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Send us a text Back to the Future (Kind of): Shadowrun’s Talkers and Techies Arcadia takes the GM seat this round while Tori joins remotely—because who doesn’t like podcasting in pajamas? This episode dives into Shadowrun Fifth Edition, focusing on two key classes. Tori wins initiative but defers, giving Malcolm the floor to talk about his favorite…
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Send us a text Sweet 16: Laughs, News, and TTRPG Community Love Malcolm leads us in our sweet 16 episode! We’re here for laughs, sharing news, and celebrating the TTRPG community joining us at the table from around the world. We want to hear where you’re finding Atoria and would love to chat with you on our socials. Tori brings some big announcemen…
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Send us a text Law vs. Madness in Vampire: The Masquerade Malcolm takes the GM seat today while Tori joins us remotely! The ladies dive into two clans in Vampire: The Masquerade (VTM). Arcadia kicks things off with the Banu Hakim. This lesser-known clan isn’t part of the Camarilla and tends to be quite isolated. They have their own history, caste s…
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Send us a text The Power of the OGL and Creative Commons Tori brings the latest news for Dungeons & Dragons content creators to share with Malcolm and Arcadia. What does this news mean for the community? Is there anything new at the table for lovers of the world’s largest TTRPG? Join Tori, Malcolm, and Arcadia as they discuss the update to D&D’s Sy…
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Send us a text Great Players, Iconic Art, and When AI Fits In Arcadia takes the GM seat this episode, and Jess is back! Tori opens the discussion after losing initiative, exploring good and bad player characteristics. The top trait of a great player? Being engaged in the game. Remember, you’re working with the GM, not against them—a principle that …
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Send us a text When Dice Bring People Together We get to try out some new podcasting tech today, as we’re joined remotely by a special guest! Coel Scheel shares his experience with gaming clubs in school. For him, these clubs were a great way to meet fellow gamers and bond over the geekier parts of life. He explains how high school clubs give stude…
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Send us a text Teaching, Homebrew, and the Power of Lore Malcolm takes the GM seat for this episode, while Arcadia rolls highest on initiative. Cady kicks off the conversation by exploring how teachers can use TTRPGs for learning. Homebrewing can create the right platform to teach specific skills and knowledge, whereas hack-and-slash campaigns don’…
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Send us a text The Modern “Satanic Panic” and Game-Based Learning Malcolm takes the referee seat for this episode, while Tori rolled highest on initiative and dives back into the topic of the “Satanic Panic”, now resurfacing in modern form as the FURRIES Act, introduced by a Texas legislator. Because of the bill’s vague language, it could potential…
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Send us a text Exploring Character Flaws and You Don't Have To Be an Actor To Roleplay Tori takes the referee seat for this episode, and we have a guest! Jess joins us in the studio as Malcolm kicks off the conversation with a discussion on character flaws. These aren’t about nerfing your character—they’re a way to prevent munchkining while adding …
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Send us a text Gaming Pet Peeves and PC Death: Tips for Players and GMs Arcadia takes the referee seat in this episode as Tori opens with a list of gaming pet peeves from both sides of the table. Most of them boil down to one key idea: remember that TTRPGs are collaborative games. Be courteous to your fellow players and the GM—these roles aren’t ad…
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Send us a text Krys tells of the Gettysburg Orphanage. This was started due to a picture of a family of a perished soldier in the area. Sergeant Amos Hurniston was the soldier that started this by dying with the picture of his fam. The orphanage was built to house the orphans of Union soldiers. While this began as a noble idea, this soon turned int…
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Send us a text Min-Maxing Mayhem and the Secrets of Blackmoor Arcadia steps up as moderator for this episode as Tori dives into the world of min-maxing in D&D. An admitted optimizer herself, she shares how to build strong characters without becoming a problem player. We break down the differences between min-maxers, optimizers, munchkins, and power…
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Send us a text From Satanic Panic to Honor Among Thieves In this episode, Tori takes the moderator’s chair as Arcadia kicks things off with the Satanic Panic mishigas of the 1980s, and how Dungeons & Dragons got pulled into the chaos. With latchkey kids spending their free time gaming, worried parents and sensationalist media painted D&D as dangero…
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Send us a text Tori leads off with the Capuchin Crypt in Rome. The monks used the bones to make works of art throughout the Crypt and the chapels therein. The next one was the Palermo Capuchin Crypt. This one is even creepier because the whole place is full of mummies. You heard me right, mummies. This was apparently a very big status symbol to be …
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Send us a text Level 1 or Bust: Starting Your Campaign Malcolm takes the moderator role in this episode as Arcadia argues for starting campaigns at level 1. Beginning at the lowest level allows players to grow alongside their characters, learn the do’s and don’ts of gameplay, and naturally move the story forward. Tori counters that starting at leve…
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Send us a text Session 0 and Backstories: Laying the Groundwork In this episode, Arcadia takes the moderator’s seat as Malcolm kicks things off with a deep dive into Session 0. This first session is an essential tool for any TTRPG table—it helps establish a “social contract,” outline house rules, and set expectations for both DMs and players. Sessi…
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Send us a text So You Want to Be a DM (or a PC) In this episode, Arcadia takes the moderator’s chair while Malcolm—our forever GM since the ’90s—opens the discussion on what it’s really like to run a game. Spoiler: It might not be as scary as you think. With so many GM resources available, anyone can get started. Rule #1? If you’re not having fun, …
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Send us a text Finding the Right Table In this episode, Tori takes the moderator’s chair as Arcadia opens the discussion with one of the most important parts of TTRPGs: finding the right table. Not every group is a good fit, and sometimes the wrong table can sour the whole experience. As the saying goes, no D&D is better than bad D&D. But when you …
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Send us a text Welcome to our table! We’re three friends with over 100 years of combined TTRPG experience, gathering to talk about one of our favorite pastimes. With Malcolm as moderator, the discussion kicks off as Tori explores how the hobby is becoming more accessible and widely accepted. Increased visibility has brought exciting changes—more in…
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Send us a text Krys opens us up with tale of Jekyll Island Club Resort. This island off the coast of Georgia and has one hell of a history. Many huge names frequented the island and there are stories that abound of their time in both the past and present of the island. You want ghosts? Tori shows up to the party armed with three different cemeterie…
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Send us a text 105. Return of the Soundboard Gremlins Tori leads the scene of a well known murder, the Black Dahlia. The Sowden House has been a fixture of LA since the 1920s. This house was designed by Lloyd Wright. This houses sordid history has fascinated people both in LA and beyond. Krys tells us the tale of Nellie Butler. Want a famous ghost,…
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Send us a text TAKE TWO!!!!! Krysti leads off with the Curran Theater in San Francisco. This was a hotbed of crime as well as the theater arts. From murder to catching criminals in front of the building, guess what, you want ghosts, that’s how you get ghosts. Tori comes in second with terrible pronunciation and Dragholm Castle in Zealand Denmark. T…
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Send us a text Tori leads off with Taunton State Hospital in Massachusetts. Not surprisingly this hospital didn’t have a great reputation. But guess what it does have, you got it, ghosts. Parts of this hospital are still in operation today. Krys follows up with the Presidio and its illustrious history. This has been a landmark of San Francisco for …
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Send us a text Guess what kids?! Your favorite weird ass Hoosier girls are back in your ears. This week we hit up California for our stories. Krys leads off with the Sutro Baths. These were mainstays of San Francisco for years before shockingly taken out by a mysterious fire. Sutro had a tendency to accumulate relics from around the world, sounds l…
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Send us a text Malcom comes hard with a Texas sandwich. Lubbock Texas is a haunted town with hell gates, a haunted college, and a haunted cemetery. All of these complete the spooky story bingo for those that were playing at home. Texas Tech has a home there and they have ghost hunters in residence. Tori butts her story into the middle with Bobby Ma…
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Send us a text Here for some announcements and a bit of Cryptid Corner. Chase regales us with the flashlight frog! Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trendylobotomypodcast Find us at FB/Instagram @TrendyLobotomyPod and at Twitter @TrendyPod as well as our blog trendylobotomypodcast.blogspot.com Support the show…
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Send us a text Tori starts off the latest megasode with several movie references and the Old Joliet Prison. Yet another prison with deplorable conditions, ghosts, and movie scenes. Also, they buried limbs in the cemetery there. Krysti comes around with Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Add in a vampire, a battle site, a horny gravesite, and you want…
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