On this episode of the Epic Realms Podcast, we're joined by author, game designer, and RPG historian Shannon Appelcline for an in-depth conversation about his life, career, and passion for tabletop roleplaying games.

Shannon shares how his journey into Dungeons & Dragons began after spotting an advertisement in a comic book, convincing his father to buy the game, and diving into the rulebooks before running his very first adventure. From growing up alongside D&D and discovering a love of writing at an early age to earning a computer science degree that proved valuable mainly for its access to libraries and the early internet, Shannon reflects on the experiences that shaped his career.

We explore his path through the tabletop RPG industry, from cataloging every issue of Dragon Magazine to writing for roleplaying games and serving as the longtime steward of RPG.net. Shannon also takes us behind the scenes of his landmark Designers & Dragons series, discussing the years of research that went into documenting the history of the RPG industry and why it's so important to preserve the stories of the countless creators whose contributions often go unnoticed.

The conversation also covers his latest project, Designers & Dragons: Origins, fresh from a successful BackerKit campaign, where he continues to uncover the roots of the hobby. Along the way, we discuss his meticulous research process, the influential figures who helped shape tabletop gaming, and the importance of giving credit to the many people who built the industry behind the scenes.

Finally, Shannon gives us a look at what's next, including his upcoming work for Call of Cthulhu, his Losing Sanity project, and his exciting Free Trader Beowulf project.

Whether you're a lifelong tabletop gamer, a student of RPG history, or simply fascinated by the people behind the games we love, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Shannon Appelcline's Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/designersanddragons Designers and Dragons Origins - https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/evil-hat/designers-dragons-origins

Also don't Forget to Follow us on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@epic_realms

This week on Epic Realms, we sit down with author and game designer Erik Scott de Bie for a wide-ranging conversation that goes far beyond tabletop RPGs.

We discuss Erik's recent trip to Nepal, how travel fuels his creativity, and the unique experience of exploring the world at 6'7". We also take an unexpected detour into his backyard chicken flock, including the comic book-inspired names and personalities that have make them memorable members of the family.

On the gaming and writing side, we dive into Tales of Basil & Moebius, revisit Yorick and Spitz's adventures across time and worlds, explore his work in Cobalt City, and discuss his Batman-inspired hero from Infernal. Erik also shares what's new with the Dungeon Scrawlers Twitch channel, including their recent Abomination Vaults campaign and the exciting announcement of his upcoming novel based on the adventure path, along with the unique challenge of adapting every room, encounter, and story beat into a novel.

We wrap things up with an exciting look at Realmsbound, the ambitious new Forgotten Realms project led by Ed Greenwood and an incredible team of legendary creators.

Whether you're a fan of fantasy novels, tabletop RPGs, Forgotten Realms, or simply enjoy listening to two longtime friends share stories, insights, and plenty of laughs, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Don't forget to Go Vote for Epic Realms in the Crit Awards https://www.critawards.org/

This week on Epic Realms, Nick sits down with three-time Eisner Award nominated cartoonist, writer, and illustrator Chris Schweizer for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, storytelling, and building a life around making comics.

From his childhood in Louisiana and Kentucky to his years studying art, theater, and filmmaking, Chris reflects on the experiences that shaped his artistic voice and eventually led him into the world of graphic novels. Along the way, he shares stories about making homemade movies as a kid, discovering classic comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes and Pogo, and finding his place within the evolving comics industry.

The discussion explores the craft behind visual storytelling, the unique language of comics, and the creative choices that separate newspaper strips, graphic novels, and superhero books. Chris also looks back on the creation of Crogan's Adventures, the project that helped launch his professional career, and discusses how his approach to writing and illustration has evolved over the years.

The second half of the conversation focuses on The Outlaw's Apprentice, Chris's upcoming fantasy graphic novel launching on Kickstarter. Drawing inspiration from Appalachian culture, classic adventure fiction, and a lifelong love of immersive worldbuilding, the series follows a young apprentice and his unlikely mentor as they navigate a dangerous world while staying one step ahead of the law.

Filled with insights on art, storytelling, history, comics, and creativity, this is a fascinating look inside the mind of one of the most distinctive voices working in graphic novels today. Check out the links for Chris Schweizer's stuff below.

https://schweizercomics.com/

https://www.patreon.com/ChrisSchweizer

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/schweizer/outapp1?ref=profile_saved_projects_prelaunch&category_id=Q2F0ZWdvcnktMjUy