Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk

In our third (and final) interview at Mongoose Publishing's HQ we chat to Cassie Gregory (visual designer) and Chris Griffen (lead writer) about the studio's flagship games Traveller, Paranoia, and Shieldmaidens, and upcoming projects like Pioneer and a Dark Conspiracies revamp. They discuss their creative process, visual storytelling, shifting tones between lines, and the wild "frog legs" scale used in Shieldmaidens. It'll make sense when you hear it. Enjoy!

Livestreaming as always Monday at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern)! Join us live as we talk about D&D's Gen Con plans, the 2027 Pathfinder book leaks, Paizo's upcoming 13 Omens horror game, and more!

• Hasbro cancels D&D video game by Giant Skull
• Dungeons & Dragons announces Gen Con plans, including a takeover of 6-story building
• New 2027 Pathfinder books revealed including Walking Tigers adventure path
• Daggerheart celebrates 1-year anniversary with new miniseries, free adventure
• New deets about Paizo's '13 Omens' horror TTRPG
• [Kickstarter's] apology: rethinking our mature content guidelines
• Ring of Fire for GURPS
• Kickstarter Whales

At Mongoose Publishing HQ in Swindon, Christopher Griffen discusses Pioneer, a Traveller-adjacent RPG that swaps space opera for near-future, science-based exploration. Built with input from NASA engineer Sandy Antunes and other writers, Pioneer uses familiar Traveller mechanics but shifts focus to missions, survival, and human-versus-environment challenges rather than combat.

Livestreaming as always Monday at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern)! Join us live as we talk about D&D crossovers, weird AI sites full of bizarre TTRPG designer bios, and our visit to Mongoose publishing's HQ!

• Chris Cocks says to expect more D&D crossover products
• 'Magefall' is an official new D&D comic you can download free
• Ken Whitman creates bizarre AI-powered biographies of TTRPG designers
• Meeting Mongoose: We visited Mongoose Publishing at their Swindon HQ!
• Outgunned Adventure: Broken Compass Legacy
• Free League Releases Updated Edition of Acid Western Frontier Scum RPG
• EN5ider Magazine 2025 Annual

Earlier this year, Russ and Jess went to visit Mongoose Publishing (who make Traveller, Paranoia, and a bunch of other awesome games) at their headquarters in Swindon. Part of that day included an interview with Mongoose CEO Matt Sprange (rhymes with 'strange'), which we're presenting here in full.

Note--the audio quality isn't great in this one, as we didn't have our podcasting microphones with us, but we hope you'll bear with it as the interview itself is well worth the listen!

We also made a 30-minute video about our visit, meeting the staff, touring the offices, having lunch, looking at things on walls, sitting on chairs, all sorts of things. Parts of (but not all of) this interview feature in that short documentary, which you can find here on our YouTube channel--which is also where you can find the livestreamed versions of the regular podcast. 

In this interview Matt Sprange, CEO of Mongoose Publishing, discusses the company’s history, flagship games like Traveller and Paranoia, creative processes, and the challenges and successes they’ve faced over the years. He also explains Mongoose’s employee ownership approach, workplace culture, and practical benefits for staff.

This full unabridged interview covers highs and lows, industry changes, AI concerns, and future plans, offering a candid, behind-the-scenes look at running an independent games publisher. Enjoy!

• Video of our visit
• EN World article 
• Mongoose Publishing

Livestreaming as always Monday at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern)! In this week's show we talk about D&D Beyond's new Thursday 'Drops' feature, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks on D&D moving to a 'live service model', two simultaneous new Elric roleplaying games, and more!

• Drops will make D&D Beyond subscribers love Thursdays
• Dungeons & Dragons brings back three classic 1st edition spells via new D&D Beyond Drops feature
• D&D Beyond executives explain why subscribers can't share Drops content
• Mother Lorinda gets a creepy new look in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
• More performances and panelists revealed for D&D Fan Expo in London
• Chris Cocks says it makes sense to move D&D to a "live service" model, but Hasbro will always make physical books
• Friends and Relations: Wanderers
• Official Elric of Melniboné TTRPG coming from Goodman Games
• There's ANOTHER official Elric RPG in the works
• Jon Hodgson Backdrop Books
• Neon Odyssey: Space Opera in D&D
• Dungeon Crawler Carl RPG + Unstoppable

Livestreaming as always Monday at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern)! In this week's show we look at the four Baldur's Gate 3 tie-in books from Penguin Random House, look at a new official Justice League TTRPG, upcoming releases for Bladerunner, Star Trek, and more!

• 4 Baldur's Gate 3 tie-in books coming from Penguin Random House
• Images from Secrets of Waterdeep experience currently playing at Universal Studios Hollywood
• Dungeons & Dragons Underdark Terrain Set
• D&D Beyond brings back a la carte purchases in the form of Starter Packs
• Wizards of the Coast employees responsible for Magic: Arena unionize
• Allies & Adversaries sourcebook coming for Star Trek Adventures
• Replicant Rebellion expansion coming for Free League's Blade Runner RPG
• Neon Odyssey exclusive reveal: The Yoggoth Species
• Official Justice League TTRPG launching on Gamefound in July
• Get ready for Alpha Star Magazine Issue 2: sci-fi resources for your D&D game
• Chilblain: Lich Librarian is one of 6 NPCs who accompany the arcane subclasses in Secrets of the Tome
• Support us on Patreon!

Livestreaming as always Friday at 2pm UK time (9am Eastern)! In this week's show we talk about Lord Soth, the sad passing of Louis Zocchi, and three new villainous subclasses.

Note that from May we will be moving the livestream to Mondays at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern), starting on May 4th!

• Dungeons & Dragons is getting an official energy drink
• Lord Soth appears to be a Darklord again in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
• Unearthed Arcana presents another three villainous subclasses
• 'Zombie Clot' is the first free 'play-along pack' from new Dungeon Masters show
• Dice manufacturer Louis Zocchi passes away
• Darryl Mott’s tasty treat, reviewing Shadowrun: Running A La Carte
• Symbaroum celebrates 10th anniversary with new Kickstarter, new campaign setting
• The Created, for A5e
• You can grab a massive D&D sci-fi ruleset on Bundle of Holding for just $17
• Archetypes (subclasses) in Secrets of the Tome

Livestreaming as always Friday at 2pm UK time (9am Eastern)! In this week's show we look at the contents of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, new third-party publishing coordinator at WotC, Paizo's new rules-lite horror RPG, Daggerheart Hope & Fear cover art and release date, and DCC (not that DCC, the other DCC) breaking crowdfunder records.

Note that from May we will be moving the livestream to Mondays at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern), starting on May 4th!

• Ravenloft: The Horrors Within preorder page lists the book's contents
• Innsmouth added as new Ravenloft Domain of Dread, bringing Lovecraft to D&D
• Wizards of the Coast hiring TRPG Publishing Lead to coordinate third-party publishing
• If you needed random collectible Dragonlance-themed dice, today's your lucky day!
• Wizards of the Coast launches official Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play show
• Paizo announces 13 Omens, a new horror RPG
• Dead Malls by Darby Harn
• Daggerheart reveals Hope & Fear cover artwork & release date
• Dungeon Crawler Carl is breaking crowdfunder records

Livestreaming as always Friday at 2pm UK time (9am Eastern)! In this week's show we discuss the latest D&D Greyhawk book revelations, and look at a couple of 'lost' Gygax dungeons which are currently crowdfunding.

Note that from May we will be moving the livestream to Mondays at 8pm UK time (3pm Eastern), starting on May 4th!

• Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk is called ‘The Shield Lands’ as actor Vince Vaughn gifts cover art to Luke Gygax
• Greyhawk book is NOT 'Shield Lands' but 'Borderlands of Iuz' according to team member
• There are TWO 'lost' Gygax castles crowdfunding right now
• There's a 4-part Ravenloft comic book series coming
• 1979 AD&D coloring album art sells for $57,500
• VHS: Very Horror Stories - Rule of Three
• Mega Dungeon Month