Dekahedron RPG Podcast

192: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 4 (Gear & Commerce)

Where do adventurers actually buy gear in a grounded, early‑medieval sandbox? In this episode, Joe tackles Questions 2 and 3 from Jeff Rients’ “20 Quick Questions” and shows how equipment, specialists, and custom items really work in a low‑tech fantasy world.Learn why general stores don’t belong in Dark‑Age settings, how market days shaped real commerce, and how to use demographics to decide which NPCs your town actually has. Joe builds a blacksmith live on air—Aegenwulf—and explains how a gift‑based economy changes player behavior, reputation, and roleplay.If you want your sandbox to feel lived‑in, culturally cohesive, and socially dynamic, this episode gives you the tools.Highlights:Realistic medieval trade & market daysWhy “everything is custom” in low‑tech worldsUsing demographics to populate townsLive NPC creation: Aegenwulf the blacksmithRunning a gift‑economy instead of coin‑for‑goodsPerfect for GMs who want deeper worlds and richer player interactions.Promised Links:The 20 Questions: ⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠⁠Medieval Demographics Made Easy (S. John Ross): https://gamingballistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Medieval-Demographics-Made-Easy-1.pdfDekahedron NPC Generator: http:/www.dekahedron.com/NPC/.Fantasy Name Generators: fantasynamegenerators.com....And a 10-Foot Pole (Iron Crown Enterprises): Sadly, I couldn't find it on Drive thru.Basic Fantasy Equipment Emporium: https://www.basicfantasy.org/downloads.html#sn_equipmentemporiumShare your thoughts via:🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron📧 feedback@dekahedron.com📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278)More information is at ⁠⁠dekahedron.com⁠0:00 Jingle0:32 Introduction1:17 Question 2: Where do we buy standard equipment?3:15 Historical Market Days3:49 Medieval Demographics Made Easy5:51 Using Fantasy Name Generators for Cultural Cohesion7:29 Meet the Blacksmith: Aegenwulf10:52 The Gift Economy: Price vs. Cost in Elmsfjord12:53 Question 3: "Everything is Custom"14:08 Conclusion and Happy Gaming

191: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 3 (Religion)

How do you create a pantheon for a sandbox campaign? Episode 191 continues my 'How I Create a Sandbox' series. I explore the 20 Questions of world-building, focusing on the cleric’s religion. Learn about building a three-point alignment system, naming deities using Icelandic roots, and creating conflict between the Northern and Southern kingdoms.Promised Links:The 20 Questions: ⁠https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html⁠Share your thoughts via:🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron📧 feedback@dekahedron.com📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278)More information is at ⁠dekahedron.com⁠0:00 Opening Jingle0:30 Intro1:05 The Cleric's Religion1:30 Political Context2:20 Historical Inspiration3:02 Justice & Worldviews4:09 Philosophies on Real-World Religion4:22 Naming the Gods6:22 The Evil Deity: Vondur7:55 Summary & Closing

190: Making a Sandbox Campaign, Part 2

In the second of a multi-part series, I talk about how I'm stealing from history to make Almsfjord different, and I ask about how I should continue the series.Promised Links:- The Trelleborg ring fort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_ring_fortress- The 20 Questions: https://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html- Riley's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diegetic-advancement/id1720667088Share your thoughts via:🌐 sayhi.chat/dekahedron📧 feedback@dekahedron.com📞📱 562-RPG-CAST (562-774-2278)More information is at dekahedron.com0:00 Intro: Apologies for the Hiatus0:38 The Resource: Jeff Rients' 20 Questions1:25 Retconning Elmsfjord: From Homesteads to Villages2:00 The Trelleborg: Harald Bluetooth’s Ring Fortresses2:57 Viewer Poll: How Should I Handle the 20 Questions?3:41 The Options: Grouped Questions vs. Daily Shorts4:10 Clarifying the Research: Viking Ring Forts4:40 Teaser: What’s the Deal with the Cleric?

BONUS: Christmas 2025

My annual Christmas poem. Merry Christmas, my friends.

BONUS: Christmas Movies 2025 (with Jason)

I'm joined by Jason of The Nerd's RPG Variety Cast and we talk about 5 classic "Christmas" movies, depending how you want to define that...The movies are:* A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)* It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)* The Bishop's Wife (1947)* Desk Set (1957)* Donovan's Reef (1963)