Building Bastards is a (visual) podcast about Fantasy Concept Building that follows the design of two upcoming table-top games from the perspective of Leo Powell (writer) and Joseph Taylor McRae (concept artist).

The working project title for the Skirmish game is Treasure Bastards, and the other game is an RPG we simply refer to as 'The Bastard RPG'. These names are internal jokes which have just sort of stuck as working project titles. The end games won't be called that, (hopefully).

Follow our weekly chats about the design decisions we make, and why we make them, as well as other musings about game design in general.

This week we discuss the Dwarven faction for the skirmish game by looking at a short story Leo wrote (akin to the Hunt for Red October) and the Dwarf designs that Joe has been drawing. Please do download the short story Leo wrote if you want to follow along with that, which also includes images of the Dwarves from Joe. You can also watch the podcast on YouTube, which includes the images if you prefer it that way.

Lingo busting, or, a short guide to words we use in the podcast:

NB// none of the faction names are canon, as this game is in development. In fact they are often just short-hand project names we refer to until we officially name them. Naming is hard so we'll leave that until last...

Dan - Big Boss of the project

The Basin - The game world is a giant flooded basin, sort of like the Mediterranean, but built on the bones of an ancient, powerful civilization that is now kaput. Everyone in the Skirmish game and RPG is sailing on this sea, fighting and looking for treasure.

Oiltar - A black oil which can be used in a variety of situations, but has a monkeys-paw effect, causing all manner of chaos. It is possibly made from the dead.

GW - Games Workshop. The absolute behemoth in which all are in the shadow of.

The Kakuda - The Croc-people faction. Sort of like Sparta, if Sparta ate their young.

The Free Rangers - Pirates! Total anarchist humans, the faction is a grab-bag of every faction, but with literal powder monkeys.

EITC 'ee eye tea see' - The Elf faction in the skirmish game, like the East India Trading Company, but Elven - so, basically total dicks.

The Dwarves/ Dwarven Sub-nautical Guild - Basically Dwarves who are communists. They control the opening of the basin into the wider sea, and have unique diving technology.

The Ur-Dead - Occult magical/alchemical possibly undead capitalists. Real creepy vibes.

The Artic Nomads - Lovecraftian giant spider worshipping ultra-evil arctic nomads, obviously.

Aeronauts - Tibetan/Franciscan style monks who have unique access to a super light and very useful gas.

The Reavers - Totally chaotic, cannibalistic and deeply superstitious woodland dwellers who attack anyone and anything. They won't be called Reavers in the end, of course, because that's Firefly.

Building Bastards

Episodes

The Haunt for Red Dwarftober