Our Podcast
Geek at Arms is a podcast at the crossroads of geek culture and Christian faith. Our three hosts, Bryan, Mike, and James are spread out across the country, but share a love of God and a variety of interests such as topics such comics, sci-fi, fantasy, historical swordsmanship, video games, medieval reenactment, tabletop gaming, and more. You can find episodes posted on the webpage or on Spotify, Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, or your favorite podcast platform.
Canonical Episodes
Among our catalog of episodes you’ll find a variety of content. In our numbered “canonical episodes,” we and our guests open with our Geek Out segment, discussing the various geeky things that have our attention. The meat of the show is either Topical episode or a Film Club episode.
Topical
For our topics, we choose something we think would be a fun and interesting discussion and share it with our guests and listeners. If you’re new and interested in a topical episode, you might start with one of the following:
- Episode 37: Talking Transhumanism
- Episode 43: Redemption Stories
- Episode 45: Trash Movies We Can’t Help Loving
Film Club
Every Film Club episode is part of a three-episode series (run every other episode). We group films by genre, subject matter, or some other theme. We offer a deep dive on the film and its part to play in the Film Club theme. Popular episodes include:
- Episode 25: Spirited Away
- Episode 33: Doctor Horrible’s Singalong Blog
- Episode 50: The Fifth Element
Geeks at Play Actual Play Productions
We’ve decided to branch out with actual play RPGs to provide additional bonus content between canonical episodes. It allows us to have adventures with our friends around the digital table, and you’re invited to share in the fun. We feature Campaigns, and one-shots in our Codswallop and Poppycock feed.
Campaigns
Bryan has run two campaigns, releasing every other week. The first is Quantum Childhood, running the Tales from the Loop RPG, published by Free League. You can find episode one starting May 18, 2023
The second campaign is Dark Mage of Rhudaur, using the Middle Earth Roleplaying system by Iron Crown Enterprises. You can find episode one starting May 3, 2024:
Codswallop and Poppycock
For one-shot delightful nonsense, check out Codswallop and Poppycock. These are off the wall Geeks at Play adventures. Mike has run his own RPG adventures using the Roll For Shoes microsystem. They are fast-paced, zany fun. In one such adventure he GM’s for a group of guerilla film makers breaking into Jim Henson studios to reboot Firefly the way it always should have been: with Muppets! They may be intruders, but they soon find out they are not alone.
Our Hosts
Bryan is a visual effects artist, recreational mathematician, Green Arrow afficionado, and Tolkienphile. He likes his fantasy in book form, his sci-fi in movie form, and superheroes wherever he can get them. He serves on the board of the Christian Gamers Guild and is also their web administrator and editor. A PC gamer, his games of choice are turn-based strategy, space simulations, and character-driven narratives. Stargate is the best science fiction franchise.
Mike is an ordained minister, serving as an associate pastor in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but he pays the bills by working in higher education administration. Mike has an amateur academic interest in historical fencing manuals, and enjoys SCA rapier practices. Mike’s table gaming gravitates toward narrative-based and cooperative model board games and the older D6 Star Wars Roleplaying games. He feels more at home with an NES controller than a contemporary gaming system, and passionately believes that the height of video game replayability reached its apex in 1988 with the release of Mega Man 2.
James has spent the last 12 years in broadcast at numerous Christian radio stations. His geeky interests range from Star Wars and Star Trek to Lord of the Rings and all the way back around to Firefly, plus countless others in between. A lover of games, both video and table top, James feels just at home with a controller in his hand as he does with RPGs, board, and card games. James’ real passion in the geekosphere is in medieval reenactment. You can find James in the SCA on the heavy fighter list, rapier practice, and on the archery range. While he does love a sword or bow in his hand, he equally loves woodworking and practicing his heraldic skills.