Too Much Lore: Dads, Robots and the Keywork Trap - Coheed and Cambria

Too Much Lore: Dads, Robots and the Keywork Trap - Coheed and Cambria

Author: Josh Varty and Kristoffer Hansen March 21, 2025 Duration: 31:00

Concept vs. Reality: The Coheed Lore Map

The "Keywork" is a fascinating visual concept that suffers from what the guys call "amateur writing syndrome"—where a cool name (like a "Jackhammer" spaceship) is eventually revealed to be a literal, giant space-laser-drill.

Hard vs. Soft Worldbuilding

The DMs emphasize that when you define your rules too rigidly, you lose the ability to surprise your players (or listeners).

  1. Soft Lore (The Original Trilogy): The Force is a mystical energy field. It feels infinite.
  2. Hard Lore (The Prequels/Comics): The Force is a biological byproduct of microscopic lifeforms. It feels like a math equation.

"The problem with over-explaining things... is that once you start establishing hard and fast rules, things have to obey rules. You get a dissonance that happens when something doesn't fit that rigid rule set."

In No Plot, Only Lore, hosts Josh Varty and Kristoffer Hansen settle in for a conversation that feels like pulling up a chair at a familiar table. Their focus is the intricate, often messy, and deeply rewarding world of collaborative storytelling games, examining them not as rulebooks to be won but as frameworks for shared imagination. Each episode digs into the craft behind these experiences-how a setting’s history shapes a character’s decision, why a particular game mechanic fosters better stories, or what it means to build a narrative together without a predetermined endpoint. You’ll hear two seasoned practitioners reflect on the subtle art of being a player and a guide, discussing the tools and philosophies that transform a simple game night into a memorable saga. This podcast is for anyone who has ever gotten lost in a character’s backstory or spent more time discussing a campaign’s lore than actually rolling dice. It’s a thoughtful, meandering, and personal look at the stories we tell when we play, offering insights that resonate long after the session ends. Join Josh and Kristoffer for a deep, comfortable dive into the heart of why we gather to imagine together.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 93

No Plot, Only Lore
Podcast Episodes
Dragon Claus 1: Christmas Campaign Hooks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:14
Part One in our four-part Christmas series! Josh and Kris talk about various ideas for getting your players into a Christmas themed one-shot or arc with a variety of Christmas hooks (though they tend to involve a concern…
NOPELOL is for the Children [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:58
Dungeons & Dragons is a kid's game. So how the heck do you go about playing it with kids?
The Fiddly Bits Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:22
In which we come up with more cool ideas for ways to personalize and customize some of D&D's most iconic lore.
The Fiddly Bits Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:13
Where we fiddle with levers and try to come up with some fun new ideas for classic D&D monsters, species, and items!
Steal Everything: Episode 1 Video Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:07
Part one of our four-part series on things you should steal from other people who make good stuff. In this episode we go over cool setting ideas from popular video games (some of which we've even played!)
Games as a Service [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:07
We discuss one of my most embarrassing high school memories, a game we like to hear stories about more than play and... Oh, that thing Wizards of the Coast wanted to do with D&D Beyond not having 5th Edition Spells anymo…
Building Worlds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:11
We talk about humanoid raccoons and that time I gave my DM Joey a duotang full of backstory for a country that didn't exist for my character to be from.