This is my favorite folklore, etymology, “When I was a child…” podcast that also reviews old-school rpg modules. Came for the reviews. Stayed for the banter.

This is my favorite parasocial relationship.

A lot of RPG pods are actually just chat shows. Like they say they’re discussing something and then they just go on tangents for an hour. Between Two Cairns has a format, they use it to critically assess RPG modules, and along the way you’ll learn all kinds of stuff about how the games are played, how the products are made and sold and who the creators are. They also have a very particular banter that is an acquired taste, but is truly hilarious once you settle in. If you are interested in RPGs, check it out.

This is my specific type of inside baseball TTRPG / adventure game design pod that has lead me to listen to every episode.

Hysterical! Love listening to 3 friends discuss life & indie/ OSR rpgs. Great reviews that are extremely useful. I always know if the adventure is right for my table before I buy and so far they have been spot on.

These are the kinds of people that you would run screaming from if you happened to get into an elevator with them. They breathlessly and passive-aggressively become antsy when things go slightly awry in the conversation and are absolutely not storytellers, yet they insist on launching into long, circuitous stories. It’s like talking to nerds at a convention, but bad ‘90s nerds who have no self-awareness and who drive people from the hobby.

Join two dads, Brad and Yochai (the titular cairns), as they teach their young skull boy, Sam (the void between the cairns), life’s important lessons through the medium of old-school-style table top role-playing game adventure modules. In these 60-90 minute (AKA a tight 45) episodes, they explore concepts important in both life and module production: art, writing, layout, and design. But the trio also go beyond the bounds of TTRPGs and discuss other important life topics: music (thank you Bobby!), physical fitness (have you done your 60 push ups today?), community (is moderation), and cooperatives (worker-owned, of course). And if your greedy ear holes still crave more, rest assured. You are undoubtedly going to hear a crazy and only tangentially relevant anecdote from Mr. Hollywood’s past and, to conclude each episode, the Hitman will perform a loving stream of consciousness rivaling the likes of James Joyce and leaving you feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. Folks, in short, if you have even a passing interest in TTRPGs and lack the free time to actually play them (presumably due to parenthood), do yourself a favor and click on that play button. Then, when you’ve finished all 150+ episodes, come back to this review and chuckle to yourself now that you are a member of the elite few who understand all of the inside jokes contained within.

The podcast provides great exposure to modules and systems that might be missed otherwise. The insight the hosts provide, especially when they don’t agree, are thoughtful and articulate. This is a great listen if you have a hard time describing your gaming likes and dislikes. Or you could take it as a preface to the true work of art that is the Brad Kerr Sign Off.

This is one of those podcasts that’s so good that you can listen and be entertained even if you don’t care about the subject matter.

The spaces between the content are as important as the content. This podcast is TTRPG jazz.

Do you like NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour but wish the hosts didn’t do any research first? Are you put off by how empathetic and likable Ira Glass seems? Are you still waiting for All Things Considered to consider if system matters? Then check out Between Two Cairns.

Probably my favorite ttrpg podcast, brings to light a lot of interesting modules and lots of really entertaining discussion around game design

The best podcast about page counts.

These folks are earnest, smart and goofy. Nippled Ducks, tin whistle, Well Folks and reviews of OSR dungeons.

The sun will burn out and Brad will still be annoying Yochai. Love that Sam has been on regularly as well!

One of the few podcasts that I’ll pause everything else and listen to when new episodes drop.

The only podcast where I don’t skip the banter between the hosts. One is angry. The other is mostly vegan. And they like TTRPG’s. They give you a kiss goodnight. So caring. So good. I laugh. I cry. Yup. That’s it.

Dynamic between the hosts is amazing and funny while also being insightful about tabletop role-playing games and modules especially about OSR style systems. just a blast to listen to while I’m at work and in my car and puts me onto new modules and products to look at.

Best podcast regarding ttrpg reviews focusing on lesser known modules and indie products. Yohai, Brad and Sam have great chemistry and you won’t go wrong with any review from an enormous backlog to choose from. So whip out your hiking stick and come join us between two cairns!

This is a podcast I look forward to every week. Hearing Brad and Yochai bicker really tickles me and Sam coming on diffuses the vibe perfectly like a third child. The rants are top notch, and the modules discussed make for a who’s who best of reading list in the OSR RPG scene. 10/10 no notes. Don’t wait, listen today!

Entertaining and gives good info on Old School Roleplaying Game adventure modules.

Brad, Yochai, and guests are really good at discussing OSR adventure modules that they like or have mixed feelings about and applying constructive criticism and thinking about ways they could be improved. As creators themselves they have sympathy for the difficulties in moving from vision to final product, and they’re careful to call out the good parts of the modules they read even if they feel that on the whole the writer missed the mark. The banter among the hosts is amusing, though some of the outros run a little long. If you have any interest in adventure design or in finding cool modules to run for your OSR campaign, this podcast is absolutely worth subscribing to.

My favorite podcast. If you’re at all interested in the indie RPG scene, this is a must-listen. The hosts’ dynamic is great; they’re both very funny in different ways. B2C is a great way to get exposed to different RPG modules, but it’s also full of insight into GMing and making your own RPGs. The listener community for this podcast is also very wholesome. No gatekeeping here!

I’ve been listening to this podcast consistently for over a year now and have gone through their back catalog. Couple key takeaways: 1. Though the hosts don’t run everything they review, they do have a lot of practical experience running games. I’ve applied their advice to my home game, and it’s been useful. 2. The technical quality is consistently good, and the hosts are excellent about releasing episodes on time. They have also adjusted the bumpers/format/etc over time, which I believe shows a dedication towards providing a good product for listeners. 3. Yochai and Brad, the hosts, have a great odd couple dynamic. They also seem like equal partners with equal billing - Bert and Ernie rather than Batman and Robin. Lots of banter, but it always comes across as kindhearted and circles back to the gaming content. I listen to a lot of podcasts. I only give two of them money via Patreon, and I give most to this one. Strongly recommend if you enjoy RPG podcasts in the background while cooking/cleaning/etc. or if you’re regularly running games.

Where’s my deep dive Hitman and Mr. Hollywood?

there's never been a better time to play any edition of D&D. the Old School Renaissance/New School Revolution creative scene is especially prolific, and Between Two Cairns is focused on critiquing both old and new adventure and source material for 20th century editions of D&D, newer rules-light derivatives, and occasionally the hit sci-fi horror game Mothership. hosts Yochai Gal (order Muppet) and Brad Kerr (chaos Muppet), along with the occasional guest, entertain endlessly while displaying the kind of adventure design expertise earned solely by running lots and lots of games, successful and otherwise. the usual vaseline haze of OSR nostalgia is eschewed in taking apart B2, X1, and everything in-between to show you what works in these kinds of adventures, what doesn't, and how to fix that. since I started listening to B2C, my wallet has suffered, but my gaming library has thrived.

I am very picky with the podcasts I listen to but this one I eagerly look forward to. The content is great if you are at all interested in the TTRPG space, but the interplay between Brad and Yochai is amazing. I always finish listening feeling better than I started. Well done. And getting extra content via Patreon is just the icing on the cake.

Funny show, great reviews, and spoilers. They do a good job letting you know when to stop listening in case you want to play the adventures

The cohosts interactions are hilarious. Brad’s rigidity is perfectly balanced with Yochai’s laissez-faire attitude. Their insights are fantastic into OSR adventures and beyond. A real treat.

Between two Cairns is the most entertaining TTRPG podcast I’ve listened to. The banter between the hosts is always amusing — the difference between their personalities creates a ton of very friendly conflict. The hosts are also both very accomplished game designers who bring a ton of insight to the adventure review process.

Listen to one man’s slow descent into madness as he’s forced to interact with Brad for an hour each week.

This is by far my favorite podcast. Yochai and Brad have great chemistry, and Sam’s occasional appearances are a delicious treat. Their reviews are thoughtful and often critical, but they offer great industry/creator perspectives. Unfortunately, I have had trouble accessing the “musk tier” mentioned in the Mission Excalibur episode. I hope they fix this error soon, as the podcast itself lacks an olfactory component.

hitman is also pretty alright

The reviews work because Brad and Yochai have such different taste in adventures.

They cover great content, have exciting insights. And bring on great guests. My only complaint is that yochai seems to be having a bad time with it. Seems consistently frustrating with the cohost and guests, has been giving bad reviews to just about all the content. I don’t know. Maybe it’s a bit.

Gets me really excited about all of these little zine adventures being created right now. Yochai plays an excellent straight man to Brad; I laugh out loud every episode.

I enjoy the sensibility and chemistry of Brad and Yochai. I always get something from their substantive reviews. A great way to learn about what's out there!