Episode Details

Have you ever gotten up for a full day's work in a haunted coal mine and thought, "Boy, I really hope that bird in a cage doesn't stop singing and doom us all"? No? Then you clearly weren't with the RPGBOT crew in Part 2 of our Old Gods of Appalachia charity stream—where coal dust has claws, headlamps are your best friend, and it turns out you can get shot-in-the-foot vibes without ever firing a gun. Buckle up, y'all. Things are getting deep, dark, and very dusty.

Before we go further, remember: this campaign was part of a live charity event supporting MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the top cancer hospitals in the world. Their mission is simple but critical: end cancer for patients everywhere through advanced research, treatment, and compassionate care.

You can still make a difference.

Donate today at https://mdanderson.donordrive.com/participants/9351 — every dollar helps bring hope, healing, and lifesaving treatment to real people in the fight for their lives.

Previously, on the RPGBOT charity stream: Jessie and Isaiah arrived in Williams Holler—an Appalachian company town where coal mine doom meets fire-eyed-almost-deer and fatal sermons about salvation through suffering. After a run-in with a not-deer and a meet-and-greet with Mister T and his questionable Applejack theology, our heroes found themselves deep in the mines for mandatory community service, hammering rocks for redemption.

Episode 2 picks up right where we left off: with moonshiner chaos, clumsy pickaxe injuries, Tommyknocker rituals, and a collapsing mine shaft that proves this town is as deadly belowground as it is above.

In this episode of the RPGBOT Podcast, the gang digs deeper into Old Gods of Appalachia—both narratively and literally—as they're sent into the bowels of the Williams Holler coal mine to "earn their keep" under the watchful eye of foreman Josh CC.

Join Jessie and Isaiah as they:

• Learn about Tommyknockers—ghostly Appalachian mine spirits who love pennies and hate eye contact.
• Perform citation-needed rituals involving canaries, fish bits, and whispered thanks.
• Fail basic pickaxe maneuvers (looking at you, Isaiah) and experience the dark gift of GM intrusions, brought to you by generous donors.
• Discover strange, ancient artifacts deep underground—hint: they might belong to the town's ominous apple orchard daughter.
• Encounter a creature that definitely isn't a dog made of coal and bad vibes.
• Try desperately to outrun physics, collapse, and tiny angry men with stone axes through lightless tunnels.

All while raising money for MD Anderson Cancer Research, whose work helps real people—unlike some podcast characters we could name.

• Horror is better underground: Claustrophobic tunnels, unstable lanterns, and monster-dust dogs? That's premium Appalachian fear.
• Cypher System shines in survival tension: Speed and might rolls build both narrative and actual sweat.
• Tommyknockers are the coal miner's cryptid: They warn you with knocks—if you leave them snacks and don't embarrass them.
• GM intrusions are extra spicy during charity games: The more you donate, the more you make the players quietly panic.
• Jessie can shoot, quip, and pull people out of holes: The perfect outlaw protagonist energy.
• This mine is getting worse by the minute: Strange artifact