It’s a Gamble - Planet Arcana plays A Fool’s Errand in their newest mini series
A new audio-exclusive actual play by Planet Arcana using their custom TTRPG, A Fool’s Errand, which released digitally in the summer of 2025.
The flip of a card, a roll of the dice.
We start, once again, with another big heist.
A slick team of criminals take it in stride.
And they have no idea what’s happened outside.
‘It’s a Gamble’ visits a psychedelic world where consequence is newly dead, love is in trouble, and the main characters just can’t get it right. Follow a brand new set of Fools juggling complicated relationships, calamities, and folly in Planet Arcana’s new 8 episode Actual Play, using A Fool’s Errand as the game system.
Video by Shaun Oldfield.
Planet Arcana’s new actual play, It’s a Gamble, is the first to use the finalized A Fool’s Errand system, custom built by and for the Planet Arcana crew.
It’s a Gamble features new guest players Shenuque Tissera (My First Dungeon) and Alex Nursall (Woodbine), with returning guest player Lexi McQueen (Strix U). J Strautman and B Marsollier remain dual game runners, Shaun Oldfield produces, and Peter Marsollier provides production assistance.
J Strautman remains audio editor, composer, and sound designer for the series, and B Marsollier provides additional music and lyrics.
Cast title cards. Character art & lettering by B Marsollier.
It's a Gamble - Mini Series
It's a Gamble - Theme Song.
- Second instalment of self-contained stories set in the world of Planet Arcana
- Completely stand alone, suitable for new listeners and those familiar with the world and lore
- Comedy-first actual play, woven with elements of expansive science fantasy and drama
- For lovers of slapstick comedy, science fantasy, Fleischer cartoons, and pulp crime novels
- Premiering November 5th, then releasing bi-weekly
- 8 episodes, 1-1.5 hours each
- 1 talkback released every 2 episodes
- Structured Session 0 premiering early (October 29th) to showcase the players building their own world and Big Oops
- 8 episodes, 1-1.5 hours each
- Team
- Starring new guests Shenuque Tissera & Alex Nursall, and returning guest Lexi McQueen
- Double GM’ed by J Strautman & B Marsollier
- Produced by Shaun Oldfield
- Additional production assistance by Peter Marsollier
A Fool's Errand - Tabletop RPG
It’s a Gamble is the second instalment by Planet Arcana highlighting A Fool’s Errand, the custom tabletop roleplaying game designed by Planet Arcana’s double GM unit (and game designers in their own right), J Strautman and B Marsollier.
The first instalment, The Network Defenders, was recorded & released during the playtesting phase.
A Fool's Errand at a glance:
- A tarot-fueled, science-fantasy tabletop roleplaying game designed by the creators of Planet Arcana
- 4-6 players, suitable for campaigns
- Each player makes a custom deck of tarot cards for their character
- 220 page full colour book
- Team
- Lead Designer: J Strautman (Contact, Insatiable Cravings)
- Designer & Art Director: B Marsollier (100% Modern Ghosts)
- Editor: Samantha Leigh (Anamnesis)
- Development Consultants: Peter Marsollier, Shaun Oldfield
- Funded on Kickstarter in late 2024
Planet Arcana - The Podcast
- Multiple award-winning actual play
- Best Original Score at Sydney Webfest 2025
- Most Outstanding Actual Play Podcast (D&D) at New Jersey Webfest 2023
- Best Actual Play Podcast (D&D) at Minnesota Webfest 2023
- Best Game Masters at Minnesota Webfest 2023
- Games run by two GMs, J Strautman & B Marsollier, simultaneously
- Established in 2021, recently concluded a 97-episode main campaign
- Used a heavily homebrewed 5e framework as the story engine
- A world of Humans and Androids, with the tarot deck’s Major Arcana as the pantheon of deities
