Hey all, the show’s currently in migration to a new network and likely video as well. Will keep you informed when we have more info. Good news overall, though. - J Show notes: Where Alphie learns that truth is power and should be used sparingly, magic is change, and avoiding The End is the only rule.
In which Alphie courageously defeats a river drake, an old treasure regains, and earns the undying friendship of a well-heeled name.
Where Cessie makes a new friend, learns how to fall with grace, and the finer details of what not, with goblins, to trade.
Dave and I and decided for this ep to go with two of our favorite questions: What kinds of worlds, stories and characters emerge when power, wisdom and courage hold sway? And which lend themselves best to a particular medium or form of play? As for the Thistledowns, you’ll hear more from them in the next. We hope you enjoy. J
Hey all, been a month of moves, audio issues ( we’re still ironing out some ) and medical stuff, so Andrew and I decided to take a day off from Alphie’s solo run to talk about our experiences so far running Thistledowns, and our hopes for the story and game once everyone’s back from vacations. We hope you enjoy. -J
Hey all, illness and a move have made it hard to keep to our usual pace over the summer, so we’ll return to the regular schedule in September. Thanks for staying with us. - J Alphie takes the first step on his solo adventure, makes some newfound friends, and learns what a little knowledge applied can do when he’s put on the line.
Fionn learns the world is old, Bo and a raccoon talk; and they both discover that there’s more to Fionn’s dad than cabbages, folk tales, and just being “Pops”
Fionn, Alphie and Bo discover the source of their magic in the woods deep and old; but what it asks for and Alphie’s promised it are not with fairness bestowed
After a brief stint in the wine cellar, the Thistledowns escape in a most unexpected way. Though what takes their place or would for just a little more magic trade…? They’re only beginning to name.
Cessie, Fionn and Bo learn a few lessons about breaking into important homes, magic when trifled, and when, with their elders, to be (dis)respectful.
Dave joins the folk of the village with his character Bo, and shares his requests for the game as a whole—one of them quite presciently, it turns out, as things would blow. Or for at least one thistledown, as they stand at a threshold.
Anni, Andrew and I figure out the bare essentials of who we’re going to be ( in game ), our favorite implements ( hint: one involves baking ), and and just how much mischief we can create in a town that’s—for the most—everyday. We hope you enjoy. -J
Hey all, Show’s in somewhat of a transitional space as I head into my fourth year of long Covid. Between that, preparing the initial reader packet for Book 1, and a full overhaul of the website and socials, we’ve needed a place where we can be more casual. So I’m going to call this a soft start to Season 4. Which we’ll begin with a look back at some of our favorite narrative tropes, this time from video games ( retro ). Then we’ll dive into a playtest on the next episode. We hope you enjoy, J...
Tonight, our ‘Glorious March’ thread comes to an end. So join Ken and I as we explore the mad psyches of possible foes ( and friends ). And see what happens when the past quite literally comes back to haunt you—and perhaps monologue at—while wearing a funny hat.
Ken and I continue to build on our “Glorious March” thread, with a deep dive into old but inhabited ruins, unlikely friends, and regional conflicts. Oh, and crab monsters, too ( because we have to stay on brand ).
Tonight, Dave and I talk about: • how to explore a world through the lens of particular objects within it that were pivotal • how roleplaying games — tabletop, video, card-based etc — are storytelling engines that both tell a tale and create one out of your experience with them • and when to disclose what kinds of stories a system could tell from the ones that you, as a Creator, hope that yours players will. We hope you enjoy.
This week, Nic and I return to the question of what defines ‘soul’, creativity, and whether A.I.—or even moments of artifice in our everyday lives—can arrive at those.
How human notions of awareness and intelligence are built on observable truths and the stories we put them to. With your host & storytelling guide, Jarod Cerf and guest, Nic Lori
Today, Andrew and I delve into some of the unique characters in an old and dark fantasy world and how they adapt to life in a small town.
Hi all, We’re still in migration, so please bear with as both the show and some of the hosts move to new homes. For today’s episode, Andrew and I decided to take an old setting and give it a new shape: one where big themes and myths would need to fit into a much smaller space.
Hey all, I was so busy preparing the first few chapters of the book for review that I forgot to put this week’s episode up. Today, we’re returning to the ‘Glorious March’ thread, with further tales of what could or might happen, should your prestigious clan’s most ancient regalia be already possessed. And how, through establishing some of the “big” beats, you can find all of the smaller ones in between—such as fancy hats, guillotines, and skeleton cryptkeepers with bespoke tastes in board games....
Hi all, We’ll return with the third and final “Belle of Theta 9” ep soon ( Dave’s currently in the middle of a move ). In the meantime, Ken and I will be working on an new story thread: one full, as Phillip Hole, the Singing Gravedigger often said, of love, adventure and (un)death. We hope you enjoy, J
Hey all, We’ll be migrating to a new recording service soon, so please bear with us through these last few eps on Zoom. As for the convo, we take a deep dive into all of the potential weirdness that ensues when one great catastrophe leads to ‘a few’. We hope you enjoy.
Hey all, We had some fidelity issues with Zoom on this one, so the cleanup was longer than usual ( and there are likely a few immutable quirks left ). That said, Ken and I had a good deal of fun with the second round of our pacing exercise: when, with “the great disaster!”, a tale begins. We hope you enjoy. J
Today, we return to our intrepid space tourists in fantasyland as we ask: how much you should show, say, or tell ( of this provincial life ) before the one moment when ‘everything changes’?
Hey all, the second half of our foray into the tales found in small places is out tonight. So join Dave and I as we discover who transgresses and why, and how even the same rituals, phrases or rites can—with differing intents—a new thing convey.
Hey all, Long Covid is a beast sometimes, and this month marks the third year. Still recording when we can though. Even when the schedule goes a little weird. For today’s ep, Dave and I talk about remakes, remasters, and how in storytelling, even the smallest things, moments or actions can carry a tremendous weight. We hope you enjoy, J
Hey all, Here’s the second half of our wild tour through sci-fi tropes in a fantasy land, now with space tourists, ‘wampires?’, and the new people ( or places ) they’d rule. We hope you enjoy, J
Hey all, With the new trailer to Renfield making the rounds, it seemed like a good time to share one of our vampier streams. This one starts innocently enough, as we ponder the eternal question of “moon wizard v. spaceship 🚀, and then what…?” But never fear: we will have plenty of space butlers and fancy, fanged aliens in the second half later this month. We hope you enjoy, -J Oh, and this one was somewhat of a salvage job, so there might be the occasional quirk or odd noise.
Hey all, We went on an unexpected hiatus last month into this one ( sometimes long Covid forces you to rest ). On a partial schedule at the moment but things should hopefully settle down by Feb. As for today’s episode: sometimes Dave and I like to start with the simple to find the ‘complex’—what will give life to your world, story and characters once they’re outside of your head. Just a quick note—this conversation was originally featured on Odder Worlds some years ago on older equipment, so the...
