In this, the premiere of Book 1's final chapter, Generals Riverfell and Traft make one last doomed attempt to reach terms before the Battle of Freehold begins in earnest. The fate of the Human Realms of Iorden hang in the balance. Fresh off their new and hard-earned revelations, the Kids take an active role in combat. But the Narrator, in a rare moment of blatant editorializing, expresses dread at having to recount what comes next. Our next episode will be coming in early August. Be sure to subs...
Jul 19, 2015•19 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast In this, the final episode of Chapter 9, Jen must confront a man from her past she was not expecting to see. Iorden's civil war arrives on Bryce Riverfell's doorstep whether he and his charges are prepared or not. And Arlene and Gwen change their course, now that Arlene's singing has created some options for them. "The Singing Sister" is © 2014. Lyrics by Zach Glass and Christian Madera, based on a traditional English folk song. Music by Anya Gibian. We'll be back on July 19 with the premiere of...
Jun 21, 2015•18 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast The conflict between Antonin Mooncrest and Ardel Redmoor comes to bloodshed. Who will survive? Meanwhile, Arlene struggles to adapt to a working woman's life; her inexperience threatens to leave her and Gwen without a roof over their heads. You won't want to miss the conclusion of Chapter 9, which will be released on June 21. In the meantime, check out our official discussion forum, and tell a friend about the show if you want our eternal love! "The Singing Sister" is © 2014. Lyrics by Zach Glas...
Jun 07, 2015•16 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast CONTENT NOTE: This episode depicts a physically and emotionally abusive domestic situation from the beginning until the 4:15 timestamp. Please use your discretion in listening. In Billy's vision, the young man must contend with his father's harmful expectations. Will he escape with his mind and soul intact? Our next episode will be released on June 7. In the meantime, be sure to head over to our discussion forum to discuss all that's transpired so far.
May 24, 2015•12 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast As Bryce Riverfell's medics tend to our children in the infirmary at Freehold, the poison they ingested produces striking visions in their minds. In this episode, Nelson struggles with doubt over whether his life so far would make his parents proud. Darkness on the Edge of Town, Pt. 3 will premiere on May 24. Be sure to subscribe, and check out our discussion forum at reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd
May 10, 2015•14 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast In the premiere of our ninth chapter, Billy and Jen push each other to acknowledge their true feelings about being in Iorden, but they are interrupted by the Templars of Discord, and quickly succumb to the same poison which incapacitated Nelson. Will the Kids' fate be left in the hands of their fell captors, or will anyone come to their rescue? And what of Arlene and Gwen's urgent need for discreet lodging? Listen to find out! Part 2 of Chapter 9 will be released on May 10. Subscribe so you won'...
Apr 26, 2015•19 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever Fan Q&A. That's @Anarchaelogist on Twitter, Rena and /u/screwbuharvard2 on Reddit, and Logan Waterman on Facebook. If you want to keep the conversation going, hit us up on Twitter (twitter.com/_toafn), Reddit (reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd), or Facebook (facebook.com/toafn). Chapter 9, "Darkness on the Edge of Town," will premiere on April 26. Don't miss it!
Apr 12, 2015•1 hr•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Nia and her companions are attacked by Renault D'Esprit, the "nice" necromancer. Will any escape the Cairn of Evil Untold with their lives? Or their souls? Will Renault ever shut his stupid face? (Probably not, on that last one.) Meanwhile, at the Horse's Head Inn near Freehold, the Kids get near to the information they seek, but are soon reminded that safety is a rare luxury in Iorden, and never lasts for long. If you leave us an iTunes review, we may read your review on air in an upcoming bonu...
Mar 29, 2015•22 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Brennen, Yllowyyn, Nia, and Regan venture into the ancient burial mound known as the Cairn of Evil Untold to retrieve an artifact for the Knights of the Wood. It goes...about as well as you'd expect for a place that's called the Cairn of Evil Untold. But the ordeal will prove particularly trying for Nia, who must contend with an unsavory slice of her past. (Spoiler - it's this dipsh*t: http://onceandfuturenerd.com/2014/02/05/the-nicest-necromancer-public) Check out our friends at Rude Alchemy (h...
Mar 15, 2015•20 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Alone in the Horse's Head Inn, the Kids try to pry some information out of some out-of-place college students. But, as always, danger is just around the corner. Meanwhile, Antonin Mooncrest issues a public and irrevocable ultimatum to Ardel Redmoor. If you haven't been to our discussion forum, you've missed out on some very lively discussion about Regan's decision at the beginning of Chapter 8. Head over to www.reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd if you don't want to miss the conversation.
Mar 01, 2015•18 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Convinced that Ardel Redmoor has harmed his new bride, Arlene, Antonin Mooncrest wants to retaliate against Ardel immediately; his Uncle Julius advises caution though. But Arlene and Gwen are, in fact, alive and well, and must answer to General Bryce Riverfell for their escape on one of his supply convoys. Meanwhile, the Party stops at a tavern near the ancient crypt where Ry'y lo-Th'yyt has sent them - the Cairn of Evil Untold - and decides to split up. What awaits the grownups in the Cairn of ...
Feb 15, 2015•19 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to The Once And Future Nerd! In this week's episode - the premiere of Chapter 8 - Regan makes her fateful decision about what to tell the Th'ar lo-Hyyl, the Kids get to better know Yllowyyn's sister, Yllowyyn and his parents contend with their increasingly disparate values, and Ry-y lo-Th'yyt makes our Party a very lucrative offer. Oh, and equipment upgrades! We mustn't forget those. Evil Untold, Pt. 2 will premiere on February 15. Be sure to subscribe, and leave us a review on iTun...
Feb 01, 2015•22 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast For today's bonus content, Zach and Christian talk with Dan Dobransky (Ardel, Traft, others) about villains and their role in a story. You can check out more of Dan's work in the webseries CLAN on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/113923451), and see him do sketch and improv at the Magnet Theater in New York (http://www.magnettheater.com). Chapter 8, "Evil Untold," will premiere on Feb. 1. If you can't get enough TOAFN until then, head over our official discussion forum at http://reddit.com/r/onceandfutur...
Jan 18, 2015•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast For today's bonus content, Zach and Christian talk to cast member Greg Schulz (Yllowyyn, others) about the story so far and his experiences being the newest cast member. Did you know that we now have an official TOAFN discussion board set up on Reddit? Head over to www.reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd to discuss the show with other fans (and the creators)!
Jan 04, 2015•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Update: The holiday bonus period is now closed. Check here for more info. From everyone at TOAFN, we'd like to wish you a happy holidays and beginning of 2015! We've got two big announcements to share with you all for the holidays. FIRST, for a limited time only (between now and January 1st) each chapter of TOAFN is available in a binge-able, full-chapter format! That's one single audio file containing all 4-5 episodes strung up in a row, with the theme music only once at the beginning, and the ...
Dec 24, 2014•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains a retelling of sexual abuse, which may be disturbing to some listeners, between timestamps 8:17 - 9:18. Please use your judgment in listening. Faced with the harrowing decision of whether to officially declare her claim to the throne before the Elven High Council, Regan turns to an unlikely advisor. Meanwhile, Antonin Mooncrest discovers his new bride Arlene is missing, and jumps to conclusions about who is to blame. Thus concludes Chapter 7 of our tale. Chapt...
Dec 14, 2014•20 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Arlene Redmoor's wedding finally arrives in this episode! Arlene is wed to Antonin Mooncrest, and what follows is a party that will not soon be forgotten by any involved. Meanwhile, in the White Forest, our party is introduced to the last member of Yllowyyn's family. Yllowyyn's older sister, Yllodyk, turns out to be a rather interesting character. Music for this episode, "The Traditional Iordic Wedding Gigue", was created by Christopher Montalbo for use in THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD, with some rig...
Nov 23, 2014•16 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast As we mentioned before, we are finalists in several categories of the AudioVerse Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted in the semifinal round, we hope you'll consider giving us your vote again. Head to http://audioverseawards.net/site if you'd like to vote!
Nov 21, 2014•Transcript available on Metacast Just a reminder for all you dear viewers that voting for the first round of the 2014 AudioVerse Awards closes on November 17! THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD is nominated in several categories so we hope you'll consider voting! http://www.audioverseawards.net/site/
Nov 11, 2014•Transcript available on Metacast CONTENT NOTE: The first scene of this episode depicts some graphic violence. Use your discretion in listening. Brennen and Jen are treated by the best Elven doctors, whose behavior just seems to rub Billy the wrong way. Despite Billy's misgivings, the two are soon returned to full health. At Castle Guernatal, Antonin Mooncrest distrust of Ardel Redmoor grows, as everyone prepares for the big wedding between Arlene and Antonin. Meanwhile, Yllowyyn is honor-bound to be involved in an extremely unc...
Nov 09, 2014•21 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast With Brennen and Jen in desperate need of medical attention, the party arrives at the White Forest - the sacred sanctuary of Iorden's Elves - in great haste. But the barriers to entry prove vexing even for Yllowyyn the Kalth'yr. Meanwhile, Gwen and Arlene reach a life-changing decision. THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD and its cast & crew have been nominated for several AudioVerse Awards! Voting will begin in November. Find out more here: http://www.audioverseawards.net/site/faq/ Chapter 7, Pt. 2 will b...
Oct 26, 2014•22 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast September 21st marked one year since we began releasing episodes! So we sat down with most of our current cast to talk about where we've been and where we're going. Special thanks to Silver A./AG Audio for helping us out with the audio work on this one. You can check out more of their work here: https://soundcloud.com/ag-audio Hit the break to see the maps we reference in our conversation (one of them is hilariously bad). (Click for bigger images): Baaaaaaad Map Good Map The not-terrible map was...
Oct 14, 2014•45 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast CONTENT NOTE: This episode portrays the aftermath of bodily mutilation from timestamp 16:18 - 17:40, and again from 21:25 - 21:45. Please use your own discretion in listening to these scenes. In the moving conclusion to Chapter 6, Brennen fights against his illness and tries to continue his storytelling, but it seems to be a losing battle. Based on the counsel of the Templars of Discord, General Traft begins the next leg of his campaign, and does some storytelling of his own. And Arlene Redmoor ...
Sep 28, 2014•24 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast As of today, we have accumulated 10,000 total downloads. To celebrate this milestone, and to thank all of you dear viewers for your support and listenership, we're re-releasing the entirety of Chapter 1, "The Prince of Iorden," but this time as a single file with no interruptions and with credits and titles only once. We hope you enjoy it! If you'd like to listen to future chapters this way, please consider becoming a supporter of the show on Patreon. Visit http://onceandfuturenerd.com/support t...
Sep 18, 2014•2 hr 54 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains a portrayal of a rape survivor being forced to confront her attacker from time-stamp 1:00-6:35, as well a portrayal of bodily mutilation from time-stamp 18:33-18:50. Please use your own discretion in listening to these scenes. As the party continues their story-telling on the road to the White Forest, drama unfolds at Guernatal Castle. Rickard Redmoor attempts to speak with Arlene about the history between them. The aftershocks of this tectonic conversation ha...
Sep 14, 2014•20 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast On the road to the White Forest, Sir Brennen tells stories to keep himself awake and the party entertained. We learn of his childhood, the first time he had met King Gunther Guernatal (then only a prince)--and the first time he had killed a man. The Singing Sister continues on September 14. The Once And Future Nerd is approaching its first birthday! If you enjoy the show, please consider giving us a Like on facebook, and check out our Patreon page to consider supporting us.
Aug 31, 2014•17 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to TOAFN! We are proud to present the first installment of Chapter 6, The Singing Sister. The party sets off from Armstrungard. Their destination is The White Forest, home of the elves. After some minor shenanigans passing through the city gates, the party begins to tell stories on the road. Meanwhile, General Traft continues his aggression on the outpost known as Blackhold, and Nia learns a little piece of the meaning of the mysterious dreams. Part 2 of The Singing Sister will be c...
Aug 17, 2014•18 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast In the thrilling conclusion to Chapter 5, the brutal Sir Frieshelm catches up with our party. A shame, really, as Jen was nearly ready to process her recent acts of violence, and Nia was on the verge of a breakthrough with her dreams. Will Brennen and Regan make it to the monastery in time to save the day? Will they need to, or have the children become more capable than anyone imagined? No matter how the battle turns out, when it's over there will be no doubt as to who is truly the worthiest kni...
Jul 20, 2014•21 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast In this installment, Brennen and Regan continue to seek out the remainder of the party. Meanwhile, we learn more of what actually has transpired with Billy, Jen, Nelson, and Nia in the inn outside of the city. In case you missed it, our good friends at Two Grey Dogs Designs have created a line of knitting yarn, whose colors are inspired by Brennen's possibly-prophetic dreams. General Brennen dreamed of a beautiful bird of red and gold, accompanied by smaller birds each of red, gold, or grey. Thu...
Jul 06, 2014•16 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Brennen and Regan track the children's path through Armstrungard. Mishap to mishap, they postulate on what had happened as they follow the trail...and occasionally even guess at something resembling the truth of things. Our plot thickens! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Our patrons receive special bonuses that you don't want to miss! The Worthiest Knight will continue on July 6, 2014. See you then!
Jun 22, 2014•21 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast 
