WWW Interlude #2: The Clearing
There is an idea, buried deep within every human being, that says "Anywhere I can go, I should go." And so we climb mountains, we sail oceans, we plunge into pitch black caverns, every time with the confidence and entitlement that comes from the idea that we are fundamentally welcome in the world.
That idea is wrong.
There are some places. There are some woods. There are some glades. And in these places, we are very much unwelcome.
Happy Spooky season, kids. Heads up, there's more gore than usual in this one.
Starring Lou Wilson, Aabria Iyengar, Erika Ishii, and Brennan Lee Mulligan
Produced by Taylor Moore
Edited and Designed by Brian Flaherty of Many Sided Media. For more of his award-winning sound design, check out My First Dungeon and Bitcherton wherever you get your podcasts.
And featuring an original score and live saxophone performance from Joseph David Spence, with additional vocals by Maddi Albregts, Coryn May, and Joseph David Spence
Comments (567)
Wow, the body horror is some Magnus Archives vibes, this was an incredible one shot!!
One thing I keep coming back to with this interlude is how familiars reflect their witches. Aabria’s mistress is a rich woman who must hide the fact that she is witch. Ostensibly, she should be extremely powerful and fearsome. And yet, her familiar is a domesticated guard dog, only able to do what is allowed and permitted. Something about how women are trapped in the systems that house them and must play their part or be rejected and thrust out of their communities, no longer useful bc they wouldn’t do or act as what was expected of them.
Puff is giving Chet from The Santa Clause 2 energy and I’m so incredibly here for it 😂😂😂😂
what are we, some kind of suicide squad?
The best sound design for an episode so far. Well done!
As someone who’s had really bad trench foot before, I hate this. Thanks
The most Princess Mononoke episode - I loved it so much, such an intense vibe, executed perfectly. That post script familiar note was the perfect way to end the episode. Great little one shot!
And so we have the origin of the Irulyan desert.
Only after listening to the Interlude Fireside Chat I realized I never finished this podcast. Every time I heard the descriptive splitting and digging moss out of the foot I would cringe (no..no) I would stop listening 😂. But I pushed through today and not my cup of tea (greedy Aden Crusher..Bevan and Pooff interwoven into the jungle, and the crowned Panther, steadfast with pride while pools of blood seeped from his body😭). Okay, fine.. it was a good episode🤗🦊🔥
Excellent episode... I mean it's not main book 1 good, but main book 1 is peak
I love coming back to this. To tread these hallowed grounds. *puff*
~ This comment contains SPOILERS, please tred carefully ~ This was so amazing! I cried at Bevan's death. Literally how dare you. However, speaking of Bevan, I have a theory about the "witch" that was his master. I don't think she was a witch, but rather a wizard before the word wizard came to be. Witches are ancient and wizards are new, we know this from the conclave. All of the magic we saw from her does not follow the rules of the world Brennan has set up and from my observations of the stories he has told, that is not something he does lightly. For one, I don't think witches can replace their familiars. So the fact she said she could make another raised some red flags for me. The needle on Bevan's collar is what caught my attention. That is cleverness, turning an object into something that can create familiars from the animals it's placed upon. Though, that is merely a theory. The wording she used also reminded me of the way Suvi has described familiars in the Citadel, disposable and easy to replace. Then the other set of magic we see from her is the stone tablet. I don't recollect a witch requiring a tablet to send messages, they simply have the magic to do it, the sorcerer like class they are. The stone tablet very much reminded me of the stone tablet given to Ame by the Wizard Sly. However, they did do vastly different things. But, once again, Brennan is always intentional with his imagery. I don't think he would have done that without it being intentional. What else I find interesting is the insistence of getting the heart of the crowned beast. Witches have their components, yes, but rarely do they need to rely on them for their magic. Wizards, however, require the extra magical boost. The power in that heart alone is unimaginable. Finally, the fact that she is a noble lady intrigued me. The superiority and cast system of nobility reminds me of the cast system and superiority we see in the Citidel. It is the classic Wizard pride that they simply cannot help. That is the end of my ramblings! So, allow me to summarize. I have a theory that the Lady was not a witch, but rather a wizard, or at least she used magic that would lead to wizardry as we know it today. Once again, a phenomenal story you all have told us in this little, horrifying nuggets where the dog dies. I do not forgive you for this.
I can see your theories being true. Plus there are many levels to a Wizard’s talent, keeping Bevan’s conscious in the gold collar and returning it to its mistress to be reanimated could work.
Absolutely FASCINATED by this small glimpse at what I can only assume is the creation of the Erulean desert. Did the death of the Crowned Panther create the desert, and the wizards of the Citadel just took credit for it? Or did the creation of the desert only coincidentally happen shortly after? Was Lady Corilia only procuring the heart of the Crowned Panther FOR the wizards so they are technically responsible? If not, what did she want the heart for? What was the Panther the spirit of? Was he a capital G Great Spirit? I WANNA KNOW!
Listen to the Interlude Fireside Chat 🦊🔥
On a relisten, I can't help myself or trust Brennan enough not to think this shady Witch—bitch is young Indri
Oh, I could see that
Hey uhhhhhhhhhhh sand blasted demon hunter skeleton is gonna haunt my dreams now 😭
Yep, and the feet digging and splitting 😂
I'm a year late but its the perfect episode for the beginning of spooky season hehe
Over a year later, and i’m still here, in the clearing.
Took me a while to get through also, so much darkness
We need a whole fireside .. is this the citadel?!?! So many questions???
Interlude fireside chat just uploaded
I need a talk back exclusively for this interlude
Alone in my apartment, staring into the middle distance, muttering, “That’s a BAD witch…”
Things that make you go "hey Brennan, what the fuck"
Yup🔥🦊
The dissonant music and sound design underpinning this whole episode is nasty perfection
Once again, please - content warnings for animal death. 😭
1. Brilliant 2. I immediately need to know more. Was the sand retribution or a simple consequence of the panther’s death? Was it the work of human magic? Presumably the witch was not part of it bc she wanted the panther’s parts and didn’t get them? So many more questions. 3. First time I have ever genuinely wanted a character of Lou’s to die. Who HURT you, Aidan?
I could be wrong, but I associated with the sand the creation of the Citadel. They said there had once been a forest there, and perhaps the crowned panther is what kept them from claiming that space.
Just listened to this for the, what, 1,000th time? It’s so good every time. Brennan’s horror DMing is just so good, there’s somethin twisted up there in that big brain just giddy to see the light of day
I’m currently caught up on the main feed (ep 51) and decided to finally give this a listen… and wow the rot really does go all the way to the root, much to consider lmao
I was not ready for unhinged evil Lou Wilson
brennan, you gotta quit killing dogs lol
Hey um Mr. Lee-Mulligan are you okay. Freaking loved this but OMG
you know that circle of things that are ok? this is about 2 miles outside of that circle, stuck in a ditch and slowly rotting but also fantastic amazing i need 4 more of them
hey guys! this is disgusting! thanks!
Never seen part 2 of the clearing. Is it not out yet, or am I not looking in the right place?
The clearing’s first hour or so is free, but the full interlude is only here on the patreon. There is not a part 2 as of yet.
I feel like iv just clicked 2 imporant pieces of information that I cant share because, holy cow!
Wait I wanna knowwwww what’s the connection 👀
Sir. What? Brennan. What? Except actually all of you. And especially Brian for those boot squelches.
I AM NOT OKAY
Never rooted against the protagonists more but this was ...I can't find the adjective, but it's positive. skin crawlies from the greedy mortals and their colonizer ass big cat hunting sport
Really wild to listen to this while everyone keeps repeating your name! I’m part of the story now 🫡
My name is Mira and I was obsessed with the little mermaid as a kid, so it was definitely weird during the D20 season of Never After when she was one of the princesses
The chills and horror that overcame me the moment Brennan said “white sand”.
Jesus. Chills, actual chills.
He said he was gonna kill that dog...
wrong episode to be listening to while ripping up a chicken carcass for stock 😅
Bevin is a good boy! 😭
My question is - who or what is the mysterious entity that apparently creates spirits/demons for the ag of her industry?
Hey, Brennan, what?
Oh my god I listened to this just before bed but now I need a palette cleanser for the last half hour or so
Is Corillia the first wizard? or the founder of the empire’s royal family? or a secret third person?????
Jesus Christ, that ending. Redemption arc for Puffs tho pleasseeeeeeeee something with that cute a voice can't die 😭😭 ALSO THE DOG'S COLLAR?!?! NIGHTMARE
my need for closure on this episode was the tipping point for joining the patreon
I’m wondering When this one-shot takes place like is it deeply in the past or was it in the recent past? Because honestly my first thought hearing that it turned into a stark white desert at the end was just “holy shit was the citadel built on top of this dead forest?” But that might just be a crack theory
Ok nevermind it seems this IS the Irulian desert…does not bode well for the citadel
That stinger from Aabria was *chef's kiss*
This episode was deeply distressing. I did not like hearing Lou play Clayton from Disney’s Tarzan, not one bit.
I will never stop being salty about not getting a whole fireside dedicated to this interlude
my partner: "kind-of a bummer." me: "but listen to how much fun they're having!"
also i'm deeply glad this is 100% audio and deeply pleased at how little effort Lou puts into keeping Aiden alive.
Erika's little Puffs voice is so so sweet. and Brennan's "you should be worried about what i'm about to do to you" voice is always a blursed time.
Zac Oyama: whoa dude
The 30 seconds of joy at min 31 for the Aidan Crutcher Puffs song did not help for how scary the rest of the episode was but both things are good and I’m not haunted by the image of mushroom teeth
This was insane, i spent the last ??? 20? Minutes in shock and the last five open MOUTHED
Wait, did Lou decide to just play Dante
"All of the trees in that Glade have branches that stretch straight up" ... OK, but I drive 2.5hrs most weeks to see my partner who lives out bush, and there are dead trees in the middle of a water catchment area that do look EXACTLY like this. GODDAMNIT.
I’m pretty sure the the trees Aabria Erika and you are referring to are trees that in some point in time have been pollarded, which is is an especially English practice in which you cut and maintain a tree so that it grows many strait shafts that can then be used to create bows. Many trees that at one point in time were used for this purpose were later left to grow untended, so creating a very striking silhouette of mostly natural trees with unnatural upper portions. So don’t worry spirits aren’t real, sadly English people still are. :(
I have listened to this easily half a dozen times and the turn at the end from "a clearing is the opposite of a glade" to "OH FUCK 'CLEARING' IS ALSO A VERB" is still so spine-tingling that the arrival of the snare drum always makes me momentarily fearful of shattering.
You know shit is crazy when when locations have badass backstories
Is there going to be a continuation of this??
Erika: *shows sass to some smoke dudes* Brennan: “I’m gonna need… 40 dexterity saving throws”
Don't bite ghosts. What a line to end on. What a chilling story. I'm glad I saved it for October.
SCARYYYYYYYY it was scary I’m scared.
Whenever I think of The Irulian Desert now, I'm always going to know that somewhere out in that pure white sand are the bones of Aiden Crusher, and the Crowned Panther. Chilling.
1. That music. I need that in an IV drip. 2. What's Corillia the witch *of*? 3. I'm beginning to think that the Citadel might not be an entirely benevolent organization...
most witches are probably not so heavily titled. example is how people that don't have all the info tend to call Ame the "witch of Toma."
Finally got around to listening to this one and Holy Fucking Shit. Didn't realize "The Clearing" was such a perfectly apt name
This was incredible
Lou's performance here shook me to my CORE. What a chilling portrayal of delusional optimism and clinging desperation. Woof.
The whispers that came through at minute 57 were perfect.
The way my heart DROPPED into my stomach when Brennan said the clearing is still in sight
Would be great if we could also get a pdf transcript, Thanks!
Great how do I go back to normal now
I guess it has been a minute since Brennen had gone and killed basically TPK’d a party like in EXU
wizard hubris meet wicked witch
hey pals! could a more formal content warning for gore/body horror be included? please!
Yeah, I had to skip some parts.
really glad i didnt decide to eat during this one lol
I'm catching up with the interludes after finishing the main 3 arcs and holy cow that was amazing!
I love you guys so much and it hurts me that I can’t listen to this because mushrooms growing out of flesh is the biggest squick for me - it just makes me *violently* ill. It is a testament to your supreme word-picture-painting skills that i find it unlistenable 😂❤️
Please can someone give me a plot synopsis so I don’t miss any important lore?
Holy. Fucking. Shit. I just became a patron and this is the first thing I listened to... Holy. Fucking. Shit.
40????
lou and mushrooms = emotional damage
I am screaming
Are the wizards in a desert because they chose to be, or because they made it be?
They made it i believe, that was confirmed i think?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I waited as long as I could to listen to the interlude holding out between seasons. That was SO GOOD and ALSO DEVASTATING
That was.... somewhat positively traumatising. Uh... Thank you ??
Absolutely killer stinger!
“The clearing” uh huh
OH... YEAH
"The crowned panther" and a dog... oh no oh no oh noooo am I gonna get Where The Red Fern Grows'd?
....OH.
The Dust, The Dog and The Demon Hunter
I was at awe at how disgusting Ayden Crusher is. Lou is good at role playing.
So, so good- 10/10 would be appalled by descriptions of foot rot again
This was insanely good!
I was in awe at the description of the trees wresting secrets from mortals. Then the ending just… blew me away. The Clearing, is that the forest clearing or the literal clearing of everything?
Damn. Just. Damn.
“Don’t bite ghosts, got it!” 👌🏼 incredible Aabria!
The Stranger made some good points, I see
There I was - listening to WBN in the Amtrak quiet car and eagerly awaiting the closing minutes of “The Clearing.” When those minutes arrived?? I did a double take, sat up straight, and my head swiveled from side-to-side in wide-eyed wonder. Utterly incredible storytelling and sound design. I’m so stoked for the upcoming campaign because - wow - I have so many questions!!! Let’s cackle cackle by the crackle crackle
Is there any chance Taylor will ever release music that we can use in our home games? I would love that
He said previously he probably will release an album of sorts, when that is we don't know as there was never a time table discussed. It's possible they've discussed when that could be among themselves, but to our knowledge we don't know when it's happening.
Seems like there is at least some interesting similarity between the Crowned Panther spirit and the imprisoned Questing Beast spirit in the painting on the first floor in the Kasov collection gallery with the dogs barking at something not seen. Pomeroy's description when Suvi demanded an answer: - "The normal subject of this painting is itself a questing beast." - "weird, tall, lanky, draconic prey animal. It has a long and snakelike head that ends in a kind of six eyed—like three eyes along its head, weird antlers, long and furry ears. You see, however, it has like, leopard spots and digitigrade long feet like some tall, lanky kind of leopard or jungle cat. And its back two legs, with that shaping end in hooves, so clawed on the front and then hooves on the back, and a long tufted tail like a lion" - "The Glatisant, or questing beast, may be observed here in this portrait WHEN it is here. But it is called the questing beast because knights of old would seek it out, and in its capture prove some sort of honor and receive a boon."
woah this is a fantastic observation!!
Can we see the vocal score for the interlude finale?!? Absolute chills, I would love to learn it
Promise you'll post it and tag us! https://drive.google.com/file/d/162-7_mnykQKEam0-Uauxdw2JBeyBhJ9I/view?usp=drive_link
Hubris begetting hubris, trampled under the sharp, pretty foot of more hubris The uppance is coming
I am screaming this is FANTASTIC, Old Gods of Appalachia vibes, more dark horror worldbuilding PLEASE!!!!
Yall literate just writing a Mononoke ttrp. Seriously this is a stunning one shot though!! So ethereal but grotesque! Amazing story for the upcoming spooky season 🍂💀
oooooh!! I want art of this episode SO BADLY NOW GOOD IDEA
He's all the bad guys.
this comment will spoil the entire last half an hour for you, "see more" at your own risk: . . . . . . . . i cant decide if im more obsessed with the idea that the bleached, fused skeletons of the crowned panther and aiden crutcher are being preserved by the citadel in the back of a museum somewhere, or that they were simply bulldozed by the magic and will never be mentioned again
Amazing work. This will probably become the bite sized sample I suggest to people when I try and hook them on this show. Immaculate!
Holy shit! Arrggggghhhhhhhhhh
"Neverafter is the scariest thing Brennan has ever done" The Clearing: "Hold my beer."
OKAY MESSED UP ORIGIN STORY WE SEE YOU
I need like five minutes of quiet after listening to this. The absolute sacrilege of the entire second half of this right up to the end, absolutely harrowing
Holy crap!
really want a fireside chat for this!!
Brennan "I'm gonna kill that dog" Lee Mulligan
That was deeply unsettling and scary and I loved every minute of it ❤️
Oh. My. God. Joseph David Spence… HATS OFF MAN. The music, the SQUELCH of the boots. Between the audio and Brennan’s creepy voice this episode was pure frisson.
I’m just the music man on this one. All the sound design hats go to Brian Flaherty! And thank you!
This one got me so hard, and I loved every minute!
DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE 30 MINUTES????
I uh did not read the caption before listening and so my horrified surprise was very raw and real as shit started going LEFT. AND THE ENDINNGGGG AAHHH
Ohhhhhh ok I understand why Aabria needed corner time now
This was so raw y'all. Here for it!
I didn’t know Clayton from Tarzan was gonna be in this!?
The vibes were immaculate. This is why I pay $5 per month!
Okay freaks
Absolutely incredible. You all are absolute masters of the craft. These interludes are absolutely *chef’s kiss* Will all of the interludes be isolated stories or is there any chance of following up and interlinking some? (I.e. follow up what’s continues on in 12 brooks, s someone digging up Aiden’s corpse for the heart of Te fiti, or “The Adventures of Bevin” a children’s novel for the morbidly curious)
Bevin deserved better
excuse me? EXCUSE ME?? i love it.
This was SO damn good. That is all.
Wait, one more thing: it was so SO damn good. K, bye.
Wow, complete 180 from episode 1 and this was also fantastic!
thanks for the gore warning! would it be possible to have timestamps in the description for those of us that are more squeamish? or, in my case, who are extremely squeamish. for example, "Self mutilation (Foot) 37:52-40:16"
"Description of injury (Leg) 44:28-44:32"
so do you think that wayshadowed mushroom back in the prologue would’ve turned eursulon into a visage of aiden?
what a comedy of errors becomes…
This adventure reminded me of an adventure in the Trophy RPG system called The Flocculent Cathedral. In Trophy, the themes are very much the vibe of this episode. Dark, gritty, and unlikely to survive. I love fantasy horror and BLM nailed the feel.
Twelve Brooks: 🐸💕🎉☀️❤️🌻🎊 The Clearing: 🦶🏻💀🕸️🦗🦟🪳
You forgot 🌫️🦠👹🍄💨🚬🏮🐈⬛🤯
WHAT
This is insane!! Lou really nailed this awful character, bro ACTED!! But my god the sound scape was incredible, well done!!!
These storytellers… I’m beyond obsessed.
Holy. Fuckin. Shit.
I have never hated a player character more than Aiden omg
(Spoilers) of COURSE nature would be destroyed by a guy named aiden
Oh no they’re doing bits GUYS BRENNAN WILL HOLD YOU TO THIS
You know that moment in "Ghost in the Shell" where a chorus sings as we get nothing but a montage of shots of the city while it begins to rain? There was a moment in The Clearing that reminded me of that chorus & it was amazing. Well done on the sound design on this one!
Ooooh, that is a brilliant connection. Imagine the moment where Aidan steps on the mushrooms and the Panther frees the spirits, and listen to this: https://youtu.be/vJsEYwguuj8?si=60VLsVR_rXVCWU4v
My jaw dropped 3 hours ago. I’m still in shock from that ending. 😱
oh my god. the CLEARING?????? oh. my GOD.
OH MY GOD
I almost never say this: EEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW
oh my GOD
Note to self, don't bite ghosts. Phenomenal interlude.
Absolutely horrifying:)) what a way to tell the story of the desert being created, through the lens of a monster hunter being sent on a task to kill a primeval beast before it is destroyed for good
Ive been a Lou Wilson stan for a while but this preformance put him on another level for me omg I love him so much. I absolutely HATE Aiden Kretcher (spelling?). If I ever hear the name Aiden in real life I will give real life side eye 🤣 its ruined. Lou and the entire crew as well great fucking job this was so fun and also deep and emotional which makes for great horror. The mushroom spirits made me tear up, those words, with that score were beautifuly haunted.
Everyone pointing to Mononoke, don't forget Nausicaa! Especially with the atomic fire at the end. They really went full Ghibli on this one, let's just hope Grave of the Fireflies stays in the drawer..
Truly breathtaking
Hey Brennan quick question. What the fuck is wrong with you?
1:13:05 should’ve know something was up when he didn’t ask for an attack roll just a constitution saving throw
HOLY POTATS WHAT AN ENDING
Didn't know we were getting a damn Delta Green game this week.
So that's why it's called the clearing.
This is what happens when players face consequences of their silly little ideas and I love it
Welp that was terrifying lol. Loved it!!!
Very interested to know how much the cast new about the ending!
coming back just to say Brian is a madman the sound design is IMMPECCABLE HOLY MOTHER OF GODS
Thanks! :)
Hey. What the fuck??????????!
Fuck I love this show
Ugh what an episode 😮💨 thank you so much WBN team 🙏🏻
Oh. My. GOD!!!
these interludes are sooooo fucking good i cant wait until we have a whole anthology of them
Took me three sessions to finally get through this interlude and it was worth it. Driving at night under the moonlight and listening to that ending was otherwordly. Madman Mulligan and the Archmages Sound Scape hit it out of the park!!
Hooooolllyyyy shiiiit
Damn. I listened to it again, and it's even better on a relistened. An unexpected crying jag on "you perceive the dead eyes of a creature that wanted nothing more than to see you succeed". Amazing job. Lou's crazed cackle and raw! I can't!
Wowww, this really inspired me to run my own spooky cursed forest one-shot!!
This has to take the cake as my favorite Lou Wilson performance of all time. Absolutely killed it!
I *NEED* at least a *PORTION* of this episode's original recording to be released *ONLY* so I can see everyone's faces during the 1:13:30 marker, PLEEEASE
Same!!
Oh, my, god. Devastating. Glorious. For the last 3 minutes I had goosebumps and my eyes literally watered. Holy holy
Also, thinking on it. Somehow the scene of the hollow-eyed spirits wailing and then eventually leaving really reminded me of the Fatal Frame games?? Horrifying yet gorgeous folky horror. And yeah idk just wanted to throw it out there incase anyone else catches the same vibe off the spirits!
*IF YUR JAW IS ON THE FLOOR* *PUT YUR HANDS UPPPP*
🙋🏻♀️
I love that the desert was created through the actions of a witch of industry…. The cycles are cycling….
That wasn't my interpretation-- I think the desert was going to be created, regardless of the witch's actions. However, I am questioning that theory now, as we have no idea what else she was up to...
We need a talkback PLEASE!!!!!
“I need 40 dexterity saving throws” 😤 I deserve this
Uh uh get back here we need a talkback for this... I'm so srs
This was INSANELY GOOD OH MY GODS AND THE SAND AT THE END HOLY SHIT
Jawdropping. Knew from the start this was going to be the genesis of the Irulian Desert. Lots of questions!!! Who was the Crowned Panther? Who was Corilla(?)? Why does she want the heart? What does it do? Will me meet her in-game? Where is Meranthis? Fan-art, when? Fireside, when?
aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
God-tier episode.
Hooooollly hell that was a ride. Princess Mononoke vibes!!! My jaw is still on the floor and the screamed “wwooah my god!!” can be heard for miles.
If Brennan is feeling generous, I would *love* to know how things would be different in the current storyline if the witch had ever gotten the heart. Or was the whole assignment meant to get rid of a guy who made his whole living killing spirits?
please please please release a fireside chat for this masterpiece of collective storytelling
Man I gotta stop listening while driving, I have no idea how I got to my destination I remember nothing except the world you guys created in my mind
Taylor went OFF with the sound effects for this one.
All credit to Brian Flaherty and Joseph Spence, who both delivered some fantastic work on this ep! -t
I went in without knowing the horror I was stepping into - oh boy
holy FUCK
thank you joseph david spence that score was devastating!!!
CERTIFIED MONONOKE HORROR
This was incredible. What happened? Did he just die hallucinating. Or was this the creation of the desert.
Whew.
Can. Not. Handle. 👏
The way Aabria ended this was *chef kiss*
Agreed!
The opening of this episode was collaborative storytelling at its best. I mean, getting your players to set the physical scene in which they all meet their end is definitely on another level.
Those drums going off at the end! Such good sound choices
Reminded me of all the Marching Band sounds of the Citadel.
Wow!! Holy fuck that was so scary and so good!! I am so ready for Halloween now. 😆
Deeply curious if y'all sampled some of the background sounds/music from the film Arrival (or maybe simply took inspo from it). Whatever it is, it's rad and eeeerie ✨
Similar vibes but not the same music.
I spent forever pulling my jaw off the floor when this finished. Listened on my commute. Sat stone still in my car absolutely shook in the best way. This was un-fucking-real. I love all 4 of the folks but Lou. Man. Lou. So so so talented.
Truly his unhinged laughter/scream towards the end. I was so enthralled!
Thank you all for all the amazing stories you give us. This was a blast to experience. Big praise to the sound design especially towards the end. Truly an ethereal feeling
Do yall think this is how the desert was made - the one the citadel is on?
Yeah, the snare drum of a marching band going off is a cue that it's the citadel making the desert, I think.
Finally caught up, what an incredible show! Loving the creepy atmosphere on this one, truly hating the squelching sounds with the foot. I'm not generally especially squeamish, but that really got me in an unpleasant way. I don't want to be overly negative, but here's one vote against that particular bit of sound design in the future.
I've listened to this 4 times already. It is absolutely my favorite piece of dnd content... ever.
Brennan Lee FUCKING Mulligan
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THIS
That panther is a spirit of night, a king some called him. Now who else do we know like that?
Came back to the comments to see if anyone was saying this. Wonder if their sartorial choices are informed by our demon hunter friend?
This is so crazy - !!!
absolutely fantastic ending, god damn!
Holy shit
Talor, What the fuck. Beautiful music, the end -cheif kiss. But the FOOT SCENES??! No Talor. that was not okay.
This absolutely FLOORED me. So unsettling and evocative. Lou reminding us that he's RP GOAT. And Brennan said do you think this is some kind of game we're playing here??
I'm sorry if this isn't the right place for this but I just wanted to reach out somehow and express my gratitude to you guys for this series. Not long after WBM started my mother was diagnosed with a rare uterine cancer. We started to have a lot of long car rides to the best specialist we could find within driving distance. Frequently she would fall asleep any time that Brennan talked for a while. She said she loved his voice and found it comforting. She'd usually wake up to Lou, Aabria, or Erika exclaiming or squealing. She'd smile and tell me to turn it back because she'd missed something good. We'd have to listen to the episodes over and over for her to take them all in. Her absolute favorite was Twelve Brooks, though she did always call it 12 rivers (I blame wheel of time making her think of two rivers). She even had her own Patreon subscription because she wanted to support you guys even more. She was always a big sci-fi and fantasy nerd. She loved dimension 20 and naddpod we had just started getting into pixel circus as well. She passed away last Monday. There was very little pain. She was surrounded by her children and grand children. I don't know if I'll be able to listen for a while but I'll be back i hope when the fond memories overtake the pain. I love everything you all do and hope anyone who reads this will give a loved one a tight hug for her. Rest in peace Annie.
Sending my best to you and your loved ones <3
Ok so just putting the lore together here. Was the witch sending them on this little expedition because she knew the wizards were about to SAND the forest, and she needed this done before that happened? Or did what happened in the forest during this episode cause SAND to happen?
I can't speak to the witch's prior knowledge, but the Panther spirit did say this forest is dying to Erika's smog demon before they stepped on the mushrooms, so I believe they were unrelated events.
"13"^-^ "Great..."
This was definitely an episode of What If...? but with Disney's Gaston and two sidekick magic creature companions. I also kept waiting for that foot to just... fall off lol.
The 90 degree angles of the tree branches gave this seemingly unnatural feeling to that place, right. 3 things on that point: 1. Sharp geometry is something that we've discussed as wizard-y in this setting and it feels appropriate for them to choose THIS place for the Citadel 2. About that sharp=Man and curvy/chaotic=Nature thing, I know it's a common association, but if you look up "math in nature" or something like that, you'll see just how much the rules of atomic spacing shine through at a macro level. It's a beautiful merger of the wizards and witches 3. I saw a tree with all vertical branches and it creeped me out too. It turns out it's something about pruning trees. Like, it's a thing landscapers do strategically or some such.
Bevin dying is Brennan reminding us that familiars are fair game 😅
"I need you to make 40 dexterity saves." "I deserve this." 😂😂😂😂😂
I don't know if I will ever recover from that. Terrifying. Captivating. I love it.
Absolutely outstanding. Truly incredible work, I yearn for more of this level of world building. I need to listen again. I started listening when I started making a Beat, Bacon, and Burrata soup, and was just finishing my meal as it ended. Chef's kiss.
Clearly gotta start reading the trigger warnings. Never an issue before but I was gagging in my car. That said obviously it’s amazing 🤩
there are trigger warnings?
Long time patron first time commenter, this was absolutely incredible. Easily one of the best stories I've experienced full stop. I may need to give this one a second listen as I don't think I grasped the details of the forest properly but. Left me stunned.
Everyone was incredible, I was in love with Puffs and the little theme music they were humming but as the tone shifted back into horror oh my goodness, Lou Wilson. Absolutely -chilling- performance. Truly committed to the bit and it pays off every time!
Oh citadel... Colonizers gonna colonize I suppose lol 😆 good bye ancient spiritual Forrest, hello delicious seafood soup 🍲
Great episode! Everything about this entire thing had my skin itching. I hated feeling helpless to help the spirits. Everything was bad…
On listen #2, Lou's scream/yell of triumph after killing the Crowned Panther, just absolutely kills me
that unhinged cry pierced my soul
The double entrendre only just hit me
You cannot just comment that, and expect stupid people like me not to demand an explanation. What double entendre?
And our BELOVED players, y'all are sculpting actual magic together. My jaw is still on the floor.......
All I can do is swirl with dreams and fantasies in my head imagining the gnarly, whimsical, VAST world that I know Brennan holds in his head. I'm giddy. I'm here forever, I hope this story is told for generations.
Sat stunned, jaw hanging open for - no exaggeration - a full twenty seconds after the final moments
What the hell you absolute madmen bravo
This was amazing and literally drove home with my free hand clutched over my mouth for the last 45 minutes.
WOAH..............................
Yo??????
There's so much about this episode to adore but Lou's evil laugh had me floored. Amazing.
I desperately need a fireside chat for this episode cus OH MY GOD I need to hear everyone’s thoughts
I need to hear their response to that FINAL bombshell.
Jaw.... meet floor
Welp, this was incredible…and incredibly intense. What a story ❤️
I will NEVER recover from this holy fuck
Lou Plays this character SO WELL! that PURE EVIL laugh after he slays the panther. such a contrast from Eursulon. I love it.
Brennan 'imma kill that dog' Mulligan
🙂↔️😂😭
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
HOLY SHIT. Can we please get a fireside on this?
So what we thinking, the Citidel just so happened to choose a day after Aedan killed the Crowned panther to "make their desert" or as punishment for his sacrilege, the warped time where he made no distance at all and held him Trapped in that place until it's destruction, warping his sense of time.
Probably got sent to kill the panther and take it's heart because the witch knew the citadel would destroy the forest anyway
OH MY GOD????!!!!!!!!!! i am astounded holy shit
I just finished listening and I’m relistening to this again HOLY SHIT YALL. Just impeccable storytelling
Oh my god??? This was insane. So good.
WoooooooWW, I would love a fireside chat for ThiS
had to watch this over the course of two days .... omg? bleem ..... BE CALM
This was so gangsta. I’m obsessed. Lou needs an Oscar NOW
The body horror of this was visceral I was literally squirming as I drove
🗣️YO SOUND DESIGN AND SCORING FOLKS YOU DID YOUR BIG ONE HERE!!! 🙏🏾😭
The body horror had me cringing all of my bones into my torso, but the true moment of mind-destroying horror was Lou struggling to walk for a full day, only to turn around and see he was still within view of the clearing
This was truly incredible. Thank you so much.
Incredible story with evocative imagery throughout...but fuuuuuuck, that ENDING! I was shooketh when the realization hit!
WBN said it's nature horror time. This felt like reading one of those lost in the wild horror novels.
do we know if they plan on putting out transcripts for everything? or if there already are transcripts somewhere? usually i can listen just fine but i’m having trouble focusing and would love to be able to read along to help keep myself focused
If we know anything about Brennan…he’s gonna kill that dog.
I don’t… think it was wise for me to listen to the end of this during my lunch break. Was not prepared… for this energy… I don’t know how else to put it but this episode made me feel *despair* you guys are fucking evil masterminds
I could literally listen to y'all make up stories all damn day, geeeeeezus
"don't bite ghosts. got it, sorry ma'am!" AABRIA THAT STINGER????????
I believe I speak for us all when I say, Holy Shit
oh my fucking god (also the witch having almost the same name as the world I created for my current campaign..)
😱😱😱😱😱
God almighty, what a SHOW. Also the [SPOILERS FOLLOW…] …sudden resonance of the Citadel’s *white sand* with that blistering description of Aidan’s death and the strong thematic presence of mushrooms? I am truly open mouthed. Talk about a dagger in the heart of the world.
i picked up on the sand but not the significance of the mushrooms, could you explain?
So at 20th lvl Suvie gets The Football? *eagle screech*
Bevin making me realize that it wasn’t just dimension 20 dogs who weren’t safe 😭
As soon as I heard there was a dog all I heard was Brennans voice echoing in my mind "I'm gonna kill that dog"
Ok, so, 'you've stepped in a field of mushrooms that haven't been disturbed since the Dawn of Time' was crazy but understandable. 'This will be the most important thing Aiden will do in his lifetime' went so HARD.
The way my mouth was AGAPE at the last five minutes there, oh my FUCKING GOD!!
You just had to make peak fiction didn't you, my god. The sound design truly making my stomach churn along with Brennan's lovely description of a man being actively eaten by a forest before being sand blasted
Oh WOW
At first, it was just *magical* and beautiful. Then Beven just [spoiler redacted] . What a way to hammer in this coffin nail of a vibe. Like, yeah, creepy before then, but hoo boy. What a friggin' 'sode, y'all.
Brennan: this forest is beautiful just for existing - Citadel: hold my beer
Citadel: ew bugs
Hey quick question for Brennan: how could you?
Woah. This is one of my favorite stories these guys have done. Amazing.
setting aside the INCREDIBLE lore drop at the end, that stuff with the rotting foot was.... your descriptions have viscerally grossed me out many times Brennan but that really takes the cake, dear god
I had wondered if the white sands of the Irulian Desert were a sort of rhyming history allusion to the real White Sands. The brilliant spreading light searing the flesh from Aiden’s bones makes the parallel quite striking.
OH HOLY SHIT I DID NOT EVEN MAKE THAT CONNECTION!!!!! 🤯
This was amazing. The mononoke vibes were immaculate
Bloody hell's bells. This felt like a messed up version of Mononoke Hime. The sound design really added a grotesque element to already disquieting scenes
My spooky goth boy soul has been appeased.
"And he is a dead animal" is the hardest line I've ever heard
dude this was so vivid in my mind i could see literally everything that was awful (IN A GOOD WAY)
PS: this episode had great timing forrrrrr SEPSIS AWARENESS MONNNNNTH 🎉🎊❤️ Remember, folks: if you have a brewing infection it’s important to be seen as SOON as possible because moss may not grow in your wounds, but bacteria and fungus certainly will. Know the signs & symptoms, get help quick, and likely save a life! Xoxoxoxoxo
Sepsis may or may not cause you to be attacked by the Panther King.
I came in looking for good spooky times and you folks decide to add in important shocking lore! You monsters! (/pos)
Spoiler alert!! But I absolutely loved the unhappy ending. Aabria asking “should I roll?” And being so disappointed when Brennan said no.
I often just sorta lurk and make art, but I wanna pop in to say I always appreciate an Elmer Bernstein-esque ondes martenot(or some similar sound) in a score! (I also always appreciate Taylor's score, I just never get to hear an ondes martenot. I was just infodumping about its use in the The Black Cauldron score to somebody a few days ago haha)
Oh my god, even if I had only listened to this episode my patronage of WBN would have been worth it. I absolutely CANNOT get over the music, so in sync with what the players and Brennan were doing. Astonishing, incredible
Oh so the Citadel is absolutely haunted as fuck huh?🤣😭
EXCUSE ME HOW AM I MEANT TO BE NORMAL AT THAT ENDING?!
WHITE SAND?
Okay. After that JAW DROPPING episode, I have some follow up questions: The Sand - did the players know it was coming, or was this their first insight into the timing of the oneshot? How big is the Irullian Desert? How much beautiful foresty land was destroyed by its creation? Was the land creepy/bad to begin with or was it like an animal backed into the corner at the end of its life, raising its hackles and swiping out at anything that would disturb it? What else is buried beneath? Does Suvi know what the creation entailed? How does the Citadel teach about it? The Witch, The Needle, and the Good Boi: first of all, WTF Aabria? Why do you do this to my heart? Is the witch's familiar a dog or the needle? Does she just have a dog-shaped needle familiar? How old is Beven really? How many dogs has this witch killed every time she needs a new familar? What did she need the heart for? Was she caught up in the sand? Was she far enough away? What was she the witch of? Why did she have to hide her witchyness? Why not witchy and lady? ... Those are my most pressing questions as of now. If anyone has any answers, they would be most welcome and appreciated. 😁
I picture Suvi’s knowledge of this as being kind of similar to our knowledge of any horrible colonialism history. I know they’ve specifically stated they don’t want this show to be an allegory — but it seems like Suvi knows (from some other conversations with Steel) that there was an awfulness that came along with creating this giant giant desert. But I’m willing to bet that, like most of us, she doesn’t have an understanding of the depth of the horrific mess.
You beautiful psychopaths.
I have to know if that was a larger than normal Moorbounder. Cause thats immediately what I imagined based on the description
I love the implication that the founding of the Irulian desert required two things, violence and hubris. Immaculate to build a fire/princess mononoke vibes in this one!
just.....wow
Omg
This is actually one of the most insane things I’ve ever listened to. As someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy horror I was enraptured by this interlude! Absolutely phenomenal work 💕
On a few levels, Twelve Brooks and The Clearing are my Barbenheimer.
That was fantastic. Love a good tale of folly, and those seem pretty rare in actual play D&D shows. Aiden had strong Gaston/Milton Dammers (The Frighteners) energy.
“white sand” had my jaw drop
Seriously though. 👀
This one was absolutely delicious. Lou really knows how to play a horror movie archetype.
I screamed so many times hearing this while I took notes from this How-to-horror dnd class.
Now I’m not a furry but there’s something goin on with that crowned panther 😏 ahaha. What those too many paws do
the way i was not prepared for this tone, wbn yall cook everytime 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
RIGHT??!
Whoever names wbn episodes is SO FREAKIN good at giving them titles which at first blush are like “yeah that makes sense! Cool name!” And after you listen you look at the title and it has a new face and you are Changed
finally a story that acknowledges the importance of CLEAN SOCKS or LACK THEREOF.
TRENCH FOOT IS THE REAL VILLAIN HERE!!!
Jesus Christ, that was… WILD I’m not doing ok 😭 Brennan WTF
ALRIGHT MERVYN PEAKE, CALM DOWN, WE GET IT, YOU'RE ALL GOOD AT EERIE DESCRIPTIVE PROSE
i feel so sad for Puffs and Bevin😅 Aiden brought his fate upon himself tho😁
BLM -- that episode was unhinged! 😲
hey man wtf
i sat down to have a nice podcast with my breakfast, and you put gangrene in my brain
Lord. I knew Brennan could do body horror from all the Sleeping Beauty stuff in Neverafter but this was next level! . . . (trying to bump things down in case of spoilers) . . I can almost forgive the wizards for creating the Irulian Desert if it wiped out what happened in that forest. 😬 I guess that’s what the crowned panther was referring to when he told Puffs and Aidan to get out of dodge? I thought it was just going to be the forest taking revenge, but then… SAND. Really well done; one ill turn deserves another, I guess!
Maybe this is just my Tolkien-esque sense of shit but i dont know that the forest was "bad" to begin with, rather, like a commenter phrased it, the land was at this point like a wounded animal backed into a corner with its hackles raised. If the forest has been poisoned and is now dying I dont know that its fair to blame the forest
The way I GASPED - I scared my partner and our cats so bad 😅 What an incredible interlude
Holy shit! Yes, a full moon special! Love it!
I kept thinking “What’s the rush?” And then the rush hit me right in the face.
What in the world..... haha
The Clearing of my ability to function, you guys fucking aced it in every way possible, thank you 🤩
Thisssss, on my life I swear I didn't know what I was getting into listening to this at night just before bedtime 😶🌫️
Hey guys what a fun little interlude hey wait wait no wait what no surely not no what WHAT FULLY WHAT THE FUCK
That's gnarly dude
Incredible!
Holy frickoli
I’m glad I waited until the night of the full moon to finish this 🤩
horrifying on so many levels good god. They all did amazing but the way Lou stuck to the assignment he knocked it out of the /park/. The way this cements the creation of the desert where the citadel now exists even further as an act of horrific destruction just...wow. This was amazing and I think I need to go find something comedic so that the pit in my stomach can fuck off.
This is awesome!
Damn… when you let Brennan cook 🤌🏾
Listen to the very end friends because the lesson is always when you let Aabria Iyengar cook 😤😳 Everyone was in their bag for this one!
I’M SO GLAD I DIDN’T LISTEN TO THIS AT NIGHT WTF
Don't step on mushrooms kids! Listening to this right after BLeeM in CR Downfall makes me want to hear a one shot with the earlier Citadel wizards (pre desert) and hear the arguments that went into creating the desert (Young wizard Sly or Stripe maybe, since the city is only like 100 years old) Maybe as a gift one day after the Citadel gets wrecked in this war oof.
D&D has it in for mushrooms in general & this podcast in particular
Perfect spooky season material.
Gonna leave a formal request for more sweet light-hearted umora underneath this...
Aabria. I know you're here. I know you're gonna read this. Thank you for the final little moment. Much love ❤️
HOLY SHIT i say this as the biggest compliment ever, 🫰🏻💚that was disgusting💚🫰🏻and also iiinnnnccredible! i truly was not expecting that ending. also, score was amazing loved the choral chanting growing in intensity the dissonance used was *chefs kiss*
holy fucking SHIT!
also “im just trying to represent the tone of the story” — incredible. no quarter!
Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit what the FUCK. (I love it but seriously BLeeM, what the hell)
Wow, what a fun and lighthearted one-shot that definitely isn’t going to give me nightmares about haunted forests!
what the fuck
really nice pun with the ep title!
I also wanted to add that Lou’s performance as a poacher slowly descending into madness was phenomenal
Obsessed. Infatuated. Indebted. Slain. 😭🔥
Also I think I found all the wet slapping noises Taylor mentioned in the Jordon interview - 🤮 but it is great environmental storytelling
Yeah, the foley editing was truly disgusting (and I mean that in a complimentary way)
HOLY SHIT the spooky music was on point i was actively supremely rooting against Aiden lmaooo damn wizards
Yall are absolutely going to UNDO ME with these nibbles of lore.
This was definitely payback for the soup crimes levied against BLeeM 😂😂😂
Also, I'm very thankful to be listening to this in a fully lit room 🥰🥰
FORTY DEXTERITY SAVING THROWS
ONE AT A TIME
It would be awesome if ever get a soundtrack or album of all the amazing scores to this series. I’ll even settle for just a mash up of all the insane sound effects we hear going off in the background.
Princess Mononoke but more feral
Mononoke plus Grave of the Fireflies
✌️gonna kill that dog ✌️
THE PROPHECY HAS BEEN FULFILLED
I am just staring this adventure and these comments have me really excited for this
The audio on this fucks so severely
Hey! What the fuck 😃
HOLY. FUCK. How am I supposed to finish work today after that??
The score on this one was top notch
That.... was.... insane. I need 5 more of these stat. 😂🤌
I don't know what exactly is the best time to listen to this, but I can say it's a wild to hear this while prepping food at work
New conspiracy theory for the pod! Spoilered for courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . The crowned panther was the benevolent precursor to the man in black, and the man in black takes on the appearance of Aiden as a reminder to whatever his last and most final foe will be! The mushroom spirits were some early version of chalices that the panther tried to save and those that were broken/died become the awful shadow things that the new chalices accept into themselves!!!! Idk man this story is storying SO DAMN HARD and I'm LIVING in this interlude man 😍
YOU FUCKIN COOKED WITH THIS
i was left mouth agape at the end. such an amazing ep y’all
Every time I think "how're they gonna top this" and then they do.
Sound design always goes hard but sound design went extra hard on this one
So I thought this would be a fun little thing before a rough day of work, it was exactly what I needed for today thank you I like to be scared I like to be reminded of what games can be
Ok, that dog death needs to go to D&D court. We need a panel of experts to weigh in. Brennan is always killing pets. It’s a noticeable trend. Reminds me of the DMs who drop their players in a hole and kill them instantly for failing a perception check (this is all in good fun - loved the interlude!).
Nadpod crossover with D&D court.
More terrifying one shots please. I don’t need clean pants I need to be scared
Yesssssss one shots are the best for horror because you know there is no reason there needs to be a happy ending
The beginning of this episode feels like it belongs on Old Gods of Appalachia - which if you aren't familiar and liked this episode, stop what you are doing, family, and run towards that hearth fire like your meemaw just told you supper was on the table
I’m intrigued… and terrrified!
This episode was INCREDIBLE and the sound was WILD
I will not be the same. this changed me well done
SORRY???? THE ENDING?? WHAT THE HECK!!!
WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED??? WAS THAT ENDING WHAT I THINK IT WAS????
Yeah dude i think it is.
It starts as horror, but then they lull us into complacency with a dog and a little cloud and a narcissistic hunter, and then we're back in it with blood and terror and tragedy and a huge bit of lore! They pulled it off, folks. Achievement Unlocked: WE ARE THE REAL MONSTERS!
And holy hell, the sound design! Stomach-churning visceral sounds, inspiring music, and they somehow turned Brennan into James Earl Jones! Amazing!
Omg, so good! Also eff you, Brennan. You know what you did.
Let’s go baby new autumnal body horror Over the Garden Wall just dropped
Hey, advice for anyone who, like me, thought "ooh, new WWW just dropped, it'll be really nice to listen to while I go for a walk on this forest trail I've never been on before!": it was not, in fact, really nice to listen to while walking in the woods on an unfamiliar trail. In fact, that may have been the worst possible way to watch this episode. Bravo, all of you: gonna go listen to the heist one-shot so I won't have nightmares.
Yall this is the kind of GOOD good that inspires the instant hyperfocus-obsessive desire for content/engagement- "shutupthisisallim talkingorthinkingaboutforevernow" kind of fan response....HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS
I was a whole ass different guy before listening to this one
40 dex saving throws? Really, Brennan? 😂 This was incredible!!
I love how the outcome of those 40 saves was "they murder you" 🤣 like, as if there was any way Puffs could survive no matter what was rolled. so funny
Kudos to Brennan and the crew for making this one-shot the Most Ghibli Thing I've ever heard. The tone was so incredibly on point.
I'm unwell
When Brennan puts his low growly voice on you know he means BUSINESS
Fuck. Great job
Oh, how our trio understands the assignment when Brennan starts off by letting them know that they're all doomed.
I DEEPLY want to see the tree that so inspired and terrified Erika and Aabria respectively
Check out this Reddit post! The branches are called water sprouts, and can happen with bad pruning or in poor soil. https://www.reddit.com/r/WorldsBeyondNumber/s/vYE6BNqux7
So first of all, this interlude was masterfully done. Second of all, I think the 40 saving throws are payback for the geese 😂.
Spoilers . . .. . . . . . . I would say the needle is Lady Corillia's familiar. And she just happens to like dogs. Given the last few secs of this ep and the new puppy having same memories as Bevin
I'm wondering if she bound a spirit to the needle...
Loving the characters! I would have put money down that someone was gonna play The First Wizard Sky in this interlude, but I'm so excited to get an expansion on the lore of witches and demons instead!
That was so so so so good
I need a fucking cigarette. I've never smoked a day in my life and I need a smoke right fucking NOW
God just I begin to forget how cut throat Brennen can be he slaps me in the face with a reminder
Cutthroat Brennan is favorite Brennan 🖤 No, I don’t know what is wrong with me but I sure do appreciate him when he appears.
Hooray, another interlude! Falling asleep to this tonight, looking forward to cozy friendly fantasy town vibes ✨️
How did this go for you LOL?
Wild, truly wild. I loved every bit of it
This Is insane, I was not prepared for the level of nastyness
TAYLOR YOU MAD MAN HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME WITHIN THE FIRST 3 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE
Holy**** I just completely lost my shit at the end when I realized that this was the origin story of the citadel's . I was swearing aloud
😳😳😳
I'm sorry, did Aiden just die at the edge of the creation of the Irulian Desert??
#fuckaiden #justiceforBevin wtf
After credit scene. You might like what you hear
What's the preservation SOP on that heart supposed to be, that's what /I/ want to know lol Our boy carrying around some formalin with him or what?
i feel crazy
i need a soundtrack oh my god
Well I'm going to need 2-3 business days to process this episode. Absolutely amazing job from everyone involved.
Currently 40 minutes in and DEEPLY regretting eating breakfast during this
I listened over lunch. At least for a bit. Had to take a break.
Hoh. Em. Geeee. WHITE SAND?!? Holy shit. will need time to recover from that! *Pours one out for Bevan 🥹*
I once had to instantly kill a character in a first session of a campaign because he ran face first into a ghost too powerful for him to defeat. To you, Aabria, I loan his character's last words: "I ain't afraid of no ghost!"
This week on "Feral DMing", we talk with Brennan "Im Gonna Kill That Dog" Lee Mulligan on how to confront players with the weight of their insignificance in the face of a world too grand to remember their sins! (Loved this!)
What a doozie!! I loved it! Such a tonal shift from what we’re used to, yet so familiar and grounded in the world.
Aiden's slow decent into madness and death by exposure was gorgeous in the most horrifying way 🫶
The spooky vibes are immaculate!!! It reminds me of when I read "The Most Dangerous Game" as a 12 year old and was scared for life. Amazing storytelling all around! AND THE SOUND DESIGN !!!!!!!
WHAT THE FUCK Also we need a fireside chat for this oh my god!!!!!!
Also, I don't like horror but I will put up with it for yall. But I'm sleeping with my lights on tonight, fucking yikes
Brennan like, I did Never After I was in Burrow Ends you guys think I can't get nasty?! Hold my bag of almonds. What a lovely spooky treat to start spookie season!
I was also say This is another episode I wish there was a physical medium to watch all of the players faces Because I got to believe Aabria was making faces when sand was first mentionedz
Love it and y'all. Also, this could use a CW for the thing with the foot/moss.
OMG I love Bevun so much and I'm only 20ish minutes in
As a Simgaporean, Aiden's struggle in the jungle doesn't feel like it should be that bad. Other than the fact that he is basically dehydrated, the temperature and humidity matches what I'm currently experiencing a cool night after a heavy storm 😅 Note that it's also because we're used to 38°C (about 100°F) and 100% humidity during the day time.
25c and 100% humidity when you're dehydrated, losing blood, infection and, let's not forget, wearing leather
W H A T
We’re getting nasty today, gross. Hell yeah
Brennan you scare me.
Lou's character in this is actually psychotic lol Like how in the hell is seeking reputation lead to one acting like that?
The dark side of Quest Fever
I was just about to start painting the Irulian desert so this is perfect
Ok HOLD THE DAMN PHONE, please tell me this will end up somewhere that it will be able to seen by our humble eyes??? Like are you *that* Jack Jones my good sir?
I havent even listened yet but this description grabbed me by the throat
every tuesday is like christmas and my birthday at the same time
Big shout out to Brian Flaherty on the killer edit and sound design! As well as to my fellow musicians Coryn and Maddi go check them out! And of course the cast and Taylor for crafting this crazy spooky monstrosity of an episode. Fun fact the text the choir is singing at the end is “Ecce, peccata arcanum!” Aka “Behold, the sins of magic/wizards/secrets!”
Ya'll did so damn good and should be proud (and pass that along to those you're in contact with)
A pox on you mulligan, doing that to the best boy
🥺
I just got big jumpscared by hearing the name Talladir as the region where aiden is from. I just finished a 4 year homegame in a world of the same name.
The description for this goes unbelievably hard
That!!
Anybody else think of Ban's red leather outfit from Seven Deadly Sins or was it just me?
The wizards didn't even check for people in the area they turned into a desert. Way to rub in the "The Citadel is the villain of this arc" vibe. A.G.
Do you think so? I thought the desert coming was why the witch was warning them to hurry. Was not expecting this much lore to chew on this ep!
THIS was NOT the ep too listen to while eating lunch holy moly
Hey... read MY tone 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
damn I wish we were pushing a frog-boy in a wheelbarrow right now. remember that? 😂😂😂
Did this get it all out off your system Brennan, or does it sets the tone for arc 4???
You know it didn't. o.- A.G.
Waiter, more doomed heroes please!
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH
This episode is the best example of storytelling I've heard/read or seen in a long time. Congrats to everyone I got goosebumps from start to end, and that climax in sound production was crazy.
Best birthday present a Patreon can give!
The double meaning of Clearing hit me like a ton of bricks at the end
Well shit, hopefully that was NOT AT ALL related to the Irulian desert. Or, if it was, how did the witch know what them wizards were boutta do to those plains???
My impression was that the crowned panther was in some way protecting the grove from the desertification of the wizards
Well that happened
Woah 😮
*Vague spoilers* The sound of applause as apocalyptic light unmakes everything in its path?? The Akira-esque score?? Brennan unleashed and unapologetic?? Lou!!!? This is easily one of my favorite episodes hands down and I NEED Lou to be at the table for the talkback on this one
(also did I mishear it or is it possible the witch would have 101 familiars?)
Brennan "I'm gonna need 40 dexterity saving throws" Mulligan
i was NOT expecting that ending
5 minutes and Erika got me SPOOKED. YAY!! HAPPY SPOOKY MONTH!!
Oh that was so intense! Loved every moment! Huuuge kudos to the whole team that worked on that incredible score and sound design. So visceral and haunting!
I'm still only halfway through, but this progressing leg injury is making me feel physically ill. Stellar job
DAMN, THAT ENDING THO
This is incredible, I just want to say that smog *does* occur in nature, and you've probably experienced it yourself from wildfires, which can totally happen naturally.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?! My word. I think I need a lie down, after that heart-in-mouth brain scrambler. Like Aabria said, hope whatever this is, was/is out of your system by Arc 4 recording Brennan!
This episode made me fucking bananas
Jesus fucking christ Brennan?! (I loved it)
literally i was gonna comment that
How much Mononoke influence got poured into this bad boy? Answer: Yes.
What the fuck I need more💜💜💜💜
jesus christ man
Your name plus your comment made my morning
Absolutely bananas, what a great tone, what a horrific time xx
OH MY GOD this was so sick!!
Wow Brennan, between you and Lou this is maybe the darkest thing you’ve ever done. And I can’t believe after Calamity I’m saying that. Real Treasure of Sierra Madre vibes, but with a strong helping of destroying something beautiful for the sake of some notion of fame or fortune. Aaaand then I got to the end and this is how we destroyed the thing that used to be where the desert was! Yaaay! I am incredibly sad! Might be the first episode I don’t listen to again because I really didn’t have a good time listening to it. Not that it was bad, because it was really great, but this is a bad feeling I’d prefer not to revisit for some time or perhaps ever.
Bevin 🥺 absolutely stellar sound design and music btw!
Holy shit the scream I scrumpt at the ending
This episode had more paws than I was ready for.
Hooooly shit I did not see that ending coming. Absolutely amazing, as always. Some sound/gore warnings for those who prefer them (likely not conclusive since I have a high tolerance to such things): Minor gore description: 18:25-19:00 (also sound effect) Minor gore description and sound effects: 35:50-38:20 Gore, sound, body horror: 39:35-40:25 Squelching sound effect and more wound descriptions: 55:27-57:03 Insect and squelching noises: 1:42:50-1:43:50 Wound descriptions and body horror: 1:44:40-1:45:00 Squelching noise, body horror: 1:49:10-1:49:40
RIGHT!? I gasped AUDIBLY at that revelation! Now we know why it was unnamed and long forgotten... No one was using it, right?
Hahah I feel like I'm in danger 😀
SPOILERS Oh, no, you guys didn't! As someone who copes with venous ulcers, the description of Lou's feet was semi-triggering. Don't worry, I'm good, but, man, that felt too close to home!
Alright, I get it! Don't go for a dark, early morning run when Brennan is telling spooky stories and Taylor is doing sound design. About pooped myself a few times... Point taken...
Can't wait to listen to this after work!
Hell yeah This is so perfect to listen to as I work alone in a gas station at night omg
Love the 'each describe' game. Always a great way to set the mood
hmm maybe i will not fall asleep listening to this one 😩
oh it's silly thank you
oh my
Oooooh so excited!!
Guys I’m a nurse and 39 minutes in I’m getting stressed out 😱
💜💜💜
THE BONE CONE WE ALWAYS NEEDED
I’m shocked (even tho i shouldn’t be) that this team of outstanding individuals take my breath away EVERY SINGLE TIME