[PUBLIC EPISODE] The Wizard, the Witch and the Wild One: ep051 "The Endeavor"
This is our endeavor. To blade! To tongue! To plow! To grind our name into the bones of tomorrow, until the horizon is lucid smooth as liquid mirror, sharp as cut glass, clear as cool water rising, irrigating in our throats the dry river bed of ambition. A witch in the gut of the tower. A wild one embraced by blood. A wizard in the court of the sword. All days divided into the days before and the days after, like the two sides of a shut window of black glass.
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Produced, designed, and scored by Taylor Moore at Fortunate Horse with exquisite design and editing help from Jared Olson.
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Amanda Fredberg and of course, Shannon.
Album art by the great Corey Brickley.
Comments (341)
New working theory… the null clef, the reflexive indicative, all these seemingly arbitrary grammatical structures in the lingual arcana, are tools to limit or control the creation of spirit that is inherent spell working. They are a safeguard that the citadel uses to prevent wizards from creating spirits willy-nilly without realizing it. When Suvi’s parents noticed that these structures could be eliminated, they naturally started wondering what their purpose was, and in following that thread, figured out that spellcraft creates spirit. Those little contractions in their spells were the first clue that sent them looking for the League of Whispers, and that’s why the citadel burned them.
When Ame/erika mentions ame’s ancestor with a ton of kids, grandkids, etc, it sounds like a callback - does anyone know where that was mentioned before? It was super funny but I want to make sure I didn’t somehow miss something
Grandma Ren mentioned them as a protentional ally. Basically this dude thousands of years ago made a deal with the moon to be immortal, on the condition he never turn down a request for help from his descendants. Thing is he didn't think about how lineage work, so at this point there are hundreds of thousands if not millions of people descended from this guy.
I can't help but be reminded of some of the Myst lore with this. The Ages, when treated with respect and reverence and mysticism, were beautiful and glorious. Catherine, having an artistic gift for the D'ni Art, made worlds that should have been impossible, but were as graceful as a dream. Gehn, on the other hand, treated the Art as a science to exploit, and created worlds that fell apart, worlds that he didn't even bother to name. Loved to see the Wizard Manhattan Project. Is there anyone in the Citadel who had the presence of mind to even worry whether they'd set the atmosphere on fire?
I loved the analogy at the end. OMG. I borrowed it and wrote a song for my Curse of Strahd campaign where i use a similar theme.
I always listen to these episodes late. But I KNOW these people didn’t just drop that insane reveal 3 episodes before the end of this book. BRO.
Exactly. I am praying we get at least some resolution rather than a cliffhanger that lasts years.
Was Galt part of the raid on Havereward in Episode 21?
No. They met Gault after that, and the Fox told Ame his most recent scent, with fear sweat, was about a week old. So....while the party was in the woods, before the death of the Great Bullfrog?
Hearing Steel's endgame and I can't help but think "The Citadel was a mistake. Someone missed a spot when they were obliterating this desert".
For me there was a sharp moment I felt this switch about what I thought the Citadel's big endeavor looked like. It was when Steel said "You can make a thing that's only the idea of a well, that makes the idea of a spirit." At first I thought of it as being largely driven by goodwill and curiosity as Kaliya described, but with Jurassic Park levels of carelessness and twisted by the constant thought of war and authoritarian control, kind of comparing it to extremely broad and diverse fields of research like image recognition where there's a lot of good (like huge breakthroughs in so many fields of biology research, from neuroscience to ecology) and a lot of horror (I saw this particular talk about figuring out like depth of field of objects in pictures, which at the surface level seems pretty fundamental, like another tool, more a hammer than a gun. but there were a couple details about the kinds of pictures they were working with that made me go huh this sounds military, and then they started talking about using it to identify enemy tanks from drone footage, and showed results about how well it performed in that specific application. because that was actually the goal the whole time, and their job was figuring out a way to get there. fucking hell). (Another example, though not image recognition: Unjustifiably considering the results of risk "prediction" models in court to judge the future of individuals on trial.) But now I see it as frantic and aggressive grabs for power and control, with a conscious disregard for the damage being done, sacrifice of rigour and uncertainty in favour of getting *somewhere* more quickly. An analagous thing might be image recognition work with the specific goal of developing tools of oppression or destruction, like that tank ID software specifically. Or maybe rocket science, which from the very start has been motivated and funded with military applications at the forefront, with development rushed forward in an arms race.
I don't have anything intelligent to add to this other than: BIG YES. Specifically the, "because that was actually the goal the whole time, and their job was figuring out a way to get there." Oof if that isn't apt.
The line " may my sword and not my spear strike true" hit me so hard I had to take a break.
Immediately nauseous that Eursulon didn’t barter via naram for sir Curran’s freedom
The MiB isn't about to allow that. He has a prophecy. If Eursulon won't be his champion, Sir Curran doesn't get a choice in the matter.
Even as the Spirit was the foundation of their (Wizards') living spells, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that which they thought they could control (adapted from that which Aabria will not understand references to 😉)
Wonderful.
I was soooo afraid that Curran had his hawk hunting down the children in the woods jfc
How. Many. Times. Am. I. Gonna. Cry. Over. This. Story!? Current total is 8 and there are still episodes left!?!?
you guys are INSANE
Are there transcripts available? I may be blind tbf but I cannot find.
There are but they're behind so I think there's none yet for this ep
also Steel certainly side stepped that systemic kidnapping & leaving those kids for dead by framing things as a “field test” to placate the emperor
it's just a beta bro
the glass wizard saying “no consumables” was so illustrative & hilarious my god
also the brass in this episode's music fucking ATE IT UP
bruh i need to hear this prophecy and who it came from (the man in black's dream???) and how prophecies are treated by spirits vs by wizards (not well, see uncle sly). is the man in black just Joseph Smith as a spirit? "no guys listen i promise, there was a prophecy, it described two people who are unquestionably linked so whoever i picked i would be right, and i can't do the fighting myself OBVIOUSLY, so i have to convince or force people to do it for me... guys where are you going???"
I bet Suvi was in the prophecy too, and that’s why he was hunting her as a child (FECKIN CREEP. FECKIN COOL-VOICE ASS CREEP).
Why is Brennan so devoted to expressing his clear and undying love for wizards by at every turn ensuring we *Fear Them*?
All art is autobiography.
I’m glad more things are coming to light that show how terrible and inhuman the spirits are. Are we as a fandom ready to start the “the spirits are also a fascistic group of individuals with motives that don’t help the world as a whole” debate or are we not there yet? They don’t get to have their cake and eat it too. They can’t be “forces of nature just doing whatever is natural” and also “killing a bunch of kids because that will fulfill my political ambitions” or “killing an entire town for being near a fully different group of people who are hurting my husband”
The gang talks about the inhuman nature of spirits in a recent Fireside, and holding them to the standards of human morality. Also, the spirits aren’t a monolith, so I’d want to point out that while the MIB (and the group of spirits allied to his cause) is destructive and terrible in his aims, not all spirits are. In the same way that the Citadel doesn’t represent all humans, the MIB doesn’t represent all spirits.
Will Nif become the witch of the wandering children? 🙂
gosh that’s good
Listening to Suvi’s reactions to the last scene watching all of the work being done in Lucent, she had a big reaction to seeing images of the “Gates of the Sun.” Is that a connection to the Sun Socerers line that Steel erased? Also, lots of Saraz iconography up in there. I’m wondering if the Citadel is plotting to overthrow the Imperium??
It could be a reaction to the Sun Sorcerers the House of Rounza. Also could be a reaction and confirmation from Tefmet’s presentation back at the conclave. They brought an eroded stone with the sigil of the gates of the Sun on it
"Ame is covered by a little fox magic" I imagined a fox tail shaped shadow sweeping across her to reveal her new disguise 🦊
This story is so excellent because all of the characters are reckoning with their origins and their places in a world they are growing up in and contributing to. Each faction thinks it is doing its best for the world they want to inhabit and have control over. It also connects with each audience member differently for the same reasons. As more info about each side's motivations is revealed, I dread the decisions our characters have to make with & without each other. The Summer they spent together was so formative. I hope their bond can endure, for good.The players are showing their growth and motivations so thoughtfully & beautifully. This is a good time to relisten to those episodes and revel in the joy and understand the clues we were given. Also, dang, Wren did a number on TMiB. Was it love or all business? Plus, yes, the soundscapes, the music, is so rich and emotional. Just amazing. Bravo.
“Was it love or all business” oh my GODDDDDDD
“In that battle, I hope that my sword and not my spear does strikes true” GUTTED
"How dare you suggest I won't do something cooler." The dream!!! 🫡
Could Efches and the other spooky nightmare glass bois be some of the original wizards that created the desert? Transmuted into glass, existing outside of time? Presiding, literally, over the entire tower - setting shadowy goals ? I dunno, we haven't met a lot (any??) big deal citadel wizards who don't follow the S name tradition. Could be efches is from before the tradition started?
If I'm remembering right, some abjurors have name cloaks that are S words but translated into another language for added protection. Ghalani is one
Manhattan Project
Had the exact same thought
Ok I'm obsessively relistening to the last part and the more I listen the more I just crack up at the way Suvi really heard Steels speech about the reality-conquering ambitions of the Citadel and just went "Huh... Hehe... Yeah" lmao 😂
With a slightly different edit it could have been played as a great punchline and buddy, I def thought about it. -t
Immediately went and listened to The Rain Road song again after that scene. I became the Leo pointing meme when that happened.
These motherfuckers playing fast and loose with regional water tables. It's going to be decades before the salinity in Toma is under control.
Think of the ECOSYSTEMS!! 🤣
I know the parallels have been drawn a lot already but I feel like I have to reiterate them! The philosophy woven so intricately in the story, the way the soundtrack heightens every moment, the humanization of every character but particularly the antagonists, the way the main characters start off so novice and inexperienced and grow more and more skilled as the story progresses not just mechanically but emotionally and spiritually, the beacon of hope that shines throughout no matter how dire the situation gets, and of course the similar themes — listening to this reminds me so much of how I felt when I watched Avatar: The Last Airbender for the first time as a kid. I was in such awe as child at the muchness of the show, how much weight it held between the art, the music, the juggling of all the characters and their different motivations and beliefs, and complexities of the story. It felt heavy in a grounded way but also as if it was *full* of story and I had yet to really experience something like it as a child and this campaign gives me that same feeling now as an adult. Other pieces of media do the things I described above, but none of them have had that same weight to me. This story is like a weighted blanket for my mind. A thousand thank yous to Brennan, Aabria, Erika, Lou, Taylor, and everyone else who has worked on this masterpiece!
Question (w last arc spoilers but not last episode): when Steel says at the parade that the empire won two victories, what’s the second victory? She also cites fighting on multiple fronts for the lack of aerith/need to save everything for the citadel. That seemed to be after she also talked to the consortium too though, what do we think they’re doing
I think the second victory was against the Imperium. She deleted a bloodline handily, and I think it's essentially a threat to the emperor as well. If the Imperium wants to come at the Citadel for any reason, they risk swift, devastating retaliation from the Sword
Me re the Man in Black up until now: ooh mysterious cool interesting we don't agree but I get it. Me now: okay so fuck this guy and anything he wants.
Did Brennen just "Jurrasic Park" reinvent magic? The spirit of a well's idea of the spirit to creat the idea of the well to make a new spirit???
Been thinking about cups and wells and wishes and the grove of the well and chalices
I am drrrrragging my feet listening to this and that chanting CHOIR upon the drawing of a Certain Sword should be illegal, Taylor
I kind of hope that the spirits made by spells end up rising against their creators
Led by the Mr Callum that Ame sent into an existential crisis?????
Now im just wondering what the Spirit of the Citadel is and how much of Suvi/Steel’s “talk shit get hit” energy it has
Yes, that is why the "throw down the Citadel" camp have a big, big bad thing happening to them if they are sucessful.
When they say we are nearing the end of book 1. There's gonna be a book 2 right? And they're gonna play the same charcters right??
Yeah. After the next couple episodes, they're going to a campaign run by Aabria for a while, and then returning to Umora eventually. Gives the campaign space to breathe and Brennan time to take a breath and prep.
The amount of times Taylor’s sound design has made me think something is happening in the real world is countless! Knocking on the doors got me twice in this one. Took my headphones off to check and everything.
SO OFTEN ITS DELIGHTFUL, such detailed sound design
This is such deep incredible world building, to craft such deep narratives for the empire even while at war. Already having such depth and interplay between the empire and gauth with the spirits and witches brewing in the background could’ve made a brilliant story. Adding this secret work so in tune with citadel goals and Steel’s motivation yet unexpected is incredible. Partially just because it feels like we knew the most about the citadel (something so new is surprising). But also how it instantly raises the stakes in the spirit war. With Eursolon earlier in the episode, we are horrified at the actions of the spirits to a character we care about so much. But the secret work provides a horrifying juxtaposition to the existential threat. It provides some justification, which we haven’t had such explicit evidence for. It puts us between two horrifying realisations (just like the characters are between the sides) and sets an incredible stage for a rich moral quandry that is bound to happen when large forces are trying to shape the whole world. It’s so impressive to provide that rich a picture through the incredible character work and world building. TLDR/question How do you manage to get to the heart of motivations so well so that big reveals can be so surprising but incredibly satisfying/in character?
Ah yes. Spiritual imperialism. For when normal fascism isn't quite thorough enough
The narrative Steel is trying to craft around Suvi is disturbingly similar to what she’s told Suvi about Soft and Stone. Another young, brilliant troublemaker promoted (to Sage of the Fundament, to Provost of the Eighth, now to Sage of the Penumbra) as their loyalty to the Citadel started to waver. Another “double agent” whose intelligence for the Citadel, “embedded behind enemy lines,” is still paying dividends. But that image rehabilitation obviously wasn’t enough to keep Suvi’s parents alive. What does Steel think will be different this time? Why does she think Suvi (whom she almost certainly knows is lying to her about Eioghorain, on Suvi’s 10 Insight) will side with the Endeavor?
Anyone else get a gut feeling Steel killed Suvi’s parents? Just me? It’s so scary
beautiful
I also like that the formal shape of wizardry tied to empire in Umora is roughly the same age as the beginning of mass industry
Oh man I’m doing a re listen and a thought from Suvi and Ame’s conversation with Lohanna about sex while shifted: if, as stated in that same Fireside (“when the tower falls, you’ll be able to see it from the front!”), shape shifters can also adjust their human forms as wished, does that mean when shape shifters come into their powers, does they also become truly protean — can they then choose any human form, or is it more similar to Eursolon’s glamour, in that they “rubber band” back to the same base human shape? Are they akin to Rogue or the Luidaeg as presented in the October Daye series, where ANY shape they take is a choice, or are they bees who can go out in any direction they want, but always return to their hive?
Did not expect a Luidaeg reference here. God what a character. Wife goals
Falling asleep thinking “is Suvi the well?” and “is this about AI?” and not a small amount of Lucent vertigo
IS SUVI THE WELL OH SHIT
oohhh. oohhhhh. sir curren. being imprisoned and made to fight against his will. that being the very thing the citadel wants to do with spirits. the parallels. aUGH
MAN. I did not even think of this parallel and now I need to lay down.
These last few episodes have given so much dimension to Steel affectionately calling Suvi a princess. It isn’t just a joke, and it isn’t just about her entitlement. To Steel, Suvi legitimately is a princess. She is the heir to Steel’s massive endeavors. As such, of course she can get whatever she wants and get away with misadventure. All that matters is that she is brilliant and ultimately obedient.
Manhattan Project heiress 🙃
I must, must, must have that final song for the Riddle of the Well. And the whole WWWO album. Please!!!
SECONDING THIS. That whole sequence with Steel needs the OST dropped!
The fight between Eursulon and Sir Curran fuckin' ruined me, especially the way that Lou played Eursulon's reactions. For all the ways he's grown, especially on this last adventure, in that moment of first seeing Curran, Eursulon sounded like he was just a little cub all over again.
that ending had me holding my breath for 20 mins i swear
Brennan putting that philosophy degree to work in crafting that last bit. Shivers the whole way through, sound scoring bringing the gravity of the stars themselves!
I wanna cut the spring from someone's step and the apple from someone's eye
Anyone in particular? I have a few people in mind.
I can’t search the 294 comments to see if anyone has already answered this. But what was the abjurer’s name at the end? The wizard efshes? Efchess? Do we have theories about the meaning or is it a word I just don’t know? Backwards word maybe because it ends in S?
Efches means 'wish' in Greek... I think I know what spell they are trying to make into a Great Spirit :')
So many beautiful comments I am reading them all. At what point is umm Eursolon going call on his father? From what we know the Great Bear is trundling along like Dionysus in revelry. Eursolon is going back to Calaila so maybe something more with that? Meanwhile Brennan is going full Brandon Sanderson with the 25th tower.
I believe Lou (or whatever special guest was there in his stead) revealed in a Fireside that if a young one of the Great Bear leaves his parade, they will be eaten by him if they return or call upon him again. Never got revealed in-character, but it does explain why he called on Orima and not his father.
Ah, I did think that the Wizards wanted to make a Great Spirit. If you think about it, The Citadel is really a lot of the way there already with its collective magic storing/military system as a souped up version of the normal worship and function relationship for other spirits. We create our institutions which, in turn, model and make us type of deal. But, of course, the emergent properties and hallucinations are beyond any reckoning, so I can see why the other Great Spirits want to prevent a chained rival from coming into being. But on the other hand, who is to say that breaking the citadel wouldn't unleash a sort of "Dead Hand" and kill everything? I'd certainly build one, were I running the Citadel. So they had all better listen to Ame, lol.
This episode is a flip flopping mixed bag of emotions for me. But holy shit. The Citadel has the audacity. The King of Night is all caps NASTY. Did the spirit of the little girl on the road outside Wrens cottage belong to Suvi??? Is that why she could not leave the house / touch the road? As always, Aabria you play Suvi so well. I can’t wait to see what she has to report to the other Arch Magi. Keeping us on our mf toes!!!!
Yes, it was Suvi! And in the first episode when she arrives at the cottage she gets off her horse on the road, which was what TMiB says broke whatever spell Wren had put on him, which allowed him to approach the cottage.
The ending of this episode gave me active, full-body shivers.
Same, full body covered in goosebumps
The way Aabria plays Suvi’s back and forth mindset and cognitive dissonance about the Citadel is so well done and so unsettling. Like, she’s now had multiple first hand confirmations of the various atrocities the Citadel/Empire commits, but still falls back into the “this is fine” mindset. The whole scene with her and Steel joking around was so sweet but so dissonant with what we know is happening out of clear sight that it was giving Zone of Interest
I mean this as a compliment btw. I fully believe this is how these characters would truly compartmentalise and justify, makes it all feel so real, which makes it so much worse.
Some real Skyrim shit with this glorious score. 😭💖 I will never be mad at you all for taking extra production time.
This show is so beyond crazy and phenomenal. 😭😭😭💖💖💖
nothing but sincere awe. the consistency of top tier quality is a feat in and of itself but the story only seems to get better and better. wizards and their ambitions for control have never been more poetically put than lucent wanting to create and keep under their thumb what steel once referred to as forces better off moving around. of COURSE she wants this. imagine finally being able to move without having to scoot out of the way. so horrifying and so thrilling!!! and THE SCORE! i cant wait to soak in the music over again while re-listening. have such a wonderful month and rest. such a great episode!!!
I posted on reddit about this, but after seeing Curran all I can think about is a joke in a Fireside Chat where Brennan said he would give the party a ghost army ala Return of the King to solve one of their problems. Not putting much money on it, but the idea of the rest of Sir Curran's ghostly order getting involved on the side of the party is so cool to me!
HE SIGNED A THING ABOUT IT
maybe it's cuz I'm currently taking a physics refresher course, but the wizards' hypothesis reminds me of wave-particle duality
Brenna Lee Mulligan is the best storyteller of this generation.
So I’m remembering a video of Aabria sitting on the couch at camp “needing a minute.” Is it just after the last scene in this chapter?? Because glass wizard lab was NOT on my Bingo card, but neither was FRACTAL SPIRIT WIZARD DOMINION
That last section: ACTUAL SHIVERS
Its been said before, and by more astute listeners than myself, but BRENNAN WHAT THE FUCK! Dude out here swinging his literal Sword at the god mode button. They're gonna create a spirit of light that doesn't play by spirit rules to overcome the king of night.
Oh. Oh that. See. I don’t really like this spirit factory idea but I hate the man in black more.
More speculation: When the glass wizards at Lucent start being able to synthesize great spirits directly from their imagination they will no longer need the Citadel, The Imperium, or any existing spirits. This s is likely to be an existential problem for anybody who isn’t a glass wizard.
Also: a door opening into complete dominion over all possibilities. No more mystery. The Lucent wizards will Own all Becoming, and make all choices.
I picked the perfect time to rewatch the child’s adventure, so many things from this episode, reference the events of the beginning, and it felt so much more impactful being reminded of all the things that happened had a big effect on the world at large!! Absolutely love it!!
Amazing episode as always! The incredible story that the cast has told and the post-production polish add up to be the best actual play around. And thank you guys for shifting the schedule and giving yourselves extra time between this episode and the next. Even more than a well-produced podcast, I love it when a well-produced podcast has a healthy production team behind it.
I haven’t even finished the episode yet, but Eursolon’s scene is giving me some more inspiration of how to finish the Ballad of Starling’s Ford that I have been working on!
I didn’t realize it the first time but the MiB says that he was seeking the soul of a mortal girl and then implies that Gma Wren trapped him on a portion of road until her death. Is he referring to Ame or Suvi???
Suvi definitely cause Brennan made her footstep on the road when she came back to see Grandma wren so important I'm guessing that's what released him from his trap
Was hyperventilating with stress, excitement and anxiety during both Eursulon and Suvi's portions! How are we almost done! Book 2 is going to be so far away 😭 I'm looking forward to Aabria's campaign too but so much opportunity and possibility in this world still
Finished the episode. GODDD that was wonderful. And the sound design 🤌🤌🤌 ugh yes
The entirety of Eursulon’s scene had me so unbelievably emotional. Absolutely phenomenal storytelling and sound design.
Was out on a short hike for the first part of the episode so some people and their dogs saw me audibly gasp and throw my hands over my mouth during Eursolon’s scene. But I don’t think anything scared me quite like those last few lines from Steel. Quite literally brought to tears from the horror and its reflection in our world. Well done yall
Taylor the sound design to this episode was like a Micheline star meal for my ears, each part better than the last.
The end of this episode is one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard, well done
Can we also just talk about Curran being punished for the same things that the mushroom spirit tried to hit baby Eursulon with? Curran has met failure, and feels shame for his failure. He did what he thought was honorable and failed in the doing of it. And now he has been made a monster. AGH, I love that
oh my GOD
Aabriya, do you think you know now what the scientists brought on to the manhattan project might have felt?
“I hope that my sword and not my spear strikes true” -hold on I’m sobbing 😭😭
I thought he said SPIRIT I didn't realize he said spear thank you 💙
A collection of thoughts and rambles below. Calling it, gang. Efches is Greek for 'wish' and I think the great spirit they want to create is a tomori of the Wish spell, that is their 'well'. Horrifying, thanks! Also, if I am not mistaken, *both* of Suvi's parents' specialities in magic have their place in Lucent. I would not be shocked if their learning and workings have led to this insane magical DARPA, and if Steel earned her place behind that door via the defeat and/or requisition of that information. Not to mention Shundri herself defied her mentor (The Wizard Sleep) and called his workings (and the axiom of proliferation) a scourge upon the face of magic itself- most of the work in this space regards the Greater Binding and the near spirit. I can't help but wonder if the Nools did not buy in to the Citadel's mission statement- them and Steel choosing different sides. I wonder if Steel's mentioning how the shape of a spell can pre-determine it is a discovery brought forth by the way the Citadel has shaped its wizards re: the null clef, and the hints that the formula of notes and casting is partially surveillance. It's the Jurassic Park of it all; so preoccupied wondering if they could do something that they didn't stop to think about if they should.
This. And what if Suvi is more than just a wizard? There’s something Wren discovered and is protecting with that sapphire. Suvi is being sought by both sides… I think Suvi can access magic in a different way, perhaps in a way that makes her closer to a spirit than a mortal…
Absolutely blown away by that sweeping symphony accompanying “Kid.. you’re spot on” AHHHHH
Yeah he did that to Marisha in calamity. Paraphrasing he said no roll necessary when a pc stone cold nails it.
You could have made me wait for a month for this and it would always have been worth it I mean FUCK, the idea that the citadel wants to erase the entire world of spirits with spirits that they can control to maintain the interplay of the spirit and the real. How much more metaphysical can you get? Fascinated by the implications of Soft and Stone in that. ALSO HOLY FUCK EURSULON!! If ever there was doubt on the true intentions of the man in black, let them be gone now. Each side wants nothing short of the total annihilation of the other. Shit
But… how well will they be able to “control” these spirits they create? (Thinking of Task here.)
Just thinking again how Ame and Suvi have kinda mirrored setups in their life now (Home base, familiar, protege; Cottage, Fix, Níf; Tower, Task, Yulia) and Eursalon has absolutely none of that scaffolding in his life, but meanwhile he's building all of these relationships with his spirit siblings. Very interesting.
Eursulon’s also got allies in Nurwara, which could potentially become a home base of sorts.
Speculation: Hakea has said she’s seen this all before. She’s also specifically said that her goal is to take down the Citadel, not the mortal world. I suspect she knows a great deal about the dangers when the dreams that become magic and spirits are no longer connected to the natural world. I think she might also get help from the Crowned Panther (the Questing Beast).
listening to eursulon and suvi's scenes while playing dark souls was an excellent pairing
Can't wait for a Spirit of Recursion Spirits all the way down They tried to find out for so long whether they could, that....
Are Insight checks Suvi has on Steel still done with permanent advantage implicitly? I think I remember that having at one point been a rule but it hasn't been mentioned in a bit. Also, these last couple episodes where the three PCs are separated: Are they presented in the order they are recorded in or is that a choice in editing?
Yes! We do sometimes switch the order of scenes around in post. Interestingly, this is only possible because these particular party split scenes were recorded as duos, with only the GM and the player in the room. This “silos” the information in that scene from the other players and makes the scenes more modular from an editing perspective. While it has happened very very rarely, I would be very reticent and careful to reorder scenes recorded at a full table as it runs the risk of confusing the listener as to which player knew what when. And either way probably done best in conversation and consensus with at least the GM and maybe the whole table. We didn’t record as duos to make the scene order more flexible, it was just a cool side effect we noticed along the way. -t
TAYLOR MOORE THE MAN THAT YOU ARE! The music that accompanies Steel's speech and vision is incredible. I am horrified but the way that you can feel the sweeping all-encompassing conviction in the music really, really fucking does it.
TAYLOR MOOOORE! GIVE ME THE THEME THAT ENDS THIS EPISODE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS
agreed!!! that track is incredible!!!
Suvi, I feel like you played this perfectly with Steel, gaining her trust again. But now that you know what you know, how much of your interaction with Steel and reactions are a facade? Do you wear a mask for your mother, for yourself? Or is the justification machine working faster than ever? PS thankyou all for telling the greatest story I have ever heard
Steel talking to Suvi about her ethical concerns: https://youtu.be/wkiu_wL5DBU?feature=shared
so many thoughts and emotions and impulses to punch and hug and dance and cry and run… but especially; thank you, thank you so deeply and endlessly and wholeheartedly. All of you are a wonder, this story is a wonder. A much needed love letter to worlds that are and could be, their beauty and terror, and the love we find within them over and over again. I’m so thankful I get to feel and see and wonder with you <3
look I’ve got a lot of questions after this episode but what I need to know is WHEN WILL WE SEE NIF AGAIN? I was not prepared for my favorite character and newest witch to be separated from her guardian spirit so quickly!
I find people’s reactions funny—so far, Steel does seem better intentioned than the King of Night lol. He did just try to brutally murder all the kids she had only kidnapped, and purely as a political machination too 😂😭 people seem to have been wanting to jump on the Citadel for a while, but there’s no good center of power in Umora—seems like nearly all of the most powerful spirits, witches and sorcerers are just as self-interested and xenophobic in their own right. I think there’s a lot more interesting morality to it than just “the citadel sucks” and that’s actually part of what I love about the story ☺️
To be fair, it was Citadel officials who were going to let the kids drown
Steel is demonstrating why one mustn’t neglect philosophy, literature, and history and just focus on STEM. It doesn’t take a lot of wisdom to grasp just how wrong that great endeavor can go. But, at least I am starting to buy the emotional underpinning for her decision to betray and murder Suvi’s parents.
They are literally creating living beings who will be enslaved.
The end of this episode made my stomach churn I got so physically sickened by the level of evil that all of that was hats fucking off to Brennan Lee Mulligan I mean what the actual fuck sir was that
the music when naram showed up made me physically shake in excitement!!!!! taylor’s done it once again and i am in awe. this whole ep was brilliant but that bit was definitely my fave.
YESSSSSS!!!
Eursulon: “but why him?” Mib: “because I’m petty.”
Eursulon: “But why him?!” MiB: “bUt WhY HiM?”
Hit minute 32 and I need a fucking cigarette
best episode yet, I think. WBN, you've delivered on the promise(s) of the premise(s) so intensely that the narrative is fusing into something else entirely. also a series high point in terms of music and sound design. The water. The effing water
I can't believe Brennan spent this long crafting a beautiful world just so he could invent a whole new level of wizard hubris.
the question that won't leave my head: did Orima set up Eursulon to bait Naram (pun intended) into joining the MiB's war party? she said that she'd put in a word with Naram, imbedding that connection for Eursulon, all the while knowing that the MiB was taking those kids. did she plant the seed (pun intended) for Eursulon to call upon him in time of need, knowing Naram would acquiesce to the MiB in return. she outright said she was insistent on trying to persuade her husband... damn she's good
Brennan Lee Mulligan is mad scientist levels with this stuff sometimes I swear like I don't put that past him at all
Oh baby, a wizard named "Efches" - Greek for "Wish". The implications...
this was literally my first thought when they were talking about the quicksilver and the tamori. tamori are living spells—what’s the most powerful spell?
SPOILERS So Many Spoilers I am so friggen serious. OKAY this may not be as long as the last one (edit, I may have fibbed) BUT I FEEL VINDICATED AND OTHER FEELINGS. We'll get to the vindication (about Steele, ofc) BUT FIRST: Quicksilver. I have two strange nickles and I cant put them down. Both Ame and Suvi learned about quicksilver - the basis for many great workings. It is a mineral - what better explanation (in my mind) than Quicksilver being the literal blood (or physical manifestation of soul?) for the World itself? More than just a figurative - a LITERAL Worlds Heart? I happily leap to this idea because my OWN DM has tossed me this concept for his own homebrew campaign. And the thought of the Soul of the World or its Blood even being used as the means to give binding (life? the Connection between physical and soul/magic?) to give Magic agency as the Tamori, OR AS THE MEANS TO MASS-PRODUCE ARTIFICIAL SPIRIT? I shudder at the literal implication of the Man in Blacks Words of the Citadel being "The knife in the Heart of the World." I will come back to the Citadel later BUT NOW, THAT CROSSROAD FIGHT: Naram's theme. I have been waiting for the Mp3 of this since book one, and to hear it again brought tears to my eyes. Please, I need this Mp3. What must I do? I am heartbroken over Naram (you empathetic ass, how dare you be dramatically wonderful in saving Eursulon TWICE now) BUT I am also **SO** here for "Naram of the Gentle Sea AND Malicious Compliance". Man in Black (MiB) may have eked it out with the emotional gut punch of Curran and then the underhanded way of making Naram join his side - but that'll be the LAST easy Great Spirit he gathers to his side. (Orima was also easy, mama got mad her boo was nearly killed, and I get that.) But Naram loves humans. Like Eursulon, he knows some are capable of great horrors, but so many are capable of so much good and love. He just saw Eursulon, bloody and battered, protecting 80 children with the same fire he had diving at Morro under the Derrig. Eursulon won the moral standpoint here, and I am happy to bet money that though Naram must join the MiB now, he will not follow with the intent that is expected of him. MiB's habit of vagueness will be Naram's means to interpret orders as *he* sees it. Also DAMN MiB - I keep thinking of the Crowned Panther and I say SHAME on him for forcing a human's spirit through such torture. He is a spirit and (by rights) a brother, and yet MiB shows CLEAR disdain and a sense of "you are the 'other'" with regard to Human Spirit. "He was not my first choice." he wanted 'A Spirit true' - and he does not consider the Human Spirit true. He has put chains on a spirit in all sense. This is no ferryman, like the Crowned Panther - and Eursulon will find a way to see his hero freed. I bet it. AND ALSO SHOUT OUT TO WREN FOR LOCKING UP THE MAN IN BLACK AT THE WELL IN AGES PAST. Calling that now: though she suffered a blow and was cursed, she bested MiB and locked him in that well (that is my best guess, still unsure how that curse passed to Ame). That gave the kids a few years until the beginnings of episode 1, when Suvi touched the very road when going to Wren's cottage to say goodbye (and the sign to Silberry fell). You're going to keep getting bested, asshole. Okay, and now to my Vindication. STEELE YOU BAD BITCH. IN IT WITH THE LEAGUE OF WHISPERS. Manipulation is coming in FAST. "No more secrets, not between us." and then When that Glass Wizard tried to talk more about QUICKSILVER, SHE BASICALLY SAYS "NO NO, NOT HERE, NOT INFRONT OF HER." WITH SUBTEXT. The ideas of Fantasy High, Junior year with Ankarna, it was all a prelude to this. Gods/Spirits are powerful, yes, but they are intrinsically tied to our world, and the ideas of us, people, can shape what a God/Spirit COULD be. (Is that why you held your breath since the dawning of our world, MiB? Cause you were afraid of permanent change not in your control?) It is such a beautiful connection, the idea that the Spirit World, coming first, decided to create a permanent world that could enact permanent change on their eternal selves that they could reflect and experience that is now on the precipice of being abused in SUCH a way. If we make our own in your image and BELIEVE them to be GREATER than you, why do we need you? What horror of an idea of a LaCroix-adjacent-Spirit - that is not made with the love or great care/intent that a well spirit or even an ink demon could be made with. Unmaking that well and seeing if that well spirit remains? My heart hurts like it did for Haku in Spirited Away - he forgot himself and his name when his river was destroyed - what would happen in Brennan's world if a spirit forgot or lost what it tied its name to? And then I see that sleeping Wizard, and I think back to Stone, who accused her teacher/Mentor the Wizard Sleep of treason against Magic itself. Stone, who had the theory that material and spirit are intrinsically connected and reflect one another. We lost the Great Bullfrog, and the kids lost the gifts of song, great swimming, and jumping. What great Spirit watches over the ability to channel magic, or the joy of reading? The sun? It's the monkey sawing the treebranch it sits on from the tree. It really feels like that. But above all, Boss Queen Energy from Suvi looking at this all, and making the conviction in her that "It won't be the Man in Black, or the Witches that break this place. I will break this place over my own knee." Yes you heckkin will. I am manifesting. --- Thanks again team, excited for 52 and more hints to lore.
…woah. Yea - you get a Keanu Matrix response to your awesome & articulate hot takes!
Just finished screaming, I mean listen to this episode. My stomach was in knots and cringing every time the King of Night spoke, compelling Sir Curon to attack Eursolon. This is what Nightmares are made of😭. With Ame and the Fox on the hunting for Gult, I can see her bringing material to the 26th Glass Tower and finding Suvi. Who of course is deep within some WTF …Factory of Spirits that Steele thinks is the bees knees??? I can see Eursolon, oath of Freedom campaign to the waivering Spirits to join him on his quest to save what is good. Ame and Suvi by his side, representing the connection and love they have for each other. 🦊🔥🤗
SPOILER can we talk about how steel's solution to war is effectively the magical equivalent of chatgpt?!?!!
Dude the moment we met Mr Callum I thought about AI, and the deeper we get with timori I keep coming back to quantum computing
ok, so the thing is. this is the greatest story ever told. there is nothing else i can say. i’ve been trying to write a follow up to that sentence for 10 minutes or so and it all comes up too short. i might have to change my major so i can do a doctorate on this show
Possible Thesis…
Brennan! LOU! TAYLOR! i am in the grocery store clutching a bag of pasta listening to Eursalon and Curan fight and I am STRESSED. Incredible work and incredible sound design as always!
I thought I could listen to this episode in between calls at work…NOPE…. Way too stressful.
I haven’t listened yet I need to know (and I don’t mean it in a rude way) was this episode worth the wait?!?! Someone tell me 😭
a thousand billion percent
My heart breaks for Eursalon and for Sir Curan, and even for Naram. Damn what an episode.
Taylor Taylor Taylor Taylor I have listened to the end of this episode like 6 times now. The music, is, perfect. The hypermeter, or modulation, or whatever the right music theory term is for it, the embellishments in 3s and 6s in the long, repeating, methodical melodies in 4 and 8 all fitting neatly into 12s...I had to listen to it again just to TRY to capture it in this message and I'm still not getting it right! It's SO GOOD! I feel like I'm listening to the music set up these perfect regular polyhedra tumbling out the mathematical perfection of the apex of wizardcraft in this world. It's so perfect. Release the soundtrack or I will weep forever.
Thank you!!! I had a crazy amount of fun writing the score for Lucent and the reveal of the Endeavor. But lemme tell ya, just cause they call it “minimalism” doesn’t make it easy to write, yeesh. So, that whole scene is based on the work of one composer. Can you guess who? Hint: it’s the most obvious, hackneyed, dad-joke answer it could possibly be. -t
This is so good I screamed a lot.
Me too🔥
Brennan you have made some of the most esoteric wizard shit in a way that I have only dreamed. It’s such a sobering thing to think that the death of a god was a political move to appease a foolish emperor.
The fact the Great Bullfrog died for political bullshit, and that the great minds of the citadel couldn’t think of a better way to do a practical test, is the darkest/most realistic part of the episode to me.
that was fuckin crazy
Such a beautiful episode! So much fun to listen to! Like gotta give it to the king of night I’d see why he wants to do that but as a human myself I’d hate for that to happen
so is anyone else seeing the religious imagery with eursalon? the belonging to two worlds, the rebirth in water, the shepherding of children, etc
TROPES
I haven't listened to the episode yet, but apparently it's so good that right before I tried to listen to it my headphones broke. Good omens! Or bad omens? ...Omens! 😅
Heh yeah... It's an omen all right
If artificers are mechanics and wizards are like engineers, then the League of Whispers is DARPA and whatever at Microsoft that made the ChatGPT source code
Well generative AI is indeed a dagger in the heart of the world so that tracks
I’m so glad the episode ended where it ended I would’ve burst at the seams if I had to keep listening to Steel. Her vision and all that it implied is so bone chillingly evil it genuinely made me feel ill. And she keeps saying oh yeah that [insert horrific history changing event] was stupid and for the emperor and not the point and I’m just MY GUY the minimization is insane. But anyway, Amazing storytelling as usual!!! MAN was that intense. Great job everyone!! But also shakes you all by the shoulders I am very HURT
"It's like, dude, come ON. You kill ONE god and kidnap EIGHTY children and suddenly everybody's all 'ahhh, oh noooo, that's immoral. Grow up."
I love Suvi as a character cause Aabria gets to show off how damn smart she is
Playing smart characters is really hard and Aabria is just so damn good at it. It helps that she’s got a lot of science background but damn she is smart as hell.
Every episode I say to myself "okay there's no way Brennan can top his wizards bullshit from here, he's finally reached his peak, right?" and then every episode I get proved wrong
The nature of spells 🤩 Citadel can be really hard to hate sometimes.
Nah I walk with the spirit on this one lmao
Question for Brennan: Is the spelling efchés like the word for “wish” in Greek? Do the wizards in Lucent all have “E” names? I have so many questions…
I need to relisten to the whole podcast… this shite is WILDDD the scoring is also incredible 10000/10 Taylor
I feel like that about every episode this arc. And last arc. Every arc? Such a magnificent story.
Hey Taylor… do you need a lil break? Perhaps some hibernation? All this gorgeous work must be life-giving but oh so exhausting! 🫠
Taylor has been placed back into his containment facility to make the next episode. Reports say he is happy there, but has many questions about the outside world.
EEEAAAAAUUUGGGHHH
SPOILERS: 1) So from what I can see in episode 23, she never gave up Gault nor told anyone about the sapphire (possibly because she didn't know about it until Ame told her at the Conclave). All she said was that she went to get a shield. So if Suvi didn't tell them about Gault and the arrest of Gault happened weeks ago, probably while they were at the Conclave or trying to save Silver, how did the Citadel learn about the sapphire and arrest him over it? I suspect that either: 1) the staff itself was spying on Suvi; 2) Gault has a bug in his office since the only place the sapphire was spoken about before the Conclave was in Gault's office; or, 3) the pins that they put on non-Citadel visitors/guests spys on them. Using the star intelligence doesn't feel like an option cause both times when the sapphire was specifically referred to as "flawless" were in enclosed spaces. 2) Naram noting that he strongly suspects that the MiB's goal/war is to destroy the world of mortals adds further weight to Steel's argument that "...that's why they're afraid of us. Because what we make real, they must become." From the way Steel was speaking, and her example of a simple well, it didn't sound like she meant wizards specifically but more mortals in general. So that makes me wonder whether the MiB's goal is just to murder all sapient, mortal creatures on earth. That or take out their capacity to imagine or build anything that isn't preapproved my the spirits themselves, basically kill their abilities to dream, innovate, and have complex thought about possibilities.
for our special guest; if Eursulon had understood that Naram would be forced to join with the Man In Black when he asked Naram for aid; would he have made a different request? Would he have sooner sacrificed himself to save Narams Freedom to not join the war?
I think people are thinking of freedom too simply. Naram is not enslaved by the King of Night - they made a deal. Sometimes in life there are unpleasant things that you wish you didn't have to do, but you do them because not doing them is worse. This is not oppression; this is agency. Choices and dealing with the consequences of those choices are part of the whole deal of freedom.
My god I love Naram’s theme so much, every time it comes on it fills my mind with the swelling of oceans and rising of tides. The next time we hear it though will probably invoke a very different emotional reaction 😭
.....so do y'all have a traumamine reimbursement plan set up for us?
Turtles all the way down, baby!
Worth the wait ❤️
How does it keep getting better!?
The argument for a war against the Citadel was presciently by System of a Down in their song “Science”. In this essay, I will…
Question: what happens when a spirit is forced (whether by magic or by the need to keep a promise it has made) to act against its nature?
Who is the marshmallow smell referencing?
Mr. Callum sells marshmallow pastries in a shop in Malicanth Court
Also, Music! Taylor, do I hear notes from Fringe?!
I’m not from Umora, but I felt that existential horror. From that world. Of that world.
The speed with which I zoomed straight back to the Conclave to refresh on Tefmet. Oooooooh. And if we're heading back to that version of Suvi I'm gonna be so upset because it's my least favorite version. I feel like Suvi needs to be reunited with Task. If familiars are the thing you need to put away I feel like he's the justification machine so she can tap into empathy and emotion.
I feel like Suvi was, at all times, completely proving her immunity to the justification engine. As interesting and as worthy and as cool as everything she's being shown is... I think she's revealing her awareness of the lovebombing manipulation she's being put through by Steel, and the real indicator of that was her biting her lip so hard it bled and just letting that blood run. That's her quiet signal of "I am not buying your bullshit, no matter how brilliant and beautifully you polish it."
SPOILERS OK so if quicksilver is necessary to make your own spirits... surely it is benign? I THINK NOT!!! So it has to be spirit blood right?? Like Naram's blood used for those rings? Or Ghost's blood being used in potions?? Hard to obtain... so either mined from the world itself or taken from living things or half spirits or some such? Anyone have any other good guesses???
Quicksilver is an older name for Mercury. Aabria also mentions thermometers. Which old thermometers used before it discovered to be hazardous. So it could just be mercury. Or some kind of magically juiced up mercury.
Absolutely INSANE episode! Will definitely need a re-listen to fully grasp everything that was discussed. Ya'll never cease to amaze me 💕 Question for Brennan : Would you really have added "Brennan "I'm gonna kill them kids" Mulligan" to your list of titles should things have gone poorly during the encounter with Sir Curran and the Man in Black?
SPOILERS I want to trust steel so bad but her words at the end actually made me feel I'll. Like seriously FACTORY is such a nasty way to describe the production of what are essentially war slaves. And saying the are close to ending all wars without even a slight twinge of what that means for the people they are subjecting. Also why does the man in black want suvi so damn bad
I have never gotten goosebumps from hearing the phrase "Roll intiative" until this episode. Oh my GOD. THIS IS SO GOOD AND I'M SO CONCERNED. Also the music for this episode is STELLAR.
That last scene had my eyebrows so raised they were on the back of my neck. They're out of their goddamned minds!
It has kind of a “I am become death” vibe to it.
"This is the world I made for you." Fucking CHILLING!! Another banger!
Starting a petition to re-name-cloak all wizards Wizard Trifle because THESE WIZARDS BE TRIFLING! Also, please for the love of humble home DMs, a second motion to release the map! I’m so ready to wrap my players up in Umora and it’s political and spiritual intrigue!
WORTH. THE. WAIT. !!!!! I was full on sobbing during Lou’s scene. So many beautiful and terrifying moments. And the 25th district citadel scene truly blew my mind. It feels like Brennan had that concept of creating spirits and the implications of that from the very beginning. Did you oh humble DM?
SPOILERS Great Spirit: Its fine for wizards to have control over people and "minor" Spirits. Wizards: We figured out how to control you. Great spirits: I'm sorry, what now. I have a question, WHAT THE FUCK, BRENNAN?
The citadel seeking to both control and make their own more convenient kinds of great spirits I think... total control. Also... quicksilver is living... perhaps they need the blood of spirits to make their own aka the blood of Naram being used for rings or something similar? I'd also guess that any spirit, great or otherwise, would take issue with the total control of any spirit... but yea I think realizing they could be overwritten or controlled would be troubling to those that usually outclass any that would hope to control them
Oh my fucking gods, that’s WILD. How the hell am I supposed to go back to work tomorrow knowing this!
I actually had the thought "I mean...yeah I want to listen now, but I know when it comes it'll be well worth it." And it was. such an intense episode and I'm deeply excited for the fireside on this one. Geez, that ending line. the quiet after was good
Yup-- everything is bad. How are they going to get out of this shitshow?
Question for Taylor - the music just before the fight with Sir Curran sounded a lot like an Irish caoineadh. Was this intentional? Absolutely beautiful work
Oh that? Thats actually an Umoran folk song about the King of Night that me and Brennan are writing. Keep those ears peeled for book two, baby. -t
Yayayay!
Guys don't worry about what people say. Just keep doing what your doing and releasing it whenever you can. Your die hards will be here. We won't complain. It'd be great if you to release full episodes with the editing and soundscapes everyday. That's impossible. We understand that you will do what you want to to put out a BANGER of an episode. Keep doing what you do, we'll (diehards) be here for it.
“Why need a collection when you have a FACTORY”?!?!!??!!?!???
That Naram entrance!!!! I had to stop the podcast briefly to say how overwhelmingly amazing it was
(still listening as i type this) The MiB ~played the cards he was dealt~? Surely an old, experienced spirit such as he should know when to hold em know when to fold em know when to walk away 🎵
I can never watch this podcast doing anything cuz I just cry like 5x per episode.
Hard same.
loudly saying “oh fuck YOU, Brennan” when he described Eursulon seeing his reflection in Sir Curran’s armor 😭 p.s. i’m gonna need Ame to show up while Steel still has a level of exhaustion because i’m scared of how mom’s gonna react to someone she’s decided is a bad influence on her daughter 😀!!!
Brennan does keep mentioning that Steel is still badly injured and exhausted. It's going to be important.
And this is why no matter how long an episode is delayed I will never complain because if Taylor needs more time to cook then the man shall be allowed to cook!
Absolutely! My own amateur endeavors into recording and editing audio have shown me just how much time goes into the editing, mixing, and scoring process. I can’t imagine the effort it takes to put this level of soundscape into the episodes, and I just appreciate the outcome. So like you said, if the man needs more time to cook, let him cook!
What an episode
The way I hollered! So many great moments and reveals. Spoiler: The 25th court is so cool aesthetically. Now their goal? Questionable. Like unchecked scientists... just bc you can doesn't mean you should. Like where's the ethic board? Also it's sounds all altruistic, but it's still about having control
I'm a clinical researcher (my whole ass job is those boards lol) and I had the same thought haha
Chills… I actually felt vertigo at the end of the episode. Knocking it out of the park with another episode of stunning storytelling and sound design
I just re-listened to the end of the Ep and I have better questions now. There has been a lot of talk about the “Justification machine” in reference to justifying the terrible things the Citadel does to maintain control for itself and the empire. Hearing the last words of that episode, “this is the world I want for you”, we now have a whole new justification machine, (the 2.0 update if you will) in justifying further and more potentially mundicidal atrocities to make the world that steel wants but doesn’t have, not for the citadel itself but for herself and her own ambition projected onto her daughter. My first question is how personalized is each archmage’s justification machine 2.0 what do they use to justify these greatest of ambitions? And to Aabria, has Suvi developed a justification machine 2.0? Is she ambitious enough to form one? My final question is then, which wizard in the Lucent has the most glass cake?
I would say that it's pretty clear throughout that Suvi is *not* on board a justification engine -- that bite of her lip hard enough to draw blood and the choice to let it run are that outward manifestation of it. Throughout the entire tour she's steadily increasing her outward distress while doing her best to hide it, until she just has to let parts of it out.
The episode ends, leaving just the sound of whistling wind in my ears and goosebumps rising on my arms. I start the episode again.
For whichever guest voiced Ursalon, I know how tunnel vision a person can get as a player in the middle of an intense scene, but when Aram asks what Ursalon's wish was from The Man in Black, were there other things you thought to ask for, as my mind went "as a spirit of freedom, release my brother Sir Curran from his service to you" immediately?
yes, whyyyyyy didn’t he free him? (there’s probably a reason, but seeing him trapped made me so sad)
What a magnum opus Brennan has built. Truly astounding layers upon layers of bread crumbs that are leading us to the whole damn cake. And somehow, I believe we just scratched the surface. With all of the genuineness that I can impart, what a breathtaking world you have created. I am truly fascinated and inspired by every corner we have turned. I’m not a divination wizard, but I feel like this will end up being the most cherished story of my whole damn life. Bravo
And now to listen to it again, because I was too stunned to comprehend what was actually happening
i listen to nearly every episode twice for this exact reason
I have a two part question for Taylor and then gang if possible. Taylor, what was the inspiration for the cords section in the last 2-3 minutes of ep51? It of course had the big Citadel framework we know and love but somehow it felt even more oppressive and made me feel even more uneasy than normal. Brennan, Lou, Erika, and Aabria, what went through your mind when you first heard the musical accompanyment to Steels reveal of the aims of the Endeavor? Thank you all so much for the work you do!
I CANNOT SCREAM THIS LOUD ENOUGH. IN THIS HOUSE, WE LET THE PRODUCTION TEAM COOK. Y’all blow me away every. Single. Time. Just incredible. My favorite story, told beautifully. Question to Brennan, in the aftermath of this episode, I felt some very present thematic through lines with EXU: Calamity. I suppose my question is how much of your day do you spent conceiving of the great and terrible ambitions of wizards let loose from the tether of reality? I am so impressed by your world-building, and how far you have your NPC’s investigate the depth of your world. It is so deeply inspiring and so fun.
Just got done with it such a beautiful episode!! And oh my goodness the REVEAL!! I don't even know how to process this and still have so many questions about suvis parents!
I'm glad I was home alone listening to this, the amount of times I suddenly shouted, "WHAT?! BRENNAN WHAT?!" was too many to count, and frankly, embarrassing
the fact that yall made me cry over Naram only to make me cry over Suvie recieving that award and the implications/ramifications of that then you have the nerve to drop the largest bomb of all time ONLY. FOR. IT. TO. KEEP. GETTING. WORSE. and then Taylor with the accompanying sound design????? I am in utter awe of the way the team continues to efferves every single emotion under the sun in these complete works of art. There should be some award. Yall need all the awards.
Oooh things are getting so tense! I am loving it! I so hope Steel and Suvi get to talk about her parents at some point. I am slowly getting more and more comitted to my theory that Steel (mayby unknowingly, maybe knowingly) had something to do with the death of Suvi's parents. And that some of Steels obsession with setting Suvi up for what she views as a perfect future is a mix of both guilt, trying to get a do-over with those relationships through Suvi, and also get to proove that in the end she was right, and that makes it all worth it.
I have felt like this since we met Yorin (spelling?) and he told Suvie he last saw her parents alive. Oh I keep wanting Steel to be good. I hate that Suvie continually has to loose so much. I dont want her to loose Steel but by god that woman is unhinged.
This entire time I’ve thought “maybe the spirits are overreacting. Sure they killed the frog and that’s horrible but it took so much” at the end of the episode “ok, nope I get it. I don’t side with them, but that’s absolutely justification to march to war”
Killed to prove a point... kind of a magical cornerstone or essential representation of natural and joyous music and song... yea that's so cynical and nasty even at the lightest interpretation... the Citadel's anything for the greatest good narrative doin a lot of work.
literally fuck yall, i was prepared for curran to be fully evil but this was a million times more painful :(( taylor, the music throughout all of eursulon’s scene…wow you blow me away everytime i cant believe it!! edit: i hadn’t finished the ep when i wrote this and jesus christ that sting at the end
Hey gang! Your ability to weave such incredible stories is so awe inspiring and I hope one day to be able to do the same. How is Eursulon, and the special guest that plays him, feel about saving the children at the cost of Naram allying with The Man in Black?
Question for Suvi What was going through your mind to be able to piece the puzzle together that the citadel was trying to essentially make their own Gods
A blanket and a hot cocoa for my boy Sir Curran who cant catch a fucking break in life or in death
LOL
Having finished the episode: Bring that goddamn tower down dog
Also I hope Sly saw the future and got out of dodge. Suvi gave him up too
Anyone else have to pause after Eursulon's section? It wasn't a long pause, but it was the 1st time I've done so during an episode.
This story is giving me the wonderful feeling of reading my favourite books for the first time all over again. The episode is staggering.
Hot damn, that was worth every anticipated minute of waiting. Bravo to the production team.
wizards and their hubris are at it again
Hey gang, just one time, I'd love that theme Taylor wrote, that one about honor and duty and truth, the one that plays under every moment of solemn, melancholy heroism that Eursulon is constantly choosing, I'd love for that to play in a "my friends. You bow to no one" moment. Just once. Just one good ol' unmitigated victory for the forces of truth and light and love. I'm aware that it will cost, and we will pay in fear and tears and grief. I know what it cost those Hobbits. But I would very much like it nonetheless.
It will never cease to be horribly amusing when one player is having a full existential meltdown, and then we cut to the other ascending fun magical staircases to exciting music.
God those wizards are fucked up lil freaks
I'm 90% sure they told steel about that sapphire
the CHOIR ALONE was worth the wait
"He does not want to do this, but he will."
I fully started crying when Naram showed up
Yeah, yeah, run me that episode. This some good product. Pleasure doing business with ya
My week is now complete! Hope Taylor & every one else involved get some rest, I'm sure they've been feeling the delay worse than us.
Anybody else picturing the fan base celebrating like the Munchkins finding out the wicked witch is dead?
Woo woo! The wait is worth it
THANK YOU YIPPEEEE
Hope Taylor is getting some rest now!!!
Finally!! (She says not judgmentally just excitedly)
Go sleep now!!!
A-hoo-hot-damn!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
LFG
We love you guys thank you!
WONDERFUL (now please rest up and take good care of yourselves!!!!!)
Finally lodr Taylor has delivered us a miracle and the discourse and the discourse about the discourse can be arch mage silenced
Yesssssss
Best of all possible wishes to the production team!! Y’all make the world go round
To plow? Oh my
By the way happy pride happy pride everybody ! (Still time lol)
Happy pride !
!!!
*Rabid feral noises*
An episode is never late, nor are they early. It arrives precisely when it is meant to.
An episode is never late, nor is it early. It arrives precisely when it is meant to. Thanks as always for an amazing show!
Perfect comment 👌
Yes! 💜💚💙🩵🧡❤️🩷
Thank you💜 Appreciate all your hard work and hope y'all are doing well.
Yayyyyy
I'm not gonna trauma dump in a patreon comment section. It has been a fucking awful 48 hours. I cannot put into words how much I needed this episode. Thank you guys for everything that you do
Hey, whatever it is? Great job making it through. Glad you did.
description is metal as all hell lfgggg
THIS IS GONNA BE SO GOOD
EVERYONE SHUT UP, OUR SHOW IS ON
Yipee!
ONWARD ADVENTURERS! INTO THE BRINK ONCE MORE!!!!
Thank you, may fair winds, and sunny skies bless you with their favour
Thank you for your hard work! ♥️
Just got to work and this is a absolute gift!!
YESSSSS
LET'S FUCKING GO!!!!!!!! FUCK ME UP, FAM!!!!!!
huzzah
AND MY AXE!
Well done!!
Amazing
Right on time ❤️
WEVE BEEN BLESSED, THANK YOU CAST AND CREW FOR YOUR BEAUTY
YAAAAASSSSSSS
You were always on your way <3
Not a drill!!!
RIGHT WHEN I NEEDED IT MOST LETS GOOOOOOOOO
IVE FOUND MY BREATH!
LFG
Ok everyone let’s go back to being NORMAL and GRATEFUL for new WBN content and say thank you, production team!!!!!!
LESGOOOOOO
Yayyyyyyy thank you for working so hard to get it out!!!!!!!! Well worth any wait
!!!!!!!
Bless you all 😭😭 and thank youuuuu
Omg yess