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Friends at the Table

Friends at the Table

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S8 Ep 10The Road to PALISADE 08: Lancer Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for kiddnapping. For the Hypha and Ashen refugees who make it their home, the city of Harborview on the world of Saboria represents possibility. As they fled from the Curtain, Stel Columnar reached out to offer them haven. A place on a world of their own to rebuild. A material gift, "proving" the Pact's commitment to reform. And for some time, the community of Harborview was allowed to flourish. But today, that time has ended. Some of their most precious residents have been kidnapped. And as it often does, saving Harborview and its people now falls to a band with little more than this community holding them together. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Lancer Pt. 1 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them. Stel Columnar: Famously "courted" by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy. The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states. Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Persons Zark "Banjax" Vapor (he/they): Mechanic, Harborview contractor, and pilot of the Ill Portent Teasel "Derby" Fauna (he/him): Entertainer, sharpshooter, and pilot of the Dressage. Narmine "Ketch" Te'ketch (he/him): Former two-bit criminal, current whaler, and pilot of The Captain. Martilla "Journeyman" Häske (she/her): Professional soldier, Pact true-believer, and pilot of the Under the Radar. Kaliope Flow (she/her): The de facto leader of Harborview. Zeke Minuet (he/him) & Deanthe (they/them): A pair of researchers into ancient Hypha culture. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. Locations Saboria: A world controlled by the Columnar which they "gifted" to a group of Ashen refugees fleeing the Curtain. A fiction, of course. The city of Harborview where the Ashen live is under constant surveillance. I do wonder, however, whether the Columnar know the irony of the trap they think they've laid. Articles The Portcullis System & The Divine Space: Huge, distended hexagonal gates that float at the edge of key systems throughout the Principality. Once a week—or more often, if one has the keys to the kingdom—each one connects to one other, forming a faster-than-light highway that serves as the logi

Oct 14, 20223h 8m

S8 Ep 9The Road to PALISADE 07: Wagon Wheel Pt. 3

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This episode carries content warnings for mentions of death, poison, discussion of bodily fluids, and slavery. With the Bontive Valley and the Shale Belt behind them, Millennium Break's first arrivals on Palisade find themselves facing their most delicate situation yet. In the arid stretches beyond the Curtain's reach, there rests a fortress named Joyous Guard. Inside lives the previous imperial ruler of this world: Perpetual Lustre, the Duke of Glass. Unwilling to cede the power he claimed to "protect" on behalf of the long-absent Princept, the Duke now lives in exile, attended to by an unctuous court and served by the supposedly leashed "descendents" of Divines known as Delegates. But with Millennium Break newly arrived, for how much longer will this petty tyrant yet cast his shadow over the desert? This week on the Road to PALISADE: Wagon Wheel Pt. 3 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. After the events on Partizan, they were dragged into the daylight, and served as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. But as the years progressed, and Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, grew in confidence and skill, the group began a steady transformation and the spies began to return to the shadows… New Earth Hegemony: Long since lost to history, the NEH once claimed the entire center sphere of the Galaxy as their home. Characterized by a neoliberal policies and the deep belief in technological solutions, the nation was key to the slow destruction of the ancient Divine Fleet, a predecessor to the Divine Free States (itself half of the Divine Principality's founding membership). The Fabreal Duchy: When the nascent Divine Principality left Palisade behind 5000 years ago, they left behind the Fabreal Duchy. At the time, the Duchy was an extension of the Twilight Mirage's technologically powerful artist-kingdom, the Crown of Glass. Whether it was this connection or something else, the Princept at the time believed them to be ideal candidates to remain behind and tend to the Palisade in the Principality's absence. In time though, these "custodians" refashioned themselves as crystalline royals—quite literally. The bodies of the royals and aristocrats of the duchy are made of strange glass-like material, and their selfhood is actually contained in a colorful oil—produced and maintained by the Divine Unction, which flows through their vessels. In time, the Duchy expanded its grasp and became the largest single power on the planet. Its peerage—a collection of baronesses, counts, and other nobles who serve under the Duke's whims—are protected by their Saints, a chivalric order of knights who pilot hollows of smaller design than those of the Principality, and served by a large number of "Delegates." enslaved slivers from DIvines long since vanished. Before the Principality arrived on Palisade again, Perpetual Lustre, the Duke of Glass led the duchy. But when he refused to submit to the will of the newly arrived Viceroy, his vassals saw opportunity and betrayed him. Now he lives exiled at the edge of the desert. Persons Ce Gull (they/he): A scout who grew up on a Nidean outpost and joined up with Millennium Break after their home was destroyed by Stel Orio. They're working on their skills as a gardener. Caeso Wair (he/him): A horse, a cannon, a quiet confidence. There are many ways to be a cowboy. The News of Her Arrival Flowed Between the People of the Village Like ⸢Wine⸣, Rich and Intoxicating (they/them): "Excerpt" of the seemingly absence Divine, Bounty. Excerpts are, of course, like Elects or Candidates before them, except they're egotistical enough that they have to think of themselves as priests instead of pilots. Broadleaf (he/him): A musician and aspiring chef who towers above others in an elephantine frame. Perhaps you might call him the heart of this crew. A dreamer, for sure. Perpetual Lustre, the Duke of Glass (he/him): Exiled erstwhile leader of the Fabreal Duchy, now residing in Joyous Guard. Bright Mercy (she/her): Delegate serving Perpetual Lustre as court attendant of Joyous Guard.. August Righteousness (he/they): Delegate serving as court chef of Joyous Guard. Secretly operates a Delegate resistance movement. Tzion Archana (he/him): A Concretist mechanic and technician. Very savvy. Gastone Ol'D'Cassino (he/him): The shady owner of Braunton's casino. Locations The Bontive Valley: When the fledgling Divine Principality left Palisade—for reasons unknown by most—those few who refused to leave (unwilling to see themselves become part of a new empire) remained in quiet isolation, blessed by the gifts of the Divine Bounty. Where that Divine is now remains a mystery. Eversin: A small town in the Bontive Valley under Curtain occupation. Shale Belt: On the world of Moonlock, deep in the Twilight Mirage, an

Oct 6, 20223h 22m

S8 Ep 8The Road to PALISADE 06: Wagon Wheel Pt. 2

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The members of Millenium Break continue to investigate the world of Palisade, trying to build relationships across the communities of Eversin and Braunton. In the former, they learn that offers of direct help may not always be easily accepted by those in the sights of an occupation. In the latter, they learn that direct occupation is not always necessary for an empire's reach to be felt. And in both, they come to understand the importance of local culture (basketball) and social ritual (potluck dinner) when it comes to building a movement. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Wagon Wheel Pt. 2 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. After the events on Partizan, they were dragged into the daylight, and served as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. But as the years progressed, and Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, grew in confidence and skill, the group began a steady transformation and the spies began to return to the shadows… New Earth Hegemony: Long since lost to history, the NEH once claimed the entire center sphere of the Galaxy as their home. Characterized by a neoliberal policies and the deep belief in technological solutions, the nation was key to the slow destruction of the ancient Divine Fleet, a predecessor to the Divine Free States (itself half of the Divine Principality's founding membership). Persons Ce Gull (they/he): A scout who grew up on a Nidean outpost and joined up with Millennium Break after their home was destroyed by Stel Orio. They're working on their skills as a gardener. Caeso Wair (he/him): A horse, a cannon, a quiet confidence. There are many ways to be a cowboy. The News of Her Arrival Flowed Between the People of the Village Like ⸢Wine⸣, Rich and Intoxicating (they/them): "Excerpt" of the seemingly absence Divine, Bounty. Excerpts are, of course, like Elects or Candidates before them, except they're egotistical enough that they have to think of themselves as priests instead of pilots. Broadleaf (he/him): A musician and aspiring chef who towers above others in an elephantine frame. Perhaps you might call him the heart of this crew. A dreamer, for sure. Lishan Charles (she/her): Seneschal of Eversin, serving as local steward and sheriff, reporting up to the occupying Curtain forces if "trouble" arises. Doctor J (he/him): Eversin's doctor. Lover of Basketball, the most popular sport on Palisade. Tivanon (he/him): An anxious merchant in Eversin's market. Tzion Archana (he/him): A Concretist mechanic and technician. Very savvy. Gastone Ol'D'Cassino (he/him): The shady owner of Braunton's casino. Locations The Bontive Valley: When the fledgling Divine Principality left Palisade—for reasons unknown by most—those few who refused to leave (unwilling to see themselves become part of a new empire) remained in quiet isolation, blessed by the gifts of the Divine Bounty. Where that Divine is now remains a mystery. Eversin: A small town in the Bontive Valley under Curtain occupation. Shale Belt: On the world of Moonlock, deep in the Twilight Mirage, an industrial accident altered a the respiratory needs of one group of colonists, requiring them (and their descendents) to breathe in special particulates emanated from the town's unique construction materials. The inhabitants of the Shale Belt, the secular and technologically-minded Concretists, are descendants of those colonists, and chose to remain on Palisade rather than join the nascent Divine Principality when it left 5000 years ago. Over the years, not only did they develop new, more-integrated respiratory cybernetics as medical aids, they also built bonds with nearby regions to ensure that the materials they needed to breathe more comfortably would be integrated into local infrastructure. Braunton: A run down casino town in the Shale Belt, near to the border with the Bontive Valley. Articles BigStar★: A large wagon drawn by a pair of massive slowderbikes. Miscellany Kalmeria Particle: A so-called miracle of modern science, providing those that master it power akin to what was wielded before the Perennial Wave. Like most miracles, there is an explanation, but most people have neither the knowledge of nor interest in what it really is or where it came from. Some know that it is named for the rogue engineer Kal'Mera Broun, but few know that it is the result not only of their research into the divine Asepsis, but also the particular consequences of Millennium Break's battle with Motion and her siphoning of so-called "Autonomy Itself." Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora and Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

Sep 30, 20223h 1m

S8 Ep 7The Road to PALISADE 05: Wagon Wheel Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for mentions of violence, death, and colonization. With the road paved by Misericorde and the NIdean forces which capitalized on his duel with the Apostolosian hero Cor'rina Corrine, the Curtain began to move their forces down onto Palisade proper. Within weeks, Kesh and Nidean forces had spread across most of the major, obvious settlements on the small planet. Within months, the people of Palisade were rallying, preparing to fight back, and making connections beyond their world. ⸢Wine⸣, the Excerpt of the Divine Bounty, whose presence on Palisade had been lost to history, took a small ship and sought aid from the only group proven to reliably bloody the Principality's nose: Millennium Break. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Wagon Wheel Pt. 1 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. After the events on Partizan, they were dragged into the daylight, and served as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. But as the years progressed, and Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, grew in confidence and skill, the group began a steady transformation and the spies began to return to the shadows… Persons Ce Gull (they/he): A scout who grew up on a Nidean outpost and joined up with Millennium Break after their home was destroyed by Stel Orio. They're working on their skills as a gardener. Caeso Wair (he/him): A horse, a cannon, a quiet confidence. There are many ways to be a cowboy. The News of Her Arrival Flowed Between the People of the Village Like ⸢Wine⸣, Rich and Intoxicating (they/them): "Excerpt" of the seemingly absence Divine, Bounty. Excerpts are, of course, like Elects or Candidates before them, except they're egotistical enough that they have to think of themselves as priests instead of pilots. Broadleaf (he/him): A musician and aspiring chef who towers above others in an elephantine frame. Perhaps you might call him the heart of this crew. A dreamer, for sure. Lishan Charles (she/her): Seneschal of Eversin, serving as local steward and sheriff, reporting up to the occupying Curtain forces if "trouble" arises. Doctor J (he/him): Eversin's doctor. Locations The Bontive Valley: When the fledgling Divine Principality left Palisade—for reasons unknown by most—those few who refused to leave (unwilling to see themselves become part of a new empire) remained in quiet isolation, blessed by the gifts of the Divine Bounty. Where that Divine is now remains a mystery. Eversin: A small town in the Bontive Valley under Curtain occupation. Articles BigStar★: A large wagon drawn by a pair of massive slowderbikes. Miscellany Kalmeria Particle: A so-called miracle of modern science, providing those that master it power akin to what was wielded before the Perennial Wave. Like most miracles, there is an explanation, but most people have neither the knowledge of nor interest in what it really is or where it came from. Some know that it is named for the rogue engineer Kal'Mera Broun, but few know that it is the result not only of their research into the divine Asepsis, but also the particular consequences of Millennium Break's battle with Motion and her siphoning of so-called "Autonomy Itself." Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Wagon Wheel at https://braverun.itch.io/wagon-wheel

Sep 23, 20223h 26m

S8 Ep 6The Road to PALISADE 04: Last Shooting

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This episode carries content warnings for violence, death, and colonization. For the first few years of the war, those in the central depths of Nideo space felt safe. In order to reach them, the Pact would first have to push through an unthinkable amount of territory—much of it well defended. What they did not expect was an Apostolosian sneak attack arriving through the deep space that separates two galactic arms. And when they arrived, it was not simply an invasion. It was an invitation to a morbid race: Who would conquer Palisade—and the Twilight Mirage Beyond—first. At the forefront of this conflict, two pilots arose. This is their story. This week on the Road to Palisade: Last Shooting Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Orion: For hundreds of thousands of years, Stel Orion—under countless names and forms—has repeated a cycle of exploitation and revolution. Competing spirits of individualism and camaraderie ebb and flow, but industry remains. Is it any wonder that it remains associated with the raw breadth of Space itself? Currently, Orion is at war with itself, with countless small factions not only differing in position on the larger civil war in the Principality, but also on many additional issues like wealth, religion, and culture. Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states. Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Persons Cor'rina Corrine (cor/cors): Drawing cor root name for the Eidolon Corridor, a famed Apostolosian peace maker, is it any wonder that Cor'rina Corrine, ace pilot of the Pact's forces near Palisade, is a naive idealist? Misericorde 'Miseri' (he/they): Heir to a disgraced family who sided with the rebellious Sovereign Immunity once known as The Farmer. Seeks to restore his family's name by any means necessary. Dahlia (they/them): The self-proclaimed "Glorious Princept" and Apokine of Apostolos has the support of the Pact of Venture, yet seems more concerned with winning the war against the Branched than attending to the civil war inside of the Principality. Dahlia is the elect not only of Integrity but also Commitment. A feat, a folly, or both? Locations The Skarnoc Debris Fields: The remnants of a battle from the era before the Twilight Mirage, where the Rapid Evening fought and lost the Divine Nobility. Besides the normal ship debris, the field has gathered strange crystalline spires. Articles The Portcullis System & The D

Sep 16, 20223h 52m

S8 Ep 5The Road to PALISADE 03: Stealing the Throne

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Once a year, the Divine Discernment takes a trip dangerously close to the Adversary—Perennial—orbiting the very core of the galaxy. From there, it can see everything, all at once, breaking the rules of time and space in exactly the ways Divines seem sometimes able to do. It saves this view, rendering it out as an image impossibly high in resolution, giving those with access to it incredible strategic and tactical advantages—so long as they generally know where to look and what to look for. As such, though Devotion itself is not a dedicated war vessel, it is as responsible for the deaths that follow it as the accurate sight of the rifle or the targeting computer of the missle are. "Perhaps," the leaders of Millennium Break think, "we could put it to better use." This week on the Road to PALISADE: Stealing the Throne Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Divine Principality: Stitched together thousands of years ago from the remains of the Divine Free States and the Principality of Kesh, it is largest empire in the history of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Even now, divided against itself, any subdivision of its arms stretches further than any kingdom or confederation ever has before. An utter failure. Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them. Persons Discernment (it/its) and Vigna (they/them): Vigna is egotistical with little reason to be, but Discernment could stand to be a little prouder. It is a massive Divine that seeks to put the world in its gaze, in every possible version of that statement. Part galactic spy satellite, part museum, part military base. It really tests the boundaries between passive observer and active agent, doesn't it? Omi (they/them): A synthetic member of Millennium Break with a top-shelf scenario simulation engine and an unparalleled sense of precision timing (among other beings of their type, at least). Kinoki (sher/her): A code-cracking algorithm that slowly turned into a master thief and hacker. Strange life, even to me. Fingers Crossed (they/them): One might wonder just how this criminal and rebel has studied enough classified Principality material to become the export forger that they are. Yes. One might wonder. Robet Shpache (he/him): An expert in security systems, Robet Shpache wields cameras, gates, and drones like weapons. Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh (he/him): "The Peaceful Princept," supposed leader of the Curtain of Divinity. Growing, ever so slowly, into the title. The Lace of the Curtain of Divinity: Marshall in command of the Curtain's military forces, including reconnaissance and martial saboteur units. Locations Crown: The ancient homeworld of the Columnar, found deep into the coreward reaches of the Sagittarius arm of the galaxy. It was devastated by the arrival of the Perennial Wave, and today remains ruined. Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Stealing the Throne at https://ickbat.itch.io/stealing-the-throne

Sep 9, 20222h 27m

S8 Ep 4The Road to PALISADE 02: HOUNDs Pt. 2

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This episode carries content warnings for violence, displacement, insects, and a brief description of a corpse. The Divine Fealty knew what they had seen instantly, identifying it in something before or beyond language. Appropriate, since the Twilight Mirage, once its home, had always been more than just a simple place or a proper noun. It did not matter if their elect, Veronique, could understand what they'd seen in this way, only that she would support Fealty in what must be done. And so, an escape. And so, a kingdom among debris. And so, a kidnapping. And so, a confrontation between Divines. Now wounded, the two Anchors float back in the direction they came from, drawing ever closer to the purple dot in the distance. This week on Friends at the Table: The Road to PALISADE: HOUNDs Pt. 2 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Divine Principality: Stitched together thousands of years ago from the remains of the Divine Free States and the Principality of Kesh, it is largest empire in the history of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Even now, divided against itself, any subdivision of its arms stretches further than any kingdom or confederation ever has before. An utter failure. Stel Kesh: Among the oldest operating powers in the stars. Devoted to the Past even though they've long lost control of the Divine who shares its name. Snobbish historians, ineffective parliamentarians, and stubborn reactionaries. Kesh is generally aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Orion: For hundreds of thousands of years, Stel Orion—under countless names and forms—has repeated a cycle of exploitation and revolution. Competing spirits of individualism and camaraderie ebb and flow, but industry remains. Is it any wonder that it remains associated with the raw breadth of Space itself? Currently, Orion is at war with itself, with countless small factions not only differing in position on the larger civil war in the Principality, but also on many additional issues like wealth, religion, and culture. Stel Columnar: Famously "courted" by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy. Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states. Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After

Sep 2, 20224h 26m

S8 Ep 3The Road to PALISADE 01: HOUNDs Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for violence, abduction, and risk of suffocation. Welcome to the Road to PALISADE, an interlude connecting PARTIZAN to PALISADE, our upcoming season (which will be played in Armour Astir: Advent by Briar Sovereign)! Unlike 2019's Road to PARTIZAN, please know that this season will likely contain broad spoilers for COUNTER/Weight, Twilight Mirage, and PARTIZAN. In many ways, we see both the Road to PALISADE and PALISADE itself as opportunities to weave many important threads from the Divine Cycle together. Another way in which this interlude season is different from the Road to PARTIZAN is that we aren't necessarily telling a linear history from point A to point B. While many key points on the five years separating the two seasons will be hit, the Road to PALISADE is intended to be less of a direct history and more of a series of snapshots, capturing events happening as the Principality's civil war continues. As a fun note, all of the stories we play this interlude season are generally inspired by the cast's answers to Crunchyroll writer Adam Wescott's question about what sort of PZN spinoff we'd all want to do! There are (thus far) two exceptions, and this episode is the first of those. When I first read Tyler Crumrine's HOUNDs, I knew instantly that this was how I wanted to kick things off. And as you'll see, Jack and Art proved that it was the right decision. Okay, given how long this particular Road is going to be—it's still in production as this first episode hits the main feed—I better shut up and let you get on with listening. This week on Friends at the Table: The Road to PALISADE: Hounds Pt. 1 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Divine Principality: Stitched together thousands of years ago from the remains of the Divine Free States and the Principality of Kesh, it is largest empire in the history of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Even now, divided against itself, any subdivision of its arms stretches further than any kingdom or confederation ever has before. An utter failure. Stel Kesh: Among the oldest operating powers in the stars. Devoted to the Past even though they've long lost control of the Divine who shares its name. Snobbish historians, ineffective parliamentarians, and stubborn reactionaries. Kesh is generally aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Orion: For hundreds of thousands of years, Stel Orion—under countless names and forms—has repeated a cycle of exploitation and revolution. Competing spirits of individualism and camaraderie ebb and flow, but industry remains. Is it any wonder that it remains associated with the raw breadth of Space itself? Currently, Orion is at war with itself, with countless small factions not only differing in position on the larger civil war in the Principality, but also on many additional issues like wealth, religion, and culture. Stel Columnar: Famously "courted" by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy. Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codenam

Aug 26, 20224h 19m

S8 Ep 2Bonus Episode: Standoff NNAF Fundraiser Livestream

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Hello everyone! Here's another actual play from our National Network of Abortion Funds fundraiser, this time with Austin, Sylvi, Janine, Art, Dre and Keith playing Standoff! Standoff is available at https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/standoff on its own or as part of a collection in Wish You Were Here, available at https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/wish-you-were-here

Aug 12, 20221h 8m

S8 Ep 1Bonus Episode: Marielda NNAF Fundraiser Livestream (+Realis teaser)

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Well, I suppose I've got a story or two left in these old bones. And hell, since it is another one about Marielda, why not make one about stories and the people who tell 'em. Now I know what you might be thinking: Physicality alive, in the era that The Six operated in Marielda, it was knowledge which was forbidden, turned into contraband and currency both, not stories. But as anyone ever wounded by art can tell you, fiction is a sharper knife than information could be. And living fiction, played out in front of your eyes and ears? Very few things are as well honed as that. And so it was that Samothes, ever jealous and increasingly suspicious that his erstwhile beau might conquer his capital with culture instead cudgel, all but forbade the theater. Of course, any scoundrel worth their shadow would narrow in on those two words preceding "forbade": "All but. " There were two exceptions to the rule banning theater. The first was liturgical drama, approved by the Blessed Council and performed in the True Church of Samothes on the Day of High Sun and other feasts. Between us, these were boring. They might serve academic value to someone of today's New Archives, and I suppose for the true believer of that old era, seeing even the most sanitized depiction of their King-God, Artificer Divine would make their day. But most folks, they wanted something a little less sacramental. Which is where the second exception comes in. Once a season, as an act of supposed Good Will, the Preceptors of the Font of True Knowledge—the Fontmen—opened the gates of their domain and put on a grand show. A day of comedy and tragedy in the Font Theater—the leash let slack so that the next time those censors pulled on it, they could claim it was done in good faith. What does any of this have to do with the Six. Well, nothin, until those out-a-towners with mysterious pasts and glorious masks showed up, claiming they had a spot on the stage and job for Hitchcock, Castille, and the rest. Help those actors steal their names back. Hello everyone!! Here is our livestream marathon finale game, a return to Marielda playing Scene Thieves! Most donation and fundraising shouts were cut to get this (as close as possible) under 5 hours but we'd like to thank everyone again for joining us on stream and supporting the National Network of Abortion Funds with us! Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins, Ali Acampora and Sylvi Clare Music by Jack de Quidt Scene Thieves is available here: https://possible-worlds-games.itch.io/scene-thieves

Aug 5, 20225h 4m

S7 Ep 68Bluff City: America's Playground Pt. 05

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Princeton, The Powdered Sugar Horse "Only a fool would say the horse does not belong at the beach," wrote a young Elliott Callahan in 1885. "The British, in their usual parsimonious fashion, insist that the beach is the province of the donkey, but the fact of the matter is that as far as strength, determination, and grit are concerned: one can do no wrong by bringing the horse—America's workhorse, if you will—down to the waterfront." By 1897, horses were a regular sight on the Bluff City boardwalk. Carriah and Letitia dragged the boat launch down to the water and back. Maribeth stood patiently by the bicycle rental stand and blinked placidly at passing cyclists. The less about Big Arthur that is committed to the historical record, the better. The most beloved of these animals, however, was Princeton: the mild mannered Clydesdale who pulled the Princeton Powdered Sugar wagon. Though whether he was named after the company or vice versa is a matter of some dispute, his sweet temper and calm demeanour is not. In the summer of that same year, Callahan—still clearly an equestrian enthusiast—catalogued this song in commemoration of the animal. Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse, Is coming by again! Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse, With flowers in his mane! If ever God made the sweetest creature, So sublime in every feature, Who would it be? Of course! It's The Powdered Sugar Horse! Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse, They say he's a businessman! Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse, As only an equine can! Tho' there's often a fellow who stands beside him, Sells the sugar and helps to guide him, Who runs the show? Of course! It's the Powdered Sugar Horse! Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse, The children clap and cheer! Princeton the Powdered Sugar Horse, Whenever he draws near! They say that he's never bit a man, And only God knows if he even can. Would he pummel a villain? Of course! He's the Powdered Sugar Horse! Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins and Keith J Carberry Music & Description by Jack de Quidt Mall Kids is available at https://mr-matthew.itch.io/mall-kids

Jul 28, 20221h 21m

S7 Ep 67Bluff City: America's Playground Pt. 04

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(If you'd like to follow along to everyone watching Mr. Ed Plays Baseball at 1:22:24, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlVr45CHOuA ) Three Out of Five It Ain't Bad During the late 1880s and early 1890s, the Bluff City Boardwalk saw a surge (and then sudden decline) in the unusual genre of "Lovers' Songs". Enterprising organ grinders would charge participants a small sum, hand out a broadsheet, and then act as an accompanist to a lovesick singer. These proved wildly unpopular. The songs were never particularly emotive, the cost was slightly too high, but the primary nail in the coffin was that it turned out that nobody liked to be sung to - in public - by a potential beau (who was invariably fighting the volume of a barrel organ two feet away). Most of these songs had faded into obscurity by the time Elliott Callahan, in 1899, recorded "Three Out of Five It Ain't Bad", a song that fails - straightforwardly - at communicating anything about love, or indeed anything at all. I wish I could give you the crown on the head Of the Queen out in Olde London Town! I wish I could send you the brooches that shine Of the Princess of Burgundy's gown. But all I can offer's the love in my heart, You can make me the happiest lad! I can offer this music, companionship too, And hey, three out of five it ain't bad. Three out of five, three out of five, Three out of five it ain't bad (it ain't bad!) Three out of five it ain't bad, my love, Three out of five it ain't bad. I wish we could visit the fanciest stores, I would buy you such satin and lace. I wish we could hike, hand in hand, through the Alps, See the wintry sun on your face. But all I can offer's the spring in my step, And the knowledge your smile makes me glad. And the tune that I raise with such fullness of heart, And hey, three out of five it ain't bad. Three out of five, three out of five, Three out of five it ain't bad (it ain't bad!) Three out of five it ain't bad, my love, Three out of five it ain't bad. *Organ grinder part in parentheses Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins and Keith J Carberry Music & Description by Jack de Quidt Mall Kids is available at https://mr-matthew.itch.io/mall-kids

Jul 21, 20221h 36m

S7 Ep 66Bluff City: America's Playground Pt. 03

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What A Big Building, I Can't See The Top By 1898, construction had begun on several boardwalk-side buildings that so exceeded the previous maximum building height that they caused a city-wide stir. Of course, early skyscrapers had been constructed before, closer to the city centre, but these new buildings' proximity to the ocean was a cause for excitement and, in some cases, concern. Would the ocean winds knock them over? Was it an act of hubris to situate such a tall building so close to the waves? These questions, however, were the purview of city folk. Those on the boardwalk were mostly disinterested by the whole situation, or irritated by the construction noise, or confused as to why the skyscrapers were called for at all. Elliott Callahan, writing in the summer of 1898, and seized with the "skyscraper spirit", asked a local organ grinder to "let loose a tune commemorating the new buildings that [he] might put it to paper." The resulting tune did not reflect the spirit in which it was requested. Some kinds of buildings are houses. Some kinds of buildings are shops. Sometimes they even take the shops that I mentioned, And they put a little house right on the top. (Combination!) Everybody loves buildings. Everybody loves 'em tall. Everybody needs buildings, And the highest ones up are best of all. Today I will sing about the skyscraper. Today, I will sing and never stop. I'm looking over there at the great big building. And I cannot - no, I cannot - see the top. Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins and Keith J Carberry Music & Description by Jack de Quidt Mall Kids is available at https://mr-matthew.itch.io/mall-kids

Jul 14, 20221h 37m

S7 Ep 65Bluff City: America's Playground Pt. 02

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I Can't Find My Way Off Atlantic During the winter of 1895, the main thoroughfare of Atlantic Avenue was set upon by work crews from City Hall, who - in preparation for the approaching 20th Century - sought to improve the quality of the road surfaces and allow for increased traffic. The works were scheduled to last no longer than two months - but, thanks to mismanagement, bad luck, and direct appropriation of funds - the project stretched languorously into the summer of 1896: the year of the heatwave. "What a disaster," wrote Elliott Callahan. "The wheels of carts, of automobiles, sinking into the asphalt as it melted on the streets. Confused horses. Shouting patrons. Great columns of immobilised travellers, the length of the avenue." From the relative safety of the boardwalk, far from the sounds of the work crews, the organ grinders were known to sing: Oh once, long ago, I knew peace in my heart, I would rise with the sun and the birds! But now I am stuck in the back of a cart, And my anger surpasses my words. Last springtime I met a remarkable gem, In the summer, my thoughts turned romantic. I would love to revisit my sweetheart again, But I can't find my way off Atlantic. Perhaps I have been here for thirty five years. Suspended 'twixt horror and prayer. Perhaps when the horrible traffic jam clears, I will find and imprison the mayor! I will find and imprison the mayor of Bluff, Just as soon as I'm out of the fray! I can see City Hall just ahead, sure enough, But there's forty nine cars in the way. Help! Help! Help! Help! I can't find my way off Atlantic! Help! Help! Help me! Help! I can't find my way off Atlantic! (x2) Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins and Keith J Carberry Music & Description by Jack de Quidt Mall Kids is available at https://mr-matthew.itch.io/mall-kids

Jul 7, 20221h 16m

S7 Ep 64Bonus Episode: GenCon Liveshow Marielda

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Here's our GenCon liveshow set in Marielda, playing Blades in the Dark! While this game of Blades in the Dark takes place in our Marielda setting, it's totally listenable even without that background (at least, that's what some totally new fans told us at the event!). That said, I do think listening to Marielda first makes it shine even brighter. For those curious, it takes place in the time jump between "The Valentine Affair Pt. 4" and "Four Conversations," and here's how we listed it in the big list of GenCon Events: Come watch a high stakes heist in an industrial fantasy world like no other! Friends at the Table leads you through a live Blades in the Dark game featuring new and returning players from their Marielda campaign. For new fans, get ready to learn about tea witches, lovelorn gods, and a very unpredictable train. For those in the know: Months before their climactic confrontation, Aubrey and Sige find themselves teamed up with a rival gang on a robbery like no other. Their target is a national treasure: the very first words written to page. Also if you listen to this and love it, and want to hear even more about Art and Keith's characters, we recorded their character creation and posted that as Pusher update right here. A transcription is available for this episode here. A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Jul 6, 20222h 11m

S7 Ep 63Bonus Episode: Random Article

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Hello hello everyone!! Today you are treated to a special episode of a RANDOM ARTICLE, a potential patreon podcast where we go to a random article on wikipedia and TALK ABOUT IT! It's good and funny. I promise. This is being released because it was a milestone for our marathon livestream fundraiser for the National Network of Abortion Funds. Thank you so much to everyone who's donated and who made this possible. We've been blown away by your support and we're looking forward to continuing the event TODAY!!!!!! Please come out and hang out and support reproductive rights if you're able!! THANK! YOU! EVERY! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna make this easy and just say, here is every link mentioned in the intro to this episode. twitch.tv/friendsatthetable https://tiltify.com/@friendsatthetable/marathon-for-abortion-funds https://possible-worlds-games.itch.io/scene-thieves https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/standoff https://worldchampgameco.itch.io/wish-you-were-here https://www.twitter.com/fisherfruity

Jul 4, 20221h 26m

S7 Ep 62Bluff City: America's Playground Pt. 01 (WITH ANNOUNCEMENT!)

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BEFORE WE GET TO THE EPISODE THERE IS AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!! This upcoming weekend, July 3rd and July 4th, Friends at the Table will be doing a LIVE STREAM MARATHON FUNDRAISER for the National Network of Abortion Funds!! We'll be hosting the stream over at twitch.tv/friendsatthetable JOIN US 12 - 8 PM ET JULY 3RD AND JULY 4TH! Watch us play some videogames! Listen to us play some ttrpgs!!! Enjoy us not playing games at all for a bit of it!!! We might do a Marielda one shot . . . . ? It'll be fun! Tell your friends!! The Scamps Are About The unusually mild spring of 1891 saw an unusual craze sweep the length of the Bluff City boardwalks, when the organ grinders found themselves targeted by the city's children in an outbreak of particularly nefarious behavior. The children, moving in loosely organized packs, would fall upon one organ grinder after another. Some would find the cans that contained their tunes removed and dropped off the pier. Others would turn their organs' handles and salt water would pour, improbably, from the pipes. The organ grinders, by and large, were not much older than their assailants, and as mild spring turned into cold summer, unusual battle lines were drawn among Bluff City's children. Elliot Callahan, discussing this song the following year, wrote: "I know not which young band of voices would raise these verses. Whether the beleaguered grinders - or, in parody, the roustabouts themselves - it matters not." The scamps are about! On the beaches and the boardwalks! The scamps are about! Send the word along the line! From the bait shop on pacific, in a mob that's quite terrific, Wearing grins that are horrific and demeanors so malign! The scamps are about! Pouring southward, ever southward, And they're carrying those sacks they use to make their wicked play! See the organ grinders panic, hear their melodies grow frantic, As the antics of the scamps intensify along their way! The scamps are about! Is there anyone to stop them? Is there any lion-hearted soul to step into the fray? If there's someone strong of spirit then I'd really like to hear it, Since the beer they poured inside my organ's getting in the way. Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins and Keith J Carberry Music & Description by Jack de Quidt Mall Kids is available at https://mr-matthew.itch.io/mall-kids

Jul 1, 20222h 26m

S7 Ep 61Bluff City: America's Playground Pt. 00

Old Mister, Old Mister In 1897, the "Twin-Pan" barrel organ was introduced to Bluff City by the Callahan Corporation and took the boardwalk by storm. The ease of use, the smoothness of operation, and purity of tone were a significant step forward from the common "Trout" model used at the time. These new instruments were expensive to source, and as such, many organ grinders found themselves pushed out of business by "Twin-Pan" operators paid for by the boardwalk hotels. This song, first recorded by Elliott Callahan in 1899, speaks to the mingled pain and opportunity felt on the boardwalks in those days. Old Mister, Old Mister, I heard from my sister! The man on the boardwalk is closing up shop, Oh brother, our mother has heard from another, A new kind of organ has forced him to stop! The tunes that it plays are a new kind of sweetness, Old Mister, Old Mister, my spirits take flight! Old Mister, with such incomparable neatness, Its harmonies thrill and its measures delight! So brother, we're steeling our hearts for the parting, The man on the boardwalk's departure does ache, But when we attend to the new organ starting… We'll find sacrifices are easy to make! Featuring: Austin Walker, Art Martinez-Tebbel, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins and Keith J Carberry Music & Description by Jack de Quidt Mall Kids is available at https://mr-matthew.itch.io/mall-kids

Jun 23, 20221h 28m

S7 Ep 60Sangfielle Post Mortem

Hey everyone! Join Austin Walker, Ali Acampora, Keith J. Carberry, Sylvia Clare, Jack de Quidt, Janine Hawkins, Art Martinez-Tebbel, and Andrew Lee Swan as we say farewell to the first season of Sangfielle and answer your questions! Thank you so much for all of your questions and for listening to Sangfielle! We hope you enjoy this send off! As mentioned in the stream, the next few weeks of on this feed will by our game of Mall Kids for Bluff City, a patreon exclusive campaign! We think its one of the funniest games we've ever done and are excited to share it with our entire audience.

Jun 16, 20223h 48m

S7 Ep 59Sangfielle Post-Mortem Announcement

Hello and welcome to a quick (well, shockingly long, really) announcement that I'll basically repeat right here in the episode description field! The important thing is that we're doing our Sangfielle post-mortem next Saturday, June 11th at 2:30 PM EDT, over on our YouTube Channel (youtube.com/friendsatthetable). You can send your questions to [email protected]! We can't get through all the incoming questions, but we'll try to get the ones most often asked. Also: Big thanks this week to the Transcripts at the Table team, who announced that they had finished transcribing all of COUNTER/Weight! That makes it the fifth season transcribed, which is just incredible. Next, I wanted to shout out everyone who made a game that we used this season. You can find links to all of those right here: The Ground Itself by Everest Pipkin Heart: The City Beneath by Grant Howitt and Christopher Taylor Inhuman Conditions by Tommy Maranges and Cory O'Brien Ichor-Drowned by Sillion L. and Brendan McLeod Anamnesis by Samantha Leigh A Visit to San Sibilia by Peter Eijk Thanks so much for listening to the show this season. We're looking forward to your questions, and then to taking a nice big break before we come back to the Road to PALISADE! As always, you can support the show through our Patreon, at friendsatthetable.cash!

Jun 6, 202215 min

S7 Ep 58Sangfielle 56: Six Travelers: Pickman

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This episode carries content warnings for memory loss, multiple realities, blood, gun violence, vomiting, death, mention of mass destruction, insectoid creatures, and a character trapped in an enclosed space. And so the Blackwick Group went its ways: Marn north towards the Telluricists and Duvall to Aldomina; Lyke to a place where he could confront himself fully and Es to aid Dyre Ode and the boy Gasto in destroying the wards of Concentus. Hazard, never officially a member, nevertheless found themself picking up one of the group's oldest threads, and bloodying the nose of a foe each would be happy to wound. So what about Pickman? Well. Pickman stayed, of course. There was work to be done. And it would take her quarry leaving town to get her to do the same… This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Pickman The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The First Canton, aka Aldomina the Throne of Dominion: Once a fledgling human empire but nearly 1900 years ago, a minor duke of some great hell led an effort to take it over. And once they did, they pushed what was an already spreading empire even further in that direction. The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent. Facts and Figures Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Somehow, someway, he has become fast friends with the Shape Knight Pickman. The Visitor: According to the Wrights, a figure came to them from Zevunzolia and opened their eyes to the truth above it all. Organizations Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

May 26, 20222h 30m

S7 Ep 57Sangfielle 55: Six Travelers: Es

This episode carries content warnings for organs, mass destruction, blood, general and surgical body horror, and bodily transformation. When the mysterious and genteel Dyre Ode made Es the offer, it was one of the rare moments of doubt for the ancient and powerful figure. Would they accept the invitation? Could she assist them when the moment of truth came? One thing that Dyre was certain of, though, was that if they were successful, Es was uniquely suited for what would come next. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Es The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent. Facts and Figures Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." Gasto (he/him): A young ragamuffin, protege of Dyre Ode and ward of a powerful Angel. Organizations Cleavers: Given how loose and fluid this collection of monster hunters, mystery solvers, and naturalists is, it's hard to call them "an organization." But when the central belief system of a group is that everything is ever in flux, well, give them the credit of applying that particular ontology to themselves: Whether left to their own devices or joined to a commune of other cleavers, on a long enough timeline, they all become tremendous, monstrous angels. Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

May 19, 20221h 13m

S7 Ep 56Sangfielle 54: Six Travelers: Duvall

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation, spiders, bodily transformation, gun violence, threat of dissection/forced medical inspection, death. It has been a long journey for Duvall. He first came to the heartland from Aldomina years ago, in search of adventure and glory. But he found only questions of the most existential sort, and a city that would reshape him utterly. Now, years later, he upholds a promise he made to his cousin and journeys home. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Duvall The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Upon visiting the City, Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. The First Canton, aka Aldomina the Throne of Dominion: Once a fledgling human empire but nearly 1900 years ago, a minor duke of some great hell led an effort to take it over. And once they did, they pushed what was an already spreading empire even further in that direction. The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself. Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent. Facts and Figures The Red Zephyr: A train what takes on strange character under the moonlight. For a month, it's torn into not only Bell Metal Station, but also any passing train it could reach. But when the Blackwick Group investigated it, they found that the Zephyr was in fact the Shape Knight Fezh, transformed into this new horror by the person they trusted most of all. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. Organizations Cleavers: Given how loose and fluid this collection of monster hunters, mystery solvers, and naturalists is, it's hard to call them "an organization." But when the central belief system of a group is that everything is ever in flux, well, give them the credit of applying that particular ontology to themselves: Whether left to their own devices or joined to a commune of other cleavers, on a long enough timeline, they all become tremendous, monstrous angels. Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

May 12, 20221h 6m

S7 Ep 55Sangfielle 53: Six Travelers: Hazard

This episode carries content warnings for human sacrifice, knives, explosions, memory loss, death. When Hazard entered our story, they may have seemed like someone defined by what was missing. But in truth, they had something that the members of the Blackwick Group never did: A clear and obvious objective. Now, standing on the other side of vengeance, they have the freedom (and the burden) of deciding what comes next. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Hazard The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures The Sunken Empress Altapasqua (she/her): Around fifty years after the panic set in, Altapasqua told her people she would ride across this cursed land and purge it of its disease and danger. She only made it about three fourths of the way. And well, it's as expected. She was down there ever since. Gandy Dancers: The strange little creatures that maintain the trains. The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that this group is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure. Emma Serchilde (she/her): Once, Emma was known in Sapodilla as one of the most successful investigators of the Glim Macula. A brutal interrogator and competent captain, Emma was nevertheless more loyal to herself than to the Macula. When Virtue became the city's new queen, Emma was quick to sell out her allies and devote herself to the city's newest power. Calen fel Dynestia (he/him): Heir to a grim line, Calen has joined the Shape Knights in an effort to rehabilitate the fel Dynestia name. Eyes sunken, pasty purple face covered with stubble, and all the highest fashion of Sapodilla circa twenty years ago. Betrayed his lover, Fezh, Fezh (they/them): Soft for a Shape Knight. Strong for a Shape Knight. The closest there was to everyone in Bell Metal, but Calen most of all. Now lives as the furious engine, Red Zephyr. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil was the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Now headless. Organizations Glim Macula: Until earlier this year, Sapodilla was marked by its white coated witch hunters, who terrorized the city's margins and invented new boogeymen when they could not find the ones they were certain to live in the shadows. Under Queen Virtue, they've been scattered to the wind. The Caravan of the Coin: Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Others believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

May 5, 20221h 12m

S7 Ep 54Sangfielle 52: Six Travelers: Lyke

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This episode carries content warnings for blood, memory loss, illusory reality, discussion of possible hallucination. You might wonder where the rest of the erstwhile Blackwick Group might be headed after their fracture in Blackwick. But deep down inside, you probably know exactly where Lye Lychen is headed, don't you? That man has unfinished business, and he is nothing if not someone committed to getting straight to the task at hand. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Lyke The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. Marrowcreek: Quite a ways west of Blackwick, the maps say there is a town called Marrowcreek. Never been myself, but I've heard about it (often in the sort of hypotheticals people pose to you to "make conversations" at parties.) Lye Lychen, Chine, and Hazard visited it (or a Course-built facsimile) a few months back, when they hopped off the Jade Moon. Bluerock Quarry: Bluestone is what you might guess from the name, a quarry for digging up stones of various qualities and makes, but all of which is blue in nature. While slate and limestone and granite all serve their ends, the real find is welkin, a stone as light as air but tough as the hardest metal. Now who could be on the lookout for something like that? Unschola Republica, formerly the Third Canton (oon-skoh-la): For a millenia, the alchemists, mage-practitioners, and cryptotheological scholars of the Third Canton complained in secret about the leash kept on them by Aldomina's distant leaders. They've since slipped that leash, and whether that's for better or worse, time will tell. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Facts and Figures Fendleton the Lake Skeletons: A boisterous skeleton that Lyke once met on the way to Last Rest (and Bell Metal Station beyond that). Loyal to Altapasqua? Or… loyal to unloyalty? Hard to pin down. Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil was the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Now headless. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Karston Leberge (he/him): Sergeant of Bread inside of the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, Karston runs operations at the Bluerock Quarry. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. Organizations The Boundless Conclave: Less of an individual church, more of an association between hundreds of independent faiths. Small sects, nearly forgotten cults, and unjealous gods make up this vast pantheon. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Ichor-Drowned at https://sillionl.itch.io/ichor-drowned You can purchase Anamnesis at https://blinkingbirchgames.itch.io/anamnesis A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is avail

Apr 28, 20222h 23m

S7 Ep 53Sangfielle 51: Six Travelers: Marn

This episode carries content warnings for blood, illusory reality, discussion of possible hallucination. We're nearly at the end now, but there is nevertheless some way to go still. Six ways, in fact. First: the Keen Marn Ancura heads north along with the shape knight Bucho and a number of refugees who have finally, truly had enough of Blackwick and its curses. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Marn The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Organizations The Telluricist Union: Made up by a mix of peoples driven to the hills by Aldomina, this group of knife sharpeners, herbalists, geologists, and all around investigators have made it their job to keep their old wisdom and see it used to help those in need. The best among them are called Keen. Sisters of the Mother-Beast: A dedicated priory of worshippers, living in an eternal hymn, worshiping a god long dead. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Carnival of Moted Light: It announces itself with wind and furious sound, an invitation to partake in joys and curiosities. You may not leave. Not yet. Not until it's over. Unless, of course, you'd like to stay forever. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Apr 22, 20221h 8m

S7 Ep 52Sangfielle 50: Dead in the Dust Pt. 3

This episode carries content warnings for decapitation, magical compulsion, weaponized false memories, major character death, corpse, flesh eating creature, mass destruction, premeditated act of violence, burning, murder, bodily transformation, general body horror. With their contract over and their interests split, the Blackwick Group's time together seems to be coming to a swift and sudden end. And that's just the half of it. The Carnival of Moted Light reaches in to the county, sloughing it away. Now, the night is all dust and creaking. In their final hours, what new sights, sounds, and flavors might the Blackwick Group add to it? This week on Sangfielle: Dead in the Dust Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. The First Canton, aka Aldomina the Throne of Dominion: Once a fledgling human empire but nearly 1900 years ago, a minor duke of some great hell led an effort to take it over. And once they did, they pushed what was an already spreading empire even further in that direction. The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Unschola Republica, formerly the Third Canton (oon-skoh-la): For a millenia, the alchemists, mage-practitioners, and cryptotheological scholars of the Third Canton complained in secret about the leash kept on them by Aldomina's distant leaders. They've since slipped that leash, and whether that's for better or worse, time will tell. Free Seas of Kay'va, formerly the Fourth Canton (kai-vah): First established after Cecile Cartine's revolution over 300 years ago, today Kay'va is home to a collection of aligned communes who swear that the only way to prosperity is through the defense of equality. The Fifth Canton, the Protectorate Kingdom of Ojantan (oh-JAHN-tahn): Ojantan was once a kingdom to rival Aldomina, and a solid place to live to boot, if a little over-structured for my taste. But the Devils got to the nation's leaders, and now it's been reduced to another Canton in the Empress' collection. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent. The Residuum: A realm of vibrant color, where the things of the world go when their time in the material world fades away. A plane of death, but rendered in glorious light. Facts and Figures Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire. Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil is the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof. The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, th

Apr 15, 20221h 54m

S7 Ep 51Sangfielle 49: Dead in the Dust Pt. 2

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This episode carries content warnings for knives, sword swallowing, the appearance of amputation.bodily transformation, mind control/magical compulsion, discussion of death, mass destruction, and public panic. The Carnival of Moted Light has come to Blackwick. Behind the storm of dust and destruction, a town revels in open bewilderment. A big top. The sound of shouting down the way. A moon above. A barker guiding you deeper in. It will pass. It will pass soon. Unless someone decides otherwise. This week on Sangfielle: Dead in the Dust Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. Facts and Figures Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire. Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil is the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof. The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure. Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." Stanislaka (she/they): Blackwick's attendent of the Boundless Conclave temple, an young ojantani whose faith to Slumbous knows no bounds. A member of the town council. Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always "Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine." Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Babor Mirah (they/them): As the Trade-Medium of one of nomadic clans of the Caravan of the Coin, Babor serves as a leader, guide, and chief negotiator. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creat

Apr 8, 20221h 37m

S7 Ep 50Sangfielle 48: Dead in the Dust Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for death, gun violence, knives, mind control/magical compulsion, and decapitation. It would be too simple for the Blackwick Group to have the space and time necessary to work through everything that has happened to them recently. It has been only hours since rescuing Marn, Pickman, and Bucho from Alaway (and fewer still since Lye Lychen handed over more power to the nascent deity), and yet a new threat curls its way around Blackwick. The dust swirls. The storm calls. There is a knock at the door. This week on Sangfielle: Dead in the Dust Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. Facts and Figures Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire. Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil is the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof. The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure. Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." Stanislaka (she/they): Blackwick's attendent of the Boundless Conclave temple, an young ojantani whose faith to Slumbous knows no bounds. A member of the town council. Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always "Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine." Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Babor Mirah (they/them): As the Trade-Medium of one of nomadic clans of the Caravan of the Coin, Babor serves as a leader, guide, and chief negotiator. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology l

Apr 1, 20221h 48m

S7 Ep 49Sangfielle 47: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 4

This episode carries content warnings for cannibalism, blood, direct physical trauma to a bodily organ, burned hands, implied temporary imprisonment, and rotten food. Having escaped Alaway's ad hoc temple, the Blackwick Group has attended to their collective wounds and begun to piece together what the vampiric Lord of Wax is planning. In short: godhood. In detail: the theft and usurpation of the last, material power of the Mother-Beast, the god who once called this territory hers. They know, too, that to confront their foe directly at this point would be to invite destruction and calamity. And so it is time for counter-schemes and further research. Perhaps, though... perhaps just a peek? A quick look at what this recurring enemy is capable of. Just a glance, and nothing more. This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Inchor, and Iron Pt. 4 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum: The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Free Seas of Kay'va, formerly the Fourth Canton: First established after Cecile Cartine's revolution over 300 years ago, today Kay'va is home to a collection of aligned communes who swear that the only way to prosperity is through the defense of equality. Facts and Figures Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof. Sister Marisha (she/her): For decades, the human called Marisha served as the representative of the Boundless Conclave in Eastern Follow and as the only apparent follower of the old Cult of the Mother-Beast. Eager to guide, and quick to reprimand, she gained a reputation as a well meaning hard ass in the mining town. Now she finds herself adjusting to life inside this secret priory of salt, ash, and ceramic. Ekule Polyte (he/him): The Blackwick group first met this "Star-Touched" Kay'van agent under the pseudonym of "Janek," hiding out in Blackwick County. Now, he waits patiently for extraction. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something hol

Mar 11, 20221h 42m

S7 Ep 48Sangfielle 46: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 3

This episode carries content warnings for imprisonment, coercion with threat of violence, death, child loss, description of organs, description of injuries, blood, and bodily transformation. After being separated by weeks, miles, and barricaded doors, the Blackwick Group has finally reunited. Now, below the town they've sworn to defend, they gather themselves, tend to their wounds, and investigate what exactly the waxen vampire Alaway is trying to achieve. Thankfully, they'll have some help untangling the mystery… This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Inchor, and Iron Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum: The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Free Seas of Kay'va, formerly the Fourth Canton: First established after Cecile Cartine's revolution over 300 years ago, today Kay'va is home to a collection of aligned communes who swear that the only way to prosperity is through the defense of equality. Facts and Figures Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof. Sister Marisha (she/her): For decades, the human called Marisha served as the representative of the Boundless Conclave in Eastern Follow and as the only apparent follower of the old Cult of the Mother-Beast. Eager to guide, and quick to reprimand, she gained a reputation as a well meaning hard ass in the mining town. Now she finds herself adjusting to life inside this secret priory of salt, ash, and ceramic. Ekule Polyte (he/him): The Blackwick group first met this "Star-Touched" Kay'van agent under the pseudonym of "Janek," hiding out in Blackwick County. Now, he waits patiently for extraction. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, though, his thralls wander the streets of lower Blackwick. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations Sisters of the Mother-Beast: A dedicated priory of worshippers, living in an

Mar 4, 20221h 28m

S7 Ep 47Sangfielle 45: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 2

This episode carries content warnings for blood, gun violence, bodily transformation, characters trapped in a small space, description of physical injury, reanimated bodies, wax flesh, hallucinations, memory manipulation, three headed monster, knife violence, description of organs, description of growing eyes. In a low, forgotten basement of the Church of the Triadic Pyre, dozens—including Pickman, Marn, and Bucho—are held in the broiling dark. But in the township above, Chine has found their scent and lead the remainder of the Blackwick Group and their extempore allies towards the church's front door. Now it is only a matter of getting inside and reuniting, a task with more complications than the Cleaver's irritation and impulses would like to account for. This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, though, his thralls wander the streets of lower Blackwick. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Feb 24, 20221h 34m

S7 Ep 46Sangfielle 44: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 1

This episode carries content warnings for blood, gun violence, bodily possession, characters trapped in a small space, discussion of physical injury, mention of broken bones, reanimated bodies, wax flesh, burning flesh, brief description of infected and bruising skin, and physiological manipulation. Though the Pale Magistrates have been driven from the county of Blackwick, it is as the saying goes: Trouble always takes two faces. In the night since the confrontation at the (now ruined) train station, the waxen thralls of the vampire Alaway have spread through the streets of the low town. Above, meanwhile, the deputies left behind by the Second Canton's invaders itch for a fight. And though Lye Lychen, the Cleaver Chine, and ad hoc ally Hazard have arrived to attend to Duvall and Es' wounds, Marn, Pickman, and Two-Step Bucho are in the wind. Troubled times. Troubled times. This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, though, his thralls wander the streets of lower Blackwick. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure. The Caravan of the Coin: Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel)

Feb 18, 20222h 4m

S7 Ep 45Sangfielle 43: Two Kinds of Quarry Pt. 2

This episode carries content warnings for description of people bound and gagged, doppelgangers, mention of major bodily transformation, and decapitation. With the Ravening Beast dealt with—at least for now—Lye Lychen, Hazard, and the Cleaver Chine continue to track their way towards the nearest settlement. There, they hope to find supplies, a good night of sleep, and a quick passage northward to Blackwich (which is in sore need of their skills and support at the moment). But before they reach the quarry in the distance, they come across a too-familiar trio with a problem of their own. This week on Sangfielle: Two Kinds of Quarry Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Residuum: A realm of vibrant color, where the things of the world go when their time in the material world fades away. A plane of death, but rendered in glorious light. Bluerock Quarry: Bluestone is what you might guess from the name, a quarry for digging up stones of various qualities and makes, but all of which is blue in nature. While slate and limestone and granite all serve their ends, the real find is welkin, a stone as light as air but tough as the hardest metal. Now who could be on the lookout for something like that? Facts and Figures The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil is the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always "Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine." Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Organizations The Caravan of the Coin: Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Toll Collectors: Made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), this trio once spent time mining in the hills of Blackwick. Recently, they've been spotted as bandits, hired thieves, and paid escorts—sometimes (strangely) holding down multiple jobs in multiple places at the same time. In any case, rumor has it that they fly a new banner now… The Bell Metal Band: Once, the Bell Metal Band used their base of operations to capture Shape parts for study and re-use. But a tragic betrayal has sent them spiraling in unexpected ways. Now, a new structure rises atop their home... Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Feb 11, 20221h 24m

S7 Ep 44Sangfielle 42: Two Kinds of Quarry Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for injury affecting motor skills, mention of gun violence, flesh eating creature, blood, creature feeding on corpse, knife use and stabbing, description of a bodily organ, and description of insects. With a few days of overland travel behind them, the trio of Hazard, Lye Lychen, and the Cleaver Chine near the first landmark on their long journey west and north back towards Blackwick. From a high hill, they spot some smoke and light in the distance, and make their way towards the first landmark on their journey home. But before they get near, they first come face to face with a choice and a familiar threat. This week on Sangfielle: Two Kinds of Quarry The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Residuum: A realm of vibrant color, where the things of the world go when their time in the material world fades away. A plane of death, but rendered in glorious light. Facts and Figures The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called "Count of Cards," this devil is the leader of one of the "six suits" that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Toll Collectors: Made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), this trio once spent time mining in the hills of Blackwick. Recently, they've been spotted as bandits, hired thieves, and paid escorts—sometimes (strangely) holding down multiple jobs in multiple places at the same time. In any case, rumor has it that they fly a new banner now… Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Feb 4, 20221h 20m

S7 Ep 43Sangfielle 41: Just Returns Pt. 5

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, description of wax skin, description of bodies smothered in wax and entrapment inside of a wax-flesh covered space, depiction of gun violence, blood and depiction of bleeding, description of wax and wax-body disfigurement, lack of bodily control, mention of real life sleep paralysis, imprisonment and kidnapping, violent bodily transformation, humanoid liquidification. Now I know it's passé to talk about how people may be the real monsters, but look at this situation the Blackwick Group have found themselves in. Sure, they've found themselves across from an ever-expanding waxen beast. And yes, the township has been overrun by a rambling sort of candle zombie. And neither of those things are good. But when push comes to shove, what's the thing that's making this so complicated? Well, it's the magistrates ain't it? By laying siege to the town, they primed the city for chaos, readied it to go up in flames, burst, and boil. And now the Blackwick Group's gotta bring things back to a simmer. Only problem is, they're just people too... This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 5 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Rebek Semm, Justice Bringer (she/her): Leader of the pack of Magistrates laying siege to Blackwick. Oh, and the late Ezek Semm's older sister. Gren Voznik, the Silent Hatchet (he/him): Big, quiet, and driven to solve problems axe-blade first. Ennib Lee, the Wildcat (she/her): Named for her custom ammo, this sniper is the only human in Rebek Semm's crew of Magistrates. A crack shot, a smart mouth, and a chip on her shoulder. Lejune Borr of Paper Faith (she/her): Priest of Fulmina and former disciple of the Prophet Calvin III, who the Kay'van agent Polyte killed many months ago now. A master of applied prayer. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Organizations The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Jan 20, 20222h 17m

S7 Ep 42Sangfielle 40: Just Returns Pt. 4

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, description of wax skin, interrogation of a prisoner, violent bodily transformation, humanoid liquidification, and a description of an NPC being bound and captured. Recognizing that further confrontation with the Magistrates is inevitable, Marn, Es, Duvall, and Pickman do everything in their power to control the circumstances of that showdown. They choose the time and the place, do a little research into what they're up against, and try to add a few loose weights to their side of the scale. If they should come out ahead, Blackwick will be free from this siege. But, ah, don't it seem like there's always one more thing in the air than can be easily juggled? This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 4 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Rebek Semm, Justice Bringer (she/her): Leader of the pack of Magistrates laying siege to Blackwick. Oh, and the late Ezek Semm's older sister. Gren Voznik, the Silent Hatchet (he/him): Big, quiet, and driven to solve problems axe-blade first. Ennib Lee, the Wildcat (she/her): Named for her custom ammo, this sniper is the only human in Rebek Semm's crew of Magistrates. A crack shot, a smart mouth, and a chip on her shoulder. Lejune Borr of Paper Faith (she/her): Priest of Fulmina and former disciple of the Prophet Calvin III, who the Kay'van agent Polyte killed many months ago now. A master of applied prayer. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Organizations The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Jan 13, 20221h 33m

S7 Ep 41Sangfielle 39: Just Returns Pt. 3

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, use of firearms and knives, blood, death, fingernail trauma, a description of an NPC being bound and captured. The pull of a trigger and the wind-cracking snap of a bullet. These punctuate a hard truth that Marn, Pickman, Es, and Duvall would prefer not to face: Blackwick is now in the grasp of some of the Pale Magistratum's most dangerous marshalls. And the quartet jsut gave up their only advantage—the elemetn of surprise. This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Rebek Semm, Justice Bringer (she/her): Leader of the pack of Magistrates laying siege to Blackwick. Oh, and the late Ezek Semm's older sister. Gren Voznik, the Silent Hatchet (he/him): Big, quiet, and driven to solve problems axe-blade first. Ennib Lee, the Wildcat (she/her): Named for her custom ammo, this sniper is the only human in Rebek Semm's crew of Magistrates. A crack shot, a smart mouth, and a chip on her shoulder. Lejune Borr of Paper Faith (she/her): Priest of Fulmina and former disciple of the Prophet Calvin III, who the Kay'van agent Polyte killed many months ago now. A master of applied prayer. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Organizations The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Jan 6, 20221h 43m

S7 Ep 40Sangfielle 38: Just Returns Pt. 2

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, death, hanging corpses/gallows. The season has turned in the time since the Blackwick Group last stepped foot in the nominal hometown. The heat fades; the brisk air of heartland winter sweeps in, and with it: visitors. A cousin come to retrieve her kin. A fellow student of the path, at crossed ends. And, of course, the yet unreckoned with consequences of action long past. This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): Once, Hollowfield was the genius behind the Glim Macula's technological supremacy in Sapodilla. A single push, though, and he's little more than a memory. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Broken Quartet: Cello, viola, violin, clarinet. That's all it takes to make people move. Well, that and some skill. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being.

Dec 31, 20211h 39m

S7 Ep 39Sangfielle 37: Just Returns Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, bodily transformation, and visual delusions. With the ersatz town of Marrow Creek behind them, the members of the Blackwick Group still onboard the Jade Moon find themselves consumed with personal projects, personal schemes, and personal excess. Marn finds herself between raw nothing and a place with the vibrant air of everything all at once. Es investigates the limits of "room service." Pickman sturdies herself for a troubling conversation. Duvall, as he is wont to do, continues to investigates the ever-changing self. And there is, of course, the matter of a card tournament. This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): Once, Hollowfield was the genius behind the Glim Macula's technological supremacy in Sapodilla. A single push, though, and he's little more than a memory. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Broken Quartet: Cello, viola, violin, clarinet. That's all it takes to make people move. Well, that and some skill. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continu

Dec 24, 20212h 8m

S7 Ep 38Sangfielle 36: Marrow in the Bone

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This episode carries content warnings for disorientation, hallucinations/distortions of reality, death, humanoid corpses, knives, stabbing, blood, and the mention of animal death/slaughterhouses. Hazard, Lye Lychen, and the cleaver Chine arrived to Marrowcreek together, but now they find themselves separated and spread to the extremities of the mysterious town. To the north, the card dealer and erstwhile caravaneer finds herself face to face with their quarry in the most unlikely of places. To the south, the junk mage confronts questions he'd thus far denied he was interested in. And to the east, the hunter sees a reflection of themself and is pulled ever closer towards it. This week on Sangfielle: Marrow in the Bone The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Marrowcreek: Quite a ways west of Blackwick, the maps say there is a town called Marrowcreek. Never been myself, but I've heard about it (often in the sort of hypotheticals people pose to you to "make conversations" at parties.) Unschola Republica, formerly the Third Canton (oon-skoh-la): For a millenia, the alchemists, mage-practitioners, and cryptotheological scholars of the Third Canton complained in secret about the leash kept on them by Aldomina's distant leaders. They've since slipped that leash, and whether that's for better or worse, time will tell. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Doctor Yersa Mallow (she/her): According to at least some of the locals, Marrowreek is named for Mallow, who led a group of the ill here to perform the sort of medicine that even the Unschola Republica forbids. Personally, I just don't think it adds up. Katonya (she/her): A cleaver near the end of her career, Katonya's body bears all the marks of years in service to the Heartland. Loyal to those who employ her, and a walking catastrophe to those she opposes. Reuben (he/him): A kind and hard-working fisherman who's lived in Marrowcreek for a while now, per his own telling. Uno Riscano (he/him): 🂿 Zofina (she/her): An apothecary and witch in Marrowcreek, whose shop you might confuse for a house if you paid it no second glance. Delian (he/him): A new arrival to Marrowcreek and its slaughterhouse. Staying at the midtown Hotel. Erlin, the Tactful God of Lakes (he/him): People don't often think of "lakeness," and that's because Erlin does the thinking for you. He embodies the relaxing, if humid, depths of Sangfielle's many lakes. His temple is in the southwestern quadrant of the heartland. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. Organizations The Caravan of the Coin: Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Dec 10, 20211h 39m

S7 Ep 37Sangfielle 35: Marrow in the Field

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This episode carries content warnings for disorientation, mention of animal slaughter, and malformed animals. The word went out to every worker on board the Jade Moon, and was passed to any passengers moving about the cabins: Stay inside. This was not the normal call to remain indoors during the ninth through eleventh days of the journey northward up the Ojan. No, this was something special. After all, as far as the captain and crew could tell, they weren't even on the Ojan anymore. This was somewhere else. This was Marrowcreek. This week on Sangfielle: Marrow in the Field The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Marrowcreek: Quite a ways west of Blackwick, the maps say there is a town called Marrowcreek. Never been myself, but I've heard about it (often in the sort of hypotheticals people pose to you to "make conversations" at parties.) Vish: A small fishing village west across the mountains from Blackwick. Marn's hometown. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Reuben (he/him): A kind and hard-working fisherman who's lived in Marrowcreek for a while now, per his own telling. Zofina (she/her): An apothecary and witch in Marrowcreek, whose shop you might confuse for a house if you paid it no second glance. Delian (he/him): A new arrival to Marrowcreek and its slaughterhouse. Staying at the midtown Hotel. Erlin, the Tactful God of Lakes (he/him): People don't often think of "lakeness," and that's because Erlin does the thinking for you. He embodies the relaxing, if humid, depths of Sangfielle's many lakes. His temple is in the southwestern quadrant of the heartland. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. Organizations The Caravan of the Coin: Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Dec 3, 20211h 21m

S7 Ep 36Clapcast: The Most Wanted Song

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Hello everyone! Instead of a proper episode today, I'm sharing one of our Clapcast episodes where a few of us listen to the most wanted and unwanted songs! The Clapcast is one of our monus patreon shows over on friendsatthetable.cash Link to the mp3s and notes from the composer: https://ubu.com/sound/komar.html Lyrics: http://davesoldier.com/lyrics.html#people

Nov 25, 202153 min

S7 Ep 35Sangfielle 34: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 3

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This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation, detailed description of insect infestation of an enclosed space, detailed description of insects on skin. A day in the market can be a joy for even those who do not aim to barter. The sights and sounds, the smells, the tastes! A reprieve from travel, even if just from travel through life. But also, it is a way to see the passions of others made material, and of course an opportunity for chance encounters to reshape one's day, week, even life. What wonders will the oldest marketplace in Sangfielle, the wallside town of Cantbank, offer the Blackwick group? And where will they go next. This week on Sangfielle: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Cantbank: A long time ago, the story goes, Aldnomina set its sights on the heartland. Conquest, colonization, and consolidation. Well, turns out that the Heartland has many a mighty thing inside of it. And one such thing had many a favorite place. And it set out, so it is said, to visit each of them until Aldomina came. And as was its way, whichever it was at when Aldomina finally reached the gates, that place would be hidden from the eyes of the invaders. And so it is, by the blessing of its patron, that Cantbank, a market town built into the walls and caves of an old clifface, went untouched. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Etienne Alize (he/him): Deacon of the Blood in the Triadic Pyre, and de facto sawbones aboard the Jade Moon. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces

Nov 18, 20213h 1m

S7 Ep 34Sangfielle 33: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 2

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This episode carries content warnings for injury that affects mobility, aggressive animals, animal consumption of human flesh, insect infestation, bodily infection, and a description of a gory transformation. The Jade Moon's trip from the sea of Sapodilla back upriver towards Blackwick has a set schedule. 14 days, all accounted for. Meals prepared. Entertainment provided. A small number of stops for shopping, religious needs, and the general stretching of legs. And yet it is the case that some days are longer than others, no matter that they count one each. The day that most of the Blackwick Group, and a new companion, stepped out of the Jade Moon and into the Triadic Pyre's Bridge Cathedral is one such day. This week on Sangfielle: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Bridge Cathedral: In the hierarchy of all trains--or is it perhaps capitalized, I do not recall--there is one engine that storms ahead of the others. "The Burning God Among Iron Trains" is its name, but the Disciples of the Triadic Pyre call it simply Fire Alight. Well, whatever you might call it, it's a damned big one. And it needs to cross the Ojan like anything else. And thus: The Brdige Cathedral. Largest structure of its kind in Sangfielle or anywhere. At two miles across, it's partly a church, partly grim city, and partly an engineering pit. What are they engineering? Well... It turns out, being the devotees of the Fire Alight shifts your relationship with other trains. At least the ones who, themselves, are under the Burning God's thrawl. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Etienne Alize (he/him): Deacon of the Blood in the Triadic Pyre, and de facto sawbones aboard the Jade Moon. The Blue Wind: One train among many in the Bridge Cathedral. This one seems to be inhabitted by a more boisterous group of Gandy Dancers than the others. Who could say why? If I had to guess, I'd say that those strange creatures are trying to take the train off of Fire Alight's track and put it back on the regular old Shape. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places o

Nov 11, 20212h 30m

S7 Ep 33Sangfielle 32: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for description of a burn injury, injury causing limited motor skills, lack of access to medical care, insect infestation, bodily infection. Among Sangfielle's self-proclaimed adventuring class, the idea of retiring to a riverboat ride is something of an old canard. Everyone says they'll do it one day, but very few ever speak of actually completing such a post-venture vacation. Something always comes up. A scheduling error, or a last minute change in ticket pricing, or another job crossing the desk. Perhaps none have been as lucky as the Blackwick Group. Perhaps none have had friends in such high places. This week on Sangfielle: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." The Blackwick Group first encountered this myterious figure during their investigation into Roseroot Hall, where they helped him recover his skull. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds. The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways. The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. Dr. Pest: Sawbones of the Jade Moon. Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), Ali Acampora

Nov 5, 20212h 33m

S7 Ep 32Sangfielle 31: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 4

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This episode carries content warnings for gun violence, forced human experimentation, imprisonment, the implied separation of mentally/spiritually joined people, description of human bones. Oh, our Blackwick Group. They move below even "the depths of Sapodilla" now, to a place where cold stone floors drift apart, revealing muck and raw emptiness where mortar should be. And beyond that, a clockwork device like none they've ever seen. Yet even as they draw closer to their goals, she watches and waits for her opportunity to strike: the tangled madame of the House of Puppets, Mabriella du Feza... This week on Sangfielle: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 4 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Mabriella du Feza (she/her): Among the Glim Macula, it is said that Mabriella du Feza is an accomplished interrogator, brilliant scholar, and malicious commander. What goes unsaid, because it is not widely known, is her role as a 'liaison' from another, even more sinister organization. Queen of Puppets. Callix, the Aquiline Marquis (he/him, named but unmet): The last reigning Aldominan ruler of Sapodilla, now holding court below his old city streets. But wait, what's this below his Interred Citadel? Might further boulevards yet roll? Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." The Blackwick Group first encountered this myterious figure during their investigation into Roseroot Hall, where they helped him recover his skull. Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Oct 15, 20211h 33m

S7 Ep 31Sangfielle 30: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 3

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This episode carries content warnings for forced human experimentation, teeth, chemical burns, forced bodily transformation. The Blackwick Group moves with hound-like swiftness through the Interred Citadel towards their quarry. But between the dog and the fox, a dozen-dozen things move. A mumbling stream. A twirl of dried leaves. Shadows on grass. So much to see. And some of the things in between? They hunt too. This week on Sangfielle: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." Objects of Interest Notes On the Paradise Medicine: A collection of research notes from Hollowfield, first hypothesizing that there may be medical advances available on or through Zevunzolia that are not available here in Sangfielle. In the second half, Hollowfield seems to write about a particularly destructive compound and its potential medical uses. The Marrisa Lefebvre Trilogy: Apparently, in some other world, Kay'Va stretches further. And in this place, they publish books--mystery books. And in a few of them there's a detective by this name who can't help getting herself into trouble. Facts and Figures Appletun (he/him): Along with his fellow researchers Bleaser and Getta, Appletun pursues academic research as a low-ranking member of the the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. While others under Mabriella study puppets of a physical sort, Appletun's focus is a more flexible sort of marionette: Fictional characters. Mabriella du Feza (she/her): Among the Glim Macula, it is said that Mabriella du Feza is an accomplished interrogator, brilliant scholar, and malicious commander. What goes unsaid, because it is not widely known, is her role as a 'liaison' from another, even more sinister organization. Queen of Puppets. Callix, the Aquiline Marquis (he/him, named but unmet): The last reigning Aldominan ruler of Sapodilla, now holding court below his old city streets. But wait, what's this below his Interred Citadel? Might further boulevards yet roll? Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." The Blackwick Group first encountered this myterious figure during their investigation into Roseroot Hall, where they helped him recover his skull. Emma Serchilde (she/her): One of the most successful investigators in Glim Macula's history, Serchilde made her name ferreting out a group of heritrixes who allegedly served a god of slaughter. Where other witch hunters lean on deductive reasoning or evidence collection, Serchilde's technique is simple: Intimidate witnesses through sheer force of will, using her loyal underlings--Janis, Aztel, and Nelzo--if it becomes necessary to prove that silence will be met with blood. Which isn't to say that she's afraid to get her own hands dirty. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): In many ways, brilliant inventor Felix Hollowfield is the reason for the recent surge in Glim Macula activity. Though the group has stalked the streets of Sapodilla for decades, it was Hollowfield's collection of tools that both allowed the Macula to face down truly powerful supernatural foes and put a deep and singular fear in the hearts of Sapodillans. His weapons reveal the hidden, nullify the mystical, and ground the transcendent. Where could he have found such ideas as these? Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandca

Oct 15, 20211h 49m

S7 Ep 30Sangfielle 29: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 2

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This episode carries content warnings for imprisonment, forced starvation, human body parts used as tools, bones breaking through skin, unwilling bodily transformation, and bodily disfigurement. With the party of Open Gates off to a start above, the Blackwick Group's Es, Marn, and Pickman begin to delve into the Interred Citadel of Callix, The Aquiline Marquis. Somewhere, there in the dark, Chine claws their way towards freedom. But before he can be free, and before anyone can return home to Blackwick, there is much work to be done in the decrepit ruins below… This week on Sangfielle: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." Facts and Figures Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding "Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name." The Blackwick Group first encountered this myterious figure during their investigation into Roseroot Hall, where they helped him recover his skull. Emma Serchilde (she/her): One of the most successful investigators in Glim Macula's history, Serchilde made her name ferreting out a group of heritrixes who allegedly served a god of slaughter. Where other witch hunters lean on deductive reasoning or evidence collection, Serchilde's technique is simple: Intimidate witnesses through sheer force of will, using her loyal underlings--Janis, Aztel, and Nelzo--if it becomes necessary to prove that silence will be met with blood. Which isn't to say that she's afraid to get her own hands dirty. William Blick (he/him): Head of the Macula's Honorguard, once a ceremonial unit with ties to the rituals of Sapodilla's liberation, now little more than a bunch of door-kicking bullies. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): In many ways, brilliant inventor Felix Hollowfield is the reason for the recent surge in Glim Macula activity. Though the group has stalked the streets of Sapodilla for decades, it was Hollowfield's collection of tools that both allowed the Macula to face down truly powerful supernatural foes and put a deep and singular fear in the hearts of Sapodillans. His weapons reveal the hidden, nullify the mystical, and ground the transcendent. Where could he have found such ideas as these? Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. Mabriella du Feza (she/her): Among the Glim Macula, it is said that Mabriella du Feza is an accomplished interrogator, brilliant scholar, and malicious commander. What goes unsaid, because it is not widely known, is her role as a 'liaison' from another, even more sinister organization. Organizations The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Oct 7, 20211h 43m

S7 Ep 29Sangfielle 28: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 1

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This episode carries content warnings for imprisonment, gun violence, kidnapping, blindfolding, binding, blood, branding, and the cutting of skin. Once a year, people gather across Sapodilla to celebrate the day, hundreds of years ago, that the Citadel of Callix, The Aquiline Marquis, was brought low and the doors to the city were thrown open, welcoming in refugees from the panic. It is called The Open Gates, and all day and night, music, meter, and meal fill the day and night with merriment. Held breaths are released, rivalries relaxed, and a common pride blossoms. A fitting occasion for a jail break, don't you think? This week on Sangfielle: Hark! The Citadel Beneath Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering "civilization." Facts and Figures William Blick (he/him): Head of the Macula's Honorguard, once a ceremonial unit with ties to the rituals of Sapodilla's liberation, now little more than a bunch of door-kicking bullies. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): In many ways, brilliant inventor Felix Hollowfield is the reason for the recent surge in Glim Macula activity. Though the group has stalked the streets of Sapodilla for decades, it was Hollowfield's collection of tools that both allowed the Macula to face down truly powerful supernatural foes and put a deep and singular fear in the hearts of Sapodillans. His weapons reveal the hidden, nullify the mystical, and ground the transcendent. Where could he have found such ideas as these? Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. Mabriella du Feza (she/her): Among the Glim Macula, it is said that Mabriella du Feza is an accomplished interrogator, brilliant scholar, and malicious commander. What goes unsaid, because it is not widely known, is her role as a 'liaison' from another, even more sinister organization. Organizations The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript_fatt. Thank you to all of our transcribers!!

Oct 1, 20212h 7m