The Once And Future Nerd

In the heart-stopping conclusion of Chapter 4, Regan and Ren navigate some treacherous waters. (That’s literal and metaphorical, you see.) Meanwhile, General Traft makes some new friends. And Ry’y lo-Th’yyt catches a lucky break. Will she finally do some outmaneuvering of her own? The script for this episode can be downloaded here. And, since this is the final episode of this Chapter, it is time once again to #AskTOAFN! Got a question you’d like to hear answered on our video livestream? DM us on Facebook, Reddit, or Patreon, or post on Tumblr or Twitter using #AskTOAFN. Make sure to get your questions in before Midnight ET on Friday, June 22. The livestream will happen on Sunday, June 24 at 3:30pm ET on our YouTube page, with audio posted to the podcast feed shortly thereafter. Also! Due to swift and intense popular demand, our take on the folk song “Maddy Groves” from Chapter 4 Pt. 3 is now available for download on our Bandcamp page! Our Patreon patrons will be getting a discount code for it, but also all of our sales in the first week will be going to charity to help protect the rights and well-being of children detained at the US border. Thanks as always for listening, and we’ll see you in a week on our livestream!

The Party is in for yet another of their many culture shocks as they make their way aboard Ren’s notorious Red Reaver (except for Regan of course). Billy questions his role in the group, and Arlene levels up the vital bardic skill “read the damn room.” Meanwhile, Bryce Riverfell proves far less cooperative than Ry’y lo-Th’yyt expected. And new pressures threaten the delicate agreement between Regan and Ren. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. The thrilling conclusion of this chapter will be released on June 17. We I’hope you’ll join us then! If you enjoyed the (almost entirely improvised) performance of our pirate crew, you can see Night Captain perform live at the PIT Striker on June 28 (Tickets). If you enjoyed the complex and multi-layered sound production, you can thank Jared Paul for recording it and Oliver Morris for mixing it. Oliver produces his own horror-noir podcast called KANE AND FEELS: PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS. CONTENT NOTES for this episode, including an inevitable MAJOR SPOILER, below. CONTENT NOTES: From 03:23-03:28 there are vomit noises. From 19:55-20:06 (Script Pg. 53) someone with a pre-modern vocabulary says “sex” where ‘gender’ would be more appropriate in a modern context. From 24:07-24:48 (Script Pg. 57), there is a depiction of a gruesome suicide, committed to avoid torture. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

Regan negotiates with Ren to get her crew to Armstrungard. Jethro the Woodsman explains more of his unusual beliefs to General Traft. General Riverfell has his evening plans disrupted. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Part 3 of this Chapter will be released on June 3. We hope we’ll see you then!

Welcome back, dear ones! In the premiere of Chapter 4, our party must reap what they have sown aboard the Otto Olafsson’s merchant vessel. (Hint: It’s pirates.) Meanwhile, the High Council of the White Forest has some questions for Ry’y lo-Th’yyt. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Part Two of this Chapter will be released on May 20. We hope you’ll join us then! CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: From 1:40-1:48 there are some vomit noises. From 5:35-6:21 (on script pg. 5) a survivor of sexual assault is in a potentially threatening situation From 11:58-12:23 there are some more vomit noises. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

Some scheduling announcements for our upcoming episodes. Book 2 Chapter 4 premieres on May 6, 2018. We’ll see you then!

Today’s bonus content is the cleaned up audio from our last end-of-chapter livestream (along with the Chapter 3 blooper reel). You can watch the video of this conversation here. Podcast Shout-Out’s this episode: Greg: Til Death Do Us Blart, Worst Idea Of All Time Ian: Pod Save America, Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People Christian: Left Trigger Right Trigger, The Bright Sessions, Wolf 359, Join the Party, What’s The Frequency?, Audio Drama Production Podcast, Métis in Space Zach: Nerds On A Roll, Lesser Gods Chapter 4 of our tale will be released some time in the first few months of 2018. We’ll post release dates as soon as we know them. Hope to see you then! And Happy Holidays from all of us to all of you. CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: From (1h9m41s – 1h12m35s) the conversation touches on sexual assault and its effects. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

While Nia has a brief run-in with her past, Billy procures passage for the Party. But their new accommodations leave much to be desired for our heroes’ purposes. Meanwhile, Traft’s abductor reveals some explosive secrets about the recent past of Iorden. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Thus concludes this Chapter of our tale. We’ll be taking a short production break for the holidays, but will announce Chapter 4 release dates as soon as we have them. In the meantime though, it is once again time to Ask The Once And Future Nerd. Submit your questions about the show using #AskTOAFN on Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook, or DM us on Reddit or Patreon. Submit by December 1st for a chance to have your question answered on upcoming Livestream! CONTENT NOTES below.   CONTENT NOTES: If vomit sounds bother you, you might want to skip 8:17-8:52 There is a mention of cannibalism from 19:23-19:30 (script pg. 82) End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

With the Knights of the Wood hot on their trail, our newly reunited heroes must think quickly to make good their escape from Freehold. Meanwhile, Ardel Redmoor is finally forced to confront the responsibilities of the title he now claims. And a wounded Ry’y lo-Th’yyt encounters yet another obstacle in pursuit of her quarry. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Chapter 3 will conclude on November 19. We hope to see you then!

Strange and unnatural circumstances abound at Redmoor-occupied Castle Guernatal. The downtrodden General Traft finds shelter from a storm. But what manner of shelter is it? The prodigal Elf, and Knight, and Lady, and Handmaiden return to the side of their Queen. But there’s little time for warm reunions. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. As we’ve mentioned before, we are thrilled to be nominees in this year’s Audio Verse Awards, alongside literally dozens of shows we love and admire. Semi-Finals Voting is open now through October 30, so head over to www.audioverseawards.net/site/vote/ to cast your ballots and give some good good recognition to whatever shows you think deserve it. Part 3 of this Chapter will be released on November 5. We hope to see you then!

An inebriated and ill-prepared Yllowyyn finds himself with two lives in his hands. No matter what he does, his decision is likely to echo loudly and far. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank whatever kind souls saw fit to nominate us for the 2017 Audio Verse Awards. Thank you so much, and please stay tuned for details on when/where to vote. Part 2 of this chapter will be released on October 22. We hope to see you then! CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: The character who was in grave danger from law enforcement at the end of Chapter 2 is still in danger from law enforcement. From 8:51-11:04, one character intentionally outs another character with regards to sexual orientation and past abuse. The character doing the outing seeks to use this information as justification for violence against the outed character. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

Today’s bonus content is an interview with the one and only Zach Valenti, star and co-producer of Wolf 359 (among many other things), who took on a cameo role as Merril in our last few episodes. This conversation was originally broadcast in May as part of Zach’s ongoing “Self Care Sunday” livestream project. You can watch video of the interview here (Christian starts at right around hour 2), and subscribe to the channel at zach.live. Release of Chapter 3 is delayed slightly, for reasons explained at the head of the episode. We will announce release dates as soon as we can, and we’re sorry for the delay! Hit the break for a full transcript of Christian’s statement. Statement transcript: Hey everyone, Christian here. Got some more bonus content for you this week, and the reason for that is we’re still waiting to see when we can release Chapter 3. You have our apologies for that. I’m sure this has been a really rough week for a lot of us what with the events in Charlottesville. Speaking personally – though I’m definitely angered and saddened and frightened – as a straight white guy living in New York City, these things tend not to hit me as viscerally as they might hit some of you. So I try to use that position of relative safety to hunker down and do what I can to help. That includes but is by no means limited to hopefully getting this show out in time for anyone who counts on it as a little spot of fun in their week. Unfortunately, in addition to everything else, Jess and I had a pet pass away this week, and being perfectly honest I wasn’t really able to focus much on work. So in the interest of transparency, that’s meant that editing is delayed on Chapter 3 and writing is delayed on Chapter 4. And I want to take just a moment to say for posterity that our rabbit Bebe was a sweet little spot of light and good in a world that too often lately feels dark and shitty. She was loved and will be very dearly missed. I know it’s a small thing in light of what everyone else is certainly feeling this week, dearly beloved though Bebe was. So I’ll just add this, because I’ve been thinking about it a lot: The first words spoken in The Once And Future Nerd are “Imagine, if you can, what life is like for a rabbit.” At the risk of saying the subtext out loud, that was us trying to p rime our audience to think about what it would be like to be much more vulnerable than they are. That’s always been a core principle of the show. A lot of people are very vulnerable right now. Do what you can for them. Be excellent to each other. I hope that our fandom is a fairly wide tent. I’m glad we have writers who don’t always agree with me. I hope we have fans who don’t always agree with us. I want our show to affirm but I also want it to teach, and you can’t teach if everyone agrees. And right now with tensions running so high, I think those of us who are relatively safe could do better at having patient, good faith conversations with people whose views frustrate us. Having said that, if your stated belief is that some people are inherently inferior to you at birth, you have thereby forfeited your claim on patience and good faith. The Once And Future Nerd, as a project and an organization, is Black and Brown and Jewish and female and queer and disabled. Nazis and white supremacists and their ilk can fuck off, now and forever. And to be clear, because I don’t want it to seem like I’m just calling anyone I disagree with a Nazi, if you walk around next a Nazi flag saying Nazi shit like we should have a white ethnostate, you’re a fucking Nazi, and you can fuck off. End transcript.

This episode is the audio from our latest #AskTOAFN, which we did as livestream. It’s been cleaned up a little and lightly edited. And you can always watch the original, unedited and with the video right here. Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in with questions! We tried to at least acknowledge receipt of everything even if we didn’t answer it, so if you believe you sent in a question and you didn’t get any kind of a nod from us, let us know. If you won a book, we’ll be in touch shortly. We’ll be back soon with some more cool bonus content, and we’ll announce release dates for Ch. 3 as soon as we can commit to something. See you then! Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Not that they need our help, but the McElroys are some sweet, sweet boys. Our friends are doing cool things at Join The Party. We recently interviewed Tal M. Klein about his new novel THE PUNCH ESCROW. Anya is playing a show in NYC with the cast of ONCE to benefit VH1’s Save The Music. The Notice is Paul’s ongoing blog and documentary project. Left Trigger Right Trigger is Greg’s “video game book club” podcast.

Today’s bonus content is an interview with Tal M. Klein. His sci-fi novel THE PUNCH ESCROW – the film rights to which have already been purchased by Lionsgate -is available now, and he’s touring indie book stores to promote it. If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of the book, tweet something using the hashtags #TOAFN and #GetPunched. And as a reminder, we’ll be doing an #AskTOAFN livestream on Tuesday August 1 at 8pm Eastern. Stream will be posted at this link. We hope to see you there!

In the harrowing conclusion of Chapter 2, Gwen shares what she’s learned with Brennen and Bryce. And Arlene has some very difficult questions to answer. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. As this is the end of this chapter, it’s time for you to send in your #AskTOAFN questions to be answered on the air in a couple weeks. You can submit your questions anytime before 11:59pm Eastern time on July 28, through Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Tumblr, or Patreon, either with a DM or by using the hashtag #AskTOAFN. And if we hit our Patreon reach goal of $250/episode, that #AskTOAFN episode will become a live video hangout! We’re extremely close to that goal right now, so thanks a million to everyone who has pledged or told a friend about the show. We’ll be taking our customary micro-break between chapters, but release dates for Book 2, Chapter 3 – entitled “Bridges” – will be announced in the near future. We have some cool bonus content lined up for you in the meantime. CONTENT NOTES (including some unavoidable spoilers) below: CONTENT NOTES: We can’t really put a timestamp on this one unfortunately. Pretty much this entire episode centers around a character who is not straight in increasingly dire peril at the hands of law enforcement. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

Having had some time to cool off, some of our party takes steps towards reconciling. But Brennen is still struggling, and seeks the guidance of Bryce Riverfell, before the two are interrupted by an unexpected guest. Yllowyyn grins and bears his new traveling companion(s). And back at the Horse’s Head Inn, Arlene makes a new…friend? But she’ll have to reckon with an unexpected guest of her own. The script for this episode can be found here. The pulse-pounding conclusion of this chapter will be released on July 23. We hope we’ll see you then.

Having been all but kicked out of his parents’ house, Yllowyyn finds several unlikely allies and adversaries in his familial conflicts. Meanwhile, the Kids consider how to make the best of the turmoil in their camp. But things seem especially gloomy for Nia and Brennen. And elsewhere in the realm, Arden the Annihilator – legendary hero of antiquity – returns to the field of battle for the first time in millennia. The script for this episode can be found here. Our next episode will be released on July 9. We hope we’ll see you then.

Billy, Nelson, and Nia attempt to parse Regan’s revelations through the varied lenses of their unique lives. Meanwhile, Regan reacts very poorly to needing to be cared for. And Yllowyyn returns with what he’s heard to the White Forest – and to his parents, who attempt to set straight the prodigal son. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Our next episode will be released on June 25. We hope you’ll join us then. And in case you didn’t see it on our other social media, we’ve added a new reach goal on Patreon! Short version: If we get to $250/episode, we’ll be recouping our production costs, and you’ll get recurring live video hangouts with the cast and crew! You can read this post for more details.

As the shockwaves of Regan’s revelations ripple through the party, Yllowyyn feels less welcome than ever. Ry’y lo-Th’yyt discovers a loose thread in urgent need of snipping. And Brennen is given an ultimatum. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Part Two of this chapter will be released on June 11. We hope you’ll join us then! And finally, the artist D.N. Frost, who designed our official map of the Human Realms of Iorden, has just released her new guide on “How To Make Fantasy Maps In Photoshop.” Now through June 23, it’s available as a free PDF download on her website. A literal steal for anyone interested in Fantasy world-building or cartography. CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 8:50-9:27 (on script pg. 8), a corpse is mutilated in an area of the body we’d probably consider private. (And no, it’s not Renault.) From 16:30-20:25 (on script pgs. 15-18), discussion of the violence at the end of Book 1 continues. It’s not especially graphic, but may remind some listeners of real-world violence. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in for our first #AskTOAFN of Book 2! We answered as many questions as we could. If yours didn’t get answered, we hope you’ll try again next time. And let us know if you enjoy this episode and whether we should keep doing this. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Our revamped merchandise page is now live! Listen to Greg (voice of Yllowyyn) on the Left Trigger Right Trigger podcast, and in his band Duckspeak, who have a new EP out. Wil Williams writes podcast reviews and obviously has impeccable taste. Kat on Tumblr also has great tastes in podcasts (even if her question almost broke us all up.) CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 32:08-33:00 a real-life mass shooting comes up in the course of our discussion. End of listed CONTENT NOTES. Release dates for Chapter 2 will be announced in the very near future. Stay tuned!

It’s the dramatic conclusion of Book 2, Chapter 1. At the Horse’s Head Inn, Arlene and Gwen Anna and Gayle reluctantly make plans regarding their newfound ward. In an ice cave in the south seas, Renault the “nice” necromancer meets a legendary warrior from an age nearly forgotten. And back near Freehold, a newly (and just barely) conscious Regan divulges what she saw in the western forest. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. We’ll be taking our customary micro-break between chapters, but release dates for Book 2, Chapter 2 – entitled “What Used To Be Enough” – will be announced shortly. In the meantime, though, we’ll be answering listener questions on air! Read this post for full details on how to submit a question. CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 09:47-10:38 (on script pg. 63), bodily mutilation is played for laughs. From 15:00-16:25 (on script pgs. 68-69), the extreme violence from the end of Book 1 is verbally recounted. From 23:18-23:25 (on script pg. 75), a character threatens suicide in a way that is flippant and obviously insincere, and is dismissed just as flippantly. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

As the Kids discuss Nia’s advice and how to proceed with it, Yllowyyn discovers Brennen’s ruse and confronts Nia. Things get a bit spooky back at Castle Guernatal. But all disagreements within the Party halt when Brennen returns with a badly injured Regan, in desperate need of medical help. The conclusion of this chapter – along with information on our upcoming listener Q&A – will be released on April 23, 2017. We hope you’ll join us then. CONTENT NOTES below (minor spoilers): CONTENT NOTES: Starting at 14:16 through the end of the episode, we listen to someone audibly struggle to breathe. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

We return to the camp outside Freehold, shortly after Regan’s clandestine departure. Jen and Nelson receive stark prospects for their futures from a newly candid Nia, who also speculates about important matters metaphysical and arcane. Brennen and Yllowyyn disagree about the next steps in Brennen’s ongoing campaign, and Yllowyyn’s place in it. But once Jen comes clean about Regan’s whereabouts and intentions, Brennen drops everything and chases after his Queen in great haste. Our next episode will be released on April 9. We hope you’ll join us then. In the meantime, March has seen an industry-wide push to introduce more people to podcasts in general. If you have any friends who don’t listen to podcasts, recommend this show or anything else you think they might enjoy. If you do it on social media, you can use #TryPod.

Dear Listeners, we are extremely pleased to present to you the first episode of Book 2, MYTH MADE FLESH. After the disturbing events that concluded our previous book, Regan finds herself in a literal tight spot and in possession of very sensitive information. Jen must decide between keeping Regan’s confidence, and looking out for the best interests of the Party. And Arlene and Gwen’s own troubling discovery threatens to disturb their newfound peace. All the while, Regan’s prospects for escape from her predicament dwindle by the minute… Part 2 of this chapter will be available on March 26. We hope you’ll join us then. CONTENT NOTES  below: This episode features brief flashbacks to genocidal violence.

Today, we bring you yet another podcast pilot from within the TOAFN family. Greg Schulz (plays Yllowyyn) is one of the minds behind  LEFT TRIGGER RIGHT TRIGGER. It’s a book club…for video games! We hope you enjoy it. If you do, make sure to subscribe to them on iTunes and follow them on Twitter. And for everyone who enjoyed the TAKING INITIATIVE pilot last time, here’s a reminder that they have a new episode out tomorrow, Monday March 6. And if you still can’t get enough D&D after that, you might enjoy YOU MEET IN A TAVERN. And of course…we’ll be back with the premiere of Book 2 on Sunday March 12 – one week from today. See you then!

We are extremely pleased to announce official release dates for our next episodes (!!!) THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD Book 2 – Myth Made Flesh Chapter 1 – “A Cruel And Sullied World” Part 1 – March 12 Part 2 – March 26 Part 3 – April 9 Part 4 – April 23 If you could all do us a favor and help spread the word between now and then, you’ll receive a) our eternal love and admiration, b) more friends to talk about the show with, and c) preference when we choose questions for our on-air, end-of-chapter AMA. Keep reading for details. As soon as Part 4 drops on 4/23/17, we’ll be opening up an AMA across Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit. You can get your question bumped up in priority above the general public by doing the following: At any point between now and March 12, post something about us, using your own words, in any of those places. Retweets and Reblogs are OK as long as you add your own words in there. Use the hashtag #TOAFNBook2 so that we’ll see it. (If you choose to use Reddit, which doesn’t do hashtags, just message us at r/onceandfuturenerd.) And that’s all you have to do. We can’t wait to share the next chapter of our tale with you. See you on March 12!

Today’s bonus content is the pilot episode of a new side project from our editor, Josh. It’s a D&D podcast called Taking Initiative. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did, but any feedback is welcome. If this just isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry. Taking Initiative will have its own website and feed so that this one doesn’t get bogged down with a show you didn’t sign up for. But if you’d like to hear more Taking Initiative after today, you can head over to thespark.network for all the subscription info. Oh and by the way…the next announcement you hear from us will be the release dates for Book 2. Stay subscribed 🙂 And keep reading for Creative Commons attributions of music used in this episode. “Come Play with Me”, “Spacial Winds”, “Unnatural Situation”, “Vanishing” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Today we wanted to let you all know about Paul Notice (Nelson, Antonin, Smith) and his project The Notice Blog. The Notice Blog “creates work that engages, informs, and represents the world’s complexities through journalism & fictional narratives.” You can check out their website to see all the documentary shorts, interviews, live journalism, and serial fiction they’ve already done. But now through Feb. 5, they’re running a Kickstarter campaign to buy equipment and advertising so they can put out weekly content. Take a look, and help The Notice Blog out if you can!

For today’s bonus content, Christian interviewed Stephanie Cooke of Rogue’s Portal about her latest project, a live audio drama called THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HELL. The conversation touches on how Stephanie got into audio drama, the logistics of producing a live show month after month, and her collaborative process. Follow Stephanie on Twitter for updates on all her projects. PLUS! Announcements about the future of TOAFN and a bunch of shout-outs for people who’ve gone out of their way to flatter us in public.

Dear Fans, We’re sorry this didn’t come out sooner. We wanted to get as many of our voices on tape as possible.  Full text of the statement is below: The Once And Future Nerd is an organization that stands for love and acceptance, and vehemently opposes bigotry and hatred of all forms. We believe that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. All people, regardless of race, gender, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, or any other point of identity. Many of our listeners may be feeling fear and uncertainty at what the future has in store for them. To those people, we stand with you in solidarity.  We vow to do all that is within our power to aid and support you. Anne Frank was a young woman who was forced to live in hiding for two years before ultimately being killed by the Nazis during World War 2. While in hiding, she wrote “in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”  In the film “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, the film’s protagonists Bill and Ted asked the world to “Be excellent to each other”. This is what we ask of all of our listeners today. Be good at heart, and be excellent to each other. If you see someone in need of aid, offer your comfort and support.  If you see someone acting inappropriately, stand up and say something. Be good, and be excellent to each other. America is not just 1 person living in the White House, nor is it the hundreds legislators on Capitol Hill. It is not even just the 130 million citizens who cast votes last week. America is all 325 million people who reside in this country, and no man at the top can tell you how to treat your fellow human. Treat people with kindness and respect. Tolerate disagreement but never become complacent in the face of abuse. That is your right, and that is your power. The actions of millions of good people will always speak louder than the words of the handful of people in Washington. Be good at heart, be excellent to each other, and do your best to retain hope. The Once And Future Nerd will return with full episodes within the first 90 days of 2017.  Until then, we will continue to produce periodic bonus interviews. We also are always available to speak with anyone who would like to reach out. You can find us on Twitter, on Tumblr, on Reddit, via email (iordic.princes at gmail dot com) or through our website.  Thank you for listening. Sincerely, -TOAFN

For this week’s bonus content we sat down for a chat with Justin Sloan, a prodigious Fantasy writer who has worked on and published several original novels, written for video games including Telltale Game’s Game of Thrones series, and adapted several novels for the screen. Oh and he was also a martial arts instructor in the United States Marine Corps. So yeah, it was interesting conversation. You can find Justin and links to his work here: www.JustinSloanAuthor.com www.CreativeWritingCareer.com (podcast) Twitter: @JustinMSloan Facebook.com/JustinsloanAuthor Amazon author page And his instafreebie Fantasy books: Falls of Redemption Episode 1 and Other Stories  https://www.instafreebie.com/free/GdZ3C Blades of Gresva https://www.instafreebie.com/free/iNNNV We are also THRILLED to announce that our Co-Executive Producer Jess Kelley-Madera is launching her own podcast this coming Tuesday, September 6. ENGAGEMENT THERAPY is a non-fiction storytelling podcast about the things people don’t talk about when they talk about weddings: Website | iTunes | Twitter @engage_therapy | Tumblr | Facebook Other cool things mentioned in this episode: Anywhere At All by Small Planet Radio drops on 9/10 Christian on The Great Albums Podcast last year Scriptnotes #201, featuring Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones as a One Cool Thing

Remember the song that Arlene sang to Gwen back in Chapter 6 and again in Chapter 9? We know at least some of you do, because you wrote in to tell us how much you loved it, and to ask whether it was available as a standalone track. Well…it is now! We re-recorded it with a new arrangement and live instruments. Head over to onceandfuturenerd.bandcamp.com to purchase it for $1 (or more if you’d like to be very kind. Patreon subscribers, check your Patreon feed for a coupon code to save 50¢.) And for today’s bonus content, we talked to the talented folks involved for insight into making the song. Keep reading for full credits and attributions. “The Singing Sister” Copyright © 2015 by Gibian, Glass & Madera Lyrics by Zach Glass & Christian T. Madera, based on a traditional folk song Music by Anya Gibian This version arranged, orchestrated, and produced by Tom Lee. Recorded and Edited by Justin Tricarico at Studio 302, Queens College, Queens, NY. Performed by: Anya Gibian – Vocals Emily P. Dana – Harp, Violin, Viola Simona Donova – Flute Zach Glass – Trumpet Tom Lee – Percussion programming Kelsey Sheldon – Cello Mixed by Chris Montalbo of The Last Alliance. Executive Produced by Zach Glass & Christian T. Madera The Making-Of Featurette: This episode is heavily inspired by Song Exploder, which we highly recommend. Music used: “Cruel Sister” by Pentangle (Amazon | iTunes | Google Play | Spotify) Main Title Theme from HOUSE OF CARDS by Jeff Beal (Amazon | iTunes | Google Play | Spotify)

We’re really excited to announce that the Special Edition of The Once And Future Nerd Book 1, is now available through Audiobooks on Tape. (They make these really cool USB flash drives that look like old cassette tapes!) The Special Edition includes: Full chapter files with credits only once per chapter for maximum bingeing (previously only available to Patreon subscribers) Bonus interviews TOAFN artwork in 4K Ultra HD, including our new map, and several never-before-seen character designs. All proceeds from the Special Edition will go towards funding Book 2 (which we are currently writing!), and are also a great gift for anyone who loves Fantasy or Audiodrama, but doesn’t do podcasts. Purchase at AudioBooksOnTape.com (just search for ‘Once And Future Nerd’). And in honor of the Special Edition, we sat down for a conversation with Ian Harkins (the Narrator) looking back at Book 1. Think of it like a free companion piece. We’ve also got some limited-time-only coupon codes for fans who want to purchase the special edition, so keep reading for those. £1 off the Special Edition USB cassette with coupon code iorden. 33% off the Special Edition USB cassette by becoming a supporter on Patreon. 20% off of a novel by D.N. Frost, the Fantasy Cartographer who created our map: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DLMP8DZV8PPEL

Hey guys! A lot of you have been writing in to say how much you miss the show and wondering when it’s coming back – and it’s really great to hear from you and to know we’re missed! The short answer is: Book 2 is coming – just not yet. We took a break after Book 1, and now we’re getting back into it. That said, making The Once And Future Nerd to the level of quality you’ve come to expect requires a big metaphorical machine with lots of moving parts, so we can’t responsibly commit to any kind of release date at this point, but we can promise that the show is moving forward! What can you do to contribute to Season 2? We have some ideas: Keep sending us positive messages – that really encourages us! Draw some fan art and put it on Tumblr (we’re looking at you, artsy people!) Tweet about us and the awesome fuck-yeah-once-and-future-nerd.tumblr.com (also – a huge thanks to whoever made that!) Get redditing! Participate on the subreddit, discuss your theories about season 2, tell your friends, and get them to start listening and discussing too. And last but not least, if you haven’t yet, please consider buying some merchandise or pledging on Patreon. The truth is, so far we still lose money in creating each episode – and our brilliant actors are still by and large compensated in pizza. Any money we receive from Patreon will go towards offsetting the production costs of the show, and if we ever were to break even on production, it would go towards compensating our cast and crew. And if you are not in a position to contribute, don’t worry, we pledge that our podcast will always be free to listen. But if you are in a position where you could comfortably contribute, each dollar pledged (or piece of merchandise purchased) will help to grease those big machine gears and smooth the process towards creating Book 2. And as a reminder, no matter what you pledge on Patreon you won’t be charged for it until we put out an episode. So do we have anything for you in the meantime? Well, many of you have been nice enough to tell us how much you liked the song that Arlene and Gwen sing to each other, and you asked whether we could make it available as a standalone release. Consider yourselves heard – we went into the studio with an improved arrangement and real instruments. We’ll need a little time for pickups and mixing, but as soon as that’s ready, the song will be available for sale, and a making-of featurette will be available for free on our feed! Also want to call out a few great iTunes reviews we’ve had since the last episode. Deepschwag says “Kind of Vincent Price meets Buffy.” High praise indeed. User Thousand Things says “I emerge, after a weekend that started with thinking “hey, this looks like an interesting podcast…” and ending with having binge-listened to the entire series. Considering forcing my husband to sit and listen to the whole thing again while I enjoy it a second time through. In other words, AMAZING. YES. LOVE. Listen to this podcast!” And Jesse W Jackson says “Found this through a search and I’m very pleased. A nice story with a just the right amount of naughtiness. I like the characters and the story is easy to follow. My only suggestion, more titles based on Bruce Springsteen songs!” Noted, Jesse, and thanks. Glad someone caught that. So those are all greatly appreciated. That’s all we’ve got for now. Thanks for your love and support and patience, and keep subscribed to this feed for all future updates.

Thanks so much to everyone who voted in Round 1 of the 2015 AudioVerse Awards. Thanks to you, we are now FINALISTS in EVERY CATEGORY for which we were eligible. Best Original Composition in an Original, Short-Form Production – Tom Lee Best Audio Engineering for an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production – Brian Forbes, Sam Palumbo, Christian Madera, Josh Perault, and Sandra Ramirez Best Writing of an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production – Zach Glass & Christian Madera Best Actress with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Rhiannon Angell Best Actress with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Lily Drexler Best Actress with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Anya Gibian Best Actress with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Julie Reed Best Actor with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Garrett Armyn Best Actor with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Dan Dobransky Best Actor with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Ian Harkins Best Actor with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production – Frank Queris Best Ensemble Cast in an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production Best Original Short-Form, Serial Comedy Best Original, Short-Form, Large Cast, Serial Production But there’s still one more round of voting to determine the winners. So please head to www.audioverseawards.net any time before November 9 to cast your vote. Thank you as always for your support. And be sure to follow this feed for some exciting announcements coming up around the New Year!

We’re so pleased to be nominated for the 2015 AudioVerse Awards amongst an extremely wide and formidable field of contenders. We’re up for: Best Original Composition in an Original, Short-Form Production Best Audio Engineering for an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production Best Writing of an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production Best Actress with an Ensemble Role in an Original Serial Production (x4!!) Best Actor with an Ensemble Role in an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production (x6!!!) Best Ensemble Cast in an Original, Short-Form, Serial Production Best Original Short-Form, Serial Comedy Best Original, Short-Form, Large Cast, Serial Production The Awards are open to a public vote, and voting for the first round (which determines Finalists) closes on October 20, so head over to audioverseawards.net to cast your votes! And don’t forget to check our sweet, sweet merch.

CONTENT NOTE: The violence in this episode gets particularly graphic. Listen with care. The First Book of our Tale comes to its bloody close at the Battle of Freehold. Our deepest thanks go out to everyone who has tuned in along the way. We never would have gotten this far without you. We’ll see you again for Book 2, release date TBD. If you’re enjoying the show, please consider becoming a patron at Patreon . The more patrons we have, the easier time we’ll have getting up and running for production of Book 2.

In this, the penultimate episode of Book 1, Julius Mooncrest mourns his nephew Antonin. But all is not what it seems with the young lord’s apparent demise. Meanwhile, at the Horse’s Head Inn, a terrible discovery threatens to cut short Gwen and Arlene’s newfound romantic bliss. And our stalwart Narrator confesses that he has run out of events with which to delay the recounting of the Battle of Freehold and its aftermath. The climactic conclusion of Book 1 is coming next. Be sure to subscribe, and tell your friends so they won’t miss it. And hey, have you seen all the exciting news lately about merchandise, free full-chapter downloads, and awards?

For today’s bonus content, Christian (director, co-creator), Zach (co-writer, co-producer), Anya (Regan, Arlene, various female),  Ian (Narrator, various male), Dan (Ardel, Traft, various male), Paul (Nelson, Antonin) and Lily (Gwen, Ry’y, various female) sat down with Matthew of the Audio Drama Production Podcast to talk about the highlights, challenges, and strategies that went into creating Book 1 of THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD. Show notes are below. Awesome things the Cast & Crew are up to: The New York Fringe Festival (http://fringenyc.org/) includes SOLINA (http://www.eventbrite.com/e/solina-fringenyc-tickets-17728346963), staring Anya, and FUENTE OVEJUNA (http://www.eventbrite.com/e/fuente-ovejuna-fringenyc-tickets-17728291798), featuring Ian. Performances through the end of August Dan performs at the Magnet Theater (http://www.magnettheater.com/) in Manhattan and posts news about his other projects at http://ddobransky.com. You can also find him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MrBrodansky). Lily and her twin sister Michelle list their projects at http://drexlertwins.com. Paul’s production company can be found at http://themillennialgroupllc.com. And get updates from the Notice Blog on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thenoticeblog) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheNoticeBlog). Follow Christian on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ctmadera)

As we mentioned before, we are honored to nominees for Best Podcast in the 2015 Geekie Awards. Well, the Awards are now open to a PUBLIC VOTE to determine who gets to take home a statue. If you would like to vote, just go to http://vote2015.thegeekieawards.com/ . No sign-in required or anything. It’s designed so that each voter can vote once per day per category, from now until Noon Pacific on August 31. The Geekie Awards are doing an awesome thing by increasing exposure for independently-produced content, and we’d love to return the favor by supporting them. So vote early and vote often! We’re nominated alongside some truly excellent content, so vote as you see fit. But if you think we deserve some extra recognition, votes for us would be a great way to support our show and costs you nothing but a few seconds. We’ll keep you posted on any future developments. Thanks! -The Producers of THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD

As they wait for the rendezvous with Ry’y lo-Th’yyt (and hopefully the fulfillment of her promise of assisatnce), Nia and Regan consider the wages of their struggles so far. But far away, in the icy seas of the south, a spurned foe plots his next move. (Spoiler: It’s Renault. That dipsh*t). There are only TWO (2!) episodes left in Book One. The next episode will be released on August 16. And be sure to like/follow/subscribe for some very exciting upcoming announcements. And check out the awesome updated logo artwork by the brilliant John Flanagan!

In this, the premiere of Book 1’s final chapter, Generals Riverfell and Traft make one last doomed attempt to reach terms before the Battle of Freehold begins in earnest. The fate of the Human Realms of Iorden hang in the balance. Fresh off their new and hard-earned revelations, the Kids take an active role in combat. But the Narrator, in a rare moment of blatant editorializing, expresses dread at having to recount what comes next. Our next episode will be coming in early August. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it. And tell a friend so you have someone to enjoy it with! Or make new friends over on our official discussion forum!

In this, the final episode of Chapter 9, Jen must confront a man from her past she was not expecting to see. Iorden’s civil war arrives on Bryce Riverfell’s doorstep whether he and his charges are prepared or not. And Arlene and Gwen change their course, now that Arlene’s singing has created some options for them. “The Singing Sister” is © 2014. Lyrics by Zach Glass and Christian Madera, based on a traditional English folk song. Music by Anya Gibian. We’ll be back on July 19 with the premiere of Chapter 10, the final chapter of Book 1! In the meantime, you can discuss anything about the show at www.reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd.

The conflict between Antonin Mooncrest and Ardel Redmoor comes to bloodshed. Who will survive? Meanwhile, Arlene struggles to adapt to a working woman’s life; her inexperience threatens to leave her and Gwen without a roof over their heads. You won’t want to miss the conclusion of Chapter 9, which will be released on June 21. In the meantime, check out our official discussion forum, and tell a friend about the show if you want our eternal love! “The Singing Sister” is © 2014. Lyrics by Zach Glass and Christian Madera, based on a traditional English folk song. Music by Anya Gibian. This arrangement is by Anya Gibian and Christian Madera.

CONTENT NOTE: This episode depicts a physically and emotionally abusive domestic situation from the beginning until the 4:15 timestamp. Please use your discretion in listening. In Billy’s vision, the young man must contend with his father’s harmful expectations. Will he escape with his mind and soul intact? Our next episode will be released on June 7. In the meantime, be sure to head over to our discussion forum to discuss all that’s transpired so far.

As Bryce Riverfell’s medics tend to our children in the infirmary at Freehold, the poison they ingested produces striking visions in their minds. In this episode, Nelson struggles with doubt over whether his life so far would make his parents proud. Darkness on the Edge of Town, Pt. 3 will premiere on May 24. Be sure to subscribe, and check out our discussion forum at reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd

In the premiere of our ninth chapter, Billy and Jen push each other to acknowledge their true feelings about being in Iorden, but they are interrupted by the Templars of Discord, and quickly succumb to the same poison which incapacitated Nelson. Will the Kids’ fate be left in the hands of their fell captors, or will anyone come to their rescue? And what of Arlene and Gwen’s urgent need for discreet lodging? Listen to find out! Part 2 of Chapter 9 will be released on May 10. Subscribe so you won’t miss it! And maybe if you’re feeling generous and want our eternal love and gratitude, you could tell a friend about our show?

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever Fan Q&A. That’s @Anarchaelogist on Twitter, Rena and /u/screwbuharvard2 on Reddit, and Logan Waterman on Facebook. If you want to keep the conversation going, hit us up on Twitter (twitter.com/_toafn), Reddit (reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd), or Facebook (facebook.com/toafn). Chapter 9, “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” will premiere on April 26. Don’t miss it!

Nia and her companions are attacked by Renault D’Esprit, the “nice” necromancer. Will any escape the Cairn of Evil Untold with their lives? Or their souls? Will Renault ever shut his stupid face? (Probably not, on that last one.)  Meanwhile, at the Horse’s Head Inn near Freehold, the Kids get near to the information they seek, but are soon reminded that safety is a rare luxury in Iorden, and never lasts for long. If you leave us an iTunes review, we may read your review on air in an upcoming bonus episode! And, for a limited time, ask us a question about the show on Twitter (@_toafn) or Reddit (reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd), and we may just answer it on air! Our tale will resume on April 26 with the first part of Chapter 9 – the penultimate chapter of Book 1!    

Brennen, Yllowyyn, Nia, and Regan venture into the ancient burial mound known as the Cairn of Evil Untold to retrieve an artifact for the Knights of the Wood. It goes…about as well as you’d expect for a place that’s called the Cairn of Evil Untold. But the ordeal will prove particularly trying for Nia, who must contend with an unsavory slice of her past. (Spoiler – it’s this dipsh*t: http://onceandfuturenerd.com/2014/02/05/the-nicest-necromancer-public) Check out our friends at Rude Alchemy (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rude-alchemy/id961837133?mt=2). They just wrapped up Season 1 of their very funny audiodrama. Chapter 8 will conclude on March 29. Make sure you’re subscribed, and please consider leaving us an iTunes or Stitcher review if you haven’t already.

Alone in the Horse’s Head Inn, the Kids try to pry some information out of some out-of-place college students. But, as always, danger is just around the corner. Meanwhile, Antonin Mooncrest issues a public and irrevocable ultimatum to Ardel Redmoor. If you haven’t been to our discussion forum, you’ve missed out on some very lively discussion about Regan’s decision at the beginning of Chapter 8. Head over to www.reddit.com/r/onceandfuturenerd if you don’t want to miss the conversation.