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Fireside Chat for WWW ep49 “The New World” (Patreon)

Published:
2025-06-03 10:30:01
Imported:
2026-06
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After recording the episode COMPLETELY APART, the cast reunites to cast blame, make insincere passive aggressive apologies, throw drinks in each other's faces, and proudly admit to the camera that they are "not here to make friends." I think. I think that's what happens. Been watching A LOT of Real Housewives and The Hills, and I might be combining it all in my head. Anyway, at the launch party for Eursulon's new beach-wear brand, Ame STUNS the party when she invites Jeff, CEO of a competing beach-wear brand and Suvi's ex-best friend.

Comments

Harrison Roberts

3:32am is a bold release hour and I am here for it

Chey

woohoo

Sven the Scribe

'Is this what you all feel like the entire time?' - Yes!

The Wizard Sparrow

Ahoo Ahoo🔥🦊❤️ crackle crackle. Did a second listen yesterday and I’m excited for this chat🤗🔥

merry

U didn't get a notification for this! But I thought to myself .. I wonder if the fireside is out. And it is!! My physic powers scare me

L J

Join us in death gripping the lettuce, Aabria!

The Wizard Spwerm

Oh god you’re holding 12 brooks at gunpoint and I absolutely will pay the ransom please save them

C. A. Whyse

I knew it. I first want to say, Erika and Aabria reacting to insane/incredible moments is one of my favorite things about this show. Secondly, it was extremely noticeable when they weren't squealing in delight or excitement at one another's moments. This was a beautiful change... almost like they're preparing us for other upcoming changes 🤔

Ellie Hail

Ame’s RHW intro: I may be the Witch of the World’s Heart, but I’ll steal yours. Eursulon: I may look cuddly, but this Bear has claws. Suvi: careful darling, you’ll hurt your neck from looking up at the Sky for too long. Fox: I put the c u n silent t in cunning.

The Wizard Subjudice

I am so happy to hear that you all do in fact sometimes share all of our suffering at the mercy of Brennan's storytelling and plot hooks.

The Wizard Subjudice

But truly, I need you all to understand that I've never been more invested in a story since being a literal child, lining up for the Potter books the day they came out. I didn't think that feeling existed for grown folk, and you've all given me that again (and without the gross spawn point, I might add.) Magic is real and it's the sound you all make with your mouths... that Taylor et al. make even better.

ScoutHooligan

BUCKLES is from the Twelvebrooks interlude. He is a little Greneaux boy who is connected to the Great Bullfrog

Zack Simcoe

I, personally, cannot wait for the launch of new “Bones: They’re Wetter Than You Think!” merch.

Rafi

Ah yes memories of sleeping under a desk with 20 others in one hotel suite during a con

Michelle Spurgeon

Now I see why the BUCKLES! reaction didn't happen on mic. Thank God. I thought I was unreasonably excited.

Emily C

Ahoo hoo! The idea of Suvi like playing along and still 50% buying in but not sure, of quiet fury - which we've seen! She was mad at Ame throughout arc 1 for dropping her name, for questioning her in front of strangers, most of that was quiet. Arc 2 Suvi doesn't need to shout because she's at home, but still corrects Ame at times. Arc 3 she shows up to dinner with blood in her hair, if that's not quiet fury... Of Eursulon with the whiplash of heated battle and then back to Toma, trying to give the Grenau kids something he never got - a way home. There's that thing when you go back to where you "grew up" , sometimes the people there can only ever see you as you once were. I love that the cottage's protector spirits get to see Eursulon as he has come into himself. The part of Ame that knew how to get away but didn't quite know what to do after, to me echoes the escape from the Citadel, although this time she is more the Fox in this situation, a cornered animal just trying to make it to the next safe place

a dreck

I love so many things about the work this cast does, but I wanted to highlight in particular the exploration of problematic family dynamics brought on by intergenerational trauma and the impacts of those dynamics on behaviour outside of the family. It's soooo hard to listen to at times because it resonates, but also so authentically handled that it's healing. I love it when you all talk about it in the Fireside chat, it clarified things for me and helps me shed light on my own situation. I would never hold up a piece of art to the standard of medical care and advice, and yet, I'd say this piece of art has been a key part of my healing journey. Thank you for bringing your whole selves and skills to this project, it's so great! I love these fictional characters and this fictional story that is woven from the threads of reality.

Emily C

We on the East Coast over here so I'm perfectly fine with 630 am to listen before work lol

Alyssa

Brennan: “kids 🎶 don’t 🎶 do what you 🎶say🎶 they do what you 🎶do🎶” Too real, Brennan! I’m gonna guess the Wizard Sunny is living her best toddler life 😂

Izer

Bones: They're Wetter than You Think!

Josh Grey

Learning that those scenes were all done separately and that they all heard each other for the first time on the podcast was wild. Phenomenal choice and I look forward to seeing how all of that plays out. Incredible episode both in the fireside and the episode that you talked about.

Emergency Santa

I will be honest, I listened to the interlude back when it came out out, and had fully forgotten who buckles was. So when they started talking about here, I had to go into the comments to find out who he was😂😂

Emily C

Yes! I shouted at that line, it's soooo true

Emily C

It's all the blood

Manifesting Good Posture

Sorry, "final WWW Camp?" 🥺 I knew it was the end of Book 1, but I did not know 'Book 1' was the end of the story of these 3.

August D.

Brennan dropping “The things you do to give your kids a better life and does that make you a stranger to the life your children grow up in” is why I listen in the car, because I can’t shout my feelings about that in the canned food aisle.

Wondering wonder

If you don't know it already, you may also love Ursula le Guin's fantasy works, such as the earthsea sextet, and the annals of the western shore ❤️

Hita Asodia

Listening to this and then freaking out because you guys answered my question 😭 thank you so much!

Manifesting Good Posture

False alarm!!! Brennan later on made reference to Book 2 of WWW. We are IN THE CLEAR 😮‍💨

Devon

Big same. I’ve stopped listening to new episodes out in the world

Devon

Yes Aabria, this is how we feel

Daylynnrey

Came here to say this. I was listening in the car with my husband (he was driving) and he had to pause it because I started crying at the name Buckles

robo

It really feels like steel is a subversion of the “wicked stepmother” trope, and I’m here for it! (is she wicked? yes. does she love her stepchild? also yes.)

Giovanni Gabriele

Im pretty sure camp is just what they call their recording days. They probably record many episodes at each “camp”

Megan

That's the Buckles reaction I *had*

Izer

It's also interesting to note how vastly different Steel and Eioghrain's outlook on the world they envision will be left behind when they're gone. We haven't seen Eioghrain since the start of the Battle at 12brooks, but he's at least given up the ideal that it's "his turn" to shape the world. And part of that might be because he's already lost so much even while trying to regain what Gaothmai and the Empire have taken from him before. But then you look at Steel, who has placed EVERYTHING she is and loves on and in the the Citadel. So you already understand why she can't imagine a world apart from the one she has already shaped in her heart of hearts.

Izer

Brennan's streak of very human, even empathetic but deeply broken antagonists(?) in the form of parental figures is where I feel Brennan most shines, because even the "lampshading" of ill intent or manipulative language is so organically incorporated into what we know that character BELIEVES* to be true, versus how they normally act on their beliefs.

Erik Hanson

Sadly, Professor Salmon was one of the first to perish in Twelve Brooks, thus earning the sobriquet of Salmon Rush Die.

Jimothy

As someone who went to a Montessori school from kindergarten to 8th grade, I feel incredibly called out lmao

Izer

Fun (?) bird fact: Alot of scavenger mammals like hyenas have strong jaws for breaking open bones for the marrow inside. This is especially helpful since most carrion birds will find these bodies beforehand, but can't access all of the nutrients. However one exception is the bearded vultures whose diet is ~90% bone! Any bones too big to be swallowed whole and digested are dropped from large heights to be broken apart.

Jo Lee

"I have FREED THE CHILDREN!... ...is the bus still runnin'?"

Nathan Armstrong

How in the hell was there no mention of the Man in Black showing up?!

nandrusin

"Suvy holders when it's not that important, she's mouthy when it's fine, her actual fury is quite quiet..." DAMN!! take it easy

steve

Holy shit do I feel called out as a parent giving my kids a better life

steve

Y'all can't be casually dropping stuff I have to talk to my therapist about

Joseline

Eursolon became the Great Bear this episode with all his spirit kids

flyingwriter

Mushu and Cricket! I died laughing… bones are wetter than you think (Deep longing to get this phrase out of my consciousness now) I cannot unhear and now I must tell someone else about it to share in my suffering. Eursalon- the great bear with many children, while not his children, still in his care… it was a sweet full circle moment and what a parallel, yet a juxtaposition to the Great Bear is father. Brennan line about people can use real feelings as manipulation too… ooof too real. It really comes across in the episode… the sincerity to fully believe what actions you have taken were correct… so unfaltering. And Suvi being like, right, no… I’ve gotta play a role right now, but in gunna save you from this mess, but you don’t know it yet… ahhh there is so much tension and realness. I can almost see these episodes could be played as real life. I love these talk backs. Y’all, Tuesdays are the best!

the wizard subpar

Is she wicked or is she just neck deep in a wicked system

Daniel B

When I started the series I was still working in a warehouse and would have to find a quite corner to just sit and absorb each episode. I eventually got written up enough times that I had to stop listening to new episodes at work 😆. Thankfully I work from home now so it's only my partner and our kid that have to put up with random laughing/crying.

robo

at a certain point, is there a difference?

Rebecca Mackintosh

They will be coming back to WWW at some point but they are taking an extended break to do other campaigns 😊.

Bex

This is perfection, you must know you've created a masterpiece

Bob Chapman

The way I said to myself "huh, that kinda reminds me of Fabian and Bill Seacaster" the *moment* before Brennan made that same comparison made me feel like a super brain genius. So, thanks for that

Raquel Blacken

I know Steel is bad.... I know it ...I know it... but there's a whisper on the wind that tells me I can fix her, we can still work on it... ugh.... i may have issues lol

Ellis

I remember saying to myself, "I'm being gaslit" and in the next breath, "ugh, I love Steel"

Joseline

FOR REAL, I wonder if the parallel is intentional??

icesquirrel

“hey mom, are you bad” oh buddy

icesquirrel

eursulon’s adventure is youngest family member has to take care of children for the first time

Alyx Olney

Anyone else get Howls Moving Castle vibes from the Emperor? All I could think about hearing that conversation

Matt Mayhem

The description of How the word Cackle happened low key felt so Discworld Coded!

Yarl

Saaaaaame

Yarl

Yeah this made me want to immediately go back and relisten to the episode with that in mind

Júlia Vincent Rubiolo

Me too... I am all in Elektra-Epiphany ship... I believe in you Steel... But also no...

Toe

do we have confirmation of the spelling of our Esteemed Guest's name? I have Skol Ketchum in my notes

Emilia Sheji

100%! I also couldn’t help but think of howls moving castle when Ame was on the broom and Task was lighting the way back to suvi, just like when Sophie had the ring that brought her back to the castle when she flew for the first time.

Ajax

If you aren't familiar with "rag and bone merchants" they're an interesting bit of texture for your game worlds.

xatlern

I love Aabria's but about being able to out-grotesque people about anatomy stuff. I work in brain research, and when we were in a mindflayer lair one of the other players kept asking the questions about brains and I got to whip out some grody details about the the texture of a freshly harvested brain.

Raquel Blacken

The way she flipped the Silver situation...like oh... my baby girl Steel is a menace...it's the hurt you know. I might be a little toxic.. This is bad. She is bad. And I like it.

Isabelle W

I was wondering why there weren't audible gasps and squeals when Buckles was mentioned. It all makes sense now.

KnockOffGrimReaper

Hey gang, Just got back in from california where i got to see you guys at the hollywood bowl! I loved the show, so glad to see bill seacaster back on the mortal plane as fig’s manager & rip squeem 🥲

Nathan Neilson

The number of times my wife has walked into a room I’m in and, rightfully so, was very concerned why I was very quietly weeping to myself 😭 “Do you remember that little frog boy I said Brennan made to hurt us?” “…yea?” “Heeesss okkaayyyy” 😭🥲

wasting tyme

been by the fireside for a while, I've never posted a comment, but I need y'all to know I quoted "the things you do to give your kids a better life and does that make you a stranger to the life your children grew up in" to my therapist today. So thank you for that one 🫶🫶

The Wizard Stank

I deeply love the fireside chats. I love the expressions of passion, excitement, and intensity from our dear Fireside Folk. I do not love how often I have to adjust my volume for said dynamic changes. 😂

Shelby Welby

How fitting that my favorite art also helps me be a better parent. I love this show so much. This is perhaps my favorite fireside. I feel like this show helps me find joy in my life. I’m so grateful.

Abhacado

A moment of appreciation for " the Jay and Silent Bob" 😭😂

RuviGaPo

BRENNAN!!! making the world bigger in a season finale is so Gooodd!! This is my favourite thing and it happens so rarely!!

Alyssa

I don’t know how much she loves Suvi for who she is versus the intelligence she can perform? For Steele to have a favorite child and for her to pretend to “put her neck out” for Suvi so that she can manipulate her in order to have better control over her? Both feel like examples of a very conditional form of love…which is not the love a parent should have for their child

Alyssa

“Bones are wetter than you think” Not wetter than I think, Aabria! the amount of times I have ranted about the phrase “dry as a bone” is too many! If bones are dry, something is WRONG

bluebluebutton

"Steel is, you know, of NPCs I've played in my life, probably one I've put the most thought into. And we are seeing sides of her that have always been there, but are impossible to ignore now: the gaslighting and the manipulation." I love Brennan taking this fireside to explicitly call out what can no longer be ignored with regards to Steel's multifaceted villainy. "Yeah, your stomach should be churning. Yeah, this is nightmare fuel. And not only is that nightmare fuel of this woman astride an engine of war like the world has never seen before and everything that entails, and the horror of that. But also her being like, 'your boyfriend is a good man. And you ruined his life.' That's some crazy work. That is some nasty - that is some nasty shit....and the thing that she does to wrap it all up, of like, 'you disobeyed me. Silver did the right thing. But I love you. And my love for you means I hurt a good man. What does that mean about you?' That's like, that is bad bad bad bad bad bad bad."

Alyssa

How do I pay money to listen to a round table discussion with these 4 about the education system? 🤔 Surely I could get professional development hours for that!

Brandon Carbaugh

The fact that Suvi *didn't* pop off brings such a deliciously simmering tension to that whole scene with Steel. I didn't get that cozy "coming home to the Citadel" vibe AT ALL. That whole scene felt taut as a violin bow-string.

robo

agreed!

Brandon Carbaugh

The whole scene reminded me of a bit from Succession, when Kendall tells Logan something to the effect of, "Yeah, I have a great life. You provided that. And it pisses you off. You're so jealous of the life you've given to your own kids, you can't handle it."

AKRhodes

I love the reaction to Buckles. Aabria losing her shit over him is the sweetest thing ever and almost made me cry XD

mguin

Yep! We are ambling bags of water and sundry, the bones are just in there. Mortality is gross! 🤷‍♀️

Gotholi

Brennan saying we needed to put mustard on it reminded me - mustard and wizard actually share an etymological root. -Ard means "to an extreme degree", so mustard has a lot of must (intense smell or flavour) and wizards are wise a lot. There's a third common example and it's bastard.

The Wizard Subjudice

They are on my ever-tottering TBR, they may just need to move up the list with this rec, though. I'll find the audiobooks on Libro.fm 🩵 thank you!

jbyrd

This is all cute and all but I will be there brave one... All we really want is another space cram. So please... WE PAY $5 WHOLE DOLLARS FOR A REASON... more cram please

Rune A

yeah, why are we catching strays here? smh

Nathan Levine

I love the description of how each flight begins with a giggle that grows into a cackle.

Clint Shook

BONES ARE WETTER THAN YOU THINK. NOOOO!!

Lee Chirtel

Yes, bones were the first big artificial fertilizer before the use of guano took off. IIRC, the rags were for paper before it was mostly wood pulp.

Lee Chirtel

It's interesting to try and put the parallel context based on the early industrial great war vibe. I've sort of thought of this as a WWI type situation, what with the combination of Emperors and newly developed high tech. But it seems to me that this is really more Spanish Civil War like, in that you have a few great powers turning the dials up on the conflict at the edges, but not yet considering the taking of capitals. A warning for our times also, given how awful even the "medium intensity" conflicts have been.

The Wizard Subjudice

I confirmed this with my MD best friend, and I am DISPLEASED. DISTR-AUGHT! (intoned like Moaning Myrtle)

Jonathan Crawshaw

I'm struck with a quote from the author of One Piece, that mother is the opposite of adventure. Steel, suvi, and neif lost their parents and had adventure. Steel's kids did not.

Felix

is the phrase "dry as a bone" not referring to dead bones?

The Wizard Slide

Yeah. This fireside was... tough for me. Thankfully I do not have a mother who's idea of protecting me is wrecking careers, but Steel was one of my favorite characters, and I deeply emphasized with her broad institutional view of having to struggle with so many irons in the fire. I think it's probably for the best that these episodes are being dropped in the middle of finals when I don't have time to think up detailed posts...I might have just avoided looking like a fool in front of 300 or so people. Hi, yes, it's me, being a biased human who's sympathy with a cool character led them to take an overly charitable view of what they were saying. It me. I appreciate Brennan taking the time to recontexualize what Steel was saying and lay out how she is shifting blame for her own actions. As always, big lover of the pod!

Blades Dragonic

I think I accidentally created a fan, sometimes I listen to the podcast while sitting on the hammock in my backyard and one of the kids next door asked what I was listening to cause it sounded cool, 2 days ago I heard over the fence the “this is the sound of WBN” and looked over the fence to see him listening to episode 3 while jumping on the trampoline.

Alyssa

Oh, I’m sure that it is referring to dead bones being dried out. But it then the phrase feels too similar to us calling the “blob fish” that because of what it looks like only when it’s outside of its natural environment. Like…there are lots of other very dry things that are supposed to be dry, bones are definitely not one of those things unless they are no longer functioning as our bones

Wizard Soliloquy

Does anyone remember which episode Suvi released the ink demons?

The Wizard Subjudice

His exact words to me were "They make the lub-dub fuel! That's what bones do! They are the biggest wet in the body" "... the lub-dub petrol and the biggest wet... ahuh." "I forgot the word for blood." Turns out he really do be out treating patients with words like lub-dub at the age of 33...

Izer

Episode 46: Their Sorrow is My Sorrow. I believe it was towards the second half of the episode

Anita Brown

Aabria knows bones like Brennan knows birds!

The Wizard Seek

NPC PLAYLISTS? Brennan, give me our problematic mom playlist for Steel rn.

The Wizard Seek

Steel's narrative she has built around Suvi is fascinating and heartbreaking. She has completely built up a world wherein the horror she has created will be made understandable and just; the spirit world, I assume, and the violent colonization she wants to commit in order to pave the way for Suvi. The way she talks about it, its like she has wrapped all her love and care for her daughter up in the release she seems to subconsciously but desperately want: if she can get Suvi over the finish line, she can be done. She can be done and still hold the honor of her home and the reputation she has spent many long years building. The horror of Steel is the acceptance of her own tragedy within the "true believer" zealot she built up around it. How many other children of the Citadel feel this way? God damn. To be raised in a system where displacement and the tearing away of family bonds are synonymous with honor and pride. Steel is horrifying, but I fucking adore her as a character, and I think Brennan plays to her humanity in a way that colours her very realistically. I feel empathy and horror towards her in tandem at all times because I can't unsee the five year old girl who was taken and told her father's death should make her proud.

Duchess

The conversation about strict component requirements and NPCS that constantly betray the players is exactly how I feel about traps in DnD. You want your players to suspect there's a hazard around every corner? Don't complain when they pull out a Ten-Foot Pole and take 30 mins to walk down a hallway.

The Witch of the Warming Hut

Dropping that absolute snipe of parent/ child relationships in the last 2 minutes of the podcast is fucking CRAZY. Guess I know what I’m talking to my therapist about today…

Potato Muffin

Back in the 1880s, a slang term for eggs was "Cackleberries."

Raquel Albert

My therapist doesn't speak english, but i'm pretty sure she is all caught up bc of how much i bring this pod up in sessions

Ren Dara

Exactly how this hit for me, too! Ugh Steel is such a good villain.

Amaya

Holding out hope that the next episode circles back around to the Heart Seeker Curse - specifically, how Steel said "it's not gonna find it" cause that's insane

Eric Davidson

Does Cyril fly like the sad vulture baby from Looney tunes?

Amaya

I absolutely had to stop and reflect about how I thought Steel throwing Silver's forfeited future was perfectly reasonable argument ammo for the situation. Like I never hit below the belt in real life but I also never question it when someone says below the belt shit to me cause in my mind I deserve it. Naturally, my therapist and I are ✨besties✨

Amaya

Steel being an "I suffered, why shouldn't they?" parent with an "I suffered, why should they?" daughter is 😙🤌🏾 chef's kiss

Sage deGaia

Aabria I am that person in the grocery store EVERY EPISODE

Rebekah

Did. Aabria. Just. Call. Brennan. Beans. (35:52) <3

Naseem Jamnia

Same, I was thinking Taylor was gonna drop an outtake like a couple eps ago but it makes WAY more sense that it was secret. But also that Lou kept it secret that long??

Lee Chirtel

I mean, this is pretty realistic if you think about Royal and Noble lineages. Frequent use of wetnurses, tutors, and military/church or nun training away from parents starts at a very young age. "Sizing Everyone Up" all the time, balancing, extremely detailed ranks, competition and backstabbing, its just how Honor works. Doesn't matter whether it is the Janissaries or Eton or the IRL Citadel. But I think Steel wants Suvi to be the next Sword, or maybe literally some kind of Sky or Spirit based component to the Citadel's "special projects".

The Wizard Seek

I fully agree! I think when Brennan referred to Steel as a project of the Citadel itself, we can heartily assume its been deemed an honor and a privilege all through her life and training: thus her lining Suvi up for this is seen, to her, as the highest honor and the BEST gift she can give her determined daughter. It's so, so complex and realistic and messy in a way only family relationships in such generational and inherited power structures can be. I love it!

Gabe

When the gaslighting is couched in maternal love, that hits hard

Gabe

Oh man, makes me sad that Steel looks at her children and thinks that she did too good of a job protecting them, and therefore only the one who shares my trauma (Suvi) can take my crown, kind of like “My children get my love; my heir gets my power.” That is fundamentally unfair to Suvi, who probably needed that same kind of love and protection. I’m sure Steel did her best, but man that’s toxic

Ivan Jeh

Do witches seeking a little more comfortable ride have the cauldron flying option as Baba Yaga did?

MoodieRuxton

Brennan’s cackle history also reminded me of Peter Pan- “when the first baby laughed for the first time…” I def got the Miyazaki of it too. The whole ep- the Pinterest board of emotions is so good in every scene.

Dawn

Ok so we're all in agreement that the Citadel intends to colonize the spirit world? That was my gut feeling too

The Wizard Seek

With Tephmet's (sp?) presentation lacking so much detail after Suvi's reveal, its a shame, because they specifically mentioned rations enchanted to withstand time shenanigans, and footprints in the spirit world. Strange things in the sky. I think this is more than a gut feeling- its something Brennan has been teeing up for a minute and we are right on that one. My *personal* prediction since day one is that Soft and/or Stone (one, not both) is alive and either living in the Spirit world (Soft) or with the Antivalists (Stone) because it is implied by Eioghorain that they were true believers. Steel said she was crushed, but they never stopped chasing, and she mentioned that the League of Whispers led to a door-- to the new world. I feel like Charlie Day in front of the crazy conspiracy board but God damn, this is my favourite story.

The Wizard Seek

That quote is devastating for them, thank you very much 🫡😭 Steel's expectations of Suvi are tied up in her expectations of herself. How do you be the one who makes the terrible, difficult choices and groom someone to take your place without putting them through everything you went through? Oof oof oof.

The Wizard Seek

Steel is an excellent antagonist (although I struggle to even call her that? She is villainous but- anyway) because of how easy it is at so many points to empathize with her. The villainy is not the only thing we see of her, and so as an audience, we are often right in the same boat as Suvi having the dawning horror of realizing.. "Mom, are you bad?" And all im saying is that it's masterful work. Brennan choosing now to really pull that veil back is giving us the same shock as the characters, even when we have felt the unease and known *some* shit was happening behind the scenes. Ugh. I love it here

The Wizard Seek

my friend, s a m e- that one was such a doozy I said it to my actual father 🫣

The Wizard Seek

The way I have gone to bat for Steel in so many discussions my friend group has had about this show. Like, yes! I know she's villainous! But that doesn't mean I don't empathize with how she got here, and it doesn't mean her charm doesn't WORK. 🫣

The Wizard Seek

Brennan is a chess master when it comes to playing very realistic textured parents. I agree with everything you've said here, and honestly see Steel as a tragedy in and of herself. How was a "project of the Citadel" (Brennan's words) like her ever supposed to extricate herself from it without dying? How was she ever going to know any different when she didn't have a Grandmother Wren and a summer that changed her forever? And furthermore, how fucking good of a person Suvi must really be that it took three months of empathy and care out of twenty years to see the folly of her home and her mother? Bravo all around!

The Wizard Seek

I love this. I think Steel has intertwined her love for the Citadel, her hope for the future, and her love for Suvi all into one feeling- she has never considered that Suvi may not want that. She has always thought Suvi's trauma and her own made them like minded kin, that they had the same hunger at all costs. The absolute worst fucking thing about Steel's manipulation is that she does have to send Silver far away, or his info can harm them both. Steel is using at least partially true things to manipulate Suvi, and Suvi knows she isnt altogether wrong. Aaaaaah what a mess. Brennan plays Steel so well that my ass is catching manipulation strays smh.

Chris Kagamine

2:30 I was also in a grocery store trying not to let the emotions take over me. Mind you, that was moreso because of Erika cackling like crazy. I had to stop from cackling in a grocery store.

Gabe

Exactly! Intergenerational trauma right there

Wizard Soliloquy

Thank you, I couldn't remember if Aabria had said what was in the letters Suvi gave them, so I wanted to go back and listen

Emma41420

I am so grateful for the love and care you all pour into creating this story together. While listening to Fireside chats, I am often reminded of Nina Simone's description of "an artist's duty" (both meta-textually relating to the players, as well as narratively to the characters NPC and PC alike). When I first heard her observations and philosophy on this topic, it felt like such a relief for someone to affirm and directly articulate the creative instincts I'd had. [You can find recordings of the following quote by searching "Nina Simone: An Artist's Duty"]-- 'An artist's duty as far as l'm concerned is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians. As far as I'm concerned it's their choice. But I choose to reflect the times and situations in which i find myself. That to me is my duty. And at this crucial time in our lives when everything is so desperate, when every day is a matter of survival, I don't think you can help but be involved. Young people, black and white, know this, that is why they are so involved in politics. We will shape and mold this country or it will not be shaped and molded at all any more. So I don't think you have a choice, how can you be an artist and not reflect the times. That to me is the definition of an artist.'

natasha

🎶You can manipulate people with genuine feelings🎶 Important life lesson in the form of a little ditty

ak

🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘

Lee Chirtel

I think tap rather than colonize is the right answer. It is infinite, and has a huge amount of magical energy which is generated by the interplay of the real and the spirit. My guess is that the Citadel wants to store spirit energy directly in the same way that it stores spell slots. Sort of like Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower on a world scale.

The Wizard Seek

Steel saying specifically that it is a new world without strife or war and saying that's the world she wants for Suvi, to me, implies colonization. Considering the subjugation, capture, and condemning of spirits is already a common occurrence for the Citadel- even if their plan is to 'tap into' the spirit to begin with- referring to it as a world she wants to give Suvi implies she wants to access it and *be there.* Besides, I think the combo of common capture and the destruction of Great Spirits already signals the violence of colonization for me. When it BEGINS with capturing or coercing a people into bondage, I don't know if the goal is simply resources. I think this is the brave new world for them.

Malasteren

I’m sorry, did Lou say the Final, WWW camp? As in the story is coming to an end end. Or did he mean the final of what was recorded at that camp. Because the way he stopped and said it sounded like the end of it all to me and idk if I’m ready for that yet.

DaphneDawn

Better son or daughter by Rilo Kylie? Also the band Stars song “Hold on when you get love Let go when you give it” - extremely Ame coded. Like damn

The Wizard Seek

Oh, I see you've chosen violence on this day- but god, what a good choice 😭

The Wizard Seek

For me, Steel has a few specific tracks: Just A Man from Epic (the morality crisis) Don't Get In My Way by Zack Hemsey (fight track! Fight track!) Ya'aburnee by Halsey (Steel @ Suvi as she is growing up)

Kurt Spears

I can’t believe Erika didn’t use a hoo hoo cackle cackle for a sign off for this one!

Melina

The end of "book 1", after which they'll go over to abriyas space campaign for a while 😊 story is definitely not over, but after the next 5 episodes they'll take a longer break from telling it

EternalSongbird

Not me screaming into the void during the full Suvi part cuz Steel STILL needs to dispel the modify memory on Suvi 🫠🫠🫠

nk

Ah. So the reason I was confused about how Steel was interrogating and berating Suvi and explaining why various things were Suvi's fault, without actually trying to ask Suvi precise questions and understand the situation (compared to eg. Port Talon just before Ursalon and Ame leave for the forest, or after successfully returning from the Shroud mountains rescue), was kinda because this was still Steel dealing with Suvi as her mother. I was wondering why Steel spoke as if confused about Suvi's various decisions while rescuing the children, rather than simply explaining with absolute authority why those decisions were unacceptable in her thorough framework. I would have guessed it would be more like, "Yes, obviously it's unfortunate we kidnapped the children and left them to die. But that happens in war. We've been over this a thousand times in training. I understand why you did it — You acted on the impulse of your conscience, and that was weak and profoundly incorrect and you are now a traitor to the Citadel." But with Steel and Suvi alone, with Silver sent away, and with no known Citadel witnesses to Suvi's actions before the children were freed, there was not an immediate necessary action to take other than to "set Suvi straight". I am going to go unpack why I didn't recognize the intentional manipulation Suvi experienced. Thanks Aabriya and Brennan!

nk

I thought at first that seeing Steel through how she interacts with Suvi would be this huge insight into the details of how someone like Steel actually thinks about the world, and makes those impossible, complex, and violent and unforgiveable decisions. But maybe not. I kind of assumed that Steel would have been extremely transparent and straightforward with Suvi if she had been training her most of Suvi's life in the Citadel. How could Suvi have had all this military training without being familiar with such decisions and taught that the Citadel's ends justify any means, like with the Kasov collection? That's why I was so surprised when Suvi had such a powerful conviction of injustice first hearing that Grino children were being taken. Ursalon's conviction felt like a pure "This is unacceptable and the children must be freed". Suvi's conviction felt like "This is unacceptable by my standards for the Citadel and now I am going to take the reigns and make a big self-sacrificial swing." I think there's a bit of an overlap there between Steel's borne children and Suvi in how Steel keeps them in a different world than the one she lives the rest of her life in.

Michael Anaya

The episode was fantastic, discussion was great. Steel is so funny and charming and human and thank gods for Brennan stepping out from behind the curtain to remind us doesn’t mean she’s right (very important to call out your complicated villains).

nk

I want a retired Wizard Steel with nothing else to do and at least a year's supply of Truth Juice. Like just an Olympic swimming pool of TJ. I just gotta ask her what her whole entire deal is. Make it five pools. It's fine she's retired she doesn't give a shit anymore she'll gladly chug it if it tastes good.

nk

Steel's got that Mustard after ending a bloodline 😤 (<- inhaling through nostrils)

nk

Also Suvi has never been more relateable to me than talking about walking off Malakanth if she failed a test. Doing much better nowadays.

The Pompous Peasant

Why did the Empire take the Grono kids? Also, what do the Grono kids look like? Are they half frog or just normal humans? Can they breathe under water, etc. Sorry just can't recall. Thanks!!!!!!

Carrie Mook Bridgman

The Empire took specifically the Grinot (I still don't know how that's spelled) children who had the Gift of the Great Bullfrog. Not all the Grinot have this gift. They don't look different until they want to (once they learn control). Then they can either become a giant frog or shift partially. I think.

Carrie Mook Bridgman

The Empire took them as bait for the Great Bullfrog, who came to rescue them.

The Wizard Squeamish

the fact you recorded each third separately is making the last episode make sense in my head lmao ame going to the citadel via carrow - despite the epiphany changing course to sarazmir - means she could at least investigate the glass coronet in carrow, maybe visit sly again in the citadel!! maybe jailbreak lozario racamanti!! one of my favourite fantasies that probably won't happen in the show is ame going to the kasov collection and getting quenpharumphathrahir (i can only remember his true name sorry) to free the dragon that was summoned over twelve brookes, releasing it onto the citadel and just thinking about what would happen lmao

The Pompous Peasant

Thanks! Dirty Empire!!!!! I don't think there is a single institution, governing body, country, etc. I don't despise in some fashion or another on this story.

Tajavri

Is it written anywhere? In my head it's "Greneaux", which I suppose is part of the charm that the spelling (thanks spirits) could allude to three different origins that might all be true... or none at all.

jose romero

As a Mexican (and it may be racist to say) but you can get like 12-15 kids(4-16 years old) in a 20'x30' room no problem, blanket are the issue at that point.

Ryan Higgins

Aabria Iyengar, yes, that's how we feel. So when we say we love yall, this is why.

Sayre

Listening to y’all revisit the ink demons and what their little side quest looked like off-screen made me realize how perfect a spin-off of all PC ink demons would be.

Sophie

I would love some “more tempest than teacup” merch!! So so good

Kane Donaldson

What do u mean u only remember the true name that CRAZY

Emily C

Oops All Ink Demons

K

I’m from Louisiana and I believe it should be spelled Grineaux.

Madeline Salter

Welcome to the episode 50 waiting room 🙂‍↕️

Emily C

Always fun to see the comment counter tick up on Tuesday mornings

Ellis

My favorite part of the week

Camille Alexander

Me sipping my coffee and not wanting to start chores till the episode dropped....

Jo Lee

I brought coffee, prosciutto sammies, and a little dish of bone marrow.

Emily C

is the bone marrow for the Fox

Marshall Koziol

So chat, we thinking early or late today?

LuChiChi4

I’m betting it’ll drop around 2-3 today.

Jo Lee

always <3

Word Facts

New here. What’s the Camp they keep mentioning?

Dominic Corbin

I believe they rent a cabin for a weekend (or longer maybe), play DnD, and record it while hanging out. Then this gets turned into a series of episodes for us.

James

Ok hear me out! Amie uses the doorknob to create a house/hotel/mansion/safe house for the children! Connect the doorknob on an old closet door of the cottage.

Gordon

Is anyone having issues with Patreon? It keeps saying “something went wrong”

Jo

Have you started the chores? Because I haven’t….

The Wizard Squeamish

it's just easier to remember for me! also i say it all the time for fun, like raxacoricofallapotorious from doctor who

Katherine Rose

Yes, Aabria Every….Single… Time! This episode was brilliant & I loved to hear the reactions to the different scenes they weren’t in! Also Brennan laid incredible groundwork for Steele’s villainous arc.

Sandro Abate

I had no idea that a podcast about a D&D campaign could make me cry. I have listened to 49 episodes and I’m blown away by how compelling it is.

Reid Bathgate

Something weird has started happening with my Pocketcasts feed. Every time the new Episode is released, the previous fireside just... stops working. Even if I had already listened to part of it.

Lindsey C

The dichotomy between Steel's and Nif's response to being orphaned/having traumatic childhoods is SO real. One wants to make sure other children never feel the pain they have felt, and the other thinks that children should feel that pain because "why should they have it better than her". I have known people like this in real life. Parents who want their children's lives to be better than theirs, so they save money for their future or provide them with opportunities etc, etc. And others who specifically make their children's lives difficult because they are so bitter about their own hard upbringing. Good stuff.

egglet

Glad the Mushu and Cricket dynamic was also on Brennan’s mind

Cortney Cline

Aabria pointing out real, actual, true facts about how bodies and biology works is one of my favorite things 💗 Bones ARE wetter than you think. And I love not only knowing that, but that knowing it makes Brennan uncomfortable lol

Michal McFarland Bascom

Ok. I’m catching up. But I keep thinking about Silver. Is there any risks with him having her name?

Michelle Morrison

Oh 100000% that’s gonna bite her hard in the future.

Cait Batchelor

I need to send Brennan a copy of room on the broom - only bc I feel he would find it delightful

Cait Batchelor

Hey Brennan?? My childhood trauma did not ask to catch strays today dude god damn

Erok VanRocksalot (The Wizard Story)

This made me think of a wonderful side-quest oneshot with Cyril, Enzo, and Vandal delivering their letters and doing stuff as free spirits.

Clover Jay

I was wondering why I wasn't getting everyone's amazing reactions, and now I know why! They weren't there to hear the awesome bits scattered throughout each other's moments!

Nym

I ALMOST regret not having a roommate so that someone is around witnesses when apparently out of nowhere I will yell or guffaw or gasp at things happening on this show 😭 But it’s just me and the cat, and she already thinks I’m weird.

Nym

Ok, fuck. I’m now going to need a little anthology called Tales of Umora, and one of them is just what Cyril and Enzo got up to off screen while not delivering those letters 😂