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Everything that rises must converge. In the gloaming, where the tide of one world washes and runs across the sands of another, we pass through the center of things like a gate, like a river, like the sea of the sky, champions on parade at the crossroads, a place we know, a place we find familiar, before the night, as it ever does, arrives. 

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We are

Brennan Lee Mulligan

Erika Ishii

Aabria Iyengar

Lou Wilson

Produced, designed, and scored by Taylor Moore  at Fortunate Horse with exquisite design and editing help from Jared Olson.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Amanda Fredberg and of course, Shannon.

Album art by the great Corey Brickley.

Files

Comments

Bad Brain Comics

Came here to check if it was posted and it’s been less than a minute damn that’s good timing

rocket-flash

So really for this once I'm out of class!! I want them all to be okay! 🩵

Amber Cekander

Latin title? Ooh boys we're in it now (roughly translated to "Axis of the World")

Ellie Hail

Do you think if I listen to this at Cowboy Carter tonight she’ll notice me from across the stadium for being so different and fall in love with me? 🥺

Tsukiney

Father Brennan thank you for this nourishment \o/

Wren

The sun is out, the hams are here, let's go!!!! 💚💛💚

Mike Ferris

Hey Taylor? …. Thanks.

Andrew Sparling

Five more episodes of "Book One", after every thing endured so far, I'm excited/Dreading what the three true friends will face next.

Langorian

Is it just me or is there no sound?

Langorian

I tried Spotify 😅

Heliks

My my, what is that my ears do prick to hear? Is that a leitmotif? :)

Manifesting Good Posture

At the outset, the last note of the intro now gives me very light PTSD. "TAYLOR. TAYLOR. IS THIS GONNA BE THE TIME WHEN TAYLOR GETS ME WITH THE LIGHTNING OR THE HORNS??? *ding*. MAKE A FOOL OF ME, WILL YOU TAYLOR?" It's ok. I'm ok. I am. ok.

Kyle DeGaust

Haven't listened yet, but is the title a reference to Rogue Legacy 2 or just great minds thinking alike?

TPK_light

Oh my god, Taylor. The sound design this episode is insane, but in particular the music while Brennan was describing Carrow's history was MAGNIFICENT.

Sven the Scribe

That Carrow theme! (and description, and history, and....)

Ricky the Moist

Does anyone know if there’s a current list of Lou’s guest stand ins??

TPK_light

Good news, I've been keeping a list lolololol. Tomahawk Mr. (David) Børg John Economy Martha Cocoa Clip Tastic Unckie Deauk Richard "Dick" Goose Lev Meindklang Dan Choyne Adonis Gunz Thelonius Rigel Finn Lemon Ethan Trinidad Pace Gilligan Craig Sumgee C Drifts Devanté Penny Edo Beige Rum Sampson Moe Johnson Richard Oklahoma Yodah Frank Lin (@/linsanity69) Dime Pimento (absent) Hercules Joshen Wyaeil., PhD Steven Chuckles Ichabod Plhyueym Kneil Diaymond Felix Pressurewood Glou Wilson Valise "Passport" Jones Gary Mozzarella Steven "Steve" Jabs Philip Orca Rawn Perlman Rex Silverberg Thanks Gorg Hayden Tint Shafeer Paragraph Ros MacLean Knuch Skull Ketchum

Matthew

Despite their growing mutual understanding and appreciation, the King of Night remains the scariest motherfucker in the history of scary motherfuckers.

aaron drew

I’m waiting Patiently for Naram to be back and helping 🐛

Abigail M

The sound design was absolutely *chefs kiss*, so many goosebump, but probably at no time more than THAT ENDING

Izer

"Carrow folk are kind but not nice. Citadel folk are nice but not kind."

mads

I'm freaking out

Lauren

came here to say im adding that to the list of themes we need published!!!!! so sick

Sean Manning

So excited, need to grab my earbuds

Maria Conpen

I can't believe Ursalon was about to just give like 80 kids to The Grim Reaper. And I BELIEVED HIS ASS ABOUT TAKING THEM HOME TOO

Raquel Blacken

This ep was amazing!Especially the description of the different cities. The different levels of intrigue! SPOILER for last 10 min of ep . . . . so what Egorehain said rings true. War and fighting enemy will corrupt you. The King of Night is no better than the Citidale. He wants to use the children as a means to rile the spirit to his cause. Even if it means killing the children. He is willing to sacrifice them just as Steel was. The only difference between them on this point was poetry.

Witch of Wobbly

I'm so proud of Níf 🥹 Also so glad about the Champion reveal 🗡️

Chameleon

I had to stop myself from screaming at the end cause I'm at work but oh my God. I was not expecting that ending. Also, can we just appreciate Neif as a character for a second? She's growing into herself and I just love her!

Ryan

I know what Im listening too tonight! Yay!

gramps

Getting punched right through the heart omni man style by Mr. Mulligan and Mr. Moore wasnt on my bingo card today but it should have been

Aouri

One question: WTF!?!

Bob Chapman

It's okay... I did enough screaming for both of us

Blades Dragonic

I’ve never had to make a harder decision than watching this or EP 2 of “Cloudward Ho!” first. I chose this and I don’t regret my decision

Zach P.

Ikr?! I’m so proud of her!

Brandon Carbaugh

The piano piece in Sarazmyr (?) is incredibly beautiful. The initial loopy bits remind me of the compositions of Kashiwa Daisuke.

Brandon Carbaugh

Listen here, ya jabroni: take your charming and technically astounding puppet show down to the Puppetsville Bar on the corner of 5th and Jefferson between the hours of 2 and 8pm on weekdays! I'M WORKIN HERE!

Bubbles

Ugh the elk. So many things but that made me cry, with little Ms witch finding her familiar

Melody Snow

BRENNAN. NO. NO BRENNAN. NIT LIKE THIS 😭😭😭😭

Whims Wandering Worlds Words

“It’s good to see you, little brother”💀 I hc Sir Curran to look like buff BLeeM 💪🧑‍🦰⚔️

Melancholy Polytheist

So. Many. Feelings. Thank you for Nif’s familiar. Oof. Real clear understanding of anxiety there.

Whims Wandering Worlds Words

I really thought Nief’s familiar was about to be a pure demon version of a predator that was mangy and quick to bite. A calm centered powerhouse is such a better balance. I love it

Bubbles

Ooooh but also the very last thing in the episode that will not be said.

xatlern

Trying not to cry into my quesadilla at my desk at Eursolon leading Níf into the forest 😭😭😭 I knew she was going to have the most badass familiar ever, but I still wasn't expecting this

Alec

The Man In Black really had his "drink the kool-aid" moment, huh?

Alec

NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE FAMILY MEMEBER DROP. THEY'RE ALIVE

Udoka

Glad Suvi is seeing some consequences but so scared for her – Steel is powerful but not omniscient.

Alec

thanks for cooking it extra for us Taylor and co.!!!

PepeSilvia

I got so unexpectedly emotional at that part. Ive dealt with anxiety and depression, and part of my journey was to essentially find my own calm centered powerhouse in myself. It would been so good to find a animal friend to express it, and was very cathardic to hear a scene like this play out.

The Wizard Smudge

The moment with Nief and Eursalon just warmed my heart 😭

danielle

Jaw on the floor at the end… holy moly what a reveal. Ame and her gaggle of familiars, Suvi in some real deep shit (what’s new there), and Eursulon… my word. Lou is teaching an absolute masterclass in Paladin 101 WOW!!!!!!!!

Daniel Stevens

"Lady! This is Carrow! If you wanna get into ventriloquism you got a go to Strings and Handles." The way he answered that... Is Carrow New York‽

The Wizard Scene

This show consistently makes me scream silently at 3am and i am so grateful for that joy

Zenezara

It is now lol

Rebekah

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Zenezara

I cannot wait to find out what Elks name is

Sean Britcher

The audio effect for the King of Night. What. What the fuuuu... Also the differentiation between the King of Night and the Ferryman. They are the same but are not. So good.

The Wizard Sojourn

And there's something so real about elk being so powerful, while being a prey animal that finds safety by grazing together. Elk are most vulnerable in winter- Brennan "animal facts" lee mulligan can pick a familiar, I'll tell you what.

Rebekah

Um, Actually… rabbits don’t actually like carrots that much. (Too much sugar.) They mostly eat leafy greens. Apparently the carrot idea is actually because of Bugs Bunny eating them, and THAT is actually a reference to a Clark Gable movie where he munches carrots and is a fast-talking wiseacre! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIo8xqEpVPD/?igsh=MWR1YWFmM2VxMGxvMg==

Whims Wandering Worlds Words

The prey aspect stood out so starkly! There’s a dignity and power to an animal that has outgrown fear.

Rebekah

Also now I really want to know what the in-world reason is for why Niamh thinks rabbits like carrots. “But, but, I read it in a book by the Witch of the Wild Warren!” “Oh — no, she was actually making a joke that only people familiar with rabbit behavior would understand, but rabbits are so shy that not many people know what they actually eat and now people think it’s real.” (Then Niamh goes on a quiet quest to educate people about the real life dietary preferences of rabbits, and The Elk volunteers to eat all the carrots.)

Jamie M Light

I had the same dilemma and chose this first as well!

Blades Dragonic

Nif was honestly my favourite bit of the episode.

Wizard Soliloquy

My flabbers are fully gasted after that episode... That ending... Nif getting her familiar... Suvi rolling great on that intimidation... How does this show continue to get better and better...

Wizard Soliloquy

I've said it before, but he should be the model of how to play a Paladin from now on... I love these four people and how they play the game so much

kimmy

I guessed the familiar!! I’m super proud of myself.

PepeSilvia

Nief The Witch of Lost Children, has a nice ring to it

The Wizard Sparrow

Another cliffhanger…my heart is screaming. Man in Black you sly dog…taking Sir Kurin as your champion, disgraceful. But Nief, her sharp keen eye with her Stag by her side was able to suss out the truth. A true witch indeed ❤️🦊🔥

Vi

holy mother of dice christ that ending!?!?!?!?! I couldn’t have called that in a thousand years

The Wizard Sparrow

Can’t wait for Fox and Elk to meet, what stories they will tell🔥🦊🫎

The Wizard Sparrow

Sly dog… though his suggestion to bring a witch gives me a slight thought it was to give advantage to Eursolon.

Jesús Blanco

Not the ARROW where.... OH HELL NO BRENNAN, NOT THAT!!!

Rachel Kleine

What moment are you talking about?? I need to re-listen now

Trish K

i was gearing up to comment about how happy i was that my favorite witch got one of my favorite animals as a familiar but then the last five minutes had me tearing up in my cubicle :((( i’m sick at the thought of having to wait two weeks to see what the fuck happens next!!!!

Ician

I cannot be crying about this girl and her elk right now I am in PUBLIC.

Rachel Kleine

Screaming, crying, throwing up 😭 what a masterpiece!! 💖

Sydney Jay

NIEFFFFFF!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭 Oh my goodness, I was sobbing—I think Eursalon guiding her to her familiar is one of my favorite scenes of this season. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!

TētēKura

All I have to do is an exam!!! And then this episode is mine!! Wish me luck gang

TheWizardGilly

Hey special guest of the podcast, how you doing after that ending my guy? 😆

Sydney Jay

AND!!! The way she immediately went into Witch mode and respectfully yet firmly clarified "home" with a great spirit?? She's a natural and I'm SO proud of her 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾! (Lol I need fanart QUICKLY)

Brandon Bicknell

I had sound but the volume seemed inconsistent several times it felt like the voices got drown out by the (beautiful) backing music or sound effects. What I could make out was still incredible though.

Brandon Carbaugh

As in the coven meetings, it is a testament to Brennan's skill as a storyteller that, listening to this, I *completely* forget that both the Man in Black and Níf are being played in realtime by the same dude. As both a writer and a DM with some nonzero amount of game myself, I gotta say, I am always floored by the skill with which Brennan can juggle multiple POV's and voices, while also improvving genuinely great, economical dialogue that would be a rock-solid first draft if it were being crafted on the page. It's really masterful. It's like he's got a partitioned hard-drive for a brain.

Shelbey Linder

Help - i cant figure out how to listen to this. The episode is not showing in patreon or spotify for me??

Crits

nief has me full body sobbing. someone pls send me her adoption papers to sign

Fabian Martinez

thank god I’m not alone. Idk what is going on with Spotify. I even updated my Spotify app and still can’t get anything to load

Langorian

I had the same problem for some time today but at some point it started working

Shelby Welby

Thank you may I have another?

Catloaf

I would question whether there is actually mutual understanding or if it’s more Eursalon blindly giving trust to the first great spirit that was nice to him in his adulthood.

DaddyDepresso

Just so everyone remebers It's cannon our favroite big brother looks like brennan and thats why our favorite spirit is red headed

Beatrice

Oooh, Nief, Witch of the Wandering Weens!?!? (Wee'uns? Or whatever the spelling is...)

Catloaf

I’m not surprised. Eursalon has shown multiple times, from Orima to what happened in the Casov (sp?) collection to the “spirit” in the garrison, that he defaults to trusting spirits. He’s fortunate Neif decided to come with.

You

I don't think Brennan knows how elk sound because they don't sound like that. They sound scary as shit.

Elise Grabda

This moment gave me full body chills

Jasmijn Hoogteyling

BRENNAN LEE MULLIGAN! You absolute earth shattering briljant man! I’m crying and I hate you! ❤️

Catloaf

SPOILERS The fact that the Man in Black’s plan was to kill 80+ children, drag their souls to the spirit world to act as anti-Citadel/pro-wizard war propaganda tells me a lot about spirits. The Man in Black is not foolish, which lets me know that he thinks none of the spirits would have an issue with his murdering 80+ children to prove a point. That’s fucked and reminds me of Steel saying she wasn’t interested in talking with entities that eat their own children.

bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck

BRENNAN YOU’RE A SICK F*CK AND U KNOW IT. endcapped this ep by relistening to the end of the children’s adventure ep 1 because I love to be SAD ‼️ also my babygirl Níf!!!!!!! Witch of the Wayward Soul 🗣️🗣️🗣️

Brandon Carbaugh

Me too, but also, with what time? Guy seems BUSY

Ashleigh Brown

I had to force close Spotify and clear the cache - when I went back in it was there!

Xenkon

The fact that the man in Black is doing exactly what the citadel was doing with those children is hilarious to me. That they don't even see it as hypocrisy, because both sides believe that what they are doing is necessary and right, and fail to acknowledge the personhood of the other side.

Aidan Kruse

My mouth is agape at the ending

Elizabeth Boskey

The sound design! The anxiety! Aaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

Virtual Spaceman

I would love to watch this but Spotify ain't working!!!!!!!!

Trish K

personally i think elks sound beautiful but i think they really missed out on not using a real elks bugle in the background, they have such unique sounds it really would’ve stood out!

expandingnebula

THE END - the fucking twist at the end!!!! (also im obsessed with Neif’s magnificent elk😭)

Sara Elizabeth Nesbit

Omgods!!! That Ending!!!!! I can't be seen in my grocery store anymore after that scream. Also so proud of Nif!!!!!

The Wizard Splatter

Jesus CHRIST Taylor, the sound editing in that last scene. I knew what was coming and it still scared me 😭

Jazz

The way I was screaming it was going to be a deer the whole familiar scene (I know no one will believe but I was SHOCKED when I was actually correct, I scremt). People think of them just like scared prey but they'll beat your whole ass if necessary, and those antlers aren't just for show they're SHARP. So are hooves. I love this for our little anxiety baby so much. I know we probably won't get to see it but imagining her at the height of her power, moving with the slow powerful grace of a deer, regal and strong, but being able to move with an ethereal swiftness when danger calls for it. One day she will be well attuned to when to stand her ground and when to flee and just imagining that for her makes me so happy. She will be wise and kind and a magnificent witch, she's already well on her way.

Bea Munro

Question for Brennan: In e49 Emperor Arosh Mandir Kabe Saraz refers to Prince Khemari as his nephew, but in this episode he's stated to be his father. Is this one of those "King adopts his nephew" situations?

witch of wild novels

I really need to stop listening to this podcast in public 😭

bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck

no fr between this and D20 and tours and the occasional Game Changer and being a DAD I don’t know how he manages what he already does 😰

Jazz

I ADORE that the team was like there's no shame in needing help, esp when you've been already set back in life due to other malicious entities and systems. Eursalon saw that for Nief to be free she needed the support all of us need. For her to accept help and then find what she needs (a part of herself, a part of spirit) is an incredible message.

lichen

FUXKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKDUCKFUCKFUCKDUCKFUCKFUCK

elle

Nief the witch of wayward souls 🥺 my girl and her elk 😭

astro

wait wait wait why is sir kurin there!!?? is it his spirit?? WHY!!??

bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck

YEEEEES I immediately pictured Ashitaka and Yakul from Princess Mononoke!! she’s going to be an incredible witch and I hope in some capacity we can see her and Ame at the height of their power long down the road. also get my girl a straw ronin witch hat and I will simply sob

astro

IS HE THE CHAMPION??? I need me the transcript!

Michelle Aigner

🥹major involuntary weeping on my drive home from work while listening to Nief get her familiar. 😭

Nana J

I thought the same! I was like deers look meek but contain surprising strength. I love the elk though <3

Nana J

10/10 no notes

bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck

I recommend relistening to the end of ep 30 @ 59:50… and then the end of ep 34 @ 1:48:15 😁 (and also because Brennan is SICK and TWISTED)

- -

Hey guys, thank you immensely for this amazing podcast. However, I would love to have a simple map, because i get a bit confused with the different locations - and also having the list of all the houses opposed to the Citadel would be beneficial too. I wish you all the very best, and thanks again ❤️

Jaxx Luna

The start of this episode was chilling. Sound design on point, and the man in blacks voice is 🤌 Also Neif getting her familiar was incredible!

Luke

Oooohhh Brennan when I getcha. When I getcha Brennan. Oooooh.

Kenzie

Eursulon turned down the man in black, and the man in black took that *personally*

Catloaf

This may be pedantic, but as far as I can tell, the Citadel had no intention to murder the kids, unlike the Man in Black. The order to kill the children came from an Azure battalion soldier, not a Citadel mage. As far as I know, Azure battalion are more in the rank and file of the imperium than the Citadel (I might be wrong here).

Joe W

For some reason I was thinking moose the whole time so I’m only slightly annoyed that I was close but not quite right. Oh well, amazing scene and ep!

Nana J

MIB: "I thought we were bros."

Matthew

That rollercoaster of an ending, moving from comedy to joy to uncertainty and finally terror. Absolutely amazing! Brennan's mastery of pacing and tone is unparalleled. I NEED Taylor to give us Lou's reaction to the reveal of The Stranger's champion.

Alex

I did in fact think a grizzly bear was coming at that sound. Not sure how they sound but he sounded similar enough to Eursalon that bear was my assumption

Alex

God I'm gonna need to relisten to Níf coming into her own a few times tonight 🥹

Manifesting Good Posture

These cobblestone streets will make you feel BRAAAAND NEEEW these arcane lights will INSPIIIRE YOU LET'S HEAR IT FOR CARROW

Annie A

I almost cried about Neif getting her familiar I’m so proud of her and how she will grow into herself

Rachael

I'm screaming joyfully for Nif and screaming fearfully for Eursulon. I can't wait TWO MORE WEEKS. HOW ARE YOU ALMOST DONE WITH THIS BOOK?!? THERE'S STILL SO MUCH THAT HAS TO WORK ITSELF OUT.

worldsbeyondnumber

You’re talking about Earth elk. This show takes place in Umora. Hope this helps.

Manifesting Good Posture

I used to sympathize with the living like you, but then I took an arrow to the neck GODDAMMIT Oh haha we released the tension that built up at the end of that last episode. Oh look at this heartwarming episode, an elk is so befitting Ms Nief 🥹🥹🥹 Oh wow how tender, the King of Night is going to take the children home, he is, hey, home, he is no NO NO, NOT HIM AND THE FULL-ARC CALLBACK FUCK

astrolotree

Brennan. Brennan when I catch you Brennan.

Warren Schnur-Holmes

Oh. My. God. and some other gods. And the little fishes. Just... !!!! *flail*

bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck

I was thinking about this recently too! I’m very bad with directions irl, so sometimes when they explain things I’m spinning around in my head trying to place the different locations. simple would be great, but I really want the nitty gritty. I think it would be fascinating to see these realms, their corresponding teleportation gates, places of interest we’ve learned along the way… I’m really hoping that’s something they’re working on for the end of this book. even if it’s just digital, I’ll find a way to print it and bust out the push pins and yarn 👀

Invisible Wonders

As Steel said when she was yelling at Suvi, it seems like the Citadel "intended" to give the kids back they just literally did nothing to keep up with their parents at all.

OffKeyGrunt

I think I'm simply about to die rot and be reborn because of this episode because how are we meant to wait 2 WEEKS!!!

Jordan Arvie

Even though been listening to the strangers voice for years at this point, Brennans voice work and Taylors sound design send a chill down my spine and throughout my body every single time. Beautifully haunting 🖤

Chris Young

Brennan Lee Mulligan! Top 10 anime betrayals.

Daniel Stevens

I knew it! Brennan can't help but leak in some New York.

Sean Beard

SAME! I screamed in my car!

Sean Beard

My dumb self thought Nif was getting a Lion from the forest. The Daddy Legolas Elk is better!!

Wizard Soliloquy

Dear team... "A simple business Fox" T-shirt and mug when?

Alyssa

Niamh 😭😭😭 the elk, the bravery, I can’t (Níf? Neif?)

Seamstrix

BIG ELKS FOR EVERYONE *casts wish*

Alyssa

Stu? 🥘 😋 Bill the Bull Elk? Or in a bit of irony, Rabbit?

Alyssa

As he was saying it, I was also then thinking about the town in upstate New York. Spelled “Cairo,” pronounced “Care-oh”…

icesquirrel

omfg i love the genuine surprise and delight at a successful intimidation

Trish K

i’m relistening to the first episode too bc i finally got my best friend to start listening and hearing sir curan say that the mark of a knight is a shield not a sword AND NOW HE LITERALLY CARRIES THE MAN IN BLACKS SWORD??? they’ve massacred my boy!!!!!

Alyssa

Thank you! 😊

Arachne, The Witch of Whispering Webs

Nif stepping into her Identity at the end of the episode is EVERYTHING. Also, how freaking dare you end that episode right there?! I'm gonna cry.

Trish K

you’re so right, i should’ve known better than to question any decision made in the creation of this work of art, won’t happen again sir 🫡🫡🫡

Amaya

"It had been my desire for you to walk by my side. Know that in the days to come." Bone chilling. Even crazier to not even give him a full 24hrs after ominously saying days (plural) to come. Fingers crossed that Naram appears out of the ocean to help prevent these children from being drowned.

Luke

A: How DARE you?!?! B: Incredible.

Augi5000

I am GENUINELY CRYING AT WORK listening to this ep!!!! 😭😭😭

The Wizard Seeker

Some other suggestions: Witch of the Wandering Children Witch of the Wavering Leaf Witch of the Wartime Refuge Witch of the Way Home

Connor W

The Witch of Wayward Souls. She has to be. Or better yet, The Witch of Wayward Spirits, given the wayward children of the Great Bullfrog.

MoodieRuxton

The description + sound of Carrow reminded me of Ray Bradbury narrating the scenes in The Halloween Tree from 1993 in the best way.

sylvie

WHAT

Alissa

You know what, Lou does owe us therapy.

Joanna S.

This podcast is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and it’s not close.

Joanna S.

Deeply interested in the fact that the man in black *requested* the presence of a witch to mediate. Was he looking for some kind of fairness on Eursulon’s behalf? Was he somehow obligated to make the request? Did he have a nefarious plan for the witch who showed up?

Jestmessy

Okay someone help: so you can be a witch without choosing a coven like Nif because you only choose a coven at level three. But to be considered a part of the coven of elders you have to be the head of a station right? Like not every witch out there is on the counsel because Gramore’s apprentice wasn’t. So if Nif wanted to be a head of her own station she would need Ame to use the wand right? Could Nif kind of go on indefinitely without choosing a coven? And say Ame makes a new station for Nif, does she have to make two new stations at the same time so numbers on the counsel are uneven?

Micah Ballard

Lou: we have to talk about what just happened in therapy lol

Devin Ehlert

This has gotta be my favorite episode of all time that was incredible

Amaya

I got mental whiplash going from finishing this episode to immediately watching the Trauma Dump livestream

Micah Ballard

I may be choosing to get the same whiplash in reverse. I need to come down from *all that* before I’m ready for what I can tell is going to happen to my feelings in this ep

Jack Monaco

I think he was hoping to kill Ame & the children in one go. 2 birds 1 stone

Jack Monaco

Yall got me fucked up ( I love u)

Susannah B.

Does this make Nif the Witch of Wayward Whelps?

Pen of Dras

Eursulons roar into the forest, to call out any that would aid Nif, sent me into hyperventilating tears. When the bull elk answered I cried harder cause its such a good fit for a scared lil girl would wants to defend and guide with all her heart. I'm crying now just typing this out I love this show!

Martian

Ah yes, the family Dawsit. Of the famed, Dawsit's Creek.

Meg McLaurin

I need to discuss this ep with fellow fans! Can someone send me a discord invite?

probablycooldad

1:18:37: Is 'Jesus Christ ' canonical as a profanity?

Spencer Bloom

“The witch of getting these kids home”

Kolbjorn

I am SCREAMING what has just happened??? Sir Curran??? NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Jade_Jerichooo

In all honesty I sort of forgot how invested I was in Nif's journey until this episode. So much growth in such a short time! Found myself so emotional about her finally letting herself step into her title/station as a witch. 🥹 And her familiar being a majestic elk is sooooooo GOOD!! I NEED the elk and the fox to interact 😩

MsAlleyCat

Folks, I am back for another unskippable cutscene moment. Nif, my girl who is so scared and so brave (to be brave, you gotta be scared!). Clearly this is why the Witch of Wind and Stars constantly tried to keep you small, look at the great working you have already done. Not even 10 hours into being a witch in her own right (As we know from episode 1, it's the connection of the familiar that starts it all! No coven is needed to be a witch!) and her FIRST LITERAL ACT AS THE MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE WORLD OF HUMANS AND SPIRITS... She clocks the Man in Black and his lie of omission dead to rights and forces him to speak true on his intent. The one who has held his breath SINCE THE DAWN OF THE WORLD and hid his name in as many applications and nicknames and so on and so forth *was made to speak plainly his intent*. That is the power of witches. That is why he wanted Ren dead, and is gunning for Ame. It is probably why he needed a witch there in the first place to even GET THOSE KIDS. Big exchanges like that between the worlds PROBABLY HAVE TO BE over seen by a witch. It is Witches that get the power of retribution - there is power in a witch that not even the Man in Black can ignore. There is probably a magical law written SOMEWHERE (on the bark of the ancient tree of worlds, at the bottom of Naram's sea) that details the REQUIREMENT of Great Spirits needing to listen to and be forthright with (ON SOME LEVEL) to witches. There REASON FOR THAT POSTURE CHANGE that Eursulon saw in the Man in Black when referencing a witch, there has to be a level of respect or... some better word BUT SOMETHING that has Great Spirits entreat with witches - not lightly would Ren constantly say to Ame that witches are a bridge for the two worlds. Communication is fucking key, always. In every interaction ever. If you can't get what you want to say across, things can break down. Similarly as well, if you know words WELL, you can subtext what you want to say, make others think differently, and dupe people. We see this with Coven Arc - Ame saw it too - Marara said humans, NOT JUST THE CITADEL. But the Coven was told just "the Citadel". Once they're on the warpath, how easy could it be to justify the Antivaly be next on the chopping block? Then Gouthmai? Why not EVERYONE? And it is for this reason he would either try to get powerful witches on his side (Marara/Coven of Elders) or try to get rid of the ones who are standing in his way (Ren, Ame). He really thought that he had all the "problem witches" taken care of. More than likely, the hot tea Marara gave him after returning from the Coven meeting was how Indri was still using Nif as a maid and putting her in a box. Boy was he wrong, he overplayed his hand hard. Words matter, and Nif is so VERY used to reading subtext, and now she has a reason to be brave. Perhaps he thought she would never change? Perhaps he did not consider the effect Eursulon could have on her - but then again, he never expected Eursulon to go save the kids ON HIS OWN. He has been mistaken a few times now specifically in regard to Eursulon - for a man that has held his breath since the dawn of Umora, he thinks he has seen it all and assumes nothing will change. He thinks he has rigged the game, and he almost did. He has been honest - up until the point he could almost perfectly hide the proverbial blade in a lie of omission- to not only hollow Eursulon's victory and joy of *finding his breath and giving freedom to those brought low, children as proverbially wayshadowed as he once was*, but to use them to justify his intent to other spirits in a propaganda campaign. "Oh yeah, i'll take those kids *home* alright..." Where the Crowned Panther was a true ferryman for the departed spirits of Umora- the Man in Black attempted to take the lives of 80 children to satisfy his bid for war, and almost got away with it too. If it wasn't for that meddling Witch :)

Cha Cha Rae

OMFG IM A SCREAMING AT THE LAST 10 MINUTES

Vanessa Gary

There definitely needs to be a WBN discord, because I, too, have too many emotions about this ep

mguin

The burgers are always worth the wait. Nif of the Wayward Path, She Who Asked the Right Question 💜

Lee Chirtel

Eursulon's learning two things: 1). Why the human wizards are so keen on controlling the spirit world. After all, this tricky death god fellow doesn't have the same respect for them as he does for another spirit. And, 2). It is fairly easy to be sucked into support of an institution with pretty glaring flaws for those not connected to it. He and Ame have always been impatient for Suvi to wise up to the Citadel's flaws. Now he can emphasize on almost going on the reverse of Suvi's arc.

Rina the Floof

tears beyond number at eursulon helping nif find a familiar,,,, waugh

Rina the Floof

"It's good to see you, little brother." I'm fucking losing it

Abigail Agnew

Getting some fun Metropolis v. Gotham vibes from the Citadel and Caro (I know that’s probably not how you spell it and I’m sorry)

Bog Station: Remembrance

Now I’m going to be imagining Lou as Eursulon fighting Brennan as dead Sir Curran and I don’t like it :(

Bog Station: Remembrance

I like to think of this AS Brennan’s book… and I feel really lucky we get it in this form!

worldsbeyondnumber

Have spoken with the cast and can confirm that Jesus Christ also visited Umora and was crucified in exactly the same way, but the religion did not “go viral” like it did on earth. OR that was Lou speaking and not Eursulon.

DaddyDepresso

"This is going to be a different kind of battle" both of them draw blades

Phoenix Vizva’i

Bring Taylor to the firesides!!! 💖 I’m left every episode wanting to hear about his choices ☺️

Mac

haha i was thinking of Eioghorain after this ending when he said something to Suvi like “they’re ALL evil to the BONE! find me a government that’s not evil to the bone!”

Rachel Yadlowski

I think it's a deal. It is an exchange between the mortal and the spirit. There are some strict rules, limitations, taboos in matters of the spirit. That is to say. The King of Night needs a Witch to sign off on this transaction. At least that's my theory.

Bog Station: Remembrance

One thing I will say is death hits different if you’re a Death Spirit, and ferryman to the eternal parts of all beings… but yeah his reasoning is fucked

Amaya

Absolutely fucked to have these kids get excited seeing a spirit their families believe in just to immediately have the spirit try to summarily execute them

Ashe

WELL WORTH THE WAIT, absolutely increeeedible episode, two different new city themes?!? Nif?????? Ahhhhhh!!!

Mehmet

WHAT THE HELL… omg when Eursulon asked Orima for help, and instead of helping and asking for a favor in return, she basically said no and that she would tell her husband. I assumed this was a GM technique to railroad the players and give them some minor benefit for their effort… but Orima had clearly already spoken to The Man in Black… ahhhh. Omg I should have guessed this was coming, he, just like Charon, has a ferry…

Trina

Can't wait to see the Business Fox plushie!

CJ

🥺 That one is my favorite

The Mechangelus Chronicle

I would kill or die for Nif. And I was onto Brennan’s trickery with that “home” business but fucking the ghostly dead?! Aaaahhh!

Sam

Why does Nif talk like Jeff Goldblum when she’s anxious haha

fireflowerXD

I love that Nif gets an elk, but what kind of elk sounds like that 🤣 the magical deep voices elk

Natalia Zorrilla

just came to this comment section to say: fuck Indri. manifesting a moment where Nif walks up to Indri, elk at her side, and floors her with the world’s most powerful retributive curse

PT MacKim

Just when we thought the King of Night maybe had the right idea about the Citadel and their ways… turns out his ways are pretty damn dark, too! Now how the hell are we supposed to wait two weeks for what comes next?!??!!

Abigail Agnew

The Witch of Those in Want of Well Keeping

Jackie Rollins

I was thinking the witch of the lost

Jackie Rollins

I wonder what her title would be I'd say "The witch of the lost"

Just_another_queer

FUCK I just caught up and now I cant binge any more episodes 😩

Mal

The Witch of the Wayward Souls

Mal

Day nine of asking for Taylor to join the Fireside to be held accountable just like everyone else on this podcast.

Bea W

Me too

Udoka

No I agree with you, I think there’s an eeriness to real elk noises that is almost more majestic and eldritch than what I would otherwise imagine they sound like. Apparently they do have a deep bugle underneath that sound, it’s just too deep for humans to hear. That said, the bull elk of Umora is also significantly larger than Earth elks so it makes sense xenobiologically :)

Udoka

There was an issue with Google Cloud services yesterday

Shreyas Joshi

I think its a thing of if they died in citadel custody, then no one "owns" them, but if they die with him he can take them to wherever he wants to show off how they have been stripped of spirit from the death of the great bullfrog

Just_another_queer

Witch of the Wounded Wanderers Witch of the Wayward Wanderers Witch of the Wandering Wayfarers

Shreyas Joshi

The confirmation the the man in black seems to be a death deity of some kind is so cool, I knew he wasn't just a god of civil engineers.

Shreyas Joshi

Also wtf Brennan why did you have to stab me 27 times at the end of the episode

Shreyas Joshi

The music of Karrow and Sarazmere are amazing, Taylor you do amazing work.

Josie

Witch of Wandering Weans perhaps? (Weans is local UK/Scottish/Irish dialect for children)

Tawny Lacuna

I believe he is more than just Death, but Entropy itself. He doesn't just want an end to the citadel, he wants to complete his walk and bring about the end of all existence!

Tawny Lacuna

I LOVE Nieve's (Nief? I don't know the spelling) familiar! I was thinking maybe an owl or some other woodland creatures. NOT THAT! 😄 I love him already though.

Tawny Lacuna

And ultimately he's using them just as the citadel was, as pawns in order to start a confrontation and meet his own ends. Which I think are much worse than destroying the citadel...

The Wizard Squeamish

crying in the club at nif's scene with eursulon this episode im bawling and screaming she's just like me fr

The Wizard Squeamish

it's so cool that all his different forms are a different symbol of death, like charon the ferryman, and the man in black from westerns, and the grim reaper knocking at ame's door - it's all so good and bittersweet

Esther Bee

Doesn't have to be a double W! As we've seen with everyone in the coven of elders. Witch of the Watchful/Wary Eye?? Proud of her there at the end, so sharp. Also does it even have to be a W? Maybe only the Big Time witches have those with their Big Time domains.

Esther Bee

Straight up. For a moment there I thought a big momma brown bear was gonna walk out of the forest....which the more I think about the more I prefer the big Irish Elk.

The Wizard Squeamish

I think the Witch of Getting These Kids Home is as good a title as any. I also personally choose to think that the W pattern might just be a coven of elders thing, but maybe the Witch of Wending Ways Home? Or Wending One's Way Home? Or at least the Witch of Lost and Found? I also really like Watchful Eye

Esther Bee

For sure! I was like - omg it's late 19th c. New York and also Gotham and also maybe some dickensian/Victorian London in there, if I'm catching Carrow's vibes right

Esther Bee

It's got some Victorian london and Gotham vibes too I think

Esther Bee

We're gonna get him in a Denny's parking lot

emilio

God, such an amazing episode. Absolutely felt Lou's "Jesus Christ" hahahha. Everything's in motion!!

Fergus Bremner

Not related to this episode but I recently thought the song Annalena by Daniel Ögren sounded like a B-side to Taylor's march of the great bear piece from early in the story, check it out if you're interested!

Aesthetic Pest

Exactly what I yelled!! EXCUSE ME WHAT THE EVER LOVING FUCK BRENNAN LEE “GET IN THE COMMENTS” MULLIGAN???

big guy

HOLY FUCK WHAT IF AME USES THE WAND OF COVENENT TO INDUCT NIEF

James O'Dwyer

This is truly the week of benighted cliffhangers That elk, though: glorious

VeritaAmore87

Nif coming in CLUTCH! What a witch! What an episode!

Dain Saint

Eursulon helping Nif find her Emotional Support Elk fucking RUINED me 😭😭🫎

BexXZilla

I'm just in awe of the things Brennan thinks of. The tie back to The Man In Black visiting the tomb and Nif's new elk familiar, I hope she gives him a name I'm just overwhelmed with anticipation for what comes next and my goodness the comedy/wholesome whiplash into something so serious as the ferry to the spirit world also being the ferry to the "underworld" Ahhhhh😭😭 I love it so much

Izer

I actually want the narrative symmetry of Nief meeting Indre again, but as an unconditional peer and member of the Coven. One because Nief's character arc has been paying dividends and I want more, but also for the incidental "fairytale" pettiness of it all

Fergus Bremner

Pleasure! The whole album is great, thanks for all your hard work!

Grace Davis

Nif, the witch of the children’s hearts. 🥹🥹🥹🥹

The Spirit of Vicious Inspiration

she'll need one more to keep it at odd numbers... but Greneux witches were just mentioned so I'm really hoping for a chance to meet them, maybe they could get included (Witch of the Wetland Bogs??)

PT MacKim

Yeah, would be a nice first step to that campaign setting book that I sure hope is coming one day!

Dan Walker

Or the removal of one…

Devon

NIF!!!!! The Elk is a perfect complement to the young witch. According to the web, elks represent leadership, alertness, stability, and strength among other things. Nif needs more of that! Also the music playing when Eursalon decides to go the shrine 🪈🍂 so lovely

Dan Walker

I remember losing it over your Float/Fun city sound design and music selection on Twitter (I always will tbh, as long as it’s running, and you’re involved!); boy oh boy my heart is full hearing that incredible ear you’ve always had be applied to your own scoring. Your unique voice and skill in theming and motifs make it what it is; I hope the pressure v enjoyment balance is struck well T!

Devon

Suvi’s suspicion of an alliance with the man in black was absolutely correct!

Devon

Emotional support elk 😂 so correct

Devon

🙏🏻

The Spirit of Vicious Inspiration

my tinfoil theory is he's a Great Spirit of Time. there's the tie-ins with the pocket watch, the tick-tick & methodical pacing of his footsteps, the fact that he just keeps moving forward/can't go backwards on a path he's walking, and that twice now Eursulon has been warned to not let the MiB catch up to him (like time passing you by). I think the "I've held my breath since the dawn of time" line is an admission of literally holding his breath in time itself since it's beginning. I think that when he said that if he draws his blade it will be the end of him, he means it will be the literal end of time

TisWhatSheSaid

“There is a way, there is a road, and I am on it.”

Matt

Oh shit, this rocks! Thank you for mentioning this. I love hearing about new artists and Daniel Ögren’s stuff sounds right up my alley.

Matt

Every episode hits me harder than the last these days! That damn Elk familiar! TWO crazy new metropolis settings introduced in one episode! Nif stepping into her Witchdom! Ahhhhhhhh!

Matt

Also Taylor you sly devil, the harpsichord when Brennan describes Cavender Court. I see you!!

Júlia Vincent Rubiolo

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH AAAAAAHHHHHHH AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH !! What.An.Ending!!!! I can't I can't!!!!

AnAverageNerd

OMG THAT ENDING I CAN’T HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Liz

Lol I was listening to this thinking “emotional support elk” too!

Devon

I keep realizing / processing things slowly but the chalice bragging about killing witches just makes me think the man in black wanted and hoped maybe for Ame, but wanted to bring a witch along with the children to kill her, attempting to weaken the bond between the real and spirit.

Liz

Yeah, I’m really hoping that one of these days we’ll get to see full-on witch Níf give Indri a “the reason you suck” speech. Not just for the sheer pleasure of seeing Indri get dunked on but also because it would be a huge sign of character growth for Níf to stand up to someone who should have been a mentor to her but was instead a bully who treated her like a servant and not a student of magic.

Julia Whitmore

Spoilers . . . . Brennan: *makes an NPC antagonist who has straight up said they are going to wreck everyone's shit* Me: How could this NPC wreck our shit like this But seriously, the reveal that the Man in Black is willing to play with the lives of children for political gain is just so crazy good to me. He and Steel are much more alike than either of them would care to admit.

Lee Chirtel

The spirit world was totally destroyed locally when the Citadel killed the Great Bullfrog. The Man in Black could not be a Psychopomp for them. Also, he basically doesn't consider it super critical for them to remain alive as mortal humans. To him, he already made them part spirits with the Great Bullfrog, and they essentially died when they lost that spirit ability. So he's just gently returning them to all their kindred and making them whole anyway in terms of spirit magic. I also think he has a grudge at mortals from being mad at him for escorting the dead, but that isn't confirmed yet. He understands its a lie to Eursalon, but sort of in an almost Omni man "what does it matter now vs in 50 years" deal.

Ellis

1: This episode was perfect. 2: I am in dire need of a map

Theta

The music is always good, but I feel like specifically in the last couple episodes everything has been at a high level I’ve never heard such consistently be met and surpassed. Incredible work Taylor!!

Wizard Shebang

Three cheers for the Witch of Um Getting These Kids Home! I love seeing how the World’s Heart has become intertwined but distinct from the care of the world’s children and the concept of home. It feels like there’s potential for Nif to step into a new station, which could then help Ame step into her own version of the World’s Heart outside of Wren’s cozy cottagecore vibe. (PS I’m fully picturing Cyril as Wallace Shawn in My Dinner With Andre and no one can tell me otherwise.)

Lulu

We /gotta/ talk about the music and sound design for Kero!! That was so insane, give this sound team an award! I still have goosebumps

NotSoSuperNova

Nif had me sobbing this episode. Thank the spirits she’s got her Emotional Support Elk

Nikki W.

Brennan and I literally giving the same laugh when Lou hit that 23 to persuade Nif to help him out. NIF YOU GET YOUR FAMILIAR!!!!!!

thedragonllama

I probably never have been as invested in character growth more of an NPC than this ep with Neif. Potential future Witch of the Wee Ones perhaps? I thought for sure the mention of the rambunctious goat Nicholas (RIP) was going to lead to Neif's familiar being Nicholas Jr. lol but a giant majestic elk was pretty freaking great. I also was terrified the price of MIB's "service" would BE NEIF, so I am glad that deal didn't go through. ALSO: listening to every new episode makes me feel like I am playing Final Fantasy in my head. I hope the Prince falls for Suvi so hard he defects from the empire and joins the resistance. I predict next ep will be very Suvi/Ame heavy, maybe even with a reunion, all of which I look forward to.

Keith Prescott

Contemplating the idea that, bc of the Chalices possibly (probably) being tied to the MiB, and one chalice bragging about killing witches, if chalices are, or are part of, a contingency to eliminate witches on es the citadel has been eliminated. Who knows how far the less savory spirits allied with the MiB are willing to go and what they’ll allow

Keith Prescott

Hopping on the bandwagon for our girl Nif She’s an orphan and has traveled the world She’s a wet cat of a kid She’s taken in kids bc she was once in their shoes Her familiar is a prey animal and also a migratory animal Nif, Witch of Waifs and Wanderers Nif, Witch of the Wandering Way Nif, Witch of the Warming Hearth

JB

Brennan set Lou up so beautifully for the gravitas of that experience from Nief’s perspective.

Max Moran

SPOILERS: I guess it makes sense that Eursolon, a spirit, wouldn't quite pick up that it's not a good idea to entrust a SPIRIT OF DEATH with the kids, but thank GOD Nif was there, already coming in CLUTCH

Ajax

God I'd love to be that elk when I grow up.

Ajax

SPOILERS Question for Brennan... I'M SAD! I look forward to hearing your answer.

María Lozano

oh my god thinking down the line of Ame using the wand to induct Nif into the coven i’m crying at the mere thought!

Safyre Black

I just looked up pictures of elk next to cars... I mean, I've seen them from a big distance before... but I was still not prepared.

Catloaf

But given that his plan was to kill/“kidnap” the children to the spirit world, what was going to be the price that he asked for that?

Catloaf

Nif’s arch this episode has fully convinced me that Nif is Suvi if 6 year old Suvi was raised by a witch like Indri. The hyper fixation on what people are saying reminds me of Suvi and Nif’s interactions at the Conclave

Katherine Martin

Nif fully has Ms Honey from Matilda energy. I love it!

Mubeen Khan

The fisherman did remind me of NYC kindness

MoGunz

NIF NIF NIF NIF NIF!!!!!

Logan Peaker

The entire scene of Nif getting her familiar was incredible, I had goosebumps!!! How are we supposed to wait?!

Sasha

Hey Brennan, we gotta talk abt that ending my guy

nk

Nif my favourite character I will strive to Nif.

ehjs

Hi WBN, esp Erika, you may never see this and that’s okay, I just wanted to say thank you for your grwm for a protest video. I was really anxious about going to my first major protest, I’ve only done small ones with little opposition and you made me feel really well equipped and safe. You truly are the witch of the world’s heart.

Ammar Khalid

God I can’t explain why but the scene of Eursolon helping Nif find her familiar got me so teary eyed. It was just so beautiful and Brennan going “this isn’t a way it’s THE way” really got me.

Elijah Peters

I'm still thinking she's gonna end up being another witch of the watching fire to replace the old one. Which is funny considering that would kind of be the opposite of the wind and stars

Ammar Khalid

Also hell yeah Nif bureaucratic managerial skills to the rescue!

kragonaught

be safe and good luck! 🫡

Katie

Hi yes I’ll take a weighted stuffed elk next please and thank you

kragonaught

a large animal offering its head to a scared hero? CINEMA

kragonaught

it is insanely chilling to hear of the luxuries of the Empire, know what holds its foundation

Oliver Nell

I feel like it’s also possible that as such an old and powerful spirit he embodies a multitude of different concepts. He might be a spirit of time or death or the ending of things but it’s also possible that he represents some combination of a bunch of related concepts.

Devon

Daoma was present when Ame found the fox 🦊 or when the fox found Ame

Lojaan

Witch of the Want for Home

Sage

I desperately want ghost to then be the next witch after nief

Sage

I cant get the thought of Nief and Ghost eventually being added as new witches to the coven outta my head aaaaa ,just imagine a half spirit witch with a golem familiar and Nief with her elf as Ames new peers

Cameron Barrett

Oh no... the next couple episodes are gonna STING!

Shannon Shea

The elk is *perfect* for Nif, but Indri is damn wrong about rabbits. They are the prey counterpart to foxes - clever and mischievous and fast as hell. We have a pet rabbit and he fulfills every pain-in-the-ass trickster rabbit story there is.

bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck

yes, I believe you are mostly correct! as far as actual gameplay mechanics, choosing a coven at level three is just the subclass, but still must be chosen. though choosing a subclass has no bearing on whether Níf is part of the Coven of Elders. it just chooses her specialization of magic and what types of spells she can cast. my understanding is that the Tree of Worlds provided the wand to be used to induct witches who represent the “greatest stations”, so the Coven of Elders does not encompass all witches in Umora, just the strongest ones. and the magical binding of the Coven of Elders requires that there can never be even a possibility for impasse, hence needing an odd number of witches. this is because Hakea’s request to the Tree of Worlds was that her sisters could come together and be unified regardless of disagreement. so they can agree OR disagree, but they can never be stuck in a tie, or the Coven of Elders is destroyed 👍🏻

Rachel Yadlowski

Call back to Brennan "The world needs to get big big big BIG!" Truly tho. This team I swear! 😍

Brandon Carbaugh

"Killing humans is one way to take them to the spirit world" != "all humans always go to the spirit world in a way that makes them easy to locate". If anything, based on what we've seen of it, I get the sense the spirit world is infinitely vast and it's frequently *impossible* to find certain things or reach certain places there, unless you have the right maguffin from the right dude.

Brandon Carbaugh

Love this in such a bittersweet way. The idea that Nif is really, really good at reading subtext, in the way that kids who have been subjected to verbal/emotional abuse often are, because it's a defense mechanism they must learn in order to tiptoe around the fickle emotions of the abusive adult in their life. And the idea that, in a world where so much hinges on the subtext of pacts between parties of asymmetrical power, that that's actually a superpower. That rocks. That's such an incisive observation. Nif thinks contending with the Man in Black is this big terrifying thing, but she's spent years learning to dance over the lasers that are the emotions of Indri -- one of the most subtly, cuttingly nasty and dangerously powerful beings on Umora -- for literally years. It's like the emotional intelligence version of Luke Skywalker 360-no-scoping the Death Star run on his first try, because he spent years shooting womp-rats with his speeder.

Elizabeth Jerome

I think it's the spirit part of the children The mib wanted to save, to save from the mortal world and return them to the spirit. I loved the emphasis on this great spirit not understanding that eursalon would feel the need to do more than " free" them, that tending to their mortal needs seems confusing and not necessary. All to say that the mib is many things but a friend to mortals he is not.

Elizabeth Jerome

I feel it falls under like spirit etiquette, gotta have a witch at an important mortal/ spirit interaction, and though the mib cares more for the children's spirit side, there is still all that mortality mucking his plans up.

Elizabeth Jerome

It's magic new York baby! Hey watch it, I'm flying here!

Elizabeth Jerome

Ok corduroy!! So proud of this wee witch! But the rug that was pulled out from under this beautiful moment was so perfectly done, the ferryman indeed!

Sean Britcher

Hey, hey Brennan? I say this with all the love and admiration that I can muster: "fuck you, you MAGNIFICENT BASTARD" ❤️❤️❤️

Sean Britcher

What's wild is that the King of Night told Eursolon to bring a Witch to the meeting with the Feryman. The Man in Black knows his nature and while he can not be anything else than his nature, he was quietly helping his Brother Spirit, even though they are increasingly at cross purposeses. Much like Nation States, Great Spirits do not have friends, they have intrests.

Dain Saint

Just now putting together that Eursulon took the MIB’s place as the spirit to release the children from captivity in twelve brooks, so we got to see what the MIBs “release” would have looked like when the guards said “kill the kids” 😬 THEMES! 🪵

Justin Leaming

Where was it said the MIB was going to release the kids?

Justin Leaming

Hot damn this show just keeps getting better and better.

Erin Michelotti

Oh god Eursulon and Neif’s interaction just wrecked me. 😭

Evil Anagram

Love this so much! But Brennan, I need you to understand that "wherefore" means "why." It's the English equivalent of "por qué"

The Wizard Sound

It’s only a pothole if you think that a spirit thinks like a human. The MiB doesn’t want the children used by the citadel - that doesn’t mean he doesn’t also want to bring an end to the mortal world as has been apparent from episode 1. Frankly - if he hadn’t tried to kill them, that would have been the plot hole.

CSN

Love Eursulon contending with what it means to be a spirit of freedom. There is no true freedom without taking responsibility, any more than you'd be saving a truckload of farm animals on their way to slaughter by turning them loose on the freeway. The MIB was counting on Eursulon having the simple focus of a spirit with a rigidly defined domain (and came a little too close to getting away with it), but his arc is all about being confronted with the complexity of the bigger picture.

Aberdeen B

Ooooof, it is not lost on me that I am listening to the Citadel’s war victory parade on the same day as the American military parade 🫠

Emmeline May

Absolute crying tears of joy and empathy at the Emotional Support Elk

nk

Fuck it, Nif The Witch Of The Waning Moon. why not??

Theo Lee

...I can't unhear it now...

Stephanie

I have to admit I wondered the same thing and Brennan—don’t you dare.

Eribu

When Eursalon told the MIB before the Battle of Twelvebrooks of his intent to free the children, the MIB claimed that he would have asked Eursalon to do precisely that had Eursalon visited him in the dark heart of Hallikar Forest. (sp?)

Eribu

However, Brennan has stated that he (Brennan) knew what was in Hallikar Forest and also that he had no idea that Lou would steer the campaign to rescue those kids… so metatextually I don't know if it's possible that the MIB *wasn't* just lying.

Ashlee B

We just got Buckles back, Brennan. You just gave him back BRENNAN. I swear to GOD....

Ashlee B

Also, love that Nif got to have her Witch puberty with Eursulon and now has a big ole elk to help give her comfort and strength

taromilktea

And here I was thinking that Toma was SAFE and we could just vibe along with Eursalon's Ghibli moment, only to have my heart drop completely at that last scene. AHHHHHHHH

taromilktea

Also Nif 😭 I too have often felt like I have the heart of a small prey animal (and have even contemplated getting some kind of rabbit tattoo) so that scene was like getting sniped through a podcast

annemjw

No, you’re crying in public because Nif gets to be partners with an Elk 😭😭😭

David Whitty

Empire parade the same week as the Trump parade, Brennan is pulling out the Simpsons world event predictions now

BethKF

50 episodes later and still, my heart was unprepared for Nif & the elk, the bottom of my stomach was unprepared for the ending. As ever, great work team.

Just_another_queer

Row row row your boat With the man in black We go down the river & you feel a shiver There's no coming in back

Amphiby

I mean I knew he was bringing back ser curran but not even giving him shoes MIB is a cheapskate

Urte

Hey what the fuck, I went from crying over Nif and Elk to clutching my pearls at the AUDACITY OF MIB

Aberdeen B

Went from crying and cackling about Nif and her familiar to WHAT THE FUCK I gasped out loud so much I almost choked on my intake of breath

Tommy Deibel

Godsdamn it, Brennan. That is all

Ren Challacombe

I am actually the number 1 Neif fan. That’s my fucking girl. When she first talked about a familiar my initial thought was a bear, but elk is perfect.

Robert Kvalheim

The descriptions of the two cities were so entrancing. I kept having to rewind because I realized I missed a detail.

Robert Kvalheim

And getting her opportunity to stand up to (or grow beyond) Indri.

Robert Kvalheim

Now Naram gets to show up and save Eursulon and the kids at the last second from MIB, but it will cost him his life. Then when Orima finds out MIB killed Naram she switches to our heroes’ side—possibly with other spirits following suit.

Robert Kvalheim

Spoiler / Theory Also, now Naram gets to show up and save Eursulon and the kids at the last second from MIB, but it will cost him his life. Then when Orima finds out MIB killed Naram she switches to our heroes’ side—possibly with other spirits following suit.

Zoe

Actual goosebumps during the encounter at the river crossing. Amazing as always

astro

thank u for this, I WILL DO THIS BEFORE NEXT EPISODE!!!

Brian Krisch

Witch of the *Waxing* Moon: rebirth, new life, new opportunities for the lost and dispossessed (to be returned home)

The Wizard Subjudice

The accent of the Fisherman reminded me hard. Maybe he's not from Carrow, maybe he's from New Carrow 😉

Deyla

FR i love her shes wonderful

Roger

This was such a good episode, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH 💞🦊

DeVonte Skillern

HOW DO YOU KEEP FINDING WAYS TO TUG AT MY HEARTSTRINGS!!

Carrie Mook Bridgman

Different vibes, both great content. I decided based on whether I wanted action comedy or getting my heart ripped out.

CharisCay

I had to stop the podcast after Eursulon's conversation with the Man In Black at the beginning of the episode, so I could listen the version of "In the Gloaming" done by The Story back in the 90's. And then I listened to it again at the conclusion. Just gutting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFclJJixtls

rocket-flash

That video really helped me too feeling ready for No Kings! Luckily it seems the protests everywhere went really smoothly!

DaphneDawn

Warning- grim musing. For a brief moment, I feared a small predator like a hawk or snake was going to snatch up a bunny, and that predator would be Nif’s familiar. So glad that didn’t happen! My god that would have been grim. Circle of life and all but not what Nif needs. Love unnamed Elk buddy so much already. Not some sarcastic hawk

Hannah Radenkova Illustration

The way I would slap that ferryman down for this cruel nonsense. (I would most likely die but the thought would be there) Also SO PROUD OF NIF WITH THAT LIGHTNING FAST INSTINCTUAL GRAB

Carrie Mook Bridgman

Witch of the Way Home is *perfect.* Especially since it's Eursulon who ropes her into this.

ɥsoſ

Few things I noticed, I loved the way some instruments were used that don’t traditionally line up in the Citadel and the Empire’s leitmotifs (I could be wrong) were used in the beginning quiet moments of Suvi’s alone scenes. Secondly I love the fact that both Orima and the King of Storms both agreed and had to convince Naram to not join the MIB despite the two of them having done so because they do not want to see him involved in a war they presumably know he would not agree with. And thirdly, the way that the beginning of the journey of Eursulon, Nif, The Elk, and the Children marching off before the ending played with the similarities of the Great Bear and his retinue of his children and the parade, this time not in the style of the Great Bear’s rest and play like last episode but in Eursalon’s movement and hard travel with purpose of a better future

Carrie Mook Bridgman

Someone else (or a couple of someones) suggested the Witch of the Way Home, which is even more perfect.

moominmasha

I had shivers all over my body and happy tears then (spoiler) a giant elk came out of the forest to embrace Nief 😭🩷

Carrie Mook Bridgman

I don't know about Brennan, but I think lots of people only know that word from Romeo and Juliet, and their English teachers neglected to explain that "Wherefore art thou Romeo?" doesn't mean "Where are you," but "Why are you who you are--a Montague--blast it?"

Brittney Gregory

Just wanted y'all to know that your art makes this cynical and dark world a better place. Thank you.

Nathan Armstrong

Brennan, you ass. You are so brilliant, ya damn evil genius.

David Tredwell

Bawling in the car when Nif finds her familiar! Unrelated, will there be a separate Patreon for Adventures of Business Fox, and how do I sign up? 🦊👔

DaphneDawn

Would pay for “Fox discovers multi level marketing”

Rebekah

YESSSSSSS bunny gang represent 🐰

Ellie Hail

Listening back to the Coven of Elders arc for the millionth time (it’s my fave) and just got chills at the interaction between Eursulon and the Man in Black in light of this latest episode and the reveal at the end. Goddam.

Aviva

He gets a fish. Then they get some fish! MAN, I’m gonna have SO MUCH FISH!

Aviva

She wasn’t wrong; she’s the witch of getting these kids home! ♥️

Aviva

♥️

Aviva

It would be kind to make your comment longer so the spoiler is hidden by “show more.”

Aviva

I thought bear as well! Her elk is wonderful. Not disappointed in the least.

Aviva

I thought it was an interesting callback to when they first met in The Children’s Adventure. Sorry to put a damper on the excellent joke. Seems wild for a guy who almost never stops walking to leave his champion barefoot. 🦶

Aviva

Taylor, I’m not sure if I want to beg you to record this in a creepy, dissonant split/layering of a child’s voice or beg you not to, but it’s definitely both.

Aviva

Maybe what you really need is an elk tattoo.

Aviva

To be fair, their at a ford (Schrödinger’s Starling Ford?) but yeeeaaahhh… I knew it was coming before it started and I still had a racing heart and cold sweat for Eursulon. I can’t wait to hear the rest of that conversation!

Aviva

♥️♥️♥️

Aviva

Facts, both of you.

Aviva

Character Arc! Double capitals, proper nouned. They take that shit seriously and make all of our hearts hurt. Knowing it was coming did little to prepare me. Oof. 😥

Aviva

Yesss. Indri is the worst. Is there anything she’s right about? Ugh. (Okay, I can think of a couple things.) And we know Brennan has much love for trickster rabbits from Neverafter. Wonderful creatures.

Aviva

Oooh, that squoosh would be so good.

Aviva

Oh, Miss Honey! 🥰

Aviva

Familiar, ferryman, or the combination?

Aviva

We can piece together some geography! What are you wondering?

Aviva

He has such a good brain. His obsessive attention to detail produces such incredible results. … I do worry about him though, in that parasocial way.

Aviva

Yeah, elk—especially big bulls—have that feeling of being highly aware while confident about when not to flee. Solid and steady, on guard, and ready to absolutely throw down when necessary.

Aviva

They only need odd numbers at a conclave for voting purposes. The coven can have an even number of members in the interim!

Aviva

Welcome. It’s tough here.

Wild Thing

Witch of the Welcomed Home just drooooooopped! Also - that arrow hit WHERE?! Rude.

The Witch of the Who What When Where Why

Got real busy last week and didn't have time to listen, so now I'm gonna listen while at work. Back in a mo' to let you know whether or not that's a bad idea

Charisma Teeth

I just finished The Children's Adventure, and the the circles and the patterns have me spinning! I never realized what a tender little baby Suvi was, but it makes sense now. This tough wizard was once a scared little kid.😭

taromilktea

I, like a fool, got lured in by the earlier interactions with Eursalon and the MiB and was like nothing bad is going to happen at all!!

Glen Petrofski

I don't know. Considering it was mentioned previously that a familiar is a thing of a witchs' personality that needs to be put away. So having something like a hunter/feeding on the dead hinting at their aggression/survival instincts behind the trauma would have been cool. I think Elk fits perfectly though

A.j. Juson

Nif getting her familiar was so touching! I loved this scene so much!

Jordan T. Maxwell

The "LADY!" guy on the docks is my new favorite NPC and I need more of him. Also, that Elk moment is so precious and wonderful and perfectly what I love about this story!

Kael McDonald

The last ten minutes of this episode has permanently doubled my blood pressure omg

SmileyGuy

I actually went the other way with it. If it’s something to be externalized, a scared rabbit fit nicely so that she could be brave but reminded to be cautious at times.

PriscillaG

So Nif is becoming the Witch of Wayfinding, yes?

Ro Lara

I love the MIB and/but i was wondering if this was going to happen... Brennan loves myths and legend and folklore too much for it not to

Paige Bowen

Ok some things. 1. Is Nieve the witch of the woeful ward? 2. When ame disguises herself what happens with the massive broom she's holding

John Clontz

Nif - Witch of Wayward Souls

DressingSauces

This episode came out on my birthday

Ashley Teatum

I am sitting at the emergency vet and I GASPED in the waiting room at the end Y'ALL thank you for this to keep me company tonight

fattyoncrack

Happy belated birthday! Hope you had a good day

Mathias

To quote the fantastic Lou Wilson “I’m gonna throw up”

Genna

I want to apologize to my coworkers, the end GOT ME

Clint Shook

AAHHHHH!!! I got chills all over my body at the ending. BRENNAN WTF!!!

shayyyyyyyyyyyyyy

the sequence of nief finding her familiar w oursalon is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever listened to

The Wizard Spite

After this episode Neef is my new favourite anxiety representation. Not romanticising my illness but sometimes I do feel like it's a superpower to you pick up on dangers others would've ignored

BunSum

Hi I'm Bunny and I'm a bunny and a witch and I really love Neef and when Neefshe didn't have a familiar but there was a warren of rabbits nearby I pulled over to the side of the road and SOBBED HOW DARE YOU THANK YOU OH 😭

BunSum

Oh! The scene with Eursulon - Damnit these players are good at collaborative play. Obviously I was rooting for Bunny and in my mind there was a clear path to Bunny but damnit they played it right and followed their characters. Well, *this* bunny's got you, Neef. 🩷

DaphneDawn

Would a wizard under the fly spell or a witch and her broom win a race? At level 20 they are both basically two fighter jets but yeah, who’s winning this Mario kart in the sky? Wrong answers only. I’m sure there’s some mechanically correct answer based on fly speed, and imma say teleports are off the table

RuviGaPo

Not me Absolutely Bawling about this elk

Im Slightly

Yes! I really relate to her, too. Anxiety warriors <3

Im Slightly

This episode brings up a philosophical question. Why are the Steeles and Thanoses of our stories, and people with power in real life, so willing to kill masses of other people, for some arbitrary cause, but never consider themselves as fitting sacrifice? People like Steele want a better world for themselves, but somehow the personal desires and hopes of what they see as "other people" have no meaning in the "big picture" they are building.

The Wizard Solace

--SPOILER-- Terrified that Suvi mentioned her magical necklace to Slate.... That might spell disaster in the next few episodes 🥲

RahneFace

Hey Brennan? BRENNAN? WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ENDING??? 😭😭😭

Jay

this episode was incredible from start to finish - the idea of the King of Night also being a ferry to essentially the underworld as well as everything else!!!! I immediately thought of Charon and the River Styx, and now Im wondering if part of why he warns Eursulon to not let him catch up to him on the road is because if he meets you there he must ferry you to your death, as he must travel all roads

Jay

I adore Neif so much in this episode, and so happy she got her familiar and it was such an incredible one at that. She said I'm the Witch of Getting These Kids Home and you're not gonna take them anywhere but there!!!

Alyssa

NOW NOW CALM YOURSELVES I AM A SIMPLE BUSINESS FOX?????????? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The Witch of the Well-Struck Flint

After listening to this episode for the 3rd (4th? Actually it might be the 5th) time, I really need to know if Nif levelled up after her interaction with the man in black???

Marchie

The image of Nif putting her hand out for the elks nose and this primordial megafauna going past and shoving into the chest of that shivering wisp of a girl. I SOBBED. SOOOOOOOOBBED. I may never stop.

Marchie

I also thought it was gonna be a predator for SURE. After listening to the fireside of this ep, I get the intent to ground her but I am FOAMING AT THE MOUTH to understand what Brennan refused to share about the elk and why he was certain from day 1 it should be an elk. AHHHHH. TELL ME MORE.

finnflams

Nif 😭 Nif baby I love you 😭😭😭

COTF Creative

Have you guys stopped uploading to youtube completely? It's the only way I access it 😭😭

Zenith Rose

Because ultimately Steel is an emotional coward, like a lot of people with these kinds of visions end up being. She's too afraid to even begin to approach the idea that the citadel and empire aren't worth saving, she's too afraid to live up to her ideals of sacrifice when it's the people she loves, and she's too afraid to forgive herself.

Charisma Teeth

Six seasons and a movie on Nif and her elk familiar!!!

Astral_doe

The elk saying it's gonna be ok 😭😭😭😭 I need a primordial elk to walk out of the woods and give me a pep talk

RuviGaPo

Nimah is nothing like me but i cry Anyway ♡♡♡ she deserves the World ♡♡♡♡

Julianne Hughes

I am so f*ing scared of the MIB!!!! Oh wow oh wow oh wow!

Wizard Sorcha

Are the last 5 episodes ever going to be uploaded to YT? I installed a podcast player to listen to them, but it seems a shame that episodes 50-54 are only available through another app since so many listeners access this content through YouTube.

Piper

FWIW, they are there now! I had a lil panic about it because YouTube doesn't display them in the right order (if you sort oldest-to-newest, the sorting breaks after episode 49 and it goes "8 months ago, 2 months ago, 7 months ago, 2 months ago"), and the recommended videos in the sidebar seem to be broken as well. After #49 it tried to send me straight to #52. But they're there!

kelsey laughs

Brennan said this as a throwaway when taking Ame through how to get to the Citadel from Carrow… …there are no roads that lead to the Citadel. That’s going to pose a problem for the Man in Black.