Crudely Drawn Swords - A Dungeon World Actual Play Podcast
Web <link> from RSS feed:
https://www.redbubble.com/people/cds-podcast
Database link:
https://www.redbubble.com/people/cds-podcast
RSS Feed:
https://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:196669918/sounds.rss
Creator: Crudely Drawn Swords
Synopsis:
An actual play podcast of high adventure, low dice rolls and intermediate levels of terrible puns in which five old friends imagine ourselves to be dynamic and exciting heroes in a game of Dungeon World. Crudely Drawn Swords is a long-term campaign following a team of heroic(?) adventurers as they follow a quest that will take them through strange lands, across dangerous seas and on perilous journeys through unknown regions. If you are a fan of podcasts like Friends at the Table, The Adventure Zone, Critical Role, Acquisitions Inc or Campaign then our mixture of epic storytelling, memorable characters and hilarious antics will put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Routinely contains strong language, extraordinarily bad accents and a certain inscrutable charm.
Completion status: Finished
Not tagged: [Format] [Continuity] [Voices] [Genre] [Maturity] [Creator demographics] [Character demographics] [Country of origin] [Transcript] [Content warnings]
Click here to update these tags.
Episodes:
Mon, 23 Sep 2024 22:29:22 +0000
Team Alpha were the first back from their mission to distant Washport, as their rivals return we follow their adventures through the rest of the week, but the Curse of Fonevot is approaching fast, and it will claim one of the company of heroes. Can Team Alphas keep themselves safe? Find more about Trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com
Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:01:57 +0000
Team Alpha have explored Washport and found evidence of some sinister goings on - now they go in search of the Inevitable Court, but before they can, something else finds them... Find more about Trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com
Thu, 15 Aug 2024 22:19:49 +0000
Team Alpha have been transported to the scenic town of Washport, a set so carefully constructed that they immediately attempt to escape, before remembering they are on a TV show and setting about the task of investigating the town.
Tue, 06 Aug 2024 23:30:06 +0000
The heroes of Team Alpha have returned from one adventure and soon they will be sent on the next, but first: Mandatory sports time! This campaign we are playing Trilogy, which you can learn more about at https://trilogy-rpg.com
S1E05: Attack Of The Skelebarians
Sat, 06 Jul 2024 22:24:24 +0000
Team Alpha had stayed back to investigate Troggleshythe when the alarm bells rang, now they must hurry back to help protect the Dutchess in a way that is sufficiently spectactular to impress the cameras. You can learn more about Trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com
S1E04: The Troggleshythe Trail
Sun, 23 Jun 2024 23:06:25 +0000
The morning after the first feast night, the four teams are given their first quest from the Ffantasy Ccastle. Fortunately it's simple caravan duty, more chore than challenge for heroes such as these. You can find more about Trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com
Fri, 14 Jun 2024 10:59:38 +0000
After an epic confrontation in the cellars, Team Alpha research their findings, before they make their way to the evening feast with The Merry King. You can find out more about Trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com - if you want to support what we do, buying that game is a great start!
S1E02: There's WHAT in the cellar?
Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:10:57 +0000
Team Alpha get settled for their stay at the Ffantasy Ccastle! and then find themselves handed a surprising and entirely original mission...
Mon, 20 May 2024 22:24:14 +0000
Anders Roe, Arcwise Turbotine and Brad Mussels begin their spooky tale of uplifting bureaucracy as they are flung head-first into the exciting new Reality TV adventure "Ffantasy Ccastle!" What the production company running the show don't realise is that two of their contestants really can do magic, while the third has mastered a different kind of wizardry.
Thu, 09 May 2024 23:42:04 +0000
After having created the world in the first episode of the new campaign, now we create our main characters. Apologies for the slightly lower quality on this one- somebody forgot to save their local audio and it was me (Ben) but I've tried to tidy it up from the video version and I think it worked out alright. Find more about trilogy at https://trilogy-rpg.com
A small announcement regarding Trilogy
Thu, 02 May 2024 23:03:53 +0000
In which Ben introduces the new game he has been working on for the last few years.
Season 4/CDS Post Mortem - Spoilers!
Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:00:13 +0000
Spoiler Warning- this contains spoilers for the entire show! Do not, on any account, start here! This is the audio of our Season 4/Entire Crudely Drawn Swords post-mortem. It is barely edited, Stuart was increasingly drunk as the session went on and we were all dressed "smartly" but you can't really hear that on the audio. You will get to hear all our coughing, opening bottles, rustling around and other nonsense that normally gets edited out, though. After all, what are you going to do? Stop listening to the show???
Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:07 +0000
An epilogue, in which our heroes say their goodbyes, and we say ours. Thank you for coming on this adventure with us, it has truly been sausage to know you.
S4E67: The World And The Magic Within It
Mon, 26 Dec 2022 07:00:02 +0000
The fight with the Drake may be over, but now the Hawks face their greatest trial: the armies of the Canavir have come to claim the Gateway. The stakes are existence itself; the Hawks and their surviving allies will only be able to stop them if they are strong enough, and brave enough, and ready to face the world and all the magic within it.
Tue, 20 Dec 2022 18:00:02 +0000
The Drake has come. Everything the Hawks prepared for, everything they hoped for, and the armies they command, all must come together now if they are to survive their confrontation with their old friend, and implacable enemy.
Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:00:04 +0000
Percy has paid the price for great power, and something of great value has been destroyed. As the time of reckoning comes closer, The Hawks must prepare for the arrival of their enemy.
Tue, 22 Nov 2022 21:33:39 +0000
The Hawks have a problem - one of their group is being targeted by a dangerous sect of assassins, and the assassins are probably in the right. It's time for precipitous action and the cruel truth is: to achieve greatness takes great sacrifice. Many things are sacrificed in this episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:00:02 +0000
An important ally and friend of The Hawks is dead and they want to find out the cause - which leads them to dangerous secrets and an unwelcome truth.
Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:00:07 +0000
New groups approach Aru-sha from every direction - some are friends, others, foes. The Hawks learn more of what is approaching, and who they will have at their sides when their enemies come to the city.
Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:00:08 +0000
The Hawks are back! Awakening in the city Korzuuk, the capital of Mologorok. They have intervened in the past, but of course time has passed in the present as well. Time to find out how well their plans have worked and to start preparing the city for the arrival of The Drake.
Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:00:02 +0000
Five hundred years ago, three figures sat in a sea-cave and composed a prophecy. This is the third episode during which we explore the outcomes and meaning of that prophecy as it threads through history.
Tue, 13 Sep 2022 21:05:11 +0000
In the distant past, while Adam and Percy reshape the tides of history itself, Tristan, Enigma and their newfound friend Athel di Mitiabos face the daunting challenge of going for a nice walk across the kingdom of Carisona. Who has a more difficult job? It is hard to say, but suffice to say this may just be our shortest ever episode.
Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:00:09 +0000
In a cave by the sea, a ghost, a gunslinger and a guy whose ribcage will later have a book in it write a history of the future that will become the most important prophecy of their age. But how will people recognise its value? In this week's episode, we find out.
Tue, 16 Aug 2022 21:45:13 +0000
While Adam and Percy carefully build a prophecy to shape history to their needs, Engima and Tristan have a different task: Go for a nice walk in the sunshine. Who can say which task will prove more challenging...
Tue, 02 Aug 2022 17:00:12 +0000
The Hawks find themselves back in the past with multiple significant tasks to perform. Percy and Adam dedicate themselves to compiling the prophecies of Ludovic Crease into the tome known as The Sea Codex.
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 17:00:02 +0000
The Hawks have a prophecy to make, so they're back in the land of the dead and quickly meet an old friend, in fact more than a friend to one of our heroes, if only he could remember that.
Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:00:13 +0000
The Hawks have received bad news about their future selves but time and fate are dangerous to tinker with, and before they make their way into the past, they perhaps need a little rest and relaxation.
Tue, 21 Jun 2022 16:30:03 +0000
The Hawks have found their way to the underground realm of Mologorok (stop that!) and they find their arrival foretold by prophecy, a fact they immediately ignore because they have found something far more important (to them).
Tue, 07 Jun 2022 17:00:04 +0000
Having located the ideal place to search for the dragon beneath Aru-sha, The Hawks begin their exploration, only to find themselves confronted by a new kind of opponent, one against which they have no defence at all.
S4E51: Who Is That Handsome Man?
Tue, 24 May 2022 17:00:09 +0000
The Hawks have returned to their old haunt of Aru-sha and in the interests of their researches they're going in search of some old friends. Some things the
S4E50: Who's Up For Starting A Cult?
Tue, 10 May 2022 17:00:03 +0000
Escaping a dangerous situation, The Hawks find themselves in a deep and ancient catacomb and anyone who has visited a crypt will be very conscious that there is one urgent priority you have to be ready for: pranking people.
Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:00:01 +0000
The Argent Queen has asked for The Hawks help in forging a new realm of death, with herself as the goddess at its heart. Unfortunately for her, they have seen through her lies, unfortunately for them she can't be harmed in her own realm. Their greatest hope lies in finding a way to invoke the ancient power of The First Contract, the law that all things living must pass The Black Gate. There is an alternative plan, but it is extremely dangerous. The future and the ancient past collide beside a jade tower beneath a lambent moon.
Tue, 12 Apr 2022 17:00:08 +0000
The Pale Hand In Death's Shadow, The Argent Queen, The Princess In Alabaster, The Frostdaughter, Mercy In Ivory, The Pearl Widow... she has many names and now The Hawks approach the heart of her power as she tries to persuade them that co-operation is a wiser solution than conflict. She has a lot to offer them and they need to be careful if they not find themselves at her mercy, a resource in which she displays a noticeable scarcity.
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:00:03 +0000
The Hawks have found their way into the castle of The White Lady - the decor is on-the nose, the lighting is spooky and the well just had weird blood creatures pop out of it. All in all, a bit on the quirky side. Still, The Hawks are a devastatingly effective, battle-hardened team. There is no chance of any of them becoming casualties of the trickeries of an ancient and malign power- not when their own bad decisions can get them first.
S4E46: The Old Traditional Greeting
Tue, 08 Mar 2022 18:30:07 +0000
The Hawks have made their way to the old barrow at the heart of the dome of smoke and ghosts and now they prepare themselves to enter and face whatever perils lie within. Or at least three of them do, Tristan already kicked Adam through the gateway...
S4H6: Always There, Always Changing
Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:00:10 +0000
Perhaps Tristan and Ambiphorax had further conversations, after the one where he saw his mistake, but if they did, he has yet to recall them. And yet, for all that, he can no longer see his captor and adversary as purely an enemy. For a time they were companions, of a sort, almost friends.
Tue, 15 Feb 2022 18:30:34 +0000
The Hawks have a destination now, the site where Adam and Enigma once overthrew the Court of Lost Renown, but what will they find at that one-time lake among the burnt forest of the Black Pillars?
Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:30:07 +0000
Two things Tristan loves to talk about: Music and himself. His favourite topic of conversation? The combination of music and himself. The problem? The survival of the world might depend on him not talking about his favourite topic of conversation, and he is a very talkative fellow.
Tue, 01 Feb 2022 18:33:15 +0000
Having learned relatively little from the diminutive general of the White Lady's army, the Hawks decide it is time to question their spectral captive. But could Tristan's blithe assumption that he can get away with anything have lead him to overreach? Again? As it does every couple of episodes?
S4H4: A Second Of Pristine Beauty
Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:00:14 +0000
Years have passed at the borders of chaos, insofar as Tristan can tell, but eventually he finds himself back in the room where the ancient and terrible creature who holds him captive calls him back for a little light conversation...
S4E43: Do You Know What Murder Means?
Tue, 18 Jan 2022 18:00:08 +0000
The immediate ghost problem has been averted, The Hawks are temporarily protected themselves and make a retreat to the relative comfort of the local inn, where they figure out their next steps: What do the ghosts want, how can Tristan defeat his newest rival, and where are they going to find breakfast at this time of night?
S4H3 - The Force Of Our Origins
Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:30:02 +0000
A year since their last conversation, Tristan finds himself back in the comfortable armchair beside Ambiphorax' fireplace, learning more about where the world came from.
Tue, 04 Jan 2022 18:00:02 +0000
The Hawks are surrounded by ghosts and they need to give Percy time to create a circle of protection around a whole building. Fortunately they are all dynamic heroes who make exclusively good decisions, so this is almost guaranteed to go smoothly.
S4H2: A Power With Endless Children
Tue, 28 Dec 2021 17:25:18 +0000
A long time ago, on the borders of endless chaos the ghost of a bard and an ancient power of endless chaos are trapped together. This episode continues their conversations as Tristan begins to learn some of the deeper history of the world.
Tue, 21 Dec 2021 17:00:06 +0000
Tristan is shaken by the revelation of his recollections, but ultimately there isn't time for The Hawks to worry about that right now, because they have places to be, so finally they're going to begin their journey north to Aru-sha. The good news, is that there's basically no chance of anything or anyone intervening to stop them.
S4H1: The Very Heart Of Things
Tue, 14 Dec 2021 17:00:10 +0000
Tristan has a problem, which is that through no fault of his own* he finds himself at the borders of the elemental chaos that the world is shaped from, on inconstant ground beneath an ever-shifting sky. Even worse, he is trapped there with the ancient power Ambiphorax, a creature whose destructive power and will to overthrow civilisations has shown itself to be endless. Worst of all, Ambiphorax wants to chat with him. Can this pitiless malevolence truly be reasoned with? Can Tristan endure this brutal and hostile realm? What kind of beard is he going to grow? Our hero must confront all of these questions and more if he is to survive his time in the ruinous realm. *It is 100% his fault. You can buy From The Room In The Tower here: https://bridlewise.itch.io/from-the-room-in-the-tower
S4E40: What did we actually learn?
Tue, 07 Dec 2021 17:00:02 +0000
Awakening from their magical exploration of Adam's memories, the Hawks try to establish how accurate the information they gleaned there actually is, and how they can use it to plan for the future.
Tue, 23 Nov 2021 18:00:19 +0000
The Dreadnought Asperitas is gone in a thunder of flame and ruin, but with a following wind, her crew have a chance at getting home safe as their ... infinity pool? ... drifts across the hostile land. Adam's memories grow ever more fevered and baffling as the ship's crew find themselves at another crossroads.
Tue, 09 Nov 2021 18:00:04 +0000
The Dreadnought Asperitas has reached the location where the Broken Wheel are planning to perform a powerful chaotic rending that will bring disaster upon the people of Sukarvalon, but they are short of troops and now they contemplate desperate measures. Meanwhile it is starting to look as though possibly there is a saboteur on board, although who it could be remains a total mystery.
Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:00:14 +0000
If they are to understand how to help Adam Eagle-Ankh save his world, The Hawks need to understand more about it. Fortunately they have a talented smith-enchanter on-hand to help them witness some of his memories, first-hand. Now, for the first time, we get a glimpse of the Kingdom of Sukarvalon and the war against the Broken Wheel.
Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:56:30 +0000
The Hawks are preparing their next move, but first they seek to understand their situation, and it keeps getting more complicated. What is the great power that Tristan has sensed? What is the deal with that weird marble? Is something up with the natural world? What is going on with the Antikythera? They say there are no stupid questions, but The Hawks are planning to push that theory to the limit.
Tue, 28 Sep 2021 17:00:09 +0000
The Knight Commander of the Western Church has only recently stepped into the role and now he and his allies must decide where their next steps will lead them and try to decide what the new world might look like.
Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:56:20 +0000
The cavern shaking around them, The Hawks continue their investigation into the death of the dragon god Ramnkellek, knowing that soon they must return to the surface and face the judgement of the inquisition.
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:30:05 +0000
The Hawks are going down, but not as a form of much-deserved justice. Oh no, they want to see what they can learn in the cavern of one of the Dragons Beneath, the mighty beasts at the heart of the dwarven religion, while Tristan is excited to explore the underground music scene.
Tue, 17 Aug 2021 17:00:14 +0000
Their adventures in the past are over. The Hawks are making their way back to their own time and their own bodies, confident that they have put the past behind them and that no further complications could possibly have arisen while they were walking the realms of the dead or the history beyond.
Tue, 03 Aug 2021 16:00:14 +0000
Against a vast army of the miscreations of chaos, a small force of brave fighters makes a stand to defend the magical rite that may just save their world. But their presence has drawn the attention of the army's master, an entity older than the stars and rich in whimsical cruelty, and unfortunately Tristan has completely given the game away. It falls to his companions to try and save the past - and their futures.
Tue, 20 Jul 2021 17:00:00 +0000
The battle of Kel Teppey is beginning as The Hawks and a small handful of defenders attempt to protect a powerful spell that - if cast successfully - will overthrow the broken age and make their lives in the future possible. But the forces arrayed against them are vast and powerful- can they endure the double threat of a huge approaching army and the devastating power of Tristan's ego?
Tue, 06 Jul 2021 17:00:10 +0000
The Tide Of Light must take place at the top of the hill where currently a goblin forge stands. Can The Hawks defeat the defending goblins and get their allies there safely?
S4E28: On The Other Side Lies Freedom
Tue, 22 Jun 2021 17:00:19 +0000
As soon as the gates are open and Enigma gives the signal, the attack on the Goblin settlement at Kel Teppey will begin. The Hawks prepare themselves for a dangerous confrontation...
Fri, 11 Jun 2021 22:55:38 +0000
The Hawks split once more, with Enigma and Adam making their way up the pass with the main group, while the disembodied forms of Percy and Tristan hold back and attempt to divert the army that follows them.
Tue, 25 May 2021 20:52:55 +0000
The Hawks are earning their place in history, but with a very small group beside them, a goblin town ahead and an army of monstrosities behind them they need to maintain cover if they are to save the future.
Tue, 11 May 2021 17:45:33 +0000
Sometimes the world confronts you with great challenges- the powers of gods and demons, fairy courts and goblin forges, the relentless march of chaos. Sometimes it is those who force your hand and challenge you to face the impossible and find a way through. Other times, you have to get across a somewhat wide river. Surprisingly, the latter can prove almost as difficult...
S4E24: The First Rule Of Survival
Fri, 30 Apr 2021 11:51:51 +0000
While Team Hardbody are confronting danger, the ghost boys go on a holiday to scout out their destination and return with a plan and a deal to offer.
Tue, 06 Apr 2021 19:27:17 +0000
It's a formal ball and Enigma has just flipped the table! Time for the two Hawks trapped by the Court Of Lost Renown to regain their freedom and try to find a way out of this mysterious castle...
Tue, 23 Mar 2021 19:00:00 +0000
The Hunt for the Questing Beast is complete and Enigma struck the blow that brought it down. Now it is time to celebrate the victory, a triumph of skill and ingenuity. There will be music and dancing and a grand feast of food that it is definitely fine to eat and undoubtedly comes with no terms and conditions attached whatsoever.
Tue, 09 Mar 2021 22:20:23 +0000
In the distant past, The Hawks are attempting to reshape the world, and to start with that means ensuring it stays the shape it was. Percy and Tristan are scouting ahead to find what dangers the group will find at their destination, while Adam and Enigma try to keep everyone safe in the hunting grounds of The Court of Lost Renown.
Wed, 24 Feb 2021 23:23:28 +0000
In the distant past, our four heroes have a moment of respite after arriving in the midst of an attack by miscreated newt-people. Now they need to plan to try and ensure the greatest possible success for the mission that they have joined, the one that will make their own future existence possible.
S4E19 - When She Lifted The Ship
Tue, 09 Feb 2021 18:42:06 +0000
Ailana Serrista, hero of an ancient age, has agreed to help the Hawks to travel to her time, if it will help her see her wife. Now it is time for them to make good on their promises and return her to the land of the living. Not only is this challenging in its own right, the past is not an easy time and the mission she will return to is long and dangerous.
Wed, 27 Jan 2021 18:14:23 +0000
The Hawks have befriended the woman whose ancient skeleton their bodies are lying beside and now they must figure out what they need to know to put their grand plan into motion, and how she can help them.
Tue, 12 Jan 2021 23:53:55 +0000
With their preparation complete, the Hawks mission begins, and they prepare to return to the place where their adventure began, and then even further into the past. None of them are expecting what they find there.
S4E16: Out Of My Way, Yumnuts!
Tue, 29 Dec 2020 19:00:14 +0000
In the realms of the dead, the Hawks are divided and confused. Why was their mission already complete? How can Enigma best find Percy and Tristan? Why is there no 'b' in 'apiary'? Fortunately Tristan has just lit up a beacon to make them easy to find and they are finally going to ask some questions that have been hanging over them for a long time...
Tue, 15 Dec 2020 19:00:20 +0000
Having successfully found some spoooky ghosts, it's time for the Hawks to set out on a daring mission, to set right what once went wrong. What challenges will face them? What potent enemies will they have to defeat in order to make good their past decisions? What will it take to prove once at for all that no decision is set in stone and that your past mistakes can be rectified easily? Find out in this week's Crudely Drawn Swords. Note for fans of detail, this is the first episode where we are playing The Veil by Fraser Simons as filtered through The Veil Fantastic by Aaron King during our excursions into the realm of the dead.
Tue, 01 Dec 2020 22:13:14 +0000
The Hawks return to the pass where their adventure began, to explore the aftermath of the battle they fought here a year ago and, of course, to go on a spoooky ghost hunt!
Tue, 17 Nov 2020 23:02:26 +0000
Their work at the Priory complete, The Hawks are headed in a new direction, via some careful negotiation of terrain and townsfolk.
Tue, 03 Nov 2020 19:00:14 +0000
Having acquired some valuable assets, The Hawks are almost ready to leave Upton Priory, but it feels like a wasted opportunity if they don't take a moment to use the resources at hand to mess with their opponent...
Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:00:16 +0000
The Hawks have busted in to the temple keep at Upton Priory, which was once Percy's home church. Now they seek the forbidden tomes that lie concealed somewhere within it. Obviously, when tomes are forbidden they're usually left out somewhere obvious and easily accessible, so this will probably be fine.
S4E10 - Going To Need These Boys!
Tue, 06 Oct 2020 22:23:47 +0000
A large new friend has emerged, at almost no cost whatsoever to Tristan, which is just the way he likes it. His companions, however, are feeling less well and may in fact need help fairly urgently. Time to search the ruins...
Tue, 22 Sep 2020 21:50:38 +0000
Their planning has paid off and the Hawks have successfully located a horribly dangerous beast bred as a living siege engine. Could it have paid off better, had they not introduced themselves by falling off a tower directly in front of it? Time will tell...
Tue, 08 Sep 2020 22:55:29 +0000
The Hawks have returned to the town where the team first met up, and where they held off disaster for a time. Life took them in another direction, however, and now they see how Farmouth lies after it's fall. A return to old haunts in a town carrying its own ghosts.
Tue, 25 Aug 2020 16:34:50 +0000
The Hawks have a destination, their old hometown of Farmouth, but the question arises of how to get there - and what will they find when they arrive?
Tue, 11 Aug 2020 23:48:59 +0000
In an abandoned village, our heroes prepare the first step of their plan, testing their power to create a certain influence over their enemy.
Tue, 28 Jul 2020 22:37:16 +0000
Having eluded dire peril, met up with one old friend and avoided meeting another, The Hawks are travelling north to find somewhere to hide out for a while and make a plan to change the world...
Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:26:49 +0000
Beside the magical curtain of the Southern Lights, The Hawks are outnumbered but ready to fight to the last and send a signal to the world.
Tue, 30 Jun 2020 21:12:57 +0000
Hector doesn't need to stay around to supervise the capture of the Hawks - his ambush has sprung and he has plenty of troops on hand to bring them down. All he needs to do is get clear and wait, meanwhile the Hawks are fighting for their lives.
Tue, 16 Jun 2020 22:23:42 +0000
It was a trap, but of course they always knew it would be. If they could decapitate Hector's operation it would be a massive advantage, but of course, he has resources far beyond their reach, and he is not afraid to risk his troops lives to capture a treasure beyond value.
Wed, 03 Jun 2020 21:14:01 +0000
"I fear The Hawks are doomed. I found the Reaching Scroll I shared with Bambari scrawled over with unreadable symbols, so dense that it almost looked scorched. Not long after that we had word of a terrible power in the south- where the armies of our enemies marched there lies a wasteland of ash and ruin. The Icewatchers have been forced back, but the settlements they left behind were caught in the blazing flames of The Drake's breath and there has been no word from the forces we had set to harrying them. A strange quiet has settled over the remains of Caris, the stragglers of our armies finding their way north to Merrowvale, a city more canvas than stone these days. We have most of the kingdom's population but little of its food, and much of our most fertile land has been frozen, marched across and now burned. It has been a strange few months, it feels as though the world is holding its breath, waiting to see what happens next." - Extract from a letter sent by Saffron la Gorge, the princess scholar.
S3I2- Towers And Canals, part 2
Tue, 12 May 2020 19:22:57 +0000
Once long ago there was a city, the capital of a grand empire. Now there is a ruin of shattered rock, home to ogres and crows. How did this great metropolis fall? To find out, we put together a team quite apart from The Hawks to turn a Microscope on that period of history, this is the second part of this game. It doesn't come to a grand conclusion because history isn't like this, but hopefully it will provide an enjoyable ramble through the past.
Crudely Drawn Swords Without Master Part 5: The Softness of Rest
Tue, 21 Apr 2020 23:20:10 +0000
The Rogues approach Coilspite's lair, but can they defeat the power that resides within and overthrow the devastating force of the serpent sorceror's will?
Crudely Drawn Swords Without Master Part 4: The Kindness of Leonard Glank
Tue, 07 Apr 2020 22:24:34 +0000
Confronted by the sorcerer Coilspite, the mystery of an empty cage and a panoply of peril, the Rogues must find their way through the mysterious realm to free the prisoner therein if they are to continue their quest in the real world.
Crudely Drawn Swords Without Master 3: The Tower
Tue, 24 Mar 2020 21:35:43 +0000
Akashobya showed them the way, Grizzard manifested the path and Sir Leonard lead the charge. Now the Rogues find themselves in a different realm, one where their hopes and fears may be made manifest, even as the sinister power of Coilspite pursues them.
Crudely Drawn Swords Without Master 2: Akashobya
Tue, 10 Mar 2020 23:38:51 +0000
Four rogues, or more accurately three rogues and one rogue sword, have made a perilous journey from the Mirefort through the mysterious swamp-savannah to the edge of the forest where the hermit Akashobya may offer them respite on their urgent mission to warn the bastion-city of Foothold of a dreadful impending danger. But a new danger awaits them, along with the opportunity to right an ancient wrong...
Crudely Drawn Swords Without Master 1: Coilspite!
Tue, 25 Feb 2020 23:40:17 +0000
It was the broken age, an age of disaster and peril, a time where the only way to survive the brutal onslaught of endless chaos was for each person to know their place. Who they could trust, who they would follow, who could protect them. Only a few brave rogues had the wherewithal to live outside the strict laws, to forge their own path and fight alone. This begins the story of four of these celebrated rogues, the notorious yet admired swords without master.
S3I1: Towers And Canals, part 1
Tue, 28 Jan 2020 23:42:40 +0000
Once long ago there was a city, the capital of a grand empire. Now there is a ruin of shattered rock, home to ogres and crows. How did this great metropolis fall? To find out, we put together a team quite apart from The Hawks to turn a Microscope on that period of history...
Spoiler Warning: Season 3 Post Mortem
Wed, 15 Jan 2020 18:05:25 +0000
Spoiler Alert: Do not listen to this episode unless you want to be hit with spoilers for the whole of Crudely Drawn Swords up to the end of Season 3. Definitely don't start here! This is our end-of-season retrospective, where we answer listener questions about the show so far and whatever other important matters they wanted to know about. This was originally streamed so if you wanted to enjoy it accompanied by our faces you can see that here: https://youtu.be/mYzbnTlPU64 If you watched the stream already, jump to the end to catch up on the goofs we cut from the finale.
S3E39: I'm Going To Miss You, Buddy
Thu, 26 Dec 2019 18:00:13 +0000
Bambari you are making a journey few westerners have managed since the days of the Stone Empire - I don’t know whether even Jack of the Wild made it that far across the plains, almost to the eastern barrier range. Your accounts will be extraordinarily valuable for scholars interested in those realms and, I suspect, as a record of a changing world. Be careful, Bambari. I have enjoyed our correspondence and you have so much potential. Please think twice before you make any decisions that put you in danger. I truly hope that one day I will get the opportunity to hear your stories of the wide world in person. -Saff
Thu, 12 Dec 2019 20:04:12 +0000
Saffron, I’m really sorry we are taking so long. I wanted to destroy the sword to destabilise Hector's power. But Percy won’t let me. He thinks it’s too big a risk. I think we’re losing anyway so we should take a chance. I’m not going to debate it anymore and I’m not going to try and destroy the sword. But I am going to use the power available to us. It’s too much of a waste not to. I’ll try and get back as soon as possible. I’ve got a plan. It’s high risk, but the risk is only for me. Bam
S3E37: What Have I Got To Give?
Thu, 28 Nov 2019 22:54:08 +0000
I knew that when you wandered out in the world you would be capable of great things and it sounds like that is exactly what you are doing! There won’t be many people around who have experience like you do. The birds have told me about the soldiers at the edge of the woods, but fortunately they know that it is a narrow band of forest between them and the mountains and there isn’t anything to interest them this way except a narrow strip of marshy woodland. Most of them don’t question how they know this, but I’m sure you can guess. Good luck in your grand working! Mum.
S3E36: Straight Up The Wizard's Sleeve
Thu, 14 Nov 2019 18:00:13 +0000
How exciting for you! You’ve got the principles of the curse breaking just about right, but the danger with undoing a Great Work is that there are an awful lot of strands and many of them will be stretched very tight, like trees under a heavy snow ready to spring back the moment it starts to melt. When that balance starts to shift and the tension is released expect the power to be released unevenly and perhaps very suddenly. The best way to make it safe, aside from the usual glyphs of warding and slowing ( model the glyphs on a series of dams - you don’t expect any one to hold back the power, but together they should be able to even out the flow and make it more manageable ) is to stabilise as many cardinal points of the curse as possible - the more components of its original creation you have available to you, the better off you will be. Of course anything capable of anchoring this kind of power for any length of time is likely to be imbued with enough magic to have some degree of will of its own - be careful of them!
Thu, 31 Oct 2019 22:16:09 +0000
Hi Mum The grimoire you gave me details a number of curses and how to focus them in. The glyphs should reverse and send the power out if I reverse them right? I need to amplify a curse resolution key. I’m pretty sure we are going to be in the place of the curses origin and will be conducting the solution. However I think the curse has spread much further then intended and left to germinate. This entire land is humming with curse energy. It’s like the biggest harvest ever seen. When this curse is lifted it all needs to go somewhere. I’m going to use the glyphs to send the key out and then reverb all the power back to us. I then need to funnel it all into one thing. Let me know if my calculations are wrong. I know that the armies have marched and taken the towns and villages nearby. I hope you are ok. I hope the woods have been ignored. Please let me know you are safe. I’m working on a way of being back as soon as possible. Love Bambari
Sat, 19 Oct 2019 00:13:40 +0000
We’re getting reports that Farmouth has fallen, the walls pulled down and the preceptory of Akone’s order burned to the ground. Assuming they continue to skirt the Woodmarch there is really nothing left between the army of the Ice and us. If they press northwards then we are in serious trouble. I hope things are going better for you, Bambari. I am afraid for our homeland. -Saff
Thu, 03 Oct 2019 21:47:03 +0000
A little more for you, I managed to find a retired Smith-enchanter who was one of the teachers at the Iron Church back when this Hector Korvaylan character was learning. Said he was very bright, interested in the theory behind the processes of enchanting and the source of the power used in the craft. The conversation was a little difficult, actually, because the old fellow had lost most of his hearing and my sign-language is rather weak, but from what I could gather Hector was memorable both as a smart student and because he left under a cloud - he had spent some time as a journeyman and was working on his masterpiece but when the time came to submit it for evaluation, he vanished, taking the piece with him. As you might imagine this is very much frowned on by the church - especially as he seemed to vanish from the kingdoms altogether at that point. The forgemaster had not heard of him reappearing again, although he talked to the Quesitors about it at the time, and suspected that Hector might have tried to push his craft too far and ended up “sublimating” both himself and the piece, something which has apparently been known to happen, but the Quesitors seemed to feel it was worth investigating in detail. No luck on those files, but I will keep trying. -Saff
Wed, 18 Sep 2019 23:37:51 +0000
Hector? I no longer have access to the records of the library, of course, but I have asked around and according to Preceptor Merrow there was a squire-in-training with the Iron Church here in the city a long time ago- at a guess this might have been at a similar time to when the Paladin was in training. He was in training to be a church knight and he showed some aptitude for smith-enchantment but as he advanced that seemed to tail off somewhat. Their records show that something went wrong and he ended up being dishonourably discharged from the knighthood - but the records of the event are apparently locked away under a Quesitors’ seal, which suggests something untoward occurred but also that access to them is forbidden at the highest level. As a member of the royal family I may find a way to circumnavigate that, but it will take me a little time, I fear.
Thu, 05 Sep 2019 23:12:23 +0000
Dear Saffron, I’m on a bush right now it’s not the best bush, there’s a thorn right up my jacksie. Saff there is a guy called Hector heading the army up. He studied up in Aru-sha apparently. I don’t suppose you can find anything about him? - Bam
S3E30: Ex Insidious Libera Nos
Thu, 15 Aug 2019 20:47:50 +0000
I daresay things are going very well where you are now, you’re probably having a cheerful frolic through springtime on the plains. I will wager you don’t have to go to a single boring formal dinner with tiresome aristocrats and wealthy merchants all very keen to reassure us that they have always supported us and always will while we are quite aware that they would turn on us in a moment if they thought there was any profit in it. I do not trust any of them and I am glad to have Tartasha with me, I trust her scimitar far more than anyone’s good will. I’m getting a bit frazzled from having to be a princess again. I don’t really enjoy it. I suppose that is probably why Jasmine is so determined to turn her back on it. At least she has not turned her back on us; assuming your mission proves as valuable as we hope, it may be that when the historians make a final reckoning of these events she proves the most valuable member of House LaGorge. I hope I will be around to dispute their findings. Am I rambling? I think I might be rambling. Dutiful dinner calls. Enjoy your wonderful, empty, plains. -Saff
Sun, 04 Aug 2019 17:28:05 +0000
In spite of our spy networks and the careful thought of our best minds, it is hard to grasp why this is happening to us. We lived in peace with Sudec for centuries - they were our friends and rivals. Then the cold revolution happened and suddenly they are driven by this furious goddess of the ice to overwhelm us? Why won’t they negotiate? Why are they always forcing onward with military might and and this power that cuts winter into the very heart of summer? What does Ulumbraya want from us? It seems there is no way to find out, except perhaps to surrender and examine the effects of her terrible will as they are enacted and that would be a costly experiment indeed.
S3E28: I Don't Remember You Being Naked
Thu, 04 Jul 2019 18:00:10 +0000
Well, I am back in old Merrowvale. The palace is very different now - it feels empty without our royal father and quiet in the absence of Jasmine and Wintergreen, and yet there are people coming and going constantly as it has become something of a command centre for the war effort. Mother is holding up well, trying to ensure that the retreat northwards is orderly and we do not lose our precious troops trying to hold indefensible positions, but it is hard to see what positions will prove defensible against these beasts of war. Our southern army, lead by my older sister and the Preceptor of the knights of Akone, are now completely cut off in the southern part of the mountains but they remain a valuable asset They have been striking from behind the enemy front line, keeping supplies and troops from reaching the front line. If it wasn’t for them and the support of Batmazgorod beneath, we would already have lost.
Thu, 20 Jun 2019 20:44:49 +0000
You do not give yourself enough credit - it was your work in deriving the shared principle between both pencil and eraser that made this possible. I suspect the alchemists and smith-enchanters who worked on Reaching Scrolls before never saw the value of the humble pencil, so you really showed those pen pushers. Travelling is a little tiresome, so I will tell you everything I know of the Sleidlar, and once this paragraph is done I will go back to watching Alberado pass slowly along our larboard. Of the five peoples of the plains, the Sleidlar are by all accounts the most constrained, living only along the edges of the ice. People who have heard of them at all usually regard them as rustic reindeer-herders, but accounts from those who have visited their lands suggest that they lead lives well adapted to travel along the borders of the ice. In particular they have taken to taming and breeding many types of beast to help them in their work, from tiny mice and ferrets who help find and protect food caches up to vast shaggy-haired creatures claimed to eat whole trees and haul their larger buildings across the ice. The stories are both sparse and somewhat outlandish - for some reason those most disposed to distant travel seem equally disposed to completely making up their accounts of the far world - but they are consistent in describing the Sliding People as shaping the creatures around them to their need, which leads me to suggest they have some art or mastery in that direction.. This journey is arduous in the extreme. A steady wind blows out of the south, bringing cold and relentless damp even at this time of the year, and forcing us to tack endlessly, so progress remains very slow. I hope that your travels are more interesting. -Saf
Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:02:02 +0000
Hi Do you remember when we thought you couldn’t use the reaching scroll once you’d written on it. Before we knew your could rub the pencil out? Those were simple times. Your previous message would have been “beasts attack Farndale - possible connection to Sleidlar. Danger Danger Bambari Lutes”. Trust me when I explain it to the rest, this is how it will go. Are you bored on your journey? Coz that was a lot of descriptive stuff. I’m pretty busy here. I’m on a horse. No boats for me. I not ever getting on a ship again. The sea is a horrible place where horrible things happen. Since you’re feeling eloquent and informed give me some info on the Sleidlar. How do you even know about them? Also they are to the South. We’re not heading south. We’re heading to some ogres. Tristan’s got a gig. succinctly Bam
S3E25: Determined To Miss The Point
Thu, 23 May 2019 23:52:27 +0000
I’m writing from Asterope’s Dawnstar, a ship making south towards Merremouth. Among the passengers here is a knight who was present at the fall of Farndale, one of the first battles where the war beasts were used. She has given me some details of the beasts and how they were used. First there were vast bull-necked creatures three or four times the height of a horse, built more like an ox but far heavier and with hooked tusks in addition to their horns. The attack that broke the city began with huge grapples being fired from ballistas on the field, trailing long harpoon ropes. These were attached to a harness on three of these beasts, which set about attempting to pull the wall down. The defenders tried to cut the ropes but they were cunningly designed, built around smith-canted chains. The walls themselves proved too solid for the beasts attack, although my witness has heard reports of this tactic having brought down less solidly fortified towns, but before the ropes were cut, the handlers changed strategy, and had the beasts set off at speed around the city, the ropes sweeping along the walls, dragging the grapples behind them and causing mayhem among the defenders. As they came around the west side of the wall, a different kind of warbeast - something like a huge rhino with solid armour plates over its head and back and a blunt double-horn emerged from the enemy line and charged straight into the east gate like a living battering ram. It’s mass and power was such that the gate burst open and one of the gatehouse towers fell. The beast charged on into the town, followed by Icewatcher heavy troops and it’s own handlers. Most of the defenders were still trying to deal with the first attack and the town was quickly overrun. My witness was injured but managed to get herself out of the west gate with a handful of others fortunate enough to have fast mounts. She mentions that the dress of the beast’s handlers was quite different from the Icewatcher uniforms and armour - lighter, built of skins and beaded leather. She guesses that they came from further east - if they belong to the Sleidlar, then you might not be as distant from the war as we expected, perhaps the entire southern ice has mobilised. Be careful Bambari. -Saf
Thu, 09 May 2019 18:00:19 +0000
Incidentally, I met the Blessed Pelwar yesterday and she mentioned that two days ago the last three members of the crew from The Ghost finally got home, along with the captain, who had made what sounded like a profoundly arduous journey along the Salt Coast, before reaching Maresca, where they persuaded some fishermen to bring them along to Aru-Sha. They were all in bad shape, as you might expect, but they were able to confirm that you departed into the salt flats, which was the main thing the Blessed cared about as it finally got the Quesitors off her back regarding your friend Percy. We will be taking a ship south for Vale soon, when we arrive I will tell you what I can of the situation in Caris. Good luck, Bambari!
Thu, 25 Apr 2019 18:54:39 +0000
Well Bambari, this is quite an audacious plan! From what I understand of the weapon in question it is very hard to predict what the outcome will be. I think it depends on the nature of the sword, which we know to be a shard of Ulumbraya’s power significant enough that it had to be taken from her before she could be trapped by the old powers. The question is whether the sword is the power or whether it is a form that the power has been shaped into - in the former case, destroying it would significantly weaken Ulumbraya, but if it is only an embodiment of her power in the physical realm then destroying it may release that power back to her, in which case she could become significantly stronger. I suspect this knowledge lies beyond the mortal realm, so I fear you have little more than your intuition to go on but I have come to believe your intuition is very sound. Even if the lady of the ice is empowered by it’s destruction, it seems she is only one part of the Icewatcher plan so whatever happens would have the potential to destabilise their strategy. Not to mention that you have been tracked half way across the known world in part because you possess the weapon, it might make you far less important in the eyes of our enemy should you relinquish it and much harder to find.
Thu, 11 Apr 2019 20:20:50 +0000
Morning, Please let me know if they do encroach on the Woodmarch. My mother lives in the woods and I want to make sure she’s safe. Not that I could do much from here. But I sure as hell would try and fly back. I don't think I can make it that far, certainly not by myself. I think I said before there's a big ol curse affecting this entire land. I’ve been reading up on curses and I think I may be able to tap into it. But only on a small scale. Curses tend to be very specific in their nature. So you only need to change a small aspect of it and it’ll snap back in a different direction. But I need to find an opening, maybe the origin of the curse, maybe a fundamental item or place to it. If I could find a way of amplifying it I might be able to do something on a bigger scale and have more of an effect. Magic’s got a flow to it. If I set off a ripple in the middle I might be able to cause a chain reaction. If I could then get all the power which was suddenly tearing itself out of the land and make it reverb back into one place I could do something huge. Or destroy something with it. I cant send the energy far enough away to hurt the army but maybe I could send it into something that might hurt the army. I don't know if destroying the sword will be a good thing, or even if I can get this plan to work. But at least it's a plan. All we seem to be doing is running away and the others haven't even mentioned the war recently. I’m sure they’re thinking about it but maybe they don't want to talk out loud incase it makes them realise how little we are helping. I dont think I’m going to tell Percy about my plan to destroy the sword. I think he may try and talk me out of it. We don't know what will happen. But I’d rather take a chance and do something then not do anything in fear of making it worse. Bam
Thu, 28 Mar 2019 19:12:05 +0000
Along the mountains they seem to be skirting Woodmarch, perhaps there is nothing there to interest them, but every time our armies have tried to hold them on the north road, it has proved both costly and ineffective. I am lead me to wonder whether the presence of the artifact the Paladin carries was somehow slowing them down or making them more careful and now they are evidently aware he is far away, they see no further limit to their opportunities for conquest. . We have, at least, managed to find and eliminate some of the cold seeds that were so instrumental in the revolution down in Sudec. By helping us to identify that strategy you and your companions have already slowed their progress and saved many lives. I will try to keep you up to date, but as I have said, I may not have access to the resources of the library for much longer, so if there is anything you need to know, ask now! Saf
Fri, 15 Mar 2019 00:47:40 +0000
I’m afraid the news from the south is not all good - we were hoping that with winter turning, the Icewatchers would have less power to draw on, and to a degree that is true: Our troops are suffering less under the force of their magic, but they seem to have spent the winter training their forces and where they were previously ill-trained peasants, they are now much more effective on the field. I am in contact with our royal mother and she assures me that our older sister is doing alright, but they keep being pushed back. Now we are getting reports of huge beasts marching with their armies, they already hold the Farn river and Farmouth is under siege. I don’t know that they will be able to hold out for long. Throughout the western kingdoms the talk is of conscription and throwing everything into the war effort and I will probably be called to serve, although what help a scholar can be against these odds I couldn’t say. At least I shall be able to bring Tartasha along with me, I doubt the sturdiest of their warriors could stand against her scimitar.
Sun, 24 Feb 2019 00:04:13 +0000
Bambari, good to hear from you! Did you have a bound scrying mirror, by any chance? I have seen some of those, and they always seem to have some quirk or limitation. I once saw one that only showed images as though reflected in turbulent water, another that could dictate exactly what it perceived but at a very great length so picking out the relevant information was extraordinarily hard work. I even heard of one that manifested a ghostly arm with a paintbrush, capable of depicting what had been witnessed in watercolours with a degree of abstraction somehow dependent on the skill of the invoker. Of course I am not a smith-enchanter and this kind of binding magic is not usually the province of the church, but there is a relationship to an interesting piece of history here. It seems that at one time there was a very large mirror here in Aru-sha that was built specifically for a magical use. The histories of the city agree that it existed and that at some point it broke, or was broken, very unlucky, and what became of it after that is unclear except that my research suggests that the best scrying mirrors are made from fragments of that mirror. So it is possible that he did not have a part of your magic mirror, but instead he carried one that was made from a different fragment of the same original. If it was a good quality scrying mirror from the Western Kingdoms, the odds of that are fairly high.
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 02:05:06 +0000
Your sister appears to be doing ok. She's anti stealing some gem we’ve been set up with. Before we pulled into your city we were on a boat. Someone stole my stuff and evidently sent a part of my magic mirror to a guy calling himself Death, bit much, and he’s set us up as revenge for killing his insane brother. I guess the mirror part was small enough to send on a well trained bird. It’s all been a bit much these last few weeks. I don't like the sea, I don't like the desert and I wish I was at home. I dont think the Lunzideren have cats : ( Bam
S3E17: Turn Around And Face Death
Thu, 17 Jan 2019 22:15:09 +0000
Hi Saf, Yeah we’ve met them. After our ship crashed we walked in the desert for ages. Then they picked us up. It was pretty fortuitous, if they hadn't rolled past we definitely would have died. A few of them speak our language a little, which is weird because there is such a disconnect between the kingdoms. The sea is obviously not well travelled but it turns out after the harsh desert there's also a cursed ground. So I doubt many people that attempt to travel between the two places make it. The curse means that anyone that stays too long in one place turns into an abomination. They don't have any real records of when it began, just some old fable about hunting and tricksters.
Thu, 03 Jan 2019 21:57:46 +0000
WANTED FOR THEFT AND HIGH TREASON Four very dangerous individuals have been reportedly involved in serious crimes against several hemu and against our entire people. They are all foreigners, pale skinned and sinister of demeanour, with untrustworthy expressions and clear ill intent. One is male, small, appearing as though a very young man, but do not be mislead- he is a notorious criminal famous for malice, violence and exceedingly bad manners. The second is female ( sources suggest she may be married to the first ) with complex hair and a suave manner. Do not be fooled by her demeanour she is a confidence trickster, scammer and has shown a terrible propensity for violence against those who displease her. Third we have a thin and unprepossessing individual bearing some kind of musical instrument and claiming to be a famous musician from the west. Although little more than a petty thief and no kind of warrior at all, this man is dangerous for the company he keeps as well as displaying unseemly propensity for public nudity. Finally there is a heavyset man with very pale hair and an impressive moustache combined with the bearing of an old fashioned strongman. This individual is the "muscle" of the group and should not be approached as he is both powerful and relentless in his violent appetites, showing neither mercy nor discretion in his choice of victims. These people are highly dangerous, they show know allegiance to house and can consequently hold neither honour nor moral integrity. If you encounter any of these four miscreants, report them immediately to your superior, so that they may apprehended and our people made safe once more.
Thu, 20 Dec 2018 20:31:05 +0000
Well, I hope this is helpful at any rate. That is the overview of what I was able to learn about the bloodlines. If you need any more detail on anything I found, I would be happy to provide it. You have been out in the plains for a while now, how are things going? Did you end up encountering the Lunzideren?
Sat, 08 Dec 2018 21:10:58 +0000
This slender knowledge is most of what I was able to ascertain from the records in our library, however I did speak about the topic briefly with Blessed Pelwar recently, asking obliquely whether any records of the Diabolist’s life survived. The Blessed has some significant scholarship in addition to her formidable organisational abilities and although this sadly proved to be a dead end, it did lead to her talking about the Quesitors, who have clearly been a thorn in her side, acting outside the law in their pursuit of anyone they believe to have any relationship to the Diabolist’s power. This may relate to the trouble that master Cleft was tangled up in as apparently they captured somebody in Aru-sha who - as far as I could gather - died in their custody. I got the impression that the Blessed felt the entire situation to be a mess and was very angry to have been involved with it. Our conversation did indicate that the Quesitors’ avenues of study are primarily genealogical- although they have some magical tools that will indicate the proximity of somebody they are hunting, they do not appear to have any way of tracking them down over a distance. I don’t know whether this information is of any use to you, but it is at least another fragment of the picture.
Thu, 22 Nov 2018 19:00:04 +0000
So, we know that the lineages precede our histories, they seem to be hereditary as does the aptitude for magic - in the latter case we do see rogue talents appear but I have found no evidence of anyone spontaneously developing an elemental lineage. The lack of scholarly information here is profoundly frustrating, but it is plausible that wherever these originated, there must be a continuous line from parent to child for them to have survived into the present. If so we might conjecture that either not every lineage that has existed still survives or that they protect themselves and consequently their heirs tend to survive long enough to propagate the bloodline. In the stories I have found, there are many abilities attributed to those with elemental affinities - being able to move and manipulate their element is by far the most common, along with being able to move freely through it. Several stories mention characters being able to speak to sentient manifestations of their element or to summon it into forms that mimic people or living creatures. This is in accord with the account of the Diabolist’s army of demons, of course, and seems entirely plausible. Often the elementally attuned seem vulnerable to elements that might be considered to oppose their own and are described as avoiding them obsessively. Other abilities that only get a single mention or barely seem worthy of notice include: Flight, travel between two pools, digging very rapidly, being carried along on a wave, building roads from fire, hiding knowledge in the element(?), drawing or writing with the element, a welcome in the courts of the low fey, friendship with talking animals(?), ability to sail rivers on a lily pad, travel by candlelight, freedom from hunger or thirst, being accompanied by a distinctive odour.
Thu, 08 Nov 2018 19:00:18 +0000
Unfortunately most of what I have managed to find is not from works on natural philosophy or magical theory - those seem to be the ones that were targeted - instead it comes from folkloric and mythic contexts. The texts tend to be opaque, whimsical and whatever truth they contain is often buried under layers of storytelling. There are however consistencies across stories and ballads and even the inconsistencies can provide us with information. For example “The Man Who Fell In Love With The Sun” and “Seaheart And The Westering Waters” both give accounts of people falling in love with elemental powers and having offspring who inherit both power and humanity but “Silver Handed Poko” describes elemental affinity being won in a bet and although“Turnabout Feng And The Windmill” is closer to an extended joke the titular character’s mastery of air is the consequence of being trapped in a windmill at a troll’s bidding for at least a year, presumably having little else to study. This lack of correlation or even unifying theme across these and other accounts I have found suggests to me that the origins of the bloodlines are lost to time. The earliest historical fragments we have refer to the founding of the Stone Empire by Zeres Stonefoot and these include some references to the power of the empire’s “Landwielder” magicians - I conjecture this power may well reflect the lineage of earth. If so, whatever created the lineages lies far beyond the reach of our records.
Thu, 25 Oct 2018 18:35:46 +0000
I have spent the last week researching into the matter of bloodlines and it has proven very difficult. It is well established that some people are naturally attuned to the latent power of the elements and that this is something that appears to be hereditary. If I include folktales and hearsay there are accounts of people attuned to ice, fire, stone, air and water, possibly even some metals? I do not think this is the same as the Dwarven Hallowfire or the smithcraft such as some priests practice. Much of what I needed to find was in the Archive Vaults, a vast but little-used area of the library only available to highly ranked scholars and members of the church. They are a long way underground and the shelves were mostly deep in dust as the vaults get very few visitors. Yet time and again I found the specific volumes I was seeking were gone. Sometimes documents are misplaced, though more commonly in the student areas, but after a fruitless day searching for the best regarded research on the topic I began to suspect that someone had stolen them from the library, and probably a long time ago. My concerns were vindicated when I found a copy of Teratum’s Encyclopedia of the Metaphysical Realms, a grand and noteworthy tome, only to discover that the entire entry on magical bloodlines had been cut from the book - an act of vandalism as well as theft. I have returned to the Archive Vaults several times now and I think I have some information that eluded our esoteric thief, so I shall endeavour to construct a convenient synopsis for you forthwith.
S3E10: Good At Keeping Secrets
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 13:00:19 +0000
Now my dear boy, I can understand that you are afraid that this makes you a pariah squared, but think about it this way: Either you are a pariah or you aren’t. If you are one already, how different is it? Hardly at all! People may not like what you are, but they can be persuaded - especially if you have the art of charms at your fingertips. Just remember that a person who dislikes you for what you are before they know who you are can never be entirely relied upon. As for background on the blood of fire, well, that is hard to come by- but what our histories tell us, the accounts that you won’t find in any books in Parieso or Aru-Sha, is that The Diabolist was in the same line of business that many of us in the coven are. I suppose you may have gathered this already, but you are old enough to know that there are powers in the world so dangerous that even to name them invites desperate peril. Those of us at the heart of the coven have been part of a long and careful project of containing them, protecting the world from a return to the disasters of the past, mediating the ancient contracts that hold them and preserve the structure of nature. The story goes that the Diabolist caused the plague that wiped out old Carisona, but our accounts tell us that he was trying to prevent the plague and failed. Perhaps he succeeded in containing something even worse, however. We are safe for now, the borders of the forest are strong and although the rangers have passed south, we have our own devices and the foresters are conscious of the danger. I do not think even these enemies in the south wish to see our work disrupted, our enemies are no friends to them. I am sure we will be safe, for now at least. I am very proud of you Bambari. You have travelled further than I ever have and it sounds as though you have the chance to make quite an impression in the world. Mark my words: There will be people who would treat you as a pariah now but will one day wish they had met you. - Your very proud mother
S3E09: A More Aggressive Pigeon
Fri, 28 Sep 2018 14:22:15 +0000
Well I don't think we’ll be back anytime soon, so it should have died down...or we will have. Writing this real fast as things possibly about to be fairly ropey. There's a caravan or troop of people(?) heading our way on the lands just south of the salt desert. Any idea about their ways or customs? Also still no kitten pics???? How hard is that to source? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maia’s breath, Bambari, I am a scholar not an artist. Do you want me to convey this scroll to someone who specialises in crudely drawn felines or do you want access to the greatest repository of knowledge in the Western Kingdoms? Perhaps you are right about staying away, I don’t think the Quesitori will send anyone east of the mountains, my suspicion is that going east on a suicide mission was the only thing that saved Percy from very serious trouble. When you describe a caravan that sounds as though you mean wagons? If this is so then they are most likely to be the Lunzideren ( sometimes referred to as the Luns, but I would not do so in their hearing, or the Rolling People ) they sail the plains in wagon villages following the wind. Their culture revolves around the quality of their silks and the greatest power lies with the silk houses who control this trade- be very careful around them and their representatives. If the village has dark wagons avoid those and do not even ask about them as this could cause great offence. They are often described as civilised but Bambari you particularly must be careful- all my accounts agree that they have a certain social rigidity and place great value on good manners and appropriate deference.
Thu, 13 Sep 2018 17:00:16 +0000
Yeah I noticed, Percy’s pretty sunburnt and cranky. But thanks for just asking after him. We’re all in trouble. The quill ink evaporated in the desert leaving just black mush, hence I haven't replied. We’ve just found some water, which is great as I was pretty sure we were going to die. Percy's great and all but I really don't think he thought this journey through. I really don't recommend deserts. We’ve gone south and seem to be off the salt flats. Is there anything in the Library about the people or lands south of the Salts? I was chatting on the boat over to a Sailor. We talked about the war and Sudec. He said some Identical twins who ran a cult overthrew the old queen and took power three years ago. I think Ulumbriar was trapped but these twins must have used their connection to the bloodline of ice to empower her and are manipulating her or her followers. Also another sailor said he knew a guy from the Church from years ago, called Hector, he didn't give a last name. He said that Hector was interested in bloodlines and went over to the Ice Watchers side. Maybe he did some research that helped them free Ulumbrairs power. The sailor said he knew Hector from Aru-sha, so whatever he found out must be in your library. Can you look into bloodlines and see what it says? It may be the key to this. Also where are our kitten pics? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No, Bambari, I mean that master Cleft is in trouble with the church, apparently the Quesitors want to talk to him about something to do with hiding a suspect. I don’t follow the details but as far as I can tell Blessed Pelwar sort of snuck him out of the city before they found him and they are kicking up a big fuss here now.
Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:00:16 +0000
Oh! You met young Otelo did you? And he took our surname after all? How charming for you! Is he still a sweet and shy boy? Did he recognise you? I have often wondered how things worked out for him after he left - it was a good time but I could tell the forest wasn’t the right place for him. He needed more people and I don’t really enjoy human company never mind that I have plenty of work to do here. He left long before you were born of course, once I knew was planning to leave I cast a little charm on him as a farewell gift, to nudge him towards success and then I went on to largely forget about him. There was nothing I could have given him that would equal the gift he gave me. I promise you that I had no idea about anything to do with any fire magic. If he had that when I knew him it must have been buried very deep, but perhaps some deep flowing power might have made him interesting I suppose. No, whatever he is and whatever his history with your friend the knight, I don’t really know. I had the impression that the time before he came to the forest had been hard for him, but he never wanted to talk about it and I didn’t need to know.
Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:54:51 +0000
Hi Mum, I learnt to make the reaching scrolls in a library in Aru-sha. We’ve gone pretty far away, much further than I thought we’d go. We’re in a desert currently. Its big and bleak and I thought we were going to die. We’ve found water and I’ve rehydrated the ink meaning I can write to you. I’m not going to lie it's going to be a mixed bag this letter. I wanted to say I miss you and the forest. Have the Ice watchers made it further north? Will the coven be able to hide the woods? I hope you are ok. I wanted to talk about something else, and I don't want to come across as angry when we haven't spoken in so long, but I am angry. There was a bard in Aru-sha called Otelo De Lutes. His face looked a lot like mine and his stage name seemed cringingly familiar. To say I don't get it would be an understatement. You’re a powerful, driven, talented individual. I don't see what you saw in him other than maybe power? Why didn't you tell me about the fire bloodline? I’m a social pariah squared. I can't be in the covan, I can't be open as a Witch in the city and now I could, and maybe am, being hunted due to a connection to the bloodline of fire. You could have given me a heads up or at least some background on the subject. I met some fire elementals who told me I was linked to fire. They haven't really given me much more info, just some magic marbles. But the church hunts down people due to this because of links to the Diabolist. That leads me to my next point. Did you set up me ending up with Percy? You acted like you’d never met him when we came to visit, but he’s been investigating this bloodline for years and he saved De Lutez’ life. Is this some long elaborate scheme I've not been party too? I don't want to be angry. I want you to be safe, and proud of me. Love Bambari
S3E05: Tristan and the Magic Wang
Thu, 02 Aug 2018 17:00:14 +0000
As The Hawks realise that Tristan was not, in fact, hallucinating wildly it becomes clear that they need to take the threat posed by The Consumer seriously. Unfortunately, they are congenitally opposed to seriousness in all its forms, so this may prove a challenge far beyond their capacities.
S3E04: The King of Sausage Punches
Thu, 19 Jul 2018 18:00:14 +0000
Bambari, some very confused messages, are you alright? What do you need me to do? Did you know your friend the Paladin is in trouble? Saffron
S3E03: Not Pulling Their Weight
Fri, 06 Jul 2018 11:18:21 +0000
I found this in some correspondence from Teren Galla, a priest of Maia displaced during the Cold Revolution. "I was the village priest in a small village by the name of Calderburn in southern Sudec for a few years and among the children of that village was a pair of twins named Taryu and Lemek- sweet little things they were, plump and black haired. As we sometimes see among young twins, they had their own language shared only between themselves and they were slow to learn to communicate with anyone else, but when they did they showed a striking tendency - rather than stating their own wishes, each would translate for the other. It took a long time for them to find their own voices, and even then they preferred one another's company. They were kind and good natured, but the other children in the village saw there was something different about them and, well, you know how children can be. The twins got more insular and took to wandering away from the others. They took to wandering off and several times they went missing and we had to gather up the whole village to search for them. The last time this happened they were out in the forest overnight and although they were found and brought home, little Taryu got a fever and she was terrible sick. I ministered for them as best I could, but there was something there that resisted the goddess' blessings. I wrote to Merwall at the time, but before I got a reply things came to a head and the family left Calderburn." You must be well under way by now, any interesting observations on the Roil? Saffron
S3E02: Little Mouthfuls of Bitter Sunshine
Thu, 21 Jun 2018 18:00:05 +0000
The prospector's account continues thus: "I was a little spooked by that and it gave me no inclination to return for some time, in fact I did find myself some sizeable copper ingots that would sell for good money if I could get 'em back to Merwall but I put off travelling back that way for a while and went further east a ways. Even spent some time around the Sleidlar and let me tell you them is good people once you get the hang of their manner of talking and way of living. Learned a lot there I most certainly did! Well anyways eventually I loaded up my mules and set out for Merwall which was a pretty travel but I knew it would reward me if I could get there with my goods intact and by the time I passed that glacier well I was in a hurry to be by it but things had changed a lot in those few years let me tell you. Those shacks and igloos were gone and instead there was a town of log houses and cabins all in neat lines and looking civilised like. I stopped though as briefly as I could for I had no inclination to involve myself far in their affairs. The people that had been there before still seemed to be around but there was something like an organisation now. They had some kind of mine of their own, right into the glacier and there was some kind of central building made of ice. I found a place to sleep the night, but I barely got a wink because I noticed that there was something like big glowing flames atop the glacier, but they burned green and lilac like the southern lights, but all bundled up and brighter for it. I asked my host about it and she observed that they had got brighter as they dug their way into the ice. She said that the light of those fires showed them the true way and that they could discover their true purpose now. She said her mind used to be confused and fuzzy but now everything was clear to her and I believe that she truly felt happy in that light. Well I suspected that singing would be clearer if I slept there that night, so I sat by the fire and didn't close my eyes. The next morning I left early, so tired I was stumbling even on that good road they had made, and never looked back." "That was before all this recent nonsense started happening - but seeing how much that place had changed in a few years between one visit and the next, and remembering that voice in my dreams, I ain’t surprised something strange came of it. Not at all." That is the whole of that report, save some superfluous mineralogical detail, but context for recent activity near SP. Hope the sea journey is comfortable and trouble free. Saffron.
S3E01: A Certain Respect for Authority
Thu, 07 Jun 2018 18:00:14 +0000
Season 3 of Crudely Drawn Swords begins - if you haven't listened before, we hope that this will provide an excellent jumping-on point. If you have, then buckle in- The Hawks are back and they have a whole new set of problems to contend with... --------------------------------- Bambari, this is interesting - from a source related to Enigma's network, an agent with the codename of "Mist" the account of a prospector who had travelled extensively through the southern forest. "First time I passed by Sankastra Palov must be ten years gone, I had an idea about maybe mining some copper down in the southern barrier range there [...] well anyhows I struck this little settlement down near the glacier and it weren't like any place you ever saw - they had igloos and tents and a few shacks- weren't hardly none of them looked like it would hold up if a gust of wind went by but there they were and there was folks crowding in there. A lot of them was a little bit loose-minded if you take what I mean, they weren't bad people but they didn't seem well fitted to conversation or they would talk to you endlessly but not much of it would make any sense. Well I was passing through but I stopped by there and made a few Schmeckels ( I was headed east of the mountains ) by selling them game I had hunted. Seemed to me there weren't anybody bringing much trade that way and they weren't all the most practical folks. In fact seemed to me the main thing they had in common was that they all said that they had been called there by some voice in their dreams. All considered the place was surprisingly orderly for all that they was mostly folks with trouble in their minds. Well I helped out there a little time but one night while I was sleeping I heard a voice in my dreams too, it felt real far off and I couldn't make out any words, but sure I could tell it was a voice that wanted me to stay there at the edge of that ice. Well I packed out the next morning and I didn't come back in a good long time I can tell you." [ continues ... ]
Fri, 25 May 2018 18:00:02 +0000
The journey along the North Coast got off to a somewhat unfortunate start, but surely the crew of The Ghost will be more than able to get everything back on an even keel ready to handle whatever challenges their quest should present to them. This follows closely from "The North Coast, Part 1" and if you haven't listened to that episode, it provides a valuable preface to the events contained herein.
Thu, 03 May 2018 18:29:34 +0000
The Hawks are back at sea and it was time for them to have a break, for us to follow some other characters, so in this episode and the next we will be learning about the heroic crew of The Ghost who are striving to navigate a perilous and uncharted ocean and bring their passengers safely to their distant destination. Fortunately the crew consists of expert and talented sailors with years of experience on the seaways of the world. Unfortunately the cast consists of the same bunch of goons whose antics you have grown accustomed to over the last few years...
Thu, 19 Apr 2018 18:00:04 +0000
The Hawks are ready to travel- there is just time to tie up some loose ends in Aru-sha before they board their ship and say goodbye to the comfort and safety of the western lands where they have made themselves so many friends during their adventures. Percy darts in, Bambari expresses the beauty of flight, Enigma takes a seat and Tristan gives an old friend the finger in this retaliatory episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E40: I just want some easy wins
Thu, 05 Apr 2018 19:07:47 +0000
Bambari has made a lot of difficult discoveries lately and now it is time for him to learn something of his place in the world, while outside the bridge of flame, the Hawks are laying metaphorical cards on the table. Tristan is a good guy really, Enigma is the shadow of a memory, Bambari is an angry teenager and Percy is just one man in this well-drained episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:48:51 +0000
The Hawks have been keeping it underground as they investigate the blocked waterway that is leaving Aru-sha thirsty. As they close in on the cause of the problem things prove to be both simpler and far more complicated than they might have expected. Tristan is strong versus fire, Enigma is bringing the steam, Percy is understating the situation and Bambari is using magic to discover the true meaning of friendship in this too-hot-for-daytime episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 08 Mar 2018 21:53:47 +0000
The Hawks have seemingly exhausted every opportunity to make an easy buck by simply asking someone to give them a huge amount of money and being given a huge amount of money and it seems that, filled with anger and resentment at the unreasonableness of not having won the lottery when they didn't even buy a ticket, our heroes will have to demean themselves with that most tiresome of trivialities, a sidequest. Percy discovers a crime, Tristan performs forensics, Enigma finds her calling and Bambari gets the bird in this ornithological episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:46:51 +0000
Financing a ship sailing for months through dangerous waters turns out to be a very expensive proposition, the hawks now realise they need to get hold of a lot of money, information, money, cosmetic surgery and money. Time to hit up their contacts and persuade someone to give them a huge amount of money for no good reason. Tristan gets seated, Percy gets his fortune, Enigma gets weird and Bambari gets lampshaded in this expository episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:02:17 +0000
Sometimes the most generous gifts backfire, whether it is the kindness of gifting an amulet to the kind of person who likes amulets, the generosity of introducing someone to long-lost family or the cordial greeting of throwing someone's useful magic item into the sea, it seems there will be some ungrateful jerk who just gets angry about it. Tristan loves boiled eggs, Enigma loves seats, Percy loves long conversations with old friends and Bambari does not love anything about Aru-sha in this affectionate episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 25 Jan 2018 20:42:21 +0000
The show of the century seems to have gone with barely a hitch and now we are at the after party and it's time to catch up with old friends and enjoy some new gifts. Enigma is generous, Tristan is subtly concealed, Percy is suspicious and Bambari is crankier than normal in this chilled-out episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 11 Jan 2018 21:49:36 +0000
Night comes in, like some cool river, but here in the great city of Aru-sha we will celebrate its arrival as three great singers, Ophra Mezzira, Tristan Wilde and -returning to the stage for the first time in five long years- Otelo di Lutez, perform for our pleasure. It's time for Tristan to play the music, it's time for Bambari to light the lights, it's time for Percy to turn PI and Enigma to play The Thief on the Crudely Drawn Swords show tonight.
S2E33: Just A Genuine Psychopath
Thu, 28 Dec 2017 22:14:27 +0000
Coming up twenty gold short for that cool scroll you want to buy? For Tristan and Enigma the solution is obvious: Put on the largest concert the city has ever seen. In an afternoon. How hard can it be??? Elsewhere Percy and Bambari dive deeper into lore and history, gain some valuable knowledge and finally get a definitive answer to a question that has been bugging them for ages in this fiftieth episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 14 Dec 2017 19:43:18 +0000
The Hawks arrive at their destination, sailing into the harbour of the ancient city of Aru-Sha. An opportunity to catch up with old friends, discover some unwelcome truths and hatch a madcap scheme the like of which the western kingdoms have seldom seen since the last time Tristan and Enigma came up with a "good" idea. Percy is cryptic, Enigma narrows her eyes, Tristan has a run of bad luck and Bambari receives absolutely no clarification in this divisive episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:09:20 +0000
Percy is facing a duel to the death and the other Hawks may not intervene. If he loses, it spells disaster for our heroes, if he wins they have an easier journey ahead of them but how can they reconcile their actions with their wider moral standing? Percy hits the deck, Bambari asks awkward questions, Enigma uses her talents and Tristan stares off into the distance in this pugnacious episode of Crudely Drawn Swords. Features beat, "Haters" by Rujay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPrRZoDW0Fc Song, "Gifts Of The Sea" by The Patient Wild: https://soundcloud.com/the-patient-wild
Thu, 16 Nov 2017 19:35:59 +0000
The battle for control of The Ghost is not going as well as its instigators might have hoped, but can the Hawks turn the tide and change the direction of the ship?* Bambari threatens, Enigma draws attention, Tristan makes his peace and Percy makes a promise in this escalating episode of Crudely Drawn Swords. *This works on two levels and may be the best show notes sentence so far.
S2E29: The Hawks are coming out!
Thu, 02 Nov 2017 16:07:08 +0000
The Hawks have decided it is time to take control, passengers turned mutineers, but will Captain Arsenne give up his ship and his way of life so easily? It seems unlikely. Luckily the Hawks are experts at the top of their game! Percy lays down the law, Enigma just about hangs on, Tristan gets his chance and Bambari makes a clean sweep in this mutinous episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E28: Don't just stand there blubbering!
Thu, 19 Oct 2017 19:36:45 +0000
It's good to help people and it is doubly good to help people who are on your side and making a big difference to the war that you are fighting in. However, it can also lead to some awkward conversations, tough negotiations and maybe just the mildest hint of murder. Tristan mediates, Percy makes his case, Bambari closes some doors and Enigma goes for the throat in this juridical episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E27: Thunder, Justice and After-Dinner Speeches
Thu, 05 Oct 2017 21:27:15 +0000
There is a vacancy for Ship's Cook on board the Ghost, who could fill the greasy shoes of the late Mr. Cupcake? Percy remembers his vocation, Bambari takes the biscuit, Tristan shares the old stories* and Enigma enjoys the ocean spray in this thalassic episode of Crudely Drawn Swords. ================= Footnote: There are many stories of the Pirate ( later Admiral ) Shanks, it is certain that most of them are pure fiction, or wild exaggerations of actual events. Fictional and real characters are conflated so that many of the tales of this redoubtable seaman were doubtless first told about other heroes, now forgotten. However it seems possible that somewhere, among all the worlds, there was a genuine Shanks and that if there was, he might have looked a little bit like Stuart, who plays Tristan, and that various people resembling the other Hawks and even the GM may have been members of his crew at one time or another.
Thu, 07 Sep 2017 21:13:05 +0000
When on a soothing ocean cruise, what could be more pleasant than a nice calming swim? Obviously, that would be a very bad choice if you were wearing armour or your ship was under full sail or there were sharks around but sometimes isn't a bad choice still better than being actually on fire? Bambari gives orders, Percy chills out, Tristan dives to the rescue, Enigma goes deep and Torquil keeps trying to steal the spotling in this pelagic episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 24 Aug 2017 21:08:13 +0000
The Hawks are on a sailing ship, with the wind behind them, the sky above them and the open ocean before them. A chance to relax and enjoy the journey, assuming Tristan has found them a ship with a cheerful captain and a jolly crew of cheerful yet competent sailors. Tristan is a notorious liar, Bambari joins the dots, Percy carries a long weight and Enigma takes some heat in this swell episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2I6: I don't want to die here
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 20:19:45 +0000
"I guess it's time for the last stand." With these words, the druid Longtooth delineates the conclusion of the long journey through winter. A larger army, powerful ice magic, a traitor among their group and finally battle is joined. Didi shows his true colours, Longtooth believes he can touch the sky, Decaro faces an unprecedented situation and General Wintergreen has a plan in this conclusive episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2I5: What we hope for in life
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 21:55:21 +0000
The end is in sight for the heroes of the south, the chance to join with the remainder of their army lies almost within their grasp. Almost, but what we hope for in life is not always what we get. Longtooth is menagerial, Decaro mountaineers, Wintergreen decodes and Didi builds bridges in this discursive episode of Crudely Drawn Swords. Editing and production credit to Claire Denney, who has been an invaluable addition to the CDS team over the last few months.
Thu, 13 Jul 2017 21:18:23 +0000
The survivors of Stoneshaw face their most dangerous opponent yet, a creature of powerful ice magic. Can they prevail in the face of overwhelming power? Didi tees off, Decaro takes a dive, Longtooth joins the owsla and the Princess General loves it when a plan comes together in this boss-battling episode of Crudely Drawn Swords. Special thanks to Claire Bowen for her work on editing this episode and to Stu's mum for elevating the ridiculous to a more sublime degree of ridiculousness.
Thu, 29 Jun 2017 20:39:51 +0000
The survivors of Stoneshaw have run into trouble as they try to make their way to the remainder of the southern army - the Icewatchers are camped right along the north road. Fortunately our heroes are adept at sneaking stealthily to safety. Unfortunately that is a massive lie. Decaro is a soft touch, Didi shows his true colours, Longtooth rats out his enemies and the Princess General goes head-to-head with the opposition in this vermiform episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 15 Jun 2017 20:12:13 +0000
A small group of survivors from the Caris army are struggling to make their way to safety through the snowbound forests of a southern winter. With danger behind them, more danger ahead and very probably danger to the left and the right, it is just as well that these are some of the toughest heroes in the world, even if one of them never speaks and the other speaks with the voices of many creatures. Truth and treachery collide in this wiggly episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 21:37:46 +0000
While the Hawks enjoy a simple pleasure-cruise up the west coast of the continent the camera moves south, closer to the front line, to focus on the old manor of Stoneshaw. Here the remnants of the Caris army are hiding out after their initial defeat, resisting the Icewatcher forces as best they can, but their enemies have great numbers and significant power - even the best concealed fortress cannot hold out forever. A chance to meet new characters and enjoy new adventures in this illusory episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 18 May 2017 21:00:54 +0000
It would be fair to say that their adventure downriver started out less relaxing than they might have hoped, but now the Hawks are floating free and get a little time to rest and relax. Enigma drinks to the past, Bambari makes himself useful, Percy tells a story and Tristan cleans up in this Jeromian episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Mon, 01 May 2017 20:01:47 +0000
After their bold escape from the embattled city of Vale, our heroes have a chance to sit back, relax and enjoy a pleasant meander downriver to the sea, sharing some stories and making hilarious dick jokes. Or at least, that is the plan. Bambari discovers some magic he can get behind, Percy provides a cooling embrace, Tristan smooths the situation and Enigma walks a fine line in this high-contrast episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 13 Apr 2017 23:20:28 +0000
When the world has collapsed into chaos, sometimes the safest thing to do is hide. Find somewhere safe, out of the storm, and hunker down. You just need to hope a group of awful bullies don't kick your door in and start ruining everything, but surely nobody's luck is that bad. Bambari identifies something legitimate, Enigma identifies something illegitimate, Tristan shrugs off responsibility and Percy shows his creative side in this dastardly episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 30 Mar 2017 19:51:46 +0000
A secret tunnel leads to almost certain safety, assuming that there are no tricky stairways to navigate and the streets are devoid of peril. Percy identifies a talent, Tristan is surprisingly gullible, Enigma stands perfectly still and Bambari gets the point on the slippery slope that is this episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 16 Mar 2017 20:08:03 +0000
The city is under attack and at a time like that any good adventurer needs to get to rescuing the defenceless, especially when that is an opportunity to reinforce their own bitter personal narratives and score points in old rivalries. Enigma knows secrets, Percy gets into an awkward situation, Bambari lays down some sick rhymes and Tristan gets into an even more awkward situation in this extricative episode of Crudely Drawn Swords!
Thu, 02 Mar 2017 21:09:46 +0000
Vale, capital city of Caris, is under attack from a magical snowstorm that is filling its streets with the walking dead. The Hawks have made their way to the limited safety of the Iron Church, but for the next part of their plan to be enacted, they will have to confront implacable enemies and remember what the next part of their plan was. Enigma is weaponised, Percy awakens the sleeping, Bambari delivers some burns and Tristan dances into the fire in this chilling episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 16 Feb 2017 21:20:40 +0000
We've all done it- you wake up one morning in a generic mainstream tavern in the capital city after a great night of music and fun only to discover that the worst storm in living memory is sweeping through and you and your friends are in terrible danger. Bambari is blanketed with snow, Enigma gets a chance to chill, Tristan improvises an old traditional song on the spot and Percy is living it luge in this winterborn episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E17: There's nothing else to her
Thu, 02 Feb 2017 20:25:44 +0000
What could be more restful than a quiet evening at a generic inn? Well, that depends a lot on what musicians are performing there and how the audience feels about them, one would suppose. Tristan meets an old friend, Bambari shakes a leg, Percy gets bundled and Enigma is nothing more than she seems to be in this calming and melodic episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E16: A Whole World Of Palanquin Pain
Thu, 19 Jan 2017 18:02:23 +0000
The Hawks are bringing a trade delegation to Vale, the capital city, but can they find the useful contacts they will need to build a trade alliance with Batmazgorod? They'll have to work hard to use their contacts, apply their expertise and charm if this is to work. Bambari is a good guy, Enigma wears a memorable coat, Tristan remembers a war and Percy explores the irony of religion in this mercantile episode of Crudely Drawn Swords. * Apologetic note: My faulty USB interface ( THANKS ALESIS ) was clipping and the sound quality is poor at the start. Although it is noticeable throughout, it definitely gets better after the first few minutes.
S2E15: It is fine to meet you!
Thu, 05 Jan 2017 19:37:35 +0000
The Hawks seek to create an underground alliance with the dwarven kingdom of Batmazgorod, but first contact is not going entirely to plan and Tristan's anthropological expertise seems worryingly limited. Percy shows feline elegance, Bambari leaves the door open to opportunity, Tristan prepares his negotiation strategy and Enigma totally rules in this diplomatic episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E14: Do you have an apple for this kind of situation?
Thu, 22 Dec 2016 22:36:20 +0000
Picking up after last episode's cliffhanger ending, the Hawks are engaged in a battle against an ancient monstrosity. Even if they win, will there be something even more dangerous beyond the long-sealed gates of Batmazgorod? Enigma punches above her weight, Percy strides on through, Tristan is only in it for the experience and Bambari is a physical Adonis in this ingressive episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:55:01 +0000
If the hawks are to carry out their grand scheme and get help from the underground kingdom of Batmazgorod, they need to open a gateway sealed hundreds of years ago, by an ancient evil. Percy rushes in, Enigma lets fly with bow and arrow, Tristan discovers the difference between theory and practice and Bambari is surprisingly effective in this satisfying buffet of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E12: Let's make this someone else's problem
Thu, 24 Nov 2016 23:03:21 +0000
Finally, some answers to the big questions that have been plaguing our heroes, and all delivered through the medium of tedious and excessively detailed poetry by annoying elves. Could life get any better? Probably- here's hoping that all the news is good! Enigma is enjoying the culture, Bambari is hating the culture, Tristan knows a lot about dwarven culture and Percy is no expert in the more artistic cultural pursuits in this enlightening episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E11 - Felony, Spite and Murder
Thu, 10 Nov 2016 23:06:18 +0000
In the heart of the Woodmarch Forest, the Hawks have met the famous Witch of Woodmarch, discovering something interesting about her family in the process. A chance to discuss recent revelations, learn a little about Bambari's past and, of course, share a hearty breakfast. Percy offers Tristan a wake-up call, Enigma is not a sausage and Bambari has an imaginary friend in this much coven-ted episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E10 - Everything's cool now, chill, yeah?
Thu, 13 Oct 2016 20:05:00 +0000
The Hawks have arrived at the dangerous Woodmarch forest, and now they must venture deep through its shadowed glades if they are to find the elves, risking hazardous wildlife, mysterious spirits and terrifying witchery. Enigma is treated with appropriate reverence, Percy clashes with Tristan and Bambari gets a wake up call in this sylvan episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E09: A squirrel does not a hat make
Thu, 29 Sep 2016 20:53:15 +0000
With affairs in the grey lands resolved to several people's satisfaction, it is time for the Hawks take a moment for breakfast, before setting out in search of the ancient past. Bambari reflects on geography, Enigma protects her allies from spoilers, Percy starts Bambari's training and Tristan is strangely quiet in this big-budget cerealisation of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E08: We intended them to die
Thu, 15 Sep 2016 21:21:31 +0000
In the second half of the Hawks adventures in the shadowed realm, they draw closer together, make further bargains and gain some sweet ink. Bambari gets a good deal, Tristan sings about feudalism, Enigma reflects on her situation and there is an opportunity for Percival Cleft to show his quality in this DEADicated episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E07: The Grievous Bureaucracy
Thu, 01 Sep 2016 23:19:35 +0000
Spoiler alert: Something bad happened at the end of the end of the last episode and now the people to whom the bad thing didn't happen must stage a daring bid to rescue the person to whom it did. This episode we take a break from our regular Dungeon World adventures because the realms of the dead, through which our heroes must pass, work by different rules. Percy shares a forgettable anecdote, Bambari is a powerful wizard, Tristan talks to humble creatures and Enigma keeps curious company in this darkling episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
Thu, 18 Aug 2016 21:26:53 +0000
In Hyde Mansion, events are coming to a head as the Hawks close on their prey, or possibly vice versa. Hidden trapdoors will open, thieves will come out of the closet and everyone will learn that sometimes when one door opens, another closes. Bambari isn't talking to Tristan, Enigma meets her match, Percy keeps his cool and Tristan makes it all about Tristan.
S2E05: Here come the muscle-build men
Thu, 04 Aug 2016 21:03:10 +0000
The Hawks make their way into the mansion where it seems a dangerous Icewatcher cell may be holed up, but can they locate their enemies without walking into any further traps, falling into any dangerous pits or accidentally burning the whole place to the ground? Percy gets everyone down, Tristan finds a catch, Bambari bricks it and Enigma goes in search of the satire in this enigmatic episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E04: What is wrong with this garden?
Wed, 20 Jul 2016 21:46:34 +0000
Following Enigma's dashing rooftop chase, the Hawks have a destination- an old mansion on the edge of town and a very simple mission: Get into the building. How hard can it be? In this episode of Crudely Drawn Swords: Tristan shoots at statuary, Percy turns turtle, Enigma is effective and Bambari doesn't even want your stupid healing.
S2E03: Beautiful by every standard
Thu, 07 Jul 2016 22:09:52 +0000
A gentle stroll through the nocturnal streets of Farmouth has been interrupted by a crossbow bolt and our heroes set off in hot pursuit of the would-be assassin. Tristan throws some knives, Percy shares some anecdotes, Bambari drops some rhymes and Enigma risks everything - Crudely Drawn Swords is back; shout it from the rooftops.
Thu, 23 Jun 2016 21:29:57 +0000
A body has been dragged out of the river, having been stabbed in the back multiple times. Our heroes begin to suspect that they did not accidentally drown and naturally dive into investigating everything else in the city, arguing amongst themselves, picking out a team name and purchasing sausages. Enigma works her contacts, Tristan trades his clothing, Bambari befriends his natural allies and Percy grows increasingly confused in the latest episode of Crudely Drawn Swords.
S2E01: Looks like curtains for our heroes
Thu, 09 Jun 2016 22:34:49 +0000
Our heroes are back home in Farmouth, but it seems that those familiar streets are not as safe as they used to be. Percy moves up in the world, Bambari sucks on a scab, Tristan demonstrates the art of disguise and Enigma may be lion about something as our second adventure begins...
Episode 12: What Do You Mean She's Gone?
Thu, 19 May 2016 21:25:22 +0000
Night has come and with it a deadly foe. In the epic conclusion to our first adventure, Tristan and Percy face an enemy that exceeds them in every respect, Enigma shows a natural talent for dressage and Bambari uses a powerful magic item. Some friends will be parted, others reunited , but the Black Gate casts a long shadow and the ice does not give up willingly.
Episode 11: The Hammer of the Goddess
Thu, 05 May 2016 21:21:35 +0000
On the wall, Tristan and Percy have won a small victory and found a brief respite before the enemy returns, but now they have played their only gambit and their opponents are numerous, strong and when they come back they will be prepared. When all else fails, what do our heroes have left to turn to?
Episode 10: So you're pretty good at dodging?
Thu, 21 Apr 2016 21:17:06 +0000
Defending Windrush pass against seemingly insurmountable odds, Percival and his squad are getting along like a house on fire, whilst Tristan's attempts to achieve victory through horror and revulsion have somewhat more mixed results.
Episode 9: Thank you, Bibbity Bobbity!
Thu, 07 Apr 2016 21:14:37 +0000
At the wall, the Icewatcher army has arrived, now Tristan, Percival and their allies face the battle of their lives. Meanwhile Enigma ( enigma ) and Bambari have their own troubles as they make their way down the pass towards Farndale in a desperate bid to get help.
Fri, 25 Mar 2016 00:49:16 +0000
At the top of Windrush Pass, Percival and Tristan prepare to face an army, Percy embarks on a noble quest and Tristan learns some new words, like "bravery", "heroism", "grossly inappropriate" and "civil law suit." You can find the map we are playing on here: http://crudelydrawnswords.tumblr.com/post/141632620019/this-is-the-map-of-the-pass-accompanying-episode
Episode 7: That's not a sausage
Thu, 10 Mar 2016 23:07:39 +0000
The party have split and we follow Enigma ( enigma ) and Bambari as they make their way down from Windrush pass to get help for their friends at the wall, getting to meet some interesting new people keen to help them on their way!
Mon, 29 Feb 2016 21:28:08 +0000
The only thing between the team and freedom is a massive fortified wall, some sleeping guards and a small border garrison. With stealth and subtlety critical to success, it's clearly time to throw equipment around, sing battle hymns and break out the crazy acrobatics.
Episode 5: Our Go To Cover Story
Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:23:26 +0000
The party's bid for escape continues, but their efficiency is somewhat compromised by the fact that Bambari has given Tristan more hallucinogenic mushrooms than health and safety guidelines recommend and now they face another challenge as they approach the border fortifications.
Episode 4: A Fun Guy to Have Around
Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:36:39 +0000
Our heroes have left the old fort of Kel Teppey where their adventures began, but there is a hostile army between them and home and they are going to have to rely on their wits -and some unreasonably good dice roles - to get to safety. And that assumes that anybody anywhere on the podcast can tell left from right and east from west...
Episode 3: The Only One Who Can Bring The Rock
Thu, 14 Jan 2016 23:00:19 +0000
Our heroes find their way out of a hole, perform an interrogation that makes them fortunate to be in a different world to the Geneva Convention and make a perplexing discovery about geopolitics.
Episode 2: The Pit and the Pendulous Sock
Fri, 08 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000
In the second episode of our Dungeon World adventure, our heroes have defeated adversity but may have attracted unwanted attention. They will discover ancient artefacts and face their greatest challenge yet in brutal combat around the pit of doom or "wishing well" as they have inexplicably chosen to call it.
Episode 1: A Fly In Life's Cocktail
Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000
The first episode of our Dungeon World Actual Play podcast, where we get to meet the characters and their adventure begins with a simple mission to search an abandoned Septarian temple- How hard can it be? Contains bad language, bad puns and terrible dice rolls.