Roll, Ponder, and Play - Dramatized Solo Roleplay
17 episodes
(Actual number of episodes significantly different than number of episodes as recorded in database.)
Tell me about it.
Web <link> from RSS feed:
https://rollponderandplay.podbean.com
Database link:
https://rollponderandplay.podbean.com
RSS Feed:
https://feed.podbean.com/rollponderandplay/feed.xml
Creator from RSS feed: Roll, Ponder, and Play
Database Creators: Roll, Ponder, and PlaySynopsis:
Welcome to Roll, Ponder, and Play (RPnP), a podcast dedicated to crafting stories through the application of role-playing game engines, combined with creative thinking, and propelled into the aether by the barest of prompts. I take on all the roles of game master, solo player, author, and narrator. Come with me on a journey, and together let us explore realms of shadow, danger, and wonder! One roll can decide the fate of many things… Roll, Ponder, and Play podcast blends immersive story telling with ambient sounds and music into a compelling audio drama. I use role-playing game (RPG) systems to both propel the plot forward and to handle conflict mechanics. Out-of-character (OOC) moments pull back the curtain, revealing die results, insights into game mechanics, character decisions, and on-the-fly world building. I currently have these shows with more to come: Queen of Shadows - (Currently available with episodes dropping weekly!) In the dark and unforgiving Ironlands, Eilwen--huntress of Frostbridge--struggles to reclaim her lost heritage and uncover the mystery of her mother’s past. Her journey of self-discovery will test even the strongest of bonds. Genre: Dark Fantasy RPG: Ironsworn Content Rating: PG-13 for violence, dark thematic elements, and some minor foul language. Flight of the Oracle - (Currently available on my Patreon) At the edge of known space, the UASN Oracle, a military destroyer turned science vessel, begins a survey mission in an unexplored star system. In the face of a dire threat to all of humanity, Ardelle Leath, a junior officer, on board the Oracle, will struggle to overcome her past and fulfill her duty to the United Alliance Space Navy (UASN) as leadership is thrust upon her. Genre: Military Sci Fi RPG: OneDice Content Rating: PG-13 for action violence, gore, and some minor foul language. For detailed information about the content rating for my shows, see my About page at https://www.patreon.com/rollponderandplay/about Ways to Show Support: * Join my Patreon for free at https://patreon.com/rollponderandplay, or join as a paid subscriber and get additional content * Give the show a positive review * Share the show with others * Reach out to me and say hello Follow this URL to see my website: https://rollponderandplay.podbean.com/
Language: English
Format: Audio RPG
RPG System: Ironsworn
Continuity: Longform
Writing: Improvised
Voices: Solo
Narrator: Third Person
Genres: Fantasy
Soundscape: Music
Not tagged: [Maturity] [Country of origin] [Transcript]
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Episodes:
Queen of Shadows Podcast - About
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:07:48 -0600
Welcome to my very first ever podcast, the Queen of Shadows, a multi-part and as of 2025 ongoing episodic (and epic) work of fiction where I, Jared Hess, your friendly neighborhood game master, solo-player, author, and narrator bring to life the story of our protagonist, Eilwen, a huntress from the faraway settlement of Frostbridge in the Veiled Mountains.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- Music by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode (Session) 0
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:09:00 -0600
Previously:
In my previous upload to this podcast (I can't call it an episode really), I described the origin and impetus for the Queen of Shadows podcast series. And now, onto episode 0 where we will discover our character and do some world building.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Prologue
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:12:58 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode (our "Session 0" if you will), we met Eilwen, our main character and protagonist, a young huntress of Frostbridge in her late teens. We found out that Frostbridge, Eilwen's settlement, is a failing mining settlement deep in the cold and snow-ridden wilderness of the Veiled Mountains. We learned that Eilwen is daughter to her mother, Arwed and to her father Cadfael. We found that she has twin brother, Aron, her only sibling. We did some world building and decided on the truths for our version of the Ironlands. The most notable custom truth that I came up with is that demons of bone and blade termed "Heralds of the Night" came through a cleft in the sky, invading the old world. It was they who forced Eilwen's forebears to flee to the Ironlands generations ago.
And now, the Prologue for Queen of Shadows.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 1
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:13:41 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, the prologue, Eilwen and her twin brother Aron were both only 15 years of age. They discover that Eilwen's ailing mother has kept in her possession for many years, a finely carved box, and in that box is a cloven crown of gold with a crimson ruby shorn down the middle. This is the lost crown of the royal line of Queens from generations ago when these lands were first settled by her forebears. Eilwen finds out that she is in actuality of the royal line as was her mother before her, both are displaced queens to a lost kingdom and throne. Her mother urges Eilwen to seek the other half of the crown, promising her that the lands will unite under the one of royal descent who bears the two halves. Aron, with some convincing from his mother, vows to protect Eilwen in this quest. Eilwen's mother promises to answer her daughter's questions but upon sleeping, never awakens and dies in the night.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- 'Just Run Adventure Cinematic' by Roman Gim (whvle) on Pixabay, used in accordance with Pixabay's royalty-free Content License (https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/).
This episode was sponsored by Friends & Fables.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 2
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:15:08 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen her twin brother Aron, both 18 years old, find out their father and Chief Mabon have not returned from their morning hunt. Eilwen vows to find them and she and Aron gather supplies in preparation. Before they can set out however, a huge silverback bear enters Frostbridge hoping for an easy meal. In the ensuing fight, two members of the community are slain by the bear before it retreats into the snowy wilderness of the Veiled Mountains. Eilwen and Aron continue their preparations and overhear conversations between the dark-hearted Belvan and his cronies talking ill about their family and planning something. Eilwen decides to do something about Belvan once they find their father. She takes the finely wrought box with the crown and its strange iron disks and brings it with them. Disks she doesn't reveal to Aron, disks her mother taught her to read.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- 'Just Run Adventure Cinematic' by Roman Gim (whvle) on Pixabay, used in accordance with Pixabay's royalty-free Content License (https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/).
This episode was sponsored by Friends & Fables.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 3
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:16:15 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen and her twin brother, Aron, meet with Drystan, a member of the Frostbridge community. They manage to convince the large man to aid them in their search for Mabon, the missing chieftain of Frostbridge and Cadfael, their missing father. Drystan agrees and brings his sleds and dogs so they can travel more quickly over the snow. During their travels, Eilwen hides her mother's wooden box containing the crown and the iron disks in a cleft. After traveling for some time, they located the hunting grounds where Mabon and Cadfael should have been. There they see signs of a struggle and many boot prints that lead southward to the next settlement, they begin to make their way south in pursuit. After surviving an avalanche, and spending the night huddled together with the dogs, they arrive at the Green Grip, a vast swath of greenery thick with tall pines in a huge valley. The grip is rumored to be haunted. While Aron and Drystan set up camp, Eilwen goes hunting, attempting to recover their meager supplies. Instead of finding hare or doe or fox, she sees a tall slender figure whose features she could not make out under the shadowy boughs of the thick pine trees. It speaks not and only watches her. She tries to return to her brother and Drystan, but discovers that the game trail she had just been following was inexplicably gone, completely hidden from view, fresh needles and snow obliterating all traces of her previous route. With nowhere else to go, she decides that following after the strange figure who had retreated deeper into the trees is the only way she'll be able to get clear of this strange forest.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- 'Just Run Adventure Cinematic' by Roman Gim (whvle) on Pixabay, used in accordance with Pixabay's royalty-free Content License (https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/).
This episode was sponsored by Friends & Fables.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 4
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:17:43 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen chases the retreating figure and ends up in a clearing where she finds ancient stone blocks and two strange iron pillars. She investigates the pillars and to her surprise realizes she can read at least some of the angular runes on their faces. She remembers how her mother had taught her the skill through a deep study of the iron disks. At the base of one of the pillars, she discovers a panel which she presses it, it springs open spewing out a large cloud of white dust, dust that she realizes with growing horror is likely dried bones ground to dust from a sacrifice a sacrifice of a little girl made to some power. She mourns such loss and vows to find out if her mother was affiliated with such a cult, and if so to stamp them out. Upon making the vow, she finds the way back to her brother and Drystan revealed. She spends the night in the forest and dreams of the child who tells her thank you. The next morning, she returns to Aron and Drystan and they resume their journey towards Rockriver to find Mabon the chieftain of Frostrbidge and their father, Cadfael.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 5
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:18:53 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen, Aron, and Drystan arrive safely at Rockriver, however they find that the town has been attacked and half burned to the ground, its inhabitants dead or missing. They aid one of the wounded survivors, a man named Kyffin. He tells them that the town was attacked by none other than Uzak an erstwhile and now exiled member of the Frostbridge settlement who has raised his own warband and terrorizes the country side, calling himself clan chief of a Wolf Fang clan. Kyffin doesn't know if Uzak has captured Mabon and her father, Cadfael, but he tells Eilwen that if they want to get ahead of Uzak's raiding party, there is a shortcut through a nearby mine that takes them directly through one of the mountains and should position them on the far side. He warns them, however, that the mine is rumored to be haunted and have strange creatures. He gives them a map. They decide to go through the mines, seeking whatever advantage they can in their quest to quickly save their Cadfael and Mabon. They make preparations for the journey through the mine.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- River sound is from ZapSplat (Zapsplat.com) and used in accordance with their standard license.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 6
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:20:07 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen and Aaron leave behind Drystan behind in Rockriver with instructions for him to care for Kyffin so that they can move more quickly through the mines and get ahead of the Wolf Fang warriors and their prisoners. They find the mine entrance one valley over to the west and enter it about mid-morning. In the timeless dark, they find a large underground lake and a strange skeleton of a creature they have never known, an ancient skeleton that starts to crumble in places when moved. A shield and nearby helm are rusted beyond all usefulness. They resume their journey and come to a half-rotted bridge over an underground chasm of peerless depth where they hear roiling river rushing through the bowels of the mountain within. With some ingenuity involving some barrel staves and some rope, they make it safely across and finally at day's end, they exit the mine, now on the southern end of Mount Hingsworth.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 7
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:21:14 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen and Aron find a sheltered spot with an overhang, largely obscured from view where they can see the valley below. They prepare for the Wolf Fang raiders to circle the mountain and come into view. Eilwen goes hunting and nearly falls to ruin when she encounters a pack of hungry wolves that chase her onto an slippery log over a ravine. She manages to escape and returns to camp. From their hidden overhang, they spot the Wolf Fang encampment in the distance with tents and cookfires and cages and sleds amidst a field of huge boulders that had sloughed off from the mountain's face eons ago. When Eilwen hears the cries of the children and the women in distress, she wants to go and help, but Aaron thinks it foolish to attempt to rescue everyone, and they argue. She vows to someday free the captive women and children.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 8
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:22:24 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, in the dead of night, Eilwen spots, within the Wolf Fang Clan raiding party's encampment, her Father, Cadfael, and Frostbridge Chiefton Mabon in a wooden cage with some old women. She awakens Aron and they get a closer look. When they see that only one sentry is on duty, guarding the cage, she and Aron decide they won't get a better chance to rescue the two men. With Aaron covering her with her bow, she stealthily moves from boulder to boulder and approaches the cage with only her dagger. She uses the runic magic her mother, Arwed, taught her for first time by herself to call upon the shadows to cloak her movements. And they come to her, but her magic betrays her, and instead of being cloaked in shadow, the shadows shift and change, and she is imbued with a ghostly sapphire light. She makes the best of it and pretends she is Shilvhana, Queen of Spears--a name and deity of her own creation--come down from the heavens to secure new retainers. She uses the tale to get close to the half-drunk guard who initially believes her. But he's ambivalent about following her, and when it looks like he might call out an alarm, she clubs him over the head with his own spear, and he crumples. She frees her father and Mabon without raising any alarm, but the captive women remain huddled within the cage, unwilling to leave, though the door is wide open. Eilwen and Aron with Cadfael, and Mabon all retreat back to the southern of Mt Hingworth to the mine entrance to make their way back through to Rockriver.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 9
Wed, 16 Jul 2025 16:59:27 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen, Aron, Cadfael, and Mabon enter the mine in an attempt to get away from the Wolf Fang warriors and return to Rockriver and then Frostrbridge. After a few hours they recross the rope bridge and navigate the mine's dark tunnels and reach the edge of the dark underground lake. Eilwen shows the lake-side skeleton to Cadfael and Mabon and is about to resume their journey, when Cadfael and Mabon, still weary and worn and suffering from the abuses incurred at the hands of the Wolf Fang clan, call a halt to their journey. They decide to rest and make camp. They find some old ruined boats now bone dry, perfect for starting a fire and decide to make camp there. Eilwen discovers another boat under a worn canvas wrap that is in fairly good condition with workable oars. She also sees something is reflecting her torch light back to her far in the distance on the large lake. While Cadfael and Mabon work on starting a large fire and setting up camp, She and Aron take the boat to investigate what caused the reflection. They paddle across the lake and find a strange structure, an archway made entirely of iron but tilted askew. Eilwen investigates the markings on the archway, and with some excitement and dread, finds she can read them. She tries to interpret them, and upon touching the archway, receives a vision of sorts. Therein, she sees that an entity of great evil and destructive power is trapped inside the archway, a being with the same skeletal structure as that of the lake-side skeleton. She somehow knows from her vision that the archway was constructed to imprison the being, and that after unknown ages of imprisonment, a group of death cult worshipers of the same race try to free the entity. A battle ensures between the cult and between guardians, also of the same race, set to protect the archway. During the battle, powerful magics are unleased. They rupture the earth and bring forth the fountains of dark waters to drown both warring parties. The imprisoned being tries to break free but as its cult goes to a watery grave, the ritual to break the prison is incomplete, and the thing falls, shrieking and thrashing, into dark oblivion once more. Eilwen's vision ends and upon doing so, a new threat awakens in the form two graceful skeletal creatures, that crawl forth from the slimy lake's depths. These are known as bone horrors. They are legends and children tales now come to life. The creatures leap upon the slanted archway's side and with slashing forearm blades try to kill Eilwen and Aron. A brief battle ensures, and she and her brother barely manage to flee to their boat and then back to Cadfael's bonfire. They convince her father of the immediate threat and the party decides that flight is once again necessary. And as they leave the lakeside's fire burning and run into the dark tunnels, they can see dripping out of the water and muck two bone horrors scanning the shore.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 10
Wed, 23 Jul 2025 20:13:04 -0600
Previously:
In our previous episode, Eilwen, Aron, Cadfael, and Mabon, Chieftain of Frostbridge, escape the mine and make it to Rockriver's ruins where they rest and recuperate. They journey back to Frostrbridge and find that Belvan isn't there. During the feasting that ensured upon Mabon's return, Carys, the old crone, tells Eilwen that Belvan went looking for the burial chambers that Eilwen's mother, Arwed, had found three years earlier. Mabon rewards Eilwen with a great honor, in the form of a battered iron sword called Toothbite that was passed down to him through his great grandfather. Mabon names Eilwen Swordmistress. For the next two days Mabon trains her from sun up to sun down one-on-one in the ways of the sword. Eilwen proves a quick learner and masters her concentration to such a level that on the second day of training she nearly defeats Mabon in their practice fight. On the third day since their return to Frostbridge, Belvan returns from the burial chambers. He bears a heavy dark spear and challenges Mabon's right to rule the settlement. Mabon informs him he'll be fighting his new Swordmistress, and after drawing the circle in the snow, a duel ensues between Eilwen (Mabon's champion) and Belvan. The fight is brutal but short. Eilwen is wounded but defeats Belvan, mortally wounding him with a thrown dagger. Grasping his spear, a dark shade moves into him, possessing him and giving him new power. She defeats this new foe, the spirit dissipates on the wind, and Eilwen vows to rid the burial chamber of whatever evil Belvan had uncovered or awakened.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 11
Wed, 30 Jul 2025 14:22:58 -0600
Previously
In our previous episode, Eilwen rests and recuperates after her duel with Belvan and makes preparations for the journey through the mountains to the burial chamber Belvan had infiltrated. Her father reminds her that it is a place of death and is what led to her mother's illness and subsequent demise.
On the morrow, Eilwen reveals herself to Mabon and to Frostbridge as the rightful heir to the throne and as owner to the shorn crown. She asks Mabon for his fealty and aid. He agrees but asks in return that she bring him back a wee lion cub from the southlands.
Eilwen, Cadfael, and Aron travel the rest of the day, and as evening falls, they arrive to the burial site and make entrance under windy conditions. They find a covered hole in the burial-chamber floor and there discover a hidden sub-level, which Belvan must have explored earlier.
They descend into its depths, and find a room with a fallen statue with writings that Eilwen cannot read. They are ambushed by a swarm of blind, maggot-white and wrinkled, ravenous, cavern crawlers about the size of rats. They flee from the room and rush deeper into the sub-level down some steps into a room with eight coffins jutting out from each of the walls of the octagonal chamber. But each coffin seems to have been disturbed. Each lid has been removed, and the bones are missing from each. And oddly, they can see no prints in the dust other than their own.
After finding a branching corridor and getting past a poisoned spear trap, Eilwen manages to unlock a heavy stone door, and they move into the final room in the sublevel. It's a circular room with an iron pedestal in the center, and eight skeletons are lying face down as if making obeisance to a short and stout octagonal stand made of black iron. Atop the pedestal, Eilwen sees a notched octagonal inset groove that could only have held a heavy octagonal ring, a ring that is obviously missing.
When realization crashes upon her that Belvan must have taken the ring and that it is likely the source of some fell power, she fears that Frostbridge is in grave danger and urges them to race back to the surface. Upon doing so, they find that night has fully fallen, and a blinding blizzard has hemmed in their way, forcing them to spend the night in the upper chamber. Eilwen chafes at the delay, but can do little more than groan in frustration as she fears the worst.
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- Various sounds from ZapSplat (https://www.zapsplat.com) and used in accordance with their standard-license.
Queen of Shadows Podcast - Episode 12
Tue, 05 Aug 2025 21:24:41 -0600
Previously
In our previous episode, Eilwen, Aron, and Cadfael race back to Frostbridge to find it beset by some enemy. Several buildings are ablaze and the corpses of the fallen are in the streets offering visceral witness to the violence done to them. They find Mabon cornered by a spirit-possessed blacksmith Gwili, one of the men who had been on burial duty, and who now bore the octagonal ring that Belvan had once possessed. Gwili kills Mabon and his two guards. Eilwen engages it in combat and eventually slays it. She takes the ring, and in Rhovat's forge melts it down, adds salt and dirt to its contents, and casts the glowing abomination into the depths of the icy blue chasm beneath the chasm's bridge. Leaderless, the people of Frostbridge clamor for her as their queen to lead them. She declines but with some help from Aron, she convinces her father, Cadfael, to take up the job of settlement leader. Cadfael addresses the people, urging them to bury and mourn their dead. She decides to head south soon.
Websites:
Ways to Show Support:
Attributions:
- 'The Long Dark' by Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au) - released under CC-BY 4.0.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- Where The Brave May Live Forever - Viking Background Music by Claude Houde from Pixabay.
- Deeply Emotional Orchestral Violin - L'Unico Che Amo from Pixabay.
Flight of the Oracle - Episode (Session) 0
Wed, 06 Aug 2025 14:44:19 -0600
About this Podcast Series:
At the edge of known space, the UASN Oracle, a military destroyer turned science vessel, begins a survey mission in an unexplored star system. In the face a dire threat to all of humanity, Ardelle Leath, a junior officer, on board the Oracle, will struggle to overcome her past and fulfill her duty to the United Alliance Space Navy (UASN) as leadership is thrust upon her.
'Flight of the Orace' blends immersive story telling with ambient sounds and music into a military sci-fi audio drama. It's also a solo role-playing 'Actual Play' experience that uses the OneDice role-playing game (RPG) system to both propel the plot forward and to handle conflict mechanics. Out-of-character (OOC) moments pull back the curtain, revealing die results, insights into game mechanics, character decisions, and on-the-fly world building. Content Rating: PG-13 for action violence, gore, and some minor foul language. For detailed information about the content rating, see my About page at https://www.patreon.com/rollponderandplay/about
About this Episode:
Welcome to the first episode (well the "zeroth" technically) of the 'Flight of the Oracle' podcast, a military sci-fi audio drama and solo RPG actual play! This is the "session 0" where we discuss the setting, the RPG system used to handle conflict resolution, the protagonist I'll be playing, and the UASN Oracle, the ship that the podcast is named after.
Attributions:
- Music by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- Album background image is real art by Chil Vera from Pixabay.
Flight of the Oracle - Prologue
Wed, 06 Aug 2025 14:51:11 -0600
About this Podcast Series:
At the edge of known space, the UASN Oracle, a military destroyer turned science vessel, begins a survey mission in an unexplored star system. In the face a dire threat to all of humanity, Ardelle Leath, a junior officer, on board the Oracle, will struggle to overcome her past and fulfill her duty to the United Alliance Space Navy (UASN) as leadership is thrust upon her.
'Flight of the Orace' blends immersive story telling with ambient sounds and music into a military sci-fi audio drama. It's also a solo role-playing 'Actual Play' experience that uses the OneDice role-playing game (RPG) system to both propel the plot forward and to handle conflict mechanics. Out-of-character (OOC) moments pull back the curtain, revealing die results, insights into game mechanics, character decisions, and on-the-fly world building. Content Rating: PG-13 for action violence, gore, and some minor foul language. For detailed information about the content rating, see my About page at https://www.patreon.com/rollponderandplay/about
Note: The full series is available for paid patreon subscribers, but you can get the first couple of episodes from my Patreon if you join my Patreon as a free member!
Previously:
In our previous episode (our "Session 0" if you will), we discussed the Sci-Fi setting for this podcast series, the OneDice RPG we will be using for conflict resolution, and we met Ardelle Leath, our main character and protagonist: a young junior officer in the Alliance Space Navy. We also learned about the UASN Oracle, a converted warrior class destroyer turned into a survey vessel. It is the ship that this podcast series is named after. And now, the Prologue for Flight of the Oracle!
Attributions:
- 'Where Stars Fall' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au.
- Various tracks by Tabletop Audio ( https://tabletopaudio.com) - released under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Minor modifications (fading/splitting) made to support this podcast format with written permission from the creator.
- 'Powerful Electronic Beat (Runaway)' by fugu_vibes from Pixabay (Pixabay.com).
- 'Space Ambient Cinematic' by Viacheslav Starostin from Pixabay (Pixabay.com).
- Sound effects provided by Zapsplat (Zapsplat.com) and used under the Basic License.
- Album background image is real art by Chil Vera from Pixabay.