Episodes
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This week's episode is a bit different from our usual deep-dives and story summaries. We're tackling one of the biggest questions new fans of Magic might have: What is Magic's story? We want someone who might be encountering Magic through Foundations for the very first time to know what Magic story is, where you can read it, and what to expect from future sets.
This is a very high-level overview, so our more experienced listeners may know everything and more that we talk about, but share it with your friends who are opening their first pack of Magic cards and saying "Hey, how do I learn more about this really cool character?"
If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to our Discord server where we're talking all things Duskmourn and looking forward to the announcement of future sets, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! Every member at the $1 a month tier gets access to the Discord and early episode releases, and for $3 a month members can listen to us record the show live! -
For Halloween, we've decided to delve into a spooky one-shot adventure set in the halls of Duskmourn! Jay and Brian are joined by a special (returning?) guest as they open some doors and find themselves in a malicious escape room designed by a maniacal clown. Will they make it out alive? Probably! Will they make it out unharmed? Definitely not.
If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to our Discord server where we're talking all things Duskmourn and looking forward to the announcement of future sets, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! Every member at the $1 a month tier gets access to the Discord and early episode releases, and for $3 a month members can listen to us record the show live! -
Missing episodes?
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Did you know this year was a special anniversary for Magic? It's the 30th anniversary of the Magic novel line, which began with Magic, the Gathering: Arena (not the digital game client) in 1994. For this episode, we're exploring the history of Magic novels, their rise and fall, and some of the surrounding circumstances that led to the world of web fiction as we know it today.
If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to our Discord server where we're talking all things Duskmourn and looking forward to the announcement of future sets, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! Every member at the $1 a month tier gets access to the Discord and early episode releases, and for $3 a month members can listen to us record the show live! -
This week we're joined by the #1 Fan of Jace Beleren, Radley! He's here to talk to us about the enigmatic wielder of mysteries, including delving into some of his current motivations in the story and some larger themes that surround one of Magic's longest running characters. If you don't follow Radley online, you can find him at @SpaceBeleren on Twitter, or follow his Vorthos blog at wielderofmysteries.tumblr.com. Radley's extensive knowledge of Jace means you'll see more of him on the podcast in the future as the narrative moves towards a showdown with the iconic blue planeswalker.
If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to our Discord server where we're talking all things Duskmourn and looking forward to the announcement of future sets, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! Every member at the $1 a month tier gets access to the Discord and early episode releases, and for $3 a month members can listen to us record the show live! -
Duskmourn is one giant, flavorful homage to horror movies of the modern age. This week we're diving into our favorite flavor gems of the set, including the very clever designs of the story's main characters and the best references to the horror movies we all love (except for Chris, who is on record for not really loving horror movies).
If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to our Discord server where we're talking all things Duskmourn and looking forward to the announcement of future sets, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! Every member at the $1 a month tier gets access to the Discord and early episode releases, and for $3 a month members can listen to us record the show live! -
It's time to welcome Seanan McGuire home to the podcast for another interview to discuss all things Duskmourn. We cover character choices, world building, and influences for this terrifying House. Come step into the parlor, take a seat, and enjoy listening to our conversation. Pay no attention to the way the chair won't let you go...
Please go read the Magic story! You can find all episodes of Duskmourn for free at mtgstory.com! Reading the story explains the story.
If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to our Discord server where we're talking all things Duskmourn and looking forward to the announcement of future sets, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! Every member at the $1 a month tier gets access to the Discord and early episode releases, and for $3 a month members can listen to us record the show live! Sometimes you get to see Seanan's cats! -
The twisting halls of Duskmourn contain many cautionary tales and grim nightmares, and today we're talking about these side stories that help flesh out the walls of the House. Children born into a world with no dawn or dusk, lost travelers who find no comfort in a moment of respite, elves who can only watch as their world is enclosed in eternal night, and even the miracle of kindness among the monsters that stalk the halls.
Please go read Duskmourn's story and side story at https://magic.wizards.com/en/story! The side stories provide a lot of texture to the world and build on the history and themes present in the main story.
If you want to support the podcast, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where every patron level gets access to our Discord server and early episode releases! For $3 a month, you can listen to us record live! That's even earlier episodes, if you think about it! -
We conclude the main story of Duskmourn this week with our heroes coming face to facade with the elder demon of the house, Valgavoth. Do they all escape the House? And if they do escape, at what cost? Also, we discuss what it means for the narrative of Magic to have planeswalkers when there are paths between planes for non-planeswalkers to walk.
As always, please click through and read the stories on the Magic Story page, https://magic.wizards.com/en/story ! You can do your part to help support the continuation of free Magic web fiction by simply reading the free Magic web fiction!
If you want to support the podcast, you can do so at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where every patron level gets access to our Discord server and early episode releases! For $3 a month, you can listen to us record live! That's even earlier episodes, if you think about it! -
We slip once more through the halls of the House this week as our survivors face their greatest fears and terrible monsters. Not all of them do a very good job of surviving these episodes...
Duskmourn story can be read for free on the Magic website at magic.wizards.com/en/story and you can find Mira Grant's DVD Extras on Seanan McGuire's blog at seananmcguire.com/blog/.
If you like our show, consider subscribing to our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, and $3 a month means you can listen to our show live as we record it! We also post early episode releases on the Patreon when we can, so it's never a bad time to join! -
On August 27th, 2014, the first official Magic Story web fiction was published: The Madness of Sarkhan by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes. This story was the first chapter in the Khans of Tarkir story, which would be the first time the main story for a Magic set was published entirely online and for anyone to read it. This year, to mark it's 10th anniversary, The Vorthos Cast has created a mini episode looking back on the history of Magic story, from its early years in the Armada comics to today's story of Duskmourn.
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It's time for our journey into the House to begin. The story for Duskmourn gave us a jumpscare with a release a full week earlier than anticipated, so we're going to start our coverage a full week early, too! But we haven't forgotten our promise of worldbuilding details, so every week we will also include a little bit of the Planeswalker Guide for you to keep you comfortable in the reassuring walls of the House.
Duskmourn story can be read for free on the Magic website at https://magic.wizards.com/en/story and you can find Mira Grant's DVD Extras on Seanan McGuire's blog at https://seananmcguire.com/blog/.
If you like our show, consider subscribing to our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, and $3 a month means you can listen to our show live as we record it! We also post early episode releases on the Patreon when we can, so it's never a bad time to join! -
This week we've activated the special interests of Jay and Loreley to talk about horror movies, and specifically how Duskmourn is informed by the rich history of scares on the screen! We're breaking down the big subgenres, the movies you may want to be familiar with, and how they play into the world design of Duskmourn.
If you like our show, consider subscribing to our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, and $3 a month means you can listen to our show live as we record it! We also post early episode releases on the Patreon when we can, so it's never a bad time to join! -
The world of Bloomburrow is vast, colorful, and furry. This week we're looking at the worldbuilding of this brand new plane, from the landscapes of the valley to the people who inhabit those lands and to the history they all share.
If y'all like this kind of worldbuilding episode, let us know! We cover a lot of the basics of the plane in this episode, but you can learn more through the three Planeswalker guides and the five episode story by Valerie Valdes. Or you can just send us an email with your questions and we might address them on future episodes!
If you like our show, consider subscribing to our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, and $3 a month means you can listen to our show live as we record it! We also post early episode releases on the Patreon when we can, so it's never a bad time to join! -
It's time to dig into the many treats on offer from Bloomburrow! We're talking legends, baguettes, and fistfighting giant pandas on this installment of our flavor gems series! I promise it all makes sense if you listen!
If you like our show, consider subscribing to our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, and $3 a month means you can listen to our show live as we record it! We also post early episode releases on the Patreon when we can, so it's never a bad time to join! -
We're welcoming back Valerie Valdes this week to talk about her work on writing the Bloomburrow set story! Valerie has been on the show before to talk about writing the story for Lost Caverns of Ixalan, and this week she's back to talk about the very different experience in writing Bloomburrow, including her influences for the story that combines epic quests with wholesome family dynamics.
If you like Valerie as much as we do, you can keep abreast of her writings on http://valerievaldes.com/, check out recent release Where Pease is Lost, and look forward to her work in the upcoming anthology Beating Hearts and Battle Axes and her novel coming out next year, Mage You Look!
If you like our show, consider subscribing to our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, and $3 a month means you can listen to our show live as we record it! We may begin posting early episode releases on the Patreon when we can, so it's never a bad time to join! -
The story of Bloomburrow is only five episodes long, but they're five great episodes and give us a lot to talk about! This week we're wrapping up the set's story and sharing our thoughts on this start of a new arc, the world of Bloomburrow in a wider Magic context, and where things might go from here.
You can find all episodes of the Bloomburrow story right now on the Magic website for free! Just go to magic.wizards.com/en/story and read about the most lovable frog since Kermit!
If you want to support us and help us keep making this podcast, check out our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, where we're talking all things Bloomburrow right now, and $3 a month lets you listen to us record each episode live, usually on Thursday evenings at 7pm. -
We're back from our vacation to start talking all things Bloomburrow story! This week we're covering the first three episodes of the story by Valerie Valdes, what we think about the first glimpse of this new world, and what animalfolk we think the Lorwyn Five and friends would be on this plane!
You can find all episodes of the Bloomburrow story right now on the Magic website for free! Just go to https://magic.wizards.com/en/story and read about the most lovable frog since Kermit!
If you want to support us and help us keep making this podcast, check out our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord server, where we're talking all things Bloomburrow right now, and $3 a month lets you listen to us record each episode live, usually on Thursday evenings at 7pm. -
Thank you Wizards of the Coast for our free preview cards for Bloomburrow! We're happy to introduce the world to our two all-star uncommons, Mabel's Mettle and Quaketusk Boar!
You can find full images of the cards and art on our Twitter at Twitter.com/TheVorthosCast -
We have our resident Assassin's Creed expert, Jay Annelli, here to tell us all about the flavor gems of the Universes Beyond: Assassin's Creed set! Who better to tell us the ins and outs of this special booster release than a loremaster who worked on the creative text team for the set and also has a long, documented history as a sociopathic murderer.
My lawyers are telling me that I cannot call Jay a sociopathic murderer.
I think I heard someone jumping into a haystack outside my house? I should stand on the roof to investigate.
If you enjoy our podcast, consider signing up for our Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, where $1 a month gets you access to our Discord community, $3 a month gets you access to our live-listen tier where you can listen to us record the podcast every week, and any amount of money will contribute to our ability to keep the show running! We appreciate all of you, even those who don't subscribe! -
We've made it to 300 episodes, and to thank you, our dear listeners, we're answering your questions! We've got the full roster of co-hosts to answer the hard-hitting questions, like "Does Bolas know about the Fomori?" and "What's Kellan's fursona?"
Seriously, though, thank all of you so much for your years of support, all the way to 300 episodes! We love making this show, but we wouldn't do it without you. So please share our show with your friends and get them reading Magic story along with you and us.
If you want to support us financially for the next 300 episodes, you can do that on Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, but you don't have to! We'll still appreciate you all the same. But by supporting, you can get into our Discord server, just $1 a month, where the coolest Vorthoses from around the world hang out and ask us all sorts of questions all the time. You can be one of them! - Show more
