Explore every episode of the podcast Artifacts of the Arcane

It's pre-war 1938 Manhattan. Technology has made magic obsolete. So much so that people don't even think of magic anymore. In this world, Tommy Black and his odd grandfather walk to their favorite restaurant after watching an Errol Flynn movie. On the way they are suddenly confronted with the reality of powerful magical creatures.

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Tommy learns more about magic and his grandfather.

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Tommy meets Lord Ainsley, the Master of the Citadel of London.

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Tommy is equipped for his meeting with Cain.

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Tommy tracks down Naomi for help.

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Tommy is ambushed as he enters his room.

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Can Tommy escape from the Citadel of London?

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On the train to Persia.

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Tommy and Naomi make it to Persia, but are surprised by what they find.

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Tommy and Naomi get some help on their journey to Persepolis.

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Tommy and Naomi arrive in Persepolis and attempt to free Tommy's grandfather.

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Welcome to Season Two!

Season two begins two years after the conclusion of Season One. Tommy Black travels to the Citadel of England to meet with the one man whose magic may rival his own.

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Tommy joins Lord Ainsley for a conversation.

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Tommy meets with Vice Admiral Fraser, who will oversee his travel to France.

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Tommy returns to the Citadel of Magic.

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Tommy, Naomi, and Mister Ali discuss what is happening with the staff in Naomi's mysterious castle.

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Tommy learns more about his grandfather and the staff from Mister Ali as the make their way down the long staircase to the mysterious and dangerous Nar Marratum river, a river that apparently has a mind of its own.

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Arkady reveals a shocking story from Russia.

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Tommy and Naomi discuss magic as they cross the North Sea. While showing off the Hammer of Jamshid, their merchant ship is attacked by a German flotilla.

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A tense arrival in war-torn Leningrad promises a meeting with the elusive Angel of St. Petersburg. But when the rendezvous point erupts in violence, Tommy, Naomi, and Mister Ali find themselves caught in a deadly ambush.

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A tense operation to seize an enemy agent unfolds in the heart of war-torn Leningrad. Illusions clash with unforeseen defenses, and as the carefully laid trap springs, the team must battle not only their target but also Naomi's consuming rage, pushing them all to their limits.

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Secrets and lies unravel as the team delves into the mind of their captive. The true nature of the threat they face becomes terrifyingly clear, leading to a high-stakes gamble that could either deliver them to the Angel or seal their doom.

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As Mister Ali rests, Tommy discovers more about his grandfather's mysterious staff. Wanting to head home, Tommy decides to use the mighty artifact against the mighty river.

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An argument over morality forces Tommy and Naomi to confront their pasts, leading to an unexpected understanding. But just as they reconcile, their powers wane, leaving them vulnerable in a town teeming with soldiers and secrets.

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The plan is shattered. When their illusion fails at the worst possible moment, Tommy and Naomi find themselves trapped and powerless in a train station swarming with soldiers. With their old magic gone, a desperate, newly discovered power is their only chance to reach the departing engine.

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After a dangerous bargain with a fiery Marid secures their passage to Paris, the journey brings a revelation that will change everything. Naomi finally reveals the dark secret behind Tommy's powerful staff, a truth she kept hidden out of a desperate fear for the future of magic itself.

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As the team plans their next move, Iggy's unnerving depth of knowledge about the artifacts comes into question. His evasive answers only deepen the mystery, even as he provides the crucial intelligence they need to pinpoint their target's location for a final confrontation.

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A solo scouting mission turns into a deadly trap when Tommy is ambushed by a team of Nazi magicians in a Parisian park. As secrets are revealed and allegiances are tested, a spectacular magical battle erupts, showcasing Naomi's terrifying power and pushing the team to their absolute limits.

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With the enemy's identity and location known, the final plan to retrieve the Coat is set. As Iggy reveals the last crucial pieces of the puzzle, Naomi's concern shifts from their enemy to Tommy himself, fearing that his promise to "do the right thing" is exactly what will get them killed.

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Tommy and Mister Ali escape the river into a desert mountain range.

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On the morning of the final confrontation, a devastating crisis strikes: the Staff of Darius is completely powerless. As the team scrambles for answers, they uncover a horrifying possibility that their enemy has already gained a critical advantage, forcing them into a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble.

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In the fiery heart of a Parisian library, a powerless Tommy confronts the German Archmage wearing the Coat of Invincibility. With brute force useless and allies incapacitated, victory hinges on a desperate bluff and the one secret property of the staff the enemy doesn't know.

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Forced to travel on foot, the team's internal tensions explode into a heated argument about respect and safety. Their bickering is cut short by a German assassin, forcing them into the fields and confirming their worst fears. Now hunted, they set their sights on the city of Reims, a destination that holds a new purpose.

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A stop in a quaint French village does little to ease the growing tension between Tommy and Naomi. As Tommy struggles to understand why she's upset, his attempts to explain his grand mission only make things worse. It's only after a chance ride in a farmer's wagon—and an embarrassing accident—that the ice is finally broken.

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A German bomber attack on a dark French road puts the team in mortal peril. While Tommy's invincibility is proven, Naomi is left desperately weak. As the plane circles for a second pass, Tommy—influenced by the artifacts—makes a shocking decision, forcing a nearly-unconscious Naomi to save them with a desperate, last-ditch illusion.

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Tommy and Mister Ali take refuge in a Way Station as Djinn attack. They meet Naomi, a girl Tommy's age who is proficient at magic.

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With Naomi unconscious and the Germans in pursuit, Iggy confronts Tommy with a hard truth: his desire to free the dragon may be a catastrophic mistake. But under the growing influence of the artifacts, Tommy rejects the Ifrit’s warning, deepening the rift between the Archmage and his protector.

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Tensions flare on the road to Saint-Avold as Tommy and Naomi struggle to adjust to their reversed roles. But the real test comes in the town square. Confronted by armed locals, Naomi doesn't hesitate, brushing them aside with a flick of her wrist. The ensuing silence reveals a chilling truth: the "Black Witch" is no longer just a nickname; it's a terrifying reality for the local populace. 

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Sleep is impossible when wearing the stiff, heavy Coat of Invincibility, but taking it off means terrifying exposure to the Cup of Jamshid. Caught between exhaustion and danger, Tommy offers a physical solution to a magical problem, turning a miserable night in the dirt into a personal moment.

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Desperate to speed up their journey to Berlin, the team stumbles upon an abandoned German military vehicle. But stealing a car is one thing; driving it is another. What follows is a chaotic, near-disastrous lesson in mechanics as two powerful magicians and a dog try to survive the most dangerous weapon they've encountered yet: a stick shift.

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A detour through the German countryside leads Tommy and Naomi to Völklingen—not just a factory, but a prison of fire and iron. With the enemy anticipating their arrival and the locals terrified of the "Black Witch," the duo realizes that stealth is no longer an option. Below them, the enslaved Ifrit scream within the blast furnaces; ahead of them lies a legion of soldiers. As they descend into the smoke, they aren't just running from the war anymore; they are about to become it.

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Mister Ali relays some of the history of Tommy's grandfather and the staff, while Naomi observes.

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Overlooking a valley of fire, Tommy is confronted with a horrifying possibility: the ancient dragon he swore to save might actually be the villain of the story. Torn between Iggy's dire warnings, Naomi's historical expertise, and the relentless psychic pull of the artifacts, Tommy agrees to a tenuous truce as the team begins the long walk to Berlin.

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The eerie calm of an uncontested road to Berlin turns deadly when the team is lured by a pristine getaway car. Falling under the spell of a master voice illusionist, Tommy and Naomi are moments away from giving up their greatest weapons. Their only salvation comes from a desperate, psychic plea from the very creature Iggy warned them to fear.

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The tense road trip through enemy territory forces Tommy to rethink their strategy. Instead of running, they will make a final stand at Festung Friedrichsort. But as Iggy leaps from the moving car to seek unlikely aquatic allies, Tommy doubts their plan. It takes Naomi's sharp tactical insight to make him realize just how desperate the Nazis have become—and why they have no choice but to attack.

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Naomi and Tommy arrive at the deserted military ruins of Festung Friedrichsort outside Kiel. With Iggy absent, the two of them must scout the freezing, ancient stone fortress on their own. 

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When a mechanized convoy of heavily armed soldiers arrives at the gates, Naomi and Tommy don't understand what it can mean. There are no magicians, not cup, and no heavy weapons... just soldiers.

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At Kings Cross Station, Tommy, Mister Ali, and Naomi meet three masters of magic and... a surprise.

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Tommy finally meets Cain and receives a powerful lesson in magic.

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Tommy and Mister Ali meet with Lord Ainsley, where we hear a stunning revelation.

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