Merely Roleplayers – Details, episodes &amp; analysis

O n Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

Vigil: Shadowfall, Act 4

Season 34 · Episode 4

mardi 1 juillet 2025 • Duration 50:53

Act Four of Five: What happens when you mix ancient Albion’s divine magic with the gray psyche of the urban USA? Not a riddle: we’re about to find out.

Coming next on 15 July – Vigil: Shadowfall, Act 5

Programme notes

This production contains fantasy violence, gunfire, and references to child abduction.

Matt played Coiled Spæce with Maddy Searle on A Game Of One’s Own.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Melody Bantham: The owner of Melodies, the cosy cafe and vinyl shop on Market Street. Melody is an ageless patchwork person animated by music, who fled her creator ages ago and has owned a music shop on this spot ever since.

Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Gwynned, the Shieldmaiden: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan, exiled to live as a duck for the crime of saving a mortal man from her mistress’ cruel whim, now freed from her curse and elevated to a third of the godhead herself.

Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Recently lifted.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Helen Stratton as Melody Bantham, the Constructed

Marta Da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Strat as Brier, the Monstrous

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Pigeons taking off by Glaneur de sons on freesound.org (CC BY 4.0 ); and ma y include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 2

Season 33 · Episode 2

mardi 11 mars 2025 • Duration 46:49

Act Two of Five: Gwynned seeks out eyewitnesses (and nose-, foot- and tail-witnesses). Graham and Renko follow their noses.

Coming next on 25 March – Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 3

Programme notes

This production contains fantasy violence, retching sounds, toxic friendship, and betrayal.

The Re: Dracula team’s audio drama adaptation of Carmilla, the classic vampire novel by J Sheridan Le Fanu (Sherrydown’s namesake), is in progress over on the Re: Dracula podcast feed.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed.

Gwynned, the Shieldmaiden: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan, exiled to live as a duck for the crime of saving a mortal man from her mistress’ cruel whim, now freed from her curse and elevated to a third of the godhead herself.

Graham: The demon equivalent of an accountant, summoned to Earth in error and now trying to make the best of it. He is destined to bring about the Apocalypse.

Peggy Tailor: The prodigal daughter of a local family that dabbles in fey frolicking and organised crime, back in town to lay low after a grift gone horribly wrong.

Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Recently lifted.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Vikki as Renko, the Flake

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

Ellie Pitkin as Peggy Tailor, the Crooked

with Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: pigeons taking off by Glaneur de sons on freesound.org; Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin McLeod (incompetech.com ), licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 3.0 License; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

Find us

O n Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

Vigil: All Aboard, Act 5

Season 21 · Episode 5

mardi 7 février 2023 • Duration 52:32

Act Five of Five: In which we reach the end of the line, penalty fares apply, and not everyone makes the return trip.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

Catch Natalie Winter, Helen Stratton, and Strat on the What Am I Rolling? Twitch channel! They joined Fiona, the channel’s regular game master, for a game of The Between, horror mystery against the backdrop of Victorian London, run by its designer, Jason Cordova.

The Feed series 2 continues on our Instagram: @merelyroleplayers

Our promo this episode is for What Am I Rolling?, a twice-monthly RPG one-shot podcast, hosted by gamemaster, Fiona. Every month, Fiona takes a brand new group of players and runs them through a one-shot adventure, testing out a different RPG game style or system.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Wizardtorium by Kevin MacLeod; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

Kit, the Spirit (Vigil Backstage)

Season 21

mardi 31 janvier 2023 • Duration 19:56

Friend, guide, idol. Trickster, whisperer, manipulator. Ellen and Matt discuss Kit and how to navigate roleplaying an unhealthy relationship.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: a US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

Vigil: All Aboard, Act 4

Season 21 · Episode 4

mardi 24 janvier 2023 • Duration 54:25

Act Four of Five: In which the Conductor takes the lead, and it becomes clear who laid the rails - and where they end.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

The Feed 2 has begun on Instagram! It’s a game of Unreal by Josh Fox, a game about housemates in a Big Brother house where something is wrong, played by posting diary room videos. This series stars Matt and Alex from Merely Roleplayers; Fiona from What Am I Rolling?; Quinn from Monster Hour; Adam from Snyder’s Return; game designer Chloe Mashiter; and streamer The RPG Plot Doctor. To catch every update and piece together the mystery of what’s going on in the house, follow our Instagram (and turn on notifications!)

And you can watch all of the original series of The Feed on our Youtube channel.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Wizardtorium and Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

Harper, the Searcher (Vigil Backstage)

Season 21

mardi 17 janvier 2023 • Duration 00:51.05

Meet Harper: student, realmwalker, Searcher. Harper’s not about that supernatural life, but weirdness just seems to stalk her like a shadow.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

Our promo this episode is for Deck of Many Aces, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play podcast made by actual asexuals and aromantics! Follow four heroes as they adventure through a fantasy world on the cusp of a technological revolution, augmented by magic. Each character's fate is tied to one of the 22 cards in the “Deck of Many Things”, a D&D magical object based on a tarot deck.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: a US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

Vigil: All Aboard, Act 3

Season 21 · Episode 3

mardi 10 janvier 2023 • Duration 53:20

Act Three of Five: In which the journey proves more pleasant than the destination, and a passenger tries their luck behind the wheel.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

Our promo this episode is for Deck of Many Aces, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play podcast made by actual asexuals and aromantics! Follow four heroes as they adventure through a fantasy world on the cusp of a technological revolution, augmented by magic. Each character's fate is tied to one of the 22 cards in the “Deck of Many Things”, a D&D magical object based on a tarot deck.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: soaring clouds by bruce965; Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; Train Wheels Ride Outside Thailand by YOH on freesound.org; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

Calistarius, the Expert (Vigil Backstage)

Season 21

mardi 3 janvier 2023 • Duration 22:05

Meet Cal: horror writer, library sponsor, Expert. Sherrydown’s supernatural goings-on are fodder for Cal’s novels - if he can avoid becoming a cautionary tale himself.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: a US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

Vigil: All Aboard, Act 2

Season 21 · Episode 2

mardi 13 décembre 2022 • Duration 59:27

Act Two of Five: In which Sherrydown’s train station sees more arrivals, departures, and missed connections than it has in years.

Programme notes

This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.

Our promo this episode is for Firebreathing Kittens, an actual play Dungeons and Dragons oneshot podcast with a season-long plot. Each episode’s adventure has a standalone microplot like CSI or Doctor Who, so you can jump in at any point. Listen to these episodes in any order, and skip any you don’t enjoy. The cast rotates. Join them as they solve detective mysteries, attempt comedic banter, explore, and enjoy friendship.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: soaring clouds by bruce965; Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; Train Wheels Ride Outside Thailand by YOH on freesound.org; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us