Explore every episode of the podcast Merely Roleplayers
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vigil: Shadowfall, Act 5 | 15 Jul 2025 | 00:42:45 | |
Act Five of Five: Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Can Mayor’s unspecified scandal derail historic property deal? Coming next on 22 July – Post-credits scene (Vigil Backstage) Programme notes This production contains fantasy violence, gunfire, and references to child abduction. 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 EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman | |||
| Vigil: Shadowfall, Act 4 | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:50:53 | |
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 may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman | |||
| Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 2 | 11 Mar 2025 | 00:46:49 | |
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. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman | |||
| Vigil: All Aboard, Act 5 | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:52:32 | |
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) | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:19:56 | |
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 | 24 Jan 2023 | 00:54:25 | |
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) | 17 Jan 2023 | 00:00:51 | |
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 | 10 Jan 2023 | 00:53:20 | |
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) | 03 Jan 2023 | 00:22:05 | |
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 | 13 Dec 2022 | 00:59:27 | |
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 | |||
| Arrivals (Vigil Backstage) | 06 Dec 2022 | 00:30:15 | |
We meet our fellow travellers and discover their shared origins. 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 1 | 29 Nov 2022 | 00:49:02 | |
Act One of Five: In which Sherrydown wakes at the witching hour; an old way opens for a sisterly reunion; and Harper opens a new case. 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. Matt’s playing Jason Statham’s Big Vacation in front of a live studio audience in London on Saturday 3 December. It’s been organised by The D20 Future Show as part of the Podcast Zone at Dragonmeet, which is at the Novotel in Hammersmith. Come watch Matt and the rest of Jason’s entourage run about making sure Jason has a nice holiday, in Beaujolais on the Mezzanine floor at 10am. The second Interactive Soup is on Tuesday 6 December at Theatre Deli Leadenhall. Tickets cost £5, which goes in the pot, and get you a bowl of soup and a vote on how to spend the pot. Come along and help fund something that’ll help out the interactive performance community. 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 | |||
| Replay: Five Stage a Rescue (Backstage) | 22 Nov 2022 | 00:42:03 | |
New theatre, new mystery, new players. Let’s head back to the seaside where Five Stage a Rescue. Programme notes Replay is a Backstage strand where Josh takes an in-depth look back at all our past productions, revisiting the memorable moments and asking the unanswered questions. Got a question about any past production from Parallax onwards? Email it to merelyroleplayers@gmail.com (either as text or as an attached audio file) and it could be featured in a future Replay episode. Credits COMPERE: Josh Yard WITH: Matt Boothman MUSIC BY: Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Josh Yard and Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 1 | 25 Feb 2025 | 01:00:31 | |
Act One of Five: Something’s rotten in the county of Brackshire. Peggy has some rotten luck and Graham smells a rat. Coming next on 11 March – Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 2 Programme notes This production contains fantasy violence, retching sounds, toxic friendship, and betrayal. Free exhibition Tarot: Origins and Afterlives is at the Warburg Institute, London until 30 April. 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 EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Encore (Monumental Exit Backstage) | 15 Nov 2022 | 00:24:55 | |
The cast of Monumental Exit look back and talk GMless games, improvisation, and whether the characters of this production deserved their fates. Programme notes This production contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, fire, and death. Our promo this episode is for Snyder’s Return, a UK based tabletop roleplaying game podcast featuring Dungeons & Dragons actual play (where a misfit band of ‘heroes’ take on adventures across the multiverse), interviews and Dungeon Master/player guides. Credits STARRING: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Fiasco (classic edition) by Jason Morningstar, published by Bully Pulpit Games MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Monumental Exit, Act 3 | 08 Nov 2022 | 01:00:31 | |
A geriatric crowd fills the Beanstalk Show Club for a gig that’s sure to go down in rock’n’roll history. Programme notes This production contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, drug use, fire, and death. Our promo this episode is for Snyder’s Return, a UK based tabletop roleplaying game podcast featuring Dungeons & Dragons actual play (where a misfit band of ‘heroes’ take on adventures across the multiverse), interviews and Dungeon Master/player guides. Credits STARRING: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Fiasco (classic edition) by Jason Morningstar, published by Bully Pulpit Games MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Key change (Monumental Exit Backstage) | 01 Nov 2022 | 00:12:25 | |
With all the pieces in place for the final act, the cast finds out some new complications that are sure to upset the board. Programme notes This production contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, fire, and death. Our promo this episode is for Adventurers Anonymous, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play where six players drink cocktails and seek a glorious death. Check it out if if you like your plot lines thin and crispy, and your language to be saltier than a sailor's beard. Credits STARRING: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Fiasco (classic edition) by Jason Morningstar, published by Bully Pulpit Games MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Monumental Exit, Act 2 | 25 Oct 2022 | 00:47:39 | |
Everything’s ready for Bilbo’s swansong at the Beanstalk, but one roadie’s vendetta against the venue owner threatens to stain his perfect farewell. Programme notes This production contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, drug use, fire, and death. On 27 October, it’s five years since we released our first episode! Say congrats on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr or Youtube! Monumental Exit’s Mike Sherpa, Alexander Pankhurst, comperes Top and Bottom Comedy on 2 and 23 November at the Book Club, London. See 10 up and coming comedians in one evening for £3. Our promo this episode is for Adventurers Anonymous, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play where six players drink cocktails and seek a glorious death. Check it out if if you like your plot lines thin and crispy, and your language to be saltier than a sailor's beard. Credits STARRING: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Fiasco (classic edition) by Jason Morningstar, published by Bully Pulpit Games MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Jam session (Monumental Exit Backstage) | 18 Oct 2022 | 00:48:43 | |
The cast of Monumental Exit jam on the Fiasco playset ‘When the Music Stopped’ until they find their characters. Programme notes This production contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, fire, and death. Our promo this episode is for Re: Dracula, a bite-sized audio adaptation of the horror classic Dracula. Re: Dracula is currently crowdfunding, and they need your help to reach their goal! Credits STARRING: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Fiasco (classic edition) by Jason Morningstar, published by Bully Pulpit Games MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Monumental Exit, Act 1 | 11 Oct 2022 | 00:54:52 | |
After 67 years, Bilbo Biltong’s quitting the band. Somewhere out there is a star worthy of stepping into his well worn shoes - but where? Programme notes This production contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, fire, and death. Marta da Silva (The First Nova, The Lost Andromeda Ward Christmas Special) is appearing in Port Saga, the first scripted Vampire: The Masquerade audio drama, currently in its second season. Shocked by his sire’s murder, young vampire Titus Reed returns to the city of his embrace only to discover an old friend has confessed to the crime. Our promo this episode is for Re: Dracula, a bite-sized audio adaptation of the horror classic Dracula. Re: Dracula is currently crowdfunding, and they need your help to reach their goal! Credits STARRING: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Fiasco (classic edition) by Jason Morningstar, published by Bully Pulpit Games MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Disbanding (Vigil Backstage) | 04 Oct 2022 | 00:29:45 | |
We look back at Vigil: Quarry. Did we truly stop the danger or just put it off until later? Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. Our promo this episode is for Realms of Peril & Glory. Journey through hilarious galaxies, adventure-filled worlds and mysterious continents! Experience thrilling tales weaved at the table using a variety of roleplaying game systems, by a rotating panel of Game Masters and Players! www.lightandtragic.com/Merely Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Vigil: Quarry, Act 4 | 27 Sep 2022 | 00:49:00 | |
Quarry, Act Four of Four: In which the Hunt is at bay; a hound bites its master; and a mentor has nothing more to teach. Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. If you enjoy Vigil, you should check out the Sherrydown Enquirer, a Monster of the Week mystery scenario and Sherrydown lore zine. Each issue contains a mystery for use with the roleplaying game Monster of the Week by Michael Sands, for the roleplayers among you; and some juicy history and information about the Sherrydown setting, for fans of Vigil. Buy every issue at https://merelymatt.itch.io Come to the first Interactive Soup at Theatre Deli Leadenhall, London on Tuesday 4 October. Tickets are £5 and include homemade soup and a vote. Five people pitch ideas, and the pitch with the most votes gets the night’s ticket money. Pitch submissions are open until 11:59pm on 20 September, and tickets are available until they sell out. Our promo this episode is for Play On Podcasts from Next Chapter Podcasts: epic audio adventures that reimagine Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of award-winning actors. Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, created specifically for the podcast form by some of America’s most exciting playwrights, directors and composers, and performed by stage and screen’s best. Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Replay: Ariadne (Backstage) | 20 Sep 2022 | 00:52:16 | |
Let’s go back to where this all started - with the slow-burn spookiness of Ariadne. Programme notes Replay is an all-new Backstage strand where Josh takes an in-depth look back at all our past productions, revisiting the memorable moments and asking the unanswered questions. Got a question about any past production from Parallax onwards? Email it to merelyroleplayers@gmail.com (either as text or as an attached audio file) and it could be featured in a future Replay episode. Credits COMPERE: Josh Yard WITH: Matt Boothman MUSIC BY: Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Josh Yard and Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Vigil: Quarry, Act 3 | 13 Sep 2022 | 00:52:04 | |
Quarry, Act Three of Four: In which Brier plays both sides; the pull of blood works both ways; and things come to a head at Sherrydown Library. Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. Are you involved in interactive performance in any way? Could you put a bit of cash to good use? Come to the first Interactive Soup at Theatre Deli Leadenhall, London on Tuesday 4 October. Tickets are £5 and include homemade soup and a vote. Five people pitch ideas, and the pitch with the most votes gets the night’s ticket money. Pitch submissions are open until 11:59pm on 20 September, and tickets are available until they sell out. Our promo this episode is for Play On Podcasts from Next Chapter Podcasts: epic audio adventures that reimagine Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of award-winning actors. Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, created specifically for the podcast form by some of America’s most exciting playwrights, directors and composers, and performed by stage and screen’s best. Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Guest artist: The Sprouting | 11 Feb 2025 | 01:13:35 | |
While you wait for the next Vigil production in the Main House, here’s a sample of The Sprouting by our friends at Blighthouse Studio. The Sprouting is an eldritch horror of a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast, set in an apocalyptic future where plants have taken over, magical bargains twist the fabric of reality and each survivor struggles to trust their own senses. Coming next on 25 February – Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 1 of 5 The Sprouting: Prequel for Lark, Sully and Ralph Dear listener, welcome to The Cradle. My name is Anori and I will be recounting the story of The Sprouting. Before we set off on this tale together, it is only right that we meet the people integral to this story: Lark, Sully and Ralph. Enjoy. Support The Sprouting Email: sprouting@blighthouse.studio Website: https://linktr.ee/thesprouting Support: http://www.Patreon.com/blighthouse Discord: https://discord.gg/vtgnVAZY44 This is a Blighthouse Studio production | |||
| Ghouls (Vigil Backstage) | 06 Sep 2022 | 00:31:08 | |
We create some more lore about ghouls, especially the specific one Cameron is bent on destroying. Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. Our promo this episode is for The Secret of St Kilda, an audio drama by Haggis and Dragons Productions. Follow Lockie, a charismatic con man who escapes to St Kilda with the promise that this time he’ll change his ways. Unfortunately the island and its unusual inhabitants have other ideas. He seeks redemption and they seek a saviour, but you know what they say - no change without sacrifice. Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Vigil: Quarry, Act 2 | 30 Aug 2022 | 00:54:12 | |
Quarry, Act Two of Four: In which the hounds of the Hunt are revealed; the Hunt keeps recruiting; and Brier makes a mess of Melodies. Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. Are you involved in interactive performance in any way? Could you put a bit of cash to good use? Come to the first Interactive Soup at Theatre Deli Leadenhall, London on Tuesday 4 October. Tickets are £5 and include homemade soup and a vote. Five people pitch ideas, and the pitch with the most votes gets the night’s ticket money. Get on the mailing list to find out when pitch submissions open and when tickets go on sale. Our promo this episode is for Play On Podcasts from Next Chapter Podcasts: epic audio adventures that reimagine Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of award-winning actors. Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, created specifically for the podcast form by some of America’s most exciting playwrights, directors and composers, and performed by stage and screen’s best. Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Mustering (Vigil Backstage) | 23 Aug 2022 | 00:31:40 | |
We establish some connections between the characters, and learn more about Melody’s tattoos. Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. Our promo this episode is for Modified Roll, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play. Season 2 started recently with a new Dungeon Master and new players - it’s a great place to jump aboard! Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Vigil: Quarry, Act 1 | 16 Aug 2022 | 00:47:29 | |
Quarry, Act One of Four: In which a determined hunter sharpens his blade; a reluctant hunter comes to town; and the hunt marks its quarry. Programme notes This production contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma. While we were off the air here on the podcast feed, we put on a whole production on Youtube! The Feed is a slow-burn comic horror mystery set in a Big Brother house where something is very wrong, told entirely through diary room videos. Add the playlist If you enjoy Vigil, you should check out the Sherrydown Enquirer, a Monster of the Week mystery scenario and Sherrydown lore zine. Each issue contains a mystery for use with the roleplaying game Monster of the Week by Michael Sands, for the roleplayers among you; and some juicy history and information about the Sherrydown setting, for fans of Vigil. Issue 1: Playtime, issue 2: Cold Snap, and issue 3: Tourist Trap are all available, and issue 4: Bad Dog is coming soon. Buy every issue on itch.io Ryne is a new roleplaying game about life in the footsteps of gods, designed by Furtive Shambles, as played on These Flimsy Rituals. You have just a couple of days left to back Ryne on Indiegogo! Our promo this episode is for Play On Podcasts from Next Chapter Podcasts: epic audio adventures that reimagine Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of award-winning actors. Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, created specifically for the podcast form by some of America’s most exciting playwrights, directors and composers, and performed by stage and screen’s best. Dramatis personae and other definitions Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown. Melody: 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. Brier: A mischievous shapeshifting púca, the fae guardian of Sherrydown’s Rosebrier Forest. Renko: A DoOm agent assigned to Sherrydown, furloughed since the office closed. 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: Christopher Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed Strat as Brier, the Monstrous Vikki as Renko, the Flake ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Helen Stratton SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Mirage by Kevin MacLeod; and may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| The Feed | 22 Mar 2022 | 00:03:34 | |
Announcing The Feed, a new Studio production - and Merely Roleplayers’ first video series! In The Feed, seven contestants enter the house for a new series of the hit reality TV programme Big Brother. But they’ll soon discover that the reality is much, much stranger than they signed up for… Programme notes Watch The Feed on the Merely Roleplayers Youtube channel Credits THE FEED is a Studio production by Merely Roleplayers, starring: Matt Boothman as Malcolm Ellen Gould as Jake Josh Yard as Henry To create THE FEED, we’re playing Unreal, an asynchronous video journaling game by Josh Fox of Black Armada Games. To get Unreal, support Black Armada on Patreon - or find more Black Armada games on Itch. Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| After Andromeda (Andromeda Xmas Backstage) | 11 Jan 2022 | 00:11:09 | |
Un-broadcast interview footage from the doomed documentary ‘The Making of The Andromeda Ward’ sheds light on the programme’s cancellation. Programme notes This production contains comic body horror, including mistreatment of human remains. Credits STARRING: - Helen Stratton as Hetty Braithwaite, playing Jemima Jones - Chris MacLennan as Judd Talisker, playing Rhys Haplock, radiologist - Ellen Gould as Avril Sterling-Bow, playing Nancy Kent - Strat as Riff Redgrave, playing Bret Buckingham - Marta da Silva as Arizona Muse, aka Dante, playing S. D. Nymm - Matt Boothman as Ron Barnes and Julian Smurmbley ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: The Andromeda Ward, by Chloe Mashiter and illustrated by Gerald MacDermott, supplemented by the Script Change consent and safety toolbox by Beau Jágr Sheldon MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Marta da Silva and Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| The Lost Andromeda Ward Christmas Special, Act 2 | 04 Jan 2022 | 00:52:22 | |
The Lost Andromeda Ward Christmas Special, Act 2 of 2: What will it cost our heroes to outwit the hyperintelligent slime? And will Jésus have a merry birthday? Programme notes This production contains comic body horror, including mistreatment of human remains. Our promo this episode is for The Secret of St Kilda, an audio drama by Haggis and Dragons Productions. Follow Lockie, a charismatic con man who escapes to St Kilda with the promise that this time he’ll change his ways. Unfortunately the island and its unusual inhabitants have other ideas. He seeks redemption and they seek a saviour, but you know what they say - no change without sacrifice. Credits STARRING: - Helen Stratton as Hetty Braithwaite, playing Jemima Jones - Chris MacLennan as Judd Talisker, playing Rhys Haplock, radiologist - Ellen Gould as Avril Sterling-Bow, playing Nancy Kent - Strat as Riff Redgrave, playing Bret Buckingham - Marta da Silva as Arizona Muse, aka Dante, playing S. D. Nymm - Matt Boothman as Ron Barnes and Julian Smurmbley ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: The Andromeda Ward, by Chloe Mashiter and illustrated by Gerald MacDermott, supplemented by the Script Change consent and safety toolbox by Beau Jágr Sheldon MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Marta da Silva and Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Production hell (Andromeda Xmas Backstage) | 28 Dec 2021 | 00:16:30 | |
The documentary ‘The Making of The Andromeda Ward’ was never broadcast, but some of the interview footage can still be found in dusty corners of the internet. Programme notes This production contains comic body horror, including mistreatment of human remains. Credits STARRING: - Helen Stratton as Hetty Braithwaite, playing Jemima Jones - Chris MacLennan as Judd Talisker, playing Rhys Haplock, radiologist - Ellen Gould as Avril Sterling-Bow, playing Nancy Kent - Strat as Riff Redgrave, playing Bret Buckingham - Marta da Silva as Arizona Muse, aka Dante, playing S. D. Nymm - Matt Boothman as Ron Barnes and Julian Smurmbley ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: The Andromeda Ward, by Chloe Mashiter and illustrated by Gerald MacDermott, supplemented by the Script Change consent and safety toolbox by Beau Jágr Sheldon MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Marta da Silva and Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| The Lost Andromeda Ward Christmas Special, Act 1 | 21 Dec 2021 | 00:46:18 | |
The Lost Andromeda Ward Christmas Special, Act 1 of 2: A slippery adversary interrupts preparations for a significant birthday at Bristol General Hospital. Programme notes This production contains comic body horror, including mistreatment of human remains. Credits STARRING: - Helen Stratton as Hetty Braithwaite, playing Jemima Jones - Chris MacLennan as Judd Talisker, playing Rhys Haplock, radiologist - Ellen Gould as Avril Sterling-Bow, playing Nancy Kent - Strat as Riff Redgrave, playing Bret Buckingham - Marta da Silva as Arizona Muse, aka Dante, playing S. D. Nymm - Matt Boothman as Ron Barnes and Julian Smurmbley ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: The Andromeda Ward, by Chloe Mashiter and illustrated by Gerald MacDermott, supplemented by the Script Change consent and safety toolbox by Beau Jágr Sheldon MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Marta da Silva and Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Green room (Andromeda Ward Xmas Special Backstage) | 14 Dec 2021 | 00:36:04 | |
Only six episodes of The Andromeda Ward were ever broadcast. These newly resurfaced backstage recordings may reveal what went wrong with the infamous lost Christmas special. Programme notes This production contains comic body horror, including mistreatment of human remains. Credits STARRING: - Helen Stratton as Hetty Braithwaite, playing Jemima Jones - Chris MacLennan as Judd Talisker, playing Rhys Haplock, radiologist - Ellen Gould as Avril Sterling-Bow, playing Nancy Kent - Strat as Riff Redgrave, playing Bret Buckingham - Marta da Silva as Arizona Muse, aka Dante, playing S. D. Nymm - Matt Boothman as Ron Barnes and Julian Smurmbley ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: The Andromeda Ward, by Chloe Mashiter and illustrated by Gerald MacDermott, supplemented by the Script Change consent and safety toolbox by Beau Jágr Sheldon MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Marta da Silva and Matt Boothman EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Her end (Many Masks Backstage) | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:22:57 | |
Which questions did we decline to answer and why? The cast discusses the end of their beloved Queen’s journey. Coming next on 11 February – Guest artist: The Sprouting Programme notes This production contains fantasy violence, murder, and eye damage. Credits STARRING: - Alexander Pankhurst - Marta Da Silva - Josh Yard - Ellie Pitkin - Matt Boothman ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: For The Queen, second edition, by Alex Roberts, published by Darrington Press MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst COVER ART INCLUDES: Royal crown silhouette by Timplaru Emil on Vecteezy Carnival mask silhouette by Muhammad Fathurrahman on Vecteezy Skull silhouette by Carlos Avila on Vecteezy EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| [IPM feed drop] RPG: Dust Wardens - Entanglement | 07 Dec 2021 | 01:34:38 | |
Originally published by International Podcast Month and shared with permission. Every September, International Podcast Month releases an all-new podcast episode every day. Find all the September 2021 episodes at internationalpodcastmonth.com. Dust Wardens is a Powered by the Apocalypse system which uses tarot cards instead of dice to determine outcomes. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where covens roam the land, bound to one another by a magic called limerence. In this story, three intrepid chroniclers strive to document magical changes to the land, but arrive at their next destination with enough time to warn the people of what is to come. Now they must use their knowledge to help a thriving community avoid a terrible fate. Content Warning Possible Claustrophobia (underground spaces) Credits GM and editor - Ursula (Queer Dungeoneers) Archie - Matt (Merely Roleplayers) Kieran – Kelly (Tabletop Titties, Drinking and Screaming) Rowan – Justen (The Babylon Podject, The Compleat Discography) Music: 'Borough,' 'Palladian,' 'Roadside Bunkhouse,' 'Illa Villardo,' 'Cicle DR Valga,' and 'Glass Beads' by Blue Dot Sessions Game: Dust Wardens is by Nora Blake IPM Find transcripts on our website: internationalpodcastmonth.com/transcripts Follow us on Twitter: @podmonth Support us: Via Ko-Fi Via Paypal.me The IPM theme was composed by Benny James. The IPM logo and art assets were created by Mathias Grelli. The IPM Organizational Team include Cole Burkhardt, Tess Cocchio, and Therin Stapp. | |||
| Lights Out (live at the London Horror Festival 2021) | 30 Nov 2021 | 01:02:42 | |
No one knows what happened to the Blackout Four - only that none of them survived that final dark night. Merely Roleplayers hope to reconstruct the events of that night, live on stage. Part seance, part crime scene reconstruction, part roleplaying game, Lights Out is a fight against fate to seize a glimmer of hope - before the dark draws in. Programme notes This production contains darkness and tragic death. This premiere performance of Lights Out took place at the Pleasance Theatre, London, for the London Horror Festival 2021. The recording is by Andrew Crane. Credits COMPERE: Matt Boothman STARRING: Helen Stratton as Agnes Jones Alexander Pankhurst as Freddy Harrison-Wood Natalie Winter as Kate Walker Richard Stratton as Harry Bleasdale Matt Boothman as The Darkness SOUND DESIGN BY: Andrew Crane MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman For full credits and more information about Lights Out, visit foggyoutline.com/lightsout Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Public enquiry (Vigil Backstage) | 23 Nov 2021 | 00:49:51 | |
We look back at Vigil: Bad Dog. What did we achieve? What could have been different? And what does it all mean for the future of Sherrydown? Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Our promo this episode is for Monster Hour, a grimcamp Monster of the Week actual play set in the town of Firmament, Colorado. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Vigil: Bad Dog, Act 5 | 16 Nov 2021 | 00:40:07 | |
Bad Dog, Act Five of Five: In which a community joins hands against unfathomable powers; and two cunning women receive unwelcome offers. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Our next Studio production will be Andromeda Ward Xmas, a festive paranormal hospital melodrama in two acts. We’ll be playing The Andromeda Ward by Chloe Mashiter, illustrated by Gerald MacDermott. Our promo this episode is for Monster Hour, a grimcamp Monster of the Week actual play set in the town of Firmament, Colorado. Catch up now while the final arc is ongoing! Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Dragon and Toast, Mirage and Gathering Darkness by Kevin MacLeod; Velocity by Lilo Sound; pigeons taking off by Glaneur de sons; Ancient Basement and Forbidden Resurrection by Tim Kulig; and may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Neighbours (Vigil Backstage) | 09 Nov 2021 | 00:20:43 | |
Not everyone in Sherrydown is an ageless, magical monster slayer. Let’s meet some of the town’s ordinary folks. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Our promo this episode is for Upriver, Downriver, a tarot-inspired pastoral fantasy roleplaying game about sailing a ship on a magical river. Created by Ella Watts and Max Briar in association with MacGuffin & Company, Upriver, Downriver is currently on Kickstarter. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Vigil: Bad Dog, Act 4 | 02 Nov 2021 | 00:50:00 | |
Bad Dog, Act Four of Five: In which a problem is not so much solved as displaced; the village green is vandalised; and Percy leverages her reputation. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. A Spy in the Stalls calls Lights Out, our first stage show, “thrillingly unconventional” and “absolutely worth your time”. Our promo this episode is for Upriver, Downriver, a tarot-inspired pastoral fantasy roleplaying game about sailing a ship on a magical river. Created by Ella Watts and Max Briar in association with MacGuffin & Company, Upriver, Downriver is currently on Kickstarter. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Soaring, Dragon and Toast, Long Note Two and Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; soaring clouds by kangaroovindaloo; and may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Morrigan (Vigil Backstage) | 26 Oct 2021 | 00:24:09 | |
Maiden, mother, crone. Past, present, future. We establish some lore about Gwynned’s mistress, the triple goddess Morrigan. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Our promo this episode is for The Prestige, a film podcast hosted by a filmmaker and a film academic, diving deep into a single film each episode. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Vigil: Bad Dog, Act 3 | 19 Oct 2021 | 00:39:11 | |
Bad Dog, Act Three of Five: In which the occupation of Sherrydown expands; archaeological fraud is mooted; and hounds and ravens make their voices heard. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Saturday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Dragon and Toast by Kevin MacLeod; soaring clouds by kangaroovindaloo; pigeons taking off by Glaneur de sons; and may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Wizard theory (Vigil Backstage) | 12 Oct 2021 | 00:24:15 | |
We come up with some background about magical organisations in Vigil’s England, some of which will be highly relevant to Bad Dog. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Sunday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount. Our promo this episode is for Birdwatching by Miranda Barrett, another London Horror Festival 2021 production. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Vigil: Bad Dog, Act 2 | 05 Oct 2021 | 00:53:37 | |
Bad Dog, Act Two of Five: In which a threat is named; a girl ignores a warning from her elders; and Gwynned (among others) is made to feel unwelcome. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Sunday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount. Our promo this episode is for Birdwatching by Miranda Barrett, another London Horror Festival 2021 production. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Long Note Two by Kevin MacLeod; bing-bong by Timbre (Freesound.org); and may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Her Many Masks, Act 3 | 28 Jan 2025 | 00:36:56 | |
Act 3 of 3: The Queen is under attack. After all she’s done, who of her retinue will defend her? Coming next on 4 February – Her end (Many Masks Backstage) Programme notes This production contains fantasy violence, murder, and eye damage. Credits STARRING: - Alexander Pankhurst - Marta Da Silva - Josh Yard - Ellie Pitkin - Matt Boothman ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: For The Queen, second edition, by Alex Roberts, published by Darrington Press MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst COVER ART INCLUDES: Royal crown silhouette by Timplaru Emil on Vecteezy Carnival mask silhouette by Muhammad Fathurrahman on Vecteezy Skull silhouette by Carlos Avila on Vecteezy EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us | |||
| Common ground (Vigil Backstage) | 28 Sep 2021 | 00:28:32 | |
We establish some connections between the characters, including Vigil’s first canon ship. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Sunday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount. Our promo this episode is for Snyder’s Return, a roleplaying game podcast featuring actual play, interviews and guides for gamemasters and players. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Vigil: Bad Dog, Act 1 | 21 Sep 2021 | 00:59:22 | |
Bad Dog, Act One of Five: In which local youths are hounded from their usual haunts; their elders rush to investigate; and a romantic trip is interrupted. Programme notes This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail. Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Sunday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Enter EARLYBIRD at checkout before 24 September for a discount, or book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount. If you’ve got a scary spoken word piece you’d like to perform at the Scare Slam, you can sign up until 25 September. Our promo this episode is for Snyder’s Return, a roleplaying game podcast featuring actual play, interviews and guides for gamemasters and players. Dramatis personae and other definitions Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead. 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. 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. Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village. 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: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Dragon and Toast, Mirage, Long Note Two, and Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; soaring clouds by kangaroovindaloo; and may include others made available to use without attribution. EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||
| Space wisdom (First Nova Backstage) | 14 Sep 2021 | 00:23:21 | |
The cast reflect on their favourite moments, what it was like to share the gamemaster responsibility, and some theories and questions about what happened after the story finished. Programme notes Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Saturday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Enter EARLYBIRD at checkout before 24 September for a discount, or book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount. If you’ve got a scary spoken word piece you’d like to perform at the Scare Slam, you can sign up on the Blackshaw website. September is International Podcast Month. Follow International Podcast Month in your podcast app for new episodes nearly every day, including Dust Wardens, a roleplaying game actual play featuring Matt as a player. The Researcher is a playbook for galactic 2nd edition, inspired by characters like Lyntel'luroon, Eno Cordova, and Doctor Aphra. Matt wrote it and you can buy it to create and play your own galactic Researcher! Our promo this episode is for What Am I Rolling?, a twice-monthly roleplaying game 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 style or system. Credits STARRING: Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel GUEST STARRING: Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace AND INTRODUCING: Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman Find us On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers | |||