Where theatrical people play roleplaying games. Each season our players part-improvise a story in a new genre, with roleplaying game rules providing surprising twists and turns. Jump in at the start of any season! The story continues every other Tuesday; on the Tuesdays in between, Backstage episodes shed light on the game and storytelling mechanics behind the scenes.
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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.
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.
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.
Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 2
Season 33 · Episode 2
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 • Duration 46:49
Act Two of Five: Gwynned seeks out eyewitnesses (and nose-, foot- and tail-witnesses). Graham and Renko follow their noses.
Coming next on 25 March – Vigil: Ill Wind, Act 3
Programme notes
This production contains fantasy violence, retching sounds, toxic friendship, and betrayal.
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.
Vigil: All Aboard, Act 5
Season 21 · Episode 5
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 • Duration 52:32
Act Five of Five: In which we reach the end of the line, penalty fares apply, and not everyone makes the return trip.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Catch Natalie Winter, Helen Stratton, and Strat on the What Am I Rolling? Twitch channel! They joined Fiona, the channel’s regular game master, for a game of The Between, horror mystery against the backdrop of Victorian London, run by its designer, Jason Cordova.
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.
Kit, the Spirit (Vigil Backstage)
Season 21
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 • Duration 19:56
Friend, guide, idol. Trickster, whisperer, manipulator. Ellen and Matt discuss Kit and how to navigate roleplaying an unhealthy relationship.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Dramatis personae and other definitions
Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.
Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.
Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.
Harper: a US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.
Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.
Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.
Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.
Credits
Vigil: All Aboard, Act 4
Season 21 · Episode 4
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 • Duration 54:25
Act Four of Five: In which the Conductor takes the lead, and it becomes clear who laid the rails - and where they end.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
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.
Harper, the Searcher (Vigil Backstage)
Season 21
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 • Duration 00:51.05
Meet Harper: student, realmwalker, Searcher. Harper’s not about that supernatural life, but weirdness just seems to stalk her like a shadow.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Our promo this episode is for Deck of Many Aces, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play podcast made by actual asexuals and aromantics! Follow four heroes as they adventure through a fantasy world on the cusp of a technological revolution, augmented by magic. Each character's fate is tied to one of the 22 cards in the “Deck of Many Things”, a D&D magical object based on a tarot deck.
Dramatis personae and other definitions
Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.
Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.
Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.
Harper: a US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.
Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.
Vigil: All Aboard, Act 3
Season 21 · Episode 3
Tuesday, January 10, 2023 • Duration 53:20
Act Three of Five: In which the journey proves more pleasant than the destination, and a passenger tries their luck behind the wheel.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Our promo this episode is for Deck of Many Aces, a Dungeons & Dragons actual play podcast made by actual asexuals and aromantics! Follow four heroes as they adventure through a fantasy world on the cusp of a technological revolution, augmented by magic. Each character's fate is tied to one of the 22 cards in the “Deck of Many Things”, a D&D magical object based on a tarot deck.
Dramatis personae and other definitions
Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.
Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.
Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.
Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.
Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.
Calistarius, the Expert (Vigil Backstage)
Season 21
Tuesday, January 3, 2023 • Duration 22:05
Meet Cal: horror writer, library sponsor, Expert. Sherrydown’s supernatural goings-on are fodder for Cal’s novels - if he can avoid becoming a cautionary tale himself.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Dramatis personae and other definitions
Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.
Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.
Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.
Harper: a US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.
Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.
Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.
Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.
Vigil: All Aboard, Act 2
Season 21 · Episode 2
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 • Duration 59:27
Act Two of Five: In which Sherrydown’s train station sees more arrivals, departures, and missed connections than it has in years.
Programme notes
This production contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Our promo this episode is for Firebreathing Kittens, an actual play Dungeons and Dragons oneshot podcast with a season-long plot. Each episode’s adventure has a standalone microplot like CSI or Doctor Who, so you can jump in at any point. Listen to these episodes in any order, and skip any you don’t enjoy. The cast rotates. Join them as they solve detective mysteries, attempt comedic banter, explore, and enjoy friendship.
Dramatis personae and other definitions
Jess Butterworth: A twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.
Gwynned: A former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.
Calistarius Softbinding: A local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.
Harper: A US exchange student trying to sever her ties to the Shadow realm she sometimes enters through revolving doors.
Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.
A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.
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
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
SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Wizardtorium and Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; and may include others made available to use without attribution.
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
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
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
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