The Maniculum Podcast

This week, we're covering social life in the village: childhood, marriage, and having kids. What were these stages of life like, and what strange traditions and customs arose due to the harsh realities of daily life in the middle ages? And of course, how can we translate that into tabletop gaming and storytelling? Content Warning: child birth, child death, pregnancy loss, violence against badgers. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990.  Graeber, David. Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Melville House, 2011. “Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction. Link . Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time. Link . Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.) Link .

The Middle Ages are ever-present and oft-remembered in modern life, but… not very accurately, especially in fiction and TTRPGs like D\&D. How can we set that right, and why does it matter, even when you create fictional worlds? This week, we’re  hosting Professor Kristin Leaman as she walks us through medieval misinformation and why so many of us have incorrect ideas about the Middle Ages. Plus, we'll talk about how the medievals contributed to their own era of misinformation, too! Listeners with follow-up questions may contact Kristin Leaman (Assistant Professor, Purdue University) at [email protected]. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Listeners with follow-up questions may contact Kristin Leaman (Assistant Professor, Purdue University) at [email protected]. Armitage, David. “In Defense of Presentism.” History and Human Flourishing , edited by Darrin M. McMahon, Oxford UP, 2002, pp. 44-69. DOI . Blair, Ann. “Information in Early Modern Europe.” Information: A Historical Companion , edited by Ann Blair et al., Princeton UP, 2021, pp. 61-85. Blair, Ann. Too Much to Know: Managing Scholarly Information before the Modern Age . Yale UP, 2010. Bores, George. A True Discourse Declaring the Damnable Life and Death of One Stubbe Peeter, a Most Wicked Sorcerer, Who in the Likeness of a Woolfe, Committed Many Murders, Continuing This Devilish Practice 25 Yeers, Killing and Devouring Men, Woomen, and Children. London, Edward Venge at the Signe of the Vine, 1590. Chaucer, Geoffrey. “The Franklin’s Tale.” The Riverside Chaucer , edited by F. N. Robinson and Larry D. Benson, 3rd ed, Houghton Mifflin, 2008, pp. 178-89. Ellard, Donna Beth. Anglo-Saxon(ist) Pasts, PostSaxon Futures . Punctum Books, 2019. Freelon, Deen, and Chris Wells. “Disinformation As Political Communication.” Political Communication , vol. 37, no. 2, 2020, pp. 145–156. DOI . Fahey, Richard. “Misappropriating the Medieval: How Ignorant Nationalists Reify Whiteness.” Medieval Studies Research Blog: Meet Us at the Crossroads of Everything , Medieval Institute, U of Notre Dame, 5 February 2021. Link . Fahey, Richard. “Marauders in the US Capitol: Alt-Right Viking Wannabes & Weaponized Medievalism.” Medieval Studies Research Blog: Meet Us at the Crossroads of Everything , Medieval Institute, U of Notre Dame, 15 January 2021. Link . James VI & I. Daemonology . London: Printed by Arnold Hatfield for Robert Wald-Grave, 1603. Jones, Lori, and Richard Nevell. “Plagued by Doubt and Viral Misinformation: The Need for Evidence-Based Use of Historical Disease Images.” The Lancet , vol. 16, no. 10, Oct. 2016, pp. e235-e240. DOI . Kim, Dorothy. Digital Whiteness & Medieval Studies . ARC Humanities Press, 2019. Kim, Dorothy. “Teaching Medieval Studies in a Time of White Supremacy.” In the Middle , 28 August 2017. Link . Kim, Dorothy. “White Supremacists Have Weaponized an Imaginary Viking Past. It’s Time to Reclaim the Real History.” Time , 12 April 2019. Link . Kramer, Heinrich. Malleus Maleficarum . Strassburg?, Johan Pruss?, 1486. Kramer, Heinrich. The Hammer of Witches: A Complete Translation of the Malleus Maleficarum . Translated by Christopher S. Mackay, Cambridge UP, 2009. Kuo, Rachel, and Alice Marwick. “Critical Disinformation Studies: History, Power, and Politics.” Misinformation Review , Harvard Kennedy School, 12 August 2021. DOI . Leaman, Kristin. “Medieval Misinformation and Disinformation: Filling a Gap in Medieval Studies.” S tudies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching: SMART , vol. 32, no. 2, 2025, pp. 7–22. Leaman, Kristin. “Disinformation in John Foxe’s Edition of Ælfric’s Easter Homily, 1570–1684.” Journal of Documentation , vol. 82, no. 7, 2026, pp. 187-205. DOI . Menache, Sophia. “Deconstructing Medieval Disinformation: A Critical Analysis of Constructed Narratives". The Medieval Chronicle , vol. 17, no. 2, 2025, pp. 123-154. DOI . Neville, Jennifer. “Talking about Our Generations.” Section. “Twenty-five Years of ‘Anglo-Saxon Studies’: Looking Back, Looking Forward,” authored by Catherine A.M. Clarke et al. Disturbing Times: Medieval Pasts, Reimagined Futures , edited by Catherine E. Karkov et al. Punctum Books, 2020, pp. 341-5. DOI . Otaño Gracia, Nahir I., and Tiffany N. Florvil. “Introduction to ‘Race, Racialization, and Whiteness before and after The Invention of Race’.” Publications of the Modern Language Association of America , vol. 140, no. 5, Oct. 2025, pp. 857–862. DOI . Pettegree, Andrew. The Invention of News: How the World Came to Know about Itself , Yale UP, 2014. Ramos, Eduardo. “Confronting Whiteness: Antiracism in Medieval Studies.” Postmedieval: A Journal of Medieval Cultural Studies , vol. 11, no. 4, Dec. 2020, pp. 493–502. DOI . Ring, Nicola A., et al. “Healers and Midwives Accused of Witchcraft (1563–1736) – What Secondary Analysis of the Scottish Survey of Witchcraft Can Contribute to the Teaching of Nursing and Midwifery History.” Nurse Education Today , vol. 133, Feb. 2024. DOI . Rubin, Victoria L. “Disinformation and Misinformation Triangle: A Conceptual Model for ‘Fake News’ Epidemic, Casual Factors and Interventions.” Journal of Documentation , vol. 75, no. 5, 2019, pp. 1013–1034. DOI . Scot, Reginald. The Discoverie of Witchcraft . London, William Brome, 1584. Scot, Reginald. The Discoverie of Witchcraft . London, Printed for A. Clark, and Are to Be Sold by Dixy Page at the Turks-Head in Cornhall near the Royal Exchange, 1665. Sturtevant, Paul B. “Leaving ‘Medieval’ Charlottesville.” The Public Medievalist , 17 August 2017. Link . Weller, Toni, et al., editors. The Routledge Handbook of Information History . Routledge, 2026.

The Vikings have continued to capture imaginations in culture, entertainment, identity, and even branding - but what makes them so popular, and why? Viking expert and museum curator Adam Bierstedt (Museum of Danish America) joins us this week to discuss the cultural transmission of the Vikings in history, and how we can continue to tell cool stories about these sea-faring warriors. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Primary Sources (Medieval) Ælfric of Eynsham. “Letter to Brother Edward: A Student Edition.” Edited by Mary Clayton, Old English Newsletter , vol. 40, no. 3, Spring 2007, pp. 31-43. Ælfric of Eynsham. “Letter to Brother Edward.” Translated by @unsnyttru, Tumblr , 20 Jun. 2015, Link . “Eirik the Red’s Saga.” Translated by Keneva Kunz. The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection , Viking Penguin / Leifur Eiriksson Publishing, 2000, pp. 653-74. Huld .  ÍB 383 4to, Landsbókasafn Íslands — Háskólabókasafn, 1860 [manuscript]. John of Wallingford. “The Chronicles of John Wallingford.” The Church Historians of England , edited and translated by Joseph Stevenson, vol. 2.2, London, 1854, pp. 521-64. “The Saga of the Greenlanders.” Translated by Keneva Kunz. The Sagas of Icelanders: A Selection , Viking Penguin / Leifur Eiriksson Publishing, 2000, pp. 636-52. The Saga of the Volsungs: The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok: Together with the Lay of Kraka. Translated by Margaret Schlauch, American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1930. Sturleson, Snorre. The Younger Edda: Also Called Snorre’s Edda, or the Prose Edda . Translated by Rasmus B. Anderson, Chicago, 1879. Link . Sturluson, Snorri. Edda . Translated by Anthony Faulkes. Everyman, 1995. Primary Sources (Modern) Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. “The Skeleton in Armour.” Ballads and Other Poems , 2nd ed., Cambridge, 1842, pp. 29-41. Die Nibelungen . Directed by Fritz Lang, screenplay by Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang, Decla-Bioscop, 1924. “What's Opera, Doc?” Merrie Melodies , written by Michael Maltese, directed by Chuck Jones, Warner Bros., 1957. Secondary Sources Jansson, Sven B. F. Runes in Sweden . Gidlunds / Royal Academy of Letters, History, and Antiquities / Central Board of National Antiquities, 1987. Langer, Johnni. “Horned, Barbarian, Hero: The Visual Invention of The Viking Through European Art (1824-1851)”. Scandia Journal of Medieval Norse Studies , vol. 1, no. 4, Nov. 2021, pp. 131-80, DOI . Lusk, Becky. “Cultural Connections: Lars Kinsarvik and the Development of the National Style.” YouTube , uploaded by Vesterheim Museum, 15 Sept. 2025, Link . von Schnurbein, Stefanie. Norse Revival: Transformations of Germanic Neopaganism . Brill, 2016. Williams, Henrik. “The Kensington Runestone: Fact and Fiction.” The Swedish-American Historical Quarterly , vol. 63, no. 1, Jan. 2012, pp. 3-22. Williams, Henrik. “The Leif Eriksson Statue in Boston and Its Runic Inscription.” Migration, Modernity, and Meaning: Studies of  Sweden and America in Honor of Dag Blanck , edited by Philip J. Anderson et al., Swedish-American Historical Society, 2025, pp. 217-22. Williamson, Jonathan. “Did the Myth of Quetzalcoatl Originate with a Norse Trip to Mesoamerica During Medieval Times?” The Viking Herald , 26 Feb. 2024, Link . [Caution: conspiracy theory]. Artifacts / Museum Holdings Amalie Materna as Brünnhilde . 1876, Boston Public Library. Digital Commonwealth , Link . Antoni, Ib. Vikings in New York Version 1 . 20th century. Antoni Legacy , Link . [Example of viking with lur.] The Benty Grange Helmet . Circa 650. Weston Park Museum, Link . Browne, Dik. Hagar on the Value of Literacy . 1984. Museum of Danish America, Link . Cane Axe (Käppyxa) . Circa 1700. American Swedish Historical Museum, Link . Ciumești Helmet . Circa 200 BCE. Photograph by Jona Lendering, Livius, 25 Aug. 2020, Link . “Coiful de la Ciumești — Exponatul Lunii Mai [Ciumești Helmet — May Monthly Exhibit].” Muzeul Național de Istorie a României , Link . “Ethnological Collection.” Gustavianum Uppsala Universitetsmuseum , 26 May 2025, Link . Farnham, Paulding. Viking Punch Bowl . 1893. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Link . “The Five Viking Ships — the Skuldelev Ships.” Vikingeskibsmuseet , Link . “The Jelling Stone.” Nationalmuseet i København , Link . Prakthjälm . Circa 700. Statens Historiska Museer, Link . Print [untitled]. Circa 1900. Museum of Danish America, Link . Royal Armories. Replica of the Sutton Hoo Helmet. 1973. The British Museum, Link . Schioler, Grete. Runer . 1951. Museum of Danish America, Link . Smidt, Jes. Carving [untitled]. 1931. Museum of Danish America, Link . The Sutton Hoo Helmet . Circa 700. The British Museum, Link . Torslundaplåtarna . Circa 550-800. Statens Historiska Museer, Link . Shout-Out to Other Scholars in this Field: Merrill Kaplan Zachary Melton Verena Höfig Stefanie von Schnurbein Terminology & Spelling for Reference: carnyx futhark galdrastafir lur

How can one story become romance, myth, or horror just by changing how it’s told? This week,  we return to Eric and Enide, cross-examining its French chivalric romance, the classic Welsh, and the darker German version, to show how you can take a single plot and reshape it by tone, culture, and genre, giving you a powerful way to remix adventures and surprise your TTRPG players without reinventing the wheel. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations Gramuglia, Anthony. “The Reason Wonder Woman & Thor Break Myth ‘Canon’ (feat. Red from OSP).” Watch here ! Blaisdell, Foster W., and Marianne E. Kalinke, translators. Erex Saga and Ívens Saga. U Nebraska Press, 1977.  Chrétien de Troyes. “Erec and Enide.” The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes, translated by David Staines, Indiana UP, 1993, pp. 1-86. Davies, Sioned, translator. The Mabinogion. Oxford UP, 2007. Oxford World’s Classics.  Gantz, Jeffrey, translator. The Mabinogion. Dorset Press, 1976. Guest, Charlotte, translator. The Mabinogion. 1877. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906. Everyman’s Library.  Hartmann von Aue. Erec. Translated by Michael Resler, U Pennsylvania Press, 2004. Hartmann von Aue. Erec. Translated by Thomas L. Keller, Garland Publishing, 1987. Garland Library of Medieval Literature (Series B) 12.   Thomson, Robert L., editor. Ystorya Gereint uab Erbin. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, School of Celtic Studies / Dundalgan Press, 1997. Medieval and Modern Welsh Series 10.

This week, we return to building a medieval fantasy village! Come dive into medieval village court records to uncover bizarre taxes, petty fines, and inheritance laws you can drop straight into your game. We discuss how these laws can help your players craft characters with realistic backstories while giving GMs resources to build closed-door mysteries and plots in a world that feels alive instead of predictable. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990.  Bennett, Judith M. Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England. Oxford UP, 1999. Graeber, David. Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Melville House, 2011. “Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction. Link . Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time. Link . Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.) Link . Terminology & Spelling for Reference: corrodies filstingpound firma unius noctis hamsoke heriot leirwite merchet tallage

Spells, magic items, and questing galore! What other fanciful tales were being constructed in Chaucer’s time? This week, we host special guest Roger Ladd and discuss Chaucer’s contemporary, John Gower – and the fanciful works he produced. Join us as we explore a witchy, alternative version of Jason and Medea, as well as a mortality tale turned on its head. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gower, John. Confessio Amantis. Edited by Russell A. Peck, Latin translated by Andrew Galloway, Medieval Institute Publications, 2013. Middle English Text Series. Gower, John. The Lover’s Confession: a Translation of John Gower’s Confessio Amantis. Edited and translated by Brian Gastle and Catherine Carter, Latin translated by Andrew Galloway, Medieval Institute Publication, 2023. TEAMS Varia Series. The Gower Project. https://www.gowerproject.com/. Holsinger, Bruce. A Burnable Book. William Morrow, 2014. International John Gower Society. https://johngower.org/. Ladd, Roger. Antimercantilism in Late Medieval English Literature. Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. The New Middle Ages. “List of Subjects and Tales in Confessio Amantis”. Wikipedia, 5 September 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_subjects_and_tales_in_Confessio_Amantis. McSheffrey, Shannon. Marriage, Sex, and Civic Culture in Late Medieval London. U Pennsylvania P, 2006.

In this episode, Mac and Zoe discuss how medieval peasantry worked, the complexities of the system, what sort of peasants there were, and how world builders, writers, and game masters can both accurately represent and adapt the village system in their medieval fantasy worlds and TTRPGs. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990.  Bennett, Judith M. Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England. Oxford UP, 1999. Graeber, David. Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Melville House, 2011. “Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction. Link . Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time. Link . Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.) Link . Terminology & Spelling: ale-taster bailiff beadle cellarer claviger hayward majordomo messor reeve seneschal serjant steward woodward

How many versions of one tale can we tell? In this episode, we’re diving back into Eric & Enide, and Mac has found two more versions of this classic chivalric romance. We discuss how various cultural differences affect the manner in which these adaptations are written, and explore how we can use cultural difference in worldbuilding. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds , a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here ! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Check out our blog post with the names listed out here . Blaisdell, Foster W., and Marianne E. Kalinke, translators. Erex Saga and Ívens Saga. U Nebraska Press, 1977.  Chrétien de Troyes. “Erec and Enide.” The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes, translated by David Staines, Indiana UP, 1993, pp. 1-86. Davies, Sioned, translator. The Mabinogion. Oxford UP, 2007. Oxford World’s Classics.  Gantz, Jeffrey, translator. The Mabinogion. Dorset Press, 1976. Guest, Charlotte, translator. The Mabinogion. 1877. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906. Everyman’s Library.  Hartmann von Aue. Erec. Translated by Michael Resler, U Pennsylvania Press, 2004. Hartmann von Aue. Erec. Translated by Thomas L. Keller, Garland Publishing, 1987. Garland Library of Medieval Literature (Series B) 12.   Thomson, Robert L., editor. Ystorya Gereint uab Erbin. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, School of Celtic Studies / Dundalgan Press, 1997. Medieval and Modern Welsh Series 10. Terminology & Spelling for Reference: abatis brunet Hartmann von Aue umbo vespereide

In this episode, Mac and Zoe discuss how medieval peasantry worked, the complexities of the system, unexpected laws, rights, and privileges, and how world builders, writers, and game masters can both accurately represent and adapt the village system in their medieval fantasy worlds and TTRPGs. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990.  “Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction. Link . Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time. Link . Hilton, Rodney. Bond Men Made Free. The Viking Press, 1973. Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link . The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.) Link . Terminology: cottager cotter demesne Dunbar’s Number famuli franklin freeman hamsoke hayward huckster merchet peasant pheasant reeve serf smallholder sokeman tenant farmer villein virgate week work

In this episode, Mac & Zoe debunk medieval love advice and discuss common misconceptions around medieval love and marriage. Reading the philosophical dialogue of Sidrak and Bokkus as an advice column, can we really say whether attitudes toward romance have changed that much, centuries later?  Content Warning: discussions of medieval and modern misogyny and sexual explicitness Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Clapp, James E., et al. Lawtalk: The Unknown Stories Behind Familiar Legal Expressions. Yale UP, 2011. Gibson, Marian. Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials. Scribner, 2024. Kelly, Henry Ansgar. “‘Rule of Thumb’ and the Folklaw of the Husband’s Stick.” Journal of Legal Education, vol. 44, no. 3, 1994, pp. 341–65. Mason, Rebecca. “Violence Against Wives in Medieval and Early Modern Scotland.” 10 April 2022. Link . O’Conner, Patricia, and Stewart Kellerman. Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language. Random House, 2009.

In this episode, Mac & Zoe host Sandra Hindman and Jacky Yao from Les Enluminures to discuss the craft and trade of manuscript illumination and creation in the Middle Ages, as well as the influence and popularity of the courtly romance Roman de la Rose. Point of correction: Sandra is not currently serving as chair of art history at Northwestern, but was previously. Join our discord community!Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Les Enluminures website Jacky Yao, Embodied Encounters with Roman de la Rose Manuscripts lecture ( Youtube ) Read the Roman de la Rose here or here Les Enluminures, Video on the Sidrak and Bokkus manuscript ( Dropbox ) Terminology & Spelling for Reference: autograph biocodicology ekphrasis Ge’ez Guillaume de Lorris Jean de Meun Jeanne Montbaston missal Ormulum palimpsest

This episode, Zoe and Mac begin a new series diving into life in medieval villages. This guide for world builders, writers, and game masters will introduce you to how life in medieval villages operated, from terminology to geography, laws and customs, and daily life -- and how to build one for your TTRPG or story. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990.  “Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction. Link . Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time. Link .  Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link .  Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link .  The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.) Link . Terminology: abada æðeling champion country cottage croft dovecote furlong green longhouse meadow pinfold / punfold sheepfold solar toft villein virgate wattle & daub

This week, we adapt three more medieval "morality" tales from the Gesta Romanorum, adapting them into unique puzzles, adventures, and scenarios for your tabletop campaign. Would YOUR party help you hide a body? Join our discord community! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Swan, Charles, translator. Gesta Romanorum: or, Entertaining Moral Stories. Edited by Wynnard Hooper, Dover Publications, 1959. N.B.: the “woman from Tumblr” briefly & obscurely referred to in the end segment is rabies educator @raccoonmilf, if anyone was wondering.

While we may think of genre trends as a modern thing in fantasy literature, the chivalric romance of Eric & Enide paints another picture. We examine two versions of this tale: one gritty and grim dark, and the other an idealistic romantasy, and examine how we can use these story techniques in our own campaigns to tell the type of story we want to tell. Join our discord community! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook CITATIONS & REFERENCES: Davies, Sioned, translator. The Mabinogion. Oxford UP, 2007. Oxford World’s Classics. Gantz, Jeffrey, translator. The Mabinogion. Dorset Press, 1976. Guest, Charlotte, translator. The Mabinogion. 1877. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906. Everyman’s Library. Thomson, Robert L., editor. Ystorya Gereint uab Erbin. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, School of Celtic Studies / Dundalgan Press, 1997. Medieval and Modern Welsh Series 10. “RIB 306. Curse upon Senicianus.” Roman Inscriptions of Britain, https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/306. Accessed 9 November 2025. Tolkien, J. R. R. “The Name ‘Nodens’.” Report on the Excavation of the Prehistoric, Roman, and post-Roman Site in Lydney Park, Gloucestershire, by R. E. M. Wheeler and T. V. Wheeler, Society of Antiquaries of London / Oxford UP, 1932, pp. 132-7. Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 9.

Happy Halloween! The demon has become a fantastic villain (or patron) in many TTRPGs, but their legalistic nature can sometimes feel overused. Join us this week as we analyze real accounts of medieval demons, how they behave, and how to get rid of them so that you can spice up your TTRPG this Halloween. MOONSHOT NETWORK CHARITY STREAM: Streaming November 8-9 Watch the stream here: http://twitch.tv/moonshotnetwork Donate here: http://moonshotpods.com/donate Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Caesarius of Heisterbach. The Dialogue on Miracles. Translated by H. von E. Scott and C. C. Swinton Bland, Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1929. 2 vols. Broadway Medieval Library. Kuang, R. F. Katabasis. Harper Voyager, 2025. “A Rugrats Passover.” Rugrats. Nickelodeon, 13 April 1995. String music by szegvari, downloaded from freesound.org.

In this episode, we finish off the Lais of Marie de France and ask - what makes a medieval romance, and how can we apply that to our games and stories in fresh ways? How does medieval romance compare to modern fantasy romance? Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Marie de France. French Medieval Romances. Trans. Eugene Mason. 1911. Project Giutenburg. Read here. Second translation by S.A. Kline, Poetry in Translation. Read here. Gautier, Léon (1891) [1884]. "The Code of Chivalry". Chivalry. Translated by Frith, Henry. Routledge. Damon, S. Foster. “Marie de France: Psychologist of Courtly Love.” PMLA, vol. 44, no. 4, 1929, pp. 968–96. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/457705. Accessed 21 Sept. 2025. Lewis, C.S. Allegory of Love. Oxford University Press, 1958. Link. Moore, John C. “‘Courtly Love’: A Problem of Terminology.” Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 40, no. 4, 1979, pp. 621–32. Link.

In this episode, we're joined by Chris and Wythe, the creators of Danse Macabre, to discuss their medieval horror TTRPG and how to create historical settings that feel both real and reasonable to a modern gamer. We discuss the concept of the "novum" in worldbuilding, medievalism, and why TTRPGs feel so set upon the Medieval Fantasy in this fantastic roundtable. Support the Danse Macabre Kickstarter here! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References:   Support the Danse Macabre Kickstarter here Play Danse Macabre: Prima Mors (the quickstart guide) - on Stillfleet, Itch, and DTRPG Find Chris at his website or @timespace.place on socials Find Wythe at Stillfleet.com or @stillfleet on socials Listen to Why We Roll on any podcast platform Tuchman, Barbara W. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. Ballantine Books, 1978. Buehlman, Christopher. Between Two Fires. Ace Books, 2012.

When sovereignty myth declares that anyone who kills the White Stag can be king, stakes are high in King Arthur's Court. We're exploring the Welsh origins of Eric and Enide in the Mabinogion, and how two different versions of a text can bring to light important context in mythmaking and worldbuilding. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Terminology & Spelling for Reference: Bonedd y Saint Bro Wened Bro Weroc Brunanburh Culhwch ac Olwen Cyfraith Hywel, ‘Laws of Hywel Dda’ Dumnonia Erbin Gereint Gerontius Guerec Gwalchmai Llongborth Llyfr Coch Hergest, ‘Red Book of Hergest’ Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin, ‘Black Book of Carmarthen’ Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch, ‘White Book of Rhydderch’ Mabinogionfrage Madauc / Madog Odyar / Odiar Owain penteulu Peredur Veneti ystorya References & Citations: Primary Davies, Sioned, translator. The Mabinogion. Oxford UP, 2007. Oxford World’s Classics. Gantz, Jeffrey, translator. The Mabinogion. Dorset Press, 1976. Guest, Charlotte, translator. The Mabinogion. 1877. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906. Everyman’s Library. Thomson, Robert L., editor. Ystorya Gereint uab Erbin. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, School of Celtic Studies / Dundalgan Press, 1997. Medieval and Modern Welsh Series 10. Secondary Bromwich, Rachel. “Celtic Dynastic Themes and the Breton Lays.” Études Celtiques, vol. 9, no. 2, 1961, pp. 439-74. Crane, Susan. “Ritual Aspects of the Hunt à Force.” Engaging With Nature, edited by Barbara A. Hanawalt and Lisa J. Kiser, University of Notre Dame Press, 2008, pp. 63-84. Harris, R. “The White Stag in Chretien’s Erec et Enide.” French Studies, vol. 10, no. 1, 1956, pp. 55–61. Judkins, Ryan R. “The Game of the Courtly Hunt: Chasing and Breaking Deer in Late Medieval English Literature." Journal of English and Germanic Philology, vol. 112, no. 1, 2013, pp. 70-92. Loomis, Roger Sherman. Arthurian Tradition and Chretien de Troyes. Columbia UP, 1949. Middleton, Arthur. “Chwedl Geraint ab Erbin.” The Arthur of the Welsh : The Arthurian Legend in Medieval Welsh Literature, edited by Rachel Bromwich, A. O. H. Jarman, and Brynley F. Roberts. University of Wales Press, 1991, pp. 147-57. Richardson, Amanda. “‘Riding like Alexander, Hunting like Diana’: Gendered Aspects of the Medieval Hunt and Its Landscape Settings in England and France.” Gender & History, vol. 24, no. 2, Aug. 2012, pp. 253–70. Thiebaux, Marcelle. The Stag of Love : The Chase in Medieval Literature. Cornell University Press, 1974.

This week, we're joined by author M.T. Anderson as we dive into the thrilling tale of Nicked, the true story of a medieval heist to steal the holy body of Saint Nicholas and save Bari from plague. We take a step-by step approach to the heist and use it as an example for how you can adapt real relic thieves and heists into your TTRPGS & stories. Check out Nicked here! Find MT Anderson's works on his website, here. Transparency Statement: the Maniculum does not take sponsorships or paid promotions. We are excited to share Nicked with our audience because we loved the book and believe it is a perfect example of what we strive to do on the show: bring medieval tales into the modern day. We were gifted a copy of Nicked from Penguin Random House as part of the interview process. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Nicked, MT Anderson - at your local bookstore & Bookshop.org, a storefront for small bookstores - find it here! Anderson, M. T. Yvain: the Knight of the Lion. Illustrated by Andrea Offerman, Candlewick Press, 2017. Farley, David. An Irreverent Curiosity. Gotham Books, 2009. Geary, Patrick J. Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages. Princeton UP, 1991. al-Jawbari, Jamal al-Din ‘Abd al-Rahim. The Book of Charlatans. Translated by Humphrey Davies, edited by Manuela Dengler. New York UP, 2020. Library of Arabic Literature 64. Birrell, Anne, translator. The Classic of Mountains and Seas. Penguin, 2000. Christopher of Mytilene, “To the Monk Andrew…” The Poems of Christopher of Mytilene and John Mauropous, edited and translated by Floris Bernard and Christopher Livanos, Harvard UP, 2018, pp. 240–51. Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library 50. Einhard, “Translation of the Relics of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter.” Translated by Barrett Wendell, edited by David Appleby. Medieval Hagiography: An Anthology, edited by Thomas Head, Garland Press, 1999, pp. 199–225. Farley, David. An Irreverent Curiosity. Gotham Books, 2009. Geary, Patrick J. Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages. Princeton UP, 1991. Guibert of Nogent, “On Saints and their Relics.” Translated by Thomas Head. Medieval Hagiography: An Anthology, edited by Head, Garland Press, 1999, pp. 405–27. Kurtz, Katherine. Saint Camber. Ballantine Books, 1978. Vol. 5 of the Deryni novels. Map, Walter. De Nugis Curialium / Courtiers’ Trifles. Edited and translated by M. R. James, revised by C. N. L. Brooke and R. A. B. Mynors, Clarendon Press, 1983. Novik, Naomi. His Majesty's Dragon. Del Rey, 2006. Vol. 1 of Temeraire. Terminology & Spelling: Bari Manzikert Myra myroblyte Seljuk

We're getting into astrology this week! In part two of our final episode of necromancy, we explore the finer points of astrology and its importance in spell casting - so that you know exactly what moon phase is best to curse your enemies, conjure birds, or rout an army. Open Question to the Listeners: What should the metaphysically-significant insects be for each day of the week? (Arachnids, myriapods, etc. also acceptable, in the spirit of Medieval English’s “everything is worm” approach to small animals.) Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here All of Richard Keickhefer's books on magic here The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here Peter of Abano: Heptameron, or Magical Elements - read online here Hindley, Katherine Storm. Textual Magic: Charms and Written Amulets in Medieval England. U Chicago Press, 2023. Stanmore, Tabitha. Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024. Storms, Godfrid. Anglo-Saxon Magic. Martinus Nijhoff, 1948.

The stars have aligned, but are you ready to conjure? In part one of our final episode of necromancy, we explore the nature of magic circles and how to ensure you're drawing the correct type for the demon you want to conjure. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here All of Richard Keickhefer's books on magic here The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here Peter of Abano: Heptameron, or Magical Elements - read online here Beekes, Robert S. P. “θεός.” Etymological Dictionary of Greek, vol. 1, Leiden, 2010, p. 540. Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10. Beekes, Robert S. P. “God is Non-Indo-European.” Amsterdamer Beiträge zur älteren Germanistik, vol. 54, 2000, pp. 27-30. “deiw-.” The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, revised and edited by Calvert Watkins, Houghton Mifflin, 1985, p. 10. De Meyer, Isabelle. “L’étymologie du mot grec θεός « dieu ».” Revue de Philologie de Littérature et d’Histoire Anciennes, vol. 90, no. 1, 2016, pp. 115-38, 260-1. “dhēs-.” [& cf. “dhē-1.”] The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, revised and edited by Calvert Watkins, Houghton Mifflin, 1985, p. 14. “gheu(ə)-.” [& cf. “gheu-.”] The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, revised and edited by Calvert Watkins, Houghton Mifflin, 1985, p. 23. Kulik, Alexander. “How the Devil Got His Hooves and Horns: The Origin of the Motif and the Implied Demonology of 3 Baruch.” Numen, vol. 60, nos. 2–3, 2013, pp. 195–229. O’Shea, Stephen. The Perfect Heresy: The Revolutionary Life and Death of the Medieval Cathars. Walker & Company, 2000. Rau, Jeremy. “The Derivational History of PIE *diéu-/diu-´ ‘(god of the) day-lit sky; day’.” Ex Anatolia Lux, edited by Ronald Kim et al., Beech Stave Press, 2010, pp. 307-20. Watkins, Calvert. “‘god’.” Antiquitates Indogermanicae, edited by Manfred Mayrhofer et al., Innsbruck, 1974, pp. 101-10.

Romantasy has been all the rage of late, but its roots go further back than a TikTok trend. Join us this week as we dive into Eric and Enide, a medieval fantasy romance adventure perfect for those who love the genre, or who just want a new idea for their story or TTRPG campaign. Welcome to our summer series! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Read Eric & Enide for yourself here Eastin, Schuyler E. (Dis)Arming the Middle Ages: Chivalric Materiality in Medieval Romance. 2017.  University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. dissertation. Ffoulkes, Charles John. The Armourer and His Craft from the XIth to the XVIth Century. Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1912. Wright, Monica L. Weaving Narrative: Clothing in Twelfth-Century French Romance. Pennsylvania State UP, 2009.

Looking to craft your next dungeon delve for your campaign? Want a few puzzles your player have never seen before? We've found a few medieval tales with tantalizing puzzles and twisting dungeons, ready to be used in your next TTRPG. Sit back as we do the work to show you how to adapt these dungeons into your game. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Read the Gesta Romanorum here Francis Carmody. Physiologus, The Very Ancient Book of Beasts, Plants and Stones. San Francisco: The Book Club of California, 1953. Read an online version here. Neri, Elisabetta, et al. “Unveiling the Paint Stratigraphy and Technique of Roman African Polychrome Statues.” Archaeological & Anthropological Sciences, vol. 14, no. 6, 2022, pp. 1–11. Dull, Robert A., et al. “The Columbian Encounter and the Little Ice Age: Abrupt Land Use Change, Fire, and Greenhouse Forcing.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers, vol. 100, no. 4, 2010, pp. 755-71. Faust, Franz X., et al. “Evidence for the Postconquest Demographic Collapse of the Americas in Historical CO2 Levels.” Earth Interactions, vol. 10, 2006. Kopczynski, Noémie, et al. “Polychromy in Africa Proconsularis: Investigating Roman Statues using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy." Antiquity, vol. 91, no. 355, 2017, pp. 139-54. Additional music for this episode from freesound.org; created by, in order of appearance: liezen3, Merrick079, holizna. Maps referenced re: Roman elephants are the ones on Wikipedia.

What does a goodly knight do when he's taken prisoner and asked to collect his own ransom? Comply, of course! Join us on another dive into medieval literature and pull out a few puzzles and dilemmas for your next TTRPG! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Mason, Eugene, editor and translator. Aucassin & Nicolette and Other Mediæval Romances & Legends. Everyman's Library, 1949.

In our final episode about Irish werewolves, we compare medieval Arthurian romance tales to this Irish Arthurian tale from the 1700s. How has the genre changed, and what werewolf adventures can you bring to your table? Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Crop Eared Dog . Link.

This week, we dive into two examples of Irish werewolf tales that you can adapt into your TTRPG! Learn a different story about the werewolf than the 21st century beast, and bring a few new traditions - and twists - to your table. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gerald of Wales' Topographia Hibernica. Link. Amanda Hopkins. Melion and Biclarel: Two Old French Werewolf Lays. University of Liverpool. Link. Karl Steel. Wisdom, Freedom, and Animality: A Small Point on Gerald's Werewolves. Link. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

A cheating wife plots with a her lover, a necromancer, to kill her husband, a knight on pilgrimage... what could possibly happen when another necromancer decides to protect the knight? We're breaking down tales in the Gesta Romanorum to learn more about medieval law and necromancy! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon!  Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Gesta Romanorum link

Sometimes, internet lore takes on a life of its own. Join us this week as we debunk the popular internet myth of the Irish faoladh, and dive into the true history of the Irish werewolf and its medieval origins! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Bane, Theresa. “Wulver.” Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. Link. Bettini, Jessica Lynne. “The Rage of the Wolf: Metamorphosis and Identity in Medieval Werewolf Tales.” East Tennessee State University, 2011. Link. Boyle, Elizabeth. “On the Wonders of Ireland: Translation and Adaptation.” Authorities and Adaptations: the Reworking and Transmission of Textual Sources in Medieval Ireland, ed. Elizabeth Boyle & Deborah Hayden (Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 2014), pp. 233-6. Link. Briggs, Katherine. An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. Pantheon Books, 1976. Link. Boyd, Matthieu. Melion and the Wolves of Ireland. Springer, 2009. Link. Bernhardt-House, Philip. Philip. Werewolves, Magical Hounds, and Dog-Headed Men in Celtic Literature: A Typological Study of Shape-Shifting. Edwin Mellen Press, 2010. Link. Coir Amann (The Fitness of Names); CELT- Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition - link Coir Amann: A Middle Irish Treatise on Personal Names, Part Two. Ed. Sharon Arbuthnot. Irish Texts Society, Vol. 60. Carey, John. “Werewolves in Medieval Ireland.” Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies. Carey’s profile link. Faoladh art post Faoladh pronunciation post Maegen Stebbins’s website, tumblr, & Arthur and Gorlagon post Stebbins’ debunking the wulver post “The Story of the Crop-Eared Dog,” Two Arthurian Romances, compiled by Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart, 1908 - link Smith, Brian. “The Real Story behind the Shetland Wulver.” Shetland Museum and Archives. Link. Lady Wilde. Ancient legends, mystic charms, and superstitions of Ireland. Link. Saxby, Jessie. “Wulver.” Shetland Traditional Lore. Summers, Montague. The werewolf in lore and legend. Dover Publications, 1933. Link. Melion and Biclarel: Two Old French Werewolf Lays. Edited and translated by Amanda Hopkins. University of Liverpool. Link. McCone, Kim R. Werewolves, Cyclopes, Diberga, and Fianna: Juvenile-Delinquency in Early Ireland. Cambridge medieval Celtic studies, 1986, p. 1-22. Source link. Jakobsen, Jakob “The Old Shetland Dialect.”The dialect and place names of Shetland: two popular lectures. Link. Gerald of Wales. The historical works of Giraldus Cambrensis. Containing the topography of Ireland, and the History of the conquest of Ireland, translated by Thomas Forester. The itinerary through Wales, and the Description of Wales, translated by Sir Richard Colt Hoare. Rev. and ed. With additional notes, by Thomas Wright. Link. West, Marie. “Aspects of diberg in the tale Togail Bruidne Da Derga.” Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, vol. 49-50, no. 1, 1997, pp. 950-64.. Link. “Wulver.” The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. 2004. “Wulver.” An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. 1976. “Wulver.” Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. 2013. “Wulver.” The Encyclopedia of Vampires & Werewolves. 2011.

Can you think like a medieval philosopher? In this episode, we're challenging our guests -- medievalists and non-medievalists alike -- to answer the riddlesome questions presented in the medieval philosophy dialogue of Sidrak and Bokkus! Can you divine the reasoning behind why birds fly, or why some people are short? Join us this episode for weird wisdoms to put in your TTRPGs. CHECK OUT OUR GUESTS' COOL WORK: All guests are part of the Moonshot Network, just like us! All shows can be found here. Check out HB's free games on gm36.itch.io, and check out the pod Indie Mixtape! Check out Wheels' work on Very Random Encounters and The Disappearances of Lydia Fountayne You can find Juliet at @follypersist.bsky.social, and their shows I’ll Be Pod for Castmas, the patreon shows Moonshot Office Hours, and Bath & Butler Works Find Emma on twitter at @ematsca, and check out their work Unnatural Selection! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Sidrak and Bokkus can be read here

What do postal service routes have to do with the national spy network, and how can it improve your worldbuidling? Find out this week as we conclude the Secret History of Byzantium! We conclude this epic text with a few final tales of vice, corruption, and an epic heist that you can set up for your players, too. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Secret History and another version Wikipedia: Byzantine Coinage Prices and Wages in the Byzantine World by Erion Hoxha - Link Prices and Wages in the Byzantine World by Cecile Morrisson - Link

What happens when a wandering knight fails in his quest to get the girl? He needs a therapist, of course! Join us in this guest episode with Georgian lit scholar James Baillie as we walk through the Georgian poetic epic "The Knight in Panther's Skin" and come away with a thousand new ideas for your next TTRPG. Check out James' work here: The Exile Princess on Steam The Exilian Articles Find him on Mastodon and Bluesky Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Amiran-Darejaniani, trans. Stevenson, R.H. (Oxford, 1958). Shota Rustaveli trans. Wardrop, Marjory , The Man in the Panther’s Skin, (Tbilisi 1966). Shota Rustaveli trans. Vivian, Katharine, The Knight in Panther Skin (London, 1977). Visramiani, trans. Wardrop, Oliver. (London, 1914).

A lot of you want to bring medieval necromancy to life in your D&D and TTRPG games, so we delivered! In this ep, we break down the formulae for medieval exorcisms and conjurations, and provide some tips on how you can conjure safely at home - in your game or otherwise. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Threads Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here! Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here! All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here!

We're back with part two of the history of cards! As we delve into the sheer variety of cards that blossomed throughout Europe, we begin to see the ripple effects that they had -- both impacting and reflecting world cultures. Why not use cards similarly in your TTRPGs? We'll show you how! Images and list of suits here. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Threads Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Berry, John. “Chinese Money-Suited Cards.” The Playing-Card, vol. 31, no. 5, 2003, pp. 230-6. Caldwell, Ross Sinclair. “The Devil and the Two of Hearts.” The Playing-Card, vol. 37, no. 2, 2008, pp. 126-41. Caldwell, Ross Sinclair. “The Proto-Historiography of Playing Cards: Early Hypotheses and Beliefs about the Origins of Cards and Card Games in Europe.” The Playing-Card, vol. 38, no. 2, 2009, pp. 92-118. Chatto, William Andrew. Facts and Speculations on the Origin and History of Playing Cards. London, 1848. Culin, Stewart. Korean Games; with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia, 1895. Decker, Ronald, Thierry Depaulis, & Michael Dummett. A Wicked Pack of Cards: the Origins of the Occult Tarot. St. Martin’s Press, 1996. Dummett, Michael. The Game of Tarot: from Ferrara to Salt Lake City. Duckworth, 1980. Dummett, Michael. “The History of Card Games.” European Review, vol. 1, no. 2, 1993, pp. 125-35. Hargrave, Catherine Perry. A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming. Houghton Mifflin, 1980. Janssen, Han. “The 14th Century and the Introduction of Playing Cards into Europe.” The Playing-Card, vol. 34, no. 3, 2006, pp. 173-80. Lo, Andrew. “China’s Passion for Pai: Playing Cards, Dominoes, and Mahjong.” Asian Games: the Art of Contest, edited by Irving L. Finkel et al., Asia Society, 2004, 217-32. Lo, Andrew. “The Game of Leaves: An Inquiry into the Origin of Chinese Playing Cards.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, vol. 63, no. 3, 2000, pp. 389–406. Lo, Andrew. “The ‘Yezi Pu' (Manual of Leaves): A Card Manual for Games of the Late Ming Period [1368-1644].” The Playing-Card, vol. 31, no. 2, 2002, pp. 86-96. Maggio, Emilia. “Early Dragons.” The Playing-Card, vol. 45, no. 3, 2017, pp. 131-41. Pollett, Andrea. “Tȗmȃn, or the Ten Thousand Cups of the Mamluk Cards.” The Playing-Card, vol. 31, no. 1, 2002, pp. 34-41. Singer, Samuel Weller. Researches into the History of Playing Cards; with Illustrations of the Origin of Printing and Engraving on Wood. London, 1816. Taylor, Edward Samuel. The History of Playing Cards, with Anecdotes of Their Use in Conjuring, Fortune-Telling, and Card-Sharping. London, 1865. van Rensselaer, Mrs. John King. The Devil’s Picture-Books: a History of Playing Cards. New York, 1893. Wilkinson, W. H. “Chinese Origin of Playing Cards.” The American Anthropologist, vol. 8, no. 1, 1895, pp. 61-78.

We all like TTRPGs, but what about integrating other games into your tabletop play? This week, we're exploring the history of playing cards, their many variations and occult practices, and how you can utilize their unique history for your worldbuilding and campaigns. Images and list of suits here. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Threads Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Berry, John. “Chinese Money-Suited Cards.” The Playing-Card, vol. 31, no. 5, 2003, pp. 230-6. Caldwell, Ross Sinclair. “The Devil and the Two of Hearts.” The Playing-Card, vol. 37, no. 2, 2008, pp. 126-41. Caldwell, Ross Sinclair. “The Proto-Historiography of Playing Cards: Early Hypotheses and Beliefs about the Origins of Cards and Card Games in Europe.” The Playing-Card, vol. 38, no. 2, 2009, pp. 92-118. Chatto, William Andrew. Facts and Speculations on the Origin and History of Playing Cards. London, 1848. Culin, Stewart. Korean Games; with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia, 1895. Decker, Ronald, Thierry Depaulis, & Michael Dummett. A Wicked Pack of Cards: the Origins of the Occult Tarot. St. Martin’s Press, 1996. Dummett, Michael. The Game of Tarot: from Ferrara to Salt Lake City. Duckworth, 1980. Dummett, Michael. “The History of Card Games.” European Review, vol. 1, no. 2, 1993, pp. 125-35. Hargrave, Catherine Perry. A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming. Houghton Mifflin, 1980. Janssen, Han. “The 14th Century and the Introduction of Playing Cards into Europe.” The Playing-Card, vol. 34, no. 3, 2006, pp. 173-80. Lo, Andrew. “China’s Passion for Pai: Playing Cards, Dominoes, and Mahjong.” Asian Games: the Art of Contest, edited by Irving L. Finkel et al., Asia Society, 2004, 217-32. Lo, Andrew. “The Game of Leaves: An Inquiry into the Origin of Chinese Playing Cards.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, vol. 63, no. 3, 2000, pp. 389–406. Lo, Andrew. “The ‘Yezi Pu' (Manual of Leaves): A Card Manual for Games of the Late Ming Period [1368-1644].” The Playing-Card, vol. 31, no. 2, 2002, pp. 86-96. Maggio, Emilia. “Early Dragons.” The Playing-Card, vol. 45, no. 3, 2017, pp. 131-41. Pollett, Andrea. “Tȗmȃn, or the Ten Thousand Cups of the Mamluk Cards.” The Playing-Card, vol. 31, no. 1, 2002, pp. 34-41. Singer, Samuel Weller. Researches into the History of Playing Cards; with Illustrations of the Origin of Printing and Engraving on Wood. London, 1816. Taylor, Edward Samuel. The History of Playing Cards, with Anecdotes of Their Use in Conjuring, Fortune-Telling, and Card-Sharping. London, 1865. van Rensselaer, Mrs. John King. The Devil’s Picture-Books: a History of Playing Cards. New York, 1893. Wilkinson, W. H. “Chinese Origin of Playing Cards.” The American Anthropologist, vol. 8, no. 1, 1895, pp. 61-78.

Sick of the same old "evil monarchy" in your TTRPGs? Looking to create a corrupt government for your players to dismantle? Look no further - we're adapting byzantine bureaucracy and it's finest villains into BBEGs for your next tabletop game. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Threads Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Secret History and another version Classical text translations here

When Grendel decides to steal Christmas from all the Whos down in Heorot... who else comes to save them but Cindy-Lou Who? Join us for our Christmas special as we do a unique retelling of Beowulf, and how Grendel and the Grinch may be more alike than you think. Read along here! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Threads Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Read Beowulf online here Follow along with Mac's version on our blog! Magennis, Hugh. Anglo-Saxon Appetites: Food and Drink and Their Consumption in Old English and Related Literature. Four Courts Press, 1999. Schichler, Robert L. "Understanding the Outsider: Grendel, Geisel, and the Grinch." Popular Culture Review, vol. 11, no. 1, 2000, pp. 99-105.

Curious about how to conjure a demon on-the-go? Never fear, your thumbnails will do! We're back this episode with our medieval necromancy series where we delve into divination spells using crystals, nails, and the power of virginity. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Threads Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here! Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here! All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here! Blessing the World: Ritual and Lay Piety by Derek Rivard here. Sanctifying the World: Ritual Blessings and Lay Piety in Medieval Religion and Society here The Bond of Solomon translation by Digital Amber here

The Quest for a Wife is harder than it seems... Learn just what it takes fro Cu Chulainn to woo the lady Emer, and what skills of cunning and swordsmanship you can use in your next TTRPG. We're joined by Irish folklore expert Dr Emmet Taylor, who regales us with the finer (and funnier) parts of this old Irish epic. Check out Emmet's podcast: Guth: Reading Irish Myths and Legends. Join our discord community. Check out our Tumblr for even more content. Support us on patreon. Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Read "The Wooing of Emer" online here or read an older, fragmentary version here Meyer, Kuno, ‘The Wooing of Emer’, Archaeological Review 1 (1888): 68–75, 150–155, 231–235, 298–307 Meyer, Kuno, ‘The Oldest Version of Tochmarc Emire’, Revue Celtique 11 (1890): 433-457. Toner, Gregory, ‘The Transmission of Tochmarc Emire,’ Ériu 49 (1998): 71-88. Taylor, Emmet, 'Tricks of the Trade: The Origin of Clessa in Irish Heroic Literature', Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 89 (2025): Forthcoming.

The Quest for a Wife is harder than it seems... Learn just what it takes fro Cu Chulainn to woo the lady Emer, and what skills of cunning and swordsmanship you can use in your next TTRPG. We're joined by Irish folklore expert Dr Emmet Taylor, who regales us with the finer (and funnier) parts of this old Irish epic. Check out Emmet's podcast: Guth: Reading Irish Myths and Legends. Join our discord community. Check out our Tumblr for even more content. Support us on patreon. Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Read "The Wooing of Emer" online here or read an older, fragmentary version here Meyer, Kuno, ‘The Wooing of Emer’, Archaeological Review 1 (1888): 68–75, 150–155, 231–235, 298–307 Meyer, Kuno, ‘The Oldest Version of Tochmarc Emire’, Revue Celtique 11 (1890): 433-457. Toner, Gregory, ‘The Transmission of Tochmarc Emire,’ Ériu 49 (1998): 71-88 Taylor, Emmet, 'Tricks of the Trade: The Origin of Clessa in Irish Heroic Literature', Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 89 (2025): Forthcoming.

What's better than the undead you don't know? The undead that you do! Join us in this Halloween special as we delve into the spooky nature of medieval undead tales and ghost stories, and teach you how to adapt them to TTRPGs! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Saga Thing: The Tale of Thorstein Shiver -- listen here Caesarius of Heisterbach. The Dialogue On Miracles. Translated by H. von E. Scott and C. C. Swinton Bland, vol. 2. Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1929. The Chronicle of Lanercost. Translated by Herbert Maxwell. James MacLehose and Sons, 1913. Saxo Grammaticus, The Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus. Translated by Oliver Elton, vol. 2. Norrœna Society, 1905. William of Malmesbury. The History of the Kings of England and the Modern History of William of Malmesbury. Translated by John Sharpe. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1815. William of Newburgh. “The History of William of Newburgh.” The Church Historians of England, edited and translated by Joseph Stevenson, vol. 4. Seeleys, 1856.

Prokopios continues hyperbolizing this week, thereby compromising his account of Byzantine history. Highlights include Justinian being bad at war because he keeps thinking about the nature of god, barbarians nobody has ever heard of before showing up in Byzantium because they heard the emperor was giving out free money, and the Great Grain Embezzlement. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Secret History and another version Wulfstan's Sermon to the English here

Spice up your spells in D&D with this episode on divinatory magic from a real medieval grimoire! We discuss the legal status of the warlock and patron relationship, and just how reliable devils are for divinatory experiments, anyway? Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here! Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here! All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here! Mirror of Florin references: the Hermetic Hour podcast, and Giordano Bruno's works on magic, astrology, and math.

What if Bridgerton was set in Byzantium? What if the empress was the legal authority on matchmaking? Join us as we explore Prokopios' Secret History -- where the raunchiest secrets of the Byzantine court come to light -- and we teach you how to adapt it for function and gaming. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon!  Check out our merch! Socials:  Tumblr Website Twitter  Instagram Facebook Citations & References:   The Secret History and another version A novelization of Theodora's life: Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore

Magic has its uses, but also its dangers. In this episode, we discuss the more coercive, dangerous ways magic and necromancy was used in the middle ages -- and how, with care, you can use those themes in crafting your next bad guy in your TTRPG. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here! All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here! The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here!

A secret assassination by the empress against her husband's wishes... A giant cryptid whale that terrorizes the coastline and kills sailors... We adapt Prokopios' Secret History of Byzantium for your next TTRPG. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon!  Check out our merch! Danse Macabre: find it on DriveThruRPG here or at Stillfleet Studios here! Socials:  Tumblr Website Twitter  Instagram Facebook Citations & References:   The Secret History and another version More about Porphyrios

Join us as we discuss Curse of Strahd, medieval medicine, and the weird connection between doctors, plague, and vampires in history. Inspired by the darkest days of the Black Death and the connection between vampires, doctors, and death, Ainsley Sunday shows how game masters of every level can use medieval inspiration to create games that feel real without getting bogged down in history. Play Leechcraft! Ainsley's Socials: https://addersmire.itch.io/leechcraft https://www.instagram.com/addersmire/ https://addersmire.tumblr.com/ Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more. Support us on patreon. Check out our merch. Socials:  Tumblr Website Twitter  Instagram Facebook Citations & References:   Leech by Hiron Ennes Thousand Year Old Vampire by Tim Hutchings Pathologic 2 (2019) Vampyr (2018)

Spice up your D&D campaign with some real medieval magic! We're back with Necromancy 101 with new spells for TTPRG players, GMs, and witches alike. This week, we're discussing spells on charming a potential ally, embitter two friends against each other, and how to win the favor of your local lord. How does sympathetic magic work, and how can YOU adapt it to your game? Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here! All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here! The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here!

Prokopios is back at it with bad takes in his Secret History, spouting off what should only be found on Byzantine Twitter. Dive into his absurd takes on why the emperor is actually a demon, and why his wife is SUPER into him. Plus, explore the possibilities of actually having a demon emperor in your TTRPG game, and the complications of a nosy court historian for your players. Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon!  Check out our merch! The Beastiary Challenge! (<-- Don't miss it!) Socials:  Tumblr Website Twitter  Instagram Facebook Citations & References:   The Secret History and another version

We're delving back into the Munich Handbook of Necromancy this week with transportation and reanimation spells. With so many spells to choose from, we're walking you through how to adapt a horse summoning spell to your TTRPG campaign, and maybe even give your players an invisibility cloak to boot. Our Kickstarter is LIVE! Be the first to get a deck of 50 magic items straight from medieval manuscripts! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon!  Check out our merch! Socials:  Tumblr Website Twitter  Instagram Facebook Citations & References:   Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here! All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here! References to Socrates' "Book of Magic: here & here The Ring of Gyges Wikipedia

The Byzantine world continues to make for a perfect D&D setting! In this episode, Justinian outlaws astrology, while he and Theodora pretend to be an the embittered couple in order to play both sides of the sport-fans-turned-rioters, and "Pumpkin," the city prefect, is ousted from power by these sports fanatics. What could possibly go wrong? Our Kickstarter is LIVE! Be the first to get a deck of 50 magic items straight from medieval manuscripts! Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch! Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook Citations & References: The Secret History and another version