Cool Story Guys

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Cool Story Guys is a creative writing podcast and fantasy adventure audiobook where major plot points are determined by RPG-style dice rolls. Join hosts Jeff and Ethan for humorous discussions about the storytelling process and an ongoing collaborative fantasy tale inspired by the unpredictability of role-playing games and actual play podcasts.

Jeff Kirby, Ethan Moses


    • Jun 13, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 34m AVG DURATION
    • 70 EPISODES
    • 2 SEASONS


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    Latest episodes from Cool Story Guys

    Cool Story Guys S02E29: Marked for Sacrifice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 33:25


    In the Season Two finale, we take a final, comprehensive look at our spooky multidimensional caveman epic: Beyond the Mirror. Other topics include figuring out which “big energies” we tapped into over the course of the story, other titles that didn't make the cut, and why Ethan decided to make the book's final antagonists an army of gentrifying sadness monsters.

    Cool Story Guys S02E28: Chapter Fourteen - From Beyond

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 36:11


    The group prepares to move on to Torv's world, but before they can leave the ruins of Orn behind, they discover what the Harvester had planned for them all along. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E27: Competitive Memorial Service

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 38:30


    With pretty much all of our bad guys dead following the climax of the story, we take a look back at all of the antagonistic forces from the book and rank them from dumbest to best. Other topics include whether or not we inadvertently made our main character a Thanos, Jeff's asinine internal battle of efficiency versus originality, and Ethan's deep-seated fears concerning other men, bourbon, and barbecue. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E26: Chapter Thirteen - The Fire on the Mountain

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2023 46:52


    Before the group can even hope to stop the Ghora, they have to find it first. Following the monster's path, they discover the scale of destruction Ja has inadvertently unleashed on Orn. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E25: TGI Fridays but Without the Depth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2023 36:22


    Because we have dragged our protagonists back to their miserable home world, we explore the idea of homecoming in our real lives and try to figure out which of our personal traumas we have projected onto the story. Other topics include the futility of trying to explain magic, finding the right balance between being corny and sensible, and how all of Ethan's early courtships started and ended at Applebees.

    Cool Story Guys S02E24: Chapter Twelve - Reality Collapses

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 27:49


    Cool Story Guys S02E23: Is Jeff Invisible Again? Because It Smells Horrible

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 32:46


    Forced to use an "eerie" Fate Index submission on one of our protagonists, we discuss how we would cope with similar weird changes in our real lives. Other topics include how farts are a great catalyst for transformation, deciding when a story needs to slow down the pace, and big sacrifices like Randy Quaid in the blockbuster film Independence Day. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E22: Chapter Eleven - Untying the Knot

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 31:40


    The group of unlikely companions travel together to an idyllic island while they wait for the Harvester's return, but even in paradise, Ja can't escape the mistakes of his past.

    Cool Story Guys S02E21: The Trust Hole

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 31:12


    Which animals would we follow into a deep, dark hole? We discuss which of nature's children are the most trustworthy. Other topics include whether or not Ethan is actually a bunch of bugs in a man suit, playing fast and loose with our Fate Index rolls, and not wanting to overwrite a gross scene because someone will inevitably use it to scratch a kinky itch.

    Cool Story Guys S02E20: Chapter Ten - A Noble Cause

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2023 27:19


    Ja hears a voice in his head that confirms his suspicions about the Harvester and follows it underground to build a questionable new alliance. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E19: I Got My Masters in Bone Gendering

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2023 39:42


    Now that we're in the back half of the story, it's time to go back and look at the original rolls from the first episode to see how well we've been following directions. Other topics include the fun of creating insidiously creepy chapters, making fast friends with an UltraBacon at the bar, and the introduction of a new, unexpected pet: former US president Grover Cleveland.

    Cool Story Guys S02E18: Chapter Nine - The Harvester

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2023 27:32


    Doro excitedly brings Ja and Kaia to the forest of a man named the Harvester. Though the skeleton venerates the powerful stranger, the humans are far less trusting.

    Cool Story Guys S02E17: Punching Cakes and Farting in Supercuts

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2023 33:05


    Being forced to write an awkward social faux pas into the story is the perfect excuse to talk about our own devastating personal embarrassments. Other topics include using Fate Index rolls to become an edgelord, creating the Skeleton Bible, and being fine with tropes in our story as long as they were someone else's idea.

    Cool Story Guys S02E16: Chapter Eight - A Quiet Meal

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2023 29:10


    The jawbone mirror has transported our protagonists to "a world without men like the Blood Summoner." It offers Ja and Kaia a great opportunity to learn more about their travels; all they have to do first is enjoy a simple meal in silence.

    Cool Story Guys S02E15: Body of Desire

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2023 39:11


    Who has the hot looks and perfect life and how do we get into those bodies instead of our crummy ones? Ethan wants to be the tallest guy in the neighborhood and Jeff knows he'll never cut it as Beyoncé. Other topics include whether or not we should care about "good storytelling" over fun, getting creative with suboptimal rolls, and having to level up our story challenges as we level up our characters.

    Cool Story Guys S02E14: Chapter Seven - Through the Eyes of the Oppressor

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2023 29:03


    After a bizarre turn of events, Ja and Kaia find themselves in the upper echelon of Orn society. Have things finally improved for our protagonists, or is life too good to be true?

    Cool Story Guys S02E13: A Definitive List of Scary Animals

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2023 44:52


    Animals can be scary! In this episode, we create a tier list that determines once-and-for-all which animals are the most terrifying. Other topics include Ethan deciding that a brand-new character is unnecessary, how Elden Ring is still infiltrating our creative nodes, and characters who mysteriously know all of the story's secrets.

    Cool Story Guys S02E12: Chapter Six - The Putrid Coast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2023 26:34


    Ja and Kaia attempt to track down Torv on the other side of the portal, hoping that his brute strength can help keep them safe in a harsh new world. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E11: Oops! All Conans

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2023 37:56


    Inspired by a trans-Atlantic viewing of Indiana Jones, we explore the idea of a "leap of faith" and whether or not we're the type of people to take big risks. Other topics include the unstated peril of not naming characters, whether or not we've got too much magic in the story, and an introduction to a sexy bug waifu Bionicle named Zethra.

    Cool Story Guys S02E10: Chapter Five - Complex Problems and Simple Violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 29:30


    Cool Story Guys S02E09: The Red Dawn Theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 37:24


    Are we loyal friends and family members? Is Ethan the perfect American? In this episode, we explore the depths of our loyalty to others, ourselves, and our countries. Other topics include problematic protagonists, the pervasive propaganda of Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix, and how it's easier to unlock a door than pull it off its hinges.

    Cool Story Guys S02E08: Chapter Four - Honor March

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2022 32:53


    The great forest is dying and with it the barbarian Ulvson clan. The decline began with the emergence of the hideous boar faces and their mysterious leader, the Light Eater. To save his people, Torv sets out to destroy the bringer of the Black Night.

    Cool Story Guys S02E07: Real Fears

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2022 39:25


    What drives fear into the hearts of the Cool Story Guys? In this episode, we discuss the tangible and existential dreads that haunt our everyday existence. Other topics include Jeff's general inability to listen to good advice, the impending emergence of the Shrimp Summoner, and an introduction to the physically, emotionally, and temporally separated "Distant Ethan."

    Cool Story Guys S02E06: Chapter Three - The Absence of Light

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 30:31


    Desperate for supplies, Ja and Kaia venture beneath the vine-covered ruins and find that not everything among the countless scattered bones has died.

    Cool Story Guys S02E05: Apex Cabin Daddy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 35:26


    After forcing our protagonists to traverse through a vicious jungle, we discuss whether either of us has what it takes to survive in dire situations. Other topics include how it feels to write gross things, whether or not parents form strong bonds with their children, and all the nasty things Ethan thought about including in his chapter but decided against. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E04: Chapter Two - Evils and Omens

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 25:43


    Ja and Kaia wrestle with new fears and old traumas as they traverse the inhospitable jungle outside of the compound. Unequipped to protect themselves in the wild, the two are forced to cling to any semblance of safety they can find.

    Cool Story Guys S02E03: Defining a Rural Caveman

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 35:46


    As the story starts to take shape, we explore the different ways that Jeff's spicy Turkish vacation influenced the first chapter. Other topics include a cursory look at a random assortment of new and old things, Ethan's deep desire to add dinosaurs to anything and everything, and a few too many references to a book that a lot of people haven't read. 

    Cool Story Guys S02E02: Chapter One - Blood Sacrifice

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 35:21


    Raised inside a brutal prison compound and subjected to supernatural rituals, Ja has little hope for the future. When a woman named Kaia is exiled to the compound from the community, she teaches Ja about the outside world, and the two form an alliance to keep each other safe.

    Cool Story Guys S02E01: Too Dumb for Sci-Fi

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 48:11


    A new season means a brand new story! In this introductory episode, we roll the dice to learn what kind of story we get to tell. Spoiler alert: this new story isn't going to be anything like the last one. Other topics include not getting frustrated when we can't compete with top-tier art, a dog-minus-whale reality that is just begging to be explored, and how everyone is tired of fantasy stories set in the Middle Ages.

    Cool Story Guys One-Shot: Elden Ring

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 46:00


    Elden Ring is one of the most exciting things to happen to video games in years and we are smitten. Ethan is a veteran of the Dark Souls games and Jeff is new to the series, but we've both been deeply enjoying our time getting killed over and over and over in the lands between. We talk about the sprawling story (which is supposedly co-created by one of the biggest names in fantasy literature), the dauntingly steep learning curve, and what the game means to those who hold fantasy adventure near and dear. 

    Cool Story Guys 040: Jumbo-Sized Season Finale Jamboree

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 53:48


    We celebrate the end of our first season with a big discussion of the last two chapters and an imaginary casting session for the inevitable big-budget TV series or film adaptation. Other topics include areas where we wish we could get a do-over, some alternate book names that didn't quite make the cut, and how our fantasy story slowly morphed into a collectivist screed about how billionaires shouldn't exist.

    Cool Story Guys 039: Epilogue

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 44:15


    It's been 20 years since the Shift changed the world forever. Have the survivors actualized the brighter future they saw atop the platform, or have the same old mistakes returned to haunt them again?

    Cool Story Guys 038: Chapter 19 - Ascension

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2022 47:14


    Everyone has gathered at the base of the column from the vision. Will they ascend to a better world, or to a cruel and violent demise?

    Cool Story Guys 037: Flop Reel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2022 34:11


    Another year of toil and wasted promise is in the books, so we take a look at stuff we liked, stuff that sucked, and whether or not we should try harder on this podcast in 2022. Other topics include Ethan's bizarre insistence to keep talking about the shortcomings of Resident Evil films, the thrilling highs and unfathomable lows of Nicolas Cage, and preemptively taking care of a  plot hole from our story so vindictive nerds won't bug us about it in the future.

    Cool Story Guys 036: Chapter 18 - Lost and Found

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2021 39:39


    It's the last stand for Finnegan and the Irapa as an overwhelming swarm of Vist make a final push to turn the Northern Plateaus into a column. 

    Cool Story Guys 035: Are We Living in a Simulation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2021 29:58


    Shook by the idea that we've taken free will away from the characters in our story, we discuss whether or not we have any free will of our own, or if the reason Jeff eats a turkey sandwich for lunch every day is because he lives inside a simulation. Other topics include Ethan imagining himself as an adorable garbage robot, how Jeff's dad has become the destroyer of worlds, and whether or not we feel emotions when we kill off our characters.

    Cool Story Guys 034: Chapter 17 - Visions

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2021 37:30


    Different factions quarrel over how to act upon the Remnant's vision, and the outcome will determine the fate of the Capital Islands and its people.

    Cool Story Guys 033: Ethan's Quest

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2021 29:03


    Come along on the adventure of a lifetime in ETHAN'S QUEST, an exciting new game where you attempt to navigate uncomfortable social situations with a magic hat and are reincarnated behind a Burger King in the woods every time you die. Other topics include how pretty much every RPG is a fashion RPG, the realization that it's time to start killing off our characters again, and Ethan having to fight the inclination to add more mystery to a story he's supposed to bringing to a close.

    Cool Story Guys 032: Chapter 16 - Seeking Truth

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 31:26


    Stuck on the Northern Plateaus and drained of power, Laureena attempts to break free from the dark force that has been controlling her for the last four years.

    Cool Story Guys 031: Mid-Life Multiclassing

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 34:46


    In preparation of our impending mid-life crises, we take a look at the new skills we want to learn in our elder years to replace the useless ones we've acquired so far. Other topics include how Ethan is self-conscious of his baby-soft hands, which time-sensitive natural disasters are worth worrying about, and how difficult it is to deal with a fantasy story where you can't go back and edit anything you've already written.

    Cool Story Guys 030: Chapter 15 - Interfacing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2021 38:35


    Skeptical of the Nemarus' plan, Danvers meets with Hallister and discovers the story he was told regarding the Shift was not the whole truth.

    Cool Story Guys 029: Accidental Batman

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2021 32:24


    It's our October Spooktacular episode, with resident horror master Ethan taking over the reigns to make Jeff play a spooky game inventing the perfect monster. Spoiler alert: the perfect monster is named "Carol." Other topics include how Ethan inadvertently added some Bruce Wayne backstory to our book, how we missed the boat and now can never name our world, and the unveiling of our inevitable anime tie-in "Anti-Magi Devil Boy."

    Cool Story Guys 028: Chapter 14 - A Sting from the Past

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2021 29:39


    Deep underground with the Irapa, Finnegan relives a traumatic experience from his past in a vivid dream, but key aspects of the memory have changed in startling ways. Although it's clear his emotions are being manipulated, his grip on reality begins to slip away as corruption takes hold.

    Cool Story Guys 027: Danny Elfman Bathroom Theme

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2021 39:10


    Inspired by some nebulous lists of dogs, we play a new game called "More or Less" in which we decide whether there is too much or not enough of things like romance and going to the bathroom in books, TV, and movies. Other topics include how all of the protagonists in our story are old people, the realization that everything Jeff imagines is somehow related to the X-Men, and the ecstasy and agony of shredding our vocal cords to perform crab voice. 

    Cool Story Guys 026: Chapter 13 - Vertical Migration

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2021 40:00


    Searching for containment shrines, Elinea and the blind wanderer discover a dangerous new threat from the underworld. 

    Cool Story Guys 025: Fully-Realized Manchild

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2021 33:55


    We take a look at some of our biggest literary pet peeves, ranging from merely annoying to completely story-ruining. Other topics include the morality of fooling around for old souls in young bodies, the movie "Big" and its terrible precedent for examining such morally-questionable situations, and how Ethan is definitely NOT a scientist. 

    Cool Story Guys 024: Chapter 12 - Sins of the Callans

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2021 28:22


    Danvers is led to the underwater city of Vandenala, where Adan lays out her plan for counteracting the Shift and saving Laureena. 

    Cool Story Guys 023: The Fantastic Names of Notable Men

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2021 34:58


    In honor of the possibility that someone might accidentally stumble upon our fantasy writing podcast while looking for fantasy football, we have created a new game called "the Fantastic Names of Notable Men." In it, Ethan has to guess which names on Jeff's list are from fantasy and sci-fi books and which are the names of actual NFL players. Play along at home! Other topics include how we are too fragile to play contact sports anymore, a lot of talk about Dune, and how Jeff is always looking for an excuse to create new characters based on jokes from the podcast. 

    Cool Story Guys 022: Chapter 11 - Working as One

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2021 36:42


    Before the Shift, Laureena was insightful, fiercely competitive, and a loyal friend. How much of her personality and agency remain after years possessed by an embittered primordial deity?

    Cool Story Guys 021: Goofball Tank

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2021 33:33


    Looking over NPR's list of the best fantasy and science fiction of the last decade, we realize that we probably aren't reading enough books, and discuss whether reading or writing has the better return on time investment for aspiring storytellers. Other topics include capsules of cat urine, whether Ethan's general lack of dexterity means he can't be a rogue, and whether or not our story is doing anything to enrich the minds of our listeners. 

    Cool Story Guys 020: Chapter Ten - Beneath the Surface

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2021 25:50


    Finnegan explores the smoldering wreckage of the Irapa village, looking for clues that will lead him to Laureena. With a snowstorm bearing down and a host of unfriendly characters trying to do him harm, the ex-soldier worries he might have bitten off more than he can chew.

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