The Once And Future Nerd

Today's bonus content is the #AskTOAFN listener Q&A for Book 2, Chapter 9. Christian, Dan, Anya and Greg answer a few questions related to the chapter...and then mostly relitigate Tumblr's "Sexiest Once And Future Nerd Character" poll. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Due to a (very literal) expansion in the TOAFN family, there will be a longer than usual break between Chapters 9 and 10. Our Patreon will be paused until we have something to release. Stay tuned to our socials for official announcements. (The transcript for the conversation can be found here, and the transcript for our announcements can be found here.) Thank you as always for listening!

In the conclusion of Book 2, Chapter 9, Billy does what Billy does best - be a huge pain in the ass - and reshapes the power balance of Pacific Ridge. And just in time for the arrival of a very influential power broker. First Snow prepares to delivery discouraging news to her community. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA and GREGORY M. SCHULZ PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Janey GARRETT ARMYN as...      Sir Brennen Willemson, Baker, and Ranger 4 DAN DOBRANSKY as...      Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Aerona Regan IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and Ranger 1 AARON LANHAM as...      First Snow CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Tyymos, Stablehand, and Bill PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson and Ranger 2 ANA O'DANIEL as...      Lulu APRIL ORTIZ as...      Steady River FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      Nia and Blacksmith GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Yllowyyn, Ranger 3, and Weston DAVID SYLVESTER WOLF as...      O'an Hritsl Editing by JIM BANTING Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by JIM BANTING Additional Writing Help from ANA O'DANIEL Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript of our announcements here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: The end of a Chapter means we'll be doing an #AskTOAFN livestream on YouTube. Submit your questions on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr using #AskTOAFN! Just make sure to submit by 11:59pm ET on June 2. As always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! Follow our socials for all scheduling announcements. CONTENT NOTES: Intimate partner violence is a recurring throughline of this chapter End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

Regan becomes increasingly entangled in the affairs of Pacific Ridge, while the Party puts their plan into motion. Yllodyk may have found an ally, but she has some explaining to do first. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA and GREGORY M. SCHULZ PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Yllodyk and Janey GARRETT ARMYN as...      Sir Brennen Willemson DAN DOBRANSKY as...      Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Aerona Regan and Maeve Bailey IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and The Professor CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Bill PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson ANA O'DANIEL as...      Lulu FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      Nia GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Yllowyyn and Weston DAVID SYLVESTER WOLF as...      O'an Hritsl Editing by JIM BANTING Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Additional Writing Help from ANA O'DANIEL Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript of our announcements here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: This episode is brought to you in part by Shaker & Spoon – a subscription service that helps you learn to make craft cocktails at home. Get 20% off your first box by visiting shakerandspoon.com/toafn As always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! We'll be back with our next episode on May 28. See you then! CONTENT NOTES: Intimate partner violence is a recurring throughline of this chapter End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

Yllodyk reckons with the aftershock from her parents' untimely deaths. Under the Black Mountains, Mag Uidhir and the Dragon make good on their bargain. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by O CARCIENTE and CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Yllodyk GARRETT ARMYN as...      Jethro IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and Mag Uidhir CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Renault D'esprit JULIE REED as...      Elf Constable REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      The Dragon/Yrrsylax Editing by JIM BANTING Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers SUSAN DEGAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript of our announcements here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: This episode is brought to you in part by Shaker & Spoon – a subscription service that helps you learn to make craft cocktails at home. Get 20% off your first box by visiting shakerandspoon.com/toafn As always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! We'll be back with our next episode on Apr. 30. See you then! CONTENT NOTES: There is a description of death by torture There is talk of gender dysphoria, particularly as it relates to menstruation and childbirth End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

Old rivalries flare in Pacific Ridge. Nelson finds a kindred spirit. Regan folds some new allies into the Party's plan. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA and GREGORY M. SCHULZ PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Janey GARRETT ARMYN as...      Sir Brennen Willemson DAN DOBRANSKY as...      Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Aerona Regan IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and Ranger 1 CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Bill PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson ANA O'DANIEL as...      Lulu FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      Nia GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Yllowyyn, Ranger 3, and Weston DAVID SYLVESTER WOLF as...      O'an Hritsl Editing by JIM BANTING Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Additional Writing Help from ANA O'DANIEL Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers SUSAN DEGAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be found here, and the transcript for our announcements here. We'll be back with our next episode on March 26. We'll see you then! CONTENT NOTES: Intimate partner violence is a recurring throughline of this chapter Words of racial and gendered abuse are used END OF LISTED CONTENT NOTES.

Upon arriving in the West, the Party encounters challenges they never anticipated. But after learning more about their new locale, a plan takes shape. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA and GREGORY M. SCHULZ Additional Writing Help from ANA O'DANIEL PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Janey GARRETT ARMYN as...      Sir Brennen Willemson, Coyote Carl, and Ranger 4 DAN DOBRANSKY as...      Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Aerona Regan IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and Ranger 1 CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Bill PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson and Ranger 2 ANA O'DANIEL as...      Lulu FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      Nia GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Yllowyyn and Ranger 3 DAVID SYLVESTER WOLF as...      The Heel Editing by TRISTAN STONE Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers SUSAN DEGAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our announcements here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: This episode is brought to you in part by Shaker & Spoon - a subscription service that helps you learn to make craft cocktails at home. Get 20% off your first box by visiting shakerandspoon.com/toafn As always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! We'll be back with our next episode on Feb. 26. See you then! CONTENT NOTES: Intimate partner violence is a recurring throughline of this chapter End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

For today's bonus content, Anya Gibian, Zach Glass, Ian Harkins, and Christian Kelley-Madera recorded a commentary track for Book 1 Chapter 5, "The Worthiest Knight," originally released back in 2014. ANNOUCEMENTS: This episode is sponsored by Tab for a Cause — a free browser extension that helps you raise money for charity. Join our team at tabforacause.org/toafn As always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. This episode was a reward we promised for reaching $650/month on Patreon. Thank you to everyone who helped us reach that milestone! If you'd like to hear us do this again, we've promised another commentary track if we reach $850/month. Check out Ian's new audio drama series The Iron Anthology Check out our illustrator John's portfolio and commission links here! This will be our last release of 2022, but we'll be back with the premiere of our next chapter on January 29, 2023! CONTENT NOTE: The chapter we're commenting on contains a term of gendered abuse (The script for the original chapter can be found here. The transcript of our commentary can be found here, and the transcript of this week's announcements can be found here.)

Today's bonus content is the audio from our #AskTOAFN livestream from October 14. Zach and Christian discussed their favorite parts of the chapter and answered listener questions. ANNOUNCEMENTS: This episode is sponsored by Tab for a Cause — a free browser extension that helps you raise money for charity. Join our team at tabforacause.org/toafnThis episode is sponsored by Clockworks Academy – College-level insight without college-level cost, offering courses in King Arthur, Game of Thrones, and more. Visit Clockworksacademy.com and use code futurenerd to save 10% on any purchase.And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining!There will be more bonus content in November, date TBA. Then we will be taking December off for the winter holidays. We will return with the premiere of Book 2 Chapter 9 on January 29, 2023. (The transcript for the conversation can be found here, and the transcript for our announcements can be found here.) Thank you as always for listening!

Welcome back for another pair of TOAFN Minisodes! Dear Uncle Written by O. CarcientePerformed by Paul Notice as Antonin MooncrestEdited, mixed, and sound design by Tristan Stone A Good Night's Story Written by Sarah WinklerPerformed by Anya Gibian as Arlene RedmoorEdited, mixed, and sound design by Tristan Stone Scripts for both of these minisodes can be found here: Dear UncleA Good Night's Story This episode is sponsored by Tab for a Cause -- a free browser extension that helps you raise money for charity. Join our team at tabforacause.org/toafn Thank you for listening! Look out for the audio from our Q&A livestream, hitting your feed on Oct 30, and some bonus content next month!

Arlene, Gwen, Mildred, and Ben make shore at their new home. The worst possible people meet each other. Tragedy befalls the house of Ba'at lo-Yl and Wyyn lo-Dyk. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Yllodyk and Ethel GARRETT ARMYN as...      Jethro DAN DOBRANSKY as...      Ardel Redmoor, Alf, and Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Arlene Redmoor and Wyyn lo-Dyk IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and Ba'at lo-Yl SHANNON HARRIS as...      Mildred and Red Ren the Ruthless CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Renault D'esprit PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson and Ben ANA O'DANIEL as...      Gwen of Ruefield FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Olafsson and Sailor In Crow's Nest Editing by TRISTAN STONE Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers SUSAN DEGNAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our announcements here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Keep an eye on our social for the date and time of the #AskTOAFN stream, and you can submit your questions on social with #AskTOAFN.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp – Affordable, private therapy. Anytime, anywhere. Visit betterhelp.com/toafn to get 10% off your first monthAnd as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! See below for CONTENT NOTES. CONTENT NOTES: Sounds of death by poisoning and suffocationDescription of death by blood loss and apparent suicide End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

Billy's attempts to support Nelson emotionally go about as well as you would expect. But, hey, he's trying. Mag Uidhir brokers an accord. Two very different societies decide how to allocate resources in a simmering conflict. The finale of Book 2 Chapter 8 arrives on September 25. See you then! CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Speaker 2 DAN DOBRANSKY as...      General Traft and Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Wyyn lo-Dyk IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator, Mag Uidhir, and Ba'at lo-Yl SHANNON HARRIS as...      Chief Speaker AARON LANHAM as...      First Snow CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Council Member and Speaker 3 PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson ANA O'DANIEL as...      Ry'y lo-Th'yyt APRIL ORTIZ as...      Steady River FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen and Another Elf REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      The Dragon and Speaker 1 Editing by TRISTAN STONE Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producer ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our announcements here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Please welcome Ana O'Daniel to the cast!This podcast is sponsored by Tab for a Cause – a free browser extension that helps you raise money for charity. Join our team at tabforacause.org/toafnAs always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining!

Mag Uidhir begins parlay with an awesome and terrible bargaining partner. When the Party seeks shelter from a blizzard, Nelson tries making sense of his recent conversations with Nia. Our next episode arrives on August 28. Thanks for listening and see you then! CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA PERFORMED BY: GARRETT ARMYN as...      Sir Brennen Willemson DAN DOBRANSKY as...      General Traft, Arden, and Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Aerona Regan IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator and Mag Uidhir PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson FRANK QUERIS as...      Billy JULIE REED as...      Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as...      Nia and The Dragon GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Yllowyyn Editing by TRISTAN STONE Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our announcements can be downloaded here. A list of links for abortion rights, support, and advocacy can be found here.

In the premiere of Book 2 Chapter 8, the newly divided Party begins its risky journey over the Black Mountains. Elsewhere, A servant is ailing. Maeve Bailey recounts the reports of her sisters. And Mag Uidhir, Traft, and Arden discover much more than they bargained for under the Mountains. Our next episode will arrive on July 31. Thanks as always for listening! CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by ZACH GLASS, CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA, and GREGORY M. SCHULZ PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as...      Ruby GARRETT ARMYN as...      Sir Brennen Willemson DAN DOBRANSKY as...      General Traft, Arden, Physician, and Vanderberg ANYA GIBIAN as...      Aerona Regan and Maeve Bailey IAN HARKINS as...      The Narrator, The Professor, and Mag Uidhir CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA as...      Council Member and Orc #1 PAUL NOTICE as...      Nelson JULIE REED as...      Jen GREGORY M. SCHULZ as...      Orc #2 Editing by MILES CARTER Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers SUSAN DEGNAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: This podcast is sponsored by SHAKER & SPOON – A craft cocktail subscription box. Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/toafn with discount code 'futurenerd'And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining!Find and support an abortion fund near you - https://abortionfunds.org/ See below for CONTENT NOTES. CONTENT NOTES: Cancel and medical trauma End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

Today's bonus content is the audio from our #AskTOAFN livestream from May 7. Zach and Christian were joined by Garrett Armyn (Brennen) to discuss what happened in Book 2 Chapter 7 and what might come next. (Obviously, spoilers abound.) CREDITS:Editing and audio cleanup by Edward Bush ANNOUNCEMENTS: This episode is sponsored by Clockworks Academy – College-level insight without college-level cost, offering courses in King Arthur, Game of Thrones, and more. Visit Clockworksacademy.com and use code futurenerd to save 10% on any purchase.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp – Affordable, private therapy. Anytime, anywhere. Visit betterhelp.com/toafn to get 10% off your first monthAnd as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! (The transcript for the conversation can be found here, and the transcript for our announcements can be found here.) Thank you as always for listening! TOAFN will return on June 26th with the premiere of Book 2, Chapter 8!

Got a quick feed drop today to tell you about the DECOLONIZE & DISCOVER FESTIVAL. You might remember friend of the show JourNee LaFond - Zach interviewed them and their spouse Steven back in 2020 about their choose-your-own-adventure horror audiodrama WITCHEVER PATH. Well JourNee put together a super cool group of BIPOC and Queer geekdom for a festival that's gonna happen from June 17th-19th in Charlton, Massachusetts. Tickets are on sale now and there's early bird pricing through the end of May. You can buy tickets or find out more at decolonizeanddiscover.com. Seems likely to be very much up the alley of the median Once and Future Nerd fan, I would say. We'll be back next week - May 29 - with the audio from our #AskTOAFN livestream for Book 2 Chapter 7!

We're back with some scripted minisodes today, for this between-chapters month. "On The Origin Of A Song"by Paul Notice and Christian T. Kelley-MaderaPerformed by:Paul Notice - MatronsonMatthew K. Addison - Younger ManGregory M. Schulz - Rival MerchantChristian T. Kelley-Madera - Elf Guard(Script)CONTENT NOTES: Contains depictions of racist state violence "A Holiday Dinner"by Dirk HamptonPerformed by:Anya Gibian - Molly Bailey, Minnie Bailey, Mona Bailey, Maeve Bailey(Script) Editing for Minisodes 005 and 006 by BriElle AchterhofFoley, Sound Design, and Post-Production Mixing by Matthew BoudreauAssociate Producers: Susan Degan and Alec Story Announcements: This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp – Affordable, private therapy. Anytime, anywhere. Visit betterhelp.com/toafn to get 10% off your first monthThis podcast is also sponsored by Tab for a Cause - a free browser extension that helps you raise money for charity. Join our team at tabforacause.org/toafnAs always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining!No affiliation, but visit donations4abortion.com to find an abortion fund you can support in all 50 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico Thank you for listening! We'll be posting the audio from our recent #AskTOAFN livestream on May 29, and then we'll be back with the premiere of Book 2, Chapter 8 on June 26. (The transcript for our announcements can be found here.)

In the conclusion to Chapter 7, Nelson and Nia discuss dreams, Jen and Regan reconcile, and the party must make some goodbyes. Chapter 8 will premiere on June 26, 2022. In the meantime, there will be a minisode release and an #AskTOAFN livestream in the month of May, exact dates TBA. CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed byCHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written byCHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA and GREGORY M. SCHULZ PERFORMED BY:RHIANNON ANGELL as... SailorGARRETT ARMYN as... Sir Brennen WillemsonANYA GIBIAN as... Aerona Regan and Arlene RedmoorIAN HARKINS as... The NarratorSHANNON HARRIS as... Mildred and Red Ren the RuthlessPAUL NOTICE as... Nelson and BenJULIET PRATHER as... Gwen of RuefieldJULIE REED as... JenREGINA RENEE RUSSELL as... NiaGREGORY M. SCHULZ as... Yllowyyn Editing byDAVID DEVEREUX Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing byMATTHEW BOUDREAU Music Direction and Main Theme byTOM LEE Additional Scoring byCHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced byZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced byJESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate ProducersSUSAN DEGNAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our ads/announcements can be downloaded here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Keep an eye on our social for the date and time of the #AskTOAFN stream, and you can submit your questions on social with #AskTOAFN.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp – Affordable, private therapy. Anytime, anywhere. Visit betterhelp.com/toafn to get 10% off your first month And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! See below for CONTENT NOTES. CONTENT NOTES: Discussions of over-eating End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

In this episode, the team must make some decisions regarding their future plans. Regan must come to face the consequences of her actions. And Nia reconnects with her mother. Our next episode will be released on April 24, 2022. We hope to see you then! CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed byCHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written byCHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA PERFORMED BY:GARRETT ARMYN as... Sir Brennen WillemsonDAN DOBRANSKY as... AlfANYA GIBIAN as... Aerona Regan and Arlene RedmoorIAN HARKINS as... The NarratorSHANNON HARRIS as... MildredPAUL NOTICE as... Nelson and BenJULIET PRATHER as... Gwen of RuefieldFRANK QUERIS as... BillyJULIE REED as... JenREGINA RENEE RUSSELL as... NiaGREGORY M. SCHULZ as... Yllowyyn Editing byMADDY SEARLE Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing byEDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme byTOM LEE Additional Scoring byCHRIS MONTALBO Created and Executive Produced byZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced byJESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate ProducersSUSAN DEGNAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our ads/announcements can be downloaded here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next month's episode (April 24, 2022) will be your last change to pledge or upgrade on Patreon if you want to receive an enamel pin! This episode is sponsored by Clockworks Academy - College-level insight without college-level cost, offering courses in King Arthur, Game of Thrones, and more. Visit Clockworksacademy.com and use code futurenerd to save 10% on any purchase And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! See below for CONTENT NOTES. CONTENT NOTES: Sounds of a gruesome medical procedureSomeone getting drunk End of Listed CONTENT NOTES

Antonin Mooncrest, after taking over as rightful Regent of Guernatal, wins over his new subjects. Meanwhile, Ardel Redmoor, the recently-removed regent of the same...does the opposite. West of the mountains, First Snow and Steady River head towards the Federation to discuss the threat of the Elves. And finally, the Iordic (and Pennsylvanian) crew deal with the consequences of their recent endeavor. Our next episode will be released on March 27, 2022! We hope to see you then! CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA and GREGORY M. SCHULZ PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as... Peasant GARRETT ARMYN as... Sir Brennen Willemson DAN DOBRANSKY as... Ardel Redmoor, Alf, and New Guard Captain ANYA GIBIAN as... Arlene Redmoor IAN HARKINS as... The Narrator, Head Priest, Guernatal Peasant 1, and Guernatal Peasant 2 SHANNON HARRIS as... Red Ren the Ruthless AARON LANHAM as... First Snow PAUL NOTICE as... Nelson and Antonin Mooncrest JULIET PRATHER as... Gwen of Ruefield APRIL ORTIZ as... Steady River JULIE REED as... Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as... Nia Editing by MADDY SEARLE Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Music Direction and Main Theme by TOM LEE Additional Scoring by CHRIS MONTALBO and OLIVER MORRIS Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers SUSAN DEGNAN and ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our ads/announcements can be downloaded here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Please welcome Aaron Lanham to our cast! This episode is sponsored by Clockworks Academy - College-level insight without college-level cost, offering courses in King Arthur, Game of Thrones, and more. Visit Clockworksacademy.com and use code futurenerd to save 10% on any purchase.And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining!

After successfully pulling off a heist to save Nia's family from Ry'y lo-Th'yyt, the party attempts to make their getaway. Complications arise, and loose ends are tied...but at what cost? Our next episode will be released on February 27, 2022! We hope to see you then! CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE: Directed by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Written by CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA PERFORMED BY: RHIANNON ANGELL as... Crew Member 1 and Sailor GARRETT ARMYN as... Sir Brennen Willemson and Crew Member 2 DAN DOBRANSKY as... Alf ANYA GIBIAN as... Aerona Regan IAN HARKINS as... The Narrator SHANNON HARRIS as... Mildred PAUL NOTICE as... Nelson JULIET PRATHER as... Ry'y lo-Th'yyt FRANK QUERIS as... Billy JULIE REED as... Jen REGINA RENEE RUSSELL as... Nia GREGORY M. SCHULZ as... Yllowyyn Editing by DAVID DEVEREUX Foley, Sound Design, and Post Production Mixing by EDWARD BUSH Created and Executive Produced by ZACH GLASS & CHRISTIAN T. KELLEY-MADERA Co-Executive Produced by JESS KELLEY-MADERA Associate Producers ALEC STORY The script for this episode can be downloaded here, and the transcript for our ads/announcements can be downloaded here. ANNOUNCEMENTS: REMINDER: We have updated our Patreon to charge monthly. Even if you are giving the same amount, you MUST select one of the new monthly tiers in order for Patreon to correctly assess your rewards Please welcome Regina Renee Russell to our cast! This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp - Affordable, private therapy. Anytime, anywhere. Visit betterhelp.com/toafn to get 10% off your first month And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. We hope you consider joining! See below for Content Notes CONTENT NOTES: Sounds of a broken boneEye injuryVomit sounds END OF LISTED CONTENT NOTES

We are thrilled to announce that THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD is returning on January 30, 2022! A few other important scheduling notes: We are switching to a monthly release schedule. Going forward, episodes will be released on the last Sunday of every month.One upside of that change is that we expect to release new episodes consistently for at least the remainder of 2022 and hopefully beyond.In line with this change, we're switching our Patreon account to bill monthly, and also simplifying our reward tiers. You can find out all the details of that, or become a Patron at Patreon.com/onceandfuturenerd.Whether you already support us on Patreon or plan to start, make sure to select a reward tier before Jan 30, or Patreon will not send you your rewards!!All of Book One is now also available on our YouTube channel. We'll also be posting a chapter of Book 2 on Wednesdays and Sundays leading up to the premiere of Book 2 Chapter 7. If you want to re-listen before the new episode and talk to other fans, you can post on social media using #TOAFNReRead The full transcript of this conversation can be found here. Thank you for your patience and continued support! We'll see you on January 30th!!

Today, a conversation with Paul Notice (Nelson, Antonin Mooncrest, Ensemble) about WILLOW, an Afrofuturist, Womanist, Anti-Capitalist horror film that he's currently raising money for. If you want to help him make it, you can head to bit.ly/willowhorror, or head to thenoticeblog.com to see everything that Paul's up to. The full transcript of this conversation can be found here. Some useful links this week: Astoria Food PantryTransgender Law CenterFair Fight Our sponsor this week is The Listener, an expert-curated podcast recommendation newsletter. You can get 2 months free with code toafn20 Talk to you soon!

Today's bonus content is a showcase featuring HARLEM QUEEN by Yhane Smith. If you like what you hear, you can listen to HARLEM QUEEN on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher, and follow the show on Twitter @AudioHarlem or on Instragram @HarlemQueenAudiodrama. You can also support the show at Patreon.com/harlemqueen. The transcript for Zach's conversation with Yhane can be found here. Some useful links: Vote.org and ACLU.org/voterLouisville Bail FundAstoria Food Pantry Our sponsor this week is Tavour. Download the app, and use code TOAFN for $10 off after your first order of $25 or more. Talk to you soon!

A few of our buds from around the Audio Fiction world have created a limited-run Audio Comedy Series for charity. They'll be putting episodes out this coming week to raise money for Lovin' Spoonfuls, a food rescue in Massachusetts. We've dropped their trailer in your feed today. You can visit marsbestbrisket.com to listen to the show, and marsbestcharity.com to donate! The full transcript of this announcement is available here.

We're back, with another batch of scripted minisodes! "The Lullaby"by Anya GibianPerformed by:Julie Reed - JenAnya Gibian - Arlene(Script) "Straight From The Underground"by Christian T. Kelley-MaderaPerformed by:Anya Gibian - Regan(Script) Associate Producers: Mark Nielsen and Alec Story Ways to help the show this week: You can buy music from us through our Bandcamp page. And if you do it on Bandcamp Friday, Bandcamp will waive all of their usual fees. The next Bandcamp Friday is Sept. 4You can join our Tab For A Cause team - and raise money for charity while you do your thing online - at tabforacause.org/toafn Some places you can donate: Malecare.org - a support/advocacy group for male survivors of cancer, known for programs for BIPOC and GBT survivorsMilwaukee Freedom FundRebuild the University of Delaware ChabadCalifornia Wildfire Relief FundThe Cajun Navy Relief & Rescue helping out in the Gulf CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: "Straight From The Underground" discusses police violence and domestic violence End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

This week's bonus content is another in our showcase series. Today we're featuring WITCHEVER PATH by Steven & Jas LaFond. It's an audio drama anthology series where audience interaction determines the course of the story! If you like what you hear, you can check out WITCHEVER PATH at witcheverpath.com, or download wherever you get podcasts. You can also support their work at Patreon.com/witcheverpath. The transcript for Zach's conversation with Steven & Jas can be found here, and the original transcript to the episode featured can be found here. Some useful links: issuesintheworld.carrd.cosayhernames.carrd.coStatement from PodTales organizers re: Palace Shaw and racism at PRX Our sponsor this week is Tab For A Cause - a browser extension that lets you raise money for charity while you do your thing online. Join our team by clicking that link! Also, we're still trying to hit some reach goals with really cool rewards over on our Patreon. Thank you so much to everyone who's already joined or upgraded! That's all for this week, but we plan to be back on August 30 with another batch of scripted minisodes!

We are so excited to present to you our first batch of scripted minisodes! "26 Maple Dr"by Christian T. Kelley-MaderaPerformed by:Frank Queris - BillyJulie Reed - Jen(Script) "A Going Away Party"by Zach Glass and Christian T. Kelley-MaderaPerformed by:Gregory M. Schulz - YllowyynRhiannon Angell - Yllodyk(Script) Associate Producer:Alec Story As we mentioned last week, we're currently doing something of a pledge drive over on our Patreon. Our sponsors this week are: Serial Box, a website that creates and curates award-winning sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, and more, in both audio and text formats. You can get 50% off TOAFN Book 1 at serialbox.com/TOAFN50. Or, you can get 40% off 10 titles of Serial Box’s choosing (normally $9.99 each) at serialbox.com/FutureNerd40.Shaker & Spoon – a subscription service for making craft cocktails at home. Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/futurenerd! Some donation links: https://www.glitsinc.org/https://www.rosehipmedics.org/https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: "26 Maple Dr" alludes vaguely to abusive parenting and sexual abuse of a minor"A Going Away Party" depicts recreational drug use End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

We are very happy to announce that new scripted content is coming your way on July 26! That's next week! You're gonna hear two "minisodes," that is short vignettes that are canonical to our story world but outside the scope of the main story (and produced fully socially distantly.) As always, they'll be free to listen to (albeit ad-supported). But we will be charging Patrons for them. We said at the start of quarantine, we'd warn you before we started charging again. So consider this your warning, and pause or deactivate your pledge by July 25 if you don't want to get charged. And believe us, we understand if you need to do that. Times are weird and money is tight. (And by the way, if you're new here and don't know about Patreon - we offer lots of cool rewards and bonus content to anyone who signs up as a Patron on Patreon. You can find out more at patreon.com/onceandfuturenerd.) If you can support us though, now is a really helpful time to do it. Your support now means we'll be able to better pay all the very deserving people who make this show happen, and it means we'll be able to hit the ground running on all the cool, ambitious stuff we've got planned for Chapters 7-9, as soon as it's safe to go back in the studio. To that end, we've added some new tiers and reach goals over on Patreon... A new $10/episode tier, which will get you a twice-annual voice chat with some of the people who make the show, and a once-annual physical gift from us!If we reach $650/episode total, we'll do another commentary track for a prior chapter, like we released recentlyIf we reach $800/episode total, we'll do a second commentary trackif we reach $1000/episode total, we'll create and release a Fiasco playset based on TOAFN, and record some of us playing it.If we get to 50 new and upgrading Patrons by the time we're done releasing Book 2 Chapter 7, we'll send all of those new and upgrading Patrons a TOAFN enamel pin. (If you already joined or upgraded since March 1, you'll be included for the pin.) Fine print for all of this - reach goals, etc. will all be assessed after the first charge cycle. Also, you should be aware that new laws require Patreon to charge sales on certain pledges in certain jurisdictions. That money goes to the relevant government agencies and not us or Patreon. And finally - if you want to support the show without signing up for anything recurring - our sponsor this week is Serial Box, a website that creates and curates award-winning sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, and more, in both audio and text formats. TOAFN Book 1 is available on Serial Box, among a lot of other excellent content. You can get 50% off TOAFN Book 1 at serialbox.com/TOAFN50. Or, you can get 40% off 10 titles of Serial Box's choosing (normally $9.99 each) at serialbox.com/FutureNerd40. See you next week for our first two minisodes!

Today's bonus content is the next in our Showcase series, this time featuring Gabriel Alvarez and his space opera STARCALLED. If you like what you hear, you can visit starcalled.space for more. Or you can follow @Starcalledradio on Twitter, or support the show at Patreon.com/starcalled. The transcript for the interview can be found here, and the original transcript for the episode of STARCALLED that Gabriel excerpted can be found here. Some useful donation links: https://ndncollective.org/https://www.lambdalegal.org/https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ Our sponsor this week is Tavour. Download the app, and use code TOAFN for $10 off after your first order of $25 or more. That's all for this week, but stay tuned to this feed for upcoming announcements!

Today's show is the first in a series of Bonus episodes where we'll highlight the work of another creator in the audio drama/audio fiction space through a brief interview and by playing a selection from their work. We're starting with JANUS DESCENDING, the sci-fi horror saga by Jordan Cobb. If you like what you hear, you can check out all of Jordan's work at nosuchthingradio.com, and you can support her work on Patreon at Patreon.com/nosuchthingproductions. The transcript for the interview can be found here, and the original transcript for Entry 10 of JANUS DESCENDING can be found here. Some useful links: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/The Marsha P. Johnson Institute Our sponsor this week is Tavour. Download the app, and use code TOAFN for $10 off after your first order of $25 or more. We'll be back on July 12 with more bonus content!

Today's Bonus Content is something new we tried recording, back in late April (i.e. approximately 7000 years ago). Several of us recorded a commentary track for Book 1, Chapter 4 - "Monsters," released all the way back in the spring of 2014. It also includes a message that we think you should hear. CONTENT NOTES for the first 8 minutes or so: police violence, racial violence, victims of hate crimes, white supremacy, and police violence. The transcript for this episode can be found here. And the original script for "Monsters" can be found here. Announcements for this week: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/On June 19, Bandcamp will be donating all proceeds from record sales to the NAACP legal defense fund, and we'll be doing the same. For any song you buy from our Bandcamp on that day, we'll donate the proceeds. If you're Black and starting out in Podcasting or VFX, our director/co-creator (@Ctmadera) is offering some free services. Details in this tweet. Shout-outs from the Commentary: The Notice Blog on YouTubeRecent Cutbacks on YouTubeCan You Violate The Geneva Conventions? on Twitter Our sponsor this week is Shaker & Spoon, a subscription service for making craft cocktails at home. Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/toafn! We plan to be back with more bonus content on June 28. Hope to see you then.

This week's bonus content is an interview Christian did with author, musician, crafter, and self-described jack of all trades Margaret Killjoy. It's about power in Fantasy (among other things). So, right up our alley. You can find out about all of Margaret's various projects at birdsbeforethestorm.net, or follow her on Twitter @MagpieKilljoy. The transcript for this episode can be found here. Our partners this week are: Tab for a Cause - a browser extension that lets you raise money for charity while you do your thing online. Join team Once And Future Nerd by signing up at tabforacause.org/toafn!Shaker & Spoon - a subscription service for making craft cocktails at home. Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/toafn!And as a reminder, we also sell music from the show at onceandfuturenerd.bandcamp.com, and merchandise at onceandfuturenerd.com/merch! We'll be back again on June 14, with a new format of bonus content we're trying out. See you then!

Hey all, This is normally about the time that we'd be announcing we were about to start recording our next chapter. Unfortunately, as you may have heard, there's a global pandemic going on, and it's hitting New York City especially hard. So it's not safe for us to meet up in person to record, and given the setup of our show it's not logistically feasible to do it remotely. And sadly, we don't know how long that's going to be the case. Looks like at the very least a few more months, so, sorry to say, we will not have new story content for the foreseeable future. But we are going to keep writing, and the hope is that as soon as it's safe for everyone to return to the studio, we can hit the ground running and record a bunch of material very quickly. In the meantime, we're going to be experimenting with some new formats of bonus content. You'll probably hear some more interviews with other podcasters and speculative fiction creators like you're used to, but we're also going to try out some other stuff. So when that happens, let us know what you think! If we find something new that we like and you like, then we might continue doing it even after production returns to normal. We know money is tight for a lot of people right now. If you're a Patreon subscriber, then as usual you will NOT get charged for anything until we put out new story content - which is again, not for the foreseeable future and not until we announce it. That said, if you need to cancel your subscription for peace of mind, we understand. We really hope we'll see you back once things are more settled but we understand. And just to reiterate, if you keep your subscription active, you will NOT be charged until we start putting out full story episodes again. If - on the other hand - you’re looking for ways to support the artists you like right now, we might have a few new ways to support us a la carte to announce in the future so stay tuned for that. Lastly, on a personal note, Zach and I and all the cast and crew want to send you our best wishes during this crisis. Things are strange and and sad scary right now, but we're all in this together. Keep yourself safe, then look around and see what you can do to keep others safe. As a starting point - stay home as much as you can, wash your hands, call or text your loved ones. And we'll talk to you again as soon as we can. Best wishes until then,-Christian, Zach, and the whole TOAFN team

In today's bonus content, Producer Zach Glass interviews author Liz Kerin, whose novel The Phantom Forest is available now through Inkshares or wherever you get books. And - as mentioned in the episode - you can watch Colleen Scriven (creator of Lesser Gods) interview Liz at The Strand here! Our sponsor this week is Marvels - a podcast from Marvel, set in the background of the Fantastic Four’s showdown with Galactus. Written, directed, and produced by some of the best talent in podcasting. Go to marvelspodcast.com to learn more. And if you want to listen, go to stitcherpremium.com and enter the code FUTURE to get a month of Stitcher Premium for free!

Today’s bonus episode is the audio from our #AskTOAFN livestream for Book 2 Chapter, originally broadcast on November 17. It’s been cleaned up and lightly edited for clarity, but you can watch the full original stream over on our YouTube channel. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions! Our sponsors this week: A Quest of Heroes by Morgan Rice, Book One in The Sorcerer’s Ring. Visit morganricebooks.com for more information.Marvels, a new podcast from Marvel, set in the background of the Fantastic Four’s showdown with Galactus. Written, directed, and produced by some of the best talent in podcasting. Go to marvelspodcast.com to learn more. And if you want to listen, go to stitcherpremium.com and enter the code FUTURE to get a month of Stitcher Premium for free! Other announcements/shout-outs: Congrats to Shannon, whose short film “THREE Birds” had its world and NYC premiere this past week at the Big Apple Film Festival. “Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock, a major inspiration for our heist scoreAnd a proper answer to the question about Springsteen songs, in the form of a playlist of course. Christian explains his choices in this Tumblr post.

This week - to hold you over until our #AskTOAFN livestream, we have an interview with three brilliant podcast creators. Sarah Shachat, Gabriel Urbina, and Zach Valenti are the production team behind Wolf 359, No Bad Ideas, and Time Bombs. In this interview, they talk to Christian about their latest endeavor, Zero Hours. Update: The promo code for Audio Fiction 101 given in this episode has since expired. Thanks to everyone who used our code and everyone else can still take advantage of the course at its regular price. And last but not least: Our #AskTOAFN livestream for Book 2 Chapter 6 will be on Sunday, November 17 at 4:30pm New York time, on our YouTube channel. If you'd like to submit a question, please do so by Wednesday, November 13. You can post on Twitter or Tumblr using #AskTOAFN, or use the #AskTOAFN threads on our Facebook page or subreddit. See you then!

The conclusion of Book 2 Chapter 6! The party puts their daring plan into action against the Elves. Will fortune favor the bold? The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Chapter conclusions mean it's time once again to #AskTOAFN. We'll be answering YOUR questions in a livestream. (Exact time TBA later on our social but likely to be Sunday, Nov. 17 late afternoon or early evening New York time.) If you want a chance to have your question answered, please submit it by Wednesday, Nov. 13. You can post on Twitter or Tumblr using #AskTOAFN, and we'll have threads on our Facebook page and Subreddit. Update: The promo code for Audio Fiction 101 given in this episode has since expired. Thanks to everyone who used our code, and everyone else can still take advantage of the course at its regular price. And did you know that we sell merchandise? Or that we have a Patreon with cool rewards available for Patrons? Well we do! And, along with patronizing our sponsors, those are great ways to support our show! CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: From 20:30 - 21:16 (Pg. 81-82) There is a shoot-out in a crowded public area. Several civilians are killed or wounded, and many more panic. From 21:57 - 22:15 (Pg. 83) A crowd of civilians reacts to an explosion and a structural collapse. From 22:42 - 23:19 (Pg. 84-85) There are several graphic stabbings.From 23:49 - 24:07 (Pg. 87) A lamed horse is euthanized and then used as a shield. End of Listed CONTENT NOTES.

Something very unwelcome washes ashore in a southern fishing town. Jen has a rough night, and Nelson has an unsettling dream. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Update: The promo code for Audio Fiction 101 given in this episode has since expired. Thanks to everyone who used our code, and everyone else can still take advantage of the course at its regular price. Our listeners can also save on orders from Plus One Balms, a line of RPG-inspired beard care products made from all natural ingredients. Use promo code TOAFN for 10% off your order. And did you know that the entire first book of our tale is available on a cassette-shaped USB drive, courtesy of AudioBooks On Tape? It includes full chapter files, bonus content, and exclusive artwork, all in a slick, retro package. The conclusion of Chapter 6 will be released on November 3. We hope to see you then! CONTENT NOTES below: CONTENT NOTES: From 12:26 - 12:51 (Pg. 52) A protester is killed very gruesomely. From 13:22 - 13:58 (Pg. 53-54) Someone experiences PTSD symptoms. (We don’t experience the event that causes it, only the aftermath.)From 16:56 - 18:19 (Pg. 56-58) A Black mother talks to her young son about the threat of racist violence. End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

The village of Three-Bridges finds consensus in First Snow’s plan, but Tyymos lo-Jyf - as you can imagine - objects. Ardel Redmoor makes plans to flee Castle Guernatal, but the Phantom of the Castle objects to this. Regan and Yllowyyn find Nia, along with a whole lot of trouble they weren’t looking for, and Nia tells the Party of her plight. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Update: The promo code for Audio Fiction 101 given in this episode has since expired. Thanks to everyone who used our code, and everyone else can still take advantage of the course at its regular price. And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. Patrons receive lots of cool rewards for their support. And this episode(??) is your last chance to receive the exclusive artwork for the chapter!! Finally, TOAFN will be at PodTales - A Festival of Audio Drama and Fiction Podcasting - in Cambridge, MA on October 20. Stay tuned to our social media for details on where we'll be. We'd love to say hi to you! Our next episode will be released (also) on October 20! We hope to see you then! CONTENT NOTES BELOW: CONTENT NOTES: Temp From 6:07 - 7:52 (Pg. 22-24) There are several imminent threats that mirror real-world racist and colonialist violence. From 12:21 - 13:51 (Pg. 27-28) - Someone is forced to do something at knifepoint. From 14:42 - 15:00 (Pg. 30) - A small explosion startles a crowd. From 20:55 -20:58 (Pg. 38) - Someone makes an insincere mention of suicide during an argument. End of Listed CONTENT NOTES.

Welcome, one and all, to the premiere of Book 2 Chapter 6! Nia has no choice but to negotiate with Lord Commander Ry’y lo-Th’yyt, and Regan and Yllowyyn have no choice but to go looking for Nia. Meanwhile, the village of Three-Bridges learns of Elven encroachment on their farmland, and debates what to do. And Nia’s parents learn the limits of Elven hospitality. The script for this episode can be downloaded here. Update: The promo code for Audio Fiction 101 given in this episode has since expired. Thanks to everyone who used our code, and everyone else can still take advantage of the course at its regular price. Also - a reminder - our official merchandise can be found at onceandfuturenerd.com/merch. And our supplier Spreadshirt is offering free shipping through September 23 with offer code SHIPFORME. And as always, The Once And Future Nerd is made possible by our Patrons on Patreon. Sign up to support the show and you'll be rewarded with things like early release episodes, and stickers and posters of Patreon-exclusive artwork! Finally, TOAFN will be at PodTales in Cambridge, MA on October 20. Come say hi! Our next episode will be released on October 6. We hope to see you then!

We are pleased to announce release dates for our next chapter! THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERDBook 2 – Myth Made FleshChapter 6 – “One For The Team” Part 1 – September 22, 2019Part 2 – October 6, 2019Part 3 – October 20, 2019Part 4 – November 3, 2019 Also, FYI - we're going to be changing some geeky stuff under the hood so we get sorted into the right categories on Apple Podcasts. This should NOT change anything for you...UNLESS you subscribe directly through FeedBurner, Email, or our RSS feed. (If you're not sure how you subscribe, it's probably not like that.) If you do subscribe that way, our new feed location will be:http://onceandfuturenerd.com/feed/podcast But basically all podcatching apps should adjust to the change automatically. That said, if it's September 22 and noon (NY time) has rolled around without a new TOAFN episode popping up, let us know and we will help you sort it out! Talk to you in September!

Here's the audio from our #AskTOAFN livestream for Book 2, Chapter 5. It's been edited for clarity but you can still see the unedited (and severely technologically challenged) video stream on our YouTube channel. Links to topics discussed in this episode: "On how forced the story with the Orcs feels" from the TOAFN subredditChimamanda Adichie on The Danger of a Single StoryLouis Riel on WikipediaThe fan-run TOAFN Discord Server TOAFN is brought to you in part this week by Plus One Balms. Go to plusonebalms.com/TOAFN and use offer code TOAFN to get 10% off your order and help support our show. Thanks for listening!

Out west - far west, past rebuilt Freehold, past ruined Blackhold and ravaged Silberg, past even Jethro’s remote cabin and its terrible cellar, over the god-made walls of that primordial fortress you call the Black mountains, down the foothills where the downtrodden many pull precious stones from the living rock, for the benefit of the privileged few - there is a town on the plains. The inhabitants of this town would be called Urrkyet by the Elves, that is to say Orcs in the common tongue of the Eastern realms. Most of this episode is about them. But also Nia catches a really rough break. The script for this episode is available here. Our sponsor this week is Plus One Balms. Made from high quality all natural ingredients, Plus One Balms give you everything you need to level up your beard or give your skin an AC boost after a shave. Head to plusonebalms.com/TOAFN and enter code TOAFN at checkout for 10% off your offer and to help support our show! And, finally - this being the conclusion of Chapter 5 - we are now accepting listener questions and will answer our favorites live(!) on our YouTube channel on Sunday May 19 (exact time TBA). If you want to submit a question, you can ask us on Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook. Make sure to use #AskTOAFN to be sure we'll see it! CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: From 12:11-12:48 (p. 77-78), there are threats mirroring real-world racial violence From 17:43-18:42 (p. 82-83), these threats escalate END OF LISTED CONTENT NOTES.

Nia asks her old friend for a confounding favor. The Pennsylvanians love it when a plan comes together. The script for this episode is available here. Our sponsor this week is Plus One Balms. Made from high quality all natural ingredients, Plus One Balms give you everything you need to level up your beard or give your skin an AC boost after a shave. Head to plusonebalms.com/TOAFN and enter code TOAFN at checkout for 10% off your offer and to help support our show! The conclusion of Chapter 5 will be released on May 5. We hope you'll join us then!

Regan is short on friends willing to aid in her campaign. Nia seeks medical help from an old friend of hers. Ardel Redmoor is even shorter on friends than Regan.

Nia's parents receive some troubling information, and Ry'y lo-Th'yyt delivers some bad news herself to the Freehold garrison. Two mariners have a very unlucky day at sea. The Professor and Miss Bailey grieve, and have some...concerns. This episode features guest performances by Beth Eyre and Felix Trench. The script for this episode is available here. Our next episode will be released on April 7. We hope you'll join us then! CONTENT NOTES below. CONTENT NOTES: From 15:31-20:19 (p. 13-16) there are sounds of bodily decay and mutilation, and basically an entire scene of verbal abuse. From 23:23-24:16 (p. 19-20)  there is discussion of a death by suicide.  End of listed CONTENT NOTES.

We're trying to hit $500/episode by March 24th to make the show more sustainable for everyone involved. And we've added some cool new rewards to do it! Please help us spread the word, or consider pledging if you're able. Thank you as always for listening, and we will see you on March 24 for the premiere of Book 2 Chapter 5!

First! The announcement you've all been waiting for! Release dates for our next chapter. THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD Book 2 - Myth Made Flesh Chapter 5 - "An Impregnable Missive" Part 1 - March 24, 2019 Part 2 - April 7, 2019 Part 3 - April 21, 2019 Part 4 - May 5, 2019 We can't wait for you to hear what we've been cooking up. Next, we're conducting an audience survey to get a sense of your likes and dislikes, and to see where we can grow and improve the show. Your participation would be tremendously appreciated. So, when you've got 15-20 minutes to spare, please head over to bit.ly/TOAFN2019. Finally, in case you missed it earlier this week, TOAFN will be at PodCon this coming weekend, Jan. 19-20 in Seattle! Zach, Christian, and Greg will be there, sharing a booth with Greg's co-hosts from Left Trigger Right Trigger. And we'll have some limited edition stuff to give away that's being made just for the Con. So come say hi! See you in March (or hopefully sooner at PodCon!)

Today's bonus content is a conversation that Zach and Christian had with Amanda McLoughlin, Julia Schifini, and Eric Silver of Multitude fame. We talked about the role that storytelling plays in society and how that intersects with roleplaying and self-conception. We're also pleased to announce that we'll be in production for our next chapter November through early December. We'll be announcing official release dates once we're a little ways into post-production, but hopefully early 2019.

Here's the audio from our #AskTOAFN livestream for Book 2 Chapter 4. It's been lightly edited for length and clarity, but you can still watch the full video stream on YouTube. Some shout-outs and announcements: Thanks to our Week 1 fundraiser on Maddy Groves, we were able to donate over $60 to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)! Thank you to everyone who bought the song! You can catch our own Shannon Harris (Ren, Nia's mom, writer) in LUKE CAGE (!!!) Season 2, now streaming on Netflix. (She's in Episode 11) Paul (Nelson) has always got content going up on THE NOTICE: Facebook | Twitter | IG Catch Greg (Yllowyyn, writer) on Left Trigger Right Trigger: Podcast | YouTube Most of our pirate crew performs musical improv together under the name Night Captain. Follow their Facebook page for updates on upcoming shows. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. See you soon!

In the heart-stopping conclusion of Chapter 4, Regan and Ren navigate some treacherous waters. (That's literal and metaphorical, you see.) Meanwhile, General Traft makes some new friends. And Ry'y lo-Th'yyt catches a lucky break. Will she finally do some outmaneuvering of her own? The script for this episode can be downloaded here. And, since this is the final episode of this Chapter, it is time once again to #AskTOAFN! Got a question you'd like to hear answered on our video livestream? DM us on Facebook, Reddit, or Patreon, or post on Tumblr or Twitter using #AskTOAFN. Make sure to get your questions in before Midnight ET on Friday, June 22. The livestream will happen on Sunday, June 24 at 3:30pm ET on our YouTube page, with audio posted to the podcast feed shortly thereafter. Also! Due to swift and intense popular demand, our take on the folk song "Maddy Groves" from Chapter 4 Pt. 3 is now available for download on our Bandcamp page! Our Patreon patrons will be getting a discount code for it, but also all of our sales in the first week will be going to charity to help protect the rights and well-being of children detained at the US border. Thanks as always for listening, and we'll see you in a week on our livestream!