Esteemed writer and interviewer Tolly Johnson grills local D&D podcast host about his political beliefs, religious ideals, glaring continuity errors and the very nature of storytelling itself. They also happen to be dear friends.

This special episode of The Barmy Balladeers podcast is hosted by writer, director, filmmaker and Dungeon Master Samuel Ptolemy Johnson. It also features DM of The Barmy Balladeers podcast Ted Collins.

The episode was edited by Kit Oliver, with sound design and music provided by the wonderful Standard License libraries over at Zapsplat and Pixabay.

The king is dead. Ted has been deposed, slain, exiled, abdicated, anything that can or must be done. Now the players remain, eager in their malice and treachery to spill those terrible secrets of the realm upon the cairn stones of your favourite podcasting app. Rise, Bilberforth of Nicholls, Kristofer of Oliver, and Elias Weaver of local hobbycraft shops. Your time is now. Sic Semper Tyrannis.

This special episode of The Barmy Balladeers podcast is hosted by writer, director, Dungeon Master and friend Samuel Ptolemy "Tolly" Johnson. It features Elias Weaver as Elias Weaver, Kit Oliver as Kit Oliver and Billy Nicholls as Billy Nicholls. Editing and sound design by Kit Oliver, provided by free-to-use open source libraries.

We sincerely hope you enjoy.

"How deep into the mirror do your darkest fears lie? Are they there upon your face, or just behind the eyes? Do they rest in boxes long forgotten, covered in dust and elm wood rotten?

Some day, the running will end and you will see that the mirror is nothing but glass. Perhaps by then, you will know yourself. Perhaps by then, I will know myself.

I hope. I hope. I hope.

One day I will tell this tale for the last time and the Mortimers will know that every triumph was a tragedy in waiting, and every tragedy a triumph of fate. One day, they will know as much as I do, and I shall know as much as them. I hope - as always - that she will remember me.

But until that day... a cardinal flies overhead. The streets smell like rain. My old hands are the youngest they will ever be. There are beautiful things to write about. At times like this, the joy is not so misty."

- From the diaries of the poet Lorenzo.

Part 1 of a Grand Season Finale.

Once upon a time, there was a woman called Ilse, and she - much to her despair - had fallen terribly in love with a man.

Once upon a time, there will be a bard called Lorenzo, and he - much to his delight - is falling terribly in love with a woman.

But those are just are just fairytales from long ago and far away, Tomorrow and Yesterday. For now, it is the age of a family they called The Mortimers whose fates bore a terrible hand. For now, it is the story of a shattered Glass, and the hungry hate that feeds him. For now, The Mortimers are a dead family walking. For now, The Mortimers are blind to the enormity of the lives they will one day lead.

For now... it starts here - as the historians say - in The Undercroft, fifteen years after the Dispersion when everything went wrong. When a group of adventurers dared to ask - against all their better judgement and the amassed forces of evil that would stand in their way - Where. Is. Valeria. Pfeiffer?

Steel yourself, prepare your spells, check all circuits available to you. Here is a compilation of everything you may have forgotten that will set you up for EPISODE 14: "Mabel", EPISODE 15: "Blind as a Looking Glass" and EPISODE 16: "The Battle of Silver & Fair" as Arc 1 of The Barmy Balladeers draws to a close.

Brace yourself.

Glass has won, he's taken a Mortimer's magic, left her sundered in the astral realm and fled to The Undercroft. It's up to Sibly, Gwerxos, Brian, Eka and Clemency to realign Mabel with her body.

As for the arcane heart in her chest that Glass so desires? That's up to the Tinker of Tanamai herself. And it won't be easy to defend. Memories repressed and horrors profound await her. It's a fight for the soul, a fight for her fate, a fight for the future of Tanamai.

This is going to hurt.

Featuring Kit Oliver as Possibly Mortimer, Elias Weaver as Mabel Mortimer, Billy Nicholls as Gwerxos and Ted Collins as Ellitha Mortimer.

Scoring and sound design provided by the Standard License libraries over on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.zapsplat.com/⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Ballad of Silver and Fair was composed by @krumpetsband.

A soul for a soul

The tempest revolves

In black bile shadow

The hunger evolves

Peer through the putrid glass

Where desolation rolls

Old sands sing older songs:

Salas Uthero

Salas Uthero.

Featuring Kit Oliver as Possibly Mortimer, Elias Weaver as Mabel Mortimer, Billy Nicholls as Gwerxos and Ted Collins as BEINGS BEYOND COMPREHENSION.

Scoring and sound design provided by the Standard License libraries over on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.zapsplat.com/⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Ballad of Silver and Fair was composed by @krumpetsband.

In the walls, many things hide away. But the light shines and illuminates all dark corners, even one's that should have stayed hidden away. The Mortimers are pulling together strands of a terrible truth. One that will change everything.

Featuring Kit Oliver as Possibly Mortimer, Elias Weaver as Mabel Mortimer, Billy Nicholls as Gwerxos and Ted Collins as Brian.

Scoring and sound design provided by the Standard License libraries over on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.zapsplat.com/⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Ballad of Silver and Fair was composed by @krumpetsband.