Jesters of Ravenloft: A D&D Podcast

The battle of Helm’s Deep has begun and the Fellowgroup strategized up to the very last minute. Tyler and GanDelf planned for the wizard hurl acid at Khal Drogo and the siege ladders, and Adam came up with a plan to lure the dragon in with human bait and then fire an arrow tipped with blasting powder into the beast’s mouth. As the dragon approached, Guy spotted a rider atop it, and the soldier who was trying to grab its attention fell from the wall. Adam tried to convince Yolo to take his place, but the hobbit was...

With Frodo now restrained, and the Dothraki waiting for the orcs to arrive, Éowyn summoned Tyler and Guy back to the war room to strategize their defense. Théoden led farmers outside to soften the earth, Guy prepared to lead a stealthy unit to take out anyone trying to get through the main gate, the archers would attack for as long as possible before switching to melee defense, Tyler advised them to take out Khal Drogo first, and GanDelf informed them of the magically-imbued horn they could blow when all hope seemed lost. Have the Fellowgroup and Rohan’s army...

In the depths of Helm’s Deep, Yolo was dragged into an argument with the two personalities within Frodo. The disturbed hobbit ripped the ring from the chain on Yolo’s neck, but luckily Tyler heard the struggle and intervened, and Guy joined them to talk it out. Up on the parapet, GanDelf called moths to her and sent them out to Gondor and all corners of the realm to request aid. Meanwhile, Adam organized the captains of the ballistas and had them set up a variety of weapon modifications and prepare tactics to help fend off the dragon. Will...

The Fellowgroup began preparing for the upcoming battle! While GanDelf vibed on the horn, Guy gave archery lessons to the army, Tyler made all of Rohan's leaders collapse by revealing that the Dothraki were fictional, and Adam was visited by a moth with a message. Adam and Guy brought the moth to GanDelf, and it relayed a message from Galadriel that Rivendell was on their way to help, but when the moth began to flutter away, Guy accidentally impaled it on Adam's helm. They had sent Yolo out of the room so he wouldn't see the dead moth, but...

The Fellowgroup arrived at Helm’s Deep! After Éowyn spoke with each of them about their abilities, she sent Adam to ensure their weapons were ready, and she asked Guy to help train their army to use their bows more effectively. Tyler was at a loss as to how they could summon help from Gondor, but luckily Éowyn knew of a famous horn that had been used in the past, and GanDelf and Yolo were sent off to inspect it. Though GanDelf determined the horn was not magical, there was a legend among the people of Rohan that it coul...

As the Fellowgroup and the people of Rohan fled towards Helm’s Deep, the Dothraki were hot on their heels. Del fell behind, and as Adam tried to assist her, his decoy hobbit tumbled down, the Dothraki continued their pursuit, and Del was flung from her saddle.  Tyler managed to catch her, Guy steadied her steed, Adam was only able to keep up as his own horse was inspired by Tyler’s horse to ride faster. They just barely made it into the safety of Helm’s Deep and were met by Commander Éowyn, who demanded that her uncle Théoden...

As the people of Edoras made to depart for Helm’s Deep, the Fellowgroup still needed mounts for the journey. Tyler and Guy finished their investigation of Wormtongue’s room, and Théoden directed them all to the stables. They came away with a group of…unique horses, mounted up, and departed. Yolo rode with Guy, much to Guy’s displeasure, Adam saddled up with the decoy hobbit body, its eyes wide and limbs flapping wildly, and GanDelf began to fall behind as her and her horse’s vision became obscured. With the Dothraki thundering after them in pursuit, will the Fe...

The Fellowgroup made final preparations before heading to Helm’s Deep. While searching Wormtongue’s room, Guy and Tyler found a strange orb, and as soon as Tyler touched it, he was consumed by horrible visions of war and destruction, yellow boots outside a burning house, and the voice of someone who knew Tyler did not belong in Middle-earth. Meanwhile, Adam finally got his armour fixed, he and GanDelf acquired more shadow from mangling the corpse of Wormtongue to create a decoy hobbit, and they went off in search of horses. In a horse-loving kingdom, will they find anyone will...

With King Théoden’s mind no longer under the influence of the Dark Lord, the Fellowgroup made proper introductions. Adam looted Wormtongue’s body, Guy removed the blade from Éomer’s neck, and Yolo frustrated all of them when he admitted he had once again donned the ring. They grew concerned about Rascals showing up and requested horses so they could be on their way, but Théoden warned them that the Dothraki would not let them get far and they should instead make a stand against the warriors at Helm’s deep. Will Adam’s macabre plan to make a dec...

In the hall of King Théoden, Wormtongue ordered the guards to kill Yolo, but luckily the ringbearer remained protected by plot armour. Théoden began having brief moments of clarity, but he became confused and suspicious of GanDelf’s wizardry and threw her outside under guard. Guy, Tyler, and Adam tried to bring the king out of his delusion, and even brought Éomer into the conversation to help, but as the horselord spoke up, Wormtongue stabbed him and Théoden retaliated and began to strangle Wormtongue. Tyler reluctantly helped finish off Wormtongue and the veil over Théoden was fin...

The Fellowgroup slowly came to, tied up on horse back, travelling with Éomer and his riders towards Edoras. They each felt the shadow growing within them, and couldn’t break free of their bonds no matter how much struggled. Arriving at the hall of King Théoden, Éomer received a frosty welcome and his people were all disarmed. They were brought before the king, who looked extremely old and sickly, but more than that, his advisor, Wormtongue, looked and spoke exactly like that guy who played Petyr Baelish in Game of Thrones, and he referred to the Riders of Rohan...

Wet Change put on a show to earn food and lodging. Aunt Delf and Fomo improvised a song about horses that played well with the crowd, Guy pulled people from the audience to make a human pyramid, but they collapsed and Guy hurt himself, and Tyler got stuck in a mud pit, so Guy helped him out but got stuck in the process. As Adam and Aunt Delf struggled to free Guy, Tyler brought up the famed Eomer on stage to sculpt his face out of mud and, miraculously, the horse lord liked it. The Fellowgroup turned in, only...

With Wet Change about to perform in exchange for food and lodging, Adam worked with a very stressed stage manager at the inn to put together a setlist while they struggled through their lack of mutual understanding about blackouts, Matlock, and literacy. Aunt Delf translated the setlist into pictures for the stage manager, Guy reluctantly agreed to do some basic stunts, and Tyler was told to sculpt his admirer’s face out of potato in exchange for a pencil for Adam. But with all the potatoes having been eaten and no time for rehearsal, can Wet Change entertain the cr...

The Fellowgroup entered the village of Fieldsway, and were immediately warned of how dangerous it would become after dark when the Riders of Rohan returned. Trying to hide their identities, Adam claimed they were travelling minstrels and they were given lodgings in exchange for putting on a show. He volunteered Del for singing, Guy for stunts, Tyler for shovelling s***, and himself as the host. Before their performance, they learned that any Riders who followed the old ways had been exiled by their King Theoden and that many people don’t support the king’s war. Can Wet Change main...

The members of Wet Change were plagued with strange dreams about someone taking the hobbits to Isengard, the very fortress where Gandalf had been imprisoned. Guy recalled that he looked like Orlando Bloom in the dream and the rest of the troupe slowly recalled the actors that had appeared in their shared vision. They had never seen that version of The Lord of the Rings, but bizarrely, Tyler recalled having seen an entirely different version of the movie. In need of a good night’s sleep, Adam sniffed out a nearby settlement in Rohan. But can Del hide her Ga...

The members of Wet Change were plagued with strange dreams about someone taking the hobbits to Isengard, the very fortress where Gandalf had been imprisoned. Guy recalled that he looked like Orlando Bloom in the dream and the rest of the troupe slowly recalled the actors that had appeared in their shared vision. They had never seen that version of The Lord of the Rings, but bizarrely, Tyler recalled having seen an entirely different version of the movie. In need of a good night’s sleep, Adam sniffed out a nearby settlement in Rohan. But can Del hide her Ga...

The Fellowgroup got lucky as the orc commander struggled to land a blow, and eventually GanDelf redirected one of Adam’s missed strikes into the orc and the fight was won. Immediately, Tyler stormed into the water in search of Denethea and broke his toe on an orc helm, but Guy and Adam got him back to safety before he succumbed to the deep water and swift current. When they finally found Denethea, it was too late to save her and they were forced to admit she was truly lost to them. Del said some final words and they bu...

The Fellowgroup got lucky as the orc commander struggled to land a blow, and eventually GanDelf redirected one of Adam’s missed strikes into the orc and the fight was won. Immediately, Tyler stormed into the water in search of Denethea and broke his toe on an orc helm, but Guy and Adam got him back to safety before he succumbed to the deep water and swift current. When they finally found Denethea, it was too late to save her and they were forced to admit she was truly lost to them. Del said some final words and they bu...

The Fellowgroup found themselves facing a final, terrifying foe: the massive orc who had just felled Denethea. Tyler used his royal bearing to frighten the orc and held him off until his companions could join in the fight. Adam got there first and recklessly attacked, Guy used his uncanny skill with a bow to hit it from a distance, Yolo tried to contribute but got himself punted by the orc instead, and Del used her special wizard scissor skill to pin the orc’s arm and help her friends gain the upper hand. The Fellowgroup is finally working together ef...

As Denethea led some of the orcs away, the rest of the Fellowgroup tried to withstand attacks from the others. Guy rescued Yolo from the water and Frollum’s grasp, Adam struggled to don his armour again after it popped off, and GanDelf tried but failed to draw the orcs away from Denethea. Denethea made it to a boat and began leading the orcs downstream, but she was struck soundly with an arrow from a huge orc, and GanDelf and Tyler retaliated immediately. Gandelf drew upon her magic, and Tyler let the Aragorn within him take over as they bo...

The Fellowgroup faced off against orcs and Denethea! Tyler tried to talk Denethea down, but she refused to listen, and as she raised her sword, Yolo rushed her and together they tumbled towards the water below. Adam tried to fend off the orcs, but he got hit and his armour fell apart, Del couldn’t shield herself so she called out for help, and Tyler flopped onto an orc from above, crushing him and taking a life for the first time. Denethea came back to her senses and diverted the attention of the orcs away from the hobbits, as Gu...

The Fellowgroup was ambushed by orcs! Tyler ran to protect Yolo and the ring, but he heard Denethea threatening the hobbit, so he called for backup. Fighting their way to Tyler, Guy showed off his skill with the bow despite the melon stuck to his hand, Adam tossed melons at the orcs to trip them up, and Del unleashed an impressive flaming sphere on their foes. Meanwhile, Tyler tried to reason with Denethea, but she seemed to be too consumed by shadow until she heard Del cry out in pain in the distance and hesitated for a moment. Will...

The Fellowgroup continued their journey southward towards Gondor. As their guide for this leg of their journey, Guy struggled to navigate the area, but they finally made it to the large hill of Amon Hen. Yolo spotted a stone seat at the peak and rushed up to it, while Denethea trudged after him in a sour mood and GanDelf remained ethereally aloof. Adam took over as the hunter after criticizing Tyler’s ability to only find watermelons, but then he could only find melons too, so he disguised them as eggs. As they argued about the source of the su...

The Fellowgroup remained for a while longer in the ruins of Lothlorien as Galadriel gave them crucial information about the Dark Lord. He now has two dragons and the Riders of Rohan in his service, and is no longer a disembodied eye. Luckily, his corporeal form is unstable, so there is still a chance of defeating him as long as he doesn’t possess the ring. Galadriel also warned Yolo that wearing the ring was like lighting up a beacon for the Nazgul, so they would have to move on quickly. She gave all the members of the Fellowgroup pa...

Despite the orc having shown herself to be Galadriel, Adam still saw an enemy and leapt up to attack. GanDelf stepped up to block him and was struck by a staggering blow, only to be spared by Denethea’s mithril deflector. They managed to sort out that they were all on the same side and Tyler healed everyone with his kingly presence. As conversation turned to the ring, Galadriel’s desire for its power grew, but GanDelf persuaded her that there was still hope, and the elf overcame the ring’s pull. Even with a powerful elf on their side...

The Fellowgroup hunkered down in the ruins of Lothlorien to hide from a fire-breathing dragon and a large group on horseback. Tyler confronted Yolo about putting on the ring again, but the hobbit became frightened when he realized he no longer had control over it, so GanDelf comforted him. Once the coast was clear, they emerged from hiding and came across an orc! They had planned to incapacitate it and question it, but Adam immediately got hit and the orc dispelled GanDelf’s magic. Luckily, their foe removed its orcish mask to reveal Galadriel herself. But can the Lady of...

The Fellowgroup arrived at the burnt, desolate landscape that used to be Lothlorien. While they battled their own dismay, they came across a charred and gored body bearing a sign that read “No safe harbours for the fellowship of the ring” and Guy recognized the figure to Celeborn, Lord of Lothlorien. They found only two elves still barely alive and learned that the destruction had happened at the hands of orcs, a fire-breathing dragon, and group called the Riders of Rohan. The headed towards the ruins of the elf sanctuary, but suddenly heard a flap of leathery wings and felt...

The Fellowgroup was forced to stop and rest, as GanDelf found herself getting sleepy in her newly-acquired old age, and things began to escalate with Frodo. Tyler had convinced Yolo that they should let Frodo live, Adam didn’t believe the creature to be Frodo at all, they approached Frodo to get some answers, Frodo immediately said they should kill Yolo, and Yolo took his sword and lunged at Frodo. Once things calmed down, Frodo admitted to having murdered Grungus Took, but before they could decide what to do with him, the hobbit slipped away. As they approached Lothlorien, in...

The Fellowgroup fled the Mines of Moria and escaped into the open air once more. GanDelf used her newfound magic to shatter the entrance and prevent any pursuit by their enemies, and they stopped at a mirror-clear lake to heal up. Del reflected on the strange duality of both her normal self and the wizard within her, Adam waded into the strange lake to wash up, Guy tried to find drinking water that wasn’t tainted by Adam’s filth, Frodo-Gollum had a full-on conversation with himself, but no one overhead it, and Tyler found watermelons. GanDelf began leading the...

Gandalf the Grey was defeated and Del found herself suddenly full of magic, having finally taken up the mantle of a fallen character. The Fellowgroup distracted the Balrog with Guy’s arrows, Del’s magic missiles, and Adam’s fiery wad of paper. With the monster preoccupied, Adam rushed across the bridge, collecting his companions along the way, and crashed into the other side of the chasm. The Balrog seemed to be gathering itself again for another attack, but as it unfurled its wings, it landed upon Tyler’s tiny Tech Deck, tripped, and fell into the abyss. Can the Fell...

The Fellowgroup’s fight at the bridge of Khazad-Dûm became more desperate as the Balrog directed the goblins and undead dwarves towards Yolo. Tyler drew his sword to entice the Balrog away from Adam, but took a brutal hit from the monster’s flaming weapon, Del helped Tyler limp away as Guy carried the hobbits across the bridge, and Adam accidentally interrupted Gandalf’s powerful spell while trying to save him. As Gandalf made his last stand against the flaming monstrosity, his final effort was interrupted by an arrow to his throat, and as the wizard turned to ash, De...

The Fellowgroup faced off against Durin’s Bane, the Balrog of Moria, a massive creature bearing a flaming sword and whip. They all tried to distract it, Del shooting arrows and diving under its legs, Adam trying and failing to throw dwarves at it, Denethea clashing her sword, and Guy sprinting past it. Meanwhile, Tyler picked up the frozen Yolo, and the monster seemed to have eyes for only the ring-bearer. Gandalf and Denethea got hit hard, but the wizard managed to retaliate, and the two faced off with the terror before them. But can they hold back the fo...

The Fellowgroup found themselves trapped in a crypt facing undead dwarves, including Balin himself! Del struggled to hit anything, Guy used his new undousable torch to set corpses on fire, Adam dealt a strong blow in his rage, and Tyler started picking up the undead and hurling them away. Yolo attempted to escape by flinging himself down a hole in the floor, and the rest of them quickly followed, falling through a massive cavern and onto a huge pile of goblin corpses. As flames approached, they fled towards the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm and the exit from the mines. B...

The troupe is locked in combat with the Gargoyle King and five miniature gargoyles. New Rogue focused his powers entirely on keeping his goat safe, Shadow Nemesis tried to strike at the king, but hit Del instead, Tyler effectively conjured illusory clones of himself to draw the attention of the gargoyles, and Del psychically attacked with a Cronenberg-like jamboree band. The Doctor Deputy discovered that he couldn’t attack the gargoyle king unless it first attacked every member of the troupe, and with the stone giant swiftly smashing through Tyler’s illusions, will the troupe survive another blow?

Fe...

Wet Change entered the church in the Nameless Graveyard and, when Del realized it was Thanksgiving, they decided to celebrate and found some food and drinks. Rumpleforeskin made a berry jelly and baked a calzone inside themself, they all played cards, and the Doctor Deputy put on such an incredible show with the Tech Deck that Tyler gave it to him permanently. They all said what they were thankful for, received gifts from the Watchers, including a goat for New Rogue that he can pet without harming, and discovered that Shadow Nemesis had slept with a Sanguine. Now can...

We've taken the week off so our team can have a holiday before returning with fresh episodes! In the meantime, please enjoy a couple of episodes of Jesters of Ravenloft celebrating a completely different holiday!

In the previous episode...

The troupe left Protection Town and set off toward the Barren Hills. Del got her phone out and shared photos of them all in happier times and New Rogue connected again with Shadow Nemesis by reminiscing about Wet Change’s more bizarre sketches until they arrived at the Nameless Graveyard. Coming upon a ch...

The Fellowgroup fought for their lives as the Watcher in the Water attacked them just outside the door into Moria. Del struggled to escape its grasp, but Guy slashed his way towards her, and Yolo and Denethea pulled them free. A gaunt creature claiming to be Frodo appeared and told Tyler the answer to the door’s riddle, and as the door opened, armoured dwarves hurled axes at the Watcher to cover their escape. Del was suspicious of the dwarves, but after Adam assured her that everything was fine, they let themselves be led inside to see the King of...

The Fellowgroup negotiated with the elves and rangers and agreed that one of each could accompany them to the supposed party taking place in Moria. The troupe became annoyed with Yolo when he revealed his presence to their new travel companions, Guy spoke with Denethea, who mused allowed whether it might be nicer if someone more strong-willed could bear the Ring, and Del guided them all to a rock wall with a strange door next to a smooth lake. As they examined the door, they heard a cry. The ranger was gone and tentacles sprung from the water. Can...

The troupe broke camp, Del drank what was left of the navigation whiskey, and the Fellowgroup set off once more. They soon came across several rangers and elves having an argument over jurisdiction in the surrounding area, so Tyler and Del caught up and exchanged their thoughts about Denethea while Adam and Guy left to investigate. The rangers revealed they were also on the lookout for a hobbit carrying illicit jewellery and demanded to speak with the ranger in their Fellowgroup. The troupe regrouped and strategized their approach, but can they talk their way past these aggressive rangers and...

After a quick flashback to Frodo murdering Grungus Took, the Fellowgroup settled into their camp on the road the Moria. Del slept off her navigation whiskey, Denethea expressed a romantic interest in Del, and Tyler confronted Denethea. The Gondorian confessed she was frustrated that she’d be good ruler if not for her illegitimate birth, so Tyler made a deal that if she helped the Fellowgroup and proved to be a good person, he’d marry her and let her rule. Furthermore, Guy reported that she hadn’t done anything suspicious during her watch. Will the Fellowgroup’s burgeoning sense of...