#penumbra transcripts

[reddstardust]

Yeah that makes sense

[slightoffoot]

The way i started writing a rant last night that turned into a multiple-page essay dissecting the Slip Jackson storyline and why it’s doodoo feces.

What have I become.

[littlebunnysander]

Screenshotting my original post so my addition shows up in the tags.

Two-siding a genocide in your ongoing podcast while an actual real world genocide is going on is WILD.

The humans have been confirmed to be colonizers of land originally inhabited by monsters. They have carried out multiple genocides and forced the monsters out of their homes and into cities on the fringes of the world. Then more human invaders show up to destroy those cities (also the monster cultural centers).

We have confirmation that the city they hit first has been leveled entirely now. The city that Olala was seeking because it contained so much information and history about monster kind.

We've also got political leaders refusing to get involved unless the bombing comes to them, and the monsters being treated as primitive and ineffective against the advanced tech of the off-world humans. This is a really uncomfortable if unintentionally a parallel and actually awful if it is intentional. Best case scenario, it's trying to make a connection between fictional monsters and real life people in a way that's both othering and pretty racist. Worst case, the writers actually believe this is a two side issue and that any attempt to stop Israel is "just as bad" as an ongoing genocide.

Does anyone know if anyone has made any statements? I'm not expecting every creative to do so, but when your work is hitting this close to real world situations, it might be necessary.

[ddoe-eyes]

mildly obsessed w the steel twins and the kanagawa twins as foils

[ceaseless-watchers-special-girl]

read the first few words of the new transcript. freaked out when it said there was the sound of rain. like why is there rain???? why are they outside????

then i was like oh. it's just the intro. that's what the intro always sounds like. i need to calm tf down

[smidgen-of-hotboy]

Our Angel of Brahma, pt. iii

Me: I gotta stop writing this so I can finish something else for once. Also Me: continues writing this.

@ceaseless-watchers-special-girl @ananxiousgenz @demonic-panini @the-private-eye @gwenlena

SOUND: COMMS BEEPS. RECORDING BEGINS. SOUND: BEDSHEETS RUSTLING. Younger Revolutionary: Mm'arlie? What're you– Mm'arlie: Go back to sleep, Baird.  (MUFFLED LAUGHTER) I'll be back soon enough, just gotta… think about some things.  SOUND: BARE FEET ON TILE. Mm'arlie:  (SIGH) Where do I begin?  Baird’s mom went missing two years ago. She tucked him in, told him a bedtime story about the Revolutionary, and then closed the door. When he got up the next morning, she was gone. I came over and we waited outside on the steps for hours. She never came back from where ever.  We waited three days doing the same thing over and over. My parents fed him each day. And on the fourth day, his father showed up with his spouse. Baird isn't close with his Dad. And he hates their spouse. He didn't want them to stay with him but my family can't afford to take care of another mouth forever. My parents love Baird. But they can't raise another kid right now.  (GRUNT) SOUND: MM'ARLIE SITTING DOWN. Mm'arlie: So his daddy came back to pick up where his Mom left, and his step-parent tried to make amends. It's… it's been a rough couple of years… Earlier today, the System went down for maintenance, so the Constables were out patrolling all day. Baird was with me, completing an odd job brushing dust off the daycare windows for Mrs. Darius. Baird’s Dad didn't come home last night. So it was just him and their step-parent eating dinner. Lentils and fried spam.  Baird and I finished brushing the dust off the windows around noon. We still had plenty of time to pick up another job before we had to go our separate ways. So we went back to his apartment block to grab something to eat and collect our pay before we went looking. There was a crowd gathered outside Baird’s apartment. We pushed through hoping to slip inside unnoticed. I wasn't paying attention, Baird grabbed my shirt sleeve, and when I looked back– the were four Constables beating a man. Baird’s face went grey.  It was his father.  Wherever he went last night, they found him today, and they were– they were doing it in broad daylight. His spouse ran down the apartment steps and pushed me and Baird aside.  I watched them fall towards Baird’s Dad and shield his body with theirs. I watched the Constables pair up two-on-one and pry them apart. I watched Baird’s Dad sock one of them in the jaw and grab his spouse by the front of their shirt. They kissed. And when the Constables pulled them apart and dragged him away, he was singing. Crying, bruised, but singing.  The two Constable’s holding his spouse threw them aside. They didn’t say anything but there was a promise for later. They’ll come back for them, Later. (ANOTHER SIGH) Baird and their step-parent are staying with my family tonight. We're going to figure something out tomorrow but… I don't think there's going to be much to figure out. My family is Baird’s family. His Mom was my Spare Mom. We can't afford another mouth. There's hardly enough work to go around… My Dearest Baird, if you're listening to this I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you anymore than you already are. I wish Brahma was a free planet and I wish I could see you dancing and singing on stage, on a stream. It's where you belong. I want to raise you out of this mess and bring your Mom back. I'm so sorry, Baird.  (SNIFFLING)  SOUND: SCENE FADES, RECORDING ENDS.   SOUND: COMMS BEEPING, NEXT RECORDING STARTS.  Baird: I forgive you, Charlie. 

- The Revoluationary is named Baird, and Mm’arlie is Charlie (the one who later gave them the book. Side Note: I HAVE OBTAINED A COPY!! THANK YOU FRANNIE!!) The first recording is “two years after Baird’s Mom disappeared”, unclear when the second recording was made (possibly a day later?) Baird mentioned in the very first recording I heard a “mother who tucked her children into bed a final time” and a “husband who pressed a bruising kiss against his spouse's mouth”, this had to be in reference to their own parents. NEED TO PINPOINT ROUGH ESTIMATE OF AGES, CREATE TIMELINE OF EVENTS STARTING WITH PETER NUREYEV (Should I ask Frannie? She seems just as invested as I am but I’m not too certain when I’ll see her next.) Baird is the one singing in the other recording? His voice sounds… enchanting. Full of longing.

[coconut530]

I’ve caught another one, fellas

[wolfythewitch]

i’ve been putting off listening to tma bc it seems so long but you seem to be getting through it kinda fast so, is it shorter than it seems/is it worth the length?

also bonus question what’s your opinion on podcasts/audiobooks in general

Uhhh each episode is around 20-25 minutes long so it isn't too bad to get through haha. It is worth the length yeah! Very fun. The more statement-y ones I listen to while on the train/doing homework, and the more lore ones I sit and pull up a transcript haha

I think they're neat. I used to listen to podcasts a lot more a few years ago. I was very into the penumbra podcast, and I listened to a few others like brimstone valley mall and and a bit of nightvale (and more but I can't remember the names). I don't listen to them as much now because they make my brain hurt after a while agsjshs but I chase the same high with video essays

[utilitycaster]

taking this out of the tags on the previous post so as not to wreck OPs notes/derail but I was a podcast person (with a taste for audio fiction!) before I was an actual play person (or a TTRPG person) and that's what frustrates me with WBN and has been a factor in me stalling out; especially for podcasts, you need to keep it pretty snappy unless it's actual play. With the exception of grand finales, most audio fiction episodes for shows I've listened to (WTNV, Midst/Unend, Penumbra Podcast, Silt Verses, Camlann, Bright Sessions) and frankly a lot of podcast AP shows are kept to roughly an hour if not less. I think Taylor Moore's production is incredibly skillful, and the story up to the point I've reached has been very good if also very slow, but at some point it's like. are you gonna play D&D. This feels like Actual Play for people who don't like Actual Play very much, which is disappointing especially because the one-shots outside of Umora have all been excellent actual play (Erika's Roll for Shoes episode and Aabria's basketball tournament one are both incredible), and I know that Brennan can obviously GM Actual Play shows with aplomb. But yeah I'm kind of stuck because it feels like this is for an audience of people who don't like mechanics and also want things to be super slow, and I straight up might just catch up via transcript which, when production values are a big part of your deal, is indicative!

[glitchedmagic]

*drawfee voice* we are fast approaching content that is for no one

anyways I’ve been relistening to the penumbra podcast and I still have hermitcraft brainrot, so have the desert dads except the desert in question is on Mars

handwriting transcript below the cut:

Tango Tek [Galactic translation of Tango with an extra n and his logo]

Born on Nether, a massive lava planet in the Outer Rim, in one of the floating cities Liis

Always hot with poor air quality, used for manufacturing during the war

Moved to Hyperion City at age 24

Works as an interstellar ship technician

[Arrow pointing to eyes] Eyes are an Outer Rim mutation

Skizzleman

Born in Hyperion City

Works as an "Assistant Head of Strategy" for a large tech company

Job involves traveling to other companies and spying/gathering info

Can't quit because of contract/NDAs

[Arrow pointing to scar across his nose] Scar from being kidnapped during a job

Impulse SV

Born on Neptune, moved to Hyperion City in high school

Works as a sound designer for Hyperion Theater

Fan of cybernetic tech, though most tech is too expensive for him to actually use

[Arrow pointing to his left eye, which is gold] Contact lens improves darkvision (He thinks it looks cool)

[reddstardust]

They are so silly

[soph-the-podcast-nerd]

podcast rec time!!!

i am currently listening to hello from the hallowoods!!!! I absolutely love it!!!!

I can tell this is going to be one of my favorite podcasts because I’m doing what I did for welcome to night vale, the magnus archives, the penumbra podcast, etc.: obsessively listening to the show as fast as I possibly can whenever I possibly can and neglecting all my responsibilities until I catch up with the show!!!

i actually listened to it a couple years ago but I didn’t like it and I legitimately think its because I was not. Paying attention. Because I listened to it while drawing and was like meh but now that I’m listening to it properly its clear I did not fully hear the stories.

if you like the way welcome to night vale is both casually creepy but also has these beautiful and symbolic moments please check out this podcast you will love it.

Anyway, it’s description is

“Come walk between the black pines! In this award-winning queer horror podcast, a cosmic narrator follows the increasingly connected residents of the forest at the end of the world. It's a bittersweet story that explores queer identity, horror genre tropes, and finding hope in humanity's last moments.”

Its narrated by Nikignik, a mostly omniscient being coming to you in your dreams and telling you stories from the hallowoods. There are a whole bunch of characters and stories that are ultimately all connected but some things featured (at least in s1, the season I’m currently on) are a frankenstein and a ghost, two girlfriends running from The Instrumentalist and trying to find each other, and the Botco broadcasts interrupting the dreams and broadcasting dreaming boxes, where you can sleep forever.

honestly theres so many more characters and stories they’re all amazing

overall, this show is so good at being spooky while still being beautiful. The storyline, characters, music, and mysteries are amazingly written and I always want to listen to the next episode. also, it is creepy but I also listen to it as I fall asleep so if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like jump scares, loud noises, whatever it is, there’s nothing to worry about.

heres the trailer!

[bookwyrminspiration]

TYSM FOR THE TRANSCRIPT! And to the person who posted it!! 🩷 y’all are the best! Now that I finally read everything, can I ask what your favorite part of Oathbound was?

Of course! I'll keep working on the rest of the bonus chapters, too--the post-it notes weren't hard to read but the others...

As for favorite parts, I really enjoyed the whole three days at Penumbra. Tracy wasn't lying, this new (to us) side of Nick is delightful. But that's pretty broad, so within that, perhaps the warlock attack, the sleeping in the same bed, the practicing touching.

There's also the curia scene, of course. Very satisfying and vindicating. Both from Nick and from William.

And!! I gotta mention Alice's scene! Her stuck in a sort of purgatory, re-running through her last moments trying to outsmart it this time. One more time. One more time. her determination, her stubborn refusal to give up. GOD it's so good.

I know that's not not one specific part, but there were so many I enjoyed I don't know I can narrow it down! What's yours, if you have one? Feel free to give more than one, too :)

[terror-billie]

Glimmers in the Penumbra

I assembled this zine to collect drabbles written for my D&D group, and I'm sharing it with you all today.

This is for you, @tofucasserole , @varethinsilico , @nautilusopus , @rosemochi , and @fury-brand

Special thanks to @fury-brand for drawing the illustrations used in this zine and for buying my drabble commission slots on behalf of the group. She has made a lot of really cool art for our group and for her character Dia especially, so you should check it out if you like this!

This was a really fun project. It was great to play in the 100 word limit with different styles and character voices to make something tailored for each character.

I assembled this zine so that I could make a special and unique home for all of the pieces together. It was put together in Scribus, a free and open source layout tool.

If you enjoyed this zine, please consider a donation to Crips for eSims for Gaza or at Gaza Funds.

Full Text Transcript Below the Cut

Full Text Transcript

Glimmers in the Penumbra A Tabletop Roleplay OC Drabble Collection

--

Embodied

The snow feels wrong. It mushes against the strange pliant dough stretched across her soles, shoots her through with a kind of pain she's never felt before. It bites, metallic, as though she can feel the pinprick of each shard of each snow flake. The air, too, grips her. All of this, wrong. Never before had the winds caused her pain, nor had snow felt anything but pleasant on even her tenderest scales. Winter has abandoned her. It was in her very weft and now all she has is this naked pink putty. No way for a dragon to live.

Dia Istehar

[Includes an illustration of Dia holding herself in a gust of snow and wind.]

--

L’Enfer

Fire's heat. Warms, tickles, crisps. Pleasure becomes pain. Sears, destroys, consumes. Ashes to ashes.

Vous qui entrez, abandonnez toute espérance.

No way to snuff a forest fire once it's caught hot and tall, naught but to let the blaze run out. A heart is like that. A little fire you can throw water over, but the burn in him grows fast. All you can do is get out the way.

Watch for smoke.

What's a flame want? Nothing but to burn. Bright and hot, alive until it's out. Doesn't care what's burning, where or how. But a man's heart? Well.

L’Enfer - The Inferno Vous qui entrez, abandonnez toute espérance. - Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

Ozias DeVir

[Includes an illustration of Ozias lighting a cigarette.]

--

Song of the Princess

She is come from a castle in a far away land, from a lineage ruling for generations.

Hath traveled the lands in great odyssey, and suffered many a hardship and poverty.

O Princess, Sweetest Briar with thorns sharp, stand strong against despair. Nobility is not in gold but in heart and deed and bearing. Retain thy grace and thy dignity. Fear not the dark and the wicked, for thou art puissant. Magic courseth through thy veins as fish in a stream.

Know that one day thou wilt reclaim thy birthright. So sayeth this poem, written in serenade of a princess.

Briar Allaire

[Includes an illustration of Briar, regal in a crown.]

--

Idle Musing

Life should be fun. Things would be far too boring without a bit of mischief to keep it interesting, ya know? Just a dash like spice in the stew. Nothing serious, maybe swipe a shiny here or snack there.

Things can change pretty fast out on the road though. It gets scary out there, with monsters and bad guys. Sometimes I think I should have just stayed home.

But hey, one minute you're strumming along up and down the strings of a bouzouki, tickling the melody to and fro, and bam! Out comes the zouka. Didn't expect that, didja spookies?

Kaapro

[Includes an illustration of Kaapro, a Kenku, smiling and playing a bouzouki.]

--

Sacrament

"Go and sin no more."

The other man, the one on the other side of the wooden screen, knows what a joke it is. He says it anyway, and manages not to laugh. It's procedure after all.

A rosary and an extra Our Father. A man's life snuffed out, his blood on the stone, and all Lucere needs to do is mumble some words.

Done in God's name, isn't it a Holy act?

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Deliverance won't come, but so too will he sin again. He always has and always will.

Lucere Crough

[Includes an illustration of Lucere holding a rosary in his hand, covering half of his face.]

--

Just World Fallacy

Let us consider the situation rationally. Which situation is more likely?

The first, that I was conceived by two emotionally stunted people unprepared for the maturity, care, and mundane sacrifices of parenthood? That I lived at the whims of a man who took out rage and fear on his vulnerable son? That my mother could bring me into the world but shrink my existence so small in her heart that she could ignore it? That suffering is largely beyond our control and the world is fundamentally unfair?

Or that I am unloveable and it's my fault?

The answer is obvious.

Pinion Andolus

[Includes an illustration of Pinion where you cannot see his face, gazing at unbalanced scales.]

--

Knight in Shining Armor

My face mirrored in a gleaming scale. I chased it like the glint of oasis after days walking parched sands. Was it a mirage? I follow its path and come no closer, but the image does not fade. Still there, out of reach, ever on the horizon.

What is she really like? I've imagined her on the highest pedestal, with every sublime virtue, and in the deepest depravity, with every foul cruelty. Perhaps she is simply a well-meaning fool, doing her best.

Do I truly want to know? Would the mirage dissolve, and would that be for good or ill?

Okaara Justa

[Includes an illustration of Okaara, a half-orc, gazing at her own reflection in a piece of plate armor.]

--

寝袋詰め 心の準備 と出かける

「一緒に」

romaji reading: shurafuzume kokoro no junbi to dekakeru

「issho ni」

The bedrolls are wrapped. Ready for what awaits them, the party sets forth.

[Together]

[No illustration]

[smidgen-of-hotboy]

Hello hello I'm back :) and uh- quick heads up, I have not listened to TMA (at least not past season 1). so any references you have been making up to this point, have flown way over my head. I am a-okay and very comfortable with spoilers tho.

You've built the mental image for me of Juno bringing someone to his apartment with the intention to get laid only for them to see Small Fry and be completely lost doting on her, going "Oh can I feed her pretty please?"

GOOD ON SMALL FRY THO- she knows trouble when it's staring her down across the room.

PETER, BAD FAE- PUT THAT RABBIT DOWN-

You've also now created the mental image of Ben looking into a mirror in Purgatory and he sees nothing. Juno looks into the same mirror and he sees Ben.

Juno will forever be haunted by the past. He carries it like a fault of his own. Like it's his mistake for not taking the bullet instead. Smth smth- survivors guilt, ptsd, it's all about perception.

*raises hand in confusion* what is "Not!Them"? Is this a reference to something? (Smth tells me it's a TMA reference... my quick Google search confirms my suspicion. Uhhh- refer to my message at the top lol, I am so sorry. Looking back now you've been making a lot of TMA references haven't you?)

I think I understand what you're getting at tho? Jack wanted what Sarah had so he took what was hers and basically "stole her soul". Effectively replacing her at NorthStar. Their roles/positions becoming swapped and now Sarah had nothing, making her paranoia and mental illness worse. Something like that?

Something about fears and beliefs creating monsters and Sarah creating Andromeda and all the monsters she battled. The number of children who watched Andromeda and feared the things she took on. Andromeda the hero. Andromeda to Juno Steel pipeline for real.

Juno's love for Ben is so special. I had to relisten to monsters reflection to write one of the fics I posted on ao3, and I WISH they explored more of their bond as siblings. Bc Sarah telling them that they "can't fight, you are all the other has out there in the big mean world, so you two can't fight" hurt me so much. Bc as much as Juno isn't fond of Sarah and isn't clingy to her, he still believed that. He still does. He feels incomplete and alone without Benten, he feels halved. Dare I say cleaved. (And as someone who has an older sibling and has openly talked to them about wanting to die and feeling depressed, I saw the pain and devastation in their eyes. And for a brief moment I knew they were trying to think of the last few years where I was gone- and it hurt. Because it doesn't seem plausible but it is.)(sorry that got too personal dnakxhsizo)

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE mask imagery and usage MWAH chefs kiss

Doctor Soup.

Juno being in so much pain (agony even) that he doesn't care is on brand. Our lady has yet to hit character growth. He's yet to have a taste of power.

SACRIFICAL LAMB PETER NUREYEV!! everytime you talk about him like this the Hannibal fan in me does a happy little dance.

(My say is calling the CP a desert purely bc i like the idea of reversal. When you hear desert your brain jumps to dry lands and hot sun, not cold wasteland and toxins. That's just me tho)

PERCEPTION PERCEPTION PERCEPTION- I love it when characters can mimic others voices. (I have a character who is supposed to be a superhero of sorts, zey work on a team with others, and zir power is to manipulate zir voice. And it's cool. And it's freaky. And it's absolute torture when zey lose some friends and part of zir mind and imitate the voice of the team leader's girlfriend. Like I said- absolute torture.) What are Nureyev and Vespa's capabilities when they try to imitate something/someone? (Smth smth- it would be so fucked up if someone imitated Ben in front of Juno. So, incredibly fucked up)

Other Questions: I don't really have any past asking you what your TMA references were that I missed.

Hey! So, uh, I have some more stuff for the fae-hunter jupeter au, if you'd like to hear it? Regarding some more about the background and things and the other characters and also some intrusive thoughts Juno has regarding the cannibalism?

Oh fuck yeah babey lay it on me. This is the best Steel Twin Birthday Present and no other holiday or event going on irl I could've woken up to ever! And also does it mean anything if I say I have more thoughts on my monster hunter au bc I have a lot of new thoughts about it