A Horror Borealis

DANGER! ROMANCE! DOZENS OF STAT CHECKS!

THE YEAR IS 1956. The moon is full, the summer is long, and 3 teens with dangerous secrets find themselves face-to-face with the kind of terror that only teens at a lakeside getaway in the 50s could possibly understand! We rejoin Howie the werewolf, Betsy the teenaged witch, and Jeremy the normal human boy as they escape to their friend Lillian's cabin for the weekend--but when a strange whistle and a mysterious figure in the water draw them out onto the lake's surface, things get a bit--well, hairy.

Betsy Bennett is played by Addison Peacock

Jeremy Normalson is played by Tim Woerner

Howie Goldman is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Martha awakes from a troubling dream into a day promising answers. Moriah arms herself with knowledge of the secret society which has eluded her, but nothing can prepare her for a confession from Hawk that sheds an unwelcome but long overdue light on her past and the threats against Revenant. The gang hears a story that condemns a friend, reveals a tragedy, and unmasks their enemy...but where can they go from here?

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of emotional abuse and manipulation, specifically through abuse of power dynamics and withholding information. Abuse is not depicted onscreen, but is discussed at some length as part of a major backstory reveal (story begins at 32:19, with aforementioned discussion beginning at 37:23). Behavior is discussed in condemning terms and NOT condoned/accepted by characters onscreen. Additionally, a character describes psychic intrusion in language that echoes survivors of assault (beginning at 8:45). Listener discretion is advised.

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shuaghnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Theme is "A Horror Borealis Theme" by Andrew Giotta

Additional underscoring is "Saturation 43%" by Tim Woerner.

Editor's Note: Throughout the episode, you will hear out-of-character moments discussing safety and checking in with the other players at the table. Though this may feel as if it disrupts the "flow" of the narrative, we chose to include these moments as we feel that player safety and open, honest communication are very much a part of play, and it wouldn't be an Actual Play podcast without depicting the reality of that element. We hope it encourages you to have more conversations at your own table, and to enjoy the sense of trust and intimacy that these conversations can lead to in your stories!

Sleepless, shaken, and on the brink, the party pushes forward, only to find that what they're up against is nothing like they imagined. And it, too, wants answers. Will they make it back home? And how will things change if they do?

CONTENT WARNING: unwelcome psychic intrusion, implied history of self-harm, discussion of violent impulses

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Theme and incidental music by Andrew Giotta

Our heroes find themselves face-to-face with a horrifying turn of events and a final stand against the presence that's been haunting them all night. Can they keep the party together and still find a way to carry out their mission? Siobhan bottles it up. Martha throws down. Moriah keeps her cool.

CONTENT WARNING: mild body horror, aggressively uncomfortable first aid

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Thank you all for your patience as this arc finishes up and Alex completes the long, exhausting transition into a new job and house! Next week's episode will have a new midroll and updates on the show!

With only two hours of night remaining, the Hunters are torn between the unknowns of what lies ahead and the secrets still buried behind them. Moriah demands answers about her lost mentor and is met with resistance and doubt. Martha and Siobhan look to the quest still ahead of them while Adam voices uncertainty. But in order for any of that to matter, they still have to run out the clock--and the Hidebehind's seeming absence is anything but comforting....

CONTENT WARNING: alcohol, gore mention, discussion of death, mild body horror

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Oh, Dang! Bigfoot stole Siobhan's car with Park Director Adam Kennedy's birthday present inside! That's right, this week we're taking a break from the plot to bring you this treasure from the One Shot Network Patreon archives--it's our first-ever AU episode, and it's pretty much...well, exactly what it sounds like.

Join Martha, Moriah, and Siobhan in a world where everything is pretty much exactly the same except it's Director Kennedy's birthday and also Bigfoot is there, and where the ensuing chase takes place over land and sky alike, across many miles of poorly-researched highway. It's gonna get wild, folks.

"Oh, Dang! Bigfoot Stole My Car With My Friend's Birthday Present Inside" is by Paul Matijevic and can be found here.

Pledge to the One Shot Network on Patreon!

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

The night is more than halfway through, but certain revelations are just beginning. A friendly game of cards turns into an exchange of personal admissions, and in the dead of night, Martha tells a story that has haunted her nightmares for 17 years. What secrets our friends might be keeping from each other are nothing compared to the secrets they're keeping from themselves. How many of them will come to light before the night is through? Where is the Hidebehind in all of this? Are microwaves real? Are you registered to vote? All these questions and more, revealed.

content warning: alcohol consumption, structural collapse, depiction of PTSD and flashbacks, extensive mention of home and family (all content except alcohol consumption beginning around 56:00)

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Theme music is "A Horror Borealis Theme" by Andrew Giotta.

The night grows longer and the silence becomes more uncomfortable. Beyond the treeline, danger only waits for you to avert your eyes. But around the campfire, things other than the Hidebehind may be obscured, too. Which will prove more deadly before the sun rises--the monsters, or the secrets?

content warning: fire, alcohol consumption

[*Editor's note: Unfortunately, much of Moriah's audio file was corrupted by a faulty noise gate during the recording process. We've done our best to retain as much of the original dialogue as possible and present you with an installment that still captures the heart of the gameplay, but there are some moments of less-than-ideal verbal clarity. We apologize!]

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Theme music is "A Horror Borealis Theme" by Andrew Giotta.

"Hide & Seek: A Monster of the Week Minigame" is designed by Alex Flanigan and can be found here.

With a Hidebehind stalking their campsite, the game has changed for our intrepid Hunters--Literally! Martha, Moriah, and Siobhan find themselves faced with eight hours of night watch and countless mysteries to unravel as they begin to piece together the people they thought they knew. What else is hiding in their midst?

content warning: alcohol consumption, mention of war, mild body horror

Come see Alex, Addison, and Andrew at the Cryptid Keeper/Campaign Podcast live show in Chicago on July 6! Tickets are on sale now!

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Theme music is "A Horror Borealis Theme" by Andrew Giotta.

"Hide & Seek: A Monster of the Week Minigame" is designed by Alex Flanigan and can be found here.

The Hunters embark on their most daunting challenge of all: party composition. Whatever's out there in the woods, they aim to find it--no matter how ill-prepared they might be. Somewhere between an Over the Garden Wall simulator and a Lord of the Rings Extended Hiking simulator, this arc takes a turn into the great backwoods of the Gates, and puts them face-to-...well, not quite face, as a different sort of threat reveals itself.

Come see Alex, Addison, and Andrew at the Cryptid Keeper/Campaign Podcast live show in Chicago on July 6! Tickets are on sale now!

Moriah Harris is played by Addison Peacock

Martha Campbell is played by Tim Woerner

Siobhan O'Shaughnessy is played by Andrew Giotta

The Keeper is Alex Flanigan

Theme music is "A Horror Borealis Theme" by Andrew Giotta.