In this episode, legendary occult historian and ex-Blondie bassist Gary Lachman joins us to talk magic, Crowley, meme sorcery, and the reality-bending weirdness of the 21st century. From shared dreams in 1970s New York to egregores, astral hobos, and the dark gravity of Trump as a Tulpa, Gary pulls no punches.

• How a hit Blondie song was inspired by psychic experiences
• Colins Wilson’s books The Outsider and The Occult
• His involvement with Ordo Templi Orientis
• Why Crowley’s followers creeped him out
• Gary’s book, Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump
• The occult revival of the 1970s (and how it compares to today)
• Why reality itself is up for grabs—and what that means for Mage: The Ascension players
• The movies Dark City, The Matrix and Forbidden Planet
• Gary’s forthcoming memoir, Touched by the Presence: From Blondie’s Bowery and Rock and Roll to Magic and the Occult, scheduled for release on November 18, 2025, by Inner Traditions.
• Plus: what happened when he contradicted David Bowie at a party

What makes a great Disparate? Adam and Pooka crack open M20 Forgotten and Forbidden Orders to spotlight the most compelling crafts in Mage 20—from the dream-walking Noma to the sandstorm-riding Taftani. Along the way, they unpack what works, what doesn’t. Also in this episode: TryItCon 2, a listener review, and what happens when your RPG expectations go sideways.

• TryItCon 2: Tarragon Edition – Now recruiting Storytellers and GMs for this online convention (June 13–15) in memory of Terry Robinson, $20 donation-based, proceeds go to charity
• Night Rangers fiction series ready — Technocratic Texas Rangers fiction
• M20 Forgotten and Forbidden Orders - Final NPC-focused supplement for Mage 20
• The Noma - Reimagined Order of Hermes parallel with African roots
• The Templars - formerly Christian male militants, now inclusive and post-Christian
• The Taftâni - Strongest faction presence in Dubai, though questioned for realism
• The Hollow Ones - Introduces five internal “cliques” (e.g., Moles, Sound Wave Masters)
• The Kahu - Formerly Kopa Loei; modernized, open to diverse recruits

Pooka and Bryce discuss M20 Faces of Magick. One of the final two books of Mage 20, a collection of NPCs, ideas and possibilities.

• M20 Faces of Magick
• Final NPC-focused supplement for Mage 20
• Originally a stretch goal from Lore of the Traditions Kickstarter
• TryItCon 2: Tarragon Edition – Now recruiting Storytellers and GMs for this online convention (June 13–15) in memory of Terry Robinson

Arden Leigh shares her magical journey—from neuro-linguistic programming and trauma healing to chaos magic, sigils, and becoming Grant Morrison’s magical heir. We explore her concept of “repatterning,” her band Arden and the Wolves, the ethics of magical identity, and the risks and rewards of narrative magic in RPGs like Mage: The Ascension. A vivid, vulnerable, and powerful conversation on transforming belief into reality.

• The Repatterning Project - reprogramming life through self-directed ritual and psychology; course includes weekly lectures and group calls, focusing on assessing and resetting patterns for personal growth
• Witch blood and how it relates to her own experiences and magical practices
• The growth of magic culture with the internet, making it more accessible and efficient to learn and practice
• Competitive nature of magic today and the challenges of maintaining control over one's practice
• Bringing magic into role-playing games
• Arden’s upcoming album with her band, Arden and the Wolves, titled The Bourbon Room Sessions
• Arden’s plan to launch her own podcast and write a book, all related to her magical practices and the Repatterning Project

Adam and Pooka discuss Robert W. Chambers' King in Yellow mythos and other stories. Can they inspire Mage stories? Can these two stick to the subject?

Yellow Signs: The Decadent Movement and its Influence on Weird Fiction

Blog article on The Yellow Wallpaper, 1892

Free stories online

Cosmic vs. Abrahamic Horror

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Terry and 3 other hosts discuss World of Darkness Hong Kong

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Adam’s riding solo on this one, and he’s pulling a bundle of helpful tricks and tips out of his Storyteller’s saddlebag—especially for folks just starting out running Mage games. If you’re a veteran, you might hear some familiar ground, but if you’re new to the Storyteller’s seat, this one’s a gold mine.

• 🔍 Mysteries in Mage
  How to prep, run, and avoid dead-ends in investigative stories using the Three Clue Rule, leads vs. evidence, and flexible scene design.
• 📉 Failing Forward
  Why a botched roll doesn’t have to mean failure. Let the players move forward with consequences instead of slamming the brakes.
• 🎲 Let It Ride
  One roll covers an entire scene—less stress, more fun. A simple rule to keep the tension without constant dice-checking.
• 🏙️ Portraying Cities with Flavor
  Bring your setting to life! Split the city into districts, add landmarks and “scenic encounter” tables to make your urban Mage game sing.
• ⏰ Faction Clocks
  A slick little tool to track what NPC factions are up to, using clocks to show progress and raise stakes in the background.
• 😈 Villain Advice
  Three time-tested tips:
  • Let worthy foes emerge from play
  • Keep villains offscreen and safe until the big showdown
  • Don’t be afraid to let bad guys run away when things go south
• 📚 Source of Inspiration
  Much of this wisdom comes from Justin Alexander’s book So You Want To Be A Game Master and his legendary blog The Alexandrian, with Mage-friendly tweaks and examples sprinkled in.
• 🎧 Related Episode
  Missions, Mysteries, and Magick: Paranormal Investigation in Mage - Using weird ⁠artifacts⁠, team dynamics and investigations that make sense in the World of Darkness.

Adam and Terry discuss Mage20 Sorcerer. What do the sorcerers and psychics of the World of Darkness get up to when they can't learn Sphere magick?

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Adam interviews Jiba Anderson, author of the Bata'a chapter in Forbidden and Forgotten Orders.

Griot Enterprises

Rocbottom Studios

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Terry and Michael Mercere discuss six of the Houses of the Order of Hermes.

Michael's book Riddle of the Sphinx

Check out OoH Tradition Book and OoH Tradition Book Revised.

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