Hey everyone!
It’s no secret that I love Autumn. The cool weather is returning, pumpkin spice flavoured/scented everything is widely available, and with rainy days making more of an appearance the weather is perfect for curling up under a blanket with a hot drink and getting cozy!
And, aside from napping – an excellent activity I think most of us could stand to do more of – what’s a good cozy time activity? Watching things! Or listening to them if, you know, you’re resting your eyes. Movies and TV shows are definitely popular options and there are so many great options available for spooky season, but today I’m going to talk about APs! Actual Plays, those videos or podcasts of people playing TTRPGs live.
Below are two of the shows I’m following right now, and that I hope will make for some good listening on your part! Familiar with either? What are you most enjoying about them? Was this your introduction to them? What grabbed your interest? Let me know!
Stay spooky,
Loira
Autumn in Oakbend
Autumn in Oakbend is a charity stream taking place Fridays in September (and the first in October) at 7:00pm EST. This four-part light-hearted, cozy autumnal series follows a group of warm woodland critters solving mysteries in their quiet town. It is the first show produced by the game’s Storyteller, Rosie, and is in support of the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organisation who have worked in partnership with health professionals for over 30 years to bring the fun, joy and laughter that helps sick kids be kids. Their goal is to raise $500, and you can find the donation page [here]!
Autumn in Oakbend uses Teatime Adventures from Snowbright Studio. If, like me, you find yourself terribly enamoured with the setting and system, and the players, characters and storyteller all made you want to immediately track down a copy, I’ve got you! You can do that [here].
Episode One introduces Tithli (Indrani), Skye (ThatGamerCher), Irok (Kae), and Rusty (Trai), friends and residents of Oakbend who are preparing their pies for the pie contest! Just before 6:00am everyone meets up in town to drop off their pies – the streets are busy as people finish putting up decorations and setup all sorts of stalls. The festival the pie contest is part of is a big deal and there’s a pleasant urgency as people prepare for the festivities to come.
Everyone notices the massive, elaborately decorated pastry that has been submitted without a name. There are pastry dough cut-outs along the top in all different, distinctive, shapes and sizes including one of a crow. A short time later, Madge – a good friend of Tithli’s who was up dreadfully early to get her pie made and entered on time – arrives, crying about how an awful crow had eaten her pie! Skye is determined to find out who is responsible, and Tithli wonders if the crow decoration on that massive pie has anything to do with it. Madge confirms that it’s the same crow!
Thinking the pie offers clues of where future trouble might occur, the group sets off to get to the bottom of this troubling mystery! The first episode ends with a great commotion coming from the Crescent Moon winery, some of the voices sounding like they’re in pain…
The first episode is delightfully charming. The dynamics between the characters really give the impression of them being long-time friends, the setting is incredibly cozy, and the story has me intrigued! I can’t wait to find out what happens next. If you want to check out Autumn in Oakbend, you can find it on Twitch here!
Strix U
Strix U : Sophomore Year premiered Wednesday August 31st, and runs every other Wednesday at 8pm EST over on Twitch [here]. This all Black, HBCU inspired Strixhaven campaign is DM’d by Lexi and is rated 18+. If you want to support the show, love the cast, the story, all of the above, you can do that [here]! Profits are automatically divided, and it’s a great way to give back.
Strixhaven University has seen some of the most brilliant and creative minds for centuries but tonight? Tonight, anyone who is anyone is at a house party!
We enter into the party with Amethyst (CJ), a recent transfer to Strixhaven, almost immediately being flagged down by her cousin, Xanther. While they’re speaking, Aniyah (Liv) arrives and links arms with Xanther, and then with Amethyst. The much shorter Tiefling leads them off to start taking shots (after posting a video to SnapStrix, the social media platform used at the school).
We cut to Dante (WallE), surrounded by students he knows across campuses, as he pontificates about crossbows and how he’s making improvements to them – he might not even call it a crossbow when the work’s done! After a brief conversation with Aurora, Goth Peacock, he hears a loud crash as a minotaur jumps up on the beer pong table, smashing it into the floor.
Lamar (Austin), who also saw this happening, quickly moves off with Nora to one of the balconies. Lamar tells Nora last year was a lot of fun, and that they shouldn’t do that again this year. “Do that as as in like be together and stop talking, or like what do you mean?” Asks Nora. The cast is freaking out. This entire conversation is agony. Nora’s eyes fill with tears. Lamar!!!
Just before she leaves, Nora is approached by Jae (Izzy). They try and comfort Nora with incredible lines like: “knowing people is a thing that I have done before […] so I wrote you a poem.” Nora is very appreciative. Jae sells her a CD download code before Jae heads back into the party with their amazing people skills.
Soleil (Samm) is having the time of their life, in with the vibe of the party and dancing when Jae approaches. Jae is looking for “two units of weed, please” and Samm’s expressions for Soleil are absolutely incredible as everyone else laughs in the background. Jae makes a quick and awkward exit while Javanesh, an Owlin, asks to speak with Soleil privately about internships where he mentions the Oriq as an alternative to the Archanaia – a powerful, prestigious group – enthusiastically believing that the Oriq are for people who want to do something different.
After an announcement of who the top 13 students in the year are, the group winds up gathered by one of the couches with Jae having pushed an entire snack table over. Time slows and then stops before the lights go out. When they come back up, masked figures introduce themselves as being from the Archanaia, promising greatness to any who accept the challenge to join their ranks. Everyone sees a vision of themselves in the future, successful in the way that matters to them. One by one the group agrees and steps forward to join the mystery mages! With a snap of their fingers, the group – and several others the Archanaia were speaking to – are carried away. The episode ends on that choice and subsequent cliff-hanger!
I’m enjoying the show so much that I’ve watched Ep. 1 twice now and am diving right into Ep. 2 when I finish writing this! All of the characters are delightfully distinct, the players are having an absolute blast, and that ending?? I’ve got questions! I want to know what these challenges from all-powerful mages are! Will there be justice for Nora? I need to know! If you want to check out Strix U: Sophomore Year, you can find the VODs on YouTube [here]. New episodes premier every other Wednesday on Twitch [here]!
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The Cozy Cauldron 
Thank you so much for the kind words! Autumn in Oakbend has been a true joy to put together and I am so glad that you are liking it. Our goal was to put out something cozy and wholesome and I think that has shone through! (With two more episodes to go!)
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I think you’ve absolutely reached that goal so far, and have no doubt it’ll carry through the last two episodes! Looking forward to tonight’s, it has been a lovely way to end the week!
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