Bardic Inspirations

Tom Dooley: Syphilis, Inaccurate Folksong Summaries and Relational Geometry

For the first episode of our new format, our new cohost Weyodi Oldbear joins us to discuss one of the most popular folk songs of the twentieth century and the true crime that inspired it. Join us for digressions covering STDs in song and history, the importance of perspective, and toxic boy moms.

ATTH Live!: From Pious Turtle-Beast to the Kaiju of the Tabletop- An Unnatural History of the Tar(r)asque

Learn about the bizarre French origin of Dungeon and Dragons' most frightening kaiju in this episode, coming to you from the Pajarito Literary Festival in Los Alamos New Mexico!

Man's Array: A Survey of Cross-Dressing Ballads in the English Language Folk Tradition

"Sovay, Sovay, all on a day She dressed herself in man's array With a brace of pistols all at her side To meet her true love To meet her true love Away she rides"   Young women wearing men's clothing is a prevailing theme in the English Language Folk Tradition. Join Weckiai for a survey of some of the highlights of ballads of this type, and a few brief historical digressions.

Bardic Inspirations

Bards are the masters of music and magic in Dungeons and Dragons and many other works inspired by D&D. What are the historical, folkloric, and literary sources that inspired the bard class, both in its inception and throughout its evolution?