GM Word of the Week

Latest Episodes:

Gifts Dec 10, 2019

Show notes

We all like to give and get gifts. Particularly around the holidays. Well, herein is our gift to you and it’s about gifts and gift giving. And trying to make those things more tolerable for everyone concerned. Oh, and also the story of the worst gift ever given. Links as promised: Helmig, Bryan. “Conspiracy Santa: A Better Secret Santa for Teams.” Zapier. Zapier, June 4, 2019. https://zapier.com/blog/conspiracy-santa/. Jeeves, Roberta. “Official White Elephant Gift Exchange Rules.” White Elephant Rules, October 24, 2019. https://www.whiteelephantrules.com/. You can give a gift of subscription to our Patreon for transcripts and extras at https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Roc Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

Look! It’s a big bird! But not that Big Bird, let’s be clear. No, the roc is a bird of myth and story, but a myth and story with a long tradition that crosses some of the world’s biggest religions. More importantly, it also crosses two of the most famous pieces of popular culture ever created. One that is enshrined for posterity by the biggest library in the land. And one that has existed for centuries as the finest feat of tale telling ever told. Let’s find out what we’re talking about together. Join us on Patreon for transcripts, bonus episodes, and discord chats at https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Turducken Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

Every Thanksgiving a little thought runs through our heads. Could the turkey be replaced with something else? And every year the same suggestion presents itself. The turducken. So, where does this frankensteinian dish come from and who thought it up? Is it a delicacy worth the effort and expense? Or is it just another in a long line of suspicious dishes that date all the way back to the medieval period? And what does football have to do with it? Thank you to all our patrons on Patreon for their continued support of the show. Without you, we are nothing. https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Purple Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

It’s the color of royalty. And magic. And mystery. And piety. Which seems like a lot really for just one color. But purple — well, a certain kind of purple — has a long complicated history. Understanding where it comes from and how it got here can help us understand other things as well. Like the significance of color, the importance of laws, and whether it rhymes with anything at all.. Purple even helps make you smarter. Support us on patreon to get more excellent episodes just like this. https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Hollyphant Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

Look. It’s weird, right? There’s some little flying elephant thing in this Dungeons and Dragons adventure and, even if you don’t think so, we find it weird. Like, really mind bogglingly weird. But not for any of the reasons you might think. So, come along with us and let’s try to figure out the weirdness of the hollyphant. By way of, well, everything. Because when it gets right down to it, the source of the weirdness is a real lulu. Support GM Word of the Week on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Harvest Festival Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

Now that Halloween is out of the way, it’s time to bring in the harvest. And boy are there a lot of different harvest traditions. But before we get into that, let’s talk about one of the biggest harvest celebrations of all. That’s right, Thanksgiving. Because it’s coming up sooner than you’d believe. But the thing is, in America, the Thanksgiving holiday isn’t really celebrating what you think it is celebrating. So, what’s going on? Let’s find out. A big thanks to all our PAtreon supporters this year. You can join them at https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Ghost Town Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

You’ve seen them in movies and 70s TV shows. They’re practically everywhere. The Ghost Town. But how did they get there? What happened to them that left them empty? And why did certain kinds of sitcoms spend so much time in them? We can’t really answer that last one for you. But those other questions? We’ve got those covered. And along the way, we’ll explain why what you don’t see is the scariest thing of all. If you’ve enjoyed our October series, why not join our Patreon? https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Cursed Painting Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

They say every artist puts a little bit of their soul into their art. Here are some folks who took that literally. Some more than others, but still… From paintings that kill to paintings that burn to paintings that are just really, really creepy, we cover them all. But then someone gets caught in a loop. The other half of the story of cursed paintings caused some problems. Where did the idea come from? And why did it become so prevalent in so many of our favorite games? Will we ever figure it out? Probably not. But come along for the story anyway. And don’t forget to join us on Patreon for special bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Phantom Ship Oct 15, 2019

Show notes

With tattered sails unfurled to catch a ghostly wind, the ship comes at you out of the fog and you know all aboard are doomed. At least, that’s what the stories say, but what’s the truth of it all? What are the real stories behind the stories? Well, that’s the best part. It’s so hard to tell. Not that many people haven’t tried over the years. And are still trying. We think. Support GM Word of the Week on Patreon. No curse. We promise. https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

Haunted House Oct 08, 2019

Show notes

Creaking doors. Rattling chains. Dishes that won’t stay in the cupboard. Should you be calling the contractor to have them make good on the repairs, or is your house haunted? Well, haunted houses go back a lot further in history than you might think. Or rather, stories about them do. And mostly it is thanks to the usual culprit so often brought up in these episodes. But one tale of a haunted house stands out as so remarkable, so striking, and so very very haunted, that we just had to tell you about it again. Because this is October. Halloween month. Come haunt our Patreon and get transcripts, early show releases, and special bonus episode reserved only for patrons. https://www.patreon.com/GMWordoftheWeek

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