The Vorthos Cast

Latest Episodes:

380 - Secrets of Strixhaven: "Off the Record" Mar 15, 2026

Show notes

Surprise! The story of Secrets of Strixhaven begins in earnest on March 23rd, but we got an early side story last week that has sent Vorthoses into a tizzy. A student journalist is tasked with interviewing a mysterious new Silverquill faculty member, Professor Ral Zarek, but what she uncovers may never be read (or blue). We spend most of this episode speculating on what the heck is going on and what we might expect from the story of Secrets of Strixhaven with the information we have so far, and delve a little into that fractured reality of Reality Fracture. Read "Off the Record" by Valerie Valdes: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/magic-story/secrets-of-strixhaven-off-the-record If you'd like to support the show, you can find us on Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! All supporters get access to our Discord server, where Vorthoses around the world are telling stories and discussing Magic with each other! All patrons get access to early episode releases, and patrons at our $3/month tier can listen to us record episodes live!

379 - Magic 102: The Building Blocks of Magic Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

Do you ever look at your Magic cards and think "What does all this really mean?" This week in our Magic 102 series, we're discussing the building blocks of Magic, the card types and core mechanics of the game, and what they mean to the flavor, worldbuilding, and story. Magic is a game, but it's also a storytelling experience, where you are a powerful mage locked in battle with other powerful mages, casting spells and summoning creatures, and this episode will explain how that translates to the cards. If you'd like to support the show, you can find us on Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast! All supporters get access to our Discord server, where Vorthoses around the world are telling stories and discussing Magic with each other! All patrons get access to early episode releases, and patrons at our $3/month tier can listen to us record episodes live!

378 - Eight Years of The Vorthos Cast Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

Hello all our listeners! We just turned eight years old, which is very young for a person and very old for a podcast. We're celebrating our anniversary with a special episode featuring all five co-hosts and also Jay, co-host emeritus to talk about the past year of the podcast, our favorite moments and episodes, and what we're looking forward to in the next year. Thank you so much to all our Patreon supporters who have kept us recording weekly episodes since 2018! We wouldn't be here without you. If you'd like to help keep the podcast running, you can join at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast and receive exclusive access to our Discord server and early episode releases!

377 - Magic 102: Getting Started in 2026 Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the world of Magic story! In the spirit of our Magic 101 series, this week we're giving listeners an updated basics of Magic lore, including understanding what the multiverse is, the planeswalkers who inhabit it, and what happened during the Mending and Spark Rupture. If you're looking to learn more about this wonderful fantasy setting, this is your place to start. MTGStory.com MTGLore.com MTG.Wiki If you'd like to support the show, you can find us on Patreon at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast!

376 - Let's Cook: Lorwyn-Shadowmoor Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

We're starting a new series this week with Let's Cook: Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, a deep dive into the mechanics of the plane of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, from its original inception to its most recent release. This isn't a typical set review or Flavor Gems, but a look at the worldbuilding and flavor of the setting through the lens of its card game mechanics. How flavorful is Evoke? What about Clash? And how well was Hybrid Mana utilized in Shdowmoor and Lorwyn Eclipsed? Let us know how you feel about this new series, and look out for visits to planes in the future such as Ravnica and Arcavios! If you like this episode and want to hear more of this style, let us know! You can reach out to us directly at TheVorthosCast@Gmail.Com, but the best way to get your message to us is via Patreon! Supporters at Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast get access to our Discord server for only $1 a month, as well as early releases of episodes! For $3 a month, you can listen to us live and let us know when we mess up in our listener chat!

375 - Story Circle: For Want of Ink by Paul B. Thompson Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

The Story Circle reconvenes for one, special episode in honor of the truly most powerful wizard from Dominaria: Barrin. Before he was Barrin, though, he was Barrinalo, a young scribe whose life would be forever changed by the death of another wizard, Pharon. This story by Paul B. Thompson originally appeared in The Secrets of Magic anthology from 2002, edited by Jess Lebow. It is read by the incredible Christopher Wilson. We will return next week with regular episodes, but in the meantime we hope you enjoy this audio version of a beloved Magic story. If you'd like to support the show, we'd like that, too! By going to Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, you can donate as little as $1 a month and get access to our Discord server, where Vorthoses from around the world talk about Magic lore, story, and also the card game sometimes. And if you donate at $3 a month, you can listen to us record live! All paid patrons get access to early episode releases, too!

374 - Lorwyn: Eclipsed with Seanan McGuire Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

We welcome Seanan McGuire back to the podcast this week to talk about Lorwyn: Eclipsed, her most recent story for Magic! We talk about what it's like balancing writing a brand new cast of characters in a legacy setting that's nearly 20 years old and characters who have loomed large in player nostalgia since 2007. She also gives us a little more detail about Strixhaven: Omens of Chaos and writing the first Magic novel since 2019. If you'd like to support the show, we'd like that, too! By going to Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, you can donate as little as $1 a month and get access to our Discord server, where Vorthoses from around the world talk about Magic lore, story, and also the card game sometimes. And if you donate at $3 a month, you can listen to us record live! All paid patrons get access to early episode releases, too!

373 - The Flavor Gems of Lorwyn: Eclipsed Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

Lorwyn: Eclipsed is a special set for Magic as it marks the first full return to the plane of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, last visited nearly 20 years ago! The world has changed considerably, but you'll find that the flavor has only gotten better with age. The care and dedication put into this return is undeniable, with art and designs honoring the past and showing how far Magic has come since 2007. Our flavor gems are only a first serving, and we encourage you to return to the table and share your own delicious findings! If you'd like to support the show, we'd like that, too! By going to Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, you can donate as little as $1 a month and get access to our Discord server, where Vorthoses from around the world talk about Magic lore, story, and also the card game sometimes. And if you donate at $3 a month, you can listen to us record live! All paid patrons get access to early episode releases, too!

372 - The Side Stories of Lorwyn: Eclipsed Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

We've talked about the main story of Lorwyn: Eclipsed, but there's still more Magic story! Lorwyn: Eclipsed also came with three side stories by both new and returning authors, adding depth to the world of day and night. This week we're going to talk about "Much Ado About Thieving" by Tobi Ogundiran, "Three Dreams, Three Truths" by K. Arsenault Rivera, and "Star Crossed" by Akemi Dawn Bowman. Read all three stories at MTGStory.com because they're all very good! If you'd like to support the show, we'd like that, too! By going to Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast, you can donate as little as $1 a month and get access to our Discord server, where Vorthoses from around the world talk about Magic lore, story, and also the card game sometimes. And if you donate at $3 a month, you can listen to us record live! All paid patrons get access to early episode releases, too!

371 - 2025 Year in Review Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

2025 was one of the best years for Magic story ever, with huge hits like Edge of Eternities and Tarkir: Dragonstorm alongside announcements for a new novel and comic book line. This week, we're go through everything Vorthos from last year and discuss the hits and misses for worldbuilding, narrative, and story releases. Where did Magic excel and where did it fall flat? And what the **** was that D&D supplement? For all our Patreon supporters, thank you all so much for another year of The Vorthos Cast! We wouldn't be able to do it without you! Even just $1 a month is enough to let us know you value our podcast in your lives and that keeps us going. You're the best! If you aren't a Patreon supporter, you can be! It's easy! Go to Patreon.com/TheVorthosCast and give us $1 a month to access our Discord server and listen to episodes early! That's only $12 in a year, which is less than the cost of one digital copy of Lorwyn: First Light! You could spend that money on us instead and get like 50 hours of podcast where we won't even tell you to go buy a second podcast to understand the first one. For $3 a week you can listen to us record live and hear our thoughts on the Justice League and baseball.

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