Best Worldbuilding Podcasts (2024)

1
PALISADE 59: Above the Earth Pt. 3 1:44:18

1h ago1:44:18

1:44:18

This episode carries content warnings for mental manipulation. At the center of the galaxy, the battle rages. Outnumbered, Cori and Thisbe turn to powers divine and profane in order to turn the tide, while Levi goes toe to toe with foes ten times his size. Brnine, Hunting--along with the the crews of the Blue Channel, Starcrossed, and Stolen Cameo-…

1
Episode 253: It's A Five-Year Anniversary Jam! 47:22

4h ago47:22

47:22

That's right, it's been five whole years of worldbuilding here at WBWU and this year we're taking it a bit easy with a good ol' fashioned jam session. Thank you all so much for your support, your prompts, and your patronage! Here's to five more years! And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to hear them in our listener survey:…

1
World of Leisurely Chameleons 1:04:24

1h ago1:04:24

1:04:24

It's an Exolore x Pale Blue Pod crossover! Moiya and comedian Corinne Caputo talk about JWST's iconic first images, then pick one as the setting for their world. They imagine a planet of scaly people who love a relaxing train ride. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Corinne Caputo is a comedian and author o…

1
PALISADE 58: Above the Earth Pt. 2 2:11:43

2h ago2:11:43

2:11:43

Under the command of Levitation Cascabel-Gardner, and supported by an ad-hoc alliance with Millennium Break, the pirate crew of the Precipice, and the dedicated loyalists of exiled Apokine Cas'alear Rizah, an operation at the center of the galaxy begins. At the center: A strip of metal as long as a city and as deep as a geological straum, which pro…

1
Episode 134: Print The Legend: Weaving Myth and History into One, ft. NALO HOPKINSON 1:18:33

39m ago1:18:33

1:18:33

Where does mythology come from? How does it tie us together? What does one world's mythology tell us about its people, how they view themselves, and their interactions with the divine? We speak to Nalo Hopkinson about myths, mythologies, folklore, and the stories that we tell each other as well as the stories we invent. [Transcript TK] Our Guest: N…

1
Episode 252: Enlightenment Under the Throbbing Tree (Giant of a Thousand Dutchies Part 2) 54:10

5h ago54:10

54:10

Grab your flying parakeet and ready yourself for some enlightenment under the shade of an oddly throbbing tree on this week's episode! We're finishing out a prompt from long term Patron DiploRaptor where we introduce Monster Hunters, Elden Ring inspired "good guys" and some good old fashioned Luddites to the continent of the giant's corpse. And: do…

1
PALISADE 57: Above the Earth Pt. 1 1:59:19

4d ago1:59:19

1:59:19

With a fleet of Pact vessels heading towards Perennial’s station at the center of the Milky Way, Levi Cascabel-Gardner, Exeter Leap, and the reunited crew of the Blue Channel join with their allies on the beaches of the nearest world. There, they prepare for what is to come: Searching for new tools, drawing formations in the sand, and connecting wi…

1
Splatoon Review with Amanda Silberling 52:53

2h ago52:53

52:53

Moiya asks pop culture writer Amanda Silberling about her favorite video game, Splatoon! It involves squid kids, apocalypse stories, judgemental cats, and just the right level of violence. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Amanda Silberling is a senior culture writer at TechCrunch and co-host of Wow If Tru…

1
PALISADE 56: Some New Thing Found in the Light, Or: A Year in Nine Parts 2:45:14

25m ago2:45:14

2:45:14

This episode carries content warnings for death and severe isolation. It happened without much fanfare: They'd scattered—like the so-called shards of Divinity itself—all across the Milky Way. Searching. Fleeing. Exploring. Building. Fighting. A year apart. Not their year apart, because there was no "them" anymore, not by affinity or proximity, not …

1
Episode 133: The Devil in the Details, ft. M.J. KUHN 1:02:11

14d ago1:02:11

1:02:11

A perennial question that our listeners often have is: How do you organize your worldbuilding? Do you have templates to use? Charts to fill out? Once you start imagining all your fantastic choices, how do you keep track of them all and then weave them along with your plot? Well, the answer to all of this, as with so many writing questions, is "do w…

1
Episode 251: When Giants Fall Nations Shall Rise (Giant of a Thousand Duchies Part 1) 52:58

2d ago52:58

52:58

Break out the spreadsheets for some spread cheeks in this week's episode as we explore the giant anatomy of a continent sized giant. Things devolve quickly but we ultimately pull out an extremely fun and hair raising setting from Patron Diplo Raptor's prompt as Jonnie Law joins us this week as special guest host. And: do you have opinions about Wor…

1
World of corrupt "magicians" 47:39

20d ago47:39

47:39

Moiya is joined by writer Rachel Feltman to imagine a beautiful but foreboding world. They end up with a genre-bending world full of people convinced they have magical powers. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Rachel Feltman is a science and technology writer, editor, and host of the weirdest thing I learn…

1
PALISADE 55: A Palette of Colors Pt. 10 2:06:20

26d ago2:06:20

2:06:20

There, on the edge of the Twilight Mirage, after a period of rapid revolution, the world of Palisade seems to find a slower rate of turn. Objects that hung in the air find their place on the ground—or commit to leaving the world, carrying their outward momentum with them. But even a world at peace exists in a broader orbit. This week on PALISADE: A…

1
Episode 132: Just a Small Town Worldbuild, ft. CHERIE PRIEST 1:20:17

19d ago1:20:17

1:20:17

A lot of the time, fantasy worldbuilding invokes huge maps, spanning civilizations and continents, with characters traversing vast distances on their epic quests. But what about the worldbuilding that happens with a tighter focus on an intimate, even insular location? Guest Cherie Priest joins us to discuss creating small towns just ripe for gothic…

1
PALISADE 54: A Palette of Colors Pt. 9 1:51:43

1M ago1:51:43

1:51:43

The Twilight Mirage is known for its captivating color, its endless light, its ever-shifting shape, and its penchant for blurring the physical and digital into a poetic reality impossible to deny. But along with these things, it is marked by a unique distance, separated from the galaxy through tumultuous time. In this way, its sunset skies might be…

1
Episode 250: It's Time to Meet the Anime Club (School of a Thousand Day Dreams Part 2) 57:32

16d ago57:32

57:32

This week we discover just how much Daniel hates contemporary art as we continue our prompt from long-time patron Gluax. Cute animals, librarians, pro-wrestling, and yes, even the anime club, are all hot topics for this week's discussion. And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to hear them in our listener survey: https://form…

1
AP #87: The Abheskative 1:25:00

17d ago1:25:00

1:25:00

Subscribe: iTUNES, RSS Support Us On Patreon Discuss This Episode Email Us LINKS: Baldur’s Gate 3 Conlangery Tongues & Runes The Xeshor Tablet The Mythological Cycle Leabhar Gabhála Éireann Horslips The Saw Doctors Put ‘em Under Pressure (Republic of Ireland Football Squad) Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar) Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (Kendrick Lamar) To Pim…

1
AP #87: The Abheskative 1:25:00

1M ago1:25:00

1:25:00

Subscribe: iTUNES, RSS Support Us On Patreon Discuss This Episode Email Us LINKS: Baldur’s Gate 3 Conlangery Tongues & Runes The Xeshor Tablet The Mythological Cycle Leabhar Gabhála Éireann Horslips The Saw Doctors Put ‘em Under Pressure (Republic of Ireland Football Squad) Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar) Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (Kendrick Lamar) To Pim…

1
PALISADE 53: A Palette of Colors Pt. 8 2:11:09

23d ago2:11:09

2:11:09

With the capture of Lander One, major military operations on Palisade have seemingly come to a close. Most of the remnants of the Bilateral Intercession’s forces have been captured or have turned themselves in—though some, like those now under the sway of the re-emergent Motion, have seemingly disappeared altogether. There are, remain, however, som…

1
rerun: Building fantasy maps 51:55

23d ago51:55

51:55

Moiya returns to this episode about fictional mapmaking. She talks with mapmaker Jessica Khoury about how mountains don't bend and rivers don't split, the logic behind human settlements, and how to name your places. Plus, there are dogs. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Jessica Khoury is an author and fan…

1
Episode 131: Projects! 1:09:38

25d ago1:09:38

1:09:38

It's the start of our sixth season! And we've got some projects going on. The Traveling Light anthology, which we Kickstarted -- with the help of many of you listeners! -- at the start of the fifth season, is now almost complete! We've finished the page proofs and are about to turn this into a Real Book. In this episode, you'll get to hear from the…

1
PALISADE 52: A Palette of Colors Pt. 7 1:54:53

30d ago1:54:53

1:54:53

Though it seems the worst is behind the people of Palisade, there is work yet to do. Work made harder by the realization that the work already done had higher costs than anticipated. But still, the members of the Cause do what they must to confront the remaining occupation forces, to bring each other back from the brink, and to steel themselves for…

1
Episode 249: Practical Advice About Grad School (School of a Thousand Day Dreams Part 1) 51:16

30d ago51:16

51:16

Get ready for a raucous discussion about pretentious art in this week's episode! Inspired by our beloved long-time patron Gluax, we delve into a school full of magical art, dreams, and maybe a bit of romance too. Listen to hear about our collective experiences with grad school and learn if your degree was worth it! And: do you have opinions about W…

1
PALISADE 51: A Palette of Colors Pt. 6 2:18:22

1M ago2:18:22

2:18:22

Having played their opening gambits, the leaders of Palisade now find they face unprecedented situations. At the center of it is the being calling itself Wakeful, an emerging gestalt consciousness comprised of (but irreducible to) the Divines freed from the Garden of Fidelity. As the guilty hide in its shadow, the Cause must determine how to act. I…

1
World of clairvoyant cats 57:18

1M ago57:18

57:18

Moiya is joined by geologist Kristina Gustovich to imagine a world built on justice and social cohesion. They end up creating sparkly cats who can see into the future and totally believe in universal basic income. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Kristina Gustovich is a geologist and science communicator,…

1
Episode 130: Large-Scale Worldbuilding for Character-Centric Worlds, ft. REBECCA ROANHORSE 1:03:48

1M ago1:03:48

1:03:48

Massive worlds require massive worldbuilding -- or do they? Sometimes, a narrower, character-centric scope can create a tight and compelling narrative while still crafting an expansive world. Guest Rebecca Roanhorse joins us to discuss how knowing your characters can help you konw your world. What does it mean to let character lead worldbuilding? H…

1
Episode 248: The Medium of Flesh (World of a Thousand Words Part 2) 56:30

1M ago56:30

56:30

This week's episode has us finishing up our time in our Patron Commissar Whiskers's world where words literally create magic. This time we're talking Mensis Covens, robots given birth through intent, and a secret group of monks seeking... Well you'll just have to listen to find out! And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to h…

1
PALISADE 50: A Palette of Colors Pt. 5 2:15:24

2M ago2:15:24

2:15:24

This episode carries content warnings for body horror and discussions of slavery. Though the wheel yet spins in the Divine Principality, spinning is movement. And though one day we may return to the starting position, where it all gets driven around the axle again, until then movement may bring change, surprise, or truly novel developments. For tho…

1
PALISADE 49: A Palette of Colors Pt. 4 3:01:33

2M ago3:01:33

3:01:33

This episode carries content warnings for death. Another daring mission, another stunning success, and then, once again, the people Palisade breathe out all at once. But these exhalations aren't quite like the old ones. Some breathe deep, looking for solace but finding only solitude. Others breathe lound, so that the words they say get lost under t…

1
rerun: Building Monsters with Dr. Emily Zarka 1:03:12

2M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

Monster Expert Dr. Emily Zarka joins Moiya to talk about the origins of monster myths! Together, they conjure up some spooky monsters to inhabit three previously built Exolore worlds. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Emily Zarka is a professor, writer, host, and monster expert. Find her on twitter at …

1
Episode 129: Motorcycles and Magic, ft HANA LEE 1:08:43

2M ago1:08:43

1:08:43

"Traditional" fantasy novels often hold themselves to a pre-gunpowder/pre-steampower level of tech. So, what’s fun about setting a fantasy world in an era that has anything from the printing press to cell phones? Guest Hana Lee joins us to explore incorporating the technological into the magical world! How can the harnessing of magic be similar to …

1
PALISADE 48: A Palette of Colors Pt. 3 3:13:12

2M ago3:13:12

3:13:12

This episode carries content warnings for discussion of enslavement, torture, death, body horror and eye injuries. Across Palisade, a question begins to weave itself through life. Across everyday kitchen conversations, war room arguments, and salon debates, people wonder what it might mean to be whole. If Delegates to reunited with their Divine sou…

1
Episode 247: Where Blood Flows Like Ink (World of a Thousand Words Part 1) 52:45

2M ago52:45

52:45

On this week's episode, long-time Patron Commissar Whiskers gives us a magic-system prompt for us to chew on. In a world where the written word crackles with arcane power a bunch of nerds sit around and gush over flowery prose and the function of language. It's cooler than it sounds I swear! There's even an Iron Chef joke! And: do you have opinions…

1
PALISADE 47: A Palette of Colors Pt. 2 3:06:11

3M ago3:06:11

3:06:11

This episode carries content warnings for discussion of death and self sacrifice. Palisade spins and twirls, coming to terms with its fresh orbit. And on its body, the people begin to adjust too. Finding a moment of space, Blue Channel captain Kalvin Brnine reconnects with an uncanny contact, with hopes of developing the tepid relationship into an …

1
The One True Underworld 59:06

3M ago59:06

59:06

Moiya and mythologist John Bucher put their minds together to imagine an ancient mythic underworld. It has triels, elemental symbolism, and lots of silly little guys! What's not to love? HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST John Bucher is a mythologist, a writer, and the executive director of the Joseph Campb…

1
AP #86: Game of Herman Miller Chairs

3M ago

—

Subscribe: iTUNES, RSS Support Us On Patreon Discuss This Episode Email Us LINKS: Spice Bag Leipzig Glossing Rules LangTime Chat, Episode 40: Conlang Documentation AP #34: Betamax Crinkledash Request for Relief Herman Miller Abheski Reference Grammar Abheski Livestreams (Patrons Only) Doublet Edward Gorey Sam’s Card Gary Larson The Farside Nicaragu…

1
AP #86: Game of Herman Miller Chairs

2M ago

—

Subscribe: iTUNES, RSS Support Us On Patreon Discuss This Episode Email Us LINKS: Spice Bag Leipzig Glossing Rules LangTime Chat, Episode 40: Conlang Documentation AP #34: Betamax Crinkledash Request for Relief Herman Miller Abheski Reference Grammar Abheski Livestreams (Patrons Only) Doublet Edward Gorey Sam’s Card Gary Larson The Farside Nicaragu…

1
Episode 128: The Carousel of Progress 1:24:32

2M ago1:24:32

1:24:32

Making fantasy worlds into living, growing worlds means giving them a history of change and growth and shifts in technology and culture, not to mention governments and borders. We talk about building history, historical ages and generational shifts, as well as diving into what are the historical ages in the world of the MNG, and how has it grown? A…

1
PALISADE 46: A Palette of Colors Pt. 1 2:40:49

2M ago2:40:49

2:40:49

It is the year 1430 of the Perfect Millennium, and in the center of the Milky Way galaxy, Perennial tries to shut out the noise, to focus in on only one place, one voice. But it is too loud on Palisade. This week on PALISADE: A Palette of Colors Pt. 1 It's going to be soon, babe / I've made up my mind Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featur…

1
Episode 246: The Serpent and the Tree (Tower of a Thousand Trials) 45:28

2M ago45:28

45:28

This week, a first-time listener prompt has us building the mystery of a massive tower where worlds converge. Climbers from those other realms seek the top of it, but it's not just a simple hike: the fate of the universe is at stake, blocked by countless trials of identity and belief. And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to…

1
Superhero Worlds with Eric Silver 1:02:37

3M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

Moiya and fellow Multitudian Eric Silver discuss their favorite and least favorite Superhero worlds, plus best practices for building your own. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Eric Silver is a writer, podcaster, game designer, and head of development at Multitude Productions. Follow him on X at @El_Silve…

1
Episode 127: Expanding Worlds 1:06:19

3M ago1:06:19

1:06:19

It's been a while since we spent some time in the world of the MNG! So in this episode, we apply some topics from recent episodes as well as some worldbuilding staples to the cultures we've been developing in our ongoing co-created world. We play with nifty biology! We consider the monstrous! We think about love and education and phases of growth! …

1
Episode 245: A Fresh Springtime Jam 45:28

3M ago45:28

45:28

In this episode, we're breaking out a newly-expanded genre list for two randomized worldbuilding jams! Suit up for some soft sci-fi plane-hopping, or perhaps joining up with dragonriders is more to your liking? Remember to spay and neuter your dragons and other pets, folks! And: do you have opinions about Worldbuild With Us? We'd love to hear them …

1
Episode 244: Concordant Conflux (Land of a Thousand Planar Borders) 53:08

3M ago53:08

53:08

Witness as the planes rend themselves apart and converge on the material plane. What will happen when Chaos suddenly has to play by the rules? How will planar entities adapt to their new surroundings? Find out on this week's episode! Do you have a setting you'd like us to build? Send us your worldbuilding prompt! https://forms.gle/F4SNMH3k7ea5fr1F8…

1
PALISADE 45: Where They Are Pt. 3 1:57:24

4M ago1:57:24

1:57:24

As Palisade eases into its new orbit, the people below face a new marker of evening. Yes, the dual moons of Chimera’s Lantern and Travertine remain above them. But now night brings a new absence: Gone are Gift-3 and Seneschal, Altar and Moonlock, Skein and Crown, Brighton and Thrysus, and of course the new dark sun, Volition. And so, at night, with…

1
Adapting stories with Victoria Male 57:25

4M ago57:25

57:25

Moiya and writer Victoria Male talk about best pracices for adapting old stories into new versions and discuss their favorite/least favorite reboots. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Victoria Male is an award-winning writer and multimedia producer. Find her on IG at @victoriamale1 and learn more at her we…

1
Episode 126: When Worldbuilding Gets Wild, ft PREMEE MOHAMED 1:25:35

3M ago1:25:35

1:25:35

Critters, creatures, and things that crawl -- part of the fun of building a new world is getting to populate it with not just sapient characters, but all the flora and fauna. And sometimes, that means the things you find in the smallest corners and crevices. Guest Premee Mohamed joins us to talk about the role of bugs and other biology in worldbuil…

1
PALISADE 44: Where They Are Pt. 2 1:51:09

3M ago1:51:09

1:51:09

With the initial shock of arriving in the Twilight Mirage starting, slowly, to fade, the people of Palisade and the Quire System leap into action. General Tomorrow Mourning turns to the only person she believes can quickly give her the authority to build a net to catch Bilateral Intercession war criminals. Gucci Garantine orders supplies be deliver…

1
Episode 243: An Imperfect Alloy (Universe of a Thousand Tributes) 49:48

4M ago49:48

49:48

Adamantium? Unobtanium? Pfft, whatever, we've got SPACE BRASS! Tune in for a listener prompt about a massive space station that travels around gathering tribute from planets! We try to figure out just what exactly that tribute is as we explore the station's origins, the nature of its mysterious pharaoh, what a thousand years of built-up anger does …

1
PALISADE 43: Where They Are Pt. 1 2:16:30

4M ago2:16:30

2:16:30

So, with one loud sob, the galaxy shifted. But as with all widespread changes, this one was unevenly distributed. Few places changed as totally as Palisade, once just beyond the edge of the Twilight Mirage, now brought into orbit around the pseudo-sun of Volition as the new, ninth planet of the Quire System. And as above, so below: The change in th…

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