The Maniculum Podcast

This week, we're covering social life in the village: childhood, marriage, and having kids. What were these stages of life like, and what strange traditions and customs arose due to the harsh realities of daily life in...

<p>The Middle Ages are ever-present and oft-remembered in modern life, but… not very accurately, especially in fiction and TTRPGs like D\&D. How can we set that right, and why does it matter, even when you create...

<p>The Vikings have continued to capture imaginations in culture, entertainment, identity, and even branding - but what makes them so popular, and why? Viking expert and museum curator Adam Bierstedt (Museum of Danish...

<p>How can one story become romance, myth, or horror just by changing how it’s told? This week, we return to Eric and Enide, cross-examining its French chivalric romance, the classic Welsh, and the darker German...

<p>This week, we return to building a medieval fantasy village! Come dive into medieval village court records to uncover bizarre taxes, petty fines, and inheritance laws you can drop straight into your game. We discuss...

<p>Spells, magic items, and questing galore! What other fanciful tales were being constructed in Chaucer’s time? This week, we host special guest Roger Ladd and discuss Chaucer’s contemporary, John Gower – and the...

<p>In this episode, Mac and Zoe discuss how medieval peasantry worked, the complexities of the system, what sort of peasants there were, and how world builders, writers, and game masters can both accurately represent...

<p>How many versions of one tale can we tell? In this episode, we’re diving back into Eric & Enide, and Mac has found two more versions of this classic chivalric romance. We discuss how various cultural differences...

<p>In this episode, Mac and Zoe discuss how medieval peasantry worked, the complexities of the system, unexpected laws, rights, and privileges, and how world builders, writers, and game masters can both accurately...

<p>In this episode, Mac & Zoe debunk medieval love advice and discuss common misconceptions around medieval love and marriage. Reading the philosophical dialogue of Sidrak and Bokkus as an advice column, can we really...

<p>In this episode, Mac & Zoe host Sandra Hindman and Jacky Yao from Les Enluminures to discuss the craft and trade of manuscript illumination and creation in the Middle Ages, as well as the influence and popularity of...

<p>This episode, Zoe and Mac begin a new series diving into life in medieval villages. This guide for world builders, writers, and game masters will introduce you to how life in medieval villages operated, from...

<p>This week, we adapt three more medieval "morality" tales from the Gesta Romanorum, adapting them into unique puzzles, adventures, and scenarios for your tabletop campaign. Would YOUR party help you hide a body? </p>...

<p>While we may think of genre trends as a modern thing in fantasy literature, the chivalric romance of Eric & Enide paints another picture. We examine two versions of this tale: one gritty and grim dark, and the other...

<p>Happy Halloween! The demon has become a fantastic villain (or patron) in many TTRPGs, but their legalistic nature can sometimes feel overused. Join us this week as we analyze real accounts of medieval demons, how...