“Hey there, I’m Brad. The editor and DM (Dungeon Master) of Who’s Taking Watch, a show where my friends and I dive into our favorite literary worlds and use the rules of 5th edition D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) to tell some real high effort improvised Fan Fiction.” – The intro for the audio only version of Who’s Taking Watch. 

It is a gut-wrenching experience to reach the conclusion of a story you have fallen in love with, and all you want is more. Fan Fiction is an accessible option for fans to continue to enjoy their favorite stories in fresh ways. The team behind Who’s Taking Watch expanded fan fiction into an Actual Play. Their first campaign is inspired by the world of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time. The team also plans for other intellectual properties (IPs) for future campaigns. 

This campaign brings together four people who learn to trust one another despite their tightly guarded secrets. Every time I thought I knew what each character’s secret was, I was taken a little by surprise by how much depth there was. It is one of the very few that I have seen where inner-party tensions don’t feel forced or make me feel second-hand rejection sensitivity. Complementary to the main dramatic story, you can look forward to friendly table banter, professional editing with audio effects, silliness, and many swear jar donations.

At a Glance:

• Audio: Great Quality, (a teeny bit of room noise in the microphones) Audio scape and effects
• Vibes: Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Throne of Glass, His Dark Materials, Shadow and Bone series.
• Number of Episodes Review is based on: 10
• System: D&D 5e
• Average Episode time: 2+ hours
• Accessibility: Content Warnings, Curated YouTube Captions
• Platforms: Podcast, Video (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Amazon, Castbox, Video: YouTube)
• Language: English
• Upload frequency: This is a completed story at 22 Episodes.

Before Taking Watch

While I am not an expert in the source materials, based on my research into the franchise, Brad (the Dungeon Master or DM) sticks closely to the same themes of the books. A lot of the series’ inspiration is drawn from South Asian mythology, specifically the cycle of time in both Buddhism and Hinduism, and this campaign maintains these themes as a backdrop to the overarching plot. The Wheel of Time sometimes plays on some species and gender-based prejudice. This show will feature some survival-based animal death, supernatural madness, and mentions of war and wartime trauma. There will be scenes about abuse by family members and authoritarian cults. This review is only based on the first ten episodes, so be aware when listening beyond that.

The beginning of this campaign has a few instances of audio trouble, but a few moments of buzzing microphones are overshadowed by the quick and witty editing by Game Master Brad. His editing style adds humor and drama, using sound effects and music to drive the moment forward, and doesn’t take away from the action. The editing gets stronger over time as Brad becomes very comfortable in his role. Additionally, the video version of this campaign will feature Brad’s homemade maps and scenes during combat and character art by Encar Bautista (Cravenhearst on Instagram).

About the World

For those unfamiliar with the world, the foundation of the Wheel of Time is the idea of eternal return (time repeats itself in an infinite loop). Those who can change the Pattern of Ages are known as the ta’veren. Magic in this world, the One Power, is manipulated by those who can “channel” and only women can do so safely. The characters will run into several different groups of people central to the story of the Wheel of Time, but mostly the “Whitecloaks.” The “Whitecloaks,” who prefer to be called the Children of the Light, are a powerful group whose sole aim is to root out the darkfriends and all evil and corruption; only they are driven by fear that corrupts them. They consider any who wield the One Power as darkfriends. This militarized group will use any excuse to accuse people of being a darkfriend, and is relentless in their hunt.

The audience will also hear about The Dark One, an entity who plots to destroy and remake the universe in their image. The Dark One plays the role of the looming call to evil and madness. More about the Dark One is revealed later in the show, or at least how it affects this story.

About the Team

Please note that this section will contain some spoilers for the first two episodes, so if you’d like to be surprised, you can skip this section.

Tal, a young boy played by Michelle, is introduced as Dirk’s squire and plays as a monk. Michelle brought so much heart into Tal’s character, I can only assume her experience as a teacher helped her a lot. Tal is curious, quick to learn (with the help of some great dice rolls), and becomes the glue that keeps the unlikely group together. Tal sets off on his first adventure to join his brothers at war, despite his young age, at least that’s the story he tells Dirk when he becomes his squire.

Dirk is a hot-headed and short-tempered fighter played by Zack. Zack’s humor is juxtaposed with Dirk’s guarded personality, taking opportunities to add humor through playful jabs at his fellow party members. Throughout the campaign, Zack made strong role-play choices, including showing a clear soft spot for Tal. Dirk’s past is a dark one since he grew up in an authoritarian family, and he is haunted by the choices he made before agreeing to help Tal travel north to the Capital. They ran into trouble as they sought shelter from the harsh winter at the Dancing Goose Inn.

Paige is introduced as a barkeeper at the Dancing Goose Inn and is played by Marty. The audience quickly learns there is a lot more to her. Marty portrays Paige as cheeky, arrogant, and sisterly. When in a tight spot, the audience learns that Paige can channel (sorcerer class), a talent that is not well received by the Children of the Light. She maintains the secret from the rest of the group, for now. At first, Dirk is hesitant to bring her along, but Lior manages to convince him to allow her to join.

Victor plays Lior, the Ogier barbarian. Victor plays the role of the outsider of the group, still learning the local culture. Victor used the rage mechanic of the Barbarian class as a role-play opportunity that is rare and a real treat. Ogier have an intimidating physique, but are a peaceful species that possesses the ability to stimulate growth in plants and trees by singing to them. Lior towers over the rest of the team at 9 feet tall.

Since a lot of the backstories of the characters are slowly revealed, I will not spoil them for you. I will tell you that the way Brad brings each backstory into the podcast is extremely satisfying for anyone who loves cinematic moments in roleplay. This team beautifully balanced drama with jovial moments that kept up the momentum throughout the campaign.

Keeping Watch

The cancellation of Amazon Prime’s adaptation of Wheel of Time is disappointing, especially to fans who have lamented the latest season as the best yet. Who’s Taking Watch is a great example of how independent creators can fill the gaps left behind by major studios. The stories we tell with tabletop roleplaying games remain fresh and original, something I fear is rare.

Future season releases have yet to be announced since the campaign’s conclusion, but at the very tail end of this campaign, it’s mentioned that they are in the editing process of the next campaign. I confirmed with Victor that they are currently working on the next season, which is already fully recorded but remains unannounced. Make sure to follow them on any of the media platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Amazon, Castbox, Video: YouTube) to see future campaigns.

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Images via Who’s Taking Watch