“Kare bo aquato, kare bo oriboro.” (Life unexamined, life unlived)
— Jaqua festival chant from the Midsummer Burning
“Take out the garbage, or the Jaqua will take you instead!”
— Common warning to misbehaving children in Varlata
House Jaqua is practically a contradiction in terms.
The other Greater Houses use the term for simplicity and in official comm ... Show More
May 2023
#13: The Great Games
"He paused. 'You paying attention?''Uh, yes, sir! Yes, yes, I am,' I said quickly. I had been staring at the Star.'I’m kidding, Ty. I thought your eyes might pop out of your head,' He chuckled, 'I had the same look the first time I came here. It’s a special place.' He looked out ... Show More
27m 19s
Feb 2023
#11: The Free Trade Zone
The FTZ. Oh, the FTZ, The FTZ. It rolls off the tongue with a touch of hope, aspiration, and trepidation.The Free Trade Zone is where all things mix. It is here, in the center of the realm, that races mingle, merchants trade, musicians entertain, and fighters vie for the champion ... Show More
15m 41s
Mar 2021
I’m Toast, Man/The Adventures of Harold Jordan (feat. Maulik Pancholy)
<p>The Story Pirates meet an excitable isopod (Maulik Pancholy) who curates a very unique underwater museum. Featuring two new stories: “I’m Toast, Man,” a Johnny Cash-style song about one piece of bread’s miraculous transformation, written by Sam, a 6 year old from New York, and ... Show More
33m 41s
May 2021
A Desperate Writer Steals 'The Plot'
<p>Jake Bonner, the protagonist of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/10/books/the-plot-jean-hanff-korelitz-group-text.html" target="_blank">Jean Hanff Korelitz’s “The Plot,”</a> writes a novel based on someone else’s idea. The book becomes a big hit, but Jake has a hard ti ... Show More
1h 4m