An Update on The Chronicles of Darkness Podcast "Windy City Shadows"

As I first mentioned going on a year and a half ago, I would love to do longer, more involved audio dramas, particularly for the Chronicles of Darkness... but I just didn't have the ground work laid to make it feasible. However, as regular readers found out recently, the Azukail Games YouTube channel (where this podcast will be available, in addition to other platforms) finally got monetized!

And now that this piece of the puzzle has slotted into place, I figured it was time to start cranking up the story engine, and I wanted to give folks an update on where I am with this project right now.

And if you haven't tuned-in, let me tell you why you should!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

What It Is, And Where I'm Currently At

For those who haven't heard about this project until just now, the short version is that Windy City Shadows is going to be a Chronicles of Darkness podcast where I and a crew of voice actors tell tales about the things that lurk in the dark corners of Chicago. The first season is titled Grim Promises, and it's a Changeling: The Lost story that follows the former Fall Court's chief enforcer being pulled out of retirement against his will to handle one more sensitive matter, and to fulfill a last, dangling promise.

If you need an immediate comparison, it's modern fantasy John Wick with a more noir sountrack.

However, I wanted to give folks an update as to where we're at now. Because even though the Azukail Games channel was only monetized at the start of this month, I didn't want to let the grass grow under my feet on this... because this project is going to take a long time for me to finish, and it's going to take a lot of work to bring it all together.

Also, if you haven't checked out the AMA I did about the show, I'd recommend giving it a watch!

As of Fall 2024, it looked like we were coming up on our goals. So I started storyboarding Grim Promises to make sure that I had the general shape of the series. Once I had that set up, I reached out to some folks I've worked with on the Azukail Games channel before (in addition to some new voices you all haven't heard before). Then in December 2024 I started writing.

At the time of this update, I've completed the first episode script, and I'm diving into the second episode! In addition to that, I'm putting together scripts for some commercials, previews, and some character introductions so that folks can dip a toe into what's coming, and get some additional context before I throw them into the deep end. However, each script is looking like it's going to come in at 7K-8K words, and with a 10-episode series, I'm essentially working on a novel's worth of text before we even start recording.

So, I'm starting off strong, but I didn't want folks to think that silence on my end meant the project had been dropped... especially because a lot of my regular readers have expressed interest in finally getting something bigger, longer, and in-depth for my Chronicles of Darkness fiction!

While I covered some of this in my recent video about Azukail Games Goals For 2025!, I'd recommend folks check out that video for more details, and leave comments over there so that both I and my publisher can see them.

Speaking of The World/Chronicles of Darkness, Though...

Before I sign off for the week and get back to work on scripting this show, I wanted to take a moment to draw folks' attention to the most recent piece of mine that dropped. Because I still have plans to expand the World/Chronicles of Darkness video essays I've been putting up on the channel, and the latest one has been something of a slow starter. As such, any and all views, signal boosts, comments, and subscribes would be much appreciated!

So whether you're a fan of Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Warhammer 40K, or a bit of both, consider giving Which Space Marine Chapters Best Represent The Garou of Werewolf: The Apocalypse?

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, my hard-boiled noir series featuring the street beasts of NYC in Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Bue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.