Nature Check

The PCs and their new Ibixian companion clean up the flooded farm field, removing any further threat of stirges (at least for now). They do what they can for the grieving widow, then agree to travel to the Ibixian encampment to meet the clan chief and the wise woman in order to repay the favor.REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedric: @petercoffeyRyan/Fletcher: @EntemneinDan/Bedwyr: @DanPeach3Channel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

Peter and Sheryl do a recap of Episode 7 of Nature Check, then speak with special guest player Dan Peach (@DanPeach3 on Twitter) about his PhD research on mosquitoes, Canada, and his Dungeons & Dragons background.Have questions for the cast about the Nature Check game, or just science in general? Leave them in the comments, or tweet us at @CheckNature and we'll do our best to answer them!

Apologies in advance: Our streaming tech was acting up again, so the first part of the episode has choppy audio. But we promise it gets better!The PCs hear a story from an unfortunate farmer whose livestock were mysteriously killed and sucked dry. While out on the farm investigating the deaths, they meet an Ibixian who agrees to assist them with their work in return for some help with his own quest. The group reacts quickly to an emergency in a crop field, but will they be too late?REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedric: @petercoffeyDan/Bedwyr: @DanPeach3Channel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

In this episode, we wind the hands of the clock back, long ago to a time when the world of Lasudes was still being ravaged by the wars of The Loss (so, like, 20 years prior to the opening scenes of the core game story). Our PCs are on board a Tainibrian naval vessel, the "Drake's Crest," but they have been separated from the rest of the fleet by a terrible storm, then attacked by a monstrous Megalodon. Will the crew be able to get to land before their ship sinks? And if they do make it to the coast of Arda, will they find a safe place to make landfall?REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistNancy/Captain Walter S. Rivers: @SciBugsEmily/Lt. Carter Dawson-Clark: @embododdJoe/Master Peter Mathers: @StylopidaeEric/Radiant Marshall Brown: @EricJEarleyPeter/Dr. Percy Quilton: @petercoffeyChannel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

Peter and Sheryl do a recap of Episode 6 of Nature Check, then speak with player Joe Ballenger (@Stylopidae on Twitter) about his background in industry and new PhD research. Joe also talks about his innovative science communication project, Ask an Entomologist, that he runs with fellow Nature Check player Nancy.Have questions for the cast about the Nature Check game, or just science in general? Leave them in the comments, or tweet us at @CheckNature and we'll do our best to answer them!#DnD #Science #NatureCheck

The PCs meet Siwan, the young(?) woman to whom Hudson Green is indebted. The group makes a deal with her and signs a contract in order to release the Greens from their debt and allow Janet Green to testify and provide Jay with an alibi for the night of the murder of Timothy Prendergast. But will Janet's testimony and Kae's presentation of the evidence be enough to prove Jay's innocence?REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedric: @petercoffeyRyan/Fletcher: @EntemneinChannel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

The group goes to the docks and the Luck's Rum searching for information about the murder of Timothy Prendergast and who might be blackmailing Hudson Green. Afterwards, they venture to the scene of the crime itself, where they find pieces of evidence that may help to clear the name of Jay Prowell. But who is the mysterious woman in Green's office?REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedric: @petercoffeyRyan/Fletcher: @EntemneinChannel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

Peter and Sheryl do a recap of the first Annals of History episode of Nature Check, then speak with special guest player Eric Earley (@EricJEarley on Twitter) about his experience with this particular game and with D&D more generally. The group swaps stories about their experiences as DMs, and also gets into deeper discussions about culture within the game, intersectionality, and what we can do to play D&D responsibly.Have questions for the cast about the Nature Check game, or just science in general? Leave them in the comments, or tweet us at @CheckNature and we'll do our best to answer them!

In this episode, we wind the hands of the clock back, long ago to a time when the world of Lasudes was still being ravaged by the wars of The Loss (so, like, 20 years prior to the opening scenes of the core game story). Our PCs are on board a Tainibrian naval vessel, the "Drake's Crest," but they have been separated from the rest of the fleet by a terrible storm. Will they be able to repair their ship? Will they be able to navigate toward a safe harbor and home? And what sorts of dangers does the sea have in store for them?REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistEmily/Lt. Carter Dawson-Clark: @embododdJoe/Master Peter Mathers: @StylopidaeEric/Radiant Marshall Brown: @EricJEarleyPeter/Dr. Percy Quilton: @petercoffeyChannel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist#DnD #Science #NatureCheck

Cedric and Lucanus share several meals and awkward male bonding moments together while Kae goes around on pins and needles waiting for Azzie to tell her a secret. The group forms a plan to investigate the fish problem and venture back into the slums of New Sechester looking for information.REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedric: @petercoffeyRyan/Fletcher: @EntemneinSpecial thanks to our chat mod: Trevor/HypertesseractChannel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

Joe and Sheryl do a recap of Episode 3 of Nature Check, then speak with cast member Ryan Gott (@Entemnein on Twitter) his character Fletcher and his feelings about campaign events so far. The group also talks about Ryan's job in IPM at a botanical garden, what IPM even is, and why endemic plants are cool.Have questions for the cast about the Nature Check game, or just science in general? Leave them in the comments, or tweet us at @CheckNature and we'll do our best to answer them!

NSFW warning/Trigger warning: sex workJoe and Sheryl do a recap of Episode 2 of Nature Check, then speak with cast member Peter Coffey (@petercoffey on Twitter) his character Cedric and his feelings about campaign events so far. The group also talks about the idea of fair employment and the issues surrounding sex work (as it relates to events in the campaign). Peter also shares a little about his job as an entomologist working in agricultural extension.Have questions for the cast about the Nature Check game, or just science in general? Leave them in the comments, or tweet us at @CheckNature and we'll do our best to answer them!

Joe and Sheryl do a recap of Episode 1 of Nature Check, then speak with cast member Nancy Miorelli (@SciBugs on Twitter) about herself and her experiences working as an entomologist in Ecuador. Joe and Nancy also pay tribute to their amazing mentor, Dr. Marianne Shockley, who was tragically killed less than a month prior to recording.Have questions for the cast about the Nature Check game, or just science in general? Leave them in the comments, or tweet us at @CheckNature and we'll do our best to answer them!

WARNING: So sorry about the clipping audio, we're still working out some technical difficulties. But please don't have your volume up too loud when you start the episode! The adventurers find themselves facing off against a pair of strangely amphibious or fishy-looking humanoids in the seagrass bed. Battle ensues, after which the PCs gather some loot and some gilldeweed in two different species or varieties. They make their way back into New Sechester to show their foraging spoils to Elsa, and after that make their way back to the brothel where Karissa is waiting. Lucanus manages to convince Wurgent to let him take Karissa on a date, which they have no intention of returning from. The group brings Karissa to a section of the beach and tries out the gilldeweed. After doing their good deed, Lucanus and Cedric go to the Market district to sell some extra weapons. Artemis begins to overhear a conversation in The Marked Bird. REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter: Nature Check: @CheckNature Sheryl/DM: @RvingNatura

The PCs decide to send Lucanus into the brothel to talk to the girl Cedric met in Episode 1. After he gathers some information, the group sets off in a quest to meet an apothecary and find a magical herb. REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedric: @petercoffeyRebecca/Artemis: @PhytoseiidRyan/Fletcher: @EntemneinMusic by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Special thanks to our chat mod: Trevor/HypertesseractChannel art by Sheryl/The Roving Naturalist

The Nature Check crew find themselves in the burgeoning port town of New Sechester on the southwestern coast of the wild continent of Arda. Though there is initially some pursuit of individual needs, all of the adventurers eventually find themselves in the tavern of The Marked Bird. Inside the tavern, events quickly unravel as a pair of ruffians attack the tavern owner over a poor-quality fish dinner. The adventurers are also engaged in conversation by Casper Reid, the head cartographer for the Royal Academy of Explorers from Tainibria. The conversation with Casper sparked a deep out-of-character conversation among the players about the problematic nature of colonization and the colonizer attitude/mindset, especially as it pertains to scientific research. We welcome audience perspectives on this topic, as it's an idea that will be central to our journey through Arda. REFERENCE SECTIONFollow us on Twitter:Nature Check: @CheckNatureSheryl/DM: @RvingNaturalistJoe/Lucanus: @StylopidaeNancy/Kae: @SciBugsPeter/Cedr