The Maniculum Podcast The Maniculum Podcast

The Byzantine world continues to make for a perfect D&D setting! In this episode, Justinian outlaws astrology, while he and Theodora pretend to be an the embittered couple in order to play both sides of the sport-fans-turned-rioters, and "Pumpkin," the city prefect, is ousted from power by these sports fanatics. What could possibly go wrong?

Our Kickstarter is LIVE! Be the first to get a deck of 50 magic items straight from medieval manuscripts!

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The Secret History and another version

So you want to be a necromancer - in your next D&D campaign, sure, sure. But what IS necromancy, really? Join us in this episode as we dive into the real sources of medieval necromancy and black magic, and discover ways that real magical practices can fit into your next TTRPG campaign.

Our Kickstarter is just a week away! Be the first to get a deck of 50 magic items straight from medieval manuscripts!

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Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here!
All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here!

What can animals teach us about TTRPGs? Join us in this episode as we explore the world of Medieval Fables and just what they can teach us about life, death, and min-maxing with fables & medieval animal specialist Linnet Heald!

Check out our Kickstarter!
Check out Sam's DEATH OF THE AUTHOR on Backerkit here!

Check out Linnet's Blog posts & her new work! (Website coming soon!)


The Raven’s False Greeting: Animal Language and Medieval Fable - link
Learning to Fear in Two Medieval Fables - link
The Stag and the Dogs: A Medieval Fable - link
Imagining the Medieval Bestiary - link
Linnet Heald, "Wicked Wolves, Culpable Sheep: Animal Lessons in Medieval British Fables," New Medieval Literatures 25 (2025) . (Forthcoming)
Medieval Panther Woodcut: link

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The Beastiary Challenge! (-- Don't miss it!)

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Citations & References:


Caxton’s Aesop ed. by Joseph Jacobs, 1889 - link
TEAMS Middle English Robert Henryson, The Complete Works: Fables - link & the Modern English Translation
Loeb Library's BABRIUS, PHAEDRUS, Fables - link
Davide Ermacora, “The Comparative Milk-Suckling Reptile,” Anthropozoologica 52, no. 1 (2017): 59–81.
Lion Symbolism: Nigel Harris, "The Lion in Medieval Western Europe: Toward an Interpretive History," Traditio 76 (2021), 185–213.

This week, we're delving into Empress Theodora's early life and rise to power as empress of the Byzantine era. From her breathtaking performances as a prostitute to her love-at-first-sight romance with Justinian as a young guard, we gather that Theodora was one hell of a woman, regardless of Prokopios' distaste for her.

Check out our Kickstarter!

Also, check out Gals and Goblins podcast here, and check out their TikTok and other cool content here! They've been gracious enough to share the pod and Kickstarter with their audience, and we're sharing the love - their actual play is goofy, lighthearted, and fun to listen to on commutes, in the kitchen, or while pruning your garden of poisonous plants you're planing to use to poison your evil overlord.

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The Beastiary Challenge!

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The Secret History and another version

It's our 100th episode! Come celebrate with us as we host our second tournament - Mac and I compete with each other to see who has the best approach to listener submitted quests, with parties compiled of the characters we've collected from each episode.

Special thanks to all the listeners who submitted quest ideas and questions for us to answer!

WHO WON? VOTE HERE!

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The Beastiary Challenge! (-- Don't miss it!)

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Citations & References:


Ulrich, Laurel Thatcher. “Vertuous Women Found: New England Ministerial Literature, 1668-1735.” American Quarterly, vol. 28, no. 1, 1976, pp. 20–40.
Richard Keikhefer, Magic in the Middle Ages & Forbidden Rites - find both here!
Bailey, Michael D. ‘The Disenchantment of Magic: Spells, Charms, and Superstition in Early European Witchcraft Literature.’ The American Historical Review, Vol 111, No. 2. April 2006. pp. 383-404.
—. ‘The Age of Magicians: Periodization in the History of European Magic.’ Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft, Vol. 3. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. pp. 1-28.
—. ‘The Disenchantment of Magic: Spells, Charms, and Superstition in Early European Witchcraft Literature.’ The American Historical Review, Vol. 111, No. 2. University of Pennsylvania Press, April 2006. pp. 383-404.

It's part two of the drama-filled adventure of Eliduc, the two-timing knight! In the final part of this tale, we discuss how medieval writers poke fun at the chivalric system, and explore how to adapt knighthood - in all its forms- into your D&D campaign.

Our KICKSTARTER is coming up! Sign up & try it out yourself here!

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The Beastiary Challenge! (-- Don't miss it!)

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Citations & References:


The Lais of Marie de France
Physical and Mental Cruelty in the "Lais" of Marie de France, Renee L Curtis
Two for the Price of One: Courtly Love and Serial Polygamy in the "Lais" of Marie de France, Sharon Kinoshita