Safely home from the Fae Realm, the Champions of the Earth complete their mission to rescue Esmond... only to discover the emotional fallout from their last adventure might be greater than they might have anticipated. Mel gets an admirer. Nico gets cold feet. Olive gets a cuddle. Martha gets some one on one...on one. Huxley gets... honest.  Champions of the Earth sends a big hello and all our love and prayers to each and every one of you during this crisis. We hope our voices make an hour of your time in isolation a little brighter. Thanks for being there. If you want to talk about the show, tweet @ChampionsCast and stay tuned for more. We're going to be back for as long as we've got spare content in the can.

King Summersquall is dead. A ghost army wreaks havoc in the Fae Court. The trial of Esmond Chong and the Champions of the Earth has become open combat. As the Champions reckon the worst of their actions and with continued changes to how their mecha steeds operate in this realm, the sky darkens... and the Fae Ultimate Champion arrives. Huxley takes responsibility. Mel goes on the attack. Nico holds it together. Martha lets go of more than just command. Olive places her faith. Hyde gives a gift.

We're (almost) back! In anticipation of the show's return from hiatus, we're releasing the complete LIVE SHOW from last fall's IndieCade...and with GOOD REASON. The events of that show greatly enhance Episode 29 which hits your feeds NEXT WEEK. After a year as an exclusive reward for supporting Nerdsmith, we're ready for everyone to hear this prequel. Enjoy and GET READY. Can't wait to be back.

The Royal Guards caught the Champions sneaking into the White Castle, but thanks to Olive, our heroes were escorted directly to the Fae Court. Now comes the moment of truth. The Champions found Esmond Chong, but rescuing him—and themselves—is now a matter for trial. Reeling from the shock they are not the first Champions to visit this court, can they make their case? And what of Hyde? Mel contemplates a trade. Nico drops a mask. Martha digs in. Olive drops a big weight. Huxley strikes a chord…and then strikes back. Reminder that this month, Reserve Champion can do it for the graham (wait, no, not s’mores!) – and rec the show on Instagram tagging @wearenerdsmith and using #ChampionsCast. Share the show, share art you made, share a favorite clip, and we’ll draw for some prototype swag as we enter production in this Summer of Zines!

On the run with the castle guard almost certainly alerted to their presence, the Champions take a chance on intel from Shadra the Black and search for the hidden back entrance…even though they’ve been warned of many dangers and potentially fatal terrors waiting that way. That is… if the Champions don’t take a shortcut. Nico makes a jump. Martha catches a wave. Huxley visits jail. Mel makes some noise. Olive makes a new friend. Nerdsmith is a diverse network of free content entirely supported by listeners like you. During our annual subscription drive, you have a chance to support your favorite shows and the entire network of creators—and get some great stuff in the process. To join the network’s members, visit nerdsmith.org/subdrive and use #WeAreNerdsmith to discover, share, and create with us.

Rested and recovered after their escape from the Giant’s Rest, the Champions find themselves in sight of the Castle—and the end of their quest. But before they can rescue Esmond, they need a plan of attack…and a way out. Nico gets a cuddle. Olive stands too tall. Huxley talks to trees. Martha’s in the middle. Mel changes outfits. Hyde recalls the castle. Someone gets knifed. Enter to win your own set of gorgeous dice courtesy of Die Hard Dice! The March giveaway winner will be chosen from the list of everyone who tweets or otherwise posts about their favorite NPC. Use #ChampionsCast

Sleepover games are over. While the fae tavern’s diminutive mouselike servant Paws leads Martha, Olive, and Mel on a “night walk” through the walls of The Giant’s Rest…something that seems a lot like acid fills the boys’ room. As Hux, Nico, and a reluctant Hyde struggle to free themselves, the girls learn the secrets of the tavern…and all the Champions might make some sacrifices to set things right. Mel says “I told you so.” Martha makes a friend. Olive gets thorny. Nico burns it down. Huxley gets a souvenir. Hyde keeps his secrets. Talk about the show using #ChampionsCast and be sure to find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr at @ChampionsCast! EPIC THANKS to everyone who’s shared the Kickstarter. Remember that our Die Hard Dice giveaway for February is open to everyone who shares the kickstarter. At the end of the campaign, we’ll pick a winner and you’ll get to pick your own set of 7 premium dice from our wicked cool sponsor! Here’s the link: Bit.ly/championszine

Ep.24: "Esmonds All the Way Down" Laughing Corpse Man brought the Giant's Rest tavern to its feet, but the Champions are now dead on theirs. Eager to get some rest, they're sequestered in their hard-earned rooms for the night and find themselves each having an impromptu sleepover. While Olive, Martha, and Mel share secrets, Hux and Nico must buddy up to Hyde and learn what they can. But no sleepover would be complete without a few games and tricks, a late-night sneak, and maybe... an unpleasant twist. Mel shrinks. Olive bleeds. Martha makes a friend. Hux doesn't sleep. Nico makes a deal. WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE the Game is in OPEN BETA! The Core rules are ready to be tested by you, our loyal listeners at your own gaming table--and they're coming as part of Kickstarter's Zine Quest, a special drive in the month of February to showcase some awesome RPG zines. To pay for printing costs and shipping, we're running a modest Kickstarter. Backers will receive not ONE but maybe as many as THREE zines over the course of the summer, each scaling the game up from teen to Mecha to Ultimate Mecha. Plus there are some other goodies and surprises planned for our incredible community. To check it out for yourselves, visit bit.ly/championszine

Inside The Giant's Rest, our heroes find themselves about to literally sing for their supper... but no one knows the tune. As Mel concludes her encounter with a dark stranger, Olive trues to buy some breathing room while it's up to Hux and Nico to plan the gig of their lives. Nico makes a drum kit. Olive makes a friend. Mel makes an overture. Martha makes Hux turn. Huxley... makes some deals. Champions of the Earth is proud to announce our first sponsor: Die Hard Die! Watch @ChampionsCast on Twitter each week to see our players and DM's shiny new dice we're rolling from now on! Listen to the episode for a promo code that will save you 15% on your own set of gorgeous dice -- and remember to tweet at us, maybe share your favorite episode. We're giving away a set from DHD this month, and it could be yours for engaging!

Ep. 22: "Obsidian" Mel's had enough. With a weapon trained on Hyde and the Fae Lands already taking a deep toll on the team, the Champions might first have to reckon with something that's simmered for far too long. Hyde's warning to Olive looms large, but so does a new sight on the horizon: a magic tavern. Hyde talks. Olive has regrets. Nico refuses to use a name. Huxley gets in the middle. Mel plays a game. Martha plays along. A dark figure recognizes a kindred spirit. A pivotal moment arrives for one Champion. As Jesse notes at the start, a catastrophic equipment failure disrupted the audio for the session which begins after the Middle Bit. We do apologize for the drop in vocal quality during parts of the second act and thank you for your support. HAPPY HOLIDAYS from everyone at Champions of the Earth- we'll see you in 2019 for some exciting announcements and events. STAY TUNED.

The Fae Realm awaits, but as the Champions take their first steps into an unfamiliar world, some of their troubles are very familiar. Esmond is still out there. No one knows what to make of the bird Hyde, and Olive's acting very strangely. Meanwhile, the team struggles to find unity while the very deadly world quite literally tries to pull them apart... if their own secrets don't do it first. Hyde squawks. Olive drops hints. Martha blurts something out. Huxley blurts something out, too. Nico breaks something. Mel nears a breaking point. Hux and Martha's code can be found somewhere known but forgotten.