The Penumbra Podcast

By Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert

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my favorite
 Jul 11, 2018
it's a really fun, delightful audio drama

A Podcast Republic user
 Jul 10, 2018

Description

Depending on who you ask, the Penumbra is either the grandest railway this side of Nowhere or a twice-monthly podcast series. Each episode takes the form of a 30-50 minute radio play. The Penumbra is all about stories you recognize told in ways you won’t expect. Your femme fatale might be an homme fatale; you might find that not every haunting needs a ghost. Your criminal underworld might advertise on billboards ten miles tall, and when push comes to shove your home might have a bit more heart than you’re comfortable with. It’s never just a heist, a Western, an adventure. It’s the parts we think are still fresh about those genres — along with what we find along the tracks. And what will we find, you ask? Well… see for yourself. The Penumbra is created and produced by Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert. Follow us on Twitter (@thepenumbrapod), Tumblr (@thepenumbrapodcast), or Facebook (The Penumbra Podcast).

Episode Date
2.25: Second Citadel -- The Sportive Nymphs (Part 2)
00:41:49
Well, the boy-knights have definitely learned one thing about Nymphs: Nymphs LOVE Sport. And at first, the boys loved Sport too... until it became clear that this was less throw-the-ball-around-with-your-friends-and-rivals and more blood sport. Twists and turns wait behind every rule of this violent game, and one such twist is just in the distance... where the sound of great wooden wheels signals the arrival of the Nymphs' long-awaited Damsel. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Jul 31, 2018
2.24: Second Citadel -- The Sportive Nymphs (Part 1)
00:45:51
What's more knightly than rescuing a Damsel? Doing it better than all the other knights, of course... especially if those other knights are really, really annoying. Sir Marc and Sir Damien do not like each other at all. Each is extremely important to the other's favorite person, and neither understands it in the least. So when a glade of beautiful forest-women offers to watch these men manhandle one another in manly competition, how can they say no? Saving ladies, being swooned over by ladies, flexing your muscles at ladies... isn't that what the knight life is all about? So enjoy the moment, boys, and don't be like Talfryn, sitting on the sidelines and watching those nymphs very closely. Don't question that strange sound you hear, or those markings in the grass, or the way those nymphs are watching, abuzz with anticipation of... what? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Jul 10, 2018
2.23: Juno Steel and the Monster's Reflection (Part 3)
00:55:01
He tunes the radio, sorts through static for answers. Only questions, clean and clear: can one child really ruin the lives of his entire family? A ghost-sound, like a voice; then, gone. Why did he have to stay with her? Who was that at the door, all those years ago? Did his life, her life, Juno's life... did they all have to end this way? No port in the static storm. But then, distant, a sound. He's found it, he thinks; tunes closer, and closer, feels the rush of answers, the relief of a mystery solved. It comes closer, a banging sound, like footsteps, echoing... and then he's found it. And he wishes he hadn't. Here comes Turbo. The Man of the Future. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Jun 26, 2018
2.22: Juno Steel and the Monster's Reflection (Part 2)
00:25:23
"You did it in one day. One choice. When you let him in, when you let the hero rob us blind without taking a thing." That's how Sarah Steel justified the murder of Benzaiten Steel, twenty-one years ago. But the day she was referring to was even older: fifteen years before that. A motive a long, long time in the making. But what does that mean? How could one four-year-old child ruin three lives? Juno remembers. But what he remembers... can't be right. It can't be. It can't be. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Jun 05, 2018
2.21: Juno Steel and the Monster's Reflection (Part 1)
00:30:52
Today we journey within. Within the sands of Mars, to the clinic of Hanataba; within the Theia Spectrum and its labyrinthine connections; within the mind; within the past itself. Try to throw away the past if you like, Juno Steel, but it lies within. And you can't lose your past without losing yourself... can you, little monster? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
May 22, 2018
2.20: Second Citadel -- The Moonlit Hermit (Part 2)
00:55:19
Subject: the Keep of Titan's Blooms. Symptoms: spreading petrification; irritability; musical inclinations. Suggested treatment: cooperation with its master, Lord Arum, a creature who would scoff at the idea of tracking symptoms in the first place, a lizard whose scaly mind is ever-absorbed in suspicion, self-preservation, and ego. Side effects may include: sleep loss; injury; frustration; entombment; and then... Keep it together, Rilla. This is a medical record, not your diary. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
May 08, 2018
2.19: Second Citadel -- The Moonlit Hermit (Part 1)
00:51:59
Deep in the Swamp of Titan's Blooms stands a towering plant with no equal in the Second Citadel. It is in parts tree, fern, beanstalk, and a single gigantic flower -- and it is the Keep from which Lord Arum watches over his Swamp. No human has ever seen the labyrinthine interior of this Keep until today. When Rilla awakens in the Keep she will come face-to-face with things she'd never dreamed she'd see, magical artifacts and creatures and mysteries that tie deep into the workings of the very universe... but unless she can find a way to escape, she may be the only human to ever learn of them. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Apr 24, 2018
2.18: Juno Steel and the Time Gone By (Part 2)
00:44:57
People bury a great deal beneath these Martian sands: bodies and secrets and even entire cities. But some things refuse to stay buried long – like the past. Those we thought lost, hoped lost, but never gone for good. Buddy Aurinko is learning that lesson the hard way. Her buried past has a face and a name, and though all Buddy wants is to forget, her past does not seem content to be forgotten. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Apr 10, 2018
2.17: Juno Steel and the Time Gone By (Part 1)
00:36:47
I do suggest you reconsider this particular destination, Traveler. Most places on Mars are dangerous, but the desert holds threats no human can survive. Radiation beats down from above, subterranean predators rumble below, and before you lies nothing but sand and heat and time. And behind you… do you see that growing shadow in the distance, Traveler? It is always there. And depending on how you play your cards it may be your only way out… or the most dire threat of all. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey. (Trigger warnings can be found at the bottom of this episode description.)
Mar 27, 2018
The Rita Minute 3: Happy Birthday, Mista Steel!
00:20:05
It's December 24th, and you know what that means: it's Mista Steel's birthday, and it's up to Rita to make it the best birthday ever in a star-studded special that includes both of Juno's friends and some people who are lukewarm about him. Can Rita put together the ultimate birthday party in thirty minutes? Maybe!
Dec 24, 2017
Season 2.1 Q&A: Fan Questions Answered!
01:24:56
Sophie and Kevin are assembled by special guest star and elected guru of our Tumblr fandom to answer questions about how these stories are written, their perspective on diverse perspectives within the show, whether Sophie is a visionary, whether you're allowed to cry at your own show, how this show has made them better people, queerness, mental illness, and whether Sophie is allowed to call herself a visionary. Sneaky announcements of future projects revealed! Kevin says "SOPHIE" in a very frustrated voice several times! Ernmark demonstrates that she's smarter than Sophie and Kevin by, like, probably a whole lot!
Dec 06, 2017
Surprise! Announcements: Midseason Plans, Merch Plots, and Future Schemes
00:05:23
Sophie and Kevin gather around the festive nondenominational tree to unwrap some exciting announcements. Includes info on the start of the next half-season, merch updates, a midseason Q&A, a special surprise, what Sophie and Kevin are thankful for, and how you can help us for free, right now! Gobble, gobble. Vote for us in the AudioVerse awards here: http://www.audioverseawards.net/site/vote/ For updates on merchandise, special surprises, and the next half of the season, follow us... ... on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thepenumbrapod ... on Tumblr! https://thepenumbrapodcast.tumblr.com/
Nov 25, 2017
2.16: Juno Steel and the Promised Land (Part 3)
00:53:56
If you had asked Erin Marshall D’Arc, the Free Dome was supposed to be for everyone. Anyone who wanted a home away from the War, she said, could have it. If you had asked Marshall Erin D’Arc, the Free Dome was only for the best of the best. Only those who could create paradise, he said, could have it. If you ask Mayor Pilot Pereyra, the Free Dome belongs to the highest bidder. Whoever finds it, they say, owns it – and they can do with it as they please. And if you ask Juno Steel, Private Eye, drained of blood and confidence? You can keep your lousy Dome. Because something about this place doesn’t sit right with Detective Steel… and he’s rapidly running out of time to figure out what it is before Pilot decides they’re done with him. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Nov 14, 2017
2.15: Juno Steel and the Promised Land (Part 2)
00:44:40
This case was supposed to be simple. Go into the Old Subway system, figure out what Mayor Pereyra is trying to get, stop them from getting it, then go home to a parade and a new world order. But now three days have passed, and the election looms, and still Juno, Alessandra, the Piranha, and Pilot Pereyra are down here, waiting for something in the distance. It seemed like it was going to be simple. But in this line of work, when you’re dealing with mysteries of the present, past, and future… nothing is ever as it seems. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Oct 24, 2017
2.14: Juno Steel and the Promised Land (Part 1)
00:36:02
The story goes that two hundred years ago, when the War was at its most brutal, Erin Marshall D’Arc made the most important discovery in Martian history… and never shared it with anyone. An election always makes itself about the present, and so Juno Steel never expected that this case would bring him two centuries into the past. Yet here he is, on the trail of Mayor Pilot Pereyra, with a Private Eye at his side and hundreds of years of history to dig through. Down here in the Free Domers’ ruins lie traps and treasure, if the tales are true… and if Juno wants to survive he’ll have to solve two mysteries simultaneously: one about the present… and one about a family more than a century dead. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Oct 10, 2017
2.13: Second Citadel--Lady of the Lake
00:59:16
Special threats deserve special measures, and Queen Mira of the Second Citadel is a master of special measures. Enter Sir Caroline: a free radical knight, one of the Queen’s most capable and least trustworthy, and most likely the only hope the Second Citadel has of surviving the scourge of manipulative monsters that has plagued them for months. Sir Caroline, newly-appointed Investigator-General of the Second Citadel, must assemble a team and head north, to the source from which these monsters flow. But they must be careful, because the village through which they’re passing has been struck by a terrible curse… and strange things lurk near the waters through which they must pass. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Sep 26, 2017
2.12: Juno Steel and the Stolen City (Part 2)
00:45:02
Late at night in the Museum of Colonized History, just a few short days before the election that will decide the fate of Hyperion City, Juno Steel is watching the Mayor participate in a heist gone horribly, horribly wrong. And typically a heist not going well would be great news for Juno Steel, Private Eye… if only his bust of that heist hadn’t also just gone belly-up. The crooks will escape in half an hour. Juno and Captain Omar Khan of the HCPD are running out of time to stop them, and prevent the trail of bodies they’re leaving behind them from getting any longer. And they just might be able to do it, if nothing else goes wrong. Which is, of course, precisely the cue for something to go very, very wrong indeed. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Sep 12, 2017
2.11: Juno Steel and the Stolen City (Part 1)
00:39:55
“Look for a woman with one ear outside the First Museum of Colonized History in Hyperion City.” That’s what the notice said to Yasmin Swift, both culprit and victim of Juno Steel’s last case. And ever since, Juno has been looking for that woman: for a month straight, while the clock ticks down, while the election creeps ever closer. He needs to find her, and quickly, if he hopes to keep Ramses O’Flaherty kicking, if he hopes to give this city a shot at anything better. Today Juno’s going to find that one-eared gangster, and he’s going to learn something very important about leads along the way: sometimes it’s worth leaving a piranha on the line if it means you might catch a whale. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Aug 29, 2017
2.10: Second Citadel -- The Treacherous Heart
00:35:24
On the third morning of the Festival of the Three, Sir Marc knew nothing of Sir Damien’s duels with the Lord of the Swamp. Sir Marc’s problems lay closer to his heart – or brain, as the case may be. Because Sir Marc's condition requires medication, and medication is hard to come by out in the wilds. Luckily, Sir Marc has a medical professional on his side: Rilla, the herbalist of the Second Citadel. But unluckily, medicine in this overgrown world is never easy… and Rilla and Marc will have to think and act quickly if they’re going to keep the urge to save a life from killing them. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Aug 15, 2017
8/1/2017 Announcements: Merch store and Patreon and Podcasts, Oh My!
00:14:43
Your favorite queers Sophie and Kevin get together to update y’all on some exciting developments for The Penumbra Podcast, wile you with donation bonuses, make some special announcements, and learn a few lessons along the way. Rated PG-I6, for Pretty Good, I 6uess.
Aug 01, 2017
2.09: Juno Steel and the Dragon's Den (Part 2)
00:40:14
Illusions run wild in Polaris Park, whether they be holograms or robotics or secrets and lies. But here's something that's not illusory: Juno and Rita are in danger. Security chief Yasmin Swift, who was supposedly leading the investigation on a killing, is apparently the culprit... and until Juno and Rita find out where, how, and why she did it, every thrill in this theme park may be their last. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Jul 18, 2017
2.08: Juno Steel and the Dragon's Den (Part 1)
00:38:11
Someone is out to kill Ramses O'Flaherty -- and whoever they are, they should be here. A killer called this home, but it isn't any kind of home Juno's ever seen before. This is a place where the impossible happens, where an ancient heroine walks the streets, where dragons live on every mountaintop... and where nothing is ever as it seems. Welcome to Polaris Park. And welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Jul 04, 2017
2.07: Second Citadel - Knight of the Crown, Lord of the Swamp (Part 2)
00:28:30
On the second night of the Festival of the Three, Sir Damien the knight will be dueling on Lord Arum the monster’s terms: in a forest of tricks and traps and cunning biological inventions. Sir Damien may have bested Lord Arum in a physical duel, but he certainly isn’t prepared for the sorts of challenges a second meeting with the monster will pose… but to be fair, Lord Arum isn’t prepared, either. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Jun 20, 2017
2.06: Second Citadel - Knight of the Crown, Lord of the Swamp (Part 1)
00:26:57
The Festival of the Three is the most important day of the year in the Second Citadel – or the most important three days, as the case may be. Battles and music and drink run free in Citadel’s square, and nearly every knight is in attendance… which leaves very few to guard from the monsters’ constant threat. Luckily Sir Damien is on guard tonight, standing outside the Queen’s chambers with his trusty bow in hand. But Sir Damien is injured, and when a monstrous threat crawls in he may find that it’s a very different sort of challenge from what he’s used to.
Jun 06, 2017
2.05: Juno Steel and the Lesson Learned (Part 2)
00:38:05
Mick Mercury is a walking disaster, and appropriately enough, he’s picked a disaster of a case to drop in on. In his attempt to prevent a murder, Juno Steel’s added two potential victims: Mick Mercury… and himself. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
May 23, 2017
2.04: Juno Steel and the Lesson Learned (Part 1)
00:45:49
Working for a man as connected as Ramses O’Flaherty means access to places nobody else gets to go… or wants to, as it turns out. Because on this case Ramses is sending Juno into the Fortezza, Hyperion City’s prison for criminal genius, to stop a murder before it can be committed. Who’s the victim, you ask? Well… Ramses, of course. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
May 09, 2017
2.03: Second Citadel - The Caves of Discord
00:29:56
In an overgrown jungle where monsters roam free lies the Second Citadel, one of humanity’s last strongholds in a hostile, hungry world. The people of the Citadel live their lives on the edge of a knife – knowing that any day a beast might storm their homes, knowing that now and forever the monsters are planning the final assault that will end humanity for good. The only defense against a world that wants them dead are the Knights of the Crown, led by the Second Citadel’s Queen; and she has a very important task for her best knights. A strange cave has been claiming the lives of the people who live nearby… and if the Knights can’t find a way to work together, it will claim their lives, too. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Apr 25, 2017
2.02: Juno Steel and the Kitty-Cat Caper (Part 2)
00:41:21
Juno Steel’s first day back on the job has started well: he’s outnumbered, cornered, and almost certainly going to be killed any second now. Just life as usual in the PI business. This case may be typical, but the solution will prove anything but. The mystery, after all, is one of the strangest Juno has ever encountered: who kidnaps a woman’s cat… just to replace it with an exact copy of the one they’ve stolen? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Apr 11, 2017
2.01: Juno Steel and the Kitty-Cat Caper (Part 1)
00:35:03
Detective Steel is in a slump, and Maia King might have just the case to bring him out of it. One problem: half the case is going to be figuring out what the case even is, because if Ms. King is to be believed, the culprit would have to be… well, something that doesn’t exist. The stakes are life-or-death here… so hopefully Juno can figure out whose life or death before time runs out. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your journey.
Mar 28, 2017
CANON: The Full Penumbra Tour, Presented by the Concierge
00:06:47
Enough Travelers asked for a full tour of the Penumbra Hotel that not even the Concierge can say no. We hope you're ready for a long haul: it's a very big hotel, and strange things lurk inside it. But be careful what you wish for, Traveler. Some stones, once turned, can never be returned... and some changes can't be undone.
Mar 21, 2017
BONUS: The Thief Among Us
00:10:20
When Blair Rockridge, Olympus Mons trillionaire, receives a letter from a thief threatening to steal her priceless collection, she immediately calls in the best private detective money can buy. Granted, he is a little eccentric--but he's the best there is, isn't he?
Feb 21, 2017
BONUS: Merry Christmas, Mary Anne
00:09:09
A late-night crime on Christmas Eve gets Mary Anne and Chance Sequoyah a whole lot of trouble... and a visitor that neither of them could have expected.
Dec 24, 2016
BONUS: The Rita Minute 2--The Rita Detective Agency
00:09:25
A thrilling adventure in the life of Rita, Private Eye.
Nov 29, 2016
Season 1 Q&A: Fan questions answered!
00:51:17
In the wake of Season 1, Noah Simes (voice of Peter Nureyev) interviews co-creators Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert, using questions submitted on via Twitter, Tumblr, and email by YOU, the fans! How do we cast the show? What stories are we inspired by? What is it like to play characters who are in love? And most importantly of all, will Peter Nureyev ever return? (Plus: stay tuned until the end of the Q&A for a big announcement!)
Nov 15, 2016
1.18: Juno Steel and the Final Resting Place
00:46:05
In all likelihood, this is the end. The only question is: the end of how much? The end of Juno Steel… that’s pretty likely. Alone in a Martian tomb, Peter Nureyev gone, and Miasma’s experiments drawing to a close. Juno will outlive his usefulness any minute now, and if Miasma has her way he won’t outlive for long. And if it’s the end of Juno Steel it may well be the end of Mars, too: with Miasma’s hands on the Egg of Purus, a superweapon strong enough to destroy the entire Ancient Martian civilization, this human civilization doesn’t stand much of a chance. What does Miasma have planned for that Martian wasteland? Where is Peter Nureyev? And just how much will Juno Steel lose? Because surely, this is the end, the final resting place… but how much will end here, today? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Nov 08, 2016
1.17: Peter Nureyev and the Angel of Brahma (Part 2)
00:30:14
Who is Peter Nureyev? The question has dogged Juno Steel, Private Eye for six months now, ever since he first met that master of disguises. It doesn’t help that he changes identities like most people change clothes: Rex Glass, Duke Rose, Miasma’s anonymous “the Thief…” How is Juno supposed to know who he is? How is Juno supposed to trust him? He needs to know he can, because the clock is ticking. Miasma’s experiments on Juno won’t last forever, and once his usefulness has passed she’ll kill the both of them. And once they’re gone, who will stop her from using the Egg of Purus, the Martian superweapon she now has under her control? Juno needs to trust Nureyev, but he hardly knows him. And so, that same old question remains: who is Peter Nureyev? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Oct 25, 2016
1.16: Peter Nureyev and the Angel of Brahma (Part 1)
00:25:31
Who is Peter Nureyev? The question has dogged Juno Steel, Private Eye for six months now, ever since he first met that master of disguises. It doesn’t help that he changes identities like most people change clothes: Rex Glass, Duke Rose, Miasma’s anonymous “the Thief…” How is Juno supposed to know who he is? How is Juno supposed to trust him? He needs to know he can, because the clock is ticking. Miasma’s experiments on Juno won’t last forever, and once his usefulness has passed she’ll kill the both of them. And once they’re gone, who will stop her from using the Egg of Purus, the Martian superweapon she now has under her control? Juno needs to trust Nureyev, but he hardly knows him. And so, that same old question remains: who is Peter Nureyev? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Oct 25, 2016
BONUS: The Revenge of the Janus Beast
00:08:34
In the Second Citadel's Hall of Trophies lie remnants of hundreds of monsters... and some of them are livelier than others. The head of the Janus Beast, for example: it's been here for weeks, and it's growing bored. Very bored. Can the Janus Beast's head break out of its case using nothing but its two faces, magic spells, and one tiny, tiny, little, really-just-impossibly-small brain? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Oct 11, 2016
1.15: Juno Steel and the Train From Nowhere (Part 2)
00:42:25
Somewhere in this desert lies the greatest weapon Mars has ever seen. It’s on board the Utgard Express, a mobile lockbox that shatters the speed of sound at its slowest setting, a train that no one has ever entered… until today. The plan is set. Juno and Nureyev know exactly what they must do to board that train. If there are no surprises they’ll just wake up, drive to a drone launch site in the desert, hijack a drone, and then ride off into the sunset, Martian Weapon in hand. If there are no surprises, that is. But someone in this desert doesn’t much like the idea of things going smoothly for Juno and Nureyev, and the first of his surprises should be arriving at their door right about… now. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Oct 04, 2016
1.14: Juno Steel and the Train From Nowhere (Part 1)
00:41:04
He arrived in the night: Peter Nureyev, the burglar who got away, the thief Juno Steel couldn’t catch. Until he returned, things had been so simple: solving crimes, chasing a killer with her eye on Ancient Martian artifacts, and not letting personal business get in the way. With Nureyev, though, things always seem to get personal very quickly. But Juno has no choice. Nureyev’s the only one with a lead on the killer Juno’s after. He knows exactly what she plans to take next, and according to him it’s something very big, and very dangerous. According to Nureyev, anyway. But the question remains: can Juno trust Peter Nureyev? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Sep 20, 2016
BONUS: The Rita Minute
00:09:58
What does Rita do when Juno Steel, Private Eye, is out of the office? Why, everything she's not supposed to, naturally.
Sep 06, 2016
1.13: Home
00:33:08
WARNING: "Home" is a horror story. If themes of domestic/child abuse are disturbing to you, please consider listening to one of our Juno Steel stories or a different stand-alone episode. Lily doesn’t want to move. This house is the only home she’s ever known, and she loves it – but in a few days her family is leaving, and her older brother Jake says she’ll never see it again. Dad says not to worry about it, that it’s okay to be sad when you’re leaving home, but sadness isn’t what Lily’s worried about. Lily’s scared. Because for the last few weeks Lily’s been having nightmares, strange dreams about a thing in the dark with cold breath and sharp teeth. Normally Mom and Dad help her with her nightmares, but… tonight, Mom and Dad are out of town. And normally Lily would just turn on a light and try not to think about the monster in the dark… but tonight, the power’s gone out.
Aug 30, 2016
1.12: Juno Steel and the Midnight Fox (Part 2)
00:33:57
Detective Juno Steel didn’t want to end up at a party tonight – in fact, he never wants to end up at a party – but he’s not exactly in a position to turn down the invitation. Juno's client, Valles Vicky, is here, too, and her former lover Ingrid Lake has made her a promise: either Vicky leaves her family for Ingrid… or Ingrid kills Vicky at midnight. It’s eleven, now, and the clock is ticking. In one hour, Valles Vicky could be dead… and Juno could lose his only lead on what might be the most earth-shattering case of his career.
Aug 16, 2016
1.11: Juno Steel and the Midnight Fox (Part 1)
00:43:36
Valles Vicky’s Vixen Valley is your one-stop shop if you’re interested in fine dining, good conversation, beautiful people, and contraband from across the galaxy. Juno Steel needs the last on that list: he’s after a killer with an eye for Ancient Martian artifacts, and only Valles Vicky herself can help Juno catch that killer. But a favor from Valles Vicky always comes at a price… and if Juno’s not careful, the bill might end up more than he can afford. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Aug 02, 2016
1.10: Second Citadel - The Head of the Janus Beast (Part 2)
00:13:51
You can’t blame them for thinking the Janus Beast was dead. Most of the time when you cut a creature’s head off, it doesn’t get back up again… and it definitely doesn’t start whispering in the night about secret treasures. But this one did, and it was very, very persuasive. By the time Sir Marc and Sir Caroline wake, its whispers have already lured Sir Talfryn away. Can they find him before the Janus Beast reveals what other deadly surprises it’s hiding? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay. If you miss us between episodes, remember to follow us on Facebook (The Penumbra Podcast), Twitter (@thepenumbrapod), and our website (thepenumbrapodcast.com) for updates, information about the cast and crew, and irresistible witticisms.
Jul 19, 2016
1.09: Second Citadel - The Head of the Janus Beast (Part 1)
00:30:24
Sir Marc and Sir Talfryn of Second Citadel aren’t technically knights. They do all the knightly things, sure – killing monsters, saving the innocent, bickering about breakfast meats – the only problem is that the other knights don’t agree that they’re… y’know, knights. So what are a pair of free lancers to do? Get some respect, of course! Take down a monster so big that the Knights of the Crown have to let them join! The Janus Beast is gruesome, but Marc and Talfryn have dealt with monsters before. It’s the threats they aren’t prepared for that might tear these brothers apart for good. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay. If you miss us between episodes, remember to follow us on Facebook (The Penumbra Podcast), Twitter (@thepenumbrapod), and our website (thepenumbrapodcast.com) for updates, information about the cast and crew, and irresistible witticisms. We’d like to thank our first two Patreon supporters, Anna Meehan and Debra Simes! With Patreon, you can support us by scheduling a small donation for each episode we release. If you’d like to show the artists behind the Penumbra that you appreciate their work, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=3386677
Jul 05, 2016
1.08: Juno Steel and the Day That Wouldn't Die (Part 2)
00:41:52
It’s been a day of unpleasant surprises for Detective Juno Steel. He didn't expect to spend his day off down in the sewers, that’s for sure. He didn’t expect to go back to the town he’d grown up in and run away from, either. He didn’t expect to hear from his old friends Mick Mercury and Sasha Wire… and one friend who shouldn’t be able to call him at all from where she’s gone. Surprises come with the territory when you're a PI on Mars, though. It’s all another thrilling adventure in the life of Juno Steel, Private Eye… until the biggest surprise of all threatens to turn this unhappy memory into an early memorial.
Jun 21, 2016
1.07: Juno Steel and the Day That Wouldn't Die (Part 1)
00:44:02
They thought they’d gotten away with it. They were just kids when it happened. Juno Steel, Sasha Wire, and Mick Mercury – they were just kids when they did it. It was supposed to be a game, the kind kids play when there are no adults around to talk to… when there’s nobody around to tell them just how deadly their little game could be. Detective Juno Steel has had that game on his mind a lot lately. Today is the twenty-fifth anniversary of that terrible day, and he hopes to spend it forgetting. Get a few drinks with Mick, get a few more drinks with Mick, and then pass out on the couch. Easy enough. But this day wasn’t easy the first time, and it won’t be easy the second. The pieces slide into place, slowly: wasn’t this bar where that day all started? What’s Sasha Wire doing back in town? Within hours the game is set again – and deadlier than ever before.
Jun 07, 2016
1.06: The Coyote of the Painted Plains
00:43:56
They warned her about the bandits, but Mary Anne didn’t listen. She was engaged, she said; her fiancée was moving to Crossroads, and even if Crossroads was crawling with bandits, she didn’t have much of a choice. Sheriff Beau Richmond asked her to marry him; Mary Anne said yes; and that, as far as Mary Anne knew, was the end of it. It might have been the end to Mary Anne’s entire story, too – decades married to a man whom she liked well enough, she guessed, stop asking, please – if the bandit hadn’t stopped the train. Chance Sequoyah is a very special bandit. Sure, she’ll take the usual things: money, necklaces, watches. But she plans on taking something else, too: Mary Anne Watkins.
May 24, 2016
1.05: Juno Steel and the Prince of Mars (Part 2)
00:43:30
The Prince of Mars, the mascot of Saffron Pharmaceuticals, is the worst witness a detective could hope for. The Prince has an imagination like a runaway train: when he tells the story, drizzles come out hurricanes and a fender-bender comes out three weeks in traction. Only problem: the Prince is the only witness to a vicious crime, everyone thinks he did it, and he’s the one lead Juno has. His story’s nonsense, of course. Flashing lights, rushing wind, a corpse appearing out of thin air, and a pill tens of thousands of years old… none of it can be true. Can it?
May 10, 2016
1.04: Juno Steel and the Prince of Mars (Part 1)
00:28:43
After an explosive murder case gone wrong, Detective Juno Steel is in the market for some slower work. His next client promises something quiet: a routine find-the-cheating-husband job. Well… it should be routine. But if your missing man heads one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies on Mars, his biggest secret always runs much deeper than an affair. Before he knows it Juno Steel is in a race against the clock and a mysterious stranger to find that secret first – or this runaway husband might not return home in one piece. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Apr 26, 2016
1.03: Shaken
00:33:58
WARNING: Shaken is a horror story with a focus on dark, unsettling situations and some descriptions and sound design that listeners may find disturbing. (Trigger warnings: self-harm, body horror.) If you find this type of content difficult to bear, you may want to check out one of the Juno Steel stories or another one of our one-shots instead. Louise Serling is a talented young painter with a bright future and promising artistic career in front of her. But Louise's family history holds a dreadful secret; can she conceal it from the world, or will the truth shake her life to its very foundations? Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Apr 12, 2016
(Original) 1.02: Juno Steel and the Case of the Murderous Mask (Part 2)
00:40:16
Detective Juno Steel is looking for a killer, and he’s in the right place. Locked in the basement of a Triad restaurant, Juno and Special Agent Rex Glass have dozens of killers to choose from – thugs and waiters and middle-managers, all taking turns pummeling them. It should be pretty easy to pick out their culprit… if they can make it out alive.
Mar 29, 2016
(Original) 1.01: Juno Steel and the Case of the Murderous Mask (Part 1)
00:33:53
Juno Steel has had a lot of clients in his time, high-profile and low. But when he’s called in to investigate the murder of Croesus Kanagawa, head of the Kanagawa crime-family-slash-entertainment-network, it’s not the client that interests him. It’s what Croesus was wearing when he died – and an ancient curse that hangs over that very strange mask.
Mar 18, 2016
UPDATED 1.02: Juno Steel and the Case of the Murderous Mask UPDATE (Part 2)
00:50:17
In the hunt for a crime boss's murderer, Detective Juno Steel and Agent Rex Glass have ended up somewhere very peculiar: a game show. Well, it should be peculiar. But in the house of the Kanagawas, Hyperion City's premier crime-family-slash-entertainment-network, nothing is peculiar so long as it's caught on camera. In the eyes of a camera you can sell anything: a mad genius's horrific game show; an ancient death mask that kills whoever disturbs it; and even, strangest of all, a Detective and Special Agent who really think they have a shot at surviving this mess. Welcome to the Penumbra, dear Traveler. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Mar 17, 2016
UPDATED 1.01: Juno Steel and the Case of the Murderous Mask (Part 1)
00:40:46
Juno Steel has had a lot of clients in his time, high-profile and low. But when he’s called in to investigate the murder of Croesus Kanagawa, head of the Kanagawa crime-family-slash-entertainment-network, it’s not the client that interests him. It’s what Croesus was wearing when he died – and an ancient curse that hangs over that very strange mask.
Mar 16, 2016
0: Teaser
00:01:45
Welcome to the Penumbra. Doors open on March 18th, 2016.
Mar 05, 2016