Worlds Beyond Number

The Horner Corner with Grant O'Brien!

6 min
Jul 8, 202510 months ago
Listen to Episode
Summary

In this episode of the Horner Corner segment, hosts Abreya and Will play a comedic 'smash or pass' game featuring characters from the fantasy narrative 'The Wizard, the Witch and the Wild One,' all voiced by Brennan Lee Mulligan. Guest Grant O'Brien joins them in discussing various supernatural beings and characters, starting with the Great Bear, a massive forest spirit with mystical properties.

Insights
  • Narrative-driven podcasts can leverage character-focused content games to create engaging, participatory entertainment that blends literary analysis with casual humor
  • Voice acting talent (like Brennan Lee Mulligan) can become a significant draw for podcast audiences, with listeners developing parasocial connections to performers across multiple character interpretations
  • Fantasy worldbuilding that blends complex spiritual concepts with relatable human emotions creates opportunities for both serious discussion and comedic commentary
Trends
Parasocial engagement with voice actors and their character work as a driver of podcast audience loyaltyGamification of literary analysis and character discussion in narrative podcastsBlending of adult humor with fantasy worldbuilding in niche podcast contentGuest-driven episodic formats that lower barriers to entry for new listeners
Topics
Fantasy worldbuilding and character designVoice acting and character performanceNarrative-driven podcast formatsInteractive audience engagement gamesSupernatural and spirit-based fantasy conceptsCharacter analysis and interpretation
People
Brennan Lee Mulligan
Voice actor who performs all characters in 'The Wizard, the Witch and the Wild One' discussed throughout the episode
Grant O'Brien
Guest participant on the Horner Corner segment who joins the smash or pass game discussion
Quotes
"Some of these characters are complex and powerful spirits of the land or embodiments of high minded concepts. Some are witches bridging the mortal world and the spirit world. And some of them are just straight up dudes that we have pants feelings about."
Abreya
"Each and every one of the characters we are discussing is voiced by friend of the Horner Corner, Brennan Lee Mulligan. So we are just talking about how much we want to fuck Brennan's little voices."
Host
"It's the bisexual struggle. There's so many good looking people in the world. It really is. It's just very pleasant. It's like a great museum."
Grant O'Brien
Full Transcript
Hello everybody and welcome to the Horner Corner, the part of our rich narrative driven podcast where we share the wealth of our very cursed, very online knowledge with our unsuspecting friends. And we have a guest unsuspecting friend for you all today. Everyone say hello to Cran O'Brien. Hello, hello everyone. I will say I am actually suspecting. I actually, I feel like I'm coming in with a lot of suspecting of horniness. So if that's, I can come in more virginal if you'd like, but I'm ready for some nastiness. We want sort of that mix. You know, it's the virgin horror comic, right? Yeah, we're a virgin in that you have not listened to the podcast. Your ears, they are unspoiled, fresh as the driven snow. It's my first time. Oh my God. I hope you cry a little bit. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, well, it's just so emotional. It's not bad. It's just, it's just, it's so overwhelming, you know? Yes, yes. And Will will try to be gentle with our oral. But I trust you. But only at first. I'd ask for nothing less. So, excellent. Abreya, what are we doing today? Yeah, today we are just playing a not at all elevated version of smash or pass with prominent NPCs from the first book of the Wizard, the Witch and the Wild One. Some of these characters are complex and powerful spirits of the land or embodiments of high minded concepts. Some are witches bridging the mortal world and the spirit world and serving as wise and powerful arbiters in the constant and growing tensions between these two sides. And some of them are just straight up dudes that we have pants feelings about. Just some guys. Just some guys. Sometimes you just get a little horned up about a guy. Sometimes. Yeah, it's the bisexual struggle. I know. Isn't it fun? It is fun. It is fun. It is fun. All those, there's so many good looking people in the world. It really is. It's just very pleasant. It's like a great museum. And using your imagination, I cast everyone as hot. So yeah, right? Yeah. D&D. Why would you not? It's aesthetic. It's joyful. You get it. You get it. The most important thing I want to mention though is that each and every one of the characters we are discussing is voiced by friend of the Horner Corner, Brennan Lee Mulligan. So we are just talking about how much we want to fuck Brennan's little voices. And that's important. Great. I mean, and I might start at some point just on Brennan himself. That might just be where I get... Do it! We'll find out. We'll find out. Anything could happen. It's an improvised space. Yeah. Okay. Yes. Erika, with that in mind, are you ready to kick this off? Oh, I am so ready. Excellent. So, so first up, we have the great bear who is a father, a daddy of one of our characters. He's a bear who is the size of a semi truck. We've fur thick as night. He has flowers growing within him and moss at his ankles where the mud and water through which he travels allow for the sweet smell of honeysuckle to cling to his fur. On his back there are thatched pieces of branches and trees sprouting. The smell of moss, earth and sweet jasmine flows from his enormous frame. He has great eyes that are deep hazelnut brown and gold and they shimmer with the wonder of the deep forest of the spirits. And it is said that one look from his eye can strike fear into the heart of the bravest mortal man. Sharp fangs, sharper than any sword or spear of mortal kind. He is a source of wonder and noise and joy and here he has children. He will warn you up front and you will know because they herald his approach with a great wild rumpus. He has hundreds of illiterate kids. Cool children but... No, no, no, no, no. Well, don't have children. No, no, I don't fuck with them. Okay, okay, but there's spirits. So like are they children? Yes. Well, and that's a good point. I just don't like that they're so out of control. What's this rumpus? No, no. That's fair. Behave yourselves, children. They are forces like their father of nature and they all love sleeping and eating and dancing and again, he is, I cannot stress doing enough, he is a literal bear. Yeah, he's a big bear. Yes. Okay. So, and let's be clear, that was a big like description. It's longer in the show. So we were giving you the like a bridged. He is a socialist. I have two thoughts that are kind of conflicting so far. First of all. Well, listener, if you'd like to hear Grant's questions and eventual choice, will it be surrender in the forest grass face down up ass or will he high tail it through the door of Ivy away from the great bear? Why to find out? You'll have to join us on the Patreon. Why am I talking like this? It's the music. Come join us on the Patreon. If you dare.