Magus Elgar: Comedy and Worldbuilding

Magus Elgar does the impractical with fantastical worldbuilding and character-based comedy. The end result is an 11-episode audio drama with series potential that starts off rather weak, but gains momentum fast enough for the show not to lose one’s interest.

Combining a Prologue with Chapter 1

The first episode, while not a cliche-filled fantasy prologue with info dumps galore, does share some similarities with early fantasy stories. Instead of ditching the prologue entirely as a storytelling crutch for new writers, creator Kennedy Phillips combines moments typically found in a modern fantasy prologue with a first chapter. Unfortunately, he takes too much from the former, making the first episode both forgettable and boring. A lack of rooting interest appears to be the culprit. We don’t care about the characters and therefore the world is flat.

It’s not until the end of the first episode that worldbuilding and characterization start to mesh together. The glue used to make it all work is comedy. Specifically the humor found in many an improv group or Dungeons and Dragons podcast. That’s not to say Magus Elgar doesn’t take itself seriously when appropriate for the story. More often than not, that comes in the form of the “science vs magic” subtext sprinkled throughout.

Characterization of Magic and Themes of Science

The Magus Elgar website goes in depth with how magic works. If only the font wasn’t murder on the eyes. The supplementary reading isn’t required to understand the story. Putting it simply, magic in the world of Hearth is similar to Dr. Strange’s powers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both draw their powers from the multiverse.

Practitioners of magic in Hearth are broken down into three groups. They are magi, sorcerers and wizards. While there are no sorcerer characters, what makes them different from magi and wizards where the more magic they use, the crazier they get. Wizards and magi are like academia and scientific method, respectively. Magi take risks while wizards horde knowledge.

The main cast of characters from Hearth include Magus “Thaddy” Elgar, his apprentice (Udo), and a humanoid turned reptile called Kakkay. The two characters from our world are a physicist and his fire-happy assistant, Kaylee Fawn who find themselves transported to the world of Hearth after Magus and Udo teleport to them first. The team, assembled in Hearth, make it their mission is to retrieve every-day items now powered with magical energy. These STAMPs become monsters of the week until the “big bad” is introduced rather late in the story.

Science, Magic and Breaking the Fourth Wall

The narrator offers his own form of comic relief, often in the form of an unintentional or character-based fourth wall break. Episode 10 is a great example of the latter. All in all, Magus Elgar is a show that blends the science of storytelling with the magic and wonder of fantasy. The last post on their website was in January 2021 about new merchandise. Here’s hoping this Audie Finalist in 2019 and an official selection of the HEAR Now Festival of the same year, continues its story and the magic of comedy and worldbuilding combined.

9.5/10 Stars