Couldn’t Coral make everybody immortal?

Great storytelling, delightful participants, fun for the whole family. There’s a real commitment to quality - the musical investment adds so much. A real breath of fresh air. Keep it up!

It’s great …except in the fourth season BRING PAXTON BACK AND ASTER I MEAN IT!!!!!.

I love this podcast…. …BUT BRING PAXTON BACK.

feels authentic. Feels real. Super clean.

The story being told by GM Mike is astoundingly well thought out! I love the freedom the characters have in their influence in the story and feel for Mike who sometimes has no clue where the players will do next. I have enjoyed listening and re-listening to this podcast for the past few years and recommend it all the time! Count me in the group that is also glad it’s “family-friendly”! Give it a go!

I started listening to this podcast in December, and wish I had started listening sooner! There are many elements that make this a must-listen. Perhaps the most immediately obvious is the audio quality; it is consistently excellent throughout the show. I'm just over halfway through the current catalog, but it's just too good to wait to review it. Dungeon Master Mike has crafted a compelling world fraught with mystery, and he lays it out in ways that keep the story humorous, light, and fun throughout. His story is deep and the world feels fully thought out, and he presents the world in a way that prompts the players to interact with it meaningfully. He also plays NPCs that are multi-dimensional and just so much fun to listen to. Who will be able to forget Eppalima of the mountainous muscles? And the players--I've enjoyed getting to know each one through this game. Although a few players change, the core group is a treat to listen to. - Ashley (Tara) plays a noble battle master who may downplay book learning, but makes up for it with competent swordplay. Her warm laughter makes Tara a charismatic and likeable leader. - Bryan (Paxton) balances his character with quick quips but works in excellent character building to share a quirky (and filthy) cleric/eldritch knight who is incredibly hard to hit. - Chris (Aster Fortuna) is the quintessential bard--flair, flash, and tons of panache. His upbeat, never-say-die attitude is infectious, and his singing voice delivers the full bard experience. - Danielle (Aethelflaed) is a weird but lovable hermit who uses her rogue/monk skills to deadly effect. She may not have much to say when the party is discussing things, but her background comments are well worth listening for--they're hilarious! - Finally, Josh (Zartok) plays a couple key characters, and his quick wit and clever delivery help make all his characters shine. All in all, this is a rollicking good listen that contains all the elements I hope for in a show, but does so in a way that is utterly amusing and fun. If you haven't started this journey, you need to NOW.

This is by far my favorite podcast on d&d! The story telling is superb and you find yourself caring about the pc’s and the npc’s alike. The dm built the world and did an amazing job giving the players a huge sandbox to play in. It’s also clean, which makes it much easier on the ears and lets me listen to it while my kids are around. I recommend this podcast to anyone who enjoys d&d. I would also state that they also make notes if/when they make a mistake on the rules, just to help clarify to anyone listening. It’s appreciated for those of us who listen to these actual plays to get ideas and a feel for some rules!

I’ve been listening to Tales from the Glass-Guarded World for around 3 years now, and have loved every episode. I’m not sure why I didn’t review sooner, maybe it’s because I’ve been so immersed in the show the entire time. Mike, the DM, along with the players, have entertained me more than any other podcast I’ve listened to, and I’ve gotten a ton of ideas for my own games. I highly recommend this podcast and soon you’ll be doing the same. :)

I feel like this show has something about it that just hits different. I’m at episode 50 right now and it struck me that even though early on there is a lot of chaos and at times the game feels a little bit inelegant, by this point it’s just done so excellently. Mike is a phenomenally creative person and I, as a DM, seriously admire his patience. I tend to level characters quickly, and while I know my players are not the type to beg for level ups, I wish I could write a game that was as gripping as this one. A final note, and one that I hope doesn’t age poorly: Tara and Paxton’s relationship is beautiful. The two of them are definitely my favorite characters, and they play off of each other so well not just in comedy but also as people- they are characters who I feel show what a real friendship is. They have managed to create something I look up to: both characters are independent of one another, and they don’t force the “meaningful conversation” card nearly ever, but there is a consistent dynamic that I love here. Paxton’s advanced thinking and ethical questions alongside Tara’s simple morality and “hit the bad thing” mindset contribute something lovely that I wish I could pin down as a player myself. They’ve been my favorites since day one and I hope to see more growth between them as I continue to listen. I know I’m ranting about the friendship of two dnd characters, but they’re so well written and played that I felt the need to. Love everyone in the cast, by the way, but I think the two of them are such great leaders and yet are polar opposites. Can’t wait to hear what comes next, and wanted to let you know that Brian referencing Rich Mullins early in season two was among the best of “I thought I was the only one that thought that”. Kudos to everyone for the crazy obscure references and thank you for driving me to be a better player and DM through the masterful storytelling that the group has achieved.

I always find myself coming back to this podcast. The whole atmosphere is mysterious and suspenseful without being oppressive. It’s incredibly relaxing while still engaging. It’s the perfect thing to listen to on a long, late night drive. The table isn’t loud and chaotic, the players are very considerate and facilitate a great story, with fun interactions. And the music is just so awesome, creating a perfect atmosphere. I personally also enjoy the “clean” vibe of the show. Not a lot of DND shows have that. And the story is gripping. The world is intriguing at all points, with distinct atmospheres in each season that don’t detract from one another. This is my personal favorite DND podcast, just because it does all these things so well.

Update…Over the past year or so players have come and gone, but the DM is the thread that keeps it all together. Show is still great, players are fun and engaging, it’s just different from where it started. I do miss Paxton and Aethelflaed though. Hopefully a reunion is in the works!

(I'm not gonna go into plot, save for a reference to a pivotal point in the narrative) Every time my feed is full of new DnD actual play podcast episodes and I'm considering which to play first, my thumb lands on either Tales from the Glass-Guarded World or Rude Tales of Magic. The comparison may seem odd, but bear with me here. The two share masterclass-level world design with occasionally brutal consequences (character death is very real!), courteous casts committed to playing some good ol' tabletop through (not around) their roles, and refreshingly, narratives that evolve free of predetermination. Rude Tales prioritizes their narrative's cartoon charm over faithfully following the mechanics of DnD 5e; for them, the game is a tool to make the story, and when rules get in the way they are gleefully trampled. Tales from the Glass-Guarded World is truly the opposite: this is a "pop in an earbud and listen in on our campaign!" style of actual play. But for a geek like me, TftGGW is perhaps more delightful than Rude Tales for their fidelity to what playing DnD is really like (but through the magic of editing, without dead air, coughs, or irrelevant digression). Occasionally there's a sound effect (an airline steward's call button?) signaling that Mike the DM is about to do an editor's note to correct some slight mistake in the application of the rules, and I don't think I've ever heard him miss a single error. That attention to detail is incredible; it speaks to the quality of this show's fundamentals better than I ever could. The first season begins slowly since there is a considerable amount of work to do in establishing the complex setting, but you're well past bumps by the time you get to... the potion of ettenfriend (sp?), we'll say. Also, this podcast collaborates with House of Bob with some frequency and great success, so if you like HoB you'll find a lot to love here!

The players on this show are excellent, but at the end of the day, they still come across as people with day-jobs who are funny and who happen to love playing D&D. Mike, the DM, on the other hand, is some sort of strange Dungeon Master demigod. I have never seen the type of postproduction effort he puts into the show from a DM before or even from podcast before. He literally writes all of the background music, character theme music, and singlehandedly adds tons of fantastic voice effects to every single show. On top of that, he’s just a magnificent DM. He’s incredibly good at improv, humor, story-writing, and keeping the show always interesting. He’s everything a DM could hope to be. As an amateur DM, I only hope to one day be able to DM a game with a 1/10 of the passion with which Mike puts into this show. Additionally, it is SUCH a breath of fresh air to have such an excellent CLEAN D&D podcast. As a Southern Baptist pastor, I’m constantly trying to find actual-play D&D podcasts that I feel comfortable listening to. To be able to do so, and to have it be so freaking epic, is a dream come true. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST

This is such a good podcast! Mike the DM clearly puts in a ton of time into the story and along with a good sense of humor it makes the podcast really fun. The players all care a lot about the story as well and show a vested interest in their character’s trajectories. The story is more detailed and moves more slowly than some of the other D&D podcasts I’ve listened to but Mike and the players keep it very approachable. Definitely recommend!

I absolutely love this D&D podcast! The story, characters and little twists on gameplay and magic system makes it amazing! I also absolutely love how family friendly they are since it’s hard to find something now that is. Please give these guys a chance and listen to their story from episode 0 and move forward! You won’t regret it. :)

I love everything about this. The world the DM built is intricate and fascinating, and the stakes are big enough to matter, but not so big as to be unbelievable. The characters - all of whom sound different, instead of like four different mumbly guys with beards - are interesting and grow during the podcast. The music, oh man, the music is great. And who could forget our dear Lumpen!

This show is SO WELL DONE! Seriously glad I stumbled on it. The story is great and so is the presentation. Great sound quality as well. Very happy to subscribe and highly recommend you do too!

Really great podcast. It's got a fun and interesting story line and the audio quality is great.

I came across Tales from the Glass-Guarded World quite by accident, and soon discovered a rich, complex world full of intrigue and fascinating characters. The story starts off a bit slow, but your patience is soon rewarded with clever plot twists, fun NPCs, and an ever-expanding world of possibilities. It was such a relief to find a kid-safe D&D podcast, but one that’s actually GOOD is a rare find indeed. Looking forward to Season 3!

I had tried several bigger, more well-known podcasts like Critical Role before stumbling upon this one, and I just couldn’t get into them. Tales from the Glass-Guarded World is the first D&D podcast that really hooked me and kept me coming back every week, and is still one of my favorites. I was first drawn in by the homebrew setting but then came to love the characters and the story. Great job, TFTGGW, and keep up the good work!

Silly characters grew on me over the first season. Can’t wait to understand what the heck is going on lol

Fantastic world building and original music scores.

I just started listening to your podcast and it is by far my favorite that I’ve found. The world you’ve created is very unique and rich. I could easily imagine it in my head. Your players are interesting too. I guess I’m kind of an old school Advanced Dungeons & Dragons type of person because I love the way your characters approach interactions and combat more seriously than other parties I’ve heard. You guys like to joke around but take things seriously as well. Keep up the great work guys! Can’t wait to meet the 4th PC!