Make a move when it's your turn, there's mysteries to figure out
Ghosts and spells and aliens, stuff that doesn't make much sense
Terror, danger, certain death are sure to face you on your quest!
Floptales (also Flop Tales) is an actual play podcast featuring the hosts of The Flop House (and their friend Zhubin). They play a game loosely based on Lady Blackbird.
In a large unspecified American city, in the Film Noir era of a subtly alternate history, three detectives investigate high-society intrigue and paranormal crime. Our heroes:
- Dan McCoy as Luke Brightwatcher, a spirit medium and academic
- Elliott Kalan as Jeremy "Scales" Chandler, a streetwise gumshoe
- Zhubin Parang as Tanzer Silverview, a rich kid with alien ancestry
- Stuart Wellington, game master, as everyone else
The origins of the show are a little complicated. In 2015 and again in 2016, the Maximum Fun podcast network ran 'switcheroo' events in which its shows all swapped hosts for a week. Both of these events saw the Flop House hosts (and Zhubin) take over The Adventure Zone, creating a new party and exploring unseen parts of the TAZ Balance universe.
Then in 2018, the Flop House released a bonus episode exclusive to Maximum Fun members. It featured reimagined versions of the TAZ switcheroo characters, but transposed to a new setting and genre, with a new expository theme tune, elaborate sound design, and a new title: Floptales.
The first adventure spanned three episodes. A second adventure began in 2019, and is currently ongoing at seven episodes and counting. All the episodes are still exclusive to paying Maximum Fun members.
Floptales contains examples of:
- Aerith and Bob: When the original D&D characters were reimagined for their new setting on Earth, "Jeremy Fangbattle" became Jeremy Chandler and "Lucian Buttwatcher" became Luke Brightwatcher, while Tanzer Silverview kept his original fantasy-ish name.
- Awesome MccoolnameDan: Like, you come up with a stupid name like Lucian Buttwatcher and you’re like, this seemed funny in the moment, but overall, maybe I should’ve chosen something else.
Elliott: Yeah, or you come up with a great name like Jeremy ‘Scales’ Fangbattle, and you’re happy about it every day of your life.
Dan: Two paths diverged in a forest.
Elliott: Yellow wood. - The Alcoholic: When Luke isn't high on opium (which he never is during cases), he's drunk. If he doesn't already have a drink, his first priority is to find one.
- Alien Blood: Tanzer's blood is literally blue; see Half-Human Hybrid.
- Butt-Monkey: Denton Miller in the first adventure; Raleigh Stillwell in the second.
- Expository Theme Tune: Ripped off from DuckTales (1987) by Alexander Smith, who also does all the editing and sound design.Don't worry, the Hogsbottom Three
Are here to solve the mystery in
Floptales! Everybody's favourite sleuths in
Floptales! Find clues and talk to Stu!- Theme Tune Roll Call: It introduces the players and features clips of them saying their characters' names.Stuart: And me, your boy Stu!
- Theme Tune Roll Call: It introduces the players and features clips of them saying their characters' names.
- Genre Savvy: From the beginning, Scales has some noir savviness. After his experiences in the first adventure, he gains a high level of supernatural horror savviness, to the extent that other characters regard him as paranoid. From the moment he arrives in Connor’s Ferry, he frequently asserts (correctly) that the new case will involve ‘spook-em-ups’ aplenty.
- Glowing Eyes: When Tanzer uses his infra-red vision; see Half-Human Hybrid.
- Half-Breed Discrimination: The reason the Silverviews have always kept their Antarian blood such a shameful secret.
- Half-Human Hybrid: Tanzer isn't half alien, but he's no more than a few generations removed. To the casual observer, he looks like a tall, well-built human man. Under the hood he has some hybrid perks: super strength, infra-red vision, an affinity for alien languages, and (not so much a perk) literal blue blood.
- Hardboiled Detective: Scales. His surname is probably a nod to Raymond Chandler.
- Innate Night Vision: Tanzer can see infra-red; see Half-Human Hybrid. His eyes glow red when he uses this ability.
- In-Series Nickname: Jeremy "Scales" Chandler. "Scales" is a reference to both musical scales (because he's a singer) and the scales of justice (because he's a detective).
- The nickname is a hangover from the original switcheroo episodes, where Jeremy was a dragonborn bard and "Scales" was a reference to his actual scales.
- Lounge Singer: Scales' part-time career between cases (though he sings a lot during cases too, much to the annoyance of his companions).
- The Lost Lenore: Suzanne, Luke's wife, whose death he cites as the main cause of his depression. He uses his abilities to commune with her ghost.
- Power Trio: The Hogsbottom Three avert most of the typical trio dynamics. They each think they're the smart one lumbered with two idiots, and they're all sort of right, by turns. Scales and Tanzer share or alternate the leadership role while Luke hangs back.
- Fighter, Mage, Thief: Tanzer, Luke and Scales respectively.
- Big, Thin, Short Trio: Ditto.
- Opium Den: Luke's go-to downtime haunt.
- Recruited from the Gutter: Scales' young assistant and booker, Annie. She doesn't know she's actually his daughter.
- Rich Boredom: Tanzer's reason for becoming a detective.
- Sharp-Dressed Man / Badass in a Nice Suit: Tanzer takes his wardrobe very seriously.
- Squishy WizardTanzer: I feel like I should lead the ambush. I'm the strongest one, and I have Brawl and Tough and Antarian Strength.
Scales: Should I use Sneak and Hide again? Off of Sharp I have Sneak, Hide, Reflexes —
Luke: Guys, I have Library Use, if that helps at all. - Super-Strength: Tanzer; see Half-Human Hybrid. Also possibly Birdie and other members of the Vox family.
