Myths, Games & Meaning
What do Greek gods, video games, and popular culture actually have in common?
I'm Dr Dani Shalet. In Myths, Games & Meaning, I sit down with scholars, performers, storytellers, and creatives to explore how ancient myth keeps resurfacing in the culture around us today. We look at how these stories move from antiquity into video games, films, books, and the worlds we build through play.
From Medusa to Middle earth, from the Hero's Journey to Tomb Raider and Baldur's Gate, we dig into the threads that shape contemporary storytelling, and the ways we express our hopes, fears, and identities through storytelling and imagination.
If you're drawn to mythology, folklore, narrative design, or the tales woven through the games and stories we love, you'll feel right at home here.
New episodes are released regularly.
More at https://www.mythsgamesmeaning.com
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About the Host
Dr Dani Shalet is a theologian, mythologist, educator, and lifelong gamer who explores how humans make meaning through story, from ancient legend to modern games. She brings a warm, thoughtful approach to conversations with actors, scholars, creatives, and fans, drawing on her academic background to make complex ideas feel accessible, cosy, and alive.
Through Myths, Games & Meaning, she invites listeners into a queer aware, emotionally intelligent space where narrative, culture, and identity meet.
Myths, Games & Meaning
From Lara Croft to Dragonlance: Mythology in Games & Fantasy (with Earl Baylon)
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Welcome back to Myths, Games & Meaning. This episode took a little longer to land than usual after I lost my voice with a chest infection, but I’m really glad to be back, especially for Part Two of my conversation with Earl Baylon, actor, geek, gamer, and the voice of Jonah in Tomb Raider.
In this second part, we go fully nerdy. We chat about Lara Croft, The Lord of the Rings, the Valar, archaeology, and fandom, and we even dip into a little Quenya and Sindarin (“Elvish”) along the way.
We also wander into childhood geek memories, including how the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park didn’t quite line up with Earl’s own realistic imaginings as a kid.
Earl also tells the story of finally meeting Elijah Wood at Comic Con.
It’s an easy, joyful conversation about games, myth, and geek culture, very much a chat between mega geeks.
So grab a cuppa, get comfy, and join us for Part Two
Music: Intro and outro — Spirits of the Woods by Rotem Moav.
www.mythsgamesmeaning.com