When Jacqueline was reassigned from Zuzu City to Pelican Town to cover small-town news, she underestimated how bored she could be. Even with the Ferngill Republic at war with the Gotoro Empire, things don’t really happen in Pelican Town. Until they do.
In today’s episode of The Squawk, Jacqueline covers the magical renovations in the community center, an earthquake in the mountains, and tomorrow’s mysterious weather report. She also checks in with the local bulletin board and upcoming announcements.
Set in the world of Stardew Valley, this local news podcast features interviews with beloved characters, a very tired host/reporter/editor/head producer, and a healthy dose of escapism. When asked about the concept, esteemed reviewer Sine Bodden (aka Olivia’s mom) said, “Clearly there is enough story to build on? I didn’t know there was much [about Stardew Valley] outside of gardening and chickens.” Described by Olivia as, “What happens when my sound design professor gives me too much power”, this podcast is sure to bring smiles to listener’s faces, either out of happiness or confusion.
Credits
Cast
This project would not have been possible without this amazing cast. I adore each and every one of them and would like to thank them for putting up with my nonsense, not just for this project, but in general.
(Cast is listed in the order in which they appear)
Little Paws Farm Namer – Zoe Davis
The Wizard – Cal Rosacker
Linus – Oslo Crowley
The Stone Golem, [inhuman noise] – Aren Morrissey
Rain Bowman from the KOZU 5 Meteorological Team – Rose Rocket Davis
Lewis – Evelyn Koski
Willy – Ave Petra
Robin – Talia Beckhardt
Sound Attributions
Attributions are listed in chronological order based on their first appearance in the piece.
“Nowhere Land” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
spring morning birds oiseaux reveil printemps #1.wav by arnaud coutancier — https://freesound.org/s/53769/ — License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0
The Door Creaks: You’re Not Alone.wav by LilMati — https://freesound.org/s/704612/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Woodpecker and other birds on a spring morning 2013-04-01.wav by Kyster — https://freesound.org/s/182740/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Cheesy morning news tune by Tuben — https://freesound.org/s/272044/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Water dripping mono clean by xkeril — https://freesound.org/s/609772/ — License: Creative Commons 0
“Destiny Day” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
waves and seagulls.wav by juskiddink — https://freesound.org/s/149488/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Voicemail Message by Npeo — https://freesound.org/s/320726/ — License: Attribution 4.0
“Enchanted Valley” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
“Not As It Seems” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Further Resources
Did listening to this podcast convince you to play Stardew Valley? Are you confused by what you just listened to and want to learn more? Are you just trying to figure out why Olivia spent half a semester making a fan podcast for this video game? All valid questions! To learn more about Stardew Valley, go to the official Stardew Valley website for a site with less spoilers or the Stardew Valley WikiFandom Page for a site with more. You can also ask Olivia about it! Yoba knows she’ll talk about it for ages…
Transcript
Intro music (Nowhere Land by Kevin MacLeod)
JACQUELINE: Welcome to another edition of The Squawk, Pelican Town’s best, and only, source for local radio news. I’m your host, reporter, editor, and head producer of The Squawk, Jacqueline, reporting from Pelican Town. Today is Wednesday, Summer 3. Let’s start with the news.
Fade out intro music
JACQUELINE: Despite the Joja Corporation’s best efforts to turn it into a warehouse, the Pelican Town community center is here to stay and it appears to be magically renovating itself. Reports indicate that the new farmer is behind the recent changes, and that they’ve been working with the wizard who lives in the tower on the edge of Cindersap Forest. Our reporter stopped by Little Paws Farm and the Wizard’s Tower to learn more.
Cut to audio of JACQUELINE outside trying to interview FARMER
JACQUELINE: Hello? Hello? Hi! I’m Jacqueline with The Squawk, I’m wondering if you had time for a quick interview?
FARMER walks closer to JACQUELINE but does not speak
JACQUELINE: What do you know about the community center in town?
FARMER again walks closer and does not speak
JACQUELINE: Are you the one who’s been leaving things in the different rooms?
FARMER walks closer, pauses. An upbeat sound effect plays
JACQUELINE: Oh, thank you!
Cut back to studio
JACQUELINE: The farmer declined to be properly interviewed, but they did give me a tulip, which was very thoughtful of them!
Cut to audio of JACQUELINE trying to interview WIZARD
WIZARD: Go away! I’m in the middle of important work! I must not be disturbed while communing with the elements! There are many mysterious spirits in the valley, and they must be dealt with carefully…
JACQUELINE: What spirits? Are these the creatures that were spotted in the community center?
A door opens
WIZARD: …you know about that?
JACQUELINE: …yes?
WIZARD: I see…how fascinating! Here I was thinking the farmer was the only one in this town with a connection to the arcane. Would you care to drink some of my magic potion? It imbues you with forest magic!
JACQUELINE: um…no thank you.
WIZARD: You can commune with the spirits of the valley!
JACQUELINE: no…no…
Cut back to the studio
JACQUELINE: The wizard also declined a proper interview. We here at The Squawk recommend against removing items left by the farmer or the wizard in the community center. Whatever it is they’re doing, it’s probably important.
JACQUELINE: An earthquake was felt last night in the mountains north of town. The shaking cleared a rockslide that had been blocking access to the railroad tracks and the town spa. Local mountain man Linus is happy that the rubble has been cleared.
Cut to an interview with LINUS. Birds chirp in the background.
LINUS: I’m just happy to have another area to explore. The pool’s nice, too. Don’t get me wrong, I love bathing in the mountain lake, but it’s nice to have a good pool, too!
Breaking news sound effect
JACQUELINE: We interrupt this story for a breaking news announcement. The Squawk has just received word that the Ferngill Republic Health Authority would like to warn against drinking untreated water from Mountain Lake. If you are concerned about contracting any diseases, please visit town doctor Harvey or contact the FRHA. And now, back to our story. Local stone golem [inhuman noise] was displeased by the earthquake’s impacts on the mine.
Interview with STONE GOLEM in the mines. Water drips ominously in the background
STONE GOLEM: I was just trying to have a peaceful night in the depths of the mines when suddenly everything starts shaking! The floor, the walls, the rocks, everything! I just wanted to have a nice time relaxing and plotting revenge on that guy who came down here a couple days ago. They were running around looking for ladders, I guess? But they killed my cousin [different inhuman noise]! I should go ask Krobus for some legal advice.
Cut back to the studio
JACQUELINE: The town suffered no major structural damage, and the spa will be open 24/7 for Pelican Town residents.
JACQUELINE: The weather tomorrow is proving to be elusive for local meteorologists. Our reporter talked to Rain Bowman from K-O-Z-U 5 meteorological team to get some answers.
Cut to an interview with RAIN BOWMAN
JACQUELINE: What’s the weather going to be like tomorrow?
RAIN BOWMAN: I have no idea.
JACQUELINE: Aren’t…aren’t you a meteorologist?
RAIN BOWMAN: Yes.
JACQUELINE: So…what will the weather be like tomorrow?
RAIN BOWMAN: Green rain.
JACQUELINE: What?
RAIN BOWMAN: Green rain.
JACQUELINE: And…what’s green rain?
RAIN BOWMAN: I have no idea.
JACQUELINE: So…how do you know there will be green rain tomorrow?
RAIN BOWMAN That’s what the science says.
JACQUELINE: …ok! Any other comment?
RAIN BOWMAN: Avoid the outside tomorrow. You might turn green or something.
Cut back to studio
JACQUELINE: Like the K-O-Z-U 5 meteorological team, The Squawk recommends staying inside as much as possible tomorrow. We don’t know what the green rain is, but there’s a non-zero chance that it could be acid.
JACQUELINE: And now, onto today’s bulletin board announcements.
Destiny Day by Kevin MacLeod begins playing, fades out as JACQUELINE continues talking.
JACQUELINE: The annual Pelican Town Luau will be taking place on Summer 11. Residents are encouraged to bring an ingredient for the potluck soup. Mayor Lewis is excited for the turnout this year!
Cut to interview with LEWIS
LEWIS: I’m excited for Pelican Town to put its best foot forward for the Governor this year! I’m just hoping no one puts anything weird in the soup this time. We don’t want another void-mayonnaise-soup incident like a couple years ago…
JACQUELINE: The Luau will take place between 9 am and 2 pm at the beach south of town.
JACQUELINE: On Summer 28, the town will be gathering on the docks near Willy’s fish shop for the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. This is a prime opportunity to see the moonlight jellyfish as they migrate south for the winter. Willy shared some of his past experiences watching the jellies with us.
Cut to interview with WILLY. Waves crash on the beach and seagulls squawk in the background
WILLY: Oh yeah, there’ll be tons of em. I remember bein’ a little kid and watching them float on by with me pappy. I even got to see the rare green jelly. T green jelly be as green as the Gem Sea during crab matin’ season. Strange things happen to the water during crab matin’ season, miss. Strange things…
Cut back to studio
JACQUELINE: The Dance of the Moonlight Jellies will begin at 10 pm, so don’t go to bed too early!
JACQUELINE: And now, time for today’s Help Wanted Request.
Cut to voicemail of ROBIN
ROBIN: Hey everybody! I’m running low on wood here in the carpenter’s shop, so I figured I’d try out this radio request board thing. I don’t need much, about 50 pieces will do. I’ll be paying 3 times the market rate, so if you need some extra cash, stop by 24 Mountain Road! I’ll be putting up a notice on the bulletin board by Pierre’s General Shop too. Oh, this is Robin by the way. Was I supposed to say that at the beginning?
Cut back to the studio
JACQUELINE: That was today’s Help Wanted Request.
Enchanted Land by Kevin MacLeod plays as JACQUELINE reads off the birthdays.
JACQUELINE: And finally, we have a list of birthdays for the summer season. Tomorrow, Summer 4, is Jas’ birthday, Gus’ birthday is the 8th, Maru’s birthday is the 10th, Alex’s birthday is the 13th, Sam’s birthday is on the 17th, Demetrius’ is the 19th, that dwarf who lives in the caves near the mines apparently has a birthday on the 22nd, and Willy’s is the 24th. It also says there’s another birthday on the 26th, but all my calendar says is just a large, mysterious question mark. We’ll probably have a better chance of sailing to the Fern Islands than figuring out what that means!
Nowhere Land by Kevin MacLoed plays and fades out after JACQUELINE stops talking.
JACQUELINE: That’s all for today, folks. This has been another episode of The Squawk. The Squawk is a subsidiary of KOZU 5. Our thanks to the KOZU 5 meteorological team, those we interviewed, and whoever started doing actually newsworthy things in this town. I’m Jacqueline reporting from Pelican Town, Stardew Valley, and I’ll see you tomorrow.
Not As It Seems by Kevin MacLeod plays as the credits are read.
NARRATOR: This episode of The Squawk was written and edited by Olivia Bodden. Little Paws Farm was named by Zoe Davis. The wizard was voiced by Cal Rosacker. Linus was voiced by Oslo Crowley. The stone golem, [inhuman noise], was voiced by Aren Morrissey. Rain Bowman from the KOZU 5 meteorological team was voiced by Rose Rocket Davis. Lewis was voiced by Evelyn Koski. Willy was voiced by Ave Petra, and Robin was voiced by Talia Beckhardt. Jacqueline was voiced by Olivia Bodden. Today’s proverb: never be afraid to investigate what looks out of place. If you’re lucky, you can find a junimo plush.
Not As It Seems by Kevin MacLeod fades out.