2026 Award Nominees
Audio Fiction

For web series/films, click here

For laurels, click here

To understand our nominations and who is eligible for what, we have marked each award with a category.

Actual Play (Podcast) is exclusively available to Actual Play podcasts.

Actual Play (Video) is exclusively available to Actual Play video projects.

Actual Play without a qualifier means that all Actual Play projects were considered, Video or Podcast.

Narrative Fiction is available to either Fiction Podcasts or Standalone Audio Fiction projects.

Audio Fiction is available to all accepted projects at our festival, across Actual Play and Narrative Fiction projects.

Best Concept - Actual Play

Game Master Monday
GODKILLER: Qismat
Keep the Lights On
RPG for You and Me - Pantheon Mythos
RPG Major
Solemn Vale: Homegrown
The Sin Eater Chronicles
They Tried

Best Editing - Actual Play

Alli Nova - RPG For You and Me: Silica Valley
Amaan HK - GODKILLER: Qismat
Fiona Howat, Zack Fortais-Gomm - Solemn Vale: Homegrown
Hannah Schooner, Giancarlo Herrera - Dungeons & Drimbus: City of Jerry
Justin Estrada, Phoebe Zimmerer - Keep the Lights On
Max Volpert - Rivers of Confluence
Rahrah - The Heart is a Dungeon: Know Gods, No Afters
Travis Vengroff, Marisa Ewing-Moody - Dark Dice

Best Ensemble Cast - Actual Play

Dungeons & Drimbus: City of Jerry
Fallout: Kings of Mahatt
GODKILLER: Qismat
Keep the Lights On
Out of the Loop: A Dread One-Shot
Rivers of Confluence
The Heart is a Dungeon: The Way of the Hollow Star
The Hole in the World

Best Game Master - Actual Play (Podcast)

Alex Green - The Fumbled Anthology: The Burning Stars
Ash Cooper - The Book of War
Aubrey Knotts - The Road to Hell
Fiona Howat - Solemn Vale: Homegrown
Kendrick Smith - Tales Yet Told: Our Lives in the Wood
Rahrah - The Heart is a Dungeon: The Way of the Hollow Star
Si Rutherford - Afterlight
Sphinx Akashaa - The Everbright Archive

Best Game Master - Actual Play (Video)

Aaron Douglas - The Last Ideal: A Cosmere RPG Chronicle
Jason Pollak - Out of the Loop: A Dread One-Shot
Lucas Durão - Domain of Shadows
Luis Carazo - Tales Unrolled: Alma
Nuno Teixeira - Floral House Republic
Zach Norton - The Hole in the World

Best Player Character Performance - Actual Play (Podcast)

Danielle Halen - Lamplight Investigations
Danica Nowakowski - The Fumbled Anthology: The Burning Stars
Dillin Apelyan - Fallout: Kings of Mahatt
Kira Nova - RPG for You and Me: Absolute Zero
Kujo - The Road to Hell
Liv Kennedy - Solemn Vale: Homegrown
Mitchell Maguire - Rivers of Confluence
Nicholas Benetatos - Dungeons & Drimbus: City of Jerry

Best Player Character Performance - Actual Play (Video)

Apollo - The Sin Eater Chronicles
Gloria Nava - They Tried
Layne Zazalak - The Last Ideal: A Cosmere RPG Chronicle
Marissa Koors - The Hole in the World
Mayanna Berrin - Tales Unrolled: Alma
Phoebe Zimmerer - Keep the Lights On

Best Sound Design - Actual Play

Emily Tworek - Keep the Lights On
Fiona Howat, Zack Fortais-Gomm - Solemn Vale: Homegrown
Kenzie Tartaglione - Lamplight Investigations
Kendrick Smith, Zach Zito, Kestrel - Tales Yet Told: Our Lives in the Wood
Rowan Mcstay - Mage Hand High Five: The Badlands
Rahrah - The Heart is a Dungeon: Know Gods, No Afters
Rahrah - The Heart is a Dungeon: The Way of the Hollow Star
Si Rutherford - Afterlight
Travis Vengroff - Dark Dice

Best Visual Identity - Actual Play (Video)

Floral House Republic
GODKILLER: Qismat
Keep the Lights On
Out of the Loop: A Dread One-Shot
Tales Unrolled: Alma
The Hole in the World
The Last Ideal: A Cosmere RPG Chronicle

Outstanding Comedy - Actual Play

Dungeons & Drimbus: City of Jerry
Game Master Monday
Out of the Loop: A Dread One-Shot
RPG for You and Me: Pantheon Mythos
RPG Major
Rivers of Confluence

Outstanding Drama - Actual Play

Dark Dice
Domain of Shadows
Lamplight Investigations
One Shot: Last Train to Bremen
The Heart is a Dungeon: Know Gods, No Afters
The Heart is a Dungeon: The Way of the Hollow Star
They Tried

Outstanding Fantasy - Actual Play

Floral House Republic
GODKILLER: Qismat
Mage Hand High Five: The Badlands
Tales Unrolled: Alma
The Book of War
The Hole in the World
The Last Ideal: A Cosmere RPG Chronicle

Outstanding Horror/Thriller - Actual Play

Afterlight
Keep the Lights On
Solemn Vale: Homegrown
The Fumbled Anthology: The Burning Stars
The Road to Hell
The Sin Eater Chronicles

Outstanding Science Fiction - Actual Play

Fallout: Kings of Mahatt
RPG for You and Me: Absolute Zero
RPG for You and Me: Silica Valley
Tales Yet Told: Our Lives in the Wood
The Everbright Archive

Best Anthology - Audio Fiction

Canary Canard
Game Master Monday
Ominous Thrill
Solemn Vale: Homegrown
Someone Dies in this Elevator
Tales Yet Told: Our Lives in the Wood
The Everbright Archive

Best Cover Art - Audio Fiction

All accepted projects are in the running for this award.

Best Family Friendly - Audio Fiction

Once Upon a Mystery: The Inventor's Daughter
Thank Goodness It's Family
The Adventures of Bud & Herb
The Book of War
The Reunion
The Mysterious CHIRP
Tunnel Vision

Best Original Song - Audio Fiction

Beautiful City Pt. 1
Music by Sair Kaufman, Shane Dittmar, Noah Weisbart, Ammon Taylor
Lyrics by Sair Kaufman
The Reality Shaper: A Musical Podcast
Friend of Mine (Reprise)
Music and Lyrics by Jo Chiang
Hearthbound
If The Morning Never Comes
Music and Lyrics by The Narcissist Cookbook
Keep the Lights On
Lava Lamp Blues
Music and Lyrics by Jim Hall
Canary Canard
Products of Conception
Music by Loek Hauwert
Lyrics by TJ Bozarth
DINK: The Musical (Act II)
Stoplight
Music by Noah Samuels
Lyrics by Dillin Apelyan, Camilla Franklin, Lauren Drake, Helix
One Shot: Last Train to Bremen
The Book of War Remains
Music and Lyrics by Matt Harrison
The Book of War
The Perfect Sentence
Music by Oliver Morris
Words by Jeff Van Dreason
The Perfect Sentence
Three Days Away From Highperion Day
Music and Lyrics by Christian Powlesland
The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
We Are The Falling Rain
Music and Lyrics by Stuart Pearson
Purgatory, Missouri

Best Scoring - Audio Fiction

Athan - Redacted
Be/Hold - The Sin Eater Chronicles
Chad Raines - Last Resort
Christian Powlesland - The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
Jacob Kerzner - Mage Hand High Five: The Badlands
Noah Samuels - One Shot: Last Train to Bremen
Noah Samuels - RPG Major
Oliver Morris, Jeff Van Dreason - The Perfect Sentence
Sair Kaufman, Shane Dittmar, Noah Weisbart, Ammon Taylor - The Reality Shaper: A Musical Podcast
Sean Renner - The Madness of Chartrulean

Best of the Best - Audio Fiction

Nominees are the winners of all Outstanding categories.

Best Chemistry - Narrative Fiction

Anna Fitzgerald, Evan Bivins - The Adventures of Bud & Herb
April Stanford, Gigi Shellie - Gammie's Baby
Chris Tester, Shaun Mendum - Hearthfall: A Dark Fantasy Audio Drama
Devon McSherry, Marian Thibodeau - Gather by the Ghost Light: Needles
Evie Cecile Johnson, Toby Meuli - Ominous Thrill: Mother Line
Jo Chiang, Manami Maxted - Hearthbound
Liam Paul Gregory, Peter Wicks - Mend

Best Concept - Narrative Fiction

A Place as Beautiful as Ours
Gammie's Baby
Metal Nature: An Audio Fiction Wildlife Drama
Once Upon a Mystery: The Inventor's Daughter
Purgatory, Missouri
Someone Dies in this Elevator
Thank Goodness It's Family
The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
The Last Uprising
Two Thousand and Late

Best Direction - Narrative Fiction

Aaron David Harris - Metal Nature: An Audio Fiction Wildlife Drama
Allison Cossitt - Mend
Christopher S. Fox - The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
H.M. Radcliff - The Madness of Chartrulean
Jeff Schmidt - Ominous Thrill: The Chant
Melanie Armer - Last Resort
Emily Saunders - Sucker
Richard Malmos, Maureen Davis - Purgatory, Missouri
Ric de Barros - Thank Goodness It's Family
Stephanie Elie - The Last Uprising

Best Editing - Narrative Fiction

Anna Fitzgerald, Evan Bivins - The Adventures of Bud & Herb
Athan, Jamie Petronis, Derek Moreland - Redacted
H.M. Radcliff, Sean Drabik, W. Keith Tims - Dream Job
Jeff Schmidt - Ominous Thrill: Mother Line
Jeff Schmidt - Ominous Thrill: The Chant
Lauren Shippen - Two Thousand and Late
Mike Atchley - Dice Tower Theatre
Oskar Karash, Alexander Melkumov, Elena Tonunts - The Reunion
Rob Glenister, Peter K. Sperring - The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
Sarah Jamgotch - Frequency | To The Station

Best Ensemble Cast - Narrative Fiction

Dead on Set!
Dream Job
Gather by the Ghost Light: Doctors & Lawyers (1st Edition Rules)
Haunted: The Van Buren Manor
The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
The Reality Shaper: A Musical Podcast
The White Vault: Goshawk
The Mysterious CHIRP
The Wizard Scroll

Best Leading Performance - Narrative Fiction

Alina Foley - Purgatory, Missouri
Anna Fitzgerald - The Adventures of Bud & Herb
Christopher S. Fox - The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
Evan Bivins - The Adventures of Bud & Herb
Jeff Van Dreason - The Perfect Sentence
Jennifer O'Donnell - Last Resort
Katy Cornish - Frequency | To the Station
Lauren Shippen - Two Thousand and Late
Lauren Henning - Ominous Thrill: Lies
Marian Thibodeau - Gather by the Ghost Light: Needles
Mel House - Sucker
Maria Corcobado - Feminist Fairytales
Melissa Dawn Johnson - The Last Uprising
Myle Yan Tay - Catskull
Takuto Kuroshima - Liberty: Tales from the Tower
Zoe Oliva - Ominous Thrill: The Chant

Best Mix Engineering - Narrative Fiction

Aaron David Harris - Metal Nature: An Audio Fiction Wildlife Drama
Athan, Landon Whisnant - Redacted
Brian Kelly - Hearthfall: A Dark Fantasy Audio Drama
Chris Bauso - The Wizard Scroll
Crystal "Xperience J" Judkins - Moitreyee: A Faceless Film
Karla Moran Vargas - Sucker
Levi Sharpe, Pete Lanctot - Hearthbound
Mike Atchley - Dice Tower Theatre
Nathaniel Mah - Catskull
Rahrah - A Place as Beautiful as This

Best Sound Design - Narrative Fiction

Athan, Landon Whisnant - Redacted
Brian Kelly - Hearthfall: A Dark Fantasy Audio Drama
Christian Powlesland - The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
H.M. Radcliff - The Madness of Chartrulean
Jeff Schmidt - Ominous Thrill: Mother Line
Jeff Schmidt - Ominous Thrill: The Chant
Jonathan Cook - Gather by the Ghost Light: Doctors & Lawyers (1st Edition Rules)
Kemal Evans - Tunnel Vision
Peter K. Sperring - The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
Travis Vengroff, Rikke Rømer, Asbjørn Guldager - Liberty: Tales from the Tower

Best Standalone Audio Fiction

A Place as Beautiful as Ours
Dead on Set!
Gather by the Ghost Light: Doctors & Lawyers (1st Edition Rules)
Gather by the Ghost Light: Needles
Gammie's Baby
Hearthfall: A Dark Fantasy Audio Drama
Mend
Metal Nature: An Audio Fiction Wildlife Drama
Moitreyee: A Faceless Film
Ominous Thrill: Lies
Ominous Thrill: Mother Line
Ominous Thrill: The Chant
Purgatory, Missouri
The Reunion
Tunnel Vision

Best Supporting Performance - Narrative Fiction

Carly Hayes - The Reality Shaper
Daisuke Tsuji - The White Vault: Goshawk
Elizabeth Chadwick - The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
Devon McSherry - Gather by the Ghost Light: Needles
Jason Warner - Dream Job
Liz Plant - The Madness of Chartrulean
Lisa Strum - Sucker
Manami Maxted - Hearthbound
Matthew Bianci - Dice Tower Theatre
Milly Sanders - Ominous Thrill: Lies
Moujan Zolfaghari - Candy Claus
Neil Strawder - Moitreyee: A Faceless Film
Reny Amoros - Partial Veil
Tyler Ortega - DINK: The Musical (Act II)

Best Writing / Script - Narrative Fiction

Anna Fitzgerald, Evan Bivins - The Adventures of Bud & Herb
Allison Cossitt - Partial Veil
Chance Muehleck - Last Resort
Christopher S. Fox, Brian Renadette - The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
Ella Gale - Candy Claus, Private Eye
Harvey Badger, Christian Powlesland - The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
Jeff Schmidt - Ominous Thrill: Lies
Lauren Shippen - Two Thousand and Late
Madeleine Regina, Madelyn Dorta - Feminist Fairytales
Stuart Pearson, Hunter Lowry - Purgatory, Missouri

Outstanding Comedy - Narrative Fiction

Canary Canard
Candy Claus, Private Eye
DINK: the Musical (Act II)
Gather by the Ghost Light: Doctors & Lawyers (1st Edition Rules)
Gather by the Ghost Light: Needles
Haunted: The Van Buren Manor
Redacted
Someone Dies in this Elevator
Two Thousand and Late
Thank Goodness It's Family

Outstanding Drama - Narrative Fiction

A Place as Beautiful as Ours
Dead on Set!
Mend
Ominous Thrill: Lies
The Reunion
The Last Uprising
The Perfect Sentence

Outstanding Fantasy - Narrative Fiction

Dice Tower Theatre
Feminist Fairytales
Hearthfall: A Dark Fantasy Audio Drama
Once Upon a Mystery: The Inventor's Daughter
The Adventures of Bud & Herb
The Adventures of the Fox in the Fedora
The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1)
The Reality Shaper: A Musical Podcast
The Wizard Scroll

Outstanding Horror/Thriller - Narrative Fiction

Catskull
Last Resort
Liberty: Tales from the Tower
Moitreyee: A Faceless Film
Ominous Thrill: Mother Line
Ominous Thrill: The Chant
Partial Veil
Purgatory, Missouri
Sucker
The White Vault: Goshawk

Outstanding Science Fiction - Narrative Fiction

Dream Job
Frequency | To the Station
Gammie's Baby
Hearthbound
Metal Nature: An Audio Fiction Wildlife Drama
The Mysterious CHIRP
The Madness of Chartrulean
Tunnel Vision

2026 Award Nominees Audio Fiction