It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Terry Robinson, co-host of Mage: The Podcast and an irreplaceable member of our community. Terry passed away on Friday, December 27, 2024.
Known for his wit, insight, and passion for storytelling, Terry enriched the lives of countless listeners, sharing his love for Mage: The Ascension and its exploration of the arcane. Beyond the podcast, Terry dedicated himself to causes close to his heart: mentoring youth in Boy Scouts of America, participating in community opera, crafting beautiful bookbindings (often of World of Darkness supplements), and advocating for drug harm reduction in his neighborhood.
Terry was not just a brilliant creator but also a wonderful human being—kind, thoughtful, funny, and endlessly charming. His absence leaves a profound void in our community.
As we grieve his loss, we invite you to share your memories of Terry on our social media platforms or via email. We also encourage you to consider supporting causes he cared about, such as Boy Scouts of America, drug harm reduction initiatives, or community arts programs.
Thank you, Terry, for the magic you brought into our lives. May your journey to the next realm be as extraordinary as the life you shared with us.
In remembrance,
The Mage: The Podcast Team
I had the pleasure of meeting Terry Robinson in person and playing his foil at his first-ever LARP.
It wasn’t my first time hearing his name—but it was one of the handful of times in my life that I’ve gotten to not only meet someone whose work I’m a huge fan of but actually play in a game set in the world we both love together.
I remember meeting him and Shea Anderson for lunch ahead of the game. We were all supposed to be tightly connected in character, and we wanted to make Terry’s first LARP experience a good one. I remember how nervous but excited I was on the Uber ride to the cafe because I was going to get to meet someone whose work I’d followed for quite some time at that point.
I remember how sweet and humble he was when I asked if he’d indulge me in a moment of being a fanboy over getting to meet one of the folks behind one of my favorite podcasts.
I remember how kind and caring he was in asking me about how my husband, Adrian, was doing since Mage Noir took place literally days after his liver transplant. I was only there because Adrian had insisted that I go. Terry had paid attention to what was going on in my life, and even though it was his first LARP and he was a bit nervous, he wanted to know what he could do for me to make sure I had a good time.
I remember that Terry asked me if I was a hugger, and when I said yes, he gave me a big hug that made me feel like I’d known him forever.
We had such a wonderful time talking, planning, and connecting on a personal level that I ended up being on crunch time getting into costume and makeup for the LARP. We maintained that friendship afterward, and I always loved seeing his posts and hearing his voice on his podcast, knowing that the man behind it was a sweet, kind, humble, and just…amazing human being.
I don’t fully have words for how much of a shock the news of his passing is. I heard about it last night from Matthew Webb, and I had to lie down because I couldn’t really process it as true at first.
I feel like not only our community but the world in general has lost a little bit more of its light. Terry was a good man who wanted to share his passion and joy with the world, and I think that's important—that being able to share your joy and, in turn, uplift the spirits and voices of others is true magic.
I’ve included some photos from Terry’s first LARP to this email. I hope they can be a little bit of comfort and warmth in this difficult time.
To everyone behind Mage: The Podcast and everyone in Terry’s family, please be gentle to yourselves in the days and weeks to come. Let yourselves process and experience your emotions no matter how up and down they seem. Holding them back or trying to be stoic and composed isn’t the way to process this. It's okay to cry, it’s okay to be angry, and for a bit, it’s okay if just getting out of bed is the greatest challenge you overcome that day.
The community’s love is with you all. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for support. We’ll be here.
— Johnathan Fii
Founder and Creative Partner, Cerberus Interactive Media
Community Manager, Jackalope Live Action Studio
The Mage podcast has a special place in my heart, I remember listening to the first episode after searching for Mage-related content on Google podcasts. English is not my first language, and in Brasil, we do not have direct access to MTA media; your podcast made me feel again that purple-deep Magic that I felt when I first read an old Second edition PDF in my high school days. The feeling of “Hey, somebody else also is nerding out about this”. I am forever thankful for this connection. Terry will be deeply missed; my sentiments and condolences to his family and friends.
— Leonardo Rezeda
Hi,
Just wanted to offer my sympathies for the loss of Terry.
I feel getting the illusion that you “know” someone from online content is very common, but Terry’s voice is one that I always look forward to revisiting and I looked forward to each new podcast which featured him. Everything I know of Terry, albeit entirely “second hand”, indicates he was a fantastic person and a very accomplished human being.
I’m grateful for to have had the opportunity to hear his thoughts and listen in on some of his conversations.
I hope this isn’t the end of Mage: The Podcast, as it’s one of my favourites and the quality is so high.
Best wishes for the future,
MJ