The World of The Magnus Archives
Make your statement, face your fear.
The Magnus Archives is a multi-award-winning horror fiction podcast, created by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J Newall and produced by Rusty Quill. Launched in 2016, The Magnus Archives has become the most popular fiction podcast in the world, won over 40 awards and spawned live shows, books, games and more.
There are over 200-episodes in the original five season epic. In 2024, Magnus returned with The Magnus Protocol after fans donated over £800,000 in a record-breaking crowdfund.
Explore the Archives of The Magnus Institute
Deep within The Magnus Institute, London, is a vast archive. Two hundred years of documents, thousands of files, all stored in unmarked boxes or piled, loose, in untidy stacks after years of neglect.
The Institute was founded in an effort to study the supernatural and the documents in its archive are a record of eerie, paranormal experiences: events people can’t explain, moments that haunted their dreams. Things they’re desperate to forget.
I have no evidence for the police… I guess that’s why I’m here. This is what you people do. You investigate these things… I just need it to stop. (MAG 027 – A Sturdy Lock)
Jonathan Sims is the newly appointed Head Archivist. He is determined to fix the mess left by his predecessor and introduce modern filing and indexing systems. Along with three Archival Assistants – Tim, Sasha and Martin – he starts to sort through the jumbled documents, following-up on loose ends and attempting find any corroborating evidence.
I plan to digitise the files as much as possible and record audio versions, though some will have to be on tape recorder, as my attempts to get them on my laptop have met with… significant audio distortions. (MAG 001 – Angler Fish)
Individually, the statements he reads are unsettling. But, as Jonathan digs even deeper into the archive, a horrifying picture starts to form.
Because as he looks into the depths of the archives, something starts to look back…
How to Listen
The Magnus Archives is a podcast, meaning it is freely available to listen to most podcast player apps and websites, as well as right here on the Rusty Quill website. If you’d prefer an ad-free experience, you can listen via our members platforms, members.rustyquill.com or Patreon (Knights and Nobles tiers only).
The Magnus Protocol
At the end of 2022, Magnus-fans helped raise a record-breaking £800,000 to fund a sequel to The Magnus Archives. The Magnus Protocol launched in 2024, returning listeners to the world of Magnus — albeit one that is a little different from the one they might remember…
The Magnus Institute was an organisation dedicated to academic research into the esoteric and the paranormal, based out of Manchester, England. It burned to the ground in 1999. There were no survivors. Now, almost 25 years later, Alice and Sam, a pair of low-level civil service workers at the underfunded Office of Incident Assessment and Response, have stumbled across its legacy. A legacy that will put them in grave danger.
If this intrigues you then it is our pleasure to welcome you to the Office of Incident, Assessment and Response. Make sure you pick up your badge at desk and report to your line manager before sitting down. Oh and stay away from I.T., seriously.
The Magnusverse
From the Library of Jurgen Leitner
From the Library of Jurgen Leitner is the first in a multi-book deal between Rusty Quill and Random House Worlds, part of Penguin Random House, for The Magnus Archives podcast. The book explores an infamous organisation from the Magnusverse for the first time — the perilous private library of the enigmatic collector Jurgen Leitner, where occult books are guarded and researched at a fatal cost.
This novel, which is set before the events in the podcast, is written by the creator of The Magnus Archives, Jonathan Sims and Nebula award-winning author Premee Mohamed. From the Library of Jurgen Leitner will be published on October 27, 2026, and is available for pre-order wherever books are sold and the link below. The novel will be published in a hardcover print edition, an ebook, and audiobook versions.
Magnus Live: The Hilltop
The Hilltop is a fully staged, two-act dramatic play with an ensemble cast based on The Magnus Archives and The Magnus Protocol. Produced by Rusty Quill, it was written and directed by co-creator of The Magnus Archives and The Magnus Protocol, Alexander J Newall and edited with additional materials by Jonathan Sims. The production also involved much of the same talent, on-stage and off, as the podcasts.
The Hilltop brings surreal cosmic horrors and iconic characters to the stage for the first time. Join Samama Khalid (Shahan Hamza) as he stumbles into his role of Archival Assistant. However, in the liminal, shifting world of The Hilltop, every new piece of information leads to more questions. As he hunts for answers amongst half-remembered faces and unforgettable horrors, Sam must also contend with a monster that haunts his steps and the residents, who may be more dangerous still.
The play was filmed by a professional videographer team. The recording will be made available at a later date.
The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game
The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game is an award-winning TTRPG created by Monte Cook Games.
How will your team combat the horrors from The Magnus Archives, when simply coming to understand these dark forces threatens to bring you under their influence? Because when you stare into the archives, something starts to stare back.
The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game includes a complete rule-set, tailor-made for a story-based tabletop roleplaying experience set in the world of The Magnus Archives. It has an innovative process for creating witness statements to launch each adventure, investing the entire gaming group and creating an entirely new experience each session. There are unique mechanics for handling fear and stress, and for the remarkable character changes caused by dealing with dark forces over time.
The Magnus Mysteries
The Magnus Archives Mysteries and The Magnus Protocol Mysteries are immersive, co-operative mystery solving games created by Indie Boards and Cards.
Each box features a brand-new case, along with all the evidence you need to solve a supernatural mystery set in the worlds of The Magnus Archives and The Magnus Protocol. Become an interim Archival Assistant, or start working for the O.I.A.R. — your new co-workers will leave you notes, voice recordings and a pile of documents for you and your friends to sort through. Each case is composed of dozens of different pieces of evidence — from receipts to witness statements to photographs and even fully voice acted audio recordings. You will need to read through all the evidence carefully to solve the puzzles, connect the dots and uncover the truth of the mystery before you!
There are no time limits, and it works as a game for a group or for an individual.