The set up for the podcast was created in part by the lore of Dungeon World, and by the Spout Lore cast. After an event called the Exodus saw all wizards leave this plane of reality to catastrophic effect, those left behind were forced to carry on in the wreckage of their now-dormant technologies. More about these technologies and wizards is learned throughout the series by the main character (Tuck, Vyng, and Billie).
The events of Spout Lore unfold 90 years after the Exodus in the Principalities, an alliance of neighbouring states built on the infrastructure of the kingdom of Quiznos (pronounced Key-noss). The remnants of magic are scattered across the land, seeping through reality and bringing with it monsters, magical artifacts, and mysterious forces.
There are a number of secret organizations that seek to harness these powers. Some wish to see magic returned to the world, some wish it locked away forever, and some want it for themselves.