Latest / Tale of The Manticore, a Dark Fantasy Dungeons & Dragons Audiodrama / Episode 50 (S3E50)

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Episode 50 (S3E50) · Tale of The Manticore, a Dark Fantasy Dungeons & Dragons Audiodrama

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hi, this is Palabati Galupi.
• 0:02
  Speaker 2: You're listening to Tale of the Manticor. The following podcast
• 0:08
  Speaker 2: is intended for a mature audience. Listener discretion is advised.
• 0:26
  Speaker 2: Welcome back to Tale of the Manticor Season three. Like
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: the creature from which it takes its name, Tale of
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: the Manticor is a mashup, a crossbreeding between two different
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: species of storytelling. Here you will find the unpredictability of
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: old school paper and dice games with the story craft
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: of a dark fantasy novel. No character is sacred and
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: none will be spared if the dice decide their fate
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: is at hand. According to Lare, the Tale of a
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Manticre is barbed with cruel iron spikes. There will be
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: much pain in the days ahead. Last time on Tail
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: of the Manticor, Chapter forty nine begins with fair winds
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: level up. From there we join with the PCs, who
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: must somehow figure out a way to cross a raging
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: white water rapid. The river is not especially wide, only
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: forty feet, but without help it is far too dangerous
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: to try a crossing. A plan will be necessary to
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: avoid having to follow the river southeast until the companions
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: can find a place to ford it, something that could
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: delay them by days. Ten Tier comes up with the
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: idea to shoot an arrow tied with thread into the
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: willow on the opposite bank. The flaw in this plan
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: is pointed out by Durnni, who demonstrates how weak the
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: thread is. Cord has a solution. He instructs ten Tier
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: to tie the thread to Durnni's rope and then fire it.
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: He then uses his spell of Past Plant to cross
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: from willow tree to willow tree, and once on the
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: river's far side, he begins to pull the rope across.
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: It's a good plan with one shortcoming, a literal one,
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: Duringny's rope is only thirty feet long. Achillia solves this
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: problem by casting enlarge on the rope. Now it's not
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: only long enough, but extremely sturdy too. With their guideline
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: tied between the two trees and spanning the rapid, there
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: is only one issue left, but is nothing a shrink
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: spell won't fix. Achillia uses the enchantment on Flicker, who
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: can then be carried across. The plan works well, though
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: not perfectly. Both Achillia and Flicker get buffeted against the
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: rocks during their crossing. But by noon everyone is on
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: the far side of the river and their journey can continue.
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: Chapter fifty, Part one day forty two, one day from
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: their destination noon mythic event meaning release opposition status. Achillea
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: thirteen of fifteen hit points, having lost eight points during
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: the rapids crossing and then healed for six points by
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: Fairwins Cure Light Wounds spell Cord twenty five of twenty nine,
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: der Anni eighteen of nineteen, having lost one point during
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: the rapids crossing, ten Tier twenty three of twenty eight,
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: fair Wind thirty six of forty two, Flicker nine of sixteen,
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: having lost eight points during the rapids crossing and then
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: healed for three points by Fairwin's second Cure Light Wounds
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: spell supplies. The companions have ten portions of food spells available.
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: Achillea can cast shrink and large, detect evil, glitter, dust
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: and dispel. Magic Cord can cast entangle, slow, poison, hold
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: animal and tree shape. Fair Wind can cast old person
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: and bless. Since Derrennie discovered more of the bitter tasting
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: turbine shell snails on this side of the river, the
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: companions did not have to deplete their remaining packed rations Unfortunately,
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: the knowledge that they were extending the life of their
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: supplies failed to make the mollusks taste any better.
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: Ooh, they are truly vile.
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: Said Ferwind, finishing his with a grimace.
• 4:26
  Speaker 3: Perhaps a taste of the wine de Rennie found in
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: de Oath would get the taste.
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: Out in might, but let's save it for when we
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: reached Mara Lay, you know, as a celebration. Achillie, despite
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: finding the snails as objectionable as he did, was clearly
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: missing the point, but Ferwin didn't pursue it further. Perhaps
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: she was right. A shared bottle of wine upon reaching
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: their destination might do more for their morale later than
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: it would for their palates. Now, thinking of their morale,
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: Faerwyn considered the fortune and diamonds he had won and
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: lost all within a few hours the day before. He
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: also recalled with Claire the frustration he had felt in
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: his youth overloosing the gold coin he'd found while sweeping
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: the clear, clifted his gaze up to the cloudless sky
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: and squinted at the sun. Sadal was still giving him
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: lessons even after all these years. He felt humbled and
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: grateful for them. His thoughts drifted to Dornni, the offhand,
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: seemed very depressed in the days leading up to the
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: discovery of Odoke's home, but the time they had spent
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: their in rest must have done Dornnie some good. Since
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: then he had seemed better composed than in higher spirits generally.
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: Perhaps he had come to terms with whatever it was
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: that troubled him. The party has overcome the challenge of
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: the rapids and is now within reach of their destination.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: They will arrive at Mirror Lake before sundown, but they
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: are not free and clear just yet. They still need
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: to make hex crawl rolls for the current day. Rolling
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: for weather a fourteen means it is sunny and mild,
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: a good day for walking. Next is the roll for
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: stumble upon a seven, no result. The next two rolls
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: us a D six rolling to forage with cords help
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: A four is a failure, but the pieces are still
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: fairly well stocked, so that's no big deal. The snails
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: dur Any found on both sides of the river are
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: from the previous day's roll. By the way, the wandering
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: encounter roll is always the most nerve racking, but it
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: needs to be done. Will there be one before the
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: pieces reach Mere Lake, Here comes the roll. I've got
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: a three lucky me. It took him a moment to
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: recognize the emotion, but dur Any eventually realized that he
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: was feeling content. Whether it was the food, safety and
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: comfort of Odok's home, where their success in crossing the
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: rapid he decidedly felt good. He wasn't used to the
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: emotion and wore it like an ill fitting shirt. Derny
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: was once again in the lead, with Tender a dozen
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: paces behind him and the rest of the party further back.
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: The line of travelers wound their way round hills and
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: navigated inclines and declivities, moving ever closer to the towering
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: peaks of the range of mountains which included Greyside. By
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: now it was late in the afternoon, and the mountains
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: to their left were dull purple in the haze of
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: a fine summer day. After a time, the companions came
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: upon a dense grove of evergreens, and their view of
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: the mountains was obscured, replaced by the close, dark freshness
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: of the great spruces and firs. When the trees began
• 7:19
  Speaker 2: to thin, a glimpse of bright turquoise was revealed through
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: their spiny branches. Dorani's heart jumped in his chest. This
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: must be it, mirror lake. They had made it Emerging
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: from the trees proved his gas right, and before them
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: lit the body of water. Its surfaced, pristine and still
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: perfectly reflecting the sky and mountains all around, just like
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: a gigantic looking glass. Mirror lake, Deranny said to himself
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: with a smile. The lake was not small. Duranni estimated
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: that it would take several hours to walk around it.
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: As his eyes followed the contour of the water's edge,
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: they caught something moving in the distance. He was a
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: banner rippling in the breeze. Something near it glinted like
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: flashing metal. Dranny squinted was that it looked like a
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: man on horseback. He had never seen such a thing,
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: but he knew that the race of men often rode
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: the animals. Given the banner and the metallic shine, could
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: it be like one of the characters in fair Wind's
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: stories about the West. It was too far away to
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: make out any details. Drannie heard Tenier draw up beside
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: him and knew he could see the figure too. A night,
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: said the younger elf in Awe. The siblings waited for
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: the rest of the party to catch up and pointed
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: out what they could see. Then, in a tighter formation,
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: but still in single file, they began to circumnavigate the lake,
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: moving clockwise so that the water's edge was on their right.
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: A few minutes later, at around the time that achillea,
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: fair Wind, and Cord were just beginning to see the
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: figure on horseback, it appeared that they two had been spotted.
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: Dranny let his companions know that the night or whatever
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: it was, was waving its banner at them.
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  Speaker 1: Hopefully he means it's no harm.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: Achilia said optimistically.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: There's only one of him, and there's six of us,
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: seven if you count Robin.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: Was Deurennie's reply. Robin gave a little tweet of acknowledgment.
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: But he does not seem aggressive.
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: From here, the companions decided to sheathe their weapons and
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: approach with empty hands in order to appear non threatening.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: They moved ever closer, with the glassy waters of the
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: lake on one side and the clusters of green pines framed
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: by mountains on the other. The figure, apparently satisfied that
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: they'd been seen, stopped waving their banner and waited patiently
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: as the companions drew ever closer. Finally, as they passed
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: by a cluster of purple flocks and leafy ferns, the
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: figure turned and what de Rennie saw made him gasp
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: in surprise. A similar noise from his brother behind him
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: indicated that he had seen it too. The horse had
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: no head. In fact, the horse and the rider were one.
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: Dour Rennie's heart began to pound in his chest, and
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: he said the word centaur. The creatures stood tall and proud.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: From the waist down. It was a powerfully built horse,
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: with a coat of rich chestnut and a sandy white
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  Speaker 2: underside and fetlocks. The upper body was that of a
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: muscular human woman, clad in an immaculate breastplate of polished
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: steel that molded to the natural contours of her body.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: The features of her face were strong, and she had
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: eyes of hazel that shone with intelligence. A garland of
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: wildflowers hung around her neck, and a silken mane of
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: glossy black hair spilled down her back. The centaur presented
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: the banner. The companions had not been able to see
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: his emblem before, but now they could. It was an
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: owl by thros Sandia breathed ten tear.
• 10:45
  Speaker 4: Indeed, I am.
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  Speaker 2: That, replied the centaur. Her voice was deep and serene.
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: She lifted a hoof and approached them. Ten Tire was
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: enthralled by her movements, each step a display of power
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: and grace.
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: I am me is my name, servant of the Russendia
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: and warden of the highlands. Who are you who seek
• 11:07
  Speaker 4: to enter for realm?
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: Somehow, all of the companions could understand her, as though
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: she were speaking to them in their own native tongue.
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: I am de Renni of the Seateevi marsh, and this
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: is my brother Tantia.
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: Said de Renni, bowing slightly.
• 11:20
  Speaker 4: Well met Dornnian Tente of the Setevi Maanche.
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: Replied the Centaur. The cleric was next.
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: I am I am Dalen, Fairwind of silmoral priest of
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: saidal if.
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: You please, Faerwin could not suppress a pang of apprehension,
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: how certain was he the Sidal and Ahya were on
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: good terms. The gods were often said to be fickle
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: in their relations with each other.
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: I sense the divine spirit in you, Dalen, Fairland, be welcome.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: Here, came the rich Alto, replied. Fairwind immediately felt more
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: at ease and who are these? The centaur indicated Achilia, Cord, Flicker,
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: and Robin. The Chilia stepped forward. It is card and
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: that's Robin. The taxidermied bird tweeted brightly, and Cort creaked
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: forward in a bow.
• 12:09
  Speaker 4: Over there is Flicker.
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: The blink dog wagged her tail, totally unafraid of the
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: imposing warden of the Highlands.
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: And I am.
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: Achillean and Lua apprenticed to alve Luan Iami stared into
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: Achille's amber eyes with her own hazel ones.
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: You have lived many lives, young one, and a creature
• 12:27
  Speaker 4: most rare.
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: The former was something Oldvey had told her many times.
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: He was something all magic user sad in common according
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: to him. However, being told by a centaur that she
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: was a rare creature seemed to her absurd.
• 12:40
  Speaker 4: Tell me rare creature, continued Iami, What have you brought
• 12:44
  Speaker 4: for me?
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: Rat for you, repeated Achilia helplessly.
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: It is customary for pilgrims to ring a gift, was.
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: The blunt reply. I Achille's mind raced. What did she
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: have that a centaur might desire? Fair? One safe?
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: We have brought you a fine bottle of Zatian wine,
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: declared the cleric go on Achillia.
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: As relief swept over her. Achillia managed a half smile
• 13:10
  Speaker 2: and reached into her satchel. Out came the bottle that
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: Denny had taken from the Dorothy Caves two weeks ago.
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: She wiped off the dust and held it forth, having
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: to stretch in order to give it to the centaur,
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: who received it with obvious pleasure.
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: It is a good gift, and you have my thanks. Now,
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: if you are ready, we will begin the trial.
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: Trial, asked Akilia, realizing that she had once again just
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: repeated the Centaur's words back at her, as a raven
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: might do.
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: Yes, all who would know the goddess must be.
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: Tested to prove that they are worthy and good worthy.
• 13:45
  Speaker 4: Yes, Iami replied, But as for good and evil, the
• 13:49
  Speaker 4: Goddess does not concern herself with such abstract mortal contrivances.
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: Eh, I will take your guest, said Achilia, nodding.
• 13:57
  Speaker 4: It is the first of many.
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: If you should part, came the reply. Then the warden
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: pointed with her banner to a flat rock near by.
• 14:04
  Speaker 4: Behold.
• 14:05
  Speaker 2: Out of nothing, three items materialized on the rock's surface.
• 14:09
  Speaker 2: They were a spear tied with a black ribbon, a
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: tall green bottle with a fluted neck, and an odd
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: stringed instrument of dark wood that resembled a lute choos.
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: As Achilia was the one addressed, she assumed that it
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: was her place to answer. Still, before making any reply,
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: she looked to her friends. Unsurprisingly, none of them could
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: offer any assistance, and she got back on the helpless stairs.
• 14:31
  Speaker 2: Achilia regarded the three items on the flat rock once
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: again and tried to imagine what kind of test or
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: trial they might represent. The spear could mean only one thing,
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: and Achilia, fearing that she might be required to pass
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: the tests alone and unaided, dismissed it. At right, she
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: was not going to fight a centaur. The green bottle
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: was less intimidating. Perhaps she would be asked to sip
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: a potion and guess at the nature of the contents.
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: She had done that kind of thing under Vapi's supervision
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: a few times before. But if that were not the case, well,
• 15:00
  Speaker 2: the idea of ingesting something foreign was not an appealing thought. Finally,
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: she considered the musical instrument and decided that of the three,
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: it seemed the least likely to kill her. I choose
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: that one, she said, pointing to it so be, it
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: said the centaur, whose face had grown suddenly serious. Immediately,
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: Achille was filled with apprehension, But what use was self doubt?
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: At this point the decision had been made. Fiomi walked
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: over to the flat rock, and as she did, both
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: spear and bottle vanished, leaving only the instrument of dark wood,
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: which the warden picked up.
• 15:35
  Speaker 4: Here is your challenge.
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: She began, pulling the instrument against her chest and testing
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: the strings.
• 15:41
  Speaker 4: Listen carefully to my song, and tell me, of all
• 15:45
  Speaker 4: the languages spoken in all the worlds, which language is this.
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: Then the centaur closed her hazel eyes and sang in
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: a melodious voice, both tender and strong, joyful and melancholy.
• 16:09
  Speaker 3: Lin the car.
• 16:14
  Speaker 5: Simona nun tumaty none the sun, lousy Lord, dear.
• 16:42
  Speaker 6: Halla, to.
• 16:47
  Speaker 7: Hallenia, Hannah Leni.
• 16:52
  Speaker 3: Lord, the same lad for.
• 17:00
  Speaker 5: You, Salila.
• 17:04
  Speaker 7: Ea tutu falllyya see money long mammen e.
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: While do any tender chord and fair wind were perplexed
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: and increasingly worried by each unfamiliar word. Achiller recognized the
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: language right away, and so when Miami finished her song,
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: lowering the instrument and opening her eyes, the half elf
• 17:47
  Speaker 2: answered without hesitation. That is the language of magic, she said,
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: Iami smiled.
• 17:53
  Speaker 4: Correct, daughter of Ahea, You and yours may walk the
• 17:56
  Speaker 4: golden pot.
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: The lute like thing vanished and was replaced by another
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: smaller musical instrument, the Strange device. This was a double flute,
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: consisting of a pair of bent reeds bound together by
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: thread that diverged so that they formed a y. Iami
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: bent down to hand it to Achilia, who received it
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: and inspected it. It seemed a rustic, simple thing.
• 18:17
  Speaker 4: You may use it only twice.
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: Instructed the warden.
• 18:20
  Speaker 4: Once to call them now once when you have needed
• 18:22
  Speaker 4: them again.
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: Come call him, asked Achilia. When the centaur answered, Doranian
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: tenttire heard the word trossi. Achillia, chord and fair Wind, however,
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: heard a different word, one that simultaneously made their heart
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: beats quicken and their insides turn cold. A wild smile
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: spread across Achillia's face, and then she put the pipes
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: to her lips and blew. For a few moments, nothing happened,
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: but then the companions followed Iami's gaze. Up there in
• 18:58
  Speaker 2: the sky was a tiny shape emerging from the clouds.
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: Then came another, and another, and two more. They grew
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: until they became recognizable forms. Soaring through the air, came
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: five griffins with a piercing, triumphant cry. They flew down,
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: circled the lake, and then one by one landed on
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: the shore. Achillia's jaw dropped at the sight of them.
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: While the centaur was graceful and strong, these creatures were magnificent,
• 19:25
  Speaker 2: the perfect marriage of power and majesty. Each gryffin was
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: the size of Iami, but far more imposing. Broad wings
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: feathered like those of a giant eagle, unfurled slowly at
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: their sides, and curved beaks like reaper's blades, open and
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: closed with a series of clacking sounds. Their muscular bodies,
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: covered in tawny fur, rippled as they shifted their weight,
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: moving to preen their wings and sip water from the lake.
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: One of them cocked its sad sideways to appraise Achillea.
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: Another gave a sudden, deafening shriek that made her jump.
• 19:54
  Speaker 4: Shh, the griffins will bay golden path, they will.
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: H You want to ride them, asked sherwind his face ashen.
• 20:04
  Speaker 4: Unless you have another way to reach the mountaintop. Servants
• 20:08
  Speaker 4: of Sadal. Yes, I believe you will have to ride them.
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: It took a few minutes for the companions to summon
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: the will just to approach the magnificent beasts, and climbing
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: onto the golden furred back felt like a rejection of
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: common sense. Flicker had to ride with a killia tucked
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: between her lap and the part of the griffin where
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: feathers at fur. Per Iami's instructions, they each took hold
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: of their mount The gryffins had a scruff at the
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: base of their necks, where the skin was loose enough
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: to provide a decent grip. Achilie could only hold on
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: with one hand, however, the other clutched Flicker tightly against
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: her own body. Once everyone was in place, Iami picked
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: up her banner once.
• 20:44
  Speaker 4: Again and said, may you find your way.
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: Then, with the sudden beating of their wings, the five
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: Griffins leaped into the air, launching themselves almost straight upward,
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: with cries that echoed against the mountainside. Achilia pinched her
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: eyes tight, feeling the ground fall away and the wind
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: surprisingly cold pull at her. She pushed her fingers into
• 21:09
  Speaker 2: the warm fur and held on for dear life. When
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: she finally dared to look. She was hundreds of feet
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: above ground, and the centaur was once again an indistinct
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: speck in the receding distance. She looked to her left
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: and saw Drni intent here, with their hair blowing out
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: wildly behind them as their mounts bore them through the air.
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: The elves faces were flushed and exuberant. To right, Ferwin
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: clung to his griffin with all his might, looking like
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: he might perish from fear. A dozen yards behind him,
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: Chord followed with Robin winging alongside, up and up and up.
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: They streaked as fast as arrows. Acilia felt muscles under
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: the soft fur flexing as the tremendous eagle wings pumped.
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: The majestic beasts banked left and began to glide with
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: their huge wings now fully extended. Achilia could hear Tenteir
• 21:59
  Speaker 2: whoop and excite and dared to open her eyes, which
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: she had once again squeezed shut. Her stomach lurched when
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: she beheld the pointed top of a rocky summit below her.
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: It was bathed in orange gold hues by the sun
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: which was beginning to slip below the western horizon. But
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: for all its beauty, such a view from this vantage
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: was not an appealing one. She closed her eyes again
• 22:20
  Speaker 2: and prayed that the ride would end soon. The griffin
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: now dipped, causing a new electric thrill to streak through
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: her body brain to guts. She hugged Flicker even more
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: tightly to her body and held the gryffin's scruff in
• 22:32
  Speaker 2: a death grip. As in response, the great muscles of
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: the creature flexed beneath her, and then they were pivoting
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: in the air, so that Achilia faced up and briefly
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: wondered if the griffin was trying to make her fall off.
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: But before she could even form appropriate feelings of panic,
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: they landed on a huge rocky ledge. It was a
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: bald stone surface some eighty feet across and with nothing
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: but open sky and jagged peaks in every direction. Actually,
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: that was not entirely true. While the winds had carried
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: away every pebble or grain of sand that had ever
• 23:03
  Speaker 2: been here and polished the rock completely smooth, there was
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: one thing that stood out. A lightning blasted tree, blackened,
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: leafless and long dead, jutted up near the edge of
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: the natural platform on the far side. Achilie dismounted, her
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: body trembling and her legs weak. When she reached the ground,
• 23:22
  Speaker 2: she knelt and placed her palms on the rock, trying
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: to calm herself and regulate her breathing. In her head,
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: she could hear her Bobby's voice.
• 23:30
  Speaker 6: Take long, even breaths, But do not try to control
• 23:33
  Speaker 6: your breathing. Accept tranquility. There is no mind, there is
• 23:38
  Speaker 6: no body. Let go of time and space, Let go
• 23:43
  Speaker 6: of body and mind, and just be. When she looked
• 23:48
  Speaker 6: up after a few moments, her heart rate had slowed somewhat,
• 23:52
  Speaker 6: her breathing was more regular. All of her friends were
• 23:55
  Speaker 6: gathered around her. Fair Wind looked like he had seen
• 23:58
  Speaker 6: his own death. Where his tenter was smiling broadly and
• 24:00
  Speaker 6: laughing at nothing court as always or an expression of
• 24:04
  Speaker 6: calm acceptance. Back atop his head, Robin trilled with apparent pleasure.
• 24:11
  Speaker 6: There was the ear splitting sound from the griffins as
• 24:14
  Speaker 6: they cried out one last time, clapped their wings and
• 24:17
  Speaker 6: lifted into the air. All five of the beasts flew
• 24:20
  Speaker 6: away to the north, opposite to the direction of Mirror Lake.
• 24:24
  Speaker 6: They dwindled and eventually disappeared in the clouds.
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: Chuchin's braid.
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: That was terrifying, said Dorettie, watching the Griffins until they
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: were gone. Without looking down, he offered Achilia as steadying
• 24:36
  Speaker 2: hand as she stood. I thought it was fun, said Tantyer.
• 24:40
  Speaker 2: Nobody answered him. Instead, they looked at their surroundings with
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: new apprehension.
• 24:45
  Speaker 3: Where are we supposed to go from here?
• 24:47
  Speaker 2: Asked Fawind. By all appearances, the companions were stranded on
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: the top of the mountain. Look beck, said Achilia. She
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: was pointing past the lightning blasted tree. Beyond it a
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: small rough path let down. Do you think we should
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: look for shelter?
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: Shelter from what as to any unless it rains or
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: the wind gets much worse, I think this might be
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: the safest place to camp. We do not know what
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: we might find on that path, and the daylight.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: Is all but gone. He was agreed then among the
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: companions that they would make camp right there. The wind
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: was cold and made a camp fire impossible, so they
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: had to bundle up in their bedrolls and huddle together
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: for warmth. Cords stood sentry as always while the companions
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: tried to unwind, lying on their backs and looking up
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: at the clouds as they passed across the starry For
• 25:35
  Speaker 2: a moment, he simply stood with Robin on his shoulder
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: and facing the blasted tree. After a long time, the
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: companions drifted off one by one. Achillia was the last,
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: but eventually, with her heart full of hope and her
• 25:50
  Speaker 2: head full of wonder, she fell asleep Chapter fifty, Part two,
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: twenty one years ago with a heart full of love
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: and a head full of sweet dreams. Aldves slept on
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: while beside him Ulalon awoke. There was darkness through the window.
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: It was not yet dawn. She blinked and looked round.
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: With her introvision, she could see perfectly well, but for
• 26:25
  Speaker 2: a moment she did not fully understand what she was seeing.
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: She knew how she was. Aldveve's cottage had been her
• 26:31
  Speaker 2: home for many months. Later she would come to realize
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: that it had been exactly one year to the day
• 26:37
  Speaker 2: from when she had met and fallen in love with
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: the human. She sat up in bed while her mate
• 26:43
  Speaker 2: slumbered contentedly beside her. She had known nothing but joy
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: in the man's presence, but now when she looked upon him,
• 26:50
  Speaker 2: she felt revulsion. What she had ever seen in this
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: frail in a wrinkled creature. She could not say. She
• 26:56
  Speaker 2: had given herself to him many times. Why had she
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: done that? She suddenly recalled the fairies she had encountered
• 27:03
  Speaker 2: right before she'd met him. Their leader had died by
• 27:06
  Speaker 2: her hand, and the rest of the brides had it.
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: She stifled a sob as understanding dawned upon her that
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: a new thought came, one that dominated all others. She
• 27:17
  Speaker 2: had accepted the man's seat and produced a child with him,
• 27:21
  Speaker 2: a baby with a humor. Horror consumed her. As quietly
• 27:27
  Speaker 2: as she could, Ulalon got out of bed. She went
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: to where her armor was stored, folded and unused all
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: these months. She passed the bower where the baby lay sleeping.
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: It was just a dozen weeks old. It waggled its
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: tiny limbs and scrunched up its face at her, perhaps
• 27:44
  Speaker 2: having a dream. Disgusted, Ulalon looked away. Her sword was
• 27:48
  Speaker 2: leaning against the wall by the door. She took it
• 27:53
  Speaker 2: with a single look back. Feeling only regret and shame
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: over what she'd done and what she must do. She
• 28:00
  Speaker 2: opened the door, slipped outside, and disappeared into the woods.
• 28:06
  Speaker 2: In the morning, Aldvee would wake to find her gone.
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: Sharp as he was. He immediately noticed the absence of
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: her sword and quickly discovered that her armor was gone too.
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: But his wit did not stop him from scouring the
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: woods every day and waking up every night for many
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: long weeks in the desperate declining hope that she would return. Eventually,
• 28:26
  Speaker 2: he gave up on finding her. There was work to do,
• 28:29
  Speaker 2: a baby to care for. Oldve had to accept the truth.
• 28:33
  Speaker 2: He held the baby, Achillea, close to his face, letting
• 28:36
  Speaker 2: his tears fall, and he knew for certain the love
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: of his life was gone. She had abandoned them and
• 28:43
  Speaker 2: she was never coming back. Thank you for listening to
• 28:52
  Speaker 2: Tale of the Mantigor. If you're interested in helping the show,
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: you could recommend her a li like and repost episode
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: announcements on social media. Purchased a Tale of Event to
• 29:00
  Speaker 2: put t shirt at Paar Arts dot store or one
• 29:02
  Speaker 2: of my offerings on drive through rpg grad and review
• 29:05
  Speaker 2: the show on your favorite Podcastcher will give me a
• 29:07
  Speaker 2: sub on YouTube. Every little bit helps. Today's episode is
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: a long one, so I will skip my usual review
• 29:13
  Speaker 2: read and go straight into thanking the talent, and this
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: episode is bursting with it. The core cast is here.
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: Ky Ellen Kevin Barrger and Dave Cooper play de Rennie,
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: Tantier and Fairwood, respectively. They're joined by newcomer Chloe, your
• 29:27
  Speaker 2: local d and d enthusiast, who plays Iami Warden of
• 29:30
  Speaker 2: the North. Chloe's instagram is I Underscore am Underscore Chili
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: with chili spelt c h y l I. And of
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: course there is one more artist to mention performing Iami
• 29:42
  Speaker 2: song is the frighteningly talented artist Ciena jay CNAJ was
• 29:46
  Speaker 2: a really good sport about doing this when I approached
• 29:48
  Speaker 2: her and asked if she might be interested in doing
• 29:50
  Speaker 2: a song in Gibberish. Boatloads of gratitude for doing this,
• 29:54
  Speaker 2: Cina J, I am thrilled with how well this song
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: came out, and I have you to thank You can
• 29:59
  Speaker 2: hear more Cna ja on TikTok at Ciena j Matt
• 30:03
  Speaker 2: that's s I E n n A j m A T.
• 30:06
  Speaker 2: I'll put her link in the show notes too. For
• 30:09
  Speaker 2: those curious to learn more about Tale of the Manticore,
• 30:11
  Speaker 2: I keep a blog where I post all kinds of
• 30:13
  Speaker 2: show at RPG related stuff like sketches, maps, tables, crafts,
• 30:16
  Speaker 2: and show notes. You can find it at Tale of
• 30:18
  Speaker 2: themanticore dot com to get in touch with me, I'm
• 30:21
  Speaker 2: at Solo Roleplayers Network dot com, Tale of the Vantacre
• 30:24
  Speaker 2: dot Buseguide dot Social, Tale of the Manticore podcast on Instagram,
• 30:27
  Speaker 2: or Tale of Themanticre at gmail dot com. The adventure
• 30:30
  Speaker 2: will continue on the next episode of Tale of the
• 30:33
  Speaker 2: manticor It's the story, We're Chaos roles