Latest / Tale of The Manticore, a Dark Fantasy Dungeons & Dragons Audiodrama / Episode 16 (S3E16)

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Episode 16 (S3E16) · Tale of The Manticore, a Dark Fantasy Dungeons & Dragons Audiodrama

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hi, I'm James, host of the Mystery Frequency podcast, and
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: you're listening to Tale of the Manticor.
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: The following podcast is intended for a mature audience. Listener
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: discretion is advised. Welcome back to Tale of the Manticor
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: Season three. Like the creature from which it takes its name,
• 0:35
  Speaker 2: Tale of the Manticor is a mashup, a cross breeding
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: between two different species of storytelling. Here you will find
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: the unpredictability of old school paper and dice games with
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: the story craft of a dark fantasy novel. No character
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: is sacred and none will be spared if the dice
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: decide their fate is at hand. According to Laura, the
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: Tale of a Manticre is barbed with cruel irons bikes.
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: There will be much pain in the days ahead. Last
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: time on Tail of the Mantigor, the previous chapter begins
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: with Drenni solving the Sprite's riddle. His reward is double.
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: First, the sprites tell.
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: Them where to find a river, information that's badly needed
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: since the pieces have run out of water. Second, do
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: sprite speak of a magic item to be found in
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: some ruins on the river's far aside, of course, sprites
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: being sprites, they might have left out some important information.
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: The party leaves the fairies, following the directions until they
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: reach the river. Here they slake their thirst and spend
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: the night camped on his eastern bank. That night, Achillie
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: once again dreams of the little boy. In the dream,
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: she's in a room decorated with sun symbols and a
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: stained glass window. Unable to control her movements, she feels
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: herself walking out the door and crossing a courtyard on
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: its far She enters a second door and a corridor
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: leading to a throne room. Here, still a passenger in
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: the boy's body, she begins to search for something. All
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: the while she talks to herself, saying it must be
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: here and I just want to sleep. When she sees
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: her own true reflection in a silver goblet, the voice
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: says something different. Now it seems to speak directly to her,
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: and it offers her a secret. Unfortunately, Achillia wakes up
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: before she can hear it. In the morning, the companions
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: follow the river north. Along the way, they have a
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: stroke of luck and find some edible riverside plants. Ten
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: Tier and Achillia share more of their personal stories with
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: each other and their bond of trust grows. At the
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: end of the day, ten Tier spots a jumble of
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: stones on the river's far aside that he thinks might
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: be the ruin this sprite spoke of. They decide to
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: make camp and attempt a river crossing in the morning.
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: In the night, Achille's dream comes again, but this time
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: she is ready with a plan. She casts the spell
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: message in her dream and this allows me to communicate
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: briefly with the boy. He seems to believe that she's
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: a fairy send to help him find something, but when
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: Achillee wakes up, she still doesn't know what he was
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: searching for. The Next day, the companions cross the river
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: and investigate the jumble of stones. Achillie thinks it was
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: once a mill. No sooner do they figure this out
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: than Dernni spots a plume of smoke rising into the
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: air from somewhere on a nearby hill. Chapter sixteen, Part one,
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: Day sixteen Mourning mythic event meaning assist the innocent party.
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: Status achillea seven out of seven hit points, Cord five
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: of eleven, de Renni nine of nine, ten Tier six
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: of six supplies. The companions have five portions of food
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: and twenty one of water spells available. Achillie has memorized
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: message times two cord can cast, entangle and locate plants
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: and animals. Durnnie chewed his lip and thought, while the
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: rain fell.
• 4:17
  Speaker 4: Do you think we should It could be.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: More orcs, Tintyer interrupted nervously.
• 4:22
  Speaker 4: I do not think it is ten tier. We have
• 4:26
  Speaker 4: seen no sign of books for a couple of days. Furthermore,
• 4:30
  Speaker 4: we're on the far side of the river now.
• 4:32
  Speaker 5: Can orcs have swim?
• 4:33
  Speaker 3: Achillie wanted to know.
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: I don't think so. Mumble ten tire in reply.
• 4:38
  Speaker 5: But still, smoke means fire, and fire sometimes means food,
• 4:42
  Speaker 5: Achillie offered.
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: Everyone knew that they were running low, and.
• 4:46
  Speaker 5: That doesn't seem like such a lot of smoke. If
• 4:48
  Speaker 5: it's a small fire.
• 4:50
  Speaker 4: It might be a small kimp. Only a few people,
• 4:53
  Speaker 4: and there are four.
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: Of us, reason de Rennie.
• 4:57
  Speaker 4: Five if we count you Robin.
• 4:59
  Speaker 3: He added with this.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: At the sound of its name, Robin gave a bright peep.
• 5:04
  Speaker 5: I think it's worth a look with your keen eyesight, Tintyre.
• 5:07
  Speaker 5: I'm sure we'll see them before they see us, I agree.
• 5:10
  Speaker 3: Said der Anny.
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: All right, said tin Tyr, a creek from Court signaled
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: his ascent, so the decision was unanimous. Off the companions went.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: Tintyr judged that the origin of the smoke was only
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: a quarter miles distance. They'd be there in under ten minutes,
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: even if they moved slowly. Of course, they did proceed
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: with caution, moving from the shelter of one grove of
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: scraggly firs and boxwoods to the next, and making an
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: effort to be small and silent. Between the groupings of
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: trees were stretches of grassy sward, and hadn't gone far
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: before they started to notice that the vegetation looked somewhat unhealthy.
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: Much of it looked dead, and everywhere were brambles, stinging nettles,
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: and spiky weeds. After a few moments of furtive approach,
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: they came into view of the source of the smoke plume.
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: It was another ruin, and not the only one in sight.
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: The remains of others their buildings were here and there.
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: Most were just half buried foundations, but some retained the
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: squared off outlines of low and crumbling walls that suggested
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: their original shape. The ruin producing the spoke was by
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: far the most intact building of the lot. It had
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: two standing walls, both moss covered but fairly sturdy looking.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: The chimney seemed entirely intact and rose to a height
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: of some fifteen feet. Of special note, there was evidence
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: of repair to this building. There was a poorly made
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: roof of sticks, mud and grass, and as the companion
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: sneaked around to view the building from a second angle,
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: they could tell that at least one of the fallen
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: walls had been rebuilt with rough cut logs. Clay had
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: been packed irregularly against the bottom, suggesting that the construction
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: was ongoing. Moreover, there was an axe planted blade first
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: in a tree stump nearby, and a wooden bucket as well.
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: Can you smell that whispered ten tear?
• 6:52
  Speaker 3: There was no need to ask.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: Despite the rain, the smell of cooking fowl had reached
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: them even before they had arrived at the building.
• 6:58
  Speaker 4: That axe is rather large, said Dorennie, like the one
• 7:02
  Speaker 4: Cord used to carry.
• 7:04
  Speaker 3: He was right.
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: The wood axe was certainly not of Elvin make, nor
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: made for anyone of their stature.
• 7:09
  Speaker 3: Do you mean to say you think there are humans here?
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: Tintyr was clearly excited at the prospect of meeting someone
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: of that race.
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: He'd never even seen one before.
• 7:18
  Speaker 4: I hear they grow hair on their faces.
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: That's true, Achilia confirmed.
• 7:23
  Speaker 5: I thought the man who raised me had a big
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: white beard.
• 7:26
  Speaker 3: What are they like?
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: Are they a friendly folk?
• 7:29
  Speaker 5: I I'm not really sure. I've only ever met three.
• 7:33
  Speaker 5: Two were good and one was not as good. He
• 7:37
  Speaker 5: was dishonest.
• 7:38
  Speaker 4: The race of man has a reputation for being warlike, greedy,
• 7:43
  Speaker 4: and unpredictable.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: Said Dorennie, repeating what he'd always been taught.
• 7:47
  Speaker 4: Their short lives make it so.
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: Achilia frowned at the comment, feeling ashamed of her own
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: comparatively rapid aging tender spoke again.
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: What should we do? Said? And watch?
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: Or go up to the door and knock.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: In fact, there was no door visible, but the young
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: elf guest there must be one on the side they
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: couldn't see. Dere any blink and ran a finger across
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: his brow to clear away the rain water.
• 8:09
  Speaker 4: I think it would be wise to wait and watch.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: They waited for an hour. Nothing happened, so they waited
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: another and then another. By now it was some time
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: around noon. Thick cloud cover prevented the companions from knowing
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: exactly where the sun was. The rain, they had noted,
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: was getting worse. Those in the party with hair now
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: had it plastered to their heads and water dripped off
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: their noses. As they watched the building for signs of life,
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: the smell of cooking fowl suddenly intensified tenfold. And this
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: was enough. Ten Tier ran out of patience.
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: Let's just go up and knock on the door.
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: I've had this set piece of counter in mind for
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: a little while now, and so I know who's living
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: in the ruined building. What I don't know is how
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: they react to having strangers come knocking on their door.
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: Something to bear in mind is that the person will
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: first become aware of the PCs from behind a closed door.
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: All things considered, a minus one to this reaction role
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: feels about right. I'll do the role now, two D
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: six higher is better.
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: Here we go.
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: I get a four minus one is three. That's pretty bad,
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: but it also makes perfect sense. The things that look
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: around these old k More ruins, as we'll shortly find out,
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: are not pleasant and they are not friendly. Before I
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: go back to the narrative, I'm going to make a
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: second roll. This is because Achille will speak out in
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: the common tongue, something I could see changing the situation significantly.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: This second role will get a plus one.
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: Here we go.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: A plus one is nine. That's someone on the positive
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: side without indicating out right friendliness. Okay, with these two
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: reaction results, I think I can proceed with the story.
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: Ten two was apprehensive, but the rain and the the
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: smell of cooking fowl combined to spur his bravery. He
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: would be the one to knock on the door. After
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: the companions approached the building and walked around the corner,
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: Achillia noticed as they did so that there was another
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: much larger ruin behind it, though barely any of it
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: still stood. Whatever had once been here, it had been
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: reduced to a pile of toppled stonework and broken columns,
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: slowly being swallowed up by the earth, lichen and weeds. Still,
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: some of the original foundation remained and implied a kind
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: of square shape of about one hundred feet on each
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: side for attention to snapped back to the business at hand.
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: When ten tier knocked. Immediately they heard some shuffling sounds
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: coming from the other side of the door. Then came
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: a muffled voice.
• 10:43
  Speaker 3: The you devil's walk in the day.
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: Now, too, can a good man.
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: Get no respite for the wicked?
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: Be gone?
• 10:50
  Speaker 3: Or be seared by set All's bully fire.
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: This talk was incomprehensible to the elven brothers, who did
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: not speak the common tongue of men. Even to Achillia
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: it didn't make much sense. She had no idea what
• 11:02
  Speaker 2: might be meant by Sadal's holy fire. Still, the tone
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: was unmistakable, and amid the companions look at each other
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: with concern etched into their features. Achillie knew that it
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: was up to her to take the lead.
• 11:15
  Speaker 5: We are no devils, but travelers hoping to find food
• 11:18
  Speaker 5: and shelter, she began.
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: When there was no immediate reply, she.
• 11:23
  Speaker 5: Continued, we saw the smoke from your chimney.
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: Now she heard renewed movement from inside, and presently a
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: shadow passed between a narrow crack and the wall beside
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: the wooden door. Clearly whoever was inside was trying to
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: get a look at them.
• 11:38
  Speaker 3: The voice returned, what are you speak plainly?
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: For I can see you are no men of Satia,
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: nor men at all. The doors barred and shall remain
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: so if I dislike your answer.
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: Achilia decided for the group that honesty would be the
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: best policy in this situation, and so she replied with candor, my.
• 11:57
  Speaker 5: Name is Achilia Moak, I'm an else. I am on
• 12:01
  Speaker 5: a journey north with my friends de Rennie and Tenier,
• 12:03
  Speaker 5: who are also elves, though from a different region, and
• 12:06
  Speaker 5: court who is a man of wood.
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: The shadow behind the crack shifted.
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: Three elves and a woodsman. Eh, I could use the
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: help of a woodsman.
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: A Chillier quickly translated to the others, and they stood
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: back a bit.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: All right, stand back from the door so that I
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: may see you clearly.
• 12:25
  Speaker 3: Said the voice as they did this.
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: Oh bless me, not a woodsman at all, but an
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: actual man of wood. Miracles of sitall. But you are
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: strange folk to look upon. Still your faces are less
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: offensive than those I'm used to seeing.
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: Achillie didn't know what to make of that comment, and
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: so kept silent. Finally, after a few moments of what
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: must have been private deliberation, the man spoke.
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: Again, I shall unbar the door. But no one advanced
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: that I have nothing worth stealings. So if you are
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: here to do missif you are wasting your time.
• 13:02
  Speaker 5: Open the door in confidence. Then as we come to
• 13:04
  Speaker 5: you in peace.
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: Said Achilie. There was the sound of the bar being removed.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: Then the door opened to reveal a gnarled root of
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: a man. He was of middle years, with sun darkened
• 13:16
  Speaker 2: skin and not an ounce of fat on him. On
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: his face was an expression that could only be called
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: one of barely suppressed hope.
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: Come in, Come in, please, out of the rain.
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: He said, and beckoned them inside. Who is this weathered,
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: hopeful individual? Sometimes when I introduced an NPC, I'll determine
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: who they are at random. This was the case with
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: the ill fated Edo earlier in the story. Other times,
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: the NPC arrives in my imagination more or less fully formed.
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: Val Keene, Aldby and Fim are all of this type.
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: The men at the door is something a little bit
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: different for him. I had the basic idea of who
• 14:05
  Speaker 2: he was and why he was living so far from civilization,
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: but I didn't really know anything about his disposition or appearance.
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: I did have a good idea of the voice actor
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: I wanted for the role, however, and so when I
• 14:16
  Speaker 2: reached out to Dave Cooper, I asked him if he'd
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: liked to co develop the character. Dave did such a
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: great job playing King Colfrey in season two that I
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: knew he'd have great input when he replied to my
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: e mail the character of Brother Dalen Fairwind was born.
• 14:31
  Speaker 2: Fairwind is a cleric who ran away from the growing
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: troubles in his home kingdom of Solmoral to the west,
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: troubles that were increasingly looking to threaten his life as
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: a clerk of the deities at all, not to mention
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: his life on this side of the grave. Fairwind has
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: been living in these ruins for almost half a year
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: and hasn't had the company of anyone for most of
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: that time. We might hear all or part of his
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: story as the characters.
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: Get to know him.
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: We'll see Spring and summer have not been easy for
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: fair Wind. He is no servi, and it had to
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: figure out how to hunt, forge, build shelter, and cling
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: to his shaken faith all by himself. I could go
• 15:07
  Speaker 2: on and describe the man in more detail here, but
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: wouldn't it be better to let Dave do the talking.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: Let's return to the narrative and meet this self exiled cleric.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: It was a simple one room rectangle of thirty by
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: forty feet, enough light peeking through the chinks in the
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: makeshift walls that, combined with the glow of the hearth,
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: the whole space was illuminated. The smell of cooking fowl
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: came so strongly from a duck spitted over the fire
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: that had made Achillie afraid she might start to drool.
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: She self consciously wiped the back of her hand over
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: her mouth as she walked inside, with Duranie, Tantier and
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: Cord behind her. Before she had entered, Robin had flown
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: off to perch on the roof. The human was quite tall,
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: at least he seemed so to her. He had a
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: shock of iron colored hair on top of his head
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: and a salt and pepper beard. His bony frame was
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: wrapped in a robe that had once been cream colored,
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: but now was marred with blotchy brown stains. The bottom
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: hem was frayed, as with the cuffs of the sleeves.
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: In his hand was a hard wood cudgel.
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: Come in, come in, please out of.
• 16:14
  Speaker 3: The rain, he said.
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: He indicated two log rounds on the floor that could
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: serve as chairs. A flat piece of slate resting on
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: a third was being used as a makeshift table. Upon
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: it was a knife, a wooden spoon, a tinder box,
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: and what looked like a jumble of colored glass pieces.
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: In one corner was a filthy pallet bed with a
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: wooden box by the head. Knew that, and hanging from
• 16:36
  Speaker 2: a nail on the wall was a silver medallion at
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: the end of a fine chain. Under it, a pile
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: of rushes had been placed. A pot of boiling water
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: was in the hearth. That would account for the savory
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: smell that started hours ago. The rest of the fowl,
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: the feathers and bones, had been neatly set aside for
• 16:53
  Speaker 2: some purpose or other.
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: Bless me, my eyes have seen marvels.
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: Said the man. While the three demi humans seemed to
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: have impressed him, it was Kord who made him gowk
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: in astonishment. He glanced back at the medallion hanging on
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: the wall and muttered to himself, providence, this this show
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: less be a slip, And then louder, he.
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: Repeated, come in, please, please, do come in. Mind close
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: the door behind him.
• 17:25
  Speaker 2: De Renni tent here and Chord sat cross legged on
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: the floor, allowing Achillia and their host to take the
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: available seats. Once they were all arranged more or less
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: in a circle. The man continued, Ah, yes, introductions.
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: Ahem, my name is Fairwind, Dalen Fairwind. Once I was
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: called brother Dyleen Fairwind, but I suppose these days just
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: plain Fairwind will do. Welcome to the house of Sadal.
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: Here, the man spread his arms out as if to
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: present the in mock.
• 18:01
  Speaker 5: Formality, Sidal as Achillia, forgive me if I do not
• 18:05
  Speaker 5: recognize the name.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: Fairwind was unsurprised, and his reply came almost automatically.
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: Sadal is the father of flame, lord of light, lord
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: of the sun, and all things of good and order.
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: I am his humble servant.
• 18:21
  Speaker 5: Well met, Master Fairwind, said Achillia softly.
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: Although she had given their names from the other side
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: of the door, it seemed only polite to give them again.
• 18:30
  Speaker 5: I am Achilia, milok, this is my friend court. At
• 18:33
  Speaker 5: least two are dere any intenture of this stevy marsh
• 18:37
  Speaker 5: We are most grateful for your hospitality.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: Judging by the awkward look that crossed Fairwind's face, Achilia
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: thought he must be a man who was unused to company.
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: He coughed, as though unsure of what to say next.
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: Then I think it is molting season, he said. The
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: dogs are much easier to catch nowadays. They cannot fly
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: away in the spring. Why had he use that?
• 18:59
  Speaker 3: Here?
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: Pointed to a sling on another wall, like the medallion.
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: It was hung on a nail. Under it was a
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: pile of river stones.
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: I have little skill in using it, Ah, what hungry?
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: More often than not, Tentyre had been staring at Fairwind
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: with the same kind of a wonderstruck expression that the
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: cleric had given Cord when they first came inside. It's true,
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: he muttered in Elvish.
• 19:21
  Speaker 3: They do have hair on their faces.
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: Fairwind couldn't understand the Elvish language, but gave ten to
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: an inquisitive glance. Achilia thought it was rude, but refrained
• 19:31
  Speaker 2: from reproaching the youth. Instead, she addressed Fairwind once again.
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: What is this place a cursed land? Came the reply,
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: perhaps at the exception of this one building.
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: Achilie quickly translated the question and its answers to the
• 19:46
  Speaker 2: brothers before returning her attention to their host.
• 19:49
  Speaker 5: I don't understand who used to live here? And what
• 19:52
  Speaker 5: is this curse?
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: Fairwyn's face grew long.
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: This land is the original home of the cameos, my
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: own people. You have heard of Cambertine.
• 20:04
  Speaker 5: I expect my master has mentioned it before. It's a
• 20:07
  Speaker 5: landed man from western Zaisha. Is that right?
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: That is correct?
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: Yes?
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: Yes, King Murac founded Cambertine some six centuries ago and
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: built white Stone Castle. Later they built great churches to Sadal,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: though some of these were given over to the worship
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: of Vessel Luna and eventually to purest Evil. But I
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: can see by your faces that you do not know
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: of these names, nor of any of the recent events
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: in that land. Yes, well, no matter, all shall be
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: Asadal wills it in the end.
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: Actually, that is why I am here.
• 20:44
  Speaker 5: I don't follow.
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: No, I suppose you wouldn't be able to. Well, it
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: is enough to say that I am the instrument of
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: his divine will. I believe my destiny is to break
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: the curse of There.
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: Was no need for Achillie to translate. It was clear
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: by her tone and expression that she was confused.
• 21:07
  Speaker 5: She tried, again, what is this curse that you speak of?
• 21:10
  Speaker 5: What happened?
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: The story of Murac's curse is a lamentable tragedy.
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: Fairwind closed his eyes. He shook his head, as if
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: to banish your bad thought.
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: I shall tell you the tale. First, let us prepare
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: our repast. Then you may listen.
• 21:27
  Speaker 3: As we eat.
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: The roped cleric stood up and went to the hearth,
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: where he removed the spitted duck from the fire.
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: I'm afraid I have no dishes. Oh, we'll have to
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: use our hands.
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: Nobody minded. Their bellies by now were gurgling in anticipation
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: of a meal. As Fairwind distributed portions to the companions,
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: he began to tell the story of Moroc's Curse. Chapter sixteen,
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: Part two, The Story of Morok's Curse. Almost six hundred
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: years ago, when King Morok returned from the Great Hunt,
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: the first thing he wanted to do was bed his wife.
• 22:15
  Speaker 3: When he had.
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: Left with his hunters a month earlier, Queen and i
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: A's belly had been so great and round and taut,
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: he knew that he might well be coming home to
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: a son or daughter if the gods were unkind. Although
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: he was looking forward to having another child, he hoped
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: that she and i had given birth. He loved the
• 22:32
  Speaker 2: way an eye's rounded belly looked. The sight of it
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: spurred his carnal appetite and lent him vigor. The hunt
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: had been a great success. They had brought down two
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: elk in the past week alone, and were returning with
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: a huge store of meats hastily salted for his people.
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: In addition, they had acquired a great pile of skins
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: for his tanners to work with. To night there would
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: be a great feast in a celebration. Tomorrow they would
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: begin preparations for the coming winter. They would be so
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: well stocked, he thought with a smile that even a
• 23:03
  Speaker 2: long winter would not thin their numbers this year. But
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: that was tomorrow, and this was now His needs required attention.
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: Moroc unbuckled his belt even as he entered the small castle.
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: In the courtyard, he had handed his great recurve to
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: his ballet, who had bowed low before hurrying off wordlessly
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: and looking pale, Morok paid him no heed. He let
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: his belt, weighed down by a pair of long daggers,
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: fall to the stone floor without breaking stride, and called.
• 23:31
  Speaker 3: Out wife an eye on.
• 23:34
  Speaker 2: He heard his own voice reverberate down the halls, but
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: it went not answered.
• 23:39
  Speaker 3: Wife. He called again, your husband returns at long last,
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: and desire us to comfort of your touch.
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: Still no answer. Moroc mounted the steps while undoing the
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: lace on the front of his tunic. His fingernails were
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: filthy with dirt and blood, and his boots tracked mud
• 23:59
  Speaker 2: behind him.
• 24:00
  Speaker 3: At thirty and.
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: Three years of age, Moroc was young and strong and
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: brimming with vitality. Perhaps Anaya was playing COI that was
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: not really in keeping with her personality, but perhaps she
• 24:12
  Speaker 2: missed his touch as well.
• 24:13
  Speaker 6: My wife, are you in a chamber making yourself ready?
• 24:19
  Speaker 6: I hope you're feeling strong today.
• 24:22
  Speaker 3: Ha ha ha.
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: He laughed lustily as he opened the door to their
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: bedchamber and strode inside, expecting to find his wife a
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: bed with a red ribbon in her hair and perfumed
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: flowers on the side table in anticipation of his return.
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: The room was empty. Moroc was disappointed and a little vexed.
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: She should have been there ready for him, even if
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: she had not had advance word of his return, word
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: she would have had from the runners he'd dispatched two
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: days before. He left the bedchamber and checked the salon,
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: the common room, and the kitchen queen, and Aya was
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: nowhere to be found. He asked a scullery maid where
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: she was, and there was enough wrath in his voice
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: to make the maiden tremble and stammer, but she didn't know.
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: Neither did his valet. When he went back downstairs, he
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: checked the prince's old room. It was empty, so was
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: the throne room. Finally, he left the keep altogether and
• 25:19
  Speaker 2: strode across the courtyard to the chapel. It seemed unlikely
• 25:23
  Speaker 2: that she would be there. Anaya was no longer a
• 25:25
  Speaker 2: religious woman. Since their sons had died, she had lost
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: much of her enthusiasm for worship. Still, there were not
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: so many places she could be, especially in her condition.
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: She wouldn't be at the stables or in the village.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: She was so pregnant that she could barely stand for
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: ten minutes without needing a rest. Of course, he thought
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: with a smile, for what he had in mind, she
• 25:46
  Speaker 2: would only need to lie on her back.
• 25:49
  Speaker 3: Wife. He called again, are you and prayer?
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: No answer came from behind the door of the chapel,
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: so morowc bounded up the steps and threw it open.
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: There among the shining copper sun, symbals, carved idols, and
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: flickering candles, bathed by the multi colored light filtering in
• 26:10
  Speaker 2: through the stained glass window above, was his wife. Naya
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: was standing a little behind the pasture a sallow skinned
• 26:17
  Speaker 2: man with beady eyes, stringy white hair, and loose jowls.
• 26:21
  Speaker 2: She held a fully swaddled bundle in the crook of
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: one arm and gripped a long dagger in her free hand.
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: She was no longer pregnant. Moroc noticed Aye. He began,
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: not knowing what to say.
• 26:34
  Speaker 3: Tell me, is it a boy?
• 26:37
  Speaker 2: He heard his own voice. It was flaccid and lame,
• 26:40
  Speaker 2: and he hated the sound of it. When Anaya did
• 26:43
  Speaker 2: not immediately reply, he corrected his tone.
• 26:46
  Speaker 6: Answer a wife, And wherefore do you hold this dagger
• 26:50
  Speaker 6: out to me?
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: Stay back, she hissed.
• 26:54
  Speaker 7: You will not touch him, and you will not touch
• 26:56
  Speaker 7: me either, not ever again.
• 27:00
  Speaker 2: A worry that had laid dormant for months began to
• 27:02
  Speaker 2: awaken in Moroc and it was not concerning the sacks.
• 27:05
  Speaker 3: Of the infant. Show me that child, he.
• 27:11
  Speaker 2: Rumbled, and the extreme menace in his voice made the
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: pastor shrink back, looking from queen to king in rising panic,
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: moroc thought that the priest had a golden symbol of
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: said all, the Lord of Fire in his pudgy hand.
• 27:23
  Speaker 2: He was gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: almost white. Carried in his other hand was a little
• 27:29
  Speaker 2: vial of anointing oil. When he spoke, the tremor in
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: his voice was pronounced.
• 27:34
  Speaker 4: Your majesty no longer has any claim over this child.
• 27:39
  Speaker 3: A Naya, you will show me that child right now.
• 27:49
  Speaker 2: Moroc took a threatening step forward, and the tip of
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: the Queen's dagger flicked up. Though her eyes betrayed her fear.
• 27:55
  Speaker 3: Obey your husband, woman.
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: Roared the king nay Are coiled, but still held the
• 28:01
  Speaker 2: dagger in front of her. Her eyes darted at the priest,
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: then back at Moroc, and the hint of a smile
• 28:06
  Speaker 2: touched her lips before they curled into a sneer look.
• 28:11
  Speaker 7: Then how despair.
• 28:15
  Speaker 2: The queen pulled the blanket from the child's face, which
• 28:17
  Speaker 2: had thus far been hidden from view. When Moroc beheld it,
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: he staggered, as if he had been physically struck. Blue
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: Moroc felt tears sting his eyes.
• 28:27
  Speaker 3: It has blue eyes.
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: Moroc had eyes of dark brown, as did Anaya and
• 28:33
  Speaker 2: both of his sons before they had passed away. Blue
• 28:36
  Speaker 2: eyes could only mean one thing.
• 28:38
  Speaker 3: Will you make a cockbird out of me? He cried,
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: I'll not supper a thing to live? Give it here
• 28:44
  Speaker 3: a faithless wench.
• 28:46
  Speaker 2: The Naiara coiled from his advance and brought the knife higher.
• 28:49
  Speaker 7: You will not touch him, she intoned, not a single
• 28:54
  Speaker 7: hair on his head.
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: Paw smash his head upon this floor.
• 28:58
  Speaker 2: Returned Moroc, spit off, flying from his snarling lips.
• 29:02
  Speaker 7: You will not and you will not touch me either
• 29:05
  Speaker 7: ever again, you're too late, dear.
• 29:08
  Speaker 2: Husband, Annayas neared at him.
• 29:10
  Speaker 7: I have already taken the oath, and I am promised
• 29:13
  Speaker 7: to Sadda.
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: Still holding the knife in front of her, she tilted
• 29:17
  Speaker 2: the infant so Mora could see the dab of oil
• 29:20
  Speaker 2: on its forehead, shining wetly in the colored light of
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: the stained glass window.
• 29:24
  Speaker 7: And the babe has been anointed.
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: The pastor seemed to take this as his cue. Perhaps
• 29:29
  Speaker 2: she and an Ayah had rehearsed this part in advance
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: of this meeting. He visibly summoned his courage before bleeding
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: out his part.
• 29:36
  Speaker 7: By divine law, none shall harm one of Saddar's holy servants,
• 29:40
  Speaker 7: neither peasant nor warrior nor king.
• 29:43
  Speaker 6: To hell with those scriptures, Priest, how spill your brains
• 29:46
  Speaker 6: upon this floor as soon as I do, for the
• 29:48
  Speaker 6: bastard and my wife.
• 29:51
  Speaker 2: An unstoppable wrath smoldered inside the king. His eyes were
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: as burning coals. The Pastor blanched. He had expected the
• 29:59
  Speaker 2: king to deflate.
• 30:01
  Speaker 5: But to do so would be the most egregious sacrilege.
• 30:07
  Speaker 2: The man was jiggling in fear by now, and looked
• 30:10
  Speaker 2: as though he would prefer to be standing behind the
• 30:12
  Speaker 2: queen instead of the other way around.
• 30:14
  Speaker 3: To hell with your sacrilege as well, spat Moroc. You
• 30:18
  Speaker 3: would become reviled in his divine sight, whimpered the Pastor,
• 30:23
  Speaker 3: cursed forever.
• 30:25
  Speaker 2: This threat of holy retribution finally took some small amount
• 30:29
  Speaker 2: of wind from Moroc's sails, and perhaps if the queen
• 30:32
  Speaker 2: had not said what she next said, the tragedy that
• 30:35
  Speaker 2: followed might have been averted. But for some reason arther
• 30:38
  Speaker 2: she did.
• 30:39
  Speaker 7: Say it, don't you want to know who the father is?
• 30:43
  Speaker 2: Naya was enjoying the look of anger and hurt on
• 30:46
  Speaker 2: her husband's face, and could not help but to twist
• 30:49
  Speaker 2: the knife. It was a mistake, for the mocking question
• 30:52
  Speaker 2: fell upon Moroc like a red mist, and he charged
• 30:55
  Speaker 2: into an ion baby in pasture like a mad ball.
• 31:01
  Speaker 2: When he was done, the chapel floor was awash in
• 31:04
  Speaker 2: their Blood and the King stood Alone, cut in three places,
• 31:08
  Speaker 2: and cursed for eternity. Thank you for listening to Tale
• 31:17
  Speaker 2: of the manticor if you are enjoying the show and
• 31:20
  Speaker 2: would like to help to support it, there are lots
• 31:22
  Speaker 2: of ways to do so. You could recommend the show
• 31:24
  Speaker 2: online or to friends. You can like and repost episode
• 31:27
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  Speaker 2: my offerings on drive through RPG. You can purchase a
• 31:33
  Speaker 2: Tale of the manticor T shirt at www Dot bear
• 31:35
  Speaker 2: Arts dot store. And finally, you can rate or review
• 31:38
  Speaker 2: the show on your podcatcher of choice. These ratings and
• 31:41
  Speaker 2: reviews do make a big difference, and I am grateful
• 31:44
  Speaker 2: for your support. Once again, I find I've let the
• 31:47
  Speaker 2: episode go on a bit long, so I'll skip the
• 31:49
  Speaker 2: review read and get to the credits. And this episode
• 31:52
  Speaker 2: features a big cast. De Reni, Tentire, and Fairwood are
• 31:56
  Speaker 2: played by Kayellen, Kevin Barringer, and returning to the show,
• 32:00
  Speaker 2: it's Dave Cooper. Listeners may remember David from his role
• 32:03
  Speaker 2: in season two playing King Colfrey the Terrible. You can
• 32:07
  Speaker 2: find David at that Dave Cooper on Socials, and you
• 32:10
  Speaker 2: can find him in the Netflix movie The Curse of
• 32:12
  Speaker 2: Bridge Hollow and PBC on YouTube. All three of these
• 32:16
  Speaker 2: guys have really come trud for me many times over.
• 32:19
  Speaker 2: I am eternally grateful. Also returning to the show in
• 32:23
  Speaker 2: his new role of Morok, King of the km Ors,
• 32:26
  Speaker 2: is another Tale of the mantigor favorite, Chris Hussy. Chris
• 32:29
  Speaker 2: is a part of the Bite Sized Tales podcast. Bite
• 32:32
  Speaker 2: Sized Tales is an audio flash fiction podcast featuring a
• 32:35
  Speaker 2: rotating stable of authors and covering nearly every genre in
• 32:38
  Speaker 2: short episodes of just ten to fifteen minutes in length.
• 32:41
  Speaker 2: You can find them at bite sized tales dot com.
• 32:45
  Speaker 2: In the role of Queen Anayah is Fiona K. T. Howitt,
• 32:48
  Speaker 2: host and g M of the What Am I? Role
• 32:51
  Speaker 2: in podcast The Kaymore Priestiffsidal is expertly voiced by Dan Falk.
• 32:56
  Speaker 2: To have a cast this big working in such harmony,
• 32:59
  Speaker 2: well I am. I'm spoiled for talented actors. Thank you
• 33:02
  Speaker 2: so much, Kyellen, Kevin, David, Chris, Fiona and Dan. You know,
• 33:07
  Speaker 2: I think six actors in one episode might be a
• 33:09
  Speaker 2: Tale of the Manticore first, I'd have to check anyway.
• 33:13
  Speaker 2: For listeners who are curious to learn a bit more
• 33:15
  Speaker 2: about Tale of the Manticor. I keep a blog where
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: I post all kinds of show and RPG related stuff
• 33:20
  Speaker 2: like art, maps, tables, crafts, and show notes. You can
• 33:23
  Speaker 2: find it at Tale Ofthemantacor dot blogspot dot com. To
• 33:26
  Speaker 2: get in touch with me, I'm at Mantacre Tale on x,
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  Speaker 2: Tale of the Manticor podcast on Instagram, or Tale of
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  Speaker 2: Themanticor at gmail dot com. I'd love to hear from you.
• 33:36
  Speaker 2: The adventure will continue on the next episode of Tale
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: of the mantacor the story We're Chaos Blow Wolves