Bite Size Tales

Living forever sounds like a gift, but have you ever thought about the down sides.  The main character in this week's story knows them first hand.  Join him on the first day of a new year as he prepares for a new life.     New Year, New Me  - Written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

This bonus chapter is a little writing nugget from Chris' past. It's the very first story he ever wrote when he was 10 years old. Growing up in the Star Wars age, Chris was heavily influenced by the original trilogy and all the associated sci-fi that was around at the time. This story was written in 1978. Below are the individual pages, complete with images! So maybe this makes it less of a book and more of a graphic novel?  

In Part 7, Garret's ship, captained by Chandra, left the wild and wooly port town of Camp Trollblood heading west toward their final destination - the portal. It became apparent that Chandra and Garret had a fling in the not-to-distant past. Chandra hoped to rekindle their passions, but Garret sidelined her, citing his duty and the cramped confines of the ship as his main reasons.  

In this week's story an accountant makes a trip to a distant space station that he once visited as a child.  The station does not quite live up to the nostalgia he has built up for it.     Welcome to Toran Station  - Written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

In Part 6, Garret and Phrixus made their way through the rough and tumble port town known as Camp Trollblood. They were in search of the sailing vessel owned by Garret and its captain, Chandra. They found the captain, and her crew in the midst of escaping from the angry pursuit of another group of sailors. Chandra displayed some of her own mystique by revealing a magical flaming blade, and a living tattoo of a dragon on her skin. Using said magic, Chandra and her crew were able to escape to her ship, having a surprising reunion with Garret and Phrixus in the process. The trio, along with Chandra's crew, hurriedly left port and made their way out on the open sea.

An inventor achieves his greatest success... but at what cost.   Success  - Written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

In Part 5, Garret and Phrixus survived the temptatious visions of the Fallen Paladin Lenore Drache and completed the portion of their necessary ritual combining both Garret's blood and the blood from the spirit. Leaving the tower, the pair made a detour to the town of Camp Trollblood. On this journey, Phrixus revealed the accident which led to his red-pupiled eyes. Garret returned the favor by explaining the unsolved mystery behind his bleeding nose. In the town, the pair hope to find a safer journey to the Portal Garret is sworn to protect and keep sealed. Garret is convinced he knows someone in the town who can help them reach the portal safely and sooner, hopefully using the ship that Garret revealed he is the proud owner of.

In today's chapter, marroned on a lonely island, a warrior makes his final stand.

In Part 4, Phrixus journeyed through a vision of temptation provided to him by the spirit of the dead and disgraced paladin Lenore Drache. The alchemist struggled to return to reality as he considered reuniting with a former lover. It wasn't until cries from the outside world, and a series of mixed thoughts gave Phrixus the strength to break from his dreams, returning to reality. There he was able to collect blood from the weeping spirit, while Garret struggled to overcome undead captors, under the unholy paladin's control. In the battle's confusion, Phrixus lost sight of Garret, only to turn and find the remaining undead closing in on him.   Since we've entered new areas of the story's geography, I thought I would include a modified image of the map.  Rather than post the entire card image (since I already have), here's how the map is currently looking.

A space scount enters a system only to encounter a mystery that may haunt her for the rest of her life.  However long that may be.   Last Call From Eden 4 - Written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

In Part 3, In the pouring rain, Garret and Phrixus finally arrived at the Tower of the Fallen Paladin, the last resting place of Lenore Drache. Once a holy warrior dedicated to assisting Garret's family in their own sacred oath, the paladin succumbed to temptations that assailed her. In a last ditch effort to serve her vows, despite falling from grace, she ended her own life, and now haunts her former home, constantly bleeding to fulfill her oath of supplying several drops of blood to Garret's family and their mission, but also tempting those who might dare enter.   Garret warned Phreixus of the temptations he may face, as well as alluding to the fact that he nearly succumbed to his own temptations in his last visit.   The pair entered the tower, searching for the ghostly warrior, to complete a portion of the ritual Garret needs to help keep a mysterious portal closed. They find evidence that someone was in the tower recently, and the possibility they have met an unfortunate end.   As they climb higher in the tower, they hear a mysterious moaning on the floor above them...

This week's episode is something a bit different.  Three stories each inspired by a different writing prompt from The Writers's Hub Discord server.     Three Prompts - Written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

In today's chapter, we present a guest author. Jon Cohen, the genius behind the amazing Tale of the Manticore RPG solo play podcast. If you enjoy a unique take on the crossorads where fiction and gaming meet, this show is worth your time.

In Part Two Garret and Phrixus began their journey together. Garret is a banished member of the Westdown family - a family charged with a sacred mission only they can accomplish - tending to a mystic portal to another place. Phrixus, an alchemist in the employ of the Westdown house has been charged with helping complete the ritual. Both travelers are undertaking their mission under less than ideal circumstances. Before they can even truly begin, they must journey to a place known as the Tower of the Fallen Paladin, where the soul of a corrupted warrior now resides. Garret has been here once before, and faced great temptation…  

This week is a darker tale of survival after a spacecraft crash.  It illustrates that while most people think themselves the hero of their own story many times they are the villain in someone else's.     Survival - Written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

In part one, we learned about Garret Westdown, the son banished from his wealthy and influential family for being too curious about certain aspects of his family's history. Garret now wiles away his time in the inn of a family friend, drinking for free and concocting false tales about the other patrons. His musings are interrupted by his father, confessing the need for Garret to fulfil the family's sacred obligation of being a protector of a portal to another realm. Garret's older sister, Helen, has fallen ill after an unplanned pregnancy, leaving Garret the sole family member able to complete the mission. Despite his resentment towards his parents for his banishment, Garret agrees to the important mission. His father does not send him alone, however. Part one ends with Garret meeting Phrixus.   Here is the first terrain card used to show where our heroes are coming from. The red 'X' indicates the direction Garret and Phrixus are coming from. It's important to note that this card in the actual Hex Dek deck has been slightly altered. I essentially inverted the hex tiles from the original cards. Again, thanks to Phillip Reed Games for these escellent cards.  

Hello, and thank you for lsitening to this Footnotes episode explaining both the products I used and approach I took in building the characters and "world" for this story. First up, let's display the cards for the characters. Garret's Cards Phrixus' Cards Chandra's Cards Here are the links to the products I used. I recommend all of these either as writing prompts or just idea generators. This was a very fun process to undertake. Better Backstory Cards Gamemaster apprentice Cards 2e Hex Dek cards (used to make the region our heroes will travel in) Mythic Gamemaster Emulator Second Edition (which generated the two word plot prompt)  

In this chapter, we begin a new serial story, meeting the first character, Garret, and learn of his mission. This serial also begins a new writing experiment where the characters and plot are randomly generated through the use of cards and tables.

In this week's story a bitter old man living in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse has to come to terms with his choices.   Regret - written and read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada 

This week's story takes us into the mind of a dog.       My Person - Written and Read by Wayne Cole   Intro and Outtro music is "Fantasy Motion" by Alexander Nakarada