Chapter 11: One for the Poets (Part 2 of 3) Transcript
OPENING
[Music: "Main Title" (triumphant orchestral music) starts.]
NARRATOR The Call of the Flame: An Audio Play. Chapter Eleven: One for the Poets. Part Two of Three.
[Music: "Main Title" ends.]
SCENE ONE: THE CROWN
[SFX: Dragon wings flapping, wind whipping.]
NURANG (Low growling)
IRIKLAS Ooh, down there! That valley, it must be the Crown.
JENQUO Where those mountains circle? Where's the lake?
[Music: "It isn’t Safe” (tense music) starts.]
MYRTLE Under the mountain, it's subterranean. That's why there's so many dark rituals here…to, uh, hide the bodies.
BRI And that's where Tarúk and the others are being— (Screaming)
[SFX: Wind rushing past as they dive.]
MYRTLE (Screams trailing off)
IRIKLAS (Screams trailing off)
JENQUO (Screams trailing off)
BRI Whooa!
[SFX: Slower wing flapping resumes.]
MYRTLE WATCH OUT!
NURANG HMM!?
MYRTLE I, uh, uh…b-be a little more careful?
NURANG I will not fit inside that mountain.
JENQUO If it were full of gold, you would try.
IRIKLAS What can we do, then?
NURANG I never agreed to fight for you.
JENQUO Girl, you are very good. And I believe in you. But he is a Master Sorseer, and you…
BRI …I'm no one, yet.
IRIKLAS He will throw his ice. You need a shield.
NURANG I have got one stuck in my teeth.
[Music: "It isn’t Safe” ends.]
SCENE TWO: THE POWER
[SFX: Cages creaking, prisoners wailing, footsteps wading in water.]
[Music: "The Deep God" (dark, majestic, gloomy choral music) starts.]
ULTOVÍN Deep God, Koannus the Eternal. Son of Bolg the creator, greatest of Gods. I pledge the lives of these free creatures to you. For the realm, for Neradial, and for all Sorseers. I feed these souls to you.
[SFX: Waves rolling.]
ULTOVÍN As you wish, but…the power first.
[SFX: Loud bellow from below water, ice crackling, water bubbling.]
ULTOVÍN I am honoured to wield your power. I will not waste it.
[Music: "The Deep God" ends.]
[SFX: Distant, gigantic rumbling, prisoners gasping.]
ULTOVÍN Go see what it is. Nothing can interrupt the sacrifice.
SORSEER #1 Yes, Master. Captain, with me.
[SFX: Armoured footsteps marching on gravel, fading out.]
[SFX: Crickets chirping, armoured footsteps on dirt.]
SOLDIER #5 How many are they killing in there?
SOLDIER #6 A hundred, maybe more. Just thieves and criminals. Nobody I know.
[SFX: More footsteps.]
IRIKLAS Hmm, got a problem with thieves, do you?
[Music: "Voyagers and Knights" (percussive and choral battle music) starts.]
SOLDIER #6 Aargh!
[SFX: Dual daggers drawn, slicing.]
SOLDIER #5 (Gurgling)
JENQUO (Grunting)
[SFX: Spear clanking, stabbing.]
SOLDIER #6 (Death groan)
JENQUO (Panting)
[SFX: More footsteps on dirt.]
BRI Is that the way in?
IRIKLAS Yes, I can see the way pretty well. Lots of boulders and natural struts.
JENQUO Come!
CAPTAIN (Muffled) Come, men, with me!
JENQUO Let's give this hornets' nest a kick!
[SFX: Armoured marching on dirt.]
CAPTAIN Intruders!
JENQUO (Grunting)
[SFX: Spear swishing through air, striking.]
SOLDIER #7 (Groaning)
CAPTAIN AAH! GET THEM!
[SFX: Soldiers yelling, swords drawn.]
IRIKLAS Back outside! RUN for it!
JENQUO I hear you!
IRIKLAS (Distant) Wait! Where's Bri?
JENQUO (Distant, fading out) This way! This way!
[SFX: Armoured footsteps fading out.]
[Music: "Voyagers and Knights" ends.]
[SFX: Rock shifting.]
BRI (Grunting) They're gone.
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel, fading out.]
SCENE THREE: THE YOUNG MAGNIR
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel, distant prisoners screaming.]
VILLADIUS Who—Bri?
[SFX: Cage clanking.]
BRI Villadius? What are you doing here?
[Music: "Bal Mohr" (eerie, forlorn choral music) starts.]
VILLADIUS Ultovín locked me up, so that I could watch. Worry about the prisoners, they are the ones in peril, down before the lake.
BRI There they are, all of them. I can't drop them, not with the pikes below. Bollocks.
[SFX: Running footsteps on gravel, cages creaking and rattling, prisoners clamouring.]
PRISONER #1 Help us!
TARÚK Be silent.
[SFX: Beat.]
TARÚK Bri? You came back?
BRI Tarúk. You're still alive? Oh, hells, how I'm glad to—how am I supposed to get up to you?
TARÚK Bri, listen—
BRI I shouldn't have come, I know. But I'm here now, and—
[SFX: Lock rattling.]
TARÚK Without the keys, you can't set us free.
BRI He has the—oh, you have got to be kidding me.
[Music: "Bal Mohr" ends.]
VILLADIUS Look out!
[Music: "More Ceremonious" - (foreboding percussive and choral music, with strings akin to "Gathland") starts.]
[SFX: Ice shard flying and shattering, prisoners screaming.]
BRI AH!
[SFX: Fire ignites.]
ULTOVÍN The young Magnir returns. I thought your powers had been taken from you by the Spell-breaker sword?
BRI If such a blade exists, the Orc King didn't have it. I still have Rhuadu's power.
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]
ULTOVÍN Pity, your song had ended, but you play on. I suppose I will have to DROWN you out!
[SFX: Water splashing, fire hissing.]
BRI (Yelps)
VILLADIUS Bri! Keep your shield up!
[SFX: Ice shards flying and shattering, thudding against wooden shield.]
BRI (Grunting)
ULTOVÍN You want to be a MAGNIR, girl!?
[SFX: Shield scraping.]
BRI (Panting) I never wanted to be anything.
ULTOVÍN Then I will make you into nothing!
[SFX: Ice shards forming, crackling.]
TARÚK Fight back, Bri! Use your flame!
[SFX: Shards flying and shattering.]
BRI (Grunting)
ULTOVÍN So green, a little lamb, culled before her time—unceremoniously.
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]
BRI You could make it more ceremonious?
ULTOVÍN Done.
[SFX: Water splashing, ice crackling as if forms.]
ULTOVÍN After all, a wizard duel requires a proper arena. And what better material than this lake?
BRI Whoa.
[SFX: Ice roaring and crackling.]
ULTOVÍN The last Magnir-Sorseer duel this world will ever see. Just you and me.
[SFX: Fire whooshes.]
BRI Then let's get this over with.
NARRATOR (Voiceover) The lake cools and stills, becoming a solid white as pillars of water rise, reaching and curling around Bri and Ultovín, closing them off from the Sorseers and Prisoners. Trapping them in a frozen amphitheatre for the two wizards, the young Gathish barmaid, and the Sorseer Master.
[Music: "More Ceremonious" ends.]
SCENE FOUR: FACE THE ODDS
[SFX: Crickets singing, armoured footsteps running on dirt.]
IRIKLAS Find cover, Jenquo!
CAPTAIN Kill those two foreigners! Don't let them—
[SFX: Gigantic stomping.]
CAPTAIN (Screaming)
[SFX: Dragon fire roars, bodies thud wetly to ground.]
MYRTLE Oooh, I thought you said you'd only scare them?
NURANG They were scared…
SOLDIER #7 (Screaming)
[SFX: Stomp, screaming cuts off.]
NURANG …Briefly.
MYRTLE If they know we're here, they might hurry to finish the ritual!
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]
JENQUO Then we must go in. And face the odds. Save lives, save Tarúk. Together.
[SFX: Running footsteps fading out.]
SCENE FIVE: BROTHERS REUNITED
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel, breaking out into a run.]
IRIKLAS Come on.
JENQUO Where are the prisoners?
IRIKLAS Wait!
[SFX: Another set of footsteps.]
SORSEER #1 (Muffled) What is that!?
SORSEER #2 (Muffled) Ice! A wall of ice surrounding them! Shall we help him?
SORSEER #1 (Muffled) Keep up the ritual! I will speak the words.
[SFX: Beat.]
[Music: "Cart Chase" (playful percussive battle music) starts.]
IRIKLAS Okay, they’re gone.
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]
[SFX: Cages rattling.]
PRISONER #1 Help us! Let us out of here!
JENQUO Cages! Like the ones the undead kept us in.
IRIKLAS Yes, except ours weren't dangling over spears and spikes, or before a wall of ice. They're going to drop them and bleed them.
JENQUO That's not going to happen!
IRIKLAS Okay, you go for the first cage, I'll go for—Tarúk! You son of a—!
[SFX: Cage rattling.]
TARÚK Sorseers! Below!
JENQUO Five of them!
[SFX: Running footsteps on gravel.]
SORSEER #2 Draw daggers!
[SFX: Daggers ringing.]
SORSEER #2 You've made a grave mistake coming in here, you two.
IRIKLAS (Laughs) Gentlemen! We just got lost and stumbled in here. Oh, have any of you by any chance seem a large coin purse glistening with—
JENQUO Not now, Iriklas!
IRIKLAS Hey, worth a try! HYAH!
[SFX: Blades draw and clash.]
JENQUO (Grunting)
IRIKLAS (Grunting)
[Music: "Cart Chase" ends.]
[SFX: Blade clashing fades out.]
SCENE SIX: PAY ATTENTION
[Music: "More Ceremonious" starts.]
[SFX: Ice shard flies and shatters on wooden shield.]
BRI (Grunting, then panting)
ULTOVÍN You haven't even mastered fire throwing? Have you even seen the spirit plane?
[SFX: Another shard forms, crackling, then flies and shatters.]
BRI (Panting)
ULTOVÍN Have you ignited a sword, kindled healing light, conjured an ash servant?
BRI No.
ULTOVÍN Of course, Villadius never believed in you enough to train you. How fitting, that the Magnir fall because of him!
[SFX: More shards flying and shattering.]
ULTOVÍN And like he had no faith in me, he had no faith in you. And condemned us to DEATH!
BRI (Panting, whimpering)
ULTOVÍN Perhaps, when he sees what I have done to you, he will feel some…just SOME semblance of the pain—of the regret—for all that he caused me! I—
BRI You loved him!
[SFX: Ice crackling, but shards cease flying.]
BRI I should have paid attention. I would have seen the signs. Just as you should really pay more attention to where you're STANDING!
[SFX: Fire whooshes, ice crackling and melting.]
ULTOVÍN (Groaning)
[SFX: Body splashing in water.]
BRI Have a nice swim!
SCENE SEVEN: OH, RATS!
[Music: "Tarúk and the Bandits" (orchestral action music) starts.]
[SFX: Cages creaking, blades ringing and clashing, punching and grunting.]
PRISONER #2 What can we do?
PRISONER #3 We can't help them, I can't reach down there.
PRISONER #1 Orc, what are you doing?
[SFX: Air whooshing.]
TARÚK My legs have a longer reach than my arms.
[SFX: Limbs punching, grappling, and struggling.]
IRIKLAS (Grunting)
SORSEER #3 (Grunting)
JENQUO Iriklas!
IRIKLAS (Straining) He's got me! (Choking)
TARÚK Come closer! To the cage!
IRIKLAS (Choking)
SORSEER #3 (Grunting)
[SFX: Feet shuffling, limbs grappling.]
[SFX: Neck snap.]
[Music: "Tarúk and the Bandits" ends.]
IRIKLAS Thank you, Tarúk. Way to think with your…thighs.
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]
JENQUO Tarúk, our friend. I'm sorry we moved on after your death.
TARÚK I'm not dead yet.
[SFX: Cage rattling.]
TARÚK Look for the keys, then I can be of real use.
[SFX: Distant ice shards flying.]
IRIKLAS What is that?
TARÚK That would be Ultovín killing Bri, if we do not HURRY!
[SFX: Shuffling in dirt.]
JENQUO What is it now?
IRIKLAS Oh, rats.
[SFX: More shuffling, rats squeaking.]
JENQUO What is it?
IRIKLAS RATS!
[SFX: Dual daggers drawn, spear swinging.]
JENQUO Get back, you little monsters!
[SFX: Rats swarming.]
[Music: "Oh, Rats!" (frantic, high-pitched string and choral music) starts.]
WARLOCK (Laughs) You’re now in trouble, two little invaders. Far from your home, you meet your graves here.
IRIKLAS They listen to you?
JENQUO He's an Incanter.
WARLOCK Now…feast on these exotic delights!
[SFX: Rat feet running, squeaking intensifies, spear swishing.]
MYRTLE STOP! [Recites incantation in Sanavran*] [Stop! I'm a friend to rats and they are friends of mine!]
JENQUO Myrtle!
IRIKLAS They're backing away!
[SFX: Rat footsteps shuffle away, squeaking stops.]
MYRTLE I can't believe that worked! (Laughs)
WARLOCK Well played, little one!
[SFX: Footsteps on gravel.]
IRIKLAS Euch!
WARLOCK But your Incanter powers are nothing compared to mine.
JENQUO Who is this skinny and hairy little devil?
MYRTLE He's Ultovín's dark Incanter! A warlock! The one that made the pestilence.
WARLOCK Now, try getting these to cower. [Chanting*]
MYRTLE Oh, no…
JENQUO You said other sacrifices happened here before?
MYRTLE I did.
[SFX: Dead join the chant, echoing.]
WARLOCK [Sanavran*: Dark energies that lie waiting, the hopeful, the frightened, the meagre. Rise from your graves and defend your resting place from the dark intruders!]
[SFX: Limbs bursting out of dirt, crawling and dragging, fleshy noises, growling and gibbering.]
MYRTLE Raising the dead! (Groans) Oh, I should've thought of that first!
JENQUO How do we kill them!?
WARLOCK You can't kill them! Not while I draw breath.
[SFX: Blades drawn, dead growling.]
WARLOCK But they'll be killing you…they'll be killing YOU!
[SFX: Blades clashing.]
IRIKLAS (Grunting)
JENQUO (Grunting)
[Music: "Oh, Rats!" ends.]
[SFX: Clashing blades fade out.]
SCENE EIGHT: COLD AND DARKNESS
[SFX: Footsteps crunching on ice.]
BRI (Soft breathing)
[SFX: Thump under ice.]
BRI (Slight gasp)
[SFX: Rumbling under water.]
BRI (Gasp)
[SFX: Ice bursting, water splashing.]
BRI AAAH!
[SFX: Shard flying, wooden shield shattering.]
BRI (Grunting and panting)
ULTOVÍN No more shield? Good. How best to end this? With ice and blood, or cold and darkness?
[Music: "More Ceremonious" starts.]
BRI I always thought I'd drink myself to death…like dad.
ULTOVÍN Then don't hold your breath.
[SFX: Water rumbling, ice shattering.]
BRI AAAH!
[SFX: Body splashing in water, wading.]
BRI (Whimpering)
[SFX: Ice crackles as it forms.]
BRI (Muffled screaming)
[SFX: Underwater bubbling, hands beating uselessly against ice.]
NARRATOR (Voiceover) Through the ice, Bri the last Magnir falls, the water resting at the top freezing over, trapping her in the water, deep in the mountain.
[SFX: Watery silence.]
[Music: "More Ceremonious" ends.]
CLOSING CREDITS
[Music: "End Credits" (rustic percussive music) starts.]
NARRATOR The Call of the Flame: An Audio Play. Starring Bonnie Bogovich, Stephen Cumberworth, Jacob Williamson, Corey Borchers, Hayden Ashley, Abigail Turner, Xathian, Gary Gibbs the Second, and Sarah Ruth Thomas as Nurang. For the full cast list, please visit thecalloftheflame.com. This podcast was written and produced by Kurt Cañez. With music by Adam Halpin, with additional tracks by Stephen Cumberworth, both can be found on Bandcamp. This chapter was co-written with Nadi Reed Perez. Sanavran speech by Megan Watson. Editing by Kurt Cañez and Sasha Blore. Read the podcast description and follow us on our pages of media. And don’t forget to take our brand-new listener survey for our podcast so that we can ensure the highest quality in our show and Patreon content. Join our Discord at the link in the podcast description. Meet the cast and crew and other followers of our play. Send a bird bearing the hashtag COTF Podcast and follow us on Twitter @calloftheflame. Leave us a review on iTunes. Although the greatest way to support the show is to become a patron of ours on our Patreon page so that we may maintain our production. Five dollar and above listeners get exclusive content such as music tracks by Adam Halpin and extended episodes. Special thank you to our patrons: Zane Simon, Vincent King, Stacy Holbrook, Ryan Cushman, Joshua DiMaggio, John the Smith, Jon Winstead, Jolly, Cassie M, Ben Blair, and Andrew Vandereigh. To ask us about sponsorship, send an electronic letter to thecalloftheflamepodcast@gmail.com. This has been a Magnir Production. I am your narrator, George Hoctor. We thank you all for listening.
KURT Hey everyone, it’s Kurt, recording this on Halloween. Needless to say, it’s been a crazy past few months because in spite of our slow releases, we’ve peaked at 31,000 RSS subscribers in August and I can’t thank you guys enough, that’s twice what it was last year. The growth has been pretty amazing and I so desperately wanna put out more content for everybody. The paradox is, the more time I put into writing and creating new content for the patreon, the less attention I put to the main series, the longer it takes to make new episodes and I attract less patrons but if I neglect the patreon rewards, I lose patreon supporters, that’s less money going to the production and that equals slower production. But if one out of every 12 listeners supported the patreon at just the $2 tier, I’d be able to pay for full time editing for the series and get things out much, much faster and new bonus content. I’m hoping after chapter 11 it’s a relatively short wait for book 2 to start. Well, without further ado, onto the penultimate instalment for book one. I really hope you enjoy it.