Speaker 1: The Necromancer of Pricene contains adult content and may not
be suitable for children. Parental guidance is suggested. In the
world of Turinlay rests an enormous island called Pricene. The
nation of Pricene is governed by a king and council,
though the real power rests in the hands of ten
cursed immortals, powerful supernatural figures who serve only their self interests.
The land is plagued with black blooded monsters, corrupt political leaders,
and bloodthirsty bandits, and the one man who is willing
to stand up to them all just so happens to
be an unholy abomination, a summoner of the undead, the
Necromancer of Pricene.
Speaker 2: Welcome back, my fellow scoundrels, outcasts and miscreants. Allow me
to summarize what's happened thus far. Frank and I made
our way to Willow's Bend, a quaint lumber town, where
we strategically cross passed with the Advents, a group of
aspiring mercenaries looking to make their mark with the Watchers Guild.
They took on a quest from Constable Roon, who asked
them to rid the Highway of bandits. In my efforts
to tail them, I met a woman named Anya Esh,
a brown eyed, no good lying pickpocket, which is rare
in pri scene. The brown eyes, I mean, the thief
part is not so rare. By the time I had
reached the scene of the bandit attack, Anya, along with
my money, had disappeared. Suspecting Anya might be in cahoots
with the advents, I continued following the group as they investigated.
They found the bandits in an underground cave they used
as a hideout. The bandits swore that they hadn't killed
any merchants, claiming instead that a monster from the forest
was responsible. Not to be taken as fools, The advents
didn't believe them, at least not until the monster actually
showed up and began turning the bandits into minced meat.
The battle against the monster was not going very well,
so I took some creative liberties with the laws of
nature to help even the odds. So here I am
hiding in the shadows, playing the reluctant savior. Also, I
can keep following the advents until the Watchers Guild finally
recruits them. My name is Charts. I have the ability
to reanimate the dead, and I'm on a quest to
kill the most powerful man in price scene, chapter three,
the vivifide. There's something grotesquely beautiful about the undead saving
humans from monsters, a type of grim poetry, not that
I know anything about poetry. I'm a necromancer, not a troubadour.
You've heard the stories about the undead, or, as I
prefer to call them, the vivifide. Folk tales describe the
undead as slow moving, brain hung read demons, but in
my experience, that's mostly nonsense. A vivivide speed and agility
depend on the state of their body. They don't feel pain,
but torn muscles are torn muscles, dead or alive. It's
simple logic. For example, if the muscles in their legs
are torn, then they won't be able to run. That
makes sense, right. That's why I try not to raise
anyone who's been in the ground for an excessive amount
of time or is too mangled. The fresher the corpse,
the more athletic the vivifide and know they don't eat
brains well unless the necromancer that raised them from the
dead commands them to. And that's just bizarre. I've never
actually met another necromancer, but I assume recalling a soul
just to make it eat someone's brains would be an
enormous waste of effort and resources, right, I mean, who
does that? The vivified aren't inherently evil. They simply follow
their summoner's command. If the necromancer that raised them is
as an asshole, then the vivified will probably be commanded
to do asshole things. If the necromancer is kind, they'll
be kind, even if they look gross while doing so.
Regarding these seven undead merchants, well, I'm the one who
raised them, and I commanded them to protect the humans
and destroy the monstrosity. Just as the creature lunged for Aurora,
two of my vivified burst from the trees, intercepting the
attack and slamming it to the ground. Five other vivified
humans joined the assault, piling onto the beast and pinning
it to the ground. The monster thrashed, jaws snapping and
claws slashing, but the Vivified were relentless. The ghoulish creature
had once hunted and killed these very same humans, and
maybe during that first meeting they'd screamed and ran, but
they weren't screaming now No, Thanks to their current lack
of life, the undead merchants were fearless, deadly, and determined.
They threw themselves at the corrupted bear, knocking it to
the ground and holding it in place. Noticing the monster
was pinned under the dog pile of undead, Kaden has
shouted for Gouval and the other advants, who joined him
in the attack. Together, they hacked, stabbed, slashed, and smashed
until the beasts stopped flailing its enormous winds. Then it
was all over. Panting from the effort, the advent slowly
backed away from the monster to assess the scene. Four
of my vivified merchants had been slain a second time
by the monster, but three still stood, placid and unblinking.
Speaker 3: What are they?
Speaker 4: I think they're the merchants.
Speaker 5: That can't be right. The merchants are dead.
Speaker 4: I recognize that one. It was the body of the
guy that was on top, the one Aurora was worried
about burying.
Speaker 6: There undead their abominations, Kate, what should we do? Aurora?
Speaker 2: How is this possible? How did they come back?
Speaker 6: I don't know.
Speaker 4: That monstrosity we just killed was no normal either.
Speaker 6: I agree it wasn't Finch.
Speaker 4: Why do you say blood it's black cher What does
that mean? Normal creatures don't have black yicre blood. There
are only five types of.
Speaker 6: Blood, red, yellow, green, blue, and.
Speaker 4: Purple, none of which are black.
Speaker 6: So it really is a monster abominations all of them, Aurora,
Do you think they're connected?
Speaker 3: Could the bites from the monster have caused the merchants
to return? I?
Speaker 6: I don't know. I suppose it's possible, given what limited
information we have, I believe it's the most likely answer.
Speaker 3: Then why did it take so long for them to return?
They've been dead for a couple of days, right.
Speaker 6: Maybe there's an incubation period.
Speaker 5: Who cares about incubation? How do we kill them?
Speaker 4: It looks as if severing the head from the body
or damaging the brain does the trick. Those four didn't
stand up after the fight, and it looks as if
they all have major trauma to the skull.
Speaker 5: Kid, what do you want us to do?
Speaker 7: Kill them all?
Speaker 3: Also sever the heads from the bandits.
Speaker 5: It's better to be cautious.
Speaker 2: Katamis punctuated his command by thrusting his long sword through
the back of the wall. The only remaining bandit. The
trio of advents stood in astonishment, dumb struck by their
leader's unexpected act of violence. With a heavy swing, Katamis
brought his razor sharp blade through the back of the
bandit's neck, severing the head from the Torso, guys.
Speaker 4: Go sever the heads please, Yeah, we're on it, boss, right?
Speaker 6: What kid? Was that necessary?
Speaker 4: Aurora? You know that we shouldn't leave witnesses. Who knows
what that bandit would have said about what happened here.
Speaker 5: Plus Kiddamus told him that he could keep the loot.
That's our loot. It's not like the town can pay us.
We have to make our money some way.
Speaker 6: Those are terrible reasons to kill someone, Aurora.
Speaker 3: That man was bitten by the monster. Like I said,
it's better to be cautious.
Speaker 6: This feels wrong. Did you three forget that we're supposed
to be the good guys?
Speaker 5: No one's forgetting.
Speaker 4: You're too soft, Curly. You've got to tough enough that
stomach of yours. If you want to be a mercenary.
Speaker 5: That's enough.
Speaker 7: Finch.
Speaker 3: Just take care of the bodies. We'll bury them before
we leave. Clyde, keep the head of the monster in
the bandit leader put them in this sack. We will
take them back to Willow's Bend.
Speaker 5: You got it.
Speaker 3: I'm going to check out the cave and see what
kind of loot they left us.
Speaker 2: Well, now we know what kind of heroes the Advents are.
I'd seen enough. My head spun and my stomach twisted
with nausea. It wasn't just the brutality of the scene
that turned my insides. It was the severed connection to
the undead merchants needlessly executed. You see, when the link
between a necromancer and their vivifide is severed, the necromancer
is struck with a wave of vertigo, combined with a
host of other symptoms, including, but not limited to, nausea,
chest pain, migraine, shortness of breath, fatigue, upset stomach, increased
heart rate, and in extreme cases death. Okay, maybe that
last one is a bit dramatic, but you get the idea.
It sucks. I pushed the pain aside and focused on
my footing. I needed to get moving if I was
going to reach the Inn before the Advents. The Necromancer
of Pricene will return after these messages. Hey, everyone, if
you're enjoying what you're hearing, but would prefer to continue
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Speaker 2: Frank followed closely behind me as I trudged through the
hair in witch Forest, each step sending a dull throb
through my temples. My fingertips dug into the sides of
my skull, pressing against the pain as if I could
squeeze it out of my head. Little white sparks flickered
at the edge of my vision, and the rhythmic pulse
of a war drum inside my skull. I never lost
seven vivified at once, and the initial shock had been blinding. Fortunately,
the agony had dulled to a manageable thrum. We made
it back to the Spike Tree Highway and then to
Willow's Bend without further trouble. By the time we reached
the town. Night had settled in, and the windows of
rustic homes glowed with soft, inviting light. I snuck Frank
back into the stables, then headed into the rusted saw
craving a moment of calm. After a quick visit to
my room and a change of clothes, I descended to
the tavern and ordered a mug of cider to steady
my nerves. The sharp lingering ache in my head had
mostly subsided, but I intended to drown any and all
lingering effects with alcohol. Earlier that day, Mike, the innkeeper
informed me that my food and drink were included in
the costs of my room, a small mercy considering my
coins had recently played a disappearing trick. At least I
wouldn't starve for the next few days. I briefly considered
drinking until my face turned numb, but after the first
sip of cider, I concluded that the effort would take
more than a few cups, and I doubted Mike's generosity
extended that far. So with a bit of forced moderation,
I nursed my warmsider and scanned the room, noting the
few faces. The tavern was livelier than before, with at
least two dozen fresh patrons. In the back corner, beyond
the hearth, a man sat alone. His travel cloak lay
draped over his table, and his clothes, a charcoal vest
with gold stitching over a button up shirt with actual cuffs,
were far too fine for a place like Willow's Ben.
From across the room, I couldn't make out his features,
but I could have sworn he was staring at me. Creepy. Right,
a group of tipsy townfolk were dicing near the hearth,
and Constable Larun's poker table continued, though they had switched
out a couple of players. A young boy walked through
the room right chairs while collecting used dishes and empty
mugs as he passed. I handed him mine and then
went to the rail for another. Hey Mike, Hi there,
uh friend, my name is Charts. I apologize I'm not
great with names. It's not a big deal.
Speaker 7: Well, Charts, would you like another sider?
Speaker 2: Maybe? Do you have anything a bit stronger?
Speaker 7: I have a mould wine and a nut porter.
Speaker 2: Are either of those included in the price of the room,
not typically?
Speaker 7: Just the sider? All right, I'll tell you what. I'll
give you one mug of the muld wine on the house. Really, thanks,
don't thank me yet. It's not selling that well. I
think I made the batch too sweet.
Speaker 2: I still appreciate the offer.
Speaker 7: Yeah, no worries.
Speaker 2: I see you've got some help this evening.
Speaker 7: The kid, Yeah, he helps out sometimes he'll do the
dishes and help clean up after everyone leaves.
Speaker 2: Is there anything else you might need help with?
Speaker 7: What do you mean?
Speaker 2: I may have encountered a bit of misfortune and could
use some coin before leaving town.
Speaker 7: Misfortune I was robbed in town here, what do they
look like.
Speaker 2: Now out on the road, and I could use some
money before I leave. I'll need to buy food and supplies,
so if you have any work for me, I'd be grateful.
I could clean up or do whatever needs doing.
Speaker 7: Well. Your room includes meals insiders, so you're fine on
food for as long as you've paid up. But as
for extra coin, I don't have any work to do
inside the inn. With that said, you can clean out
the stables tomorrow if you don't mind getting a little.
Speaker 2: Dirty clean out the stables.
Speaker 7: Yeah. Between the advents, Big George's cousins coming to town
and our newest guests, the Watcher over there, the stables
are busier than normal.
Speaker 2: That's a watcher. I couldn't tell from this far away.
Speaker 7: Yeah, he drops by from time to time. If those
advents aren't able to handle those bandits, well he will.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Sure so if you.
Speaker 7: Can clean them out tomorrow, I'll float you a few coins. Yeah,
I can do that. Are you all right?
Speaker 2: I'm gonna go back to my table now. As I
reclaimed my seat, my mind raced. Finally a watcher. I
knew following the advents would lead me to one eventually.
The watchers are the sanctioned mercenaries of pricing, holding a
monopoly on all four higher combat work. With hundreds of
merk stationed mainly around the cities, it was rare to
see a watcher in a place like Willows Bend. They
usually stuck close to the money lordly estates, the wealthy merchants,
and the city governors who needed a criminal gang routed
or a dangerous suspect caught. Sometimes they took bounty work,
but many saw that as beneath them. They liked to
maintain their image, and senseless violence was bad for business.
The only thing watchers wouldn't do, no matter the commission,
was trained non Watchers to fight. It was a strict rule.
Many wealthy lords had offered handsome sums of money to
have a watcher teach their children the ways of combat,
but every offer had been refused in one way or another.
The only way to be trained by a watcher was
to become one yourself, which required a recruiter invitation. That's
why I was following the advents around the hair in
which mountains. They were my best chance to find a recruiter.
The guild trains their recruits at an undisclosed location and pricing.
It's rumored that on the day of initiation, the leader
of the Watchers Guild, a man known as Torch, would
make an appearance to wish the recruits good fortune. Torch,
one of the Ten Cursed, is the same man who
took everything from me. I was going to find him
and destroy him, but that's enough brooding for the moment.
I cast another glance at the watcher. Maybe he was
a recruiter, but I doubted it. Mike had mentioned that
the Watcher visited Willow's Bend from time to time, which
could be for any number of reasons. Maybe he was
originally from the area, or perhaps he just liked the
quiet of a small town. Whatever the reason, I was
going to keep my eye on him. After two mugs
of cider and a glass of mulled wine, the dull
throb in my head had finally faded. Several patrons had
drunk their fill and retired for the evening, but there
were still plenty of people in the rusted saw when
the advents burst back into the tavern.
Speaker 3: Hello, my friends from Willow's Bend. I hope you are
having a wonderful night in your cups. I come bearing
the best of news, travel to your town to offer
assistance for your bandit troubles, and asked only for your
hospitality in return, as is the way for those not
yet bound to the Watchers, we swore by the King
and Council that we would bring those villains to justice,
and in less than one day we have not only
resolved your bandit problem, but we have saved the entire
town from a disaster of monstrous proportions.
Speaker 7: Welcome back, Katamus. We are glad to see you're safe.
But uh, what are you going on about?
Speaker 5: Clyde?
Speaker 3: Would you mind emptying the contents of the sacks onto
the Constable's table I'd be happy to you. See, Master Mike,
We've found the bandit leader and attempted to have a
civilized conversation with him and his men. The last thing
we wanted was unnecessary violence. Despite our best efforts, the
bandit menace would not hear of it. Within moments, he
exposed himself as a dark source.
Speaker 5: And here are the heads.
Speaker 7: For Ruin's sake? What is that?
Speaker 3: The smaller of the two heads belonged to the bandit leader,
proof that our task is complete. The second is the
severed head of his grotesque creation.
Speaker 6: A monster, yes, summoned from the depths of the under realm.
Speaker 7: A real demon, wouldn't you say, I've never seen anything
like it.
Speaker 3: When we first approached the bandicamp, we asked the bandit
leader to turn himself in and be tried for his crimes.
He was not so keen on the idea.
Speaker 5: No he was not.
Speaker 3: He commanded his men to attack us.
Speaker 2: This was something we were prepared for.
Speaker 5: Fuck yeah, we were.
Speaker 3: What we had not anticipated was that the bandits were
only a distraction. Using black magic, the Sorcerer called forth
the dead merchants, beckoning them to rise from their shallow
graves on the highway. He had killed them in cold blood.
Then from deep in the forest, he summoned them as
mindless warriors to carry out his evil will. Soon we
were surrounded by murderous bandits and undead.
Speaker 6: Ghuls, abominations to nature are what they were.
Speaker 3: Through cunning and experience, we dispatched our enemies one by one.
The fight was brutal and gory.
Speaker 6: But it was necessary to protect the people of Willow's
Bend from these vile creatures.
Speaker 3: Just as we had cut down the last of our foes,
the dark Sorcerer had one more surprise plant.
Speaker 5: For us, this big fucker right here.
Speaker 3: He summoned this demonic horror from the darkest corners of
the forest and set it loose to wreak havoc on
the world. We were beaten and exhausted already, but we
knew we were the last line of defense for Willow's Bend.
So we stood resolute and faced the demon head.
Speaker 6: On, and by the grace of Rowan, we prevailed.
Speaker 5: We took the fucker's head as what we.
Speaker 3: Did, and this beautiful the town is once again saved
from the monsters that played your nightmares and your roads.
Speaker 7: Well, I'm not one to speak on behalf of the town.
But I will say that this is reason enough to celebrate. Now,
who's buying the heroes their first round of drinks?
Speaker 3: The only thing that we ask is that should any
watchers inquire about the heroes of Willow's Bend, you tell
them that the town was saved by the Faded Four.
Speaker 2: Oh Widow, take me. They gave themselves a nickname, the
Faded Four. Could you imagine a more self important title?
That has to be one of the dumbest names for
a party I've ever heard. Not only did this Cadamis
character completely fabricate what happened with the bandits, but I
watched him murder Gouvall in cold blood. The man was innocent,
but they murdered him anyway, and now they're dragging his
name through the mud. These aren't heroes. They're just like
the bandits. They slaughtered opportunists. The only difference is that
they're still standing. I should have been relieved that they
were making a scene, after all, I needed the watchers
to notice them, and there just happened to be a
watcher present in the tavern. But the ease with which
they lied made my skin crawl. I had enough. I
grabbed my things and left for my room. The advents
were liars, thieves and murderers. Heroism, it seemed, was well
and truly dead.
Speaker 1: Charts is voiced by Josh Allen, Katamis, Sendler is voiced
by Dan Stabb. Finch is voiced by Taylor Shay. Aurora
Kaja is voiced by Elizabeth Phillips. Clyde is voiced by
Troy cram Mike the tavern Keeper is voiced by Richard Collins.
Audio engineering by Adam Culbertson and Richard Collins, editing by
Tisha Zang. Music provided in part by Elizabeth Blakeley and
written by Nico Rodriguez. The Necromancer of Pricene is a
Creative Typo entertainment production. For more information about this show,
our cast, or other shows under Creative Typo, please check
out our website at www dot Creative typo dot com.
And thank you for listening. A very special thank you
to our executive producers from Patreon, Nick Mead and Patrick
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