A bonus episode to celebrate the Feast of St Nicholas, on December the Fifth. I’ve cut the earlier part of the lay, because it doesn’t serve storytelling. I’d note that he’s the saint for merchants, seafarers, and thieves. The thieves sometimes call themselves the “clerks of St Nicholas”.
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The Wolves of Cernogratz by Saki
“Are there any old legends attached to the castle?” asked Conrad of his sister. Conrad was a prosperous Hamburg merchant, but he was the one poetically-dispositioned member of an eminently practical family. The Baroness Gruebel shrugged her plump shoulders. “There are always legends hanging about these old places. They are not difficult to invent and…
Read MoreThe November 2018 Transcipts
This was part of a writing challenge to stat up monsters from the older episodes of the podcast. So, four monster tiny demons, which are going to be added to a demon booklet for a future anniversary.\
Read MoreThe self portrait of Julia Stone – a revener
Reveners are demons that reanimate corpses. Julia Stone is unusual in that her corpse stays safely tucked away in its tomb, only stepping out into the world through her painting
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Cornwall: Aratea and the guardians of Stellasper
In the Scilly Isles there’s a missing covenant called Stellasper. We know of it only that it was a Criamon clutch, that its name suggests astrology, and that its people vanished together. To supplement the Cornish gazetter, that I produced earlier in the year, I’d like to consider how to expand the saga seeds within…
Read MoreEfygia : The All-Consuming Patroness
Efiygia is the patroness of artists so obsessed with their vision that they are willing to sacrifice everything for its fulfilment. She is a creature of large cities : despite their Dominion aura, they are the only places where her victims can be found in groups. Order: Lady of the False Gods Infernal Might: 40 (Terram) Characteristics: Int…
Read MoreThe Ribboned Revener
Reveners are demons that reanimate corpses. This revener is weaker than most: it can only animate one corpse at a time, and it does not seek to terrify. Far from it – it wants humans to desire, and to pledge themselves, to its beautiful bodies. Order: Vessel of Iniquity Infernal Might: 10 Characteristics: (human form) Int 0, Per…
Read MoreCanon Alberic’s Familiar
For me, one of the basic questions to ask about the demon in Canon Alberic’s Scrap-book is: what does it think it is doing when it puts its hand on the table? Why not, for example, just strangle the narrator from behind? I suggest it is because the creature is bound in service to whomever…
Read MoreChaucer’s Demonic Bailiff Statistics
In The Friar’s Tale this creature is sometimes called a “summoner”. This just means a court bailiff in the story, so I’m using that term to avoid confusion with mystical summoners.
Read MoreAsh-Tree Spider Statistics
The ash tree spiders are the hidden villains of an M.R. James story previously covered by the podcast.
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Games From Folktales 