Attack of the Vacuum Machine Army
Storyfeather
Six kids explore the possibility that dogs have been trying to warn humanity about a terrible enemy in their midst…vacuum machines. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy Excerpts: They were right all along. “What do they know that we don’t know?” “What are they trying to protect us from?” “This is my home too! And it is in danger…” “If the law won’t help us, we’ll have to turn to…the outlaw.” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a...
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Galactic Ring of Wrestling Ladies
Storyfeather
The most popular wrestling show in five galaxies is in danger of being shut down, unless the wrestlers jump into action to save it. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy Excerpt:“Sentient entities of the cosmos!” the announcer spoke, her voice booming through the arena that floated in free space. “Welcome…to GROWL! The audience cheered, waving their flags, waving their extremities, and shouting the names of their favored fighters. The announcer paused until they settled. “Our first contender on tonight’s mind-blasting roster, is also our first human ever. Hailing from Earth,...
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The Final Monster I Fight
Storyfeather
A hunter dedicated to keeping the world safe from monsters has one final monster to fight. Genre: Horror Excerpt: Curses and cures. Curses and cures. I’ve tried everything. …flecks of blood in my eye. My joints have started to ache... My vision has started to flicker. And…now I’m finally afraid. What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This...
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The Eye in My Ceiling
Storyfeather
What starts as a curiosity, a light on the bedroom ceiling that seems to have no source, heralds the appearance of a huge eye that just watches and watches. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Horror Excerpt: I yelled out. The hazel iris shifted toward me. I slowly slid off the bed... dashed to the door, flung it open, and pulled it closed behind me. Okay, okay, think. I have to… I had cried out. Someone must have heard. Someone would come knocking on my door. Normally I didn’t want that. But right now, right now I might want that. I might want that. What...
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The Infernal Bargain House
Storyfeather
Surely, a beautiful old house sold at a bargain must have a sinister history. One new homeowner is about to find out. Genre: Horror, Mystery Excerpt: “If afterlife spirits are real, they’re real whether I believe in them or not.” I shrugged. “And if they’re real, I’d rather not stir them up.” “So…she felt something?” “She said the place had a weird energy.” “What does that mean?” I shook my head. “Frustrated….” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s...
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There Lived a Crooked Creature
Storyfeather
An apartment resident is recruited for help by four kids who claim that a demonic creature has just laid eggs in the laundry room. Genre: Horror Excerpt: “It’s like the thing from the poem that my first grade teacher told us about. ‘There Lived a Crooked Creature.’ Do you know the one? It lives in a corner—“ “—and it can touch us but we can’t touch it—“ “’In a corner it did lay; fourteen eggs every fourteen days.’” “’Nothing can destroy it. No weapon forged by human hand.’” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? ...
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One Wicked Warlock
Storyfeather
There is a tall tower to the north. A warlock once lived there. Now the tower is abandoned. But that does not mean is it safe. Genre: Horror, Mystery Excerpt: There was a story told…of a little girl who went into the tower and came out unscathed... The bard who told the story sang in sweet and rising notes of how the girl was protected by her innocence. But when in the history of this tricksome world has innocence ever protected anyone from anything? This isn’t her story. It’s mine. I went into that tower. NOTE: There's a tech issue with my...
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The Misfortune of Repetition
Storyfeather
When Anushka was cursed to only repeat what others said, her only hope of escaping the curse was the only person who seemed to remember the curse. Genre: Fantasy Excerpt: Because Anushka could not convey her thoughts in any way that others could understand, it seemed to many that she did not have any thoughts of her own. But Mitra always told her cousin. “You are the bright one. And the quick one. Like lightning. Like your true name.” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired...
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Mushrooms of the Underworld
Storyfeather
The living do not belong in the underworld. But all the paths of escape are horrific, save for one…the mushroom. Genre: Mythology Excerpt: There were a number of ways for the passage to be made—flesh-wrenching spells, maps that could only be read by those who had spent a lifetime studying magic, or aid given by the sovereign’s own siblings to some favored mortal, all of which were giving way to a new and much easier means…mushrooms. What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or...
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The Margin Alien
Storyfeather
To rescue her brother, a woman jumps into what she believes is a dimensional rift generated by a device that he has invented. Genre: Science Fantasy Excerpt: “You come from within the margins. Where there are well-defined boundaries... Reality.” "Isn’t this also real?” “It is for now.” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I’ve...
info_outlineA group of curious and ingenious humans build a spyglass to peer into the realm of the gods, to find out why the gods are not governing the world as they were expected to.
Genre: Mythology
Excerpt:
Not in the beginning, but early in the history of the world, many mortals suspected that the ones who called themselves gods were shirking their duty of properly governing the world. Some responded by entreating the gods. Others by railing against them.
But a few decided to try answering the question of what it was that the gods spent their time doing if they were not doing what was expected.
What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?
Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on.
Resourceful mortals versus neglectful, cruel, and petty gods. This theme doesn’t seem to get old for me. Two previous episodes that explore that theme and inspired this episode are “Godsfear” and “A Sword Named Blasphemy.”
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MY FIRST BOOK (yay)
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The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.
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CREDITS
Story: “The Union of the Spyglass” Copyright © 2021 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production: Nila L. Patel
Music:
“Haven” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro and Outro)
“Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)
Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Dark Fantasy Studio)*
“Scroll of the wind walker”
“They don’t return”
“Ancient gods”
“Runes”
“To Falgaltown”
“Haven”
“Signs of desolation”
“The harbor”
“Flames on ice”
“Fallen leaves”
“The huntsman”
“Wide place”
*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.
Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket
Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. Composite image. At center, a floating island wreathed with glowing clouds, surrounded by a wispy net of light. Behind the island a circle, a view through a spyglass showing a partial view of the moon at top and a night sky. The circle is encased by a square showing the same view of the sky. In the top right corner are bolts of lightning. In the top left corner are colorful sparks of light. Along the bottom stand a row of twelve people seen in silhouette from the back, each one holding on hand on the shoulder of the person standing next to them. This square is flanked by thin panels. The right panel at bottom depicts a partially constructed ladder next to a support tower. The left panel shows a spyglass or telescope angled to view the floating island. A final set of panels flanks the rest of the image. The scope extends into the final left panel. Thick gray fog or clouds appear at bottom. At right middle, three smaller floating island are chained together with bridges. The sky above displays colored gases. At left, a net of light extends and expands from one corner of the central island. A larger overlay of the circle showing the sky and moon sits to the left of the whole image. A smaller overlay sits to the right. Borders at top and bottom to make the final image a square. These borders repeat motifs from the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along middle right.]