Podcasts about Ichor

Welcome to Super Game Brothers, a family-friendly video game and board game podcast. The weekly agenda covers the board games and video games we played in the last week, industry news, and the games in crowdfunding that stand out to us. This week, we talk about the Golden Geeks Awards, GTA 6 being delayed, and our playthroughs of Iliad and Orapa Mine. Thanks for listening and laughing with us! Make sure to check us out on Patreon for exclusive episodes, early access, and other perks. Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/SuperGameBrothers Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro, NBA playoffs, golf struggles, hats, and lawns. 00:16:48 - Super Movie Brothers / SuperMan trailer 00:30:09 - Patreon shoutout & Giveaway 00:31:14 - New games to subscription services 00:39:50 - Video Game Update / Red Dead Redemption 2, Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, Bionic Bay, Indiana Jones, Revenge of the Savage Planet, and Space Marine 2 01:00:19 - Board Game Update / Iliad and Orapa Mine 01:10:01 - We're Most Excited About... The Precint, Ichor, and Spectral 01:15:51 - Video Game News 01:30:42 - Board Game News / Golden Geek Awards and 7 Wonders Dice 01:40:25 - Crowdfunding Corner 01:53:25 - Outro Join our giveaway at https://www.supergamebrothers.com. The links below help support our show, without costing you any more: Video games we talked about: Clair Obscure: Expedition 33Red Dead Redemption 2Space Marine 2Indiana JonesBionic BayBoard games we talked about: IliadOrapa Mine Ichor Thanks so much for stopping by! Your support is what makes our show possible.

Butch performs a small amount of butchering on Buhan, and then acts even more strangely than normal. A plan is made to infiltrate the prison.

Welcome to Super Game Brothers, a family-friendly video game and board game podcast. The weekly agenda covers the board games and video games we played in the last week, industry news, and the games in crowdfunding that stand out to us. This week, we lost one third of the episode due to OBS not liking us. Know that we did have crowdfunding corner, talk about GTA 6, and everything else... you just won't get to hear it. Thanks for listening and laughing with us! Make sure to check us out on Patreon for exclusive episodes, early access, and other perks. Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/SuperGameBrothers Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:06:08 - Super Movie Brothers 00:26:45 - Patreon shoutout & Giveaway 00:28:42 - Digital vs physical board games 00:31:06 - New games to subscription services 00:46:55 - Video Game Update / Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, Red Dead Redemption 2, & Resident Evil 4 Remake 00:55:52 - We're Most Excited About... Space Marine 2, Iliad, and Ichor 01:00:12 - The Great Crash of 2025 Join our giveaway at https://www.supergamebrothers.com. The links below help support our show, without costing you any more: Video games we talked about: Blue Prince Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Red Dead Redemption 2 Resident Evil 4 Board games we talked about: Iliad Ichor Thanks so much for stopping by! Your support is what makes our show possible.

Welcome to Super Game Brothers, a family-friendly video game and board game podcast. The weekly agenda covers the board games and video games we played in the last week, industry news, and the games in crowdfunding that stand out to us. This week, we talke about our initial experience with Clair Obscure: Expedition 33. Thanks for listening and laughing with us! Make sure to check us out on Patreon for exclusive episodes, early access, and other perks.Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/SuperGameBrothers Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro, escape rooms, Switch 2 preorder madness 00:18:30 - Patreon shoutout & Giveaway 00:20:34 - New games to subscription services 00:30:14 - Video Game Update / Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, & Red Dead Redemption 2 00:54:07 - Board Game Update / Ito and Longshot: The Dice Game 00:57:30 - We're Most Excited About... Space Marine 2, Iliad, and Ichor 01:02:57 - News Mini-Nuke 01:43:06 - Crowdfunding Corner / Project L, Earth Animal Kingdom, Gazebo, and Gingham 01:57:51 - Wrap-up Join our giveaway at https://www.supergamebrothers.com. The links below help support our show, without costing you any more: Video games we talked about: Blue Prince Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 Red Dead Redemption 2 Board games we talked about: ItoLongshot: The Dice Game Thanks so much for stopping by! Your support is what makes our show possible.

Send us a textAfter dealing with the miniature figures of Hugh Pinkerton, the party ventures deeper into the Phylactery Factory where they find two Ichor cages like the one that used to contain Delry. The Inhabitants of the Ichor cages have keys to a long wondered mystery of the party's. #dndpodcast #dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #deadseason #dndactualplay Consider supporting our podcast by going to patreon.com/knocked where you can get tons of behind the scenes content to our show!Links to everything else: https://beacons.ai/knockedproneMusic composed in this episode comes from Coltrin Compositions, if you want to support their amazing work check out their Patreon at patreon.com/coltrincompositionsSupport the show

Nick shares 18 of his most anticipated Board Games of 2025!Preorder Iliad, Ichor, SILOS, EGO, and/or ORBIT here.Subscribe to the Bitewing Games Newsletter here.

Episode 130.2: Maniac, Scams, College Fees, Drone Delivery, Flying Cars, Extinction, Liberal Pundits, and Iron Root Ichor

Alfie and Neige meet in sanctuary. Tensions are high as they attempt to navigate the new topographies of their relationship and the context they exist in. The Halloween Special Transcript: https://hangingslothstudios.com/nqd-41/ Or: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eL1U_sAxj3z10UjYQ_0DS56H7RYXHhj2mYlFNWN0ndY/edit?tab=t.0 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hangingslothstudiosEpisode Content WarningsPlease bear in mind that this show is a work of horror fiction and frequently places characters in situations which jeopardise their psychological and physical health. This episode contains: References to murderReferences to severe injuryMentions of blood and blood drinkingDiscussions of sexDepictions and discussions of grieving a loved oneEmotional manipulationImplications of sexual conductUse of sex and sexual acts as a coercive/argumentative tacticNot Quite Dead is written, created and performed by Eira Major, under a creative commons 4.0 attribution license, and this is the end of season three. I couldn't make this show without the incredible support of my contributors over on Patreon. Without you none of this would have happened, thank you so much for helping make this possible. I make this show for you, the listeners, and it means the world that you tune in to listen to it. Thank you so much for coming with me on this journey. I look forward to bringing you Season 4 in 2025. Until then, live, laugh, bite. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We got him, folks! We Gaga-got him! The clown is down! There's already an alarming amount of turkey vultures circling around, so you'll never see him again! Now we can make room for giant tubs of ranch dressing, tasty canopic jars, and uncomfortable discourse around the Mario family lore. Suggested talking points: Evil on My Mother's Side, 500 Foot Super Bird, Twelve Volumes of Ichor, Your Impact on My Jock is Minimal at Best, Big Dip Cup Big Enough, Slutz for UtzNative Women Lead: https://www.nativewomenlead.org/

Publisher Bitewing Games has a thing for designer Reiner Knizia (most recently with Zoo Vadis and the Mythos Collection's Illiad and Ichor). Now they're back at it with a new three-part, big-box, Knizia-palooza Kickstarter campaign. We had the opportunity to play one of those parts, SILOS (Secret Interlopers from Outer Space), a retro sci-fi (with cows!) rethemed version of Municipium...and we instantly fell in love. So we invited Bitewing founders Nick Murray and Kyle Spackman to chat about SILOS, other great area-control games, and board game series and franchises. Timeline: 3:25 - Going Analog's game pick: Magic Maze Tower. 11:22 - Bitewing's game pick: Moonrollers. 19:48 - Going Analog's topic: SILOS and other great area-control games. 47:57 - Bitewing's topic: gaming series and franchies.

Episode 282: #origins2024 Post Mortem Introduction: News:  Iliad and Ichor - 7 days. $29 each Battle Bake - 8 days, $27 #origins2024 Post Mortem:  Games demoedCampsite, Bacon, 9 Lives, Mori, Blueprints of Mad King Ludwig, Dabba Walla Games purchasedDabba Walla, Scrap Racer, Panda Royale, Campsite, Nancy Drew Collector, Poison, Juicy Fruits Mystic Island, Orleans The Plague, Now!, Cabanga, Sausage Sizzle, Bacon, 9 Lives, Mori, Lunar, Seaside, Three Shirts, pins, Mug Richard - Circus Flohcati, Decktective Review - La Famila Hort, Words of a Feather Gaming with Julia, Bob, Bobby and Mike Cabanga, Surfosaurus MAX Gaming with RichardHarmonies, SHH, At the Office, Cabanga, Poison, Mori Gaming after origins at our house with Mat and Jamie Thursday - Sausage Sizzle, Bacon, Lunar Friday - Evil Inc, Cabanga, Now!, Panda Royale, A Message from the Stars Favorite booth? Best purchase? Closing:

What do you get when you have a bunch of teenage girls trying to navigate puberty in an isolated northern village, caught between the fast paced present, and the slow methodical traditions of your community? AND….. there just so happens to be an infestation of alien worms here to kill everyone? You get this weeks movie, written and directed by an Inuit Woman, about Inuit Women, and it's got a lot for us to discuss. We have merch now! Follow us on Twitch for listening parties and just hanging out. Also we have a DiscordWe now have a website! Visit us at www.strangebiscuits.com/graveyard to send us movie suggestions and comment on episodes!You can follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Thegraveyardshiftpod/On Twitter at https://twitter.com/GS_horrorpodAnd on Instagram at www.instagram.com/thegraveyardshiftpod/If you would like to make a donation to help keep the show going and get access to bonus content, you can do so by checking us out at https://www.patreon.com/Graveyardemail us at graveyardshiftpod@gmail.com for movie suggestions or Patreon ideas.Thanks for listening.

We at Lawful Stupid are a D&D 5e actual play podcast who actually love to play. We love everything about the Tabletop RPG Community and consistently strive to make the world a better place within that community through inclusivity, creativity, charitable acts, and above all else, fantastical heroism. If you want to be a part of the amazing dnd community of artists, creators, and all around amazing fun people that we are building please join us in our discord, send any questions to our email, and consider making a donation to our charity of the month as a part of our Roll for Humanity initiative all found below, or just check out our website for dungeons, dragons, mystery, magic, lore, and love all in one spot.  SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS: We have hit 1 million downloads! Check out our celebration posters of our milestones featuring our campaign characters now in store.lawfulstupid.org  So much thanks goes out to Abon, the Lawful Stupid artist, and Ging, our God Tier Audio engineer. You can find Ging's music over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠soundcloud.com/zack-sheppard⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lawfulstupid.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our discord at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://discord.lawfulstupid.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecrew@lawfulstupid.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want to support the show? You can do so at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.lawfulstupid.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our Narrative Combat rules FOR FREE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/lawful-stupids-55800965⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy yourself something pretty at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠diceenvy.com/lawfulstupid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our blog at lawfulstupidadnd5eactualplaypodcast.wordpress.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lawfulstupiddnd/support

Insanely talented artist and creator, Tyler Miles Lockett joins the show to talk about some upcoming projects. Tyler is creating the art for Renier Knizia's Ichor, Lockett Studio (a really exciting project that we chat about for a bit!), and his HUGE upcoming book, Lockett Studio: Greek Gods and Heroes. Through a long time of traveling and creating, Tyler is looking to bring forth stories from throughout history and the world.Check out Tyler's work through this Linktree.Additionally, be on the lookout for Bitewing game's upcoming Kickstarter that has Ichor as one of two Knizia games specifically designed for two and put in a Greek Mythology setting.In the interview, Tyler asks for some “casual game” recommendations. At the end, I said I'd send them over and put them in the show notes. So you'll be privy to all of the words that I shared (some behind the scenes stuff here so as to not be left out. Due to that, I'll just title the sections and timestamp them instead of going into depth for each.Convergence of Art and Mythology (0:00)Digital Nomad (26:34)Lockett Studio (41:56)Wrap-up Questions [Text on Mind & Things to Look out for from Tyler] (1:02:14)GAME RECOMMENDATIONSSantorini (2) - You mentioned Chess, and this one is an “abstract” like that, but much simpler. It's really dynamic and has fun physicality. It's typically quite quick; it's my most played game of all time (has the slightest “Greek Mythology” setting to it with the special powers, but I hardly use those anyway).Prey Another Day (4-5) - This one feels as social of a card game as it gets. It's kind of like “double think” the game. Your group will make up metas and counter-metas and just be vocal through the whole experience.Ra (2-5 [two seems polarizing though]) - On the higher end of the casual spectrum, but I don't think it's too challenging to learn and teach. Designed by Reiner Knizia himself, so the game does a lot with its minimal ruleset.DroPolter (2-5) - New to my collection, but I think this one will always be with me in a game bag. It's a dexterity game where you try to drop certain pieces from your hand. If you win a round, you gain a bell as a victory point. That bell gets added to your hand, and you do not want to drop it. This game is great.Sprawlopolis (1-2) - I've only played this one solo, but it's a puzzly game using just eighteen cards. For me, it's one of several Buttonshy Games that I'll bust out if I need a quick break to play a game but do not have much time.Just One (4-7+ [the plus would need some extra white boards or paper could work too) and So Clover! (2-6) - I've had Just One longer but have technically played So Clover! more. You can't really go wrong with either, but I do think that Just One needs more people in order to make it a better experience. They're both just really social word-party games.-----vodthepod@gmail.comTwitterInstagramBuy Me a Coffee

We at Lawful Stupid are a D&D 5e actual play podcast who actually love to play. We love everything about the Tabletop RPG Community and consistently strive to make the world a better place within that community through inclusivity, creativity, charitable acts, and above all else, fantastical heroism. If you want to be a part of the amazing dnd community of artists, creators, and all around amazing fun people that we are building please join us in our discord, send any questions to our email, and consider making a donation to our charity of the month as a part of our Roll for Humanity initiative all found below, or just check out our website for dungeons, dragons, mystery, magic, lore, and love all in one spot.  SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS: We have hit 1 million downloads! Check out our celebration posters of our milestones featuring our campaign characters now in store.lawfulstupid.org  So much thanks goes out to Abon, the Lawful Stupid artist, and Ging, our God Tier Audio engineer. You can find Ging's music over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠soundcloud.com/zack-sheppard⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lawfulstupid.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our discord at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://discord.lawfulstupid.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecrew@lawfulstupid.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want to support the show? You can do so at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.lawfulstupid.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our Narrative Combat rules FOR FREE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/lawful-stupids-55800965⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Buy yourself something pretty at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠diceenvy.com/lawfulstupid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our blog at lawfulstupidadnd5eactualplaypodcast.wordpress.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lawfulstupiddnd/support

A showdown in the hidden rooms of the Riverbend Blues Lounge! As the room fills with blood and Ichor, can the Phantom Phinders survive the unnatural horror they've come across? Make sure to rate and review us on iTunes and then reach out on Twitter or to our email to get an NPC named in Carrefour! Make sure to check out our new website: QMtabletop.com and the new Delta Green Podcast Directory https://twitter.com/QMoftheTableTop https://www.instagram.com/quartermastersofthetabletop/ https://www.tiktok.com/@qmottt https://youtube.com/@QuartermastersoftheTabletop https://linktr.ee/qmottt Chaos Springs Eternal Season One: City of Woe is set in Carrefour Louisiana and follows the members of the Phantom Phinders, a public access ghost hunting TV show as they explore the strange and weird happenings. We use the Delta Green TTRPG rules. Warning: The podcast does contain violent themes and explicit language as well as potential mental hazards. Nyarlathotep reigns. Imla ìbaz ehccema iam Lehpar. intro/outro music is: Cocytus by Pawns or Kings background music is from Dark Fantasy Studio Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this podcast are ©Chaos Springs Eternal excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.  

Nick shares his first impressions of new-to-him board games he's been playing lately:Through the Desert: Bazaar Expansion - 0:45Innovation - 6:26Apiary - 11:13Wonder Bowling - 14:46Skyrise - 17:23London (Second Edition) - 25:22Great Plains - 27:50Follow the Kickstarter page for Iliad and Ichor. Thanks for your support!

The guys talk with the delightful, talented and spooky author and podcaster...CD McKenna!!! https://www.instagram.com/ichorandink?igsh=MTBmZThka28yZ3k4NQ== @cdmckenna1 https://www.instagram.com/anatolian_press?igsh=MXZ6M2R2d21ibWhidg== https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cd+mckenna&crid=3655J7NO1R92M&sprefix=cd+mckenna%2Caps%2C132&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_10 https://www.facebook.com/IchorandInk?mibextid=LQQJ4d https://www.facebook.com/Anatolianpress?mibextid=LQQJ4d

This week on H-SPAN, we sat down with Kelsey Moody, CEO at Ichor Life Sciences, Inc.In this episode, we discuss how Kelsey started Ichor, what the future holds in terms of growth and expansion, as well as Ichor's activities in the longevity investment space.

Weddings & DiplomacyA 5-part story By Blind_Justice & Loqui Sordida Ad Me. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.“Joras, are you alright?”“Yes, Yes, I think so,” the artist panted. “T'pek gave me a healing poultice, At least, I hope that’s what it was.” He scrabbled for the water skin on his back, only to find the leather vessel torn and almost empty. Desperately, he licked water droplets from his fingers.“A camp is close,” T'pek said. “Food and water are there. Can you walk?”Joras pulled apart his torn pant leg. It was blood-soaked, but the skin underneath was unbroken and whole. "By my brushes! It worked,“ the artist gasped. T'pek growled happily. "Ambrose, you should fill a ship’s hold with these things. You’d make a fortune if they didn’t taste like death itself,” he added in Thelyrian.He looked up at Tsonia kneeling over the sea captain and went pale. “Oh, dear…”Tsonia offered a horrible, bloody smile. “I had to go back for him. The old fool was debating fate with the gods and I couldn’t let him die just yet. I know how fond you are of him.”“Thank you,” Joras said, clasping her wrist. “Of all of us, he’s had it the worst. Losing his ship, his crew, having to watch a friend be torn to pieces by the living dead…”“I know. All because I asked for his help chasing Kelgore." Tsonia sighed. "Curse the gods for the choices we make, eh?” She wiped at the blood covering half her face, only managing to smear it.Joras came to his feet and took up the pack that Ambrose had carried. “I’m sure the idea of taking half of what the God-King offered us appealed to him at the time.”“It will be more than enough to buy him a new ship at least.” Tsonia hoisted Ambrose back onto her shoulders. She fell into step behind T'pek, Joras by her side. “Gods, I’d kill for a bath right about now.”From bundle slung over Joras’s shoulder, the dead witch’s voice rasped “Kelgore is close! His presence draws me like a lodestone.”“Yes, thank you,” Tsonia replied. “We have a guide now, your service is no longer required.”“Insolent whore!" Shala gnashed her teeth. "First you tempt my son into debauchery, and now you dismiss my counsel with such contempt. The fate spinner may have granted you beauty, but they sacrificed any shred of virtue.”Tsonia inhaled slowly, mustering her patience. “You should choose your words carefully, witch. Especially when a bottomless chasm is so close." She paused, letting her words sink in. "What makes you think I corrupted your whelp? From what I’ve heard, he was called ‘The Despoiler’ for good reason, long before I met him.”“Kelgore has always shared my ambition to dethrone the God-King!” Shala protested. “His carnal endeavors were little more than the spoils of the victor. It was only when he found your demon-tainted cunt that he got it into his head to breed an heir that might surpass him.”“Ha!” Tsonia barked. “No man’s seed has ever found purchase in my womb.” Over the years since her virgin defilement by Q'alan, there had been many, many men who had tried. “Kelgore yearns in vain.”“No mortal seed, perhaps,” Shala admonished. "But Kelgore’s blood flows just as black as yours. Don’t scorn the fate spinner’s patterns so casually, whore. They have a vicious sense of humor.“That gave Tsonia pause. She had never met another soul that had survived desecration by a demon the way she had. Was it possible that she might conceive a child with Kelgore? She really had no idea, and she wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about this new possibility.T'pek stopped at the foot of a towering tree. "Here,” he said, pointing at the trunk. Deep hand holds had been carved into the bark.Tsonia craned her neck. Expertly hidden among the wide leaves of the jungle’s canopy was a large platform nestled in the branches. Gently, she let Ambrose slide from her shoulders. The captain groaned, slowly coming to his senses.“Good to see you return to us,” Tsonia said, helping Ambrose into a sitting position. “Are there other hunters up there, T'pek?”The beastkin shook his head. “They would have come already.” He cocked his head, ears perked high. “Drums from the village are quiet. That does not happen.” He looked at Tsonia. “I am worried.”“We will see,” Tsonia said. “Can your drum ask?”“Yes.” T'pek clambered up the trunk. Moments later, a quick beat echoed from above. The response was distant and sparse.“Oh grand, more drumming,” Ambrose muttered, reaching for the hand holds. With some effort, he pulled himself up the trunk and onto the platform. Joras followed, a bit hesitant.“This isn't a Xhastrian rooftop,” Tsonia said reassuringly. “You won’t fall and break your legs again.”“At least the ground ought to be softer than those thousand-year old cobblestones,” Joras muttered darkly, pulling himself up onto the platform. Tsonia followed suit.A wondrous sight awaited once she reached the top. There was a small hearth made from stacked rocks where the coals of a small fire still smoldered. Cozy-looking piles of fronds and furs looked enough to sleep half a dozen hunters. Large, leathery leaves had been cleverly stitched together and sealed with dark sap to form water bags. Sighing with contentment, Tsonia stripped off her blood-caked armor and uncorked one of these, splashing herself until the worst of the blood was washed away.While she bathed, Ambrose and Joras rekindled the fire and skewered meat to roast. They chatted softly with each other. Tsonia noticed the glances the graying captain shot her way. They seemed less accusatory than before, but still far from his usual friendly self. She sighed, feeling the weight of her decisions laid upon her soul. But there was nothing she could do now but push on and make sure they all made it back home safely.T'pek sat at the edge of the platform, dangling his feet and rapping his drum to as much avail as before. The responses that came back were sparse and scattered, a far cry from the all-encompassing rumble from days past.Tsonia stepped behind him, sinking her hands into his shoulder fur and kneading the taut muscles underneath. T'pek looked at her in surprise. A soft purr rumbled in his chest.“What do they say?” she softly asked.“Confusion,” T'pek admitted. “The village is quiet. It is as if no one is there to beat the drums.” He listened to an errant bout of rumbles. “That does not happen. The drums are sacred!”“Can we see your village from here?”“Yes,” T'pek nodded, putting aside his drum. He guided Tsonia back towards the great tree trunk where more hand holds led further up, far above the leafy jungle canopy. “From there,” he pointed upwards.His hand caressed down her spine, inflaming her barely controlled need again. She caught his wrist. “Don’t wake my hunger, hunter,” she purred. “We must see your village.” A soft whine escaped his chest. Tsonia sighed, slipping her hand under his loincloth. She found him hard and throbbing and squeezed fondly. “You will not sleep alone tonight,” she promised. "Wisdom first.“Panting happily, T'pek dashed up the tree. His sinuous tail caressed her bruised cheek as he went.Chuckling, Tsonia followed, albeit a bit more slowly. She heard Shala snarl something, probably another bout of insults but chose to ignore the foul-mouthed witch. This climb was longer than the first, ending at a much smaller platform, barely wide enough for both of them to stand together.Despite the thick clouds overhead and the deepening darkness of the night, the volcano was easy to see. The massive plume of smoke had gained a glowing red underbelly and the sharp slopes seemed much closer now. In the absence of constant drumming, every growl and rumble of the earth was clearly audible.T'pek pointed, a dark shade against the gloom. "The village is there. But, No light. No fire.”Tsonia’s gaze followed his extended arm. She saw nothing but an unbroken carpet of leaves and swaying trees. Shielding the last rays of sunset with her hand, her eyes dug into the darkness for sign of civilization. After a moment, something finally caught her eye, a flickering light much higher up than she expected, seemingly caught in a square recess.“What am I looking at?” she wondered. “I see light. Weak light, there.”T'pek leaned forwards, his dark eyes wide to catch every errant ray of light. "The temple. There is fire in the temple.“ He shook his head. "There should be fire in the village. Fire for light. Fire to cook. Fire to scare beasts away. But there is no fire.” He growled in annoyance.T'pek swung his body off the platform and clambered down the trunk. Tsonia had to hurry to catch up with him. She reached him as he was about to descend to the jungle floor below.“Stop!” she barked.T'pek froze, hand on the trunk. “There is danger. I must help!”“Yes,” Tsonia said, taking his hand off the wood. “But do not be fast. Be smart. This danger is new. This danger is Kelgore.”“What is Kelgore?” T'pek asked. His words were taut like a drawn bow. Tsonia could sense him aching for action.“Kelgore is a bad man,” Tsonia said. “He has strong magic. He can steal your, thoughts. Your will.”T'pek gazed at her, struggling to comprehend what Tsonia was saying. “My , will?”“His words, his eyes steal, you,” Tsonia said, struggling to put Kelgore’s horrible power into the simple terms of the Trade Tongue. “Magic makes you obey him.”“His magic steals the will of my tribe?” A dangerous growl came from the hunter’s throat.“We do not know. Maybe. We need to be smart. Clever, not angry,” Tsonia said, caressing T'pek’s back. “I am your mate. Let me help.”The beastkin exhaled, a long, shuddering sound of apprehension. “Yes,” he said. "Help. But how?“Tsonia offered a horrible, little smile. "We ask the dead witch.”Kelgore was beginning to have his doubts.It had not been hard to persuade the beastkin tribe to make him their ruler. He had only had to ask, first his captors to take him before their elders, and then the elders to revere him as a god. The fact that they shared no common language made no difference at all. Any who met Kelgore’s demon-blessed gaze understood his desires intuitively. Those who heard him speak were powerless to resist his will. These savages were no different than the milky men of the Green Cities or the fish-mongers of the Xhastrian coast.And so Kelgore ruled them. Without his mother’s constant nagging, he had been free to rule as he wished and to indulge his appetites without constraint.The women of the beastkin tribe, he found, were not unattractive. They curved in all the right places and the soft fur that covered their skin was actually quite nice to feel under his hands. The beastkin girl so enthusiastically riding his cock at the moment had pert little tits that trembled deliciously. The way her long, articulate tail thrashed when she came and the claws raking down his chest and back were unexpectedly arousing.With an agonized groan of release, Kelgore finally ejaculated deep in the beast-girl’s fertile quim. He felt a new shadow cross her psyche, a selfish little desire that she’d share with none of her kin. The girl hoped that she was conceiving a great chieftain, a ruler to succeed Kelgore someday and elevate her own status in the tribe.They had all had the same secret hope, and in hindsight, Kelgore thought it was probably a mistake to gather the entire tribe and turn them all to his debaucherous cause at once.As the beastkin girl dismounted his throne with a smile and a swish of her tail she was replaced almost immediately by his next suitor, this one older, her teats fuller and hips wider. She bathed his spent cock with a long, slippery tongue, coaxing him back to his full.In her mind, Kelgore saw all the secret tricks she knew for kindling a lover. He saw her secret fear that she was not as attractive as the younger females of the tribe, and her secret desire to bear the next great chief.He had lost count of the females he had serviced, each convinced by his will that by bearing Kelgore’s offspring their tribe would thrive and flourish, vanquishing all threats and rivals. The males too were turned to Kelgore’s cause and eagerly offered up their wives, mothers, and daughters. The cuckolded males brought him food and drink and attended his every need while he defiled their women in front of them. When he had no need of them, they gathered outside the temple, like dolls lined up on a shelf, waiting for the puppet master to resume his play.Only the elders had another part to play. Without females to bring him and as priests of the tribe’s old faith, they needed to be kept busy. From painful experience Kelgore knew that men and women of faith were notoriously hard to sway, so giving them tasks away from their former holy sites to take their minds elsewhere was the only prudent thing to do. He turned the elders, bird, serpent and skull, into watchmen. They were to patrol the village and warn him of any newcomers, announced or unannounced both. They complied, their minds buckling under the weight of their new responsibilities, leaving Kelgore to enjoy the tribe’s hospitality.After days of incessant revelry, the novelty however had long since worn off, and Kelgore discovered much to his dismay that once someone was turned to his cause, it was surprisingly difficult to turn them back. Thus far, he had never stayed in one place for long, raiding coastal villages for food and supplies and bodies, both to replenish combat losses and those to sate his appetite, and that of his men. He didn’t care if his charms wore off eventually or how long it took them to do so. Now he learned about the limits of his demonic gift.No matter how deeply penetrating his gaze, no matter how resonant the timbre of his voice, he could not staunch the beastkin’s desire to copulate with him for more than a few hours at a time. He could inspire new wishes and inclinations for a short time, but always that first yearning to breed a generation of his children returned.Perhaps that cause had been too grand in scale and scope. When Kelgore desired food they brought him food and when he desired sleep, they let him sleep. But after he’d eaten or slept, the tribe’s desire returned to milking his seed into the loins of their females. Perhaps after nine months or so, when the cause was fulfilled, his tribe would be ripe for new challenges.As the next female mounted Kelgore’s reinvigorated rod with a murmur of satisfied yearning, he realized that something was amiss. Distracted by the purring beastkin writhing on his lap, it took him some time to realize that the drums, thus far an ever-present rumbling background noise, had stopped. Kelgore had learned that various rhythms tracked and relayed different threats across the island. He could tell the difference between “strangers on the beach” and “strangers in the jungle” and “strangers sleeping”, but this silence was odd.A shadow fell over him. Kelgore raised his gaze. The sharp-beaked golden mask of the bird-faced elder loomed above him. His clawless front paw reverentially touched his shoulder, begging for his attention.The elder’s thoughts were a confused jumble, but something stirred within them, some other form mental connection, not unlike his own. Despite himself, Kelgore closed his hand around the elder’s, forcing his will through the hazy confusion. The elder carried a secret, something no one besides his peers was allowed to know. They guarded something, locked away in the catacombs beneath the temple. Something old, something horrible, so vile it could annihilate the whole tribe if it ever broke free from its shackles. Deals had been struck. The elders gave themselves willingly, becoming instruments of the Sleeper’s will and fulfilling its desire for nourishment and entertainment. Once sated, it would go back to sleep for years on end, leaving the tribe to flourish.Kelgore pushed the elder’s hand off his shoulder. “What is it?” he snarled. “I’m busy.” The female on his lap looked down at his imperious tone.“Strangers are in the village. One has fur the color of fire.”Suddenly wide awake and invigorated, Kelgore sat up. His true bride had finally arrived and it was time to greet her, make her his queen.Kelgore took the beastkin woman by her ass and shoved her off to the side of the padded breeding throne the savages had built for him. She stroked his shoulder and chest with an inquiring bark as Kelgore pushed himself to his feet. In her touch Kelgore felt her anticipation, saw her sprawled beneath him, saw her on her hands and knees before him, saw her spooned against him.“No,” Kelgore spat, knocking her hand away. His cold gaze pierced her wide, faithful eyes and she knew his desire even if his words meant nothing to her. “No, I don’t want you.”He threw his sturdy over-robe around his shoulders without bothering to dress more completely. As Kelgore hurried from the temple he had appropriated from the village elders, he left the beastkin whore curled up on the throne, sobbing while the elder watched, bereft of any emotion. The other females, gathered as they were in the great hall around the firepit, looked up as he strode past. Some purred in satisfaction, those he hadn’t fucked yet crawled on hands and knees to intercept him, their tails high in the air. The sounds they made were between playful coos and desperate howls. He didn’t care for any of them, now that demon-blooded, fire-haired Tsonia was close! He snapped an angry order, his loud voice enough for the horny ones to shirk away in confusion and the sated ones to raise their heads in puzzlement. Kelgore paid them no heed, eager to leave the gloom of his makeshift throne room.The entire village, what there was of it, spread out down the slope beneath his temple. The ruins of once elegant stone dwellings had been repurposed by clumsier hands with branches and bark and animal hides into crude hovels and halls. Surrounding the great hall the tribes’ males languished. Unneeded, unwanted, with no purpose save for waiting for their god’s next command. As he emerged, Kelgore’s worshippers turned to look up at him, their weapons, tools and drums forgotten besides them. They had been blessed by their new deity’s appearance. All they wanted was to serve.And serve they shall. He picked six of the strongest hunters. “You, come with me. Defend me with your lives, but do not hurt our guest.” The broad-shouldered beastkin growled in assent and grabbed their spears, coming lithely to their feet.The other beastkin slumped into listless heaps of fur as Kelgore swept down the steep steps leading into the village. With his guards in tow he strode along the main thoroughfare, an ancient road paved with cracked tiles. Past the abandoned huts he went, past the deserted tanning racks and smoke houses, past toppled weapons racks, scattered tools and forgotten toys, and then into the main square.Across the plaza Kelgore saw two men, men like him, hugging close to the broken masonry of ancient walls. There was caution in their eyes as they picked their way forward. They were strangers to him, and so Kelgore assumed they must be survivors from the vessel that had dogged him into Shala’s storm. One of the men, the younger, wore the tattered remains of a garish orange cloak.“Fur the color of fire,” Kelgore muttered to himself. He would have to have a chat with Bird-face, teach him proper use of the Trade Tongue. While he was disappointed that Tsonia had not yet come to him, he was glad to have the company of other men.Both men appeared haggard and unkempt, but their expressions brightened as soon as they caught sight of Kelgore and his retinue.“Praise the gods!” shouted the younger man.“Succor?” called the elder as both men hurried closer. "Succor, for two shipwrecked sailors?“Kelgore’s guards closed ranks around him and the men stopped dead, as if only just noticing the beasts at Kelgore’s command. The men looked past the guards with eyes full of hope and desperation."Stand down,” said Kelgore with a smile. “Can’t you oafs see that these good men are harmless? Welcome, gentlemen. Welcome to my kingdom, such as it is.”As his honor guard parted, the men looked at each other. Kelgore saw a strange pair of expressions cross their faces, and he could not fault their confusion. He was curious to see how the strangers would respond.“Your majesty!” replied the elder man at last, offering a low bow. “We are your humble servants.”“You may approach,” Kelgore gestured to the ground before him and both strangers rushed forward bowing and scraping. They knelt where he had indicated, their eyes cast down in deferential supplication. Kelgore could see now that they were bruised and bloodied. Their trek through the jungle must have been a difficult one. And yet these were civilized men who knew how to behave in the presence of a king.“Rise and come with me, my welcome guests,” Kelgore instructed with all the magnanimity his authority granted. “You will be fed and your wounds treated. My court has need of noble men such as yourselves. I have many questions, but they can wait until you are fed and rested.”Something was nagging at Kelgore as he led the pair back towards his temple. He realized that these men had probably been hunting him only a week ago, but that hardly mattered. If they opposed him, he would simply turn them to his cause. No, what troubled Kelgore was the thought that these two lowly sailors had made their way to him through the treacherous jungle faster than Tsonia had.Serpent waited. He had brought the outsider food and drink. He had brought fresh cloth to cleanse the outsider after he had lain with the women. But now the outsider had no task for him, so Serpent waited. He would wait until the outsider would have need of him again. Impassively he had watched as every last female, young or old, was herded into the temple. He watched as the hunters shuffled from the great hall like cattle, how they crumpled into motionless piles of fur and misery, having to listen to their wives, their daughters mew in heat as the outsider took them, one by one.He watched as Brother Condor entered the temple and talked to the outsider, causing him to stop the breeding rituals and storm from the great hall in sudden excitement. He had no idea why, but that was fine. He merely had to wait and receive his new orders.A sharp pain tore through his skull, covered by the heavy mask and ornate headdress. Moaning in agony, Serpent went to his knees. Around the temple, he heard two echoes of his own wail as his brothers suffered the same excruciating pain.Tears ran down his cheeks and dripped from his whiskers as titanic forces battled for dominance in his skull. He burned in a sudden fever, yet his teeth chattered as he shook with the chills. A fang clipped his tongue, drawing fresh, hot blood and another pained whimper. The pain was strongest at the base of his neck, as if a spear point was forced into his spine.And Serpent remembered, when he had been chosen, he went into a chamber below the great hall. The other two elders, Condor and Death Inevitable, were chanting. Thick smoke poured from a strange vessel, tearing up his eyes and insulting his sensitive nostrils with its cloying sweetness. Each breath he took caused him to relax more and more. Death Inevitable, his hand disappearing in the grotesque maw of a statue hewn from the wall, ordered him to step forward and kneel by the hatch in the floor. Awestruck by the great honor bestowed upon him, the most senior hunter of the tribe, he complied. The hatch ground open and more sweet-smelling vapors poured forth, blinding him completely. There was a sickening, slurping and smacking noise and something viscous slithered around his neck.The pain that followed was worse than anything he’d ever have to endure. His skin burned. His flesh dissolved. And something snaked under his skull. He howled and screamed, baring his fangs, trying to claw at the slithering intrusion, but the elders held him firmly to the ground. There was no escape, only merciful unconsciousness.When he awoke some time later, the village was celebrating the arrival of its newest elder. His head throbbed with unfamiliar palpitations. Gingerly, he touched his neck, sensing a small lump bulging from his spine. When his fingers brushed it, a soothing sensation oozed from it, assuring him everything would be all right. The Sleeper would see to that. The others had found him then and presented him with the golden mask of the fang-toothed Serpent. From now on, he was no longer a hunter. He had been chosen. The Sleeper had accepted him. He now was an elder, serving the village and its unseen master both until the day he died.Groaning, cursing his ancient bones, Serpent came to his feet. The Sleeper had freed him from the outsider’s spell. There was a strange movement on his back and gingerly, Serpent prodded for it. Something long and viscous dangled from the nape of his neck, streaked in blood and amniotic fluid. He gasped in terror as he beheld the Sleeper’s pale limb, sprouted from his own burst flesh.He tucked the offending appendage under his headdress and hurried through the temple, past the moaning females begging for their new god to return, to grace them with his seed. He growled in barely contained rage at this defilement of the tribe and hurried past, to where Condor was sprawled in a pool of blood in a dark corner, unheeded by anyone. His mask had fallen off his grayed face and his snout and forehead were a ghastly pulp. Ichor and brain matter ran down the wall from where he had shattered his own skull.“We will find a new elder,” Death Inevitable whispered behind him, the Sleeper’s limb grown from his neck gently touching Serpent’s shoulder. "But first, the Sleeper. Can’t you feel it?“Serpent nodded as shivers ran down his spine. The Sleeper was furious. First they had fed it an impure, hollowed shell of a woman. Then it had spent some of its precious power to free them from the outsider’s spell. It demanded praise. It demanded food. The Sleeper demanded a sacrifice.Serpent exchanged a long look with Death Inevitable. "Didn’t Condor, rest his soul, say there were strangers approaching?”“He did. We must bless Brother Condor with the funerary rites quickly, so that we can find these new outsiders.”Between the broken stone walls, Tsonia strolled openly, waiting to be challenged by a sentry. She had followed the path T'pek had indicated to the outskirts of the ancient ruins that his tribe called home. When no challenge came, she continued on towards the temple where he said the elders would gather.It was possible, she knew, that she was being watched. T'pek and his people were nearly invisible in the lush jungle foliage when they wanted to be. Much of the jungle had encroached on the overgrown stonework so there might have been eyes anywhere. If they were there, Tsonia could not see them. What she did see were abandoned tools and utensils, lying discarded as if their owners might return at any moment. As she made her way across the village square and deeper into the ruins, it felt more and more like walking through a town that had been hastily abandoned ahead of an invading army.She saw the antediluvian temple rising out of the green, towering above the village. It was just as T'pek had described it. It could be seen from anywhere in the village, she merely had to find her way through the disorganized warren of crumbling stone and twisted vines.Tsonia mounted a set of steps between a hut roofed with animal hides and another with browning palm fronds and emerged on a wider avenue than the path she had left. She stopped short, and very nearly retreated a step, for scattered before her were dozens upon dozens of the native beastkin. They made no effort to conceal themselves, lounging and slouching on the steps and rubble that surrounded the temple. Several of the men saw her, but none bothered to rise.She approached them cautiously, sword in hand, and yet still none seemed alarmed by her presence.“Who speaks the outsider tongue?” she called to the assembled throng. None answered. Tsonia picked her way among them and while some watched her pass and some even stared, they did not try to stop her. They seemed listless and enervated as if by hunger or thirst, yet there was food and water aplenty in the village.Another surprise awaited her when she saw a clear separation of the men and women of the tribe. The women were clustered closer around the temple wall, and unlike the men they seemed agitated and anxious.“Who speaks the outsider tongue?” she asked again, hoping to arouse a response.“I do.” said a clear, strong voice from above her. Tsonia looked up, as did every other face in the crowd.There at the entrance to the temple, stood her quarry, Kelgore, resplendent in multi-colored robes of leather and plumes. He was flanked by a pair of burly, green-furred beastkin guards wielding long boar-spears. Kelgore himself appeared unarmed.“But Thelyrian is so much more civilized, don’t you think?” he asked.“What have you done to them?” Tsonia demanded.“I merely asked them to wait on me. When I wish for anything at all, they fall all over themselves to provide. I’m their new god you see.”“When was the last time they ate?”A curious expression crossed Kelgore’s face. In another man, it might have been embarrassment at the oversight or perhaps even guilt. In Kelgore it seemed more like irritation.“You six there,” Kelgore gestured, looking down with glassy black eyes at a knot of the idle men, “Prepare food and drink. Feed everyone.” In his voice, Tsonia heard an odd resonance that sent a shiver up her spine. The six beastkin leapt to their feet and dashed off into the village towards the abandoned cookfires.“You see? They worship me. They live to serve.”“How very nice for you,” Tsonia said, starting slowly up the last flight of steps to the temple door, sword in hand.And suddenly she was back on the bottom step, her hands empty, the sword slung at her side. She had no memory of descending, nor of sheathing the sword. Tsonia bit back her anger.Kelgore smiled. “Tell me Red Tsonia, before I bid you welcome to my kingdom, have you come to kill me?”“Honestly, I expected to find that the natives had eaten you,” she lied. “I’m a little surprised to see you doing so well for yourself, and I’m starting to see why the God-King fears you so.”“Perhaps I could entice you to change sides?”“Perhaps you could.”“Then approach, Red Tsonia, and be welcomed.” Kelgore waved his guards back a step and extended a beckoning hand. “I shall have a feast prepared in your honor. But first come and meet my court. I have a, um, proposal that I think you’ll find rewarding.”Tsonia climbed the stairs and took the hand he offered. Kelgore led her into his throne room, his two guards never more than a short pounce behind him. The cool tile floors were covered with thick hides. The sunlight, through open gaps in the ancient ceiling scattered pools of light and shadow. In the center of the room sat a crude divan covered in supple leather and stains that appeared fresh.Joras and Ambrose were there, sitting on a pair of smaller settees, picking at platters of fruit held by naked beastkin girls. Joras sat up with a start.“Red Tsonia, we thought you drowned!” he cheered. Tsonia worried his enthusiasm was a bit forced, but Kelgore didn’t seem to notice. “How ever did you survive?”“Much the way you did, I suspect.” she answered putting a bit of cold distance in her voice. “It’s 'Joras’, right? And, 'Ambrose’ I believe?”Ambrose nodded. “Welcome to a very exclusive club of survivors, Tsonia,” he said without getting up. “I suspect you may come to enjoy being marooned here in Kelgore’s kingdom.”“Yes.” She cast an approving glance at Kelgore, taking his measure. “Yes, I suspect I may.”There was a commotion at the door and everyone turned to see two strapping beastkin carrying in a roughly crafted wooden settee, similar to the couches Joras and Ambrose enjoyed. Behind them, T'pek came, bearing a heavy roll of thick, wooly hides to drape as padding. Tsonia recognized the familiar scarring across his chest and spared him only the briefest glance.His hand was held with fingers crossed, the prearranged signal that all was in readiness.“Come, come! Over there,” Kelgore gestured to the natives, directing them to set the new furniture between Joras and Ambrose, giving Tsonia a position of importance between them. “Set that down and be quick about it.”Joras lounged with an arm stretched across the chair back. He too had his fingers crossed.Ambrose did not. A brief anxiety flashed up Tsonia’s spine. She risked a longer look and when she caught his eye with a questioning cock of her eyebrow, with a sigh of reluctance Ambrose crossed his fingers as wellShe had the signal ready on her lips. All she had to do was speak it.“Your majesty, I believe you said you had a, um, proposal for me?” She crossed in front of him with more sway in her hips than a ripe Debon maiden. She turned and perched herself on the edge of his throne drawing concerned scowls from his guards and a knowing smile from the King himself. “If you have something to say then, now is the time”On her word, T'pek unfurled the roll of hides with a snap sending the head of Shala tumbling across the floor to come to rest at the feet of her astonished son.“Kill her, you fool! It’s a trap!” screamed the witch’s severed head, just as Tsonia hoped she might.No matter how enchanted Kelgore’s guards, that sight could not fail to rattle them. It would give Joras and Ambrose the precious second they needed to aim the short reeds that the natives used as blowguns. Not much longer than a man’s hand, the weapons were easily concealed. T'pek had found a cache of them at the hunting camp, along with the darts and a clay jar of the sleeping poison. Joras and Ambrose had practiced with them for hours.Tsonia was already on the fly, launching herself off the divan sword in hand, trusting her companions to deal with the guards quickly and without bloodshed. One well-placed strike would take Kelgore’s head and end his tyrannical reign over these people.Kelgore ducked her blow, recovering from the shock of his mother’s appearance with more composure than Tsonia expected. Nonetheless, T'pek would be on him in an instant. Tsonia whirled on the would-be king to follow up her first attack and suddenly felt her feet fly out from under her.She hit the hide-carpeted stone floor hard. Instinctively she rolled away from a follow up attack by what she assumed must have been the long spear of one of the guards. Seizing that momentum, Tsonia sprang to her feet and saw Joras, T'pek, and Ambrose unmoved from their places, still and passive.She turned to see Kelgore’s still very much alert guards advancing on her, and Kelgore himself grinning as if he was particularly proud of himself. Raising her sword with a primal scream of fury, Tsonia charged.And she was on her knees, wrists bound behind her back, her neck tethered to her knees, and the points of two spears pressed to her shoulders. Tsonia clawed through her memory for some recollection of how she had been bested and she found nothing.“Really my dear, did you think that would work?” Kelgore asked. He lounged on his breeding throne with his mother settled comfortably by his side. The long spears of his guards held his betrothed prisoner, bent double on her knees before him. Her allies stood by, waiting for his instructions. They would stand there waiting until they starved to death if he so willed it.“You have never respected the power I procured for my son," gloated Shala. "And now you shall die for your arrogance.”“Don’t be hasty, mother,” Kelgore admonished. He had no intention of slaying his future bride, despite his mother’s opinions. “I think she may yet come around, if given a proper demonstration.”The vixen-warrior on the floor in front of him strained against her bonds with a scream, even as the spear points pierced her flesh, raising drops of black blood that trickled down her shoulders and fell hissing to the floor.“Their rope is really quite strong, isn’t it?” Kelgore asked, amused by her efforts. “It was your beastly lover there who trussed you up so securely.” Tsonia looked up and shot a glance at the scar-ridden beastman who stood nearby.“Oh, don’t feel betrayed. He really didn’t have any choice. In fact, I think that he is the one who should feel betrayed. Did you really promise to bear him pups? You must know that your demon-blessed womb will never bear mortal fruit.”“Then why do you seek to make my barren loins your own?” Tsonia hissed up at him. Her vibrant hair hung lank in her face as she strained against her bonds to meet his gaze. She really had learned nothing.“Enough of this!” insisted Shala. “Kill her now and be done with it! This boasting is beneath you. You should be ordering these savages to build you a boat, not wasting time fawning over this whore.”“Silence, mother!” he spat. He was proud of the kingdom he had built here, but nothing would be good enough for his mother until the God-King lay dead at his feet. She had no appreciation for the finer things in life that his demon-gifted powers could provide. She could make him so angry sometimes.Kelgore drew a knife from his belt, toyed with it for a moment while eyeing his mother’s head. She returned his glare, but said nothing. He took a moment to steady himself before looking at the younger of Tsonia’s allies and calling “Joras, come take this knife.”“What are you doing? Leave him alone!” snapped Tsonia, straining again at her bonds.“Yes, your loyal follower,” Kelgore observed. “Perhaps the only person you really care about. Your memory and his both tell me how much he means to you, and what destruction you might rain if not for his companionship.”“Kelgore, I swear to every god on either side of the veil,” Tsonia hissed at him through clenched teeth, “if you hurt him there is no hell with a pit deep enough to hide you from my wrath.” Her bonds groaned with the effort of containing her fury and the spear point dug deeper into her shoulders.“No, no, no. You’ve got it all wrong.” Kelgore waved away the absurd idea and stood from his throne, forcing Tsonia to struggle even harder to look at him. He turned to the young artist, knowing that if there was any leverage over Red Tsonia to be found, this man was the fulcrum.“Joras,” he said. "Kill Ambrose.“The young man in the horrid orange cloak turned on his lover, who stood motionless and indifferent. If there was fear in the older man’s soul, Kelgore could not yet see it in his eyes."No!” Tsonia screamed. "Joras! Stop! Joras, fight it! Fight him! Stop, Joras, please!“But there was no stopping a command once Kelgore had issued it with the full force of his will behind it. Indeed, Kelgore doubted even he could have stayed Joras’s hand now. The man moved with deliberate speed and with one strike, he stabbed Ambrose through the heart.The sea captain looked up with a gasp. Now Kelgore could see the shock and terror in his eyes. A tear rolled down Ambrose’s cheek as he took Joras’s face in his hands. If Ambrose spoke, he was too quiet for Kelgore to hear over Tsonia’s screams of protest. Ambrose pressed his forehead to Joras’s and caressed the scruff of his lover’s chin. Then he fell to his knees and died.Joras stood over Ambroses’s body for but a moment, the dagger held limp in his hand. Kelgore saw the familiar twitch as his puppet's will returned. Joras finally heard Tsonia screaming. He looked around trying to remember where he was. Then he looked down at the dagger in his bloody hand, and past it to the man lying in a spreading crimson pool at his feet.Joras dropped the blade and collapsed sobbing over Ambrose. Kelgore smiled at the agony in the man’s voice as he begged the still-warm corpse for forgiveness.The king knelt next to Tsonia to make it easier for his betrothed to hear his words. When she refused to meet his eye, he took her by the chin and turned her tear-streaked face towards his."You have my word, darling Tsonia,” he said. “I will never kill your friend. But if you continue to defy me, You will.”Tsonia clenched her eyes closed and jerked away from his touch.Kelgore would give his lesson a moment to sink in. He stood and turned to Tsonia’s beastly ex-lover. “You there,” he made a dismissive gesture towards Joras. “Take him away and lock him someplace secure.”The brute easily hefted Joras onto his shoulder and carried him out of the throne room, the howls of lamentation eventually fading in the distance. The king resumed his throne, beckoned a naked serving girl bearing a platter of fruit, and selected a morsel that looked tasty. He noted with a smile that his prisoners’ struggles had ceased.“Now then, Red Tsonia, or, may I call you Kaela?, my proposal,” he began. “You will bear me a host of children. With our demon-blessed powers combined, our offspring will grow to be the most powerful warriors this world has ever seen. They will be the officers who will lead an army of my loyal bastards against the so-called God-King of Xhastria.”Tsonia said nothing.“I’ll take your acceptance as granted. What do you think of that, mother?”“I think you waste decades on what should be a simple conquest," sneered Shala."There is no pleasing you, woman.” Kelgore’s brow furrowed and he wondered how long he could forestall his mother’s restoration ritual. If he could deny her pure blood tonight, she would have to begin the process all over from the beginning.He was contemplating excuses when there was a rush of movement in the far corner of the temple. Snake-face and Skull-face appeared from a darkened passageway that led deeper into the temple than Kelgore had cared to explore. Holy men were always so intractable in their routines. But no matter, he had need of them now.“There you are.” He stood to address the shamans as they hastily approached. “I have grand news. I am to be wed! My bride has arrived at last!” He gestured to Tsonia, bound at spear point on the floor. “Prepare a ceremony fit for your god.”The two elders stopped short. They turned and looked at each other, their expressions hidden behind those damned masks. Kelgore would have removed them, but a holy man in his raiment was so efficient at inspiring compliance from those Kelgore could not turn directly.“It, is good,” said Snake-face at last, using the pidgin Trade Tongue.“We have a, holy place below,” added Skull-face. "Very special. It is only best for our god’s wedding.“"That sounds perfect,” Kelgore agreed. “Find Bird-face and make the preparations. I wish to be married at once.”Snake-face hurried out of the temple, no doubt to fetch whatever sacred vestments he required and to arrange for the wedding feast. Skull-face turned back the way he had come to prepare their most sacred chapel until Kelgore called “Wait!”Skull-face turned around slowly.Kelgore picked up his mother’s head from his throne, strode purposely across the room and handed her to the shaman. “Find someplace secret and quiet to keep this,” Kelgore told him.“Kelgore?’ his mother barked. "What are you doing? Unhand me, you savage charlatan!”“Can’t have you spoiling my wedding night, mother. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”Kelgore bounced back onto his throne and selected another piece of fruit from the girl’s tray as the witch’s screams of invective faded into the darkness. He almost felt sorry for poor Skull-face having to endure her bile. But the savage couldn’t understand a word of it anyway, so it was alright.He looked down at Tsonia, still seething quietly on the floor in front of his throne. “Cheer up, my love!” he taunted her. “Today is the happiest day of your life!”Joras barely noticed where T'pek was carrying him. He didn’t really care either. The enormity of what he had done was threatening to swallow him like a gaping, black maelstrom.He had killed Ambrose.Somehow he had rammed a Vizingian dagger straight into his lover’s heart. And he did not remember doing it. But there was no mistaking the crimson pool surrounding the still body, the look of odd reverie on his bearded features.He had killed Ambrose.There had been long stretches of time when their paths had led them to wander or sail different parts of the world, but when they met, it always was a joyous occasion, much like returning to a safe harbor after a grueling storm. Ambrose was a fierce lover, a wise friend and sometimes even a devilish jester, one of the few people to rile up Tsonia without incurring her wrath. Ambrose was one of the few people to talk some sense into Tsonia when her mind was ablaze with tales of mad adventures, with visions of gold or glory too large even for her to take on, a welcome ally indeed.Now he was gone, struck down by Joras’ own hand.Hot tears spilled down his cheeks, blinding his vision. Suddenly, the world tilted around him and he crumpled to an uneven stone floor, sharp ridges and cracked tiles biting into his knees and ribs and elbows. Behind him, a heavy door banged shut. Joras did not care. If the gods were indeed just, he would die and be reunited with Ambrose.He raised his voice in lamentation for his friend, but only a choked sob escaped him.A horrid, wheezing cough answered him. Wherever he was, Joras was not alone. Mustering what little strength he had, the artist scrabbled into a sitting position, using his sleeve to dab at his swollen eyes and puffy nose. When his vision cleared, he found himself on the floor of a dilapidated room. The walls were at least twenty feet high and made from ancient stone. Parts of the ceiling had crumbled eons ago, leaving a gaping hole which someone had patched with a latticework of wooden beams and sharpened stakes jutting downwards. There was no furniture, just a stone plinth. A shaggy, disheveled bundle lay atop it. As he watched, a spindly, pale-skinned arm shot from the bundle, snatching one of the ever-present tiny rodents. The cough came again as the bundle struggled into a sitting position.Despite his own anguish, Joras gasped in horror. What he had taken for a bundle of skin and fur was a man like himself, emaciated and unkempt, with white-golden hair and a similar beard covering most of his chest. He wore a vest and kilt made from once white fur, now yellowed and ragged and large enough to fit a man twice the stranger’s size. An elaborate belt buckle made from gold and bronze, shaped like crossed axes, seemed utterly out of place in this dismal hell.A third time the stranger coughed, still clutching the squirming rodent. Ignoring Joras, the stranger raised the furry morsel to his mouth and bit into it until the rodent’s panicked squeals finally ended. He tore into the tiny animal, blood running down his beard until he discarded the shredded carcass. The stranger spat a clump of fur and coughed again.“Who, are you?” Joras asked, torn between pity and revulsion. The stranger seemed ill and close to death. The stench emanating from him was eye-watering.The stranger gulped and worked his mouth. Eventually, he spoke. It took Joras some time to recognize the strange vowels of Debon’s tongue. The stranger patted his chest, leaving ghastly fingerprints on his vest.“Aelric,” he muttered. “I am, Aelric.”To be continued in Part 5.By Blind_Justice & Loqui Sordida for Literotica.

Charon (Branson) guides his passengers Spider Lindell (Andrew) and Jawja Nawlins (Charles) down Ichor Creek in Silver Spoons, GA to complete missions for their elite clients. E1 on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/e1podcast

This episode of Unstoppable Mindset has been a long time coming as when we tried to record it in June, tech issues got in the way and cut us off after ten minutes. Rick Franzo was kind enough to reschedule and now you get to hear the results. Rick never completed college and instead was drawn to a career in Radio. After five years he progressed to working in the grocery business as a buyer and also he worked in other positions.   Like other coaches, he discovered that he had an aptitude for listening and helping people to solve problems and dilemmas. Along the way, however, his life took an unexpected twist when he learned in 2009 that he had an enormous brain tumor. While the tumor was not cancerous it was so large that it applied significant pressure on his brain, and he was given only two or three weeks to live. After living through a ten-and-a-half-hour operation to remove the tumor and a third of his skull he underwent rehab where he was told he would never walk again. Six weeks after going into rehab he walked out of the center. Rick credits this experience with helping to make him more empathetic in working with clients. He since has been diagnosed with two additional noncancerous tumors one of which is small and still in his head.   Rick will tell us all about these experiences and he will discuss in his view what makes him a better result of what he has faced in life. I rarely have experienced such a refreshing and unstoppably positive attitude as what you will hear from Rick Franzo.     About the Guest:   Rick Franzo is an award-winning and nationally recognized business coach and the CEO of Hannah HDA Corp., a firm that serves small and medium businesses and larger corporations' level up, get unstuck and generate more revenue, and build smarter, more effective teams. Rick has over 30 years' experience in organizational performance, product acquisition, merchandising, leadership and people management, culture change and employee motivation. Rick is a 3-time brain tumor survivor (all non-malignant but invasive) and his book, “How Horseshoes Saved My Life”, chronicles the first 2 tumors.  Rick is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the brain tumor community for support, awareness, and fundraising for research.  His Facebook support group “Brain Tumor Talk” is the largest general brain tumor support group on social media in the world with over 15k members from over 50 counties worldwide.  Rick has lived in the Poconos his whole life and is married to his wife Debbie for 35 years, they have 3 adult kids, a grandson and 2 rescue mixed doxies, Rosie & Arlo.     Ways to connect with Rick:   Facebook Book Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064070316943 Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/gcpoconos/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-franzo-52948b26/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growth_coach_poconos/ Book Website: https://braintumorbook.wordpress.com/order-book/ Growth Coach Website: https://www.thegrowthcoach.com/poconos/   About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.     Transcription Notes Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i  capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, Hi, and welcome to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet and I have to tell you a story about the unexpected. Our guest today is Rick Franzo, and Rick and I were originally supposed to talk to each other on June 22. And about 10 minutes into our conversation suddenly everything disconnected. And I thought I was just telling Rick, what happened was that I had to for another purpose activate a VPN at the beginning of the day to do something. I forgot to deactivate it didn't think it would be an issue but it was an issue because 10 minutes into our conversation, the VPN cut us off go figure that anyway. So now we get to do it again, giving you the full scope of honesty in the world. So there we are. And Rick, welcome back. I gotta say to unstoppable mindset.   Rick Franzo ** 02:13 Thank you, Mike, pleasure to be here.   Michael Hingson ** 02:15 Well, we'll just have to start over and have fun again. So that's what we'll do. So tell me a little about you starting starting out the young Rick and all that sort of stuff.   Rick Franzo ** 02:27 You only Rick I don't know how much time do we have? So go ahead. I'll I'll make it brief. I'll give you the Reader's Digest condensed version of it. So originally from the Poconos, still in the Poconos all my life. I have a wonderful wife of over 35 years Debbie, and three wonderful grown children and we're just living life and everything is great here. So watching the Poconos transformed from a honeymoon area to a kind of a family staycation area that is close to New York City. Philadelphia, Baltimore, things like that so plenty to do here in the Poconos. It's beautiful here in the mountains.   Michael Hingson ** 03:12 Yeah, it is really nice to be in the Poconos. What What town are you actually closest to?   Rick Franzo ** 03:17 Alright, so I'm in Paradise Valley. I'm about four miles below south of Mount Pocono. So that's the heart of the Poconos.   Michael Hingson ** 03:29 We we spent time my wife and I when we lived in Westfield going through and being involved in the Poconos and and had a lot of fun, and stayed in places in New York, like the sag of Oregon and St. George and had a lot of fun there as well.   Rick Franzo ** 03:44 Nice. Excellent. Yeah, we're close to a lot of different places for sure. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 03:49 We've We've always enjoyed our time in the New York area, although my wife was a native of California, and I was born in Chicago and moved to California when I was five. So she would never let me call myself a native, that's okay. But still, she was a native and always wanted to be back in California. So after September 11, we ended up having an opportunity to come back to be with Guide Dogs for the Blind and took it because as I tell people, I was much more interested and excited in selling life and computer technology. And that's what we got to do. Rice. So it worked out. It worked out pretty well.   Rick Franzo ** 04:29 I have to say, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 04:34 Well, so you you are in the Poconos. Did you go to college or do any of those kinds of things?   Rick Franzo ** 04:42 Yeah, I went to East Stroudsburg University State University and I worked as a radio disc jockey so I was on the air on an am station it was a dawn to dusk station WPC N and I was on there for about five years and I have about 10 And years total of radio experience, my very first business was a mobile DJ business. And so I would do weddings and school dances. And one of the first gigs I had was at a local dairy farm for their Christmas party. And I didn't know what to expect. We were at a fire hall. So I hold all my equipment, and I went there. And I started to play music. And they started to serve dinner, it was about 536 o'clock and late afternoon, early evening in December. And all of the people there it was a lot of farmers that were there they ate, and I thought I was playing music until 11. And by 630, everybody had eaten, and they had maybe some presents, and they all left. And I was like, Is it me, but these are farmers, they're up at two, three o'clock in the morning, you know, milking the cows, or, you know, whatever it is farmers do. So I wrote back, I drove back and I was fairly dejected. I said, Oh, my goodness, this is never gonna work. But it was just the farmers. It wasn't me. And, you know, the whole dynamic of their lifestyle. So I had a very successful career as a mobile disc jockey as well. And that really translated into a lot of my public speaking that I do right now. So it's really interesting. Now, you know, some things from the past kind of blend in with things that are happening in the now. When   Michael Hingson ** 06:24 you did radio, did you make recordings ever of what you did and go back and listen to them to see how you could improve or make your your show better?   Rick Franzo ** 06:34 I did. And I don't have any of those recordings we did back in that day. Right? I sound like Charles Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. So back in the old days, right? We did things on reel to reel. Yeah, we did things on cassette. So I would record myself on cassette, and then re listen and see where I had to improve. But I don't have any of those cassettes anymore. I don't know where they went. But maybe they oxidized I don't know. But it was really interesting. We used to do commercials and things and the jingles. And it was really a great time one of the best times in my life and so glad I had the opportunity to do that. It was really a cool thing. And I still see some people that were in radio with me at the time, and I see them on a regular basis. So it is pretty neat. I   Michael Hingson ** 07:25 did radio in college and did a little bit of professional radio on a radio station up where my parents lived in Palmdale, but mostly did radio in college every Sunday night. My first quarter of doing radio was the last quarter of my freshman year, we had our station in a small room at the Physical Sciences building. And then over the summer, I think it was someone broke in and stole the board and all of the technology including the tape deck, so I then decided to go get into and I had done a couple of them in my first quarter. But then I decided to start a show in the fall six to nine every Sunday called the Radio Hall of Fame when we played old radio shows, and I had to ride a bike over to the station with my Wallen sack, tape recorder. So we had a recorder to play the reel to reel tapes on because there was no longer any tape machine. And our engineer had built a temporary replacement board until we could afford to get new stuff. So isn't adventurer doing that and then the station moved over to the University Commons from the physical sciences also because they needed the space. But it was an adventure lugging a tape machine for most of the year over to the place where we had the station to be able to connect it and do the show. So you know a lot of adventures I think my favorite story still is that my guide dog at the time, Squire and I, after one of our shows were standing outside and a couple of our friends were with us people from the station and we were standing there and one of them said squire is staring at a cat that is slowly slinking across the the patio, the whole deck where we were, and the cat slowly came up. Touch squire on the nose turned and ran. And the squire didn't move. Oh my goodness, it was so funny. He just just sat there is a golden retriever and would not have done anything to that cat loved friends. So I'm sure he was going What was that all about? But I did that show for Well, five years plus, every Sunday and I'll actually say almost six years. It was a lot of fun. You Yeah, radio is fun. And I listened to myself. And actually, when I became program director insisted that everyone listened to their own shows. And I was of the feeling and of the mind that if they listened, they probably improved because some of them really needed it. And I was so very amazed at how much they improved. Some of the people ended up going into radio. Full time somebody went to work for NBC and some went into other kinds of endeavors where they did a lot of public speaking and so on. But listening to those recordings helped. I've got a few of mine. We got to interview one night, Daws Butler, who is the guy the voice of Huckleberry hound, and Yogi Bear and did a lot of stuff with Stan Freeburg. Wow. And he came down and spent three hours with us and that was a lot of fun. And I still have the reel with that on it. I have to take it out.   Rick Franzo ** 10:50 That's pretty neat. The people that you meet, right, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 10:55 Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Definitely.   Rick Franzo ** 10:58 I don't think I interviewed anybody that was no nobody that was really famous. I met famous people here in the Poconos because they would come here, either on vacation, the boxers used to come here, before big fights and train at some of the resorts up here. So we had like Sugar Ray, Leonard Lewis, and I've met them and so it was pretty neat. I   Michael Hingson ** 11:20 met Sugar Ray Leonard at a speech he gave for a company I worked for he came in and did a motivational speech. And it was okay, as I think back on it, but I got to meet him and when they took pictures and all that stuff, so it was kind of fun. Yeah. Very cool. Yeah. So you went off to college? What'd you get a degree in? So   Rick Franzo ** 11:40 I went to college, I never got my degree, I got a fine job in radio. There you go. Vacations major. So I said, What do I need college for? Right, real smart. And so I left college, went and did a radio career, and did my, my mobile DJ business. And then I started a family and just started to work in the management and the grocery industry. And that's really where I made my, my living was being a buyer and a person that was in charge of people in the grocery industry. But I also changed a little bit, I did some work in corrections, I was a corrections officer in a prison. And I worked at that same university as a buyer in the bookstore for 11 years before I started my own business.   Michael Hingson ** 12:28 So being the big time radio personality that you were to Debbie fell in love with you after hearing you on the air and she decided to come meet you or what?   Rick Franzo ** 12:36 No, no, it was a   Michael Hingson ** 12:39 great story. That would have been, that   Rick Franzo ** 12:41 would be a great story. Now. You know, we met actually, through her sister, and so was a radio station. event. It was an air band contest at the college. And she was there and we had met and we started to date and the rest is history. That was 1985.   Michael Hingson ** 12:59 She didn't keep calling you up and say Play Misty for Me or anything like that.   Rick Franzo ** 13:03 Yeah, we weren't   Rick Franzo ** 13:09 like that. But it was we finally Karen   Michael Hingson ** 13:12 and I finally watched that movie with Clint Eastwood. It was pretty interesting. Nice.   Rick Franzo ** 13:18 Clint Eastwood movies. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 13:19 Well, that's pretty cool, though. You since 1985. We got married in 1982. Okay, unfortunately, lost her just last November. But, you know, she's around watching. And if I, if I screw up, I'm going to hear about it. I'm sure. You're gonna watch your P's and Q's. That's exactly right. 40 years of memories and marriage, of course. Yeah, for sure. Definitely.   Rick Franzo ** 13:40 But yeah, the DJ was fun and things like that. But, you know, we moved on and did different things. So when I worked at the college, it was time to, you know, do something for myself. So I decided to start my own business. So   Michael Hingson ** 13:54 you went into the grocery business and all that, and were there and so when did you go off on your own? So   Rick Franzo ** 13:59 I was a baker, and then I went into management. And then I was a seafood buyer. And then I was a trainer and a coach for new managers. And that was really a great evolution and then just went to do buying in the bookstore for the college and worked there for 11 years. So then I just decided that the time was right, to follow my passion and really monetize what I like to do, which was help people and so I bought a franchise and became a business coach. When did that start? 19 or I'm sorry, 2018. Alright,   Michael Hingson ** 14:38 so you've only actually been in your own business as such for for five years, but obviously a lot of a lot of coaching experience and all that before then. Right? Definitely. And what you didn't know Debbie taught you? No   Rick Franzo ** 14:52 doubt, no doubt, but I got really I cut my teeth so to speak, and the brain took or community, when I was kind of, really, after my surgery got involved with people that were in similar situations than I was, and started to really connect with them and kind of mentor them a little bit and, you know, got part of that community   Michael Hingson ** 15:19 will tell us a little bit about that, because you've actually had several bouts with brain tumors and so on over the years. Yeah,   Rick Franzo ** 15:25 and never cancer. I want to make that clear. But because of my experience in corrections, I did security at a ski mountain here in the Poconos. And at the end of the season, we had a barbecue at one of the people's houses, and I was playing horseshoes, and I lost all strength and coordination in the right side of my body out of nowhere, didn't know what was happening. So it scared me enough for me to go to my doctor, I went to my doctor, he did some physical tests and said, Yeah, you've got some weakness on your right side. You know, we'll send you for an MRI. So I went for the MRI, and they said you should know in about a week or so. And they call me the next day at work. And they said, Mr. Franza, we usually don't make this type of call. But you have an enormous brain tumor. And we have a neurosurgeon from a large hospital. In the area here today, you have a one o'clock appointment, we'll see you then. And I just the phone, I was like, Well, I'm dead. I don't know anything about brain tumors, I just thought they were all cancer. And so I was finished. So I made the drive home and told my wife, and we went to the doctor. And they said, the brain tumor that you have is enormous. We don't believe it's cancer, it would have killed you a long time before but you have about two weeks to live because we feel that the pressure is what's going to kill you. So they put me on medication and anti seizure medicine. And they said we're going to do surgery in three weeks or less. And in less than three weeks, I had 10 and a half hours of surgery, and a spoiler I lived, but   Michael Hingson ** 17:13 I was wondering if we were doing this sort of remotely? Yeah.   Rick Franzo ** 17:15 Okay, kinda surreal, right, the matrix, but they couldn't save my skull. So a third of my skull was all titanium. And I came up paralyzed from the waist down the collateral damage from my, you know, quote, unquote, benign brain tumor and the pressure. So I spent eight days in the hospital, and I went to rehab. And my goal was to walk out of there, and nobody believed it, because it looked impossible. But, you know, I became laser focused, and, you know, very, very humbled and lucky and blessed that things connected. And through the hard work of the therapists in six and a half weeks, I walked out of there with leg braces and a walker, but I walked out. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 18:04 Still, that's really the important thing. And it's interesting, we so often just underestimate the power of what our brain can do. And you were focused, and you were intent on doing it. I keep flashing back to Christopher Reeves, who always said, I'll walk again, someday, the only the only difference was, you had a specific plan, and he raised funds, and his journey wasn't able to be fulfilled. But you, you were so focused, that you obviously brought it about, and I'm sure that that had a lot to do with you walking again.   Rick Franzo ** 18:38 I think mindset had a lot to do with it. I think also, you know, just just things connecting, we know so little about the brain surgeon. So, you know, I appreciated that nobody could tell me if, you know, I was gonna walk again or not. There's people that have, you know, such traumatic injuries, no matter how much they try, you know, and how positive their mindset is. They're not going to walk again. But, you know, it's all about, you know, having that hope, right? Hope is is a real thing. It's tangible, you can wrap your arms around it, and hope doesn't always mean that you're going to survive, but hope actually gets you to that next level, and maybe it'll help somebody else that's in a similar situation. So hope is absolutely a real thing and not false hope or toxic hope, or, you know, over positive hope or anything else, just straight up hope. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 19:36 and clearly that working. So when did you have the initial brain tumor surgery?   Rick Franzo ** 19:42 I had the brain tumor surgery in June of 2009. Okay.   Michael Hingson ** 19:49 And you have had to deal with that since also, haven't you? Yes,   Rick Franzo ** 19:55 yeah. So I got diagnosed with a second brain tumor in In 2011, that still there. And then another type of brain tumor, and 2017. And the one that was in 2011, they marked as residual and it's been behaving itself, the newer one, still not cancer, but made me deaf in my right ear, took my balance away. So I was walking and following. And so I had radiation on that, and 2017. And then as I started my business, I was doing outpatient physical therapy, so that I couldn't, I didn't fall every time I was walking, so much of the time, I'll use a cane when I'm out, especially in somewhere where I'm not really familiar. But other than that I drive and live a fairly normal life.   Michael Hingson ** 20:43 Well, it's, it's interesting, do they have an explanation as to why you are getting so many tumors and no, I'm certainly grateful for it personally, why they're not cancerous.   Rick Franzo ** 20:54 There's, there's no explanation, they don't know if it's hereditary. Nobody else in my family has had it. There's no known cause for brain tumors, there's no effective screening for brain tumors and brain cancer, there is 130 different types of brain tumors and brain cancer. So making accurate diagnosis is our it's very, very difficult. So they call it an orphan disease. But almost 800,000 people in the United States live with just in the United States live with a primary brain tumor, that's a tumor that starts in your brain and stays they're not talking about other tumors that metastasized to the brain, which are, you know, the ones that are most common that do that are long in breast cancer, they, they have the most propensity to go to the brain.   Michael Hingson ** 21:45 Well, so, so my explanation is as good as any is it's just an attention getting device on your part, right? Well, it's   Rick Franzo ** 21:52 a kind of get out of jail free card, right?   Michael Hingson ** 21:54 Yeah.   Rick Franzo ** 21:55 You know, a little tumor humor never hurt, I get it, I'm one of the best things is being able to speak and, you know, bring awareness, and, you know, support people and, you know, just just be part of that, that community, it's a club that nobody wants to be a part of.   Michael Hingson ** 22:12 Yeah. Well, and it so greatly enhances you, because it helps you, since you clearly have chosen to do it, tell stories about it, and you use it to, to more make your life something that people can relate to, although we certainly don't want people to have brain tumors, but still, you dealt with it. And you have continued to not only live with it, which is kind of negative, but overcome it and move forward, which is really the important thing. So how are you involved in the whole issue of the world of people with brain tumors today? Because I know you're doing a lot more. You are part of a big Facebook group. And what else do you do with that? Yeah,   Rick Franzo ** 22:57 I found that a Facebook group called Brain Tumor talk. And it is now the largest general brain tumor support group on social media on the planet. There's over 15,000 people from about 50 countries, give or take, I wrote a book, I do public speaking, I had a radio show for four years from the college that I worked at, called Brain Tumor talk worldwide radio show, just really humbled that I'm able to be a mentor for the American brain tumor Association in Chicago, and mentor other people that have brain tumors. So, you know, recovery happened, because it just did. But you know, what I did with everything else was a choice. And, you know, being the CEO of my own corporation, and, you know, doing something that I love every day, that's a choice. And, you know, if somebody tells you, you can't do something, look at you, I'm speaking to the choir. But, you know, absolutely, that isn't true.   Michael Hingson ** 23:55 Yeah. And I think all of us face challenges. And it's always a question of how we decide to deal with the challenges. It's like anything, and you clearly have made it an extremely positive thing that is worth talking about, and clearly is worth talking about. And it helps you. I assume you go in regularly to get checkups to make sure that nothing else is happening with the tumors. Yeah,   Rick Franzo ** 24:23 I go every two years to make sure that everything up there is behaving itself. And so far, so   Michael Hingson ** 24:29 good. So they grow slowly. Yeah, they're   Rick Franzo ** 24:33 slow growers. So again, there's no reason why I get them. There's no reason why anybody gets the, you know, a brain tumor. We just don't know what the cause is.   Michael Hingson ** 24:47 So the one that you got in 2011, has it grown or does it grow at all? Or is it just a   Rick Franzo ** 24:51 table? It's just kind of sitting there? It's just kind of sitting there? Yeah. Which is, you know, that that unwanted neighbor in your head? You know what I mean? We can't evict it. So we do what we got to do with it. So it's not causing any kind of, you know, drama or trauma in my head. So they remove it. They I'm sure that they could, but that isn't really an option. It's not harming anything. So we're not adding value. No. And you know, as as we, we get older, these types of tumors tend to calcify. So maybe it'll just calcified and go away. It's not very large. So we'll see what happens.   Michael Hingson ** 25:31 Being blind my whole life, I have developed cataracts on my islands is in so on. And I asked a doctor once that just happens because of no use, right? And I asked an ophthalmologist once should we remove them? And he said, Well, we could not sure that there would be any value in doing it. Because it's not going to make you see which I didn't think that it would. But I didn't know whether there was any value in it. Actually, what brought the discussion up was because when I get eye exams, in order for them to look at the retina, for normal people, they can do it by dilating the lens and or the eye and so on, and they can see through the lens, but with cataracts, they can't. So they actually have to do an ultrasound of my eyes in order to see what's going on at the back. Interesting. And, and so they do, and it's fascinating. It's, it's different, certainly doesn't hurt, but it's, it's different. I'm glad they have the technology to be able to do those kinds of things.   Rick Franzo ** 26:29 Absolutely, you know, you don't realize what you have, and until you pretty much lose it. You know, again, you've been through so many things, but so many other people have. And a lot of times people will say, Well, I haven't had it as bad as you brick, but it's personal to them. So there's not any kind of levels, nobody has it any better or worse than I do or you do, or anybody else. It's personal to whoever it is that is dealing with it. And it just is, you know what you do with what you got?   Michael Hingson ** 26:59 That's right. And there's no reason not to do anything you want with what you got. Right?   Rick Franzo ** 27:04 Exactly. I don't lead off with a brain tumor card. But you know, it is part of my story. You know, it isn't, it doesn't define me. But it is part of, of what I do. And a lot of the coaching that I do the business coaching is almost like the therapy. So the therapist couldn't sit up there that, you know, helped me sit up, they couldn't walk for me, but they had to show me a strategy so that I was able to go and do it for myself. And that's very similar to what I do as a business coach, I see things from, you know, the outside looking in where the therapist did as well. And all we have to do is give the strategies, and so long as somebody is coachable, they'll move on it. And   Michael Hingson ** 27:49 that's really the key is that they need to be able to be coachable, which means they need to be willing to, to deal with it.   Rick Franzo ** 27:57 Yeah, and not have somebody solve their problems for them. Like I said, the therapist couldn't walk for me, I can't do the business for the people who I coach, they're the experts in their business, on the expert at seeing some maybe gaps or blind spots that they have, so that they can level up. And most of the time, it's just a slight adjustment, and maybe just a little bit of different mindset. And you know, some things maybe that they aren't aware of that. It's hard to see the forest through the trees, when you know, you're right in the middle of things. So they get through, you know, the chaos of a working day or a year and they don't know what to do. What would   Michael Hingson ** 28:41 what would you say the differences between a coach and a therapist because they are two different kinds of positions?   Rick Franzo ** 28:47 Well, if this was COVID, I would say nothing. Because there were so many people it was it was a rough time for everybody. I don't have the wherewithal to be a therapist, I'm a very good listener. But other than that, I think that I can't give strategies except on things that I know. Therapists are very good listeners. But they have that specialized training. So it's kind of same circus, different 10. But what I do is I craft strategies, therapists craft strategies, I went to a neuropsychologist because I was having panic attacks. And I didn't know how to deal with it. And it was really because of my brain injury. And he gave me strategy specific to people with brain injuries. And so I'm able to do that with people that are in business. And so it's kind of similar, but I'm not a therapist. I'm not a I'm not a mentor. You know, I'm simply a coach. And you know, that's enough.   Michael Hingson ** 29:49 Yeah, what I've been told by some is that what a coach does is not solve problems, but he helps the person actually seek out and identify The challenge is and helps them to move to discover what the solutions are for themselves. Exactly. Yeah,   Rick Franzo ** 30:08 we in a nutshell, that's exactly what I do. I can't solve their problems because, you know, if I, I'm, I'm there to go and help them identify the problems. But again, the therapists couldn't walk for me, I can't go and swing a hammer or tell them how to, to do something, I can suggest things. But really, I'm there to help them almost like a sports coach. Right. So Michael Jordan had a coach, the coach didn't go and shoot the baskets, but he would identify some things that maybe could help them to be more effective. And that's the same thing that we do.   Michael Hingson ** 30:44 Do you play horseshoes anymore?   Rick Franzo ** 30:45 I do. Wish you pets here. I'm not good. At. But I do play horseshoes. Yes. But   Michael Hingson ** 30:55 at least you're able to go out and have fun and do that some more. Yeah, it's been too hot.   Rick Franzo ** 31:00 So really played this year? So much, but because the heat really affects me.   Michael Hingson ** 31:06 Yeah, it's way too hot to be outside for any of us given? I think so I made 90s in high 90s. And then you got places like pour Phoenix, which is just done. Its 19th day over 110. I can't   Rick Franzo ** 31:18 even not for me, even though it's a dry heat.   Michael Hingson ** 31:22 Yeah, even though it is a dry, it's still it's really hot. That's just kind of crazy. Absolutely. How do you think the whole experience with brain tumors and also now with the Facebook page, and getting to interact with so many other people, how has all that affected you as a coach?   Rick Franzo ** 31:43 I think it, it caused me to have more empathy, I think that the whole experience did. So if I didn't go through what I went through, in 2009, I probably wouldn't be a coach. And if I was, I wouldn't be a very good coach. Because I feel that I, I really lacked empathy. And I, I feel that that's the greatest gift that this gave me was that sense of empathy. So I feel that it helps me to be more present more effective, and more real with people.   Michael Hingson ** 32:20 I know, for me, I tried to be empathetic. And if I get messages from people that I'm not, then I always need to go back and look at that, because I think it is very important to be empathetic. That doesn't mean that you necessarily agree, but you can certainly understand where people are coming from, and you can help and interact with them, and approach them where they are, as opposed to where you think they ought to be.   Rick Franzo ** 32:45 Exactly. I mean, and that's the whole, you know, basis of what I do is, it's not my plan, right? I'm not a consultant, I meet them where they are. And that's where we start to work. And there's no one size fits all, we kind of take it as it is and, you know, let it flow and let it go. And, you know, crash strategy based on because everybody's different, right? Everybody has different heredity background, they have different role models, different experiences, things like that. So we have to kind of dig in and find out where they are, and where they want to be. And just get their from point A to point B. And sometimes they're just stuck and we help them to get unstuck.   Michael Hingson ** 33:27 So you mentioned empathy, what are some other important traits or qualities that a good coach should have? Patience,   Rick Franzo ** 33:32 definitely patience. And be a good listener, not just to listen to respond, but again, listen to understand, and, you know, absolutely, don't go in with any kind of preconceived notions, or just just really listen to what it is that people are saying, and kind of take it from there. If we listen and give somebody an opportunity to speak, they're going to tell you everything that really you need to know to help them. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 34:06 And I have found that even in sales and I, as you may know, and listeners hear now, I've been in sales, most all of my adult life and both in terms of selling high tech, but even philosophy and so on. All we can do ultimately is really present things to people they need to learn to accept it or, or decide to, to think about accepting it. And I believe what my best sales guy ever said to me, which is the only thing I can sell is myself and my word. And all the rest is stuff so selling products and all that that stuff that's not really selling because the customer needs to want to buy it but it also has to be the right product and part of what I need to do, as he always put it is sell the right thing or tell them We can't do it, which is always a great way to establish a better relationship with your bosses, but it's still the best way to go.   Rick Franzo ** 35:06 It is right. You know, you have that, that that mantra that you're going to do the right thing for people, for sure. And, you know, it's like Simon Sinek says people are gonna buy from who they like and who they trust. And, you know, we're not just selling things, we're not selling services, or products or widgets or anything else. We're really selling the benefits of what it is and how it can help them. Specifically, we're selling a transformation, whatever that is, whether it's pasta, or whether it's, you know, some sort of sales process. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 35:42 And I think that, it's important to recognize that it's really all about trust, first and foremost. And whatever we do, and it's the same with you, as a coach, it's all about trust, people aren't going to listen to you, if they can't find that they can trust you, which gets back to the empathy thing, again, in part, and just you as a listener, establishing a relationship with them.   Rick Franzo ** 36:08 It's, it's really transformative, because I actually choose the people that I work with. So as much as they, you know, kind of screen me, I screen them to make sure that we're a good fit, if I'm going to be dealing with that company, or that person, or we're going to be interacting and building a relationship. For a year or more, I have to make sure that when I get up in the morning, I say, Well, you know what, this is going to be a great day, I'm meeting with Michael, not what I had today, Michael, eight o'clock, great. I don't know what I'm going to do, maybe I better have a little barbershop my coffee a little bit. So that, you know, I have that latitude that I can really be choosy on who I deal with. And they can as well. And every one of my clients and referral partners and people that I network with, and people that I surround myself with, are very fortunate to have all of them,   Michael Hingson ** 37:06 I think you hit it right on the head, though, it's all a matter of choice. And no matter who you're working with, you have the ability to choose how you deal with that situation, which is really the way it ought to be. And we should, we should choose to be more positive. And it's it's unfortunate that so often, too many people just look at only the negative side of things, which gets very frustrating after a while   Rick Franzo ** 37:31 does but you know, sometimes people can pick themselves up by their own bootstraps. And, you know, it is a choice. But sometimes circumstances kind of prevent that from happening. And I can be empathetic to that, too. And, you know, it's really, I'm very non judgmental about that, where before I was, you know, what are you doing, you can do this and everything else, maybe they can't?   Michael Hingson ** 37:59 Or maybe they haven't discovered something that they need to discover. And to be able to do it. And then of course, that's your job to help them see if there's something to discover.   Rick Franzo ** 38:08 Yeah, absolutely. And sometimes there isn't.   Michael Hingson ** 38:12 And sometimes there isn't, which is also okay. Or we need to understand that that should be okay to believe that and and recognize that. Yep, absolutely. What do you what do you do to help or to work with people who have a hard time achieving their goals, we all are here about setting goals and, and deciding what we're going to do and set a goal to do this. And so um, but a lot of people have a lot of challenges achieving goals. So how do you help people like that?   Rick Franzo ** 38:41 Right, really kind of dig in and find out, you know, what makes them them, right, to establish what their need is, and you know, how they actually learn. So I try to keep things again, it's it's almost cliche, like I'm explaining to a fifth grader, not to talk down to anybody, but to make sure that my message is being received clearly, and without so much collateral stuff that's going on. So I break it down. And I do it, I compartmentalize things and structure it so that almost in a SMART goal way. So it's specific, measurable, attainable, realistic time bound, so that we have really good strategy, not just throwing up things against the wall and seeing what sticks. And if we have a process, then that's half the battle right there. But it's a process that fits them not a cookie cutter one size fits all, because everybody has different businesses, they have different backgrounds. They have different structure for their business, different personalities, especially. So we really have to go and understand first and foremost, how to communicate with them, how to go and build that relationship and how to listen to what it is they really want and need and what the difference is between between those two, I'm   Michael Hingson ** 40:01 sorry. And the neat and exciting thing about that is that you get to learn as you go along because you meet these people who may have experiences that are different from you. And they help you grow every   Rick Franzo ** 40:15 day. Every day, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't learn something new.   Michael Hingson ** 40:21 I have always felt during this podcast that if I'm not learning at least as much as other people learn, then I'm not doing my job. And I don't know what I'm gonna learn. I don't know what happens on on every interview. And that's what makes it fun. It's all about they're not interviews, they're conversations, but it's so much fun. And I want to learn and get to learn so much. It's really a great blessing to me, as far as I'm concerned. But it's   Rick Franzo ** 40:44 all about building relationships. When we first spoke, we This isn't like the third time that we're speaking, the first time. You made a reference to Young Frankenstein. No, no,   Michael Hingson ** 40:55 no, no, no. Frankenstein. Frankenstein.   Rick Franzo ** 40:59 Right. Yeah. So and I got the reference immediately said, Okay, we're good.   Michael Hingson ** 41:09 That's Frederick Frankenstein.   Rick Franzo ** 41:14 One of the Great's so you know, it's always good to really kind of establish that relationship and relate. And it's so different in sales than it is from real life. Right? We relate, we establish the need. Sometimes we're helping people, we want to advance that solution that's custom for them. And then, you know, develop that commitment. It's almost like dating a little bit. But it's been 38 years since I went out on a first date. So I don't know what that's like anymore. But I imagine from what I hear that that's probably what it's like,   Michael Hingson ** 41:50 I know what it was like, when I went out on my first date with Karen, who I married. But I think again, that's my experience. And her experience she was in has always been in a wheelchair, I'm blind. And that's a different experience. And people who aren't blind or not in wheelchairs get exposed to and we all have different experiences. And that's okay. That's okay. Yeah. We, but we grow by really learning about other people's experiences where we can, and there's so much value in doing that. I was talking with someone earlier today, we were just discussing the whole topic of crisis management. And she was discussing the whole idea that, in fact, a lot of times, people become involved in crises with other people, because they just don't take the time to choose to understand or try to learn to understand true, which is a very fascinating and interesting and relevant way to put it.   Rick Franzo ** 42:54 During the pandemic, it was really interesting, because social media is an outlet where people feel that maybe other people don't see it, or that they can just kind of let their hair down, so to speak. But people in the community that I had considered to be pillars or strong leaders, they were losing it on social media. And it was really interesting. And a little bit unnerving to see some of the people that were, you know, supposed to be leaders or, you know, decision makers and things like that, that absolutely lost it during the pandemic. So, you know, even if you do, right, people are watching you. And so it was really important for that front facing to be calm, and, you know, make sure that you were steady because you're not going to be followed, or people aren't going to respond to you. If you seem like you're in chaos and a time of chaos. It   Michael Hingson ** 44:00 really does make life very difficult. When you start to see these people, as you say, who just kind of become unhinged. And you wonder, I really didn't know this person, what's the deal? What's going on here? And I agree, there are so many disappointing things that happened during the pandemic. And the reality is, of course, there's so many things that we don't have control over. And we don't learn how to deal with that, you know, we don't learn to deal with just what we have control over and just leave the rest alone. We think we should be able to control everything. And so one of the things I think about all those people on social media, not during the pandemic was they thought they had control over everything. And then suddenly it turns out, no, you didn't   Rick Franzo ** 44:48 know. Exactly. And, you know, it was a very, very humbling moment. Just to see some of these people that you know, were leaders in their industry or leaders in the community that they really didn't have the wherewithal to handle it. And so it was really important for everybody to really join together and, you know, trying to figure out strategies, so that we didn't, we didn't, you know, falter during that time. And the biggest thing that I did was make sure that I stay close to my network. And that was, that was very important, because we're not built as human beings to do any of this alone. We're very, you know, communal.   Michael Hingson ** 45:38 And unfortunately, so often, during the pandemic, people wouldn't come together, unless it was just within their network, but they wouldn't come together overall, I haven't seen that kind of behavior since September 11, when after September 11, we were so unified for a little while, then, things and cracks started to appear. But we were very unified for a while. And I really wish that that some of our leaders had taken more advantage of trying to keep that going. But they did, man.   Rick Franzo ** 46:10 Amen. Yeah, I, you know, it took something that devastating to bring us all together. And still, there was really no stickability to it. After a while you're right, it started to have cracks, and then it started to crumble. And,   Michael Hingson ** 46:26 and it should have been able to stay together. But people wouldn't do that, which is unfortunate. Now,   Rick Franzo ** 46:33 everybody has their agendas. And that's just, you know, the way that it goes.   Michael Hingson ** 46:39 So you deal with a lot of different kinds of things and a lot of challenges and so on, how do you stay motivated as a coach,   Rick Franzo ** 46:46 I remember where I came from. And I use that five, five rule where if it's not going to matter in five years, then don't give it to you in five minutes more thought, you know, I actually should be dead. So and, you know, again, singing to the choir, so every day is really a gift. And, you know, I try not to take anything for granted. And I do I slip and, you know, I find myself being involved in petty things or things that really don't matter. And again, that's just kind of how we're built. But I have to have the wherewithal to bring myself out of it. And remember that, you know, we are we can be bigger than that.   Michael Hingson ** 47:28 Yeah. And we do have the ability to be bigger than that, and, and should. And when we realize that, then we tend to be a little bit more motivated to move on.   Rick Franzo ** 47:39 Definitely, and to be humble. You know, it's tough for somebody in business to say they don't know something. And it's tough for anybody to say that they don't know something I'm not afraid to say, I'm kind of lost here help me. And before I had too much pride and ego to do that. But for me to recover. I had to take pride and ego and I had to kind of toss it there overrated. I had to be, I had to be coachable to be a coach. There you go.   Michael Hingson ** 48:13 It's again, a journey. It's a learning experience. And you had to be willing to learn and grow. Yep, it is. It is such a an awesome thing to you know, to hear you talk about these things and to see what what you're doing. You hold yourself accountable really well. And yeah, you do like any one, sometimes things happen. But when you're dealing with, with your clients, obviously there are a lot of times when you establish enough a relationship where you need to hold them accountable for something and how do you do that, while at the same time, being compassionate and supportive to them?   Rick Franzo ** 48:53 That's, that's kind of a fine line, right? So I don't tell them what to do. Right. But we'll look at things like what their goals are and what their key performance indicators are. And if they're not getting there, we have to kind of say, what is it that you want, right? It all comes down to the numbers in the end, but we don't even have to get there half of the time. We really part of the the whole dynamic of what I do is the accountability piece. And really, people want to be held accountable. They just aren't really able to hold themselves accountable. So I don't make it an attack. I don't make it like some sort of an intervention. It's absolutely, we're on the same team. I don't work for my clients. I work with my clients on a part of their team. And I'm just as invested in their business as they are.   Michael Hingson ** 49:44 And that's really the way it should be. I've always felt that when I have people who work for me, and that I work with. It's all a matter of having a team. And I always tell people my job is to help us figure out ways that I can add value to what You did make us successful. And I think that it goes beyond that. In terms of like what you're doing, because you want to make them successful, it helps make you successful. But everybody learns and grows. And it's the whole thing again, of there's no I in team, my favorite book, one of my favorite books about my favorite book, and the whole subject of team building and so on is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Have you ever read it? I have it. It's a great little book. It's a parable, mostly. And it talks about? Well, the whole premise is it's a company that's having a lot of problems, they bring in a new CEO. And she works to create the executive team into a real team because they weren't. And then it goes through a lot of the discussions about what makes a good team and the most basic thing that is talked about as the whole concept of accountability, and that everyone needs to buy into accountability, and needs to not only be willing to hold other people accountable, but be held accountable themselves. And it is important that we recognize that it's okay for others on our team to help hold us accountable. Because if they're doing it for the right reason, it's a very positive thing. Yep. Absolutely.   Rick Franzo ** 51:21 And it helps to create a better culture in that organization as well.   Michael Hingson ** 51:28 Yeah. But accountability can be such a wonderful thing. And you know, for me, and I joke about it with with the memory of my wife, and saying, If I do something wrong, I'm going to hear about it. If I don't hear about it from any other way, I'm going to hear about it from my own conscience. I've got 40 years of memories and 73 years of life that taught me how I really ought to be and how I really ought to behave. And if I can't do that, then there's something really wrong with me.   Rick Franzo ** 51:58 Mike drop right there. Amen. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 52:02 And, but I do know that she's up there, wherever she is. She's She's monitoring me. So, so far, I guess I've been doing okay. I guess. But, you know, we, we we do cope, and we we move on and do what we need to do? Absolutely. So you've got three grown children, any grandkids. One,   Rick Franzo ** 52:24 one grand run grandson, he's 14, who is very good at beating me and chess online. I haven't won against him yet. I think we've played about 25 times. I can't beat the kid. I don't know. It's a goal. It's a goal. And he's far more skilled. So every time he's like, you want to play it again. Yes. So you play for an hour. And I'm like, All right. I think that I've had my, my fill of defeat for today. Well, we'll catch you next week.   Michael Hingson ** 52:55 Have you asked him yet? What is secret is?   Rick Franzo ** 52:57 I haven't I don't want to know what a secret is. Well, no, you could win. Oh, I don't I want to get there on my own. I don't want to go there's no cheat codes here. No,   Michael Hingson ** 53:07 no, no, not cheat codes. Just secret of his skill. Oh,   Rick Franzo ** 53:10 he practices he plays all the time. He's he's definitely committed to, to what he does so incredible, young man.   Michael Hingson ** 53:20 Yeah. That's pretty cool. Yeah. And, and so does he live near you know, I'm probably not all my kids   Rick Franzo ** 53:29 live out west. I live here. They're their lives, took them out to the West Coast. And, you know, that part of the country, and that we always encourage them to do is they you don't want to do and they all, you know, drove across themselves to get to where they wanted to go. And they all lead very, very successful lives. And we're very, very proud of them. We talk to them all the time.   Michael Hingson ** 53:57 That's cool. So you have great relationships. And that's as good as it gets. We got to   Rick Franzo ** 54:02 visit each other. So it's all it's all good. It's very nice.   Michael Hingson ** 54:06 So you wrote a book, how horse you saved my life? Yeah. Are you looking and thinking about writing any other books,   Rick Franzo ** 54:13 I'm writing another book right now. And it's a little bit of, you know, part two of how he or she saved my life, because it was a tale of two brain tumors. And now there's three, and really blending in some of the business lessons that I've learned and some servant leadership aspects to it. So it's going to be I don't have a name for it yet. But it's going to be a good book. It'll be a short book, like the first one. It'll be an easy read, and very relatable for everybody. And you don't have to have a brain tumor or disability to understand what it is and so that's, that's going to be what it is. I don't have a date for it yet. It's TBD. All right. I've been kinda I've drawn another direction. So I haven't put the time into it that I wanted to. But maybe by the end of the summer, I'll be a little farther along than I am now.   Michael Hingson ** 55:08 Now your first book, did you self publish? Or did a publisher do it? I self published it. Okay. And the second one will probably be the same way.   Rick Franzo ** 55:16 It well. Cool. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 55:19 Well, that's, that's something you know, I think we all have stories in us and the self publishing has come along, that makes it so much easier to be able to write and publish a book if we get to the discipline of doing it, or maybe work with someone else to do it. But the fact is that I would love to see more people tell their stories. That's one of the things that we try to do on unstoppable mindset is at least talk about the stories.   Rick Franzo ** 55:44 Now, what an incredible platform that you have, right? Well,   Michael Hingson ** 55:48 it's it's a lot of fun. And it definitely keeps us busy. And at least in the air conditioning during the heat.   Rick Franzo ** 55:57 Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you seem to pump out a podcast a week, if not more, we're doing   Michael Hingson ** 56:02 two a week now, which is really pretty. Yeah. Which is really pretty cool. And definitely enjoying it. And I enjoy so much getting to meet so many people with diverse backgrounds and diverse stories to tell. And people always say, well, who's your audience and I just keep saying, the audience's anyone and everyone. It's a very diverse audience, we're not dealing with a specific agenda, we really want to give people the opportunity to tell stories. And that's what makes it so much fun to do.   Rick Franzo ** 56:34 Very cool.   Michael Hingson ** 56:36 So I love it. I can't complain a lot and five minutes, I want to work at it and nobody listens. So there you go. I'm glad that you're doing another book. And the coaching is going well do you coach people all over the world are all over the United States all over the   Rick Franzo ** 56:51 United States. And so not all over the world yet. But we have coaches that are in 1513 or 15 other countries. And so we have a pretty, pretty broad network, and what a bunch of, you know, really great coaches we have so definitely something to learn, we usually all get together once a year, we got together in Dallas last year. And it was it was a great experience. So   Michael Hingson ** 57:18 how many of you are there?   Rick Franzo ** 57:22 About 150? Give or take a coach or two? You know, domestically and internationally?   Michael Hingson ** 57:31 That's pretty cool.   Rick Franzo ** 57:32 Yeah, absolutely.   Michael Hingson ** 57:33 So you said it's a company, I guess that's everyone has their own franchise within the company. Right.   Rick Franzo ** 57:39 So I have my own corporation. And, you know, we all run our business, as we as we would kind of, you know, there are some things that we have to do that are universal, like our strategic mindset. But really, we have the latitude and the flexibility to, you know, kind of run our company the way that we want to, and use the materials and the coaching that we get, you know, how it serves our clients best?   Michael Hingson ** 58:04 Yeah, and again, that's the thing, you've got 150 or so people who have all these diverse backgrounds, that can help teach you and that you can help teach as well, which really is a wonderful opportunity and set of tools to take advantage of. Definitely,   Rick Franzo ** 58:23 definitely, no, it was very fortunate that I ran across the growth coach, and I encourage, you know, other people to, to really look into the franchise model because it's really a perfect model, you're in business for yourself, not by yourself. You don't have to make the mistakes or reinvent the wheel. They have everything really structured and figured out. You just have to commit to making it happen for you.   Michael Hingson ** 58:52 That's ultimately the real issue anyway, right?   Rick Franzo ** 58:55 It's sure it's   Michael Hingson ** 58:57 so if people want to reach out to you, how do they do that? They can go   59:01 and they can reach out my website is thegrowthcoachpoconos.com. And all my information is on there, my phone number, my email, and everything else. If you have a brain tumor, you can check it out on Facebook. It's called Brain Tumor Talk. And you just have to answer some screening questions. And you can find me on Facebook or LinkedIn.   Michael Hingson ** 59:23 Which are LinkedIn name. Saying Rick Franzo Oh, Rick Franzo? Yeah. F r a n, z o. You got it. There you go. And Rick is R i c k. I got that   Rick Franzo ** 59:34 part. Yeah, you got that part.   Michael Hingson ** 59:38 It's not Igor. It's Ichor. Hi, Glen. I go well, I really have enjoyed this and we got through it this time, which is great. That's   Rick Franzo ** 59:47 great. Yeah, absolutely. I was waiting for the next glitch but didn't happen. So   Michael Hingson ** 59:52 now I had faith this time. We don't have the VPN running. So I had full faith that we were going to do fine and that nothing was going to stop So your faith got us through war or something. I hope so I like to think so anyway, but I really appreciate you coming on. And I appreciate you listening out there. And I'd love to hear from you. I'm sure Rick would love to hear from you. If you need a coach or just want to chat in any way, feel free to reach out to Rick, I'd love to hear your thoughts about today. Please feel free to email me at Michael m i c h a e l h i at accessibe A C C E S S I B E.com. Or go to our podcast page, www dot Michael hingson.com/podcast. And it's m i c h a e l h i n g s o n.com/podcast. If you would please give us a five star rating. I would appreciate it. Rick would appreciate it. We love hearing your thoughts. So don't hesitate to give them. And if you know someone else who you think we ought to have as a guest on unstoppable mindset. Please reach out to me and provide introductions, Rick, same to you. We're always looking for more guests. So if you think any of the people from growth coach who want to come on are able to do that would love that as well. But I want to thank you once more for being here and for making this a delightful day for us.   Rick Franzo ** 1:01:15 Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure and an honor and I'm humbled to be here today. Thank you so much, Michael.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:23 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com. accessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Dr. Kelsey Moody is a process-oriented biotechnology executive who has specialized in the study of aging and aging mechanisms for over a decade. Since 2013, He has successfully built Ichor from a living room start-up into a premier, vertically integrated contract research organization that focuses on pre-clinical research services for aging pathways. Proceeds from this work are used to self-fund R&D initiatives that constitute Ichor's portfolio companies in enzyme therapy (Lysoclear, Inc.), small molecule drug discovery (Antoxerene, Inc.), and protein engineering (RecombiPure, Inc.). Kelsey has received graduate-level training in medicine, business, and laboratory research. Newsletter sign up (new and exciting developments) https://learningwithlowell.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=08ed8a56013d8b3a3c01e27fc&id=6ecaa9189b Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzri06unR-lMXbl6sqWP_-Q/join https://youtu.be/-7gk195mhGc Over 321 books from 170 plus interviews over 5 years https://www.learningwithlowell.com/over-321-books-from-170-interviews-over-5-years-for-autodidacts/ PODCAST INFO: The Learning With Lowell show is a series for the everyday mammal. In this show we'll learn about leadership, science, and people building their change into the world. The goal is to dig deeply into people who most of us wouldn't normally ever get to hear. The Host of the show – Lowell Thompson- is a lifelong autodidact, serial problem solver, and founder of startups. LINKS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/66eFLHQclKe5p3bMXsCTRH RSS: https://www.learningwithlowell.com/feed/podcast/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzri06unR-lMXbl6sqWP_-Q Youtube clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-B5x371AzTGgK-_q3U_KfA Website: https://www.learningwithlowell.com/ Kelsey moody links https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-moody-phd-mba-55434421 https://ichorlifesciences.com/about/ Timestamps /show notes 00:00 Intro 00:30 How are ichor life sciences not out of business 02:30 why don't more people copy his business model 04:40 Finding the right investors 08:10 Sales in biotech 10:05 approach to hiring, managing, etc  11:20 Liquid liquid phase separation 16:00 Using phase separation  18:40 Protein vs Phase  22:24 Phase separation to find black swans  21:25 downside to phase separation 24:00 Phase separation being incorporated into portfolio / building tools.  27:11 Why choose phase separation / tool building 29:11 Future of ichor  30:10 Missing to meet that future 31:30 Build the headquarters / USA 33:33 Will they need $100 million 36:10 Startups / biotech wasting money   39:00 Continuity of vision / delusions / Moody in control  39:50 Getting the most from his team / biggest struggle 43:25 innovation days 45:30 Breakdown of startups in portfolio / interventions they're developing FanQ 49:20 How far from clinical trials Fanq 51:18 Lipid Nano Particle to deliver your Lysoclear enzyme FANQ 54:24 Lysoclear enzyme compared to other interventions  / macular degeneration 57:30 how will Lysoclear enzyme be applied elsewhere  59:30 Functional rejuvenation / aubrey de grey / repair future 01:02:30 Criticism Roche is leading these Ph2a trials / FanQ 01:07:18 Aubrey de grey LEV robust mouse rejuvenation study at ichor / insane! 01:10:50 Surprising / relieved developments from mouse rejuvenation study 01:12:18 building a ginkgo bioworks biobank 01:14:30 Surprising legal document 01:15:03 When was Kelsey happiest in life 01:16:07 Big sacrifice as a founder 01:18:50 Bryan johnson blueprint protocol / health optimization  01:20:33 Staying up to date.

The student adventurers have much to learn... Like NEVER split the party! Yet, there is much to be done now that the group is separated: Dickson, Milo, and Thad have secrets to uncover in the local watering hole while Manny attempts to unlock the secrets of love and courtship. Join students Thadward Castellan (Matt Smith), Manny McQuaid (Ben Renfro), Dickson Scyder (Brad Richards), and Milo Yishithris (Brad Renfro) on their adventures at the Arcshine. Catch up on previous episodes at deathsavingbros.com.Get even more Death Saving Bros content by becoming a supporter on Patreon.Follow us on Twitter and other social media @DeathSavingBros or visit our website.Shop for official Death Saving Bros merchandise, including the new Thy Apothecary Courtship band design, on Redbubble to get t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and more.

Listen to jolene and ichor talk about: creatures, goblins, ghouls, self-cest, addiction, cucking yourself with yourself, how 'it' is actually the first pronoun used for most people, the "dead wife experience," clowning, and more. Check out all of Ichor's links here: https://linktr.ee/duckykw Project LETS is the organization Ichor mentions towards the end of the episode. Learn more about them here: https://projectlets.org/ I realized after the fact that the "dead wife experience" is basically one of the plot points in Michelle Perez and Remy Boydell's "The Pervert," which is a really good comic you should read. The intro and outro music is by Lynn July. You can listen to more of her music at: https://tinytachyon.bandcamp.com/ Follow the pod on twitter: https://twitter.com/WhenAGuyHas Check out our website: https://whenaguyhas.neocities.org/ (IN PROGRESS) Subscribe to the patreon for more like this!!! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=85347146 The RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/9877d600/podcast/rss Donate to our Kofi, if you're so inclined: https://ko-fi.com/whenaguyhas

Our Heroes awake to find Thesseus missing along with their ship. They find an abandoned Orpheus and Chrysos seems to be acting stranger and stranger. Finally having enough, Calin searches Chrysos' private quarters and makes a chilling discovery.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Tim Blair, CEO of ICHOR, an early-stage company developing a novel approach to thrombectomy in the peripheral vascular system.With a rich, 30+ year career in the medtech industry, Tim Bhas held diverse roles spanning sales, marketing, and strategy development, both in multinationals and startups. In 2009, Tim brought his strategic vision to NAMSA, shaping it into one of the world's first Medical Research Organizations (MROs). Currently, as CEO and co-founder, Tim is leading ICHOR on its quest to transform thrombectomy in the peripheral vascular system.Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:If you're into learning from proven medtech and health tech leaders and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You'll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced life science leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market.This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a MedTech startup for an exit.In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors at no additional cost. If you're interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

I don't think this mix needs any explanation.

BANG! @southernvangard #radio Ep357! It's treat time, Vangardians! Not only do we have WORLD EXCLUSIVES from MONDO SLADE, J57, LORD TOOZY, JUNCLASSIC & ULLNEVANO - our good friend J57 made an unexpected surprise in-studio appearance and obviously brought the goods with him. If that ain't enough, we in books- check ‘em out and YOU WAAAAALCOME!!!!! #SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard // southernvangard.com // @southernvangard on all platforms #undergroundhiphop #boombap #DJ #mixshow #interview #podcast #ATL #WORLDWIDE #RIPCOMBATJACK Recorded live March 19, 2023 @ Dirty Blanket Studios, Marietta, GA southernvangard.com @southernvangard on all platforms #SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard twitter/IG: @southernvangard @jondoeatl @cappuccinomeeks Talk Break Inst. - "True Story" - Hi-Tek "More Important Things" - Lord Toozy & J57 ft. DJ Jon Doe **WORLD EXCLUSIVE** "Mijos In The Alpes" - DOAMPEACE prod. Dface, cuts William Bostick "Wreckless" - Meeco & DJ Access ft. Inspektah Deck and Fashawn "Unpredictable" - Statik Selektah ft. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, & Method Man "NY Is Killing Me" - Nems & Scram Jones ft. Uncle Murda & Dave East Talk Break Inst. - "People In The Universe" - Hi-Tek "Strong Arm Aggression" - Ty Farris & Machacha ft. WateRR "Ichor" - Four Elements & Beyond (prod. Freak Tha Monsta) "End Game" - Jay Royale ft. Styles P (prod. Ray Sosa, cuts Dj Crypt) "Feastin" - Alcapella ft. El Gant, Ackurate & Noveliss "Enigma" - O Dawg x Passport Rav "Mulberry St." - J57 ft. Junclassic & Ullnevano **WORLD EXCLUSIVE** Talk Break Inst. - "Crown Heights" - Hi-Tek "Da Count" - Mondo Slade **WORLD EXCLUSIVE** "Penny Penchin'" - Estee Nack x V Don "Find Out (Afterhours Freestyle)" - EL Maryacho x Nowaah The Flood "Parrying" - Rigz ft. Jai Black "Finesse" - Grafh & 38 Spesh ft. Rome Streetz "Almighty Captain" - Knowledge The Pirate (prod. e.l.e.m.n.t) "Rawthentic" - J57 ft. Locksmith, Dillon, MCRE, H3RO Talk Break Inst. - "Tek Jader" - Hi-Tek Talk Break Inst. - "Slow Motion" - Hi-Tek

Andy, Anthony, and Parker review the results of the ONE and ONC community set reviews. They talk about the top cards the community is most excited about, discuss why they think the cards rose to the top, and share their own takes on them. They also talk about some of the broader patterns and comments in the review responses. Check out the full results for the Phyrexia: All Will Be One and partner Commander Decks. View all cards mentioned in the episode → If you missed your chance to participate in this survey, sign up for our infrequent newsletter to make sure you don't miss the next one! Discussed in this episode: Middle Child Sandwich Restaurant Lucky Paper Past Survey Results Tool Drive to Work on Mental Processing Drive to Work on Logistics Tesla Covered in Mold CubeCon Website Timestamps: 5:05 — Episode Format Explanation 8:28 — Parker's Dishonorable Melira Mention 14:18 — Sword of Forge and Frontier 16:46 — 13. Bloated Contaminator 26:23 — 12. Conduit of Worlds 28:56 — 11. Drown in Ichor 31:23 — 10. Experimental Augury 33:24 — 9. Vraan, Executioner Thane 35:22 — 8. Nissa, Ascended Animist 41:45 — 7. Atraxa, Grand Unifier 48:09 — 6. The Eternal Wanderer 52:49 — 5. Ossification 59:50 — 4. Mercurial Spelldancer 1:05:11 — 3. Planar Disruption 1:07:13 — 2. Sheoldred's Edict 1:09:23 — 1. Cankerbloom 1:13:24 — Phyrexia: All Will be One Commander Results 1:13:43 — 3. Otharri, Sun's Glory 1:14:52 — 2. Staff of the Storyteller 1:19:41 — 1. Glimmer Lens Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay. You can find the hosts' Cubes on Cube Cobra: Andy's “Bun Magic” Cube Anthony's “Regular” Cube If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. If you'd like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen. Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

This week we continue to breakdown the new set Phyrexian All Will Be One.  We talk about the limited archetypes then talk about some of the cards coming to standard and beyond. To help support the podcast, please consider going to TCG using our link: tcg.casualtryhardmtg.com Facebook: Casual Try Hard MTG Twitter: @casualtrypod Email: casualtryhardmtg@gmail.com Patreon: Patreon.com/casualtryhardmtg Youtube: CasualTryHardMTG Discord: https://discord.gg/6uCuW79 You can find us on the Apple podcast app, Google Play, Podbean, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or YouTube just search casual try hard. Music by Juan Rodriguez II ZeeManlove.com

Ichor Heart of War-Den: This swampy room comes to life when you enter the chamber. Veins move black ichor throughout these walls and ceiling made of flesh and machine. Sprinkles of black ichor fill the room, making it difficult to breathe. The floor slants toward the center like a bowl, shifting and popping you into the air towards War-Den (Dex save). War-Den is a 10-ft., sentient, beating robot heart of black diamond who's spewing noxious fumes into the air. A legendary, emerald skull hovers above them. Their veiny, needle-tipped tendrils attempt to pump you full of the black ichor to turn you into a pollutor.Pollutors are War-Den's hive-mind cyborgs created to expel toxic fumes from their robotic parts to terraform the planet. Pollutors will always come to the aid of War-Den, especially if they or their emerald are taken.--Our guest this week is John “Hambone” McGuire of 3,2,1…Action! Games and co-host of the Vintage RPG podcast.We talk about their projects: Escape from Point Nemo, Children of UMA, Mini Sub Mania, Devil into New Jersey, Rocket to Russia, Hotel Exorcist, and pamphlets Grounded for Life, Ski Quest.Back their currently running Zine Quest Kickstarter here: The Sunset Limited, A Penny Dreadful Train Robbery for 3,2,1…Western!Follow 3,2,1…Action! at: Website - Exalted Funeral - Drive Thru RPG - Itch.io - FB - IG - Twitter--Thanks for listening to Season Two of the Epic Levels Mad Dungeon podcast, where D&D hip hop group Epic Levels and a guest create a system-neutral, playable dungeon room using improv, comedy, and lifetimes wasted on roleplaying games.Let us know if you run this or any of our other adventures and use the hashtag: #maddungeonYou can support us via Patreon for early episode releases, bonus map content, extra art, access to our discord server, and lots of other exclusive goodies.Epiclevelsrapgods.compatreon.com/epiclevelsinstagram.com/epic_levelstwitter.com/epic_levelsfacebook.com/epiclevelsrapgodsSubscribe to us on your favorite podcast player, leave a comment and tell your friends.Get nerd merch and stay up to date at EpicLevelsRapGods.comThe Epic Levels Mad Dungeon podcast is hosted by Andrew Bellury, Rob Bellury & Steve Albertson, and produced by Zach Cowan.Theme song by Epic Levels and beat by Inner Resting AKA Mason Grant who also makes tabletop games that you can purchase at Gamma Wave Games.© 2023 Epic Levels. All characters in this adventure–even those based on real people–are entirely fictional.

Every card from Phyrexia: All Will Be One has been previewed and the hits keep coming. Gerry and Bryan do a deep two-hour dive on the newest cards, although a large chunk of that two hours is spent reminiscing about all the cool throwbacks in the set. Oops. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Phyrexian Vindicator - 9:45 Crawling Chorus - 13:31 Duelist of Deep Faith - 17:16 Planar Disruption - 18:07 Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus - 19:23 Jace, the Perfected Mind -23:30 Prologue to Phyresis - 27:03 Malcator's Watcher - 28:50 Distorted Curiosity - 29:58 Bring the Ending - 31:10 Thrummingbird - 31:41 Minor Misstep - 32:09 Vraan, Executioner Thane - 36:32 Drown in Ichor - 39:48 Vat of Rebirth - 41:09 Solphim, Mayhem Dominus - 43:48 Capricious Hellraiser - 46:50 Exuberant Fuseling - 51:36 Churning Reservoir - 52:53 Sawblade Scamp - 54:38 Gleeful Demolition - 57:01 Nahiri's Sacrifice - 58:57 Cacophony Scamp - 1:03:34 Thrun, Breaker of Silence - 1:04:37 Tyrannax Rex - 1:10:50 Nissa, Ascended Animist - 1:14:56 Evolved Spinoderm - 1:20:38 Evolving Adaptive - 1:21:42 Rustvine Cultivator - 1:23:10 Viral Spawning - 1:27:03 Thirsting Roots - 1:32:20 Atraxa, Grand Unifier - 1:34:38 Voidwing Hybrid - 1:38:31 Sword of Forge and Frontier - 1:39:20 Argentum Masticore - 1:45:56 The Filigree Sylex - 1:49:53 Tablet of Compleation - 1:52:34 Prophetic Prism - 1:54:07 Dross Spellbomb - 1:54:28 Furnace Spellbomb - 1:54:50 ETB tapped Spheres - 1:56:12 arenadecklists.gg patreon.com/arenadecklists twitch.tv/arenadecklists youtube.com/arenadecklists twitter.com/arenadecklists twitter.com/g3rryt twitter.com/bryango

The guys start talking about the new set Phyrexian All Will be One.  They go over Toxic again to answer some questions about the mechanic then dive into some cards.  There is some neat and powerful stuff in this set.  To help support the podcast, please consider going to TCG using our link: tcg.casualtryhardmtg.com Facebook: Casual Try Hard MTG Twitter: @casualtrypod Email: casualtryhardmtg@gmail.com Patreon: Patreon.com/casualtryhardmtg Youtube: CasualTryHardMTG Discord: https://discord.gg/6uCuW79   You can find us on the Apple podcast app, Google Play, Podbean, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or YouTube just search casual try hard. Music by Juan Rodriguez II ZeeManlove.com

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! On this day of relaxation, food, football, and naps, Chris and Tim decided to discuss what this holiday would be like on the major planes in the Magic Universe. What would be on the TV in Dominaria? How would the Parcelbeast taste in Ikoria? How many cans of Ichor would Uncle Boris drink in New Phyrexia? Listen in and see what the guys think! We hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!The podcast was nominated as one of the best medium-sized podcasts by the Magic the Gathering Content Creator Awards! Be sure to subscribe and share the podcast to help us bring home the trophy!https://mtgcca.com/https://www.casualcommanderpodcast.comhttps://linktr.ee/casualcommanderIf you'd like to help support the podcast, be sure to check out our patreon! Each level will give you great benefits, such as discord privileges, merch discounts, and more.https://www.patreon.com/casualcommander#MagicTheGathering #MTG #EDH #Commander #CasualCommander #Podcast

And with that, Ichor Fall comes to a close. Next Stop: Broodhollow! (Broodhollow Book 1): https://broodhollow.krisstraub.com/20121006.shtml  Intro/Outro music: Ghost Story by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3805-ghost-story  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  Thumbs up to all our listeners, and the creator of the Creepypasta, or rather Spooky Stories, webcomic and Setting: Kris Straub. For without, we wouldn't have this discussion. So thank you all! - (Ichor Falls): https://www.ichorfalls.com/  Comment below or send us an email at aldenterigamortis@gmail.com   Also check out the title cards for each episode: http://crazonstudios.tumblr.com/  And if you want to show your support, consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/aldenterigamortis

(History Lesson): https://www.ichorfalls.com/2008/11/11/history_lesson_revised/index.html  Intro/Outro music: Ghost Story by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3805-ghost-story  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  Thumbs up to all our listeners, and the creator of the Creepypasta, or rather Spooky Stories and Setting: Kris Straub and the author of this submitted story: Xavier Brentwood. For without, we wouldn't have this discussion. So thank you all! - (Ichor Falls): https://www.ichorfalls.com/  Comment below or send us an email at aldenterigamortis@gmail.com   Also check out the title cards for each episode: http://crazonstudios.tumblr.com/  And if you want to show your support, consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/aldenterigamortis

(Religion): https://www.ichorfalls.com/2008/11/12/religion/index.html  Intro/Outro music: Ghost Story by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3805-ghost-story  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  Thumbs up to all our listeners, and the creator of the Creepypasta, or rather Spooky Stories and Setting: Kris Straub and the author of this submitted story: Matt McArdle. For without, we wouldn't have this discussion. So thank you all! - (Ichor Falls): https://www.ichorfalls.com/  Comment below or send us an email at aldenterigamortis@gmail.com   Also check out the title cards for each episode: http://crazonstudios.tumblr.com/  And if you want to show your support, consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/aldenterigamortis

(Raging Against the Dying of the Light): https://www.ichorfalls.com/2008/11/14/rage_against_the_dying_of_the_light/index.html  Intro/Outro music: Ghost Story by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3805-ghost-story  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  Thumbs up to all our listeners, and the creator of the Creepypasta, or rather Spooky Stories and Setting: Kris Straub and the author of this submitted story: currently anonymous. For without, we wouldn't have this discussion. So thank you all! - (Ichor Falls): https://www.ichorfalls.com/  Comment below or send us an email at aldenterigamortis@gmail.com   Also check out the title cards for each episode: http://crazonstudios.tumblr.com/  And if you want to show your support, consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/aldenterigamortis

We did our best to run When the horde came through the gate Around the walls of no surrender They came, on and on Don't blame us if we get nervous When Thüt Opens a Door Sanctuary, Disengage Cut the Cord   Are they Human? Or are they Ichor? The ick is slick The goo is black And we're in the thick And it's getting thicker Are they Human Or are they ichor?

The gang meet some seemingly harmless Redcaps. How do we tell them that you make friends with everything...? ----- Help support us our continuing adventures by donating via our Ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/rollthedamndice This season we are sponsored by Critit UK - https://critit.co.uk/discount/RTDD10 Exclusive 10% discount available using the link above or by using code "RTDD10" at check out Join us for the live sessions on Twitch - Sundays at 19:00 GMT  https://www.twitch.tv/rollthedamndice