Introducing Artifacts of the Arcane!

[00:00:00] Welcome to a special episode of The Thieves Guild, where we happily introduce you to another fantasy podcast, Artifacts of the Arcane.

[00:00:10] Artifacts of the Arcane tells the story of a teen boy who is entrusted with bearing a magical artifact that is very powerful.

[00:00:19] Featuring djinn, magical trains, historical figures of World War II, shadow creatures and an extraordinary journey of magic,

[00:00:28] Artifacts of the Arcane looks at history where magic existed, only to be replaced by science.

[00:00:36] Actually, it reminds me of another story in a way.

[00:00:39] One of the things I love about Harry Potter is that the world of magic exists in plain sight, but the muggles don't realize it and can't see it.

[00:00:49] I love a similar thing about Artifacts of the Arcane.

[00:00:53] Everyone knows magic exists, but it is dismissed as technology and science are more powerful.

[00:01:01] It's a time where magic is dying.

[00:01:04] But as the young protagonist of Artifacts of the Arcane learns, magic still has power, even if the world has forgotten it.

[00:01:14] Artifacts of the Arcane by Jake Kerr

[00:01:20] Season 1

[00:01:22] The Staff of Light

[00:01:25] Episode 1

[00:01:28] Shadows in Manhattan

[00:01:32] Let's be honest, my grandfather drove me crazy.

[00:01:35] He was a kind man and all, who truly cared and looked out for me.

[00:01:39] But I was pretty much a prisoner in his townhouse.

[00:01:42] Sure, I could walk outside, but what was there to do?

[00:01:45] It took all my willpower not to sneak away on a regular basis.

[00:01:49] The only relief was the day when grandfather and I would see the latest motion picture at the Ziegfeld Theater and then walk to the Persian Garden restaurant for dinner.

[00:01:59] I lived for those days, and it was during one of them when I forever left the prison of my grandfather's apartment behind.

[00:02:08] It was a Saturday, and it started out ordinary enough.

[00:02:11] We had just watched Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood.

[00:02:16] And we're on our way to the Persian Garden.

[00:02:18] I grabbed a broken broom handle off the curb and pretended I was Robin Hood, practicing sword thrusts and swings against mailboxes and trees along 6th Avenue.

[00:02:28] Sometimes I'd have to pause as the passing horses and automobiles stirred the dust and made me cough, but I didn't mind.

[00:02:36] It was better than the dry, stale air of my grandfather's townhouse.

[00:02:41] We were walking along, and grandfather didn't seem to mind my antics until we turned into the alley leading to the restaurant,

[00:02:48] and I smacked one of the metal drums stacked at the entrance.

[00:02:52] Dark brown fluid splashed over the edge.

[00:02:55] My nose was assaulted with the noxious smell of rotting straw and horse manure.

[00:03:01] Grandfather stopped, turned, pointed his cane at me, and growled.

[00:03:06] Watch it now, Tommy.

[00:03:07] You're wearing your nice clothes.

[00:03:09] I looked at my khaki pants and white cotton shirt, and then at the brown liquid on the cobblestones.

[00:03:16] While the length of the alley was mostly empty, the entrance was stacked with large metal containers,

[00:03:22] filled with dirt and horse waste scraped from the streets, and only emptied once a week.

[00:03:27] Mind your step, he added, and started walking again.

[00:03:32] I stepped over a pool of liquid manure, glad none had splashed on my leather shoes.

[00:03:38] He took particular joy in our trips down the quiet alley.

[00:03:41] He once told me that before my parents passed away, they had forbidden him from taking the shortcut to the restaurant.

[00:03:49] As if that would stop him, he talked of taking the dangerous lonely road,

[00:03:53] and I humored his belief that an alley could be dangerous by stabbing at imaginary thieves as I rushed to catch up.

[00:04:01] Grandfather was a tall man with the same gray eyes we all seemed to have in my family,

[00:04:06] and he had wild white hair that he kept slicked back in the style of his youth.

[00:04:11] His hair would resist his efforts, however, and often stuck out in odd directions,

[00:04:16] causing him to constantly slide his fingers across the top of his head in an attempt to tame the unruly mess.

[00:04:23] He didn't smile much, or laugh, and there was an intensity about him that was often scary.

[00:04:30] But he was a kind man, and for as much as he drove me crazy, I did love him dearly.

[00:04:36] The alley was long, running the length of the theater and the department store that backed onto it from 7th Avenue,

[00:04:43] and was always empty, the drums of manure and dark brown clotted liquid pooling beneath them,

[00:04:49] acting as an effective deterrent to everyone but my grandfather.

[00:04:53] As always, he set a pace that was a brisk walk for his long legs and a gangly jog for me.

[00:05:00] My 14-year-old legs always a half step behind and trying to catch up.

[00:05:05] The sharp tap, tap, tap of his cane whenever he walked had become another part of his character,

[00:05:11] like his firm handshakes and the constant fixing of his hair.

[00:05:15] The taps were so loud and distinct that everyone in the neighborhood knew when grandfather was approaching,

[00:05:22] long before they saw him.

[00:05:24] I matched grandfather's stride a few steps behind him and returned my attention to stabbing and parrying imaginary foes.

[00:05:32] We were more than halfway down the alley when the rhythmic swinging and tapping of his cane ceased.

[00:05:38] My grandfather stopped so suddenly that I almost ran into him.

[00:05:43] As I regained my balance, he tossed his cane to his right hand and with his left arm pushed against my shoulder

[00:05:50] and maneuvered me behind him as he slowly turned to his left.

[00:05:54] Stay directly behind me, he whispered.

[00:05:58] Don't run, don't hide, just stay behind me.

[00:06:01] I had no idea what was happening, but I did as my grandfather said, his voice calm but commanding.

[00:06:08] He glanced at me and I saw a look in his eyes that I had never seen before.

[00:06:13] He turned away and looked at the wall across the alley.

[00:06:17] I peeked around, but saw nothing but a dark elongated shadow from a small balcony on the second floor.

[00:06:24] It was a sunny day, so it was easy to see everything along the wall.

[00:06:29] There was nothing out of the ordinary.

[00:06:30] I gripped the broomstick in my hand, prepared for anything.

[00:06:35] Grandfather stared at the shadow, unmoving.

[00:06:37] He crouched down slightly, holding his cane in both hands like a staff.

[00:06:42] His knuckles were white.

[00:06:45] Grandfather, what is it?

[00:06:47] Shhh, stay behind me.

[00:06:49] I thought I saw a flicker in the shadow and my grandfather suddenly stood upright.

[00:06:54] Vingrosh, I know you are there.

[00:06:56] You may as well come down.

[00:06:58] I don't know why you are skulking about, but your efforts were obviously for naught.

[00:07:04] The normal-looking shadow started to move.

[00:07:07] It was not the slow, natural movement of shadow reacting to light.

[00:07:12] It moved as if it had a life of its own.

[00:07:15] The darkness was so alien and unnatural that my hands started to shake.

[00:07:21] I grabbed Grandfather's arm and steadied myself.

[00:07:24] Please let go, Tommy.

[00:07:26] I may need to move with some suddenness.

[00:07:29] And as I said, it is safer for you behind me, not holding on to me.

[00:07:34] He nudged me with the end of his cane.

[00:07:36] I felt an immense power as the cane touched me.

[00:07:39] If you've ever been near a lightning strike or inside an electricity station, you'll know what I mean.

[00:07:45] It wasn't being touched by power.

[00:07:47] It was being touched by the presence of power.

[00:07:52] I peered again at the wall in the direction my grandfather was staring.

[00:07:56] The shadow spread like a black stain.

[00:07:58] What is it, Grandfather?

[00:08:00] Shush, Tommy.

[00:08:01] Vingrosh, I am late for a dinner appointment with my friends from Persepolis.

[00:08:06] Or perhaps we should join them together.

[00:08:09] My grandfather slammed the brass tip of his cane to the ground, where it let out a loud crack.

[00:08:15] Immediately, the shadow on the wall started to drip like fresh paint.

[00:08:19] It oozed down, crossed the alley toward us, and then coalesced in front of my grandfather, who was still tense, but glanced back at me and winked.

[00:08:29] The shadow on the ground was roughly circular and looked like a hole in the alley.

[00:08:33] A deep, baritone voice came from the hole.

[00:08:37] It had a barely perceptible echo, almost like it was spoken from the end of a long pipe, its voice echoing off the sides until it got to us.

[00:08:46] I couldn't understand what it was saying, but the accent was oddly English sounding.

[00:08:52] None taken.

[00:08:53] Although I expected more from you, Vingrosh.

[00:08:57] The shadow spoke some more, sounding almost apologetic as its words echoed from the ground.

[00:09:03] You presume to ask me for my staff?

[00:09:06] Do you forget all I have done for you?

[00:09:09] He tapped his cane to the ground again, and the shadow appeared to get smaller.

[00:09:14] But only for a moment.

[00:09:15] The shadow responded with a short phrase, and my grandfather let out a short laugh.

[00:09:21] Be reasonable.

[00:09:23] What is reasonable about giving up the staff?

[00:09:26] The shadow then growled and spoke again.

[00:09:29] My grandfather no longer sounded amused, as he stated in a clear, firm voice.

[00:09:35] Baseless threats do not become you, Vingrosh.

[00:09:39] The creature growled again and with purposeful slowness rose from the alley into a vague human-like form.

[00:09:46] An arm reached out and pointed over my grandfather's shoulder behind us.

[00:09:50] I looked around and saw another shadow seeping down the wall.

[00:09:54] My grandfather saw it too.

[00:09:56] And in a blur, twirled the cane in his left hand and then plunged it down against the cobblestone.

[00:10:02] It let out a crack like thunder.

[00:10:04] The shadow creature in front of us fell back a few feet, while my grandfather yelled,

[00:10:09] Run to me!

[00:10:11] I held my ground.

[00:10:13] Errol Flynn would not flee and neither would I.

[00:10:16] My grandfather was old.

[00:10:17] It was time for me to take care of him.

[00:10:19] I moved forward a step and swung the broomstick at the shadow.

[00:10:23] There was no resistance.

[00:10:24] The end of the stick swung through the black air, followed by my hand.

[00:10:28] As my fingers touched the shadow, they immediately went numb.

[00:10:32] My momentum carried the rest of my hand into the creature.

[00:10:36] I cried out and yanked my hand back.

[00:10:40] The broomstick fell from my fingers into the depths of the blackness.

[00:10:44] Thankfully, my hand emerged, but it was cold and without feeling.

[00:10:49] Tommy, no!

[00:10:51] Grandfather grabbed my other arm and hauled me away.

[00:10:54] The force of his grip was painful.

[00:10:56] He dragged me behind him as he sprinted toward the theater alley entrance.

[00:11:01] I looked over my shoulder, but could only see blurs of black.

[00:11:05] As suddenly as he had stopped earlier, Grandfather stopped again.

[00:11:10] This time, I did collide with him, but before I could fall to the ground, he grabbed me and held me close.

[00:11:16] Tommy, that was a very foolish thing you did.

[00:11:20] Now you must listen to me.

[00:11:21] Whatever you do, do not move.

[00:11:23] I need you to stay as close to me as possible.

[00:11:26] I couldn't tell why we had stopped.

[00:11:29] We were just outside one of the emergency exits from the theater, standing close to the door.

[00:11:34] I looked back and squeezed my hand into a fist, even though I couldn't feel it.

[00:11:39] The entire alley was an oozing mass of black moving toward us.

[00:11:44] The horrific thought of being engulfed by unfeeling nothingness took away any thought of fighting the shadows off.

[00:11:51] Grandfather, shouldn't we try to run or maybe break in through that door to get away?

[00:11:57] My grandfather looked at me.

[00:11:59] He didn't seem scared, but he had a grim look on his face.

[00:12:03] No, Tommy, these are shadows.

[00:12:06] The only thing that can stop them is light.

[00:12:10] I looked around.

[00:12:12] The entire alley was bathed in light.

[00:12:15] The sun wasn't directly overhead, but it was still well before nightfall.

[00:12:20] But we're surrounded by light.

[00:12:23] Artificial light.

[00:12:24] He pointed with his cane and above the exit door was a floodlight which glowed dully.

[00:12:29] It was meant to illuminate the door and surroundings at night, but had little effect during the day.

[00:12:35] I looked down and couldn't see the outline of the floodlight on the ground, even though I knew it was shining down on us.

[00:12:42] You may not see it, Tommy, but the light from that bulb above is protecting us from the shadows.

[00:12:48] He paused as if considering his options.

[00:12:51] He ran his hand over his head, putting his disheveled hair back in place.

[00:12:56] In a quieter tone, seemingly more to himself than to me, he added,

[00:13:01] Now, how to escape? Shadows are powerful.

[00:13:05] He nodded grimly.

[00:13:07] Powerful.

[00:13:08] What are shadows? Should we call for help?

[00:13:11] We weren't far from the theater end of the alley, and I was certain we could get someone's attention.

[00:13:16] They are magical creatures, Tommy.

[00:13:19] And no, we cannot call for help. We would just put others at risk.

[00:13:24] Magical creatures? Of course they were.

[00:13:28] I had always been told that they had disappeared from Earth decades before I was born, and yet here they were.

[00:13:34] I looked up at my grandfather. He stared intently down the alley.

[00:13:39] How could my grandfather, who walked with a cane and rarely left our apartment, know anything about magical creatures?

[00:13:46] My curiosity left me as I followed my grandfather's gaze down the alley.

[00:13:51] From a distance, what looked like a wall of black was actually an approaching collection of individual moving shapes.

[00:13:59] Several came directly up to us, but wouldn't get any closer than a couple of feet.

[00:14:04] Two of them grew into the vaguely human shape I had seen earlier, while the rest surrounded us in a sea of black.

[00:14:12] One of the shadows spoke, but my grandfather didn't reply.

[00:14:16] What did he say, grandfather?

[00:14:19] He said I'm clever.

[00:14:20] He paused. Clearly, the shadow said something else that grandfather didn't want to relay to me.

[00:14:26] I looked around. A shadow oozed toward us from further down the alley.

[00:14:32] I watched as it stretched and twisted itself into a human form.

[00:14:37] It pulled its arm back and then whipped it forward.

[00:14:41] A rock clattered off the wall above the door.

[00:14:44] They were trying to break the light bulb.

[00:14:46] They could do it too.

[00:14:48] It was a bare bulb, unprotected from vandals by a cover or metal cage.

[00:14:54] Another rock flew over our heads.

[00:14:56] Grandfather stood tall and grasped his cane in both hands.

[00:15:00] He pulled his arms in opposite directions.

[00:15:03] Over his right shoulder, I could see the top of his cane, which now ended in a bright sword,

[00:15:09] while in his left hand was the bottom of his wooden cane.

[00:15:12] The engravings glowed.

[00:15:14] As soon as the sword was free, I noticed that my grandfather was twisting it oddly in his hand.

[00:15:20] There were murmurs coming from the shadows, and as I looked out, I saw several of the standing ones dart one way or another.

[00:15:27] Another rock flew, but as it clattered off the mark, I realized what my grandfather was doing.

[00:15:33] He was using the bright steel of his blade as a mirror, reflecting the light from the floodlight out toward the shadows that were throwing rocks.

[00:15:41] The light didn't appear strong enough to do more than cause pain, but it was working.

[00:15:47] More shadows joined in throwing rocks, but my grandfather's hand waved like a symphony conductor wielding a baton, sending invisible light across the alley in all directions.

[00:15:57] Even more shadows arose.

[00:16:00] I felt like I was on some alien landscape, surrounded by black stalagmites.

[00:16:05] To my horror, a rock struck my grandfather in the shoulder, twisting his body back.

[00:16:11] The blow clearly hurt, but did not knock him off his feet.

[00:16:15] Grandfather smiled.

[00:16:16] I wondered how long it would take them to think of that.

[00:16:21] He made a gesture with the fingers holding the wooden part of the cane in his left hand.

[00:16:26] Immediately, a warmth surrounded us.

[00:16:29] Another rock flew toward Grandfather, but it thudded, as if it hit a mattress or heavy draperies.

[00:16:36] It slid harmlessly to the ground.

[00:16:39] What was that?

[00:16:40] I whispered the words to myself, but Grandfather answered.

[00:16:44] It is my sad excuse for a shield spell.

[00:16:48] Never was much good at magic.

[00:16:51] About the only thing I can stop are slowly thrown rocks.

[00:16:54] I never thought it would actually come in handy.

[00:16:58] Seeing that their rocks couldn't harm us, the shadows redoubled their efforts at smashing the lightbulb.

[00:17:05] They made very little progress with my grandfather reflecting rays of artificial light at them.

[00:17:11] Can you stop them from hitting the light?

[00:17:14] In a grim voice, Grandfather replied.

[00:17:17] We're lucky I'm stopping them from hitting us.

[00:17:20] I asked him what he meant, but he ignored me.

[00:17:23] After what seemed like an hour, my legs were burning.

[00:17:27] The feeling was returning to the hand that had touched the shadow while it was leaving my legs.

[00:17:32] I don't know how long a human can stand in one spot, but I felt that I was near my limit.

[00:17:38] All the while, my grandfather held his ground, waving his sword around in a series of graceful and never-ending arcs.

[00:17:46] I couldn't imagine how his arms, let alone his legs, felt.

[00:17:51] He must have been tiring, however, as a rock hit the floodlight with a horrifying clink.

[00:17:57] It flickered, but did not break.

[00:17:59] This seemed to spur the shadows on, and more of them braved the reflected light from my grandfather's sword to hurl rocks.

[00:18:07] Several of the shadows were within arm's reach, waiting for our protective light to shatter into darkness.

[00:18:13] I couldn't stop myself from staring at them, their black so complete that I felt myself on the edge of a bottomless dark pit.

[00:18:22] They made no sound, but I felt warm air, like a breath against my cheek.

[00:18:27] The urge to run was nearly overwhelming.

[00:18:30] The shadows became too much for my grandfather to control with his sword.

[00:18:34] Another rock hit the light.

[00:18:36] But again, it didn't break.

[00:18:38] I looked up at him.

[00:18:40] His face was frozen in intense concentration.

[00:18:43] I heard the sound of glass shattering, and prepared myself for whatever death a shadow would deliver.

[00:18:50] But I didn't feel glass shards falling on us.

[00:18:53] And when I looked up, I saw that the light was still glowing.

[00:18:57] It wasn't the sound of glass shattering I heard, but a shriek.

[00:19:01] All around us, the shadows flowed with great speed up the walls and down the alley.

[00:19:06] Toward the restaurant end, a large smiling man approached.

[00:19:10] It was Mr. Oz, the maitre d' from the Persian garden restaurant.

[00:19:14] His name was actually Baraz.

[00:19:17] But I had called him Mr. Oz for as long as I could remember.

[00:19:21] He was carrying a box flashlight, and as he pointed it at a shadow, he would laugh and say,

[00:19:27] Boo!

[00:19:29] My grandfather sheathed the sword back in his cane and walked up to Mr. Oz, who seemed to find the whole situation quite amusing.

[00:19:37] I followed, with my hand gripping my grandfather's shirt sleeve.

[00:19:41] Every normal shadow we passed looked ominous.

[00:19:45] My goodness!

[00:19:46] What is the world coming to?

[00:19:48] There isn't a worse race I can think of for assassinating someone in the city that never sleeps than shadows.

[00:19:54] Mr. Oz laughed again.

[00:19:56] They should have just waited for you to take a camping trip.

[00:19:59] He turned to me.

[00:20:01] What do you think, Tommy?

[00:20:02] He flipped on the flashlight and shone it in my face.

[00:20:06] Boo!

[00:20:07] Grandfather wasn't amused.

[00:20:09] He stopped in front of Mr. Oz and replied,

[00:20:12] Well, apparently they didn't want to wait.

[00:20:16] Sighing, he added,

[00:20:18] I'm getting old and careless, Baraz.

[00:20:20] Why would I leave the house without a flashlight?

[00:20:24] Mr. Oz slapped Grandfather on the back and held up the box connected to the electric lamp.

[00:20:30] You would walk around the city carrying this?

[00:20:32] He smiled.

[00:20:34] Besides, why would you leave the house with a flashlight?

[00:20:37] We've had twenty years of peace and much of that is due to your kindness to the shadows.

[00:20:42] My grandfather grunted.

[00:20:44] Peace, kindness, the fact that we are using these words tells me how old and careless we have gotten, Baraz.

[00:20:52] Mr. Oz nodded solemnly but immediately smiled again.

[00:20:56] You are too hard on yourself.

[00:20:58] Who would expect the shadows to do such a thing?

[00:21:01] They have been quiet for all this time.

[00:21:04] No, Baraz.

[00:21:05] I was foolish to expect, to hope, for peace and quiet.

[00:21:10] He looked at me and his frown lessened a bit.

[00:21:13] I could feel the tension leaving his body under the iron grip I had on his sleeve.

[00:21:18] This is no one's fault but my own.

[00:21:21] He reached down and put his hand on my shoulder.

[00:21:24] It's about time that Tommy learned about his legacy and the staff.

[00:21:28] Come, let's talk about this over dinner.

[00:21:31] It is dangerous business when the shadows not only break their treaty but attack the one who saved them.

[00:21:38] Mr. Oz fell in step with Grandfather.

[00:21:41] Indeed, my friend.

[00:21:43] The shadows are lucky Vingrosh was not there.

[00:21:45] He would have torn them to shreds for attacking their savior.

[00:21:49] Vingrosh was there, Baraz.

[00:21:52] The news must have stunned him as Mr. Oz stopped suddenly, grabbed my grandfather's shoulder and spun him around to face him.

[00:21:59] Are you sure, Pelivon? I find this almost impossible to believe.

[00:22:03] I am sure. He said that my time was done in this world and that he wanted the staff.

[00:22:10] My grandfather shrugged and started walking toward the restaurant.

[00:22:14] He was surprised I didn't just give it to him and I can't blame him.

[00:22:19] My time is done, Baraz.

[00:22:21] Mr. Oz was quiet but I noticed him shaking his head.

[00:22:26] As he entered the door in front of us, he turned over the sign in the window so that it showed closed.