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everyone, happy holidays all of us here

1:50

at Leviathan Audio. Today is the beginning

1:52

of a very special holiday tradition

1:54

that that been doing for a

1:56

while for a we release our small

1:58

collection of Leviathan Christmas specials. the month

2:00

of December. These are are fun little non-cannon

2:02

vignettes featuring some of your favorite

2:05

characters from the Leviathan Chronicles and the Repscallion

2:07

As I've said before, part of

2:09

the inspiration for these episodes were

2:11

these great were these great old specials like

2:13

like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph Red-Nosed you only

2:15

got to see once a year

2:17

on television and really got you got you

2:19

into the holiday spirit. Today you'll

2:22

be listening to the very first

2:24

Christmas special we did, did, gosh, more than

2:26

close to ten ago now think. We're going

2:28

to Leviathan's most well -known pub, The Salty

2:30

Squid, to to witness one of Evangeline's holiday

2:32

traditions. It's actually a crossover episode

2:34

that we did with another show

2:36

Byron Byron Chronicles. If you haven't

2:39

listened to that podcast yet, go go

2:41

to Busby .com or grab

2:43

the Byron Chronicles wherever you get

2:45

your your You'll definitely be glad you

2:47

did. Next week you'll be hearing

2:49

another Christmas special called special called Rapscalians and

2:51

reindeer featuring Cluriken, and of course of course, Cookie,

2:53

the Cybernetic their first Christmas together in

2:56

San Francisco following the events of

2:58

the Rapscalion After that hope is to is

3:00

to put out another brand a episode

3:02

a little bit closer to Christmas

3:04

But I've got to be to be honest

3:06

we can't make any promises right

3:08

now as we're pretty swamped getting

3:10

the next Leviathan show ready for

3:12

release in early 2025. in early So

3:15

definitely stay tuned and watch the

3:17

feed for more because more episodes go

3:19

away in January. But for now

3:21

Let's sit back and descend back

3:23

down into the deep ocean trenches

3:25

to the of of to to witness

3:27

a very special meeting of two

3:29

very different kinds of immortals and

3:31

how they each celebrate Christmas. Happy

3:34

holidays everyone. Well,

4:00

all my stars. Aren't you a sight

4:02

for sore eyes? Merry Christmas, Byron. Angus.

4:04

Byron walked into the salty squid bar

4:06

and hung his dusty black overcoat on

4:09

one of the mermaid-tailed coat-handers by the

4:11

door. Angus McKay stood proudly behind his

4:13

bar, wearing a scarlet and black tartan

4:15

kilt, with a cropped tuxedo jacket and

4:18

red bow tie. A red velvet Santa

4:20

hat was perched on top of his

4:22

head as he extended his meaty hand

4:24

forward to Greek Byron. The bar itself

4:26

was populated by dusty, odd-shaped vessels, as

4:29

well as shimmering, slender bottles of the

4:31

latest vodka, tequila, and bourbons. At this

4:33

time of year, the salty squid was

4:35

an orgy of Christmas lights and holiday

4:37

cheer, with tinsul and ornaments hanging from

4:40

every available surface, making Byron's eyes squint

4:42

just a bit. The giant baroque mural

4:44

that hung over the bar depicting a

4:46

colossal squid battling a sperm whale. had

4:48

been subtly altered with fluorescent paint to

4:51

now include a Santa hat and reindeer

4:53

antlers on the head of the two

4:55

battling beasts. Byron took a step forward

4:57

to shake Angus's hand, but suddenly ducked

5:00

as a miniature flying maglev wooden slave

5:02

driven by a tiny robotic Santa and

5:04

his nine reindeer swooped close to the

5:06

ceiling and flew a wavy path throughout

5:08

the bar showering, glittering silver dust behind

5:11

it. Some of the dust, however, came

5:13

to land on Byron's shoulder. How quaint.

5:15

I love this time of year, don't

5:17

you Byron? Now before you ask, I've

5:19

been able to get my hands on

5:22

this wonderful mead they brew in Poland.

5:24

It's a brilliant brew. A bit drier

5:26

than the honey wine from last year,

5:28

but I like to put a bit

5:31

of eggnog. Oh, for the love of

5:33

St Nicholas, don't do that. Well, see

5:35

it yourself. One epus potorag mead, straight

5:37

up. Angus pushed a gently foaming goblet

5:39

of fragrant of fragrant meat in front

5:42

of fragrant mead in front of Byron.

5:46

Oh, this is good, Angus. This,

5:48

this is good. Ah, glad you

5:50

like it. So, have you been

5:52

good this year, Byron, or bad?

5:54

I think we both know the

5:56

answer to that question, Angus. I

5:58

think I've been pretty good myself.

6:00

treat myself to a new surfboard.

6:02

A Roy Stewart longboard. On my

6:05

next surface leave I'm going to

6:07

head to the island of Maui

6:09

to hit the break in Paia.

6:11

I shudder at the thought. Ah,

6:13

don't go be in a grinch

6:15

now, Byron. The lady is waiting

6:17

for you in the back room

6:19

as usual. I'll keep the place

6:21

empty for the two of you

6:23

so you can have your talk.

6:25

Oh, Angus, don't be ridiculous. We

6:27

both know your place is always

6:29

empty. Gosh, and here, take some

6:31

of these squid chips with you.

6:33

Byron walked to the rear of

6:35

the salty squid to a smaller

6:37

room off to the side. Deep

6:39

hewn wooden tables and chairs occupied

6:41

the room on top of the

6:43

sawdust covered floor. A tall woman

6:45

with deep-awbin hair sat alone in

6:48

the room, staring at Byron with

6:50

blazing emerald eyes. Byron. Please don't

6:52

expect me to say Merry Christmas.

6:54

You came? Hello, Evangeline. Thank you

6:56

for coming. I know it's a

6:58

rather long trip. I was in

7:00

the neighbourhood. Well, it's good to

7:02

see you. Nice to see you

7:04

as well. Please, sit down. Why?

7:06

Are we going to do this

7:08

again? You can't blame me for

7:10

trying, Byron. We do this every

7:12

Christmas. It's the hopeful nature of

7:14

the season. And every year, I

7:16

hope you'll give me the present

7:18

of saying yes. Presents of a

7:20

guilty parents and greedy children, my

7:22

answer is still no. Come now,

7:24

Byron. Somewhere in that pale heart

7:26

of yours, you must feel the

7:29

weight of always being asked to

7:31

solve mortal problems. Let me help.

7:33

I know it's been a long

7:35

year for you. You don't know

7:37

the half of it. Join us

7:39

here Byron. Become part of Leviathan.

7:41

Let us protect you. Really? You've

7:43

had experiences with werewalls, vampires, the

7:45

undead, and Vatican conspiracies? No. Well,

7:47

maybe the last one. Then what

7:49

possible protection against the supernatural could

7:51

you possibly offer? It's not the

7:53

supernatural you need protection from. It's

7:55

the mortals. They bleed you, Byron.

7:57

They tire you and leave you

7:59

vulnerable. I have my ways. could

8:01

stay here, hidden, tucked away and

8:03

safe, still within the bounds of

8:05

the mortal world, but yet not

8:07

part of it, part of a

8:09

better world. A garden of Eden,

8:12

deep under the ocean. Isn't that

8:14

what your initiative is all about?

8:16

No, at least not here. And

8:18

if I did, what sort of

8:20

rent does Leviathan charge for a

8:22

nice gloomy Gothic mansion on one

8:24

of the side streets? Off Tweedle,

8:26

or on Abel Park. Neither. Too

8:28

crowded on the weekends and the

8:30

walk is too far to get

8:32

a decent pint. I could probably

8:34

find you a nice dank alleyway

8:36

near Peppin. Now you're talking. But

8:38

you still haven't told me your

8:40

prize. I happen to know you

8:42

can afford it. The price, Evangeline,

8:44

Evangeline, you invite me here for

8:46

a delightful holiday drink. And always

8:48

ask me to become part of

8:50

your lovely menagerie, but you never

8:53

tell me why. I need a

8:55

consultant. What sort of consultant? Oh,

8:57

the usual. Someone with virtue, wisdom,

8:59

and honor. You know you're speaking

9:01

to the wrong person. Someone with

9:03

integrity and forethought. Still getting colder.

9:05

And maybe someone not unfamiliar with

9:07

the gifts of clairvoyance. My dearest

9:09

Evangeline, how long have we known

9:11

each other? Centuries. And yet in

9:13

all that time you never struck

9:15

me as someone given to beliefs

9:17

in the occult. Recent events have

9:19

me hedging my bets on the

9:21

supernatural. You want me to tell

9:23

you your future. I'd like any

9:25

guidance as to future events if

9:27

you were in a position to

9:29

give it. You want a fortune

9:31

teller, not me. I do, however,

9:33

know this very mercurial gypsy in

9:36

the Carpathian Mountains. We are on

9:38

the same side, Byron. We want

9:40

to save them. Who? The humans.

9:42

From what? Themselves. Or others. Both

9:44

seem to be threats these days.

9:46

So, you'd allow me to come

9:48

down here safe from the distractions

9:50

that annoy me, and free me

9:52

from the mortal interruptions that confound

9:54

me, and finally allow me to

9:56

get the peace and quiet I've

9:58

been looking for. need the help

10:00

Byron. I can sense a great

10:02

darkness approaching. Maybe, but it's not

10:04

my help you need. Whose do

10:06

I need then? Well, I always

10:08

find Santa is a good place

10:10

to start. You could use the

10:12

rest, Byron, please. Even if I

10:14

could, it's against the rules. Since

10:17

when do you listen to rules?

10:19

That's sort of one of the

10:21

big ones, especially when dealing with

10:23

mortals. I'm not mortal. Yes, you

10:25

keep reminding me of that. Please,

10:27

Byron, join us here in the

10:29

vioithin. I'm sorry, Evangeline, but the

10:31

answer is still no. That

10:33

makes me sad. Well then, allow me

10:36

to cheer you up. This is for

10:38

you. Byron handed Evangeline a small bright

10:40

yellow box from his pocket. Byron? I

10:42

never imagined the holidays provoked any sentimentality

10:45

in that jaded soul of yours. What

10:47

is it? Opening boxes tend to reveal

10:49

their contents. Evangeline smirked at Byron, and

10:52

then lifted the tiny lid on the

10:54

yellow box, and marveled at what lay

10:56

inside. Byron, it's beautiful. Inside the box

10:58

lay a small crystal sphere, almost completely

11:01

filled with clear liquid. Inside the sphere

11:03

were two fjords that paralleled each other

11:05

covered in icy crags, small outcroppings of

11:08

pine fir, dark menacing rocks, and tiny

11:10

mountain flowers at the bottom of the

11:12

cliffs, where a dark blue river ran

11:14

between. The closer Evangeline looked, the more

11:17

detail she continued to see. When she

11:19

moved the sphere, tiny glistening flakes erupted

11:21

from nowhere and showered the fjord in

11:24

gently falling snow. The workmanship was utterly

11:26

astonishing. Byron. Yes, I had those little

11:28

elves start working on it this summer.

11:30

Tiny little hands, you know, really good

11:33

craftsmen when properly motivated. Oh! Byron, look!

11:35

At the very top of the left

11:37

fjord stood a proud white horse looking

11:40

out over the vista. Evangeline could make

11:42

out the shape of his muzzle, the

11:44

horse's eyelashes and the individual hairs on

11:46

its tail. She recognized it instantly. Oldsver

11:49

dear, my old horse. Oh, Byron, how

11:51

did you know? I have my waist.

11:53

I'm so... Thank you, Byron. It's nothing.

11:56

Well, then, in the spirit of giving.

11:58

Please, no. This is for you. Evangeline

12:00

reached under her chair and handed Byron

12:02

a large box, clad in jet black

12:05

wrapping paper, with tiny patterns of skulls

12:07

and crossbones within. The box was accented

12:09

with a pale gray ribbon that was

12:12

frayed and tatted at the edges. You

12:14

shouldn't have. You haven't opened it. Byron

12:16

pulled on the ribbon, which disintegrated in

12:18

his hand and gently ripped the wrapping

12:21

paper to open the box. Light smoke

12:23

spilled out of the box and coagulated

12:25

around Byron's thick boots on the floor.

12:28

He reached inside and pulled out a

12:30

cherry-red crew-neck sweater with emerald green trim

12:32

around the cuffs and collar. Across the

12:34

chest was a repeating mural of Santa

12:37

Claus driving his sleigh under a half-crescent

12:39

moon, while royal blue and white snowflakes

12:41

adorned the sides. Let me repeat, you

12:44

shouldn't have. It's not what you think.

12:46

The fabric was designed by our C-snag

12:48

laboratory. The ribbing around the waist contains

12:50

a textile lion battery that not only

12:53

contains a tracking device and emergency signal

12:55

in case of distress, but also powers

12:57

the carbon nanotubes that were woven into

13:00

the marino wall. The smart fabric offers

13:02

protection from extreme temperatures by being fireproof

13:04

and chill-proof down to 30 below zero.

13:06

But most importantly, the fabric can detect

13:09

any sudden point or... Things, even, and

13:11

instantly hardened to more than 800 on

13:13

the vigor scale. Think of it as

13:16

the most perfect and comfortable armor. I'd

13:18

prefer to think of it as an

13:20

abomination of fashion, but thank you. Well,

13:22

it's obviously not for you. What do

13:25

you mean? The sweater. Well, it's not

13:27

for you. It's for someone you care

13:29

about, to keep them safe. I certainly

13:32

didn't expect you to wear it, Byron.

13:34

Thank God. No. My gift to you

13:36

this year has peace of mind. In

13:39

case you had something, or someone, you

13:41

wanted to protect. I thought this might

13:43

help, given how kinetic your year has

13:45

been. It's a safeguard for your valuables.

13:48

After all, I know damn well that

13:50

you don't need any protecting. It's very

13:52

kind of, Angeline. Not fun to admit

13:55

it, but, uh... you need some help

13:57

once in a while? We do. That's

13:59

why I offer to join us in

14:01

Leviathan Will's Stand, in case you change

14:04

your mind, in case you want to

14:06

escape, somewhere safe, where no one will

14:08

bother you. That's quite kind of you,

14:11

Eve. I miss you, Byron. You need

14:13

to take care of yourself. It's getting

14:15

late. I suppose it is. Byron pushed

14:17

his chair back and eventually arose to

14:20

meet him. They stepped toward one another

14:22

and Byron suddenly remembered how tall immortal

14:24

women were. If I run, I can

14:27

just catch a Zephyr shuttle to Portland.

14:29

That's a long trip. You know, I

14:31

could arrange a keyhole transport. No, no,

14:33

that's fine. I'd rather do it myself.

14:36

Of course you would. Next year then?

14:38

Next year. Evangeline extended her two hands

14:40

and Byron stepped closer to embrace them.

14:43

And there they stood, holding each other's

14:45

hands in an empty bar flooded with

14:47

Christmas lights, overrun by tinsel seven miles

14:49

under the Pacific Ocean, while a robotic

14:52

anti-grave Santa Claus flew just over their

14:54

heads, reminding them that this holiday season

14:56

was truly one of giving and receiving.

14:59

And friendship was the greatest gift of

15:01

all. Byron held of Angeline's hands for

15:03

another 10 seconds, then turned sharply and

15:05

walked towards the exit. I'm afraid I'm

15:08

leaving, Angus. Thank you as always for

15:10

the meat. Your taste is still excellent

15:12

as it's been for the last 400

15:15

years. Or you're just saying that. Have

15:17

yourself a safe holiday, Byron. Don't let

15:19

any of those goblins or besties, you

15:21

go on about try to take a

15:24

bite out of you. Well,

15:26

take care, old friend. Goodbye, Byron. Always

15:29

a pleasure to have you down here.

15:31

Even if it's just for a quick

15:33

pint. See you next year, I reckon.

15:35

I'll see you, Angus. It just might

15:38

not be here. Good luck. And... and...

15:40

and... and Merry Christmas to all of

15:42

you. And to all... a dark night.

15:44

And from all of us at the

15:47

Byron Chronicles and the Leviathan Chronicles, we

15:49

thank you for all of your support

15:51

for so many years and wish you

15:53

all a happy holidays and a joyous

15:56

new years. Aviathan

16:17

audio production. Welcome to Saugas of

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Sundry Goblin Mode. a brand

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of Sundry Goblin Apple Listen

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on Apple Spotify, or or wherever

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you get your podcasts. If

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I play you something,

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we'll... promise not to tell anyone about

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about it. a What

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is it? sky. You've got to

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wherever you get your podcasts. you

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get your podcasts. Hey folks, where are the hosts of

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comic sets, the podcast comics for those

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who are who knowledge. knowledge. I'm Yan, a

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reader, writer, and and breather of

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used to know absolutely nothing

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about comics, now... So actually, I've I've

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I still have a lot to

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learn about comics. Thank you.

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On Comic Sans, I make Nat

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read some of my my works in

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the in including including Daredevil, and the

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Flintstones. The And Yen talks about

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what makes that comic special. Sometimes

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it's a story, sometimes sometimes it's... Saniline, gutters, page

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turns, colorings, letterings, semiotics, save it for the

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Okay, on save it for the episodes. You wherever

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