Old Gods of Appalachia - Episode 51: Season Four Prologue

Episode Date: August 24, 2023

Welcome to Season 4, family. Join us as we look down from the mountain top and ponder the tales we’ll be spinning this season. CW: References to mutilation, hunger, poverty, loss of employment, genocide, animal extinction, tarot, war and post war trauma, impending childbirth, child endangerment, monster noises and being pursued by monsters. Written by Cam CollinsNarrated by Steve ShellSound design by Steve ShellProduced and edited by Cam Collins and Steve ShellIntro music: “The Land Unknown (The Bloody Roots Verses )” written and performed by Landon BloodOutro music: "Atonement" written and performed by Jon Charles DwyerSpecial equipment consideration provided by Lauten Audio.LEARN MORE ABOUT OLD GODS OF APPALACHIA: www.oldgodsofappalachia.comCOMPLETE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA RITUAL:FacebookInstagramTwitterBlueskySUPPORT THE SHOW:Join us over at THE HOLLER to enjoy ad-free episodes, access exclusive storylines and more.Find t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and other Old Gods merch at www.teepublic.com/stores/oldgodsofappalachia.Transcripts available on our website at www.oldgodsofappalachia.com/episodes.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/old-gods-of-appalachia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, hey there, family, if you love Old Gods of Appalachia, I want to help us keep the home fires burning, but maybe aren't comfortable with the monthly commitment. Well, you can still support us via the ACAS supporter feature. No gift too large, no gift too small. Just click on the link in the show description, and you too can toss your tithe in the collection plate. Feel free to go ahead and do that.

Right about now. Old gods of Appalachia is a lot of, a horror anthology podcast and therefore may contain material not suitable for all audiences. So listener discretion is advised.

So dark in the branches split and new blood flows a ghost of a past you thought long buried rise a home for young the shadow falls judgment comes

treads off my friend The mic, you're born, your worst you get what you deserve. Lacha. Will you ever be unblooded? Oh, mother, will your vestments ever be clean? Are we destined to stain you with our cold blackened blood and soot stained hands for all eternity? And how much of you will be left once we have taken our fill? or once we admit we will never be filled

that we are the ever empty bellies the starving mouths the broken teeth that will grind themselves the dust and pulp before they ever stop trying to consume who refuse to be weaned will drink these hills dry if you let us we few we wretched few we band of ragged brothers and sisters and kin

will rattle on through these hollers As long after the coal is gone and the jobs dried up, he stayed because you are home. Because you are all we know, Mama. Appalachia is a place that knows all about consequences. Both those we intend and those we cannot foresee over the eon she has watched her own mountains soften, be smoothed over and diminished and eroded by weather, by time, and of course by men. The actions of men have held far-reaching repercussions

from Mother Appalachia and for her children, just asked Sister Wolfe. A brother Fulton, or hell, the folks still living over on the Kuala boundary, and what few remain, since their ancestors were driven from their land or killed by their fellow men, their mother has known little in the way of justice. has seen no divine retribution for the sins for those who have wronged her, though on occasion folks might put on a little show.

An absurdist parody of crime and punishment, the kind of people who believe themselves righteous enough to stand in judgment of others. Often as not, they tend to have more secrets buried in the back 40 than just about anybody else around. Just such folks convened now. to bring another to task. In the many years he has walked this world, he has at times played the fool, and others the magician or the devil,

even the hermit a time or two. And now friends and enemies, witnesses and accusers gather to decide his fate. The high priestess, the empress, The Hierophon The lovers will all have their say And he doesn't play his car ride He might just find himself

Cast as the hanged man So it goes family So it goes Along the banks of the river That feed into the deepest part of the valley A young woman in the pains of childbirth flees in the direction of safety With those who would protect her

The knot itself seems to pursue her as unseen things rattle and prowl in her wake driven on by their dead-eyed master. Safety is but a porch lot away of what follows. Patient and tenacious is accustomed to the lawn. In the verdant hollers that twist through the mountains, a young man returns to the land that birthed him after witnessing what his kind can become in the far-flung fields of war. hoping to lead a quiet life, a life unbothered by other folk, where he can just sit in the silence of the woods

and try to forget the things he has seen and done. Man like that should be left alone. Folks know what's good for him, but folks seldom do. Now, there might be a dispute about who drew first blood, but there'll be no doubt who draws the last. In the shadows of the Blue Ridge, a fancy man at a farmer's market courts a young witch. Promises are the world and all its wonders, and we know the usual outcome of such honey-tongued promises pinned in the pages of love letters, but we can hope all the same.

Yet when true love calls and the cock won't crow, and the cows won't milk, and the bees stop making honey, How sweet can romance be? A man's word should be his bond And a promise made has consequences Be it kept or broken. These troubles and more Can all be traced back

To a singular being in one way or to other One who has planted his roots deep In the not black soil of our land The repercussions of his choices Twined through time like Hudson vines creeping insidiously through the woods of Appalachia until they clutch its beating heart in a stranglehold. Many bear the marks of both his curses and his blessings,

and they'll have a chance to speak now. Many come to condemn him, but who might stand for such a man? The wheel of fortune spins, and they gather to decide his fate, those who would play justice have much to say about the consequences of his actions, and yet they possess no crystal ball

that they might gaze into the future and look upon those far-reaching outcome. And one such as he plays a long. You can bet your life on that family. They will gather a number from holler and glen those who would speak for the beasts and the men. There'll be witches, of course, with axes to grind

seeking the remedy they never could find shadows will rise from the depths of the earth echoes and things never birth they will come too for tis only fair

the dark sends the stag when the green sends the bear for all have been cheated swindled betrayed and finally perhaps these debts will be paid let them come to the rock and each plead their case and accuse the old serpent. For a man gets a trial as laid down by the pact,

even if that man's not a man and the man's name. Well, hey there, family. Welcome to Season 4 of Old Gods of Appalachia Root and Branch. Now, it's been a while since we gathered here on the regular, in the name of the darkest mountains in the world, and it's good to see y'all. Whether you're Kenfolk we've known from back in season one, or if you just stumbled upon us

because of that fancy new role-playing game that just come out from Monty Cook games, all y'all are welcome at the table as long as you behave. Now, we've been busy since last time we saw y'all to end of season three. Took the show out on a national tour, called it the Price of Progress, went all over the country. East Coast, West Coast, down south, up north, Midwest,

you name it, we were there. So special shout out if you happen to join us, from one of those nights of music and fellowship and congregation. So this season is a first for us, y'all. As in a way, we'll be picking up from the events of the previous season and carrying on from there. So if you ain't caught up on season three, highly recommend you do that before joining us on the journey through season four.

Our man, Jack, is in a mighty, sticky situation, and it's going to be a long and twisting ride to see where he ends up on the other side. And we're real excited to have you all along for the ride. If y'all want to keep up with our comings and goings, we encourage you head on over to Old Gods of Appalachia.com and complete your social media ritual. But I follow on all the platforms of your choice, be it Facebook, Instagram, Discord, or the rotting corpse of that thing that was once called Twitter but is not. If you'd like to join with us in a manner of financial as well as moral support, you can head on over to patreon.com slash old gods of Appalachia. And for a reasonable sum, gain yourself access to hours and hours of exclusive Patreon stories. and other goodies.

And this is your beginning of season four reminder that Old Gods of Appalachia is a production of deep nerd media distributed by Rusty Quills. Today's story was written by Cam Collins and performed by Steve Schell. Our intro music, the brand spanking new season four theme song

performed by Brother Landin' Blood and our special outro music, Atonement, is by John Charles Dwyer. We'll talk to you soon, family. Talk to you real. soon.