Podcast: Chapter 6 (pt. 1)

Due to the exceptional length of this chapter, we here at Jarthen HQ deemed it necessary to publish the dramatic reading in two segments. Here, for your listening pleasure, is the first part:

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Cast of Characters:
Helkint -- Jon
Jarthen -- Melissa
Blue elf grunt -- Jon
Larthon Ractor -- Melissa
Jellihondor -- Melissa
Lem -- Melissa
Bertronius -- Melissa
Nelhoepher -- Jon
Tlin -- Jon
Rethnaki -- Melissa

In addition to the podcast, the kind folks at the Jarthen Foundation and the Worthis Trust have taken it upon themselves to respond to a few comments from our readers in the spirit of greater transparency and openness.

Our first comment comes from our inaugural reader of the month, the inimitable Jennie, who writes:

"Oh man, guys! It is so good to have you back!

It's funny, the subject of today's sermon was nattering. You guys totally natter better than the current interim pastor.

I have to ask: was your consideration of a giant termite queen in any way influenced by Queen Slug-for-a-Butt from Earthworm Jim (my brother watched a lot of excruciatingly mediocre cartoons when we were young)? Because I think the last medium you want to be drawing analogies to is crappy Saturday morning cartoons. Good call."

Thanks for the warning and the compliment, Jennie. We here at Jarthen HQ pride ourselves on surpassing the nattering of even the most accomplished of religious iconoclasts. I'm sure that your pastor has the best of intentions, and maybe even the support of God -- for whatever that's worth in this day of Iphones and Canadian hegemony in the North Atlantic -- but, frankly, it's difficult for even the most pious of leaders to compete with the combined nattering resources of two multi-national organizations. That being the case, I wouldn't be too hard on him: just turning him on to the Tale of Jarthen will probably lead to a dramatic improvement in his nattering capabilities.

With regard to your remark about this alleged "Earthworm Jim" I will affirm that this television program did not in any way impact our thoughts on the giant termite queen. Indeed, neither the Jarthen Foundation nor the Worthis Trust even believe in this 'Saturday,' let alone any cartoons that might be broadcast during this mythical, probably paganistic day of ribald. Thus, I wouldn't trouble yourself over our being too greatly influenced by this particular medium!

Our second comment comes from Tamar, the current reader of the time period who asserts:

"Oh man... that's a tough game. My high score is 60 points..."

Naturally, dear Tamar, it would be impossible for our readers to gain the moral fortitude that we intended if the game was not sufficiently challenging. Our goal in creating this game was neither to improve people's self-esteem nor for their enjoyment, but, rather, to demonstrate to the reading populace the extreme difficulties that all the characters in the Tale of Jarthen face on a daily basis. We did this because we feared that readers were becoming too complacent -- a trend we needed to correct -- and it seems, based on your response, that we have succeeded!