THE ATHYX CHRONICLES PODCAST

RAVEN'S GAMBIT | EPISODE 5: THE PRICE OF PASSAGE

In the aftermath of Group Two’s desperate retreat from Ashspire, six unconscious warriors are delivered back to camp—drained, shaken, yet alive. Their report is grim: a bone-throned Gynosphinx named Syphira guards the way forward, demanding a riddle be answered before any may pass. With morale shaken, responsibility shifts to Group Three, led by the unwavering Marshal Darian Thorne. His team—Kaede, the Legionnaire, Marcus Virelli, Silas Quinn, and the bard Lira Valesong—descend into the depths, determined to succeed where others faltered. They face Syphira’s judgment, answer her riddle on the first attempt, and earn passage into deeper, fouler corridors. Acidic slime rains from above, the water deepens, and the air thickens with rot as they press onward through shifting paths and treacherous chambers. Unseen by mortal eyes, Raven—the trickster god—watches with sly amusement from his ethereal citadel. Masks will be tested, courage will be stripped bare, and the path ahead grows darker. The price of passage has been paid. The true game now begins.   CAST:  Co-Director and Producer--Kevin C. Davison. Director | Producer--Klass Productions | Narrator and Project Manager--Bradam Whiskey | Intro/Outro Narrator and writer--W.S. Klass  | Tessa ‘Quickfingers’ Vell--Juliana Chiari | Thalia Emberbranch--Lindsay Schultz | Marshal Darian Thorne--Carlos Kasse | Bayushi Kaede--Vin | Silas Quinn--Crow | Raven--Malachi | Syphira--Green Monkey Liquor

RAVEN'S GAMBIT | EPISODE 4: STILLNESS, THEN STRIKE

An hour passes with no sign of Kale Stonemarch’s team. The coalition’s base camp sits shrouded in mist and unease until Thalia Emberbranch stands, refusing to wait any longer. Rallying Thog Skullsplitter, Tharn Ironfist, Li Shen, Tessa “Quickfingers” Vell, and Trix Vorn, she leads the second group into the depths of Ashspire. Inside the volcanic labyrinth, the air grows hot and fetid as echoes of unseen movement stir around them. When they discover Kale’s fallen team—alive but mysteriously drained—hope mixes with dread. Then, from the darkness, a Gynosphinx named Syphira rises from a throne of bones to confront them. Thalia negotiates for the chance to carry their comrades to safety, but Syphira’s terms are grim: when they return, they must face her riddle and choose between three perilous paths—fate, fury, or folly. As Thalia’s group retreats to the surface, carrying the unconscious explorers through the mist, Ashspire’s heartbeat thrums beneath their feet—reminding them that the true test has only just begun.   CAST:  Co-Director and Producer--Kevin C. Davison. Director | Narrator and Project Manager--Bradam Whiskey | Intro/Outro Narrator and writer--W.S. Klass  | Tessa ‘Quickfingers’ Vell--Juliana Chiari | Thalia Emberbranch--Lindsay Schultz | Li Shen--Branden Davis | Syphira--Green Monkey Liquor  | Tharn Ironfist--Doug Grosser |Thog Skullsplitter--Scott Welnosky | Trix Vorn--AJ Wilder

RAVEN'S GAMBIT | EPISODE 3: THE FIRST TO TREAD

In this episode of Raven’s Gambit, uneasy alliances give way to action as the first team steps into the cursed mountain of Ashspire. Led by the silent tracker Kale “Whisper” Stonemarch, six diverse champions—scholars, warriors, mystics, and mercenaries—venture into the unknown to carve a path for those who will follow. Their mission: test the tomb’s defenses, survive its shadows, and uncover the dangers Raven has prepared. With diplomacy holding fragile outside, the true trial begins within.   CAST: Co-Director and Producer--Kevin C. Davison. Director | Narrator and Project Manager--Bradam Whiskey | Intro/Outro Narrator and writer--W.S. Klass

RAVEN'S GAMBIT | EPISODE 2: THE CAMP AT THE MOUNTAIN'S SHADOW

Sixty-nine exiles, plucked from their worlds at the moment of death, find themselves stranded in the shadow of Ashspire — a mountain of sulfur, madness, and divine magic. Struggling to survive, the new arrivals clash over leadership, with soldiers, rangers, and courtiers vying for control of the camp. Suspicion deepens when Sir Cedric Lightbringer discovers undead among their number, forcing uneasy alliances. Meanwhile, the Mystics sense the mountain itself is alive, waiting to use them as pieces in a larger design. As night falls and the Citadel watches from above, Raven’s laughter echoes, signaling that the game has truly begun.   CAST: Bayuhi Kaede--Vin | Co-Director and Producer--Kevin C. Davison. Director | Narrator and Project Manager--Bradam Whiskey | Intro/Outro Narrator and writer--W.S. Klass  | Kaelen Thornstride--Verseal | Kale Stronemarch--Christian Minges | Lady Vexa Andros--Tessa Vale | Marshal Darian Thorne--Carlos Kasse \ Oryyn Tal--Rev \ Raven--Malachi | Seris Kael--K.T. Wishert | Sir Alric Thorne--Cole Eubanks | Sir Cedric Lightbringer--Jay Parker | Taro Vex--Brandon Bonavir | Tessa ‘Quickfingers’ Vell--Juliana Chiari | Thalia Emberbranch--Lindsay Schultz

RAVEN'S GAMBIT | EPISODE 1: SUMMONED TO THE CITADEL

When the Raven calls, few dare ignore his summons. From across shattered realms and forgotten ages, warriors, rogues, and mystics are drawn to the looming Citadel—each carrying their own secrets, ambitions, and scars. But what awaits them is not glory, nor mercy, but a gambit in which every move could unravel fate itself.   CAST: Narrator and Project Manager--Bradam Whiskey; Intro/Outro Narrator and Writer--W.S. Klass; Producer-Kevin C. Davison (Klass Productions); Raven Voice Actor--Malachi.