The Gingerbread Guard

A town targeted by a warlord is defended by an unexpected army of...well, I’m sure you can guess.

Genre: Fairy Tale

Excerpt: The hilltop town of Adarak had a tradition of baking gingerbread men and setting them along the windowsills on the longest night of winter, facing outward, to keep the town safe from enemies— whether mortal or mystical.

Many believed that this tradition arose in homage of the ginger-colored cloaks that the town guards wore, all the better to hide their movements through the forests and mountain surrounding the town. But every grandmother in town made sure to tell her grandchildren the true story of the tradition…

What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on.

This story is connected to the Year Five story entitled “I Dreamed A Cookie,” in which a baking contest finalist takes inspiration from a locked-in-a-bakery-overnight dream.   

ANGRY GINGERBREAD MERCHInterested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring this episode's Angry Gingerbread Giant design? Please visit my Store page here: STORYFEATHER STORE

MY FIRST BOOK IS OUT!Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written?  I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.

It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.

Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

(Hint: The Store page has a sign-up form for my email newsletter, where you can get tales of my fictioneering mischief and writing tips from me for free.)

CREDITSStory: “The Gingerbread Guard” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel

Music: “Battle_1_normal (loop)” by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Intro and Outro) “Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)* “Secrets of Kingdom” “Steel Enemy” “Driving Force” “Ice and Fire (heavy part)” “Ice and Fire” “Magic Within” “Knight Rising” “Percussion Loop #16 (Version 3)” “Percussion Loop #17 (Version 2)” “Lyric Voices #2”

Music by ALBERT FERNANDEZ (Audio Alchemist, Potion Studio)* “Battle_1_normal (loop)” “Exploration_Forest Of Magic” “Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 1)” “Exploration_Mystical Place (loop 2)” “Locations_Medieval Tavern Song”

*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Albert Fernandez and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks?  Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

Find more music by Andrew Sitkov and Albert Fernandez at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description: Digital drawing of a partial view through a window.  Lined along the inside, looking out are four gingerbread men. Three are iced with decoration and look angry. The fourth is smiling.  In the window’s reflection is a giant gingerbread man wreaking havoc. His arms are raised and fingers curled down with menace. He is breathing fire down onto the ground. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along windowpane at bottom right. Format made square with borders at top and bottom that contain blurred elements from the main image.