The Withered Heart by G. G. Pendarves
Summary
In this episode, the narrator reads the opening of G.G. Pendarves’ horror story, *The Withered Heart*. The tale follows John, who visits his friend Rafe at their decaying estate, where Rafe’s wife, Jonquil, insists on performing a necromantic ritual to summon their ancestor, Count Dool, for wealth. Despite John’s warnings about the dangers of summoning the dead, Rafe agrees to the ritual, leading to a tense confrontation at the grave under a full moon.
Topics discussed
Sponsor reads: Yubo, Carhartt, and Wayfair
The letter and the narrator's reluctant departure
The journey north through the moors
Arrival at the decaying Braunfell manor
Reunion with Rafe and the garden dispute
Introduction of Jonquil and the dinner scene
The casket and the withered heart revealed
The ritual requirements and the narrator's fear
The heart's reaction to touch and the family history
Reading the Count's writ and the conjuration
The argument over the risk and Rafe's decision
Sponsor reads: Yubo, Carhartt, Wayfair, Mint Mobile
Preparations: gathering earth and planning the ritual
The final confrontation and Rafe's confession
The journey to the grave and the dream vision
Performing the ritual and summoning the Count
The entity's emergence and Jonquil's abduction
Epilogue: Rafe's fate and the narrator's vow
Outro and support for Horror Babble
Sponsor reads: Yubo, Wayfair, and Carhartt
Listen ad-free on Castria