The Enchanted Sidequest - Adventure Stories for Kids

Jonathan and Redge wake up early to get in line for Sidequest, the Folktale Forest’s very first game and hobby shop. Redge hopes to find the last, and rarest, card he needs to complete his Cards of Enchantment deck, But before the doors even open, the elusive card escapes and its magic begins causing mystical mishaps! Jonathan and Redge team up with the shop owner in a race to catch the runaway card before everything spirals out of control. Using the powers of Redge’s deck, they play their way through the chaos and restore order, turning the grand opening into an adventure worthy of legend.

Episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/the-enchanted-sidequest/       

DOWNLOAD COLOR PAGE: bit.ly/dorktalesEP126colorpage    

GRAB YOUR FREE PDF list of conversation questions for this episode:
https://dorktalesstorytime.aweb.page/ep126freePDF 

PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: In this story, Jonathan, Redge, and Gerard, the shop owner, face a surprising problem when an enchanted card goes missing and its magic begins causing chaos. As they work together to find the card and restore order, listeners see how teamwork, creative thinking, and perseverance can help solve unexpected challenges. The story highlights the importance of helping others, using knowledge and strategy, and staying calm when situations feel confusing or out of control.

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY about a runaway character, we think you’ll also enjoy episode 81, The Gingerfriend Man:  https://jonincharacter.com/the-gingerfriend-man/ 

CREDITS: This episode is a Jonincharacter production. It was written and produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks.

Visit the official Dorktales shop, Once Upon A Merch at dorktales-shop.fourthwall.com and use the code WELCOME10 for 10%off your order for a limited time.

Transcript

JONATHAN CORMUR: Hello Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormur and you're listening to Dorktales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture-loving grown-ups, and this is one of our anything-is-possible lore stories.

THEME SONG: It's a beautiful day for a story, adventure and glory, new friends and old ones too. It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tail, so let us regale you.

REDGE: It’s opening day! It’s opening day! 

JONATHAN: (As if he’s just waking up) Redge? 

REDGE: I can’t believe you’re SLEEPING during such a historic Once Upon a Time moment! 

JONATHAN: Redge…it’s…four in the morning!

REDGE: But it’s OPENING DAY! 

JONATHAN: Opening day? Of what? 

REDGE: (Sighs, exasperated) SIDEQUEST IS OPENING TODAY! 

JONATHAN: Wait…Wait! Today?! But I wrote it down for next week!

REDGE: It’s today! It’s today and we have to get in line! (Excited noises) 

JONATHAN: I’m up! I’m awake! I’m going to change!

REDGE: Just throw a coat over your pajamas! There is no time to waste! 

JONATHAN: The Folktale Forest’s first ever game and hobby shop! Can you believe it? 

REDGE: And in the massive trunk of the old spruce tree. Delightful! 

JONATHAN: I can’t wait to see all of the board games. Oh! And I heard they have a comic section too! I hope they have the most recent Excaliburs issue. I have to see what happens to The Green Knight! Last we saw him, he was searching for the Mad Wizard Merlin to get a new potion-

REDGE: Spoilers, Jonathan! 

JONATHAN: Oh right! Right! Right! What are you most excited for Redge? 

REDGE: I will finally, FINALLY get the final piece of my Cards of Enchantment deck!

JONATHAN: Oh you’ve told me about that game…how do you play? 

REDGE: Well you see it is incredibly simple. The Cards of Enchantment is a card game where you build decks and battle other players using different spells and abilities that are on the cards.  BUT THERE IS MORE! There is LORE! 

JONATHAN: I do love lore! 

REDGE: The creatures featured on the Cards of Enchantment all live in a world called Mystic, and one group of those creatures is called the Lichens, and the Lichens are all about sneaking and illusion, so the cards themselves have many trickster characters that you use to sneak past your opponent and steal their cards and abilities and points. I play a Lichens themed deck! You see? Simple. 

JONATHAN: Ah…Right…Simple… 

REDGE: You’ll get the hang of it. Anywho, the last card I need for my deck is the Phantasmic Illusions card. This card is so powerful! When you play it, it can disguise itself as any other creature or spell you have in your deck!

JONATHAN: That sounds so cool! 

REDGE: It is VERY COOL. Eeee! I’ve been searching for it for so long! But I’ve never been able to find it! Until now! Until Sidequest! 

JONATHAN: It’s right up here…oh looks like a line is forming up already. So exciting! 

REDGE: Oh look! Look! The sign for the shop was clearly inspired by the Cards of Enchantment logo!! 

JONATHAN: Look at all the floating lanterns! And our friends in cosplay! 

GERARD: Hoo Hoo! (a combo of yoohoo and an owl hoot)

REDGE: Huh? Did you hear that? 

JONATHAN: I did…where is that coming from? 

GERARD: Hoooo hoo!

REDGE: Hello? Is someone there? 

GERARD: GRAND SWOOPING ENTRANCE! HOO HA!!

REDGE: Woah! 

GERARD: Greetings travelers! Hail and well met! HUZZAH! Hoo! It is I, Gerard Owl, the Card Bard Barred (pronounced Bard) Owl! 

REDGE: Oh my goodness, it’s Gerard! The owner of Sidequest and the Keeper of the Cards of Enchantment! (Excited noises) 

GERARD: HOO! A traveler who knows of my shop and the fine wares it possesses! Ah ha and huzzah indeed! 

REDGE: Oh you will have frequent customers in us, my new owl friend!  I can’t WAIT to get the final card for my deck! 

GERARD: Oh! yes! (Nervously) But…not a card for a Lichen deck…surely…

REDGE: How did you know?! 

GERARD: Oh hoo hoo hoo…

REDGE: I love the sneaky little Lichens, what can I say? They are so magical and mysterious and they’re cute to boot. And their powers are so fun! 

GERARD: But certainly you’re not looking for the (Gulp) the Phantasmic Illusions card…right? 

JONATHAN: That’s exactly the card he’s looking for! 

GERARD: Hoo boy! (All the pomp and circumstance gone) Well…I’m in trouble. 

REDGE: Why, Sir Gerard? 

GERARD: Oh now, hoo, Sir Gerard was my father owl. You can call me Gerard Owl, The Card Bard Barred Owl. (As an afterthought) Or just Gerard. 

REDGE: What happened, Gerard? You look so sad, but this is the opening day of your beautiful shop!! 

GERARD: Well see…the thing is…hoo…I…hoo hoo..I…(dissolves into crying) hoo hoo-hoo-hoo!

JONATHAN: Oh don’t cry friend! 

GERARD: I…I’ve…I’ve…I’VE LOST THE PHANTASMIC ILLUSION CARD! 

REDGE: OH MY!

GERARD: I KNOW. I’m so sorry!

REDGE: That’s quite alright, Gerard! I’m sorry this happened just before your grand opening! We can help you find it! 

JONATHAN: Maybe while you were setting up, it just got lost in the shuffle! Erm...no pun intended. 

GERARD: But you don’t understand! This card is rather tricksy indeed! 

REDGE: What do you mean? 

GERARD: Well it’s the Phantasmic Illusions card! The most powerful of the Lichen cards! And if the card is on its own and not part of a deck well….its magic goes a bit…haywire. 

JONATHAN: Redge…did you fail to mention that the cards themselves…are actually magical?? 

REDGE: Is that not what card games are like in your world? 

JONATHAN: No! They’re just cards! 

REDGE: Oh! Well of course the Cards of Enchantment have real magic! Take this card here from my deck. The Fireworks of Distraction card. Lay it flat on this tree stump, just like you would if you were playing the game.

JONATHAN: Alright, placing it–WOAH! 

REDGE: See! A fun little spell that makes it seem like tiny fireworks are going off! 

JONATHAN: Cool! 

GERARD: The magic is never a problem with cards like Fireworks of Distraction. But for rare, powerful cards off on their own…like my Phantasmic Illusions card…well…they’re unpredictable! And I can’t find the thing anywhere! But I have to find it before the shop opens! Think of what chaos it might start if its magic is out there…uncontained!

JONATHAN: Where was the last time you saw the card? 

GERARD: Follow me! I will take you to the shop! 

REDGE: We’re going to….to…see the shop? 

GERARD: That’s right my friend! Through the back entrance, just over here! 

REDGE: Eeeeeee hehehehe! 

JONATHAN: Remember to focus, Redge! We have to help Gerard find…his…YOU HAVE THE NEW EXCALIBURS ACTION FIGURES!

REDGE: Look at all the Cards of Enchantment sets you have! I have never seen so many in one place! 

JONATHAN: The shelves spiral all the way up the tree trunk! 

REDGE: The swirling star patterns on the walls! Was that a shooting star that went by? Oh, even the decorations in here are magical!

JONATHAN: And the board games! Is that a rare Excaliburs poster? This place sure is special, Gerard! 

GERARD: Why thank you, thank you! Hoo! 

JONATHAN: Wait, wait, Redge. We can shop later! We have to focus on the missing card!

GERARD: It was being stored in this display case…right over…now wait a minute…

REDGE: That looks more like…

JONATHAN: A portal filled with golden light? 

GERARD: It used to be a display case! I- hoo- promise! 

REDGE: Maybe the card’s magical effect is broken…I’ll just peek in-

JONATHAN: Redge, no! 

REDGE: WOOPSY! 

JONATHAN: Redge fell through the portal! I’ve got to jump in after him! 

 GERARD: HOO! Right behind you my boy! 

JONATHAN/GERARD: Ahhh! 

REDGE: Oh hello there friends….it seems that we’re in Gerard’s shop…but-

GERARD: Everything is upside down?! This is terrible! If people try to come through the front door they’ll fall straight to the ceiling! 

JONATHAN: Kind of neat to be walking on the ceiling though, right?  

GERARD: (Indignantly) HOO!
 
 JONATHAN: Oh! Uh I mean, you’re right, it’s bad! 

GERARD: Look, I can’t get to the floor! We’re stuck up…I mean down here! HOO! And the boxes and books, they’re trembling like they’re about to fall! 

JONATHAN: Oh no you’re right! Everything is about to fall down! Or up? I don't know, but since the floor is the ceiling-

GERARD: All of the books and boxes and action figures are upside down and are about to topple on top of us! 

REDGE: Wait a second…this is so familiar…

JONATHAN: Well it is the shop we were just in- 

GERARD: But upside down. 

REDGE: No, no I mean…I think…this is an ability from my deck! The Topsy Turvy Trip Up! 

GERARD: Of course, Redge! Hoo haha! The Topsy Turvy Trip Up card! When you use this card you’re able to turn your opponents deck upside down and shake some of their riches loose to use in your own deck! 

JONATHAN: Wait this is exactly what Redge said the Phantasmic Illusion card does! It mimics the magic of other Cards of Enchantment! 

GERARD: Hoo-oof! Uh-oh - some of the dice from my dice section just plopped on my head! 

REDGE: If someone used a Topsy Turvy Trip Up card on me what would I do? I must consult my deck! 

JONATHAN: Of course! Great thinking, Redge! Playing the game might help us set things right! 

GERARD: Ahh! One of the board game lids came off and the pieces are falling on my head! OOF-A timer, OW-a buzzer…is that a miniature top hat? 

JONATHAN: The shop items are going to keep falling until we can turn the shop rightside up!

REDGE: I’m thinking…I’m thinking…

GERARD: We must dodge and weave, dodge and weave! Hoo! Slide to the left! Hoo! Flap to the right! Avoid the avalanche of action figures Jonathan! 

JONATHAN: Ahh! Not the Green Knight figure! Redge! Help!

REDGE:  I got it! I got it! I’m going to play… The Upright Knight card! 

UPRIGHT KNIGHT: Hail, travelers! 

JONATHAN: Woah! 

REDGE: Oh! The Knight is here! 

UPRIGHT KNIGHT: It seems you’re upside wrong and not upside right, and the upstanding Upright Knight won’t stand for this on-the-wrong-side blight! We rise! We fight! We upright! 

JONATHAN: Thank you! I think…

REDGE: The Upright Knight card instantly guards your deck AND prevents your opponent from turning it upside down again! 

GERARD: Look! There is another portal on the other side of the store! It was the right card, Redge!

UPRIGHT KNIGHT: Of course I am right! I am the rightest right! Now, follow me up through this portal, take flight! 

REDGE: But how? We’re stuck on the ceiling! 

UPRIGHT KNIGHT: Jump into my arms, I shall carry you to the righter side! 

REDGE: Up we go! 

UPRIGHT KNIGHT: Huzzah! To the portal! Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup! 

JONATHAN: We’re back in the forest outside? But why aren’t we in the shop? 

REDGE: At least our feet are on the real ground again! Thank you Sir Upright Knight! Back into the deck they go. 

JONATHAN: Why did we end up back in the forest? Do you think the card is out here somewhere? 

GERARD: Perhaps it’s creating the illusion of another spell… (sigh) We have to find it…

WHISPERING PINE: If you can….

GERARD: HOO! ….was that? 

WHISPERING PINE 2: It wasn’t me…

WHISPERING PINE 3: Or me!

JONATHAN: Where is that coming from? 

REDGE: I…I think it’s the trees! 

JONATHAN: (Shivers) I feel like I’m being watched…

GERARD: The trees are loo-HOO-ming over us…are they going to…sc-HOO-p us up? 

WHISPERING PINE: Nah, we’re pretty nice. 

WHISPERING PINE 2: We just like to plot. 

WHISPERING PINE 3: And scheme.

REDGE: Wait! This is the work of the Whispering Pines card! You play the Whispering Pines card to cast Dream Scheme on your opponent, which means your next move will be successful and their next move will fail! 

WP: That’s right, we’re the Dream Scheme Team-

WP 2: You need a plan for sneaking? 

WP 3: Is there a sneak that needs planning? 

WP: We’re your trees. 

WP 2: We love it when the plot thickens…

GERARD: The shadows are growing taller and wider from all of this scheming chatter… they’re hiding our path back into the shop! 

JONATHAN: What card can defeat this, Redge? 

REDGE: Hmmmm….let me see, let me see….

WP: Nothing can cut through the tangled web of branches made by the Whispering Pines. 

WP 2: That’s right! 

REDGE: No maybe not…but there is one card that can provide a path in even the darkest of forests…

GERARD: There is? …Oh! There is! A perfect choice, Redge! 

JONATHAN: You may want to use it now, the trees are leaning in close…

WP: Leaning in close…

WP 2: For a secret…

REDGE: Ah ha! Here it is! SUMMON MAP TURTLE! 

MAP TURTLE: Oh, hello. 

JONATHAN: A turtle! 

REDGE: Hi, Mr. Map Turtle! 

JONATHAN: WOW! Is that a map of the forest on the back of your shell? 

MAP TURTLE: Yessum. 

REDGE: And look! Our path is drawn in gold! 

MAP TURTLE: That’s right. Follow me. Or. Well. Follow my back. 

GERARD: We shall indeed! 

REDGE: Straight ahead! 

MAP TURTLE: 10 paces. 

JONATHAN: Take a sharp right-

MAP TURTLE: At the hickory tree. 

GERARD: Hop on the three stones to take you across the creek.

REDGE: Hop! Hop! Hop! 

MAP TURTLE: 10 more paces to the west and…

GERARD: My shop!!

REDGE: Thank you Map Turtle! 

MAP TURTLE: Noooo problem. Bye for now. 

REDGE: We’ve made it! Now all we need to do is grab this card and put a stop to…GASP! Jonathan! Gerard! Look in the shop window! 

GERARD: (Like he’s saying huh?) Hoo? 

JONATHAN: It’s not still upside down is it? 

GERARD: Oh no!! We have to get inside quickly! 

JONATHAN: All the cards are flying off the shelves! 

REDGE: It’s become a card tornado! A card-nado! 

GERARD: Hoo HOO, I’m trying to flap my wings and-and-and I’m getting swept up! 

REDGE/JONATHAN/GERARD: Ahhhhhhh! 

GERARD: But look! Do you see that glint at the center? 

REDGE: The glow of a holographic, super shiny, extra special rare card like…

REDGE/GERARD: Phantasmic Illusions! 

REDGE: I know what to do! 

JONATHAN: Redge, we can’t do anything until this tornado stops!!

REDGE: Not if I use this card called: The Eye of the Storm! 

GERARD: But Redge! If you play that card it will take you to the center of the tornado and it will cast a brilliant light HOO and it will dissipate the storm and…oh wait! That’s perfect! 

REDGE: Alright…here I gooo-oOOO-WOAAH!

REDGE: I’ve…just about…GOT IT! I’ve got the card! 

GERARD: He’s got it! WOO HOO! He’s got it! Now cover your eyes, Jonathan! There is about to be a bright, magnificent light! 

JONATHAN: Huzzah, Redge! 

REDGE: (Yelling as if falling from high up, so it starts further away and gets closer) CAAAAAAAAAA-TCH MEEEEEE-EEEE! 

Oof! 

JONATHAN: Got him! 

GERARD: Huzzah! Hoo! Ha! Huzzah! 

JONATHAN: You did it, Redge! You’re amazing! 

GERARD: Your mastery of the Cards of Enchantment game is impressive indeed! Truly, truly impressive! And for all your help getting my shop in order, you take that Phantasmic Illusions card on me, Gerard Owl, The Card Bard Barred Owl! 

REDGE: Oh I couldn’t! 

GERARD: But you must! That card belongs in your deck! 

REDGE: Eeeeee! Oh thank you, thank you! My Cards of Enchantment deck is finally complete! 

JONATHAN: Gerard! Wait! Look at the clock on your wall! It’s time for opening day to begin! 

GERARD: HOO! You’re correct! Places everyone! Places! How do I look? How does the store look? OH-HOO! I am nervous! 

JONATHAN: Everything is back in its place and ready to go! 

REDGE: It’s going to be wonderful! 

GERARD: Alright opening the door…and…showtime! GRAND SWEEPING ENTRANCE HOO HOO HELLO! Hail and well met adventurers! Today is a very special day, very special indeed. Today is OPENING DAY! Do not fear, do not fret! Simply join me inside my spruce tree shop filled with the Folktale Forest’s most excellent wares! For your magical Sidequest awaits! 

JONATHAN: This has been a Jonincharacter production. This story was written and produced by Molly Murphy, and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks. We love hearing from you! Contact us at dorktalesstorytime@gmail.com or try our one-way text feature as a safe way to reach out. You can find even more ways to reach us in the show notes.

Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time!

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