The Awakening of Lora Abernathy (Full Cast Audiobook)
Project Overview
Queer, DnD inspired fantasy novella. Casting for an audiobook adaptation with a full cast.
SYNOPSIS"What are you?" Lora whispers.
"What are you?" The wolf echoes, stalking towards her until it is close enough that Lora has forgotten to be afraid. "What is anyone? It's not a polite question to ask."
After a disastrous birthday ceremony and coming-of-age ritual gone wrong, Lora flees home, taking her new lycanthrope form for a test drive on the streets of Glenhurst, and hoping to prove her worth. When she answers a local job posting at random, Lora lands in the company of two other strangers: Nic and Art.
Nic has sought redemption from his own past failings on his fiancé's family farm. When that security is threatened, he takes matters into his own hands, seeking out a connection from his sister's college days, who is rumored to have experience with magic blades and killing tyrants.
Art longs for the past about as often as he longs to forget it, pouring his time into cooking, mutual aid efforts, bounty hunting gig work, and studying crosscosm theory (the idea of travel between worlds). This job will pay his rent, and, if he's lucky, not give him time to think about his trauma.
The job? Enter the forest and eliminate the threat that's been causing townsfolk and travelers to go missing. But the woods are dark, and they have eaten adventurers before. When their pasts come back to haunt them, can the fledgling party survive?
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Lead role, 200+ lines.
Nic was raised under the shadow of a prophecy that said the oldest daughter born of his mother's bloodline would someday defeat a great evil come to destroy their town. The only problem? Nic is a trans man... and therefore, not a daughter.
Although he successfully compartmentalizes all his gender feelings, stuffing them in a box for 18 years, the pressure finally gets to him and he freezes up at the crucial moment. His younger sister ends up saving the town instead.
Now, Nic has found a new life as a farm hand and stable boy. He's even fallen in love with the son of the couple who employ him, Beaumont Tayag. But when a magical blight affects their land, Nic gets roped into a quest to kill the wizard behind it.
This part does include at least one romantic scene between Nic and Beau. The Awakening of Lora Abernathy is the first book in a 4 book series, and Nic's actor will have the opportunity to return in future audiobook adaptations as well.
Preference for actors with experience growing up under high control religion.
ONLY casting trans men and transmasculine nonbinary actors.
- english
- androgynous
- male young adult
- neutral
- nonbinary
- transmasculine
- transgender
“I couldn’t put all my faith towards hoping the prophecy was wrong. I didn’t have enough left. So, I decided that I must be wrong, or that it would be fine if no one knew. Stuffed everything in a box and never told anyone except my sister once in a moment of weakness. I told her to forget it afterwards. She didn’t. So, when I...” (pause) “It was probably about her, the whole time,”
“I was an ass. I projected my own fears and insecurities onto you. Whether or not we’d have come together otherwise, we’re here now. The woods already seem intent on tearing us to pieces. There’s no sense in helping them along.”
(this scene is of a pre-teen age Nic, and can be played more tomboy feminine)(grumbling) “You still shouldn’t swear. You’ll get in the habit, and Mom will lose her shit.”
Ilsa appears exclusively in flashbacks during The Awakening of Lora Abernathy, but plays a major role in book two. She’s one of the NPCs in the world of the video game Monster Night, an artificer-invented arcade game, which Art spent three years trapped in. The world is called Taunneau and it has only ever had two players: Art, and the beta tester who Ilsa fell in love with. While the major NPCs of Monster Night know to some extent that they’re in a game, Ilsa is the only one who can remember multiple iterations of the world resetting itself every time the Tyrant (BBEG/final boss) is defeated.
Ilsa is a complicated character who doesn't trust easily and is working towards her own agenda. She's traumatized and tired and blunt, but also fiercely loyal & an absolute badass.
Pronunciation guide:
Speculatist — speck-YOU-la-TIST
Open to any feminine actor, trans, cis, or nonbinary. Ilsa's actor will have the opportunity to return for a larger role (with a larger stipend) in the audiobook for book 2. 15-20 lines.
- english
- female young adult
(talking to a friend) “Snap out of it. You’re with me tonight, and if you’re off your game, we’ll both be killed.”
(In response to Art asking what she thinks happens if he dies in the video game.) “If you’re asking my opinion, as a sorcerer and speculatist... I think you’re just dead,” (Ilsa says, flat and blunt, the way Art needs.) “You turn into one more ghost in a crowd, trying to take back what you’ve lost from those of us who still have it.”
(calm and detatched, immediately after stabbing Art:) “I’m sorry,” (Ilsa says again, gently pulling the silver dagger from Art's side. Dawn creeps into the sky behind her, and she cradles his cheek with her palm.) “You understand. I have to be sure.”
Alden is a shady bastard. He is a tiefling and everything he says should make him sound just a liiiittle bit dangerous, concealed beneath the thin veneer of respectability and propriety. 15-20 lines.
- english
- male adult
- tiefling
- evil villain
- Father
(The man laughs, and a fire springs to life in the empty space behind him.) “You may call me Alden. I’d like to be a friend.”
“What if I could give you a fresh start? What if, when you left this room and these woods, you were free of the weight that everyone has burdened you with. Would you like that?”
"Carelessness will kill you, Tobias. Watch yourself, understand?”
Beau is Nic's fiance. He's in his early 20s, lives & works on his family's farm, and has 10-15 lines. He does appear in a romantic scene with Nic, during which they are keeping their relationship a secret from his parents.
Beau's actor will be invited to return for the second and third audiobooks in the series.
ONLY considering actors of Filipino descent for this role, with a preference for a Filipino American actor.
- english
- filipino english
- male young adult
- filipino
- filipino
- asian
(defensively) “You could congratulate us,” (Beau says, his grip tightening on Nic’s hand.) “You’ve been hounding me about marriage since I turned seventeen.”
(While cuddling, after Nic has woken up from a nightmare:) “Hey,” (Beau says softly, nudging the top of his head against Nic’s chin.) “Stop angsting. My parents won’t think twice of me sleeping out here. I used to do it all the time. Only stopped after I realized that mattresses were invented for bitches with chronic pain.”
(gentle teasing) “Guess you’ll have to take me everywhere you go,” (Beau grins.) “How else am I supposed to keep you alive?”
Damien is Art's ex. They dated for a summer in high school before an explosive breakup.
5-10 lines, with the invitation to return for a significant role in the audiobook adaptation of book two in the series.
Damien is diabetic, a soldier, and the fantasy equivalent of a competitive arcade gamer. He is honest, efficient, and moral to a fault.
ONLY considering BIPOC actors for this role.
- english
- male young adult
- nonbinary
- native american
- BIPOC
- black american
- Indigenous
- hispanic/latino
- hispanic american
- hispanic
- latino (natural)
“We used to do this,” (Damien says.) “Remember? On nights when neither of us could sleep, we’d meet behind the Arkade. We’d draw shapes on the street, and try to hit the centers.”
“I’d kiss you when you won, and you’d kiss me when I lost,” (Damien continues as if Art hasn’t spoken at all.) “That was before everything changed, of course. Before you changed, I should say.”
"I'm worried about your brother. Our line of work is always dangerous, but the jobs they keep assigning him are trouble. Deep cover kind of shit. I've tried to talk, but he avoids me like the plague. I'm afraid he'll cross the wrong commander and they'll send him somewhere he won't come back from."
Tumelnin is Nic's childhood god. They immediately use his correct name and pronouns upon reaching out to him in a dream. They are a young deity, and should have an earnestness and fire behind everything they do.
Pronunciation guide: Two-Mehl-Nin, Tumes (like tombs)
Minor role, with potential to return for audiobooks adaptations of future books in the series. 10-15 lines
- english
- nonbinary
- creature
- androgynous
- neutral
- Feminine
- female young adult
"You have known my name, if not my face." (the voice responds.) "Your parents call me Tumelnin. Your sister calls me Tumes when she is swearing. You are known to me."
"For what little it is worth to you," (the god of Nic's childhood hums,) "I am sorrowed by what was done to you in my name."
"I will do my best to leave a mark, that you may have assurance of this meeting," Tumelnin whispers. "For now, I will convey my message. Imlin’s blade is what you seek, balm to the land you love. A soldier wields it now, and you will know it by my mark on the pommel. Be well, Nicodemus. Time is short."
The Tayags are a farming couple who employ one of the main characters (Nic) in exchange for room & board. Nic and their son (Beau) spend a lot of time working together on the farm, and quickly began dating in secret. While not outright homophobic, Mr. and Mrs. Tayag are disappointed when Beau announces that he and Nic are engaged, stating that they "always assumed he would settle down with one of the girls from town, somebody they knew" and making excuses to stall on wedding preparations. Their arc does end with them becoming more supportive of Nic and Beau.
Beau's father is in his mid 40s to late 50s. He has less than 5 lines, and his actor has the potential to return for a minor role in future audiobooks.
ONLY considering actors of Filipino descent.
- english
- filipino english
- male adult
- filipino
- asian
- Father
- filipino
- Father voice
“Really?” (Beau’s father asks, reluctance in every line of his expression.) “The two of you?”
“We’re happy for you,” (Mr. Tayag says, looking like he’s swallowed a peach pit.) “We’re just surprised.”
*Say something you think would fit*
The Tayags are a farming couple who employ one of the main characters (Nic) in exchange for room & board. Nic and their son (Beau) spend a lot of time working together on the farm, and quickly began dating in secret. While not outright homophobic, Mr. and Mrs. Tayag are disappointed when Beau announces that he and Nic are engaged, stating that they "always assumed he would settle down with one of the girls from town, somebody they knew" and making excuses to stall on wedding preparations. Their arc does end with them becoming more supportive of Nic and Beau.
Beau's mother is in her mid 40s to late 50s. She has less than 5 lines, and her actor has the potential to return for a minor role in future audiobooks.
Open to any Asian diaspora actor.
- english
- asia pacific
- asian
- female adult
- southeast asian
- asian american
- asian english
- asian
- mother voice
"You have to understand,” (Beau's mother jumps in.) “We thought you would settle down with… someone we knew. One of the girls from town?”
*Say something you think would fit*
Evil Wizard. One line in this project, with the opportunity to reprise the part as a larger role in future audiobook adaptations of the series.
- english
- male adult
- evil villain
- wizard
“No,” (they say, and the room reverberates with their words.) “You are not the one, and I am not planning to die at your hand.”
*Say something you think would fit*
Lora's older brother, also a werewolf.
*Say something you think would fit*
One wolf, to put things bluntly, is a horror. Its fur is ungroomed and unloved, full of mats and leaves. Its natural color is a mottled mix, painted with every shade of red and grey and brown. The effect is the same as if a regular wolf had run for miles, bathed in mud, and afterwards brought down a violent kill.
“Why are you here?” Lora croaks.
The terrible wolf yawns. “To correct a wrong.”
*Say something you think would fit*
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