[SPOILER WARNING]: Some light spoilers for Episode 16 of the podcast are below. If you haven't listened to it and don't want to be spoiled check it out now and come back! You've been warned.
She’s not your average chicken, but that wasn’t always the case. Jennifer started her life like many other chickens in the village of Moonreach; living on old man Hadrian’s farm. It was all eating feed, laying eggs, and leading a life void of adventure until mysterious magic crept into the village...
Before the Wolves of Moonreach were ever the Wolves of Moonreach, two of our young heroes, To’marr and Gorbel — along with their childhood friends, Smoochy, Lewin and Willem — were just bored kids looking for a little entertainment and some pocket money. The group accepted one of their first paying gigs — tracking down the chickens that had gone missing from old man Hadrian’s farm. Armed with very few clues and even less in the way of chicken experience, the children tracked the brood and found them in a secluded cave.
A large group of chickens leaving home to join together in a cave — odd. A massive chicken standing 20ft tall at the center of this group — very odd. If you've ever seen five young kids try to square up with a colossal, bewildered chicken, then you probably already know that it’s a bizarre and awkward scuffle. Quickly realizing this and suspecting there was magic afoot, the youngsters tried a softer approach.
With some cooing and cajoling, the enormous chicken expelled the magic that had taken hold of it. In other words, the Wolf Pups of Moonreach sweet-talked a chicken until it shat out a magical orb.
In their attempts to gain further information and pacify the cave of chickens, Gorbel coaxed out a small hen hiding in the shadows. This chicken provided absolutely no information, insight, or assistance, but young Gorbel couldn’t just leave her after earning her trust. She did what any child of the adventuring type would do; she gave the chicken a name and made her a sidekick.
Over the years, Jennifer stayed by Gorbel’s side as a faithful pet. The only thing that seemed extraordinary about her was the chicken's longevity, seemingly remaining the same age she was the day they met.
During their years bonded together, Jennifer picked up a few tricks. She was intelligent enough to follow a few simple instructions, proving her loyalty when the Wolves tasked her with claiming the sword of Miraluck; a strange man who seemed to have the ability to occupy any creature that touched his weapon. They figured Jennifer could keep this body-snatching scoundrel in her bird form until the Wolves found a proper way to destroy the magical sword.
While the plan ultimately failed, and the sword and baddy were lost, Jennifer began to gain some interesting abilities. Being occupied by an intelligent creature triggered something within her. She started to learn and gain intelligence by the day. Months after the encounter that awakened her, Jennifer expressed a desire to her keeper to expand her horizons and formally train to become a wizard.
Gorbel was naturally supportive. How could she keep one of her oldest friends from achieving her dreams? With bittersweet feelings and no idea if she would see her beloved chicken again, Gorbel said goodbye and let Jennifer spread her wings, and seek new found mysteries at the Tower of Wisdom in Deepminster.
The two had some degree of communication in the form of brief letters and notes during the months that Jennifer was away, but there were no plans mentioned for her return to Gorbel. This made it even more surprising when Jennifer showed up out of nowhere when the Wolves were in thick of business with a dragora. Clad in a tiny wizard’s hat and perfectly tailored cape, she pulled out a chicken-sized book (you MUST understand how adorable this is) and began hurling spells as real wizard.
To find out more about Jennifer, keep listening to the Podcast! More will be revealed as the plot continues to unfold...