Havoc Town Episode 11 | "A Tale of Three Cities"

Podcast: Havoc Town
Host: iHeartPodcasts | Aaron Manke, Narrator
Date: October 21, 2025

Overview

This episode delves into both the mythic and all-too-human origins of the Abbesstown Vampire Panic, unraveling the connections between a centuries-old plague, a tormented immortal, and the dangerous reappearance of an ancient evil. The story sweeps between the haunted past of the late 18th-century vampire Jury Havoc, his tumultuous romance with Sophia, and the mounting crisis in present-day Abbesstown, where a mysterious sickness—eerily reminiscent of the old vampire plague—once again rips through the community. The episode is rich with gothic atmosphere, psychological insight, and a climactic confrontation revealing the tangled destinies of the Havock and Abbess bloodlines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Present-Day Tensions in Abbesstown

[00:31]

• Jory Havoc confronts Governor Tyler about the response to the outbreak and public order:
  • Havoc questions the deployment of troops, suggesting political motivations outweigh public safety.
  • Displays hostility toward political manipulation:

    “Listen to me, you vacuous, sniveling ideologue that buried men better than you.” (Jory Havoc, 01:16)

• A sense of panic permeates as there's news of an attack at the local hospital.
  • The community hunkers down, fearful of both plague and something darker:

    “We stay put. I mean, unless we come under attack by vampires. Oh, too soon?” (Sylvie, 03:18)

2. Jory Havoc’s Immortal Reflections

[03:48] – [07:16]

• Jory’s monologue details his slow detachment from humanity and insatiable emptiness despite accumulating power, wealth, and influence:
  • Vampirism becomes psychological—more wound than gift.
  • The search for danger and his draw towards revolutionary France is described as both self-destructive and “a longing for death.”
  • The need for violence and proximity to upheaval is deeply tied to his existential frustration.

Notable Quote:

“I was a vacuum, absorbing everything I touched, but never feeling full.”
(Jory Havoc, 04:53)

3. Encounter with Sophia during the French Revolution

[07:29] – [14:13]

• Havoc attends a revolutionary tavern and is violently beaten. Rescued by Sophia (posing as a barmaid), their connection crackles with danger and mutual recognition.
• Sophia is fearless, pragmatic, and eerily familiar, resembling a lost love (Lucia).
• A flirtation with death and transformation is immediate in their dialogue:
  • Sophia: “Do you wish to ravish me or devour me? Or is it both?” (12:50)
• Sophia ultimately saves him, and together, they flee revolution-torn Paris, settling for a time in London:
  • They share an intellectual, poetic bond and Sophia’s survivor’s wit and hunger make her Havoc’s equal.

4. Transformation: The Origins of a Vampire Lineage

[16:43] – [27:36]

• Sophia wants to be turned; Havoc debates his ability and doubts whether turning can be controlled.
• The vampire’s “creation story” is disturbingly corporeal: fever, blood, and a savage rebirth.
  • Sophia’s transformation is violent and voracious. Her hunger is rapacious, drawing attention and necessitating another exodus—this time to America.
• The vampire’s existence is framed as a metaphor for addiction, loss, and insatiable need.
• Turning is not romanticized; Sophia’s death and resurrection are traumatic:

  “And on the fifth day, she died. I began to doubt myself at that point, if I'm being honest.” (Jory Havoc, 24:52)

5. The Present Returns: Stand-offs and Confrontations

[28:06] – [31:17]

• Chaos in the current day: bricks through windows, violence in the streets, and retrenched suspicion.
• Sylvie and Marie challenge Jory Havoc, now revealed as the centuries-old vampire.
  • Stakes (literal and metaphorical) are high; ancient books and old vampire tales become weapons.
  • Havoc insists he’s not the one spreading the plague:

    “I didn't come here to infect the town.” (Jory Havoc, 30:22)

• The real reason for his return is the search for a long-lost foe—Sophia—or her modern reincarnation/descendant.

6. Revelations and Bloodline Mysteries

[31:17] – [31:42]

• Corinne Abbess, last of her disgraced family, is named directly as Havoc’s adversary, with deep ancestral ties:
  • The episode hints at an ongoing vendetta and cycles of violence stretching centuries.

Climactic Quote:

“Corinne. Come now. It's not every day that you get to meet face to face with your ancestors… Monster, say hello to your granddaughter. Damaris.”
(Jory Havoc, 31:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I have watched your wounds close. You are not a normal man.” (Marie to Jory, 11:24)
• “What use would it be? Why would I draw this sort of attention to myself?” (Jory Havoc on his supposed guilt, 30:00)
• “If you love me, if you truly love me, you would wish this for me as well. Do you? Do you love me?” (Sophia, 23:19)
• “And within a few days began to draw attention in the press. The fifth evening of her new existence, I began making up plans to move west into the wilds of the Americas. Those lawless lands, a land born of violence could easily bear the burden of her thirst.” (Jory Havoc, 27:05)

Important Timestamps

• 00:31-02:16: Political wrangling amidst chaos; hospital attack news.
• 03:48-07:16: Jory Havoc’s backstory and entry into revolutionary Paris.
• 07:29-14:13: Sophia’s rescue, banter, and the origins of their partnership.
• 16:43-18:36: Literary sparring; intimacy and poetic reference.
• 21:19-23:41: The ritual—and risk—of vampiric transformation.
• 24:52-27:05: Sophia’s death, rebirth, and insatiable hunger.
• 28:06-31:42: Present-day showdown; revelations about bloodlines and motives.

Closing Thoughts

Steeped in lush, gothic storytelling and sharp with psychological insight, "A Tale of Three Cities" weaves together legacy and longing, placing personal trauma at the heart of a supernatural epidemic. The episode deftly bridges the yawning gap between folklore and reality, revealing that the monsters of history may live among us still—and some wounds, once opened, never truly heal.