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C3 Episode 42 Little Boxes on the Hillside Chapter Four
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Think of the Children
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Recap
00:00:00
Speaker
D20 Radio, at your
00:00:14
Speaker
radio
00:00:21
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Eberron Renewed and Actual Play Podcast at the Eberron Campaign Setting. I am your Game Master, Eric. I'm Mia. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff. Welcome to another episode. Folks, what happened last time?
00:00:33
Speaker
We went to school. Yeah. Kaz learns nothing at the education center except for that like these things run deep. Whatever this curse or ah effect is, is... And also there are other options for Kaz, you know, with the aid of dark powers.
00:00:50
Speaker
Yes. The children cannot be swayed with good nuggets. Okay. I don't know, what happened it last time? We didn't talk about it before we recorded it like we normally do. No, I think you kind of covered it. Kaz went and investigated the education center. You all talked to the Finch family. Finch family. i
Town's Influence and Unusual Behavior
00:01:10
Speaker
And now you all were in the process of meeting back up ah with the intention of going and to the community center, I think, to speak to the former mayor. Right. Whose name was Elder... I have it somewhere here.
00:01:23
Speaker
Ron. Hello?
00:01:26
Speaker
Matilda Greenway. Who is that? Yes. i do Oh, yeah. i have that one, actually. Yes. Yay. Two points for Madison. Oh, thank you. So that sounded like that was your next course of action. You also have, obviously, going to Town Hall to speak to Jim Johnson directly if you want to, um as well as going to former Gambling Hall, now Orphanage, to speak to Sister Constance.
00:01:51
Speaker
There she is. Weather. Sister Constance. Yep. Oh, and Mrs. Brightwater. That's i that's the Ed Center right here. That's the one I ever And Timothy. Yes, my friend Tim. Okay.
00:02:02
Speaker
So, yeah, you all reconvene in the town square. We'll say, what would you all like to do? Okay, so I went to the Education Center, right? And I went with Tim, and I met some more kids. i Look, they could just be nerds, but...
00:02:17
Speaker
And not want to go have fun, but I think it's just like, it's just a pervasive thing. Like I tried to get him to come and just, you know, blow off school and go fishing with me and they were uninterested. And that's all I got, guys. was Acheron lifts off your shoulder and flies back over to k Nix's. Okay, wonderful. Oh yeah, here here's Acheron back.
00:02:37
Speaker
He's kind of scary. Yes. Okay, well good. Yeah, you can keep him. This all raises an interesting concern for me. If everyone here is under the same influence and it seems to run deep down into their very person, and we accept that that is a problem, what good are we going to get from interviewing the members of this town?
Matilda Greenway and Town's Transition
00:03:10
Speaker
Because it isn't as though they're all conspiring to deceive us. And if we, you know, ask different people different questions, we'll catch someone in a lie. They're all, if we must say, victims of this influence.
00:03:26
Speaker
That's a good point. There also could be someone who might have snapped out of it like Barnaby, but is keeping up with it in order to keep the status quo.
00:03:37
Speaker
cannot work while I'm being snapped out of it. That's, but i mean, I feel like that's what we have to get to the bottom of. I don't think we, I think you're right, Nyx, but what else do we do besides talk to people until we start learning things, you know? We try to identify the center of it and we set off the device, or if the center of it is Jim Johnson, we kill Jim Johnson.
00:04:04
Speaker
you You paused, but I think I i knew where you were going. I considered using euphemism. I mean, I'm all for trying to just track down the source. I don't think we asked Melinda what Barnaby was doing before he changed.
00:04:23
Speaker
her We asked, i mean, I asked, I didn't, I don't, I asked everything from Barnaby's perspective. I did not ask anything of her perspective. We are able to date Barnaby.
00:04:37
Speaker
Barnaby's snapping out of it, right? Yeah. Okay. So... Remind me, did we determine that Barnaby's time loss was him in it? And that's what he can't recall? Maybe. That is the logical yeah explanation. That's what we're running That's our thought right now. Melinda didn't act like he'd ever acted strange. So...
00:04:55
Speaker
If Melinda's accounting is reliable, like if, if the, and he was never gone, like he was always pregnant. Right. they was wish yeah They don't have him missing. So if assuming the influence isn't creating memories, then. Okay. Then he was here and acting as they see it normal.
00:05:15
Speaker
And then he snapped out of it.
00:05:19
Speaker
Yeah. How did they, Eric, is that yeah correct with the information we have so far? Okay. I wasn't able to listen. They're not allowed, I haven't got to listen up. What did Melinda say about the way he acted when he snapped out of it?
00:05:31
Speaker
That he had always been more of a jokester, so everyone just kind of assumed he was continuing to be a jokester. Explained it away. And then he left. For work. For work, right now. So clearly whatever mass delusion they're under...
00:05:47
Speaker
is sufficient that it will explain away behavior that does not, I mean, Barnaby's description of the things that he did after waking up and finding the town strange are not explicable as a joke.
00:06:04
Speaker
like he Right. Right. So that returns to the question is... Is there any information? i'm willing to walk around and talk to these people more, but is there any explanation we expect we can get?
00:06:21
Speaker
And how do we find some, if we think we can find someone who's snapped out of it, how do we do that? Yeah, yeah we can't just wink at everybody until one of them winks back. I mean, I have a good eye. I've just observed people, both of them. um Some good eyes. Good eyes, apologies. Bag full of them, right?
00:06:43
Speaker
But it would still take us speaking to everyone, but I do kind of wonder if there was a distinct difference. Again, it probably isn't. And we already left her alone.
00:06:57
Speaker
Going back is really awkward. This is where we would use a story point to orchestrate a town meeting if we had such abilities. Griffin. I mean, do we just need to go see if Jim Johnson seems even more off-putting than everybody else and try to pinpoint him as... Might as well. A cause or of the actor. Yeah. yeah Right.
00:07:17
Speaker
I don't really know what else to do at this point other than
Economy and Community Dynamics
00:07:20
Speaker
go try to talk to him. Maybe we'll catch him standing up, you know, in the middle of a swirling vortex and bada bing. mean Other than the elder, I don't see any other good leads. And the former elder seems to have adopted the same delusion as everyone else. it Yeah.
00:07:36
Speaker
If i were in charge and then suddenly deposed and everyone was acting different, I might fake it.
00:07:50
Speaker
We can certainly go talk to her and see if she gives any signs of faking it. but Hopefully we just feel like this place got weird, right? And she can drop it because we're outsiders. and and maybe And maybe she doesn't. And then we move on and we go find Jim Johnson. and You do what you need to do, Nix.
00:08:04
Speaker
i don't the I don't suppose it hurts to go and talk to her. We could try. Okay. So you all head to the community center?
00:08:17
Speaker
Yup. right, you find a relatively small building that has a fresh sign and a fresh coat of paint reading Pella's Watch Community and Activity Center.
00:08:33
Speaker
As you all walk through this. This is important for me to understand how how pretentious the lawfulness of this place is. What is the order of the E and the R in the word center? Oh, R-E.
00:08:44
Speaker
isn C-E-N-T-A-U-R. is our center as a community. Okay, so, yeah, you all walk in and you see a relatively large agenda posted with, once again, very regimented, like...
00:09:03
Speaker
time slots down to the 15 minute mark of various classes and activities. Uh, are there any classes on the list? I'm sure you've got a whole list, but are there any classes on the list that are genuine, like recreational or is it all, this would also be in some way functional either by, you know, there's a basket weaving class or,
00:09:29
Speaker
Else this is an extension of the re-education center that we visited. So you see that there' there are no like... There's no like dodgeball league in Pella's Watch. okay Darn.
00:09:45
Speaker
But there are like... you know that There are movement-based exercises from Sarlona that are very yoga-esque that they have a couple of classes for that. so yeah just Most of them are physical-based. So it seems like where the education center is where people in Pelas Watch go for mental activity, this is a much more like physical activity type of place. So in in a lot of civic buildings, you have like...
00:10:17
Speaker
a a rack of informational pamphlets and things like that is there one by jim johnson like is there a jim johnson thought yeah pamphlet jim says sure yes i do not have that prepared so i don't but yes there would be something like that we take one yep can you give us the gist of what we would find flipping through it Just talking about the importance of civic duty and contributing to the community and how Pell is what together we can make a better tomorrow. so yeah, that kind of stuff.
00:10:53
Speaker
You see a woman in her early 60s approach you human woman. Fairly tall with silver hair pulled back in a tight bun. And she's dressed very functionally but modestly.
00:11:09
Speaker
And she walks up and says, Welcome to the Pellas Watch Community Center. hi My name is Matilda Greenway. I run this facility. How can i help you all today? Our understanding is that prior to the...
00:11:25
Speaker
what he reorientation of this village. You
Orphanage and Children’s Role
00:11:30
Speaker
were I believe elder was the old term. Yes. Yes, I was.
00:11:37
Speaker
We are, we have heard about what's happened here and we're just interested in how such a radical change came to be. How did the town come to decide we need to elect a mayor rather than have what had apparently been the more traditional pattern of leadership?
00:11:59
Speaker
Well, unfortunately, we we looked at our town and the state that it was in and realized that it what we were doing wasn't working. ah The old Pella's Watch was a place of crime and chaos and ill repute.
00:12:18
Speaker
And this is a much, at least thus far, a much better system for us. How did you come to see that? Well, and we had a few town meetings when Jim Johnson came to town and him being from ROWAC and having a greater education.
00:12:39
Speaker
but was able to explain to us, you know, the benefits of a strong central leader in a town like this and how we could all work together for a communal good as opposed to our own individual aims and goals.
00:12:56
Speaker
That phrase upsets me. Okay, so this person was the elder of Peleswatch and Peleswatch was such scum and villainy town that...
00:13:10
Speaker
That its change has radiated through the illicit economy. The person who ran that town has to be famous in the wrong circles. Oh, yeah.
00:13:23
Speaker
What does, and what, they happy to roll, what does Nix know of Matilda Greenway yeah from from before? that Definitely give me a roll just to see the degree. Yeah. Let me know. what a You can add Black Marketeer, obviously. do you have an attribute you would prefer? Until...
00:13:39
Speaker
Okay. That's not great. um That's going to be 12. 12? So, yeah, Nix, you definitely heard of Elder Matilda Greenway. Thank Elder was always kind of a cheeky title for her because even from a very young age, she demanded authority and demanded to be treated like your elder.
00:14:06
Speaker
um But she was very notable for... running a tight ship in the chaotic criminal circles. Like, um, Pella's watch had ways that like people were expected to come into town to set up smuggling jobs, to contact people.
00:14:26
Speaker
And if anybody tried to come in and either disrupt the proper channels of communication or step on her toes, and she had a very short fuse to to deal with people harshly.
00:14:40
Speaker
So that that was always, that's the reason why, yeah that's the reason why you hear about a town like Pell's Watch, like how could a place like this possibly function? And it's because you have somebody like Matilda Greenway at the top managing the chaos in a way to where it can still function, if that makes sense.
00:15:00
Speaker
But that's that's what you know about her. But probably for the context of this conversation, this mission, the fact that some highfalutin guy from Rowat would just stroll in and she'd be like, yeah, this sounds like it makes sense who is wild to Nyx.
00:15:16
Speaker
I'm curious, how does the town make money now? Well, we are very fortunate that with the orphanage here, we receive a lot of money from wealthy individuals as well as the British government to help with the taking care of the orphans and those that are affected by the war effort.
00:15:34
Speaker
um Outside of that, you know, we have... some some people that are artisans here that have a blacksmith that, you know, can generate some income, the tavern or something.
00:15:49
Speaker
I have a Pella Watch crafted set of lock picks. It's excellent work. Blacksmith here. Do they remit all of their money to the town? this a taxed thing? Like, does every cent the blacksmith make go to the community?
00:16:03
Speaker
Is this Kaz asking it? I think so. yeah Oh, I mean, yes, because I think so. Yes, of course. We contribute to the elevation of the whole town. So is no one charged money for things like food if they give all of their money?
00:16:21
Speaker
Who pays for stuff at the tavern if all of the money you make goes to the town? And if that tavern is a benefit of, if you you say eat for free because you give all your money to the town, at what point does the tavern produce income?
00:16:37
Speaker
Well, have people such as yourselves that travel through the town from time to time. We live near the yeah the military base, and so we have people that come through occasionally. To tourist town. And we we are hopeful that, you know, as we continue to elevate the reputation in the town, we will draw more and more people in.
00:16:54
Speaker
and how How many orphans are there? We currently have three and a half dozen orphans at the orphanage. Are you importing orphans? we don Yes, we we bring in those who have lost their parents.
00:17:09
Speaker
couldn sim Give them a good home. Where? At the orphanage. and So they just stay there until they age out? and if If people are willing to take them on, we we that's one of the reasons why we're hopeful to draw more people into town is so that they can come to the orphanage and potentially adopt some of the orphans.
00:17:30
Speaker
What do the orphans do? I don't understand the question. What do you mean? Is it like free labor? No, they don't. Importing orphans? No, we... It just very slowly turns to look at that. They spend most of their days in in classes and school, and then in the evenings their time is their own. They they spend most of their time in the orphanage, though, with each other.
00:17:54
Speaker
Oh, they come here for activities. Okay. But no, we don't put the orphans to one. It just feels a little weird that the orphanage is a key part of... the income government benefits to the point where you're importing orphans. Well, we we just, we have good facilities. And so there are smaller towns nearby that don't have the same facilities. And if parents are lost in the war, then we take those children on.
00:18:22
Speaker
But this wasn't a safe place before. It is now though. if what's I just really, I got to get a handle on this. If one were to move to Pella's watch, at what point would they enjoy the largesse of the community? And at what point would they have to begin paying in to the community? And if one doesn't have ah job, like for instance, Mrs. Brightwater.
00:18:43
Speaker
doesn't have a job that produces income. Is she simply a ward of the town as an adult? She produces a service for the town. She does not produce income necessarily. She still works for the town.
00:18:56
Speaker
and Much like me. Like I understand I'm also a teacher and produce no income, but we have a whole tax system of people who do make money. I handle it, I'll handle those things. How fast did the town's reputation change in order
Mind Control Suspicions and Ethical Concerns
00:19:10
Speaker
for people to trust you with multiple small children? I'm trying to think. I don't recall when the orphans first started coming in.
00:19:18
Speaker
I'm telling you, it's something with kids. Of the 42 orphans, how many look identical? You need to go to the orphanage. How fast are they disappearing? What is the rate of them disappearing to them being replaced? Five sets of octopolis and then two strapped.
00:19:34
Speaker
You know my understanding from people I know who have done business of your town in the past, and I understand your town has changed. You weren't, and forgive me if I have this incorrect, the most welcoming or trusting of outsiders.
00:19:50
Speaker
So how did Jim Johnson get such a foothold so quickly? Did he start with meetings with you and other leaders or did he come in addressing the town? I'm just wondering how a guy like that can wander in from Roat. Did we know he was from Roat?
00:20:05
Speaker
Did we just find that one out? I don't remember. know you No, that had been told you did, right? Okay. I think Barnaby's wife said he'd sure go ahead. But the rest of that question was for her.
00:20:16
Speaker
i I believe that Mayor Johnson came to town and just started talking to people about the town and what they liked about it, what they didn't like about it, and developed a bit of base of support that way before calling the town meeting and explaining how things could be different.
00:20:33
Speaker
So he led a grassroots campaign and then a non-official called a town meeting. and every And everyone ah from this town, the way you acted prior, went to the town, just went to the... And you were okay with that and are still okay with that? I'm very happy with it.
00:20:52
Speaker
I mean, look at look at how we've turned things around Can I check if she's being truthful? Yeah, give me a wisdom-based check with your investigator background applied. Yeah. ah he That was a bad place to put it. 21.
00:21:09
Speaker
o
00:21:13
Speaker
twenty one and i With the 21, there's not even the slightest hint of deception in what she's saying. And in fact, about you are seeing, you know, just trying to look at her mannerisms and her emotions underneath the words that she's saying.
00:21:31
Speaker
You pick up on ah distinct lack of emotion or even like, it's it's almost as if what she's saying, she is saying from rote.
00:21:42
Speaker
Like that she's not processing things. She's just saying what's expected of her to say. but but not explicitly like puppeted or manipulated.
00:21:53
Speaker
No, you don't get a sense. that it It is all coming from within her, but they but she's not having to think at all. like Okay. Okay.
00:22:03
Speaker
okay Well, I mean, Cassick whispers, I mean, you're right. We're not learning anything, but I feel like we're also learning some things, right? Like all these ding-dongs just tell us the truth, and that really is going a long way towards us gleaning information.
00:22:19
Speaker
If it is the truth. Their truth. No, you're right. guess I trust their recollections, but not their motivations. There's some piece missing here that they don't remember.
00:22:36
Speaker
Sorry, did we know what Jim was before he showed up? I think that... All that you've heard is a politician from Rowat. Okay. Has there been much new construction since Jim took over?
00:22:53
Speaker
There was a lot of renovation of buildings and things like that. Most of the buildings here were in a state of very ill repair. What was the first building renovated?
00:23:04
Speaker
ah the The town hall. How old is Jim? Just kind of wondering. I don't believe I've ever asked him his age. He seems to be few decades younger than me. How howw old is she? i She's in her early 60s.
00:23:20
Speaker
Okay. I mean, I was just trying to think if I might have grown up with Jim Johnson before I disappeared. I was just seeing a colony by her source name, God Arise. Oh, and I did not. She's very carefully called him Mayor Johnson all the time.
00:23:31
Speaker
Well, it was nice to meet you. Next, Lisa. Bye. I follow out. As y'all are walking out, a human man is walking in He is um a fairly large man with thick mutton chops that connect to a glorious mustache.
00:23:47
Speaker
And he, like, all those friends, he's like, oh, golden meek.
00:23:51
Speaker
And he steps out of the way and gestures. Do we recognize him? No. He's a human. and You used Barnaby's voice. yeah before I was like... yeah right Okay.
00:24:06
Speaker
Sorry, what what was your name? we're We're new in town, so we're just...
Debating Next Steps and Conclusion
00:24:10
Speaker
Marcus. Marcus Toliber. What's your name? Valk. Nice to meet you. You knew Barnaby...
00:24:20
Speaker
No. Not new, and it's as in he's gone. Gone isn't dead. He's physically not. yes. yes i I'm well acquainted with Barnaby Finch. I have a name. I have a name, but I don't have the... I'm trying to find These notes are so You've not met this person or heard about this person before. oh we yeah, that's about Marcus Toleroy. No.
00:24:43
Speaker
Oh, he was in the sound when he fought.
00:24:48
Speaker
he Yeah, he wasn't among the people Bartabee mentioned. No. Okay.
00:24:54
Speaker
We'll never. What do you do here? I'm so sorry to interrupt your... Oh, I teach one of the classes here at the community center. Oh, I teach a couple of the classes. I'm here to teach one of the classes. Oh, do you teach the yoga?
00:25:05
Speaker
No. call it brooga. Matilda teaches that. i I'm here to do one of the breathing exercise classes, helping with stress relief. It doesn't seem like you guys would have a lot of stress around here. Because when would have breathing exercises. Isn't that? is The complete lack of friction in every in every interaction, maybe. And the fact that no one has to work for their keep.
00:25:26
Speaker
ah And yet somehow you... No, this this is not Cas. Cas doesn't put those things together.
00:25:35
Speaker
Well, if you all want to come to the class, you're more than welcome to do you so. Otherwise, I have to be late. Lean in. Lean in. class we're definitely gonna get brainwashed right i don't know it's like 1000 like deep breathing and subliminal messaging that is one possible it's possible yeah my deep breathing doesn't result in any brainwashing your deep breathing isn't led by marcus toliver brainwashed giant human man of pillow's watch That's fair enough.
00:26:06
Speaker
Marcus Watson. Sorry, we started whispering. but we're But we're very good off by you. And he just goes, oh yeah. So, either Jim Johnson met and mentally ah overcame...
00:26:27
Speaker
the town bit by bit. Or there's some sort of device in one of the new construction projects. We're always with this theory about a manifest zone, but the town was the opposite. So what's happened? Is the different plane taken over? Like, I i don't i don't know.
00:26:49
Speaker
I think we need to go to Jem. Everyone is pretty much running on Like a script. So?
00:27:00
Speaker
We need to see the orphanage. if yeah If we go to Jim first, do we overplay our hand in that we're too suspicious? a clients I don't know. Is everything we're asking getting back to Jim already? Probably. Probably. playing globally help
00:27:16
Speaker
I feel like people keep mentioning the orphanage, and that makes me want to see what's happening there. They're i importing children. i don't think that's normal. but I also don't.
00:27:27
Speaker
Stay close to me. yeah we we don't want to lose you. I think we need to go to the orphanage before we go talk to Jim. i agree. Mayor Johnson, and do we have to, we should call him that? No. Get used to it. Okay.
00:27:42
Speaker
So to town hall or the orphanage. Orphanage. Orphanage. Orphanage. Okay. If we call him Jim and it may and it causes him distress, we'll know he's the only person here not brainwashed because absolutely no one else has reacted to any of our un... That's true....social behavior.
00:28:02
Speaker
I guess I could have told you that. I was not pleasant at the education center, and no one seemed to have a major problem with me. I'm not surprised. so you took a fiend in with you, and they seemed fine, so I... Yeah, I was really the only one that was put off by that. So ah you all walk through the streets of the town, ah walk up to...
00:28:22
Speaker
kind of it it's just off the town square because it from the outside has the construction and the facade and the look of a gambling hall, but there is new sign. Yeah.
00:28:34
Speaker
Slots, slots, slots. But there's a new sign. It says Pell's Watch orphatet Orphanage. And ah yeah, the the doors are open as you all walk in. You hear the low murmuring of children's voices as they're talking and walking around.
00:28:50
Speaker
um As soon as you enter, you see a young woman in her early to mid-twenties, human woman with... auburn hair also tied back into a tight bun, um, dressed in a long skirt and long sleeve blouse, all black.
00:29:11
Speaker
And she walks up to you and is like, um, how can I help you? She was identified as a sister, something sister is Constance. Weatherby is their religious iconography in evidence. yeah Interesting.
00:29:28
Speaker
You said there's a low murmuring of children. Is there any play happening? Are they all just kind of sitting, talking? Are they walking? Are they working on something? Um, and do we see all 42 of them in this? No, this is a, so the gambling hall also obvious, like based on the size of it, probably also functioned as a bit of an inn and a tavern is one to like had rooms and things like that. So you can't see everything from the the main room when you walk in.
00:29:54
Speaker
Um, it is still. like mid afternoon ish so probably like whatever education they were getting here is let out and so it's like pre-dinner so they're not like sitting and like talking they there are some kids like not running around it's not chaos in there but you don't get the vibe that they're like right but there's plenty there's gonna be coloring yeah yeah okay okay And age range of the kids? Are they all pretty young?
00:30:20
Speaker
Yeah, they're they're all, you would clock between the ages of like seven and 11. Okay. Yeah. ah Because older than that, they may end up staying at the education center, right? you Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:30:33
Speaker
Okay. Sister asked, how should you help me? We just heard a lot about your orphanage and the good work you're doing. and We wanted to come see it for ourselves. That's wonderful to hear. What questions did you have? What what would you like to know?
00:30:45
Speaker
How did you come to oversee the orphanage? if this I mean, this was previously a gambling hall. i i I was actually working at the gambling hall when the conversion happened, and so I'm very grateful to be in a better position now than I was. They called me Mama Constance Weatherman. You were referred to as Sister Constance.
00:31:07
Speaker
Why? i I've dedicated my myself to the mission and purpose that I now have with the orphanage. Um, I was never a very religious person prior to, to touching on the orphanage, but, um, now that, um, now that I have it, it felt appropriate as a way of just displaying my dedication to the mission. But it's not a religious mission.
00:31:34
Speaker
No, it's it's about the kids. youre It's for the kids. You think of the children. And you're a sister of not an order of any kind.
00:31:46
Speaker
Correct. Idol without a designation. Resist the urge to express how weird that is. Yeah.
00:31:54
Speaker
I'm going to talk to a kid. Oh. Nix doesn't say that out loud. Nix leaves. I'm going to go freak out a kid. i mean, do you all want to ask if you could like talk to some of the kids or? Nix does not because Nix does not want to allow sister Constance to select which child we talk to.
00:32:14
Speaker
and Also, it'll be interested interesting to see whether anyone tries to stop her. So Nix is just breaking off from. Yeah. and once they start talking to Constance, Nix steps away and just walks out towards the tables of children coloring.
00:32:25
Speaker
I think if Nix turns to do that, tell me this. Does Constance start to try to stop him? Because if so, I think I would step in with a question. So I got to distract her. You definitely see her start to turn as Nix is walking away. Thank God. Strange person. He's going to go interact with the children in your charge. and Yeah.
00:32:45
Speaker
So Cass is going to ask her. So when did you first meet Mayor Johnson? My understanding is he was a driving force in a lot of the change in this town. Yes, I believe the yeah gambling hall was one of his early stops on his first trip to Pell's Watch.
00:32:59
Speaker
And he just sat at one of the tables here in the main room and I was waiting on him and he just started asking me questions. Suddenly the dice always landed on average. Yeah, yeah. 7777. He started asking me about the town, whether or not I was happy with the way things were, and we just got to talking.
00:33:19
Speaker
Who owned the gambling hall? It was owned by Marcus Tolliver. Can I ask, I assume, we we understand a bit about the economy of the town now.
00:33:32
Speaker
I have to assume some of you had savings, had you know some money squirreled away for either emergencies or or whatever else, especially someone who owned a gambling hall like Margus Tolliver.
00:33:44
Speaker
Did all of that savings and everything else also go into a community fund? Or were you allowed to keep in case one day you need to leave Pella's watch? Are you able to... be made whole and and go. not Not that anyone would leave, I understand.
00:33:57
Speaker
I can't speak for everyone. I do know that it's my understanding that nobody was compelled to give up any funds that they had. But we were it was explained to us that the more ah the more funds that the town had for...
00:34:15
Speaker
repairing the town hall, converting the gambling hall, making the education center after the old mill, the quicker we could get things turned around and the better it would be for everyone. And did anyone not comply with that vision? Like I said, I can't speak for everyone.
00:34:30
Speaker
I can you speak for anyone? I can speak for myself. I leave. Did Marcus Tolliver give his fortune to the town? ah But my like my my question is, did anyone not, and how are they doing, really? There has been no one since change in infrastructure here in the town.
00:34:49
Speaker
There's been no one that's been run out of town or has left or anything like that. Occasionally, people will go to neighboring towns to speak about the orphanage, and Mayor Johnson sends people to grow out on occasion just to speak on what we're doing and and things like that. on the internet.
00:35:06
Speaker
Were you at the town hall that Jim hosted about and actually implementing the changes and becoming the mayor? Do you remember anyone who had slight hesitation or outright?
00:35:20
Speaker
There were plenty of people with questions, yes. Was there anyone who said no? were people that expressed trepidation about the idea of sacrificing...
00:35:32
Speaker
individual ambitions for the sake of a communal growth of ah prosperity, but... They came around? i mean, eventually, you know, the questions were answered, worries assuaged, and so here we are.
00:35:46
Speaker
Do you remember? I know that Marcus was one of the people that spoke... Elder Greenway also had concerns, if I recall correctly. Barnaby also spoke about the changes to the town. Those are the ones that I recall...
00:36:06
Speaker
dig Do you, Barnaby, we we understand that after a while, he kind of went back to some of his more joking ways more recently before he left to go to work again. And I was wondering, do you spend time with Barnaby? Do you know maybe what he was up to when he decided just to get back into his old personality a little bit?
00:36:23
Speaker
um ah Barnaby never really spent much time at the orphanage, so since I didn't have much connection with him. Mayor Johnson give you the name Sister? I'm just wondering. No, it was my own name. Okay. yeah but Mix.
00:36:35
Speaker
You walk up to a table. There are ah three kids colored. Screaming. Are they uniforms? No, they're they're just in very modest clothing.
00:36:49
Speaker
And one of them looks up says, Hello. Anyone sitting alone? Sure. i'm trying to ah so I'm trying to read please go with her. I'm trying to read... Some of these kids have to be new here.
00:37:07
Speaker
Maybe. We haven't met anyone new here. Yeah, that's great. boy I'm trying to identify someone who's not been here very long. Okay. The freshest import. Right.
00:37:18
Speaker
And so, totally i mean, by appearance or mood or isolation or any, like, i yeah I'm trying to, I'm not sure how to do that. Give an intelligence or wisdom check. I'll take either. Okay. Man.
00:37:38
Speaker
eleven It's hard for you to get a beat because all the kids are dressed, not identically, but very similarly. Like that the clothes come from the same batch.
00:37:49
Speaker
It's the sweatshop out back. And yeah, you can't really get a beat on a kid that seems like the newest one. There are some sitting by themselves. Sure, sure. But you don't see any kind of like... Any kids sitting by themselves with a look of longing at the tables full of... Sure, sure, sure. I wish I could be there.
00:38:05
Speaker
Okay. So... Oh, if only I was cool like Jimmy. Uh, Nix sits down. with With one of the... ah like No, at the at the table. she burst Initially. If I can identify a child that seems to be new here, then I... there's not What's your name?
00:38:19
Speaker
You can call me Nix. Hi, Nix. Hello, what's your name? Jimmy. Hi, Jimmy. How long have you been here, Jimmy? Oh, I came to the orphanage four months ago.
00:38:33
Speaker
What? Certainly after my parents died. How long have you said? Four months ago. Four months ago. I'm sorry. What's the timeline? How long ago to Jim Johnson take over the town?
00:38:45
Speaker
Barnaby left, did we say two weeks ago? Yeah, and he's missing three months. Three months. So sorry, the the kid would say two months ago then. yeah And where'd you come from? Oh, I came from Vatheron.
00:39:00
Speaker
We just came through there. i I don't know anyone there now. Really? Didn't know anyone there when you were there? Well, I knew my parents. You shouldn't have any friends? Other family there?
00:39:12
Speaker
No. Alright. You have family in other parts of the world? Nothing I know of. Both my parents' parents, they're all dead. No uncles or aunts? No.
00:39:23
Speaker
No siblings? What about you? it Was it? No.
00:39:30
Speaker
No. Did you grow up in orphanage? Sort of, yes. there was There was a place who took in people like me. We'd lost in the war.
00:39:43
Speaker
Was it like this place? This place is nice. It was like this place. Somewhat different architecture. And... What sorts of things do you learn here? If you're just not a you're going to want back up and slow it down. Oh, we just... Sister Weatherby just teaches us the basics like maths and writing, reading, those kind things.
00:40:06
Speaker
History. Yes. Yes. Have you met Mayor Jim? Yeah, he comes by. He talks to the the classes sometimes, talks the kids. how do you How do new children come to be here?
00:40:19
Speaker
I mean, I understand, but how do they how do they get here? I think people just go out and, you know, the that the war affects a lot of places, but typically battles happen near, like when battles happen near towns, I think that the grownups go to those towns to see if there are any kids like us.
00:40:37
Speaker
Yeah. How old is this child? This Jimmy is... How do I look? Nine, maybe ten. Okay. Okay, so I've been talking to Jimmy a little while. I would like to know whether Jimmy is speaking in the same kind of algorithmic way.
00:40:53
Speaker
Like, is is talking to Jimmy like talking to a chatbot? Give wisdom check. Finally. Oh, what was the name of that chatbot? Smarter child? Can I use my my runaway? Yeah, I'll take that. Okay, then 15.
00:41:07
Speaker
15? Oh wait, my level. seventeen 17. Yes. Talk to me, Jimmy. You feel like you are getting canned responses. Maybe you, I don't know if you, you know, maybe you don't know the answer to this. And sorry if it's, if this is all strange.
00:41:26
Speaker
How are children adopted here? I think, you know, grownups will come that want a kid. And do you see that happen? It hasn't happened yet, but no one. I see.
00:41:37
Speaker
are Is that why you are you're here? In the town of Endless Charity, no one's adopted a kid. Correct.
00:41:47
Speaker
You can't hang with All God Kid. He's not going to remember any of this conversation. Has anyone arrived recently? No, they they haven't brought anyone in that I've seen.
00:42:01
Speaker
We haven't had any new kids. Since you got here? And were there children here but when when you got here? Or were you part of the the first group of kids that came here? and There were some kids already here when I got here.
00:42:12
Speaker
And in two months, no one else has arrived. Right. and Has anyone left? I'm not there. but No one's been adopted either. Did you say how many? Like, there's 42 kids. Some were here. He's the last one. Was there like an influx of 30 kids at once? Like, they wouldn't harvest like they actually went harvested.
00:42:29
Speaker
No. Did you come in with a group of kids? so Yes. Yeah. so Do you remember about how many? Just trying to understand a little bit about how the process works here. Yeah. I think there were six other kids plus me.
00:42:42
Speaker
All from Bathurum. All the children here are from Breland? Yes. i
00:42:50
Speaker
Okay. Where are you from? I'm from all over anymore. and I travel a lot. haven't really had roots for a long time. Where were you born? I was born in Thrain. I've never been there.
00:43:02
Speaker
it's inra yeah and never been there It's good. They like spicy food. and when he knows how to do that, seems just weird because we're far close to the equator. And so you would think that it would be easier. but There's an equator?
00:43:18
Speaker
Yeah. It's around Earth. Is it?
00:43:24
Speaker
I'm fairly sure. Well, Jimmy, thank you for all of this. You're welcome. Information. Have a good day. You too. importantly, like, in case I don't see you you all, like, knowing that there are 42 kids here, looking at the size of the building, you would guess that they're probably at capacity. Like, I can't remember now, I'm sorry, Melinda's son, obviously, not an orphan, but the other kid met at the education center, was he an orphan, or was he just an older kid that happened to live at the education center? He was an older kid that, he he's the only one that lives at the education center. Okay, okay, yeah. yeah
00:43:58
Speaker
Year eight. Anything else that you all want to ask, Sister Constance Weatherby? Suppose we wanted an opportunity to to meet Mr. Mayor Johnson ourselves. is that Does he have an open door policy? yeah you can go to town hall and speak with him, provided he's not meeting with someone else.
00:44:13
Speaker
And how often do people from other cities come to Buzzwatch these days? i mean, it's not infrequent, but we don't have a steady stream of travelers. We're a little bit off the main road.
00:44:25
Speaker
And given that there's not a whole lot of travel between Breland and Thrain right now, which is... If you continue going on the road through Pelzwatch, you end up going into Thrain. So hopefully if the war ever ends, then, or there's more peaceable terms between Breeden and Thrain, we can have a bit more travel, but... Is your...
00:44:50
Speaker
Kaz is kind of hoping that him looking like a child will make this not seem like too weird of a question. Is it the goal of this place to find families for these kids? Are they not looking for parents for them? But you can't place them in town with families?
00:45:04
Speaker
That seems like such a kind giving town. I have to imagine Mr. Tolliver has a very large house considering his former wealth. Well, Marcus actually lived in the gambling hall before it was converted into an orphanage. He kicked him out of his house?
00:45:17
Speaker
Everyone donated joyfully. a
00:45:24
Speaker
Nick's breezes past and out of the building. Yep.
00:45:29
Speaker
I want an answer. Oh, to my question about how this charitable town. teach I'm not leaving until she says something reasonable or a completely unreasonable, but at least I'll answer it. Well, I believe the the prevailing feeling in the town is that the orphanage is is doing well and providing a good space and there aren't any families that are currently living.
00:45:49
Speaker
I'm interested in adopting child. Space is one thing, but parents are a thing entirely different. Someone to actually... And Kaz is starting to have a catharsis. Someone to actually get care about you and take care of you is way different than being in a community group. You would think that some of the parents around here would... Or people around here would be willing to open their homes to some of these kids. and like I cannot speak for other people. How many did you adopt, sister?
00:46:14
Speaker
that's She's doing this. That's her thing.
00:46:18
Speaker
Are there any like remnants of the gambling hall still left? Like chips or cards or... No. The kid's coloring on a craps table. Kid walking around a case of cigarettes.
00:46:30
Speaker
These smell funny. They're amassed by counting cards. yeah Was Nyx headed somewhere when walking out of the building? Or was Nyx just trying to get Nyx's out of this building? Well, it was nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
00:46:44
Speaker
What game were you good at before it was not a gambling hall? I was fairly fond of blackjack. Okay.
00:46:56
Speaker
Now I know you have a different name for it because we played other blackjack. Have you ever played the game where you pretend to be an animal made out of dice? Well, thank thank you for your time and... Thank you.
00:47:08
Speaker
I wasn't done with my sentence. Continue. Thank you for your time in taking care of the strangely imported children. Okay. it im I'm happy to be doing. Well, I'm going to leave.
00:47:21
Speaker
Goodbye. All right.
00:47:24
Speaker
Did you all leave? Yeah, I'm going to walk out with that.
00:47:27
Speaker
You all find Nyx outside. Are you good? you were talking to small children. Well, one small child and the others were just kind of there. They're in the same state.
00:47:38
Speaker
You seem stressed. yeah Yes, the kids are in the same state. Yes. Yes. a That woman is brainwashed?
00:47:49
Speaker
Yeah. Oh yeah, for sure. Yes. Are you brainwashed? You're much shorter than you were before we went in there. Did they ask you strange questions, like why you look like that? I get that a lot. No, he didn't, like, i have never spoken to a small child who didn't ask about my horns.
00:48:09
Speaker
ah yeah No, he asked nothing remotely interesting about me. He asked a lot of very much more ah adult questions.
00:48:20
Speaker
I'm a little freaked out by the fact that no one wants to take these kids in, in this town where everybody's giving everything. Yeah, that does not add up.
00:48:29
Speaker
I am, I don't know what the intention of this person is, but I am, I would very much like to commit violence here. If we go see Jim Johnson, will you immediately attack him?
00:48:42
Speaker
and okay Will you promise me you won't immediately attack him? I will not immediately attack Jim Johnson. It's not off the table, to be clear. I really need that to be true. Oh, for sure.
00:48:54
Speaker
to that because I'm either going to kill Jim Johnson or leave here with 42 children possibly some combination of the two but hopefully still all 42 that's the goal I don't know I don't know if we have space for 42 even if they start bunking up I don't know father has that much money to support 42. I don't know whether those children are actually orphans. and That kind of scares me.
00:49:22
Speaker
I kind of, like, I was thinking, like, I don't have any sort of message spell to reach out to Renee and ask if there's, like, missing kids in Vatheron. Right. And we don't have time to go back there. is there we've been in we but I assume there's not a... this This place is too small to have CIVIS telegraph station.
00:49:41
Speaker
We could go back to town to send messages. They would have a messaging station if we wanted to do further investigation before acting.
00:49:56
Speaker
Is that going back to Star Lasker? That was the close one, right? Yeah. Yes. that a day trip? It was like four hours. So they were back with had my stagecoach. Is there even a stagecoach anymore?
00:50:08
Speaker
She didn't stay. That's fair. yeah right figure this longer Probably a horse somewhere. bet every one of these people will give us a horse if we ask. I don't know. They won't take in the orphans. Buy a horse from somebody.
00:50:22
Speaker
is that what we Is that what we want to do? That's not what I'd want to do. It doesn't feel like anything... I'll say this, Nyx, I don't feel like we are under a time crunch where something is a... Do do we any of you feel like we're in a situation where we need to act quickly?
00:50:40
Speaker
do we need to be right? I think we need to be right. I don't see anything that's super pressing. like i don't want to roll four hours of D12s either, but think that's what we're going to I just wish there was a way to know if they were missing kids at Bathuron. That...
00:50:58
Speaker
Sorry, you told us that they're on, right? Nick, you looking at me like that? That's right. Yes. So I'm going to die. Yes, you do. Okay. I've got an icon. I got an icon point here. Yep.
00:51:10
Speaker
And the icon point I have is with an organization that obsessively investigates weird stuff. Okay. I'd like there to be An agent of the chamber also trying to figure this nonsense out.
00:51:27
Speaker
Interesting. Okay. I would like there to be a not brainwashed person we can talk to. Okay. About this place. Okay. Can I say something that i was remember but was not part of the conversation? I have no way of bringing this up.
00:51:42
Speaker
Sure. Mia can bring it up to the table. We can meddle. ah Okay. your lady yeah said something about relics and items being found here. That is absolutely right.
00:51:55
Speaker
So... That is also an angle, but Valk does not know that because Valk was not a part of that conversation to be able to... To be fair, Kaz was barely a part of that conversation. I i did forget that. i thought that was interesting that she specifically asked about looking out for... Cellars, mausoleums.
00:52:15
Speaker
Yes. There's archaeological cache somewhere in the town. and Right. And for someone with a cellar or a mausoleum. Yeah. i it the the The things at the forefront of that for me was that I sent someone who knows my dad to talk to my boss.
00:52:30
Speaker
Okay. But yes, you you absolutely could use your relationship to manifest a member of the chamber. Do you want to save that and we go looking for a cellar? Well, how are we going to do that? we're not.
00:52:43
Speaker
Look, I'm totally down. you No, like, I'm totally down to go just and and hey, I mean, breaking into people's houses maybe isn't illegal here. ah Yeah. I thought of it because I have Lady Vol and whatever things was.
00:53:00
Speaker
Yeah. trying to take power and items that may assist her but i have no way of connecting that it would probably make sense if you're looking for somebody that's not a member of the town that go return to the ordered hearth the tavern would be right people from out of town would be sure i don't know what to do i mean well i'll give you all ah a week to think about it end of episode yeah and Thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be part of the conversation starting this episode, you can head over to our Discord, the link to which is in the description of this podcast, as well as all of the descriptions of the YouTube videos on the YouTube channel, youtube.com slash the Pantheon.
00:53:33
Speaker
Now, Philip's going to plug something. Also on YouTube and Spotify, Tales from the Laughy Tree, we have another actual play called Blades and Banners. It's Pirates! Indeed. We also have a Patreon, patreon.com slash the Pantheon. if you want to financially support the show, you can do so over there.
00:53:45
Speaker
Thank you all so much for listening. I've been your Game Master, Eric. I'm Mia. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff. We'll see you next time.