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Chapter 15 - Dream Team
29 Plays2 months ago
If making all this soup has you stressed out, maybe you should take a nap? What's that, you keep having weird and terrible dreams that make you feel like you're losing a piece of yourself each time you close your eyes? That's tough man.
Meet the cast:
Dungeon Master – Zach Meikle (IG: @zachabee)
Clay Campbell – Prima Zhao (IG: @primbdraws)
Faunalyn Vaydark – Shannon Meikle (IG: @sharsharbinks)
Glimki Treefellow – Jordan Johnsen (IG: @jordan_johnsen)
Editing by Zach Meikle
Follow the show:
Instagram: @bard_soup
TikTok: @bard_soup
Music & Ambience
Music: Beyond the Horizon by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music: Outlaws of the Iron Horse by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music: Melodic Interlude by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music & Ambience: Wagon Ride by Tim Roven (www.tabletopaudio.com)
Music: Fantasy Ambience by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music & Ambience: Sleeping Dragon by Tim Roven (www.tabletopaudio.com)
Music: Chase by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music: Nomadic Dawn by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Sound Effect: Designed Fire - Winds - Swoosh by Gregor Quendel from Pixabay
Additional sounds provided by Pixabay
Recommended
Transcript
Encounter with the Butcher
00:00:01
Speaker
Now, let's see. Where were we? Ah yes, that's right. When we last left our heroes, they had just made a hasty departure from the primary house ball, only to run afoul of an individual known to them, and only to them as the Butcher. A figure clad in a dark cloak with locusts swarming around him, he soon proved to be a most dangerous adversary. Without weapons or armor to aid them, and with Faunalyn on Death's Door from an unknown affliction, the party was in a dire situation indeed. Though their journey seemed poised to reach a sudden and gruesome end, the party fought tooth and nail using all they had at their disposal.
Resuscitation and Escape
00:00:51
Speaker
Faunalyn was resuscitated by Clay and was able to drug their attacker with some of the previously procured drugs.
00:00:58
Speaker
This slowed him down enough that they were able to climb aboard one of the horses pulling their carriage, only to have their escape interrupted by the sudden arrival of one of the Owl Bears who called the forest home. The creature attacked Clay, although it soon became apparent that it was only interested in the Crow Saviche contained in Clay's pocket. As the fight raged on, the carriage caught on fire and soon became a deadly inferno.
00:01:26
Speaker
However, before the fire could consume them, Phonolin took some of the remaining ceviche and shoved it down the attacker's pants while Glimke made a makeshift shield and shoved him off the carriage where the hungry owl bear lay waiting. Through a stroke of luck, Clay was able to revive themself and pull their friends off the burning carriage.
00:01:49
Speaker
The last our party saw of their would-be murderer, he was disappearing into the night as part of a swarm of locusts.
Seeking Refuge at Dragon Hearts Cathedral
00:01:58
Speaker
Left alone, but with Glimpy and Faunalyn grievously wounded, Clay rode through the night, bringing their friends to the safety of the Dragon Hearts Cathedral. You already said all that. You already said all that. Ahem. Sorry. On with the story.
00:03:00
Speaker
It's soup time.
00:03:10
Speaker
Hi there, partner. Seems like you just mosed it into the wrong saloon. This here's the territory of the bod soup gang. That's right over there. The meanest shawl in the west. That's my Lieutenant Prima. Nice to meet y'all. I'm Prima. I play Clay Campbell.
00:03:28
Speaker
Ain't that right? and See that disc jockey over there? That's right, we're a a cowboy bandit gang with DJ sets. That's Jordan Johnson. Can't spell DJ without JJ. Yeah, I'm Jordan and I play Glen Key Treefella, a pint-sized prodigy who prances playfully through pristine pondwood paths with a penchant for plants and potions. Is that enough peace for you?
00:03:50
Speaker
Yo, come on! That was unbelievable! That was good. Sad note. If anyone's looking to replace a soon to be disappeared person, we might have a show for you. And over there's Shane. She's with the Pinkertons. No! Hi. I'm God. You haven't been to church for a while. And that's bad. And I'm not saying you're gonna go to hell. Cause there's always a chance.
00:04:21
Speaker
But you should probably go to church again. And I'm your main captain, Zack Meekle. Welcome back to fired soup chapter 15. It's amazing how we get worse at this week over week. It's really ebbs and flows. And this was the biggest ebb flow. I don't know which one's bad.
00:04:52
Speaker
We resume.
Healing and Reflection
00:04:55
Speaker
Following a near-deadly encounter in the woods of the Praelmy Estate, Clay Campbell, you have ridden a horse through the streets of Ardenine back to the familiar site of the Dragon's Heart Cathedral. You are bloodied and bruised and burned and you've got this huge gash in your nice jacket from an owlbear that tried to chew through you to get up the crows of ichie in your pocket and your companions are unconscious. Yeah, they are looking pretty terrible. the cathedral. Can I carry or drag both Glimky and Faunalyn into the cathedral?
00:05:49
Speaker
Yeah, I would say, canonically, you're not strong. But physically, you look like you should be. Yeah. Mechanically, no. It's maybe not as easy as some people might expect. But yeah, Glimky wears like 50 pounds. So you scoop him up and bottle in as well and carry the two of them up the stairs towards this big wooden door. I knock.
00:06:16
Speaker
It's quiet. for longer unlocking and it's creaked open. You see a woman, a human woman, she's got gray streaked auburn hair that's done up in a bit of a bit of a bun, she's got these dark eyes, she's wearing a robe embroidered with a pattern that looks like dragon scales, and though you haven't seen her in quite some time, you do recognize her from your childhood. She was but a young acolyte at the time, but she seems to perhaps be maybe a little higher up in the church now, and you recognize this as Sister Peliver Boone.
00:07:07
Speaker
I think Clay just kind of like sees her and is like, sister, please help my friends. They're very, very injured. Oh, oh my. Yes, of course. Please, please come in, come in. And she pulls the door open wide enough for you to bring them in. She leads you through the halls of the church.
00:07:34
Speaker
You don't go through the cathedral, which is where you've been the last couple times you've been here, but she leads you through a different set of doors and hallways and leads you into what's not quite an infirmary, but seems to be perhaps a room for guests. There's several beds set up and she directs a couple spots where you can put your two friends down. And as you're walking through the church, she's asking you questions. What what happened to them?
00:08:03
Speaker
We were attacked. My friend Lady Faunalyn was invited to a ball and we were there and on on our way out, some man made out of locusts attacked us. A man made out of locusts? Yeah. Oh.
00:08:20
Speaker
And she i I think the food at the ball might have been poisoned because Lady Faunalyn was the only one who ate something and she fell really, really ill before we were attacked as well. and Okay, so she may have been poisoned. Clearly all three of you have been burned rather badly. Looks like she's also been stabbed. Okay. And she is going to set to work. She runs off and comes back with a handful of different reagents and starts mashing different leaves together, mixing them with water. She says a prayer over it and starts to glow with a faint yellow light. She works at this for for the next little while. What are you doing while she tends to your friends? Is there anyone else around?
00:09:14
Speaker
At the moment, no, it's really late. It's after midnight at this point. It seems like the clergy have gone to bed. There's no worshippers at this time. I guess I try to help with the the healing and wrap my own wounds also. Sure. Do you want to give me a medicine check? Medicine. Ah, that's not good. Seven. You try and help out, but I think as you're moving around and helping her with her work, you start to feel the extent of your injuries and just how bad you yourself feel and start to get a little lightheaded. And she forcefully escorts you to one of the beds and makes you lie down and puts a ah cold cloth on your forehead and says, okay, now please, please just lie still. I will tend to you in a second. I am trying to counteract whatever toxin is in your friend.
00:10:10
Speaker
And ah yeah I'm okay. I'm okay. Thank you, though. Okay. Thank you. I'm so sorry to to come so late at night. I just didn't know where else to go. No, of course. it This is a ah safe place for anyone who seeks McCrogg's light. You have every right to have come here, and I will do whatever is in my powers to ensure your friends are okay.
00:10:33
Speaker
Perhaps you should get some sleep, and I will awake you if anything changes, or if I require help after all. Okay, yes, please do. Also, keep keep an ear out, I guess, to see if there's any news from Pail Me Manor, if anyone else has been attacked or injured. I would like to know. Certainly. i if If any news comes, I shall i shall alert you, of course.
00:11:02
Speaker
Okay, thank you so much. And then Clay like faints like on the spot. Yeah, you you you pass out.
Faunalyn's Unsettling Dream
00:11:19
Speaker
Faunalyn. Yes? The last thing you see is fire. The carriage is burning around you, your skin is burning, your dress is burning, and you collapse on the roof of this carriage. When you open your eyes, you find yourself sitting within a carriage.
00:11:47
Speaker
It appears to be night. It moves gently down some forest path. You look around.
00:11:57
Speaker
And you see that there are three other people in the carriage with you. There's a woman with a sort of coppery red hair. She is middle-aged and looks extremely stressed. There's an older man with long white hair bleeding from a cut on his face. And there's a child.
00:12:26
Speaker
He's got black hair that you can see a bit of red poking out at the roots. All three of them are elves. Who do I recognize them as? Your mother, your grandfather, and your brother. Whoa. What? I'm going to take inventory of myself. Am I covered in burns? No. Okay.
00:12:54
Speaker
You are not burned. You are not wearing the dress you collapsed in. There is no large puncture wound in your chest or stomach. You're wearing a nightgown or gems, if you will. I am going to tear off a little piece of my nightgown off the bat and reach over.
00:13:19
Speaker
and dab at the blood on my grandfather's face and ask, what happened to you? but Where are we? He takes your hand and kind of squeezes it and then slowly moves the scrap of fabric out from your fingers and holds it up to his
00:13:50
Speaker
It's just a small scratch, we'll be fine. You and I were made of tough stuff. Yes, you and I are made of the strongest wood of Bulathor Thayad, but what is going on? He doesn't respond, and he just looks out the window of the carriage, absentmindedly. Okay, I'm gonna turn to my mom and brother, and...
00:14:12
Speaker
I'm going to take my brother's hand the way we would have held hands when we were little kids, but I'm going to say, this had better not be like a death thing, because if you're both dead, I'm really going to kill myself. What is going on? This is not a death thing. Do not speak of such matters. We are merely going somewhere on a vacation. That's all. we'll be We'll be leaving for a little while. And when we come back, everything will be back the way it was supposed to be.
00:14:43
Speaker
What sort of vacation? where Where are you going? Mom says we can't be here anymore. That's... people want to hurt Dad. Not a death thing. It's a memory. Interesting. Okay, so Phonolin's been in this carriage before, eh? You look around. It is a lavish carriage.
00:15:10
Speaker
with silken pillows and wood that you can't tell from here, but you think that the wood singers of the forest have managed to carve this from a single piece using nothing but their voices. You hear the sound of an animal outside, and though you can't see it, you know it's a great white elk. And I'd say you'd look out the window And at first you think it's snowing, but you soon realize it's ash slowly raining down around you. Further out in the night, you see these massive trees larger than any you have seen since leaving these woods. But in the distance, you see a mansion engulfed in flames and the fire is spreading to these massive trees, threatening to consume them all. Right. So fantastic.
00:16:07
Speaker
of my dying subconscious to take me to water ranks as the number one worst day of my life. But at least I've got company. So here's the thing. Mum, dying ill, grandpa, even a bit of a pickle on the other side. Um, the vacation, it goes well, but I don't enjoy it for very long. And I've sort of carved a niche for myself, and the niche is rather crumbling away, and Bad Man, who's made of bugs, has just turned me into Elf Saviche. Actually, that's not even an apt comparison, because Saviche is uncooked, and I'm actively on fire, I think, right now. So, I guess I just don't know what to do. Should I give up what I've worked for and run a second time?
00:17:02
Speaker
Do I stand and fight even though this man felled me like a tree? I don't know. I suppose I could really use, I mean, Diane, you're like a baby right now. So I don't know how much you'll have to offer. It is so good to see you though. I don't know. I guess I just need, I guess I just need some help. The young boy, Diane, looks up at you and says,
00:17:31
Speaker
I'm scared, Goose. Right. Well, like Mommy said, you don't need to be scared at all. We're just going on a little trip. From in the darkness, you look past him and you see this massive, sprawling wooden bridge. It's as if the branches have woven together to form this natural pathway through the trees. And you see an elf, sword drawn, fighting off two others.
00:17:59
Speaker
And he cuts one of them down, only to be cut at himself. And he comes crashing down, landing next to the carriage in a broken heap. I'm going to pull him into a hug with his head, you know, against my chest. So he's not looking at the window. Well, maybe it's okay to be a little bit scared. I already did this. I had a practice run and I'm a bit scared too, but we can be scared and still do what we need to do, which is just to keep going and to keep our heads down and to do what mom and granddad tell us to do.
00:18:28
Speaker
and everything's going to be okay, right? You know I wouldn't lie to you unless it was about something really, really interesting. He looks up at you with these dark eyes, but they're a little different. There is nothing but darkness. There's no white to his eyes. I don't know. And he says to you, if the light of the fire burns us, perhaps we should seek the dark.
00:18:56
Speaker
um The carriage starts to burn. It's becoming a pyre, consuming you. Your nightgown catches, your hair catches, and you begin to scream. You scream, and you scream, and you scream, and you wake up in a dark room. A woman is holding your shoulders down, saying, shh, shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay, you're fine, you're fine, you're fine, you're fine. Here, here, here, take this, and she holds a bowl up to your lips.
00:19:27
Speaker
i i'll I'll push it away because I was poisoned earlier. And I am kind of floundering. I'm like, what the but the person what the hell is going on? Where am I? but Emma, is this death? Because it's so badly decorated. Give me a athletics check. Athletics check, you say. Aha, that's a sexy seven. She forces your mouth open and pours a thick liquid into your mouth.
00:19:55
Speaker
She says, it's fine, you're fine, just swallow this. You'll wake up feeling much better, I promise. Wake up, are you glooting me under again? But I think I kind of choke on it and imbibe some. The edges of your vision go blurry. You can just make out the shapes of glimkey to one side and clay to the other. And you sleep. No, can I use my deadened arm to kind of try to grab glimkey and shake and I want to kind of slur out Don't let them bury me in blue.
00:20:32
Speaker
Glimky. The last thing you saw before everything went dark was the sprawling branches of the pralemy, woods spanning above you, trees fighting for space amongst the stars, woven together, competing,
00:20:55
Speaker
And you open your eyes. You're no longer on the roof of a carriage.
Glimky's Mystical Encounter
00:21:01
Speaker
You're in, you think a bed, perhaps it's soft, it's comfortable, but as you move a little, it rustles almost like crunching. And do you look around and realize you're not in a bed. You're not on a carriage. You are in a bed of leaves.
00:21:31
Speaker
anything else? Yeah. You look around, you are lying on your back, far up above you. You can see the shape of a great bird wreathed in flame. Otherwise the night is, or the day rather, it was night when you fell asleep. It is day now.
00:21:52
Speaker
appears to be still. There is a sprawling blue expanse above you. Much of your view is obscured by the branches of this ash gray tree, but I'd say there's maybe not much to see from your current position. A lot of it is obscured by these branches. You do hear somewhere below you.
00:22:22
Speaker
what you think is the muffled tones of conversation. Interesting. I think he will kind of turn over onto his knees and try to brush away some of the the gray leaves to see if he can see the ground, I guess, or what where the sound is coming from. Yeah, you part these leaves trying to get a better look and you see that you are hundreds of feet off the ground.
00:22:50
Speaker
Far below you, you see three figures. One is a crow. And although you are far, far up, it's extremely large. You estimate probably the size of your home and wells. You've seen smaller crows. You've seen larger crows. This one is the size of a small house.
00:23:18
Speaker
It is perched on a rock next to a slowly moving stream. In the water pooling and flowing around it is an enormous gray frog with dark spots. And seated upon the frog is a woman with pale skin and dark hair. She's seated sort of cross-legged, looking at the crow. Hmm.
00:23:48
Speaker
I think the monkey would call out to Malara and kind of just shout it down from the treetops. The crow looks at you and cocks its head. It then turns to look at the woman is not yours to meddle with. The woman responds.
00:24:18
Speaker
He sought me out. I merely aided him in his time of need. And Gloomky gonna hear this? You can. Though you are hundreds of feet away, and they do not appear to be shouting, you can make it out. Does he have any of his like stuff, like his satchel, or I'm gonna dig around in my pockets for that gray acorn? You do not have a satchel. You do not have a pack. You do not have your fancy tuxedo or your walking stick. But you do have a vest.
00:24:48
Speaker
and you reach into this pocket and you find an ash gray acorn. And then he's going to shout down again to to the woman this time. I don't belong to you. Mulare is my god and I want to throw the acorn as hard as I can. It lands in this stream and slowly floats away and Mulare spreads his wings and flies up to you.
00:25:17
Speaker
and lands in one of these branches. I'm aboard. He just kind of nods silently and gets on. He slowly spirals
00:25:45
Speaker
though her mouth remains closed, and you realize it is coming from the frog. Old Crow, did you really think we would endow this a green night bearing your stench? The boy was broken. As protector of my domain, I had every right to spare him. That is all I did. The gods will not agree. You caught ruin. Ruin has already come.
00:26:14
Speaker
It arrived the day the Guis Sothmall was forged. At what was forged? Would you like to make a religion check? Yes. Seven. Sexy seven. That is a sexy seven and it means nothing to you. Damn it. What was the word though? Can I, what was the word? Guis Sothmall? Nice, perfect.
00:26:38
Speaker
Yeah, you are perched upon the crow's back. Are you staying up there? Yeah, for sure. The woman and the frog, them all collectively, stare up at Mulare. And this time sort of alternating who is speaking, but forming just one continuous sentence. What are your plans for him? My business is my own. And my covenant with tree fellow is as well. Don't be so sure.
00:27:09
Speaker
The parachute will hear of this. They will decide. The parachute. What is that? Can I do another religion check? I would say no. He would have no way of knowing this. It's a new word. It's a new word. And Vemel turns their attention to you and says, a bargain was struck.
00:27:30
Speaker
You will honor your words. And then the woman steps off of the frog and just dissolves into thousands of smaller gray frogs as they swim away on this stream. Well, what is going on, Malari? Who's the parachute? What do you have planned for me? I returned to our previous conversation.
00:28:01
Speaker
There is a darkness out there, and I merely ask that you watch over the light. Nothing more. And what about that gray frog? What do they want? Give me a call to persuasion check. Fifteen. He stares at you for a very long time, cocking his head and just one big eye the size of a window takes you in. You see yourself reflected in it. My kind.
00:28:31
Speaker
is bound to the lands that we inhabit. For me, it is the land you call
00:28:47
Speaker
And there are some amongst my kind who take issue
00:28:59
Speaker
otherwise exert influence where I should not. So, because you chose to save me and invest some of your power in me, you've slated me against a whole cacophony of other gods that seem to have a problem with me too? Perhaps not all of them.
00:29:21
Speaker
There are some sympathetic to my cause. To protect the light, as you put it. Precisely. Admittedly, there are others who would see you as a transgression. They will not welcome you warmly as you enter their domains.
00:29:38
Speaker
I see. Well, forgive me, Alari, but I mean, look at the state of me. It seems that perhaps your investment was not enough to withstand the tests that I'm going to have to go through. So, if possible, is there anything else you can offer me to, you know, prepare me for what's to come? You are but a sapling.
00:30:04
Speaker
And you of all should know that a sapling's roots may penetrate even the hardest stone. Stay steadfast, and beware the offerings of the gods. You do not need them, you need no other but myself. I see that, and and I want to trust you. I have no reason to doubt, and I cast out that grey acorn more as a sign to you than to break a promise to some other spirit.
00:30:34
Speaker
i Simply ask if there's something, even some kind of omen or knowledge or something, just so, you know, I'm not caught by surprise. Hell, I might be dead right now. I think you will find that an agreement struck with my kind is not so easily tossed away, Climky Tree Fellow. Be careful in the days ahead. Okay. Reject the gods.
00:31:01
Speaker
and Embrace my kind as your people did in the old days did like this the spirits. Hi ah Okay, you will be my iconoclast steadfast against the darkness But for now it's time we were both on our way until next time linky tree fellow Why?
00:31:30
Speaker
His eye expands, the darkness of it pulls you in, and you return to whatever place you were before this, and you have been given the Iconoclast feature.
00:31:53
Speaker
Clay Campbell, lying in the The dark of this room, sleep comes easily to you.
Clay's Resolute Awakening
00:32:03
Speaker
Your body is exhausted. Your mind is exhausted.
00:32:10
Speaker
And you sleep. The dark cobblestone walls of this church envelop you. And when you open them, you find yourself in a dark cave. Stone floors beneath you. Walls wrapping up and around you.
00:32:28
Speaker
It's dark, almost impossible to see even with your dark vision, but it is a comfortable temperature. There seems to be some sort of latent heat in the air that warms you as you stand there. And as you stand there, a breeze sweeps past you, warm and smelling of brimstone. Does Clay recognize this place?
00:32:59
Speaker
Oh. Then I think she's confused and will call out, sister, where, where am I? And start looking around. Is there anything else to see? You look around. There are stones and large rocks and stalactites and a little ways ahead of you, you see the glimpse of something white. Uh, I go closer to it.
00:33:25
Speaker
It's a skull. Ooh. An animal skull or a human? Humanoid. Ooh. It is completely clean. There is no flesh or blood or skin, just pure white bone. Back away from it, is there, are there other bones around or is it just a skull? As you start to look around, you see little piles all around you, piles of bone. o Each one appears to approximate a humanoid, not appear to be animal in nature. ah And as you're looking around from somewhere in the darkness, from the direction of that breeze, you hear a rumble.
00:34:14
Speaker
a
00:34:18
Speaker
o does Does Clay have her amulet with her? You do. I think she like instinctively clutches it. Does it react in any sort of way? No. It feels warm against your skin, comfortable. is there like How big is this cave? Is there anything to like hide behind? It is longer than it is wide. I'd say maybe 15 feet across, and then it stretches off further than you can see into the darkness.
00:34:51
Speaker
I guess she'll cautiously go towards where the breeze is coming from. Is that like a cave opening? You inch forward. And every so often, it is not a steady breeze. It is intermittent. And every so often it comes sweeping past you. Like someone's breathing? Possibly. o Can I see anything from that direction? You see a little pinprick of light.
00:35:22
Speaker
I guess I just keep sneaking closer. As you do, the pinprick gets bigger and bigger and bigger. It is moving faster towards you than you are towards it. And you realize it is a wall of fire, red hot filling this tunnel, sweeping towards you. What the fuck?
00:35:51
Speaker
Uh, I guess Kly turns and runs. You run. You run as fast as you can. You reach the spot where you first opened your eyes and you keep running. You run, but you're not fast enough. The fire envelops you. Burns you in a way the fire on the carriage could never.
00:36:17
Speaker
And you feel yourself melted away to a pile of bone. As your eyes burn from your skull, a distant voice says something in a language you don't understand.
00:36:42
Speaker
And you open your eyes. in the bedchamber of the Dragon's Heart Cathedral. Light is trickling in from a nearby window, and Dawn has arrived. What the heck? Yeah, what is going on?
00:37:03
Speaker
It's dawn, is there any new people in the room? Or is it just the same as when I fell asleep? You open your eyes, you look around, and you see Brightscale Warrick Hummold seated in a chair in the corner.
00:37:18
Speaker
there's a small table pulled up next to him and he's writing on a scroll with a feather pen and he notices that you have awoken and quickly puts the pen down and rushes towards you and says, Clay, are you all right? Am I all right? Can I quickly take stock of, am I on fire? Am my injuries still what they were when I went to bed? You are not on fire.
00:37:46
Speaker
You have eyeballs, which is huge. Your skin is somewhat burned, especially around your arms, not too badly. Your side hurts from where the owlbear carved into it, but it seems like the skin has been woven back together, presumably by some amount of divine magic. You are sore, you are stiff, but you are otherwise unharmed. There might be a small scar.
00:38:15
Speaker
Okay. Oh, uh, boric brightscale. I, e I don't know, honestly, so much happened last night. We were attacked at the pro me ball by a man made out of locusts. Have you ever heard of anything like that before? No, I can't say that I have though. Curious things are amongst us every day.
00:38:40
Speaker
Yeah, I think I've, I don't know, gotten myself into some deep shit. Like, it's pretty scary. And I i don't know, how how are my friends doing? You look over and Fonlin is in the bed next to you. She is unconscious, is breathing shallowly. Her clothes have been swapped out, her abdomen is bandaged up.
00:39:10
Speaker
There's burns on her forearms. You see she's not wearing her wig. It's just her natural red hair. No. Embarrassing. And past her, you see Glimky on another bed. And he is lying there. He looks okay. Definitely has some pretty bad looking burns on his exposed skin. Kind of got one on his neck.
00:39:36
Speaker
And you think probably the pillows here are down stuffed pillows because there appears to be a small black feather sticking out of his hair. Cool. Cool. Interesting. The fire didn't burn any of the like branches and leaves he had there originally. The ends of his hair are singed The leaves are remarkably intact. At least from what you can tell, they do not ah appear to have been harmed. Okay. Yeah. I guess it's a relief to see that they're still there and breathing. Bright-skinned, do you know what happened at the Promi Manor yesterday? Did you hear anything about anything that went on there? I'm afraid not. I was awoken a few hours ago by Sister Boone, who
00:40:31
Speaker
alerted me that you and your friends had come here. ah Sister Boone cared for you throughout the night, and I have just been sitting here to awaken your... or to await your awakening. I have not heard anything from the outside world... yet.
00:40:49
Speaker
Okay, yeah, because things were really weird at the ball. And I think, you know, there's something going on. And yeah, it's just pretty scary that I was attacked and I'm pretty sure they're coming after me. I really didn't know where else to go. Who is coming after you, Clay?
00:41:14
Speaker
Uh, the prince from Onos. I think the prince of Onos, he's involved with the princess's disappearance somehow.
Facing Threats and Fears
00:41:27
Speaker
I and think I really messed up and now they're coming after me as well. And I really just don't know what to do. This it is a rather serious allegation.
00:41:43
Speaker
I am not personally familiar with this Prince Malphurth, but given what I know of the nobility, let alone royalty, I would urge you to be careful who you share these fears with or these beliefs with. If this Prince is responsible for an attempt on your life,
00:42:15
Speaker
Well, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that you're in great danger. Of course. I... Yeah, I don't know. I guess I can't go to the guard with this. I don't know who might be involved, what kind of power he has over them or anyone else. Good point. So, I guess... I guess I'm on my own. I don't know. Yeah. ah Do you know how long before my friends will wake up?
00:42:45
Speaker
well I would like to say you are welcome to stay here as long as you require. Other than Sister Boone, no one knows that you are here, so you can stay here for as long as you need. The woman she is, not only was she nearly destroyed by a rather terrible puncture wound as well as some burns. She was also poisoned. She should hopefully awaken soon, though she is likely to be in a rather weakened state. As for your friend, I believe he is stirring now. And, Glimpy, you slowly awaken to the sound of two people having a conversation.
00:43:33
Speaker
Hmm. I'm going to stretch and roll over and pretend I'm still sleeping. I think if Clay sees that Glinky moved, she's going to go towards me.
00:43:46
Speaker
i am sleeping
00:43:49
Speaker
I'm like, are you awake? ah Yeah, I'm awake now. Are you okay?
00:44:00
Speaker
Surprisingly, yeah, I feel okay-ish. Except for here, here, and here. Oh. Yeah, I brought us back to the church. I didn't really know where else to go. it was This was the best place. You made the right call. It was this or the Shady Doctor, so I'm gladre i'm glad we're here.
00:44:21
Speaker
Yeah, me and Warwick were just discussing, you know, what happened last night. And actually, Bright-Skill Warwick, do you know what kind of poison Phonolin got poisoned with? Good question. While you're thinking about it, what kind of magic turns man into a locust and vice versa?
00:44:43
Speaker
Well, I am unsure exactly what type of poison was in your friend, but I think I could say that with poisons there are various means of administering them.
00:44:58
Speaker
They can be administered through contact or through injury or inhalation. And given that the concentration of this poison was within your friend's stomach, we could confidently say it was a poison that requires ingestion. There are various poisons that fit that description, so I'm afraid I can't say decisively what it was. But I can say it was extremely potent.
00:45:28
Speaker
It was terrible luck that you were attacked on top of her being poisoned. The poison may have been enough to kill her in its own. How is she doing now? She should be alright. She was given a neutralizing agent. She should be groggy for some time. But she should live. That's good. As for your other question.
00:45:49
Speaker
I am familiar with magics possessed by druids that would allow them to summon a swarm of locusts. I can't say I'm familiar with any particular magics that would allow one to transform into a swarm of locusts, perhaps an an individual locust. but Okay, wait, so maybe it's both? Maybe he was turning into a locust and summoning a swarm? Or did he did he not dissipate?
00:46:17
Speaker
No, wait, he turned into a swarm of locusts and flew away at the end, right? He for sure did. What the hell? Honestly, but he for sure did. He was made of locusts. Right. Well, Mr. Warwick, it's it seems that even in your great expanse of knowledge, there are new things to be discovered, including locust swarm magic, apparently. Apparently. We truly live in a city of wonders. ah Apparently, yes. Wow.
00:46:42
Speaker
Can I like pat my bod? I was like surrounded by a swarm of locusts. Are there any like dead locust corpses in my clothes or anything like that? like Any remnants of them? Give me an investigation check. We'll say you like get up. You've been changed into other clothes as well, but we'll say you can you can go over and check your pile of folded, charred laundry. I got a 16.
00:47:09
Speaker
Come on now. You look around, you rifle through your pockets, check inside the jacket of of the jacket of the jacket you were wearing. He's such a wordsmith. And unfortunately, you do not find any locusts. There was, if you recall, a lot of fire, presumably any locusts that were on your person were consumed by said fire when you were dragging your friends off the carriage.
00:47:37
Speaker
if there were any to begin with. Okay, so no trace of anything. Warwick stands up and says, I should leave you to rest. As I said, you may stay here as long as you wish. I will have some food sent your way.
00:47:55
Speaker
And if you require me, feel free just to ask Walter. He will fetch me in short order, I'm sure. And he stands up and exits the room, and as he opens the door, a small, ruddy boy is nearly knocked off his feet as he was listening at the door.
00:48:16
Speaker
And you are left alone. A little while later, breakfast is brought to you, and as the smell of fresh porridge and some fruit enters the room, Faunalyn begins to stir, and you awaken. Oh it was there my god. Faunalyn. We alive? Yes, yes we're alive. Only just. Okay, I don't know about you guys, but last night was really traumatizing. Yeah.
00:48:45
Speaker
yeah that's saying something you guys almost died yeah and my death place was like reliving the most traumatic night of my life the death place did you have nightmares too yeah like do you think that for all eternity I'm just going to be in a carriage running for my life like is that hell for me No, I think those fluttering moments in your subconscious are maybe just maybe guilt or a moment of regret or or something you wish you could change. I don't think there's a death place. Yeah. Last day was really hellish, but you know, we're, we're alive still. We got out of there. I didn't, maybe I need to get right with the gods. I don't know if that's my death place.
00:49:33
Speaker
okay I know you said it wasn't, but like on whose authority? you know clay I guess Clay's the religious one. What do you think, Clay? I don't know. I mean, I brought us back to the church and I also had nightmares last night. I think it was just a very stressful time. Yeah, I don't know what you dreamed about, but I dreamed of fire and ah it was not good. Are there any priests around? At the moment, you three have been left alone in this bedchamber.
00:50:02
Speaker
I will save this line of inquiry for it later. Okay, well, are you two all right? I mean, I seem to be okay, I think. Yeah. I got 10 fingers and 10 toes. I'm feeling okay.
00:50:14
Speaker
What do we even do now? That was bad and scary. And I kind of think we should go to the guards, but then what do we even say? That a man made of insects tried to kill us, but we're fine now. I don't know if we can go to the guards. It seems like more people are involved than we thought or knew about.
00:50:35
Speaker
It's a good point. And I mean, if this Prince Malphur has the influence that he seems to have, maybe it's not the best idea. And we still don't know what happened to the pre-Elmes. Like, if you were poisoned, what it but did you eat at the ball? Yeah.
00:50:56
Speaker
That's a really good point. Okay. I ate various aperitifs, like plate foods. I actually didn't get a bite of ceviche. So I don't think it's ceviche poisoning. I did accept a drink from a man who previously in all likelihood tried to kill me, but like I watched him the whole time. You know, if he put something in it, he's got incredible sleight of hand and I'm a rogue. So that's saying something. but Okay. I don't know. Do we think it was Malphur who tried to kill us last night?
Contemplating Escape
00:51:25
Speaker
I think it was, and I don't know why, I just think it was. Yeah. I mean, Clay, you mentioned the butcher. What's to say that that guy wasn't a butcher, this this locust figure? He mentioned something about getting the butcher to finish what he started. huh And I definitely think the locust band that we encountered yesterday is probably also responsible for Riggs and Una and Patrick. Yeah, I think you might be right.
00:51:54
Speaker
That's sensible. So do we want to find out who he is the locust man? I think he was sent by the prince for sure He's on to us. Yeah, I think the prince um How do you put it ah the jig is up? We're definitely on the radar we We are the radar that there's no hiding from this anymore They know that we know something and they will not be okay with that. Mm-hmm Okay. I actually think maybe we should flee the city like now. Like I think we should maybe get on a boat and go to the anchor's chain. Like I think maybe we rapid fire, interrogate a few people, get as much intel as we can, and then, uh, get the hell out of here because I don't like it here anymore. And I'll be damned if I spend a night at the Berthold's house. I'd be damned if I spend a night at Berthold Manor and put fallow in danger. So I don't know. I spoke to like four people at the party.
00:52:53
Speaker
Three people. I blackmailed so variously threatened four people. I guess you two don't know this. So on my way out, I basically, oh my God, in my dream, I saw, this is so, so poetic. I saw a bridge and everything was on fire. And do you think that's metaphorical for me, like burning bridges and setting things on fire?
00:53:17
Speaker
No. I don't see the relation. Yeah, I don't think so either. I agree. I'm self-reflected there. It was disgusting. But that does bode well for my thought earlier, how it may be just your conscious and not a death place. Oh my God, yes. That's such a relief because I really didn't want to get right with God. I like being wrong with God. It's more liberating. That's interesting.
00:53:42
Speaker
Again, it was a judgmental tone from a man of the woods. Your god is like probably dirt or something. That's rude. Am I wrong? They honestly look me in the eyes and tell me I'm wrong. It would be a god of dirt, not dirt god. thank you ah just Forgive me. Very important distinction.
00:54:01
Speaker
I'm sure when the time comes for me to repent, I'll learn to appreciate that distinction. And I'm very glad the time for me to repent has not come today because I'm hoping to do bad things before we go. I talked to Malphur and I was like, I know you want to kill us. So give it your best shot, bitch. And then I left him immediately and I immediately went up to someone else and I didn't even remember. Sorry, pardon. Sorry, we were under the impression that.
00:54:30
Speaker
I thought it was my fault when I called somebody out and Clay said that she overheard someone talking about sending the butcher. You specifically challenged? It was assuredly your fault, Klimky, because we they only called in the butcher because of your little thing. So I was just adding a little bit of you know magnesium to the fire to make the flames a little sparsely or whatever.
00:54:56
Speaker
I just, I was in a rage. He tried to steal my servant and it was cool at the time. I promise if you had been there, you would have been like, you go girl. It was cool. Then I walked up to someone else and I know don't even remember what I said to him, but I was basically like, come see me if you want, or I'm going to ruin your life. And then I walked up to Electra Voon and I was like, come see me because we both want to ruin Prince Malphurth's life. So actually that one was nice.
00:55:22
Speaker
And then I walked up to, you're not going to like this one. I walked up to back up, pray on me. And I was like, I know what you did to your brother's girlfriend. Come see me. I'm going to ruin your life. But that one's even, that one's good actually. I, I stand by that one because now we know about like the necromancy going on in the basement. It's actually like, I buried the lead. Like she's going to sit down and be like, let's talk about my brother's girlfriend. And I'll be like, I don't want to talk about you that silly issue. I want to talk about the bones, which is better. It's good. You know, you never show someone your fall.
00:55:52
Speaker
your full hand of cards. And I have mostly been flashing people my full hand of cards for a while. So it's nice that I'm learning. And also, I don't really know, except that I think we should maybe have some of those conversations. Oh my God, we're supposed to meet the detective. I'm so popular.
00:56:11
Speaker
Yeah, we got a lot of irons in the fire right now. Earlier, you said something about ditching this place and getting on a ship. I kind of like that idea because you know what? They know that we know, but they don't know how much we know. Why would they expect us to hop on a boat, start chasing down the next portion of the lead? Yeah. I mean, yeah.
00:56:33
Speaker
Sure, we got to see invisible top hat McGee one more time, maybe before we go, or Johnny the rat man. Those are all things that could help maybe, but we know we got to go to the anchor's chain. Yes. And if we go sooner rather than later, there's less of a chance that someone will try to murder us again, which I like. I like that part. But we sent john Johnny, Jimmy, whatever his name is after the prince.
00:56:59
Speaker
Oh, yes. We have no idea where we would even meet him. thiss so I mean, the sewer, right? Like, we know where he lives. I suppose if he made it away from the prince. Okay, we got to keep the list short of stops before we, you know, commandeer a boat. Do we know where the prince headed off to? Like, is he fleeing? He left the ball pretty quickly as well.
00:57:26
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not sure. And what is up with the necromancy thing? What is that all about? Yeah. ah Yeah. Try not to think about that one. It's like a cool and engaging B-plot though. You know, like if we had decided to explore the basement, I bet there would have been like a fun side quest. I'm sure it means something. It's probably pretty your apparent. It means I've got Heather ammo with which to shoot.
00:57:50
Speaker
ah grow Can we rewind back to the moment that things started to hit the fan in the carriage? There was a lot of noises and bell chimes. Did we hear stuff coming from the house as well? Zach, can you remind us? Did we have other noises? It was just like just the bells? There was bells ringing. There was a birdman on the roof watching you go. Right. Then it was suddenly silent.
00:58:16
Speaker
And there was a bunch of locusts swirling around you. So we didn't really hear like, we didn't hear other like screaming or anything from the manor or anything. Nope. We heard Carlston shout, I think. Because he got gutted and he's quite dead. yeah Right. Well, that's unfortunate. Well, yes. Who's the speed bump now? Am I right? Oh my God. I should get right with God. I should get right with all of them. At least one.
00:58:45
Speaker
No, just maybe the god of dirt. Maybe. Okay. So here's the thing. I didn't just start things with Rothbard, Voon, and Pralmi for fun. I started it because we think perhaps they know things about the princess's disappearance, especially I think Bakra. So I think of the three, if we've got to prioritize who to speak with.
00:59:10
Speaker
I think background ought to be the one as for marlin whisper hands i believe i had asked him to gather information about who had killed clays friends and now we know i think we have a little bit more information now i think if jimmy nor bones can i don't know do you think that would be helpful anymore.
00:59:29
Speaker
Well, we don't know where the Prince went off to. If Jimmy's still with him, or if he was caught, I don't know. Hmm. Okay. So I do think we should speak to Bakra because if she can tell us which island in the anchorage, and then we have to secure a boat, my God, we have a lot of bureaucratic work to get through before we can flee for our lives. I have two ideas about a boat. The first is that I overheard, who did I overhear? Zach, can you tell me who I overheard talking about the boat? Cause the note I took on that is on my other computer.
00:59:58
Speaker
at the dinner party. It was the man who was bragging about his new boat. Was it Kant Bozic? Yes, I believe so. Yeah, he was specifically mentioning about a campaign to rid the anchor's chain of ghosts. Oh, yeah. Right. Okay, so we might be able to get a, perhaps a ride with him, Count Bozic, and then there was Garfield. I'd like to point out, not not Count Bozic, Kant Bozic. Kant.
01:00:28
Speaker
K-O-N-T is his first word. Yes, the Count Contoso. He's not a Count. What's his title? Can't. As far as you know, he does not have one. Okay, the Vi Count. Vi Count, sorry.
01:00:42
Speaker
So that's two boats. Also Xerxes. I could probably blackmail Xerxes into giving us a boat, but I'm really, really tired of threatening people. I don't know if I'm even that good at it. I feel like we could probably just get a ride. Stowaway maybe. Like with Garfield or Count Bozing. Stowaway. I've done it. We can volunteer ourselves for this ghost campaign and then just sneak off.
01:01:10
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know if you guys know this, but I've done, I've done quite a bit of sailing myself, actually. Will you sail a boat? Yeah, I just, you know, hopped on a boat. I mean, I don't take up that much space, so people didn't really have that much trouble with it. Is there a way we can do that? Okay, well, I'm gigantic, so... It probably won't be that hard. Maybe we could go into barrels. Barrels, boxes, bags. Yeah, but that didn't work very well for Patrick Casthan, so who knows what would happen.
01:01:38
Speaker
hey Aye. Aye. How quickly we move. Okay. What do you guys think we should do? I don't know. Genuinely, idea I don't know. I think our lives are in danger. And for sure, I don't think we can get out of this unharmed. Like, and probably the best thing to do is just get ahead of it and try to solve the mystery.
01:02:08
Speaker
I mean, you know, get to the bottom of this before, you know, things catch up with us even more. You know, we should do. We should send out a message to Johnny somehow through the sewers to send a message. Jimmy, John, Johnny, Jim, John, we should send a message to Johnny to just get on a boat, Jimmy. Meet us at the anchor's chain. ah Yeah, exactly.
01:02:35
Speaker
What does he have to lose? Besides his love of his boss boyfriend, I don't know anymore. Yeah, I think the eyes of Aridinine would want to know what's going on as well in the city. Probably safer for him on a boat as well. We want to take Jimmy with us. Yeah.
01:02:52
Speaker
It's a good idea. And yes, then we have to hang out with Jimmy. So it's a really that good idea. So good at sneaking around. So good. So good. I may be good at sneaking around too. You guys haven't let me try it very much. but I can be like yeah I can be good. I can stop and when I want to. I don't think you should stop. It's just two different tools. Okay. All right. Fair. I just, I don't know. He talks like, I'm Jimmy, not bones.
01:03:22
Speaker
so much that's true but got a b about a boom let me see your panties you know i don't care well we can sit around deliberating about who's seeing who's panties or we can try to figure out where to go I think we should definitely get our stuff from Burhold Manor. We can go back there definitely for any length of time. stuff Pick up our stuff, stuff figure out the quickest way to the anchor's chain. h And, you know. And get the hell out of Dodge. Yeah. Lay low. So you guys don't want to speak to any of the people that I blackmailed because I put in a lot of work and do blackmailing them. When did you say you had to meet them or when to meet them?
01:04:08
Speaker
I think I basically was like, tomorrow is good. As today. If I may, Electra Voon, you said, meet me at dawn in the Sapphire district. Yeah, we're late. I'm I'm late from the play date. I completely forgot about him. You said, come find me. You know where to find me. ah You said effectively the same thing to
01:04:38
Speaker
to bak reprail me and uin rosthspi
01:04:45
Speaker
and like wine grab like to go because i'm really worried that we're going to go to the birth olds house and it's going to be like the worst surprise party of all time like i think we need to go there and Oh, man. Yeah. Okay, let's go rapidly, please. Fuck. I wish Air Dineen had cell phones or something. Yeah. Oh, my God. A cell phone would be so... I could just call Kleteer and be like, text me, you know? yeah This is going to be a lot simpler. Everyone just text. It's called sending. Yeah, no. Okay. As you are getting up or discussing, there is a knock at the door.
01:05:28
Speaker
We're busy. Hey, there's blackmail afoot. She's not supposed to say that part. Oh, you get it eventually. Who's at the door? Terribly sorry to bother you. Might I come in though? Is this Walter? It is not. You recognize it as Sister Boone. Oh, yeah. Come in. What's going on? Did you hear anything?
01:05:53
Speaker
The door opens and this middle-aged human woman comes in. She's wearing a different set of robes and she says, I can't say that I heard anything, no, but I thought you ought to know that there was a man inquiring about you. A minute ago ah we sent him on his way, but he was asking about you. who who who What did he look like?
01:06:19
Speaker
um somewhat lanky fellow, stringy, dark hair, was dressed in a brown, woolen cloak. I legitimately have no idea. Did he give a name? JIMMY! JIMMY NOBONES!
01:06:35
Speaker
was Faunalyn rushes to the window and you see slinking in the shadows of this courtyard is a hooded figure who briefly turns his head and you see the profile of Jimmy Nabos.
Return to Berthold Manor
01:06:53
Speaker
so far The sister hurries out of the room and you watch from the window as Jimmy is almost out of the courtyard and hears her shouting at him and he comes back and he kind of takes a long slow look up at this church looking very uncomfortable and then steps in and a moment later he is brought into your chamber and sister Boone closes the door behind her and leaves the four of you alone.
01:07:21
Speaker
wow Well, well, well. I gotta say, y'all look like shit. And I feel even worse. That's a good thing you knew to come here. You're not much to look at yourself, Jimmy John. What happened yesterday? Okay, now let's unpack that, because I personally had a good night's sleep. I look pretty good. So if you think there's something wrong with me, I'd like to hear it from your lips. Look, Jimmy, I'm sorry. We've all had an incredibly horrible night.
01:07:49
Speaker
So yeah, okay, I probably could have read the room a little better. I was coming in over here. Maybe I should bring it down. Jimmy Narbonne's morning show. We're a little more relaxed. ah Frankly, I don't need to hear what happened to you. Looks like you almost got killed. Sorry to hear about that. For what it's worth, I almost got got, but you should have done what I did and run away because I did good. Jimmy, did anyone follow you?
01:08:12
Speaker
and Don't think so. But after- No, no, no, no, Jimmy. And Glimpy runs across the room and kind of grabs onto his jacket. I need you to be so sure right now. Did anyone follow you? I gave it like a 90% no. How about I tell you what happened and you can decide if ah whatever bad thing happened to you after we say goodbye is about to happen again. Okay. Yeah. So long story short, I, well,
01:08:44
Speaker
As you instructed, I crept up, hopped aboard the carriage, and here's where things went bad. They spotted me pretty quick. Not gonna lie. They spotted me pretty quick, and I wasn't able to stick around for long, jumped out the window, very heroic, managed to avoid getting eaten by an owl bear. All things considered, I did great. For those of you at home,
01:09:07
Speaker
Jimmy had to roll a contested athletics check against two other people. He rolled a 17, and they both rolled natural ones. Wow. Good job, Jimmy. God dang. So anyways, I didn't hear much. They seemed mad about you guys. They were talking some mad shit about yous. But I can say this.
01:09:30
Speaker
They're leaving town. Did you hear where they were going? and Didn't hear that, just heard they were headed towards the Pearl District. Something about catching a ship. They're already gone. They're going to the anchor's chain, for sure. Or somewhere. God damn, okay. What do we do with that? though It's not like we can confront them. thank you're allowed yes Well done, Jimmy. Really well done.
01:09:55
Speaker
Thank you. You don't think they'd be stupid enough to put their ship on the logs. I got a friend down at the docks. What does on the logs mean? like Oh, on the written logs. I was imagining like logs.
01:10:11
Speaker
I'm from a forest. Do you understand? Same. You probably thought of logs too then. For a moment, yes. I thought of poop. Nice. Anyway. yeah Nice. You're so consistent, Jimmy. I will say that for you. Oh, I'd say sometimes I'm like a little horny freak and then sometimes I'm like poop.
01:10:35
Speaker
You know, depending on your circles. There's a Venn diagram somewhere. And I'm confident Jimmy is somewhere in the center of it. Find the worst part of the Venn diagram, and that's where Jimmy is. Actually, they okay, wait, so the prince went straight to the docks? Yeah. Okay, we go kate Jimmy, thank God you're alive. They're going to the docks. We need to meet whomever you're supposed to meet this morning. What? We gotta go. Oh, you're talking to Fonolin.
01:11:05
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, okay. Uh, so here's what's up. Uh, I'm going to go pleasure doing business with you. Wait, Jimmy, I have a proposition for you. Okay. Sure. How would you like to do this voice for a fourth party?
01:11:24
Speaker
No. Okay. Sorry, Jimmy. I have a position for you. Go on you have a very particular set of skills. Okay, that's right We're up to some risky business and we could use all the help we can get right especially if it means boarding a ship Going to faraway lands and a grand adventure. Look you've served your purpose you and thank you and and Brutus right? That's that's right. Very good Brutus doesn't seem to be super keen on your performance lately Why don't you just?
01:11:51
Speaker
Take a vacation. I gotta say, he's pretty pleased about everything I told him about last night. His eyes turned into big ol' gold pieces. You stopped there first. Yeah. Nice. Okay, well, alright, well, it's up to you. You wanna be hot and cold with Brutus or go on a big ol' adventure? Ever heard the saying, rats on a sinking ship? I think I'm personally good, especially given what happened to you's. No, we're good, look at us.
01:12:21
Speaker
y'all did i mention it looks like you all almost died you're looking like a piece of charcoal okay so i think i'm gonna go back to my more easy cozy life that's honestly respectable peace and blessings i'm sure this isn't the last you'll see of me because i'm jimmy da bones and he walks out the door stay safe jimmy never have never will all right we gotta meet your your rendezvous no Yeah, like all of them. I really should have been like, you nine o'clock, you nine thirty. But I think they're just all good. We should go. I need something that covers my head. I'm thinking if I roll up in a priest of McCrogg robe, that will be badass and I want to to do it. yeah but youre That's kind of got blasphemer written all over it.
01:13:14
Speaker
I don't want to get the price scale in trouble for, you know, yeah I don't want someone to come here looking for me. Okay. Well, I need a shirt. So you guys are telling me I i can't wear a shirt. No, no, they have other clothes here. I just feel like we shouldn't broadcast.
01:13:31
Speaker
we're leaving a, oh, like a wake of potential, you know, loose ends that these people are going to come and tear apart. Oh, okay. No, that's actually a really good idea because we probably don't want to implicate the good people of this temple. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Fair point. Okay. People don't give me credit, but I know restraint. That was room for compliments. It didn't get any, that's fine. Oh, sorry. Usually you just have more to say.
01:13:59
Speaker
I'm sure I'll get chattier. I'm just very traumatized at the moment. That's fair. Let's get the fuck going. Yeah. All right. Clock wipe. So, yeah.
01:14:18
Speaker
You head out onto the streets and you're making your way back to Sapphire district? Yep. Sapphire district. Okay. The Sapphire district. So you exit this courtyard out onto a busy market street. The city has been bustling the last few days ever since the King's announcement, but it seems like slowly things are returning to normal. Shops are open, carriages are moving through the street, wagons, various people going about their business, including a familiar looking man.
01:14:53
Speaker
With dark hair, he's middle aged, seems to be in fairly good shape. He's dressed in dark maroon robes, and he's ringing a bell. hear him loudly proclaim anding news this hour i'm vince languin the city is reeling and it reports that a member of the nobility has been taken and what appears to be yet another attack against a bettos lady final and vedoc has been reported missing after her carriage was discovered abandoned after last night's swo rate broy mad the carriage had been torched and an unentified body was located at the scene although it is believed that this was not the lady a doc
01:15:25
Speaker
anyone with information is asked to come forward and you hear him loudly proclaim. And he continues down the street and a minute later starts up again with the same announcement. fa and you're a missing person but they ah what if hold on what if there're they're just spreading the word so someone finds you and tells somebody where you are Oh, they're so they're trying to get someone to report finding you. Oh, I have some narcissistic tendencies. So I'm going to interpret this as the world loves me very much. And oh, holy shit, we've got to get out of here. My name's in the newspaper. We've got to go soon. Give her your cloaker shirt or something. Put it over her head. Yes, I want to cover my head. yeah People think jesus you're missing.
01:16:14
Speaker
okay well that's good well i didn't really look like myself right now so yeah let's get the hell out of the streets you continue along glimkey are you wearing a i guess you wouldn't have a cloak you would just have what you brought with you or whatever fatigues or whatever they gave me from them yeah say just like it's a simple robe we'll say it it can have a hood if you want and perhaps as you go to pull it up your hand brushes against your hair and you feel Something different. Not hair, not leaf. Oh, the feather. A feather. Neat. I try to pluck at it. Is it attached? It hurts. What the fuck? Just felt the hood around a little tighter. Perfect. And you continue along. The sound of the ocean crest falls, gets closer and louder. And before long, you are able to...
01:17:09
Speaker
Climb this great set of stairs that's more than a hundred feet tall, that leads up into the upper part of the city. There are guards on duty, and as you approach, one of them stops you. It's this squat dwarf with a jet black beard and hair tied into a tight set of braids, and he looks at you and says, hey, what's your business?
01:17:38
Speaker
We have information on the missing lady fondant invader, can we must report it urgently to the birth holds? Give me a persuasion check. More deception. Then a 19. Nice. He says, hey, what kind of business or information? Hey, what kind of information? Sorry, you deaf? He holds up a horn to his ear.
01:18:06
Speaker
information about her whereabouts. Aye, you don't need to shout. Very well. Clarence, escort these folks to Berthold Manor.
01:18:18
Speaker
and a young human boy approaches you, he can't be more than 16, and he says, well, hi there, follow me. Actually, where am I going? I'll follow you. Okay, let's go. I naturally lead the way to Vedark Manor. Perfect. I mean, Berthold Manor. I mean. Who really runs that house, you know what I'm saying?
01:18:47
Speaker
Sure enough, you go through the streets of the Sapphire District. It's a beautiful summer's morning. Approaching noon, you slept in pretty late. But before long, you arrive at the gates. And this young guard Clarence walks you up to the front door and And a second later, the door is swung open and he starts to say, Oh, excuse me. These folks seem to, and he is pushed aside by fallow who runs and grabs you fondling and just pulls you into a big hug. Thank goodness. I thought the worst. Are you okay? but Like,
01:19:30
Speaker
Like, barely. It was the worst, but we can't be seen being too close. I'll explain later. It was very scary. Are you okay? Has anyone come here? Quite a few. And she steps aside, and you see standing in the entry hall of Berthold Manor, Electra Boom, Madir Kaldar, Akra Prelmy, and Ulren Rothbard. I like that. I don't like your odd.
01:19:57
Speaker
And that's where we're stopped tonight's episode. Oh, no, that's so funny. yeah Oh, I think we need to like do it family therapy style. Like, I think we need to sit everyone in a circle and be like, okay, background You know what you don't want me to say. I'm going to say it right now. Yeah, I think I'm going to like tell everyone what I want to hear from them and have them all write it on a piece of paper or something. And then if they don't tell me what I want to hear, then I'll like say their secret out loud. I don't know. I'll get like, I'll get everybody in the room. Oh, what a mess. What do I do with this guys? I think it's less interesting to talk to them all one on one. I think it's more fun if I can find some kind of collective way to do it.
01:20:42
Speaker
No, I think we have some like, I don't know, there might be an opportunity here. They obviously came for a reason. Yeah. They see some sort of either opportunity or connection or something, you know, that's more favorable and they waited. Yeah. How many hours between dawn and noon? That's like six hours. Yeah, they just hung out. Could be a good sign. Interesting. Yeah, I think I'm going to be on our side. Or maybe they're going to murder you. You know,
01:21:11
Speaker
At this point, yeah, I hope they don't, but at this point, yeah anyway, that was really fun.
01:22:10
Speaker
the meantime, enjoy this failed attempt at an intro sequence. Bye. Hey, it's me.
01:22:20
Speaker
god that's right you haven't heard from me in a while probably because you stopped going to church oh no just lost half of our 30 listeners all right all right all right all right all right like You seem to be gone. Shame all the viewers activate all of their religious trauma. It didn't even resolve into a bit. You moved on. Can this all stay in?