Transcript
Speaker: This, and he turns and points at the board where he's been writing, is everything I know. This is everything I think all of you know.
Speaker: We need to start filling in some gaps, and I'm really hoping that those 13 names, Alpha, fit here. Hit me. Let's do it. Now.
Speaker: I need him. I need him. Yes! Yes! The payoff is here! Come on, Callum! Let's go! I need you to be unmuted. need to hear you. sell up It helps if I unmute Alpha. It reaches up and clicks the button to turn off his mute button.
Speaker: Alpha's volume knob must have got water in it. Sorry.
Speaker: Hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop, Bellum Draconis. We are a live play 5e D&D podcast set in the magical home-brewed world of Aerith in the kingdom of Dralak, soon to be at the bottom of the fucking ocean.
Speaker: Joining you for this week's episode, we've got Darren who plays the high elf Artificer Reign Taddle. What do we do with dragon, crocodile? What do we do with a dragon, crocodile? What do we do with a dragon, crocodile? Shoot it with a cannon.
Speaker: Who there? Who plays the human cleric Emron? Dive, dive, dive. We've got the Edgelord Calum who plays the Warforged Artificer Alpha. Well, shit.
Speaker: Oh, you got well, shit there, couldn't you? Oh, no, that was going to be mine. Oh, I'm sorry. ah Got to think of a new one. ian who plays the Tiefling Warstor and Nyx Goral. Well, shit.
Speaker: Very good. Will, who plays the Dragonborn Druid Balvalcon. You done fucked up, E.E. Ron. ah My name is Mark and I am playing the human blade singer, Seth Farah, and by last but with no means the least is our maestro of magic, our commander of the grave, our man-boy monk who brings the funk. i love that one.
Speaker: ah Dungeon master, Danny. a ship happens. hey We find ourselves in the aftermath of of ah the Scorch Helm and an old gal is sat, sitting with a large box of popcorn,
Speaker: overlooking in the docks, giggling to himself whilst he flicks the orb up in one hand and catches it whilst eating what looks like popcorn or like salted nuts, not his, but yeah some in his left hand, his feet hanging. And every time he kicks his feet up, the and silhouette of absolute carnage on the waterfront is met is broken only by his long toes as these legs kick up into view.
Speaker: and And he turns to us and says, Ooh, twat. Vossan's armada is in defense mode, and there's some sort of blockade, stop an exit out to the sea, and naturally they're they're helping the guys in their boats.
Speaker: The fighting is still happening out on the land, right directly ba behind me, but I'll be okay. I've seen it in my orb. The pirates are even fucking helping. Nyx lives up to the captain status and starts taking charge, issuing orders. He's like, get some fire supplies, repairs, and morale, boys.
Speaker: Seth's having a crisis of faith, and Shadowhawks are like, I need you to bring the group to me. Seth's like, okay, let me just go and threaten Nyx first. And he's like, how'd you come back, boy? And when they finally do make it back, Sebastian ain't in the fucking room.
Speaker: The window's open. Nix is like, oh, I'm feeling a bit more powerful. Oh, shit, I think I know what's happening. And the spiders be following their way out the window, but there is no Sebastian. And on the wall, there's some sort of crazy scribblings and links to things that have been mentioned before. And something has dragged Sebastian out of the window bars. Like, I'mma leap out that window and turn into a Fuckin' Al! Lookin' for Seth!
Speaker: But there's no luck. Nyx is like, I'm pretty fuckin' guilty, and I'm gonna get myself paper-weighted by Alpha, but again, he can't find him at the bottom of the ocean. Emron's like, oh look, I just found myself a sending stone thingy, is that ghost wing? Hello!
Speaker: And Seth's all like, the winged watch is clipped, the mission is ended. Meanwhile, Nix is just drowning because he's a fucking bitch, and Baal's like, I'll save you, mouth, woof, take you up to the water's edge, breach the water, and turn into some flaming, flying, giant crocodile, which obviously a cat catches a lot of attention from all of the nearby boats, which open fucking fire, killing several, six, cruel members, and smashing 40 fucking damage into Baal, getting completely and utterly fucked up.
Speaker: The crew is in chaos everything is plunged into darkness people are fleeing people are jumping people are swimming and i'm just here kicking my legs boys and amongst all of that nix what does level seven look like for you fuck he's not even done it he's not even done he's forgotten and it was a very character it was a fucking heavy episode guys Holy you shit. um It looks like... I think it looks the same.
Speaker: That'll be that i'll be Warlock 5 for you now, because you're currently Warlock 4, Sorcerer 2. Thanks, Will. I appreciate that. Thanks, Ian. I'm just helping you. But fine, let's watch you just flail it around for bit.
Speaker: That's fine with me. um It doesn't look like I get anything other than some sexy spells to choose from. Third levels now, right? Hmm. There's a level 5.
Speaker: And two blasts of Eldritch Blast, not that you use it. but here we go. You're level five anyway, don't you? Okay, so I get to... Oh, fuck me. No, this is gonna... You know what?
Speaker: Circle back. so Let's circle back. Let's circle back. Let's circle back.
Speaker: He's not had his long rest yet. He's not technically level five. He doesn't need it. ah from He doesn't need it for this level um well for me that was certainly level five For Seth, level seven looks like, um well, put another level into, did we not all, sorry, did we not all get? No, no, you just got six. Did you just kill Sebastian?
Speaker: I've just got PTSD and I'm with six. Okay, cool. He gets water breathing.
Speaker: um Isn't it ironic? Fuck you. As if. up
Speaker: Oh, so. It's like, Ray. a and im There is a awkward moment. ah Lots of bodies are fleeing this ship. And the six of you just stand against.
Speaker: what Motionless against the scene.
Speaker: And then a shadow sort of falls over part of the deck as this much bigger, longer ship moves broadside.
Speaker: A series of tethers are thrown out.
Speaker: And Bovril, the dwarf who's currently in the rigging, trying to
Speaker: work the sail, just sort of shouts down, we're being boarded. I was going to call you captain, but I don't even know your name and sort of gestures towards Nick's.
Speaker: And this beautiful sort of sapphire blue and black ship
Speaker: attaches itself and tethers itself to the snowdrop.
Speaker: and then a plank two, three, just sort of board across the ships. Next, as you turn around, this ship you have seen before, it it it is in your encyclopedia of the couple of dozen pirate vessels or mercenary vessels. This is not a pirate ship, but a mercenary crew.
Speaker: Slightly different, but depends on which kingdom you're from, whether that difference is it it very narrow or quite wide. This is the Tide Song.
Speaker: Okay, captained by Kayla Fireheart.
Speaker: And as three sort of boards, planks, connect these ships together, most of the surviving civilians that the reins instructed to abandon ship leave and board the Tidesong.
Speaker: And against all of the sort of waves of humans and halflings making that crossing, it's very stout, stern,
Speaker: like scaled dragonborn. with this incredibly huge tricorned hat with about four different birds of prey roosting upon it.
Speaker: Steps, two peg legs onto the snowdrop
Speaker: with one eye in a crumb. Like an emerald green. One eye, piercing onyx black.
Speaker: And this beautiful scimitar at her hip just says,
Speaker: I wasn't one to take orders from the winged watch, but here I am. dear.
Speaker: Looks like you've all been in a spot of bother.
Speaker: Sit tight. Let her, uh... We'll look after you.
Speaker: She turns and heads back onto the Tide Song.
Speaker: There's the five of you with Seth in the cabin.
Speaker: on deck the ship is entirely dependent on the tide song keeping it um uh steered keeping it uh in a sort of direction it it's not damaged anyway that the snow drop like it's not gonna it's not gonna sink or anything like that but hasn't really got the personnel uh it's incredibly buoyant now that that sort of 40 odd people have left it too
Speaker: what do you guys do oh it's going straight to the egg Okay. First of the egg.
Speaker: Dibs. As you move in, you just sort of see Seth just on the floor, one single light still of going or perhaps has been been returned on by by people's efforts.
Speaker: Seth, I don't believe, is holding the egg or taking any care for the egg. It's just it's just there on the floor near him. But yeah, protected. But undamaged and no one really is making any attempts for it.
Speaker: That's fine, Biles. Biles getting back to it, cradling it, making sure it's safe, making sure it's secure, kind of dropping down, ah probably bleeding on it at this point as well, as he just says over Seth.
Speaker: I fucked up. I am sorry that I could not find him anywhere under the water. um He's not there. I don't understand.
Speaker: oh fuck.
Speaker: And he's just kind of cradling the egg.
Speaker: Seth won't respond. Just continue to kind of just look outwards, not through the window. He's kind of sat almost, I imagine, now with his back to the that area of wall underneath the window um through which and Sebastian leapt or was dragged or whatever, where the chalk ends, the line ends there, the line ends for him too. And he just sits with an expressionless face, just staring.
Speaker: There's the other four of you near the cabin or and coming inside it. you guys Raines is below, blissfully unaware. the he He thinks he's done the smart thing and is trying to patch up the ship. This is the pitfall of being intelligent without being wise.
Speaker: um and he's he's He's currently about what he's gone down there to do. Okay. Is everybody that kind of jumped overboard now making their way to the tide song?
Speaker: People are going in different directions. About 30 people didn't jump overboard and just cross-boarded. and But 10 people, 15 people did jump overboard and it just swam in different directions.
Speaker: If you studied all of them, not all of them will have made it to safety.
Speaker: Right. um As Alpha is obviously looking out, he wants to ah try and help somebody who's obviously jumped overboard. um um nu to it I'm going to jump overboard, and if I can get to somebody again before they kind of drown, if I can get their attention in any way, I'm trying to stay above the water, um try and lure them back to the ship, try and get them up to the tide song, give them a helping hand up, whatever's like that.
Speaker: Even if I kind of, even if they sit on my shoulders while I'm on the water, just to keep them afloat, and I'm just kind of like treading, uh, underneath the water just to try and save anybody that I actually can do from. Make it, make it athletics check.
Speaker: It's largely, this is a physical test for you. We'll say, yeah, for like, for like 15 minutes or so, you're just swimming around the perimeter, trying to help people on any, any boat really.
Speaker: Yeah, and and any kind of surface where they can hang on to and float or whatever. yeah um Athletics was a 21.
Speaker: You helped three people to safety. Yeah, let's get in there.
Speaker: Polish that turd, Alpha.
Speaker: You rescued three people, seven have died while you were doing it. Nick's in Emeron. You're the only people haven't really declared what they're doing at this time.
Speaker: ah Emron was below deck fixing stuff, um but Reigns has probably taken over, and Emron is um probably seeing to the dead bodies, sort of, um you know...
Speaker: covering their their faces. He's and it's probably saying a few words. um They haven't been left there. They've been taken away with the families that lost them. there There's lots of blood and water mixed around, but they weren't abandoned.
Speaker: Okay, he's probably checking the hole just to make sure that no one's been left on, that everyone's accounted for. um And probably, you it might be sloshing around with the water now, probably in the boat, but it's not sinking.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: just sort of bit dumbfounded. Everything's happened so, so quickly that they've not really had time to process. They had this great night in the inn, then they were going to the the tournament, then the tournament ended and they were attacked and they fled the the arena and they were going through the city and so much has happened in the last 24 hours.
Speaker: And now they're on a ship that just started to take fire. And he's sort of just checking if his ears, probably ringing. And yeah, just going around looking for something to do, but not quite sure what to do.
Speaker: We're all laughing because Mark is... I'm really sorry. Mark is playing. No, don't be sorry. Don't apologize.
Speaker: He's going to bed. He's beautiful. I finished.
Speaker: I don't know what that means, listener, by he finished, but he did something.
Speaker: No, I finished being silly.
Speaker: It's right, Emelon, this has been a fucking whirlwind, some of which, all of which really was dictated by the direction the players took in the last 24 hours.
Speaker: You're all accounted for about Knicks at this point.
Speaker: That's because the question of what is Knicks doing now
Speaker: is really hard to answer. So Nix is
Speaker: trying to pull himself together and and failing at trying to stop his mind from picturing the scene.
Speaker: When everything is quiet. It's almost like he wants this chaos to stay. the chaos that's causing everyone to run. jump overboard. The chaos that's causing his companions to stay away.
Speaker: He doesn't want it to end because his mind keeps portraying the scene what happens when it goes quiet and all the ire and the eyes turn to Nix and ask what has happened and and the explanation behind it.
Speaker: So Nix is trying his best pull himself together under those circumstances.
Speaker: What's around him right now as he as he shakes his head and he starts to kind of ah gather his surroundings? So the deck of the snowdrop is empty. Seth and Bala are in the cabin.
Speaker: Alpha is in the water. Reigns and Emron are below deck. There are three sort of wooden bridges, wooden planks between the Tidesong and the Snowdrop.
Speaker: All three of those have a figure in black leather armour and hoods guarding.
Speaker: At the rudder, not the rudder, at the wheel ah the Snowdrop, there is another figure in a black winged watch. Leathers.
Speaker: And there is one the very front of the ship. ah Sorry, of the snowdrop. There are two ships, i should make that really clear. There's one at the front of the snowdrop, just peering off, looking in the water.
Speaker: Again, winged watch.
Speaker: So shaking his head as if to clear it and regain some process of thought. He's going to head over to the borough of the ship.
Speaker: It's just the front. He's going to find the one who's looking out on the water.
Speaker: um Do you see anything out there?
Speaker: I don't kid her.
Speaker: He's gone.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: You's a safe.
Speaker: I'm not too sure about that. You're as safe as we can make you.
Speaker: Get some sleep, okay? Sleep, yeah, sure. Uh... What's happening with this ship? Are we adjoined yours now? Or is it best if everyone gets off and onto tide of song?
Speaker: The figure just leans back into the boat who's been looking in the water. Unmistakable. Kennard.
Speaker: The character you've met now a couple of times.
Speaker: You stay on here.
Speaker: It's loud on there. And as for all our extra passengers, are you willing to take them on? We'll take them back in the morning.
Speaker: It looks like the Upchristka's going to win this one. Looks like the city's going to be safe by the sunrise.
Speaker: Yeah, the city. What What news?
Speaker: I don't know much. It's only been like 20 minutes since I last helped you in the alley. Wow. A lot has happened in between then and now. Yeah.
Speaker: But I think the orcs and the Chrisker, they got it sorted. So
Speaker: we're a bit displaced. Not everyone's checked in. We do know that that points up at the sky. That's it everywhere. It's in Sleekhards.
Speaker: It's in Moonrise. It's every kingdom. Wow.
Speaker: A big night everywhere. oh And this is one of the best defended cities on Earth. So.
Speaker: Right. ah Well, thanks for your help. And i will heed your words.
Speaker: And occasionally during this, he's he's just like caught the corner of his eye and wiped a tear before it could really produce.
Speaker: um Also very sorry for your loss as Nyx catches that motion.
Speaker: Don't.
Speaker: ah sir
Speaker: This isn't going to go well. No, no, no. I don't think it will.
Speaker: Look, you had a You've fucking been in a duel, you know, and all that. Just...
Speaker: I think we all need to see the sun again. ha.
Speaker: quite partial to the moon but I catch your sense um right you're safe yep yep you two canard right yeah savvy uh I'm I'm just gonna just go to yeah don't no need for niceties just fuck off if you need to it's fine I don't really know where to go if I'm being honest
Speaker: Not sure that my face in the presence of any company right now would help things.
Speaker: So I'm a bit at a loss. I'll move on if you want to stay here. I mean, yeah, I, as in help and survey the scene, check information.
Speaker: on the horizon to make sure no danger is approaching. Or if you just want to sit and have a cry, just do you. And he just begins to walk away.
Speaker: Whoa, that one hit deep. As, As Nix will... He'll...
Speaker: but put both hands on the stern of the ship. So he's at the very point of it, Titanic style, where the the the boat meets its end in the in that diamond formation. He puts a hand on either side and he stares out at the edge of the ship's deck at the endless expanse of the ocean. like His eyes would be just heavy with internal conflict.
Speaker: As he looks out, looks at the stars, looks at the moon, feel the cold breeze of the salty sea air and trying and to use that to chill the fire that's eaten away in his gut of guilt, the wave of sadness.
Speaker: And as as that wave hits him, his hands clench harder on the on the bow of the ship and he just puts his chin down to his chest and has a silent cry.
Speaker: Wave is an appropriate word.
Speaker: As you study the water beneath you
Speaker: its pattern changes.
Speaker: it
Speaker: reflects the night sky for a while and then all the stars disappear from the reflection. You look around and you see everything moving slower.
Speaker: And then four images appear in the waves, really faint reflections.
Speaker: One of your old captain.
Speaker: One of your old friend.
Speaker: And one
Speaker: that you recently lost.
Speaker: And then a ship.
Speaker: The Esmeralda.
Speaker: four images floating in the water beneath you.
Speaker: And a small light stone you thought was part, like the front of the ship, you thought it was part of the carpentry, but it's not, it's just floating there.
Speaker: It's bioluminescent. Swirl around it.
Speaker: And a voice.
Speaker: Take one back.
Speaker: Just one.
Speaker: And that stone, the bioluminescence just turns into eight distinct wisps it crawls into your palm of your hand. And those images just float constantly.
Speaker: Very important in question. I was under the illusion that Captain Hildegard was safe.
Speaker: You were under the del illusion he was safe.
Speaker: And yet his image is clear in the waters. thats what you can That's what you see? That's what your eyes are telling you?
Speaker: nick like So looks out across the waves in those images.
Speaker: Just uses his awakened mind telepathic ability to kind of speak back.
Speaker: What's the bargain for getting all three back?
Speaker: This is the end of Bargains. You have given me all four. One you may have back.
Speaker: What's the time on this deal?
Speaker: Now.
Speaker: Oh, fuck.
Speaker: As tears start to
Speaker: move further and harder down Nix's face and he clenches his hand. and screws his eyes up really tight as if he's trying to will all the good luck in the world that's possible in this impossible decision and situation his mind goes into the chaos again when it's just running really fast different images pop through one of captain hildegard and the history that nix has for him that father figure
Speaker: click forward to Marota and that friendship that relationship is it love whatever it was was important flies into view and there's Sebastian Sleetgaard who hardly knows has no ties to him
Speaker: but knows in his soul how important He is to the world. He's wearing a crown in this image.
Speaker: To the kingdom.
Speaker: He's weighing up what means the world to him and what means the world to everyone else.
Speaker: The ship is not a part of this.
Speaker: And when Nix
Speaker: remembers what little he does from dying twice, he remembers being scared the first time, not wanting it to happen.
Speaker: He remembers being at peace the second time and awoken to a nightmare. And part of him has always wanted to stay dead that second time.
Speaker: To the point where he tried to drown so that it would end the pain and suffering.
Speaker: And he remembers the final words of his captain. The sacrifice he was willing to make so that the curse would end for the crew. He remembers Marota and Prego's words to him, how Marota's final words was to protect Nix at all costs.
Speaker: And he just cannot work out Sebastian's place in the world, but feels there's importance to it. And as the decision comes to him, the tears stream more down his face. It's almost like he's trying to hold back a sob as he splutters out.
Speaker: Sebastian.
Speaker: And then he holds his head in his hands and crumbles down onto the deck of the ship and then just cries.
Speaker: Seth, you're alone in the dark, darkest part of the cabin, head in your hands, looking at the floor.
Speaker: Bal,
Speaker: think you, as the wisest, arguably the wisest in this party, recognize that Seth just needs to be alone.
Speaker: Only by stats. Yeah, I'm looking at um' looking at all your stats here. Recognizes that Seth probably needs to be alone after you pick up the egg.
Speaker: Alpha.
Speaker: We'll come back to you.
Speaker: Brain's doing everything you can to apply logic to the situation when...
Speaker: emotionally, there is an exhaustion happening elsewhere that that you are sort of absent from. You're dealing with your own massive string of questions from the last 24 hours.
Speaker: And Emron, you're just trying to be good. You're just trying to figure out that the right thing.
Speaker: Alpha, while you're in the water, there's a weird resonance and humming. You'll feel a bit threatened, probably enough to urge you to go back to the ship.
Speaker: It's like you can't shake the idea that there's predators around, or perhaps you've seen sharks, but your your back is up and you feel like you need allies.
Speaker: But Seth, as we're coming to you in this dark room,
Speaker: very weak hand tugs at your forearm once again and urges with all its strength to lift you up.
Speaker: And bleary-eyed going to
Speaker: with no strength really left in his own limbs, drained through the mental capacity that has left him. He's going to allow himself to be dragged back to his feet, but just continue kind of staring out front.
Speaker: And this figure takes your chin and holds your face, reveals almost a mirror image to you
Speaker: and says,
Speaker: You are Seth Pharoah Reaver, hero of the Blight, of the Empire Hentis, my friend.
Speaker: Courage.
Speaker: Courage is what you need.
Speaker: Now find your friends.
Speaker: Find your friends, I need to talk to them. I need to talk to all of you. And where's that chalk? I've had it. And he just looks around the table for a second and goes back to the wall
Speaker: and begins more words.
Speaker: Seth's going to... His vacant expression doesn't change, but his brow is furrowed. it He's almost certainly said that before. He doesn't understand if he's going mad or if this is an illusion or this is hell or he's died and he's forever looping down the nine spirals of hell and...
Speaker: Or this is a trick of Tyrionni or ah a shift in the wind of the forgotten gods of eons past.
Speaker: So he just watches.
Speaker: He stands by the door, finger on tab, third level, spirit blade, in case... In case anyone comes in and tries to attack Sebastian Sleetgaard, the heir to the kingdom of Sleetgaard,
Speaker: the sparrow, the leader of the winged watch, and and and he has this finger on his tab and he stands by the door and his expression hasn't changed yet. He just watches.
Speaker: He hasn't spoken.
Speaker: And he just watches. And he returns to... Yeah, he returns to guard duty. the The thing that he was just doing. That he was doing. And he stands.
Speaker: And his expression loosens and... He just stands and stares.
Speaker: You're interrupted for a second. He says, Seth, I don't have all night. Get your friends.
Speaker: he nods and turns and walks out the door and
Speaker: breathes in the salt air and looks and yeah, he wasn't wrong. This wasn't what it was before.
Speaker: This is move. We've moved on. This isn't what it was. This is now on from what it was with Nick side, the window and, and ball at the window and the fire and the explosions and the the screams and the chaos and the war, the sounds of war and death and loss and suffering again and again, again, that did happen because there's a ship there and, and there's damage and he can smell smoke and he can see scorch marks.
Speaker: He looks around for um anyone, anyone recognises, anyone he he knows.
Speaker: Is there anyone? You literally walk straight into the back of Baal, who stepped out a moment ago, just to give you your space. He's there with the egg. You just walk into his back.
Speaker: He'll take him by the crux of the elbow. imagine he's cradling the egg still close to his chest. And I'll just arm very softly, just round, kind of...
Speaker: in the kind of the pit of the elbow and then just kind of turn him not forcefully yanking but just turn him and just turn away from the mic mark turn him and then into the room and just kind of lead him like a child would lead a lead a grown-up and just kind of lean into the pole and hope that Boll walks with him, not explaining anything, not saying anything, just kind leaning in, kind leaning him into the room, come back in. This is, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, for sure. Baal's going to be, you'll you hear him whispering in Draconic again, just dashakna basically whispering to this egg. And as you come and kind of take him by the arm, he'll just say, so we can wait until the morning. We're both shattered. oh Fine, we can do this now. That's that's not a problem.
Speaker: And he'll go with you. And you just take two steps, one, two, and then we'll step to the side and...
Speaker: ah he's Seth's going to step the side and then instantly look at you.
Speaker: And just watch your your expression to see, are you seeing what he's seeing? or are you seeing an empty gauging of your expression? He's not trusting his own vision now.
Speaker: Yeah. Uh, Barl's not going to drop the egg, but it's basically a drop egg moment. hit His mouth will drop open. He'll kind of see this as well.
Speaker: Kind of take you in. look at what's going on.
Speaker: Is that another fucking illusion? What?
Speaker: Is this you? So for them walk back out and find the next nearest person and crack of the elbow by the hand, by the shoulder, just same thing, kind of a almost infantilized, just kind of lead.
Speaker: Probably the alpha returning to deck at that point. Yeah, yeah, alpha perfect. And just again, kind of by that by the hand, like ah like a child. not not He's not returned to child in childish ways, but just it's...
Speaker: Everything else is broken. This seems safe. Hand to hand. holders Hold his hand and try again. Lean into it and pull him in. Gently into the room.
Speaker: And then turn and watch his, you know, super human emotive reaction. Alpha probably being a little bit more physical to display his emotions.
Speaker: But look, see...
Speaker: There's obviously thoughts of bemusements. He doesn't understand why we just dove into the water previously. He would turn back to you and you would probably share the same kind of blank look.
Speaker: um You're basically kind of looking like robotic version of yourself at this stage. And I'm just kind of go back and forth a couple of times and look to Baal and then look Sebastian.
Speaker: And I would generally point in the direction of Sebastian as well. not saying anything, but just with what Alpha could qualify as a quizzical look towards Seth.
Speaker: I'm acknowledging absolutely that I do see Sebastian stood there, very confused about everything that's just gone off, what caused it, what started it, but yeah, definitely seeing what you can see.
Speaker: Right. I get that you're all tired. um You don't seem to be understanding the urgency in which I'm trying to summon you, right? You've had a date, I get it, and Sebastian sort limps past Baal and Alpha and just, it's a really sharp whistle.
Speaker: Karel, come on, you're needed. Karel, and then just goes to the the ah ladder hatch downstairs where Brains and Emron are and says, fancy pants, Emron, come on, need you, let's go.
Speaker: Time is a-wasting in the cabin now. Climbs back up and gets back into the cabin. And then just like begins to turn lights on. ah Turn lights on? Begins to like reignite the lights in here just say, who the fuck turns these off?
Speaker: Come on!
Speaker: Alexa, turn on the candles. but i ah How do the rest of you respond? and Alpha goes, turn the candles on. Emron sort of hears this and he sort of staggers...
Speaker: scrambles up the stairs and and enters the the cabin and looks in Aledo's name.
Speaker: And he sort of holds his his the the symbol Aledo that he sort of has ah around his neck.
Speaker: it's it' just real it' Is this this some necromancy? Seth, have you brought him back?
Speaker: And you get nothing. Seth's just intensely staring at Sebastian.
Speaker: What is this? Reigns?
Speaker: Reigns will process that. So much of this doesn't make sense. This has been a day and Reigns is numb. He is just numb. He has gone from the the trials of the tournament. He's sent Alpha Plummet from the sky.
Speaker: He's been attacked. He's had his life saved, a coordinated attempt to save his life from some of the most influential heroes that are written in the lore.
Speaker: of Aerith and they've made a deliberate point to intercede him to save him from his grandfather who has proclaimed him a false prince. An assassin who he has seen die, who he vehemently despises, has come back to life and has disintegrated at his hand, likely to not be dead again.
Speaker: He punched a with a goat head, a dragon head and a lion head in the face and watched it explode. He's lost NC. This has all happened.
Speaker: He's tried to fix the ship. He's gone on to autopilot and he hears that and he just takes a breath and goes, Hmm. Turns, climbs the ladder, comes into the room, takes in all of the faces.
Speaker: does that a few times, and then in the silence, you'll just hear him walk over, his foot's go over, and you'll hear him drag out a chair from under a table, sit down with it, pull out from the bag of holding
Speaker: a flagon, and he's just then going to pull out the first bottle of alcohol that he's been able to be storing in bag of holding, and he's just going to pour it into the flagon.
Speaker: It's just going to neck it in one go. Nope. And it done it. It's going to fill it up again. Take a sip.
Speaker: Take a deep breath and go. Okay.
Speaker: Take a deep breath and look around the room as if to go. Hit me with it. What's coming next? this point, Sparrowhawk's left the ah cabin again. You're all taking far too long for an urgent call and has just strided with pace as best he can straight to Nyx, who's on the far edge of this ship.
Speaker: Head in his hands and ah sobbing.
Speaker: broken shell ah you've all seen someone in your life just have lost it completely and as sebastian walks towards nix that's exactly what he sees sebastian says nothing puts a arm in your armpit a hand in your armpit and lifts you with what strength he has and sort of pulls you into sort of making, accounting for your horns, but sort of pulls your head into his chest and sort of like limps with you.
Speaker: you resist it, let me know. But he's like,
Speaker: yeah Cuddling is not the word I want use. know exactly what you mean. He's letting you rest his head into his core yeah while he helps you back towards the group. Yeah. And Nyx isn't putting up a fight because Nyx is not Nyx at the moment. So it's that first source, I guess, of comfort, but it's not it.
Speaker: He's lost, so this is the first kind of direction, and so he will follow it. Right. Now that you're all fucking gathered, I understand it's been a fucking time, right? Yes, you jeweled your heart out, fled a city, been busy, whatever, but... And then just points at this wall, this wall with all of these words that you have... You have... ah you You read last...
Speaker: um was going to say episode, but yes, in the last episode. The only thing that's been added in this time is the words, the names on the list and just, that just has legs going everywhere. Like that is the center of this. And, and, and he studies this for a second and begins to just pat down his chest and looks around the room
Speaker: Where the fuck did put it? Has anyone seen like a tiny stone? Like a really small stone anywhere? like The sending stone? ah Yeah.
Speaker: Didn't know you knew that. Have you got it? Have you stole it? Why have you got it?
Speaker: Seth didn't I left with you didn't someone better give my fucking stone Seth just points with a single finger towards with a window where the chalk line still goes ah that's where he would have dropped it or it would have fallen to the ground around there and he's assuming it's over there somewhere so he's going to point over that direction it Why you all just make the the very injured prince hobble around on the floor looking for a fucking stone. yeah Love this.
Speaker: You're all doing great. you You were taken into the water. What? You... There was this... Everyone's pointing at the chalk line.
Speaker: And was... You... We came in and and you were gone. ah Which does not look... and No, no, no. You were gone and Baal jumped into the water after you. Everyone, as if it's never one your fucking dreams. like oh No, no, this happened.
Speaker: Everyone will now have gone over and sort of try to pick up the sending stone. You fell in and I called the people on this and said that you were gone. and So you've you've got there out you've got the stone?
Speaker: It's here, yeah. I'll have that back. Thank you very much. I didn't fall in. Look, dry as a fucking bone as he grabs his clothes. during During this time, um after Seth's pointed, he's going to be... Are there any spare bits of chalk around? or is Yeah, there's a couple of like smaller bits that are broken off.
Speaker: Yeah, Seth would have grabbed... In the hobbling over to get the ascending stone with Sebastian, he would have picked up a piece of chalk and then walked back over towards what I imagine is the gobsmacked group and then just kind positioned himself, just kind of squat down on the floor, position himself, sat on the floor next to Nick's
Speaker: And would start writing. Oh, man. well You sat next to someone who is ugly crying. and no and Not ugly crying anymore, but still... um When you've been crying for a long time, postla it catches in your throat. and So you can't do anything. You've got a ah deep sniff that I don't want to do on the mic.
Speaker: And it's a, that kind of ah thing, but he's trying really hard to keep it quiet. And he's not looking at everyone. He's looking down at the floor. He sat on the floor, kind of head in between his knees.
Speaker: And, um, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: Right. Sorry. Now the fucking class is in session. Seth, what? What? and Seth, you shake his head. Can't ever speak up.
Speaker: We all know this... I'll go. I'll go. I've got something to add to this. As long as we can do it at a pace that I'm trying to get you all to speak at, right? Okay.
Speaker: Okay. um Not getting my urgency in the slightest. I feel you, Sebastian. I feel the urgency. I just want to just understand where we're at.
Speaker: This morning. Yes. The board. the boy Yeah. i'm I'm coming to the board. Don't you worry? Because, um, let, let me just go through some of the things. There was a big fight up top. Something happened.
Speaker: My grandfather turned up. I was accused of being a false prince, an assassin that I thought was dead died. I was rescued by some of the heroes, some of the heroes from the first black who I assume know you and are in league with, with you and all of this.
Speaker: Uh, but There's a lot happened ah for for all of us. I don't think you'll the gravitas of that situation has fully set in yet. But I just want to just put out there right now that I also know that you've done an awful lot for us. And the part of the reason we won that tournament is because of the help that you clearly orchestrated, which i'm I'm mighty grateful for. It seems I owe an awful lot to you. And the point and the point is what... yeah the point is you're you're looking to us like we can give you something what you want from us emron's gonna like but slam his hand on the table and like can we all fucking acknowledge that sebastian sleep god was not in this room five fucking minutes ago
Speaker: I literally went in the water for you. You had clearly gone out that window, Baal will say, kind of pointing. Nowhere to be fucking found. Baal's kind of, you can see blood kind of dripping from his mouth as he's saying this.
Speaker: You was apologising for something. And then he tried to fucking drown himself. What the fuck is going on? Look, I don't know what the fuck you...
Speaker: like delirium where you are i know it's been intense for you i know you've been like pulled from pillar to post you want to follow i know you're really sebastian i've a fuck off emron i've really got fucking time for this you can either just go ah you can fucking listen you Look, Nix fell from the sky and and and died, and it's now sat here fine and appears to have gone to the wall. i Look, whatever has happened today has happened.
Speaker: Can Sebastian give me something concrete here? Give me something. literally trying to. You took two and a half minutes to ask me to get to the point that I'm starting. but Are we done?
Speaker: ah Yes, we're all done. Give us a point. one
Speaker: This, and he turns and points at the board where he's been writing, is everything I know. This is everything I think all of you know.
Speaker: We need to start filling in some gaps, and I'm really hoping that those 13 names, Alpha, fit here. Hit me. Let's do it. Now.
Speaker: I need them. I need them. Yes! Yes! The payoff is here! Come on, Callum! Let's go! I need you to be unmuted. I need to hear you. It helps if I unmute Alpha. It reaches up and clicks the button to turn off his mute button. Alpha's volume knob must got water in it. Sorry. me Don't you go talking about my knob.
Speaker: um
Speaker: It's the chalk around. He can, i like, it's in his hand. kind of Yeah, i will I will, basically, I will take the chalk from him. I will go straight to the blackboard, and I will start writing the names on ah that I read, which would have Astrid Stormwarden, Thorn Blackwood, Malak the Temporal Enforcer, Aveline Raider of the Fates, Hyrule Thunderscale, Cogsley the Knowledgeable, Esmin Blackheart, Erakast the Lunatic that had got a line through it,
Speaker: Delmontrese, Grand Chronomancer Johan Veritas, Edna Fizzlebang IV, and I say for the very last name to go on there, Old Gal.
Speaker: During that process, while he's scribbling those names on, Seth would have taken his a little bit chalk and on the ground, the ah deck between where Nix and Seth sit, kind of cross-legged, both facing the same way like kids in school assembly, he'd just write the word sorry and then put a question mark next to it and then hand the chalk.
Speaker: ah this is If anyone looked over, he would rub it out. um So his hand's kind of ready to like hide it. and then he but So but where did you write that? Sorry. Just literally like on the next board, just in front of Nix and Seth on the floor, very close to his legs. If anyone looked around, he would shift his weight and his leg would cover the word um or with a hand he'd hide it.
Speaker: He just wants Nix to see this. Nips make a... Don't do that to me.
Speaker: Perception check, please. Are you passing notes for a withering lesson? ah
Speaker: Let's go. Through my tears. How about a cricket? 24 in total. you see it i see I see through space and time. It's magnified because of the tears. It's acting as refractive index.
Speaker: ah do Can I um and i do that? He's left a joke. He's left a joke next. i've left left I also regret to inform you as well that you haven't retained 13 names there, Alpha.
Speaker: Do a recount. You son of a bitch. Oh my lord. As Alpha is recounting the 13 names, Nix will just underneath the sorry question mark, will just draw... He'll look at you.
Speaker: yeah Puffy eyes. Awful. um And then look down. underneath sorry, he'll draw ah spider. Small spider.
Speaker: Four legs each side. Very rudimentary shit. Equals me.
Speaker: Then he'll put the chalk down.
Speaker: I definitely only wrote down 12 names. Yeah, I wrote down 12 as well. I missed them.
Speaker: Did anyone else have 12 in their notes? I didn't write the notes, baby. wasn't there. I didn't write them down. read 13. Not for me to I've written down as well. Interesting. Listen back to me. 13. So, I've got 13.
Speaker: so i've got thirteen
Speaker: ah He had the note.
Speaker: You're one who stole the note. He read it though, but he gave it back. I left it, remember? I left it. Yeah, but yeah as in terms of like characters who would know, it's only you and Alpha. even if Even if I've written down 13, I wasn't there. There's no point me writing them down.
Speaker: It's Alpha, right? Oh, no. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Sorry. I've got 12 because I put Grand Chronomancer, Jan Veritas on two separate lines because I run out space. Yeah. So I've got 12 names as well. I'm not convinced. Astrosome, Wooden, Thorn, Blackwood, Malachi, Aveline, Pyro, something like kag Cogsley, Iracine. They've got DT. know what that means. so Aaron has...
Speaker: don't Let us know if you're going to scroll through the episodes. Yeah, Astrid, yeah after what i've got Thrawn, Malachi, Aveline.
Speaker: Is it possible that, as I have read this, I have mistaken one person for two?
Speaker: E.g., is the Grand Chronomancer a title and Johan Veritas separate name? No. That was more as a question to the group as I only have 12 now. There was someone between Malachi the Temporal Enforcer and Aveline Reader of Fates.
Speaker: It's possible have titles nobody in missed the short name that exists between those. Oh, I'm so happy this is happening. Fuck. Was it someone called And? Maybe.
Speaker: Fuck. I need to listen. When's this episode out? We need to listen back. Not for a while yet. Not until the new year. ah Ian, load up the old file. Quick, quick. Just double check. No, I love this.
Speaker: so grill Call daddy out. You put 12 names on the board and as you walk away from the board Sparrowhawk just looks at you expectingly.
Speaker: then. um Right, we'll start there. Where do they fit on this? Who do you know? Hang on a minute.
Speaker: The chrono master hit me when I did that spell. And he turns to Nick's when I did that spell on, on that orb, the old girl gave you, I went in and there was a, there was someone who spoke to me called the, the grand chrono master.
Speaker: called Veritas. He spoke to me and then i was trying to ask him questions. He said, don't do this again and kicked me out when I was trying to work out the origins of your orb that old girl gave you. I'm pretty sure I was in line with old girl.
Speaker: well well some the The Grand Cronomaster was something to do with the orb and old girl and the orb that Nix has that old girl gave him.
Speaker: Okay, so he's involved. We've established that. um Any others? Old girl we we know. Yep. Well, you know a bit about him.
Speaker: Yeah, clearly. Yeah.
Speaker: ah Seth would go up to the board, to the wall that he's been scribbling over, and then tentatively draw a line from the 13 names straight to the 13 kingdoms, ah namely the names to the number 13, and then kind of put a question mark. Well, the 12, whatever. twelve the The names should be 13. I know they're missing one. Fuck you.
Speaker: and And kind of... allude to a connection there and just put a question mark next to that and then scurry back to his seat. So, okay.
Speaker: I know Eric has a lunatic. Some of my friends killed him. He's gone. i imagine that's why the strikethrough is. Fizzlebang and Damontrace, I don't understand their... Who the fuck's Prego?
Speaker: Like, what's he about? He's had more interaction than you than anyone we know.
Speaker: We don't understand Prager either. Okay. What is he? He's some kind of... maybe infernal, fiendish, devil, whatever.
Speaker: Seth will then also stand up and pull up his sleeves and show the the markings and tattoo. Pull them up as high as he can. He's got thin, sinewy little arms, pale, pasty little boy.
Speaker: And so he can roll them up like shirt sleeves quite high, like almost up to the shoulder, which I imagine is almost the extent of the tattoo that he has now imprinted on both arms.
Speaker: And we'll just kind of stand there, open palm out, kind of like showing like he's done this. Biles going to instinctively roll up a sleeve as well, but stop.
Speaker: Partway through.
Speaker: As he looks down ah yourself, Seth. Some sort of devil you made a deal with. Fabulous. Fantastic. Okay. That much I understood. I don't understand.
Speaker: Yes. Raines, are we on the right topic this time? I believe so. Yep.
Speaker: Because we're getting to you in a minute. if you follow the arrows, you're up next. Some of these names are renowned for study of the arcane or being steeped in some form of arcane lore.
Speaker: Well, from what I know of Prego, him, Erakas... Is Prego one of the 13? Was he on the list, Alpha?
Speaker: I am sorry, I can't recall exactly. Those are the 12 names that I can remember. Hmm. Well, we keep moving down the list. I should imagine the Chrono Manter fella is.
Speaker: but I think it's implied in the title. Yeah, probably good at magic. The Fizzle Bangs are, I mean, that name's known for Outerror for it. So there's... that just I mean, Delmontre says many things, but he's he's he's also an innovator. and Not a magician um and any in any capacity.
Speaker: We've never seen it, so if he is it is, it's hidden. It's not out of the possibility with what he's managed to achieve, though.
Speaker: Hmm.
Speaker: Don't two of those names link to time or whatever, or three of them even? Which ones? Well, the the the Malachi one. You've got the Veritas.
Speaker: They're both temporal and that's time and chrono, that's time in it. And then you've got Aveline, Reader of the Fates. That's destiny or time, perhaps.
Speaker: That's three. You could link that way. there's a theme there.
Speaker: Then you've got Cogsley, the knowledgeable. could just be someone smart. Yeah, it could be.
Speaker: Interesting. Is there a link to the arcane arts in the sense that Erakas was known for necromancy? We've got Fizzlebangs on there who were known for revocation. We've got ah potentially a diviner on there.
Speaker: But some of these people seem... mean... From what I've seen, I know Prego's not on that list, but that guy beguiled and bewildered, but there's ah there's a strong link here to very specific arcane arts with some of these people.
Speaker: Old Girl, he could see the future, couldn't he? Old Girl was a designer. He could see the future. That's four of them.
Speaker: It's possible. It's possible the 13, those 13 names, perhaps they know what's coming. yeah Could be, could be. um All right. What fuck's going on with Shadow Men, mate?
Speaker: Why are they all trying to kill you? Oh, guess what? They've denounced you. Well, that's good. um Not for you.
Speaker: there No, I was hoping you could tell me because... I learned something. I was there. I was there. Shoulder to shoulder with your grandfather in the royal box.
Speaker: An heir has been born.
Speaker: And enter the kingdom of Shadowmend.
Speaker: They're erasing you from history. You have a sibling. They're claiming that sibling is the firstborn.
Speaker: You're the false prince that has a decent contract against your name. So um people are coming for you.
Speaker: Congrats on your brother or sister. um couldn't quite figure out which, but they're removing you from the lineage entirely, I think.
Speaker: He'll glance dumbfounded, completely struck. He'll look Emron.
Speaker: Completely lost at this point.
Speaker: It's all right, Reigns. You know who you are. Doesn't matter what they say.
Speaker: you know what's in you.
Speaker: What I don't understand
Speaker: what presumably your dad and presumably my dad want with and points at Alpha.
Speaker: Well, Alpha was a weapon. what I was always designed to be. But then there's the memory room.
Speaker: We've never heard a Nakavolo until you showed up. I know my dad's been gone a while, but fuck. Like...
Speaker: I've tried my best to look into any of this, but he's... Nothing.
Speaker: But leaders of kingdoms want you, mate. More than that, demons want him.
Speaker: And don't know what i saw. that's Then these creatures from the sky, did they want you? and Well, Alpha, I got a good look at couple of these while we were fleeing, their architecture is
Speaker: it's similar. Frighteningly so. Carbon copy, and Well, that's impossible because we based, uh, yeah, it is, but it's, it's, it's, it's a thing.
Speaker: It's, it's impossible, but it's real. um And it's,
Speaker: something he'll turn to Sebastian at this and go, when ah when we put the memory rule in in alpha years of my life spent studying artificery alpha had from the, the get go.
Speaker: It's my theory that, should whatever has formed Alpha, your father, my father, my father's at the very top of the list, by the way, people I wouldn't want to be able to do this, could form Nakavolo in their own image.
Speaker: It's a working theory. It might explain why ah had hoped in taking Alpha away from Shatterman that the knowledge of this would leave with him.
Speaker: It's entirely possible that it didn't, and that someone in Shadow Men has figured out just potentially what Alpha is capable of and what Alpha's very construction could mean.
Speaker: Sebastian, just while you're talking, rubs Alpha's name off its current position, moves to the center of the board and redraws the arrows so that
Speaker: King Leopold's lead guard
Speaker: the House of Haddo, demons in gold, and silver constructs from the sky all point back to Alpha.
Speaker: Sebastian, there's a bigger thing at play here. Oh, great. Yep, let's get bigger than what I already don't quite understand. Your father has been in ah possession of Delmon Trace and the Obchriska.
Speaker: No, he isn't. The Obchriska don't have him. Where is he? that's We don't know, but the Obchriska don't have him. Does your sister still reign in Sleetgard? Yeah. but but When we were there, the Obchriska had taken over.
Speaker: Well, they sort of do it both. I don't know. I've had to give up caring about that so much. She's your she's the strongest person I know. She knows what she's doing. But her allies, like her her closest kin, that they were here fighting a Kriskra.
Speaker: but but Then obviously she thinks this is a bigger problem.
Speaker: the someone else So she will be she will be she will have a hand in why Drago and who's a gnome by the way that that that guy was a dragonborn right that's pretty of all my worries that's that's like rock bottom um I'm sure it's just like kink thing I heard there's another name to go on the board yeah who got what was the name of that dwarf he's looking at the group the dwarf that came on the boat what was his name
Speaker: do you mean Bovrin Him. He was in the dream with me and Drago and Baal and the human. Who Drago says he knows who the human is. All right.
Speaker: And that dream had us on a platform in the sky.
Speaker: Like that one that's out there right now. So you're saying that the other person in your dream is is literally on the boat right now? Or wherever he fucking is, yeah. ah Well, he's either on this boat or the other boat. Why don't we go and fucking get him? Because I don't know. we don't know what it means yet.
Speaker: And then Drago said he thought he knew who the human was. But he wouldn't tell me who. I still don't think the stream's worth its spit, but the rest of the Wingwatch are kind of interested.
Speaker: I just thought it was useful to have another name on there, because we now know four of the five people. Drago might know all of them by now. He writes Bovrin in a random tiny circle in the board.
Speaker: Next to the Drago M1 Dreamcircle. Yes, yes. Right. So that just takes us to what the fuck's going on with the Kriscor and the dragons.
Speaker: We'll do Kriscor after the eggs. Yeah, on that score, Sebastian, you had a play. you You said you were gathering something when we first got here. I'm filtering what you know. then let's not lose sight of that.
Speaker: ah but before you You were working towards something. It must still be for reason. You've you've helped us so immeasurably in that and that tournament. lot of A lot of ends have been held up in this bargain.
Speaker: Hit us with the original thing that you needed us because it might still be super important. I'm not the one with the information. It's coming out of the meeting. It's all lock and key under ghost wing.
Speaker: and Where is Gelsway? wow That I don't know. Should that meeting be brought forward? Can you can we not contact the way we've watched? That's what I think it' going to have to happen. don't think we can wait around any longer. I was going to say, waiting a month seems like sitting on our arses.
Speaker: It takes time for people to get here. We're a big organisation, but if they're now fighting other versions of this and points sort of upwards towards the sky, we need to... Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, I think the same.
Speaker: Either that or we need to find Carsten. And find the verse.
Speaker: Yeah. And that's the last part where he just drags to the only thing he hasn't addressed yet. And it's the prophecy of the 13th kingdom and the lost verse that we haven't heard.
Speaker: It was Karstan. Karstan was Dragonborn Dribbo that we transported here.
Speaker: it was all illusion. And place of a Dragonborn, it was a bard. Some of you might have heard of him. He was one of the heroes that defeated the Blight.
Speaker: His name's Karstan. And he... was put under our protection because he has the 13th first and we helped deliver them or him to the winged watch so that he could give the 13th first first to the ring watch and this big old meeting at the end of the month.
Speaker: I read his book. ah So did alpha. It's part of the reason that inspired me to be here. I, uh, wanted to be like Helena. I wanted to do he's um yeah ah Yeah. And he was there. He's he's still with Drago now. and the one He's still there. He's still fighting with him.
Speaker: And I apologize for the deception. When your left you left Snake I made you believe he was just a prisoner that needed transporting and I was going after the Lost Verse or I was going after something really important. Really, you were transporting the important thing.
Speaker: And my watch, my guard had been compromised.
Speaker: But now I'm learning perhaps you, you six are also somewhat compromised and is just going gesture down to set tattoos and then just give a very quick glance to Nick's and then back to the wider group.
Speaker: What do you mean?
Speaker: Why does this fucking Prego guy know every step you're doing? Because he's a fucking demon.
Speaker: But why does he have eyes on you? And how? And everyone's just looking at Barla and Seth.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: It's really more complicated than that as well. like ah I do not like that guy, but he's a big part of that reason we escaped that arena. wonder But, but, play but, but,
Speaker: we When we went down underneath the oasis, we left Seth and Barl upstairs with Prigo, and ever since, Prigo's been dogging our steps. So what the fuck happened?
Speaker: He told us you made a bargain for something, both of you. ah Yes, but I also, the very first fucking time I saw him was when you came down those steps, first of all.
Speaker: He was with you, following you, until he disappeared and fucked off, and then he appeared again at the Abkriska camp, if you remember rightly. This isn't just pinned on myself and Seth. He was there before Seth even arrived.
Speaker: He was with you, following you. He's an agent of chaos. he's He's literally done nothing but throw riddles at us since the moment we met him. he's He's both hindered us, he's put a curse on Alpha that nearly killed him, but yet Alpha...
Speaker: doesn't get out of that arena today without Prego's help. I think any attempt to try and even fathom what Prego's intentions are and who he is is is is, is pointless. And I think that's precisely the way he wants it. He's got a big part to play in this.
Speaker: And it may be a part that is both ah either benign or malign. We just don't know yet. Prego is the wild card on there. He is the joker in the pack. we we We don't know, but he is here and he is, he's, he's going to be a thing.
Speaker: I agree with you, Reigns, but I just think it's a bit much passing the blame onto a single person when everyone here seems to be involved with this person in some way.
Speaker: I don't think... No one's... I don't want to speak for him, Ram, but it's it's not it's not a blame thing. It's just trying to establish... why he said it's clearly he had something to do with Marauder as well. There was, there was something that Marauder knew about him that, that, that she didn't tell us, but for, for, and I'm not, not John knocking Marauder. She would have had her reasons. I don't doubt that, but,
Speaker: Prego is is is it webbed and weaved into this in a way that I don't think we can fathom in different ways for all of us. and And you made a bargain with him. So we don't know how that affects you. Maybe you can see through and he looks down at Seth's tattoos.
Speaker: Maybe you can see through Seth's eyes and he's sat down somewhere laughing at us because you can hear us what we're saying.
Speaker: And at that, Seth's going to hold up his hands, like making two okay signs, and then hold them up over his eyes to look like glasses through it. and you start
Speaker: Seth's also lost his fucking mind. And then Sebastian is just going to draw a line from where the last conversation you had back to the start, which was the circle with your six names in.
Speaker: And do you see how we arrived back where we started back at U6?
Speaker: You are a piece in this puzzle. And I also don't understand that. Neither do did that da whole did that whole board.
Speaker: The last 15 minutes. And we're right back to U6.
Speaker: What's your plan, Sebastian? You're obviously ah ah key part of this. ah I hope you're a key part of this. Have you got a plan? You called us all here. scribbled on the wall.
Speaker: Nick starts to stand up. Surely you've got a plan to get us out of this or some golden information to help us on our way so that we can solve whatever problem this is. You're important to this, right?
Speaker: There's a part you play, right? You stand in the place of two people that I love. There's got be a reason. And it's not just these pretty pictures on the wall. There's got to be a plan, right?
Speaker: I stand in place of two people you love. What do you mean? With a plan to get us out of here, to help, to fix this, to save the world. I don't know.
Speaker: But there's got to be a reason why you stood here. ah don't understand.
Speaker: Get it. Choice is made. Nix will storm out.
Speaker: What is going on with him? He died. don't know. He died today. He did die earlier today, Emran. Give him some... For the second time. Can I... Reigns will point at the board and we'll go there are a lot of pieces on here that we don't fully understand. However, the agents from Shadow Men, well, I hate to say it and I'm sorry for this, but as long as I'm with you, those fuckers are going to reappear.
Speaker: So we'll get to find out about that in due course. And when they do come, we have to be ready and we have to find out it. This is the problem, Reigns, is that... The agents of Shadowmend aren't coming for you. They're coming for Alpha.
Speaker: Everyone else in Aerith who fancies that contract on your head is coming for you. Okay. Well, same premise then. We'll kill every fucker who tries to come for me. And when they come for Alpha, we'll deal with that.
Speaker: We should also perhaps not have you walking around proclaiming yourself Prince of Shadowmend wearing your Shadowmend armor. Maybe change the look of your armor reins because fucking stands out like a sawthorn.
Speaker: Okay, fine, it goes against everything that I stand for and everything that I believe, but fuck it, that's what it takes, fine. The dreams, well, you it gets you're probably going to have more of those, so we look for that.
Speaker: We have one obvious emerald that materialized in the last few days, and Reigns will just come and take the chalk and we'll circle it around alpha and memory rune. That's the one thing we can do in the next few days. We have an in with someone who can help you, Alpha, understand this.
Speaker: That's the only inline we have into one of these circles that could shed light. And at that... Sorry, go, go, go. What Alpha's going to do, if Reigns has circled that a couple of times, Alpha's going to take the chalk from Reigns and just in the same circle right below it...
Speaker: um
Speaker: the second memory room with a question mark next to it.
Speaker: And, uh, Seth, uh, that was the chalk drawings happening. We'll kind of stir for a minute and, finally push himself up one arm, one leg, and then he'd kind of kneel, half kneel, stand and reach up and undo the clasp of his jacket, of his kind of traveling cloak, half black, half white, and then that thump to the ground.
Speaker: And then he'd kind of just fall shoulder down and with his arms would just pull the, pull it all together and there on the floor just curl up and start to sleep.
Speaker: What a lovely image. Sebastian just points at the wall. Nods.
Speaker: Tug on these strings.
Speaker: With the time we have here until we can organise a quicker meeting, somewhere exploring one of those is going to reveal the puzzle. If it's this memory room, great.
Speaker: I mean, that Karstan bloke that Nick's mentioned it might be a good one as well, if we can track him down. Leaf Karstan to me. Okay. We'll get that burst quicker then. You know that halberd you took away with you?
Speaker: Did you ever get to the bottom of it? Not yet. Because was one of the golden demons things. As far as we can tell so far, it's just solid gold. But.
Speaker: mean We've got someone coming to town a bit more specialized in what lies beneath things. Look, I can tell you're tired.
Speaker: But pull up one of these strings and the whole fucking thing is going to come loose. I know it. I feel it.
Speaker: And the memory room is the most immediate one. That's the one where we have a lead in the city. Whatever you think, I trust your judgment most of the time. but So that chicken wizard is available.
Speaker: Sebastian's just going to sort of head towards the door. And as we sort of zoom out of the cabin,
Speaker: and We're alone we not alone on deck. Nyx is on deck. Members the Winged Watch are round, but not no one nearby. Nyx, as you're just breathing air for a second, can you just make a perception check?
Speaker: As you're just looking at this scene in the bay and all these other ships.
Speaker: I can indeed.
Speaker: It's a 12.
Speaker: In all of this, in all of this chaos, in all of this loss,
Speaker: you look for a any sign of familiarity.
Speaker: You look towards the armada, the Vossen armada, the warship that has the Esmeralda tethered to it,
Speaker: It's all but sunk the Esmeralda. No, can I react? oh ah split second. Go. Thank you so much. So on seeing that, and Nix came out of that room angry because he saved Sebastian.
Speaker: And he hates that he saved Sebastian. He hates himself. And the anger was just building and building when this circle of conversation had no... easy conclusion to what's going on in the world there was no easy answer and Sebastian didn't seem to hold any answers so Nick's got worked up spat his venom venom and then kicked the door and walked out and as he walks and he's looking out for that one piece of hope and he sees the sunken ship of the Esmeralda Nick's just lets out um
Speaker: angry scream as guttle deep from within and this power takes hold of him and his horns just start to hum with that same power that he had whenever he'd have visions from the spider who swims and he goes to the stern of the ship and this purple lightning deep in his eyes they kind of flash and as they flash his arms go out
Speaker: and he just at will in the distance. as many times as he can before he gets absolutely knackered. He's going to be crumpled down just because he's he's out of it.
Speaker: It's like you're running a marathon and you hit that wall and you try and push further, but your body gives up on you. He's doing this until his body gives up on him. And he hasn't cast this spell since he first died.
Speaker: And he's just going to let loose Eldritch Blast time time and time the... again here in the the loud distance he's throwing it as far as possible hearing in the sound the crack and just constantly pushing it and just trying to get rid of this anger and frustration that's built up on him it's interesting as well you're casting it these blasts are bigger like the masses of them are bigger they are brighter they are more dense with energy
Speaker: Sometimes you feel stronger, you'll cast a couple, get a bit tired, and then you hit a second wind, a third wind, a fourth wind. It's going for a few minutes, and it's just constant turret that you are unleashing, until eventually just keel over, exhausted.
Speaker: And as that last blast flies out into the evening sky, like a firework, like a horrible firework and bursts.
Speaker: The last clattering of steel on stone
Speaker: ends in the city.
Speaker: And that is where we're going to end this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tape of Tom Bellum Draconis. ah I'm knackered. Well, I am knackered. I'm fessed.
Speaker: Tired me out. I am shattered. Shattered. Fuck me. Shitted. I don't know how to end this.
Speaker: had I don't know to bring this round other than going props to Danny. ah That was ah magically woven.
Speaker: So, well done.
Speaker: uh oh man if you wanted to keep up to date with us you can check our x page we do throw up images there that's quite helpful especially during some epi episodes uh as this one when we're referring to things written down visually we have a photo of that a screenshot of what the characters see in world so take a peek it will help flesh out the world in your minds ah If you wanted to flesh us out, you can go one step further and hit us up individually.
Speaker: i'm at I rolled one. Will is that? FlesherbipNPCPC. Darren's up. DarrenPage06.
Speaker: Mark is up. Hastily rolled DM. Darren's up. DarrenPage06. Mark is up. but mark is out He's still DM still. Callum's at the D20 Flesher.
Speaker: Who bears that? ah When you listen back, listeners, can you tell us the 13th? Oh, yeah! That's going to eat him alive. That is already eating me alive.
Speaker: Natural 20 will. And our VIP of the D&D, Dungeon Master Danny, can be found at Total Platty Thrills. Until next week, guys. Farewell!
