WEBVTT 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:04.599 Well, hello there. Haven't seen you around these 00:00:04.599 --> 00:00:07.679 parts before. Might I tell you a little bit about 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:10.539 Reckless Nerd Out Nights? Every other week at 00:00:10.539 --> 00:00:13.259 Reckless Brewing Company's Pine House. It's a 00:00:13.259 --> 00:00:19.550 hippity -hopping time. Seriously, guys. It's 00:00:19.550 --> 00:00:21.670 awesome. Every other week we're hosting a game 00:00:21.670 --> 00:00:24.070 night at 6 o 'clock p .m. to 9 o 'clock p .m. 00:00:24.530 --> 00:00:27.489 Monday nights. It's super, super cool. I'm going 00:00:27.489 --> 00:00:29.789 to get in some magic this week. I'm so excited. 00:00:29.789 --> 00:00:31.170 I did a Commander game the other day. It was 00:00:31.170 --> 00:00:33.390 so cool. And then I'll be running some one -shots 00:00:33.390 --> 00:00:34.909 here and there. We're also getting some local 00:00:34.909 --> 00:00:37.049 DMs together to run one -shots of their own. 00:00:37.750 --> 00:00:41.070 Seriously talented, seriously cool people. Please 00:00:41.070 --> 00:00:42.729 come by. Please check them out. We're putting 00:00:42.729 --> 00:00:46.009 tickets up on Eventbrite. Just search for Eventbrite, 00:00:46.070 --> 00:00:48.210 Reckless Brewing, Nerd Out Night. You should 00:00:48.210 --> 00:00:50.009 find us, grab some tickets. The second they come 00:00:50.009 --> 00:00:51.549 up, you want to get them fast because they are 00:00:51.549 --> 00:00:54.509 selling out so quick. People are excited because 00:00:54.509 --> 00:00:57.509 it's awesome. So please, please, come on by. 00:00:57.929 --> 00:01:03.490 Yeah, come on by Reckless Brewing, where we make 00:01:03.490 --> 00:01:52.819 beer. Before they could chew there. ...somehow 00:01:52.819 --> 00:01:55.799 uninformed there was a misunderstanding involving 00:01:55.799 --> 00:01:58.780 Atash's involvement in the restructuring of Sansatyan's 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:01.500 government. His intentions in organizing a raid 00:02:01.500 --> 00:02:04.120 against the former Tressner and the CEO of Marfa 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:06.819 Ironworks were called into question, and public 00:02:06.819 --> 00:02:10.020 opinions were hot. Now I'm here to inform you 00:02:10.020 --> 00:02:12.520 that Atash has apologized publicly for this misunderstanding 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:14.819 and will be pulling a majority of his forces 00:02:14.819 --> 00:02:18.699 out of Sansatyan as a show of good faith. Local 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:38.509 leaders such as Paloma Cruz... The party angel 00:02:38.509 --> 00:02:42.050 is one of their own. Atash insists that his actions 00:02:42.050 --> 00:02:44.669 were motivated entirely by a pursuit of greater 00:02:44.669 --> 00:02:47.490 justice and peace. He wishes more than anything 00:02:47.490 --> 00:02:50.150 to avoid such misunderstandings in the future 00:02:50.150 --> 00:02:53.310 and expresses no small gratitude to those that 00:02:53.310 --> 00:02:58.469 pointed out his mistake. Did we just win or was 00:02:58.469 --> 00:03:03.650 it a sham election? Because that feels really 00:03:03.650 --> 00:03:07.849 easy. I think we... I don't trust him. You want 00:03:07.849 --> 00:03:10.370 straight answers or do you want to just read 00:03:10.370 --> 00:03:12.789 it yourselves? I don't think we won. I think 00:03:12.789 --> 00:03:16.150 he's shifting tactics. Well... Before we talk 00:03:16.150 --> 00:03:18.509 about political unrest, I have something more 00:03:18.509 --> 00:03:21.229 important to talk about. Okay. All right. Now, 00:03:21.270 --> 00:03:22.449 see if you can follow my train of thought here. 00:03:22.770 --> 00:03:25.710 Mm -hmm. Choo -choo. We've talked about no takesies 00:03:25.710 --> 00:03:27.990 -backsies. There are some others I'm sure you've 00:03:27.990 --> 00:03:30.430 heard of. You smelt it, you dealt it. I hate 00:03:30.430 --> 00:03:32.210 this train of thought already. First come, first 00:03:32.210 --> 00:03:34.189 served. Mm -hmm. All right. Yep. You snooze, 00:03:34.189 --> 00:03:36.629 you lose. Okay. Yep. Two wrongs don't make a 00:03:36.629 --> 00:03:39.069 right. Is there an end to this? Possession is 00:03:39.069 --> 00:03:41.689 nine -tenths of the law. Are you reading these? 00:03:41.710 --> 00:03:44.349 Okay. You lost me on that one. Okay. Finders. 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:48.740 Keepers. Oh. What do you mean, Steven? What do 00:03:48.740 --> 00:03:49.960 you want? Do tell. What do you want? So while 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:53.939 we were setting up for recording, I found on 00:03:53.939 --> 00:03:59.020 the floor, forgotten, a button. Oh. A physical 00:03:59.020 --> 00:04:01.800 button, the very same that we use in our game. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:06.139 And I declared finders keepers. So that's a button 00:04:06.139 --> 00:04:08.460 I gave you that you dropped on the floor? I don't 00:04:08.460 --> 00:04:10.099 know where the button came from. Well, yeah. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:11.800 How many buttons in your jar right now? I have 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:14.389 zero. Did you have a button? Last time. No, I 00:04:14.389 --> 00:04:16.509 used my last button last time. So it's not a 00:04:16.509 --> 00:04:21.550 button. No. It is important to note how far this 00:04:21.550 --> 00:04:25.550 button was from David's position. Yes. This button 00:04:25.550 --> 00:04:29.490 was under the heater. On the opposite side of 00:04:29.490 --> 00:04:30.250 the room is David. On the opposite side of the 00:04:30.250 --> 00:04:33.649 room. The spot where Steven and I stand. Keep 00:04:33.649 --> 00:04:35.750 our buttons. This button very well could have 00:04:35.750 --> 00:04:38.250 been mine at one point. It could have been Jeremy's 00:04:38.250 --> 00:04:40.769 at one point. I dare say, David, it could have 00:04:40.769 --> 00:04:44.980 been yours. But I found it. And I want to keep 00:04:44.980 --> 00:04:48.980 it. So you're saying if I find a button, I can 00:04:48.980 --> 00:04:50.860 keep it and use it like I have the one button 00:04:50.860 --> 00:04:54.680 armed and ready, cocked in my DM pistol, aimed 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:57.639 at old Johnny Franklin boy. You're saying if 00:04:57.639 --> 00:04:59.160 I found a button, I could have a second one? 00:04:59.379 --> 00:05:02.319 A second button? Well, no. I think that if you 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:04.779 find a button, it goes back in your button container. 00:05:05.060 --> 00:05:07.019 Oh, no. Oh, my gosh. All the buttons fell. Well, 00:05:07.019 --> 00:05:08.740 you're not doing this in good faith now, I feel 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:15.269 like. One, two, three, four. Five, six, seven, 00:05:15.470 --> 00:05:21.670 eight. And all the buttons on my shirt. That's 00:05:21.670 --> 00:05:23.389 a totally different argument. That's a totally 00:05:23.389 --> 00:05:25.350 different argument. Those buttons came off my 00:05:25.350 --> 00:05:27.589 shirt. Oh, look. Don't you dare. You can't do 00:05:27.589 --> 00:05:31.810 this. Oh, look. I found those. I found those. 00:05:31.870 --> 00:05:33.689 I'm keeping them. Buttons have the power that 00:05:33.689 --> 00:05:37.889 we give them. If you want to take buttons off 00:05:37.889 --> 00:05:40.610 of shirts, then you're going to cheapen the power 00:05:40.610 --> 00:05:43.579 that these. White buttons that we all recognize 00:05:43.579 --> 00:05:47.560 have. I'm not declaring martial law over here. 00:05:47.660 --> 00:05:52.240 I am taking finders keepers to the brain trust 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:56.360 here. You're destroying capitalism. You're destroying 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:59.980 our economy. So I think it is also fair that 00:05:59.980 --> 00:06:02.899 maybe we set the button aside on our side of 00:06:02.899 --> 00:06:06.259 the table. Why your side? And poll the pants 00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:09.759 people. Is this appropriate? Is that an appropriate 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:12.000 response, David? We'll let the pants people decide 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.060 where this mystery button goes. No, no. Does 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:17.899 it go to the finder or does it go back in the 00:06:17.899 --> 00:06:21.480 button economy? How about this? As DM I meet 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:23.879 you halfway. How do you like that, gentlemen? 00:06:24.220 --> 00:06:27.259 You're not getting another butt. No. Maybe I'm 00:06:27.259 --> 00:06:29.500 not. Maybe I am. Because we're not going to let 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:31.259 the pants people decide. We're going to let the 00:06:31.259 --> 00:06:35.899 pants person decide. Because as we record this, 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:38.519 I believe just yesterday was Jeannie's birthday. 00:06:39.540 --> 00:06:42.139 Windy Luminary's birthday. Yes. Sakura Blossom's 00:06:42.139 --> 00:06:45.560 birthday. It was. I think she can decide where 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:49.019 this button lands. I'm opening up Discord. Ooh. 00:06:49.420 --> 00:06:51.759 Don't worry now. Why not? Show her the episode. 00:06:51.899 --> 00:06:53.180 Don't show us the button. All right, fine. Yeah, 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:56.040 it's more fun that way. Okay. Just be like, okay, 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:59.819 cool. I'm fully on the spot in this moment. The 00:06:59.819 --> 00:07:02.240 world is watching. Oh, no, no, no, no. You cannot 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.500 put it on David's side of the table. We'll remember 00:07:04.500 --> 00:07:08.860 the choice you make. I have the best eyes. So 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:13.000 it's just, yeah, you better drink. Now that's 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:15.160 a crack. Drink to your loss. All right. Well, 00:07:15.259 --> 00:07:19.980 with that, not settled. Not at all settled. We 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:21.740 got to keep them coming. It's like, oh no, who 00:07:21.740 --> 00:07:23.519 will the button go to? That's the hook. That's 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:26.759 the, we got them. We got them by the, you know, 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:31.949 the place. I want Jeremy to mute me. I love that 00:07:31.949 --> 00:07:34.470 you made a hand gesture with that. You know what 00:07:34.470 --> 00:07:35.810 I'm talking about. We got them by the zipper. 00:07:37.810 --> 00:07:39.610 Pulling them in. They're like, oh my gosh, who 00:07:39.610 --> 00:07:41.550 will the button go to? We got to find out. Tune 00:07:41.550 --> 00:07:44.470 in next week. Don't drop the show randomly off 00:07:44.470 --> 00:07:48.509 of this week. And you'll know, maybe, if we get 00:07:48.509 --> 00:07:52.490 an answer before then. This has gone on too long. 00:07:52.550 --> 00:07:55.050 I want to play a game. Let's play a game. Yes. 00:07:55.250 --> 00:07:59.029 Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I've been doing 00:07:59.029 --> 00:08:02.009 a lot of goofing around, gentlemen. I've been, 00:08:02.029 --> 00:08:05.230 uh... Oh, hear that. I've been putting this off 00:08:05.230 --> 00:08:09.329 for far too long. Little side adventure in the 00:08:09.329 --> 00:08:12.269 world of Danitu with old Stomp, old I'm in wrath. 00:08:12.810 --> 00:08:16.250 Little side adventure on the Morning Jewel, which 00:08:16.250 --> 00:08:18.410 turned into a bit of a bigger thing than I thought 00:08:18.410 --> 00:08:20.750 it would be. Your first time really meeting this 00:08:20.750 --> 00:08:22.529 larger -than -life character that's been around 00:08:22.529 --> 00:08:25.509 from the start of this show. Been seen here and 00:08:25.509 --> 00:08:27.410 there, but now your first conversation, and it 00:08:27.410 --> 00:08:31.480 got... I mean, intense? That was spicy. It was 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:35.139 spicy. It was a lot. It was a really difficult 00:08:35.139 --> 00:08:38.679 episode. It was a battle, like a real struggle. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:40.639 I was saying afterwards, it felt like when he 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:43.059 was about to walk off, you know, I kind of won 00:08:43.059 --> 00:08:44.779 out in those first two debates. And he was about 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:47.299 to walk off the stage feeling so good, so sure 00:08:47.299 --> 00:08:51.440 of himself. And then, just like the figure beaten 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:55.100 down. Dune's kind of standing up with the last 00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:57.500 of strength. Jules fires off one last remark, 00:08:57.639 --> 00:09:00.259 one last argument. What if Sansa Tian, he says, 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:03.620 pulling me right back into a fight that I was 00:09:03.620 --> 00:09:07.700 sure I could win, only to be beaten brutally, 00:09:08.059 --> 00:09:11.080 humiliatingly, on the network in front of the 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:13.460 eyes of thousands. He's a hero, guys. How could 00:09:13.460 --> 00:09:17.480 you? You jerks. You monsters. And then the election 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:21.720 and the Pari Angel wins. I don't know. That already 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:24.320 happened. Right. Arnavaza had already won, and 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:27.639 it was legitimate. The people were very happy. 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:31.600 Yeah, but, I mean, Atash was still there at that 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:34.139 time. Like, he was still there in full force. 00:09:34.899 --> 00:09:37.419 Who's to say what really happened? Who's to say? 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:40.940 Yeah, all sorts of intensity, all these little 00:09:40.940 --> 00:09:43.700 misadventures, and time has passed some days. 00:09:44.259 --> 00:09:48.139 But the time has come. Tomorrow, the March of 00:09:48.139 --> 00:09:53.360 Ice begins on Noari. Before we get into that, 00:09:53.500 --> 00:09:56.440 before Jean Franklin comes to the Ugly Coyote 00:09:56.440 --> 00:10:01.759 with a request for his partner, some great desire 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.639 behind his eyes, some great need, before we touch 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:07.559 on that, let's talk about what happened directly 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:11.399 after your interview. You've heard a bit of it 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:15.799 from storyteller Oren Atash has pulled out. He's 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:19.320 no longer overseeing the restructuring of Saint 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:22.529 -Étienne. and of the city. And so the world is 00:10:22.529 --> 00:10:24.889 sort of left to flourish, more or less under 00:10:24.889 --> 00:10:27.909 its own governance. Perhaps this is a very, very 00:10:27.909 --> 00:10:31.350 good thing. Who can say what could have been 00:10:31.350 --> 00:10:34.610 had this little misunderstanding not happened? 00:10:35.669 --> 00:10:38.950 Ardavasda, however, will remain, which, if we 00:10:38.950 --> 00:10:43.169 remember the conversation between Speaker Chollet 00:10:43.169 --> 00:10:45.190 to Crispin and Dresden, this was Atash's true 00:10:45.190 --> 00:10:48.529 aim, she believes. The speakers, the real power. 00:10:48.710 --> 00:10:52.850 Gaining two speakers, or losing two enemy speakers 00:10:52.850 --> 00:10:54.789 and gaining one for himself to really offset 00:10:54.789 --> 00:10:58.149 the balance. Perhaps Sansatyan itself never really 00:10:58.149 --> 00:11:00.649 mattered that much. He would have been happy 00:11:00.649 --> 00:11:04.529 to have it, but the real power, the real goal 00:11:04.529 --> 00:11:08.690 remains in hand. I hope to sell your efforts 00:11:08.690 --> 00:11:13.149 short, because what you did was big. To demonstrate 00:11:13.149 --> 00:11:17.330 that, just the next day, because with how fast 00:11:17.330 --> 00:11:18.929 these jewels move around with sending stones, 00:11:18.970 --> 00:11:20.850 all this stuff, letters can move very quickly 00:11:20.850 --> 00:11:22.690 throughout the Concord worlds. It's only the 00:11:22.690 --> 00:11:24.730 next day that one arrives at the ugly coyote 00:11:24.730 --> 00:11:31.309 for jewels. A letter? A letter. A letter! Did 00:11:31.309 --> 00:11:32.990 a little boydy bring the letter? I think just 00:11:32.990 --> 00:11:34.970 looking at it, smelling maybe the little bit 00:11:34.970 --> 00:11:37.330 of sweat smell coming off of it and just seeing 00:11:37.330 --> 00:11:41.769 like the, hey, come on, the sort of kind of rough. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:44.899 non -floral handwriting across the front, you 00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:47.500 realize this is from Gabriela. It's from Dance. 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:51.340 Oh, shit. As you all read it, in her very sort 00:11:51.340 --> 00:11:56.080 of terse, kind of like straight, kind of way 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:58.700 of way of way of writing, you just read, Jules, 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:02.039 I watched you on the morning jewel. Many here 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:04.440 do not understand what you have done. They did 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.500 not see the danger brought on by the celestials, 00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:10.100 but I did see. Thank you. You have made our world 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:12.639 better. You may have saved me as well that angels 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:14.799 were unhappy with things I have said to the public. 00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:18.059 They were watching me too closely. Thank you. 00:12:18.860 --> 00:12:20.980 I also noticed how scrawny you look on the network. 00:12:22.340 --> 00:12:24.200 Return here soon so I can build your muscle. 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:27.379 I have been considering some new grapples and 00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:29.620 need a partner I can try them on. They are pictured 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:33.450 below. And as your eyes move down, there's a 00:12:33.450 --> 00:12:35.269 number of sketches that I think turn Jewel's 00:12:35.269 --> 00:12:39.610 loot beet red. Probably slides at close. What's 00:12:39.610 --> 00:12:43.009 that? What are you reading? Nothing. Okay. Nothing. 00:12:43.230 --> 00:12:46.690 Why is your loot weird? Nothing. Go. Go. Okay. 00:12:47.549 --> 00:12:56.149 P .S. You up? So that's that. Have you been visiting? 00:12:56.789 --> 00:13:00.240 It's been a... A while since Sansatyan. Have 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:01.379 you been doing back and forth here and there? 00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:06.360 Once, maybe, I think. Oh, yeah. Maybe it'll be 00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:08.460 easier now that the... Because as you went back 00:13:08.460 --> 00:13:10.460 before, it's like things seemed peaceful, but 00:13:10.460 --> 00:13:12.200 there definitely was this air of tension that 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:16.440 you felt seeing the sort of forms flying over 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:20.480 the streets, these bright -lit Pari angels watching 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:23.460 over everything with their glowing, pupil -less 00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:27.159 eyes, just unsettling. Little people cheer when 00:13:27.159 --> 00:13:30.679 they walk by. or flew by. Gabriela did not cheer, 00:13:30.740 --> 00:13:36.620 just glared up, unsure, untrusting. What you 00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:40.360 have done was a great service to her. And despite 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:42.000 the lack of any sort of flowery language, you 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.259 could feel the emotion poured into these words 00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:47.360 in this letter. The relief and the gratitude. 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:52.059 You should visit soon. But first, but first, 00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:59.480 we got an arc to do. Let's talk a little bit 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.539 about other things that are happening in the 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:02.899 meantime before we just go on and dive in. The 00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:06.220 two returned Cherry Delights have started helping 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:08.860 out around the Coyote. There's little fear now 00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:10.519 of any attempt from the LaRoche family to have 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:12.840 them taken away again, now that the LaRoche family 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:15.659 have been essentially removed from power. Even 00:14:15.659 --> 00:14:17.919 Arya herself has come in from time to time, only 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:19.840 giving a knowing smile and nod at their sort 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:22.440 of presence here. The Shieldbearers have no one 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:24.720 left to make a demand to do this. Shelly herself 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.129 was... offering to essentially try to get them 00:14:27.129 --> 00:14:29.110 back to protect them, and so you know that they 00:14:29.110 --> 00:14:34.649 are safe jewels. Arhalon has set up his conspiracy 00:14:34.649 --> 00:14:37.909 board, as promised, but not at his apartment. 00:14:38.690 --> 00:14:40.710 He actually, for the most part, has fully moved 00:14:40.710 --> 00:14:43.710 out. The solitude there was not doing him any 00:14:43.710 --> 00:14:46.809 favors in this time. And while he has visited 00:14:46.809 --> 00:14:48.990 the Coyote frequently to ask Fyro to look into 00:14:48.990 --> 00:14:52.029 specific terms and bits of lore, to chat with 00:14:52.029 --> 00:14:54.590 you, and even to visit with the miskin roundstuff 00:14:54.590 --> 00:14:57.049 from time to time, he's not staying with you 00:14:57.049 --> 00:15:00.590 guys there either. No, Arholon thought it was 00:15:00.590 --> 00:15:02.509 a fine time to move back in with his mother, 00:15:02.629 --> 00:15:05.710 and he'll be staying at Xena's home for the foreseeable 00:15:05.710 --> 00:15:09.850 future. Someone else that needed a break from 00:15:09.850 --> 00:15:15.350 the solitude. Yeah, fair. Poor Xena. Yeah, but... 00:15:15.800 --> 00:15:17.980 In a way, in losing one son, I guess you could 00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:21.620 say she had one returned. There was almost a 00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:23.419 coldness there before that seems like it's been 00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:26.779 mending. Now that Arhalon wakes up every day 00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:30.179 to his mother's presence again. Perhaps there'll 00:15:30.179 --> 00:15:32.460 be joy found. But that's not our story, that's 00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:34.960 a different story. One to be played out in the 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:39.019 sidelines. Moving to our story, let's talk about 00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:41.039 Blanche. Blanche, you remained on the Citadel 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:42.700 following the incident on the Morning Jewel. 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:46.480 This was by order of Lord de Piero Montelio. 00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:49.960 Following the recent murder of Prince Amalmata, 00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:54.019 Prince of Coin Amalmata, he has grown concerned 00:15:54.019 --> 00:15:56.279 that something nasty could happen during his 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:59.539 son's journey to the city. Now, your men are 00:15:59.539 --> 00:16:03.259 well trained, your tortles, your guard. You know 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:05.620 they will see the tortle lord delivered safely 00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:08.419 to the city without you. I think you would know 00:16:08.419 --> 00:16:10.399 some of the incident involving Hamamata. You 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.659 would obviously be aware of major events, especially 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:15.679 revolving around the princes of coin and kings 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:19.100 of coin of Noari. So you know that basically 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:22.139 a blood letter protest, these revolutionaries 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:24.360 that have come up, masked and wearing stained 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:28.899 aprons, stained with jelly -made dye, went wrong. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:33.419 Just broke bad. Some folks just rushed a cart 00:16:33.419 --> 00:16:36.720 carrying the prince. And he was... killed right 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:38.960 there in public those uh that committed the atrocity 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:43.059 have been taken in by the the silent verse the 00:16:43.059 --> 00:16:46.279 sort of militarized police force controlled by 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:49.019 the kings of coin it's going to be a quieter 00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:53.899 uh sort of celebration this year as it seems 00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:58.659 like uh one king of coin will not be involved 00:16:58.659 --> 00:17:03.480 and maybe another as well because uh tragically 00:17:05.149 --> 00:17:07.529 Messer Solenevim, the king of coin overseeing 00:17:07.529 --> 00:17:09.190 the weaver's trade, also will not be attending 00:17:09.190 --> 00:17:13.390 as his son died a month ago in a horse riding 00:17:13.390 --> 00:17:16.769 accident, trampled by his own mount. Must have 00:17:16.769 --> 00:17:21.410 rolled a natural one. Fishy. Fishy. No, they 00:17:21.410 --> 00:17:25.390 happen. A lot, honestly. Horses in these worlds 00:17:25.390 --> 00:17:29.269 are just terribly dangerous. Does Blanche know 00:17:29.269 --> 00:17:32.390 anything about the... The politics between the 00:17:32.390 --> 00:17:34.549 Kings of Coins, something that she could link 00:17:34.549 --> 00:17:39.470 these two incidents together with? Maybe a certain 00:17:39.470 --> 00:17:42.609 political stance that these two share or shared? 00:17:42.910 --> 00:17:44.710 I will say this. The Kings of Coins are amiable. 00:17:45.009 --> 00:17:47.670 And as far as linking them together, maybe you've 00:17:47.670 --> 00:17:49.369 looked into this a little bit. You seem like 00:17:49.369 --> 00:17:51.549 the kind of person who's very careful. There 00:17:51.549 --> 00:17:53.529 were plenty of witnesses. Plenty of witnesses. 00:17:53.990 --> 00:17:56.509 It was just a horse riding accident. The horse 00:17:56.509 --> 00:17:58.990 just went a little crazy. Just trampled him. 00:17:59.549 --> 00:18:02.819 Nothing really to it. I don't buy it. These freak 00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:04.259 things happen. Perhaps I just wanted to limit 00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:08.039 them out to people in this arc. Who knows? Okay. 00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:09.740 Or perhaps there's meaning. I'm not saying there 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:12.920 isn't. I'm just saying wink. I'm just saying 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:15.180 wink. I'm just saying wink. So Jean Franklin 00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:17.480 must be your concern now. You've been instructed 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:19.559 to see the boy brought to Zinda into the palace 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:23.140 of Amos Nier, the sort of grand messer, the king 00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:25.339 of coin that oversees the jelly trade, the richest 00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:28.240 and most powerful of the lot. De Piero expects 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:31.630 this to be a battle for you. as he expects his 00:18:31.630 --> 00:18:35.410 stubborn son to skip the festival entirely. You 00:18:35.410 --> 00:18:38.750 know that is not going to be the case. Jean Franklin 00:18:38.750 --> 00:18:44.049 wants to return for his own purposes. So, if 00:18:44.049 --> 00:18:46.990 there's nothing else to be done beforehand, I'd 00:18:46.990 --> 00:18:50.049 like to open up on a scene within the Ugly Coyote. 00:18:50.529 --> 00:18:54.079 Perhaps... sitting at a table downstairs, late 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:56.839 at night, candlelight sort of flickers along 00:18:56.839 --> 00:19:02.099 the bar, maybe a fire in the chimney place. That's 00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:05.299 what you'd call it. Close. Try again. A chimney 00:19:05.299 --> 00:19:10.859 in the fireplace. Is that better? Anyway. The 00:19:10.859 --> 00:19:14.799 scene is comfortably lit. Jean is sitting at 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.440 a table, maybe Blanche by his side, Jules on 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:20.200 the other. I'm assuming that Jean has told you. 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:24.640 All of his suspicions over his father and the 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.160 other kings of coin. His discovery of the note 00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:29.200 his father left. He believes they committed murder. 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:32.140 He believes that the jelly flower was essentially 00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:34.799 this barter they did not intend to see their 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:37.220 side of. And so they murdered the person, this 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:40.940 Eden figure that he's read about in order to 00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:44.619 get the flower for free. Monsters. If we're partners 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:46.420 now, I really hope he'd tell me all of that. 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:48.119 I'm assuming he has, because I don't want to 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:51.819 say it all again. Perhaps he'll let it out here, 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:54.460 perhaps he'll let it out elsewhere. In this moment, 00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:57.539 I'm assuming that information is out there. And 00:19:57.539 --> 00:20:01.440 so we begin on this. Tomorrow, the March of Vice 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:05.200 begins on Noari. Now, every year, the city of 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:07.160 Zinda holds what they call the March of Vice. 00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:09.579 This is, in essence, a celebration of wealth. 00:20:09.819 --> 00:20:12.740 A chance to engage in unbridled hedonism for 00:20:12.740 --> 00:20:15.789 ten full days. They dress up some actor to play 00:20:15.789 --> 00:20:18.670 as the Masked Prince of Ice and lead parades 00:20:18.670 --> 00:20:20.769 all through the city, basically just a non -stop 00:20:20.769 --> 00:20:23.549 city -wide carnival. Utter madness, if you ask 00:20:23.549 --> 00:20:26.809 me. What is important is that on the first day 00:20:26.809 --> 00:20:28.849 of this march, the Kings of Coin always meet. 00:20:29.130 --> 00:20:31.849 They are invited to the palace of Grand Mesa 00:20:31.849 --> 00:20:34.369 Emosnia, the King of Coin that oversees all jelly 00:20:34.369 --> 00:20:37.890 trade. The affair is quite closed off. All but 00:20:37.890 --> 00:20:40.349 the most necessary of staff are removed, and 00:20:40.349 --> 00:20:42.529 the King's families are, for the most part, barred 00:20:42.529 --> 00:20:45.990 from entry. But there are some exceptions. The 00:20:45.990 --> 00:20:48.450 heirs of the kings are invited and expected to 00:20:48.450 --> 00:20:51.130 attend. As my father's heir, I will likewise 00:20:51.130 --> 00:20:53.990 be allowed. I'm sure, given the recent surge 00:20:53.990 --> 00:20:56.529 in revolutionary activity and the death of the 00:20:56.529 --> 00:20:58.910 Prince of Coin and Mamata, they will not stand 00:20:58.910 --> 00:21:01.470 in Master Blanche's way as well. She is my father's 00:21:01.470 --> 00:21:03.950 master defense, after all. The kings also make 00:21:03.950 --> 00:21:06.009 an effort to bring in the highest of entertainment, 00:21:06.410 --> 00:21:10.660 typically divas from Zinda's Elucidarium. Hell, 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:12.500 I heard that Diva Luma would be performing this 00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:15.400 year. Quite a catch. You might know, this is 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:19.619 actually a luminary. A skilled battle diva who's 00:21:19.619 --> 00:21:23.039 basically like, you know, rose from the elucidarium, 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:25.339 this sort of barred college in Zinda to become 00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:29.740 like a sort of figure known by all worlds. Singer, 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:34.319 dancer, just all around cultural icon. So. I 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:36.400 am going to attend. I am going to play the good 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:39.039 son, stand by my father, participate in negotiations, 00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:42.660 all of that. But I could also bring you in as 00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:44.859 entertainment, Jules. You're certainly famous 00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:46.319 enough, and rumors have been all over about your 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:48.640 musical talents. You and Blanche could look into 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.420 things behind closed doors, whilst I fulfill 00:21:50.420 --> 00:21:53.900 my duties as heir. Now, I know, I know you about 00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:56.099 the concerns, Jules, I understand. The child 00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:57.539 is still missing, and there's so much to do, 00:21:57.619 --> 00:22:00.940 but... You've told them all, the worlds, all 00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:03.589 of them, to distrust figures and authority. Hell, 00:22:03.589 --> 00:22:05.430 we kind of overthrew a government on the last 00:22:05.430 --> 00:22:09.309 world. I say we go two for two, huh? A full expose 00:22:09.309 --> 00:22:12.529 on the crimes of the kings of coin. What do you 00:22:12.529 --> 00:22:15.130 say? You think they're really going to let me 00:22:15.130 --> 00:22:19.549 set foot in there? I think their curiosity will 00:22:19.549 --> 00:22:24.289 overwhelm their concern. I could use that. Everyone's 00:22:24.289 --> 00:22:26.410 waiting to see what Jews or O's can do. Do you 00:22:26.410 --> 00:22:29.109 realize you're one of the most spoken of people 00:22:29.109 --> 00:22:34.069 here now? In the world. Eh. That, heh, what we 00:22:34.069 --> 00:22:37.029 pulled there on the, uh, on the morning jewel, 00:22:37.130 --> 00:22:39.390 I, uh, he's still, like, sweats thinking about 00:22:39.390 --> 00:22:42.109 it, like, almost shakes. Atash was his hero. 00:22:42.529 --> 00:22:46.390 He just stood before him, yelled at him, and, 00:22:46.410 --> 00:22:49.690 like, just shakes his head. I can't believe it, 00:22:49.710 --> 00:22:52.650 but this, I mean, it skyrocketed you jewels. 00:22:52.690 --> 00:22:55.009 Everyone knows your name. And we've heard you 00:22:55.009 --> 00:22:57.089 can sing and heard you can perform. You have 00:22:57.089 --> 00:22:59.049 that lute on your back all the time, glowing 00:22:59.049 --> 00:23:00.869 and looking all cool. I mean... This will be 00:23:00.869 --> 00:23:02.369 the first time you've had a public... Yeah, yeah, 00:23:02.470 --> 00:23:06.609 cooler than you, right? It's very... Right? Beside 00:23:06.609 --> 00:23:11.089 the point. This is serious talk for serious luminaries. 00:23:12.130 --> 00:23:14.190 All right, we're serious. We'll be serious. All 00:23:14.190 --> 00:23:19.430 right. Super serial. All right. Look, if you're 00:23:19.430 --> 00:23:21.549 willing to do this, well, let's just say I've 00:23:21.549 --> 00:23:24.250 already approved you for invitations. You're 00:23:24.250 --> 00:23:26.009 actually already in, but if you don't want... 00:23:26.009 --> 00:23:28.349 Sorry, I went above your head, but I thought 00:23:28.349 --> 00:23:31.970 you went... It's for you. I'll do it. You'll 00:23:31.970 --> 00:23:36.049 do it? Really? Of course. Oh, this is great. 00:23:36.170 --> 00:23:37.910 I mean, Master Blanche could see to it herself, 00:23:38.029 --> 00:23:40.609 sure, but with someone else there to watch her 00:23:40.609 --> 00:23:44.009 back. I mean, this would be excellent. Besides, 00:23:44.150 --> 00:23:45.970 I don't know, and he kind of looks over to you, 00:23:46.049 --> 00:23:48.349 Blanche, like, how willing she's going to be 00:23:48.349 --> 00:23:52.410 to investigate the Lord of the House for murder. 00:23:52.970 --> 00:23:56.390 I don't want to put you in that position, sir, 00:23:56.589 --> 00:24:00.319 but... Well, Tadpole, I can tell you that I'll 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:04.920 be there, and my participation, that will depend 00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:10.380 on you convincing me, I suppose. Well, um, all 00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:13.460 right. Yes, yes. Well, it's time for that. Time 00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:17.140 as we build forward into it. I know I'm right, 00:24:17.180 --> 00:24:21.299 sir. I know I'm right. And you know. Right, Jules? 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:26.559 I trust you. Of course I do. Just this big... 00:24:27.040 --> 00:24:29.339 Tortle smiles, big blue eyes. You just give a 00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:32.039 little shiver. Yeah, he shivers. Yeah, I'm in 00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:35.559 the mood. He's excited. I've been, this has been 00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:37.460 all I've thought about for months, essentially. 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:40.099 I've been building up to this. It's why I left 00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:42.220 in the first place. Why I worked for that damned 00:24:42.220 --> 00:24:46.680 villain, Rune. All for this. Well, you don't 00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:48.839 have to bear that alone anymore. We got you. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:54.599 Yeah, we got you. You hear a voice from the stairs 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:57.619 in the corner of the room. Don't you think Jules 00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:59.240 is going anywhere without a backup singer, right? 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:03.660 Jules, right? And Chester kind of nervously starts 00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:07.000 moving into the room. Everyone kind of goes quiet, 00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:11.559 sort of feels something. Some kind of unspoken 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:14.640 tension, maybe. I don't understand the significance 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:20.019 of this. We should stay quiet. You just get what 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:26.339 he's saying. Jules, hey, hey, look. I know what 00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:27.700 you're going to say. I know you're worried, right? 00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:31.920 But I'm good. I've had time. I've recovered. 00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:34.640 I've rested. I've felt things through God's breath. 00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:37.039 Look, it was rough, and I understand. I lost 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:40.759 my stuff there for a minute. Thank you. Thank 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:42.119 you for telling me not to go, because it was 00:25:42.119 --> 00:25:44.400 good for me to have a break, to put things in 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:47.019 perspective, to feel better. But I do feel better, 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:49.839 and I've been training. I'm stronger. I got magic 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:51.460 now, remember? You did that whole loot thing. 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:54.160 I got fairy powers. I don't know. Jules looks 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:58.400 down at Chester. How does his face look? Describe 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:03.079 his expression, his eyes. I love this. I love 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:06.380 this. I think you look down at Chester and you 00:26:06.380 --> 00:26:08.900 see like, as you kind of look down, as you're 00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:12.200 kind of like, I guess looking into him, he looks 00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:15.559 up at you and his eyes kind of just grow hard 00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:20.769 and determined and defiant. am superimposed over 00:26:20.769 --> 00:26:23.750 this. We have this moment of Cerise looking down 00:26:23.750 --> 00:26:27.650 at her young teenage son. Young Jules looking 00:26:27.650 --> 00:26:29.829 up with those same eyes, that same expression 00:26:29.829 --> 00:26:33.390 of go ahead and tell me no. And we cut back. 00:26:33.670 --> 00:26:37.230 I got one more for you. Jules looks over to Jeans. 00:26:38.029 --> 00:26:41.150 She's like on the stairs too. Begrudging acceptance. 00:26:41.710 --> 00:26:45.549 I think you actually see her slowly nod. I think 00:26:45.549 --> 00:26:49.480 what hurt her most Was the way he was acting 00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:53.839 after God's breath. The way this trauma had sort 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:57.559 of buried something dark within him. But you 00:26:57.559 --> 00:27:00.640 don't see that anymore. He's been at rest for 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:03.519 a month. He's been actually like talking to someone. 00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:06.400 He's been with Jeans somewhat seriously for a 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:09.420 while now. And the Chester you're seeing before 00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:12.380 you're starting to realize. Maybe like sometime 00:27:12.380 --> 00:27:14.200 in this last month his birthday happened. Maybe 00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:16.500 now he's 16 years old. And maybe just in the 00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:19.509 midst of all of this. He just looks so much older. 00:27:20.049 --> 00:27:25.769 Okay. Jules moves his gaze back to Chester, and 00:27:25.769 --> 00:27:29.309 then over to John Franklin. I don't go anywhere 00:27:29.309 --> 00:27:34.250 without my backup singer. Oh, yes! Yes! Oh, yes! 00:27:34.450 --> 00:27:37.549 Yes! Oh, sorry. Play it cool. Yeah, yeah, no, 00:27:37.670 --> 00:27:39.690 that's, that's, yeah, I'm in. And it's gonna 00:27:39.690 --> 00:27:41.690 be real chill and cool and stuff, because we're 00:27:41.690 --> 00:27:44.849 going undercover. We're going undercover. Don't 00:27:44.849 --> 00:27:55.440 die. Foreshadowing. Oh, God. And, like, there 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:57.579 could be danger. There's always the chance of 00:27:57.579 --> 00:27:59.779 danger. You know that as a player. Jules knows 00:27:59.779 --> 00:28:03.059 that as a character. But this, what's coming 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:07.200 now, it sounds pretty simple. You're just going 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:08.799 to go into a party and investigate. And, hell, 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:11.779 when it comes to sneaking around, snooping, Chester's 00:28:11.779 --> 00:28:15.569 the man. He can even teleport now. You get to 00:28:15.569 --> 00:28:19.250 decide what his other fey touch spell is. Don't 00:28:19.250 --> 00:28:21.089 even do it tonight. If you want to, you can. 00:28:21.289 --> 00:28:22.509 But you can also wait, because I don't think 00:28:22.509 --> 00:28:23.490 we're going to need it yet. No, I'm going to 00:28:23.490 --> 00:28:26.109 think on this. Hell yeah. Also, Steven, did you 00:28:26.109 --> 00:28:27.930 hear? This is going to be simple. This is going 00:28:27.930 --> 00:28:29.309 to be easy. Yeah, it's going to be. It's going 00:28:29.309 --> 00:28:30.789 to be so easy, so simple, so chill. Walk in the 00:28:30.789 --> 00:28:33.109 park. Walk in the park. Nothing to be scared 00:28:33.109 --> 00:28:34.549 of. I love this. Just don't roll on that one. 00:28:34.589 --> 00:28:36.109 We deserve this. Don't get turned by horses. 00:28:38.029 --> 00:28:41.789 And you're good. Welcome back, Chester. Welcome 00:28:41.789 --> 00:28:45.519 back. Feels like it's been so... I mean, it's 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:47.500 been like 40 episodes. Yeah, it has been a long 00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:52.940 time. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Holy hell. Okay. Okay. 00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:59.019 With this, perhaps the night turns to day. Jaune's 00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:01.019 plan involves you all leaving in the morning. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:05.819 Because in the morning, the March of Vice begins. 00:29:06.680 --> 00:29:10.880 By early afternoon, you are expected at the palace. 00:29:15.259 --> 00:29:18.000 I need to start getting these names right in 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:20.259 my brain. Because, like, there's so many new 00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:22.279 names. Yeah, we should print out a sheet. Oh, 00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:24.079 my gosh. That's the best idea I've ever heard. 00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:26.400 I'm still using Notepad. I haven't gone to Google 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:30.460 Docs yet. David! I lost these notes three times. 00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:33.700 Parents, people, revolt. Revolt. Oh, wait, it's 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:35.380 in the bottom. Hang on. Amos Neer. We're going 00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:37.359 to start a campaign to get David to use Google 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:40.500 Docs. Make David use Google Docs. You'll never. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:45.009 You'll never get me. Without further ado, morning 00:29:45.009 --> 00:29:48.849 comes. Anything you want done beforehand, Chester's 00:29:48.849 --> 00:29:51.029 getting ready to go. He's loading up his stuff. 00:29:51.049 --> 00:29:53.309 He's excitedly packing his bag again, packing 00:29:53.309 --> 00:29:54.910 some stuff into yours. You still have that handy 00:29:54.910 --> 00:29:59.190 haversack given to you by Orin. It's basically 00:29:59.190 --> 00:30:01.250 almost a bag of holding in itself. It's pretty 00:30:01.250 --> 00:30:04.690 cool. Yeah, I think there's a big contrast between 00:30:04.690 --> 00:30:07.849 Chester's energy and Jules' energy. I mean, Jules, 00:30:07.910 --> 00:30:10.490 he's not sulking or anything. He's just kind 00:30:10.490 --> 00:30:13.779 of matter -of -factly. Getting things together. 00:30:14.059 --> 00:30:18.039 He's done this before. He's seasoned. It's a 00:30:18.039 --> 00:30:20.779 fake nose? Look at this. Who am I? I'm not Chester. 00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:23.400 Who am I? I'm not Chester. I'm a fake nose man. 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:26.400 Hey, where'd Chester go? Yeah, see? Look at that. 00:30:27.079 --> 00:30:30.660 He's packing like all sorts of... I'm going to 00:30:30.660 --> 00:30:32.440 remember that you put that in there because that 00:30:32.440 --> 00:30:36.819 might come in handy sometime. Unless we had a 00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:46.430 fake nose. Stupid. Okay. And perhaps you are 00:30:46.430 --> 00:30:49.230 all off. Blanche, you've been here for a few 00:30:49.230 --> 00:30:51.589 days. Time for your homecoming. But more importantly, 00:30:51.670 --> 00:30:54.529 time for John Franklin's homecoming. First time 00:30:54.529 --> 00:30:57.269 he'll be setting foot on Nuwari in a while. There 00:30:57.269 --> 00:30:59.549 could be hidden dangers lurking for him. He is 00:30:59.549 --> 00:31:02.930 part of this merchant monarchy after all. So 00:31:02.930 --> 00:31:05.170 these revolutionaries are something to be concerned 00:31:05.170 --> 00:31:07.589 about, of course. Right. This is a matter of 00:31:07.589 --> 00:31:09.569 him trying to investigate your lord for murder. 00:31:09.670 --> 00:31:12.940 That's, I imagine. Some kind of conflict. Oh, 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:16.960 absolutely. I mean, Jules said it best. Jules 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:20.420 said that he trusts Jean. And of course Blanche 00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:24.880 trusts Jean, but the accusations are heavy, you 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:28.869 know? Extremely. So... How many governments is 00:31:28.869 --> 00:31:30.509 this little turtle going to make you overthrow? 00:31:30.890 --> 00:31:35.150 Right, exactly. Exactly. Last time he was like, 00:31:35.329 --> 00:31:37.029 hey, Blanche, tiny little adventure, come with 00:31:37.029 --> 00:31:42.109 me. And now he's dragging a teenager along into 00:31:42.109 --> 00:31:44.769 the, you know what I mean? Like, Blanche is a 00:31:44.769 --> 00:31:49.910 soldier, you know, and she's unsure about this 00:31:49.910 --> 00:31:53.349 kid. You know what's funny, though, is speaking 00:31:53.349 --> 00:31:55.789 of teenagers, on this note, I looked at my note, 00:31:55.950 --> 00:31:59.400 Jean's 18. Whoa. He's actually pretty young, 00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:01.259 too. He was actually younger than Zebulon. I 00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:03.099 didn't realize that until I saw my notes. I was 00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:05.700 like, oh, wait, Jaune's 18 years old? Yeah. Well, 00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:09.400 yeah, he was a lordling. He's a tadpole. He's 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:12.519 a tadpole. Just gaining his little tadpole legs. 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:15.140 Exactly. And, you know, as long as Blanche has 00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:16.279 been... I mean, because, you know, we've all 00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:20.259 seen TV shows. They train these lordlings from 00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:24.500 a young age to fight and battle. And Blanche 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:26.059 has been there and has seen that training and 00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:30.880 has... Done that training with Sean. Chester 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:33.039 is a little bit of a wild card for her. Yeah. 00:32:33.640 --> 00:32:39.180 Fair. Maybe she's sizing him up as a seasoned 00:32:39.180 --> 00:32:43.599 veteran sizes up a greenhorn on the battlefield. 00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:46.420 Roll me an insight check. All right. Yeah, it's 00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:49.079 cool. Yeah, it's really cool. And you fashion 00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:52.779 yourself a soldier, do you, boy? Nope. Just a 00:32:52.779 --> 00:32:57.650 nine. Yeah, with just a nine, I think you see 00:32:57.650 --> 00:33:00.170 this boy with his sort of casual, laid -back 00:33:00.170 --> 00:33:03.150 atmosphere, his sort of like, you know, he just 00:33:03.150 --> 00:33:06.490 seems too easygoing. His shoulders, you know, 00:33:06.490 --> 00:33:09.589 kind of slumped. His posture, just, just, ugh, 00:33:09.849 --> 00:33:12.990 ugh in that posture. I think Jules will look 00:33:12.990 --> 00:33:16.890 over to Blanche. When everything in the world 00:33:16.890 --> 00:33:20.150 is unconventional, there's no time to be conventional. 00:33:21.190 --> 00:33:23.789 That didn't make it sound near as cool as it 00:33:23.789 --> 00:33:26.990 did in my head. I didn't hate it. I liked it. 00:33:27.069 --> 00:33:30.289 I liked it. What's interesting, though, is what 00:33:30.289 --> 00:33:32.869 Jules knows that Blanche doesn't know is that 00:33:32.869 --> 00:33:36.609 there are other ways to form a soldier. Sometimes 00:33:36.609 --> 00:33:39.190 a soldier is formed by their mentors. Sometimes 00:33:39.190 --> 00:33:41.230 they're formed by the world around them. Chester, 00:33:41.309 --> 00:33:44.789 who grew up in the streets of Cerule, was fending 00:33:44.789 --> 00:33:47.829 for himself, who essentially mentored Jules in 00:33:47.829 --> 00:33:50.069 the ways of the street. He's got his own kind 00:33:50.069 --> 00:33:52.940 of wisdom, his own kind of power. That is really 00:33:52.940 --> 00:33:56.519 hard to understand. And as you look at him now, 00:33:56.579 --> 00:34:00.059 Blanche, you fully don't understand it. He just 00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:02.019 looks like a kid. Exactly. Yeah, you don't have 00:34:02.019 --> 00:34:03.599 to convince Steve and Blanche is a different 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:05.680 story. Even though he's dressed up, he's got 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:07.660 his armor on. He has chain mail, I believe. He 00:34:07.660 --> 00:34:10.039 has a bow on his back. He's looking like, you 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:13.300 know, pretty solidly built beneath it. He's been 00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:15.059 training. He's been doing his push -ups. He's 00:34:15.059 --> 00:34:18.300 bulked up a bit. He still just looks like a kid. 00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:22.079 No discipline in that one. No discipline in the 00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:24.980 youth. Telling raunchy jokes the entire way forward. 00:34:26.579 --> 00:34:31.639 No discipline and no posture. Two weeks under 00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:35.000 my tutelage and I'd have him ship -shape. I cannot 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:37.539 wait to see that side episode. Who's that, Toots? 00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:44.420 Oh my god, yeah! I just tried to make Blanche 00:34:44.420 --> 00:34:47.119 as nervous as possible about this whole thing. 00:34:49.789 --> 00:34:54.250 You approach the plaza. You approach the passage 00:34:54.250 --> 00:34:59.190 of respite where the Bastite Conqueror Jewel 00:34:59.190 --> 00:35:02.829 is coming to dock. Sorry, I get to use the sound 00:35:02.829 --> 00:35:04.750 effects again. It's a sound effect. Bastite's 00:35:04.750 --> 00:35:06.610 pretty cool. It's like a sort of maroon with 00:35:06.610 --> 00:35:08.670 a sort of mesh of like a mossy green color. I 00:35:08.670 --> 00:35:09.489 was kind of trying to figure out what this looked 00:35:09.489 --> 00:35:11.750 like and it's kind of weird looking. It looks 00:35:11.750 --> 00:35:14.190 cool. It's kind of a cool marbled maroon and 00:35:14.190 --> 00:35:17.570 mossy green sort of comes to dock. Very beautiful. 00:35:18.280 --> 00:35:21.539 You are approaching it, and I think you see kind 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:24.019 of maybe breaking out or you're leading up in 00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:27.420 an alley just like pretty close by, kind of off 00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:29.159 to the side, somewhere in the shadow, and yet 00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:33.760 so open for you to see, as if waiting for you 00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:37.099 to see. We see the figure of Dresden Kellig, 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:41.159 who perhaps brings Jules over with a signal. 00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:43.619 Or Blanche. You guys were good buddies in that 00:35:43.619 --> 00:35:46.400 last world. You know, I don't even think there's 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:49.750 a signal. No. I think they just know. Yeah, I 00:35:49.750 --> 00:35:51.769 mean, yeah. Why else would Dresden be here? Why 00:35:51.769 --> 00:35:54.150 else would Dresden be standing there, yeah. We 00:35:54.150 --> 00:35:56.869 just go off to the side. Your words drove a dagger 00:35:56.869 --> 00:35:59.969 into Atash the other night. His guard is up now. 00:36:00.570 --> 00:36:02.530 But Speaker Sholeh is going to be looking for 00:36:02.530 --> 00:36:06.909 a way to twist the knife. That's not cool. After 00:36:06.909 --> 00:36:11.829 a brief pause. And don't worry about Paul. Calypso 00:36:11.829 --> 00:36:16.380 won't harm him. She needs him. Speaker Sholay 00:36:16.380 --> 00:36:20.000 has her eyes and ears scouring the worlds. She 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:22.820 will find him. And you'll be the first to know. 00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:29.039 And then, without a second moment, wisps away. 00:36:29.860 --> 00:36:33.539 Hell yeah. Bye -bye, soldier boy! Was that the 00:36:33.539 --> 00:36:39.099 echo? Ooh! Yes! Oh my god, it's so cool! Yes, 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:42.119 that's fantastic. And probably, I like to imagine 00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:44.809 Dresden couldn't speak to the echo before. But, 00:36:44.809 --> 00:36:47.030 like, we left them off. They were going off to 00:36:47.030 --> 00:36:48.750 learn more about their innate powers, talking 00:36:48.750 --> 00:36:52.670 to the incarnates. Oh, so cool. Perhaps there's 00:36:52.670 --> 00:36:55.170 a little more to Dresden, a feeling of power 00:36:55.170 --> 00:36:57.849 that wasn't there before as he vanishes before 00:36:57.849 --> 00:37:01.489 Jules' eyes. I love that so much. So cool. So 00:37:01.489 --> 00:37:05.050 cool. Then Jules walks back to the group, I think, 00:37:05.070 --> 00:37:09.289 with a little more hope that he's had recently. 00:37:10.130 --> 00:37:13.550 Hell yeah. knowing this, having this little weight 00:37:13.550 --> 00:37:15.710 off your shoulders. Maybe you can feel better 00:37:15.710 --> 00:37:19.590 about diving into a wacky misadventure with Jaune, 00:37:19.630 --> 00:37:25.630 knowing that, hey, the ultimate power of spying, 00:37:25.769 --> 00:37:30.070 the ultimate eyes and ears on every world figurehead, 00:37:30.250 --> 00:37:35.070 Jolie Brass, has got your back in this. If anyone, 00:37:35.269 --> 00:37:38.909 anyone can find Paul, it's going to be her. All 00:37:38.909 --> 00:37:41.699 that there is to do now is wait. And see how 00:37:41.699 --> 00:37:43.099 you can make the world a better place while you 00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:48.119 do, perhaps. So this party moves forward. Approaching 00:37:48.119 --> 00:37:53.059 the Bastite Conquer Jewel. Climbing aboard. No 00:37:53.059 --> 00:37:55.760 trouble now getting everyone on because, hey, 00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:58.699 you're pretty high -ranking. At this point, when 00:37:58.699 --> 00:38:02.159 you say, you know, the kid's with me, they let 00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:05.179 Chester ride on. No invisibility hijinks, nothing 00:38:05.179 --> 00:38:08.599 like that. You're good to go. We're done with 00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:11.059 Ritz. I'm bored of him. I don't care anymore. 00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:19.500 That's how plot points work on this show. It's 00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:22.239 a good show, damn it. So you enter the jewel, 00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:26.500 you sit down, and it rises. And there's a cool 00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:35.340 sound effect right... This time I will put it 00:38:35.340 --> 00:38:39.019 in. Thank you. Because I like this one. And... 00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:46.579 Boom. You are in another world. The Concord Jewel 00:38:46.579 --> 00:38:50.300 is packed, loaded with people. Everyone's coming 00:38:50.300 --> 00:38:51.840 to Zinda for the March of Vice, but a lot of 00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:53.119 people from other worlds want to be here too, 00:38:53.179 --> 00:38:56.000 because it is just a non -stop party. Parades 00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:59.000 everywhere, people throwing magical gem beads 00:38:59.000 --> 00:39:02.889 everywhere. Just a good time. As you're sort 00:39:02.889 --> 00:39:05.789 of moving down, coming down to dock, Jean sort 00:39:05.789 --> 00:39:08.369 of importantly kind of, I think sort of haughtiness 00:39:08.369 --> 00:39:10.090 has returned to him as he's sort of coming back 00:39:10.090 --> 00:39:11.809 to his world, kind of falling back into his element, 00:39:11.889 --> 00:39:13.730 much like the party in Saint -Étienne. Just, 00:39:13.769 --> 00:39:16.750 well, well, here we are. Look at all these people. 00:39:16.989 --> 00:39:20.989 Ugh, disgusting. Well, I mean, they flood the 00:39:20.989 --> 00:39:23.769 city. It's terrible. Right back to it, huh? All 00:39:23.769 --> 00:39:26.409 right, fine, fine. I'm just... Have you learned 00:39:26.409 --> 00:39:33.019 anything? Yes. It's like running Jules. Jules' 00:39:33.119 --> 00:39:37.739 best dad. All I'm saying is father had better 00:39:37.739 --> 00:39:40.420 have sent an elephant. My long -awaited return 00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:43.940 deserves at least an elephant. Right, sir? I'm 00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:47.139 perfectly capable of walking, Jean. Yes, we could 00:39:47.139 --> 00:39:49.039 walk, but they're going to walk, points to, like, 00:39:49.059 --> 00:39:52.860 everyone. We should have an elephant. See you, 00:39:52.860 --> 00:39:55.360 Dan. Okay, don't. Fine. Fine. You want to get 00:39:55.360 --> 00:40:02.440 on my back? No. A little. Jewel. Roll for strength. 00:40:03.199 --> 00:40:07.960 You'll die. Jewel rests, docking down at the 00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:11.480 bay. The ramps are leading up to it. The door 00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:13.800 sort of slides open and everyone starts spilling 00:40:13.800 --> 00:40:16.599 out. It'll do you some good to walk with the 00:40:16.599 --> 00:40:22.500 people, Jean. We'll see. We'll see. I am a prince 00:40:22.500 --> 00:40:24.800 of coin here. I have to be seen as such. I mean, 00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:26.539 I'm going into the city. I have to make an appearance, 00:40:26.679 --> 00:40:30.179 right? Right? Right? Everyone loves a man of 00:40:30.179 --> 00:40:32.739 the people. Yeah, man of the people right here. 00:40:32.780 --> 00:40:35.559 Right, Jules? Come on. Sort of giving this side 00:40:35.559 --> 00:40:41.679 thumb. Much like Sipsunko, you are struck immediately 00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:44.780 by humid, hot air as you phase into Noiria, as 00:40:44.780 --> 00:40:47.659 this door opens, as it hits you. And as you're 00:40:47.659 --> 00:40:49.340 stepping out of the Bastite Conqueror, you find 00:40:49.340 --> 00:40:52.059 yourselves in a tourist travel depot surrounded 00:40:52.059 --> 00:40:55.360 by lush, lush jungle. The hum of insects fills 00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:57.940 the air, playing harmony to an orchestra of birdsong. 00:40:58.159 --> 00:41:01.000 And this is all buried behind the general chatter 00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:04.739 and commotion of people. Just people all over, 00:41:04.820 --> 00:41:07.500 swarming the information souvenir and food stands 00:41:07.500 --> 00:41:10.099 and negotiating for rides into the city on ox 00:41:10.099 --> 00:41:12.119 or horse -pulled wagons. They're all sort of 00:41:12.119 --> 00:41:14.840 set out in a line just in front towards this 00:41:14.840 --> 00:41:17.840 sort of main pathway that leads through the jungle, 00:41:17.860 --> 00:41:21.639 a very open, wide path towards this sort of... 00:41:21.900 --> 00:41:25.579 jelly fields and the city of Zinda in the distance. 00:41:25.679 --> 00:41:29.360 Maybe a half hour's journey by cart. Standing 00:41:29.360 --> 00:41:31.719 out amongst these beasts of burden, though, is 00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:35.920 a mount of much larger size and prestige. Jean's 00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:39.760 eyes sparkle as he squeaks out, It's an elephant! 00:41:40.730 --> 00:41:43.690 And you see a white -painted, open -topped car 00:41:43.690 --> 00:41:47.329 attached to a great gray elephant with mild eyes. 00:41:47.630 --> 00:41:50.250 A rider sits atop the elephant on a golden -embroidered 00:41:50.250 --> 00:41:52.969 saddle, a brown -skinned halfling in a white 00:41:52.969 --> 00:41:56.050 uniform, black hair and beard just trimmed immaculately, 00:41:56.130 --> 00:41:58.369 who just sees your party just step out. Jean, 00:41:58.489 --> 00:42:00.869 I think, runs forward, just fully, like, knowing, 00:42:00.949 --> 00:42:05.409 this is me, right? This is me. The sort of pilot 00:42:05.409 --> 00:42:08.369 looks down, just like, you are Jean Frigamontelio, 00:42:08.449 --> 00:42:12.289 yes? My name is Taran Hal, and I will be your 00:42:12.289 --> 00:42:16.090 ride into the city. And Jon just, yes, whoa, 00:42:16.389 --> 00:42:20.530 whoa. It's an elephant. Sorry, composure. Man 00:42:20.530 --> 00:42:26.909 of the people. It's an elephant. Blanche is unsure 00:42:26.909 --> 00:42:30.409 about this. I mean, you know, there have already 00:42:30.409 --> 00:42:35.750 been two prominent political figures who have 00:42:35.750 --> 00:42:40.690 died, one by his own mount. It's a thing. But 00:42:40.690 --> 00:42:44.030 that wasn't that one. They happen. So Blanche 00:42:44.030 --> 00:42:45.710 is a little unsure. This is an elephant, not 00:42:45.710 --> 00:42:50.730 a horse. It's not a horse. And I'll be honest. 00:42:50.829 --> 00:42:52.010 Wait, you want to roll a die about it? I want 00:42:52.010 --> 00:42:53.750 to roll a die about it. What kind of die do you 00:42:53.750 --> 00:42:55.010 want to roll? What are you being honest about 00:42:55.010 --> 00:42:59.449 over there, you liar? While Jules does trust 00:42:59.449 --> 00:43:04.110 Jean Franklin, in a scenario like this, he understands 00:43:04.110 --> 00:43:08.260 that... John Franklin's decision -making might 00:43:08.260 --> 00:43:12.300 be a little shaky, you know, and he's definitely 00:43:12.300 --> 00:43:16.340 following Blanche's lead. Okay. I'll say that. 00:43:16.500 --> 00:43:20.099 Go ahead and roll insight. Roll insight. There's 00:43:20.099 --> 00:43:24.099 also... Mmm! Crit my pants. Crit your pants, 00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:27.539 okay. All over this Bastite. Why don't I have 00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:30.079 a crit my pants sound effect yet? I don't know. 00:43:30.340 --> 00:43:33.139 Whoa. What would that sound like? I'm slacking. 00:43:33.579 --> 00:43:35.079 Oh, you're going to find out in a few days. Oh, 00:43:35.079 --> 00:43:37.400 man, it's going to be bad. Oh, my gosh. It's 00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:46.699 going to go right. No. Darn it. I tried. So you're 00:43:46.699 --> 00:43:48.659 looking into this. For one thing, with that insight 00:43:48.659 --> 00:43:51.070 check, I'm going to give you a twofold. First 00:43:51.070 --> 00:43:54.150 of all, DiPiero Montelio. He would do this. He 00:43:54.150 --> 00:43:56.670 would want John Franklin to become as over -the 00:43:56.670 --> 00:43:59.690 -top as possible because DiPiero was always frustrated 00:43:59.690 --> 00:44:03.750 by how the other kings of coin treat him. They 00:44:03.750 --> 00:44:05.449 see him as lesser because he's not a tortle. 00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:08.119 Or because he is a turtle, sorry. And they're 00:44:08.119 --> 00:44:10.460 all, you know, turtles just aren't seen on the 00:44:10.460 --> 00:44:11.880 same level as everybody else. And so he's kind 00:44:11.880 --> 00:44:14.300 of like, he wants to put on a show, like, we're 00:44:14.300 --> 00:44:17.400 as big as you guys are. My son's riding on an 00:44:17.400 --> 00:44:19.960 elephant. You know this is classic DiPiero. This 00:44:19.960 --> 00:44:21.599 is not, there's nothing nefarious about this. 00:44:21.659 --> 00:44:24.199 He would have hired this guy. Okay. Looking at 00:44:24.199 --> 00:44:26.860 the guy. Yeah, he seems everything that he is. 00:44:26.980 --> 00:44:28.760 He just doesn't seem to be concealing any sort 00:44:28.760 --> 00:44:30.960 of weapons. He seems genuine. You feel pretty 00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:33.699 secure as you look at him. You scan it over. 00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:36.920 Maybe you honestly, with that 20, you've probably 00:44:36.920 --> 00:44:39.599 seen this guy before. Taron Howell's probably 00:44:39.599 --> 00:44:44.019 well -known for just being a famed limousine 00:44:44.019 --> 00:44:46.619 driver, essentially, of Noiri. So it's just like 00:44:46.619 --> 00:44:49.739 that. Okay, so he gets the pass. Blanche isn't 00:44:49.739 --> 00:44:52.619 quite done. Okay. Blanche is going to pull out 00:44:52.619 --> 00:44:56.980 her Eyes of Minute Seeing. All right. She's going 00:44:56.980 --> 00:45:00.300 to walk up, you know, behind Jaune and call up 00:45:00.300 --> 00:45:04.599 to the driver. Question, is the elephant a male 00:45:04.599 --> 00:45:07.719 or female? It is a female elephant. With your 00:45:07.719 --> 00:45:09.659 eyes, I mean, seeing, peek right up in there, 00:45:09.739 --> 00:45:11.920 real close. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. 00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:17.780 It must, yeah, it's a female. Jaune Mount, what 00:45:17.780 --> 00:45:25.900 do you call her? Penny. Fine beast she is. And 00:45:25.900 --> 00:45:29.039 Blanche puts on her eyes of minute seeing. What 00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:31.320 are you doing down there? Which grant her advantage 00:45:31.320 --> 00:45:35.800 on investigation checks. You can see much better 00:45:35.800 --> 00:45:39.440 than normal out to a range of one foot. So kind 00:45:39.440 --> 00:45:42.679 of as she's walking up to Penny, you know, she's 00:45:42.679 --> 00:45:44.440 checking out Penny's feet. She's checking out 00:45:44.440 --> 00:45:46.139 the harnesses that are holding. You're embarrassing 00:45:46.139 --> 00:45:54.280 me in front of the elephant. She's. That's all 00:45:54.280 --> 00:45:57.039 right, John. It's better to be embarrassed and 00:45:57.039 --> 00:45:59.940 live than to fall off an elephant and, well, 00:46:00.059 --> 00:46:03.059 not. We're riding the cart, not the elephant. 00:46:03.360 --> 00:46:06.780 So I'm trying to just roll investigation on like... 00:46:06.780 --> 00:46:09.219 Roll investigation. All of it. All of it. On 00:46:09.219 --> 00:46:11.639 everything I can see within one foot of the elephant. 00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:20.559 Advantage. Yeah. 23. Cart is well made. The wood 00:46:20.559 --> 00:46:22.619 could be stronger, but it's made to be kind of 00:46:22.619 --> 00:46:27.539 lightweight, easy to carry around. So it doesn't 00:46:27.539 --> 00:46:30.019 really matter. Wheels are fixed on well. The 00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:31.820 actual tether between the elephant and the cart 00:46:31.820 --> 00:46:34.820 is very firm, very strong, not likely broken 00:46:34.820 --> 00:46:37.780 easily by anything. It just seems like a well 00:46:37.780 --> 00:46:40.280 -secure, well -made cart. I mean, this is what 00:46:40.280 --> 00:46:43.059 good money pays for. All right. And I feel like 00:46:43.059 --> 00:46:46.219 Blanche has done her job. She feels like this 00:46:46.219 --> 00:46:50.000 is pretty safe. Master defense, yeah. Yeah. Do 00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:52.619 you guys slide on the cart? I mean, I guess it's 00:46:52.619 --> 00:46:55.260 a climb on into the cart, right? The back drops 00:46:55.260 --> 00:46:58.159 down magically. I don't care. It climbs on it. 00:46:58.179 --> 00:47:00.320 It's cool. Magic. We slide up on top of the elephant. 00:47:00.360 --> 00:47:04.320 There's like a whole... Because it's like a fancy 00:47:04.320 --> 00:47:07.760 cart. Sure. I just made sounds. I don't know 00:47:07.760 --> 00:47:12.360 what that... You get on the cart. So the seats 00:47:12.360 --> 00:47:14.820 are cushioned. It's super comfortable. It kind 00:47:14.820 --> 00:47:17.710 of comes back up. And the guy just says, all 00:47:17.710 --> 00:47:21.550 right, half hour ride to Zinda. Do you want if 00:47:21.550 --> 00:47:22.969 I tell you about the sights you see on the way? 00:47:23.030 --> 00:47:26.269 This is, I know for you, Lady Master Defense 00:47:26.269 --> 00:47:31.250 Blanche Trudeau, and for you, my, hang on, Lord 00:47:31.250 --> 00:47:34.250 Jean Franklin Montelio, Bear of the Gold of... 00:47:34.510 --> 00:47:37.010 bear of the banner of the golden bay uh he's 00:47:37.010 --> 00:47:38.750 trying to stumble over the i was gonna say i 00:47:38.750 --> 00:47:40.909 was like david knows it david knows it david 00:47:40.909 --> 00:47:43.010 forgot david's tired this is his fifth campaign 00:47:43.010 --> 00:47:46.550 in a row this week um he says the thing uh uh 00:47:46.550 --> 00:47:49.250 he's like but you uh the you two uh guests jules 00:47:49.250 --> 00:47:51.230 la roche i believe right uh you you probably 00:47:51.230 --> 00:47:53.969 don't know much about this area yeah do your 00:47:53.969 --> 00:47:56.389 thing oh he's doing a thing he's excited to do 00:47:56.389 --> 00:47:58.130 he's like yes it's almost like a jungle tour 00:47:58.130 --> 00:47:59.829 and like you know theme park as you're kind of 00:47:59.829 --> 00:48:01.429 going through and jules doesn't want to hear 00:48:01.429 --> 00:48:05.309 it He's letting him do it, though, because he 00:48:05.309 --> 00:48:07.590 can tell it brings him joy. Hell yeah. I love 00:48:07.590 --> 00:48:10.010 that. Jewels are bringing joy. As you're going, 00:48:10.150 --> 00:48:12.590 he's just like traveling, trotting along. He's 00:48:12.590 --> 00:48:13.969 just like, now if you look to your right here, 00:48:14.030 --> 00:48:15.789 you will see some of our local peli parents. 00:48:15.989 --> 00:48:18.710 And we'll call it there. And some large, colorful 00:48:18.710 --> 00:48:21.760 birds with great beaks. take off from the trees. 00:48:21.920 --> 00:48:24.059 You're turning around to other places and you 00:48:24.059 --> 00:48:27.239 see this large moss -covered crack and a large 00:48:27.239 --> 00:48:29.280 stone alongside of the road. Just like, oh, I'd 00:48:29.280 --> 00:48:31.079 be worried about around these parts at night. 00:48:31.179 --> 00:48:34.659 That cave to our left is the continuous homestead 00:48:34.659 --> 00:48:38.119 of many varieties of Sturges, which you might 00:48:38.119 --> 00:48:39.719 not see in your world. And he maybe goes on to 00:48:39.719 --> 00:48:41.820 explain that Sturges are these nocturnal creatures 00:48:41.820 --> 00:48:44.940 that are basically bat mosquitoes. I don't know 00:48:44.940 --> 00:48:46.679 if I explained Sturge Man's joke before, but 00:48:46.679 --> 00:48:48.940 that's the joke. They're bat mosquitoes. He's 00:48:48.940 --> 00:48:52.150 Sturge Man. That mosquito. Okay, we're done. 00:48:52.250 --> 00:48:57.190 Anyway, moving on. He points out various fauna 00:48:57.190 --> 00:48:59.670 running through the trees. Maybe a tiger runs 00:48:59.670 --> 00:49:01.829 through at some point. He just gestures to him. 00:49:01.829 --> 00:49:06.570 A tiger? A tiger. They're cool. A tire growling 00:49:06.570 --> 00:49:10.599 noise in the jungle. A tire falls on him. It's 00:49:10.599 --> 00:49:14.320 an arctic claw. That's a tire brand. You're pointed 00:49:14.320 --> 00:49:16.719 to various flowers that seem to sparkle almost 00:49:16.719 --> 00:49:19.179 metallically in the bits of sunlight that filter 00:49:19.179 --> 00:49:20.860 through the canopy above, and you're just trotting 00:49:20.860 --> 00:49:25.159 along. Up ahead, we have the Pool of the Watcher, 00:49:25.159 --> 00:49:28.940 which holds the giant caiman, Tickalosh. I think 00:49:28.940 --> 00:49:32.500 I said that right. Hey, it's a cool guy. I don't 00:49:32.500 --> 00:49:34.800 like being tickled. You look out, and you actually 00:49:34.800 --> 00:49:39.909 see, again, like a jungle... amusement parks 00:49:39.909 --> 00:49:42.050 or a tour ride you see like this this long pond 00:49:42.050 --> 00:49:44.250 ahead about 50 feet wide where you move to intersect 00:49:44.250 --> 00:49:47.150 it and sort of um vanishing off in distance in 00:49:47.150 --> 00:49:49.250 both directions it's a very long uh pond you 00:49:49.250 --> 00:49:51.730 see this stone bridge runs across it where the 00:49:51.730 --> 00:49:55.170 trail meets um continues on afterwards uh there's 00:49:55.170 --> 00:49:56.909 a fair crowd that's gathered on top of this of 00:49:56.909 --> 00:49:58.489 this bridge kind of looking over the side at 00:49:58.489 --> 00:50:00.550 something as you kind of get closer you can peer 00:50:00.550 --> 00:50:03.590 over and see there's a just resting lazily at 00:50:03.590 --> 00:50:06.250 the surface of the pool is this massive caiman 00:50:06.250 --> 00:50:09.079 maybe 25 feet long You guys know what those are? 00:50:09.579 --> 00:50:12.199 They're kind of like short, snouted alligators. 00:50:12.659 --> 00:50:15.599 Sure. Yeah, just this big, 25 -foot long, almost 00:50:15.599 --> 00:50:17.760 alligator, a little more tropical, a little cooler. 00:50:18.800 --> 00:50:20.940 These glazed eyes just taking the crowd with 00:50:20.940 --> 00:50:24.300 mild interest, sort of floats around from nibbling 00:50:24.300 --> 00:50:26.980 bits and bods of foodstuffs that are kind of 00:50:26.980 --> 00:50:30.059 tossed into the water in front of them. How do 00:50:30.059 --> 00:50:34.079 you know it's a pond and not a river? People 00:50:34.079 --> 00:50:38.219 have seen it. This is a major trail within your 00:50:38.219 --> 00:50:40.840 road we're going through here. It's all well 00:50:40.840 --> 00:50:43.719 explored. Oh, very well. I don't know where the 00:50:43.719 --> 00:50:46.599 river is. The water's not moving. I don't know. 00:50:46.920 --> 00:50:49.539 Okay. I was just... You said it was, like, 50 00:50:49.539 --> 00:50:51.880 feet wide and, like, really, really long? It's 00:50:51.880 --> 00:50:54.139 a weird pond. It sounds like a river. Maybe it's 00:50:54.139 --> 00:50:56.019 just, like, it's probably open on all our sides, 00:50:56.039 --> 00:50:57.940 like, longer, but that's just, like, it narrows 00:50:57.940 --> 00:50:59.460 out, and this one's canal. Probably man -made, 00:50:59.480 --> 00:51:01.579 even, just to make the bridge smaller, so it's 00:51:01.579 --> 00:51:03.559 kind of a, yeah. Now I understand. You've taught 00:51:03.559 --> 00:51:05.619 me something new about my home world. The more 00:51:05.619 --> 00:51:09.139 you know. Actually, you probably know about Tickalosh. 00:51:09.800 --> 00:51:11.400 As he kind of goes on to explain, it's all stuff 00:51:11.400 --> 00:51:15.480 you know. Just, like, just, like, stop it. Don't 00:51:15.480 --> 00:51:17.460 worry, don't worry. Tickalosh here is seen as 00:51:17.460 --> 00:51:19.579 the guardian of the jungle in this region. He's 00:51:19.579 --> 00:51:22.619 a peaceful soul. He just gets his food from passerbys 00:51:22.619 --> 00:51:24.840 that wish to honor his presence. And you can 00:51:24.840 --> 00:51:28.460 see he's just chilling. I think even the ride 00:51:28.460 --> 00:51:30.440 proves like a shank of meat from his pouch. Just 00:51:30.440 --> 00:51:32.380 says like, I pass by here frequently and I never 00:51:32.380 --> 00:51:35.599 deny my dear friend a snack. And Jean kind of 00:51:35.599 --> 00:51:39.250 laughs. So you're moving on. The crowd of people 00:51:39.250 --> 00:51:41.010 at the edge of the bridge kind of, you know, 00:51:41.010 --> 00:51:42.389 some of them are tossing food into the water, 00:51:42.449 --> 00:51:44.269 but as the elephant approaches, the crowd sort 00:51:44.269 --> 00:51:45.909 of pushes along to the other side of the bridge, 00:51:45.949 --> 00:51:47.010 kind of getting out of your way, because you're 00:51:47.010 --> 00:51:48.929 taking up some good space, you know. They don't 00:51:48.929 --> 00:51:53.469 want to get trampled. Roll in that one. So they 00:51:53.469 --> 00:51:55.469 clear the space, and you get a good view of the 00:51:55.469 --> 00:51:58.170 great caiman just floating along the water's 00:51:58.170 --> 00:52:00.030 surface, maybe five feet down below the bridge. 00:52:00.530 --> 00:52:03.150 Jaune's just, like, looking at it with his eyes 00:52:03.150 --> 00:52:06.039 wide, like, ah, Tikalash! Now, I remember coming 00:52:06.039 --> 00:52:08.300 here to see him as a hatchling. A tadpole, if 00:52:08.300 --> 00:52:11.000 you will, sir. Back when Mother was still alive. 00:52:11.500 --> 00:52:13.360 I still can't believe she brought me to see him. 00:52:13.739 --> 00:52:16.039 Dicolosh aside, the great caiman near the Golden 00:52:16.039 --> 00:52:18.059 Bay have quite a taste for turtles, you know. 00:52:18.179 --> 00:52:21.239 You know. You're kind of ricketing over the bridge 00:52:21.239 --> 00:52:24.519 as John's reminiscing. I think he's kind of looking 00:52:24.519 --> 00:52:26.840 back like, You know, sir, I actually spoke to 00:52:26.840 --> 00:52:28.119 the bastard that came in Don and Connor when 00:52:28.119 --> 00:52:30.980 I became a luminary. Quite a nice fellow, actually. 00:52:31.320 --> 00:52:35.889 He actually commented me on my... A great force 00:52:35.889 --> 00:52:38.230 smashes into the cart, violently pushing it over 00:52:38.230 --> 00:52:40.190 the side of the bridge. The great maw of the 00:52:40.190 --> 00:52:42.750 massive caiman, Tickalock, comes bearing down 00:52:42.750 --> 00:52:45.670 on all of you. He roars, furious, crazed, his 00:52:45.670 --> 00:52:47.949 teeth gnashing down and shredding the cart's 00:52:47.949 --> 00:52:50.769 white wood as it topples into the water. The 00:52:50.769 --> 00:52:52.809 elephant on the bridge collapsing and sliding 00:52:52.809 --> 00:52:54.570 against the rough stone, the rider screaming 00:52:54.570 --> 00:52:58.000 as he is thrown into the pool. And the cart hangs 00:52:58.000 --> 00:53:00.760 by its tethers to the great beast of burden as 00:53:00.760 --> 00:53:02.940 the elephant slides to a stop pressed against 00:53:02.940 --> 00:53:06.940 the raised edge of the bridge. Your cart dangles, 00:53:06.940 --> 00:53:09.300 half submerged, and I need a strength saving 00:53:09.300 --> 00:53:12.119 throw from all of you to see who stays upon it. 00:53:12.460 --> 00:53:16.139 But not this week. Because we'll call it day! 00:53:37.800 --> 00:53:39.940 What the fuck is this magic? What the fuck, David? 00:53:40.380 --> 00:53:45.440 What did you do? I don't know. I don't know. 00:53:46.300 --> 00:53:50.599 That was horrible. I kind of liked it. What the 00:53:50.599 --> 00:53:53.300 fuck? I don't like how it's just in my right 00:53:53.300 --> 00:53:59.139 ear, though. I'm so scared. This is pretty good. 00:54:00.300 --> 00:54:02.239 Oh, that's more of the jungle music. Yeah, let's 00:54:02.239 --> 00:54:04.969 do that. That's fine. That's just music. Okay, 00:54:05.010 --> 00:54:06.829 we'll do this. Hopefully it doesn't... What did 00:54:06.829 --> 00:54:09.230 that? Yeah, but what fucking did that thing? 00:54:09.349 --> 00:54:12.929 I want to know so bad. It was like every sound 00:54:12.929 --> 00:54:13.809 effect went off at once.