WEBVTT

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Hey guys, it's Steven. If you're enjoying the

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show, please consider leaving a podcast rating

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wherever you're listening. That's one of the

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best ways to help us grow. Also, please find

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us on Instagram at fantasypantspod and share

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it with your friends. Thank you so much. When

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last we left off in our little tale, our heroes

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found themselves in a sudden, desperate situation.

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Upon returning to the ugly coyote and finding

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the cherry lights working for the cantankerous,

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I'm just kidding, old buddy. Our heroes enjoyed

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a moment of respite as they delivered gifts to

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Jewel's band of misfits. This peace was shattered,

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however, by the appearance of Pepper the Horrigan

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and the implications of him knowing where our

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heroes were hiding now. Immediately, the group

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was assailed by shield -bearers, joined by new

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officer Jesseth Kellig, and led by Lieutenant

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Arhalon himself. The unit, under strict orders

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from a speaker for the Ancestors, demanded the

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three youngest Cherry Delights, Miskin, Paul,

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and Roundstuff, be taken from the pub and forcefully

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adopted by the Royals of Saru, Jewel's own mother

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and father. With nowhere to run and nowhere to

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fight, Jewel's man should convince Arhalon to

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hear him out privately. There, in the back kitchen

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of that ugly coyote, Jules revealed the demonic

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influence of his own blood in an effort to turn

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Arhalon against the powers that command him.

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Now, having to choose between goodness and law,

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Arhalon must make a most crucial decision. If

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you guys don't mind opening things a little bit

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differently this time. Yeah. I went to see, I

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had to see a microbiologist at the hospital the

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other day. Oh, huh. They were much bigger than

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I expected them to be. Oh my God. Come on. You

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have me thinking something serious is going on.

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I'm like, are you fucking telling us this on

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air? A little late, but I tried. You know what?

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Actually, more fittingly. There you go. Jesus

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Christ. Steven. Sorry. That was kind of funny.

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That was hilarious. And we'll call it there,

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I guess. On a better note, I have stickers. You

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have stickers? I have stickers. What's stickers?

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Some of these are from Druidic Habit. We got

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stickers from him the other day. Whoa. The Fuck

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Perfect stickers. Dude, check that out. Let me

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see that. Oh, hell yeah. That's pretty good.

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We're going to have to get a sticker board to

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put these up around the studio. We do need a

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sticker board. I also got a sticker from a place

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called the Halflings Den. They've got an Etsy

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shop. Oh, my God. That is so cool. I bought this

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super cute little candle from them, and it's

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in like a, I don't know, potion bottle -shaped

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bottle. All right. A bottle -shaped bottle, huh?

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Yeah, yeah, a bottle -shaped bottle. Oh. And

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it had a little potion of healing tag on it,

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but it's a candle. That's cool. That's sweet.

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And then I got some stickers from our buddy Morgan,

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who I got that comic off of. Oh, yeah. Yeah,

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so Morgan drew that sweet comic called Hostile

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Takeover. He also did a zine. I don't know if

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y 'all are up on the lingo. I have no... What

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the hell is that? Wait, let me guess. Dude, David,

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you gotta see this. It's really cool. Yeah, I

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brought it. A zine? Zine is like some kind of

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newfangled stapler? No, no. All right. Actually

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pretty far off. Okay. Zine is like a miniature

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magazine. That was close. And I think they were

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big when we were kids, when we were younger.

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They've been a thing for a long, long time. 90s

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sort of thing, yeah. Like less pages or it's

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just a small magazine? Both. Okay, all right.

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Smaller format, fewer pages. Oh, all right, all

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right. Anyways, so he did this. It's a skateboard

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breakfast -themed zine. It is very cool. It's

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pretty cool. It's difficult to explain. A lot

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of crossover between those two fan bases. Well,

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see here, I think the crossover is that they

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use what are called egg -shaped skateboards,

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I think, and they're just slightly egg -shaped.

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I'm not cool enough to really know the difference,

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but I think skateboarding's cool. Oh, Steven,

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you have 30 years showing. And I love breakfast.

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Yeah. So, so he, he gave us a bunch of, um, eggs

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for breakfast stickers and they're super cool.

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I threw them up on Instagram, check them out.

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Um, and I brought them here to share. Hell yeah.

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Right. Guys, we've really got like. The coolest

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little community here. It's fantastic. Such cool

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people. I can't believe how fast it's actually

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already kind of grown and how fast we're having

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conversations with folk or just becoming classic

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members of the community. It's wild to me. I'm

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having a lot of fun connecting on Instagram.

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So if you're out there and you want to interact,

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that's the place. Hell yes. Well, with that sort

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of chatter out of the way, anything else you

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guys want to touch on? I mean, we weren't really

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doing anything important last episode, so I feel

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like we could just... We could just chatter on

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all day. No, we're just chilling on the couch.

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We don't need to. Just taking it easy after a

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big arc. We can just time skip back to another

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world, right? You know what? We can do that.

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We can do that. Why not? I like that idea. That

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sounds less stressful. Oh, boy. Yes, indeed.

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We left off with quite the little cliffhanger

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last time. A role that's going to change the

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fate of this very campaign. Very, very likely.

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And I bet you are just. Ready to make that rule,

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huh? Huh, Jeremy? I mean, with a plus seven,

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yeah. Yeah, well, you have to wait. Let's see.

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You have to wait. Come on. Because I'm starting

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this off with another flashback. Flashback sound

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effect. Okay, see, now I am going to make something.

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I am going to make it for that. You can use my

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voice and just alter it. So, we find ourselves.

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In a scene on Typhos, we have that typical fade

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-to -white background of a flashback. Everything's

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colors a little brighter. But not terribly bright,

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because things never look too bright in the slums

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outside of Cerule. Do they, Jules? Do they? Never.

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I think this is about two years ago. Okay. I

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think you and your cherry delights have just

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returned from a bit of a score. Tell me, what

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kind of hideout... I'm sure you've had a number

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of hideouts throughout the years. Give me one

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right now. What's a kind of locale you may have

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set up to... Hmm. Interesting. Yeah. I don't

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know. I imagine something probably similar. I

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don't know if you guys have ever seen the original,

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I don't know, might have been late 80s, definitely

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at least early 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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movie with their little home in the sewers. Hmm.

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All right. I'm not certain. No. I'm sure some

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listeners know. But I don't know. Yeah, I imagine

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it's either, you know, like down in the gutters,

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down some kind of back alleyway, you know, a

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little nondescript. Hell yeah. A little broken

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wooden door that nobody would think twice about.

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Hell yeah. But I think you walk in and it's probably

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made a nice raggedy comfy home. You know, maybe,

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you know. Not a second hand, but like a third

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or fourth hand ripped up sofa, you know, makeshift

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dishes, you know, crates as tables kind of thing.

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But, you know, it's a place that they've made

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home. I absolutely love it. So I want to create

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a scene here. You see the Cherry Delights all

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chipper and cheering and laughing as they are

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moving sort of towards this rickety door. Um,

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you see Mulligan is kind of in the lead of them

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two years younger. So now I believe he is nine.

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Would it be something like that? And he's just

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like got this tray of, of, uh, iced over like,

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like rolls, um, like cinnamon roll kind of things.

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And he just, you just poached from, uh, some,

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maybe some, uh, cart moving through the, uh,

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the actual like proper city. It's a good meal.

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um this is a big score for you guys and he's

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just like oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my

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god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god uh

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i can't wait and just burst through the door

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and you see like him just running in uh you see

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all the others are kind of running in as well

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behind him you hear the rolls cloud down the

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table and i like to think there's a moment where

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you jewels are just standing back and watching

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your six cherry delights move into the room you

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just kind of Probably a slight smile on your

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face, knowing that you've done good today. These

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kids are happy. We got the feast. And you're

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starting to get your bearings together on the

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streets. You're really starting to get it now.

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And then you hear, Oh, Jules! Jules! Jules! Panic

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Chester from somewhere inside. You can hear,

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like, everyone kind of quiets down a little bit,

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and it sounds different. The joyous atmosphere

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is just, like, gone. You go in? Yeah, of course.

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So you just, like, rush in, door opens, and you

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see immediately what's troubling the gang. You

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see as you move into the room, maybe there's

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a small counter on the other side. They just

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set the buns down, they're all gathered around

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the table, but sitting on the counter, you see

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this small, maybe five -year -old tiefling girl.

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You see she's wearing just these completely shoddy...

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Dirty, like, soaked rags. Her feet are bare and

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blistered. And she's brandishing a little knife.

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Dull, but still a dangerous weapon. She's shaking,

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and she's watching everyone with eyes wide and

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terrified, like a feral cat. She's just looking

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around from person to person. Not making any

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sounds, but... Take it easy, take it easy. It's

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okay, it's okay. She's kind of like... Well,

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shakes the knife towards you. Nobody's going

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to hurt you. Nobody's going to hurt you. What's

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your name? What's your name? You see, she stops

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looking at you for a moment, and her eyes fall

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towards the tray on the table, and you can see

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the desire lighting up in there. You have to

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wonder how long it's been since she's had any

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sort of meal, and as she looks down, tears form

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at the sides of her eyes, and a little drool

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forms at the side of her mouth as she stares

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at the cinnamon rolls. And she takes a hand off

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the knife and she points, shaking towards him

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and says, Round stuff? Go ahead, go ahead. Are

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you hungry? Round stuff? Yeah, go, go. Go ahead,

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take one. I think she doesn't move and Chester

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kind of looks to you for permission and kind

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of grabs one of them and moves to approach. Yeah.

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He hands it over to her and she just... drops

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the knife lets it clatter to the floor and just

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shoves it into her mouth and you see her just

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like her eyes just openly weeping now as she

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smiles this big smile and just just riding the

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sugar craving she's just so happy and yeah i

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think jules is gonna go over and just kind of

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plop down next to her a little cautiously but

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you know not not to scare her and she recoils

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for a second at first But I think you kind of

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move slow, like you say. We're all friends here.

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What's your name? I'm Jules. This is Chester.

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Round stuff. She kind of points again to the

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cinnamon rolls. Chester shrugs, gets her another

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one. And I think as she kind of takes her hand,

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she looks back at you. And in this strange sort

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of sudden shift in momentum in the scene, in

00:12:51.850 --> 00:12:55.610
her mood, she just... dives off the counter and

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wraps her arms around your neck and like holds

00:12:58.210 --> 00:13:01.269
you tight and you see she's shaking. She's shaking

00:13:01.269 --> 00:13:04.750
so much. Oh, we got you. You're safe here. You're

00:13:04.750 --> 00:13:07.549
safe here with us. Don't you worry. Don't you

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worry. You hear a whisper in your ear. It's so

00:13:11.110 --> 00:13:17.690
quiet. Don't. Don't let go. Don't let me go.

00:13:18.529 --> 00:13:21.370
I got you. Don't ever let me go. Don't let me

00:13:21.370 --> 00:13:29.240
go. Don't. Let me go. And we find ourselves in

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a very different back room in a very different

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building. And here we see that same tiefling,

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two years older, huddled in a corner, looking

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just as terrified, surrounded by her family,

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and looking to you with this desperation. No,

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no. As this. Half -dragon in armor stands, coming

00:13:55.990 --> 00:14:01.169
to a decision. His eyes meet yours, and I need

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a persuasion check. You have buttons. This is

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going to be a monumental check. Now, I will tell

00:14:13.110 --> 00:14:16.169
you a few things before you make this. You've

00:14:16.169 --> 00:14:20.370
played this scene amazingly well. Brilliantly,

00:14:20.529 --> 00:14:25.490
I will say. appealed to Arhalon's, essentially,

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his insecurity when he initially brought Mew

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into this room. And in doing so, and in passing

00:14:32.490 --> 00:14:34.529
that first persuasion check, you've dropped this

00:14:34.529 --> 00:14:39.149
DC down quite a bit. You then manage to inflame

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his sense of curiosity, his investigative senses,

00:14:44.649 --> 00:14:47.789
his instincts, by bringing up the corruption

00:14:47.789 --> 00:14:51.129
in your own blood. The idea that those on top

00:14:51.129 --> 00:14:54.580
may have more Skeletons hiding in their closets

00:14:54.580 --> 00:14:57.200
and they let on. This got him going and this

00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:01.139
dropped the DC. Again. You've played to the character,

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great. But this is a game about roles and numbers

00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.799
and sometimes you can do everything right. It

00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:12.720
can still go wrong. Because this is a big, big

00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:18.419
ask. It's been quite a while since I have used

00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:23.080
a button. It has been. And I need to use one.

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:26.799
Okay. I think this is the time. This is too important.

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.659
You got a couple in there. This is too important.

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:32.539
I do. I do. And I am going to use one. Okay.

00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:37.320
I will take that button back. There you go. Thank

00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:42.779
you, sir. And here we go. Oh, man. Roll number

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:48.960
one. I will reveal both after I have rolled both

00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:59.960
of them. Okay. I have a DC in mind. 13. 13. I

00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:03.519
don't think that's going to do it. Yeah, I don't

00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:06.480
think so either. He's typing. I don't like that.

00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:10.980
Nope. I mean, I just expected no. Right. I didn't

00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:13.460
expect typing. I think he expected me to actually

00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:16.879
hit it, and now he's changing his plan. Oh, it's

00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:18.940
a music change. Yep. It's worse than we expected.

00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:23.820
Fuck. Roll for initiative. God damn it. No, that's

00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:25.659
not what I want. Try the right one. I thought

00:16:25.659 --> 00:16:29.500
I had it set up already. He looks you in the

00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:35.080
eyes, Jules. His eyes narrow and he says, I'm

00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:41.320
sorry. I am. If what you say is true, I have

00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:44.299
to remain a shield bearer. If I strip myself

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:48.039
of any rank, of any ability to investigate this,

00:16:48.179 --> 00:16:53.879
in this scenario, perhaps, The smaller wrongs,

00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:57.360
bringing these children to a home that is perhaps

00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:00.639
compromised, it's not great, Jules LaRoche, but

00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:03.860
it will give me the ability to continue my investigations.

00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:07.680
I'm sorry. Arlan, I'm not asking you to drop

00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.740
your shield -bearer status right now. But you

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:15.279
are! I'm just asking that you not send my friends

00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:20.640
into the care of anybody under the control of

00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:27.109
my parents. That's all. That's all. I am not

00:17:27.109 --> 00:17:33.049
the wielder. I am the sword. And if a sword does

00:17:33.049 --> 00:17:36.190
not perform in combat, it is tossed to the side.

00:17:36.390 --> 00:17:40.529
This is not my call. I have no choice. My hands

00:17:40.529 --> 00:17:42.890
are tied in this as much as yours are. I'm sorry.

00:17:43.029 --> 00:17:44.730
I have to take them. He turns and sweeps his

00:17:44.730 --> 00:17:48.470
hands around and you hear round stuff. Like crying

00:17:48.470 --> 00:17:50.549
out chesters. It's okay. It's okay. He's looking

00:17:50.549 --> 00:17:52.230
at you like, what do we do? What do we do, Jules?

00:17:52.609 --> 00:17:55.930
So when all of this evil comes out, when it all

00:17:55.930 --> 00:17:58.869
takes over all these worlds, and the darkness

00:17:58.869 --> 00:18:02.269
spreads, what are you going to think about what

00:18:02.269 --> 00:18:06.049
you did then? How are you going to live with

00:18:06.049 --> 00:18:10.430
yourself? It won't come to that. I will stop

00:18:10.430 --> 00:18:12.750
it before it happens. They are far too powerful,

00:18:12.869 --> 00:18:16.089
even for you. They're far too powerful for Atash.

00:18:17.250 --> 00:18:21.359
And all the fucking luminaries out there. What

00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:24.140
side are you going to be on when everything crumbles?

00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:27.140
Are you going to be on the side rebuilding and

00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:30.240
creating something good? I will be on the side

00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:36.960
of law. And he stands up. The law's a lie. Don't

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:43.619
interfere, Jules. I'm warning you. And he takes

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:47.640
a step towards the cherry delights. Don't touch

00:18:47.640 --> 00:18:53.539
them. I will take them. He looks back at you.

00:18:53.579 --> 00:18:56.420
I want to leave this scene for a moment. I want

00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:58.259
to leave this scene and move into the room next

00:18:58.259 --> 00:19:01.279
door. Because I'm an asshole. Oh no, not me.

00:19:03.059 --> 00:19:06.279
Please, anybody, not me. Fuck. Somebody, anybody.

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:09.059
I'm still getting over my goosebumps. Zebulon,

00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:13.420
you are waiting in this room. You guys don't

00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:15.400
hear. The door's pretty thick in the back room.

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:17.480
You hear nothing. You're just waiting. Waiting

00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:21.180
peppers. Kind of. Kind of like, you know, calming

00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:23.160
down a little bit. Ader sort of by his side.

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:25.900
You see the shield bearers are all standing.

00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:29.400
All just kind of like waiting. Kind of like,

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:32.740
you know, calm, patient stalwart. Except for

00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:37.279
one. Jacinth Kellig is fuming. I can't believe.

00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:40.640
There's no way. There's no way. Not like this.

00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:43.799
Not his fucking honey tongue. He's not getting

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:47.710
away this time. He's not. And he's just kind

00:19:47.710 --> 00:19:49.069
of like, how do you know what George's tongue

00:19:49.069 --> 00:19:54.609
tastes like? God damn it. We were very close

00:19:54.609 --> 00:19:59.970
at one point. He, um, he's like kind of fuming.

00:19:59.970 --> 00:20:02.529
Then he kind of stops for a second. His eyes

00:20:02.529 --> 00:20:06.009
flicker towards you. And flicker just past you.

00:20:06.890 --> 00:20:13.230
To Pepper. And he smiles. So, you really think

00:20:13.230 --> 00:20:15.950
this is all going to work out for your new friends?

00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.900
Rabbit, I wonder what's happening back there,

00:20:19.980 --> 00:20:22.220
what they're saying. I wonder if they're selling

00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:27.559
you out. Pepper, what do you mean? Hey, Pepper,

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:29.660
that's okay. You don't have to say anything to

00:20:29.660 --> 00:20:33.640
this guy. That's all right. Well, what's he talking

00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:37.200
about? Well, I mean, you were their enemy, weren't

00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:41.240
you? I've heard a few things. And aren't you

00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:46.700
wanted on God's breath? I mean, perhaps. They

00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:50.160
could make a deal in exchange for the children.

00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.279
They could have you put away. But I didn't do

00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:56.759
that. No, it wasn't an accident. They wouldn't

00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:58.380
do that. They wouldn't do that. Hey, Pepper,

00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:05.119
as not your lawyer, I'm going to advise you to

00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:09.900
not say anything. He turns towards you just like,

00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:16.519
quiet, Zebulon. You don't have any power. Here,

00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:20.220
do you understand? This is Big Brother's show.

00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:28.319
I'm not as scared of you. You see Peppers looking

00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:30.160
back between the two of you, and I want you to

00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:34.799
make a contested persuasion check. Oh, all right,

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:40.339
all right. All right. Yo, I just crit my pants.

00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:44.349
Oh, shit! I just crit my pants. All right. Oh,

00:21:44.369 --> 00:21:46.730
my God. 20 plus 3. Give me something cool. What

00:21:46.730 --> 00:21:50.829
do you say to, like, fully calm Pepper? Because

00:21:50.829 --> 00:21:52.410
Pepper looks at you, and he's, like, he's kind

00:21:52.410 --> 00:21:53.630
of, like, getting nervous again, shaking again.

00:21:53.809 --> 00:21:55.829
And, like, maybe he looks and sees how just,

00:21:55.890 --> 00:21:59.029
like, stalwart you are in the face of this, like,

00:21:59.069 --> 00:22:03.150
shield bearer. And you see. Pepper, look at me.

00:22:03.630 --> 00:22:07.769
Oh, yeah? You wouldn't do it, would you? We're

00:22:07.769 --> 00:22:10.690
never going to forget, Pepper, what you did for

00:22:10.690 --> 00:22:15.539
us during the games. You proved to us then that

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:20.460
we're friends. Do you believe me, Pepper? I do.

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:25.539
Yeah. Yeah, I do. I do. And he turns over. I

00:22:25.539 --> 00:22:27.680
believe him. And you're a liar. And you're a

00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:31.119
jerk. And you're not a good shield bearer. And

00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:35.420
you kind of smell. I mean, we're a little distant,

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:40.180
but I can... Unless it's one of your guys. Justin,

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:45.579
I just kind of like... Grimaces, like... We'll

00:22:45.579 --> 00:22:49.299
move back to the room beyond. Well done, Steven.

00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:52.880
Thank you. Jules, what are you doing? Our Halana

00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:55.299
is taking a step towards the Cherry Delights.

00:22:56.240 --> 00:23:00.519
You made your threat. He looks at you. Another

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:03.059
long, warning look, and he takes another step.

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:08.200
You let me take them. What do you mean? You lead

00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:14.329
the way. But I will bring them. He softens. I

00:23:14.329 --> 00:23:19.430
am sorry. I understand this is hard. It's hard

00:23:19.430 --> 00:23:22.150
for me too, but it's nothing compared to how

00:23:22.150 --> 00:23:27.230
hard it must be for you. And I appreciate this

00:23:27.230 --> 00:23:31.630
show. If you come with me, it will look good

00:23:31.630 --> 00:23:34.289
for you. It will show that you are on the side

00:23:34.289 --> 00:23:36.849
of the law if you want to become a luminary.

00:23:37.609 --> 00:23:41.190
And I... Don't recommend that you do, but if

00:23:41.190 --> 00:23:44.309
you want to become a luminary, this will help.

00:23:44.690 --> 00:23:46.650
I don't want to become a luminary. I want to

00:23:46.650 --> 00:23:51.869
stop the darkness. If it can be stopped, then

00:23:51.869 --> 00:23:55.269
you can leave it to me. I will find a way, and

00:23:55.269 --> 00:23:59.849
when I do, I will see them taken away from these

00:23:59.849 --> 00:24:06.529
monsters. We'll find a home, a better home. I

00:24:06.529 --> 00:24:10.000
cannot leave you alone in the room. But I suggest

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:12.380
you say goodbyes now, before we go into the public.

00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:18.160
So, if we are in agreement on this, you understand

00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.859
what I'm saying, right? You understand what's

00:24:20.859 --> 00:24:26.240
happening? I do. Do me this one favor. I'm listening.

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:30.380
Before we go, let's make a stop to your mother.

00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:36.599
Your grandmother. Very well. Very well. This

00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:40.819
can be done. I can have her meet me at my mother's

00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:45.140
residence. Just we don't move into the jewel

00:24:45.140 --> 00:24:49.039
itself, into the diamond. This is where my grandmother

00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:53.460
resides. But my mother, Xena, she lives just

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:57.339
outside of it. Call it neutral territory. The

00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:59.039
Preserve of the Ancestors is this, like, it's,

00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.720
you've probably never even seen it as I belong.

00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:02.880
You just know there's a massive, expansive area

00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:06.250
inside the diamond itself. And there's one sort

00:25:06.250 --> 00:25:08.369
of great iron door leading into it. This is where

00:25:08.369 --> 00:25:11.390
all the governance of the worlds basically happens.

00:25:11.450 --> 00:25:13.190
This is where all the governance of the crystal

00:25:13.190 --> 00:25:16.650
network happens. Okay. This is where apparently

00:25:16.650 --> 00:25:19.470
those mysterious creatures known as the incarnates

00:25:19.470 --> 00:25:25.630
happen, or they reside. So it's very, very, very

00:25:25.630 --> 00:25:29.910
restricted. Okay. All right. You give no transmission

00:25:29.910 --> 00:25:32.930
to your higher -ups until we do this. I will

00:25:32.930 --> 00:25:36.269
follow you. I'm not going to fight. I don't want

00:25:36.269 --> 00:25:40.769
to fight. But we do this first. I understand.

00:25:42.250 --> 00:25:48.369
Very well. I will... I will make a call. He kind

00:25:48.369 --> 00:25:50.250
of, like, pulls out this stone. You see, like,

00:25:50.289 --> 00:25:53.650
this polished stone off, like, his belt. And

00:25:53.650 --> 00:25:55.049
you see, like, one side of the stone has, like,

00:25:55.049 --> 00:25:57.369
a sort of mouth. And the other side has, like,

00:25:57.369 --> 00:25:59.289
an ear. It's, like, this, like, finely carved.

00:25:59.890 --> 00:26:06.759
What? Yeah. Okay. And I think he, like, steps

00:26:06.759 --> 00:26:09.819
away. You see him just, like, turn to the ear

00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:12.779
side. He whispers a message into it. It glows

00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:16.720
faintly. It's a short message. And he turns it

00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:18.880
around. And at some point, you see the mouth

00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:22.119
begins to, like, move. I'm not really saying

00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:23.759
anything, but, like, this weird whisper. And

00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.960
he holds it up to his ear. And then it opens

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:29.440
and starts to speak into his ear. Again, quiet

00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.920
enough where he is that you don't quite hear

00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:35.279
it. He nods. Puts it back down, turns to you.

00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:44.119
A tell stone. Trying to name it. I think it has

00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:47.420
a name. Might be the Stone of Far Speech or something

00:26:47.420 --> 00:26:50.240
like that. I'll have to look it up. Stone of

00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:53.259
Message, I don't know. Anyway, he pokes down

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:56.440
his pocket, turns back towards you. I'll need

00:26:56.440 --> 00:27:00.799
the three youngest. We'll take them. We'll move

00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:06.400
to Xena's. We'll also take Zebulon. She... He

00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:08.079
actually looks, like, a little nervous here.

00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:18.539
She wants to speak with him. Aw, fuck. Um, hell

00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:22.119
yeah. So... Let's go. I'm gonna crack another

00:27:22.119 --> 00:27:25.619
beer before that scene. Zebulon, the door into

00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:28.839
your room opens. Everyone kind of turns. Wait

00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:32.279
with bated breath. As Arhalon strolls out of

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:36.720
the room. Followed by Jules. All the cherry delights.

00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:40.680
Chester's... Jules! Jules! Are you serious? We

00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:43.000
can take these guys! Come on! We can't! Jules,

00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:47.200
you know we can't do this! Chester! Slow game.

00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:51.279
We gotta pick our battles right now. Chester,

00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:54.859
not a great idea, buddy. Alright, alright. Yeah,

00:27:54.940 --> 00:28:00.279
don't you fuck this up, David. Chester pulls

00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:02.319
out his sling. No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't.

00:28:02.819 --> 00:28:06.660
Should I check him with you? He looks over at

00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:09.579
the older Cherry Delights, like Mulligan and

00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:11.380
Fibro. You stay here and keep the others safe.

00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:18.039
Okay. I trust you. All right. Yeah, yeah. I trust

00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:21.420
you too, Jules. Whatever happens, I trust you.

00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:25.880
You and Gene's got this. Yeah. Yeah, we got this.

00:28:26.889 --> 00:28:30.569
How is Arhan behaving towards Zebulon right now?

00:28:31.250 --> 00:28:35.029
He steps out. His eyes immediately dart towards

00:28:35.029 --> 00:28:38.750
you. And I need you to roll me an insight check

00:28:38.750 --> 00:28:40.430
if you want to read into them. I think they're

00:28:40.430 --> 00:28:42.470
guarded, I would say, at this point in time.

00:28:42.990 --> 00:28:45.450
Well, I don't have high hopes with insight, but

00:28:45.450 --> 00:28:50.630
I'll do it anyway. Yeah, it's a 10. It's hard

00:28:50.630 --> 00:28:57.490
to read. I would just say cold. Zebulon's going

00:28:57.490 --> 00:29:02.470
to try to kind of break the ice a little. Hey,

00:29:02.630 --> 00:29:07.970
Arhalon, you should make your guy shower more.

00:29:08.750 --> 00:29:13.069
That one over there. He's kind of stinky. He

00:29:13.069 --> 00:29:19.069
just glances over at you and, giving his voice

00:29:19.069 --> 00:29:23.170
no real room for emotion, just says, Zebulon,

00:29:23.289 --> 00:29:28.359
Grandmother would like to speak with you. Now,

00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:32.039
we're going to Xena's. We're going to Mother's.

00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:36.740
You're coming too. He walks away. And Zebulon

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:43.339
looks over to Jules. But, uh, Xena's, huh? Yeah,

00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:46.559
sounds like it. Zebulon mimes a raspberry at

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:51.019
Jessenth. Jessenth is. Like, he sees the children

00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:53.960
are kind of, like, hugging and separating. Chester's

00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:56.759
just, hey, hey, it's okay, hey. We're going to

00:29:56.759 --> 00:29:58.500
come for you, all right? Random stuff. We're

00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:00.339
going to come for you, okay? And she's just,

00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:03.039
okay. Yeah, well, Jules will figure it out, right?

00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:05.299
And hey, you got Miskin here. Miskin's going

00:30:05.299 --> 00:30:07.839
to protect you. Huh, Miskin? I got their back.

00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:15.819
His legs are shaking so absolutely. But he's

00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:19.140
just looking so bold up top. And Paul just looks

00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:21.319
mortified, but like isn't saying a word. Just

00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:27.369
kind of like almost half hyperventilating. And

00:30:27.369 --> 00:30:29.869
everyone just kind of like whispers a few words

00:30:29.869 --> 00:30:32.490
to them. There's a number of embraces. The shield

00:30:32.490 --> 00:30:35.730
bearers wait patiently. And the three youngest,

00:30:35.849 --> 00:30:38.970
Cherry Delights, Misskin, Paul, and Roundstuff

00:30:38.970 --> 00:30:42.049
step away from the others and turn to follow

00:30:42.049 --> 00:30:47.069
usuals. The eight guards in the room, Jethyn

00:30:47.069 --> 00:30:51.130
included, turn. Jethyn's is still just grinning.

00:30:51.990 --> 00:30:54.759
He puts his helmet back on. So you see that smile

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:57.599
just disappearing under it. As I walk past him,

00:30:57.680 --> 00:31:01.079
I turn and I give him a wink. And you see just,

00:31:01.180 --> 00:31:03.099
like, you can't see his face now with the helmet,

00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:04.839
but, like, he kind of abruptly looks at you.

00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:09.180
And, like, his helmet just follows you as you

00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:11.799
walk away. The guards are like, I was like, come

00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:13.640
on, and, like, pushing him. He, like, stopped

00:31:13.640 --> 00:31:16.279
as everyone was trying to move. And he's, right,

00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:19.440
yes, coming. I'm staring at him as we walk out

00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:22.779
the door. My head's turning and everything. What

00:31:22.779 --> 00:31:26.140
a shit. And they all move out kind of in a line

00:31:26.140 --> 00:31:30.539
behind you. And you move up the trade disc. You

00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:32.900
see, like, outside, a lot of people have, like,

00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:34.940
gathered, but they're, like, quietly gathered

00:31:34.940 --> 00:31:37.759
in a circle around, watching. There were a number

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:39.079
of shield, a few other shield bearers. Like,

00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:40.339
there's, like, four of them that were kind of

00:31:40.339 --> 00:31:41.819
outside, kind of, like, keeping the crowd at

00:31:41.819 --> 00:31:45.279
bay, watching one of the back doors. And as,

00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:47.779
like, you guys move out, they kind of fall in

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:49.819
line behind them. The crowd just watches on.

00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:54.940
What could it be? What's going on? Just a lot

00:31:54.940 --> 00:31:58.559
of chatter. And you move up the streets of the

00:31:58.559 --> 00:32:04.259
Trade Discall, circling around and around. As

00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:07.700
you move, you hear joyous crowds up ahead that

00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:10.400
slowly kind of descend into, like, quiet concern

00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:14.319
as this guard of shieldbearers led by the Immaculate

00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:20.339
Arhalon stroll past them. And as you move right

00:32:20.339 --> 00:32:24.019
up towards the... towards the Preserve of the

00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:25.880
Ancestors, towards that graceful iron door, and

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:28.660
towards the large manors resting outside where

00:32:28.660 --> 00:32:33.279
you know Xena is. You do see where the Trade

00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:36.200
to Skull hugs the edge of the area known as the

00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:38.059
Court of Whispers, where a lot of intelligence

00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:41.220
is traded. You see, like, resting in an alley

00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:46.299
as you move by a smiling gnome in this bright

00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:49.980
blue suit with this bright orange tie, just garish.

00:32:51.150 --> 00:32:56.750
He just waves at you. I don't think Zebulon even

00:32:56.750 --> 00:33:03.410
shows that he notices Rune. He's actually going

00:33:03.410 --> 00:33:05.630
to slow his gait a little bit. You said that

00:33:05.630 --> 00:33:09.589
the shield bearers are behind us? Yes. All right.

00:33:09.609 --> 00:33:11.369
So Zebulon's going to slow his gait a little

00:33:11.369 --> 00:33:15.750
bit and put Jessinth in between himself and Rune

00:33:15.750 --> 00:33:20.670
to not even make eye contact. All right. And

00:33:20.670 --> 00:33:27.529
I think Jules sees Rune and gives him a little

00:33:27.529 --> 00:33:29.630
flick of the wrist like, I don't give a shit

00:33:29.630 --> 00:33:34.089
about you. And as I do that, I'm going to turn

00:33:34.089 --> 00:33:36.910
around for a second. All right. And stare Jess

00:33:36.910 --> 00:33:41.509
into the face and say, you know why you're still

00:33:41.509 --> 00:33:46.750
alive? Enlighten me, Jules. Because I'm better

00:33:46.750 --> 00:33:50.809
than you. He just kind of, like, goes quiet,

00:33:50.849 --> 00:33:53.910
almost thinking this over. And do you continue

00:33:53.910 --> 00:33:59.349
to move? I'm going to slowly back up, keeping

00:33:59.349 --> 00:34:01.849
eyes locked. You can see, like, maybe, like,

00:34:01.910 --> 00:34:03.529
between the slits of his helmet, you can see

00:34:03.529 --> 00:34:06.990
his eyes are, like, narrowed. It's a cat and

00:34:06.990 --> 00:34:12.510
mouse. He thinks he's got you, finally. So...

00:34:12.510 --> 00:34:16.789
Finally. So, David. Yeah? I don't think this

00:34:16.789 --> 00:34:19.329
is going to work. What? Wild -ass plan do you

00:34:19.329 --> 00:34:22.630
have this time? Would you say that Jessenth is

00:34:22.630 --> 00:34:26.610
distracted right now? I will say that. This is

00:34:26.610 --> 00:34:28.989
like Jules. If there's one thing in this world

00:34:28.989 --> 00:34:30.829
that's going to distract this guy, he is obsessed

00:34:30.829 --> 00:34:33.989
with getting even with Jules LaRoche. Yeah, sure.

00:34:34.090 --> 00:34:37.989
He's distracted. And see, the thing is, all the

00:34:37.989 --> 00:34:39.730
other shield bearers are behind Jessenth, aren't

00:34:39.730 --> 00:34:43.050
they? They are kind of in a line behind, yeah.

00:34:43.250 --> 00:34:45.210
But you're going through a crowded trade to Skull.

00:34:45.309 --> 00:34:49.570
I'll tell you that much. Scheming. Scheming again

00:34:49.570 --> 00:34:53.369
at the table. What is this madness? They've got

00:34:53.369 --> 00:34:55.610
their phones out. They are texting each other.

00:34:56.309 --> 00:35:00.510
On mic. You animals. I don't even. I don't even.

00:35:00.789 --> 00:35:04.610
What are you doing? Get me in that group chat.

00:35:05.389 --> 00:35:11.550
Post it on Instagram. Live feed. Damn it. You're

00:35:11.550 --> 00:35:15.829
in a busy trade disc, Al. So. It's possible you

00:35:15.829 --> 00:35:20.210
could pull off. Something? So Zebulon's going

00:35:20.210 --> 00:35:25.969
to throw a wink Jules' way. Okay. And as he does

00:35:25.969 --> 00:35:33.070
that, Jules casts Minor Illusion to create an

00:35:33.070 --> 00:35:37.010
explosion noise off to the side somewhere, maybe

00:35:37.010 --> 00:35:41.670
around the corner of a back alley. I need to

00:35:41.670 --> 00:35:45.090
read about Minor Illusion real quick. It's a

00:35:45.090 --> 00:35:48.099
cantrip, baby. The volume can range from a whisper

00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:52.280
to a scream. It can be any sound. It can last

00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:58.059
for a minute. Okay. All right. Okay. So you are

00:35:58.059 --> 00:36:03.739
going to make a somatic gesture. What's somatic?

00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:05.300
Basically means you're going to move your hands

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:08.340
in some way when you do this. Okay. So the question

00:36:08.340 --> 00:36:10.579
is, can you do that? My hands are down like at

00:36:10.579 --> 00:36:12.510
my sides here. I'll say, yeah, you can, like,

00:36:12.510 --> 00:36:14.710
I think you can do it behind your back or, like,

00:36:14.730 --> 00:36:16.329
down. I'm just going to have it behind. I mean,

00:36:16.369 --> 00:36:18.710
everybody behind me is facing forward. Everybody

00:36:18.710 --> 00:36:21.610
in front of me is facing at me. That's true.

00:36:21.730 --> 00:36:25.429
I just give a little flick with my finger. Okay.

00:36:25.670 --> 00:36:29.630
Okay. Okay. I still want you to roll a little

00:36:29.630 --> 00:36:31.789
sleight of hand just to see, like, it's possible

00:36:31.789 --> 00:36:33.170
it could be noticed that you're doing something

00:36:33.170 --> 00:36:34.409
behind your back. But you're making that explode.

00:36:34.469 --> 00:36:45.289
This is wild. Wow. Ten. Ten. Ten. Tweener. Ten.

00:36:45.329 --> 00:36:47.889
Okay, okay. So, would it be fair to say that

00:36:47.889 --> 00:36:51.710
everybody behind Justin would not have noticed

00:36:51.710 --> 00:36:56.590
that? Let me... Fair. ...create a little more

00:36:56.590 --> 00:36:59.889
tension here with the sound effects. Because

00:36:59.889 --> 00:37:03.309
you suddenly, as he's staring at you as this

00:37:03.309 --> 00:37:05.289
is happening, there's just a sudden... Boom!

00:37:05.710 --> 00:37:08.510
Explosion from an alley nearby, basically. There's

00:37:08.510 --> 00:37:10.750
a loud sound. And you hear a crowd screaming.

00:37:11.070 --> 00:37:13.329
It's a kind of move away from it. You watch as

00:37:13.329 --> 00:37:15.489
the shield bearers go. And the ones behind, the

00:37:15.489 --> 00:37:18.710
ones forward, all kind of look over there. Start

00:37:18.710 --> 00:37:20.710
like, fair enough, fair enough. Arlon's like,

00:37:20.829 --> 00:37:22.630
what's going on? What's happening? Go! Check

00:37:22.630 --> 00:37:24.349
it out! Check it out! And in the middle of the

00:37:24.349 --> 00:37:27.530
chaos, Zebulon wants to pick Jessin's Pothicant.

00:37:27.869 --> 00:37:32.130
Here's the thing. Jessinth. sees, like, hears

00:37:32.130 --> 00:37:33.710
the explosion, his eyes turn there, and they

00:37:33.710 --> 00:37:35.690
lop back onto you. He's like, no, you don't.

00:37:35.769 --> 00:37:38.090
No, you fucking don't! And he goes and tries

00:37:38.090 --> 00:37:40.690
to charge you, Jules. So he's definitely not

00:37:40.690 --> 00:37:43.230
paying attention to Zebulon. Yeah. Oh, my God.

00:37:43.650 --> 00:37:47.510
Yes. Okay, all right. Yes. Yes, this whole time

00:37:47.510 --> 00:37:49.070
I was in there, you're locked on me. Oh, my God.

00:37:49.130 --> 00:37:51.550
You're locked on me. Yeah, he saw you do that.

00:37:51.610 --> 00:37:53.510
And everyone else is, oh, my God. So he's going

00:37:53.510 --> 00:37:54.909
to, all right, first things first. You're going

00:37:54.909 --> 00:37:56.510
to do this. He's going to roll an athletics check

00:37:56.510 --> 00:37:58.829
against your athletics tools. You can do athletics

00:37:58.829 --> 00:38:00.570
or graphics. He's going to try to grapple you,

00:38:00.630 --> 00:38:02.909
basically. He's going to try to take you down.

00:38:03.210 --> 00:38:06.699
Who's behind me? I would say the Three Cherry

00:38:06.699 --> 00:38:09.019
Delights are behind you. The other guards are

00:38:09.019 --> 00:38:10.519
very distracted. They're kind of like, a lot

00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:11.980
of people are. Who's in front of the Cherry Delights?

00:38:12.400 --> 00:38:14.739
I think it's just them and then you, and then

00:38:14.739 --> 00:38:17.119
Zebulon is, I believe, like, kind of just ahead

00:38:17.119 --> 00:38:20.579
of you. So probably Jessenth is now not facing

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:22.400
him, because he even specified he got, like,

00:38:22.420 --> 00:38:23.980
between Jessenth, them, and he let Jessenth fall

00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:26.900
behind him. So, yeah, this all checks out. Okay.

00:38:27.619 --> 00:38:30.000
Yeah. So right now, in the middle of this chaos,

00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:32.360
we have a small group with the Three Cherry Delights,

00:38:32.500 --> 00:38:36.000
Jules. And Justin's kind of, like, charging in,

00:38:36.039 --> 00:38:38.199
grabbing at Jules, and then Zebulon behind him.

00:38:38.300 --> 00:38:40.320
And everyone else is kind of fanning out, running

00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:42.619
to, like, sort of secure the crowd, secure the

00:38:42.619 --> 00:38:45.380
location that this explosion happened in. Arhalon's

00:38:45.380 --> 00:38:47.340
eyes are wide. He's surveying there. You see

00:38:47.340 --> 00:38:50.099
his wings flap, and he bursts into the air. Whoa.

00:38:50.639 --> 00:38:53.340
Yeah, he can fly. Woof. Yeah, that's cool. He

00:38:53.340 --> 00:38:58.500
doesn't do it often, but he can fly. So first

00:38:58.500 --> 00:39:03.639
things first, athletics check. Jules is grappled.

00:39:04.010 --> 00:39:07.489
Okay. I got a 13 to beat. With a nat 1. Oh, my

00:39:07.489 --> 00:39:09.889
God. With a nat 1. That's real bad. I'm going

00:39:09.889 --> 00:39:11.989
to say he, like, straight up grabs you and, like,

00:39:11.989 --> 00:39:14.210
drops you to the ground. But he's on top of you.

00:39:14.250 --> 00:39:16.150
He's holding you down. He's like, don't you fucking

00:39:16.150 --> 00:39:20.110
try this. This is my way. Zebulon, you have advantage.

00:39:20.110 --> 00:39:22.909
There it is. Yeah. Advantage. That's what I wanted.

00:39:22.989 --> 00:39:25.989
And also, let me be clear. Nobody else saw this

00:39:25.989 --> 00:39:28.590
except Jessenth, right? Jessenth's the only one

00:39:28.590 --> 00:39:31.090
that noticed. That was the mixed result. I'm

00:39:31.090 --> 00:39:33.920
okay with that. I'm okay with that. Okay. So

00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:37.699
my question is, you said that Arhalon jumped

00:39:37.699 --> 00:39:40.059
up into the air. Am I going to get to make this

00:39:40.059 --> 00:39:43.179
check before Arhalon notices what Zebulon's doing?

00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:46.000
Because Zebulon was waiting for the perfect time.

00:39:46.780 --> 00:39:49.550
Arhalon's distracted. He's flying in there. He's

00:39:49.550 --> 00:39:51.710
flying over to like the behind those two buildings.

00:39:51.809 --> 00:39:54.210
He's checking out the alley. So I'm going to

00:39:54.210 --> 00:39:56.429
roll sleight of hand with advantage without having

00:39:56.429 --> 00:39:57.909
to worry about our hunt. I accidentally create

00:39:57.909 --> 00:39:59.710
the best possible scenario for you to do this.

00:39:59.769 --> 00:40:03.190
Well, we purposefully tried to create the best

00:40:03.190 --> 00:40:04.969
possible scenario. It's like I fed perfectly

00:40:04.969 --> 00:40:06.849
into your plans on accident. I was like, make

00:40:06.849 --> 00:40:08.230
success. This happens. And you're like, good.

00:40:08.369 --> 00:40:09.909
That's great. I'm like, damn, you guys are good.

00:40:10.090 --> 00:40:13.730
And I mean, like, the thing is, is we created

00:40:13.730 --> 00:40:16.369
this whole charade. And Justin's pockets could

00:40:16.369 --> 00:40:19.780
be empty. This is a total crap show. I honestly

00:40:19.780 --> 00:40:22.039
don't know what you're going for. I don't either.

00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:24.960
And I'm also going to say this because this is

00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:26.360
the first time I can ever say this. I'm going

00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:28.480
to remind you that you have a button. Huh. Oh,

00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:29.860
no, you do have advantage anyway. Never mind.

00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:33.920
Yeah, I have advantage and a pretty high dex.

00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:37.179
So here we go. I'm going to roll the Labradorite

00:40:37.179 --> 00:40:41.039
die that my wife gifted me for my birthday. Oh,

00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:45.619
yeah. Okay. Here we go. All right. That's the

00:40:45.619 --> 00:40:56.679
first roll. So that is a 21, dirty 21. You slide

00:40:56.679 --> 00:40:59.460
in and you reach down. Maybe there's like a pouch

00:40:59.460 --> 00:41:01.579
to the side of his armor where he has like, you

00:41:01.579 --> 00:41:02.980
know, maybe important valuables and you slide

00:41:02.980 --> 00:41:07.619
your hand into it. You come out with, I'm going

00:41:07.619 --> 00:41:12.179
to say some amount of money, 10 gold. And then

00:41:12.179 --> 00:41:16.920
your hands also fall on an envelope. Yeah, I

00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:20.079
knew David was going to do something. He was

00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:22.280
going to reward us for this. This is a risk.

00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:24.960
I had ten seconds there to come up with what's

00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:29.480
in this guy's pocket. Holy shit. You're like

00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:34.139
Bilbo Baggins. Like, what's in his pocket? What's

00:41:34.139 --> 00:41:36.659
in his pocket? It's his precious. Just like,

00:41:36.739 --> 00:41:40.199
all right, fine. I'll guess. Yeah, you find an

00:41:40.199 --> 00:41:42.940
envelope. Excellent. As you pull it out, you

00:41:42.940 --> 00:41:45.440
see, like, you slide out and you step back. You

00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:48.199
see this envelope is unsealed currently, but

00:41:48.199 --> 00:41:49.900
you see what's previously stuck together with,

00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:55.420
I'll say, blue wax in the shape of a great tower

00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:58.699
standing above, like, a few other, I think four

00:41:58.699 --> 00:42:02.699
other towers. Maybe you wouldn't recognize it

00:42:02.699 --> 00:42:07.000
as the seal of the LaRoche family. But you would

00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:10.019
have a perfect identification source of jewels

00:42:10.019 --> 00:42:11.960
to find out later on. I don't think it matters

00:42:11.960 --> 00:42:14.599
what Zebulon pulls out. I think he's immediately

00:42:14.599 --> 00:42:20.219
stuffing it and backing off. And just, you know,

00:42:20.260 --> 00:42:23.079
looking totally nonchalant. Well, not nonchalant.

00:42:23.139 --> 00:42:24.420
I mean, obviously something's happening, but

00:42:24.420 --> 00:42:27.260
looking not guilty. You kind of step back in

00:42:27.260 --> 00:42:30.070
a moment later. You see, like, shield bearers

00:42:30.070 --> 00:42:31.690
are kind of, like, moving out of the alley, calming

00:42:31.690 --> 00:42:34.050
people. Justin is sitting over you. You know

00:42:34.050 --> 00:42:37.409
what? He's going to hit you. Where? I'm going

00:42:37.409 --> 00:42:38.969
to say right now you are restrained. He's kind

00:42:38.969 --> 00:42:40.469
of got you dropped, and he's kind of got you

00:42:40.469 --> 00:42:42.650
grappled. I'm going to punch you. Stop him. Stop

00:42:42.650 --> 00:42:45.929
him. This guy's unhinged. He actually rolled

00:42:45.929 --> 00:42:47.530
a one and a five, so he, like, literally misses.

00:42:47.630 --> 00:42:49.510
You move your head, and he smashes knuckles against

00:42:49.510 --> 00:42:52.010
the pavement and goes, God! Just! Like, just.

00:42:52.219 --> 00:42:54.000
Hits his hand. And Jules is going to say, Arhalon,

00:42:54.059 --> 00:42:56.739
Arhalon, get your little goon here. I don't know

00:42:56.739 --> 00:42:58.460
what the fuck he's doing. He's got some vendetta

00:42:58.460 --> 00:43:02.659
against me. He's brutalizing Jules. This is not

00:43:02.659 --> 00:43:06.900
fair. I think like a figure smashes down so hard

00:43:06.900 --> 00:43:09.400
you hear Tyle crack beside you as Arhalon drops

00:43:09.400 --> 00:43:12.659
down beside you. He puts a hand on Jess and rips

00:43:12.659 --> 00:43:14.539
him off of you with such like ferocious strength.

00:43:14.739 --> 00:43:17.539
He goes falling backwards, sliding and skidding

00:43:17.539 --> 00:43:19.559
his metal against the stone. Call us on street.

00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:23.179
Arholon just turns to him. What are you doing,

00:43:23.280 --> 00:43:25.980
officer? You can't treat people. Hey, he can't

00:43:25.980 --> 00:43:30.539
treat people this way. Zebulon. Silence. And

00:43:30.539 --> 00:43:33.019
he, like, looks back. Zebulon crosses his hands

00:43:33.019 --> 00:43:37.440
and is very docile. This dude was just mad because

00:43:37.440 --> 00:43:42.019
I kicked his ass one time. I roll a very high

00:43:42.019 --> 00:43:43.440
insight check. Go ahead and roll deception for

00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:50.210
me. Hey, David. You want to read this for me?

00:43:50.769 --> 00:43:53.630
Did you crit your pants? Are you kidding me?

00:43:53.630 --> 00:43:55.630
I crit my pants. Oh, I can smell it. I crit my

00:43:55.630 --> 00:44:02.650
pants. All right. Damn it. I rolled really high,

00:44:02.710 --> 00:44:05.429
too. Damn it. Dude, twice? Amazing. Twice in

00:44:05.429 --> 00:44:09.929
one app. Amazing. So Arhalon just nods and turns

00:44:09.929 --> 00:44:12.610
back. And he looks at some of the other soldiers

00:44:12.610 --> 00:44:16.269
just like, Officer Bergens. Officer Maestro.

00:44:17.289 --> 00:44:20.590
Take Officer Kellig away. Let him cool down somewhere

00:44:20.590 --> 00:44:23.650
far from here. This is too personal for him,

00:44:23.690 --> 00:44:27.130
it seems. What? No, no, I'm seeing this through.

00:44:27.210 --> 00:44:31.110
This is an order from a superior officer. Do

00:44:31.110 --> 00:44:35.130
not question it. He's just staring him down,

00:44:35.269 --> 00:44:38.250
and Justin's kind of like, almost like he's still

00:44:38.250 --> 00:44:40.269
on the ground, and you see he just deflates.

00:44:40.329 --> 00:44:44.250
His head just falls back against the cobblestone,

00:44:44.329 --> 00:44:48.480
and he just knows he is beaten. Here, as two

00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:51.679
other officers rush over and help him up, and

00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:55.599
your group begins to move away. That was wild.

00:44:55.679 --> 00:44:58.420
That was awesome. That was so good. I can't believe

00:44:58.420 --> 00:45:04.599
any of that worked. I mean, I didn't know what

00:45:04.599 --> 00:45:08.280
you were hoping to find in the pockets, but as

00:45:08.280 --> 00:45:11.019
this started progressing, I'm like, oh my god,

00:45:11.099 --> 00:45:15.400
this is going to totally tear down Jessent's...

00:45:15.610 --> 00:45:19.730
Yeah. And create this friction. Yeah. I didn't

00:45:19.730 --> 00:45:21.869
really have any designs on bringing Jessens down,

00:45:22.070 --> 00:45:25.449
but I was thinking that if there were any written

00:45:25.449 --> 00:45:28.969
orders, they would be on Jessens' person. Sure.

00:45:29.050 --> 00:45:30.510
It's pretty good. Oh, yeah. It's pretty good.

00:45:31.710 --> 00:45:34.130
I'm into it. Jules, do you get up off the ground?

00:45:35.110 --> 00:45:40.030
I kind of dust myself off. Fucker. Arhalon is

00:45:40.030 --> 00:45:41.929
still kind of eyeing you suspiciously, not about

00:45:41.929 --> 00:45:44.190
what you lied, he believed you fully, but he's

00:45:44.190 --> 00:45:47.710
still just like, Watching you. He's hated me

00:45:47.710 --> 00:45:50.610
for a long time, man. Come on. We didn't find

00:45:50.610 --> 00:45:55.849
any sign of mischief. But the sound was very

00:45:55.849 --> 00:46:01.150
real. I think there were some kids dropping pots.

00:46:02.429 --> 00:46:07.550
Flower pots. Off the roofs. Remember? We used

00:46:07.550 --> 00:46:13.309
to do that as kids. Dropping pots. Scare. Scare

00:46:13.309 --> 00:46:19.139
pastures by. He just looks back at you. Jules,

00:46:19.320 --> 00:46:23.860
let's move on. Hopefully there'll be no more

00:46:23.860 --> 00:46:29.199
distractions. I'm here. And he turns on his heel.

00:46:29.539 --> 00:46:31.780
Shield bearers once again go. The chariot of

00:46:31.780 --> 00:46:35.139
lights are kind of like staring around. Miskin

00:46:35.139 --> 00:46:37.119
kind of like, kind of gives him a nudge like,

00:46:37.280 --> 00:46:41.519
come on, we'll be okay. And they kind of still

00:46:41.519 --> 00:46:46.889
sniffling, follow you. And you move, and you

00:46:46.889 --> 00:46:50.010
reach the entrance to the preserve of the ancestors.

00:46:50.630 --> 00:46:54.650
You reach the large, sort of open yards, reaching

00:46:54.650 --> 00:46:57.210
out to these great manors that belong to important

00:46:57.210 --> 00:47:01.110
peoples here in the Citadel. At least it smells

00:47:01.110 --> 00:47:11.369
better now. At this point, Arhalon turns to the

00:47:11.369 --> 00:47:14.780
soldiers, just says, Keep an eye on these three.

00:47:15.780 --> 00:47:20.739
Be kindly. This is a hard time for them. The

00:47:20.739 --> 00:47:23.139
soldiers salute. The cherry delights kind of,

00:47:23.139 --> 00:47:24.639
you know, they kind of usher their lights towards

00:47:24.639 --> 00:47:26.760
them. And they're not being rough or mean. They're

00:47:26.760 --> 00:47:30.199
not like bad people. They're just officers following

00:47:30.199 --> 00:47:32.780
their orders. And they're kind of like, hey,

00:47:32.800 --> 00:47:34.380
hey, come on, kid. It's all right. Hey, come

00:47:34.380 --> 00:47:35.940
here. Come here. Let me show you something. And

00:47:35.940 --> 00:47:37.599
the kids kind of like go usher over. And the

00:47:37.599 --> 00:47:39.000
officers are kind of just like, you know, kind

00:47:39.000 --> 00:47:40.639
of gathering around them, like being friendly.

00:47:41.099 --> 00:47:45.320
Arlan nods at this. Turns to both of you. Well,

00:47:45.460 --> 00:47:50.340
let's go then. Both of you roll an insight check

00:47:50.340 --> 00:47:54.239
for me. I'm going to switch die. I feel like

00:47:54.239 --> 00:47:57.280
that die is too hot. I got to let it cool off.

00:47:58.139 --> 00:48:02.380
My die just got hot. I'm going to switch to my

00:48:02.380 --> 00:48:06.059
big die that we got from Spectral Craft. There

00:48:06.059 --> 00:48:12.239
you go. Not crazy high. It's a 10. Okay. I got

00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:14.440
a five. All right. As you move forward, Arhalon

00:48:14.440 --> 00:48:16.940
still maintains that kind of cold, stiff demeanor.

00:48:18.019 --> 00:48:20.780
You don't read much into him. But Zebulon, I

00:48:20.780 --> 00:48:23.519
imagine you feel like some gnawing in your belly

00:48:23.519 --> 00:48:26.599
as you know you're moving towards Xolay. Oh,

00:48:26.619 --> 00:48:31.239
boy. Waiting for you inside. Gonna need that.

00:48:31.340 --> 00:48:35.039
Nice. There you go. You move up the courtyard,

00:48:35.159 --> 00:48:39.239
up the steps. Arhalon just opens the door. They're

00:48:39.239 --> 00:48:43.989
expecting us. and ushers you in. Zebulon kind

00:48:43.989 --> 00:48:48.210
of, with his hands, brushes off his pants and

00:48:48.210 --> 00:48:50.869
his shoulders real fast. You see, as you step

00:48:50.869 --> 00:48:53.969
in, Arhalon stops the door. He, like, stands

00:48:53.969 --> 00:48:59.190
there. Go on. I will speak with her afterwards.

00:49:00.610 --> 00:49:02.610
And, like, in this moment, there's almost this,

00:49:02.650 --> 00:49:06.849
like, the, I guess, anger, even the coldness

00:49:06.849 --> 00:49:08.769
towards Zebulon seems to drop for a moment, and

00:49:08.769 --> 00:49:11.789
there's this flicker of, like, concern in his

00:49:11.789 --> 00:49:17.210
eyes as he looks at you and nods you in. Zebulon

00:49:17.210 --> 00:49:23.349
kind of fixes his back, straightens it, lifts

00:49:23.349 --> 00:49:27.550
his chin up a little, adjusts his posture, and

00:49:27.550 --> 00:49:33.570
walks in the door. You move in. You see. piles

00:49:33.570 --> 00:49:36.469
and piles and piles of junk all around you as

00:49:36.469 --> 00:49:39.070
you step in, kind of moving between them through

00:49:39.070 --> 00:49:42.449
like aisles, uh, dig set and all this. And you

00:49:42.449 --> 00:49:46.309
can actually hear that the room like, yes, dear.

00:49:46.489 --> 00:49:50.309
Yes. Zebulon's also holding something in his

00:49:50.309 --> 00:49:54.130
hands behind his back. Okay. You turn a corner

00:49:54.130 --> 00:49:56.989
into the junk and you see that one, uh, set table,

00:49:57.110 --> 00:50:00.010
uh, just. laid out over, like the table with

00:50:00.010 --> 00:50:02.869
no legs, laid over a pile of junk that you were

00:50:02.869 --> 00:50:05.469
resting at before. And you see that just sitting

00:50:05.469 --> 00:50:07.329
there with a glass in her hand, some cold glass

00:50:07.329 --> 00:50:08.969
of wine or something. And there's one of those

00:50:08.969 --> 00:50:13.969
at the table. You see Xiole. You see this old

00:50:13.969 --> 00:50:17.170
woman full on wearing her sort of human form

00:50:17.170 --> 00:50:20.230
that you know it's truly masking the form of

00:50:20.230 --> 00:50:24.639
this massive ancient brass dragon. Just an old

00:50:24.639 --> 00:50:27.860
lady with graying hair and a braid down her back.

00:50:28.739 --> 00:50:33.340
Honestly, a very unintimidating figure, but you

00:50:33.340 --> 00:50:35.920
know better. On the other side of the table,

00:50:35.980 --> 00:50:39.440
you see a brass half -dragon, very large and

00:50:39.440 --> 00:50:42.619
imposing, but again, you know better. And she

00:50:42.619 --> 00:50:47.300
goes, oh, yes, yes! Oh, oh, oh my goodness! And

00:50:47.300 --> 00:50:50.900
she looks over. Oh, Sabula! Sabula! Oh, Sabula,

00:50:50.900 --> 00:50:54.460
Sabula made this title for me, you see? Zena,

00:50:54.599 --> 00:50:56.539
hey. Oh, that's his friend Jules. Jules, hi.

00:50:56.940 --> 00:51:00.260
Hi, Zena, hi. Hi, everyone. I brought you something.

00:51:00.639 --> 00:51:02.719
What did you bring me? I brought you something

00:51:02.719 --> 00:51:07.059
from Sipsanko. Really? Sipsanko? Yeah, we were

00:51:07.059 --> 00:51:11.380
just there. And he walks over to Zena, and he

00:51:11.380 --> 00:51:15.579
hands her the bouquet of Laopop flowers with

00:51:15.579 --> 00:51:18.469
one hand. Oh, my goodness. Everyone, hello. They're

00:51:18.469 --> 00:51:21.210
surprised. They're pretty. Yeah, these are the

00:51:21.210 --> 00:51:24.130
Laopop flowers that grow in the mountains in

00:51:24.130 --> 00:51:27.250
Shipshunko. Laopop? You should see the lights.

00:51:27.530 --> 00:51:29.789
Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Zebulon. She gives

00:51:29.789 --> 00:51:31.530
you a big hug, and she grabs the flowers, and

00:51:31.530 --> 00:51:33.489
she's, like, looking through them, almost like

00:51:33.489 --> 00:51:35.510
her fingers running down the petals of each one.

00:51:35.670 --> 00:51:38.489
Just so delighted. And Shirley kind of laughs.

00:51:38.610 --> 00:51:42.710
Oh, Zebulon's always doing such a good job taking

00:51:42.710 --> 00:51:46.519
care of you, isn't he, Xena? So kindly. With

00:51:46.519 --> 00:51:49.840
Zebulon's other hand, he pulls out a single lapop

00:51:49.840 --> 00:51:52.280
flower that he pulled out of the bouquet and

00:51:52.280 --> 00:51:56.559
hands it to Sholay. Oh, grandson. She takes it

00:51:56.559 --> 00:52:00.380
in hand, smiles fondly towards you, and her eyes

00:52:00.380 --> 00:52:04.079
are not smiling. And she looks back to Xena.

00:52:05.079 --> 00:52:08.579
Xena, dear, do you know that blue vase I gave

00:52:08.579 --> 00:52:11.199
you last year from Taib? Wouldn't these look

00:52:11.199 --> 00:52:15.969
lovely in that? A blue vase? I have a... Half

00:52:15.969 --> 00:52:19.769
a blue vase? There's the red vase. No, no, no,

00:52:19.889 --> 00:52:22.090
there's a blue one. I remember it. I believe

00:52:22.090 --> 00:52:24.929
you left it on the third floor. If you want to

00:52:24.929 --> 00:52:28.989
take a look, please. Oh. Oh, yes. It would look

00:52:28.989 --> 00:52:33.030
lovely. Yes, yes. I'll go. Crafty, crafty. Please,

00:52:33.250 --> 00:52:35.090
take a seat. And she, like, gestures towards

00:52:35.090 --> 00:52:37.590
the table, and you see Xena just, like, flies

00:52:37.590 --> 00:52:44.210
up. Thanks, Xena. And you and Jules are alone

00:52:44.210 --> 00:52:50.469
with Xole. She slowly stands up, tosses a flower

00:52:50.469 --> 00:52:52.929
to the side, let's just fall into the ground.

00:52:54.570 --> 00:52:59.150
Ouch. She walks over to you. Do you say anything?

00:53:00.369 --> 00:53:04.769
Hello, grandmother. You take four points of damage.

00:53:04.989 --> 00:53:09.570
What? As she just slaps you. Holy shit. Right

00:53:09.570 --> 00:53:11.590
across the face. You go sprawling into a pile

00:53:11.590 --> 00:53:14.829
of junk. Some things roll off the top as you

00:53:14.829 --> 00:53:17.539
just. Smash into it, and she just looks at you

00:53:17.539 --> 00:53:20.719
in the eyes. Her eyes are blazing. How fucking

00:53:20.719 --> 00:53:29.840
dare you? Oh, my. Stand, Zebulon. Zebulon pushes

00:53:29.840 --> 00:53:33.780
off the floor and stands up and faces his grandmother.

00:53:34.619 --> 00:53:37.460
Leaving the world without telling me? How cute.

00:53:38.139 --> 00:53:41.000
Sapsanko. You think I'm not keeping up what you've

00:53:41.000 --> 00:53:43.039
done there? You think I don't know your intentions,

00:53:43.360 --> 00:53:49.059
Zebulon? I know everything. And now, what are

00:53:49.059 --> 00:53:53.400
you trying to do to your brother? Hmm? Interfering

00:53:53.400 --> 00:53:56.119
with his investigation? Are you trying to see

00:53:56.119 --> 00:54:01.940
his whole career ruined? Why are you here? Why

00:54:01.940 --> 00:54:07.840
are you here? I'm here to make a life for myself

00:54:07.840 --> 00:54:11.940
and protect my friends. You can make a life for

00:54:11.940 --> 00:54:15.170
yourself. Without throwing away everything I've

00:54:15.170 --> 00:54:18.429
done for you. Every way that I've protected you.

00:54:18.429 --> 00:54:22.309
That's your life. I want to make a life for myself.

00:54:22.730 --> 00:54:25.989
Not the life you made for me. You want to be

00:54:25.989 --> 00:54:33.489
a luminary. I am a luminary. No. No. No. This

00:54:33.489 --> 00:54:38.550
will not happen again. I will not watch it happen

00:54:38.550 --> 00:54:43.619
again. I know how it ends. What do you mean again?

00:54:45.099 --> 00:54:48.800
Roll an insight check. I'm real bad at insight.

00:54:48.880 --> 00:54:51.239
God. It's a lot of insight. I'm real bad at it.

00:54:53.219 --> 00:54:57.300
Get out of town. What is it? Dude, I crit again.

00:54:57.400 --> 00:55:01.179
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I rolled high, too. Oh,

00:55:01.199 --> 00:55:03.179
my God. Your pants are so full of crit. Dude,

00:55:03.239 --> 00:55:06.260
I've got so much crit in my pants. Holy shit.

00:55:06.840 --> 00:55:09.139
It was the spectral craft die logo, so it took

00:55:09.139 --> 00:55:12.039
me a second. I was like, is that a zero? But

00:55:12.039 --> 00:55:14.059
no, it's just the round shape of the spectral

00:55:14.059 --> 00:55:20.659
craft eye logo on the 20. Oh, yeah. I absolutely

00:55:20.659 --> 00:55:23.000
love this because she did roll high, which is

00:55:23.000 --> 00:55:26.820
so fitting. You can see that she, like, her eyes

00:55:26.820 --> 00:55:31.440
widen for just a half second, almost imperceptibly,

00:55:31.440 --> 00:55:34.539
and then narrow again, almost like she was unfazed.

00:55:34.539 --> 00:55:37.579
But to you, how well you know your grandmother,

00:55:37.900 --> 00:55:42.639
Zebulon. She is shaken to her core. She said

00:55:42.639 --> 00:55:44.639
something that she fucking should never have

00:55:44.639 --> 00:55:49.019
said. And, like, she let something so massive

00:55:49.019 --> 00:55:52.539
slip just there. Wow. And, like, it just, again,

00:55:52.659 --> 00:55:57.400
just, like, covers over. She's calm. Never mind.

00:55:58.099 --> 00:56:04.659
I spoke. Grandmother, what does that mean? Nothing.

00:56:04.960 --> 00:56:07.920
No, continue. Nothing. You let it out of the

00:56:07.920 --> 00:56:12.719
box. Jules the Roach. Yeah, I've seen that look

00:56:12.719 --> 00:56:14.880
before. You just see, like, yeah, she kind of

00:56:14.880 --> 00:56:16.360
turns away from you, and it's almost like the

00:56:16.360 --> 00:56:18.320
eyes of the hungry predator have turned to a

00:56:18.320 --> 00:56:22.179
new prey. And she just leaves you, Zebula, and

00:56:22.179 --> 00:56:25.539
begins walking over to you, Jules. I've been

00:56:25.539 --> 00:56:28.780
watching you too, Jules. You know, you could

00:56:28.780 --> 00:56:31.159
be arrested. You were a criminal on Sarul, and

00:56:31.159 --> 00:56:32.840
maybe coming to the Citadel, maybe there was

00:56:32.840 --> 00:56:35.960
no hard evidence against your crimes. What do

00:56:35.960 --> 00:56:38.579
you think makes me a criminal? The ruling class

00:56:38.579 --> 00:56:43.219
described you as such. It would be smart for

00:56:43.219 --> 00:56:48.320
me, as a diplomat, to ally with them. While they

00:56:48.320 --> 00:56:50.380
may have lost their world, the king and queen

00:56:50.380 --> 00:56:53.880
of Cerule are still very much in power. You know

00:56:53.880 --> 00:56:57.900
this, right? Grandmother, please! The ruling

00:56:57.900 --> 00:57:02.059
class. You got the veil pulled over your eyes

00:57:02.059 --> 00:57:07.570
so bad. Why? Because they worship demons? Because

00:57:07.570 --> 00:57:09.190
I deal in dark magic. You think I don't know?

00:57:10.150 --> 00:57:14.130
You think I don't know everything? So then why

00:57:14.130 --> 00:57:16.369
are you standing back doing jack shit about it?

00:57:17.010 --> 00:57:19.349
And stopping the people who are trying to do

00:57:19.349 --> 00:57:21.570
something about it? You know absolutely nothing

00:57:21.570 --> 00:57:24.670
about what I do. Then enlighten us. Be honest

00:57:24.670 --> 00:57:28.230
for once. These conquered worlds may be small,

00:57:28.449 --> 00:57:31.530
but the differences between our cultures is vast.

00:57:31.900 --> 00:57:34.039
Indeed, you could not understand the meticulous

00:57:34.039 --> 00:57:36.019
care I must take with every public word I speak,

00:57:36.079 --> 00:57:38.960
every glance, every smile I make. How do you

00:57:38.960 --> 00:57:42.239
expect any of us to trust what you say unless

00:57:42.239 --> 00:57:46.920
you are honest? You come out with it then. I

00:57:46.920 --> 00:57:51.780
am speaking honestly. Tell me. Fine. You want

00:57:51.780 --> 00:57:53.820
real honesty. You want the truth. I will give

00:57:53.820 --> 00:57:57.320
you the truth. This charade of yours is doomed.

00:57:57.559 --> 00:58:01.050
It never had a chance. It's over. This is not

00:58:01.050 --> 00:58:02.969
a charade. You think an agent's going to put

00:58:02.969 --> 00:58:06.590
any footage you have on the network? I know what's

00:58:06.590 --> 00:58:09.030
happening. I am standing in the way of it. You

00:58:09.030 --> 00:58:11.929
will never be luminaries. And so long as the

00:58:11.929 --> 00:58:13.530
public doesn't know who you are, you are not

00:58:13.530 --> 00:58:16.050
protected by any of the laws governing the network.

00:58:16.170 --> 00:58:19.250
You are not protected from me. You know, to me,

00:58:19.289 --> 00:58:21.829
to us, it seems like you and everybody else are

00:58:21.829 --> 00:58:24.170
putting on the charade here. We're trying to

00:58:24.170 --> 00:58:27.010
stop it. Shelly. We're the only ones trying to

00:58:27.010 --> 00:58:31.320
stop all this. Shelly. You're talking about demons

00:58:31.320 --> 00:58:35.119
and black magic and luminaries. What? If you

00:58:35.119 --> 00:58:36.840
know about it and don't do anything, you're just

00:58:36.840 --> 00:58:41.579
as bad. Zebulon's got, like, eyes wide, jaw to

00:58:41.579 --> 00:58:44.420
the floor, has no idea what anybody's talking

00:58:44.420 --> 00:58:46.860
about with fucking black magic and demons. Yeah,

00:58:46.860 --> 00:58:49.219
yeah. It's like you're annoying in this conversation.

00:58:49.340 --> 00:58:53.199
She's looking at you. Believe me, there is nobody

00:58:53.199 --> 00:58:59.050
in these worlds that has more to hate. More lost

00:58:59.050 --> 00:59:01.909
from the cult of the Fractured Horn than me.

00:59:02.710 --> 00:59:05.829
I don't believe it. But I will deal with them

00:59:05.829 --> 00:59:10.389
in my way. It is the subtle way, because it is

00:59:10.389 --> 00:59:14.150
the winning way. I do not smash my head against

00:59:14.150 --> 00:59:16.650
every obstacle like a fool. They aren't going

00:59:16.650 --> 00:59:19.889
to be subtle. They're not going to be subtle

00:59:19.889 --> 00:59:22.409
when they're coming around here, killing everybody.

00:59:23.010 --> 00:59:26.130
Sweet child, you think you've seen darkness.

00:59:27.000 --> 00:59:31.239
You think you've experienced the worst, and so

00:59:31.239 --> 00:59:34.760
you are wise in this world? I think I'm the only

00:59:34.760 --> 00:59:39.019
one of us that has actually resisted it. And

00:59:39.019 --> 00:59:44.639
that's why you are going to die when I live.

00:59:44.780 --> 00:59:49.340
Because I know how to play my cards right. Be

00:59:49.340 --> 00:59:52.820
smarter, Jules LaRoche. Be smarter. And you might

00:59:52.820 --> 00:59:55.380
just protect the people you care about. Isn't

00:59:55.380 --> 00:59:57.449
that why you're here? To protect the people you

00:59:57.449 --> 01:00:03.750
care about? I'm stronger. And what power do you

01:00:03.750 --> 01:00:06.710
have now? What is your strength? Begging at my

01:00:06.710 --> 01:00:10.670
feet so you don't lose your loved ones? To your

01:00:10.670 --> 01:00:16.909
own family? Drop the charade. I ain't gonna drop

01:00:16.909 --> 01:00:22.730
shit. Shall I do... Do I really have to come

01:00:22.730 --> 01:00:26.780
here and ask you to save... Children in the face

01:00:26.780 --> 01:00:31.360
of evil and demons? If I make a move against

01:00:31.360 --> 01:00:35.699
the family now, it opens me up to attack. Political

01:00:35.699 --> 01:00:39.420
attack. You don't understand how fractured the

01:00:39.420 --> 01:00:41.739
speakers are. You don't understand how difficult

01:00:41.739 --> 01:00:44.340
it is to make a move here if they gain more allies

01:00:44.340 --> 01:00:48.940
against me. Or if Atash does. Or any of my other

01:00:48.940 --> 01:00:53.440
innumerable enemies. I may not be a politic addition,

01:00:53.679 --> 01:00:56.239
but... I mean, can't you make a lateral move?

01:00:56.340 --> 01:01:00.199
Can't these kids go somewhere else? To Xena?

01:01:00.699 --> 01:01:05.159
Here? How do you live with yourself not doing

01:01:05.159 --> 01:01:08.219
something about it? I'm going to let you make

01:01:08.219 --> 01:01:14.139
a persuasion check. The check has disadvantage,

01:01:14.340 --> 01:01:17.280
but Zebulon is going to give you the help action

01:01:17.280 --> 01:01:21.340
with what he's saying as well. So I'm going to

01:01:21.340 --> 01:01:24.989
give you a flat persuasion check. What do I do

01:01:24.989 --> 01:01:27.650
if I use a button? You will have advantage again.

01:01:28.429 --> 01:01:33.610
This is going to be a higher DC than with Arhalon.

01:01:34.150 --> 01:01:39.090
It may be a very high DC. You did not play to

01:01:39.090 --> 01:01:41.590
Sholay as well as you did to Arhalon because

01:01:41.590 --> 01:01:46.030
Sholay is much, much harder to deal with. I've

01:01:46.030 --> 01:01:50.889
crit with two die already. They're hot. I'm putting

01:01:50.889 --> 01:01:56.289
them down. I'm picking up. The metal die I got

01:01:56.289 --> 01:02:00.250
from Jason and Andrea at MF Designs. And I'm

01:02:00.250 --> 01:02:03.869
going to use that die. Okay. With a button. Oh,

01:02:04.010 --> 01:02:07.010
man. We got double advantage. This is a high

01:02:07.010 --> 01:02:10.630
roll. No, no, no. I'm sorry. I think it's just

01:02:10.630 --> 01:02:12.449
flat advantage because I think the help action

01:02:12.449 --> 01:02:15.570
brings it from disadvantage, and then the button

01:02:15.570 --> 01:02:18.289
brings it to regular advantage, correct? Yes.

01:02:18.469 --> 01:02:20.969
Okay. It's one advantage. I mean, we're here.

01:02:21.769 --> 01:02:28.300
I said it. This is a high roll. Try as I tell

01:02:28.300 --> 01:02:30.340
you the DC now, or it's more interesting if you

01:02:30.340 --> 01:02:33.039
roll them and I play it out. Killing. Please.

01:02:40.280 --> 01:02:45.280
Nope. First roll was a three. I don't even think

01:02:45.280 --> 01:02:47.559
we need to say it. Second roll was an eleven.

01:02:48.460 --> 01:02:54.269
Well, it's ten and eleven. Okay. Okay. You ask

01:02:54.269 --> 01:02:57.130
how I can live with myself, and you have no idea

01:02:57.130 --> 01:03:01.730
the good I do every day, what I sacrifice for

01:03:01.730 --> 01:03:06.869
it. We all make sacrifices, Jules. You know,

01:03:06.949 --> 01:03:09.809
maybe if you fill us in on what the hell is going

01:03:09.809 --> 01:03:14.349
on, maybe, maybe we can find some middle ground

01:03:14.349 --> 01:03:17.489
on this and work together and be stronger against

01:03:17.489 --> 01:03:19.610
whatever the hell this is we're trying to stop.

01:03:21.420 --> 01:03:24.280
I respect that you want to assist me. That you

01:03:24.280 --> 01:03:29.340
want to become my allies. But my allies are far

01:03:29.340 --> 01:03:34.019
smarter than the two of you. You want to help?

01:03:34.780 --> 01:03:39.400
Go somewhere quiet. Stop making moves. Stop making

01:03:39.400 --> 01:03:45.139
waves. Live quietly and stay out of my way. I

01:03:45.139 --> 01:03:51.670
feel so small. I... I go someplace quiet. With

01:03:51.670 --> 01:03:56.250
my friends. None of them get in the hands of

01:03:56.250 --> 01:04:03.170
my parents. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. You

01:04:03.170 --> 01:04:04.829
didn't roll high enough for that, Joel Zaroche.

01:04:06.309 --> 01:04:11.369
And then you hear... I didn't find the blue one,

01:04:11.489 --> 01:04:13.809
but there's a red one. I think it looks good

01:04:13.809 --> 01:04:16.349
in the red one, too. Oh, yes, dear. You know,

01:04:16.389 --> 01:04:18.230
I was wrong. The red would look wonderful, and

01:04:18.230 --> 01:04:21.280
I believe I... My mistake. It was the red vase

01:04:21.280 --> 01:04:23.760
I gave you. The blue one. I'll buy you a blue

01:04:23.760 --> 01:04:26.019
one next time I find myself in the region of

01:04:26.019 --> 01:04:28.880
Taib. Oh, really? Oh, that'd be wonderful. Oh.

01:04:29.139 --> 01:04:31.360
And Sirk's over at you guys. Zabulan's got, like,

01:04:31.400 --> 01:04:33.119
probably a stinging slap mark on the side of

01:04:33.119 --> 01:04:35.400
his face. Jules, you probably just look, like,

01:04:35.440 --> 01:04:38.739
distraught. Oh, no. I forgot to bring snacks.

01:04:39.039 --> 01:04:42.780
I'm sorry. Please forgive. Please. I forgive

01:04:42.780 --> 01:04:47.900
you. You've been kind. Oh. You are kind. Thank

01:04:47.900 --> 01:04:50.780
you. Oh, Sebulon, I love the flowers. Thank you.

01:04:50.820 --> 01:04:54.500
And she gives you another hug. And Sholay, you

01:04:54.500 --> 01:04:57.579
watch as she kind of like nods. I best get going,

01:04:57.760 --> 01:05:02.699
dear Xena. Oh, come back soon, mother. Sebulon

01:05:02.699 --> 01:05:05.099
is shell -shocked. I don't even think he returned

01:05:05.099 --> 01:05:08.079
the hug. I think he's just standing there. Sholay

01:05:08.079 --> 01:05:10.900
just turns on her heel, and you watch her disappear

01:05:10.900 --> 01:05:14.840
behind a pile of garbage and artifacts, whatever.

01:05:16.110 --> 01:05:18.670
She makes her way towards the door. You just

01:05:18.670 --> 01:05:24.050
hear her, right? As it closes. Do you want a

01:05:24.050 --> 01:05:27.630
goat? I think as the door closes, Jules is going

01:05:27.630 --> 01:05:31.289
to call out and say, Don't worry, I'll give you

01:05:31.289 --> 01:05:34.670
another chance down the road. Does that mean

01:05:34.670 --> 01:05:38.829
yes to goat? Zeta's just like staring on, wildly

01:05:38.829 --> 01:05:42.260
confused. And, like, I love this because me and

01:05:42.260 --> 01:05:44.760
characters trying to, like, throw antics at you.

01:05:44.840 --> 01:05:47.820
And you guys are just so fucking slapped out

01:05:47.820 --> 01:05:51.380
of the ground. You're, like, so sad. How do we

01:05:51.380 --> 01:05:53.619
antic? Zina's just kind of, like, staring around

01:05:53.619 --> 01:05:55.880
at you, like, confused. Her face, like, wide

01:05:55.880 --> 01:05:57.800
and smiling. She's just, like, all excited. All

01:05:57.800 --> 01:05:59.980
of her friends are visiting today. What a wonderful

01:05:59.980 --> 01:06:03.239
day she's having. Zina, yeah, I'll take some

01:06:03.239 --> 01:06:04.860
goat, but can you do me a favor? Can you go grab

01:06:04.860 --> 01:06:06.320
my friends from out front? I think they're a

01:06:06.320 --> 01:06:09.940
little hungry, too. Oh, okay. And she goes and

01:06:09.940 --> 01:06:14.320
flies over. The door opens and closes. And then

01:06:14.320 --> 01:06:17.559
a moment later opens again. And Xena walks in.

01:06:18.260 --> 01:06:22.820
Oh. It sounds like you have to go already. The

01:06:22.820 --> 01:06:26.380
shield bearers say you need to leave. Oh. I was

01:06:26.380 --> 01:06:28.900
going to make such a lovely girl. Will you come

01:06:28.900 --> 01:06:31.739
back? Didn't you see Arhalan out there? He told

01:06:31.739 --> 01:06:34.380
me. Invite him in too. Invite him in, too. He's

01:06:34.380 --> 01:06:36.780
working. He's very busy, Ahalan is. He doesn't

01:06:36.780 --> 01:06:38.539
get to visit much, but it's okay. He's working

01:06:38.539 --> 01:06:42.199
with us. It's okay. It's okay. Zebulon walks

01:06:42.199 --> 01:06:48.719
up to Xena and puts his hands on her arms. Xena.

01:06:48.960 --> 01:06:54.280
Huh? Xelai said something. She said, again. What?

01:06:54.300 --> 01:06:58.239
She said, this won't happen again. Xena, were

01:06:58.239 --> 01:07:03.849
you ever a luminary? I was not luminary, I...

01:07:03.849 --> 01:07:08.170
And... She's, like, smiling. This big smile just

01:07:08.170 --> 01:07:10.130
looks at you. And, like, it's like a thought

01:07:10.130 --> 01:07:13.050
suddenly hits her mind. And her eyes, like, there's

01:07:13.050 --> 01:07:16.070
a spark of something in her eyes. Gina, what

01:07:16.070 --> 01:07:20.889
does it again mean? It means something. What?

01:07:22.309 --> 01:07:29.510
I... What? Her? What? I... Uh... Uh... Um...

01:07:29.510 --> 01:07:35.860
Um... I have to go. I have to go right now. No,

01:07:36.019 --> 01:07:39.179
no, no, no, no. And she just like moves away

01:07:39.179 --> 01:07:42.139
from you and you see she kind of just like vanishes,

01:07:42.139 --> 01:07:45.460
just like flies off and like almost crashes down

01:07:45.460 --> 01:07:48.679
into a pile somewhere on the far side of the

01:07:48.679 --> 01:07:56.380
room. The door opens again. Zebulon, Jules, it's

01:07:56.380 --> 01:08:03.019
time to go. Arhalon looks like completely downtrodden

01:08:03.019 --> 01:08:05.840
as well. You don't know what was said outside

01:08:05.840 --> 01:08:08.019
between him and Sholay, but you get a feeling

01:08:08.019 --> 01:08:11.480
he got a bit of that action as well. And he's

01:08:11.480 --> 01:08:16.439
just like, Okay. Just make sure your mother's

01:08:16.439 --> 01:08:21.000
okay. What? Yes, of course. I'll check in with

01:08:21.000 --> 01:08:27.939
her, yes. Right. Let's go. Yeah, and Zebulon

01:08:27.939 --> 01:08:33.560
will leave. Defeated. Feeling defeated. I don't

01:08:33.560 --> 01:08:34.899
think there's anything else I can do at this

01:08:34.899 --> 01:08:43.220
point. I think we follow. You step out of the

01:08:43.220 --> 01:08:50.680
room. And you're walking outside. And you see

01:08:50.680 --> 01:08:53.819
another figure is standing with shield bearers

01:08:53.819 --> 01:08:55.680
are all at attention again. The children are

01:08:55.680 --> 01:08:57.359
kind of left alone where before they were kind

01:08:57.359 --> 01:09:00.699
of gathered and playing. as another figure is

01:09:00.699 --> 01:09:03.399
standing. I think at first you think you see

01:09:03.399 --> 01:09:05.199
your mother, and you realize, no, no, no, that's

01:09:05.199 --> 01:09:10.560
not your mother. It's your cousin. Speaker Cirilla

01:09:10.560 --> 01:09:16.399
LaRoche. Arrived from the inside of the diamond.

01:09:17.260 --> 01:09:21.279
The preserve of the ancestors. And she's like,

01:09:21.340 --> 01:09:24.380
has a hand out, coaxing the cherry delights who

01:09:24.380 --> 01:09:27.000
are all gathered up, like, no, no, no, please,

01:09:27.100 --> 01:09:32.529
no. Come on. Come on. It's going to be fun. You're

01:09:32.529 --> 01:09:34.810
going to love your new family. They're going

01:09:34.810 --> 01:09:36.970
to take care of you. They're going to feed you

01:09:36.970 --> 01:09:41.090
better. Oh, the food will be delightful. And

01:09:41.090 --> 01:09:42.729
you'll get to see just what it was like when

01:09:42.729 --> 01:09:47.170
Jules grew up. And she looks up right at you,

01:09:47.210 --> 01:09:52.789
Jules. And smiles. You're going to get what's

01:09:52.789 --> 01:09:58.899
coming to you. And guess what? I'm going to be

01:09:58.899 --> 01:10:04.539
the one to do it. She turns back to the guards,

01:10:04.560 --> 01:10:08.640
still just like smiling, unshaken. Bring them

01:10:08.640 --> 01:10:11.340
inside. It's time for them to meet their new

01:10:11.340 --> 01:10:17.100
family. And family is, it's so important, isn't

01:10:17.100 --> 01:10:20.960
it? Come on, come on, come on, sweetlings, come

01:10:20.960 --> 01:10:23.619
on. And they just... Fall out of your heels.

01:10:23.680 --> 01:10:25.920
And I think, like, this scene is so dark for

01:10:25.920 --> 01:10:27.560
you, but you're actually on the streets watching

01:10:27.560 --> 01:10:31.079
as, like, people are, like, clapping and cheering

01:10:31.079 --> 01:10:35.000
and, like, so, like, this is a show. Cirilla

01:10:35.000 --> 01:10:40.279
is adopting these sad orphans from Tythos. People

01:10:40.279 --> 01:10:43.000
are just, yeah, yeah, the roach, the roach, the

01:10:43.000 --> 01:10:46.739
roach, the roach. I'm going to lean down to Miskin.

01:10:48.410 --> 01:10:50.289
Before anything happens? You kind of move up

01:10:50.289 --> 01:10:52.890
there. They're like being ushered. I think at

01:10:52.890 --> 01:10:54.170
this point they're trying to keep you away. Maybe

01:10:54.170 --> 01:10:56.210
you push past and Miskin just kind of like looks

01:10:56.210 --> 01:11:00.010
at you like, Jules, what do I do? Miskin. Yeah,

01:11:00.109 --> 01:11:05.989
yeah. You tell the others too. Yeah. Never open

01:11:05.989 --> 01:11:13.050
your eyes. Okay. Okay. You never open your eyes

01:11:13.050 --> 01:11:18.050
until you hear my voice. It doesn't... understand,

01:11:18.050 --> 01:11:20.949
but he just kind of nods. And he steps back.

01:11:21.050 --> 01:11:23.170
I think, like, as he's being pushed away, you

01:11:23.170 --> 01:11:25.630
feel like, hey, hey, hey! And, like, a figure

01:11:25.630 --> 01:11:28.550
drops out of their arms and comes rushing, rushing

01:11:28.550 --> 01:11:31.069
past them, moving under legs, and round stuff

01:11:31.069 --> 01:11:34.670
jumps onto you and grabs onto your neck. It's

01:11:34.670 --> 01:11:38.189
so familiar. This figure, this small figure,

01:11:38.250 --> 01:11:40.229
wraps up around you, and she just whispers in

01:11:40.229 --> 01:11:44.890
your ear, don't let go. Don't let me go. Asshole.

01:11:44.960 --> 01:11:48.279
Fuck you, David. I'm such a dick. Sorry. The

01:11:48.279 --> 01:11:51.239
door opened. I took it. I went in. Don't let

01:11:51.239 --> 01:11:53.439
me go. Please, please. Don't let me go. Don't

01:11:53.439 --> 01:11:57.680
ever let me go. And guards are breaking towards

01:11:57.680 --> 01:12:01.859
you. Jules, like one of the guards, is standing

01:12:01.859 --> 01:12:05.279
there like, I'm sorry. Jules Roach, I need to.

01:12:06.359 --> 01:12:10.880
Hands out. And I'm going to turn to Arlon. He's

01:12:10.880 --> 01:12:14.579
like, looking at this. And he doesn't, he looks

01:12:14.579 --> 01:12:19.319
defeated as well. And I'm going to look to him.

01:12:21.819 --> 01:12:27.659
You make sure you fix this. I promise. I will.

01:12:27.880 --> 01:12:32.819
I will. You feel the guard's hands wrapping around,

01:12:32.859 --> 01:12:34.819
around stuff and starting to pull her away. And

01:12:34.819 --> 01:12:38.539
just, no, no, no, no. And her arms finally part.

01:12:39.630 --> 01:12:41.810
And you watch, she's being moved away from you,

01:12:41.850 --> 01:12:44.890
arms outstretched, paws being led in by the hand.

01:12:45.250 --> 01:12:49.149
He looks back at you, eyes wide and horrified.

01:12:49.869 --> 01:12:53.109
And you watch as the three cherry delights are

01:12:53.109 --> 01:12:59.010
ushered into the great iron gates. Into the verdant,

01:12:59.010 --> 01:13:04.250
green, tree -filled area within that you could

01:13:04.250 --> 01:13:13.560
barely make out before. It closes on the sounds

01:13:13.560 --> 01:13:21.720
of cheering, clapping, applausing crowds. That

01:13:21.720 --> 01:13:27.939
does not feel good. I quit. It's so hard. I did

01:13:27.939 --> 01:13:30.439
not think in a million years it would go this

01:13:30.439 --> 01:13:32.399
way. I thought you were going to pass the check.

01:13:32.539 --> 01:13:34.460
My entire session was different. Well, there

01:13:34.460 --> 01:13:36.260
were a couple of points where we could have passed.

01:13:36.579 --> 01:13:39.319
We could have made a check. Close in so many

01:13:39.319 --> 01:13:41.789
ways. Oh, my God. We could have made the check

01:13:41.789 --> 01:13:45.390
with Arhuan, and you're right. Jules has that

01:13:45.390 --> 01:13:46.890
high bonus. I thought we were going to do it

01:13:46.890 --> 01:13:50.090
with advantage. You used a button. We could have

01:13:50.090 --> 01:13:54.069
passed a check with Sholay, and that might have

01:13:54.069 --> 01:13:57.869
changed things. But, I mean, the dice were hot,

01:13:57.970 --> 01:14:02.149
but not when it came to saving the Cherry Delights.

01:14:02.250 --> 01:14:04.770
But you gained some things here, and I think

01:14:04.770 --> 01:14:06.609
we'll touch on those later because they may be

01:14:06.609 --> 01:14:11.560
crucial. Yeah, Zebulon puts a hand on his pocket

01:14:11.560 --> 01:14:14.680
with the envelope. I think without a word. One

01:14:14.680 --> 01:14:25.119
pangolin's worth of gold. Finally. Finally got

01:14:25.119 --> 01:14:27.460
the ten gold. Finally got your ten gold. You

01:14:27.460 --> 01:14:30.699
just took his savings for the day or whatever,

01:14:30.840 --> 01:14:32.939
which is great. Ten gold's still decent money.

01:14:33.159 --> 01:14:34.920
Fuck that guy. Yeah, you know what? That's why

01:14:34.920 --> 01:14:36.779
I think it's better. The ten gold doesn't mean

01:14:36.779 --> 01:14:38.819
a lot to you. but it probably means a lot to

01:14:38.819 --> 01:14:42.859
Jesseth, and that's what feels so good. Arlon,

01:14:43.020 --> 01:14:47.159
I think, like, without a word, just flies, like,

01:14:47.199 --> 01:14:49.619
just down the street, lands, and begins to, like,

01:14:49.619 --> 01:14:51.600
walk away back towards Shieldbearer headquarters,

01:14:51.880 --> 01:14:54.260
and the Shieldbearers all kind of, like, disperse

01:14:54.260 --> 01:14:57.159
their mission accomplished, and you are just

01:14:57.159 --> 01:15:01.380
alone outside Xena's, and I'll ask, where do

01:15:01.380 --> 01:15:04.779
you guys want to go from here? I mean, Zebulon

01:15:04.779 --> 01:15:09.970
looks to Jules. Zebulon has no idea how to react

01:15:09.970 --> 01:15:12.970
or what to do next, and he's concerned about

01:15:12.970 --> 01:15:19.829
his friend. David, you have no idea how much

01:15:19.829 --> 01:15:27.310
you have just weaponized Jules. Holy shit. I

01:15:27.310 --> 01:15:31.329
taketh away, but I also giveth. I don't think

01:15:31.329 --> 01:15:34.130
Jules says anything. I think Zebulon is the one

01:15:34.130 --> 01:15:37.649
that's going to need to... So the shieldbearers

01:15:37.649 --> 01:15:39.329
are gone, there's nobody around us? Nobody around.

01:15:39.909 --> 01:15:42.970
All right. I will say... Yeah, what are you going

01:15:42.970 --> 01:15:45.170
to do? Well, now I want to know what you're going

01:15:45.170 --> 01:15:49.130
to say. I will say that there is a figure kind

01:15:49.130 --> 01:15:52.130
of rushing down the road, kind of through crowds

01:15:52.130 --> 01:15:53.710
approaching you. A lot of the crowds have kind

01:15:53.710 --> 01:15:55.069
of dispersed here, but I think you're still kind

01:15:55.069 --> 01:15:57.789
of off to the side of the road, kind of more

01:15:57.789 --> 01:16:01.789
tucked into, like, Xena's yard. If you have something

01:16:01.789 --> 01:16:03.149
you want to do, there's a figure running towards

01:16:03.149 --> 01:16:04.909
you. I'm not going to have them... Just be there

01:16:04.909 --> 01:16:09.489
right off. Okay, I'll let you save that for after

01:16:09.489 --> 01:16:11.649
what I want to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm going

01:16:11.649 --> 01:16:17.710
to grab Jules by the arms and move him somewhere

01:16:17.710 --> 01:16:20.649
sort of out of sight, whether it's in an alleyway,

01:16:20.689 --> 01:16:23.590
behind a tree, whatever. I want to be... Maybe

01:16:23.590 --> 01:16:26.869
behind his fence. Sure, perfect. And he's going

01:16:26.869 --> 01:16:28.609
to reach into his pocket and pull out the envelope.

01:16:29.109 --> 01:16:32.600
Um, Jules, um... When you did that thing, that

01:16:32.600 --> 01:16:34.979
was great, by the way. All that communication

01:16:34.979 --> 01:16:38.579
just through a wink? I mean, we are so in sync.

01:16:39.119 --> 01:16:42.159
What are you getting at, Sam? Look what I found

01:16:42.159 --> 01:16:45.340
in Jesse's pocket. And he pulls out the envelope

01:16:45.340 --> 01:16:51.060
and hands it to you. I take it. I look at it.

01:16:52.720 --> 01:16:55.000
And I open it, knowing full well what the seal

01:16:55.000 --> 01:16:59.899
is. Okay. You pull out the letter that I had

01:16:59.899 --> 01:17:03.409
to make up. In this episode. Because Steven is

01:17:03.409 --> 01:17:07.649
an asshole. Like 20 minutes ago. You unfold it.

01:17:08.029 --> 01:17:14.289
And you read. Very simple order. Dear Jessinth.

01:17:15.329 --> 01:17:17.829
After retrieving the children, make sure they

01:17:17.829 --> 01:17:23.029
are sent to San Sitian. Our allies in the city

01:17:23.029 --> 01:17:28.189
are nearly ready. It's time we bring things to

01:17:28.189 --> 01:17:33.659
the next level. That's all it says. So you know

01:17:33.659 --> 01:17:37.600
where they're going. Saint -Étienne, Jules, what

01:17:37.600 --> 01:17:40.180
does it mean? It means we've got to get back

01:17:40.180 --> 01:17:47.039
in touch with our pal Dancia. Dancia's from Saint

01:17:47.039 --> 01:17:51.060
-Étienne. Maybe she'll know what's going on over

01:17:51.060 --> 01:17:55.460
there. But you also know you don't have free

01:17:55.460 --> 01:17:58.979
access to the worlds yet. You're still watched.

01:18:00.000 --> 01:18:02.239
You need to be luminaries if you want to, or

01:18:02.239 --> 01:18:04.680
at least find a writ to get there, and that's

01:18:04.680 --> 01:18:08.119
not an easy thing to accomplish. Not in your

01:18:08.119 --> 01:18:10.939
state, not when grandmother's going to essentially

01:18:10.939 --> 01:18:13.220
bar the way for you, and you know she's going

01:18:13.220 --> 01:18:16.659
to try. As this thought crosses your mind, you

01:18:16.659 --> 01:18:20.340
hear like a huffing, puffing, Where the hell,

01:18:20.439 --> 01:18:23.659
where the hell'd they go? Just saw them. On the

01:18:23.659 --> 01:18:27.180
other side of the fence, you hear Ader's voice.

01:18:27.880 --> 01:18:33.270
Where? Set me alone. Jules. Are you here? Set

01:18:33.270 --> 01:18:36.289
me alone. Hey there. Oh. We're over here. You

01:18:36.289 --> 01:18:38.050
pop up your hand around this and it's, oh, hey.

01:18:38.890 --> 01:18:41.210
Listen, hey, hey, hey. Look, look. That was bad.

01:18:41.369 --> 01:18:43.829
Oh, no. And where are the kids? Did you get them

01:18:43.829 --> 01:18:48.130
back? Are they gone? There, take them. I'm sorry,

01:18:48.210 --> 01:18:51.510
Hater. We did everything we could. Shit. Shit.

01:18:52.289 --> 01:18:56.029
Look, hey, hey, look. I can help, all right?

01:18:56.229 --> 01:18:58.750
Just went down to my pub and I feel... I'll feel

01:18:58.750 --> 01:19:00.989
responsible. No, Ader, this has nothing to do

01:19:00.989 --> 01:19:02.810
with you. I'm so sorry that you got caught up.

01:19:03.470 --> 01:19:07.189
I can help you out, right? You need to get more

01:19:07.189 --> 01:19:09.470
influence. We can win them back if you get the

01:19:09.470 --> 01:19:13.029
people behind you. I found you an agent. What?

01:19:13.989 --> 01:19:16.409
Just come with me. Come on. Back to the coyote.

01:19:16.930 --> 01:19:18.970
And he, like, gestures you to follow him. Jules,

01:19:19.069 --> 01:19:22.850
I think we need to go. Jules isn't saying anything.

01:19:23.670 --> 01:19:27.430
I mean, he's following. Okay. But he's kind of...

01:19:29.070 --> 01:19:32.189
Still, he's in shock. Zebulon's visibly excited.

01:19:32.949 --> 01:19:36.090
Where is the diamond? Jules hasn't. You have

01:19:36.090 --> 01:19:39.109
the diamond? As long as you're following, Zebulon

01:19:39.109 --> 01:19:42.130
doesn't care. Okay. You guys follow Aether down

01:19:42.130 --> 01:19:43.909
the streets. He's rushing ahead, looking back

01:19:43.909 --> 01:19:46.229
every once in a while, nodding, rushing, rushing,

01:19:46.270 --> 01:19:50.270
and he reaches the coyote. He stands at the saloon

01:19:50.270 --> 01:19:51.710
door, and he puts a hand on the door. He's like,

01:19:51.810 --> 01:19:54.289
look, look, look, right. I called in a favor,

01:19:54.390 --> 01:19:57.710
and... I can get you guys on the network. I can,

01:19:57.789 --> 01:20:00.229
but I need you... Well, someone's going to need

01:20:00.229 --> 01:20:02.229
you to do a little job for them. They need it

01:20:02.229 --> 01:20:05.109
to be... They need it to be quiet, right? Subtle.

01:20:05.289 --> 01:20:07.050
You guys aren't known, so you're perfect for

01:20:07.050 --> 01:20:08.590
it. It's going to work out just fine. You do

01:20:08.590 --> 01:20:12.390
this, and I promise you, I swear, to all the

01:20:12.390 --> 01:20:15.409
gods of all the worlds, that you will be on the

01:20:15.409 --> 01:20:17.029
network. You will be luminaries, and the people

01:20:17.029 --> 01:20:19.130
will be behind you. Do you understand? Well,

01:20:19.149 --> 01:20:22.430
I mean, Eater, I mean, we're not exactly nobody.

01:20:23.550 --> 01:20:26.850
No, you ain't. You sure as hell ain't going to

01:20:26.850 --> 01:20:31.989
be for long. Now, he pushes the door open, and

01:20:31.989 --> 01:20:34.210
as he opens the saloon door, you see a figure

01:20:34.210 --> 01:20:35.930
standing at the back of the pub, kind of like

01:20:35.930 --> 01:20:41.109
waiting it out. You see a very tall, gaunt, skinny

01:20:41.109 --> 01:20:46.229
man in like farmer's overalls with a big straw

01:20:46.229 --> 01:20:49.050
hat in his head. He turns around to you with

01:20:49.050 --> 01:20:51.949
a salt and pepper beard, and he says, storage

01:20:51.949 --> 01:20:57.439
of the ore in here. Oh, fuck!