Songwoven presents Irabren Dawnbreak, a level-up, advanced fifth edition, actual play campaign.
Episode 8, The Opening Bell.
You can catch us live every Sunday at 8pm EST on Twitch.tv slash Songwoven Show or watch
the video version of this podcast on YouTube.
Thanks for listening!
Hello everyone, I'm Irabren Dawnbreak, I'm your narrator, and I'm joined by, what do
I love, go ahead and introduce yourself!
Um, hello, I'm Jenny and I play Valora.
I'm not sure if I should wait or just go, I'm gonna go-
GO!
Perfection.
Good job guys.
You know, with your fast talking I should pull out that little tongue twister that you
tried at my house.
Oh no!
That can- What tongue twister?
That was awful, I could not do that.
Um, oh she's pulling it up.
What was it?
I'm gonna get it.
I'm so- No!
This is the most nervous I've ever been performing on Songwoven.
You're like, prepping?
No nerves.
And twister?
All the nerves.
Hello everyone!
I feel like it was different than this one, but okay I'm putting it in the chat.
Oh no.
Oh god.
That one.
And he could not get it for a very long time.
Check this out.
I am a motherfuck- Check this!
Bitch!
Check this!
I demand to live that down immediately.
Check this out.
I am a motherfes- I am a motherfes- I am a motherfes- I am a motherfes- I am a motherfes- I
plug motherfes- I am the best motherfuck-fucking bitch.
God damn it!
I am a motherfuck- I am a motherfuck- I am a motherfuck-
Wait!
He's not faking it either!
This is exactly how it went!
I am a mother pheasant plucker, I pluck mother pheasants.
I am the best mother pheasant plucker that ever plucked a mother pheasant.
I am not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's son.
But I'll be plucking pheasants when the pheasant plucker's gone!
Yeah!
Woo!
That's the stream!
He got it!
That's the stream!
That was all my- That was all my energy.
On that note, thanks for coming guys!
Bye!
Thank you so much!
Thanks, bye.
That's my- That was my talent show.
And the door's made.
My favorite was when he was like- It was like a scratch record.
I mean he was like- I am a motherfuck- I am a motherfuck- I am a motherfuck-
Now do it with your Lin-Manuel Miranda impression.
I'm kidding.
Yo!
I'm just kidding!
Who's the guy that does it on TikTok?
Oh my god.
Oh gosh, yeah.
I can't even do it on TikTok.
I'm just kidding.
I can't even do it right.
I hired him once because he does Fiverr to deceive people.
I was like, hey guess what?
You're a deceiver!
Like guess what?
Lin-Manuel Miranda sent you a thing.
I'm friends with him personally because, you know.
Because of the lies that you told?
Yeah, my dad works at Hamilton.
Well one of the impersonators is actually writing out the hurricane in Florida because
they got dressed up and started doing that in the eye of a hurricane.
No!
And they're showing the video like it's actually a hurricane guys.
No!
Get out of there!
It's not safe!
I'm safe children.
I just want to say it's been three minutes.
How is it?
It felt so much longer already.
It did feel longer.
Welcome back to Iribren Donbreak guys!
We are having so much fun.
We're still having some time.
We always have fun.
We're still having some time.
We've always been having so much fun.
But this one in particular, we got the sapphix all out in full force.
That's the Timmy recap.
We got Emma's.
We got the sapphix.
We got full force forward flirting, which is honestly a rarity in our games.
Reciprocated.
The motherfucking pheasant thing.
It plucked me up.
Emma Ramusko screaming at...
I still have to edit that clip!
Being very receptive to everything.
I will edit that clip.
And yeah, this has been absolutely fun.
As you guys have probably figured out by now, it's a very storied game.
It has a lot of stuff behind it.
And it's really enhanced by Jenny having been through all of that.
This is a game with five years of stuff behind it.
It's so nice to have a nice woman walks into the room and Jenny's immediately like, this
woman...
Let me tell you about this woman.
She murders people.
She murders babies.
She's probably murdering kids right now.
She's starving them in her little mountain base.
Oh, that's right!
The vampire lady!
And meanwhile, you have to contend with the fact that it's a really nice lady who runs
a little old parlor carry.
It's cute.
It's got a bumblebee.
She's a girl's girl.
Thank you for the subs, guys.
JT's on 23 months because it's a month from our affiliate anniversary when he subscribed.
No, shit!
And then we've got a year from Oh My Why and six months from Dragmire.
So thanks guys.
Yay!
Thank you guys!
You guys are amazing!
You're our favorite!
Hey, legitimately, thank you all so much.
Thank you all so much for watching, for chatting, for everything.
We love every bit of interaction that we get here and we're going to keep doing this until
we die.
We're like our robot selves are streaming like 80 years from now.
Yeah.
I don't think AI can replicate me though.
If you put me in an AI machine, it'll just die.
I think I'm the poison seed.
You are the solution.
Artificial intelligence hates him.
You can't deal with natural intelligence in a replacement.
Did you hear that word tongue twister that I did earlier?
You can't replicate that with AI.
I can do that.
You can't touch that.
This dumbassery can't replicate it.
This dumbassery is natural, baby.
Yeah, let's go.
What happened last time?
Oh, unless you needed to say something.
I do need to say something.
When I was talking about the nice woman running the apothecary and now we know outside that
this nice woman running the apothecary, very librarian-esque sort of like, oh, hi everyone.
It's just so nice.
Who does murder.
Murder is a strong word.
Who kills.
Who unalives?
First degree moita.
Just absolutely moita's people.
Is there a girlfriend now?
Yeah, there's a girlfriend, but I did look over in the chat and I did see that our faithful
moderator JT did say, yeah, but Tim would.
This is a dangerous game, guys.
This is dangerous.
You TRPGs got nothing on this game.
All right.
In that vein.
What the heck happened last time, guys?
I'll just chat.
Get away, Jenny.
We decided to spar so that I could actually know what Lucia can do.
She's actually pretty strong.
She whacked me with a tree a bunch, but it was a spiritual weapon tree.
She got traumatized by the illusions.
We also met someone from the ministry named Solanasi.
They were sent by Orië.
They were like, wow, good job.
Talking about how many heretics they've killed.
That was fun.
That's not going to be a problem in the future.
Lucia, you're going to do this one day.
It's going to be great.
Then we looked for the Crimson Griffon's leader, D'Vorah, who was locked outside her room.
But Vesper, the leader of the Blue Wolves, the other person we were looking for was like,
hey, I found your key.
I was like, hey, let's talk.
D'Vorah was like, yeah, I'm kind of a prodigy.
She was actually so embarrassed because she was like, I really don't want to say anymore,
but this is my credentials.
I'm so sorry.
I'm really, really fucking intelligent and really good at everything.
We're like, we get you, babe.
It's okay, babe.
We made a strategy for the mock battle that we were all going to work together to take
down the upperclassmen led houses, aka the Black Bores and the Golden Moose.
So our house, the Silver Lions and the Blue Wolves, are going to go fight the Black Bores
and crush them because they won last year.
And then meanwhile, the very mage heavy class, the Crimson Griffons, are going to fight the
very melee heavy house, the Golden Moose.
And then we're going to help them clean up.
And then we're free for all going to fight each other.
And it's going to be awesome.
And we're going to win because of it.
And then-
First year solidarity.
Yep.
And then I made a bet with Saga, Don Darius, the leader of the Black Bores, that I will
win the mock battle.
And if I win, she's going to take me on a date.
But if I lose, I'm going to take her on a date basically.
I'm going to date either way.
And then Lucia runs into Eddie, the merchant in town who was with the lottery.
And he's like, hey, I'll give you some health potions if you help me deliver this.
And so then we discover that, well, she went with the creepy cab dude named Casper.
I think Casper is actually friendly, like friendly ghost.
With a not quite dead deer in the back of the wagon.
That was a problem.
And then we discovered Marcellus and Valora go looking for Lucia who had run off.
And we find her and discover that she can't read.
I did not forget the face Emma made when her hands were shaking as she was moving the mouse
cursor over deception when asked, Lucia, do you know how to read?
And you can see the thought process formulating the synaptics were firing.
No, I don't know how to read.
That is my decision.
And she said something like, well, what do you need to know how to read for?
She said specifically, why the fuck do I need to know how to read?
That was out of character.
JT says Lucia 19 doesn't know how to read.
Listen, it's good though, because there are some people who at older ages are just learning
how to read.
Yeah, and in this world, there is a huge disparity of an education between the two between the
two classes.
So that's a commentary or anything.
We're not saying anything.
I'm just saying, choice was all I was like this, you know, the life is strange.
This action will have no, it's not.
Is it life is strange?
Is it the actual of consequences butterfly?
Oh, like until dawn, butterfly effect.
That's until dawn.
That's what it is.
The actual of consequences.
That popped on the screen when I was like, no, I don't.
Oh God, we're gonna be so fucked.
God, anyway, continue.
But yeah, when we went from the apothecary with Luca in it, and we don't know that she's
a vampire, but Jenny knows that she's a vampire because I kill her 10 years later with a different
character.
But that doesn't matter right now.
She's here and we do a favor for her to and just do some organizing while Marcellus and
Valora very competitively organize.
It leaves Lucia open to listen to her conversation with the Crimson Griffins teacher who comes
in and is like, Hey, I'm not, I'm not doing good.
And then they're like, they're like kissing and stuff or something like that.
They're like, yeah, they're like a thing.
And and yeah, that's basically where we left off.
Yeah, left the place.
And I also says we also met a legally adult man named Lance.
Yes, we did.
He is 67 extremely buff.
The dress shirt he's wearing does not fit his arms.
He is forced to roll up his sleeves.
And he's an illusion wizard.
Lance Redfield, I mentioned the illusions.
I guess I didn't mention him, but I did mention the illusions briefly.
Lance Redfield, he's six foot seven tall.
What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man.
Also when I wrote Redfield, I wrote the dot on the I so fast that it accidentally looks
like a heart.
I'm going to pretend like that was on purpose for Dragmire.
Honestly, like, honestly, we fuck with Lance though.
Like Lance is if he just needs to stop, he just needs to stop with the with the decapitated
trolls.
I'm going to kill you.
Valor thought it was fun.
If Lucia wasn't traumatized, she'd be like, this is sick.
She's like, this is dope.
Make all of them explode.
Yeah, honestly, I don't know if this mock battle is going to be a good thing.
She's going to get a goddamn god complex.
Yeah, when we win.
Silver Lions.
All right.
Before we get into this, uh, Emma Musco, please write down into your character's inventory
for completing this monumental task to energizing potions.
Those aren't health.
Are they health?
They're not health.
I think we get stuff from from Luca too.
Yeah, you did too.
You got two.
Both of you each got two lesser healing potions.
I guess myself.
And then you.
Yeah, I already put down the lesser healing potions for me.
Um, the energy, the energy potions they grants, they grant another action upon consumption.
Oh, okay.
Energizing.
Also, do we get two lesser restoration something or am I reading that wrong?
Lesser healing potions.
Lesser healing, that's what it's called.
Okay.
A vulnerabilities.
Vulnerable.
I buy those shit all the time.
Lesser healing.
And then you said to energizing.
Yes.
Energizing potions.
Are they going to give us a.
Yeah.
That is good.
They'll just give you another action right away.
Oh, I'll take it out.
It will take whatever.
Yeah.
I'm looking over my stuff right now.
Yeah.
We're going to be totally dope with my stick of incense.
We're really good to go guys.
Let's see.
A saga's song.
Get us into the game.
I think it's got a dope song.
It's her guitar next door.
Wait, is she going to like.
I play for you a song that I wrote.
Is she a bard?
Oh no.
Oh no, absolutely not.
You said so offended by that to me.
How dare you.
The idea that saga Dondarius could have been a bard.
Her mother would never.
Oh yeah.
There is no bard with the last name Dondarius.
I am serious.
Oh no.
But there are bards with the first name saga, I guess.
It's kind of a bard name though.
It is.
It is absolutely.
But with that said, why don't we go ahead and jump into another session of Advanced
Fifth Edition.
TTRPG.
Timmy Tran role playing.
That's what TTRPG stands for.
Timmy Tran.
I love that the Timmy Tran romasco parenting alliance.
We gotta come together.
These kids are fucking us up.
So on that night, the two of you returned to Iribren, a loft phantom.
Again, again, having an overview look at the at the wealth of Iribren before you, you see
that the campus reaches that the campus reaches beyond even the walls.
Lights dot the lights dot the emerald fields below you.
They go off into the forest where you see multiple communities of houses built in bogs
and built along like river, riversides are all just scattered throughout the entirety
of this of these cherished fields.
There's so much to do here.
There's so much to see.
Maybe three years isn't enough.
A lot of you, a lot of you land on top phantom and go about your separate ways to to your
respective rooms to rest up for the night to get ready for the opening ceremony.
Lucia going into your going into your bungalow, your Percy Jackson style sort of house.
You see that Samara is currently not present at the moment but and the fire in the hearth
has gone cold.
Oh, it seems like it seems like someone hasn't been here in a while.
Okay, well, I think I have a Oh, yeah, that's what's making I have candle, a tinderbox.
So I'll relight the hearth just so we have a nice little warm cozy room.
As light becomes a flame, casting away casting away the shadows, a gentle knock is heard
at the door.
Oh, one second.
And she'll kind of, you know, take off her backpack from the day and make sure the room
looks to look presentable, at least absolutely.
If you have made the effort and it is, I think she definitely is the kind of kid that shoves
her dirty laundry under her bed.
So it looks presentable in that way, right?
Where it's like, just don't open the closet door, right?
And it will all be fine.
But yeah, pull the sheets over the side of the bed so it covers the bottom.
Just don't lock.
Right.
Exactly.
Yeah, she'll go she'll go open the door.
You open the door to see a halfling before you, freckled brownish hair.
You see that carrying he seems rolling behind him as a sort of hanger of sorts that is mobile
that he's been carrying along with him.
And he just goes, you are Lucina, correct?
This is where you're staying at the moment.
Yes.
Can I help you?
Well, I'm here to deliver that the good news that the mold is which is a situation we've
dealt with before already, because of this, there's been sort of magnetic parties that
it's a long story.
But the mold situation is being dealt with everything's being cleaned.
We will be giving something to compensate your the compensate you and says, so we are
sure that you will be able to return to your room by the end of tomorrow.
Oh, okay.
Well, thank you so much.
I really appreciate that.
Absolutely.
And cutting it close, but we finally and he reaches into like the hamper and pulls out
this folded up set of clothes and hands it over to you.
Here is your uniform.
Oh, wow.
Okay, cool.
Oh, thank you.
Um, okay.
Okay, cool.
It's sorry.
It's kind of like really setting in now that I have a uniform.
Okay.
What do I do?
It's happening.
It's okay.
When do I when do I wear this?
Every day?
Oh, whenever.
You know, when it's necessary, you know, during school hours and stuff.
That's right.
Right.
We've got to go to classes.
Do we wear them to the opening ceremony?
Yes, absolutely.
Okay.
Yep.
Okay.
Yeah, because I know that.
So I do.
I do.
Yes.
You know, I guess I'm a retainer.
Did you know that?
That I'm a retainer?
Yes, I did know that.
Okay.
Well, yeah, it's a big deal.
Thank you so much.
By the end of tomorrow.
We're going to give you some extra sets, so you don't have to disperse this one.
And we do provide lye and stuff.
So you can go to the nearby river and you can wash your own clothes if you wish.
But we do have a clothes cleaning service.
Oh, wow.
Typically reserved for only the nobles.
But since you are a venerated and special person, the offer extends out to you.
Oh, no, I don't.
I can clean my own clothes.
I wouldn't want to make someone do that.
I got it.
I can do it.
No problem.
Oh, please.
It's no problem.
This is weird to her.
She's like, no, like, I, it's totally fine.
No need to add more work to, you know, to whoever's plate it is.
Oh, please.
It's my pleasure.
You're the one that has to clean the clothes.
Of course.
Oh, well, I can if you just I have no problem doing my own laundry.
Like, really, it's totally nice.
It is my pleasure as a member of the Furo Society.
Insight check.
What are you looking for specifically?
I'm looking like if he like genuinely means it or she's like, it's my fucking job.
Right.
Go ahead.
If he's like, oh, I really like to help or he's like, just shut up and let me.
13.
You do feel that there is also a sense of like, it's like, please, it's my society.
I'm being nice.
But also I'm firm.
This is my job.
Okay, don't don't overstep your bounds.
Okay.
No, no, no.
It's not like that.
It's the polite way of saying like, okay, going to be a little bit more firm, but I
still have to be not seem rude because I don't want to get fired or killed.
Oh, God.
She just goes, whatever, you know, whatever is most helpful and whatever I've got to
do, never buy the books.
Absolutely.
Whatever works best.
Of course.
I'll leave you to your, I'll leave you to your night now.
Have a good night.
Thank you so much.
I'm sorry.
What was your name?
My name is Rapport.
Rapport?
Yes.
Thank you so much, Rapport.
I really appreciate it.
Gentle smile, walks away.
Do my laundry.
You know, just to remind you of the Varroa Society, people trained by, because you are,
you especially are familiar with that concept.
You were almost a part of the Varroa Society if you were not taken up by-
Oh, that's right.
That's right.
I forgot.
That's right.
Very thoroughly trained servants, trained by the ministry to tend to the needs of people
of faculties, those deemed special by the ministry.
I think it is.
It was probably like, she never thought she would be on either side of this.
Yeah.
Right?
Know what I mean?
Like it's one thing to be like, oh yeah, like these are my peers.
Like this is probably what I'll end up doing.
But to be the one that's like, oh wait, I, my stuff?
No, wait, what?
It's like a weird little-
It feels wrong getting taken care of.
It feels wrong.
That is weird.
That's weird.
So yeah, I think she'll, you know, take her uniform out and look at her.
Delicately lay it out, smooth it out on the bed and it's nighttime, right?
Yes, absolutely.
Okay.
Then she'll go to put it on.
Then remember it's bedtime and nighttime.
So she'll go back and fold it up again and delicately, you know, put it near the fire
and then put it back on her bed and just know where to put her uniform.
I will say in this spread before you, you see that other Silver Lion individuals, they
tend to have like, it's mostly been like silver ties, you know, like ties to wear.
Velora's a little special.
She got like a little ribbon, but a personal touch seems to be added to yours.
It is the ribbon that you've already been wearing throughout your little, you know,
throughout your time here already.
It seems to be a perfect replica of it, except now it's silver.
Oh, she's just smiles very broadly.
Like, okay, that's one thing that's familiar.
And there's a note.
Oh, well, put it up.
Right to me, Petal.
I love you.
Ed!
Not dead.
He's not dead!
She's gonna like sprint to her little traveling, her little bag that she brought with her
and rip out her painter's kit and start penning and illustrating.
Like, you know how like in medieval times they would have these beautiful like gilded
edges of manuscripts?
Oh, yeah.
She's like detailing kind of the best she can of the story of how things have been so
far with like phantom flying across, right?
The wagon that she rode in.
And the mountains that she and Valora climbed up to get here.
As she pens to him this letter, saying how much she misses him, she loves him and trying
to squeeze as much as she can.
It's very rambly, very stream of consciousness.
Probably makes little to no sense.
She makes this entire letter to send off and back to him.
And you're gonna head off to send it?
As you open the door to head out, you do see like in this sort of like sleepy sort of like
setting in front of you, lights are dimming.
The lights inside of the bungles around you are starting to turn off.
You do see an old dog walking across the...walking across this like sort of like road.
A Salarian hound, so basically a German Shepherd.
That's my favorite breed!
No, that's my favorite breed because that was my dog.
He looked like that.
Oh my God.
He's so chunky.
Dead now, but I love him.
Well, the thing is, I also had to like, oh yeah, he was, I was gonna say he's like rotund.
He's like rofe.
Oh my God, it's Kingo, it's my dog!
I'm sorry I'm adopting him.
I'm adopting this dog.
I'm becoming a ranger.
My dog!
You see, you see this old, it's an older dog.
Yeah, he was an old motherfucker.
I didn't mean this, I didn't know your dog.
Oh wow.
No, it's so beautiful.
Tell me about it.
You see, I see this old chunky dog.
He's a chunky, he's well fed, happy, walking across, walking on the road.
You see he, as you kind of like, as you're walking along the road and keeping your eye
on him, he seems like he has like, he has a place he's definitely going to, he's definitely
not wandering.
And you see that he goes between like two houses and he barks, woof, at something.
Do you look as you walk by?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
She's locked on the dog.
As you walk by, you see that this dog is on, you know, both of its back feet.
It's currently like doing like a little pushing motion against like this, against something
in the dark that you can't quite see.
It's panting, like it's like, and it does a little spin as it goes like woof, woof,
it's pushing against something repeatedly.
Oh no, he's an old man dog.
Okay, hold on.
So she'll go, hold on buddy.
And she's going to cast a light, her cantrip to kind of, you know, squeeze in and see if
she can help the dog with whatever's happening.
The moment you cast light, you see exactly what he's pouncing on.
You see a slumbering mound of brown fur as you see a large brown bear that he's sleeping.
I knew it, I knew it.
He's pushing against them.
It's the bear.
You see, as you're kind of stunned for a moment, you see the bear stirs awake.
The dog kind of like walks in front of its face and gives it a little lick and walks
out of the alleyway and turns back to watch the bear.
Just to see if the bear follows.
She says it more to herself.
Is that the bear from the bear traps?
Is that the bear trap bear?
You see the bear who almost like human characteristics, kind of like blink awake, kind of like has
like really like baggy eyes, gets up, loud yawn, starts walking down the alleyway and
the dog jumps on top of the bear's back and just lays down on top.
So the bear has like human eyes or just human expressions?
It's like, I was just describing like how tired it looked.
Like it was like comparing it to a human waking up.
Oh, got it, got it, got it, got it.
I want to scare them.
The bear sees you and is like, there's a little sniff and walks up towards you.
She completely locks like what she's dealt with, like she was like little critters, right?
Like bunnies and squirrels and chipmunks, nothing this big.
So I think she completely like locks up and dim, like nearly snuffs out the light that
she's casting.
I was like, hi, sorry, I'm, I just was trying to send my letter.
Um, the dog, I thought the dog maybe was like a male dog or something and I really, ahhhh!
This wet snout starts like pressing against you and starts smelling you.
Dude, please make sure my death is quick.
And you hear from, you hear from down the road, um, you hear, Duke, bear, um, and you
look to see, uh, on the porch of, uh, of one of the bungalows, there, um, there is this,
uh, there's this, there is this like young looking man.
He has like very like, he has sharp features.
Um, he's wearing, he's wearing like darker shades over his eyes.
He has like very like black hair.
He seems like, um, he seems like a well built, uh, young man and he's currently sitting cross
legged on his, uh, on the front porch of this, of this house.
Uh, and currently he has like a huge pot hanging over a fire.
Um, but you see as he says, uh, as he calls out those names, the bear, uh, but for, um,
the, uh, the Salarian shepherd's ears prick up and both of them begin to head over to
that man.
I think she's like, she's expecting to be mauled.
And when the hit doesn't come, she peeks open her eyes, like takes in the young man and
sees the animals heading over.
Oh, is that, is that, is that you?
Oh, don't worry.
They're harmless.
Oh, I didn't mean to.
I'm, I can hear your heartbeat all the way from over there.
It's, it's no big deal.
I was just looking to send a letter and, um, Duke is a very good boy.
She gestures to the dog.
Oh, you should have been warned about them.
Oh, um, uh, he says the dog's name is bear.
The bear's name is Duke.
Oh, oh, right.
Right.
Absolutely.
I mean, Duke, bear, bear is a very good, Duke is a great bear.
Um, um, I'm sorry, aren't there supposed to be bear traps around here?
As you, as you, as you make your way closer, a sort of like floral scent accompanied, a
very pleasant floral scent accompanied by cinnamon, uh, seems to emanate from this pot.
Um, and you see that next to it, there's like a small assortment of like a teapot and cups
and everything.
And you take notice that the man is not like looking directly at you, but you can, you
think you can discern, cause you've seen people like this before.
You helped people like this before that this man is blind.
Is bear his seeing eye dog?
Or is Duke his seeing eye bear?
These are the questions we have.
Um, as you come close, he goes, Oh, don't worry.
Duke's smart enough not to fall into any of those things.
Duke's a friend of the community here.
Oh, well, okay.
I just want, that's kind of, I was, I thought it was pretty dangerous.
And she's like trying to like edge closer to the fire just cause it's warm out.
And she's also like intrigued by the, cause making tea you said, right?
Yes.
Very floral.
She's like kind of, it smells like home a little bit.
She's kind of like edging closer to the fire, trying not to spook him.
Coming closer, like, yeah, the man has like, like, like shorter hair.
He just like, he probably just shaved.
But like he's, he's, he's pretty like structurally like sound as like a person.
You can tell.
But as you, as you come closer, you see that bear, the dog gets off and like just hangs
out at his side and just lays down at his side, puts his head in his lap and he just
gives him a couple of scratches on the top of the head.
And he just goes, Oh, don't worry.
People here should have done a better job of informing you that there was a, there was
a friendly brown bear in the vicinity.
But you'll come, you'll come to know Duke soon enough and you'll be able to tell him
from who's who.
Well, I look forward to getting to know him.
I didn't mean to interrupt your, your, your tea ceremony.
It smells lovely.
Oh no interrupt, interrupt all you want.
Partake.
You have to time.
Really?
Well, if you don't, I can imagine.
If you don't mind, I was just about to send a letter, but I, I mean, it smells so nice.
These are the scents of my home.
I'm too.
She kind of like, there are other chairs or logs or like benches.
There's definitely, there's definitely like two chairs like around it.
It's like, it's like a comfy little like stone pit where the fire is hanging over.
Kind of lightly, you know, and make sure that she's making enough noise so that he can hear
as she sits down in the chair, the other, the open chair.
As you that consideration, he just goes, he just goes, ah, taking great care in your steps.
Awfully considerate.
I don't know what you're talking about.
I'm just, yeah.
She just, she kind of goes, I just wanted to make sure you knew it was me.
By the way, probably a new voice and a new name.
I'm Lucia, by the way.
I'm with the silver lions.
I know exactly who you are.
Really?
Cause I don't know who you are.
We're going to be seeing a lot of each other throughout this year.
I am going to be your, I'm going to be your teacher's assistant.
Oh, you're our TA.
What a delightful, what a delightful meaning this is.
Wow.
It's so nice to meet you.
I am Lucius Florian Finch.
Lucius Florian.
And how old is he?
You could say that you could think like he's in his like upper twenties.
Okay.
So late twenties got it.
Lucius the TA.
Upper twenties, maybe early thirties, but he's definitely like an adult man.
He's a man.
Lucia, okay.
And she goes, wow, that's, that's wild.
It's so nice to meet you.
Thank you so much for taking care of us.
Yes.
I am, I am the retainer of Elora and I'm just really, really pumped to be here.
It's, it's incredible.
Oh yeah.
And I can hear, I can definitely hear you being pumped.
Because the heartbeat is going a little faster than usual.
Oh yeah, I'm freaking out, but it's okay.
I suppose it is a little, I suppose it is a little normal to be freaked out on the first
day, but we're going to whip you into shape yet.
Don't you worry.
Look forward to it.
You have.
Counting on you.
Hmm?
She looks at Duke and, she looks at Duke and Bear and goes, I'm counting on you.
Um, Bear excitedly just goes bark.
It just barks at you.
Um, and he, uh, and he just goes, well, Lucia, this chance meeting while I'm preparing my,
preparing my daily of outward, as it says, outward porch tea.
It feels like fate, doesn't it?
I mean, your name is Lucius, right?
And you're Lucia.
I know that's what I'm saying.
It's like we were destined to meet.
It feels like an open air prayer too.
And she's kind of now she's comfortable, you know, being by the fire with the tea and her
feet are kind of swinging off her chair.
Um, he just goes, well, it looks like the tea is almost ready, but would you like to
give, um, would you like to give Duke a treat to get him real acquainted with you?
If he, if he doesn't mind.
Absolutely.
You can just hand inside of my place.
He says you'll find, um, you'll find it as assortment.
There's a frozen together assortment of nuts and berries you can give to him.
Keep him busy for a while.
Okay.
Like she's never fed a bear before.
So she kind of like sprints up and like realized that she's sprinting into the house and then
quickly slows down cause she realizes he can probably hear her sprinting and just calmly,
calmly it strides into the house.
It does seem that your, that your like excitement is contagious cause he does smile a little
bit at that.
As you run into his house, you see, um, you see before you the, um, a strange, a strange,
definitely something different from the norm.
Um, walls that are brightly colored, um, these people aren't, uh, people who are blind aren't,
you know, actually by day they do still see some color and that's, and you knowing this,
this is probably how he navigates the house.
Um, and upon a, upon like a large wall that spans the house, you see that there are, uh,
paint, there's like this huge drawing, uh, this unfinished painting.
There is like paint on the ground, brushes that are sitting inside of cans of like water,
um, a huge flower field.
Uh, um, there is an electric array of different art styles.
It seems it, this is definitely not drawn by one hand, but probably multiple.
Um, and you can see like on the pedals of the names, the names of different, uh, you
can see like the names of different people.
I think with like her dad's letter still fresh in her head and that her, his nickname for
her is pedal.
I think she just pauses in front of the mural and slowly just reaches out a hand just to
touch the wall.
Get in before her.
Looking at the painting on the wall, you hear a voice from outside.
Coming.
Gathers herself and goes to get the berries.
You grab, you grab this treat, a clump together of nuts and berries held together, bite it
together by honey.
Um, and you think, yeah, this is awesome for a bear.
Um, honestly, I might need it.
You hear, you hear, you hear bear go, you hear Duke go, um, as you head out, um, Duke,
uh, the little, the little soft, like round ears perk up, like the, like, like how a dog
does.
I love them.
Sniffs the air, sees the, sees the treat and waits patiently.
This is a big deal to her.
She's like, she's being very careful, cautiously approaching and goes, um, Duke, would you
like a treat?
Oh, okay.
It just begins chewing immediately.
After the shock like wears off, she starts laughing and giggling out loud.
Because like in a weird way, this is probably the closest she's felt to home has been like
these wild little critters.
No.
Hmm.
Um, and you see before, and as you come back, you see that he's already poured a few cups.
Thank you so much.
Kind of like snitch in her chair and goes, Oh, wait, um, I can, I can trade you.
And she digs into her, her bag or pocket for like maybe like a little, you know how in
hotels they have like little jars of jam, like the very absolutely.
Yeah, travel one.
I think she has like maybe like a little travel one in her pocket.
And she goes here for you.
I have something for you and I'm going to put it out right in front of you.
And she places it, you know, very easily for him to read.
That's 70% of everything you're going to do.
Um, holds it.
He gives it a little, he gives it a little sniff.
Uh, and he goes, you didn't have to.
Well, you are my TA and I, I, I heard somewhere that sometimes you give the teacher apples
and I don't really have any apples on me, but I can cast an apple tree.
Funnily enough, I learned that yesterday.
I was just trying out this new spell and it was incredible.
And then the Laura said that I did pretty good, but then I got really sad.
And then she's sick fully, you know, divulging as she picks up her tea cup.
It's like she's back home with her dad, you know, just full on rambling.
He listens as you fall on rumble.
He does not cut you off.
He drinks tea.
He's nodding along.
He's just fully, he's just fully, fully listening.
As you see the bear is to eat the dog lists off on his lap.
Okay.
Lucy is not in love with this man, but Emma is.
I would, I would, Emma would romance this man in a heartbeat.
Um, uh, he just goes, it looks like you've already had an eventful day.
I promise you there's going to be a lot more of that where we, that's where we're going
to.
Yes, you'll be very proud of Laura.
She's already constructed a strategy for the games.
Oh, what kind of strategy is that?
Can you, can you indulge me?
You hear a lot, much like the Kermit meme.
She goes, lions.
Succinct.
As you get to the end of your cup, he, he doesn't see it, but you see he pulls out a
ladle and he fills her cup up like, like just on instinct.
Oh, oh, thank you.
Yes, I'll take more.
Okay.
Well, since you gave me more tea, I guess I have to go into more detail.
We formed an alliance and she's rambling again about their strategy for what they're
going to try to do during the mock battle.
Um, listens again and he nods along and he just goes, I would say making friends is always
a winning strategy.
Yeah, actually we've made a lot of friends from the other houses.
I mean, Laura and, and, uh, and, and the leader of the black bores are kind of friends.
I don't know.
I have questions about that one, but you know, they, they should be friendly enough.
Except,
Sips tea again.
Needless to say, we're getting along with our other housemates too.
Except for one, then quickly drinks tea.
She turns and almost spills her cup.
How did you know?
Oh, difficult one.
That one.
No wonder.
I think I can help him.
That's a fantastic mindset.
But I can only help him if he wants to be helped.
I'm not sure if he's there yet.
And much is true.
No matter what you can, you can't ever push the envelope on someone who's not willing
to accept your help.
But people have a habit of learning that there is something better.
And because that there is something better, it just simply has to happen.
I knew a knight and a Lord before who taught me that.
Oh, what was their name?
Um, he just goes, you probably haven't heard of them.
As one of them is sadly one of them passed on.
No, what was their name?
Let's remember them so the gods may hear their story.
Oh, the one says small, small in stature, but fiery in everything else.
She she gets flustered and bumbles like no other, but she is a knight through and through.
Her name is Iris Amaya.
Bingo.
Is that Bingo?
Is that one of your characters?
Other characters gets referenced.
Oh, it's one of your characters.
So this is like the previous.
This is actually not she's not from I rebrand, but she is from this setting.
Like this kingdom.
She's from the Grand Folger at from the night school there.
And her Lord did go to I rebrand in a different prequel game with one of my other character.
So a lot happened.
A lot has happened.
There's a lot of history.
Mark, mark your bingo board, motherfuckers.
I rebranded it.
Iry.
That's Iry.
I didn't expect the character to be referenced to be Iry.
That would not be the most likely one.
Me neither.
I thought it was not.
I didn't think it would be her.
Like it would be one of your Lords, but no, it would be.
That's the one commoner I put on this bingo card.
And he just goes, and the Lord, he deserves to be remembered.
I release Iry and win.
It kind of like takes a moment with her, places her cup down, clasps her hands together.
It says, to the open air, much like she would in an open air prayer.
Their stories and memories live on in us.
May the gods hear them and rejoice the gifts they have given.
He smiles at that.
He gives a little pat to Bear, who in turn sees it as a sign of like, okay, I got to
get up.
Bear goes over lays down on Duke.
And he just goes, you saw that mural on the wall, correct?
Their names are on there.
Yeah, it's a lot of names on there.
Well, I would have students come by, draw their own flower and put their names down
and everything.
But sometimes I add my own for the people who can't.
It is tradition where I'm from.
I'm from a continent far, far away to from Kiryu.
It's a far, far away place.
But the teas from Kiryu, the style of everything you're drinking, the warmth you feel from
your throat that reaches out all the way to your fingertips.
I hope it makes you feel good.
That is my home.
But looking upon this mural, besides my favorite thing being that it is a mosaic of everything
that I have ever loved and everyone who has ever made me and it has crossed my life.
Do you know what my favorite part of this mural is?
Um, she tries to remember it.
The colors.
It has no frame.
Sure, there is the wall, but there's no frame to contain it.
I can just keep going and stretch across all the way outside the house and then I'll take
it outside if need be.
And she, you know, almost like goes to lunge towards her little bag and then like slows
down right again.
She's very excited here.
She goes, well, if you ever need help with painting, I have my own little paint kit and
not to not that I would interrupt your work, but you know, if you I have colors sometimes
if you need them ever need, you know, I paint sometimes and I painted this letter to my
dad and you know, yeah.
It has been an absolute pleasure coming across you, Lucia.
I suppose it's a common feeling people meeting you that their day gets brightened up.
And after a flower and all, I was surprised, you know, that I was actually going to say
so cool that it feels so at home.
You're home and you're from thousands of miles away.
That's weird, isn't it?
I suppose.
Yeah, it is.
And her feet go back to kicking, you know, off the edge of her chair.
She goes, this goes to show that we're a lot more similar than we are different here at
Ira Brent.
A wind blows and as he's about to speak, you hear a loud thud in his house.
Oh, yeah.
Do you need me to go get everything?
Okay.
Something must have fell off the wall.
I can help.
Oh, really?
You don't have to.
That sounded heavy.
I'm strong.
Can't see, but I'm flexing my muscles right now and they're really, really big.
They're not.
And he just goes, yeah, oh, I can hear them.
Yeah, you can hear them straining through the fabric.
I hear all that potential.
Yes.
He just goes, thank you, Lucia.
And I'll see you soon.
Also, I'm sorry, where do I send the letters?
Oh, take it to the entrance hall.
Oh, okay.
Thank you for the tea.
Thank you, Duke.
Thank you, Bear.
She waves to the bear and Duke.
Duke's still eating.
Bear just perks up.
Little bark.
I want to squeeze him.
And she'll go, I'll see you guys really soon.
Absolutely.
You're going to go pick up the thing, right?
Real quick.
Oh, oh, I thought you didn't want me to.
Okay.
And she'll go.
Oh, okay.
I should thank you.
And she'll go so quickly.
I did thank you.
As she goes to leave, she immediately whips back around and sprints back into the house
to go pick up what fell.
You head in and you see that there's a, you automatically see what fell.
It causes a chip in the wood on the ground.
You see what seems to be a steel mask.
Oh.
Wait, not like the mask in our other campaign, right?
No.
Remember that?
No, no, no.
Remember that dude with the mask, Jenny?
Jenny, write that down.
Write that down, Jenny.
I am writing it down because I think it's something else.
She'll go to pick up the mask.
You wonder how it fell because it couldn't have been wind.
As you pick it up, it's hefty.
Okay.
What is this made out of?
Titanium?
And you return it to the part of the wall where it fell.
The mount.
What does it even look like?
How did it fall?
It is a mask that seemingly encompasses all the way to the chin to the top of the forehead.
It is dark steel.
Dr. Doom mask?
Just leaving space for the eyes.
It is featureless on the front.
That's it.
It does feel imposing looking at it.
Whoever you're looking at, it would focus completely on the eyes.
Oh, wow.
And how did it fall?
You don't know.
It's so heavy.
Can I do an investigation check?
Sure.
Investigation.
I don't want it to fall again because I might not be here to help.
It is a three.
I investigate well.
How the fuck did it fall?
How the fuck did this fall?
Maybe the wind was strong.
Oh, man, wind up here is much stronger in the mountains.
Just let it go.
It's a three.
And you head out.
You do pass by him again.
He just goes, you want a cup to go?
You can go ahead and take it with you.
I'll hunt you down and take it back.
Don't worry.
I know I but the China is so pretty.
I would hate for you to ever hate for you to have one of your sets be gone.
I'll come back.
How about you save it?
Can you put on a hold?
Certainly.
Like I said, he's meant to be.
Don't worry.
I'll be back.
Put that wind in there.
My goodness.
Exactly.
This giant heavy mask.
I should learn to take better care of that.
Oh, yeah, I guess.
Doesn't question it.
I'll leave you to your duty now.
See you soon, TA.
You head away.
And he gives a little he gives a little side wave as he's just this guy is just vibing in
this whole place.
He's so dope.
He's just like, he's like, oh, no big deal that this giant hunk of metal off my wall
rip.
You make your way to this hectic entrance hall where you see where you wait in a line
full of people to eventually send your letter.
You approach the that's where you see behind the multiple multiple birds of different kinds,
pigeons, hawks, like raptor hawks, things like that takes him takes her message.
You tell him where to send it and your letter is sent.
You head back towards you head back towards your place of rest.
And you know that you have a big day ahead of you.
Opening ceremony here I come.
She strides back out into the night.
Like caffeinated honte.
And with that, Valora.
What's up?
What's my girl at?
What's up?
Where's my girlfriend at?
Where's my date at?
Valora you perch on top of where you perch on top of where of where your of where your
room is.
I probably get phantom all put away for the night and relaxed in his in his stable.
And you find your way back towards your room.
There's a sense of excitement.
There's a sense of excitement in the air.
There's a there's a different kind of buzz when walking your way back.
More people are more people are out.
You see more uniforms amongst the sea of people.
It's time.
Anything you wish to do in particular as you make your way to your room?
When I get to my room.
I am when I'm like getting ready to like sit down and stuff and I look at the window with
the perch again.
And she just like like an idea just like hits her all of a sudden.
Like literal light bulb.
She opens up the window as much as she can and starts grabbing like any she grabs if
I imagine there's like because it's a really big room.
There's a couple chairs and things to not just like the desk chair.
And she starts trying to shove them through to go make a little sitting area on the perch.
Oh yeah.
I forgot about her dad.
She knows it'll piss him off if he sees that morning.
And so she starts shoving trying to shove through the window without dropping off the
side and potentially killing someone.
So she's illegal in New York because it can kill someone.
I don't know is there a walkway below the window?
Yeah there is.
Okay she's careful but she's also trying to shove these through.
You can probably use rope and kind of like finagle the title legs down.
Oh she's like okay okay yeah.
She thinks about it.
She like when she was trying to shove it through she's like yeah yeah it's smart and then she
gets rope and makes us into a whole ordeal.
Oh Jesus.
You do catch the sight of a few people like some students walking by.
Someone points.
Two people look up at you.
She waves.
But no one stops you.
Okay just pushing through and also not gonna the rope to make sure nobody doesn't kill
anyone and yeah.
You have it tied down super well.
You got a lot of rope.
Jesus.
You have.
A couple chairs out on there.
You have created a balcony.
And she just is like okay and she sits out there for a moment to be like it's probably
not like it's a perch so it's like but it's a big perch but it's like not that big so
it's like really not that fun but she just knows it's gonna make him mad.
I knew that shit's illegal in New York.
You see the.
So she enjoys it for a second.
As you sit down there and you enjoy it you watch as one of the window curtains next to
your door opens up you see the Dvorah open it up.
She looks mystified by the sight.
You see deep breath.
She made it.
She made it I are Brynn.
Oh my god.
The rope.
She opens it.
She goes how's it going.
Do you need help.
Help with what.
You.
That didn't have a chair before did it.
Oh no I added it.
You want to come sit with me.
Oh.
I've got two chairs up here and I think it'll still fit phantom even with the two chairs
so.
I tried down.
Okay.
I'll just come over there.
Yeah my door's unlocked.
Or you could jump.
No don't do that.
Don't do that.
No no no no no no no no.
Don't jump.
Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait.
I know what to do.
She teleports her over.
Oh whoa.
You see as she goes in.
Okay your door is unlocked and you see her form disappears.
She reappears directly behind you and next to the chair.
And she goes.
Whoa whoa whoa.
She holds her.
Holds her.
Like.
I.
Sorry I should have warned you better.
Um.
Yeah.
You can do that.
Mm hmm.
It's it's um.
My mark basically.
All right that's um.
That's really neat.
I'm sitting.
It close up now.
And you know not that you would fall or anything but if we did like I can do that again like
once.
So it's fine.
I have feather fall.
So I guess it's that too.
Oh yeah so you have nothing to worry about.
She kind of like you see you see as her like tenseness sort of like settles down.
She you see she you can watch the like time lapse of her slowly fighting her confidence.
And you see that she looks out is doing the site even more.
And she just goes.
Who do I have to talk to get one of these.
This is really nice.
I bet they'd give you one.
You know just like pursuing your you know your flying studies and stuff.
Because I have never flew on top of anything before really.
Really.
Well what once but never again.
Oh no.
It didn't go well.
It was a magical carpet.
But it was also a magical carpet that exploded.
Oh that's totally different than writing like a wyvern or a Pegasus.
They don't explode.
I would hope not.
I have to teach you.
You're really used to site sites like these huh.
Yeah or it's real fun when you when you get good at it and you like go upside down or
like go like plunging down and stuff.
But like no you like going all over the place all over the kingdom.
It's beautiful.
It's gonna have to be little steps for me.
Oh yeah yeah yeah.
This is so nice.
I'm glad you like it.
We shouldn't be up here right because the master arms I remember was really.
There's a weight limit but do you think either of us weighs more than a wyvern.
Oh no.
I just don't want to get in trouble.
That's it.
Well um you can blame me.
You say like I teleported you out here which is true.
Oh I want to do that.
You did.
Ah.
I'm supposed in the eyes of the law I was kidnapped but it was.
I was kidnapped.
You poor bitch.
Yeah I kidnapped you.
My dad didn't buy that.
That was my first time being kidnapped.
Wow.
That's not a good I shouldn't have said that out loud.
I'm so sorry.
What no it's funny.
Eyes of the law I'm kidnapped.
It's a you don't have to worry about my dad like that.
I know I know he's the master.
He pushes he pushes things further than he should and when you let him then he pushes
even more and I mean he's my dad like I mean like what's he gonna do to me if I get in
trouble you know.
I guess never thought about it that way.
I suppose I know people who are much like the same like that.
No.
And what what.
Where they'll just push and push and push and.
I think I can see it that he thinks he's just trying to make you better.
But I think you have two different definitions.
Yeah I stopped worrying about like what he his idea for my life was like a long long
time ago.
And that's when I grew the most you know I got real good with the with the training and
you know my own style of fighting and you know they don't have his his magic chops necessarily
but I was never that good at it so.
He kind of like slips a little bit.
You know you talk.
She just goes.
Well the results of all of that I think is pretty bare before me.
I've heard someone I've heard someone talk I've heard someone talking about you standing
up to a cat wallader earlier.
That was a talk of that was a talk of the mess hall.
Oh yeah I mean.
I mean I can say it's because I'm the leader or whatever but like that's I mean I told
him that's not why and it's really not like.
I just I just don't like to.
Let anyone treat people like that and I mean like me of all people I'm the one who can
stand up to a cat wallader compared to some people.
Like I mean my family has a king's favor.
It's not normal for people to push back like that though with me.
But I guess it would be a cat wallader.
I'm jealous of your heart for Laura.
What do you mean I mean Evan Leah sorry.
No no no velour is fine.
Oh sure did you want me to be calling you.
I've been calling you Dvorah did you want me to call you a logist still.
Oh no no it's fine.
I just I have a level of the quorum that I need to go to if my dad heard me say all that
then he would have scolded me.
Well your dad's not here and why does your dad's opinion about what you should call me
override what my opinion is of what you should call me.
You're right you're right.
I'm sorry again.
No no no no you don't have to apologize.
You're not doing anything wrong and I don't know like you said you wish you had my heart
like you seem like a really kind person.
I guess I've just never had the proper experience of like or the bravery to like really stand
up to people you know.
You're a lot like someone I know someone I really love.
I know it's only been a day and a lot's happened already but like I feel confident that I think
you would really like this person.
Oh yeah who is it.
Oh my brother.
Oh well I'll have to meet him one day.
He would love to meet you.
And I hope you know throughout these years I can really get all the skills together so
I can help him.
I don't know what what skill could you possibly be lacking right now.
I guess what I am looking for is like prestige.
What was that?
I guess what I am looking for is like prestige.
Oh.
Something I can have my own lab and I can research this sickness that's been plaguing
this kingdom for a long time.
I'm surprised that no one else has.
He's sick?
He has a rare sickness that other people within other people in the kingdom have too but it's
a sickness that's contracted by those who are born within Aeon Mark families who do
not bear an Aeon Mark.
Their blood cannot handle the frame that's been given to them so they are often at times
chronically innervated.
Does she know what this sickness is?
Definitely stigma.
What's that?
We haven't heard that yet.
It's bad.
Your brother has stigma?
No.
I've always wondered about that too.
You'd think for a disease that mostly impacts noble families there would be a lot more knowledge
about it.
I have seen people putting research into it.
I have seen but they're all in these high echelons of society that I can't really reach
and I feel like I can really put my foot forward in on that.
People with stigma usually do not live past their 30s and my brother is approaching an
age and I'm just trying to do this as quick as possible.
Well, you know, my mom knows tons of people all across the kingdom.
You said what you need is prestige.
I'll give it to her and see if she knows any of the right people to connect you with.
I don't want to, you know, like…
She'd want to…
…repose.
That'd be really nice.
Thank you.
Of course.
You say you're not well versed in magic.
I can help with that.
Oh, well, yeah, I know that we do have magic units here at Iribrian.
I've been kind of worried about it to be honest.
Laura, worried!
I'm making a breeze for you.
I'd appreciate that.
I just…
There's so much to do.
I'm sure you feel that way too.
And I've been really nervous.
How long have you known that you were going to be leader?
Well, it was official a few months ago, but like, private.
And then started kind of quietly looking for a retainer and all that and vetting the people
my dad suggested.
But yeah, I mean, I did delay my…
I could have come last year.
I was originally always was going to go when I was a year younger.
But my dad suggested I delay it because the third year would be graduating the leader.
And so it would give me a higher chance to be leader and it worked out.
Well, I hope you don't take offense to this, but thank goodness.
Yeah, have you gotten to meet more people from your house yet?
And like the former leader is still going here, right?
I haven't.
I haven't been brave enough today.
That's fair.
It's your first day back, first day here.
But I figured in an opening ceremony, everyone's going to find out, you know?
And you got, you can't feel guilty about it.
You know, if you're feeling guilty about it, don't feel guilty about it because it's
not your fault.
Easy.
She says it would be timidly.
And if anyone gives you a hard time about it, you just have to, okay, maybe you shouldn't
do that actually.
I was going to say you have to like dig your heels in and be like, no, I deserve this.
But maybe that would make you look like a jerk.
So maybe not.
But I can do it for you.
And then you can be like, oh, no, no, Valora, you don't have to say that.
It's oh, and then you can look all humble and stuff.
And then everyone will like you even more.
Like I said, I wish I had your heart.
I don't know why you think you don't.
I mean, I wish I had your heart.
You're out here doing all this work, trying to raise your position to help your brother.
It probably seems basic to you because you love him.
But like, there's so many people who like would just grieve.
It takes a lot more bravery to say you're going to fight it, right?
And then she smiles.
And as she talks, a wind blows and it's like it's cold.
It's like, whoa, it's really cold.
She goes, oh, oh, yeah.
I was going to say, can I go in now?
Do you want me to teleport you back to your room or do you want to go in through my window?
Thank you for asking.
Yeah, you can teleport me back if that's OK.
Yeah.
OK.
Get it.
Tries to get a good view into the into the room from here and then just it was nice talking
to you.
It was really nice talking to you, too.
Going from sitting and now teleporting to a standing position, you see that she falls.
Oh, you're OK.
It's OK.
I should have made sure you were more ready.
I could have like counted you down.
Normally I do it to surprise people.
So I don't know.
I didn't think why I was going to be standing when I was when I was going to get teleported.
I wonder if I can do that, if I can make.
Probably not.
Good night.
Good night, Valora.
Can't we talk?
Good night, Valora, I can't wait to win the Muck Battle tomorrow.
Oh, I can't wait to watch you try.
For her.
I'm not going to for her.
I'm not going to banter like I'm not going to banter like Vanga.
But that's all right.
I'm thinking really hard.
You're gonna.
You're not going to be able to see when I let you on fire.
You're not going to be able to see when I light the battlefield on fire.
There's going to be a lot of smoke, you know.
OK.
Oh, be in the space with me.
I have a lot of fun.
And she shuts the window.
She laughs.
Be in the space with me.
I'm going to use that from now on.
You automatically lose in bantering when you're like, OK, imagine with me.
So follow, follow along with me, OK?
After stumbling.
With me.
After stumbling.
OK, wait, wait, wait.
Just just just see with me for a moment.
Oh, my God, she's a cutie.
She goes to start climbing back in.
As you do, your father's there for Laura.
I'm kidding.
Fuck.
Wait, let me.
Big day tomorrow.
Does Valora feel ready?
Yeah.
So ready.
I'm going to win.
The bell harkens.
Everyone's awake from slumber.
Oh, wait, my bad.
I mean.
Lucia.
What the fuck?
No, what are you doing?
Are you doing a dream?
We had some cute moments.
Never mind.
Something in that tea.
There was something in that tea wasn't there?
Yeah, cinnamon floral.
It was nice.
Flora, Lucia, whatever.
That one.
Lucia.
Sleeping that night.
Your bleary.
Your your mind space becomes a scramble.
Slight little pinches of pain across your mindscape from here and there.
An assortment of voices.
An assortment of voices are a call out to you in different pitches and different senses
of urgency.
Call a detain to see what vision you get.
Yo,
dope as fuck.
Or
your mind comes to a calm.
And seemingly accompanying that feeling of calm, that feeling of restfulness, comes a
gentle breeze that washes over your body.
You were cloaked by the warmth, the light warmth of a blanket earlier when you went
to sleep.
And now it feels like the blanket is gone.
As reality begins to set in for you that you are somewhere else, seemingly in conjunction
with that, the wind becomes more and more cold.
You open your eyes to the sting of winter winds.
Heft with heft with ice.
Slamming against your eyes.
You feel the light, the light cuts of the ice in the air as it brushes across your skin.
You are in a snowy plane.
You get up.
Your feet, your, your body, as you make motions throughout throughout the snow, the snow does
not seem to move.
Standing around you, there is forest trees, as far as the eyes can see, you are in a this
large rectangular, seemingly this empty field in in the midst of all these trees.
Feels like battle has happened here.
Big stacks rise from rise from stumps that lay next to fallen trees.
Dotted amongst a sea of white as are specks of red.
You see on one end of this field.
The flag flags waving in the air.
The flag of the Asatru ministry.
Their banner that they that you know that Orië has within that hangs within her home.
It is the it is the banner of the executors.
And underneath that a banner of the silver lions.
The wind picks up.
As you hear the wind picks up as the other side of this field is covered in a rhyme of
snow.
It obscures your vision.
You hear from within you hear from within that retreat retreat.
Yeah, what's happening?
And the voice gets cut off.
You hear footsteps begin to approach.
All of a sudden, from the other all of a sudden from behind, where the flag where the where
the flags were.
You see Orië on top of a horse, joined by multiple soldiers, her weapon drawn, seemingly
in this defensive position.
And much like a very familiar feeling that you've gathered from the waking world.
You watch once more.
As a decapitated head rolls out of the of the blizzard.
Footsteps that are so impossibly light and so imperceptible.
Began to approach.
Begin to walk out of the woods.
Out of the storm.
As you see a young adult individual features light with elvish features a seemingly a a
mass that covers the lower half of the face that the seemingly depicts bearing teeth.
White hair.
Deep, deep, deep, deep blue eyes.
Bling a sword with blood on it.
Armor.
Half broken arrows jutted throughout their body.
Vesper.
Orië readies her sword.
As Vesper pulls out arrows, the blood trickling creating a creating a stream of red that tricks
behind them as they walk forward on their lonesome.
They stop next to the decapitated head.
It just goes.
Look upon your general.
Run.
You will not be able to help run the reach of a ghost.
You feel the heartbeat quicken.
You hear it like you feel it through your fingers.
Like when you touched them on the neck earlier that day.
The sound of heartbeats fill your ears.
And you awake.
No.
She wakes up in like a full on cold sweat.
As the bell of Eirabrin hearkens everyone's morning, the day is abuzz already.
There is an energy that hangs in the air.
Luci, you immediately awaken to Samara putting on her boots.
You feel that she stamps her boots down a bit to get a better fit and shakes the house
a little bit.
She places the great sword across her back.
She just goes, morning.
Good morning Samara.
And she kind of like wipes the like cold sweat off her brow.
Kind of like rubs the, kind of just shake off that vision.
And she goes, she goes.
Opening ceremonies today.
Just you wait.
Mock battle?
Won't even see me coming.
She kind of like launches out of bed and starts to throw on her uniform with gusto.
I'm gonna break you in half.
Closes the door.
Good luck.
Walks out.
Not if I break myself first.
She quickly goes to like, like stumble to put on her like Mary Jane and like she's really
trying to strangle to like catch up.
I'm not gonna underestimate you.
I see what I see what you says.
I saw what you can do to people who are way bigger than you.
And she kind of freezes.
Taps her little Mary Jane on the ground just to make sure it's fitting right.
And she looks to her and says, been watching me?
Artemis.
See you there.
Walks out.
That puts up her chin a little proudly and retires her button.
Her her ribbon.
She's like, good.
I in her mind she's like, I'm intimidating everyone at school.
Absolutely not.
Valora.
Oh, it's time.
Excited.
Put on her uniform.
As you as you head out, you see you hear already conversation in the halls.
People are filled what people are to make much in the way down down the halls.
You begin to head down.
You begin to head downwards.
And you being the sent you being the center of you being the center of all of this receive
all your warm greetings, you receive all your attention.
It's nice being recognized outside of a place where everyone is supposed to recognize you
a.k.a your hometown.
There's a different there's a different sense here where it's just people of your age all
around and else.
You had you had you begin to make your way.
You begin to make your way downwards.
And your father would nag you about itinerary things like that.
You know exactly where you're supposed to be at eight in the morning.
But you got to eat first.
Get phantom warmed up and you're going to have good good morning routine habits.
Let's go.
Eventually the two of you freshening up inside of your respective uniforms.
Get out into the energy of Irobrin ready to become it, ready to reshape it, ready to be
a part of it.
And the two of you find each other at the mess hall.
And think in her full on uniform.
Lucia gives the Laura salute and goes good morning house leader retainer reporting for
duty.
Good morning retainer.
You look really good.
Thank you.
I think we match now.
Look at our do.
Yeah.
I think it's great.
This uniform really imbues in me the power of youth and your goddess and my goddess tattoo
as she gets in line to get some food and get some for Laura.
So how was your day off yesterday?
Oh, well, you know, I spent most of it with you.
And I decked out my perch a little bit more.
Oh, did your dad see it?
I'm sure he will.
But we could make it really fancy.
Like we could put some like flowers up there and some like some fairy lights and like,
yeah, I would love that.
Oh, yeah.
Because we're like, you know, like, I need some something for like warmth because it
got a little chilly.
So I was talking to the D'Vorah and stuff on there.
Yeah.
Where's D'Vorah?
What was that?
How's D'Vorah doing?
Oh, you know, I think so.
She's a little nervous about some things, I think still.
But I think she'll do a really good job.
Well, the two of you are looking sharp.
You see walking up, like just making his arrival, Quincy Garvey dressed in the uniform now.
He looks really good in this uniform.
Really sharp.
I think for Lucia can even stop herself because it's a familiar face from back home.
She goes, Garvey!
And she just like flings her arm around him in a big hug.
One arm hug.
Hello, Lucia.
Good to see you again.
You look great, too.
Not exactly my speed, but it is what's required of me.
So the Silver Lions win, we win in style.
That's right.
The style, you know, I think our styling decisions are a little bit bolder than everyone else's
because they have all like what they're purple, they're blue, they're gold, red, but like
silver, there's nothing classier than silver.
Well, I have many arguments to that, but you seem very believing in that statement.
So I don't wish a trample on your energy that you're bringing.
We got to have some class pride, you know, like witness valor and all that.
Day is opening ceremony.
We have to be vibing with pride.
Overbrimming with it.
Very anime, like fire in the eyes.
That's the spirit.
Good job, Kairi.
She gives him a gentle pat on the shoulder.
I regret that.
And you hear, hello, leader.
Hello, retainer.
Is that Marcella?
It's Tamsin with a really excited wave.
And she just goes, good morning, this is a really exciting day.
You guys are great.
Good morning.
You too.
Hi, Tamsin.
Oh, um, Lucia, the mold's gone.
We can move in.
We can move back into our room.
Oh, that's right.
Apparently there was someone called like the mold hag.
What?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I heard that it was like, I heard it was like somebody who there's like a group of three
women who terrorized the school.
Like there's the mold hag and there's called the soup hag.
But I don't know who the third one is.
I've heard a lot about this from like some of the faculty members.
Huh?
I don't sound crazy.
These are things I've heard.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Um, but what?
I can't explain more, but it seems like the, it seems like we were victims of the mold
hag.
Well, I'm glad that's been taken care of and we can go back to being roommates and having
that tea we wanted to.
She just goes, I just thought it's a good, it's a good thing that wasn't defaulted to
the academy.
I just, I just thought there was a huge disparity between the two classes here, even though
we had a lot more work to do to come here.
Yeah, it was, it was like, it's pretty messed up.
I mean, is it worse though that it's malicious?
I mean, yeah.
Um, but I guess we'll figure it out.
Maybe that's a mystery for us to stop.
I'll figure it out.
And the good thing is that I've already started making enemies with the other groups.
That's right.
Quincy just goes, there are too many people here with so much energy.
I read a quote yesterday that was like, extroverts don't find introverts.
They hunt them.
And that's what I think of with Garvey.
Quincy stuck.
He willingly came over to talk to us and now he's stuck.
Just goes, oh, by the way, my name is Tamsen Von Rue.
Quincy Garvey.
Nice to meet you.
Wow.
You're a Garvey.
Wow.
I don't quite, I'm not going to push it.
I get that a lot.
It just goes, I can be rude.
But yeah, you know, I collected some of the mold if you're curious about like, I don't
know, cooking it one day.
You cook mold?
Oh, I can eat mold.
I can eat anything really.
I have a really good stomach.
I think it's like, there's some times there's like mold on cheeses, right?
And that's natural, but I don't think you should eat the mold in the.
Yeah, it's like not nutritious.
Yeah.
Well, it's crazy that you brought that up specifically because.
No, no, no, no.
Okay.
We're going to eat and I don't want to mess with you.
I don't want to mess with you guys stomach.
Oh, look at that bread.
Oh, sweet.
Does it have worms in it?
No.
Why would it have worms in it?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Reflex.
Hold on.
I'm what?
Hold on.
Can I insight check?
Like, or, or, or I don't know.
Arcana history.
What the fuck is going on?
The eating of rotten food.
Different commoners of different.
Oh, no.
She just goes, yeah, I can draw nourishment from basically anything.
I can eat the dirt on the ground and be full and get like proper nutrients from that.
But you don't have to.
No, no, no, no.
That's optional.
I don't set out to do it.
Yeah.
You know, that's why like the food I have in my place specifically, you know, it's old,
but I'm very efficient.
I'm really good with money.
Yeah, I bet.
Well, sometimes it's nice to look for like, here, I've got this.
Is there any bread out on any of the dining tables?
Absolutely.
Since Lucy has time, she goes, everyone sit down, please.
Oh, sorry.
And then she turns to you, Malorne goes, may I ask the group to sit down?
No, you don't have to ask.
You're my second.
I give commands to sit down right now.
Please sit down.
And she quickly methodically slices everyone a good hunk of bread and then reaches into
her bag and pulls out a black raspberry jam.
Oh, a smear of it on each piece of bread and slides it out to everyone and goes, oh, this
is not only nourishment for the tummy for the heart to the bread goes to the heart.
Yeah, something like that.
Just try it.
Try it.
You know, Quincy, I think that's cholesterol.
I'm dubbing this our victory jam because I think no one else in this room except for
the Silver Lions can eat any and I think it'll energize us to victory.
As you make that statement, the group around you becomes quiet.
People hear that.
She doesn't care.
I think Lucia has tears of pride, anime tears of pride in her eyes.
She goes, you're so cool, Malorne.
As you reach your hand up to eat, Valora, you find that the bread disappears.
As you see Marcelus, the love triangle just goes, well, if it's a bread of victory, I
simply have to partake.
You have to have my slice though.
You know, I'm a very sharing, generous, generous.
You know, I'm a very generous and compassionate person.
So why don't you share this bread with me?
You can share this bread.
Yeah, it's for you.
It's yours.
Have it.
I think Lucia sits next to Garvey at this point.
He goes, I do this all the time.
I have found the wrong group to incorporate myself into.
Oh no.
And she like kind of clings to Garvey.
No, don't you dare leave me.
I'm already prisoner.
You don't have to do that.
Oh, okay, good.
And she just kind of like puts her arm on his shoulder, much in the extroverted like,
yay, friend.
Valora goes to get herself another slice and she's like, besides, I can eat it in less
bites than you.
Oh my God.
Oh really?
Not that it matters, you know.
All right.
Lucia, put up the scoreboard.
Yeah, that's what my magic can do.
And she quickly, you know, sprints to her spell list and she's going to hold on.
Rudecraft can't make, it can make things bloom, right, and blossom, but it can't actually
create like things, right?
I'd have to check.
Actually no, fuck it.
She's going to paint, she's got a paint kit on her.
She's going to go, ah, sure, okay.
And she takes out her paint kit and quickly starts making a little tally on the table
with one of her paintings.
Valora is in orange and Marcellus is in blue.
All right, let's prove who has the biggest mouth.
You go first.
Oh wow.
He, he pushes the whole thing in his mouth and he folds it and he tries to eat it.
And as he, as he chews, give me one second.
Let me roll.
Oh God.
What the fuck, why did he roll that high?
He eats?
He rolled a 23.
What the fuck for eating a piece of bread, Marcellus?
You see, he almost chokes, but then he opens his mouth and the bread's gone.
One bite.
Okay.
You can't do that.
Well.
You can't do that.
Um, hang around all those wyverns and.
Timmy does magical passage work on an inanimate object?
Okay, one second.
Let me check.
But I am going to lean on saying yes.
Because because you're able to phase out of like cuffs and stuff.
Like, yeah, I'd say yeah.
Okay.
She, her, holds it in her left hand with her Aeon mark and it literally disappears.
Oh shit.
To her stomach as she teleported it inside of her.
What the fuck?
What in the Ozempic is this?
I never thought of using it this way.
I just picked the most random contest.
A piece of bread suddenly appears.
What the fuck?
In its original shape in your stomach.
Something's not right here.
She's like, I didn't know if that would work, but I can definitely feel it actually.
Wait, wait, that's gotta, okay, hold on.
That's gonna have some medical repercussions.
Your stomach does hurt.
Yeah.
Like, ew.
Did you just in zero bites?
I was going to try to do it in one, but then you did it in one.
And so I had, the only way I could win is if I could do it in zero.
I've never used my mark like that.
Wow.
Are you okay?
Most of the skills he's like legitimately concerned.
I'm fine.
I think it hurts a little bit, but it'll like stomach acid melts it down, right?
Tamsin goes, if you poop, does it like the whole thing?
The stomach acid will melt it down, but I didn't get to taste the jam, so I might need
another one.
Lucy, it comes her another slice and go, now you can take your time and.
Oh no, I lost my bread.
What's my victory bread?
What do you mean?
Hold on.
And she cuts another piece.
And you, you look, you look over, you see Tamsin's like looking and you see Saga Dondarius.
Take a bite.
No.
I'm about to snatch it.
She tries.
Roll initiative.
Okay.
Oh wait, do I have a thing about initiative?
I don't think I do.
Make her ass.
She can't have our victory bread.
No, yes she can.
Then she'll win.
Okay, wait.
I'm going to double check that I don't have anything initiative.
She's like, oh, she's like, oh, she's like, oh, she's like, oh, she's like, oh, she's
like, oh, she's like.
She rolled a one.
Oh wait.
She can't roll ones.
What do you mean she can't roll ones?
Uh, you are going to see in the future.
You are going to see.
I remember.
I think.
What the hell is this?
No, no, no, no, no.
I rolled a seven.
You see, she takes a bite and, and then you snatch it.
Oh, save the rest for you.
She she wipes her hands.
You see the black board is behind it goes, Ooh.
Oh.
Well.
I think it tastes pretty sweet.
Doesn't count when it's robbed.
What was it?
Stolen.
Whoa, there was a lot of energy.
Sorry, it was,
Saginisa always has these one-liners that they're like,
bam, Jesus.
Okay, you were saying, Valora?
I said it doesn't count when it's robbed, stolen,
thieved.
I think you're gonna have to get used to the sight
of me taking things from right below
that cute little button nose of yours.
She'll say, here, Tamsin, take your bread back.
Take your bread.
She bites it, like sass.
Um.
In the saga, it just goes,
I guess the playing field is open now, Trouble.
What's one little slice of victory bread
versus our entire army of victory bread?
Entire, entire jam maker of victory jam.
Dia's in the background, trying to look imposing.
I guess it gives you a chance.
Lucky you.
So you're self saying that you guys are in a jam, right?
That's funny, but that one was kind of a reach.
Not the best.
You see Lucio standing up now,
and just goes, the spider is coming.
And just goes, despite the competitive atmosphere,
I wish everyone the best.
Good to see you all.
Hi, twin.
It's good to see you too.
Not a twin.
They look pretty similar in some ways.
Lucio's still standing on the bench.
My hair is a silver white.
Her hair is a very vibrant color.
I mean, like in the face, you know?
I'm ready to go.
You see standing up, you see this orcish young adult man,
and as he stands up, Saga goes,
Owen, lay something down.
Like, and he just goes,
oh, I was just trying to get some bread.
Like, come on, Owen.
Come here, just help your best friend out here.
And Owen just goes, yeah, I'm gonna destroy,
I'm gonna just.
Is this my husband?
You see, you see, a full orcish man, he has like this,
he has his like natural ear, but despite that,
he has this sort of softness in his voice and.
It's my husband!
He just goes like, yeah, I'm gonna build a house
on your ass and then destroy it.
I'm gonna renovate your ass.
Ooh.
And Saga goes, let's go, Owen.
And they both give him a little high five.
And Lucius goes, and we're gonna build a house
and build a loving family inside of it on your ass.
And a boat.
And a boat, because boats are made to boat into the water
and never come back.
That's right.
Yes.
No maintenance whatsoever.
No one of that.
Boats are made.
You guys noticed that the entire mess hall
has gone quiet to listen to this banter?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Is it, is everyone of all ages here?
Like all the first, second, third-
Yeah, yeah, all, like everyone's here, yeah, it's a buzz.
Okay, can I, Dragmire asks, does he have,
does my husband have an eyebrow scar?
Absolutely, he's got scars everywhere.
All along his tusks, he's got big tusks,
he's got everything.
What a man, what a man, what a man,
what a mighty good man.
And you see Orin just goes, are you done?
Sorry, can I-
No.
We're not done.
No.
You wanna talk, you wanna bring yourself up to me?
I will dark walk you across the fields.
She's laughing, she's just having fun.
Saga just turns around,
just like gives him a huge pat on the shoulder.
Just goes, I love you, man.
I am really sorry about that, I just-
No, no, no, no, this is fun.
I just want everyone to have fun.
Oh my God, we're bastard.
I'm gonna go get some bread now.
And Saga goes, oh, there's some bread over there,
and there's some jam, you can have some of that.
No!
Ah, ah, ah.
Oh, they're not gonna share.
But I and Brynn were supposed to be working together.
You know that?
Not when it comes to the best jam
that you'll only have the tiniest little taste of.
That's right.
Maybe if we, if, because we're so cool,
I might make you your own special jam,
so that you guys can have your own jam,
but you can't have our jam,
because that's what baddies do.
Yeah.
Oh, baddies.
That's right, we're the silver lions.
You better watch yourself.
The very confident chuckle that comes from deep within.
Kinda sends a shiver down your spine.
From Saga?
Uh-huh.
Is she, wait, is, what's his name, Oren?
Oren is his name?
Oren.
Is Oren her second?
It's Lucio.
But Oren seems to be very close friends with her.
Yep, does.
I can see you too, yeah.
Oh no, you're just sitting there.
Yeah, no, no, no, it's okay, let's do it again.
Ready, and.
That's right.
She's watching you.
It's like she's watching you too.
I'm watching you.
All right, got it.
Yeah!
And he goes to get some more food.
Saga goes, that's Oren just.
He's a really great guy, really sweet.
He says, he says, um, when you guys have birthdays,
he's gonna hit you a blanket.
Stop!
That's so sweet.
This is why all of my boyfriends are fictional.
I really shouldn't have put that bread in my stomach.
That doesn't feel right.
Let me help you.
I might actually be able to help with that.
Really?
Yeah, she reaches a handout
and you feel the bread inside of you begin to,
begin to like, soft.
You feel a shape inside of you begin to like, unform.
Oh no, oh no.
Yeah, I think that worked.
That was weird though, wow.
I'm gonna dig into my bag for some peppermint leaves
for her to chew on.
I'm like, this is supposed to help with nausea.
Just chew on these.
The bread rotted a little bit because that's what I do.
Okay, okay, that's not good, that's not good.
Wait, can I, hold on, hold on,
because she said the bread rotted,
can I cast purify food and drink on Valora's stomach?
It didn't just make it stale, right?
Like it made it actually like, break down.
Like it's stale on the outside,
but like you're not tasting it because you already ate it.
So it's softer now and it's not moldy.
I know people are really like, not used to that.
Thanks, you can just rot the food in people's bodies.
Well, when you say like that,
that's just kind of a reality that I've been living with.
I don't know anyone could do that.
Marcellus goes, what in the world?
Quick question, narrator.
Is Todd in the hall yet?
No.
Okay, nevermind.
I'm gonna set aside a piece of victory bread for him.
Aw.
He's my project.
I can fix him.
I can, no, no, no, no, he fucks with Valora again.
I'm gonna take his knees out in the kindest way.
In the kindest way.
Surgery while he's asleep.
Surgery while he's sleeping.
Painless.
Slowly poisoning him.
I already rolled for today's AC, didn't I?
I was about to be like, oh, I gotta roll.
And then I was like, oh wait, no, I already did.
Darn it.
Yeah, food is had, banter is great.
Valora, you do witness D'Vora not doing any illegal-y stuff.
She's just blending in.
No one would know that she's leader.
She's just eating with the rest of the Grims and Griffons.
All these people are gonna be surprised.
She's like, we should go talk to D'Vora real quick.
She pops up and she's like.
Got it, watch leader.
She's like, good morning, D'Vora.
How goes being a fellow leader?
And you see people are immediately turned.
She's sitting next to a bunch of grims and griffons.
She thought this would help her,
and now she's already kind of like, oh shit.
You see that the leader uniform usually has gold threads
on their shoulder.
She doesn't have it on hers at the moment.
She just goes, wait, you're D'Vora Legistella?
You're the leader?
Oh.
She's awesome.
She's so, so cool.
She just got here from Solivigan Academy.
She was the top of her class.
And knows all different kinds of magics.
I can't even read.
Yeah, yeah, and you see people are leading in.
It's just like, yeah, I've heard about you.
Like, didn't you like, didn't you master like five schools
of magic, or was it six?
It was five, not six yet.
You see people are immediately asking questions.
She's just like.
Oh.
Nice to meet you all.
Yeah, I guess I should have started wearing this.
She starts, we did the repugnance,
starts pulling out the gold threads.
Yeah, and you hear, I figured you were.
I figured you were, says D'Vora.
Just from the way you carried yourself, is all.
And you see.
Cloud TA?
No, no, no, no, you see another man.
Dark, dark black skin that his eyes are really,
his eyes are really accentuated.
They're like a, they're like an amber orange.
Seems on the older side.
Very handsome, very, very handsome man.
Giving a frigging, what's his name?
Simon from Bridgerton.
Bridgerton?
Yeah, Simon from Bridgerton Energy.
That man is so fine.
He has like a natural smolder, like very charismatic,
like look about him already.
Um, he just goes, nice to meet you.
He says, nice to meet you, D'Vora.
Um, he goes, oh yeah, nice to meet you too.
Um, I need to get everyone's names.
Okay, I'm really getting launched into this.
Um, so what's your name, sir, mister, fellow student?
Um, he just goes, Lathando, Lathando Autorin.
And you see as soon as he says that,
she jolts up in shock, like her eyes widen super wide.
Um, and he just laughs.
He just chuckles like into his hand.
Um, and just goes, she says, yes, yes, yes,
I know why you're reacting like that,
but truly there's no, says no malicious feelings.
I am just, be proud of what you,
be proud of the role you've been given.
She tries to kind of subtly give D'Vora like a thumbs up,
like see, it's all, like it's all fine, basically.
Um, and D'Vora, you see like the color
has changed from her face.
She just goes, nice to meet you, um, Autorin.
Nice to meet you.
It's good to see new fresh faces around here.
Three new leaders, wow.
Hmm.
Um, it just goes, but just having, just having you know,
and I don't wish to speak for my leader here,
but we do intend to win.
Oh yeah, I mean, you can intend to do a lot of things,
I guess.
It's all acting, says acting all dodgy and, you know,
all slanting around with the banter.
I like that.
It's gonna be, it's gonna be even more,
it's gonna be even more great when I wipe
that smirk off your face.
Love to see you try.
And you hear, she's mine.
As you see Saga from across the room, points at,
Pointing at Valora.
Clipping it, clipping it right now.
I am not hesitating to clip this,
I am not hesitating to clip this shit.
She just goes, that's my smirk, that's my smirk to wipe.
Not gonna see it today.
The confident, this is the overconfidence is really cute.
She shrugs.
Hey Luthando, Saga.
And you would know, you would know Valora that
Luthando was basically going to be the leader.
He's a third year here, but got put in last second
when the consortium overruled it and put in,
put in D'Vora last month.
He only has a minor mark, not like a big A on mark.
Yeah, minor mark.
D'Vora has a bigger mark.
It's a very common minor mark.
The mark of scribing is very common.
So he got out status.
I think Lucia is kind of like staring at him open mouthed.
That's the biggest person I've ever seen in my life.
This is my retainer, Lucia.
Gives you a week, hello there.
You, what, are you okay?
D'Vora puts a figure to Lucia,
I will not have you try to come here and intimidate my,
my class, my house with your screaming.
Yeah, imagine how sad you'll be if you hit her
and then she screams like that.
You'll feel really bad, won't you?
Well, she's going to be screaming like that
when I burn the fields and the smoke is everywhere
and I had this much better earlier in my head.
No, no, no, no, keep going, keep going, keep going.
Lucia, Lucia, Lucia's face is bright red, she's like,
I'm not used to beautiful people talking that way to me.
And she's about to pass out.
Oh, um, hmm.
I'm gonna make you scream.
Ah!
And she dives under the table and she's staying there.
Saga goes, D'Vora, good to know you.
My retainer is unpredictable, you better watch out.
Well, you know what else is unpredictable?
Wildfire, that's the coolest thing I've said.
Good luck.
Don't need it, you should have it.
Yeah, I'll keep it.
No.
You see Luthando stands up and makes his way over
to D'Vora and as you guys are leaving,
you see the two of them being the talk.
Lucia's crawling underneath the connected tables.
She's, Lucia, are you coming?
Oh, is that a big dog underneath me?
She goes, Velora, I'm so sorry,
I'm not sure if I can be your retainer anymore.
As she's crawling under the table.
No, that was great.
That was, we were bantering.
Bucks her head out.
That's right, we were.
Yeah, I thought that's what you were doing.
Yeah, it was.
As she kinda like springs out from under the table,
dusts off like the dust and like rhyme on her knees
from crawling under and goes,
that's right, house leader.
That's exactly what we were doing.
You know, now they think you're a real wild card.
They can never predict what you're gonna do next.
Never see me coming, just like your Aeon Mark.
Am I here, am I there?
There's bread in the air and in my tummy.
That's, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Better watch themselves.
They're so, so dumb.
They're so sweet, but they're so dumb.
Quincy goes, we're ready.
I have an intelligence of 12, guys.
I think mine, hold on, wait, what's mine?
Mine is, mine is 13, we're so dumb.
We're so dumb.
Marcellus goes, well, if I may brag,
I'm dumber than the both of you, I have 10.
So I feel like I would anticipate it
being fully the opposite order.
Like Marcellus is the smartest than me, than Lucia,
but it's not, Lucia is the smartest.
And she can't even read, so where does that
smarts come from?
Maybe I'll increase my, Marcellus's intelligence.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
You don't get to increase any of Marcellus's stats.
Wait, what did you say, what did you say
that Valour's intelligence was?
No.
Wait, what was it?
No, no, no, no, no, no, I know what you're doing.
You're gonna pull an Adamus Amantea on me.
No, no, no, I'm not, like what was it again?
You're lying.
No, just legitimately tell me.
It's a 12.
Okay, plus two.
No!
Oh, you want me to put plus two intelligence,
I just got smarter?
Thanks, I have 14 now.
Stop yelling at me, my sensitive little brain.
It's Marcellus, right now freaking out.
I have one wrinkle in my brain,
but it's deeper than average.
I love when Timmy kills himself with his jokes.
That's my favorite tweet that I've ever made
at like two in the morning.
Oh no!
Okay, wow.
Despite things, a lot of you have not seen Vesper Vanka.
Well, they're hard to see.
And yeah, they are.
You look at a stuffed bear that is posed like this,
and you're like wonder for a second.
And that golden moose leader is ever elusive.
Yeah, Brimstone, no, that's the bodyguard.
Brimstone, yes.
Nope, Brimstone.
Samara's the bodyguard.
Right, it is.
Samara's the bodyguard.
Right, right, right, right.
Food is had, and a call, an announcement is made
to call out everyone to assemble at the square.
All right, and Timmy, this morning,
I wanted to say this, but I didn't get the chance to.
I get time to wake up early and train,
and I get to charge up my stack of things.
My tenacity points.
I get one tenacity point going into the mock battle.
It's my personal skill thing.
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
But I still had enough time to recharge my exertion point.
So we can.
You're melee now, you're melee fighter.
And I actually have a lot of things from my mark
I can do to buff us right before the mock battle,
but we're not there yet.
Later.
God bless, baby.
Ooh, I can give someone long strider for free.
Ooh.
Stuff like that, it's good.
From my Aeon mark.
All right.
We're gonna, I can't wait to dive into all this cool stuff
that we all cooked up for this game later.
Personal skills, bandwagon galore, it's gonna be great.
Now, this music's not scary, right?
It's scary.
Sounds a little scary.
It's a little ominous.
It shouldn't be scary.
What's this one?
It says awaken your power.
Okay, don't want that one either.
A little nerve wracking.
Why they put these under grand?
These are not grand.
These are scary.
This is combat music, baby.
God damn, okay.
Timmy looks through his music epidemic soundtrack
part one of a million.
Okay.
You know what?
A lot of you began to head down towards the,
head down towards the square.
There seems to be a group assembled between you,
besides the other students all around here.
The two of you have become the most familiar
with the chivalrous Marcellus Edivane,
who is maybe a tad bit competitive,
but his heart is in the right place
when it comes to everything else.
I don't know if he's getting deleted
from the game yet or not.
Oh no!
The enigmatic Quincy Garvey.
V.
And the, and Tamsen Von Rue,
a gutsy up and Adam Kaminer.
The square is a buzz.
Eyes left out.
Eyes are, eyes on top of a stage are glancing out.
You see that there are multiple important figures
sort of like setting everything up and talking,
and talking things over.
Valora, you see the vice chancellor,
Jareth von Lennardis on stage.
You've heard about stuff from him from Pallavi,
and that even though he seems strict on the outside,
he's a softy.
And he's really good at poker.
Is what Roudra said.
And you see a halfling individual dressed in fine,
dressed in fine garments,
dressed in fine like ministry robes.
Jareth and this individual are part of the ministry,
but they're on stage talking right now.
This halfling, older, sunken features,
kind of like, kind of like swiddled silvered hair,
tied in a very nice braid behind, has a flower in it.
He is Corva Silverwillow, the chancellor of Irobrin.
Corva Silverwillow.
And you see, also keeping an eye out in the crowd,
standing on the very side of the stage,
and meet your eyesight, Valora, the master at arms.
Eric, not loser, Eric.
Eric.
Eric with a K, aka loser.
Eric fucks, okay.
Eric clearly fucks, cause that's why she's here.
Exactly.
My mom.
Your mom, Eric fucks my mom.
They made bedroom sandwiches,
and after they cut off the crust, you were here.
Damn.
You're not approved.
I've been a lot more bold this game than other things.
I'm proud of you, Tim, I'm proud of you.
Sagas would just say something, and it's like, wow.
Saga possessed me, that was a new thing I said.
Saga.
Comebacks are key.
You see the master at arms looks over,
just gestures you over.
And it does seem like it's a place you're supposed to go.
Yeah.
All right, she walks over.
He just goes,
Avanlai?
Master at arms.
The leaders are standing over here.
When you are, when they motion for you,
you go out on stage.
Yep.
But I could figure that out.
Cool.
Sounds good.
Seems like he's gonna say something.
You see that little twitch in his brain.
It's,
it's a big day.
Obviously.
Let's not have anything get between the both of us.
That's on you.
Valora.
And you see the Valora just goes,
Valora, I'm waving you over.
Oh, perfect.
She's
master at arms, and
walks over to D'Vorah.
It's just you and D'Vorah back here.
We're very punctual.
Oh yeah, I wouldn't dream of being into any of this.
And Lucia, you see the Valora is taken away.
Bye.
And you are guided towards the front of the crowd.
Guided towards the front of the crowd.
Where you see Luthando.
Oh, it's the screaming girl.
Hello.
She's kinda like,
just trying not to look at him at all.
Did you scream your voice?
She's like getting smaller in on herself.
It's good to meet you.
Just nods.
Back to,
Valora and D'Vorah, oh gosh, that'd be bad.
Oh no, Valora and D'Vorah.
Valora, D'Vorah.
Valora, D'Vorah, it's a new brand, collab.
D'Vorah goes,
just thank you for that earlier, you know.
I know you didn't mean to do it,
but I think that's exactly the push that I needed.
I'm glad, I was worried at first when I saw your face,
I was like, oh no, did I mess up?
But I knew you could handle me.
Mm-hmm.
You have, thank you, thank you.
Yeah, I feel more confident now.
I think it's a lot better than having everyone find out
during the opening ceremony, you know?
Like, why didn't that person that I meet
at lunch say it was leader?
Mm-hmm, and everyone was excited,
super excited to meet you.
I'm really sorry what I said earlier to Lucy,
to Lucia, I didn't mean to, I didn't, like,
oh, I don't wanna make anyone scream.
Oh, no, no, I, you know, it's,
she's just like that sometimes.
Oh, she's natural, okay.
I'm kinda still learning what she's like most of the time.
I can't really predict her that good, to be honest.
She's always surprising me, but it's fun.
Mm-hmm.
I think it does bring me a little bit more,
you know, confidence that it looks like you,
you're still trying to, like, figure out your retainer,
and everyone here seems to have, like,
retainers that they're very close to
or ones that they've been chosen to go along with.
Yeah.
Your retainer was supposed to be someone else, right?
Um, well, I mean, I hadn't declared it yet,
so it's not like, it's not like there's anything
set in stone, you know?
She's, like, weirdly, like, more nervous
about this conversation for some reason than she has been.
Like, she's kind of awkward about it.
Interesting.
More than normal.
But, but yeah, you know, Lucia, Lucia's great.
I mean, yeah, I haven't known her,
that long, um,
but, but she's, I can tell she's a really,
really good person.
I think I can tell that too.
She has a really kind face.
Yeah, she does.
And that soothing voice.
Ha!
That is not Cannon.
Please tell me that is not fucking Cannon.
That's Cannon to Vesper.
That's why she's joking about it.
Oh, that's true, it is.
That's why she's joking about it.
That's true, it is.
Cannon to Vesper.
It's a bit of a joke.
So.
Um, and you see she just kind of,
she just kind of goes like, mm, yeah.
She kind of wits is remembering Lucia's screams.
Ha!
Ah.
And she's a lot tougher than she looks.
Oh, I bet.
I bet I'll take, like, two fireballs then.
Ah, yeah, um.
And if you don't use them up, I'll up bone them.
Anyone else.
Only one, babe.
Only one fireball to fucking kill me.
It's a little weird to think that, like,
we're all getting along right now,
but then we're all gonna have to fight each other later.
Not to the death, thank goodness, but.
There'll be no hard feelings.
I hope.
I hope too.
I'm gonna, wait.
Okay, okay, I shouldn't do that anymore.
Have you ever been in a fireball before?
Uh, no.
Fireball?
Have you ever been in a big fire explosion?
I mean, actually, yeah.
Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
I have been, okay, not like a lightning bolt,
but I have been, like, I lived for a while
with some druids in the Grand Folger,
and it was like, you're constantly being shocked,
so not like a big lightning bolt,
but smaller shocks, constantly.
Wait, you've been to the Dreadlands?
Mm-hmm.
I've heard a lot about that.
But it's like a really interesting place,
but no one lives there, right?
No, there's druids there.
And I went-
The two of you plotting.
Walking in, you see Saga Donde areas.
One hand under her- Why?
She crosses her arms, you worried?
Well, if your plan's so good,
you shouldn't be afraid of me listening in on it.
I was just telling D'Vorah about the time
that I went camping in the Dreadlands
with the druids there.
No way.
I was training Phantom.
She points at Phantom's there,
because she's used to him being there,
but he's not right now.
He's not there!
I'm sorry.
You see, Saga goes like,
I don't think you've been to a reach of the Folger
that even I haven't been to yet.
It's pretty cool.
It's, your hair stands up for like a month afterwards.
It's-
Wait. And they love to-
I know you.
I have a feeling I-
I have a good read of you.
You tried the cactus juice there before, huh?
Of course!
I was living with the druids.
They all drink it.
I hear, it says,
oh, the ones we get are,
my uncle imports them.
Oh, they lose the charge if they're not fresh.
That's right.
So you had it fresh up front.
Sliced and sip.
Oh, maybe you can now drink me.
Well, when it comes to cactus juice
that makes you forget what you were talking about
two seconds before,
because you, it's like you're being like jolted,
then maybe, you forget how much you drink though,
very quickly like that.
I mean, yeah, if you're a lightweight.
Okay.
Speaking of lightweight,
after I knock you on your back and beat you,
after the-
What's this?
It says, we always participate in some libations
after the opening ceremony, after the mock battle,
there's always a big, you know, celebration,
everybody drinks, and then we get ready for the school,
the school year.
Why don't you join me in a drinking contest?
I mean, how drunk do you want me to be?
I mean, how drunk do you want me for your guitar playing?
Oh God.
I better make it sound better.
That's what I'm saying is like,
how drunk do you need me to enjoy it?
Oh, you got bite.
Devorah, right?
Yes, hello.
I wasn't trying to get in the middle of anything.
Hi, Saga, Donarius, right?
Yeah, nice to meet you.
Yeah, nice to meet you too.
Heard a lot about you.
And Saga just goes,
well, you know, the good thing about being really good
at holding two hand crossbows is that
I can line the both of you up pretty good.
So I'm not too worried.
I'd like to see you try with Devorah.
I mean, she's already talking about the number of fireballs
she's going to drop on Lucia.
The max I can do is two.
You can already catch fireballs.
That's a lot of fireballs.
But if I tried really hard, I can get four.
That's like a lot, right?
And Saga just laughs and just goes,
well, don't be afraid to toss them my way.
I can take the heat.
He's two.
And she looks at Devorah and just points at,
points at Valora.
This is going to be so bad.
She looks at Devorah, points at Valora,
and just goes, look at her face.
Doesn't she look like trouble?
Oh no, I think she,
she looks very, you know, like the height of noblehood.
She's already seen me get in trouble with my dad.
So everyone gets in trouble with your dad.
So you're already on his bad side too.
I'm glad you're not a tight ass like him.
What'd you do that made him so mad?
Exist.
Yeah, me too.
It just goes, well, parents are a universal problem, but.
Yeah.
Don't have to thank him.
Right, Devorah?
Oh, I mean, I love my dad.
I love my dad.
And you see the crowd part of where the entrance
to the, to the back stages.
You see,
just arriving with a huge,
immediately a man that strikes,
that strikes a figure among a sea of uniforms.
This man is completely shirtless.
Whereas like he, he's like, he wears shorts,
but you can see like, like tribalist tattoos
are like covering the entirety of his body.
He's a rather rotund man, short Dorvin,
big beard, you know, he's not even wearing shoes.
The tattoos even go down to like his toes.
This man is a painting.
A huge ponytail in the back, beard covers his mouth.
And he immediately walks up, walks in,
gives you all a look over and there's just like,
really like worldly air, like really relaxed air about him.
And he just goes,
nice to see the new sprouts.
Hey, nice to meet you.
He goes, hey, how are we doing?
Saga, and he goes, he says, Brim.
And they both have a really hearty high five.
Oh, later.
He goes, Saga goes, how are you doing Brim?
He goes, hey, how are you doing?
And he goes, I'm good.
He goes, could be doing better.
Back is getting all nice and fixed up.
Can't take part in the mock battle and wipe the floor
with all the newbies here, but you know.
I'm Velora, nice to meet you.
Velora holds out a hand.
Just shakes it.
Really, really tight, really tight grip.
He just goes, I like the air about you.
You have a lot of confidence.
You can tell already.
Yeah.
I'm feeling extra confident today.
I think I'll carry you well.
And you are, Devora.
Nice to meet you, Devora.
He says, I did hear there were gonna be
three new sprouts all coming up.
Hey listen, I know we're all,
I know we're all being competitive today and all that,
but above all, let's not forget
that we're here to help each other.
You all right?
Of course.
But she said I saw her.
Saga goes, no, I'm wiping the floor with her.
She's gonna try.
I often succeed.
Yeah, you said that before.
It just seems like you need a good reminding.
And really hard to mop the floor with someone
who's that high above you, a little higher than that,
like really high.
And Brimson just goes, yikes, it started.
Fuck!
He takes a seat on the ground.
He's so short, but he's so big.
Like people here are like their physical peak.
This guy, you can tell he's strong too,
but like he's not like incredibly muscular
or anything like that.
He just takes a seat on the ground.
And just goes, by the way,
leader of the Golden Moose,
any of them give you trouble?
Let me know.
You know, my retainer has been rooming with your bodyguard
because of a little bit of a problem.
Bodyguard because of a mold problem.
I can't tell if they're getting along or not,
to be honest, because she's really vague about it.
A little hard to tell with Samara,
but I promise you she's,
I promise you she doesn't mean harm, unless she does.
That's also so vague.
I'm excited to meet her.
This goes, it just goes,
well, I'm gonna try to make this one year
really count with you guys,
because this is my last year.
You excited, are you like ready to be done
or like, are you gonna be like sad?
Oh, this is the last time you'll ever do an opening ceremony.
I'm so incredibly thankful
that I was given this opportunity.
Given this opportunity by the people
who really look after my birthright and things like that.
Yada, yada, yada.
Hey.
Gratitude.
I'm excited about graduating,
but what I'm much more excited about is
seeing how you all measure up
and seeing how we all can come together as a people,
you know?
Yeah.
I agree.
You got a wide shot for saga though.
Don't worry, I am.
Not doing really good.
Just because you stole one little piece of victory bread.
What?
Well, you just, well, didn't you say that
everyone eating the victory bread will basically win?
So I waited.
Okay, well, you know, good for you.
Now you have a chance.
It's chance.
I'm happy for you.
You can cling to that hope.
Aw.
You're happy for me?
Yeah, I am.
Well, if there's one thing I do, I don't disappoint.
You know, I'm trying to think of, you know,
what do you think I should wear when we,
when you take me out on that date?
Laura.
You little bitches.
I think when you're all dirty in the bat,
from, you know, getting beaten around on the battlefield,
I think we should go as is.
A nice dirty date.
Okay.
Skip the whole,
This is so fucking epic.
I can't.
Skip the whole drinking contest and.
And Remson just goes,
I like to see you two bonded.
Nice.
Shameless.
Goodness.
There's stakes in this mock battle.
No shit.
You guys are both going out on a date?
That fast?
Well, if I win, then she's taking me out on a date.
And when I win,
she's going to take,
she's going to take me on a little flight around Phantom.
My Wyvern.
It's a really cute Wyvern.
It's got four legs.
That's how they're naturally supposed to be.
Mm-hmm.
I know, I know stuff.
My uncle deals with animals a lot.
It just goes,
All right, well, you two are adorable.
She goes,
Just don't try to,
says little hint though.
Don't try to keep your eyes off of my retainer.
She,
He really works best when people don't notice him.
Good to know.
And,
you see that there's a little retinue of guards
as you see Vesper is led into the array.
You see that,
you see that there's like a few members of the council.
You see people are like,
people are,
while everyone else was like,
unwatched,
Vesper seems to be included with a few other busybodies.
But he does not seem to be bothered by it.
They eventually leave him to his own as he walks into the
assortment.
Hello all.
Hi Vesper.
Bows respectfully towards everyone.
And just,
Bram just goes,
Oh yeah, another sprout.
I gotta admit,
it's a little weird seeing three new,
three completely new different faces all of a sudden.
Just goes,
a sprout.
Just yeah,
a sprout cause you're new.
Yes,
I am.
And I plan to be,
and then he,
he kind of stops.
He goes,
no,
not that.
I should not say that.
As Valka goes,
say what?
And he just goes,
I was going to say something about how I'm much like a
beet sprout,
which is a food from our region,
from our region.
And I was going to say that I would be very nutritious,
but I am not the one who's going to be eaten today.
Oh.
Wolves hunt.
I told,
she looks at song as I told you,
I told you they were good at this.
They're cool.
Hey kiddo.
This goes,
you know what?
Sprouts, right?
Wolves hunt.
But you're pretty,
he says,
but you're pretty,
he says,
but you're a bit too like,
I don't know,
baby face to be,
you know,
a little bit too baby face to be,
but you're pretty,
I don't know, baby face to be really intimidating.
I think I'll call you pup.
I promise you,
I am no pup.
Hi, nice to meet you again Vesper.
Hi Lothovora.
I just,
we are still going through with our plan,
yes?
Brinko's what plan?
Oh no!
Oh.
Yeah, what plan?
I bet you'd like to know.
Oh.
I won't be silent now.
Oh Vesper.
Saga goes,
so,
big group says,
legitimately leaving everything out on the table.
This is a pretty good group.
I have a feeling we're all gonna get along.
I think so too.
I'm not sure.
Just don't take anything too personally, you know,
or what I do today.
But we can kiss and make up afterwards.
Ah!
That one actually surprises Velora,
and despite herself,
like her face,
I mean,
she's like a redhead,
so like her face does start to go red there,
that just took her to off guard.
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
what's all that?
What's that going on here?
What?
What's that?
Don't turn away from me.
What's up?
Nah.
Mm-hmm.
What's wrong?
Let me take a look at this.
Hand surprises, like pinches your cheek.
What's that?
What's what?
God.
You know,
I should be saying,
I was gonna say,
I should be saying the same to you.
I hope there's no hard feelings after,
after today.
Oh, did you have to copy what I said
because your mind kind of like,
you went a whole fluster.
Oh, shut up.
She just.
Oh my God.
Saga Danderus takes no prisoners.
Uh-huh.
It just,
it just goes,
well, if your tongue is getting all twisted,
just wait till later.
Oh my God.
Oh my God!
Holy shit!
Jesus!
Everyone else, they're like, um.
Holy shit!
Dvorah's.
Give them a room!
Dvorah is turned away with like,
with like hands on her cheeks.
Vesper is.
Vesper is like.
Vesper doesn't get it.
I love this fanfare.
I love fanfare.
Oh no, you poor bastard.
And Brim is like,
hey Saga,
I'll destroy her too bad.
Saga,
do the fuck up.
Do the fuck up.
And Saga just goes,
this is fun.
You know, when I see vulnerability,
I tend to pounce.
I can hold my own.
You haven't really proved that to me
in the last,
in the last minute.
My dad's literally in the next room.
But that doesn't matter.
Okay.
And we shift to,
we shift to outside.
Lucio, you're being bunched up on the side.
You see,
you see,
you see like right,
you see right beside you,
you see Lucio in the distance.
Like he's,
he has to scoot in to come in.
And he just goes,
just,
just looks at Asai.
He looks towards the space next to you.
And you see immediately forming right beside you,
a great scale like version of him.
Just like appearing beside,
beside you.
And as you scream,
people around you are like,
ah.
Sorry, just this way.
What is that?
And then you see the two,
and then you see,
also Lucio is still there where he is.
And then you see the,
you see the two forms swap.
As Lucio now fully formed,
fully colored,
now the great scale version appears beside you.
Well, hi.
Whoa.
Lucio turns towards the great scale version of him
and it disappears.
There we go.
Neat trick.
It's a technique that I spent many years mastering
since I was really young.
Oh.
It's a cool party trick.
Very time well spent party trick.
No, it's a party trick.
This is anime though,
the little like,
angel forms.
Exactly, the vein is starting to fall.
I'm just saying,
I thought that was pretty cool.
I mean, like, could you do that?
Like if you wanted to get like the last dessert plate,
would you do that?
It's not a party trick.
There are more noble uses for it.
It is a technique that has been passed down
through many generations
by a very specific group of people that my mother,
my mother lords over,
they are called echoes.
Echoes, wow.
So it's kind of like you pass this echo down
like a family recipe.
No.
And he just-
You said it was passed through generations.
I'm the first of my family to learn of this.
Waiting for you to be impressed.
He says, he doesn't say that,
but he's like,
he looks at you waiting for you to be impressed.
You're the first of your family to learn about echoes?
Yes.
How is it passed down then
if you guys didn't know about it though?
It is a people that is within my region.
Oh, it's a different kind,
a group of people that passed down this family recipe
and you were able to get the recipe for yourself.
And you're the first person with this recipe
in your family to have it.
Just use the word technique.
I mean, that's what a recipe is, you know,
is a technique to make a certain,
I mean, like I have a recipe and a technique for my jams.
I have spent many.
I have spent many moons and she got a like lock size.
Are you saying my jams are not an excellent technique?
I'm just saying that they are very different.
And you see that people,
you see like a golden moose that goes,
oh, the retainer is about to fight.
Lucia and Lucio.
Which was the superior.
No, we're not about to fight.
I'm just explaining to her the intricacies of Echoes.
I can summon versions of myself from collapsed timelines.
Oh, that is a neat party trick.
He's so fucking mad.
That's so cool.
I mean, do you get to talk to them?
And now like get again, she's a space cadet.
Do you ever get to like talk to them and say like,
hey, what's happening in your alternative reality?
Sometimes I see that.
I could see how seeing different versions of yourself
of things not yet to come would be interesting.
And he calms down because like,
oh, this is actually a decent conversation.
Finally, it has substance.
And he just goes, I suppose there is a lot of merit
to seeing different versions of myself
from other places that have failed
or other walks of life that I would have come under.
But there is pride to be assured that they all look.
And as he's just talking,
it's a little hard not to tune out
because he's just going on.
She's facing out and then she faces back in.
You get to meet different versions of yourself
from different times.
No, I only get to call upon them for them to assist me.
Yeah, because that would be wild, you know,
to see things happen and meet people in a different time.
You look haunted.
No, what?
No, you have a haunted look.
My ghost?
No. My shadow?
What if I've been a shadow all along?
I am an alternative reality shadow.
Do not make fun of me.
I will not be made fun of.
I what? No, I'm saying what?
I am told I am to be taken seriously.
I'm taking you very seriously.
I'm saying what if my shadow person calls me up
and then pushes me into dust?
Well, this timeline is not the one that's failed.
So you're not going to be called.
I know this is the timeline that's failed.
And I promise you, this is not going to be a timeline
that fails because I will make sure it doesn't.
I'll make sure all of us, I'll make sure that the tides rise
and all boats will rise with it.
He freezes when he says boats and his eyes are locked.
You think you're the only one working on the timeline?
Really surprised at that drop.
She goes, she goes, no, things happen at school
that you can't control.
Anyway, man, this event, are there any other retainers here?
I think I know you.
All the retainers are sitting in front.
We can't just move past that.
You just said something.
Anyway, have I met you guys yet?
As she's crawling, as she's crawling,
as she's crawling over the seat
to talk to the retainers in front of them.
Hello there.
You see Bartholomew, the one that was with Vesper
the other day, just goes, no, please don't come over here.
I've been told, as she's climbing over the back.
Why do you, I could hear you all the way from.
I have a very soothing voice.
I can hear you all the way from over there.
You don't have to, you don't have to maintain
a consistent volume. How's Vesper doing?
How's Vesper doing?
They are fine.
Do they have a moment?
Talk a while later.
I suppose.
They seem to be very excited about speaking
to everyone here.
I would like to talk with them too.
Now I can't hear you because all the crowd is around you.
Speak up at room volume so I can at least
get you to the sounds.
As I was saying.
And she's.
Scream yelling does not increase the volume.
It's just a different form of saying
what you were saying.
Speak.
I think we could be really good friends.
Too loud.
No.
Who else is up there?
You just see, you see another halfling.
No way, not a halfling.
What am I talking about?
I'm a stupid dummy.
It's not a halfling.
It's a gnome.
Looking at, I gotta look.
You see this gnome with a little carved stubble.
Very, very intricate sort of like,
you know, a work on the facial hair.
I'm thinking of Kev from our friend Kev.
It's Kev.
From the Black Arts Gallery.
They're besties now because it's Kev.
You see he's all laid back.
He's got nice robes on.
He's all leaning against the chair.
Talking to other golden moose.
And he just goes, oh, who's that?
Oh, hi there.
I'm Lucia.
I'm the retainer of the Laura Evelina.
I know exactly who you are.
Oh, I don't know you.
I clocked you the moment since you stepped in the school.
Why is he, why is he good?
This is not Kev.
She goes, you did?
Well, I'm sorry, who are you?
Oh, I'm the retainer of the golden moose.
I'm Roscoe Oakworthy.
Oh, Roscoe, well, it's nice to formally meet you
and you clocked me.
Yeah, nice to formally meet you too.
I heard there was like a huge like thing going on
with like you being retained, but hey, you're here now.
Um.
Huge thing, you mean like Valora and I being the best team
that's ever been around?
Yeah, it's a big thing.
Well, apparently that's what happened
because of like the naming ceremony I heard was dramatic.
That's how they're supposed to be.
She's really trying so hard to save face
and it's not, they're supposed to be, you know, surprising.
Hey, I can tell you're a little nervous.
After the mock battle today, once I, you know,
I mop up the rest of you and everything like that,
we can really start being friends.
Um, legitimately I am,
I'm excited to have this year with you.
I'm only gonna spend one year with you
because I have a third year.
Oh.
Well, I look forward to learning from you.
Yeah, same with you.
Says, I wish I could hear you all the way from over there.
I wish I had that, you know, that the diaphragm,
the really, that's the, like that.
You know what I mean?
I really wish I had your confidence.
It's just, I mean your ego, it's just like so big.
Really impressive.
Like I wish I had an ego as big as my voice, you know?
Yeah, it could help you a little bit.
Yeah, I could imagine so.
I mean, really just to kind of, you know,
just bluster in and, you know,
make assumptions about people.
That's a great skill you have, really.
Yeah, you know, yeah, getting to read people is a,
you know, it's a pretty, is a pretty decent skill, you know?
Being around here, learning this stuff,
these are things you just pick up at the academy,
you know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah, you just kind of like stick your nose
into people's business that maybe isn't yours,
but that's very astute of you and like so smart.
You're so honest.
I love the way that your mouth moves
and anything just comes out.
And I really, really appreciate that this is your last year.
I think it will be your best one yet.
It's so, it's so nice that you,
it's so nice that you think you'll have an impact like that.
It's so nice that you think you're going to leave one.
That's really special.
Damn, she got me.
Bartholomew goes, we, the idea is to get along everyone.
And Lucius just goes,
let's not try to make a scene in front of everyone.
And another golden moose just goes,
yo, our retainer's fighting.
She goes, no, no, no, I, no.
I am here on behalf of Elora Avilea,
am the second retainer of the silver lions.
And I am here to make sure.
Oh, the one who builds the roads, right?
Maybe she can roll out the red carpet for me after I win.
The death glare.
You can talk Jack about me, buddy,
but you can't talk about Elora that way.
Well, I didn't mean it like that.
I was just trying to, it was just a banter.
That was it.
Okay, well keep the banter to me, right?
Lucio gets between the both of you,
so come on, let's break it up here.
She notices that other people are watching.
I'm gonna be straight with everyone.
I'm not a fighter.
If you're looking for heels on the battle,
you can come my way.
And that is how we'll make sure that we all work together.
Even if I don't agree with you,
and she kind of like leans over around Lucio,
to look at Roscoe,
still heal you no matter what.
So we're all in this together.
He reaches into his pocket,
and he goes, here.
And hands you this nice carved looking rock.
Token of friendship, legitimately.
Big thing is, yeah, banter went a little far,
but I genuinely wish things are good between us, you know?
Likewise.
And she'll reach in her pocket
and give him the hotel tiny jab.
I hope you understand this is an
utmost sign of respect. This is sick.
Oh, sorry, you were talking.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
It's really good, it's really good.
So this is your special jar, and okay.
Anyway, thank you for my rock.
Wow, what is it?
Go ahead and add stone of good luck to your inventory.
Oh.
He goes, this is so pretty.
It's like, yeah, you know,
I come from the Dryad Masterworks Guild.
But, you know, genuinely, you know,
token of good gesture between the both of us.
I got the other new retainers a little bit something too.
I didn't get you guys get, wait, hold on.
And she like digs through her bag.
Okay, I think I have enough small gems to give out.
Oh, are we all supposed to meet together or something?
Just have meetings, like team meetings,
we're all retainers or is that not a thing?
I don't know, nevermind, I'll figure it out.
Okay, okay.
And she starts writing down, like taking notes
on what gems she wants to make for each of the retainers.
Hey, you, hey, Lucia.
What's up, Roscoe?
You got your hand on your shoulders.
Hey, Roscoe, you got a great attitude,
and I appreciate your positivity.
I appreciate yours.
And I appreciate yours.
I appreciate yours.
And I appreciate you.
I appreciate you.
Ah!
Uh.
And.
Eric's gotta be watching like, huh?
And you see the same one,
the same guy who said the retainers are fighting,
he goes, yo, the retainers are making up.
Pfft.
He looks like, Kev, we can't fight.
He's Kev, he's friend-shaped.
He is friend-shaped.
Everyone here is a friend except for Todd.
Everyone here is a friend except for Todd we're gonna fix.
Or try.
Or die.
He has two choices.
Fix or die.
Eat the jam or I'll kill you.
Or I'll fucking kill you.
Or I'll jam up your life bit.
I will poison your health potions.
I will stop your heart beating on the battle.
I will kill you, Todd.
So the opening ceremony.
Um, you see, eventually, people are being shushed and quieted.
Uh, as Valora, you see, you see people,
other people are joining in the back.
You see your professor.
You see your professor walking in with,
there's other four adults, the five professors of the houses.
He sees you and he just kinda like mouths,
he kinda like just mouths, he just kinda puts you
and he mouths, you ready?
She does, thumbs up, double thumbs up.
He gives you a fist bump like, yeah.
Uh, um, next to him, a tall, a tall elven man.
Um, there's the individual,
the messy black-haired individual that you've heard.
Uh, fucking Lucia, these names are gonna fuck me up.
Yeah, we're screwed, we're screwed.
Okay, Lucia, Lucia.
Uh, uh.
Me, my character.
You see Professor Fraxina put together.
You don't know who the elven,
no, you actually do know who the elven man is
because he's like the coolest professor ever.
Caesar Orso, we'll get into descriptions
when we get to these characters.
My notes are so long.
You don't have to take these.
There's so many people.
They're all in our roster thing too.
Good.
Oh, we will get to these people when we get to them,
but they're so cool, I promise.
And, uh, you just see, you just see the four of them.
And you see, as the four of them walk around,
you see, you see Dvor just goes,
oh, there's supposed to be five of them, right?
Yeah.
A crate smashes on the ground right next to the leaders.
And Dvor goes, ah, it just jumps.
And you see this halfling woman jump onto the crate,
darkened skin, silvery hair, very long flowing hair.
She jumps up, she's a gleam comes over here.
She is absolutely eminence, a sword strapped to her side.
She stands with immaculate posture.
And she just goes, greetings leader.
I can't do the fucking voice.
And she just goes, greetings everyone.
Hi.
Says new leaders of this new millennium.
Brimstone goes, hello professor.
And she just goes,
and she just goes, I see a lot of new faces before me.
Come, hark, bathe in the gleam of honor.
What are your names?
I'm Velora, nice to meet you.
Dvor, Lajostela, Vesper.
Oh, where did you come from?
Um.
It is nice to meet all of you
and there are familiar faces among you.
I am the gleam of honor, her enlightened eminence,
Dame Pavla Avalusha, the paragon of piety,
guardian of the golden flame, champion of the innocent.
Wow.
Just silence.
She, hands on her hips, she puts her chin up,
like pride, like yes, clap.
Oh Jesus.
Like clapping.
Bathe in the excellence, bathe in the golden flame.
Yikes.
So do you go by, so okay, do you just do
her enlightened eminence, Dame Pavla Avalusha,
the paragon of piety, guardian of the golden flame,
and champion of the innocent, or is it professor,
professor her enlightened eminence, Dame Pavla Avalusha,
the paragon of piety, guardian of the golden flame,
and champion of the innocent.
Jesus, Jenny.
A meteoric rise for our upstart here.
You have a lot of promise.
Thanks.
She just goes, five points for you.
Oh.
She's kind of looking at the others, but like.
Oh, wonderful start.
And you see Saga just goes, no way,
she's catching up to me already.
And Brimstead looks at you and just goes,
Professor Avalusha has a personal point system.
If you have the most at the end, she gives you candy.
What, like, okay, are there like periods,
or is it like the end of the year, or what?
It says end of the month, every month.
Oh, nice.
Get that candy, baby.
And aspirant, Valora Avilea, who has recognized greatness,
recognized prestige, and has perfectly executed
my earned titles have earned the most points.
I like winning.
Wonderful flourish, three more points.
Nice.
Come up, baby.
And Saga goes, Professor, can I have five points?
You may.
Can I have one more than her? Hmm.
It says manners.
Please?
Yes.
And Saga goes, no way.
I'm writing these down.
Good, because she will remember the points.
It's...
You just see, coming from the stage,
Jared just goes, all right, everyone,
be prepared.
It says, be prepared to come out.
Everyone, you are looking as presentable as you can be.
Please, it says, please be prepared
with your respective professors.
Right, she points at Lambert.
Lambert walks up next to you.
And just goes, hey there, upstart.
Professor.
The school hasn't even started yet,
and I've already heard a few things about you.
Oh, really?
Already?
It's a little bit of a...
Difficult one.
I tried really, really, really hard to be nice to him too,
so that nobody can say I didn't try.
I think the fact that you tried,
and you weren't intimidated by that,
is already doing leaks for you.
No, I'm not gonna, I mean, I don't know if I'll do anything,
but I'm not gonna let him treat people like that.
Well, without saying anything, so.
I think we'll get along just fine.
All right, you ready?
Yeah.
And then, like that part in Shrek 2,
where they were in front of Shrek's house,
and they played the trumpets.
Fanfare begins to...
Fanfare suddenly takes the room.
It suddenly inhales the space,
encompassing everything inside of it.
Lucia, you being in the crowd, everything,
you see the noise begin to die down.
As you watch as first coming out onto the stage
is your professor and Velora Avalea.
Ah!
Screaming like the Foamy Mouth guy in Avatar Last Airbender.
Ah!
Exactly.
And of course there's cheers.
Of course there's cheers, but Velora, you can't help but hear,
like, yeah, there is a, you could definitely make out
somebody very familiar in that crowd.
She looks for Lucia and just like points at her.
Ah!
Almost said, box fainting.
She laughs at that.
Bartholomew tries to catch you.
He's like, are you concerned?
Poor Bartholomew, this poor bastard.
But even, and with the arrival of the Vora,
a smaller amount, but still hearty cheer,
saga is met with a rise, a massive rise,
and it stays there with,
it stays there with Brimstone.
Just way more familiar people.
Eww.
And Lucia just goes, don't boo.
Stop it.
I boo her.
Only I can boo her.
And you see as Vesper comes out, it is the quietest.
Polite, it is polite, but it is quiet.
Who Vesper?
Woo, that's right, Vesper.
Ow, ow, get it.
Before hearing Lucia trying to compensate, also claps.
Oh my God, overcompensate Brim.
On stage.
You guys set the example.
You see Saga sees this, and she also begins clapping
to try and get people to start going.
This does set the little dominoes that gets the audience
that gets Vesper a much more, not raucous,
but still more polite applause, more noise.
You see all the leaders turn towards Vesper
and give him the accolades,
give him the flowers and thumbs up.
It's a really good set of leaders.
They seem very supportive of each other.
Lucia, you can't help but shake the site.
What the fuck?
You can't help but shake the site of a bloodied Vesper
fighting the scariest they've ever looked,
covered in blood, in arrows, a wounded animal.
And you can't help but see that the very kind face
that they have now, the one that you have interacted with,
not socially aware, but their heart is in everything
that they say and do, and they're so unbelievably earnest.
But those two images of Vesper clash in your head.
You don't know what you saw, a figment of the past,
but maybe the future.
A terse elven man with a strict looking expression
takes the front.
You see that there is a stone mounted on a small pedestal.
He steps up, he goes,
Salutations, esteemed colleagues and students.
I am Vice Chancellor Jareth Von Lennardis,
and it is my privilege to address you
on this auspicious occasion.
We gather today to celebrate the commencement
of yet another academic year
at the esteemed Irobrin Academy.
First and foremost, I would like to express
our profound gratitude to the Asachio ministry
and the noble houses of Aunt Sedona,
and the noble houses of Anor
for their unwavering patronage.
Their generosity has been instrumental
in fostering an environment of academic excellence
within our institution.
Moreover, we extend our sincere thanks to the Allfather
and to our very own King Lunen
for his continued wisdom and support.
In this moment, as his is the only voice
that runs through, Lucia, give me a D4 roll.
It's evil.
Oh no.
Did I say DC4?
Yeah, you said D4.
Oh, D4, thank goodness.
I would have never recovered if I said DC4.
I can't make that.
As he's listing off names of noble houses
that are present within Irobrin at the moment,
House Avonlea, House Cadwalder, House this, House that,
Aeon Mart houses.
And House Sanderis is mentioned one of the last ones
because they're a vassal house, they don't have a mark.
So for you, Valora, you do notice that they are listed
in matter of importance, matter of significance.
And Avonlea is above Cadwalder, right?
Yeah.
One above.
I figured, yeah.
One baby.
Take that, Todd.
You Todd, I'm gonna fix you or kill you.
Lucia, your eyes wander for a moment.
Lucio looks different, Roscoe looks different,
Bartholomew looks different, everyone looks different.
You see older versions of themselves, grown hair,
grown hair, different clothes, blood.
You see older versions of everybody around you
just for a moment, just for a snap of the finger.
Uniforms are gone, they're wearing something else, armor.
The shoveled armor, things like that.
Bartholomew, you see for a moment,
you're gonna have to actually give me
a perception check for this one.
Lucia sees old people is my note.
Old people!
I'm gonna be very confused.
Fuck me, 11.
That's enough.
I'll message you what you see with Bartholomew.
Bartholomew?
Yeah, Bartholomew.
You're the retainer of,
I thought he was Archibald.
Oh yeah.
Goes by, fuck me.
But yeah.
Fuck me!
Archie.
Who's he the retainer of again?
Archibald is who I've been calling Bartholomew.
Vespers.
Vespers retainer.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, with Vesper.
Okay, got it, got it, got it, okay.
What are you talking about?
I'm gonna send this to you,
and then I'm gonna keep going, okay?
Okay.
Talk with that house anyway, so.
Spooky spooks.
And as the names clear up,
Jareth goes,
and now it is my great pleasure to introduce
Chancellor Corvon Silverwillow.
Polite clapping as this halfling,
older halfling, silver, whittled silver hair,
frilly dress, frilly, frilly, super frills.
I'm thinking like, like this person can step up
on the Hunger Games place, you know?
You can make an announcement.
Oh, jeez!
It's Effie!
He just goes.
Effie, I'm in your favor.
Greetings, esteemed faculty, staff, and students.
As we embark upon the 971st academic year
at Irobride Academy, I am filled with anticipation
for the remarkable achievements that lie ahead.
We are fortunate to have assembled a cohort
of exceptionally talented students
and dedicated educators who are poised
to shape the future of our kingdom.
The world is evolving at an unprecedented pace,
but we, as a united community, are committed
to remaining at the forefront of progress.
Our institution has a rich history
of nurturing the minds of future leaders,
scholars, and generals.
By upholding the traditions established by our ancestors,
we continue to empower our students
with the knowledge and skills necessary
to make a lasting impact on the world.
It is with great pride that I introduce the new leaders
of our student bodies.
These individuals have been selected
for their exceptional abilities
and their unwavering commitment to academic excellence.
They represent the brightest minds of our kingdom
and are poised to lead us into a prosperous future.
Please join me in welcoming Saga Dondarius
from the Grand Folger, who returns to lead the charge
of the Black Boars for a second year in a row.
And you go, ah!
Oh!
Oh, that just...
Oh, God.
Saga just kinda like steps up,
hands out to the side, does waves.
She walks in the middle as she walks back.
She looks to you, Valor, just goes, don't trip, trouble.
Um, and you hear, seeking to light the fires
that will light our way forward,
we have D'vorah L'Agostella from Survai
who would lead the Crimson Griffons.
Um, and you know, she comes up, she's just like,
oh, I'm supposed to walk to the middle of the stage, okay?
Um, and the professor's like, yeah, go, go, go, go, go, go.
Um, again, applause and whatever.
You can assume that everyone's getting applause.
Um, Vesper Vonga, the last one,
Vesper Vonga, the last of their name,
from Aurora, who will lead the Blue Wolves.
Hmm.
And Saga immediately just starts.
Yeah, yep, that is it.
Saga immediately, Valor, everyone.
Um, Vesper sends up straight,
and Lucia, you can't help but feel
that there is hope in those eyes of theirs.
It's Demetri, they're the Demetri of this game, aren't they?
Oh, never, never, I love them too much.
I have to romance them.
We're gonna help them.
Rising from the depths for a third year in a row,
Brimstone Deptcaster from Conica,
who will lead the Golden Moose.
Um, Brimstone stands up and just goes,
yeah, come on, and starts like raising up voices.
He says, I can't hear you, and holding up an ear,
and like getting the crowd to participate.
And then he walks back over to Pavlo,
and then he just sits down.
Everyone's standing up, he just sits down.
He doesn't have the decorum.
He's not giving him the fox.
Doesn't care, he knows he's not giving it to him.
He knows he's cool.
And from the great Onador,
assuming the reins for the Silver Lions,
from the very ones who built the very roads
that bind all of us together,
Velora Avaleya.
Step forward.
Velora!
Velora, I love you!
What the hell is that?
I think Lucia's scared of whoever that is.
Marcellus, I'm kidding.
No, no, no, no!
If it was Marcellus, she would take fucking note.
Underline, underline, underline.
I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
Red flag.
Pussy rips off the shirt,
number one Velora fan.
No, I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding,
none of that.
She waves.
You wave?
Yep.
You wave?
Yeah, I wave.
Okay.
Velora. I'm gonna stare you.
Velora making your way out to the front,
standing just full,
like, you know, at full attention,
everyone's wrapped their attention on you.
You see the faces of everyone in the crowd.
You see Lucia down there, everyone.
You wave.
And as soon as you wave, you take notice of your father,
the master at arms.
Look in the way.
But you can't help but catch the little twitch.
And then, okay, she does clock that.
She yells, witness valor.
That's my girl.
Saga step steps, forever unyielding.
Black Boars yell, forever unyielding.
And then like, Velora, you didn't get the chance
to even get like a call back.
She sees, she looks at Lucia
and like kind of goes like this to see if she gets it.
Okay, everyone.
Three, two, one.
Witness valor.
Saga.
She looks at Saga like.
Brimstone goes, I don't really like ours, but.
Lakeland.
I'm like.
Ours is shit, but here it is.
And you see as Davor's like trying to build up
the courage, like, oh, do I have to do this?
I don't wanna do this.
Jareth goes, let us settle down, everyone.
And then you see people in the crowd,
the student houses, clashing chants.
Clashing chants of their house motto.
Clashing chants, burn, says, burn bright.
I'll look back at my dad now.
And you see that he starts going around.
He gives the orders to his side
and people going around trying to calm people down.
He's trying to put down the noise that you stirred up.
She rolls her eyes and goes to step back to her spot.
And your professor just goes,
this is gonna be an interesting year.
The chancellor steps in and goes.
My Riverbend Academy is a microcosm of our kingdom,
and our students come from all walks of life.
I encourage you to embrace this diversity
and learn from one another.
Together, you have the power to shape the destiny
of our nation.
And as he steps back, applause.
And it isn't long enough to applause, he steps out.
Jareth holds up a hand as he walks up.
And he just goes, the mock battle procedures
will be occurring within two hours.
For those of you who wish to participate,
just coalesce with your class at once.
There is much strategy to be done.
Welcome to our Riverbend.
And as people are clapping, and as he says, the mock battle,
you just see, Lucia, you see two guys in different uniforms
who had an arm over each other
while they were listening and into it.
They just pushed each other off each other.
Like, no, you're dead, bro, you're dead.
Oh, wow, oh, woo, quick, okay.
I look at the professor and I'm like, we've got this.
Endedly.
I got this, pose out a little notebook.
Yeah, what's that about?
Oh, it's my bestest friend in the world.
And my right hand man, my pocket scald.
He opens it up, there's a bunch of drawings
and there's a bunch of like little musings and words.
There's so much that he flipped through and he just goes,
all right, well, once you're ready,
come over to the Silver Lions classroom,
the academic building, we got to make plans.
That is, you are going to fight in the mock battle, right?
Of course.
I'll see you there, Valor.
And walks off.
You see that everyone's going to the back
and you see the leaders are hyped up, everyone's hyped up.
There is a new energy here. You see Saga goes,
see you out there, Trouble, I got to go.
And walks off.
Lucia, you've taken notice that there was a large group
of halflings not dressed in any uniform, they're older.
One of them is standing in the front
and has like a little hat, sort of like tanner skin.
He pulls his hat down over his chest.
He has a very kind face.
He's wearing like overalls and stuff.
You see Saga come out and you see as he comes out,
his face lights up and the two of them hug.
And you see the whole halfling family,
they all seem to be related, all gather around Saga and hug
and he start ruffling her hair and talking.
And you hear Lucia just goes, oh, her dad made it.
Did you have halfling?
No, she's human.
Half human.
Which is why she doesn't roll natural ones.
Lucia, this is shocking because like you had no idea.
Like she had any halfling in her.
She looks completely human.
Oh, that's her.
Oh, well.
It's her family, that's really awesome, they could come.
And then their mind turns to Arnolda.
He thinks I wish my dad was dead.
I wish my dad was dead.
He thinks I wish my dad were here.
Quick look, no.
Not there.
Because he's not here.
He's trapped with the fucking king being a dick.
Velora, you come out and you also see this Saga being,
Saga being with these bunch of people.
But you do see as a crowd dispersed,
you see Velora as well.
You see, you see Lucia as well.
I see myself.
You see Lucia as well.
Right, you ready Lucia?
Excellent job, house leader.
You did a wonderful presentation that will stick in the minds
of everyone and no one will question our valor.
You really saved that too.
Thanks.
Oh, listen, I'm all about you.
I'm following your lead.
I think they're pretty tough.
Well, should we celebrate?
Well, we've got a mock battle to prep for.
You want any armor?
You get armored up or I guess you're probably more of like a
robes kind of person, huh?
Yeah, I think I'm okay.
I think I'm okay.
Unless I got a spell just in case, but you need anything or
wow, wild that we are all so raw, raw and woohoo and now we're
like battle.
I need to go grab phantom.
Oh, yeah.
Let me know whatever you need.
I think we're going to we're ready to secure a solid victory.
About time, isn't it?
I think so.
It is valid.
Witness Fowler.
Like a little like fist bump or something.
As the fist bump seals the chromatary, it's time.
The time has finally come upon us as the two of you get ready
for your first large scale battle with your fellow friends
that you've made here in your short time here.
You set off to your very first strategy meeting in the hopes
that what is concocted inside of this room in those in the two
hours you have will be enough for everyone to witness.
Valor your valor.
And that is where we'll end today's session.
Great job.
The music was perfect for the ending.
So good.
Battle.
Here we come.
Oh, yeah.
It's it's we're finally here.
We got we got our battle enough enough flirting.
There was a lot of flirting in the fight.
Listen, that's what that's what Valora like is like pines for is
in battle flirting.
What fuels her.
Thank you.
Staying with us.
Thank you.
Oh, my wife.
We're staying with us to the end.
Yeah.
Much love.
Thanks.
Insomnia.
I'm a mother pheasant plucker.
I pluck mother pheasants.
I'm the most pleasant mother pheasant plucker that's ever plugged
mother pheasants.
Oh, you got it this time.
That was clean.
I will give you that.
I still got it.
This track.
Let's go.
I did that like that was crazy.
Oh, yeah.
Everyone's an inspiration point for this.
I forgot to do that.
Another one.
And another one.
Two each.
Right.
I think so.
Right.
Yes.
But also, but also everyone.
Everyone.
The other leaders get inspiration points too.
Oh, no.
Thanks for hanging with us, folks.
It's so funny.
Saga's dad is here, the halfling now.
So that means if the day happens and you guys decided to get married, you have the person
to ask right here at the Academy.
Oh, for that day.
We have both of our dads.
Listen, you hauled, you've married.
It's all coming together so quickly as a true sapphic relationship does.
Flora's like, I'm not ready to meet your family yet, but okay.
I guess Flora's like noted.
Well, they want to meet you.
So yeah, I mean, I'm fine.
They've already made little trinkets for you.
Oh my God.
No, no, they're not ready.
They're like, okay, I won't spoil what the trinkets are.
But Saga's family is so like the halfling side.
They always come and they always like feed everyone.
They always like give.
They always like make little things, little gifts for the leaders and the retainers and
stuff.
They're a really sweet group.
That's so cute.
And now Jenny knows that.
And now knowing who Saga's mother is, it's like, how did these two get together?
She's got to be like a little bit freaky.
Because she's like, she wouldn't like him.
If not.
I'm serious.
I know you are.
Her Saga's mom's insane.
I mean that clocks though.
That tracks.
That's solid.
That tracks.
Saga walks into the battlefield, looks to Valorra, all right, match my freak, let's
go.
No.
If somebody's going to match my freak, the kiss.
Oh jeez.
The tongue tied thing.
Valorra was like, oh my God.
Oh no.
I was like, how?
Jesus.
Rated R. Fuck me.
I have to say.
I literally feel like I'm possessed.
Because I couldn't never come up with those things up on my own.
But Saga is like something else.
That character just like pulls from the very depths of your soul.
Because when I say those, it just feels so smooth.
It just feels like, oh, okay, it's so easy.
But then I hear everyone's reaction.
I was like, oh wait, how did I say that?
You're like, I stepped out of my body for a moment.
Yeah, I saw this one.
Can't wait to see you next week.
Thank you for the game.
Thank you for the game, guys.
Thank you for coming.
Thank you everyone for watching.
Chat gets inspiration too.
Hey, inspiration for chat.
And you guys can just, you can just hold onto that.
It's so cute.
You guys are just kind of like holding onto it.
It's so nice.
A little snack.
A little.
Alright everyone, we will see you next time.
Bye!
Or sit amongst all this nobility?
You with your A and mark of passage and speed With riches and power and your family tree
But injustice strains all your loyalty Desire and duties the balance between
The winds have been whispering of what's to come
Foreboding whispers, whispers to thunder Your castle walls crumble in one by one
Against the blood red sky, right on fandom
I fight for what's right, some may call me naive
But nothing can put out the flame in me
The goddess of spring, a life from death she bring
Taken from war, raised in items ministry
Two silver lions from different packs I shut off my shelteredness, freedom at last
I pray what I've seen does not have to be done
For the winds have been whispering
The winds have been whispering of what's to come