Songwovem presents the Black Guards Gallery, a level up, advanced with addition, limited run campaign.
Episode 7, Augenblickt.
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Thanks for listening!
Hello everyone and welcome back to Songwovem the Black Guards Gallery!
Of course, I am your humble, ever so humble, so deep down in the fathoms humble,
narrator, I am your humble humble humble humble, super humble, I'm really humble guys,
narrator, Tim Don Tran, and of course, what is a humble narrator without his motley crew!
Say ahoy, motley crew!
Ahoy, motley crew!
Crew Mugs!
I missed this?
Game zone.
Happy to be back?
Yes, we've been gone for a bit too, for a bit too weeks for a mid-series fall off.
We took a much needed break and we have changed as people and I now have a hook leg.
It's really, it's...
Not a peg leg, a hook.
Oh, wait, it was supposed to be a peg?
The hook goes on the hand.
It got creative.
No, not anymore, it's a new fashion, okay?
Hook legs are in everybody.
It's been, okay, it's been really annoying because it keeps scratching the fucking floor.
Nurse is a man with a hook?
No one else gets that.
Over my head, over my head.
Okay, alright, back on track, back on track.
Yes, thank you for joining us again for this back half of our series.
We were supposed to do six episodes to fulfill our little doodad with end publishing,
but we love each other so much that we decided to do a few more to finish this series.
With that said, I don't believe we have any announcements at the top of the show.
With that said, who would like to take on the absolute Herculean task of recapping what happened in the last session?
No.
You do it, Timmy.
I can't emotionally handle that session.
I can volunteer, I'll do it.
Let's see, some of the crew woke up early at our crew artificer Armin's suggestion
because he has secretly been working on turning our little extra smaller ship, the Pardone, into an airship.
A few more people showed up than he expected, like Zach,
and when they got onto the ship, activated the work that he had been doing,
the ship sort of took off much more violently than they expected, woke up the rest of the crew,
and poor Daphne and Captain Aura awoke to watch their ship flying at a mountain.
And Hilgen, unfortunately, got yanked behind on a rope through the air.
With some wacky hijinks, they managed to stabilize the ship, only to happen upon the crew of the Eternal Smile,
the pirate crew that attacked the Injusticar a few days before.
And we ended up getting into a bit of a brawl with them.
We dropped the anchor from our airship onto one of their ships, erode it down.
It was a wild time.
We met a few of the Eternal Smile's interesting crew members, such as Marshmallow, the Spanish cat,
and Narnia, the Tempest.
There was also, let's see, we had Deadeye, who was like a cowboy, western gunslinger skeleton man,
and then the first mate that I didn't write the name down because he never actually got introduced to us.
But he was just like a grumpy elf dude, whatever.
He was Vezron, yeah. He wasn't a good first mate.
After very promptly destroying three of their ships, one with cannons, one with anchor,
and one with using another ship as a wrecking ball into one of their ships,
we managed to come out with very minimal casualties.
We absorbed most of their crew, who didn't want to be part of the Eternal Smile anymore,
and we met up with their captain, Captain John, who we learned was a beholder,
who just wanted to try his eye stalks at Pirating for once.
We found out that he did not order the attack on us.
It was possibly a plot from Brando, slipped some information to his first mate,
and his first mate was like, oh, I'm going to get some cool things from the Blackguards.
And then he lost three ships.
So we left with us talking to Captain John about what he can do for us to make it up to us.
I think that's basically everything. It was a lot.
Hilden killed someone.
Oh yeah, Hilden killed someone very violently, or not even violently, he maybe drowned him.
Very gently, just gingerly, socially drowned him.
Listen, it was off screen, so you don't know.
Yeah, you don't know what happened. They became friends.
They're besties now?
Yeah.
It was a role play. If a death is not role played, did it even happen?
Not true, not true, not true.
A ship sinks in the ocean and no one is around to see it. Did it sink?
It didn't sink in the first place.
If I drowned a dude, he didn't see it.
If someone gets stabbed in the heart and no one knows, you know, did they really die?
If someone gets stabbed in the heart and the heart was asleep, did they die? Did they notice?
We know.
With that said, yes, we were last left off.
Captain John was speaking with Captain Aura about a potentially new alliance and their shared hatred for a singular, very nosy, old, crusty man.
Clarence. Brando.
No!
Brando Coligar.
I'm kidding.
Don't even talk about Clarence.
Albert's starting to really encroach in my mind.
With that said, let's mosey on into another session of Black Hearts Gallery.
Now, to describe the room one more time, it has been two weeks, which is enough for everyone to forget about everything, me included.
You are currently in a room filled with mountains upon mountains of just tossed about coins and items with Captain John currently floating in the midst of it all.
He seems to have been a very amicable figure, but monstrous in appearance.
So I think in your guys' mind, hopefully, you guys think like, oh, maybe I shouldn't take anything.
Some of you might know what a beholder is.
But John has been speaking, frankly, with Captain Aura for a bit.
But you see, all of his eye stalks have been kind of like peering around at each and every one of you, snapping to and fro.
There does come a time for you, one-eyed Janem, when all of them kind of look towards you for a moment.
But Captain John's one big eye has always been situated on Captain Aura.
Captain John with a big, just a maul of like sharp teeth just goes, well, all right then.
Why don't I go ahead and bring you towards the meeting room? I've actually never used that room before.
I think it's really dusty in there.
Come on, I'll show you. And begins to float.
As he floats, he goes, oh, yeah, by the way, hey, real quick, all this stuff in here, it's mine. So no touchies.
I'm like laying in a pile of gold, he told us, to have a seat in last time. So I'm just like, eh.
As you get up, he points at the eye and he goes, oh, check your pockets, make sure.
He's just going to look at it and goes, do check your pockets.
I like that one, his chest hair is abundant. All right.
This is the last bit of levity you're ever going to get in this game.
Captain John begins to float.
You see as he goes towards the doorway, which is for a person, he actually for a moment just shrinks down to a tiny beholder.
A very small floating orb, like a hundred times less the size of what he was, just so very suddenly just shuts down.
I'm like, why are you all going to follow me?
And begins to move down. So moving towards the hallways and following the small orb, this is a rather massive ship with some luxurious interiors.
There's a carpet here, which is objectively terrible to have on a ship.
There is an actual sand pit with a volleyball net in the middle.
This place is like the cruise ships don't really exist, but imagine the cruise ship.
This has very nice stuff that's not for a hardened pirate crew.
And he just goes, yeah, I kind of, you know, I bought these ships because I wanted to run my own pirate crew and I wanted everyone to be really happy.
You know why we call the eternal smile?
Because I want everyone on this crew to have a big smile on their face when they're here.
Everyone has names that are really scary. Like, oh, what is Blackguard's gallery mean? Is that a museum?
No, it's it's alluding to a group of Paladins from the past.
That's that's that's fine. It's a little scary. Is that what that means?
It does. Yes. It's it's it's historical. It's fine.
Yes, there are probably styles of lovely, a lovely name for history.
That's so nice. Very, very much so.
History makes up a lot of really cool, magical, magical, magical stuff. There are so many bad people who make so many cool things.
It's really awesome. It is. Do you do you happen to have any of those things?
Oh, yeah, we had a couple of those things. Yeah.
Hey, you know, the thing I was talking about earlier before this points to Daphne and then with this one of his ice dogs, it blinks really hard, making a snapping sound.
It just goes, what's your name?
I am the first mate, Daphne.
Daphne got it.
Because I wish I had those. I have no knees.
I just float everywhere. You guys have to have your feet on the ground.
I'm really glad I'm not you guys. All right.
But yeah, this one, Daphne, I have it.
I have this thing called a deck of many things made by this really big archmage in the past.
Arcane people are weird.
Very eccentric, I'm sure.
It's the only one. And it's really great.
One of the cards, you pull it, a big demon guy comes out of nowhere and starts fighting you.
Fascinating. He did not want to be friends.
Oh, oh, OK, so it's a bit all right.
Well, we're very appreciative of your hospitality thus far with the Eternal.
It's just like a deck of like bad things.
Oh, many bad things. Yeah.
Oh, there's some good things in there.
OK. Seems rather good.
Wait, so it's like a gamble.
That's why I say gambling.
Wait, hold on.
Hold on.
Oh, you want to pull it?
No.
You kind of look like me in a way. I really dig the look.
Hey, yeah, thanks.
I lost it to an eel, but not just any eel, an enchanted eel.
And I had to answer three riddles and I got one wrong.
So he took my eye.
Which one did you get wrong?
Oh, that's brutal.
The riddle I got wrong.
You want to know it right now?
Yeah, OK.
Yeah, sure.
Who has two thumbs and is a great dancer?
I never guessed the eel because he didn't have thumbs, but apparently that eel had thumbs.
So that was that riddle.
That's how they get you. That's how they get you.
He was not very good.
Yep. So slippery.
He was not intelligent.
That's why I got the other two correct. So yay me.
You got to watch out for those fink's eels.
Yeah.
Begins to like go.
He heads towards a door where he enlarges a bit.
He's very freely like shrinking, enlarging and things like that.
But as he gets to this, like this double set of doors,
you see that with one of his eyes, he tries to like,
it's not a door knob, it's one of those like doors with the ring on it.
And he tries to, he grabs it with one of his stalks and yanks it, but it's locked.
He goes, oh, yeah, I locked this door.
Looks at all of you. He looks back.
Well, that's kind of unfortunate.
I have a lot of bags here. Don't really know.
You know what? One of the eyes fires out.
The doors turn to dust and ash like immediately.
It absolutely disintegrates.
I could have just picked it if you wanted.
That's all right. Just get another door.
I can just make one.
Arcane so funky and it's weird.
Okay.
It is a dusty room with a very nice table,
like a table that's double the length of the one in your meeting room.
Clay has a huge glossy finish.
Like there's like an etched like map of the world basically like laid out on top of this table.
It's so nice.
And there's a fucking like chandelier and stuff,
which is objectively terrible to have on a ship.
They're like repeatedly just doing this right now.
It's nice and calm right now, but you still do.
You still do hear like the things clinking on each other because there's such a delicate object.
I'd like to think that as soon as John incinerates the door and moves through it
or will sign to everyone careful immediately because Jesus Christ,
I just kind of lean over to Jane.
Can you can you do that?
Make a door turn to dust.
I think, oh, the I am.
You know what? I'll try later.
I mean, you can do so many cool things, right?
You've brushed sharks and stuff.
So I figured maybe would you like to?
Yes.
Got it.
We'll talk later.
OK. I love this guy.
I can switch one of my eyes with your eyes.
I think it'll work out.
I've been I've been doing this thing where I've been experimenting on life things.
Oh, that's how I got the cat.
Oh, that would be great if we had more time.
But we have other business.
You're right.
Especially especially because I just got the joke.
Yeah, definitely.
Especially because she's
Brando, like we were talking about earlier, she has to detect magic.
I know there's a lot of magic here, but she's just looking for scrying.
I'm scrying specifically.
No, nothing.
But definitely a lot of magic.
There is a barrel in the very corner of the room with like maps and such in there.
But you do sense magic like in there.
But that's crying. Of course not.
All right.
I guess now we get to talk about pirate stuff.
I'm warning you, this is my this is my first time talking with like another pirate.
I've been having my first mate do all the stuff for me because I think they have like first ones.
Right.
Everyone has a first mate.
I'm not doing so good.
Yeah, you made a bad choice.
I need to find a second mate, but no one has a second mate.
The most important thing with the first mate is trust.
You know, how much do you trust your first mate?
So it really and take your time.
We all start out as pirates somewhere.
Might I recommend Kobolds?
Good option.
Not ours.
I mean, if you find one, best idea.
I like those funky little guys.
You got a couple for me?
No.
Not for hire now.
So Daphne, Brando.
Oh, yeah, that guy.
So, so you guys don't like Brando.
Guess what?
Not a big fan of him either.
And I think he might have manipulated your first mate into attacking us and breaking the laws of the sadist sputes that you had signed up for.
I signed up for that?
I mean, all the true pirates are a part of it.
We could give you a document.
I didn't know there were rules.
I thought this was a pirate thing.
It's more so for protection, you know, of each other.
There are so many forces pirates have to encounter.
It's a coalition of sorts.
Okay.
Coalition.
Got it.
Yes.
Got it.
All right.
So no one tells me anything.
I just kind of let my first first mate did whatever you want.
Sorry, I'm still learning the rules to, you know, Is there parchment and like pen in here in this room that we're in?
A thousand percent.
Yes.
Okay.
While they're discussing, I'm just going to go over and find like parchment and pen.
And I'm just going to start jotting down like a reading list of like really stereotypical pirate books that I read growing up.
There's like some smutty ones.
Yep, 110 percent.
And I'm just going to title it just like reading material on how to be a pirate winky face.
Like I just literally draw like an emoji winky face and I'm going to give that to him when everyone's just done discussing adult stuff.
Got it.
All right.
So as you're writing that, one of the ice tucks does follow you as you move.
Captain John does go like, all right, well, you know, being the whole proper pirate thing is something I want to learn.
So maybe you can teach me.
You know, you've been pirates for a good bit.
I think I've been hearing your names, but we're not talking about that right now.
You know why they call me Mr. Business?
Because I get down to it.
All right, let's do this.
So Brando says, little stinker that guy.
He is a repeat offender of me.
I have one rule.
All right.
Just keep my secrets.
All right.
You just keep my keep my things safe.
If you don't, I'll hunt you down.
I don't have to say the next part, right?
And why is Brando still here?
Because he's a real sneaky Pete.
He just he always he always evades me.
He knows just the things to do because he did his research.
I don't know where he I don't know where he is.
It's hard to track down, but I definitely killed him.
He's number one on my kill list.
He stole my stuff for his own hoard and he didn't give anything.
He didn't give anything back.
And he routinely he routinely shunts me into another plane of existence.
Routine routinely.
How I could take all my stuff.
Oh, what did he take?
Gosh, I'm sorry.
Hmm.
Perhaps a ring.
Yeah.
Ring.
Few of those.
He still is very he says very specific thing.
What one time he stole this little this cube I have one of the most precious objects.
It's called it.
I call it an instant fortress.
Love that thing.
Don't have it anymore.
Okay.
Instant fortress.
He's been stealing from me for about I don't know like 144 years by this point.
I'm sorry.
He's that old.
144 years.
Have you seen him?
I look at the humans of our crew and I am you know as a halfling I I I didn't realize humans could live that long.
Usually we don't.
Not humans.
Yeah.
Liches.
We don't.
Disgusting things.
Hate those guys.
Friend is a lich.
That's my guess anyway.
I've seen I've seen them come and go.
They all they all try to do the thing.
Yeah.
He lives he lives that long.
He keeps his whole thing secret.
I know a lich.
Interesting.
This cube that you mentioned the fortress.
Can you tell us more about what it does.
Oh well I'm not very good at naming things.
No apparently no one likes the turtle smile.
But it's a great name.
It's a great name.
Don't wonder.
I like you chest hair.
Anyways instant fortress.
You put you put it down and after you say and after you say the command word which I forgot it just sprawls out and creates this huge entire like almost like the size of a city.
A well fortified fortress.
It was built by the Valkyries but an archmage back then.
Actually it's the same guy who made the deck of many things.
Envelop this fortress city into a single cube.
For you to just put out.
And once you opened up this fortress is there a way to bring it back to the cube form.
Oh yeah.
You just got to say the command word again.
Which you do not remember.
Maybe I've written it down somewhere.
Do you John.
You don't know how to locate Brando.
But I have reason to believe that he'll be if he's not back to the sea already he'll be back on the sea soon.
Do you have the ability to scry.
You know who you're talking to right.
Of course I do.
I have some of his blood.
Give it to me.
Oh he was going to.
I just gently puts a hand on Daphne's knee when he sees him kind of like his eye turned like all the eye stocks.
Just look at you immediately.
She goes that's why I was telling you.
It's a shared enemy I'd rather you have all the until you can on him.
Sorry for the intensity.
All right.
It's merely being a pirate right.
Yeah totally.
Oh this is the pirate.
This is a pirate thing.
Yeah it's part of it.
Doing my best.
All right.
The the cloth that you used to wipe up the blood.
Correct.
Yeah I take I rip it in half because I want some still.
Yeah it floats in the air and is placed on the on the table.
And he goes.
All right well we'll get to that later so.
Remind me one more time what's the what's the plan here.
I go and meet my good friend for a chat.
We would appreciate it.
You know and just kind of to start over a new right start afresh with the eternal smile on the black guards gown.
Oh definitely.
Hilden would like to just look around to see if there's any scrolls or part from is that could potentially have some information like a password.
I would love to find that the password is password.
Like written in like you know like laser I've been to.
Yeah.
I feel like Hilden if you know he would like trying to be not menacing.
He would just sort of walk around.
See if there's anything.
No check needed like the room is pretty like open.
It's particularly in a place like the barrel I've spoken about before where there's like like little like rolled up parchment like sticking out.
That's the only place like indication of where like parchment is.
But I will say if you walk over there you see one of the ice stocks is remaining like really attentive on you.
Yeah, I will say that if Hilden were to reach toward the barrel and look at the part.
And notice the eye which he expects to be followed, he would just have a gesture almost as if as a question mark of putting a hand like over the parchment to see if the beholder reacts it with a provenly or not.
The ice stock John is talking to like everyone else is 10 10 right there but the ice stock is like looking at you and looking back at John like it's like hey are you seeing this like trying to get his attention but John doesn't seem to be reacting to you at the moment.
So the ice just kind of looks at you or squints.
It just kind of like not slowly like a like a very like a go ahead like a go ahead.
Which is really strange children.
So weird.
Are the ice dogs sentient on their own. It brings up too many questions.
I know.
Hilden just has a moment where he gives a solemn nod to the eye and and just proceeds to to reach for the nearest scroll.
Which going through this going through the scrolls.
You don't find particularly like anything. We're going to do this work like we have to go back.
I think it's like particularly interesting like these are maps.
There's a charter, a charter of the ship.
But you do find something. I'll say you do find something interesting like you turn off my password. None of that there just official documents, but there is a scroll of delayed fireball in here that you write and it's, it's late.
It's laser etched. You can tell it's been burned like like it's been written out and burned it.
The text and there's been burned into the scroll.
And how how schools work in my world is that they have the spell in there and use your action to cast it once and it does they think of the spell.
If you want to if you want to hold that.
I'm not going to take something from John.
I'll say that I'll leave it back there. I'll just keep it in my mind.
As he just returns to the combo. I will say I will say also one more thing in the barrel. There is like a spyglass.
Just place towards the bottom. That's it.
Hilden would investigate that like he would be curious to see the craftsmanship of it and potentially even test just to see if the lenses are good.
Very very finely made.
I would say as you peek through it.
The world seems very different immediately.
There's there's an almost like a theory reality through the lens that you're seeing like a different filter on the world.
Basically.
Jenny true seeing. Oh.
The Hilden who's not missus his being Hilden as soon as he does that and Paul said he just loudly just calls to John.
Can I keep this?
Yeah. What's that?
Are you having it?
Yeah.
All the ice talks look for a moment and there's a sudden like in like sudden intensity in John.
As long as you asked.
He'll just not.
He says much gratitude and he will have a look toward the one I who gave him the not in the beginning after the after saying the gratitude and give him give an extra not toward it.
It seems much it seems much more relaxed now.
I just got to put it in his pocket giving a look toward aura.
Yes. I know I know we look of like a sort of like I'll tell you later.
Okay, good.
Add a spy glass of choose choose site to your inventory.
Nice call, Jenny.
Grab Victor.
Thank you.
It just just goes.
All right. Well, we're both attacking Brando.
Is that right?
It's just me.
I think it is to our benefit if we are not near because he is incredibly aware of us right now.
He is very suspicious of us, but I think that is to your benefit because he is focused on us.
Perhaps you could steal something from him.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Like his shoes or his life.
Well, if he's a lich, does he have one?
Oh, yeah.
Do we do you know?
Do we know what a lich is?
Yeah, what's a lich guy?
I'm not that into like magic.
I usually do that to like other people.
Some of us are talking about this like this is some big thing.
Is it a bug?
Sorry.
Is he a bug?
Sorry.
I'm a really I'm a really well traveled person.
You know, I kind of forget that you guys are so small.
No, no, no, it's okay.
I travel too.
I just I'm just testing everybody else to see what they know what a lich is.
I know.
Everybody.
I'm very average for my height.
Thank you very much.
I've met you before.
Really spunky little really spunk, really spunky one.
You two of you.
You two of you would be good friends.
She was really nice.
But a lich.
Yeah.
You know, old people had to be cautious.
All of them are basically liches in my experience.
But these basically these undead thralls who go through who go through undead to achieve
great magical power.
Now, now, now personally, I think there's other great ways to do it in a much more friendlier
way that doesn't involve killing people, using people's souls to build yourself a phylactery
to create your anchor into the world.
But who am I to judge?
They know some crazy powerful magic.
That's how they got there in the first place.
Live for a long time.
But the but the but the reasoning why why they're sticking around.
They always got big ideas.
That's why that's how they became a lich in the first place.
You got to watch out for them.
They got crazy magic up up the wahoo.
And they're clever, too.
So how did you kill them?
Hmm?
How?
What is the best way to kill them?
Well, you got to find their phylactery.
You killed a big word.
Oh, yeah.
Hmm.
Everything in magic has big words in it.
That's why it's so hard.
But you got to find the phylactery.
It's this little thing that they've binded their binded their souls to.
You killed a material form.
They're just going to come back.
You got to find their lair.
It's phylactery.
Could it be a person?
It could.
You're a smart one.
Hill Gingis has a moment where he looks at aura definitely, but he doesn't say anything else.
I've seen I've seen liches do terrible things.
They force people to become part of the phylactery.
This one back in an era made a bunch of kids.
It's phylactery.
You got to kill the kids to kill him.
It's great.
What?
Whoa.
OK.
Oh, he's dead now.
Don't worry about that.
How do you know?
Are the kids?
Hmm?
Are the kids?
Yeah.
Oh.
OK.
How do you know if something's been made into a lich's phylactery?
How do you even go about finding them?
They often give their little signature to it.
But the easier thing to say is like you can't really spot it.
The easier thing is to use you look like a magical person.
Just detect it.
Detect the magic.
And if it feels like the lich, if you met them before, like if it feels like Brando,
if you smelled that musk, that's probably the phylactery.
I see.
Is there a way to like un-phylactery a person?
Oh yeah, destroy the thing.
Are we thinking it's Daryl?
You got to destroy the thing.
I think you mean the person.
Well, it's not so often a person.
I think that's got to be another level of phylactery, another level of lich.
Can you make them not, but without killing them?
Hmm.
I usually just kill them.
I never thought about that solution.
This phylactery though would have to be around for 144 years, technically, right?
Sure.
He could have been a lich after he started stealing it from me.
I do have a lot of stuff that helps people become liches, I'm thinking right now.
Does it take like a while to make a person a phylactery or can you just do it real quick?
It's a real complex process and I'm the one that's saying that.
It's real complicated.
I've only seen one do it, but I know it can be done.
But most often, it's just an object.
An anchor, like you said.
Yeah.
And often it's got to be close by, especially if the lich wants to use their whole power.
So they can't tuck it away in a box and just leave it at home.
Out of character, I wish it was Deacon at the end.
I'm thinking, because I did take the time to, while I was in that fourth cage, size up everything that I could possibly remember in the camp.
Can I think of anything that Brando was like holding or had on him or he stood near or something that seemed out of place?
Recalling that back, he had like a staff and stuff, but thinking of stuff that he would hold.
If a phylactery would be something you want to hide or something you wouldn't want out in the open.
So it's probably something he's kept hidden, definitely.
He used a great bit of magic there.
So if he is a lich, if I like to read, it would be someone nearby.
If.
He didn't become like, based on his reaction to Deacon beating the fuck out of Darryl.
Like, he wasn't like more worried.
He was cold. He was cold, that pan. He was letting.
Okay. Yeah.
All right. All right. So probably all right then.
I don't think it's Darryl.
He didn't have Darryl for very long. He was stuck in a dungeon for a while.
There was a moment when Deacon was hitting Darryl that Brando just turned back and said, hey, can you let up a bit? Can you loosen up a bit? Basically.
But that's it.
Yeah.
I doubt it. It's only been six months.
Well, he didn't even have Darryl for six months. He was in a dungeon.
Right.
Yeah, but he would have had access to him in theory.
Yeah.
Because it was Orhondor.
You wouldn't happen to know. I mean, you've known him longer than we have, certainly.
You wouldn't happen to know. He seems so secretive and elusive. Does he have a real identity? Is a real name? Is Brando even his real name?
If you knew the real name, you'd be able to take them out immediately. Nothing has more power than someone's real name.
If I knew it, he'd be donezo right now.
So is Jon your real name?
Yes.
Oh, cool.
Can you shut the fuck up? That's definitely a telepathic message.
That's just a good one. That's all. Slick the eternal smile. Great name.
Thank you. I like Chess here.
You know maybe why.
I was just gonna ask, like, maybe you know why he wanted to become a lich? Like, Bauer's just so stereotypical. Like, maybe he has loved ones or I don't know, something.
I don't think anyone loves him.
Oh, that's good.
Well, that's true.
Every lich I know is different. They got their own personal reasons. Like, I have a loved one. I don't know about that.
Maybe my wife died. What about our wives?
What's a wife?
Maybe he got divorced and that's why he's so angry. Maybe.
Me? Yes.
I mean, I'm just, I'm just saying like if you love somebody and like for example hypothetically like if I loved somebody I'm just like throwing out ideas, spitball and throwing stuff at the wall, see what sticks.
Like if I really love somebody and somebody like I don't know like hurt them or threaten them, I would be like, you know, pretty angry.
So that's a good reason to become a lich, right?
Well, you got a story. Tell me more.
Yeah, I'm just gonna, you know what, I'll just, I just go back to my list that I'm writing out for him and I'm starting writing romance novels. I'm adding that to the list.
I got you. Don't worry. We can talk later. We'll stay in touch.
You know, didn't say anything else. It just looks at a rough for a moment and then back to normal.
So, question, Captain John.
You know, you know, this Brando like intimately right you you know some of his abilities and whatnot. We know some things that he can do but can you enlighten us on perhaps his other what other skills he may have.
One time he just walked into my, he walked into my room, my lair, didn't even say hello, launched a whole bunch of meteors at me.
Just meteors? Yeah, like a big meteor swarm. It was terrible.
We're on fire? Oh yeah, absolutely.
Like in the ship? No, no, in my lair. I have a lair somewhere in the world.
And there are no teleportation circles here to that lair.
Insight check. Yeah, insight check.
You know what, you know what, hold on. Pew! Shoots a little laser at Zachariah. Zachariah, you just forget the last five seconds. Anyways.
I look at Zachariah to see if like he looks okay.
Yeah, just, is there a weird... It's like, it's like you were talking and then all of a sudden you're blinking and like a little bit of pink energy is like off of you.
It's like you just suddenly like, like the world, like the world around you just kind of jumped for some reason.
Like you, like you glitched, you stuttered. Do I have, is there any weird effects since I'm, you know, memories?
What did you do? What did you do? No.
What did you do? Oh no.
I was making a joke.
Okay. Everyone, everyone sees as he shoots the laser. It's like, oh right, this ain't gonna hurt. Pew! Zachariah's body for a second just completely shifts into like a completely other, like a completely other outfit.
A completely like different like, but you've seen this, you've seen this person before, like Zachariah's gone through many outfits, but like the hole in his chest, the bandages are gone.
It's like his chest. It's his, this is the outfit he was wearing when he was drenched and wet when you first met him at the docks.
And then, and then it shifts one, it shifts one more time as he's like, he's like being pulled somewhere.
You see his, his form is misty and, and a bit like, a bit, a bit clouded. You're not entirely sure.
You know, you're not entirely sure what's going on.
As he's suddenly pulled forward again and Zachariah, you, you feel something pulling you as you just, you stumble forward.
Back in your form now, bandages on.
Uh.
Oh, did I use the wrong beep?
What did you do?
I just wanted to make him forget the last five seconds.
You can communicate that.
Can you forget the last five seconds?
No.
All right.
Do I?
Do I remember the last five seconds?
You just, you just remember, your body becomes formless and during that time.
You know how you can feel your muscles inside of your, inside of your hand, it's kept in there, that's your bundle of nerves. It's as if your whole like feeling, like your whole like nerve system just expanded for that moment and it just recollected.
So that's what you remember.
I could touch Zachariah to make sure he's real.
Yeah, he's real.
Hilden is standing still, but one of his hands is actually very discreetly on one of his hands.
Or his hands are like on her pistols, like trying really hard not to.
Interesting, interesting.
He, he, he like levitates down, like looking directly at you. His big eyes looming right over you, Zachariah.
It just goes.
Hi.
You're not human, are you?
In what regard?
He goes,
Give me one second.
Hey, you.
Give me, give me the spyglass thing.
The what?
The spyglass.
Looking at Hilden.
You see both of them are like fucking like western movie. Their hands are like hovering over their heads.
Hilden looks.
Hilden looks between them.
And looks at Aura.
And just reaches for the spyglass.
I'm going to stand in front of Zachariah.
I'm going to put my body in front of him and just look at the eyes that are staring.
Hey, hold on, move out of the way.
It's okay. You know, I can vouch for Zachariah. He's weird. We all know that, but he's definitely human.
Okay, that's the little group.
So anyways, back to our common enemy, Brando.
Very suddenly, four of the eyestalks like move adjacent to each other and they arc over.
And they all glow blue.
Okay.
Just looking. It is something along the lines of like the tech magic.
And it's like.
Oh, fuck the compass.
Looking at Zach.
Real interesting.
Real, real interesting.
Okay.
Not even.
You know what's interesting? Did I ever tell you about the time that I fought an actual god?
Hilden is going to.
Yeah, she did that.
Hilden is going to use the spyglass himself and use it on Zachariah.
I'm just going to like back away.
Hey, you know, you'd be welcome with my crew.
You know, you know, I'm currently taken, but I've flattered, you know.
I have creatures. You know, I've met creatures from hell. I'm not judging.
I've met dead people before. It's okay.
But something just made out of bundle of pure memories being brought together by a pure kindred collective of spirits.
That's something so different.
Oh, fuck. I am looking at Daphne.
That's a lot of words.
I've always wanted to try my hand at experimenting on things like that.
No, I'm good. Experiment is a trigger word. Experiment is a trigger word for her.
Really good.
How about that I you were going to give me an eye?
We can do that instead. That sounds fun.
Hold on. We'll talk about that later.
Wait, I'm sorry. I got to go to the bathroom. Is there a bathroom on the ship?
Yeah, Zachariah, I'll help you find the bathroom.
I don't know about the buddy system.
No, I really do.
Yeah, I'm remembering that I got to use the bathroom.
Your pee is a memory stream. Okay.
Well, I have to use the bathroom.
And what you don't know is Zachariah always helps me go to the bathroom.
It's an emotional bonding thing. It's what pirates do. We pee together.
Exactly. I have it on this list. I gave him his reading list.
Yeah.
Yep. It's in this book right here.
You learn about the buddy system within piracy and how it's really important to toilet.
So I'm just going to put my arms with Zachariah.
Yeah. Let's go.
We're just going to.
That all happened so fast.
During this whole thing, Hilden used the spyglass to look at Zachariah.
Looking at Zachariah, like the humanoid form, you see everything, but you do see like wisps, little floating wisps.
Like everyone's standing around each other. Of course, no one else has it.
But around Zachariah specifically, subtle differences. It's subtle.
Little wisps, like enveloping his body, moving around him.
You guys got interesting people too.
Captain John, one of the most important things about being a captain is keeping your crew safe.
As you have seen with one of my crewmates, Zachariah, he has a very special set of circumstances that make him incredibly vulnerable to those who wish to use such resources as we can see Brando.
I really sincerely hope that after your first mate has attacked my crew, not once, but one could also argue that you did attack my crewmate right just then with a spell, we can come to a common agreement and work together to form an alliance of sorts.
I will ask that that is your... Please...
I sincerely hope we can work together as members of the Sadist Buu Confederation.
She really lays down the law.
Alright, I can get why you'd be a little upset with me.
Considering all the circumstances.
And I can see why you all need to help each other go use the bathroom.
That's a really good system actually, and he's being genuine.
I don't deny it.
I don't have particulars to use. I just kind of make my own babies.
But anyways.
No, no, no, no, no, no, that was a completely separate thing.
That was a completely separate thing.
Stephanie Hilton and Aura!
That was a completely separate thing. I'm not saying... I don't know.
Anyways, there's some things I don't know about. There's some things I don't know about. I'm learning. I'm always learning. I love learning.
But... yeah.
I suppose your friends are gonna leave us for a bit, but you're the big honcho I need to talk to, the big cheese.
Here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna go by myself to go fight Brando.
You can't kill him without the phylactery though.
Oh, I found it.
Correct.
Okay.
I'll fight it. I'll smash it.
Brando, you might... this might be a given, given what you know about Brando, but he can tell when he's being scryed on.
I also have... and she just has these in her pockets, by the way. She pulls out like a little container and it has hair in it.
Oh, you just have it?
A little creepy.
Yeah, she takes out some and she goes, this is the hair of Deacon Kalinda, who I believe will also be traveling with him.
Oh, do I gotta kill that guy too?
And he's a lot... no, that's my job.
Got it.
But if you need to scry on their location, he's a lot easier than Brando, in my opinion, because he's an idiot.
Oh, I love idiots. Great.
We also have a willing cry person. I'm not there.
I don't want him to know about Deacon.
Yeah, that's fair.
He knows too much already.
He looks at the hair, kind of like the eye stalks are like all revolving around it.
He goes, alright. Thank you, Daffodil. This will work. This is all gonna work.
And you know, I'm probably gonna do this by myself because I don't know how to command a crew and I've... really, things really go right when I do them by myself.
Except for that one time I was with someone who looked like you, putting out aura.
Me and her, we worked together like two pieces of bread, put together.
I'm happy to hear that.
Is it just going to be a spur of the moment decision or would you be able to let us know when you're making an attack?
Oh, I'm probably gonna do it like today or tomorrow.
I have teleportation circles that are not on the ship.
No, of course not.
She gets it.
Okay.
Also, if I may, I apologize for my abruptness. It can be quite exhausting on the seven seas.
You know, when I Jane has been drafting up a spicy list for you of wonderful pirate tales, you mentioned underwater caverns.
I have not, as you see, I cannot breathe underwater.
I would love to know, do you have any books that you recommend or tones to reaching such caverns or how one might go about that?
To reaching underwater caverns?
Books on how to breathe underwater?
Just like, you know, you mentioned it very briefly.
It was just so specific that I was really fascinated by it.
Yeah, I got a couple in one of my libraries.
In one of them? Might I take a loan? Or perhaps I could trade you something of mine?
Are you willing to trade the chest hair man?
No.
I wanted to see what Modified Memory could do.
Okay, so yet again, experimenting on people is a trigger term for Aura, so she's going to take a deep breath and breathe out.
Perhaps something you don't have.
I have given you Brando's blood.
Give me... why don't you give me one of... one of Zachariah's hair strands.
Why?
Does it have to be from the...
Are you trying to scry on him? Is that kind of what... or you want to experiment on his hair?
I would like to look at his hair. For like a month.
Right.
Just to figure out.
Anything else?
Well, since you offered.
Oh my god.
Let me think.
How about some information?
How about your hat?
No. How about some information?
How about a proper pirate to train your crew after all of this is over?
Oh thank goodness. You're offering yourself. That's awesome.
You... Aura gives a look of bitch.
Alright, no take back chief. I'm taking that. Yeah.
We did say that they could come and intern on our ship. So, you know.
I think we said that last session.
Yeah, we did.
After all of this is over, if your pirate crew needs training, I will offer my services for a limited time to ensure that they know what to do for you.
Ah. That sounds so good.
I thought a pirate crew was just like an evil gang, but on the ocean. It's so different. Yeah. That sounds great.
Each crew is different. You define, and your crew defines, how you want to be.
If you want your crew to smile, find what brings them joy and makes them happy. Don't force it upon them.
Then you will truly have a disastrous evil group of critters.
I'm just saying, I didn't force the volleyball pit in there.
No, I love the volleyball pit. Oh my goodness. You appreciate it. I do. I love the game of volleyball. We don't have any sand on our ship.
Someone told me pirates don't play volleyball. That's a lie. That's a bit... Thank you. You're welcome.
Well, and I look to... while... when I, Jane and Zachariah are still in the bathroom.
I don't know where we're going. I think we're just going somewhere. I think we're pulling him off the ship.
Yeah, I think we're just going. Yeah.
We're pulling each other different directions because we don't know where we're going. No, we gotta get out of here.
No, no. I think it's this way. This is where we came. You are not pulling...
The captain told me... I am the navigator. I am the navigator. It's this way.
The captain told me we're not supposed to tell secrets if we don't want to, so I'm trying to protect you, Zachariah. We need to get the fuck out of here.
I'm trying to. That's the way to the... Wait, which way did we go?
We don't have to go to the bathroom, by the way. That's really weird. We need to talk about this more later. Hang on. I knew it on the dive.
Excuse me. Are you lost?
No!
Oh, it's you, friend.
Hello there. Looking at Zachariah, I am Marshmallow.
I almost fought you on the ship, but I was really... But would I Jane really beat the shit out of me?
Really?
Yeah. I'm keeping him, by the way.
Oh. Does Brooke know?
Who's Brooke?
No, not in that same sec, right? It's a cat.
Don't be weird.
Yeah, Zach.
Okay, listen, Marshmallow, we need to get the fuck out of here.
What are you trying to get out of here? Why don't you follow me?
Okay, come on. I trust this cat. I just pull a lockstacker, right?
Okay.
Alright, back to the job.
Oh, boy.
Alright, I'll book an underwater cat. I'll book an underwater cat. Just general speaking.
Ancient civilizations, you know, those tend to have artifacts. I mean, you have so many... I mean, you know you have so many ancient magical artifacts. We'd love to have some of our own. That would be very fun.
Right, right, right.
Well, you gotta go find them.
We do have them, that's right. You wouldn't have any that you want to, you know, loan to us or, you know, that we could borrow for a bit.
And good faith, of course.
Make a persuasion check.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
He likes his things.
I was gonna say I don't think he's gonna give me shit.
Would this be leadership or negotiation? This is negotiation, right?
Negotiation.
Cool, so I'm gonna use an expertise dice.
Emmit includes... yep.
Did it roll? Yep, it is a 15.
A 2 on the die.
Wait, I got a 2 on the die and I still got plus 13?
You're capable much.
Not in the magic department.
You are far superior there than us.
You are. I mean, look at all those spells you sling. It's so impressive. Hear us, we're mortals.
Shoots lasers. Oh my god, wow.
Elgen insists.
Daphne too.
But I'm sorry, my things are... mine.
Can't really give you artifacts. Could give you general magical things though.
That I would love. I got a cup, I got the Zalcumustations, I have stuff I throw away all the time.
Oh, we'll take them. Recycling is so important, especially in these days.
Everyone tells me that, but...
Recycling.
Do you happen to have something that makes you better at... like negotiations?
Hmm.
Or a... not gonna say anything but clock set.
The potion of the silver... I have a potion of silver tongue, I think. That could help.
I got a couple of those.
Oh. I don't need that.
Oh yeah, we'll take them off your hands. Help, you know, clean up, you know, have more space for your new things.
Spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning. Make way for new items.
You know what, I'll just gather a bunch of things that I don't need anymore.
I'll put it all in a nice one bag of holding and I'll just... I'll just have it right over.
We'd really appreciate that. In exchange, I'll give you a documentation and onboarding forms for the Sadist Boot Confederation.
Huh. I got to... yeah, that'll work.
Paperwork. Yep, there's paperwork.
Oh, great.
Yeah.
Love those.
Perhaps with those items... weapons, since you clearly have enough magic and if you have found any weaponry along your journeys, you may not need them as much.
I don't know what you mean by clearly have enough magic. I need a couple more.
But you know what? I got a couple... I got a couple I can give to you. You guys can have it.
Because I like you guys that much.
Oh.
Especially that Zack guy. He really cares about his story.
Alrighty.
You guys noticed the divine... the divinity surrounding him? That was kind of crazy.
And also when that one-eyed person was standing in front of the person, she had like magic in her blood.
You know, faith works in mysterious ways. Thank you, Captain John. It's been an absolute pleasure getting to know you. We appreciate your loans, your books. We hope you enjoy those spicy reads.
And know that the Black Guards and, you know, my helmsman, Hilden, will be giving a tutorial of sorts should you need him in the future with your crew.
Because I'm really glad he wraps an arm stalk around you.
He just goes like an arm around your shoulder.
He goes, I'm really glad we can get this friendship going.
There's an eyeball right here.
Yeah. You, and he uses one of the eye stalks to poke you, like poke you in the shoulder. And me? We're gonna get along so well.
Does he close his eyes when he pokes people with them or does he...
Oh, he definitely closes his eyes.
Yeah, he does.
Eye contact. You have to make eye contact with people.
He read that in a pirate book once.
Yes, Captain John, I hope that once things slow down, I would love to invite you on board for a game of chess.
Great. Yeah. Chess! Oh, I love chess.
As do I.
There's a version of it where you use the special pieces and it explodes all the other way.
I've heard of that. And normally I just use these and she points at her guns.
I use these! Eyes.
Ah, okay.
Thank you, Captain John. It was a pleasure meeting you.
Daph?
Daphne.
Ah, he's your last name. Got it.
He goes, by the way, I don't know if you guys, if you guys have anyone really strong, I have a sword. I have a sword that was connected to a stone. I couldn't get it out of us. I just took it with the stone.
Yeah, throw it in the bag. Throw it in the bag. You know, we can always make something work with it.
Yeah.
Something about I'm not worthy. It's weird.
Oh, you are more than worthy, Captain.
I'm just imagining that I'm imagining one on Jane can't get out of the stone either. So she just picks the sword up stone and all.
Just club. Just clubbing the whole thing.
Oh my Lord. All right. Go ahead. Skedaddle. I got a plan for I got a plan for my my big day out.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
If you need to borrow one of the ships, you can go ahead and do that too. I don't know.
With your crew. That would be well, wait.
I guess you could do it with the crew. Yeah, sure.
With his, with his, this is an Ept crew. Maybe we're better off on our own.
We were talking about potentially training them.
We did hire on a bunch. But do we have we have how many days?
I don't think we have the time. You guys don't know how many days.
Well, bring the marshmallow and the strong lady and all the weirdos that we met and they can manage that ship.
Bring the mage NPC.
We're keeping Marshmallow on. We're not letting him go back to the ship.
So, of course. Should anyone wish to join us, we would appreciate a ship. Of course. Of course.
I got to find a new first mate.
Trust.
I'll create some trials.
I'll make him jump. I'll make him like go through like a dungeon full of traps.
Whoever wins, whoever lives gets to be first mate.
Maybe try some team building exercises or something.
Yeah, just get to know the person. You know, do your ideals align.
Oh, okay.
Yeah. Do you share common beliefs? What kind of goals do you want to reach as a pirate crew together?
You know, those are the things you should really sit down and talk about.
Got it. Got it. All right. Team building exercise. I just got to make clones of people.
Okay. You know what? I'm bringing you to the drawing board.
I totally I knew I saw that coming.
I saw team building. I just I just thought of human centipede and my brain. I was not.
Did Jane leave the list?
I left it with him.
He's looking at it. He goes, oh, I read that one before.
And that's let's go. Let's piece. We got to do. We got to get out.
One of the ice talks does follow for a bit.
It goes really long for some reason, like a really big long rope as it follows.
And it seems to be like, oh, yeah, take a right. Yep.
Up the stairs and you're out of here. Just making sure you guys don't steal anything.
Nope. Nope. We've got a bag of holding. We'll take the bag of holding. We're good.
And you all head up when I Jane and Zachariah. Are you is anything to do if you want to do Jane?
I'm telling you, I can pee. I've done it before.
That's not the point of the second. None of us. We need to get off this ship.
We have to get off the ship. They want to do weird stuff to you, which if you're into, hey, just say that.
I mean, I mean, but like, I'm not into, you know, at first I was like, oh, new eye.
I mean, like now weird stuff is like there always have to be here. We have to talk.
OK, anyway, let's go. That's the whole thing.
Look, we'll get on the ship. Let's go. Yeah. Yeah. Gosh.
So do you have to be or not? No, I don't have to pee, but I can.
No, but like you can't. OK, I'm telling you have to.
But I can. Like on command.
No, like, I mean, can you do you have to?
No, I mean, like you're kind of like dead. Dead, right?
I'm fine. I've done it.
I've been doing it. You don't understand the question.
Do you have to? You're just doing it for pleasure, like just for like routine.
No, it's not for pleasure. It's you know, I guess I just I'm like, oh, I got to go and then I go.
OK, OK. So noted if I die and come back like you, then you still have to go to the bathroom.
That kind of seems really lame. But anyways, we'll talk about this later.
I mean, do I have to? I don't know if I have to, but I thought I had to.
Don't don't do it for a couple of days. Let's see how long you can go. I'm so curious now.
I'm not just going to like hold it. That's bad for your.
Terrell always says don't hold it. It's bad for your. What's this thing that goes right here?
I look like a medical professional. Like, I don't know.
I just stab and I punch and then it's just things come out sometimes like, you know, an organ or two.
But I don't know. It was an organ. That's the word.
Oh, you didn't know that word? No, I mean, I know the word, of course.
Black guard. It's fine.
This is the black art gallery. And then we leave. And then we leave.
And then coming out of the top is Captain Aura and Daphne and Hills.
Marshmallow, can you pee? Do you know how to? Oh, my God.
Yes, of course. No, no.
You know, pound cake also has to sometimes. Oh, my Lord.
You have to ask Coco about it. Coco knows.
Of course I have to pee. They're living beings. That's not the point of this conversation, Zachary.
Who is this Coco person? And by this point, everyone's getting.
We're just pushing you gently onto the ship. You can keep at your conversation.
We were arguing while on the gangplank.
Yeah, like, seriously arguing.
As you guys coming on top, I will say definitely for Captain Aura and Daphne,
you haven't had time to process this, but a cat walks up to you on a tiny feet.
Hello there. I am Marshmallow, famed fighter before I became a cat.
But looking to become looking to build my legend.
Is it all right if I press with you onto your journey for a little bit?
I am very interested. I have heard much about the Black Cat's gallery.
I just look at Daphne and I go, you used to not be a cat.
He looks off into the distance.
The same thing that one eye Jane does when she's recollecting her stories.
He looks he looks finally into the distance because I was once a famous swordsman from the kingdom of his hands.
Yes, we were long time fighters and anyone could stop him anytime now.
So an experiment. OK, come on board. We're happy to have you.
Was your name always Marshmallow?
No, OK, surprisingly, OK, I called it.
So I called it some act in this character at some point.
I just have to. We have to play the other crew.
Yeah, the B team. Oh, gosh.
Please. I know is Jen.
You're playing Roland. No, I'm going to join this group.
Never Roland's the B team and I'm going to play Captain.
So you all go. You all walk the game plank onto the other ship.
I would say the rest of your crew has been has been there.
They've been waiting around keeping keeping alert.
Clarence being at the forefront of all of them.
But seeing seeing you all come back,
you see that the that the planks are raised
and all of you come back all of you come back to the ship.
And it seems like everyone's like awaiting like like for you to like what happened,
like what's Captain John like basically like your crew, like looking at you.
Is Narnia also on our ship flexing?
No, she's not. She's been flexing on the other deck.
Oh, OK. I'll just like waver over. Oh, yeah.
Oh, no. Yeah.
Hold on. What's the general consensus here?
If only one person wants me, it's got to be it's got to be majority vote.
Anyone is welcome on board. Let's go.
It just looks like Narnia feels like right now.
Narnia joined the party. I also look at Aura.
Really? I don't think it's fair to tell people no.
She's a really good fighter, so she says.
So, you know, I haven't hit a single attack when I was when I was fighting you guys.
Oh, it looked like it would have hurt if she did.
Well, yeah. Please introduce yourself to the rest of the crew.
Could I have my inner circle to the game room so we can chat for a moment?
OK. Thank you.
There's a talking cat.
He's cool, though. He's mine.
He's one. OK.
Zachariah, are you all right? You OK?
Yeah, I feel fine. Right.
This is a lie. He's a crazy guy.
They call me wacky Zacky. That's what Coco and we do.
But, you know, he was he was wacky or, you know, you're made of memories.
You're made of footsteps.
So I've heard so I've heard.
Clarence goes, All right, apparently a lot happened.
So why don't we go down to the game room and talk about it?
We all just the memories, you know.
No, you don't seem concerned at all.
Can we bring some drinks with us to the game?
Because I don't understand it. So, you know, Humphrey, whiskey, please.
Yeah, please. This is too philosophical for.
Are we all just memories?
Yeah, we all are. We're just memories.
Go to the game room. Go. We are past.
Everyone goes up to the game room as the crew as the crew has because you committed to as a tense Anania.
And you see Anania and Marshmallow on her shoulder and just go, Hello, Blackyards Calorie.
I'm Narnia, Narnia, the Tempest, and I'm Marshmallow.
And you see dark clouds begin to swirl overhead.
But you guys are gone. Let me show you.
We're too illy to be dealing with them right now.
Of course, everyone like tap rolling on the back.
I hear Narnia single and just kind of give them a roll and then roll it up there at the moment.
OK, actually, like everyone's up there.
But I was going to say, as you're heading as you're heading down past the game room, you see,
Roland is the only one in the middle room, like tending to something in his chest.
Like everyone has foot lockers and extra hammocks.
And as you as you all come in, he just kind of like he just kind of like lurches up.
And then he just kind of like closes the foot locker real quick.
And it is it is when I didn't you know this space, you know, everyone's assigned hammocks.
Because I look at you.
Hey, Roland, anything interesting happen?
No, no. What's all that shouting outside?
You can't take magic. We got some new crewmates, you know, though.
It is a cat.
Oh, we already got one of those.
Another one. A talking cat.
A swordsman talking cat.
You keep adding things to it.
A swordsman talking cat with a very.
That's the thing about lying. It's that when you add more details, it becomes less of a good lie.
It's a very sexy accent, I will say.
A swordsman talking cat with an accent that apparently belongs to One Eye Jane now.
Yeah, yeah, it's my cat. So hands off.
Aw, One Eye Jane.
Is that what I have to do to get your attention?
Become, yes, become a cat and we can talk.
Well, I can actually do that.
Roland, actually, I just I wanted to have a chat with you in private.
You guys can run along. I'll catch up to you guys in a little bit.
Roland, my boy here has to we got to be in chat for a moment.
He goes, all right, Zachariah, getting right down to business.
He, his eyes avert down to a Hilgen for a moment.
Like he's been looking at everyone. He's the only one like here.
Everyone else is a buff deck. Right.
He looks to a Hilgen for a second and looks to the spyglass.
And he just kind of like looks at it for a moment and he goes.
Is that new?
Why did you ask?
Oh, I'm just asking.
I just follow his eye line.
I am asking why did you ask?
I'm just curious. I'm just asking idle questions. We're friends.
Does it look like he's familiar with it? Like he's seen it before?
It's like he's he's he's looking at it. Make an insight check for me.
OK, but this fall under sensing motives or detecting lies.
Probably not. No. If you fail it, though, I can pass it.
Same. Nat 20.
She passes that.
Or if she fails it, we can still pass it.
One second here.
You see, he he seems I'll whisper to you actually.
Oh, don't worry about it.
Everyone covered their ears. No one.
We just take off our headphones.
I will whisper to you in the DMS.
We're all like, OK, hold on. I'm covering my ears.
I'm covered. I'm covered.
Jenny does it all the time. Everyone does that. OK.
It's sad music, so I feel like it's not malicious.
That's how he traps you.
So he's Brando and I was right to hate him.
Could you imagine? So I always knew.
OK, so he's like a serial liar, kind of like when I Jane, right?
So like, what if no, I've never told a lie.
What if he also is like what if he's like a changeling or something?
But he, you know, just chose the worst, the worst possible look as is saying he was like, oh, this looks hot, right?
He just has bad taste. Did I sense anything on my detect magic?
You did not. OK.
All right. Well, it seems like there's an unacircle group.
So I'm going to let you all get to your business.
I'm going to introduce myself to the nice talking cat.
Actually, with that question, I'm going to assume that and correct me if I'm wrong, but Roland notices something like a spyglass on my belt and commenting on it.
It's not like a common thing.
Would I be safe to assume that Roland is an awfully chatty individual?
But it's up to it's up to illusion.
Definitely. I mean, he's been down here by himself as well.
Before we move away or before Zachariah and Roland go to talk, he's going to hear a telepathic message in his head that says, if you need to talk about anything,
I'm always here.
He signs.
Trust me.
You've made that very clear.
And I know.
Thank you.
OK.
She'll continue on down the hall towards the game room. I'll catch up to you in a second, guys.
Arm around Roland's shoulder.
Oh, Zachariah.
Hi.
Oh, there.
I just I needed a moment.
I feel like they're going to grill me in a second.
So I just wanted a moment to breathe.
Oh, what the fuck did you do?
Nothing.
I don't think.
No, I've told you.
I've always told everyone you're a big problem.
You know that?
Wait, what?
I told I keep telling people you're a big fucking problem.
You always walking around with your fucking top three buttons down and then you're just showing off this this bush on your chest.
OK. All right.
I've been calling it the ambush for a while now.
Like a mermaid with your song attracting people so you can drown them underwater.
But the water is just sweat.
Oh, you're a problem.
Anyways, what do you need?
Well, OK. Listen, Roland, I get it.
You're attracted to me.
Most people are.
I am.
It's fair.
Listen, I actually have wanted to be getting away from the rest is a nice little thing, but I did actually want to talk to you.
You know, you can do magic stuff, right?
I can.
Yes.
Can you send a message to someone?
What do you need me to send a message to?
I just want to get I just want to talk to Darrell.
I want to make sure he's OK.
Of course.
Yeah, I can do that.
Malt.
I'm just giving you a warning, though.
Yeah.
It's going to be three.
It's going to be three only.
OK, that's fine.
So choose your words carefully. There's only 25 words.
Oh, geez.
You know, I'll just tell you you're good with words, right?
So I'll just tell you the gist of what I want and and I'll trust you to handle it.
Just please don't be weird about it.
It's gone through a lot.
Hey, this means a lot to you, right?
Yeah.
I got this.
OK.
I'll do what I want.
Maybe you could take your time with it.
OK, I see that you're getting a little bit excited right now.
But the great thing about this is that you could prepare what you say.
OK.
Roland, thank you.
You know, I.
I'm just going to give him a hug, pick him up as I'm stronger than I should be if I crack a rib.
Put him back down.
I was.
Roland.
Wait, wait, wait. Listen, listen.
Sorry.
Listen, this is this means a lot.
Thank you.
Hey.
Yes.
I know I joke around a lot, but I do anything for you.
You know that, right?
Thanks for everyone, but I need you to know that.
Listen, you.
You lie about a lot of things.
That's the way of putting it right about it.
Like, let's just be clear.
I'm not the only one who fucking lies when I James lies about everything.
Yeah, it's that's we know.
But.
Look, you.
Like I said before, I'll be your wingman and I'm going to start off Jane Brooke, not going to work out.
Not on you. It's on them.
So I wouldn't I wouldn't keep trying.
I'm going to be completely honest with you.
Yeah.
I'm not really looking to get anyone.
Oh, I was going off.
I was going to.
I'm just here for I'm just doing it for fun.
But but really, you know, friendships important.
OK.
Things like that.
Oh, I know Brooks.
I know I'm never going to get broke.
Oh, she punched the living shit out of me.
Yeah. Sorry.
Sorry about that.
You know, no, it's right or wrong.
You know, no, it's all right.
By the way, you owe me for that.
You're fucking prick here.
Yeah.
Like I said, like I said, if there is anyone, let me know and I will do my damnedest to help you out.
I think it might be a bit.
But.
And I don't need to help you.
You got I think you've got everything down pat.
To be honest.
Yeah, yeah, I do.
But listen, you're right.
You're acting a little strange.
Acting a little strange.
So I'm my typical self.
No, you're talking.
You're talking a lot less than normal.
What the fuck are you talking about?
I listen.
That's a skill I have.
That's an important skill.
Is that something to do with and I've looked at the his chest?
Not his chest, but like the chest on the ground.
Oh, OK.
My tits.
I know we don't listen.
He may look at mine, but I'm not looking at his.
Don't look at my moobs.
Yeah, I have personal things.
And I kept I guess you don't know everything about me.
I'm a sentimental person.
And by this point, you see his eyes kind of like clear up for a moment.
And you see walking down the stairs like rubbing her temples is Brooke, who has escaping from the introductions outside.
She looks up at the she does look up at the both of you to like to roll in and into you.
Hey, Brooke.
She sighs, but she's not annoyed.
Are you OK?
Hi, Brooke.
You're normally annoyed.
I'm just heading to the kitchen.
You know, Humphrey will chop your hand off if you get into a stash.
I do it all the time.
He hasn't caught me yet.
Good thing I keep my nose in my business.
She looks to she she looks to she looks to roll in for a moment and rolling just goes just gives a nod and and Brooke just gives one not back and just walks away to the kitchen.
I look at him. Oh, you were in the same room and she didn't punch you either.
She's not feeling well.
You're you're improving.
Do you think I'm just a walking bit, Zachariah?
I just go everywhere and I just become a joke of a scene.
I'm a living being.
I know you are.
I can talk.
People understand who I am.
Do we?
Of course.
Anyways, was this the break you wanted?
Yeah.
Anything and more?
Yeah.
All right.
Yeah, there.
I got to get to them or they're going to.
Oh boy.
All right.
Listen, like I said, you need anything.
Come to me.
I want to help you out.
I need you, brother.
I don't think we're doing anything.
So I'm doing anything today or tomorrow.
So I'll save all my sendings for you if you have anything you want to say to someone.
Yeah, come back to me.
I'll give him like a pat on the shoulder, probably a heavy pat.
Oh, you're so strong somehow.
You know, I'm not.
Oh, it's probably the belt.
You know, if you know when I'm done with it, I'll let you have it.
A fucking belt.
Do you think that Roland needs a belt?
Well, it lets you it lets you do this.
I'll just pick him up.
Let's you do that.
Pretty cool.
Brooke opens the door.
And then don't worry, I'm not I'm saving the beats for you.
Don't worry.
Shots.
She's in a mood.
All right.
I don't know what I didn't hear you say that.
She's probably interested, honestly.
She's a bit she's a bit of a she's a bit of a freak sometimes I find you just say that about her because she has one eye.
No, no, no.
Fuck.
I'm not that kind of proland.
Sucker.
Get the fucking move on.
Look, use your legs.
Go.
It's good at all.
Gosh.
As I get to the game room, I'll just sort of shout, hey, what I Jane, you should have heard what Roland said about you as I shut the door.
Yes, given a bit before as that guy joins, as you all go into the game room, Clarence, let's go.
Before we continue, I'm glad to see everyone's okay.
But I do have to ask.
How's the boy?
Zachariah.
Am I the boy grown man, the boy.
And I guess.
Excuse me.
Yeah.
An amalgamation of memories.
What are we all not just know we're not going to.
Brando's a lich.
All right, I'm beginning to see a lot of revelations were had on the other ship.
But Zachariah.
What you said was true.
Lord and you saw through a looking glass.
Did you know.
Yes.
Though I do not know exactly what I saw.
I'm not clear.
Let's keep up.
I have a.
And Hildren takes the spy glass and hands it to Daphne.
Perhaps you are able to understand this better than I can.
She does have detect magic up so she can tell the school of magic at least.
I believe.
Actually, I'm going to check.
But yeah, true site.
Definitely.
It's divination.
I'm assuming.
I'm thinking it's also divination, but I'm checking just in case.
She.
Yeah, she'll look through it.
And I think she could probably realize what it is.
Huh?
Definitely.
She is.
Should let you see into the ethereal plane.
Ghosts and whatnot.
And well, actually, that's where if you were to be scryed on, that's where the sensor.
Would reside.
And hide.
You would be able to see the.
The I don't.
I don't know exactly what it looks like, because I've never seen, but I know that you can see it if someone skies on you.
So I suppose it will be useful after all.
Absolutely.
You could see through invisibility to I imagine.
Heal gin.
Has a moment where he just.
Explains.
What I used to do.
Zachariah.
I saw.
Sorry, really quick, if that can be used for scrying, should we look through it to make sure this room is safe before we just start?
I have to take magic up.
But.
Should look around to.
Sorry, go ahead.
I saw.
Energies.
Floating around him.
I do not know more than that, but it was definitely different than anyone else.
The compass, perhaps the spirits of Hon Lusa.
Perhaps.
I think this is the most extraordinary.
Situation we've been in.
I just wish it wasn't on these waters.
Captain John requested Zachariah for experimentation.
And our dear Zachariah.
We're not agreeing to that, correct?
She looks at him like.
I'm kidding.
Good.
I don't know about you all, but.
I feel bad about all of this.
Of course, of course I do.
I feel bad about all of this.
The situation that we're in.
Because being on these waters surrounded by all surrounded by all the people that we don't like.
I'm just scared.
About everyone's safety.
Is all.
We're getting Darryl and then we're.
We're leaving this situation right.
We have more to do.
And I'm going to pull out a chessboard and start setting up pieces.
And she's going to start signing.
We have people to protect.
Not just on this ship.
Yeah.
But we need to be there.
We need to be alive.
I'm not doubting you.
But somehow at the end of every day at the end of every crazy year.
You pull through.
All of us we pulled through together.
But.
As I'm getting older, I'm thinking that luck is.
Luck is running out.
There's no luck and strategy.
The more we know, the more power we have.
And the more we know, the more power we have.
The more power we have.
Not today.
So what do we know?
And she started slapping, like we start go.
She's going to start going through like, here's what captain John told us.
Here are the tomes that we have. Here's the magic.
Here's the magic.
And by this point, Zachariah,
you hear what he says.
Hey, Jane,
you should have heard what Roland said about you.
And I shut the door behind me.
Slightly chuckle at that as I watch our.
Place all the chess pieces.
And.
Hey, we're playing checkers. Nice.
I think I just heard a game of chess.
I don't know if I heard of it.
We do.
What?
Do we have the bag of holding from John?
Not yet.
He's assembling.
I'm just going to show up.
What happened?
Crazy guy.
Zach? Yeah? We need as much information as we can. Agreed. Yeah, we do. You've given a
lot to us. Is there anything else we need to know? Um... In what regard? You have this
divine connection. Yeah, weird. I'm gonna hold out my hand and hold Zachariah's hand.
Don't- don't comment on this. This is me trying to be... Okay. Just let me try something, okay?
Okay. We need to know everything, right? We need to know all the pieces in this game, and
it's not fair just to ask Zachariah to be the only one to lay out all the cards or pieces of whatever
the fuck game we're playing now. So, show of solidarity, because we're a crew and we're pirates!
Gosh darn it! And that's why we need to just... And I just pull off my eye patch and I throw it on the
chessboard. I have two eyes! Oh my gosh! That's... Okay, you could act a little more surprised, Zachariah.
Okay, okay. But that's not the only thing. I think we also need to worry about
the Crestons a little bit. We do. The Crestons. The Creston family. Would you like me to explain
one idea? Yeah, that would be best. Currently the Reigning Family and in the Inherit-
Oh, like the- like the- I was- I was saying- Royal family kind of thing? As you bring in the Crestons,
Clarence looks to you, Hilsjön. He just kind of like gives you a nod.
How does Hilsjön look right now?
He's dance-stern and incredibly still and incredibly quiet. His eyes are on one eye jade, intently.
That's not the music.
He's staring at you like, uh, like John was staring at me.
I'm gonna meet Hilsjön's stare straight on.
Captain, what are you saying? Yeah, so Queen, King, Royal family.
I have to notice this stare down, right? I mean, come on.
I mean, I'm looking- the fact that you mentioned we have to talk about the Creston family in
connection to one eye jade. Hilsjön will probably be looking between the two of you.
Very quizzically and restrained.
Like angry, restrained?
There's- it's- you know that he's not- he usually can be very still, but in a very sort of like calm
demeanor. This is not that. This is- this is- this is sustained energy. This is like-
Does the Creston family- were they the ones that pushed out the wood elves? I thought that was
the Navy. There's something I'm missing here. There's a piece I'm missing.
Maybe.
DM, um, narrator, there's a piece I'm missing here. Would I have known that the Creston family
was involved in something that upset Hilsjön?
They're the ones who largely
murdered and annihilated the- great. Okay, see, that's good to know now. Um, do I know that?
If I had known that, I might have approached this topic a little more sensitively,
but we're already here. Um, yes.
In the past, the Creston family
has made moves, has been known to be quite brutal,
dangerously powerful, and willing to move anyone who stands in their way.
One person I consider to be a little bit more
aggressive than the rest of the family, is my father. He's a very brave man.
One person I consider to be standing in their way currently, who I am admittedly
surprised as well, since all our pieces are on the table, happens to be my father.
Estranged, but a brilliant mind. I learned chess from him.
In the course of over a week, he has been moved from being arrested to being
released, but my father has managed to evade, for 10 years, scorned, being associated with me.
I can't help feeling that there is something there that we must get from him.
Some intel, some information. So your dad's in trouble then?
We need information, completely sidestepping.
The question is, does the Creston family,
do they present information that can help us in a continued journey to An Lusa?
Is it all just a coincidence?
My father and some of my brothers.
Wait, you're a princess?
I'm not a fucking princess. I swear I will punch you in the face if you ever refer to me with those
words again. Sacrilege. Even if you're dead, I will make it hurt. Anyways.
She's not a princess, she is a Creston.
She is one-eyed Jane. Yes. I gave all that up.
But I don't think he would ever leave anything to chance. They are masterminds on the battlefield,
and we are on a battlefield. So I have beliefs that if your father has been arrested, then it has
something to do with more than just a power play.
The lighthouse. Do we have any more intel on what might be there? Is this connected?
Is this just a minor point? Is this just Brando trying to fuck with us?
He said that it would rain like hellfire down on us, and so we'd have to get rid of it if we
wanted to get north. But there's a war going on, right? So maybe it has something to do with that.
I've been talking with Jasper for a bit. He's well versed in military strategies around the world.
Apparently this lighthouse is a new development. It acts as a sentry of sorts.
It glides all the way across the ocean. It's a moving lighthouse? No.
It's vision. The way it looks, magically.
Its view pervades a straight line across the Riverian Ocean.
And apparently it's located next to all of their special war toys.
That's probably what Brando meant. So if they see an old stolen ship
belonging to a pirate crew that they don't particularly fancy,
then they might feel the need to test those weapons out on us.
Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.
So you and your father and this lighthouse, it seems like too big,
too big different ideas.
Excellent. Not a less thing to worry about.
I've been speaking about it with Jasper. I want to run it through you,
but I feel like I can concoct something about doing something about the lighthouse if we do
want its destruction. If you are planning to do something else while we're there,
because your father is going to be in the same town as his lighthouse,
perhaps I can take a bit of the crew on my own.
Jasper, Brooke, Roland, a couple more hands, discreetly go in. I'll deal with the lighthouse.
First mate, how far are we from it?
How far are we? I would probably know. Going at an angle, you're still leaning on the side.
It's going to be like a two to three day trip to the Afros Harbor.
I'm still at eight days currently.
You're on nine days. I'm on nine days. How far would it be from there to Honnusa?
That itself would be like sailing straight there. From the harbor.
Yeah, three to four days. What's pushing it closer?
I don't know. I'm not sure.
From the harbor. Yeah, three to four days. What's pushing it close?
Pushing what close? No, I don't say that out loud.
Oh, damn it. Pushing what close?
You're thinking about how that's pushing it close, huh, Zacharie?
All right, so it'd be two to three days to get to the harbor.
And John is going to make his move against Brando.
Today or tomorrow? That might give us some time.
I can try and get some information from Daryl. I asked Roland to help me out. He can send a message.
Can we get Daryl?
Two completely different ends of the ocean we're talking about here.
I don't think we'll have time to get to do both at the same time and then also get to Honnusa.
He's going to be watching us. So.
I hate to say it, but we'll deal with it in Honnusa.
All right.
Brando will find a way there, too. So we need to get there.
Even if we don't do this, he'll find a way there.
144 years.
At least. That's old. How old are you, Clarence?
He seems distracted at the moment.
Yes, a lich. Is that right?
Yeah, they like to suck your blood.
A leech. Oh, yeah.
Completely different. Right. Sorry.
Well. Whatever the case, we're going to get Daryl.
I know. Sorry, go.
As long as we plan this out. Strategy.
And no unnecessary sacrifices.
Thank you.
None. We can plan this through so that everyone's going to be OK.
Are you saying, Captain? When I Jane.
Yes, anything about the Crestons, anything else, their motives, perhaps do they have a desire for
the divine spark, anything along those lines that you could think of?
Everyone wants this thing.
Honestly. They're just simple men. They just want power.
What they have isn't enough and they'll never stop. So if I were to guess.
Power.
Other than the Inarian Navy, have they made any promises as of recent?
To confess, I haven't been keeping up with those people. If Zachariah, what you say is true, and we
have ways to contact people from here, I can try to have one of my brothers. He is a very, very
good friend of mine. So I have one of my brothers. He isn't as bad as the others, and I can try to
reach out and see if he knows anything. I can scry, too. I've never met them. But if you had anything
you'd like to ask me, I'd be happy to answer. I could it be something they gave me as a gift?
That would be a large help.
Okay, and I'll just like pull out my longsword and put it on the table. Maybe this will be useful.
If you want me to now, I certainly can.
Unless you'd rather I wait.
I'm not in charge. I'm just giving you all the information because I would hate to be
not telling you guys everything and then going, this is dangerous. So I just would rather everyone
know everything.
Hilton is going to walk toward one IJ and he's going to pause when he's really close. His eyes
just staring down.
Zach is just staring down.
Zach is just really awkward right next to him because he's still holding her hand.
And Hilton, sometimes the field can blossom again with the proper change.
I cannot think of a better way for the Crestons to suffer and for their own bloodline to be the
change they'd hate to see. I trust that you can be that change.
I will. I know that I can't change where I'm from, but I will change who I am.
And I would love nothing more for the Crestons.
And I would love nothing more for the Crestons to change.
And if I can deliver that justice, then even the better.
And that will help you as much as I can.
Thank you.
He heels your nods and steps back. You can see still there's his body still stiff in
comparison to his usual self.
One more thing.
Zachariah.
We need to be a bit more careful with you.
Beings of Arcane and Eldritch powers are very interested in you.
No, like everyone's just, you know, I mean, I'm used to it. I mean, you know, you should have
heard, you know, Roland was just like, I love you just a couple of seconds ago, you know.
Squeeze your hand, Zachariah.
He does that to everyone.
Yeah, no, I mean, I know.
You know, so we need to go to the Zachariah Lighthouse.
So Zachariah, you're dead.
Apparently, yeah.
Crazy revelation.
Captain John, in the exchange for information, asked to trade you for experimentation.
That's kind of weird.
I want to make something very clear as we head into an era.
This is the kind of people, without hesitation,
who takes innocent people and uses violent, disgusting, and disturbing machinations to get
what they want.
Ten years ago, they tried to do so with a bunch of innocent people and form them into war for
machines of destruction.
If they have found out that there is a way for souls to exist to either an compass or
for memories to form self, I need to ensure that all of us here will not reveal such information
to the iner.
Is there a single good country in this world?
Crazy.
I believe they're good people, not good countries.
They have a question.
Hildrein Terence's Zachariah.
If you are dead, can you die?
That's a question, is what that is.
Maybe?
I mean, I'm not looking to...
You're not going to stab me or something, right?
To test me?
I don't want to.
To like test it?
I don't want to test it.
Okay, let's not test it, you know.
You see Hildrein's expression potentially be considered.
I mean, you never know with Hildrein.
This is why Hildrein's the scary one.
Maybe I'm not going to test it, you know.
I suppose it is something to consider.
If you are dead, then what happens to you?
If something were to happen, and if you are not capable of dying, then what can be done to you?
Oh, that sounds terrible.
Considering that it is a terrible situation, I suppose.
Yeah, terrible situation.
I'm hating it.
To that lighthouse, we got to...
So wait, your dad's there, right?
Blah-dah.
Two teams.
One deals with the lighthouse.
One goes rescue old papa, right?
The information.
He's not necessary.
You sure?
You see blank fucking stare.
She's not giving away anything.
But if this is a contended check, then Zachariah, go ahead and give me an insight.
And whisper to me, Captain Aura, deception, persuasion.
I'm going to use Intrepid to add an expertise to my thoughts.
Go ahead and roll.
15.
Roll for you, Emma.
Roll with dice.
Whisper to me what your roll is.
Would Hildre know?
Would he?
As Zach is staring at her...
Did they tie?
What's your roll again, Albert?
15, right?
That's a 6.
Plus a 4.
That's a 10.
Plus insight.
4, wisdom.
1.
That's a 15, right?
Yeah.
Captain Aura, I'll let you go ahead and detail any cracks.
I want you to.
In this attempt to keep a straight facade, you did notice that when you asked the question,
it was like a challenge.
And you see it briefly in her face.
A small twitch of the eye, maybe holding onto a breath a bit too long,
a telltale sign of someone who's thinking of something, something to say other than the truth.
Captain,
growing up in the Undercity, the only people that Daryl and I had were each other.
We didn't have a family.
We didn't have parents.
And I consider myself very lucky.
I'm lucky that I have a family.
I consider myself very lucky that I managed to find a family later, here, with this crew.
If you want to save your father,
tell us and we will plot a course.
This is also my family, Zachariah.
If he can be saved, that would be preferable.
But my father would understand if I were to put my family
before him. After all, and she pulls from her pocket and puts a tiny little white pawn on the table.
This was his favorite piece.
He used to tease it was the-
The- the rock?
Pawn.
Most powerful weapon in the world.
Pawn. Most powerful piece on the board.
If we're going anyways, we'll do it.
That should go without saying.
We'll get him.
Would piss off my father, so.
Added bonus.
It would also- it'd be interesting and she looks at Elgin.
How would you like to speak with your old boss? Benefactor?
There's a lot that I'm learning right now.
Didn't he sick?
You didn't- did you ever meet him?
No.
The Navy.
But didn't- hold on, didn't his dad- her dad hire Hildren through someone to get her back?
No.
The Navy.
Oh, your dad.
Your dad.
My dad.
Yeah, your dad, yeah.
Yeah. So that's what she's referring to.
I suppose I helped you escaped once.
I can keep it in the family and help your father as well.
Yes, family history repeats itself.
Except, and she looks at one-eyed Jane, for those who wish to break the bonds.
That was enough vulnerability for one day, so do we have a plan?
I just put on my iPad.
Yeah, plan time. I agree.
Yep, the pot- now I'm moving the pieces on the board.
We've had too much, too much, too much today.
Daphne, any other thoughts? You know your insight is very much appreciated.
I think this track, even if it's not necessarily
the smartest thing we can be doing, I think it's the smartest we can do given our situation.
Afras Harbor and Finland.
And let's get that jump on Brando if John will do as he says he does.
It would be awfully convenient if John actually managed to kill him.
At least bruise his ego.
We already know from John himself that he has been banished to other planes of existence
by Brando before, so we can only hope that he will buy us some time.
I think he can just pick up Daryl on his way back, is that a thing?
I mean, he doesn't have hands, but-
I don't think I'd risk it.
No.
I wouldn't want to put someone- John is an admirable sword, but very unpredictable.
Yeah, I should have met this John.
No, you shouldn't have, Clarence.
I was-
You really shouldn't have.
You kind of looked like Jane, so just picture Jane.
Then you're good to go.
Okay, I'm still holding your hand. I squeeze it really, really tight.
Do you want to say that again, Zachariah?
You're calling me some sort of monstrous bug-eyed creature?
I mean, I didn't-
Is that what I look like?
That's not what I said.
That's what I heard.
That is the worst vice-companiment ever.
I'm going to try and squeeze back as well, because I got the belt of giant strength.
Oh, shit, that's right.
Arm wrestling. At least do something with it, children.
Athletic checks, fine. Both of you, athletics.
Whose hand, like finger bones break first?
Okay, I have a proficiency die on this, too.
What is this?
Wait, what did I roll? Is it a 10? Because in an-
Athletics checks.
Oh, yeah, it should be automatically a 10.
So I rolled a-
To add six more to that.
Five, six more.
19.
19, and then I have an athletics die, which is a D4.
D4?
16.
I'm not even gonna-
Yeah, Tony information.
I rolled low on the die.
Cunt.
Is that gonna happen?
I have a plus eight, but you know.
Yeah, your hand's getting the big squeeze right now.
You try, and it's valiant.
But you feel like your whole body begins to ache,
as like you're just crumbling under 218's insane strength.
I just- I just-
Ignore it.
Mm-hmm.
Clarence, we also do have two ships now.
One that is not recognizable as the Blackguard's Gallery.
We have a third ship, right?
Oh wait, we weren't there. No, you said that, never mind.
We do.
And one can fly.
We have another ship.
About that- Not the flying one. No, no.
We still haven't really gotten past that. Apparently it was Armin's doing.
Yeah, that was a really cool idea.
He's been doing it for months.
Why didn't he tell-
He said it was gonna be a secret. He said he wanted to be a secret,
but he was very scared of Daphne's judgment.
This was incredibly stupid.
Hey, it worked out though.
They were really having a hard time navigating that place.
Look, I'm not gonna lie.
They were navigating that place.
Look at all we gained because of that.
We got a new ship.
You had quite the fun day, Hilden.
She's trying really hard not to laugh.
She remembers Hilden swinging from-
She's just slugging her arm like-
It was Hilden's idea to jump overboard too.
Well, it wasn't his idea, but he okayed it.
You're very lucky to have him as your home.
So there's another ship, okay.
If there's another ship, then we could definitely benefit from that.
Maybe better than the part in two.
We got the Rusknaughts too, right?
We do have the Rusknaughts.
Two days to the lighthouse.
Is there any way the Rusknaughts could-
Three days? How many days?
Two to three.
It depends.
Two to three. Is there any way the-
Are we heading there right now?
The Rusknaughts enough time?
We should probably start steering course.
Should we call in the Rusknaughts?
Is now a time?
Would that aid you, Clarence, and your team?
It would, greatly.
Though, the more people, I get a bit more nervous.
Yep. More line.
And maybe, but if they're not on a boat, they're not over the water,
his inability to swim doesn't matter.
He would do best on land.
Yeah.
So, Hanlusa, perhaps?
Is that all we need for planning for right now?
Yeah, I would say scry on that sort, maybe, when you get a chance,
just so we know there's no hidden surprises, potentially, but-
And who should I be scrying on, exactly?
Probably. That would be my brother, my lovely-
One-eyed Paul.
My brother, who I love so much.
Three-eyed Malik.
Mikal.
What's the name?
Let's do it way back. Mikal.
Mikal?
Mikal.
M-I-K-A-L.
It's like Michael with extra steps.
Yeah.
No, it's not. It's still the same steps.
Well, no, it's like me, and then there's the apostrophe, and then the A-L,
so it's like the extra, it's Mikal, you know.
Daphne, how many times can you scry a day?
I can do it twice, and then I need to take about an hour to rest,
and then I can do it again throughout the day.
Could you also do Lelanto's Boreas just so we have a better insight
where he's stationed, and I slide over the pawn piece?
Yes. You wouldn't-
This is- I'm guessing you don't, you don't have anything of physically
body parts, anything. That's the most surefire way if I haven't met them.
We all carry that around.
Body parts.
She pulls out Deacon's hair.
Right. I was going to mention something about that,
but I thought to respect your boundaries and not.
I'm sorry, Daphne. No, I don't. I really- there's nothing,
there is legitimately nothing I can think of that would have like-
Maybe-
It's been a long time.
Maybe we can get some when we rescue him, you know.
Maybe you still have a loose hair from your father from over 10 years ago.
Did he hug you? Did he hug me in a certain way?
Maybe we could send them a message and they can like send a finger or something.
Yeah. He's already in the gallows.
The tongue's already gone, so let's not-
So technically we share blood with our family, would that potentially be?
I could try.
Okay, I'll take out a knife and I will-
Not a hair strand? Like it's right there.
No, I was going to slash open my hand.
Magic's so goddamn weird.
I guess I'll like slash open my hand and put it around the pond piece.
Could be, that's a lot of blood.
Yeah, I'll add blood to my sword too just in case I don't-
Oh no.
Your magic's weird.
I think I-
Okay, the middle dude's just gonna cut himself and just spray blood just because why not?
Just do it.
Can we make a blood pact?
With everybody.
Since we're all bleeding?
I mean, just like-
Are we all-
What are you doing?
Are we all?
Yeah, let's make a blood pact.
I read about that one time.
I mean, I did that one time with some people before.
Yeah.
Shouldn't have cut my hand.
I need to sign with it.
Fuck.
I'll scry in a bit.
She picks up one of the bottles someone brought down and she goes,
Zachariah, I need to talk to you.
Okay. Do you need my blood too? I'll do it.
Absolutely not.
Okay. Stop cutting yourselves everyone. Geez.
I don't know how this magic stuff works.
And Timmy, I've got an hour just so you know.
Gotcha.
Okay. We're good. We're done. Unless anyone else has anything else to plan. I think we've got a good idea.
Unless anyone else has anything else to plan. I think we've got a good idea.
I mean, I can- I gotta figure out what I'm gonna say to Darryl. I mean, if there's any information-
I was gonna ask him, like, has he overheard anything? Where is he now? Where-
Does he know where he's going? Anything else you can think of?
Protection. The leech needs something secret.
Oh, is there anything like he's seen Brando like fondling or- or- got it.
Something that he would want to be. Okay. All right. All of these things. Good idea. Good idea.
I-
Chances are that if it's something that needs to be protected, it is either heavily guarded,
or there is an area where only he goes. Okay. One of those things may be useful.
And we'll see how this fortress comes into play, I assume.
We're gonna like have to heist a castle? That sounds fun.
We'll get there.
Jasper's in contact with a contact in the Nara.
We can get- since we can reliably get an out- an outline of what Afros Harbor looks like and
possibly what your father might be.
Then we have a plan.
The makings of one.
And we do best with that.
All right. Well, Daphne, Zachariah, I shall leave you to your conference.
She just starts walking out and gestures for Zachariah.
Okay. I'll follow, but I'll like look over my shoulder and just kind of like behind my back
sign like, should I be scared? Not yet. She'll sign back. A bloody fucking hand.
Helgen will sign to Aura and just have a moment where just a word.
Us? Okay. And- Go ahead.
I was just going to check in with One Eye Jane before I left the room.
One Eye Jane. A little word, please.
Oh my God, never mind. Legitimately.
Yeah, okay.
Oh Clarens. Just after this, then we'll get right to Zachariah and Daphne.
One Eye Jane, have you ever heard of the story of the scorpion and the frog?
I'm afraid to say no.
Let me go ahead and tell you then. So there was this large pond.
And one day the scorpion approached a frog and asked the frog, hello, Mr. Frog.
Can you please ferry me across the pond? I cannot swim and I will surely drown.
And the frog is wary. He says, how do I know if I ferry you across that you won't just sting me?
It's in your nature, is it not? And of course the scorpion goes,
of course I'm not going to sting you because we would both drown.
So the scorpion latches onto the frog's back and they begin to
ferry across the river. They make it. As they make it over to the other side,
as the scorpion walks away, the frog goes, I felt that you wanted to sting me.
But you didn't. Why? And the scorpion responds,
it's in my nature to sting you. I cannot control my nature, but I can control my actions.
You are who you make yourself to be.
Out of everyone, my greatest one for everyone is to have everyone have the most control
over who they choose to be.
You're not who you were.
You're not who you were or what people wanted you to be.
Lawrence, I can't go back. No matter what. Do you understand? I want to be,
I want to be anybody else than what they want me to be.
Then tell me, how much do you really, really want that?
More than anything.
You have your,
things I've seen that you can do and the people that you're with,
easy. I want that too.
Thanks, Clarence. Of course.
Now I should leave you be. I have some worrying to do.
Grandpa.
And he walks away.
Now, Daphne and Zachariah.
Out of character to me. Do you think we'll have time to get to it today?
Cause if not, then I'm going to wait for Humphrey.
We might not be able to make it to an hour or get it done in an hour.
We can start it.
Yeah, we can start it at the start of the next session.
Okay. Then I don't need to talk to Zachariah.
I can just do scrying instead. It's too late. You're with him now.
Yeah. To what you need. I'm going to go for the better part of the plan.
I've been rejected.
So Daphne, you still need me?
No, just cancel it. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't need it.
Cancel, cancel my transaction.
She'd take the bottle, but she wouldn't say she needed Zachariah.
Well, I got things to do. Bye. I'll just run out of the room anyway.
So you're going to do your plan at the top of next session.
Well, I need to talk to Humphrey. I need to talk to Rory.
I need to talk to Rory.
But yeah, she's in more of a hurry. I guess what she'd do now then is, well, I do need to talk to Roland.
So I'll talk to Roland.
All right. Head on up over to, you head over to the upper deck where everyone is.
The errors actually fill with like static.
So I'm going to go ahead and do that.
You head over to the upper deck where everyone is. The errors actually fill with like static electricity now.
Like, Nani is still there. She's covered in lightning.
But you see Roland at the edge of the crowd as everyone's like, what's going on?
But yeah, you see Roland.
Just in the crowd.
She just goes Roland, come with me.
She has a, it's unusual for she has she has a bottle in her hand.
She took it from the room because she needs that for Delphine later.
Oh, Daphne.
Not very, not a very, um, usual sight to see you with a bottle in your hand.
Come on.
Really?
Okay.
Oh, Jesus.
Hey, Daphne, I've been joking.
She'll just go find somewhere quiet.
Test detect magic.
Nothing. There's nothing about Roland. Roland just go.
You know, you know, Daphne, I'm not trying to, I'm just trying to get you to open up.
I don't, I don't want you to be in a terrible state. You know, I was just.
By railing you.
She is.
I mean, you'd open up to the crew a little bit.
This is for something else. She is.
Oh.
I just needed to ask.
What's wrong?
About everything in general or?
Before you weren't acting right.
I don't know what you mean, Daphne.
Nobody can scry on us if that's something you're concerned about.
Did something happen?
I mean, yeah.
It broke me the ever loving piss out of me.
But.
Nothing happened.
I don't think that's true.
And I know.
Or doesn't like to push these things, but there is a lot going on right now.
Daphne, I'm not going to be any.
He speaks without the accent. I'm not going to be an issue.
He speaks without the accent.
He's never heard this, right?
I promise it's not going to be an issue.
You just caught me.
At a weird time.
But I. Is this how you actually talk?
I'm afraid if I answer truthfully, it's going to really annoy you.
Listen.
Take his hat off.
I don't know. This might get out sooner or later, but Brooks don't only want to know.
When she was when she when she caught in band, she started.
Pumbling me.
I began to change forms.
Forms.
I'm a changeling.
And I haven't been my.
I haven't told anyone. I've been rolling for a very long time.
Then after something else.
It's. It's what I like. People. People pay attention to me.
But.
Yeah, I've been like that for six years.
And now it's only.
It's only now that everything.
Really began to change.
But I promise you, I've.
I've been listening to everything Captain Nora's been saying.
Come as you are.
Be who you want to be.
Roland became something that I really liked.
This book finding out what had you worried.
She's pretty good with secrets.
I've just almost scared.
That glass on Hills.
He was carrying.
Where I come from, there's a lot of that.
Rue seeing.
You could recognize it just like that.
I could feel it.
And what it see through you.
Yeah, it would.
Do you want to know.
I'm scared.
Because it feels like I've been lying to you guys for six.
Six years straight now ever since I got on the ship.
I don't want to let this life go.
They're not going to care.
I don't.
I guarantee you.
It won't be the worst thing that he has learned about someone today.
Maybe.
Maybe when I'm ready.
Can I tell you to keep it a secret in the meantime.
Yeah.
I don't know.
I'm just worried that you won't be able to keep it a secret.
With the pillion has that.
Is all.
Yeah.
Just when he looks through it is going to see someone else completely.
Maybe I can ask him if I can keep it on me.
So I don't have to constantly cast.
Spells to detect.
Scrying.
I don't know if he.
Let me but.
I just asked to borrow it for the.
Perceivable future.
That'd be nice.
I just don't want any nasty surprises.
That's it.
But all this stuff about sort of subterfuge and.
Things sneaking around.
Makes me a little more scared.
Is all.
But I don't want you guys to think that I'm here for.
Any nefarious reasons or anything.
I've just.
Want to.
You could have done something else with the voice at least.
At least.
It.
I picked it up from.
The.
Someone who.
Someone I really.
Admire.
And it's really fun to do.
And I.
People find it to be charming.
I don't.
I don't know.
The more I think about it, I'm kind of more concerned that this is the person you would choose to be in a way.
Fucking Christ, Jenny.
Okay.
You should know she doesn't mean it maliciously though.
I know, but like, man, your singers are just like.
But yeah.
Roland everything.
It's just.
It's crazy to say, but it's someone who I want to be.
Well, I mean, it's been seven years, you're practically.
Thanks.
Are you not him at that point?
I mean, I know you meant it literally, but.
If I take it another way, it means a lot to me.
I want to take it that way instead.
That's not the only thing I wanted to talk about.
Oh yeah.
What do you want to talk about?
I could actually stand here in your voice for a second for once.
Goodness.
Anyways, but too bad at who I am.
I need you to promise.
That you won't.
Tell anyone that I asked you for help.
That I helped you and that includes.
It includes aura.
I was going to say something, but then as a joke, but then you said or us.
And now this is serious.
It's very important.
And I'm not going to tell you why either.
But I'll need you to cast invisibility.
On somebody, probably Humphrey.
Probably tonight.
I'll come back to you.
Okay.
But I am incredibly serious when I say you cannot.
Mention it or tell anyone.
Definitely have suffered your wrath.
More than anyone on the ship. I think I know what's ahead of me.
If I.
It would be the end.
And I mean that genuinely.
Yeah.
I like you too.
No, I'm.
I mean it.
I'm very aware.
I like you too.
Okay. I'll come back to you later.
Of course, Daphne.
I won't tell a single soul.
I promise.
I'll come back to you later.
She's just shaking her head.
Yeah.
We'll wait for the bag of holding to see if they get the potion.
She needs.
And.
I'm going to go to the bathroom.
Are we still in the game room?
Where would we have, or would we have left?
Where would we go?
You can just say private place.
A room.
Bedroom.
Tim.
Real quick.
Do I think Darrell would know what ascending spell is and how it works.
I don't know.
I don't think he's going to know.
I think he's going to be able to guess.
Probably have to tell him that.
Got it.
Continue.
Well, did you really splice your hand open?
No.
I was Dallas Victor.
I was a little girl.
It's what this.
So I guess, yeah, she's just wrapping her hand and, and, you know,
telepathically she's open.
You know, and she's.
So as looking at you and checking on you.
So was they would have moved.
And then they would have moved to the other side of the room.
Or I would have noticed that he,
they would have paused by where the,
all the hammocks and the rest in place are where he is, is, and.
You reach for like a wooden.
Box that seems to be hand carved.
Something that it's not unlike.
Hill Jen to do.
Then his off time.
And as they.
And he would just let me and he would just.
Help.
I suppose that is something that I haven't asked you in a long time.
Mostly because we haven't had much time to just.
Talk.
But.
How are you?
Oh, oh.
She's surprised.
By this question.
I'm I'm I'm I'm.
Ooh. Yeah. No, you hear her thoughts are stuttering.
Why is this one question so confusing?
I'm I'm well, I, I want to know how you're doing now.
Are you okay?
I will be fine.
I'm sorry.
I should have been a little more discreet with how I introduced that.
Yeah.
It is not your fault.
You are trying to look after when I change.
The way that you look out for the crew.
And I will always understand that respect that.
Even if it pisses you off.
Even if it pisses me off.
But how are you?
I've never really understood fear.
You said so a while ago.
All right. You didn't say anything.
I just saw it.
I saw it on your face and I've never seen it before.
But when I look at everyone and and I see what we've built and I see.
The family we've made.
To lose that.
I think I know what fear is.
I get it.
I'm very scared.
He as he finishes wrapping the hand.
He just keeps it in his.
I am scared to.
I am afraid.
I did not have.
Something I feared losing.
Before I met you.
I lost.
My friends.
My tribe.
I was just existing.
I was just being.
The day by day.
Honoring the path that I have chosen.
Just wait until.
The time to go to the end of the veil.
And then you gave me.
This family.
And now I fear for them.
To feel fear.
Means that I still can care.
And I fear the most for you.
But I will do my best.
To not be dramatic about it.
And so he reaches for this.
Little box.
That just fits in his hand.
And hands it over to you.
And I'm going to.
Send you privately.
What you're going to see inside once you open it.
Oh, I'm going to puke.
I'm going to puke.
Open it.
Oh.
Oh, sir.
When you open this, you see this.
Flower.
That's a blue flower.
And you see that the way that it's inside the box has.
Connected to the box itself. There's some druid craft in it.
That he used to make sure that the flower is preserved.
The, you know, for sense that it will always remained as it is so long as it remains within that box.
And.
He just.
It's a delphinium flower.
It symbolizes.
when one honors to protect another.
And I know that you like blue.
That's my favorite color.
I know.
Do you want to know my favorite flower though?
Sure.
I am a spring flower that rhymes with Hill. If you know my name, tell me you will.
I fit that.
Hill, I can't lose you.
I can't do this without you.
I need you to stay with me, okay?
You're promising to protect me, I'm promising to protect you. You need to stay with me.
He kneels and gets close to her, still holding her hand.
You know that we cannot promise each other forever, right?
Well no, technically you live longer than me.
I can tell you this.
I will be by your side for as long as my life allows me.
And...
I cannot lose you, but I was raised to understand that life and death are something we cannot evade.
I will take every moment that I can to enjoy this journey with you.
But you must promise me, as I would promise you now, that should either one of us fall, while the other still stands, we will honor life and not loss.
We have had enough of that already.
She crosses her fingers and tries to put it behind her back so she can shake her head.
He puts his hand so she can give the second hand.
She takes it.
One way or another, we will be fine.
The most fun game I've ever played is falling in love with your best friend.
I did not know you loved Daphne that way.
Fuck you. She's gonna lead it and kiss him.
If he loves her.
He does. And when she kisses, although slightly taking it back at first, his hands just gently cop her face as he kisses back.
And he just holds her.
At this point, he'll see her fingers crossed behind her back.
He'll be whispering, like, are you crossing your fingers?
Because I'm lying. I'm not fucking li- you can't li- I can't do this. Fuck you.
I promise you that we will try our best.
We'll try our best. Fine.
Brandon shows up, hey, I'm sorry.
Oh, I thought Clarence was in the room and they forgot he was there.
Hey guys I feel sorry about everything.
thing. You have a written apology by the empire. We will
be better from now on.
Why did you bring me into it right before?
Just imagine the Drax moment of like, it's just there just
eating, just watching the whole thing.
Young love.
Yeah, they're old.
Mom and dad.
They're mom and dad.
Love is real.
In this moment,
in the turmoil of everything that's happening right now.
Inside the Ineusticar, a halfling and an elf embrace each other
in their own pocket of warmth, taking comfort in their eternal
promise to one another. In the for now, gentle waters between
one battlefield and the other.
I'm still fucking, I'm reeling.
Even with so much fear and blood, the battlefield eventually
returns to just being a field.
And flowers bloom all the same.
As the two of you take that moment in your well-deserved
retreat, Clarence kicks down the door.
I'm kidding.
You can do that.
Fucking One-Eyed Jane.
There is a knock on the door.
Sadly, something has to happen.
I was going to say, it's like if the door opens, like a dagger
just flies and lands on the edge of the door.
Mom, One-Eyed Jane punched me again.
Yeah, they would definitely break the fuck apart like real
fucking quick.
Yeah.
I'm not going to do her.
Captain, it's Jasper.
Opens the door.
Hats adjusted.
Fine.
Everything's fine.
Everything's good.
Okay.
I was actually looking for Elgin for a moment.
She kicks the box behind her and she's like, please, please.
You can come as well if you want.
No, no, no, I'm okay.
I'm going to.
No, please.
Elgin has a moment where he just turns to Aura and just with
a new sort of sparkles.
I should just want to come.
I'm going to telepathically say, cut the shit.
Don't tell the crew.
It would be weird.
It's just going to sign like, tell them what?
Get out.
She points at the door.
Jasper who knows sign just kind of.
I can come back if.
No need.
And then just he'll just going to start walking and just pat
Jasper on the shoulder as he adds.
It's just give you one last look at Aura.
Yeah.
And she'll telepathically said, that's right.
You take that tight cute out of ass of yours out the fuck of
here. Get out.
Slam the door behind him.
She seems excited.
There's a lot going on.
Well, I don't mean to put more on your plate, brother, but I
wanted to talk with you for a map of what's coming up ahead.
Go on.
He's you see, he goes over to the large table in the middle of
the room and he just unfurls a map.
And he doesn't have a full map, like a big piece of empty
parchment, and he begins to draw.
He goes, usually I would do my planning with Clarence, but I
would also want to get you in on this.
And I've also wanted to speak with you on a personal matter.
What do you want?
How do you how do you feel about all this, brother?
There are a lot of moving pieces.
Can you be more specific?
I'm just talking about the circumstances in general.
Seven years with you all.
I've grown to not learn to doubt and just trust in the
process, but even now I'm beginning to wonder if the
danger's a bit too much for us.
I believe in the captain.
Don't get me wrong.
I've never doubted her.
But I'm just cautious, brother.
You are afraid you can say it.
I am.
So am I.
The question is, what do you want to do with your fear?
What I do with it every single time.
He goes, a lot of people don't think about the good parts of
fear.
Your heart beats faster.
You feel more energy in your body.
Your senses become sharper.
He goes, we had a saying where I'm from.
In the military I served before I found you guys in Silla
Wren, which for elves, only when weak do I carry my true
strength.
I'm just...
The more I look at everything, brother, I...
I don't know if I could turn all this fear into strength.
Perhaps we do not need to turn all of it into strength.
But let me ask you.
You are doing that with your fear.
What are you doing with your trust?
Hmm.
Staying here.
The elders of my tribe.
They used to tell us, even the greatest archer, the sharpest
arrow, while flying through a forest will eventually meet a
tree.
Perhaps until this point, everything that we have done has
been dangerous, yes, but not dangerous enough for us to
doubt.
But does that mean that now that we are more uncertain than
we've ever been, is this the time to retreat or to commit?
I know what my usual answer would be.
I do not want usual, I want the now.
Our answer with trust, I'll commit.
I've always done.
I've always believed in you all, brother.
It's just a bit.
Jasper, I want you to understand something.
What we are fighting for here, what I am fighting for here,
is everything that I have.
If you are not going to fight for it with everything that you
have, no one will judge you if you choose to walk away.
I could not have, I will not have hesitation in the days to
come.
I cannot have it.
I will take your fear over your doubt.
For a very long time, and I have never, I've never realized
it until I've met you all, but I've never really had
something to fight for or to believe in.
And I'm sure that many of you feel the same way, and maybe
even you.
But I have that now.
What good is leaving something that you believe in if you're
not going to fight with tooth and nail for it?
If we live, we live.
If we die, we die.
What matters most is that we did it, and we were free when we did it.
As he began, he picks up the pencil, and he goes, there's
never going to be doubt.
Did you have your answer, and you also have mine?
He begins to draw, like a large part of the, what looks like a
map, like a topography map, Afros Harbor, and he's drawing
this seemingly from memory, he's not looking at any references.
Have you been there before?
I haven't.
My contact's been very thorough with me, though.
I've went up against Anarian forces before, on another continent, surprisingly.
I'm sure you know, but I'm not going up against you under the mill here.
Where I was here, she would say, if what's the fun in that?
While I was deployed in Silivran, I fought them in the desert.
An arm of them, hired out to other, hired out to other kingdoms.
We called them dust ponies, because they trained their, they trained their
lizard mounts to smack their feet against the ground and cause dust to line up.
What I'm, what I'm saying is, brother, is that they know what they're doing.
My contact told me to worry about something called vanishings.
Jenny, oh gosh.
No more purple worm, please.
What is, what Eldritch horror now?
Don't we have enough?
The Eldritch horror is people.
He told me to worry about something called vanishings.
He says, the cult, he says, my contact knew nothing about them, besides their name.
And from what I've experienced so far, if that's the case, then there's something to
be very reckoned with.
I reckon with it being Caponaro's father, and a lot of politically intriguing people
are going to be there, including, including House Creston, House Castell.
Because no doubt they're going to bring the best.
As he says that, there's a knock on the door.
Hildren has a pause.
Who is it?
Helmsman?
A hand's voice.
Yes.
Oh good.
Can I?
Can you come here for a moment?
We need you to check something in the barge.
What are the kobolds?
Broke something.
Why don't you go get Daphne?
We don't want to.
I'll be right there.
Hildren has a moment where he says, I understand your concern.
And indeed danger will not be lacking.
But perhaps the fact that they are going to be there together with their strong forces
is the very reason why they would never expect for anything to happen to them.
But we shall continue this discussion.
Of course, brother.
And thank you.
Yes.
Thank you.
And Hildred to leave.
As you turn, you open up the door to see under the deckhands, like clutching his hands together.
He just goes, I just realized.
Can I?
I should have gone for Clarence.
You're out here now.
Speak.
Yeah.
It's in the barge.
Lead the way?
It's a strange circle.
When on the ground, it was when it was when Coco tipped over one of the barrels and I'm
not sure exactly what it means.
And just starts walking toward it and as he's doing it, he's literally just calling out
Daphne.
He just starts shouting and then he turns to the hand and says, get Daphne right away.
Of course, he just rushes toward the barge.
Of course, he starts rushing.
As you make your way down towards the barge, you make your way down.
I make you way down the steps and you see that there's like three hands certainly surrounding
the circle.
They're like looking at looking it over.
Step away.
They begin to step away.
As you step closer to it, go ahead and give me an investigation check.
What does it mean?
Transportation?
That's a Lock A13.
You look at it.
It is fresh.
You're not down here that much.
But yet this seems strange.
They said barrels have been over it.
You don't see the end.
It's like it will usually leave a mark in the ground.
As you're getting closer to it, it seems to be like a drawn circle.
As you walk deeper into the room, the door shuts.
I would like to use one of my daggers to throw it at the circle's edge to try to break the
circle's connection.
So basically try to damage some of the circle's drawing to see if that does anything.
As you draw your blade, as an ability check, you're going to roll an initiative for me.
What the fuck is going on?
I just wanted to go have a nice chat with Armand.
19.
Oh well.
19.
Oh boy.
Okay, you can't kill a PC when we have like four episodes left, right?
Yeah.
Well, shut up Albert.
Victor's like, sorry, I couldn't play.
Didn't tell us.
What's your modifier for your initiative?
It's lower than eight.
Yes, it's a four.
Okay.
This is going to be a surprise.
There's a 19 hit.
Please give me a con saving throw.
It's a vanisher, isn't it?
It's already a vanisher.
Oh my God.
It's already here?
I'm trying to figure it out.
I'm trying to do a saving throw.
I'll save.
Okay.
You say con saving throw?
Con saving throw, yes.
11.
You feel a dagger piercing through your back, taking four points of piercing damage and
16 points of poison damage and you are paralyzed.
You're holding the dagger in your hand.
You see the hand that was just talking to you?
This goes, he's down.
All right.
Put him on a circle.
Come on.
Oh my God.
We've been infiltrated.
Question.
Am I down there yet?
Question.
I'm paralyzed.
Can I still connect to Kenway?
In this moment, yes.
I'll say yes.
Okay.
I immediately send Kenway to find Aura and to lead them to the barge.
Immediately in that moment, you feel arms wrap around you.
The four deck hands just leap into motion.
He goes, put him right in the middle.
As they begin to put you down, he goes, Kestrel, do it.
And one of them begins to chant.
You feel a scratching on your door, Aura.
Open the door.
You see Kenway.
He screeches and he begins to fly.
He's looking right at you.
Okay.
Bad.
I'm sprinting and I fire off a shot down the hall.
Everyone hears gunshot.
Yeah.
If I didn't, if anybody came for me, then I'm going now.
You see they stand at the four corners of you, Hylogen, as you see the circle begin
to light up.
As this trail of light begins to follow the circle, you follow Kenway, One-Eyed Jane,
Zachariah, and Daphne.
You see Kenway fiercely scratching at this door, pecking at it.
Open it.
Yeah.
Run.
Locked.
Yeah.
Bust down the door.
What's going on?
I kick it down.
I'm going now.
As you kick it down, everyone comes in to see the last moment before Hylogen.
Counterspill?
Sadly.
It is an object.
You see you catch the sight of four dead cans looking at you, and Hylogen in the middle,
completely paralyzed.
I lunge.
I lunge for him.
I'm going to grab him.
Can I break the spell with my points?
It's a long way down.
I'm sorry.
Can I jump?
A flash.
Can I dimension door?
This is like a reaction.
Okay.
It's like, someone's just opened the door.
I'm so sorry, guys.
Hylogen is gone.
For the first time in 10 years, you guys have heard Aura audibly chuckle.
That's it.
This is the first time you ever hear her scream.
Are the dead cans still there?
They're gone.
I have to win with them.
I have to.
Bye, Daphne.
We're going to end this real quick.
Bye.
I mean, I can wait a second.
Okay.
I have to.
It'll be like one more minute.
Hylogen, in that moment, your eyes are open.
They sting from them being open, not being able to blink.
You are carried out.
And you hear, we got him.
Just put him in the room.
You are carried.
Your body is manipulated.
Your muscles are so strong, they are very still like stone, but not stone.
As you are carried through this hall, you see gray stone work, and you are placed into
a chair.
These four dead cans are on the ship.
They begin to strap you down.
They have no emotions.
They are just doing what they're doing.
And as you are just completely and utterly strapped down your ankles, your arms, one
of the dead cans goes ahead and picks up this leather, an array of tools, and places it
on the cabinet and just throws it out.
Many plated and blunt instruments are there.
As the door is knocked on, everyone stands at attention.
And the door is opened.
And you see a familiar man, an elf, Wenfeld, Lordigan.
In his typical uniform, he has an H today.
As he walks in, he looks directly at you for a moment before he just looks towards the
others and he nods.
And they walk away.
As they fall out of the room, he stops one.
Take those out.
I don't need those.
The person picks up the tools and walks away.
Wenfeld closes the door behind him so slowly.
And you feel your muscles begin to loosen for a moment, but you're strapped.
He goes, Hello again, illusion.
Feel familiar?
No.
He walks closer to you, his boots clinging against the ground.
I want to clear up a misconception that you might have had after our last encounter.
You did not survive.
You marinated.
And that's where we're going to end this session.
Thank you all so much for watching.
Watch watching.
It came at the worst possible.
It came at the worst and the best time from a narrative standpoint, from an emotional
standpoint, my God, but I did.
So I did not.
If you guys plan this, I swear to God.
No, no.
Yep, this last thing, this what just happened.
Thank you all so much for watching.
That was a fun session, guys.
We will see you next week.
Kendra's face.
Thank God.
Bye.
Goodbye.
Yay.
Bye.