Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Previously on Alicia Rising.
Sites and locations where the shroud was being constructed across the city have all been attacked and looted in what seemed to be a string of coordinated strikes by someone wearing a silver raven's mask.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: Atta tries to find some time to go.
[00:00:25] Speaker A: Think real hard about Grandma as you open your eyes. On the other side of the veil is a translucent image of your grandmother.
[00:00:37] Speaker B: Atta just stares for, like, a solid three to five minutes. In that moment, she's trying to decide whether or not to push any further or not, because there's important stuff that we need to do, and this could. This could be dangerous.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: And your light burns and shallow cheek cuts are both removed.
Thank you.
[00:01:03] Speaker C: I literally had those, like, those wounds for, like, the whole campaign.
[00:01:08] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:01:14] Speaker D: Welcome to Elysia, the jewel of the North. On our gilded streets, fortune and fame can be found by anyone.
[00:01:26] Speaker E: Hi, I'm Julia and I'm playing Magpie, an ace of our lurk.
[00:01:31] Speaker F: Hi, I'm Nate and I'm playing a dragon scent slide.
[00:01:37] Speaker E: Hi, I'm Meg.
[00:01:38] Speaker C: I'm playing Frieda, a wolfkin cutter.
[00:01:41] Speaker G: Hi, I'm J.C. and I'll be playing Algernon, an ace of R Spider.
[00:01:47] Speaker B: Hello, I'm Erol. I am playing Atta, a goblin whisper.
[00:01:52] Speaker A: And my name is DM Dan. I will be the games master on this adventure.
[00:01:57] Speaker D: So come on in and marvel at our wonders. Make sure you see the beautiful views we have to offer. And don't mind the ghosts. They're friendly, really. Grab yourselves a seat and make yourselves welcome in the city of Alicia.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: Welcome back, everybody. Hi. Hello. Hi. I'm DM Dan. This is Explorers of Elsewhere, and you are watching Elysia Rising our Blades in the Dark campaign.
I am rejoined by Julia, Errol, jc, Nate and Meg. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hi.
[00:02:39] Speaker E: Hello.
[00:02:40] Speaker A: Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello.
[00:02:41] Speaker E: Hello.
[00:02:41] Speaker C: Hello.
[00:02:42] Speaker A: Hello.
[00:02:42] Speaker B: Hello.
[00:02:42] Speaker A: Hello. We have completed the final downtime and we move now into the final free time before the finale, the final score.
And in this time of unusual peace, with the city beginning to tear itself apart around you, let's begin with Catherine.
Where do we find Catherine?
[00:03:24] Speaker F: Catherine has.
After sort of leaving Vauntham in his room, Catherine is going to journey over to the sort of burnt remnants of the cathedral of the children of Aya. And just sort of. He hasn't really had a chance to take in the fact that somewhere that he spent quite a lot of his youth has gone, has just been completely burnt down and that the fact that the high priestess is now gone and the children have now kind of scattered. So something that played Quite a lot that was quite a heavy part of his youth is now gone.
[00:04:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:14] Speaker F: And he's not quite sure if he's reminiscing or if he feels like he needs to have some sort of goodbye to it.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: So as you stand on the streets of Abbott's Gate looking up at where the cathedral once stood, unlike the Ruby Keep not too far away from you, without the aid of the kind of the monolithic vines that sprouted out around the Ruby Keep supporting it, the overall structure of the cathedral of our glorious mother is realistically rubble and ruin.
The once gleaming spires and stained glass windows are a distant memory.
And the smell of like the acrid burning, the chemical smell from Velka's flames kind of singes your nostrils slightly even now.
And as you take it in and you notice that the streets of Abbott's Gate are quite quiet.
But even now people just seem to be passing by this corpse of a structure.
You hear a voice come from a bedraggled looking kind of street. Vagrant sat a little way over at the end of a nearby alleyway.
[00:05:54] Speaker H: I wondered how long it would be before you came this way.
[00:06:01] Speaker A: And the vagrant looks up to reveal a yellow scaled dragon scent that you know all too well.
[00:06:10] Speaker F: She just sitting there.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
Sat on the cold cobble streets in the drizzle.
Head down, boy.
[00:06:22] Speaker F: How long have you been there?
[00:06:28] Speaker H: I stopped counting the hours after a while.
Days perhaps.
[00:06:38] Speaker F: Don't you have anywhere to go?
[00:06:43] Speaker A: Dorothea kind of lowers her head again and just sort of like laughs as this makeshift cow kind of covers her features. It's a dry, raspy laugh.
[00:06:56] Speaker H: Not anymore.
No.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: And she looks up at you and you've never seen Dorothea in such a state as this.
Her eyes are sunken into her skull. Her lips are kind of dry and cracked.
She looks.
She looks like she's hanging off her skeleton rather than the full bodied force of nature that you knew her to be.
[00:07:27] Speaker H: Despite having lost it all, this still feels like the only place I should be in the city.
[00:07:37] Speaker F: Catherine's gonna look down on her and he is gonna feel like kind of a. Well of a pit of like disgust and pity. Like this woman caused him quite a lot of pain in his youth and caused him quite a lot of pain by sending his siblings to war.
I think he is gonna sort of, he's gonna kneel down to her level and he's going to say if, if this was any other time, I would have left you here to rot.
And then he's going to stand up and say, but things have changed. Me more than you or this faith could ever change me.
And he's gonna reach out a hand to her.
[00:08:54] Speaker A: She slowly lifts her head back up to look at your outstretched hand.
And she. She stares at it for a moment. And then you see her head sort of like, turn away. As this is almost kind of incredulous, dismissive, kind of sneer.
But you can't help but get the feeling that it's not directed at you.
[00:09:25] Speaker F: If I can let pride set.
If I can set aside my pride this time, maybe you can as well.
[00:09:38] Speaker A: She's still looking away. And in this moment, you. You almost feel like there's a complete reversal of roles.
Where you perhaps once wore the same expression that she's wearing.
And you are stood where she once stood.
[00:09:58] Speaker H: The funny thing about us, Dragon scent, is that all of our life, we're.
[00:10:05] Speaker G: Told.
[00:10:08] Speaker H: That we matter for one reason and one reason only.
And I would fight tooth and claw for my faith.
My piety was everything to me.
And when people flew in the face of it, it made me angry.
[00:10:35] Speaker A: She finally looks up at you and holds your stare.
[00:10:41] Speaker H: I would do anything for the High Priestess.
[00:10:47] Speaker A: It seems.
[00:10:49] Speaker H: Even the things she didn't want me to do.
I saw you and your ilk as the greatest threats to Alicia, only to find it wasn't you that was the danger.
It was usually I've heard on the streets that a brave group of noble criminals stormed the prison and freed the Sanguivar.
I knew it was you and your companions the moment I heard the rumors.
Do you know why Lukraji was going there?
Why she had her eyes set on the.
[00:11:44] Speaker A: On the Sangovar?
[00:11:45] Speaker H: Help within.
[00:11:48] Speaker F: I'm guessing. Their relation to a Khan and believing that they were a scab on this earth.
[00:12:08] Speaker H: And what greater show of devotion to Mother Aya than to expunge the stain from the city once and for all?
After.
After what the Garden Keepers manage with those God's forsaken vines.
Lukraji believed that with a show of devotion extreme enough, she could have called.
[00:12:42] Speaker A: Aya here to save us.
[00:12:48] Speaker F: Well, I don't know how it would make you feel, but she obviously felt that to the very end, even.
[00:12:57] Speaker A: In.
[00:12:58] Speaker F: The knowledge of her imminent death, Hand was reached out in charity to rescue her.
And she denied it.
[00:13:11] Speaker A: Dorothea, like, catches a breath. And you.
You wonder if this is perhaps the first time someone has said what's happened to L definitively.
[00:13:26] Speaker H: Well, then.
Despite everything that's happened, my faith is still important to me. Catherine.
[00:13:38] Speaker A: She looks up.
[00:13:42] Speaker H: But I would rue the day that I made the Same mistakes as High Priestess Lukraji Aesoph.
[00:13:53] Speaker A: And she lifts a frail looking hand up to take yours.
[00:13:59] Speaker F: I'll help her to her feet. I'll say, come on, we'll get you somewhere warm and we'll get some food in you.
[00:14:10] Speaker A: Like as you say that u turn to sort of like lead her away. She stops and like, her head is cow again.
[00:14:22] Speaker H: Catherine, I.
Everything that's happened, everything I did, this.
This was not what I intended to happen.
I have hope in my heart that we are lost.
[00:14:56] Speaker A: But elsewhere stands.
[00:15:02] Speaker H: I hope that one day you will be reunited with your family.
I hope that one day you can accept my apologies for all the harm I've caused you.
I'm sorry, Catherine.
I'm sorry for everything.
[00:15:32] Speaker F: One step at a time.
[00:15:37] Speaker A: She. She nods and she takes a few steps to kind of catch up with you. And then like, you see a stop and like her eyes, her eyes open wide and her hand instinctively kind of goes to her breastbone and like she pats around and you notice like she. She looks down and realizes she's not wearing her holy symbol of ire.
And she turns to where she was sat and the two of you, can you see it in like partially submerged in the street gutter.
And she looks at it for a long moment and then turns back to.
[00:16:22] Speaker H: You and let's go.
Are you sure?
[00:16:31] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:16:33] Speaker H: I put my faith in higher powers now.
So do I.
[00:16:42] Speaker A: And she leaves with you away from the burnt remains of the cathedral.
Where do we find Magpie?
[00:17:03] Speaker E: Ooh, wherever she might find Samuel. I think.
I think it's high time she had a proper heart to heart with him.
[00:17:16] Speaker A: Where. Where would you like it to be?
[00:17:19] Speaker E: It could be he could be at Cadwaladr. I don't know if he would have. What is the plan for the Sangrevar? Just a quick question to everybody because we've been sort of talking and joking about the fact we've got 40 odd sangrevar rattling around in the manor. Would we have sort of sent them out, go home again now that the danger's past? Or would we've taken them to safe houses? Would they still be there in the manor?
[00:17:44] Speaker A: I mean, there is a number of sort of like free for all accommodation throughout the Ivory.
[00:17:51] Speaker E: That's true.
[00:17:52] Speaker A: Like if effectively squatters dens.
So it could be that the Sangavar have largely kind of populated a small area of the Ivory, in and around kind of cabolada manner.
And just so they're staying outside and then of gravitating backwards in and out. So like lodgings almost.
So perhaps you. Yeah. You find Samuel in a somewhat turned out dining room.
So he sat at a table in this kind of derelict. In the kitchen of this derelict house, this derelict manor house.
[00:18:33] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:18:34] Speaker E: And I think this. It's almost certainly not the first time she's spoken to him since the prison break. Like, they've certainly had conversations, but I think she's specifically come to seek him out today.
[00:18:50] Speaker A: In which case, as he looks up to you, he. Oh, hello, Amina. How are you doing? He says as he cleans his glasses.
[00:19:00] Speaker B: You.
[00:19:01] Speaker E: You don't have to do that, Daniel.
You know, you were the first one to ever call me Maggie.
[00:19:10] Speaker C: Let's.
[00:19:11] Speaker E: Let's go with that.
[00:19:13] Speaker A: He.
Of course. My apologies.
How are you doing, Maggie?
[00:19:23] Speaker E: I don't know.
So much has happened and I don't even know if there's going to be a city pretty soon.
I've wanted to come to you because you always have such wise words for me.
And it's been such a long time since we were sort of forced to part ways by everything that happened. Happened, you know, with the eschaton.
You know.
I don't know if you know, I went to see Mother the other day, not long after we broke you and the other Sangravar out.
And the long and short of it is I don't think I'm a Ravel.
Neph had got to her.
That bloody raven. He was standing there in her office, spouting this poison about me being involved in the deaths of all those people that night, and I just froze up.
There's so much I could have said to her and I just didn't do it.
I couldn't do it.
There was no way I was going to stand there and beg for my place in a family that I'd never felt a true part of anyway.
[00:21:09] Speaker A: And after hearing your mother's words, do you feel now that you are no longer a Ravel, do you feel any lesser in yourself?
[00:21:32] Speaker E: There's a part of me that will miss it.
My sister.
The comfort of having everything I needed in a world that's shrinking and dying.
But there was a part of me that always knew that wasn't my path.
In a way, Nefuna's done me a favor by forcing me to make a choice.
[00:22:11] Speaker A: The one thing that always impressed me when you were growing up was the care that you gave to everyone around you.
I would say you do the most ludicrous things for others.
And it always warms my heart to see the happiness that doing that for others Gave you.
So the fact that you're here, we're talking about this. The fact that you care, that shows just how impressively mortal you are.
And that is not a weakness.
Everything we saw during the Dragon's War has shown us that only by sticking to our truest selves will we be content.
And you are one of the truest people I know, Maggie, that you would risk so much for so many others without.
Without a breath of hesitation.
I'm proud of you, you know.
And if he were around, your father would be, too.
[00:23:53] Speaker E: I think at the risk of being slightly cheesy, Magpie's gonna reach for his hand and say, he is around.
He's right here.
[00:24:06] Speaker A: Samuel, like, blinks a few times and then there's this sort of, like, slightly confused look on his face when suddenly it all kind of clicks in and he just. He smiles. He lets out a breath.
[00:24:31] Speaker E: You're the reason I am how I am, Samuel.
In a house where I felt like a total outsider. No idea what my place was. You were there. And you took me under your wing and you taught me how to care and how sometimes doing the right thing is more important than doing what the law states or what society expects. And you made me feel cared for.
Most importantly.
[00:25:10] Speaker A: He smiles.
I want you to remember, Maggie, that the family that you fear you've lost is not.
Not necessarily the family that matters most.
I look at you and your other companions and I see the bond that has formed between the five of you.
And it is clear that people of good nature and good intention gravitates towards you.
You've forged a new family through all of this despair and misery that we've found ourselves in.
And nothing that anyone can say will take the. Away from you.
You're not alone.
You never were.
[00:26:27] Speaker E: Thank you, Samuel.
[00:26:29] Speaker A: He smiles.
There's.
It seems like there's a lot happening in the morning.
And I want you to know that I've spoken to some of the. Some of the other. Some of the other ace of R.
And we will help you where we can.
[00:27:02] Speaker E: I knew I could count on you.
[00:27:05] Speaker A: He smiles and kind of pats his hands and pats your hand with his.
I'm just.
I'm just brewing up some delectable mushroom tea if you'd be happy to sit and stay for a while and keep this old soul entertained for a short while.
[00:27:34] Speaker E: Of course.
[00:27:37] Speaker A: And he, as he stands and kind of moves into the remnants of this kitchen, where you see a.
A kettle beginning to boil, everything, for a fleeting moment, feels.
Where do we find Atta at.
[00:28:10] Speaker B: After seeing grand Granny Enid is probably.
And after being very well looked after by Lorenzo, of course, it's probably like kind of a little bit teenager mope, moping around Cadwallader Manor, like kind of going from room to room and just kind of like kicking a pebble here and there, like purposefully kind of avoiding her, like, workshop.
And I think after a little bit of teenage sulking mood, she will go and try and find wherever to find Ariane is.
[00:28:57] Speaker A: Okay.
You find Taren up in your attic room and she's doing. She. It seems like she's trying to look through the telescope that you occasionally look through. And you can hear the sounds of the metal cap of the telescope, like we're hitting her glass pane.
And as you enter, like, the floorboard creaks under your foot and she like, turns to see you enter.
Oh, I'm. I'm sorry, D.
I probably should have asked to be in here. But she sort of like tries to put the telescope back to a direction that it was pointing at. It's completely off.
[00:29:53] Speaker B: But I can.
When I get time, I can make one that works maybe with your visor instead, if you like.
That.
[00:30:10] Speaker A: That. That would be. That would be great, dear. I would really appreciate that. Thank you.
[00:30:18] Speaker B: What were you looking at?
[00:30:24] Speaker A: I.
Well, I couldn't really see anything, but I suppose I was just looking for others like me.
[00:30:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
What.
I mean, this is a big question, but what. What do you feel like you are?
[00:30:57] Speaker A: I.
I feel.
Ever since I was put in this suit, I. I feel real. I feel physical. I. It feels.
With these big clumpy feet, they're not all that far off from the old hooves that I used to have there, but there's.
There's a. A yearning feeling.
I feel restless.
I feel like this isn't supposed to be the finish line.
I feel like there's supposed to be more.
[00:31:54] Speaker B: Yeah. I've been thinking about whether there's much of a difference between a memory or a spirit.
What is a person made of? What is their spirit made of?
And I. I don't think I've got answers, more questions, but I think everyone deserves at the end of their time, a nice long rest, right?
[00:32:43] Speaker A: Yes, a nice long rest is. Would be very nice. To be honest, I've been thinking about that a little bit myself. You know, now that we've. Now that we know that there's a difference between whatever I am and whatever they.
[00:33:10] Speaker G: Ah.
[00:33:11] Speaker A: She says, gesturing out the window towards the veil.
And it may. The question that always comes to my. The front of my mind is why they're here.
We know why I'm here.
I.
I got here the seemingly natural way, but. But all of them, it seems like they can be conjured.
We're literally dreaming them up.
And I don't know why.
There will be some that say that that's just an artifact of whatever this void we're in is. But I've gone my life always assuming that there's a. There's a reason for why things happen the way they do.
And understanding those reasons has brought me a lot of solace in. Well, used to bring me solace in life.
I ask the question, why are these memories manifesting in such a violent way?
We were worried that I would turn out like them. And we were further. We couldn't be any further from the truth.
That's curious.
[00:34:42] Speaker B: Yeah, very curious.
I think the more I experience whatever feelings they have, anger or fear or sadness or the mix of whatever makes this so violent, the more I just want to know that in the end we'll be helping them in some way.
Like, I want the people of Elysia to be safe and be helped, but there's something.
I also want them to be okay as well.
[00:35:45] Speaker A: Well, I believe there's reason why you and I are stood here having this conversation.
The paths we've traveled have led us to this point on this evening, faced with the trials and tribulations that we will face tomorrow.
And I have faith in Alicia, and I believe that with enough people, with good enough hearts like yours, Atta, we will save us.
We will save ourselves.
We just have to keep the courage to continue moving onwards.
[00:36:50] Speaker B: Yeah.
We've got to keep Elysia's heart beating.
[00:37:02] Speaker A: Tevarian nods like there's a metal creak as the helmet bops backwards and forwards.
You never know.
Perhaps we never know what tomorrow will bring, but we know it will be good as long as we try to make it be good. Does that make sense?
[00:37:35] Speaker B: Yeah.
Like, you know when you're inventing and you could make something that makes a really big mess, but you make something that makes a really contained and specific mess instead.
[00:37:49] Speaker A: The suit kind of jiggles as cheese. Laughs yes.
That's what you were always good at, at a controlled misses.
[00:38:09] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:38:12] Speaker A: She sort of like turns and rotates the telescope round a little bit and perhaps you should find things. Perhaps you should start looking for things and then point them out to me. Perhaps I'll see them that way.
[00:38:35] Speaker B: Yeah. And maybe while I'm looking for things, you can. You can tell me Some stories of young Unesia.
[00:38:47] Speaker A: That would be my pleasure, dear, she says.
And as you begin your sort your void gazing, where do we find Algernon?
[00:39:05] Speaker G: We find him on the steps of the Fairfax household.
Yeah, he's holding one of his fine bottles of liquor.
And he's got there at a time when he knows Fairfax is just about to come home.
And he knocks on the door knocker, hoping to meet the Fairfax's wife.
[00:39:38] Speaker A: Okay.
As you wait on this, it's a very modest residence in sort of like Lower Haveny.
So it's clear that a lot of Fairfax's wages presumably are being funneled into.
Well, once upon a time would have been funneled into upkeep, like payment for the house.
Is it just you?
[00:40:13] Speaker G: Yes.
[00:40:13] Speaker A: Door. In which case you hear footsteps approaching from the other side.
And as the door opens, you see a young boy, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, who looks up at you.
Yeah, the boy says. And as you stand looking at this child, a bit perplexed, you hear a voice come from inside saying, who is it, Orel?
Just the man at the door.
Little boy.
And from around. From out of the doorway emerges a pleasant looking Laura Val woman.
And she peers her head round and. Oh, I'm sorry. I weren't expecting guests. Can I help you? She says as she walks forward.
[00:41:21] Speaker G: Mrs. Fairfax? Yes. I.
I apologize we haven't been introduced, but I'm an old.
My name is Mr. Cadwaladr. I'm an old friend of your husband, Algernon.
[00:41:36] Speaker A: She looks and.
Please come in, come in, she says as she. She beckons you in.
[00:41:46] Speaker G: Thank you.
I know he's probably on his way back from the ministry, but I thought.
I was just passing and I've bought you both a gift.
I am the partial owner of a venue in Duskland and we're cleaning up the last of our reserves, you see.
[00:42:05] Speaker A: She smiles. Is it in like a hamper of sorts?
[00:42:09] Speaker G: No, it's just like a bottle of wine.
[00:42:12] Speaker A: Oh, I see.
[00:42:13] Speaker G: From. From the Spectre's cellar.
[00:42:18] Speaker A: Got to go to her. She. She looks at it with a like. She. There's a genuine gasp on her face and she.
This will. This will pair well with the.
You're the one that gave us the mushrooms, aren't you?
[00:42:33] Speaker G: Ah, yes. I hope you've been enjoying them.
[00:42:36] Speaker A: I. I imagine that these will pair beautifully, she says, and she. Orel set another seat at the table we're having. We'll have Ms. Mr. Caldwaldy here for. For dinner.
[00:42:51] Speaker G: No, please. I couldn't. I couldn't. Intrude.
[00:42:54] Speaker A: Oh, you are not intruding in the slightest. In fact I'm. I'm somewhat star struck.
These. He's always talking about you, you know.
[00:43:05] Speaker G: Nothing good I hope.
[00:43:08] Speaker A: She, she sort of like titters and go. R.L. set the table. Set the table. She says. And who you presume to be Fairfax's son, just who's looking at you just nods and like plods off and you hear the sounds of cutlery and crockery kind of being arranged at the table.
If please make yourself, make yourself at home. I'm. I'm just finishing up for, for when he arrives home, will I.
[00:43:38] Speaker G: Will al know her name? I think he probably would do after having sort of tried to investigate them before.
[00:43:46] Speaker A: Yes. Let's go with Keralise.
A hard sea Keralis.
[00:43:56] Speaker G: Oh well, if I'm not intruding, I would love to stay and sample some of those king oysters. It was Keralis, wasn't it?
[00:44:05] Speaker A: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely yes.
[00:44:09] Speaker G: Fairfax has spoke fondly of you often as well.
[00:44:14] Speaker A: She. SHE LAUGHS well I, I'd hope he would. She says. As you like. As you make your way into the dining room, it's, we say dining room. It is a larger room that seats both a table with now four chairs around it as well as a very kind of narrow looking two person sofa with a number with what appears to be a work desk. You can see that Fairfax is. There are some sort of like architectural documents kind of scattered across the table. It all looks very, very fair facts.
So yeah, as you're kind of looking around and the, the room, but all the clues and hints and things that you're picking up as you glance around, they, they just kind of inform you of the most inoffensive, pleasant little family home.
There is a part of you that finds it a bit odd seeing Orel, you understand his name to be running around perhaps.
Yeah, clearly Fairfax has been keeping that quite close to his, his chest because he doesn't speak about his son to you very often.
But as you're kind of looking at him, the, the child turns around and looks to you and how come you've got the same name as my dad?
[00:46:04] Speaker G: That was actually one of the reasons we bonded back at Morton's College for Boys.
He prefers the soft G and me the hard.
[00:46:13] Speaker A: You see the. Orel nods and I hope one day when I get old enough that I can go to a college like Papa.
[00:46:26] Speaker G: Quite.
Morton College sadly no longer exists in this reality, but it was a fantastic institution. The best days of our lives. As they say.
[00:46:40] Speaker A: Orel just kind of nods and it's. It's all right if Mortens isn't here, because Papa has said that soon we'll make our way home and then I can go to any college for. I want to.
[00:46:57] Speaker G: Make your way home.
[00:47:01] Speaker A: Yeah. Back to. Back to the rest of elsewheres.
[00:47:05] Speaker G: I see.
[00:47:07] Speaker A: He says that we're just on a holiday and soon we'll. They'll. They'll make it ready so we can come back and then we can see all of the people that didn't manage to come with us on this. On this vacation.
[00:47:22] Speaker G: I think your father might be correct, young Orel.
[00:47:25] Speaker A: He. He smiles. He always is. Mr. Cadwalama.
[00:47:33] Speaker G: It's Cadwalada, but quite.
[00:47:38] Speaker A: Orel is just sort of like smiling at you and like he's at the age where he's missing a couple of teeth.
But he. He just like. As he nods like Mrs. Fairfax.
So K kind of swoops in and I hope you're not. I hope you're not bothering Mr. Cabo there, Orel, she says as she sets down a. Like a crock pot.
[00:48:03] Speaker G: You'll have to watch him. I'm afraid he might be a bad influence on me.
[00:48:10] Speaker A: She. She kind of lost. Please don't. Don't stand there awkwardly. Have a seat. Have a seat.
[00:48:19] Speaker G: So I want to kind of sit down and make some sort of small talk and genuinely get to know this family in a way that doesn't involve spying or magical drugs or a subterfuge and wait for.
Wait for Fairfax to come home.
[00:48:40] Speaker A: So you.
Over the space of the next 10 or so minutes, like for one, your.
Your senses are overwhelmed by the quite. The really nice smell emanating from this crock pot. And you can't help but think, like, if this smells so great, why does Fairfax's pack lunch always look so unappetizing?
But over the space of those 10 minutes, you find that, yeah, care lease.
Ever since.
Ever since we were lost, ever since we went on vacation. She says, glancing slightly at rl I've become a seamstress. There's.
There's a lot of. Lots of children in the city that aren't as.
That weren't as lucky as Orel to have both parents or any parents and some of the more basic duties that Alicia prided herself for for such as tailoring.
It felt only right to put some of my skills to the better of the city as a whole. So I do my best to repair clothing and make sure that all the orphans are well dressed.
What is it that you do again, Mr. Cabolder. Algernon always says.
He's always a bit wishy washy with the details.
[00:50:25] Speaker G: I was away for many years in the foreign service and then when I returned, shortly before we became lost as it were, I began a venture dealing with in antiques with a handful of my friends.
[00:50:40] Speaker A: Ah.
She. She nods. And that sort of what he's been trying to to get us, I suppose, she says, thinking about it.
And as she's kind of questioning it you hear the front door open and you hear I'm home in a very kind of sing songy way.
And as Fairfax kind of strides to the doorway into this kind of living room dining room, he oh.
As he spies you sat at the dinner table, Algernon. I wasn't expect.
Oh. Are you staying for dinner?
[00:51:30] Speaker G: Apparently sir, your lovely wife car invited me for an extra seat at the table. Good to see you old boy.
[00:51:38] Speaker A: He nods yes.
Jolly boating weather indeed.
[00:51:44] Speaker G: Jolly boating weather.
Has Algernon ever told you what that means? Keralis?
[00:51:53] Speaker A: She roll like she is visibly rolling her eyes as you say. And it's something that he's always said but he's never actually taken the time to explain.
[00:52:06] Speaker G: It's the opening lyric to the Morton school song.
It uses rowing as a analogy for compatriotship and school spirit. It has a homoerotic subtext. I enjoy bodies between our knees and all that.
[00:52:28] Speaker A: But Keralis gives a oh look to you as Fairfax goes bright red and right. Well let me take off my coat and then we can crack on with dinner, shall we?
Yeah, he. He disappears and like as he sits down to dinner still looking a little bit flustered like his moustaches fluttering slightly or kind of looks up and what's a homoerotic.
And as the four of you tuck into like the lid of the crock pot comes off and Algonon it perplexes you somewhat because what you see is fundamentally the mush that you see Fairfax eating on his little park bench in Abbot's Gate every time you meet him.
But for some reason like in the in perhaps it's the environment that you find yourself in but it looks like one of the heartiest meals that you might be having might have had for a while and as Carelise kind of serves it up and she she kind of serves up and she kind of gives Fairfax and are all like little kisses on the head as she serves them and then kind of looks at you and proudly says well looks to you and then looks to Fairfax and Says, I decided that tonight should be the night we use the portobellos. And you see Fairfax's eyes kind of open and. Yes. But the four of you get stuck into a very welcoming, homely family meal.
[00:54:23] Speaker G: Cool. I want to, like, just keep it very normal. Sitcom family meal with the strange family friend.
And then after, afterwards, I want to, like, go with Fairfax to his withdrawing room or wherever he is, and share a glass of that wine.
[00:54:43] Speaker A: Sure.
In which case, as your. As he kind of swirls this wine round and it's clear that he's not had wine for a very long time, he.
I do say, oh, boy. This is a bit of a. This was a bit of a welcome surprise. Thank you for dropping by.
[00:55:05] Speaker G: Speaking of surprises, I wasn't aware you were keeping one of your own, young Master Orel.
It's growing into a real Fairfax.
[00:55:14] Speaker A: He. He is. I.
He's.
He's the reason why I do everything I do. Algernon.
He's. He's the driving force in my life. And even now, I can.
I can tell that he'll grow into someone that will make me proud.
He gives me purpose.
I think that's all that a family man can ask for.
[00:55:53] Speaker G: Speaking of family, I've also recently come into some information regarding my own.
A significant relation that has reappeared in my life, one that I have no memory of or attachment to.
She suddenly appeared. She was never part of the plan, but now she's in my house, she's in my life, and I'm not quite sure how to feel about it.
I don't love her. I certainly don't trust her. I barely even know her.
[00:56:37] Speaker A: Fairfax, like, looks a bit surprised. And it's never. It's never straightforward with you, is it, Algernon?
[00:56:51] Speaker G: Straightforward was never my forte.
[00:56:55] Speaker H: Well, do you know what I would.
[00:57:00] Speaker A: Do if I found myself in a similar situation?
[00:57:06] Speaker G: I'm all ears, old boy.
[00:57:10] Speaker A: I would do everything I could to open myself up to her, to do the best I could to make up for lost time.
Because if, even after everything Elysia has been through, she made it back to you, that's worth cherishing.
[00:57:40] Speaker G: Thank you, old boy. It's good to get some advice from an old friend.
[00:57:47] Speaker A: It's.
[00:57:49] Speaker G: The whole thing's made me think about what I really value and which relationships I do know and the people who I do love.
Ordinary people have always fascinated me, Fairfax. Usually because they're swimming in dirt, which, as you know, is my currency.
But not you, old boy. You're the cleanest man in Alicia.
[00:58:15] Speaker A: I think I'll take that as a.
[00:58:17] Speaker G: Compliment, he says it is, except I cheers him back.
Except for this, of course. And I hold up a little manila envelope that's been sealed for a long time.
Do you know what's in here? Oh boy.
[00:58:43] Speaker A: I can't say I do. But I suspect you're about to tell me.
[00:58:49] Speaker G: Quite. I've always been one for theatrics.
This is your final year university exam, the architecture degree, the one that got you your career at the Ministry.
This is the original, of course, the one that's so full of errors I swapped it with one that I took in. Your name.
[00:59:20] Speaker A: Fairfax. Like he's kind of mid sip as he likes, coughs and chokes and I'm sorry, what? He says as he. As he kind of peers at this envelope, like incredulously.
You did what?
[00:59:39] Speaker G: They'd already pinned me for the Foreign Service, Fairfax.
Final year exams were nothing of my concern, so I thought, why not put my studies to good use for they'd make or break careers for. For a man such as you.
I've been holding onto it all this time, sending you off to do my illicit work at the Ministry. All those blueprints you picked up for me.
I thought if I ever had to twist your arm, this might do it. But there's no more games, Fairfax, no more subterfuge.
And I walk over to his fireplace and I light the envelope on fire.
There's no more dirt on you.
[01:00:29] Speaker A: He looks from the fireplace to you, to the fireplace to you.
II and you can see like his brow furrows, as if he's. Like there's a part of him that seems like he's a bit put off. But then his features soften and he laughs.
It never is straightforward with you, is it, Alkanon? He says with a wry smirk.
[01:01:02] Speaker G: I could never do straightforward. Not like you. But every complicated conspiracy, every evil deed I've ever done has all been for this. The ordinary life of an ordinary man. The person that I could never have been.
I might not make it back from my next endeavor, Fairfax, so I wanted to make amends.
[01:01:34] Speaker A: Fairfax gives you a look, and as he finishes the glass of wine that he's got.
That's the funny thing, Algernon.
It would seem that you've fundamentally been my guardian angel for all of these years.
And the things about guardian angels is that you can never really get rid of them.
And he grabs the wine bottle, he fills up your two glasses.
So whatever you've got planned for your next excursion, I trust that you'll make it back just like you always have.
And he raises a glass a second time.
[01:02:37] Speaker G: I raise the glass.
Jolly boating weather, old boy.
[01:02:42] Speaker A: Jolly bloody boating weather.
And yeah, he takes a sip.
After meal is finished and you've said your thank yous and your goodbyes, you make it like you begin heading back to Cadwalada Manor, where we find all the others who've returned.
The manor is somewhat quiet by comparison. There are no 40s sangrevar stomping around the halls. It seems Musto has made himself scarce, which is surprising. He's clearly out on the raz, you would assume.
But yeah, you like Freda. Whereabouts.
H. Whereabouts in the manner has everyone else found you?
[01:03:38] Speaker C: I actually think Frida is sat on essentially. The porch was sort of a quiet part of the back, back of the house, maybe in sort of like the twilight, essentially, with like a lantern going. And she's, she's got the wolfkin blade, the bloodletting blade, like, on her lap. And she's just, yeah, she's just going up and down the blade with a, with a cloth, sort of polishing up the metal and looking pensive.
[01:04:16] Speaker A: Between the other four of you, who finds Friede first?
I'm thinking maybe Kavrin Oratta.
[01:04:24] Speaker F: Yeah, I think I'd be walking back from dropping Dorothea off somewhere more safe.
[01:04:30] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, yeah, as you kind of head back into Cabal da Manor, you see Frank Frieda sat on the step of the back porch overlooking, like an overgrown ruin of a garden. And. Yeah, well, before long, everyone else kind of reconvenes.
Be a Catherine you like, you're first to the scene. But you spy Frieda sat next to, next to the blade that you, you watched her run someone through with.
[01:05:10] Speaker F: Catherine's going to sit down next to her.
Penny feel your thoughts.
[01:05:18] Speaker C: She kind of just doesn't realize you sitting down and sort of starts a little bit. Oh, hi, Catherine. I, I don't know what I was thinking, really.
No, I, I, I do know what I was thinking. I was, I was thinking about the other night.
You know, for all my, my, my bluster, I've never actually hurt someone. Not, not properly, not, not like that before.
[01:05:49] Speaker F: I mean, as I'll be honest, I've known you for a while now, but that, that actually surprises me.
I hope you don't take that as an insult.
[01:06:03] Speaker C: No, no, I don't take it as an insult at all. I, I like to make people think that I'm capable of taking life. I, I rely on, on that perception of me in a lot of Things, honestly. But no, I've.
That was the first time. And I'm. I guess I find myself a little bit struck by just how easy it was. I wonder if I'm gonna have to do it again before this is all over and. And I think I'll find it even easier the second time.
And the third and the fourth, and. I'm not sure I like that.
[01:06:56] Speaker F: Thought I was going to ask. Does that worry you?
I mean, we've. We've headed into uncertain territory over the last past weeks, but gods know what we're going to head into now.
Do you think we'll come out the other side?
[01:07:19] Speaker C: I think whatever happens, I've got a family that I need to protect now. That's. That's the thing. I'm.
I'm thinking of trying not to think too much on the details. I've never been one for details. Anyway, that's more.
That's more Algernons area.
Yes, that's definitely Magpies area. They do the thinking.
[01:07:44] Speaker F: They do the thinking.
[01:07:46] Speaker C: You know, we're more physical, you and I. Oh.
[01:07:50] Speaker A: Oh, oh, yes. Yes. Definitely.
[01:07:53] Speaker F: Sorry about the noise earlier on, by the way.
[01:07:56] Speaker C: I'm glad you had fun.
[01:07:59] Speaker F: He's gonna give your muscles a squeeze again on your arm.
I hope you know that none of our perception has changed on you at all.
We.
We know you're a good soul, and if you need any help, we've got your back.
[01:08:20] Speaker C: Frieda sort of playfully punches you in the shoulder back, which is probably again, not meaning to, but it's probably a little bit harder than really you needed. And she goes, that means a lot, Kav. It really does.
[01:08:33] Speaker F: Come on, it's cold. Let's get inside.
[01:08:36] Speaker C: Aye. There's only so much polishing of a sword you can do and that right.
She gives you a wink.
[01:08:46] Speaker A: Okay, so as the two of you get up from the back porch and make your way into the manor proper, you see the rest of the crew, the rest of the other people that you've fought and bled and struggled alongside for these past few weeks as you. You take a moment to just kind of exist in each other's presences. The five of you are gathered.
Where would you say the five of you are gathered? Within the mansion.
Within the manor.
[01:09:28] Speaker E: I have been wanting to do a rooftop chat for so long. I think we should all roof Vale and over the city.
[01:09:36] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:09:37] Speaker E: That's my vote anyway.
[01:09:40] Speaker A: In which case, yeah, as the five of you follow Magpie on her trail up onto the roofs of the Ivory.
Yeah. The five of you Are sat along, sat in a line.
And from up here, you can see quite far. Like, you can almost see to the other side of Alicia from where you're sat.
And even though the. The drizzle is kind of finally misting down on you, it doesn't feel horrible, doesn't feel dreary like it always does.
But. What? Have the five of you got any kind of final thoughts before you turn in for the night and get ready for tomorrow and the storm that arrives with it?
[01:10:41] Speaker C: I tell you what, guys. If we all die tomorrow, at least we can't beat this view tonight. It's bloody glorious up here. How comes we haven't done this yet?
[01:10:51] Speaker G: Quite. I was tempted to capture it for one last exposure with the camera, but maybe it's supposed to be fleeting.
[01:11:01] Speaker C: Hey, I tell you what, Algernon, actually, how about you dig that thing out? Why not a photo of all of us together? I don't think we've ever took. Taken one of all of us.
[01:11:13] Speaker G: I haven't been able to get you all to sit still for 30 seconds.
[01:11:18] Speaker C: Well, here you are. This is your opportunity.
[01:11:21] Speaker G: Come on then. Help me lift it up.
[01:11:24] Speaker B: Sure thing.
[01:11:25] Speaker A: Okay, as the five of you kind of. Well, as Algonon sets up the camera on a little tripod, precariously balanced on the. Like the tiles of the roof.
Yeah. As the five of you kind of squish in, Is it like an old timey, like, poof, smoke kind of camera? Or is it a flash and a click, or.
[01:11:52] Speaker G: It's even more old timey than that. Like, we have to remove the shutter and sit still for 30 seconds.
[01:12:03] Speaker A: Amazing. Amazing. Okay.
In which case, as the five of you kind of sit, or, you know, almost kind of arm in arm to kind of all gather in enough to fit into the photo.
I guess one thing to ask yourselves is, with the veil soon to fail in its entirety, what will you do then? Like where? What are your thoughts knowing that tomorrow may be the last day of Alicia.
[01:12:48] Speaker G: You mentioned it, Frieda. I know. It was graveyard humor. There is a possibility that we might not return from this.
Is that something you're all at comfort with?
[01:13:07] Speaker E: If we don't succeed, then everyone dies.
We might as well put our all into it.
[01:13:19] Speaker F: I will admit I'm not.
I was hoping I'd see my family again, but at least I get to do this last day with chosen family.
[01:13:34] Speaker B: I think there's something special in doing our best for Elysia, whether we will make it out or not.
I think even if some of us don't. We'll still be part of Elysia and it's future.
[01:14:06] Speaker A: With the moment tinged slightly with this kind of foreboding uncertainty for your immediate futures.
The 30 seconds finishes Algernon and presumably I. As I understand it, you would now have to take it out and almost immediately take it to the red room.
[01:14:32] Speaker G: Yes, I will. I'll go back to the red room and develop it and then bring it out so everybody can have a look. Okay.
[01:14:42] Speaker A: In which case, as you kind of head back down into the manor to leave the. You know, leaving the other four on the roof.
As you're walking along the corridor, you stop for a moment and peer down into the like the entry hall.
And you see like Devira is stood in the middle and she kind of glances up at you and like there's a long pause, there's a. There almost seems to be a.
A note of sadness on her face.
And then she kind of uncharacteristically smiles at you. It's a warm smile of a sibling.
And as you look back at her, what, do you smile back or do you. Are you still a bit like, wary of her?
[01:15:50] Speaker G: I'm still incredibly wary of her.
[01:15:52] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, as you kind of look back at this smiling sister, you have no memory of.
You don't hear it, but you see a shadowy figure emerge from behind the Vera as the. The candlelight of the entry of the grand hall illuminates a silver raven's mask.
And before you get a chance to say anything, the raven surges forward and body grabs D'Vera around the chest. And as she kind of lets out a cry of surprise like the raven kind of wrestles slightly and then his head turns up to you. And the offer still stands. Algernon.
But the time to make your decision is running short.
And as Dvira struggles. Get off, mate. Get off, mate. She shouts. And you see her like trying all these things to try and wiggle out of his grip, but it seems to be iron clad.
[01:17:05] Speaker G: I drop the photograph of the crew and I spring forwards with my hand open. I can sealed palm pistol emerges. And I want to shoot the raven in the head.
[01:17:22] Speaker A: I will step in and as the pistol kind of extends out from your sleeve and it like your finger slips over the trigger, there is a.
And it's a noise you were expecting, but the outcome is not.
As two fully armored black guard emerge in front of you, stood between you and the raven and your sister.
And as you draw the pistol like fire, it ricochets off one of their face plates the Two Black Guard in unison, lower their halberds and, like, step forwards towards you. What do you do?
[01:18:32] Speaker G: I am going to get my crutch, shove it forward so the blade of one of these halberds goes into the gaps in it, and try and sort of skirmish my way backwards, hoping that my crew have heard the noise.
[01:18:53] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, the Black Guard are tier six.
You are now tier three.
But this starts you.
I'm going to start you on a risky. No effect.
Everyone else, you have heard the staccato of a gunshot within the manor. But, Algernon, for this precise moment, they won't have made it down in time.
[01:19:32] Speaker G: I'll push myself for standard effect. No. Limited effect.
[01:19:37] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:19:39] Speaker G: And then I can use infallible.
[01:19:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:19:43] Speaker G: To pump up to standard. And then I'm going to trade position for 30 to go for a desperate great.
[01:19:52] Speaker A: A desperate great skirmish.
[01:19:56] Speaker G: And then pushing myself is too stressed.
[01:20:00] Speaker A: Okay, Algernon, please make me a one dice.
Desperate great skirmish.
[01:20:14] Speaker E: Oh, my God.
[01:20:20] Speaker A: So describe to me what happens.
[01:20:23] Speaker G: I would like to flashback immediately before this, when we're all still up on the roof having our last conversation.
And as I remove the photographic plate from the camera, put it in its lightproof box, I look at my crew.
Nefine has reached out to me privately.
I think you all should know.
She's offered me a seat on her lifeboat.
For me and me only.
Of course, I won't take it.
We've all been having thoughts about family, found or otherwise.
And when I invited you into this manor, you were my crew. But now I do consider you my siblings.
The thief, the thug, the whore, and the nutcase.
I love you dearly, and this photograph will be proof of it. Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, I. I worry that Blackthorn has been given the same offer. Nephene knows about her, and we are nearly identical in every way.
It remains to be seen what her decision is. But I thought in this final moment, I'd keep you all in the loop.
I'll see you downstairs shortly and we can all have a look at this photograph. Share the last of that wine, hey?
[01:22:11] Speaker A: In which case we snap back to the present.
And as you.
As you lock up the Black Guards halberd and deftly parry it away with your crutch, which sends the black card kind of skidding onto one knee, you know, completely shocking them.
The other four of you have made it down to see. You can see Algernon, and you can see into the entry hall.
And like, as you successfully kind of align, you successfully stop this you kind of being run through by two of the Black Guards. Hals the Raven sort of like lifts their head back some in a somewhat triumphant manner and then looks at the side of De's head.
Come hard speaker. You have a very important duty.
And as Duvira sort of like looks around in confusion Algon you notice she looks very confused by that name.
She then turns and looks to you. And as she shouts, she and the Raven teleport away as do the other two Black Guard and Alonon.
As you watch as your sister is kidnapped by the Raven and the Black Guard, something in your mind breaks.
And as you collapse to one knee and you all you can hear is the beating of your own heart as you gain your first trauma.
We will call it there.
[01:24:26] Speaker E: Oh my gosh.
[01:24:29] Speaker C: Well, welcome to the drama club.
[01:24:35] Speaker E: Wow.
[01:24:38] Speaker A: Elsewhere.
[01:24:39] Speaker C: Oh no.
[01:24:43] Speaker A: Balancing delicately on the tips of her toes on the highest ruined spire of the Ruby Keep, Taro idly wipes some soot and dust off of her hat.
And as she places it back upon her head, she looks across the city that spans out all around her.
And she closes her eyes and smiles as she feels the frenetic energy of all the little Elysians below her as she lets out a long contented sigh.
She opens her eyes and peers through the veil into the void.
And the show can begin.
Congratulations everyone on completing episode 18.
[01:26:06] Speaker E: Harley Maloney.
[01:26:10] Speaker A: You did it.
So last downtime. Totally chill.
We won't we. We will just rush straight to the end here. If you enjoyed this, make sure to hit the like button and if you want to see more stuff like this and also the very important finale that is now due to start, make sure to hit the subscribe button and the bell icon for notifications of when we release new videos because they're releasing very free quickly.
So thank you for watching. Thank you lot for playing and thank you lot for taking us through that emotional roller coaster.
[01:26:52] Speaker E: I got stress from that me.
[01:26:57] Speaker A: Hope you all enjoyed. We will see you the start of the Campaign 2 finale.
Take care. Bye.
