Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello, everybody. Hi. How you doing? You're good?
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:00:09] Speaker A: Amazing. That was. I feel like you're a little bit creeped out, actually. I'm getting that vibe that you. Took you by surprise.
Hi, I'm DM Dan. Welcome to Explorers of Elsewhere. This is Alicia Rising, our Blades in the Dark campaign.
If this is the first one you've seen, something's gone horribly wrong because this is the 17th episode. There are 16 other episodes that you should watch, plus all of the additional accoutrement of side shows that are kind of off the. Done off the back of it. And you should go watch that. That first actually hit the like button now and then go back and then watch from episode one and then hit the like button on every episode from there. That sounds good. Anyway. Hi. How are you doing? We all good?
[00:00:54] Speaker C: Yes. Cozy. It's cozy weather, and I am cozy.
[00:00:59] Speaker A: It is. Yes. I don't know if it's the changing of the seasons or that we're literally on the 17th episode. We are on the precipice of the finale. But yeah, the.
The vibe, the mood, the weather has turned.
Yeah. Cozy is a good place to be.
[00:01:17] Speaker B: Because the fact that we've gone from like, winter to spring to summer and then into autumn now is. Since we've been recording.
[00:01:26] Speaker A: Yeah, pretty much.
[00:01:27] Speaker D: Wow.
[00:01:28] Speaker A: Pretty much.
Yes. I like Meg's looking cozy and ready for it. Who else is ready to jump in?
Me.
Okay, let's go.
Welcome to Elysia, the jewel of the North. On our gilded streets, fortune and fame can can be found by anyone.
[00:01:57] Speaker D: Hi, I'm Julia and I'm playing Magpie, an ace of our lurk.
[00:02:02] Speaker B: Hi, I'm Nate and I'm playing Kavren, a dragon scent slide.
[00:02:08] Speaker C: Hi, I'm Meg. I'm playing Frieda, a wolfkin cutter.
[00:02:13] Speaker E: Hi, I'm J.C. and I'll be playing Algernon, an ace of R Spider.
[00:02:18] Speaker F: Hello, I'm Erol. I am playing a goblin whisper, and.
[00:02:23] Speaker A: My name is DM Dan. I will be the games master on this adventure. So come on in and marvel at our wonders.
[00:02:32] Speaker D: Make sure you see the beautiful views.
[00:02:35] Speaker C: We have to offer. And don't mind the ghosts.
[00:02:37] Speaker A: They're friendly.
[00:02:38] Speaker E: Really.
[00:02:39] Speaker A: Grab yourselves a seat and make yourselves welcome in the city of Elysia.
Betrayal is not a new sentiment in the city of Alesia. The pain and anguish that comes from it is well known by many. Even before the war of Magic manifested these feelings in a greatly exaggerated state on a heavenly scale in time, tempers fade and bonds are reforged. While some will cling to old grudges with notion of fear, pride, or revenge. Many seek reconciliation.
Unbeknownst to the people of Elysia, even the cataclysmic divide wrought by the gods came to an end once the mortals began working together out of desperation and hope.
So what can cause a feeling of betrayal to burn so hot that both sides can only imagine continued devastation as the outcome of it?
Can that fire be quenched? Or will it expand until it has consumed everyone around it?
Algonon as you take a moment to pass everything that you've learned as you retire to your study to mull over these recent developments, what catches your attention the moment you walk into the room? The one thing that seems somewhat out of place is a neat little letter on your desk in front of the window that looks out of Caboola Damana onto the ivory that surrounds it.
And as you approach it, you notice the telltale seal of House Antelia.
You can hear the others, sort of like talking downstairs. You can hear Musto crashing around somewhere, either on this floor or the upper floor. He's loud enough that he could be either.
But you know in this moment that you are alone with your thoughts. And this missive. The seal, the wax seal splits in half quite satisfactorily as as you open it.
And inside is an elegant, cursive, handwritten letter.
It's a handwriting that you've seen before. It is from Nefunae.
Dear Algernon, the time of ascendance is nigh. We all knew those two years ago that all roads would lead to this.
House Antalir was wronged during the war, and so I find it ironic that perhaps House Antalir is Alicia's only hope.
I have been watching you with some interest for some time, and my suspicions were confirmed with but a few words you uttered to me.
If you would sit alongside me for what is to come, the seat is empty for you and only you.
Embrace who you are meant to be.
Embrace who you want to be, and we will see House Anti rise again.
Yours faithfully, Nephene.
[00:06:46] Speaker E: Valammar Aganon finishes reading the letter and immediately puts it on top of the candle and sets it on fire.
[00:07:00] Speaker A: As you watch the scented parchment ignite, you cast your mind back to those words you said as you handed over the arcane device after the Castle Antelier score.
And it would seem that if you still want in, then Nephene will gladly.
[00:07:26] Speaker E: Allow it the favor of the Lodge. Nephene.
[00:07:34] Speaker A: You hear Mosto blustering towards the office and as he pokes his head in your algorithm, he says, and without stopping for a response, he toddles off that, your mother's bathrobe billowing our way behind him.
And so we find you at the recently kind of. Well, the recently reopened Specter after a. A short visit from the. The newly overzealous City Watch.
Yeah. Are you sort of like in the public. Well, are you in the front of the. Like, the main area? Sort of like with the bar with Eric closed off to the public minds. But have you commandeered that area?
[00:08:30] Speaker C: Wherever there's a big table?
[00:08:32] Speaker B: Yeah, that's all we need.
[00:08:34] Speaker C: I feel like it's a time for a big round table. We should all sit round it, like.
[00:08:40] Speaker B: Or are we in our little vice then?
[00:08:42] Speaker F: Or we've got the wall where the dartboard is and we're using darts to pin up all of our.
Nothing to hide from anyone.
[00:08:53] Speaker C: Well, like a Charlie from Always Sunny in Philadelphia, like Horde of madness.
[00:08:59] Speaker A: Well, I. I imagine that, yeah, you're in the sort of the large, kind of relatively openish space. All the chairs and tables that normally dominate the area in front of Eric's bar have been kind of like pushed to the side or pushed together to form what is a fundamentally. Like a large kind of round table.
There are a number of seats around the table, and the five of you sit.
As the five of you sit around kind of next to each other around this table, you can hear Eric behind you, and you would never have known what the sound of someone nervously cleaning, like, drinks, tankards was until this moment. But that is certainly the sound that he's making as he looks over the backs of your heads to the two figures sat opposite each other on this round table.
A blond Lorival woman and a masked individual with a slow and laborious wheeze coming from the mechanisms around his mouth.
And as the. As the five of you kind of look to Songbird and Velka, you can positively feel the thickness of the tension in the air. There is the seething rage that both. That they seemingly hold for one another is almost physically manifest in the space between them. And as they glower at one another, the five of you hear a.
The silence. The lengthy, uncomfortable silence is broken by.
[00:11:05] Speaker G: So who wants some drinks then?
[00:11:09] Speaker A: Says Eric with a slightly quavering false confidence.
[00:11:15] Speaker C: Frieda immediately puts her tankered up. She's probably downed at least several pints by now. This whole situation is making her quite internally nervous, like.
[00:11:29] Speaker A: Eric nods. Is anyone else asking for a drink? Or is the situation. Is this scenario is this situation feeling a bit too fragile for drinks.
[00:11:40] Speaker F: I think Atta's like pushing her very stained coffee mushroom coffee mug closer, like with a shake.
What's flicking through Umi's bed?
[00:11:53] Speaker B: I don't think Catherine's even really touched his. He just got it then.
[00:11:58] Speaker D: I don't think Magpie's even thought about a drink. I think she's just sitting there just like looking from one to the other, just like who's going to attack first? Who's going to attack the other first? I just. She's like really nervous about this situation.
[00:12:15] Speaker A: And sat in the middle of the five of you. Algernon.
[00:12:20] Speaker E: Algernon gets the bottle of fine liquor that he usually whips up when he's in a tense situation, pours each of them a glass as well as himself.
I think this might be the last bottle in the city, so why don't.
[00:12:39] Speaker A: We enjoy it as you pour them out like Velka and Songbird are both like Velka has both of his gauntleted hands on the table and Algernon, as you step around him, you see that every so often in a very slow and rhythmic way, he is wrapping his left, his right thumb on the table and the metal clacks against the wooden tabletop and Songbird is hunched forward with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed to shiv like thicknesses.
And as you pour hers out, she looks up to you for a moment. Perhaps the first time these two have broken eye contact since they arrived here.
Yes, it'd be a shame to waste it.
Shame to see it go up in flames, she says as she knocks it back and slams the drink down on the back on the table.
Velka.
And then slowly pushes the glass away.
[00:14:04] Speaker G: Perhaps for later.
[00:14:10] Speaker A: He says, and the candlelight reflects off the orange lenses of his mask in a seemingly menacing kind of way.
[00:14:20] Speaker B: Catherine's a little bit disappointed because he really wanted to see how he was gonna drink it with that mask on.
[00:14:29] Speaker A: Yes. Velka appears to be leaving it. He turns to regard the five of you, his thumb still slowly banging against the table.
Magpie. It reminds you of the ticking of a clock, the large kind of pendulum grandfather clock in Cabola, the manor that still works miraculously.
[00:14:58] Speaker G: Care to tell us why you've brought me here with her?
[00:15:09] Speaker C: Frieda has just gulped back the liquor, probably a little bit too quickly for its, you know, for what the quality deserved, has just given her enough confidence to sort of pipe up and clear her throat. Well, I know, I know we haven't always seen eye to eye us around this table. But I think we can all agree that there's actually probably a common goal that we all want.
And I think that in order to achieve that go goal, maybe we should like, not be, you know, trying to fight one another.
Isn't that right, Algernon?
And sort of awkwardly sort of slaps you on the shoulder maybe a little bit too hard, and sort of her eyes are darting around.
[00:16:28] Speaker E: Thank you, Friede.
Yes, we have come into some intelligence suggesting that the days of Elysia itself are numbered. There are people who wish to remove the veil and throw the rest of us out into whatever's on the outside.
I think it might be wise to focus our energies, put our differences behind us, see if we can fight fire with fire and maybe pull the strings of some different marionettes.
[00:16:59] Speaker A: Songbird tightens her crossed arms across her chest and then lets out a dismissive snort.
You think you're gonna make, you're gonna build anything worthwhile with this absolute lunatic working alongside you? I thought you were an intelligent man, Albanon. You must be off your rocker.
[00:17:24] Speaker E: Now, Songbird. I'm sensing some emotional history behind your antagonism. Why don't you enlighten us?
[00:17:31] Speaker A: There's a moment where your words register and then there's a flash of movement as they both turn to stare directly at you.
I'm not going to work with him because he's an honorless dog.
Anyway, even if we were gonna gonna help you out, our hands are kind of tied.
This new watch, this Leeches boys, they managed to round up some of my folk, and they were some of my best, and I ain't doing nothing without them by my side.
Velka looks to you as well.
Who's, who's looking at you says, we.
[00:18:18] Speaker G: Tend not to hide behind falsehoods and pretenses like these do, he says, looking.
[00:18:30] Speaker A: Back across the table to Songbird.
[00:18:35] Speaker G: But we find ourselves in a similar situation.
The kindling find themselves somewhat overextended, and one of my best is currently in shackles, also at the hands of the newly formed Watch.
I've heard that Watch Commander Leech has a new propensity for public execution.
Without a Vladir back by my side, the kindling cannot help you.
[00:19:33] Speaker A: As the five of you glance at one another, Eric behind you says, oh, that sounds like they're both in a bit of a pickle.
You all collectively have a feeling that if you are like within these flashbacks, if you are able to help out the marionettes and the kindling solve these problems that are currently serving as obstacles. Obstacles and hurdles to them helping you, they will have less excuses to fall back on and therefore you will have a better chance of getting them on side. If you help them, it will enamour them more to you and perhaps make them a bit more amenable.
So you will collectively know, Algonon specifically that the Black Sash Watch formed under now watch Commander Leech. They have kind of based their new headquarters as such in Old Town out of the the central, the watchtower that pretty much looks over the crossroads at the heart of Oldtown.
And in lieu of bell tower prison, you know that some are kept in very, very cramped like seller cells.
And there are whispers and rumors that, yes, Sergeant Leech is due to start executions in order to restore public order.
But it sounds like both of these are happening.
Both of their problems are in the same location.
So in a flashback, who was it that went to deal with this?
[00:21:22] Speaker D: Oh gosh.
[00:21:23] Speaker C: Frieda can take this one.
[00:21:25] Speaker F: Frida likes people out of cells.
[00:21:30] Speaker C: Free likes punch in the watch.
[00:21:34] Speaker A: Yes. So it sounds like. Yeah. Songbirds, marionettes. Some are songbirds. Top marionettes are currently being held in holding cells like in the Watchtower.
And Velka's reported that one of his, one of his finest, a Valadeer, is due to be, he suspects is due to be executed.
So yes, free the marionettes and stop the execution. Who wants to go on that?
[00:22:04] Speaker D: I feel like Frieda's a great shout because Frida can just duff them all up.
Do we want anyone to go with her? Like if Magpie went with her, you could. Frida, you could be creating the big ruckus and dealing with the guards out front. And Magpie could be sneaking behind and starting opening cell doors.
[00:22:25] Speaker A: And like between the five of you, obviously you can focus on just one of the tasks to gain favor with either the marionettes or the kindling. Alternatively, you could attempt to achieve both, but obviously that will be a harder proposition for you to successfully accomplish.
[00:22:49] Speaker C: Ah, well.
[00:22:51] Speaker A: And there's nothing. There's nothing to say that all five of you can't go. But you. You have a feeling in your bones that there may be a few more obstacles that Songbird and Velka are clinging onto as excuses to not be helpful.
[00:23:05] Speaker D: Is it possible for each of us to have done more than one of what's coming? Okay, cool.
[00:23:11] Speaker A: Yes. So these are all flashbacks.
[00:23:13] Speaker F: So Atta was going to offer that if we didn't want the cells to be usable after breaking people out, then Atta can do some tinkering. Explosive to cells. Because we don't want People going back in cells. Do we?
Nah.
[00:23:30] Speaker A: Okay, so who's putting themselves forward for the old town Watchtower? Score. Sure.
Frieda.
Yeah, Atta for the bomby bombs.
[00:23:42] Speaker D: The bomby bombs.
[00:23:44] Speaker F: So Attic and certainly like. So, yeah, Attic can certainly try to help.
[00:23:50] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, as the three of you approach Oldtown in this flashback, I will do a one dice engagement just to give you an idea of how things are going.
[00:24:05] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:24:06] Speaker A: Between three of you. How are you approaching this? So for all extents and purposes, gather information has already happened. You are like, on the doorstep. Like you are about to hit the Watchtower. How are you going about this?
Think about if you're trying to go for one objective over the other. If you're trying to go for both.
[00:24:25] Speaker C: I've got an as for objectives, I'm not sure, but I have got an idea.
So it's interesting that they mentioned that public execution is now something that they like doing. So why don't we wait for that moment. Why don't we wait for that moment where they gather everyone in the town square square and they are at the point of about to execute the target.
And why don't we bring good old Mekatafarin with us and essentially incite a violent protest against this barbaric act of public execution, with Tevarin winning over the sort of people in the square.
Meanwhile, we can go and essentially, as Atta suggested, render those cells and that space for the watch unusable.
[00:25:38] Speaker A: Okay, so your point of ingress is like Mecca Tavarin is in an almost slant just to kind of disrupt the execution and get everyone to stop what they're doing.
[00:25:51] Speaker D: I was just going to suggest we go in and Frida starts punching.
Just punch and get trigger off. You're not to be trifled with. And we. We both Ata and I sneak in the back and start letting people out. That was my plan. It was really sophisticated.
[00:26:09] Speaker F: With the Tevarien plan. I'm mostly worried if people like I love Ghost Tevarien in a giant mech suit, whether the general public will.
[00:26:21] Speaker B: I'm also worried about the guard knowing about Mecha Tefarian, because I feel like they may very well then start trying to get a hold of her.
[00:26:33] Speaker C: Ah, I can't do that if their base is blown up, though, and everyone hates them.
[00:26:38] Speaker B: I mean, we kind of know. I don't know whether or not this is something that Dan has just said off camera, but we know now we're getting a slight reputation representation that we have Tarvarian in a Mecha Suit.
Or we. Or we have.
There are rumors. Is there any way we can stoke those rumors a bit more so that we could start getting people rioting? Because they know that Tarvarian is alive as much as she is.
[00:27:06] Speaker F: Yeah, I like the idea of a riot.
[00:27:09] Speaker D: Yeah, the riot's a very good idea.
[00:27:11] Speaker C: If we're undermining the Watch's power as well as sort of forcefully taking away their, you know, their base and their means of imprisoning people, whilst also putting Tevarin back out there as. As a sort of like a symbol to follow that could be really powerful.
[00:27:33] Speaker B: Is there any way we can get her close by, but not too close that people can see her, but maybe like, extend her voice so people can hear her?
[00:27:42] Speaker F: Oh, interesting. Yeah. So if Ghost Tarvarian's voice sounds, like, recognizably like Tarvarian's, like, living voice, then. Do you remember I kind of at a made, like, ghost, like, amplification and also some kind of weird radio system that we planted on the EIC loudspeaker type thing. Maybe there is a place where Tevariang can be that's quite high up that isn't within getting at, like, on the ground. So maybe like on a roof or in like, a perfectly framed window. I don't know, you know?
Yeah, like, where she can have gravitas but also not get mocked.
[00:28:25] Speaker D: Yeah, I love that idea.
[00:28:26] Speaker B: Yeah, it definitely will create so much more of a distraction and then a riot and then we can get the people out.
[00:28:33] Speaker F: Especially if stage with execution is happening here and Tarvarien is in a different direction to draw, like, the crowd's attention.
[00:28:40] Speaker D: Everyone look around to her. Yeah, good idea.
[00:28:43] Speaker F: Let's do it.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: Let's do it. Okay, so we have two clocks. Rescue the marionettes and save a valadeer. The crowds are as you. There's the three of you arrive.
The crowds are currently baying for what's worryingly baying for blood.
There are shouts and chants. People are glad that what, you know, one of the instigators of the fires that have wrecked Alicia in recent. In recent days is finally being brought to justice.
Where are the. This is all happening in front of the tower just off the crossroads at the center of Oldtown. Where were the three of you located? When I go to roll engagement, as Tevarian kind of reveals herself via this.
[00:29:36] Speaker C: Like, arcane Tannoy system, Frieda is going to be at the. At the base, essentially preventing any, like, watch backup from joining. I'm gonna be fighting. Fighting people back in which case, Frieda.
[00:29:56] Speaker A: You see that Sergeant Leach, who you recognize from your street brawl a little while ago outside the Spectre, now dressed in, like, a fashion mockery of Algarve?
[00:30:13] Speaker C: I definitely like to punch his face.
[00:30:16] Speaker A: Well, he stood in front of the crowds with his arms up and on his knees. In front of him is a beaten Lorraval man, like, one eye swollen shut, who's just sort of like, glancing around the crowds, just who are calling for his. For his kind of execution.
Where am I going? At her.
[00:30:43] Speaker D: Somewhere they can easily sneak into the tower, I think.
Yeah.
[00:30:49] Speaker A: Okay, so light in the crowds.
[00:30:52] Speaker D: Yeah. As long as we. I mean, does that. That implies we're just going to kind of walk in the front door when people are distracted? I don't know if that.
[00:30:59] Speaker A: I mean, the alternative, if it's a watchtower, you could go in via the top, but you might have to go via a couple of guards on the way.
Okay.
[00:31:08] Speaker D: Do we have any idea what level? Given it's a tower, it's quite a lot of it, probably. Like, what level are the. Are the marionettes and are Valadier on sports?
[00:31:20] Speaker A: So you would assume that the marionettes are in the, like, the cellars underneath the watchtower.
[00:31:25] Speaker D: Oh, right. Okay.
[00:31:26] Speaker A: And the validir is at the front door.
[00:31:28] Speaker D: Oh, oh, yeah. Validir is out there. Yeah, Being. Being executed. Right. Yeah. So we'll go in the front door in that case, while people are distracted.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: And ata, you're sort of like, offhand, like, out the way slightly with Mechatavarian.
[00:31:42] Speaker F: Oh, yeah. If somebody needs to be with.
Somebody needs to be with Meka Tavarian.
[00:31:49] Speaker A: You sound engineering, or were you not.
[00:31:52] Speaker D: Going to come and do the explosives in the cells Just at the start, so.
[00:31:56] Speaker A: Just at the start.
[00:31:57] Speaker F: Okay, yeah, I'll. I'll stay with Tarvarian and make sure that she gets the moment to do that. And then, so I. I guess, like Magpie, my plan to get to where you are quickly is maybe using the dimension door, Ghost key orbs, if I am able to have some of those, and they actually work.
[00:32:16] Speaker D: Okay.
Okay.
[00:32:20] Speaker A: So as the crowds shout and scream and watch, Commander Leech stands up and People of Alicia, we. We will give you what you want. So the crowds start kind of cheering louder. And Frieda, you watch as Leech Paul produces a pistol from a holster on his belt and sort of, like, holds it above his head with a triumphant sort of like, cheer from the crowds.
And as he places a hand on a Valadier's shoulder and then goes to lower the Pistol to the back of the lore of our man's head.
You hear this sort of like crackle, this high pitched whine.
And then the familiar voice booms through the. Through the air.
People of Elysia, stay your hands. And you hear a surprisingly crystal clear voice of Tarvarian echo through the streets. And people just sort of like immediately and they start looking around. And you hear a couple of like panicked cries from the crowd. It's Tavarian. It's Tavarian.
It's the ghost of Tavarian. And the crowd begin to sort like murmur. And you see Leech. What? And he, as he looks around, surprised, he pulls his pistol away from. From the lore of our head.
It seems now the mission is a go. Who's going first?
[00:34:02] Speaker D: I mean, Magpie will try sneaking in if you want.
[00:34:05] Speaker A: Okay. You. You can see like Leech in front, like behind a valadeer with the. With a pistol in hand. There's a.
Like, at the sound of Tarvarian's voice, two of the sentries at the front of the watchtower have just kind of like stepped forward, just looking around, much like the rest of the crowd. And you realize that now is an opportunity that you can slip in through like a little window.
[00:34:29] Speaker D: That is the plan. It is to sneak in using prowl and to get into the building and then down into the cellars and then hopefully tinker lockpick cells open.
[00:34:43] Speaker A: Roll me a risky standard. Prowl.
[00:34:46] Speaker D: Risky standard Prowl. No problemo.
No problem at all. Risky standard. Do I want to modify this in any way? Shall I just do it.
[00:34:59] Speaker F: Just do it.
[00:35:00] Speaker A: Okay, so a six. So you managed to slink in and that will be on. Off the back of a six. That is three segments of the rescue. The marionettes clock. Nice. Yeah. You slipping through the window, you notice that the.
The guard tower itself seems to be relatively understaffed. You imagine that these new, these new watches sort of like around the city somewhat, but you're able to immediately kind of move downstairs into the cellar area and looking around like your. Your eyes have take a moment to acclimatize to the darkness. Have you got a lantern or like a light source with you?
[00:35:44] Speaker D: Prob. I suspect I would have one, yes. Let's say I do in my loadout.
[00:35:50] Speaker A: In which case, as you spark, as you kind of ignite your light source, you can see that the cellar is made up of.
Along the floor. There are these little arched kind of cubby hole type things you want. They almost look like arch baker's ovens, but they're sort of like at floor level. And they're only about 3, 4 foot tall at most. And you watch as you look around, you realize that behind the bars of these little arch holes there are two or three marionettes on their stomachs, like crammed in to these little spaces.
[00:36:33] Speaker D: And Magpie is disgusted at this.
[00:36:35] Speaker A: They shield their faces and then like one of them peers through and sort of like manages to notice you behind your light and get us up, get us out.
[00:36:47] Speaker D: Okay, just give me a moment. And she. Yeah. Sets to work.
[00:36:51] Speaker A: Okay, Frieda, you've seen Magpie head in the. The crowd are sort of like looking around and you can see that some of them are beginning, like the crowd is starting to fracture slightly. They're backing away at the sound of this. This sort of like ominous Tarvarium voice. And you can hear cries of like, I told you. I told you she's back. I told you they found her.
And Sergeant Leech is sort of like looking around frantically and citizens, you know she is dead. These are tricks of the enemy. They're trying to turn you. He shouts. He begins to shout and bellow. And you see some of the crowds looking back to him.
Do not let them sway you from justice, he says. And he goes to bring the pistol back round to a Valadir's head.
[00:37:42] Speaker D: Punch him.
[00:37:45] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonna tackle. Tackle him. I'm gonna grab that pistol hand and sort of like try and knock it out of his grasp at the same time as headbutting him directly in his face.
[00:38:03] Speaker A: Okay, what is it you're rolling for?
[00:38:05] Speaker D: That sounds like a squeamish.
[00:38:07] Speaker C: Well, I mean, yeah, it's a skirmish, isn't it? Let's do a skirmish.
[00:38:12] Speaker A: I'm going to start you on a desperate standard because there is a pistol involved.
[00:38:19] Speaker D: O, we love a bit of xp, don't we?
[00:38:25] Speaker F: Desperate standard. Can I help?
[00:38:27] Speaker B: I was going to say, can I help in any sort of way?
[00:38:30] Speaker D: You're not here.
[00:38:31] Speaker B: I know, but I can help in other ways.
[00:38:34] Speaker F: Maybe I can help by remote detonating some small. Just some small explosives to distract him a little, like off that I've planted elsewhere. Not in the crowd.
[00:38:45] Speaker D: Obviously not terrorists.
[00:38:49] Speaker C: Maybe this would be a really good moment for Teyvarien to step forward on that balcony and reveal herself to show that, you know, she be dead. But she is. She's also sort of alive and well.
[00:39:04] Speaker D: She's still. She may be dead, but she's still here.
[00:39:07] Speaker C: I'll say that if Anyone not forgotten.
[00:39:12] Speaker A: If anyone. Well, if anyone wants to chip in, that would be a stress.
As if you're at this present moment chaperoning Tavarian. If you want her to step forward to reveal herself to the crowds, or if you want to set off some pre. Preset bombs. Yeah, that'll be one stress.
[00:39:32] Speaker F: Okay, I'll do the Tevarian. I'll encourage Tarvaryen to step forward in more like and put some, you know, some, you know, Vokoda Ariana Grande, you know.
[00:39:47] Speaker A: Yeah, okay.
So sorry, you're doing one stress for Tevarian or bomb. Sorry.
[00:39:54] Speaker F: One stress for help the situation by, like, enabling Taria to speak with more gravitas to distract.
[00:40:04] Speaker A: Okay. Is she stepping forward to reveal herself?
[00:40:08] Speaker F: Yes.
[00:40:09] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:40:10] Speaker F: I believe so.
[00:40:11] Speaker A: In which case. Yeah, so exchange for one stress. Atta and Frieda, you get an extra dice or an extra effect level.
[00:40:19] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. Let's do.
Let's do a great effect.
[00:40:24] Speaker A: Okay. So desperate. Great.
[00:40:26] Speaker C: Ready?
[00:40:28] Speaker D: Oh, no. On a five, you. You get severe harm. What?
[00:40:33] Speaker B: Oh, that's a desperate.
[00:40:34] Speaker D: That is what you get for a desperate. Great. Good Lord.
[00:40:38] Speaker A: So, Frieda, as you surge out of the crowd towards Leech, as he's bringing around this pistol to the back of the. The lore of our man's head, you manage to tackle Leech, but you hear a staccato bang as the pistol goes off.
And it would seem, as you get there a moment too late and he manages to shoot Olivan Ovaladir in the back of her head. No, it's a serious complication that.
Do you want to resist?
[00:41:19] Speaker C: Yeah, of course I want to resist.
[00:41:23] Speaker A: Please roll me a prowess resist.
This will mean that he'll. He won't suffer like, fatal harm. Instead, he'll just, like, lose the hearing in one ear.
[00:41:38] Speaker F: You can't help with resists, can you? It's just.
[00:41:41] Speaker A: No, sorry, someone can take the resist, but.
[00:41:48] Speaker C: Sorry, I've got this. You ready?
[00:41:51] Speaker D: Yeah.
Look at that.
[00:41:55] Speaker A: Okay. You only suffer one stress. So you hear the bang. And as you glance down, you what? You see the scorch mark across the cobblestone alongside a valadeer's leg where the gun has gone off by his ear. And you see that, like his. His ear, his right ear is singed and he shouts and screams and his face scrunches up as he kind of throws himself out of Leech's grasp as the gunshot goes off. And you hear him like, his right. His right eye is kind of clenched more. And you wonder if, like, you can only imagine Imagine the sound of the ringing going off in his ear. Given how loud the ringing in your ears is.
[00:42:36] Speaker C: Ears are overrated. It's fine.
[00:42:39] Speaker A: You only take one stress as you barrel into Leech and knock him backwards.
That is a desperate great. So that is three se atta. You've just heard a gunshot going off in the crowd. As Tevarin steps forward, like as she walks out onto the balcony. You see that loads of the crowd have looked up and there, there she is. I told you. I told you. She's back. And you see her sort of like throw her arms wide open and start shouting to the crowd.
Would we so quickly, quickly fall to bloodshed. She shouts and begins sort of chastising them in an uplifting kind of way.
[00:43:30] Speaker D: In a motherly way.
[00:43:32] Speaker A: In a motherly way.
[00:43:33] Speaker F: In a head teacher kind of way.
[00:43:34] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:43:35] Speaker A: And like, you watch as the crowd starts to sort of like some of the crowds turn around and I know this was a bad idea. I know. And they start surging forward to sort of like Frida. You notice that a couple of the crowd are converging on you. But upsettingly, while some of them are sort of like grabbing Leech's other arm, some are also grabbing a hold of you and trying to like pull you off of the watch commander.
Asa. What is it? Are you doing anything in this moment?
[00:44:07] Speaker F: I don't know whether I can do anything particularly helpful. I suppose what I can do is maybe what we did before deploying on this little mission is I've got one of the beep beep earrings and maybe Magpie trying to escape has the other. And I can at the very least use maybe a study roll to scrutinize details to just kind of see where the crowds are like surging to kind of direct Magpie in the least. What's the word? Like the least Busy. Noticeable.
[00:44:44] Speaker D: Such a good idea to help me make my mamai escape with the marionette. That's such a good idea.
[00:44:50] Speaker A: Okay. Because you're somewhat more out the way. So we'll call it a risky standard to begin with. Yeah, risky standard study as you try to like scope out where, what way the crowd's going.
[00:45:06] Speaker F: Okie dokie.
[00:45:08] Speaker A: Emotionally and physically.
[00:45:13] Speaker F: I'll roll the.
[00:45:14] Speaker A: Okay. A five.
So you do it. There's a consequence.
So I'm gonna say that you trust in magpies lock picking skills enough that you know that whatever's under that tower isn't going to stop her. Your success would be two segments of that completes the rescue. The marionettes clock as Magpie reports back to you that she's managed to free the marionettes. However, you do notice that as Tarvarian steps out and is addressing the crowd, a number of the Watch, who are sort of like who have orbiting a bit further away and are beginning to converge on the disturbance around the watchtower.
You recognize a number, the number of them from the shield bearers, and they start shouting, there she is. Take her down. Take her down. Sort of pointing things at you. And you watch as a number of the Watch bring up crossbows aiming at you. And Tavarian, between Frieda and. Well, Frieda, you. You are currently tussling with Leech, but you're being pulled back by some of the crowd. He's being pulled back by some of the crowd. Valadeer's on the ground screaming with a bloody ear.
[00:46:40] Speaker C: Yeah, I think the most important thing would be to get Valadeer out of there.
So I'm going to use my ability not to be trial filled with.
[00:46:52] Speaker A: Age.
[00:46:53] Speaker C: A small gang on equal footing in close combat, and I'm essentially going to grab Valadeer.
[00:47:00] Speaker A: Awesome.
[00:47:01] Speaker C: Over my shoulder and try and muscle my way through that crowd.
[00:47:05] Speaker A: Sure, sure. Which skill are you using?
[00:47:08] Speaker C: Maybe Wreck or Skirmish. Either one, really.
[00:47:12] Speaker A: If you're just bodying your way out, I would recommend.
[00:47:14] Speaker C: Yeah, probably Wreck. Right.
[00:47:16] Speaker G: Okay.
[00:47:17] Speaker A: In which case, give me. So the. The pistol is not particularly in play anymore. So let's call it a risky.
We'll start on a risky standard, but you're not to be trifled with. Will immediately upgrade you to risky Crater.
[00:47:34] Speaker C: Isn't that nice? Oh, wouldn't it be so great if I had something like a Devil's bargain or something right now to maybe consider.
[00:47:43] Speaker A: No matter what happens, Watch Commander Leech fires another shot.
[00:47:53] Speaker C: What's the worst that can happen?
[00:47:56] Speaker D: I can think of a few things.
[00:47:58] Speaker C: What, I get shot again or he gets shot again?
Yeah, but it's all right. We could just, you know, help Velcner out on the next one fun, can't we?
[00:48:09] Speaker A: So, you accepting devil's bargain?
[00:48:11] Speaker C: Yeah, why not? Let's do it for extra dice.
[00:48:14] Speaker A: Okay, so extra dice. So that's a three dice.
Risky greater wreck.
[00:48:21] Speaker C: Yep. Yolo.
[00:48:26] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case. Yeah, as Leech is currently preoccupied. You like, as you grit your teeth and you throw the, like the citizens that are currently dogpiling you off and they like movie style, they go scattering.
You stoop down, you grab a validier under the arm and as you hoik him up and sort of like begin running off into the now Dispersing crowds.
Sergeant Watch Commander Leech notice not just as you go with his prisoner and he brings his arm up and has you, the two of you in his sights. And as he pulls the trigger, one of the civilians jumps at him and is shot in the chest. And you hear the thud as one of the watch, the bystanders hits the deck with a small fist sized hole in the chest.
And like, as the sound of that thud like rings out, like everyone just stops. And there's a moment where like the crowd look down at this murdered civilian and then they all turn to look at Watch Commander Leech and Magpie as you come in to Atta, because Atta's telling you that now's a, now's a very good time to be leaving.
As you sort of like funnel out, you are met with a baying mob that descend on the city watch as they begin in a bloodthirsty way trying to get revenge for their slain bystander that the watch commander has just shot by accident.
And as the crowd begin wailing on the watch, that gives you the excuse to be able to scoot away. Friede and Magpie, you disappear back into the streets. And Atta, you're stood with Tevarin, who just like you see her hands lower and like the shoulders sag as she watches this crowd of civilians begin beating the watch within an inch of their lives.
And as you tell her that you need to go, she just wordlessly looks at you and then follows with heavy stomping feet.
So you've successfully rescued the marionettes and a valadeer. Woo.
[00:50:58] Speaker D: That'S great.
[00:50:59] Speaker C: So Bish bash bosh, easy peasy, piece of cake.
[00:51:04] Speaker A: Back in the spectre in the present, Velka and Songbird have just given their excuses as to why they can't help why. I need my marionettes, I need a valadeer.
[00:51:22] Speaker E: Speaking of former sergeant Leech, we've had our run ins with him, haven't we Eric? Ourselves?
[00:51:29] Speaker G: We have, yes, we have.
[00:51:30] Speaker A: Alguinorn. Yes.
[00:51:32] Speaker E: And what was the name of that chap you mentioned, Velika, you're associate who was going to be executed.
Ah, that rings a bell actually as.
[00:51:44] Speaker A: You say that from the, from Lorenzo's apothecary room out back that you, a number of you have now visited.
This haggard looking lore of our man steps out with a bandage over his right ear. There are some square scorch marks that you can see creeping across his cheek.
And he looks across the room with this grim resolve on his face and looks to Velka and nods.
And you watch as Velka's shoulders relax slightly as he lets out a bit of a sigh.
[00:52:24] Speaker G: I see you've been busy, Algernon.
[00:52:29] Speaker E: Actually, you can thank my associates Frieda, Magpie and Atta here.
[00:52:35] Speaker A: And what about me? Says Songbird. What?
[00:52:39] Speaker D: Oh, yes, we saved them too. And she just.
And Songbird, no sense of ceremony. She just goes, yeah, yeah, we got them. It's okay.
[00:52:48] Speaker A: Songbird blinks and looks at you.
All of them?
[00:52:52] Speaker D: Yes, they're fine. Well, they weren't, but they are now.
[00:52:57] Speaker A: Well, you see a sort of like, bite on her bottom lip. She closes her eyes like she's struggling with something.
I suppose thank you is in order, but that doesn't really change anything. There's.
There's still 101 reasons why we wouldn't go into this agreement. If you're do lally enough to think that you're going to go up against a Lodge reticent and they. They've been stockpiling arcane. Arcane items since. Since before Elysia vanished into the Void.
There is no way we're going to get in. We're going to get to them without some way of protecting ourselves. And the way she says it, you get the implication that she has something in mind.
And as she looks to the five of you, presumably with expectant faces looking at her, or tired faces, she look, the Garden Keepers, they've gone to ground, right? They've scarped.
The thing is, they left in such a hurry that they left behind all of their goodies. If. If we were to acquire the Varen seed at the heart of their shrine, then I feel a bit more comfortable about going on this suicide mission with you.
Yes, Magpie.
[00:54:25] Speaker D: Am I the only person wondering what. What that is?
What did you call it? The Veronica.
I don't think Magpie knows what that is. Should Magpie know what that is, or can she ask?
[00:54:37] Speaker F: This is the Garden Keeper.
[00:54:38] Speaker A: Sorry, say again?
[00:54:40] Speaker D: The Verenseed.
[00:54:41] Speaker B: The Garden Keepers.
[00:54:42] Speaker F: The Garden Keepers, Yeah.
[00:54:43] Speaker A: Yeah. So, Magpie, you probably don't know what it is, but Atta you probably do. The Varen seed is this sort of like emerald laden artifact that is like the central point of focus for the Garden Keeper's shrine in Waters side.
Like much in the way that arguably the. The, you know, the central artifact of the Children of A was L's staff.
The Veren Seed, which is this kind of amulet, belongs to the Garden Keepers. You know it because it's one of the.
One of the only publicly known magic items within the city and it is suspected to hold healing properties.
[00:55:38] Speaker D: Sorry, what's happening right now is that Atta is saying, okay, okay.
[00:55:45] Speaker A: Sorry.
[00:55:45] Speaker F: I was doing it.
[00:55:49] Speaker A: So, yeah, Songbird looks to you like Atta's just kind of spieled out what the Variance seed is?
And then Velka.
[00:56:03] Speaker G: It was not hours ago.
Since you were implicit in the fall of the Divine in Valysia, he says.
[00:56:15] Speaker A: Looking at you specifically Algernon, and already.
[00:56:20] Speaker G: You would rush to wield their baubles against the true enemy.
We would need to send a message.
We will not stand alongside you as long as the shrine remains unraised.
Burn it to the ground and complete the eradication of the faith from Alicia.
[00:57:02] Speaker A: And Songbird looks across the table incredulously.
[00:57:08] Speaker D: Blimey.
[00:57:09] Speaker A: So it would seem.
It would seem that Songbird would like you to retrieve the Varencid, whilst Velka would like you to raise the shrine.
[00:57:30] Speaker D: So there was a part of me when I heard Songbirds, one going, oh, you know what? Stealing the sort of central holy art of a whole order of, you know, religion feels bit much, doesn't it? And then Velka comes in with the total annihilation.
[00:57:44] Speaker A: So, actually, Catherine, yeah, you would know this as the smallest of the. The three kind of surviving religions, they really only had one site of power, which was the Blossoming Shrine.
But since the Cathedral of Our Beloved Mother fell, the Garden Keepers have scattered to the winds.
Well, the least. Well, apart from the most devout, they've all scattered to the wind.
But arguably, that means that the. The prize of the Ven Seed is now up for grabs. But it would mean destroying. If you a. Wants you to destroy the one and only location of power for the Garden Keepers, as the five of you look at one another, who is putting themselves forward for the Blossoming Shrine score.
[00:58:37] Speaker D: Blimey.
[00:58:39] Speaker B: I. I think Kavarin would go for retrieving the Varyseed. I think burning down shrines is not his bag.
[00:58:48] Speaker E: Okay, I'd like to sniff out the Garden Keepers and speak to their leader, the Grove Warden.
[00:58:55] Speaker A: Okay. Okay, so we've got Kavarin and Algernon on the job. Who else is jumping in if anything.
[00:59:03] Speaker F: If anyone not as happy to be on standby if anything needs burning.
Perfect.
[00:59:11] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:59:12] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:59:13] Speaker C: It definitely sounds like this probably needs more of a delicate touch, but Frida can. Can be flashbacked in if things get hairy.
[00:59:22] Speaker D: And Magpie likewise, is happy to flash back in and be on the sidelines ready to sneak in and swipe the seed, perhaps.
[00:59:31] Speaker A: Okay, okay. In which case, as the second. As the second Flashback begins of Atta Algonon and cavern.
How are we. Like, what is our point of entry? Is it the. The talk with.
So Algonon, you know that the leader of the garden keepers is a keeper called Tanafil Glinthana. Are you.
Is. Is Tanafil your point of entry? Or is like. Is caverns? Like, who's spearheading this?
[01:00:08] Speaker E: I think. I think I would like to go and find an audience with Tanafil.
[01:00:12] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case we'll start on a one dice engagement. Are there any factors that the three of you are bringing to the front to encourage this in any way? So bear in mind you've got. So fundamentally you could use your.
You've got 12 cobbles at your beck and call that can do jobs in some way or shape or form to help with an engagement role or if there are any other kind of character NPCs that you want to bring forward.
Yeah.
[01:00:46] Speaker B: If we decide to burn down the shrine, then we'll just get fiends on the job.
We tell her to go in the opposite direction from somewhere else. Take a holiday.
[01:01:01] Speaker F: Can I offer to algae Al Ganon? I don't know whether it will help you bargain with the garden keeper later, but maybe you could take them the Wizard Orb as a replacement artifact that.
[01:01:25] Speaker E: Like how keen to get rid of him? Hey, Atta.
[01:01:29] Speaker A: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
[01:01:31] Speaker F: No, no, no, no, no. He.
But maybe. Maybe they can make a better use of him.
Maybe he'll be happier.
[01:01:48] Speaker E: Maybe we can send him to live on the farm.
[01:01:52] Speaker A: Yeah.
Okay. Are you. Are you going to battle with Wizard Orb? With Saffron, the Wizard Orb?
[01:02:04] Speaker E: It doesn't hurt. Doesn't hurt to have him in my.
[01:02:06] Speaker A: Back pocket as a mediator. Okay.
[01:02:11] Speaker D: So unappreciated.
[01:02:13] Speaker A: I will count that as a plus one.
So that is a two dice engagement roll for the three of you. And the meeting with the leader of the garden keepers is your point of ingress. Let's go. A partial success. Success.
So mixed results are in a risky position when the action starts.
So, Algonon, it took you a while to track down Tanafil, but where about in the city do you meet them there?
[01:02:46] Speaker E: Was that ages ago when we first met Dorothea in the campaign, she took us to that like empty, abandoned shrine of some. Oh, feminine. Yes. I'm old God, so I think maybe I. I have spread the. The words that I want to meet with garden keepers there and I'm going to be staking that out.
[01:03:08] Speaker A: In which case Tanafil arrives at the Rendezvous.
Like you're. You're already there to meet him. Who else is with Algernon for the meeting? Catherine, are you there?
[01:03:22] Speaker B: Yeah, I'll be there.
[01:03:23] Speaker A: Atta, are you there?
[01:03:26] Speaker F: I don't think Atta will be very useful in this meeting.
[01:03:29] Speaker A: Sure.
[01:03:29] Speaker F: I think Atta is, like, prepped with explosives far away just in case or.
[01:03:36] Speaker A: You know, in which case the. The stuck heavy door is shoved open, and you watch as two figures enter in. The two of you recognize the figure on the left as Tanafil. They tower over the Lorvar that's helping them in.
And the.
In Tanafil's right hand is a staff made of sort of like, twisted wood that they are tapping on the ground in a very kind of blind manner.
And this Keeper with a rich green complexion steps in, and the.
The shrine light from behind the two of you kind of reflects off the white blindfold across Tanner Field's eyes.
As they're led a few more steps in, they stop and sort of like, look around slightly, like a head tilted, as if almost listening to the space that they're in.
It has been some time since I blessed the Shrine of Selenith. I assume our friends are here, they say, and then sort of like, turn to look in your general direction. And then you hear a small affirmative from the lore of our minder.
[01:05:14] Speaker E: We're here, Grave Warden. And yes, we do come as friends.
[01:05:19] Speaker A: We Garden Keepers have never been one for secrecy. It is something that has been thrust upon us in recent times. Times.
But tell me, Mr. Cadwaladr, why have you summoned me?
[01:05:39] Speaker E: You've done a fine job, Grave Warden, to keep the Garden of Alisia alive for two years.
But it might not be news to you that there might not be much soil left to cultivate it.
The veil is failing, and it will be failing soon.
I'm interested in using any power at the city's disposal to stop that from happening. And I'm here to talk about the Varian seed, which I've heard so much about.
[01:06:11] Speaker A: Tana. Feel like a smirk spreads across their face.
And you must excuse my reluctance, Mr. Cadwallader.
We garden Keepers have had a poor recent run of placing our trust and faith in others when it comes to our power.
How do I know that your motives and methods for the Varen seed are not as twisted as others who claim to have been doing things for the good of Alicia?
[01:06:57] Speaker E: Are you, perchance, referencing the late High Priestess?
[01:07:01] Speaker A: There's a deep intake of breath from the Keeper.
And you, Catherine, you notice that the lore of Art. Like holding Tanafiel's elbow clenches down on his back teeth. There's clearly some bad blood.
[01:07:18] Speaker E: You probably heard about the destruction of her. Of the Mother's cathedral. It was a shame to see such a holy place go up in flames. But does a house remain holy if its residents turn towards prejudice and genocidal ambition?
[01:07:39] Speaker A: I'm going to say that this question is in itself part of the persuasion attempt. Would you argue you're going for a sway in this moment?
Okay, roll me a risky standard sway.
And by all means, cavern if you want to jump in.
[01:07:59] Speaker B: Yeah, do you want any help with that? And give you a nice.
[01:08:03] Speaker A: Okay, so one stress for cavern.
So extra dice or effect for Algonon?
[01:08:12] Speaker D: Oh.
[01:08:15] Speaker A: Success. Okay.
The Keeper ponders your words for a moment.
There was a time when I would have refuted your words, but I have seen desecration of the heart of the faith in recent weeks. I would be willing to gift you the Veren seed.
A risky success. A standard successory is two pips on the retrieve the Veren seed.
It may, however, take some time for us to retrieve it.
May I inquire as to why you are using it?
[01:09:05] Speaker E: As you might have heard, we are by our career, smugglers of arcane artifacts, including the Divine.
We hope to amass enough power to take on some of the forces that might see Elysia thrown into the void.
[01:09:22] Speaker A: Okay.
The Keeper. The Keeper nods and then turns their attention to you. Catherine. It's eerie how they managed to pick you out in this room with seemingly no sight.
You were once an adherence to the iron faith, were you not?
[01:09:50] Speaker B: That is true, yes.
[01:09:52] Speaker A: Tanafir looks back to you, Algernon. How can we be sure that present company is worthy of such gifts?
Catherine, how are you? What would you like to do in this situation to help grease the wheels?
[01:10:12] Speaker B: Considering that they are not a fan of secrecy? I would just like to tell the truth. The truth of why I left the Faith.
[01:10:21] Speaker A: Okay.
Okay.
Are there any parts of your backstory that might surprise Algernon? Or does Algonon know everything? Is that a book that's already been read?
[01:10:37] Speaker B: There's probably parts that Catherine thinks Algernon doesn't know. But I bet you Algernon knows.
[01:10:45] Speaker E: Okay, I pretend to Blush Cavern.
[01:10:50] Speaker A: If you're also trying to convince Tanafil, then yeah, that also sounds like another sway. Okay, this will be a. Yeah, a risky Again, risky standard. Nice.
[01:11:02] Speaker B: I got three dice in this way, so I should be okay.
[01:11:05] Speaker D: Okay, don't say that.
[01:11:10] Speaker A: Just before we do that.
Are the Two of you planning on setting the shrine on fire, or are you happy with just retrieving the Veren seed?
Because we've got Atta on standby, it would seem.
[01:11:23] Speaker E: Once we've got the seed, I'd like to maybe try something else and ask her something else about that.
[01:11:32] Speaker A: Okay.
Okay. In which case. Yeah, Catherine, by all means, you can make your sway roll. I don't know if there's going to be a.
There's no devil's bargain. Unless you want me to think of one.
[01:11:48] Speaker B: No, I might push myself, actually.
[01:11:51] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:11:52] Speaker B: Just because we can.
[01:11:53] Speaker A: Up to five.
So do you want to go four dice total, or do you want to go great effect?
[01:12:02] Speaker B: Go for Thor dice.
[01:12:03] Speaker A: And do you want to stay at risky standard, or do you want to go desperate? Great. Desperate.
[01:12:07] Speaker B: Great would be really good, actually. Yeah.
[01:12:10] Speaker A: Say the word and I write it down.
Yeah.
[01:12:14] Speaker D: If you beef this role, they stab you.
[01:12:17] Speaker B: They stab me right in my face.
[01:12:20] Speaker A: A desperate great sway with an extra dice. Roll the bones.
[01:12:28] Speaker D: They stab you.
[01:12:31] Speaker A: You do it. There's a consequence.
I will say that you have reduced effect in this moment, which is only two instead of the full three for a great outcome. So as you explain why you're no friend of the Iron Faith, you see a profound, like, sadness on Tanal's like face. And then they slowly nod.
It would seem the faith has been fleeting for both of us.
I will have my grove keepers bring you the seed.
It would seem that you are in a much better position to utilize its powers as the seed is being delivered to you.
What's your alternate objective for Atta Algonon?
[01:13:37] Speaker C: She just jumps out of the door with a flamethrower and just.
[01:13:43] Speaker D: That's exactly it.
And then just utterly crits the role and takes it all out in one area.
[01:13:54] Speaker E: One last thing, Grovekeeper.
[01:13:57] Speaker A: Yes?
[01:13:58] Speaker E: There's a concept that certain indigenous cultures in this world use to maintain their ecosystems. It's called a controlled burn. Perhaps you're familiar with it.
[01:14:11] Speaker A: The lore of Ar like looks up to Tanafil and then looks to you with this incredulous kind of look. I have heard of it, yes.
[01:14:24] Speaker E: Sometimes it's part of a.
The life cycle of a place to be burnt to the ground so it can rise up. Seeds can be planted.
Cathedrals and palaces and shrines can be rebuilt. It stops the whole thing from dying.
[01:14:42] Speaker A: To burn it down, to allow it to rise from the ashes.
You would have us destroy the shrine?
[01:14:53] Speaker E: Like I said, you've done very well to keep your garden alive.
The vines you grew around Bel Tower and the Rubik keep were mighty impressive.
But if we are truly to save the heart of Alicia, you might need to all make a sacrifice.
And then whatever happens on the other side, we can grow those vines again.
[01:15:18] Speaker A: Okay, I mean, this is sounding quite swayy again. Unless you're being more. Unless you're being more forceful, in which case a command might suit.
Yeah. What. What ability are you proposing?
[01:15:36] Speaker E: I think it is sway. Unless you get. Let me get away with consorting.
[01:15:41] Speaker A: I probably. There is a part of me that's. I. I think I'd be more comfortable with, like, saying command purely from a sense of like, you're not really blackmailing him, per se, but it is very much of a. Look what you did. Like, pointing at all of the vines that are wrapped around Alicia.
But, yeah, if it's very much a case of like, I could. Yeah, I could. I could argue for a command if it's a sense of like, if we're gonna do it, you. Like, if we're gonna sacrifice, you need to sacrifice.
[01:16:13] Speaker E: Sure. Command.
[01:16:14] Speaker A: Okay.
Now, the prospect of them burning down their shrine is a tough pill to swallow. I'm tempted to start you on a risky limited.
Do you want to make. Do you want to begin things on a desperate standard instead?
[01:16:33] Speaker E: I.
Well, I can bump up the effect level with infallible.
[01:16:38] Speaker A: Yes, you can.
[01:16:40] Speaker D: Good.
[01:16:41] Speaker A: So that'll take you to risky standard. So desperate greater is on the cards.
[01:16:48] Speaker E: I've got to. I've got to go for it.
[01:16:51] Speaker D: They're so dangerous, the risky graters, at least. Take a devil's bargain.
[01:16:57] Speaker C: Do it.
[01:16:58] Speaker D: Take a devil's bargain. Bump that's. Bump that number.
[01:17:01] Speaker A: Devil's bargain. The incineration will be interrupted by the watch.
[01:17:12] Speaker D: Ooh.
[01:17:14] Speaker C: And then Frida will beat them up again.
[01:17:21] Speaker E: Yeah, okay.
[01:17:22] Speaker A: Okay. So an extra dice then, to take you to a. Two dice.
Desperate, great sway.
[01:17:32] Speaker E: Three.
[01:17:33] Speaker A: Three dice. Desperate great sway.
[01:17:38] Speaker E: See if it works.
[01:17:42] Speaker D: Oh, so many dice there.
[01:17:44] Speaker A: That's my. I'll only count the first. First three.
[01:17:47] Speaker E: There's a six in there.
[01:17:48] Speaker D: Very generous of you.
[01:17:50] Speaker A: So that is a success.
So off the back of a great success. Great success that is.
[01:17:58] Speaker D: Great success.
[01:17:58] Speaker A: Three segments.
Tanafil looks to you and says. Well, look. Looks in your direction and says, I fear I have not the heart to do it my myself, but we will not interfere.
And Tanafil calls away the other garden keepers very verily from the shrine, so that Atta, who presumably is on site, there is no one there to stop it from being burninated, who at that.
[01:18:36] Speaker C: Point jumps out of the doorway where.
[01:18:40] Speaker F: The flamethrower she's been writing her name. She's just at the end of the A and fire and att.
[01:18:48] Speaker A: As you find this. As you stand in front of this very small quaint little shrine, it reminds you of like a well maintained back garden. If there were any real vegetation in there. The. The. The plant life is shriveled and dead and it's more. It looks more like a.
A garden of a petrified garden.
You can see that the. The garden keepers have clearly been doing their absolute best to stop the dry crispy petals of the flowers that are range aligned on the wall, trying to keep them from falling off of the stems.
To look around this place is you. It strikes you as a place of utter futility.
[01:19:42] Speaker F: Can I try something freaky, Dan?
[01:19:45] Speaker A: You can. I would however temper that with. As you take this all in, you hear a commotion and you notice that there are a number of black sash wearing watch storming towards the shrine.
But please get your free comp.
[01:20:05] Speaker F: I wanted to see if I could use some kind of a tune like and see whether like doing a tune with the dead. Right. Goes spirits. Does anything to the plant growth like whether that's been tried.
I don't know why. I mean I want to see whether anything perks up.
[01:20:26] Speaker A: Tell you what. Because time is of the essence. You can absolutely like grab one of the like if you wanted to like grab one of the plants and like take it off.
[01:20:34] Speaker D: Yeah.
[01:20:37] Speaker A: You. You've heard back from Algernon that the ven seed is now in your.
In your possession. How are you setting this dry tinder box of fl.
[01:20:50] Speaker F: And there's dry tinder box that. That will easily catch flame.
I.
Well so I have alchemist fire, but I. I feel like that spreads real quick.
[01:21:06] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:21:08] Speaker F: And takes a lot of stuff with it.
[01:21:10] Speaker A: I mean even if it's just an ability and like if it's just a flint and wreck.
[01:21:17] Speaker F: I think as Atta's been waiting probably for algae's, you know, word on the old. The old earring.
She's probably kind of been setting up little areas of like you know, kind of the little catch. So I think it's. Yeah. Just if matches exist or if flint. Yeah. It's one of them.
[01:21:42] Speaker A: Okay.
So with the watch bearing down on you which you presume is some of the people included in this little war party must be the ex shield bearers that have recently joined the watch.
You. I. How are you? Are you tinkering? Are you wrecking? Like what ability using to create this Spark.
[01:22:09] Speaker F: I think it's probably, probably a not savage force. Yeah, it's going to be savage force because of these guys.
I think so.
[01:22:19] Speaker A: Wreck.
[01:22:20] Speaker F: Yeah.
[01:22:21] Speaker A: Okay, we will start you on a risky standard wreck.
Okay. I will, I will throw in the devil's bargain of the watch. Managed to like attack you before you make your escape.
You are injured on your like escape out effectively.
[01:22:45] Speaker F: Okay.
[01:22:47] Speaker A: Stand. But yeah, starting a risky standard, you can switch immediately to desperate. Great. If you want that sweet, sweet xp.
[01:22:57] Speaker F: Julius. Like.
[01:22:59] Speaker D: Sorry, did I say that?
[01:23:08] Speaker F: I don't think I'm gonna go desperate. Great. But I think I am gonna push myself for two stress to get an extra dice.
[01:23:16] Speaker A: Okay.
It's a risky standard. Three dice total.
[01:23:21] Speaker F: Yeah. So but if I take the devil's bargain, I can, I don't have to push risky up to desperate. And I can push Sandred up to great. Can I, can I use it for effect?
[01:23:35] Speaker A: Yes. So you'll get clobbered on the way out. Fundamentally, it'll be level two. Harm, I'll tell you about right now.
[01:23:43] Speaker F: Geez, I've already got level. I still haven't healed my level two soldiering from last time.
Yeah. I've got like one segment left. I think.
I think we're gonna have to say no to the devil's bargain.
[01:23:59] Speaker A: Okay, so a sensible three dice total. So one extra dice. Risky standard wreck.
[01:24:07] Speaker F: Let's do it.
[01:24:08] Speaker D: There you go.
[01:24:09] Speaker A: A partial success.
So as you see these black clad city watch storming down the street towards you, you frantically do the thing where you're like bashing the flints together to try and get a spark.
And eventually like you strike hard enough that the spark flies out and the spark lands on the dried out. Sort of like vinage and stemmage of the plants in this shrine.
And in a somewhat satisfying.
Suddenly the walls of this place ignite as the fire rips up the dried plant life to the quick enough that it makes you like jump away a few steps.
Joker blowing up the host of the hospital in Dark Night style. And as you glance over your shoulder, you realize you've got enough time that as you scarper off into the streets, the watch don't pursue you as they stop to try and tackle the inferno of the shrine as it is engulfed in flame.
[01:25:17] Speaker F: Sorry, just a question. Are these the ex fancy fancy people with the red masks? No. Okay, cool.
[01:25:25] Speaker A: Just standard watch.
I will give you a reduced effect for all extensive purposes. But that is one segment. So you have successfully raised the shrine and Algernon as you receive word from Attah that the blossoming shrine is no more. Back in the present, Velka and Songbird are looking at you with expectant looks.
[01:25:52] Speaker E: The Varian seed, yes, where have I heard that before?
[01:25:57] Speaker A: Songbird, like, closes her eyes and lets out a sigh and yeah, I probably should have guessed that you would have already gotten it. She says, and Velka begins to sort of look over you somewhat.
There's a tilt of the head that shows like a modicum of respect that seems to be growing in this man's chest for you.
Well, I'm not gonna lie. If you've got the Varencid, that will make things a little easier, she says, and Velka turns to you or the five of you in Can I expect.
[01:26:44] Speaker G: Such efficiency in matters of divine awesome.
[01:26:54] Speaker F: Ass is going to put the plant on the table.
She's snapped on the way.
[01:27:02] Speaker A: Velka.
[01:27:10] Speaker G: Denis is done.
The death blow has been dealt.
The faith is dead.
[01:27:22] Speaker A: The two look at one another from across the table and whilst you can only see Songbirds facial expressions like she's still scowling, but it's clear that she's beginning to soften.
And whilst you get the impression that these are, there are still other objections in your way. I reckon we're gonna look at those after the break.
Hey, so if you're enjoying this little montage, make sure to hit the like button and comment down below on tell us what what job the garden keepers could take up now that they haven't got a shrine anymore.
What are their new professions going to be? And to see how that pans out and whether or not we're going to turn that into a spin off. Make sure to hit the subscribe button and the bell icon for notifications when we release new videos, because we're releasing loads from all the time and we're almost at the end of the campaign, so we wouldn't want you to miss out.
I will see you all in a bit.
[01:28:35] Speaker F: Bye.
