Secrets in the Shadows - Elysia Rising Ep16 Pt2 - Blades in the Dark Actual Play

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Previously on Elysia Rising. The ripples of that night have been keenly felt by all of the people of Elysia. Fully half of Abbottsgate now lies in charred ruin. A number of disturbances within Dustry Hill. A sizable explosion which has obliterated a full block of residential and office buildings. A number of warehouses belonging to the Chain Bearers appear to have been attacked in systematic assaults. The City Watch have found themselves in resurgence. And Watch Commander Leech has ensured that he will do everything he can to ensure that the stability and safety of the streets of Elysia will return. As you all begin kind of gravitating back towards Cabola, the manor, Frieda. You hear some movement from the secret side entrance. You peer down to see who it is. This dark haired woman with a pair of large eye concealing glasses on her face looks up to you. My apologies. I hope I'm not intruding. And then she smiles. Welcome to Elysia, the jewel of the north. On our gilded streets, fortune and fame can be found by anyone. [00:01:37] Speaker B: Hi, I'm Julia and I'm playing Magpie, an ace of our lurk. [00:01:42] Speaker C: Hi, I'm Nate and I'm playing Kavren, a dragonscent slide. [00:01:47] Speaker D: Hi, I'm Meg. I'm playing Frieda, a wolfkin cutter. [00:01:52] Speaker E: Hi, I'm J.C. and I'll be playing Algernon, an ace of R. Spider. [00:01:57] Speaker F: Hello, I'm Errol. I am playing a goblin whisper and. [00:02:03] 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. Make sure you see the beautiful views. [00:02:14] Speaker D: We have to offer. And don't mind the ghosts. [00:02:17] Speaker B: They're friendly. [00:02:18] Speaker D: Really. [00:02:19] Speaker A: Grab yourselves a seat and make yourselves. [00:02:21] Speaker B: Welcome in the city of Elysia. [00:02:30] Speaker A: Hello and welcome. [00:02:33] Speaker C: That was very contained there, Dan. [00:02:35] Speaker A: Thank you. Thank you. Yes, it's very, very demure. Very. [00:02:41] Speaker B: No, don't do it. You're gonna date this so horrendously to the week, basically. [00:02:49] Speaker A: Hi, I am DM Dan. Welcome to Explorers of Elsewhere's Alicia Rising campaign. Hello, hello, hello. We are back with these five rapscallions to do some downtime, which so far has been very, very calm, very collected. So we rejoin our crew. Well, very specifically, we rejoin Frieda. Looking down into sort of like the grand, the ground floor of the entrance hall of Cadwaladr Manor. And looking up at you is an ace of our woman with long black hair, a large pair of concealing kind of sunglasses, curiously holding her hands clasped together at the. Like just at the belt. Looking up at you with a Slight smile on her face. I can't say that you've probably ever seen her before, Frida, but as she looks up and says hello to you in the immediate aftermath of the raid on the Spectre by this new kind of resurgent City Watch, Algernon, what were you doing with Eric and Juicy? Because it was clear that they couldn't really. Well, were you kind of leaving them to the Spectre to kind of tidy up and patch things up as best they can and. [00:04:27] Speaker E: Yes, I'm going to get them to stay there, tidy up, see what the damage is, and then say, there's always place that's in the Ivory field if you need a place to recover. [00:04:39] Speaker A: I appreciate you, Algernon. Thank you. We'll will tend to these poor souls that have had the stuffing kicked out of them and then we'll see what the true damage is. And yeah, with that, the two of them begin kind of sorting out the. The wounded who seem to have been quite, quite brutalized by the. By the City Watch. The black sash wearing City Watch. Yes. Are you. As you make your way kind of over the bridge, like through the boundary, into the Ivory. As you step in through the secret side entrance into Cabola Damana, you hear kind of noises, like a small commotion coming from the main dining room just off the entrance hall. And the door is slightly ajar. [00:05:42] Speaker E: Well, maybe we should renovate the dining room now. We'll need a new space to entertain. [00:05:49] Speaker A: As you pop your head in around the relatively unused table, sat on a number, sat on dusty chairs, you see the rest of your crew, including fiends and Ro and your mysterious barge driver. And all eyes turned to you as you enter into the room. And sat at the head of the table, like with her legs kind of crossed to the side, leaning on one of the arms is Blackthorn. [00:06:32] Speaker E: So Algernon comes into the room, sees that there's like a group meeting happening. Bad news, crew. The Spectre's been compromised. We'll have to find a new place to entertain our clients. And then he sees Blackthorn sitting there and just is completely stopped in his tracks. Ah. I assume the rest of you can see our guest as well. Been a while since I've indulged. [00:07:03] Speaker A: The lady at the head of the table tilts her head back and I assume it was for Watch. They found some false courage with their recent promotion. The recent promotion of Watch Commander Leech. Terrible news, I would suspect. [00:07:25] Speaker E: Um, you. I know. You don't have to assume anything. You seem to know everything nowadays. Apparently You. You asked me to find you when I was ready. Well, I guess we're meeting on your terms then, are we? [00:07:41] Speaker A: Yes, it would seem so. Please, Algernon, take a seat. I would not. [00:07:47] Speaker E: I shall take a seat because I was going to anyway. [00:07:53] Speaker A: As you. As you. Yeah. As you plug yourself down, the lady kind of turns around and kind of sits properly and studies you all. And she exudes this irritating kind of aura of authority. But how starting this out with Magpie, how. How are you feeling with this kind of intruder that's just kind of invited herself into the manor? [00:08:24] Speaker B: I'm probably very watching her very carefully, just waiting to see if she makes a move and also keeping an eye on the entrances and exits to the room. I think Magpie's very stiff in her chair because she's like. She does not trust this mysterious person at all. [00:08:44] Speaker A: I mean the only other entrance to this room is to like the kitchens, but that door is. [00:08:52] Speaker B: What about the windows though? [00:08:54] Speaker A: The windows. But the vast majority of the cad. Well, I'm assuming the cabola, the manor windows, most of them are kind of boarded up through kind of disrepair closed and haven't been opened for some considerable time. Yeah. It strikes you that this figure has kind of brought you all to a location where realistically there is only one entrance and or exit. And yet she still main. She doesn't look like someone who's trapped. [00:09:24] Speaker B: Herself is just out of interest. The head of the table is that closest to the door or furthest away? [00:09:31] Speaker A: Furthest away. [00:09:32] Speaker B: Okay. [00:09:33] Speaker D: Nice. [00:09:36] Speaker A: Atta, how are you feeling about this new stranger? [00:09:40] Speaker F: Atta is holding a book and semi vibrating and kind of looking Umi like in her wide eyed like this prison seems scary, but also I have things to do. [00:09:53] Speaker A: Just before Algernon arrived, you noticed that this lady glanced a look at the book that you're. The tome that you were holding that you procured from the hollow. I would make sure you're sitting down before reading that one. Some of the secrets will truly floor you. [00:10:16] Speaker F: Amazing. [00:10:19] Speaker A: Catherine, how are you feeling about your intruder? Curious. [00:10:22] Speaker C: Very curious. I mean there's obviously. There's obviously the manor has become a lot more busier since all the Sangovar have sort of also are kind of hanging around. [00:10:33] Speaker A: Oh yes. [00:10:35] Speaker C: So it's. He's probably not that confuzled all by it really because like it's. It's just another person that's sort of hanging around in the manor a little bit. Sort of like what do you think you're doing love in this kimbo? [00:10:51] Speaker B: I Love him just standing. [00:10:54] Speaker C: But seeing. Seeing Algernon quite frazzled has made him nervous, but also quite excited at the same time. I think he quite. He's quite enjoying seeing Algernon a little bit quite frazzled, especially towards a woman who he doesn't know. So he's just like, oh, okay. [00:11:14] Speaker A: Perhaps curiously, something that kind of lingers in your mind is that this. This ace of our woman did not seem particularly shocked by Tarvarian. When you and Atta returned with Tarvarian in tow, she just smiled and nodded, tar. Excusing herself to kind of look after Musto and the Sangravar that are kind of hiding out here. Yeah. Kind of excusing herself and this stranger just letting her go. This lady who's sat at the head of the table like, smiles and nods. Algernon, as you kind of gruffly take a seat. Now that we're all here, we can begin our little discussion. My name is the Black Form. I've been somewhat acquainted with Algernon here for some considerable time. Would you agree with that? [00:12:24] Speaker E: The lady has been the literal thorn in my side for two years. [00:12:27] Speaker A: Surely our relationship has been more positive than that, Algonon. [00:12:31] Speaker E: Quite. Well, it's escalated recently while I've been sat here practicing my card tricks. You had the ear of Algarve. [00:12:37] Speaker A: Oh, Algarve. You know, it surprises me that we find ourselves in a position where we might even long for the days that that oaf was in charge of this city. Times were simpler then, weren't they? And now with his passing. Look at the tailspin the city has devolved into. It's positively sad. But I have many reasons to believe that the five of you always were, always have been, right at the heart of the matter. I hear that you've become rather intimate bedfellows with a certain Lady Valinmar. [00:13:37] Speaker E: Jr. I didn't much take for her stepmother the last time we met face to face. [00:13:43] Speaker A: Well, absolutely. Nephene is an ambitious soul. And it would seem that the pawns have been placed in just the right places. And she, it would seem, has taken the king. I trust you've heard of our dear old friend Odalmerse's final moments. As it would stand. There is nothing now standing between Nephene and her final goals. And some may approve of her plans, and some may not. I regard myself in the latter. And I hope that I can convince you to join me. [00:14:32] Speaker E: Algae is like completely running on adrenaline. But he takes a moment to check in with his crew and see what the temperature of his Crew is like. [00:14:42] Speaker C: Are we all just looking at algae? [00:14:44] Speaker A: Just like. [00:14:47] Speaker B: I think Magpie's looking at Blackthorn really intently. As soon as she mentioned Nephene and her plans potentially being in opposition, I think her suspicion and coolness towards Blackthorn probably thawed very slightly. I think she's more curious and like, she's like, yeah, yeah, we want to get Nephena. [00:15:09] Speaker A: It's. Yeah, Magpie. It's kind of hard to read this, to read Blackthorn, because she's got these kind of large. Like the glasses she's wearing cover most of her face. And even in the kind of. The flickering candlelight, the kind of. The greenish purplish glass of the lenses is almost opaque. You can't see through them like you might other sunglasses. So whilst she's looking seemingly at Algonon, it kind of shocks you a little bit when she says, oh, I see that Nefune has already struck out against you, Ms. Ravel. [00:15:51] Speaker B: It's Magpie. Um, yes. I can't lie. I. I was already suspicious of Nefene's intentions in the city, judging by the way she uses common folk and terrorizes meet her goals. [00:16:12] Speaker A: I see you have seen the hideous face that lies behind that veil she wears. [00:16:21] Speaker B: Hmm. [00:16:22] Speaker A: I'm quite impressed by the facade that she has kept up for so long. I too, am somewhat of a fan of false natures and hidden identities. So I think now is the present time to pull back the curtain. And she takes her glasses and slowly removes them. With her eyes closed, she. There's a slight donk as they land on the. As she places them gently on the table. And as she opens her eyes, they are a bright sanguine red. And she looks directly at you. Algernon. My real name. [00:17:06] Speaker E: No, wait. [00:17:10] Speaker A: And she raises her eyebrows and smirks. [00:17:14] Speaker E: Do you share my passion for word games, Blackthorn? [00:17:17] Speaker A: I always have, Algernon. [00:17:21] Speaker E: Well, seeing as I was recently a condemned man in bell tower, perhaps you could indulge me in a game of hangman. [00:17:29] Speaker A: Of course. [00:17:32] Speaker E: You're the one with the. With the word in mind, I suppose I'll start with the letter D. And. [00:17:37] Speaker A: She smiles and nods. That is a good start, Algernon. There are also Ds in the family name. Well, Algernon, you've always been more patient with these games than I. I always prefer the thrill of the moment of success. So I will steal this away from you. [00:17:57] Speaker E: Go on then. Flip to the end and reveal conclusion. [00:18:01] Speaker A: My name is Davira. And this, she says, lifting her hands. [00:18:08] Speaker D: Up. [00:18:10] Speaker A: Is my family home. [00:18:12] Speaker E: I knew it. [00:18:13] Speaker D: Pikachu face. [00:18:19] Speaker E: Because you are. You are me from an alternate timeline, and you have slipped into this reality. [00:18:29] Speaker A: De Vera looks at you. Her brow furrows slightly. And then she lets out a small laugh. [00:18:40] Speaker D: Frida, thinking that that is just. Algernon is being entirely serious. Leans into, says, you know, he looks kind of hot as a. Like lady, don't you think? [00:18:52] Speaker A: Yeah, Great. She. She. Gl. You see a glance at you, Frieda, but she. She kind of titters. And you were always the more imaginative of the two of us, Algonon. She looks to the other four of you. My younger brother and I have a little bit of history to catch up on, and I believe it would only be courteous for us to have this conversation alone. [00:19:32] Speaker E: Father used to sit in that chair where you are now. The military man, pushing his little models around the board. My crew are not pawns. They can hear exactly what you have to say. [00:19:46] Speaker A: You're as stubborn as Mother. You know very well. Very well. I regret to inform you, Algernon, that your hypothesis is perhaps a bit too fantastical in its implementation. But surely my existence scratches at your brain. The impossibility of it, I suspect. You. You found the hidden clues around the manor as to my existence? [00:20:28] Speaker E: Naturally, I found all of them. [00:20:31] Speaker A: Echoes from the past of a history forgotten. You see, I was 6 years old when you were born. You were a surprise to Mother and Father. But I suppose that's not all that surprising. Mother was always of good breeding stock. The Cadwaladrs. They were always sticklers to how things should be done. You might not remember this, or perhaps you do in some sort of twisted version of your memories, but you were 7 when I was assigned my path due to coming of age. And much as Father had decided that you would follow in his path, Mother decided I should follow in hers. But the vast extent of my mind and intellect are not to be cast aside on the pursuit of becoming good breeding stock. I refused my path. It was unheard of. And to thank me for it, Mother and Father threw me from the family. They exiled me. They systematically removed all traces of me so I would no longer be part of their legacy. All of that would fall to you. I was lost in endless transfers between boarding schools. You see, they. They pretended that they were letting me see the sights before I truly started on my path. But really, they were trying to scrub me from everyone's memories. Did you know that the mother and Father were staunch opponents of House Antalir and everything that they stood for? [00:22:38] Speaker E: I don't recall discussing politics with them prior to the age of 13. [00:22:44] Speaker A: You missed out on quite a lot, Algernon. There was a moment when Mother and Father decided that reconciliation may be an option, and we went on a joint holiday together. You had already started at the boarding schools by that point, and that is perhaps a blessing. House Antelier had had enough of the negativity that our family was presenting towards them. And it would seem the solution to House Antelir's problem would be the Cadwaladr's continued silence. Knowing that you were already enrolled in the system, you were relatively safe. But after the attack, they presumed to be dead. They were wrong. And from that moment on, as we were left behind as orphans, I decided to become the Blackthorn. When you came of age, and just like Father, you were to join the eic. I watched from afar. When you graduated from Morton's and swanned off into the world, I watched from afar. The stain of my existence I knew I could never truly impress on you. But it was I who found the foresight. It was I that gently nudged it into your path. You were wonderful. Magnificent on foresight. Everything that was good about you was exaggerated and exemplified under the effects of that mineral. I knew that to be your best self, we would have to keep you on a relatively steady supply. I hadn't anticipated just how brilliant you would become, nor the side effects. Your memories began to garble. Your photographic history started to be replaced, corrupted with new photographic memories. But to what you saw, that was worth it. When you had your premonitions of what was to come during the war, I followed you back to Elysia to ensure your safe return. I want to step in. When I heard their plans for you, to silence you, I did what I could. And I knew that in the aftermath, the foresight would keep you going. I also knew that it was at the expense of any foundational memories of our childhoods together. It would seem that they were stolen from both of us. Those two years after you were attacked by the military. They were the hardest. The combination of watching you at your lowest, living in a hell that you had foreseen. And yet, even then, I knew I could not deprive you of what made you great. And so I kept feeding you the poison that made you you. The sole orphan of the Cadwalladr family, destined to stalk these halls, searching for some sort of purpose. The Cadwaladr legacy does not thrive on emotion. It thrives on cold, hard logic, facts and deductions. So I realize I had A part to play. Just as you had yours. We would unpick this mess that Elysia finds itself in. As much as you might not have realized it. Whilst you were toiling in the light, I was toiling in the shadows. But the conclusion of our story rapidly approaches. The foresight has nearly run dry, Algernon. Perhaps there is only just enough to see us through to the inevitable demise of Elysia. You all have a part to play in what is to come. And from here on out. Algernon, though you might not remember it, I am playing my part as your supportive older sister. [00:27:58] Speaker E: You know, I have a saying around these parts. Heard it a hundred times. It's all part of the plan. Perhaps my part was only half. [00:28:09] Speaker A: She looks to the rest of you. And thus the curtain is drawn back. The wizard is revealed. Shall we begin? [00:28:23] Speaker B: Begin what? [00:28:25] Speaker A: Preparations for the final swan song of when she gestures. You. All of you. [00:28:38] Speaker B: I think it's hard to know what to say to that because it makes it sound like we're gonna die. Just one song. [00:28:48] Speaker A: Nefna has set a series of events in motion that will guarantee a less than favorable outcome for Elysia and her citizens. And perhaps between the five of you, you might be the only ones to be able to save her. But as you currently stand, you do not have the strength to tackle the Lodge and the Lodge's new allies. Unfortunately, it would seem that your pool of available accomplices is beginning to run dry. The Faith. Well, you unmask the horror that the Faith have become and put it to rest. The Pillars are scattered to the wind, for guard are nothing more than revealed bloodthirsty thugs. You have very few options left. [00:29:56] Speaker D: Aisha's got a point, Algernon. We're behind you. For your crew. As you said. How are you feeling about this? [00:30:05] Speaker E: The veil is failing. It was the message that we received that started all this. Perhaps it was not a warning, but a prediction. These are my thoughts. Recently. If there is some sort of swan song to help the citizens of Elysia, then perhaps we might be the ones to sing it. [00:30:23] Speaker D: Alright then. We've got quite good at this ass kicking business recently. Why not go all out? [00:30:30] Speaker A: I suppose the secret lies with the heart of Alicia. The greatest secret that lies at the very center of this city. Not what the heart is, but who. Cavron. You hear the sound of a creaking floorboard outside the door that leads into this room and you can see a shadow being cast on the inside. A large shadow being cast on the inside of the doorframe. [00:31:08] Speaker C: Look Round do I recognize. [00:31:10] Speaker A: Whoever is casting the shadow is staying out of sight. But you know who it is from the ever so slight ambient blue glow about six and a half, seven feet off the ground shining on the inside of the doorframe. But it seems that Tarvarien is not. Is trying to stay out of sight. [00:31:37] Speaker C: I might try and just creep out and see if she wants to come in. Ask her why she's hanging outside. [00:31:47] Speaker A: As you all see, Katherine peek around the door and you hear the wooden floorboards creak heavily again. Catherine. Well everyone. Catherine. As you watch as Tarvarian takes a step back and there's a heavy thud from her like armored boot on the ground. I'm. I'm sorry. I'm. I wasn't. I wasn't. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I. [00:32:19] Speaker C: I think Catherine's gonna like grab her like quite big metal hand and try and sort of pull her in as much as she can fit into the room and say you. You were. You're an important asset to the city. You. You deserve your say. [00:32:41] Speaker A: She's more important than you know, Catherine says Devira. Because only two people in this city know who the Heart of Elysia is. You've met the lady in purple and the other is a close confidant of hers. And Davira looks up to Mecha Tavarian. When Taro spoke to me that fateful day, she told me two things. The veil is failing. That is what she told many, as I've already informed you. But the other thing she told me is why. How? It has been empowering the veil ever since we arrived here. But the Heart is dying. Because the Heart of Alicia is Lady Turia. Valenma. Black form. Devira smiles. You don't think that the powers of Alicia would just chase her out and allow her to flee into the hills? No. They brought back Turia in chains. They've kept her under the city ever since that day she was in Alicia when we were thrown into the void. The shield of protection that she has conjured extends out from her. Everything around her has been saved. And after two long years, it would seem that her powers are beginning to wane. Nefene is working with her stepmother. Tarian simply nods. So, for recap, Lady Turia Falamar was the previous leader of Alicia. It was her castle you went rampaging through, and her crown that you stole. [00:35:21] Speaker F: Large rat business. [00:35:23] Speaker B: Ratswarm. [00:35:27] Speaker A: And you think to a few like a day ago and realize that that ghastly voice that you heard in the tunnels must have been hers. In Algernon. You think back to that. That feeling that you felt in your gut. And now the pieces that seem to fit. The source of the veil. The controlling force behind all those rats is Regent S. Turia Valimar, the prisoner at the heart of Alicia. [00:36:06] Speaker F: She doesn't seem too happy. Right. Sorry. [00:36:15] Speaker B: It's an understatement. [00:36:20] Speaker A: Black thorn, kind of. Well, Devira tilts her head and I suspect she senses her own mortality slipping away from her. I don't know what it is that has taken so long to consume her, but clearly the her days are numbered. [00:36:47] Speaker B: But if. If Nefune is her stepdaughter and they're working together, surely it's Nefene will be working to keep her alive. How is that going against the interests of the city? What is her plan? [00:37:00] Speaker A: Magpie, I ask you to cast your mind back to your first meeting with the young Nefernave Alanmar. Does she strike you as someone with the city's best interests at heart? [00:37:18] Speaker B: No. Much as she wanted us to think she did. But you said she's working with Lady Valinmar. To do what? [00:37:32] Speaker A: This place. She said. Dvira says, kind of looking up and then glancing out the window to the purple hued skies of above. This is a prison. And they have discovered how to escape. [00:37:59] Speaker F: So Nethane doesn't want to keep the veil up. [00:38:07] Speaker B: It sounds as if she plans to swipe the veil out from under us. [00:38:12] Speaker F: So they can unleash. [00:38:17] Speaker B: So they can get out and leave us to our fates. [00:38:20] Speaker A: By the sound of it, if Nefene and Turia succeed in their mission to escape the confines of this void, so too will the source of this failing veil disappear. [00:38:37] Speaker B: On the other hand, if we work to confound Nephene's plan, whatever one might think of Lady Valenmar Senior, we're condemning her to continue in her torment for the sake of the rest of the city. [00:38:59] Speaker C: Well, I mean, where do they even plan on going? Like we don't even know. If Elsewhere is still out there. [00:39:08] Speaker B: They must have information that we don't. Or they're confident enough to try. [00:39:14] Speaker D: Surely if two people can escape, then the rest of us should be able to escape. Why only two? Why not the whole of Elysium? [00:39:25] Speaker B: Do you think she's going to share her plans with all of us? [00:39:29] Speaker C: She doesn't seem like the sharing type. [00:39:31] Speaker B: No. [00:39:33] Speaker D: Well, she doesn't necessarily have to share willingly. [00:39:37] Speaker A: There are a very select few that need to be saved to ensure the legacy of House Antelier continuing. You've been uncharacteristically quiet, brother. [00:39:51] Speaker E: Well, once again the aristocracy has misunderstood the nature of the city continues to rule over you See, I spent enough time on the ground to know the legacy is not in some noble bloodline, but the real heart of Alicia is in its people. The people who dig in the pig shit and farm the mushrooms. The people who fail to compile the crossword in the back of the treaties. They can escape in whatever arc they see fit. They'll be leaving behind a graveyard of culture which they are not fit to entertain. [00:40:27] Speaker A: You've become sentimental as you've grown older, Algernon D'Vera kind of says with a wry smirk. [00:40:37] Speaker E: Well, that's the kind of thing that happens when you let four outcasts into your family home. [00:40:43] Speaker A: But yes, Nefene's plans would spell ultimate doom for this city, and she has maneuvered enough of her pawns into the right places that she is now full control of the board. He was ever such a hard working fellow, Odor Merce. His solution to the dying veil was quite novel. The shroud, he called it, fundamentally doing the same job as the veil. But instead of being powered by whatever finite source the veil was being powered by, it was using the very essence of the souls that try to consume us. And in this place, it would seem that is a near infinite source of energy and power. But much like his ambitions, Odumurse now lies in flames and this shroud has gone missing. [00:42:01] Speaker F: Is that why the ghosts are so angry? [00:42:07] Speaker A: I'm not one to speculate without already knowing the answer, but I would have a very strong idea that the answer to that question lies in that book you have right there. [00:42:31] Speaker C: Good old Umi. [00:42:37] Speaker A: So, are we in agreement? Will you join me in rallying against the machinations of House Antalya a second time? [00:42:47] Speaker E: Now, if you'll excuse me, I might take a leaf out of a friend of mine's book and say that actually it's you should join us in our plan to foil House Antalya's schemes, which coincidentally, happen to be sharing exact details of what you've spoken of. [00:43:09] Speaker A: I've spent the last few years hiding in your shadow, Algonon. I'm sure I can follow you for a few more days. Very well, she says. I'm going to excuse myself and reacquaint myself with my bedroom. I hope you haven't destroyed it like you have your childhood nursery, Algonon. [00:43:38] Speaker D: Oh, Frieda looks very shifty and is. [00:43:40] Speaker A: Just and as she gets up from the head of the table and walks around you and you notice her sort of like dragging her finger across the tops of the chairs that you're sitting on, kind of wiping away the gathered dirt that lies on top of them. She stops when she gets to your chair, Algernon, and reaches into a pouch on her belt and places a vial of familiar looking liquid on the table. We haven't run dry quite yet, brother. [00:44:24] Speaker E: You know, Davira, you in your most excellent monologue, you said one thing that was incorrect. It's not this mineral that makes me great. And he takes her hand before she is able to retrieve it. And he just puts the bottle back in her hand. But if you still feel the need to indulge, who am I to stop my big sister? [00:44:48] Speaker A: Everyone else notices this kind of tense moment as the vial of foresight is given back to Dvira. And then she nods. Perhaps I am wrong, little brother. There is a first for everything. [00:45:06] Speaker E: It's not a good feeling, is it? [00:45:10] Speaker A: She titters as she kind of drag finishes dragging her finger across the back of your chair. And then she kind of saunters out of the dining room. She seems nice, says Tarvarian. [00:45:23] Speaker E: I think algae just starts to cry. Like the very first time you've seen him show any kind of vulnerability. [00:45:35] Speaker A: As algae breaks down, tar looks to the four of you and like there's no. Obviously there's no facial expression on that plate glass on the front of her helmet, but you all get a sense that she's encouraging you. [00:45:59] Speaker D: And just gives Algernon just a really big, slightly awkward and probably a little bit like too hard bear hug. It's all right, mate. It's all right. Just. Just let it out. It's fine. You let it out. Start sort of roughly patting him on the back again. It probably hurts a little bit. [00:46:28] Speaker F: Nice. Do you want to read a ghost book, Algernon? [00:46:32] Speaker E: It might atta. I would love nothing more than you for you to read your ghost book aloud. [00:46:39] Speaker F: Okay. In the beginning, when I first dissected a ghost. They have ghost organs. Fascinating. [00:46:54] Speaker A: Well, in this moment, we will now pivot back to your respective down times. We'll fly through those and then kind of cap off. Let's start. Let's start from the bottom. Actually, Frida, what are your downtime activities? [00:47:13] Speaker D: Oh, boy. Well, first off, Frida's going to take a little trip to Lorenzo. Lorenzo. [00:47:23] Speaker F: There we go. [00:47:24] Speaker D: Lorenzo. And is gonna get. Hopefully get some. Get patched up a little bit because she's still a little bit battered. [00:47:32] Speaker A: Sure. Well, you. When you head over to who because Lorenzo was working out of the Spectre. [00:47:41] Speaker D: Oh, my gosh. Don't tell me that be so annoying. We just got him. [00:47:47] Speaker A: Well, thankfully, you know, the. The City Watch didn't manage to find the hidden speakeasy. So. Yeah, you see, Lorenzo is even like, he's even more despondent than when you first met him. Like, he, like, he's like the world is weighing on him and it's just a real inconvenience. But he, as you kind of enter into the, like, the new kind of back rooms that you've kind of helped install with your recent purchases, he like, as you enter into the room, he turns around and regards you and he chops his head and like, it's. You wonder if it's a stress thing, but you seem sort of like, scratch the side of one of his horns. Oh, it's you. Take a seat. Take a seat. [00:48:45] Speaker B: Oh, okay. [00:48:48] Speaker D: And then he's like, this is like the one person that Frieda's kind of scared of. [00:48:55] Speaker B: You don't want Lorenzo to disappear. Approve of you. [00:48:58] Speaker A: Well, he stands over you, and whilst he's kind of bent at the waist, that gives him this more kind of looming presence, you do also notice that his horns are, like, barely not scraping the ceiling of the speakeasy. So it seems like he's having to kind of hunch just to be able to move around. What is wrong with you? [00:49:25] Speaker D: Ah, well, I've still got this nasty cut. That stuff that you gave me worked. Worked pretty well. But this, I don't know, maybe it's. I've been picking it in my sleep or something because it's a little bit infected. And then I got a little bit singed a few nights back, as you. As you can see. And I sort of gesture to the other half of my face that's sort of missing half an eyebrow. [00:49:57] Speaker A: He, like, looks you and then just lets out a little off and then like shuffles over to some shelves and starts, like, kind of pulling reagents and ingredients off the shelf. And like, there's a very awkward kind of 10ish minutes where every time you try to say something, he just lifts a finger like he's not. He's got his back to you. He just lifts a finger up to tell you to shush while he continues, like, pestle and mortaring and kind of mixing things together. And then he turns back to you, and we have a salve and we have a cream. [00:50:42] Speaker D: He says he is the same things. [00:50:46] Speaker A: He looks at you with this daggery expression. [00:50:54] Speaker D: I just. I thought Herself was a cream and a cream was a salve. I thought it was two words for the same thing, you know, like. [00:51:05] Speaker A: This keeper, just like, is isn't even trying to filter the. The look of utter disgust. [00:51:15] Speaker D: Thank you, Lorenzo. That's what I get. [00:51:23] Speaker A: A hearty too. So I believe that's going to reduce one square, one quarter of your heel clock. And he gives the excuse of, I cannot work in these working conditions. And, like, if anyone else said it to you, you would hear it as an excuse. Frida. But from him, it's like. It's almost like a threat kind of thing. There's a part of you that doesn't really want to chat back. But, yeah, he gives you this cream to rub on your face and then like a salve to apply to your cup. They are not the same. [00:52:11] Speaker D: Right, got it. But which one's which? Because they're both the same color, you see, and they're also in very, like, similar bottles. [00:52:26] Speaker A: I tell you what. Tell you what. Because he's complained, like, he, like, you realize because coming in, you would have seen that the Specter was recently raided, and you're able to, like, you definitely would have seen the kind of the trail of devastation that the watch had left behind them, like, upstairs. But, yeah, it seems like a lot of his stuff has been kind of, like, packed away or just, like, jettisoned in an emergency. But what I will say, this is a. This is a new thing, because I'm feeling kind of kind. In exchange for a coin, he can try to rummage up some better quality ingredients right now. [00:53:12] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, yeah. Have my coin. Have my coin, Lorenzo. [00:53:16] Speaker A: Okay. He takes your coin, sucks his teeth. He. He takes your coin, sucks his teeth, and then looks at the cream and salve he's just given you. Just gestures with his hand. This is for future. Future purchases. [00:53:45] Speaker D: All right, then. No, Frida just leaves. Leaves a little bit dejectedly, still not knowing which one needs to go on which. [00:53:58] Speaker A: Yes. Yeah. [00:53:59] Speaker D: And what she's. What she's going to do for flavor is when she gets back, she's just gonna dump both contents into a bowl and just smother the whole lot on her face and hope something works. [00:54:11] Speaker A: Sure. Yeah. No, that tracks. That tracks. Okay, so, Lorenzo, this gives me, you. [00:54:17] Speaker F: Know, like, the thing in withnail, and I. When he just puts, like, deep heat all over himself to warm up. This is giving me that. Those vibes. [00:54:27] Speaker A: Yeah, Amazing. Okay, Frida, what's your next activity? [00:54:35] Speaker D: The next thing that Frieda's going to do is do an Indulge. She's gonna head back to Jocasta's fighting ring, but she's bringing a little guest with her, and Frieda's going to, probably without trying to not raise attention of anyone else, but she's going to. To. She's actually going to bring the orb containing Caleb's spirit. [00:55:08] Speaker A: Okay. In which case you. When you arrive in the pit, you notice that it's a lot more empty than it has been before. The faces that appear to be missing are the sort of like the rougher crowd that Chastra pointed out in previous visits, the ones that were sort of like, getting involved in kind of more gang activities and the like, they seem to be missing. And, yeah, Jocasta is looking a bit concerned. I'll tell you what. Roll your dice out so you've got eight. Stress. It's a zero dice off the back of your insight. [00:55:55] Speaker D: Indulge. Vice. Stress. Eight. [00:55:59] Speaker A: Zero dice. [00:56:00] Speaker D: Yeah, Zero dice. I've got nothing to help with that, do I? No, I do not. Okay. [00:56:09] Speaker C: Oh, it's nice. [00:56:10] Speaker D: All right. That's okay. [00:56:11] Speaker B: Good, good. [00:56:12] Speaker D: That's okay. [00:56:13] Speaker A: Stress. Okay. [00:56:15] Speaker D: Yep. Definitely gonna be taking that additional action to do some more stress. Do I want to do that now, or should we. Shall we style that out a bit later? [00:56:28] Speaker A: Did you? What? You're paying for a new. For a third activity. Yeah. [00:56:34] Speaker D: Yes. To get rid of more stress. [00:56:37] Speaker A: Cool. [00:56:37] Speaker D: Yeah. As long as. As long as people are still okay with that, like, I know. [00:56:41] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:56:42] Speaker B: Yeah, that's all good. [00:56:43] Speaker A: Double stressing. Okay, cool. Yeah. So for. Yeah, an extra coin, you can buy Third activity. So is that another Indulge. That is dragging another victim. [00:56:53] Speaker D: Yeah, we're dragging another victim. We go another couple of rounds. [00:56:57] Speaker A: Okay. Pretty good. [00:57:00] Speaker D: There we go. [00:57:01] Speaker A: Great. [00:57:02] Speaker D: That's. There we go. [00:57:05] Speaker A: Much better. [00:57:06] Speaker D: I am Zen. I am calm. Well, Kish, when. When I finished, I'd like to go up to Jocasta and just tap her on the shoulder and be like, I. I think I might have something that'll put a bit of a smile on your face or at least distract you from whatever's on your mind. [00:57:26] Speaker A: I don't know. Watching you pummel those two gave me more joy than you'd expect, of course. [00:57:34] Speaker D: And sort of, you know, again, like, afraid to just sort of straighten this self up and means a little bit. And anyway, I think we might want to go somewhere a bit private for this. [00:57:46] Speaker A: She nods and. Follow me to my office, she says, and leads you to what looks like just like a little ancillary kind of cubby hole, like an alcove. What you got for me? She says. [00:58:02] Speaker D: Frieda takes out the ghost orb and just places it gently on the desk in front of Jocasta. [00:58:09] Speaker A: Jocasta, like, looks at it, like her brow is furrowed. And then she kind of stoops down to inspect it, like, without asking, kind of picks it up and holds it in front of her face. And you see it sort of like turning this orb around and she shakes it curiously as the smoke, like, inside just kind of whispering around. And then. What is it? [00:58:36] Speaker D: That is our old friend Caleb Minolti. [00:58:42] Speaker A: She looks at the orb to you, to the orb, to you. Have you been hit in the head too many times, Frida? [00:58:51] Speaker D: No, I haven't. [00:58:53] Speaker A: As you say that you like the face of Caleb, like, splays across the side of the orb and it's this ghoulish kind of screaming face and sort of like hand made of smoky tendrils, sort of like clawing at the inside. And the sudden sort of like, surge of the spell of Caleb inside the orbit makes Jocasta like. She squeaks in a really high pitched squeak and then drops the orb and it boom, boom, boom on the table between you. [00:59:31] Speaker D: I pick it up, dust it off, stick it back on the desk. And I say, I not quite so terrifying now that he's, you know, just nothing but smoke. Izzy. And just that she can't even contain this giant grin on her face. [00:59:56] Speaker A: Jocasta's mouth just hangs open like you worry she's gonna risk catching a fly. And what. What did you do, Frida? [01:00:11] Speaker D: I mean, to be honest, he did most of this to himself. I just made sure that he couldn't do any more. Well, me and my. My good friends. [01:00:24] Speaker A: So that's Caleb. She, like, holds her hand up to cover her mouth from the orb. That's Caleb. [01:00:32] Speaker F: Hi. [01:00:34] Speaker D: And then Fred is. [01:00:35] Speaker A: Can you, like, can he see us? What if he gets out? [01:00:41] Speaker D: Oh, he won't get out. There's no escaping for him. Trust me. I've got a nice, deep, dark hole that I'm gonna put him in. And then Frieda's sort of smirk kind of fades and she puts her arm sort of like a hand on Jocasta's shoulder and she says, my only regret is I couldn't have done anything sooner. I know that he. He caused us a lot of pain back when we were younger, Jocasta. And I'm just sorry that it's taken me so long to write it, but at least now I can make sure he never does anything to anyone. Ever again. Also, he makes a great paperweight, don't you think? And at that point, you know, Frida sort of picks him up and sort of like lightly throws him in the air, catches him and the grins back. [01:01:41] Speaker A: Jocasta is just. She's stoically silent and, like, staring at you very intently. And then like every time the orb moves, as you kind of interact with it, you see her eyes just kind of following it. So he can't get out? [01:01:58] Speaker D: Nope, not unless we let him out. [01:02:01] Speaker A: And we can do whatever we want with him. [01:02:05] Speaker D: I mean, he's not going anywhere. [01:02:07] Speaker A: Well, she squints at you like she's studying you. And then a wry smile begins to spread across her face. And then her teeth. She bares her teeth in this somewhat devilish grin. Oh, I've got a lot of things that we could do with him, she says. And she kind of claps you on the shoulder and starts, like, giggling with you and that kind of younger jacaster that you grew up with, that was still filled with that kind of innocent mischievousness, kind of simmers back up to the surface for the first time in a long time. Cool. So the two of you do unspeakable things to the Jacob orb. The. The Caleb orb. That's three for Frida. And next up is cavern. What are your two downtimes? [01:03:08] Speaker C: One is definitely indulging in vice. [01:03:12] Speaker A: It is needed. Who are you liaising with? [01:03:17] Speaker C: I guess I'm heading back to the chandelier. [01:03:20] Speaker A: So I will preface by saying, because I suspect Catherine will ask, but you see no hair nor hide of Vorntham and his, like, dancers and circus performers. [01:03:35] Speaker C: In that case, I think he's gonna sidle up to sort of like a very. Just a very nice Majani woman, maybe someone who he knew from the gold pot. [01:03:45] Speaker A: Okay. [01:03:46] Speaker C: Yeah. And see if she's. They've had. They've had times of talking to each other, and now he's maybe thinking, tonight's the night. [01:03:56] Speaker A: Tonight's the night for dancing. Okay. [01:04:00] Speaker D: Is the night that to become one. [01:04:05] Speaker A: Copyright strike if ever there was one. Sounds good. Please make me a one dice. Indulge roll. You are on eight stress. [01:04:16] Speaker C: Indulge vice. Eight stress, one dice. [01:04:21] Speaker B: No problem. Oh, look at that. [01:04:33] Speaker A: Tonight was the night. [01:04:39] Speaker D: Damn straight away. [01:04:42] Speaker A: Marvelous. Marvelous. So, yes, you have a wonderful evening with the. With this. With this kind of Magani worker from the gold pot. She's seen you from across the way. So as you emerge with a somewhat of a pep in your step, what is your second downtime? [01:05:05] Speaker C: I do not know, let's have a look. [01:05:09] Speaker D: I know, like me, you're all prepped to, like, take an extra coin to, like, try. [01:05:13] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:05:13] Speaker D: As much now you've just got, like, suddenly you're all free. [01:05:20] Speaker C: If I can't see Vaughn from any of his workers, and that sort of scuppers one of my ideas. [01:05:25] Speaker A: Yeah. It would seem curiously, that, like, well, if you didn't know any better, you won because the streets have become decidedly more rough and kind of dangerous, that the street performers just aren't appearing for safety reasons. But you can't help but get the feeling, given that you. He has connections, but perhaps he, you know, he and his circus performers are working, are busy. [01:05:58] Speaker C: Fair enough, I guess, then, to hopefully make things a little bit easier. Next sesh, I can reduce some heat. [01:06:07] Speaker A: Okay. [01:06:07] Speaker B: It's a good idea. [01:06:09] Speaker A: How are you dousing those fires? We're on 4 heat with your wanted level 3 right now. [01:06:17] Speaker C: I think a lot of people know it's going to be us. [01:06:23] Speaker A: I guess. I guess there is always a sense of, like. Well, there are a lot of rumors. You. You hear a lot of rumors circulating about the five of you. [01:06:37] Speaker B: So maybe that we blew up the cathedral or something, which technically was not true. So maybe we could sort of push that into the kindling a bit more. [01:06:46] Speaker C: Yeah, I think. I think I'll start spreading some rumors that the reason that the Sangovar escaped was because actually of the shield and the children of Aya. Like, because they tried to ransack the prison. That was the reason how the Sankovar escaped because. [01:07:06] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:07:06] Speaker C: In the chaos, they escaped because of them. [01:07:08] Speaker A: Sure. Okay. I mean, in which case, if you're kind of disseminating that alternate truth through these streets, that sounds quite swayy. So that's a three. Three dice. [01:07:24] Speaker C: Yes. Is that in? Where is that in? [01:07:27] Speaker A: Well, if you do well, it's just a number to be fair. So actually, you can just roll it from your character sheet. Yeah, it's just the number we're looking for. [01:07:35] Speaker C: Doing a risky standard. [01:07:38] Speaker A: A five. So if you're reducing heat, a five will reduce you by two, I believe. Two. Yes, two. Heat of your four is gone. [01:07:51] Speaker B: Nice. [01:07:52] Speaker A: So, yeah, you're building on some sort of, like, whispered expectations that because the shields gone missing and, well, the. The shields kind of joined the watch and the children of ire are scattered to the wind. Like no one's seen a child of wire properly in the past kind of 36 hours kind of thing. Very good. Did you want to buy a third one, or is it just A two year after. [01:08:20] Speaker C: I'll just have the two. [01:08:21] Speaker A: Just. [01:08:22] Speaker C: I'm all good. [01:08:23] Speaker A: Very good. Algonon. [01:08:25] Speaker E: Hello. [01:08:26] Speaker A: Hello. Hello. How are we starting your downtime? [01:08:30] Speaker E: So I was also planning to reduce heat, but that might not be useful anymore if we can only do two more. But I might go for it anyway. [01:08:41] Speaker A: A clean slate. [01:08:43] Speaker E: Yeah. Algernon is going to distract himself by thinking about the thing that happened immediately before this reality shot shattering discovery. And that was these black sashed guards who attacked the Specter. And he wants to basically launch a mass blackmailing campaign against them. Name addresses, all the juicy details like turned up to 11 compared to what he's done before. [01:09:15] Speaker A: Okay, okay. Is that a do you command? Commanding. Okay, sounds good. So yeah, you would have like photographic memory. You would be able to. You would probably know all of the guards that turned up to the Spectre for your first wave of attacks, if you will. Yeah, if that's how we're reducing and heat by all means please roll me a cons a command. Okay. 2. So that's going to reduce one. [01:09:55] Speaker E: Oh, I will remind you I just got plus one result level to reducing heat and requiring assets. [01:10:02] Speaker A: Oh, okay. So when the. When these kind of blackmail rumors, threats start to filter through. Initially the Watch are kind of emboldened by their swagger and self presumed authority. But as it become. As it comes to light that it's you at the helm of this kind of campaign, you notice that quite a few of the City Watch then start to lie low as they realize just how much dirt you have on them. So yes, a one goes up to two and you are collectively free of heat. Very, very good. What's your second activity? [01:10:58] Speaker E: I'd like to acquire an asset. And the asset I'd like to acquire is the cobbles. So I think I'm just gonna have a chat with mistake. [01:11:08] Speaker A: Sure. In which case. Yeah, he's. He's upstairs. He's still in your dearly departed mother's kind of bathrobe. Swan around with very little else. Stinking out the place with cigar smoke as you catch him. He's. He's just sort of like one wandering around. He's just being nosy. He spies you in. Oh, hello master. [01:11:39] Speaker E: Enjoying the facilities I see. [01:11:41] Speaker A: Oh yeah, yeah, really good. Really good if you do with a bit more. A bit more liquor. But apart from that. Yeah, it's been all right. It's been all right. You're. You're a good lot, you are. Yeah. Put me up like this. Yes. Ground. It's not on my Place, actually. Yeah. [01:11:54] Speaker E: Starting to feel a lot like a B around here nowadays, the amount of people expecting bed and board. But I'm glad you're enjoying it. [01:12:03] Speaker A: Yeah. You might need to put some of these. Some of these folks to. To work, you know, get them, get them, get them moving. Get them, you know, making you some. Some moolah. [01:12:15] Speaker E: Quite well, doesn't seem like you're in the mood to work. Perhaps I might suggest an early retirement. [01:12:22] Speaker A: Oh, well, I don't know. I mean, you know, we're doing. We're doing really well. We. You know, obviously I organized this prison break and. Yeah, organized. We took over, so. Good. [01:12:38] Speaker E: I heard about that. Yes. Good. [01:12:39] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was all me. And then, you know, we. We took over an old town. Yeah. [01:12:44] Speaker E: Yeah. [01:12:44] Speaker A: So, you know, the old town now belongs to the Cobbles. Yeah, I'm living. I'm living large, mate. Living large. [01:12:50] Speaker E: Well, why not go out on the top? [01:12:52] Speaker A: I could do. [01:12:53] Speaker E: You're enjoying the four poster bed and the cigars and the bathrobe. The ensuite. Of course. [01:12:59] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:13:00] Speaker E: It's pretty nice life here in the Ivory, neh? Not constantly worrying about someone putting you in a burlap sack. [01:13:07] Speaker A: Yeah, I didn't appreciate that actually. We need to have a. Well before freedom. Actually reign her in slightly because I was, you know, she was throwing me around something chronic. Anyway. Yeah. Yeah, perhaps that is, you know, you know, with. With thoughts of my endeavors through the city fresh in everyone's minds, you know, with the prison and the. Expanding the Cold's empire into Old Town. Yeah, I mean, basically all of that is just. It's just a solid foundation for people to remember me by, you know. [01:13:39] Speaker E: Oh, the perfect time to take some weight off your feet. And why. Why didn't I assist you? Pass the old pocketbook to someone else. [01:13:50] Speaker A: He seems to be teetering on a knife's edge. Algernon, we will require a consort. [01:13:58] Speaker D: I say. The audacity of this bitch. [01:14:06] Speaker A: Algonon. It would also not escape your notice that the cobbles have. Since his incarceration, the cobbles have been kicked out of Old Town and they're now currently on the ropes. [01:14:18] Speaker E: So this is acquiring an asset which is a special role, but the thing isn't also working for me. [01:14:25] Speaker A: Well, with the acquire asset assets. [01:14:30] Speaker E: So it's the tier that we roll. [01:14:33] Speaker A: Yeah. Gain temporary use. Okay. To acquire the asset roll the cruise tier. Result indicates asset quality of the asset you get. I'm. Well, we could, if you would rather, just kind of use a similar long Term project rules that we've been using so fundamentally, just boil it down to a dice roll to see how like an ability kind of check to see how it goes. I mean, it ends up being too dice kind of. Anyway. [01:15:11] Speaker E: Sure. I'd also like to use my new connected ability for this as well, which would bump up the result. [01:15:18] Speaker A: Sure, sure. Okay. Yeah. Plus one result level. Yeah, that tracks. So we'll. We'll translate that as plus one effect. [01:15:26] Speaker E: Sure. So I'm command, not commanding, consorting. [01:15:30] Speaker A: Yeah. Unless you are commanding him. [01:15:36] Speaker E: Oh, Jesus Christ. [01:15:41] Speaker A: Oof. [01:15:43] Speaker D: He just hanging around like a bad smell, isn't he? [01:15:48] Speaker A: He is alon. You worry like, you see him pondering as you kind of press him to effectively hand over the keys to the cobbles. But. And like you feel confident because he's going, yeah, yeah. And I think you're right. Yeah, I think you're right. Yeah, yeah. It would be good to have some time off. Yeah, yeah, I've. Yeah. I will be remembered through the streets. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then he. And then he stops and then irritatingly, he looks up to you with this flash of inspiration in his eyes. Or I keep going because I'm on a roll. Why. Why stop with the. Why stop with Old Town? I could. I could. I could have the old City girl. I could have Sinister. Oh, I've always wanted Sinister. I could have Dostriel grow my own mushroom. You know what? Algonon and he claps you on the stage. Fight. You come up with the best ideas. You really, really do. Yeah. All right. Me, me and you, we're still tight. We're still tight than an iron's legs. We. We will bounce, get. We'll stride together into a new door. Me at the forefront, obviously, but yeah, everyone will remember the name Musto and they'll remember you as the guy who helped me. Oh, you know what? This is absolutely, absolutely tip top. You are a legend. You are Algon on Worldo. Who's that woman downstairs, by the way? I don't. Don't really matter. Yeah. We are gonna rule this city, you and I. Yeah. Flashback. [01:17:22] Speaker D: Frida actually drowned him in the river. [01:17:31] Speaker A: You feel that kind of, well, of despair and you wonder if, yeah, perhaps maybe you should throw him in the river as he's got his arm around your waist and like the bathrobe is just fully opened and he is so like standing side by side glance, like he's. He's looking up and he's only got a very acute angle of the sky, but he's looking out the window that you're looking out of. I'm gonna rule this city. Yeah. [01:17:58] Speaker E: Can. Can I try and resist. [01:18:03] Speaker B: In an acquirer set roll? [01:18:07] Speaker A: I tell you what, I could. We've already kind of set a precedent for it. I will let you. We could say, for the cost of one rep or one coin. I'll let you re. Roll. [01:18:20] Speaker D: Oh, mate, take either. It's worth it. [01:18:28] Speaker A: The crew has a full 8 gold of 8 coin in it, and you've got take the money 5, 6, 7, 8 reps to play with. [01:18:38] Speaker E: Tell you what, Must do what. Why don't I delve into the coffers here at Codwalada, yeah? And set you up with a nice little trust fund. Oh, and all these. All these ambitions you have about taking over Celestri and all this, they're in safe hands with us. I'll make sure they get your name on them. You might even be able to afford a place of this caliber on your own time someday. [01:19:07] Speaker A: Oh, that would be nice. Musto mansion. Oh, yeah, that'd be great, wouldn't it? That'd be great. Well, I mean, how much of a you are? How much of an egg are you talking here? [01:19:17] Speaker E: I do admire your personal ambitions, Mustow, but it's. [01:19:20] Speaker A: Thank you. [01:19:21] Speaker E: For once, this is not part of the plan. Mine. Mine, anyway. Oh, so it's less of an offer and more of a suggestion? No, it's not even a suggestion. I'm telling you to take my money and give me all of the toms in your pocketbook to use at my disposal. [01:19:43] Speaker A: Oh. Oh, oh, oh, I see. Oh, right. Well, I guess. Well, I mean, I. Maybe I could be persuaded. [01:19:57] Speaker D: Can I help on this? Can I. Can I Can Frida assist if Frieda. [01:20:05] Speaker A: Were to appear in the doorway? Yeah. [01:20:08] Speaker B: Genuinely sorry. You're gonna spend stress on Halkanon's acquire asset role. [01:20:16] Speaker D: I am. I am. I am behind this all the way. We need to get this grumpy little goblin out of the mansion, get him out of our house and out of the cobbles and. I don't know, I'll get him out of Alicia Algernon. [01:20:33] Speaker B: Tussling with Musto is one of my favorite things. I want him to stick around. [01:20:38] Speaker A: Well, okay. Well, I mean, do what you can. Absolutely help. For one stress. Frieda. An Algonon. I'm gonna say one. One. One of your shiny coins will allow you to re roll. But then for every additional coin, you'll get an additional dice on top. [01:20:56] Speaker F: Wow. [01:20:57] Speaker D: I will. I will ask. I will ask. Jc. Jc. Would you like Some assistance in this? [01:21:05] Speaker E: I think so, yeah. [01:21:07] Speaker D: Yeah. All right. [01:21:09] Speaker E: Having mentioned the burlap sack, Frida appears at the doorway brandishing. [01:21:14] Speaker D: Yeah, just cracking knuckles. In fact, actually, what she's done is she's got the burlap sack again and she's just. She's just smirking and sort of like just waving it a little bit in the doorway. [01:21:27] Speaker A: Okay, very good, very good. So one coin to reroll. Are you giving him any additional coin to persuade him, encourage him for another dice? [01:21:37] Speaker E: Yeah, one more. [01:21:39] Speaker A: Okay, so two coin for a re. Roll, a plus one dice, and then a second plus one dice for Frida. So, yeah, Frida plus one stress. So we're now talking a plus two dice command. [01:21:55] Speaker B: It's now sounding like it is becoming a bit commanding. [01:22:04] Speaker D: Well, it's not. It's not a fail. [01:22:06] Speaker B: It's ridiculous. [01:22:09] Speaker A: There's a consequence. [01:22:11] Speaker D: Oh, he has to stay in the manor. Oh, yes. [01:22:16] Speaker A: I think, yeah. Realistically, a complication has to occur in this moment. Well, well, well, well. Algonon, he says as he slowly releases his hand from around your waist and turns to regard Frieda stark bollock naked, apart from this bathrobe recording freedom in the doorway. Well, when you. When you put it like that, yeah, you. You can be quite persuasive. Yeah, I mean, tell you what, I will take you up on that offer of a little nest egg, but I, you know, it's gonna take some time. It is, is the he produces from the rope pocket. Yeah. A little book of. My little black book of contents of contacts through the city. Yeah, it's quite full. It's not, but that's got, you know, all the. All the names of the important people you need to reach out to around the city. But yeah, it's going to. Going to take me a little while to pack my things so, you know, find. Find a new gaffer. You know, I don't know if you see this. It's kind of chaotic out in the streets and, you know, wouldn't. Wouldn't want to, you know, anyway, you know, it is. So, yeah, I'll. I'll just. I'll just linger around a little while. But yeah, you knock him dead, champ, he says, and I'm going to. I'm going to leave now. This room. Not. Not the manner. No, probably for the manner. Just this room. Excuse me. Frida. Excuse me. So I'm just gonna. [01:23:48] Speaker E: There's a new. As a new guest in one of the rooms. She might appreciate your company. [01:23:55] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, I guess I go say hello. Oh, sorry. Frieda. Yeah. Oh. Oh, that's me. Oh, that's my little Tom. Yeah. Oh, oh, right. [01:24:05] Speaker D: Frida just like sort of like gags in her. In her throat a little bit. [01:24:11] Speaker A: Right? Those good talking to Arganon. Right? Yeah. Now that's why you say hello. My name's Mosto. He says as he walks into Davira's room. [01:24:24] Speaker B: Oh, you in the market for a new brother in law? Imagine if I hit it off. [01:24:34] Speaker A: Algorandon. You have successfully convinced Musto to hand over the keys to the cobbles. Whilst this is one of the most disorganized Little Black books you've ever seen in your long. In your long years as being an owner of Little Black Books, it is. It is kind of comprehensive. There are a couple of names that are repeated. An upsetting number of them are called Tom. You start to wonder if in fact they're not actually called Tom and it's just Musto never bothered to learn their names. But yes, you have your contacts. And soon word begins to seep out that the cobbles have new management which happens more easily than you had anticipated it would. It would seem that there are some within the cobbles who did not approve of Mosto's latest achievements. And then immediate loss of achievements. Marvelous. Anything else for Algonon? [01:25:39] Speaker E: Nope. I think that's it. He's going to. He's going to retire to his own chamber to alphabetize all this new information. [01:25:51] Speaker B: Just copying. Copy all the contacts into a new book. [01:25:54] Speaker A: Yeah, I thought that was going to be. [01:25:56] Speaker B: Going to retire just generally. [01:26:01] Speaker E: Not yet. [01:26:03] Speaker A: Atta. [01:26:05] Speaker F: Hi. [01:26:06] Speaker A: Hi. What are we starting at off with? [01:26:11] Speaker F: We'll start at it off with a little bit of the stress reduction with the indulgence. I wonder. I wonder if indulgence here could also include the beginnings of reading this UMI book. [01:26:28] Speaker A: Mm, I think it absolutely can. [01:26:30] Speaker F: Okay. But for vital information, perhaps it's a different kind of downtime role. [01:26:38] Speaker A: We'll tell you what. If you roll me out a one dice indulge, you've got seven stress. [01:26:46] Speaker F: One dice, indulge. Okay. [01:26:50] Speaker A: Hey, don't overindulge. [01:26:55] Speaker B: Hang on. [01:26:57] Speaker A: You don't overindulge. You instead drop to one stress as you have seven. [01:27:02] Speaker F: The. The book is spicy. It's a spicy meatball. [01:27:06] Speaker A: It is a surviv meatball. And in fact, off the back of a six, we'll also combine some crucial lore that you've divulged from this book. Because it would seem that this scientific journal also doubles up as a personal journal that predates Elysia being thrown into the void. [01:27:35] Speaker D: What? [01:27:36] Speaker A: Yeah, okay. It is. It's seemingly Umi's memoirs. It is literally Umi's diary. What is your second downtime? [01:27:48] Speaker F: And then we'll circle back predates bubble. I want to go visit Lorenzo. [01:27:58] Speaker A: Yes. [01:27:59] Speaker F: Rolling in Lorenzo. And I want. Sorry, a very specific reference to an end wa song there. But, yeah, let's. Let's go get some healing from Lorenzo. [01:28:10] Speaker A: Okay? Okay. [01:28:12] Speaker B: Chicken Soup for the soul. [01:28:14] Speaker F: Yeah. [01:28:14] Speaker A: Yes. He. When you enter in the downstairs of the spectre, this keeper that you've heard so much about from Frida lets out an audible. [01:28:33] Speaker F: What's up, Loretta? Are you okay, Lorenzo? [01:28:36] Speaker A: Yes, I'll be fine. What is it that you want? [01:28:40] Speaker F: I wondered if you could help me. You see, there was a ghost and it came at me and then it went away for a bit, but I felt not quite right since you got a salve or a. [01:29:01] Speaker A: He looks at you and he's just got this really kind of despondent, unimpressed look on his face. And he sit there, he says. And then he turns and then he grabs all those ingredients, reagents, and there's petals and mortars. And every time you go to say something to him, he holds a finger up to shush you. And then he turns to you with what appears to be. Be like after some sort. Like there's some, you know, invert commas, Bunsen burner action. But he turns to you with what appears to be an empty, like, beaker flask, like round bottomed beaker flask with a cork in it. And sit up, sit up, he says, like, clicking at you, white wagon in his hand. And then he. He kind of stands over you, looking at you very closely. And so what you're going to do is you're going to take this, you're going to uncork it, and then you're just going to breathe in everything that's inside. Don't let any of what is inside out. Do you understand? [01:30:07] Speaker F: Okay. Yeah. [01:30:12] Speaker A: Yes. [01:30:13] Speaker F: Yes. [01:30:14] Speaker A: Good. And he hands you this beaker. And surprisingly, it feels like it's got something heavy in it. You. There's a part of you that wonders if it's like the glass, like the flask itself, but like as you. As the weight of it kind of surprises you. It's almost like something sloshing around on the inside, but it is clearly some sort of clear gas. [01:30:41] Speaker F: We're doing laughing gas. It's very Bristol of us. [01:30:47] Speaker A: He will go ahead as you take a pass, roll two dice. [01:30:55] Speaker F: Oh, geez. Is Lorenzo Good at his job. [01:30:58] Speaker E: Overpriced. [01:31:03] Speaker B: It's our fault, clearly. [01:31:06] Speaker A: I cannot watch any situation in these circumstances. [01:31:10] Speaker B: We're not receiving the healing properly. [01:31:13] Speaker A: No, we're not. [01:31:14] Speaker F: We're just not taking it correctly. [01:31:15] Speaker B: That's exactly. You didn't follow the instructions. [01:31:21] Speaker A: You waited too long. [01:31:24] Speaker F: Just like breathe after inhaling it. Just. Just hold. [01:31:34] Speaker D: Fiends is looking practically competent, like at this point. [01:31:38] Speaker F: True. [01:31:41] Speaker B: That'S tough to do. [01:31:43] Speaker A: If you would like to spend a coin, I'll let. I'll let Lorenzo reroll. [01:31:48] Speaker F: I mean, if the. If the team are happy for a coin to be spent on. [01:31:52] Speaker B: I mean, why not. [01:31:55] Speaker D: Why not get rid of this bloody, like ghost affliction for bloody ages, for God's sake. Bloody coin. [01:32:03] Speaker F: I mean, it's not going to go away with one healing, but. But we'll see how it goes. Honor. [01:32:09] Speaker B: Oh, hey. [01:32:12] Speaker A: All of it. All of it. HE SHOUTS let's swallow it. And as you like. You know how weird it is to swallow like a mouthful of air? [01:32:22] Speaker F: Yeah, like when you take your first toke and. [01:32:26] Speaker A: And like you feel your lungs start to burn, but soon that bone kind of retreats to a more kind of a warming, soothing. And soon enough you just like. He instructs you to hold this mirror and just stare at yourself. And whilst it's kind of odd to just look at your own reflection for an extended period of time. Maybe not frater, I guess, but you do watch some of the green returning to your cheeks and like the bags under your eyes seemingly starting to. To fade away a little. But off the back of a six, you are three quarters of the way through the heel clock. [01:33:19] Speaker F: It took a while for me to, you know, go against the instinct to breathe it. Good. Thanks, Lorenzo. [01:33:30] Speaker A: HE GRUNTS IN RESPONSE and please leave. I have to. I have to put into the room of air now. [01:33:43] Speaker F: Okay. [01:33:47] Speaker A: Okay. So, yeah, we'll cycle back to Atta's book after. Magpie, Magpie, what are you starting with? [01:33:56] Speaker B: I need to indulge my vice and the problem I have is that my advice involved dealing things from. From my own house, which I'm now no longer welcome in. So I think I'm just gonna have to go full Robin Hood and start breaking into random nobles houses. [01:34:15] Speaker A: Your own house? [01:34:16] Speaker B: No, it could be mine, could be anyone's really. But yeah, I'm just gonna do a bit of light cat burglary in order to then give. Give the money to charitable causes like orphanages, etc. [01:34:30] Speaker A: Are you sticking it to your own mother by getting kicked out and then Breaking in and stealing something anyway. [01:34:37] Speaker B: Maybe that could work. Yeah. [01:34:39] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. [01:34:40] Speaker B: And I think at this point, given that we know like the end game for this city, the make or break is in sight, I think this is more for herself than for anything else. [01:34:51] Speaker A: Sure, sure. Please roll me a two dice. Indulge. You have seven. Seven stress. [01:35:01] Speaker B: Okay, seven stress, two dice. [01:35:06] Speaker F: Roll five. [01:35:10] Speaker A: Five, that'll do. [01:35:12] Speaker F: I'll take it. [01:35:12] Speaker A: That drops you to two. [01:35:14] Speaker F: Thank you. [01:35:15] Speaker A: Very, very good. You successfully. What. What type of expensive jewelry do you swipe this time? [01:35:22] Speaker B: Her favorite one. [01:35:28] Speaker A: The Ravel family brooch. [01:35:31] Speaker B: It's a necklace. She really likes it, but she keeps it in a secret place and only wears it for special occasions. So next time there's a special occasion, she's gonna find it gone. [01:35:47] Speaker A: Very, very good. And what is your second? [01:35:50] Speaker B: I think I'd like to train around the ivory. Well, around Cadwallada Manor, please. [01:35:55] Speaker A: Yep. What we train up. [01:35:57] Speaker B: Obviously I'm going to train up what. What I. What I already do quite well, which is prowess. So I get two pips. [01:36:05] Speaker A: Yes. Okay. And that takes you up to 5 or 6Y. Any extras or are you happy with the two? [01:36:11] Speaker B: I am happy, thank you. [01:36:12] Speaker A: Okay. In which case you all kind of. As you all finish your kind of downtime activities and you begin to reconvene. Where in Cabala Damana do we find Atta? [01:36:27] Speaker F: As everyone kind of filters in wherever Tevarian is. If Tevarian would be like amenable to company. If Tefarian wants to be left alone, Atta will be in Atta's little hidey hole lab with wizard orb. [01:36:48] Speaker A: Yeah, Tevarian's finding it hard kind of being in the manor in so much as that her new form is quite a lot. But she used to be a keeper, so she was already quite big. So height wise she's kind of the same, but she's just a lot heavier and broader. There's a lot more metal on her this time around. But you've. She's discovered that one of the seats in the sort like the. The study, if you will, there's a. There's a fireplace that isn't lit. It's where you. What would we expect that there are crusty old paintings of old cadwalladers from throughout the years. Algernon. Yeah, yeah. The influential cadwalladers from the years. A number of dusty books about stuff that is really quite boring. But Tarvarian has just taken to sitting in one of the chairs facing the fireplace and at a. You spy her and you can't help but shake that kind of invasive form. Thought of this is kind of how you found her once upon a time. [01:38:00] Speaker F: Yeah. When she got, you know. [01:38:03] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:38:05] Speaker F: But yeah. Okay. [01:38:08] Speaker A: Okay. Oh, hello dear. She says, and I'm guessing you might have already started reading the book. Are you reading out to Tavarian or. Or are you kind of hoping that anyone else will join you or. [01:38:28] Speaker F: I think the idea is that even though everything is fascinating in this book, the biggest and most important things that feel right now are trying to reference Tarvary and mech suit related things and kind of being near it must be incredibly disorienting to have been alive then a ghost in a crematorium in a bottle and now in a mech suit. So I think Atta is kind of trying to focus on any kind of things in the book that are going to help Tevarien new existence. [01:39:07] Speaker A: Sure. [01:39:10] Speaker F: But yes, she started reading it. Yes, yes, yes, yes. [01:39:13] Speaker A: Okay. So no, there is definitely a point that will pique your interest. So the thing that the first thing you notice is that the diary is. The diary entries are more than two years old and you're reading diary entries from an Umi. Well, it's significant. We're talking almost 10 years of diary entries. So the first few entries remark that with this. With these rumors of a conflict in like neighboring lands. I've decided to start writing this. I've decided to start writing this diary to make sure that if something happens that someone knows exactly how great of a mind was lost and going through it. Umi's recollections of the war of this struggle between the divine like Aya and her dragons, a Khan and his dragons, they kinda slightly mirror her yours. It's odds to read a passage to read passages of someone who lived in the same city as you, who is also a goblin like you, who was experiencing perhaps the same kind of feelings of. Kind of claustrophobia, of concern. Like what if tomorrow never comes? Like what if. Like what if one of the gods decides to wipe Alicia from the map? There's. She expresses sadness and sadness that Turia Valimar was chased out of the city because surely she was just a woman with her mad little plans, just like me. And she was only doing what she thought was right. But perhaps the other people, just enough people people told her no. And I hope that no one tell. Not enough people tell me no, because I don't want people to stop my mad little plans. Smiley face. And it's clear from the passages that like when you suspect the eschaton began. There are mentions of things that just kind of don't make sense. And like, the. The writing becomes a bit more kind of chaotic and wobbly. But there is a point in it. I spoke to a soldier who was brought to the city to heal, and he. It was really odd. He asked me how we've managed to stay safe for so long. I didn't understand what he meant because the sky has only been burning for a few days. But he said he must have had a head injury, because he said the sky had been burning for months. Maybe I'll speak to some more soldiers when they arrive. And then you find the date that is etched into the minds of all Elysians when Elysia was launched into the void. And there were a couple of kind of days, weeks of passages there where there is nothing. And then Umi begins writing again. And from that point on, you can start to see the Umi that, you know really rise to the surface, just where she seems to become a bit more crazed, a bit more galvanized in her madness. The one passage that really jumps out at you that you think that Tarvarian would be interested in. They're not ghosts. Smiley face. I have ideas, but I don't think they're ghosts. And then you had to flick through a few months worth of entries as Umi is seemingly trying to get to the bottom of this idea, this hunch that she has. And then you find it. I knew they weren't ghosts. There was something weird about him. Why do the ghosts in the orbs cry, but the ghosts outside scream? It's because they're not ghosts. They're not the same. Ghosts cry. Memories scream. Smiley face. [01:45:20] Speaker F: Excellent. Okay. [01:45:24] Speaker A: And at. As you read those words, you also think back to everything that you've learned over the past few weeks. That the mausoleum was swimming with them. Tarian saying that. That she couldn't hear, see, or feel anyone. The sadness in her voice, when you finally were able to reach out to her, the sadness and gladness in her voice, you think to that recent encounter in the gold pot, whereas you were allowing yourself to relax and that face bubbled to the surface. And when you open your eyes, it's like it jumped out of your mind and into real space and formed into that spirit of the shield bearer that died outside Amringer's Industry Hill. And you wondered, why her? Why here? Why now? The memories scream. And as you reading those passages, you take a moment to glance outside and you can see the slightly shifting, like veneer of spirits clinging to the Outside of the veil, trying to claw their way in the memories. Scream. [01:47:01] Speaker F: We should. We should all talk about this, maybe as a group. [01:47:06] Speaker A: Tavarian nods. I think we should too. [01:47:13] Speaker B: Blimey. [01:47:15] Speaker A: Group chat, group huddle. We flash forward. Everyone has. Has arrived thanks to Atta's summonings. [01:47:23] Speaker D: Can't take all these crazy revelations. This session. Flipping it. Reeling sisters, plots, dead people, memories that murder. [01:47:37] Speaker F: Well, yeah, I guess, like, my. My sort of open question is, is it the memories? Well, if it. If it was like. Aki, please, please, Aki, please go. I'm trying to figure something out. Aki. If the ghosts or the. The shield bearer became manifest as like I. Atta was remembering them, it's. It make. I guess then it has something to do with the people inside. The people that still exist inside. But. Yeah. What's everyone else? What do you all think? [01:48:31] Speaker A: What's Catherine's take on it? I think he's. [01:48:36] Speaker C: I think he's very bewildered by it all. He's just likes. [01:48:42] Speaker D: Here's a question. Are ghosts the same as souls? Are we saying that ghosts are souls trapped, whilst the things that we thought were ghosts outside of the. Outside of the bubble are just kind of a collection of, like, negative memories that have been sort of stirred to violent tendencies? [01:49:14] Speaker B: Is that maybe there's something about the void that amplifies? [01:49:19] Speaker C: I mean, they. They started attacking people before the veil went up, like, literally before. [01:49:26] Speaker B: And ever since the veil went, they've been clawing to get in. [01:49:30] Speaker C: So are they memories of people, like, from outside of Alicia? Are they memories of people from Alicia? [01:49:38] Speaker F: If there are, like, memories manifested and kind of brought in past the veil, or like, some certain people can bring them in. [01:49:50] Speaker D: Right. I'm gonna out myself as a right saddo right now, but did anyone ever watch, like, Most Haunted growing up? Or, like, you know, whether they always. There's ghost programs where they go in, like. [01:50:04] Speaker B: Oh, they're the ones. Yeah. [01:50:06] Speaker D: Maybe they could be essentially acting like poltergeist. [01:50:10] Speaker A: What. [01:50:10] Speaker D: What we would know outside the game is poltergeists, which aren't really necessarily spirits in their own right. They're just more of a, like the sort of imprint of negative emotion left. [01:50:23] Speaker B: Behind, malevolent force type thing. Yeah. [01:50:26] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:50:27] Speaker F: There was like a big war, wasn't there? [01:50:29] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, there was a big war, wasn't there? [01:50:34] Speaker F: Wasn't there? Lots of angry people? And wasn't the whole thing about Elysia. Elysia didn't want to help? Right. Like. Or. The idea was Elysia had lots of resources that could help the war and it was kind of was. Am I remembering this correctly? Like, Elysia was trying to limit, like, how much they offered during the war. [01:50:53] Speaker A: Or am I making only up until Turia Valmar was overthrown? And then Alicia's sort of like industrial output help, and, you know, she sent a load of soldiers out, so she was a massive benefactor to the war to the side of the, you know, Ayah's cause. [01:51:14] Speaker F: Right. [01:51:15] Speaker A: Which is why, you know, so many. Why Alisia is a bit of a ghost city by comparison to how it used to be. Because so many people were away when Alicia was lost. Yeah. [01:51:30] Speaker C: So are the memories working to free. [01:51:32] Speaker F: Her, or are the memories. [01:51:35] Speaker C: That's why they're trying to claw in. [01:51:37] Speaker F: Well, are they memories of people that left for war and they, like. Because the people. People that didn't get conscripted were the people that couldn't and had to stay in the city, if you remember. So, like the old. [01:51:48] Speaker B: Yeah, part of the question here is, where are we? Like, what is this void? Because I think we've been sort of assuming, oh, it's like the astral plane or something from D and D. But what if it's something a bit more sort of psychic based than that? That it is some kind of dream or memory space that amplifies the negative memories of the people in it? Like, people aren't really probably supposed to even be there. Which might be why the memories suddenly turned so hostile and started attacking everyone when Alicia was thrown into it. And then the bubble went up and they were trying to get in ever since. [01:52:23] Speaker D: What if Alicia hasn't actually moved at all? What if we're not actually void and we're just caught or just shifted into. [01:52:30] Speaker B: Another plane or something? [01:52:32] Speaker D: I'm saying, what if we're, like, behind some massive psychic barrier that just makes us think we're in a void? [01:52:41] Speaker B: Interesting. [01:52:42] Speaker F: The other thing that was in Umi's journal is some weird timey wimey nonsense, which we also experienced when we were in and outside of bubble. Right. So, yeah, we still don't quite know what happened outside. [01:53:05] Speaker A: What's Algernon's hot takes? [01:53:10] Speaker E: This is why he hired Atta. [01:53:17] Speaker F: You hired me. And I didn't just weirdly show up one day. I've got nowhere to go. [01:53:22] Speaker A: It was all part of the planet. It was all part, part of the plan. So through your questionings, one clarifying statement I will add is that just over two years ago, when Alicia was first transported, initially, you all remember the cold and the silence you experienced when you stepped through The. The veil on the castle antelier drop, and everything was eerily calm. And then slowly, but then, with increasing numbers, the ghosts came. And in the matter, in a space of hours, the survivors of Alicia were then being attacked by this horde of undead. And then the veil manifested and pushed them all out. Now, we now know, or you know, from Tavarian and sort of from Devara, but the veil was the work of Turia Valima, who it would seem is alive and well with an Asterix at the center of Elysium. And that would explain why, if she's projecting her force outwards, that would describe the spherical veil that encompasses the chunk of Alicia. Now, you didn't arrive and were immediately beset by these, what Umi believes are memories. They began to appear slowly, and then greater number. And Atta, you. You know that there was a moment where you thought about that shield bearer, and then she manifested in front of you. But that's never happened before. Like, you've thought about your nan many times, but that's never happened. But the shield bearer did happen recently. Perhaps Mavel is dying and becoming patchy. [01:56:07] Speaker B: That was my suspicion. That will happen more and more as Lady Valinmar gets weaker. [01:56:15] Speaker A: And perhaps, Atta, there is a realization that if you fought that shield bearer into existence, what happens if you think about your nan too much? [01:56:30] Speaker F: Now Atta makes a note to think about Nan. [01:56:34] Speaker C: I mean, saying that if they're memories and they're all outside, are they all memories from Elysians then? Like, if there's. If they're in a black void and then they start thinking bad things, they're wondering, where is. Where is my family? Where is this? [01:56:53] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that would be my suspicion as well, that because they took a little while to build up and start attacking after we went into the void. It's as if we were conjuring them as we were separated from the rest of the world. And, yeah, the longer time goes on, the more and more amassing out there, presumably. [01:57:15] Speaker F: I mean, I don't know if this is a stretch, but, I mean, I guess you could kind of get a little bit spiritually philosophical and say, what would a spirit be if it was removed? Like, severed from its heart? And which is the veil, right? Like, it would be unpleasant. [01:57:33] Speaker A: As you dwell on these questions, Algernon, you glance and notice D'Vera stood in the doorway listening to your musings, and she just kind of lowers her head and kind of peels away from the doorway. [01:57:58] Speaker E: I suppose you know everything already, don't you. [01:58:01] Speaker A: She stops and it's a sad smile. I'll leave you all to make your plans. The swan song awaits and she disappears back up the stairs to her room. And with that, I think we'll call it there the Spicy Meatballs. [01:58:34] Speaker F: I love like Algernon being like really snippy. It's great. It's great. It's a joy. It's so siblings, isn't it? [01:58:48] Speaker A: Congratulations everyone on completing episode 16. [01:58:57] Speaker B: Blimey. [01:58:59] Speaker A: So towards the end there is stuff and things to think about to ponder. [01:59:06] Speaker D: Be like chill Downtime episode. [01:59:09] Speaker A: Yes, absolutely. So yes, I'm very excited the stage is being set for the end of the campaign. I'm here for it. I hope you are all too. If you enjoyed these plot bombs, make sure to hit the like button and comment down below on oh what should the comment down below be about? [01:59:34] Speaker C: Oh, what they think the memories are. [01:59:37] Speaker B: Yeah, what the heck is going on? [01:59:38] Speaker A: Or speculation on what horrid things Frida and Jacaster was doing with Caleb's ghost orb? [01:59:48] Speaker F: Or what must it what Musto is going to do now? Open a store? Is he gonna go into modeling those next business endeavor? [01:59:59] Speaker A: Absolutely. [02:00:01] Speaker D: Summers. [02:00:04] Speaker A: If you enjoyed this and want to see more, make sure to hit the subscribe button and the bell icon for notifications when releasing videos. Because we're releasing Lose and Lose and Lose all the time. We won't want you to miss out. So thank you for watching. Thank you all for playing. See you next time. [02:00:19] Speaker D: Bye.