Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Previously on Elysia Rising.
[00:00:04] Speaker B: Care to tell us why you've brought me here with her?
[00:00:13] Speaker C: The days of Elysia itself are numbered. I think it might be wise to focus our energies, put our differences behind us.
[00:00:22] Speaker A: I thought you were an intelligent man, Alpenon. You must be off your rocker. Do not let them sway you from justice, he says. And he goes to bring the pistol back round to Valadeer's head.
[00:00:34] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm gonna. I'm gonna tackle him.
[00:00:37] Speaker A: Would we so quickly fall to bloodshed? And as he pulls the trigger, one of the civilians jumps at him and is shot in the chest.
[00:00:47] Speaker B: We would need to send a message and complete the eradication of the faith.
[00:00:57] Speaker C: One last thing, Grovekeeper.
[00:00:59] Speaker A: Yes?
[00:01:00] Speaker C: Sometimes it's part of a life cycle of a place to be burnt to the ground so it can rise up. Seeds can be planted, so allow it.
[00:01:08] Speaker A: To rise from the ashes. You would have us destroy the shrine?
[00:01:14] Speaker E: Let's do it.
[00:01:15] Speaker F: There you go.
[00:01:16] Speaker A: As you glance over your shoulder, the watch don't pursue you as they stop to try and tackle the inferno of the shrine as it is engulfed in flame.
Welcome to Elysia, the jewel of the North. On our gilded streets, fortune and fame.
[00:01:40] Speaker F: Can be found by anyone.
Hi. Hi, I'm Julia and I'm playing Magpie, an ace of our lurk.
[00:01:49] Speaker G: Hi, I'm Nate and I'm playing Kavrin, a dragon scent slide.
[00:01:54] Speaker D: Hi, I'm Meg. I'm playing Frieda, a wolfkin cutter.
[00:01:59] Speaker C: Hi, I'm J.C. and I'll be playing Algernon, an ace of R. Spider.
[00:02:04] Speaker E: Hello, I'm Erol. I am playing Atta, a goblin whisper.
[00:02:09] Speaker A: And my name is DM Dan. I will be the games master on this adventure. So come on in and marvel at our wonders.
[00:02:19] Speaker F: Make sure you see the beautiful views.
[00:02:21] Speaker D: We have to offer.
[00:02:22] Speaker F: And don't mind the ghosts.
[00:02:24] Speaker A: They're friendly. Really?
[00:02:25] Speaker F: Grab yourselves a seat and make yourselves welcome in the city of Alicia.
[00:02:37] Speaker A: Hello, and welcome back to Explorers of Elsewhere's Alicia Rising campaign. Hi, I'm DM Dan, and I'm followed into battle by these five dutiful soldiers.
We find the crew in the midst of a montage of scores as they try to convince the warring factions of the Marionettes and the Kindling to put down their weapons for long enough that they can fight alongside the this crew rather than over them. Across them, between them, through them.
It's going quite well so far. Let's see if your luck holds out. Luck? What am I saying? Your skill. Let's see if your skill and Some tactful decisions hold out.
[00:03:31] Speaker F: We convinced a religious order to let us burn their holy place. I think we've got this unlock.
[00:03:38] Speaker A: Yeah, maybe. Maybe so. Yeah. Having.
Having successfully acquired the Veren seed from the Blossoming Shrine. And then. Burning. Burning it down. Songbird and Velka are looking at you, and there's a slight. There's a. There's an air of.
Yeah, like assure. Like they seem more assured by your actions, although they're still quite angry in general.
And Songbird looks to you and. Well, we might have the seed, but I'd be loath to send my people into. Into a fight like this without leading from the front. And I can't step two steps out of the door without getting caught by the pricks over at the eic.
I. I'm just. I'm not in a position to help you unless whatever they have on me is gone and whatever leads they have are scattered.
And I expect that all of those. All of those leads are going to be held locked up tight somewhere in Trito Hall.
Elka looks to you. And.
[00:04:58] Speaker B: I, for one, care not if they know of my coming.
But there is one thing that troubles me.
Ever since the destruction of the Ruby Keep, the Black Guard have been acting curiously.
Originally, they loitered around the ruins of the keep like vultures, but they have since disappeared.
I would like to know where they've gone, because they are a faction I would not appreciate being surprised by.
I suspect the EIC will also know of the location of the city's greatest defenders.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: And as the five of you look to one another with these two new obstacles to your path.
Who's jumping into the Trito hall score? Who's flashing back to the Trito hall score?
[00:06:11] Speaker C: Absolutely Algernon.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: Absolutely Algernon.
[00:06:14] Speaker F: I feel like Magpie would be pretty up for this, because this is an infiltration and stealth job, basically.
[00:06:19] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:06:21] Speaker F: Algodon knows the place, presumably. And Magpie's got some sneaky skills to add magnificently.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: Magpie? Anyone else resisted? Toofer, does anyone else want to break into Alicia? MI5?
[00:06:38] Speaker G: I've got some prowl on me, so I'd like to.
[00:06:41] Speaker A: Oh, okay. Okay. Assafrida, you. Elimina.
[00:06:47] Speaker D: Are you not sure what I can contribute? But again, I can be waiting in the wings, just waiting in the wings in case things get hairy.
[00:06:55] Speaker G: I've got an idea. Possibly for Atta.
Is there any way? Because I'm. I'm guessing Velka is kind of saying, like, the information on the Black Guard is going to be in.
Where are we Going again. Sorry, Dan.
[00:07:09] Speaker A: Trito hall.
[00:07:10] Speaker G: Trito hall for our Tritos.
[00:07:14] Speaker F: Have a Trito.
[00:07:15] Speaker G: I'm wondering if as a backup, in case we can't find anything on the Blackguard, whether or not Atta can construct something with the glasses that may be able to detect other elements that are doing the same thing.
[00:07:32] Speaker E: Like trying to tune to, like.
Yeah, okay. Yeah, I suppose that's a lab based thing. Trying to.
[00:07:45] Speaker A: Okay. In which case. So between Magpie, Algernon and Catherine, how are you starting this score? Like, what is your point of entry?
So your objectives for Songbird from Songbird and Velka are to locate the evidence and investigate the Black Guard.
[00:08:12] Speaker C: I'd like to lean on my old friend and colleague, Vertrand.
[00:08:17] Speaker A: Okay, very good, very good. Bertrand, who is on your allies list. Okay, so that's an extra dice. Are you. How are you using him to start this mini school?
[00:08:30] Speaker C: I'm going to pop up and see if he's happy to see me alive.
[00:08:36] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:08:37] Speaker C: And then if he's not, I'm going to blackmail him.
[00:08:41] Speaker A: Okay, we will kick things off straight away then. Because you're using virtue and who's an ally. That's a two dice, one extra and we roll a failure.
[00:08:54] Speaker F: It's a bad roll.
[00:08:55] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, Algonon, the moment you sit down with Vertrend, there's something that twigs in your mind that something is wrong. Bertrand is looking at you with like wide eyes as if he's desperately trying to tell you something.
[00:09:20] Speaker C: Oh dear Vertrand, you haven't forgotten the lyrics to the Boating song, have you?
[00:09:27] Speaker A: Bertrand looks to you and perhaps we should reconvene another time. Algal, now is really not a great time. And as he says that Algernon over his shoulder, you notice that there are a number of. You recognize a number of EIC agents descending on your location.
[00:09:50] Speaker C: Oh, not this again.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: Except, and virtue's got this like sorry look on his. Like an apologetic look on his face.
But yeah, as you see the ERC agents approaching. What are you doing? What is Catherine doing? What is Magboi doing to like kick off.
[00:10:12] Speaker F: Yeah, where did this meeting. Where is this meeting taking place? Jc, Were you envisaging it? Being at the EIC building? Like you've requested a meeting there or somewhere.
[00:10:24] Speaker C: Yeah, near about.
[00:10:25] Speaker A: Yeah, in Abbott's game. Okay. Okay.
Well, I mean. Yep. Algon on is there? Well, Magpie and Catherine, like you would have seen from away off. Like if you're nearby, you'd have seen these agents beginning to converge on Algonon. I guess if nothing else, if they're here chasing Algarnon, they're not in Trito Tower.
[00:10:51] Speaker F: That's true.
Yeah. I guess it slightly depends on what Algernon was planning to use Vertran for. Like giving us an excuse to be there or something. But if there is already a bit of a distraction going on, maybe we could sneak in via a sort of a vulnerable point that Algon already indicated to us.
[00:11:16] Speaker C: Yeah, I think my original plan was to like get him to take us to the documents, but then there's definitely like a plan B. Cuz I've been arrested by them already, so I'm like, if. If the ghost hits up, then we'll cause a distraction and you can sneak in yourself.
[00:11:36] Speaker A: So if nothing else, you suspect that virtual might still be able to answer the mystery of the Black Guard. If nothing else.
[00:11:45] Speaker F: Exciting.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: Okay, so yeah, Catherine, Magpie, how are you going about collecting the evidence?
[00:11:51] Speaker F: Prowl.
[00:11:53] Speaker A: Prowl.
[00:11:53] Speaker F: We're going to prowl.
[00:11:55] Speaker G: I would like to mention though that I'm in disguise.
[00:11:58] Speaker A: Oh, gang in disguise. Okay.
[00:12:01] Speaker G: I've actually borrowed some of Algernon's clothes, so I've got a nice suit and a jacket.
So I've tried my best to look like an EIC agent. Yeah, I may have even used some sort of theatrical makeup to sort of COVID my. To kind of change the color of my scales.
[00:12:21] Speaker A: Okay.
Okay. Very, very good. So yeah, you'll get a plus one dice roll to confuse or deflect suspicion. Well, between the two of you then, who's leading? Who's spearheading the infiltration of Torito Hall? Who's going in first?
[00:12:36] Speaker G: You'd like me to go in first and then I can?
[00:12:39] Speaker F: If you're in a beautiful disguise, why not? What? So we're prowling but you're disguised in case we get caught. Lovely.
[00:12:47] Speaker A: Okay, so whilst the action seems to be honing in on Algernon, I'm gonna start you cavern on a risky standard. So risky standard prowl. And you get plus one dice as you're trying to schmooze in with your disguise.
So you can switch to a desperate grater to begin with if you like.
[00:13:09] Speaker G: No, I think I'm gonna play it safe for now. Okay, I'm gonna go for a risky standard with the plus one dies.
[00:13:15] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:13:18] Speaker G: I did it.
[00:13:19] Speaker A: You did it. Okay, so Catherine, you managed to flawlessly just slink into the hall.
Like, as you go in, there are a number of agents kind of passing you and you hear them sort of like saying to Each other.
Cadwallad has been sighted or like, converge on their. On this location. And you see them sort of like rushing out to seemingly catch Algernon. And as you glance over your shoulder, you wonder if Algernon's going to be okay.
You've made it in and you're able to sort of like, hold the way open for Magpie as well.
So between the two of you.
Well, as the two of you make your way into Trito Hall, Algonom Vertrand looks to you. And I'm really sorry, old boy, they've been watching. They've been watching me like hawks.
[00:14:13] Speaker C: Don't worry, Vertrand. I understand A man's duty. I actually come bearing a gift. If your colleagues would be so kind to entertain me.
And I'm going to produce something from my loadout. An unusual weapon.
[00:14:27] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:14:28] Speaker C: Which is a strange and bloody scythe in the style of the orchestra.
[00:14:37] Speaker A: A code. Okay.
[00:14:40] Speaker C: Perhaps you old boys would be interested in this.
A weapon which was used to slay one of your dear colleagues not a few days ago.
[00:14:52] Speaker A: Okay. What skill are you using off the back of this?
How are you envisaging using this? Like, are you taking him hostage? Or you had to get over his evidence, or.
[00:15:02] Speaker C: No, I'm like. I'm being like, I've done your. Some of your job for you.
[00:15:07] Speaker A: Oh, okay, okay.
[00:15:09] Speaker C: It's not. It's not a threat. I'm saying, like. Look, I know about the death of your colleague, which I'm sure you'd like to investigate.
[00:15:18] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:15:19] Speaker C: I'd like to consort to sort.
[00:15:21] Speaker A: Okay, yeah, by all means. You are in a desperate situation, unfortunately, as they all bear down on you. But we'll start on a desperate standard.
[00:15:34] Speaker C: I'll take it.
[00:15:37] Speaker A: Devil's bargain.
They're really handy for this. Devil's bargain. The EIC are joined by the watch.
[00:15:50] Speaker C: No, I'm done. I'm done with them for now.
[00:15:55] Speaker A: Okay, so do you want to push yourself?
[00:15:58] Speaker C: Oh, dear.
[00:16:01] Speaker A: Or does Mag. Does Atta or Frida wanna step in to help?
[00:16:08] Speaker D: I'm happy to, but I'm not sure how.
[00:16:13] Speaker E: I don't know whether the EIC will fall for the same trick again, but it's worth trying. Yeah, ASA can help and try and kind of do some radio scramble, like. Well, they're looking for songbird. Right. Again, let's impersonate.
[00:16:31] Speaker A: Okay. Song.
[00:16:32] Speaker E: A songbird over there.
[00:16:34] Speaker A: Their communications or impersonating other agents, in which case, Atta. Yeah. Mark yourself for stress. And Algon, you get a free dice or effect.
[00:16:45] Speaker C: Well, I think I'll go with the dice.
[00:16:47] Speaker A: Okay. One extra dice greater desperate standard consortium six. You do it.
So as you produce this like sickle, like Vertrand recoils from it.
And then as you kind of very quickly explain what it is like why you're holding this, you see virtual sort of looking down, looking at you. And then he sort of like flaps his hands out to the other. Stop.
And you see like a number of the. The plains close agents begin to sort of like slow. As they kind of get closer, you know that you've bought yourself a little bit of time to talk with Vertrend. I'm going to generously attribute that to the investigate the Black Guard clock and virtue and looks to you and this better be bloody good, Algernon. He says we'll switch back quickly to Magpie and Catherine. You have made your way into Trito hall. Like you're doing your best not draw suspicion by not really looking at anyone.
Like walking with enough confidence that it seems like you're supposed to be there. But how are you going about finding the evidence that the EIC have on Songbird?
[00:18:17] Speaker F: So it. It logically it would probably be something like a study, right, to sort of look through papers and the like. But do we want to do it sneakily with a prowl so people don't notice we're rifling through drawers and stuff? Or do we. Could we could I argue for a thinness to sort of dexterously and just sort of not disturb the paper, you know, the piles of paper lying around too much just kind of try and attempt to locate Songbird's file.
[00:18:54] Speaker A: So finesse is subtle misdirection. So I am happy for you to.
[00:19:00] Speaker F: Bit of sleight of hand kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. Trying to. Trying to lift the file. Maybe we already sort of knew where to look for it. I don't know. I can argue for that. But can I ask, can I argue for a finesse?
[00:19:13] Speaker A: You can absolutely argue for a finesse.
[00:19:15] Speaker F: Okay. I'm gonna take too stressed to add a die to that.
[00:19:19] Speaker G: I was gonna say. Do you want me to help?
[00:19:21] Speaker F: You can help if you wanna.
[00:19:24] Speaker G: I can help. I can. I can be sort of, if any. If I see anyone sort of walking past, I sort of just start like a nice polite conversation with them.
[00:19:32] Speaker F: Okay.
[00:19:33] Speaker G: Did you enjoy lunch? Enjoy lunch.
[00:19:35] Speaker F: Two. Two dice.
[00:19:38] Speaker G: You're going to the pub later. Go in the pub later.
[00:19:42] Speaker F: Can I.
[00:19:43] Speaker A: So it's a risky standard to start, Magpie, with your two inferness.
[00:19:49] Speaker F: Yeah. Plus my pushing myself and getting Help from Cav.
[00:19:53] Speaker A: So extra dice or extra effects? You can switch this to a desperate Grater to start with if you like.
[00:19:58] Speaker F: I could, couldn't I? But I'm really worried. And there are four dice and yes, six.
[00:20:03] Speaker A: Only need one more XP to fill up your prowess bar. Just saying.
[00:20:07] Speaker F: Just saying.
Oh, my God, I don't like it.
[00:20:13] Speaker A: But okay, yeah, Desperate finesse. Okay, Desperate.
[00:20:17] Speaker F: Great finesse.
[00:20:18] Speaker A: Yep. We have two extra four dice total. Yeah. So two extra.
[00:20:22] Speaker F: I'm so scared.
[00:20:25] Speaker A: A partial success.
[00:20:26] Speaker F: Absolutely beefed it.
[00:20:28] Speaker A: A partial success. You do it, but there's a consequence.
You.
[00:20:41] Speaker G: Get a really bad paper cut.
[00:20:43] Speaker F: Yeah, right.
[00:20:45] Speaker A: You know what?
[00:20:47] Speaker F: Get chased out by an angry EIC agent.
[00:20:50] Speaker A: Given that you've got Cavern running interference for you, I would simply say it's reduced effect, which on a great out roll, is still two dice, two segments.
[00:21:02] Speaker F: Got it.
[00:21:03] Speaker A: Catherine, you have to put in work to. To kind of deflect all of this attention away from Magpie.
But Magpie, very quickly, paint me a picture of where you imagine this information is being kept.
[00:21:22] Speaker F: I think it. It's probably. I notice it out on a desk that has an agent sitting at it, and so I sort of make eyes at Cavern, like it's right here kind of thing, and then sort of indicate that Catherine needs to perhaps flirt with the agent or something. But while I sort of sort of slide past and just sort of lift it and put it under my shirt or something.
[00:21:50] Speaker G: Okay, yeah, I'll schmooze with the secretary that's close by the admin staff.
[00:21:56] Speaker A: Sure. In which case, through the combination of misdirection and schmoozing Magpie, you're able to just sort of like, slide this folder off the. Off the table. You recognize Songbird's mugshot from the front page of the treaties.
And interestingly, the name on the front of the folder reads Melina Karan.
[00:22:24] Speaker F: Lovely.
[00:22:24] Speaker A: But, yeah, you have successfully collected the evidence, and you can keep or destroy it at your.
Your.
Well, you can choose.
Meanwhile, outside Algernon, you're, like, in the middle of this street in Abbot's Gate.
Virtuans in front of you, sort of like holding off the approaching EIC agents. You are currently holding a sickle that looks suspiciously like the Orchestra's weapon of choice. What are you doing?
[00:22:56] Speaker C: I drop it on the ground.
[00:22:58] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:22:59] Speaker C: If you can.
If you all can put Spymaster or Thorian's vendetta against me aside for a second, I can tell you everything I know about the monster which killed your colleague. Of course, I'd Be looking for a few bits of information in exchange.
[00:23:18] Speaker A: Vertrand nods. What is it like? What do you need, Algernon?
[00:23:25] Speaker C: I'd like to know about everything you've gathered. Every piece of intelligence about our friends with the goggles.
[00:23:34] Speaker A: Bertrand looks to you with a. Not that like, he really kind of grimaces at the thought of having to talk about them, but then he. He sort of, like, holds his hands out and, like, both hands out to hold back the EIC agents.
Well, what ability are you rolling doing a consort.
[00:23:53] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:23:53] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, we'll still keep you on. Desperate. Greater. So that's another for you, if nothing else.
Sorry, Desperate standard, I should say, to begin with.
[00:24:06] Speaker C: Okay, I'd like to push myself for greater effect.
[00:24:11] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:24:13] Speaker C: And I'd also. And whilst I do that, I'd like to say. And what about our other friend with the goggles?
[00:24:20] Speaker A: By that, do you mean Velka?
[00:24:22] Speaker C: The Infinite.
[00:24:25] Speaker A: So that is a two. Dice. Desperate. Great. Consort.
[00:24:31] Speaker F: Oh, there we go. Look at that.
[00:24:34] Speaker C: Oh, my God. Algernon. Dice coming through. Finally.
[00:24:38] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:24:39] Speaker A: So you notice that the way he's talking to you is quite performative.
Like, he's not. He's pretending he's not telling you what he's telling you, but as he looks around and then he sort of, like, starts, like, jabbing a finger in your face and, like, screwing. Scrunching his face up in a snarl.
You should know, Algernon, that, like, overnight, they all just vanished. They were all around the keep and now they're just gone. And we have no idea where they've gone to. They're like. They're like spectres. They just disappeared. And when it comes to the infinite, we're trying to flush him out, but we don't know where he is either. We. They found Songberg. They've ID her and they're trying to lock her down.
Whatever you're planning, Algernon, best make it quick because things are getting desperate.
[00:25:38] Speaker C: You're telling me.
[00:25:40] Speaker A: And then he sort of, like, walks up to you off the back of a six. I mean, you absolutely blow through this remaining clock and Algonon you. Out the corner of your eye, you spot Magpie and a.
A Dragon synth. Does not look like Catherine, but he's wearing one of your coats.
Like, slip out of Trito hall and Vertran, like, grabs you by the collar and pulls you in and then says, hit me, Algernon.
[00:26:15] Speaker C: Algernon. Algernon summons a memory from his days in Morton's Morton College for Boys.
The passion of a teenage rivalry on the cricket field.
And I give him a good slap.
[00:26:31] Speaker A: And you watch like you. As your fat. Your hand connects with Bertrand's face, he throws himself back, knocking over the table that the two of you were just sat at, and sprawls out across the table like, sprawls out across the floor and like, you see the other EIC agents that pause and just sort of like, stop for a moment and then Bertrand looks at you and says, run.
And like, as they. As. As the EIC agents kind of break into run towards you, you see virtue and sort of like get up and then do his very best to fundamentally, like, klutz his way in front of them all in an attempt to try and stop you himself. And he's just like bumping into them, like knocks a chair over to trip one of them up, giving you more than enough of distraction to slip into a nearby alleyway and escape.
[00:27:20] Speaker C: Jolly boating weather. Oh boy.
[00:27:23] Speaker A: You see, like Bertrand doesn't get to repeat it because he's currently too busy doing a slapstick routine to hold up all of secret agents back in the present.
Songbird is shrugging, has shrugged her shoulders and thrown her hands up. She can't help Velka. Can't help.
But what do the five of you have to say on that?
[00:27:48] Speaker F: I don't think we say much. I think Magpie just reaches down and throws the file in front front of Songbird with her mugshot and her real name slathered across it and said, hope that sorts it all out for you.
Molina, was it?
[00:28:13] Speaker A: Songbird looks to you with the most unimpressed look she's ever flashed you.
And then she snatches up the file and just sort of like tucks it behind her or like behind her on the chair.
Just forget you ever read that, all right, Amina, It's Magpie.
It's Songbird.
And then she sort of like looks down. She's got a face like a slapped child.
And Velka look is looking at the five of you expectantly.
[00:28:49] Speaker B: I'm beginning to expect great things from you, he says.
[00:28:55] Speaker A: Who's. Who's. Who's reporting to Velka.
[00:29:00] Speaker C: Yes. On the matter of the blackguard, I suppose you're jealous of their eyewear.
[00:29:06] Speaker A: Velka looks away slightly for a moment, as if bashful, and then you notice him look directly at Songbird and there's this intense kind of stare from behind the mask. You notice.
[00:29:24] Speaker B: Yes, I have become accustomed to a certain set of eye equipment.
[00:29:34] Speaker A: There's an awkward silence as they mull for a moment, and then Songbird breaks the silence by saying, I don't like going into a situation without information and my best spy has gone awol.
I hear that you've become somewhat acquainted with him, Catherine, she says, and throws you a bit of a look.
But I don't feel comfortable doing anything without knowing where Vaughn from is.
The last I heard he was over at the Shooting St. Star's brothel.
He was high, lying low there because it's one of the ill nature strongholds.
But I heard hair not hide from him since all this went down.
So you find out what's happened to Vaughn and then maybe we can talk. And Velka looks to you and says, the old ni.
[00:30:29] Speaker B: Occultist fanatics at best.
And I would like to see nothing but their removal from the. From the Elysian stage.
[00:30:44] Speaker A: And he turns to look at Songbird.
[00:30:49] Speaker B: I would have you blunt their blade so I know that they will not stab me in the back at a moment's notice.
[00:31:03] Speaker A: So it would see who is jumping in on the Shooting Stars brothel score to find Vauntham and. Or blunt the Ornishi blade.
[00:31:16] Speaker G: No, I don't think I will.
[00:31:23] Speaker E: Does.
[00:31:23] Speaker F: He, this Velka just like, burn the shrine and get rid of the ill nayshee. Ruthless.
[00:31:33] Speaker A: Is Frieda jumping in on this one? Sounds like there's gonna be a scrap.
[00:31:37] Speaker D: Why not? Yeah, I'll be there. Kavren could be there to seduce him. Frieda will be there to sock him.
[00:31:46] Speaker A: Anyone else joining? Or is it a twofer?
[00:31:50] Speaker E: Might be able to help. Atom might be able to help with a bit of. Especially with the Ilna. She like, bit ooky.
[00:31:59] Speaker F: Spooky to freak out the illness.
[00:32:01] Speaker E: Yeah, pretty much.
[00:32:03] Speaker A: In which case, what is your point of access? What is your point of entry for the Shooting Star brothel score?
As you have to.
[00:32:12] Speaker D: Catherine's got VIP membership, surely?
[00:32:18] Speaker A: Well, absolutely, if you. If you two, like three of you fundamentally want to walk through the front door off the back of Catherine's intimate relations, we can use that as our. As our access point. Yeah.
[00:32:32] Speaker G: Could I bring my ally Amber with me?
[00:32:36] Speaker A: Amber? Yeah, absolutely. Amber can come with you.
In which case, unless anyone else has anything else to add. That sounds like a two dice engagement roll.
So, as we descend into the bortrous streets of Celestry, we roll a four for a risky position.
And as the four of you. So Atafrida, Catherine and Amber, as you approach, you see the two Ilna bouncers at the front of this brothel. They notice you approach and like, one of them whispers something to the other and the second slips Inside the building.
And then the Onishi stands in front of you and.
Not today. Closed for business.
[00:33:28] Speaker G: Oh, are you sure? Not even just a spare room.
[00:33:33] Speaker A: As you say that the Unai Force puts a hand on your chest and pushes you back a few, like a foot.
We're closed, friend, he says.
Who's kicking this off? Seems like they're not letting you in.
[00:33:49] Speaker D: Frida is going to say, oh, funny that, because I can see your door wide open right now.
[00:33:58] Speaker F: Yes, yes.
[00:34:01] Speaker D: And since that door's wide open, I think that, you know, you must be open for business. And we've got coin, so you best let us in, unless you want trouble.
[00:34:19] Speaker A: What ability are you using and which clock are you ticking off?
[00:34:24] Speaker D: Ah, command. I am commanding. And I assume it's Locate Vauntham because we're trying to enter the Shooting Star, right?
[00:34:34] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay, so in which case you're starting on a risky. So a risky standard command.
[00:34:46] Speaker D: Can I please use my scary weapon of tools to grant increased effect when I intimidate?
[00:34:58] Speaker A: Are you pulling out blood letters?
[00:35:01] Speaker D: No. So I've got my little. My knuckle dusters. So the trusty knuckle dusters. I'm just going to. When I sort of like, gesture towards the door, I'm going to make sure that he can see the fact that I'm wearing them is, you know, fully displayed.
[00:35:17] Speaker A: Okay. Yes. You absolutely can't. So that's an extra dice.
Bear in mind you can switch up to Desperate Greater to begin with and also Devil's Bargain. Regardless of what happens, they decide violence is the answer.
[00:35:37] Speaker D: Actually, been able to do a real punch up yet, have I?
[00:35:41] Speaker A: Not for a while.
[00:35:43] Speaker D: Not for a while. Yeah. Why not? Let's do. Let's do Devil's Bargain.
[00:35:48] Speaker A: Okay, wonderful.
In which case that is. So two extra effects. Are you going Desperate Greater to start?
[00:35:56] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm going to go Desperate Greater. And two extra dice.
[00:35:59] Speaker A: Okay, so Desperate commands. Two extra dice. Roll them bones.
Yeah, a six.
Okay, so you do it as you. As you say that and sort of like you. You flex the knuckles and you kind of crack your. You crack your knuckles.
The. Or sort of like, looks at you for a moment and looks like he's about to back down when the door reopens and the second bouncer reemerges as you're sort of like walking past the first. And we will. We snap inside as that second bouncer is thrown backwards into the brothel.
Having tried to take a swing at you, Frida, and been met with a hearty parry uppercut, which has launched him into the establishment.
And as there are sounds of screaming from the working people within the. Within the brothel as this bouncer is splayed out in the entrance corridor. But off the back of a desperate success that is three segments on the locate born thumb clock and Kavarin and Atta, you're able to just like follow in behind Friede. Who.
Who's going into.
Well, who's. Who's trying to tick off what clock? Who wants to go next? Atta. What's Atta doing?
[00:37:26] Speaker E: Gently spacing out for a second, which is terrible, but probably like watching in.
[00:37:32] Speaker A: Slow mo, because what I will say is. Yeah, as you, as the two of you sort of like walk in, just to your right is a little sort of like waiting room of sorts.
And sat on this like two person couch, this low two person couch who's like is a figure that's just looked up because the bouncer's just been knocked through the door.
And you recognize it as the hooded Medjani figure that was stood behind Songbird after you completed the prison break job.
[00:38:06] Speaker D: Is that my assassin?
[00:38:09] Speaker A: And watching this bouncer get lamped out, this life fighter of sorts stands up and that was a mistake, friends. He says as he raises his hands up ready to fight. This would appear to be a blade that can be blunted.
[00:38:28] Speaker F: Hmm.
[00:38:29] Speaker E: I just, I feel. I feel like maybe I'll compel a ghost to do some. Do some fisticuffs or something.
[00:38:39] Speaker F: I make him pee himself.
[00:38:41] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, Ghost fighter. I can restrain him afterwards. It's fine.
[00:38:46] Speaker A: Okay. Okay.
Amazing, right? We're still in a risky standard, so. Risky standard of the tune.
[00:38:56] Speaker E: I want to figure out, like, what. I want to kind of look deeply into their eyes and kind of really muster up the kind of ghosts that they would be most afraid of. Like, is it a matronly, like, old crone figure? Is it a, like, you know, so whatever I kind of see, if it's successful, it's going to be there like most hated.
[00:39:22] Speaker A: Sure.
Okay. Well, as you, I guess you just do like you. Well, now that you know the secret of the ghosts, did you close your eyes and you think of a memory of someone that's passed?
Please roll me an attune. So you have risky standard, so you can switch up to desperate greater if you like, Devil's bargain. Absolute bedlam ensues.
[00:39:55] Speaker E: Why wouldn't I take that?
[00:39:59] Speaker F: I mean, okay, don't threaten Errol with a good time.
[00:40:05] Speaker E: So, yes, devil's bargain. Yes, please. So I'll take a dice, but I Should take that down to zero dice because I'm still soul drained. Right.
[00:40:13] Speaker A: That's a good shout. Yes. Very, very good. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for being honest.
Yes. Okay, so you're. You're back to standard. By all means. If anyone wants to help or if.
[00:40:23] Speaker E: You want to push, I'm happy to push. I'll go. I'll take the two stress and do it. Do it and push.
[00:40:28] Speaker A: Okay, so if you're going. Are you going. Going desperate. Great to start.
Oh, I'm.
[00:40:34] Speaker D: I'm gonna. I'm gonna hold my help action for now, but I just want to let you know that I've got bodyguards. So if. If you need to do a resist roll, I can sort of step in on your behalf and get the extra effect that way.
[00:40:48] Speaker A: Sure, that sounds good.
[00:40:50] Speaker E: I feel like just doing.
[00:40:52] Speaker A: Just resolve.
[00:40:54] Speaker E: Right? I know, right? I can, right? I gotta do it. And also, in the interest of time, I'm not going to think too hard about it. So I'm gonna roll, guys.
[00:41:03] Speaker A: Okay. Partial success. They roll a four. So you do it. There's a consequence, so I'm going to say that you do it.
So three segments of the blunt the ornation blade.
Like as this assassin begins. Well, you. As this elation individual walks towards you. Actually, no, you do know he's an assassin. As the assassin walks towards you, as you close your eyes and kind of think. Catherine and Frieda, you watch as this ghost manifests in front of Atta at a. By all means, pick me out what this ghost is like. Is it a Majani?
Like, because arguably you might not know anyone that this ill nature assassin would know kind of thing, but yeah, I feel the shield bearer again.
[00:42:01] Speaker F: Poor woman.
[00:42:02] Speaker E: I feel like either like my most terrifying memory of Songbird being disappointed aimed at him. Since like, assassins probably pride themselves on their good work and like the idea of their boss not, you know, saying, I'm gonna come after you now, like, you better watch your back.
[00:42:27] Speaker A: In which case, Cavren and Frieda, you watch as bizarrely, Songbird, the ghost of Songbird, materializes in front of Atta and then turns around and looks like, turns to you at her. And as you sort of like, like compel it, it turns the onishi and launches herself at him. And this assassin just is bodied by the spirit and is kind of thrown backwards onto the. Onto the sofa and begins wrestling with it. There's screams coming from all directions as this ghost sort of like grabs the side of the assassin's head and just starts and sort of trying to schlerp soul out at her as. As this ghost like schw's face.
The assassin. You watch his runes across his. The like his hands and forearms begin to glow. And then he somehow manages to grab the wrists of this ghost and stands up and with a twirl swings the ghost and launches her the the ghost of Songbird through a wall, through a number of the rooms, further into the building.
And then you hear screams coming from all directions Cavern.
You've just watched an ill ni assassin throw a ghost through a wall.
He's now free. There's screaming throughout the building. What are you doing?
[00:43:56] Speaker G: Catherine turns to Amber and says like, you'll be surprised that this is actually not the weirdest thing I've seen.
Yeah. So I'm. I'm gonna ask her if she can possibly direct me to like the most secret place that she probably knows in the building.
[00:44:12] Speaker A: Amber, who is utterly petrified, she sort of like nods and she.
She comes of lead you through like, because she's so catatonically scared because there is a ghost in her immediate vicinity, which there wasn't before. I reckon maybe a sway, like. Yeah, consort or something. Something to convince her to play ball.
[00:44:41] Speaker G: I will do a sway. I'm going to try and soothe her a bit.
[00:44:45] Speaker A: I'm going to res. I'm going to increase this now to a desperate standard to begin with because you know, ghost.
[00:44:53] Speaker G: Yeah, fair enough.
[00:44:56] Speaker A: Do you want to.
Do you want a bargain or you just rolling as is?
[00:45:01] Speaker G: I'm just gonna roll as is.
[00:45:02] Speaker A: Okay. I think three dice. Desperate standard.
Okay. A five. So even with a reduced outcome, that will get you across the line.
So yeah, we'll say reduced effect.
So you managed to as you grab Amber and sort of like shrink some sense into a shoot. Yes. And sort of like using you as a guide. Like she's moving through the. This brothel and like she has to stop because this ghost is just sort of like swooping through walls and like in front of you as it's kind of chasing people through the rooms as after you watch this thing and you're trying to like bring it back to. To the Onishi, but Amber manages to take you to this sort of like private room towards the back of the building.
It's locked.
Like she, she tries the handle is locked and as you. She sort of like looks to you as if to say, we got any lockpicks?
[00:46:06] Speaker G: No.
[00:46:07] Speaker A: And she, she tuts at you, rolls her eyes and then takes a step back, grabs the bottom of her. The hem of her dress lifts it up above her knees and then bang. Boots the door of the handle and kicks the door clean open.
And then she looks to you with a look. And then, stomach bound on the bed with a sack over his head is your red scaled dragon scent.
And it doesn't look like he's bound in the nice way.
Like she looks him up and down and.
[00:46:50] Speaker G: Is that a snake tail?
[00:46:52] Speaker A: She says as she looks at Vauntham.
But as you kind of pull the bits and bobs off him, you notice that he's also been like gagged under it. And this implies that he's not a guest in any way, shape or form of which worries you.
And he like, as you pull the gag from his mouth, Vaughn looks up to you and says, the Onoshi they're.
[00:47:20] Speaker B: Working with with the lodge, they've thrown.
[00:47:23] Speaker A: The lot in with the lodge.
[00:47:26] Speaker G: Oh dear.
[00:47:30] Speaker A: Frieda and Atta, you're near the front door. You've just watched Catherine kind of go off with this. You believe she's a friend of Catherine's of some sort. But yeah, this illnessy assassin has just tossed away your ghost, Atta, and he's bearing down on you. Frieda, what do you do?
[00:47:48] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna step in because I'm not gonna obviously not gonna let him get a punch in on Atta. That would be silly.
So yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna step in. What's the ghost doing is it's just running.
[00:48:05] Speaker A: The ghost is basically doing like a Scooby Doo sketch where it's just kind of going from like door to door across the the hallway. But it's. It like people are rushing past you in an attempt to flee out into the streets. But the ghost is just sort of like kind like where it's, let's say bedlam. So at you're finding it difficult to sort of like reel it back in, but it's effectively just kind of chasing people. It's not managed to grab anyone yet.
But yeah, it seems like this Ilnati assassin has a similar sort of like ghost fighting ability that you have.
[00:48:36] Speaker D: Okay, cool. Well, the ghost is busy. So yeah, I'm gonna sort of stand in front of Atta and crack my knuckles again and say towards the assassin. Seems like we've had this fight coming.
[00:48:50] Speaker A: A long time and the assassin sort of like cracks his neck one way and yes, we have. He says, yeah, how are you? How are you resolving this fighting?
Okay, I will start you on a. Whatever you choose. I'll start you on a desperate standard because ghost a year Skirmish.
[00:49:18] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, let's. Let's do skirmish. He's going bare knuckle. Yeah, no funny business. Cool.
[00:49:24] Speaker F: All right.
[00:49:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:49:24] Speaker D: I'm a fair lady.
[00:49:26] Speaker A: You know what? He's not. He brings his hands up and there's a flick of the fingers and two small dart like knives slide out that he's holding. Reverse grip.
Two curved blades.
[00:49:42] Speaker D: You know what? FR Originally has her fists up and she's like. And then when he does that, she just looks disappointed at him. She goes, you know what?
If you're not going to fight fair, I don't have bloody time for this. And instead she just whips up her coat and reaches for the bloodletting blade.
Okay, I think mine's bigger, son.
[00:50:06] Speaker A: You will get an. An immediate plus one dice as you have a. As you have level one Harm.
So, yeah, Desperate Standard to begin with.
You're already up to three dice with a bonus one for being wounded since.
[00:50:20] Speaker D: It also implemented powers the wielder as they take damage and since I've already quite damaged.
[00:50:26] Speaker A: Well. So that's the level one Harm. Give you an extra dice.
[00:50:29] Speaker D: Oh, okay. Cool, cool, cool. Right, so where am I at now? Skirmish.
[00:50:33] Speaker A: So skirmish. Desperate. Desperate standard plus one dice to begin with.
You can push yourself for an extra dice or extra effect.
O Devil's.
Oh, actually, no. I won't say the Devil's Bargain. I rescind the Devil's Bargain. Unless you want one.
[00:50:56] Speaker D: I do like Devil's Bargain. I haven't expended my special army yet.
[00:51:02] Speaker A: Devil's Bargain. The Ornation will have you firmly in their target sites. You personally.
[00:51:14] Speaker D: That's fine. I mean, they've had me firmly in their, like, target sites all bloody like campaign. They ain't done. Yeah, that's fine. I'm gonna take that Devil's Bargain and I'm gonna expand expend my special armor for two extra dice instead of one.
[00:51:31] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:51:32] Speaker F: Red rag to a dm. What? You just said three.
[00:51:36] Speaker A: So that is three additional dice. Desperate standard. Unless you wanted to go four additional dice. Desperate. Great.
[00:51:45] Speaker E: Bucket.
[00:51:45] Speaker D: Should we make this a fight for my lives and push myself for desperate. Great.
[00:51:50] Speaker A: Okay. If you want to push. Yeah, push. So let's say so three extra dice. Desperate. Great.
[00:51:57] Speaker D: Great grand rolling it. Oh, partial success. It's a good job I did that.
[00:52:03] Speaker A: Partial success. Okay, you do it.
You.
Well, describe to me what you do to this fellow.
[00:52:18] Speaker D: Okay, so after. After I pull out the bloodletting blade.
I'm assuming based on his fighting that this assassin's gonna go high with his daggers. Therefore I'm gonna go low with the blade. I'm not so horrible that I'm gonna like, you know, kill this dude, but I am gonna like take a nice sweep at his ankles with it.
[00:52:46] Speaker A: As you go low, predicting him going high, he moves with lightning speed by comparison, but you are horrified as you watch almost in slow motion as his high attack turns into a faint and he instead goes low, but not realizing that that's where you're going as well. And as you go for like his lower half, as you connect the blood letter blade strikes him in the chest, between his ribs and through his heart.
And the serious complication is that as he looks at you with a moment of confusion and then slumps off the blade to the floor, dead.
I mean, you can resist if you like, mission gravely injured, but you only have three stress rests left.
[00:53:53] Speaker D: I'm not going to resist.
[00:53:54] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, as the ill nature assassin slumps to the ground, you look behind you and you see like atta you, you are able to kind of grab this ghost of Songbird and I, I assume disciporate her just to like banish her away.
[00:54:13] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah, okay.
[00:54:15] Speaker A: In which case, yeah. As you watch as you see Frieda like emerge victorious, Cavern Amber and Vaughn come sort of like crawling out from the back rooms. And the three, the five of you make off into the night shielded like destruct under the COVID of the screaming patron of this brothel.
And we flick back to the present as the door as descending from the stairwell comes a very a limping, as much as a limping kind of serpentine movement can be. Vaughn thumb descends down and my apologies for my lateness. I was detained.
And Songbird sort of like pinches the bridge of her nose and Velka is once again looking at the five of you expectantly.
[00:55:18] Speaker B: Can I assume that you have already dealt with the illnesse?
[00:55:24] Speaker C: You're learning, old boy.
I think there was one particular blade that my girl Frieda try to blunt. Isn't that right?
[00:55:35] Speaker D: Frida just gives a nod and then downs the rest of whatever drinks in front of her at the time.
[00:55:44] Speaker A: In which case, like Velka looks at you Frieda, and like your body language given what's happened, tells him everything he needs note.
And he takes a breath.
[00:56:01] Speaker B: Well, you have done well. All of my objections have been quelled.
[00:56:10] Speaker A: And he looks across the table at Songbird and she is fighting with something internally, but it just doesn't matter, does it?
Because never in a thousand years will I work with him.
She says, looking back across the table.
And Algonon, you realize that having through all of your planning and kind of stripping everything away, there are no more obstacles. But there is now lay bare the core problem.
Songbird versus Velka. I trusted him once and he pissed it away.
[00:56:59] Speaker B: Never will I work with him again.
[00:57:03] Speaker A: And Velka slowly tilts ahead.
[00:57:09] Speaker B: You would speak to me of betrayal.
[00:57:19] Speaker A: And for a moment he also glances to you. Frieda.
[00:57:25] Speaker B: Too many times have I let someone in, allowed them to get close, shown them who I really am.
But you, Molina, your betrayal stung the most.
[00:57:50] Speaker A: And he looks to the five of you.
[00:57:55] Speaker B: Do you know why I've launched this crusade against the vermin that inhabit this city?
[00:58:13] Speaker A: And he slowly places the gauntleted fingers under his hood and lifts it back, revealing the pipe work and coverings around the mask, connecting it to what appears to be an almost metallic like a metal little mesh head covering.
Catherine, you notice like Songbird has like straightened in her seat and is starting to lean back, and there's a flicker of horror in her eyes, almost like she's scared of what's about to happen.
And there are a number of as Velka begins uncaught like pulling out pipes connecting to his face apparatus and as he pulls the front of his mask away from his face, you all shudder as you hear this ever so slight wet sound, and he turns to regard you.
He's a handsome boy, and looking at you is a Majani man, his face scorched and burned to almost to almost nothingness, but the wounds still weep and are sore, and you can see bits of charred and sticky flesh attached to the inside of the mask. He looks at you with two eyes that have clearly stopped working as a result of his injuries, and it is clear that whatever flame envelops this man was strong enough, hot enough, that it has charred the horn on his forehead to a stub.
[01:00:28] Speaker B: This is what you made me, he.
[01:00:35] Speaker A: Says, looking back to Songbird.
[01:00:38] Speaker B: You did this to me.
And this is why I would burn this city to the ground.
Because it's what she did to me.
[01:01:05] Speaker A: You notice the Songbird can't even look at him.
There was a time when we.
We meant a lot to each other.
I would do anything for him.
And I'm pretty confident that he'd do anything for me.
And then one day she just turned up, tarting in like she had all the answers.
The lady in purple who just swans into a place and tells you that everything you know and love is just going to die. Who does that?
She found it a joke. She thought was funny.
And then she was sick enough to tell us that we could stop it.
The Art of Alicia.
She fucking told us who the heart of Alicia is.
She told us that the magic's running out, the poor old Turias running dry, and the only thing that we could do to solve it was to empower her.
Give her more, Give her a bit more. So she could keep the shield up. She could keep the veil up. As long as Turia was alive, we could keep the veil up.
I would do anything for him, she says, and she catches a breath.
And if that meant feeding Turia Vallum Ma.
She stops and she glances for a moment at you, Algernon.
If that meant feeding her every single Sangrivar in this city, then I would have done it to keep the shield up.
I still would do it.
Whatever it takes.
That's. Those are the words that I'll live and die by. Whatever it takes.
And sure, you might lose the Sangreva, but in that time we might find another solution. We might find another way.
Sometimes it takes the strongest people to make the hardest choices.
And by God, do I try to be the strongest person.
Velka places his mask on the table.
[01:04:17] Speaker B: And now I ask you, would you still love someone with such a callous heart?
She didn't appreciate it when I refused her plan.
She didn't appreciate it when I threatened to show the world her hypocrisy.
And so she did to me what she wants to do to all the Zangovar in this city.
She tried to kill me.
You would have thought that a burning building and a bullet to the chest would have worked.
But there was no way I was going to let her complete her plan.
I would rather see the world burn than let her do that.
[01:05:43] Speaker A: And he turns to you, and now.
[01:05:47] Speaker B: You understand why there can be no peace for her or for me.
[01:06:05] Speaker A: And as he stares stoically across the table, Songbird has now turned away from all of you, hiding her face, and you hear one solitary sniff.
What are the five of you going to do to try and reconcile these two?
Songbird, who would sacrifice the Sangrevar to save the city, and Velka, who would burn the city to the ground rather than allow it to live in such a way.
[01:06:55] Speaker D: The city is already burning.
The Faith are gone, the watch undermined.
It's chaos out there.
And the Sanguivar, they're off the table.
The heart of Elysia is still beating, and the Lodge reticent are going to rip it out so that they can escape and leave us all here to Die.
You've both got what you want.
Now, why don't we work together, let bygones be bygones, and save this city so that there's something worth rising from the ashes?
I'm not asking you to be friends. None of us are asking you to be friends.
But if we don't do something, there's not going to be a city to fight over. There's not going to be an us, a you, a them to fight over.
[01:08:07] Speaker A: Does anyone else have anything they want to chip in? Because I think this sounds like the beginnings of a group sway.
[01:08:15] Speaker F: Oh, boy.
[01:08:18] Speaker C: I know what it's like to have to swallow your own pride and work with enemies, even people that want to destroy you.
I've been the target of assassination plots. I've seen people like me almost wiped from the face of the city.
I understand that it's all part of someone's plan.
Frida doesn't think she's as eloquent as I am, but I think you should listen to her, because my plan's almost running out, and the more heads we have put together to put together, the better.
[01:09:01] Speaker A: What's Ata thinking?
[01:09:05] Speaker E: Atta is kind of thinking how lucky these two are because they both have ideals that they would do anything for.
And I think, like, Atta kind of. I think she has a coin in her pocket, but I think she's gonna take out, like, a coin.
Hopefully she's got one in her pocket, and she's gonna, like, place it on the table, but she's gonna kind of place it on the edge, so not on one side or the other.
And she's going to kind of look to both of them and kind of.
There are always two sides to every coin, but they can't exist without each other.
There's a way sometimes that you can flip a coin and it lands on its edge.
Maybe we can find a way for both of you to not be pressed down by the other. Here. For the sake of Elysia.
[01:10:23] Speaker G: Avren's gonna turn to songbird.
You say you were willing to sacrifice all the sanguivar in hoping that it would give us a bit more time, but now you're kind of saying you're willing to sacrifice everyone for something that we would probably lose.
The lady in purple obviously said her trickster mantras to drive the two of you apart.
I think the best way to rub that smug look off her face.
[01:11:05] Speaker A: Is.
[01:11:05] Speaker G: If you two work together, go completely against her plans.
[01:11:12] Speaker F: You know, the problem with the rich and powerful, whether it's the Lodge or the lady in purple is that the game is completely rigged and they're at the top of it.
And while they're setting all of us against each other down here, they're just swanning away with everything they wanted.
We can't let them get away with it. Not anymore.
[01:11:44] Speaker A: Songbird. You watch as she tenses up and she takes a breath, and it's clear that she's fighting against what it is she's feeling right now. And then she turns to the five of you with this dismissive like look, as if she's looking at petulant children.
And you see her. She's trying to mouth something to say that you're wrong.
And then she stops and looks back to Velka, who's staring at her with his broken, burnt eyes.
And as she goes to say something, the door to the back rooms of the Specter open again.
And this time with heavy footsteps.
A large looming figure in an armored suit steps through as Tarvarian enters into the room with you.
I remember both of you from before.
You were brilliant children of Alicia.
And together, what you had was beautiful.
Look at how these five show our will to fight is still strong.
And even on the precipice of annihilation, they will do what they can to cast evil aside.
Surely something that pure, something worth fighting for.
And she looks to the five of you.
Thank you for everything that you've done for this city.
For me.
After I died, I was trapped in an endless void with no interaction with anything or anyone.
But now I stand amongst you.
She looks to Songbird and Velka.
You can emerge from your personal voids as well.
And Taren is going to lead a group sway.
So if everyone else would like to jump in on that.
[01:14:39] Speaker F: Not allowed to fail. It will kill Tar.
[01:14:43] Speaker E: You'll fail. I've got zero ins.
[01:14:46] Speaker D: Yeah.
[01:14:47] Speaker F: Can we push ourselves on this?
[01:14:48] Speaker D: I've got one. I've got. I got a.
[01:14:50] Speaker A: Anyone would like to bush. You absolutely can.
[01:14:54] Speaker F: Okay.
[01:14:57] Speaker E: Trauma.
[01:14:59] Speaker F: Don't. Don't get trauma. Roll.
[01:15:03] Speaker A: Tarian will roll three dice on her sway.
[01:15:11] Speaker F: I will roll two.
[01:15:14] Speaker A: She rolls a five.
[01:15:16] Speaker F: Oh, is that. Is that good?
[01:15:20] Speaker A: If everyone else rolls on the group action. And then we take the highest result from the five of you plus the Varian four.
Four.
[01:15:33] Speaker F: Yeah.
[01:15:34] Speaker A: Okay, we will. So it's a partial success. Success.
The two of them look down.
I'm going to roll two fortune dice.
[01:15:51] Speaker F: Who?
[01:15:52] Speaker A: One for Songbird and one for Velka. Oh, boy.
Everything that you've done to help them will fundamentally add one. The dice. Result of what I Roll.
And between the five of you, you have completed four tasks set out by these two each.
So Songbird rolls a ten and Velka rolls.
[01:16:36] Speaker F: He crit it.
Critical fortune.
[01:16:45] Speaker A: Velka lets out a long growling noise from his throat and then picks his mask up and with a reattaches it to his headwear and pulls the hood back over.
And you watch as the lenses, the orange lenses of his mask, flicker back to life.
And he stands, looks at the six of you, including Tarvarian, and then back to Songbird, and then offers a handout.
And as Songbird's emotional bastion finally breaks, as she begins to openly weep, as all of the strain, the emotional turmoil she's kept bottled up all this time begins flooding out, she also stands and reaches a handout. And as the two of them shake, the five of you notice what appears to be moisture dripping out the side of Velka's mask before it disperses across his leather cloak.
And with that, we'll call it there.
Congratulations, everyone, on completing episode 17.
[01:18:36] Speaker E: Yay.
[01:18:36] Speaker A: You did it.
[01:18:39] Speaker D: A bit dicey for a minute there.
[01:18:43] Speaker A: So that is that.
You have come. You've got the cobbles underfoot, you've got the marionettes and the kindling on, one on each arm. As you stride into the well. You. You have one final downtime to settle. Your account counts before the final score against the lodge reticent begins.
Easy. Easy peasy.
[01:19:15] Speaker F: Easy peasy.
[01:19:15] Speaker A: If you enjoyed that, make sure to comment down below.
And what should we discuss in the comments today?
[01:19:26] Speaker G: Now we're gonna mess up the large reticence.
[01:19:29] Speaker A: Yeah. Yes. Yes.
[01:19:31] Speaker F: Going after nothing.
[01:19:32] Speaker A: Yes. Ideas of. Like, give us screenplays of how the final score is going to play out. And to see if you are correct, make sure to hit the subscribe button and the bell icon for notifications of when releasing videos because they are coming out super often. We are super close to the end of the campaign. We want you to miss it. So thank you everyone for watching. Thank you lot for playing.
See you next time.
[01:19:58] Speaker E: Bye.
