S2 Ep5: Bad Side

[00:00:30] Speaker A: Hi, I'm Gavin Cash, and I'll be playing Clint Brazas, the scion of the Morgan. [00:00:37] Speaker B: Hi, I'm sticker, and I'll be playing Coda Massacoy, Scion of Vicent. [00:00:42] Speaker C: Hello, I'm Gary, and I'll be playing Oliver Bright, the scion of Oguma. [00:00:49] Speaker D: Hello. Hello, everyone. [00:00:50] Speaker E: I'm termite, and I'll be playing Gwen Chambers, our lovely rogue scion of Hell. [00:00:57] Speaker D: And I'm bloody porcelain. I'll be your storyteller for the evening. Good evening, players. [00:01:03] Speaker A: Good evening. [00:01:06] Speaker D: Where last we left off, you all were in Yomi, intent on retrieving a katana that was lost after a scion fell in the poison sun ward. You encountered a group of seemingly radioactive ghost zombie things that did deeply unpleasant things to those of you that they managed to hit, making your blood feel like it's boiling under your skin, making the skin feel like it's trying to blister and bubble. You manage to drop a house on them before continuing on through the poison sun ward towards the center, where you found a large Zen garden with an unsettling, eerie figure in the middle. A figure that seems to shake and shudder and never quite stand still. It's like watching an old TV going in and out of focus, where nothing about its form is static and easily determined, except for its face. Every so often, you catch a glimpse of its face, but it's never the same face twice. Sometimes it's an old man. Sometimes it's a young child. Sometimes it's a teenage girl. Sometimes it's a man in his Middle Ages. Sometimes it's an older woman. And when it speaks, it speaks in a tone that is neither distinctly masculine nor distinctly feminine. It almost hisses at you. And you can feel not just the way the blood in your body seems to be put off by whatever energy this being is putting out, but you can feel the kind of rolling waves of hatred and wrath coming off of this thing and the way that they beat against you. It is incredibly uncomfortable. In fact, it's painful. Not unbearable, but it hurts. It's like your entire body has a low level migraine. And not only are you there, but an old acquaintance of Oliver and Coda is there. She was there before you, having a conversation with this being. And that is where we left off. I will leave it up to you all to continue your conversation from last week. [00:04:33] Speaker C: Right. Okay, look, I know that we are indeed trespassers here. We weren't exactly given all the details as to what we were getting into by coming here. We just want to accomplish our goals. We don't mean any harm or insult or anything of that nature by being here. We wish to leave as soon as possible. And you want us out of here as soon as possible. We can come to terms. I think. [00:05:09] Speaker D: It. What terms do American born scions have to offer me in my home? [00:05:20] Speaker C: We simply wish to collect an item and leave. An item that, as far as I'm aware, doesn't have any use to anyone here. [00:05:35] Speaker D: But it is here. This is my home. Therefore the item is mine. What will you give me for it? What do you have to offer? So far I have only heard your desires, your wants, the things you want to take from my home. [00:05:55] Speaker A: Well, hold on. What would you like? [00:06:01] Speaker D: Not how deals work. [00:06:06] Speaker A: Well, sure, it's not how deals work, but it's how we can become friends. And maybe this is going to be a little less awkward after this. [00:06:19] Speaker D: The being turns and moves towards you, but it's like it's not walking, it's like it's flowing. [00:06:37] Speaker A: It's really neat how you can do that. [00:06:43] Speaker D: It doesn't leave any footprints behind and it gets to within about 10ft of you. And you realize that as it gets closer, either it's much bigger than it looked like from the distance away that you were, and you were only about 30ft. So that's a little OD. Or it is. Or it has somehow grown as it has gotten closer to you, because by the time it gets to within about 10ft of you, it is a good 2ft taller than you, Gavin, and broader. And it almost looms over you and what? Little American scion? If I told you that my requirement was that you stay here in exchange for the blade, well, I mean, I'd. [00:07:46] Speaker A: Ask for how long. I don't mind sticking around and having a meal or two with you. You seem like a fine person. [00:07:53] Speaker D: Until you join the denizens of my home. [00:07:58] Speaker A: Well, they can have dinner with us too. I don't have a problem with that. [00:08:03] Speaker B: What's required to become a denizen of your? I'm implying death, Gavin, or Oops, Clint. [00:08:17] Speaker A: I'm not so keen on the whole dying part, but I don't mind visiting with you. So. Yeah, you're saying that that's your requirement, but you're also saying that this is a deal. So we've got wiggle room, right? We can bargain a little bit. We can go back and forth here. I'm offering friendship. An ear, maybe a shoulder to cry on if things get too hard. I'll even give you my phone number. We're just here for that thing over there. It's not a big deal. [00:08:50] Speaker D: I am not interested in friendships. [00:08:54] Speaker A: Why not? Don't I get lonely down here? [00:09:03] Speaker D: Clinton, roll me Staven on Fortitude, please. [00:09:09] Speaker A: Yeah, well, that's not the best role, but 123458. [00:09:41] Speaker E: That'S not the best role. [00:09:42] Speaker D: Yeah, not the best role. [00:09:45] Speaker C: I do see four ones in a row here. But you also have five successes just from the role itself. [00:09:51] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:09:56] Speaker D: You get the feeling that you have managed to make this being matter than it already was. As the blood in your veins grows molten hot. You're not taking any damage. But that discomfort is no longer a discomfort for. [00:10:22] Speaker A: Okay, um, maybe acquaintances is better than friends. If this is going to be what. [00:10:30] Speaker D: Happens and it pivots to turn to Oliver. Because Oliver has done, until Clint opened his mouth, had done the majority of the talking. Make me a serious offer or leave before you aren't given the opportunity to do so. [00:10:55] Speaker C: All right. I think we can continue to negotiate, but if you don't mind, I would like to sort of forge an environment indicative towards peaceful negotiation, if that's quite all right. [00:11:13] Speaker D: Explain. [00:11:14] Speaker C: Just a simple spell to ensure that cool heads prevail in this and nothing gets out of hand for both us and anyone else. [00:11:30] Speaker D: You don't see it move at that, but you can almost feel it kind of glance back at Gwen over its shoulder, wouldn't you say? Anyone else? Oliver, please explain to me the mechanics of the spell that you were trying to use. [00:11:51] Speaker C: I would be casting peaceful meeting, which makes it so anyone who Is within the scene for the duration of the scene has to spend a willpower to initiate violence. And it prevents accidental quarrels and flashes of temper. And then there's some fate bound stuff involved. Whenever someone breaks it or the scene continues peacefully. [00:12:12] Speaker D: Does it say anything about what happens if full of rage is the default for the character? [00:12:20] Speaker C: Not necessarily. Just flashes of temper. [00:12:22] Speaker E: They have to spend a willpower to be violent. [00:12:26] Speaker C: Yeah. So if their baseline is angry, I think it stays that way. But if something were to happen, like what Clint just did, that would make them more angry in like a burst or a flash. That kind of prevents it. [00:12:39] Speaker E: Yeah, they would have to spend a willpower to do anything. But that automatically breaks the spell. [00:12:45] Speaker D: Interesting. Okay. Yeah, sure. It moves back just a bit as if it's taking a step back to make space for you. And like its kind of amorphous body sort of gestures vaguely as if to invite you. [00:13:05] Speaker C: In that case, I will as part of the spell is showing some form of truce. Will kind of dig into my satchel, pull out, like, a pen, a sheet of paper, and, like, a slip of duct tape, and just kind of jury rig a small little white flag that I just kind of wave and just. We come in peace. And on that last word, my voice kind of reverberates out and echoes a bit in almost like a ripple. And there's this sort of kind of feeling of calm that washes over the area, and that is the spell. Peaceful meeting cost me a point of legend. [00:13:40] Speaker D: Okay. And there's no roll against it or anything? [00:13:43] Speaker C: No. It has a dice pool, but I think that's only if someone tries to counter it or something. [00:13:50] Speaker D: If there's a dice pool, you have to roll it. [00:13:52] Speaker C: Okay. In this full description, it doesn't say, like, roll this pool. And once you do that, this happens. It just says the effect. I will do that. [00:14:03] Speaker D: I'm pretty sure the dice pulls mostly just to make sure that you're successful and that you don't totally botch it. [00:14:09] Speaker C: I think I manage. [00:14:11] Speaker D: Yeah, you're good. [00:14:13] Speaker C: That's five. [00:14:16] Speaker D: Not the best role ever, but it'll do. It doesn't stop moving or twitching. You get the feeling that that's just how it is, whatever it is. But for the moment, Clint just continues to feel a little. A lot more uncomfortable than the rest of you. But it's not getting worse. So that's something. [00:14:53] Speaker C: Right? As it were, we have been tasked to commit a series of labors for the other pantheons. As a result, we can't very well stay here as you would wish of us. So what is a compromise we can come to? Some other sacrifice or offering perhaps? [00:15:17] Speaker D: What do you have to offer? [00:15:23] Speaker C: You, I suspect, have been down here for quite some time. You have not seen the world above in that time. Perhaps we can give you a piece of it, show you some of it, if that is something you would like. [00:15:45] Speaker D: Explain. [00:15:48] Speaker C: There is a lot to the world. Much of it has changed. Things you can't quite see from the spirits of the dead. Things that have become immortal, so to speak. Books, art, movies, music, joy, strife, history. These are all things that we can allow you to see. A window of sorts. [00:16:16] Speaker D: All things that end up here eventually. [00:16:20] Speaker C: Sometimes, and sometimes not. Certain things don't ever truly die. Like Shakespeare. [00:16:30] Speaker D: I know Shakespeare. [00:16:36] Speaker C: Do you know other things like him? Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams. All kinds of names and faces, stories and histories that are still up there and may never quite make it down here. And for good reason. Because people love them. Because people cherish them because they don't want to let them go. [00:17:09] Speaker B: You and as well, the things that do move on. We could also, up there in the living world, put more respect and honor towards it and remembrance, so you can get a look of what is happening up there, down here and up there. We can make sure that if there's a shrine, if there's a temple or something like that, we can make sure it's clean, make sure it gets proper care. And remember what happened here. Because I'll say, being an American kid, kind of, we still learn about what happened and how terrible it was. We don't learn about anything and learn how amazing, what America, whatever did we learn about how terrible this was to your people? [00:18:15] Speaker E: And yet, despite everything, America is still cast as the hero. [00:18:23] Speaker A: I mean, the winner gets to decide what history looks like, right? It's a shame. But that's unfortunately the way the world is. [00:18:33] Speaker C: And not everyone is so disillusioned by the story of who the hero is. More and more, waking up to it every day, you it. [00:18:49] Speaker B: So we can offer respect, remembrance, and a window to what you can't see nowhere. [00:19:10] Speaker A: And if you got a phone, I can still give you my number and we can still be friends. It doesn't have to be all bad. [00:19:24] Speaker D: The being kind of least it feels like it turns and there's a vague gesture towards where Gwen is standing. This one has offered me what I most want. [00:19:43] Speaker A: And that is revenge. [00:19:48] Speaker C: Yes. From what I heard, she offered you freedom and the revenge to get back to those who have hurt you in exchange for causing some destruction. More of this. Not the same scale, of course, but it would be more of this. More pain, more suffering, more people down here lost and confused and hurt. Is that really something you want to see more of down here? [00:20:26] Speaker E: But in the end. Well, in the end, there won't be any more of this. [00:20:32] Speaker C: But there will just disappear. But there will be. Along the way, there will still people be. People who get hurt, people who don't deserve it. Doesn't matter what the end result is. The journey is still going to be full of pain and spurs and burns. [00:21:06] Speaker D: You, I will give you the sword under two conditions. [00:21:15] Speaker C: Those are? [00:21:18] Speaker D: When you leave my ward, you will leave the gate unlocked. [00:21:27] Speaker A: And the other? [00:21:29] Speaker D: You will take something with you to the land of living and plant it. [00:21:37] Speaker A: Can we ask why you want those things? [00:21:42] Speaker D: I want a piece of my home. Return to the world it was taken from too quickly. [00:21:53] Speaker A: Will anyone get hurt because of it? [00:21:58] Speaker D: Because you planted something? No. [00:22:01] Speaker A: Well, that, and also the gate. Being left open? [00:22:10] Speaker D: Possibly. [00:22:17] Speaker A: Do they have to? [00:22:23] Speaker B: You'll only be hurting your own people if you leave. If the things we ran into, the people we ran into were to get attacked, you would only be hurting your own people. [00:22:44] Speaker D: Why I want the things that I want is not for you to be concerned with. [00:22:52] Speaker A: No, but the consequences of our own actions are something we like to pay attention to. [00:22:58] Speaker E: Well, it's. That's why you go running back to Izanagi without his sword. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear you failed. [00:23:07] Speaker C: Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're the ruler of this domain, correct? Why are you not capable of undoing the gate yourself? Purely out of curiosity. [00:23:20] Speaker D: I am. This place. [00:23:24] Speaker C: I seem right when it comes to the gate. Is there any sort of way we can make this more peaceful? A way that no one does get hurt in allowing the people of this place to get to experience the outside? [00:23:55] Speaker D: I have given you my terms. [00:24:03] Speaker C: Can we be allowed a moment to confer, then, in private? [00:24:09] Speaker B: Yes. [00:24:12] Speaker C: Thank you. I'll kind of walk to the side and gesture for Coda and Clint to huddle up. [00:24:20] Speaker A: Yeah, good idea. [00:24:23] Speaker B: Coda will look at Glenn and then turn and walk to the group. [00:24:28] Speaker E: Not a problem, Miss Massacoy. [00:24:31] Speaker B: No, not at all. Just haven't seen you in a while, and then she'll go over to the group. [00:24:42] Speaker C: We have a hard choice to make here. Either we can accept these terms and get the sword, but as a result, people down here get hurt or. And I don't think we can renegotiate new terms, do things more difficultly. I hope to avoid it, but it's up to us if we want to make that risk of the dead getting hurt. [00:25:19] Speaker A: My question is, if we get the sword and we walk out of here and we lock the gate, what would happen then? [00:25:29] Speaker C: Fate has a way of getting back and biting us in the butt for not doing as we promised. Especially for us. From what I hear, the Gaelics are all about upholding those vows and oaths. [00:25:52] Speaker B: Is it? [00:25:54] Speaker A: Go ahead. Sorry. [00:25:55] Speaker B: That's fine. Is it possible that when we, you know, we get out of here, if we leave the gate open, all of that, and we take part of her home that got destroyed, that in a way, we could purify her or something because she was down here just steaming and stewing and all this hatred, do you think it's possible that we could purify her in a way by, I don't know, giving her what she wants? That's not. Well, obviously revenge, but, like, remembrance, respect. [00:26:38] Speaker C: I'm not sure she said she is. This place. She is. Hiroshima, Nagasaki. Purifying. Such a travesty I don't think is as easy as planting something. She did say people might possibly get hurt if we open the gates. Blying that maybe they won't. So that opening the gates and allowing them to be free finally allows them to distance themselves from what happened. Heal. But then again, maybe it won't. We are doing a lot of guesswork here if we go with these terms. [00:27:16] Speaker A: But like you said, it ain't likely we're going to be able to renegotiate. [00:27:21] Speaker C: No, I think as far as I see it, when it comes to walking out of here without a fight, these are our best terms. I don't like it, but it's the best we're going to get. So we are going to have to decide if we're going to accept them or not. [00:27:43] Speaker A: Well, once we accept them, there ain't no turning back is what I'm kind of hearing here. We okay taking the risk that we might be hurting folks and planting something bad? We okay being able to be the ones that fix the mess that we make? [00:28:03] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. I'll fix the mess that I make. And maybe we can also talk to. Oh, my goodness. [00:28:12] Speaker A: Izanagi. [00:28:13] Speaker B: Izanagi as well, to let him know what went down here. [00:28:17] Speaker C: I don't think he's going to be thrilled if we tell him that we allowed this to happen, that we were ones who effectively did it. [00:28:26] Speaker B: So we keep it a secret until he finds out. [00:28:29] Speaker C: That won't be much better. [00:28:35] Speaker A: Hold on, let me text mom real quick. [00:28:37] Speaker C: Okay. You do that. [00:28:38] Speaker B: Great. In the meanwhile, I. I don't know. We've been on this second chance route, so I say yeah, because, I mean, technically, it was America that did it, but also, we shouldn't take the weight of a decision made years ago, but, yeah. [00:29:09] Speaker D: Can I get each of the players to make me a wits and. I'm sorry, not wits. Perception and awareness. [00:29:20] Speaker C: My favorite. [00:29:27] Speaker D: It. [00:29:28] Speaker C: One success. [00:29:45] Speaker A: Also one success. [00:29:49] Speaker C: Oda. [00:29:52] Speaker D: Four success. All right. Oliver and Clint are a little bit more focused on the concern about agreeing to another thing that you don't have the details on. You don't have specifics for Coda. As you're standing there, you're kind of glancing up and over towards Gwen occasionally just to make sure that she isn't doing something sneaky. And at one point, something beyond her off in the distance kind of catches your eye, and you realize that there is a place where the streets here look like they have literally been fractured. Where one part of the street is higher than the other, like an earthquake split the earth. And it's this long. It's not super, super wide, but it's about a foot wide, jagged chasm that's just breaking and splitting through everything. And it stretches off into the distance in, like, three different directions. [00:31:31] Speaker B: She'll point it out to the others just discreetly and kind of be like, think that's where it landed? Or the after effect of it? [00:31:51] Speaker C: I imagine that's where it made impact. [00:32:04] Speaker A: Does it look like it's growing to you? [00:32:12] Speaker B: Does it look like it's growing? [00:32:14] Speaker D: The cracks or the being? [00:32:17] Speaker A: The cracks, yeah. [00:32:21] Speaker D: The cracks do not look like they are currently moving. No, but they are extensive, from what you can tell. And the way some of the buildings are kind of slightly unsettled along where you imagine that line runs as they disappear off in the distance, you can tell that it is extensive damage. And Coda, you could almost bet money that the damage extends well out beyond the walls of this ward. [00:33:13] Speaker A: Mom says I'm not a child, so not sure how to take that. [00:33:23] Speaker C: Partially surprised, she responded, me too. [00:33:27] Speaker B: It's probably the influx of texts. Let's see. [00:33:37] Speaker C: I think we need to come to a decision, and I see that the best way to do that is, I guess, to take a vote. Accept the terms or not. [00:34:05] Speaker D: Yes. [00:34:07] Speaker C: Clint, it. [00:34:13] Speaker A: Well, I don't want to cause no fighting, and I don't want to cause no problems. So, yeah, if it makes a mess, I'll put my foot in it and clean it up, too. [00:34:29] Speaker C: I decide. But for the sake of being unanimous, I agree. Despite the trepidation, I feel. [00:34:41] Speaker A: All right, let me shoot this off real quick, and I'll be good to be over there. [00:34:47] Speaker C: I will go let them know and that turn back, reapproach. We will accept the terms. [00:35:05] Speaker D: Oliver, do you have your unlited eye up? [00:35:11] Speaker C: No, because that takes a whole willpower to do. [00:35:15] Speaker D: Okay, that's fine. You say that and you can't see anything, but you can feel kind of at the core of your being. It's almost like a heavy door slamming shut on a decision that you can't unmake and a bell you can't unwring. You feel the heavy press of fate on you as you agree to a term with a divine. Well, potentially divine being. The being steps aside, and a piece of it sort of gestures in the direction of where you see the sword. [00:36:13] Speaker C: I will nod and cautiously walk over to it and grab it. [00:36:25] Speaker D: You can tell that it's a relic. You can tell that it's divinely crafted. Can't really tell much else about it. It's heavier than it looks. Feels weighty in ways that aren't just physical in your hands. [00:36:51] Speaker C: Right. So the deal has been made. [00:37:01] Speaker D: The deal has been made. You can take the sword and you will also take this. And Oliver, the ground under your feet trembles for a moment because you're standing in that sand of the Zen garden and you look down and you realize that what look like leaves and branches are beginning to sprout up through the sand, kind of forcing you to rather quickly move to the opposite, to the side where the sword was. As a large tree grows, it looks like. Oh, goodness. You know, the little trees that you have to train to grow a specific way. Why am I bonsai tree? It looks like a bonsai tree, a large bonsai tree, except that there are these large yellowish flower buds growing on it. [00:38:20] Speaker C: Could I tempt role to identify this specifically? [00:38:26] Speaker D: I'm just going to tell you right now, you're not going to know what this is, okay? This is not something a role would be able to help you with. But the tree grows and it easily goes from, like, underground to almost 20ft within less than a minute. And one of the branches kind of hangs rather close to where Clint and coda are. And there is a bud on that branch and the bud is easily the size of a cantaloupe. And then it opens and there are a handful of seeds kind of resting in the petals. Take these, plant them where you go in your raffles. [00:39:28] Speaker A: Okay? Worthy agreement. Clint will reach out and take the seeds. [00:39:34] Speaker C: Just to reiterate, you did promise that planting these seeds would not hurt anyone. That is correct. [00:39:44] Speaker D: Planting the seeds will do no harm. [00:39:51] Speaker C: And what about what grows out of them? [00:39:56] Speaker D: That's not what we talked about. [00:40:00] Speaker C: I see. [00:40:05] Speaker E: I'll be honest, I'm rather surprised you can live with yourself, with who knows how many will get hurt from leaving these gates open. [00:40:17] Speaker A: What was that? Did you just say that we'd be leaving Gates open? [00:40:24] Speaker E: Well, you agreed to leave the gates unlocked. [00:40:26] Speaker C: Yes. [00:40:27] Speaker A: Oh, those gates. I was worried we'd be growing something different. Yeah, it's a hard choice. [00:40:38] Speaker C: We all live with the weight of our decisions. Those of us who pretend like we don't are the ones to be worried about it. [00:40:48] Speaker A: Wait, did you just. Nice one. [00:40:57] Speaker E: Bold of you to assume that I don't live with the weight of my own decisions. [00:41:02] Speaker C: I said nothing about you. [00:41:07] Speaker A: I believe you just inferred from his implication, whatever you made out incorrectly, whatever. [00:41:15] Speaker C: You make up, my statement is fully based on you and you alone, Gwen. [00:41:28] Speaker A: Kind of like one of them Rorschach tests, right? [00:41:32] Speaker C: Something like that. I'll hold it to the deity. Are we free to leave? [00:41:39] Speaker D: You are. [00:41:44] Speaker C: Very well. All right, I'll back up over to the others. Either of you collect the seats or do I need to? [00:41:56] Speaker A: I got them right here. [00:41:58] Speaker B: Click. Got them. [00:42:01] Speaker A: I got to make sure Ian doesn't eat these. Let me put them in my pocket. [00:42:10] Speaker B: All right. Not that pleasant. Current company isn't great to be around. [00:42:23] Speaker A: Yeah, we got a sword, and we got something to do. [00:42:28] Speaker C: Let's take what we've came for and additional baggage and be on our way. No need to overstay our welcome. [00:42:39] Speaker A: Agreed. [00:42:40] Speaker B: And Koda will look to both of them with, like, a head nod and then turn and walk away. [00:42:54] Speaker D: I would like. As my PCs are walking away, I would like for each of you to roll me another perception awareness, please. [00:43:08] Speaker C: Four. [00:43:18] Speaker D: Jesus. [00:43:18] Speaker C: Oh, boy. [00:43:20] Speaker A: I don't see nothing whopping zero. [00:43:29] Speaker B: Seven. Damn. [00:43:32] Speaker D: All right, four and a seven. Clint doesn't hear anything. Clint's very focused on how to keep those seeds away from Ian. Kind of like swapping them from one pocket to the next. Kind of rethinking it, maybe pulling. Know, tucking them into, like, the inner pocket in his jacket. He's very focused. Oliver and Coda, you both hear the voice of this being as you turn away where it's clearly speaking to Gwen. Tell those who sent you I accept their offer. [00:44:26] Speaker E: Wonderful. [00:44:29] Speaker D: And plans are already in motion. [00:44:37] Speaker E: Gwen will bow her head and start to make her way out. Her business here is done. [00:44:50] Speaker D: Well, as it turns out, the way out is the way the PCs are going. [00:44:54] Speaker E: No. Weird. [00:44:55] Speaker A: No. The back pocket is probably best. [00:45:02] Speaker B: Dead. [00:45:06] Speaker C: I fear we've lost more than we gained. [00:45:12] Speaker E: That's the nature of a bargain, isn't it? [00:45:18] Speaker A: Where did you. [00:45:20] Speaker E: Well, there's only one way out of here. [00:45:22] Speaker C: Yeah, but you caught up very quickly. Did you jog? [00:45:26] Speaker E: No, I just walk very quickly. [00:45:28] Speaker C: Fair enough. [00:45:29] Speaker A: You couldn't just enjoy the view from back there? [00:45:36] Speaker E: Yeah, I'm getting to think you don't like me much, Mr. Brazos. [00:45:40] Speaker C: No, he's just really. I think he was doing something about complimenting his own physique. [00:45:50] Speaker A: Yep, you got it right there, Mr. B. [00:45:56] Speaker C: Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. [00:45:58] Speaker A: No, you got it. I didn't expect to have to clarify, but you clarified for me. I appreciate it. [00:46:07] Speaker C: I'm starting to catch on to your ways? [00:46:09] Speaker B: One. I have a question. [00:46:14] Speaker E: And that is, what are you up to these days? Oh, I don't think that's any of your business. [00:46:22] Speaker B: Well, I mean, have you gotten a cup of coffee, lady, lately? Have you? I don't know. Other things that you'd probably do. I don't know, get your nails done, sharpen your knife. [00:46:39] Speaker A: Are you inviting her to coffee? [00:46:41] Speaker B: Dog training? No, never. [00:46:44] Speaker A: Why not? [00:46:45] Speaker B: We could talk about this later. [00:46:48] Speaker C: Very casual conversation. [00:46:50] Speaker E: It may have something to do with the fact that they convinced the one person I could trust in my life to stab me in the back several dozen times and betray me completely. [00:47:03] Speaker B: Move forward to have a better life. [00:47:06] Speaker C: Yes, Stefan's capable of making his own decisions. He did what he wanted to do. [00:47:13] Speaker E: Oh, I'm fully aware of that. [00:47:19] Speaker B: I just want to know what you've been doing lately. That's about it. [00:47:28] Speaker A: Gwen, do you have anyone to talk? Friends? Like you're saying that you lost someone that was important to you. [00:47:42] Speaker F: I get that. [00:47:42] Speaker A: I understand you might not have that one, but do you have other folks to talk to? [00:47:52] Speaker E: I've learned that the list of people that I can trust is, well, at this point myself. Oh, and the wolves? [00:48:06] Speaker A: That don't sound too appealing. I don't imagine they're great company, but. [00:48:11] Speaker E: I think they're better than you might expect. [00:48:13] Speaker A: Well, that's fair. I haven't had a chance to really sit down and talk to them. They tend to be pretty aggressive with us around. So you're saying you're kind of just you and the wolves? Do you want to change that? [00:48:39] Speaker E: You're going to fit in perfectly with this group. [00:48:43] Speaker C: I've made the same offer. [00:48:46] Speaker A: Okay, well, look, I'll offer it again, just in case you decide to change your mind. Hold on. Oliver. You got a pen? Right. [00:49:00] Speaker C: Clint, I know you're fond of collecting phone numbers. I don't think you need this. [00:49:05] Speaker A: I'm going to give mine out. Look, I don't expect to call Gwen, you. I don't expect to call you. I don't really expect you to even talk to me. But just in case things get hard. [00:49:18] Speaker B: Out there, numbers are trackable. [00:49:22] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:49:26] Speaker B: We finally got rid of the thing that helped her track us before. [00:49:32] Speaker D: Did you hear? [00:49:36] Speaker B: So, did you know where I was earlier today? [00:49:41] Speaker E: I've got more important things than to keep an eye on you specifically, you know. [00:49:46] Speaker B: But did you know where I was earlier today? That's the real question here. [00:49:53] Speaker E: Good question. BP. Did I? [00:49:58] Speaker D: You lost track of them for a while. You knew where they were earlier in the day. And then they popped back up in Japan. But you were already on your way here. [00:50:17] Speaker E: Do you mean when you were in. [00:50:18] Speaker D: Iceland. [00:50:21] Speaker E: Or shortly after, when you popped up in Japan? [00:50:26] Speaker B: Okay, so you kind of know, like, rough points, but you don't know the. [00:50:36] Speaker E: Well, I think if you'd like, I would be more than happy if you were to spare the details. [00:50:42] Speaker B: No, and that's what I'm trying to prove to Clint why he shouldn't. [00:50:46] Speaker E: I would like to use blurted out. [00:50:50] Speaker D: Oh, boy, that sounds like a role, doesn't it? [00:50:55] Speaker E: You have to make willpower plus integrity plus legends against the difficulty of five. [00:51:00] Speaker D: Okay, Coda. [00:51:03] Speaker B: Yes. [00:51:06] Speaker C: Is there any visual identification that this is about to happen, or I can try to do something very quickly to help? [00:51:14] Speaker D: No, this is a knack, not a spell. Roll. Your willpower plus your legend. So I don't know what your willpower is right now. I think it's six plus four plus your integrity. [00:51:31] Speaker B: Six plus four plus old math. Okay. Umamento. [00:51:56] Speaker D: Might have actually done it. [00:51:57] Speaker C: I think she did. [00:51:58] Speaker D: All right, so you can spend a. [00:52:01] Speaker E: Point of willpower to not say where you were, to give the details, not. [00:52:06] Speaker D: Give the exact locations. [00:52:12] Speaker B: Sorry. [00:52:14] Speaker D: Okay, so basically, rolling five successes enables you to spend a willpower to negate the effects of what she's trying to do to you. [00:52:22] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, I'm going to do that. I'm not about to give up my willpower. Yeah, she'll start to find her mouth saying something, and then she'll be like, know your tricks. Dear, sweet, lovely Gwen, you will not play those games on me. Clint. Please don't give your phone number to her. [00:52:49] Speaker A: Okay, yeah, I'm in agreement here. [00:52:52] Speaker E: No, Clint, I would love to be able to keep in contact with you. [00:52:56] Speaker C: That's your first indicator as to why you shouldn't. [00:52:59] Speaker A: Yeah, we can write letters to each other, right? [00:53:03] Speaker C: We don't exactly have a mailing address. [00:53:06] Speaker E: Difficult when you're traveling all the time. Yes. [00:53:12] Speaker A: Look, I want to help you, and I know you probably don't want my help. You might even think this is some sort of, I don't know, a condescension or something. And I want to assure you that's not the case. I just can't imagine what you're going through. [00:53:35] Speaker E: You're right. I don't think you can. [00:53:37] Speaker A: And with that in mind, I just want to try and help if I can. I understand you got your things going on. Maybe we aren't going to be the best of friends. You got history, all that. But if you ever decide to change your mind and you seem to know where we're at. Find me. I'll be happy to listen to you. If nothing else. [00:54:10] Speaker D: You. [00:54:11] Speaker A: But sounds like we're not sharing phone numbers, so we'll figure it out a different way. [00:54:23] Speaker E: Okay, one more thing. Gwen is just going to smile at Clint real wide, and then Clint watches as the right half of her face. [00:54:43] Speaker D: At first it looks like it's just. [00:54:44] Speaker E: Kind of gray, and then quickly starts to rot. I am going to use dreadful Mien. [00:54:54] Speaker D: Oh, boy. [00:54:56] Speaker E: Yes, I'm sure we're going to run into each other very soon, Mr. Brazos, as it doesn't take very long before the entire right side of it looks like the entire right side of her body because her arm, too, the skin quickly shrivels up and you can see strands of muscle as she smiles. And her entire cheek is just gone. And you just see the teeth as she smiles to you. [00:55:32] Speaker D: For reference, Gwen just went from five dots in appearance with a couple dots of epic appearance, all in beauty, to horrifically ugly, but with the same ratings. [00:55:50] Speaker A: Well, I mean, maybe we can get you a makeup routine or something, but you hit hole. [00:55:58] Speaker E: Is there a problem? [00:56:01] Speaker A: It's the teeth. You got a little something stuck between your molars back there. [00:56:07] Speaker B: She does this shit. This is why we don't talk to her. [00:56:11] Speaker A: Hey, I do weird things, too. [00:56:15] Speaker E: You didn't have to talk. There were other ways out of this. You just decided to take the boring one. [00:56:23] Speaker A: Look, you already know who I am. You've seen my face. You know how to find us. Now. You're acting a little weird, but I think maybe that's your defense mechanism so that you don't actually have to feel anything. Or maybe you think you can scare me off with that, but that's know, I lash out, too. It's okay. And Clint's going to try and return the favor. But instead of dreadful mane, he's going to do a lasting impression, and we're even going to bump that up to inescapable vision. [00:57:01] Speaker D: Oh, boy. [00:57:02] Speaker E: Oh, that's fun. [00:57:04] Speaker D: All right, remind me what the mechanics for that are, because I know there's a role against it. [00:57:11] Speaker A: So there is the make a character feel good about themselves or instill fear and rob a victim of willpower. We're going to go with the feel good about themselves. And then the inescapable vision is with the expenditure of one legend and one willpower point the person that takes in Clint's face. Any other male presenting people out there will bear his face. They can shake off the effect for an hour by spending a willpower. But they cannot regain willpower while affected. It only ends when the scion's visitation and choice. So Clint would have to meet with. [00:57:51] Speaker E: Gwen again and say, only if they're immortal. If they don't have any willpower, then for 24 hours. [00:58:01] Speaker D: Is there a role against it? [00:58:03] Speaker E: No, there's not. [00:58:04] Speaker A: No, I'm using my points. [00:58:06] Speaker C: There is not. I remember from last time. [00:58:11] Speaker D: Lovely. Well, Gwen, you've used this trick before. You know what's happening. She'll look how the turns have tabled. [00:58:21] Speaker E: She'll look over at Oliver, kind of scoff, look back at Clint. Oh, that's cute. And do the exact same thing to him. [00:58:32] Speaker D: Except that Clint's now going to see the half rotten face the whole time. [00:58:38] Speaker A: Clint has put it forth that he is doing the positive side. So Gwen would still get the extra willpower point and die on art, athletics, command craft, or integrity. [00:58:48] Speaker D: Oh, I love that. Gwen. I'm assuming you're going to use the freak him out side of the do. [00:58:55] Speaker E: I forgot it's a prerequisite. So I do also have lasting impression. Yes. [00:59:03] Speaker D: Okay, cool. Clint, you use this power thinking you're going to make her feel really good about herself, and everything's going to be warm and fuzzy and awesome, even though her face is really gross. And then you realize that she's terrifying. Not just horrifically ugly, like genuinely fucking terrifying. And you kind of turn with the intention to look anywhere but at that and you catch Coda out of the corner of your eye. And Coda has Gwen's face half rotten as it. [00:59:44] Speaker A: Cody, you got a little something. [00:59:45] Speaker B: See what I mean? [00:59:46] Speaker E: And Gwen's just going to kind of push past him and start walking away. [00:59:50] Speaker C: On a pat Quinn on the shoulder. I have been exactly where you are right now. It is not going to be a fun time. [00:59:56] Speaker D: I'm going to need Oliver and Coda to make me perception and awareness. Clint does not get to make this role because Clint's a little busy being freaked the fuck out. [01:00:08] Speaker C: Zero in comforting Clint because I've been there. [01:00:25] Speaker B: Five, actually. I built my perception. [01:00:29] Speaker D: Well done, Coda. You see as Gwen leaves that she is not walking back the direction that you guys came from. Like, she goes to the gate and then kind of makes a turn towards the west. [01:00:50] Speaker B: Yeah. Honestly, she's like, I don't even know what we could do in this moment. [01:00:57] Speaker D: She is clearly not leaving in the same way that you guys are planning to. [01:01:02] Speaker B: Yeah. All right, guys, let's go. [01:01:07] Speaker D: Have you figured out how to leave yet? [01:01:13] Speaker C: I drew a map last time. I remember. [01:01:16] Speaker D: You drew a map on how to get here from where you were. [01:01:20] Speaker C: Oh, but leave, like the domain. I see. [01:01:23] Speaker D: Have you figured out how to leave the underworld yet? [01:01:25] Speaker C: No. [01:01:26] Speaker B: We'll find out. [01:01:29] Speaker C: Coda, can you call that woman again that you got the phone number of? Maybe she knows. [01:01:34] Speaker B: Do I have cell reception down here? You do. [01:01:37] Speaker D: It works on all worlds. As long as it is in a time period where cell phones existed. [01:01:43] Speaker A: I was able to text mom and get a text back. [01:01:46] Speaker B: Was there cell phones during this time period? [01:01:50] Speaker D: Part of, honey, you're in the underworld. It's the modern time period. [01:01:54] Speaker C: I thought you meant modern people as well as. [01:01:57] Speaker D: No, I was explaining that that's why your phones didn't work when you went to see the Oracle in season one. Because she was out of time. [01:02:07] Speaker B: Okay, so she'll take a deep breath. [01:02:13] Speaker D: Again. [01:02:16] Speaker B: And call up person that I remember. [01:02:24] Speaker D: The person that you remember. Is that how you're going to address her when she answers the phone? [01:02:31] Speaker B: No, that's not how I'm going to address her when I answers the phone. When I answer the phone, I'll be on the correct page of my notebook where I take pristine notes. [01:02:42] Speaker D: You. [01:02:42] Speaker B: Kiko. [01:02:44] Speaker D: Okay, well, all right. You pick up the phone and call Yukiko. It takes a bit for the phone to get answered. In fact, the first time you call, there isn't an answer. So you call again after a good 30 to 45 seconds wait between. And finally the phone gets picked up. [01:03:24] Speaker B: Hello? Hi, Yukiko. It's Kaboda Masakoi. Siona Vestet. [01:03:34] Speaker D: Yeah, we talked earlier. What's up? [01:03:39] Speaker B: So I realized you told us how to get here, but after we've done everything and had quite an experience here, we don't know how to get back. Is it possible you could maybe tell us or point us in the direction in which we can know how to get? [01:04:02] Speaker D: Most entrances are also exits. Assuming that you went through the cave, that one's a little bit harder because it's kind of. [01:04:12] Speaker B: A rock in a hard place. [01:04:15] Speaker D: It's more that it's not easy to see when you're down there. It's hard to see up top, but it's even harder to see down there. Find a graveyard, or you can take the world tree. [01:04:32] Speaker B: Oh, great. Yeah. So let's say I knew much more about the world tree than I actually do. What would that entail? [01:04:44] Speaker D: Climbing, mostly hoping you don't run into the giant squirrel that's the size of a school bus. [01:04:52] Speaker B: And this squirrel does it eat scions. [01:04:55] Speaker D: Ratatusk? Not often. [01:05:00] Speaker B: Okay. Is it like it just wants nuts or something? [01:05:09] Speaker D: Listen, you all need to do your research before you go diving into other worlds. [01:05:17] Speaker B: I know. I'm learning through first primary source. I learned about this secondary source. No, third. [01:05:33] Speaker C: None of that. [01:05:34] Speaker D: What are you talking about? [01:05:35] Speaker B: Sorry. Nothing. Firsthand experience from first hand experience. You okay? So we just climb up the tree or we could go through a graveyard or go back to the rock. It's going to be dark, but if we push with all our might, we'll just leave the same way. [01:05:56] Speaker D: If you can find the right place. Like I said, it's weird. It's there, but it's not there down there. [01:06:06] Speaker B: Okay. Yeah. Well, we can figure it out. Thank you so much. [01:06:12] Speaker D: Hey, quick question. How'd you get my number? Not that I super mind helping out another scion, but it's a little weird. [01:06:26] Speaker B: It was on the scion mentors Yellow Pages book. [01:06:34] Speaker D: What? I'm pretty sure that's not a thing. [01:06:36] Speaker B: It's not a thing. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have lied. Well, I mean, it's okay to lie sometimes because sometimes you have to tell lies to really move forward in life. But it's like little white lies are the important ones. Not like this. Net told me. [01:06:53] Speaker D: Oh, but it's fine. [01:06:56] Speaker B: It was like very brief and nothing extremely insane or whatever. How do you know? [01:07:03] Speaker D: Net. [01:07:03] Speaker B: Not that it matters. We can talk about this later because we need to leave the underworld of. [01:07:10] Speaker A: I mean, we can walk and talk. [01:07:12] Speaker B: No, we can't walk and talk. Lit. No, we're not going to walk and talk. We're going to find the animals and we're going to go back. Sorry, you Kiko, that you have to hear all of this. Was it awkward that I said it was? Net? Are you not going to pick up again if we have a question? [01:07:28] Speaker D: I'm just going to go make another phone call. [01:07:30] Speaker B: Oh, no. Don't make another phone call. Oh my God. She hasn't picked up for me in like eight. No. Fuck. [01:07:38] Speaker C: You didn't think to just do the old losing reception trick? [01:07:44] Speaker B: Oh, because the scion that's been doing scion stuff for 6 million years is going to not know that trick. The reception from the phone that works in the time period. As long as we're in a time period where you could use phones. [01:07:55] Speaker D: Come on, Dr. B. [01:07:56] Speaker C: Or Mr. B saying she'd believe you. I'm just saying you wouldn't have to answer the question. [01:08:02] Speaker B: That's awkward. Let's go. [01:08:05] Speaker D: My God, I'm going to die. [01:08:07] Speaker A: You'll be fine. Oh, never mind. Fuck. Got to not look at you. [01:08:18] Speaker D: All right. So what are you guys doing? [01:08:22] Speaker B: So she told me about a rock. Well, the rock that we. Or I guess not a rock. The boulder that we went to before. It's just going to be difficult to find it because it just gets really dark. Do we still have that fate trail or. Fate. [01:08:40] Speaker D: Yeah, it's effectively gone because it's just wrapped around the sword now. [01:08:47] Speaker C: It's like. Well, yes, but it's just pointing right to what I'm currently holding. So I'd have to make a new one to that rock. [01:08:54] Speaker B: Okay, well, so then another option. She said we could find a grave or we could climb the world tree. We just have to watch out for a giant squirrel whose name I've forgotten in the moment. [01:09:10] Speaker C: Brad Tasker. [01:09:12] Speaker B: I didn't forget to ask her. [01:09:15] Speaker D: Oh, wait. [01:09:15] Speaker B: No. You're saying the name, right? [01:09:17] Speaker C: Yes. Well, for other reasons, I kind of judge myself. Climbing is probably not a good option. [01:09:29] Speaker A: I can carry you. [01:09:34] Speaker C: I'd rather you not have to do that for my own ego. [01:09:39] Speaker A: Fair enough. [01:09:40] Speaker B: You know, good leaders are also humble. So if you know, you need to be carried, it's okay, Mr. P. You also have a dragon. So it'd probably be the best time for Brahm to learn how to know. [01:09:54] Speaker C: Going up the world tree a day old. I don't think he's going to be learning how to fly anytime soon. [01:10:02] Speaker A: Not when you got that attitude. [01:10:04] Speaker B: Exactly. [01:10:05] Speaker D: Well, whatever. [01:10:06] Speaker B: Let's get out of here before we get attacked by acid critters. [01:10:14] Speaker D: All right. You guys slip out of the front gates of the poison sun ward. Are you leaving the gates open? [01:10:33] Speaker C: How's the deal? [01:10:34] Speaker A: Clint looks at the gates very long. Are you sure we can't just. Oh, no. [01:10:45] Speaker C: We can try to find a loophole if you want. The deal was to. I feel less bad about this now because she lied to us. Effectively. With the whole seeds not hurting anyone thing. We could try to find a loophole. Leave it unlocked was what the terms were. [01:11:02] Speaker A: Oh, well, if we leave it unlocked, but we find a way to keep it stuck together, that should be good. Y'all got a welding torch? [01:11:16] Speaker C: I have glow sticks. Clint. I did not pack a welding torch. [01:11:19] Speaker A: I didn't either. [01:11:21] Speaker C: I have duct tape. I don't think that's going to keep some radioactive zombie creatures at bay, though. [01:11:28] Speaker A: How much duct tape? [01:11:30] Speaker C: Like, one roll. [01:11:34] Speaker B: Hmm. [01:11:37] Speaker A: Well, if it ain't completely closed. The little lock. It's not locked. Just chain it back up, slip the mechanism through a couple of the links of the chain and don't click it closed. Right. It's unlocked. [01:11:57] Speaker C: I think that'd be as good as wrapping it up in duct tape. [01:12:00] Speaker A: Well, we could do duct tape, too. Let's just really. I don't know. [01:12:09] Speaker B: This will be a great time to find someone who knows loopholes and such. [01:12:16] Speaker C: I do have one loophole in mind for the seeds. The terms were that we plant the seeds as we go in our travels. Seeds is in plural, as in a minimum of two. Minimum. Based on the terms and the wording, we don't need to do any more than two. [01:12:37] Speaker D: Oliver, you're pretty sure that that's not going to fly. [01:12:42] Speaker A: Clint flips his phone out of his pocket and starts texting. [01:12:45] Speaker C: Text your mother. [01:12:46] Speaker A: No, I'm just asking her a question. How do you keep a door closed without a lock? [01:12:55] Speaker C: Just Google that instead. [01:12:57] Speaker A: This thing has Google. [01:13:01] Speaker D: It has a search function. It's a smartphone, Clint. [01:13:09] Speaker A: Yeah, I'll Google that, too. Let's see. Do we have any sort of wedges? We could wedge the door closed, sort of like a doorstop, but for when it's already shut again. [01:13:24] Speaker C: I think these are all things that are just going to delay it at best. [01:13:27] Speaker A: Well, hey, delaying it's better than just letting it wreak havoc all free, Willie, right? [01:13:33] Speaker C: Maybe. And what's the hard way? [01:13:36] Speaker A: Trying. [01:13:39] Speaker C: With the way fate works, it might not see this as legal as we see it and it will come back to haunt us as a result. [01:13:51] Speaker A: Oh, we're not allowed to do this, but we're allowed to get lied to so we can go and hurt people with seeds. [01:13:58] Speaker C: Yeah, I'll just say it. We normally get the shit end of the stick. [01:14:06] Speaker A: Why not? Well, you can change your luck, can't you? Look, I ain't just going to walk away and let it be doing nothing. I'm at least going to wrap the change up around it. And I'll ask for your duct tape and use that if you'll let me. [01:14:28] Speaker B: What was the exact words again? [01:14:31] Speaker C: We leave the gate unlocked. [01:14:36] Speaker B: Okay. [01:14:36] Speaker C: And now we plant the seats along our travels. [01:14:43] Speaker A: How sturdy do these bars on the gate look? [01:14:48] Speaker D: So they're not bars. These are those huge Japanese style gates. The walls themselves are well over twelve to 15ft tall and the gates are just as tall and are solid. And when you guys are closer and looking from this side and you have a moment. Just going to give this to Oliver. He's got the intelligence for it. Oliver, you are pretty sure that these are made of lead. As if someone were trying to keep radiation in. [01:15:25] Speaker C: Remember how earlier I mentioned it was a shame we didn't bring any lead due to the radiation? That's what's keeping us at bay. These kind of wrap on the gate are made of lead. [01:15:40] Speaker A: All the more reason to get them shut. [01:15:45] Speaker C: What I'm saying is we can leave it unlocked, but if, say, we leave maybe a bar of lead over it or in front of it, it might keep them away. We still uphold our end of the deal, but, well, they still don't get out. [01:16:02] Speaker A: All right. You got a bar lit on you. [01:16:07] Speaker C: No. [01:16:10] Speaker B: Questions at night or such. Have you ever been able to see Brahm, brief eye or anything yet? [01:16:21] Speaker C: I see him do smoke. [01:16:26] Speaker B: Because, I mean, not that I like really. Well, whatever. I am smart, technically. So aluminum melts very easily, but the other metal that melts the easiest is technically lead. So can't we just melt the doors shut? [01:16:54] Speaker C: I think we once again breach the welding. [01:16:59] Speaker B: Oh, I see, right. Darn it. [01:17:02] Speaker A: This thing's got hinges or slide. Let's look at that. [01:17:07] Speaker D: Hinges. [01:17:10] Speaker A: You all ever bashed in hinges so that things don't open so easy? [01:17:15] Speaker D: Yes. [01:17:17] Speaker B: I mean, it's not on record or anything, but. Yes. All right. [01:17:24] Speaker D: Not on record or anything. [01:17:27] Speaker C: It's a shame we are not living in the 60s, because if we were, then this jar of paint I have would be very useful. [01:17:37] Speaker A: Yeah, a little lead paint never hurt nobody. [01:17:41] Speaker C: It definitely did. That's why it's not in the paint anymore. [01:17:47] Speaker A: Tasty chips, though. [01:17:50] Speaker C: Or wait, we're in the underworld where everything that gets destroyed appears. We could perhaps find a house from the 60s, see if they have any jars of paint left lying around. [01:18:10] Speaker A: What would the jar of paint do? [01:18:12] Speaker C: Well, it's lead paint. [01:18:14] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:18:15] Speaker C: So if we make a sort of. You know how in the movies and stories and stuff, if you make like a salt circle, it'll keep out ghosts and demons. Maybe this will work the same way. [01:18:27] Speaker A: I mean, it ain't a bad thing to add to it. And I think if we obstruct it physically and then do your lead magic and we make as many layers as we can, just no locks. [01:18:42] Speaker C: Indeed. And we hope that fates is okay. [01:18:45] Speaker A: With that and we deal with the consequences either way. [01:18:54] Speaker C: Now, would we want to run around trying to find a house from the. Should I just try to make a thread to one? [01:19:03] Speaker A: Well, you can work on the thread. I'll work on these hinges and jump over when I'm done. [01:19:08] Speaker B: Maybe we should save a thread for finding our way out of here. [01:19:16] Speaker A: Do you only have a certain number of threads? [01:19:20] Speaker C: I have a certain amount of energy I can expel on these sorts of things. I agree with Koda. I'm starting to get a little spent. Can I make a role to see how likely this plan I've concocted is to work? [01:19:38] Speaker B: I, too, would like to, just in. [01:19:41] Speaker C: The hopes of finding, like, a house from the has, like, a drawer. [01:19:44] Speaker B: Paint wits. And. [01:19:53] Speaker D: This is such a weird thing to have to figure out. [01:19:56] Speaker C: We got scanned. [01:19:57] Speaker F: We're scamming back. [01:20:00] Speaker D: Wits and integrity. [01:20:03] Speaker C: Okay. [01:20:09] Speaker A: Yeah. Clint will get in on this, trying to see if the plan will work. Actually. [01:20:14] Speaker C: Four, five, six successes. [01:20:17] Speaker D: V. [01:20:22] Speaker A: One. [01:20:29] Speaker D: Go to. [01:20:32] Speaker B: Oh, apologies. [01:20:40] Speaker D: There we go. [01:20:48] Speaker B: 123045. [01:20:52] Speaker D: Okay, so I have five from Coda, six from Oliver, and one from Clint. [01:20:59] Speaker C: Sounds about right. [01:21:00] Speaker D: Clint, those gates are real big. You better get to hammering. [01:21:05] Speaker A: Yeah, I'll get started. [01:21:08] Speaker C: Don't use your bare hands just in case. [01:21:10] Speaker A: I got this toothpick. That'll help. I ain't touching a chair again. [01:21:14] Speaker C: Good job. [01:21:19] Speaker D: Coda and Oliver. Coda, you're pretty sure you know for a fact that you guys are on the right track as far as finding another way to make sure that the gate doesn't open again, or at least doesn't open easily. Oliver Lever is your idea of let's go find lead paint is the problem that you are running into, is that how long something stays down here is based on how important and remembered it is? Pretty sure a can of lead paint is not going to have been remembered for this long. [01:22:08] Speaker C: That's valid. [01:22:10] Speaker D: However, there are a number of buildings that look almost pristine, like nothing has even begun to wear away about them that have been down here for potentially hundreds of years. So while paint may not be something that you can find a building that you could maybe take a piece off of, very well be here. [01:22:41] Speaker C: All right, revision to the plan. Coda, I'm going to need your help. You're going to need to find an old building with some sort of lead pole or support beam. And you're going to need to help me tear that off, because clearly I can't do that myself. And we're going to just sort of jam it into place here. [01:22:58] Speaker B: Copy, Captain. We'll be right back. Clint. [01:23:03] Speaker A: Yep. [01:23:04] Speaker B: We're at the gates. Right. So we could see the critters now, right. [01:23:09] Speaker D: You don't see them immediately, but you know that they're around. You're pretty sure they're around somewhere. [01:23:15] Speaker B: Okay. Cool beans. Yep. So she'll follow Oliver Lance. [01:23:21] Speaker C: If you run into any problems, send Ian to come fetch us. Speaking of which, where is he? [01:23:27] Speaker A: He ain't on the inside of this thing. He's sticking to the outside. I'm going to have to jump over and talk to him. [01:23:33] Speaker C: Can't just yell to tell him, go get help. [01:23:36] Speaker A: Oh, let me see if he can hear me. [01:23:43] Speaker D: It takes a moment and you hear the fluttering of wings, but you don't see him. They're a little bit distant. You're real fucking loud. [01:23:54] Speaker A: Yeah, I think he can hear me all right. Just making sure you can hear me. [01:24:00] Speaker C: Could you ask him where the other two are? [01:24:02] Speaker D: Pretty sure the Overworld can hear you. [01:24:06] Speaker A: He says I'm real loud. Wait, do I have to yell for Ian to hear me? [01:24:15] Speaker D: If he's at a distance, yeah. [01:24:17] Speaker A: All right. Where are the other two animals? [01:24:28] Speaker B: Around. [01:24:30] Speaker A: Okay, he says they're around. [01:24:35] Speaker C: That's not. No, but now I'm worried. [01:24:39] Speaker A: If he's fluttering around and complaining about me yelling at him, they're probably okay. [01:24:48] Speaker C: Still concerning. I'll try to whistle to see if I can get Bram to come. [01:24:56] Speaker D: You're in the gates right now. They're not getting any, right? [01:25:00] Speaker C: Right. Is there any way you could ferry us over and then get to smacking? [01:25:12] Speaker A: I mean, you all could go through the gate and then I start smacking after I shut it. [01:25:17] Speaker C: Yeah, also a good idea. We want to unlock the gate first and then do that after we've sabotaged it. [01:25:27] Speaker A: Yes. [01:25:30] Speaker D: As a reminder, you locked the gate before you came inside. [01:25:33] Speaker B: Yeah, that's true. I mean, I can lift you over. [01:25:37] Speaker A: I can throw you over. I don't mind. Or, I mean, I can gently carry you over to the top. [01:25:42] Speaker C: Either way, either way, we just need to get from one side to the like. [01:25:49] Speaker D: We just need to make a decision and move, please. [01:25:52] Speaker B: Gonna start moving. Do you want me to carry you, Mr. B? [01:25:59] Speaker C: Fine. [01:26:01] Speaker B: Thank you. [01:26:03] Speaker C: Wouldn't be the first time it really, would it? [01:26:07] Speaker B: So I don't know why we took so long to get there, but. It's okay, Mr. B. [01:26:11] Speaker A: You need to boost up code or you got it? [01:26:14] Speaker B: No, I got it. All right, what do I have to roll? [01:26:20] Speaker D: What exactly are you trying to do? [01:26:22] Speaker B: I'm just taking Oliver over with me. [01:26:27] Speaker D: You want to jump over the. [01:26:30] Speaker B: Okay, I got mad hops and I got the sky Bing bong, so I could fall carefully. [01:26:38] Speaker D: You do have the Sky Bing bong. [01:26:43] Speaker C: Quite fond of the sky bing bong. [01:26:46] Speaker B: Yes. Excuse me? The sky. [01:26:50] Speaker C: No, no, it's called Bing Bong now. [01:26:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I got that sky Bing Bong. Too. [01:26:54] Speaker D: You know what? With your jump, if you get a running start, you might actually be able to do it. It'll be very close. Having, I don't know, Clint, to Kind of launch yourself off of would probably help, but it would also require him basically allowing you to run at him, plant a foot on him, and then launch yourself off. [01:27:17] Speaker B: All right. She'll be like, Clint, line up. I'm going to use you as a spot. [01:27:21] Speaker C: I can also give you a boost if you'd like. [01:27:23] Speaker B: No, that's fine. I'm carrying you. [01:27:25] Speaker A: You're going to have to tell me when you get close because I ain't going to look at you. [01:27:28] Speaker C: I'm in a magic boost, but sure. [01:27:32] Speaker D: All right, so, Coda, please explain to me what this is going to look like. [01:27:41] Speaker B: Hopefully, if Mr. V lets her do this, she's holding him princess style. [01:27:46] Speaker C: I think this happened before. So, yes. [01:27:51] Speaker B: She'S fully, like squats. Does like a couple of squats to get the weight of him. And then is like, okay, she'll get into a stance, and then she'll run and be like, all right, Clint, I'm jumping. And then she'll foot and pounce over and then kind of try to hold Mr. B close to her and try to just kind of tumble over, like, roll, propel herself over the magento, float down. [01:28:22] Speaker D: All right, make me a strength at athletics hype. [01:28:49] Speaker B: Wow. [01:28:51] Speaker C: Not too bad. It's three from the roll. [01:28:53] Speaker B: Four. [01:28:55] Speaker D: So four total. [01:28:57] Speaker B: And then with strength, five. [01:29:03] Speaker D: No, I think it's just four. You've only got one. Epic, right? [01:29:07] Speaker B: Yeah. Seven. [01:29:14] Speaker D: Right. [01:29:16] Speaker B: 1234. There we go. [01:29:22] Speaker D: That's still a good bit. So you are holding Oliver in your arms like a princess. Like you're about to carry him over the threshold, which, in a way, you kind of are. And Oliver is sort of forced to wrap his, like to put his arms around your neck, mostly because there's nothing else to hold on to. And you take off at a dead sprint. And at the last moment, you do that. Okay, Clint, I'm going to jump that one. Launch yourself up. Clint kind of rolls his shoulders forward and ducks his head. And you plant your foot on his back, right between his shoulder blades. And you can feel his knees kind of bend slightly when your foot hits him. And then he straightens up. And Ollie oops you at the same time that you push off of him. And you clear with a solid 5ft over the top. And, Oliver, you look down just in time to see the distance that you're about to go tumbling. And you're convinced that you're going to break something. And then it's like Coda becomes like a feather and she's just lightly floating before that happens. [01:30:49] Speaker C: And I'm convinced that we're about to descend and plummet at a rapid rate. A tiny little squeal comes out of me. [01:30:59] Speaker B: Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. [01:31:01] Speaker C: Thank you. [01:31:06] Speaker D: On the other side of the wall, you could see Ian kind of circling above, and you can see in the distance, Pele is sitting on top of a squirming and spitting, mad looking baby dragon. [01:31:22] Speaker C: Once we're firmly on the ground, I'll whistle. [01:31:30] Speaker D: The dragon proceeds to struggle even harder, but Pele doesn't move. [01:31:35] Speaker C: Koda, please tell Pele to get off the, uh. [01:31:40] Speaker B: Sure. She has not put him down yet, but she will keep walking and go. Come on, Pele. Thank you. You've done such a great job. A whole tuna for you. [01:31:50] Speaker D: We agreed multiple tunas, fresh tunas, two tunas. [01:31:54] Speaker B: I remember. I remember. [01:31:56] Speaker D: Good. A little brat scorched my tail so he can refire. [01:32:01] Speaker C: Can. [01:32:02] Speaker D: He could spit sparks. [01:32:07] Speaker B: He could spit sparks. Pelley says. Pelley also says you owe him two tunas as well. [01:32:15] Speaker C: I didn't make this deal. [01:32:18] Speaker B: The tail, it's a baby sitting charge. [01:32:22] Speaker C: That's fine. You can also put me down now. [01:32:26] Speaker B: Oh, right. Yeah. And she'll gently place you. [01:32:32] Speaker C: Gonna dust off my jacket a little bit. [01:32:34] Speaker D: All right. Back on the other side of the wall. Clint? [01:32:38] Speaker A: Yep. [01:32:39] Speaker D: You're alone. [01:32:41] Speaker A: I don't like it. [01:32:45] Speaker D: You're alone behind a closed gate. [01:32:48] Speaker A: Yeah, but I don't got no scary face in front of me. [01:32:54] Speaker D: So what would you like to do? [01:32:57] Speaker A: Clint will get his toothpick at the ready and he is going to put all of his attention on the hinges of this gate. His goal is to bash them and kind of not quite seal them, just friction, weld them together. Yeah. [01:33:19] Speaker D: Strength and melee. And I believe you have special stuff now in your necks for breaking inanimate objects. [01:33:27] Speaker A: I sure do. Its hardness is reduced by half. [01:33:30] Speaker D: Excellent. Do the do. [01:33:34] Speaker A: That is not the right place. There we go. All right. That's two, four, five. And then. All right. So that would be six successes. [01:33:57] Speaker D: Excellent. You begin to hammer away at the hinges on one of the gates. It's going to take a while. They're big and while reasonably soft, they're not exactly mortal, so you can break them, but it's going to take time. [01:34:22] Speaker A: I got nothing. [01:34:23] Speaker D: But you're also making a lot of noise just to be aware. [01:34:27] Speaker A: That's fine. He thinks, excellent. [01:34:34] Speaker D: Oliver and Coda, what's the plan now? [01:34:41] Speaker C: Right. We can either find a building with fled the old fashioned way, or I can make us a thread and it's going to cost me some energy, but it'll save us time. [01:34:50] Speaker B: Let's find a building because I feel like it will be more urgent for us to get out of here. [01:34:57] Speaker C: All right. I guess then we are going to quickly try to navigate and find one of these buildings that I suspect has led and has been around for a while. [01:35:11] Speaker D: I will allow intelligence and investigation or intelligence and academics, but I will also allow perception awareness. [01:35:24] Speaker C: Yeah, I think I'm going to go with perception awareness. I think that's a good one for me. [01:35:33] Speaker D: Code is effectively doing vibes checks and Oliver is relying on his knowledge of history. [01:35:41] Speaker B: Wow, that is so rude. [01:35:43] Speaker C: Can I reroll ten successes? [01:35:47] Speaker D: You can reroll if you spend a legend point, you get to reroll the whole thing. Ten successes. Holy. [01:35:59] Speaker C: 123-4567 There are a great number of buildings here. [01:36:05] Speaker D: They may not all have lead in them, but they are made of sturdy stuff. There are buildings that have been here for quite a long time. Like, some of them look like they've been here for hundreds of years and haven't degraded at all. So there's a great number of buildings to take your pick from specifically. Identifying lead is going to be harder. Even with ten successes, it's just because they're likely to be painted and you don't know exactly what building materials were used in every single age of Japanese building history. [01:36:46] Speaker A: Time to go lick some walls and taste some paint. [01:36:49] Speaker B: But. [01:36:51] Speaker D: Finding a building that has material you are pretty sure will hold up should be reasonably easy. [01:37:00] Speaker C: All right, so at worst, I think if we go to some of these buildings, we can find at least some sort of steel beam or rebar or something that we can sort of wedge in front of the gate to keep it closed. At best, maybe we'll luck out and find some lead. [01:37:18] Speaker B: Okay, no problem. Yeah, I just was looking around and I was like, wow, these buildings look pretty sick. That's about it. [01:37:27] Speaker C: They are pretty sick. Shame we can't spend some time to bask in the history of it, but. [01:37:34] Speaker B: Let'S get a move on. It's fine. Yeah, it's fine, really. [01:37:37] Speaker C: And I will go pick one that I'm pretty sure has some good material we can use at worst, and then one I'm hoping has lead at best. [01:37:54] Speaker D: All right, I'm not going to go into a bunch of detail. You guys find a building that you are pretty sure has decorative poles that are quote unquote used to hold things up, but they're not actually load bearing. They're more decorative than anything else, but they are made of sturdy stuff. [01:38:18] Speaker C: I'm going to ask to do something that might be outside the rules, so feel free to completely just ignore it. I have Bona Fortuna, which is normally just like, lets me increase a die pool, but it's all about improving my luck. So if I spend the legend for that, can I happen to come upon some lead? [01:38:36] Speaker D: Sure. [01:38:37] Speaker C: All right, I will do that. I will quickly whip out the book, kind of cast that spell, allowing my fate aura to glow a bit brighter for a moment, spend the legend and luck out, and find some good lead that we can use. [01:39:05] Speaker D: Excellent. You do just that. Now, how are you guys planning to remove it from the building without offending any of the people who technically live here? [01:39:23] Speaker C: Did not think that far ahead. Coda, do you have any ideas on how we can remove this easily without insulting anyone? [01:39:36] Speaker B: Can we find one of the houses that people are forgetting about? [01:39:41] Speaker C: We could, but then the lead wouldn't last as long. And this is. I cheat a little bit to be lucky enough to find this duck. Okay, I can try to sort of analyze the area and see, similar to what we did back in the ward, where to strike to sort of make it tumble, but it's a matter of making the people okay with us doing that. [01:40:08] Speaker B: Did we run into any people when we were Coming up to this place, or are we just, like, standing on the outside, like, ah, nice house. [01:40:17] Speaker D: There have been ghosts wandering here and there. Yeah, you've passed some. None of them have stopped to talk to you. They all sort of look at you, seem to identify you as an outsider, and then pointedly avoid you. Correct. Right. [01:40:37] Speaker B: Hmm. Well, I mean, if we go in there and if there's someone in there, we can explain that we're trying to keep the gate of the. [01:40:48] Speaker D: What was it called? [01:40:50] Speaker B: Yeah, we were trying to keep the poison sun Ward closed. [01:40:54] Speaker C: Yeah, we could explain that to them, that we need part of their building to keep it closed. It's a matter if they believe us or not. But that might be our best route here. [01:41:03] Speaker B: Yeah, if we're trying to not step on any ghostly toes, then, yeah. Otherwise, I say let's just rip it out. But. [01:41:15] Speaker C: Well, I'll go talk to them, seeing as I can actually speak the language, and we'll see how it goes. [01:41:22] Speaker B: And I'll be support. [01:41:38] Speaker C: Yes. [01:41:38] Speaker D: How are you going to convince these people that it's totally cool for you to take a piece of their building down. [01:41:45] Speaker C: Well, we are going to try some of the truth and hope that doesn't bite us horribly. There's inhabitants in this building, correct? [01:41:56] Speaker D: There are inhabitants in almost every building, yes. [01:41:59] Speaker C: Right. Then I'll be respectful and go to this one and knock on the door. [01:42:07] Speaker D: Okay. An elderly woman answers the door. [01:42:16] Speaker C: Hi. I'm very sorry to disturb you, but we're in need of your help. [01:42:27] Speaker B: With what? [01:42:30] Speaker C: Well, we are some scions and some trouble has occurred in the poison sun ward, and we need a portion of your building to help fortify it. [01:42:46] Speaker D: You need to take my building to fortify the poison sun warp? [01:42:51] Speaker C: Not the whole building. Just one of the support beams that are made of lead that will both keep it shut and keep the things inside. [01:43:02] Speaker D: But if they're support beams, won't my house fall down? [01:43:09] Speaker C: We plan to only take one that's not load bearing, so it should be just fine. [01:43:18] Speaker D: Kind of looks you over and reaches out and kind of brazenly pokes your bicep. It gives you a doubtful look. [01:43:34] Speaker B: Totable flex. [01:43:36] Speaker C: Yeah, that's going to be her jOb. Mine is to figure out the best way to go about it to ensure minimal damage to your lovely house. [01:43:50] Speaker D: Oliver. Charisma and presence, please. [01:43:54] Speaker C: Okay. I'm allegedly good at these things. [01:43:58] Speaker D: Allegedly. [01:44:02] Speaker C: Yes. [01:44:03] Speaker B: Okay. [01:44:16] Speaker C: That's one success. Getting low on legend. [01:44:20] Speaker D: I was like, would you like to spend a legend? [01:44:23] Speaker C: Yeah. We're going to burn another one. That's much better. That's five. [01:44:35] Speaker B: She. [01:44:38] Speaker D: Continues to kind of eye you doubtfully for a long moment and glances between you and Coda. And then you see her eyes kind of stray towards the direction that you came from. And the poison sun Ward, well, you'd. [01:44:58] Speaker C: Be helping keeping your community safe. [01:45:02] Speaker D: Best nothing there gets out. [01:45:06] Speaker C: Indeed. [01:45:07] Speaker D: Again, take what you must. [01:45:14] Speaker C: Thank you. [01:45:15] Speaker D: Have my neighbors help me replace it. [01:45:18] Speaker C: Thank you. You were very kind. But you said again, it's happened before. [01:45:25] Speaker D: Of course. When it first arrived, people went to investigate, never came back. [01:45:35] Speaker C: I see. I'm very sorry, but thank you. Thank you very much. We'll be in and out as quickly as possible. You won't even know we're here. [01:45:45] Speaker D: Somehow I doubt that. Young people always make so much noise. Then she shuts the door and you can hear her kind of shuffling deeper into the house and muttering to herself about how loud young people are. [01:46:03] Speaker C: Right. So she's going to let us remove the beam. Non load bearing, hopefully. Why? Told her non load bearing. So we need to make hopefully a reality and let's try to be as quiet as possible, because she doesn't seem to like young people and their noise. [01:46:25] Speaker B: I will try my best, Mr. B. [01:46:30] Speaker C: All right. She closed the door on us. Are we waiting for her to come back? [01:46:35] Speaker D: No. So, basically, it's one of the decorative pillars that holds up like an awning. [01:46:42] Speaker C: Got you. All right. In that case, I will try to calculate the best way to remove this thing by committing the most minimal damages. [01:46:51] Speaker D: And noise intelligence at academics, you're going to be at minus two dice. [01:46:59] Speaker C: All right. [01:47:00] Speaker D: Because you are explicitly trying to do it without making. [01:47:05] Speaker C: Got you. Still a good role for me. 123456. And then. [01:47:15] Speaker D: Pretty good. [01:47:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:47:22] Speaker D: You manage to guide Coda in exactly where she needs to hit the top of the pillar, up close to the thing that it's holding up in order to kind of break the place where they're attached to each other. And then from there, Coda's mostly just got to yank it out of what is effectively concrete at the bottom. So you're going to give Coda. How many successes did you have? [01:47:53] Speaker C: Nine. [01:47:54] Speaker D: You're going to give Coda three extra dice on her. Strength and athletics check. [01:47:59] Speaker B: Nice. [01:48:03] Speaker D: Sorry, not strength at athletics, strength at brawl, because you're effectively having to wrestle and hit this thing. [01:48:10] Speaker B: Okay, cool. That's fine. It one, two. Okay. Ooh. Okay. [01:48:28] Speaker C: That'S eight right there. [01:48:31] Speaker B: Yep. And then one epic strength. [01:48:34] Speaker D: Good Lord. [01:48:35] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:48:36] Speaker C: We're so good at fighting. [01:48:41] Speaker B: Successes. [01:48:43] Speaker D: Yeah. Between the two of you, Coda, effectively, you manage to kind of have Oliver hold the pillar in the middle while you reach up and kind of bring the side of your hand hard against the point of the wood. That would be basically the strongest part of the juncture. And you hear not wood like metal up against wood. You know what I mean? The pillar is metal, but the thing it's attached to is wood. Words are hard. [01:49:25] Speaker B: I'm thinking of what you're putting down. [01:49:27] Speaker D: But you manage to hit in just the right place that you weaken the wood that it is attached to, and it splinters and it comes loose from the top. And then at the bottom, you sort of grab the top of the pillar while kicking hard at the bottom where it meets the concrete. And you wrench the bolts that are holding it in. Up and out of the concrete. It makes some noise, but it is remarkably quiet compared to what you would expect. [01:50:03] Speaker B: This will do. [01:50:05] Speaker C: Yes, it sure will. It is made of blood, so it's going to be quite heavy. So we're both going to have to work together on this. [01:50:11] Speaker B: On what? Carrying it? [01:50:13] Speaker C: Yes, carrying it. [01:50:14] Speaker B: Is it heavy for her? [01:50:18] Speaker D: It's a little heavy, yeah. Like, Oliver could certainly help you. It'll make it a lot more comfortable for you. It's less that it's super crazy heavy because you have epic strength. And it's more about the fact that it's long and kind of awkward to move. So having him there to take one end is helpful. [01:50:41] Speaker B: Copy. Yes, that you'll go, thanks. [01:50:45] Speaker C: And then I will help carry it. But for me, it's very heavy, isn't it? [01:50:49] Speaker D: It's very heavy. You get it up on your shoulder, and this is going to be a hike. [01:50:56] Speaker C: Let's get to it. [01:50:59] Speaker D: While they are walking back, Clint, I would like you to make me three more rolls. [01:51:08] Speaker A: You got them. [01:51:09] Speaker D: One for each hinge. Hinge the strengths and brawl or strength and melee. [01:51:16] Speaker A: Sorry, coming right up. Oh, do I add anything from my toothpick, like accuracy on this one or not? [01:51:29] Speaker D: No, not really. Just making sure they're not moving. So I'm just not giving you any disadvantages or anything like that. You're not really rolling against typical defensive dodge or anything. [01:51:44] Speaker A: Got you. All right, so that first one was 2345, and then the second one is 234-1234 so we got five, four, four. [01:51:58] Speaker B: Excellent. [01:52:01] Speaker D: And between that and the fact that you have the hardness on these things, it takes a couple of hits with each of them. You're making a lot of noise. But you managed to get the fourth one pretty well busted up. [01:52:24] Speaker A: That was a lot of work. [01:52:27] Speaker D: Just in time to hear a. Behind you. [01:52:38] Speaker A: That's not a good sound. Clint will slowly turn around. [01:52:46] Speaker D: There are, like, three of those radioactive zombies behind. What? [01:52:57] Speaker A: I'm going to need some help. Let them know. [01:53:03] Speaker D: Fine. You hear the furious flapping of wings. [01:53:12] Speaker A: All right. While they're on the other side of the door getting ready or coming over this way, Finn's going to lower himself down, get his spear ready. He has to fight. He's got to fight. [01:53:27] Speaker D: Okay, make me a join battle roll, please. [01:53:32] Speaker A: You got it. [01:53:35] Speaker D: Coda and Oliver, could you both also make me a joint battle roll? [01:53:39] Speaker C: Sure. [01:53:40] Speaker D: Not because you're fighting anything, but because I need to see how bad this is going to be. [01:53:46] Speaker B: Two. [01:53:51] Speaker C: Also two. [01:53:57] Speaker D: Coda. Jesus. 234-5677 all right, then. Well, we know Coda is going to be the fastest. Unfortunately, for right now, Coda and Oliver are together, but we know who will get to go first when Ian gets to you. Clint? [01:54:27] Speaker A: Yes. [01:54:30] Speaker D: There are three zombies. Are you planning to fight them? [01:54:36] Speaker A: For now, just looking to keep them at bay. We'll keep our spear out and poke them if we have to, but if our back is up against the fence, we don't have much of a choice. [01:54:48] Speaker D: All right, so you're effectively holding your action, right. [01:54:51] Speaker A: As long as they're not getting too close, Clint's not going to engage with them. [01:54:56] Speaker D: Oh, they're going to get close. [01:54:58] Speaker A: Yeah. I figure. [01:55:01] Speaker D: That'S just going to happen. So what I need to know is if you are planning to fight them or if you are planning to get on the other side of the fence where they can't get to you. [01:55:10] Speaker A: Oh, well, when you put it that way. I hadn't even thought about jumping over the fence. I'd like to do that. [01:55:17] Speaker C: Thank God I was screaming in my head. [01:55:25] Speaker A: To clarify, Clint would regard the three threats, the spear in his hand, I could pull, vault, and that's what he's going to do. [01:55:35] Speaker D: All right. I'm not going to make you roll because you have the thing that makes all of your athletics things, automatic successes. [01:55:42] Speaker A: Thank you. [01:55:45] Speaker D: Well, there's no point in making you roll between that and your epics. You couldn't fail. So Clint digs the tip of this spear into the ground. At the same time, he sort of jumps and heaves himself up with his arms. And you could feel all of the muscles in your chest and in your arms and in your shoulders kind of flex all at once as you lift and haul yourself up and then throw your body over the top of the. Over the top of the gate. And you take the spear with you. And you begin to hear thudding against the gate as you land on the other side. [01:56:34] Speaker A: That could have gotten real messy. Where are they? [01:56:40] Speaker D: Oliver and Coda? You guys are, like, in the middle of a residential know, walking back. You're moving quickly, but not like you're not running. Why would you run? Plus, you're Coda's. Pretty sure if she runs while Oliver is trying to hold half of this thing, it's not going to end well. And you guys see this black bird come flapping hard and fast at you and it's cawing. [01:57:13] Speaker C: Oh, no. [01:57:14] Speaker B: What's that? Ian, Clint's at the bottom of a well. I'm just kidding. You should probably go check on Clint. [01:57:26] Speaker C: Yeah, let's double time it. [01:57:31] Speaker B: Yeah. And she'll go. Do you want me to lead instead? [01:57:37] Speaker C: If we need to get there quickly, then might be for the best. If you think you can handle this. [01:57:42] Speaker B: I can. And we'll pick it up as much as we can. That didn't have Oliver Dragon. [01:57:53] Speaker D: Okay. It doesn't take a super crazy long time for you to get there, but it still takes a fair bit of time. If Clint hadn't had the wherewithal to get out of the way before those things could hit him, it probably could have gotten real nasty for him because he would have had to go many rounds with things that are really hard to hurt. [01:58:22] Speaker A: Glad we didn't stick with that plan. [01:58:25] Speaker D: You all arrive at the gates to find Clint standing on the same side as you, looking perfectly fine. Oliver, you are dead fucking tired. You are just soaked in sweat. [01:58:40] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm keeling over like hands on knees. What happened? [01:58:45] Speaker A: Clint leans against the yo, sorry about know there were some scary things coming at me when I was on the other side. I might have panicked a little bit, but you're fine. Yeah, no scratches on me. But if we need to get on the other side of this wall, there are things waiting for us. [01:59:06] Speaker C: Okay, good. I don't think we need to get on the other side. I think we can wedge the beam on this side. [01:59:13] Speaker A: Mr. B, you okay? You're looking a little winded. [01:59:17] Speaker C: A little? It's a strong or, sorry, a light word for it. [01:59:22] Speaker A: A lot winded. Yeah, you'd look like that too. Go ahead and sit down. We can handle this for you. [01:59:30] Speaker C: Yeah, all right. I'm going to do that. If you need me to help direct you on where to put it, just let me know. [01:59:35] Speaker A: I mean, that might not be a bad idea. [01:59:41] Speaker C: Make sure my drag is not mortified after me leaving it. [01:59:44] Speaker A: Oh yeah. Where are your friends? [01:59:49] Speaker C: Did belly ever let Bram up after we got back? [01:59:53] Speaker D: Yeah, they are nearby. They've been following you back and forth. [01:59:58] Speaker C: Okay, I'll just sit down. [02:00:03] Speaker D: Brahm waddles his way over to you and crawls up into your lap. [02:00:10] Speaker C: Just going to pat him, rub him on the chin. [02:00:17] Speaker D: Happy little chirring noises. [02:00:19] Speaker C: I missed you too. [02:00:23] Speaker D: Haley. Let's add a noise. That might be a sigh, might be a scoff. It's unclear. Disapproving cat noIses. Okay, what exactly are you guys going to do with this poll? [02:00:45] Speaker B: Oh, I thought we were going to goodness. [02:00:54] Speaker D: Also, are you going to take the lock off of the gate? [02:01:00] Speaker A: Yeah, let's get the stuff in place before we unlock the gate. [02:01:08] Speaker B: Yeah, just wrap it around. [02:01:15] Speaker C: It's pledge. Not really bendy. If you do it like diagonal, where one corner on the bottom, it's wedged in there and then goes to the upper corner on the other side, it'll add like a diagonal. Just have it wedged very tight. It'll make it hard for the door to open. [02:01:31] Speaker A: All right, I'll take your word on. [02:01:37] Speaker D: It. [02:01:39] Speaker C: Or wait. Compared to this pole and then. Are there handles on the gate? [02:01:47] Speaker D: There are. [02:01:48] Speaker C: Is it kind of like how we could just sort of, like, slide the pole through the handles? [02:01:53] Speaker D: Not really, because the gate is closed. There isn't exactly the kind of space that you need to put it through the handles. But you can easily kind of wedge it in pretty easily. [02:02:04] Speaker A: Well, do we want to deal with the thread on the other side, open it and shove it through the handles that way, or do you think diagonal will do it? [02:02:15] Speaker C: One's more assured but risky. And the other one could still work. [02:02:24] Speaker B: Aren't there handles on this side of the door? [02:02:28] Speaker C: Yeah, it's just a matter of, like, the angling of it. Since they're closed, we can't really get it in there. Quite right. But if we open them to give us a wider berth to slide it. [02:02:40] Speaker D: In, then the things on the other side might come. [02:02:43] Speaker A: Mr. B, you're going to have to choose your words a little bit better for me. [02:02:48] Speaker C: What did I say? [02:02:50] Speaker A: Oh, man. Spread it open. Slide it in. We're talking lots of funny words in real short amount of time. [02:03:00] Speaker C: I don't comprehend your meaning. It doesn't matter. Just wedge it in diagonally. [02:03:05] Speaker A: You got it. [02:03:08] Speaker B: I can help. [02:03:09] Speaker A: Yeah. Let's work on this together. Four hands is better than two. [02:03:14] Speaker B: This is true. [02:03:16] Speaker D: We're going to do it. Strength and academics. [02:03:24] Speaker B: Strength and academics. [02:03:30] Speaker D: Strength and academics. [02:03:32] Speaker B: Oh, no, I don't think I ever rolled academics. [02:03:39] Speaker D: Well, it's going to take raw physical strength to get this thing wedged in properly, but it's going to take academics to understand the physics of what Oliver's trying to explain. [02:03:47] Speaker B: Yeah, it's funny. [02:03:53] Speaker C: Rolls. [02:03:54] Speaker A: Oh, sorry. Yeah, go ahead, do your thing. [02:03:58] Speaker C: Okay. This isn't. No, it's not an intelligence role, it's a skill. Dang. [02:04:02] Speaker D: You also aren't participating. [02:04:05] Speaker C: Well, no, I was going to use my singing sound, where whenever someone uses it, does an intelligence role. I can give them bonus dice. Not an intelligence role, it's an academics. [02:04:14] Speaker B: That's okay. [02:04:14] Speaker D: They did pretty good. Do either of you have epics? [02:04:20] Speaker A: I got an epic strength. [02:04:23] Speaker D: How many dots? [02:04:25] Speaker A: So I've got one. So that'll turn my. [02:04:28] Speaker D: Wait, do you have anything in academics, Clint? [02:04:31] Speaker A: Yes, I've got one point in academics. [02:04:33] Speaker D: Oh, aren't you lucky. So that's three plus what? [02:04:38] Speaker A: Three plus one. So we got four. [02:04:40] Speaker D: Four. [02:04:42] Speaker B: I also got four. [02:04:48] Speaker D: Remarkably, between the two of them. And Oliver's very gentle coaching. You all manage to wedge this thing in place to hold the gate closed. [02:05:04] Speaker C: Good work. [02:05:08] Speaker B: All right, now to unlock it. Oh, that's me. [02:05:16] Speaker C: Yeah, you picked the lock last time, right? [02:05:20] Speaker A: You don't have to take the lock off either. You just pop the lock or whatever you do and let it hang, you know? [02:05:26] Speaker B: Noted. All right, I will try to pick the lock again to unlock it. [02:05:36] Speaker D: All right, give me Dex and larceny. [02:05:58] Speaker B: Wow. That's butt. So one success, but two dexterity. [02:06:12] Speaker D: Three. [02:06:13] Speaker B: Yeah, I think I might reroll it. I'll spend a point of legend. [02:06:19] Speaker C: You could also spend a willpower just to add an automatic success. I think you got to do it before the roll, actually, so never mind. [02:06:27] Speaker D: Yeah, it has to be before the roll. So are you going to reroll or not? [02:06:34] Speaker B: Yeah, I am. I spend a point of legend. [02:06:36] Speaker D: Okay. Reroll. [02:06:38] Speaker B: Right even. [02:06:42] Speaker D: There we go. [02:06:45] Speaker B: Five. Oh, wait, six. [02:06:48] Speaker D: Very good. Yeah, it comes open pretty easily. And you pull the chain out of the way and let it all kind of just pile on the ground in front of the gate. [02:07:03] Speaker B: You'll step back because knowing that there's other things on the other side, and do one of those things where you're kind of like, okay, is it good? [02:07:12] Speaker D: You can hear something set against it, but these things are heavy, and they're not going anywhere. Not anytime soon, anyway. [02:07:22] Speaker A: I got one last idea. I think we'll be set. Give me them chains real quick. [02:07:29] Speaker B: He'll pass it to him. [02:07:30] Speaker A: Yep. Clint will loop the chains through the handles, and instead of using the lock to secure it, he'll just squeeze as hard as he can, going to try. [02:07:41] Speaker D: And fuse them together. All right. Strength and brawl again. [02:07:51] Speaker A: You got it. We're going to reroll that. That's a legend point. [02:08:11] Speaker B: Koda wants to be so petty and toss the lock over the gate. You should. [02:08:17] Speaker A: All right. With that. That's 12345 successes. [02:08:21] Speaker D: All right. Well, they're not completely fused, but you do manage to get them pretty well pressed together where it's going to take somebody with legendary strength like yours to pride them apart again. [02:08:36] Speaker A: All right, we like that. [02:08:42] Speaker B: Okay. [02:08:44] Speaker C: All right. One loophole figured out. One more to go before we actually have to get out of here. [02:08:51] Speaker B: Yeah, that'd be great. [02:08:54] Speaker C: So our options are a tree, a grave site, or to find that rock again. [02:09:06] Speaker A: Well, what do you think is going to be easier. [02:09:11] Speaker C: Again, I can track down the rock fairly easily, but I'm starting to run on empty here. [02:09:15] Speaker A: Once we're done here, just take a break. [02:09:18] Speaker B: Right. [02:09:19] Speaker C: It's not quite that easy. [02:09:22] Speaker A: Fair enough. [02:09:23] Speaker C: I can't just rest and get this back. It's sort of like a sort of scion glory kind of thing. [02:09:33] Speaker B: I see. [02:09:35] Speaker A: So what, you need some good food, some good drink and know trip to learn more, Riz. Or what? [02:09:41] Speaker B: Does someone have to go? Oh, Mr. B, you're so handsome. Remember that thing that you did once and then suddenly you have the ability to do stuff again? [02:09:53] Speaker A: Yeah. How does it work for. [02:09:58] Speaker D: Imagining the Five shades of red that Oliver just turned? [02:10:05] Speaker C: You know when you guys do cool things and you really got to harness that thing that makes us science? [02:10:13] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:10:16] Speaker C: Sure. Doing spells is very similar. It doesn't just come back. Well, it does, but after a long time, if I need it to rejuvenate, I need to do something to invoke the kind of glory that a scion is. So I, in essence, need to be cool. [02:10:35] Speaker A: Oh, hell yeah. We're going to be so cool. Oh, Oliver, come on. You're cool. [02:10:44] Speaker B: Okay, we can work on that. [02:10:46] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:10:46] Speaker C: Thank you again. Let's figure out a way out. Here we Go. Gravesite or tree? [02:10:57] Speaker B: She never exactly explained what happens if we go to a gravesite. Do we just walk? Do we just hop in and then we just kind of get teleported to the. [02:11:10] Speaker D: Koda. [02:11:11] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:11:12] Speaker D: Your phone chip. It's a text message. [02:11:18] Speaker B: Who's it from? [02:11:19] Speaker D: Net. [02:11:20] Speaker B: Fuck. Koda is immediately sweating. [02:11:27] Speaker A: Never mind. [02:11:28] Speaker B: No, don't look at me. She'll open her phone and read the text. [02:11:35] Speaker D: I told you not to tell her is all it says. [02:11:42] Speaker B: I fucked up, she sends back. [02:11:46] Speaker D: Yeah, no shit. Not the first time. [02:11:52] Speaker B: Ooh. Dang that. Dang that. Okay. I don't even know what to write. Koda doesn't even know what to write. Koda will just write. Okay, sorry. [02:12:18] Speaker D: You don't get an answer. [02:12:23] Speaker C: I think once we get out of here, we all need a break. Well, as long as we can scrape together, I think if we have to. [02:12:34] Speaker A: Go and be cool, we can be cool. [02:12:37] Speaker C: We also need time to work on some other things that have been assigned to us. But still, point is, we can't do that until we get out of here. So we all know how this grave thing works. So maybe we just go for the tree. [02:12:50] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't mind climbing trees. I did that a few times. [02:12:55] Speaker B: Yeah, let's climb a tree or whatever. [02:12:58] Speaker C: Clint, I'm going to need you to carry me. [02:13:00] Speaker A: I'd be more than honored. [02:13:04] Speaker C: Thanks. [02:13:06] Speaker D: You guys are going to go climb a. Huh? [02:13:09] Speaker A: That's the plan. [02:13:11] Speaker D: Okay, well, because this was mentioned earlier, Clint has a total of six seeds, so I just need to know when and where you guys are planning to plant them. [02:13:26] Speaker C: All right? [02:13:30] Speaker D: And somebody will have to keep track of how many you have planted. [02:13:33] Speaker C: I got written down. [02:13:37] Speaker D: All right. Getting to the world Tree is simultaneously a little confusing and very exciting. A little confusing because you're not entirely sure where the roots of the world tree are. Oliver has enough ranks in academics to know that the world Tree's roots do touch the underworld. In theory, all of the worlds rest among its roots and branches somewhere. So I would like to know how you all. Oh. Before we move on, I actually have a thing. Each of you gets one point of legend back. Clint and Oliver, for living up to the virtue of intellect in finding a clever way around part of the bad deal you had to make for embodying that virtue. It's very Irish of you. And coda for harmony. [02:14:58] Speaker B: Oh, nice. [02:14:59] Speaker D: Thank you. [02:15:00] Speaker C: And because of my geos, I get two back instead of. [02:15:03] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [02:15:04] Speaker D: Harmony or duty. I mean, whichever one you think it should be for Coda because you lived up to. [02:15:13] Speaker B: Okay. Hmm. [02:15:17] Speaker D: Harmony was mostly for helping to keep things from getting violent and not pissing off the old lady at her house. Duty. Because you've done a very good job of working as part of a team, which has not always been your strong suit. [02:15:33] Speaker B: Okay. I'll do duty that was more substantial and difficult for her, I'm sure. [02:15:42] Speaker D: All right, Oliver, given that you were the brains of the operation, how would you go about finding the roots of the world tree? [02:16:02] Speaker C: Could I potentially use unlimited eye to get a sense of fate and magic around me and try to kind of follow the signs that feel more Norse as opposed to Japanese? [02:16:19] Speaker D: You absolutely could. It's going to be less about finding something that's more Norse and more about getting a feel for the flow of magic. Because you've been told that the world tree kind of touches all of the worlds, regardless of what the pantheon is. [02:16:40] Speaker C: Then I will spend the willpower to do that, because unlit, I cost willpower, and I do need to make a roll. [02:16:50] Speaker D: Yes, you do. [02:16:51] Speaker C: Utterly bodge it. Almost pulled a Gavin and rolled these sixes. Two successes, so didn't botch it. [02:17:03] Speaker D: All right, does that hit the minimum that you have to hit in order to use it? [02:17:08] Speaker C: It doesn't give me a minimum. It just is one of those things where it's like, once you activate it, you use it, it's activated. So long as I get a success, I think it's all good. [02:17:19] Speaker D: All right. I know some things have minimums that you have to, um. So you activate unlimited eye and kind of cast your gaze around you. The first thing you realize is that there is kind of magic everywhere. And Yomi in particular is actually kind of steeped in legend. In fact, you can see it when you look at all of the buildings in the distance and indeed the walls of the ward behind you. They are glowing a little bit like what you would expect scions and gods to glow like these are things that are still here and have not kind of been swept away by the winds and sands of time and forgetfulness, because they have their own legend, their own potence. But you look past that kind of block it out as a distraction, and you find yourself looking at the flow of magic in this place. And you catch one of those chasms that Coda spotted, one of those places where the world kind of split for a couple of feet or is a couple of feet wide. The split is, and it stretches off into the distance and you can feel and see this odd kind of bluish purple, bluish purplish black energy. It almost feels like it's raw, like creative magic kind of seeping up through that space. And if you figure that other than the mountain behind you, which is glowing like the fucking sun, the top of it is, you're pretty sure that those chasms are the strongest source of magic here. Strongest source of magic and legend here. [02:19:42] Speaker C: All right, that is where we need to go. So seems like we're going to be scaling a mountain more than climbing a tree. No, wait. I misunderstand. [02:19:54] Speaker D: You are going away from the mountain. I was saying that the mountain is another source of legend and light and magic. You also know that that's where Izanami lives. That's probably why it's lit up like it is. [02:20:06] Speaker C: Gotcha. Yeah, I misread. [02:20:10] Speaker A: Don't we need to drop that sword off? [02:20:13] Speaker C: We do, but we need to get out of here first. [02:20:16] Speaker A: Gotcha. [02:20:23] Speaker D: I would like we're going to do a skill challenge. Rather than roleplay every moment of this out, I would like Oliver to give me perception and occult. [02:20:40] Speaker C: All right. [02:20:44] Speaker D: Clint, you have survival, right? [02:20:47] Speaker A: I have one. [02:20:49] Speaker D: Okay. Do you have another way that you would like to help this process along? Essentially you guys need to find the roots of the world tree and try know, basically try to find the roots of the world tree with Oliver kind of taking the lead, but you guys can contribute to the effort. [02:21:12] Speaker A: Clint would help out with trying to look around and track it down. Alternatively, he would just try and be aware, do some vibe checks. But if survival is his best bet, that's fine, too. Otherwise, he can't really think of any way to actually help out directly. Oh, hold on. Yeah, I think the closest thing that he'd be able to do is just death sense and see where things are coming and going. But I'm not sure that would be totally beneficial. [02:21:53] Speaker D: Death sense won't really help you with this. [02:21:55] Speaker A: Yeah, that's what I figured. [02:21:56] Speaker D: So either survival or just a general perception awareness. [02:22:02] Speaker A: Yeah, perception awareness should be his best bet. [02:22:05] Speaker D: Okay, Coda, how would you like to, hmm. [02:22:15] Speaker B: That is a great question. How would Coda, in this moment, like to help? I think she would be, yeah, I think since we were heading towards the, if we're heading towards those chasms, she's going to try to look out for what she saw when she was inside of the gates, because she did notice those at first and was like, oh, something's freaky over there. So she's kind of like, well, that's where we're going. Let me keep looking further into that. She also may be looking for, like, a giant squirrel as well. [02:22:57] Speaker A: Not going to lie, that's nuts. [02:23:01] Speaker D: You're unlikely to fight the squirrel before you get to the world tree, but I will keep that in mind. Let's go with for Coda. [02:23:14] Speaker B: This is weird. I have a question. Yes. Oh, wait, no, we didn't get a picture. Well, okay, question. So is it possible, so I have predatory focus, and with a successful perception and survival, I can track a prey or whatever by scent or almost invisible physical signs. So could I sniff something from the living world and see if that could lead me to how to get to the living world? [02:23:47] Speaker D: Okay, so the living world isn't prey. [02:23:51] Speaker B: Okay, so let me. [02:23:55] Speaker D: Comma, however comma, you were just down here with somebody else who you assume also has to leave and did not go back the way that you were going. [02:24:08] Speaker B: I don't know if I want to go. The route Gwen went, which jumps us. [02:24:17] Speaker D: Aren'T, you know, there's only so many ways out of the. [02:24:26] Speaker B: I feel I could do that. Try to track Gwen. [02:24:30] Speaker D: You can absolutely try to predatory focus to track Gwen and follow her, basically. [02:24:37] Speaker B: Cool. Let me do the role perception and survival. [02:24:42] Speaker D: She's the vaguely familiar person you saw at the mall when you were five. And you're like, I'm going to follow this person and maybe they'll lead me to my parents. [02:24:50] Speaker B: Oh, no, that's too relatable. [02:24:55] Speaker A: It just kind of clicked that I could let Ian do the actual. [02:25:03] Speaker B: Could, could, could Pele sense the tree. [02:25:08] Speaker D: Pele can sense portals and stuff like that if he's close enough. [02:25:14] Speaker B: Okay, let me do my role, and then I'm going to look at him and be like, does your fur feel like you're closer to something? [02:25:22] Speaker D: Sure. Fur feel like you're closer. [02:25:26] Speaker A: Ian, since we're looking around, you mind helping us look for stuff? [02:25:35] Speaker D: What do you want me to look for? [02:25:37] Speaker A: That's a really good question. See, we're trying to find, what was it? The world tree. So we're looking for roots or any sort of thing that will lead us up that tree. Oliver, Coda, do we know any sort of signs that we're looking for? [02:25:57] Speaker C: Not necessarily. I'm just following the sort of magical aura of it. I'm getting us somewhat close, but nothing concrete. [02:26:07] Speaker A: All right, well, just, Ian, keep an eye out for us, and we're trying to find a way back. Top side. [02:26:15] Speaker D: Okay. I'm hungry. [02:26:26] Speaker A: Let me pull seeds out of the other pocket. Hold on. All right, so I got some acorns here, and I also got a dime. Looks like an old dime. It ain't food, but it's shiny. [02:26:40] Speaker D: He scoops down, he snatches some of the seeds out of your hand and also grabs the dime. [02:26:49] Speaker A: Get on after it, Ian. [02:26:50] Speaker D: And flies off. [02:26:57] Speaker A: All right, would Ian get to roll any sort of checks for this? [02:27:00] Speaker D: I am rolling for Ian behind the scenes. [02:27:02] Speaker C: Awesome. [02:27:04] Speaker D: Coda. What did you roll for? Your tracking. [02:27:09] Speaker B: It was perception. And I got a 7123-4567. Yes. [02:27:21] Speaker D: Excellent. Very good. [02:27:24] Speaker B: My sniffer. If Gwen does have epic wits or a stealth. [02:27:37] Speaker D: Well, she's Norse, so she does not have arate. [02:27:42] Speaker B: Okay, so if she has epic wits, then she could do a contested role. That's wits and stealth. [02:27:54] Speaker D: She didn't say that. She was trying to hide where she was going, so I'm not going to give her the chance to roll against. To roll against. Copy Captain. [02:28:04] Speaker E: She'd do a terrible job even if she could roll. So. [02:28:12] Speaker D: All right, between the three of you, the first thing you realize after about 4 hours of walking is that this is going to be a while. This is not a quick trip. You are walking further and further away from any sort of civilization down here. You are walking instead towards. It seems like you're just walking out into the middle of an almost barren space. You see the crumbling ruins of buildings that look like they were taken out in battles a long time ago, maybe hints that there might have once been a place, a fort built here or a collection of yurts over there. But there's almost nothing left. And there's no people this far out. In fact, you walk by one building that looks like it may have at one point been a palace that was damaged in like a fire or something. And as you guys are walking towards it, the closer you get, the smaller and less significant it seems to get. And you realize that you are watching as it is being forgotten, like actively. And by the time you get close, you are there just in time to watch a strong breeze sweep away what's left. And there's nothing there. Um, but you continue to follow this crack along the ground. And the further and further away you get, the wider and wider the chasm becomes and you realize that you can't really see down into it very far. I don't know if any of you has dark vision, but even with that, there's nothing. It's like you're looking down into a void. [02:30:22] Speaker A: Ian, what do you see down there? [02:30:25] Speaker D: Nothing. [02:30:26] Speaker A: Okay, me too. [02:30:27] Speaker D: Nothing. [02:30:28] Speaker A: Yeah, that's what I'm seeing. [02:30:31] Speaker D: Looks like there might be, I don't know, cliffs or mountains or something in the distance. [02:30:36] Speaker B: Oh, wait, Yukiko did say where the boulder might be would be really dark. [02:30:45] Speaker D: Yeah, you're not going in that direction. Like, you guys know exactly what direction that was in. You're kind of going the opposite. [02:30:52] Speaker B: Okay, cool. Just want to make sure, or make sure. [02:30:57] Speaker A: There'S a boulder down there. [02:31:00] Speaker B: No, never mind, ignore me. [02:31:02] Speaker A: Okay. [02:31:05] Speaker D: You all continue on. And at about the seven to eight hour mark, you realize that up in the distance are these impossibly tall, sheer cliff faces. They go up so far that you lose sight of where the tops are. But that crack in the ground, which is now a good 30ft wide, runs straight up to them and splits open that wall. And there is light coming from between the walls. It's not bright, but it is lighter than the chasm. [02:32:00] Speaker A: You reckon we ought to go that way? [02:32:04] Speaker C: Typically, you are supposed to go towards the light. Except one. [02:32:09] Speaker B: Die if you're looking to die. Yeah, but. Yeah, sure. [02:32:14] Speaker C: Kind of ironic, considering we're leaving the land of that. Never mind. Let's just be our way. [02:32:20] Speaker D: All right. [02:32:21] Speaker A: Is this where I start carrying you, Mr. B? [02:32:25] Speaker C: We'll see. [02:32:26] Speaker A: Okay. [02:32:27] Speaker D: LA is walking along beside all of you. And he's kind of been alternating between climbing up on Dakota's shoulders to let her carry him and hopping down to walk on his own. And he kind of gets in close to her ankles and kind of weaves between them as you guys are walking. And as you get closer and closer to these cliff walls, you hear low. It sounds like a growl to everyone else but Dakota, it sounds like an almost thoughtful but. [02:33:14] Speaker B: Hello. [02:33:23] Speaker D: That shouldn't be broken. [02:33:27] Speaker B: What should it be broken? The wall. Hi, I'm Coda Massacoy, scion of the state. And you are. [02:33:34] Speaker D: You're talking to your cat, Coda. [02:33:36] Speaker B: Oh. [02:33:41] Speaker D: Pele looks at you and goes, I'm Pele, dumbass. [02:33:47] Speaker B: I thought it was the growling that was talking to me. [02:33:50] Speaker D: No, Pele was growling thoughtfully. [02:33:56] Speaker A: A mysterious growl? [02:33:57] Speaker D: No, just a cat that's getting clipped. [02:34:03] Speaker B: Okay, what should it be broken, Pele? [02:34:08] Speaker D: The walls. I mean, I heard that there was damage. I didn't think it was this bad, though. When you talked to either of your friends who gave you advice on how to get here, did they mention that all of the underworlds are kind of one big world that's just segregated? [02:34:38] Speaker B: Yes, but they did say it's all starting to bleed into each other. [02:34:47] Speaker D: I think we found one of the bleeding points. On the plus side, this is probably the easiest way to get to the world tree. [02:34:57] Speaker B: Good old. Take a picture of this and then turn to the group and, um, so this is this what's happening herE. We're going the right way. But what's happening here is Mr. Pele says this is bad. [02:35:16] Speaker D: You sure you don't want to introduce yourself again? [02:35:19] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. It was all dark. Yes, tiny God did say that, right? [02:35:33] Speaker A: Sounds like prime opportunity for a selfie. [02:35:37] Speaker B: Yes. [02:35:38] Speaker C: In front of the bad thing. [02:35:41] Speaker A: Well, yeah, we got to send this on so folks know shit's getting bad. [02:35:46] Speaker C: Why do we need to be in the photo, though? [02:35:49] Speaker A: Do you not like being in photos? [02:35:51] Speaker B: Do you want legend or not? [02:35:53] Speaker C: I don't particularly like having my photo taken. [02:35:57] Speaker B: Okay, so time for us all to take a photo then. [02:36:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:36:02] Speaker B: Lean in. Thank you. [02:36:04] Speaker A: Yep. Ian, come on, let's get into picture too. [02:36:08] Speaker D: Ian swoops down, and just as you hit the button, Coda Ian kind of dive bums in between your head and Oliver's. And Oliver's face is kind of, like, screwed up in this. Oh, what the hell? As Ian's wigs are just flapping and going crazy. [02:36:35] Speaker B: Even better. [02:36:36] Speaker A: All right, can you send me. All right, let me forward this to mom real quick, let her know shit's getting weird down here. [02:36:49] Speaker C: Why do you need to send that to your mother? [02:36:51] Speaker A: Well, who else do we report the weird things to? Do we just keep them secret, or do we let folks know? [02:36:58] Speaker B: Valid there. [02:36:59] Speaker C: Valid. It's a valid point. [02:37:01] Speaker A: All right, well, don't text my mom. [02:37:03] Speaker C: Send it to anyone. Else. No other gods that you have the phone numbers of. Not Lou. [02:37:08] Speaker A: Not even Lou. [02:37:09] Speaker C: Come on. Don't put it on Sciongram or whatever. [02:37:13] Speaker D: That'S even a thing you should totally send it to. [02:37:17] Speaker A: Think I. Let's see. Lou has been nothing but an amazing friend, so I think, if nothing else, he can see a picture of us, see that we're doing okay. [02:37:27] Speaker C: We have a wall through the crime climb. [02:37:32] Speaker B: Too. Kidding. [02:37:37] Speaker D: Kidding. [02:37:42] Speaker A: Clint is whipping out his phone and furiously tapping on the screen. [02:37:48] Speaker B: Keep walking forward. All right, but making sure to not leave Glint behind. [02:37:55] Speaker A: Yeah, I can walk and type. That's all good. [02:37:57] Speaker D: Pele leads you guys right up to where that crack in the wall is, and it's actually pretty wide. There is a ledge that kind of leads along the inside of where this crack in the wall is that you can walk on. And as long as you don't go Jostling each other, you'll be fine. Nobody has to roll for that. And you take this path out, and you realize after a moment that you could keep going straight through to the other side of the wall, or you could kind of take this little branch off into what looks like a cave type of area, and Pele sort of stops and looks towards the way that would continue going in the direction that you have been going, and then looks towards the branch and lets out a particularly cat like sigh. This way. And heads into this branch, where it gets significantly more claustrophobic. [02:39:09] Speaker B: Kelly, do we need to go that way? [02:39:12] Speaker D: Yes. The other way leads to another underworld. This way leads out. [02:39:19] Speaker B: Okay, Clint, you want to go in the front, go in the back, or you want to be in the middle? [02:39:29] Speaker A: I'll take the back. That way, if Mr. B starts slowing down, I can push him along. [02:39:36] Speaker C: Great idea. [02:39:37] Speaker A: Yeah. That way, y'all don't have to see me get a little scared. [02:39:42] Speaker B: All right, well, just give a pat on the back if you're getting. If things are becoming too much. [02:39:49] Speaker A: Yeah, you got it. I'll let you know if I need a moment. [02:39:53] Speaker B: All right. [02:39:53] Speaker D: Shut up. [02:39:57] Speaker A: Y'all want to say anything to Lou before I hit send on this thing? [02:40:00] Speaker D: Tell the Friday dog to hurry up. We're wasting time. I have fish waiting for. Right. [02:40:07] Speaker A: All right. Clint will slip his phone away and catch up. [02:40:11] Speaker B: I relay all of that. [02:40:16] Speaker D: All right. You walk for another few hours before you break out into light. It. It's not blinding. You realize that you are standing in a place that is impossible by your senses. You stare off into the distance, and it is like looking at a backdrop of swirling blues and purples and blacks with stars thrown across it. Like somebody tossed diamonds across this blanket that's kind of perpetually moving. There is a very strong wind here to where you guys have to yell to talk to each other over the sound. And you look up and you realize that you are looking up a path that is not a path cut into the stone, but it's wood and it's covered in bark. And as you look up and up and up, it's so big, you can't see branches. You Just see what looks like maybe a curving root that moves up and joins a more wood, like a stump higher up, but it quickly disappears into cloud. Like foggy. Like fog and mist. [02:42:11] Speaker A: You know the best thing about Oliver? You clearly heard a joke before. What do you think I was going to say? [02:42:25] Speaker C: I just assumed you were going to follow a certain pattern whenever we bring up trees. [02:42:32] Speaker A: Oh, no, I was just going to say their bark's worse than their bite. [02:42:36] Speaker C: That I'm much more okay with. [02:42:39] Speaker A: Yeah, I already know about the other thing. I mean, this don't look like no conifer. [02:42:48] Speaker B: Soda is just going to look between the two of them. Look like y'all keep talking about these conifers. [02:42:55] Speaker C: You don't need to know. [02:42:56] Speaker B: I really don't want. Actually, funnily enough. Good. [02:43:02] Speaker C: Clint, I'm going to tie this rope that we still have around my waist and your waist. So if something were to happen and I fall, you'll probably catch me. [02:43:10] Speaker A: Yeah. And if worse happens, you just split in half around the rope. It'll be okay. [02:43:16] Speaker C: Why would you say that? [02:43:17] Speaker A: Just to make you a little nervous. Have fun with you. [02:43:20] Speaker C: I'm already very nervous. [02:43:22] Speaker A: I know, but I'm here to make sure I've noticed that part, too. I'm just here to make sure it's okay. I'm messing with you to let you know that I'm confident we're going to be just fine. [02:43:35] Speaker C: All right? Sure. Thank you. [02:43:38] Speaker A: Yeah. You ready? [02:43:43] Speaker C: Yes. [02:43:44] Speaker A: You want to take a picture. [02:43:47] Speaker D: When. [02:43:47] Speaker C: We get higher up? Maybe. [02:43:49] Speaker A: Okay. [02:43:51] Speaker C: Yeah. I will tie the rope around me and Clint. [02:43:55] Speaker D: Okay. Are you guys going to climb? What are you doing? [02:44:03] Speaker C: Yeah, I can climb. [02:44:06] Speaker A: I mean, climbing is a loose term. I was planning on jumping, catching. Jumping, catching. Using that sky purview. Real good luck. [02:44:15] Speaker C: Well, I'm tied to you. [02:44:16] Speaker D: You'd have to full on fly and you literally can't see where the next branch is. [02:44:23] Speaker A: Oh, well, that does make it more difficult. Guess we'll just do some traditional climbing. [02:44:28] Speaker D: Understand that when I say you're dealing with a world tree. I mean, you are dealing with a world tree. This thing is big enough that worlds rest in its branches. [02:44:40] Speaker A: It's going to be a long climb then. [02:44:42] Speaker D: You all have never felt so tiny and insignificant in your lives as standing. [02:44:49] Speaker A: Here like this one time mom yelled at me. [02:44:53] Speaker D: It is awe inspiring. [02:44:59] Speaker C: All right, how about you carry me, Clint, and then I'll try to point out the best route to ascend. [02:45:07] Speaker A: Yeah. If you see any handholds or places I can stick my feet, just let me know. [02:45:12] Speaker C: We'll do. Let's get to it. [02:45:15] Speaker A: Coda, you want to climb on, too, or are you going to do it solo? [02:45:20] Speaker B: I'll do it solo. Well, I mean, I have Pele with me. [02:45:27] Speaker A: Is he going to help you? Okay. You're going to carry him. Got it? [02:45:30] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:45:32] Speaker A: I was confused for a second there. I was wondering how a cat's going to drag you up a tree, but the other way makes more sense. [02:45:38] Speaker B: Yes. [02:45:40] Speaker A: All right, let's get going. [02:45:46] Speaker D: All right, this is going to be. We're going to make this another skill challenge because I don't want to spend a metric fuck ton of time doing this. I would like, however, Oliver, there is a chance. You have been warned. Coda brought it up. There is a chance that you could run into the squirrel that lives on the world tree. [02:46:30] Speaker C: Right? [02:46:32] Speaker D: That is a luck question. [02:46:37] Speaker C: Yes. [02:46:38] Speaker D: You have the option to just take your chances and hope you don't run into him. Or I will allow you to spend whatever you need to spend to warp your luck in a way that you don't run into him. [02:46:57] Speaker C: From my knowledge, what sorts of things can I expect if we do run into him? [02:47:04] Speaker D: Well, in some of the stories, things get violent. You could end up getting grabbed and carried to the wrong part of the tree and end up in a world you never wanted to go to in the first place with no idea how to get back. There are a number of things that could go wrong, but it might not happen at all. [02:47:33] Speaker C: I just got some legend back. I can afford it. I'll warp our luck with Bona Fortuna to make sure this goes smoothly, at least in that regard. [02:47:46] Speaker D: Okay. All right. You all have a long, long climb ahead of you. This is going to be something that will require the three of you to work together. Sometimes you will be able to walk on your own. Sometimes you will have to actually climb like you were climbing a sheer cliff. There are going to be times where you are going to have to make judgment calls on which direction to go in because you don't know entirely where your world is among the branches. Pele is going to do his best to help, which means that one of you will get a bonus to whatever it is that you are rolling. And we can decide on who gets that bonus based on the roles or the approaches that you all want to take. La cannot just lead you directly to your world. You've got to get him close enough, which is why it's going to depend on who does what, who he helps. [02:48:58] Speaker C: My plan is to just help us navigate, come up with the best route for us to ascend or navigate the tree. And since I just use bone Fortuna, is that only going to apply to avoiding Gasker, or can it also have its normal effect as well, which is to give me a larger dipole? [02:49:22] Speaker D: I'm sorry, say that again. [02:49:23] Speaker C: Since I just used bona Fortuna, am I only going to be able to get the effect of evading Radagascar, or can I also get its usual effect of increasing or giving me a bonus Dipole to draw from? [02:49:37] Speaker D: No, that's only for that one thing. [02:49:39] Speaker C: Got you. [02:49:40] Speaker D: Because I'm effectively allowing you to hand wave an entire risk of being on the world tree at all. So it's the only thing you get for it. But that's a very significant thing because that could cause all kinds of problems. [02:49:54] Speaker C: Which is why I'm like, it's fine if I can't do both. Just want to see how much I can milk out of it. [02:49:59] Speaker D: Not as much as you would like. All right, so you are going to try to navigate. [02:50:12] Speaker C: Yes. [02:50:14] Speaker D: Okay, let's go with intelligent survival. Oda, what's your approach? Don't roll anything yet, Oliver. Just keep in mind that that's what you're going to be rolling. [02:50:40] Speaker B: I think she's going to do the classic head on a swivel. Well, actually, maybe not head on a swivel, but more so like it. Does the predatory focus thing still count in this or no? [02:51:02] Speaker D: If you would like to roll that again, I will allow you to. But you don't know that she is going where you're going. [02:51:09] Speaker B: Yeah, that's the only thing. [02:51:11] Speaker D: So you can. But it's not a guaranteed. [02:51:17] Speaker B: Know. I think Coda more so is just focusing on how can we safely get up this. So she's looking out for footholds and smart ways to climb up stuff, essentially. Okay. [02:51:41] Speaker D: Because this is going to be. No, you know what, I'll allow it. That's going to be a strength and athletics. Hold off on rolling, please. [02:51:50] Speaker B: Copy. [02:51:51] Speaker D: Clint. Yeah, what's your approach? [02:51:56] Speaker A: Well, do we have any extra rope? [02:52:00] Speaker D: Yes, you absolutely have extra rope. You guys were shopping for rope. [02:52:05] Speaker A: Well, if we got enough rope, I'd like to take advantage of my toothpick. Ain't just a weapon, it's a tool. I'd like to be able to tie some rope to that, throw it up there and give us a little extra handhold so that we don't slip and slide so much on the way up there. And as we get up to the toothpick, pull it out, throw it back up there and keep on trucking, you. [02:52:26] Speaker D: Have hurled to the horizon, don't you? [02:52:29] Speaker A: I do indeed, bitch. [02:52:33] Speaker D: Okay. Yeah, that's going to be Dex and throne, I guess. [02:52:40] Speaker A: You got it. [02:52:43] Speaker D: All right, we're going to have. Pele is going to help Oliver, because Oliver is navigating and Pele is looking for paths to worlds and trying to identify them. So, Oliver, you get two extra dice from Pele. [02:52:59] Speaker C: All right? [02:53:01] Speaker D: If you would all roll, please. [02:53:06] Speaker C: That is not that great. Five. [02:53:09] Speaker A: I would like to reroll. [02:53:11] Speaker D: Okay. [02:53:17] Speaker A: That'S better. One, two, three. And then the epic. And Dex, that's four. [02:53:26] Speaker D: Oda. [02:53:31] Speaker A: Ooh. [02:53:33] Speaker D: 24567 plus epic. How many epics? [02:53:41] Speaker B: One. [02:53:41] Speaker D: So eight. How's your back feel, Coda? Jesus. [02:53:48] Speaker B: Pretty good. [02:53:50] Speaker D: Coda's like, I got this, I can carry the team. It's fine. [02:53:53] Speaker C: I got five. It's not bad. My epic intelligence carried most of my wins, though. [02:54:03] Speaker D: All right, let's see. [02:54:11] Speaker B: That's. [02:54:12] Speaker D: How many did you get code? [02:54:13] Speaker B: I'm sorry? [02:54:14] Speaker D: Eight. [02:54:15] Speaker B: Yes, eight. Eight. [02:54:17] Speaker D: And then five and four. [02:54:22] Speaker A: That's right. [02:54:27] Speaker D: 17. Make another round of rolls, please. [02:54:32] Speaker C: You got it. [02:54:34] Speaker A: This time, I would like to use willpower and add a little courage and slightly modify my strategy, if that's okay. [02:54:44] Speaker D: How are you going to modify your. [02:54:45] Speaker A: Strategy, given that I have hurled to the horizon and we're looking for branches that are pretty decent, clip up and we can't quite see them, Clint is going to. Instead of aiming at the bark, that's A little easier to see. Maybe just at the edge of the vision, thanks to the fog. He's going to try and Pierce the fog and go for a branch that's hopefully directly overhead or close enough. [02:55:13] Speaker D: Huh. Tell me how that's courageous. [02:55:18] Speaker A: Well, I mean, because you have a. [02:55:21] Speaker D: Weapon that you can call back to you. [02:55:23] Speaker A: That's fair. Never mind. I'm not going to be losing the weapon. Maybe it's not courage. Maybe it is intellect. Then it's not much dice, but it's one. [02:55:36] Speaker D: Okay, I will allow that. [02:55:38] Speaker A: Cool. [02:55:39] Speaker D: Make sure that you mark off that die that you can't use it again until the next story. Yes. Coda. [02:55:47] Speaker B: So I have the not penetrating glare, divine radiance. So I can probably make. Not probably so I could emit light. Is there a role I can do to see if it would help to do that? To shine light in here? Maybe that. [02:56:09] Speaker D: Okay, so there is light already. You guys can see just fine. Honestly, I think you'd just be wasting points by doing that right now. [02:56:21] Speaker B: Got you. Because I didn't know who would shine through the fog to be like, oh, there's something over there. [02:56:26] Speaker D: No. If anything, you know how most of the time fog actually bounces light back at you? [02:56:32] Speaker B: You know what? That's true. [02:56:33] Speaker D: That's true. Yeah. It's not like the fog is causing a huge problem. It's just that you guys are so far away that it's up and kind of condensing in places where you're not. You know what I mean? Okie doke. They're like low hanging clouds to you guys. [02:56:48] Speaker B: Okie doke. So then I will just do my regular. [02:56:57] Speaker C: All right. Another five. [02:57:10] Speaker D: Got three, it looks like. [02:57:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:57:13] Speaker A: And I got seven. [02:57:15] Speaker D: Jeez. Taking turns. [02:57:17] Speaker C: Taking turns, Gary. [02:57:21] Speaker D: All right. It is about this point you guys have been climbing for hours that you end up having to stop. You camp out on a branch. You're exhausted, you're sweaty, you're winded. Pele kind of nuzzles against Coda while you guys are resting and settling down to Basically make camp for at least five or 6 hours so that you can get some sleep. I'm going to go have a look around. I'll be back. [02:58:02] Speaker B: Okay. Be safe. [02:58:06] Speaker D: And he kind of disappears up the tree. [02:58:10] Speaker A: You want to go with him? [02:58:14] Speaker D: Why would I? [02:58:15] Speaker A: It's a good question. I don't know. Thought you might be getting bored of me. [02:58:20] Speaker D: Nah, he's an ass. [02:58:22] Speaker A: Okay, I won't tell him he said that. [02:58:30] Speaker D: Go ahead and tell him. He can't reach me anyway. [02:58:33] Speaker A: I don't think he'd understand me. [02:58:36] Speaker D: Fair. You guys manage to get your sleep. It is blissfully peaceful, with the exception of that biting cold wind that keeps rushing in. You guys end up all kind of in one tent, huddled together just to keep warm because setting a fire on the branches of the world tree might not be a great idea. But you manage to get some sleep, and you wake up in the morning to an indignant meow and scraping at the door at the zipper of the tent. Wake up. [02:59:20] Speaker B: I know wait, Pala. All right. And then open it and then go. I finally had peaceful sleep. [02:59:32] Speaker D: All night finding the right branches. And you were down here sleeping. [02:59:36] Speaker B: Yes, finally. Oh, wait. You said you found the right branches. [02:59:43] Speaker D: I think I found the juncture. [02:59:44] Speaker B: Yeah. All right, I guess I should wake everyone else up. Oh, let me get you a treat. You did a great job. [02:59:55] Speaker D: Yes, I did. [02:59:58] Speaker B: You're so adorable. And she'll just kind of grumble and grab snacks and then start to shake the other two. [03:00:14] Speaker A: Do we have to? [03:00:15] Speaker D: Yes. [03:00:17] Speaker A: Okay. [03:00:19] Speaker B: Mr. B, wake up. No, there's no coffee in the world tree. Mr. B. [03:00:30] Speaker A: We didn't pack any instant coffee. [03:00:33] Speaker C: I didn't think that far. [03:00:35] Speaker B: Toaster shroudles. [03:00:36] Speaker C: No. [03:00:37] Speaker A: Okay, now you're talking. [03:00:40] Speaker B: Yeah. [03:00:41] Speaker C: No, you do not want to eat those. [03:00:43] Speaker D: We can walk and eat. [03:00:44] Speaker B: We can walk and eat. It'll be great. [03:00:46] Speaker A: Yeah, that's fine with me. Why wouldn't I toast? [03:00:50] Speaker C: They're expired. [03:00:51] Speaker B: They're not expired. [03:00:52] Speaker D: That is so rude for you to say. [03:00:54] Speaker A: I have no problem with old food. [03:00:57] Speaker C: They also have not been refrigerated in ever since Coda's owned them. [03:01:03] Speaker A: All right, that's just more flavor. You ever had a dry aged steak? We're about to have a dry aged toaster strudel. [03:01:10] Speaker C: It's supposed to be kept cold for a reason. [03:01:15] Speaker A: Until you eat it. [03:01:17] Speaker C: It's perishable. It's a perishable item. You keep it. Let's just move on. We need to get out of here. [03:01:23] Speaker B: Kelly found the branches, so maybe we can debate about how absolutely amazing Toaster Trudeau's are and do not need to be Refrigerated. [03:01:39] Speaker A: Yeah, I like that. [03:01:44] Speaker D: Okay, one more round of rolls. [03:01:50] Speaker C: Okie dokie. [03:01:52] Speaker D: DC that you need to hit this time is significantly lower than last time because Pele rolled amazing on his check to find the right juncture. [03:02:02] Speaker C: So, yeah, it looks like we are taking turns. [03:02:11] Speaker D: I see five from Oliver. [03:02:13] Speaker C: Eight total. [03:02:15] Speaker D: Excellent. [03:02:16] Speaker A: I got four this time, three from me. Yep. [03:02:21] Speaker D: You guys are really just trading off, taking turns. [03:02:23] Speaker C: It's my turn for the good roll stick. [03:02:30] Speaker D: All right, so what ends up happening is this final day, Clint. You end up, like, practically tying Oliver to your back because this is a just straight up sheer cliff face kind of climb this time. [03:02:49] Speaker A: Yeah, that makes sense. Hold on tight, Mr. B. Is that a stone in your pocket? Yeah, that's the Bluetooth rock. [03:03:00] Speaker D: Never mind the Bluetooth rock. I forgot about that. Pele rides in coda's bag because he's made this climb twice and he's not doing it again, damn it. [03:03:14] Speaker B: As he shouldn't. [03:03:15] Speaker D: Tiny God requires a Plankwin. But the bag will do. And you all scale this final length, and you get to the juncture of a massive tree branch. And when I say massive, we're talking, like, multilane highways. Like, put four of them side by side, and that's just this main branch that you've stepped out onto. And there's a good five or 6 hours of walking before you get to the first juncture, which is where Pele kind of tells you to turn and you follow through or follow down the length of it until you reach a point where you realize that you are looking at what looks like a large person sized marble, except that the side that is facing you looks kind of flimsy and almost liquid like. And as you kind of really focus on it, you realize that it looks like a marble, but it looks like a marble because Earth looks a little bit like a marble, and you're looking at a version of Earth that is as tall as Gavin. [03:04:48] Speaker A: You don't see that every day. [03:04:51] Speaker C: No, it's quite strange. And this is the moment I will take out my phone and take a photo. [03:04:57] Speaker A: That makes sense. [03:05:00] Speaker B: You know what? Her, too. [03:05:04] Speaker A: You know what? I'll snap a selfie while I'm at it. [03:05:07] Speaker D: I love modern science. We're just going to take selfies of Earth on the world tree. [03:05:12] Speaker C: Oliver's not a selfie. It's just like a full on Oliver. [03:05:16] Speaker A: You're in Clint's selfie. You're strapped to the back. [03:05:21] Speaker C: Not jazzed about it. [03:05:22] Speaker D: Clint takes a selfie of himself and Oliver trying to take a normal picture. Strapped to Clint's back. [03:05:28] Speaker A: Yep. [03:05:31] Speaker D: All right, are you guys going to travel through, or are you just going to stay in here and take pictures? [03:05:37] Speaker C: I think we're traveling through. [03:05:39] Speaker B: Going through. [03:05:40] Speaker A: All right, we'll go through. [03:05:43] Speaker B: Okay. [03:05:49] Speaker D: Oliver. [03:05:51] Speaker C: Yes. [03:05:52] Speaker D: Even to odds. [03:05:54] Speaker C: Oh, no. Even. [03:06:03] Speaker D: Coda. Even or OD. [03:06:05] Speaker B: Odd. [03:06:08] Speaker D: Clint, even or odd? [03:06:12] Speaker A: I can't even, so I'll stick with odd. [03:06:17] Speaker D: Okay, termite, would you please do me the honor of rolling me? [03:06:26] Speaker E: All right. [03:06:34] Speaker B: It. [03:06:35] Speaker C: Wow. [03:06:36] Speaker D: Dead on. Holy good guesses. I was really hoping at least one of you would get it wrong. All right, you all step through and every. It's like existence gets turned on its head. You feel a little bit like Alice through the looking glass. You are spinning endlessly, tumbling in the air, but also like you're floating, not falling. Up is down and down is up, and left is right, and everything is confusing. And the sky and the ground have been reversed. And it's just a jumble on your senses. You are completely overwhelmed and you can't make sense of what's going on. And then suddenly you are standing in the middle of a street or in the middle of a parking lot. [03:07:46] Speaker C: All right, we're back. [03:07:52] Speaker D: It is midday. You look around and you realize that it takes Oliver a moment as his senses kind of come to bear and he's less dizzy. Takes him a moment to realize that the building at the back of the parking lot has a sign in Japanese on it. And as you all are standing there kind of getting your bearings, a black SUV pulls up and stops and the driver's side window rolls down. Shango. [03:08:39] Speaker A: Yes. [03:08:42] Speaker D: You found them. Took some doing. They didn't come out where you thought they would. [03:08:47] Speaker F: The fuck they didn't. Good God. Well, as a word. [03:08:55] Speaker D: They'Re also about five days late. [03:08:58] Speaker C: Oh, boy. [03:09:03] Speaker F: I'm going to step out of the car. [03:09:08] Speaker D: Would you like to explain what they see in front of them? [03:09:11] Speaker F: They see middle height, maybe in his mid 30s, black gentleman with a. I mean, doesn't matter what angle that you look at him at N. He has a impeccably tailored to whatever, whoever's looking at him. That suit is exactly what they think a good suit would look like. And it has this deep red to it, all the way up and down with some white trimmings to it. He's a wonderful scruff going. And he pulls down the fedora that he was wearing, that if you kind of look at it weirdly in the sun, it kind of looks like a crown for some reason. You can't quite tell why. And as he steps out, he has a kind of a crooked smile that seems a little tired, and he looks upon all of you with cloudy gray eyes, and he just looks incredibly relieved. You three are extremely difficult to track down. [03:10:22] Speaker C: We've gotten that before. [03:10:26] Speaker A: You don't have my number. [03:10:29] Speaker F: Were you worried it wouldn't really work out that well, young man? [03:10:32] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [03:10:33] Speaker B: And you are? Sorry. Hello, I'm Koda Masakoi, scion of the step. [03:10:42] Speaker F: I know exactly who you are, young lady. I am just so relieved that you're all okay. You should have been back so many days ago. How did you. It's been about five days, but forgive me. And he, like, nods his head. I am Shango. It's a pleasure to meet you. [03:11:08] Speaker C: All of the Loa. I did some research on you once for. Well, when we had the trial, but yeah, I've heard of you. [03:11:19] Speaker F: Well, I appreciate that. I don't get out nearly as much into the wider world. But I have been meaning to visit them, Matsukami, for quite some time. [03:11:30] Speaker C: I love it. [03:11:31] Speaker F: But everyone in the car. And I do mean everyone. Oh, you're adorable. Thank you. You're a Cupid guy. Pat's a Clint on the shoulder. But I appreciate talking to the dragon. The cat is. Oh, I know exactly who you are. [03:11:58] Speaker D: Pele holds himself proudly on Koda's shoulder like the tiny God he is. [03:12:05] Speaker F: Love to see royalty in action, but. Goodness, you're all exhausted. All right, everybody in the car. [03:12:15] Speaker C: Quick question. We recovered this sword. We're supposed to get to Isanagi all in due time. [03:12:23] Speaker F: You are all very late and you have many people waiting for you. I'm doing my best to. I was hoping to catch you days ago to aid you in getting where you need to go. But I also need to do something for me as well. So you are very backed up in all of your duties? [03:12:45] Speaker A: Yeah, we do be constipated like that sometimes. [03:12:50] Speaker C: But first things first. [03:12:52] Speaker F: Get in the car. [03:12:53] Speaker A: Okay. [03:12:55] Speaker F: Snacks in the glove box. [03:12:58] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:12:59] Speaker F: I got you, big man. Come on. [03:13:01] Speaker A: Thank you. [03:13:02] Speaker F: Everybody in. What is your little friend's name? He'll gesture at the Corvete. [03:13:11] Speaker A: Oh, that's Ian. [03:13:13] Speaker F: Ian might be a little cramped for you. I apologize. And he thought he gets into a seat. [03:13:19] Speaker A: Ian, do you want to sit in my lap or do you want to fly with us? [03:13:28] Speaker D: I guess I'll sit in your lap. [03:13:30] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:13:31] Speaker C: All right. [03:13:32] Speaker A: Come on. [03:13:32] Speaker D: Don't tell your mother. [03:13:35] Speaker A: Tell who what? [03:13:36] Speaker D: That's right. [03:13:39] Speaker A: I might sneak a picture, though. You never get in my lap. [03:13:43] Speaker D: I'll bite you. [03:13:44] Speaker A: I know you will. I'll pretend it hurts. [03:13:52] Speaker F: He starts the car and starts driving. All right. Got to get to the airport as soon as we can. We're going to get you on my jet. And I'm getting all of you back. [03:14:00] Speaker B: Home. [03:14:03] Speaker F: As it were. [03:14:06] Speaker C: Thank you. [03:14:09] Speaker F: No worries. My main goal is for the rest of you. The rest of you, all of you, sleep off what you just went through. How did you get back? [03:14:19] Speaker C: We climbed a tree. [03:14:23] Speaker F: You climbed the world tree? [03:14:25] Speaker A: Yeah, we did. [03:14:27] Speaker B: It's quite the hike. [03:14:31] Speaker A: You should let other folks know we did that. [03:14:35] Speaker F: No, I've already talked to Damon. He's got rooms ready for you. [03:14:39] Speaker A: Oh, okay. [03:14:40] Speaker C: Yes, Damon's farm. [03:14:43] Speaker F: Absolutely. I could use some of his words myself. Honestly, after running around looking for you for so long. [03:14:50] Speaker C: You'll like it there. Damon's a good guy. [03:14:54] Speaker A: I'm looking forward to it. So far. Most of the folks I met with, you all have been pretty pleasant. [03:15:02] Speaker C: It's a shame you never got to meet Chris Clint. I think you would get along pretty well. [03:15:08] Speaker A: Well, there's still time, right? [03:15:10] Speaker C: Yeah, maybe one day. [03:15:12] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:15:14] Speaker F: Well, before you do anything else, and I don't care what the rest of them say, you're taking a few days off. [03:15:22] Speaker A: All right. I'm down for a little bit of a break. I've been meaning to work on this menu. You ever had barbecue? [03:15:34] Speaker F: Well, as someone who loves the deep sOuth, I've had a few barbecues in my time. [03:15:40] Speaker A: Oh, we're going to have a good conversation then. [03:15:46] Speaker F: You haven't had one of a low. You've never been to a low party, clearly. [03:15:52] Speaker A: No. But I did go to this heritage dinner and it was this whole cultural event. And I got to say, there are some pork buns out there that are amazing. [03:16:05] Speaker F: Is that the one outside of Atlanta? [03:16:07] Speaker A: No, it was down in. Gosh, it was a little east of Houston. Down in Texas. [03:16:14] Speaker F: I don't get over there as much. [03:16:17] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't blame. [03:16:19] Speaker F: Oh, I'm sure the eating's just fine. [03:16:21] Speaker A: Oh, the food's great, but some of the people can be a might bit scary. The folks around here, like I said, are so much nicer. [03:16:32] Speaker C: All right, squints a little bit. Shango, you said you were a god, right? [03:16:40] Speaker F: Some of them might disagree, but yes. [03:16:44] Speaker C: Well, I just want to let you know, sir, that as far as gods go, you are currently at the very top of my list. [03:16:53] Speaker F: And again, water, snacks, glove box, all. [03:16:57] Speaker C: Of which are refrigerated properly if they are perishable. Correct? [03:17:03] Speaker F: Of course. One of savages. [03:17:06] Speaker A: Do you got a toaster? [03:17:09] Speaker F: You know what? What do you need toasted? [03:17:12] Speaker A: We got these strudels that never. No, okay, never mind. [03:17:18] Speaker C: We don't need toast. It's in the name. Toaster. Strudel. [03:17:23] Speaker F: You don't toast or strudels. What's it like? [03:17:26] Speaker B: Hot dog is in the name. Are we eating dogs? [03:17:32] Speaker C: Maybe. [03:17:34] Speaker F: In all my years, I couldn't tell. You never had that question put. Poor me. And I have to say, I'm not sure. I don't think there's dog and hot dogs, but I've never had one. [03:17:46] Speaker A: Well, you can get an all beef, Frank, or you can get some pork, but I ain't never had a dog dog. [03:17:53] Speaker B: And we shall not talk about it any further. [03:17:55] Speaker A: I agree. [03:17:56] Speaker B: COda's going to go back to texting. Well, trying to text on her phone. [03:18:01] Speaker F: Don't send in any text, please. [03:18:04] Speaker A: Why not? [03:18:05] Speaker F: Not until we're in the air. [03:18:07] Speaker A: Oh, okay. [03:18:09] Speaker C: As in, we're going to an airport? [03:18:12] Speaker A: Yes. [03:18:12] Speaker F: We're not. [03:18:13] Speaker C: Exactly. [03:18:13] Speaker F: And you do see now that you actually take a look outside, and you see he has been driving, but the scenery is just going by very fast at that point. And you do actually see an airport coming into your horizon very quickly. [03:18:30] Speaker C: Okay, for a second, I thought you were implying that this car was going to start flying. [03:18:34] Speaker F: No, I'm implying that we're not in exactly a friendly spot. [03:18:39] Speaker C: Understood. [03:18:44] Speaker F: Has anyone injured? [03:18:47] Speaker A: Used to be, but not anymore. We had a couple of days, sir. [03:18:51] Speaker B: What happened in the last five days? [03:18:57] Speaker F: So here's the thing. [03:19:02] Speaker C: All right? [03:19:04] Speaker F: Pretty much everyone who has a request for you is currently waiting for that request to be. And I've been doing my best to be like, no, it's fine. They'll get here when they get here. Does everyone relax? Everyone calm down. And they're pretty much to the best of their ability trying to be like, well, do they want to save this kid or not? I was like, well, you sent them to a dangerous location, but you's going to take time for them to get back. But in the meantime, I did make arrangements for the sword to be delivered. I'll take care of that at the airport. [03:19:39] Speaker C: Okay, good. [03:19:41] Speaker F: Yeah, don't worry about it. I got you. [03:19:43] Speaker A: I'm a little curious because we learned a little bit about the other sword that we kind of picked up and held onto for a minute. Is that sword any sort of thing special that you can pick up on Shango? [03:19:57] Speaker D: You could tell that it's very special. It's not from your pantheon, though, so unraveling its secrets is not quite that simple. [03:20:07] Speaker F: Yeah, unfortunately, it's not part of the Loa. And quite frankly, swords like that aren't really our thing. [03:20:18] Speaker C: Yeah, speaking of the sword, when you have it shipped, you might also want to include a message for the Pantheon to check on the poison sun ward. [03:20:31] Speaker F: Why? [03:20:33] Speaker C: Some things went a little bit wrong down there, and it may need some future fortifications. It's holding for now, but do we. [03:20:43] Speaker A: Need to be vague about it? [03:20:45] Speaker F: The car comes to a stop. We're here. But he turns around the seat to look at the three of you. What did you do? [03:20:53] Speaker C: We walked into a trap. We made an agreement for something that we shouldn't have done, but it allowed us to get the sword. We found a sort of loophole for one of the terms, and as a result, someone might just need to go to that ward and resecure it permanently. It'll hold for a good bit, we think. And the other one, we are still trying to find a way to wiggle around. [03:21:22] Speaker F: And the other one is. Wait, actually, storyteller, do I feel those seeds? [03:21:28] Speaker A: I was about to say. [03:21:29] Speaker D: Yes, you do. [03:21:31] Speaker F: Cool. Nothing is actually focusing on it. [03:21:34] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:21:38] Speaker D: It'S like having another relic at the car. So they're powerful, but you're not entirely sure what they do. They feel almost alien, like they don't fit, they don't belong. [03:21:55] Speaker A: All right, Ian, I'm about to pull some seeds out. These are not for you to eat. Okay, it. [03:22:01] Speaker D: All right. [03:22:03] Speaker A: So these are the seeds that the second half of our agreement. The first was to leave the ward unlocked, but we did the loophole thing. Like, you're here. And the other one is that we're supposed to be planting these seeds. And I got one, two. I got six of them here. [03:22:18] Speaker F: Left the ward unlocked. [03:22:21] Speaker A: We may have bashed some hinges and barricaded the doors. [03:22:25] Speaker F: Clint, stop talking. Okay, everybody out of the car. Okay, hand me the sword, please. [03:22:31] Speaker C: I'll hand it over. [03:22:33] Speaker F: Thank you. All right, everybody out of the car. And he kind of just, like, hops out. And as everyone gets out, you do see an older. You do see, like, an older black gentleman in a similarly colored suit. And he just hands it over, and they both bow to each other, and he just hops into a different car and leaves. All right, as far as the details of this deal, everyone, we're not going to talk about it until we're in the air, okay? [03:23:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:23:12] Speaker F: Follow me. And you watch as you guys are following him through the airport and the terminals. He just kind of freezes around. Security cuts through lines, and everyone just kind of, like, parts and goes back together for him. He doesn't really blink or do anything about it. And as he heads to a back door, you do see, like, a black jet in the far part of the tarmac. [03:23:41] Speaker C: Is that a private jet? [03:23:47] Speaker F: You see the crooked grenade, and then you see the gray eyes. And I think as you look into them for a quick second, you definitely see the roll of thunder somewhere deeply on them. I thought you did a paper on me. [03:24:00] Speaker C: Not necessarily a paper. When we were arguing on behalf of Stefan, I used you as an example alongside many other figures from various pantheons. You were a king. So I guess Private Jed makes sense. [03:24:16] Speaker F: Well, I'm also the Lord of Thunder. Come on. [03:24:25] Speaker A: Yeah, you got it. [03:24:29] Speaker F: And he walks up the doors. The jet are already open. And he, like, gestures for everyone to follow on. He's, like, looking around. [03:24:40] Speaker C: Follow along get on in there. [03:24:43] Speaker A: So, as a deity of thunder, do you have instruments or anything? Do you think the drums are better than something else? [03:24:56] Speaker F: We're going to get along great. [03:24:58] Speaker A: Of course. [03:25:00] Speaker F: But I need you to do one thing for me. [03:25:01] Speaker A: Yes, sir. [03:25:02] Speaker F: Be quiet for the next 20 minutes. I'm kidding. No, of course. I love drums. Come on. [03:25:14] Speaker B: He's going to take it serious now. [03:25:18] Speaker A: Clint sticks his thumb up. [03:25:21] Speaker F: Oh, no. [03:25:23] Speaker A: I mean, I don't have to stay quiet the whole time. [03:25:26] Speaker F: I'm kidding. No, I didn't think you'd take it that seriously. [03:25:28] Speaker A: I mean, just for a minute. I got to set up the joke. [03:25:31] Speaker F: You do? I appreciate that. [03:25:34] Speaker A: Yeah. So drums are good. Any other instruments? What do we got? [03:25:37] Speaker F: He's like shutting the door to the jet, like, walking it and heading it to the front of the cockpit. Everybody strap in. [03:25:43] Speaker A: Okay. [03:25:45] Speaker B: Straps in. [03:25:47] Speaker C: I do exactly that. [03:25:49] Speaker F: All right. And he's going to take off. [03:25:52] Speaker D: All right. It does not take long for you to get into the air. You have some tense relationships with the god of thunder for the Amatsukami, but nobody wants to risk an international incident, so you're not accosted. [03:26:07] Speaker F: Yeah, I shouldn't be here in the first place. It's like, oh, thanks. Neat mutual respect, right? [03:26:18] Speaker B: Ha. [03:26:18] Speaker C: All right. [03:26:19] Speaker F: I'm leaving your airspace. And once he gets to a cruising altitude, he'll put it in autopilot. In turn, all channel. [03:26:28] Speaker C: Right? [03:26:32] Speaker F: You. That is a terrible deal. As he said, like a walks into, like, the main cabin area. You understand that? Yes. [03:26:41] Speaker C: We realized after the fact. Yes. [03:26:46] Speaker F: He's, like, reaching for. He's like reaching for his back pocket. And you see him pull out of. Pulls out a cigar and starts lighting it. I'm so happy I got you out of there. We do not need them to know about that for a while. As far as those fucking things, like pointing at Clint, I don't know what the fuck those are. [03:27:13] Speaker A: They look to be seeds. [03:27:15] Speaker F: Those aren't seeds. They might be planted, as I told you, but they don't feel like seeds. [03:27:22] Speaker C: That's. [03:27:25] Speaker F: Different. [03:27:26] Speaker B: Well, then don't we have a loophole now then? Because they said plant the seeds, and. [03:27:32] Speaker F: If they're not seeds, you agreed to plant them. [03:27:35] Speaker B: Yes, to plant the seeds. [03:27:38] Speaker F: Here's a question for you, Koda. Did he it they ever call it a seed. [03:27:52] Speaker B: Storytelling? I feel like I heard seed. I wrote down seed. Were they called seed? [03:28:03] Speaker D: They were called a number of things. Seeds. They were called a piece of me or a piece of this place. And to be clear, they are seeds. But they're not seeds like you would find in the world. [03:28:20] Speaker B: Copy. [03:28:24] Speaker A: So I shouldn't pop these open like sunflower seeds and eat the kernels shouldn't. [03:28:29] Speaker F: Really be touching points to a container in a chair next to you. Just put them in there, please. [03:28:39] Speaker A: What is it with me and touching things as he pours the seeds into the cup? [03:28:43] Speaker F: I don't know you well enough, Quint, to answer that. [03:28:46] Speaker C: We might want to put those in a lead container as. [03:28:54] Speaker D: May shock you. [03:28:55] Speaker F: I don't have a lot of lead containers on this chat, but eventually, then getting back to it, this is a lesson for the three of you. You may have gone over, like in a few moment, you may have talked it over for a few minutes, but unless you actually hear their wording, they've got you. [03:29:17] Speaker C: I realized that after the deal, when I asked would anyone get hurt from them, and we were told no one would get hurt from planting them, I realized after the fact was never specified. [03:29:29] Speaker F: That's how it is sometimes. Someone should have gone with you. A more experienced scion. You're all very young. Well, you never, just never make deals unless you go over every single word that they've stated. It's a good lesson. It's a harsh one, but it's what it is. [03:29:53] Speaker C: While we're trying to do the same thing back, they said unlock the gate. We did. We just also barricaded and made it much more harder in the open. [03:30:05] Speaker F: And also, as far as this deal goes, stop looking for loopholes. [03:30:13] Speaker A: So we should plant tHem. [03:30:16] Speaker F: Unfortunately, fate doesn't deal in loopholes. You may have, quote, barricaded that door, but fate isn't going to like it because the wording was unlock it and leave it alone. [03:30:30] Speaker A: Wait, yeah, but we did unlocking it last, and then we left it alone. I don't think that's a big enough loophole to make it fit perfectly, but I could argue it. [03:30:49] Speaker C: Just. [03:30:50] Speaker F: If you're ever dealing with a deal like this again, do it straight up and follow it to the letter. And make sure to alter any words you don't like and have them repeat it before you agree. Understood? [03:31:05] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:31:05] Speaker C: Understood? [03:31:06] Speaker D: Yeah. [03:31:07] Speaker F: So let's make a deal. [03:31:09] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:31:09] Speaker C: No, hold on. [03:31:16] Speaker A: I want to hear the deal because we're supposed to pay attention to the words, and if we don't listen to the words, how can we decide to make a deal or not make a deal? [03:31:25] Speaker B: No, we don't have to listen to anything. We could just go to sleep on. [03:31:30] Speaker D: That note, with the scions getting a crash course in how to not make deals Willy nilly. We're going to call it for the evening. Thank you, everybody, for joining us. Please make sure you check out the new website. We worked really hard on it. We hope you enjoy the new logo and all of the pretty new things. [03:31:56] Speaker B: You our.