EP. 105 What Comes Next

[00:00:05] Speaker A: You are listening to an atomic broadcasting production. So sit back, relax and enjoy the feature presentation. And remember, do your part. Such as like comment rate. And don't forget to tell a friend to tune in for an atomic time. [00:00:29] Speaker B: Fun fact. Did you know Orm is the old Norse word for snake? And Lyn is the old Norse word for monster. So Linorm is just monster. Snake. [00:00:41] Speaker C: Did you know that Aquaman's brother's name is Orm and he betrays his brother. [00:00:45] Speaker B: What a snake. [00:00:46] Speaker C: I know, but. Except he's more like a squid themed. [00:00:49] Speaker D: You do the same thing with some of your naming that I do with mine. [00:00:52] Speaker B: I didn't name Lenormes. [00:00:54] Speaker E: Oh, you didn't? [00:00:54] Speaker A: Jordan named Lenorm. [00:00:57] Speaker B: Lenorm. [00:01:00] Speaker C: Ancient doorway. The Nordic. [00:01:03] Speaker B: I am an ancient Norseman. [00:01:06] Speaker A: It's factual. [00:01:07] Speaker C: He set up welcome. He set up the myth of Lin Arms for this show. I went thousands of years, I was. [00:01:14] Speaker B: Like, this has been. You guys thought this was like a two, like a one year prep before we started the show? [00:01:19] Speaker D: No, no. [00:01:20] Speaker B: This has been cooking for 300 years. [00:01:22] Speaker A: He's been planning at least. [00:01:23] Speaker C: Surely Lin Arms are older than. [00:01:25] Speaker F: You're so much older than I thought you were. [00:01:27] Speaker C: Look at the beard. [00:01:30] Speaker F: All of you except me have beards. [00:01:32] Speaker C: Remember? You look at his ring, the rings in his beard, it tells you how old he is. [00:01:37] Speaker D: He cut a beard hair. [00:01:38] Speaker A: If you look at that one, that really big gap, that's a year. He had great prosperity. [00:01:44] Speaker B: This little patchy one here was from the great fire in London. [00:01:50] Speaker C: Remember that year Jordy just disappeared. [00:01:54] Speaker B: I don't remember. [00:01:54] Speaker E: Distance of fear. [00:01:57] Speaker A: Time you disappeared. [00:02:00] Speaker D: You haven't disappeared yet, Jordy. Sorry. [00:02:02] Speaker C: But he has disappeared. Time. [00:02:06] Speaker E: So para means alongside and sight means to summon alongside. So parasite means to summon alongside. [00:02:15] Speaker A: Come on, guys, it's a parasite. I choose you. [00:02:19] Speaker F: I don't think that's correct. [00:02:21] Speaker E: No, if you think about it, if you have a parasite, they are with you. You all the time. [00:02:25] Speaker B: Pretty much. [00:02:27] Speaker A: How like people used to think about how like flies and maggots and stuff would spawn in just by random. [00:02:33] Speaker B: A biogenesis. [00:02:34] Speaker E: Yeah, I love English. [00:02:39] Speaker F: Just take all these different languages and smush them together. [00:02:43] Speaker D: We'll have rules that we'll choose to not have. [00:02:46] Speaker F: Pops. English. [00:02:47] Speaker A: That's because those rules exist for classism reasons. [00:02:49] Speaker F: You know, the next generation will come in and just create a whole new language again and no one will understand what they're saying. [00:02:55] Speaker E: So this is how it is. [00:02:56] Speaker A: Unless like the game we're playing. [00:02:58] Speaker E: Wait, you guys are using rules? [00:03:00] Speaker F: House rules. [00:03:01] Speaker D: The Rule of cool is actually breaking rules. [00:03:04] Speaker A: Except it isn't, because it's part of the rules. [00:03:10] Speaker B: Speaking of cool, are you guys ready to jump in to book three of the written and the love? [00:03:19] Speaker E: I can't read. [00:03:22] Speaker A: That's factual, that is. [00:03:24] Speaker F: Wait, you or Zafir? [00:03:25] Speaker E: Maybe both. [00:03:26] Speaker A: I feel like Zafir would have learned how to read by now. [00:03:29] Speaker E: Nah, he doesn't care. [00:03:31] Speaker A: Why have I been teaching you? [00:03:33] Speaker D: He doesn't have the heart to say no. [00:03:34] Speaker E: Doesn't do his homework. [00:03:36] Speaker B: We'll begin with a cold open. [00:03:40] Speaker C: Good thing I wore flannel. [00:03:42] Speaker B: Smoke is rising from the city of Joel. The north side practically leveled by Fafnir's attack only a couple days ago. Refugees are flowing both in and out of the city, depending on whether they're seeking refuge inside the city walls that still remain, or perhaps to go live with family members elsewhere. And as we zoom down with our camera, we find Alward standing near the city gate, possibly looking a little nervous, I would imagine. [00:04:23] Speaker A: Yeah, Alward's probably rubbing his hands together and looking into the city very hesitantly. [00:04:33] Speaker B: The city itself just nowhere near the vibrant place of life as it's been now withdrawn into itself, trying to recover both from the internal besiegement and attack from the Eritsons, but also attack on the scale of a natural disaster on the north side of town. But you're drawn out of this reverie when you just hear a voice behind you. Hello, Alward. [00:05:02] Speaker A: I turn to look who it is. [00:05:04] Speaker B: And you see coming up through the crowds of people approaching Joel is a horse and cart. And sitting up in the front with his one bad arm, you know, kind of bandaged up in the tide sleeve. The other arm on the reins is Trov, coming up with a cart full of supplies. And in the back of the cart you see not just your mother, Velia, and your sister Lena, but also Hymir's old friend Raya, who is a Koloh, which for those who are familiar with the D and D lore, we would call them gnolls, but they're cloth in Pathfinder. But Trov kind of takes one hand off the reins briefly to wave, and then catches the reins back since he only has the one arm. [00:05:45] Speaker A: So he didn't get the arm back, but he got his leg back. [00:05:48] Speaker B: I don't remember him getting the leg back. [00:05:50] Speaker A: So he's just one leg, one arm. [00:05:51] Speaker C: Can you see his legs here? [00:05:53] Speaker E: He has two legs. [00:05:54] Speaker A: I thought he described his legs. [00:05:56] Speaker B: No, his legs are under a blazer. [00:05:57] Speaker C: His rippling legs. He got super strong legs. [00:06:01] Speaker A: He Flexes. [00:06:02] Speaker D: I remember he got a prosthetic. [00:06:03] Speaker B: Oh, you're right. He did get a prosthetic leg. [00:06:07] Speaker E: But he could have lost it. [00:06:08] Speaker A: That is true. [00:06:10] Speaker E: In a gambling thing. Gambling thing. [00:06:14] Speaker B: That is very Trov. You are on brand for Trov. Petite. [00:06:17] Speaker E: Yeah, it would cost an arm and a leg. [00:06:19] Speaker A: But, you know, Howard's going to wait for the carriage to reach him. He's just gonna look at it nervously, like, trying to plan what he's gonna say and what gonna happen. [00:06:33] Speaker B: As the wagon pulls up level to Alward, Trov pulls it to a stop and is like, all aboard. [00:06:40] Speaker A: Sorry. [00:06:41] Speaker B: My brain is thinking, that's all right, sonny. You've been through a lot in the last few days. [00:06:47] Speaker A: Alward hops in the back, presumably where his family is located. He's like, thanks for doing this, Strava. [00:06:56] Speaker B: Oh, of course, of course. Any. Any. Yeah, glad to be of help. [00:07:01] Speaker A: Where I can is request. Okay. [00:07:04] Speaker B: Yes, he's. He needs to stay. The company needs him. He says, but, you know, we've got your back, kid. [00:07:14] Speaker A: Howard's gonna nod and avoid eye contact. [00:07:19] Speaker B: With everyone as the cart's kind of rumbling into town quietly. TR just kind of starts talking. He's just like, boy, when I got that letter from the king, I was getting ready to cut and run, you know. Wouldn't be the first time I'd had a warrant sent to my place of address. But being invited back to town with expenses paid, that's. That's big. Nice to know you're appreciated, huh, kid? [00:07:49] Speaker A: I. Yeah, I mean, I guess it's definitely better than what has been going on with everything. Sorry. Real fast. Do we know where we're staying? My apartment was torn up. I don't. [00:08:05] Speaker B: Your apartment was south enough that it's near the devastation. But it's not destroyed. It canonically was established as being in the middle, but on the southern side. [00:08:19] Speaker D: And it's not an apartment, it's a mansion. [00:08:22] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. It keeps evolving. Is that where we're staying, though? [00:08:26] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:08:26] Speaker A: Okay. Where are you staying? Are you with us or. [00:08:33] Speaker B: Oh, well, you know, I thought I'd find my own place, sort of like a little bachelor pad or, you know, just maybe just a spot. And he just like, starts looking away and just kind of getting awkward. [00:08:48] Speaker D: He can stay on the fifth floor. [00:08:53] Speaker C: There's a casino. [00:08:54] Speaker A: My apartment's always changing. You never know. [00:08:56] Speaker C: There's a casino in the fifth floor. [00:08:57] Speaker A: Yeah, there's a casino now on the fifth floor. [00:09:00] Speaker B: So before long, the cart pulls up outside of the apartment that Alward had Been renting in town even before the adventure began that recently had been being used as more of a war room than a home. Over the last couple days, it had been more reverted back to a homier atmosphere, although there's still a lot of trappings of practicality that have remained. Out front is Alward's old landlord, Kelig Anders. And when I say old landlord, I mean his landlord. He's had for a while as well as he is an old man. [00:09:35] Speaker A: Thank you for reverting it back, Kelly. [00:09:39] Speaker B: Of course. [00:09:41] Speaker A: You got rid of the entrances, right? The ones that the resistance used? [00:09:47] Speaker B: He looks at the door behind him. No. [00:09:51] Speaker A: Okay, I guess that's fine. Guess they'll be safe with secret entrances all throughout the. [00:10:00] Speaker B: I mean, if you don't want people using them, you can just, you know, just put the draw bolt. [00:10:06] Speaker A: Right. [00:10:08] Speaker B: Anyway, before you all get settled in and get cozy and comfortable again, somebody stopped by with this. And he hands an envelope up to you. [00:10:19] Speaker A: My telekinetic hand is going to reach out and grab it and then other one's gonna appear and they're gonna like open it. What is it? [00:10:31] Speaker B: It's a summons from King Ostog the Unslain to appear before the court of the Linorm Kings and testify about your involvement in recent events. [00:10:44] Speaker A: Oh, let me. I'm going to show my family where to not move a bookcase or two. [00:10:52] Speaker B: And as they begin disembarking from the cart, the camera zooms up into the sky. And we watch as like day and night, day and night. And the camera turns and it looks up to the sky. We get really dramatic music swelling as it says Atomic Broadcasting presents the Written in The Lost Book 3. [00:11:19] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:11:20] Speaker E: Anyone? [00:11:21] Speaker B: The camera swings back down again. The city is a little bit more settled. There's still smoke from here and there, but the most of the rubble and the destruction has at least been calmed. So there's not going to be anything spreading. And as the camera moves down, we now see our full group of adventurers heading across the bridge into the Jollburg, the administrative sector of the town. Each one of them in possession of a similar summons. We've seen already Alward Volden, a psychic and recently an accountant for the Infernal Mining Company. [00:12:00] Speaker A: It was like two months ago. [00:12:02] Speaker B: That's pretty recent. [00:12:03] Speaker A: Wait, no, sorry. That was two years and two months ago. [00:12:07] Speaker C: It was your last job before you got fired. [00:12:09] Speaker B: He's a barista. [00:12:10] Speaker A: Yeah, my last job was a barista. [00:12:13] Speaker C: How's that going for you? [00:12:14] Speaker A: I left to do this. [00:12:17] Speaker B: Not far behind him, we see Val, a champion of both Pharasma and Shelyn. Then there's Uver, a dwarven wizard and scholar, covered with runic scarring, head to toe. Zafir, a fetchling. So he's, like, got the pale grayish skin and white hair. He's a short little fella and carries a bow. And last we have. [00:12:43] Speaker C: I forgot his sewing needles. [00:12:44] Speaker B: Yeah, you can't see them. The camera's too zoomed out, tucked away. [00:12:48] Speaker C: We need it. They get their own camera shot. We don't have the budget for hair. Down to his waist. And you see two sewing needles covered in blood. [00:12:56] Speaker F: Knitting needles. [00:12:57] Speaker A: A recent kill on his hand. [00:12:59] Speaker D: Golden knitting needles. [00:13:02] Speaker F: There's a huge difference between sewing needles and knitting needles. [00:13:05] Speaker C: They're so sharp, they keep poking him in the side and drawing blood. [00:13:10] Speaker B: And then the last member of the group is Neros, who is also a fetchling. She doesn't carry any weapons but a dagger, but her arms are black, starting at her fingers and moving up towards her elbows. As the group crosses over the bridge, they still see the remnants of their battle with the false King Aerid that they had fought here in the plaza of the Jollburg. Scorches from flame and lightning of the magic used in the battle, as well as maybe gashes in the stone from the weaponry. And as they pass by, Val looks over to her right and sees a rooftop near where they had been standing during the fight. And that reminds her of a conversation she had had not too long ago. [00:13:58] Speaker C: Are we going back? [00:13:59] Speaker B: We're gonna do a flashback? [00:14:02] Speaker C: Are we playing blades in the dark now? How much stress do I have to take? [00:14:07] Speaker A: 2. [00:14:08] Speaker B: Val, you drift back into your memories, reminded of this by the rooftop where Cornelius had stood as he threw a chalice down to Alward after the fight had cleared. The chalice had laid on the ground, almost forgotten, until Val went and picked it up. But it wasn't until a few hours later that you had the leisure to actually examine the chalice. This was after you had rushed to see what had happened with this north side of town where things had been destroyed by Fafnir. And you do find, unfortunately, the temple to Pharasma that you had visited and actually spoken with both her and her servant Barzok, not long ago, was leveled in this devastation. As you're here at the temple, you take the time to take the chalice out and examine it and go ahead and make a perception check for me for sure. [00:15:05] Speaker C: I think she's standing where that painting Barzok went into would have been kind of just still there because she was hoping after this is all done, to come back and try and find a way in to the boneyard through that. But now it's gone, and that chance seems lost to her. [00:15:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:15:25] Speaker A: Ooh. [00:15:27] Speaker C: 24. 24, 24. [00:15:32] Speaker B: With your familiarity with Hymir's chalice, Val, having grown up not her whole life, but spent several years with her father, Hymir, you are very confident that this chalice is similar, but it is not the same. It is a different chalice. And you're able to identify this by. There was a nick on the rim of Hamir's chalice that's not present on this. But then as you start looking over it, you realize that the runes and symbols that are engraved on the chalice are in a different order on this one. [00:16:14] Speaker C: How many chalices are there, Chelli? Is this the one we saw in that random off screen moment that you narrated to the audience? [00:16:23] Speaker B: How would thou know that? [00:16:27] Speaker A: There could be three. [00:16:30] Speaker C: Okay. I think as she's like standing there, just looking at it, looking it over this. Muffled voices start around her and starts getting, like, louder as, like, Hymir's voice comes in. Her father just starting, like, yelling at her like life isn't even worth anything. And like he goes rambling on as she's staring at the chalice. And we're seeing now, like you see the chalice sitting on, like, at the table in her. In her living room as she's like trying to focus in on this book, this tome from Pharasma that, you know, she keeps trying to distract herself by diving into this. She's like, trying not to even listen to everything Hamir is yelling at her, all the abuses. But her eyes keep drifting up to this chalice, and it's not the same one she's holding in it, but it's bringing a lot of that just back to her. And she's like feeling that kind of anger and resentment starting to grow again that she's been trying to work out of herself for so long. [00:17:36] Speaker B: And as you're in this memory, you just hear your father, Heimir, calling you by your name. Hertha. Hertha. And then he says, val. Val. And then you snap out of that memory to hear Val. Can you hear me? [00:17:54] Speaker C: What? She looks disoriented for a second. Kind of turns around, Cornelius, and you. [00:18:02] Speaker B: See this extremely short, disfigured man with one giant eye. He has a cloak that's usually pulled more closely around him to obscure his form, but you and he are familiar with each other, so he's being less careful to hide his appearance from you. [00:18:22] Speaker C: What are you doing here? [00:18:25] Speaker B: My chalice. [00:18:26] Speaker C: Your chalice. What? Why? Why are you here? What do you know about all this? [00:18:34] Speaker B: About all what? [00:18:36] Speaker C: This. She had emotions. The Aradsons, the chalice. All of this. Fafnir. Everything that's been happening. [00:18:47] Speaker B: Listen, Listen, Val. Everything is the way it should be now. [00:18:54] Speaker C: What does that mean? How did you know to even come here to help? [00:18:59] Speaker B: This has been my project for longer than you can imagine. [00:19:04] Speaker C: Your project? What is this, like, a game? [00:19:07] Speaker B: No. It is my calling. [00:19:11] Speaker C: Your calling? Like, it's what, My calling? To be a part of it? [00:19:14] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:19:15] Speaker C: What. What does that mean? I don't understand. [00:19:19] Speaker B: Cornelius, you don't need to. Your part in this is over. [00:19:22] Speaker C: I need to understand it. I was a part of it. What does that mean? [00:19:26] Speaker B: You have played your part. Why do you need to understand? [00:19:30] Speaker C: Because I'm a person. I'm not a tool just to be used. Did any of our time, like, together, mean anything? Did you. Why did you take me from my home? [00:19:44] Speaker B: Because you had promised of being what I needed to save the world. [00:19:50] Speaker C: So all of this grand destiny stuff was just made up by you for what you wanted to happen? [00:19:56] Speaker B: Val, who do you think forms destiny? [00:20:00] Speaker C: No one right now. The God who did that died in Pharasma's. The Watcher, the guardian of it. A fate. Not you. [00:20:11] Speaker B: When Ereden died and destiny died with him, destiny fell to those with the willpower to make the world as they see it. And, Val, you don't have that. [00:20:25] Speaker C: How. How much of this wouldn't have even happened then if you didn't do your little project? The Ironsons? I mean, did you give them what they needed? Did you help bring him back for this? [00:20:36] Speaker B: I needed him vulnerable where you could finish him off. Is that enough explanation for you? [00:20:45] Speaker C: Not really. [00:20:47] Speaker B: Well, what do you want me to say? Good job. You did it. You saved the world. [00:20:53] Speaker C: I don't know. I guess I. I don't need anything from you. I guess I just. [00:21:03] Speaker B: Well, that works just fine for me. Because there's only one thing I need from you. My chalice. [00:21:12] Speaker C: Um. I've. You know, the last couple months I've had doing all this stuff has really taught me a lesson that I wish I didn't have to have learned. And that was. I really just can't trust people. I think. I think I'll hold on to this. [00:21:37] Speaker B: You know, you're right, Val. You think you know someone. [00:21:43] Speaker C: I. I think you should probably. You should probably go before I. I don't know. I'm not in a good spot right now. These kind of motions to the broken down temple. I feel like I've got a lot more important and bigger things to do that don't have anything to do with you right now. [00:22:16] Speaker B: Sure, sure. Well, if you ever get tired of carrying that around, well, look for me. I'll find you. But right now I've got important things to do. So. See you around. And he doesn't even wait for a response before he turns around and starts walking away. [00:22:37] Speaker C: I desperately want to punt him. [00:22:41] Speaker A: Do it. [00:22:42] Speaker C: But I don't think I'm going to do it. [00:22:46] Speaker F: He needs to be punted. [00:22:49] Speaker C: She's gonna kinda look down at the chalice for a second longer and think about the whole. It takes the will to make someone's destiny and make the world the way you want it to be. And she's kind of just thinking on that. She'd like everything to be nicer, people to be nicer. She likes when people are nice and be trusted. So I think she's just gonna call for Sigurd, her like what, eight foot tall raven. [00:23:24] Speaker B: And the entire roof of the chapel is gone. So Sigrun just flies into that main hall. [00:23:31] Speaker C: Val's gonna kneel down and find a scrap of that painting she had been looking at before and kind of tuck it away. [00:23:42] Speaker B: And we do a white flash transition. And we see Val kind of just like, you know, absentmindedly patting either the pocket or pouch on her bag where she's got that stored. Now, as the group is walking up to the courthouse here in the Joulburg and a guard standing outside is just like, state your business. [00:24:07] Speaker C: That's just all of us, right? [00:24:08] Speaker B: Yeah, you're all here, all five of you. [00:24:12] Speaker A: We have a summons to speak with the king. [00:24:16] Speaker B: Alright, let me see that. I'm gonna just murmur to myself as I'm looking at this. Everything looks to be in order. And he hands the paper back. [00:24:24] Speaker E: Zafir holds up an unopened letter. I think that's what this is. [00:24:28] Speaker B: It looks very similar. Now if you all would head inside. If you go to your left, there's a very comfortable waiting room. You'll wait there until you're summoned for. Are you laughing at me? Oh boy. [00:24:42] Speaker C: Summoned for what? [00:24:44] Speaker A: Sorry, Jordy, just. I feel like I can tell you're like really focusing to say these words and I love it. It's so good. [00:24:53] Speaker B: This voice is exactly the voice that I picked for this character, but it. [00:24:57] Speaker E: Hurts My throat doesn't get a lot of screen time. [00:25:02] Speaker B: Now go inside. [00:25:04] Speaker A: Oh, no. He's dying. [00:25:05] Speaker C: Val, some water. I've got some water. [00:25:08] Speaker B: No, I'm allergic. You go on in. [00:25:11] Speaker C: All right. [00:25:12] Speaker F: He's H2O intolerant. [00:25:14] Speaker A: He's A. He's a flame. [00:25:18] Speaker F: Elemental. [00:25:18] Speaker A: Thank you. I kept wanting to say archnot, but that's not. [00:25:21] Speaker C: I'll just give him a nice touch of healing. [00:25:24] Speaker B: Oh, that feels nice. [00:25:25] Speaker C: As we're driving by, just slap him on the shoulder. [00:25:30] Speaker B: The inside of the courtroom is actually shockingly nice. Completely untouched by any of the ravaging that had happened earlier by the aidesons because they intended this to be their place of business once they took over and far enough away from the devastation caused by Fafnir that as far as you can tell, inside the courtroom, everything's normal. There's large, well polished marble floors and cushioned benches surrounding the walls. And you're free to make yourselves comfortable. [00:26:01] Speaker A: Allard's going to go sit down and open up his journal. [00:26:05] Speaker E: So what I'd like to do. Zephir wants to just sit in front of Uvair and stare at him, but with more flavor. I'm just throwing that out there. [00:26:16] Speaker D: Little spice, little paprika. [00:26:21] Speaker F: Paprika doesn't flavor anything. [00:26:23] Speaker C: Flavor. [00:26:24] Speaker A: Paprika flavors eggs. What are you talking about? [00:26:27] Speaker B: Abby and I were watching this cooking video and someone was like, I'm gonna put in a bunch of paprika. This is just for color. It won't change the flavor at all. [00:26:36] Speaker F: And she was like, sincere about it. [00:26:39] Speaker C: Amazing. [00:26:40] Speaker F: It was hilarious. [00:26:41] Speaker A: Okay, so like, I get that because I put a. If I want something to be yellow, I put a smidge of turmeric in it, but just a smidge. [00:26:49] Speaker E: Uh huh. [00:26:49] Speaker B: I was screaming at the screen for that whole video. [00:26:52] Speaker A: Thank you. I want to scream now, but the video isn't present. [00:26:55] Speaker B: We're gonna make some homemade biscuits, so I'm gonna. My Pillsbury dough biscuits. [00:26:59] Speaker A: Why do you want the biscuits? [00:27:04] Speaker E: As everyone kind of settles in in their mind spaces and benches, Zafir reaches into his cloak and he just kind of flaps out a shadowy looking blanket towel like he would be on the beach right in front of Uvair. Sits cross legged, puts his hands on his knees, elbows on his knees and his hands on his fists on his neck. No chin. Let me say that all again. [00:27:32] Speaker C: That's fine. [00:27:33] Speaker E: He puts his elbows on his knees and his fists on his chin. And he just stares at Alward. [00:27:39] Speaker B: No. [00:27:42] Speaker A: Yeah. Yes. Sophia. Can. Can I help? Do you want another lesson? [00:27:46] Speaker C: We're keeping all of this in. [00:27:48] Speaker A: You're not really learning quickly. [00:27:53] Speaker E: Sorry, I put my blanket in the front of the wrong person here. [00:27:58] Speaker A: Do you want me to drag you somewhere? [00:28:00] Speaker E: No, no, it's okay. [00:28:01] Speaker F: Do you want me to drag you somewhere? [00:28:06] Speaker E: Does that little hop scoot? [00:28:12] Speaker F: That's funny. [00:28:16] Speaker E: Stares into the eyes of Ouvere. [00:28:19] Speaker D: Not near us. Thank goodness. [00:28:21] Speaker E: I can't go around the room. I only have so much butt scooting. [00:28:27] Speaker B: I used up all your movement. It's a butt scoot. [00:28:33] Speaker A: To crawl is only like five feet. So. [00:28:39] Speaker B: So to be clear, Zafir, you've ended up in front of Uvair now, right? [00:28:43] Speaker E: Yes. [00:28:44] Speaker B: Okay. [00:28:45] Speaker D: Did you want something, Zephyr? [00:28:49] Speaker E: Well, it's been a while. I know. We kind of went our separate ways for just a little bit while we were waiting. [00:28:58] Speaker D: Yes, I did. I suppose it has been a little bit. [00:29:03] Speaker E: Where were you? [00:29:04] Speaker D: Since we've been all together with. [00:29:07] Speaker E: Where did you go? Where? Where. What? What's going on? I don't. I don't understand what's happening. [00:29:16] Speaker D: It's starting to sound like me. [00:29:19] Speaker A: Can we all get one? I don't understand. From every character except for Uber? Because we got one from Val. We got one from Zafir. [00:29:28] Speaker B: He finally. [00:29:29] Speaker F: I mean, Nero will probably end up saying it at some point today. [00:29:32] Speaker A: I don't understand. [00:29:35] Speaker E: Episode title. [00:29:39] Speaker D: Where to begin. [00:29:41] Speaker E: Probably the beginning. [00:29:45] Speaker D: I suppose that I do all owe you a bit of an explanation, but I thought that you would all at least know where I was. Did you not get my gifts for you? [00:30:00] Speaker A: You disappeared in the middle of the Grungear Forest and then didn't explain anything with those gifts. [00:30:07] Speaker E: Well, I didn't read your letter. [00:30:10] Speaker A: He can't read. [00:30:12] Speaker D: I knew that as I expected somebody else to read it for him. [00:30:15] Speaker E: I was in the bathroom. [00:30:17] Speaker C: I tried. I did. [00:30:21] Speaker D: But you. You do to get all the gifts? Yes. [00:30:25] Speaker C: Yeah, we got our. All the gifts you gave to each one of us. [00:30:31] Speaker A: But I forgot. [00:30:35] Speaker D: But I sent one more for all of you. Did you not get it? Did ser. Dire not to give it to you? [00:30:42] Speaker A: Who has that? [00:30:45] Speaker C: Let me check this pack. [00:30:46] Speaker A: We haven't thought about that in so long. [00:30:49] Speaker B: Inside your pack, Val. [00:30:51] Speaker C: Turn over the sack. Upside down, shaking it out. [00:30:54] Speaker B: And out falls a nicely wrapped little cylindrical present. [00:30:57] Speaker E: Oh, my chapstick. [00:31:01] Speaker B: It's about 18 inches long, 3 inches thick. [00:31:05] Speaker A: It's a big chapstick. [00:31:10] Speaker F: When did we get this? [00:31:11] Speaker D: When you got all your gifts from Sir Diego. [00:31:14] Speaker A: We were gonna open it when we all got together, but everything kind of went wonky. [00:31:18] Speaker B: Google. Yeah. Back when you got the monkeys in a barrel. [00:31:21] Speaker F: Yeah, we totally didn't forget about that. [00:31:24] Speaker C: Alright, I'll just crack it open. [00:31:27] Speaker B: Inside is a rolled up piece of parchment. It's a map of the land of the Linorm Kings. [00:31:35] Speaker C: Oh, how thoughtful. [00:31:36] Speaker B: And has a little like raised almost like a. Like a chit in board games where it's like a little token and it's just like. [00:31:47] Speaker C: Like a meatball. [00:31:48] Speaker B: Yeah. And it's just affixed to the spot on the map that would say. [00:31:52] Speaker D: Joel, I sent this to you so that you could at least know where I was. [00:31:59] Speaker C: This thing track where you currently are? [00:32:02] Speaker D: It took a little bit of help from Sir Dire to get it, but yes, it's. It's a map that I can imprint it with my blood and you would be able to know where I was. [00:32:13] Speaker E: That is a little dangerous. What if it fell into the wrong hands? [00:32:17] Speaker A: That is very thoughtful, but in our defense, Neros got thrown in jail. We were attacked. A lot happened. [00:32:23] Speaker E: It wasn't his fault. [00:32:25] Speaker C: I mean actually it was the Boogeyman attack just there. [00:32:29] Speaker F: The Boogeyman wasn't your fault. [00:32:31] Speaker C: We killed him though. [00:32:32] Speaker A: Oh. He's no longer being hunted. And I point at Zafir. [00:32:34] Speaker C: That's where he got the hat from Tip's hat. I just have a rewind feature. Can we see where you were? [00:32:43] Speaker D: You see Uver just these series of information he's trying to keep track of. I'm so happy to hear that, Zephyr. I really am. That you are free. Yes, mostly. [00:33:02] Speaker E: I've got plenty of questions, but. But with time, they'll come. [00:33:08] Speaker D: I've learned to be somewhat accepting of multiple questions. I do hope that you can find your answers. I do not blame you for not seeing them a bit. Apparently you all went through a great amount of things since I had to leave. [00:33:32] Speaker C: I was also upset with him. Valhyn's over the hour. Oh, I didn't know at the time. Yeah, that's why. Yeah. [00:33:41] Speaker D: And I suppose in the same line as the gifts. This Ainur that I was supposed to give a shield to. Is he no longer with you? I haven't seen him. [00:34:03] Speaker A: He'll be back in about 20ish years. [00:34:07] Speaker C: Our. Did you ever ask him who his parents were? [00:34:10] Speaker A: Oh, we should have learned. No. Oh no, no I didn't. Hopefully they still meet in this timeline. [00:34:21] Speaker D: I. I don't think I am following. [00:34:25] Speaker A: Wait, did you not know about Ainar? [00:34:29] Speaker C: Who told you to give Einar a present? [00:34:32] Speaker D: Well, I guess this is a part of the mystery. So to speak. You did, Albert, I haven't seen you. Well, not. Not this version of you. [00:34:47] Speaker A: Oh. [00:34:48] Speaker D: In fact, the night that I left you, it was you that told me to leave, that I had to go and for the sake of the party and the mission, carry out some tasks. Oh, well, of course, that was the only time I actually saw you. You, not you, but future you. I suppose. It. It's complicated when you bring that up. [00:35:22] Speaker A: Alward, like, face goes white and he's just kind of sitting there, like, rubbing his legs and like, fiddling with his hands. He's like, right, okay, and. And he pulls out his book and like, just abstracts from the conversation. He's still listening, but he's like, furiously, like, going through notes and like, checking things. [00:35:43] Speaker D: And as for what I was doing, I'll be honest, I don't know what I was doing. I was following instructions, as I said. The only time that I saw Alward, you, Future Howard oder Alward, whatever. [00:36:05] Speaker E: Power two electric boot loop. [00:36:10] Speaker D: I would go to, like, an old cliff face or a boulder that has been there for hundreds of years or longer, and I would write a message and there would be an answer underneath. That is the extent of how I communicated with. [00:36:36] Speaker A: Did the message look old or. [00:36:39] Speaker D: Yes, it was before I wrote mine, or else it wouldn't have been there anyway. But the instructions. At first it was simple things like go to the mahchat and kupperberg it and tell him that he needed to pay his debt before the sun rises the next day. Or go to a priest in one of the other towns close by, that one of his flock needed to be spoken to. And then as time went on, it became more and more random, nonsensical. Leave a silver piece underneath the mat of this apothecary on the third day of the month. Nonsensical, things like that. And eventually it seemed more like madness to keep going. So eventually I said no, that. [00:37:55] Speaker B: I. [00:37:55] Speaker D: Would come back to all of you. In fact, I wasn't supposed to even send you a map. [00:38:02] Speaker E: Who didn't you say no to our. Oh. [00:38:08] Speaker D: And so here I am. And I'm glad I did come back to help you all. [00:38:14] Speaker C: He. [00:38:16] Speaker A: I. They may have been trying to correct something in time, which means, weirdly enough, Neros needed to get arrested. [00:38:29] Speaker E: So this is a time thing. [00:38:32] Speaker D: I do not know what the end goal of all of these tasks were. [00:38:37] Speaker A: But he's probably gone now anyway. Einar couldn't maintain himself, so I don't see why I would be able to. [00:38:48] Speaker D: When did Einar leave? [00:38:52] Speaker A: Was that right after we killed Mother, presumably, yes. [00:38:56] Speaker D: You killed Mother? [00:38:58] Speaker A: Well, I think. [00:38:59] Speaker C: Not his mother. [00:39:00] Speaker A: No, not my mother. She's fine. [00:39:03] Speaker F: She's the Eredsson mother, right? [00:39:05] Speaker C: She's a necromancer. [00:39:06] Speaker F: Yeah, she's did now. [00:39:08] Speaker E: But Einar held his own. He was fighting against some pretty nasty dead things. [00:39:15] Speaker F: We assume that's when he poofed. [00:39:19] Speaker C: Yeah. We didn't see what happened to him. [00:39:21] Speaker F: We just found his stuff in a pile. [00:39:24] Speaker C: We tried not to think about it at the time because there was a lot happening. We haven't really talked about it. [00:39:32] Speaker F: I haven't had time. [00:39:33] Speaker D: Yeah, well, I'm sorry to hear that he is gone. I wish I could have met him at least. He seemed to serve all of you well. [00:39:48] Speaker A: You meet him. Oh, you might not meet him. It's only 20 years. I mean, you've hung around for long. [00:39:57] Speaker D: I think he will quite the bit. [00:39:59] Speaker C: How much longer do you think you're gonna live? [00:40:02] Speaker A: See into the future, you incredibly old elf. Elf, dwarf. How long are you gonna live? [00:40:08] Speaker E: I got a couple minutes. [00:40:11] Speaker D: You, as soon as you ask that question. He, he, he's been smiling. Listening to all of you. Just kind of. I, I. I'll be honest. I am something that I haven't maybe purposefully thought about. [00:40:30] Speaker C: Sorry. You don't have to think about it. [00:40:31] Speaker A: No, no, no, no, no. [00:40:32] Speaker F: Think about your own death. [00:40:35] Speaker A: Erase memory. [00:40:36] Speaker D: It's part of the mystery of who I am. What I am. I shouldn't be this old. That should be common knowledge. 300 years is among the most ancient of all of my kind. And I don't feel old. I don't feel that I am at the end of my lifetime. I am here. I exist. It is unnatural and I have ignored it. But now with the erred. [00:41:24] Speaker B: What? [00:41:24] Speaker D: He said that he looked at me and he said that I also fell for his machinations. What did I do? What did younger, younger me do? Am I truly 300 years old? Am I older? Am I younger? I have the memories of all of my years. At least what I think are my memories. So I suppose I don't know how much longer I am going to be here. I don't know why I am here. [00:42:09] Speaker B: Not much longer. They'll be ready for you in a minute. [00:42:12] Speaker A: Have you just been listening this whole time? [00:42:15] Speaker B: No, I just walked up. I'm just letting you know they'll be ready for you in a minute. Fancy that. You were talking about it right as I came up. [00:42:21] Speaker E: Are you the same guy from outside? I think he was. [00:42:25] Speaker B: No, the Guy outside was Scottish. I'm like. I'm from Southampton. [00:42:34] Speaker A: It's the southeast part of Joel. [00:42:37] Speaker B: Yeah, sure. Yeah. Yep, sure. Yeah. He just walks off. [00:42:44] Speaker D: But that is the long and short of what I have been wasting time, it seems. But apparently all of you have been. Been through a lot. You killed Samaza. You've. Well, I came up to you fighting the those nasty gargoyles. Are you really the leader of the resistance, Albert? [00:43:17] Speaker A: No, as far as I'm aware. No. I think Kelleg started that and talk. [00:43:23] Speaker E: Too much about it that we're in the courtroom. [00:43:26] Speaker A: Yeah, well, we were resisting the Eritsons. Yeah, well, I think Kelleg thought we were resisting Cheliax invasions. It's very confusing. [00:43:37] Speaker C: Makes sense. They're really into our. They're big fans and Neros. [00:43:41] Speaker A: What? [00:43:42] Speaker D: Did you find anything more about your family or did. Have you met Haymia or avoided Heymayr? [00:43:52] Speaker E: Oh yeah, that's where I got this. And he points at his scar on his face. [00:43:55] Speaker C: I didn't see him. He did. [00:43:58] Speaker E: It hurt. [00:43:59] Speaker A: We actually learned a lot about Nero's family. [00:44:03] Speaker D: That is good news, is it not? [00:44:06] Speaker A: It hurt my brain. [00:44:07] Speaker F: I want to say it's good news, but I keep getting the conclusion that I'm not supposed to exist. [00:44:15] Speaker D: That is preposterous. Why? Why would you not supposed to exist? I of all people, probably shouldn't. The easiest. [00:44:21] Speaker F: I just. You know, between what Pharasma told Val. [00:44:27] Speaker D: Pharasma spoke to you? [00:44:29] Speaker C: She was at the chapel. I spoke, I chatted with her for a bit and I told her about Nero's situation. And she referenced Neros as an abomination and wasn't too happy about me bringing her up. [00:44:42] Speaker F: I don't think Pharasma likes me existing. [00:44:46] Speaker D: Knew there was a reason I didn't ever worship her. [00:44:49] Speaker F: Did in your 300 years of existence, does the word Nick's veil hurt your brain? [00:44:59] Speaker B: It's a complete blank. You've never heard of that before? [00:45:04] Speaker D: Is it supposed to? It doesn't sound familiar. [00:45:09] Speaker F: Probably should. [00:45:11] Speaker D: Does it hurt all of your brains? [00:45:14] Speaker F: It hurts Albert's brain. [00:45:16] Speaker A: When I learned about it, it hurt my brain. [00:45:19] Speaker C: Everything hurts our brain. [00:45:21] Speaker A: That's not true. [00:45:22] Speaker D: You. You heard it well, Zafir, did it hurt your head? [00:45:27] Speaker E: One ear out the other. [00:45:29] Speaker A: They don't know what it is. [00:45:31] Speaker D: Do you know what it is? [00:45:32] Speaker A: Yes. [00:45:33] Speaker D: What is it? [00:45:35] Speaker E: Plugs ears. [00:45:38] Speaker B: Um. [00:45:40] Speaker A: Jordy, help me. [00:45:41] Speaker B: It's a noble house. [00:45:42] Speaker A: It's a noble house in the south. [00:45:43] Speaker B: In Southmoor, which is the region you're in. [00:45:45] Speaker A: Okay. It's a noble house about 20 miles south of Joel. And it's not supposed to exist, but has existed for hundreds of years. [00:46:01] Speaker D: And set hit your brain. Any of you? [00:46:07] Speaker F: It's confusing it. [00:46:09] Speaker D: Well, I understand that bit of it, but you didn't seem that you were so. [00:46:14] Speaker A: Do you remember when we discovered what your rune meant, Teacher? It was kind of like that. [00:46:20] Speaker F: Like that feeling. [00:46:22] Speaker D: You as well? [00:46:23] Speaker F: No, just Alwood. [00:46:25] Speaker A: I don't think I was supposed to know. [00:46:27] Speaker C: Do you think I could have something to do with older you messing with time and lot? It could be one of those. What do you say? Parallelograms. [00:46:40] Speaker A: I see what you mean, but that was great. I don't know why I would prevent Neros from existing. I don't even know that's possible. [00:46:55] Speaker B: I don't know. [00:46:55] Speaker C: There's been a lot of weird time stuff happening with the hounds and all. [00:46:59] Speaker D: The hounds? [00:47:00] Speaker A: They haven't shown up in a minute. [00:47:02] Speaker D: What, what, what hounds are you speaking of that you speak of? [00:47:06] Speaker A: You were there. [00:47:07] Speaker D: I, I, I vaguely remember, I think the bang of something that we heard in the Grungjir forest. But that is the Grungia forest. I didn't put too much stock into it. Is there something more to them? They. [00:47:26] Speaker A: They eat failed time or they're drawn to what I do. Ostensibly. And from my understanding, I don't know too much myself, but they appear. And it's never good when they do. [00:47:47] Speaker D: I mean, presumably you are due to your future self a type of time wizard. [00:47:54] Speaker A: I don't know. I mean, I, I can, I mean, you, you know. But yes. I don't know. Why. [00:48:05] Speaker D: Then? Maybe they are a type of guardian of the timeline. That is a fundamental rule of nature that probably shouldn't be messed with. [00:48:16] Speaker A: But I, I haven't had time to look into them. [00:48:21] Speaker E: Sounds to me you've had plenty of time. [00:48:23] Speaker A: I mean, when Zafir. [00:48:26] Speaker E: Just, Just a joke. [00:48:28] Speaker A: Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. I, it's very funny. [00:48:33] Speaker C: I was just looking at your throat and remembering seeing one of the hounds ripping your throat out. Like, ah. [00:48:41] Speaker A: They tend to kill me when they show up. [00:48:45] Speaker C: Yeah, it's true. We've seen him die a couple times. [00:48:49] Speaker A: Did you guys die after I was dead? [00:48:51] Speaker C: I don't know. Usually reverts, I think, or something. Listen, don't ask me questions about this. That's like asking Zafir questions about this. [00:49:01] Speaker A: Did you die when the hounds attack? [00:49:03] Speaker E: I don't know. In one ear, out the other. [00:49:07] Speaker B: That's my motto. Exactly, says another guard as he walks Up. We're ready for you. [00:49:13] Speaker E: Are you the same guy as. [00:49:15] Speaker B: No, I'm a third guard. Oh, we've got a lot of them here. It's a popular profession these days. [00:49:21] Speaker D: Zephyr, have you been having troubles recognizing people recently? Is that a new development or. [00:49:27] Speaker A: In his defense, they are fully armored with helmets. [00:49:30] Speaker B: Indeed. And he lifts the visor on his helmet. And he has a very distinguished mustache. [00:49:35] Speaker C: Are you a woman? [00:49:39] Speaker B: Not I last checked. [00:49:41] Speaker C: Now Parson's got green eyes. The others didn't. [00:49:45] Speaker E: How do you know they were. Nevermind. [00:49:47] Speaker B: If you all will follow me into the courtroom. They gathered and assembled kings already for your testimonies. And that's where we'll end this episode. [00:50:01] Speaker A: All of them. [00:50:02] Speaker C: The end of the show. [00:50:03] Speaker A: Oh, oh, no, no. [00:50:04] Speaker E: All of the keys. [00:50:04] Speaker C: You've ended them all. You've ended all the episodes. [00:50:07] Speaker E: Quick time things. [00:50:10] Speaker B: All right. And the hero point for today's episode, the first episode of book three, is going to go to Sam for that awesome flashback scene with Cornelius. I had a ton of fun playing Cornelius against Val. I did not tell Sam how Cornelius was going to be behaving in that scene. So that was just off the cuff and we had a good time. [00:50:31] Speaker A: Punt him. [00:50:32] Speaker C: Punt him. [00:50:32] Speaker F: Yeah, Cornelius, punch him in that big ass. [00:50:36] Speaker A: We can punch Jordy, though. No, can't punch him either. [00:50:39] Speaker C: Get over here, Jordy. [00:50:40] Speaker D: Get over here. [00:50:41] Speaker B: That's it. I'm going to get in the fridge. [00:50:43] Speaker E: So that's where he lost his eyes. [00:50:45] Speaker C: I was born in the fridge. [00:50:51] Speaker A: Thanks. [00:50:52] Speaker C: Thanks for this. This is pretty neat. I'm gonna go prepare for another con. [00:50:59] Speaker A: So many. [00:50:59] Speaker C: It's great. I love it. We don't even talk about conventions. People should come. [00:51:05] Speaker B: Yes, we are in and out of cons. [00:51:08] Speaker A: We should tell them about them. That's what we're doing. [00:51:10] Speaker B: Shush. We are in and out of cons. I know Sam is at most of them. I'm at a few of them. Occasionally we'll have other people who pop in and out, but if you follow us on the Discord, you'll get notifications communications about when and where we'll be at cons. If you ever want to meet us in person, talk to us there. We would love to see you there. So make sure you get into the Discord and connect with us and the awesome community that we are building through atomic broadcasting. And until next time, have an atomic time. [00:51:42] Speaker C: Bye. [00:51:44] Speaker B: This has been an atomic broadcasting production. If you enjoyed the show, make sure to give us some support by liking, commenting and following these things. Really do make a difference in getting the word out and helping our community grow. Also, make sure to check us out on threads and check out the Discord server where you can chat with other fans and discuss all the recent developments and happenings. Links to all these good things in the description below. The Written and the Lost is an original story that uses trademarks and or copyrights owned by Paizo, Inc. Used under Paizo's Fan Content Policy. Atomic Broadcasting and the Written and the Lost are not published, endorsed or specifically approved by Paizo. For more information about Paizo, Inc. And paizo products, visit paizo.com hope to see you all in the next episode. Until then, have an Atomic time and as they begin disembarking. [00:52:37] Speaker F: You can do it. [00:52:38] Speaker B: Disembargoing let's begin disempowering the cart. [00:52:43] Speaker E: Dismembering as I begin dissing the cart. [00:52:46] Speaker A: You're stupid.