Episode Transcript
[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.
[00:00:15] Speaker B: Such as, like, comment rate, and don't forget to tell a friend to tune in for an atomic time.
[00:00:32] Speaker C: Now, where did we leave off?
Ah, yes.
After returning from Nithvale, Alwood informed Neros and Zephyr that he planned to go back in time to fix a mistake in his past.
In the face of their protests, they realized he wouldn't change his mind.
Indeed, they barely had time to angrily leave before he reached through time and pulled himself into his former home in the past.
So Abby is getting me slowly caught up on culture.
[00:01:16] Speaker D: Getting him slowly, Guys. It's a slow burn.
[00:01:20] Speaker C: Well, that already happened.
But she's slowly getting me caught up on culture.
I've watched a few sitcoms. Now we're watching through Star Trek. As I'd mentioned in the previous banter yesterday, she introduced me to My Chemical Romance, which somehow, I'd never heard any of that before.
[00:01:40] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:01:40] Speaker A: Wait, is that the one with Gerard Way?
[00:01:42] Speaker B: Were you homeschooled? No, but it's okay.
[00:01:45] Speaker D: That makes sense. The Black Parade.
[00:01:47] Speaker A: I know the band.
[00:01:50] Speaker D: I don't know the band members.
[00:01:52] Speaker A: I know one band in that genre was made directly because of 9 11.
[00:01:57] Speaker D: I think it was them.
[00:01:58] Speaker B: We can't talk about that.
[00:01:59] Speaker C: But in any event, so Abby starts playing this song for me because we saw a meme where somebody was like, oh, I read this to the tune of welcome to the Black Parade. And I was like, I don't know that song, so I don't get the meme. So Abby's like, well, let me play it for you. So she plays the song. I'm just snickering in the background the whole time because I hear the opening lyrics, and the first thing my brain goes is, oh, this is the paladin telling the party his back backstory.
[00:02:25] Speaker A: Were you fighting off singing the song? Because I was
[00:02:30] Speaker C: at the time. No. She was singing it. No.
[00:02:32] Speaker A: Right now.
[00:02:32] Speaker D: Oh, yes.
[00:02:33] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:02:34] Speaker D: No. Last night. No. Top of my lungs. Our windows were open, too. So the neighbors got a concert.
[00:02:39] Speaker B: Also getting rid of the smoke.
[00:02:41] Speaker C: I'm just sitting there like, I'm just imagining this is all happening at the same time.
[00:02:45] Speaker D: This is all happening while we're still waiting for the lasagna.
[00:02:49] Speaker B: I'm waiting for the smoke to clear.
[00:02:51] Speaker C: So I'm just imagining the party sitting around a campfire, and the rogue looks at the paladin like, so, what's your deal? And the paladin's like, when I was A young boy. My father took me to town to see a marching band when I was a boy.
[00:03:04] Speaker D: I know. I made that reference too, when I was a young.
[00:03:11] Speaker B: We are going to enter a time in the future where there's just a singularity of memes where everything references itself.
And like, you get to. You say something and it is just going to be every reference.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: I feel like we're getting to do that now. We just have to be smart about it.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: Well, that's the thing. I mean, depending on the group of
[00:03:31] Speaker A: people that you're with, I think Megamind is the way to do it.
[00:03:37] Speaker B: You know, I have not seen Mega Mind.
[00:03:39] Speaker A: What? I have not seen it.
[00:03:41] Speaker D: Okay, new movie night. New movie night.
[00:03:43] Speaker C: You would love Megamind.
[00:03:44] Speaker B: Have you seen Megamind?
[00:03:45] Speaker A: I have. That's. That's like.
[00:03:48] Speaker D: I didn't even have to show him the movie. He had watched it on his own volition.
[00:03:51] Speaker A: Good.
[00:03:52] Speaker C: If I've seen a movie, everybody needs to see that movie. Speaking of which, did you know Iron Lung is becoming available on YouTube?
[00:04:00] Speaker A: Oh, really?
[00:04:00] Speaker D: Watch it.
[00:04:01] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:04:01] Speaker B: I thought it was.
[00:04:02] Speaker C: He's going to put it on YouTube. You have to pay for it. It's not going to be free, but he's releasing it through YouTube at the end of the month.
[00:04:09] Speaker A: I thought excited.
[00:04:10] Speaker B: I thought he was having issues getting it released because YouTube's like, you're not a company. There's too many holes to jump through.
[00:04:15] Speaker C: There might be an update. I'm not caught up.
[00:04:18] Speaker B: I mean, this was a while back, but I know that he's also selling it on Blu Ray, I think, dvd.
[00:04:22] Speaker C: He did have those issues, but he got them cleared eventually, just through sheer being. Mark, he does not give up.
[00:04:30] Speaker B: I was gonna say, I feel like him doing what he does, he has the persistence to be able to get that done.
I aspire to be like Markiplier in some ways.
[00:04:43] Speaker D: What you listening to over there?
[00:04:46] Speaker A: None your Business
[00:04:48] Speaker C: playing today on Jenkins Radio.
[00:04:51] Speaker A: I don't know the name of the song. It's just going.
[00:04:54] Speaker B: I don't know. I've got the Black Parade stuck in my head now. Just the beginning. You're welcome though, like,
[00:05:02] Speaker C: speaking of things that happen in your head because your. Your mind is so powerful.
[00:05:08] Speaker A: Poor son.
[00:05:12] Speaker D: Except for our Aphantasia people out there.
[00:05:15] Speaker C: But this is not a figment of Alward's mind. No, Alward is actually deposited himself back in time, standing in the courtyard of his childhood home as the evening is beginning to set and we're hearing the last few songs of birds in the background.
Albert, you're home.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: Alward takes a second, looks around, takes a breath, and then steadies himself for what he needs to do, moving forward.
What?
[00:05:55] Speaker D: Where am I? What the hell? Hello, Alward.
[00:05:58] Speaker B: And another thing.
[00:06:00] Speaker A: Wait.
[00:06:01] Speaker D: Why am I in a bush?
[00:06:03] Speaker C: Alward, as you look around, you see that Zafir now instead of walking around through the door back into the banquet hall, is now standing in the doorway into the courtyard and off to the side. Neros, rather than climbing back into her bed, is now sitting on a bush.
[00:06:20] Speaker A: So you know the animations where like when someone gets surprised, their spine like jolts and there's like a live wire of wave that happens to Alward. He just stops, he turns around, he's like.
You're. You're. You're here. You're. You're here. Yes, you're here. You're. You're both he.
[00:06:42] Speaker D: Why are we here?
[00:06:43] Speaker A: I don't know.
[00:06:45] Speaker D: What, you didn't plan to bring us with you? Okay.
[00:06:48] Speaker B: You really are doing this just by the seat of your parents, aren't you?
[00:06:54] Speaker A: I'm sorry, I didn't.
Don't let people see you.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: What about you?
[00:07:04] Speaker A: I'm.
Technically, I'm at work right now. What time is it? I guess time sense.
[00:07:11] Speaker C: It is 7:32 in the afternoon.
[00:07:13] Speaker A: I'm just arriving home right now.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: Where are you? Where are we?
[00:07:20] Speaker A: My. My home in Cheliax.
[00:07:24] Speaker D: Cheliax?
[00:07:25] Speaker A: Yeah, this is the manor I grew up in.
[00:07:29] Speaker D: Okay, rich boy.
[00:07:31] Speaker A: Yes, my. My uncle owned it. I thought. I just. I thought I explained that before.
[00:07:37] Speaker D: I mean, if you did, I probably forgot. Or it wasn't to me.
[00:07:41] Speaker A: Well, we don't have a lot of time. About two hours.
[00:07:45] Speaker C: Apparently.
[00:07:46] Speaker D: We have nothing but time, Mr. Timey Boy.
[00:07:50] Speaker A: I need you to stop yelling.
[00:07:52] Speaker D: I'm very upset.
[00:07:53] Speaker A: I. I know.
[00:07:55] Speaker D: I have my pajamas on.
I have no shoes. Yeah, I have this blanket, but.
[00:08:01] Speaker B: You have a blanket. That's good.
[00:08:04] Speaker A: We could probably get you clothes.
[00:08:05] Speaker D: What do you want me to do if you don't want anyone to see us?
[00:08:09] Speaker A: I don't know. You weren't supposed to. You weren't supposed to be here.
[00:08:12] Speaker D: It's not like I did it on purpose.
[00:08:15] Speaker B: I cast illusory disguise on myself to look like whatever I can to say. I am a Chelly axe.
[00:08:21] Speaker D: Yes, I also have that spell.
[00:08:24] Speaker A: I am a jelly axe.
[00:08:25] Speaker B: I don't know what a jelly axe looks like.
[00:08:28] Speaker C: Then I don't know if you can cast that spell.
[00:08:30] Speaker B: I look like a variant of Alward.
At least can I? I don't know how this spell works.
[00:08:37] Speaker A: Four foot tall, Alward.
[00:08:39] Speaker C: Well, let me ask you this, petite. What level of training do you have in society?
[00:08:46] Speaker B: Trained?
[00:08:47] Speaker C: Go ahead and make a society check for me.
[00:08:49] Speaker B: I have a training train.
[00:08:52] Speaker D: Can I cast it? But I'm a master in society.
[00:08:55] Speaker C: You just know. What would be a good disguise as
[00:08:57] Speaker A: a master of so good at society?
I know you have to be.
[00:09:02] Speaker C: Oh, no.
[00:09:04] Speaker B: Well, I mean, with the plus 19, it's a 22, but without it is a 3.
So 22.
[00:09:13] Speaker A: Can I give him a bonus by just, like, talking him through it?
[00:09:18] Speaker C: You can.
[00:09:19] Speaker B: I was not listening to you when you. When I did this. I was just like, okay, I'm just gonna. You have nothing. You. You can't help me.
[00:09:27] Speaker C: That was the objection I was gonna give is I don't feel like Zafir is in a spot where he'd be taking Albert's advice. Right.
[00:09:32] Speaker A: That's valid. That's really valid.
[00:09:35] Speaker C: So, Zafir, you're able to get close, so you put on an illusory disguise for yourself. You no longer look like the dapper gentleman from the north like you usually do. You're dressed a little bit more appropriately for this climate, but it's not quite blending in with Cheliax. It's more of, like, an Andorran outfit, so it might draw some attention, but it's better than what you had.
[00:10:00] Speaker B: This bell says I can change my voice.
[00:10:04] Speaker A: Are you going to?
[00:10:05] Speaker D: Probably.
[00:10:06] Speaker C: You could also be 6 inches taller.
[00:10:08] Speaker B: I am 6 inches taller, which makes me not small anymore.
[00:10:12] Speaker C: I believe technically, it has to be the same size class. So you're just a tall, small.
[00:10:18] Speaker B: You said I could be taller.
[00:10:20] Speaker A: You can.
[00:10:21] Speaker D: It's just.
[00:10:21] Speaker A: You're the same size class.
[00:10:24] Speaker D: Nero snaps her fingers and she's dressed how she needs to be.
[00:10:29] Speaker B: Mine is not as smooth.
[00:10:30] Speaker C: What social class are you attempting to impersonate, bro? I don't know, like, you're trying to blend in with, like, the serving class or blend in as, like, a nobleman or a noblewoman.
[00:10:40] Speaker D: What would you suggest, Mr. Alward Person?
[00:10:43] Speaker C: I think, yeah, Jenkins, you could provide Abby out of character advice, since she's a master in society.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: So if you go the servant route, people are gonna tell you things that you need to do, and then you're gonna have to do them.
I don't think Neros wants that.
[00:11:01] Speaker D: No.
[00:11:01] Speaker A: If you go the upper class route, the servants aren't gonna really look at you because they don't want to be told what to do.
But they're also gonna be wondering who you are.
[00:11:14] Speaker D: Is There somewhere in the middle.
[00:11:16] Speaker A: You wouldn't be here.
[00:11:17] Speaker D: Oh, let's go upper class then, because I know. Don't tell nervous what to do. She will not do it.
[00:11:24] Speaker C: Let me ask you a question, Abby. What rank are you casting illusory disguise at?
[00:11:29] Speaker D: Third, I guess. I don't know.
[00:11:31] Speaker C: Okay, so you can, if you choose to appear as a specific person.
[00:11:36] Speaker D: I don't know any specific people in Cheliax that are noble people.
[00:11:41] Speaker B: You look like Howard.
[00:11:42] Speaker C: Would you like to roll as a master of society? There's a chance you might know of someone.
[00:11:46] Speaker D: But what if they show up?
[00:11:48] Speaker A: I mean, you know, me, my mom.
[00:11:52] Speaker D: Then there would be three of you running around.
Do you want me to impersonate Valia?
[00:12:00] Speaker A: No, I'm.
[00:12:03] Speaker D: I don't think I'm gonna choose a specific person because again, what if they show up?
[00:12:08] Speaker C: Just offering your options.
[00:12:09] Speaker D: Thank. Thank you for options.
Nero says very, very, very upset.
[00:12:18] Speaker A: Alward is very upset for you to be here.
[00:12:21] Speaker D: She doesn't want to be here.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: Alward doesn't want you here.
[00:12:23] Speaker D: Here she is.
[00:12:24] Speaker B: That's rude.
[00:12:25] Speaker A: Yet here you are.
[00:12:27] Speaker C: Just as Zafir and Neros are finishing their disguises, and Alward is maybe coming down from the apex of his panic, somebody walks around the corner into the courtyard holding a broom and a bucket, and they just stop.
Oh, hello.
Sorry. Excuse me. And she turns around, just walks back inside.
[00:12:53] Speaker B: Was that Lena?
[00:12:55] Speaker A: No, that was just a servant.
[00:12:58] Speaker D: You said you didn't want us to be seen, yet here we are being seen.
[00:13:03] Speaker A: Howard just grips the bridge of his both with four fingers and just.
Look, it is very important we find myself and either stop myself from.
We have about an hour and 30 minutes. I cast time stance an hour and 15 minutes to find myself, which I should be going to my room and locking myself in there.
And then I will go do what I need to do, and it will be fine.
[00:13:43] Speaker D: What do you want us to do in the interim?
[00:13:46] Speaker A: Lock myself in the room.
[00:13:48] Speaker D: You want us to lock you in the room?
[00:13:50] Speaker A: Not me. Myself.
[00:13:51] Speaker D: You want us to lock your past self in the room?
[00:13:53] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:13:55] Speaker D: Not you. No, but us.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: I will be needed elsewhere.
What.
[00:14:02] Speaker D: What are we supposed to do if people ask why we're there?
[00:14:05] Speaker B: We just. We just tell them that we're locking him in the room.
[00:14:10] Speaker D: I don't think that will go down well.
[00:14:12] Speaker B: Yeah, we can do what we want, I guess.
[00:14:14] Speaker D: Why does your voice sound like that?
[00:14:16] Speaker B: I. It just came with this.
[00:14:18] Speaker A: This.
[00:14:19] Speaker B: This thing. I don't even know, all right?
[00:14:22] Speaker A: It's not even.
[00:14:23] Speaker D: Sounds like some weird Godfather character.
[00:14:25] Speaker A: It's not even Chillaxian. I don't even.
[00:14:27] Speaker B: I don't know what Chillaxian sounds like.
What happened me.
[00:14:33] Speaker D: To be fair, I don't really sound Chillaxian either, but it's fine. We're here.
[00:14:36] Speaker B: Does your door have a. Have a lock on the outside? I don't. Can we. Can we borrow it?
[00:14:41] Speaker A: Okay, new plan.
You two are from the Infernal Mining Company.
[00:14:46] Speaker D: Hang on, I have to write down this plan.
[00:14:48] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:14:50] Speaker D: We're from the Infernal Mining Company.
[00:14:51] Speaker A: Yes. That is my current place of employ. Not me, but my past self.
[00:14:56] Speaker B: Time.
That's it? That's the one.
That's all we get?
[00:15:01] Speaker A: That's the only one.
And you're here to discuss my performance with the company. And you need to keep me distracted for about an hour.
[00:15:14] Speaker B: That's all I got in this disguise.
[00:15:18] Speaker D: So we are talking to past Alwood for an hour about his performance in the company.
[00:15:23] Speaker A: Yes.
Do you have accounting? Do you know anything about it?
[00:15:28] Speaker D: No.
[00:15:29] Speaker B: Right.
[00:15:31] Speaker D: I don't deal with numbers. I don't like math.
[00:15:33] Speaker A: Can you fake your way through corporate speak?
[00:15:37] Speaker D: I can probably, if it helps.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: I'm very naive.
[00:15:42] Speaker B: I can fake my way through pretty
[00:15:44] Speaker D: much anything that actually helps if you're very naive.
[00:15:48] Speaker A: I mean, not so much anymore, but.
[00:15:50] Speaker D: Well, I know what you're talking about.
[00:15:52] Speaker B: How long ago it is. What? What what is?
How long?
When. When are we.
[00:16:00] Speaker D: Yeah, what year is it?
What month? What day?
[00:16:05] Speaker B: I don't actually know if we established how long ago this was.
[00:16:08] Speaker D: Alward.
[00:16:08] Speaker C: I can never remember the, like, calendar year. But this is two years ago.
[00:16:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:16:14] Speaker D: Okay.
I have to come up with a new name, too.
If we're going to do this, we need aliases.
[00:16:22] Speaker B: I'm going to be Randall.
[00:16:25] Speaker D: I'm. I'm. I'm using a name Generator right now.
I haven't found anything I like.
[00:16:30] Speaker B: I got my name generator already. Right here. Right here in my head.
[00:16:33] Speaker C: I love how fast you had that loaded, petite.
[00:16:39] Speaker A: You could be Verdria.
No. Okay.
[00:16:44] Speaker B: I have obviously no. No understanding of the Chillaxian anything, so. Oh, it's good. Randall works.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: Do you speak Teldon?
[00:16:56] Speaker B: What do I do? I.
It's not there. It's in here.
[00:17:01] Speaker C: I was pretty sure everybody spoke Teldin.
[00:17:04] Speaker D: I speak Teldon.
[00:17:04] Speaker A: Not positive.
[00:17:05] Speaker B: No. No, it's not on my list.
[00:17:08] Speaker D: Oh, Lord.
[00:17:10] Speaker A: Maybe prevent him from speaking.
[00:17:13] Speaker B: Maybe you should ask that before we start. Or not ask that at all.
[00:17:16] Speaker A: I mean, I'm pretty sure I know Skald right now, but I don't now
[00:17:20] Speaker D: I need a last name.
[00:17:21] Speaker B: I don't think you need a last name.
[00:17:23] Speaker D: Yes, I do.
[00:17:23] Speaker A: Last names are actually very important, especially if she's going to present herself as a noble.
[00:17:28] Speaker D: Are there any common noble families around here that I should avoid?
[00:17:34] Speaker A: I had a last name for my uncle and then I forgot it.
[00:17:38] Speaker D: One of the last names suggested is Lupus.
[00:17:42] Speaker B: I like that. Can I use that?
[00:17:44] Speaker D: That's a disease.
[00:17:45] Speaker B: Randolupus.
[00:17:46] Speaker D: Lupus is a disease.
[00:17:47] Speaker B: I'm also a dog.
I like that. Randolupus.
[00:17:51] Speaker D: Lupus is literally a disease. Petite.
[00:17:53] Speaker B: Rand, I am aware of this.
[00:17:55] Speaker D: Oh, gosh.
[00:17:57] Speaker A: Of Vicus.
[00:17:58] Speaker B: What if you never get to introduce yourself to him?
[00:18:01] Speaker A: Julus, Juna. Junianus.
[00:18:05] Speaker B: Juni from Spy Kids.
[00:18:06] Speaker A: Matus.
[00:18:09] Speaker D: We'll do this.
[00:18:11] Speaker A: Perseus.
[00:18:11] Speaker D: We'll do this.
[00:18:12] Speaker A: Perseus.
[00:18:13] Speaker B: That's Greek.
[00:18:14] Speaker D: Do you want an alias or.
[00:18:16] Speaker A: No.
[00:18:16] Speaker B: What? My alias is.
[00:18:18] Speaker D: Oh, that's right. Randall Lupus.
That's a choice.
Okay, well, there we go. I have a. I have an alias. That's not Freya.
What?
[00:18:31] Speaker C: I just find it funny that you guys are coming up with aliases.
Multiple aliases over the course of the story.
[00:18:39] Speaker D: Yeah, we've had to. We've been in situations.
[00:18:43] Speaker A: Okay, so there's this. You're gonna talk about my performance with the company.
[00:18:47] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:18:47] Speaker A: And you're gonna try to convince me to move up north to their new operation in the land of the Linorms.
[00:18:54] Speaker B: Ain't you gonna do that anyway?
[00:18:56] Speaker A: I only did that because of what I do later.
[00:19:00] Speaker D: What could I tell past you to convince him to do that?
[00:19:06] Speaker A: Probably nothing. That's not the point. The point is, as you continue, what was your plan?
Well, my plan was originally to talk to myself, but now you guys are here and I need to keep you occupied.
[00:19:19] Speaker B: Wait, so what are you gonna do?
[00:19:22] Speaker A: I am going to have a conversation with my uncle.
[00:19:27] Speaker B: So why does this change in between the conversation between you and your uncle?
[00:19:32] Speaker A: What?
[00:19:33] Speaker B: Why is this changing? You were gonna have a conversation with yourself, but now it's your uncle. I feel like something's changed with my voice now, but I don't know what's going on.
[00:19:42] Speaker A: The spells.
[00:19:43] Speaker B: Do I sound different to you?
[00:19:44] Speaker D: You sound great. Zafir.
[00:19:46] Speaker B: Do I sound chilly? Axion.
[00:19:47] Speaker D: I'm sorry, Chant.
[00:19:48] Speaker B: Chilliaxian.
[00:19:49] Speaker A: Ish.
[00:19:50] Speaker D: Sure.
[00:19:51] Speaker A: Like I said, I need to keep you guys sort of occupied, and I don't.
[00:19:56] Speaker D: We could go hide somewhere too, but I mean, if you want us to talk to you boring for you, then we will go talk to you for you.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: Basically. Yeah, so? So my uncle has like this hard rule where after like around like 8 o' clock or so, 8 or 9, he locks his bedroom and no one's allowed in under any circumstances. So I need to go talk to him because I have that penciled in for today and if you distract my past self from doing that, it's all going to be fine.
[00:20:28] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:20:28] Speaker B: I think you think that your uncle's weird.
[00:20:33] Speaker A: He's a very kind man.
[00:20:35] Speaker B: So where's your room?
[00:20:37] Speaker A: I'm not in there yet.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: No, you're right here.
Right, sorry, but where is.
[00:20:45] Speaker A: I could show you guys around.
[00:20:47] Speaker D: Oh, okay.
[00:20:49] Speaker A: Right now it's just me, my sister, my mom, my uncle.
[00:20:55] Speaker B: Your mom's here.
[00:20:56] Speaker A: And a cousin who's in the manor.
[00:21:00] Speaker D: Sophia, do not go and bother Elwood's mum.
[00:21:03] Speaker A: No, please, she's still mourning. Oh, technically she's always been mourning since you've met me. But you know,
[00:21:12] Speaker B: I got an idea. Let's wait till he's gone. I mean, take me to your room, don't fetch me.
[00:21:20] Speaker C: A servant is just about to walk into the courtyard. Turns around, walks away.
[00:21:29] Speaker A: Alert is just getting flashes of memories of having to deal with a scandal.
[00:21:34] Speaker B: Let's get a move on.
[00:21:35] Speaker A: Albert's gonna show you around the manor.
He's weirdly taking some pride in the fact he gets to show his friends around where he grew up.
It seems weird, given the circumstances.
[00:21:49] Speaker C: Right.
[00:21:51] Speaker D: Fancy place.
[00:21:52] Speaker B: Slightly enjoying it with a little bit of pent up anger.
[00:21:57] Speaker A: A servant comes up and offers you roasted dates.
[00:22:01] Speaker B: I've already got a date. Pencil in later.
[00:22:04] Speaker C: We should point out that these servants are all halflings.
[00:22:08] Speaker B: Oh. So how much taller am I?
[00:22:10] Speaker C: A little bit.
[00:22:11] Speaker B: Okay,
[00:22:14] Speaker A: maybe as we waste time in the manor and we get to the door, that would be Alward's bedroom, which is a very opulent, fancy place. I showed you. A library is huge, filled with tons of books. And we get to.
[00:22:29] Speaker D: Uvair would love it.
[00:22:30] Speaker A: Yeah.
You know, I've been thinking as I've been walking, maybe.
Okay, so I'm just gonna tell you guys something, but you have to promise you won't tell my mom.
[00:22:46] Speaker D: Which version?
[00:22:48] Speaker A: Any version.
[00:22:49] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:22:50] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:22:52] Speaker A: Is that a yes? You won't.
[00:22:54] Speaker D: I. I can won't tell your mom what you're going to tell me.
[00:22:58] Speaker B: I promise to.
[00:23:00] Speaker A: Okay. I killed her brother.
[00:23:04] Speaker B: Your runcle's in the.
[00:23:05] Speaker A: Yeah. So I'm going to. I don't mean to.
I want to stop that from happening.
[00:23:12] Speaker D: Why did you kill him?
[00:23:14] Speaker A: I didn't.
I didn't mean to.
He wanted to take my mom and my sister to Absalom. He was opening up a new branch. He was a banker. He owns a big branch here.
And I didn't want them to go.
I just lost my dad like eight years ago. And they were the only real family I had left. And, um.
Well, you remember how I said my powers just kind of do things if I want them?
I wanted him to understand how I was feeling.
And it kinda exploded. And I want to prevent that from happening.
[00:24:06] Speaker D: Does your mom know?
[00:24:07] Speaker A: No.
[00:24:08] Speaker D: Does she think her brother's still alive?
[00:24:10] Speaker A: I don't know, Alwood.
[00:24:17] Speaker B: I had no idea.
[00:24:20] Speaker A: I don't want her to know that.
You know, she just lost her husband of 150 years and she's mourning. And then what would she think if she found out her son murdered her only brother?
But.
So I don't know if I need to have you guys distract myself, but I need to not talk to him tonight. Tonight?
Because he's leaving in the morning and he'll be too busy to talk with me tomorrow.
[00:25:00] Speaker D: Right.
[00:25:01] Speaker A: But he is expecting me in about 10 minutes.
[00:25:05] Speaker D: I'm assuming tonight is when it accidentally happened.
[00:25:08] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:25:11] Speaker B: Just go do what you need to do.
We'll take care of this.
[00:25:14] Speaker A: Okay.
Thank you.
Again, I am sorry. You weren't supposed to be here.
[00:25:23] Speaker D: It is what it is.
[00:25:27] Speaker A: I'm in there currently preparing. I'm probably pacing a lot, trying to plan out what I'm going to say.
So then he sort of like gestures you both to the door.
[00:25:42] Speaker D: We'll wait till you get out of sight.
[00:25:43] Speaker A: Yeah. And then Alwyn walks off very awkwardly.
[00:25:51] Speaker D: Neros walks up to the door and knocks.
[00:25:58] Speaker A: I have to play my past self, don't I?
[00:26:00] Speaker C: Yes, you do.
You started this.
[00:26:05] Speaker A: One moment, please. No, I don't want any stuff. I'll be fine.
[00:26:09] Speaker D: Mr. Volden,
[00:26:14] Speaker A: Telekinet opens the door.
I don't recognize you. Who are you?
[00:26:19] Speaker D: Hello. My name is Rosalia Lucas with the Infernal Mining Company. I'm here to talk to you about your job performance.
[00:26:28] Speaker A: What's your passive deception?
[00:26:32] Speaker D: Oh, like 10 plus the modifier. Yeah, okay. 31.
[00:26:35] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah. This is a level one Albert we're talking about.
His perception's like a 12.
Oh, who's he?
[00:26:49] Speaker B: Zafir looks up at Rosalia.
Just realize that your initials are the exact same thing. And your last name sounds like mine.
[00:26:58] Speaker D: Oh, I didn't put that together.
[00:27:01] Speaker B: So you're Lucas. I'm Lupus.
Do we speak the same language?
[00:27:09] Speaker A: No. That's what I asked if you spoke.
[00:27:11] Speaker B: Taldon yeah. I'm just. I'm just gonna look at you. Just.
[00:27:17] Speaker D: This is. This is Randall Lupus. He's also with the Infernal Mining Company.
[00:27:23] Speaker B: Holds up a thumbs up. Huh?
[00:27:29] Speaker A: Right.
[00:27:32] Speaker D: This is going so well.
[00:27:34] Speaker A: Is he okay?
[00:27:36] Speaker D: He's fine. He just.
He had a injury a while ago and he's still regaining the skill of speech, but he's here as a witness.
[00:27:49] Speaker B: He opens his mouth and points at his tongue.
[00:27:52] Speaker A: I'm so sorry. I.
We have healers. We can.
[00:27:59] Speaker D: He wanted to go the Nashville route, so he's just taking his time.
[00:28:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:05] Speaker C: I would like to interject here. As amazing as all this is petite, you have no idea what they're saying.
[00:28:11] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:12] Speaker B: Okay. Just realized.
Okay.
[00:28:17] Speaker D: He's great at reading the situation.
[00:28:20] Speaker B: Huh.
[00:28:25] Speaker A: Did. Did.
You're from the comp. Why are you here?
It looks like the most terrified look on out. Like he feels like, you know, when you just got a new job and then your boss says, we have to talk and they don't really tell you why, and you just kind of sit there and think about it all day. That.
Yeah.
[00:28:45] Speaker D: May we come in?
[00:28:49] Speaker A: I'm. I have a.
[00:28:52] Speaker D: Yeah, thank you.
I gesture to Zafir Randall to, like, come into the room.
[00:29:02] Speaker B: I enter, but then I also.
I message. I message you.
I don't know whether to call you Neros or Azalea.
[00:29:13] Speaker D: I mean, no one else can hear the message, right? And you can just say Neros.
[00:29:17] Speaker B: So I message you and I just go.
I think he told me one time that he was stealing money.
You could. You could use that.
I don't know what you guys are talking about, but who could use that?
[00:29:31] Speaker D: Before or after this?
[00:29:32] Speaker A: It's far after.
[00:29:34] Speaker C: Does Nero snow?
[00:29:36] Speaker A: Does Nero's know?
[00:29:37] Speaker D: I don't know.
[00:29:38] Speaker B: You could be thinking about it. It's only like a year before you start, if anything.
So I'm just. I'm just out there just saying.
[00:29:46] Speaker A: It doesn't make sense for you to say that.
[00:29:50] Speaker D: Is there a desk or something? Are there chairs in here?
[00:29:54] Speaker A: So Alward's room has a desk, a writing desk filled with notes and such. It has a scale sitting on it.
His bed is pushed against a wall, and then above it's a small bookshelf.
Everything is very neat and tidy.
[00:30:13] Speaker D: Gosh, I don't like that I'm carrying this.
[00:30:16] Speaker A: It's very funny.
[00:30:18] Speaker B: Zafir Randall is going to.
[00:30:20] Speaker D: Zafir Randall.
[00:30:21] Speaker B: His last name is Ren. Rendell. Anyway, he's gonna walk up to the bookshelf and just start pulling a book and Open it and just like start flipping through the pages and just keep doing that with random books.
[00:30:34] Speaker A: Aurora's just gonna look at him, confused, slack jaw, just.
Why is he touching my things?
[00:30:42] Speaker D: That is a great question. I do not know.
I walk up to him and I tap him on the shoulder and just shake my head.
[00:30:57] Speaker A: I mean, if he wants, he can I just.
[00:31:02] Speaker D: Yes, but I also want to respect your property.
[00:31:06] Speaker A: I appreciate that.
[00:31:08] Speaker D: That is your property that he's just rifling through for no reason.
[00:31:13] Speaker A: So I do have a thing in five minutes.
[00:31:18] Speaker D: Right.
This might take slightly longer than five minutes. However, it is concerning your job, so.
[00:31:26] Speaker A: Right.
Would you like some tea or coffee?
[00:31:32] Speaker D: You know, coffee actually sounds lovely.
[00:31:35] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:31:36] Speaker D: I've been awake for a very long time.
[00:31:39] Speaker A: Right. It'll.
A telekinetic hand comes out and ring pulls down on a rope. And then Albert just speaks coffee.
Does he want some?
[00:31:51] Speaker B: Hmm?
[00:31:52] Speaker A: Do you want coffee?
[00:31:53] Speaker B: You're looking at me. What do I do?
[00:31:55] Speaker D: I can't talk to you in this language.
[00:31:58] Speaker C: I'd like to interject a question.
Neros, do you have message?
[00:32:02] Speaker D: No.
[00:32:03] Speaker B: Okay, I guess. Oh, she can respond to me, can't she? But she says she have to talk.
[00:32:10] Speaker C: So message either casting or responding. You just kind of mouth silently and the noise goes to their ear.
[00:32:17] Speaker B: But the response is that. Does that have to be audible on their side?
[00:32:20] Speaker C: It's. It's the same. So you would be able to message to her and then she could message back to you.
But it does take real time of moving your mouth like you're talking.
[00:32:29] Speaker B: Nobody said I couldn't move my mouth. I just can't talk.
[00:32:33] Speaker D: So Alward and Neros are both just staring at you.
[00:32:39] Speaker B: You see this weird amalgamation of lip movements.
Like the old Japanese films where they tried to dub it with. Well, actually no, it was probably just current where they tried to dub it with the mouth movements. They're like hi.
And so you. You see that and you hear what?
[00:33:03] Speaker A: What Albert recognize as mouth flaps.
I know current Alward 100% would.
[00:33:09] Speaker B: There's no like discernible speaking a language.
[00:33:15] Speaker D: This is so tricky.
[00:33:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:33:18] Speaker C: Make a flat D20 check. So essentially this is level 0 Alward with no bonuses. If you beat a 15, you'll recognize
[00:33:25] Speaker A: the spell 1 under 14.
[00:33:29] Speaker D: And then Neros can respond. Does she have to say words?
[00:33:32] Speaker A: Mouth them.
[00:33:33] Speaker D: She mouths. Do you want coffee?
[00:33:36] Speaker B: Zafir makes the most sour face. Oh, that's right.
[00:33:39] Speaker D: He doesn't like.
[00:33:41] Speaker A: We have tea too.
[00:33:42] Speaker D: Do you want tea?
[00:33:44] Speaker B: Did you say that in a message? Because I don't know if you can respond.
[00:33:47] Speaker D: Oh, no, I can't. Responding.
[00:33:48] Speaker B: Nope.
You can just hold something up. I don't know.
[00:33:53] Speaker A: Just two coffees. Thank you.
It'll be here shortly.
[00:34:00] Speaker D: I appreciate that.
[00:34:02] Speaker B: What kind of books do you have on this shelf?
[00:34:04] Speaker A: Oh, tons of language books.
[00:34:06] Speaker B: Is there anything.
[00:34:07] Speaker A: And accounting books.
[00:34:08] Speaker B: Has pictures.
[00:34:09] Speaker A: No.
Well, actually, no. There is one book that has pictures. It's a child's book that he used to read to Lena before she outgrew it.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: Gonna pick up that book and start pointing at it.
[00:34:25] Speaker A: I don't mean to be rude.
Are you sure he's okay?
[00:34:32] Speaker D: As far as I'm aware, yes.
[00:34:35] Speaker A: This is a child's book. It's my sister's favorite for a while.
[00:34:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:34:49] Speaker D: Anyway, Mr. Bolden, on to our discussion at hand.
[00:34:53] Speaker A: Right.
A telekinetic hand pulls out a chair for you to sit down on. And our just sort of sits down on his bed.
Oh.
[00:35:03] Speaker D: Oh, well, thank you.
[00:35:04] Speaker A: I'm sorry I don't have a third thing for him to.
[00:35:08] Speaker D: You know what? Something tells me he'll be okay.
If anything, he'll just sit on the floor.
He's not that professional.
[00:35:16] Speaker B: Unfortunately, as if by magic, he just sits on the floor and crosses his legs. He just kind of puts his fingers in a little triangle and puts it up against his mouth.
[00:35:24] Speaker A: I thought you were about to say, as if by magic, he summons a tent.
[00:35:29] Speaker B: Pulls one out of his cloak.
[00:35:33] Speaker D: This is going Great.
Now, Mr. Volden. Alwood. Can I call you Alwood, or would you prefer Mr. Volden?
[00:35:44] Speaker A: Alwood's fine.
[00:35:45] Speaker D: Okay.
Our records show that you are doing a wonderful job.
[00:35:51] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, thank you.
[00:35:53] Speaker D: With the company, how would you rate your satisfaction with, you know, working there?
[00:36:04] Speaker A: I mean. I mean, it's been great. I really like the person who I work under.
Yeah. And you can.
It's very much like he can't say anything bad because he's terrified.
I see myself excelling here within the next 50ish years.
[00:36:32] Speaker D: Oh, so you plan to stay with us long term then?
[00:36:35] Speaker A: That is the plan, yes.
[00:36:41] Speaker D: That is actually great to hear.
[00:36:44] Speaker A: And it's very clear. He's like, trying to hide something but not doing it very well.
I'm glad. That is good to hear.
[00:36:53] Speaker D: With my passive perception. Can I just see yet?
[00:36:59] Speaker C: So bear in mind this version of Alward can't roll higher than a 20 on a crit.
[00:37:03] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:37:04] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:37:04] Speaker C: So if you have a DC of 30, he still can't beat you, even on an end.
[00:37:08] Speaker D: Okay. Okay.
[00:37:09] Speaker A: He's like a really bad book.
[00:37:12] Speaker D: I see.
Is this something else you wanted to say?
[00:37:16] Speaker A: No. Why would. I'm very glad to work with the company. And I'm glad that you. Or glad that I'm glad to be there for a long time.
Is this a test?
Did my uncle send you?
[00:37:30] Speaker B: What?
[00:37:30] Speaker D: No. We are not here on behalf of your uncle. I promise.
[00:37:34] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:37:36] Speaker D: Are you all right? Do you want some water?
Are you all right?
[00:37:39] Speaker A: We have coffee coming. I'm. It'll only be another moment.
[00:37:44] Speaker D: You look sweaty.
[00:37:46] Speaker A: Oh, He's not sweating, but his moats are like sporadically shimmering and freaking out.
Fine.
[00:37:58] Speaker D: I'm sorry if our presence here has upset you.
[00:38:01] Speaker A: I mean, it's fine.
[00:38:04] Speaker D: I mist. Of Olden.
[00:38:08] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:38:10] Speaker D: She just gives past L word. Just. Just a very.
I don't. What's the word?
[00:38:17] Speaker A: Disapproving.
[00:38:18] Speaker D: Not disapproving. Knowing, maybe. Or a synonym for knowing, like. Look, just.
[00:38:26] Speaker A: What do you do with the company?
[00:38:30] Speaker D: What would be a good.
[00:38:32] Speaker B: Zafir starts choking.
[00:38:33] Speaker D: We didn't.
[00:38:35] Speaker A: You know. Zafir starts choking. He's been eaten.
[00:38:39] Speaker C: Randall.
[00:38:40] Speaker A: Randall.
[00:38:42] Speaker D: Nero's pats him on the back.
[00:38:45] Speaker B: He points it outward and points at his mouth.
[00:38:48] Speaker A: I don't. Does he want.
About this time, a halfling servant comes in carrying two cups of coffee.
Thank you.
And a telekinetic hand gives you your cup.
[00:39:02] Speaker D: Oh, thank you.
[00:39:04] Speaker A: And another one holds it in of front. Front of me.
Do you want. And then my cup goes to. You need something to drink?
[00:39:15] Speaker B: He takes a sip and immediately stops coughing. Just like.
Well, stops coughing before he takes a drink.
And then he looks at Neros. He looks back at Alward.
And then he coughs really hard and throws the water on Alward.
[00:39:34] Speaker A: Coffee. Hot coffee.
[00:39:36] Speaker B: I thought it was water.
[00:39:37] Speaker A: No, it's coffee. Hot coffee.
[00:39:41] Speaker B: He didn't actually take a sip just to say. He throws it on Alward.
[00:39:47] Speaker D: Randall.
Oh, my goodness. Mr. Bolden, are you all right?
Oh, my goodness.
Is there anything we can do to help?
[00:39:59] Speaker A: It's fine. He cast prestidigitation on himself a few times. It's fine.
[00:40:03] Speaker D: Did you get burned?
[00:40:05] Speaker A: A little.
It'll be fine.
[00:40:09] Speaker B: He picks up a. I don't know. Do you have. It's not a mess in there. Do you have any towels or anything in the room?
[00:40:14] Speaker A: It's. No.
[00:40:15] Speaker B: Okay. Do you have any clothes?
[00:40:17] Speaker A: I have a bed sheet that I'm sitting on.
[00:40:19] Speaker B: I'm going.
[00:40:20] Speaker A: I guess I'm not sitting on it anymore.
[00:40:21] Speaker B: Lift the bed sheet and kind of pat it and tap it around you.
[00:40:25] Speaker A: He's touching me. Why is he touching me?
[00:40:30] Speaker D: Stop Touching him.
[00:40:32] Speaker A: I'm kind of on edge now that he assaulted me.
[00:40:36] Speaker D: I mean, yes.
[00:40:38] Speaker A: And is touching me.
Please get him to stop.
[00:40:41] Speaker D: I grab him and pull him back.
[00:40:45] Speaker A: I don't. I'm starting to think you guys aren't with the company.
[00:40:50] Speaker B: How much time do we have before we need to stop this?
[00:40:54] Speaker C: Would you like to use time sense?
[00:40:56] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:40:57] Speaker C: So you subtly use time sense. You know, you sniff the air, you smell it. You learn two things. One, that right around now is when your Alward should probably be done with whatever he was doing with his uncle, unless it's taking too long. And two, you have about five minutes before your disguises dissipate.
[00:41:18] Speaker A: Cool.
[00:41:19] Speaker B: So here's what's going to happen.
[00:41:21] Speaker C: Before that happens, I was going to
[00:41:23] Speaker D: move on to a different part of this conversation that we need to have.
[00:41:27] Speaker C: Let's find out what's going on with your version of Alward.
[00:41:29] Speaker B: Dad Gummet.
[00:41:31] Speaker D: This guy's self lasts for an hour.
[00:41:35] Speaker A: So my version of our present day Alward High level.
[00:41:38] Speaker B: Alward High level hour level 13
[00:41:46] Speaker A: goes to his uncle's room and just enters the door because he's expected.
And he says, uncle, I scheduled a time to speak with you.
[00:41:58] Speaker C: Your uncle turns around and looks you up and down.
You plan on going then?
[00:42:07] Speaker A: Yes, you. You're right, you know, and I. I should be back well before 20 years. And it's a good way to accelerate in the company.
If I take the drop up north.
Best not tell. I figured I'd tell Mom and Lena tomorrow morning.
[00:42:31] Speaker C: I think that's. That's prudent. He's kind of, like, narrowing his eyes just kind of a little bit. Just kind of looking at you weird.
[00:42:41] Speaker A: Have them write to me, I suppose. Of course.
[00:42:44] Speaker C: Of course. I mean, Alward, you're still family.
[00:42:47] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:42:48] Speaker C: It's just.
He moves across the room and puts out his hand like he's going to set it on your shoulder. And then he pulls back.
[00:42:56] Speaker A: Howard remembers that he doesn't like being touched that much. He's gotten so used to random people, to touching him, he doesn't draw back like he normally would. He's like. I mean, it's fine.
[00:43:13] Speaker C: Albert, are you sure you're all right? You're just.
I'm worried that you're just bottling up your emotions.
[00:43:23] Speaker A: I've had a lot of time to think about it, and I fear that if I don't do this, I will regret everything.
[00:43:40] Speaker C: Albert, I don't want to make this any harder for you than it already is, but it still hasn't been that long. You need to still let yourself grieve.
[00:43:51] Speaker A: It's a long journey up north and I will have plenty of time when I'm up there.
I appreciate your worry for me, Uncle. I do.
And I'll.
I'll miss you greatly.
But it. It won't be.
You know, I've.
It's not like with my mom. She knew him for 150 so years, and I only knew him eight.
Not even.
So. It's. It'll be fine.
[00:44:37] Speaker C: He reaches up his hand again, and then, like, almost like flinching, like he's gonna touch a hot stove, he puts his hand on your shoulder and it's just like, alward, I'm proud of you. And you might be going on your own to the land of the Lenore Kings, but I promise you, you are not alone.
[00:45:03] Speaker A: I know. I go with the family's blessing. And I promise I will execute the plan and take control of the company within, if possible, 75 years.
[00:45:22] Speaker C: You are your father's son, but you're just as ambitious as he ever was.
[00:45:28] Speaker A: Well, hopefully not too ambitious, considering.
[00:45:36] Speaker C: Maybe take care of yourself. Outward.
[00:45:39] Speaker A: Yes.
Maybe I'll meet some of his family. You know, be nice.
Well, I.
You should.
You have an early day. You should go to bed a little early.
I will see you all tomorrow.
[00:45:57] Speaker C: So Alward, you can tell that he's, like, not entirely buying this because he's seeing all of the processing and maturity that you have years in the future, just in a snap of a moment and he's like.
[00:46:13] Speaker A: Because, like, this morning we probably had an argument about it.
And then I think, uncharacteristically, Albert is going to. Because he still has his hand on our shoulder, right? Yeah. Yeah. I think, uncharacteristically, Albert's going to reach out and give him a hug, which
[00:46:36] Speaker C: completely takes him by surprise.
[00:46:40] Speaker A: Stay safe.
[00:46:43] Speaker C: You too.
[00:46:45] Speaker A: And then he's going to go back to his room.
[00:46:52] Speaker C: And as Alward leaves, we stay behind in your uncle's room for a moment.
And he walks over to the wall, pulls on a cord, and then says, have one of the servants keep an eye on young Master Alward. I'm concerned he might be having some difficulties. If anything should be odd, please let me know.
Then he goes to stare out the window, deep in thought.
So we'll let this then line up with time. And we've now caught up because there's been time for Alward to cross the entire manor. So this catches us up now in real time to where we left off with the Two of you talking to past Alward in real our time. Alward is now outside of the door so you can hear the. Whatever's happening inside.
[00:47:46] Speaker D: Muffled I promise you, Mr. Volden, that we are with the Infernal Mining Company.
I am actually in transfers, so I wanted to offer a proposal to you.
[00:48:00] Speaker A: Is it about the up north?
[00:48:02] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:48:03] Speaker A: I. I don't. I don't want to leave my family. I don't. That was actually what I had to.
[00:48:09] Speaker D: We could possibly arrange to have your family brought up with you if you needed to.
[00:48:16] Speaker A: Well, no, I know that
[00:48:19] Speaker D: I urge you to consider taking that position.
With your performance in the company and everything, I think you would be a great asset up there.
[00:48:29] Speaker A: But my Alward realizes he's a little too late to go speak with his uncle, and he's like, you'll have my answer by morning. I guess that's when I have to give it.
[00:48:47] Speaker D: Okay.
We just really wanted to, you know, let you know that there was a great potential for movement up in the company if you do come up north and take that position.
[00:49:01] Speaker A: Right.
Okay.
[00:49:06] Speaker D: Just give it serious thought, Mr. Volden.
[00:49:09] Speaker A: Um.
Yeah, Unexpected, but okay, I will.
[00:49:18] Speaker B: Zafir is still standing on your bed, by the way.
He's pulled back, but still standing on bed.
[00:49:26] Speaker D: Nero's just gestures for you to get off the bed, like, back onto the
[00:49:31] Speaker B: floor, straight arms a thumbs up, and hops off.
[00:49:35] Speaker D: Thank you.
I apologize greatly for his behavior.
I have no idea what's gotten into him.
[00:49:45] Speaker A: It's very.
[00:49:46] Speaker D: I mean, it's unprofessional, it's invasive, and I am so sorry.
[00:49:51] Speaker A: I've never seen.
You know what I mean. Does he not very weird.
[00:49:57] Speaker D: I. Yes, I know, and believe me, we will have a very harsh discussion about it on our way back to the office.
[00:50:07] Speaker A: The offices are closed.
[00:50:09] Speaker D: Yeah, we just have a few, you know, papers to put in order. You know how it is sometimes it's
[00:50:14] Speaker A: big moves and such, so.
[00:50:16] Speaker D: All right, well, thank you for your time, Mr. Volden.
[00:50:18] Speaker A: Right.
[00:50:19] Speaker D: I hope you have a great night, and I look forward to seeing you up north.
[00:50:24] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:50:25] Speaker D: And thank you for the coffee. I'm sorry that he spilled it all over you, but thank you.
[00:50:28] Speaker A: It's fine.
Bye.
[00:50:31] Speaker D: Goodbye.
[00:50:36] Speaker B: So if we open this door, I
[00:50:39] Speaker C: was gonna ask Jenkins that.
[00:50:41] Speaker A: I think.
[00:50:42] Speaker D: I mean, if he can hear it muffled.
[00:50:44] Speaker A: Yeah, I think Kurt Alward has his, like, ear to the door, and when he starts hearing you step toward it, he's going to, like, hide, like, behind the wall.
[00:50:54] Speaker B: I do have a plan. If you do see, you If I
[00:50:58] Speaker A: do see me, then this episode's gonna get weird.
[00:51:02] Speaker D: Okay, so we. We exit the bedroom into the hall and I push.
[00:51:07] Speaker B: Yes, I go with you. I go with you.
[00:51:09] Speaker D: I push Zafir out into the hall,
[00:51:12] Speaker B: I fall down on my face.
[00:51:16] Speaker D: And in whatever other language we speak normally. Scald. Like what exactly? What you did you think you were doing?
[00:51:25] Speaker B: Stalling.
[00:51:27] Speaker D: You did a great job. You made him suspicious.
[00:51:31] Speaker A: Why do I have a memory of a very small man throwing coffee on me?
[00:51:34] Speaker D: Because that's what he did.
[00:51:39] Speaker B: We should.
[00:51:39] Speaker D: You should apologize.
I'll get to that.
[00:51:43] Speaker A: We don't have time for that.
[00:51:46] Speaker D: Alright. Right, let's go.
[00:51:47] Speaker B: Now, I can feel this disguise moving off, moving off, going away out into the courtyard.
[00:51:54] Speaker A: Right.
[00:51:55] Speaker B: How do we get back?
[00:51:58] Speaker C: Well, as you're now entering the courtyard in this discussion, your disguises melt away and you're back to looking like regular Zafir and disheveled. Just got out of bed, Neros.
[00:52:12] Speaker D: I mean, I can snap my fingers and do it again.
I can also cast it on you.
[00:52:17] Speaker B: Yeah, I can only cast it once, but I think we're. I think I'm good.
[00:52:23] Speaker A: So how it normally works is I just poof out of this timeline into the void in which all time is present and connect this new timeline with the current timeline where I left.
[00:52:39] Speaker D: You make it sound so simple.
[00:52:41] Speaker A: I mean, it was. I would like, but I don't know speaking how. What did you guys. Did you guys experience the endless void where all time exist at once?
[00:52:50] Speaker D: I don't think so. Did we? I just remember waking up in a bush.
[00:52:56] Speaker A: Okay, so presumably you won't get trapped whenever I fix things.
If you do get trapped, I am. So what do you want me to do? Shally Axe is not very kind to anything. Yeah, just.
[00:53:11] Speaker B: Just get us out of here.
[00:53:13] Speaker A: I mean, Alward's going to start flickering again and then he's just going to disappear.
[00:53:20] Speaker C: Alward, you find yourself once again in the endless expanse of black with the innumerable golden threads surrounding you.
And as you've been focusing, as you enter this, normally you just kind of pop in, but this time you pop in holding this golden thread of the timeline that you've all just altered.
And you try like normal, where it's sort of a folding of timelines where you bring them together and you try to grab that one golden thread that's attached to you and bring them together.
But as the closer they get, the more they repel each other like magnets. And they're just not coming together.
[00:54:04] Speaker A: No, no, no.
This Needs. This has to work. This. This has. I. I can't. I can't be a murder. This has to work.
And eventually he's shaking too much and he just lets the timelines go and he sort of just floats and he's like, no.
And then since I can only do this for so long, I think he flickers out of there and just appears back in the courtyard with all of you.
[00:54:38] Speaker D: We're not back home, Albert.
[00:54:40] Speaker A: I know that.
I can't fix it.
I can't.
What's. What is the point?
Why can't I do all this if it wasn't supposed to fix that? Why.
[00:54:54] Speaker D: How do you know it's supposed to be fixed in the first place?
[00:54:57] Speaker A: Why else would I have this ability?
[00:54:59] Speaker D: I don't know. This might not be the reason.
[00:55:03] Speaker A: It's not how it works. It's not how any of this.
[00:55:07] Speaker D: How do you know how this is supposed to work if you just got this ability one time?
[00:55:13] Speaker A: Because I know how my powers work. Neros.
[00:55:19] Speaker D: Maybe not all timelines are supposed to be fixed outward.
Maybe some things are just how they are.
No matter how hard you try, you can't fix them.
And I understand. You don't want to be a murderer. I get that. Believe me, I get that.
[00:55:41] Speaker A: I.
I don't think I can continue to look at my mom anymore.
I.
I'm sorry.
I have to undo what we just did, don't I?
[00:55:58] Speaker D: Neros just silently nods.
[00:56:02] Speaker A: How it looks at Zafir.
Kind of confused and hoping somehow he has a weird crazy thought or shenanigan he can try.
[00:56:16] Speaker B: He just looks at you and says nothing.
[00:56:22] Speaker D: I truly am sorry,
[00:56:26] Speaker B: Alward. When my family died, being the only survivor, I was blamed for it.
In fact, I blame myself a lot for it. And sometimes these things happen, but we also have to understand that they do happen.
And I know it's a different situation because you know, when you're in your timeline, it did happen, and obviously it didn't quite happen for me.
Sometimes the things that we live are the things that we are stuck with. And I don't think doing this would ever remove that memory from your mind.
So if we do have to go back and do something.
I'm sorry.
What I'm trying to say is we can't change the past.
And even if we could, it wouldn't be our past.
[00:57:39] Speaker A: Alward sort of looks at you and is a little confused and baffled. He's like, I changed the past.
I.
[00:57:50] Speaker B: You changed a past, but you still remember the old one, right?
[00:57:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:58:01] Speaker B: Yeah, I don't think there's a world where you can remember both.
And I don't think that even if you did, change would be fixed.
[00:58:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
Okay,
[00:58:21] Speaker D: let's.
[00:58:24] Speaker A: Let's go back home, I guess.
I'm really sorry, guys.
And then Albert's going to flick out of existence again.
[00:58:35] Speaker C: And that's where we'll end this episode.
[00:58:41] Speaker B: Yay.
[00:58:44] Speaker D: Good heavens.
[00:58:48] Speaker C: All right. And the hero point for today's episode goes, as you may have guessed in the audience, to Jenkins for his portrayal of Alward Volden in today's show. And Alward Volden and Albert, he's credited for both.
[00:59:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
Thanks. I greatly appreciate it. This has been a very, very long time coming.
I'm glad I finally got to do it. It's been fun. It's been great.
I hope you all listening enjoyed and why do I want to go eat tacos?
Not even good tacos. Like Taco Bell tacos.
[00:59:24] Speaker B: Okay, that's blasphemy.
[00:59:26] Speaker A: Like, I guess I'm gonna go do that. Commit blasphemy. Have a good one, everyone.
[00:59:30] Speaker D: Oh, my gosh.
[00:59:31] Speaker C: We'll see you all in the next episode.
[00:59:37] Speaker B: I'm gonna go commit blasphemy.
[00:59:40] Speaker A: It's something very easy to do.
[00:59:42] Speaker B: Shockingly, I'm not shocked this has been
[00:59:46] Speaker C: 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 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.
[01:00:36] Speaker A: You could be Nicaea.
That's a common name.
[01:00:42] Speaker B: Sounds stupid.
[01:00:44] Speaker C: As in the Council of Nicaea.
[01:00:46] Speaker D: Yes,
