EP. 52 It's A Prank, Bro!

[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. [00:00:31] Speaker B: Now, where did we leave off? Ah, yes, the party lodged at the dancing fairy Inn in the grungyr forest, where Uwe discovered a bucket of glitter poised in his room as part of a gnomish prank. I have a question for all of you. [00:00:56] Speaker C: We have answers. [00:00:57] Speaker D: Individually or all together? [00:01:00] Speaker B: We might want to go around the table. Oh, how many fingers does Kermit the frog have? [00:01:06] Speaker E: He has fingers, you son of a guy. [00:01:09] Speaker F: What? [00:01:11] Speaker A: You're asking the guy with aphantasia how. [00:01:13] Speaker F: Many fingers on each hand? [00:01:16] Speaker B: Yeah, like, added together, so, like. Okay, so he has a thumb. [00:01:22] Speaker F: So, like, we have ten fingers. [00:01:25] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:01:25] Speaker F: Are you. Are you saying like that, or like, there's five fingers on one hand? [00:01:28] Speaker C: Do we count? [00:01:28] Speaker B: However, either way, you want to slice it. [00:01:31] Speaker C: Oh, gosh. Are we counting the thumb? [00:01:32] Speaker B: If you want to. I mean, you can say four fingers in a thumb, two fingers in a thumb. [00:01:36] Speaker E: My gut reaction is three total, but that's mostly because of the ninja turtles. Yeah, but my. I think my actual answer would be four. [00:01:44] Speaker C: Gut reaction is he just has a thumb and a mitten. [00:01:47] Speaker E: Okay, that's actually a good point. He might. Yeah. [00:01:51] Speaker D: Unless they do some sort of cutaway. [00:01:53] Speaker F: I think he has, like, actual finger. [00:01:55] Speaker E: Yeah, when he goes, like, I'm pretty sure several fingers. [00:01:59] Speaker F: I want to say four at most. [00:02:01] Speaker C: I think the finger. Four sewn into the mitten. [00:02:05] Speaker D: That's a good point. [00:02:07] Speaker A: I'm. He has a thumbnail. And, yes, the finger shapes, but really are just a mitten with finger shapes. Sounds right. [00:02:18] Speaker D: I'm trying to imagine him sipping tea. Three or four, like, you know, that. That commercial that he was on. Why didn't you look this up before? [00:02:28] Speaker E: Lipton tea. [00:02:29] Speaker B: Oh, I just. I know the answer. And then I was like, wait, I could just show you guys instead of just verbally telling you. [00:02:35] Speaker C: Is it just a thumb? [00:02:36] Speaker E: No, George is gonna tell. [00:02:38] Speaker F: I'm looking it up. [00:02:39] Speaker B: The correct answer is, Kermit's hands are just like our hands. [00:02:43] Speaker F: So he has five. [00:02:45] Speaker B: Really? He has four fingers and a thumb. [00:02:47] Speaker C: They're so lanky. [00:02:49] Speaker D: He's a frog. What do you expect? [00:02:51] Speaker C: I expect him to have webbed hands, but he doesn't. [00:02:54] Speaker F: I don't like that. [00:02:55] Speaker B: You know what you'll like less? [00:02:57] Speaker F: Don't. [00:02:58] Speaker C: Is Miss Piggy the same way? [00:03:00] Speaker F: What? [00:03:01] Speaker C: Scared? [00:03:05] Speaker F: No. [00:03:06] Speaker B: Thank you for the audience. That was a creepy lit picture of Kermit holding his hand. Like the pope blessing someone. [00:03:13] Speaker C: He looks like he's drunk and trying to ask me a question. [00:03:17] Speaker A: He looks like an alien. [00:03:19] Speaker F: It looks like Tallboy Grossman's, like, animal companion. [00:03:24] Speaker B: What do you know about helmets? [00:03:30] Speaker A: It's like he's going to go, shush. I can't do it. [00:03:33] Speaker E: Shush. Ha. [00:03:36] Speaker D: So my wife is terrified of the Muppets, and that definitely doesn't help. [00:03:39] Speaker E: What? [00:03:40] Speaker A: Why is she scared of the Muppets? [00:03:42] Speaker C: Wait, all muppets? [00:03:42] Speaker D: Why are you not scared of the Muppets? [00:03:44] Speaker F: That's actually. Why aren't you afraid of the Muppets? [00:03:46] Speaker B: Wait, what? Does this not help? [00:03:48] Speaker D: Actually, my sister's also not. I mean, she's also not terrified, but, like, there's that one that doesn't have eyes is perpetually closing their eyes. She's, like, in a band or something. Yeah, that one, like, freaks me out, too. [00:04:00] Speaker A: What? [00:04:01] Speaker D: It's like the long nosed dogs, like, that just looks so unnatural. [00:04:05] Speaker F: I understand what you're saying. They've always kind of creeped me out a little bit. I have never been a fan of the Muppets, personally. [00:04:10] Speaker E: I love the Muppets, and I love puppetry of all kinds. [00:04:14] Speaker D: Snuffleupagus is. [00:04:16] Speaker A: That's not what it is. [00:04:18] Speaker F: It's a puppet. It is a puppet. [00:04:19] Speaker A: Yes, you are correct. [00:04:20] Speaker D: It's a Jim Henson Muppet. [00:04:22] Speaker E: Sesame Street. Sesame street is Muppets. [00:04:24] Speaker C: Yeah. They're not the Muppets, but they are Muppets. [00:04:28] Speaker E: They cross over. They are together. [00:04:30] Speaker C: You want to know a puppet that has always freaked me out? The dog dragon from neverending story. Chanticleer. Yeah. [00:04:39] Speaker D: Chanticleer is from rock Doodle. [00:04:43] Speaker C: I hear the book is mind bending, but the movie has a creepy dog. I don't like it. [00:04:49] Speaker D: Does it end? [00:04:50] Speaker E: I've maybe seen it once. [00:04:51] Speaker C: I really want to read it. I just. I'm too scared. [00:04:56] Speaker A: I've. Honestly, I've never watched it and never heard of the book. I'm still stuck on the fact that the Muppets and Sesame street are the same world. [00:05:04] Speaker C: Yeah, well, I don't know if it's the same world, but they're the same company. [00:05:08] Speaker F: Yeah. [00:05:08] Speaker E: They've done stuff together. [00:05:09] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:05:09] Speaker E: Yeah. Oh, early on, before they were separated, as they are now. [00:05:13] Speaker D: Yeah. Company has made a ton of, like, movie props and stuff. I'm pretty sure. Didn't they? The five nights at Freddy's movie reach out to them for the quote unquote animatronics. [00:05:25] Speaker E: I don't know. [00:05:26] Speaker D: I'm pretty sure that they did. [00:05:27] Speaker A: Oh, I see. When I think Muppets, I think, look, the Muppets tv show. [00:05:32] Speaker C: Yeah, no, that is. That is the Muppets, but. [00:05:35] Speaker A: Right. [00:05:35] Speaker C: Anything made by the Jim Henson company, I believe, counts as a Muppet. [00:05:39] Speaker E: Not anything. [00:05:39] Speaker B: Yeah, we're just shooting. [00:05:40] Speaker C: Not anything. [00:05:41] Speaker B: Shooting the frog. [00:05:42] Speaker F: Whoa. [00:05:42] Speaker C: Don't shoot frog. [00:05:43] Speaker A: Don't shoot the frog. Even though that one was creepy. [00:05:46] Speaker E: No, you can shoot the evil Kermit. [00:05:49] Speaker A: There's an evil kermit in the Muppets. [00:05:51] Speaker E: To world's most wanted, another movie. I've never gets replaced by the evil. The evil Kermit. [00:06:00] Speaker A: How many animal movie. [00:06:02] Speaker E: He's Russian. He's Russian. [00:06:06] Speaker A: Russian. [00:06:06] Speaker E: Kermit trying to find out what it is. [00:06:10] Speaker C: Sam is all up on his muppet lore. [00:06:12] Speaker E: I love those movies. [00:06:14] Speaker D: He loves them up, obviously. [00:06:15] Speaker A: I just never. [00:06:16] Speaker E: Constantine, Constantine. [00:06:18] Speaker C: Yeah, Constantine, Constantine. [00:06:20] Speaker E: Okay, Constantine. I'm used to Constantine over Constantine. There's. It's two different things. [00:06:24] Speaker D: It's constant young adult Constantinople. [00:06:28] Speaker E: Well, like, for example, the comic book character John Constantine is not Constantine. [00:06:32] Speaker D: I thought it was Constantine. [00:06:34] Speaker E: No, that's the american pronunciation, which is wrong. He's british. His name is Constantine. They actually call it out several times throughout the comics. [00:06:41] Speaker D: You know, that makes sense, though, because they don't like that e sound. [00:06:45] Speaker E: Mm hmm. Yeah. He replaces Kermit and puts Kermit in the russian gulag. I think it was. [00:06:50] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness. [00:06:51] Speaker E: And Kermit has to break out from there. [00:06:54] Speaker A: Isn't Constantine from the byzantine empire? Am I wrong? [00:06:59] Speaker E: Constantine? Not by Constantinople. [00:07:03] Speaker C: Already said Constantinople, asshole. [00:07:05] Speaker D: Share names all the time. We have gone so off. [00:07:08] Speaker A: So my ancient lore is feeble at best right now. [00:07:13] Speaker B: Speaking of feeble at best. [00:07:17] Speaker E: Think of the ancient lore. [00:07:19] Speaker C: Don't let me. [00:07:21] Speaker B: Don't give me opportunities if you don't want me to take them. [00:07:24] Speaker A: Any history buff's gonna murder me right now. [00:07:27] Speaker B: Speaking of murdering Uwe, if you wish. [00:07:31] Speaker C: To murder Sven, his address. [00:07:33] Speaker D: Hey, what was in that bucket? [00:07:37] Speaker E: Watching the pocket. [00:07:39] Speaker B: So we're gonna go ahead and pick things back up in the common room of the tavern. The dancing fairy Zafir, we know is hanging around outside right now, and Uwe has gone to his room where he found a bucket of glitter. But Alward, Neros, and Val are all in the common room still. [00:08:04] Speaker E: Um, Val's gonna tell them all, hey, I would be a little careful of your rooms. I think they were doing something to them. [00:08:12] Speaker F: Like what? [00:08:13] Speaker E: I don't know. Nothing seemed wrong when I was there, but he just came out of the room, was acting all suspicious, so I'm not really sure what's going on. Um, what's good here? Does anyone know? [00:08:25] Speaker F: I've never been here before. [00:08:28] Speaker E: Can I have a menu, please? [00:08:29] Speaker B: A very nervous looking halfling. It was just like, oh, we don't have a menu. Oh, what do you want? [00:08:37] Speaker E: Food? Do you have a recommendation? [00:08:40] Speaker B: Well, we have, we do have some mutton. We have some mushroom soup. There's always plenty of bread. [00:08:52] Speaker E: Yeah, I'll take some bread. [00:08:54] Speaker B: Okay. [00:08:54] Speaker E: And a little bit of mushroom soup. [00:08:57] Speaker B: Do you want butter with the bread? [00:08:58] Speaker E: Yeah. And garlic, if you have any. [00:09:00] Speaker B: Oh, that's gross. [00:09:01] Speaker E: What? I'm sorry. You don't like garlic? [00:09:06] Speaker B: The gnome behind the counter just, like, comes over and puts a sandwich. George, George, just give him the garlic. [00:09:15] Speaker E: I mean, if you don't have any. I've got my own, but no, we have some. I'm sorry to inconvenience you, Fred. [00:09:24] Speaker B: No, it's just another person who likes garlic. [00:09:28] Speaker F: What do they have? [00:09:29] Speaker C: Are you allergic to garlic? [00:09:30] Speaker B: No, no, it's just, it's gross. And at this point, the gnome is just, like, pushing him back into the kitchen. [00:09:39] Speaker F: What do these people have against garlic? [00:09:41] Speaker C: I think it was just that one hat. [00:09:43] Speaker F: I don't understand. I do not understand. [00:09:51] Speaker E: Sven needed that. [00:09:55] Speaker C: Are you comfortable with eating their food after they just tried to. [00:09:59] Speaker E: Yeah, it's fine. I gave you the money for food, and now they're bringing me food. [00:10:03] Speaker C: I gave them money for the rooms, but they still. [00:10:06] Speaker E: Well, I didn't see anything wrong, but he's just acting suspicious about my room. [00:10:10] Speaker C: That does not. [00:10:11] Speaker B: I'm. [00:10:11] Speaker C: I'm gonna go check my room. I'll be back. [00:10:15] Speaker E: Your room is croissant. [00:10:19] Speaker B: So, Al word, you head up the stairs and down the hallway, checking door after door. You see? Oh, man. Gotta think of baked goods here. [00:10:30] Speaker C: Snickerdoodle, bro. Ooh, baguette. [00:10:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:10:34] Speaker B: Okay, so you go down the hallway, and you're kind of counting off rooms. You see double layer cake. You see baguette, you see tortellini. [00:10:43] Speaker C: That's not a baked good, that's a noodle donut. [00:10:47] Speaker B: You do see tortellini. And in a moment of curiosity, I imagine you look in. [00:10:52] Speaker C: That would be rude. [00:10:54] Speaker B: So you pass my room, tortellini by. [00:10:57] Speaker D: And you find croissant, bagel, bagel, bagel, bagel. [00:11:05] Speaker B: There's just like a nomad at the end of the hall just yelling bagel at you. [00:11:10] Speaker C: Do you? [00:11:10] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:11:11] Speaker C: Are you selling bagels? [00:11:13] Speaker B: No. He goes back in his room. [00:11:19] Speaker C: I'm gonna go check to see if his room is bagel. [00:11:24] Speaker A: It's donut. [00:11:30] Speaker B: It is donut. [00:11:33] Speaker E: It's just a sugary bagel. No. [00:11:41] Speaker C: Fae people are weird. Wow. I'm still going to my room. [00:11:48] Speaker B: So you were. You were actually at the door to your room when the gnome was yelling bagel at you. [00:11:52] Speaker C: Oh, okay. So after checking to see that his room is a donut, being very confused, I'm going to open the door with a mage hand and then make my way inside. [00:12:02] Speaker B: So you enter croissant. [00:12:04] Speaker C: I enter the croissant. [00:12:06] Speaker D: Is it flaky? [00:12:08] Speaker C: Very flaky. Is it buttery? [00:12:10] Speaker D: No, not garlicky. [00:12:13] Speaker B: Certainly not garlicky. It actually smells quite nice and clean. [00:12:17] Speaker F: Like fresh linen. [00:12:18] Speaker B: Mm hmm. [00:12:19] Speaker G: Ew. [00:12:19] Speaker B: On a crusty and lavender. [00:12:21] Speaker C: All right, then. My perception bonus is plus eleven. [00:12:30] Speaker B: I cannot believe that I've rolled the same thing for three different checks for you guys. [00:12:33] Speaker F: Are you serious? [00:12:35] Speaker B: But the room is nice. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong at all. [00:12:40] Speaker C: Gonna go unlock it, go back downstairs. There's nothing wrong with my room. [00:12:46] Speaker E: Oh, well, that's good. [00:12:48] Speaker C: I think I'm gonna stick to my rations, though. I don't know if I think the. [00:12:52] Speaker E: Mushroom soup is great. [00:12:53] Speaker C: That's good. Is it creamy? [00:12:57] Speaker B: In front of val, there's a bowl for the mushroom soup. A small plate with some sliced bread on it. And then way off to the side in a separate bowl is some minced garlic. [00:13:12] Speaker E: This garlic bread is really good, especially if you dip it in the mushroom soup. Alan, why are you looking at me like that? It's just food. So we're awkwardly looking at each other while I'm finishing my food, and I'm looking around. Everyone seems to be settling in. So I'm gonna pull out my fiddle in. Cause, you know, they're both the same thing. And I'm gonna go play a jaunty tune for the people. I'm gonna sit down on a stool instead of standing because I won't be able to stand straight. [00:13:53] Speaker B: Accurate. [00:13:54] Speaker E: She looks like she's trying to get comfortable just being in the gown without the armor and just feeling a little like she's not used to wearing clothes like this, but she likes it, so she's just kind of awkwardly trying to get comfortable to play, and then she kind of goes right into it. [00:14:09] Speaker B: Could I get a performance check? [00:14:11] Speaker E: Oh, no. [00:14:14] Speaker C: Are you not trained? [00:14:15] Speaker E: I'm trained in performance. I'm great at performance. I even get a bonus to this. And another bonus because of my violin. [00:14:24] Speaker B: Ooh. [00:14:25] Speaker E: 28. [00:14:27] Speaker B: The tune is pretty impressive. I would say probably a better performance than you would expect from someone who's demonstrated the combat proficiency that Val has demonstrated several of the. As you are continuing to play, Val, a couple gnomes drop by and, like, toss a coin your way. [00:14:48] Speaker E: Nice. [00:14:49] Speaker B: And you get three silver pieces. [00:14:52] Speaker E: That's so kind of them. It's always good to see patronages of the art. Patrons of the art. Let's keep going. Tip of the head. I don't have a hat. Hat. [00:15:10] Speaker C: We need to get valid. [00:15:12] Speaker F: You just. You nod their direction. [00:15:15] Speaker E: A single nod, a knowing nod. [00:15:17] Speaker F: A nod of thanks. [00:15:19] Speaker A: So Uvair is going to come out of his room. He's not going to be visibly carrying a bucket. [00:15:27] Speaker E: He's pregnant. [00:15:31] Speaker B: Whoa. [00:15:32] Speaker E: He's got it right under his shirt. The only place to hide a bucket. [00:15:36] Speaker D: Yes. A bucket sized baby. [00:15:38] Speaker B: I'm following you. [00:15:39] Speaker A: Okay, he's not carrying the bucket, and he's just going to calmly walk out of. Come down the stairs as if nothing has happened, and he's just going to go and once again, go to the bar and sit down where the gnome is actually not too far from the gnome, just down at the gnome or at the bar, and order just another of the house special drinks. [00:16:05] Speaker B: He kind of looks suspiciously at you, like, before he can control himself and hide it. And he's just like, right, of course. And gets another drink ready and passes it your way. [00:16:17] Speaker A: And as he does that, he's just going to hear from behind him. Knock, knock, knock, knock. I'm casting Figment, by the way. [00:16:30] Speaker F: Previously Ghost Sound. [00:16:32] Speaker B: Oh, okay. [00:16:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:16:33] Speaker B: Okay. I was like, good job, Evan. You may have rolling a save. Is he taking mental damage? [00:16:37] Speaker A: He's not taking any damage. I will tell you, figment is a new spell. Actually, since we're using our updated system, I can create a simple illusory sound or vision. A sound adds the auditory trait to the spell and can't be intelligible words or elaborate music. [00:16:54] Speaker B: So you're just causing him to illusory. Hear this knocking sound behind him? [00:17:00] Speaker A: Behind him and up above him. [00:17:01] Speaker B: So he's hearing that as he's handing you the drink, he drops it and dives under behind the counter. [00:17:12] Speaker A: What's the gnome's name? [00:17:14] Speaker B: I don't think you asked him. [00:17:17] Speaker A: Okay. [00:17:19] Speaker H: Oh, my. Is there something wrong, senor Dome? [00:17:25] Speaker B: No, no, no. Go away, go away, go away, go away. [00:17:29] Speaker H: Ah, but it seems that something startled you. [00:17:33] Speaker C: Is. [00:17:34] Speaker H: Is there something I can do to help? [00:17:37] Speaker B: He's here. [00:17:41] Speaker A: Frank. [00:17:45] Speaker E: No. [00:17:51] Speaker A: I think. I think as soon as uwe hears that, I want to roll. See if I remember that. Cause I don't know if he would. [00:18:00] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. Am I missing something? [00:18:03] Speaker A: What would that be, Jordan? [00:18:05] Speaker E: Creepy knocking. [00:18:06] Speaker F: Tall boy. [00:18:06] Speaker B: Grossman. Nature check. [00:18:08] Speaker A: Nature check. [00:18:09] Speaker B: Yeah, I wouldn't. [00:18:11] Speaker C: I didn't. [00:18:11] Speaker A: Oh, my natural 20. [00:18:14] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. You. You instantly make that connection back with what the others have described to you of their first encounter. And of course, not Saphir's first encounter, but Al word and Nero's first encounter that he announced his presence with that knocking. [00:18:32] Speaker C: Who? [00:18:33] Speaker A: Fers eyes are just gonna go wide and he's going to stop real quick. [00:18:41] Speaker H: And go, it's okay, my friend. It is just me. He is not here. [00:18:50] Speaker B: And the gnome is just like, stands up from behind the counter, and he's just, like, shaking, and he's just like. All right, I admit it. We went a little far. I need to go clean your room now. [00:19:05] Speaker H: It's. It is a harmless prank that I saw already. I just wanted to teach you a little lesson. But I was not expecting that you, too, would be hunted. [00:19:19] Speaker B: I. I haven't myself. Gods be praised. But I know that knock when I hear it. [00:19:28] Speaker H: And unfortunately, someone that I know also knows this knock. [00:19:33] Speaker B: And you thought that would be funny? [00:19:38] Speaker H: I also know that it is not common, and knocking, in general, is not necessarily a bad thing. [00:19:46] Speaker B: Wait, so you haven't been in this area? [00:19:50] Speaker H: I've been in this area before. I am u ver Stirkvend. I've been here before. [00:19:56] Speaker B: Oh, yes, yes, I've heard of you. And you don't know about boogeyman? [00:20:01] Speaker H: I am aware of the boogeyman. But I wasn't trying to copy the boogeyman. [00:20:07] Speaker B: Oh. Oh. [00:20:09] Speaker H: All I really wanted you to do was turn around. [00:20:13] Speaker B: Okay. Do you. Do you still want me to turn? [00:20:17] Speaker H: No. [00:20:18] Speaker B: It's. [00:20:18] Speaker H: We're beyonce right now. Are you saying when I was here. [00:20:23] Speaker A: Last, was this the place where I heard about the boogeyman before? [00:20:28] Speaker B: Yeah, I would say you'd heard stories of boogeyman. [00:20:32] Speaker A: Yeah, in general, yeah. [00:20:34] Speaker B: But he seems to be reacting very differently from your last time through where they were talking about these as if they were just something that exists. He's acting like he genuinely thinks it could be here. [00:20:46] Speaker H: Are you saying that the poogeyman has been more active here recently? [00:20:52] Speaker B: The. The boogeyman? Which one? What are you talking about? [00:20:57] Speaker H: One of them? [00:20:59] Speaker B: Well, there has been one in the area more recently, but he'd been gone for a couple years now, and I thought. He thought that we'd seen the last of him, and he's back? [00:21:12] Speaker H: Or he's been back? [00:21:13] Speaker B: I thought he was. When I heard that knocking, I thought I was gone full. [00:21:17] Speaker H: Has he taken people already in the village? [00:21:20] Speaker B: He had. He had, yes. We'd lost, what? Three? Maybe a fourth. We're not sure. [00:21:27] Speaker H: I am sorry for your scare. I did not know. I would not have pulled such a prank. [00:21:32] Speaker B: Right, right. Sorry. I'm still just coming down from an adrenaline high. [00:21:36] Speaker H: It was okay. Perhaps we could replace the drink, and you can have one yourself. [00:21:43] Speaker B: Hi. Um, George, I think I need to take a break. George, just. Oh. He pours a drink for you and one for himself. [00:21:55] Speaker H: Join me, please. I. As I said, one of our party is being hunted. Anything that I can learn can perhaps help. You said the one that was around here left a couple years ago. Do you know what drove it away or why it left? [00:22:17] Speaker B: No, I don't. I just stopped and. So, one of. One of your group. Is it one of those three over there? He points to Val, Neros, and Alward, who are all kind of over there together, where Val is playing music. [00:22:32] Speaker H: No, it is not one of them. [00:22:35] Speaker B: Oh, who is it, then? [00:22:39] Speaker H: It doesn't matter. The point is that I would like to help my friend. [00:22:48] Speaker B: What do you want to know? [00:22:51] Speaker H: What did you all do to protect yourselves? [00:22:55] Speaker B: Well, I don't know if there's much that you can do. We didn't go out alone at night. We stuck together in groups. I don't know if it helped, but it felt safer that way. At least when you got got, someone would know what had happened to you. [00:23:16] Speaker H: And since you were all in groups, that means that there were as witnesses. [00:23:21] Speaker B: For the. For the last two. Yes. The last two that we know were him. The first one, we're not sure. It. It might have been an accident. [00:23:32] Speaker H: And I am sorry to ask. May I know who these witnesses are, or are they still here? [00:23:42] Speaker B: They've all moved away. Everyone who has witnessed it, they've gone to the big city, that. They just don't feel safe here anymore. It's too close to the forest. The forest has sort of the primal energies that sustain these sorts of creatures. [00:24:02] Speaker E: Not knowing what's going on. But Val gets kind of like a shiver when she's switching songs, and then just kind of goes with that and switches to a more sorrowful tone with her music, as opposed to his chanty. Kind of just leaning into how she's failing. [00:24:23] Speaker H: So there are none that would have been able to see or recognize the signs? [00:24:30] Speaker B: Not here anymore. No. There was one gnome who moved to Joel haven't heard anything from him recently, I hope. He's, um. And there was a human. I think he moved north. He didn't say where he was going? Just the other side of the woods. He went up by way of the river. [00:24:52] Speaker H: And after z three, he left. [00:24:57] Speaker B: That's what we thought. And now that I know it was just a. Just a prank. I hope to all the gods that he is gone. Those things stalk humans and sentient folk, like prey, they thrive on the thrill of the chase. [00:25:16] Speaker H: I understand. And once again, I am sorry my prank, though innocent, has caused you harm. [00:25:30] Speaker B: It's alright. Reckon I deserved a little. [00:25:36] Speaker H: The bucket is still in my room if you want to pick it up later. [00:25:40] Speaker B: Right. Right. I'll come clean it up. It didn't spill much, did it? [00:25:44] Speaker H: No. It's still all zerins bucket. It takes a lot to pull the wool over this old man's eyes. [00:25:53] Speaker B: Good. Good for you. You're not. You're not going into the forest, are you? [00:26:00] Speaker H: You may not go into the forest again. [00:26:07] Speaker C: And we're taking you with us. [00:26:13] Speaker H: Don't worry me, my friend. I have seen a lot of dangers in my time. [00:26:21] Speaker B: I will be alright if you go in. Keep to the paths. Keep to the roads. If you stray from them, there's no telling if you'll ever get out again. [00:26:33] Speaker H: I will keep your words in mind. Thank you. Now, I think we could both use a good rest. [00:26:43] Speaker B: Yes, I could use a second helping myself. And he starts pouring himself another glass. [00:26:48] Speaker A: How much are those glasses? Just curious. [00:26:50] Speaker B: Negligible at this stage of the game. [00:26:53] Speaker A: I give him a silver. Another silver. [00:26:59] Speaker B: I'll be sleeping well tonight. [00:27:03] Speaker H: As you should, my friend. As you should. [00:27:05] Speaker A: As I pat him on the back. And then quietly go back to my room. And I'll set the bucket outside the. [00:27:14] Speaker H: Door. [00:27:17] Speaker A: And just sit on the bed and just ponder what I've learned. [00:27:23] Speaker C: Alord gets up from what he's doing from the table, transcribing some notes into different books. And he's gonna walk over to Val. Before you head in for the night, would you mind coming to see me in my room? It's the one with the croissant shape on the door. [00:27:43] Speaker E: All right. I'm just gonna play a bit longer. I can go ahead and talk to you now though. Take a little break, come back. [00:27:49] Speaker C: That's fine. [00:27:50] Speaker E: Okay. [00:27:51] Speaker C: And then gonna go up to the room. Gonna avoid the bucket of glitter. Going to ignore the gnome, yelling, bagel, bagel, bagel. [00:27:59] Speaker B: This time he actually just opens the door and he's like, ba oh. Starts down the wall hall towards the bucket of glitter. [00:28:05] Speaker E: Cornelius slips into tortellini. [00:28:10] Speaker F: Why is that fitting? [00:28:16] Speaker C: And then Howard ushers you into the room. Shuts the door. This isn't easy for me to sort of talk about, so I wanted it to be a little bit more private. [00:28:26] Speaker E: Oh. All right. [00:28:28] Speaker C: As you know, your father stabbed mine through the neck. And I don't hold that against you, of course, that you weren't there. You had nothing to do with it. But he didn't just kill him. It's my understanding that his spirit or his whatever is trapped inside a cup that your father has, so. And he left before we could really deal with that. So I guess what I'm trying to say, and I'm not gonna ask you this beyond this point, but do you know where your father is or have any way of finding him? I would like to save my dad from being trapped eternally inside a cup. [00:29:29] Speaker E: No, I. I don't really have any ideas, and I've made sure of that. I've heard he's looking for me, so I've specifically tried to do anything I can to not be noticeable in that way. He might have gone home to Elderton. He might have gone back to your family's place or his house that your family's staying in. Other than that, I haven't really heard anything. The others, I think, mentioned something about the ghost thing. It would explain a lot about how he acted when I was growing up, but. [00:30:06] Speaker C: Well, if it's too difficult for you, of course, I will never ask you to do something you wouldn't want to do, but I would enjoy the assistance if at all possible. I haven't spoken to the others about this, but I feel like we're going to run across him again at some point, and I need to free my father's spirit. And Albert, after saying that, is sort of like stunned in amazement at the situation that his dad's ghost is in. [00:30:38] Speaker E: She puts her hand on your shoulder. I'd like to do all that I can to help you, but I don't know how much I can help with him there. [00:30:50] Speaker C: I just. I didn't want to put you in a spot you didn't want to be in. [00:30:57] Speaker E: I know that's gonna happen eventually, but I'm hoping it's a lot longer away, though I understand that looking into what happened to your father would be very important. If something happened to my dad, I would have wanted to save him or find him. [00:31:18] Speaker C: Who. Who did raise you, if I can ask? [00:31:24] Speaker E: A lovely family. Faran was more of a father to me than I've ever known. He raised me and taught me about shelling. And, you know, I've always tried to stay closer to him and the way he raised me to be. I haven't seen him in a long time, though. When Hymir came back, he just took me away and then segregated us from the rest of the community. [00:31:58] Speaker C: Was he in Tom Grove or. No, in otherton. [00:32:02] Speaker E: I was raised and Hemier lived as well, in Othertons. That house you guys were in, Tom Grove, I think I heard him mention it before. It belonged to his parents. But he didn't speak. Hamer didn't speak much of his family either. Just about my mum. A lot. [00:32:23] Speaker C: When my father left for the war, my uncle took me and my mom in for the time being. And then we mourned him when we received word of his passing. So it was weird to know that he still existed in a cup. [00:32:47] Speaker E: I can imagine. Some days I wish I could have just mourned my father. But that's not how it goes. [00:33:02] Speaker C: Thank you for hearing me out and trying to help. I'm going to go back and transcribing this language here and see you tomorrow, right? [00:33:16] Speaker E: Yeah. I'm sorry I couldn't have offered you. [00:33:19] Speaker C: Anything more, but nice to chat still. I haven't really gotten time to process or talk about any of it since this all started. [00:33:33] Speaker E: Yeah, I understand. I think it helps put some things in context for me. He wasn't very attentive, Father. He's always talking to himself and getting angry at himself. [00:33:46] Speaker C: And I think he was talking to. [00:33:48] Speaker E: The ghosts that make more sense. He was never quite right. But I got to spend a lot of time in the graveyard and learn a lot about pharasma there. So there's upsides, I suppose. [00:34:06] Speaker C: I don't know much about pharasma. [00:34:09] Speaker E: Phrasma and Shellan have done a lot to mold me as to who I am today. It's good talking to you, Albert. We haven't really felt like I've gotten to say much. Tea? [00:34:22] Speaker C: It's been busy. And Albert's going to open up his book on what I'm presuming is a slightly smaller desk than normal. And just start. Have a good night. [00:34:34] Speaker E: Thanks. And she'll just close the door and make our way back to the stage and think about some stories she's heard and start singing a very somber, harrowing kind of wailing tune in Fae, which is a story of boogeyman. Like the story that I heard about how I knew about it. It's in Fae completely. And it's. I don't know how to describe it. It's almost like a scare story you tell kids, but in a more feeling like a real story and feeling the melody and that sort of haunting him wailingness to it. Does that make sense? Kind of like a beautiful tune. That's very horrifying. Are you okay? [00:35:27] Speaker A: I think that's gonna go over like a lead balloon. [00:35:29] Speaker E: Well, yeah. She's sort of just going with that feeling she's been having and just kind of giving into it and leaning into it instead of trying to shake herself out of it. [00:35:40] Speaker B: She's just like, you don't even get halfway through the first verse before someone comes up and asks you to stop. [00:35:47] Speaker E: Uh, I'm sorry, is this something I play every now and again? [00:35:52] Speaker B: It's an elf. And she's like, uh, dear that this town has had some troubles with those creatures in the past. [00:36:00] Speaker E: Oh, I'm so sorry. A friend of mine has dealt with similar things. [00:36:05] Speaker B: I can fill you in on all the same details Uwe learned a minute ago. [00:36:10] Speaker E: I see. Um, is there something you said that hasn't been back in some time, though? [00:36:16] Speaker B: Yes, it's been gone for some years. [00:36:18] Speaker E: Okay, well, if we come across it, we'll do our best to get rid of it. [00:36:25] Speaker B: Well, if you come across it, I don't know if even pharasma can help you. Alright, so we're gonna do a closed scene to end this episode. So it's just me and Petit. And Petit. Would you let me know what Zafir has been up to? [00:36:46] Speaker D: Mm hmm. So after he snuck his way around the in, he found a nice little shady spot in front of the. Near the front of the door and just kind of kept an eye out for travelers going by. And every once in a while, he would just close his eyes and just kind of try to think of what he was, what his main goal in any of this was. Just to try to understand his place in all of this. Every once in a while, within his closed eyes and his thinking, he would just go back and flashes of his family in their last time he saw them would just enter his mind intertwined with the faces of as we now know him, the boogeyman. And that would bring it out, bring him out of his trance like thinking, and it would go a little bit and he would close his eyes, try to think again, which would again be interrupted by his family and various states of massacre. Not a great thing to be thinking about, but he just ends up as the sun's starting to set, slowly crying every once in a while. Not a hard sob, but just a few tears. He just doesn't know what to do or where he's going. But every time he closes his eyes, he sees his family and the boogeyman. [00:38:31] Speaker B: At this point, the sun is almost fully set, and on one side of the horizon, of course, obscured behind the trees, you can just see the last few reaches of purple and red on the horizon. But directly above you, it's already dark enough that you can begin to see stars. And the moon is starting to come up on the eastern side. At this point, the streets are completely abandoned. Everyone has already either gone to bed or they're inside the tavern right now, enjoying some music. You can hear Val. She's halfway through her second song on her violin. At this point, there's a fear. You might be thinking about heading inside, but you kind of hear, like, a shuffling of motion from the other corner of the building. So you're leaning against the corner, and then, like, around to your left, just around the corner of the building, you kind of hear, like, cloth against cloth kind of shuffling sound. [00:39:26] Speaker D: Zafir takes a deep breath, and he kind of just opens his eyes like he would after one of his moments. And he kind of peeks over to the corner of the building, not a whole lot turning his head, but just kind of glancing over to see if anybody's over there. [00:39:46] Speaker B: And you see out of the corner of your eye, around that corner, the long, lanky leg and booted foot of the boogeyman, whom we have come to know as tall boy Grossman. And as you turn to look that way, you just hear, don't be afraid, little rabbit. I've come to talk. [00:40:12] Speaker G: I am not afraid. [00:40:14] Speaker B: Good. Good. That's one of the things that makes you and I so similar. There are only two kinds of creatures in this world. Those who fear, and those who cause the fear. [00:40:34] Speaker G: What do you want with me? [00:40:37] Speaker B: You've given me a merry chase. It's been quite delightful. But I'm beginning to suspect that you may have outgrown me. [00:40:51] Speaker G: How long have you been chasing? [00:40:54] Speaker B: You should know that ever since your family died, I've been following you, watching you, cultivating your fear like a fine wine. Until quite recently, I might add. You've stopped it up. [00:41:14] Speaker G: After so many years. I've wanted to know why. I've wanted to know who. I don't know if you were the one to cause all this, but if I were to find out that you were behind all of this. I can't imagine it would end well for both of us. But it certainly won't end well for you. [00:41:44] Speaker B: Little rabbit. Can you fault a bird for singing or a fox for stalking its prey? No. I've come to offer you something you haven't had for a long time. [00:41:56] Speaker G: And what is that? [00:41:58] Speaker B: Hope. [00:42:01] Speaker G: Until I recently discovered you and your face, your name. I had hope. And now I just have anger. [00:42:17] Speaker B: All this time, you've been searching for your family's killer, clinging to what? Revenge? What if I told you you, Zafir, have the power to change it? [00:42:33] Speaker G: What do you mean? Go back and change what happened? [00:42:36] Speaker B: Or maybe not go back, but you could bring them back. [00:42:44] Speaker G: I'm interested. [00:42:47] Speaker B: I just need you to do one thing. There is power and life. Power and death. Power and blood. You know this as well as any, of course. His life. Lanky hand reaches around the corner of the building. He still hasn't turned to look at you. Just. His hand reaches around the corner of the building, and he hands you an ivory handled knife, just like the one that you found that night. I'm going to need a payment from you. One family in exchange for another. Whose? You know the little language, nerd boy. [00:43:37] Speaker G: Is this something I must agree to now? Or something that I must think about? [00:43:43] Speaker B: No. No, of course. Think it over. Think it over very hard. [00:43:49] Speaker G: How can I contact you if I've made my decision? [00:43:55] Speaker B: You won't need to. I'll be watching. And when the payment is made, I will make good on my end of the deal. [00:44:05] Speaker G: We shall see. [00:44:08] Speaker B: I'll be watching, you, little rabbit. Now go inside and enjoy your dinner. And there's a rustling of cloth sound. And the sense of presence just eases. And you know that he has left. [00:44:30] Speaker D: A deep, deep breath. [00:44:33] Speaker G: Exhales. [00:44:37] Speaker D: Zefir puts that dagger into his other boot to mirror the one that he currently has, steals himself, and walks into the tavern. [00:44:52] Speaker B: And we'll go ahead and bring everyone back. So I'm gonna go ahead and say that the hero point for this session goes to petite and that the reason why is a secret that only petite, me, and the audience will know. [00:45:08] Speaker E: He done got spooked. [00:45:14] Speaker C: Speech. [00:45:18] Speaker D: Thank you, jordy. I'm shaking, and I'm going to go. [00:45:28] Speaker B: Shake some more, and we'll see you all in the next episode. But I do have a post credit scene. [00:45:35] Speaker E: He just wants to shake, shake, shake. [00:45:37] Speaker B: If you want this. Abby. [00:45:38] Speaker F: What? [00:45:39] Speaker E: What? [00:45:40] Speaker B: As val is finishing, is playing her song, and the elf comes up to stop her, and she's, like, talking about, like, hey, we, you know, we had that happen. Neros. You notice a gnome walking by carrying a bucket of glitter, and he like, passes right in front of you? Heck yeah. Are we to presume that Neros now has a bucket of glitter? [00:46:03] Speaker F: Neros has a bucket of glitter. [00:46:08] Speaker B: And thats where well really end this episode. This has been an atomic broadcasting production. Pathfinder, Galarian and the lost omens world setting are copyright of Paizo more [email protected] music in the show is from monumental studios collection as well as assorted artists, with some original tracks composed by Jordi Hake. More details in the description. If you enjoyed the show, please remember to share with a friend, and we'll look forward to seeing you again next time. [00:46:41] Speaker C: Was this planned between you two, or is this just something you jumped on him? [00:46:44] Speaker B: Oh, I jumped it on him. Oh, you monster petite. Genuinely out of game. You good? [00:46:50] Speaker D: I, uh. Just thinking. I mean. [00:46:53] Speaker B: Okay. [00:46:53] Speaker D: We're not gonna be doing anything else. I'm okay. [00:46:55] Speaker B: Okay. [00:46:58] Speaker D: I've got a lot to think on. [00:47:00] Speaker B: That's what I figured. I just wanted to make sure that I hadn't gone. [00:47:03] Speaker A: You do weird things. You put yourselves in situations. Jordan's gonna jump on you. [00:47:07] Speaker D: Please go further. [00:47:08] Speaker B: Okay. I can go further. [00:47:09] Speaker D: It excites me to the. I feel like I'm just vibrating.