[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.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Now, where did we leave off?
[00:00:34] Speaker C: Ah, yes.
[00:00:37] Speaker B: The fight between Ilva and the party was cut short when the Eredsson surrendered peacefully, entering their custody for questioning.
[00:00:53] Speaker D: When Zafir got hit, it turned into, like, an accordion, like in the Tamajeri cartoons.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:00:58] Speaker D: Just, like, crumpled. And then I am on hydraulic press TikTok. And so every time it gets to a cylinder of empty metal, they just. They crumple, and it's just so satisfying.
[00:01:14] Speaker A: It is.
[00:01:15] Speaker E: Have you seen that one lady who's just like, no. Yes.
[00:01:18] Speaker D: Yes. No, I don't like those because I want my own opinions.
[00:01:21] Speaker E: I like a sheep. I like them only because I like how popular she got. And there are, like, now TikTok videos about her TikTok videos being like, boss won't like that one. No. Get it. Get it out of here now.
[00:01:33] Speaker D: I've seen those. I have definitely seen those.
[00:01:36] Speaker B: All right, so since it does appear that you all have defeated your quarry of Yildva, at least she's currently seeming to surrender. We're gonna go ahead and call that the end of that chapter, which means you all level up.
[00:01:52] Speaker E: Wait, doesn't that mean we all get a hero point?
[00:01:54] Speaker B: It does indeed.
I am out.
[00:01:58] Speaker E: I need one.
[00:01:59] Speaker D: I was thinking that last episode that we should all get.
[00:02:02] Speaker C: Hold on, hold on. Uwehr gets a hero point. Aynar joined too late.
[00:02:06] Speaker B: That's a good point. Sven, could you hold on to Uvair's hero? .4?
[00:02:10] Speaker A: I can do that.
[00:02:11] Speaker C: Hey, wait a second.
[00:02:12] Speaker D: Can we all give a wow of appreciation?
[00:02:14] Speaker E: Yeah, we do need a wow of appreciation.
[00:02:17] Speaker A: Wow.
I want to point out the fact that I still don't like the word appears to have defeated.
[00:02:25] Speaker B: Well, you don't know.
[00:02:29] Speaker E: What'd you guys get for your level?
[00:02:31] Speaker F: Nothing.
[00:02:32] Speaker E: Nothing, man. I mean, level seven does kind of suck.
[00:02:35] Speaker F: It does?
[00:02:36] Speaker A: Yeah, totally.
[00:02:37] Speaker E: We only get level four spell slots for cast.
[00:02:39] Speaker A: Only level four spell slots?
[00:02:40] Speaker D: Yeah, and I lost casters spell slots.
[00:02:44] Speaker C: I got some cool things.
[00:02:45] Speaker E: What do you get?
[00:02:46] Speaker C: Talk about I'm a master in religion.
[00:02:48] Speaker F: Nice.
[00:02:48] Speaker C: My wisdom went up, so now my wisdom is a plus two instead of a plus one.
[00:02:54] Speaker E: I was about to ask.
[00:02:55] Speaker C: I got nephilim resistance. So now her, like, regular veins, just regular blue veins are more like white now. And she's a little colder to the touch as she has cold resistance five. Now just as a flat.
And I have. And I also got another thing that I'm not gonna bring up right away.
[00:03:17] Speaker D: You shouldn't have said so.
[00:03:18] Speaker A: What are the cool things?
[00:03:20] Speaker D: Her veins.
[00:03:21] Speaker A: They're cool.
[00:03:22] Speaker E: What'd you get, Sven?
[00:03:23] Speaker F: Yeah, Sven.
[00:03:24] Speaker E: What did you get? What did.
[00:03:25] Speaker A: What did my character get?
[00:03:26] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:03:27] Speaker A: I'm not gonna claim that any of my stuff is cool.
I can only hit things way harder. Cause now I have plus 19 to hit a. Dang. Wow. I get just a base. Plus eight to damage base.
[00:03:39] Speaker E: I think everybody else here's plus hit.
[00:03:42] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:43] Speaker A: Like, yeah, 14 -16 I can marshal my initiative bonus. I get an initiative bonus now, so I get plus 17.
[00:03:52] Speaker E: Are you an expert in initiative?
[00:03:54] Speaker A: Mmm. Master or perception? Actually, master and perception.
[00:03:57] Speaker C: I'm just trained still.
[00:03:58] Speaker E: Yeah, but same.
[00:04:01] Speaker A: I'm a marshal, so pretty much that's my cool stuff, is I just get to hit things a lot harder.
[00:04:06] Speaker E: Oh.
[00:04:07] Speaker A: I also have a plus 19, athletic. So.
[00:04:09] Speaker C: Well, what'd you pick for your general feet?
[00:04:11] Speaker F: Very athletic.
[00:04:11] Speaker C: Or your ancestry? Feet.
[00:04:13] Speaker A: My ancestor.
[00:04:14] Speaker D: Why are we just divulging everything right now?
[00:04:16] Speaker C: You don't have to.
[00:04:17] Speaker E: Yeah, I mean, you gave us a lot. Let's move to some of it.
[00:04:19] Speaker A: What'd you.
[00:04:19] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:04:20] Speaker D: Well, in my defense, everybody kept passing me their cards and I wasn't able to choose mine.
[00:04:28] Speaker F: I did not pass you my cards.
[00:04:30] Speaker D: Not you. You're not everybody.
[00:04:31] Speaker E: I hope Sven didn't pass you his cards.
[00:04:33] Speaker D: So. Yeah, me. There's one really specific thing that I got, and I think it's pretty cool. And Jordy actually pointed it out to me as well as the second I saw it.
It is studious spells. So in place of my level one spell slots, not really in place, but I gained two spell slots for rank. Two spells, which are studious spells. There's only four of them to choose from, but they're very utility. One of them is super cool. I can cast it. And like, I don't want to say ensure a strike, but I get basically advantage on my next strike. I lost my brain at that point. Yes.
[00:05:15] Speaker E: Okay. I need to. I need to know that.
[00:05:17] Speaker D: But then the other one, I can cast it. And there's five of us besides, you know, Cornelius and maybe anyone else who's going with us. I could cast and get us all to breathe underwater for 1 hour.
[00:05:33] Speaker E: That's really useful considering that there's water over there.
[00:05:36] Speaker D: I don't know anything we're gonna come up against, but there's a lake.
[00:05:40] Speaker E: Let's know how many times a character of mine is almost drowned.
[00:05:45] Speaker F: Why do you put your character into that situation?
[00:05:48] Speaker E: Ask Jordi why there's water existing.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: Jordi, why is water. Jordi?
[00:05:53] Speaker F: What does water exist?
[00:05:54] Speaker D: Okay, well, my thing is stealth, so. Oh, our just went off the map. My thing is stealth, so maybe we can just all just go underwater and stealth our way to the next.
[00:06:04] Speaker E: It's a good spell.
[00:06:05] Speaker F: That is, actually.
[00:06:05] Speaker E: I appreciate it. It makes to where if one of us falls unconscious and lands in water, they won't die.
[00:06:12] Speaker D: It still takes a minute to cast, so.
[00:06:15] Speaker F: So you better be falling for a whole minute.
[00:06:17] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:06:19] Speaker E: Abby, you want to talk? About what? You.
[00:06:22] Speaker F: I guess I didn't get anything that exciting.
[00:06:24] Speaker E: Same to lie.
[00:06:25] Speaker C: You were super excited about a secret.
[00:06:27] Speaker F: I was excited about a secret.
I mean, you know, general feats and stuff.
Some rank four spells that just are pretty great with. With how I've designed this character.
[00:06:41] Speaker E: Nice.
[00:06:41] Speaker C: Any you want to share from rank four? Oh, do you want to save them?
[00:06:47] Speaker E: You could save it. I'm gonna save my rank force bell, because we can't cast them this game, this session, unless we sleep.
[00:06:54] Speaker F: I'll just save it until it comes up.
[00:06:56] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:06:57] Speaker F: Cause I'm pretty excited about it.
[00:06:58] Speaker C: Sounds good.
[00:06:59] Speaker F: If you know anything about this character.
[00:07:03] Speaker E: I'm gonna guess you grabbed this. Goes so well with her phantom entanglement, which is not a spell.
[00:07:08] Speaker F: No.
I don't even know what that is.
[00:07:10] Speaker D: Cast bottomless jug.
[00:07:12] Speaker F: Yes. No.
[00:07:14] Speaker D: You cast an object.
[00:07:16] Speaker F: No, I have.
[00:07:18] Speaker E: No, the only thing I got is read lips.
[00:07:20] Speaker D: Is there a spell?
[00:07:21] Speaker F: That's pretty good, though.
[00:07:22] Speaker E: It is pretty good.
[00:07:23] Speaker F: I thought I had that, and then I didn't.
[00:07:25] Speaker E: You need to be trained in society.
[00:07:26] Speaker F: Yeah, I mean, I am trained in society.
[00:07:29] Speaker E: Get it?
[00:07:30] Speaker F: I'm an expert in society.
[00:07:31] Speaker E: The reason why I got it is because I know so many languages.
[00:07:35] Speaker F: That's fair.
[00:07:36] Speaker D: That's fair.
[00:07:36] Speaker F: I almost took multilingual again so I could learn another language, but I was like, no, that's not fun for me.
[00:07:44] Speaker E: Have anything out of the general feats or the skill feats that I want, I just grab multilingual. That's fair.
[00:07:49] Speaker F: I mean, it makes sense for Elward.
[00:07:51] Speaker E: No, that's all of my care.
[00:07:52] Speaker F: Oh, all your care?
[00:07:53] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:07:53] Speaker F: That's just.
[00:07:54] Speaker E: I don't know what else I want.
[00:07:55] Speaker F: Not Jenkins.
[00:07:57] Speaker C: Jordy.
[00:07:57] Speaker F: What did you get in your wants to be multilingual?
[00:08:00] Speaker B: I got old.
[00:08:04] Speaker E: Well, don't die yet.
[00:08:05] Speaker D: That is on my next birthday.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: Is that you leveled up.
[00:08:08] Speaker C: I got you something, Jordyn. Yeah, but I'll let Abby speak. Cause she had something.
[00:08:13] Speaker F: Hang on. There was a feat that I took. Now I don't remember what it was.
[00:08:15] Speaker D: For all the things you didn't want to talk about. You certainly have a lot to talk about.
[00:08:19] Speaker A: Shh.
[00:08:19] Speaker F: Oh, okay.
[00:08:20] Speaker D: I was filling in time.
[00:08:21] Speaker A: Dick gum it, sir.
[00:08:24] Speaker F: I grabbed one of my ancestry feats called shadowy disguise.
[00:08:29] Speaker A: Ooh.
[00:08:30] Speaker C: Oh.
[00:08:31] Speaker F: You wrap yourself in shadow to change your appearance. You can cast illusory disguise as a first level, occult, innate spirit once per day.
[00:08:38] Speaker E: Nice.
[00:08:39] Speaker F: This spell gains the shadow trait.
[00:08:41] Speaker E: Does that level up as. Does that, like, increase level when you level, or. No, the spell. Yeah, no, that's still good, though.
[00:08:50] Speaker F: It is.
[00:08:51] Speaker D: We both have that now.
[00:08:53] Speaker F: Nice.
[00:08:53] Speaker D: So let's turn into something and then go underwater for an hour.
[00:08:56] Speaker F: Heck, yeah. I'll be a snail.
[00:08:58] Speaker B: I'm already just imagining you guys running towards each other and you high five and disguise your shelves as each other and just keep running.
[00:09:06] Speaker F: Run off.
[00:09:07] Speaker E: I don't think they can do that. Because of the height disparity between them.
[00:09:11] Speaker B: He could be a short, narrowest and nearest tall figure.
[00:09:14] Speaker E: Each of them just even out to about 4ft.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: All right, so with that done, a little housekeeping clerical peek behind the scenes. Let's go ahead and dive back into our imaginary world.
[00:09:28] Speaker D: Dive.
[00:09:29] Speaker F: Because we dive.
[00:09:30] Speaker D: Breathe underwater.
[00:09:31] Speaker C: Breach. Splash.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Where Yilva has just dropped her bow, undid the belt of her quiver and let her weapons fall to the side. She's just holding her arms up, making it clear she's not making any attempt to cast any further spells.
[00:09:47] Speaker D: What are the animals doing?
[00:09:49] Speaker B: They're just kind of looking at her, looking at you and just waiting.
[00:09:54] Speaker C: Right?
Val reaches in and pulls out some handcuffs.
[00:10:02] Speaker F: Do you just have those?
[00:10:04] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:10:05] Speaker D: The right to remain silent.
[00:10:06] Speaker C: Why would I. Why? But please, they're useful.
[00:10:09] Speaker E: We've been using rope.
[00:10:12] Speaker C: I got these in the last town we were in.
Um, so Val is just gonna go up and put her hands in handcuffs behind her. Just say, you know, try to, you know, do something crazy.
[00:10:29] Speaker B: I understand.
[00:10:32] Speaker C: All right, well, um, if we could have Cornelius back, we'll just leave.
[00:10:38] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:10:39] Speaker D: I look up at the troll.
[00:10:45] Speaker B: The troll is looking at you all, looks at Cornelius, looks up the hill aways, sets Cornelius down and is like, you have all done a good service to the trolls in taking care of this miscreant.
[00:11:06] Speaker C: It's our pleasure.
[00:11:09] Speaker B: I will now tell you your reward to be tendered. You will not be tendered today.
[00:11:17] Speaker D: I mean, I think I was a little tendered.
[00:11:19] Speaker B: You were in it.
[00:11:20] Speaker D: My noggin's a little tender.
[00:11:22] Speaker C: Oh, good pun. As a fear. If you need some help, I can heal you.
[00:11:27] Speaker D: I'll take some.
[00:11:29] Speaker B: And the troll king turns and shuffles deeper into the forest.
[00:11:34] Speaker D: Bye.
Thanks for the goose egg.
[00:11:40] Speaker B: Any time.
[00:11:46] Speaker C: Once he's gone, Val's gonna just kind of be like, I hope he doesn't find out we killed that other troll.
[00:11:51] Speaker A: I don't think he'll care.
[00:11:53] Speaker D: We sent the other one to hide him, remember?
I have every confidence that he'll be able to hide it easily.
[00:11:59] Speaker C: That's right. Here. Have 18 hit points back.
[00:12:03] Speaker D: That was very specific of you.
[00:12:05] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:12:07] Speaker A: You feel 18 ish pieces. Better.
[00:12:10] Speaker E: I am overwhelmed that we didn't have to murder this one. But what do we do now? Cuz she didn't commit any crime. So we can't just turn her into the authorities.
I don't know, remain active.
[00:12:25] Speaker D: It doesn't always have to be about a crime. If someone asks you to kill someone, you just kind of do it.
[00:12:31] Speaker B: I don't.
[00:12:31] Speaker E: We don't want to kill her though.
[00:12:33] Speaker C: Oh, well, I mean, she doesn't need to die. That'd be cruel.
[00:12:38] Speaker F: So what are we doing with her?
[00:12:42] Speaker C: I don't know.
[00:12:44] Speaker F: I need to step through the thorns. I'm not with everybody.
[00:12:47] Speaker E: You could walk around.
[00:12:49] Speaker A: Oh, wait.
[00:12:49] Speaker B: Wouldn't the thorns go away by this point? Yeah, they only last for a minute.
[00:12:52] Speaker F: Okay, nevermind then.
[00:12:55] Speaker B: So I imagine Neros is just like I need and the thorns just shrivel.
[00:13:01] Speaker F: Never mind.
[00:13:02] Speaker D: No, it was actually Zafir pulling out some hedge trimmers and just going through the entire thing.
[00:13:08] Speaker A: I think Einar would have noticed her looking at the animals before she surrendered, wouldn't she? Since I'm right in front of her.
[00:13:15] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, you were right in her face with a sword.
[00:13:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
It seems you care for more than just your family's purposes.
Ambitions.
[00:13:26] Speaker B: Of course I do. What's. What's the point in winning a world if there's no world left to rule over?
[00:13:32] Speaker A: Those are wise words.
You look at things differently, obviously.
But why are you still.
Why can't you see through the fanaticism of your family?
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Make your choice of a diplomacy check or an intimidation check. And get a plus four bonus because you've got her completely beaten. She's at your mercy. So you've got an edge in convincing her to talk.
[00:14:04] Speaker A: I'll go intimidation.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: Because it's better.
[00:14:09] Speaker E: Ooh. What'd you get?
[00:14:10] Speaker A: I rolled a two.
[00:14:11] Speaker D: Ooh.
[00:14:12] Speaker E: Hero points spent for that. That's fair.
[00:14:14] Speaker A: I kind of want this to succeed.
[00:14:16] Speaker E: I don't blame you.
[00:14:20] Speaker A: 23.
[00:14:21] Speaker E: Nice.
[00:14:24] Speaker B: Fine.
Can we get somewhere a little more comfortable, and I'll. I'll explain everything?
[00:14:32] Speaker A: I believe that can be arranged. Come. And he gently grabs her arm and motions to the rest. Who.
Where do we want to go?
[00:14:44] Speaker E: Out of the forest, preferably.
[00:14:46] Speaker C: Are we near the edge of the forest? To leave the forest, though, we had two days travel.
[00:14:52] Speaker B: Right. It'll take us some time to get out of the forest.
[00:14:56] Speaker C: Well, we were gonna go on our way to the northeast, right?
[00:15:00] Speaker E: I think we were coming in here to do this because the other person is further south.
[00:15:05] Speaker C: I thought they were inside. Also on the edge of the forest to the northeast.
[00:15:10] Speaker D: It would be a safer bet to go back to the town that we started in rather than going.
[00:15:14] Speaker E: Jordy, is that correct, that they're further south?
[00:15:18] Speaker B: Yes, they're further south and west.
[00:15:20] Speaker C: Oh.
[00:15:21] Speaker E: So we were stopping by here because it was like, well, this is on the way.
[00:15:24] Speaker C: So we would go back to the edge of the forest and head.
[00:15:27] Speaker B: That would probably be both fastest and safest.
[00:15:29] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:15:30] Speaker B: As far as I understood it, the original plan was to come in here, deal with yova, and then swing along the side of the forest, and then pop into where u ver wanted, and then go back out and finish skirting along the side of the forest to your next target.
[00:15:44] Speaker C: Okay. Um, well, we could leave, but we also.
We don't know if Uwehr's dead or gone. We still need to look for him.
[00:15:55] Speaker E: He didn't really tell us where he wanted to go. He just said he needed to go to the forest.
[00:16:01] Speaker D: If I may chime in, I was wanting to go back to the town that we started in.
[00:16:07] Speaker C: Are you sure?
[00:16:08] Speaker F: Which town?
[00:16:09] Speaker B: Brush hollow.
[00:16:10] Speaker C: Brush hollow.
Was a fairy shirt gonna be best or safest for us to go back there?
[00:16:17] Speaker D: I believe so. But it would get us out of the forest, get us to a place that we're used to. And I don't retrace our steps, but.
[00:16:24] Speaker C: After what happened while we were there last time, I don't necessarily feel what happened right about that. Zafir.
[00:16:30] Speaker D: I don't think anything else happened there that would cause any issue for the rest of the party.
[00:16:35] Speaker E: What happened?
If there's a danger, we need to know. What.
[00:16:39] Speaker F: What did happen?
[00:16:40] Speaker D: There is no danger.
[00:16:41] Speaker E: It's.
[00:16:42] Speaker D: I just like to go back and gain information.
[00:16:46] Speaker C: Well, there was all the stuff that they're talking about, the poogeyman stuff, and we know that we're still being followed by that. That kind of puts us back in a path on the way.
[00:16:55] Speaker D: Honestly, I think that knowing more about it would be better.
It wouldn't be putting us in the path of danger.
[00:17:03] Speaker E: I mean, and if he's being hunted by the boogeyman, then whoever he is is the path of danger. Not saying we don't want you around.
[00:17:12] Speaker A: Hold on.
[00:17:12] Speaker E: Love you.
[00:17:13] Speaker A: Boogeyman?
[00:17:14] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:17:15] Speaker A: A boogeyman, like out of fairy tales, fables boogeyman?
[00:17:21] Speaker E: Who? They seemed to think so, yes.
[00:17:23] Speaker D: He goes by the lovingly named tall boy Grossman, because he's tall and gross and a boy and a man.
[00:17:33] Speaker C: It fit all the stories I've heard.
[00:17:36] Speaker E: About them, and I've seen it.
It's. And terrifying.
[00:17:42] Speaker A: You're being hunted by the boogeyman. All of you are being hunted by the boogeyman.
[00:17:47] Speaker D: I wouldn't say hunted. More haunted.
[00:17:50] Speaker F: Either way, it's not preferable.
[00:17:54] Speaker A: Does that make me part of this haunted party?
[00:17:57] Speaker D: Unfortunately, yes. But I don't think that we're going to have any issues anytime soon.
[00:18:01] Speaker F: I mean, if you're coming with us, then, yeah, it makes you part of the haunted party.
[00:18:06] Speaker B: I don't know how I feel about that. Yilva interjects.
[00:18:10] Speaker F: You have no choice.
[00:18:11] Speaker D: Don't worry. You have our protections. Sort of.
[00:18:15] Speaker A: Not gonna lie, I'm kind of in the same boat as you, but what other boat are we in?
[00:18:20] Speaker E: Thank you for surrendering, by the way. It makes our lives a lot easier.
[00:18:26] Speaker B: She kind of. When you say that, she kind of, like, looks down, kind of, like, half ashamed, but then, like, inadvertently, just, like, habitually glances over at the wolf, and then, like, looks down again.
[00:18:39] Speaker E: We sadly had to kill Daetha and Saito.
[00:18:44] Speaker D: It wasn't sad.
[00:18:45] Speaker E: Data wasn't sad. She almost killed us. I still feel bad about it, though.
[00:18:49] Speaker D: I was okay about both.
[00:18:51] Speaker E: You're okay with anybody.
[00:18:53] Speaker F: You're okay with murder?
[00:18:55] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:18:56] Speaker A: They're a bunch of coal group, aren't they?
[00:18:59] Speaker D: I think that we should get a move on. I don't like standing in this.
[00:19:02] Speaker E: Yeah, that troll is gonna be back soon.
[00:19:05] Speaker C: Well, Einar took her away from Val, so Val's gonna start heading over to Cornelius and then start heading south.
[00:19:13] Speaker F: I'm gonna follow Val.
[00:19:14] Speaker D: Is that the direction of the town?
[00:19:16] Speaker B: As best as you can figure.
[00:19:19] Speaker E: Everybody keep an eye out for the dwarf.
[00:19:23] Speaker D: I don't want to go away from the town. I have to go back.
[00:19:28] Speaker B: Who would like to make a survival check to head in the direction of town?
[00:19:33] Speaker D: Uwehr.
[00:19:34] Speaker C: I have a eleven.
[00:19:36] Speaker A: I have a ten.
[00:19:37] Speaker F: I have a two.
[00:19:38] Speaker E: I have, I think a three.
[00:19:39] Speaker C: You want me to roll and you assist me?
[00:19:41] Speaker D: Do I have a tendency.
[00:19:42] Speaker A: We can risk it for the biscuit.
[00:19:44] Speaker C: Since you're holding on to Ilva there.
[00:19:49] Speaker E: Took the map.
Gosh, darling, everything.
[00:19:54] Speaker A: No, u ver did not take the map.
[00:19:55] Speaker E: Did he leave us the map?
[00:19:56] Speaker A: I think we use the map on the way, didn't we?
[00:19:59] Speaker C: Pretty sure we addressed that. We didn't have it on the way here.
[00:20:01] Speaker B: The surveyors map is actually not magical. It's just quality enough. It just gives you a bonus for using.
But, Albert, as you are all setting out, you find the surveyors map folded and tucked in your pack, your bag.
[00:20:18] Speaker E: I'm just gonna hand it to Val.
[00:20:21] Speaker C: Oh, thanks. Yeah, I rolled a 27.
[00:20:29] Speaker A: I'm not gonna. No.
[00:20:31] Speaker B: You feel confident?
[00:20:32] Speaker C: Okay, so she's looking at overdose, and as she kind of walks past Ilva, she kind of stops for a second and says, kind of quietly, I didn't mean to kill him. And then kind of keeps going and goes up to Cornelius and is like, I.
I need to talk to you tonight.
[00:20:56] Speaker B: Cornelius just like, nods, but he doesn't turn to meet your gaze.
[00:21:01] Speaker C: Also, I'm sorry about him. Although I didn't seem to imply I was putting in all of damage, danger. I'm sorry if it, uh, threw you off or anything.
I thought you'd be fine. But apologies.
[00:21:19] Speaker B: Yeah. We'll need to talk tonight.
[00:21:24] Speaker C: Okay.
See, look, she's been. Looked kind of pretty shaken since you guys brought up the we killed so and so and so and so. And she looks more just kind of blank as she's just kind of trudging onward.
[00:21:39] Speaker B: And as Val walks towards the camera, we have a wipe transition behind her. And it's now getting dark. You have already set up camp. The fire is already crackling in the night darkness of the forest. You've journeyed with the remainder of the day back south, and you feel relatively confident that you've been heading in the correct direction. And you've gotten your rations set up, your food set out and everything.
Have you rearranged Yilva's handcuffs so she can feed herself? Or how are you handling that?
[00:22:13] Speaker C: I'd leave that to Einar. If I was gonna do anything, I'd just uncuff her entirely. But I'll leave it to Einardhenne.
[00:22:19] Speaker D: I can feed her.
[00:22:20] Speaker A: Einar takes one cuff off one of her hands, cuffs it to his other wrist so she has a free arm, but he's still right next to her.
[00:22:30] Speaker C: Nice.
[00:22:31] Speaker B: So I suppose you all have questions.
[00:22:37] Speaker D: They might none come to mind, but I've not always been the question man.
[00:22:44] Speaker E: So we know about vega. T's about what's happening, but we don't really know the primary goal. We know it's to, we know it's to insert the king who's been dead for centuries, but everyone saying he's not dead. Can you explain that?
[00:23:03] Speaker B: We had always known that Aeored was too great of a king to succumb to something as small as death.
Our family had held faith that he would return one day, some of us better than others. But it wasn't until recently that we had been able to hear from him directly. And he has confirmed through his communication that he is still alive and that he will be returning as king and he will reward those who were faithful to him during his absence.
[00:23:37] Speaker E: Even. No one's seen him.
[00:23:39] Speaker B: No, no one has seen him directly.
[00:23:41] Speaker E: So it.
[00:23:43] Speaker D: How can you be sure that was him?
[00:23:44] Speaker E: It could just be a demon or.
[00:23:46] Speaker D: A devil or a boogeyman.
[00:23:48] Speaker B: Yeah, well, it's possible. It's.
It's always possible.
But she looks like Tornado.
She glances at Einar sitting next to her and just kind of pushes through.
There's a young woman in our family. Her name is Svelte.
[00:24:16] Speaker D: She, I'm well aware.
[00:24:20] Speaker F: Sounds worse than it is.
[00:24:22] Speaker B: Yilda just like, kind of glances at Zafir when he's like, I'm well aware. She just finds her stride again.
She has a connection with our family, our ancestors.
They can speak to her and she is influenced by them.
Through that connection.
She can speak with ered.
[00:24:49] Speaker D: If you don't mind me asking, then why is she kept out of the loop?
[00:24:54] Speaker B: She straight up looks ashamed right now, I will admit that the things that our family does are not good, but you have to understand there is a change coming. And like it or not, the arid family is going to be in charge. And whenever something like that happens, you just have to make the best of the situation.
[00:25:20] Speaker A: I think that the situation can be changed in many cases.
Sometimes what seems certain shouldn't be certain at all.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: You don't.
You don't know the Aerodson family like I do. You don't know what they're capable of and what to what lengths they will go.
[00:25:43] Speaker A: I suppose not.
[00:25:46] Speaker C: So Val hasn't really been eating any of her food, and she's kind of just still very spaced. And she stands up and looks to Cornelius like a. And then just kind of starts walking off.
[00:26:04] Speaker B: Cornelius follows, and the two of them have departed from this conversation.
[00:26:10] Speaker F: Neros watches them walk off and then gets up and follows them.
But, like, at a distance, to be sort of inconspicuous because I don't trust it.
[00:26:23] Speaker D: More conversation for us.
[00:26:30] Speaker B: King Aerod will return even if his faithful do not back him.
And I for one do not want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.
[00:26:42] Speaker E: Are you even an Aridson or are you like Saito was?
[00:26:46] Speaker B: I am. I am a trueborn aeridson.
I am of the Wolf Clan society.
[00:26:53] Speaker E: Check.
[00:26:54] Speaker B: Go ahead and roll.
[00:26:58] Speaker E: Natural one. I think it's like 1617 total.
[00:27:02] Speaker A: I'll roll.
[00:27:03] Speaker E: Okay, I'll double check that.
[00:27:05] Speaker B: But that's a hilarious time to get in at one.
[00:27:07] Speaker E: It is. No, it's 20 total. Because I'm an expert. I'm a master in society.
[00:27:13] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:27:14] Speaker E: So I not needed to avoid.
[00:27:16] Speaker B: So you both got regular fails and you're not sure.
[00:27:19] Speaker E: I'll take that.
[00:27:20] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:27:21] Speaker A: So you're telling me that you know the true manner of the return of the king and what his rule will be and you're just following along because you're scared of what it will do to you and not what it'll do to the many of innocent others.
[00:27:43] Speaker B: If you knew that a disaster was coming and you couldn't stop it, wouldn't you at least try to direct it away from those that you cared about?
[00:27:58] Speaker A: I would give up everything I have and I know to do so.
[00:28:05] Speaker B: Then surely you understand where I'm coming from.
[00:28:08] Speaker A: And I'm telling you, you chose the wrong way.
[00:28:12] Speaker B: She just like looks away, kind of just like, I can't. I can't take you anymore.
[00:28:20] Speaker D: So who's in charge of this whole operation?
[00:28:24] Speaker B: What?
[00:28:24] Speaker E: Wouldn't it be the mother?
[00:28:26] Speaker D: That's what I'm trying to find out from her.
[00:28:28] Speaker B: You all know an awful lot.
[00:28:31] Speaker D: Yes, we were there.
[00:28:32] Speaker E: We went to a soiree.
[00:28:33] Speaker A: How wasn't there on that one? I missed Soiree.
[00:28:37] Speaker D: Us two were there and snuck into the. Nevermind.
[00:28:39] Speaker E: Actually, I don't know if you were there.
[00:28:41] Speaker B: I forgot it was the two of you.
Yeah.
[00:28:46] Speaker E: Was she there? I don't remember.
[00:28:48] Speaker B: She was.
[00:28:48] Speaker E: Yeah, you were there. Daitha didn't tell anybody. It was the night data died.
[00:28:53] Speaker D: Oh. Do you remember that? Maybe you could give us some insight on what happened after we.
[00:28:57] Speaker B: Daetha died the night of the party.
[00:28:59] Speaker D: Oh, yes, it was quite the party.
[00:29:01] Speaker E: How do you not know that?
Yeah, our friend who is no longer with us, it's his friend as well.
Uva. Yeah, yeah. He lightning bolted her to death.
[00:29:17] Speaker D: Well, I mean, I stabbed her a billion times, but that's, that's besides the.
[00:29:20] Speaker E: That was that she was dead at that point.
[00:29:22] Speaker D: I. I beg to differ.
[00:29:25] Speaker A: You are a cold, heartless bunch.
[00:29:27] Speaker E: I had to drag him off of her body. It was terrifying.
[00:29:30] Speaker A: Doesn't help the matter.
[00:29:34] Speaker B: She's kind of just, like, doing, like, deep breathing, box breathing, trying to just calm down.
[00:29:40] Speaker E: I know that was a lot to take in. Take your time. I'm sorry. We didn't want too. But she left us. It was either her or us.
[00:29:48] Speaker D: Yeah, to be fair, she tried to kill us. I'm pretty sure. I can't remember.
[00:29:51] Speaker E: She almost succeeded.
[00:29:52] Speaker D: Was about a. It was a bit of a flash. I almost saw my death, I think.
[00:29:58] Speaker A: Can we give the lady a moment?
[00:30:00] Speaker E: I would just.
[00:30:01] Speaker A: No, you're still talking.
[00:30:02] Speaker E: You're talking, too.
[00:30:03] Speaker A: Okay, back to the question making it worse.
[00:30:05] Speaker D: Who is in charge, and what happened?
[00:30:08] Speaker E: Give her a minute.
[00:30:09] Speaker D: I'm reiterating the question.
[00:30:11] Speaker A: Yeah, stop.
Take a moment.
[00:30:20] Speaker B: She takes one last deep breath, and when she opens her eyes again and looks at Zafir, her eyes are, like, steely and hard.
As you'd mentioned, it's mother who is in charge.
[00:30:33] Speaker D: I have follow up questions on that. But also, tell us what happened.
[00:30:36] Speaker E: What do you.
[00:30:38] Speaker D: So you remember after the whole thing, they were chasing us around the whole upper floors?
[00:30:48] Speaker E: Data was with her cronies.
[00:30:49] Speaker D: Well, no, not just them. It was Siggy.
And I'm not really even sure what happened exactly.
[00:30:56] Speaker B: I don't know any of this. We had our meeting, and I left straight away. I had business here in the forest.
[00:31:02] Speaker D: Well, sigeonsfelter. Well, we convinced them not to tell everyone, because then the party would be ruined. Yeah. Look bad on your part, and you like to save face, you know, but he. I figured, you know, there would be some sort of a miscommunication or ruckus or something whenever he left, so.
[00:31:22] Speaker E: Well, he left to go check on his sister, and then he came back and probably said, everything is fine, and Datha didn't want to tell anybody because she wanted to present us as prizes.
[00:31:33] Speaker D: Did you catch any of that?
[00:31:35] Speaker B: That does sound like both of them.
[00:31:38] Speaker E: But no one's told you about her passing?
[00:31:41] Speaker B: I haven't spoken with anyone since the party. I came straight here, and I've been working by myself.
[00:31:47] Speaker E: I'm terribly sorry.
I wouldn't have spoken so callously. I thought you already knew.
[00:31:53] Speaker D: It's been a while.
[00:31:55] Speaker A: Good gods, what party have I gotten into?
[00:31:59] Speaker D: Well, this was a separate party. It was like a cult party. There were cultists in a blanket anyway. Mother? Who is this mother? And is she actually your mother?
[00:32:08] Speaker A: Hold on, hold on. Hold the.
Hold on.
[00:32:17] Speaker B: For real?
[00:32:18] Speaker D: This one we keep in.
[00:32:20] Speaker E: Yeah, sure.
[00:32:24] Speaker A: Yova.
She wasn't a sister or a cousin or anyone close to you, was she?
[00:32:31] Speaker B: They thought. No, we weren't close. We. We worked closely together, but. So it's still.
No, we weren't very close.
[00:32:43] Speaker D: To be fair, between data and everyone else, it didn't seem like she trusted anyone and wasn't exactly on the same page.
To be honest, I don't know if anybody in your little organization is on the same page. You're all just kind of told what to do and you do it as you see fit.
Which brings me back to the original question. Who is this mother? Is she her mother? And why is she mother? And so I was gonna say a word, but I probably shouldn't.
[00:33:11] Speaker B: Why is she so old?
[00:33:12] Speaker D: No, gross.
[00:33:15] Speaker E: She's very old.
[00:33:16] Speaker D: Yeah, it sounds like she has a perpetual phlegm.
[00:33:19] Speaker A: I mean, it's aerid.
[00:33:21] Speaker D: Since they're a mafia, that doesn't mean they have to be ugly.
I am a one man mafia. And look at me.
[00:33:35] Speaker E: Look at this pristine example.
[00:33:38] Speaker D: I'm beautiful.
[00:33:39] Speaker E: Of whatever fetchlings are called.
[00:33:42] Speaker D: I exfoliate so much, you can barely see my skin.
[00:33:45] Speaker E: You wish you could get his skincare regimen.
[00:33:47] Speaker D: My hair is literally wispy right now. Maybe it's Maybelline.
Maybe I'm a fetchling.
[00:33:57] Speaker E: That song got to his head. What?
[00:34:01] Speaker D: There was a song?
[00:34:03] Speaker E: Fetching fetchlings.
[00:34:04] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, that definitely got to my head.
[00:34:07] Speaker A: I was going. That's why there's, like, a family hierarchy.
[00:34:11] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. Answer my question.
[00:34:16] Speaker B: I have to admit, this is the strangest interrogation I've been involved in. My emotions are all over the place.
[00:34:22] Speaker D: Well, as I've told those people many times. And you'll hear this, too, Einar. Most people that I interact with don't stay alive for very long.
[00:34:31] Speaker B: Well, that's certainly an emotionally focusing statement.
[00:34:36] Speaker D: Consider yourself lucky.
[00:34:37] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:34:37] Speaker E: We're working on his bad habit.
[00:34:39] Speaker D: No, you're not.
[00:34:40] Speaker E: We're trying.
[00:34:42] Speaker B: We call her mother because she's.
Well, she's sort of the family matriarch.
Nobody's really sure how old she is.
I mean, the rest of us always just remember her being mother just the same as she is now.
[00:35:01] Speaker E: None of you questioned that?
[00:35:03] Speaker B: Oh, that's certainly strange. But you don't question motherhood.
[00:35:09] Speaker A: That follows.
[00:35:10] Speaker D: What does she do? Does she have, like, magic? Or is she really strong? Does she wail on people?
[00:35:18] Speaker A: Or is it more of anybody that does so suddenly disappears, is never heard of again?
[00:35:22] Speaker B: Yeah, it's.
It's more that it's just not done.
You know, if you step out of line and just the harsh disapproval kind of discourages you from doing it again.
[00:35:36] Speaker A: No, it's not as cut through as I thought.
[00:35:39] Speaker D: I mean, I have no.
I have no problem with people being disappointed in me, so I feel like that's not a great encourager.
[00:35:51] Speaker B: Oh, do you mean what does she do to people outside of the family?
[00:35:55] Speaker D: I mean, sure, yes, yes. Very curious. You know, boss insight.
[00:36:00] Speaker B: I mean, she doesn't.
I understood that phrase first is like who you work for kind of boss. Okay, I get it now.
She doesn't really.
I don't know. She mostly just stays inside the manor and she works on some kind of project she has in the cellars.
[00:36:21] Speaker E: We were almost taken to the cellars.
[00:36:23] Speaker D: Maybe she was gonna swap on mine.
[00:36:28] Speaker B: I don't think so.
[00:36:30] Speaker A: That definitely gives sort of experimental on prisoner vibes sort of thing if they were going to take you to the cellars.
Just observation.
[00:36:39] Speaker E: So what is Hodie's mission? We don't really know. What's his purpose?
And why is he sparkling?
[00:36:51] Speaker B: She, like, kind of laughs at that question, but it's like a, you know, nervous release kind of laugh.
You're not going to kill him, are you?
[00:37:03] Speaker E: I would prefer if we didn't have to kill anyone. I just want to keep my family safe.
[00:37:08] Speaker C: Real.
[00:37:08] Speaker D: If we have to.
[00:37:09] Speaker E: Zafi it.
[00:37:10] Speaker D: He could fight back. Like you tried.
[00:37:12] Speaker A: Point out the fact that you're still alive.
He just raises his arm up. The one still shackled or Hodie's not.
[00:37:22] Speaker B: Not necessarily as savvy as I am.
[00:37:26] Speaker A: You want me to knock him out?
[00:37:28] Speaker B: I prefer if you just left him alone.
[00:37:31] Speaker A: Well, still stopping the accents actions.
[00:37:34] Speaker D: You. You know that we have to do something. We can't just let him go on his merry way.
[00:37:41] Speaker A: Look, the young one that walked off over there doesn't want to kill anyone.
[00:37:46] Speaker E: I don't want to kill anyone either.
[00:37:48] Speaker A: He doesn't want to kill anyone.
[00:37:50] Speaker E: I don't think Nero's wants to kill anyone.
[00:37:52] Speaker D: I'm not going to talk.
[00:37:53] Speaker B: It's just the two of you? Tall guy with a sword and small guy with sword.
[00:37:58] Speaker A: I don't know what his deal is, though. He seems to be fine with killing anyone. I would have killed you if you continued fighting me. You know, fight to the death, back and forth. You stopped. I stopped.
[00:38:07] Speaker E: He's a handful.
[00:38:08] Speaker D: I usually just kill people that people ask me to kill and give me gold for it. So that's kind of where we are. I don't think anybody actually gave me gold to kill you guys, but I'm getting some things out of it. Not sure what yet.
[00:38:22] Speaker A: The point is, is that most of the party, I can't speak for. The other one that walked off, doesn't want to kill you. And me. As I said, I stopped when you stopped.
Hodie's just not really one to stop, is Hedgesthen.
[00:38:37] Speaker B: He doesn't want to hurt anyone. He's he's just talking to people.
[00:38:43] Speaker D: He's just talking, same as you.
[00:38:45] Speaker E: Is he trying to gain favor for your family and the king?
[00:38:49] Speaker B: I mean, maybe that's.
That's what a good servant of the king would do, isn't it?
[00:38:56] Speaker A: Is he your brother or something?
[00:38:59] Speaker B: He's my cousin.
[00:39:01] Speaker A: You grew up together, I'm guessing something like that seemed kind of attached to this one.
[00:39:07] Speaker B: All of us aeroidsons are family, but that doesn't necessarily mean. Doesn't necessarily mean we all like each other.
[00:39:13] Speaker D: That tracks.
[00:39:16] Speaker B: I don't know. Howdy's a good guy.
[00:39:20] Speaker A: Good guys can make bad decisions, but it doesn't mean they're initially bad, doesn't mean they have to die.
[00:39:26] Speaker B: I just don't want you all to just go kill him, because you got me, and I'm talking.
[00:39:34] Speaker E: We walked up immediately and between you and a troll, and tried to talk both you in the troll down.
We. We don't want to kill, if at all possible.
[00:39:44] Speaker B: And you just told me that you killed Data and Saito, so maybe. I don't know. Maybe I'm the start of a new leaf.
[00:39:49] Speaker D: They both threatened us.
[00:39:50] Speaker E: Data was going to kill us, unfortunately. And Saito, I believe, was an accident.
[00:39:58] Speaker B: Saito was off on his own in the middle of nowhere, as most of you are.
[00:40:06] Speaker F: And where are you, Hilva?
[00:40:10] Speaker B: That doesn't help your case. Neros who's not in the scene.
[00:40:15] Speaker A: Okay, okay, so hold on one. I just caught in this whole thing.
[00:40:21] Speaker E: Yeah. You're really. You jumped on board with this, by the way. You're like, random party news, my old friend. Let's go.
[00:40:28] Speaker A: I mean, yes, uh, old friend. Kind of want to find him. Uh, I mean, what if we're a mafia? Yeah, I don't like them, either.
[00:40:37] Speaker E: No, hold on. Did you kill u ver?
[00:40:39] Speaker D: No, I didn't. But what if he thought we did? Would you have joined us? Like, we we just come up to you and be like, we don't know where Uvair is. And then you would be like, well, I don't know where he is, either. And I'd be like, well, maybe he's dead. And how did you die? We killed him.
[00:40:53] Speaker A: I'll put it to you this way, Zafir. The best way. I think you understand. If I thought you all killed Uwe and I found evidence to such, I'd kill each and every one of you and not think of it afterwards.
[00:41:02] Speaker E: But what if he just killed Uwe?
[00:41:04] Speaker D: I did nothing of the sort. Nobody gave me gold.
Why does Hody sparkle?
[00:41:14] Speaker E: I forgot that was part of my question.
[00:41:16] Speaker B: As I had mentioned earlier, rollercoaster of emotions every time you talk, friend.
[00:41:23] Speaker D: No, I.
[00:41:25] Speaker E: That's actually a good point. Did you kill Uvar?
[00:41:27] Speaker D: No, I did not kill Uwe. I didn't get anything for it.
[00:41:32] Speaker E: Wait. Would you kill me if you got paid?
[00:41:34] Speaker D: I don't know. Maybe.
[00:41:36] Speaker E: I don't. I think.
I don't know how I feel about that.
[00:41:41] Speaker D: Look, everything has a party.
[00:41:42] Speaker A: What kind of party am I in?
[00:41:44] Speaker D: A very delicate one.
[00:41:46] Speaker E: That's a good word for it, actually.
[00:41:51] Speaker D: We're all missing things and brings up feelings.
[00:41:55] Speaker E: I know I talked about this before, but would you kill my family?
[00:41:59] Speaker D: I don't know. Maybe they're not in the party. But I said, for a price.
[00:42:05] Speaker E: I don't feel safe anymore.
[00:42:08] Speaker D: You shouldn't ever feel safe. But you know what? I haven't killed you yet.
[00:42:11] Speaker A: That doesn't.
[00:42:13] Speaker E: I'm. I think I'm. I think I'm gonna go find Val and Nero, sir. Fine. I just want to be removed from this situation.
[00:42:23] Speaker C: I'll tell you.
[00:42:24] Speaker B: Leave me alone with the two of them.
[00:42:25] Speaker A: I'm not going to kill you.
If I was going to, I would have done it when we were fighting.
[00:42:31] Speaker B: You say that. I. Why do I have any reason to believe that? He's saying he's a hired killer and was.
[00:42:39] Speaker D: I mean, it still hits the same.
[00:42:41] Speaker A: Yes. Follow your own logic there. He's saying that. He's saying that. He said that. He said he was. I have not said any of such things.
[00:42:51] Speaker D: He could also be a hired.
[00:42:53] Speaker A: I even offered to just knock out this. Who was he again?
[00:42:57] Speaker D: Hodi.
[00:42:58] Speaker A: Hodi.
[00:42:59] Speaker B: That doesn't help. He's offering to hunt down my cousin and knock him out.
[00:43:04] Speaker A: We would have not kill him.
[00:43:06] Speaker D: We were going to hunt him down anyway.
[00:43:09] Speaker B: That's what I'm worried about all of.
[00:43:12] Speaker A: Okay, again, stopping Eredsson's. What part of that I do not understand?
[00:43:16] Speaker D: We've got to do something. We can't just say, don't do that, and walk away. That's not gonna convince anyone.
[00:43:24] Speaker A: I mean, if he's open to reason, like you seem to have be.
[00:43:29] Speaker B: I'm worried that you think that any cost is justifying protecting others. And then you have the moral high ground to pontificate to me about what I'm willing to spend for the good of others.
[00:43:44] Speaker A: You say cost like you know what's going to happen.
But if you take a deep look at yourself and what you know is to come, is it a cost?
Or is it an excuse to ease your conscience for what you don't have to deal with?
[00:44:21] Speaker B: I'm afraid.
I'm afraid of what's coming. And I'm afraid of what I have to become to stop it.
And I don't want to fight on the losing side of a battle just to say I was fighting for the right cause.
I don't want everyone I know and love to die fighting a future they couldn't stop.
[00:44:48] Speaker D: Hilva, if you don't want to be on the losing side, and you want to be on the one that causes this mass destruction, that of you said yourself, what world could there be to rule if there's no world to rule?
If you, Aidan, in this king, mad or not, you're going to destroy more than you could ever imagine.
There's no reason to try to rule nothing.
What if.
What if you joined archives?
What if you went with us?
I don't know what we plan to do with you after we leave this forest, but if you die, you will die knowing that you tried to help rather than ruling over those you condemned.
[00:46:02] Speaker B: She kind of just like glances up, meets your eyes briefly, then looks away.
I don't know how I feel about joining with a hired killer.
[00:46:12] Speaker D: I think you should understand that when it comes to my hired killings, there is, as you may not believe it, a bit of order.
[00:46:26] Speaker B: Order? You just said you'd kill your friend or his family if the price was.
[00:46:30] Speaker D: Right between you and I, it doesn't come with a clear conscience.
Most other things that I've taken care of are just my idea of is this going to destroy someone's life?
Is it going to help?
I weigh the good and the bad.
I don't want to be the one to destroy a family just because it was going to happen.
I want to help people out of situations that are at a lost cause, whether they know it or not.
That's why I do what I do. I kill those that don't deserve the life that they may lead. Because on the path they're at, where it's not going to change, nothing good will happen.
[00:47:31] Speaker B: You think you're the one who can decide which lives are meant to end and which ones are meant to go on.
[00:47:38] Speaker D: It's better than anyone else trying.
[00:47:42] Speaker A: I want to hear you say it.
[00:47:45] Speaker D: Say what?
[00:47:48] Speaker A: I want you to hear you say that regardless of what happens from here on, you won't touch our wood's family.
Regardless of what cost was given to you, or any gold you were paid, or whatever your twisted mind judges.
I want to hear you say it.
[00:48:15] Speaker D: I will not harm our wood's family.
[00:48:26] Speaker A: So be it.
And when we meet your cousin, which.
[00:48:30] Speaker B: We will yield, kind of jumps feeling like you had forgotten about her.
[00:48:36] Speaker A: I won't kill him.
I will stop him. I'll knock him out of. But I will not deal a deadly blow for your sake.
[00:48:49] Speaker B: And I'll consider maybe helping you all out.
[00:48:56] Speaker D: Zafir's eyes are bright. They're deep, blood red, but they're almost to the point of glowing. Without bright, the color is.
And he says to Yova, I know that I can be confusing, more or less.
Think about the conversation.
Who gives you the right to decide who lives and who dies?
[00:49:28] Speaker B: We're all just doing the best we can.
[00:49:32] Speaker A: Mmm.
I'm tired.
And he just reaches over and unclasps his wrist.
I think we can all get some sleep.
[00:49:45] Speaker C: Yes?
[00:49:47] Speaker B: Yildva nods.
And with that, we're going to go see what the others have been talking about.
Sam asked for this segment to be closed, so if I could get Sven, petite and Jenkins to head upstairs.
Val and Cornelius are heading a little ways away from camp.
Due to the darkness of the night and the campfire that's blazing, you can get a pretty decent way into the woods without any concern about losing your way back. But I presume you're using the old stick and rope technique.
[00:50:24] Speaker C: Of course.
[00:50:25] Speaker B: Rope and rope and stone. Yeah, to make sure you can find your way back so you're able to get a pretty decent distance into the woods to have some privacy for your conversation.
[00:50:34] Speaker C: Okay.
You all right, Cornelius?
[00:50:39] Speaker B: I'm fine.
[00:50:43] Speaker C: I don't know. Should I go first or should you?
Feels like you have some stuff to talk about. Tea.
[00:50:49] Speaker B: Why don't you go ahead and start us off?
[00:50:52] Speaker C: Okay. Um.
Yeah, me and the arrows, we spoke to, uh.
To a psycho pump named Corvus.
Not one I'd seen before. Something new to me.
We're talking about everything that's been going on here.
There are a lot of things. Asked some questions about me as well, and it got me thinking.
Everyone here is so very important.
They have connections to all of this stuff that's happening.
And I don't think I do. I don't have that in the same way they do. I'm here because. For asn wants me to. To be here.
And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
But I asked him about you, and he said I shouldn't trust you. And I don't really have a reason to trust him. But it got me thinking more about it.
And I want a straight answer from you, Cornelius.
Why were you in the house?
[00:52:14] Speaker B: I was looking for you.
[00:52:16] Speaker C: I don't believe you.
[00:52:19] Speaker B: Why not?
[00:52:20] Speaker C: I don't know. I don't know why I don't believe you. But there's something in me.
He says that's not the case. Why would you be looking for me? There's no reason to be looking for Val.
[00:52:34] Speaker B: I have told you again and again you are special.
[00:52:38] Speaker C: I don't believe it. Not in the way that you've been telling me. Not with some grand destiny that I have. Yeah, sure, I'm different. I have some weird blood in me, and that's different. You could call that special. I guess all I've got is a hateful dad and a missing rhino and a goddess who has something. I guess for me, that's not all you have.
[00:53:06] Speaker B: Those are just the disadvantages that you're working with. That show how great you are, that you're rising to these heights, even with those handicaps.
Don't you see?
With the past that you've had, anyone else would have just crumbled, laid down and let their life roll them by. But you're standing back up and you're getting up to fight.
[00:53:31] Speaker C: Am I?
I've broken down. The only reason I'm still here is because I'm being dragged along by you, by phrasma, by these friends of mine. What have I been doing? Nothing. I'm just here. I'm just a broken girl full of a bunch of.
I don't even know.
[00:53:54] Speaker B: And what else would you be doing if you're not accepting guidance from me? Guidance from pharasma? What else would you do? Just live a quiet life on a little farm or something?
[00:54:07] Speaker C: I don't know. And that's the problem. I don't know who I am, Cornelius.
I'm just.
Hemir always said that following the will of gods and others makes you a toy soldier, a puppet. And maybe that's what I am.
[00:54:30] Speaker B: You know, I don't give a rip about anything Hamir says.
But there is a shred of truth.
Following the gods can give you guidance. It can give you focus. But if you're just doing what you're told for the sake of doing what you're told.
Is it really your life? So I understand. But still, I'm worried that this corvus you spoke to sounds like he's trying to weaken your resolve.
He told you he doesn't trust me. He didn't give you any reasons for doubting me, just to plant seeds of discontent in your mind.
[00:55:14] Speaker C: But he's a servant for asthma.
[00:55:17] Speaker B: Is he? You said you'd never. You didn't recognize him.
[00:55:20] Speaker C: But I could. I could feel it.
We spoke to him. I know he was telling truths as best he could, but there were things he was.
[00:55:29] Speaker B: Keeping Cornelius is like reaching out to take your hand.
[00:55:33] Speaker C: No, don't. She kind of steps back. I just.
There's something else to it. Why are we doing all of this, Cornelius? Why are we going from place to place? Why are we with these people now? You never wanted to stay with anyone.
You always had something to do. Now we don't. Now you're just back there watching.
[00:55:53] Speaker B: This is what we've been working on. Stopping the Eredsson family from bringing King Aerod back. We've been training. You've been training to be equal to this task. And now that you are ready, it's time for me to take a step back and let you really show what you're made of.
[00:56:15] Speaker C: I think maybe there's some truth to what you're saying. But I don't believe you came looking to me. I don't believe that that's why you were in the house.
[00:56:26] Speaker B: And I can't help that if you won't believe me. That's your choice.
But I will never stop saying that you are special, that you are important, and that without you, this ragtag group of adventurers have no hope of stopping Aerid.
[00:56:46] Speaker C: I don't know about that.
Sometimes I think I might be the death of them all this stuff. I tried with corvus to get this corruption, whatever you call it, out of me. And he said he couldn't help at all.
And it's been getting worse. I've been hearing things. And sometimes when I touch things, they just decay and die, Cornelius. It just keeps getting worse.
Sometimes I don't feel like myself anymore. And that anger takes over.
And I killed that man. And I.
I know it's.
[00:57:28] Speaker B: It's hard, but sometimes.
Sometimes the killing needs to be done.
[00:57:34] Speaker C: No.
No, that's not what I. That's not. It's not what I believe.
[00:57:41] Speaker B: It's.
It's like cleansing a wound. You have to remove what's rotten so that the rest can heal.
Val, I know you're still young, and I know this has been a difficult task for you. But I also know that you are strong and you are wise beyond your years. I know that you can rise to this challenge.
[00:58:05] Speaker C: I don't know about that.
What do I do there?
I don't think I was very wise there.
All I did was argue with him, and now he's gone. He might be dead. He might have just left, and that might be my fault.
[00:58:17] Speaker B: You can't blame yourself for the choices of others around you. They're free to make their choices, just as you are to make yours.
Maybe it's time, after all.
[00:58:31] Speaker C: What do you mean? Hmm.
[00:58:33] Speaker B: You're right. You.
You need to spend some time finding yourself and spreading your wings, as it were.
[00:58:44] Speaker C: What do you mean?
[00:58:47] Speaker B: No. Sorry. Just ramblings of an old man.
[00:58:54] Speaker C: Cornelius, don't abandon me like everyone else.
[00:59:00] Speaker B: I'm not going anywhere to, not tonight.
And if this mortal shell should fail me, then.
Well, I know that you'll be fine.
You don't. You don't look convinced.
[00:59:18] Speaker C: I don't know.
I never know what to think anymore.
I just need to think some more, I guess.
[00:59:27] Speaker B: Yeah.
Yeah.
[00:59:31] Speaker C: Val kind of walks off a little bit over to Sigurd and just kind of buries herself into Sigurd.
[00:59:39] Speaker B: Cornelius kind of just awkwardly shuffles like he's not in the conversation, but he doesn't want to head back to camp without you.
Do you want some time alone?
[00:59:52] Speaker C: I think so, yeah.
[00:59:55] Speaker B: All right.
I'll be. I'll be back at the camp.
[01:00:00] Speaker C: All right.
[01:00:02] Speaker B: And he heads back.
[01:00:05] Speaker C: After a little bit, she kind of backs up and sits down on the ground, and she looks up at Sigurd.
I wish you were still around, mom.
Undead that I could talk to you.
So much has been happening.
I've been feeling so different lately, but I. As much bad things have been happening. I met some good people.
I made some friends.
It's been a long time since that happened.
I think you like them.
They seem to care about me sometimes.
For the most part, I'm worried about Zafir, but I don't know how much he really cares.
And Uvair's gone now.
Now we got that new guy. Seems connected to all of this. He seems to know her, the eretzen lady. And I don't know what to make of that.
I need to talk to him about it, I guess.
I don't know. Seemed weird on. Maris has been great. She's been very helpful, been learning a lot from her. And she's nice. I like her a lot.
And Howard seems pretty cool, but we don't really have much to talk about.
I don't get to talk too much.
Anyway.
I wish you were here.
Maybe we could have just lived a normal life together.
Maybe amir wouldn't have been so bad.
But I haven't run away this time.
I'm trying not to do that as much anymore.
Ah.
Val is gonna let out a yell of pain, and she starts very hastily taking off her boots, and there's some blood coming out of her ankles.
And where the blood is on each of her feet are black feathers that grow out like ravens. Feathers.
[01:02:12] Speaker F: Val, are you okay?
[01:02:14] Speaker C: Hai, Neros.
[01:02:18] Speaker F: What's going on?
[01:02:19] Speaker C: I don't know.
I don't know.
She sort of scooches back a bit, but to look at her legs more clearly and sees those wings there kind of moving, almost like they can turn. Kind of move about with her feet.
[01:02:36] Speaker F: Wings or just feathers?
[01:02:38] Speaker C: Little black wings coming out of her feet.
[01:02:40] Speaker F: I assume those have not always been there.
[01:02:43] Speaker C: No, no, they feel right.
I don't know. She kind of stands up, and as she's kind of walking, they're, like, moving along with her in a way. And basically what this is, I got a first level feet with the nephilim. Instead of it being split between ASMR and t flings, this is the hooves. Like cloven feet. They give you five extra movement, but they can also be wings on your feet.
[01:03:15] Speaker F: Okay, then.
[01:03:15] Speaker C: Yeah.
Okay. That's gonna a weird thing to process.
What are you doing out herr near us?
[01:03:27] Speaker F: I saw you and Cornelius come off, and I was making sure that you were okay.
Oh, uh, I.
[01:03:35] Speaker C: Were you listening to all that?
[01:03:36] Speaker F: I was. I'm sorry.
I just. I don't trust him, Val. I didn't know what was going to happen.
[01:03:47] Speaker C: I don't know if he is lying. You know, they say every good lie has a lot of truth in it. I just don't know what parts he would be lying about.
[01:03:58] Speaker F: Right.
I don't know. It just seems like, from what I heard, he's trying to steer you, and.
I don't know, just keep you within his grasp somehow. He wants you to believe everything that he's saying.
[01:04:12] Speaker C: Well, everyone always wants that from me. Well, it's all I'm ever good for. What? Just doing what other people want.
[01:04:21] Speaker F: Val, have you ever done what you want?
[01:04:25] Speaker C: I don't know.
I don't know what I want. I had a happy life when I was young. Who knows anything about that so younger took me. I don't feel like I was myself that time.
And then I've been with Cornelius. Have I been myself during any of that?
Now I'm here and I've done a lot of what you told me to do. But I like you. But I don't. Am I even things I want to do?
[01:04:53] Speaker F: I. I hope you don't do things just because we tell you to.
[01:04:58] Speaker C: I don't know.
[01:05:00] Speaker F: That's not what we want for you. It's not what I want.
[01:05:04] Speaker C: It's different with you. It's nothing. The same feeling.
[01:05:07] Speaker F: I'm sorry if you've ever felt pressured to do the things that we ask.
That's not. I don't think that's the intention.
[01:05:14] Speaker C: I don't think I've ever felt pressured by it. That's why it's different.
[01:05:18] Speaker F: We're not here to control you. You know that, right?
[01:05:22] Speaker C: I know that. I trust you.
[01:05:24] Speaker F: I'm sorry that Jimer was Heimer.
And I feel like Cornelius is trying to control you too.
[01:05:34] Speaker C: From what I overheard, I never thought that until recently.
And then that makes me think of what else I might not be thinking about, that I'll suddenly think about and realize this whole time it hasn't been right. You know how much else is wrong that I don't know about, that I don't even think about being wrong?
These things keep happening to me.
I've got wings. My body seems to be changing in two different directions and that's scary.
[01:06:06] Speaker F: You don't know why?
[01:06:08] Speaker C: I think something to do with my blood, something in my ancestry, heritage, but I don't know anything about my family.
[01:06:17] Speaker F: Have you ever tried looking at, like, I don't know, family tree, looking it up or something?
[01:06:24] Speaker C: No, I haven't. We've always lived in such small places. Never felt like there would be anything we could try.
[01:06:34] Speaker F: Might give you some answers. I don't know. I mean, the last time I tried I didn't get answers, but I think that's for another reason.
But with you it would be different. I feel like maybe.
[01:06:46] Speaker C: I hope wouldn't hurt next time we're in Joel or something.
[01:06:51] Speaker F: No, it wouldn't.
[01:06:55] Speaker C: I'm very scared.
[01:06:57] Speaker F: I know you are. I can see that.
I don't want you to be scared.
We'll figure this out, Val.
[01:07:08] Speaker C: I hope so.
I.
Never mind. Um.
[01:07:20] Speaker A: What?
[01:07:20] Speaker C: I think I need to sleep. I'm really tired.
[01:07:25] Speaker F: Okay.
[01:07:27] Speaker C: She definitely looks like she has something that she wants to say, but, um, it's definitely not saying it. She's not. Yeah, super subtle.
[01:07:35] Speaker F: I kind of caught on to that.
[01:07:40] Speaker B: And just as you're getting, like, the sense that Val might be able to muscle up the courage, then you hear the sound of underbrush as Albert is making his way towards you from the camp.
And that's where we'll end this episode.
All right. And the hero point for this episode goes to petit for his, um, somewhat masterful but definitely entertaining handling of the interrogation.
[01:08:07] Speaker D: Well, I do appreciate that, um, and the hero point, but I I think I need to go figure out how to actually ask questions effectively.
[01:08:18] Speaker B: And will we see you all in the next episode?
[01:08:21] Speaker D: Maybe.
[01:08:22] Speaker C: Maybe.
[01:08:23] Speaker F: That's so ominous.
[01:08:26] Speaker C: Zafir will figure out how to ask questions, and val will figure out how to talk to bad guys.
[01:08:30] Speaker E: Zafir is going to kill me in my sleep.
[01:08:33] Speaker B: This has been an atomic broadcast production. Pathfinder, galarian, and the lost omens world setting are copyright of paizo. More
[email protected] music in the show is from monument 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.
[01:09:01] Speaker F: Are we in a pause?
[01:09:02] Speaker B: Yeah, we're in a pause.
[01:09:03] Speaker F: It's been a while.
[01:09:06] Speaker B: I felt that coming. And then out of the corner of my eye, I saw you.
[01:09:11] Speaker F: I was having a conniption. It was like a seizure.
