[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.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: Now, where did we leave Olaf?
Ah, yes.
After questioning Ilva, they decided to bring her with them back to town and discuss what to do with the information she had given them.
[00:00:53] Speaker C: So I set up an air conditioning unit in my game room window the other day.
[00:00:57] Speaker D: Wow. Congratulations.
[00:01:00] Speaker A: It is.
[00:01:00] Speaker C: It is. But, um, it was very hot in there. We bought a max cool, which, despite the name, was not very cool. It just blows hot air around and makes it really humid because it has water in it.
[00:01:12] Speaker D: Now you need to get a dehumidifier.
[00:01:14] Speaker C: On top of that. Well, that's the problem, because then it would just be in its original state, which is hot.
[00:01:19] Speaker E: Yeah, get the.
[00:01:20] Speaker D: Have you tried. Have you tried lowering the temperature?
[00:01:23] Speaker C: Yeah, see, my computer is very hot, and it does not let the do.
[00:01:29] Speaker D: You game in a closet.
[00:01:31] Speaker C: So sort of shocking if you're Kendall Jenner.
[00:01:34] Speaker E: Computers heat up a room.
[00:01:38] Speaker D: Wait, what?
[00:01:39] Speaker E: What?
[00:01:40] Speaker C: You know, hold on. Sorry. It's in a closet.
[00:01:44] Speaker E: I feel like we should just move past that statement.
[00:01:47] Speaker D: No.
[00:01:48] Speaker C: What?
[00:01:49] Speaker E: I feel like for the sake of everything, we should just move past that statement.
[00:01:54] Speaker C: She's famous, right?
[00:01:55] Speaker D: Yes, unfortunately.
[00:01:56] Speaker C: She probably has a big closet, right? Yeah, the room is about the size of the celebrity's closet. Honestly, I was thinking the Kardashians, but Kendall Jenner is the first person that came out.
[00:02:08] Speaker D: I mean, she's a member of the Kardashian family, technically.
[00:02:11] Speaker C: Well, she's the only one I can think about right now, so.
[00:02:15] Speaker D: Okay. I try not to think of the Kardashians.
[00:02:18] Speaker B: I genuinely do not keep up with that.
[00:02:22] Speaker E: Ha.
[00:02:24] Speaker D: You're so funny.
[00:02:25] Speaker E: I don't think any of us here do, except for maybe petite.
[00:02:28] Speaker C: Now, the last thing of tv I saw was actually doctor who.
[00:02:34] Speaker D: Was what?
[00:02:35] Speaker C: Doctor who.
[00:02:36] Speaker D: Doctor who.
[00:02:37] Speaker C: I literally watched it two days ago on my lunch break.
[00:02:40] Speaker D: Congratulations.
[00:02:40] Speaker C: Which didn't work because it was like an hour and five minutes, and my lunch is like an hour, so, like. So at the end, I had to stop. I'm like, I'm just gonna secretly watch this for this.
[00:02:48] Speaker D: So. Air conditioner?
[00:02:49] Speaker C: Uh, yeah.
[00:02:52] Speaker D: Where were you going with that story?
[00:02:54] Speaker C: I don't know.
[00:02:55] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:02:55] Speaker C: It went in my window. That's where it goed.
[00:02:58] Speaker D: It go'd in your window.
[00:03:00] Speaker B: So I've seen your gaming room. It is not a closet. It's a. It's a pretty nice sized gaming room.
[00:03:06] Speaker E: That's the size do make things.
[00:03:07] Speaker C: Kardashian's closet.
[00:03:09] Speaker B: I was trying to.
[00:03:11] Speaker C: So you never actually don't have anything left in there?
[00:03:14] Speaker D: You never actually answered my question. Did you try turning down the temperature?
[00:03:18] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:03:18] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:03:19] Speaker C: The rest of the house gets cold, but not that room.
[00:03:21] Speaker D: That's upsetting. I'm sorry? Of the wait. Of the unit that you put in your gaming room. Have you tried turning the temperature down on that?
[00:03:29] Speaker C: You can't turn down individual rooms.
[00:03:32] Speaker D: That's not how you said you put in an air conditioner in your gaming room.
[00:03:37] Speaker C: A window unit.
[00:03:38] Speaker D: Yeah, a window unit. You can turn it down.
[00:03:41] Speaker C: I couldn't do that before I bought it.
[00:03:44] Speaker D: Right, but you just said that it's still warm in there, so I asked if you tried to turn the window unit down. Now I'm confused.
[00:03:52] Speaker E: So is your window unit broke.
[00:03:54] Speaker C: Let's go from a to b.
I went to Lowe's. I bought a tower fan called a Max Kool.
[00:04:01] Speaker D: Oh, a tower fan.
[00:04:02] Speaker C: Wait. Okay, I'm going from a to b.
[00:04:04] Speaker E: I thought Max Kool was the AC. I did.
[00:04:06] Speaker C: From a to b.
That thing was filled with water so it would spray a mist, making the whole room very dampenous.
[00:04:14] Speaker E: Why would you want that?
[00:04:15] Speaker C: Because it's supposed to cool.
[00:04:18] Speaker D: It's called Max technology, man.
[00:04:21] Speaker C: So I took it to Lowe's, and I said, this doesn't cool anything. And I said it was wet because I don't want it to grow mold and you guys sell it to someone moldy. Anyway, I took it back and I went to another store, and I bought an air conditioner unit for the window for the same price. And now it's cold in the room.
[00:04:42] Speaker D: Okay, that is.
That wasn't a story we needed because.
[00:04:46] Speaker C: Before my father is calling me.
[00:04:50] Speaker E: It's about your ac unit.
[00:04:52] Speaker D: I never would have gotten that from the story that you told us before.
[00:04:56] Speaker F: You can go ahead and take the call of teeth.
[00:04:58] Speaker C: No, I'm good. I'm good. We really need to.
[00:04:59] Speaker D: It makes way more sense.
[00:05:01] Speaker E: It does make way more sense.
[00:05:02] Speaker C: Y'all just didn't let me finish.
[00:05:04] Speaker E: You started off.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: You started say I bought a window unit. It's called Max cool.
[00:05:10] Speaker C: No, no, no.
[00:05:10] Speaker D: That's what you said.
[00:05:13] Speaker C: I said I got a window unit because I got another fan. That did not do the job.
[00:05:18] Speaker D: That is not what you said.
[00:05:21] Speaker C: So I set up an air conditioning unit in my game room window the other day. Wow, it was very hot in there. We bought a max cool, which, despite the name, was not very cool.
[00:05:32] Speaker E: We will listen back to the recording after we're done.
[00:05:35] Speaker C: I wish we could listen to it while recording.
[00:05:38] Speaker B: Speaking of things getting hoover. Oh, let me try again.
Speaking of things getting heated and cooling down. Are you guys ready to jump back in?
[00:05:48] Speaker E: Let's go.
[00:05:49] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, I just wish I could. I wish I could comment on your transitions, because those are great. That's making it in, right?
[00:05:58] Speaker E: Specifically, cut that out.
[00:06:01] Speaker B: So we're going to pick things back up just as our team is beginning to emerge from the forest with the town of Brush Hollow back on the horizon, your return trip out of the woods was much less eventful than your way in.
As the woods seemed to have been resisting your entrance, they seem to have been speeding your exit. The paths seemed much more straightforward. The trees got out of your way. And whether it was the forest itself or Val's request to Gazra previously still holding. In effect, it's unclear. But before too much time, you find yourselves once again exiting the grungyear forest and back out into the clear plains of Southmoor.
[00:06:50] Speaker C: How do we have this prisoner situation set up? Is she still in handcuffs?
[00:06:56] Speaker A: She is not.
[00:06:57] Speaker C: She's not currently, no.
[00:06:58] Speaker A: But she is right next to Einar.
[00:07:00] Speaker C: I would like to point out that the city or the town or village, however big this area is, they viewed her kindly before we go in, acting as if she was a prisoner in any way, shape or form.
[00:07:16] Speaker A: Doesn't. I wouldn't say Einar is making it look like she's a prisoner.
[00:07:20] Speaker E: What are we doing with her animals?
Yeah, they're just following. Okay?
[00:07:27] Speaker B: They're taking their cues from her, so as long as she's mellow and calm, the animals will be as well.
[00:07:33] Speaker A: Those are beautiful animals you have there.
[00:07:38] Speaker B: Thank you. They're.
They're very important to me.
[00:07:44] Speaker A: I could tell you almost gave up everything for them.
[00:07:49] Speaker B: She just kind of nods.
[00:07:52] Speaker A: It's a special bond. You have to love something that much in order to give up everything for him.
[00:08:03] Speaker B: I don't know if you're trying to imply something.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: No.
Just shows that you have a heart.
[00:08:13] Speaker B: Right. Well, good to know that someone recognizes that, I suppose.
[00:08:21] Speaker C: You know, we also have some animals.
I myself have a bird as well.
[00:08:30] Speaker B: All riding on horses.
[00:08:32] Speaker C: Well, they're not necessarily bound by partnership. I don't.
[00:08:41] Speaker B: Ah, they're mercenary horses. I understand.
[00:08:45] Speaker C: Exactly. Now you're speaking my language. And Zenfear, he just waves his cloak kind of open and he goes, Rusterford, come say hi to the other. Other bird that has joined our group.
[00:09:01] Speaker B: Rusterford. Pokes his head out of the shadows of your cloak and it's just like, yes, we've had conversations over the last day or so coming out of the woods.
[00:09:11] Speaker C: Wait, you've been speaking to the bird?
[00:09:13] Speaker B: Yes. Quietly.
[00:09:14] Speaker C: Oh, how did you do that? Through my cloak. Or have you been sneaking out at night like this?
[00:09:19] Speaker B: And he just like, pulls his head back in and you just kind of hear just like, very quiet raven noises in your cloak.
[00:09:29] Speaker C: Rusterford, I've been around a long time, and that was quite disturbing, even for me.
[00:09:33] Speaker B: You're welcome.
[00:09:38] Speaker C: Well, and Val over here, she also has a bird.
I'm sure you've seen it.
[00:09:46] Speaker B: Hilda just, like, looks up at Sigurd.
[00:09:48] Speaker C: And just nods by just giving away all our names. Do we already give her names? I can't remember.
[00:09:54] Speaker E: Mm hmm.
[00:09:55] Speaker A: You.
[00:09:55] Speaker C: You do.
[00:09:56] Speaker A: You are kind of talkative for a group that's kind of secretive.
[00:10:00] Speaker C: Well, as I've said multiple times, the people I talk to.
[00:10:03] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes. Usually die. Yes.
[00:10:07] Speaker B: Yellow just smirks.
And with that, the group approaches once again. The dancing ferry where they had stayed the previous night as they had come through town. Hitching your horses to the hitch post outside the inn, you head inside, presumably seeking rooms for the night, since it's already getting towards the end of the day.
[00:10:29] Speaker F: Yep.
[00:10:30] Speaker C: I request the Danish.
[00:10:32] Speaker F: Val is going to quietly and just kind of quickly walk over and put some money down for a room. And when she gets the key, she kind of starts limping her way back to a room.
[00:10:47] Speaker E: Aina, if.
I know it might be a little awkward, especially since these rooms are so small, but could you room with our guest here? Keep an eye on him, Yilva.
[00:11:00] Speaker B: Just like.
Like, glares daggers at inrtaine, then looks back at Alward and is like, I am not sharing a room with him. And draws her cloak closer around herself.
[00:11:16] Speaker D: You go with me.
[00:11:18] Speaker A: You just see Einar. Just get a deeper shade of red and go. I think the lady can room with either.
[00:11:27] Speaker E: I was gonna ask Val, but she already left Neros.
[00:11:32] Speaker D: Yeah, she can. Yeah, that's fine. I'll keep an eye on her.
[00:11:36] Speaker C: Wouldn't it be beneficial for both of them to be in the room?
[00:11:41] Speaker E: These rooms are so small.
[00:11:42] Speaker C: I mean, but what if one of them.
[00:11:44] Speaker B: I can fix that.
[00:11:45] Speaker E: You can make the rooms bigger this whole time.
[00:11:48] Speaker B: And at the counter, having accepted the money from Val, is someone you haven't met before. There's a sprite standing on the counter.
[00:11:58] Speaker D: A can of sprite?
[00:12:00] Speaker C: Is it one of the new chill ones? A chill sprite?
[00:12:03] Speaker E: It's a cherry sprite.
[00:12:06] Speaker B: Not a sprite.
[00:12:06] Speaker C: Cranberry.
[00:12:10] Speaker B: No, there is a sprite with fiery red hair and a dress that looks like it's made out of, like, autumnal leaves.
[00:12:17] Speaker A: It is a cherry sprite.
[00:12:22] Speaker B: I resemble that remark.
[00:12:23] Speaker E: I resemble that remark.
[00:12:26] Speaker A: Oh, sparkly, that one.
[00:12:29] Speaker C: Another one who sparkles, we'll never know.
[00:12:34] Speaker D: Anyway, you were saying that you could fix that.
[00:12:36] Speaker B: Aye, I can change the size of the rooms as needed. Were you needing a room for two or for three?
[00:12:41] Speaker D: For three.
[00:12:42] Speaker B: All right. What?
[00:12:43] Speaker E: Not for you.
[00:12:46] Speaker A: See Einar go.
[00:12:48] Speaker D: No, no. For me, Ilva and Val. Not you boys are not allowed.
[00:12:55] Speaker B: I'm sorry, did you say Val?
[00:12:59] Speaker D: No.
[00:13:02] Speaker B: All right, then. All right, then. What name should I put down for the room?
[00:13:06] Speaker C: Well, Val was the one who paid.
[00:13:08] Speaker E: She also already has a room.
[00:13:11] Speaker D: Yeah. Okay.
[00:13:12] Speaker E: Val.
[00:13:14] Speaker A: Larry. Valerie Valeros.
[00:13:18] Speaker C: Value.
[00:13:19] Speaker E: Valeros.
[00:13:22] Speaker B: That's a very long name. Do you mind if I shorten it down to just Val?
[00:13:25] Speaker D: That's fine.
[00:13:27] Speaker B: Val. Valerie Valeros.
[00:13:29] Speaker C: Just shortened to Val, spelled with three versus.
[00:13:32] Speaker B: Oh, that makes sense now.
All right. And were the three of you gentlemen wanting to share a room or were you wanting individual rooms?
[00:13:40] Speaker C: I would like my own room.
[00:13:41] Speaker B: All right.
[00:13:42] Speaker C: You don't need to change the size. I'm good.
[00:13:44] Speaker B: I can tell.
[00:13:48] Speaker E: I would.
[00:13:48] Speaker C: What's your name?
[00:13:50] Speaker B: My name? Aria thistledown, the proprietor of this fine establishment.
[00:13:54] Speaker C: I've heard your name before.
I have no relation in my mind. That's not what I meant. I have no connection.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: I wouldn't imagine that we're related.
You are small, but I don't think you're a pixie.
[00:14:10] Speaker C: We'll get to your room in a minute. Owlwood.
I think I need to find a fly swatter.
[00:14:18] Speaker B: The only. The only reason I'm asking about names and going through the tedious paperwork of getting a room set up is I had a package for a val behind and I just wasn't sure if this was the right one.
[00:14:31] Speaker E: Who delivered it?
[00:14:33] Speaker C: A courier.
[00:14:34] Speaker D: Well, was it postman Paul?
[00:14:37] Speaker B: No, it was. Hmm. I don't know if I should tell you now.
[00:14:40] Speaker E: I'll give you some extra gold if you tell us.
[00:14:42] Speaker B: All right, you've got a deal. It was left to here by a dwarf. What's the what named u ver.
[00:14:50] Speaker E: I'm gonna throw an extra gold coin.
[00:14:52] Speaker B: She catches it, both hands. Cuz she's small.
[00:14:57] Speaker E: Um, do you want to.
[00:14:59] Speaker D: I'll take it to her.
[00:15:00] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:15:02] Speaker B: All right, then. Let's see. Did we have a neros?
[00:15:06] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: All right. This one's for you. And she hands you a package.
Let's see. And there was a.
I've heard a forward and a backward, but I've never heard of all word.
[00:15:22] Speaker A: Awkward.
[00:15:24] Speaker E: How has that joke not come up yet?
[00:15:29] Speaker C: Let's not put it in yet. It's not the opportune moment.
[00:15:31] Speaker E: Um, that.
Oh, thank you.
[00:15:34] Speaker B: I meant no offense.
[00:15:38] Speaker C: Sure.
[00:15:40] Speaker B: And I suppose you must be zafir.
[00:15:44] Speaker C: He puts down the flesh. Water. Yes.
[00:15:49] Speaker B: She tosses the package at use. Quite suddenly.
[00:15:52] Speaker C: I catch it with the fly swatter.
I can't do that.
[00:15:57] Speaker B: She collapsed. All right, well, I'll leave you to the packages and the packages to you. And I'll go make sure that we've got a room set for three. And she turns and flies up the stairs.
[00:16:08] Speaker F: As she's heading there, Val comes out of the room, still slightly limping. She's not in her armor anymore. And she's not in her gown anymore either. She's just down in full. Like, common wear, I guess. Well, she used to wear before she bought the ashen gown.
If you're looking at her and why she's limping, she has her shoes off completely. Each of her ankles has a pair of raven wings coming out of them, and there's, like, kind of blood around them.
[00:16:34] Speaker E: Ouch.
[00:16:35] Speaker F: And they're kind of moving. Kind of like they're trying to flap and help her walk. Almost.
[00:16:40] Speaker E: What check do I need to make?
[00:16:44] Speaker B: Yeah. Religion? Check.
[00:16:45] Speaker C: How many birds are we gonna have in this group?
[00:16:48] Speaker E: Seven.
[00:16:50] Speaker D: We're all going to become birds by the end of it.
That's actually the whole plot line of this entire story.
[00:16:58] Speaker B: The written and the birds.
[00:16:59] Speaker E: I don't have my box. Not directed by the written and the squawked natural. 24. 32.
[00:17:06] Speaker D: Oh, my gosh.
[00:17:08] Speaker C: Duh. What? Wow.
[00:17:10] Speaker B: Come at.
[00:17:10] Speaker A: Okay, 23.
[00:17:14] Speaker F: Unless you have other things to add to this, I can just say what I have.
[00:17:18] Speaker B: Could everybody take off their headphones?
[00:17:21] Speaker F: Wait, me?
[00:17:22] Speaker E: Yes, me.
[00:17:23] Speaker F: Sam, why do I have to. Are you sure?
[00:17:25] Speaker B: Cause you don't know what I'm gonna say.
[00:17:27] Speaker C: I get special information. Oh, my God.
[00:17:31] Speaker E: I never get special. Hey, Jordan. This is nice. I'm normally the one with my.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Yeah. So as soon as Val comes down the stairs, Al word. You immediately recognize what's going on. You realize that Val has nephilim blood in her.
So that would be essentially the new version of, like, a. What they used to be called. Asimar. Yeah, she. You immediately know with a natural 20. Specifically, she has the line of the Valkyrie blood in her.
[00:17:58] Speaker E: Fun.
[00:18:01] Speaker B: And everybody can come back.
[00:18:02] Speaker E: I was gonna ask if we could, like, keep them doing that for a little long.
[00:18:06] Speaker B: No, it hung.
[00:18:09] Speaker A: I'll take a room for just myself. Please.
[00:18:12] Speaker B: She's already gone.
[00:18:14] Speaker A: Darn.
[00:18:16] Speaker E: Do we need to get you new shoes?
[00:18:19] Speaker F: No, I'll be fine.
[00:18:22] Speaker E: Does it hurt?
[00:18:23] Speaker A: Do you need sandals?
[00:18:25] Speaker C: No.
[00:18:26] Speaker F: It's been, like, two days. It's fine.
[00:18:27] Speaker C: Can I name them? Air wardens?
I'm sorry. Too soon. You said it's been two days.
[00:18:40] Speaker F: She looks as if he for a minute and then just kind of looks away.
[00:18:45] Speaker D: Um, I hand Val the package from Uvair. It's like this was left for you.
[00:18:52] Speaker F: Who left it?
[00:18:54] Speaker D: Our dwarf friend.
You there?
[00:18:58] Speaker F: Oh, so he's fine?
[00:19:00] Speaker D: I don't know. We all got a package. Don't know what's going on.
[00:19:03] Speaker E: There might be, like, a note in our packages maybe.
[00:19:06] Speaker F: Cool.
[00:19:06] Speaker C: It could be bombs.
[00:19:08] Speaker F: She's gonna just start opening her package.
[00:19:10] Speaker E: I don't think a fair would have left us bombs.
[00:19:14] Speaker A: As you open the package. Validity.
Inside, you see a brooch.
You've seen this brooch before.
Has a particular rune on it, and you know what you can do with it.
[00:19:33] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:19:34] Speaker A: Aka, it's the brooch that can make you enlarge or grow smaller.
[00:19:38] Speaker C: Nice.
[00:19:39] Speaker A: Also, in that package, you do see a note.
[00:19:43] Speaker B: Sam mimes looking at the note, I should.
[00:19:45] Speaker F: Well, I should note Val does not have her prosthetic on right now.
[00:19:49] Speaker E: I was gonna ask that, but I assume you'd say something.
[00:19:52] Speaker F: I just did.
[00:19:53] Speaker E: Good.
[00:19:55] Speaker A: Written in a distinctly ouver tone.
Val, I hope that this package finds you. And the rest, well, it seems that I will be taking a different path from you all for a little bit.
And I don't know how you feel, but it makes me sad to be away.
But as I take my path, I hope that you find yours and what you seek, that you find what you lost.
Should we meet again? And I hope we do.
I wish you happiness.
[00:20:42] Speaker F: Val, is this gonna hold out the letter to Alan? Will you hold half of this?
[00:20:55] Speaker E: I mean, Howard's gonna grab it.
Does anything happen?
[00:21:01] Speaker B: You're using your read psychometric right now?
[00:21:03] Speaker E: It's just something that happens. I have to spend well, so it's immediate. If there's strong emotions to something, I just get a sense of what the emotion is, but then I can spend ten minutes to delve into that emotion to see who imparted it.
[00:21:15] Speaker B: I would say that the emotions on this note wouldn't be strong enough for the immediate effect.
[00:21:21] Speaker A: Fair.
[00:21:22] Speaker F: Cool. So as you're holding half of it, she's gonna pull down and rip it in half and grab the box and just chuck it and then walk and just kind of storm off to her room.
After what just happened in my private session.
[00:21:36] Speaker E: Wait, you had a private session with.
[00:21:39] Speaker F: Me and Abby and Jordy.
[00:21:40] Speaker E: Oh, okay.
[00:21:43] Speaker A: Meanwhile, Sven's over here going, I just improv all that, so I have no idea.
[00:21:48] Speaker C: It's okay.
[00:21:50] Speaker E: Good improv.
[00:21:51] Speaker A: Thank you. I have three more.
[00:21:53] Speaker F: She did take this.
[00:21:54] Speaker E: Three more improv.
[00:21:56] Speaker B: Oh, she took the brooch and she boxed.
[00:21:58] Speaker C: Okay, stupid bugs.
[00:21:59] Speaker E: Gonna put the box in the fire, then with my mage hand.
[00:22:04] Speaker D: You said you loved. Yeah, I'm following Belle.
[00:22:09] Speaker C: What. What did that letter say?
Al word.
[00:22:14] Speaker E: I mean, I didn't read it. I mean, we could piece it together.
[00:22:18] Speaker C: It's only in half.
[00:22:19] Speaker E: Just put it back together.
[00:22:20] Speaker C: You can read it.
[00:22:22] Speaker D: Oh, that's right.
[00:22:27] Speaker B: Say it.
[00:22:28] Speaker E: Just, like, a fair alert is, like, when you say that, he's, like, contemplating. Like, you could see gears turning in his head, and he's just, like, fine, and reads you the letter.
[00:22:39] Speaker C: Well, now, hold on. What does mine say? Because I don't have a freak out of the letter. I haven't opened it yet. I want to see what everybody else got.
[00:22:47] Speaker E: Well, you can't.
[00:22:48] Speaker C: Should I be sad because Val just ran away?
[00:22:50] Speaker E: I. I'm gonna go to my room.
[00:22:53] Speaker B: Too, and trail off as Albert is heading towards the stairs. That gnome. That was, shall we say, mutually involved in harassment last time you guys were here.
Just kind of, like, waves at the three of you knows, like. Oh, did. Were those your horses out front? Yeah, well, our stable boys off sick for the night, so you'll want to put them up yourselves.
[00:23:21] Speaker C: I thought there was free valet service. I.
[00:23:23] Speaker B: There usually is, but he's sick. Bad pie or something.
[00:23:28] Speaker C: Oh, well, we're not double parked, so I should probably.
I mean, I guess. I don't know how these things work. Somebody else talk. I don't know what I'm saying.
[00:23:39] Speaker A: Why don't you all stay here? I'll go take care of the horses.
[00:23:43] Speaker C: Well, now, hold on, Einar. Um. I. Al. Word. Um, we're gonna. I'm gonna come with you.
[00:23:50] Speaker E: Please don't come with me.
[00:23:52] Speaker C: No, not with you. You come with us.
[00:23:54] Speaker E: What? What? Why?
[00:23:56] Speaker C: I want to see what's in your box.
[00:23:58] Speaker E: You.
What is the shape of my box with air quotes?
[00:24:03] Speaker B: This. Yours is actually more like a bundle of fabric tied with a cordental.
[00:24:08] Speaker E: Yeah, I assumed.
[00:24:10] Speaker C: Look, Alward, if. If you come with me and show me what's in your box, I will show you what's in mine.
[00:24:16] Speaker E: I I don't really care what's in your box, Zafir.
[00:24:22] Speaker C: What happens when I shake it?
Is it a bomb?
[00:24:30] Speaker B: Um, there's like a th p thup noise.
[00:24:34] Speaker A: Look, it's up.
[00:24:36] Speaker C: It's doing a thumper.
[00:24:38] Speaker E: I'll go if this interaction stops.
[00:24:43] Speaker C: Works for me.
[00:24:46] Speaker A: I know. I just. Standing there looking between you two.
I'm glad that sorted out. Yova, I don't know if your animals can join you.
Would they be able to be with the horses? Is that alright?
[00:25:03] Speaker B: She shrugs and is like, well, the last few times I've stayed here in this inn, they've let me take my animals into my room. One of the perks of being so well connected with the forest here. But I suppose we could stable my animals with the horses, just to ensure that they're safe while we're not there.
[00:25:20] Speaker A: I don't want inconvenience. I.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: She looks down at her Wolfenhe, then over at the bird, and they both kind of just like animal companion style nod, and she's like, they're fine with it.
[00:25:33] Speaker A: Oh, thank you. And he actually thanks the animals.
Shall we?
[00:25:39] Speaker C: Onward.
Zafir holds the box out and just in front of him, like a toddler with a glass of orange juice.
[00:25:47] Speaker A: Is he always like this?
[00:25:49] Speaker E: Um, I've never seen him with a box before, so I wouldn't know.
[00:25:53] Speaker B: And with that, we're actually going to go ahead and split things now. Do a bit of a closed session. So, since Val and Neros are heading upstairs, could I get Sam and Abby to go ahead and leave the room?
As Einar, Alward, and Zafir enter the stables outside of the tavern, you notice that it's a little bit more normal to your eyes. As opposed to the inside of the tavern, where everything is scaled down for the size of gnomes and pixies and other fey folk. The stables are all normally sized, scaled to regular horses, as the inhabitants of this town found it more convenient to just get regular horses than to be picky and be like, no, only ponies.
[00:26:43] Speaker E: You know how picky those pixies are.
[00:26:45] Speaker C: Don't I have a pony?
[00:26:47] Speaker B: You do.
[00:26:48] Speaker C: I do have a pony.
[00:26:48] Speaker B: So it would almost seem normal if it weren't for the iridescent violet lilies growing up. The posts holding the roof.
[00:26:57] Speaker C: So are the lilies holding the roof or the posts holding the roof?
[00:27:00] Speaker B: It's unclear.
[00:27:01] Speaker E: Can I make a check on them?
[00:27:02] Speaker C: Lilies?
[00:27:03] Speaker E: What kind of lilies are they?
[00:27:04] Speaker B: Uh, make a nature check.
[00:27:06] Speaker C: Should I get my dice out, too?
[00:27:08] Speaker B: Yeah, you'll need them.
[00:27:09] Speaker C: Okay, what do you do?
[00:27:12] Speaker B: Please.
[00:27:14] Speaker C: He pointed at me.
[00:27:17] Speaker E: I got a 22 for my nature.
[00:27:19] Speaker A: Hey.
[00:27:20] Speaker B: So with a 22, you recognize that these are not.
They're not exactly normal flowers, but they're not exactly magical flowers. They are commonly found in areas where the veil to the first world is thin.
So they are flowers from the first world, but they have no particular properties. They really are just violet lilies that shimmer.
They are called, predictably, shimmer lilies.
[00:27:48] Speaker A: Let's say. These are quite beautiful, actually.
[00:27:53] Speaker C: So are the lilies holding the roof or the posts holding the roof?
[00:27:57] Speaker B: I never quite yield.
I'm not sure. Sure.
[00:28:01] Speaker C: I forgot you were here.
[00:28:03] Speaker A: Inar goes up to one of them and just kind of thumps it a little bit to see how sturdy they feel.
[00:28:09] Speaker B: It makes a sound similar to, like, a tuning fork when you tap the post. There's just like a.
[00:28:16] Speaker C: I know. I wouldn't touch that, honestly.
[00:28:20] Speaker A: That was quite beautiful.
[00:28:22] Speaker C: Too beautiful.
[00:28:24] Speaker A: Einar just walks his horse, at the very least, if nobody else is leading the horses, the others as well.
Zipir has his pony, cool over to one of the stalls. And it just starts methodically just taking off the saddle, the bridle. And he pulls from his pack a brush and just starts carefully brushing the horse, just softly talking it.
There you go, girl.
It's been a long day in that nasty forest.
You're very brave.
And he just continues to just softly talk and brush out her coat and the dust and whatnot.
[00:29:11] Speaker E: Howard, while he's doing that, is gonna get out a book in his staff and cast. I don't know what it's called now. I'm just gonna call it telekinetic table.
I don't know what it's called now and then. Just find a log or a seat and then sit down, put his book on the table and start writing in his book.
[00:29:34] Speaker C: Albert, are you not going to help us?
[00:29:37] Speaker E: I don't. No, I didn't. And then I summon my unseen servants, like, help. Help them go.
[00:29:46] Speaker B: One of the horses reins just, like, hovers up and starts leading the horse off to one of the stalls, preferably.
[00:29:53] Speaker C: One of our horses.
[00:29:55] Speaker A: Just some random ransom horse.
[00:29:56] Speaker B: The guy who's riding on is just like, hi. Hi.
[00:30:00] Speaker E: Yes. Very good. Unseen servant, you're doing a great job.
[00:30:03] Speaker C: Oh, well, I know. I'll join you, if that's all right.
I don't have a lot of horse care in my repertoire.
[00:30:12] Speaker A: It's all right.
You just take care of them like you would take care of someone you care about. They worked all that long hours carrying us, it's only right that we take care of them.
[00:30:24] Speaker C: I'd slowly try to emulate what you did to your horse with the saddle and the rest of it. Except instead of brushing, I just start to scratch my pony.
[00:30:38] Speaker A: Just kind of idar looks down and sees that and he just. He chuckles and says, they really like the brush.
[00:30:46] Speaker C: My fingers are pretty small. They're almost like a brush. I figured that might be.
[00:30:51] Speaker A: He'll get all the dirt out from underneath the hair.
[00:30:55] Speaker C: All right, I'll give it a try.
[00:30:57] Speaker E: What do you whisper to your pony?
[00:31:01] Speaker C: Wouldn't you like to know?
[00:31:02] Speaker E: I would.
[00:31:02] Speaker A: That's why I'm asking.
[00:31:04] Speaker C: I whisper that to the pony to know.
[00:31:11] Speaker A: What's Yova doing?
[00:31:12] Speaker B: Yova has Neros horse and Val's horse, and has led them into two stalls side by side, and is working on getting them unsaddled, untacted and comfortable.
[00:31:24] Speaker A: As soon as Einar finishes with his horse, he actually goes and starts helping her with the other one of the other horses.
[00:31:33] Speaker E: Upon seeing that, can Albert just press to digitation his horse clean?
[00:31:38] Speaker B: Uh, Einar's horse, my horse. Oh, Howard's horse. Yeah. So your horse is just standing there and then just.
The horse is now clean.
[00:31:47] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:31:47] Speaker B: The horse kind of just blinks a couple times, looks at itself.
[00:31:52] Speaker E: Howard was assuming you'd move on to like his horse, since those two are being. And so you moved over there, he's like, fine, and then just clean.
[00:32:01] Speaker A: At least have your servant give it a good scratching with the brush.
[00:32:06] Speaker E: You already moved away. He's not making a big show of it.
[00:32:09] Speaker A: I could probably hear the spell.
[00:32:10] Speaker E: Oh, 100%. You can hear the spell. Do you know the spell?
[00:32:14] Speaker A: Ah, yeah, he knows the spell.
[00:32:17] Speaker C: After using the brush a little bit with Zafair, he just yells out, Albert, he said you could use your, you know, your telekinetic hand thing with a brush.
[00:32:30] Speaker E: Fine. And then the tables still up, his hands come out and they continue to write in the book. And then I was just gonna go walk over to his horse and feed it like a carrot from his bag.
[00:32:42] Speaker C: That's not what I was expecting, but good on you.
[00:32:45] Speaker E: I didn't come in this barn to be judged by people.
[00:32:48] Speaker C: I wasn't judging. I was just saying that you should. You should do that.
[00:32:52] Speaker B: In that awkward moment following the horse finishes the carrot and then does that cute little, like, nose bump against your hand trying to get more.
[00:33:02] Speaker E: I'm just gonna pat the horse's nose and find something else to feed it.
[00:33:10] Speaker C: There you go. Good job. Good job.
I've never had a horse before, but it seems to be happy with what we are doing to them.
Zafir kind of slumps down as the pony also sits down just to take a load off and sits with the pony.
[00:33:32] Speaker E: Now, if everyone is done making remarks.
[00:33:38] Speaker C: Hold on, why is Jordy looking like that?
[00:33:40] Speaker E: Because you just said the pony sat down.
[00:33:43] Speaker C: Well, yeah, they like, curl their legs in and they kind of just chill. You've seen horses lay down before.
[00:33:49] Speaker E: Very funny. Though.
[00:33:52] Speaker B: My brain was not picturing a horse, like, laying down like a horse does. When you said it sat down, I was picturing it do that, like, goofy thing they do where they actually splay out their hindquarters and they move their.
[00:34:02] Speaker A: Legs in front of them.
[00:34:03] Speaker B: And I was just imagining the two of you just doing that with your backs against the stall wall, just chilling like buddies.
[00:34:10] Speaker C: I mean, maybe.
[00:34:12] Speaker B: And I'm just enjoying this picture because it's like Zafir just has this effect on his pony.
[00:34:17] Speaker C: Can that be canon? That'll be canon.
[00:34:19] Speaker A: That is canon now.
[00:34:20] Speaker E: But after that, Albert's gonna go back to his makeshift table and be like, everyone is happy now I'm gonna go back to doing this.
[00:34:31] Speaker A: You can tell a lot about someone by watching how they treat the creatures or the people under them.
[00:34:38] Speaker E: I told you did not come here to be judged. I did not want to be here to begin with. I'm just wanting to do this.
[00:34:46] Speaker A: Ainur smiles and says, I wasn't judging you.
[00:34:50] Speaker C: It was a little judgy, Zafir says as he starts to open his package, not even looking at you.
[00:34:57] Speaker A: You aren't a horseman, it's quite obvious, and you don't have to enjoy it. I'm just making an observation. And you took care of your horse in your way.
[00:35:08] Speaker E: You're not getting a response.
[00:35:13] Speaker A: You can half tell Einar's statement about how treating animals or people underneath them is also slightly directed to Yildva.
[00:35:25] Speaker B: And that implication is not lost on Yova. You can tell she's trying to figure out, are you more jabbing at Alward or trying to talk her up?
[00:35:36] Speaker C: So what does Zafir see as he slowly opens this box and hopefully wishes and hopes and prays that there's no written word?
[00:35:45] Speaker A: Well, he opens the box, and inside you see a little crystal vialization. And at first you're like, why did uwehr give me what looks to be an empty vial?
But as you pick it up, you can actually tell that there is a liquid inside of it, and you will probably recognize at that revelation that it's an invisibility potion.
[00:36:18] Speaker B: Ooh.
[00:36:21] Speaker C: Zafir is very excited about the the fact that there is now an invisibility potion in his hand, and he's fighting the urge not to use it right now.
[00:36:30] Speaker E: That's good.
[00:36:30] Speaker A: He probably missed the note that was right next to it.
[00:36:35] Speaker E: I feel like it's so in character for Uver to give the one person who can't read a note.
[00:36:43] Speaker A: Ovir forgot.
[00:36:45] Speaker C: Tver picks up the letter. Esque owood.
[00:36:52] Speaker E: Did he leave you a note?
[00:36:53] Speaker C: He did.
Could you read it out loud to me? I'm not great at letters left behind by people.
[00:37:04] Speaker E: When you say that an ethereal hand appears in front of you and holds out its palm, like, give me the letter.
[00:37:11] Speaker C: He lays it in his hand, or.
[00:37:12] Speaker E: That hand, the hand takes it, brings it back, and al word will read the letter.
[00:37:19] Speaker C: All right. Now, Alwood, can you read my letter in Uwehr's voice?
[00:37:24] Speaker E: Of course. As you know, I am a perfect impression of u ver.
[00:37:31] Speaker A: Zafir.
Out of all the things that I have in my pack that I have apparently forgotten, I think this one would be the most useful for you, my sneaky friend.
Hopefully, you can use it not for your day job, but for what? I see you becoming a person who cares about the people that he is around.
For someone that isn't just a hired killer, but wants to do good, I hope I see you again.
And that's the thing that is hunting. You will either have failed, or I will be here to stand by your side as you face it.
You have good and great strength, my friend, both in spirit and in heart.
Don't be afraid to rely on the strength of our friends around you.
Ps.
I don't know if you can read this, so. Albert, thank you in advance.
[00:38:41] Speaker C: So, as Alward was reading this note, you could see Zafir's eyes start to whelp up until the ps.
And it just somehow strangely just sucks back into his face and just goes, all I got was this vial of potion.
[00:39:04] Speaker E: All right, the hand gives you the letter back.
[00:39:10] Speaker C: He folds it up and tucks it into his pocket.
Um, what did you get?
[00:39:21] Speaker E: I'm a little busy, Zafir. If you want to know what I got, wait or come here.
[00:39:27] Speaker C: Well, can I open it for you?
[00:39:29] Speaker E: No.
[00:39:30] Speaker C: Why?
[00:39:30] Speaker E: Well, everyone else got to open theirs. I want to open mine.
[00:39:33] Speaker C: Well, then, please do it. Aren't you curious?
[00:39:36] Speaker E: I mean, yes, but I'm not. It can wait.
It's not going anywhere.
[00:39:42] Speaker C: It can wait, but it doesn't need to.
[00:39:44] Speaker B: Yilva walks by with Cornelius's pony and is like, I've got the last of the horses. You can go ahead if you'd like.
[00:39:52] Speaker E: Alward has a book just sprawled out on this table with, like, notes. Also sprawled out on the table, like, yeah, it was the ponies stopping me.
And he sets his pen down and packs everything up, and then, fine. And then he's going to open up the package left by Uvair.
[00:40:14] Speaker A: As you open the package and then slowly untie the cord, you open it up, and the first thing you see, oddly enough, is almost like another cord.
And wrapped in this cord is a crystal.
And as you pick it up, I imagine you almost drop it because it's colder than you expect.
And I'm sure you'd recognize the crystal as an ice shard.
And the belt.
Upon closer inspection, you'll see that the cord is a belt. It's a corded belt that you would often see uwe wearing, that we, as the group received quite some time ago, aka, you know, it's magical.
Also in the bag, you find a little book, and tied to the front of the book, as you were probably expecting, is another letter addressed to you.
[00:41:17] Speaker E: What's it say?
[00:41:19] Speaker A: My young friend, Albert, I know you don't necessarily like me using the term young in reference to you, but I mean no disrespect by it.
I have nothing but respect for you, Albert.
For one your age, you have accomplished so much.
Your knowledge, your research, your ability to learn.
I have not seen such talent in a long time.
You were the first one since I started remembering again.
That truly helped me in my mysteries, in my research, in my quest.
I am rambling on. But the point is, is that I learned so much and you helped me so much that I don't know how to repay you.
These little trinkets, I know aren't possibly useful to you, but I give them with all of my heart at least. Perhaps you will remember me a little bit when you look at them.
I put with my note this little book.
Inside you will find and a copy of all the runes that I have and as much summation of what I have read in my collection of books about them, or what I am allowed to remember, I suppose I am not asking for you to do research on my behalf.
I know you have other things that are on your mind, things that are too heavy for one your age.
I don't know what they are, but I have seen if I see your family in my travels away from you all, I will look out for them both your mother and your sister.
Until then, continue to lead the group.
Your knowledge and your wisdom is beyond your years outward.
Take courage and strength.
Don't doubt yourself.
Watch over our friends.
I hope to see you all soon.
[00:44:08] Speaker E: Very sweet.
Albert didn't read any of that out loud.
He doesn't even mention that he had a note.
He's just gonna be like, oh, I got a shard from the ice golem.
That belt that river wore and his journal.
[00:44:30] Speaker C: I mean, the first two things are pretty cool.
I think I already have one of those. Yeah, those ice thingies, not a belt. Probably wouldn't fit me. You can keep those.
[00:44:39] Speaker E: They weren't for.
Okay. And I'm gonna get up, I'm gonna go pat my horse again. I'm gonna look at Ilva and be like, do you speak Fae? In Fae?
[00:44:52] Speaker B: She nods and responds a little bit in kind of weirdly accented. Vey.
[00:45:00] Speaker E: I'm sorry about him. He, um.
He's different.
[00:45:06] Speaker A: You can say that again.
[00:45:08] Speaker E: I love how so many people speak Fae.
[00:45:12] Speaker B: Zafir, do you speak Fae?
[00:45:14] Speaker C: I don't. But I will act like I do while listening to the conversation.
[00:45:20] Speaker B: Make a deception check.
[00:45:26] Speaker C: 22.
[00:45:28] Speaker B: Oh, Yova is like, looking between Zafir and Alward.
[00:45:32] Speaker E: He doesn't. He doesn't know. Faye.
[00:45:35] Speaker C: Was that infe?
[00:45:36] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:45:38] Speaker B: She looks at Zafir.
Do you infe?
[00:45:42] Speaker C: I'm hungry too.
[00:45:50] Speaker B: She just kind of sits there for a bit and then. Enscalled.
Yeah, some food would be good. Who's hungry?
I know Zafir is.
[00:46:03] Speaker E: I can cook. If we want to go back into the tavern.
[00:46:08] Speaker C: What about your table?
[00:46:10] Speaker E: It follows me. Severe.
[00:46:12] Speaker B: Well, let's head on in and get something to eat then.
[00:46:17] Speaker C: But, yo, but would you mind hanging back for a moment?
[00:46:20] Speaker B: Sure. Sure. I can.
[00:46:21] Speaker C: Yeah, you guys, you can go make something in Fae.
[00:46:28] Speaker E: I'm gonna look to the e man. I forgot your character's name.
[00:46:33] Speaker A: I know, I know.
[00:46:36] Speaker E: The eman I'm gonna look to in our infam gonna watch him. He's been acting weird recently.
[00:46:44] Speaker A: Yeah.
Einar just nods to you and just looks at Yova, and in scald, he just says, if you need.
I'm just a step away.
[00:47:01] Speaker B: She just kind of nods.
[00:47:03] Speaker E: I hope everyone's ready for stew. And then Howard's gonna walk in into the tavern kitchen and start making stew.
[00:47:11] Speaker C: Zafir sniffs the air and thinks, okay, I've got about 20 minutes until the stew's ready.
[00:47:20] Speaker E: That's the best part about Stew. You can wait as long as you want.
[00:47:23] Speaker A: Einar walks away to give privacy, but pauses at the door, at the main door, like obviously just waiting.
[00:47:37] Speaker B: You wanted to talk, Zafir?
[00:47:40] Speaker C: Yes. Um. You know that conversation we were having the other night? Aino was there and Alwood was there and then he wasn't there and I was there and somebody was sparkling, but I never know why. Um.
[00:47:55] Speaker B: Oh, you mean like the conversation near the end of last episode?
[00:47:58] Speaker C: Yes, exactly.
Um. I wanted to speak a little bit more with you about it because I feel like we may have left off on the wrong foot. I felt like I may have left a bad taste in your mouth, so to speak.
All right, well, I just. I don't know. I saw how Alward reacted whenever I mentioned the whole everybody has a price thing and I didn't want you to think that lowly of me.
[00:48:31] Speaker B: So when you said that you would kill anyone for a price, you meant.
[00:48:39] Speaker C: I don't know if I've told everyone. I may have told one or two, but could this be a. Like I scratch your back, you scratch mine type of thing? Like, if I tell you something really, really, um, close to me that you. You may tell me something as well.
[00:48:56] Speaker B: Something related, possibly.
[00:49:00] Speaker C: I feel like that. That's not a good.
Promises like that. Sorry.
[00:49:07] Speaker B: I don't know if you're going to tell me. You know, your deep, dark secret is that you hate croutons in your soup and then expect me to tell you where mother is.
[00:49:16] Speaker C: Well, I do like croutons.
Sometimes by themselves.
[00:49:30] Speaker B: We haven't agreed to anything yet.
[00:49:32] Speaker C: I understand that. I understand that.
There wasn't the question I was going to ask, actually.
So let me just say it, because I'm terrible at throwing these things out.
Have a set of rules. Whenever I take jobs, I always stick to those rules. And I have a hard time sometimes deciding whether or not the job fits those rules. And it's all based around family.
[00:50:09] Speaker B: You hunt down families?
[00:50:11] Speaker C: No, no, no.
It's that I never take a job that will ruin a family.
I may take a job that will break apart a family, but only for the better.
Like for example, I see your face. I know what you're thinking. How is that possible? Well, imagine someone's in a terrible relationship. I know that sounds very surface level, but imagine someone just cannot get out of it.
And you're approached by, let's say, a brother.
And that brother asks you to get rid of the person in the situation that is causing the pain and it's just ruining the entire family dynamic.
And you know for a fact that if you get rid of him, everybody.
[00:51:08] Speaker B: Will be better except for him.
[00:51:12] Speaker C: I mean, he was a drunkard and a terrible person anyway. He smelled horrible.
[00:51:19] Speaker B: So what you're telling me is you won't break apart families unless you've decided that someone in that family deserves to die.
[00:51:31] Speaker C: It is a decision, yes. But it's not that I'm deciding on my own personal beliefs, because, trust me, if anybody, you know, doesn't have a family, it's me.
That didn't make a lot of sense. I know.
Like I said, if it betters the most or betters the more, then it comes to that decision. I wouldn't just go out and kill someone's kid just because he ran on someone's lawn. You know what I mean?
That's a horrible reason for a hit.
I'm not saying that I haven't been offered it before.
[00:52:23] Speaker B: Yulva, for the last minute or so of the conversation, just hasn't really been making eye contact. She's just been kind of idly scratching one of the horse's noses, and she just kind of sighs and is like, Zafir, I do truly believe that you and your friends are trying to help the situation, but I. I can't help you kill members of my own family, even if you think they deserve it.
[00:52:59] Speaker C: Yova, look up at this guy.
I want to make you know that I'm not asking you to kill your family. I know that it's very harsh saying that out loud, but look up.
[00:53:14] Speaker B: She kind of pulls herself away from the horse and looks out a window up at the sky.
[00:53:20] Speaker C: Do you ever think about how far the sky goes?
[00:53:27] Speaker B: No.
[00:53:29] Speaker C: Do you ever think what's beyond the clouds? Where does the sky end? And where does the vastness of the cosmos begin?
[00:53:42] Speaker B: I don't. No.
[00:53:45] Speaker C: Exactly.
In a way, we all have to create a boundary, but those boundaries don't necessarily exist physically.
So I could say that the sky ends at the end of the clouds.
I could say that somebody's life ends at the end of their action.
While you could say that the sky never goes away. It always just goes higher and higher into the stars.
Anything that you can see up there is your boundary. So we all have to find a stopping point.
And it's not necessarily about deciding who dies or not, but it is about having the decision to make that choice.
So what I'm trying to say is that you don't have to make the choice to harm your family in any way, but you do have the choice whether or not you go back to them and support their cause.
Or find a way to help stop them, as we did with you. We didn't kill you.
Some people may be harder to convince than others, but you have the choice whether or not you want to help.
[00:55:07] Speaker B: I just.
I just don't want anybody to die. Not my family, not just innocent people in jolt.
And I don't know.
I don't know if I can minimize the deaths by helping my family, or if I just make it worse by helping you.
[00:55:31] Speaker C: My own beliefs tell me that moving down the path of helping the family would cause more destruction to so many more lives than as minimization as I'm taking it. Your family, the small side of ten people.
[00:55:52] Speaker B: But what if. What if you can't stop him? What if he comes back anyway, and you just slaughtered my family, and we're left with him coming in his wrath anyway?
[00:56:07] Speaker C: We all try.
If it happens, it happens. But at least we did something to try to stop it.
[00:56:15] Speaker B: I'll have to.
I'll have to think about it. I.
I don't want to help them anymore. I never liked the idea of enlisting trolls in the first place, but I don't know if I'm ready to throw my lot in with you all. Especially if you're willing to kill my family.
I don't know if I can help you with that.
[00:56:46] Speaker C: I haven't been paid to kill your family. And personally, I have not killed a single one of its members.
[00:56:54] Speaker B: She just, like, slowly turns away, back to you from the window. What about data?
[00:56:59] Speaker C: Well, I did not actually do the killing.
[00:57:05] Speaker B: Um, well, now you're just splitting hairs. You were there.
[00:57:09] Speaker C: I was there, yes, but we were all trying to leave.
It was Daitha that attacked us. We were trying to remove ourselves from the situation to get somewhere safe. And she, technically, was the one who started all this.
[00:57:26] Speaker B: Well, I don't know if it was self defense. That's different. But what were you even doing there in the first place?
[00:57:37] Speaker C: Well, that would actually be on me.
I was tipped off, as I usually am, that there was something going to happen in Joel, and it all came down to. What is it? A mansion? A manor? It all came down to that they were having a party. I mean, I don't get invited to parties anyway, so why not just go myself? Well, with a couple of friends, we were there for the the talking and the cultists in a blanket and the golem thing that fell out of the ceiling and tried to kill uver.
But once we went upstairs after Daitha invited us up the stairs, she said something along the lines of come and see or. I don't know. That was dozens of episodes ago.
So we went up and we saw people talking, and I was worried, and one thing led to another, and we were trying to run away. Not because we had done anything bad, but we were trying to run away. We were being chased, masked people. Then there's windows, and we just decided to go out the windows after daythe tried to, you know, kill us.
[00:58:53] Speaker B: Well, if your account of this story is accurate, then it does sound like she was, I suppose, setting a trap for you.
[00:59:07] Speaker C: Now that I'm putting all this on the line, I do want to mention that it seems very peculiar that we seem to have been singled out. And it's not like we really have the freedom to not do anything in relation, because we'd just die if we didn't fight, you know?
[00:59:24] Speaker B: Wait, wait, wait. So you mentioned she had singled you out at the party. I'm assuming she just knew you didn't belong there. But you were in trouble before that.
[00:59:37] Speaker C: Yes, there was a.
So one of our members, not all of us.
What do you know about helmets?
[00:59:48] Speaker E: He's gonna play slap hands.
[00:59:50] Speaker B: Wait, wait, you.
Did you have something to do with the recovery of the helmet?
[00:59:58] Speaker C: Technically, yes.
A member of our party who is no longer journeying with us. I specifically say that because I don't know if he's alive or dead. He took it from a mine that we went to, and he had it on him for a while, and then I had it on me for a while.
But the others, they had nothing to do with it, except that they were just around. I don't know why she pointed them out.
[01:00:27] Speaker B: And nobody tried to just, like, buy it from you or something?
[01:00:31] Speaker C: No.
[01:00:33] Speaker B: That seems really stupid.
[01:00:35] Speaker C: Yeah, you would think.
[01:00:38] Speaker B: However, I don't drawing so much attention to what we've been. I mean, I guess what they've been working on this whole time.
[01:00:45] Speaker C: They did try to kill us a couple times. I think they sent assassins. Most of them ran off. I think in one particular part they retaliated, and then half of them ran off or something. I'm not really sure.
[01:00:59] Speaker B: Do you know who was behind all of that?
[01:01:02] Speaker C: I would assume your family, maybe not at the highest level.
[01:01:06] Speaker E: I just.
[01:01:06] Speaker C: I don't really know.
[01:01:09] Speaker B: Well, I can understand your perspective of feeling like Siggy.
[01:01:15] Speaker C: Siggy? Your brother, I'm assuming.
[01:01:18] Speaker B: Oh, no, he's. I don't know, like third cousin twice removed or something.
[01:01:23] Speaker C: Well, see, he.
Whenever we mention the helmet to him, he. He seemed a little taken aback, like he was just thinking about it a little bit more than. Than you would like. Well, because somebody stole it from me while I was unconscious. Why didn't he? I'm still confused about that whole situation. But, Siggy, when we mentioned it to him, he did not look happy about it.
[01:01:50] Speaker A: He beat up a girl.
[01:01:52] Speaker E: A hyena girl.
[01:01:54] Speaker C: Can I see Einar right now?
[01:01:57] Speaker A: Quite possibly. He's not hiding.
He's just giving distance.
[01:02:04] Speaker B: Einar, you are. You're hearing all of this.
[01:02:07] Speaker C: Oh, can I lower my voice and can lean into Yuva? And just so not everybody in your family, as you said with Siggy, is your direct relative. I know. You said he's a cousin.
Are you at all related to Einardhead?
[01:02:29] Speaker B: I. I've never met him before in my life.
[01:02:32] Speaker C: What about u ver?
[01:02:34] Speaker B: Who? Okay, that answers. Wait.
[01:02:39] Speaker C: Uwe? The one we were talking about with the gargoyles.
[01:02:42] Speaker B: He. Is he a dwarf?
[01:02:43] Speaker C: Yes.
[01:02:45] Speaker B: I think I may have heard somebody talking about him coming through town.
[01:02:49] Speaker C: This town?
[01:02:50] Speaker B: No, no. Through Joel. It's hard to remember because I'm nothing. I'm not in town very often.
I think. Yeah, I think he was asking about.
Asking about trying to find books on the family. When, of course, it's been a few years ago. We took them all out of the library.
[01:03:07] Speaker C: He's been asking around for that long?
[01:03:10] Speaker B: It would have been just a couple months ago.
[01:03:12] Speaker C: Was that when we were there?
[01:03:14] Speaker B: Yes. Actually, you were there, like, a month and a half ago. So what should. When she's talking about is probably a few weeks prior to the adventure.
[01:03:23] Speaker C: We're still learning about Uwe, even when he's not here. That was a very slanted rhyme.
[01:03:30] Speaker E: Poor Uvan, not around to be like, wait, hold on.
[01:03:36] Speaker C: So you said you took the books that he was looking for out of the library?
[01:03:41] Speaker B: Oh, well, that was a few years ago. Once we really started moving in earnest towards, you know, taking over, we thought.
[01:03:49] Speaker C: It best to erase history.
[01:03:53] Speaker B: Obscure information that might hinder our goals.
[01:03:58] Speaker C: Censor information.
[01:04:01] Speaker B: That sounds very harsh, but yes.
[01:04:03] Speaker C: I mean, as much as I don't like books and libraries in general, I don't think that's a very good thing to do. Remember the conversation we had about morality just a few moments ago?
It doesn't seem like it's in everybody's best interest.
[01:04:19] Speaker B: Well, maybe for me, the clouds are a little bit higher when it comes to that information about my family that could cause them to be killed.
[01:04:31] Speaker C: Even if your clouds are a little bit higher, there is still more above the clouds.
I know. We've been having a wonderful conversation here, but I. I think I need to go talk to some more people. Will you go in and tell Alward that I'll be in a bit later? I won't be there for the stew. I'm sorry. Maybe if he just keeps it warm.
[01:04:58] Speaker B: I thought you said you were hungry.
[01:05:00] Speaker C: I was, but I think I have.
I think I have more direction now.
[01:05:06] Speaker B: Well, all right, I guess, um.
Don't. Don't kill anybody.
[01:05:13] Speaker C: I don't think that's going to happen.
[01:05:15] Speaker E: He's going to kill fairies.
[01:05:18] Speaker B: All right.
She picks up her pack and starts heading inside. And as she's stepping out of the stable, she, at that point is when she realizes that Einar was outside where she was. She couldn't see Einar, and she just kind of, like, makes eye contact with him and then, like, looks down quickly.
[01:05:37] Speaker A: Einar is just leaning against the post with his arms crossed.
But other than meeting her gaze, he doesn't follow.
[01:05:48] Speaker B: And with that, she heads inside.
[01:05:52] Speaker A: I assume you were talking about talking to me.
[01:05:56] Speaker C: Zafir's kind of still standing in the stable.
I'm a bit curious.
You seem to be a mystery to most of us.
[01:06:06] Speaker A: That's only fair.
[01:06:08] Speaker C: Strange.
[01:06:08] Speaker A: He just met out in a very magical wood.
[01:06:11] Speaker C: And you knew one of our now missing party members.
[01:06:17] Speaker A: Unfortunate that.
I'd like to see him.
[01:06:21] Speaker C: Me, too.
I'm sure the answers to any questions I have will come in time, but I have other questions to ask others at the moment, so I will be back a little later.
[01:06:37] Speaker A: Now, that was quite the speech you gave.
[01:06:43] Speaker C: I don't. I don't often give speeches.
[01:06:47] Speaker A: You remind me a lot of somebody I knew.
A more somebody that I heard so much about that I thought I knew.
He, too talked or thought about a more barrier, or. Very similar to how you described it, honestly. But we had that, I suppose.
[01:07:09] Speaker C: Would you like another metaphor?
[01:07:14] Speaker A: Making decisions. It's all well and good whenever it only involves yourself, but when it involves other people, it's where it gets tricky. And those boundaries, those clouds, you may find that they're a thick folk.
Careful not to let your eyes be obscured.
[01:07:39] Speaker C: I know. I.
I live in the darkness.
And even with the smallest amount of light, there's always a barrier. Whether there's fog or not, I may not know, but if I pass beyond that barrier, I'm into an area that I have no experience with.
[01:08:01] Speaker A: Maybe you're looking in the wrong direction, mate. Maybe you need to turn around looking for a barrier.
Perhaps you should look for the light.
And Einar just stands straighter off the wall and walks back to the canteen.
[01:08:24] Speaker B: This has been an atomic broadcasting production. Pathfinder, Galarian and the lost omens world setting are copyright of Paizo. More
[email protected] dot music in the show is from monument studios collection as well as assorted artists with some original tracks composed by Geordi 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.
[01:08:53] Speaker C: What is that phrase? That something? Something's the road to something is laid with good intentions.
[01:09:00] Speaker B: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
[01:09:01] Speaker C: That's the one you forgot.
[01:09:04] Speaker E: Sorry.
[01:09:04] Speaker F: The hybe is paid with good deals, is it?
[01:09:08] Speaker E: No. Non sponsored high vee is paved with.
[01:09:11] Speaker B: I mean, they have convenient location.
[01:09:13] Speaker E: Moderately okay. Asian food.
