[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.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: And don't forget to tell a friend.
[00:00:19] Speaker A: To tune in for an atomic time.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: Now, where did we leave off?
Ah, yes, at the inn. They discovered Uwe had left them packages, but no explanation of where he was or why he left.
As some of the party went with Yilva to put up the horses, Val went up to her room, upset, and Neros followed after her.
As Val and Neros are heading up the stairs to the sleeping area, the bedrooms of the inn, you actually pass Aria as shes coming back downstairs, and she just gives you a big thumbs up and a grin.
I thumbs up back should be plenty spacious and cozy for you now.
[00:01:26] Speaker C: Thank you. Appreciate it.
Still just following Val.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: Val, as you enter the room, you were familiar with the tight quarters, low ceiling, small beds from last time. This time, everything seems to have been stretched. It's almost like the room is now bigger on the inside, and it's just made impossibly more spacious. It's the Tardis in the hallway. Everything looks the same, and there was no sense of, like, distortion from the outside. But once you open the door, the room inside is several times larger than it was before. The ceilings are all higher. It's actually quite a nice sized room for three people to share.
[00:02:10] Speaker D: That's nice.
Sal's gonna just walk up to the bed and face plant.
[00:02:18] Speaker C: Typical Disney princess dramatic.
I mean, you do have an animal.
[00:02:24] Speaker D: Companion and a little monster.
[00:02:27] Speaker C: Dude, you are a Disney princess.
[00:02:30] Speaker B: Do you think Cornelius is following you, or is he staying downstairs?
[00:02:34] Speaker D: That's up to you. Based on our last interaction, I think.
[00:02:37] Speaker B: When Val left and Cornelius stayed behind with the others, and when they volunteered to go take care of the horses, he just ordered an ale.
[00:02:45] Speaker D: That sounds about right. I don't know where he's at with things right now.
[00:02:49] Speaker C: Neros walks in and then just quietly shuts the door.
Um.
You okay there, buddy?
[00:03:00] Speaker D: No.
[00:03:01] Speaker C: It seems like a lot for you.
[00:03:05] Speaker D: Yes.
Yeah, I just.
Everyone just keeps leaving, and I don't know what to do about it. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong. I don't know what's going on, Val. Everywhere I go, it keeps happening.
[00:03:26] Speaker C: Validity. Unfortunately, people just sort of have free will and leave whenever they want.
I'm sure there's nothing that you. Okay, okay, hang on. With Uvert, I'm sure there's nothing that you've done. I think this was coming for a while, to be honest.
[00:03:49] Speaker D: I don't know. The last time we really talked, it was when we were all arguing about him leaving.
[00:03:53] Speaker C: I mean. Yeah.
[00:03:54] Speaker D: And now he's gone.
[00:03:55] Speaker C: Exactly. I think he was just going to do it one way or the other eventually.
I don't know where he's. I don't know what he's doing or what he's getting up to. I don't know why he didn't think he needed us or why he thought he had to do it alone, but he was going to leave one way or the other.
And I'm sorry that it happened at this time, this real awful set of circumstances that he just sort of up and left.
[00:04:26] Speaker D: Yeah. And now I don't know if Cornelius might leave too, so I don't know.
[00:04:31] Speaker C: Look, from what I ever heard of your conversation with Cornelius, which, to be honest, was most of it.
I'm sorry.
[00:04:38] Speaker D: Oh, that's all right.
[00:04:40] Speaker C: I was eavesdropping for a long time. I didn't want him to know I was there.
[00:04:44] Speaker D: It's okay.
[00:04:45] Speaker C: You might be better off without him.
You. You've said that your father Heimer controlled you and Val.
It seems like Cornelius is also controlling you to a certain extent.
[00:05:05] Speaker D: I don't know. Cornelius has done a lot of good for me, and I feel bad not trusting him.
[00:05:11] Speaker C: It was the way he was talking to you, the words he was using.
I just. There's something in it. I just don't.
[00:05:20] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:05:20] Speaker C: The longer he's been around.
Did he ever tell you why you're special?
[00:05:27] Speaker D: No.
[00:05:28] Speaker C: No.
[00:05:29] Speaker D: I tried to ask him the other night and didn't go. I don't. He said he had something to say to me, and I wasn't sure if that's what it was or if he never got to say it to me. I might have.
I don't know.
I don't like not being able to trust people, but I feel like less and less I'm able to.
Do people always just go around lying all the time?
[00:05:57] Speaker C: No.
No. I've known some very trustworthy people. I'm not saying I'm one of them.
[00:06:04] Speaker D: You've been very trustworthy for me so far. I guess as far as I know.
[00:06:09] Speaker C: I've never intentionally mis. I don't think I've ever misled you, actually.
[00:06:15] Speaker D: That's good to hear.
[00:06:17] Speaker C: I think you're one of the few. Oh, it's a compliment.
[00:06:21] Speaker D: Thanks.
[00:06:24] Speaker C: Yeah, I don't want to get into that right now.
[00:06:26] Speaker D: That's okay. I'm sorry that you have to keep getting involved with all of this. I just. I mean, a lot keeps happening and now I've got wings on my feet and.
[00:06:37] Speaker C: Yeah, that's odd.
[00:06:38] Speaker D: I'm very emotional.
[00:06:40] Speaker C: I can. Yes, you are. And that's okay.
We're all very emotional sometimes.
[00:06:46] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:06:48] Speaker C: You just have a lot going on right now and it all seems to be happening at the same time, so don't beat yourself up too much about that.
[00:06:58] Speaker D: I guess. So.
[00:07:00] Speaker C: If we do run into Uwe again, are you going to be alright?
[00:07:04] Speaker D: I don't know. Probably. Maybe not. I don't know. I'm sure he has a good reason.
[00:07:11] Speaker C: Yeah.
Yeah.
I just had things I needed to talk to him about and then he just sort of up and left.
[00:07:21] Speaker D: Yeah.
You doing okay with all of that? Have you learned? I know it's kind of a lot of new and vague stuff.
[00:07:30] Speaker C: Yeah.
I don't know that I've really processed most of it.
It's like every turn I take to try and find stuff out, I get so far, and then I just hit another roadblock, you know?
[00:07:49] Speaker D: I get you. Yeah.
[00:07:50] Speaker C: It's like so close.
And then as soon as I reach for it, it moves further away.
I can never actually reach it.
And then Uwe, the person that actually knew my mother, just leaves.
Never got a chance to talk to him about it.
I mean, he probably wouldn't have remembered anyway.
[00:08:18] Speaker D: It's a long journey.
Life and answers and seeking.
Sometimes I wish things were just like a short journey.
[00:08:34] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:08:35] Speaker D: I felt like I've really gotten to rest well in a long time.
[00:08:39] Speaker C: So you're saying you need a vacation?
[00:08:42] Speaker D: That would be nice. Yeah, sometimes.
[00:08:45] Speaker C: Well, maybe when this is all over with, we can, I don't know, go somewhere and party for a week and forget all of it.
[00:08:58] Speaker D: That'll be nice.
Focus back on music and art and feel like I haven't gotten as much of that.
[00:09:08] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:09:09] Speaker D: I shine with Shaolin.
[00:09:12] Speaker C: You seem to be really devout to both pharasma and Shaolin.
[00:09:18] Speaker D: Well, I didn't really have anyone else to turn to.
And lots of time to read about pharasma, learn her rituals, how to bury people.
It was very scary.
I didn't really like it a lot of. And my dad, Faron, he raised me up with shelling in mind.
And, you know, she's always great. I didn't take her seriously until.
Until Hymir took me away. And then I guess it was sort of almost rebellious because he hated the godse. I leaned into it more, I guess. And it always felt a weird connection to pharasma. And only recently has it really started to shine. I guess this glaive is one of the first openings for that I see, and they've done a lot for me, and I can see that in my life, and I know that I can rely on them.
[00:10:31] Speaker C: That's good.
[00:10:33] Speaker D: But I'm always scared about it hanging here. Always push that the gods control people like us. Or your little toy soldiers or puppets for them.
[00:10:47] Speaker C: Well, Jamie said a lot of things.
[00:10:51] Speaker D: Yeah. That's always the hair in the back of my head making me scared.
But I trust them, and they've done so much for me. And clearly there's something different about me, and I think pharasma knows a lot more about that than I do.
Something in me is related to that, and I don't know what or where it comes from.
[00:11:21] Speaker C: Hmm.
It's just another thing we have to figure out, I guess.
[00:11:29] Speaker D: I guess so.
[00:11:33] Speaker C: There's so many things happening right now that just.
I don't even know where to begin.
[00:11:40] Speaker D: Yeah.
Well, at least we all are in the same boat about that. And we can help each other.
[00:11:49] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:11:50] Speaker D: Thanks for being a friend.
I want to do something about Zafir.
[00:11:57] Speaker C: What do you mean? About him?
[00:12:00] Speaker D: Whatever he's done to himself, it's. That's very. I'm very concerned. He doesn't want to talk about it, and I don't want to push him into it.
[00:12:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:12] Speaker D: Try and tell Albert about it. Maybe he'll have some ideas.
He's smart.
[00:12:16] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:18] Speaker D: Kind of worried about Albert, though.
[00:12:21] Speaker C: Why?
[00:12:22] Speaker D: Well, Howard really only seemed to like you got along with u ver, and now Uvair's gone.
[00:12:31] Speaker C: I don't know that that's the case. I think Owl was helping uwe figure stuff out about himself.
I mean, Alwood, I think, would rather be home with his mum and taking care of her and his sister.
[00:12:50] Speaker D: It's a good thing to want.
[00:12:51] Speaker C: Yeah. At least he has a family.
[00:12:56] Speaker D: Do you know what's in your package?
[00:12:59] Speaker C: No, actually, I don't.
I haven't opened it yet.
Do you think I should?
[00:13:05] Speaker D: Might as well.
Could be something nice in there.
He gave me the brooch.
[00:13:14] Speaker C: All right. Neros opens the package that Uver left.
[00:13:20] Speaker A: Near us. As you open your package, you notice that there are two things in there, actually, and one of them you definitely recognize as a horn.
The other one, kind of tucked in the corner, almost translucent, and you almost missed it, is a little bottle.
You would recognize it as the mist form elixir.
Also with your package is a note addressed to you.
Neros.
I'm afraid I almost forgot to give this back to you.
Since it was given to you in the first place, it will not be doing me any good where I am going.
I also wish to leave you this little bottle.
I never used it. And honestly, I think that it would suit you better, perhaps keep you safe or allow you to escape.
I am a bit torn in leaving the party for a little while.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: I hope.
[00:14:32] Speaker A: And you are one of the reasons I can't tell you how sad I am that I can't help you find your family, even though I apparently at least knew your mother and perhaps your father.
I hope that in your journey, you stay safe, find what you seek, find the family that you deserve.
I wish you well.
I hope to see you again.
[00:15:16] Speaker C: Well, at least he gave me the horn back.
[00:15:19] Speaker D: Where did that come from?
[00:15:21] Speaker C: A tree.
[00:15:23] Speaker D: I don't remember that.
[00:15:25] Speaker C: No, everyone was asleep.
It happened during my watch one night.
[00:15:29] Speaker D: And I. Weird things happen when I'm asleep. Yeah, it does look very foresty.
Well, at least he said he's wanting to come back.
[00:15:40] Speaker C: Yeah.
Yeah.
[00:15:45] Speaker D: I'm still here to help you find your family.
[00:15:48] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:15:56] Speaker B: It is late afternoon, bridging into early evening. Alward, you are in the kitchen beginning the preparation of a stew. The kitchen workers, as is customary when Alward breaks into a kitchen, have decided to give you your way and let you work. But what is unusual about this kitchen is it is gnome sized, so you're kind of finding yourself hunched over in various places. And luckily, your telekinetic hands are not encumbered while moving through these small spaces, since they don't have to worry about arms getting in the way as well.
[00:16:34] Speaker D: So the door kind of creaks open just a little bit as valid, pops her head in and sees Howard in there and slips into the small kitchen.
[00:16:51] Speaker E: Howard seems very focused on what he's doing, and unlike normal, where everything's sort of meticulously happening, everything is flying to him, away from him, into the pot really fast, in aggressively.
So he probably doesn't hear you speak to him yet.
[00:17:11] Speaker D: She starts inching closer to you and bats a frying pan out of the way as it's flying past her head.
[00:17:17] Speaker E: Howard hears that. I told you I'll be out of the kitchen in a little bit.
[00:17:20] Speaker D: Just award.
[00:17:23] Speaker E: He finally turned. What? Uh oh. And whatever the mage hands were holding falls and clatters to the ground.
Yes.
[00:17:32] Speaker D: Um, well, hi.
You doing all right? She kind of walks around and picks up the stuff that was just dropped.
[00:17:43] Speaker E: Um, I'm fine. Did you want stew?
[00:17:46] Speaker D: No, not very hungry right now.
[00:17:48] Speaker E: Oh, okay.
[00:17:50] Speaker D: I was just coming in to, um, check on you.
[00:17:56] Speaker E: Well, I um.
I'm a little cramped right now.
[00:18:01] Speaker D: Well, that's okay. She looks at like a counter and makes space and just hops up and sits on the counter.
[00:18:09] Speaker E: Definitely had to hop up there.
[00:18:11] Speaker B: Yeah, there was little hopping going on. It was more just clear space and sit down.
[00:18:17] Speaker E: I just cleaned that, so it's fine.
[00:18:20] Speaker D: Oh, sorry. It didn't look like you were using this space.
[00:18:23] Speaker E: You cleared off all my spices? Oh, I mean, all their spices. I didn't. I'm not using our spices.
[00:18:29] Speaker D: Sorry. Um, she sets up the spices in a different spot where they will work.
Um, I saw you running in here in look here. Doing everything go alright over there, the horses.
[00:18:47] Speaker E: Um, as well as it could, I guess.
I don't think, I don't think our new person has high regards of me. But that's fine. They don't have to.
[00:19:00] Speaker D: Oh, that's unfortunate.
[00:19:03] Speaker E: Zafir's.
Zafir.
[00:19:09] Speaker D: Yeah.
Yeah, he's got a lot going on right now. I actually wanted to talk to you about that, but I want to check in on you first before I do that. Um, I know that you and u ver spent a lot of time together and now he's gone and I just want to make sure you know that I care about you and I'm your friend and I don't want you to just sink alone. You know, it's. We're doing a lot of very dangerous and time consuming things and it's not necessarily healthy to always be alone. It doesn't feel like I see you spend much time with the others.
[00:19:57] Speaker E: I mean, the others don't spend much time with me, but. Thank you.
I've actually wanted to ask you if I could borrow your bird. But now that we're out of the forest, I don't, um, I don't know if it'll be necessary. Um.
[00:20:15] Speaker D: Oh, um, what is it you needed cigaren for? Oh, you mentioned it before, didn't you, um, take, um, something to your mom?
[00:20:23] Speaker E: Some money. Yeah, so she can get her medicine.
[00:20:26] Speaker D: Uh. Oh, um, I think we're gonna be here for at least a couple days, so that'd be a good time to send Sigurd out.
[00:20:32] Speaker E: Yeah, that. Yeah.
Is Sigrun available?
[00:20:40] Speaker D: Yeah, sigurd's good to go. Whenever.
[00:20:42] Speaker E: Would you. Could we.
I have to make this stew, but at this point, it's just stewing. Oh, yeah.
[00:20:49] Speaker D: Maybe in the morning we can send her out. Okay, that's no problem.
Always happy to help.
[00:21:00] Speaker E: So you grew up near here.
[00:21:04] Speaker D: Well, not near here, necessarily. It was a ways. A little closer over to Joel, but a little ways closer to the river Otherton. Perhaps you heard of it?
[00:21:15] Speaker E: I'm not from around. I mean, my family. My father's side of the family's from around here, but I haven't been able to track them down.
[00:21:23] Speaker D: Right, because you're from chilli axe, right?
[00:21:26] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:21:27] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:21:31] Speaker E: Did you know that, um, I point down to your ankles.
Did you know that you were, um.
[00:21:41] Speaker D: Different?
[00:21:42] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:21:43] Speaker D: Yeah, a little bit. I've had inklings and feelings, especially with the glaive and for asthma's interventions and influence.
Now I've got wings on my feet. Yeah.
And I feel really cold all the time. My veins are white instead of blue now. And, you know, I've always. I've been thinking this last year or so that I've.
Maybe there's something more in my blood than just human, but I have not.
[00:22:15] Speaker E: A way to verify it, as you know. Or maybe don't. I have an set. My plane of law and.
[00:22:27] Speaker D: Right. The gems you have on you. Yeah.
Axiom or something like.
[00:22:34] Speaker E: Right.
[00:22:35] Speaker D: Afrite. Sorry.
[00:22:36] Speaker E: That's fine. It's not a common thing.
I've never met an angel. Kin.
You're interesting.
[00:22:47] Speaker D: Oh, thanks. Um, I assume maybe angelic. I haven't verified anything about me in that regards, but I'd certainly be nice to know it. I mean, I've not met an offer out before, say, you know, there we go.
[00:23:07] Speaker E: Does it come from your dad's?
[00:23:09] Speaker D: I don't know, really. Um, Hymir's not. I mean, he doesn't seem like he's anything special.
And I never met my mom, so I don't really know. She was different, either.
[00:23:24] Speaker E: That's right.
[00:23:24] Speaker D: No one said anything about her being.
[00:23:26] Speaker E: Well, and it doesn't have to, you know, I'm weird. My father was one. I'm one. My sister's one that normally doesn't work like that.
[00:23:34] Speaker D: I wanted to talk to you a bit about Zafird, as well. Um. Oh, you know, he's been weird lately. Different than normal, right?
[00:23:46] Speaker E: No, no.
[00:23:48] Speaker D: He feels the same. To you?
[00:23:49] Speaker E: I mean, pretty much.
[00:23:51] Speaker D: What about his whole eye thing?
His eyes keep turning red. Horrible.
[00:23:57] Speaker E: I I just. I don't know too much about his people, so I assumed that was.
[00:24:02] Speaker D: Oh, no, no. So, I think he came to ask me some questions, and I asked him some questions, and he got very rude, and we yelled at each other a bit, but I think he might have.
[00:24:15] Speaker E: Is he possessed?
[00:24:16] Speaker D: She makes like, a. I don't know kind of face.
He seems really intent on having found a way to bring his parents and families back to life.
[00:24:26] Speaker E: Oh, but they've been.
[00:24:27] Speaker D: But we think that their souls are held by the boogeyman fella. So I'm worried he's doing some sort of horrible, possibly undead related deals with a monster in his head.
I told nearest about this too, just so we're keeping an eye on him a bit.
[00:24:46] Speaker E: Well, I should tell. He did say he would kill us all for the right price, including my family.
[00:24:52] Speaker D: Oh, that's horrible.
[00:24:53] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:24:54] Speaker D: That's so mean. I'm sorry, Howard. Um, that does seem kind of like something he'd say.
Yeah, but from what you all said, um, from what I've heard from you all, he seems to threaten people's lives a lot and like to kill people, but he seems very concerned about Joel and, like, stopping this bad revolution thing from happening. He seems to be going back and forth on things a lot, and it's honestly a little confusing. I don't know if maybe you. You've been here longer than I have and you're a lot smarter than me. Do you know what's going on with him necessarily? Or where he's at with that stuff?
[00:25:33] Speaker E: Um. Well, thank you for the compliment, but no need to put yourself down. From my understanding of him, he doesn't really care what we're doing. He just likes being able to do something, if that makes sense. We could be going out and stealing from old people and he probably would be okay with it as long as we were doing something.
[00:26:00] Speaker D: Oh, okay.
[00:26:03] Speaker E: Honestly, I think he just sticks around because everyone in this group knows that he's a killer for hire and he likes hosting that over our heads.
[00:26:12] Speaker D: That's a much more cynical take on him than I was thinking.
But it doesn't seem unwarranted either.
[00:26:21] Speaker E: So, Howard Mage hands a thing to pick up a spoon to start stirring the stew. Telekinetic hand.
[00:26:30] Speaker D: Do you need help with any of that?
[00:26:32] Speaker E: No. Pretty competent when it comes to things like this.
[00:26:38] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:26:39] Speaker E: You're very good at the fighting and the more brutal aspect of what we're doing. I'm not meaning that it's a bad thing. It should be something you're proud of.
[00:26:49] Speaker D: I'm not very proud of that part. The brutal word. I'm not proud of that. Um.
[00:26:54] Speaker E: Fighting in itself is brutal.
[00:26:55] Speaker D: It's fire. That's fire. I've only been learning how to do that those last couple years with, uh, Cornelius.
[00:27:04] Speaker E: What? Looks like you took to it like a moth to a flame, then.
[00:27:13] Speaker D: Thanks, I guess.
[00:27:16] Speaker E: Does doing this stuff worry you?
[00:27:20] Speaker D: Cooking?
[00:27:22] Speaker E: No.
[00:27:25] Speaker D: All the arithmets and stuff, I, um.
[00:27:29] Speaker E: I kind of.
I feel often that I've been trying, dragged into this, and I'm just sort of here to make sure my family doesn't have to deal with the ramifications because I can't really send them back home.
[00:27:44] Speaker D: I understand how you feel about it that I'm. I don't really always know fully what's actually going on.
I think I really. I think that really sunk in. I was trying to speak to Saito, and then when we got to speak to Ilva, obviously I wasn't very confident about what was going on. And I used to. I felt like I used to have such grand and great things to say to the enemies before I smoked them down, you know? Um, but those are all monsters, and monsters are easy to fight, and people are hard to fight, and I don't like hurting people. And, you know, since I've been here, a lot of bad things have happened around people, and I don't really know always why I'm here, but I'm here. And presumably that's because pharasma seems to have some sort of goal for me. Yeah.
[00:28:40] Speaker E: One of your gods is a God of redemption?
[00:28:44] Speaker D: Not necessarily. I've taken an oath of redemption as a champion to serve. There's a whole thing about that. I could get into detail about that later, but phrasma is the overseer of souls and death, and Shaolin, he's the goddess of love and creativity and crafting. So as a molding and melding of the two, I took on the tenants of redemption in order to show that loving and caring devotion to this redemption of souls, so that when they. It's their time to move on, that they be, you know, going to a better place and, you know, find that redemption before just moving on.
[00:29:35] Speaker E: So do you truly believe that everyone should be redeemed?
[00:29:41] Speaker D: I want to, and I try to, but there are people like Heimar that I really struggle with believing that they should be redeemed.
But it's kind of hypocritical to feel that way about one person. Just because they slighted me and did bad things to me, it doesn't mean I should give them any less leeway or redemption than I would give to someone who's harmed other people.
I try sometimes not to be so upset about it and so mad about it, but it's hard.
And sometimes all of this is a good. I don't know distraction. But then it's hard because I ended up circling right back to him by meeting all of you as well who already knew him and were working with him.
But I'm much better off with you guys than I was alone.
[00:30:39] Speaker E: I'm worried that he's going to, like, kick my family out of his house.
[00:30:45] Speaker D: Right. They're living in your house? His house, yeah.
Hopefully we'll be able to get back to check on your family or Sigourn will let us know if they're not there.
[00:30:57] Speaker E: I think we should. Yeah.
Did you know that Cornelius knows and speaks a language that has been dead for over 3000 years?
[00:31:09] Speaker D: Is that what you guys keep talking about in.
[00:31:12] Speaker E: Yeah. Oh, I learned it through my book.
[00:31:16] Speaker D: Oh, right, your magic book of writing things.
[00:31:24] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:31:26] Speaker D: No, I didn't know he spoke, but he is really old so maybe he just knows it.
I don't know how old he is. He never tells me.
[00:31:34] Speaker E: Well, it's at least 3000.
[00:31:37] Speaker D: That's a lot older than I would think.
Um, where'd you get the book from?
[00:31:44] Speaker E: It's an heirloom from my father's side.
[00:31:48] Speaker D: Oh, that's good. He gave that to you before he.
[00:31:51] Speaker E: Went off and he didn't get much use out of it, but he saw I took an I liking to languages and things like that, so.
[00:31:57] Speaker D: Okay. Have you always been really into numbers and languages and, you know, the smart things I've.
[00:32:05] Speaker E: Yeah, I think it comes along with, um, the way I do magic and maybe a bit of my heritage.
[00:32:14] Speaker D: But I know we've both been through similar things but different things with our family.
Um.
I don't know. What was it like to have your mum and, you know, how did you handle your father passing away like that? Sorry, if you don't want to talk about that. That's okay.
[00:32:38] Speaker E: Well, no, it's. It's fine. Um. I'm all. I would assume it's similar to, you know, your foster parents. I don't know at all. But how I took it when. When my father died.
For the most part I was fine. You know, I only knew him for a brief blip of my eventual, hopefully very long life. Doesn't mean I take it hard, you know, my mom, though, she and him were married for a century, century and a half.
[00:33:10] Speaker D: Oh, wow.
[00:33:13] Speaker E: Recently, you know, decided to have the children's so I hit her a lot harder and she went into a mourning period, as is expected. And we recently just got out of it when we moved. Or she just got out of the mourning period when we moved up here and then she goes sick.
[00:33:36] Speaker D: Does she get sick once you moved up here?
[00:33:39] Speaker E: Along the way.
[00:33:40] Speaker D: Along the way, yeah.
Is there anything in particular that happened that caused it or do you know much about that? Um. I've heard you talk a little bit about it, but.
[00:33:54] Speaker E: No, no, I. Nothing that I can.
Nothing that I can think of. It was just we left and we can't find a cure.
[00:34:05] Speaker D: Um, if you ever need to talk about anything or just spend some time with someone, I'm always here, Howard.
And I don't want you to feel like you're alone in any of this or that your friendship is not valued.
[00:34:28] Speaker E: I, uh.
I appreciate that.
I do, really.
[00:34:39] Speaker D: Val kind of hops up to her feet and kind of gives you a quick little side hug because she only has her one hand.
We should talk more often.
[00:34:53] Speaker E: I'm always available to.
Howard's going to get a ladle in some stew and just sort of hand her some stew.
[00:35:03] Speaker B: At that moment, the door swings back open again and Einar pokes his head into the room.
[00:35:08] Speaker D: Val drops the stew.
[00:35:09] Speaker E: Howard's jaws agape at the stoop being dropped.
[00:35:12] Speaker D: Oh, gosh.
[00:35:13] Speaker A: Oh, um. Oword Zafir said that he wasn't going to be able to join us for dinner tonight.
[00:35:22] Speaker D: Oh, okay.
[00:35:24] Speaker E: Our jaws even more agape to that news.
[00:35:36] Speaker B: Zafir.
As you are now walking alone through the streets of Brush Hollow, it is starting to get a little bit darker. Not quite sunset yet, but with the trees off to the west, it's starting to sort of cut into how much available light is left as the sun is dipping closer to the horizon.
[00:35:58] Speaker F: I would hope that business hours lead a little bit longer in this village of fay. So I'm headed towards the more populated. Well, maybe not at this point.
Market area to speak with the apothecary.
[00:36:17] Speaker B: It's somewhat of a small town, so even the marketplace area is rather sparse. So it's really easy for you to see the small hand painted sign out front of the bells and thistles I'm.
[00:36:31] Speaker F: Writing dead down now. Remind me, even though this is where I'm seeking out, what is it that an apothecary does?
[00:36:40] Speaker B: So they do like herbal remedies, potions, stuff like that.
[00:36:45] Speaker F: I will enter, hopefully. Is the door locked?
[00:36:48] Speaker B: The door is locked.
[00:36:51] Speaker F: People tend to live where they market, I would assume. I'm just gonna knock on the door.
[00:36:59] Speaker B: What do you want?
[00:37:02] Speaker F: I'm a friend of your friends who?
They came up here a few days ago.
Let me refer to my notes because I can't remember them as you're talking.
[00:37:13] Speaker B: You kind of hear shuffling noises from inside and then the sound of like a deadbolt being drawn and the door cracks open a little bit.
If you're needing a potion, we're closed.
[00:37:24] Speaker F: Oh no. I was just wanting to check up on them and they said that your place was a little too small so you'd probably put them up somewhere. Oh no, that was us. Sorry, I was just checking up on them. I've been busy for a while.
[00:37:40] Speaker B: Who are you checking up on?
[00:37:41] Speaker F: Thorold and rain fig.
[00:37:45] Speaker B: Oh. She opens the door a little wider and looks down, sees you. You're the short one who helped them.
[00:37:53] Speaker F: Yes. Yes.
There was a nasty business in the basement. Potatoes and all of it was a bit of fun that we had.
[00:38:05] Speaker B: Right. They did tell me all about that. Now it's too late for business. So if you're needing a potion, you'll have to come back tomorrow. But if this is a social call, come right in. I'll pour you a cup of tea.
[00:38:15] Speaker F: Oh, fantastic. I would. I would definitely love that. Are they here right now?
[00:38:18] Speaker B: No, they're actually not far out. They're working on building a new house on the north side of town for themselves.
[00:38:26] Speaker F: Or just house building?
[00:38:28] Speaker B: Just some more personal quarters. But they're. They're working on laying some of the foundation work and they're trying to take every advantage of the light they've got.
[00:38:37] Speaker F: I see. I see. I'm glad that they're getting along well. But I did have some questions for you as well. So that tea would be just wonderful.
[00:38:45] Speaker B: Of course. Come on in. And she shoos you inside. Close the door behind, doesn't lock it or anything.
[00:38:53] Speaker F: Is it relatively safe here for you to leave the door unlocked?
[00:38:58] Speaker B: Well, this time of year it's pretty safe. Sometimes there are more mischievous sorts that come out of the forest and bother us, but usually those are around harvest or the first buds of spring. We're getting a bit closer into the summer. And most of the fae keep to the forest at this time of year.
[00:39:16] Speaker F: Ah, I see. I see. Well, as long as you feel safe as a traveler. I don't always feel safe where I go. Especially towards nightfall.
Aurora, was it?
[00:39:31] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:39:32] Speaker F: Yes.
Let's go have tea.
[00:39:40] Speaker B: And she leads you into a cozy cottage style kitchen. She already has a kettle over the fire, presumably getting ready to make herself some tea. But there's enough water in the pot that she pours herself a cup and pours some water into a teacup for you. Do you take it black or green or. What sort of brew do you prefer?
[00:40:00] Speaker F: Honestly, I. I don't think I have a preference. I don't usually drink tea.
[00:40:06] Speaker B: Well, then we'll start with something simple.
[00:40:08] Speaker F: You can surprise me. I. I do like surprises.
I like them. I don't necessarily react well to them, but I do like surprises.
[00:40:16] Speaker B: As she's saying, starting with something simple, she's pulling out various jars of crockery and carefully selecting portions of leaves and herbs and dropping them into your teacup.
[00:40:26] Speaker F: Now, this isn't going to say, turn me into a frog, is it?
[00:40:30] Speaker B: Oh, no, that'll cost you extra.
[00:40:35] Speaker F: Do you get that a lot?
[00:40:37] Speaker B: Oh, I. The frog's potions are over on that shelf there.
[00:40:41] Speaker F: Oh, okay. Well, I'm not very interested in that, but since you did bring it up, I did get this potion from a friend of mine.
I believe it's an invisibility potion. I'm not asking you to appraise it or anything. I just want to make sure that that's what that is.
[00:41:00] Speaker B: Well, that would be appraising it.
[00:41:02] Speaker F: I mean, I was thinking more of the pricing wise, because I'm not getting rid of it. I just wanted to make sure.
[00:41:08] Speaker B: It does appear to be an invisibility potion. She's just kind of idly glancing at it while she's working. Good craftsmanship. Expensive vial work.
[00:41:18] Speaker F: Oh, really? Do you know where it might have come from?
[00:41:22] Speaker B: Uh, well, I don't know. Now you've got me interest. And she takes the glass and looks at it. She's like, aye, this looks like it's from the sort of glass blowing that happens down on the coast. But they haven't done this work in the last 30, 40 years.
[00:41:38] Speaker F: Hmm. Very interesting. Well, I'll be sure to save the bottle. Maybe I'll give it to you once I've partaken in the invisible fun.
[00:41:46] Speaker B: No need to feel obligated. I just have a passing interest.
[00:41:50] Speaker F: Well, I don't really have anything else to do with it, and the connections that I've made on my journeys have been more or less useful.
[00:42:00] Speaker B: Well. And she picks up her teacup and takes a sip. You said you had something you wanted to talk about, and I'm assuming it's not just taking a look at your invisibility portion.
[00:42:08] Speaker F: Oh, yes.
I do apologize to bother you with it.
I am interested in knowing how the two are doing, but since they're not here, I figure I can ask someone who's been in the town for a while. You've been here for quite some time, correct?
[00:42:34] Speaker B: I think it's been maybe 80 years now.
[00:42:38] Speaker F: Almost 80 years. That's, um.
It's not a long time for an elf, though, right?
[00:42:45] Speaker B: Well, it's still an appreciable amount of time, but I was.
Well, apothecary is my third profession I've taken up.
[00:42:57] Speaker F: Oh. What else have you done?
[00:42:58] Speaker B: I did a bit of glass blowing when I was a very young elf. Explains my interest, of course, in the glass work you've shown me. But in between that, the glassblowing and the apothecary work, I actually did serve as a barrister in Joel.
[00:43:18] Speaker F: What is a barrister?
[00:43:19] Speaker B: Oh, sort of prosecuting the law.
[00:43:22] Speaker F: Ah. So getting them the bad guys. Right? The boogeymen of the town.
[00:43:29] Speaker B: Right. Right.
So if you, if you know of any legal questions. I don't operate anymore and I don't have my license.
[00:43:40] Speaker F: That's, that's good. I don't know if I could handle the truth.
I did. I did mention the boogeyman. I don't know if you heard me slide that in there.
[00:43:52] Speaker B: She looks really uncomfortable.
I was wondering.
[00:43:57] Speaker F: I'm, I'm sorry to bring this up. I'm just.
I don't have a lot of people that I can ask about it. And it's something that has piqued my interest for maybe a month or so.
And I know that they have been seen around here, which is kind of why I asked about the door.
[00:44:29] Speaker B: They haven't been seen in these parts for a long time.
Long enough that I was just starting to hope that the nightmare was over.
[00:44:42] Speaker F: Do you.
Do you know what they are?
[00:44:47] Speaker B: Most scholars would classify them as fae. Although they're nothing like the fae that I know in the forest. Nothing like the folks which I trade with or learn about the flowers from.
They are predators.
And they don't prey on flesh like a sensible wolf would do.
They prey on the soul.
They'll cultivate their prey, letting the fear build to a fine vintage before they finally go in for the kill.
Sorry.
[00:45:29] Speaker F: It's alright.
If they hold that much power, to be able to feast on something as not physical as a soul.
What kind of power do they hold?
[00:45:50] Speaker B: I.
I don't know.
I don't.
I don't know what you mean. What kind of power do they hold?
Are you trying to fight one?
[00:46:02] Speaker F: Do, do they just do these things on a whim because they think it's fun? Or do they get anything out of it besides a snack?
I mean, this tea is lovely, but I can't see it satiating me for the long term. Something akin to that.
[00:46:20] Speaker B: No one really knows why they do what they do or where they came from. Some people think it's a twisted joke that the eldest have inflicted on our plane, letting these creatures in to cull the weak and prey on the helpless.
Others just think them animals. Animals with a horrifying intellect, but beasts nonetheless.
[00:46:42] Speaker F: Is there anything they do besides feasting on?
More or less. People like, can they conjure things or change outcomes or make parlor tricks?
[00:47:01] Speaker B: I mean, I don't really know what extent their powers are. There are stories, rumors, legends of all sorts of things they would do or claim to be capable of. But who knows if these are illusions or actual powers that they present. Some people say they can turn invisible. Others say that no lock can keep them out. Others say that they can turn into their shadows and meld with the darkness.
Personally, I think that they can invade your dreams.
[00:47:35] Speaker F: Say one had approached someone and offered them something in exchange for something else. Do you think they would hold up to that?
Or do you think maybe they would just be doing it for their own gain?
[00:47:55] Speaker B: She very nearly drops her teacup before regaining her composure.
Are you implying that someone you know has spoken with one of these creatures?
[00:48:07] Speaker F: Well, of course, it's. I mean, possibly. I. Like I said, it's been. It's been an interest to me for. For about a month or so now, and I've just been. I've been reading up on it and just looking at encounters, trying to find more information about documented information.
[00:48:25] Speaker B: Someone you know, are they seeing it?
[00:48:28] Speaker F: I believe so, yes.
[00:48:31] Speaker B: How long?
[00:48:34] Speaker F: About the same time I've been interested in looking into it.
It was what sparked the gain of knowledge.
[00:48:42] Speaker B: She reaches out and puts a hand on your wrist.
I'm afraid they don't have much time left.
If they've been seeing it for a couple months, it won't be long now before it strikes.
[00:48:58] Speaker F: Zafir sets down his tea and stands up. He can't stand too tall, but he straightens up and he says, thank you, Aurora. This has been lovely. For lack of a better term.
I believe I need to go.
[00:49:21] Speaker B: She looks like she wants to say something, wants to provide some words of comfort, but just closes her mouth and nods.
[00:49:32] Speaker F: Thank you.
And he goes to the door, says, make sure and lock up after I've left.
Thank you again.
Good night.
Hopefully I'll be back to see the others at near future.
[00:49:56] Speaker B: And as Zafir leaves out the door of the bells and thistles, the camera pulls back and we are just looking down the hallway of the darkening house in the gloom of the approaching night. To see Aurora just barely lit by the crackling fire as she puts her teacup down and buries her face in her hands.
The camera now turns to the side and as the darkened door frame passes over the camera, wipe transition. And we're now turning and looking into the danish room of the dancing fairy as Zafir is just entering and closing the door behind him.
[00:50:39] Speaker F: Zafir walks in immediately, goes to any port of the room, closes the windows, seals up any cracks in the door, just to make sure that no light is entering the room.
And he goes to the center of the room, sits down on the floor.
The only hint of light in the room is a dull glow of the red of his eyes, and you hear him slowly muttering to himself, do it.
Just call them.
Just get it over with.
Boogeyman, if that is your name.
I request an audience with you.
Boogeyman, whatever we call you, come and speak to me.
You said you'd be listening, and I'm here to talk.
[00:52:00] Speaker B: And the only answer is silence.
[00:52:05] Speaker F: All right.
If you won't talk to me, then I will talk to you.
I've put a lot of thought into this, and I.
I need some answers before I am to fulfill this deed that you've asked of me.
Since I'm not going to get the answers, I want you to listen.
In order for a deal to be made, there must be something that is guaranteed.
How do I know that you'll follow through?
And again, I know that you're not going to answer. But think about it.
I won't make my decision until I know.
I also want to know.
Was it you that took my family?
If so, how? Did you do it yourself? Or did you have someone else's hands do it as you've asked mine?
If it wasn't you, then who?
I know you know things about me that I don't.
And I know that you're watching me.
And I know that you're keeping an eye on the things that I do.
[00:53:47] Speaker B: There's the sound of a creaking floorboard behind you.
[00:53:50] Speaker F: Ah, there you are.
[00:53:54] Speaker E: I.
[00:53:57] Speaker F: You don't have to respond, but it would be appreciated.
Zefir slowly pulls out the dagger that he gave him and he holds it up besides his head in the darkness.
Has this dagger ever been used before?
And if not, I would love to know where you get them, as it seems you've been able to pass them out before.
He pulls out the other dagger, and with his dark vision, he kind of looks at both of them, comparing the two back to back one with slight corrosion from a bloodstain that was never washed off. The other one pristine.
What if I don't agree?
What will you do to me then?
Why did you choose me to do this?
[00:55:12] Speaker B: You feel a long, clammy, spindly hand. Slowly, finger by finger, place itself on your left shoulder.
[00:55:24] Speaker F: I knew you were here.
[00:55:27] Speaker B: A warm breath on your right ear.
You don't know how hard it is. Is not to kill you right now.
And the fingers close tighter on your shoulder until the nails are almost breaking skin.
It'd be so easy.
Just a little twist and snap.
But no, no. And the hand loosens up again.
You're destined for so much more, so much more than a mere meal.
But you don't know. You don't know, little rabbit. What a delicacy you are.
[00:56:28] Speaker F: You've heard my questions and still you refuse to answer.
[00:56:35] Speaker B: And you've heard my demands. And you have not yet acted.
Are you going to let this opportunity slip past?
[00:56:46] Speaker F: How do I know there is even an opportunity? How can I tell that you will deliver?
[00:56:57] Speaker B: Do you have the option to find out?
[00:57:04] Speaker F: I will make this decision only when the opportunity presents itself.
[00:57:12] Speaker B: I can be understanding. And the fingers are sort of like one by one, lifting and grabbing a just kind of playing around on your shoulder. I know you've been busy and they are so far away, but it's very hard, you understand, little rabbit, to be alone in the dark with you like this and let you walk back out again.
I promise you. And the fingers slowly walk their way up your shoulder and wrap around your neck.
Next time we meet, there will be a body.
[00:58:04] Speaker F: You are dismissed.
[00:58:11] Speaker B: You think you're in control.
And then suddenly, with a snap, you wake up and you're lying on the floor in your room.
[00:58:27] Speaker F: I need to talk to Albert.
[00:58:31] Speaker B: And that is where we'll end this episode.
This has been an atomic broadcasting production. Pathfinder, Galarian and the lost omens world setting are copyright of Paizo more
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[00:59:04] Speaker D: More like a stage play.
[00:59:07] Speaker E: Val enters stage kitchen door.
[00:59:11] Speaker D: Validity.
