EP. 82 Tomgruv's Most Wanted

[00:00:05] Speaker A: You are listening to an atomic broadcasting production. So sit back, relax and enjoy the feature presentation. And remember, do your part. Such as like comment rate. And don't forget to tell a friend to tune in for an atomic time. [00:00:31] Speaker B: No. Where did we leave off? Ah, yes. During their rabbit hunt, Val and Zafir found Lena in the woods and sent her to meet her family in the tavern. Meanwhile, an enforcer brought food to Neros in her cell and she attempted to charm his him. So I have in front of me an Olive Garden chocolate. Like those Andy's mints. [00:01:06] Speaker C: Never mind. I don't want to hear your story. [00:01:08] Speaker D: I. I kind of do. [00:01:10] Speaker E: He unwrapped it. He. I can see it. [00:01:12] Speaker A: Yeah, you have to eat it now. [00:01:13] Speaker B: I. I will. [00:01:14] Speaker D: Oh, please don't. [00:01:14] Speaker B: I will. When somebody else is talking. [00:01:17] Speaker E: No, tell your story. [00:01:18] Speaker B: But what reminds. Do we really want chewing sounds in the show? [00:01:24] Speaker E: Speak French while eating. [00:01:25] Speaker D: It wouldn't be the first time. It wouldn't be our first time that our episodes featured petite's mouth noises. [00:01:33] Speaker E: Not eating the chocolate. Tell your story. Dang it. [00:01:36] Speaker B: So back when I was in college. [00:01:38] Speaker A: Oh, I remember this time, back when. [00:01:42] Speaker B: I was in college, there was a guy that I knew who was same major as me, actually, same focus as me. Went on a trip with this guy. And there became a meme as we went along this trip that this guy, let's call him George Jorge. The meme was, George is the most attractive guy ever. [00:02:05] Speaker E: I want that meme to be me. [00:02:07] Speaker B: The reason this happened was because it started when we got on the plane to leave for the trip and the other guys, there were four of us total in the trip. And we all noticed that the female flight attendant was like acting differently around George. She was giving him more attention and speaking in a different tone of voice to him. When she left, we turned to him and was like, was she into you or something? And he just looks at us and he's like, this happens all the time. [00:02:38] Speaker C: It's like. It's like. It's like you at a Wendy's. [00:02:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:43] Speaker D: Wait, what's this have to do. [00:02:44] Speaker B: That's a different story. [00:02:45] Speaker A: That's a different story. [00:02:46] Speaker D: What's this have to do with the mint? [00:02:48] Speaker B: So at this point we're like, does it really? And we start paying attention. And for the rest of the trip, like every time we meet some female of his age, it's like a 50, 50, whether or not they're going to be obviously flirting with him. And eventually this builds up to the point where we go out to An Olive Garden for dinner. And when the meal is over, she brings the bill and everything, and she has the candies of like, hey, thanks for coming here. And there's, you know, two candies for that guy, two candies for this guy, two candies for me, and then just a handful of candies. Oh, no, I'm sorry. I misremembered. It's literally a water cup filled with candies that she sets down in front of him. [00:03:29] Speaker C: Did he ask for that? Are you sure? [00:03:32] Speaker B: We were. I don't think he even left the table to go to the bathroom. We were all there the whole time. So then she leaves, and he looks at us and he's like, anybody want some candy? [00:03:45] Speaker C: I want a water cup full of Andes mints. [00:03:48] Speaker D: I hate those Andes mints. But, like, I also want a water cup full of Andy. [00:03:53] Speaker C: I hate you. [00:03:54] Speaker B: Oh, good. [00:03:55] Speaker C: I don't like you anymore. This is. [00:03:56] Speaker D: I'm glad it's finally outbreaking. [00:03:58] Speaker E: All over a mint. Guys, come on. [00:04:01] Speaker D: Well, this will be my last episode. Sam's gonna kick me out. Wait, Fine. [00:04:04] Speaker E: We'll send out Sam, go to the fridge. [00:04:08] Speaker C: Maybe I can finish some scripts. [00:04:11] Speaker A: I kind of want to follow up with your story. [00:04:14] Speaker E: I think we all do, but I don't know where it's going to go. [00:04:17] Speaker B: You mean the Wendy's? [00:04:18] Speaker A: Yes, the Wendy's. [00:04:19] Speaker C: Okay, I believe we've discussed this already. [00:04:21] Speaker D: I don't remember the Wendy's. [00:04:23] Speaker A: You weren't. [00:04:23] Speaker C: Have we not. [00:04:24] Speaker A: Were you there? [00:04:25] Speaker E: This is a Wendy's. [00:04:25] Speaker C: Were you there? [00:04:26] Speaker A: Were you? [00:04:27] Speaker D: My question is, do we have time for the Wendy's? [00:04:30] Speaker C: I'm halfway certain we may have already talked about this on mic. [00:04:33] Speaker B: You know what? Sam's right. Wendy's can wait another day. [00:04:37] Speaker C: Screw you, Wendy's and your ever changing prices. [00:04:40] Speaker E: I mean, most restaurants change. [00:04:42] Speaker D: This is an actual play podcast. [00:04:45] Speaker B: Speaking of an actual play podcast, let's jump back into things. So right at the end of last episode, we had a really exciting cliffhanger where Neros had attempted to charm the enforcer that was giving her the dinner and the prison she was in. So we're going to pick things back up with Alward entering the miner's pick. [00:05:07] Speaker F: We don't even get to resolve that. [00:05:10] Speaker B: We'll get back to it. [00:05:12] Speaker F: That's just rude. [00:05:15] Speaker D: Time sense. How many hours do I have until my meeting? [00:05:19] Speaker B: Depending on how quickly Rayquist gets here, from afterwork between an hour to an hour and a half. [00:05:25] Speaker D: I got so much waiting time. We'll grab that booth over there and wait for Leena I guess maybe I'm gonna go cook some food while we wait and I'm just gonna go off to the tavern kitchen. [00:05:44] Speaker B: As you walk past the bar, you look behind it and you see. [00:05:50] Speaker A: What? [00:05:50] Speaker F: What was that? [00:05:51] Speaker B: What? [00:05:51] Speaker D: Is that your. [00:05:53] Speaker B: Is that the Pepsi can? [00:05:55] Speaker E: Can it. [00:05:57] Speaker B: Pepsi. It'll interrupt your recordings. [00:06:01] Speaker F: Was that the Pepsi can? [00:06:03] Speaker D: Spend not. [00:06:04] Speaker A: Sponsored I, I, I squeezed my Pepsi can a little hard and left a dent, but I didn't want to undo the dent because I was afraid it'd make a sound. [00:06:13] Speaker D: It had other plans. [00:06:15] Speaker B: Pepsi said you killed it. [00:06:17] Speaker C: Self repairing Pepsi can. [00:06:18] Speaker A: It was all for naught, apparently. [00:06:22] Speaker B: Anyway, so as you walk past the bar, you look behind it and you see the barkeep, a familiar figure to you since he used to live here, and he's bent over the floor and just, like, nailing a board down. [00:06:36] Speaker D: Good. That would have been a tripping hazard as I just continued to walk back. [00:06:40] Speaker B: Oh, board. [00:06:43] Speaker D: I'm going to make some, some food while I wait, because I don't want to deal with questions. [00:06:52] Speaker A: Just walk into the kitchen and make food. [00:06:54] Speaker D: I have done this at every tavern I've been to. It is a consistent thing, and this. [00:07:01] Speaker B: One'S used to it. So, Alward, what are you making? [00:07:06] Speaker D: I feel like I make too many stews. Give me a second. [00:07:09] Speaker C: Good. Make a chili or just pops in. [00:07:12] Speaker B: The back and makes a rabbit stew. [00:07:15] Speaker C: I found this rabbit near the blackberries. [00:07:18] Speaker E: You know, chili is just stew with more steps, basically. [00:07:23] Speaker B: It technically is a stew with more steps. [00:07:27] Speaker E: Is cereal a soup? [00:07:30] Speaker C: That's not even. [00:07:31] Speaker D: I'm going to make a dish from cured salmon with salt and sugar. I'm not gonna pronounce that name better than sick salmon. [00:07:40] Speaker B: All right, so, Alward, as you're stepping out of the kitchen with your dish of cured salmon, salt and sugar. [00:07:47] Speaker D: G, R, A, B, L, A, X, Garblax. [00:07:52] Speaker B: Okay. [00:07:53] Speaker E: Theologically accurate. Are there salmon in this area? [00:07:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:07:57] Speaker E: Okay. [00:07:57] Speaker B: So, Alward, as you step out of the kitchen with your snorlax, you see a short figure with a hood pulled up around his face, and he's stepping into the building and just furtively looking around like he's in a spy movie. [00:08:14] Speaker E: It's not me, I promise. [00:08:16] Speaker D: I'm gonna go to my table, sit down, give my mom her food, sit down. Has Lena arrived? All while staring at the small person. [00:08:28] Speaker B: With the hood, and your mom's like, no, not yet. Is that short fellow staring at you? [00:08:37] Speaker D: I don't know. [00:08:39] Speaker B: The hooded figure is trying to look casual as he's walking towards your table. [00:08:46] Speaker D: I think he's coming over here now. What time? And I cast time sense again to know if it's around the time I'm expecting to meet a short individual here. [00:08:58] Speaker B: It's just after 4:00, so still almost an hour early. [00:09:03] Speaker D: Oh, okay. Yeah. I don't know who. As he gets closer. Who are you? [00:09:10] Speaker B: Just a wandering traveler. Ryquist says. [00:09:19] Speaker D: How are you here? Shouldn't you be at work? [00:09:23] Speaker B: Oh, you know, when he sits down at the table with you, us wandering travelers come and go as we please. [00:09:30] Speaker D: Right? Let's have our conversation over there. And I point to a table across the tavern and yes, all right, I'll wander on over. [00:09:44] Speaker B: And he starts awkwardly walking across the tower. [00:09:49] Speaker D: I think he's nervous about being seen here. And then I'm gonna go over to wherever I pointed. Do you have to hide under the hood? [00:10:01] Speaker B: Alward, it's me, Rayquist. [00:10:03] Speaker D: Yes, Master Rayquist. I know. Do you have to hide under the hood? [00:10:07] Speaker B: It's probably best if I'm not seen talking to you. [00:10:11] Speaker D: I mean, I know I'm not with the company anymore, but I mean, we left on decently amicable terms. What? [00:10:20] Speaker B: Albert, what have you been doing? [00:10:25] Speaker D: That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about, but I was hoping not to do it so soon. [00:10:30] Speaker B: He reaches out and like, gently, like, you know, like old people do, just like, puts a hand on your hand. He's like, alward, it's fine. I can hide you. I just need to know what's going on. [00:10:41] Speaker D: Hide me? I mean, I was gonna ask if you can hold my family up for a bit, but I don't think I need hidden. What are you talking about? [00:10:50] Speaker B: You don't know? [00:10:52] Speaker D: Don't know what? [00:10:53] Speaker B: He looks around the room again. Howard, you're wanted for murder. [00:10:58] Speaker D: I haven't murdered anyone. [00:11:00] Speaker B: That is exactly what I thought. I knew you didn't have it in you, but I do. I don't know what's going on. [00:11:07] Speaker D: I don't know if I should take that as an insult. Well, how long have I been wanted for murder? [00:11:20] Speaker B: Just. It's only been a couple days. [00:11:25] Speaker D: Oh. As sort of like a realization appears on Award's face. And he's like that. I didn't murder anybody, but that. That does make sense. [00:11:37] Speaker B: How does that make sense? [00:11:38] Speaker D: I'll tell you in a minute. First I want to know, is it Awdyr? [00:11:45] Speaker B: Yes. [00:11:46] Speaker D: Okay. First I need to know anything you can tell me about Aadir and their ties to the company. [00:11:54] Speaker B: He is. Well, he Is bankrolling a lot of things here. He's the landlord for everything. Oh, yeah, yeah. He owns the mine that. [00:12:11] Speaker D: Why didn't we buy the mine? [00:12:14] Speaker B: Ardia wasn't selling. [00:12:16] Speaker D: Right. That makes things a lot more difficult than I was hoping. I was really hoping it was the other way around and we were bankrolling them or you were bankrolling them. [00:12:26] Speaker B: Yeah, no, a lot of the funds are coming from us, but he could just kick us out, right? [00:12:34] Speaker D: Do you know anything about his family? [00:12:36] Speaker B: I know you're said to have murdered part of it. [00:12:40] Speaker D: We'll get to that, I promise. And our leans in conspiratorially and is like, look, um, their family is trying to. Well, they're trying to like, bring back a dead king and take over this land by force. Also, they like, are just doing general crime. [00:13:02] Speaker B: I know. [00:13:04] Speaker D: Wait, about the crime or the dead king? [00:13:07] Speaker B: Well, okay, so technically I knew about both of them, but I didn't believe the first one until very recently. [00:13:13] Speaker D: How did you know about the first one? [00:13:15] Speaker B: Aldia comes by and he talks about things and I just thought he was crazy. You know, Rich people are crazy. [00:13:23] Speaker D: Yeah, give or take. I'm with the group of people who have been sort of systematically and actively trying to stop them. [00:13:38] Speaker B: I had heard rumors, but I did not believe them. [00:13:44] Speaker D: I'm sure you that those rumors are false, but yes. [00:13:51] Speaker B: I couldn't have asked that part of the conversation to go any better. Please resume. [00:13:56] Speaker D: So we went to talk to Branger and it didn't go well. And he attacked us. And he is with Pharasma now. I didn't do it. I don't know which one of us did, but yes. [00:14:17] Speaker B: So how is this not murder? [00:14:21] Speaker D: He attacked us. We were trying to be amicable, wanting him to stop whatever he was doing. [00:14:31] Speaker B: Halward, I'm afraid it's going to be your word against theirs. [00:14:35] Speaker D: I understand that now. [00:14:37] Speaker B: How are you at legal lore? [00:14:41] Speaker D: I wouldn't say I'm trained quite yet, but. So that kind of explains that. Could you do me a favor and hold my family up until I can buy a house, which is going to be very difficult now that I'm wanted. [00:15:00] Speaker B: I'll do what I can. I don't have a lot of room in my apartments, but I understand the situation. And Alward, I know you well. I know if someone had to die. And you say that it was an accident and he was attacking you. I believe you. [00:15:16] Speaker D: And I get in real close again. Don't. Don't tell her how I left the company. [00:15:24] Speaker B: Alward. You haven't told your mother? [00:15:27] Speaker D: I don't want her to blame herself. Um, she knows I'm not with the company anymore. [00:15:35] Speaker B: Well, that does make this less awkward. Marginally. [00:15:40] Speaker D: I'm. I'm sorry to ask so much of you, my old friend. I just. Things are really tense in the area and I don't want. I can't go back to Chalyhacks, so I say so. [00:15:59] Speaker B: So. Is it true? [00:16:03] Speaker D: What? [00:16:04] Speaker B: True you're part of the Resistance? [00:16:11] Speaker D: I wouldn't necessarily call us that. We haven't really met with any other parts of the resistance. We're just trying to stop bad people from doing bad things. Where did you hear that? Albert. [00:16:24] Speaker B: I'm proud of you. [00:16:27] Speaker D: Did you hear that? From my landlord. [00:16:30] Speaker B: He didn't say who he was. [00:16:33] Speaker D: He wraps himself in shadow, but I can tell. [00:16:39] Speaker B: But I can tell you he was at least twice as skilled in the arts of subterfuge as I am. [00:16:44] Speaker D: You're skilled in the art of subterfuge? [00:16:47] Speaker B: I got this far, haven't I? And he puts his hood back up. [00:16:54] Speaker D: Well, I really did hope for a more non businessy meetup to begin with and then sort of get into things, but I. Thank you. I'll. Do you still live? [00:17:07] Speaker B: Yes. Yes. Still the same place. [00:17:09] Speaker D: Okay. I'll inform my mom. It's just going to be her and Lena. You don't have to worry about me for now. And then I kind of chuckle at my own statement. [00:17:22] Speaker B: Right. You keep making the world better, and I'll make sure that your mother and your sister are looking after. Looking after. [00:17:35] Speaker D: On a lighter note, have you been able to go to that coffee shop I talked to you about? [00:17:39] Speaker B: Yes, I did go once or twice. My favorite roast was the. The. The. I wanted to say Himalayan, but it's not the Himalayas. [00:17:49] Speaker C: The Mind Spin Mountains. [00:17:53] Speaker B: I'm gonna use it then. My favorite was the Mind Spin Yeti roast. [00:17:59] Speaker D: Oh, that's strong. But that is a good one. [00:18:02] Speaker B: It didn't quite make my mind spin as much as I thought it would. [00:18:05] Speaker D: Well, that's just. The mountains are. Nick, it's fine. [00:18:10] Speaker B: That makes sense. [00:18:12] Speaker D: I don't want to keep you if you're worried about being seen, but if you would like, I would enjoy talking with you a little while longer. [00:18:21] Speaker B: I should have some time. It does seem fairly empty here, and it's good to catch up. [00:18:29] Speaker D: I think we're just gonna sit there and talk about all the goings on. [00:18:34] Speaker B: As they continue the conversation, we're gonna go ahead and switch our focus back to the Enforcer's headquarters in the back, halfway into the cellar in the prisons as Jeremy the guard looks back up from the tray of food he'd been pushing into the cell and he just locks eyes with Neros and just goes, oh, you're right, this isn't enough. You need better food than this. And he pulls the tray back and he's like, wait right there. Just one moment, Jeremy. [00:19:12] Speaker F: Yes, Just a second. While you're getting that, could you show me where the kitchen is? [00:19:25] Speaker B: I mean, look, I like you, really, but I mean, I could get in huge trouble for letting you out. [00:19:35] Speaker F: No one has to know. [00:19:39] Speaker B: There are. There are other guards out there. They will see. I mean, come on, surely there's something else. [00:19:48] Speaker F: I can think of something. Something else. And I cast illusory disguise on myself to make me look like one of the Enforcers. [00:20:01] Speaker D: Solid. [00:20:02] Speaker B: I mean, that's a really clever trick. I think that should fool anybody who doesn't know you as well as I do. So he turns around and grabs some keys off the wall and opens the door. [00:20:21] Speaker F: Thank you, Jeremy. I think this is the beginning of a very beautiful friendship. Now, the kitchen. [00:20:31] Speaker B: Yes. You look like you're trying to be David. [00:20:38] Speaker F: Sure. [00:20:38] Speaker B: So I'll just have to call you David once we're out of here. [00:20:41] Speaker F: That works as long as I don't have to talk. [00:20:45] Speaker B: Okay. Okay, follow me then, David. She gestures like, after you, and Jeremy turns, leads you up the steps into the full, like actual first level of the Enforcer's headquarters. And you're now out in the hallway. And he just kind of tips his head to the right and then starts going down that way. [00:21:12] Speaker F: I need you to first go get my stuff. [00:21:17] Speaker B: Oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, your stuff. I mean, I mean. Okay, as long as we put it back when we're done. I don't think that should be too big of an issue. [00:21:27] Speaker F: We'll put it back. [00:21:28] Speaker B: Yeah. So it's actually just right here. And he goes over to like a locker on the side of the room and opens it up. [00:21:35] Speaker F: Perfect. [00:21:36] Speaker B: Okay, so this was yours. This was yours. Pulls out like a sack. I don't think this was. You know, let's just take it. We can put it back later. [00:21:46] Speaker F: Yeah, yeah, let's just take it. Okay. Yeah. Which way to the kitchen? [00:21:53] Speaker B: It's. Once we go through this door here, it's to the right. I'll show you. I follow, and just down the hallway leads you into a rather spacious and warmly lit kitchen. There's a bread oven and various different locations for cooking. They've got a fairly large number of enforcers to feed out of this kitchen. [00:22:19] Speaker F: Is there anyone else there? [00:22:21] Speaker B: There is a cook. She appears to be a dwarven woman. [00:22:26] Speaker F: Okay, is there anyone out in the hall? [00:22:30] Speaker B: You passed by one other enforcer on your way by, just kind of standing guard by the entrance to. [00:22:38] Speaker F: So they weren't coming in? [00:22:39] Speaker B: Nope. They were just standing there. [00:22:40] Speaker F: Okay, I'm going to lean over to Jeremy and whisper. Is there a door that leads outside? [00:22:48] Speaker B: He nods and just kind of dips his head towards the opposite side of the room where there appears to be a door going outside. [00:22:54] Speaker F: Let's go out for a smoke break. [00:22:57] Speaker B: He nods and then turns to the cook and is like, david and I are going to head out back for smoke break. She just looks up and is like, that time already. He's like, david's getting off early today, so I was just going to go out with him now. [00:23:22] Speaker F: Are you rolling? [00:23:23] Speaker D: Deception. [00:23:25] Speaker B: Isolde shrugs and goes back to what she's doing. [00:23:30] Speaker F: Nice. [00:23:31] Speaker B: So Jeremy leads you to the opposite side of the kitchen, opens the door for you, and then kind of catches himself and just kind of goes out and just lets the door swing to you as you're following him. [00:23:46] Speaker F: I walk outside and I shut the door behind me. [00:23:51] Speaker B: All right, what are we doing? [00:23:57] Speaker F: Well, this is the part where I say that I'm sorry and I punch him. [00:24:04] Speaker B: Ooh, I'll need a strike check. [00:24:11] Speaker E: GWIB's never got this kind of punishment. [00:24:15] Speaker D: Quips didn't deserve it. [00:24:18] Speaker F: Just to be safe, I'm going to use a hero point. It wasn't bad, but I would like to see if I can roll higher. That's better. Not by much. That'll be a 23. [00:24:38] Speaker B: So him just having stepped outside with his new friend, he's not expecting this and he's flat footed. So you get a critical success with your punch and he's just kind of staggers for a little bit and then crumbles. [00:24:53] Speaker F: Perfect. I really am sorry, Jeremy, but I'm not. I'm not going down for this. And I run far, far away. [00:25:03] Speaker B: Run where? [00:25:06] Speaker F: The last I knew, all my friends were at the tavern. So I'm going to go back to the tavern. [00:25:11] Speaker B: All right. [00:25:13] Speaker F: Still disguised as an enforcer, we're going. [00:25:17] Speaker B: To go ahead and change focus to Einar and Einar, you were heading out of town, right? [00:25:23] Speaker A: I was. Einar, immediately after leaving the guard house, or whatever it's called, he doesn't go to the tavern, he doesn't go to Alward's House. He takes a meandering route out of town, and specifically out of town where there's a clearing between the town and where the woods start. Though he's trying not to make it obvious, he's casually just checking, tracking behind him. [00:25:57] Speaker B: What's your perception bonus? [00:26:00] Speaker A: Sixteen. [00:26:04] Speaker B: Inar. There's an enforcer following you. [00:26:08] Speaker A: How many? Just one. [00:26:09] Speaker B: Just one. [00:26:11] Speaker A: He. [00:26:11] Speaker B: He's kind of keeping his distance, but you notice that, like, you know, after you take a turn and you kind of slow down a little bit and kind of just watch over your shoulder, he'll, like, start around the corner and then pull back and wait for you to get a little distance. [00:26:28] Speaker A: Noticing this, Einar kind of just inwardly nods its head, like, kind of figured and walks out of town just towards the woods, just to see if he'd follow him out there. [00:26:42] Speaker B: As you make your way out of town, at first he's kind of drifting further and further back and keeping more distance. But the further you get out of town, the more he starts closing that distance. [00:26:53] Speaker A: I'll make it to the treeline and try to just get out of line of sight. [00:27:01] Speaker B: What's your stealth bonus? [00:27:02] Speaker A: 11. [00:27:05] Speaker B: So you duck behind some trees, break some line of sight, and you feel fairly confident that you've actually lost him. And paying close attention, you listen for his footsteps, and you hear him begin to pick up the pace. And you feel pretty sure that he also believes that he has lost you. As you're listening, you hear something that sounds like it could be an opportunity, as he is now moving at a near jog and is shortly about to pass right next to the tree that you're behind. [00:27:42] Speaker A: Okay. Einar ambushes him. [00:27:49] Speaker B: All right, and how do you do that? [00:27:52] Speaker A: He grabs a nearby branch and just goes to club him. [00:27:59] Speaker B: Gotcha. Go ahead and make a strike check for me. Which is just like your normal weapon roll. [00:28:05] Speaker D: Okay. [00:28:06] Speaker B: Since we're playing with automatic bonus, technically it's an improvised weapon, so it'd be with a minus two. [00:28:13] Speaker A: Well, that'd be a 33 with a minus two. [00:28:16] Speaker B: What would you like to happen to him? [00:28:22] Speaker A: Him crumple. [00:28:25] Speaker B: So you're going for, like a full knockout or just stun? [00:28:28] Speaker A: Full knockout. [00:28:29] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. He comes jogging around the corner. Your tree limb clips him in the head. His head stays behind. His legs go out from under him, and he just collapses into the underbrush and he is out cold. [00:28:42] Speaker A: Einar comes out and looks down at him. This is not going how I thought it would go. How did they fight? Oh, that's how they found out. All Right. This can be fixed. Ish. And he again looks down at the guard, just picks him up, goes a little bit deeper into the woods and hog ties him up, lifts him into the air because he doesn't want him to be in range of any animals. But the dudes gagged and tied up. And as best as he can that he can't move or make a sound. [00:29:28] Speaker B: As you're finishing this, Zafir and Val, you come out of the woods to find Einar hoisting a hogtied and gagged enforcer into a tree. [00:29:43] Speaker E: Ainar, I didn't know you had a dark side. [00:29:49] Speaker A: No, this is more. [00:29:52] Speaker C: Is that man okay, Einar? [00:29:55] Speaker A: He's fine. [00:29:56] Speaker E: You can see him breathing. [00:29:57] Speaker A: I mean, he'll have a splitting headache and he'll probably be a bit numb. [00:30:02] Speaker E: Oh, just in case, you should probably fix the gag there. It looks like if he just slid something in his mouth, it'd probably fall out. So you should probably get that a little tighter. [00:30:12] Speaker A: Einar just looks as if here looks up at the guard, reaches up and fixes the gag. [00:30:18] Speaker C: As you said. [00:30:20] Speaker A: Thank you. Okay, so Neros is captured. You all are wanted. We all are wanted for murder. And Neros is in the guardhouse. Captured. Like I said before, when I started this. [00:30:36] Speaker C: When did we murder anyone? [00:30:39] Speaker A: We did just kill an Aerid, so. [00:30:40] Speaker C: We didn't murder him. He's trying to kill us. [00:30:42] Speaker A: They don't kill that they don't care. [00:30:46] Speaker C: Why wouldn't they care? They're enforcers. They are officers of the law. [00:30:51] Speaker A: They're on the payroll of the Eridsons. Keep up. [00:30:53] Speaker C: Wait, what? [00:30:54] Speaker E: This isn't the first time I've been wanted for murder. [00:30:56] Speaker C: So that explains. [00:30:57] Speaker A: That explains a lot. Well, I mean, background. Yes, that makes sense. [00:31:03] Speaker C: So we can't trust anyone who's a guard. [00:31:06] Speaker A: Did you just fly? Did you just figure this out? [00:31:08] Speaker C: Well, not only been around a place as guards, it just looks. [00:31:13] Speaker A: Oh, right, okay. Ericsson's crime family, right? They have people on payroll and anywhere they have operations. Tom Grove is part of their operations. [00:31:24] Speaker C: There are guards that accept money from criminals. [00:31:27] Speaker A: Absolutely. [00:31:28] Speaker E: Lots of them. I've. I've had lots. [00:31:30] Speaker C: Never mind what, breaking their oaths like that. [00:31:34] Speaker A: Yes, Easy. Quite easy, actually. You'd be surprised, huh? [00:31:39] Speaker C: All this changes everything, right? [00:31:43] Speaker A: So we don't trust everyone we meet. [00:31:46] Speaker C: I'm aware. I'm learning. [00:31:50] Speaker E: Do you know where our family is? [00:31:52] Speaker A: I don't. [00:31:53] Speaker C: They're at the tavern. [00:31:55] Speaker E: I was just checking in. Casey knew. [00:31:57] Speaker A: In fact, the only reason I know about this is Because. Because I saw her getting taken to the guard house. I went in to go post bail because I thought she just caused some mischief. [00:32:05] Speaker C: So. [00:32:05] Speaker A: And then I found out and I saw my own poster in there. [00:32:09] Speaker E: Wait, so why didn't you get arrested? [00:32:11] Speaker A: Probably because they wanted me to sniff out all of you. [00:32:14] Speaker D: Oh. [00:32:15] Speaker A: So hence this guard that was following me. [00:32:18] Speaker C: We need to make sure. [00:32:18] Speaker A: They're probably looking for him soon. [00:32:20] Speaker C: So we need to make sure ours family's safe. [00:32:22] Speaker A: Absolutely. [00:32:23] Speaker C: And break Nero's out of jail and then get out of town. Down. [00:32:26] Speaker A: I'm gonna break near instead of jail. But you guys need to make sure our family is safe. [00:32:30] Speaker C: I mean, it should. If they're at the tavern, it should be a quick. Just swing by and we can still help you break near us out. [00:32:36] Speaker E: I'm not going to the tavern. [00:32:39] Speaker A: Then you come with me. [00:32:40] Speaker E: Yes. I have broken people out of prison before. [00:32:44] Speaker A: Perfect. You go make sure our family is out of town and safe. [00:32:50] Speaker C: Okay. [00:32:50] Speaker A: They need to leave now. [00:32:51] Speaker C: Okay. [00:32:52] Speaker A: Because they will be implicated if they don't already know. [00:32:56] Speaker E: Among other things. [00:32:59] Speaker C: Right. Okay. [00:33:02] Speaker A: He just looks at you weirdly. [00:33:05] Speaker C: I could have cigar and check on them. I could still go with you. [00:33:10] Speaker A: A smaller team would be best. [00:33:11] Speaker C: That's. That's fair. It's understandable. Okay, I'll go do it. I'll take care of him and see if I can find Alward. Hopefully he's with them. And I'll let him know everything that's going on as well. [00:33:23] Speaker A: Perfect. [00:33:24] Speaker C: I'll tell him all about the crime family paying in forces. [00:33:27] Speaker A: You. You see, Einar, take off his cloak. That woolen cloak that he's always worn. And carefully fold it up. And then pull out something that'd be very familiar to all of you. The wolf cloak. [00:33:47] Speaker C: Oh, Brain gear. [00:33:49] Speaker A: Brain gear's wolf cloak. [00:33:50] Speaker C: Oh, wow. [00:33:51] Speaker E: What a. What a thing to get us in more trouble. [00:33:55] Speaker C: You have that thing? [00:33:56] Speaker A: Yes. I kept it. [00:33:58] Speaker E: Oh, it is very nice. [00:34:01] Speaker C: I thought maybe it was just gone because I heard he turned it to giant wolf monster. [00:34:07] Speaker A: Yes, he did. But he turned back. [00:34:10] Speaker C: Oh. Oh, well, that's nice that the magic is fine. [00:34:14] Speaker E: He's dead. There's no more magic. [00:34:18] Speaker C: I think that that click's probably still magical. [00:34:22] Speaker E: Oh, I thought it was just him. [00:34:25] Speaker C: Oh, he's. Man. I don't know what's. [00:34:29] Speaker A: Look, I don't. I don't have much of a plan here. I just know we can't leave it in until tomorrow. [00:34:35] Speaker C: All right, I will. There's that clearing just over there. I'll get us out to there. And we'll wait for you if we can. We'll have Howard's family just go on without us. [00:34:46] Speaker A: Right. [00:34:47] Speaker C: But me and Alward should be here waiting for you. [00:34:49] Speaker E: I do want to make things clear as well. We do need to be out of here. Probably tonight. [00:34:57] Speaker A: Yes. Agreed. [00:34:58] Speaker C: Well, yeah. [00:35:00] Speaker E: Otherwise there. There's gonna be a lot of bad things happening. [00:35:04] Speaker C: Then we've been dealing with another bad thing. [00:35:09] Speaker A: Oh, you lot. Right? [00:35:13] Speaker D: Yes. [00:35:14] Speaker A: I don't have much of a plan here. The idea with this cloak is that I go in pretending to be one of his men or something. At night. [00:35:20] Speaker C: Oh. [00:35:22] Speaker E: Okay. [00:35:22] Speaker D: Okay. [00:35:23] Speaker A: Look, I don't want to kill anyone if I can. [00:35:26] Speaker C: Please don't. I would really appreciate if you didn't. [00:35:30] Speaker A: I know you would. [00:35:33] Speaker E: On the offhand, I will say that you do notice that my eyes are the light blue color that I mentioned earlier. [00:35:38] Speaker C: Oh, not the red anymore. [00:35:41] Speaker A: Not red. I don't think he's in a mindset to notice that right now. So I'll get to that later. [00:35:47] Speaker C: All right. I'm going now. Goodbye. Be safe. [00:35:52] Speaker E: Tell Albert that. Just say hi. [00:35:56] Speaker C: I think he'll understand. [00:35:58] Speaker A: Perfect. As Einar puts on the cloak. [00:36:03] Speaker B: It's warm and fits. Well. [00:36:07] Speaker C: I should note. I should note, as Val's going back in, she's going to put her helmet on when she goes into town. [00:36:15] Speaker D: The look on Sven's face of shock when nothing happened. [00:36:19] Speaker A: I haven't done a certain thing thing yet, and I'm holding off. [00:36:22] Speaker E: You start to feel an intense hunger for meat. [00:36:25] Speaker B: You could go for a steak. [00:36:28] Speaker A: That's Einar in general. [00:36:30] Speaker C: Oh, look. [00:36:30] Speaker B: There's a steak hanging from the tree. [00:36:35] Speaker C: Eat your friend. [00:36:37] Speaker B: We're gonna change scenes again. And now we are at the tavern where Alward and Rayquist are wrapping up the more friendship side of their conversation. Having concluded all of the important business talk. [00:36:55] Speaker D: It just occurred to me that the implications of what you told me way earlier. I'm gonna let you go. I need to. Well, would you take my family with you now? [00:37:07] Speaker B: Yes. Yes. Just to make sure that they are safe. Of course. [00:37:11] Speaker D: Okay. All right. I'm gonna walk over to my mom. I'm assuming Leena's there already. [00:37:17] Speaker B: Yes. The kids got here a while back. [00:37:21] Speaker D: So you're going to go with Master Rayquest here. He's going to hold you up for a while. You haven't seen me in about a month. Okay. [00:37:32] Speaker B: If anybody asks, Velia just nods and is like, I don't know what's going on. But you, you've been out Adventuring for a while. [00:37:42] Speaker D: You didn't see me today, right? [00:37:45] Speaker B: No. [00:37:46] Speaker D: Okay. I'm sorry. I was hoping that I would be able to stay longer this time, but I don't think. I don't think we'll be able to. [00:37:57] Speaker B: Albert, I understand. Sometimes the safest thing is if I just don't know what's going on. [00:38:07] Speaker D: I sort of nod, and then I'm going to nod to RayQuest as well, and then start heading out to find the others. [00:38:15] Speaker B: As you're heading in that direction, the door to the tavern opens and an enforcer steps inside. [00:38:27] Speaker E: Go to the bathroom and get out the window. [00:38:29] Speaker D: Go to the bathroom and get out the window. No, I'm at. At seeing that the room is going to freeze, and Alward's going to slip out past the enforcer as he cast time jump. [00:38:45] Speaker B: Nice. So, Alward, you are outside. Time resumes, and the enforcer looks around, walks up to the barkeeper and is like, I'm looking for some troublemakers. Barkeeper just stands up with a couple nails still in his mouth and a hammer and goes, well, who you looking for? And the enforcer pulls out a paper and starts laying out some wanted posters. And he's like, some murderers we have reason to believe are in town. The barkeeper kind of looks down at him, picks up like, a bottle of brandy, and just, like, sets it down on top of Alward's wanted poster, goes, oh, sorry about that. Now why don't you get out of my bar? The enforcer just looks at him, not even being subtle. He's like, I'll leave these posters here in case any of your patrons feel like they have a duty to society, and walks out of the tavern. After just another beat longer, another enforcer walks into the tavern. This one looks an awful lot like David. [00:40:03] Speaker E: It's actually David. [00:40:05] Speaker F: Is the other enforcer still there? [00:40:08] Speaker B: No, you passed him on your way in. [00:40:09] Speaker F: Oh, okay. Perfect. [00:40:11] Speaker C: David. See you tonight. [00:40:13] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:40:15] Speaker F: Yep, yep, yep. Mm. As I enter the tavern, I look around for any of my friends. [00:40:27] Speaker D: So I just realized, if she goes to ask anybody who knew I was here where I went, it's like he just kind of disappeared. [00:40:34] Speaker C: No one's gonna talk to an enforcer in that bar. [00:40:36] Speaker D: No. Cause since I cast time sense, it basically looks like I teleported. [00:40:40] Speaker F: You mean time jump? [00:40:41] Speaker D: Time jump. [00:40:42] Speaker B: You're just heading for the door. And the next thing everybody knows, oh, he's gone. I knew he was heading for the door, but I guess I just missed when he actually left. [00:40:49] Speaker E: Must have been the wind. [00:40:51] Speaker B: So inside there seems to be just like two or three patrons who are just kind of hanging out. But then in one corner of the room, there's a short hooded figure standing next to Valia and Lena and Diedrich. [00:41:05] Speaker F: Okay, I, I just, I. I have nothing to say to them. I turn around and leave. [00:41:17] Speaker B: So from the, from the tavern guards perspective, an enforcer walks in, tries to set up some wanted posters, gets a cold reception, so he leaves. Another enforcer just walks in, looks around and leaves. [00:41:30] Speaker F: I mean, for all they know that he's looking for the same people. [00:41:33] Speaker E: Yeah, the bartender could, like, would I give him a bad look, just like a scowl? [00:41:41] Speaker F: Would I see Alward anywhere? [00:41:43] Speaker D: I have no way to hide myself. [00:41:45] Speaker B: Yeah, unless. Alward. Unless you're, like, booking it as soon as you leave or using that, like, warp step to move particularly quickly. [00:41:53] Speaker D: I can only do that one more time, so, no, I can't. Yeah, I have no way to hide or anything. I just did that to get out of the door. And I guess I was panicking because I don't know where my friends are, so I'm just like. [00:42:07] Speaker B: Yeah. So Neros. Then as you step back out of the tavern, you would see Alward. You somehow missed him. Like, you never actually saw him leaving the tavern, but he's heading out of the square outside of the tavern. [00:42:21] Speaker F: Okay, I'm going to try and catch up to him. [00:42:27] Speaker D: So I see an enforcer chasing me, so I'm just going to, like, quicken his pace. As the enforcer following me quickens their. [00:42:38] Speaker F: Pace, I'm gonna look around for any other cops. Is there anyone. Are there any other cops around? [00:42:47] Speaker B: No. It's getting towards the end of the day and most people. People are, like, wrapping up their work and heading home. [00:42:52] Speaker F: Okay, I'm going to duck, like, I don't know, like, behind a crate or something, dismiss illusory disguise, and, like, try to catch up to Alward. [00:43:05] Speaker B: So Alward, you notice an enforcer following you, and you quicken your pace and you hear the enforcer quicken their pace. And then as you're starting to go a little faster, you hear the enforcer falter a bit, and now they're running even faster towards you. [00:43:19] Speaker D: Bolton, does it sound like the enforcer or you? [00:43:22] Speaker F: No, me, because I just dismissed the. [00:43:23] Speaker D: Spell sort of in a panic. Alward takes a minute to realize that it's a voice he recognizes and then turns around. Nero's. Oh, good. We're wanted for murder. [00:43:36] Speaker F: I know, I'm aware. We need to go. [00:43:39] Speaker D: I know where are the others? [00:43:40] Speaker F: I don't know. But. [00:43:41] Speaker D: What do you mean you don't know? [00:43:43] Speaker F: I don't know where they look. I just broke out of jail. We need to get out of town. [00:43:46] Speaker D: You went to jail? [00:43:47] Speaker B: Yes. [00:43:48] Speaker D: We have to find them. [00:43:50] Speaker F: I don't know where they are. We can't talk in the middle of the street. [00:43:54] Speaker B: Okay, Neros and Alward, as you're having this discussion, you hear hurried footfalls coming down the road towards you. [00:44:02] Speaker D: You're good at hiding. [00:44:03] Speaker F: What do we do? Get over there. And we duck into an alley. [00:44:08] Speaker B: And as you are awaiting in that alley, then you see Val go running by. [00:44:13] Speaker D: Oh. [00:44:16] Speaker C: She stops. She has, like, her whole armor, like, her helmets on and everything, and she's like, oh, hello. Yes, I was about to tell you all. We're wanted for murders in jail. I'm right here. All right. Hi. [00:44:30] Speaker F: I was in jail. [00:44:31] Speaker C: Are your family safe? [00:44:33] Speaker D: They're with a. They're with a friend. It's. It's fine. [00:44:35] Speaker C: Excellent. [00:44:36] Speaker D: It's fine, right? [00:44:37] Speaker C: The others? [00:44:38] Speaker F: They're fine. [00:44:39] Speaker B: Okay. [00:44:40] Speaker C: Others are outside of town waiting for breaking. Nero's out. So they're gonna be waiting for us. [00:44:46] Speaker D: Oh, well, let's. [00:44:47] Speaker C: Let's go outward. [00:44:48] Speaker B: What? [00:44:49] Speaker C: Did you know the Enforcers work for the Eritsons? [00:44:52] Speaker D: Yes. Well, I knew they worked for the. It doesn't matter. [00:44:55] Speaker C: We should go ahead of time. [00:44:56] Speaker F: You do. Are you willing for me to cast a spell on you? [00:45:01] Speaker C: What kind of spell? [00:45:02] Speaker F: It'll make you look not like yourself. [00:45:04] Speaker C: That sounds fine. Sure. [00:45:05] Speaker D: Yeah, I guess. Okay. [00:45:07] Speaker F: Poof. [00:45:08] Speaker A: I love that. [00:45:09] Speaker B: Kaboof. [00:45:10] Speaker E: Those are some pretty good magical words. [00:45:12] Speaker F: We all look not like ourselves now. [00:45:15] Speaker B: What do you look like? [00:45:17] Speaker F: Me? [00:45:17] Speaker D: Yeah, like the old lady who tripped you. [00:45:20] Speaker B: Ooh. [00:45:20] Speaker A: Bibbidi boppity. Kaboof. [00:45:22] Speaker E: Time. Shenanigans. It was actually you in a disguise that tripped yourself so that all of this could take place. [00:45:28] Speaker A: Hold on, hold on. Time. [00:45:31] Speaker F: I don't know. Like a human. Because apparently they're racist. [00:45:35] Speaker D: I mean, that makes sense. None of us, except for Val, are human. And even Val's not human. [00:45:41] Speaker C: How dare he? [00:45:43] Speaker B: All right. So then, as the night is beginning to gather, we see three nondescript humans making their way out of town calmly, casually. An enforcer just kind of nods at you as you go by. [00:46:00] Speaker C: Thanks. [00:46:02] Speaker D: Alward is sweating bullets. [00:46:04] Speaker F: It's very warm out. [00:46:07] Speaker B: Yep. And as the three of you make your way out of town and head towards the woods where you knew that Einar and Zafir would be waiting. Einar and Zafir? The Two of you. You hear footsteps approaching. Where you're now waiting outside of town, waiting for dark to fall. [00:46:26] Speaker E: I'm currently hiding in a tree. [00:46:28] Speaker A: Blast. Maybe it's more gods. We're coming up to find where this one went. [00:46:33] Speaker B: Quick, come up here. [00:46:34] Speaker A: No, no. I. I have a better idea. And he raises the hood. [00:46:40] Speaker D: This clearly has given Jordy much thought pause. [00:46:44] Speaker A: I've been wanting to do this for so long. [00:46:46] Speaker D: Does it make you into a doggy? [00:46:48] Speaker A: I don't know what it does. That's why I want to do it. [00:46:51] Speaker F: That's dangerous. [00:46:52] Speaker C: Playing very bad. [00:46:53] Speaker F: Don't understand. [00:46:54] Speaker A: I'm just doing what uber spirited. [00:46:57] Speaker C: Putting, you know, putting us in danger. [00:47:02] Speaker B: For the second time in this show, we're going to end the episode with Sven's character putting an unknown magical item on his head. [00:47:13] Speaker A: He doesn't know it's magic. [00:47:14] Speaker B: Before we go, though, Sven, make me a Will save. [00:47:17] Speaker A: Oh, no. [00:47:20] Speaker C: I like it. [00:47:21] Speaker E: I bet nothing happens. [00:47:22] Speaker D: So do I. Oh, I swear, if we come back and you're like, your head is now warm. [00:47:28] Speaker C: Oh, he's so. [00:47:29] Speaker F: Oh, no. [00:47:30] Speaker C: It's been no hero points since the end of the episode. [00:47:32] Speaker D: Sorry, That's a new rule. [00:47:34] Speaker C: It's a new rule. You can't use hero points on episode ending. [00:47:38] Speaker A: That rule sucks. That is not how I want to leave that. [00:47:41] Speaker B: Did you get, like, what was the original rule? [00:47:43] Speaker A: Two. [00:47:43] Speaker C: Oh, one. One, one. [00:47:46] Speaker F: Shut up, Sam. [00:47:47] Speaker A: That's better. Oh, 29. [00:47:51] Speaker D: Nice. [00:47:51] Speaker B: It's not as fun as you pull the hood up around your head. You feel your blood begin to race, and your heart begins to beat faster as you begin to see red. And just a surge of anger begins to overtake you. And that is where we'll end this episode. [00:48:11] Speaker F: Einar's gonna kill us all. [00:48:13] Speaker D: I'm just gonna be like, he has the ability. [00:48:14] Speaker C: I'm gonna be like a wolf man. I'm like, oh, don't worry. It's just Einar. He's gonna start e. [00:48:20] Speaker D: He's a fighter. [00:48:21] Speaker A: I wanted to know what this thing does. [00:48:24] Speaker C: Not the time for that, Sven. [00:48:28] Speaker B: All right. And the hero point for this episode goes to Abby for the epic jailbreak that went very smoothly using her character abilities, but also just really thinking through the consequences of how she approached the situation. [00:48:45] Speaker F: Smoothly. Epic. That's questionable. Anyway, thank you for this. I am going to go take a nap. I think it's prime napping weather right now. [00:49:04] Speaker B: And we will see you all in the next episode. [00:49:07] Speaker D: Yay. [00:49:09] Speaker F: Sven, what have you done? [00:49:11] Speaker B: This has been an atomic broadcasting production. If you enjoyed the show. Make sure to give us some support by liking commenting and following. These things really do make a difference in getting the word out and helping our community grow. Also, make sure to check us out on threads and check out the Discord server where you can chat with other fans and discuss all the recent developments and happenings. Links to all these good things in the description below. The Written and the Lost is an original story that uses Trust trademarks and or copyrights owned by Paizo, Inc. Used under Paizo's Fan Content Policy. Atomic Broadcasting and the Written and the Lost are not published, endorsed or specifically approved by Paizo. For more information about Paizo, Inc. And paizo products, visit paizo.com hope to see you all in the next episode. Until then, have an Atomic time. [00:50:01] Speaker C: Everything okay? [00:50:03] Speaker F: No.