Speaker A
The wheels have shifted in Algar. Once Colonar Shore, a beacon of pride and glory.
A Cosmere RPG session set in Algar, focusing on a heist at the Devotary of Insight amid political tension and mysterious threats.
Key Takeaways
- The city of Algar is in a state of political and social unrest.
- The characters are involved in a high-stakes heist with significant risks.
- Powerful factions and mysterious forces influence the unfolding events.
- Roleplay emphasizes character development and world-building within the Cosmere setting.
- The narrative blends intrigue, fantasy lore, and tactical gameplay.
What the video covers
- The city of Algar, formerly Colonar Shore, is under growing despair and tension.
- Four main characters with distinct roles and motivations are drawn together by fate.
- The crew plans a heist at the Devotary of Insight, a key Voron institution in Alithcar.
- FRA (Farah) prepares for the day, dealing with threats and seeking a borrowed book.
- Political pressure mounts as Queen Asan demands increased guard presence in the city.
- Interactions reveal complex relationships, secrets, and underlying schemes involving powerful entities.
- The narrative includes detailed roleplay involving guards, librarians, and covert actions.
- The story references larger Cosmere lore elements like the Stormfather, Singers, and Parendi warriors.
- Tensions rise as the crew navigates threats from cults and political forces.
- The video captures immersive roleplay and strategic planning for the upcoming heist.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction and Setting the Scene in Algar
- 09:18FRA's Morning and Encounter with Captain's Daughter
- 17:42Tension with Palace Guards and Queen's Orders
- 34:10Planning and Preparing for the Heist
- 49:10Infiltration and Navigating the Devotary
- 61:40Interactions with Guards and Librarians
- 76:40Discovery and Handling of Important Artifacts
- 93:20Escalating Conflict and Conclusion of Session
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Now its towns grow beneath the weight of despair. Its people whisper of shadows moving in the rain.
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Of oaths long broken beneath the thunder's roar. Four souls drawn together, bound by threads unseen.
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An investigator, chasing truth through a city drowning in secrets. A thief. Mercenary by name, but fierce of heart, determined to save the whole that scorns them.
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A fabric cloaked in falsehood, shaping light and metal, seeking to forge a better tomorrow before the storm consumes the present.
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The Voron wolf staring defiance into the eyes of destiny, striving to become more than her world dares to allow.
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The city trembles. Cults old and forgotten whisper beneath the weeping stone. And from the tempest comes a call for those who speak the last eye.
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Hello everybody. It is me, Story Dad, the person behind the Last Ideal, the Cosmir RPG, a game that you are watching here this evening on Another World Tabletop. Uh, say hi chat. Hi chat.
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Hi. Hi chat. Um, hi chat. We come to you all from the very rigorous roleplay adventure of last week where there were interactions with New Sprren, where revelations were discovered about Berdalar's, um, Berilar's father's assassin. Um, there
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was indication of a grander scheme involving creatures known as Heavenly Ones. The ever-present threat of the Singers and the Parendi warriors crossing Roshar and heading towards Alithar and Yakaved and her Herdaz and all of these nations. Um,
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but within Colonar, at least for now, things are mostly safe, if not a little bit tense.
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And plans were made, far more concrete plans to take something that not necessarily belongs to our crew. Uh [laughter] they plan on pulling a heist at the Devitary of Insight, a Voron institution here in the capital city of Alithcar.
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And so as we reach the day where our crew are to be assembling in order to heist, there are just a few things that are on the agenda that needed to be done before the actual moment.
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So we are going to zoom in really quickly on FRA. Farah, where precisely would we find you this morning? And more importantly, where would you be heading?
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Yeah. So, this morning before everything happens, she has a goal because she got threatened by this crazy librarian.
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She wants to go see her captain and see if he happens to know where the book on the Sun Maker that he borrowed from the Devitary of Insight might be so she can return it and do her studies at the Devitary of Insight.
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You're getting prepared that morning, getting dressed and washed and fed, not, you know, not having the same urgency or intense early schedule as one of the days where you are drilling or reporting to the captain.
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This is more of a day that was to be a day of leisure, but you get ready, you head to the barracks where Captain Tiel operates, and you pass the multitude of bodies of soldiers and guards that operate out of the guardhouse and barracks that you report to.
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The same routine smells of armor oil and of, you know, freshly cooked rations. All of the familiar smells of the barracks greeting you as you arrive.
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And can I please get you to make an awareness? Oh gosh. Okay. [clears throat] 16.
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You notice following behind you barely, just so barely trying to seem concealed, is the captain's daughter.
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She's like looking around a corner. She's peeking over a table. She's trying to blend into a crowd. She's short, but she's not so short that she goes unnoticed behind another human being.
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And she seems to be following you. I'm going to let her follow and think she's being clever for a little bit and at some point I'm going to turn.
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I see you. You know, I wasn't even hiding. I wasn't even trying to hide. I was just, I just so happened to be going the same way as you. You weren't, you didn't catch me doing anything because I
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wasn't doing anything. I wasn't—She's lying. You can very clearly tell. So, what are you doing? Where are you going?
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Um, funnily enough, I'm actually going to see your father. Why? It's your day off.
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I was doing research or was doing research and then I was told that he failed to return a book that he had borrowed.
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So I do want to see if he still has that book because that librarian or that keeper of the tomes was quite threatening.
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Why is Dad borrowing books? He's a dumb boy. I'm sure he probably had someone, his scribe or something, read it to him.
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I've hung around Light Eyes long enough to know that. That's a very diplomatic answer.
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Yeah. Yeah. Why do you really think he had the book? You can tell me. I'm good at keeping secrets and I'm super smart.
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It is not of my station to question. You could write it down and then you wouldn't have to say it out loud.
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No, [sighs and gasps] you should be careful with that. Well, I'm just wondering why is my dad—why does he need—why isn't he returning books? Why? I think you've known him longer than I have. I have, and I—
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She looks around. She cups her hand over her mouth. I want some dirt on him so that I can go out more and I can hold it over him. So if you learn anything, you can tell me.
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I'm sorry. [sighs and gasps] Fine. Fine. Fine. It's fine. I don't even care. I don't even care. I just thought you were—I just thought you were cool. That's all.
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Anyway, I guess I'll just be going and you don't have to tell me any secrets and it's just whatever.
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Try and stay out of trouble. I don't get into trouble.
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And then she turns around and stomps her foot and huffs off. You go the rest of the way to Tel's office and standing at the door, in the actual doorway itself, you see another member of the guard.
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But this one is wearing the regalia of a palace guardsman, wearing the patch directly, a far more deep blue uniform, and like a direct patch of—you see the crown and the tower of the family of Colin.
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And he seems to be addressing Tiel. Listen, I know you've been running a really tight ship for a long time, but you have to understand that the queen is going to need a bigger dispatch of guards.
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They're going to have to go to the exact areas that I outlined and I'm not really going to hear any arguments about the fact. I don't care anymore about what you say is for efficacy within the city.
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I am telling you right now that this is a direct request from Queen Asan and I would hate to be the bearer of news that one of her guard captains and one of the former lieutenants in the military was disobeying a direct order from the queen.
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So, I suggest you tighten it up and I suggest that you do it quickly. I'll be checking on it in 10 hours and next time you get paid, it's going to be done, Spears, and you're going to be happy with it.
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The man turns around after making the statement. It was truly a declaration and not an invitation for argument.
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And you see this visage of a man who has a gigantic scar across his chin, what looks like a ragged blade wound from ages past, graying salt and pepper hair, a very slender face, very bright gray light eyes.
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And he looks down at you and says, "Move, dark eyes."
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I'm going to bow politely and shuffle out of his way. A very intentional shouldering of you out of the way almost instantly after the armored plates in his shoulders rattling as it bumps into you and [snorts] Araides.
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And then behind you, you hear such a gratuitous sigh. Just [snorts]. Fra is going to very timidly step into view of the door.
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"Excuse me, sir."
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"Oh, no. Come in. Come in. Shut the door. Shut the door." She's going to do that, but stand really close to the door and very proper.
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She's going to wait and see if he speaks first because that seemed intense.
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He produces a cup onto the table. He opens a drawer on his d—
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I personally am okay. I And he thinks for a second. I worry about this detachment.
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Okay. Uh, I'm gonna pause and see if he elaborates, but if he doesn't, I'll go on.
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Uh, he he doesn't really elaborate. Uh, he hasn't shut down the conversation at all. He just seems a little caught off guard and he just looks he looks you in the eyes and he says, "Veraniel, what what is it? Uh what have you what have
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you come for today? It is your day off. Yes. And I was planning to do more research uh at the Devotary of Insight where I've been I've just been trying to review some texts. Uh but I had an
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unfortunate encounter yesterday with um I believe her name was uh Willa the librarian. Yes. And he starts pouring himself another drink.
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What about her? Uh, I hate to cause any additional stress on on you today, but I was wondering if you happen to have a a tome on the sun maker that you may have borrowed.
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She was very insistent uh on not not wanting to see me back uh if if the tome was not returned.
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I did have it. I did. I don't know where it might be now. Well, I burnt a prayer to the Almighty asking that perhaps I had only left it just outside for for a short period of time. But I I
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just don't have much faith that a a book can survive [sighs] a high storm. And it would seem as if I had been reading a fairly graphic and humorous passage up on a rooftop while drinking a bit of red
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and left it when I went to my storm shelter. And that's the last place that it was.
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And I predict that that ancient and very important piece of literature is now in the hands of the Stormfather, which is a rightful place for it, right?
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That he if it's his whim to take it, then so be it. Uh Fear just went through like a whole roller coaster of emotions. When you first said burned prayer, she she was thinking, "Oh no, it caught fire." And
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then you're like to find it and she's like, "Oh, so it's just lost." And then outside and then it got worse. Uh so you can see it on her face just oh no.
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Um [sighs] and and supposedly this this very rare text. There's no other coffees that I could potentially return that might I sure don't have any.
Speaker A
No, I we would there are copies at the Devitary of Insight. There are more copies. It isn't the only one. The the the Ardent were busy, you know, copying the works of the Sunmaker.
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They've done it before. It's just I I think there's only like five of them.
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And I I lost one in the high storm. What? It happen. It happens. It happens. Would you do me the biggest favor? I would consider it a personal, nonprofessional favor.
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Could you Could you copy a new one and give it back and say it was mine?
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If I can find this what you say is an incredibly rare a copy of this incredibly rare ancient text, uh, I will be sure to do that. He like leans in and it's clear he's had a couple of drinks
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today as things have been going fairly poorly. Would you said you've been studying at the devotary of insight, right?
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Yes. So, you're within the stacks already, right? Mhm. Well, maybe you sign out a copy or Well, I I don't know if I'm allowed back inside uh with with how she reacted to me yesterday.
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I I will certainly try. Uh she is such a storming Kremling. I I She's just a pile of creme. That woman is the worst. [sighs and gasps] Okay. Well, it and it's it's horrible cuz I'm supposed to be sending my my
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soldiers in. Please go. I I I need you to go and take your your companion. I need you to take your [sighs] your envoys and I need you to [clears throat] go and and and take out these toms on on
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military technique and have them read to you. And they show up at the the the the devary and then they are stonewalled by this horrid woman and it's because I lost her stupid you wouldn't happen to know anything
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that might um she might appreciate uh to maybe make this loss of this book a little less painful.
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Well, no, she's a she's she's truly She's a very caged off woman. What? I can I And he like looks at you. He's like, I I'm going to ask you something.
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I'm going to ask you to do something. And I know this might not be proper, but I have soldiers to train. And then he like leans in a little bit closer and he gets like real severe and he's like
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leaning halfway across the desk. The lives of good citizens of Colon are are at stake. This woman doesn't understand the gravity of the situation. Would you would you acquire one of these tomes for me next time you're at the devitary
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and I'll have a copy made and then we can return them both clandestinely and she'll never know.
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I I can try my try my best sir. Okay. Okay. Is there is there anything else you need from me today? Sir, I I know I know that you are training my daughter.
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Okay, I know this. I'm not I'm not hide enough. on to have these sorts of things swept under the rug.
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So if this is going to happen and it's going to continue to happen, I will if you do this for me, I will turn a blind eye and I will provide a space.
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My daughter is everything to me and [clears throat] I will provide safety and space so that the two of you don't need to do this secretly in a dangerous way.
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It also shows that I can trust you because and then he like looks around because because you've stolen something for me.
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I know that's bad. I know it's against the law and I know we're the keepers of the law and and that we are supposed to be I know it sounds severe, but I I can't have any obstacles any anymore. I I
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can't have any more obstacles. We're I I I do fear for this city. So, and he like backs up. He like sort of catches himself rambling and like acting a little acting a little crazy. Okay. I I would appreciate you getting me this
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tome. We can arrange for you to give my daughter lessons privately and maybe we can further our business relationship and we can help each other within the city here.
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I do think you're very capable. Thank you, sir. He smooths out his uniform. Do you want to drink?
Speaker A
No, thank you, sir. I don't drink. I do. And he pours another one. Okay.
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I'll we'll we'll talk later. Mhm. I'm going to be on my way. Thank you. I just go outside the door.
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[laughter] Um yeah. Uh do you feel like that's a pretty good space to to zoom out from from FRA?
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Yeah. And you zoom out like FRA was I think with everything that was happening from that starting of person in the door with with that threat to how he reacted to the book. Uh Fu was trying so hard to
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keep her composure inside that office that the second she walks out the door and closes the door behind her it's like whoa what just happened. Um and then yeah perfect time to zoom out as she's like Awesome. Awesome. Okay.
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Uh, so this will be with Navali. Navali, you and Bear are both um together at what location at this point? I know that you had said that you had wanted to go and meet with uh your your cell of of
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young nerd dwells for lack of a better term. Um and where exactly would you like to have that meeting?
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So the meeting place uh where I will where I do meet up with the network as I call them the children that work inside the cell of the phantom dreer that I am in. Uh we meet late enough at night that
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there's nothing going on in the theater. We meet in the theater. Uh oh. It's like one of the storage rooms in the upstairs area of the theater building.
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uh or on the roof depending on the night um of that building because it's kind of central to Nev's best known like area of the city and she knows everyone who comes in and out of that specific block.
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It's I I think with the uh coming high storm uh in the next you know couple four or five days that it has been storming a decent a decent amount um those like preliminary rains and winds and thus you are inside and
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you are standing within a decent sized storage room uh with mannequins that have clothing. It has uh uh costumes. Uh you smell the the the telltale uh scent of musty sort of uh wellworn and you know uh washed often enough costumes
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different colors and apparel and perhaps do mothballs exist within within the cosmir? They do now. Uh they [laughter] I don't uh whatever whatever clothing preserving chemicals is is is sort of what it what it the scent is at the
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moment. Um little Kremling balls. We'll call them Kremling balls. Uh yeah. Well well I mean Kremlings are kind of a catch-all. They might be the ones eating the fabric. Um Kremlings got into my clothes. Who knows? Brandon, answer
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this. We know you're a fan. Uh so the uh the children are how how many of the children are here? Is it literally every single one?
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I I would say whichever ones had duties or jobs that they could temporarily step away from like assignments. So if there's anyone who's supposed to be on guard in the hideout, they're still in the hideout.
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Okay. Um, but bear what you see is probably, well, I would say there's probably like 20 of them in the cell total. So, you see maybe 15 kids ranging from the age of like eight to the age of like 17,
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17 or 18. uh all manner of children. Some whom you've seen on the streets before and didn't really give it much thought in your neighborhood, but they like some I've probably some I've probably talked to.
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Some you've probably talked to. Yeah. But yeah, I would say probably the majority of the kids have shown up.
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Whichever ones could get away. The kids are mostly ringing their hands, sort of like worried a little bit about what exactly is going on. Um, there's a young tough who sort of uh uh has made a name for
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himself as a very self-sufficient uh uh he's it's not the gent most gentle way to to call it, but you've met him, you know him. His name is Faren. And Faren is a young, dark-keyed individual, perhaps 17, broadshouldered,
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large, takes more than his portion of of food, probably bigger than me. Uh yeah, likely bigger than Yeah, he definitely is. He stands he stands at perhaps like 61, 6'2, uh broad of chest, uh thick muscles, shaved head, right
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down to the skin. um an alley an alley kid. Uh and he steps forward. Uh he's got a he's got a blade on his belt sort of worn semiopenly. Uh a dagger, but like one that might even be picked up as like a
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like almost a shortsord sort of situation. And in the most gentle way possible, he's truly an extortion artist within the streets. He goes and he collects. It's like, "Hey, we're here for your protection, yada yada yada. Now give me money or you're not protected."
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Um, yeah, steps forward. So, why are we here? Well, since it doesn't seem others are showing up, uh, Nev will say, well, I'm sure you've all noticed that there have been some changes recently.
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You get a lot of nods, sort of like a scent and cutter maybe is a little more agitated than normal.
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You get some more nods, a bit more nervous. I'm going to be honest with you all.
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Because if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here. So, I owe it to you.
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Cutter and I aren't seeing eye to eye right now. He has ideas in his head. Bad ideas.
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One of the kids from the back standing. They've got a uh like a um a kirchief across their face, across their mouth.
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Very Yeah, pretty normal. Um they just they just yell out from the back going to kill him.
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What did I tell you about being so eager? Not eager. Just wondering right now I don't have plans to kill Cutter, but I need you to do something for me until things settle down between us.
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He asked you where I am and you know, don't tell him exactly where I am.
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He's putting people people in danger and I can't have that. [snorts] And she she looks around at the kids and she goes, "Do you see this?" She points to her face. She points to her scar. "Do you see this?"
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Get some nods. You don't want to end up like me. [sighs] Just nod. Smile. Tell him you'll do what he says, but don't do it. Lie.
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Keep yourself safe. Trim. Trim is standing in the back. Uh, arms folded, watching. Why is he here? Points to bear.
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Bear's a friend. That's part two of our talk. I need some of you to go to Little Herdazz and watch his place.
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There's people watching his family and we need to know that it's not us. I don't think it is, but I want to know.
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Faren steps forward. Why are we sticking up for a light eyes? He sticks up for you.
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And because I said so, one of those is a good reason. This man has saved my life.
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We owe him. Can I please get you to roll a leadership? Okay. Good thing I have some kind of bonus in that.
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You do. I do. It's just a 12 though. You roll a 12. Okay. Yeah. I'm not I'm not very charismatic.
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[laughter] That's I'm a fighter. Some of the kids are looking around, looking at one another. They're nodding along with you. Like a lot of them are very loyal. light eyes are not uh um you know weird weird circumstances or not
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uh they trust you pretty pretty implicitly. You've you've saved some of their lives like um oh my gosh what was the what was the kid oh I'm I'm I'm blanking and I don't have my notes in front of me. What was the kid's name uh
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that you saved at first? The very first kid in episode one. Oh uh that was I believe there's so many of them. Hold on. I have this.
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It was Dervin. Dervin. Dervin uh steps forward and he flicks a thumbs up uh at Berlar. Uh, and there you see you see the uh the glint of that uh distinct Herdazzian uh sort of like granite uh fingernail on
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uh on Derven. He looks at you. He's like, "Wasn't born there, grew up here, but I I got you, cousin." Thank you.
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Um, Faren looks to Nav. I respect you. I think it's important that we stick together.
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If the leader of the cell doesn't give me an order to stand beside a light eyes, I'm not doing it. You know him. I don't.
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That's fair enough. I only need a few volunteers. Is there anyone else? Trim puts their hand up. Yep.
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Thanks, T. Uh, can you get some humming and h patarin? I'm going to patarin on the shoulder. I I get it. I really do.
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I just can't. I understand. I mean, for the record, I get it, too. Chuckles at that. That's cute.
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Oh, now I am. Uh, you you get another small kid step forward. This kid's maybe maybe 12 years old.
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Their hair is worn back in uh in a pretty tight ponytail. Um, they have fingerless gloves on. They wear blacks and uh almost like a like your your your typical second story burglar apparel. Um all of the appearances of trying to look
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tough as a as a 12year-old trying to look like me. Trying to look like Nev essentially. And they step forward. Uh, this little kid's name is uh uh Tildarin, a uh a cousin, a legit cousin of Faren.
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Mhm. They say, "I don't care what Faren says. I'm going to go and watch this house and then looks at Faren and then spits at the bottom of Faren's feet." Cell sticks together. Network sticks together.
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Faren looks to the kid. You just don't know yet. You really don't. Kid looks up. [laughter] I know that light eyes money that drifts down to Nev pays for my meals. I don't care.
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Um, while this argument is happening, I would like to lift something off of Faren. Anything really hit me like a like a dagger and anything.
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Yeah, for sure. For sure. Um, you can go ahead and give me a uh I think it's called pickpocketing, is it not?
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What's the thievery? Thievery is the skill. Right. Right. Right. Right. Yeah. Hit me with a thievery.
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I got it. Oh, pretty good. Pretty good. Uh 19. A 19. uh you take a quick inventory of the things that are like sticking out and easy to scoop off of Faren. And um it would be simple enough to just snag
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uh uh a couple of spheres like a couple of chips. Um they're sitting in a whole pocked pouch uh and are done.
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Yeah. Great. I'll I'll I'll snag those real quick while while this argument is happening.
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Okay. The kids kind of hum and haw and look around. All right, these three will do and you'll get extra cut from my next job for it.
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Uh Dervin Dervin steps forward and uh looks up at Barlar. I want him to pay me.
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Come on, Ma. I'm watching your house. No, you're right. How much do you want?
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I don't know. 10 chips. You know what? You can have uh you can have Sure. Sure.
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Yeah. I just give him two marks, I think. Right. It's five to one chip mark.
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Five to one for chips to marks. Yeah. Uh yeah, he he he takes the takes the takes the cash, takes the spheres, rolls them in his hand.
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Yeah. Should have asked for more and then tucks him away. No, you really should have. Yeah.
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Yeah. Oh, and for the record, I do have a younger sister. She's beautiful, effevescent, dynamic, brilliant, and if you talk to her, look at her, or treat her with any disrespect while you're there, I'll kill you. [snorts] Me, too.
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Dervin gets this big eatating grin uh and says, "You'd never catch me." And then [laughter] uh and then looks around, "World needs more Hodazzians." That's all.
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Nev just face palms. Oh, bear. Bear fully loses it. Laughs his head off. Like just laughs his ass off. like hits the wall a little bit. He goes, "I mean, he's not wrong." Okay.
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You'll hear no complaints from me. All right. Any other questions before I get back to what I was doing?
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Faren looks to you and says, "Why are you and Cutter not getting along? because he's a storming creme head. Any other questions?
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Yeah, I want an answer to my question. It's really a private matter for Lauren.
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So when Cutter finds out that I've been lying to him and then it turns out that I have been for some piss poor reason and he beats the creme out of me.
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And I have to say I was just following the orders of someone who is not my superior in this organization.
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I don't want to get a scar like yours because of you. But I'll do it if it actually makes sense.
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We don't just follow orders. The thing about Cutter is he would do that to you even if you were following orders.
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Then why would I give him another reason? You know, I remember when you weren't quite so big, and I can think of more than one instance in which I saved your sorry skin.
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But if this is how you treat someone who's like kin to you, then I guess that's how it is.
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If you want to go running back to cutter, then your time in the network is over.
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You can fully be in the dreer. I would rather know that the reason why I'm still doing this isn't because of some sort of petty falling out.
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You and him have history. If this is business, this is business. and I can fall in line. And you're right, I am big now.
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It is business. He's mad that I'm trying to do better for us. More money, more status, better jobs.
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He starts putting two and two together. You can see the gears turning in Faren's head.
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So, we're working outside of the Dreer. Is that what I'm hearing? Do you want to live in the sewer forever?
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I don't want that life for you. Any of you, but we're here because that's how it is.
Speaker A
Do I get a bigger payday if I say yes? That's the goal. If it falls through, I had no intention of leaving the dreer anyway.
Speaker A
He looks around to the other kids, almost all of them being younger than him.
Speaker A
We all trust you with our lives. And I'm starting to get old and smart enough to start asking questions. That's really all it is.
Speaker A
Seen a lot of people make mistakes. We're not going anywhere. And we're all more than a little tired of Cutter.
Speaker A
I just don't want another reason to get beat. I don't either. Uh Bear's just going to look look to Nali.
Speaker A
Um do you mind if I um do you mind if I say something in?
Speaker A
might as well. And Bear looks to Far and and he goes, "I mean, for the record, kid, I don't think you should ever stop asking questions.
Speaker A
And if you ever want another, you know, side job, I need people who are good at asking questions.
Speaker A
So, check me out." And Bear is going to hold out his hand with the chips that he just stole from him.
Speaker A
Faren looks down, looks at the chips, spits on the ground. Not Not in a 100 high storms would I take money from a light eyes. Unless These are your chips.
Speaker A
Yeah, I took them from you. Look at your pouch, you dumb dumb dumb idiot.
Speaker A
He looks in his pouch. I'm going to be doing a little bit of work with Bear here. He's actually good at what he does.
Speaker A
So, we're good at holding on to my spheres, not just getting them. Might be able to teach you all a thing or two.
Speaker A
I'm trying to make life better for us. Can I get a perception from beer?
Speaker A
Uh, yeah. [laughter] You just aditted a thief in a crowd full of thieves. 19 again.
Speaker A
A 19 again. Uh, does Bear do anything as he feels and sees uh a child's hand going into his sphere pouch?
Speaker A
Um, I think he's going to wait and see how much they take. It's a aggressive amount.
Speaker A
Like, what are we looking at? I'm How much are you How much are you packing?
Speaker A
I'm packing 40 spheres, right? I got 40 marks in my pouch. 40 marks in your pouch. Okay. Yeah, you're fully fully loaded. Uh, fully loaded. They're They're trying to scoop 10.
Speaker A
You can have one of those 10 if you put the rest back. They take two.
Speaker A
I said one. You see you see the eyes of a of a young person.
Speaker A
They look up to you. I need it more than you. Don't play that game with me. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE been at this? You little You can have one.
Speaker A
Usually works. And then they put one back [laughter] very gently, you know. You know, gives them a very gentle like chop on the forehead, you know, like classic.
Speaker A
Mhm. Mhm. They scamper. Get better. You won't see me next time. And [snorts] at this the kids who who uh need to head to little Herdaz uh walk up to bear and get the address.
Speaker A
Uh Faren looks to Navali. I storming hope you know what in damnation you are doing.
Speaker A
Don't forget when I start moving up, I'm taking you all with me. If that's what you want.
Speaker A
If you promise the world to these kids and then you go and die on us, he just grinds his teeth.
Speaker A
Uh, Nev's not that much older than Floren, so I think she she just kind of nods a little. I'm doing my best here.
Speaker A
And hopefully the talks we've all had have at least somewhat prepared you all for the eventuality.
Speaker A
Everybody dies. I'm going to try my damnedest not to. Slowly the the the kids here nod and and a couple of them look a little like uneasy at the subject matter and the fact that like Nev isn't going to be
Speaker A
there forever and they're feuding with Cutter and [snorts] etc etc. And then uh slowly they start to sort of fade out of the theater, leaving you and Berlar alone.
Speaker A
Well, they are a lot of fun than that. Well, that's not even all of them.
Speaker A
Wow. I expected a lot more arguing to be honest. Seems like they really trust you.
Speaker A
We've been through a lot together. I bet that one kid, he's huge. He would have whooped my ass. You know, Faren. Yeah. He He grew quick.
Speaker A
Yeah. I mean, he's almost as tall as I am. Me. Yeah. I've been doing this a long time, Bear.
Speaker A
I'm tired. A long time. How old are you anyway? I'm an adult. I'm 20.
Speaker A
Oh, yeah. You've been doing this a long time. I've been on the street since I was 10, Bear.
Speaker A
That's how long I've been here. That is half the time. Herald's Forsaken City for I don't know four five something like that. Feels like forever.
Speaker A
No. Yeah, I'm sure. It's um It's a big place. Maybe we'll go on a trip.
Speaker A
A trip? or not like I mean like where would we go? I don't know. We could go to Yakaved.
Speaker A
Nev looks really uncomfortable when you say that. Never mind. We could go to Herdaz.
Speaker A
Her dad sounds interesting. I've never been. It'd be great. I can't go back to Yakaved.
Speaker A
I am not going to ask you any questions about that. No matter how bad I want to, I am sure if you want, you will tell me.
Speaker A
It's more of a I just don't want to. It's not like I'm war criminal or anything yet.
Speaker A
Okay. So, you added one more word at the end there. Um, [laughter] that's a little concerning. It's a joke.
Speaker A
Haven't you ever heard a joke? Uh, yes. Just not quite so dry. She shrugs. I don't know. I thought it was funny.
Speaker A
I mean, it was a little funny. It was also a little concerning. Have you met yourself?
Speaker A
What do you mean? Gave that one about 50/50. Oh, like whether it's a joke or not.
Speaker A
Oh, well, who knows? I'm still young, apparently. Very. Yeah. Anyways, we've um [snorts] we got some stuff to steal.
Speaker A
Yeah, you should get some sleep. Hey, I'll [snorts] be all right. You don't sleep much either, do you?
Speaker A
No. Well, if neither of us are going to sleep, you want to go for a walk.
Speaker A
Yeah, that sounds good. And I think Nev will lead Bear out of the theater. secret interesting way rather than the normal way out.
Speaker A
Perfect. Which involves going through onto a bal through a window, climbing onto a balcony, and then climbing down.
Speaker A
[laughter] So, I feel like this is a pretty decent place to to zoom out from from Nev and and Bear.
Speaker A
Yeah. The next day dawn and it is time. Where is [music] it that you all meet in order to actually plan uh the very last moments before you go to the devitary or at least coordinate exact times etc
Speaker A
etc. Um, spark clicker. Spark clicker or shop or uh somewhere somewhere on the north end of the city.
Speaker A
Yeah, I think somewhere close like closer to the devary. I think so. Okay. Okay. Um, yeah. Let's let's say let's say real specifically we'll go into we'll go into here.
Speaker A
I think there might be a little there's a little there's a little soup and sandwich joint right near the the Lannison monument on the northeast end that's uh decently close to the Devitary.
Speaker A
Alstrom's going to love it here. Alstrom is going to love it here. Big sandwich guy. big sandwich guy.
Speaker A
It's not the most private place in the entire world, but you can definitely get yourself a booth.
Speaker A
Um, and as you all sit and and pile in, you see each other for the first time in a in a day and you can discuss specifics.
Speaker A
I think on the way in, Nev is going to try to get a good look at like who else is here just to make sure there's not like a bunch of guards at the next table or something like that.
Speaker A
Give me a perception to to scope out the joint. There won't be any guards at the other table. You all I we will make that assumption. You all ain't that dumb. Uh there's no there's no 19 guards sitting beside you.
Speaker A
19. Uh Navali is looking for anyone of note. Uh specific uh you know even just off work officers or um guards people ardent um anyone who may blow the cover of of of you all. Uh any any light eyes who you
Speaker A
know has a bone to pick with a group of dark eyes sitting at a table uh sharing space etc etc. Nosy individuals. There's no one. Uh this place is a lunch shop.
Speaker A
Uh people are here to to eat lunch and carry on with their days, go about their business. Um it's not, you know, people are filtering in and out uh you know, picking up orders and and snagging things as you uh as you go to sit down.
Speaker A
And that's about it. Mhm. Nev [clears throat] over here. I got a party sub to share.
Speaker A
Oh, and now we'll walk over to the table and sit down. [laughter] Um, well, it looks like a pretty casual place. Doesn't look like there's anybody in particular here.
Speaker A
Nobody to worry about. Anyway, when Fura comes in and sits down, she's going to make it a point to set out a bunch of uh notebooks and like like glyphs and texts or like notes on the table. Um, and make it look like uh
Speaker A
she's leaning towards uh the two of you sitting at the table. so far if Bear's not there yet. Um, and like ready to give a lesson or something.
Speaker A
Uh, when Bear gets there, he's going to grab a round of pink, which is non-alcoholic wine. He's going to grab a round of pink and bring it to the table.
Speaker A
[snorts] Nev looks at the wine but doesn't say doesn't say anything and just takes a sip. It's just like god damn it. I want alcohol before a job.
Speaker A
He's it's non he's non-alcoholic. I can taste that. Did you want Is it good?
Speaker A
Oh yeah. No, it's delicious. Yeah, it's actually pretty good. It tastes like pink. You're not lying.
Speaker A
I didn't realize pink had a flavor, but it does. I'm not lying. No. Try it. Here. I mean, you just No, but that's the alcohol.
Speaker A
No. No, I wouldn't lie. No, that's No, that's pretty good. But yeah, there's definitely no alcohol in here.
Speaker A
We wouldn't all lie to you. Alstrom wouldn't lie to you. Yes, [snorts] he would.
Speaker A
I'm not very good at lying. Would you rather have tea? No, I I I do want to try it.
Speaker A
She's going to try a bit of it. It tastes girly. I didn't know there was such a thing.
Speaker A
Yeah, that is the best one for breakfast. It's sort of a sort of a concoction, a tincture so to speak of of different rock bud flowers that are collected from around colonar and uh sweetener added uh then mixed in and uh left to ferment
Speaker A
till it's like you know like a zero 0.5 or something like that like safer than drinking water uh most of the time and uh fruity floral uh kind of notes of of uh you know storm rains.
Speaker A
Kombucha kind of kombuchi kombucha. Yeah. like a like a grapefruit kombucha. Uh somebody some there's a there's a server that comes up to the table bearing this big like you know 2 and 1/2t long uh sandwich and uh they're like
Speaker A
hello welcome to Sub Bearer. Here's your sandwich. And it's uh it's a uh a chole salad sandwich. Um, it's like a like a mayonnaise uh uh uh mixed with, you know, chill meat. And, you know, you've heard rumors that it's not actual chill
Speaker A
meat. It might just be like Kremling or something, but you know, they they they pass it off to you and they hand you the bread and the the whole bit. The big sandwich.
Speaker A
Half of it with cheese and the other half is with no cheese. [laughter] Bear says nothing but just mean mugs hard. Yeah, I think Nea is also making a face.
Speaker A
They're specialty. Come on, you got to try it. If we eat this, they're going to smell us from like three blocks down.
Speaker A
Yeah, I'm not really I'm not going to eat this. [snorts] No refunds. I'll I'll try a bite.
Speaker A
Just more for me then. Okay. Fra Fur takes a bite. Uh sandwich is good. It's fine. Um to it's Yeah. to I mean it's fine. It's It is It is one of the sandwiches of all time. Uh green is never good.
Speaker A
Yeah. It has It has It has greens and it has bread and it has sauced meat and uh it's Yeah. It's fine. It's fine.
Speaker A
Yeah. Fra doesn't want to hurt Alistrom's feeling um for getting the sub. So, she's going to go m as she finishes her good, right? [laughter] Alstrom loving a chole sandwich. A chole salad sandwich [laughter] is crazy.
Speaker A
Was picturing the most mediocre like lobster roll. Yeah. Yeah. It's like it's it's the kind of blobster roll that they serve in Wisconsin.
Speaker A
Yeah. [clears throat] Yeah. Bear is going to sneak a like some ch jerky out of his pack and just like nibble it so that the weight staff doesn't see but does not want to eat this sandwich. [laughter] [snorts]
Speaker A
[sighs] Uh, I think Nev is gonna get up and go [laughter] order. Uh, or just order like some kind of curry.
Speaker A
Oh, yeah. Yeah. You'd like probably Are you want probably like men's men's curry? Yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. You look like you want hot curry, right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And you want that with lavvice?
Speaker A
That's fine. You want another round of pink? [sighs] Can you give me uh can you give me some violet, please? Actually, yeah. Yeah, I can get you violet. It's a little heavy for, you know, this time of day. You're paying
Speaker A
whatever you think is whatever you think is best then. I'll get you orange. And then uh uh then uh and then hits you with your with your order. Three chips.
Speaker A
I'll pay him. You You pay the guy. He and I get and I get extra lavvice and I'm going to give the extra to bear.
Speaker A
[snorts] Puts the chery in it. [laughter] All right. All right. All right. [snorts] So, how long between now and uh uh would and the actual like attempt would you like to have pass? Is there anything you need to specifically discuss discuss as
Speaker A
a group before you go forward? I know you're branching out into two different groups. It's going to be uh Nev and Olstrm and Bear and uh and FRA. And those two groups are very specifically going to be one is heading to the third
Speaker A
floor in order to run interference uh with the guards and the librarian. Um and the other group is going to be climbing the stacks and Alstrom's going to be putting a a truly a hole in the ceiling in order to climb through.
Speaker A
Correct. This is this is how I understood it. Mhm. Okay. Okay. Uh I'm also going to, as I promised to our contact on the inside, uh send a uh basically like send one of the network, but like one of the younger
Speaker A
kids, one that doesn't normally get sent out on jobs. Mhm. Uh to let him know. That way the kid isn't like a known pickpocket or a spy or anything like that. It's just one of the younger kids. Sometimes it's good to
Speaker A
have somebody that's not delivering lunch to the Ardent that is our contact. Perfect, perfect, perfect and inside of it it's just a note and mixed it with like food.
Speaker A
Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Note in the lunch. Um, okay. Uh, fear would like to talk to bear. Um, so I I want to be I like to be as prepared as possible. And I know that we're both going in to be distraction,
Speaker A
but I don't really know what you're planning to do. Oh, yeah. So, um I think I'm going to go in under the guise of the truth partially, which is that I'm currently I have a uh job from the guard to investigate
Speaker A
disappearances of uh a few different items and I was hoping to get some information for those things. Um and also there were some gods who were involved in a theft up on the fourth floor that I might be able to uh
Speaker A
question about it and hopefully that'll keep them busy for a minute. But what if they know there's been no theft on the fourth floor?
Speaker A
Oh, no. The guards who are working there ran into them never a while back. So, yeah, a different.
Speaker A
Oh, okay. Um, and what specific items are you are you asking about? Do you have that prepared?
Speaker A
No, not at all. I was just going to wing it. Oh, do you not do that?
Speaker A
No. [snorts] You just say we could just say spheres. Why would that bring you into the de? I just want you to be prepared as possible.
Speaker A
I mean, I am I when I'll get there, I'm going to come up with something really good. That's how it works. I'll work better under pressure.
Speaker A
I've never been much for plans, you know. And do you have a plan for if things go south?
Speaker A
Yeah. What's that? Well, we run. That makes you look guilty. Well, we'll be guilty. Yeah.
Speaker A
I thought the whole goal of splitting up was okay. I mean, the goal is to not get caught, but if we get caught, then we are guilty and we got caught, so we're kind of we are doing something. It looks around
Speaker A
illegal. I'm just doing research. Okay, then you don't run. Um, I'm going to be running for sure.
Speaker A
I mean, you can play it off like you're not getting caught, but like at the end of the day, I'm going to be an idiot, right? And I'm going to keep as many people distracted as I can for as long
Speaker A
as I can. And that sounds like a better plan. Yeah. Yeah. And worst comes to worst, I'll knock them out, put them in cuffs, and hide them in a closet somewhere.
Speaker A
You have a closet where you hide people in? No, but I'm sure I'll be able to find one.
Speaker A
I'm not going to kill anybody, but I mean, if I hit him upside the head.
Speaker A
Yeah maybe. Fearless very stressed out. Okay. Okay. Um, Ne is just oh so calmly eating their curry right next to where you guys are having this conversation.
Speaker A
What What can I say to help put you at ease right now? That's a great question. I I I'm not sure there's anything you could say. I I think I'm just very nervous about this. Oh, okay. You know Well, you know what I do
Speaker A
when I get nervous? I I don't I don't know what I was going to say. I just kind of started talking and I hoped that I would come up with something by the end of my sentence.
Speaker A
What's going to happen on the third floor? No, no, no, no. I'm not under pressure right now, you know, everything's cool and calm and nice. When we get up there, you know, and I'm like worried for my life or your life or, you know,
Speaker A
Astramm's life, things will kick into gear and I will be so [snorts] ready for sure.
Speaker A
I really hope that I can trust you. No, you can for sure. Fear it. Here's the thing. Here's what you need to know.
Speaker A
Every plan falls apart, right? So, the harder you are leaning on the plan. No, the harder every plan, even the good ones. So, when the plan falls apart, the harder you're leaning on it, the further you fall and the longer it takes you to
Speaker A
stand yourself back up. Fine. I disagree. [music] But we have different methods. You know, that's fair.
Speaker A
Agree to disagree. We can do that cuz that is what adults who are professionals and criminals can do.
Speaker A
She's just gonna drink the rest of her cup of pink. It's over to Nev. I do not think I am helping.
Speaker A
No, I don't think you are. It's okay. I have seen you in action and I'm sure it will be fine.
Speaker A
Because now I'm kind of nervous and I was not before this. She like she like leans so she can look at Fra. Stop making people nervous. It's not going to help anyone.
Speaker A
You're You're making me nervous. I'm not doing anything. I have everything well in hand. We just have to go through with it.
Speaker A
I kind of have to pee. [clears throat] I'll be right back. Oh, for God's sake.
Speaker A
Are we meeting afterwards somewhere? Yes. Okay, I did not have to pee. It was just nerves. Who knew?
Speaker A
Um, we can the meat's back at my shop. No, we shouldn't. Okay. Okay. I um we need to go directly to our destination, which is where uh Aster I thought we were going to like look at it for a bit first.
Speaker A
Yes. Do some research and investigation. We have more time. It will also depend. Also, we shouldn't delay because Tonavir knows when I will have the book.
Speaker A
Okay, here's the deal. If we don't get caught, if we don't get caught, everything goes smooth. We meet up back at the spark flicker. Okay, that's close.
Speaker A
I mean, it's long from here, but it's not so far from Tenev. We'll be close to Tanavir.
Speaker A
All right, fair enough. And if things go wrong, I've got a place that's close by that I think we could we could hide out in for a minute.
Speaker A
All right. Gives directions to He just gives directions. It's not It's not far. Uh gives directions to a pub essentially.
Speaker A
Okay. Uh and that for for Aaron that is uh Climp's pub for sure. Oh, okay. Okay. Gotcha. Gotcha. Gotcha.
Speaker A
If you do not arrive with me, say that you are. Yeah. No, you can say say you're friends with Bear.
Speaker A
Okay. But not like close friends. No. Uh yeah. No. Go with friends. Just friends.
Speaker A
Listen, I will do my best to make it there, but if things don't go well and I do get the book, I will hide it.
Speaker A
Okay. Yeah. No, I like that. And then I'll find you. Okay. See, Farah, that's a plan. Look at that.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. We should get moving. I already sent word to our contact. Okay, Astramm, are you uh you ready for this? You you've got a lot to do.
Speaker A
Oh, yeah. This is going to be great. Uh Wave and I have been practicing.
Speaker A
It's going to be We're going to It's going to be perfect. Okay. Right. Once again, Bear kind of looks around for another spread.
Speaker A
All right. Okay. Noted. Let's do this. Is there anyone else here with us right now?
Speaker A
Don't think so. Doesn't look like it. So we are going to start with uh FRA and bear. Uh it would really only make sense.
Speaker A
So are you two going to be sort of co-erminously doing this like same same space working together or is this going to be like you're both accomplishing your goals at the same time but completely separately?
Speaker A
I think that's what Fur was like trying to get at. And because he has no plan on what he's going to say, she is not comfortable with uh with him joining in on on her religious uh inquiry.
Speaker A
Okay, perfect. Berdalar has every intent to use FRA as a part of his minations at this point.
Speaker A
Okay, perfect. Okay, he never communicated that. [laughter] Never said anything. Then we're going to we're going to actually start start with uh FRA uh because what Bear sounds like is a little bit more reactive to how FRA accomplishes her goals of distracting
Speaker A
librarians and and and Ardans. Um that was sort of the idea to begin with. So we'll we'll zoom in.
Speaker A
Um, time passes uh a short jaunt to the devitary of insight from the from the uh from the subbearer uh the submarine sandwich shop. Um, and Feraniel, you find yourself walking through the halls of the devary.
Speaker A
It is it is midday but it is actually you know because you had all decided that you know it was this this was all to be accomplished right around the time when yeah right around noon uh while the guards were
Speaker A
changing out etc etc. So, you find your way. You're winging and wefting through the halls of the of the of the Devitary, these big stone uh glass uh uh accented um halls, and you eventually get your way to the third floor, uh the space
Speaker A
where a lot of the lynch pin uh decisions were to be had here. And you do notice a like a demonstraable uh lack of ardence. Um it would seem as if your your good contact uh has come through in the clutch and the majority
Speaker A
of the of the you know the weapon wielding uh or or the the scholarly ardans have have made their way out of the third floor at least um you know doing uh uh busying themselves with other duties. you saw a few of the uh
Speaker A
more scholarly types down on the first and the second uh floors uh taking care of like clerical duties, filling out uh paperwork um you know and within the stacks um I will ask are you trying to actively avoid the librarian
Speaker A
or are you actually going to uh uh try to distract and have a conversation and dissuade? uh they are likely not happy with you, but that doesn't mean that they are not an element that could very much throw all of this a skew. So, what
Speaker A
are you attempting to do in regards to her? So, do I see her? Do I notice that she's there?
Speaker A
Uh are you looking for her? I So, in entering the third floor, I think Furo would have realized she's going in first. Um she would have tried to time it out in her head on when she needed to start a distraction. So, her
Speaker A
goal initially going in was actually to try and find some that Sun like the Sun Maker book uh like private research and avoid anyone until she thinks the timing would be right to start the distraction.
Speaker A
I am going to ask for first of all a uh stealth um that is going to be the first and foremost uh role from you. Um, most certainly.
Speaker A
Agree with that. Well, nope. Nope. What was the role? That That is an one.
Speaker A
That is a nat a nat one. Okay. She's so nervous. You are so incredibly nervous.
Speaker A
Now, this seems a good as good a place as any to introduce and to show off the fact that if you can explain the use of another skill and you spend a focus, you can gain advantage or roll on a roll.
Speaker A
That is a mechanic within the game. So, if you would like, you could spend a focus, but there does need to be a narrative reason for it. Why would FRA be better at sneaking through stacks? Is there another way that you're looking?
Speaker A
Is there uh uh you know uh is there is there any reason why you would actually be quite capable at what you're attempting here?
Speaker A
H I feel like uh I might argue for perception because she wouldn't be sneaking yet. She would be scoping it out first like a like a strategy plan and she hasn't seen this librarian yet so she's not sneaking away
Speaker A
from her. Okay. Okay. go ahead and spend a focus and we can use your powers of perception, I would say, to uh to sort of justify the fact that uh you might actually be better at this than you think.
Speaker A
Mhm. Yeah. Go ahead and reroll. Wow, that's insane. Okay, that's an AT 20. Perfect example of why why you should be using the focus mechanics within this game.
Speaker A
Uh tremendous. Tremendous. Now you make a lot of perception before beforehand. You you start you start peeking and peering down each of the aisles. Uh um Fur has spent long hours ensuring that uh individuals are not watching what she is doing. Um this coming from
Speaker A
long hours spent truly studying the blade uh looking up uh military texts. um like she's she has very non-feminine uh pursuits within her life and it would behoove her to be perceptive of those that are around her to ensure that she's
Speaker A
not being perceived. Therefore, you start sneaking through the through the stacks and I will then ask you are looking very specifically for a exact copy of that same book, the one that is on the Sun Maker.
Speaker A
Why? Awesome. That is going to be a deduction. That's only a 10. That's a 10.
Speaker A
Mhm. This isn't a hard book to find. The big problem that your uh that your captain had is is the fact that he's not allowed here. Uh it isn't so much the the availability of the book, it's the fact
Speaker A
that it's not available to him. So, before long, you find a copy of this book and squirrel it away in one of your bags. And after a while, you're peering through in between uh some of the books, looking
Speaker A
looking through the stacks, um you know, obuscating yourself with a bit of the surroundings, one of the rolling ladders, uh one of the the the carts of rolling books, and you see the librarian.
Speaker A
She is tutting and uh wagging her finger and tisking at uh one other of the Ardans, not one of the ones that wasn't uh squirreled away or by the the contact within the devary. You over here, if you
Speaker A
do this again, if you screw this up again, you're out of here. I'm going to send you to the devary of damnation. I swear to you, if you even think about messing up my organization system, if I have to spend 10 extra minutes looking
Speaker A
for a book, that's 10 extra minutes off of my life and you're wasting my life, you little Kremling. So, get it right next time or I'm going to hang you up by your ankles. Get out of here. And then
Speaker A
you see the ardent like bow head that's this like shaved head and just zoom out of the uh out of the library. Uh but you had a natural toning on your stealth. Um so you absolutely uh see this uh see this woman. You have
Speaker A
uh you have a chance to what would you like to do? How would you like to distract? How would you like to keep her out of the equation?
Speaker A
Is it about time for me to start? Would I would you say definitely since you took that time to go and grab that book? I would say that you're getting really close to the uh to the lunch swap of the guards. you're
Speaker A
you're sitting on that like 30 minute window of of guard rotation that you've been waiting for.
Speaker A
Um, and then I want to step out like really noticeably uh and walk directly towards her um because I feel like she would get upset if she noticed me trying to sneak away. So I want to um directly
Speaker A
talk to her. She closes the book that she has. She puts it down in a book cart and she looks at you. Oh, if it isn't one of the 10 fools here with her fiery red hair and attitude to match. What
Speaker A
are you doing here? Do you have my book? I am afraid I do not have your book. Um, but I did ask my captain for it and he said he will be looking for it to hopefully return it soon.
Speaker A
So, you showed up here to plate me and give me an excuse. So, you're wasting even more of my time. Is that Is that why you're here today?
Speaker A
I actually showed up for your expertise. Um, I do have a religious inquiry. Um, and I'm it's it's just a small thing that's been troubling me.
Speaker A
H, can I get a persuasion? Sure. Actually, wait. This is a lie. This is just a lie. This isn't Is this a lie?
Speaker A
It's kind of a lie. Yeah, kind of a lie. It's kind of a lie. Yeah, we're going to go with We're going to go with deception. We're going to go with deception on this one. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker A
16. 16. It would be you that needed my expertise, wouldn't it? Well, I don't make a habit of helping out every uneducated sod that comes sauntering in here, gaining my eye, but please go ahead. What do you need of me?
Speaker A
You see, I I read a passage that has been troubling me. Uh it did say that knowledge is a gift granted to the worthy.
Speaker A
But how does one determine worthiness in the system? You foolish girl. How do you not know?
Speaker A
How do you not know that your pursuits are what define you? It is one of the key tenants of Voronism. It isn't about being bestowed with worthiness. The 10 heralds don't come down and just tell you that you're worthy or you've been
Speaker A
chosen. The Almighty doesn't bop you on your stupid ruddy head and tell you that you're the chosen one. No, your pursuits define you and your expertise is carved out through trial and error and effort and discipline and intelligence. So, if
Speaker A
you stick your nose in a book long enough and that you can actually perhaps learn the belling of the tranquil halls, then you are worthy of writing it from from the books. There there seems to be some contradictory texts of the
Speaker A
Harold's teachings. Do not tell me that you are one of those contrarian unorthodoxy dishonest anti-intelligencia types. Is that you? Are you the one looking for different wordings and you're reading into the exact nature of things?
Speaker A
We've been looking at these texts for hundreds of years. You think that you are going to be the one that peels open the onion of revelation about the teachings of Voronism? You're but a girl.
Speaker A
Well, wouldn't that be a noble calling? Wouldn't that be worthiness? Are you trying to answer your own question by having a dialogue with me?
Speaker A
I only wish to understand. Don't you have a teacher? I've had many teachers. Does, but none with your expertise?
Speaker A
Does Tyel not pay for your education? Does he not send you tutors? Do you not have access to books? Are you not to be a scholar?
Speaker A
That's why I'm here. Oh my goodness. And let me guess, he has sent you here on this on this bloody intelligent crusade to come and and and and requisition of me the allowance of you within my halls in order to read the
Speaker A
books because he is too much of a dullard to actually come in and just fix his mistake. Captain Tel is an idiot and you work for an idiot. And what I'm telling you is that if you want access
Speaker A
to these books and you want my expertise, then you are going to have to go and get your own damned [sighs] I cannot leave.
Speaker A
I'm actually here on my own accord today. What do you mean? Sorry, teams are up.
Speaker A
What do you mean? I I'm here seeking knowledge, not on his orders today. Huh?
Speaker A
Truly, I promise you, girl, that if this turns out to be some clever little ploy to pull the wool over my eyes and to get your dull cremecrusted damnationbound captain back into my stacks.
Speaker A
Then I am going to hang you off of the devitary by those red locks and I will hang you there in a high storm.
Speaker A
But if you're here to learn, there are programs that you can actually access. You can be taught by an ardent.
Speaker A
We do have scholars for that. Depends on what you would like to learn. How would one how would one pursue that? What would be my next step since she's going to keep much as possible? I'm going to ask for
Speaker A
another deception because although Faniel might actually be interested in these things, there is a layer of subtrafuge here.
Speaker A
Pushing. Yeah, she's definitely pushing. That's a 15. Well, how would one I would say a generous donation is the best way to get in spheres.
Speaker A
The Ardent do not operate off of charity and goodwill with mouths to feed. Understandable.
Speaker A
But then do you believe that knowledge should be only for those who could afford it?
Speaker A
Yes. Yes. Absolutely. A clever girl will have spheres and plenty of them. If every uneducated dark eyes came in here and they they simply asked for an education, we would all be too busy running our selves around creating lesson plans to
Speaker A
to actually get any real research and scholarly work done. There's there's no way that we would have time for anything of consequence. And my dear, if and I mean if you felt that you were capable enough and devout enough and [snorts]
Speaker A
truly holy enough in the eyes of the Almighty, you could just join the ardentia instead of pursuing that silly little career in the military that you seem to be after.
Speaker A
Chief notetaker for some desperate. Yes, of course. What a higher calling. Do you disagree?
Speaker A
Yes. Yes. Vehemently. Death begets death. The tranquil halls follow us. Yes, of course. It is It is where we are all to go, and we will fight our final battle.
Speaker A
Well, all right. Well, unless we want to be doing it with sticks and clubs. Well, there's going to have to be educated individuals that get there first. If it were up to me, everyone would be an educated individual. We would all find
Speaker A
scholarly pursuits. And then when we get to the final tranquil halls, the final battle, there would be two there would be two warriors and they would be educated by both sides and they would fight it out and it would be the best
Speaker A
educated individual with the most training possible that would actually determine the fate of the higher realms.
Speaker A
But no, they send boys and they send younglings to their deaths upon the fields of their neighbors in order to do these things. two champions should be the ones that actually decide the fate of things. Leaders should fight these
Speaker A
battles. Instead, they send children. And this brings me back to the contradictions that I came here uh that I've been bothered by.
Speaker A
All right. in that you're saying that the worthiness is is knowledge and education but there are texts that say the most worthy calling is to fight.
Speaker A
Where do I know what where the truth what truth really is? What is the true worthiness girl?
Speaker A
You sit here in one of the foremost places of education in all of Colonar and all of Alithcar.
Speaker A
If you wish to preach philosophy and you wish truly to have a say in these things and to have access to the toms that you need in order to actually have these arguments and have them come from a
Speaker A
place of education, I suggest you go and you get me that damned book. Then you can have free roam of these halls all you wish.
Speaker A
Would I also be able to have your your guidance and toutelage? She likes sigh and rolls her eyes.
Speaker A
If you wish to be taught by one of the more controversial ardentia in the city, yes, I can be purchased for tutilage.
Speaker A
That would be amazing. Um, I don't think FAR was expecting her to say that. Uh, I just I've seen so much disorder lately and I just wish I wish to be study in in my studies and my religious devotion.
Speaker A
You have an inquisitive mind and that is to be lauded. But you have attached yourself to a killer.
Speaker A
Your captain has sent men to their deaths, knowing that they will die. He has made decisions that will have blood spilled and have letters sent back to families.
Speaker A
sad letters that their young man isn't coming home. And that is what your calling has been.
Speaker A
Helping with orders, writing down missives, ensuring that battle strategy is delivered to the front lines on time.
Speaker A
You are a part of a war machine. My education goes fairly vehemently against that.
Speaker A
Wouldn't that be against many of the teachings here? And she's fear is going to lean in and whisper that part.
Speaker A
And I am Ardentia. I am devoted. I am the educated one. The last time a man came in here and tried to preach to me, his book went missing.
Speaker A
Are you saying my captain tried to preach to you? I'm saying your captain and I have a long history of disagreeing.
Speaker A
Oh, keep that in mind. Uh, how long has it been? It's been It's been pretty well long enough. You feel [laughter] uh I would like to I would like to I I would like to jump to bear.
Speaker A
Mhm. Bear, you are wandering the stacks of the third floor. The ardents that are here do carry weapons. They are guards. These are sacred tomes truly in no un uncertain sense of the word. There are a few uh
Speaker A
true blue allei guardsmen here as well. Um individuals that wear chain and and plates that walk the the the halls and seem to be making their rounds. Paid off light eyes who were looking for a cushy gig. You've seen it all before. Anywhere
Speaker A
anywhere that uh you can find an individual who uh who is looking for something safer, easier. You'll find them within the halls of the Devitary. And so you walk around, you wander.
Speaker A
There's just a few too many guards for your liking. And you think that that could seriously throw a wrench in things. Should Nav and Alolstrom be on their way?
Speaker A
Okay, great. Perfect. Um I am going to uh are they mar are they going about in pairs singles groups?
Speaker A
The Ardans seem to be working in singles uh because they are also here to like organize books and uh it seems that they're running a double duty. Um, and then uh it's uh and then it's uh the guards, the actual true blue guards.
Speaker A
There's about there's about a half dozen of them working in pairs wandering through the stacks.
Speaker A
Okay, great. Uh I'm going to try and pick a point um where their patterns intersect.
Speaker A
Yeah. And stop at least one pair of them, hoping that another pair or maybe all of them will run into me at some point. Uh, but I am going to approach two of them.
Speaker A
Uh, and I'm going to go, um, hey, excuse me. Um, hi. Yes. Bright Lord.
Speaker A
Oh. Oh. So, I got to uh Oh, are they are they light eyes? Uh, they are they are light eyes. Yeah.
Speaker A
Great. Okay. So, I'm here on official business on behalf of Captain uh Villic and Lieutenant Derlin. I'm here to ask some questions about a string of robberies.
Speaker A
Villic and Derlin. They don't. And then they they sort of look at you. Can I get a deception, please?
Speaker A
Yeah. Oh, no way. It's a one. Okay. [laughter] Okay. Or a total of three.
Speaker A
And I don't think that I can come up with a reasonable way that that's not that I can use another skill to be honest.
Speaker A
Yeah, absolutely. It's just lying. Um, this isn't their jurisdiction at all. And we don't recognize you.
Speaker A
What's your real business? I don't recognize you. No, I'm I'm a detective. My name my name is Detective Jurro.
Speaker A
I work as an independent. Mhm. You haven't heard of me? No. Wait, really? Yes. Really? The city has many people.
Speaker A
Yeah, but no, but like I'm kind of a big deal. Like most people know me.
Speaker A
Hold on. Oh, hey. Hey. And I point to two other guys. I go, "Do you know me?" Uh, we're going to put this down to a dice roll.
Speaker A
Um, we're going to say uh call it odds or evens. Go odd. Okay. No.
Speaker A
Well, damn nation. Somebody's got to know me. Um, and is FRA still here? Like in the stacks?
Speaker A
Yeah. You see, we'll say for con for brevity sake uh that FRA is within eyesight speaking to the librarian.
Speaker A
Okay. I'll I'll lean over at her and go, "Hey, you you know who I am, right?
Speaker A
You know who I am." The librarian looks to Fra. I think he's talking to you.
Speaker A
Oh, I apolog I may have seen you around before. Yeah. No, I'm Detective Jurro, right? I stopped by. Uh I was working for um what is it? material or Terrannial or whatever his name is, right?
Speaker A
Uh, knowing that like this name is a sore spot for the librarian, if you're going to do a side glance at the at the librarian, librarian just looks like just says [laughter] nothing and looks stares at him.
Speaker A
Oh, yes. Yes, that must be where I've seen you before. Yeah. No, I'm a detective. That's what I do. Could you please tell these stooges that I'm here on official business?
Speaker A
I'm afraid I can't assume your business, sir. I'm I am in a bit of a whatever. Whatever.
Speaker A
Okay. So, here's how we're going to handle this. At this point, I've realized this plan has fallen through. I'm being as loud as I can. All the eyes on me.
Speaker A
Absolutely. Uh well, the whole point was kind of distraction even if it puts you in danger. Right. So, it is it is distracting. But what I will ask is Fra, I'm going to ask for a deception from you. And uh if Bardelar would like to
Speaker A
spend a focus, you can add advantage. Can Can I Can I Can I say that? Is this a discipline from FRA and not a discipline? Ooh, that's actually real Yeah, I would take that in a minute. I would take that in a minute.
Speaker A
Don't know what your stats are, so they hope that's better. [laughter] Maybe. Uh, but yeah, I'll spend the focus. I'll spend a I'll spend his focus for advantage. Sorry, I don't I don't know what you said.
Speaker A
Oh, what did you say? I I I got a seven. A seven? I did spend a focus.
Speaker A
You did? Okay. So, roll with advantage here. Okay. Seven's still the highest. [snorts] You threw off her groove. So like she she's going with her plan.
Speaker A
Uh the worst fears the worst fears of FRA are are sort of coming true in real time. um the plan that you had set forth to distract these people and and how like positive that your interactions had went, you know, having this plan to go
Speaker A
and uh uh uh en ensure that that the librarian was taken care of and and to look for your book. You found the book and and everything. You you're going to have the chance to make a copy and the
Speaker A
librarian was buying into your story and all these different things and things were going so well. And then Berdalar with no plan whatsoever walks into a gaggle of guards and is like, "You all know me." And then relies on you to back that up when
Speaker A
being disconnected would have been very likely better. And the guards look to the the second group of guards. Now, there's four that have that have sort of come to surround as well as one of the of the uh armed
Speaker A
uh sort of surround you. and and and the one guard uh the one who had spoken to you and and called you Bright Lord to start says Villic.
Speaker A
Yeah. And you're a detective. Yeah. And you've worked for known reprobate Captain Tyel. Okay. One time. I worked for him one time. Yeah.
Speaker A
And you know that woman right over there? Well, I saw her around at the place, so yeah, I assume she would know that I was a detective at that barracks or whatever you call it. I don't know.
Speaker A
What are you detecting? A string of robberies. A string of robberies. Yeah. One of them was done from the palace. No, one of them is done from the palace. And I was told that I could find a god who knew something about it here.
Speaker A
That there was a god who got fired from his position and ended up stuck in the ardent cuz you're all a bunch of idiots.
Speaker A
Anyway, we can go. That's what I was told. Let's go have this conversation uh in one of the private rooms and we can we can really figure out exactly.
Speaker A
Oh, you want to have a question in a private room with me? Well, instead of shouting it in the stacks where people are studying. Yes.
Speaker A
Yes, that is. I'm I know your type. I know what you're going to do. You're going to put me in a private room.
Speaker A
You're going to beat the living hell out of me. Ain't no way. Ain't no Ain't no storming way. I'm letting you take me anyway. You know, don't you touch me, Brightness. I'm not going to beat you.
Speaker A
I do want to question you though, especially if there's been a string of robberies and I'd rather not do anything.
Speaker A
You want to question me about a string of robberies? I'm the detective. more question. [sighs] You see him the the eyes just about roll out of his head.
Speaker A
Brightness, you've come into the devitary of insight spouting off about a string of robberies. And if one of our own has any sort of information on it, regardless of the circumstances of him coming here, which I do believe I know who you're
Speaker A
speaking of, then we can have a conversation about it and I can bring him [music] to you in a private room and not the stacks.
Speaker A
Okay. No, you know what? You're being very reasonable and I apologize for shouting my yap off. It's been a very stressful couple of days, you know.
Speaker A
Oh my. Is your friend coming with? And he points to Fah. No, honestly, I barely know who she is.
Speaker A
I mean, do you want to come? We'll get in the private room. Forgive me. Uh, but are these string of robberies something that we should all be concerned about? How serious are they?
Speaker A
Should I Fairly serious now? Should I be concerned? Should I be careful? Not here.
Speaker A
I mean, your pouches now. Okay. I mean, look, I'm going to give these guys the download and they're going to tell me everything they know.
Speaker A
If you want to come along, do I think I've bought enough time distracting these guards? There's a decent amount there's a decent chance that at this very moment that Nev and Olstrom are also moving through the stacks and you
Speaker A
have the librarian the librarian walks up to you walks up to bar. I'd like to be a part of this discussion.
Speaker A
All right. Yeah. No, I mean the more the marrier. And I'd like you to answer a few questions about things that have been going missing here as well.
Speaker A
Things have been going missing here. Oh, absolutely. I'll take on your case. Absolutely. Fantastic detective.
Speaker A
And then she points to FRA. You can come with Of course. The teeny tiny kremling in Bear's brain is just going.
Speaker A
That worked. Yeah. No. Okay, for sure. Let's go talk about it. The librarian, two of the guards, and the ardentia that was standing there all go into a private room.
Speaker A
We are then going to saunter on over to Alstrom and Navali. Okay. Uh yeah, I think um I think we were waiting for our opportunity and this would be uh when so when Bear is yelling and drawing all this attention to himself
Speaker A
and pulling Fier away from her distractions and getting all these people together and they're all focused on Berdalar. Uh, this would be when I would uh I would want to sneak by um sneak by all of that is going on. Uh
Speaker A
because our quarry is up on the fourth floor. Fourth floor. Correct. Correct. So yeah, I would be moving through the stacks to the next place up.
Speaker A
uh Alstrom in in tow. Correct. Yes. Okay. Yes. I will say that if Nev is going to be making a stealth check for two people, it will require the expenditure of a focus.
Speaker A
Usually, you would use focus in order to uh uh give someone advantage or or something like that. But rather than Alol making his own stealth check, I I think I think Nev, if they were taking the the helm on this one, could spend a
Speaker A
focus and use that as as both stealths. Okay. So, can I please get a stealth?
Speaker A
I'm going to raise the stakes also. Okay. Okay. That is that's blank on the plot.
Speaker A
Uh and that is 23 stealth. 23 stealth. Okay. Yep. Nev has Nev's moved, you know, um [snorts] through more busy buildings than anyone can really can really name at this point. Whether it's the theater, whether it's other devitaries, whether it's uh
Speaker A
places of business, you know, um a bit of skull duggery during the daylight waking hours is no stranger to Nali. So, it's um it's it's a very quiet reality uh to Olstrm that Nev is young.
Speaker A
Nev is also viscerally talented at this. They have hand on chest, grip on vest.
Speaker A
Uh on more than one occasion, a hand over the mouth to to silence like breathing as someone passes by, pushing you into al coes into cloistered areas. Uh ducking you down with a head with a hand on top of your head to go behind a uh a
Speaker A
book cart. uh obfuscating your forms to make it look like you're just reading something uh you know from behind a uh a rolling ladder. There's so many micro points of obfuscation that Nev accomplishes that it's kind of dizzying.
Speaker A
Um holding themselves in people's blind spots. uh you know um throwing uh throwing a book onto the floor to create a distraction to have two other guards uh uh walk over to just find a book that's fallen over. It's
Speaker A
a constant uh show of expertise in this area and eventually you get to the point.
Speaker A
So, it's been a little unclear. Um, Olstrm and FRA were of the consensus that the easiest way to get in closest to where you needed to be on the fourth floor would be climbing up on one of the
Speaker A
stacks and putting a hole in the ceiling [sighs] with the third floor. Yes, with Alstrom's device. If that isn't the case and you'd like to do it at the doorways after the staircase that leads up to the fourth floor, that's
Speaker A
also absolutely an option, but there are permanent guards posted at that door. Okay. Uh I I I misremembered that part. Uh that's my bad. Uh so yeah, I guess I would probably like help him climb up the stacks with me uh
Speaker A
to the area where we know the book is because we know where the book is precisely because we have the plans for the building.
Speaker A
Exactly. You do have the plans for the building and you do know where you need to be coming up under in order to get there. It's not the easiest thing to climb a uh to climb a stack of books. So, I will ask
Speaker A
for an athletics from both of you. Okay. Yeah, I got athletics. That's not what I meant to do.
Speaker A
I got this for sure. Yeah. 18. 18. Okay. Yeah. 14 + 4. Nine. A nine.
Speaker A
Oh, no. [gasps] That's that's a rough number. Uh, it takes it takes a little while longer for Alstrom to get to the top.
Speaker A
Stumbling, some books fall, and it is going to have to be a raised stakes stealth check uh from specifically Alolstrom to go undetected, rolling on top of the stack of books.
Speaker A
Oh. Um. Ooh. Oh. Uh. Wait. Uhoh. Um. Oh no. Wait. You said stealth. Yes.
Speaker A
19 with a complication. with a complication. Complication plus two or plus four. Four. Okay.
Speaker A
Olstrm rolls on the top of the shelf as a member of the Ardentia and comes around the corner to see books falling from the actual top.
Speaker A
He looks up. You don't see him, but you hear Hello. Hello. Uh, yeah. I'm just up here reading a book.
Speaker A
It's pretty nice. It's got uh I just The couches are too comfortable. I like to be up here just reading.
Speaker A
I cannot in words explain how incredibly against the rules that is. Okay. So, I mean, I'll just stay up here while I'm I'm up here already. You know, you I I probably don't want to like get down right away and knock things over
Speaker A
more. So, I'll just I'll stay up here for a while and we'll all be okay.
Speaker A
I'm going to give you to the count of 10 to get off this bookshelf or I'm coming up there after you.
Speaker A
Can I have Wave make a distraction somehow? Wave is like pretty violently vibrating on like the small of your back. She's like, "Bad lie. Bad lie." Only only Allstrom hears this like within like the ear just barely.
Speaker A
Can I uh can I do something when I see that this is going bad?
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah, please. Of course. Uh it's just one guard. It's ju it's an ardent who's armed. So, a guard in less words. Is there anybody else in this row?
Speaker A
No one else in this row. All right, I'm gonna I'm gonna drop them in cheap shot.
Speaker A
Okay. [snorts] Uh so I'm going to drop down uh like death from above and spend a focus to use cheap shot. Spend one focus to make an unarmed attack with thievery versus cognitive raising the stakes. On a hit, the target is stunned.
Speaker A
So, my goal is to knock him out. I don't want to kill him or anything. Okay. Just knock him out and keep him from being a dick basically.
Speaker A
Yeah, absolutely. Hit it. Um, cool. Thievery versus cognitive, you said. Correct. Yeah. Okay. Uh, thieving is my expertise, so I don't know if that helps me at all. Uh, oh, that's really good. Uh 17 plus four for thievery
Speaker A
21. That's lots. That is lots. His cognitive defense is not 21. This is a this is kind of a stoolie. Uh walking the stacks having to protect books. He's not exactly a mental monolith.
Speaker A
Uh yeah, while stunned in combat, you lose any reactions on your turn. You gain too fewer. Don't gain a reaction.
Speaker A
while stunned. Out of combat, you're overwhelmed, making you move and react slower to your situation at GM's discretion. But my goal is to uh to knock him out. And the impact of me hitting him unarmed is five damage.
Speaker A
Five damage. I think that the reality is that you nailed him with the cheap shot.
Speaker A
And there has to be some sort of accordance for being 15 ft up in the air uh and also landing on him. I will allow with a 21. I will definitely allow a a full unconsciousness. You took a massive
Speaker A
risk, but since you did fall all of those steps, I think it would make sense if you took one physical [snorts] damage.
Speaker A
I'll take it. Uh, and as I'm standing over this poor ardent who I'm gently bald head, he's just he's like he's just like I'm propping him up like further down next to like stack of books in his lap
Speaker A
and his weapon kind of sitting up against the stacks to make it look like maybe he fell asleep.
Speaker A
Um, [laughter] and uh yeah, that's that's the my headset's dying. That's the goal. Uh, okay.
Speaker A
Uh, I will ask for I I I would I'd love a I'd love a real quick uh uh deception on that one.
Speaker A
Deception. I would say deception. Yeah. Uh, okay. I'm not trying too hard. No, no, this isn't this isn't this isn't this isn't an insane roll.
Speaker A
Uh, 12. Perfect. Hold on. Okay. Uh, not very charismatic. You're going to you're going to launch back up that stack of books.
Speaker A
Um I would imagine. Okay. Oh, yeah. We'll snag should I athletics? We'll snag one more athletics. Yeah, stealth is fine. Stealth is fine. Uh that can be just a general uh uh descriptor for the whole scene. This one,
Speaker A
this one is 13. 13. Totally fine. Yeah, this isn't an insane feat. Reach down. reach down his hand to pick you up.
Speaker A
Do you probably ignore it or anything? I do. Uh I'm I'm just glaring daggers at him and pointing up at where we're supposed to use the Fabriel. Hurry up.
Speaker A
Okay. So, you think uh he starts whispering? Next time somebody sees you, just don't say anything.
Speaker A
No, no one's around right now. We're good right now. We're good to go. Hurry up. Yes, we're good right now.
Speaker A
See, like um uh like pulls up his sleeve and uh how close to the ceiling are we?
Speaker A
Uh stand. Are we crouching? You you have to stand uh in order to reach it, but uh it's like it's like about a foot above your head.
Speaker A
Okay. Yeah. So, um, as like looking around, making sure no one's looking in our area, waiting for the right moment, stands up and puts his hand to the ceiling and activates the uh the creme reel.
Speaker A
Okay. So, remind me. I don't think there's a there's no specific role for that, is it?
Speaker A
Uh, no. It's only if someone gets like stuck in it. Yeah. Like 5 foot area turns into soft clay.
Speaker A
That is what I thought. I will so the 5-ft area turns into soft clay. Now, I don't know about y'all, but I certainly know a thing or two about gravity and soft clay.
Speaker A
Yeah. Slopping down onto the top of the stack is a pretty solid rain of thuing mud and cremel like stone.
Speaker A
Before very long, this 5-ft cube has created a hole and has rehardened. if you would like.
Speaker A
Can we Do I need to do it again? Can we see through the floor?
Speaker A
You can absolutely see through the floor. The floor is maybe two feet of stone thick.
Speaker A
Okay. Uh you you first or you me? Just give me a second and I'm going to scramble up. Uh but I'll help. I'll stir them up after I get up there.
Speaker A
Okay, Nev, you hop up into the room. Inside this chamber is a I do look before I leap. [laughter] Sure. Sure.
Speaker A
I will say You pull yourself up just by fingertips, holding your eyes just above the lip, and you look inside.
Speaker A
Luckily enough, you chose a portion of floor that quite literally had nothing underneath it. The rest of this location is a series of display cases and bookshelves.
Speaker A
Along the walls are a series of books that are written in languages that you do not recognize at first. um you're thinking it's things like Thalen, it's things like Asish, uh you see uh books that are written like you you you've
Speaker A
seen enough in the same way that a person would would uh recognize like Japanese or or Dutch or German etc. You see Rashi and you see you see a few shin tones and scattered throughout this room which sits about uh 40 ft uh across and about
Speaker A
60 ft long are a series of display cases. These display cases are wooden uh platforms uh that at the very top have latching glass lids.
Speaker A
That is the only things that are within this room. When I pull Alstrom up to look at all of this with me, I look at him and I go, um, are there mechanisms on these things, or can I just grab it?
Speaker A
Oh, no. We're going to need to undo a couple locks first before we even try opening it.
Speaker A
Oh, like regular locks. I can do that. Okay. Yeah. You pull Alstrom up. Yeah, I'm helping him.
Speaker A
Okay. You pull up Olstrm and you you you you take another inventory of the room and there's one door that uh that enters this chamber. Um the door seems to be made out of solid steel. Uh it is quite
Speaker A
the heavyduty uh uh secure looking uh entry point. And then you start peering around. Um I'm going to have you both make perceptions to find this specific uh uh locked cabinet.
Speaker A
And could I argue for deduction? It is the same, but I feel like that skill makes more sense like investigation wise. Uh yeah, for sure.
Speaker A
Oh, that was really good. Uh 21. A 21. Okay. Um could I use pattern or um uh wave to help me? I have this test assurance where he can if I spend a focus he can grant advantage on
Speaker A
tests to decode patterns, pick locks, deduct deduction tests or certain lore test. Uh because he's a uh cryptic. Yeah.
Speaker A
You see the big problem is you're not bonded. He's he's not he's not helping with much.
Speaker A
Gotcha. He can talk to you. Okay. And that's about all you've got. Um, and you said you said perception, right?
Speaker A
I did say perception. Deduction if you're, you know, deduction if you're nasty. Apparently, apparently deduction only falls under like [clears throat] logically reflecting rather than searching. I thought deduction would have counted like under searching.
Speaker A
I would say invest I would say a logic based investigations can definitely be deduction. Uh, call it homebrew, call it house rule, whatever you like. Uh there's no proper investigation role without that. So it's how we're going to
Speaker A
be treating it and how we have been treating it. Yeah. Uh yeah. So I got a six.
Speaker A
Either way, it's the same number for a six. Nev. Nev's not an artifan. Nev is not uh security specialist uh when it comes to very very intense secure locations. Um, Nev knows a dagon contraption when they see it. There are many things in this
Speaker A
room that are under lock and key. The display cases are all um are all locked with a very uh intricate looking um inset lock. Um, some of the bookcases are in cages uh that you would have to pick the locks of in order to get
Speaker A
inside. Um, sitting at the back of the room, at the very back of the room, is a metallic pedestal. This metallic pedestal is squareish and at the very top of it is uh at the very top of it is
Speaker A
another uh display case except it is made completely out of what appears to be uh iron or steel.
Speaker A
It's very very secure looking. And that that pedestal, the the rectangular look of it seems to be like it is containing something.
Speaker A
You look at it, it looks like this pedestal very likely contains that fabriel, that heating fabriel that will torch the document. And the top of the uh the the the mechanism is dominated by a fairly severe looking lock.
Speaker A
Uh Olstrom, I found our quarry, but it's definitely in that Fabriel I told you about.
Speaker A
Yeah. Well, uh, all right. Uh, let's get started, shall we? Sure. Is this like a teamwork thing?
Speaker A
This will absolutely Well, first of all, Navali is the lock pick. There's really no there's really no uncertain terms about that. If the lock is picked without the Fabriel first being disarmed, the thing goes up in smoke.
Speaker A
Olstrom needs to do his part. Then Navali needs to do their part. That's how it is. Olstrom needs to disarm this Fabriel and then Nev with, you know, haste will be able to pick this lock.
Speaker A
Can I get Alstrom to please make a crafting check? This this is an instance where I as the GM am going to raise the stakes.
Speaker A
Yeah, absolutely. Can I assist? I would love I would love someone to clip right now so that I can zoom in on Lane's face. That was ridiculous. [laughter] Uh I'm sorry. What was the roll?
Speaker A
I didn't roll yet. Okay. Okay. [snorts] I'm freaking out over here. Can I assist?
Speaker A
Oh. Uh 21 and the blank. And a blank. Uh I would have I would have allowed an assist. Uh um but as he didn't need it, though.
Speaker A
As it turns out, he did not need Alstrom. You pull out a small tool kit and you start peeling off pieces of this pedestal to get access to the fabriel that is inside. Inside the bottom of this fabriel is very clearly the biggest
Speaker A
ruby that you have seen when it comes to a heating fabriel. This is a fabriel that would be able to heat this room in all likelihood. hang it from the ceiling. And this is heating an entire room in pretty short order.
Speaker A
Direct it upwards. As you see that the iron underneath is all deflecting the heat in a in in almost like a like a like an arc towards this document.
Speaker A
You're seeing that it would scorch it instantly and set it on fire. So you place the fabriel to the side and you activate.
Speaker A
You hear the gentle nervous hum of wave work. Get in there. And then that vacuumlike suction of the flame spread out of the heating fabriel and into the ruby of your fabriel.
Speaker A
I did. But uh you're going to have to do the the lock quickly. I don't uh Nev immediately gets to work. Doesn't say anything. Just is a little bit worried that the gemstone that he has will not be able to
Speaker A
contain the size of the flame spread that is inside of it. We don't have long.
Speaker A
Do I need to roll since thieving is an expertise of mine? the complexity of the lock will will draw a a role for sure, but I would say that since it is your expertise, uh I'm not raising the stakes unless you
Speaker A
want to. Don't need to. 18 + 4 on fire today. You're you're worried for a second, though.
Speaker A
Mhm. This lock is intense. False. false latches. Uh there's uh you know the the the tumbler is is stiff, like very stiff. The amount of tension that you need to put on the wrench is is is intense. You you find so many false
Speaker A
points in the in the actual tumblers. You're you're you're pushing. Why is this not working? Why is this not working? Uh and then you pull out a completely separate tool set. Nev is a expert at this. You pull out a
Speaker A
bump key and you just you're like this thing. Whack. You hit it with the back of a knife and just the bump key just immediately sets the pins and with like a wrench you click. Slides open and you open it up.
Speaker A
Oh, I'm snatching the book with a quickness. If you want me to roll agility, I will.
Speaker A
Uh, there's no there's no agility. The the the latch simply opens. There is no trap inside. There is no closing of the mechanism.
Speaker A
I'm not I'm not messing around. I'm just like You do snag it with an insane quickness.
Speaker A
I will say I'm like clutching the book. I will say that as you take the uh as you take the uh the latch up, you see a small slender read with a ruby on top of it.
Speaker A
And as the latch opens, the the ruby clicks and it just does a scratch across a piece of paper that is on the corner of the actual latch or sorry of the actual uh uh container.
Speaker A
There has been a notification that has been sent via a very clever use of a span read.
Speaker A
Oh, Storms, we got to go. right now. Does one of these is Is there an outside wall in this room?
Speaker A
There will be an outside wall, but folks, it's about time for a human break, wouldn't you say?
Speaker A
Mhm. We will we will be back in 10 minutes. We will see you when we return. Please tell your mom, tell your dad, tell your sister, tell your brother, tell your cousin, tell your Herdazzian cousins, tell the stormfather, tell the almighty.
Speaker A
Go tell Wit that uh we are live right now on another world tabletop telling uh cosmir stories. Tell that fella, tell that fella, the storm father.
Speaker A
This is the storm father. That is the storm father. Tell them that we are live. Uh and tell your dog that I love you. Uh, and we will be back in a quick 10 minutes.
Speaker A
We'll see you soon. Welcome back. Did you tell your dog that I love them? I sure hope so. I sure hope so.
Speaker A
I told my cat. Told your cat. That's That's fantastic. That's fantastic. Uh, I told the stormfather. Uh, yeah, I told the storm father. Um, so yeah, we we zoom back in on Nev and Alolstrm within the within this
Speaker A
chamber full of oddities and different uh uh locked up antiquities uh to that line the walls that sit behind metal cages, glass display cases that are under lock and key, etc., etc.
Speaker A
You have the book in hand. It's of a decent weight. It's about the size of uh of a regular, you know, an anthy textbook. It is that it is that weight and and uh uh uh gravity that you would
Speaker A
get from from a very significant tome wrapped in what appears to be uh uh the skin of an animal of some sort. Um you feel as if it's made out of a strange material as you do snag it though.
Speaker A
You run your hand against it and like you've you've felt like leathers before, like you've felt different fabrics and materials that have been used to bind books. You're no stranger to to literature, but seems to be of an odd
Speaker A
texture. The pages are thick. It is not a thin paged tone. Uh, it has the rough look of a book that was bound by hand on the front.
Speaker A
You most certainly do not Oh, I'm sorry. One sec. One sec. That's because I didn't do this. Bam.
Speaker A
I'm back. Hi, everybody. Upon the surface uh of the book, you do not see uh you do not see a uh you do not see words. You simply see a symbol.
Speaker A
It is you think dawnchant the scratchlike very intentional religious wording but there isn't a lot of time for that right now. You've taken the book and you what do you dash [clears throat] towards the door? Do you go to the hole that
Speaker A
you've made? Where do you go? Uh, I look to Alstrom. There's a span read here. They know we have that something's been taken.
Speaker A
Is uh this wall and I point to the far wall. This is external. Can you put a hole in it?
Speaker A
Yeah, totally. Great. Don't run over. And um actually wait before before I say that what side of the exterior of the building the wall the walls unfortunately are not stone in here is the biggest problem. They are covered
Speaker A
from roof to from ceiling to floor in wooden bookshelves. Okay. Um, can you see all this up if we get out of here from there and I point down?
Speaker A
[clears throat] Uh, a little bit. I'll take it. You hear shouting? Uhoh. It's coming from the hole in the floor.
Speaker A
Never mind. It is quite literally There's a hole in the ceiling. There's a hole in the There's a hole in the ceiling. No, come look. Hey, come look. There's a hole in the ceiling.
Speaker A
Is it only one voice? For now, it seems to be one voice. Uh, or do I go do I go to like another corner of the room and make another hole in the floor?
Speaker A
What? So, we don't go out. We go down somewhere else. It's not that big of a room, is it?
Speaker A
It is a 40ft x 60 ft vault. It's not a small room. Okay. Running. [laughter] Yeah. Could I get like the furthest point away from where we made that original hole to make another hole going down?
Speaker A
Do we know where that leads? It's a little late to be worrying and wondering.
Speaker A
All right. You run to the corner of the room. And you start hearing more voices shouting from the hole that you've made in the floor and Alstrom, you tap your creme reel onto the floor.
Speaker A
And I would like very very much for we're going to say h I think the best the best thing that we could do here is no this is really just luck. I would like a d20 from someone.
Speaker A
Uh, okay. Uh okay. That is a four. That is a four. Okay. Is hopefully it's even versus odds and not a high number thing.
Speaker A
So the stone turns to creme. The creme starts to fall. You hear a cacophinous set of bangs as a ladder is struck with thick twoft chunks of creme and a plethora of books fly off of the shelves. And you see standing
Speaker A
underneath a pair of ardents that were mid conversation looking towards the hole that is in the ceiling and then looking up towards you as they become covered in creme and they say one of them points up and says how how how
Speaker A
heresy and they point to who is wielding this strange device in his hand. And then there's only two of them.
Speaker A
There's only two of them. Are they armed? They are armed. What do you do?
Speaker A
Two people versus a gaggle of people on the other place. Uh uh because they haven't seen Nev yet, I'm hoping to get the element of surprise and jump down on these two. I'm going to toss the book. Actually, I'm
Speaker A
not going to toss the book. I'm going to keep it. It's tucked in my pack.
Speaker A
Okay. It is a 20ft drop. Oh, it's that far. It is that far. It was a 15oot drop when you were on top of the stacks.
Speaker A
Mhm. Makes sense. Okay. There's nothing above them like stacks. They have there's there there's you could drop down onto a onto a stack.
Speaker A
Yeah, for sure. Uh yeah, that's what I would prefer. Like is there a way for me to drop down that while they're looking at Alstrom, they don't see me? Like can I stealth that?
Speaker A
You can raise the stakes and make a stealth. Yes, sure. Okay, cool. Hi. I'm just trying I'm just trying to get a like good idea of what we're working with here.
Speaker A
Okay. [clears throat] Okay. Hell yeah. Uh stealth. So 23 and a blank on the opportunity.
Speaker A
23 and a blank. 23 and a blank. Okay. They're looking at Olstrm and as he's beckoning and and taunting them, it's truly panic that sets in uh to these two Ardans seeing this and they start shouting and they're like, "We need to
Speaker A
go. We need to get help. Guards, guards." And they start running. Is the one I cheap shot when I jump down. Okay, you jump down and give me that uh thievery versus cognitive.
Speaker A
Okay, I'm going I'm [clears throat] going after the loud one. Okay. Okay. Did you cry? [laughter] That one's a 12.
Speaker A
A 12. Yeah. Uh, if I'm not mistaken, meets it beats it when it comes to defenses. Let's go.
Speaker A
He's stunned. How much damage? Do I just fully like uh It's five. Five dam. Oh, it is just five. Okay, perfect. Perfect.
Speaker A
Yeah, it says impact five. Okay. It doesn't give me like a like a number plus. It's just five.
Speaker A
Okay. Mhm. You drop down. You strike this ardent the other one looking shock to the side of the neck. Just Yeah. He hits the ground unconscious.
Speaker A
You take another one damage. Uh, and the other ardent looks at you completely stunned, un unused to combat.
Speaker A
You see the look in his eyes. Pull a knife on him. Don't. I don't want to hurt anyone.
Speaker A
Intimidation. Okay, she'll do it. I've seen her. Don't do it. Oh, 15. 15. 14 plus one. I only have a plus one in intimidation.
Speaker A
Going to roll. Okay. [laughter] He looks at you and you see panic in his eyes and you see his hand shaking. He's like I I I I didn't I didn't see you.
Speaker A
Thank you. And I looked at Olstrom. The steel door behind Alolstrom opens. Yeah, you see I'm going to drop down three guards and you see one of them coming in with a bow drawn.
Speaker A
Oh yeah. I throw the the the gemstone with the FIRE GUY IN IT and I drop down.
Speaker A
There's a little bit of a cacophinous bang as the flame gouts outwards. It isn't enough. I wouldn't call it a fireball. I wouldn't call it anything like that, but it is sort of an explosive release of a of a of a of a
Speaker A
flame sprint. You're jumping. You're falling. You've just assaulted three guards. You've just disarmed a heat [snorts] fabriel.
Speaker A
You're you've you you've you've used it as a gout of flame. You're using an invention that you've used for the very first time in your life. Your heart is pounding.
Speaker A
Wave is pulsing on your back just below your neck on a shoulder blade. And you hear in the back of your mind, say the words.
Speaker A
Life before death. Yes. Strength before weakness. Yes. Journey before destination. Olstrom hits the floor and there is a crackle of frost as a symbol erupts across the stone floor of this library.
Speaker A
As energy races within you, you feel pounding in your ears. You feel so much life running within you. And you hear in the back of your mind, these words are accepted.
Speaker A
[sighs and gasps] And I would like you to make a choice in this moment. You have so much energy and so much glorious pure radiant life rushing through your veins. It feels like you're going to burst.
Speaker A
And so what is the very first thing that comes to Alolm's mind? Is it to create or is it to deceive?
Speaker A
Oh. Um, uh, de deceive. I think deceive to try and like get the guards to go like an opposite direction so we can get out.
Speaker A
I guess create I don't Okay. You feel for the very first time the sanguin rush of investature flooding your [music] body and you feel like you could grasp the world and pour anything into it.
Speaker A
And the only thing that you can call to mind is that you need something that doesn't feel real but looks it.
Speaker A
And in this moment, I would very much like you to describe what it looks like as Alstrom's skin starts to pour mist and light and frost off of itself as you drip with this power.
Speaker A
What is the illusion that you weave to distract the guards? as the the like mist is like coalescing um and like floating off of him and the like floor is like frosting. And you see some of it starts to run off in a a
Speaker A
direction and one of the stacks just catches on fire or so it seems. The stacks start to burn.
Speaker A
People start to panic. There is chaos. The guards rush over to the hole and then look back to the flames. The Ardent that was in front of Nev sprints away. And as the heat reel sputters out its last gouts of flame, as
Speaker A
the illusory flames crawl up the stacks, you have just a moment of breathing room. You have a moment of respit where there is no one surrounding you and the people who are within eyesight are so distracted. What does Nev and Olstrom
Speaker A
do? I think I mean I say the I saw the storm light coming off of him and all of that, right?
Speaker A
You saw everything. It all happened feet away from you. Nev just looks amazed for a second and shakes her head and just like grabs your arm. Come on, we have to go.
Speaker A
Let's get out of here. They'll be okay. Uh, not my scarf, but I'm going to throw my cloak over his shoulder so he can hide a little bit. Uh, if he feels he needs to as we scoot away. Uh, I
Speaker A
Oh, yeah. Am I still glowing? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Cloak's a good idea for sure.
Speaker A
Okay, cool. Yeah. Um, uh, yeah, I'm gonna stealth us out of here. I would like you to make a stealth with a raised stakes, please.
Speaker A
Nice. Okay. Uh, that's 18 + 5, so 23. And I have an opportunity. with that opportunity, how would you like to control the narrative of how you escape?
Speaker A
Yeah. Um, I think uh using the illusory flames to our advantage. I'm moving with the people who see the flames and are running out um to to kind of hide us in the crowd.
Speaker A
Uh, and as guards come to I, you know, will I I kind of treat I kind of treat Olstrm like a puppet of sorts. I have him like hunch over so he looks shorter than he actually is as we're like
Speaker A
running. You know, I've got my shoulders on him and I'm trying to look reassuring so that one, the side of my face that doesn't have a scar is facing towards the guards if they're looking. And two, we're like ducking kind of half behind
Speaker A
people as we get out onto the street. Nev and Olstrm hit the street and you see a paloquin and stepping out is what appears to be a very high ranking light man wearing Uh, the colors of High Prince Amaram,
Speaker A
cape flowing off of the back of him, the symbol of Amaram on his back, breastplate on.
Speaker A
He stands tall. Two warriors standing on either side of him, an ardent standing just beside, taking notes as to what this man is saying.
Speaker A
He looks down at you. Then he looks at the devary and then he looks down at you.
Speaker A
young young dark eyes girl. [clears throat] Uh yes, brightness lord the devitary. Is there some sort of commotion inside?
Speaker A
Uh I believe I saw smoke. Lord smoke. There's a fire like something burning. I think so.
Speaker A
I got swept up in the crowd. Sir, were you in the library? No, sir. Didn't quite make it that far.
Speaker A
Can I please get a deception? [laughter] Okay, it was nice knowing you guys. Holy 18 + 2 dirty 20.
Speaker A
You didn't see anything? Okay. Not really. Lord. He puts a hand on your shoulder.
Speaker A
Oh no. Be safe then walks past you into the devitary. Uh can I in this moment roll insight?
Speaker A
Oh please. Okay. Uh, dirty 20 again. 17 + 3. Oh, okay. Why is there suddenly an envoy or a soldier of High Lord Amaram at the Devitary instantly after you two made a huge ruckus?
Speaker A
Oh, it's his book. He lets you go. Yeah. And then we are going to as you sweat and run and move, we're going to move back a little bit in the past to Berdalar and Fra.
Speaker A
So, the two of you, you've been brought into this room. It's a reading room. It's nothing too severe looking. Uh there's bookshelves on uh uh a few of the uh on on a few of the walls. Um there's comfortable
Speaker A
seating. Uh there are uh uh a few aloves for you know drinking coffee and having discussions. It's a it's a parlor really but they it's a reading room seeing as this is essentially a gigantic glorified library slash repository of of different knowledges
Speaker A
but [snorts] that guard the individual that you spoke to. Uh, I'm sorry. I didn't have a chance to introduce myself. Uh, Skinodar.
Speaker A
I think you're muted. I I'm on muted. Oh, no. You're good now. Okay. Maybe just quiet.
Speaker A
Yeah. Uh, Skinodar, it's it I'm I'm sorry about the bad circumstances, but I've asked uh to have that uh recent recruit uh brought in uh to speak to, but if you could just go over with me uh any threats or worries that you have for
Speaker A
the Devitary, that would be that'd be ideal. Oh, excuse me. Can I take some notes? Would that be?
Speaker A
Okay, feel free. Waves a hand. So, I was worried. Well, first of all, um there's been a string of robberies of some pretty highprofile things. I don't know if you heard, but from the palace, they are currently missing.
Speaker A
Okay. Yes. Nicole Soulcaster. He like leans back in his chair. And I can't think of any other places where there are relics of such import as here at the Devitary.
Speaker A
And on top of that, I've also heard that some of the guards that you have new now on duty have already failed in their duties at protecting things from being robbed by children nonetheless. So, okay, say more.
Speaker A
So, I've been hired by um uh well, Captain Villic, but I'm in conversation with Lieutenant Derlin about finding out who is who is perpetrating most of these um well thefts. And I do have a few I do have a few
Speaker A
suspects at the moment, but I don't know for sure. So, I was hoping I could get some more information from well, at least the ones who have been robbed from before to see if maybe they're the same people who've been stealing.
Speaker A
Okay. Okay. My prime suspect as of right now is um is an individual who is known to work with the I don't know if you're familiar with the cult, the Sons of Honor. I've been looking into their activities,
Speaker A
their whereabouts in the city. Haven't heard of them. Insight. Yeah. Okay. [laughter] Not bad. What is my Oh, it's plus five.
Speaker A
I'm so insightful. Uh 18 an 18. Uh it seems pretty sincere. Uh not everybody knows about the Sons of Honor, even though they are like a fairly open cult within the city. Like people understand that they operate as
Speaker A
like a branch of, you know, anti- extremist uh like extremist anti-heretical. Um uh this guy just seems shifty. That's all. Uh he might seem a little he might seem a little shifty. He might be a little shifty, but
Speaker A
like at the end of the day, he does seem to not actually know what the hell that uh it is. Um yeah. All right. So, um Okay. So, let me let me get this straight.
Speaker A
There's a rash of of of robberies happening. You're investigating the Sons of Honor and you think they're behind it?
Speaker A
Yes, I do think that they are. Well, at least I know they've committed they've perpetrated some uh I do believe that they are behind Yas Nicole and Soulcaster going missing and I know that the Devitary here also has some very um important artifacts
Speaker A
that I think they might be interested in next. So, I wanted to come get the lay of the land, see if anybody had seen anything strange recently.
Speaker A
What what do you what do you qualify as strange? I mean um any folks sculing about where they shouldn't be um anybody you know um learning learning uh movement patterns, God's God's whereabouts, anything like that?
Speaker A
Has anybody mentioned trying to be bribed recently? The only person that's been coming around here asking questions that seem a little bit unseammly is this one. And he points to FRA.
Speaker A
It just looks to Fra. Okay. Sure. Sorry. Were you being serious? I'm being deadly serious. Yes.
Speaker A
Oh, well then perhaps what is unseenly about the pursuit of religious inquiry? You've been talking to the librarian and about some unsavory things. And you also associate with that Captain Tile.
Speaker A
Well, he is my superior. Sorry, I wouldn't necessarily call that association. you directly report to who is in all likelihood the most frowned upon member of the guard that operates here in colonar when it comes to the Ardans. So,
Speaker A
forgive me if when you come around here asking about books and and and about religious philosophy and you get into a strange borderline heretical conversation with our dear librarian that I have questions. You haven't done anything illegal, miss, but I will say
Speaker A
that it does you're you're the most suspicious person that's come in here in the past few weeks. So, I I do worry about the state of education in this city then if no one is coming in to learn.
Speaker A
I'm sorry. What was your name again? Miss Veronial TV. Veronial TV. And you work for Turiel? Is that was his name is?
Speaker A
Yes, sir. Does he know you're here right now? Not not today necessarily, but I do seek knowledge scholarship often. So, he likely wouldn't be surprised.
Speaker A
Interesting. And you don't mind if I went and had a conversation with him about this?
Speaker A
Not at all. Good. Good. I'll be um I'll be stopping by. So, don't leave town.
Speaker A
All right. There's a knock at the door and in walks an ardent uh being escorted by a proper guard and it is that same brownhaired uh dulleyed uh kind of uh uh squirly looking uh guard from before. um
Speaker A
that Berlar savagely beat. So he walks in. It's the individual that was that was demoted after being uh uh crumped and losing the Oh, that was the guy who got demoted. I thought it was the guy I thought the guy
Speaker A
who got demoted was the ones who uh Nev got escaped from on the rooftops.
Speaker A
Oh, both. But but if you were if you were assuming one or the other, then uh uh this is the one I got. Oh This is this is for for sure the one that I am I don't know if I'm going to
Speaker A
apologize for that. Uh uh he walks he walks in the room and he sees bear.
Speaker A
I glare at him. I stare him down. What uh what's what's what's this one doing here?
Speaker A
and the the head guard sort of looks over and uh he's investigating a crime.
Speaker A
That's detective juror. He's working under Vilic and he has a few questions for you. He said that you uh were a man of some consequence when it comes to potentially some robberies around here and we don't usually allow ardent to be
Speaker A
coming in on and having charges trumped up against them as soon as they've been allowed to actually stay here. So, uh, if anything, you're going to be playing on your back foot, and you shouldn't be asking too many questions cuz you're
Speaker A
going to have them asked of you. So, please sit down, shut up, and let the detective ask his questions.
Speaker A
The guy walks over, sits down, and just stares absolute daggers at Berlar. Ask away.
Speaker A
Sure. Um, what was your name again? I don't know. I think I took a [sighs] I'm having a hard time remembering today. I took a fairly savage blow about the head not too terribly long ago and I've been having troubles with my memory
Speaker A
lately. I I look at the other guard who I've been talking to like, "Can you believe this shit?" The other guard says he he he like he like pulls out a trenchon and like jabs him in the in the side. Answer the
Speaker A
question. Looks [snorts] [clears throat] Both. Both. Both. Both. Okay. Both. Now, I um I have a few questions to ask about you. To ask to ask of you. Um on the day of uh whatever day that was. I
Speaker A
don't exactly remember. It was It was about It was It was It was about seven days ago. All right. Seven days passed.
Speaker A
I believe [snorts] uh you was to make uh you were spotted in the uh near near the city the same day that that um that Ardent was to perish. Do you remember that?
Speaker A
It's a little hazy, but yes, I remember. Okay. And what was the last thing you do remember?
Speaker A
I was making a very simple delivery to the palace. Okay. And what were you delivering?
Speaker A
It was a package of incense. Of incense. Okay. Under whose orders? That would be Sergeant Ferris.
Speaker A
Sergeant Ferris. Okay. Um, excuse me. Noteaker girl. Yes. Would you mind taking that down for me?
Speaker A
Already already written down. Sergeant Ferris. And where would I be able to find this Ferris? Bulf.
Speaker A
Sergeant Ferris works at the palace. Interesting. And I suspect you would not be able to get me a meeting with him, would you?
Speaker A
Could you? No. I've Not after you were demoted. Relieved of your duty. I have been transferred under recommendation of more devout members of the guard. Yes, it's a good place for you. Maybe they'll clean you up a little bit, you know,
Speaker A
help you get your act together. Is that all? One last thing. Do you know anything about the Sons of Honor?
Speaker A
Can I get an insight? Yep. Should I raise the stakes? That is always in your hands.
Speaker A
I will then. Yippee. Oh, holy cow. Okay, so it was a 19 + 5, which is 24 plus the complication of plus 4.
Speaker A
So that is a 28 with a complication. You feel a hand on your shoulder.
Speaker A
of the um the sort of lieutenant so to speak, the sergeant uh uh that that's been handling this.
Speaker A
I think all this talk about Sons of Honor is getting a little much. I I I think this might be not so much about the robberies as this personal.
Speaker A
And you see that both face has dropped and he's he's he's not speaking. He's sort of he's sort of looking at his hands. He's looking at the table. He's looking anywhere else. He's looking up at the other guard and he's just like,
Speaker A
"Uh, yeah, I they're just a they're they're a they that's a that's a dangerous criminal organization. I'd rather I'd rather not have my name associated with anything like that. It's that's actually pretty I'm I'm trying to get my act together. I
Speaker A
I've never I've never been a part of those circles." and and and to have a detective investigating me and them. I I you know, maybe maybe we get an official an official investigator in here.
Speaker A
Uh and then he looks you uh brightness, all due respect. I have one more question and then I will be out of your hair.
Speaker A
The sergeant sort of looks down at you and says, "One more bear pulls the span read out of his pocket." Who's on the other end of this thing?
Speaker A
There is like a sudden exanguination of this man as his face goes deathly pale, clammy, hand starts shaking on the on on the chair that he sits in.
Speaker A
And in what can really only be described as the most bold-faced lie that Berlar has ever heard in his entire life, I don't know.
Speaker A
I don't know. I don't know who that is. I I have never seen that.
Speaker A
How many people are in this room? Uh there are three uh there's two guards, one ardent and the uh wolf and then there is you two.
Speaker A
I am going to shift my posture ever so predatory, you know, like like ready to lunge but very slowly.
Speaker A
Yeah. I am going to hold I'm going to keep holding it in my hand and I'm going to use get him talking. I'm going to spend a focus and you just get him talking and I am going to say
Speaker A
give me a name and I'm done with you forever. And that is deduction versus spiritual.
Speaker A
Okay, hit it. Come on, baby. Let's go. Yeah. No way. 24. It's like the voice is caught in his throat and he looks to you and he just says, "You don't want to know.
Speaker A
I need to all of the stages of grief [snorts] wash over this the visage of this man's face.
Speaker A
You see him scrambling internally with some sort of internal debate. It's a [snorts] let's pray Lord Tilladan.
Speaker A
Do I know this name? Bordan was at one point an individual under investigation during that string of murders that you and Nev worked on together.
Speaker A
Okay. He's going to kill me. Sergeant looks to you and then looks to to to both. He's like, "What are you two talking about?" And then both gets up out of the chair. And the sergeant shouts at him. He's like, "Sit down. I
Speaker A
didn't tell you to get up." Both leans over the table. He's going to kill me.
Speaker A
just I don't know if you can but take him down. You can't let him live.
Speaker A
And then he walks to go and leave the door. The door is burst open and you see two ardents, one of them standing with a bucket of water. Fire. Leave now.
Speaker A
Everyone out. Okay. Do you need help or or should we I'll just go. Uh, just get out. And then going.
Speaker A
Yeah. You run. The bear looks at FRA just hits her with the [laughter] You run.
Speaker A
You press through the crush of people. You rush past panicking, screaming individuals. Ardent rushing with buckets and you make your way out.
Speaker A
Do I see any sign of a hole in the ceiling or anything that was a part of the plan?
Speaker A
You rush to know if they made it out. You rush and you see two holes in the ceiling as you go through the stacks wide and obvious. And the most unfortunate thing is in the world of Roshar, in the nation of Alithar, within
Speaker A
the city of Colonar, as far as you know, there is no such thing that can put a big hole in stone in no seconds flat, except for a shard blade. And those holes sure as don't look like shard
Speaker A
blade holes. They cut straight. But you run and you get out. And folks, I believe it is right there that we are going to wrap it up for the evening.
Speaker A
[laughter] So tonight we have spoken the very first ideal. There is a very important document in the possession of our crew. Another red string has been tied to the Sons of Honor. And Feronial has a new friend.
Speaker A
[laughter] And I stole a book. And you stole a And you also stole a book. On the smallest on the smallest scale imaginable imaginable, Faniel is also becoming crooked. [laughter] Like like Nev's assaulting people. Berlar's intimidating individuals. Olstrm's this
Speaker A
like widespread heretic and Faniel's like ah yes I have Pilford a book like I took a book from the library [laughter] which I could have signed out.
Speaker A
It's a lot. It's a lot. Yeah. No, it's just it's so fun. It's so fun. You were also a part of this gigantic heist and did reconnaissance and Yeah. Yeah. So everybody, we're going to catch you next time for the last ideal when we deal
Speaker A
with the repercussions of this entire endeavor. And I will tell you all we will see you on Saturday for Sanguin Dominion. We will catch you ne we won't catch you next Tuesday. We will not catch you next Tuesday for the last ideal. The reason
Speaker A
being it's the 23rd of December. I know that sucks. Uh, but there's not a shot I'm going to have any of the spoons left in order to to run a game that day. So, we will be joining you back, I believe,
Speaker A
on the 30th uh in order to uh to to play once again. So, we'll catch you next time. Um, happy holidays. Uh, if you celebrate uh happy new year for when it comes along, we will uh catch you all
Speaker A
later. Um, I'm going to ask the same thing that I always ask. Is T pay. We can't raid into T pay, right? God. Who's live? [sighs] A new script. Jeez.
Speaker A
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. We loved raiding into T Payne and he's forsaken us. He's forsaken us.
Speaker A
Uh oh. Uh Roar's live. Roar is fully live. We will raid into Captain Roar.
Speaker A
Um Roar. Bam. So, tell your mom, tell your dad, tell your sister, tell your brother, tell your local congressperson, tell your uh grocery clerks, tell your dog that we love them. Tell everybody else that we're live. We're telling cosmir stories
Speaker A
here on another world tabletop. We love you all. We will see you next time.
Speaker A
Bye-bye. Speak the words.
Topics:CosmereRPGheistAlgarDevotary of InsightroleplayAnother World TabletopVoronStormfatherpolitical intrigue
