Episode 35 - Matrimony and Magpies

Speaker 0 00:00:00 Hey Al Hey Barry, why did the rogue always pickpocket? Bards? Why? Because they always have the best loot it's time for Capella duel. Speaker 2 00:00:25 Hello everybody. And welcome back to Capell duel. I'm Barry Speaker 3 00:00:30 And I'm out and we are a single-player co DMD, D and D E actual play podcast previously on compelled to Speaker 0 00:00:40 Right, right. Everything's magic. There's a magical Kiva cave. The magical Kiva cave house trips. Okay, darling, Speaker 4 00:00:48 If you were waiting for things to get less magical, you've really should not be in a relationship with me. Speaker 0 00:00:55 I'm going to pick up the shield. Interesting choice. Was it the right one? There are no right choices. Ferrara. You've got one thing right? Old man, your son is protecting his sister someday soon. There won't be anything to protect you from me. I will see you soon, darling. Remember that you chose this Merriam. We're going to have to belay that conversation. Why? Because my wife is home. You see? And the strawberry and Elvin woman loop one leg over the railing of the ship and to clamber aboard Sabine, Javares closes too wet, but warm hands on either side of your face. Are you all right? I Speaker 4 00:02:02 Would really like to kiss you on the mouth right now. Speaker 0 00:02:07 Hello, sweetie. Now last we don't need to get too hasty about all of this. Let's just sit down and have a tchotchke and Sabine, fully chucks, a fire bolt at him. Okay. Speaker 4 00:02:21 Let's let's all come down. Speaker 0 00:02:24 Oh, you just tried to shoot fire at me. All right. So we're doing this. He reaches down into his belt. Unsheathed his Cutlass and takes one big striding step towards her. So fi shit is about to get bad. You are standing on the deck of the ship next to a very damp and very angry Sabina Novaris who is dressed in the same kind of sleek leather armor with her beacon coin and laid it into the breastplate that you've seen her in before. And she fully just threw a fire bolt at her husband, and he has drawn his sword and is marching across the deck towards her. Everybody is now going to roll initiative and for the folks at home, here's kind of how this combat is going to work. So it's not just me talking to myself the whole time. I am going to be running Leo. The captain and Miriam Al is going to be running fi and Sabina. So let me go ahead and roll initiative for my guys. Leo got that's a 15, the captain got every fucking time with this man. Every fucking time the captain got a Nat 20, just bought new dyes for him. Looks like they work. And Miriam got an 18. Uh, what did he get? Speaker 4 00:04:05 He got an 18 on the die. So that's a 26 and Sabine. Got, are you fucking kidding me? Speaker 0 00:04:19 Okay. You ever go through a divorce so nasty that a grantee was surprised around on each other and, um, that, oh, I do hate it here. So the captain and Sabine are going to get around on everybody else in initiative, since they both rolled Nat twenties, it goes to who has the higher initiative modifier. And the captain has a plus 10. So he technically rolled a 30. Speaker 4 00:04:46 Yeah. So beam got a 25. So to beans actually, when we get into normal initiative going after fee, but she just gets a surprise around cause she rolled in that 20. I feel insane. Oh, okay. Speaker 0 00:04:59 Here we go. Okay. So fi is within five feet of Sabine on one side, but the captain's going to run up on Sabine's other side. So he could use his rakish audacity because the rule for that is that he can use his sneak attack as long as he is within five feet of the target. And there's no one within five feet of him. So fee is 10 feet away by squares so he can still use it. So he's going to roll to hit 26. Speaker 4 00:05:30 You know, that hits the vans armor class. Speaker 0 00:05:36 He runs right up on Sabine, lashes out with his Cutlass and gets her for 30 damage. He tries to slice one of the bracers off of her arm and just gets a big cut along her forearm and the process Sapienza hub. Can I have the captain make me a whiz save? Oh, he's not good at those. No, Speaker 4 00:05:56 He is not. And his wife of 10 years is aware Speaker 0 00:05:59 Of that 17. Speaker 4 00:06:02 Okay. That just exactly hits. Sabine's save DCS. So the captain's going to take half damage. Sabine looks down at this, cut on her arm, bares her teeth at him. Well, dear, you know that for welcome home presence. I prefer chocolates. And then she's going to cast a sixth level. Bissonette whispers Speaker 3 00:06:26 Because he made the save. He doesn't have to run away. So he's going to take half of this eight V6 damage. So he takes 14 psychic damage. Speaker 2 00:06:41 Okay. And now our bonus round is done. So we're back at the top of the initiative order with the captain. Again, Sabine, glares at him so hard that it does 14 psychic damage. And he looks deeply, deeply afraid for a moment, but then adjusts his posture snarls back at her. I love, but you didn't do such a good job sneaking off the boat. I don't know what made you think you could sneak back onto it and he's going to swing at her again. Speaker 3 00:07:08 That is Speaker 2 00:07:09 A 15. He is just barely going to hit her. No one else has moved. So he still gets that sneak attack from rakish audacity. So that's 32 more damage on Sabine. She goes to try to Dodge out of the way, but he still catches her and she starts bleeding pretty heavily fi you're up next in initiative. And you've been standing there kind of rooted to where you are in shock, watching all Speaker 3 00:07:34 Of this, go down, you see Speaker 2 00:07:37 The two of them looking at each other with just sheer malice. And you come to the very unsettling realization that the captain and Sabine aren't fucking playing, they are trying to kill each other. Speaker 3 00:07:50 You are next. What would you like to do? If he's going to cast telekinesis? Can I have the captain make a strength? Save for me 17. Yeah. Okay. So that doesn't work. You see him start Speaker 2 00:08:04 To lift off his feet a little bit and he looks over at you, very betrayed and then latches one hand onto the ship's railing and grinds his feet back down into the deck Speaker 3 00:08:14 As a free action. He's just going to yell what'd you do stop it. And then it's Sabine's turn and she's not going to do that. Hey, uh, remind me is the hilt of the captain's sword made of metal? Speaker 2 00:08:29 Uh, it's wrapped in leather, but yeah, it's made Speaker 3 00:08:31 Of metal. Cool. So, so beans going to cast heat metal at fifth level. So the captain is going to make a concept to not drop his sword, but he's going to take no matter what he does, five D eight fire damage. He doesn't make the console. So he's going to take that damage and then drop his Cutlass. So that's 20 fire damage. Okay. Speaker 2 00:08:57 Yeah. With a sizzle and the sound of cooking meat, the captain screams and drops his sword onto Speaker 3 00:09:03 The deck. Oh no, that's just not fair. Sweetheart. Fairness went out the window Speaker 4 00:09:08 When I was suddenly out numbered 25 to one and our marital squad. And now it's Leo's Speaker 3 00:09:14 Turn Leo looks back Speaker 2 00:09:16 And forth between the carnage going on, very confused and then whips the knife out of his belt raises it, points it from the captain to Sabina goes, all right. Both of you chill and casts, calm emotions. So the captain and Sabine are both going to have to make a charisma save. Let me roll for the captain, the captain role to 17. So he does save cause Leah's DC Speaker 3 00:09:37 Is 16, also being plus nine to charisma saves as you wrote a 16 on the die. Okay. So you and your Speaker 2 00:09:46 Brother both do your best to try to break this up and it just does not work. And now Miriam is up. She goes to step forward into the fray to try to break it up herself. It looks like. And as a free action, the captain yells back off Mariam my wife, my problem, Speaker 3 00:10:04 Sabine hands still raised from Kathleen that heat metal yells back. I am not your wife anymore. There's several Speaker 2 00:10:11 Legal institutions that had like to disagree with you last. Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. I didn't realize marooning on an island. Didn't count Speaker 3 00:10:17 As divorce proceedings in the Zephyr Isles, Miriam Speaker 2 00:10:22 Has been given orders by her captain. You see her take a step back, look really angry and really worried, and then take off sprinting down the stairs and you hear the door to below decks, slam open, like she's going down there to get somebody. And now we're back up at the top with the captain who has dropped his sword. Sabina's probably still maintaining concentration on that heat metal. So he can't pick it back up, but he can pull a dagger out of his coat. Andy does Speaker 3 00:10:54 18 on the dye. That's absolutely going to do it. Speaker 2 00:10:59 So that's another 30 damage. Sabine's down to six hit points. Speaker 3 00:11:04 Sophie's going to, first of all, use her movement to like try and get between the two of them. Both hands out. She's going to yell Leo, do something. She's gonna use her action to lay on hands. Sabine. Sunovion gets five, hit points back. And I think she's going to do quick and spell. So she's gonna as a bonus action cast telekinesis again. So the captain has to make the save again, 15 that does not do it. The captain is shoved, let's say 20 ish feet away by a strong gust of wind. You shove him away and you Speaker 2 00:11:41 See him fighting back against the telekinesis spell, still clutching the dagger that he used to stab Sabine. Speaker 3 00:11:48 And he looks at you with this incredibly hurt and betrayed expression after all this. And you're still going to take her side. I'm not taking sides. I'm just trying to make sure you don't kill each other. And then from behind her is the beans is going to say for you, don't you get it? That's the point. And then she's going to cast heat metal again. So that's her other fifth level spell slot gone. The captain has to make the console not drop his dagger 17. So he saves. He's still holding onto it. But if she keeps concentration, he's going to keep taking down and he's going to take 14 fire damage. Okay? Speaker 2 00:12:30 Miriam is down below deck. She has not resurfaced yet. So that makes it Leo's turn. You yell at him to do something. He pulls his knife back out and goes. Not going to tell you again, chill and cast told person at third level. So the captain and Sabine are both going to have to make a DC. 16 was safe. Speaker 3 00:12:51 So be enrolled at 15. That's not going to do it. Okay. She's paralyzed. The captain rolled a three. Speaker 2 00:12:59 They both freeze. And you bring this combat to a pause. If not an end, as Miriam comes crashing back through the door from below decks, pulling you back behind her with her broad sword out, just looking panicked, back and forth at the Speaker 3 00:13:17 Situation. The high holy fuck is going on here. Fi grimaces and yells back. So Ben has a tendency for grand entrances. Might help us out here. Yeah. Volts up the stairs to the upper deck and get to look at Sabine. And a snarl goes across her face. You Sabine Speaker 2 00:13:43 Fighting back against the paralysis effect from the whole person. Just gives her this mean malicious little grants. No, you're confused, honey. That's Speaker 3 00:13:51 Your name? Leo was holding concentration on the spell. All right. If I let you two go, are you going to be cool about this now? Speaker 2 00:14:03 Okay, awesome. We can't get you to, to agree to not kill each other. So what are I'm going to do is I'm going to make it impossible for you to kill it. And Leo casts, death ward on both of them. So if either of them drops below zero hit points. No. Speaker 3 00:14:19 Yeah. And then he's going to dispel the whole person, the captain Speaker 2 00:14:24 And Sabine, both slump out of this whole person, spell glaring at each other and at you and Leah, Speaker 3 00:14:33 There's a lot of hard feelings going around right now. All right. I understand that emotions are running high, but I think we can sort this out. If the two of you would like to go somewhere that isn't on the deck in front of everyone, the cap who Speaker 2 00:14:48 Is still in your telekinesis spell goes Speaker 3 00:14:51 Hi, last love to Kant. Um, he is still taking damage from a heat metal. Speaker 2 00:14:58 Oh yeah. Go ahead and roll that one. Is it five D eight? 13? Yeah. His hand is still sizzling where he's gripping Speaker 3 00:15:07 The knife, the whips around. It says what you stop that roll intimidation 21. So let me roll insight for Sabine. She rolled a Nat one. She looks very chastised and slow Speaker 2 00:15:26 Jingles her wrist and the captain's knife stops. Speaker 3 00:15:30 Thank you. And then feed drops. The telekinesis spell. Now what both of you just behave for 10 minutes so we can go downstairs. And so at that Sabine, Speaker 2 00:15:43 She puts her head down after that Nat one insight check and just calmly walks down to the captain's quarters. She's moving around the ship. Like she knows the way the captain's still giving you kind of that wounded look, but he nods Speaker 3 00:15:56 And then follows her, see nods. She looks at Leo and says, can you do that? Uh, the cleric thing, the true thing. So in the truth, yeah, sure. I mean they can fight back against it, but I should be able to do it pretty easily. I think I'll take that risk. Let's go, Angie, I'll make Speaker 2 00:16:15 Your way down to the captain's quarters. When you walk in at the captain and Sabine are on opposite sides of the room, just snarling at each, other's Speaker 3 00:16:23 Still Leo's Speaker 2 00:16:25 The last one into the room, shuts the door behind him points at the both of them and goes, all right, both of you have a seat. Speaker 3 00:16:31 Here's what's going to happen. I'm going Speaker 2 00:16:33 To do a particularly useful bit of magic that won't let anybody in this room tell a lie, because I feel like a lot of the bullshit that's going on is because everybody here has been lied to by somebody. So let's shed some light on the situation. Yes. This will be much easier if neither of you try to fight the magic. Can we agree that the truth is good for everybody? So be, and I've heard that's Speaker 3 00:16:56 Yours. He does glare at both of them. They Speaker 2 00:17:01 Both slowly slink over to the dining table in the center of the captain's quarters and sit down Speaker 3 00:17:07 Leo nods. Thank you. And the drops, his own a truth. I'm going to say it that Speaker 2 00:17:13 The captain and Sabine both, uh, voluntarily failed their safe. Speaker 3 00:17:17 Yeah, I'll fail it too. Okay. Did you need anything else? No, we're good. Get out. Well, I mean, don't you want me to I'll handle it. Get out please. Okay. You got 10 minutes Speaker 2 00:17:28 Of that by and Leo runs out. So here's a fun, mechanical thing we're going to do. The duration on zone of truth is 10 minutes. We are going to have this conversation in which we are trying to convince the captain and Sabine to stop trying to kill each other. Speaker 3 00:17:45 I am going to set Speaker 2 00:17:47 A timer for 10 minutes and is up to your discretion Speaker 3 00:17:51 As the player. What Speaker 2 00:17:53 Sort of questions you want to ask each of them that they are compelled to answer truthfully to the best of their ability. Speaker 3 00:18:01 Okay, here we go. If he's going to look at the captain first and say for the sake of posterity, I know we all know this, but why did you move into being on an island? Speaker 2 00:18:13 I was following pirate code. She stole from her own crew. I had to. Speaker 3 00:18:17 Alright, cool. Feed charge. Look, it's a band. Why were you trying to steal from the group? Because he lied to me for 10 years. She points at the captain. Really? Accusingly he's a member Speaker 2 00:18:29 Of the fucking beacon fee. You have to know you found Speaker 3 00:18:31 The coin. Yes. I found the coin and it wasn't attuned to anyone or I couldn't have sent you a message. Sabine feed, put the hand up at her and then turned to the captain and says, when did you find out what the beacon was, Speaker 2 00:18:44 Uh, about a month ago? Give or take when you explained it all to me after the whole thing with the pirates Speaker 3 00:18:51 Right now that we have that established, if he turns back to Sabine, why did you think he was a member of the beacon? Because I got a Speaker 2 00:18:57 Tip from someone else who is defiance said Speaker 3 00:19:02 Free, puts her head in her hands. Okay. Let's all remember for a second, that defiance is a liar. Let's all remember that and internalize it and bring that perspective to the conversation, Speaker 0 00:19:15 But why Speaker 2 00:19:19 He looks up at the captain and you can see gears just forming. Yeah. In her head. Speaker 0 00:19:24 Where did you get the coin? He goes the coin. Speaker 4 00:19:30 He's get to walk over to his dresser and pull the beacon queen out and hold it up. Speaker 0 00:19:35 Well, that thing goes, you're just a presence. When I joined the pirate court and he blinks a couple times is very silent for a moment from defiance now that to think of it. Speaker 4 00:19:50 Great. Awesome. So we all agree that we have been lied to feed hold the coin up at the captain and says, this allows members of that organization that I told you that Sabine and I are both a part of to send messages to each other, which is how I got in contact with Sabine. Sorry, I didn't tell you didn't think she was going to jump on the boat. I thought I'd be able to discuss it with her and then we'd be, yeah, but it's already that bad call on my part. And then she turns to Sabine and she says, again, he wasn't attuned to it where I couldn't have sent you a message Speaker 0 00:20:23 This long moment where you still see the gears turning in Sabine's head and watch her kind of process, all this new stuff, formation. And she goes from looking confused to just absolutely gutted. You mean this whole time, this wasn't all some sort of clever plan to the captain throws back his head and laughs like full belly laugh. I've never made a plan in my life, much less a clever one. You know who plans things, defiance, Sabine fully fails to see the humor in this situation. She just still looks absolutely mortified by this. You never betrayed me. You never even tried to the captain's expression softens quite a bit. A sudden the wedding vows that I wouldn't at night. When have you ever known me to break a promise? Last she fully puts her head in her hands and leans forward down onto the table. Felix, very uncomfortable. So Speaker 4 00:21:33 That's that sorted. She looks at the captain and says, I'll say it while we're still under the truth. If you'd like me to. But again, the beacon is not behind the disappearances coming out of the Dragon's mom. That's also defiance. So a very interesting conversation we're having here, Speaker 2 00:21:52 The captain and just closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his Speaker 3 00:21:55 Nose. Fucking defiance Sabine with her head still in her hands goes fucking defiance and kind of scrubs Speaker 2 00:22:04 Her hands down her face and then snaps back up in her chair. Oh God. Okay. Good talk everybody. We need to go back outside. I left something. Speaker 3 00:22:13 Uh, we're going to go back outside. Speaker 2 00:22:15 Sabine flings, open the door to go outside and Leo, Miriam, and you all fall in where they've had their ears pressed against Speaker 3 00:22:24 The door. Sabine doesn't say Speaker 2 00:22:26 Anything. She just volts over them and goes running to the side Speaker 3 00:22:29 Of the ship. Okay. I'm going to follow her. Even the captain, Speaker 2 00:22:33 Follow her. Everybody else that fell in through the door is getting to their feet and you hear a strange, Speaker 5 00:22:40 Good, good, good Google of magic. Speaker 3 00:22:44 You would recognize Speaker 2 00:22:45 It as the kind of energetic sound that a telekinesis spell makes. Speaker 3 00:22:51 And Speaker 2 00:22:51 As Sabine runs over to the side of the ship Speaker 3 00:22:54 Off the railing, you see Speaker 2 00:22:56 A big wooden rowboat rising slowly into the air to hover at the level of Speaker 3 00:23:03 The deck, there is a small Speaker 2 00:23:06 Form sitting inside, wrapped in a cloak. You can't see very much because it's still kind of far away from you and pretty dark. But you could see that this little humanoid form has dark hair in braided pigtails Speaker 3 00:23:20 And glasses. So bean plants Speaker 2 00:23:23 Her hands on her hips and looks very affronted and goes. I told you to stay in the boat. This little figure pulls their hood fully back on their cloak shrugs. It's a bean and Laura Lasha chronic goes, I mean, I'm still in the boat. Did you finish killing your husband yet? Speaker 3 00:23:47 Uh, Leo, what are you doing? Getting up off the floor where I fell on my face. You hear the, of a telekinesis spell and then you hear wood clacking and clattering. You hear raised voices and among them, you pick out the very familiar intonations and speech patterns of Laura Krone. Oh, I'm getting up much faster. Now I run, I run over to where I hear that you see Sabine. Apparently your sister's girlfriend. Absolutely absolutely scolding Speaker 4 00:24:29 Laura Lorelei. Who's just standing on deck with her arms crossed like rolling Speaker 3 00:24:32 Her eyes. Leo gets close enough to actually lay eyes on her and freezes Lorelei, Laurel eyes posture goes absolutely rigid. You watch her lean Pasadena a little bit and look at you very, very quietly. She says, Leo, Leo fucking sprints for her. He is shoving Speaker 2 00:25:04 People out of the way if he has to and Speaker 0 00:25:06 Just gets her in his arms and fully sinks down to his knees on the deck, holding her and is like biting back sobs to the best of his ability. I think there's just that moment of two people that have lost the same person and find a little piece of them in somebody else that knows what that loss is like. And he's just got one hand cupped her on the back of her head and leaning down into her ear and going, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Laura is clinging to you Speaker 4 00:25:49 Was going on until it was too late to stop it and I could have, um, nobody, nobody would tell me what was happening. And then we had to go and, and um, Speaker 0 00:25:59 Shh. You're okay. You're okay. I've got here. It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay. We're going to be okay. Speaker 4 00:26:10 This is kind of the first time that Lorelei has let herself process. What happened is you say you're going to be okay. She does like let out one sob and just clings a little harder and says they still don't know what happened to my mom and dad. I don't know. And she's going to roll up on the wild magic surge table 11. Okay. Not to take away from the emotional gravitas of this moment, but I'm going to roll a D 10 and Lorelei's height is going to change. Uh, so Laura last shrinks exactly one inch. Speaker 0 00:26:47 Yeah. Leo feels her shrink in the hug and goes and grabs her a little bit tighter. She may Speaker 4 00:26:53 You say loud frustrated noise. It's still in the hug. And like her foot just very loudly in that very teenage way says, fuck Speaker 0 00:27:04 Leo lets out this hysterical, tearful laugh. It's okay, kiddo. You come from tall people. You'll be fine. Speaker 4 00:27:16 She laughed with you. I'll also more than a little bit hysterical. Speaker 0 00:27:24 I know, I know this year Speaker 4 00:27:29 Sucks. I want to go home. Hate it. I hate it. I hate it. You are going to go home Speaker 0 00:27:39 Fi and I are going to fix things and we are going to make the people that did this pay for it. And you are going to go home. I promise. And we're all together now. Right? This sucks, Laurel. I know it sucks. It's the worst thing that's ever happened to any of us. And I don't think any of us deserved it, but when things suck this bad, trust me, it is way easier to go through it. When you're with people that love you, let's get you somewhere. You can rest. Okay? Okay. I give fi a very loaded. We need to talk later. Look, and then I'm going to take Laura lie down and just put her in my bunk and stay with her until she trances. Speaker 4 00:28:28 It takes a minute. She has had a long day, but she's a little wired to trans right now. Speaker 0 00:28:36 If she's still really wound up and having trouble resting, I'm going to sit with her and tell her about all the giant butterflies we saw in our sky. Speaker 3 00:28:51 They're trans because it's very late and she is still pretty young. And are you going back up on deck? Yeah. Once she's out, I'm going to go, try to find fi you find her just kind of at the prow of the ship slowly, clenching and unclenching, her fists. You recognize this as her trying to calm herself down. She does not look at you as you approach. She is just looking up at the city and over the water. Shit, shit, Laura. <inaudible> Speaker 5 00:29:28 Okay. I got her down. She's transferring, Speaker 3 00:29:30 But shit. Yes. We have established that. I'm sorry. I didn't warn you to be in, would be bringing her. I just, I didn't think of with everything else going on. No, it's, it's better that she's here with us. It sounds like she's the last of how Shaquana. So we're going to keep her safe, breach it up and pinches the red, your nose, and then says, I don't know exactly what's going on with her parents, uh, that got sent up north and as I was fleeing, the country father was setting off to go see them personally. So they're dead. I think if we undressed Speaker 2 00:30:17 The links that the old man is willing to go to, that puts us at a disadvantage. Speaker 3 00:30:23 Yeah. I just don't want to accept that. We're going to have to tell her that her parents are dead until it is a sure thing. Fair enough. So Sabine and the captain, what do you think is going to happen there? He grounds so loud and threaten her hands. Yeah, that was about my assessment of the situation too. It's oh, oh, everything's bad. Everything sucks. Speaker 2 00:30:57 I'll drink to that. I would really like to drink to that. Do you want to come see if you can rustle up a bottle of rum Speaker 3 00:31:02 With me? I would love that let's do that. Speaker 2 00:31:08 Fi you and your brother get rip-roaring drunk on the floor of the kitchens and nobody there's you about it. I think you both pass out in there actually Speaker 3 00:31:16 For a little bit. Yeah. Speaker 2 00:31:19 Yup. Still a little tipsy and Leo is not there. He's going Speaker 3 00:31:23 Dammit. I'm going to go try and find in this order. My brother, my girlfriend, my boyfriend and Lorelei, they're all Speaker 2 00:31:34 In pretty close proximity to each other. Actually you walk up on deck and Leo is crouched down in front of Sabine. Who's sitting on Speaker 3 00:31:42 A bench with his Speaker 2 00:31:44 Knife out, running a hand over the big, long cut on her arm that the captain made with his Cutlass and their fight healing her up. You can see that the captain has a little bit of healing, magic hanging around him Speaker 3 00:31:57 As well. Laura Speaker 2 00:31:59 Lies fussing around on the deck. Just kind of wandering around you notice she has fallen in pretty quickly with you and glasses. And so they're just kind of walking her around. Glasses is very excitedly showing her one of the canons and jabbering Speaker 3 00:32:13 At her. And she looks mildly interested Speaker 2 00:32:18 In size as Leo finishes healing her up. And thanks for that. All right. Anyway. So as I was saying, next steps Speaker 3 00:32:28 From behind her fee is going to say, well, I picked an opportune time to wake up. Leo nods over at you. Morning sunshine. You smell like a distillery. Yeah. It's because I passed out on you. He narrows Speaker 2 00:32:42 His eyes at you, but does not make the bitchy comment that is clearly colliding with the backs Speaker 3 00:32:45 Of his teeth. A few feet away, the captain shrugs and goes well. Like I Speaker 2 00:32:50 Said, I sent doc and ascots up to the Citadel, but uh, just ballparking it here. It'll probably be a few days before we hear back on anything. Like I said, the legislatures are a Speaker 3 00:33:00 Slow shite. We're stuck on the boat until then. And while we're here, I still have work to do so if you'll excuse me, he starts to wonder off. He begins Speaker 2 00:33:12 Leading the crew and in extremely explicit sea shanty. And before he gets to the first fuck in the verse, there is a jingle. As Sabine stands up and slaps a hand over his mouth, she snaps her head over to look at him with this vicious glare and goes, I can't control what kind of filth you've exposed glasses to, but you need to keep in mind, sir, that there is another pair of little ears on Speaker 3 00:33:39 This boat. She Speaker 2 00:33:41 Lowers her hand, but it's still watching him very wearily and the captain breaks into an absolutely shit eating grin. Oh, that's a shame. You won't even get to hear the one I wrote about you. In that case, Speaker 3 00:33:56 It goes a little something like, oh, Speaker 2 00:33:57 I one sad me on a strawberry and lasso was fair of face and fairer and Lorelai walks around the corner and the captain freezes Speaker 3 00:34:08 Wide eyed and goes pear, seasonality, Laurel. I tilt her head at him and blinks personality. Doesn't rhyme with last, the captain Speaker 2 00:34:24 Still looking panicked, nods very Speaker 3 00:34:26 Quickly. Oh it doesn't. That was a grievous oversight on my part last yeah, back to the drawing board with it. I guess Sabine gives him a slow silent nod of approval and then Speaker 2 00:34:40 Turns around and walks back towards the rear decks. Speaker 3 00:34:43 Fie has a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing and just nods and says, right. So we're just waiting. Oh, the Speaker 2 00:34:52 Captain has fully bustled off to do something else. He escaped that situation as quickly as he could. So you're just left standing there with Leo Speaker 3 00:34:58 And Lorelei, Leo nods slowly next to you a guess we're waiting and Lorelei shrugs. That's Speaker 2 00:35:08 Okay. Glasses said he was going to teach me how to build a bomb and then she turns around and walks Speaker 3 00:35:12 Away. Oh, I don't think that's and she's gone. Okay. That's fine. I'm sure it's fine. Leo sys very heavily and goes, well, Speaker 2 00:35:22 We still need food made for today. So I'm going to go help boots with that. Have fun with your, uh, and he kind of waves in the two directions that the captain and Sabine walked Speaker 3 00:35:31 Off the situation feet. And he claps you on the shoulder as he walks by the size D play. And then it says to herself, signed up to be a third, not a marriage counselor, and then walks off after sedan, even though Speaker 2 00:35:46 It is storm season. And the sky is pretty overcast. There's no rain coming down. So it's just kind of this quiet gray morning. That's dawning over the docks of Pearl port. When you find Sabine, she is sitting up on the highest part of the back deck, Speaker 3 00:36:03 Just on the floor. Legs crossed Speaker 2 00:36:05 In kind of a meditative position. And she just has her eyes closed. The wind is kind of blowing her hair back from her face. She seems a lot more peaceful than she did yesterday, Speaker 3 00:36:16 But quiet. Fee's going to sit down next to her. She doesn't Speaker 2 00:36:22 Move or anything as you sit down and she doesn't even open her eyes, but you do see her smile a little bit. As you sit down next to her, Speaker 3 00:36:31 Do you feel it, feel it down on the deck? The Speaker 2 00:36:37 Captain has started leading the crew in a much more family friendly sea shanty. Everybody's singing together as they're hauling the sales and getting everything tied down, ready to fully dock and unload things. They need to unload off Speaker 3 00:36:51 The ship. Sabine reaches Speaker 2 00:36:53 Over and grabs your hand. And the wind makes her bells jingle on her wrist. A little bit. Speaker 3 00:36:59 Her smile widens, listen, you can feel the magic. Do you want to roll me on our Connor check to do that? Actually Speaker 2 00:37:12 13 while you are holding Sabine's hand, you are able to intuitively tap into her magic and really feel it out for the Speaker 3 00:37:20 First time. And as Speaker 2 00:37:22 You're listening to everybody singing together down on deck, working in time with their voices Speaker 3 00:37:28 And unison, you can Speaker 2 00:37:30 Feel an echo of that same kind of magic there. That sort of bardic Speaker 3 00:37:36 Energy and Sabine looks very at peace among all of it. She opens Speaker 2 00:37:44 Her eyes and looks down at everybody running around on deck glasses and you and Lorelei messing around with the cannons, the captain up at the wheel, yelling something at Pelican. Speaker 3 00:37:56 And she looks very sad for a moment. Speaker 0 00:38:06 Whatever else this place was to me, it was my home for 10 years. These people were my family and I betrayed them. I did it because I had been lied to, but that doesn't matter. I still, they trusted me. And I took everything from them. Being back with them is hard. I don't want to come face to face with the way that I know that they see me now. Well, he Speaker 4 00:38:41 Squeezes her hand and says you wouldn't do it again. Speaker 0 00:38:46 So Speaker 4 00:38:47 The only thing to do is make amends as best you can and be the person you are now going forward. Speaker 0 00:38:56 Sometimes I worry that the person I am now isn't worth trusting. Either Speaker 4 00:39:01 Fade laughs, squeeze their hand and then lets go and brushes off her skirt and says, well, it hasn't broken bad for me yet. Speaker 0 00:39:10 Sabine kind of smirks, but it's still very sad yet. Anyway, I'm not too keen on hanging out around here with a bunch of people that hate me. The captain can't get off the ship, but he neglected to mention that there's nothing stopping you or I from doing it Pearl, port's a hell of a town you want to go explore. I would love to. Why can't he get off the ship Sabine winces um, I think that Speaker 2 00:39:44 Historically the captain and I telling tales on each other has not worked out so great. So we should maybe let him Speaker 3 00:39:51 Explain that. Come on, let's go. Okay. I'm going to follow her. You and Sabine Speaker 2 00:39:59 Sneak off the boat. Very noticeably. While the captain isn't looking, you see that she waits for him to walk away and then tugs you down the gangplank really quick. Speaker 3 00:40:08 And Speaker 2 00:40:08 You emerge into the docks of Speaker 3 00:40:10 Pearl port. The docs are just teeming with Speaker 2 00:40:14 Activity, people running around loading and unloading Speaker 3 00:40:17 Ships. Sabine leads you up the docs with a lot of confidence. You can tell, she knows where she's going. She reaches down and grabs your hand. As you walk Speaker 2 00:40:28 And nods up towards these big gates in a wall that is carved out of the mountains surrounding the city. Okay? So Dockside is really fun, but if you move a little further into town, you get to where the fish market is and the street food there is sublime. Also. There's a great bar scene down on the lower levels of the Speaker 3 00:40:49 City. Thanks. Get a little more bureaucratic. Speaker 2 00:40:52 The higher up the mountain. You go since you know the Citadel's up there and everything kind of boring, but I would kill for some fish and chips Speaker 3 00:41:00 Right now. Okay. Lead the way fi is walking behind Sabean and because the bean is not looking at her, just smiling adoringly, Pearl Speaker 2 00:41:11 Port is as beautiful in the daylight as it was at night. This Opalescence of the stone is a pretty constant thing even in the day. And all of these buildings are just glowing softly. As you make your way down the streets, even the cobblestones of the streets glow, the whole city Speaker 3 00:41:29 Just shines. You see Speaker 2 00:41:32 Many, many storm folk milling around. There's a lot of people in a little square that you pass Speaker 3 00:41:37 Through. You move further Speaker 2 00:41:40 Down the street and into a mess, massive Speaker 3 00:41:43 Bustling market that Speaker 2 00:41:45 Is attached to, to another set of docs, much different from the one that you pulled up to, which seems to be mainly for merchant ships. You see fishing boats coming in and out here. The fish market is a fish market. You know, people are they're selling fish, but there are also several street vendors that are making food. There are artisans out there selling their wares. You see absolutely gorgeous Pearl jewelry Speaker 3 00:42:09 And things like that. As you're moving Speaker 2 00:42:13 Down along the street, you hear someone yell, Sorenson, fucking sold Sabine and a young storm folk lady about your age long dark hair that flashes orange and pink with Opalescence under the sunlight. Speaker 3 00:42:29 Very pregnant comes sprinting Speaker 2 00:42:32 Around the corner of a booth that has some Pearl jewelry on it and just locks Sabine into this Speaker 3 00:42:38 Huge hug. Sabine Speaker 2 00:42:41 Lets out this big happy, laugh and squeezes her back and then grabs her. Shoulders, stands back, looks her up and down and goes, wow. Mira. You've been busy since I've been, uh, Speaker 3 00:42:56 Fi raises her eyebrows nods to herself. And then from behind sedan just waves and says, hi Speaker 2 00:43:04 This 80 laughs. It's a beans comment and kind of shakes her head and goes, hi, Adam finally bought the fucking ring. So, you know, speaking of shithead husbands, where's yours Sabine winces again, Speaker 3 00:43:17 Uh, back on the Speaker 2 00:43:19 Boat, hiding from the legislators as per usual, Mira laughs again, and then acknowledges your greeting with a little Speaker 3 00:43:27 Nod, Sabine waves Speaker 0 00:43:29 Back and forth between you like she's making introductions. Speaker 3 00:43:32 Mira is a very old friend, Mira. This is Phil. If he who is, you know, we should have a drink later and talk about this. I'm a very complicated situation. It's nice to meet you. She kind of cuts her eyes sideways at Sabine and says I've heard some things, not a lot, but a bit. You see Sabine kind of stare into the abyss for a second. Mira Speaker 2 00:44:01 Starts yeah, wandering back over to her booth. And so being follows her and you see this lady apparently makes and sells really gorgeous, intricate Pearl jewelry. She has big collar like necklaces that are woven almost in lace like patterns of strings of pearls, beautiful silk shawls that have pearls attached to the tassels. Very, very nice artwork. Sabine reaches down and runs her fingers along this really pretty iridescent Pearl cuff Speaker 3 00:44:32 Bracelet. How much is this going to run me Amir? I kind of blinks at her. Well, I mean, I'd give it to you for five gold, but uh, it looks like your wrists are a little spoken for, with the, she shakes her hands and reference Sabine goes, Speaker 2 00:44:49 You know what? I'll take it and slams five gold down on the counter. I will be back to talk to you later. Okay. Um, quick question. Is the singing sirens still in business please say yes. Speaker 3 00:45:03 Mirror goes, oh Speaker 2 00:45:04 Hi. He's just made it through a thousand years of hurricanes. There's nothing. That's going to shut the door. Sabine nods. Speaker 3 00:45:11 Thank you. Mira grabs the bracelet and leads you off down the street. As soon as they're out of earshot, fi very amusingly says for the record, my alias of choices Augustina though we may have to change the surname to avoid questions, but it's nice to meet one of yours. Um, yeah, don't Speaker 2 00:45:34 Do grade coming up with aliases on the fly, which given my line of work is a little bit of an area for improvement. I think I should really put that on my annual self performance Speaker 3 00:45:45 Review. She reaches out Speaker 2 00:45:47 And has the bracelet dangling on one finger and just kind Speaker 3 00:45:51 Of waves it at you. A souvenir from your first Pearl port theater smiles a little bit to herself, takes it and pass it on arrest. Yeah. Well, aliases are tricky. I made the mistake of using your last name and it got me quite made with the captain and co Sabine's cheeks darkened a little bit. And Speaker 2 00:46:15 She purses her lips together and smirks Speaker 3 00:46:18 A little bit. Oh yeah. I bet they had a great time with that. She grabs your hand again. As you start walking the fish, market's very Speaker 2 00:46:25 Crowded. There are people pressing in around you on all sides, doing their shopping, going to the street vendors. But as you work your way down closer to the docks where all of these fishing boats are going in and out, you see a positively ancient looking Tavern carved into the stone. As all of the buildings in Pearl port are with a big faded wood sign that reads the singing siren and the siren on the sign. It does not look like an actual Speaker 3 00:46:53 Siren. It is the fair lasses Speaker 2 00:46:55 Sitting on rocks with their tits out that the captain described as a common misconception back in Ms. Burrow. Speaker 3 00:47:04 He laughs as she looks at it, not that the sign and then says the Sabine. Remind me to tell you why that's funny later. I'm sure we have Speaker 2 00:47:11 A lot of catching up to do. It'll be much easier over a couple Speaker 3 00:47:14 Of pints that it will you walk into this Speaker 2 00:47:18 Bar, right? Or if this establishment is a pretty old, very gruff looking storm, folk gentlemen, with a big opalescent beard that flashes green and he gets one look at Speaker 3 00:47:33 And he goes, oh, and here comes trouble. Sabine waves them off. Yeah. Yeah. I'll take the usual, make it two of them. And before, Speaker 2 00:47:42 You know, there are two frosty flagons of ale on the counter and Sabine picks them both up and leads you off to corner table. Speaker 3 00:47:49 So how much time exactly. Have you spent in this wonderful city? A good bit. The last couple of years that I was in the Zephyr Isles considerably Speaker 2 00:48:01 Less, but again, that's something you're going to have to talk to the captain Speaker 3 00:48:04 About, but I know my way around, she smiled. Speaker 2 00:48:09 I was a little bit looking at this big rowdy bar that is full of fishermen and probably more than one pirate. Speaker 3 00:48:16 I love this city. I love the people. They take care of each other and they never Speaker 2 00:48:22 Ask questions about it. And well, that's something people like you and me Speaker 3 00:48:26 Aren't used to. No, I suppose we aren't. I'd love to get used to it though. You and me both fi grimaces takes another big swig of a drink and says, I want to say off the bat that I did get in contact with you as soon as I could. Just so we're clear on that. Um, that being said, I definitely slept with your husband again, got into contact with you as soon as I could. And I figured it was going to be something we were going to have to talk about, but that we could discuss and decide what to do with given our history, the Speaker 2 00:49:08 Words I slept with your husband, leave your mouth bean was in the middle of taking a drink and fully choked. Oh Speaker 3 00:49:23 Well that's that's that's Speaker 2 00:49:29 No that's um, Speaker 3 00:49:32 Oh, that's complicated. Yeah. Yeah. A few things have happened. Um, I also died briefly, but I'm fine now. Uh, oh my God. Ferrara. I'm fine. It's cool. But yes, I did send a message to you in somewhat of a compromising position, huh? Okay. Again, this is all in the space of about two days. It was a bit of a ride. Well, her eyes get Speaker 2 00:50:03 A little bit wider and she just stares down into her drink. Speaker 3 00:50:06 Well, I'm not upset with you in case that was an area of concern. It was, but I was sort of banking on the idea that you wouldn't be to be clear. We were both oh, aware of our respective dynamics with you before anything happened. Well, Speaker 2 00:50:29 And it's not like, like you and I ever really had time to iron anything, hang out concretely. And I mean, it's hard Speaker 3 00:50:36 To look at the captain and not, she gets kinda, I Speaker 2 00:50:39 Have a dreamy look on her face for a second and then takes another really big drink. Speaker 3 00:50:44 Anyway, I understand to be clear if the fact that I kissed you the first time I saw you in months, didn't iron things out. This is not, I'm going to have to explain the spice. I don't think things have to change between us just because I made some choices. I am reluctant to change things if you don't want to, because I quite enjoy the relationship that the two of us have, whether or not we put labels on it for you. If this is you asking me to be your girlfriend, it's highly awkward. But the answer is yes, it felt very juvenile to just say the words, Hey, will you be my girlfriend? You know, I haven't done this a lot. Clearly she grew Speaker 2 00:51:37 Up, it was really big and then reaches out and grabs your hand across the table and squeezes it Speaker 3 00:51:44 A lot has happened. Oh, I should let you know. It seems from reconnaissance that my brother has done that. Uh, defiance is going to be in pro port and that she is under orders to get me specifically, that's going to be an ongoing issue. I suppose, Speaker 2 00:52:05 Sabine finishes her drink with one long swig and then waves her finger in the air for another one before slamming the flag and back down on the top, you've had that information the whole time. And you would lead into the conversation with the fact that you slept with my husband. I care for you so deeply fee. What the fuck Speaker 3 00:52:29 Are your priorities? I was waiting to discuss that with you face to face for a few weeks. Now I only found out about the defiance thing a couple of days ago. I was just really worried about our interpersonal dynamic. And I didn't want to, I felt like I was lying if I didn't bring it up. Yeah, sure. We should Speaker 2 00:52:53 Gets her second drink delivered and just chugs the whole thing in one, Speaker 3 00:52:58 With that information Speaker 2 00:53:00 Gleaned, we should probably get back on Speaker 3 00:53:03 The boat because I didn't Speaker 2 00:53:05 Know that when I suggested this little adventure, Speaker 3 00:53:08 I mean, I think it's fine. We're having a great time we are. But if I have Speaker 2 00:53:14 To deal with it, my husband lecturing me about endangering somebody safety. I think my head it's going to explode Speaker 3 00:53:21 Just the sheer level of hypocrisy would set off an aneurysm for sure. That's fair enough. If he finishes or drank Sabine, plunks down Speaker 2 00:53:30 A handful of coins on the table and reaches out for your hand as she stands up, he's going to take your hand Speaker 0 00:53:40 You to walk back out of this bar that is on the dock side, looking out over the little bay where all the fishing boats are coming back in and you start to set off back towards the fish market. But as you're walking, you hear cutting over the rabble of people, shouting on the fishing boats and seagulls screeching. As they fly in a voice from behind you that says, hello, girls, fancy seeing you here. He sys Sabine goes rigid next to you and whips around. And as you turn with her leaning up against the railing over the water is a tall willowy infernal elf woman with long spiraling horns and a sword. And at her side, defiance gives you both a very hungry smile and says, ah, where we already done with drinks. Speaker 3 00:54:55 I want it to have a chat. So back on the ship, Leo, what are you doing? He's probably just doing Speaker 2 00:55:07 What he's been doing, which is rogue practice. He's probably got his target back out and is throwing his knife at it again. Speaker 3 00:55:15 After a minute, a knife goes past your ear and thunks into the target. And from behind you, the captain says, I think you're standing a little close to it for this to be a effective practice. Leo makes Speaker 2 00:55:30 A big show of looking around the deck and goes, Speaker 3 00:55:32 Oh, oh, oh, where to him now? Where is where's what? Sorry. I Speaker 2 00:55:41 Was just looking around for the person that asked. Speaker 3 00:55:45 He throws another knife fast, you know, but on the topic Speaker 2 00:55:49 Of your, to, to lodge, uh, I would like to actually solicit it. Now I've been struggling with that fainting move that you taught me the one where you go left when you're trying to make the other person think you're going Speaker 3 00:56:00 To go, right. Do you mind helping me out with that? I checked. He starts like adjusting your stance forcibly. You know, the last time Speaker 2 00:56:11 Somebody did this with me, there was so much sexual tension. And I'm really glad that that's not the case. Speaker 3 00:56:16 Now I hear my both. It'd be a little awkward for starters and for a second. Speaker 2 00:56:26 Okay. Yeah. Leo's going to let the captain help him out and fix his stance so he can get this right. Speaker 3 00:56:33 He does that. And then he stands opposite you. So it's his stance out, takes that a dagger and just twirls up between his fingers and says, all right, remember, you've got to keep your weight shifted the way you want me to thank you're going to go rather than the direction you're intending to move. Yes. But you know that Speaker 2 00:56:49 This is what we're practicing. So then we're getting into a little bit of a psychological conundrum there. So I'm just going to, I try to stab him Speaker 3 00:56:58 Rolled ahead. 12. That's not going to hit a roll. The grapple check. Did he really? Oh my God. I'm so tired of him. I'm so tired of him. I can't fucking stand him every God damn time. Well, since mechanically, the highest Leo can roll is a 19. And the captain rolled in that 20, which is a 25. He handily pins both of your arms behind your back. As he is pinning your arms. He says that was a dirty trick lad. Speaker 2 00:57:50 There will come a day where I will be capable of visiting violence upon you captain. Speaker 3 00:57:57 It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow, but it is coming. Let me go. There's this head back and laughs. But he does let you go. Speaker 2 00:58:09 Well, I'm glad you're having fun. You've seemed pissy ever Speaker 3 00:58:11 Since we docked. I mean with good reason, uh, the whole, uh, marital strife and everything, he grimaces and nods to himself and he says, well, good on you for bringing it up safely, ruined the good mood I do. What I can. Is there any way Speaker 2 00:58:31 That were just hanging around on the boat while uh, a war continues to rage, half a world away. And apparently the people that can help us are up at the top of that. Speaker 3 00:58:42 Well, fire, civil, the legislators are not going to be quick about it when, and if we can get in and have a conversation with them. So if I were you at, except that now tilt his head a little bit and winters and says, I'm not really allowed to set foot in the city fire part. What did you do? I mean, Speaker 2 00:59:08 Everything we've been through together, it's not like I care like I'm going to judge. I was just under the impression that your particular brand of baster DRI was the type that came with a carte blanche from the powers that be given that do quite a bit of helping people around the Isles. Speaker 3 00:59:27 He makes kind of a wig, the hand gesture for the most part, which is why no one's chasing me down. That's the justice system of power port specifically has a bit of a drive to bring me in for. He just starts taking things off on his fingers, larceny tax evasion, smuggling, grand theft, Moraine, star, shin arson. But that one was the Bain. We kind of decided that I should take the fall for that one. Oh and kidnapping. Oh yeah. Speaker 2 01:00:02 Ask God. I heard about that one. Speaker 3 01:00:04 Oh, ask God. Didn't press charges. Leo frowns at him. Who did you kidnap? He grimaces again and just his, his through his teeth. Speaker 2 01:00:16 You, well, you kidnapped me Jack ass. I was there Speaker 3 01:00:21 For, he puts a one finger up and just nods to himself a couple of times is that I am sick to bastard death, but I oh, oh shit. Really? What you mean? Really? Leo looks down Speaker 2 01:00:38 To see if he can see where you is Speaker 3 01:00:41 Way at the other end of the boat. Leo Speaker 2 01:00:44 Looks off at her and then whips back around to look Speaker 3 01:00:46 At the captain. Are you stupid? Wait. No, I know the answer to that, but why in the hell? I mean, Speaker 2 01:00:55 I guess bringing Ascot along for the ride a little bit forcibly, he was trying to get money out of you, but a kid. Speaker 3 01:01:00 What the fuck man. He gets up in your face. Oh, thank you to my undertone and your volume when you're discussing matters that you know nothing about, I know Speaker 2 01:01:12 That those kids have been in incredible danger for the entire time that I've been on this ship with both of them. And I know that our definitions of morality aren't necessarily the same thing, but I didn't think that even you would be willing to just put somebody that age in danger for no reason. Isn't Speaker 3 01:01:27 It all. He scrubs his hand down his face and he says, she's my sister, what I said. And then he realizes that he's being loud and he stops. Would you mind taking the summer but less public? Yeah, sure. Let's Leo starts walking for the captain's quarters. I guess the captain shoulders, the door open waiting for you to go in first, shuts it behind him and then says, look, the important thing right now is that she doesn't know. So I'd appreciate if he could keep it under wraps. I know I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. I talked to doc the day Speaker 2 01:02:12 We found the Moray and she said that you's Speaker 3 01:02:15 Parents had, oh God, Speaker 4 01:02:25 The captain nods. A couple of times, he walks over and he sits down at his desk heavily. There's puts his head in his hands for a second. I left the service pretty young. They were trying to fast track me into a career as a legislature. And I am not built for that. So I left. They keep exhaustive records of the Citadel. It was just a matter of matching the dates up. Most of the time when the service takes little ones in someone notes that they found a baby on a doorstep or that an orphan didn't have any family to claim them. But wouldn't, you know, it's on exactly the date I was looking for child surrendered. Speaker 4 01:03:12 The names were just there. They're just there. And I just, I just wanted to know you understand. I just, I don't know what I wanted to an explanation, I suppose. And I cooked up all kinds of scenarios in my head. What I thought would make it acceptable, but they hadn't wanted me. I told myself, couldn't afford a baby. I told myself they weren't happy that they were going to be separating. Look the names up. And I woke up the street to this grand fancy house. They've got a little one running around the front yard and I knocked on the door and my mother answered. Speaker 4 01:03:56 I didn't know they were going to, she couldn't have been younger than 15. It's one thing with a baby, but it's, she's a person. She had opinions. She had a bloody name. Dammit. I just, I didn't think I didn't find out for gears, what they'd done. And when I did, it was a deck hand on someone else's ship. I obviously couldn't provide for a kid when it had the resources. If the only thing I could think of, you know, it was this weight on my shoulders and then a major. And she's like, you know how she is? She's loud. She's opinionated. She's fantastic. She's young. So she starts talking to me about what she knows about her past. She started telling me about her parents didn't love her enough to keep her and how he left himself and his hands go down and like rabbit the scars on his chest and have they might've if it wasn't for her good for nothing sister. So I've kept quiet about it for the best shite, almost 20 years now. And then he just sighs and pinched the bridge of his nose again, just to tell her that's all I'm asking. Just, just don't Speaker 2 01:05:34 Leo just stands there, staring at him and blinks a couple of times. Speaker 3 01:05:39 Well not Speaker 2 01:05:40 To dig too deeply into my own shit, Speaker 3 01:05:43 But I understand wanting to do right by your sister. All of this Speaker 2 01:05:49 Is your business. My lips are sealed, Speaker 3 01:05:53 Appreciate thought, although for what it's worth Speaker 2 01:05:57 Again, not trying to dig too deeply into my own shit, but if my experience is anything to go by, you might be surprised by the capacity for forgiveness that your sister can have. When an, if you finally decide to tell her the truth, thanks for the help with the knife trick. I definitely learned something Speaker 3 01:06:18 From it. He takes a deep breath, sends up from the desk. It does his hands off. It doesn't turn down while there are no, as you go back out and start practicing again. Leo, go ahead and take your next rug level. Hello. Cutting action. Speaker 2 01:06:42 Back with fie and Sabine. The two of you are standing on the strip of boardwalk outside the singing siren and standing a little further down, leaning back against the railing. Vice Admiral defiance is looking at both of you with a big hungry smile. She's leaning back against the railing, looking over the water. That's lapping right up against the boardwalk. And next to her, there is this big black and white bird that is kind of perched on the wood of the railing. And she has a handful of what looks like breadcrumbs, that she just kind of keeps idly pinching up and sprinkling down in front of the bird. That's eating them, but she's not paying attention to it. Her eyes are solely focused on you and that smile is not wavering. Speaker 3 01:07:34 What you to look surprised. Not really, to be honest, I expected you to be here sooner. Well, if you Speaker 2 01:07:41 Had that much foresight, then you know that this is our last chance to solve this diplomatically before things get nasty. Speaker 3 01:07:51 Well, I have to look at you. So thanks for already nasty. She grins Speaker 2 01:07:56 At you in a way that looks more like she's bearing her teeth and then side eyes to being a little bit Speaker 3 01:08:03 Sabine. You're looking alive. That's unfortunate Sabine, Speaker 2 01:08:10 Grins back at her and lets out this bitter a little laugh. It is very unfortunate for you. You're going to see just how unfortunate it is. Not too long. Speaker 3 01:08:24 I couldn't agree more raises a hand fingers crackling. But if she's this eager to finish things, I'm loath to refuse. Sabine's hand Speaker 2 01:08:37 Darts very fast and closes around your wrist and yanks. Right damn Speaker 3 01:08:41 Back down. Don't feed gives her kind of a confused look. Vice versa. Merle Speaker 2 01:08:48 Via Australian Navy gets murdered on Zephyr Isles land. That's an open gate for a full year invasion Speaker 3 01:08:54 Fee. She can't die here. Defiance is grin widens a little bit, but good to see that we're still Speaker 2 01:09:02 Capable of logical thought ladies. So let's discuss this in a civilized Speaker 3 01:09:06 Manner. Yes. He kind of twists her hand around and to be in script so that she can lift their fingers together and then says I would, but I'm not particularly interested in anything you have to say. I've heard it before. Sabine squeezes Speaker 2 01:09:22 Your hand super hard and says, Speaker 3 01:09:25 I'm interested in one thing. I want to know. Why, what was the point of those hold goddamn charade Speaker 2 01:09:34 Defiance. It seems like a waste of time for you Speaker 0 01:09:42 That hungry grin widens just a little bit more. And she tilts her head to the side. Sabine. Let's be real with ourselves. The mighty pirate king of this Fri Isles and the beacons poster girl. Well, that was a power couple that just couldn't be allowed to endure. You were enough of a threat on your own, but uh, once you got your hands on the captain, I had to take action. Speaker 2 01:10:12 She takes another little pinch of the breadcrumbs out of her hand and feeds it to the bird and then reaches out and runs Speaker 0 01:10:18 One finger along its head like she's petting it. You know, I've always loved these birds magpies. They're super smart, a bunch of big brains in Australia with more money and time than they had sense did a study on them once they're so intelligent that they remember the faces of people that are cruel to them, but also the faces of people that are kind. You spend enough time building a relationship with one. It'll bring you little trinkets that it finds an exchange for food, but let's not kid ourselves. The captain's not as smart as these birds. So I don't know where I was going with that metaphor. He's more like a puppy, an eager earnest, dumb little puppy. But the thing about puppies is you can still teach one to go fetch and with enough patience and dedication, you can even train one up to be an attack, dog people. And I scoop boat after boat, after boat of people out of the dragons mall on a daily basis. And once you are out of the way, well, it was more than worth it to sacrifice one little ship of rescued people to make the captain think I was on his side. That was all it took to give me all the access I needed for him, infinite supply. Speaker 0 01:11:51 And you know, that's another thing about you Sabine something that I've always really hated. You are always so high up on your little pedestal with your nose in the air, talking about the ultimate power of truth and how it's the greatest force in the universe. But how strong was your marriage? If it only took one little lie to make it implode, FISA bean, squeezes, your hand so hard that you feel your bones creak and flicks her other wrist so that a ball of fire appears in her hand. She is definitely not thinking clearly right now, Sabine, you ruined my life. Her teeth are bared. She looks like she is ready to rip the finances, throw it out with her bare hands. Sabine. If possible, defiance smiles even wider and tilts her head to the side. I did ruin your life. Didn't I? Oh, that's true. Nice. Now tough break. So going to try to lunge at her, I'm going to thunder. Step us down the trade. If Speaker 4 01:13:03 Anybody except defiance is real close to us, I'm going to spell sculpt around them, but I'm going to thunder setups. Speaker 0 01:13:10 Defiance needs to make a con save. She rolled a 24, so she definitely saves. So she takes two damage and you and Sabine warp back out of non-space 90 feet down the street. Sabina's going to try to take off running Speaker 4 01:13:29 All the roller grapple check. I am just going to like grab her. Speaker 0 01:13:34 Sabine has been this very stable presence for you ever since you've met her. She seems like she's really Speaker 2 01:13:41 In control of the situation wherever she is. Speaker 0 01:13:44 Like, she always has this mastery of what's going on. You get your arms locked around her as she goes to lunch back after defiance and she just bows forward and starts crying in the distance down the street. You see defiance wince a little bit from that damage that you did to her with the thunder step. But then she gives you a jaunty little wave, turns around and walks off in the opposite direction. Speaker 4 01:14:13 I'm going to try to duck into an alleyway. So we have some privacy Speaker 0 01:14:17 And I'm just going to hold it today. It takes a while for her to calm down. You get the feeling that whatever emotions she is reacting to right now have been pent up for a really long time. She's just gotten both hands fisted up in the fabric of your Cape, bawling into your shoulder. But after a few minutes, she takes a deep breath, sits back up straight. Okay? Okay. Okay. We've got to get back to the ship. We have to warn the others. Let's let's go. Let's go. She's going Speaker 4 01:14:51 To squeeze her and then let her go. Speaker 0 01:14:55 Your fun day in Pearl port has come to a not so fun end as you and Sabine both turn on your heels and run for the docks. Speaker 3 01:15:09 Leo, the captain, as he is, want to do stops your training. When the two of you are both getting a little too frustrated to be productive and he swans off to do something somewhere else on the ship to put some distance between the dude. Yeah. So what are you doing? I'm going to go check on Lorelei. Again. The conversation between her and glasses has moved on to her info dumping about butterflies. She's going into Supreme entomological detail, but glasses is listening intently, not looking her in the face, but just like looking at her hands as she gestures, neither of them look up as you approach it. Neither of them gives us shakes. Hey guys, what are we talking about? Lorelei size and then says, well, we were talking about the breeding range of the swallowtail butterfly endangered in a Sharia, but it has more of a habitat and toward Dan, because we've cut down all the trees that they need to eat. That's really cool. She gets you a majorly affronted look and says it is not, the population is dangerously low and a, yeah, my apologies. Anyway, Speaker 2 01:16:20 It's good to see that you're settling in. I'm glad you're making. Speaker 3 01:16:24 Yeah. Glasses is a fascinating person. He says we can't build a bomb until he can pick up some sodium from the docks. And then glasses says, well, if I can get my hands on enough soap, then we could improvise something. But okay, Speaker 2 01:16:37 Friends are teaching you how to make improvised explosives. That's Speaker 3 01:16:41 Not Speaker 2 01:16:42 That much different than a lot of my friends. Speaker 3 01:16:45 Good on you. But Speaker 2 01:16:47 Just out of curiosity, glasses, how do you make a bomb out of soap Speaker 3 01:16:51 Glasses? His face brightens a little bit. Well, you see, and at that exact moment, fi and Sabine charge up the gangplank, um, roll insight. Um, natural Speaker 2 01:17:04 20, a natural 20 Speaker 3 01:17:07 To any next Monday, this episode. Okay. Fi looks furious and a little bit sick and Sabine looks like she's been crying. Okay. Speaker 2 01:17:21 I don't know Sabine that well, I'm just going to head over for fi squeezing Lorelei shoulder before I leave. First of all, you got off the Speaker 3 01:17:29 Boat. Second of all, what the hell what's going on? Fi grimaces. She says, I really don't need a lecture about getting off the boat. I wasn't alone. I had Sabine Sabine next to her says, if you could go get the captain, uh, we all need to talk. I Speaker 2 01:17:46 Mean, he's probably got, they hit me in the face again. If I go try to talk to him right now, but yeah, I'll take one for Speaker 3 01:17:50 The team. I go get the captain. Hey, your wife wants you for a moment. The captain looks fearful and then he says, right. And he follows you back to fans again. And as you get back, see nods to herself, she says, so, uh, defiance has arrived. Cool. Cool. Speaker 2 01:18:13 Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Cool. All right. Speaker 3 01:18:17 Leo takes a long Speaker 2 01:18:18 Moment to stomp down his impending panic Speaker 3 01:18:20 Attack. Well, you two are still alive. So there's a silver lining. What are we going to do about this? I'm going to roll insight for the captain really quick. Uh, that's a 19 and Sabine, uh, 15 to deception. So the captain's face softens as he looks at Spain and he nods at her and he goes, you're right there. And to being put a hand over her mouth and just goes, I'm fine. I'm good. Uh, defines had a little chat with us. It seems like she has some big plans. So we all need to figure out our next steps to try and curtail whatever destruction she has in mind. Well, from my understanding Speaker 2 01:19:14 Of the situation, we were banking on the conclave to help us parse all of this out. If we're still waiting on their approval for us to even get off the boat, Speaker 3 01:19:24 Can't we can't do anything. The captain sets his jaw very firmly nods to himself and then says, I'm not guys. We just won't be waiting on their approval. I suppose Speaker 2 01:19:39 It looks over at him with the full scope of the conversation that they had earlier in mind, raises both eyebrows and goes your Speaker 3 01:19:47 Funeral buddy. The captain gives you an absolutely are razor sharp, a grin. And he says, no lad. I think you and everyone else in this conversation knows that I'm too stubborn to die. I'll prepare a strategy for approaching the conclave. We'll get it handled tomorrow. Oh, okay. In that case, we wait the captain pauses for a second and then reaches out and just squeeze the Sabine shoulder and then marches off to the captain's quarters. The day wears on into evening. After Speaker 2 01:20:24 A little bit, rain does start coming down, but it's not a super bad storm. Most of the thunder and lightening is often the distance outside the Harbor fee. The captain seems very busy. He shut up in the captain's quarters. You see Pelican coming in and out a couple of times, but other than that, he seems to not want to be Speaker 3 01:20:41 Disturbed. Leo Speaker 2 01:20:43 Is keeping a very close eye on Laura ly. You notice him rotating very close to her and her new squad of friends as they run around below decks. After the rain starts just kind of talking and laughing with each Speaker 3 01:20:58 Other. You notice that you Speaker 2 01:21:01 Ropes Leo into a game of cards with the three of them and they all just start absolutely beating his ass Speaker 3 01:21:07 At it. The mess Speaker 2 01:21:09 Hall on the ship is not big. It's very crowded. There are a lot of crew members down here getting their dinner. Boots is dishing out food back in the galley. Speaker 3 01:21:20 You spot Speaker 2 01:21:21 Sabine. After a while, crammed into a table in the corner, as far from anybody as she can get, she's just flicking her wrists, making a ball of fire appear in her hand, clenching her fist to extinguish it and starting again, Speaker 3 01:21:38 Repetitively staring at the wall. Fee's going to go ahead and get food for the both of them and then walk over and sit next to her. I keep having to say this to people, but brooding is my department. Sabine doesn't touch her food, but she Speaker 2 01:21:55 Also stops this process that she's been doing with the controlled fire bolts and kind of just stares down. Sorry, I don't mean to brood. It's just Speaker 3 01:22:10 Fucking defiance. Agreed feed just kinda reached across the table and it doesn't quite grab her hand, but just like laces, their pinkies together. She said, she'd ruined your life twice. Do you want to talk about it? Sabine, grits, her teeth, but then looks up at you and moves her hand Speaker 2 01:22:34 Forward so that you are fully holding hands across the table. Speaker 3 01:22:39 I do, but only if I can talk about it in confidence, I haven't even Speaker 2 01:22:46 Told the captain about any of this and Speaker 3 01:22:50 You know how he is. She's Speaker 2 01:22:54 Already done so much to him. If he finds out now what she's done to me, he'll Speaker 3 01:23:00 I already Speaker 2 01:23:00 Came close enough to ruining everything for us today. I don't want to give him the chance to do it all over again. Speaker 3 01:23:07 All right, whatever truths you're about to share with me are safe with me. She looks a Speaker 2 01:23:17 Great deal, more relaxed as you say this, and then rakes in a deep shot, very breath. Speaker 0 01:23:26 Um, the war was over before you were born. So you wouldn't know. I barely remember any of it. I was just a little kid, but there was no shortage of carnage and violence. And even as far south as illness, there was no shortage of four orphans. I don't remember my parents. Not really. I don't even remember their names. My father had a sword. I remember that I can only assume that he must have been lost to the fighting and that my mother got sick. Well then after that, there were plenty of kids on the street. We all took care of each other. Speaker 0 01:24:14 There were these Australian Nobles, Lord and lady Javares, older couple, no children of their own philanthropists. You know, also prominent members of the beacon, but that wasn't common knowledge. I had a bit of a name for myself. I was good at picking pockets and finding my way out of sticky situations. And they found that useful. They adopted me out of the goodness of their hearts and then the next orphan that showed talent. And then the next one and the next one and the next one, train us up to be good little spies seekers of truth. I was the first, but by the end, there were 10 of us. Speaker 0 01:25:12 I got older. They asked me to stick around the house, help take care of the younger ones. And I did, and I, I loved it. I was good at it. And then defiant showed up, came out of the woods. One day, asked for somewhere to stay. And my parents, my adopted parents were good people. They wanted to help her out and she was powerful. So they liked that even more. And she stuck around became almost like a member of the family. When the schism broke out, we weren't ready. Lord and lady Javares were prominent figures on one side of the argument and people came for, they died before any of us could do anything. And then they came for the rest of us, the older ones, me and some of the other kids that had been adopted around the same time that I had. We tried to fight. Speaker 0 01:26:20 Some of them got out. Most of them died. I went back in for the little ones, got most of them out of the house into a network of safe houses or false identities. But when I ran back in defiance had the youngest, he was 50. The whole place was on fire. By that point, I've looked at her and she said, I've got him. And I trusted her. So I ran. I ran and I left the country. And a few years later, defiance was back again and told me that the one person I had decided to trust in all of this was betraying me. Speaker 0 01:27:06 I think I was maybe a little too ready to believe her because after everything, the fight and the marooning and making my way back to Australia, I found out that she'd been lying the whole time. She was the person that tipped off the people on the other side of the schism. She was the person that let them into the house. And she'd, wasn't taking that youngest kid to safety. Something worse than death had happened to him. She has ruined my life two times now fee, and I am going to kill her, but she can't die here. She's already killed my family wants. She's not going to do it again. No she isn't. And she is going to die. Sin fi squeezes, the Sabine's hand and says Speaker 4 01:28:01 You should need something. It's going to be a Speaker 0 01:28:04 Long few days. I think Sabine picks up a fork and kind of plays with our food a little bit. Yeah, you're right. And fi thank you for giving me the chance to tell the truth. I feel like I haven't had the opportunity to do that in a long time. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me he's gonna lean across the table and kiss her. She kisses you back and just keeps her hand pressed to the side of your face. When she pulls away, I'm going to eat. And then I'm going to go see if I can find the captain's rum stash. I think it should be under the loose floorboard and the hold still. And then I'm going to take my fucking trance somewhere. I suggest you do something to the same effect. Speaker 4 01:28:58 Well, Leo has volunteered half of our room, Laura life, and I don't expect I would be welcome in the captain's quarters right now. So let's say you and I find someplace together. Speaker 0 01:29:12 Well, when the captain used to fuck up real bad, I would make him sleep in one of the longboats. I've been told that it's actually quite comfortable. Feet Speaker 4 01:29:21 Grinned slowly and says a fascinating revelation, Speaker 0 01:29:26 Ms. Jarris. I think they're going to Speaker 3 01:29:29 Finish the dinner and go off to one of the long boats Speaker 2 01:29:37 You would Sabine emerge from your trance. The next morning at the bottom of a Speaker 3 01:29:41 Longboat, a little tasseled a little more Speaker 2 01:29:45 Modest than you should probably be in the light of day two, a shadow falling over both of you. Speaker 3 01:29:53 He is going to burrow a little deeper into the blanket that is presumably over her. And just kind of like tuck her face. Speaker 2 01:30:02 The shadow does not move. And from above you, you hear a voice say, all right, well, I've pinched myself three times now. So if this is Speaker 3 01:30:10 Happening, he sits up very fast, suddenly wide awake. The captain is standing Speaker 2 01:30:16 There fully decked out frock coat and hat on Cutlass at his side, boots tied or ready to go with a little bit more of a mischievous grin than he's probably entitled to Sabine wakes up beside you glares up Speaker 3 01:30:30 At him and goes really. He Speaker 2 01:30:33 Raises both eyebrows at her and goes, no last it was your unfold for going somewhere. That's a new people Speaker 3 01:30:38 Could sleep in. I mean, usually half asleep in here alone, except for that one time Sabine Speaker 2 01:30:45 Puts her head in her hands next to you and goes, Speaker 3 01:30:48 Except for that one time, right? And with that, are we going and feed looks around long, but for a second it says, Sabine, you are sitting on my corset. Layla, leave you ladies to make yourselves decent. It's going to be a harder stretch for some than others. Any winks, it's a bean and walks away next to you. Sabine quietly whispers. I can't stand that, man. If it's any comfort. I know for a fact, he has a clean change of your clothes. What a long story. Speaker 0 01:31:27 And after YouTube put yourselves back together and join up with the rest of the crew on the deck, the captain is pacing back and forth in front of the gangplank. Alright, so as per usual, the conclaves taken too fucking long to do anything about anything ever. So we're taking matters into our own hands. The proverbial wolves are at our door by friends, and we're going to go to the powers that be and demand some fucking action. The entire crew puts their cutlasses up in the air and sheers. The captain wins is a little bit and goes to, you might want to be a little more quiet about it though. We are going to have to sneak through the city. So we're headed for the Citadel. He looks back up at you and Sabine and breaks out into this crooked rakish grid. It's time for us to do what we do best. Let's go call some problems. And that is where we end for this week. <inaudible> that be cool though, on her ethic. And it's only gonna get better from here, but we'll find out more about that next time on compelled Speaker 2 01:33:10 Hey, everybody, Barry here with the postscript, just handling a few housekeeping things. At the end of the episode, you can find us on social media, on Twitter, Tumblr and Tik TOK at compel duel. You can also find us on Tik TOK at compel duel, adios, where we post audio snippets from the show. We have lots of other cool stuff, including an official Spotify profile and official website. You can find all of that linked on our various social media profiles. We host a weekly Q and a live stream every week on our YouTube channel. So if you want to head over there and subscribe to us, so you don't miss that, that would be great. We would love to see you guys come hang out, ask some questions or just have fun while we talk about the latest Speaker 3 01:33:47 Episode. If you'd like to support Speaker 2 01:33:49 The podcast we ask that you consider heading on over to patrion.com/compelled dual, where starting at just $2 a month, you can get access to all sorts of cool patron benefits, including early access to episodes, access to bonus content like exclusive playlist and bonus episodes, and even letters from your favorite character every month. If you're interested in supporting the podcast in ways, other than pledging to our Patrion, we ask that if you're listening to us on apple podcasts that you consider leaving us a rating and a review, because that helps us get promoted to a wider audience and grow our listener base. And as always word of mouth advertising is the most powerful tool we have at our disposal right now. So if you like the show, just tell a couple of friends about it. And if they like it, ask them to tell a couple Speaker 3 01:34:31 Friends as well. The next episode Speaker 2 01:34:34 We'll be going live on Friday, September 17th, 2021. Or if you are a member of our Patrion, you will get your early access on Thursday, September 16th. Thank you guys so much. And we will see you next week.