Episode 59 - Come On In

Speaker 0 00:00:00 Hey Al Speaker 1 00:00:02 Hey Barry. Speaker 0 00:00:05 What's the best selling genre of book in Australia. Speaker 1 00:00:09 What? Speaker 0 00:00:11 Elf help books. It's time for compelled dual. Hello everybody. And welcome back to compelled dual I'm Barry Speaker 1 00:00:34 And I'm Al Speaker 0 00:00:36 And we are a single player, co DMD, D and D five E actual play podcast Speaker 1 00:00:42 Previously on compelled dual. Speaker 0 00:00:46 No time to think. No time to talk. Leo's got a football. Tackle him, Speaker 3 00:00:50 Get him off of me. How dare you? I am the voice of camera. Speaker 0 00:00:56 Yeah. And he's a punk ass bitch too. You don't scare me. Speaker 3 00:00:59 Does this make you feel good? Make you feel tough? Like a big man, Speaker 0 00:01:05 I didn't make this mess. So why do I feel like I'm the one that has to clean it up? Speaker 1 00:01:12 Because you're the only one here that has cleaning it up as an option. You didn't make this mess, but it was made for your benefit. Speaker 0 00:01:22 I don't know what to do. Speaker 1 00:01:25 What not to do is to hide up here while people need you, Nothing left to do with smoke them out. I suppose. Speaker 0 00:01:38 Yeah, we're doing this aren't we we're doing this. Can somebody tell me that we're this Speaker 1 00:01:46 With a cur Speaker 3 00:01:49 A Speaker 1 00:01:50 And the screech of metal sliding over itself, the big suit of armor against the wall is starting to move. Speaker 0 00:02:01 Go get 'em honey, Speaker 1 00:02:04 Z Grims wide and bright and extremely SMU. And then he just uppercuts this thing, knocks the helmet off and it goes flying out the window. And the armor falls into pieces. Speaker 5 00:02:20 Yes, yes, yes. Speaker 1 00:02:24 This goal is wearing a golden gem studed circle. Speaker 0 00:02:31 You know what? Old man, this is all your fault. I'll be taking this. It's not like you're using it. Speaker 1 00:02:36 You have just picked up a magic item called the circle of consequence. Speaker 0 00:02:41 What are we all standing around up here for? We've got work to do So fee you are standing outside the defunct lighthouse of Lux Toga in the dead of night with several of your party members surrounding you, not too long ago, your brother and his specialized strike team disappeared inside the building instructing you not to fall. I would like you to update me on your positioning. Where is everybody? Speaker 1 00:03:29 Uh, okay. Out of the six of us, Fen is the hardest and the most likely to stop somebody coming outta the tower. So he's gonna be right in front of the entrance at the bottom of the front steps. Eleanor can also take a couple licks she's behind Fen and off to the side. And I think KASA is back to back with her knives out, not in the direct line of fire, but close enough that she can get a couple stabs. And if she needs to Sabine is off to the side, kind of hiding among the trees, ready to break off a couple heels. We, and we inevitably need them. The road in front of the lighthouse goes off in one direction to the docks and in one direction, kind of into the forest. So we're gonna have the captain on the side of the road, leading down to the docks because he is kind of a close ranch fighter. He can make at quick work of anybody that gets past Fen. And he'll be closer to a bean if he need heels. And I think fee's gonna back up the road going the other direction because she can start off just kind of laying down an area of effect. And that's gonna be easier if she's not close to anybody else, Speaker 0 00:04:45 You all fall back into these battle ready positions, a long period of time passes. As you are looking up at this intimidating dark tower. And then you see some absolute home alone shit start to happen from inside. There are a couple of windows in this tower that are still lit up. People that are in their rooms winding down for the night. And as you all stand there waiting, you see this noxious lime green smoke start to leach out from under the window sill and flow down the sides of the tower followed by distant sounds of coughing and screaming and panicked, shouts. Another few moments pass. And then you see the two big double doors at the front of the lighthouse bust open and behind them are two priests, whole holding a candle Abra that they have used as a battering Ram. The one in the front drops this candle Abra to the ground puts both hands up and yells. Oh, Kim's holy humorous. We're safe. Everybody run for your, Speaker 0 00:06:23 This massive 10 foot across 40 foot high column of silvery, grayish necrotic, divine fire slams down into the floor directly inside at the doors of the lighthouse. There is just this roar of fire that dims away after a second to a crackle. And as the light fades, you see these two priests standing there just blackened ashy, husks that crumble into dust, and then blow away like a cartoon. You all sort of stand there in stunned silence. And after a few more seconds, Eleanora blinks slowly and goes, oh my God, Leo. And now your team will be doing its job and we will be rolling initiative. Speaker 1 00:07:22 Okay. Feat, not great, but it's a 19. Speaker 0 00:07:27 Okay. And I'd also like you to roll initiative for our six combatants because you will be playing them and I will be playing everyone else. Huh? That's what you call a, uh, a spread. Huh? Speaker 1 00:07:48 <laugh> got a net 20 and a net one. So a 22 and a three and then two eighteens, a 13 and a five. Speaker 0 00:07:59 Okay. The captain got A 24. Not bad Sabine got a 19. Oh, got a seven. Ele Nora got an eight ladies. Will you stop making eyes at each other long enough to roll initiative, please? Speaker 6 00:08:21 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:08:23 Finn got a 21 respectable. So because of our home brewer rule, you get to go first because the first of these priests that rolled a net 20 gets around on all of us. What are you doing? Speaker 1 00:08:40 The priests being, uh, thoroughly intimidated by the array of combatants outside of their home. And also the fact that several of their fellows just got charbroiled <laugh> are going to use a fun new mechanic where they're going to roll the D 20 at the beginning of at least their first turn. And if I roll below a 10, they're going to run. If I roll above a 10, they're gonna fight. So let's see what the first one's doing. Ooh, 17. Okay. This first guy recovers from this eyes of seeing everyone, and he's gonna raise his holy symbol and make a slashing motion and then jab it in fends direction. And out of it comes a Ray of sickness. So I'm gonna roll to hit against fend AC 30, 20. Speaker 0 00:09:38 You. Yeah, that's gonna Hiten. So go ahead and roll me. Um, damage for Ray of sickness is usually two D eight poison, right? Speaker 1 00:09:50 Uh, yeah. At its base level. Speaker 0 00:09:53 Cool fence Australian. So make that four D eight poison damage, Speaker 1 00:10:03 Uh, that's 24 poison damage. Speaker 0 00:10:07 Ouch. Okay. And now Finn has to roll a con save with disadvantage because it's against the poisoned condition. Uh, what is the priests spell? Save DC Speaker 1 00:10:18 14. Speaker 0 00:10:19 Okay. Finn gets plus 10 to con saves. Come on buddy. Roll a four roll two things higher than Speaker 1 00:10:24 Four. Speaker 0 00:10:27 Yes. A seven and a nine <laugh>. Even the low rolls of 17 Soen is not poisoned. This spell hits Fen right in the breast plate. And you see this poisonous sick looking go splash and sizzle against the metal. He takes a decent amount of damage from that. But the thing is that at this level, Fen has almost 200 max HP. So it doesn't actually hurt him that bad. And he just sort of looks down at where there is poison this nasty magic sizzling away at his armor, brushes it away with one gauntlet hand and looks up at this priest like really from a window far overhead, you hear a Wolf whistle. And Mia Sonus is leaning out into the night, looking down at all the carnage below from the same space in this tower, you hear a door opening and a battle cry. And Mia just reaches up to stab a dude in the face without even turning to look and yells out the window, go get him stood, Fen, grits, his teeth, and HES his acts once more. How about you? Go get 'em so I don't have to. And then it's the captain's turn. I'm looking at our map. And even if the captain used his cunning action to double dash, he would just barely get up into Melet range with all these priests. And it would mean abandoning that escape route and letting people run off. Essentially, he considers this for a little while and Speaker 6 00:12:19 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:12:19 Goes into his starter adventures inventory at a small bag on his belt and just pulls out a bag of marbles. Technically, according to the PHB, it's a bag of ball bearings That covers a 10 by 10 Speaker 1 00:12:35 Square. Speaker 0 00:12:38 And he just dumps it on the ground right behind him. So if anybody does manage to make it past him, that they'll just slip on it and eat shit. Yeah. Well, if they run down the hill far enough, they're gonna slip on a ball bearing. Eventually Speaker 9 00:12:58 I Speaker 1 00:12:58 Love the captain so much. He's so stupid. Speaker 0 00:13:03 That's what he does with his entire turn. He just surveys the situation happening, pulls a fucking bag of marbles out of his bag and just dumps it out. <laugh> clattering on the ground. As they roll away, Speaker 1 00:13:18 Uses her free action to yell down the hill. What are you doing? Speaker 0 00:13:24 The captain just grins up at you in shrugs, weighing his rape here in his free hand. That's not dumping marbles all over the road, Speaker 1 00:13:33 Miss Speaker 0 00:13:33 Jiff and bastard loss. What else am I good at? Speaker 1 00:13:37 I'm in love with you, Speaker 0 00:13:40 The captain and winks at you. And because our first bonus round from that Nat 20 is over our priest friend that just tried to poison. Fen is now up again. What is he doing Speaker 1 00:13:53 Since Fen just brushed off that Ray of sickness. I'm gonna have this priest roll again, to see if he's running or fighting. That's an 11. He's fighting. Seeing that, that first level Ray of sickness didn't do anything. Our priest friend is going to cast another one at fourth level Six heat on the die. That absolutely hits fun. That is a total of 52 damage. Speaker 0 00:14:22 Oh no. Well that hurt Finn, but he's still not under a hundred hit points yet. I'm gonna roll a disadvantaged con save to see if he's poisoned. <laugh>. Um, the low one of those is a 27, so he's good. He takes all this damage, but through sheer con institution and will steam rolls his way through this attempted effect again. And then it's Fens turn so safe to say he has a little bit of beef with the guy that just broke off two big, bad Ray of sicknesses on him. He's going to move up the stairs to the entrance of the lighthouse. Get around on this guy's other side, none of his buddies have a flank and unload three attacks, 26, 21 and 23 to hit. Those will all do it. That's gonna be 3d eight plus 15 damage. So that's 14 damage on the dice. Plus 15 is 29 and you know what? Fuck it. He's gonna burn his action. Surge. Three more attacks. 28, 26, 23, 3 more hits. So that's another three D eight plus 15 damage 36 damage. Finn runs up. These steps absolutely lays into this guy with his battle acts and takes him down from full health to six hit points in one round in between swings and sprays of blood. He's just, you know what I'm done? I'm tired. I'm tired of being nice. Speaker 6 00:16:21 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:16:23 She puts her arms up in tears and now it's Sabine's turn. She is not emerging from where she is just beyond the tree line where she retreated so she could run heels on you guys, but you do hear a jingle of bells and see a ball of fire appear in her hand. As she just launches a fire bolt can trip at this guy that Fen has just brutalized. I'm gonna roll a hit 25. So that's 3d 10 fire damage, Speaker 0 00:17:01 Dead, dead, and gone. Fan is so busy laying into this guy with his battle acts and just screaming in rage and yelling about his deep seated issues with his dad, that he does not even notice this ball of fire that launches out from the treeline, hits the guy in the chest and he just falls dead before Fen is even done. Whacking him as her bonus action from the trees se yells Finn. I know you and I have had our differences before, but I'm gonna be real with you. That was hot. And she gifts Fen Barick inspiration and fee. Now, Europe, what are you doing? Speaker 1 00:17:43 Fee doesn't wanna move closer to the tower because she is still kind of holding the line on the road. So what she's gonna do is she's gonna drop a storm sphere right in front of the door, where all of these priests are kind of gathered up. So all five of these priests are going to make shrink, saving throws to which they get nothing against fee spill safety C, which is a 19. Would you look at that? The highest roll was in 18, which doesn't make it all of them fail. So they're all gonna take two de bludgeoning damage for entering the storm sphere, Seven bludgeoning damage, and the sphere is difficult terrain. So their movement is hald. And as a bonus action, I'm gonna have a bolt of lightning here at one of them. So I'm gonna make a range spell attack on the one that's closest to Finn. And because they're in the sphere, I get advantage. That's a 28. That is absolutely going to do it. That's a further 15 lightning damage, and now it's time for a bunch of the priests to go. So the one that feeds struck with lightning has to go ahead and roll a D 20 to see if they're going to run or fight Speaker 6 00:19:00 Damn, Speaker 1 00:19:01 It's above a 10. They're gonna fight this. Priest is gonna run up on Finn and make two Mali attacks with their holy symbol. First one, Not gonna hit. So one 19 outta the die. That is absolutely gonna Hiten. Okay. So that's gonna be one D six plus two damage from the knife itself seven, and then this particular class of high ranking priests have poison weapons. So that's gonna be an additional 10 D six poison damage. Oh Speaker 6 00:19:34 My God. Speaker 1 00:19:38 28 poison damage for a total of 35. Speaker 0 00:19:42 Ow, ow, cool. Fend. Didn't like that. He's under a hundred hit points now. Speaker 1 00:19:48 And at the end of their turn, this priest is gonna go ahead and roll another strength, saving throw, which they get nothing to Three that's another two D six, damage Three also. And then it's the next priest. So we're gonna roll to see whether they fight or run Speaker 6 00:20:10 Damn Speaker 1 00:20:11 11. They're gonna fight. Okay. So they are also going to run up on Fen and they have a flank. So let's see about this first male attack. That's a miss, that's a 17 second one also with advantage. Speaker 6 00:20:29 Damn Speaker 1 00:20:29 Damn it. Okay. That was the 24 that's gonna hit. So that's gonna be one six plus two damage for the knife itself three, and, and that it's 10, six poison damage. That's 35 poison damage. Plus three is 38 damage. Uh, for that one, That one also ends their turn in the storm sphere. So let's see about a strength save. Nope, that's 12. So 2d six budgeting damage is seven. And now it's the third priest in a row in the initiative. <laugh> do you fight or do you run like a dog? You fight <laugh> Speaker 11 00:21:20 No, Speaker 1 00:21:22 This particular priest saw fee cast that storm sphere and is seeing how much damage it's doing to their compatriots. So they're gonna try to hit her with a Ray of sickness at fourth level. Speaker 12 00:21:36 <laugh> Speaker 1 00:21:38 That certainly didn't hit. So that's that priest action. They're gonna go ahead and use their movement to try to get outta the Storme, which they can certainly do. Uh, they're gonna edge around this sort of, of stone walkway surrounding the lighthouse. And I think they just jump off of it onto the ground <laugh> so I'm gonna go ahead and roll decks to see how they land. Otherwise they will be prone next turn. Ah, that's fine. Speaker 0 00:22:08 So now it's Eleanor's turn and because she really move up on anyone right now because of the fuck off big storm sphere around the front of this lighthouse, she looks back and forth frantically at the situation and then lashes out with her sword and casts aromatic or at the most hurt of the two priests that are up on Fen. That's a 26. That's gonna do it. And because Eleanor has been around Australians for some time and knows what poison damage does to them, she's gonna elect to do poison damage on this chromatic orb Speaker 1 00:22:51 As a free action fee yells, you do magic. Speaker 0 00:22:57 I've been able to do magic since season one. Not that anybody cared to fucking ask A 52 poison damage that is more than enough to kill this priest. He's winding up to take another stab at a very looking F and just gets nailed in the back with this bright green poisonous chromatic orb face plants onto the ground dead. And now it's KASA who also cannot move into close range due to the storm sphere. But what she can do is break off a third level, scorching Ray at the priest who rolled in that one. So she gets four rays. So four separate spell attacks on this one guy, because she's aiming all of the spells power at him. Let me roll that. 19 22, 18 14. So three of those hit the three rays that do it. Each do two D six fire damage. So that's gonna be a total of 66 fire damage, Speaker 0 00:24:15 22 fire damage from the scorching Ray. And then for her bonus action, she's gonna do a fun Dred thing. She breaks off this scorch Ray spell four beams of light shoot out of the end of one of her daggers. One of which goes wide, but three of which absolutely nail one of these priests. And then she cups her free hand up to her mouth. Turns back to the tree line and yells Bernie go and out of this smoke filled forests, wildfire spirit, Bernie ciders appears SWOS up and cuts into the me directly in front of Fen and looks at the priest that he's facing off with this little spirit reaches up to grab. Finn's hand looks up with its crackling head at this priest and goes, Speaker 13 00:25:14 I am once again, asking for you to die Speaker 14 00:25:17 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:25:21 And then a fun thing that wildfire spirits can do is they can teleport willing creatures up to 15 feet away. So it's gonna zap fend down away from the lighthouse, a and do some damage to the priest left behind. I'm gonna need this priest to roll me. A DC 14 dexterity saving throw Five that won't do it. The priest takes one D six plus five fire damage as Bernie cinders spirits Fen away fit 15 feet, Speaker 0 00:25:53 Nine Finn appearing in ABL of fire down on the grass. Next to the lighthouse looks over his shoulder and goes, uh, thanks KASA feet. As all of this carnage unfolds, you can see through the swirling winds and crash a lightning of your storm sphere into the bottom floor of this lighthouse. It is absolute chaos. There are still strangling priests trying to get down the big spiral staircase. You see that Mia has made their way down to this bottom floor and is just cutting people down as fast as they can make it down stairs. Leo and Z have gone back to back in front of the door, fighting off anybody else. That's trying to make it out. They both look beat to hell. Leo appears to have run out of all of his magic. He's got his knife and his cut list out and is just going at people full Marshall combat. You watch one guy almost make it out. And then a Donna comes out of the air as she drops out of a rope trick spell, and just gets on his back like a spider monkey with a knife and takes him down and to end our first round of combat. Our last two priests are up, Speaker 1 00:27:14 Okay. Gonna roll for the first one. See if they run or fight not 20, they fight so hard <laugh> and this priest is gonna use a fun ability that they have. Let me roll a percent dial dice real quick. That'll do it. This priest is gonna use an ability that they have called summon demon. So they raise their knife high gleaming with purplely silver magical light and bring it down in a slashing motion. And from the tip of their knife, a sort of rip opens in reality. And out of it steps a hulking mass of drying, boiling darkness and misshape and cobbled together bones, this bone demon kind of jitters, and then appears at the spot where this priest wills it, which is in the middle of Eleanor Choa, Sabine, Finn, and fucking Bernie sends. That was that priests action. So they're going to use their movement to try to run outta the storm sphere and they have just enough movement to do it. They run onto this kind of front stoop of the lighthouse above the stairs, realize that the stairs are going to take them more through the storm sphere. So a hop off the front step and just book it. So they're not ending. They're turning the storms here. And then the, the last priest rolled a natural one to initiative. So with our home brew rules, they don't get to do anything. They're just gonna roll a save against the storms here. Speaker 1 00:29:08 Nope, 2d six, damage, Three damage. And then I'm gonna rule initiative for the bone demon 13. Speaker 0 00:29:21 Okay. And now we're starting off our next round with the captain who just watched a bone demon pop up in very close proximity to his wife. He's been pretty useless for this whole round of combat. I think he was like distracting himself by drawing pictures in the dirt with his rape here, when this happened. And he just looks up eyes going wide sucks in a deep breath. Speaker 16 00:29:52 Kivas fucking thunder. I did not sign up for this. Speaker 0 00:29:55 And then he's going to run all the way up on this bone demon and try to stab it. Speaker 6 00:30:01 <affirmative> Speaker 0 00:30:02 Does the 26 hit the bone demon's armor class? Speaker 1 00:30:06 Yes, it does. Speaker 0 00:30:08 Cool. So because the captain and the bone demon don't have anyone else within five feet of them, he's gonna get to use Reish audacity from his swashbuckler sta block and add sneak attack onto this. So it's gonna be one D eight plus eight D six plus Speaker 6 00:30:26 5 31 Speaker 0 00:30:31 Damage. Speaker 1 00:30:33 No, it doesn't. It takes 15 because the bone demon has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from all non magical weapons. Speaker 0 00:30:45 And the captain is one of the only two motherfuckers up in this bitch without a magical weapon. Great, cool. Awesome. And then it's Finn, who is also going to let out a panic to yell and run down on the bone demon three attacks, uh, all with advantage because the captain is blanking 24th. That's a hit 29. That's a hit 25. That's a hit. So 3d eight plus 15. So that's a total of 29, but it is with a non, so that's gonna round down to 14 and then it's Sabine Sosine is going to start out her turn by using a bonus action to utilize. One of her barred features called unbreakable majesty. Okay. What does Speaker 1 00:31:49 That do? Speaker 0 00:31:51 Oh, I'm so glad you asked as a bonus action. You can assume a majestic presence for one minute or until you are incapacitated for the duration. Whenever any creature tries to attack you for the first time on a turn, the attacker must make a charisma saving throw for Sabine its DC 18 on a fail. It can't attack you on this turn and it must choose an new target for its attack or the attack is wasted on a success. It can attack you on this turn, but it has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against your spells on your next turn. So mechanically Seine just becomes so cool and awesome and sexy that it's very hard to hit her So true Fee. It is very hard for you to see the magical effect of what Sabine does at the beginning of this turn, because you always think that she is so cool and awesome and sexy as to be totally unapproachable, But there is a vague shimmer of magic in the air around her, as she activates this ability and then uses her action to move five feet out of the tree line to go smack Finn on the back with a fifth level cure wounds. Speaker 0 00:33:15 So Finn gets 20 hit points back and fee brings us down to you. What are you doing? Speaker 1 00:33:23 Uh, I'm Shit. Yeah, I'm gonna use one of my six level spell slots. I'm gonna cash chain lightning. I'm going to use the priest that rolled a natural one on initiative as my first target. So that lets me target all four of the remaining priests. So I'm gonna have all of them roll deck saves and we'll see, <laugh> not a single one of them. Beats myself save DC. Okay. So they're all going to take 10 D eight lightning damage fee raises her shield arm high. So the orb set into it is pointed straight up at the sky and then brings it down in one sharp motion and goes down to one knee from the sky above a lightning bolt shoots down and just hits this first priest. I'm gonna burn a Sourcery point to use empowered spell. That is 63 damage. This priest is struck dead, where they stand and from their smoldering corpse, as it starts to fall, three more arcs of lightning shoot out and hit all three of the priests that are still standing also for 63 to image. Speaker 0 00:34:48 Okay, you call down this massive spreading web of lightning from the sky that arcs out into all of these remaining priests. The first one goes down dead immediately. And then as the arcs of electricity, go out into the rest of them. Another one fall down dead, and the other two are left. Hurt, very hurt Speaker 1 00:35:16 On a scale from one to 71. How are these two remaining priests doing? Speaker 0 00:35:21 Like they both have one hit point Speaker 1 00:35:26 Still on one knee with her shield in front of her fee raises one hand and a sweeping motion toward this bone demon that is entangling with both of her partners and her friends. And as her hand moves, a bolt of lightning follows it from out of the storm sphere to strike this bone monster directly in the center of its mass. I'm gonna roll to hit cuz I might have just lied about that. <laugh> Nope, Nope. 14 on the die that's 25. So it's gonna take 46 lightning damage. So that's gonna be 16 lightning damage for the bone monster. And one of the two remaining priests is up and is going to cast Massa wounds. So they and their buddy are going to three D eight plus three pit points, 16 hit points. Speaker 0 00:36:26 Okay. So now it's the bone demons turn Speaker 1 00:36:31 Sure is. Uh, it's gonna go after the captain. So it raises onto what might be and it's going to roll a hit on the captain with its slam attack 19 on the die that's gonna hit. So it's gonna do one D six plus two bluing damage, five blooding damage and then 66 poison damage 28 poison damage. So that's a total of 33 damage for the captain. It slams down on the captain and then shifts and raises again. And it's gonna roll to hit again. That's a 10 that doesn't hit. Oh, okay. And that's the bone monsters turn. Speaker 0 00:37:27 All right. And now it's Eleanor's turn and she's going to run up on the bone demon as well and try to hit it with a me attack. That's a 19 on the die. That's a 29 baby. That's gonna hit. So she's go ahead and apply a searing smite at third level to that. Um, Al in your opinion, as a DM, does a long sword hit with a smite applied count as a magical weapon attack, Speaker 1 00:37:57 I would say yes, because with the smite, you are effectively using your weapon as a spell casting focus. Speaker 0 00:38:04 Oh, this is gonna be fun. So just for starters, with the slide applied, this thing is gonna take one D 10 plus three D six plus five damage. Speaker 0 00:38:20 So that will be 28 damage as Eleanor runs up on this, holy fire licking up the blade of her long sword and smashes it into the side of this bone demon. Um, it's on fire. Now. It can either use its action at the beginning of its next turn or any subsequent turn to douse the flames or at the beginning of those turns, it can make a constitution saving throw to end the spell. But if it fails, it's gonna be taking one D six fire damage every round and then lesses up. She's gonna keep doing, what's been working so far. She's gonna drop another third level, scorching Ray on this thing. Uh, so four rays spell attack for every Ray 22 17 21 and a Nat God damn 20. So that's gonna be a grand total of 10 D six fire damage accounting for the crit. So that's 31 damage to the bone demon from this scorching, right? And then as a bonus action, she yells get in Speaker 1 00:39:41 Bernie Speaker 0 00:39:43 And her little wildfire spirit is going to roll to do one of its attacks on this bone demon, Dirty 20. That's gonna hit it. It does one D six plus five fire damage 11. And now we are down to one of our remaining priest friends. Speaker 1 00:40:03 The second remaining priest is also going to use their turn to cast mass cure wounds. So that's another three to eight plus five. So the priests are both going to get back, uh, 28 hip points. And then we're back at the top at the captain. What's he doing? Speaker 0 00:40:21 Making a very offended noise and trying to stab the bone demon again with advantage because he has a flank on several sides, 28 that'll hit. So that's a D eight plus eight D six plus five. So that's 34 damage, which gets half to 17. Speaker 1 00:40:45 Okay. Uh, yeah, he stabs it real good. And then it's Fens turn. What's he doing? Speaker 0 00:40:52 Trying to fucking kill this thing. I'm rolling. Three attacks, 26, 21 17, all three of those hit this thing's dead mechanically. I don't even have to roll. It's dead. Speaker 1 00:41:09 Yeah. With three attacks, fan can't roll low enough to not hit it for four dash. <laugh> Speaker 1 00:41:16 This hulking mass avoid and bone hunkers down to the ground. Looking wildly around at all of the various combatants facing it. It grows with an unearthly painful sound. It hurts the ears of everybody that can hear it. Just this low odd noise. And then the captain jabs his right here up into the space where it's ribs should be. It screams, sounding both, almost like a person and like something that was never supposed to exist and lurch his back. And as it does, Feres Torme leaps and his foot catches on one of these spurs of twist. Did mangled bone coming out of this creature. And he brings his acts down in one sweeping strike and cuts its fucking head off the two pieces of this creature still on fire, hit the ground and disperse into dust. Um, and then it's Sabine's turn. We still have two priests up. Speaker 0 00:42:38 Saab's not going to move. She can't because fee still has that storm sphere up. That's in the way of her getting to these other priests, but she raises one hand and flicks her wrists raises a middle finger as she does it. And with a big scintillating smile looks at the priest closest to her and goes, how does it feel to know that you're gonna die? Absolutely pointlessly and uses her one and only eighth level spell slot to cast dissonant whispers. That's gonna be a DC T save my friend. Speaker 1 00:43:20 <laugh> okay. I after roll at 12. Let's see. No, Speaker 0 00:43:27 Got she's so hot anyway. <laugh> um, cool. So that's going to be 10 D six psychic damage 31. Speaker 1 00:43:42 Okay. This priest is still standing, but they don't look happy about that. <laugh> and then it's fees turn. So she is gonna turn and make kind of a lassoing motion with her free hand as she sweeps her shield out. And she's gonna cast a witch bolt on the priest that Sabine didn't just hit at fifth level. So I'm gonna roll a hit 20. Whoa Speaker 18 00:44:13 <laugh>. Speaker 1 00:44:16 So that's gonna be 10 D 12. That is a total of 67 lightning damage, which is more than enough to kill this other priest. They go down charred and smoking dead before they hit the ground. And then it's Eleanor turn. Speaker 0 00:44:36 Eleanor brings her sword up high over her head Heman style with both hands and snaps it forward casting ice knife towards this last remaining priest, I'm gonna roll to hit 28. That's a hit. So to start out, this last priest is gonna take one D 10 piercing damage Six as a big sharp icicle blooms out of the tip of Eleanor sword and goes flying right into their chest. They need to make me a DC 16 dexterity saving throw, please. Speaker 1 00:45:23 Uh, that was an 18 on the dye. That's gonna do it. Speaker 0 00:45:26 Okay. So they don't take damage from this ice knife exploding. I think it just gets 'em right in the chest. Eleanor goes down to one knee as the weight of this magic leaves her blade and shoots out across the battlefield, gets this priest in the chest. Doesn't quite finish him off, but then KASA reaches out one hand over her shoulder, pointing her knife towards them and shoots off a third level. Poison chromatic orb. I'm gonna roll to hit 23. So that's ten eight. Yeah, they're dead. This last priest is dead. There's no way KASA could even feasibly roll low enough to not kill them. Speaker 19 00:46:14 Woo Speaker 0 00:46:16 Fee. From the other side of this battlefield, Seesa snap, her knife hand forward and this big poisonous ball of energy bloom from the tip, get this priest right in the chest on the tail of this big icicle that Eleanora just stabbed them with. And it's over the outside of this lighthouse is, is extremely quiet for a moment. There's still a lot of commotion coming from inside. And as you look around, you can see that a few priests have made it out of this tower, running out through the woods, trying to get down the road to the docks, trying to get down the road on the other side behind you to whatever is out there. But as you watch, you see arrows of pure Starlight shooting out of the trees and knocking these people down. As they run, you see the flash of teleport magic as to Lyra is just zapping around through the woods. Murking people, you see clouds of spores as ravine is going through the trees. You have won the day and as the rest of your party in varying degrees of wellness, kind of gather together in front of these two open, double front doors to the lighthouse, your brother staggers out, looking very worse for where, but he walks over to you reaches one hand up to squeeze at your shoulder. And with a big broken smile says Speaker 20 00:48:02 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:48:04 We did it. Speaker 1 00:48:08 Leo, you and your allies have won this day. I would say every senior priest in the tower and looks to gone except for his holiness to Hant is extremely dead though. I think the various pirates that came with you and Ave Verity Andra took surrenders from some of the lower ranked pre priests down in their little village. So you have probably two dozen priests prisoner now, mostly initiates what are you doing? Speaker 0 00:48:48 <laugh> um, am I surveying this situation right now of us having all these prisoners? Speaker 1 00:48:55 Yeah, I think you're still standing in kind of the middle of the initiatives housing and they are all tied up in the square together. Speaker 0 00:49:04 Huh? Okay. Anyone else seeing how this is a logistical problem Speaker 1 00:49:10 Ave, I think is standing next to you surveying all of these prisoners. She adjusts her goggles and says, I mean, we weren't gonna kill them after they surrendered. Speaker 0 00:49:23 Nobody's calling anybody's moral fortitude into question here, Ave. I'm just saying, where are we going to put them? My vote is not back in the tower with the giant death hole that eats people. Speaker 1 00:49:37 The, the what? Speaker 0 00:49:39 Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. Not telling this story tonight. Speaker 1 00:49:45 Sabe also surveying these prisoners with you says, I mean, Speaker 21 00:49:51 To be fair, people Speaker 1 00:49:52 Were living in the giant tower with the death hole Speaker 0 00:49:56 And drawing power from and feeding people too said giant death hole. I am so done about the death hole. Can we go back to the prisoners please? Speaker 1 00:50:06 I'm just saying they're tied up. Speaker 0 00:50:08 And I'm just saying that I would prefer all of them tied up in a central secure location that doesn't have a Nope. I said I was done talking about it Speaker 1 00:50:18 From behind you. You hear the captain say, Speaker 21 00:50:21 Uh, as death hole, are you from the, for Speaker 1 00:50:24 Something or <laugh>. And also from behind you, you hear Zed go. Speaker 0 00:50:32 I'd like to roll to stomp on Ed's foot for having the audacity to laugh right now, Speaker 1 00:50:37 Rolled a Speaker 0 00:50:37 Hit Speaker 1 00:50:38 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:50:39 Can I roll plus Dex to stomp on his foot? It's not really strength based. Speaker 1 00:50:43 Yeah, go ahead. Speaker 0 00:50:45 23. Speaker 1 00:50:48 Yeah. That'll hit you stomp on Z's foot, given that it's an unarmed strike. You do one plus your strength mofi damage. And since your strength mofi is negative one, that's zero damage. But you've made your point. Speaker 0 00:51:03 Leo doesn't look at Zed. He's just staring blankly ahead of him. Okay. Sabine, you still have the big, fancy and visible house active, right? Speaker 1 00:51:15 Sabine gives you a weird look and says, uh, yeah, it lasts for 24 hours. Speaker 0 00:51:23 How big's the basement? Speaker 1 00:51:25 It's not small. My mother enjoyed wine. Speaker 0 00:51:31 Okay. Well a magnificent mansion spell ticks all the boxes for human rights, food, water, shelter. Who's to say we don't just Chuck 'em in the wine cellar and let the creepy little ghost of beans take care of them. Speaker 1 00:51:47 Avey says, are you suggesting we all take our trans 50 feet above the priest that could vary easily untie themselves and cups that our threats Speaker 0 00:51:57 No Speaker 6 00:51:58 <laugh> Speaker 0 00:52:00 No. What I'm suggesting is that we all take our trance in the big tower with the creepy death hole that eats people in it. Speaker 1 00:52:09 There is a bead of silence and then KASA from the other side of the square collapse or, and says great plan. Everybody. Speaker 0 00:52:20 Leo closes his eyes and takes a long moment to bring himself back from the edge of just going super Sanin from sheer force of his impotent frustration. Thank you for your input. I am trying my best. I am trying my best. The tower is the most secure spot on the island. It has the best vantage point to see anything that could potentially be coming at us. And as far as I know, the creepy death hole can't hurt anything. That's not deliberately thrown into it, which is more, more than I can say for these chuckle fucks. But I'd love to hear your plan KASA. What's your plan. Speaker 1 00:53:06 KASA puts both hands up and says, Hey man, my plan is to drink myself into forgetting this day and snuggle up with my girlfriend until I fall my trans I'm just point out that all of us trying to transfer above something that you keep referring to as the a death hole seems kind of fucked. And also, and she gestures broadly at the initiates, tied up in front of you all. Who's gonna stay up and watch all of them Sabine, put the finger up and says, uh, I can close the portal for the night easily. They're gonna get thrown out when the spell ends, but we just have to come back for then. Speaker 0 00:53:47 Huh? Okay. Sabine. Have I ever mentioned that? I love when you say things and it just solves problems Speaker 1 00:53:57 Simultaneously, the captain says right. And fee says, God, me too, Sabine gestures at both of them and smiles and says, would you believe I get that a lot? Speaker 0 00:54:13 Yeah. Seems like our only saving graces at this point are my boyfriend. Sheer dumb luck and competent women. All right. Somebody put these clowns in the invisible house and then let's all go up to the tower. Speaker 1 00:54:27 People start dragging these tied up, initiates like trust to the magnificent mansion down on the beach, Speaker 0 00:54:34 Have fun boys. I've heard there's wine Speaker 1 00:54:38 And you all head up to the tower of tu gone. The captain runs back to the ship to tell everybody that's still on there. What's going on and comes back with Lauralie. You sunshine and glasses. You all head up to the tower. Get inside. The captain walks across the lobby, looks at the ghost hole, tilts his head and says, ah, fuck. This. Speaker 0 00:55:08 Leo looks over in the direction of the captain and the ghost hole, but not for too long. He, he doesn't wanna watch it for an extended period of time. Speaker 1 00:55:19 Speaking of roller was safe Speaker 0 00:55:22 19. Speaker 1 00:55:24 Okay. You're good. Speaker 0 00:55:26 He's actually going to use his body to try to block Laura lies' line of sight on this thing and leans over to squeeze at her shoulder. Hey, just don't mind that. Okay. Let's get you upstairs. Come on Speaker 1 00:55:41 Laura. I gives you a weird look and tilts her head to the side. Okay. Speaker 0 00:55:48 He glares around at the rest of the teen squad and then kind of jerks his head back over his shoulder at the ghost toll. I mean it, I better not see any of you fucking with that thing. Okay. It's glasses. I'm speaking directly into your ear. Young man Speaker 1 00:56:06 Glasses, who is stemming with a bundle of gears and wire and trying to lean around you to look at the ghost hole goes, huh? Speaker 0 00:56:18 Bedtime. It's bedtime. M can you take care? Any bodies before the kids go upstairs to find their rooms, please Speaker 1 00:56:30 Mia raises their eyebrows and says whale do, and kind of swipes a hand across their mouth. And you hear a faint sizzle as the fingerless glove they have on that hand goes across their lips. And then they saunter up the stairs. Speaker 0 00:56:49 <laugh> anyway, is Sid still there with us? Speaker 1 00:56:54 Oh yes. <laugh> he looks incredibly awkward. He is just standing there swimming in his higher offense robes with his arms crossed over his chest. Not looking at anybody. Speaker 0 00:57:09 Okay. Your holiness. I have a couple questions. I'm just gonna go in order from most important to least important. If that's okay with you, Speaker 1 00:57:18 Sid narrows his eyes at you and then says sure. Lay on me. Speaker 0 00:57:24 Great. So of utmost important, does your terrifying necromancy death tower have a liquor cabinet anywhere Speaker 1 00:57:36 I'm 75? Why would I know that? Speaker 0 00:57:39 I knew the answer to that question when I was 75, don't play coy, Speaker 1 00:57:45 Sid narrows his eyes further at you. Third floor, second room on the left. Speaker 0 00:57:51 Great. Next thing down the line. Does your terrifying death tower have paths, please? Speaker 1 00:58:01 He jabs a thumb over his shoulder and says they're in the outbuilding. Speaker 0 00:58:06 And last question I promise, but I'd be remissed to not ask because I am just so tired. Are there any sort of, you know, accommodations in the tower for the Archduke to stay in? When he comes to visit, Speaker 1 00:58:22 Sid looks you up and down lip curling and says, I'll let the Archduke. Now when he shows up and then to the group at large, he says, no, one's allowed in my room. I have a harm spell. And then he goes up the stairs. Speaker 0 00:58:38 Ooh, I'll let the urge duke know. And he shows up little fucking bra who becomes for your ass first. Anyway said, mom, we're all filthy. Let's go take a bath and go to bed. But first the liquor cabinet, I'm going to find it. I'm going up to the third floor. Speaker 1 00:58:59 Okay. Uh, what's your passive perception again? Speaker 0 00:59:02 20. Are you gonna make me fucking dungeon crawl to get a night cap after all I've been through today? Speaker 1 00:59:10 You're the one that asked me to set up traps for the dungeon. My man, Speaker 0 00:59:14 I am so very angry with you. I use all my spell slots. I can't even cast fine traps. I'm vulnerable. Speaker 1 00:59:23 It's okay. With a passive perception of 20, you notice that there is something rigged up against one of the walls of this hallway on the third floor. And you look up and see that there's a net rig to fall off the ceiling. Speaker 0 00:59:40 Yeah, no. See, I'm betting that the elder priests put that there to catch Sid. If he wanted to go try to Filch from what we're looking for guys, let's just, I'm gonna try to have us all skirt around it. Speaker 1 00:59:54 Okay. Rollex Speaker 0 00:59:56 Okay. I'll take point, cuz fuck me. I guess <laugh>. Oh no. Oh my God. I rolled a natural one. Speaker 1 01:00:10 You try really hard to scoot around where this net is. And as you're keeping an eye on it to try to scoot around it, you are not watching your feet. So you step directly onto you. One of the levers that releases this net and it falls right on you, you don't take any damage. You're just under a net. Now <laugh> Speaker 0 01:00:35 Leo makes no effort to disentangle himself from this net. He just flops over on his back and stares up at the ceiling, said, honey Z Speaker 1 01:00:47 Was behind you and is not under the net goes, yeah, boss, Speaker 0 01:00:52 Just go find the liquor cabinet, get the highest proof alcohol. You can just, just come here and pour it in my mouth. I can't, I can't Speaker 9 01:01:03 <laugh> Speaker 1 01:01:06 Z is very, obviously trying so hard not to laugh at you. Speaker 0 01:01:11 Yep will do. Speaker 1 01:01:14 And then he heads off into the second room on the left. Your mom steps onto this net next to you and squats down to get on your level and says, do you want some help, sweetie? Speaker 0 01:01:27 Nope. Nope. Just leave me here. Maybe I should just trans here. You know, since everything else about this fucking day has gone wrong. Leo does scream at the ceiling for a minute. Speaker 1 01:01:43 A Donna pats you on the head while you are still under this net and then says, you know, you've always been this over dramatic. I'd say, I don't know where you got it from. But Speaker 0 01:01:57 Over dramatic, over dramatic. After the day that I have had, you know what? No, don't talk to me. Don't help me. I'll get out myself. Speaker 1 01:02:10 A Donna messes up your hair and very fondly says, there's my boy. And then pulls a knife out of her boot and starts hacking away at the net. Speaker 0 01:02:21 Is Z back with the booze yet I will not suffer this indig sober. Speaker 1 01:02:27 You know exactly when Z emerges from this room because as your mother is cutting through a third rope to try to get you out of this net, you hear <laugh> Speaker 0 01:02:43 You two are probably the two people in the world who are the most well aware that I have a limited supply of Goodwill. So I'd like you both to consider that before you continue dancing the Torian Tarantella upon my last nerve. Get me out of here Speaker 1 01:03:03 From the stairwell. You hear, uh, do you three need some help? Speaker 0 01:03:09 No, Eleanor, we're good. You have seen me at enough, low points in my life. Speaker 1 01:03:16 You hear KASA giggle. And then she says, babe, you handled this. I'll see you in a minute. <laugh> and then footsteps on the stairs. And Eleanora comes around to where your mother is trying to cut this net open and also squats down to get on your level. So how's your eye going? Speaker 0 01:03:41 Not Awesome. Speaker 1 01:03:44 Yeah. And, and she's gonna help, but Don, I cut you the rest of the way out of this net. Speaker 0 01:03:50 As soon as he's up and mobile, he's just going to grab a bottle out of Z's hand and start going for the stairs Speaker 1 01:03:59 From a couple floors above you. <laugh> you hear the unmistakable sound of something igniting and Cales goes and, and then after a moment of silence, yells, okay. Nobody touch any statues? Speaker 0 01:04:14 Yeah. Great. Having a normal one. I love to be fun and cool and normal on the death island. Speaker 1 01:04:23 <laugh> Speaker 0 01:04:24 He heads down the stairs, out the front door of the lighthouse and off to the, this out building where the baths apparently are. Doesn't say anything else to anyone. Speaker 1 01:04:36 Okay. You walk into this bath house that is here for the priesthood. It's pretty nice, but it's not on the like private room level of the Royal baths and Valenti. So it's got like an entry room for dressing with a bunch of COBies along the wall and a bunch of robes. I assume you go ahead and change into a robe and go in. As you are turning to go into the main bathhouse with your Rob on you, catch your mom, just staring into a mirror at herself, looking unstuck as to put it. Oh shit. Speaker 0 01:05:21 Leo sort of tightens the belt on his robe and goes in and sort of squats down next to her. Putting one hand on her shoulder. Speaker 1 01:05:30 Mom. Hey Speaker 0 01:05:34 Mama, are you okay? Speaker 1 01:05:37 A Donna shakes her head sharply length a couple times. Oh, I'm uh, I'm fine, sweetheart. Let's and she kinda shakes herself off. Gets up. Speaker 0 01:05:52 No, no, sit down for a second. There's something I wanna, what do I have to roll to look around and see if they have any like cosmetic and grooming tools in these dressing rooms. I'd like to see if I can find number, want a pair of scissors and number two, like hair tonics and stuff like that. Speaker 1 01:06:12 There is a hairbrush and a pair of scissors in the dressing room, but you would have to go in the main baths to try and get any kind of soap. Speaker 0 01:06:20 Okay. Yeah. He just picks up this hair brush and starts brushing her hair out. I'm sure it's bad. She hasn't had an actual bath in 75 years. Probably. Speaker 1 01:06:33 Yeah. It's nasty. It'll take a lot of work to brush it out. It's at the point where like the convenience solution seems to be just cutting the rest of it off. Speaker 0 01:06:47 Yeah, no, that's not an option. He's doing his best to brush her hair out without making it hurt and just putting on a big, fake smile in the mirror, over her shoulder. You remember when my hair used to get tangled like this Speaker 1 01:07:06 <laugh> how could I forget? You are always running around in the garden, getting leaves stuck in it. <affirmative> Speaker 0 01:07:14 Yeah. And you would cus under your breath, you thought I couldn't hear it, but I could. I always wanted hair like yours. It was so pretty. Speaker 1 01:07:26 <laugh> well maybe if KASA would stop daring you to climb trees or you would stop saying yes and then she stops and her eyebrows are together and she shakes her head. No, I'm I'm sorry. Hold on. Speaker 0 01:07:44 Leo finishes brushing her hair out and picks up the scissors starts trimming away at any of the mats. He couldn't get trying very hard to look like everything is okay. But his jaw is clenched so hard that his teeth? No, no it's okay. Um, mom, where are we? Speaker 1 01:08:09 We're we're at the Speaker 0 01:08:13 Baths. Speaker 1 01:08:16 I mm. And she shakes her head sharply closing her eyes. We're on Lin that's Verre Speaker 0 01:08:31 Yeah, you're right. Thank you. Um, hold still for a second. I know that he doesn't have, have any spell slots left. Is there any mechanical sacrifice I can make for Leo to be able to try to suddenly get like a greater restoration or a break curse into her as he's helping her with her hair? Speaker 1 01:08:54 Uh, yeah. Rome cane real quick. Speaker 0 01:08:58 Matt 20 Leo loves his mom a lot. That's a 23 baby. Speaker 1 01:09:05 Okay. Do you wanna take two to 12 damage or do you wanna take a level of exhaustion? Speaker 0 01:09:11 Uh, I mean, we're going to bed right after this. I can sleep off that level of exhaustion. I'll just take it. Speaker 1 01:09:18 Okay. So you have disadvantage on all ability checks until you managed to sleep this off, Speaker 0 01:09:25 But Speaker 1 01:09:25 You managed to get off a greater restoration. As you're sitting there trying to fix a Donna's hair. It has no effect Speaker 0 01:09:35 Leo Grimes and under his breath whispers God, what did he do to you? Speaker 1 01:09:43 A Donna half turns with your hands still in her hair and what? Um, Speaker 0 01:09:49 Nothing. I just, Leo's being very careful in attempts to keep her grounded, but he wants to dig into this a little further to see if there's any way he can potentially help her. Uh, I was just thinking about something silly to remember when I was little and I would get those night terrors. I would wake up screaming my head off in the middle of the night. Speaker 1 01:10:19 Uh, yes. You, you would always run into our chambers and just dive under the covers. Speaker 0 01:10:29 I was just thinking how you were always the one that would hold me, but father was always the one that would tell me it was just a dream and how I'd always feel better after that. Speaker 1 01:10:43 A Donna had been starting to smile a little bit thinking back on fond memories, but the smile slips. Yes, he, uh, he was always good at that. He was, uh, he was the only one that could come you down when you were a baby, you were colicky. And I didn't do well with loud noises. A lot of the time I was tired and scattered for the first few months. Speaker 0 01:11:15 Yeah. That makes sense. Being loud. It's always kind of been my thing, but I guess I'm just wondering, is there anything that can fix that type of ability when it goes wrong? When it hurts people? Speaker 1 01:11:32 I, I, I don't, I don't, she shakes her head again. Most en cha my magic isn't permanent. It's usually harmless Speaker 0 01:11:43 Until it's not I'm talking nonsense. Mom, where are we? Speaker 1 01:11:51 The baths Speaker 0 01:11:53 Where, Speaker 1 01:11:54 Um, she shakes her head again. Looks to go where the bath one looks. So calling, Speaker 0 01:12:05 Who am I? Speaker 1 01:12:07 My Leo. Speaker 0 01:12:09 Yeah, exactly. Right. Go take your bath and take your trance. There should be something to help get the hydration back into your hair. And there I'll see you in the morning. Okay. Speaker 1 01:12:23 She stands up, shakes her head and turns to look at you and frown. Are you all right, sweetheart? Speaker 0 01:12:32 Never better. And Leo's gonna go take a bath and wash his own hair before he fucking has a breakdown in front of his mom. Speaker 1 01:12:43 You head into one of the bathtub hubs in the big, main room. They are all parti part from each other. With big screens. There are a bunch of 'em. And as you are coming up from, I think, dunking your head so you can rinse your hair out. Zed comes over and sits down on the edge of the top. Next to you holding a bottle of something from the liquor cabinet in one hand, and taking his hair out of his ponytail with the other. He gives you the up and down and nods and says Speaker 0 01:13:20 Bused stone bloom to not proposition me right now that Australian wine, however, hand it over. Speaker 1 01:13:28 He raises his eyebrows, takes a big SW out himself first, and then hands it over. Speaker 0 01:13:36 Leo hasn't had good Australian wine since season one. He's chugging that shit Speaker 1 01:13:43 Z slips all the way into the bathtub and just looks at you for a second and then says, so, uh, it occurs to me. I might need to clear some things. Speaker 0 01:13:57 Oh, I feel like I should be the one that's clearing things up right now, given you know, the death island and the ghost hole and the generational trauma. But that's nice of you to say said, what would you like to clear up Speaker 1 01:14:10 That gives you a look and then says, okay, so you're kind of stressed. You want me to wash your hair while we have this talk? Speaker 0 01:14:20 Oh my God, that sounds so good. Actually, Speaker 1 01:14:24 Zed reaches and grabs something off a shelf next to the bathtub and hands it to you. And it is the correct shampoo. Speaker 0 01:14:30 That's great. Leo's not questioning it. He just dumps a bunch of it on top of his head, Speaker 1 01:14:36 Z kinda man handles you. So you're leaned up against his chest and starts lathering shampoo through your hair. And as he's doing that, he very awkwardly says, so, uh, 83%, huh? Speaker 0 01:14:53 Now, honey, were you not listening to my mother in the moments after we killed the horrifying undead creature in the crypt full of my ancestors, we're up to 86%. Now Speaker 1 01:15:05 Z's fingers go very still in your hair for a second. Yep, sure. You feel like he's gearing up to say something. And then from around one of the privacy screens, Sabine's head pokes out 86% of what Speaker 0 01:15:23 Leo swipes some suds out from over his eyes and glares at her 86% chance of you not minding your fucking business. Speaker 1 01:15:34 Sine puts the hand up and says, don't mind me. I'm just here for booze. And then she points to Z's right? And says, throw it over. Speaker 0 01:15:45 I got trapped under a net for that shit. You're gonna have to work a little harder. Speaker 1 01:15:51 Soine narrows her eyes at you. Leo, do you wanna give me the wine or do you want me to keep poking my nose in your business? I'm the oldest of 10. I can be the very nosy Speaker 0 01:16:05 Leo narrows his eyes back at her just as hard, but then reaches out and grabs one of the bottles that they brought down from the liquor cabinet. This is a fucking protection racket Chavas, Speaker 1 01:16:18 And it's a working Speaker 0 01:16:21 Cursing colorfully under his breath. Leo hands, her a bottle old. Speaker 1 01:16:26 She snatches it outta your hand and gives you a big, bright smile and says, thank you for doing business. And she swans off back behind this privacy screen. And after a moment you hear a soft splash and fee giggling quietly, and the sound of someone kissing it's super gross. Speaker 0 01:16:51 You know what? Suddenly I have fewer concerns about us having this conversation. Go ahead, honey, Speaker 1 01:16:58 Z snorts, and picks up a little bowl next to the bathtub. And you feel water sling over your hair. We don't have to, uh, get in depth about it, but I just wanted to make it clear that I, uh, don't object to having the conversation. I just wanted it to be a conversation that we had and not something that I heard from your mother. Speaker 0 01:17:28 I mean, I can it behind that sentiment, but also I understand why it's not a conversation we can have right now. Speaking of which are you, It seems insensitive to ask if you're okay. I know it's been a rough couple weeks and that I disappeared on you again. I just want to know the, that you're Speaker 1 01:17:54 <laugh> is the word you're looking for sober. Speaker 0 01:17:58 The word I'm looking for is okay, but I'll take sober as a close second. Yeah. Speaker 1 01:18:05 There's a long beat of silence. You feel something cold being massaged into your hair and, and Zed says, are these two different conversations we're having? Or are they related for you? Speaker 0 01:18:25 I mean, that's a hard question to answer. I guess that in the long run, I am never going to stop being scared of being the person that hurts everyone. I love. But when I think about my future, Fuck, if I even have one after all this, I can't picture it without you. Speaker 1 01:18:51 Ed's hands go still in your hair again. Yeah, me either. Speaker 0 01:18:59 Do you think there's a world where we can both be okay. Z? Speaker 1 01:19:07 I dunno. I hope so. I wanna think so. You feel water running through your hair again? And he says, anyway, the answer to the question is yes, I'm sober. Well, I'm tipsy, but I got more people looking out for me than just you. Speaker 0 01:19:33 Yeah, same here. Maybe that's gonna be our saving grace in the end, huh? Speaker 1 01:19:40 Yeah, fuck knows. We're both disasters. And then he dunks you under the back of water. <laugh> Speaker 0 01:19:46 As soon as Leo is able to reemerge, he splashes Z as hard as he can Speaker 1 01:19:53 Said, laughs and then goes onto the water himself and comes up, shaking, wet hair out of his face and just grabs you and kisses you Speaker 0 01:20:04 Leo kisses him back and then gently him on the forehead and hops out of the tub, grabbing for a towel and his robe. Oh yeah. Disasters. The two of us, 86% Speaker 1 01:20:19 Z GRS at you and opens his mouth to say something. And then from several tubs down, you hear 90 and Z looks back to where your mother's voice is coming from. Looks back at you and says I'm getting the fuck out of this bathtub. Speaker 0 01:20:37 90, 90%. Yeah. I'm let's go. Let's go find a bed. Bed. Bed. Sounds good. Speaker 1 01:20:44 Yep. For sleeping. Speaker 0 01:20:46 Oh yeah. Sleeping. Nothing happening but 90%. Oh fuck fee. You end up finding out the hard way that it is very difficult to have a victorious post battle. Makeout with your boyfriend and your girlfriend while your brother is on the other side of a privacy screen, having a talk about trauma and family planning with his boyfriend Speaker 1 01:21:10 Can AF shit in Australia, Speaker 0 01:21:13 You really can't you Seine. And the captain all extract yourselves from the bathtub that you are sitting in and put your robes back on, get ready to go to bed. Exit the baths, Leo and Zed have left ahead of you and you stay around at the door to this out building just long enough to see a Donna coming out in a robe damn hair, coming down her back, still trying to kind of fuss with it. And as you leave, several other members of your party are in the process of walking into the baths, namely CEL Ave and Verity Celica pauses in the doorway and reaches up to kind of help a Donna with detangling part of her hair and frown. Okay? No. Let me help you with that. Come on and sort of ushers her off into the darkness, back towards the tower as Ave and Verity, go to take their baths, you and Sabine, and the captain all make your way towards the tower up the spiral staircase through several floors before you land on a floor of the lighthouse that feels weirdly familiar. You can't place. Why You see one door on the other side of this circular hallway, closing behind Leo and Z as they head off to bed. What are you doing? Speaker 1 01:22:48 Fee looks around this hallway for a second. Shakes her head and gives LEED a little wave. Uh, goodnight. See you in the morning. <affirmative> Speaker 0 01:23:02 There are two other doors on this. Both of which are standing open. You can smell something acidic and caustic in the air, but nobody's in either of these other two rooms. Speaker 1 01:23:18 Yeah. If he's gonna grab the captain and bean and just tug them into the room, across the hall from the one that Leons, that are go Speaker 0 01:23:27 The room you walk into also feels oddly familiar, but you can't figure out why the furniture is typical Australian and build big king size bed, four poster, heavy velvet curtains on each corner. The windows closed. There's a fireplace smoldering in one corner, the coal's dying looks comfortable enough. Everybody else is bunk down for the night. Do you wanna bunk down in here? Yeah. Speaker 1 01:24:02 She's gonna change into something. She can sleep in and crawl into the middle of this bed. Crawling up around a pillow. Speaker 0 01:24:09 The three of you crawl into this bed after a night of absolute pandemonium. The captain is out before his head hits the pillow. He is snoring almost immediately. On your other side, Seine looks at you for a long moment, reaches up to pressing hand against your cheek and kisses. You very softly before rolling over onto her other side and also falling into her trance. Are you gonna try to knock out for the night too? Or? Speaker 1 01:24:46 Uh, yeah, I think fee's gonna just fling one leg over the captains and curl an arm around sabe and try as hard as she can to fall into her trance. Speaker 0 01:24:59 It's hard. It is the we hours of the morning and you have had a long stressful day and you are exhausted, but there is something that makes going into your trance. Feel almost an impossible as you're laying there in this bed, curled up between the captain and Seine. You can hear a low rumble of thunder off the coast of the island and the loud crash of waves hitting the shore more and more forcefully, whatever sort of environment the, this is. Restful is not the word that you would apply to it, but eventually your physical fatigue does win out and you start to fall into your trance. What's your passive perception fee. Speaker 1 01:25:53 Uh, oh, uh, 14. Speaker 0 01:25:57 You are in that very getting stage of going into your trance, where you are still fully aware of your surroundings, but your body has already detached from your mind. You can't really move, but you can see and hear and perceive everything around you. Something very strange happens in that moment where your mind and your body disconnect, you are aware of a shift between the feeling of the captain and Sabine on either side of you in this big four poster bed and an environment where you are laying by yourself on a much narrower mattress. As you are laying there staring straight ahead, you see something odd in the light of the dying coals of this fireplace in the corner that has not moved or changed. A small silhouette makes its way over to the edge of this bed and sits down. It takes a while for your eyes to adjust to the low light. But eventually you see a small boy, the equivalent of seven, eight years old, long stark white hair, curling bone like horns coming back from his forehead, big blue eyes with slit pupils, all Iris. He reaches out and grabs your hand. And for the first time in a while you feel safe, Speaker 22 01:27:42 Hey, Speaker 0 01:27:42 Are you having trouble? Trancing I know how the storm scare you sometimes. Speaker 1 01:27:48 Um, yeah. Yeah, I am. Speaker 22 01:27:57 It's okay. I'm here. Take your trance. Speaker 0 01:28:04 See whether or not you want to, you do. Speaker 0 01:28:14 You emerge from your trance to the sound of a fist pounding against a wooden door. As you regain consciousness, you can perceive gentle morning light washing across your face. Sort of muted almost as if reflected off of a solid surface or a ceiling. You are in a bed similar to the one. You last remember yourself being in a low own twin mattress. And from the other side of this door, rattling on it. Tinges as someone pounds upon it, you hear a bright flamboyant tenor voice, all right, sunshine up. And Adam, it's a brand new day. And if you'd like to start it off with breakfast, I would get moving. Speaker 1 01:29:06 What, what I fee gets up and goes to open the door. Speaker 0 01:29:15 You are in a very small, but very cozy bedroom, simple wood panel, old floors, utilitarian twin bed frame tucked up against a wall, soft light coming in through a window with purple curtains. There is a simple writing desk tucked into the far corner Laden down with notebooks of poetry, pros and random notes. You get out of bed, stumble a few steps towards the door. Again, the room is not big and open it up to see a tall slender and frontal elf man in a dressing gown, pale lavender skin, neatly trimmed, GOE, curly, black hair, sort of loose and frizzy around his horns and your uncle. Of course. Why wouldn't it be tilt his head at you and goes, oh, so you got home real late last night. Huh? Speaker 1 01:30:27 <laugh> yeah. Must have Speaker 0 01:30:30 Your uncle AOR leans in and claps you on the shoulder. Sort of rattles you back and forth a little bit. I'll tell you the secret kid. I keep a flask under the loose floorboard in my bedroom. And when I wake up in the morning and I don't want your mom to judge me little hair of the dog, He takes his hand off of your shoulder and ruffles your hair before leaning back into the hallway and starting down towards the stairs. I won't tell if you won't, Speaker 1 01:31:03 <laugh> appreciate, he's gonna head down the stairs with him Speaker 0 01:31:09 Feeling somehow raw in a way that you can't place. You walk down these stairs into a very simply furnished, but loving foyer almost automatically turn off to your right and see a simple kitchen with a spindly legged wooden table. Your uncle has already been, he taking his seat and you look around at the other people here and see an in frontal L woman with light purple skin, long curling black hair with a few streaks of gray in it, black horns, busying herself over making a cup of tea and a very small infernal elf girl with sort of darker purple skin, but the same curly black hair and horn pattern who is slathering an unholy amount of strawberry jelly onto an English muffin. Speaker 1 01:32:11 Yeah, I'm gonna ruffle courage his hair and then take a seat next to her. Speaker 0 01:32:17 Your little sister sticks or tongue out at you and, and elbows you in the side. Hey, what's a club Speaker 1 01:32:24 I'm gonna steal half of her English muffin and take a big bite out of it and then go, mm. You mean like an organization or like the weapon? Speaker 0 01:32:34 Courage is eyebrows creep up very far on her forehead. And she says, oh no. Um, I mean something I heard last night, oh, I have work tomorrow. I can't go to the club. And then five hours later, God, I love the club. Speaker 1 01:32:54 I'm gonna look out of the corner of my eye, over at my mom and see if she heard that Speaker 0 01:33:00 She is so busy steeping her cup of tea, but there is just a little quirk at the corner of her mouth. Speaker 1 01:33:09 I turn back to courage and say, oh, I don't remember hearing anything like that. Speaker 0 01:33:15 Oh yeah. Well that makes sense. Doesn't it fee you don't ever hear anything. You say, you know, things like, yeah, courage. I'll take you to the museum this week. Weekend. Of course we'll go to the bakery afterwards. Speaker 1 01:33:30 That's right. We were gonna go to the museum as a reward for you doing my chores this weekend. Since I have to work, Speaker 0 01:33:38 Your uncle is barely keeping his shit together. As he sprinkles salt on half of a grapefruit, your mother. However, it looks more than a little frazzled. I, as she sits her teacup down and it sauce her girls, please can we have a cease fire? It is six o'clock in the morning. Speaker 1 01:33:57 Yes, mama and fee eats the rest of this half of English muffin Speaker 0 01:34:04 From the space beside you that you could have sworn was empty a second ago. You hear, Speaker 13 01:34:11 Um, can someone pass the butter Speaker 1 01:34:16 Fee looks over to where this voice is coming from Speaker 0 01:34:20 In a chair? That definitely was not there before. Kiva's just hanging out electric, blue eyes, crackling in the shadows of her hood. She reaches out a and closes one hand around yours. Speaker 13 01:34:39 Ferara wake up Speaker 0 01:34:49 Fee. You regain consciousness in a big plush bed, soft sunlight filtering through a tall window and the smells and sounds of a Southern Australian morning, seagulls crying on the beach waves, crashing on the shore. A slight tinge of salt on your tongue. As you breathe in, and someone is knocking very gently at your door. Speaker 1 01:35:19 I'm going to get up and go open it. Speaker 0 01:35:22 Your feet hit plush carpet. There's a delicate silk dressing gown draped over the back of a chair right next to your bed that you pull on as you head for this door and you open it to a Washa, Decar standing out in the hallway at, as you look around at the architecture, the big stone, breezeways the tall open windows. You realize that you are in the summer palace, the Australian Royal family's vacation home. Of course you are. Alisha is also still in her pajama, leaning on her cane in the hallway and reaching up to run a hand back through her hair, looking like she has a bit of a headache. Okay? I think we all overdid it a bit. Last night, everybody gets a Mulligan. I want something greasy and covered in cheese. How about you? Speaker 1 01:36:25 <laugh> that sounds wonderful. Uh, should we hit the bistro in the corner or is someone going to cook? Speaker 0 01:36:34 She GRS and reaches up one hand to press a Palm against the side of your face. Speaker 1 01:36:40 <laugh> Speaker 0 01:36:40 Sweet girl. I ordered takeout because I'm the only competent person here it's already downstairs. Let's go Speaker 1 01:36:49 <laugh> oh, fantastic. If he's gonna head down the stairs, Speaker 0 01:36:56 As you reach the bottom of the staircase and hang the right turn down the hallway towards the dining room, you hear a distant voice bouncing off the stone of the hallway. And so then I told him, that's why you don't bet against a Torme in an eating contest or a vow sign in a drinking contest. And then you hear the unmistakable sound of your brother, just ack, Speaker 1 01:37:25 Not this story. Again, Speaker 0 01:37:28 You walk into the dining room and see your father sitting at the head of a table, working his way through a cup of tea and a very greasy looking breakfast plate. Leo is in the chair next to him, leaning back against the top of his chair. He's laughing so hard. And on Leo's other side, Soren, Chiron is fully asleep at the table with his head down in his folded arms. Looking, Speaker 1 01:37:56 Fee's gonna take her seat on her. Father's other side, as she's sitting down, she says, you've told this one 10 times in the past week, father, please Speaker 0 01:38:08 We'll see. Darling. The thing that they say about good comedy is that it's always timeless. LA thinks it's funny. Leo had been composing himself and then fully snorts into his cup of coffee and makes a paint noise. Speaker 1 01:38:24 LA is still drunk from last night fee, grabs herself a cup of coffee and looks over at Soren and says sore. You're getting eggs in your hair. Speaker 0 01:38:35 Soren more like a zombie than a man reaches up. And some of the eggs out of his hair, uh, Speaker 1 01:38:44 Solid comeback. If he's gonna dig into her breakfast, Speaker 0 01:38:50 It's a delicious breakfast on a beautiful morning at the summer palace with your family around you. There's a certain piece here. You just can't understand why something anxious. Undercuting it. Your perspective warps for a second. And you're not quite sure what happens between you sitting there flicking scrambled eggs off your spoon across the table at your brother and you standing out on a beach with your family. The wave are licking up around your ankles. You can feel the sun baking down on your back and from several yards away out in the waves. Leo is floating on his back, doing his best to splash water at you. Are you still worried about your hair? Come on. The water's fine. Speaker 1 01:39:45 He laughs and splashes him back. I don't wanna hear any comments about me worrying about my hair from you Speaker 0 01:39:54 From directly behind you. You hear Speaker 13 01:39:58 Ah, damn who forgot the beach umbrella Speaker 1 01:40:03 Fee turns Speaker 0 01:40:06 Standing on this beach, seemingly moving beneath the notice of your fan. Kiva is standing there. She reaches out her free hand and presses a Palm to the side of your face. Speaker 23 01:40:21 Thora, Speaker 13 01:40:22 Wake up Speaker 0 01:40:30 Fee. You regain consciousness to sunlight beating down on your skin. The feeling of soft, hot, dry sand beneath your back. And two shadows looming over you. Speaker 1 01:40:46 He looks up Speaker 0 01:40:49 The captain in Seine are both looking down at you with absolute shit. Eating grins. The captain's hair is kind of damp, curling up into those salty waves that it does after he's been swimming and Seine is wrapped in a towel, holding an open paperback trashy romance novel. In one hand, you are on a very familiar beach in the Zeph Isles. Of course you are. It is a gorgeous afternoon in the middle of summer and further down the shore. You can hear the crew of the ship having fun, talking, laughing, eating, drinking, Speaker 1 01:41:31 Sorry. I must have dozed off Speaker 0 01:41:34 Seine smirks down at you and raises an eyebrow. I mean, don't apologize to us. Apologize to that sunburn here in a couple hours anyway. Hate to wake you darling, but you and boots wanna get a game of water polo started and we're short one. Speaker 1 01:41:51 <laugh> I'm assuming love that I'll be on the team opposite you since you don't like to lose. Speaker 0 01:41:59 Oh no. I was figuring we could all be on one team this time. You remember how bitter the captain got when I won that favor off of him in poker and then he didn't talk to me for a week. Speaker 1 01:42:11 I remember you cheating at the game of poker. Yes. Speaker 0 01:42:15 The captain's mouth drops opened scandalized. As he turns around to look at sine, you swore to me, woman Sabine gives you a look that clearly conveys the sentiment of fucking narc. And she reaches down to grab your wrist and help you to your feet. Come on. They're gonna start. Without us Speaker 1 01:42:37 Fee gets to her feet and starts walking towards the water. Speaker 0 01:42:42 The captain runs up and grabs your free hand and they both lead you down into the surf. A few yards away. You can see your crew mates, your family, throwing a ball back and forth out in the water, laughing and talking trash to each other. You and sunshine are attempting to float some buoys out in the waves. You see Leo and Zed who are set up on opposite teams, ready to absolutely destroy each other. And before you have time to notice it, you feel someone's hands on your shoulders. Playfully dunking you down into the water Speaker 1 01:43:23 For Yelps. Speaker 0 01:43:26 Yeah, but you don't hear it fee. You've always been a, a strong swimmer, but suddenly it's like your limbs are made of lead. And something strange happens to your perception. It warps and then clarifies once again and everything around you is so dark and so Speaker 1 01:43:51 Cold. Speaker 0 01:43:54 You open your mouth to yell again and feel Frid, salty water, get gasped into your lungs. You want to swim for the surface, but for some reason you just Speaker 1 01:44:06 Can't. Speaker 0 01:44:08 And then from behind you, you feel too cold hands close around both of your shoulders and a voice in your ear says, Speaker 13 01:44:21 Thora, wake up. This place does not get to hurt you the way it hurt me, wake up Speaker 1 01:44:34 Fee wakes up. Speaker 0 01:44:37 So you do a couple meters underwater in the ocean, along the shores of Olga drowning. Your body does remember how to swim though. You flail confused, panicked, fighting for survival. And then out of the very edge of your peripheral vision, you see a glow in this pitch, black water, and one gleaming hand reaches down, wraps around your forearm and yanks you towards the service. You breach the top of this water, coughing and sputtering fighting just to stay up. And the captain loops one arm under yours and hauls you back towards the shore Speaker 1 01:45:27 Fee is exhausted and confused, but she trusts the captain. She doesn't fight him. Speaker 0 01:45:37 You get hauled up into the last remnants of foamy waves, a along the damp black sand of this beach and the captain lets you both just fall in a heap before flopping over to stare at you wide eyed lost wasn't Kiva's name. I woke up to see Lee and you were, and I looked out the window and saw you fucking walk into the ocean, Speaker 1 01:46:03 The coughs up a long full of salt water. Just I wasn't, I, I wasn't awake. I, I Speaker 0 01:46:18 Fee you've never trans walked in the entire time. I've known you what the fuck is going on? Speaker 1 01:46:25 I, I don't, I don't know. I where's Leo, Leo, it takes you a weirdly long time to fall into your trance. You are laying there with his ed snoring in your ear for what must be hours. And then as you start to drift off, as your limbs go heavy and your mind goes slow the door to the room. You're sleeping in opens and a small shape starts to cross the floor with how dim the lights are. You could almost mistake this figure for a very young fee. It's just this little kid with dark hair and dark curling horns may like the equivalent of seven tip toe across the floor and coming to sit down on the edge of your bed. Speaker 0 01:47:45 Leo feeling extremely heavy, blink over at this figure. Yeah. What you okay. Speaker 1 01:47:52 This little kid looks at you eyes extremely big in the di Moonlight coming in through your window. Big and silver with slip pupils, no whites, all Iris. I had one of the dreams again, Speaker 0 01:48:10 What dreams Speaker 1 01:48:13 She reaches out and touches your forehead. Leo you're in bed at home. There is sunlight streaming in through the window and you can hear the sounds of children laughing. Distantly. Speaker 0 01:48:37 He's gonna sit up in bed Speaker 1 01:48:40 As you do that from the other side of the bed, you hear sore and throws an arm over his face. And with a rise lady smirk says, well, I guess we should go make sure they're not killing each other. Speaker 0 01:49:03 Leo laughs and leans down to kiss him on the forehead. Speaker 1 01:49:08 <laugh> Speaker 0 01:49:09 I don't hear anyone crying for help or vindication. So I'm more worried about property damage at this point, Speaker 1 01:49:17 <laugh> nonetheless, he sits up facing away from you, throws on a dressing gown and starts to walk out. Speaker 0 01:49:28 I follow him. Speaker 1 01:49:31 He walks ahead of you down the hall and then down the stairs. And as he hits the bus out of the stairs, he yells girls. It is way too early in the morning for this. You hit the bottom step and there are two young, the equivalent of like about 10 and 13, maybe girls in the living room with this house that you find yourself in looking toward you guiltily. And there's something weird about at their eyes, but the younger of them. And she looks so much like Sorin. Not exactly. He looks more like his mother and she takes after his father. She smiles real big. I mean, we weren't doing anything wrong. Speaker 0 01:50:33 Leo crosses both arms over his chest and quirks and eyebrow at her baby. Remember that conversation where we talked about how you and I have different definitions of wrong Speaker 1 01:50:47 This little girl, Athelia tilt her head back and just looks at the ceiling and Gros. Yeah, I remember that. And the older of these little girls ASHN Gorins smugly. She doesn't really look like you or Soren. She has similar coloring to you. She's very pale. She has white hair, but you don't know where she got her facial features from and there's something wrong with her eyes. But she grins super smug Alia and says, I'm pretty sure most people think stealing is wrong. Speaker 0 01:51:38 Okay. Conflict checklist is anybody hurt Speaker 1 01:51:44 In unison? They say no. Speaker 0 01:51:47 Is anybody dead? Speaker 1 01:51:50 No. Speaker 0 01:51:52 Is there anything that I'm gonna have to pay for? Speaker 1 01:51:57 No. Speaker 0 01:51:59 Is this anything I need to deal with before I have had my Speaker 1 01:52:05 Says no. And Ashton says, yes, Speaker 0 01:52:12 Ash, you have the floor one minute. Speaker 1 01:52:15 She's stealing things out of my room. Again. Speaker 0 01:52:18 Evidence, Speaker 1 01:52:21 Ask her to turn out her pockets. Speaker 0 01:52:24 Leo looks over his shoulder at sore and trying very hard not to laugh. All right, well you're on the high court. Do I need a warrant for this? Speaker 1 01:52:35 So puts a hand up to his mouth and there's something wrong with his I, but he shakes his head and he says, you know what? I'll let it slide this one time Speaker 0 01:52:48 Fee pockets. Now Speaker 1 01:52:51 Ophelia sticks both hands in our pockets and pulls them out and opens them Palm up. And there's something strange in them. Fragments of bone and spiders and stones. And she's holding sure enough, a container, a very nice lip gloss that you know is ASNs. Speaker 0 01:53:17 Leo takes two big stumbling steps back. What the Fudge? Um, sorry. This is why you, this is why you too. Shouldn't bring things up before coffee, um, Fee. Give your sister her lip gloss back now please. Speaker 1 01:53:39 Fine. She closes her hand into a fist around this lip gloss container and just pulls it out to Ash without looking at her and opens her fist and something's wrong. So wrong. Something's wrong. And Ash takes the container of lip gloss and grins. Like the cat that got the cream. Speaker 0 01:54:03 Are you both? Okay? Is everyone okay? Hold on. Speaker 1 01:54:07 The girls look at each other frown and in unison, say we're okay. Sore and steps forward and puts a hand on your shoulder and something's wrong. Something's wrong. Are you okay? You seem kind of out of it. Speaker 0 01:54:26 Yeah. Schedules out of whack I guess. Okay. Girls respecting each other's personal space means respecting each other's personal pro Speaker 1 01:54:36 Property Speaker 0 01:54:40 Talk. Everybody let's let's get on with the day Speaker 1 01:54:47 You're in Soren's office. He's going through papers, writing something down saying, uh, yeah, I should be freeing about, uh, 10 minutes Speaker 0 01:55:01 Leo staggers back and then catches himself sort of shakes his head. Uh, sure, sure. What, what were we just talking about? Speaker 1 01:55:13 He looks up at you frowns lunch, dear. I told you I have a little bit of paperwork I have to get done before I leave. But after that I'm all yours. Speaker 0 01:55:26 Are you? Speaker 1 01:55:28 He looks up from his papers and tilt his head and something's wrong with his eyes and says what's that supposed to mean? Speaker 0 01:55:39 I, I don't know. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just feeling a little unstuck. Speaker 1 01:55:47 Okay. I'll meet you downstairs in about 10 minutes. If you wanna go sit down. Speaker 0 01:55:55 Yeah. Yeah. That's for the best. Where, Where are the girls? Speaker 1 01:56:00 They're with my mother. What are you talking about? Speaker 0 01:56:04 Nothing. Sorry I'm being stupid. Leo's gonna walk out and go downstairs. Speaker 1 01:56:12 You walk downstairs into the lobby of the high court offices in ol and your uncle's sitting there valor and Valin with the circuit of the Archduke on his head, reclined easily in a chair, his cane in one hand and one desing as he talks to his wife, Adrian too fast, too fast, their heads snap over to the side and they both give you big smiles. And the vow raises the hand in a wave and says, ha if it isn't my favorite nephew, Speaker 0 01:56:49 Leo freezes one hand white knuckled around the door frame and then straightens up and shakes his head. <laugh> yeah. Well considering the competition, that's not really a compliment. Speaker 1 01:57:05 Don't let hear you say that. He turns back tole and something's wrong. He says, dear, do you mind if I abandon you for a few moments to get some air rolls her eyes and something's wrong with them and says, yeah, go, Val crosses the lobby in a few steps and holds an elbow out to you. You know, I could use a chaperone. Me and my constitution. Speaker 0 01:57:39 Has anyone else ever asked you how you managed to get this far politically and still have no subtlety? Obviously this is gonna be a conversation fine. Speaker 1 01:57:51 <laugh> he makes a vague gesture with his free hand and taps his cane. Authoratively well, I know what I've been caught out. Walk with me Speaker 0 01:58:05 With all due, respect your majesty, make it quick. Do you know how hard it is to get a lunch appointment with a member of the high court? Even if he's your husband Speaker 1 01:58:15 Vividly aware and he loops his arm through yours and toes, you out the front door of the offices as you're going, he says, you're going to the usual spot for lunch, right? I'll just take you there. I'm sure. Lord Chiana will meet us. Speaker 0 01:58:34 Yeah. Yeah. The usual spot. Um, what's the usual spot. Speaker 1 01:58:44 You find yourself in a restaurant, your uncle slides into a booth and nods at the chair across the table. Sit, sit. Speaker 0 01:58:56 I, I, yes. Sorry. Leo's gonna sit down Speaker 1 01:59:03 Your uncle smiles at you and says, Laurel, I have a bit of a proposition. Speaker 0 01:59:10 Well, that's never fun. Speaker 1 01:59:12 No, no, it's a good one. It's a good one. He flags down a waitress, orders himself, a cup of tea, and then turns back to you and says, you know, you're like a son to me, right? I know it doesn't make up for what happened to your father, but have done my best. You know that. Speaker 0 01:59:34 Do I? Speaker 1 01:59:36 Well, I would hope so. His eyebrows draw together and something is wrong with his eyes. They're flat and glassy like a doll, something wrong. Something's wrong. He says, I know you like to play your little practical jokes later, but please be serious. Speaker 0 01:59:54 I am. I'm just serious. I'm dead serious. I something's not Sorry. Sorry. I've been off lately of, of course I know. You've you've given me everything. No one could ask for more. Speaker 1 02:00:13 That's very kind of you to say, you know that despite how agile and I have tried, we don't have any children over, around, it leaves a bit of a hole in the succession. One that I would very much appreciate it. If you would agree to fill Speaker 0 02:00:36 Leo feels sick and he doesn't know why, but, but what about your other siblings? I, I mean, there's auntie Nora and auntie Johanna and uncle bere is there's. There are people ahead of me, Speaker 1 02:00:49 People with their own lives, far from veal whose spouses are not already involved in the government. Now that the girls don't need you all the time. I figured it would just be easiest on everyone. If I asked you, Speaker 0 02:01:05 I don't want it, I don't want it. I'm sorry. I don't want it. Speaker 1 02:01:11 He tilts his head at you. Don't you And the world, jitters outta focus and something's wrong. Something's wrong. And the tea up on the table is full of some kind of rying sludge and his eyes are clear. They finally look human and he looks at you and he says, Speaker 25 02:01:33 Run, Speaker 0 02:01:36 Oh yeah, Leo fucking books. It he's up. He's running. Speaker 1 02:01:42 And you're back at home. You're on your back porch. Looking down the hill at a little pond in your backyard, sore and the girls are playing flashing each other. He looks up at you and he calls, Hey, you're finally home. Speaker 0 02:02:04 Am I? Speaker 1 02:02:06 He doesn't even acknowledge that. You said that he just waves Beck ands you closer. Come on in. We've been waiting. Speaker 0 02:02:17 Leo walks down towards this pond and tries to figure out why he can. And can't remember it. Speaker 1 02:02:27 You stand at the very edge of this, drop into the water Sorin and Athelia, and Ashra are all looking up at you. Smiling big and sweet, their eyes, glassy and cold. Speaker 26 02:02:47 Come on in. We've been waiting. Speaker 0 02:02:52 Leo has his toes curled around the edge of this drop off and can't figure out why he wants to turn around and run. Speaker 1 02:03:03 So's closer than he was a moment ago, right below you looking up from behind you, you hear distantly as if down a long hallway, someone yell Leo And Soren. Again, smiling says, Speaker 26 02:03:22 Come on in. We've been waiting. Speaker 0 02:03:26 He looks down at Soren and smiles and then he jumps Speaker 1 02:03:34 And you are startled back into consciousness. As you hit the floor with a crush impact, it hurts. Everything hurts as you hit the stone of the first floor of this lighthouse, you are rolled roughly from your side onto your back. Zed is clutching at your shoulders, yelling something. You can see it from the way his face is moving, but you cannot hear him because as the light in this circle of stones, that he's tackled you away from flares, you are hearing hundreds upon hundreds, thousands upon thousands of voices, all moaning and then wailing, and then shrieking in unison. Speaker 26 02:04:20 Come on in. We've been waiting. Come on in, come Speaker 28 02:04:23 In, waiting, waiting, come, Speaker 29 02:04:26 Been waiting. Speaker 1 02:04:32 And then you black out And that's where we're gonna end for this week. Speaker 0 02:04:40 Damn looks to go sucks, dude. Speaker 2 02:04:44 <laugh> Speaker 30 02:04:46 Sure does. Speaker 2 02:04:47 <laugh> Speaker 30 02:04:48 And we'll see more next time. Speaker 0 02:04:51 UN uncom compelled dual. Speaker 0 02:05:09 Hey, everybody Barry here with the post script, just clearing up a couple housekeeping things here at the end of the episode, as always, I'm gonna go ahead and plug our social media profiles. You can find us on Twitter, Tumblr and talk at compelled dual. We have lots of other cool stuff going on. However, an official website, an official Spotify profile, our official merch store, stuff like that. You can find all that stuff linked on any of our various social media profiles. If you're interested in supporting the show, we ask that you consider heading over patreon.com/compelled dual, where starting at just $2 a month, you can get access to all kinds of cool patron perks, including early access to episodes, access to exclusive playlists and bonus content, and even handwritten letters from your favorite character every month. If you're interested in supporting the show in ways, other than pledging to our Patreon, we ask that if you're listening to us on apple podcasts or Spotify, that you leave us a rating and a review, since that helps the show get promoted to a wider audience, we host a weekly Q and a show on our YouTube every week. Speaker 0 02:06:19 And we would love to see you show up for that. Ask a couple questions. We always have a really fun time. And as always, if you like what you're hearing on the show we ask that you just tell a couple friends about it. And if they like it, ask them to tell a couple friends as well. Word of mouth advertising is the most powerful tool we have at our disposal. Our next episode will be going live on Friday, May 6th, 2022. Or if you're a member of our Patreon, you'll be getting your early access to that on Thursday, May 5th. Thank you guys so much and we'll see you next week.