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A floating estate. A confession fifteen hundred years overdue. The patron who tried to have them killed is the deposed god the Prince stepped over to ascend, and he's been waiting in the clouds for someone to notice. Intel, leverage, an airship — every gift a debt.
Website: https://www.narrativedeclaration.com
System: Pathfinder Second Edition
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What is Rotgrind - Narrative Declaration?
Five adventurers try to survive in this comedy filled Pathfinder Second Edition TTRPG campaign within the grim dark world of Tyne. Follow the show, get custom TTRPG content, and more at https://narrativedeclaration.com
Sorry, Akon is a wrapper.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
I feel like you're pushing the boundaries of what a backflip is capable of.
I am a wizard.
You can ask me for information.
You're a wizard?
Well, I'm talking about up.
Then ask direct questions.
What do you want from me?
Are you ready?
For another exciting episode of Rotgrind.
AHHHHH!
AHHHHH!
AHHHHH!
AHHHHH!
AHHHHH!
How the hell?
That's how speaker died.
Speaker is very excited.
We're killing him.
I have a rock.
Climbs and blades.
It's a nice rock.
Is that how speaker died?
That is how speaker died.
I've got an empty can here and I'm gonna...
It didn't make a noise.
There we go.
You need a couple thousand more of those, but you could be ghost with that.
I will not become ghost.
I'm sorry.
All right, guys.
Welcome to Rotgrind.
Actually, wait.
I'll go get my cans and set them up.
Perfect.
Welcome to Rotgrind, everybody.
A Pathfinder 2nd Edition TTRPG Live Show.
We're back at it again with Part 4 of Season 4.
Woo!
Zoran's a little under the weather today.
I wanna die.
But it's okay, because we got his back.
What was that, Zoran?
I wanna die.
Me too.
Mostly because of the things that were said on this stream.
There's worse things to happen still.
I have a rock.
You do have a rock.
And among the people who are staring at that rock today are the wonderful, amazing players
here, starting with Odo Roshi.
It's me.
I'm Odo.
I will be bringing you Veena, the sylph swashbuckler.
How is everybody on this post-April Fools stream?
I'm feeling gravid and kind of moody.
You don't get to talk.
You know, many people are saying this.
It was Roshi's birthday yesterday.
It was Roshi's birthday!
Yeah, he's the April Fool.
He's the April Fool.
Little Roshi.
And the person who fathered and sired that fool is Speaker D!
I'm Speaker D!
I am playing Tannhauser the Wizard!
And unlike some of my colleagues here on Rock Grind, I respect women!
All right, that's it.
All right.
One such women respecter is also Erndil!
I'm not putting you under the bus for that one!
That's all right.
I love you nailed Zoran's awkward transition.
10 out of 10.
Give yourself a hero point, Halky.
Thank you!
All right.
Well, yeah.
I'm Erndil.
And I'm playing as Baldrick Weathers.
And he's a human alchemist.
And today I'll be cosplaying as a TV radio show ghost.
That's all.
Ah, God.
Got sent to the Asmongol dimension.
And the person who's lurking in the Asmongol dimension buried under mountains of cans is
Zoran the Wizard!
I'm sick.
He's very ill.
Yeah, you're sick as fuck, dude.
I have to go pick up those cans.
Hold on.
I'm doing the little, like, L-shaped hand gesture to, like, I'm shaking it at you.
Like, yeah, you're sick!
You're sick, dude!
You're fucking sick!
Yeah, basically I'm sick today.
Hi, I'm Zoran the Wizard.
I'm playing Orin the Strixter today.
Orin is now also sick.
Okay.
Orin is also...
Oh, he's pretty cool.
He's pretty sick.
I'm making them house for me today.
Normally I'm all the energetic one going, yippee!
But I'm like, I'm here to push the buttons this episode so everyone gets a show today.
It's all good.
You can push the levers and pull the buttons.
Push the button and just pull the chain.
And out comes the Porin' Rain.
However, there is one person who's better at pushing buttons and pulling levers.
The Master of Machinations, of course, are incomparable!
Game Master Thurston Hillman.
I have a rock.
It does.
What color is the rock?
It's kind of like a black-brown-gray.
It might taste like pound cake.
Don't bite it.
I don't think so.
I probably don't want to bite it.
You know, I love brown bricks.
I love building brown bricks in Minecraft.
Flint and steel.
Thurston, get us out of here.
I'm...
Uh, yeah, someone's got a recap for me.
Uh...
I can recap.
I can help us recap.
Hulk is so nice.
And he did the intro.
Vina's taking the first napkin.
Yeah.
Yeah, Vina...
Vina's done...
Did so well last session.
There were no problems.
At all.
Never.
I've never had any problems.
Ever.
Anyway.
Natural one?
More like natural...
Fun.
Number one.
There we go.
There we go.
What is it to have natural fun?
True.
It means you go out in the nature.
I don't know.
You just never return.
Ever.
I paint Warhammer armies.
I don't know.
That's an unnatural fun, boy.
You need to have natural fun.
Anyway.
Uh, so...
Uh, last session.
We...
Snuck in to Outset.
Snuck back in.
With the procession of undead.
We spent a...
Not insignificant amount of time under a tarp.
Uh, Baldrick decided to have his own tarp.
Because he was very, very tired of us and our tarp shenanigans.
Uh, however, we were joined by an unexpected friend in Rocky the Raccoon.
Uh, he gave us the essence of the platypus that we definitely missed and just didn't pick up.
Um, because we're...
We're so absent-minded like that.
Don't even worry about it.
Uh, we were stopped by the guards at the gate.
But after some quick thinking, we were able to sneak in, uh, without arousing too much, uh, suspicion.
And one notable thing we saw whenever we got in is that people were celebrating.
Things were actually pretty great in Outset.
Everybody was happy.
There were people cheering in the streets.
And notably, it was because we were in some of the richer districts.
And they, uh, we found out that they were holding lotteries for the, uh, plots of land that are about to be built as Outset begins its expansion plans.
Um, and I, you know, I really feel for the poor sods who have to enter a housing lottery.
I would never do that, especially in an MMORPG.
Um, however, as we got closer to the Pond's Pilaster and saw the fruits of the Revolution, uh, or at least what remained of it, we realized that things were not all great in Outset.
It seems as if somebody had to pay the price for the Revolution, and if it couldn't be us, it had to be the poor folks of the Pond's Pilaster,
who were having their homes and things torn down, and all of their belongings sent off for the expansion efforts.
Um, we found Duhakis at, uh, Granny Sweets.
She was depression eating, which, um, relatable.
Um, and, uh, when we spoke to her, she gave us a coin that somebody had left at Baldrick's house.
A coin that we, uh, with a symbol that we recognized as that belonging to Anathion, the funny gold man who had initially commissioned us to go and deal with Sandal Declans.
Uh, um, and, uh, so we decide to go and meet with Anathion, but unfortunately it appeared to be some kind of trap.
We were ambushed by two invisible, uh, Zaskorin constructs.
I have in my notes a little frowny face and the word bitch next to it.
Uh, and then after we, uh, dispatched the constructs, we were greeted by a very familiar codpiece in the hegemon,
who seemed to have set up this ambush for us, and that was where we left off, I think.
Odoroshi, that might be one of the absolute best recaps I've ever had in the entirety of this campaign.
Tannhauser, get a hero point.
Thank you so much.
I really appreciate it.
I've been really striving.
I worked really hard on Odoroshi's...
I'll get you!
I'll kill you!
I'll get you!
I'll get you with nine!
I'm trying something different, where if I just don't give Vena the hero points, maybe the luck will be better.
Damn you!
Damn you both to hell!
So yes, where we left off was, um, a coring charge placed on the secret door which you knew to exist at,
and Nathian took out from his sort of upper deck parlor.
When it detonated, out came the mysterious, uh, individual known as the hegemon,
um, who indicated that perhaps it was time for you to talk.
Talk?
You want us to talk, hegemon?
Murderer?
Liar?
Fiend?
What words could we possibly have for you?
Well, one, when did I lie?
Ah, you are an abetter of they who declared a meeting, a meeting full of ambushes and Ciscorrin war machines.
Anathian!
Yes, the Chamberlain hoped to destroy you, but you proved far superior.
You're quite resilient, all of you.
I don't trust like that.
What's this smarmy asshole playing at?
I'm gonna try...
Sense motive.
Sense motive with perception!
I shall!
Get it.
Fuck.
That's a 20, but not a natural one.
Yeah, um, you have a difficult time reading this guy.
You're not getting anything off of this.
And as for the killing you, well, none of you appear to be dead.
You...
Someone help speak.
You tried.
Or someone did, if what you're saying is true.
Yes, yes, I did, and it didn't quite go the way I'd hoped.
Perhaps we could discuss this somewhere a bit...
More...
Enjoyable.
Might I suggest my estate?
Let's hold that thought for a moment.
Just one moment.
Do you have like six more of those things?
Why?
Why?
Oh, you're very drunk, aren't you?
No.
Flask slowly moves.
I'm not drunk.
I've never been drunk.
Go fuck yourself.
I'm gonna drink from the flask.
It seems like a lot of the time we find you, you're usually in an unassailable position,
whether that's at the top of an Iron Baron, or in the middle of a party surrounded by guards
that could eliminate us in a second.
It's kind of curious that we find you here, right now, in an exceptionally killable position.
Give us a reason why we shouldn't.
Well, perhaps you would like some explanations on what's been happening.
Perhaps you need more information on how to proceed.
I suspect you're here for your airship, the one that Sandal gave up before they put him
in that dreadful institution.
Damn, they institutionalized him.
Honestly, it's probably the best.
Do you see that kind of shit that he had in his room?
That is true.
That is true.
Maybe they'll give him the shot that makes him respect women.
I'll have to give him the shot that makes him stop reading.
Asterix, evil women.
Evil women.
Evil women.
Listen, we all love evil women.
Except Twitch acceptable terms.
I don't see any reason why we shouldn't at least hear what you have to answer with.
For now, we've got the upper hand on this one.
So, why not?
Well, then, if I may invite you, you'll find my estate over there.
And he waves off into the distance, past the skyline, to a section of the prince's pilaster
that is elevated.
It looks to me like a palatial estate with trees and a small exterior garden that is held
aloft upon almost like an elevated bowl that surrounds the entire city.
Oh.
That's quite a nice little parcel of land you've got there.
Yes, you can travel to the base.
My servants will let you in.
You can find it maybe an hour or so walk that way.
I shall see you there.
And there is a flash of light and he disappears.
Of course, he didn't actually come.
So, are we going to his house?
Is this a good idea?
No, it's not.
It's a horrible idea.
You see that guy?
He turned two of you into mulch the last time that we saw him.
Hold on.
Can I ask something real quick before we get sidetracked on this?
Is he a genie or does he just have the ability to, like, appear and disappear and, you know,
a snap?
Give me a arcana, religion, or a cultism check.
Thank you for positing the thing I wanted to ask.
I had no idea how to frame that to the party because I can't do that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
No, no.
100%.
100%.
If someone wants to, they can make one of those checks.
I want to.
I don't like a religion.
I don't know shit about shit.
I do a backflip, though.
That's awesome.
All right, Tannhauser and Rahua, you would know that translocation is very powerful magic.
Some powerful creatures even possess it innately.
This would be a type of, like, teleportation or translocation.
Um, Tannhauser, based on your knowledge of this, um, and some, some just, like, some of
the situation, namely there weren't, like, specific spell gestures or anything, um, this
is either some kind of innate ability or piece of equipment that allowed that.
That was not a simulacrum, though.
You can, you can identify very clearly that was some kind of, like, translocation or teleportation
magic.
Hmm.
Yes, he teleported.
He likely has some item that allows him to do so with some contemptuous ease.
We must be cautious around this thing.
Is that, like, is that something a wizard would do?
Do they do that?
Do wizards have items that do that?
Yes, we do.
Oh, my God.
He might be a wizard.
You very well may be.
I wish we knew a wizard.
We could probably ask them for better information on that.
I am a wizard.
You can ask me for information.
I thought you were a magus.
When did you suddenly realize...
You're about four sessions too late for that.
What's a session?
I don't know.
A unit of time.
We learn about it in wizard college.
You're a wizard?
No.
Okay, this thing sucks.
Yeah, yeah.
We've already done it!
We're gonna kill you!
Oh, they can't all be winners, though.
Even funnier the second time.
Even funnier the eighth time.
Hey, so while we're here laughing at these hilarious jokes and these zingers,
inside of this room, is there any sign of Anathion?
No.
There's no sign of him at all.
Is there anything in this room, or was the hegemon just waiting in, like, a room with a sealed door with nothing in it?
So the sealed door, you'd know that Anathion used it as a passage to depart from here during your last meeting?
Mm-hmm.
So that secret passage would have ostensibly been where Anathion would have come from or gone to, so that accesses to other points in the city.
Right. So, him specifically, he was just waiting in the passageway for us to intrude.
The timing is very auspicious, yes.
Indeed. Indeed.
Do we want to explore this and maybe learn something about this passageway that we were otherwise unaware of?
I'm down to, but I also get the feeling that since this has likely been set up in advance,
chances are the real shipang is waiting for us at the hegemon's estate.
This probably place has already been made more secure.
At the same time, I mean, I don't know how much time they've actually had.
Worth a look.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We can look.
Does anyone have survival to go tracking through these tunnels?
Let me see.
I have acrobatics.
Odoroshi Rider, we have to have a talk.
I know I've often judged Speaker and Tannhauser for their, you know,
use of social skills and other skills to become social skills.
I feel like you're pushing the boundaries of what a backflip is capable of.
A backflip is capable of anything you set your mind to, Thurston.
Okay, okay, okay.
Give me an acrobatics check.
I'll give you a survival check.
Yeah, so do a survival actually roll.
I hope I not won this.
No, unfortunately, I did succeed.
Well, thanks.
Your die got in the way and stopped mine, forcing it to land on a nine.
Not on my screen.
That's a 22.
All right.
So a couple of things.
Vina and Baldrick go to investigate.
Meanwhile, Oren has fallen back on Gorgamunger, fairly exhausted from the events.
As he rests, Tannhauser and Ruhu, I assume you're going to kind of stay back and allow Vina and Baldrick to do their searching.
The two go into the labyrinth of tunnels.
Baldrick, you quickly realize that this must be arterials all throughout the Prince's Blaster.
There's turns and twists and stares.
They are very untrodden paths.
So you can see that there's dust in some areas like they aren't used a lot, but they definitely connect to lots of places.
You can tell that there's very likely secret doors that you're missing along the way.
You get a good sense that this is like a spinal area.
If you actually had time, you know, days to really sit here and document it, take your time, you could probably map out a lot of connections through the Prince's Blaster.
Back doors into main areas of governance and other places.
Can I mark an entryway that we can potentially reach again easily?
Oh, like an entryway that is not the sort of balcony you're on?
I'm assuming getting into this balcony repeatedly will grow to be difficult in the future.
I'd like to follow it for a bit to at least find something at a more accessible level.
You can find a passageway that leads just much like this, except to one of the sort of arterial streets.
It comes off of a column of one of the larger thoroughfare bridges.
So you find yourself able to access through that and you could remember where this is.
No problem.
Okay, good.
As you're doing...
I was going to make a note of that.
Yeah, as you're doing all of this and like figuring this out, Vina does a sick back flip that no one else can see.
That's good.
I'm glad to hear that.
That one was just for me.
And with that, the two of you can return to your companions.
Yes.
Well, what have you found?
Well, this passageway seems to be interconnected with a lot of stuff in and throughout the pilaster here.
Found one that's...
I made a note of it on my map.
I know where it is roughly.
We can use it again if we need to access somewhere in here, or if we can at least map it out later.
Right now, it's not a pressing concern.
We've got a meeting to go to.
But I think you and your movement might find it interesting when we get around to that again.
Excellent.
Very good.
All right.
I suppose we're best off going to see the hegemon then.
I guess so.
We need to have a quick way out, though, I would imagine.
I...
I don't know.
I don't...
I don't get the sense that he wants us to walk out of that.
Most certainly not.
I'm just reviewing a spell real quick.
Oh, yeah.
A fireball.
He throws it on...
True!
It's got a long range.
I use my level 20 feet echoing spell to cast Divine Immolation twice so I can cast it on the party.
Oh, excellent.
That makes a lot of sense, yeah.
I agree.
Yes, I don't have any quick and easy escapes.
Perhaps some things I can create, but...
We're going to have to be cautious if we enter into his lair.
I mean, push comes to shove, I can always make a mess of the place.
That's always an option.
All right.
Let's go.
All right, so the passageway out of here takes you back into the sort of mainline lanes of the Princess Blaster.
Again, you return to the jubilation, the general upbeat nature of the citizenry, as people seem very, very content.
Along the way, you reach after, as was stated, about an hour and 15 minutes of traversing through some of the upper end buildings here.
At this point, you realize that you're sort of on the top level of the Princess Blaster, so you're at the height of the city.
When you finally make your way to the sort of alabaster spire that rises up, a sort of cylinder of alabaster that rises up with a simple, oddly simple, golden doorway at the base.
Seemingly, knowing your approach, the door opens, in which a woman stands there, a human woman, her head bowed.
She has a blindfold over her eyes.
What is the manner of this woman?
Yeah, absolutely.
Give me, uh, what are you, what are you, a little society?
Society, I suppose.
Yeah, this, it seems like this is, is this some sort of, uh, ritualistic situation?
It's a 19 on the die for a 40!
Uh, this is, this is a noble woman, by all accounts.
This is someone who, um, is affluent, knows how to carry herself, clearly has social graces training beyond just, like, what a servant would know.
Um, the blindfold and its significance remains a mystery.
Um, as far as you can tell, the best guess you have is that she is so well-trained, she's blindfolded herself to do things perfectly without the need for sight.
Thurston, would an outset law help this?
Um, you can give me a check there, Ian.
Okay.
See if it's related to something law-based.
Absolutely.
There's a law on the books, let's go 17 on the day.
Ah, let's give me a 34.
That's enough for you to know that this isn't anything, um, specific to outset.
So there's no, like, law about blindfolded servants.
There is something that niggles at the back of your head.
It's not related to law, but the fact that it's not a law has, like, tingled something in the back of your brain.
You're not sure what it is, but it's not, it, it, you're, you're absolutely certain.
This is not a law thing, that this is not some, like, typical outset societal thing, but there is something that is bothering you.
Hmm.
And not even bothering you, you, bothering you in the sense that you, you, you think you would know more.
You're just not able to call that memory to the surface.
He'll put a pin in it.
Let's see if he remembers later.
But it's least convenient.
As we, uh, walk in, I'll, uh, whisper to Baldrick,
Do you think that this could be the same subculture that the Martinet belonged to?
I wouldn't put it past them, because unfortunately, all nobles are kind of the same.
All got their little cliques and clubs and special handshakes and secret outerwear and what have you.
But it's also possible it could just be nothing.
Fashion trends are a dime a dozen around here.
Hmm.
Duly noted.
Um, and with that, I suppose, we'll proceed.
Uh, is this woman ushering us in, or is she, like, do you have an appointment?
She waits at the door.
As she, as you approach, she turns over and picks something up from a, um, a wooden table that has a silver tray on top of it.
And there are hand towels on it.
Um, you can see, like, faint steam wafting off of them.
She picks up the tray and holds it out.
Please wash your hands.
Please wash your hands.
The, uh, detect magic reveals no magic on these towels, right?
You are getting a magical presence, but it's not specific to the towels.
Okay.
It's more like just here in this place.
Uh, well, let's take a look.
So, at this point, you're fourth level.
You can pinpoint the source of highest magic.
There's some magic into, um, into the walls here.
Like, the walls of this building are magically rewatched.
I see.
All right.
Uh, would a reed aura give me any more information?
Um, so what is the object you're wanting to target with it?
The walls.
It also takes a minute to cast.
Are you going to stand there for a minute checking out the walls?
Could I spend a minute washing my hands as I check out the walls?
Uh, yeah, sure.
Absolutely.
Um, these walls kill anyone who washes their hands.
Ah, the classic wall killing hand trick.
So, you definitely know that the walls are inlaid with magic, just from casting reed aura on it.
Um, you could spend some time to identify the magical effect.
So, like, identifying what's up with the walls.
Um, that is, you know, something that would take, like, another ten minutes if you really wanted to, like, stop it intently.
But you do know that this is not illusory.
So, it's very likely, like, reinforcement.
I think we could easily find a way to delay for ten minutes while we look into this.
Gang, wash your hands very carefully.
Everyone's slowly washing their hands.
Ten minutes of washing our hands?
Ten minutes of hand washing?
What, you guys spend an hour playing mouth washing?
Can't do ten minutes of hand washing?
Come on.
I'm not that invested in what the walls are magicked up with.
Could be important.
It could be.
I don't think they're going to eat us.
But, you know, I think, I think we're going to go meet the Martinet in his super spooky death house.
I think we've kind of already thrown caution to the wind.
All right.
If you, if you, if you're really, um, if you want to get a closer look at those walls, I can try to buy us some time with a funny feat
that I have.
Oh, what, what, well, use your feet then, by all means.
Uh, I have shameless request.
I can go ask her to get new towels.
When you request something, you reduce any DC increases from making an outrageous request by two.
And if you roll a critical failure, you get a regular failure instead.
Yeah, go for it.
Why not?
It works.
I'll allow you to, to, to diplomacy to make a request.
All right.
Yeah.
A shameless one, in fact.
A shameless one.
And yeah, Veena kind of seeing that her, her, her friends are analyzing the wall and stuff.
She's just going to lean to the blindfolded woman.
Hey, we're like, we've got a lot of dirt on us after that fight that we conveniently had
with your guys' tinker toys.
So we're going to need a second plate of towels.
Can you go get that?
And I'm going to give you a diplomacy.
Yeah, Rolette.
Oh, that 20 winked at me.
34.
Oh yeah.
34.
Yeah, they pause as, yes, you are quite dirty.
One moment.
And she turns and walks away.
She seems to be ascending the stairs up the spire.
All right.
I think I bought you some time.
Do the lizard thing.
Very good.
I can't help but notice also that she said we were dirty, but she was blindfolded.
So that must have been purely unscent.
Yeah.
My God.
We've been living in a swamp for like weeks, dude.
Oh yeah.
Ever since my nose got blown off, I don't think about that anymore.
Yeah.
If I could smell, you'd probably smell pretty bad.
I bet you smell worse.
And I'll identify magic.
Please do.
How dare you.
Hey, Zoran.
Yeah, Arcane.
Yeah.
Absolutely, boss.
Okay.
Hold on.
Let me.
Arcane.
What you need, man?
Zoran.
Stacey's come to collect your $50.
Cool.
What the fuck?
Ah, a three on the dice.
I will use a hitter point and reroll.
I'm so sad.
And that's a 37.
Ah, thank you, Vina, for the hero point.
You're welcome.
That's a good hero point.
Let's you identify the walls.
Um, the walls are inlaid with anti-detection magic.
So this entire compound is basically scrying proof.
Um, no detection magic can, can really function properly in here.
There is also lattices that you can see that would, um, disrupt, uh, translocation and teleportation effects.
But they are, they're definitely more intricate.
If you had to guess, it's probably the means in which, uh, the hegemon could, like, translocate either to here or around here with no problems.
Um, but, like, people just trying it on a base level might not have the, uh, the secret tech necessary to have it go off.
How interesting.
These are quite cautious people we're dealing with.
We may have stumbled upon a genuine conspiracy.
Well, it's also that nobles live here.
If it's scrying proof, it's because they don't want to be looked at.
That's just kind of what the wealthy like.
Yes, they do like that, don't they?
Um, at, at that insidious chuckle, the, the woman comes back with more towels.
Thank you.
Please take them.
All right, uh, that one, Baldrick will wipe his hands down and make sure that he is cleaner.
Yep.
How nice are these towels?
Um, they're, they're very, they're, like, nice, white, wrapped, folded, somehow steamed.
Rahua, these towels are of incredibly high quality.
Incredibly high quality?
Were they obtained at a simple, reasonable price?
Well, I can only imagine not, this is a noble house, but you know what that means.
I say, as I take the second plate of towels, we can use them again later on.
We need to find some place to store them, though.
Oren, real quick.
And, uh, I walk up to Oren, um, and then I just start stuffing towels into his mouth.
A man?
I don't, he's not a, he's not a bag of, uh, of, he's not a lot of space.
He's, what birds store towels in their mouths?
What birds are bags?
Birds store nuts for the winter.
No, they don't!
I have squirrels that live inside my body.
They do not store nuts.
Hold on a moment.
Hold on.
Gonna make a nature check.
Okay.
Crazy question, is she looking at, is she, like, you know, still here, while we're doing this?
Oh yeah, she's listening to all of this.
Uh, with a nature check of 11, uh, what do I think of what Ruhu is saying?
Uh, it makes logical sense, and he's very logical.
An 11 is enough not to be a complete dumbass, so, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'd like to make a narrative declaration.
Please, please, let's milk that hero point out of you early.
I don't, I don't like that.
I don't like the wording on that.
Oh.
I would like to narratively declare.
The, wait, no, that's, I'm telling you what you believe, Tannhauser.
That's fine, yeah, declare it, narratively.
Narratively tell me what I think.
Please give me any excuse to be a complete moron.
Oh, I'm, say no more, my captain.
Tannhauser earnestly believes, in fact, despite all regular conventions of outset lore dictating that this should not be something that people don't know,
Tannhauser seems incensed and believes, in fact, that birds do this on the regular, such that there is a bird he is trying to find at this point that does exactly that.
I fucking love that he botches this fucking test at this level and gets, like, a fucking 11, and I'm like, okay, 11 is enough for common sense.
And you're like, hero point, no, he's an idiot!
No!
It is common sense, it's common sense because now it's real, now there's a bird that stores nuts for the winner.
Oh, Ruhua, Ruhua, Ruhua, your facts and logic fall prey to a simple reality, the reality of the Rosate Knife Bill.
The Rosate Knife Bill is an eclectic bird, yet to be captured by zoologists that I know exists, that does just this.
Isn't that right, Oren?
Oren throws up.
Ooh.
We can't use that towel now.
No.
It is, because they're all ruined.
All right, let's just go up the stairs, then.
I hope he kills us.
Boy, that towel bit.
The towels.
Let's go.
We got, we got, we got, we got the towels.
Come on, this is the towel episode, guys.
We're making it happen.
All right.
Thurston is about to start 3D printing a knife to kill us all with.
I've got, oh, oh, oh, I've got Zedon.
Zero minutes left.
It's just about to finish my current print.
All right.
So, you carry on up the spire as you do.
So, you can see that there are windows inlaid here.
About every two rotations, you go up.
So, you can look out as you get a view of the surrounding buildings and structures.
The walls here on the interior are also this alabaster, but they're inlaid with, like, they're inlaid with gold and brass filigree that seems to dance around the edges as you go up.
So, the steps here are of a fine sort of wood that come out and then have a brass sort of barrier around the edges that prevents anyone from, you know, falling over.
You carry on up for quite a ways.
It's about a 10-minute walk up.
The noblewoman, I should say, who leads you.
She seems to walk away from the building towards an outside pond where there is some free-flowing water that is filled by a series of statues.
The statues all seem to be different, like, celestial sort of configurations.
Like, you see, like, a sun, a moon, something that must represent the rose wound in the sky, all sort of arrayed around and spewing water into this pool.
There's fish of vibrant colors that move around here.
And then there is a table outstretched there.
And sitting at the table, again, waiting for you, is the figure of the hegemon.
I think you should invest in an elevator.
How quite.
You see, I don't need it, I, as you may have noticed.
Please come sit.
We have much to discuss.
Uh, can I notice anything?
I don't even know how, like, to say anything.
Is there a trap in the room?
No.
Is there, like, any sort of...
You can perception to look around.
Yeah, I'm looking for, like, any sort of artifice that could hide some sort of machine in it, you know, like the kind that he attacked us with.
Yeah, absolutely.
Give me a check.
Okay.
I will roll my perveption.
Pervepun.
Another 17 for a 32.
You look around, you are not getting any signs of any overt hostility.
Um, there are some servants mulling about, uh, again, all of them blindfolded.
That some of them are, you know, tending to the gardens here.
Others seem to be, uh, moving, like, food trays.
Which one of them seems to be coming towards you with some, some, like, appetizer, dainty-style foods on a tray.
Um, there are very majestic-looking birds that seem to fly around and oddly keep an orbit inside the perimeter of this sort of, like, dais that you're on, elevated above the rest of the city.
It's quite strange, Baldrick, for you, because one of the things that you, you even get a little, a little, not vertigo, but just a sense of kind of taken aback, is you're above the city wall here.
Like, you can see past the outer wall.
What do I see past the wall besides the solitude?
You see the depths of the solitude.
You see, like, the sun is shining through, um, breaking through the almost perpetual cloudy, dismal cover that's been around for some time, including the rain has stopped.
However, in the distance, kind of the, uh, to the, to the far west, you see dark storm clouds out of the city.
The sort of perpetual storm that you know has been imprisoned there.
You can even see, to the east, the sort of ant-like figures of the trudging great march of undead bringing their supplies into the city and marching out to collect more.
Baldrick's just going to look past this, all of this that he's not really seen with too much clarity before now, and he's going to actually take it all in for once.
Yes. It's quite a sight, isn't it?
Oh. It's a view you can only really pay for nowadays, huh?
Hmm. Money doesn't get you everything, I'm afraid.
Ah, food.
The servants, almost on cue now, arrives, placing the appetizers down.
You'll find some refreshments here.
I can have some liquor, if you would like, Vino.
Thanks, but no thanks.
I'm not hungry or thirsty.
I don't need anything, in fact.
Ah.
Of course.
Down to business, as it were.
It seems fine.
What is it you'd like to discuss?
Well, crew, what the hell do we have to discuss with them?
I would like a very enlightening and perhaps direct reason as to why I shouldn't kill you and leave your body for your pet birds to peck at in the rotting sum.
Because you couldn't.
You wouldn't be the first to say that, and then be very swiftly proven wrong.
Oh.
You have the prince's era around you.
What does he mean by that?
You can give me a religion check.
Ha ha.
Yeah.
I'm great at that.
Yeah.
Hey, 17 on the die for 25.
Not bad.
I mean, the prince is a deity.
The prince is a god who was once immortal, who, you know, conquered Outset.
The prince was the last of the first house deities that, like, ascended.
He came to Outset and conquered it and basically took over the city and ruled as a sort of living demigod.
And, uh, for a fairly long time before his father, the king, came and brought him into the pantheon directly.
Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?
You can take it however you like.
But if your goal is to defeat me, you can try, I suppose.
Well, what is your goal, then?
What is the purpose of this miserable game that you seem to be oh so effete and thrilled to be paying?
I'd love a straight answer from one of you parasites.
Ideally, before I wring it out of your broken body.
Then ask direct questions.
What do you want from me?
Now?
I don't know.
Before I wanted to kill all of you.
You made that quite bothersome.
And so what's changed?
What makes you decide that you're more undecided than settled on killing us?
Your destiny is over.
Yeah.
The only reason I tried to kill you is because your destiny was so unsavory.
What about it was so unsavory?
Because, honestly, we weren't really sure what the whole destiny was in general.
I could see it.
The strands that brought you all to the doom of the world and the doom of outset.
And so I thought in my hubris I should try to stop you.
I failed at that.
Perhaps I wasn't as direct as I should have been.
Operating through...
Others.
How many others?
Well...
There was that uncouth fellow from the Tyrant's Guild.
And then once I'd slain the two of you, you and...
The one on the...
Vomiting on the dragon there.
He's had a bad day.
Leave him alone.
I thought...
I thought it was dealt with.
But then you came back.
And I realized you must have been sponsored.
Ugh.
And I couldn't meddle in that directly.
So I made my attempt.
It didn't go how I wanted.
But to answer your original question, no, I have no purpose for you now.
Again, my desire to kill you has passed.
And what of Marlene, eh?
Ah, yes.
The young speaker.
Well, she hides now.
She's done her work.
Bound the old powers to...
He, like, waves kind of shakingly off to the cloud and the sky.
The sort of ominous storm and even the distance beyond.
To their prisons, I suppose.
And is this what you wanted?
Oh, of course not.
I care for this city.
I've loved this city.
I have bled and wept and lived for this city.
And so why is expanding it so bad?
A few years of expansion before the rot consumes everything.
Outset is a pinnacle of society.
Why does it need to expand?
It only needs to go up.
Up towards the heavens.
You say you love this city, yet under your auspices, iron barons mow down entire crowds of innocent civilians in the forgotten and rotting pond's pilaster.
You make it seem as though I rule this place.
I am no government official here.
What are you then?
I am simply someone concerned for the well-being of this city.
Someone who...
Has a vested interest in it.
I'm going to go out on a limb.
I'm quite curious.
You and the Martinet.
You were allies, weren't you?
Ah, Cardoza, you mean?
The very same.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
She sorted me out as a means to enhance her powers, and at the time, bequeathing them upon her meant perhaps I could sever your ill-begotten destiny.
It did not work as I anticipated, and thus I had no use for her.
I gave her a sliver of what I am.
What you are.
Hey, Thurston.
Yep.
I have a theory, and I'm going to float it past you, but I want to know if I need to make, like, some kind of roll to get an answer for this.
The way this fellow's talking and all the things he's talking about really make me wonder if he's some kind of...
He's got some kind of relation to the first house.
Like, in a descending fashion.
What would I roll to get...
Is that within a ballpark, or should I roll to see if that idea is actually, you know, salient?
Um, give me a sec.
I'm going to look at your character sheet, and I'm going to figure out what fine skills you've got on this here character sheet.
I have most proficiencies, but I am missing nature, performance, religion, occultism, and arcana, because I am not magic or a performer.
I will say that in this instance...
I would set laws kind of out here.
I'll give you...
Since you don't have religion, I'll give you society here on this.
Um, just sort of try to, like, suss things.
This is my own thinking on this, because I've been kind of just wondering, like...
There's a lot of talking about up.
And he doesn't...
And I don't think he's talking about the movie.
I'm going to roll.
He just likes to feel tall.
Eh, it's a four.
I'm going to actually hero point that.
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm going to roll with a hero point.
So that's actually going to be a 30, though, because of the, uh...
Because of the plus 10.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So what will a 30 get?
A 30 is, like, got you...
Got you pondering here.
You're thinking about, um...
The hegemon and what you know of this individual.
Um...
So...
A couple of things.
Um...
And I'm going to...
To sort of...
To sort of give you some details.
Because, again, you're someone who's very well learned.
You've spent a lot of time in the city.
You've spent a lot of time researching it.
It's history.
Like, the hegemon is an entity that has...
Give or take been...
Like, someone of this nature has always existed for at least the past 1,500 years.
Is it the same one?
That's what I mean by there's always been someone of the...
Of that type.
Like, record-keeping and whatnot are not the greatest.
You even know that the hegemon is only spoken of through kind of, like, whispered networks.
Um...
To sort of, like, the point he just made to Tannhauser.
He's not a government official.
This is someone who is a power player in the city.
They seem to have clout, connections, money.
But they are not, you know, akin to, say, um...
The chamberlains or any of the assembly members that actually rule the city.
All right.
I think I know what I'm going to ask him.
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Let me cast aside a few grievances I may have with how you've handled things so far.
Because I'm kind of curious now that I've got you before me.
And we're not trying to blow each other apart with whatever the hell we happen to have.
I've got a question for you.
Of course.
Who was your predecessor?
In what way?
Well, what I know of your role as the hegemon.
Being something that exists within Outset as just some kind of entity.
People always mention the hegemon in certain hushed tones and outright just fanciful thought.
It's been around since before I was even here.
You could go to college and learn that.
You could go to any pilaster's library and look that up.
What's not really familiar with me is any specifics beyond that.
Did you even have a predecessor?
Very smart.
No, no, no.
I did not.
Ah.
Well.
Aldric's a little stumped on this one now.
What does that mean?
That we're dealing with another belligerent godling.
Well.
Don't think we should go quite that far.
But.
Given how long you've been here.
Kind of curious as to how you aren't technically the most powerful person in Outset.
Well, I certainly didn't say I wasn't.
Hey, Rahua.
Yeah?
You want to give me a religion check?
I would love to.
Here we go.
That's a 34, Thurston.
Okay.
So, I like assume as this is going on, like, you know, we've got Baldric and, um, Tanhauser sort of killing the hegemon.
And then, like, back, um, probably between, uh, the crunched-over Auron and then Veena is Rahua sort of standing there like Sentinel.
Uh, the, the sort of, you know, mono-eye staring out.
Um, Rahua has definitely taken it upon themselves to.
You know, learn a lot about history.
Um, and you would know that based on the, the, the, you know, some of the timelines there and some of those sort of numbers floating around.
Um, that at that time, you know, when, when the hegemon first started, it was the prince who was directly ruling the city.
Of Outset.
So, while the prince was ruling, that is when the hegemon appeared.
You were around when the prince was still in the city.
Before his ascension.
There is an immediate curl of the lip as, as the hegemon almost, like, kind of twitchingly turns to you.
Well, I was certainly around, yes.
Yes.
And that is when you first started, well, if you appeared around then, your machinations are, must surely be, long-spanning.
If you were there to witness his triumph, the mortal would ascend to the brightest heavens.
His triumph.
The words are just like acid.
His triumph was marching soldiers here.
His triumph was using stolen power.
His triumph.
Bah!
Who are you, really?
I, I, I would like everyone to give me, um, you know what?
But let's, let's, let's make this a society or religion, if you've got it.
Society it is.
Society, eh?
I've got neither of those.
I'll give you a 35.
And I'll give you a 32.
We are swinging for the fences.
You have 24.
Even Odo's swinging for the fences.
I'll give you an 18.
Well, at least it didn't roll as bad as he, I mean, that's, that's fine.
Oh, I'm just going to double check your sheet, Vina, just in case.
Yeah, there's not much, uh.
I'm dumb as though.
There's not much in there that's really, uh, appropriate.
Uh, okay.
She's trying to survive right now.
It's more important.
Exactly.
Yeah, she, she's doing a backflip.
Um.
Yeah.
I, I could perception him to, like, get a better read on his body language and reaction to all of this.
But I wouldn't actually know the backs to put two and two together.
I, I, I think the, the 30 plus rolls from Baldrick and Tannhauser are enough for me to give a hint.
Think back to the cube.
Think of it.
Think of the cube.
I remember the perfectites attempted to siege the city.
Um, that was, that was the point of the cube.
Yes.
Originally.
The cube crashed.
The cube crashed.
When you found the cube, what was in the cube?
We're going back to season two lore here.
It was a lot of.
Rack our brains.
It was, it was medical equipment from the, the next.
So they were, there was a bunch of documents from.
There was crates from the medical guild.
Yeah.
Isn't that where we found Gorgamonger?
Oh man.
You know what?
Oh man.
We have old handouts.
Old handouts are cool.
Everybody.
We're, we're going to.
Please rehand it back out.
I don't have it.
Yeah.
We're going to go.
We're going to go back in time.
Oh my God.
Back in time.
Yeah.
I'm going to pull up something fun.
Boop-a-doop-a-doop-a-doop.
Boop-a-doop-a-doop-a-doop.
Sorry.
I've got to find the thing first.
Hmm.
Uh.
Boop-a-doop-a-doop-a-doop-a-doop-a-doop.
Yeah.
Okay.
We need him.
We need him to tell us.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um.
I don't.
Oh, it's not coming up correctly.
Okay.
Uh.
When you were in.
The queue.
You found equipment.
And, and other such items.
Belonging to.
members of the Prince's
army.
So remember when you
went in there and you found
that there was the sort of alchemical lab
but you also
discovered
that there were long
like deceased
members of
the
Prince's army that it
advanced on outset.
Yes.
So you had gone in there and you had
found these things
inside
the cube.
You
that's why it wasn't a handout.
You had found several
items in there
that you, Tannhauser
had used
your object reading on
at the time.
You found a sword.
Yes.
A bust.
And so
I will remind you of some
of these.
They were a while ago but
the checks is probably enough to trigger
it.
The sword
was a sword of the Western
Dawn Centuria.
The wearer of this blade
ever dutiful to his optio
escaped the soulless eyes
of beneficence only to die
in the darkness of pure
perfection.
The bust
was a now faceless bust
of the Prince.
Optio
Calasti would stare
into its face
when it had a face
in hopes of receiving
some remote guidance
from her liege.
She would never know
that the Prince
never cared
and never thought
to dispatch scouts
to find her missing soldiers.
And then
the
the
Phalera
the sort of banner
that you found.
Serena Calasti
never thought
she'd escape
a life of banditry
amidst the hills
of Rodiman.
The Prince's arrival
gave her purpose
and she willingly
braved the vicious seas
to help take
the jewel
of Outset.
She would never
see the city's walls.
She would
die screaming
alongside her legionnaires
in the depths
of a timeless prison.
Hmm.
All right.
That's all good,
but that doesn't tell us
who this guy is.
this guy could be
I mean,
it was said
that the Prince
got
swagged on
and made to ascend.
It couldn't be this guy
that made him ascend,
right?
The Prince
sieged the city.
Yes.
The city was occupied
at the time.
by
the beneficence,
right?
By a being
known only
as the shining
beneficite,
which is a
entity you've
heard of
quite a few times
in the past.
That was the
entity that
ruled Outset
before the Prince
came with his armies
and then
was ousted.
You.
Are you?
You couldn't
possibly.
You couldn't
possibly be.
Be what?
What?
The reason
for the Prince's
claim to fame.
The beneficite.
There it is.
Now it seems
you do understand
slightly
something
at least.
It would
make sense
why you have
such a vested
interest in
the city.
What?
With being
deposed and all
by someone
like himself.
But if you
have such a vested
interest in
Outset's
own
purity,
its being
the pinnacle
of civilization
and
predoma,
why then
do you
abet
such
horrors
within it?
The Medics Guild
experimenting
with the
wrath,
the powers
that be
tampering
and just
using
this
paracausal
blight,
this
existential
cancer
to their
own benefit?
If you
love this
city so much,
why do you
let them
continue to
kill it?
Stares at you.
Because
children need
to grow up.
Care to
elaborate on
that one?
He starts
talking and
it's almost as
though the
sky dims
slightly.
It's like
everything like
you know,
the movie scene
where it's like
the light is
dimming just
all around.
I once
sat atop
the greatest
spire
at the
heights of
this city
in a pure
form,
a radiant
sun upon
which all
looked,
and when
their eyes
beheld me,
they wept
and bled
away,
but they
did not
need to
see,
for they
saw only
beauty
and
beneficence,
and this
city was
perfect in
those days.
it was
utterly
majestic,
the greatest
of settlements
on all
of time,
and then,
then the
upstart
came with
his legions
countless,
his desire,
his ambition,
and he
wrestled me
atop that
spire,
and cast
me down,
and shattered
me into
pieces,
motes of
my light,
that took
so long
to bring
back together,
but when
they did
come together
and I
could reform
myself into
something,
anything,
I saw
the city,
I saw
it again,
and the
perfection
that I
had brought,
the shining
light I
had brought,
had taken
away the
people's
will,
and so I
realized,
and like the
light kind
of comes
back around
him,
what I
realized is
that what
I had
done was
wrong.
Aha,
in what
way was
it wrong?
I took
away people's
choice.
I should
let them
rule
themselves,
and so
that is what
I have
done.
for
fifteen
hundred
years or
so,
I have
helped,
I have
assisted
where I
could,
but I
have let
the people
here stumble
to make
their own
mistakes.
mistakes.
The birds
like break
off of the
trees and
fly off.
No,
no,
that can't
be true.
I have
you.
It can't
be.
You are
speaking genuine
now.
You speak
truthful words
devoid of
artifice.
You are
divine.
I have
no doubt
that if
you had
sought
to deceive
us,
if Marlene
could do
so,
so too
would it
be within
your power.
So I
ask you
directly
now.
Do you
lie?
Do you
truly
respect
the people
of Outset's
right to
govern
themselves?
Is that
your reasoning
as to why
you stood
by?
your firm
belief in
self-governance?
Yes,
I have
no reason
to be so
direct ever
again.
Only a
handful now
see my
shining gifts.
And he
sort of like
waves to
some of
the servants
who go
about their
times.
Now as
you look
at the
wraps
behind
there are
the bandages
that cover
their eyes
have that
glow and
you remember
that glow
from the
nobles.
You also
then remember
that glow
from the
mound of
corpses
outside the
smoldering
city.
The
legions
of people
you found
before venturing
in yourselves,
their eyes
burned away.
I cannot,
I cannot
believe this.
I am in
shock
and awe.
Yes.
You,
who I have
lusted
to kill
you with
your
ridiculous
cardpiece,
your
gleaming
tower,
your
sickening
opulence
and
blinding
arrogance.
It's
you,
you,
that I
will have
to call
ally.
I,
I,
I,
I,
I,
I,
I,
Well,
you certainly
said it,
not me.
Ah,
I hope
you find
us lower
beings
disgusting,
hegemon.
I hope
your lips
twirl in
disgust
at us
writhing
in the
ground
dirt
of the
world
like
maggots
in mud
and sludge.
I hope
hegemon
in some
way
that you
view us
through this
lens,
for then
you can
appreciate
some
reflection
of how
I feel
in this
instant
to you.
And yet
still.
He walks up to you.
Yes.
He walks up to you.
And like,
as you say,
and yet still,
he comes up
and his hand
touches your
cheek.
And as he
like touches
your cheek,
you realize
that like
beyond a few
moments and in
combat and other
things,
like this is
this is a
like a
personal
interaction
you've not
had in a
moment.
Or had in a
long moment,
I should say.
And he looks
at you and you
see the faintest
of the glow of
his eyes.
Not enough to
hurt you,
but you see
those those
eyes shining
and he says
just
impassively.
No,
I think
you're
beautiful.
That
shuts
Tandhauser
up.
And he
takes his
hand off and
like walks
back to where
he was to
sort of like
stand before
the group.
To spend
1500 years
cutting one's
nose off
despite the
face.
It's no
wonder the
anarchy loves
to see you
in the
malice
bicker.
It is not
spite of
myself.
It is
understanding.
It is
there's a
sigh.
It's
experience.
I came
here
one in a
long,
long line
of beings.
Certainly
if you
know
the history
of this
city,
there
have
been
many.
The
dragons
of
Baha'uha,
a warrior
from
Tillim
who
followed
a ruler
from
Amari
and then
the plague
that consumed
them.
A dozen
other
fundamentals
who seized
the city.
Prior to
me,
there were
even
fey
from the
crucible
of creation,
a
sorcerer,
a raccoon,
a pig.
And
then after
I came
and I
thought,
I sought
to make
this a
beautiful
place,
to make
it,
to make
it what
it should
have been
from the
beginning.
And as
I said,
when I
ruled this
city,
it was
beautiful.
There was
no strife,
there was
no division,
there was
no poverty,
there was
no hunger,
there were
no problems.
And only
after I
was cast
down and
came back
later,
did I
realize
that in
that beauty,
there was
stagnation.
It was
like a
perfect picture
that would
never change.
And so,
I simply
let other
artists onto
the canvas,
changing my
role to
perhaps
guide
the brush
here or
there.
You say
that
you rebuke
the idea
of stagnation
of this
city remaining
as it were,
the perfect
beautiful
stillness.
And I
understand
the role
of
puppeteer,
the manipulator,
the
flow
of change
behind the
scenes.
But yet
the ultimate
stagnation,
the
degradation,
the ruination
of all
things,
the rot
seeps and
sees within
outset.
You would
trade a
sword for
a partisan
knowing full
well
it will run
you through
the exact
same way.
if I'm
understanding
you correctly
that is
believe me
of all
people,
you speak
truth to
me that
stagnation is
the greatest
evil there is
in this world.
You should
know.
You can
see my
nature.
But do
you
willingly
wish for
the rot
to be the
answer to
that progress?
no,
of course
not.
And that
for that
was the
reason I
perhaps
overreacted
and attempted
to slay you.
Again,
an attempt
to correct
a brush
stroke.
You must
understand
for a being
such as I,
much like
the speaker
who hounds
you,
there's like a
thought.
I can
see the
skeins of
destiny on
people.
I could
see where
yours go.
I could
see it so
clearly that
it would
lead to
a grand
future
filled with
rot.
And so
again,
I tried to
stop you.
Just didn't
go how I
wanted it
to.
It seems
older powers
got to you
first.
Would that
we could
have spoken
rather than
quarreled.
If you
had not
rested on
so high
a tower,
if fate
of fortune
had proved
better,
we could
have stopped
ourselves.
And now
you see it.
That's why
I wanted you
here to
talk.
Baldrace is
kind of like
got his
hand under
his helmet.
He's pinching
the bridge
of what's
left of
his nose.
And he's
just kind
of like
been thinking
throughout all
this.
And finally
he withdraws
his hand
from his
helmet and
looks to
the hegemon.
You've been
here for
God's knows
how long
at this
juncture.
I'm not
going to put
a cap on
it.
You seem
like you've
been around.
But I've
got to be
honest with
you after
all that
time of
dealing with
mortals,
talking with
them or
doing whatever
the hell
you did.
You didn't
think to
try and
just approach
in a way
that would
seem diplomatic
rather than
bringing the
gauntlet up
first.
because to
be quite
honest you
really didn't
mean much
then.
You must
understand I
see the
calculus of
the city in
the world
when I look
at some
people.
I could
look at you
then and
see where
it went.
I could
see the
skeins of
others.
I could
see from
up here and
he turns and
looks down in
the streets.
There is a
carpenter
three blocks
that way.
I can see
that they
will build
a building.
That building
will exist
outside of
Outset.
It will be
great.
It will be
glorious.
And then I
can see that
some time
after through
that same
skein the
building will
be a boiling
mass of
dark rot.
And there
will be a
family entombed
in it.
Each member
reliving their
worst day in
eternity as
they are held
in those
boils.
And they are
given a moment
of reprieve
every hour
with which to
simply stare at
their entombed
family members
to know the
truth of what
they live and
then go back
to their days.
That is the
future I see
for that
individual.
And then he
like turns back
and looks at
you.
And I can see
that across the
city now.
And it makes
me sad.
And so
you must
understand
sometimes what
I do is
harsh.
The concepts
fundamental as
you call them
are otherwise
of good
and evil
law and
chaos.
You can
embody them
but you
cannot just
be that.
For good
to exist
evil actions
must occur.
Good men
do evil.
evil women
do good.
Evil women.
Oh my
God.
Evil women
everybody.
Evil women.
Let's give it
up for evil
women.
Were you
waiting for
that one?
It was
totally a
Freudian slip
but I'm
taking credit
for that
baby.
All right.
Well yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's
that's that's
how he like
he delivers
this.
Yep.
And it
seems like
when things
started to
drift away
you didn't
particularly
like you
got your
fingers
involved.
And you
know not
speaking from
experience as
a god I
guess I can
get it.
However
we are now
sitting here
in your
palatial
estate
having defied
that whether
that's with
the help
of the
old gods
or not
because it
really doesn't
matter at this
juncture because
that's where we
are right now.
And so I
guess the
question is
seeing all
this
potential
demise
from the
rot
what the
hell do we
do about it?
Or do you
think we're
going to come
up with a
plan here and
now?
well I
am certainly
willing to
help.
So where
another string
to pull?
I think you
misunderstand the
nature of this
entity.
I think we
all have
but we must
realize now
beneficence
correct me
if I am
wrong
but this
was once a
creature of
order
a creature
of the
same
fundamental
forces that
Rahua
opposes
and yet
and yet in
time
they had
come to
regret their
actions to
change and
shift
and welcome
what was once
their antithesis.
what I
know from
experience
that to
reinvent
oneself
wholly
you can
never truly
discard
in totality
what came
before
the hegemon
to hear
them say
it
has come
to respect
the sanctity
of self
determination
and in so
doing
has embraced
their antithesis
synthesized
to a new
form
but in
order to
act
directly
for
this
creature
to have
a plan
that we
then work
to enact
would defy
that nature
that transformation
indeed
if the
hegemon
told us
right now
their
ten step
plan
to unseat
Marlene
I am under
few illusions
that it
wouldn't work
and I am
under
equally
as few
illusions
that the
entity
we see
before us
would recede
into what
came before
the hegemon
is extending
a hand
because that
is how
it can
aid us
the
the smile
returns
and there is
just a look
over all
of you
this
is your
struggle
and let's
let's
let's take a
little break
right here
let's
yeah
take a
little break
yeah
while we're
on break
a quick
announcement
we just
got new
merch in
we now
have an
exclusive
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and hoodie
of the
journey
through time
series
and of
course
we now
have
new
enamel
pins
in
gosh
you look
beautiful
of course
you also
now have
new
keychains
so you
know
the t-shirts
and hoodies
along with
the enamel
pins are
limited time
only
it'll be
ending at
the end
of may
so you
know
our
keychains
also are
in limited
supply
we'll be
able to get
more if they
all sold out
but of course
you want to get
them as soon
as possible
so be sure to
pick up the
exclusive merch
now before it
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thank you all
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welcome back
everybody
nothing happened
on the break
and we're all
reeling from the
realization of
standing before
one of the
many previous
rulers of
outset the
former
shining
beneficite
yes
i have a
request of
you
as you can
see the
road that has
been built
by outset
the people that
you have allowed
to govern
themselves has
ultimately led
to ruin
but it need
not be so
they have done
so through
tyranny
and in so
doing have
lost their
rights to
outset
i would ask
you
use your
powers
your influence
your wealth
support the
revolution
the people
must take
back
their city
only then
can your
ideal be
realized
and the
world saved
from the
grim fate
you foresee
i see what
you are saying
but i have
long abandoned
absolute
direct roles
again it is
for the people
to make
change
and i can
think of
no better
agents
will that
change now
than
well all
of you
baldrick will
walk up to
tanhauser and
pat him on
the shoulder
looks like
you're stuck
with it
well i
wouldn't
shirk my
duty
not if
all of the
gods in
this miserable
world
roared at
me upon
the sky
i would
keep to
my duty
my commitment
but the
people
hegemon
the people
suffer
they struggle
to make
their world
and they
will make
their world
do they
and he
like he
pauses
and cuts
you off
just long
enough for
you to
hear those
faint whispers
of jubilation
from the
people below
or is it
that some
of the
people suffer
yes it
is true
these people
blind and
foolish
shackled
by centuries
of oppressive
political
espionage
and control
they mistakenly
believe that
this curse
that seeks
to end the
world
is a blessing
for them
but you need
not look further
than the pond's
pilaster to see
the truth of it
perhaps then
a medium
ground
a revolution
will accomplish
nothing
at the moment
not in this
city
not until
the problem
is dealt
with
i assume
that's why
you came
back here
now in
part yes
we seek
the airship
of sandal
declan
with that
we shall
hopefully be
able to
attain the
tools we
need to
release the
captured essences
of the great
powers
yes but
of course
you will
have
difficulty
reaching
them
the
metaphysical
prisons
that they
dwell in
aren't
accessible
by mortals
at the
moment
well
what do you
propose
then
each of
them
is
in an
enclosed
ecosystem
of its
own now
so take
for example
points off
to the
the giant
ominous
cloud
with the
sort of
lightning
bolts
happening
inside
the storm
you can't
go in
there
you'll
die
what you'll
need though
is something
to
bridge the
gap
a
tether to
this world
to bring
you into
that overlay
of the
elemental
churn
that exists
in that
place
but a
tether is
twofold
it's
spiritual
and
it's
physical
the
physical
is easy
there are
objects
scattered
across the
world
a spiritual
connection
however
oh that's
the one
that's
what makes
it difficult
that's
uniquely
again
waves to
all of you
uniquely
you
you'll
need to
find
objects
that
are
attuned
to
each
of your
histories
your
homes
those
items
once
uncovered
should
act as
keys
to
these
respective
overlays
acornets
sorry
acorn is
the wrapper
oh my god
oh my god
oh my god
oh yeah
all right
they say
i look like
acorn
i like
women
respectfully
yeah
athorn had
told us
of these
motes of
power
is that
where we
would find
these objects
tied to
our
corporeal
destinies
and
pasts
could be
lul
i assume
each of
you has
a home
more
or less
once
thus
when you
go to
your homes
you should
know
now of
course
you might
not know
immediately
but
it is
an option
well
i see
that
and i
suppose
a sponsorship
from you
was out
of the
question
oh so
bold
you
approach
me and
ask
when i
would have
offered
yes
i can
sponsor
you
and what
is the
price
fill you
with divine
light
but what
is the
price of
such a
thing
the price
is the
same as
all
prices
such a
connection
once made
allows
there's a
pause
it allows
the
otherworldly
to seep
into
should you
fall
we get a
little
like this
tracks with
what you
know
like this
tracks with
what you
know
like the
idea is
when you're
sponsored
you die
and then
you are
brought
back
but when
that happens
like
the rot
seeps into
you
oh
don't
worry
your
beneficence
i know
thank you
for that
by the
way
well
i suppose
i would
ask
who among
you would
wish to
take such
a gift
i would
be cautious
before we
even
now
would
take
that
gift
i recall
the essence
of the
martinet
though when
you offered
her a
gift of
power
said her
first was
a fleeting
thing
not a
sponsorship
a sponsorship
is
it is
a gift
of
interest
it is
it is a
connection
between
the material
world and
your atma
your souls
so
it would
not be as
though i
had any
control over
you it
would not
be as
though
you would
burn up
the martinet
was
quite
quite
unimpressive
on her
own
so she
took power
to enhance
herself
i would
not be
enhancing
you
simply
providing
your soul
a tether
should things
go
poorly
but again
should they
go poorly
and you
return
we know
what can
seep in
through that
moment
a moment
if you
would
i would
like to
discuss
the matter
with my
party
yes i
shall go
and attend
to matters
in the
in the
homestead
i shall
come when
you need
me
ring the
bell
and there
is like a
flash of
lightning's
gone
well
back at
this again
huh
i don't
know
i don't
like this
yeah
he's different
from what we
thought he
was
we thought
he was just
another pompous
noble who
was running
us over
for shits
and giggles
and now
we know
he's some
big important
god entity
who's just
been sitting
here and
watching his
city tear
itself apart
he wanted
us dead
and now
he doesn't
it doesn't
feel right
taking his
charity
hmm
well
it wouldn't
be bad
to have
however
i didn't
ask for it
the first
time
i got
it
because
that's
what we
all
got
falling
into a
damn
pit
thanks to
our
carelessness
or
i guess
the
that's
been so
long
regardless
i didn't
ask for it
the first
time
not about
to ask
for it
this time
i'm doing
this i'm
doing this
under my
own
power
if i die
well
baldrick
just gives
a little
bit of
a shrug
guess it
was just
meant to
be
huh
vena i'm
surprised to
hear you
uh
hesitate
in the face
of this
offer
i had
thought that
your
current
mental
state
derived from
losing that
sponsorship
yeah
that's the
real kicker
isn't it
because it
sounds really
good on its
face
you know
there it is
the second
chances
the only
reason i was
able to make
it this
far
it's from
his
charity
i remember
what he did
to me
more importantly
what he did
to orrin
he didn't
hesitate
yeah he
thought that
we were
going to
be the
thing that
brought down
outset but
we would
have never
tried to
do that
maliciously
we never
wanted anything
like that
and still
he laughed
when he
mowed us
down and
now
now that
it's
convenient
he wants
to
bless us
with the
one thing
that saved
us from
him
i'm
i don't know
how to feel
about that
you know
i've done
worse
you've been
traveling with
all of you
remember when
we first met
a lot
not the first
prospect that
we could
find some
local antagonists
some
grounds at
which we
could seize
or monopolize
violence and
however provincial
an area
i sought
any means
possible
to wring
his neck
in the most
brutal of
ways
i do not
regret or
cry for
a lord
perhaps there
was something
inside of him
that
oughtn't to
have been
heeded
perhaps
perhaps
but how
is that
any
different
from him
laughing
as he
believes
he saves
his city
the ends
justify the
means
that's
something i
have always
believed
and by
proxy
something
all of
us
must
believe
in some
way
we are
to have
associated
together
for so
long
can we
hold that
against him
to this
degree
what have
we done
we've got
a bunch
of innocent
people
killed
think of
Pictorin
and the
allowance of
people like
that to
die
someone
who had
no
involvement
with
Outset
nobody
would ever
have touched
that foot
in the city
as he
would have
through
his willful
ignorance
has allowed
someone like
that to
die
countless
more
experiments
and victims
of the
medical guild
and the
forces
that work
behind the
scenes
in Outset
we must
levy
the lives
we failed
to save
and the
countless
more
who will
continue
to perish
against
these
end
goals
but
both of
you have
a very
good point
that
for me
at the
end of
the day
any
choice
to be
had
is better
than none
to not
have that
foisted
upon us
or upon
others
the choice
always has
to be made
even if
it's the
wrong one
I will not
dissuade you
or
encourage you
one way or
the other
but
keep these
things in
mind
also kind
of look at
what happened
to
Mr.
Lord and
how he
burst into
flames
he was just
a conduit
for
for Papa
Blaze
Uncle
Blaze
is just
weird like
that
I'm also
going to
I'm going
to point
out that
in that
scenario
we also
all beat
the snot
out of
him
that's
not
liable
to happen
in much
the same
way I
don't
think
and to
be clear
because I
think you
you'd have
time to
have
ruminated
on this
what
happened
to
Alort
was that
Alort
was wasn't
like he
was sponsored
and even
said as much
in some
of the
the finally
hunter
he was
he was
just a
conduit
like
like
the deity
itself
just went
into his
body
yep
that's why
it burned
him up
was it
was essentially
like manifesting
an actual
avatar
when
uh
when you
combated
it
look you
all
I'm not
gonna sit
here
and act
like
my opinion
of
the
hegemon
the
beneficite
whatever
we're
going to
call
this
being
that we
have to
talk to
here
I'm not
going to
act like
my opinion
about him
has changed
at all
but
simple fact
is
we are
the beggars
in the
beggars
cannot be
choosers
parable
we have
nothing to
go off
of
we have
only our
wits about
us and
unless we
want to
keep just
using our
wits we
have to
take
something
we don't
have to
take
that
but we
can obviously
take
something
he's offering
something
what that is
is nebulous
as of right
now
and honestly
i've had a
good long
look at all
the shit
that's been
happening
over the
past
almost a
year now
maybe longer
i don't
know
and i think
at this
juncture all
i can do
is laugh
i'm not
going to
but i can
recognize the
humor in
it
for as
awful as
the bastard
may have
been to
us
we're now
sitting here
ruminating on
how to fix
the present
situation
together
and not
even in a
way that he
particularly
wants
he's got his
hands off it
he's given
up on it
leaving it
ironically for
us to
choose
like he
said he
wanted
outset to
choose
so
it's our
decision
we do
what we
want with
it
but honestly
i'd be more
willing to
take it at
this point
i wish
i wish
picturn was
here
that's strange
to say that
young little
farm boy
but he had a
sort of
grounded
wisdom
not unlike
you
orin
that made
these
decisions
easier
perhaps
someone wise
ladies
ale would
know what
to do
here
i can only
guess
i
i
su
i suggest
the following
we
cannot bring
ourselves
to kneel
entirely
before a
power
no matter
how
benevolent
it believes
itself to
be
and i
think
to some
degree
this is
this is a
test
the
beneficite
wants
outset
to forge
its own
path
with its
own
hands
sponsorship
is a
tool
to aid
in that
but if
we can
do it
without
it
we would
have
proven
without a
shadow of a
doubt
that it is
the will
of mortal
men
to be
free
that is a
powerful
symbol
but
worst
to worst
perhaps we
accept this
offer under
a condition
if one of
us becomes
tainted by
the rot
we head
back to
outset
and seek
their sponsorship
not saying
we should
take
necessarily
the gifts
of the
divine
but there
are tangible
benefits
the physical
ones
we're in
a gigantic
tower
a plinth
floating above
the rest of
the city
on a big
stick
yes the
divine can
do that
but gold
is a lot
more
effective
at convincing
men to
do that
there's
something to
be said
for getting
that kind
of assistance
should take
his help
i don't
want to
but we
should
then let's
take his
help but not
his sponsorship
at least
for now
a being
of his
power can
create a
ascending
stone
a means
to communicate
over a
long
branch of
time
see what
aid he can
give us
without giving
us divine
gifts
and if we
need to
purge ourselves
of the
rot
perhaps we
reconsider
our pride
any that's
the problem
what's the
problem
not to
harp on
the point
but when
you need
the sponsorship
that's not
the moment
you can ask
for it
when you
need that
sponsorship
is when the
gun is to
your head
or when
you're broken
under
something
the sponsorship
is something
that ensures
that when
those things
happen and
they will
that is
just the
path we're
walking on
that whenever
that jumps
out at you
whenever you're
caught unawares
whenever there is
something that gets
the better of
you
that it's
not the
end
you uh
you have to
recognize
it's pretty
funny isn't
it
oh it's
hysterical
no
no
before you
get all
growly on
me
i'm talking
about
specifically
this
sponsorship
the concept
of it
after all
we've gone
through
against this
guy and
he's offering
us something
that we either
take now
or basically
never
it's
so
supremely
impotent
you know
it's
it's
it's the
biggest gift
you could give
to a mortal
a second
chance
at life
after you
screw something
up
and
and in
our
present
situation
after
everything
we've
dealt
with
it's
just
so
worthless
god
damn
that's
actually
fucking
funny
oh
what a
waste
still
look at
us
look at
us all
sullen
sad
miserable
we
have
stumbled
perhaps
into one
of the
most
miraculous
twists
of fortune
we could
have
a man
who we
had thought
would be
our sworn
enemy
has instead
turned out
to be a
potential
ally
could be
that we're
being deceived
of course
there could
be some
grander game
at play
one isn't
there
but we
should be
exuberant
and if
none of
us are
we're all
tired
angry
and haggard
is this
what we've
become
oran
throws up
leaves
thank you
oran
speak for
yourself
tanhauser
i think
this is
exactly
what i
needed
right now
i think
i'm ready
to get
going on
this
what about
you
well
it is
not
diametrically
opposed to
the anarchy
in fact
oftentimes
they do
work alongside
the anarchy
very true
the fundamental
battlefield is
like is
like a
T or
an X
there's
opposing
points and
then side
points
i am
cautious
of its
gifts
that is
true
if it
truly
does
believe
and seeks
a future
without the
rot
who am i
to disagree
that change
is a good
thing
would i
be anything
but
if i
didn't
but what
if in
sponsoring
us
it
unmakes
him
i don't
know if
that would
be the
case
i don't
think he'd
be so
excited to
offer it
if it
did
no no
no
not the
offer
itself
inevitably
as we
begin
our
our
travels
word
will reach
marlene
marlene
who likely
now thinks
of us as
insipid
ants
or insects
a
inconvenience
rather than
a true
threat
when she
comes to
realize the
enormity
of her
mistake
she will
look into
this
and she
may well
find that
we glean
with sponsorship
and then
what
she comes
here and
crucifies the
hegemon
seldo
would take
him with
us
he's not
anchored
here
he's not
stapled
to the
floor
it's not
exactly
hard for
him to
move
around
it seems
to
given
that he's
a
plus
year
old
beneficite
i do
not doubt
the
i do
not doubt
the power
of a god
but i know
the power
of man
i know
this city
has ground
gods to
dust and
rubble
and marlene
has done
so to the
four great
powers that
govern this
world already
tanhauser
there is
nothing
and i
mean this
in all
sincerity
nothing
that man
could ever
do
that would
ever
stop
the
march
of
time
we
will
see
marlene's
face
frozen
in
agony
calcified
eternally
i will
gladly
sacrifice
my essence
to know
that we
have
stopped
her
and that
she
will
scream
until
the
end
of
all
living
days
for a
chance
to
stop
the
rot
i
will
gladly
sacrifice
myself
nothing
is more
important
than
stopping
it
i'm
in
well
vena
it is
your
airship
i wouldn't
dare
force
you to
take
someone
on board
assuming
he'll
have
or will
have
him
i don't
have to
like
everybody
on board
i don't
even have
to like
the
situation
i'll
do
what
i have
to
it
is
a
choice
come
on
you're
supposed
to
laugh
i wish
i
could
god
i
just
you
know
how
long
i've
been
wanting
to
wipe
that
smug
fucking
look
off
his
face
and
now
here
we
are
asking
for
his
charity
i
wouldn't
look at
it
like
that
consider
it
like
this
you know
we
he thought
we were
you know
ink in
his ledger
to be
wiped
away
he spilled
an ink
bottle
better wipe
it away
turns out
he made
a massive
miscalculation
and whether
or not
he
actually
holds
or continues
to hold
a vested
interest
in the
city
he has
no
choice
but
to
work
with
us
if
he
wants
to
see
that
happen
us
the
band
of
five
or so
people
who
he
thought
he
could
wipe
out
because
we
were
going
to
bring
about
end
times
or
whatever
great
grand
apocalypse
he
has
seen
and
he
has
to
stoop
to
deal
with
us
and
you
know
what
he's
not
going
to
do
anything
himself
it's
all
up
to
us
who
has
the
cards
here
because
it's
sure as
shit
not
him
it's
you
it's
rahua
it's
tanhauser
it's
orin
and
it's
me
and
roshi
yeah
roshi
and
roshi
yeah
who's
behind
those
sorry
guys
behind
a
wall
he's
going
he's
having
fun
and
playing
yeah
roshi
too
wants
to
get
marlene
come
on
yeah
yeah
yeah
no
it's
you're
right
i
think
i
think
we
hold
off
on
the
sponsorship
for
now
i
think
it's
all
or
nothing
tanny
because
you
hold
off
on
it
and
you
don't
get
it
when
you
need
it
that
make
sense
orin
raises
a weak
hand
yeah
yeah
i
will
not
share
a nest
with
my
killer
suppose
that's
fair
he
has
hurt
me
and
my
family
i
will
not
do
anything
for
him
only
for
me
and
for
my
friends
and
family
he
owes
me
and
he
owes
vena
and
the
small
part
he
owes
everyone
else
if
this
was
a trade
back
home
it
would
be
paid
back
in
blood
he
would
have
to
sacrifice
something
for
our
grace
he
might
be
he
might
be
putting
himself
in
a
high
position
but
he
has
nothing
we
can
simply
leave
and
go
out
our
own
way
on
our
whims
he
scared
he's
going
to
lose
the
city
and
we're
his
solution
so
if
he
wants
that
he
needs
to
give
me
a
solution
and
that
means
the
capability
to
fight
the
rot
right
good
enough
a
way
to
purge
it
from
us
a
way
to
get
rid
of
it
a
way
to
keep
it
from
us
well
we'll
see if
he can
offer
that
then he
has
nothing
for
me
and
he
owes
me
a
lot
more
otherwise
I wish
his
death
and
so
if
his
city
falls
since
I'll
be
away
from
it
I
won't
care
because
at
that
point
the
blood
feud
is
paid
via
city
this
is
brutal
as
Orrin
gets
that
he
turns
his
head
around
as
he
lays
back
on
go
monger
I'll
pat
his
little
head
he's
right
if
nothing
else
he
owes
us
that
and
like
you
said
Tani
I guess
the
ends
justify
the
means
well
let's
see if
you can
offer
us
that
very
well
let
us
go
and
somebody
ring
his
dumb
little
bell
I'll
ring
his
dumb
little
bell
and
can
one
of
you
at
the
blindfolds
get
me
some
wine
yes
of
course
make
it
the
expensive
stuff
he
owes
me
as
you
ring
the
bell
Tannhuser
there
is
a
flash
and
the
hegemone
appears
back
good
you've
had
time
to
discuss
then
we
have
and
what
is
your
decision
if
you
offer
a
means
to
insulate
us
from
the
rot
to
ensure
that
our
quest
is
successful
we
have
no
choice
but
to
graciously
accept
there
is
no
means
of
preventing
the
rot
that
is
the
purview
of
the
old
powers
who
are
so
regrettably
disposed
but
you're
the
infrasize
orange
point
he's
not
accepting
that
sponsorship
he's
saying
this
fucker
owes
us
this
and
nothing
else
oh
i
thought
that
you
i
thought
you
were
pro
sponsorship
no
no
i
misunderstood
it's
okay
that's
i'll help
you clarify
that's why
you said
i will not
sleep
i will not
share my nest
with my
killer
that's his way
of saying
fuck that
guy
he owes
me
yeah i
kind of
figured
that's
what it
was
too
fuck
i
thought
he
was
saying
oh
he
better
give us
that
sponsorship
because he
owes us
that
no
that's
how
my
mistake
he was
inquiring
about getting
something to
beat back
the rod
yeah
like say
for example
if we ever get
infected by the
rod like
or in current
learn like a
ritual or
something
so then
he could like
help cure us
of it
without having
to rely
on this
guy
or wants
this guy
dead
sorry
who he
is
we can
revert
back
roleplay
wise
yeah
jump back
he appears
after you
ring the
bell
good so
you've come
to a decision
then
there are
several things
that we would
need to know
i do not
believe all of
us are
necessarily keen
on sponsorship
immediately
without
conditionals
of course
the greatest
concern that
we have
is less
of dying
for a
cause
but of
the corruption
that the
rot presents
as a
possibility
to pervert
our very
souls and
our natures
should we be
exposed to it
do you have a
means to
reverse
a
contamination
no
there is no
such
means that
exists
the old
powers can
combat it
slightly and
push it
away but
they are so
disposed at the
moment
as is the
plight
but
the rot
itself
cannot be
simply removed
there are
rituals that can
remove the
stain there
are acts
of great
power that
can be
performed but
never the
same twice
never
a standard
if one of
you obtain
some measure
of rot
and corruption
could I
perhaps
stanch that
flow
yes but
at that
point that
would be
it it's
not something
that could
be done
again
so he
can remove
one level
of rot
essentially
he's
he's
basically
saying that
yeah maybe
but also
you know
he could
do that
but that
might also
mean like
oh then
I can't
sponsor you
too
like
there
it's
kind of a
tough
thing to
ask
because
yeah
the whole
point of
the
rot
is
that
there
aren't
easy
solutions
for it
yeah
you
you spent
literally
an entire
adventure
to remove
rot
from some
of your
characters
so if
the old
powers can
combat it
it just
means that
we and
by extension
you need to
do everything
in our
power to
make sure
that they're
freed
to that
end it
makes us
allies but
we are
not
friends
I remember
what you
did
he remembers
too
yes
I am
well aware
you tell
me
honestly
are you
even
sorry
does it
even
register
to you
we're
this far
than
few
grit
my
actions
because as
I said
you are
all
unique
wonderful
creatures
it is
hard for
me to
see you
in
a light
that you
would
understand
but
perhaps
and there
is like a
stare at
you
Veena
that
again
you have
sort of a
similar
thing to
what
town
has
her
experience
the
sort
of
light
behind
the
eyes
shimmering
into
you
tell
me
do you
not
feel
remorse
for the
things
you
did
what
do you
mean
by
that
my
of course
the amount
of blood
on my
hands
doesn't
even
start
to
compare
to
yours
truly
I
regret
the
things
that
have
happened
because
of
me
and
I'm
doing
everything
in my
power
to make
sure
that
that
doesn't
happen
again
and
there
it is
you
bring
numbers
into
it
you
make
it
a
tally
but
I
don't
equate
to
you
and
judge
the
action
I
did
when
all
I
did
was
because
of
a
tally
and
there's
just
like
this
stare
at
you
of
like
and
you
understand
the
absolute
meaning
here
which
is
that
this
being
did
what
it
did
because
it
saw
exactly
what
was
going
to
happen
and
it
tried
to
stop
it
it
tried
to
you
know
need
needs
of the
many
outweigh
the needs
of the
few
right
I
get
it
I
get
why
you
did
what
you
did
I
don't
have
to
like
it
nor
do
I
have
to
like
you
but
we
are
on
the
same
side
we
want
the
rock
gone
we
want
to
make
sure
that
the
people
of
Outset
don't
get
torn
apart
because
of
what
Marlene
is
doing
I
won't
speak
for
everyone
here
but
like
I
said
we're
allies
not
friends
she's
going
to
reach
into
her
coat
and
she's
going
to
pull
out
the
two
luminous
daggers
the
ones
imbued
with
the
beneficence
and
she's
going
to
just
slide
them
across
the
table
to
him
you
can
have
these
back
I
don't
want
them
I
have
no
use
for
them
funny
neither
do
I
and
the
rest
of
you
then
is
that
your
choice
as
well
I
I
view
you
as
a
strange
act
of
providence
beneficent
I
think
that
our
meeting
here
can
be
the
genesis
point
for
much
good
and
correction
in
this
broken
and
rotting
society
this
decaying
world
but
first
I
believe
that
if
you
care
for
that
which
man
can
accomplish
on
their
own
terms
as
you
have
allowed
this
city
to
determine
its
own
path
and
fate
so
too
must
we
achieve
victory
by our
own
hands
first
your
aid
it
may
prove
invaluable
in the
coming
days
and
I
urge
you
to
intercede
on
behalf
of the
weak
and
powerless
of
this
city
to
give
them
the
strength
to
oppose
the
wicked
and
corrupt
that
rule
from
these
lustrous
spires
but
for
now
for
now
I
must
stand
by
my
companions
for
now
you
are
my
ally
maybe
friendship
might
come
in
time
I
hope
so
but
if
it
doesn't
with
or
without
you
my
comrades
and I
shall
craft
a more
beautiful
world
so
be it
is that
then the
same
for the
rest
of you
yeah
I'll
pass on
the
sponsorship
I'm
gonna
die
I'd
like
it
to
be
just
the
one
time
thanks
of
course
I
suppose
I
don't
have
to
ask
you
that
question
child
of
anarchy
our
paths
intersect
but
they
do
not
intertwine
but
we
do
align
on
the
values
that
we
must
stem
this
tide
in
some
way
and
for
that
I
will
certainly
work
with
you
then
it
would
seem
your
next
course
of
action
will
need
to
be
quite
simple
you
will
need
to
retrieve
the
deckland
airship
so
that
you
may
depart
though
your
destinies
are
severed
one
strand
I
remember
from
our
prior
encounter
seems
to
well
it
points
to
the
land
of
Golgotha
perhaps
that is
where
you
are
destined
to
go
first
should
such a
thing
still
exist
for
you
now
of
all
places
that
is
where
we
must
first
set
foot
you
did
say
we
had
to
go
home
I
had
hoped
we
would
not
go
back
until
we
were
far
stronger
go
I
think
you're
underestimating
us a
bit
there
no
it's
that
I
wanted
to
kill
that
miserable
lord
Golgotha
with my
own
two
hands
but as
of now
I'm
not
strong
enough
nevertheless
yes
if
Golgotha
shall be
the first
then it
shall be
the first
and we
shall
unwind
this
twisted
effigy
of
madness
that has
enraptured
this world
coil
by
coil
there
will
be
hardship
and
there
will
be
as
I
saw
tragedy
even
before
you
reach
your
former
homelands
I
see
I
see
the
roots
of
change
crushing
your
drive
Tannhauser
but
perhaps
you
will
overcome
it
to
what
is
ahead
crushing
my
drive
greater
things
than
roots
have
attempted
to
crush
me
I
am
unbreakable
of
course
then
your
next
objective
will be
to the
rook's
plaster
and the
dock
where
Martinet
of
Orkalian
reigns
right
fourth
of the
list
yeah
you
give me
a
society
check
of
what
you
know
of
Vorkalian
I'm
just
I'm
just
knowing
from
all
from
all
the
fact
that
this
person
is
already
on
his
shit
list
somewhere
oh
yeah
for
sure
for
sure
for
sure
you
know
the
name
specifics
though
all
right
yeah
Vorkalian
is
one
of
the
more
directly
brutal
Martinets
rarely
employed
rarely
employed
as a
as a
direct
instrument
from the
tyrant's
guild
simply
because of
how
how
despicable
their
actions
are
even
for
members
of the
guild
they are
known
as a
brutish
as
as an
absolutely
brutish
orc
half
orc
um
individual
though it's
hard to
tell because
they are
constantly
encased
in
banded
thick
armor
and wearing
a face
mask
sculpted
to their
own
uh
their own
you know
attire
and structure
this
martinet
is known
for their
particular
uh
preference
of
unarmed
combat
uh
preferring
to
literally
rend
their
foes
apart
vorcallion
has
just a
lust
for
murder
and
bloodshed
and
is
known
as
sort
of
the
the
proverbial
boogeyman
of the
baron's
plaster
uh
when not
employed
directly
by the
guild
they
essentially
stalk
the
the
streets
of that
brutalist
area
rending
apart
the
interred
and the
different
dispossessed
of the
area
uh
those
who are
slain
you know
have their
limbs
attached to
vorcallion's
armor
and he
animates
those limbs
to use
as weapons
good lord
oh
he's a
crafter
real winner
this guy
uh
good
i was hoping
we could
take another
person out
along the
way and
i will
not
cry
about it
being
vorcallion
well then
beneficite
is there a
means by
which we
might
communicate
with you
whilst we
are out
of this
city
ascending
stone
something of
that nature
certainly you
have the
magical providence
for that
yes
but that
also means
that for
every sending
every 25
words i send
to you
that's
probably quite a
few foes i
will not be
able to
kill
yes
thus you
should contact
me sparingly
but i will
do this for
you should
you not
accept the
gift of
sponsorship
that i
would have
offered
instead
i shall
use my
influence here
to protect
your friends
that
is acceptable
yes
and
appreciated
i believe
they are
under
mar
marlene's
notice at
the moment
she hides
herself though
i suspect
it is more
for her
family than
herself
she
sadly
will not
be
assailable
until your
mission is
complete
i understand
oh
no i don't
believe you
do
she has
tied herself
to the
ritual that
her and her
minions have
performed
i studied
it shortly
after
again i had
some time
i suppose
when you
were off
in that
swamp
quite ingenious
really
she
he pauses
she
took slivers
of the
palasters
big sippy
big sippy
she took
slivers
of the
palasters
and used
them
as
bindings
thus
each
of
the
focal
points
the
stakes
the
metaphysical
manifestations
of the
old
powers
they are
all
locked
in
place
by
husks
off
cuts
of the
palasters
she has
bound
herself
to them
i suspect
she would
be impossible
to slay
without their
deactivation
or their
removal
well
we have hardly
any reason to go
picking a fight
with her right
now
but it's good
to know that
at least
how she would
know
to do that
how she would
have that
expertise
in
the rot
and the
history
of the
city
you would
need an
expansive
archive
of
outset's
history
you would
need
an archive
detailing a
great deal
and where
might we
find such
an archive
do you
think
i don't
know you
tell me
you're
there
oh yeah
remember
remember
remember
but then
he forgot
but then
he forgot
yeah
absolutely
the
the
the
sort of
under
levels
of the
declan
estate
and you
remember
from
some of
the
information
you
gleaned
from
that
is
that
the
the
elder
declan
the one
who
you know
became
rot infested
and became
a giant
face in
the wall
and then
a giant
brain
in the
floor
they had
offered
up
their
library
to
someone
that's
right
and we
never
figured out
who the
the
person
the
mastermind
was
did we
yeah
i think
we have
now
well
it's
probably
marlene
but you
never know
it could
be
shmarly
it's crunch
it's crunch
fuck
damn it
the long
con
the long
con
i'm gonna
double get
you
you thought
you knew
the true
villain
but
but
yes
even
my
family
even
my
immediate
family
bought it
oh
you see
maybe
if you
stopped
cutting me
off i
wouldn't
have had
this
inevitable
betrayal
yes
not
not now
cramps
we're
trying to
figure out
how you
would
betray us
all right
well i suppose
we'd best set off
then
you have my
thanks
perhaps
perhaps
before you
set off
you should
rest a moment
earlier here
i have
maps of the
dock
that you may
wish to
review
you know
i remember
time ago
i believe
you
planned
an assault
on
dreg sanren
house
and
the good
martinet
cardoza
seemed to
work out
for you
then
perhaps
you wish
to repeat
such
preparation
this time
that were
the plan
good to
know i
don't have
to do
too much
legwork
most excellent
and while
we we
read these
i have
something else
for you
to do
i would
so presumptive
well
consider it
a request
i would
be
honored
and i'll
reach
into my
pocket
if you
read
my
book
and i'll
hand him
a revolutionary
book
pamphlet
is it a
signed
copy
of course
it's
signed
baldrick
sighs as
loud as
you've
ever
heard
him
sigh
that
sigh
ends
our
session
no
i
had
something
i wanted
to ask
damn it
yes
yes
okay
okay
okay
all right
fine
what do you want
pull it back
pull it back
pull it back
pull it back
pull it back
ignore the
sigh
what do you
want to
ask
uh
as
everyone is
like departing
after the
the sort of
meeting that
we've all had
with him
baldrick's gonna
remember something
very quickly
ah
suppose i actually
have something to
ask of you
and i don't know
if you can even
help with this
or not
there is
someone
who we were
considering making
an effort
to
collect
from a location
let's say
yes
i don't suppose
you could
rightly tell us
if this person's
actually dead
or if this is a
huge waste of
our time to
even bother
go and get
them
and who would
that be
uh
mercenary
name of
victrix
corlos
don't suppose
you have any
dealings with
her but
i did
my research
into marlene's
actions after
they were
complete
the victrix
was the one
who
brought
the
stake
into
the wetlands
so we've
heard
it was where
you went
to the
swamp
now
my research
it does
show
something
that
those who
carried
the items
might
perhaps
be changed
by them
whatever's
happening
in those
planner
overlays
i could not
say
but
you might
still find
your friend
when you
breach the
barriers
whether or
not they
will be
the same
that i
could not
tell you
let's not
throw out the
term friend
so loosely
but i get
your point
of course
i'm gonna miss
this victrix
i'm gonna be
really sad
if she got
turned into
i'm gonna be
really sad
if she got
turned into
a big
monster
well she's
not dead
till we go
there to
figure it
out i
guess
but
even beyond
that you
mentioned
the other
spikes
yes
one in
the smoldering
city
one in
the storm
cloud
one in
the grotto
and one
points off
east in
the direction
of like
the great
march
i zoomed
to the
earth and
sepulchre
beneath
i'm tired
i'll ask
another time
later
of course
and that
yeah
is where
we'll call
it for
tonight
yay
yay
good job
everyone
very excellent
oh thirst
and holy
shit
yeah what
a great
twist
that was
fucking
stellar
excellent
yeah
that was
sick
sick as
hell
i'm a big
fan of
mr hegemon
i used to
i used to
love to
hate him
and now
now
i do
i feel
different
you hate
to love
him but
i love
to hate
him
hey
show time
it's time
for the
outro
it is time
for the
outro
and now
speaker d
is in
charge
and now
blood should
be pooling
at the
bottom of
your computer
screen
and hyper
realistic blood
shooting out
upon you
as
otoroshi
where
the hell
can we
find you
where are
you
where am
i i'm
on the
discord
at odo
i'm on
blue sky
at odo
bites
uh you
can find
me on
tumblr
at
otoroshi
rider
uh and
you can
find
me
gone
gone
all right
well i i
saw something
else southern
quadrant
current location
unknown
that was where
hulky crow
was hulky crow
where could
people find
you on this
great white
internet of
ours
they can
find me
crying in
the chat
here where
they can
also find
me over
at twitch
at twitch
tv forward
slash hulky crow
you can find
me on axe
in blue sky
mostly on blue
sky because
fuck axe
uh you can
also find
me on tumblr
and a bunch
of other stuff
that i work
on outside of
that but i'm
not gonna bring
it up right
now and oh
my god
it's a
and that
horrible thing
that just
crushed hulky crow
i look up and
oh my god
it's urndill
where can we
find you urndill
oh that's not
me that's just
a meteor but
you can find
me on twitter
at the usual
place and
blue sky at
the usual
place and
on tumblr at
the usual
place and
nowhere else
and oh my
god he's
he's he's
he's in the
in the darkest
depths of the
of the
icu he's
he's he's
infected he's
bleeding he's
dying but
where can we
find you
zoran the
wizard
it's
zoranthewizard.com
i want to
make sure
everyone got
an episode
today i'll
get i'll
get fixed
soon oh
please rest
we love you
rest and
delightful friend
of course we
all know
we're on
call gm
can be found
but uh
thurston you
mind telling
us where we
can find you
eternally
grinding
next ramus
next gaming
that's right
now you can
find me on
all the things
that i'll call
gm hi
everybody thank
you for the
thanks for the
good vibes and
chat really
really appreciate
it uh uh i
think i'm getting
through a lot of
the the the the
the big long-term
reveals there's
still a couple
left i i got i
got a couple more
brain brain
blowers left
don't worry
i'm getting
through the
handle so much
absolutely
yeah i am
speaker d you
can find me on
blue sky at
speaker d and
my brain was
bloated the
most did
that's been
rock grind
and i think
now is the
part where we
say so long
chat
bye
bye
bye
goodbye
goodbye
goodbye
goodbye
goodbye
ah
ah
and pray
gruhua
no
fuck
you
zoran
run away