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Take your seats, bring the house lights down, and please don’t silence your phones, you’ll need it for Theater of the Mindset!
TotM is a show combining collaborative, character driven storytelling in a modern high fantasy setting with audio drama production quality. A mixed table of mild mannered TTRPG players and unmanageable improvisers bring balanced humor seasoned with imbalanced results.
The mindset is brought to you by your kind and generous GM, Justin Gerardot and sound designer and composer, Nick Traeger.
Theater of the mind.
Justin(GM):Oh, theater.
Steve (Luken):Theaters of the mindset. I have theater. Theater
Justin(GM):of the mindset. Last
Nick (Herry):week on faith and fortune, Lucan went to work trying to suss out who might be supporting the cult of metamorphosis metamorphosis here in Residium City. He also worked with Grant Freelite, the sender of Residium City, to help folks stranded in Warren. Amanet showed Sara a vision where she walked the line between destruction or flourishing of Venethar. And Sara found a new community and maybe a little bit more at a soup kitchen in the commons. Now we'll pick up with Harry and the Warren task force.
Justin(GM):Sitting in an auditorium full of Venetharne University students is senator Harry Pinch and a Dracona woman, in a very sharp suit. There are lights and sound equipment surrounding them. They are sitting on chairs facing each other at an angle with a small table between them. The entire stage is set up for both the live studio audience and to be recorded and broadcast out across Venethar. Harry is currently sitting there alone while the woman across from him is attended to by a ribbit, a frog humanoid person who is applying a generous, although articulate amount of makeup to his counterpart.
Justin(GM):They are not addressing him, and he is being given a two finger motion, off the stage, letting him know that he has two minutes before he will be going live on air. You can see Harry, in the corner in the dark wings of the stage, beanie, giving you two thumbs up and kind of seeing if you have any other questions or needs at this moment.
Nick (Herry):They're not gonna stick if we did, so I guess it's it is what it is.
Justin(GM):She she gives you the thumbs up again. Yep. And the a hush comes over the crowd, and the lights get brighter as the faces and shapes of the crowd in front of you begin to become indistinct from one another. And the Ribbet moves off of stage leaving just you and the individual interviewing you on stage alone. The sound kicks on and the program begins.
Justin(GM):Coming to you live from the divination department here at Benatar University's main auditorium. This is Sky News Network. I'm Razia Cortez and this is The Message. Welcome back everyone. As you all know, today's guest is senator Harry Pinch.
Justin(GM):As a reminder, Harry is a second term senator here in Resinium City representing the 4th District. Harry is a well known and won his second term election in quite the landslide. Harry is a member of the Warren task force overseeing the current occupation of Warren by a cult group known as the Cult of Metamorphosis. Previously, Harry, you described this scenario as well, I'll actually just let you describe it again. How would you describe this current scenario, Harry?
Nick (Herry):No good news. I can tell you that much. It's it was a complicated, unfortunate series of events. I happened to be in the room in in the planning phase along with that's the first time I had ever met, I guess, the main guy, sender Isarn Halliverd, who generously offered the the Church of Boz's guards and things to help at Hilford, which then, as we've learned, has really turned things upside down in Warren.
Justin(GM):Now it's interesting that you bring you seem to be attributing the events in Warren directly with ISAR. Now he was not in Warren at the time that senator Rogers, your peer, was removed from office. Do you is it the official position of the senate that senator Isarn is accountable for the events in Warren?
Nick (Herry):It's not the official view yet. We have not gotten into anything at this point. We haven't been able to quite find Isarn. So if anyone knows anything, feel free to let us, let us know.
Justin(GM):I we'll put a a a tip line on this Great. Following this 100. Broadcast. Yep. And if anyone has any known whereabouts for sender Isarn, they are welcome to put that in.
Nick (Herry):We'll love to chat with them.
Justin(GM):I'm curious if you, as a member of the task force, have any insight that you can provide as to, what hope we might have for a resolution in this area.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. As member of the task force, one of many people, and obviously, I'm not a particularly high ranking member of the senate, but from what our discussions have been so far, we're not recognizing anyone holding a town hostage or a region hostage, obviously. There's no way no. We're not recognizing anyone from Warren right now as a sitting senator. Obviously, we've lost senator Rogers, but, yeah, we're working on basically trying to actually have some communication.
Nick (Herry):We actually haven't met any one leader of a group. There hasn't been a one person to reach out to us. We've just got a list of demands right now. So it's hard it's really hard to address a no one.
Justin(GM):Yeah. What do you make of that? That is a pretty unusual situation. Correct?
Nick (Herry):It's it's incredibly unusual when you're dealing with governments. Frankly, it's it feels a little less unusual when you look at the broader scope of history and and some of the religions of Venathar. And this seems to be a true grassroots movement. There seems to be a lot of mycelium network of change going through this this little cult within the boss faith.
Justin(GM):If it's so widespread, is there any concern that there might be contingents of this cult of change elsewhere? Have you seen any evidence of that?
Nick (Herry):I personally haven't seen any hard evidence on it, but it's something that we're definitely keeping an eye on. Where there's one, there's usually more.
Justin(GM):Is there concern amongst the task force that there might even be a contingency here as close to home as Resinium City?
Nick (Herry):I mean, anything's possible. We've not seen any proof of that yet. I've got a a dear friend, Prelit Lucan Mascar, that I talk to regularly. He's also on the task force. And so far, so good.
Nick (Herry):No no signs yet, but we're definitely keeping an eye out.
Justin(GM):I'm I'm glad you brought up Pellet Mascar. As I understand it, the Church of Ba'az is sending a relief force to Warren. Is that correct?
Nick (Herry):As far as I know, yes. Seems to be seems to be trying trying to help out.
Justin(GM):That's great to hear. Do you have any expectations as to what the outcomes of that relief force will be?
Nick (Herry):None that I can share publicly. Obviously, we don't wanna tip-off any hands to give anybody a clue. Obviously, I I know there's gonna be a slight delay, but maybe not enough of a delay that I can just, spill the beans.
Justin(GM):Understood. Understood, of course. You know, Harry, you are a well liked senator. Oh, thanks. I as I understand, and mentioned earlier, you won your most recent election in quite the landslide.
Justin(GM):You really have the ear of the people. If I could give you a magic wand to resolve this scenario, how would you go about doing that?
Nick (Herry):Boy, would I never want that magic wand. Let me tell you.
Justin(GM):Oh, you don't want this to resolve?
Nick (Herry):I absolutely want this to resolve, but boy, would I not wanna be the one to be that person making hard choices alone without a team.
Justin(GM):Do you not think you're fit for your position on the task force then?
Nick (Herry):Oh, I think I'm part of a team on task force. I'm not the sole person trying to solve a problem. Right. I'm as a senator, I truly and firmly believe that we are a representative government. We are a people representing people.
Nick (Herry):For example, as a as a senator of Resinium City, there are seven sitting senators out of a 100, so 7% of the vote comes to us. We obviously instantly opened our way gates, talked with the university to try and get the folks of Hilford to safety when we knew that there was a blizzard there and the fallen were coming. Now we're gonna drop whatever we can to keep all of Vinithar safe even though we have 7% of, of the tally here of the votes, but, we make up 41% of the GDP of Vinithar. We make up 35% of the population. You'll never hear us trying to vie for more power, more more, more stature than the our other, people.
Nick (Herry):It's a truly representative government. So our goal our goal is to make sure that we can bring Warren back in as a a part of Nathar and in whole.
Justin(GM):You know, I'm I'm glad you brought that up. If I can go a little bit off topic, you brought up the gold circle, which are the members of the senate, which represent Resinium City. Another peer of yours, senator Albert Constantine Yeah. Has brought forth a bill to devolve the power of the council of faith and particularly bring a lot of the powers of the military under the senate is and I know this is a little bit off topic for why we brought you here today, but is this vision that you buy into?
Nick (Herry):Yeah. So it's a it's a it's not too far off topic. I think going along with the sort of shared responsibility of the senate and the sort of egalitarian nature of it, we is not the first time, senator Conney has been, one to try and get a little bit more control, into the senate being a little bit more of a representative, direct voting, group here. And so, I mean, this is probably the third or fourth time he's talked about this. And honestly, it was a shock that someone else is calling for it than just the senate.
Nick (Herry):We really believe in a representative government. We really believe that there's no ability for the senate to consolidate power into one little area. Right? Like I said, there's only seven members of the circle of gold. There's no way to really take more than what we can be given.
Nick (Herry):And so there there's a really good way there to sort of spread out the power. And, that's a that's a big belief that I have.
Justin(GM):You you say that there's no way to really consolidate power, but would you not say that there's some validity to the accusations that you yourself have bullied other senators into getting your way. I do believe that there were some incidents earlier this year in Sharnwick where Sure. Your presence swayed a senator in Sharnwick.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. As you can tell by my large and intimidating stature, quite the bully. I'm I quite get my and quite intimidating. No. I mean, hey.
Nick (Herry):I'll be the first to admit that I have strong feelings. I have strong opinions. And when Gustavo and I kinda came to heads a little bit out there, we definitely hashed it out. And I I believe that in the end, yes, part of that was a little bit my way, but I believe we got that whole matter resolved safely on all sides and got things going back up. I I believe it was a really difficult situation, and and fortunately, we had a little more, ability to to spend some pull to help out there.
Nick (Herry):But at the end of the day, I I have no interest in my way or the highway, but I want the best for as many people as possible.
Justin(GM):So if communication seems to be the key to resolving conflict in your opinion, what do you make of the demands that these citizens of Warren are making of the Church of Ba'az? And in your opinion, what concessions should be should the Church of Ba'az be making to these demands?
Nick (Herry):Oof. As you know, as we all know, the senate sure has no no real checks in place over the council of faith. Operate on their own. They, you know so as much as, you know, wishes may be something something something, I really don't have a ton of power there. As far as the demands go within the Church of Boaz, I I don't think how do I put this?
Nick (Herry):The way they're going about this is consistent with the Church of Boaz's history. Right? Do you know that you you've heard the story of Boaz and the Golden Sail?
Justin(GM):I I'm mildly familiar with it.
Nick (Herry):Do mind if I go a little hard? Oh, please do. Thank you. Boaz, king of Semia had conquered the clans of his homeland and had nothing to do. No one left to conquer.
Nick (Herry):He managed his new nation from coast to coast, but a conqueror isn't always the same thing as a king. A king's work isn't any fun. It's no fun at all. Feeding people, keeping them in line, managing egos of previous warlords and leaders to keep the peace. Boring, boring, boring.
Nick (Herry):A conqueror conquers. A king gets fat on a throne. And Boaz would not get fat. He would not get comfortable. There must be more beyond the land that he could see from the coast to coast, so he built ships to sail.
Nick (Herry):For the first time ever, the would venture out of their land and conquer whoever or whatever might be past the great open sea. And Boaz did just that. Every new land he found, he conquered for himself. He conquered the world with the wheels turning patiently behind him till there were no more lands to conquer, no more kings to dethrone, and he had taken everything that the world had to take. And so, where do you go when there's no more lands to take?
Nick (Herry):Set your eyes on the heavens. But how did he get to the heavens? What ship could pierce the firmament? He sought answers from priests, from shamans, from the witches. Finally, wheels turning ever behind him caught up.
Nick (Herry):And the Wainwrights stepped down off their wagon for the first time in a very long time to have a chat with our conquering hero. They told that there was a great beast with the power to move between the realms, a giant fish with golden fins. If Boz could simply harvest a fin, he'd have a sail that could take him to the skies. So he took off to find the great beast. Years passed and Boz got old, but he never got complacent.
Nick (Herry):And finally, the creature appeared. Massive golden fin rising a mile above the ocean toward the sky. The ships attacked. They went after them. They lost one ship, two ships, three ships, four ships.
Nick (Herry):The Armada was in terrible shape. Nothing could pierce the scales of this thing. No spear, no arrow, no harpoon, no fire, no ice. Nothing could hurt this monstrous animal. The boss was running out of time.
Nick (Herry):At any moment, this beast could get away and travel to another realm. He had to act, and so he did. And if you know anything about Baz, he's good at acting. Baz ran across his ship and leaped over the edge, leaving his sinking armada, his troops, his family, his world behind. He flew towards the beast until he crashed onto its back and held on for his life as it rose out of the water.
Nick (Herry):It rose and rose and flew and soared until it was out of sight of this world and reached the heavens. And thus, this is the tale of how Boz became a god of Sariel. So when we talk about some of the followers being a little aggressive getting what they want, I think frankly, they're within the rights of the boss church.
Justin(GM):I was not expecting a sermon from you senator Pinch. I was not expecting a sermon.
Nick (Herry):That's that's my father's favorite story.
Justin(GM):I must say, you make some very interesting points. You mentioned your father. Yes. Would you say that your views reflect your family's views?
Nick (Herry):Oh, man. No family's a monolith, so I can't say that I've never disagreed with my family. I certainly have had some run ins with my my older sister and my we're not and we all have teenage years.
Justin(GM):Well, yes. We do definitely all have teenage years, but we all also have, you know, just some core values that Sure. Run through. Would you say that your core values and what what what are your family's core values in this moment, and how are they gonna shine through?
Nick (Herry):In this moment? Yeah. Oh, sure. You know, I think, generally, I get my as you mentioned earlier, I I really hope to be a man of the people. I really hope to protect the people of NFR, and I think I get that directly from my mother and father.
Nick (Herry):I think my father was a lover of folk tales and was a historian here at the university. My my mother, really believed in arcane arts and spreading them to as many people as possible, And I'd say that's kind of the legacy that I really prioritize. Almost honestly, more above anything.
Justin(GM):Excellent. And then I think that those really shine through through you.
Nick (Herry):Thanks, Razio.
Justin(GM):They are incredible, incredible traits. Well, we need to go back to a sponsor before this next segment. Thank you again so much, senator Pinch.
Nick (Herry):Oh, thanks
Justin(GM):so Really appreciate your time.
Nick (Herry):Thanks, everybody. It's good seeing you.
Justin(GM):The lights dim back down to a much no more tolerable level. You see Razia's shoulders retain a more normal posture. She gets a little bit closer to you, so she isn't heard. Excellent. Oh, you did Excellent work.
Justin(GM):Incredibly.
Nick (Herry):Thanks. Thanks.
Justin(GM):Off the record
Nick (Herry):Mhmm.
Justin(GM):What do you think is really going on in Warren?
Nick (Herry):What do I think? Mhmm. Boy. If I knew I could solve this really quick, I'm sure. But, boy, I don't know exactly what's going on, but I can tell you it's just an absolute mess top to bottom.
Nick (Herry):Mhmm. I think I think Church of Boz has gotten out over its skis. I think, in general, the Council of Faith is a little overextended on staying in power than they are doing much else. And so I think we'll be able to handle it. Think Asher has a good head on his shoulders when it comes to solving this problem, so I trust him and I trust the senate to do what I can between us girls.
Justin(GM):I am glad you brought up
Nick (Herry):the king. Of course, you are.
Justin(GM):Mhmm. He has remained relatively silent on this matter as is his practice. Yes. Any information you're willing to share on that front?
Nick (Herry):I can't, as far as what's going on right now in the Kingshead, I couldn't tell you, but I've seen time after time. I really believe in Asher. I've seen him since he was a little kid, like you mentioned earlier, as far as family beliefs, which I'm sure I'm sure there is something behind that as well. I've seen him look out for people over his own hide before, and so I'm I'll stick to that belief until I'm proven differently.
Justin(GM):I appreciate you coming on this show. Obviously, we would have liked to have senator Rogers. Oof. But I understand the senate sending you Yeah. In his stead.
Justin(GM):That being said, I will, as a courtesy, offer this to you. We did some digging and found that senator Rogers, who is a five time elected senator, has outfunded any opponent that he has faced in his five elections by a fair margin. And most of his donations seem to be coming from several major weapons industries, and his votes all seem to favor. Now, him being a Northern
Nick (Herry):Of course. There's There's a lot of military action going on.
Justin(GM):Lots of military action. Mhmm. One would not hold it against him to want to do the best to defend his area. Sure. But it definitely seems as though there is a symbiotic relationship happening.
Nick (Herry):Certainly.
Justin(GM):And it is hard to understand why any politician would not want the same things in defense of their town that he would want. Certainly. I'm offering this to you
Nick (Herry):Mhmm.
Justin(GM):Because I believe that you want what's best for Venethar. I don't see that quality in many, frankly. Hey. Me either. I wish you all the best.
Justin(GM):The rest of this is gonna be a fluff piece. Oh, I appreciate it. I'm offering this piece to you.
Nick (Herry):Oh, great.
Justin(GM):Great?
Nick (Herry):Great. I appreciate it, Thanks so much.
Justin(GM):Alright. We're back in two.
Nick (Herry):Okay. Great.
Justin(GM):The rest of the interview is, as Razia says, a fluff piece. And you answer several questions about the only thing that comes up of any substance substance is a couple of comments around the other members of the task force. Sure. Just giving people insight into who it is exactly that is responsible for handling the situation, but nothing in terms of decisions being made. A lot of it is your past as a as a senator and what you are bringing to Resinium City in relation to the, refuge that you're setting up for the Steelmarrow tribe refugees and, that early work in that area.
Justin(GM):Nothing has come into fruition of that request yet, but early work is happening, and all the questions are in in that area. After the end of the interview, you make your way off the chair and are escorted off. Beanie comes up to you. Great work. Great work.
Nick (Herry):Thanks, Beanie. Did I did I say anything that was just completely a lie?
Justin(GM):Nothing was a complete lie. Great. I will say Yep. The stories Don't get started on that, Beanie. I'm gonna I have to tell you.
Justin(GM):Don't get started. They they continue
Nick (Herry):It's folksy. People like the folksy thing.
Justin(GM):Yes. Some people like the folksy thing, but it continues to test poorly for people ages 25 and under.
Nick (Herry):Well, they barely they barely vote.
Justin(GM):They do barely vote, but they do vote some and someday they will be not 25 and under. Sure. And I just wanna make sure They're you're aware.
Nick (Herry):But by then, they'll like the folksy charm thing.
Justin(GM):I don't have data to back that. She's looking down at her paper to find evidence of that,
Steve (Luken):and she's just not seeing it. She flips to the next sheet.
Justin(GM):Yep. Like Next sheet.
Nick (Herry):You're very hey. You're very
Justin(GM):it's Next sheet.
Nick (Herry):Yep. Hey. It's more of a feeling.
Justin(GM):And I She she flips to the feeling sheet.
Nick (Herry):Harry is walking away. She she is
Justin(GM):oh, oh, sorry. And she like starts walking after you. Yeah. Everything else really well done. Right.
Justin(GM):It seems like this this broadcasting will have a pretty high viewer count. Great. So Great. All in all, really well. You you you you have a meeting with the task force tomorrow, on the books, but the the the rest of the day is yours.
Nick (Herry):Let's go take a nap.
Justin(GM):As you say that, a student, darker of skin tone, shorter his, hair in classic student, I've been up all night Sure. Tousled fashion from the stands kinda gives you a wave. Yep. Senator Pinch. Senator Pinch.
Justin(GM):Yeah. Alonzo Marquise, do
Nick (Herry):you Alonzo.
Justin(GM):Member of the the the university standard. Do you mind if I interview for you for a minute? Oh, yeah. Come on down. He takes some steps down, looks at Beanie, looks at you, looks at Beanie.
Nick (Herry):She's cool.
Justin(GM):Oh. Alright. Okay. Yeah.
Nick (Herry):Do you mind if we walk? Speaking my language, Hansel.
Justin(GM):He starts walking. You are all leaving the auditorium into the kind of common grounds of the university. There are students going about, many of them with several books in tow. So, some of them have familiars on their shoulders. All students, here at Venator University are accomplished wizards and witches and studying advanced magics.
Justin(GM):Alonso is walking with a hurried gait, and leading you a little bit off the beaten path. Okay. And he says, I really appreciate you taking the time. My office is over here, and he makes a quick motion in front of his face and white latticework breaks the illusion in his face. And you see underneath the disguise, your nephew, King Asher.
Nick (Herry):Is that sorcerer? What is that?
Justin(GM):I What is that? Just a little trick.
Nick (Herry):Do do you actually have an office here?
Justin(GM):Yeah. I I do have an office here. I worked here once. That's wild.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. That's insane. Yeah. What are thinking? Let's go.
Justin(GM):He puts the mask back on
Nick (Herry):Wild. Gestures. It feels like there's gotta be an easier way for you to have done that.
Justin(GM):No. Not really. I'm It's really hard for
Nick (Herry):me to blend in. I'm really incredibly, like, responsive when it comes to meetings.
Justin(GM):I just need to I just needed to I want we'll talk about it.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. This is this is secretive. A task force within a task force? Just like, he's just absolute teasing, like, vocal vibe, like
Steve (Luken):She is Super familiar.
Justin(GM):Walking with a also a degree of familiarity with you. And you make your way to an administrative building up the third flight, up to the third story, and to an office labeled Sima Theophilus Zimmeri, which is an old reincarnation of his many, many, many, many years ago. Seema is a reincarnation three hundred years back. So relatively speaking, from Ash King Asher's perspective, not that long ago, nearly four reincarnations ago.
Nick (Herry):Sure.
Justin(GM):But the last time he formally worked here Yeah. While also being king, was this reincarnation. He gestures to his office door.
Nick (Herry):Harry just like taps the, taps the placard and just like they couldn't they couldn't update it. Whose office are you who should be in this office?
Justin(GM):It's my office.
Nick (Herry):Well, it was your office.
Justin(GM):Well, this is me.
Nick (Herry):Well, sure. Yeah. We don't need to get into that. But we but isn't there a person that would maybe use this office?
Justin(GM):I use this office. How often are you using this office? I use this office enough to keep it. Okay.
Nick (Herry):I mean, you're the king. I know. Yeah. He walks in. Inside
Justin(GM):is a very nice office. Yeah. Absolutely. There are You know,
Nick (Herry):your grandmother doesn't have this nice of an office.
Justin(GM):I know. I've She's Louise. I Easy there. I was very high up in the administration of this. Okay.
Nick (Herry):I I I don't know how to
Justin(GM):tell you this. Yeah.
Nick (Herry):You're an important guy. We get it.
Justin(GM):I don't. What do you want from me?
Nick (Herry):I I don't know. Harry, what do you want from What are we doing? I'm the king. What are
Justin(GM):you don't
Nick (Herry):know what you want from What's going on?
Justin(GM):What you need? Please, have a seat. Okay. You are in a fairly large office. There are bookcases, that are even at a glance, you can see that there are mix of bookcases here, or mix of books that are both formal textbooks, and it seems like like notebooks from past lives of, Theophilus Zimri of the king in kept here.
Justin(GM):So whatever previous incarnations of his that maybe worked in the university in some capacity, maybe kept their notes here in this, office specifically. There's a veranda for him to walk out onto. There's a large desk. There is a workbench that has a permanently inscribed magic circle on it. There is enough comfort in this room that you could reasonably spend aside from the need for food, you could reasonably spend a week in here and not be out of sorts.
Justin(GM):This is a very nice space, and you would want for nothing in here.
Nick (Herry):You know, I always I never really understood what a what a sorcerer does in a university of arcane arts. Is it doesn't isn't it all just there from the beginning? The What do you have to study?
Justin(GM):The ability to do magic and my understanding of magic is inherent. Right. So what's the books? Teaching magic and documenting things Sure. Is a different skill.
Nick (Herry):But isn't teaching magic as it's always like, feel it?
Justin(GM):You would be surprised how poorly that goes over.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. Sure.
Justin(GM):The pedagogy of just feel it doesn't go over very well. Sure. And testing limits of magic Sure. Is also even for me a venture. Yeah.
Justin(GM):I wanna say first, excellent job in that interview. Oh, thanks. I, am always so pleased to see how well you do in instances like that. She is a tough interviewer.
Nick (Herry):She's great though. She's
Justin(GM):She's fair. She's fair.
Nick (Herry):Fair, you know. And I think she actually cares about it. She's not just trying to get some ratings and get
Justin(GM):you. Correct. Correct.
Nick (Herry):You allowed it.
Justin(GM):I wanted to talk to you about the Warren situation. Oh. I obviously get reports.
Nick (Herry):Sure.
Justin(GM):How from your perspective, how are things going, truthfully?
Nick (Herry):Above table, how long has the Warren Task Force been existing? Two weeks. Two weeks? Okay. So we've met a bit.
Justin(GM):Like Yeah.
Nick (Herry):It's been this is
Justin(GM):You basically meet every other day.
Steve (Luken):And it was stood up essentially, like, as soon as the demands hit.
Nick (Herry):Yep. And who we actually haven't talked about who's on it.
Steve (Luken):Yep. The three of us and some losers.
Justin(GM):Some fucking gibromanias. The three of you, General Lautner.
Nick (Herry):Oh, cool.
Justin(GM):Sister Marisha Haberman. She is a Irocinda priestess. Goddamn.
Nick (Herry):Why is she there? Why is fucking Nobody invited her. God.
Justin(GM):Then that's it.
Shelby (Sahra):What was her name?
Steve (Luken):Wait. So we got we got three fifths? I mean, yeah. Why why don't we just take this task force over? Why do we listen to these two for?
Justin(GM):It's your task force.
Shelby (Sahra):Wait. It was General Lotner and who else?
Justin(GM):Sister Marisha.
Shelby (Sahra):Sister Marisha.
Nick (Herry):What do I know, as Harry, about what Iracenda and Marisha like, what abilities or what are they bringing to the table as far as like just being or is it just like we're on the council high up on the council and control military? Or is there more of juice to that?
Justin(GM):Give me a knowledge roll.
Nick (Herry):How about Lorborn.
Justin(GM):Yeah, of course.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. In Senator of Residium City 2.
Justin(GM):Yeah. Shit you out. That's a crit. Wow.
Steve (Luken):Two twos and Woah.
Nick (Herry):Crit plus six.
Justin(GM):Wow. Crit plus a
Nick (Herry):a crit on a d six.
Justin(GM):Yeah. Come on.
Steve (Luken):This is why Justin I doesn't have his roll of
Nick (Herry):wanna know outside of just the their seat on the council which then controls military action, where do they stand as far as like we wanna go in there and route shit out or we want to peacefully come to an end or like kind of in the big picture, like, what's irrescendo the Church of Irrescendo's, like, drive in matters like this? Are they trying to box Baaz out? Are they trying to how are they going to try and manipulate this situation? The politicking is what like, what do I know about that?
Justin(GM):The relationship between the church of Ba'az and Arasinda is pretty fluid. It changes. Irasinda is the goddess of motherhood and finds Baaz to be too chaotic Sure. And a little bit too hedonistic at times. It is a little bit of like a mother and a wayward child relationship.
Justin(GM):And her position on this council is to there is nothing that the light cannot uncover Mhmm. Is a common phrase amongst, followers of Virasinda. And so, this woman has a seat on this to, a, provide the same, like, map making services, but also to help uncover unseen things.
Nick (Herry):Gotcha.
Justin(GM):And represents a member of the council of faith who is quote unquote neutral because Baaz cannot be neutral Right. In this moment.
Nick (Herry):Okay. What does the one more if you don't mind. What does what are the current goals of the Church of Irasinda, like, politically speaking? Other than keeping power or is that
Justin(GM):just With kind of that crit. Yeah. I will give you this information. Irasinda is growing impatient with the war against the lost. You, with that crit, are sensing a shift into a bit of hell hath no fury mode on Irisinda's part.
Justin(GM):So they're jonesing for
Nick (Herry):more of a fight. Yes. Wherever they can look for it?
Steve (Luken):Yes. Yeah. So by impatient with the war, it's would like to be more aggressive in fighting that war.
Justin(GM):Yes.
Steve (Luken):Would like to devote more resources. Yes. Thanks.
Justin(GM):Whereas previously, she has tended to side more with Ota on the community side, which is like, will protect my children.
Nick (Herry):Protecting through action is becoming the
Steve (Luken):Yes. But willing to live with something closer to a stalemate in that war because at least that means there's no overrunning hap like Yeah. You're still protected. Yes.
Justin(GM):I don't think she would ever settle for a stalemate.
Steve (Luken):That might be too strict. Yeah. Okay.
Justin(GM):I think in the past, it was, well, I'm not going to stop people who are willing to go to war. Now she is. This has gone on for too long.
Steve (Luken):Everyone's had their fun. It's time to, like, get over.
Shelby (Sahra):Yeah. Okay.
Nick (Herry):And then, how is the intel from Iracenda, like, map make the, like, kind of what their deal is? Is it fairly accurate? Is it, like Yeah.
Justin(GM):Up to date? The information that sister Marisha has been providing has been accurate, has been helpful from a military standpoint. The trick is that Warren really made that one stand where they ousted the guard and since then have been relatively inactive from a like, they're not trying to take over other lands.
Nick (Herry):There's nothing happening. It's just it happened.
Justin(GM):It happened, and now they are, like, holding their ground. Okay.
Nick (Herry):But you're also not sending anyone. Right?
Justin(GM):There's been it has been this, like, relative somewhat stalemate. There is this information about, like, not everyone there universally agrees because in a polytheistic world, it's everyone has some type of relationship to many gods, but not everyone puts Ba'az in their, like, top five favorites.
Nick (Herry):Yeah.
Justin(GM):And so those that don't might not have a strong feeling about this change situation. Yeah. And I think the information that Razia gave you about senator Rogers gives you a little bit of a hint about, like, what change they were inspiring Yeah. Or they were trying to create in the world. And now that they've realized that
Nick (Herry):Mhmm.
Justin(GM):They've met maybe one of their demands that they didn't need to necessarily wait on everyone else to get. Sure. But aside from the ones that are like really about Baaz, the people who are in the middle ground are probably just like, whenever this is done Yeah. We would Great.
Nick (Herry):Like, we move we would like to move on.
Justin(GM):Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Steve (Luken):Why is this all why is all this shit about Baa? Like Yeah. Why do we give a shit about this, internal politic like
Justin(GM):Right.
Steve (Luken):Right. I imagine that would be an easy way to frame it while Yeah. For me, it is a like, it's about to be a violent civil war. Like, I see that outcome from where I sit. Yeah.
Steve (Luken):But why would you give a shit about Bozz eating himself from the inside of
Justin(GM):Japlin?
Nick (Herry):Cool. And then my assumption is General Lautner is, let's just go in there and take care of business and be done with it.
Steve (Luken):Yeah. He's he's just waiting for somebody to give
Nick (Herry):you Yeah. More the right Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Steve (Luken):Interesting. Okay.
Justin(GM):Great. He is particularly worried about, like, further unrest in other cities. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Justin(GM):Like, I think, is once the fast solution
Nick (Herry):Yeah.
Justin(GM):Because it will prevent wildfire from catching in other places.
Steve (Luken):You don't let anyone get any ideas.
Justin(GM):Yeah.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. That's a that's a fairly loaded question, but I'll do my best. We the Church of Baz is a mess between us. I'm sure you know this. There's no surprise there.
Nick (Herry):Lucan's doing his best to get more intel. Aracenda's bringing us decent intel. Lautner obviously just wants to get this done and over with. We're Sara's working kind of back channels to try and find because that's a big question mark is how in well, pull this back a little bit. Isarn disappearing in the night means he's got some friends a little bit everywhere.
Justin(GM):That's concerning.
Nick (Herry):Yep. And so we don't know how far flung this sect of Ba'az goes at this point, if I'm being honest. We don't know what percentage of the church actually sympathizes with this or is already in movement towards that. And I think the real big concern that we have right now and the reason we're not suggesting aggressive, quick, swift military action is if we take one head down, 10 more are gonna step up and decide to be leaders of this new movement.
Justin(GM):You see him take his index finger and thumb and start with them pinched in front of his right eye and then slowly extend them. And when he does, a ribbon of bluish green magic extends for a brief moment, and then he collapses it back down. And you've seen him do this ever since his ritual of harmonization where he basically sorts his memories, and this is his magic, basically, like, accessing a previous life for a brief moment. Look, basically, like, accessing it, looking at it, and then, like, closing it off again Mhmm. So that he doesn't have to, like, always remember every life constantly.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. What's Theophilus have to say?
Justin(GM):I am curious as to, one, whether intervention is wise on my part. Sure. I try to not intervene Yep. Unless absolutely necessary. Certainly.
Justin(GM):I could find Isarn. You could? If you think he has been if he is an elevated don't understand how a sender from some small town in Warren, albeit an important town
Nick (Herry):Yep.
Justin(GM):Is now causing a nationwide problem.
Nick (Herry):Well, he sure was in a planning room with us just two and a half weeks ago. So clearly, he's gotten up pretty far, pretty high, pretty quick.
Justin(GM):He was invited to that planning room because he has rallied an incredible number of adventurers Yep. In Warren Yep. In his church. This man is charismatic. Incredibly.
Nick (Herry):It's a cult. It's that's not a it's not just a flair for the dramatic calling it the the cult of metaphormorphosis.
Justin(GM):Do you remember when we were young at that stupid party? Party was mostly pretty good. The party was mostly pretty good.
Nick (Herry):You had mostly a good time.
Justin(GM):I had mostly a good time.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. Like, let's not I it it became a stupid party. Right?
Justin(GM):It became a stupid Yes. You challenged me to be for the people, and I have tried hard to maintain that ethos. I didn't anticipate that knowing what the people want would be so hard.
Nick (Herry):Ain't that the truth? It's helpful for me. I have a 100 of us. You got one.
Justin(GM):Harry, what do the people want?
Nick (Herry):Well, some of them want change apparently. We just don't know how many want change. Some of them just want this to be over. I think that's the I mean, main piece in Warren is a handful like, the average person, because there's no actual violence or bloodshed happening, just is kinda waiting for something to happen and it to move on and continue on their lives, which is why as much as it's a ticking clock, fortunately, it's on our side that there's no central figurehead calling for something other than these few demands.
Justin(GM):That doesn't make any sense to me.
Nick (Herry):Which part? I say a lot of stuff.
Justin(GM):The part about not having a central figure. I mean, tracks that that would make sense to you. Yep. That was a jibe.
Nick (Herry):A little. And this is A little.
Justin(GM):This is my office.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. It's a very nice office.
Justin(GM):Thank you. Yeah. In my office Yeah. Let's keep the jibes at me. Sure.
Justin(GM):That felt pretty Blunted.
Nick (Herry):It felt pretty soft. I'm sure you
Justin(GM):don't think worse things. I don't think you get to tell me how soft a jibe feels.
Nick (Herry):I I apologize, your honor.
Justin(GM):It's not it's your majesty.
Nick (Herry):Is it? Yeah. Oh, not a judge. Is there any cider? Where where's your bar?
Justin(GM):I don't drink. That's not Jesus Christ. Not a that's not a thing afforded to
Nick (Herry):me. Okay.
Steve (Luken):We watched him drink at that party. Yeah.
Justin(GM):I don't get to drink as an adult. Okay. There's a lot of things I don't get to do.
Nick (Herry):A lot of chaperones. Okay. Yeah. I get it's that's what's so complicated. That's what's so difficult right now and what we need to kind of work with Lugan and and the church here that if they don't know how many people want this change, it could be 20, it could be thousands.
Nick (Herry):And so that's the that's the problem, that's the movement.
Justin(GM):I have been burned in the past for not listening to what the people wanted. I don't want to do that again.
Nick (Herry):I think knowing your past and not wanting to do something is a great first step to not doing it.
Justin(GM):Keep me in the loop. I know it's not super easy
Nick (Herry):to get a hold of me.
Justin(GM):I mean But I will find you.
Nick (Herry):I'll just ring for Alonso Marquis and we'll certainly find you.
Justin(GM):Yeah. That's a yeah. Yep. Great. Yeah.
Nick (Herry):We'll keep you in the loop. Harry wants to do an instinct check. This is probably the first time is that your second time Harry's seen Asher? And first time, one on one since the basement Yeah. Nightmare.
Nick (Herry):And so I'd love to do, yeah, some kind of instinct or whatever to get a sense of any like, just kind of like, what do I what am I feeling about this
Justin(GM):Yeah.
Nick (Herry):After this thing and like my my own little vibe check. And he's you've got a friend? Interpersonal? I'm reading him. We're having we're this is a pretty friendly conversation.
Justin(GM):I'll allow you've got a friend. Hell yeah.
Nick (Herry):So I'm easy. I'm going to use my adapt, which is my human feature to reroll fail failed rolls from that I use experience on.
Justin(GM):Okay. So you can
Nick (Herry):go ahead and take that fear right back
Justin(GM):k.
Nick (Herry):Until I roll more. That's a this one's an eight. That one's a four.
Justin(GM):12. 16. Yes. 16.
Nick (Herry):Can I say I had a rally die? It's my feature. I get once per session. Sure. 18?
Justin(GM):18 with hope. Hope. Asher, when he referenced in the past, I've been I've not listened to what the people want. He is not referring to this life. He's referring to his previous life as Esau and not listening to what he is interpreting as what the people want now, which is help for the steel Morrow tribe.
Nick (Herry):Yeah.
Justin(GM):He remembered your charge to be a leader for the people. And I think you are reading in this moment that he is being sincere. Mhmm. But he is still, I think, in this space surrounded in in office of his past life. Yeah.
Justin(GM):I think you are very aware that he is not the immortal soul. He is not the incarnate king. This is not his Yep. Like, he's thinking he is in his Yeah. Past life's office Yeah.
Justin(GM):But it's not true.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. But he somehow has visions of it. Yeah. He's has or something's going on.
Justin(GM):Something is going on.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. Because I've seen him use that, like, looking into past life thing. So there's something there.
Justin(GM):You've seen some magic. Yes. You've seen him use magic To look into the past past lives. Of someone. Yes.
Justin(GM):Okay. But I think so you're seeing this good person who is kind of walking steps that he believes to be the right ones Mhmm. Whilst knowing that he is not the person that he believes himself to be.
Nick (Herry):And I get the sense that he believes himself to be.
Justin(GM):With an 18 Yeah. You get the sense that he believes himself to be.
Nick (Herry):You're a very good king. The good news is you're an excellent person. We'll figure it out. Harry, what's the bad news? Well, I said just a good king.
Nick (Herry):And he winks. I'd love to just like use that little bit as rousing speech to clear two stress off Asher.
Justin(GM):Oh. Yeah. He definitely has tooth stress.
Nick (Herry):100%. I assume he's just permanently Yeah.
Justin(GM):He wakes every day. He wakes up.
Nick (Herry):Perma stress.
Justin(GM):Yeah. He wakes up no hope plus perma stress.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. Yeah. Harry says that and just like, that's his like little rousing speech to clear tooth stress for Asher.
Justin(GM):He kind of shakes his head and he said, sorry, that I'm very used to only at best receiving good and bad news. Sorry. Sure. Thank you. I am very fortunate to have been born into the family.
Justin(GM):I guess I'm always fortunate to have been born into the family that I was born into. That's kind of key to how this all works. Sure. But I feel particularly fortunate this time.
Nick (Herry):Speaking of, go see your grandmother. When's the last time you saw your grandmother? She's in this building.
Justin(GM):She is in this building.
Nick (Herry):Go see your grandmother.
Justin(GM):She she spends a lot of time with mice. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I I
Nick (Herry):have nothing I have no follow-up. Yeah. Yes.
Justin(GM):It's just Yeah. Okay. I can spend some time with her.
Nick (Herry):Just say hello.
Justin(GM):Okay. I will say hello Alright. To grandmother. Okay. Can you leave?
Nick (Herry):Oh. Oh, got it. Yeah. Yeah. He just like leaned back into his chair Yeah.
Nick (Herry):And just kind of relaxed a little bit and he's like, yep. Sure. Sure. Sure. Sure.
Nick (Herry):Then he makes a mental note that he also needs to call his mother. Yeah. It's like, shit. Okay. And he's absolutely going to take credit for her getting to see Ashra.
Justin(GM):Yeah.
Nick (Herry):Yeah. Ten of ten.
Justin(GM):Later that afternoon in the Hill Of Faith district of Fresenium City, the Church of Boz stands on a broad street. The open courtyard design of the Church of Boz allows people to come and go fairly freely. There are spaces within the inner sanctum that allow for more private conversations and for meetings to happen, but the Church of Boz is designed to be a gathering place for many different types of people and many groups of people. And so folks are constantly going and coming from the area, and that is where we find Sarah approaching from the street.
Shelby (Sahra):So Sarah walks into the temple and starts looking around, at all the random people who are just kind of milling about until she spots Lucan. And so then she walks over to Lucan.
Steve (Luken):Sara. Hey. How What what are you doing out here?
Shelby (Sahra):I was looking for you, actually. Do you have a minute?
Steve (Luken):Really? I mean, of course, have a minute. Yeah. Do you wanna talk here? Should we go to my office?
Shelby (Sahra):Oh, your office would be great.
Steve (Luken):Oh, okay. Yeah. Let's let's go. Can I get you anything on the way? Can I grab you a drink?
Steve (Luken):Anything at all.
Shelby (Sahra):No. This this shouldn't take long.
Steve (Luken):Oh oh, okay. Yeah. Let's go. I show her the way to my office. I there are comfortable chairs, like, you know, those fancy desk chairs that tend to, you know, be in high end up.
Steve (Luken):That that's like what the Church of Oz does for offices. So I go sit, like, behind my desk and, you know, tell her, hey, feel free, Grab a seat. You know? Thanks. Yeah.
Steve (Luken):What's what's going on?
Shelby (Sahra):You know, obviously, lots been going on.
Steve (Luken):Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Outside of I gesture broadly, all of this, is this about the task force? Do you
Shelby (Sahra):Kind of, in a way. Okay. So there's no, like, real easy way to say this, but I I need your help. Do you remember when we went to Sharnwick?
Steve (Luken):Yeah. Absolutely.
Shelby (Sahra):And you remember the protests?
Justin(GM):Mhmm.
Shelby (Sahra):Yeah. Well, I think that there are some people who are in trouble, and we need your help.
Steve (Luken):Okay. Well, I mean, if you fill out the, like, the quest request form, I can make sure it gets to the top of the pile and, you know, like, I kinda do the filtering in the I I I'd be happy to, like, make sure that this gets the attention it needs.
Shelby (Sahra):That is really good to hear. This actually has to do with one of your adventuring parties that's headed to Warren. Okay. I you're that party has supplies, and I need help because there are people there are people from the Steelmarrow tribe who are currently being held captive by the
Steve (Luken):What what does that have
Nick (Herry):to do with the
Steve (Luken):group going to Warren?
Shelby (Sahra):I need the group from Warren and I need their stuff to help us save the people who are being held captive by the Taranad.
Steve (Luken):Wait. What? Lucan is rubbing his temples, stressedly, as he the realization of what is actually being asked here is, like, starting to fall on him. Okay. Sara, are you really asking me to divert adventurers who are already on their way to solve to help solve the problem in Warren which and have them do something out like just stop midstream?
Shelby (Sahra):Luke, and I saw you at Sharnwick. You see what's going on here, don't you? You've seen how they treat these people. We can't just sit here and let this happen to them.
Steve (Luken):But what about the people in Warren too? They're they're also being held captive.
Shelby (Sahra):Not like this, Lucan. People are being tortured, and I feel like something needs to happen, and that might have to be drastic.
Steve (Luken):The people we are going to to rescue in Warren are also being tortured and killed. I I absolutely want to help the Steel Marrow tribe.
Shelby (Sahra):They help us.
Steve (Luken):I just I don't think we can do it at the expense of other lives that we are on our way to save right now. Is this help help me to help you with this without if if you decide that drastic action is what needs to happen, most likely what's going to happen is is nobody gets saved.
Shelby (Sahra):Luke, and you know what we saw in that basement. Don't pretend like that didn't happen. Don't ignore the truth that is staring you in the face. Are you gonna sit here and defend people who are actively lying to the people of Venethar, or are you gonna stand up for what's right and defend the people who may have a chance to do something about it?
Steve (Luken):Who who are you talk who who are you talking about being able to do something about it?
Shelby (Sahra):Lucan, there's a problem with the system. We can't sit here and defend a government that has a false king. Are we gonna pretend like these are the gods who are gonna represent us if they can't protect us from the liars? If the king is not the true king, then none of this system matters. It's all based on lies.
Steve (Luken):But if we let the folks in Warren right now murder their hostages, how long do you think we're gonna be able to hold back for general Lautner from going scorched earth up there? And then if this explodes into if the Warren situation explodes into large scale violence, yeah, maybe the system might change. Maybe we will see some sort of exposure of what we all saw in that basement, what we all know. But honestly, most likely, it will just be chaos. If Warren is this touchpoint for that level of chaos, I don't see how it really matters who the king is.
Steve (Luken):Now, I absolutely cannot deny what I saw in Chernwick. I I know those people need help. Even if I wanted to, the adventurers who who took that mission on, they agreed to go to Warren for a mission. They this isn't the army. They're not following orders.
Steve (Luken):They're agreeing to a set of terms and I don't have the power to just unilaterally go out to them and tell them to do something different. We have to be able to find something, a way to a way to save your people that that doesn't involve burning down the work I'm trying to do to defuse the situation in Warren.
Nick (Herry):Okay.
Shelby (Sahra):Do you have anything that you can give me? Do you have because I what I know about the group headed to Warren is that they have the spell scrolls, they have the supplies that essentially can help get the hostages to safety, and that's what I need. You need the supplies. I need the supplies.
Steve (Luken):Would the church of Boz have additional stores of supplies that I could, like, requisition?
Justin(GM):Give me a I feel like I want it to be
Steve (Luken):I want it to be an instinct role.
Justin(GM):Okay. It's about no.
Steve (Luken):Would it you could do instinct on navigating I want it to be the navigating process and, frankly, the logistics of how do I get this shit that's kind of, like, inventory controlled out.
Justin(GM):That's that that's my thought process. Okay.
Steve (Luken):Great. Yeah. So I'm going to be making an instinct role here. Can I use the experience, prelate of Rosinium? Yes.
Steve (Luken):Because I would have the ability to go, like like, the inventory guys aren't gonna say no
Justin(GM):to me. And I'm gonna say you have
Steve (Luken):to beat an 18. Okay. And to use experience, have to spend a hope. Right? Yes.
Steve (Luken):Okay. A crit. That's a crit. Woah. I was like, oh, a 10.
Steve (Luken):No, wait.
Justin(GM):Yes. There are resources that you could garnish from other areas to feed to this. And I want to honor the crit. I'm giving you these resources.
Steve (Luken):Also don't want it to be easy. Like, there's gonna be a consequence.
Justin(GM):I know. I am going to introduce a consequence here even though it is a crit. Good. Yeah. The consequence is you are feeding it to a unofficial.
Justin(GM):Yeah. Unlicensed quest, essentially.
Steve (Luken):That is the thing I intended to do. Don't even think that's a consequence. That was the plan. Like, I like, I knew that going.
Justin(GM):Yes. Right.
Steve (Luken):Okay. What if I could get you this you just want the supplies?
Shelby (Sahra):Yes.
Steve (Luken):I can just get you different supplies. What would we
Shelby (Sahra):Well, I don't know how this church works. That's why I came to you.
Steve (Luken):I'm like look. I'm almost in charge here. I'll just I'll just
Shelby (Sahra):go get you the stuff. Are you serious?
Steve (Luken):Yeah. Just, you know, it's it's not gonna be the most up and like, on the up and up thing we've ever done. I can make this happen. Like, what do you like, give me a list. What do you need?
Justin(GM):I'm gonna spend a fear.
Steve (Luken):Yeah. You sure are.
Justin(GM):I've spent the fear.
Steve (Luken):Okay. You're not gonna tell us what the fear is for?
Justin(GM):I'm not gonna tell you what it's Okay.
Steve (Luken):Like, we have inventory requests from stuff like that. We are famously horrible at record keeping here. Like, stuff's just yeah. I got I got it. Like, here's what we'll do.
Steve (Luken):I have I'm assuming I have people I trust, like, in the hierarchy of this church. Mhmm. Like, I could task my trusted dude, Lawrence, with, like, making delivery of this.
Justin(GM):Your dude is Grant Freelight.
Steve (Luken):Oh god. I'm doing it myself. I was like, yeah. Just give me, like, the day to get stuff together. Where do you wanna meet?
Steve (Luken):I can bring it to you tonight. Is that okay?
Shelby (Sahra):Yeah. Meet me in the Commons. There's a little tavern there.
Steve (Luken):There's a lot of taverns in the Commons. Which one is it?
Shelby (Sahra):The one with the bakery with the really good cinnamon rolls.
Steve (Luken):Oh, hell yeah. Yeah. Is does that work? I think we're I think we're good. I'm I want to help.
Steve (Luken):I promise.
Shelby (Sahra):Thank you, Lutz.
Steve (Luken):I think this is the way to do it.
Shelby (Sahra):Thank you. I you you don't even understand how much this means to me. Thank you for your help.
Steve (Luken):Yeah. I'll see you tonight.
Shelby (Sahra):I'll see you tonight.
Justin(GM):As you are getting ready to depart, you open the door, Sara, and there's a person, just a child who just runs messages, And they looked at I I have a message for Prelet
Steve (Luken):Mascar. Hey, come I I can see this. Right?
Justin(GM):Yeah. Like, I'm come on in. Oh. They hand you a slip of paper that clearly is marked for a member of the task force, the Warren task force.
Steve (Luken):Oh, sorry. Do you mind sticking around? It's for the task force. Oh. You're already here.
Steve (Luken):You might as well
Shelby (Sahra):Yeah.
Steve (Luken):Might as well stick around.
Shelby (Sahra):I wanna see this.
Steve (Luken):Thank you so much. I give the kid clap on the shoulder and send him on his way. He looks at you expectantly. What what does he expect?
Justin(GM):More than a clap on the shoulder.
Steve (Luken):Does he want I okay. I give him a coin. He takes the coin
Justin(GM):and runs away. Not one of
Steve (Luken):my good coins with my face on it. Yeah. Just a coin. Yeah. Yeah.
Steve (Luken):Yeah. I I was a little too loose in how many of those I just scattered around Shardwick. So we're gonna be Yeah. So do you wanna let's come read
Justin(GM):the so we're gonna read the letter. You open it up. The first thing it says, convening an emergency meeting of the Warren Task Force, sender Bales of Greensend has been arrested for the murder of Prelit Constant last night.
Steve (Luken):Does it say where this emergency meet when, where this emergency meeting is happening?
Justin(GM):Details you guys have like a standard place that you guys meet.
Steve (Luken):Right. Is the meeting before or after our delivery of this shit?
Justin(GM):The meeting is, like, right now. Sorry.
Steve (Luken):I think I think we gotta put a pin in this. But after this meeting, same schedule, plan our plan goes as usual.
Shelby (Sahra):Okay.
Steve (Luken):So, yeah, I I still Lucan is not going to delegate this task of gathering supplies at this time, especially not to grant. Lucan is self aware enough to know that, like, the fewer people who know about this, the better, you know, two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead kind of thing. And so he's gonna keep this to himself, but, you know, we just Yeah. We gotta handle this meeting Yeah. And then we'll get to it.
Shelby (Sahra):And when we get that letter, there's Sara feels fear because she's worried that this information and this emergency meeting of the task force is gonna distract Lucan from getting the supplies that she needs. And so she's gonna whisper magically in Lucan's ear. Remember what's important. Don't forget.
Joel (End Credits):You've been listening to Faith and Fortune by Theater of the Mindset. Our actual players this season are Steve Edinger, Shelby Myers, Nick Traeger, and your kind and generous GM, Justin Girardeau. Audio engineering, post production, and scoring is done by Nick Traeger at Studio three six zero seven. If you're enjoying the show, you can help us grow with no capital investment by sharing it with a friend, following us on Instagram and Reddit, writing us a review on your favorite pod catcher, or you can ship in for coffee at our Patreon. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next week on Theater of the Mindset.