High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Aerois #97 | Attack on Gusthaven (Part 2)

Episode Date: January 14, 2021

Thalia makes an explosive entrance into Gusthaven and we have to figure out what to do with her super futuristic space ship! Support the High Rollers and get early access to podcast episodes (and more) on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Must be legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly. Carlsberg Canada, Inc., Waterloo, Ontario. This is an ad by BetterHelp. What are your self-care non-negotiables? It's hard to make time for the things that keep you healthy, but being consistent with self-care is like working a muscle. And when life gets crazy, that muscle keeps you strong. Therapy is the ultimate self-care, and BetterHelp makes it easy to get started with affordable online sessions you can do from anywhere.

Never skip therapy day with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com to learn more. That's BetterHelp.com. A quick recap from before we took the break. The party have traveled to Sky City of Gusthaven. A few things have already happened. The party have made their way from their airship and have had a brief meeting about what they wish to do with their potential problems going forward they've also spied on democles mcgrona one of the noble high elves of the city

who they believe is connected to manufacturing weapons for their enemy the valkyrian empire using quill's eye of the storm they believe that they have a lead into how to access their hidden weapon facility but also mid uh luncheon uh a strange ship a ship from the astral sea uh flew over the sky city of gusthaven uh the ship belonging to captain thalia an ally of the pcs who helped rescue them from astral space, being pursued by two pirates, two pirate ships. The party offended them off, saving people of Gusthaven as well as saving their ally, Captain Thalia, despite some grievous injuries. And that is pretty much where we left things off before the break.

The twin-star longbow docks in the cloud harbor district of gust haven uh the knights of the city the guards of the city arrest finish off the remaining pirates um taking them uh putting them under arrest uh and beginning to take the their their airships um to be searched and to be impounded whilst investigations go one of the royal what is her name

the head of the guards of Gusthaven find them who is I'm going to find the name Madame Periton Delira Demethal, who is a middle-aged elven woman, is currently one of the

captains of the Royal Guard, meets you at the docks. A large amount of guards here are arresting various individuals, and yeah, there appears to be some sort of event that took place while you were helping rescue the skyship.

There is also a lot of folk just village folk uh not village city folk um the all of the airship builders um and several members of the royal families have also basically come to see the incredible ship that nobody in a row is has really ever seen before. Um, and they are, they are staring in wonder at the twin star longbow made of its black kind of crystalline material with these arcane magitek devices, uh, all around it,

these bizarre engines that seem to crackle and hum with an infernal power. Um, and you can see that the guards are keeping everybody away from the strange ship uh whilst uh the sky prince himself uh has come to meet with you all and to learn what has happened um sky prince aradan uh yeah he's waiting basically to speak with you and find out what the hell is going on. So this is, we're skipping a little bit. I've already run back and we've kind of seen this. Managed to kind of, like, everything's kind of come together.

By the time Thalia's probably actually docked the ship is by the time, like, the guards have started cordoning things off. And some word has begun spreading around the city. Because, like, the Twin Star was flying over Gusthaven. Like, everybody in the city has seen it they've seen the pirates a big one yeah it's it's yeah it's because it goes that fine directive yeah it's unlike anything they've ever really seen before oh yeah um uh azaria um the azaria perel of the athagora is also here and is very you can see her kind of like with various assistants making notes

and sketches of the ship. I'm very excited. Yeah. Back off. As they do so. Sky Prince Aradan and Captain Valera kind of wave over so that you are allowed to pass. Century, you noticed that the six guardians that you had passed this morning

um seemed to have been had taken part in defending the docks against some sort of attack as well you can see that they've obviously been in some sort of fighting um having yeah maybe helped defend or guard the docks against attack um that kind of stood off to one side um but they once they see you their attention focuses solely on you um when when you make way can i can i quickly go up to them yeah sure like um so you see the rest of you sky prince aradan and captain valera kind of wave you over to speak with them um and century just kind of veers off uh towards these six guardians as you do so. Well thought, friends. What are your names? I'd love to know.

A bunch of them seem to be, not kind of like stunned, but they do kind of fall a little bit quiet. Two of them, I'm just checking their names, two of them snap military salutes and stand in a very formal soldiers, you know, like foot soldiers would when addressing a superior officer. two of them snap military salutes and stand in a very formal uh soldiers you know

like foot soldiers would when addressing a superior officer um two of them century you can already tell the more you get a feeling when you approach you can see the kind of energy in their matrix kind of flowing through them two of them the energy is very weak um it's like uh something like a fire in its last embers beginning to die and crackle um two of their two of them what the two that seem to be the most uh worn down one appears to be a pikeman uh you can see that they carry a very long tall pole arm their armor is heavily damaged from years of you know neglect or wear you're not quite sure they appear rusted in parts uh very worn down one of their eye crystals is completely broken and cracked um and they've got like a very rudimentary

kind of bandage uh more to hide it and keep it in place than to kind of um you know prevent it from further injury um they're very weak you can tell that their their matrix is probably only a few months left before it will wear out completely um the other one appears to be less of a warrior and more like a um attendant uh you can see that they've got a smaller frame they are carrying um you can see that their forearms have been built to project light um probably used as some sort of like um yeah an assistant or an attendant for a military unit and then two of them appear to be more uh technologically advanced kind of similar to yourself more of a less of a run-of-the-mill build. One of them has, you can see, carries a Thunderstone pistol, has a body that looks lithe and narrow, much more feminine.

You definitely refer, you probably kind of see them as a she. They've been sculpted in a way like you were to be more of a feminine shape. They are actually wearing some clothes, which is kind of unusual for Guardians. They actually have like a shirt and trousers. No boots or like gloves or anything, but they've got like a belt around that they've got various tools and weapons around. And then the last one carries a very large shield that you can see and appears to be a bodyguard model of Guardian, something that would have been designed to protect somebody. They all kind of snap to attention,

and they look in your direction, and the shield one speaks first. I am Bastion, he gestures. The feminine one with the pistol, hotshot. The one with the pike, pike. The more attendant, lather-looking one introduces themselves pike. Pike. The more attendant, lighter looking one introduces themselves as Lamper. They're the other one

who appears to their matrix is running thin. And it looks like that they probably maybe only have a month left. You can already see that their consciousness is beginning to drift away

from the conversation, fading back into memories and things like that, like you did once. And then the other two uh introduce themselves as i'm saber two saber six at your service ma'am uh and they kind of snap their attentions um obviously these are much more run-of-the-mill models they just look like frontline fighters um hence their designations of saber two and saber six um it's Hotshot who speaks first. She kind of steps forward and is just like,

we saw you up in the air. Incredible. I've never seen a Guardian do anything like that. Who are you? What are you? I'm, my name's Sentry. I'm, well, Sentinel Prime. I am the descendant of Root Prime.

I... They kind of look as if they don't know what to say. Bastion, the kind of protector guardian, steps forward. He's like, I'm sorry, Sentinel Prime. We don't... I feel like we should know what that is. I feel that that is a name that should mean something to me, but I don't... I don't know it.

It's an odd sensation. I feel like we know you, but we've never met, right? We've never encountered each other before, but it's strange. I feel like I know you. Strange, I feel like I know you." Brute Prime was with us the whole time without us even seeing them, without us even knowing they were there. It's only now that I've descended from them and I've brought them to the surface and we can finally meet them through me. i'll look to um to the pikeman and the

attendant and i'll just i'll acknowledge and i'll just say i can see the light of your matrix is fading uh pike kind of steps forward he seems to be a little bit more together than lampa lampa is just quiet doesn't even seem to register that you're really there um you can see that the other five are very protective but pike kind of steps forward and he reaches out a trembling hand and puts it on your shoulder i have seen you in my dreams a golden light with wings. I have heard you calling to me. Is it time? Am I finally to die? I can try and help you, if you'll allow me to. I've been given a skill that will allow me to hopefully heal you healing is something

that cannot help my condition I am dying or at least what is closest for our kind is that not true can I just try can I shut my eyes

and just put my hand on their matrix and try and just focus some of that, some of the prime matrix energy to them? Yeah, so when you reach out, the others, you can see Saber 2 and Saber 6, like, they trust you. There's just almost like this inbuilt, probably because they were foot soldiers

and you were an officer, they just accept what you're doing. Hotshot and Bastion, Hotshot puts her hand on her pistol and Bastion holds her back as if protectively, like, trust her. You reach out, and as your metal and stone hands

brush up against Pike's chest, you can see this kind of dull blue matrix glowing beneath in his chest cavity. And you connect with it, and it's not so much pouring the Matrix's energy in. As you touch it, you begin to feel that sense of person, thatience who pike is you see flashes of his memories of battles that he fought in of his struggles in gust haven to adapt to a new world and it all kind of flashes for you you can draw him into the matrix and you almost feel root this ancient spirit kind of guiding you bring him into the matrix century it is time you learned how to save our people bring him to the rest of us okay and i'll yeah i'll follow direction. You can almost guide, you know, using your own consciousness,

you pull Pike's essence into a swirling sea of hundreds, maybe thousands of different guardian spirits that reside within the Prime Matrix, like a soul joining a river, a like a teardrop in the rain and as it enters that consciousness that stream of energy the dim fade those flickering embers that were once life grow brighter they grow stronger returning back to a roaring campfire. And you now have a choice. You can sense that Pike is at peace, that after a long struggle and long battles, they would be happy to rest in the Prime Matrix.

And there are hundreds of eager new guardians longing for a chance to live once again, to fight and to be free and to experience a new world that you could put in Pike's place. You could send their spirit into Pike's body, or you could return Pike to it and his time will be reset. He will be energized and will live another decade before it begins to fade again. What would you like to do? I think I'll bring Pike back in. Yeah, I'll bring Pike back in. Yeah, I'll bring Pike back in. Okay. And then do you just want to find,

do you just pick a soul at random? Is there a particular type of guardian you would like to give into his body? You can feel that there is, it's almost like being connected to hundreds of different ones. In a sense, you can find, if you want to find a soldier, you ones since you can find if you want to

find a soldier you can find a soldier if you want to find a a crafter an artist hundreds of thousands of different individuals already eager for a new life um um hmm um so I meant like I wanted to bring Pike back to life not like bring oh right so you send Pike back into his body sorry I misunderstood no that's fine so you know you sense that there's almost this

moment of reluctance like Pike is like oh but I'm at peace here but then with a gentle encouragement the soul the soul of the guardian re-enters his body and actually that reluctance fades away and a new fighting spirit uh this sense of uh as his is your connection to pikes begins to fade and drift there is this realization that he has seen a future for the Guardian race that he didn't know was there.

And now he's willing to fight and to die for that future. And as the connection closes, you open your eyes and you see Pyke with this bright, glowing, deep sea blue matrix. Just takes in a deep breath and kind of stretches up his muscles crack and he kind of stretches his body out the other guardians around you kind of look suddenly he just reaches up his eye has been repaired and you can see it's now glowing with the same energy as he pulls the bandage off. I... I am alive, again. I feel...

I feel like when I first awoke. The... My prime. And he just gets on one knee. This is what fruit has given me. And... I wish to see you spend the next decade feeling like you belong, feeling like you can explore this world and make it your own.

I've seen your life and I've seen what you've been through. You get another chance at it now. I will not waste this chance, my prime. My friends, he looks to the others. I cannot begin to describe it, but Sentry, Sentinel Prime, we must do everything

we can to we must we must do everything we can to find our people and protect them. There is hope here. He stands up straight. Whatever you wish of me, Sentinel Prime, it is yours.

I want to fight. I want to fight, and I want to protect what you've shown me. Well, I hope I can call on you. There is a day where I may need you. I need you... You shall have it. ...to remain strong there are there are many more of my people out there i need to bring them all together unite them yes of course

yes of course i'm i'm just a spearman i fought uh against valkyrian when he first invaded. But yes, my spear, everything I can do is yours. I need to... My body is rusted. I need to have it repaired, but I will do everything I can. Can you help Lampa? They were just an attendant. They used to light the lanterns in the city.

But can you help them like you've helped me? I can try. You are the first that I have done that to. I'm honoured. I'm truly, deeply honoured. I can't believe I just did that. I can give it a try. I can try. I don't know the limitations of this. Of course. But I will give it a try I can try, I don't know the limitations of this

but I will give it another go yes yes please, please they all kind of like form a ring around you and Lampa yeah, do you want to try again? yeah, reach out my hand again and focus

yeah, and this is like a focus this takes time, you can't do this in an instant or at least you don't think you can do it yet Yeah, reach out my hand again and focus. Yeah. And this is like a focus. Like, this takes time. You can't do this in an instant. Or at least you don't think you could do it yet. Maybe in a time you would be able to do this much quickly, but you have to kind of concentrate. And this time it's much harder. With Lampa being so deteriorated,

coaxing the spirit back is harder. It takes longer. It's's fragmented like trying to gather up pieces of a shattered uh window you kind of have to collect them and bring them all back slowly and when they join that river of consciousness through which everything flows you hear root prime's words this one needs time to recover and rest. They were close to becoming feral. I would send another in their place, but it is your decision, not mine, Sentinel Prime.

Okay. Can I warn them first? Can I tell them? They will know. Okay. Can I warn them first? Can I tell them? They will know. Okay. Your thoughts are their thoughts. Your understanding is our understanding. As we rest within you, we see the world as you do. We know the fight and the struggle as you know it.

And any of those who are willing to return know the fight and the struggle as you know it. And any of those who are willing to return know the costs and the world that they will be joining. Okay, I'll let Lampar into the Matrix. But as Lampar is coming in, can I just say, just be at peace, Lampa. Yeah. Be at peace. You hear a very faint, thank you, as the spirit,

this time it's almost like a dead fire, maybe just the glowing, the tiniest glow of orange light that was still within it. But as it rejoins, it begins to very slowly build into energy and heat like recovering this one will take time yeah

but again you feel dozens, hundreds of eager guardians willing to go back you remember Lampus' form, smaller, lithe, not necessarily built for war, but you could send a warrior back in their place.

It's up to you. This is Sentry's responsibility now as the Prime to decide who goes where and how they live. I think I'd probably send through a a craftsman or like a like an artisan yeah yeah yeah you kind of reach out and you know you can just send you you by just expressing that desire the matrix almost responds to that will and you feel the body of a uh a young carpenter saw you know they'll have you know a name yet to be determined but the the soul of a young carpenter flows in and they're kind of as you disconnect you feel this new life as the color that was lampersers. Lampers had like a dull orange. The matrix changes

from a dull orange to a light pink and the matrix glows once again and they open their eyes. Pike and the others are like, Lampers! Lampers! Are you alright? But the new guardian seems to look at them a little

disjointed, a little bit confused at first. Lampa needed some time to rest. So they're resting here with me for now until they're ready to rejoin. Oh. Ah.

The new guardian turns around and I'm trying to think of a good name for a carpenter. If you've got one, let me know, because I'm struggling. Jesus. Thanks, guys. Kim, you got a good word working name? Chisel.

The new guardian kind of opens their eyes, just like, I am Chisel. I'm sorry that I am not your companion. They needed time, as sentinel primer said but if i could ask your help i know very little of this eroes this world i have been within the matrix for a long long time i could use companions to show me the way. Yeah, and they seem to nod. You see Hotshot kind of looks in your direction, Century, like Lampa will be okay

though, right? Lampa will be fine. They will be. Okay. Well, Chisel, it's good to meet you they begin making introductions to themselves and yeah the guardians seem to respond

very well I'll pat well I'll put a hand on Pikeman's shoulder just say I have business to attend to but I shall return here just say I have business to attend to but I shall return here

when that business is done and if you are still here yes we will wait here for you Sentinel Prime we have nowhere else to go we saw you on your ship it's strange when you arrived we saw you the day the ship came in.

It was like we were drawn to you. I wish that you had been here a few months ago. There were others, like Lampra and I. They were beginning to worry that they would lose their minds, so they left for the lowlands. They heard tell of another guardian who could help them, but we didn't want to leave the others. So we stayed. I will come to them. I will find them.

Good. We will wait here. Okay, I will come find you when I return. Of course. And he just stands real straight, military salutes. He turns, come, Chisel. We will show you where we have been staying.

I am sure that there is work for someone of your skills. The group of them will begin to make their way off. Saber 2 and Saber 6 kind of turn around. Sentinel Prime, if ever you require soldiers, we are more than willing to, and they kind of speak almost in unison, like we are happy to receive orders, Sentinel Prime. For now, we are more than willing to... And they kind of speak almost in unison, like, we are happy to receive orders, Sentinel Prime.

For now, we will protect the others, but if you need us, let us know. I'll salute them back and say, Saber 2, Saber 6, thank you for your service. Saber unit moving out. And then they just kind of follow after them. Yeah, and the two of them seem to make a a funny pair as they almost move in step with each other as they make their way uh the rest of you you kind of notice i'm guessing like quite a few of you would probably notice this going on um uh but the sky prince uh is uh

called is like um yes could somebody please explain what has happened and what this ship is. Anyone? It's a really cool ship. We know the captain of this ship, Thalia. Great gal. Yes, she has refused to leave. She says that she would be a danger to the rest of us. Can you elaborate more on that? Can we sort this out, please?

Do you mind? We can have her come out and speak with you directly. Yes, we... I'm afraid that something is... Lucius, one thing to keep in mind is... People are asking questions. I need to know what to tell the people of Gusthaven. This is clearly no

airship. We thought it was a Valkyrian weapon that had been sent to attack us. If not for Kelek's message, I would have had it shot out of the sky. Um, alright. Tell them that this is an astral space vessel

that's come from another planet because that's what it is that's not possible the cradle prevents it well we came back did we not uh uh it's been a long i remember your stories about all of this but i i didn't realize that you had brought the ship with you. This was the ship, yes. Well, you know, we couldn't really get back down without it because space... I thought Palidor might have done something.

You meant... Go and speak with your friend. He let the ship through. The ship was granted access by Palidor. So if Palidor thinks the ship's cool, then hopefully you think the ship's cool too, right? Because it's a cool ship. The Royal Guard Captain Valera eyes go wide at that,

particularly. She's like, really? Yes, go speak with your friend, this Captain Thalia of yours. There is much to discuss. Lucius, I'm sure that, well, coming from your friend, this Captain Thalia of yours. There is much to discuss. Lucius, I'm sure that coming from your family, you must understand if we study this vessel,

this has magic and technology that we have never seen before. We could learn much about Valkyrian's weapons from this. Can I speak with you privately

soon? Well, yes. Yes, we shall speak, yes. Because I have a plan that could take this out of the public's eye and other eyes that would want, you know, schematics and... That is the concern.

I will have the guards... Go and speak with your friend. We will speak privately, Luci. That is the concern. I will have the guards... Go and speak with your friend. We will speak privately, Lucius, perhaps this evening. I will keep a guard here stationed as much as possible. Can we erect stationary temporary walls or something? Some wood to cover it up? We may be able to erect something like that. I may be able to have the royal staves project an illusion

to mask its vision for now. Phenomenal. Yes. Alright, let's do that. We're going to speak with your friend. She said that she was fine. She refused any medical assistance, but go and check on her. Okay, and I'm going to look around

for everybody and probably notice Sentry performing that act or the end of that act and then just kind of take a moment to soak that in and then just like okay we all need to go inside the ship see Thalia

Nova's been on the ship the whole time she wouldn't have left so she wouldn't have seen Sentry or any of this conversation but yeah she wouldn't have left so she wouldn't have seen sentry or any of this conversation like but yeah she wouldn't have no thalia's side well i think yeah so for for nova um in the whole process once thalia gets the ship docked she finally kind of uh not collapses but all of the strength just goes out of her you can see that she's got a pretty heavy wound she's gonna she doesn't need immediate healing and she kind of is like get your stupid potion out of my face um but she's obviously badly hurt um and she's probably going to take a while to recover from that kind of wound

uh her first thought is she checks on big cat and kiri um she's just like are they how are they are they all right they're stable they're fine. I cast a spell on Big Cat. He'll be fine. I'll get Quill to come as soon as he can and heal everyone. Stop moving! And I'm tying my scarf around her side to try and, like, you know,

stop the bleeding on her side. Drink this potion. Drink it. No! Drink it. You drink everything else that's liquid. Drink this potion. Drink it. Drink it. You drink everything else that's liquid. Drink this now. Nova.

Nova. Can you just go get her a beer? Maybe she'll like that. I'll get Quill. And Quill can actually probably do something better. We can save the potion. Save the potion. You're likely going to need it with all the things that you keep getting in yourselves involved with i am not in any immediate danger

you have saved me i am very grateful fetch me my booze and go and get your little bird friend with the magic healing and that sounds wonderful the last thing you need right now is alcohol alcohol is a blood thinner and it will staunch any thinner and it will not help with anything that Quill is about to do. Ayla, go and get Quill. Because I know where her stash is. So I'm already going to find Thalia some of her alcohol. And I will bring it back, hand it to her. And then in the messenger ring be like,

Quill, Quill to the cockpit of the Twin Star Longbow, please. Could do with some healing. On my way. She finally kind of pulls the scarf and pours a bit of alcohol on. It's like, ow, that's better. Great, now my scarf is going to smell of alcohol. Yes, it will smell just like me. I'm sure you'll love that, won't you?

Oh, yes. Very nice. Thank you. Where is Quill? I think while Lucius was talking to the Sky Prince and I probably would have caught the end of century the healing.

I think I would for a little while still be watching the ships in the distance of like ground to a halt to see if that combat is going okay and also sort of scanning the docks to see like while flying everywhere how was the how was the combat that went on down there are there any people like running away are they you know there are not there are not people running away, but there's definitely... You do catch a couple of figures watching from things like shadows, kind of watching everything happening,

and then they slip away. At least one of them seems to step into a literal shadow between alleyways and vanishes and just melts away. Same guy that took my army. Haven't seen that for a while. But you do notice the fighting around the docks kind of using batman detective mode reconstructing the battle quill vision um yeah you can see that what probably happened is very quickly um fights broke out it wasn't organized

or planned almost as if just to try and buy the ships in the air as much time as possible a very rapid violent uh you know attack happened um it seems to be that several of the ships were sabotaged and the guards in the docks very quickly jumped on it but just not quick enough to to stop the you know the ships from getting airborne and anything like that. It looks very unplanned. It doesn't look like this was coordinated. It looks like they reacted to a very last-minute thing that took place.

Okay. Okay. Cool. Yeah, just figuring out if I could spot anyone, but shadow-stepping, that's good to know. And yeah, I'll enter the ship through the hole that was made i'll kind of fly above it cross my arms and just drop in yeah uh a couple of feathers kind of puff out everywhere as you land um thalia like immediately snatches up a gun and then when she sees it she was just like oh it's fine um whoa it's me whoa yes you look bad. Yes, yes, yes. I'm not feeling my best, my dear. And you can see her snake hairs are kind of very lethargic.

They look very sleepy and tired, very much like Thalia does as well. She does glance over at you, Nova, looks down, notices that her shirt is once again basically completely open and just gives you a wink. Yeah, I'll reach forward to put a hand on her and then realise sort of where I'm almost reaching and then over her shoulder.

No, no, it's a heal. I'm kind of covering my eye as well. Don't worry, I'm not going to petrify the man who's going to heal me. No, I don't want... Let me just... She's just grinning at me. I'm just...

I'm just like, without looking, just trying to button up the shirt. Oh, you feel a hand take your hand and stick it under the shirt. No, 100%. I am needed elsewhere! Goodbye! She just exits

the room, just purple. Just absolutely purple. Aayla and Quill would definitely hear her like a, she's so easily flustered, it's adorable. There's your healing. You're both sickening and I cannot deal with it anymore.

I am going to leave this situation. Oh, Quill! Big Cat! Big Cat needs some... Oh, don't flout yourself. Sorry, I'm just not really looking for anything right now. Plus, I think she might get really, really pissed off!

She just kind of grins at Ayla because she knows that you are not interested whatsoever and is just smiling drunkenly to herself. If Big Cat's alive, he'll heal. He'll regenerate in time. He was just slightly

unconscious, so I don't know if you wanted to give him a little jolt so he could, you know... It's best to help him to heal naturally. Magic doesn't react very well with big cat i'm sure you've seen it before um he magic tends to be it gets funny around big cat that's why i keep him around usually um but yes leave him to heal naturally he'll be all right make sure kairi's okay quill um she was okay that sounds good thank you you. And thank you, all of you. I'm not sure... I got your message

to come here, and then I was nearly boarded and shot at, so I think that that evens things out? I mean, never a dull moment, right? Certainly never a dull moment. You made a great entrance.

Great entrance. Spectacular. I wish that I had made a better entrance by not having these Valkyrian wannabes teleporting aboard my ship, but yes, I suppose that that will have to do. Well, I mean, we almost got

blasted out of the sky by a meteor recently. Ships pre-being up. Here, get a cup. Tell me all about it. Offering the bottle. Get a cup. Tell me about it. She pours you one. You can tell her what's happened.

Quill, you find Kairi, this harpy girl, still wearing a kind of ragged vest and a little skirt kind of thing. She's kind of got her wings wrapped around her and she looks terrified. skirt kind of thing. She's kind of got her wings wrapped around her and she looks terrified, just kind of like shivering in the bottom of the ladder.

I think once I round the corner and see her, I'll turn around and walk backwards towards her, like not looking at her, not giving her too much attention. Oh, sorry. Sorry, Kyrie. I know she hates attention. She hates people looking at her right so yeah you get the impression with the insight by the way quill that's not what this is like she looks terrified she just looks like she's been hurt and is really scared i know

i'm gonna back up and um like kairi i can i can help you i can get rid of some of the pain if that will help uh i just you might need to take my hand you just see this this little weak because she's kind of like you in that her wings are her hands as well um so this big feathered kind of like wing hand this little claw kind of takes yours very gently um you know she's not too badly injured it looks like she's been like knocked around like she's got bruised ribs and like has been badly sort of like you know suffered like blunt trauma from like maybe being thrown around um there's also a stab wound in her side and her talons like her feet are caked in somebody else's blood it looks like and there's a body with wounds that kind of look like she's clawed them and killed them.

And she's trembling as she kind of, like, take her hand. Okay. Well, I do 17 plus something healing. Cool, yeah. You see the physical wounds heal, and she seems to be a bit more life kind of flows into her but the trembling and stuff is still there um and you can you stand kairi can you um i can i can help you up she kind of nervously you kind of help her up and she nervously stands um she just wraps the wings tight around her body um looking down at the floor um and you can see she's you know she's teary and stuff okay

follow me we'll get out of this room put you somewhere put you somewhere else and yeah try and remove her from this room with the yeah with the guy yeah yeah you do you want to take her outside or do you like take her into like the quarters of the ship okay

there's a lot of people out there yeah okay that's what I was going to say no you lead her her into like the quarters of the ship okay there's a lot of people out there yeah okay that's what i was gonna say no you lead her back into like where you guys bunked when you were staying on the ship and like take her into the back rooms near engineering and uh yeah she kind of gets quiet and and sits on the bed and seems to breathe a little bit easier go on ayla i was just gonna say can i um try and drag all of the bodies to like not take them off but start just dragging them so they're not everywhere yeah yeah um there's probably only about sort of like three of them that were in here before you guys arrived um but yeah you can start leading them out the actual door way that you used to used to get in and out

of the twin star is where the hole's been blown in so that doesn't really open as much um but you can start leading them out the actual doorway that you used to used to get in and out of the twin star is where the hole's been blown in so that doesn't really open as much um but you can see that like people are trying to get that equipped uh and and people are kind of trying to force that open so that they can you know get easier access to it and things like that lucius what about you what are you what are you up to do you want to talk to sky prince i was waiting for century to catch up uh because i asked everyone to come into the ship in that case i'll let century come up and then i think i would bow as if i was in front of royalty century prime is that what I think I saw? Oh, Luffy, uh, yeah. Yeah, sorry, you're bowing.

It's weird. You don't have to do that. He wipes a tear from his eye. Did you really just save... Are you uniting your people? I'm trying, as Root Prime told me. Tell all of one. That's what I need to do. I'm trying, as Rue Prime told me. Tell all I want.

That's what I need to do. I saw your first one. I saw it. Oh. There is some hope. Hopefully there's more to do. Hopefully I can keep doing more and more and more and more. Until they're all done.

Until everything is okay again. You're going to have to speed up the process, Sentry. There's so many. I need to go find Rook and Herald. They're at the City of Glass. I need to meet them soon and see how they're doing. We have a spaceship now. There's so much to do. Anyway, let's see if Thalia's okay.

Yes? Yes. All right. And then I'll walk in to the ship and see the scene. Yeah, you can find everything because you see Aayla's piling up bodies. You can see Quill is kind of, like, coming back from where Kairi was. Nova looks very embarrassed, embarrassed like bright purple embarrassed what's nova doing like i'm in the engine rooms like i'm in the engine rooms like you know kind

of arbitrarily checking the engines like seeing what's going on but also just like huffing and puffing and like i don't understand people and this is awkward and i hate it that's what you see in nova um and then you see a very quite happily drunk, maybe a little bit sort of woozy from blood loss Thalia sitting in her chair, shirt wide open, just everything hanging loose, feet up on

the console. Well, if it isn't good old Captain Lucius and Sentinel Prime. Thalia, you are very exposed right now. I don't know if you noticed, but you're... I nearly... Just drapes.

Pulls the shirt closed a bit. Are you well? Is everything okay? And Rotians are all such prudes. Yes, yes. The Grotians are all such prudes. Yes, yes. Your timely rescue was very much appreciated. I must say... Krill has healed me.

Aayla has given me my booze. I have made Nova very embarrassed. And I think all is well, at least for the time being. And the rest of the crew, Big Cat, Kairi? Is everyone well? The cat's wanting to heal. I think Kairi's a little shaken. It's her first time that we've been properly boarded like that.

I think she had to do some fighting. Not really her thing. But she'll be all right, I think, in time. So, a couple of little problems right now. Is your city going to shoot at me anymore? They're not going to shoot,

but they are, however, very confused, potentially scared of this space technology that has just arrived on Arois in Gusthaven. A lot of eyes are on this ship right now. I did somewhat

question the request for me to come to Gusthaven, but you know what? I thought, I'm sure they've thought about it. And we absolutely didn't. Didn't really think about it. Just wanted to see you again.

No. Look, I suppose I was going to have to go to a city at some point. Somebody was inevitably going to find out about the Twin Star. So, the Sky Prince, Aridan, he is the leader here. Is he handsome? Wait. And Lucius flusters. He...

I'm going to do an arrangement with the Sky Prince. Sky Prince? Yes, yes. I have a potentially... I need to work Nova. Could you help? Nova? Where is Nova? Oh, she ran off because I made her touch my...

She's hiding. Right. Well, the measurements of your ship and the secret basement that I have, I was wondering if there might be a way to hide it there temporarily. It needs to be a very big secret basement. How big is your secret basement?

That's the thing. I'm not very good with math. How do we get my ship your secret basement? That's the thing. I'm not very good with math. How do we get my ship into your basement? Would you not fly it in? But it's a basement. How do I fly a ship into a basement? There's another entrance. That makes sense.

It's underneath the island. The floating island. Well, I can... If I'm not going to be flying the twin star for a while i could compact the wings they can uh they can be shifted into a new position makes it more difficult to fly um so it's i don't like doing it it makes it harder to uh get up to top speed but i could i could i could reduce the wingspan down that should make it a bit more manageable. Either way, I think some of the mages of the town are going to conjure an illusion around the ship in its current form

to potentially hide it from... Because this sort of technology is somewhat advanced. Yes, it's a bit of backwater, isn't it? I forgot that you don't have magitech here. Nevertheless, there are people that shouldn't have this technology right now and we're in the middle of a crisis of our entire planet being overrun

so we'd rather this technology be in good hands like the sky prince and those fighting for Oroes well if I can fit the ship in your special magic basement Lucius I'll ram it in there how about that i'm going to go speak to the sky prince uh it's good to see you again thalia um big cat

hello good uh lucius as a point i don't particularly uh want hundreds of screaming Erosians in fear of the Medusa lady, so I'm going to try and avoid any contact with these people, if you don't mind. Unless any of them have a way to break my curse, at which case I'll gladly speak with them. Do you mind if the Sky Prince comes aboard and speaks with you? Can you at least warn him about... And she gestures at her, like, snake hair, this. I'm a bit sick of people being terrified they're going to get turned to stone. I'm not turning anyone to stone.

I will warn the Sky Prince of your absolute beauty. And that you're a real... A that it's quite what's your catchphrase oh that i'm a delight i'm a delight tell him that you can borrow that yes thank you i'll try and convince him not to keep it though for your flirtation i'm not really a delight, Taylor, let's be honest. Very well. I will speak with this Sky Prince, seeing as I'm going to be hiding my incredibly powerful,

incredibly expensive astral ship in his city. I suppose that seems only fair. Yes. And do you need coffee? Can we sober Thalia up a little? Meeting the Sky Prince? Yeah, I think that I do my best royal meetings when I'm half cut. Okay.

I don't think it's gonna be an option considering she just got, like, stabbed, uh, shot, and, um, you know, who wouldn't want a little drink right now? Yeah, I suppose. Alright. She wouldn't want a coffee. I've been trying a new thing. I won't say no, I won't say no, Sentry. I can bring one over. I've got this thing, it's like really strong coffee, and then it has like a rosy and like milk stuff on the top, and it's all really like thick and foamy. It's milk? What? Howard's been teaching me some things. He's very talented. Sentry? How many have you had today? It's Mill. Howard's been teaching me some things. He's very talented.

How many have you had today? One, two... There was a... Four? What time is it? If we hit five, it's when she starts to get a bit shaky. I'll certainly take one. If it's got the effect on Sentry, I'll take one

for certain. Someone put a blanket on it. Okay, I'm going to get Sky Prince Aradan, the Prince of Gustaven, into the ship right now. Lucius will straighten up and walk out.

Has Nova returned yet, or is Nova still hiding in engineering? I'm still hiding in engineering. Okay, nice. Just waiting for the steam to stop coming out my ears. And the cheeks to stop burning. She touched a boob, y'all. She did.

It was that kind of interlocked fingers, very intimate kind of thing as well. I like Kim's face. That's my favorite. Thanks. Just like Nova's first ever sort of semi-sexual experience. And Ayla's involved somehow. Ayla McQuill just stood there watching. It's not exactly how she imagined it.

She's a woman of old romance and stuff. Yeah, well, I think that kind of having the hots for Captain Thalia, who is very clearly not a woman of old romance, is definitely a mismatch. It's an interesting relationship, yes. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, the Sky Prince Aradan, Captain Valera, Royal Guard Captain Valera is like,

Lucius, I will need to attend with the Sky Prince. I'm afraid I'm not letting him out of my sight onto some strange vessel. Fine, in which case I must... I'm warning you now. She is cursed with the Medusa. Have you heard of this? only in stories Yes from I mean we've heard that the stories of

powerful magic that can normally a creature who is Seeks after beauty and wealth and greed is cursed For us. It was the old stories of siasca would curse those who were evil and cruel to others well this is absolutely true and it is unfortunately being inflicted upon our dear friend who helped us to return to a row so i would appreciate some respect and restraint when it comes to that well i will do will do my best. She's not... Can I look at her? Because in the stories,

if you look at a Medusa, you turn to stone. Only if you disrespect them. Thale's never done that to us. Valir is just like, stand behind me, my prince. I will block sight if I need to. She won't. She is a friend of ours she won't she is a friend of ours and if you're a friend of ours then she is fine very well um you can trust me prince i can i know i can

trust you lucius i i understand that uh and he kind of smiles at you and and nods his head and he'll follow you uh into the the broken slightly bloody interior of the twin star you can see that he is personally amazed at just the the marvel of the magitek that's being used to create it um royal guard captain valera is more concerned with the piled up dead bodies that ayla has moved around and the blood and everything else but you know she kind of makes her way in. When you enter into the main cockpit... Go on. She's also drunk and half-naked. This way. So as you lead her in,

you can see that Thalia has at least buttoned her shirt up and has stood up. And in the kind of classic way of any regular drinker, knows when to play sober. And as the Sky Captain comes in, she takes a very Han Solo pose leaning on one knee one foot up on her captain's chair uh looks in the direction it's just like an honor to meet you sky prince was it uh um and she nods her head in a kind of formal bow, not bowing, but like in a nod of respect. Eridan kind of nervously glances from around Valera. He does look at the floor.

He's not looking at her directly, almost consciously. Yes, indeed. And then he kind of tries to bring his eyes up slowly. A pleasure to meet you, Captain Thalia. Thalia Whisperwind at your service. Please, you don't need to stare at the floor, my good Sky Prince. I'm not going to turn anyone to stone, I assure you. I could have done a lot more damage with the Twin Star in your city if that was my intention.

Yes, it is quite an incredible vessel. What has brought you to Gusthaven? Well, my good companions, you know of Lucius and Century and the others. They asked me to come and meet them here. I hate to impose on a royal that I've only just met. I know something about royalty myself, actually, and I know that such pressures can be difficult. Could I perhaps ask, Your Highness, a little bit of amnesty?

I would like to store my ship here in the city. Lucius has somewhere in mind, and I would like to keep the knowledge of my ship and its astral nature a secret, if that is willing. Yes, perhaps there can be a negotiation i'm more than happy to allow you to remain here in gustaven and we'll extend to you the protection of the gustaven's forces um and perhaps we can even assist in repairing your vessel i would like to make the condition that gustaven be allowed to study it for purposes of, I believe, defense of our world and my city.

This obviously has incredible arcane technology that we have not discovered yet and well having that technology would ensure a bright future for Gusthaven. Thalia looks towards Lucius, nods. I think that I'm hardly in a position to argue. I know of nobody else in the city. My only companions that I know and trust seem to trust you. This seems to be an adequate resolution. Could I perhaps ask an additional favor, then? I am looking for a way to undo the curse that has befallen me. When I was traveling to Erois with these companions, they mentioned that you have gods here, something that my world is not familiar with. Perhaps they would be powerful enough to assist me. Is that something that you could help me with? I do have visions and speak with one of our gods, yes. I can do my best.

Then I would be in your debt, Sky Prince. She bows. Well, this seems all very oddly. Lucius, you told me she was drunk and half naked. Oh, you heard that you told me she was drunk and half naked. Oh, you heard that? Yes, she was. Seconds ago. Very impressive.

I would never dream of doing such a thing in the presence of royalty. And she kind of grins as she's looking at you. Lucius has lost words. So, I must urge you, Prince, I'm sure you already have this in mind, but those that study this vessel have no other ulterior motives or are working with those...

Of course, of course, Lucius, yes. I have two people in mind. First of all, I think that it will take a certain mind to understand the magic and the arcane technology at work here i believe our i believe my friend moon star would be a suitable person to study the vessel uh moon star i yeah yeah no the other trust is a difficult word have you met um azaria perel she runs the aether gora she's one of the prominent enchanters here in the city yes trust is a difficult word but she is she is the finest mind that gustaven has on enchantments I feel that not allowing her the opportunity to study this ship, well, I think it is worth a risk.

I do not believe that she is working for our enemies, but I know that she is a woman of opportunity, and I fear that if I do not officially allow her to study this vessel, she will stop at nothing to force a way for her to study this vessel. We've dealt with her, and we have sold items

that have been valuable. Oh! In trade. Simple business. Yes, of course. From our very insightful friend, Quill. Didn't seem like there was anything right, untoward, about her?

You can read through people. Well, not through... I mean, we've been Brookstoned before, but she seemed like a good sort. I mean, as long as whatever she researches, whatever she concocts with her research, make sure you're the first customer. It's probably the best way to put it.

Don't want anyone else to... Perhaps we can come to an arrangement where Azaria must present her findings to all of us. Perhaps that is something that we should investigate. And she must collaborate with our mutual companion Moonstar, on anything she discovers.

She will have to be researching within my basement, would she not? What is this basement? Oh, yes. Oh, boy. I'm really bad at this. Well, I have facilities. We have warehouses that are under royal protections. But yes, what is this?

I look at the guard as well as Sky Prince. Yeah, Valera. She's like a general of the Gustaven army, basically. Yes, I am also very interested in this secret basement that you have, Elinasto. All right, so I can't leave this vessel, okay? No more words and no more people. I've told too many. Moonstar knows, and that's it.

And that's it. There is a Magrona that knows. A good one, I think. About ten people, not including including us know about it. That's another conversation we must have. So you know the destruction of it. Let us discuss these details

as we move the ship. I feel that we must make a priority to get this out of the public sight. Yes. So long as no one sees this vessel going into it. Is there any illusion to cast first? Yes. So long as no one sees this vessel going into it, is there any illusion to be cast first? Yes, I think that we can make the illusion to at least hide it temporarily, and then we will need to find a way to distract the town.

But yes, we can achieve something. I must also remind you that there are now only four days until the meeting on Horizon. We will want to be leaving at least a few days before the meeting. So much happening. And with that, my lovely friends, it's time for the final roll to come to an end. It is indeed. Good lord.

By the time we read out messages and say goodbye and stuff like that, I think that this is the best time to wrap things up here and there. So happened oh my god yeah that was a bunch century bringing back the the uh the guardians very cool very very cool tippy top it was time very good it was time yeah it's very cool oh it's very cool is the basement big enough for the airship? Not the airship, the spaceship? I have decided that all along, the Twin Star

Longbow can fold its wings back so it can just about fit. It will take up the whole space. You won't be able to use the El Anasto base for anything else. It will basically become a hangar for the Twin Star. This feels like a priority though, right? Right now? I don't know.

Sky Prince did say that he has a place that he could store it. He has warehouses and stuff. But it's up to you. It's fine. Every episode, two more people find out about our secret basement. So next time, there'll be two researchers that need to go down there now to research the thing.

They'll find out about it. The thing is is you're not even joking. Like, yeah, like if Azaria Perel is going to be brought in, she's going to be like, well, I need a team. I need a team to come in here and experiment. This is like your worst kept secret in Guest Haven.

Just put a fucking sign outside of it. Yeah, just put a sign towards the statue. If you put it in Aridans when she wants to study it, then they will need to know. I'll tell you what.

You guys have got a week to think about it. How about that? Yeah. We'll think about it. Thank you so much, everybody. And we'll see you all next week. All right.

Bye, everybody. All right. Have a great time. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.