Legends of Avantris - Beneath Dark Wings | Ep. 15 | Beast in the Machine: Part 1

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

The party dines with High General Virgil Zurn...   Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legendsofavantris.com/patreon The Crooked Moon, a folk horror supplement for 5e, is available for preorder! Get the Crooked Moon at: https://thecrookedmoon.com/ Watch more D&D adventures in the world of Avantris live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/legendsofavantris Check out our merch store: https://shop.legendsofavantris.com  Join our community on Discord: https://legendsofavantris.com/discord Watch our many campaigns on YouTube: https://legendsofavantris.com/youtube  All other links: https://linktr.ee/legendsofavantris   Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/DsCch2Z-UPA?si=KKlH_xtuo60EbnvZ

Welcome to Legends of Aventrus. I am High General Virgil Zern, and you are listening to Beneath Dark Wings. Here is what happened last time. You must also face those that were unable to be masters of their own fate. Put them to rest, and you will complete the challenge. As soon as you all see this creature dissipate, the cold of winter is gone.

The room returns to normal. You are proudly beneath my shadows. Ooh. And all of a sudden you feel this warmth, this blessing come over here. I believe it will not be difficult to arrange a meeting with you and General Parity is. Oh, shit. I would, I would suggest using any inside knowledge that you have, any context that you have, to try to start spreading the word safely.

but keep yourself safe. Good luck, and I hope you convince them. Thank you. Thank you. Takari has said that you had some very important information that he, himself, couldn't even tell me. They're the huge legion of horned beasts

that are literally marching on Ventra. I will speak to the High General. He will stand outside of Hot Nidu. Oh, okay. He wants to speak with you. He just looked sternly at you, one at a time. You are here.

the door creak open. I'm in the middle of, as he seems to be completely paralyzed as the door flies open. You see blood pooling at the floor. Allow me to show you the gift that I've been blessed with. His hair grows out of his skin. He gets rippling muscles, huge black horn off. Oh my God. Oh my God.

Gorgeous young man into a hideous beast that's not quite a minotaur, but is almost is strange in between. Country Road, country roads, Country Road. What is poured out of his ears? That's all the fall. As you bring your

mold down and smashing his skull. And he looks all of his... Perthetic. And it's thanks to you, I'm alive. Hi, General. I don't mean to be so presumptuous, but that seemed... Like he was completely unprepared for this.

While the enemy marches and not on our doorstep, the army of Zentra will stay silent no longer. The army of Zentra marches to war. Throne of High General Virgil Zern stands behind you splattered with blood. Iker-like demonic, horrified. At your feet are the corpses of two demons and the slain transformed figure of Diamante Cujada. Zern had just told you that the Korbaki military would not remain still any longer and was about to march to war.

You look out, the door heading out to the long hallway is now pooling with a thick sheet of blood, where all of the other soldiers and guards seemed to have been slain. Arms and legs, a single head appearing from beyond the door, it seemed like it was a very quick struggle leading to the deaths. As Zern crouches down, his great sword now sheathed behind his back, his one good arm leaning down to poke through the body of Kujada, you all standing around him watching the most powerful man in the entire country, maybe the entire continent, pick through his would-be assassin. What are you guys doing?

Toa, are you all right? Are you all right? Yeah, I had never used that spell before, and I just wanted to make sure that it was okay. I'm a little exhausted and I feel kind of quiet. I don't know how it feels, but it was in the moment it was incredible. Thank you for protecting us. If we can just every time from now on you just do that, I can kill everybody, I think. Not that I want to kill everybody, but if I have to kill everybody, anyway, just... You got it, buddy.

It was good. I needed a rest. In the midst of all of that, I had a horrible nightmare of a crystal ball with 2-5-0, slightly off-cent-up. Well, now, for you... You're off-send, but it was a wreck. Come on. We're done. I'm getting it.

Thanks for coming out. That's it. That's where we are special. Yeah, yes. So I'm only to take a race. I'm still learning tricks, but I'm glad that it worked. I'm glad that it works. It's a bit exhausting, but it worked.

It worked. And I want to just find one of the chairs that was up against the broken meeting table and just take a breeder. I'm going to see that everyone is calming down and see that Zern is examining the first body. I'm going to walk towards the entrance of this room and look. look into the hallway. I'm trying to get a sense of where Portia might be or anybody else that might be important not just outside or if there are additional coming enemies. I would follow with them. Okay. Both of you join together and your footsteps echo through the smooth stone and metal walls of this room and the hallway. As you look out into the hall, you see on either side

Six total guards, heavily armored, you had believed to be very powerful, slain at your feet. They seem to have just been torn apart, huge slashes and stab wounds in all over their bodies. However, as you poke through, you do not see Portia. You know that she had immediately left to go back to go somewhere else at the very least. Well, it's a little bit of a relief. I was looking for Porsche out here, but I don't see her. Maybe she survived the onslaught. I do hope that she did, though she didn't leave that much later than it started.

I don't know how she could have gotten so far away from the attack. Maybe she's got the same Shaboop into Invisible like I do. What? Maybe she can hide herself or use magical means of transport, that kind of thing. Yes, that makes a ton of sense. What's all right? Who's Lance-alat? Oh my God, where did you come from?

Hey, how's it going, heard you? I'm Caprici on it. Is that now or not? Hey, I heard you. How did we not hear you coming with all of that clanky business on? So who's Lance lot? Lance lot? I heard you say Lancelot.

Did I say Lancelot? Did I say Lancelot? Where the hell did you come from here? A pity of the whole time. We've all been here the whole time. No, the two of us left down to the whole lot. Yeah, we're in the hallway. I was very confused.

I'm sorry. Just doing that. That's what it was like, we're the hell jean. I can see that at all. I'm just being tired. You said onslaught, so I was trying to make that funny. Oh, wow. Yeah.

I missed it. It's fine. Yeah, even for Capri. Oh, yeah. I said onslaught. Okay. So there's no encelot? No, maybe we can find it.

Oscelot? Is it like a monkey sloth type animal? Not from where I'm from around. No. Oh. I just nudge one of the dead bodies just to see if it's alive. He just walk the streets in Galtega. I'm going to make up lore for Mikey. That's a good way to get rocks fall. It's a fastest way. I slip on the blood and go down all the stairs.

They're Osolot kin. Ocelot kin. Sure, sure. I want to look around the office. Is there any like a decanter? I don't know if it's that style of a place. Would he have like a... You see that there is, off to the side, there is a shattered pitcher of water

that was on the ground, but it's... You get the sense that High General Zern is not the kind of person that would welcome alcohol consumption in a place of business like this. I'm gonna turn to... Is he just still like examining the body?

He's going through with his one hand, he's being very careful every single moment. He's, you see him leaning down his long, his long gray hair is still perfectly in place, as is the rest of his outfit. As he is leaning down and very carefully pulling out some of the hairs and going over and something, he's holding his nose, holding a handkerchief up as he goes to the fowl-smelling dog demons. I'm going to turn to Toa and say, all right, buddy, if this is it for me, then tell everyone I said thank you and tell what you. and tell Ravali, I said, thanks and the others. I appreciate it for you.

I mean... I start to walk away and I turn to High General Zern, I say, High General Zern, sir, permission to speak, sir. He seems... His eyes are very focused on this creature, and his eyes are narrow, especially lingering on Kujada. And as soon as he hears that, he immediately heaved up his huge form,

towering over you and turns at his legs snap together. And he peers down. down his pointed nose at you and he says, you have permission to speak, you saved my life. Hey, um, Felix is shaking a little bit and he says, uh, yeah, thank you, sir. Um, I, I need to discuss with you things that are, that are happening in, in the military that you may not be aware of now that we've brought this to your attention. More things that I may not be aware of. I, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but it's, it's, it's very important. I, I know that I don't look it, but I'm an ex-member of the Talongard, and I can prove it.

The Talongard here, with all these outsiders. Well, I, and I say this, knowing full well that I may take the full brunt of the consequences, but I went AWOL. A deserter? Yes, unfortunately. He steps a few more paces. I stand up. Very... I don't move at all, but I'm not standing there.

He keeps an eye on you. The only person in the room that's taller than he is. As he keys, his eyes dart to you very quickly and they dart back. You're almost like watching a bird of prey kind of surveying the scene. As his eyes shoot up to you and then shoot back down to you. And shoot back to you, Felix, as he takes two very measured steps, not aggressive, but careful and firm. You abandoned your comrades.

And you committed treasoned. to the army, yet here you stand. That's correct, sir. Showing your patriotism to save the leader of this country. I'm trying to make things right, sir. You must have had a reason for defecting. It's a rather long story, but yes, sir. I assume all of you have a very long story to tell.

That is why I assume you must know that you cannot be walking around the streets of Zentra. Zentra, unaccompanied. Young man? Yes, sir. Felix. You will tell me what it was that caused you to defect. You may tell me now, or you may tell me when you are all questioned later. I prefer to tell you as soon as possible, sir, especially if there are other people going to be questioning us. I'd rather you hear it from me. He nods for a moment and thinks, and he looks out of the door and he raises up a long finger

as one moment and you see him raise up his hand and you recall seeing there was a bird that had been sitting on his throne huge black raven with six red eyes he calls it over and it flaps

down wordlessly and it lands on his hand and he leans in and whisper something to him. He raises his hand and it flies out of the room at a very chaotic pace. I have told my pet to inform someone I believe I can trust. We have time now. You'll help me close the door please so we have privacy. I'll come back in and with Iris and her just help close the door. It should be reasonable for us, I assume. Pull up a chair, and he strides over to his throne, and he sits down. It's several steps up, polished slate, rivets and metal, very simple but elegant design.

And he sits there expectantly as he points at you and says, Come forward, Felix, and tell me what you know. Yes, sir, yes, sir. Absolutely. I was a member of the Talen Guard for a while. I'm from a no-name village that's really not so important at the moment, but I worked very, very hard to get where I was. I wanted to be a member of the Talen Guard, a wizard, very badly.

I was able to succeed and get to where I thought I always wanted to be. And while under the command of Commander Ludwig Augustus, We had been given several different outposts and missions hunting and slaying wherever there was beast plague. We were sent to different villages, wherever it looked like beast plague was starting to show, and we would... I'm not proud of this, and this is what ultimately led me to defect, is that we were rounding up civilians and livestock

and slaughtering them wholesale. We were trying to prevent, or what I thought was, prevent the spread of this beast plague, and it was horrible, gruesome. absolutely atrocious and unforgivable. And we continued to do this, and I did it unquestioningly, believing that I was doing the right thing

for all of Corvacia and all of Striga. Until one night, Commander Ludwig Augustus was talking to someone in his tent, an absolutely huge man. And they had a man who was in an iron cage. And I don't know what I was doing by the tent, but something about it just seemed off and the man who was in the iron cage, even though he looked like he had beast plague,

it was nothing but an illusion. And at that moment, I believe that we were slaughtering these villages for absolutely no reason whatsoever. The whole thing seemed like a lie. And each and every single village that we decimated and burnt to the ground, the children, all of them, were taken. My younger brother included, and I don't know what was happening to these children. And I must, I must find them.

I must find my brother and I have to fix the wrongs that I've done. Make a persuasion check at advantage. Use a twist of fate. Ten. Ten. Okay. He... You might have an inspiration from... I don't know if you track that, but from the fight, I don't know if I give...

If you have our inspiration, yeah. I have used all five, so I know lots of people in the room, but I still have it. I don't have it written down. All right. I would have thought that I did. Don't worry about it. So his eyes narrow and he listens. You can tell that every single word that you're saying is being registered,

but he has a complete poker face as he listens. He has his chin in his hand, and he pauses, and then extends a large hand and says, Produce your blade if you are truly of the Taliband God. I pull into my jacket, and I unsheat and I hold it out. I'm still gripping it, but I'm holding it out. Felix Ackerman. May I see?

I drop the blade into his hand. Was that on purpose? He clutches it. What was on purpose? Him saying my last name? Okay, I immediately turn over the blade. He grips it. I'm like ghost white at this point.

You tell the truth. You have the proof. He flicks it around and grabs it by the blade. hands it back to you. Thank you, sir, and I sheathed it in my jacket. You're very lucky, boy. I was told of defectors here and there. However, one name came to my ear as one of express treachery,

the name of Felix Ackerman. Must be hunted down and was using cloaking magic to not be scried upon. Yes, sir. However, they were, and to your good fortune. They were not very persuasive as to why we should devote so many resources to hunt you down and gut you like a dog. Things are starting to make sense.

I believe I know where Augustus is and he will be questioned. Thank you, sir. A huge man, you say. I didn't get a look at him, but yes, he was talking to someone who was just absolutely enormous. He seems to be lost in thought. Gross. As... What?

Nice. As... That was great. He seems to be lost in thought. As he... Rolled again. The entire... Division of secrets is compromised.

Who'd have fought? Kujata. has made a fool of all of us, and I thank all of you. Felix, I appreciate your honesty with me and your forthcomingness. Yes, sir. I wish I could set you free and let you lose back to what you were doing, but these are dire times, and I cannot do that. I will tell you what I will do.

Whatever you have been staying, I will send you escorted to gather your effects. Say your goodby as to whom you need to. And then you'll return here. You will all be questioned about what you have seen. There will be magic involved, but it should be painless. Should there be no reason to question your intentions? Should time permit you will enjoy a meal with me?

We can discuss at length. I will have you know, however, that war is coming to Zentra. You are the ones who have told me and you are going to see it firsthand but enough discussion until I can be 1,000% certain that every one of you is trustworthy.

But you're going to fight the war, right? I'm going to crush those beasts like the animals that they are They have no idea what they have done. Kujata was a fool to think. He could hatch a plan as half bait as that. Please let me know how I can help in any way. I just want to make sure that everyone in the city is safe.

I don't know what I can do. I'm just one person, but please let me know how I can help. Yeah, we're all in this together. I mean, we don't, I love cities myself. I'd be more than happy to I mean if you're totally convinced that this war is going you need to talk to the newsfolk

and get the word out because we're the only people in this room who seem to know what's going on it seems to be this situation I think he's in jail my eyes my eyes have proven to be untrustworthy to the point

that I must rely on strangers and outsiders and defectors what a turn of events that even I could not see the magic is powerful devils and demons whatever they want

it will be a brutal conflict and I hope you are ready for it as soon as he says that you hear loud footsteps of many many many many pairs of feet echoing from the hallway beyond you from behind you from behind the door.

And the door knocked. Come in, and you see a row of soldiers standing at the ready. They immediately salute. Give me one moment. All of you, I trust you will not resist your escort. No, sir. No, sir.

We're thankful for it, to be honest. Yes. They will escort you to where you need to go. go. Then you will be returned here. We will discuss further as I must call a meeting. But rest assured, the army of Zentra mobilizers.

I will talk to you soon. And he extends a hand towards the soldiers that are standing at the ready. One last thought before I go. You only got where you got because you're very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very good. And I don't want to step on your toes. I just want to make this

One tiny little suggestion. I don't think very many people know that old Zakarius over there is dead. If you could have one of your guys to sort of disguise themselves as that person, then that might be a pretty clever deception. Just thought I'd plant that seed and I'll be on my way. Thank you. Not Zakaris, you mean? Kajara.

Kajara, sorry. When the time is right, they will know that he's dead. They will know that he died, and they will know that his followers and his acolytes and his schemers died far, far, far. far worse than needed, when the time is right. But none of you are to breathe a word of any of this outside of this hitter tell. Do you understand?

Yes, sir. Minor illusion zipper again. Very well. I'll see you back here later this evening. Okay. Lifty's just going to give like a really like sloppy but not right salute. Yeah, two fingers. So, you are,

unless there's anything else anyone wants to do or say, before that happens, you all join a procession of soldiers. There are 12 of them in total that fully flank you, two for each of you. As you are led through the various stories and layers of the citadel all the way back down,

to the outside level. You're then led in the street as you're making your way through, you hear the very hurried steps of soldiers and officers. And there doesn't seem to be panic. However, as individuals are walking by, their attempts at composure, some are better than others, as some seem to be incredibly worried, as you make your way outside,

down through the streets as you hear the cacophonous croak of the ravens that fly and swarm around the citadel as they take you to the gate that connects to the seven heavens. You're escorted, throat. And the soldiers that you're used to being at these checkpoints

don't even question as these soldiers seem to have a special, emblem that denotes that they are of a very very high personal rank and connection to Zern. As you're led through the streets, you, there seems to be a bit of fear as the poor folk of the Seven Heavens are probably not used to this level of military presence, as you're familiar with it being the least patrolled of all of them. and you are guided through the winding streets until, I guess, I don't know, were you guys telling them that you're headed? We were staying somewhere.

You're staying at the queen bee. We don't want to go back there. But we didn't stay there last night, though, right? We stayed in different, I can't remember the loss of this. No, we stayed at the Queen Bee last night. Because we stayed. They had like a gift shop. I remember that with the different religious stuff.

Yeah, we stayed in the different. Oh, we're ready. Yeah, so that's where we would go back to because we had all the top with us. Oh, the Queen Bee was the name. of the... Broccoli. Yeah, no. We stayed in a literal motel hotel place. Bahamets Rest or something like that.

Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's where we stay. So, I mean, I assume that's where most of our things are. All of my thing. I have like very much. We already said goodbye to everybody at the 7th. Right. That's fortunate. Let's go back to the 4Win.

Yeah. Right. So, yeah, we were staying here. So when I said 7 heavens, I actually meant. I actually meant, where was it? It was... Four wins. flocks roost. Oh, you're right. Flops rifts. I don't know why I'm

saying. So you are led to flocks roost. This seems to be a bit more of a commonplace as these high-ranking soldiers flank you. And you hear the tolling of bells

in the various churches and chapels as you make your way through and you're eventually guided to the familiar inn that you have been staying at called New Baham. and as you are ushered inside, the soldiers all begin to flank the walls, several watch the perimeter,

and you seem to be pretty much heavily locked down in this place. However, one of the female soldiers walks up to you and says, you are not going to be rushed, but please do not dally. We will be here. The Hyde General awaits. Discuss what you need to. This may be your last chance. And they let you go to your rooms to gather your effects and maybe discuss whatever you guys are discussing. I don't have much of anything, so I can be ready pretty quickly.

We should probably get in touch with Ravioli. Oh yes. Where is he? Where is he? I'm sure he's doing whatever he needs to do, whether that be reconnaissance. or something, I can try to leave him a message, but to be honest, I don't remember the last time we saw him. Out of character. We saw him. He met us in the inn, in the tavern at the New Bahamas. I can leave a message. Because he, you lift that note back at the brothel.

Okay, I can leave another message for him and hope for the best, but that may have been the last time that we see him. Possibly. I mean, I don't know. any other way I can't communicate with him magically or anything. We do have the eagle pressy. I just, I don't want to alert him unless there's... No, no, I agree. I will leave him a message, another, another encrypted message that only he or other people with the proper knowledge would be able to decode. That seems very reasonable, but where are you going to leave it? Uh...

How long do we have... It's invisible, right? There's a lot of things that it can be, yes. If it can be on parchment, then you can put the message on one side, and then we could write, like, dear from grandma, like some silly message on one side, but you would, you know, maybe you would be smart enough to... I'll figure out a way to leave him a message here,

but we should also just see if we could get a courier to send a message to the Queen Bee. And I'll decode... I will make sure that both are encrypted and protected. Is it 100% necessary that we get in the message immediately? Because if we could wait until the morning, then I can prepare a spell to send one to him, from my mind to his. Either way, that works as well.

It's probably a better idea. If he never sees the piece of paper, and we just, perhaps he'll be lost, he won't know what happened to us. After the questioning, maybe we can ask for some level of protection for friends like Ravali. And out of character... He'd say like what we have to say. Have you told me your last name? I hadn't told anybody my last name.

Okay. Not even me, right? Not even you. Okay. I'll use that at some. We'll remember this. I think that's a great idea. I don't know if he's the kind of person who would want any kind of protection, but at the very least, we should let Iris alert him.

It's more direct than any method that I have. You don't think he'll be worried if we don't say anything today? No, I don't think he is emotional. attached to any of us to be quite told. And he trusts us. And I do believe that he feels that we are capable of handling whichever situation we get ourselves into you. I'm mostly

concerned that he's going to get himself into a situation when we might have been able to help if we'd gotten the word out. He's trying to fight this not knowing that the winds of war are starting to blow in a different direction. I want to look around to see if he's like here in his like strider style get up in the corner. So you are in the room. He walks out. I'm here. You're in the room, right?

Yes. Yeah, I want to go back down and see. So you make your way down, down around the main room of this tavern. And you scan, and all of the patrons seem to have been cleared out by this, and there's only really just the one Dragon Warning Keeper that's left. Everyone's very, very, very uneasy by the heavy military presence here. I'll go back up. I will remind everyone, as the Dungeon Master, that you all receive the wondrous figurine with a raven. Silver Raven. If only there was a way we would be able to communicate with Rivaldi, I can't think of a thing.

Let me read what that does real quick. But if you don't know where he is, can the bird find it? I don't know. That's why I like Nicky's idea. I don't think waiting 12 hours will really be. a big issue of person out of character but that's just me. I mean you're free to do what you like. Meta

I don't even know her. Let's see. I've said what I have. Capriza that piece. Well I've got all my things. Are we taking a short rest? Is that what we've enjoyed during our packing? All right.

We should probably also talk about what we do and don't want to say to them. Oh, that's very smart. No, I think. I think that we are completely honest. You will be slaughtered if you lie to them. I'm not planning to them but I also don't know if we want to tell them about what we witnessed at the lodge. I don't think it's a situation in which we provide information as much as it is that they are going to ask us questions and we answer them. It sounded more like an interrogation than a

what what does it be the people get together and they talk to each other like common folk. Speed dating. A party. lens? Yes, like a cookout? A barbecue? Sure, yes. One of those undignified things. B.BQ.

I do agree with herges, though. We want to keep what we learned underneath the lodge as much of a... We were sworn to secrecy about that, so it would be silly first to put out. But if they start asking, then... We will answer with truth, and we will keep things under... I'm of the opinion that we should agree on the lap. I... I don't like that.

word, I think that there is a very high chance that they have ways of knowing things that we would never expect them to know. And they will know for sure whether or not we're telling the truth. All I'm saying is we can talk about being at the launch that we were there, that the attack happened. We do not, however, need to be mentioning their secret order or what they're trying to protect. That is not our business to divulge. And in those moments, we can say that that's is not my information to provide. If they know about the seal and the secret

society and they start asking questions about it, I advise though we take what you said and be honest. I don't think that it's worth our lives to try to protect some secret order that we're not a part of. I just, I won't

be surprised if they know things that we can't even imagine how they would figure out. Can I ask a question? How many eyes did that gigantic bird raven demon have that attacked us? I got a three on one side. I'm assuming the other side has another three. Is that right, Mike? What's that? Did the gigantic bird, the gigantic bird monster that attacked us in the logs did have six eyes? I believe it did. So is it a bit weird or maybe that's just a coincidence where birds normally have six eyes? I've never

seen a six-eyed bird, but you guys are from here. Have you seen lots of six-eyed birds? We just saw a six-eyed bird. But that's what I mean, it's literally the first real six-eyed bird. This is my exact point. A six-eyed bird was one of the things that attacked the outpost there. And we're dealing with the six eyes of the raven. I do not think that this is not related. And I do think that we need to be mum about information you do not need to provide. We will answer the questions that they ask honestly.

And if they ask us a question, like about what happened in that lodge, we tell them that is not our information to provide. That is not our secret. It sounds like we could be putting some pain or possibly killed if we withhold information and if honestly I'd rather keep my life. If anubis wills that my life is forfeit for that information, then I will allow it to be taken. I do as my good wishes. And in this case, that is not my information to give. I'll try it.

We swore that we would not tell anyone about what happened. It's fair. And again, I don't think we need to bring it up at least at this point. I don't want to lie at all. We all already know that the military here is compromised. We cannot risk that information getting to someone who does not need it, someone who may be connected to the attack that happened here. We could be doing significantly more harm than good by speaking about that situation.

I agree. We don't lie. There's no wrong in the truth. But sometimes you do need to look someone in the eyes, someone you're afraid of, Felix, and tell them, I cannot speak on this. It's not about fear And I'm telling you now That I will not withhold any information at last

And I think that's fine I'm not going to lie at all I'm not going to intentionally say I will not use the words That this is not my information to I will tell Well but I think that we don't If it doesn't come up

If they don't question us If they don't question us about it They don't say anything I cannot travel With those that are not going to be honest Because we told that Man at the Lodge That we would not be devout

divulging his secret to anyone. I agree. And if we are then going to immediately walk into the next town that we see and we are going to let someone tell us that we will do what they say and we will tell them everything and we are so quick to say, that promise that I made that of the man is not worth a damn, then I can't trust a single one of you. And Felix, I think we can go into this. We just don't mention it. They know we're not going to bring it up. But I'm not going to withhold information.

And again, I think if they ask us about it, then they already know something. They're going to be using magic to know if we're lying anyway. Just because they know something that's not mean they're supposed to. Obviously, the people that attacked that lodge knew something when they weren't supposed to. That's right. I'm just saying that if they ask us about it, we can't lie to them. They'll know if they'll lie. And I'm not saying we lie.

I'm saying we tell them we cannot provide the information they're asking. Yes, we know something about it. I will not give it to you. It is not my information to give. I will answer all of your other questions, but something that I've promised. I'm proving to you that I'm an honest person, person and that means if I have said I will withhold the secret.

That's true. It would make me a dishonest, honest person to tell it to you. Therefore, I would be proving to you that I am not trustworthy. And I will not do it. I mean, the six hard birds, it kind of, it's a weird coincidence, don't you? All I am saying is that I expect so much more from all of you than dishonesty. I agree. It would not be honourable to...

Except for maybe Lufthewt even. Yeah. It would not be honourable to... ...shot that down, maybe. To risk their entire. entire life's purpose, not just their life's purpose, their whole line's purpose. These people have been protecting these seals. For millennia, we could presume.

For us to just walk to the government and, if they ask us about it, we just blab all the information, then it's out there. What if Kujata was behind the attack? It could be. I don't know. It just seems too unrelated to me. Though Kujota may be dead, it does not mean that everyone else that is involved is not dead. It also does not mean

that that was not a plant. If you think that whatever they're planning on doing was ruined today, you are narrow-minded. That's why I think it's important that the High General has the information if asked.

That's why I'm your choice. You can choose to do whatever you'd like, but I'm certainly not going to risk my life before I have found my brother and what happened to those children. And that's it. There's no agreed upon line

and I'm not holding anything back. I believe exactly like you said that that attack is exactly related. And that's why I believe that there should not be a mission. There should not be a mission. If I'm not asked, I will not, I will not to give up the information, but if asked I will. I made no promises to anyone. And now that we know that Kujato is behind all this, it may be more pertinent to any time, anything. You were there with us when we all promised we were not going to spread their tail to anyone.

Out of character. I don't remember promising anything. I don't recall. I mean, I believe that everyone had sworn, you guys, yeah, I think that you had all sworn secrecy. Yeah. You had all sworn secrecy. Yeah. You had all sworn secrecy to, uh, to Holmhart. I know that I for. Yeah. Like an actual pledge, right? Yeah. If that's the case, I don't remember that. Okay. I believe, I believe that yet, in order for him to discuss what he was talking about, you had all said to, that you were going to make sure that you protected the order and it was very important and that the whole fate of the business. All right, then I retract what I said. Okay. But if asked, I retract what I said. It's a scary proposition, not just because, like, I don't intend to talk about it. I mean, we're talking about the major things that are happening here. I don't know if what we learned at the launch is even going to be come up or be connected to any of these details.

The point, the point I'm trying to make is that if you're compelled magically, there's no, I just gave my word, but if it's in that case, there's nothing you can do about it. I'm not saying if you're compelled magically that you should fall on your own sword. That's nothing that you could do about it or anything that Holmhart could do. And we're on the same page. If you walk in willingly and you tell a secret

that you promise to keep, that makes you a deceitful and dishonest person. It makes you someone I cannot trust and it makes you someone that I do not believe that the commander can trust. Because all you do in that moment is prove that your word means nothing. I definitely agree.

And I think we just don't mention anything about it. And if we, if they somehow ask us about it, which I think is very unlikely, we just say, I can't comment on that. I plead the fifth. What does that mean? What's the fifth, the fifth what? I'm not sure. It's the fifth finger.

You know, when you take all of your hands, you put them over your hand. Which one is the fifth finger? Which way do you count? Oh, it changes from person to person. It depends on if you're left-handed or right-handed. Well, if I'm right-handed, which finger is the fifth finger? Which one would you like to? Whichever one you would like it to reach you.

I want my pinky finger to be the fifth finger. That will always be your fifth finger. Then that'll be the one that you lose when you play the fifth. It's... I'm okay. Oh, God. Well, for what it's worth, I will try not to say anything about it. Unless for whatever reason they're twisting my tongue magically.

In which case I can't spill it. That's a good idea. I'll remember that for next time. What? twisting tongues. I like to... You guys have never seen any of the crazy fucking illusions that I like to pour on people during battle,

but man, it's just magical. I'm sure. Quite literally. It sounds like we've done. I'm ready to go. I've got my V-O briefcase and my rapiers in my scabbard. Does anyone else have any other thoughts

before we run this gauntlet, so to speak? None. No, but I'm really stressed out, and I think if you just played us a nice little tune, I'd feel a lot better. Oh, that'd be fine. Let me think of a tune that I could play. I agree.

We even hit music in so long. And if you're taking a short rest, don't forget to use your hit dice if you have them. I know I was a little low. Can we say this is a short rest? Yeah. We did. Yeah, so everyone enjoys a short rest if they choose to take. Whatever resources they'll be.

And add a D6 to that if you feel so inclined. All right, that's going. going to be max for Derek. I rolled an eight and a six. That's super sexy. Nice. That's Max and Max, right? Yep, Max and Max. This is just for healing?

Just for healing. Oh, bummer. You know, if I could get this next song out that I'm trying to, that I've been working on to the different caverns for the city, then perhaps the people of Zentra would be a little bit more prepared. In this realm Indisposed In disguise as no one knows There's a horde of claws and swords Of beast men untoward

Beating hooves Wetted horns Neat dark wings and crowns of thorns Know their name Fight their schemes We will hear their screams again Horn Legion, they will come And spread their brand of pain

Horn Legion, they will come, they will come So, wow. Wow. What song is that? Blackface song. I don't think I've ever heard it. It's an amazing song. It's an excellent song, yeah.

God, good. If I gave inspiration, you would have him. This is why we let Derek be a bar. In another universe, I think that I would really like that song. You didn't like it now? No, it was good. I'm just saying, I feel like it reaches beyond our plane of existence into some really great stuff. Yeah, I appreciate that, I guess.

All right, I'll be on my way and I put my veal back in my case. There you go, Virgil. I'll get my bag. I really appreciate it. No problem. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. So.

I pretend a drum on Dakota as we're walking out. Or not drum or like whatever. Air guitar. Air guitar and Gatota. You see you're slapping the bass just like, slap it. Slap it. As she's the rhythm section and you have the whole,

the tension seems to have been relieved a little bit by, by Caprice, as he tries to do. And unless there's anything else, you are guided back to the Citadel. And it is late at this point. As the, it seems as if more and more, the more time passes, the citizens of Zentra are staying in their homes.

And they're, you see eyes following you from the windows. and you are eventually once again escorted back to the massive citadel at the center of the city. You are guided up and up and up through tight narrow corridors of polished stone and metal. And you, however, are not brought to the same lofty heights that you had experienced when meeting portals. Tcha Paradiso or High General Virgil Zern, you are guided deeper and deeper into the belly of this citadel to a single room and the same soldier stops and says, this is very relate. You will all be questioned individually. Do we have any volunteers who would like to be questioned first? Okay. I don't think it really matters. We're all going

to be doing this, correct? Every one of you, yes. I don't mind going last. I mean, it's probably a high position, but I'll volunteer to be questioned last. I'll go after Caprici. No, I'll go whenever. Very well.

I need your marching order. Yeah. So you're all led to a small room that is nothing more than it, it feels. feels like it could be a cell, a cell by any other name, where there's a series of benches. And it's very nice, and there's a picture of water, and it seems to be very clean.

But it's very narrow. There's not a whole lot of room for activities in here. Damn. Meha. No, goodness. Oh. And eventually, you are all left five of you as Caprice. This is. Caprice? You said Capriccio de Sesto, right?

Hi, my name is Capriccio de Sesto. It's a pleasure of radio. Capricio, come with us. Come with us. Okay. And you see Caprice, the door shuts, and you hear a loud thud and as you are locked into this type space. How long? You are not there. The rest of your gang, you're being escorted. I'm comfortable with this.

You're being escorted through. the hallways up several flights of stairs I'd be talking the escort year off the entire time about bullshit please you've heard of flaine

oh my god it's the best game of the world we do not have phlein here please you can do all save all you're talking for the high general

as you are led to a door small seemingly indescript and she stops and says in any other circumstance you would be questioned

by one of our offices but the high general requested to do the questioning himself if you wish to keep your head I hope you maintain an appropriate level of respect more than you showed me and she turns and opens the door

and and you see You see a faint warm glow coming from the room. If you don't think that Thleen is a sign of respect, I feel very sorry for you, and then I walk in. You, she, her eyes narrow and glares at you, and she slammed the door behind you, and it reverberates around the room as you turn, and you see a very small table, two chairs on either side. At the other end, you see the large form, still heavily armored of General Zern, his pointed

nose, his heavy brow, his bushy, his thick eyebrows, the heavy coat that hangs over his armor, his bad arm still in the sling, as his pointed dark eyes look at you as you enter. And on his shoulder, you recognize that same familiar bird. I double-check the I number just because of the conversation that I have the tone. Yes, it'll seem to be sex. Man, that's weird. All eight eyes in the room are steadily on you.

As Zern raises out a hand and says, Capricio de Cesto, have a seat. That's it. I put my viol case down and sit. How did you find yourself with it? with the rest of these travelers. I'm happy to answer your questions, but I could also just sort of phantasmally

give you like a minute like montage of everything that I've experienced. It's coming to the country of Stricka in general. If you'd be comfortable, it would be pain-free, I promise. If it's from your own mind, I will allow it. And I hope you will allow this. And he waves his hand, his one good hand, and it glows.

with this humming red, and the floor beneath you illuminates, and as he casts zone of truth. And are you going to fail the... I will fail the zone. Okay. Auto zone. He fails the zone, auto zone. As you feel compelled to tell the truth, you know, this is a zone of a far more intense variety

than the one that Portia had used on there. Okay. And she, he, you're going to, what are you going to minor illusion? It's not minor illusion. I'm going to cast phantasmal force on him, which is a damaging spell only if the illusion can hurt him. So I'm going to very specifically render the illusion. And for a minute, he would see, and this is me on a meta level describing what this would look like. Yeah, no, this is helpful for me.

Because I don't, you know, you would rule that this is okay. So it says if Yes, it says if it would deal damage logically, it would. But I'm going to avoid that. I'm going to, from the eyes of Caprice, he's going to get a quick movie. A one-minute YouTube haiku of just going into Striga on the boat with Herja, going through customs, going to from town to town until we meet up with the gang with the ox. Cutting immediately from that to saving the dude in. The...

Almost. No, no, the... Mr. Coe's Possible. Yes. Me talking to the big dude in abyssal and demonic there, infernal. Cutting immediately to our experience at the top with the Butchers Bluff and meeting with the sister of the lodge dude. Going from there to the lodge, seeing fireballs getting launched into all of these flying beasts coming in. being in, cutting immediately to like a celebratory dinner where we're all enjoying ourselves.

And all of the truthful things that I happen, I skip immediately to the labyrinth, what we experience in the labyrinth. In a minute, he just gets these little tiny six second clips. And by omission, I'll obviously cut out that basement layer of the lodge, but it would be a lot of information. He would be able to see all very quickly chunk, chunk, chunk, chunk, chunk, those memories from the perspective of Caprice in a fantastimal force way. my third level spell slot. That is what I'm proposing doing.

Cleve-a-baud. Make a persuasion shot. Ooh. To the DM or is this happening? To deserve it. Persuade me. Uh, thank God I'm a bard, 18. Yeah, that's enough. And you cast the spell and it seems as if he chooses to fail whatever it is. Yeah, he would have to. I asked him to. And you just see that he, his lips are pursed as he watches the spell. the illusions that you are projecting to him.

And as soon as it finishes, he immediately turns to him. Why did you leave Golica? Oh, you know, I was going to go see about a... Well, I have to... Why are you in my country? I failed the zone of truth. You can choose not to answer, though, correct?

Yes. But they'll know. You just can't lie. Yeah, they'll know if you're lying. I started to go into a lie, and I'm with strength, with, yeah, I realize, I'm like, oh yeah, it's been a minute I'd forgotten. Holy shit. To learn more about my Tiefling heritage, to be completely honest.

Does the ruling Republic of Galtica have any connection to your presence here in my country? No, no, absolutely. Are you a spy, could preach your successor? Nope. To your knowledge, do you know if Galtica intends to march on Corovacia? To my knowledge, absolutely not. That's just, it's just plain.

Do you have any connection to the devils that have allied with the demons that march upon my city? Not to my knowledge. Again, with the Teetling Heritage thing, I don't know about how loosely you define connection, but I don't have any alliances in that way, if that's what you're asking. Very well.

You may leave. Can I ask you a question, as long as we're in this truthy zone? I don't know if it affects you, but... persuasion check oh no sneaky sneaky

sneaky bastard and he says what is your question capricio de cesto does this mean anything out to you and you of all the people I flip out the

piece of paper that I've held on my person and it's the fall of the dark prodigy will begin in the land of the shadow of the raven heralded by the roar of the bull

and it's got this little symbol on it I got this in Daltica, and I don't know if Dark Prodigy means to any of you, anything to you, but it seems loosely parallel to a lot of the things we've experienced since we got to the Strigan, especially the Zentra. So, you know, just food for thought if you want to discuss it later. I know you've got a lot of questioning to do and a lot of priorities, but just thought of plan the seed. To preach your de Cestone. Yeah. If you are here for the shadow of the raven and the role of the bull, you seem to be in an apropos.

place and he hands it to you. Great, thanks. You're dismissed. And I turn around, I grab my viol and I walk out. You walk out. Eventually Caprice is brought back to the, I don't know if you guys are discussing

anything while he's gone. Just humming Black Hole Sun. What did you title it? No, the name of the song that I'm riffing is called Black Hole Sun. What did you name it? Hornley Jun. Hornley Jun.

Because it's syllabically kind of. No, it fits. Just before I walk in, I used to disguise self and I look like Caprice, but a horn is missing. My nose is gone. That's fucked up, man. I don't have any upper teeth and I'm like limping in. That is fucked up. Are you actually doing that?

Please. Be all right. I mean, we jump up. Felix, I don't feel so good. No. Fix him. And then immediately I'll And I'll reform myself.

It's a breeze, guys. Don't worry about it. Everything's going to be fun. You son of a bitch. Is this one of those practical jokes you always play? That's what's pretty good. Got me? Yeah, I'm kind of used to it at this point.

How did you go? Oh, Ellie, it went fine. I mean, it's the usual questions that you would think about if you were a general, you know, alliances and that sort of thing. Who's next? I'll scurry up. You are then guided to the same room.

Zern watches you enter as his burger croaks as you sit down. What kind of chair is it? It is a very sturdy wooden chair. How wide is it? It's probably not as wide as could accommodate all the business. I spend 20 seconds just trying to squire. And I'm just trying to get comfortable. My arm is shaking.

I got to coat in my lap and I'm saying. Oh, yeah. Oh, he. Oh, that. Okay. And I'm in a really uncomfortable, like, cross leg, like. Like a lady. Oh.

Sorry about your chair. I'm going to assume you would not be able to lie to me anyway, but I will still cast zone free. Oh, that's how nice of you. I appreciate that. We're not going to need this. Save your resources for this one. And once again, zone of truth is cast.

You choose to fail. You choose to fail. Can I ask a question? Yes. Choose to fail versus what? What's the other? You have to roll a saving. Do they know if you roll a save against it?

Yes. So they know if you choose to fail or they know if you try to resist and fail. So Zorn of Truth gives you a lot of information. That's interesting. Good to know. We think your strategy there much. Where do you hail from Herzegn-Anvilhart? I heal from Volstad.

It's in the Grizzal Paw Mountains. What do you do in the Grizzly Paul Mountains? Oh, I work for my dad's blacksmithing shop called Anvil in Alms. And his name is Torvald, Anvilheart. I am of Clan Anvil Heart. We are worshippers of Meriden, and my mom, Nora, also helps from the shop, too. And we have a bunch of ox, and so I just got one recently, actually. His name is Peyton, and this is Dakota.

And my dad made Dakota, and I pet my foil. You see that he, like, holding, like, a slate still face, and he's just like, There is still a sense of the wilderness. That all of us is there? There's a sense of the wilderness for Zern that you would not register, but anyone else had been in the room, they would be able to register. Did anyone compel you to come here? Why are you in my country, Herzegner? No, no one compelled me to. I found out that my dad went missing. I think it was one of those, you know, just long drunken nights, just didn't want to go home, made Ma pack up the shop all by yourself. And so I said, well, you know, he'd been missing for about a week.

But in all honesty, not that that was a lie. But I just, ha ha! Who's your father? Torvald Anvilheart. He's a forge cleric. So he went, he was going on a trip to Galtica. And he hadn't been back in about a week. And Ma said that she thinks he gone missing.

So I set forth for Galtica. I don't go there very often unless it's for trade. And I'm trying to be a forged cleric just like my pa. and I hadn't seen him. So I heard whispers that he had set across the bridge and gone through customs into Striga. What was he saying he was doing in my country, Herzia? I don't know.

I don't even know why he went to Striga. He told Ma and me that he was going to Galtica to trade off some of the magic weapons that he makes. He's a forge cleric. Do you know if your father sells arms to any other governments, Hershia? No. Not as long as I've been around. and I have no other siblings.

Not even the Gulf of King Republic. Not that I'm aware, no. So I'm out here trying to fight my dad. I just want to find my pa. He nods and says, you're dismissed. I spend another 20 seconds. Actually, I get up and the chair is still attached to my ass.

And I'm like, the chair, the chair. The chair is fine. There you go. I was trying. I whack it off with my shield and clanks to the ground, and I apologetically put it back. Okay. Okay.

I do normally do not encourage, compel those to worship our queen, but I hope your God knows you are beneath Raven's wings in this land. Yeah, I haven't found a sanctuary murder yet. Do you know if there is any in your lands? I do not. Waste my time worrying about dwarven gods. Well, for all it's worth, I did pass the trials of the Raven Queen. I think your god's pretty cool. Appreciated, and we'll do you good in this land.

Goodbye, Hirschah. And you are escorted back. As you're escorted back, and Herja shows up, and it enters the room. The officer once again says, who's next? Okay, I'm fine with it. And again, listen, I'm not entirely sure that they're not still going to incarcerate me. So if I don't come back, don't panic.

I just might be in jail, all right? All right? Just seems like a time to panic. Just commit, all right? Just let's not worry about this. Have you ever been in jail? I can say no, because you would not last a second in jail. My point is I don't think they're going to kill me.

They just might incarcerate me. And I'm just saying, don't pay. panic if I don't come back. Just- No, I'm sure we'll celebrate. Yeah, we're not gonna panic. Oh, that's not nice. Damn!

It's not nice. You don't listen to her. She's just a little hungry. And I think that's right. I don't think you were last in jail. I believe with fireball everybody, but including yourself, you might do. But you can actually shape your spell. Anyway.

So if you don't make it, maybe just give me your talking of the Raven Queen, so if I ever find your brother, I can give it to him. I appreciate that, but Maybe the token of the Raven Queen might do me okay in jail. It's right. I don't get it. Is it a PC man? I don't get it.

Sorry, I'm coming. Guess, yes. You have this funny iteration. What is it, 1D8? 1D8. Okay, next 10 minutes. Love it. 10 minutes.

You enter. And the, as you enter the room, Zern sits, his eyes narrow, and the, huge raven on your shoulder kind of ruffles its feathers. It croaks at you. As, calm down. Sit, Felix.

That's, uh, yeah, yes, sir, yes, sir. You're the, you're the one who has the most knowledge about what Koroavopian life is. Is that true, Felix? Yes, sir. I believe so. And the way that I saw, saw your face when I mentioned your last name, and there's a very slight, tiny, tiny,

tiny hint of a smirk out of one corner of his mouth. Color begins to drain again. None of your companions even knew who you were. No, sir. I thought it was best to protect myself and them. A noble pursuit. But by the very virtue of traveling with them, and he Circle of Truth. I choose to fail. And he acknowledges that, he nods at you.

Just by choosing to travel with them from what you knew that put them in danger in the first place, is that correct? Yes, sir, but if I may explain myself, after the initial incident that I told you about when I escaped, I set out in a sailboat, the boat capsized, and Torah pulled me out from the water and saved my life. And it took me a while to even trust him and befriend him. I really had no intentions of traveling with anyone.

And then that day that the two, of us happened to fall upon the others, I quite frankly couldn't get rid of them. My intention was never to endanger anyone's lives. I was really just hoping to travel with Toa, and then I was sort of stuck with everyone. How did you avoid the eyes of the Talong God? Out of character. I don't think we ever discussed how I got the amulet. That was just my starting magical item.

You made shoes however you got that. I think that we had discussed multiple things. I think that you had potentially stolen it for what's his face? That's what I was going to say. Augustus. I stole an amulet of protection from detection. May I see? Yes, sir.

And I'll reach into my undershirt and I guess pull off the necklace and pull it up. Well, for your sake and for mine, I am glad I was unmoved and did not send my precious ravens looking for you or else you would not be sitting here. You would be long disposed of. Yes, sir. I understand. It's why I stole the amulet.

I'm very aware of, well, at least a little bit of what you're all capable of. Do you have any understanding of what Augustus was doing in torching all of those villages? And I hope you understand that doing your duty, beastleg is very real. And if we know that it is affecting a populace, doing what you did was the right thing. However, if it was duplicitous, that is where my ire is drawn.

I do not know what Augustus, Commander Augustus, could be up to. I only know what I discovered that night in the tent. I understand the reason behind my commands and my duty, but But if you're asking me to speculate, I think that he was manufacturing the illusion of Beast Plague to steal those children. And do you know what he would be doing with those children? What was special about your brother or the other children in your hometown? The only thing that I can surmise is their age.

Nothing special. I mean, my brother is just, he was just a kid. And Augustus was speaking with a large man. Yes, sir. Do you think it was as large as your companion? Would I know that? Probably about the same general size? Roughly the same size, actually, yes.

How can you be sure it was not your companion he was speaking to? I mean, I can't, but I've spent so much time with Toa, there's no way. I don't believe that Toa could fool anyone. But don't you think that if there was some sort of plot that involved your hometown, involved a lot, how many Goliaths are in Koravaka, you know that there are not many? In number. Sure, yes, yes, sir. You wouldn't stand to reason that your friend may be the one deceiving you?

No, no, I don't believe that for a second, no. Very well, Felix Ackerman. Do you know if there were any survivors from your hometown after what you did to it? No, I don't know. Do you know if there is anything you can tell me at all, Felix? about what Augustus was doing. I've told you everything that I know, and I've speculated on everything that I know,

and I believe that's it. Felix, I understand that you are filled with doubt and shame for what you did, but you must understand that war is very serious. The things that you must do in the things that have been done may have been justified in any other scenario. you cannot hold yourself responsible. You show true patriotism by being here right now. By deserting, that was the best scenario you could have done for yourself.

However, I do not want you to doubt the Korovakian government or the military now that you brought this to my attention. I will make it done that all. All of the taint of Baphomet and Moloch and the rest of them are purged from this country. And I would pray he would be welcomed back into our flock once we are certain of that. With all due respect, sir, I understand and hear what you're saying, and I suppose the trust could be reforged, but for now, I'm going to make my own decisions and just try to make things right that I've done wrong. And most importantly, find my brother. Are you here to subvert the will of myself or the Korobarctic military or government?

As long as I don't think that you're doing anything evil, then no. But I will no longer be used as a pawn to wholesale slaughter innocent human beings. You may be used yet. as a poem, Felix. But it will be used to save thousands of innocent lives. You are dismissed. Thank you, sir.

I'm just got to believe. He stands up and salutes you. And says back down, Felix is guided back to the room. I'm singing a song to the rest of the party. The old gray mare, she taint what she used to be, taint what she used to be, taint what she used to be.

It's a... corrupted horse. Yeah, I'm sorry. It's a pretty sad call. The rest of the verses get really rough and you actually know the folk tale. I leave for 10 minutes and you guys are devolved into this. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon.

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Thank you. Uh, I'm back, so I... Not in Jee. Nah, not yet. It seems like it's going to be all right for now. Okay, I think we'll be fine. Just... What else is up next, please?

Who is next? The worst is behind us now. Go ahead. Do I have to? Yes, you do. Okay, and I'll drag my feet very dramatically. You got this, a finger gun inspiration. Thanks.

You are guided, you're guided to the room. And Zerm is sitting there watching you. And he raises a hand. And is you look like someone very comfortable telling this truth. Let's change that. Oh, damn! I resent that statement. And it wasented or not, I have an excellent judge of character, and zone of truth, uh, whips around.

Got her! And... Then I am too. You choose the fail? Do you choose the fail as a own truth? Yeah, I said. Okay, so you choose a fail, you sit down. But I'll also give him one of these.

Oh, it's spicy. Taking bets now who survives. Team Lufty. Juice gift, my general. Well, if you must. That is your Korakian name, is it not? Is what you are registered with, is it not? Am I registered?

I thought I got rid of that years ago. Yes, okay. You can never get rid of documentation. That's not what the guy in the alley told me, that is 50 quid wasted. Gold, quid, gold. Where do your allegiances lie, Lofty? Gertrude. What are my options? I will give you none, you will tell me promptly.

Well, then I suppose with myself. Does Gruber and the rest of your monastery conspire against the Korovacian military? Gober? Conspire? Against whom? How? Why? Why would he? That is not for me to guess. Have you ever met, Brother Goober? That is not for you to know. Do what you know, do, does he conspire against the will of the Coravocan government? Absolutely not. He's like, he's like sunshine. Like in a fat little man, but his sunshine. You left Kurovaki a long ago and you find yourself back here after spending many years abroad.

Yes. Foreign governments. Oh, yeah, a son. And you have found yourself quite well off due to those foreign governments. Is that correct, Gertrude? Well, you know, I choose to see the people within the government as individuals. Why do you find yourself back in Korovakia after all of these years after abandoning your country? I did not abandon anything.

That seems a little possessive to me. I just like to travel. I've seen a lot of things. You should try it. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out.

Get out. Get out. We have to get out in the yellow. Get in the chopper. I have seen. Mean more than you have, Gertrude. Well, we'll put that to a test some other time. I won't wash your time now.

But I've been many places, and I do not see that as a traitor's action. Are you here under the direction and control of foreign governments to subvert the will of the Korovarkian government? I don't think so. Not to my knowledge. I've just come home. home. I haven't been home. As you said, I've been traveling for many years. Why did you come back? Well, I'm traveling with my friend. And she's, you know, young and kind of apathy.

Don't tell her I said that. And she just needs like, you know, someone with like street smarts to walk around. Make sure she doesn't get into trouble. And I'm sure you can tell I stay on. out of trouble. I don't know, something that's me. I mean, yes. You are smote from the bomb with holy fire and lightning. Instantly emulated and must he is dead.

Burning. Burning. What's her truth? She thinks she stays off the drawing. Are you, you are a being with connections to the elemental plane of air, and you are aware of this connection? I look at my skin. It's blue.

Yeah. Are you connected to the Ocaxian court? Oh shit. Well, I want to be. Do you know someone? How do you wish to be? Are you an agent of theirs trying to subvert our country? I'm an agent of no one.

Unless they pay very well. That's not a good... It's the worst possible. It's the worst possible answer. You're going to keep James Caprice? What interest do you have with the Ocaxian court, Gertrude? Well, I, you know, they have like a lot of domains. They're up high.

They get to see many things that people down here don't. More perspective, you might say. Do you understand they are a hostile threat against the peoples of Korabakia? And if they head their way, Every single man, woman, and child of this country would be cast down from their treetops and scattered against the rocks. Do you understand that?

Out of character? No, I would not have understood that. And in character, would I have? No? Why would you say that? Because it's true. This is a very hostile land, Gertrude. If you have interest in there,

and I'm looking for someone to give you, reason to make friendly and infiltrate, we may have further discussions, but for now I am done with you. That's good, because I am done with you. You're dismissed. You're dismissed. And I'll walk in.

I'll walk and just wait at the door until it opens from there. I'm locked in. Guys, I don't know why I'm so sweaty. All of a sudden, there's something came over me and it's like... I just coughs up a hair. Is it because my ukulele's attitude? No, no, it's not you. It's not your playing.

All dogs have fleas. All dogs have fleas. It sounds okay. I agree. It's not your playing. I don't know what came over me all of a sudden. I'm thinking about taking heat metal. Is that what's going on?

Luffy eventually arrives back to the room. And I'm in a full pal. Yeah. She is a saddle rain cloud. I'm a saddle rain cloud. So what's going on there, Lifty? I don't want to talk about it. about it.

Did everything go all right? I said I didn't want to talk about it. So she's not in jail, so it probably went well. Well, I look around the jail cell that we're in and I say, yeah, buddy, okay. Was it a jail cell and we're just like a room? It's a holding room. It's a holding room. You still a cell by any other name.

Right, exactly right. Exactly right. It's my next. I just pat him on the shoulder. Okay, buddy. Who is next? And I'm just muttering. Stupid thing.

Well, I was going to go less, but Arras, you see. very beside yourself, so I'll go next to. I'm just over there and I'm like, I'm making coffee. Good luck, buddy. You are guided through the hallways again, and you have to find yourself ducking a little bit here and there to avoid some light fixtures and avoid some arcways of the citadel.

As you enter the room where General Zern is sitting, you can see that he is one of the few, humans in this country that has been able to come close to your stature. As he stands as you enter, and he eyes you up and down, uh, discerningly and then sits back down and says, Toa Kamenui. General, hi, General, General, great General Zun, hi, General Sir. Your work on that, Lisa, have a seat. And then he cast out of truth.

And I fail, and I'll creep my way into the seat. The seat's a little loose. I'm sorry. Do not worry about the seat. Later there's a lieutenant who's going to get yelled at for bringing in a stupid chair with fucking arms on it. So we're just going to fucking burn him to the ground. It's going to get fired.

Fire. You would bring in a stool next time. Next time. If there is one. They won't kill me, I've been chewed out before. I'll just chewed me out, I've been chewed out before. Toa Kamenui. Yes, sir.

Why are you here in Koravakia? I'm here in Korovakia, sir, because I'm from the Makarni Islands. Have you heard of those, sir? I have. That's where I'm from. And you may know that it's a very volcanic island chain. There are lots of volcanoes and a great kind of major volcano. And those don't erupt because we have...

erupt because we have great wind spirits protecting our island sir and overnight sir they disappeared and I'm trying to consider myself a spiritual person and their presence seemed to vanish and I'm just worried that sir that sir that we may uh the volcano may erupt if those spirits are no longer there completely decimating and destroying everything I've ever known for my entire life ever sir oh and I also heard that they the reason for their abduction sir might be in related to stricger sir and I think that's everything sir. Are you familiar with your friend Felix's story about how a very large man was talking with his commanding officer subverting the plans and plotting trestery against the core of

arcing government? No, no. I would have only told Toa about that night. Okay. Oh, so you would have told me? I would have told you why that you found me washed out. after I trust you. You would have heard about the night of the tent. Yes, yes, he told me that story, sir. Was that man you? No, sir. No, I don't believe I was in the, I was at home at the time, sir. Is there any other Goliaths that you know about that is attempting to subvert the will of the Corps of Arkin government?

There is another Goliath that I'm aware of in this country, sir. I don't know his intentions to subvert the country one way or the other, sir. Do you know how I may find him? I do not, sir. I am also looking for him as well as I fear that he is trying to accomplish the same purpose but may fail and in fact make things worse for my home islands. Sir, so if you know a way to find him, that would be greatly appreciative if you would let me know where he is as well.

In your travels searching for spirit, of primal varieties, are you attempting to subvert the agency or rule of the Raven Queen over this country and this continent? No, sir. Once you have achieved what you will, what is your intention? Do you choose to go back then? There is the intention, sir, unless there's some greater threat, endangering many people, then I will, of course, stay to make sure that people are safe if I can. What do you know about this other Goliath that is in my life?

that is in my country. I believe that his name is Makutu Flamebentatayahi and I believe that he is a very, he's a mean person and he's very untrustworthy and I don't like him very much at all. He's very strong though. I don't care for him. We do not deserve Charlie. We don't deserve him. Jimin. No, we can't. He thinks for a moment and says, uh... Perhaps both of us...

Pergit impression. We work together to find this individual, but that is not for this day. Thank you, pizza pretzel! Oh, thank you pizza pretzel. Sorry, I had to announce that immediately. Pizza pretzel? Can I get crap? Good.

Oh, my dinner. We just started with pizza pretzel. For now, Toa Kamenui, you are dismissed. Hungry girl. Yes, sir. And let me know if you have any more questions. I'm happy to answer.

And I'll down my head and I'll creak up out of the chair, crying very hard not to break it. And the chair, the chair is fine. I feel like we just splinter under you. I feel like all the bullets are loose and very recently. It's weird. And before the final boss. And I get up and I we.

What about talking about? Tau arrives back at the group with one person, Oh, the last one. I just stand up and sadly walk to him. Good luck. And don't fuck it up. I'm sorry, I couldn't warn. You were asking me if you were the person.

I saw that late at the time. Oh, don't fuck it up. Thank you. I told him it wasn't me. I wanted to give you a heads up, but I didn't feel like I could before it was your time in the room. Well, no, I appreciate it. And I told him the truth that it wasn't me.

So now he knows for effect it wasn't me. But he wants to help me find that, that mean guy that's from my home islands as well. so he may actually end up helping me. I hope so. I'm just so glad to we're out of that zone of truth. I believe I can lie. Lime's not very nice. Keep going.

I believe. I believe that I can lie. Lie, la, la, lie. That I could truly lie. That I could truly lie because that's a oxymoron, right? Oh, yeah. As soon as you enter Iris. Zern watches you and the

Raven on his shoulder narrows all six of its eyes at you and lets out a low croak and kind of rears back and he leans up with his one good arm and strokes the side of... I don't even look at the bird. I just look straight at him and walk and sit in the chair. As he watches you. Bad bitch. I had feeling that you would be the last one I would speak to

Iris of the Sand. Yes, unfortunately, I was making a cup of Joe. I was going to go second to last, actually. The author makes no difference to me, as long as you tell the truth and the zone truth whips around, do you choose a fail? Of course.

Okay, you do that. Please realize before you begin speaking to me that you are speaking to royalty. I understand who you are, but you need to understand who I am. All aboard the hype train. I do understand. And then I choose.

Give him what for? I do understand. that I have royalty in my presence, Iris of the Salons, which is one of the reasons why I am particularly concerned. You must understand what it looks like

when there is duplicity in treachery against my will and the safety of... Are you trying to... Are you assuming or making the assumption that I have anything, or that my father has anything to do with this? Would it be interesting to you, should I, to send him a message and let him know that you are

throwing out subtle threats. I am making no subtle threats, ironess. I, as I've asked all of your friends, I don't have a coffee, but I pretend to drink one. About any connections to possible foreign agents that would be attempting to subvert. You must understand that being a human nation of civilized peoples, armed strigger,

surrounded on all sides by bling. thirsty savages, that I must be careful. The only reason that we have lasted as long as we have is because I am careful. No, actually, the only reason you have lasted this long is because we saved your life. Now, I understand that you must be nervous. It's awful to have a traitor in your midst, but to assume that my homeland might have something to do with it. Had it, you would not be speaking to me currently. waiting check. I'm telling the truth. Iris is how ball. And I am using it. I forgot to.

Natural 20. Oh, got to give it up. Gotta give it up. And so that is a 26. 26. He waits for a moment for you to finish. He says, I make no assumptions. No one has accused you of anything.

I am simply asking questions. Yes? No, this one to question. They were statements and I'm just letting you know that I didn't appreciate them Prefacing this question. This question are you here as a foreign agent for either Sackett or any other Necbesian or otherwise governments to subvert the will of High General Virgil Zern or the Korovaki military?

Yes or no? No. That is all you needed to say. That's all you needed to ask. You could have done that significantly sooner. But I must know. with whom I am speaking and understand how these individuals think if you are to provide more use than I had previously thought and you have proven yourselves quite valuable.

Your life does seem to be valuable, so yes, as we've saved it, I assume that we would be valuable to you then. More than you know. Perhaps. Be God that you serve. You may say his name, it is Anubis. I will say his name Anubis. Do you understand?

You do not need me to tell you that we worship a goddess of death. Does your God have any ill will towards ours? Would you like to ask him yourself? I would like to ask you if you are a cleric. Not that I'm aware. And given that you have passed the trial of the Raven Queen, you have shown respect, which I appreciate. Of course. All gods deserve respect.

especially those which vary life into death. And so, my last question to you, what brought you here? What brought you from your comforts of home? I hear how comfortable your lives are back in Siquet. Why would you give that all up to be here of all places? I'm loyal to my God. And when Anubis asks me to make, to travel,

travel. I will do so. I'm here at Nubis's will. Why has Anubis asked you to come to Corvacia? I am unaware. I'm hoping to find out. I do not believe the answer lies in the city. So the sooner that we can help you finish whatever war it is you've embroiled yourselves in, the sooner I can resolve my duty to Inubis and make my way back to the comforts of Siket. Are you done? I am done. You are dismissed. Thank you, darling.

prickly, this one, and I just turn around and walk away. Unrelated. Hersia, you said where you were from. Is it the same continent as Galtica? Yes. What continent is it? Yonah. Okay. Yonna. So they're pretty far apart from each other.

Yes. But they're on the same continent. Yes, got it. It's a big country. I didn't realize Yonah was a continent. Now I know. So the... So the...

He just watches you. watches you undisturbed, it seems, by that as he watches you leave, the door shuts behind you and you are escorted back. And Sir Iris arrives. And the guard, the female guard, he says,

dinner is being prepared. You'll be fetched when it is ready. She closes up. Wait, we have to wait in here? I think she's long gone. I'm so hungry. We could almost say I'm

angry, but I'm trying to behave. Would you like a Snickers? Yeah, I would. It's this strange chocolate-y creation look that you keep shuffing at me. Honestly, if it tastes in like shit, I'd still eat it. What?

That's concerning. We should talk about that. We want some British and we have all stuff on us. Hersia can eat later. And I look down at her thighs. She could use some fasting. Don't make fun of them.

Why don't you say that? I love my size. It's very insensitive. I just started working on my body, positivity. It's half the fun of a dog. You've got to take two steps back to take one step forward, am I right? I appreciate your thoughts. Wait, hold on.

How does that work? Well, it gets like a can-can. Now, Nikki loves the thought of it. I ever else any moment to make fun of Persia. No, what we really need to be talking about is not food at this moment. It is, however, that... I have no experience with that man but he's quite the asshole

and that's what I said and he we saved his life it would have been easy to let him fall to be quite honest and he puts us in the cell like we're nothing more than rats now I understand Felix he probably is

still irritated though he may forgive him who knows that he would abandon his post but for the rest of us we saved his life and we deserve more than cell dwellings. I don't think he's going to imprison me. It sounds like that he has plans for us to help with whatever oncoming storm is coming to Zentra.

He sounds like he's forcing us to fight in it. I'm not sure if you caught that, but he said you will fight in this war. I never agreed to fight his war. I agree with you. I'm not saying I wouldn't because I do feel duty-bound to. I do think that our, like you're saying, our goals may overlap with his,

and I don't necessarily want to just continue to be... They just wouldn't advise. I understand. I understand where you're going from. My father would be displeased. He's the hard general of the country. We should pay him respect. He deserves it.

Because he deserves it. Why? He's the heart general of an entire country that, up until now, I mean, he thought he was protecting. He's the country that's falling apart. But he didn't know. It's overrun by beasts. I have this.

You know Papa Jasper. Jasper for sense, my sweet darling. Please do not call him Daddy. I'm sorry. Somebody draw fan art of this right fucking now. I need this in my life. Papa Jasper, you know how he treats you. So good.

He is a bit... He seems a bit like a very generous man. You see as Iris's bath begins to arch. Her tail kind of pops out. She's like her over. Her claws are coming out a little bit, but not holding her. Darling, he treats, he treats very kindly.

Yeah, because to him we are family. You are like an adoptive daughter to him. You don't meet. Is that cool? Carable. But do you collect them, strange? I just see you not. That's because we are in his inner circle.

If you had been privy to a meeting, someone who is not, you would see a similar to mena to that of hygiene. General Zell. I don't believe it. I know. Because he is so kind. He's a wonderful father. So good. But when he is Pharaoh, he rules with an iron fist, or in our case a golden fist. But anyway, I digress. And that is important to do. When you have someone of that stature, you must respect them. When you're in his presence, think of him as if he were Papa Jasper, but is if he did not like you and you wanted to gain his favour.

I know. I know. I just, yeah, I couldn't, you know, usually I'm pretty good at this. Some, yes. Okay, I'll take that. I just, you know, I was put off. I couldn't say the things I would normally say. Like, oh, you're so handsome.

I would just, you know, couldn't say that. Darling, I've been meaning to talk to you about this. You can't keep recycling kind words to people and hope that it continues to stick. You can't tell every man that you see that he's handsome and expect him to do for you what the last man did. Well, his lips off that. But it will not work forever. You are smart girl. You're clever. I need you.

I need you. I need you to deal with this like you would if we were back at the palace and you were dealing with some of there's more irritable guards. Yes? Yes. Can you handle this? Yeah. Well, I'll try. Thank you. I'm really hard. And I will be there to support you. Oh. But if I give you the look and you know it, is that it right now? No, this is much more pomp. Is it women, your eye does a little twitching thing? Well, I'm definitely getting there, Luffy. Okay, okay, okay. Yes. Good job.

And? Yes? Well, perhaps we just enjoy each other's company while we wait for dinner. Great. Love to see it. Thanks, Toa. Yeah, I'm enjoying your company. I'm taking my ukulele. Shall we? Like we practice?

Porn Legion. They will come. They will come. To walk away the rain. No, that's different. You really go to an elemental place when you play. It's very interesting, and we'll play songs and laugh and chat. Okay.

So, a probably nearly 20 minutes pass, and eventually you hear the door unlock and the swings open at that same female officer and she says, do you know, is ready? Please be cut. thank God and polite and she leads you define polite through the walls and through the walls uh through the walls uh he gets in his form of something and wow is this he opens up the wall in front of you this is Gary's mod holy shit Thanos was your dog out of his pack and inserts into the doork Oh, sweet.

And so, you are guided through the Citadel up flight of stairs to flight of stairs higher and higher until you're... Once again, as you're passing by windows, the cacophonous croaking din of the Ravens is louder and louder and louder and louder. As you make your way higher and higher up the Citadel. And eventually you are guided to the same... floor that you had encountered High General Zern's meeting room at the very least. However, you pass that door. There are still individuals trying to scrub the blood stains out of the

stone floors as you pass. And you eventually are guided to heavy wooden doors. And it has a very similar symbol to the one outside of the door that you had entered previously, but far more muted. and the female officer reps on the door and she waits a moment and you hear come in

and the door opens she swings it open and says be polite and you all enter a room that you see this warm glow and there is a large fireplace in this burning hearth

that is radiating along the side. It seems to be the same architecture and style as the large meeting room, but for more intimate. There is a modest, heavy wooden table. And we see sitting up ahead of the table is Zirp, the large raven that has been on his shoulder is on a perch in the corner of the room,

and it croaks at all of you as you enter, as there are three chairs on either side that are empty and he stands as you am turned and says thank you all for joining me for dinner did not seem like we had a choice but you're welcome you do not but I welcome you thank you so much for your hospitality this looks delicious

yes we loved that cell the dingy dirty small cell that you had a store in it was very comfortable incredibly how is the chair by the way What's chair? Were you talking about to it? We didn't have any chairs in the set. I have some tools on me. I'd be more than happy to patch that right up. The chair's fine. I will have... I'm very concerned about the chair.

I will have... He's in a sentient being like to court. I need to ignore these things. For what it's worth, I haven't thought about the chair since I left the room. I appreciate it. These chairs will also fine. They have sturdy Korovaki and make. Well, I'll sit Dan and is there food on the table? There's a... Yeah, there's a large banquet.

Yeah, I got interrupted. The large banquet of a variety of different foods. Roasted meats, the smell is delicious from having been on the road for so long and having modest tavern food fair. This is a lavish meal. It almost reminds me about you something that you would have eaten back home, Iris. Love it. It's the only thing that makes me happy.

And there seems to be several pictures of wine. on the table as well as goblets at each spot, and you're all welcome to sit down. I'll take us to eat closest to Zern, and I'll pour myself some wine, and wait until he starts to look at the food before I eat. Does this look like it's a table set up just for us, or is he expecting more people? There are exactly six chairs. Okay. Besides sets. And... I'm just going to sit next toa. Okay.

Who is on either side of him? So you're on the other side of him. We fit in this order. Yeah, and he is where you are. Yeah, that would be great. That's convenient. Got it. Yeah, that's good. So Fersia is down next to directly on his right side.

Yeah, right hand woman right here. There you got. Oh, boy. And we're at. Thanks for dinner. I can't, I kid. Do I get a show leader? Oh, dear old.

Oh, dear. Oh, dad. Please. Eat. You all. You all look like you are hungry, and you need sustenance. You had an incredible battle, and I want to appreciate all of you

for enduring my personal questioning. I do want to stress that I am appreciative of you saving my life, and I hope this hospitality would show that I am appreciative of you appreciative. This is a room where I would have my six eyes, my six generals, but as one of them is now in pieces, deep in the citadel. And the others, I am not sure how well I can trust. You now sit here with me. I hate to ask, sir, sir, but permission to speak, sir. You at ease, Felix. Felix. All right. I almost...

I call it morbid curiosity, but were these seats assigned? They were not. The generals have assigned seating. Which am I sitting in right now? That was more or less my question was who is sitting in Krujada's seat. He looks at you, Caprice. Oh, I got the D.K. seat?

Shit. You did. Is that the babble? Felix breathes out of sight of him. I let him whisper into my ear for too long. I have, I put a high stress on secrets. High importance on information and intelligence. That is the point of my birds, the point of one of the pillars of Korovakia being information,

which is why we were blinded for so long. It's very important, I agree. Now that you said that, I'm glad to be sitting here. I mean, I know he betrayed you, paralyzed you, and tried to assassinate you, but... Where were you going with this, Caprice? You know, I thought I had somewhere, but I just sort of started and then... You couldn't finish... How about a toast?

He watches you, and you see that there's no alcohol in front of him. There's a glass of water, and he picks it up. Oh. With his good hand. No, that's bad luck. I'll allow toast. With water? I do not drink.

Okay, I'm kind of nervous, just because, okay. I am not worried about luck I don't forge for myself, Hesha. You may be at ease. Okay. I'll toast to the Raven Queen and also toast that I learned from Iris. Thanks, awfully. I'll get a cup of water. Seeing Toa drink water, I'll actually do the same.

Awfully, I guess. Sir, may I have permission to speak, sir? You all have permission to speak. I have invited to my table. Cheers. That's amazing. That is some crisp water, sir. No.

It's very refreshing. Please eat. I immediately yank. I immediately yank like a haunch out of some chicken and I just go to fucking down on this day and chug and ale at the same time slamming it on the counter. It's starting to just, the juices are covering my face. Oh, the Roja Viyahs really? Just very...

Where'd you get the hummus? There's not enough feed of chips. It's angry now. There's never a cupita! Is this Peruvian chicken? It's whatever you guys want to. It's Nando! I love Nando!

Oh, yeah! Gotta give it up for Nando. I don't know they had a Nando's. Do you have mint peas? It's Zerndos, actually. No, it's Zern-Dos. Oh, I like that. Of all the food, they could have served us, they served as Zendos.

I'm just gonna fest today, okay. Fist. I need to fist. I'll take a pass. So, any... Should we keep... The DEMB is gone. We just continue naming DISH. Well, this dinner is lovely.

This is quite lovely. This is almost exactly what you would get. Though the fair is quite different. But a similar atmosphere, if you were to come visit me in Siket. I would love to have you at the palace. It would be lovely. We should do it not midsummer, maybe towards the beginning of autumn. It's quite, it's gorgeous, actually.

Oh, we could do it under the stars. And I just start talking to myself, no means listening. That's a great question. What season are we currently in in Corvacia? In Strickland. Oh, right? Oh, right? Yeah, you're in the autumn.

Okay, so you're just talking about a zero later. Well, it's also a different... Are you in a different hemisphere? So I am down at the very bottom and we're kind of at the top, so it probably is... Yeah, it's different... Like opposite seasons. I guess...

Oh shit. Ah! No, the four claw! The Thorpew! Not the coffee! Protect the coffee! The illusion is destroyed! The illusion is destroyed! Like a little so good.

The wall. They thought it was a wall before that. If to pull way over on this side, Mike. Thanks, Mike. Okay. Good? Yeah, that's fine for now. Good enough.

Oh, no. Oh, no. How did that happen? Don't know. No, I mean, like, no, we should be good. All right, we're good. Let's just be weird.

It ruins everything. Okay. That's not true. No way. Is the blue dots still lit? Yeah. It's the blue dot. It's a curating.

Oh, you can see. light of the character. I never would have spotted that. I built me. Wait, you get it? Yeah, it's like right above your head, Luffy. Mine? Oh, no, it's been turned off. The blue dot still is.

It's so crazy. I'll care for it. All these bits we get and subs go to new backdrop. You don't see. Yeah. Whatever emo, should be a blue dot. There's really a blue circle. Like, what is that? Oh, it's meta.

Yeah, yeah, it's her curing, but why. Don't worry about it. It's a blue dog. All right. Wrong never. So, I think it's like, it's about early autumn. Okay, I was just curious. It's getting cold.

Because you said, well, when we got over here, it was cold. Yeah, so it's chilly. It's generally chilly. We came from temperate weather. It's, you know, it's only early autumn, it is like chilly. Right. It's approaching, yeah. So you are in.

Cold ass. Like real cold. Yes, you guys is like really fucking cold. Is it okay? I guess because she lives up. Yeah, it's nothing for you. It's nothing for you. I assume I would be.

Though I've been away, I'm kind of like... You adapt to it pretty familiar with the gloom. Yeah, you're familiar. Not to like, you know, talk about weather patterns over dinner. I'm just curious. I was just playing with your little... The weather is, as it is gloomy, as it is all the time. Good bread, this.

Good bread, this. Good bread, this. This bread is good. He's a marvel. Who are you saying? You're not making eye contact with anyone. I'm making our content with the hard generals Sue. He's not looking at you though.

He is. And I don't think you have to like Maloort. No, well. Just because Felix, he was in the military. You don't have to do the salute things. Oh, I'm just trying to respect everybody's customs. We appreciate it. Yes.

We do. It's very kind of it. Hey, hey, Zernold buddy. Help me understand a little bit about your path to your Zernship and to, you know, what do you like to do when you, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, you know, I assume you don't have very many days off, but are you go and enjoy entertainment? Are you a fishing man or golf? I don't know what that is.

It's like a wide gap. I don't know. How about Fleurne? Fleen. Oh, sorry, my fault. Fleen, Fleen, have you ever heard of... We've only discussed Fleen, Flearn, Fleen once or twice. I'm sorry.

I do not have time for hobbies. My passion lies in protecting the people of Korovacia. That consumes all of my life. waking hours. That's fair. I mean, I understand you're in a position of tremendous stress, especially given what's happened over the past 24 hours, I'm sure. That is true, but luckily, I've consulted with all of the generals, and I believe I can trust.

Of course it's okay. She is fine. Oh, thank you. Where did she get off to? She is coordinating with the war priests and mobilizing them for. war. Damn. War priest sounds pretty intimidating. I like that language unit very much. By Sigma! The hammer! And the Empire!

That, yes, that is the intention. Um... Is there anything more that that needs to be done in the immediate future to prepare for the coming siege? I feel like we've been in a cell all day and we have no idea if the people are alert and and aware of the danger that's coming, the threat? I mean, that seems pretty important. The people will be told what they need to be told. And this is the reason why I wanted to have a meal with all of you.

You have mentioned that there had been a labyrinth with a tunnel that led directly to my city. Yeah, it's still there. It is still there, and I will need you tomorrow, when you awake, to guide... General Chumley and his men there so they can survey it and hopefully find the rest of them if there are more entrances. Absolutely. Our pleasure. It is then a return to me here, and it is only a matter of days before the Horn Legion arrives. I have sent the eyes I can trust over the clock.

and I have seen their forces. It will be a battle that will take many lives, but is one I intend to meet head on. And since all of my personal guard have been slain and my six eyes I can no longer trust fully, I am counting on you all to take their place. That's a lot of responsibility. With all due respect, which eyes can we not trust? Which ones are you fully trusting that may give us some insight to who to talk to and who not to talk to?

I have personally questioned all of you, and I know, and I mean no offense. When I say that you do not have the means to deceive me in ways that my other generals may be able to the way that Kujata did for so long, Well, meaning no offense, how do we know that we can trust you? I am the most powerful man on this continent and you sit at my table. No harm has come to you.

Yet, I usually find that a man minds to like, you know, wine and dine me before he fucks me. So... I have no... We're halfway there! How do I know that we can toss you? That gives me a song idea. We're halfway there. Okay. The halfway, Zell!

Gertrude, rest assured, I have no intentions of amorous relations with you. Far more attractive women have tried. Zern, I don't need to speak out of the turn. For one, that is a lie. But two, also, she was referring to you damaging us, hurting us. That was the sense of the word fuck.

It was a joke, you see, because she is quite loose. I mean, she's, I'm sorry, she is a lady of the night in some occasions, but she was not referring. Yes, I know, I'm going to shut up. I was trying to tell him that it was a joke. But she means to say, it was a joke. I do not wish to bed you, I just wish for you to not harm me or my companions. And you haven't, to be honest, given us any reason to things that you want. you've said oh you're a big powerful man and I do not doubt this but

what good will come of us helping you how do we know is just the one to be trusted because each of you as I have learned has your own individual reasons for coming either to this country or back to this country okay if there's one man that can point you in the right direction and a assist you for those aims. It is me. Yes, sir. And you are saying you will do this. I'm saying if you join me on the battlefield and we all survive,

then I shall. You have earned that privilege by saving my life, exposing the treachery of a trusted general. Well, that's a horse of a different car. So you intend to actually go down on the battlefield and fight yourself? Any true leader of men and women would do the same. Those that experience as war and does not put themselves in harm's way. He's a coward that does not deserve the respect or adoration of their people.

I'll be happy to join you when that day comes. You've seen it yourself. This guy, he loves to crush heads and... Take means. Yeah. He has this little Joe Taua smash. When he gets mad. Is it?

This is my first time hearing of this joke. Can you talk to help her thing? So I do it happen with my face. What? Hmm? Hmm? I hand her the beer cheese. We had a Gordon beer.

There is a cliff. Mando's Gordon beers. There is something we need to talk about. A couple of days prior, there was a strange dwarf woman who came into the tavern where we were staying and she swiped to me. She unfortunately was able to get out of our clutches, but I am unsure of what kind of nefarious deeds she may be getting into. I would suggest that you have some of your military out looking for her. She was haggard and old, incredibly old, but quick moving and smelled horrific. You would be able to smell her.

miles, well maybe not miles, probably around a corner. I think she's just a harmless, homeless person. I don't believe so, Toa. I do believe that she was up to no good. I don't... I worry that maybe this is not General Zern's most immediate priority. Let's put us on the other things first. My point is, if I do...

I do believe that the way she looked at all of us, she knew who we were. And it is because of that that I worry that her presence in the city might be of defarious nature. With all due respect, Iris of the stands... Then you probably shouldn't speak. When you start a sentence like that, it normally implies that will be no respect. I've given you the information. And then I...

There are far more pressing matters than... Well, with this dwarf comes up behind you and you least expect it and she lunges at you. and it is the last that you ever see the light of day. You will know. Iris of the sands warned you, such. I'm confident there's no dwarf that can... In this country, or that can... Firm me.

She mentioned the smell, too. I mean, I imagine you've... You feel them coming. He's a lot taller than the dwarf. I'm not sure the smell would waft up to his nostrils. I do believe that is the reason I did not sense her coming before she ripped the cucat... The cucumbers from my eyes.

That's using your noggin. I do it every day. Good pretzels, these. This. Oh, we've got pizza pretzels? Oh, right. Beaglebutty. Shit.

No, beetle bites. Beagle bites. You know what they say? Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at supper time. Oh, I know. Pizza's on the table.

And pizza's on a beaker. Yes. You should absolutely. It's cute. Jim, I think you're all to something. I think she's got it. So, is my understanding that we're supposed to, the personal guard thing, that's the role you envision for us just because of the lack of additional personal guard

and because we've proven our medal? Yes, that is my intention. So you're not going to let us just leave the city? So you're saying that our reward for saving your life is to possibly die and battle. The reward is the chance for an even greater reward. That sounds very fair

to me. I'm happy. I'm happy to play to my assistant. It's like a pyramid scheme. I did have a question. You know all about those. Don't you hear us? That it sounds like it's something from circquette. Yes, they originate that fear. Did you mean to do that?

No. I was going to ask you. That is perfect. That is perfect. Thanks for that out that went right over my head you boots really lovely does it have a name yes it does have a name do you mind me asking what their name is no we're trying to guess it's a very pretty bird she does not like me telling others her name oh it must be something disgusting like Persian who six blood red piercing eyes are very who six blood red piercing eyes are very

beautiful. And I've never seen a bird with six blood red eyes before. It's very unique. It was sent by the Raven Queen herself. It has been invaluable. Would we know of any local knowledge of like, I forget if we already asked this also, of Six-Eye, you're shaking your head. Only because I don't know if I'm from here. Is there any like local knowledge that either of us would have about a Six-Eyed bird in reference to the Raven Queen or otherwise. Or just like a natural. Part of the religion, right?

Yes, but is it only part of the religion or is it a natural being in existence? And because I do believe that Lifty is also thinking this, would she know whether they're normally that size or that gigantic size? I would say make a nature shot. How big is this? It's like on a shoulder.

It's big. It's like a pool of raven's a big. This is a big ass raven. I remember from the... But I'm talking about the one that was in the dungeon thing with the chains. That's like the same kind of thing, right? No. That was like a one. Oh, okay.

I know they were the same. It was also almost like a human. They both had six. It was human eyes. It had wings. They both had six eyes. Ten for me. For religion, unfortunately. I'm not rolling well today. I need my thing and I don't know. Do you think. Is we familiar with the concept

of the six eyes of the raven? I would say that you probably knew that there is a raven that was accompanying Zern. But as far as the the being standard thing, you're not sure. I got like a six. You're not super sure about the,

it does not anything, any other bird that you've grown. Oh, and you didn't ask this question out loud. No, I did. Well, no, you're thinking. I'm asking about it. Yeah, no, I was asking like my previous knowledge. I'd like to ask the DM, the state bird of Galtrow. Of Galtica?

It is, it is an albatross. Oh, thank you. I will write that down. That's a big ass bird. What's the state bird of? Siquette. It's Vibis. It would be, yes. North Falcon, actually.

I like the Ivers answer better. I bet it's, you know, Cyrus is like kind of... Oh, Sibis. What's the state bird of the Makami Islands? A Moa. But you knew that. I knew that, probably. Anyway, what's the wind speed velocity of an African swallow?

Oh, you're suggesting that he hauconauts migrates. It's all a matter of what he grips it. Wait, is that, did you already say the state bird of Fort Rock yet? It's a raven. It has to be a raven? It has to be a raven? Yeah. No separation of church and state.

No. No. This is quite literally a religious state. Based on the... No, I know. It's literally a theocracy. I can't stand for the... I won't stand for it.

Who is what I asked for the next? I just spit all over myself to you. What? Because you're so outraged. Is your favorite color? Your favorite color. Green. No, no, blue!

Red is my favorite color. Oh, yes. It was a gift, she was a gift sent to me from the queen herself after she saved me in my time of dire need as a young man. This kind of red? What was so dark? A little bit more red than that. Yeah, it's a little mad.

I appreciate that. What color are you again? I'm like rust. Rusty. It's kind of orangey? Yeah, like brown. It's somewhere in between brown, red and orange is that middling rusty color. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep. Yep. Yeah, I cannot fail the heist. I just love that thing. It is crazy. Um, so, uh, are there really good places to visit in Korovakia while we see?

Any favorite spots to, or any fun places we can have adventures? I mean, as your personal guard, we may have to just stand outside of your door all day, but... Wait, your personal guard? I don't remember that being something. that we talked about. I was a little bit busy. Oh, no, that's what we've been talking about. He's asking us to protect him, and in exchange, he's going to put on the table what we might be looking for

and put resources towards our ability to find our own destinies. Where has my head been now? I've been constantly looking over my shoulder for that dwarf. There are no dwarves here save for Hoja and Boehart. I thought you were going to forget about Persia. We often do. I forget about no one with my presence. Oh, thanks. She's the best liar I've ever met. If for some reason you were able to help us out with the things that we're looking for

and the search for my brother would leave beyond the city walls, at what point would you allow me to leave? We will see how the battle for Zentra commences. When do you believe that this battle is going to commence? A matter of days. So when it is unfortunate? Well, I have a song prepared that'll help inform the general public of the Horn Legion. I sing it earlier, and it was a huge success.

If you wanted, we could round up all the barbs in the various taverns. I could teach them the song, they could go. And tonight, everybody would be whistling in the same tune in preparation for the next 72-48 hours, 96-hour hour-long it's going to be. Is it measured in the delivery of the message as? not to incite panic. Would you like to hear it? You could make that judgment yourself. I would very much like to hear it.

I love music. I have the lyrics written down right here and I pass them the... I would like to hear it performed. When I do get a spare moment, hearing beautiful music is the only thing that brings me rest and relaxation.

Do you play a violin while you sing? Is that usually... My viola, I just treat like every instrument, right? So, like, I would probably be doing this, but I can also pluck at it if I want a guitar more feel that, I think. So you usually play lead while you sang, so I'm just... And I've taught you the chord progression.

And I know the core progression, so I'm just doing some nice rhythm, maybe arpeggiating a little bit, but... And I'm snapping. It needs more finger snaps, so definitely. I don't have cowbell. I clap my thighs to the... Then we have a cowbell.

Yep. Yep. Um, yeah, and, uh, I will perform the, the song for him. Do you guys want me to do it? Yeah, we're waiting. Jesus. Any opportunity. Sorry.

That's fine. This is what you get to the opportunity. Once a month, you get to sing noise. I've got so many prepared. Um, in this realm, indisposed, in disguises, no one knows. There's a horde of claws and swords of beast men unto war. Beating hooks Wetted horns

Neath dark wings and crowns of thorn Know their name Fight their schemes We will hear their screams again Hornley John They will come And spread their brand of pain Hornley John

They will come they will come Performance check of advantage Yes You gotta give it up Natural 20 Yes I got to give it a

19 Oh my god Everybody giving me the massive help that they gave me So as you play the song assisted by Toas A ukulele playing

You feel totally on top of your game everyone else assisting you and joining in, you actually see Zern's rigid masks start to crack a little bit. As it seems as if perhaps music is this man's one weakness. As he seems to start to, his eyes close a little bit, and he is almost relishing on the notes of the song as you would relish on a fine wine.

As he's listening to it, And as soon as he finished, he breathes out and says, Mark me as impressed. Thank you. He's very good. Thank you. The lyrics may need adjusting to... Not incite panic.

To not incite panic. To smooth the edges. But if you will provide my soldiers with that, those lyrics, perhaps we can help spread the word faster. Chumley is in charge. Excuse me. Just chum, you're aware which chum is. I do. I did not name the man.

I'm just saying it's unfortunate. Hopefully he does not have any siblings. Is Chumley his full name or is chum and then Lee? And he has like a brother named Bruce or what. His first name is Grosk. Grosk. That is significantly worse. It seems like,

He looks exactly how you would expect. It's a gibbering mouth, oh my God! I understand. You know better than anyone else in this city. What awaits in the battle for Zensha that is forthcoming? It may be something that none of us can even hope to survive. But I believe in my goddess, and I believe... that with me looking out for you and you looking out for me we stand the best chance

Chaps. Caprice, your family and your family, Felix. And your family, Toa. Your family, Iris. Which about my family, I'm sorry, I'm spacing out again. He's getting there. Okay, thank you. He's old.

He's not that all. And your family. He looks at you and his eyes kind of linger knowingly. And, Hesra, your family as well. All of you, whether sent by God's circumstance, or far worse, his eyes linger on you. Through circumstance, through gods, through things,

far darker and far worse and he looks at you Caprice. Okay. Through spirits. It seems as if there's a common thread of seeking what is best for your family, and that is something as someone without any family left, I can appreciate. And I will do what I can once my people are safe, once my city is safe, to assist how I can, and you will be rewarded. Do you find that amenable?

Do you believe in my power in the battlefield? Yes. Yeah, I think we do. I'll speak for myself, though. I don't speak for the rest of my companions. I like the plan. I'm excited about the plan. I think we should do the plan.

I'm here. If you will honor me to fight by your side, that would be really great. And if you hear about any dwarves passing through your city tour, that would be nice to know. It's going to be my next question. And we're looking for perhaps more than one dwarf. Yeah, he said that I'm the only dwarf in the city right now. That dwarf that cost of me was Hershey's father. I think you would probably...

I think I would have smelled him. I'm sure it was a drunken imbecile. Maybe. You sure this wasn't me. Where was I in this stuff? I don't know how long I'm going to live up with his fantasy. She's a bad as tall as a dwarf. The rest of the campaign.

Yeah, yeah. But back to seriousness. Yes, your father is important. Thank you for acknowledging that. I appreciate that. Vote of competence. Speciality is wrong to me. So yeah, if you or any of your noble knights hear about Torvald, Evohart, or anyone that looks like me,

a male stature and my height probably and is a forced cleric, and I would greatly appreciate the news, because although I do plan to fight for your city and fight by your side, The longer I am here, I think also you can attest to this to Felix, the greater the distance between me and my father becomes. So no rush, of course, obviously we have to wait for them to come here and I will fight, but if you do hear of any word on the winds of a dwarf in the city around the city, any eyes on him, I'd greatly appreciate it. I will send out my birds once. This is all over. And as a sign of good faith and trust amongst allies,

I want to give you all something. To show that I am serious. He reaches into his huge coat that's over the full plate armor that he still wears sitting down at dinner. Yes, he reaches out. He has a handful of shimmering metal. And he flicks it around.

in his large slender fingers, long slender fingers, he holds up a badge of some kind that has a familiar symbol. The symbol that was etched on the door of his chamber, the raven, the silhouette of the raven with his wings spread out, and six red eyes. He seems to have six of these. Cool. I would hope you would all accept this as a way to move unmolested through Zentra and Korovakia

as long as I am the High General. And he splays them out on the table in front of him. Perfectly separated. For all of you. And he turns to you. Thank you. Felix Ackerman. Yes, sir.

And for you, I would hope you would know that this would come with a full pardon for your desertion. Thank you, sir. It's incredible. I think that we need to give a round of applause for that. That means a lot. I appreciate it. Thank you, my, that's so generous. I've got to give it a moat right here.

You have proven your patriotism far more than the unthinking. comrades that you once served alongside. I would normally, and you know this, I would normally punish desertion unquestioningly. Yes, sir. And ruthlessly. But here you sit, and here I sit, and you've proven your allegiance to Korobakia and to me.

And so, despite all of the... the pressures from the Talangar to seek down a Felix Ackerman. I'm glad I did not find their please convincing and that you should consider yourself lucky that you were a small fry in the grand scheme of things. I do, sir. Thank you. Let's do it again. You'll be fine.

And I will hopefully aid you in the search for your brother. Thank you sir. That means the most out of all of this. It's wonderful. I'm going to find her. I hope so. So I will not say you will be held in a dungeon if you refuse, but I will stress the seriousness of while a legion of beasts marches upon my city. If you are not with me, it will be far more difficult to allow you to walk free. But this is your decision to make. Whatever you need, just let me know as long as we can keep the city safe.

I'm happy to spend our time here if you have quarters for us, within proximity to you. I completely agree. At the end of the day, no matter what the future may hold for us, currently, the lives of the innocent people in this city are of the utmost importance to us. they are not the ones that are calling on these beasts to rain down their help fire around them and we are the only ones with your military and our collective magics and strength are able to protect them and I believe that the Raven Queen and Inubis would will us to do all that we can to protect everyone in the city and I think that laying low may be the best option for us and murdering in Yes.

Who is that, by the way? He's my dad. Do you mean Moradin? Meriden, yeah? It must be an accent thing. It's always like a... Yeah, it's like maybe it's where she's from. Oh.

Oh, my God. I always forget that, yes. Can you say use? What? Can you say use? Yours? No, yep. It's definitely what it is.

I had no idea who she was talking about. I don't know much about him. We should communicate. it. I would like to know more. That's like the nicest thing you've said to me all day. I'll scoop up the three I used on my side of Michael Filos and Koa and I'll ask. This is a good day!

This is a very good day. Merghen is hiding down a pine. I love you. By accepting these medals, you are honorary members all of the Korovakian military Felix. You know

this is, you are not honorary. you are a member. It feels good to be back, sir. Is it a rank? Is there like a thing, or is it just a... Am I like a lieutenant or some kind of officer now? Is that a T-Fling Lorbar? Huh, yeah, no, it's me, but I don't...

You are my wings. You are the wings of the raven. It goes so far as to say that anyone who is not us would be beneath the dark room. We were pretty good at winging at that for sure. I heard a very... I love how you said.

Don't like to miss it. To be fair, I thought you were going to say something about the wind beneath his wings. I heard a wise man I knew once said something that stuck with me, even a small child. Oh, no. Then once it's like poetry. Rhymes. He was later killed. He had been seen again.

He was seen again. He was seen again. Look at chat. Anyway, George Lucas aside. George Lewis doesn't actually exist in anxious. Oh, he does not. Oh. Sorry, guys.

I love he walks. Me personally, I clashed when I saw him. Okay. Bring it back down. You are the six wings of Zern. Show those medals. To anyone that gives you trouble, if they are of the Corabakhine military,

and they will let you pass without question. What material are these made from? Could I have mine plated in gold? Would it still function the same way? I just... Silver... Those are how they are forged. of a clashes with the rest of my jewels, you see.

You may keep it obscured and hidden and reveal it when you need to. There's quite a shot with it as some the way I like it too. I use minor delusion to make it look like bold. Oh, oh, exactly what I'm here. Please don't leave my side. Then I'll put it in my back. You all continue to enjoy dinner. So you will be meeting with Chumley in the morning.

And he will... You must show him what you saw, where you saw it, for his own eyes. I would have sent you with his men, but I do not trust anyone besides the remaining generals that I have questioned. And even then, that's why I require you to be there. Keep an eye on everything. Make sure that there is no treachery afoot. So we should not talk about this outside of ourselves. No one should overhear us discussing the oncoming armies.

Yeah, is this a secret wing or is this a public wing? Which wing? The wings that are us. Us being your wings. Yeah, are we going to start making announcements and everyone looks at us and goes, oh. No, I meant. The medals you have will speak for themselves. Oh.

I meant the incursion. Until he makes an announcement, we shouldn't be out and about talking about it, is what I'm saying. Oh, 100%. Absolutely. I totally agree. Agreed. Just use, keep your voices down and spill information sparingly. And all will be well, and then we will all march to war together. Thank you for joining me this evening. Thank you.

The pizza pretzels were really, really good. I was impressed. I do have one more question, if I mean. You may. Well, there'll be dessert. Reasonable. It's a good question. There will be dessert, and after-dinner beverages, yes.

I'm very excited for cocktail hours. Also reasonable. I pick up my water. As are most. You realize he has not touch any of the food. Oh. As...

It's concerning. As he... As dessert is brought out, and coffees and teas and a variety after dinner, alcohol beverages are brought. And unless there's anything else, you can enjoy and discuss amongst ourselves. I think we would probably just chat and try to get to know... How about you guys chat? He's to know each other while he's the rest of it.

Well, this is... Jello salad. Oh, boy! I'm not. I've never heard of Jellas salad. My favorite. Oh, for yarm. Oh, for yoms.

I like that one. Please explain. Felix, have you had Jellu salad before? Um, uh, Jello is one of the only, like, of four foods on this earth that I won't eat. Oh, well, that definitely won't eat it. Definitely don't waste it. I mean, it's safety. I just don't prefer it.

Well, I'll just give it all the hizier. Yeah, I'm okay with that. The sooner we get rid of it, the better. It's all. Just like, open, you love. She literally eats the entire thing. I'm like no face when it comes to dessert and meals. I just keep passing hers and new plates of all of desserts.

You guys are crazy. Are you going to get into the tiramisu? Zappa? Why are you cutting it with a steak knife? It's tiramisu. It's better if it's in a very, very specific right angles. But couldn't you use a butter knife and not a steak knife? I didn't have one at my feet.

I'm going to get one. You can't. A knife shaming. you. Hold on. I'm going to cut. I'm going to get that. I'm going to get that. I only don't reverse it.

Thanks, I guess. Yeah, I'm sorry. Derek would be disgusted by this, but oh, thank. You're off. Yeah. Oh, God. Tira, me, so. Honestly, I was feeling a little irritated at the beginning of the day.

and you I'm not feeling irritated any longer I'm not feeling irritated any longer I'm not feeling irritated any longer this dinner was very pleasant and I'm incredibly happy it's all I was going to say me too

feel free to say no if it's too late when he mentioned the getting the bird from the Raven Queen Can I like insight check that? Yeah. And if you want to talk more about it, you know, you guys have, it's after dinner and you see that he's relaxing. So Felix would get the impression that after being asked the bird's name and him being told that, or, you know, told that the bird doesn't like people to know its name, I wouldn't ask any more than that.

I just want to get an insight on him talking about that. Yeah. If possible. Well, that's pretty fucking good. Not going to long. That's good. That's good. Yeah.

Yeah. 21. I would like, could you please elaborate what you're about you're trying to discern? He seems to be truthful about how he got the bird. All right, Zern. Meta knowledge outside characteristics here. It's bizarre to me that he has this bird that was gifted to him by the Raven Queen, that it's almost like he listens to this bird and that it's odd to me that Zern would listen

to a command that the bird wouldn't want people to know the bird's name. that seems out of characteristics for me about Zern I would say with the 21 because it comes across as the bird is not a servant the bird is some sort of messenger or almost above him.

Bird is the Raven Queen. You get the sense that you get the sense that the bird that Zern's bird whose whose name he did not want to speak right

is he seemed to be truthful and it seems When you saw him talking about it, it's as if there is a weakness or a love or appreciation or respect or reverence beyond country, you then got the sense of music and also this bird. Okay. In the sense that you sense when he was talking about it, you got a sense of reverence in a way of a holiness when Iris discusses Anubis or in the way that all of these individuals that worship the Raven Queen. in your whole history and in the adventures since the campaign started. I've discussed the Raven Queen.

But there is a level of reverence, and you've got the sense that he still commanded it to go out and do something. However, the way which he spoke is there is an interesting dynamic there. So Felix is satisfied with that answer. Andy is still suspicious. Got it.

Thank you, D.M. Mike. That the bird is the one who is really in charge and Vernes at the pond. I'm concerned about that. But we can talk about that later. Oh, really? We can talk about that later.

I was joking. I'm not. I'm, Andy's very suspicious. But Felix is satisfied. Thank you. Okay. Is he still not eaten anything, not even the dessert or anything? So, hi, General.

There is a tradition back home in Valdstad, where after dessert, dessert, we enjoy half a porquetta. A what? Parquetta, have you ever had it? No, I have not. Well, I will share a family secret with you. I don't imagine that it is something that is commonly eaten in your lands, but if you enjoy meat, it is seasoned meat that is then very expertly rolled and then covered in this enclosure to keep it all together, like a netting.

and then it is left to remain frozen as all the spices are then just consumed by the meat and it is a great way to top off a dessert. You eat it after dessert? Yeah. Oh my Lord, I couldn't eat another bite. Is that true or are you lying to him?

Porquetta is a real thing. But is it something that you eat after dessert? I imagine as a dwarf, you would eat it at any time. I would say that if it's something that is not a something, I would roll deception check. No, I'm not trying to lie. Okay, unless you believe what you're saying.

I would eat porquetta after, just, I would eat porquetta at any time. Okay. As a dwarf because it's so fucking good. Zerun looks at you and says, well, if you provide my cooks with with the recipe, after we have vanquished the home lesion,

I will have them prepare it. I will definitely do that. You will not be disappointed. You can have porketta in the morning, in the evening, even at supper time. When porketta's on the table, you can have it anytime. I forgot how it went. Pizza in the morning. Pizza is on the table.

You can have pizza anytime anytime. It's supper time in any time, yeah. It's a bad rhyme. It's a bad rhyme. It's a bad rhyme. Fuck that song. And if our job is to make sure that you are protected, then our job is also to tell you to eat your vegetables sometimes a little bit. Sometimes.

Making a persuasion check disadvantage. Because you use the word vegetables. We have a bad history of vegetables in Avengers. That's true. It's true. 17. 17. He narrows eyes at you and says, that is not one of your explicit duties.

Yeah. Is there a list, or would should we have to have to thudgeoning? it out. When you are called upon to act, you will. When you are called upon to draw your blade and your spells, and to kill, you will. When you're in danger, you'll protect me. Well, take care of yourself, all right? Do you not eat to eat?

I eat sparingly. I'm not hungry. Are you fasting? When my country is. country is in peril, I cannot work up an appetite for myself. But I understand that most people are not as involved in the fate of Korobalkia as I am. Hence this meal.

Understandable, apologies for asking and for gorging myself earlier, so un-ladylike. Are you aware of the ketogenesis process? We were not getting in with that I can't have my little mummy with me when I play Iris Oh my god I was leaving the room Oh my God, what was it like 2015 when we got that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

We got these like four years ago That is a black Throwback! So I have my little mummy Oh my god, I'm a moon This is now my spirit guardian Yes! Yes! Oh my god, that makes me so happy.

Is that one of those clicking head things from... I'll cheers, I'll drink you a moo. It's a moo. The sad mummy. Sad mummy from legal legends. Oh, really? It looks like the tree spirits from... You could only...

A little bit. You could only get him if someone from Riot gave him to you at one of their events. Yeah. We were all in cosplay. Yes. No, it was LCS. LCS.

We were in cosplay. And so... Madison's going to hurt. Yeah. They had the swag bags. It's a lot of them. Knowing what I know. But he's a mummy, so he had to come upstairs.

Caprice will not engage in much more of the evening. I'm exhausted from the day and I'll thank him, finish my coffee. Anything else, guys? I think I'm ready for bid. I don't believe there's anything else that I need to discuss with the High General. What's our schedule for tomorrow? So we know when to wake up? I'm going to send a letter to my dad.

I think the last thing he heard I was in a brothel in a brothel. in the seven heavens. And now I get to, oh, you know, I probably shouldn't mention that. We decided to be discreet. Well, I'll tell them I'm doing all right. That seems nice. I'm sure we'll be awoken when the time is to mobilize and move. If it's anything, if anything here in the capitals,

anything like life in the military, we'll be on a mission first thing in the morning. I'll make sure to make my bed and ensure there are no crumbs on it. Just get some rest, is what I would advise. And with that, General Zern, uh, stands. I would like to thank all of you for joining me for dinner and for accepting

my offer if we ought to survive I will do what I can to aid you and I believe that with me looking out for you and you looking out for me all of us will survive and we will crush the Horn Legion but it will be brutal and many will die

I am having my top engineers and wizards look over the plans that you have provided to me they may hold the key to our survival I will give you what information I learn from them

when I know up myself if there's anything that I can do to help sir I know I know that I'm just relatively new to the Talangard or anything that I could learn from those wizards I would be very appreciative be sure to let you know as soon as I

learn myself Thank you, sir. I appreciate all of you. Oh, before I forget, if you haven't already, make sure you round up Wyland Gailstrom. He's in charge of this. If you haven't talked to Portia yet, she would have told you the whole story,

but I just thought I'd mention the name. You see a little twinge of anger. Towards me? Not towards you. It seems as if before we were able to capture him. Gailsham fled town. But I assure you he will be found

and he will be questioned and it will be a terrible and painful death for him. Thank you. Thank you for joining me for dinner. You'll be escorted to your room. You will all be sharing room. I apologize. That's all right, sir.

Yeah, it's basically part for the course at this point. I immediately look at Iris. One room. They'll be fine, and I'll pick up like a wine decanter off the table and be like, okay. I'll grab the pyramid, too. He stands and he watches, you leave. As the door closes behind you, you hear fluttering of wings and you look back and the bird lands on his shoulder once again. and then with his good arm he strokes a side of it,

and it leans its beak and kind of nuzzles by his ear, his ear, as the door shuts behind you. So he must mean one room for you and then a separate room for me. You believe, yes? Who's going to let her know? I can't imagine all of us staying on the room. I mean, I have suggestion of this. Yes, I'm not to imagine.

Let's make that plan Z. All right, plan Z. There must be two rooms. One for me and one. I'm sure it is. It was a miscommunication. Can't believe you. No. No. When we finally make it to the rooms, whenever that is, before we go to bed, I do want to spend an hour going over the infernal alphabet that Caprice wrote out for me. Because I'm assuming we've turned over all those letters. Yes. So I don't have, unless I made copies of anything, I just have the key, the language key, that Caprice made for me.

So I'd like to study it for an hour before bed. Okay. Just for that, make an intelligence check for me. Just straight intelligence. And then... Nice. I think it's plus five, right?

Am I maxed on me? Yeah. So 24. 24? Okay. So you all are escorted back by the same officer. Derek said her triple... Sorry.

I haven't been asking for more beers and they've been handing me more beer. I asked... There was a beer gene in here. I didn't realize. I didn't see from here that they were empty, that they were empty cans. Beer genie. Um.

I didn't know the beer genie. I thought I'm really a beer genie. Oh, I am a beer, one beer, two beer, three beer. You are escrowed back to a mid-level in the Citadel into a room that actually faces out onto the city. You see a room with six modest but plus. beds, each of them having a nightstand, windows looking out over to, over the city, actually most of it overlooking Sky Ridge. You see the beautiful buildings and architecture of the noble district beneath you. As you are left and you hear the

final words of the officer saying, you will be awakened when General Chumny is ready for you. And the door shuts. One, two, three, four, five, six. Oh my God. Luffy, push two of those together, sleep on the floor. It's going to be alright. No, there's a bed for each of us. There's plenty of room in each of these beds.

I can not sleep on a tiny, minusful bedders like that. Would it help if I did this when I go invisible? No, it would not. Holy crap. I think when you do that... Well, it does help. Except that we can still hear you. And I know you're always watching.

Alright. There's a floating Caribbean Fray. Did you get your amulet back? So I was just going to respond unlike the knife

General Zerr never took the amulet from me. He only examined it in my hand. I handed him the knife and he gave it back to me the amulet he just washed me whole. Could I have stolen

some jello salad for the room? I would say that he would have let you taking whatever food you guys would have wanted to bring to my own. So as we're all just kind of, I guess, getting ready or whatever, and I'm studying the infernal alphabet key, I'm going to summon Beatrice and just say, if you don't mind Beatrice, could you please watch over us while we sleep. Are there any windows in our room? Yes, there are two large windows that look over Skyreach and the Citadel below.

Then I'm just going to suggest that she perched by a window. you know, the familiar has not been out and doesn't need to sleep. So I'm going to ask Beatrice if she would watch over us while we sleep and feel free to come and go through the window, et cetera. You see the bluebird shape of Beatrice materialize, and she flaps and lands on Felix's finger and listens to Felix. As she nods, and as you're saying, she nods,

and then tweets happily at you and flies over to the, window and lands and she looks up as the cacophony of the croaks of the ravens all above. She kind of looks up discerningly and kind of shrinks back a little bit and then surveys the window outside. Because that's good. I'll take a close. Sorry, go ahead. Oh, I'm just going to start writing a note to my dad and write some of the lyrical ideas I've had.

Okay. I want to take a closer look at Beatrice not having really cared about her before and just like see if she has six eyes. you look at her and you see a two-eyed bluebird. This is a bluebird. Yes. I thought you were trying to keep it like thematic and then she's also a raven. Well, it is thematic, but for a different reason.

Yes, she's not a raven. Okay. So if you're looking for the mechanics behind it, she's a reskinned. A raven, but instead of mimicry, she has. Keeneye. So mechanically, she has the stats of a raven, but she is very much a bluebird. Because there is no bluebird familiar Indian. You're seeing a bluebird that is definitely larger than most of the bluebirds you may have seen in the fields of Yona.

Okay. But besides being a little bit larger and being, the colors are incredibly vibrant, bright blue, bright, brilliant orange breast and whites. And it's a very beautiful looking bird, but it just seems to be like a little bit larger and very pretty colorful bluebird, intense bluebird. And you know, I think, that it's how familiar it were. I don't know if you shared with how. Yeah, we actually had, you asked me before if it was like a real bird and I explained familiar. At the time, I didn't really understand like what it was.

But I guess the idea, like, I always thought they were like made of magic. But to everyone else, they are, they literally, it literally appears as a real animal. Right. It's, it's like an arcane creation. It's a celestial. It's like a glowing magical bird. Okay. Right.

Right. Yeah. Right. Looney is a real Pepsi. But it still has kind of it's still a thing, right? It's still like a person.

I would guess it kind of had a person. Because at the time I had thought like oh like is it made of like magic or light or like what is like I mean because he can live in my coat without breathing. Like it's not a living creature but it is made of magic. And it just looks like a real bluebird to you guys. Yeah.

Nice. So yeah. So you see Beatrice Flutter a flap over and is looking out for you guys as you all kind of winding down for the evening. Oh, for Curis, good to see her again. It's been a minute. I've missed Beatrice.

She's always around and available. I just tend to keep her hidden because it's not often you see a bird of this nature in Corvacia, let alone Strigger. Well, hello, Beatrice, and I'll just give her like a little pat. It's good to see you and... She mizzles her head against your... Felix, I've been meaning to ask you.

Have you always had a less name? Yes, of course, but I was... was concerned with with the going ons of what was happening that that I didn't want to endanger any of you and I felt it was best for survival that I didn't mention it. Is that why when we met you you called yourself Steve? Well of course I thought it was Albus. No that was that was later. That was the the Albert, Albert was the name I was given by Ravali. So many life.

It's it was yes Albert's unshot, Benedict Powbottom the third to be honest. Yeah, I remember the hit one. That was a good name. But yes, to be honest, when Tau and I first met all of you, I didn't really intend on spending more time than that. We were trying to get away and move on with our things, and then it just so happened that all of our interests kind of coalesced. It wasn't meant to be malicious deceiving.

It was just for safety and brevity and moving on. Oh, I just always assume you didn't have a last name, like Luffy or other people that don't have a last name. She does? No, I'm sure she does. She's a liar. She's never said her last name. Of course not. No, I guess she's not.

Loopty again. Loopty, Louvty. We also know that her first name is like Gertrne or something. Well, I told you almost everything, but I just didn't want them to torture you and torture you and maybe you give you give up my life. It was just for the better of everyone. Well, I think Echamon's a really cool last name. I think it's, of all the last name, I could have gotten. Echamon is, it's a good one.

It's all right, I suppose. So you should tell more people about it now. Well, now that it appears that I may have some sort of pardon, I... Diplomatic immunity. Mm-hmm. That sounds great. I didn't realize that's what we would call it. But regardless, it sounds... I guess I can be a little bit more open now.

I'm very excited for you. I just hope that it doesn't put my brother in any danger. If God's rest his soul, he's still alive. And I don't mean to put the damper on things, but... Zern may have pardoned you, but if there's other parts as a government that don't agree with him, you may still be in danger. I think that's very wise of you, and it certainly didn't slip my mind, and if anyone wants to pick a fight, I'm ready. I think the good thing about that, Luffy, is that if they don't agree with Zern, then they're not as allies, and we can smite them where they stand. My thoughts, exactly.

And though, Felix and I do not always get along. Felix is my friend, and I will make sure that Felix, is safe. Here, Bob. I will make sure that my friends are all safe regardless of what happens to us. Am I your friend, Iris?

Caprice, do you have any songs you like to sing? I am a disembodied voice at this time. I agree. We're all good friends here. Turn to sue, you know, I think a good name for Caprice in this state would be a boombox, because he's very loud. What's the boom box?

exactly what you are? I'm a Boombok? Or maybe we could call him so... I mean, I always thought that was like a lingo for magenta. Oh, yeah, walking. What about? iPod. iPod?

I mean, I don't really use my eyes. I'm a horse pod. What could be like I preach? For what it's worth, Luffy. I agree with you, and I agree with Iris, and I thank you. And again, I didn't know where we would go after we met that day on the crossroads, but you all have been instrumental

into helping me, and I only hope, and in my journey to correct the wrongs that I've done, I can also help all of you. Oh, you will. Okay, but to your point, whatever we may cross, if there's anybody who does means to do me harm,

we'll vanquish them, and we'll make sure that we do it in the right way, and that we're not in the wrong, and we'll find the people that we're looking for, and we'll find my brother, and we'll, We'll find the wind spirits and we'll do what we have to do. And I just need to properly thank all of you because I know that I've been prickly at times and especially when we first met.

And now that I can be myself and not be this covert individual, it's a little bit relaxed. I can relax for once. I feel like I can more appropriately address the things that we face head on. I think that that will do you a lot of good. now you can take a shed without you know flushing at the same time

that's more like it now for you a drink and I don't know what that means but shit that doesn't matter because you're always like paranoid and in a hurry and so normally when I'm on the on the outhouse on the john yeah

don't never let anyone tell you that you're not wise when lufti says she's on the john she means something completely different yeah oh is that like is a john like a lantern Sonside. Is a jump...

I gotta go. Is this some kind of mount, like a horse, perhaps? She's on the junk. In fact, 100% yes. Sometimes it's more like a dog. Ew.

Okay. We cross the line here. Back it up. After all this talk is going on and Lifty giving me a drink and having finished the first one, he's actually going to have a second drink. And like actually,

try to like unwind for a change and like kick back and a second drink oh well you know what darling i'll have one with you lufty pour me a glass i have a lot of years to make up for i guess thank you darling i just start drinking thanks awfully yes lifty pour everyone a drink did be a look forward this doesn't smell like ale it's wine darling have i had i have i had one before i would say that yeah it's hard to avoid wine you're used to like the great hearty yonin beer yeah but i think that probably when you've gotten Gulfica, you'd been in a fancy place, you would try to drink wine. You don't care for it that much, probably, but you're so pissed. I don't care for it.

You literally are coming from here. I thought it was just a big country. I didn't know. Yeah, I'll put it into my, uh. So stupid. I guess I'll, I'll, do I have any ale in my pack left? Yeah, you guys got a shit time. Can you make us, can you make a? Are you, giving all of your abilities?

Are you able to make beat? Yeah, I mean, I usually am just, honestly, a little late. so I let other people do it but I think I could yeah what you mean you're lazy do everything aren't you quite literally a broommaster of some sort no titles type oh is that's what you do I've never actually asked do you do something outside of serve me I don't know I mean I guess you know value in one hand and what you mean I don't know I kind of just hang and this is why you serve me yes well at least it gives him purpose some like ale out of my path and like give it to you.

Honestly, if it's wonderful for me, she would have no purpose in life. This is true. Hey, uh, Lufty, are you gonna be, are you gonna use that? I point to her spoon. My spoon? What do you want was my spoon? I jiggle my jello salad. No, no, no, no.

Is that a you from Missouri? Are we all on the same page? I'm in sweet, but the answer is no. Tell me more about this chicken No, I didn't bring you to me. I'm so, Lufty, so that. I'm like, I gotta go to bed. No.

Give me your spoon. It'll get all sticky and you know, I just start, I won't. I'll just wash it later. It's her weapon. It's how she defends herself. You're going to get her stinking. Nobody is going to be intimidated if I swing it

and smell like lying. How would you feel if someone used Dakota to eat jello? Listen, if you ever need Dakota as a meat tenderizer, I'd be more than happy to lend her to you. Point taken. You know, I thought that was a really good example. Thank you. It never fails to...

Just lose your hands. We won't judge you. Just dump the entire jellel. It just slides off in one, like, gelatinous. There is a lot of jiggling going on, and also she's eating gel. I have never been so disgusted in my entire being in the career. God damn! I love it's so close to jing my mom here.

I was like a snake and just like... I hate jello so much. It's just triggering me. I know. I fucking love Jell L. I'm really... Jell Ler L. I literally cannot eat it.

I literally cannot eat. I wasn't kidding when Felix said it's one of the four foods on this planet that I can't eat. What does he has a phone? Why not? I am not so sure. I saw someone in chat mentioned hers food and was like, you should ask her to use it.

I was like, I just wanted to pocket it in my mind for like a good 30 minutes before I decided to ask. So thank you for the suggestion. Hey, hey, heard you? A disemboyed bodyed voice. Yeah. I'm encouraged by our progress today. We really rolled the dice and managed to come away with some potential leads.

I'm hoping that we find your dad real soon. I'll un-invisible myself. I'm staring at the tirami soon that I look up. Oh, hey. Yeah, you know, I hope I do too. And, you know, I don't want to sound selfish because that's not really in my nature. But I do fear that something. something awful has happened to him.

I am kind of paranoid about your brother. And I just feel like when we're not on the road... No, no, no. Please continue, but I just had an idea. No, continue. It's fine. You can wait. Continue, continue. You're not really excited. No, he does.

I've never seen him excited. I lost my trail of thought, so go ahead. No, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'm sorry. Um, your brother, my dad. Oh, yeah. So I figure... His brother, the alcoholic that you know. Yes, continue.

Damn, savage. He is an alcoholic. I'll agree to that. The whole... All of all... My name is a little of alcoholics. You know, I do feel better about the fact that Zern said he would use his ravens to potentially seek out dwarves in the area. I think that was awesome.

I do have to wait till the fight's over, which kind of sucks. But, you know, I definitely want to be here with you guys and fight for the good. And, you know, get these motherfuckers out of... Zentra, but at the same time, the more time we stay stagnant in one place, I feel like the distance grows between me and my dad. I know the feeling. I'm with you. Well, I'm just more optimistic and positive about the potential of tracking down your dad and finding out what his fate's been over the last few weeks, months, than ever. Yeah. I bet he's going to have some stories.

I mean, I hope they're good stories and he's not, you know, nothing's bad to happen to him and he's not been... You know, every time I go on a benda, I... I come out okay. Oh. Don't well. Thanks. Oh, he's like Lance a lad. She was on him at one point.

Yikes. What was you were? Yeah, uh, drink, he looks. What do you got, Helix? Having, having been drinking, and being a little bit more excited,

of what I suppose. Oh yeah, of course. Um, I, I wish that I had the fate that you have and it sounds like that you believe that your father is still alive and well. I hope so, yeah? Based on what we saw, I wish that I could keep faith and I think I would love to know that Milo is alive, but I never thought of this before. You have a connection to those that have passed.

Is there any way for you to know if my brother might still be alive or better yet know if that he is gone, that his soul is somewhere on the other side? I could always, I can't, I cannot do it tonight, but I could prepare the ability to speak with Inubis and I could query him. He does not always answer honestly or directly, but for now, my that is the extent of liability but I would be more than happy to ask him and he could give me a wheel or a woe in one direction or he might tell me somewhere in between in which case I may not have good news for you I I don't want to to put you out or make you change your normal strategy and you know I suppose considering doing it anyway an answer of nothing might mean that he's not

there or he's there but but regardless I just I can't believe it didn't occur to me till now. I don't really know much about your religion, except for what you told me after you saved my life. Listen, it's been years. It's been years. I can wait another day or so. It's not an issue.

I think that might be wise, given that we, in the next few days, we're going to be up against lots of danger. Wouldn't it be better to maybe find out some bad news after all that happens? Here's the way I feel. I don't, as I said, and I wish that I had more. hope but I don't. I fully

have accepted that based on what we've seen that Milo may have been sacrifice. But that's not going to stop me from at least finding proof. This might be very... I'll address a couple of those points. One, I will ask a new this tomorrow. I wanted to query him anyway, so

I will just do that. Thank you. Should we find him dead? Though I cannot do it now, I believe that there will be a point in my life, should this light, as I said, be very dark, but if he retain a piece of him, I may be able to bring him back at some point.

Should his soul be willing? Right, right. I know that should we find him having passed, I would be able to allow you to speak with him. And that on its own may give you closure. Thank you. Thank you. Those are the three things that, two of which I can do now,

one of which would be at a much later time. I need to gain more of Anubis's favor before I reached that level of priestess. How would I, as a worshipping member of the Raven Queen, feel about, like, taking a piece of a corpse and, like, resurrecting it from beyond? I think that would be up to you. I think the idea is that you had encountered someone who was a worshiper of the Raven Queen and Miss Cross Prozine, and that there is, sadness, but a comfort in the Raven Queen taking those that have died. However, if you have a strong connection and Raven Queen, you know, death be damned, at least a little bit longer, we all belong to our death god of choice at the end.

Right, right. I just need a little bit more time. That would be up to you and your God. Okay. Not helpful answer. I am greatly... What I can say as a cleric, one that worships a God that ferries those into the afterlife, is that my job is to get them their safe. to make sure their souls arrive.

But should Anubis will me the ability to bring one back? As long as they are willing, he sees it as an honour to him, knowing that at some point his soul will find their way to the other side. It is that time in which you raise the dead unwillingly and make them your puppets and your servants, that he is against such things. I cannot speak for the Raven Queen,

but I would imagine that most gods of death have similar feelings when it comes to the dead. Thank you. This is, this, it's been enlightening and I appreciate the information. I just, as far as what you said about retaining a peace of him, if he's gone like the way of the others, he's probably been incinerated. In which case, there would be nothing I could do to allow you your closure. I understand, I just, I, if that's the case, I want him to be at peace. Of course. So thank you. Thank you. And I would be more than happy to do a ceremony. him. Thank you.

Should we get to that point? We will ask a new bus tomorrow and hopefully you will have some guidance. Though death gods are a fickle friend. I can't believe we made it to the High General today, guys. Well done. Yes. I never thought in my life that I would meet half of the high-ranking military members that we've met today. I will make sure to send a message to my father and tell him that we are all incredibly grateful for his help in even the small

the small help he was able to do to get us to Archbishop Jebediah Jealous Aadam. What? Jellosalai. No. Is it carious? Thank you. That was exactly my first thing. I was exactly my question. I wish is right? Yes. That was the word I was looking for.

And she says, jealous, zelle o'clock. Dwar, right? Why did we pick her up? Oh, she came with you. Anyway, I will let you know all very thankful. And, um... I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. Agreed. I was going to study for a bit more, but the drink has kind of gotten to me, and now I'm... Then let's get some rest, and can I just say, how cool it is that?

Well, now the wings of the Raven? How cool is that? What a cool team name. Guys, I didn't even know that was a thing that existed. You're a wing, and you're a wing, we're all wings. Six wings? Six, wait. If you're a wing, I'm a wing. And I think that applies here. Do Ravens have six wings?

guys They just have the two I'm pretty sure Yeah just usually But also the eyes The six generals being the six eyes That made sense But maybe there are some ravens out there

But three different ravens You can like soothe his head While he thinks of us I'm like the little area Between his eyebrows Yeah I'll play I'll play at like a nice slow tune For everyone to like get into the mood

We're all putting our jammies on That's also not Let's not forget about Ravioli in the morning, who, if you have the resources. Yeah, if you could get a message for him. Sorry. If not, then maybe Felix can help get a message to him. I can't write worth a shit.

Before bed, I'm going to take 10 minutes of ritual cast to Tech Magic. And having not seen anything, I'm assuming, take 10 minutes of ritual cast alone. Okay. Because you can never be too careful. He says as he breaks into the newsstand and we all get murdered. Talk about his penis. So, uh, Phila, he says.

take your time when you cast detect magic. There's magical humming overall of your pan-companions and the magical the magical items that you all enjoy. And so there's, you know, from all of you, there's a magical hum. But you make your way around and there doesn't seem to be anything

nefarious that you can tell in this room. So then the for the alarm, the six people designated will be us. It's a silent alarm in their head. If anyone other than the six of us were to cross through the threshold into our... I'm assuming it's a small...

If Beatrice count as a creature in that situation? I probably can designate her... Just in case I don't know how the rules work. She's great. And... No, that's it. Just if anyone other than the six of us and Beatrice were to come in or out of this room,

we would all be awoken by a silent alarm in our heads. Colin? You do that. So you see Felix taking his blade now that he's seen, It's kind of humming with this a strange silver glow as he's going along the sides of the room and marking everything out. And you finish after 10 minutes, I believe. Yeah, just a ritual. 10 for each.

10 minutes. And you feel like there's been a protective magic overall of you guys. I'm asleep. And I'm going to retire to bed after that as well. I'm making soothing ocean noises forever. Would you like to move the beds together? and we can sleep on a larger bed

than individual single ones okay do you mean it yes but you have to move it and I'm not too you know what the fuck was that it went from soothing

soothing ocean breeze no it was supposed to be a seagull but it sounded like a monkey it was definitely a monkey thing yeah baby Jared It's not. It's like a monkey swamp, Osalat.

It's an Osalat. Lovty and I push two of the beds together, and I don't make your sleep on the floor. We actually snuggle into the beds together and fall asleep. Aw. Wow. Everyone's turning over our new leaf today. Oh, what a day.

Oh, what day. Also, one of us has a very fundamental, like, misunderstanding about what an assalon is. And I don't know which one of us it is. Let's find out. It's Derek. It's Derek. It's Derek.

It's Derek? I can't see you. I thought it's a cat. Okay, so I'm not crazy. No, it's a cat. I definitely thought it was like a monkey. I thought it was a joke. I wasn't gonna go to say anything.

Derek thought that. And I was sort of 100% knew that because of this vaccine. Many times it's me, so I just wanted to chat. Holy shit, this is the greatest moment of D&D ever. That's amazing. No, this is funny, man. You guys kill me. I can have Tasha's hideous laughter on four of you.

review. Just what I can say I used almost every single one of my cell slots today. Oh my gosh. Okay? That's fucking great. As you all settle down

and you all drift off to sleep in a shockingly comfortable bed for the citadel that you're in, Caprice, you dream. Oh. Like dreams. We're no strangers in dreams in prime.

And you dream. It's you. You conquered the Iron Legion. What? Your hero of Zentra. There is a woman in the crowd. Hot damn. Nameless, shapeless.

You can't even tell what race or species she is. But she's taken with you. You embrace. You flash forward to your web. wedding day. Aww. You give each other a kiss. And you flash forward to the birth of your first child.

Aww. You embrace as you see tiny horns emerge, rust-colored, as a small typhoon boy is born. Aw. Flash forward your old and good. and gray, embracing your wife as both of you pass quietly after a long life. And your child lives on. Fuck my God.

Your child grows up, has a very happy life, a wife and kids, grandchildren. More, more, you're surrounded by the necessities. And life takes its course. and as your son grows old with his own wife having spawned many children he passes and then you see him

his face in agony endless torment and torture as hellfire bleases all around him after death as he shrieks out in agony It all then is snuffed out.

You are an inky blackness. You get your hands. It's you again. You're no longer old. You're no longer embracing the strange wife that you had. You have no child to you. And you start to see the shadows around you coalesce and swirl around you.

as they get taller and taller. And you see a humanoid figure start to materialize in this shape in the shadows. It is tall, taller than you, shapely hourglass form. Two small wings from the back, a tail, horns. You see black hair, but in the inky blackness, it's nothing more. of a silhouette, and then you see two narrow eyes open. They're no more than white slits in the shadow. And you hear,

Comprehicho. You've done so well. The curse of your family may just end with you. Do you know? What you're in the middle of... And you feel, as you look down, that you're able to respond. No. I... I... who are you? What's happening?

If you... am I... am I dead? Dead capricch you? As the shadow figure moves around you, her eyes constantly on you. You're not dead yet. I reach for my viol. It is gone. It is just you in nothing but cloth. Almost in nightgown.

Your magic is not at your side, neither is your veal nor your rapier. Who I am is not important, Capriccio, but who your great, great, great granddaddy, Masio and the deal he made with me. me. Holy fuck. That is what's important. Do you know who he is? Do you have fond memories, Capriccio? He made the DeCesto name. He made us the musicians that we were. I mean, what are you saying? That is what everyone plays. But it's the great fame and fortune that always comes with a terrible price. and that is you, Capricio.

You found yourself exactly where I needed you to be, exactly where I needed you to be and win. I needed you to be. You're the one who made me like this? You're mine, Capricio. It wasn't me. It was your great, great, great granddad. He is the one

who gave you to you to. me and your line your son your daughter your grandsons and granddaughters will all be mine unless you do what I need and you have the book you know what they want you know that right I know I I want to I want to start it I want to you too want to start a family and you don't want your children's damned to the nine hells. So then you have no choice to do what I want. Poor Capricho. What are you what are you gonna ask for? You've heard name. Moloch. He wishes me harm. I deposed him long ago. He seeks to destroy. He seeks to destroy the city and what lies deep beneath this citadel he wants to get to. He believes this

his pathway to power to depose me cast me aside. But I know you won't let that happen, will you, Capriccio? Your soul depends on it and the souls of all of your children depend on. And then that's it. After that, after Molok goes down, then we're done here and I can, I can go on. No one else is damn. I never said that. when I am satisfied and when Daddy is satisfied. For this is how he chooses to project himself as well. And he has cast an eye on you as well. But Molok wishes me harm.

He has even sunk as low as to ally with the demon lord to do it. And you are very lucky to have found the friends you have. All right, I'll see what I can do. I mean, it sounds like a pretty bad dude, but you know what? I can be pretty sleepy. Uh, uh, you know what? Uh, that's, that's, that's fine. But this is, this is just the beginning, okay? We're gonna have to have a lot a few more conversations before we. Oh, we will to preach. Oh, we will. Your great, great, great granddaddy made sure of that. The roar of the bull must be silenced. That is your first step to absolution. Goodbye, Capriccio. Real quick, fuck you for my mom a little bit. And as that happens, the lights blink out and the shadow disappears as darkness returns.

And you all enjoy a long rest. Jesus. Oh, man. What in the fuck, man. I was juicy. Can we all give it up for DMI? That was good. Creaky music.

Good R.T. How's awesome. He's all awake. You've complete your long rest, Caprice, and you wake up feeling sick to your stomach. I keep my eyes closed and just sort of process. Good morning, everyone. What a lovely day to be Wings of the Raven.

I guess, yeah. Well, good morning. You seem all right. Wings of the Raven. to go kill bad guys. We're going to save the city. We're going to try. We're going to be good people. Yeah, we're going to do what we can. We're going to be heroes. Again, I really like that work, but sure.

Well, I think we're doing the right thing, and I'm very excited to get started and hopefully defeat the evil that lies right outside the city walls. That's the goal. That's the goal. Well, perhaps I'll be, uh, I'll get ready. Everybody should get ready. We, we'll be cold soon. Hersia is still asleep as she is collecting her whole of Jello salad. There's not much left. And there she's like a few scrapes left of Jello salad.

I'm going to, just in the time that we have in the morning, I'm going to place out my little figurines, I'll look outside and just get a sense. I remember that Skyreach was north, right? Yes. Okay, so I'll place my figurines accordingly and say a little prayer. And move on. You do that. You see Toa kneeling surrounded by these four carved totems of different animal effigies as he's preparing on the morning.

You do that. Felix. Yes. I'm going to commune with Anubis now. Okay. I'm going to ask that question that you asked of me. Sure. I want you to prepare whatever he may say.

Of course. I have no expectations. And then I'm going to get out my sense. and everything else, my little lantern, I guess. And I'm going to cast Augrey as a ritual. Okay. And I am going to ask if we have the chance to save the life of Felix's brother. Okay.

You're good? Yeah, no. It reminds me how Augrey works, so I'm a thousand percent certain, so I don't fuck this up. So, I cast. Um, I cast it. And then you either tell me whether, um, he's saying,

we'll for good results, woe for bad results, wheel and woe for both good and bad, or absolutely nothing. And that means the results are, aren't especially good or bad. The spell doesn't take into account any possible circumstances that might change the outcomes, such as the cast of additional spells or the loss or gain of a campaign. A.K. Rev. Like, strip revival. Yeah. So,

you see Iris as Tohapraise amidst his circle of totems. You see Iris pull out her oil net and light it. And there's a number of different relics that she places around. And she leans in. You see Iris gazing. Her large green eyes, is that?

Yeah, large green eyes, gazing into this flame. What you all see... You got it, Dian. I got it. You all see just a little flame flickering at the end of this oil lamp. However, Iris, you channel in. And can you please word exactly what you're asking me to us?

Anubis, Lord upon the mountain, God of Judgment, God of death. Please tell me if there is a chance that we can save the life, or that we will find a life hole in the brother of Felix Ackerman as we begin on this journey. As you gaze into the fire, you see a shape emerge. You see the tall, pointed ears, the long snout, the black head of a jackal. and you see it change shape as it flutters

into the shape of a raven casting a shadow over a child until it disappears and you see the flame and you hear a voice in your head. Weal and whoa. The flame flickers back

to how it was. Well, I'm going to have to stop taking that spell. It always tells me this seat. thing. I turn to Felix and I say, a new business has spoken. And? And?

He did not come back with only well. But both. Which means that there is a chance. It means there's a chance. It's great news. There is something that we can do to save your brother. That's great.

That is great. I mean, I guess, I guess based on our conversation, it doesn't mean that maybe he's currently still alive, but I mean, it's better than nothing, right? It is better than nothing. If

his soul were lost forever they would have gotten nothing but well he there is a chance for redemption there both you and then that's great thank you I can't thank you enough of course let me know if you need answers again

and I will plead to my god for help thank you thank you outside of that I am ready to send Ravioli it's his name right yeah I see Captain Freewing Captain Freewing yes I'm ready to send him a mess

should you have one that you would like me to send. Please just let me know what it is and I will. Just let him know that we're safe in what we're doing and so that he knows not to go looking for us in dangerous places. So I cast sending and I say to him... Hold on. Before you do that, just make sure you let him know that we're going. We're going to be in the Seven Heavens with General Chumley pointing him where we came from.

It is probably best that he doesn't come to bother us to be quite honest. Oh, you probably run. For safety. And so then I'm going to cast ascending, and I'm going to communicate with Professor Freewing, or Professor, Commander Freewing, Lieutenant Free Wing, whatever his name is. IRIS would know. I think he's a captain.

Yeah, whatever, Iris would know. We have found solidarity with Commander Zern, and we are protecting him. for the time being, a war is coming. We are safe, prepare for it in any way that you can, but for now, do not worry about us, and do your best to stay in the shadows. We will be in the seven heavens. It's best should you not attempt to find us.

Oh, shit. You send the message. About five minutes pass, and you hear a voice in your... head or the return message. I don't know if it's a voice or whatever. But you hear it says, great news. I have found the entrances to three more tunnels. Oh shit. She only hears this, right? Yeah. In the four winds, memories rest, and the Conquest War. I will keep an eye out for you. in the seven heavens

make the signal if it's okay to approach well seems that there are more tunnels these are the woods that he's found them in and I spew them out we should make sure to let Zern know of that it is as I suspect it

and I imagine he has men also on the lookout for it especially once they know what to look for great work on Captain Freewing's part yes I think we should let them know about Captain Freewing I think he's been a valuable I don't think that he would want that.

All right, and I cast it again. Thank you for that information. You are expelling my resources, but this is very good information to know. Please send a message with the exact location, and may we alert Zern to, or please mark the locations for us, and tell me how you're doing that. And then may we please tell Zern of your presence, may we please let him know who you are and that you are an ally among us.

Could you remind me? So you said... So I basically said, can you mark the locations of the... Or can you tell us, he already told us where they were. And he said, find a way to mark the locations so that if we walk past them, we would kind of like, oh, that's a symbol. That's somewhere in this area is where the tunnel is. And I said, when you respond, let me know what that symbol is. and then maybe please tell Zern of who you are

and that you're an ally so that you can communicate with us freely. It's only a matter a minute or so as he's just received a sending and you've just sent it back. He said, give me several hours. Will Mark with Wings of Liberty.

It's so cool. It's crazy. He doesn't sound as cool when Iris reiterates about you. If Zern can be trusted, use your best judgment. I trust you. And I relay the message. Man, he's so cool.

I know. He's just like, he's a badass. He's saying, man, I knew a lot of bad asses when I was in the military. But this guy, he's a badass. Maybe he can be the seventh wing of the Raven. Oh, that would be awesome. Wouldn't that be cool? I mean, they weren't in sixes, but it's.

So Folly just said, Derek, what you thinking of? lorries or the slow lorice instead of the the ocelot? No, I was thinking of an ocelot. I genuinely thought it was a monkey. Very cool. Very cool. We've all been there. We've all been there.

We've all been there. We've all been there. I can't play my hearing loss on this, but a lot of times in my life I thought it was like one way and it ended up being another way. Like I thought a dog eat dog world was just a little bit. doggy dog world. I was like 23. Yeah. Wow. We've all been. Wow.

Wow. I have a lot of like, it's just a doggy doggy dog world, you know? Oh, Eric gets it. So with this, what, no, I know nothing about doggie dogs. It's such a rap band. I despise the music. Who let their dogs out? Cool.

I'm rolling around in my bed. Where did this wolf come from? Do you want some? Oh, Tersia. Do you want some breakfast? There's a lot of jiggling and also jello. No, no, no, no, no. Okay.

So with this, I'm upside down, spooning jello and in my mouth, looking at everyone. What, that dog? You guys sure you don't want any? It's almost gone. Are we planning to keep her? She's our good friend, Hoosier. Speak for yourself, Toa.

With that, though. You're my good friend, Hoosier. With that, we do have someone coming to get us soon. Do we, are there anything that we need to deal with prior to their arrival? and we've alerted our Ravioli Freebird and

Hersia's being her usual self so Wait his name is Ravioli Freebird I must have missed No No it's not

No Every time Caprice is played in Tevens They're always saying To play him then How could they play His name must deceive him I'm not sure I mean

When they yell When they yell to play Freebird I don't How would they even know to Esquette his name must proceed him to I'm not sure I don't know how Caprice would play him

unless it's weirdly sexual and I look around What are we talking about? I'm not sure I'm trying to I'm trying to get everything on track Oh do you want some cell salad from last night Felix is just preparing spells for the day

and growing every one I'll be all right Thanks I'm gonna finish it off That's okay with you guys Much obliged surgery I really right I just don't have much of an appetite. Honestly, would you mind chewing with your mouth closed this time?

Thank you. So, anything to talk about before we leave? I'm just, I'm ready to go. No, no, let's go. It's a great day. Everyone's in a great mood. Let's go. I'm in lovely mood.

Outstanding. For the summons. So, as you all wait and then eventually you hear a loud of rap at the door, and you hear a voice call out, I was like, oh, you're awake? Let's go. Show me the way to all these tunnels. Thank you so much for listening to the Legends of Aventras podcast.

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