Worlds Beyond Number - WWW #33: The Witness

Episode Date: August 13, 2024

REUPLOAD: Original upload was missing some fun stuff. But this one? This one's got it all, baby.Two great big lenses, like unblinking eyes, spread out upon the table. The better to see you with, my darling. The better to catch you. The better to use you up. Don't ask which, you can't handle the truth, and honestly? Same. Someone's game is over. Someone's done messing around. Someone's time is up. But worry not, for what goes up, must come down. Strap in.Worlds Beyond Number is:Brennan Lee MulliganErika IshiiAabria IyengarLou Wilson and is produced, designed, and scored by Taylor Moore at Fortunate Horse with exquisite design and editing help from Jared OlsonSPECIAL THANKS TO: Tazer Army, Shannon, and Amanda Freberg!Transcript of this episode coming soon! You can find transcripts of all our episodes here, for free, on our Patreon.Our album art is by the great Corey BrickleySome additional ambient sound design comes from Michael Ghelfi Studios. You can get their sounds and music for your home games and VTT as well, which we enthusiastically recommend. 

This is the sound of worlds beyond number. Through the air, making its way towards the ground, a single link of sausage bounces on the carpet from the open mouth of Ursula. Ursula, you behold, the wizard Tafmet standing in front of, A series of enchanted glass lenses, each about eight inches thick, but about 16 feet wide, the smallest. The largest is about 24 feet wide. Recall these lenses from the Calabelle Notamantic apparatus, aka the Derek, the Wizards Derek, in the harbor of Port Talon.

What is Ursulaan feeling in this moment as Tephmet continued? to describe minutia and details of the lenses. We see here along the ridge, the enchantment. This was placed here specifically to initiate binding for it as yet undone. It fades off as you in this moment are thinking what? Ursulaan, I think, loses track of his body. He's not thinking about the food in his hands or in his mouth. he's just thinking about the nauseous, shaking feeling that he had when he stood up there with Morrow as he gleefully turned on the Derek.

And subconsciously is going to rise and kind of enter the space with the witches with his hand on his hand on his. his sword. Tefmet, uh, in the middle of speaking, we believe that this magic may be three to five. Hello. Hi, sir. Sorry. Sorry. Hello. Uh, and Tephmet steps back and puts their hands up, uh, as Ursulaan approaches. Where did you get those? These, uh, you see that, uh, injury looks over and looks to you, um, Ame, as a member of your retinau asks a question. Where did you get those? Tefmet looks to injury, looks back to Ursula. These were collected from a warehouse in the city of Cairo. They weren't destroyed.

No. They were recovered. Our understanding is they were recovered from a shipwreck of some kind by the island of a calm. I feel is a deep, burning feeling in the pit of her stomach. You must hear those waves, the screams of the wizards, remembering the mournful gaze of Norhal. My throat and to sort of remind Ursula of my presence, and if he wishes a smell of chamomile and lavender,

sense of the cottage drifts towards him, And he can choose to fail a save of against calm emotions, but only if he wishes. I'm going to attempt to resist. With a 12, I fail. Is the intention for the spell to work even if Ursulaan resists? If he resists, I will not. It will just remain assent. There's a moment where you actually feel the magic recoil from you, Ursula, in the moment.

You feel it is like pushing past a hand on your shoulder. In this moment, Ursula realizes that it was, he should not have spoken, but he's not going to move. Tefmet looks to you and says, these were recovered from a warehouse. Our understanding was that they had been recovered and were on their way to the Citadel. the do you recognize anything placed upon these tables Rassalon will look at Amme We have not encountered them directly But have heard rumors

Uh give me a deception check Uh and inside check from Ursula Yeah 13 18 in sight Amay's line And your fellow witches look to Ursulaan and see his reaction and know that you are lying. You see grimorses.

What? This reaction to a thing you've heard of? What did you hear of? Giant glass lenses? Going to look at Ursulaan. Inside check. 22. deeply hurt and confused as to why we are not,

why we would make any attempt to obfuscate one of the most horrifying things we've ever seen. Ursulant's mind can't see the power in withholding information in this moment. Tephmet looks at Ursulaan and looks back at Ame and says, with the permission of my host, the Witch of the Wind and Stars, may I present some questions to our honored friend? And you see that Injury says, with your permission, which of the world's heart,

might the Wizard Tefman ask some questions of your guardian, Ursula? I would not wish for Ursula to have to speak in front of those assembled. Why? Asked Mara. If I were to discover evidence towards controlling and capturing of witches, I would not wish to discuss such a truly troubling thing in front of a large group. Grimor leans forward and says, I won't be lied to. Isn't it obvious?

I know she walks among us now. What did I find? in the staff of that wizard whose lifeblood I drank. What's to say the contract isn't signed right now? What's to say a worm has it wiggled its way into our heart, sister? Hakea turns to you, Amé, and says, Are you speaking truth or lie, which of the world's heart? I spoke mistakenly, I have seen. items of that nature before.

Tephmet looks at you, looking heartbroken. When you came to my quarters to offer me a remedy, were you acting on behalf of the Citadel in that moment? No. No, I'm no agent of the Citadel. In fact, I wonder that I would even be welcomed back there. not a witting agent of the Citadel, certainly. Well, we all have our little friends outside of this coven, don't we, Marara?

Don't lie again. Not to us. If the truth can't protect your friends, they're better off unprotected. Ursulaan, please do us the kindness of answering Tefmet's questions. You are Amay's guardian, not her servant. You are in her retinue, not in her employ. act freely. Taffmett looks at you and says, Ursulaan, honored friend,

have you beheld these glass discs before? Yes. Where? Port Talon. City in the northeast of a calm, yes. Indry nods to Tafmet, and you see draw something on a scroll, a small list of places to look after

with her massive library of stars, and you see that Taffmet looks at you and says, we had not had time to study these carefully or closely. We believe that under the right circumstances, they may have the power to buy. They have the power. They held a great spirit. A ripple goes out through the assembled group here. Perhaps none more so forcefully.

You see Heinruel, the archer, a number of those spirits that are gathered here, sort of the most powerfully to what you have just said. Heinle looks at you. Held a great one? Held him against his will? Not exactly. He made the choice to be held that he would not endanger those in Port Talon.

That the amount of strength he would need to overcome it would come at great cost to those who lived there. I was held. Hakea looks around. You see that even the Heinruel, the archer, these other spirits, they know what it means to be held. There are no great spirits in this room right now. But you can see there is some kind of relief at the idea that a great one has not already been held against their will,

even though they themselves could easily be held. Hakea looks and says, They are very close. Very close indeed. Injury looks at Tephmet. What do you make of this Tephmet? This knowledge you have cleaned from Ursulaan. Tephmet says,

if this feat has already been accomplished, they are much closer than we imagined. Did the missteps that you intercepted regarding these lenses, did they say that The citadel was seeking to employ these lenses, or simply to examine the work of truly a madman? Teffmet furrows their brow and looks at you and says, what? What do you speak of a madman?

The wizard who had built this monstrous contraption was acting alone. using the resources of the Citadel but without their knowledge. Give me an insight check. Twenty-three. Tephmet regards you with condescension and pity. As one who must spend an inordinate amount of my arcane prowess constantly to avoid the detection and sight of the citadel. Allow me to assure you which of the world's heart. There is not much the Citadel cannot see.

Injury looks back up at Tafmet and says, this window of opportunity that you believe to be rapidly shutting, Tephmet says, slightly more shuttered than I believed at the beginning of this presentation, which of the wind and stars? You see the archer looks over and Hakeas says, My archer, Convey, who I should have brought long before, wishes to speak. See Convey goes,

A sight of mighty steam, the shadows of twilight that came for the very first time to those stables, was a 13th horse with eyes of glass who vanished in a twink. He said, Giant vermin stalk the evermir. The dead walk openly in Roof. Strange times are upon us. Tefmet says, if, as the spirit, Convys suggests these,

I know not what constitutes as strange in the world of spirits, but if you have seen things that trouble you, this would map to what we have collected in these intercepted missives, that the reach of the citadel within and to, the world of spirits has lengthened. Even now within their armies, there are conjurations, spirits not merely bound but created.

Marara speaks and says, The Tomori. Tefmet regards the coven. The wizard's tern. talent for constructs, the secret words of the lingua archana to animate stone and invite the spirit into mundane objects. Their talent for constructs now passes to not only animate stone and wood and straw, but to animate magic itself, to invite the life-giving breath of the world of spirits into breath, nested.

And you see the witches, like, Hakea furrows her brow and says, magic nested within magic to animate magic. What nonsense is this? Tephmet steeples their fingers. The majesty of the spirit touches the world of the real, and the sublime becomes mundane. And when the mundane reaches back to the sublime,

we are capable of creating great nonsense. Magic, animating magic. I have not come here to sour the coven against wizardry itself. Without the gifts of my library, this knowledge could not have come here, but our reach is limited, and there must be some answer to the citadel,

and it cannot come from us. We are not strong enough. But this coven of elders, the greatest of witches in Umura, perhaps can. What resources we have are yours, but there are no resources greater to us than the resource of knowledge itself,

and that is what I have brought here to make a case before the coven of elders. The time for scuttling and scurrying and hiding and worrying, and searching for answers is at an end. More research is not a luxury we have the time for. Time for action is upon us. Birds of the wizard Tephmet are well taken. Tefmet offers knowledge, but knowledge is not wisdom.

Information of the actions of the citadel we understand. And amongst this coven have each of us abjured and commanded spirits Who stepped from boundaries and attempted to harm their brethren or those of the world of Umura But I believe we now behold is not the abjuration and binding of spirits For ends of the spirit nor magic itself but a final crassness that seeks to shatter the foundations of magic itself. The binding of great spirits to ends mundane, to harness the sun and moon, as common plow horses, pull engines of war and rend this world asunder.

There is one. who already stands against them. There is one whose friendship we would do well to honor. The king of knight strides this world, and it is under his banner that our greatest chance of victory remains. The will of this coven is strongest in its unanimity. without us pose a worthy adversary to the citadel. The King of Knight attacked a member of this coven, breaking truce with her.

This was not an action in which he was advised this course by me. And he has paid a price for that gambit. However, mighty he is. He commands the house of Tikal and wears the stone of Kastfi. To his banner have sworn fealty, the king of storms and orima of the reaching green. In Rove are there twelve spirits that the warlocks of that land have sworn their fealty, and each of those twelve a mask of the king of night. by himself

does the pilgrim under stars hold power unimaginable such that there are no score of wizards on the world that I feel could move against him and survive or even scathe him and yet he does not walk alone by his side walk great spirits

every warlock of the land of Rove and some million million soldiers He is our chance, and with our power united, she says as she whips to Amé. His victory is all but guaranteed. And this brief window of peril for our world may be forbade and ended if we have the strength and courage to... The million million Ruvians who have... been given powers by great spirits and stranger in black. What will happen to them when the Citadel is defeated?

Morara says, I imagine some great number of them will be destroyed by the Citadel in this effort. However, my understanding is that the Citadel has already set that as one of their primary objectives, with no interference from the world of spirits whatsoever. whatsoever. But I mean, those Ruvians remaining, I suppose they will relinquish this power that has been granted to them? I'm certain that I do not know.

It does seem that in this brief window with which we have to act, we are willing to forego a lot of assurances of safety for the future to the realm of magic. I think only of that because it is in human nature to seek and take, survive, however they may.

Injury speaks. Well, sister, for the future to be protected, it would do us well to first ensure that it occurs at all. Marara, thank you for your advisement. Do you wish to put this forward before the coven as a motion? I do. Very well, then as a matter of coven interest, we will hold a vote on whether the coven shall join the king of night.

You see, she turns and says, Marara, you have refrained from asking for this vote before. Do you truly wish to ask for it now? Marara says, perhaps a brief recess before the vote. Very well, a brief recess before the vote. The vote will occur in conclave chambers solely with the Covenant of Elders. Thank you very much to the Wizard Tethmet and to Marara for your wisdom, guidance, and information.

I believe we have some business of adding new witches. to the Coven of Elders? Is that still a matter of interest to you, which of the world's heart? And do you imagine that these new witches might tell us the truth or lie to us? I should hope that they have a dedication to the grand truth that we all seek.

Helps to honor the grand truths by sticking to the little ones as well. You were kind enough to point out that while we believed that your station may be headed for destruction, that I had isolated some interesting candidates for new witches. However, given that your station has not been destroyed, and given the impressive business that now befalls to coven, I fear that an invitation to join

this coven at this hour may be quite an effort to foist and invite junior witches with untested stations to potentially join the banner of the Pilgrim Under Stars and March against the Citadel. Not exactly a welcome invitation. However, I'm interested in what your perspective might be, sister, as this topic was introduced by you. Well, we have yet to address the vote for the prior topic. But as for this one, I don't see why we can't at least anoint new stations and perhaps see that the witches that are studying to...

who take over those domains have an amount of time to prepare themselves. Injury sort of cocks her head. You see, Marara actually looks at you, Amman, looks back at injury, and says, I believe the witch of the world's heart speaks wisely. I'm all for new witches on the Coven of Elders. More is the merrier. Yes, you do love merriness, Marrara. Full pack is strong.

Well, that's all right with me. There used to be 13. It would be hypocritical for me to say there shouldn't be more witches. Otherwise, it just would have been a one-woman coven for the past thousand years. Do we need to vote on this edition of New Seeds to the Coven? It seems we are in agreement. Of course. I already have some candidates in mind as the host of the Conclave.

I would be more than happy to make my recommendations to the Conquendations to the Concave. to the coven and, you know, on getting back to me. Fiddlefell, you don't need... The wand knows. The wand won't work if it's a bad job. It needs a real witch. You don't need to check in with me. I'll be busy.

Don't bother me. And you see, she says, just take the wand, induct who you want. She looks at injury and points at her and says, I know how you feel about group project anyway. You see, she says, if you're willing to induct somebody, then they already have my vote because you're so ricy. As the youngest, as the newest member of this coven,

I would love to be a part of the selection process. As Hakea sort of explains to Injury that the wand, like as long as a member of the coven select, as long as a member of the coven has the wand and picks the right person, that's actually all you need to induct somebody into the coven. you see that injury turns to you, Amé, and says, Of course, sister. I have so many worthy candidates in mind

and I'll be sure to let you know as I approach each and everyone. I don't even know if I need to ask for it, but Amme, go ahead and give me an insight check. 23. Oh! You know the number that Injri wants this Covent to be, and she will be fucking damned if it moves away from that number. But you see, she says, I will see to it.

You see, Hakea goes, very well, it's settled. But any one of us, if we come upon some talented young witch would be able to wield this wand to deputize them? Yes, yes, absolutely. Oh, fantastic. By all means, if you find someone, which of the world's heart, just send them my way. A brief recess, and then to the conclusive.

chamber to vote on the final matter before us, whether to join the man in black and stand against the Citadel, United. I remind those assembled that the vote will pass with a majority of which is of this coven, but with unanimity, the power of magic we will wield will be beyond what we have seen from this coven in an age. The business tonight, our vote will conclude this conclave. After the conclusion of that vote, I would be more than happy to offer everyone here the turning of an hour's timepiece

to gather your effects, at which point I would be honored to have my palace given once again to my own use. The retinues arise. Tephmet begins to sort of collect the belongings. And you see creates some hovering disks of force underneath the heavy objects

and creates a little sort of train of hovering discs that will follow them. You see they look, they're sort of shaking their head in this feeling of like, I've done everything I could. And that's that. And then it's sort of going about it. And, Ursula, I think you see this.

It just sort of looks up sadly. to Ame raises their eyebrows and kind of shakes their head. And you see that injury walks up quickly to Grimor to talk as Hakea gets up to sort of, and you see that injury is sort of, like, Grimor, who was ultimately Injory's number one co-conspirator. They're now really kind of getting into it and talking about what comes next. And you see Marara gazes at Amme, gazes at you, Ursula, and looks down at the sword at your belt. and then walks out of the room. Sorry to disappoint.

Ursula, I think, kind of in the shifting when Maraar got up, kind of moved back to a more respectful distance, and I think it's just waiting for Amé. Ursulaan, I'm sorry. Why did you lie, Amé? Because I was scared. I don't know why I do it. I just really, I'm supposed to be a bridge between the world of humans and spirits.

And we're, I wish that all witches were bent towards their duty. But everybody has our own aims and goals. And I would see those lenses and the wizards that build them destroyed. But I love Suvi and... We were at the Citadel. We know it's more complicated than that. But what do you want? What would you have me do?

I would have you do what you think should be done. Amai, you are the witch of the world's heart. You are the wisest person I have ever met. I trust you. And I believe in you. I too love Sufi, but I hate. I hate the wizards that she works with. The man in black wanted to kill Grandma Wren

because she stood against him, not with the citadel, but with her friends, with the optimism that two hands could clasp one another, turning away from weapons of war. And did she believed it so hard, that she would have forfeit her life, that she did forfeit her life. I want the strength to stand against this too. But what they're doing is abhorrent.

And I wish I could just unreservedly say that we should march against them. But I can't. I can't. My duty, my duty. my duty is to bridge these worlds because what is going to happen if we side with the man in black and destroy millions of humans

then it becomes humanity versus the spirit world we move from this moment to the keep of the world's heart and a golden bridle on a table. What an energy. Well, I'm having a great day. We've nailed it. I'm a little sleepy, but I've got time.

Would you have to cast Identify with this bridle? Yeah. Suvie had intended in the morning to scuff her sort of like ritual sigil, but kind of forgot to do it and was like, oh, great, I can get like a little bit of extra work done. I don't. I think there's just like a little bit, there's a little too much anxiety about whatever weirdness Tepmet's got on deck. Susi doesn't really have an instinct to like take a nap and it's just going to try to rally. So yeah, I go, I try to be like very careful. I'm not trying to go through all of Ursulon's things, but like wherever you left the bridle, I would go and grab it. Probably in the room that Amme reserved for me where there's an untouched bid and a giant coat.

I probably wore the coat. So there's a coin, a dagger, and a bridle. Sweet. Easy to find. I've got it in my hand. Great. Going into your diagram, you see a bridle of golden thread taken from the world of spirits. brought to this place, you see a young, fireheaded spirit, clad in furs with claws on his feet and hands,

and an ancient mossy druid handing a golden bridle. And you see one after the other, the little clawed boy bridling a hurricane and then a river, bridling the wind itself. and at one point, bridling a story and writing it throughout the pages of a book. You see that this bridle taken to the world of Umorea, you believe has the ability to prompt magical beings, to offer willingly a single ride upon their back with a single ride. upon their back with a successful animal handling check for beings that that would normally be impossible for. Amazing. A simple magical tool.

Yeah. Oh, that's so sweet. NCV goes and, like, has a little extra time. That ended up being pretty quick and pretty simple. So I'll go replace the bridle and then make, like, a little note on it for Ursula. Like I'll happily explain it when he gets back and we have time to talk. But just in case other things kind of kick up, like he'll have that so he'll know. And going back into the ring, Suvie goes to scuff it and clean it up and just has a weird little thought.

And again, I was kind of hoping that the bridle would take a little. longer so she wouldn't keep thinking about Tephmet and replaying the ways in which she wished she could have intimidated them or get some information out of them. It's a thing of like, yeah, going over and over again in your head, the interactions. And you're like, is there something a little more interesting I could have done? And then there was like something at the very end with Tepmet, like casting a spell on themselves that was like what Suvie cast earlier and Suvi's like feeling away about it. And then remembers that Identify doesn't only work on objects.

And she thinks about the fact that when she showed the box, the anxiety, the reason she wanted to walk away and not show it to her friends was she didn't know how to explain what it was because she didn't understand what it was, because she didn't understand why she had it. And it's just an errant thought. It's probably nothing, but she's here and she knows the spell. It's much easier in her hands with the casting that she's learned from her parents and their notes. so she's going to turn identify on herself one more time to see if there's any magic on her that she doesn't know about. Standing in the middle of this ritual diagram,

you begin to cast. Do you cast this in the expedited way of your mother's mending cantrip? Only ever that from now on. Which is fascinating, because earlier today you pulled or earlier in this period of wakefulness is actually yesterday. You pulled a spell from your father's emerald ring, his ring of Aaron. You begin to speak in the lingua arcana speech. There are tales in the world of spirits about how this all began in inky blackness.

And sometimes it was a body of ice that was thawed through. And other times out of the deep water or the dark forest came the first sun or moon. But in some tales, too, the very first thing was not a sun or moon or star, but was a single word. A language spoken by the universe to know itself. Of all of the things that presuppose magic in a creature, the first is knowing. to know is the condition of those who would work their will upon magic. And the word. The word sky, vast, and suddenly there it is, yourself in constellation.

Childhood, a point of starlight, a summer. Stars in the southern skies. A book, a scroll, a ride to Grandmother Wrens, traveling doors, circles, turning upon circles. And there they are hovering like moons, orbiting your ring. What's orbiting that ring? Scrying spells. And what are their names? The names of the spells inside them, each with an emblem of a tall glass tower.

Why is a glass tower trying to look at your ring? Why did it try to look at your ring? four times yesterday after you cast that spell. You see that they can't touch the ring. These spells are holding in space. And suddenly you look at the star in vision as the diagram moves around you in silver lines of light

and you are yourself in constellation like a mighty archer made of stars above in the sky, beholding yourself in your own reflection. And there at your heart of hearts past the sky is the star that means Sufer and Kid Barricot. And like arrows from a bow, are there two and twenty scrying spells waiting to touch your heart?

They are some weeks or perhaps two or so months old at this point, waiting at your heart. And something is stopping them, a curtain of celestial dust like the rings of vast and mighty planet. And what is that arc stopping the scrying spells from touching your heart? And why are they roughly two months thereabouts old? The scrying spells from after your speaking mirror broke. Scrying spells from when you were on foot with Ame in a calm coming towards your heart. And what is stopping them and you investigate and find another word, another name? Ren, gult, stone, a perfect sapphire. Another star, or Rima, of the reaching green. Why can't she hear you?

A gift given to you. A stone to stop the eyes of great spirits. You are right. There is something in their greatness that is too great, and they must be stopped. And then you walk around. What else did your mother choose to protect you from? The Citadel itself. You wear a stone around your neck,

and have since the wagon in the town of Silbury, where Bear is the strongest man, and there you see your beloved friends true, always at your side in constellation. The stone you wear protects you from great spirits and great towers, two sides, two hands, reaching towards each other, to clasp in and of themselves the other, and your stone protects you from great spirits,

and the Citadel, and it protected you from the scrying that sought after you in those weeks that you were missing. Why? Why did that not get mentioned to you? If so many scrying spells were cast upon you and they didn't work, why wouldn't someone have followed up with you? You look deeper. You see strands of prophecy fulfilled. Some of these stars burn red in the nighttime sky along a trail of Aurora Borealis. They are burning red like glistening rubies. And you see in the distance a man in a camel hair coat with a flat cap walking the Aurora Borealis, dropping rubies like breadcrumbs behind him in the sky. Look forward again. You have completed this and done your task as you always have. You remained in the cottage. You remained on the dock. You saved your friend. You have always done

exactly as you should. You have kept your promises. Is someone not keeping a promise to you, you look on yourself. Constellation, streaking comets, closing it around you as though within a meteor shower, a fog of confusion. You are under the effects of a modify memory spell. Behind that cloud, a geos spell, a quest. The sigils is she built out of chalk and sand.

It's white like the sand. the desert what why why what did I do what was done she scuffs the sigil immediately I don't know what to think know what to do I have trust someone I don't I don't know who to trust the door is to the keep open and Amay and Ursula entered sky what's the matter I'm gonna take my coat off and put it around sky Are you all right? No, no. Are you hurt?

No. Uh, no. Something's wrong with me. I don't know what it is. And Ceev can't catch her breath or make eye contact or stop shaking. Um, the fox runs over to the area where Ursulant's been sleeping in just sort of like a pile of clothes and stuff and pulls a small blanket with his teeth and begins to pull a blanket over to, I go to boil some water. I think reflexively, similar to Amé at the end of Arc 1, Ursula is going to cast protection

from evil and good, not from any sort of like meaningful place, but a true, his worry for Sky kind of magically manifesting in this space. Ursulae touches a hand to you and you smell soap like from a bath, gave them to a wild thing. I am so sorry. I trapped you here. No, no. I did what I tried to do the right thing. Sky, Skye.

Sky, no, stop. I don't know the right thing to do. If I know I'll do it. I'm so sorry. Ursula's just going to breathe with Sufi in this moment. I think kind of, with his coat, kind of wrap his arms around her and just breathe, hoping that the feeling of his chest swelling will evoke a feeling in her. Wren came to this palace many times from the cottage outside of Toma.

So many of the belongings in the keep are Wrens. You look down and see the rug you are on. surrounded by this blanket, you recognize this rug. The last time protection from evil and good was cast on this rug was Suvi casting it with Ursula under a blanket, breathing raggedly, the first spell you ever cast. I think Suvi just fold over on herself and is doing probably just a very poor attempt at breathing with you. Like, she understands what you're trying to do.

And it's just one of those things where, like, the level of, like, exhaustion, approaching, like, hysteria. Like, she cannot coordinate herself in this moment. Amai comes back with a mug of tea and a cup of coffee that she sees her friend. friends there and Suvi's struggling to breathe. And she just thinks about the last couple of days and Suv's unwillingness to open up to her

or Suvies perhaps in Amé's mind justified mistrust. And she stands back and watches her friends. In this moment, Amme, as you stand here with these drinks, looking at Ursula here with Sufi. You hear on the glass. I look over. You see Neif standing at the window

looking horrified with a broom handle with a crow perched on it. Neef? Can I meet you at the front door? Yes. I'll be right there. I moved to take the glasses from Amma. I hand them off.

Thank you. At the front door as you open it, Amé, Neif looks at you and says, and you see that the crow, who you have not heard speak, goes, A word with you is desired by my mistress Marara. Yes, thank you, by all means. What may I call you? Flies away. Oh, thank you, Neif, for carrying the messenger.

I had landed on the broomstick and wouldn't take off. I'm sorry. and you see that Neif runs off into the snow. Oh, thank you. Amme closes the door and comes second to collect herself, returns to her friends to check on Suvi. Suvi is, at this point, I think, grabbing onto the rug, and I don't think it's in her...

She probably would have lost herself a little more if she didn't hear that there were other people around, but she can't pull herself back from it. It's too much. She's exhausted. And it's just all coming out. Ursulaan is continuing to rub Subi's shoulder and back

to the best visibility while using another hand to try and build a fire in this hearth. Wordlessly, Ame swoops over and picks up the log and starts to build the fire herself. I think there's something in the like desire to do something

or have control or be outside of her head and her heart, I'm gonna cast it a Rulian bolt at the fireplace. And fire leaps into the crackling fireplace. Who is that? It's me. Amay. No, I, yes, I know, God. And she's gonna try to kind of push herself up to like, at least sitting and not sort of being doubled over.

I offer my hand to help. Yeah, she takes it. Who was at the door? It was Nephi. I'm being summoned to speak with Marara. What about? That can wait for a moment. What can we do?

Very powerful magic on me. Compulsion and forgetting. Do you know where this magic is from? If it is a curse, perhaps. Wavebreaker? Suvie gives a look that for all of her rough edges, she is pulling back a lot of initial instincts and strong initial reactions. And the look she cuts at both of you at the idea of turning wavebreaker.

on her after what Amé just went through is unthinkable and doesn't have the like bearing to see the attempt at kindness behind it and it just takes a little too long to pull that back. Okay, okay. I think the hand not sort of clasping her own chest. The other one is reaching for Ursulaan in that very childlike way when nightmares would drive her into the pile of us and she would clutch at his fur to ground her. I just need a minute. Tell me about what you did and I'll have time to think. Maybe a simpler problem. Amé and Ursulae exchange a look.

Ursulaan looks terrified. Amé looks at Ursula like, well? Ursula looks at Amé with similar energy. Suvi looks at the fox. They elected me to tell you. Oh, it's that bad. The Wizard Tefmet said a bunch of scary stuff that I didn't fully get. It had to do with the city.

Marara said that the man in black wants to destroy the citadel. They're going to have a vote about whether that should happen in less than one hour. A fucking mental breakdown. Why is there never enough time? The fuck sleeps up. Duh. Honestly, in your assent to full wizardhood, you are, when you say fuck like that, thunder peels outside. I pet the fox.

His fur is, he is a complete sphere of orange fur. He's like, I'm calm. I'm actually, yeah, you're doing so good fox. There is never, I have found, a good time for a mental breakdown. This one is, though, as you say, particularly bad. Your thing first, though, no. What can we do? No, no.

The Citadel is, there's a vote. There have been multiple instances of Citadel wizards like Guildmage Morrow. Guildmage Morrow is an Imperian wizard. He is not of the Citadel. The lenses that he crafted were on their way to the Citadel. What do you mean? They intercepted. Who is they?

Don't shake your head. Who is they? The antivalist and their associates. The antivalist intercepted the lenses, headed from where to the Citadel? I suppose the Derrick. The lenses were recovered in a warehouse and then being sent to the Citadel. Do they? There were other artifacts of the citadel venturing into the spirit world.

Of breeding and creating spirits. What? Yes. As well as using some form of teleportation door. an ancient one to attempt to pull a great spirit into the real. Incredible magic. How did the Antivalist know?

They had artifacts from these places as well as intercepted missives. Messages. From Citadel Wizards. Plans discussing how to go about doing that? Yes. And you saw them.

You saw them all. And you know that that wasn't. Did you... Is there any world in which a wizard who refers to themselves as an antivalist, the stated nemesis of the Wizards of the Citadel might have misrepresented, misplayed, overplayed their hand

in presenting this evidence. You were there with me, Sufi, on the Derek. You saw it! I'm sorry. No, it's fine. You know what these people are capable of. I know what some are capable of. There are many ways to explain away a lot of these things, Suvie.

But it is an undeniable. It is undeniable. that... What? What is undeniable? That the machinery of the citadel is being turned towards subduing great spirits.

What evidence do you have of that? The lenses made. The Derek was an act by the Scepter's chorus. You saw that with your own eyes. I did. When we brought it to steal the sword of the citadel,

she was on her way. On her way to do what? Exactly what. she promised. And how do you know that? Because I trust her with my life. Well, I trust Ame and the witches of this covenant. They tried to kill you an hour ago. And you would trust them? They tried to kill me and Grandmother Wren because we stood against the man and black and his aim to destroy the Citadel. Grandmother Wren collaborated with your mother and with Galt. Keep my mother's name out of your mouth. No. Your mother was kicked out of the Citadel

for standing up for what she thought was right. Your father released spirits from the archive. They risked everything for their principles. And they were of the Citadel too. So when your sisters brought forth emotion, To destroy my home. What did you say? Which of the world's heart, whose job it is to advocate for both spirit and humanity? They did not ask for my vote yet.

And yes, when they do, I will object. But do you think that the citadel represents all of humanity? I don't think the citadel represents all of the empire. You do your research, you discover the secrets of the lingua arcana. What do you bend it towards? What did you learn in your school, Suvi? How to use magic. For what?

To improve people's lives. To travel and share knowledge. To survive in the face of a world that sees destruction. At the hands of other people, at the hands of spirits. You believe that? You do. I know you do. And I know Steele believes that, too.

I think that there are so many wizards that do. But when faced with overwhelming evidence, that there are well-funded, well-supported aims that seek to subjectate others, wouldn't you stand up against it? Even if it meant standing against the Citadel. What are you asking of me? Would I condemn the Citadel to oblivion?

No. My family lives there. You met them. You put yourself in a car. coma because you did not want to wait for our help and we kept you alive and nursed you back. Why do you suppose Steele was so eager to remove me to turn on my mother? I won't just because you don't know what it's like to have family. Does it mean that it's so easy for me to turn on mine?

She's only ever helped me. She took me in when my parents died. What do you want from me? Amen. I have bent the last three months of my life to helping you, breaking your curse, abandoning my post,

nursing you back to health. And then in a moment of great crisis, when you decided, that you didn't trust my home or my family. You betrayed it. You betrayed me and you left. And I still came and did my duty. And the first time,

I would ask you to have just a modicum of faith in me, a little compassion. You can't find it. Isn't that your job? Or do you only reserve that for spirits? I am so tired and I'm sad and I'm scared. There are millions of other humans that are as we speak preparing to march against the Citadel. Whether they have my support or not, it will happen.

The power of great spirits turned against the Citadel. Even if I were to make an attempt, it will still happen. Okay, it's that easy for you to not even try. I didn't say I wouldn't try. If I knew, I promise. I would not keep that from you, Ursula. But what would you do? What would you do if you knew?

If I knew that the Citadel was attempting to enslave and breed spirits, they would burn down my station, trying to stop them, and walk away if I couldn't. Then walk away. Because it's happening. You're so quick to believe the worst about every aspect of my life. Forgive me if I need just a little more proof before I throw my whole life away for your cause.

I am not so unmoored in this world. The aurora borealis crackles overhead and with the distant chiming of bells within the palace, Amay, you know the hour of conclave approaches. You're going to go speak with Marara? Yes. And what would you have me do?

Do you think they will let me leave? I don't know how the vote will go. But just like my mentor, I will stand in the way of any harm, leveled fully at the Citadel. And I turn around, and I walk out towards Mararas. I promised you the same, and so did steal. And you still... RAN! Swirling.

Stars twinkling. As they do, as they have done, these nights passed. Perhaps the stark and frigid majesty of this place is losing a little bit of its charm as the witch of the world's heart moves through the courtyards towards the keep of the waning moon. Amay, playing back the argument in her head. Just almost muttering. to herself. The fox treads beside you and looks up.

You don't say. Not now I don't. I don't. On through this courtyard and arrive at staircase descending all tower. Stairs descend. Avey-set gate with latticed bars of metal across small windows gazing out. poor Cullis raised at the beginning of a massive dungeon. You hear a crow from within the shadows as you approach.

Uh, hello, a sister of the waning moon. I was told that you wish to speak with me. You? Behold in the shadows of fluttering of feathers as the crow flies and lands on a step beneath. You ask what you might call me. Mm-hmm. I am Cross. Oh.

Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Cross. I thought perhaps you were upset with me for asking, but I see. No. This way. Flies into the shadow. The fox goes down the steps with you, and as you enter the shadows, feel hard to see down here, but ahead of you, swimming into view. That fuzzy shape of beholding the bone white mask in deep darkness. You can't even

see its features, just that something reflects the near absence of light in this space. The doors seems that we are both alive as this was not the intention of our sisters. I am grateful to be here with you. Gratitude. Yes. The mask begins to swim up through space as Marara stands from whatever unseen thing she sits upon here in the darkness. Mask is higher than you remember. It moves at a strange angle. You hear something else moving and you wonder how large Marara's body is in this space. Give me an insect check.

Eighteen? Aren't sure on an 18. what might be lying in the dark here. But you hear Maraar say, are you nervous, sister? Not nervous, just exhausted by the day's events, as you might imagine. Oh, I'd say so.

Lying to your sisters like that, there's a fair number of curses you've exposed yourself to, somewhat embarrassing, I would say. Well, first of all, I misspoke when I said that we had not seen them. them before. And second of all, I really don't feel embarrassment the same way that a lot of other people do. So there's that. Oh, I understand. Pond you, I've come here with the precious few minutes we have. To speak to you of unanimity. Perhaps Grandmother Wren never fully communicated to you,

the power that is wielded by this coven when it moves as one. Hakea, grimoor, injury, all were if unanimity could be reached. Lives of humans. How many lives might have been spared if we acted 10, 20, 50 years ago? How many lives might have been spared if we had acted before the flames were there? is hot, my station, and though many mortals dare not look upon me and see abomination, I am not abomination, I am a truth ill-regarded by the common folk of this world. A child dies in the arms of its parents, the moon wanes, and a tyrant dies injustice, and the moon wanes.

It is not my fault that my station is not celebrated. I adhere to it and serve it as best I can. And for that service, am I a devoted and observant which, Wren was the marching of feet, the building of walls, great towers, many hands working together, and what do they build? then mugs, Amé. Your mentor, the greatest witch that ever lived, tied our hands and ruined what possible future we might have had.

Now the bloodshed will be great because we dallyed, because of her eternal optimism. So you do remember Mr. Whiskers. The mask raises up about 20 feet in the air and looks down, and you feel scratching of claws on many parts of the ceiling and walls around you. Wren was devoted completely to our station and into teaching me about the importance of balance. There are no easy answers. Do you think that by wiping out the citadel that suddenly humanity will be saved

and that humans will seek their thirst for knowledge and for a, you know, understanding the unknowable, and you would align yourself with another empire to do so. And with great spirits who have their own schemes and plans. You do not need to be wicked or cruel, to be wrong. To be mistaken, Gramerun wasn't just optimistic. She was practical. She saw ways, paths where other witches could not. Have you at all attempted to ever befriend a human, a wizard?

If your worry is Rove, its monarchy, Ann and Black, reserve some concession for your station. If the citadel falls, perhaps it is your. Or words that could give some design to the world of mortals once it was brought to heal. No, it's not Rove. It's humans. Even amongst the powerful witches who are supposed to be bending all of our efforts towards bridging the spirit and the real, we saw how machinations almost destroyed. the two of us, that machinations and selfishness and greed has already destroyed, I am certain, others of the coven before us. You speak of injury.

I speak of those who plot for their own personal gain. Give me an insight check with advantage. 23. Even in the dark, you heard Marara's words for the first time, when the mortal world is brought to you. to heal. That is not the language that was used in the library, and it was not included in the plan for the man in black to oppose the citadel. I'm wrong to trust her. I thought that we were at common cause. I do not know why she wished to destroy me as well, knowing the importance of the coming war. I cannot say. The mask lowers,

and it's suddenly right in front of you. I am afraid. If there is a concession you can name to vote with us and secure unanimity, I will do my best in the short time that we have to secure it from the King of Night. Saw the future, which two hands could clasped in and of themselves, turned away from the weapons of war. you that wizards would humble themselves enough to move forward with us towards a future of peace they will not i know you are wrong and prove it will prove it the man in black the stranger

he gave me one year from when he appeared at my door before he would return again just for the remainder of that year a wizard. Many wizards, in fact, helped to stop the machinations of the horrible, horrible man who built that cage for the great spirit. I saw many in the Imperium give their lives for it. What can I do to prove that they can turn away from this brutal domination? that we can turn their back on it and learn to live with us. You ask of proof. Perhaps our truths are so far removed that there is no proof that can travel from one domain unto the other.

If it is, as you have said, then the man in black is walking down the road to your front door. And when he reaches that door, we have our unanimity. Farewell. I shall see you in the conclave chamber. Maybe in the year some accommodation can be made in your station in its remaining months that we would understand that the world's heart beats like the drums of war and your station is not one of rolling pins and knitting needles but leather boots and engines of war.

We shall see. The doors open as you turn to depart and ascend the steps with your father. and arrive at the snow. Wondering at the impact of your words on the witch of the waning moon, you hear a whistling through the air, and on the stones in front of you shatters a kitty-cat mug. Ice blue shadow in the walls of the conclave, five witches, five familiars, and the light of the northern star.

Injury speaks. Sisters gathered here, we have had a short recess to consider the words of the wizard Tefmet, the honored friend Convee, and the honored friend Ursula. We come now together to this space for the plan set in motion by our sister Marara, which of the waning moon, that the forces of our conclave might be joined to that of the stranger, the pilgrim under stars. This matter is to be considered carefully. Our conclave will join in this effort, but our sisters will contribute in the manner that they see fit. No sister can be compelled to act in service to the conclave against her will. Unanimity in this regard, should all witches act together, would bring with it the promise of covenant and the weight of our connection to the spirit shared across our vast and sundry domains, would bring with it a conviction

to the king of night and a surety of our victory. Do any now object to holding the vote in this moment? You see, here she looks at Marara. Marara does not look at her. Andry cocks her head to the side. The long-awaited vote is here. Let's see if all that waiting was worth it. And here she looks at Amé. We put now to the Coven of Elders, whether we shall join in aid to the man in black

and seek to topple the tower of the citadel. And with it, the crown of the Kemsarasan Empire. Are there any statements now that need be made? Just a few questions, if I may? By all means, put your questions forward. So this is an effort of everyone, spirits and mortals in which this conclave against the citadel. Yes?

The might of this coven would seek to do. join the man in black, yes. Meaning those witches who vote yes will not only join his effort, but bring some tools of the covens to their bearing, though they will not compel such service from their sisters who vote no. And when humanity has fallen, what then?

You see, Grimor looks and says, The war is not with humanity, it is with the Citadel. Ah, I see. My mistake. And we seek to lend our aid against the Citadel and to level the entirety of that great city. That's correct. And the leaders of the Citadel,

they have been brought to parlay with us already? Well, no, wish of the world's heart. There has been no part. for we do not yet constitute aside in this conflict. Well, but witches are always meant to mediate conflict, yes? And this war has been going an awfully long time. The man in black has not yet shown his hand to the citadel. They do not yet know that he moves upon the world in this way.

Yes. This would be... So we would surprise them. That is correct. Without asking... them if they would be willing to turn their machinery towards more productive things. You see, Injury rubs her eyes and says, while official parley has not been commenced, this coven has granted numerous opportunities for the Citadel to turn its gaze from this project.

There was a member of this coven who was given charge to undertake that upon her own request, and for some 30 years did Grandmother Wren stop our hand to engage on the path that you now lay forth. That time is concluded. Grandmother Wren was enabled to complete her work, in large part due to, the effects of a curse upon her and myself. But now that she is gone and I am here, the new witch of the world's heart, my station's secure, the curse removed. Is it not fair that I should not get a chance to try to continue her work?

How about it, sisters? Do we want to give the kid a shot? And you see that injury looks at the others and says, no. Grimor shakes her head, no, and Marara also voices, no. Put forward before this conclave is a vote, sister. Yes or no, your vote and your path is your own. Wren bought all the time the conclave cared to spare, and most would argue it was too much already.

blood. He hears you she bites her lip and starts bleeding down her chin. The time for blood is here. Take it up with the spirit of your mentor past that you didn't get your chance. I would assume that the blame for that would not lie it on her doorstep, but on the doorstep of whoever cursed her. But I suppose yes.

Go ahead. Let's vote on the time of blood. as opposed to seeing if we can turn the machines of war into the plowshares. Go ahead, Amé, give me a persuasion role with disadvantage. 17. We move then sisters to a vote, yay or nay, whether we join the king of night in his war or not. Sisters, I vote yes.

Let us hunt. I vote yes. Hakea looks at you, Amay, as does Injri. I vote no. Indry looks at you. I vote no. Rara and Gremor both turned to Injury looking. No insight check necessary.

Gremor is enraged at Injury, who she's realized has just opted out of this thing. Hakea looks at you, says. It looks like they left the deciding vote for old Hakea for far too long. The Woodland Green votes, yes, let's tear that tower down. That was Lou Wilson as Ursulaan, Erica Ishii, as Amé, Abria Aynagar, as Suvi, and Brennan Lee Mulligan as everyone and everything else. World's Beyond Number is edited, designed, and scored by Taylor Moore at Fortunate Horse, with additional sound designed from Michael Gelfi Studios.

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