Worlds Beyond Number - WWW #9: The King of Cups

Episode Date: June 20, 2023

[BREAKING NEWS: Our first mini-campaign drops on the Patreon NEXT WEEK! Erika's running their first game ever! Not all the characters "make it" if you know what I mean. See* you there!]What can't you get used to? What can't you learn to ignore? What, you think you can save every starfish? Not my circus, not my monkey, pal.  It is what it is. Gotta take care of yourself first. Take a look in the mirror, love what you see. Speaking of monkeys, you seen my fox anywhere? He was right here a second ago. Hey where are you going? Wait. Come back.Worlds Beyond Number is:Brennan Lee MulliganErika IshiiAabria IyengarLou Wilson and is produced, designed, and scored by Taylor Moore at Fortunate Horse.Transcript of this episode available on our Patreon.We have so much more to show you. An entire campaign about Suvi, Ame, and Eursulon meeting for the first time as children, for instance. And would you believe, even more? Please, join us at Patreon.com/worldsbeyondnumberOur 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. Swept seas as our heroes stand on the uppermost platform. Of the Calabelle, not homantic apparatus, a derrick of steel and glass standing over the waves. You are on a lens of pure crystal that captures the powerful green and purple light of two spinning prisms. and projects them such that you stand within a solid beam of arcane illumination, which reveals as though through perfect transparency,

a dizzying drop below you to the ocean floor, where air and water become completely unlimited to your sight and vision. At the bottom of the sea, there is a being, which would be the most correct term to use for it, because what its true nature is, it is hard to say. But a being faster and more enormous than the largest sailing ship you have ever seen, rides and pulses on the ocean floor as the light hits it in waves, pushing it further down.

The Derek stands over it. A beacon. Mattis. See Maro look with horror and disgust and ruin as he has met with the question, what have you done? By Sufi. In this moment, I'm going to ask everybody here for one skill check to help you process what you're seeing. It can be a wisdom skill or an intelligence skill,

whatever you think your character would be using to try to process what you're seeing. seeing right now. I can say that Ursulaan is, he's trying to process, is there something from my, the world I was a part of before? If he is looking at an honored friend. No role necessary. You behold the form of a great spirit. Look and see that the state that this honored friend is in has had its glamour stripped

from it. The form beneath you, you do not recognize. But I think knowing what you know, it would not seem impossible to you that this is Nauram. Taking that in and processing

that, I do think Ursula gets very emotional in the feelings of empathy with regard to trapping and having your have being seen when you don't want to. And Suvi or Ame, whichever is closer, is just going to stabilize himself on them. For Suvi, everything snaps from wanting to understand how all of this works to immediately

going back and thinking about, I know we know, like the Citadel knows so little about our honored friends, but like, can I think back to sort of historically how have, you? wizards interacted with, like, great spirits? Like, is there precedent for trying to trap them and exploit them? Like, is he, is what he is doing kind of part and parcel to our whole, like, interactions with great spirits? Or is this an abomination? Give me a history check. Is this the day to day or is this the worst thing to ever happen in history?

Yeah, 19. Okay. some of Suvi's reaction is probably based on the immediate emotional reaction of Ursulaan and Ame. Yeah. I don't know how Suvi would react if she was here alone with just one other wizard here, because you're having an immediate reaction to your friends being hurt. But if you had to justify it, if it was really important that you justify it, honored friends are captured all the time.

What is it mean to draw a circle of salt and bind a demon in the middle of it? Your question is, is this the worst thing I've ever seen? Or is this day to day? Hell, no, it's not day to day. This is way the fuck out there. And to be clear, you've never seen a demon being bound either. This is like a very complex thing where your initial reactions of, this is horrifying, are absolutely true.

And then also, I think a very logical part of you has to say, what in principle is different than other things I've already accepted? Yeah. Right? Which is a very dangerous road to go down. And we're just going to ease on down that road. He's on down, ease on down. Heise on down.

Oh, no. Then I think very specifically, Suvie wasn't next to Ursulaan and isn't, his brace and she's going to re-school and re-contextualize her initial reaction to him with a little bit of a smirk of, oh, the audacity of you, to try to bring it back to this. His expectation is that a wizard would be impressed. I must now be impressed with this. I can't give the game away.

Give me, give me deception. 14. Before we can get to his response to you, I want Ame, that, that, that, wisdom or intelligent skill check to process or contextualize what you are seeing? I remember lansing pain shooting through the water into my stomach. And I realize now it's what this is. He gave me this vision when I repaired his face. But I'm going to try to make an insight check to see how.

how aware this being is and if I'm right that it is, Naram. That's an 11. Don't. We're emotional, right? Yeah. I will say that my passive perception is 26. On that passive perception of 26, which is really incredible,

what you can tell is that this creature, is anchored by more than just the waves of light hitting it. That fluid, on that 26, you actually just go into a medicinal space of having worked on a farm and been a veterinarian. That glowing liquid that's turning into coral is blood. And there is something that you can't see because it's on the underside of the creature's mass that is an injury.

There is some kind of injury in the creature. that either initiated how it was trapped, or you may even be like not aware of what in the trap would have necessarily injured it. It looks like that this thing is not so much a cage as it is something else. I think on a 26 passive perception, it's like cages can be harmless, but animals hurt themselves in cages all the time. Morrow looks at you, Suvie, and goes, hi. Oh, yes, yes.

I know it's remarkable, isn't it? This is. Yes. And you see that he waves his hands, the chanting stops, and the lights begin to stop spinning, and the light begins to recede from the ocean once more as sort of this viewing window begins to close. And you go back to just being in the ominous purple and green

of the prisms now floating more slowly overhead. He looks to you and says, It's a remarkable thing. This creature has, of course, been cited outside of Port Talon for generations. We've heard local folk tales and various sightings of the beast for quite some time. The creature has an innate ability control current. I fully vomit. I, on a, I guess it would be 22 inside check.

I know exactly what Suvi is doing. Like my mouth, I'm so sorry, that was, um, he was disgusting. Yeah, well. Sorry, yeah. I know how the creatures make you. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You see, Mara kind of does mix his little face and says,

I actually find the creature quite beautiful. Well, to each their own. The important thing is, already, the, this is what I've been needing. We've been harvesting the coral that seems to be growing from the creature. The sailor's ring you are wearing, is of course composed of that coral, and we've been finding methods of controlling the tides and the currents.

Now, all of this has been kept under extreme lock and key. However, vacations would be better shared with you and you alone, our major apprentice. But the findings initially are going to walk over and Suvi like reaches out and puts her hand on his shoulder and just gives that squeeze of incredible. In service of the empire truly. I know within myself. Take what we have done here. I'll tell you more about it later. I have some ideas of how the magic in this creature might be exploited and bent to greater purpose.

But he studied at the Citadel, you and I, names that were drummed into us who achieved far less than you have today. And a wizard from the Citadel has witnessed that it was you that led this endeavor. He smiles, bows very deeply, and he says, I am so honored. Well, this went about as well as could be expected. You see, he says, I don't want to take away your secrets, and I'm just trying to. What does Ursulaan look like right now?

Holding Arame's shoulder and just looking down into the darkness of the ocean below. And I think just is in a different space. I think the conversation happening, the vomit is all just washing over him. I like there is no, he's somewhere else. Then to run a little interference on that, look, I don't want to take anything away from your prize secrets, but I do need to know how did you figure out exactly how many lenses you would need to focus this light.

You don't have to tell me what the prisms are, but like just... Yes, well, I'd actually be quite delighted. if you'd take a look at the schematics. Oh, my God. Well, it's quite chilly out here on the Derek. You've seen what there is to see. And, of course, just thinking for, you know, thinking out loud, this, of course, was where the creature was first sighted,

but we have no way of knowing if there's more of these out there, possibly there would be ability to recreate Derricks like this, whether this creature is itself, you know, of course possible that it is a unique being, but it could also be part of an oceanic species, perhaps more of... Suvi. We should return. Yes.

Oh, let's go. Feeling a little under the weather, yes. Yeah. Yes, yes, yes. And we actually have, hold on, Mintz. Oh, I... You know what?

No? I don't know. I'm going to start walking down the stairs. I'll take them. Like normal stairs. I don't want the platform anymore. Oh, sir. Bear, you...

You know what? You're going to let him have this. Very well. So you see, he begins to lower down and goes, yes, I understand. I get, the first couple of years I was out here, I was terribly seasick.

So, yes, I'm going to go. This is that. Thank you. So he sails back with you. He actually asks to sort of pull you aside. Yes, of course. You see, he looks and says,

as you can, there were certain elements of Port Talon that has other nautomansors and various members of the Imperium and pointed out, Port Townland receives sort of favorable weather, unlike the rest of the Isle of a Calm. You know, the arable land near here survive. They haven't had a famine or a drought in this half of the island, and I don't know how long.

And we started to wonder, and then we started noticing some irregularities in the trade streams and the currents nearby. Finding this creature, we saw that it actually has the ability to shape these streams to some degree. The one place that it came the most reliably was here to Port Town. There had been sightings historically, not often, but every couple of years, some farmer, fishermen would have a sighting. And fishermen seemed to often see the beast after record catches. There'd be some fishermen who came with a huge hall of fish that were fleeing from the creature, and they would scoop it up and they would see it.

Relightful. Capturing the creature was just the first part of what the apple was. Baratis was intended to do. We knew that it came by this way. We scuttled some bait at the bottom of the sea underneath the Derrick, hoping that the creature would come in. It did come in. And upon capturing it, of course, that's just the first half of what the Derrick is for.

All of the Sailors' Rings and the Coral... These are side projects, essentially, that are of use, but, you know, of the kind of use that the empire is used to. The sort of projects that, oh, get you a pat on the back. Yeah. There is a possibility with this creature. No pun intended. Okay.

We have reached a lot. But the storm clouds gather. We know that Gouthmay and Roof, not in disavowal of this ancient enmity, but instead they have moved back like a fist being cocked, ready to strike. We could strike. Long ago, when I was first at the Citadel,

there was a period of, time when I was put onto a partial track for meteoromancy, the study of weather magic. And of course, the, you know, Gouth, May, and Rove have vast resources of their disposal that can't just send storms to rack them. They have the ability to stop that. What? None of us have dominion over, or at least not to my knowledge, and none of our intelligence suggests that Gautzmaier has this same ability, has been command over the ocean.

The ocean has been a free-for-all, and our navies have been at war for generations. But with the control over the currents, if this creature's abilities were able to be amplified, were able to be directed and controlled, the intersection of these ocean currents with weather patterns continentally over the globe will drive a famine to its knees to create floods throughout Rove that would see their economies toppled. And none of their defenses against the sort of weather magic of the Imperium, all of that is based on direct frontal attacks, but none of this would require intersecting with those abjurations at all.

By reworking the tides of the oceans, you could effectively, within a generation, topple. Oh. See, you see it. It's brilliant. The real question is, have you noticed any deleterious effect while you've had the beast

under your Derek? Oh, deleterious effect in what way? To the... No, the Derek is working, absolutely. Right. Right. Well, if this beast was sort of a harbinger or came along with good things

and prosperity to Port Talon has its sort of forced remaining here, done anything or yielded any strange results. This thing is clearly strange and magical. I'm just trying to make sure that there's no sort of continued exposure problems. Oh, yes. Here you see his eyes kind of go blank.

You realize that he doesn't, has not thought about that. However, you see, as you're approaching and you start to think about it, You notice that Port Talon, as you're looking at Port Talon, the imperial docks are full. But sailing back from the Derrick, you look at the outer rim of the Talon. It's nighttime, and you don't see any of the docks even halfway full with fishing vessels. This place used to be a fishing town. You see, he says, and of course the, you know, there is, and you bringing this up has actually made me double my resolve to find if there is.

I don't think that there would be a correlation, but there was an inland issue with one of the shrines inland, and there's been this sort of cudzu infestation that began some time after the creature was captured. I don't know if there's a connection.

I don't see how there would be. It doesn't make any sense. So are we effectively, I'm assuming the governor or whoever runs this city is taking care of it, but does it seem to be all well in hand? Yes, no, we've been supplying the salt for the saltfires, and you know we've been taking care of that. So that's an interesting, but, you know, I can see that the timing might create a connection. Look, I'm less concerned about any sort of...

We are brilliant, and we will figure out whatever needs to be known about this in order to effectively utilize it. I'm more concerned that the more signaling externally that there is something interesting happening on this island might turn eyes of a Ruvian or Gouth My Nature. Extremely well said. Yes, operational security has been the utmost priority. And so, to the best of my knowledge, nothing, I will look into it. And you see that he smiles and the ship comes back to the harbor. And the three of you sort of, you've had the carriage awaits to bring you back to the chantry. as Ursulon silently boards the carriage.

I am guiding Ursula suddenly squeezing his hand. Fine. I think seeing them as they exit the boat, Suvi realizes at some point in the conversation, especially when it turned towards wartime applications, Suvi stopped pretending to be excited about this and was excited about it and didn't realize it until she saw her friends again.

The chantree? at the chantry, your rooms await you. As soon as we're all alone together. Arima? Oh, oh, oh. Oh. You have to go to her shrine? No.

We need to go. We need to recover wavebreaker and be on our way. No, no. Yes, yes. There's nothing we can do. What would you have a, you would have a stand against the empire? You would have us... ask more honored friends to put themselves in harm's way?

The empire will come for all of them eventually. If they... Well, that's the empire's choosing. We came for wavebreaker. We should go. We have what we need. Let's be on our way. Our business here is concluded.

If you need to go, then you should go. I will not ask another honored friend to sacrifice themselves. But Orima is clearly trying to get to her love. And I have to help her. I have to. Why? That's not your fight? It is.

It's my duty, my sworn obligation as a witch. And... Your obligation is to help your honored friends. Ursulaan is right in front of us. And he says we should go. What would you have? have us do, Amay.

You go. I can stay. And do what? We are here because of you. I know. I'm sorry I brought you all the way out here. But if they prove that this works, the empire will hunt down the great spirits.

We already are. That's already been on the table. Did you know that? The empire's understanding. Of the nature of our honor of friends is, it is laughable. I've done everything in my power to not expand on that knowledge, but we are wizards. We learn, we grab, we exploit in order to save lives. I am sorry for the state that Naram is in, but

And how about Port Talon? How about the state that Port Tallinn is in? Is that saving lives? Thousands die every day in this war. I saw the lack of fishing vessels. The lack of fishing vessels? Arthur's Inn? Everybody with the witch fires and the kudzu

and how many more cities Well, what are you doing to end the war? What does your duty compel you to do? Because mine is to end the war. Every wizard's, every thought is bent on finishing this fight. And I would never, ever judge or... Oh, that's not true. You judge us every day.

You can't help yourself. I don't judge you. I don't agree with your... With the actions of the empire. But you would wear our rings. You would take from us. You exploit as easily as any wizard, Amay. That's true, but I can see somewhere here where I can help.

And I'm going to just do the best that I can. Why can't we just finish what we started? Look, if the great spirits are as powerful as we know they are, Arima will come, Naram will be free, that Derek will fall, before anything can come of it. All will be as it was. But what are you going to do?

I'm going to go to her shrine. I'm going to go to her shrine. I'm going to do something about the witch fires. The witch fires are holding her fury back. That fury will be turned on the entire city. All of Port Talon will suffer. Would you do that? It doesn't have to.

We should at least talk to her. Is there any value in going to speak to Arima? Do you know her? She's someone that my father spoke of as being great and powerful in that to be avoided. To be avoided. Well, I've made my mind up. and we did what well, Gallas asked of us,

so you can go find Wavebreaker. We are attached, Ambe. The point of recovering Wavebreaker, it's not just to have a sword, it's so that we can free whatever it is that is locked. So if you are committed in this course... You're right. That is the priority. You're right.

I just saw him down there. there and I seeing him like that and knowing that they could I mean what if they found out and did that to you Ursula? I think Ursulaan is

that's too much. He leaves and I'm going to go to my room. Are you supposed to be the one that both worlds? Walking both worlds really means that you don't quite understand either one of them perfectly.

So I can do what I can, but I don't question you or your convictions. And I know that they're sometimes at odds with mine. I love you very, very much. And I want to understand better. I'll go talk to him. Can you tell you? You should go.

Ursula Lund. In the room, Ursulaan has taken the sword that he got from Findlay, and he's removed the sailor's ring and put it on whatever table or surface he can find, and is going to attempt to smash it. You bring the sword down onto the ring, and as it connects with the coral, the coral makes a... And the steel of the sword ripples and bends, twisting to... warp the edge and the sword becomes useless. I'm going to throw the sword at the door as Amme knocks on it.

Oh, Erzlan, are you all right? Yes, I'm fine. May I come in, or I can talk to the door here? Ursulaan opens, unlocks the door, but does not open it. And I'm just going to go sit down. I open the door. I stick my head inside. I see him on the other side of the room.

I truly don't know what to say. I'm sorry. My first impulse is to meddle and to get involved with things. And that's a bit presumptuous of me. I didn't ask what you wanted or what he might have wanted. We have not talked about the times since we went to us. separate ways. I gather that it was very hard for you.

Yes. Hard enough that you felt that you had to deceive us as to how bad it really was. You can always share with me with Sufi, but if you're not ready to ever talk about it or you just simply want to forget about it, that's fine too. I just these times that we have had have again, there has been. there has been joy. It is selfish, but I do not want to take on the woes of the world and interrupt that. That bond that we have rekindled.

I don't. It doesn't. It hurts me to see Naram that way. But we are three friends against all of this, all of the grandeur and power that we have witnessed over the last day. with Suvi. Well, first of all, I think they were trying a little too hard to be grand and impress us. But we can have both. We can be three friends together, having some joyful times, and also take on difficult tasks.

And I don't purport to always have the tools to fight something as big and powerful as the empire, nor do I think it's our place to do so. But to be able to enable others who can better help themselves and the people that they love, that's what we do for each other. I will not ask it of you, but that feeling inside of you, of you feeling for Naram,

we feel that for all each other too, and I'm sure Orima feels that for him. if it was one of us trapped down being used like that would want to do something to save us and you'd value any help you got I wish to be alone now Amma

as you leave and return to your room footsteps walking in the hall a little click clack of the fox's claws the fox looks up at you as you enter into your room looks with a kind of neutral face, what would you do if you did what you really wanted to do?

Yeah, you do. I'm not used to people asking me that. I'd go find Orma, and I'd do something about the witch fires, and plead with her to go save her lover without harming the town. And then I'd go get Wavebreaker and fulfill my promises to Grandma Wren.

How about you? What would you do if you did what you wanted? Wait a minute. You always do what you want. Yeah, I'm always doing what I want. But you see how it gets you into trouble sometimes and how sometimes people get upset with you, right? You got to know. I got to know that you know. And then it bothers you even just a little bit. What bothers me? That would other people think of you.

Now, if they can't catch me, they can think whatever they want about me. And if they can catch you? I'm in trouble. Yeah. Imagine that they can always catch you. And then how would you live your life? Would you always be doing what you wanted to do? Yeah.

Because if I stop trying to do what I want to do, then they've already caught me. I hate how much sense. Can you open the door so I can go get some fish slurry? Fish slurry. Can I make an attempt to find a... find someone within the chantry that would help me send a message to the Citadel. Yeah, absolutely. I think you go down that night.

And by the way, you get back at like 10 or 11 p.m. Like, it's not even midnight by the time you get back. So there's like, and you also have been like, you already slept in your rooms. It's been, or I guess you've only had a short rest. So, but if you, like, in other words, if there's, if you wanted to go be nighthawks and do stuff, you could as well. Sufi, you go downstairs and see none other in the sort of main foyer, the chamber that you're going to go find an attendant. Galani, who is speaking there, she has deep blue robes that are lined with kind of this like very rippling yellow orange silk inside of the blue.

It's a very sort of flashy sort of thing. And you see that she has this enormous steel collard. that swoops down in her robes, like tying to her belt that is lined with abjurative. Deep, dark brown skin, gold-flect irises of like a hazel green, and her hair done up into this long, coiled braid on the top of her head. She's about, she's probably like a couple years older than you, but you would have known her as an upperclassman at the Citadel. She turns around to you and you know that she is an abjurrer of the Citadel.

As you walk down, she turns and goes, Sufi. Oh, Kalani. Really quick, can I get like a relative status check between the two of us? And I want to know how most respectfully should I address her. You are an intern at the White House. She is the head of the like Des Moines Agricultural Bureau. So like she's in charge of things, you are not, you're in the thick of it, she is not. Yeah, okay.

Well, and just that. Galani, oh my God. Hi. Hello. I couldn't believe it. You're A. alive. Alive? Yes.

Word went out through the Citadel's private channels to begin searching for you about a week and a half ago. Oh. Oh, God. Yes. And I reach into my pocket and pull out the, like, sending mirror. My sending mirror was disenchanted, bad running with a mage. And I... Bad running with a mage who broke your speaking mirror.

Yes. Give me deception. Shit. No. Eight. She looks to you and says, all right. A maid. What do you mean a ma'am?

A mage? A mage of the Citadel? No, no. It's a long and incredibly obnoxious story, but I've only now been able to reach civilization, and I was on my way to send word back to this. Literally, they all think I'm dead. How little do you all think of me? I'm fine. You see, she says, she says, yes, I understand. And respectfully, incredibly veteran mages of the Citadel are killed by enemy combatants all the time.

You being a ghost on the wind for several weeks is not us having a, I say us very broadly. Steele is on her way. Oh, no, I have got to talk to Steele now. It's, did you see mad? Aye. She seemed relieved that her surrogate daughter is alive. And I think that if I was reading her correctly, through the tears streaking down her face. Oh, God.

She might well be mad when she gets here. Oh, shit. Wait, hold on. So you know, how do you know I'm here? Well, the guildmaid Morrow bragged about it to every single person he could. It's so good. This is going great. Have you been here for a, the whole?

A day. And you didn't think to. I was doing it now. I'm, look, I'm, it's me looking for a place to, ah, shit. Oh, don't tell, okay. Please don't tell them how stressed I am. I've been handling this to the best of my ability. So let me just understand here for a moment.

So you've known, when did you're speaking mirror break? Okay. I feel like if I answer this wrong, you're going to not... Why? Well, I'm coming here to confirm a rumor. I see that it's confirmed that you are alive and well, for which the entire citadel is grateful. But now I'm beginning to piece together

that you have not been in a particular rush. No, no. You're speaking... We got to the city, like, who's to the day? Oh, I acquired some companion. It's... Okay, a mage, a mage tried to assassinate me,

so I hired help when I was leaving from Silbury to get to here so I could, because there's no other. She casts a little divination to see if your memory is okay. She's like, may I very quickly? Don't. I'm fine. Well, no, I'm going to.

Give me an insight check. Hell yeah. So a couple of, Couple things happen simultaneously. Number one, she thinks that you are possessed or mind controlled. Perfect. Number two, the thing you've been using that's been like, hell yeah, welcome, Suvi. You've been throwing the citadel around. I, not me, Amay.

You've been throwing the citadel around. So it's been working great with these guild mages. This is a mage of the citadel who is who, again, you're seeing in this. moment a sudden reversion of like you can't say do you know who my father is to your dad yeah right right so you can try you can try you can try oh well you can try um and galani probably wants to be on your good side because yeah your leadership track and that's a good idea but she already has the station that she wanted so there's a lot of like what the fuck is going on here so she's like if you'd be so kind i'm just going to to what?

I'm going to cast arcane sight to attempt to just see if there's any enchantments on you. And I'm going to cast, do you have any current spells on you? Not that I'm aware. Oh, hold on. I have a mage armor that I think should just be. It's off now. We're good. All right, great.

I'm going to cast dispel magic. Okay. I want to check if this sounds like she is casting what she's saying. Okay, give me an archa-chak. Natural one. You're a fucking first-level wizard. She starts doing some shit, and all of a sudden, you realize, it's been a lot of running around to calm, like,

what's up, you fucking Hacy? Wizard of the Citadel coming through. You can cast first-level spells. So she's doing two third-level spells, and you're like, that'd be sick one day. Unforch. Unforch. She casts arcane sight

And then does a dispelling on you that feels sort of very Without a spell on you there's no part of it that feels unpleasant It just Little abjurational thing And you can see as an abjuror Her arcane site is fine But oh baby that dispelled magic That's got tons of extra mustard on it

For whatever secret citadel training she has She says All right Yes, Steele will be here very briefly What have you So you've been traveling around a comm for a week and a half, two weeks, for a long time. We fled from the other side of a calm and got to here.

I knew that there was going to be enough of a presence of the empire that I could let everyone know that I was safe. But I did acquire friends because I was worried that I'm being followed. It was only when I got here that I started telegraphing that I was here in high. hopes that someone would be here. I understand. All right. So, yes. I understand you need to keep a low profile, especially if you believe you were being hunted. It's good that you're here now. Um, my understanding is that Steele is trying to get here as soon as possible, but is trying to reserve a traveling door to get here because the one that is the most, there's one that goes to Silbury, but that's on the other side of a com. Um, so all right, well, I'm very glad you're here. Um,

Are you all right staying at this chantry? Do you want to be moved to the governor's manner? Oh, man. As much as Ceevi wants to go to the governor's mansion, because that's fancier. Maybe it is safest for everyone involved if I keep my low profile here. Of course. Listen, Morrow is so enamored with your presence here

that I'm sure he spent every one of his resources to feeding and protecting you rather. So your safest can be here. I'm going to return to the governor's mansion to let Steele know that we spoke. Okay. Do you want to speak to her? She's on her way, I believe. Is she, is there any way to flag her off?

I'm fine. We can, I'll be back soon. Do you want me to flag Steele off? No. No. Yes, but you can't. No, just please let her know that things went, left a little bit. but I'm okay and have been investigating things.

Yeah, I don't know. You can just go. It's fine. I want to go to you. You know what? No, I'm going to come with you. I'll come back for my companions in the morning. Let's go.

We should go. Galani nods. Yes, come with me. It's, you know, we'll head over to the governor's manner. We can speak to Steele briefly, and then we'll get you a nicer suite. and you can come back for your friends in the morning. So late at night,

so now roundabout midnight, you head off with Galani to the governor's. Yeah, I'll kick a note under Ursulaan's door that says I'll be back in the morning. Okay. Amé and Ursulaan, anything from you that night? I'm going to go to the library.

Cool. Ami goes to the library. What do you do there? I would like to research more about the local. folklore and about the geography of the area. Give me a religion check. Dirty 21. You find folklore.

It looks like the folklore has kind of been, there are a lot of, the things that the wizards look the most concerned with are more recent tall tales, like in the last hundred years, right? There's a beast out at sea. see that we see that whenever whenever there's a huge shoal of

fish we catch we see this beast crest the waves and they describe like a lionfish the size of a sailing ship, right? You look for stuff that nobody here appears to have made a connection, but you actually do find older folklore about

different witches and druids and spiritual leaders here in in Port Talon. And you find some of those books, and there's a collected old folk tales and fairy legends, legends of the spirit world from this place.

And you see that there is a drawing of back when the King of Storms first gave three gifts to his son. Naram. And you see the man who you saw in the statue had the beautiful cloak and everything like that as like a young prince

illustrated on the page and you see this massive king of storm clouds and this huge beard of clouds. And handing down, you see it says and on the young lad's name day was he given three gifts

from his father, the king of storms. First, the king he gave a spear named Sea Calmer, that the waves might ever be at the young lads beckon call. And second, was he given a cloak named Mist Collar, that the shrouding fog of the sea might ever hide his travel from the eyes of foes. And third, he gave him a sword named Wavebreaker. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Look at the illustration of Naram.

He has seven fingers on his hand. He'll ever strike down the spells and curses of his enemies. Hey, kid, it's me, Erica. I'm putting together a crew for a job, and I've already recruited a crack team of specialists. Lou Wilson is former racehorse. It's a winner baby, both our muscle and potential getaway vehicle. Abrea Ayangar is hacker and demolitions expert, Philip the goat,

who may or may not be. be the devil? And Brennan Lee Mulligan is finally in my world now, playing Ruthie the hen, the sweetest grandma by day, and the most brutally efficient pickpocket and grease hen by night. Plus, a handful of anxious-sounding animals driven by one incredibly intimidated first-time game master, yours truly. The target? The Family Farms Incorporated Heritage Kettlecorn Truck. One last big score. Get in? Get that corn? get out. And that's where you come in.

Join the crew for a county affair, a rollicking, rambunctious two-parter heist using the Roll for Shoes RPG system. It's all going down Thursday, June 29th, at the fireside and the World's Beyond Number Patreon. So, how about it? You in? You, so, um, Ame, you?

I slammed the bookshed and I run down the hall and they knock on Ursulan's door. Well, we'll see what's going on, because we were going to cut back to like an hour and a half earlier before you're doing all that research. Ursula, what are you doing? I think Ursulaan has like a decent amount of time just sitting and drinking

and staring at the ring and the broken sword and the ring and the broken sword. And I think it's going to watch Suvi slip the note under the door, see it, read it, and then it's going to head out into the night destination, the ace of wands.

Hell yeah. So, I have a question to ask you. Is there anything that, what do you do with the note? Sufi laughed you. I keep it. Cool. So, Amé.

you arrive back banging on ursula Dik Dik Dik Duk! Ursula! Erzlan! Erzlan! Did you lock the door? Uh, no. If anything, when you hit it, it would have just opened.

Oh! The door opens. Oh, that's sinister. Oh, I look in and he's gone. Okay, um, maybe he's with Suvie. I go sprinting down the corridor again. Sueby, I bang on Sidney's door or no. Super locked.

No one goes in my face. Sivie! Tis! Oh, that's fair. Okay. Um, um. the fox went to go get fish slurry I take a little bell

and I put out I wait can I do that okay I take a little bell and I use minor illusion to make the sound travel with scent and I go dingin ding ding ding ding that smells like our treats incredible we're going to cut from that to Ursula

so Ursuline you head out into the night walking to the Ace of Wands it's about you know in the in the hour and a half that Amé is studying

you make it all the way back up to the top of the city near the Witchfire you can smell the Witchfire smoke and you see lights in the Ace of Wands do you go up to you first of all see the statues in the fountain you see Orima and Naran and Naram's healed face.

I think Ursulaan avoids doesn't want anything to do with the statue. And I think even as he gets closer to the ace of, even as he gets closer to the ace of wants, I think braces himself to avoid

acknowledging it, that it is there. Yeah. I think if the only, like the witch fires remind him of the kudzu and even that he tries to block those that scent from his mind.

You arrive at the door of the Ace of One. You see the familiar, beautiful embossed title on the metallic plaque on the door. The door opens wide and you see Lila, the attendant. Hello again. Welcome back. I need to speak

to the cudgel. Ah, would you mind waiting here in the foyer for one moment? Mm-hmm. Are you doing anything to disguise your state of inebriation? No. You stand in the foyer. There's some seats nearby if you choose to sit.

I don't think. I think I just stand. I don't want, there's nothing comfortable about Ursula being here. It's a, I want this is one of the things we have to take care of before we're allowed to leave. So let's get it done. A little bit later, Lila comes back. It says, right this way, sir. She leads you up to that same card room that sees the street corner.

Seated in the room is the cudgel. You see that there's two other kinds of muscle kind of looking people behind him. A seat is pulled out. Lila sort of gestures to the seat. Well, we've, we, I'm not sure you saw. I'm not sure you heard. We did what you asked. So that. It's all right.

Ali is going and getting the main man himself right now. Good. I'm done with this place. Making plans to leave Port Talon? Yes. As soon as possible. Fair enough. Would you care to wait here in privacy for Mr. Gallows, or do you want to avail yourself to the amenities out in the common room? Lila, I'll let you know when Mr. Gallows has arrived,

but I can see our friend out to the common room. Is the mustachioed man still here? Yeah, for sure. And at nighttime, it's a very different vibe. This is not like, the vibe is no longer like a gentleman's club of like, oh, we're smoking and playing cards. There's music, people are dancing. It's nice in here.

Give me, give me, give me. a constitution saving throne. Okay. Dirty 20. Let's go. You walk up to the bar man who turns to you, he's got his big old mustache. Back again. My friend. Welcome back.

What can I get for you? The same. Line them up. And you see, he puts a drink in front of you. Tastes really good. What is the attitude you are taking? here at the bar towards, what is your body language communicating as you sit here and drink in the

bar? I think there's a, there's a, there's a, there's a, there's almost like a focus in the, in the drinking. Like, that's what I'm, that's what this moment is about. I'm, uh, I just, I'd like, there's a, there's almost a, I'm feeling, there's almost a shift in that moment where, uh, Ursuline and is like the man is coming. That's like, that's it. We're doing it. We're getting out of here. So there's a focus in this moment on the drinking because as I'm drinking, I think I'm starting to actually feel the relief that's, we're going to get out of here. This is over. We're done. We're done in Port Talon. So everyone just sees this hulking figure, this like massive man at the bar who does not look one time at any of the beautiful people or happy dancers or anyone

involved and just focuses on his drinking. The barman lines up a couple shots for you. And this time, you were like, you see, does not even ask for payment. It looks like someone has spoken to him and said that you will drink for free while you are here. That I believe, Ursula, I think eventually stops. Like, I think the first two are like shot. And then I think after that is just kind of savoring

and maybe occasionally looking at the door for... Probably honestly, just like the first time you look at the door is right when Arlie Price walks in. The familiar woman who is like the shock of hair going back and has the black vest. She looks, you know, sort of dressed in like in trousers and a vest, kind of like a gambler or like that... I love her.

She says, sir, we're ready. All right, it's about time. It's about time. She leads you back to the room. And do you still have the copper ring on, by the way? I still have the copper ring, not the coral one. So even fucking sauced, you're a big guy. Your, you know, your body is still of another world.

So you still have your alertness, even as you feel a little bit of swaying on your feet. you walk into a room that you know is filled with gangsters and as you walk in you see Will Gallow's seated there about six guys behind him the cudgel is seated there as well he smiles and you see a sword

in a scabbard that you carried for many years seven fingers curled into a fist in the pommel pattern of waves in the grain of the steel along the blade and fuller. Will looks up at you, says,

I'll have to say, I thought it would take a lot longer, and he holds up a wanted poster for Gilmage Payne. Well, you asked the right people to handle the job. I have a drink with me, friend. One last one for the route.

Yes, and then I, then I will be done with this place and all the people who live here. He nods, you see that the cudgel goes off to get drinks for you. Arlie kind of stands with her hands folded behind Will. Will says, what do I call you, friend? Who can call me bear? Bear, about the damn size of one.

I am. Now, I don't see much. use in a blade like this. Lots of magical blades come in back and forth, but ultimately, blades on a battlefield, it's an anachronism. This is a collection piece, not something I could actually make any serious profit off of, so I'm happy to part with it. But curiosity's sake, why did you and your friends want it so badly? My friend, Amé, it is of value to her. And it was a value to me once. Are you because you knew a buyer for it? Oh, sir.

It was a gift. Raises his eyebrows. A gift? You felt completely fine burning a guild mage of the Imperium for a sword with nothing but sentimental value. Oh, he burned himself. At least that's what a fox told me. For having a belly full of port talon. It's a grimy city.

But I'll say this, if you have some attachment to the witch and wizard you walked in with, I won't blame you for following them out. But if you want to make serious money and live well, I can always use men on my team to get things done. Is that an offer? I asked around a little bit. It's the one you sold the sword to. Yes. Last time you were in town, I think you were.

On the bottom of the deck, you could get shuffled quite near the top this time. It's a kind offer from an important man. But your city, it makes me sick. You see, he takes a kind of obscene pride in that. Go ahead and give me persuasion with advantage. Natural 20. Smile is a wide smile. Love an honest man hands the sword to you and says,

If you ever reconsider, know that my door is open. And I want to ensure that I see you again, because I want to make this offer again in some time. He reaches into the inner pocket of his beautiful satin-lined coat, and in the interior pocket, he pulls out a bit of twine. It looks like the strings of a rope that has been taken apart. I take it. What is this friend?

That's a favor. Call it in when you like. I like delicately the best I can kind of roll it and tuck it into my pocket. And I extend out my hand. An ice cold hand shakes yours. He smiles. and he says A pleasure bear

Take care of that string I only have as much as they left around my neck We're cool, we're cool, we're cool, we're cool, we're cool Everyone's cool Everybody be cool Sometimes just says cool shit and we get to react We're allowed to I'm allowed to Oh it makes me feel so good

When we break the narrative We sometimes have to break the narrative for a good line. Yeah. This fuck's so hard. Also, hey, ask him if he's single and like what he thinks of us. Well, that's the main reason I wanted to come alone. Thank you so.

So that no one, you know, we didn't have to make too many flirtation checks. Shoot the shots. And you walk with Wavebreaker. And he smiles and claps you on the back. You have truly, like, there's no way for a gangster to make sense or work. ask people to do crazy dangerous shit for a price and they do it same day. You got to reward that shit. He didn't want the sword anyway.

He hands you the sword. He goes, all right. Take care of there. We'll see you around. Yeah. Maybe one more. One more. Give me Constitution.

Oh, buddy. Here we go. That's 17. Hell yeah. You put another one in him. He takes one down and you, stumble out of there, buzzed and with the sword

you sold in a dark, dark place many years ago, once again in your hands. What's going on with Ursula as you walk? And where do you head to as you walk through the city streets? I think now, Arcelon is now like crested, I think, into like a, into like a drunken, like he's happy drunk.

at this point. I think there's, he feels good and accomplished and admired. Um, and he knows that they, he, you know, I think the thought of Ame's desire to stay here is, is now kind of, uh, has washed away with the drink and it's now just, we have wavebreaker. I'm, I did it. I, I was useful. I got the sword. I helped get the stored. And now, uh, I think if anything, he's almost, it's just like, merrily walking back to the chantry, knowing that at daybreak, and when Suvi returns, they'll be on their way. You head back to the chantry,

and we're going to cut over to the governors. The governor's mansion. You arrive at the governor's mansion. Palatial Galani moves you through guards quickly. This place, unlike the chantry, doesn't have a mystical veneer. It is all Austin. beautiful murals of important historical imperial victories, huge portraits, gilded colonnades. Everything here is wealth, glory, empire. And you arrive in incredibly ostentatious, like, four post, canopy, bed, deep red silks, all of, you know, the walls like these murals and frescoes and like big white vases filled with blooming flowers, lots of color and beauty everywhere.

And Galani takes you up to a 15 and a half foot tall oval mirror that is framed in gilded wood and walks up to the mirror and says, I can try for her right now if you like. Yes, thank you. She touches the mirror. You see it ripple. Roll a little luck check for me in front of the board. You will only be saved on a one through four. Oh, one through four? Saved?

18. Okay. Saved? Saved. From what? Do you see? Woo-v-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo. The mirror moves, and appearing the other side, you see that there is sort of shapes swimming into focus walking.

You can hear a muffled shape comes to, you see other armored wizards on the other side, war staves on their back. These are not matchsticks. And you see steep. in full armor look and say, Galani, I... Sufi! Abjura Galani, I apologize for the rudeness. Could you see yourself out of the room for a moment?

I want to turn to her and be like, you can stay, you can stay. Galani says, absolutely. No, you can stay. Turns and walks. Steele looks at you and says, where in all of the firmament across the wide world. of Umora, have you been?

It's also good to see you. They have been making my way as fast as I can and as safely as I can to where the empire's touch could reach so I could contact you. Things. Why did I hear rumors that you had been in Port Talon for over a day before contacting me? How urgent? was your desire to reach me. And how clouded do you imagine my eyes are here in the Citadel?

It was a busy day, and I'm here, and everything's fine. And we should not be yelling because your voice is caring in this very large room. Is there anyone else in the very large room? Yes. No, no, no. there's not i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm glad you are alive now the last time we spoke i said no russian getting back to me take your time because i was sending you to see grandmother wren who i had heard was deathly ill so i said oh i want to give her her a day or two to settle in it's been weeks suvi it's been weeks well um there's you've got

people in your room, right? Oh, yes. Yeah, okay. Uh, well... Do you want me to ask them to leave? No. No. Yeah. Everyone, please exit. Cool.

You see that the soldiers leave. She looks at you and says, so don't trouble yourself because I'm on my way. No, it's fine. I'm on my way. You... Suverin, I'm on my way. I think with the first... She has not...

She very rarely hears her whole... first name ever said, and she immediately freezes. Do you think it might have been difficult for me, sending you back to Silbury? Do you think there might have been anything challenging for me about wondering what might have happened to you on that island? Do you think that there is any part of me that might have been greater concerned? I'm sorry, Mother Wren died. I am so sorry, Suva.

My mirror was disenchanted. We had one more bit of. business. Something's wrong with Amé. I thought I could handle it quickly. It took more time. I've been attacked. I'm okay. I took care of it. It's fine. It's fine. Oh, no. Oh, oh. It's fine. It's okay. I took care of it. I just needed to fly a little quietly when I finally got here. I didn't, I needed to make sure it didn't look like I was desperate when I appeared. at the channel. Why would you have worried about appearing any kind of way? What have I ever communicated about the Imperium to you that would have made you, I trust you. I trust you, Suvi.

You tell me that you made your way as fast as possible to someone that you knew could reach me. I'll believe you. I'll believe that that's the truth if you ask me to. But a part of me worries, that maybe you took matters into your own hands to prove something that no one has ever doubted. You think we doubt you and we don't, but there's something that you're trying to demonstrate, and I don't know why. I did what I thought was best. I wanted to handle this quickly. It's all a lot, but I have it under control, and I don't know why.

I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner. It's scary out here and I didn't want to show anyone I was scared. Even you. Glad you're safe. I'm still on my way. I should be there. We can't use the traveling door in Silbury right now, so I'm going to fly. I'll be there in two or three days.

What? Sorry, back it up. One, why can't you use the gate? to why are you flying? Just, I'm, what are you? Why? I'm fine. I'm fine. I can come back soon. All is well, and I'm going to ask you as a favor to remain in Port Talon under Galani's care. It is very lucky that one of the Citadel's abjurers is there to protect you. She's like three years older than me.

And in that three years has accomplished a tremendous amount. Okay. I, you're right. So, please see yourself under Galani's care. The, you said, let me understand, grandmother Wren has died. You said an honored friend appeared. Where did they appear?

At her door. Was this, do you have any description of this honored friend? Did you let them in? Uh, no. Okay. We've all dealt with honored friends. We know how to handle them. Um, Amay.

The witch of Toma now delayed him for a year. He had so many titles, but the one I remember is the man in black. Hmm. Man in black, the king of... And did he attempt to enter? Yes. What prevented him from entering? The cottage.

Amé? You said Amé is now the witch of Toma. Yes. You entered the house. Were you able to give either the book or the scroll to grandmother Wren before she passed? Yes, technically, but it was, I don't, she didn't get to really look at it before. But she, so you came on the day. Yeah.

I understand. So an honored friend was repelled by Ame, so we can assume that Ame did not just stay in the house, but has truly inherited. Yes. Oh, the house, like, it like listens to her. Like, the cottage was like made hers. It was very cool. Oh, my gosh. So she was there. And then there was like, there's water under. And then there was like, oh, it was very cool. Um, which is, uh, they are, um, uh, so profound and move in ways that cannot be predicted. That is true. That is real true. Smash cut. Fox, fox, fox, fox, fox. Fox, fox, fox.

You're just running around looking for the fox wherever you can find it. The power of witches. Has anyone seen my fox? Steele looks at you and says, very well. All right. Did anything else happen of note around the arrival of that honored friend or around

grandmother Wren's passing? Um, Uh, there's a big, okay, all right, full disclosure. I was going to take care of this and it was going to be fine. Um, as Grandmother Wren was passing, she and Ame were talking about information, but Amme didn't remember it. And Grandmother Wren was like, oh, you've been cursed to not remember. Don't worry, I have an object that will allow you to remember. But I kind of, when I was six, so that's not on me, gave away that object, uh, to, uh, my friend.

have I told Steele about Ursula? That's up to you. A wizard is known by their secrets. I don't think I gave him up. I gave it to a friend before I leave. I left. And then we went and found him to go get the item,

but the item was gone and it was here in Port Talon. And so we had to go find the item. And then we're about to get it back. So, and then we'll finish the curse on Amme so she can remember what she needs to remember so she can be a very good witch in Toma. And then I will come home.

and I will have done right by my friends and can return with, honestly, too much knowledge of how the empire works. It's bad here on the fringes, and I do not enjoy it. What do you mean it's bad on the fringes? What? We were in a boat, and I almost got killed by a very nice captain. But I did kill it. It was actually incredible. Actually, that wasn't hard or bad.

That was fine for me. But Guildmajor Maharo is like, did. doing this thing and he's like, this is my chance. I can, I could be like, like he didn't get his ass drummed out of the Citadel because he's, but he, like, he caught an honored friend. There's a big thing. What? Yeah.

What do you mean he caught an honored friend? Like a minor spirit? No. Like a big one. Sufi. Yeah. You've been looking for trust. You've been looking for responsibility.

Yeah. Locked down in Port Talon until I arrive. Keep Guildmaid Memorial Memorial under your thumb. Do not let anything advance with whatever he is doing if he has been meddling with any of the honored friends. You said that you gave an item to a friend that had given it, that it was in Port Talon. Yeah.

And that it is going to interact with a curse that is currently on Amme? Yes. Maro, the honored friend, Amé, the curse, the thing that can break the curse, all of it is on ice until I get there. understand. Brilliant. I will see you in two to three days. I'm trusting you with this. When I was your age, I was a nightmare. Have made me furious and all the best always do. On ice, port

tallant three days. You can do it. Be well. You hear a stumble of someone who's been little rascalsing at the door. What the fuck is going on in there? Um, Galani opens and says, uh, Yeah? I think they have flavored ice downstairs. Do you want a flavored ice? Yeah. We're going to cut back over to Ame. We're going to cut over to Ame.

Ame. You do your illusion. You can't find the fox anywhere in the chantry. A son of a bitch, little pier. I go back to my room. Okay. Go back to your room? Do I see a note?

From Sufi. You don't see a note from Sufis. I just left for one for her. So I assumed you were staying together. So you don't see a note. All your friends are gone. Your fox is gone. You just discovered this incredible thing.

I try to reach him through telepathy. So you're just speaking to him telepathically at first. Yes. What do you say to him telepathically? Hey. Hey. Hey, I got some good treats. Where are you?

Uh, oh, you know what? I'll get them later. Wait a minute. You've never delayed gratification. What are you doing? Where are you? Maybe I'm growing. Where are you? No, you're not a person. I am a person.

Oh, where are you? I don't know. All right, just, I'm coming in. I blink into familiar vision. I'm coming in. I'm coming in. First thing is you hear. First, you think you got it wrong

because you can't see anything. But then you realize it's just so dark. And suddenly, warmest, green smoke. The air is thick with smoke and obscure. No, no, no, no. You see the fox through his eyes and through his ears.

You hear roaring flames, and you hear him as he rushing. through choked fields of ash and soot and fire. And you see his head turn back around, look at a massive wall. It is the other side of the wall of Port Talon as he rushes through the witch fires outside. Yeah, I'm not delaying gratification.

I never do that. I snap back out into my room. I grab some things. Okay, um Oh God, I Go over to Suvie's door And look, Suvie,

Sammy, Sammy? Nothing. I kick it in. Boom. Oh, you're so strong now! Oh, that's right. That's right. Give me athletics.

Give me athletics. Absolutely. Oh, my God. Fucking Ripley. Her entire posterior chain, fire. Oh, that is a natural tool. Boom. The door explodes open and.

splinters. She's so fucking strong. This is definitely a kink, right? Yeah. This is for a lot of people. You see Suvys Roo. I'm still wearing that little Lolita dress too. Oh, exactly.

That's the kink part. Amme's in her brolita era. Incredible brolita. So you keep the door in. I kick the door in. It explodes in splinters. I smooth my little ruffled petticoats and I go, Suvie,

wave breaker is, is, I'm sword, and I can't find my fox, and Ursula's gone. See? Is there anything there that gives any indication of where she's been? Did you,

you leave the note in the locked room? I kicked the note under Ursulaan's door. She has it in his pocket, but you would see, like, a perfectly ordered bed, and the most important things she keeps on her, like, her spellbook are, like, gone, so.

Right, she's out. Okay. Um, I'm going to, um, go around, ask around if anybody's seen Suvi, same time doing a survival check to try and track. Is there any indication of where she might have gotten?

Give me a survival check. You don't know how to track in a big city like this. Oh, God. It's all, it's the smoke and the... Your friends are gone, and your little fox is on the other side of a massive, wall in a landscape choked by which fires and raging kudzu.

And he's got 40 HP, right? He has two hit points. Oh, still? Still? Can we homebrew that? No, we cannot. Come on. Scrawl a note.

I grab all of my gear that I can, and I say to the fox through my mind, I am coming for you, you little asshole. I'm going to mitigate your ass. I'm going to make you do what you wanted to do I love you and then I start taking off towards them Hell yeah Thundering steps

Massive quads And that's where we're going to end this episode That was Lou Wilson as Ursulaan Erica Ishii as Amay Abria Ayangar 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 Gelfy Studios. For even more like this, join us on our Patreon. We'll see you there.