Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:00:30):
Welcome to Explorers Wanted. We are a weekly Numenera, actual play podcast. I will be your humble GM, Daniel Andrilik. And with me today is Alex Finn.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:00:40):
Don't mind me, I'm sucking on a burrito.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:00:42):
Stace Babcock.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:00:43):
I am not sucking on a burrito.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:00:45):
Sampson Davis.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:00:46):
I'm sucking on a golden ale with coffee from Insight Brewing.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:00:50):
Ew.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:00:50):
Oh nice.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:00:52):
They haven't paid us any money.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:00:55):
I don't care.
Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:00:57):
And we are joined again by a special guest LaTia Jacquise.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:00:58):
I just got water.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:01:01):
You're the wisest of us.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:01:05):
So who remembers what happened last time? I am going to pick on LaTia.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:01:10):
I knew you were going to pick on me. [crosstalk 00:01:14]
So these three chuckleheads encountered a void storm while their good friend Glad disappeared because of me? What did I do? And so then they encountered me riding on a manta ray, who is both afraid of storms and heights and whatever. And I'm like, "Yo, there's a cloud bridge." Which Nix was like, "But it's made of rock. It's a rock bridge." And I was like, "Yo, Nix, whatever." And so we then traveled to the cloud bridge and then we started going down the cloud bridge and we found prior world structures in the cloud bridge. But we also found really big bugs that like to wear people. So we hid from the really big bugs. And then we found pipes that probably were used for travel by the really big bugs. And that was confirmed at the end of the episode where we all fucked up really badly. And now we have to deal with those consequences.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:02:10):
I liked how we're sharing responsibility for the fuck up. I love it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:02:16):
Actually it was everyone except your character who fucked up like you were fine. Everyone else, just too polite to say that.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:02:22):
I'm just the guest. Anything that happens during this episode will linger when I am gone and you'll just have to deal with that.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:02:32):
Like a fart.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:02:33):
So Nix is currently pinned down by one of these bugs and we were just about to roll initiative. Why doesn't everybody tell me what they get?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:02:44):
Four.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:02:44):
Thirteen.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:02:45):
Seven.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:02:46):
Sixteen.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:02:48):
First up is Alex. What does ChaCha do?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:02:49):
A jeez. Physical onslaught to the bug that's dabbing Nix.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:02:57):
Okay. They're very big. So that will be a 15 to hit.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:03:02):
I think I'll put in a level of effort.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:05):
Good idea. So that's a 12.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:03:06):
18 bam.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:09):
18. Okay, cool. So that's plus two damage. It hits them. It definitely strikes them and they bellow a roar in response. Although they do not seem as phased by it as you would hope. That exoskeleton that body's attached to it absorb a lot of the blow.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:03:24):
Should have gone mental.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:26):
Okay. Next up are bugs. The one that has Nix pinned is going to continue to drain blood. And then she'll take four damage.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:03:37):
Love it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:38):
And armor won't help with that.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:03:38):
Understandable.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:42):
And that actually doesn't take up their action, so they're going to swing another leg out at ChaCha.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:03:47):
Fair.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:48):
So, ChaCha, please make an 18 speed fence roll.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:03:52):
Can Cirque de Solei apply here?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:03:54):
No.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:03:54):
Damn it. I should probably use a level. I guess, yeah a level speed gap.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:03):
Okay. So that brings it down to fifteen?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:04:06):
Drunk math is not good math, I'm going to say that. 17.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:11):
Okay, cool. You just managed to dodge as this leg comes crashing down to the rock beside you. The other one is going to attack Lachlan. Lachlan, please make an 18 speed defense.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:04:24):
Oh, no. Am I hindered in this?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:26):
Hindered. But you had a bonus and a hindrance so it negates it. So it's just a flat for you.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:04:31):
Cool. Can I blow a level of effort for this?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:34):
Sure.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:04:35):
I would like to. 16.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:04:38):
Yay. Nice.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:38):
Nice. Okay. So you also dodge as this leg comes crashing down next to you and it is now Lachlan's turn.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:04:47):
Fun, so I'm going to level that crossbow aim it at the bug that's pinning Nix, actually.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:04:53):
Nice.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:54):
Okay, cool. So that'll be a 15 to hit.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:04:57):
That is only a 12.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:04:59):
Okay. So the arrow shoots across. Its partner actually swings out a leg and knocks you both out of the way.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:04:59):
That is just rude.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:05:07):
A little bit rude.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:05:08):
They're clearly like sort of pair hunters. Next up is Dili.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:05:12):
Quick question about the space that we are in. We're not in like the clear glass tunnels anymore, are we back out in the streets?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:05:19):
No, you are on that sort of wide street with more ruins along the sides.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:05:23):
Okay then Dili, using Major Illusion, is going to manifest a third bug, slightly larger than these other two. And it's going to come at the one that's not pinning Nix kind of like how beetles fight each other when they're mating. So like the front legs are out. It just seems like it's going to like fight. The goal of this is to kind of distract other bug and keep it occupied.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:05:48):
Okay. So you're going to get an asset from hidden flask. You're trained in your Illusions. That's going to bring it down to a nine in this case.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:05:58):
Relevel efforts to bring it to a six and I will hold that and get a 13.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:04):
Okay. It bellows at this apparently challenging bug as your illusion approaches it. Next up is Nix. Nix you can't do anything this round because you're currently pinned. So it goes up to ChaCha.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:06:16):
I guess, mental onslaught of the bug pinning Nix.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:20):
Okay. Since the other one is distracted and they can't work in a pair, there'll be a 15.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:06:24):
Okay, do I want to put in effort? Yeah. I'll do effort.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:30):
Okay, that makes it 12.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:06:30):
19.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:31):
Okay. Minor effect for extra damage.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:06:34):
We're an extra damaged family, unless that minor effect can sever that leg.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:40):
If you want a minor effect, it wouldn't necessarily sever the leg, but you could give Nix an asset to when she tries to escape this next time.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:06:47):
Let's do that.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:48):
Okay. So two damage then.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:06:51):
Nix might not try to escape. Because does the bug got Nix or does Nix got it?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:06:56):
I think we're going to find out pretty quick.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:06:57):
Well, like it would be an asset to eating it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:07:03):
Next up, our bug's turn. Bug that's got Nix. He is going to train for another four points and then swing at ChaCha. So ChaCha, it'll only be a 15 speed defense.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:07:16):
Be that way. Nat 20.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:07:18):
Damn dude.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:07:19):
Nice.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:07:20):
Damn.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:07:22):
Okay. So you're definitely going to dodge it's attack. What would you propose as a major effect?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:07:25):
Asset to dodging. Well-

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:07:28):
I feel like you're bidding too low on your major effects with the assets. I'm going to be honest with you.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:07:32):
I'm trying to think of a good major effect.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:07:35):
On dodging. The, which bug was it? The one with Nix?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:07:39):
The one that was pinning you.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:07:40):
So maybe the extra weight on the leg, with Nix being on his leg, causes it to go off balance and topple over?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:07:48):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:07:49):
Okay. So yeah, the bug topples over and Nix you get a yank, but it's going to be way easy for you to get free.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:07:58):
Oh, cool. Cool.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:07:59):
Nice.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:08:00):
And so Nix, instead of having to spend your entire turn getting free, you'll be able to get free and do one thing as long as it's not moving away.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:08:08):
Got it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:08:08):
Okay. Next up was the other bug that is going to be occupied with Dili's illusion. Like it's very intimidated. It's going to be trying to figure out if there's a way to get that bug, find a weak point that it can attack. Next up is Lachlan.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:08:24):
Cool. [inaudible 00:08:25] Repeat. Lachlan's just going to fire again at the bug that is pinning Nix because the other bug is preoccupied and Lachlan doesn't want to break that illusion.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:08:32):
Okay. So it's buddy isn't helping it and it's toppled over. So that will be a 12.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:08:41):
Well, heck that's just a four.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:08:42):
Oh, Okay.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:08:47):
Lachlan clearly doesn't get into a lot of fights. Like maybe this crossbow looks a little new. So it's not that she doesn't know how to use it, it's just that she just never does.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:09:00):
Okay, cool. So the bolt misses as a result and next up is Dili's turn.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:09:07):
Just checking to see if I can leave this illusion to do its thing on its own. No concentration yet. Excellent. Dili is going to pull his pew pew gun at the bug pinning Nix.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:09:19):
Okay. So your pew pew gun is a light weapon. It is toppled. Doesn't have it's buddy helping it. So that would make it a nine.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:09:19):
17.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:09:32):
Nice. So you got the plus one damage and your pew pew gun ignores armor. So it screams, very unhappy.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:09:35):
Is it a D20 to deplete?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:09:37):
Yes. D20.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:09:38):
All right. 12, excellent.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:09:41):
Okay. Nix would you like to get off of the leg?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:09:44):
Not first. So you said I'd take an action and get off in this turn, but Nix would like to, while she's nice and close, you could maybe describe it as holding the bug, bite it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:09:56):
With her fangs I take it?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:09:57):
With her fangs.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:09:59):
Nix does not want to get off Mr. Bug's wild ride.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:10:03):
That's correct.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:10:05):
Okay Nix. It is a nine.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:10:09):
Is nine trained in unarmed?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:10:12):
Yes.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:10:12):
I'll spend my free level of my effort to make it a three. Ten.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:10:18):
Okay. So you bite into that and it's an unarmed attack for you, which is step a damage, right?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:10:25):
Yes. And the bug is hindered.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:10:27):
Yes. You bite into like one of its joints and you encounter quite a bit of resistance from it, but you do inject your venom and it takes some damage.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:10:38):
And her mouth just opens wide as those fangs slide out. And I want to say that Nix then pushes herself off the bottom of the leg, but her teeth are still attached momentarily. Like a dog with a bone.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:10:50):
Okay, cool. Next up is ChaCha.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:10:53):
So Nix established dominance. So I guess we're going to go for the other bug with a mental onslaught.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:11:01):
Okay. So that would be, the other bug will be a 15.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:11:05):
Eight.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:11:05):
Okay. Your mental onslaught misses. In the heat of the moment, there's something about the way-maybe it's sort of like, it's so busy reacting to Dili's illusion and Dili's illusion is so good that it just moves in a way you don't expect.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:11:19):
Matrix.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:11:20):
Yeah, exactly. Next up is bug's turn. The bug that is on the ground in front of Nix, will stand up and attempt to swing at Nix, but it's injured. I have to spend some time getting up. So it's not as fast as usual it's buddy isn't helping it. So for Nix that's nine speed defense, which I think you're specialized in. So that's a three.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:11:43):
Hell yeah. 17.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:11:44):
Okay. So you dodge its strike. The other one is going to swing at Dili's illusion. Dili, are you trying to have your illusion dodge to the attack or are you letting it take your time?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:11:56):
I think, yeah. The illusion will dodge the attack or try to, at least.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:12:00):
Okay, dodges the attack. Next up is Lachlan.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:12:03):
All right. She's not giving up.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:12:05):
The really wounded one that's by Nix is also looking a little sluggish in it's movements.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:12:09):
Okay. She's panicking, which is why she's not having a great time with the crossbow. So seeing that this one looks a little weaker and that she might actually be able to help more than telling people to hide. She's going to level the crossbow, breathe really slowly and shoot at the really injured again.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:12:28):
Okay. So that would be a nine before any effort. You want to spend any effort?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:12:35):
No. No I wouldn't. Because the thing that I have just rolled is a four and it doesn't matter.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:12:43):
You could spend more than one level of effort, but I guess you've already rolled.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:12:46):
No, I'll take it. It's funnier this way.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:12:50):
Okay. So the arrow goes flying off. It actually looks like, it seems to turn it's head briefly, like kind of confusedly at this bolt point flying by it.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:12:59):
I'm creating distractions. That's what I'm doing. It's all part of the plan.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:13:03):
And Nix is definitely distracted. Nix is so distracted.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:13:08):
Not you Nix. No.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:13:12):
Dili.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:13:13):
Rinse and repeat, shoot the injured bug.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:13:16):
Okay. So that will be, you have a light weapon. So that makes it a six.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:13:22):
Oh, oh, I may keep it. I rolled a one.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:13:26):
Wow.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:13:28):
Advancement. Yeah. Death before not advancement.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:13:31):
Absolutely. Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:13:34):
Okay. So Dili, you have a moment of panic as you're shooting and your illusionary bug disappears. And the other bug zeroes in on you. Next up is Nix.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:13:50):
Yeah. So Nix bit it. It's hindered. Nix is going to attempt to damage it by punching at the joint in like, it's, I want to say carapace, but I don't know if that's how it's pronounced guys. Like I have no fucking clue.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:14:04):
Nope. That's it.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:14:06):
Wait, that's accurate? Fuck yeah. Nailed it. So yeah, she's going to go for that unarmed attack.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:14:13):
Okay. So that is going to be a nine.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:14:18):
Okay so she's trained. So six?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:14:21):
Six.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:14:21):
Spend a level of my effort to hit and then two levels of my effort to fuck it up.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:14:29):
Okay. So that is a three to hit with a possible plus six damage.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:14:34):
And I got a seven.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:14:37):
Okay. So 13. Armor. It's looking really bad.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:14:41):
Damn, it ain't dead.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:14:43):
In very bad shape. Like there is weird, yellow goo seeping out of where you punched a hole in it. And it makes that bellowing roar again. ChaCha. Got really bad looking bug over by Nix. You've got another bug that is not hurt at all that's about to come in at Dili.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:15:02):
I guess I'll fight the one that's not hurt at all, because I feel like Nix has got this. Nix is just going to chomp and eat and it's fine. Right? Right.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:15:12):
You ain't know what Nix's going to do.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:15:13):
What would you like to do?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:15:15):
I guess pew pew gun.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:15:16):
Okay. So that would be a, it's a light weapon so it's a six for you.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:15:16):
13.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:15:20):
Okay. So it would have been a nine, but because you were attacking the unwounded one, but you got it anyway. It yells as pew pew shoots through the shell. Next up our bug fellows. One is going to swing at Nix. The one that was over by Nix, because Nix just heard it really bad and made its feelings sad. And so it is going to swing at Nix. Nix, it will be a 12 speed defense and you are specialized. So that's a six.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:15:20):
11.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:15:52):
Okay. So you dodge it's leg. Dili, please make a 15 speed defense.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:15:57):
Oh boy. I'm going to put one level of effort into that. Well, seven.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:16:05):
Nix will take that.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:06):
Okay. So Nix uses her take the attack ability.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:16:10):
Thank you.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:12):
So Nix you are now pinned under the leg of this other one.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:16:15):
Amazing.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:15):
You will take six damage.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:16:16):
Fuck yes.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:18):
And you can feel that suction again.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:16:21):
Love it. Nix gives Dili a thumbs-up.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:16:25):
Dili returns a grateful, but like exasperated, like "What are you doing? There's so much blood outside of you now."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:25):
Lachlan.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:16:34):
Okay. This is terrible. Lachlan is just feeling terrible, but she doesn't want to get close to the bugs. She's just going to fire again. She's going to put a level of effort into it because that's what's happening.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:49):
Okay. So that'll be a nine for you then.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:16:50):
Okay. And she's going to fire at this one that looks like it's on death's door. She has to contribute somehow.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:16:57):
Fair.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:58):
Okay.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:16:58):
That's an 11.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:16:59):
What does it look like when your bolt kills this?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:17:06):
I think she's not even, she's just super frustrated at this point. So she's like shaking the crossbow to get it to behave. So she shakes it and then the shaking, it she actually aims right up into its face and just kind of gets it between the mandible, beak, jaw, pincer things and right up through the brain, if it has one.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:17:30):
Awesome. So it collapses the ground and the force of it's had collapsed in the ground, kind of breaks its exoskeleton around it, where the head meets the torso and a bunch of bug guts, splatter out and mostly land on Dili.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:17:47):
How? Every time.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:17:49):
Next up is Dili. Dili, you're covered in big guts. There is this one creature that is pinning Nix right now.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:17:56):
Ah damn. All right. Dili is going to pew pew gun. It's going to dodge under the big bug or like pew pew gun, while he's like lying next to Nix is like, all right, bye. And then dodge out under again.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:08):
Okay. So that will be nine.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:18:11):
12.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:11):
It does not like that. It bellows out as some of this bug pus kind of comes out and lands on Nix's leg.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:18:21):
Gross.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:21):
And Nix, you're going to take four damages as it sucks blood.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:18:26):
Yeah. Nix is impaired. It's all right.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:28):
Then it goes back up to the top of the round to ChaCha.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:18:33):
Nix got stabbed again?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:18:35):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:36):
Yeah. She's currently pinned.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:18:38):
Again?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:18:39):
She did it for Dili.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:41):
Nix is fully perforated.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:18:42):
She did it all for the Dili. Come on Dili. Come on.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:18:48):
I guess ChaCha is going to go in there with a mental onslaught. And, they're going to try and push it off.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:18:56):
So that's a 15.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:18:57):
Nat 20. She just really loves Nix. She senses the impairment.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:19:02):
Next damage or major effect.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:19:04):
For a major effect, can I blow this thing off of Nix?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:19:08):
Yes. That'd be the second time you've done that. Yeah. So you could use it to like knock the bug back off of Nix. So Nix can have a chance to easily get out.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:19:16):
And have it be on its little back like a turtle?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:19:19):
Yeah. It's on its back like a turtle and then Nix actually slides down, but that's exactly where she wants to be.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:19:24):
Okay fair.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:19:27):
Okay. Well that's that bug's turn, it's going to try to right itself and now it's Lachlan's turn.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:19:32):
All right. Lachlan is feeling energized. She killed something. Really happy about that. So she's going to try it again. Hit the thing.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:19:41):
Okay. Before effort, it will be at 12.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:19:45):
I'll try it. Let's go. No, it's a one.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:19:54):
Ooh. Ouch. Okay. So yeah, so you try to shoot the arrow at it and it looks at you very, very angry. Very angry.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:20:06):
Don't love angry bugs.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:20:09):
Only angry birds.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:20:10):
It is going to swing out a leg and it doesn't manage to pierce you, but it does knock you prone on the ground.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:20:19):
Might I have to roll for that? Because I am immovable.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:20:24):
Oh yeah. I would say because it came off of one. Normally we wouldn't be able to stop it, but you do have that immovable. So make a-

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:20:31):
Smite defense.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:20:33):
Yeah. So that'd be a 15.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:20:36):
I won't expend effort for it because it was natural one. I'll play that game. 16.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:20:42):
Oh shit.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:20:43):
Oh. Okay. So it's leg tries to knock you down and it hits you and it's like, it hits an immovable object. Like there's this weird crystal ting to the air as it hits it kind of rears its head back. Like it just stumped it's a little toe.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:21:00):
And then it's like, in this moment, it looks at me and I actually drop my crossbow, but then it tries to hit me. And so I grabbed its leg. I got it's leg.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:21:09):
I like that.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:21:10):
Fuck yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:21:10):
I like that. Okay. Very cool. Very cool. Dili.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:21:14):
Let's try the opponent bug again. So I guess from behind Lachlan, another giant bug comes up and starts rearing its forelegs acting aggressive towards the last bug.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:21:28):
Since you've tried this trick before, it's going to be a little bit difficult on it. That'll be an 18. You're training your illusion. So that's a 15.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:21:37):
Right.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:21:37):
Hidden block will give you an asset.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:21:40):
Love it. Give a little effort for six. Yeah. Let's try that. 12.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:21:46):
Okay. It looks very alarmed by this other phantom bug coming at it from behind Lachlan.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:21:52):
Oh no I have a bug.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:21:55):
Next up is Nix. Nix you were on this bug. What would you like to do?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:22:00):
Well, since I am holding this bug and it's holding me, Nix would like to bite. Omnomnom.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:06):
Okay. So Nix tries to bite. That will be a 12.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:22:10):
Is it hindered at all by the scary bug?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:13):
Yeah. You say it's distracted. So it's a nine.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:22:16):
Okay. She's trained in unarmed.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:18):
So six.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:22:19):
I'll spend a level of speed effort, but what does, I'm sorry, what does impaired mean for effort Daniel? I always forget.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:25):
It cost one point more.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:22:26):
Okay. So that's just going to cost me the full three, which I can afford. Seven. I don't know what that rolled into, but I hope seven is enough.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:34):
Yeah, it is. Okay. So it takes some damage and is hindered.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:22:38):
Seven damages.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:41):
Next step is ChaCha.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:22:42):
I guess we keep fighting the good fight. Gosh, this is another goat incident where we could've just left. It'd be fine.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:51):
I was going to say retreat is always an option, but that's okay.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:22:54):
I guess mental onslaught.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:56):
Okay. So that would be a nine.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:22:59):
19.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:22:59):
Okay. Extra damage or minor effect?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:23:03):
Let's do extra damage, because no one's hurt or pinned.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:23:07):
Yeah. Yeah. And also since it's mental, it ignores armor.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:23:11):
Fuck you. Does it explode yet?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:23:14):
Not yet.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:23:14):
Dang it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:23:15):
But it doesn't like it.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:23:18):
Fair.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:23:18):
Bugs can't cry but you think it might, if it-

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:23:22):
I don't know. Have you seen Honey I Shrunk the Kids?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:23:28):
Long time.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:23:29):
Man, whenever I think of that movie, I just want oatmeal cream pie. Next up is bug friend. They're very distracted by bugs, so there'll be a round where they don't try to attack any of you, which brings it to Lachlan.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:23:45):
Okay. I want to have a little bit of fun. I'm going to use Amber Levitation, because I'm still holding hands with this bug. I'd like to levitate and try to pull it off balance.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:01):
Okay. It's like your meet cute because it's covered in meat.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:24:00):
Balance?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:01):
Okay. Okay. It's like your meat cute because it's covered in meat.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:24:04):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:05):
You levitate full off balance. So you're levitating, it's hindered as well. Give me a might roll of nine.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:24:14):
Nine? Okay. That is just a two. So I'm dancing with it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:18):
Yeah. It's like you're trying to lead a very bad dance partner who doesn't really know what steps they're supposed to go.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:24:25):
Listen, back leading is a thing. I am a very strong back leader.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:24:29):
Not what I'm trying to do here.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:33):
Next up is Dili.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:24:35):
Dili Pew Pew.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:38):
It's hindered and distracted and you've got a light weapon. That's a three for Dili, actually.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:24:43):
Watch him roll one. Seven.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:24:46):
So you hit them for damage. They look very bad. This is in very bad shape. And next up is Nix.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:24:55):
I haven't mentioned this not once, but at the beginning of the fight, I did spend my three speed points to activate moving like water, which is an asset to attack his speed defense. I like how things have turned out, but I would've liked to start using that because what Nix is going to do is, she's impaled on this leg and we imagined that she slid up the leg. So she's holding the leg at the top. What I wanted her to do is push her feet against the body of this bug and tried to tear its leg off with her on it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:25:23):
Ooh. Okay. Okay. So it's hindered. So you're tearing it off, so it's not really like speed defense. So it'll be a 12. You're trained and you've got move like water, so it's a six.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:25:38):
Ooh. I'll spend a level of speed effort. Shit. Yeah, good thing because I got a four.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:25:44):
What does it look like when you tear this leg off and kill this creature?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:25:48):
Oh yeah. It's like bad pole vaulting. Right? Like I said, she braces her feet at I guess what would be the shoulder joint, holds on to the leg, which is through her torso and pushes off. And then you just watch her tip backwards all the way to the ground. She can take damage. That would be cool.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:26:08):
You'll take an additional two damage from this leg kind of serrating inside your body.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:26:13):
Hell yeah, which means it ignores armor.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:26:17):
Heck yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:26:17):
Mm-hmm (affirmative). And you guys are out of combat.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:26:20):
Yay.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:26:21):
You have some dead bugs here.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:26:22):
Nix will try eat one as soon as she ascertains everybody is okay.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:26:26):
Can we salvage the other one?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:26:28):
It doesn't smell appetizing.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:26:30):
Shit.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:26:30):
Not like crap?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:26:32):
Nix, are you okay?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:26:33):
No, it's too accurate.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:26:35):
Oh yeah, Dili. Great. She's coughing up blood.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:26:39):
I count at least three holes in you.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:26:45):
Let's see, I have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 holes, I think if you're counting ears, your mouth up. Other-

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:26:56):
Just leg holes. Just the holes that the legs move.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:26:58):
Oh yeah. Only two. Only two. Yeah. Yeah.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:26:58):
Only two?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:27:02):
Which makes four, if they go through you.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:27:04):
Oh yeah. No, that's good. That's a great point, Laughlin. And I guess this leg is just a part. Dili, will you pull on it? Will you pull it out?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:27:12):
What? I'm going to cut it first.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:27:17):
Hold on. I might have something for this.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:27:20):
Do we need-

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:27:20):
Laughlin, do you got something for this?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:27:27):
Maybe. Right tool for the job.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:27:32):
Okay, cool.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:27:33):
So if I have at least one unit of lotum, which I assume I do, I can fashion a temporary device that provides an asset to a physical non-combat task. So knowing that Nix needs to get a leg out of her, I can wrestle up something from my delving tools that will get this out of her with as little damage as possible.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:27:53):
Like a shell cracker?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:27:54):
Yeah. Yeah. So something that breaks it off closer to her at the serrated edge so that we're just pulling smooth leg out.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:28:05):
Very good. Very good. Okay, cool. So I guess in that case, it doesn't even need to create an asset in this case. It will just reduce the amount of damage of pulling it through her to be only one more point ignoring armor.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:28:18):
Nix is debilitated.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:28:28):
Oh boy.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:28:29):
I need an hour, you guys.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:28:31):
As Dili is helping Laughlin pull out the leg, a spurt of blood just straight into Dili's eye the whole time.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:28:39):
You should get tested, Dili. I don't know where I've been.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:28:42):
Meanwhile, Nix, right now as you're wounded and you're clearly in pain, even though you always sound pretty cool about it, Cute Bear the Second is nuzzling up close to you and making little.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:29:00):
Oh no. This is where he eats you.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:29:04):
Guys, and Nix was like petting Cute Bear the Second. That's all she can do. She can't even move because she has no speed.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:29:12):
Oh yeah.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:29:13):
She can just run one single finger down Cute Bear the Second.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:29:17):
Will you let me put you on top of Manta Ray?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:29:20):
Oh yeah. If Manta Ray will have me, yeah.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:29:26):
What? So much blood loss.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:29:29):
So I call Manta Ray from wherever they are and I just say, "You don't have to fly. You can stay pretty low to the ground, but can you carry Nix?"

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:29:39):
They kind of give a little shiver across their body, which you've since learned is yes.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:29:45):
Okay. As far as I know, Manta Ray does not have a fear of blood. So this is great. See? I scoop you up and I place you on Manta Ray.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:29:55):
Nix lays there.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:29:56):
Would you like to take an action recovery role?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:30:00):
Yeah. I'm trying to take three recovery roles. That's a four. That's not bad. That's not shabby. Nix can move again.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:30:06):
Stacy, what is your might and speed pool max?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:30:10):
25, 12.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:30:13):
Amazing.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:30:13):
So I think ChaCha is going to walk up to Nix, grab her face and use regeneration.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:30:21):
Oh shit! Teared up.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:30:24):
So how does regeneration work again?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:30:26):
Okay. Going to read it straight from the PDF I have pulled up. You restore points to a target's might or speed pool in one of two ways, either the chosen pool regains up to six points or it is restored to a total value of 12. That's why I asked. Points are generated at a rate of one point each round. You must maintain contact with the target the whole time.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:30:52):
ChaCha's sitting on Nix who's sitting on the Manta Ray?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:30:55):
Yes. In no can this raise a pool higher than it's maximum. Bam.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:31:02):
Not to be that guy, but is it skin to skin contact?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:04):
It just is contact.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:31:06):
ChaCha has to be angry.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:31:08):
How does ChaCha feel about this?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:31:08):
Yeah. How's ChaCha feeling?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:10):
I think ChaCha is just like, "Yes, this is part of my healing. This works."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:31:15):
Enthusiastically or calmly?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:17):
Can ChaCha do anything calmly?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:31:19):
She fucking better.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:20):
It just says, oh yeah.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:31:25):
Yeah. I don't want no mutation.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:27):
Okay. How about this? ChaCha puts her cheek to your cheek?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:31:27):
Aww.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:30):
Cheek to cheek contact. She's taking that triple place.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:31:35):
How about this, ChaCha? Give me an intellect role to try to stay calm enough while you're doing this that you don't trigger a mutation. So that will be a nine.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:50):
And we're going to use a level of effort because we have enough.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:31:55):
To be six?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:31:55):
I'm going to reroll that. 13.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:32:02):
Nice. Thank you for re-rolling.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:32:05):
You do this and you're not triggering mutation in Nix.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:32:08):
Yay! No waddles. Six. So in six times 12 seconds, Nix will have 12 points in her might pool.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:32:18):
Nick's is regenerating better. You guys do hear in the distance, back in the pipes more bellowing and roaring.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:32:26):
Oh shit.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:32:26):
I was planning on using this if we got clear of the bugs, but I didn't, but now we're clear of the bugs. I've got this thing that can essentially collapse a pipe.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:32:40):
Ah, that sounds nice right now actually.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:32:43):
I'm going to pull out my gravity detonation, my cipher. And I'm just going to make sure we're all clear of the pipe exit, and then I'm just going to Chuck it.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:32:54):
Okay, cool.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:32:55):
So you Chuck it. [crosstalk 00:32:57].

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:32:57):
Oh no. We forgot Race. [crosstalk 00:32:59].

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:33:00):
No, no, we've got Race. I would've made sure Race is... What are you talking about?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:33:00):
But Vlad's kind of on his own.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:08):
Well, so your gravity donation has a 50% chance that bursts in a farther rain.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:33:13):
Okay, cool.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:14):
So, evens or odds?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:33:15):
Evens.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:16):
Nix, roll die. Tell me if you get evens or odds.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:33:18):
Oh, no! Odds?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:20):
Oh boy.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:33:21):
Oh no.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:22):
Can everybody make a might defense roll of 12? [crosstalk 00:33:29].

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:33:29):
So nine for Nix.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:33:30):
18.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:33:31):
Oh! Natural 20.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:35):
Ooh, nice.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:33:36):
I'm going to spend the next peak because I want Nix to live. What? 13.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:33:44):
11 for Dili.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:46):
So Tia, what would you like for a major effect?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:33:48):
For my major effect, I want it to collapse the pipe.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:33:57):
It will definitely do that. So your major effect is going to be something beyond that.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:34:00):
It will definitely do that? Okay. What do you all think?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:34:04):
So we're not still in the pipe? We're in the street, right?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:34:06):
No, we're in the street. I was going to say, because I'd like to throw it far enough that we're not hurt, but-

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:34:12):
That would be good because Dili rolled an 11.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:34:12):
So then yeah. So as it's detonating, the concussive blow of it shoots it a little bit further into the tunnel and makes it so that we are not hurt by it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:34:27):
You guys hear this terrible sound going up through the pipes. Just like you hear that bellow, but it's kind of drowned out by this thunderous sound as pipes collapse inside.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:34:38):
Dope. Ooh.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:34:39):
I think it worked.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:34:41):
Yeah, but we should probably get moving in case other bugs come investigate.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:34:46):
So about 100 feet away from you, you can see an exit. Looks like there's some faint light. It's almost like dusk.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:34:55):
Hey, look an exit.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:34:56):
Sky!

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:35:00):
So you guys head that way. And as you reach it, you are coming out of this and you can see that there are two human guards, one woman, one man. And they are sort of standing there with their backs to the bridge like they're guarding the entrance. And as you guys approach, one of them kind of looks over their shoulder. So he's like, "Oh my God, are you ghosts?"

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:35:22):
Laughlin goes, "Boo!"

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:35:25):
They kind of jump backwards. It's like, "The cloud bridge is restricted. It's not safe."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:35:30):
We know.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:35:31):
No shit.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:35:33):
Oh yeah, no. That's true. You guys are right on.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:35:37):
I mean the cloud bridge itself is safe. It's what's in the cloud bridge that isn't safe.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:35:43):
She's right. It's structurally sound. It is infested with bugs though.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:35:49):
Way to turn your backs to it, by the way too.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:35:51):
We're supposed to keep people from entering.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:35:53):
How can you do that from this side when the cloud bridge has another side where people can enter from?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:35:59):
Nobody comes back. So we assume that the other side isn't really a problem. Most people don't come through it on this side.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:36:09):
But what if the bugs got out?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:36:11):
What bugs?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:36:12):
Oh boy.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:36:12):
Nix points at the holes in her shirt and body. Yo, big fucking bugs.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:36:18):
Extremely large bugs.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:36:20):
I guess sometimes guards do go missing.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:36:28):
This is bad and plain, like OSHA.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:36:28):
Do you have a manager or Osmas, and Nick's elbows Laughlin, that we can go see?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:36:35):
At Osmas, they kind of blink. "Well, Osmas, doesn't just meet with anybody."

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:36:40):
Yeah, but we are not just anybody. This is Laughlin, dope ass dough. Got a Manta Ray, traveled all the way here through the bridge. You guys get many visitors?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:36:51):
We're filing a complaint.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:36:52):
Is Nix just saying this while she's just lying weekly on Manta Ray?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:36:56):
Oh yeah. She's laying. Her arms are hanging limply off. She's barely moving her head. She's drooling a little bit mixed with blood.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:37:07):
Like Princess Bride.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:37:08):
Yeah?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:37:09):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:37:10):
Okay. So this is a social role of 12.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:37:15):
Can I help?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:37:16):
Sure. How would you like to help?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:37:17):
I am trained in peacefully opening communications.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:37:20):
Nice.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:37:22):
Absolutely. Okay. So that brings it down to a nine.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:37:25):
A nexus specialized in social.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:37:27):
Okay. So that's a three.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:37:28):
19.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:37:29):
So you can have a minor effect if you want.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:37:31):
I would like the minor effect to be that since we have persuaded them to take us to see Osmas, they do so with alacrity.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:37:38):
We can see if Osmas will agree to see you. We'll have to go through the village. And so one of them stays on guard and the other one who introduces themselves as Mira, she leads you guys into a very small village in the these mountains. There's maybe some families here, but if you guys had to guess, there's maybe 200 people at most. There is people kind of wandering around, but the village is very simple. They're small wooden homes. There's no real architecture here. It's not like stone or anything like that. As you're walking, Mira says, "Welcome to Osmas."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:38:19):
Thanks.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:38:20):
So she leads you through the town and people are kind of looking at you funny, because as it is in the ninth world, people kind of just showing up to town is not a common occurrence because it's so dangerous between the towns. And then on top of that, this is a very remote town and you guys are clearly coming from the direction of the cloud bridge. She leads you up to a temple. The temple's the only piece of architecture here that seems particularly fancy. It's made out of smooth rock that's almost like marble and it's sort of like a black rock with gold threaded through it. So that's sort of like the marble in color. And it is probably about four stories tall compared to everything here that's sort of just like one story homes. And it has a cube above it kind of engraved a top of the door. And Mira leads you up to the door and she goes over and she puts her hand on a piece of the rock and it glows for a moment. And then there is a very quiet, almost muffled through the stone of this building bell tone, and the doors slowly start opening from the inside out. And Mira kind of blinks surprised, looks at you and says, "It looks like Osmas will see you."

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:38:20):
Told you.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:39:53):
Does that not normally happen?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:39:54):
Usually when we call, the doors remain shut, unless there's a procession or if Osmas has a decree.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:40:02):
I'm just imagining it's Laughlin and the Nix on the Manta Ray and then Race and then ChaCha. So it's a procession. Bam.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:40:10):
We are a procession. Well, fortune favors us.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:40:18):
So going through the door is a big foyer that is sort of like an entryway. And then there are two massive stone doors that look much more significant than the other ones. And as you approach, Mira leads you in and then the outer doors close behind you and lights begin to shine. And you see that on the inside of the stone building all those gold lines that marble through the black start to glow with a faint gold color.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:40:47):
I love that.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:40:48):
And then those rock doors in front of you slowly begin to open. And even as they're opening, you can see that they have ropes that are being tugged by these gigantic spider like creatures that are kind of hunched. And they have reins on them like they're pulled. They don't look anything like the creatures you just fought. They're not as big to start with, but they are pack animals pulling the doors to open. And on far side of the room sitting on a dias or dais, I can never remember how this is pronounced, there is what looks to be like a seven foot tall human with the exception that their head appears to be a gray synth cube in which a sort of gray scale human face is projected inside of it. The face is mostly sort of blah features with the exception of these thin lips and a very short straight scar on their left cheek.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:41:49):
Dan, is this a saga reference?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:41:51):
Is this a face of bow reference?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:41:55):
Nope. Neither of those.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:41:58):
I walk up like if Mira's still here. Is there any like particular way that I should approach Osmas or just walk on up or?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:42:06):
She looks at you a little frightened and she's like, "I've never been in the temple before."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:42:11):
No? Well, very uncharacteristically for Laughlin, she elbows Mira very gently in her own arm and is like, "Fortune favors you." And then she realizes that she's never done that before. She's like, "I'm really sorry."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:42:26):
Mira looks at you like, "That's okay." She takes a few cautious steps forward and the synth cube kind of turns a little bit on the head as the face focuses in on her. And there is this weird sort of echoing sound from it. It's very odd because normally you hear sound and then you hear the echo after it. When this figures speaks, it's like you hear the echoing and then the sound becomes clear. "You are Mira. Is that not so? And Mira says, "Yes, Osmas. These visitors came across the cloud bridge and said that they came to see you." And the synth head turns and looks at you all and says, "The cloud bridge is forbidden. How did you cross it?"

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:43:13):
It fucking sucked. We got attacked by bugs.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:43:19):
We walked. Obviously from the other side, we couldn't know that it was forbidden.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:43:24):
"I'm sorry to hear that you suffered along your way."

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:43:28):
Well, it happens a lot actually."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:43:30):
Yeah. A lot.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:43:33):
Osmas looks across you guys and the head kind of turns this way and that, and then they zero in over by the pod where Race is and says, "I do not enjoy little illusions." And they wave their hand at Vlad suddenly becomes visible.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:43:53):
Fuck.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:43:53):
Well, well, well.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:43:54):
So Laughlin, you see Vlad here. Vlad is about 5'11", a human male. He's got slightly darker skin. He's got a lot of acne scarring on his cheeks.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:44:05):
Like pop marks?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:44:06):
Yeah. Like pop marks, but he's got very blonde hair. So picture Edward James almost as if he had blonde hair.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:44:14):
Ooh, that's a very good description. I like that.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:44:18):
And obviously, I don't know if these guys reacted any way to say his name, but his face is familiar.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:44:24):
Ooh. Can I attempt to recall?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:44:27):
Yes. And I don't even think you need to roll for that because this person is somebody you remember quite well. At the time that you met them, you thought they were dead at this point. You saw them die. And the name they went by was Icarus. Vlad, you son of a bitch.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:44:48):
Vlad, you son of a bitch. I'm sorry. Icarus, you son of a bitch. So when he's revealed, Laughlin turns and looks at him first of all, not knowing that there has been another person with us this whole time and then does he look like he's aged in the last 10 years?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:45:12):
Oh yeah.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:45:13):
Okay. And so it takes her a minute, she's looking at him and she's squinting and then her eyes widen with recognition. And then all she says is, "You're dead."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:45:25):
And right now you can kill him?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:45:27):
She kind of shifts uncomfortably a little bit and makes a little rumble sound in his throat and says, "I got better."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:45:36):
He found the cure for death?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:45:37):
10 years. Vlad? Icarus?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:45:44):
Yeah. I took a new name. It didn't seem wise to use the old name.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:45:48):
Okay. So which one do you prefer?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:45:50):
These days, Vlad. I don't want the other priests to hear about me and come looking for me.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:45:56):
All right. We'll see how I feel about that in a minute. All right. Okay. All right. She's processing like the Mack beach ball is her face right now. Everything she was about to say to Osmas is gone out the window.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:46:19):
Nix is just so happy to see Vlad be in trouble. She's just smiling. Wiggling her eyebrows at Vlad.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:46:26):
ChaCha's confused because Vlad did not pull his weight in that demo in ChaCha's mind.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:46:33):
And Dili's just like-

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:46:34):
The only one who would've noticed he was helping was Dili. Dili is feeling very uncomfortable because I think Dili thought that Vlad would just like dipped out for whatever-

Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:46:45):
Packed his cigs, never came back.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:46:49):
Just like some like kind of supervisor thing. Like, all right, next one, I'm not there. Wink.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:46:55):
He was secret shopping us.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:46:57):
Or something like that. But now like, oh shit, Laughlin knows Vlad, knows him as Icarus. And Dili's just like ah!

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:47:05):
Wait, isn't that how Vlad was originally introduced to us?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:47:09):
Icarus was the code name that Mama Jay gave us. So Dili's just like, "Oh shit." He did say when you met him that he hated that code name.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:47:09):
Oh shit.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:47:20):
Oh snap.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:47:22):
Oh gosh.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:47:23):
So Laughlin eventually recovers and puts that aside, literally makes the hand motions to say, " This is not the problem." And so she turns towards Osmas and steps forward a couple feet to see if he says anything.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:47:40):
Osmas just kind of turns and watches you. And you can see that the projection of the head and side look up and down. "I've not seen one of your kind in a long time, those that have been part of Anabolics"

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:47:54):
Have I met many like me since I've-

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:47:57):
You've never met anyone like you.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:47:59):
Cool. Well, I'm the only one I know, but an Anabolic does-

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:48:00):
Well, I'm the only one I know. But an obelisk does funny things to you, as you can see.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:48:07):
Yes.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:48:07):
I got a little fixated on them.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:48:11):
Understandably.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:48:12):
And thanks to information, she looks back at Vlad, shared with me during my time post-obelisk, I've got theories. And I was told that maybe you might have more information about them, the obelisks.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:48:31):
Perhaps. What information are you looking for?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:48:33):
So I'm of the opinion, my own opinion, again, she looks back at Vlad, because she believes it at this point, that the obelisks are connected, physically connected.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:48:47):
The figure kind of seems to sit in still contemplation for a moment and says, "To an extent. Not all of them are part of the network, but many are."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:48:58):
It's true?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:48:59):
Yes, such as it is.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:49:01):
Oh well, I was expecting for you to say, "No, the obelisks are ancient, mysterious. We will never understand them. Of course they can't be connected. Blah blah blah blah blah." That's what everybody else has said.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:49:12):
Well, my predecessor at one point did a long study of them, the original.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:49:16):
The original Osmus?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:49:19):
Yes. Yes. I'm merely a replicant. The original Osmus died long, long, long ago.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:49:27):
That makes sense.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:49:28):
I have guided the people here in his stead.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:49:30):
Makes sense. You see Lachlan just kind of deflate a little, like, "Now what?"

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:49:40):
Why are they connected though? Right, Lachlan? That would be cool to know.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:49:44):
Yeah, what's the purpose?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:49:45):
Yeah, what's the point?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:49:46):
Are they cousins?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:49:48):
I can't explain how much I love you, Alex.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:49:56):
No one can. But it's true, right?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:49:56):
It's so true.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:49:58):
It's true for everybody.

Speaker 1 (00:50:02):
I'm just going onto the theory that it's like, ChaCha was raised by a horse, so I feel like she would ask these weird questions thinking that Lachlan was raised by obelisks.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:50:14):
And obelisks, if they're connected, they have to be related also. I love it.

Speaker 1 (00:50:19):
Yes.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:50:21):
It's a pure line of thinking that I appreciate. But yeah, everybody else kind of piping in, it kind of gives her a little bit of renewed drive. She's like, "Yeah, if they're connected, why are they connected?"

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:50:38):
At first there were two of them. And then from those two came more. And they spread across the world and other worlds beyond.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:50:47):
You see the book that she's been carrying this entire time, which if you get a little bit closer to it, you see that it's stuffed full of pasted papers. It's not one book, it's a collection of journal entries and texts that she has found and copied and duplicated. It's just a massive tome of everything that she has been kind of studying since she emerged from the obelisk. She kneels down on the ground and she just starts writing. Just starts writing.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:51:20):
Osmus turns and looks at the rest of you. And then motions the cube towards Lachlan, says, "Is this normal?"

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:51:28):
Our acquaintance is short. But Lachlan, she... Yeah, definitely seems like they might be smart. So yeah, this seems right. I got a question for you though. So these obelisks are connected, and can you travel between obelisks?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:51:28):
Only if you're like them.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:51:47):
Only if you came from the obelisks?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:51:49):
Or they accepted and changed you.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:51:52):
Oh, shit.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:51:52):
Oh.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:51:55):
Wait. So, can I make people transport that have accepted and I've changed?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:52:00):
I don't understand why that would be the case.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:52:06):
Extrapolation.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:52:09):
There's just that dead stare at Cha Cha. And then the figure turns over to Lachlan and says, "You are one of the obelisks' new children. They would take you."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:52:19):
Wait, am I an obelisk? What about me? Yeah, what about me?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:52:24):
You are something else.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:52:29):
Yeah. No, I've heard that before from my professors and from my parents, from you. All right.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:52:38):
And then once what he has said has kind of resonated in Lachlan's head, the first thing she does is that she looks at ChaCha and she says, "You were right."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:52:47):
Told you. Parents, that's how it works.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:52:53):
So, I've got a question then.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:52:56):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:52:57):
Do you know, Osmus, if there are any obelisks around here?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:53:05):
The figure, those thin lips kind of smirk and say, "There is."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:53:12):
What? I mean, okay. And then also, I've also heard that Osmus has transportation, right? People can get elsewhere from here? Not just me?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:53:22):
Yes, the Cloud Bridge is a terribly dangerous and inefficient way to travel. I need other means when I need to send people out into the world. At one point, the original Osmus ruled a vast empire seated here in the Riage.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:53:38):
Okay. She looks back at Nix, "You said you needed to get somewhere."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:53:44):
Oh, yeah. Got to get to Qi, yeah. My mom's in danger.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:53:47):
What is Qi?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:53:50):
Would Nix know its ancient name? She is well-traveled and somewhat studied.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:53:55):
Give me a history roll of 27.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:54:00):
Nix could be confident about this.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:54:01):
Okay, so that makes it a 24.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:54:03):
I can bring that down to a 15, with effort. I want to re-roll that. Goddamn, this XP's going fast. 17.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:54:15):
Okay, you don't know if Qi was even around then, but you do know the nation that is now Draolis was once part of a empire that had totally different borders. It's not the same place, but that rough area. You remember nothing that you studied because Nix didn't study, she had a tutor to do that for her because she was rich.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:54:37):
Yeah, I mean. Yeah. I said somewhat.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:54:40):
But you do remember one of the other members of the travelers at one point saying something about Old [Karith 00:54:49].

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:54:50):
Old Karith, maybe?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:54:50):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:54:54):
Or maybe just Karith, because maybe it wasn't old then.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:54:57):
Karith was at one point an enemy of the original Osmus empire. I don't have access directly to Karith, but we did have ways of getting closer to its border.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:55:09):
Actually, can I sidebar with the bleeding one real quick? Just real quick.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:55:13):
Only bleeding one?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:55:15):
I'm clotting. Dili, I'm clotting.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:55:17):
Clotting, whatever. Yeah, ChaCha you can come too. Lachlan, you're invited as well. Vlad, I think you're in trouble. So you stay over there, Vlad.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:55:23):
Vlad is just guiltily staring at Lachlan.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:55:27):
I will join this huddle and I will glare daggers at Vlad while I walk over to it, before I huddle.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:55:36):
Okay. Harshly, "Lachlan, you know Vlad? What? How?"

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:55:41):
Well, we were on a ruin delve 10 years ago when he untimely demised.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:55:48):
Oh.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:55:49):
He's the one who... I'm basically on this journey because of him.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:55:53):
Oh.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:55:54):
I know that feeling. Yeah, me too.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:55:56):
Oh.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:55:56):
I bet he used illusions to fake his death. That's my bet, yeah.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:56:00):
Becoming a little bit obvious now, yeah?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:56:03):
Well, it's like, yes, obvious.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:56:10):
Look, that's not important. I'll talk to him later.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:56:12):
Yeah. Yeah. Right. Okay. Thank you for asking the question. Nix, what if we don't go to Qi? What if we go directly to the training grounds and maybe get some answers about the plates? Because if we know answers about the plates that your mom has, then maybe that can get us answers about this whole teleporting sickness that she has.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:56:31):
Yo, this guy knows about teleporting, Dili.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:56:34):
Yeah, we can ask that. Yeah.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:56:35):
Yeah, let's ask because she said they're here and they know your name. So it seems urgent.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:56:41):
No, yeah. But how close are we going to get to Qi though? Because I don't know if we're going to get there quite in time. And maybe we can get to the training grounds faster and you can learn whatever dark secret skeletons BTS has. BSAT, or whatever the acronym is.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:56:57):
Yeah, it's BSAT, Dili. You got it. Hang on. We got a map. Can't we just ask?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:57:07):
If he doesn't know Qi as Qi, is he going to recognize the map though? I mean, yeah, we can ask.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:57:07):
I mean, yeah. Yeah.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:57:13):
Yeah, all right. Do you want to...

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:57:20):
All right, so let's ask. Lachlan, do you have any other agenda items for the sidebar before we go back?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:57:27):
No. No. You said I could be included, so I wanted to be included.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:57:32):
Oh yeah. No, definitely.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:57:34):
Yeah.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:57:35):
All inclusive package.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:57:36):
For sure. Any questions? I feel like we threw a lot of facts that probably didn't have a lot of context.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:57:42):
Your mother has... What is teleporting sickness?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:57:45):
Yeah. I'm not entirely sure, but she just flash teleports different places. She's teleported under water. She's teleported into dangerous situations. And she teleports and then she snaps back to where she originated. And it definitely has something to do with some random ass plate that she got from my society after my aunt went missing or something.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:58:09):
That seems like a... I kind of agree with Dili.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:58:12):
All right. To go figure out the plate before I try to go to Qi?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:58:17):
Yeah. If you figure out the plate and run into your mother at Qi, which is what I assume you're going to Qi to do. So if you figure out the mystery of the plate, that may help you when you get to your mother.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:58:30):
All right, yeah.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:58:31):
You may be able to help your mother if you know about the plate before you get to your mother.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:58:35):
So you're smart. Dili's smart. You're saying the same thing. ChaCha, what do you think?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:58:44):
All I know is we're supposed to wear yellow and that's it.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:58:47):
Okay. All right. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Let's go to the training ground. Fuck it. Fuck Vlad. Yeah, let's go to the training ground.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:58:56):
How loud does she say, "Fuck Vlad?"

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:58:58):
Oh, yeah. Super loud. She's conversational.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:59:04):
It's nothing Vlad hasn't heard at this point.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:59:04):
No.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:04):
True.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:59:04):
I don't think this sidebar is really a quiet sidebar.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:06):
No.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (00:59:06):
We're just in a huddle.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:08):
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah, it's just the huddle.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:59:11):
Yeah. Osmus has been watching, kind of tapping his finger in a very human thing. Drumming them on the seat of his throne. Meanwhile, Mira has just sort of fallen to her knees, essentially in prayer.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:24):
Oh, awkward.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:26):
Yo, so what about the benevolent society of traveler proving ground? You familiar with that in the Riage?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:59:33):
I have no idea what that means.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:36):
Nix points to the map, at the point in the Riage where the proving ground, "Can you teleport us like close to here?"

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:59:44):
It's not teleportation. But yes, that used to be part of our empire, or the original's empire.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:59:49):
Yeah. That is where we want to go. Lachlan, welcome, always. Vlad, I guess, race is cool. But they got to make up their own minds. But if we could go there, yeah, that'd be dope.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:00:01):
Also, would it be possible for us to rest here? I want to point out that what I am imagining is happening right now, you have offered a sidebar and Mantaray, we're all just crowded around Mantaray.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:00:16):
Yeah, yeah. For sure. For sure. And Nix has not lifted her head once.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:00:22):
Yeah.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:00:23):
I imagine Nix has been on her back on Mantaray and has been kind of having to take this conversation upside down from her perspective.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:00:29):
I'm imagining she's face down.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:00:32):
Face down is better, but either way as is great.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:00:35):
Yeah, however works for you guys.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:00:37):
I imagine that I'd probably have put you face down because then you wouldn't have had to use effort to lift your head up or do anything. You can just turn your head to one side if you needed to see anything.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:00:49):
Or spit out blood.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:00:51):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. We don't want you to aspirate. So yeah, you've been face down. So yeah, we kind of move out of the huddle and I turned to Osmus and I said, "Would it be possible for us to rest here?" Because I point at Nix and I say, "The Cloud Bridge is bad, which you know."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:01:08):
Yes. Yes.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:01:09):
Also, your guards are facing the wrong way.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:01:11):
Yeah.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:01:11):
They could be facing in to the Cloud Bridge.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:01:14):
One in, one out.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:01:16):
Their goal is to keep people from trying to use that as a means of leaving the village.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:01:22):
What? Like bugs?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:01:23):
The easiest way to leave the village is to go down on the eastern side of the Riage.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:01:29):
I mean, also, if they were going to be attacked by giant bug people, they would probably hear the bug people coming and turn around. But also, they didn't hear us fighting.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:01:29):
Yeah.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:01:44):
Yeah, we weren't that far away.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:01:46):
The Cloud Bridge can be confusing. And we do lose some guards every year.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:01:50):
Oh, I wonder why. Well, that's a local politics thing. Let's not get involved.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:01:56):
Osmus turns and says, "Mira, you may return to your post."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:01:59):
Best of luck, Mira.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:02:01):
She's a changed woman.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:02:02):
She stands up.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:02:05):
Thank you, Osmus. And she kind of backs out of the room and beads out the front doors, which open again and she approaches.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:02:13):
He's basically seen the face of God.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:02:14):
The square face of God.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:02:16):
The square face of God. But yeah, I really would like it if Nix could get some rest because Nix has more holes in her than she should. And if it's possible, I'd love to look at the research that your predecessor did.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:02:36):
I suppose that can be arranged. If you'd like, I can take you to one of the labs where the research occurred.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:02:43):
Yeah. And then she turns around and very slow turn to Vlad and is like, "Would you like to come?"

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:02:52):
Sure. He turns and looks at Dili and says, "I trust you can make sure that Race is okay."

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:02:59):
Yep. Don't worry about me. I'm not the one in trouble, or Race. Race isn't in trouble. He's fine. He's protected.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:03:08):
He might be in trouble.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:03:10):
Oh, Race is in trouble.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:03:11):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:03:12):
And Osmus motions to a side door for Lachlan and Vlad.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:03:21):
We're going to take this outside.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:03:23):
For the audience, I just punched my fist into my palm a couple of times. But no, I'm not going to punch Vlad today.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:03:29):
I mean, you could just take him out back. It's fine.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:03:31):
Osmus says, "Follow me," and begins walking down these stairs in silence. And Vlad is kind of walking alongside of you.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:03:39):
I'd follow. I give you three a wink and a smile. I don't know what it means, but whatever you think is about to happen beyond this door is probably not going to happen.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:03:52):
Nix gives the dopiest half-dead smile and a thumbs up at Lachlan.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:03:59):
Dili also gives a thumbs up.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:04:00):
And then I tell Mantaray that you're friends and that you'll take care of it. This isn't going to take forever, but Mantaray is safe with y'all. And I want Mantaray to know that.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:04:10):
He makes a little understanding shiver of his wings. So you, Vlad, and Osmus go down these stairs. The stairs go a long way. And as you're going down, Vlad kind of turns to you slightly and says, "So have you been well?"

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:04:28):
Of course that's the first thing you say when you run into somebody who thought you'd been dead for a decade. Real sad you died.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:04:36):
Yeah, sorry about that. It was my time.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:04:39):
It was Ikaris's time.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:04:41):
Yeah.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:04:42):
What did you do that you needed to untimely demise yourself?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:04:46):
He pauses and he looks back at you and says, "Hey, we're close to figuring out that I wasn't legit. And I needed something to throw the priesthood off my scent."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:05:00):
So you're not an Aon priest?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:05:01):
Not really. I went through the motions. I did everything I could. I was trying to stay, get as close to inside as I could. And when I realized that they were getting close to identifying me, I needed a reason to be gone. And time was running out, and you were who I was with. And I figured you would survive and at least tell the story about how Ikaris died in the ruins.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:05:27):
Well, I did that.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:05:28):
Thanks, by the way. I don't know if I would've made it another six months if I hadn't.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:05:32):
You owe me.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:05:33):
I do.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:05:35):
Yeah, you owe me big.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:05:36):
And Osmus cute turns and says over shoulder, "That's why we're here."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:05:41):
I'm sorry, what?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:05:42):
I owe this one a favor from long ago. Normally I would not show people these kinds of things. I don't share hidden esoteris with just anyone. But Targonski's here and I owe him a favor. And I assume this is what you request. And Vlad kind of trugs and says, "I wasn't going to use it for anything else in the near future." And as you guys are saying this conversation, you come into this, there's this door and you see this room. And there is this massive lab and it is lined with notes. But more noticeably, floating in the center of this vast chamber is a small amber obelisk.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:06:22):
Holy shit. Wow. I think Lachlan, who is starting to get riled up again at the fact that Ikaris's back is now Vlad. And somehow, everything that he has wanted has culminated in this. I have unintentionally given him what he's wanted this whole time. It's just kind of the low tone in her head upon seeing the obelisk, which she reaches into her pack. And she pulls out this matching piece of a huge, a pound big piece of amber crystal that she's been carrying with her this whole time.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:07:02):
You pull that out and then something different happens with it than ever before. There is a small shine and tone from the center of that stone. And that tone is echoed by the obelisk. And when the obelisk tone hits you, you can feel it reverberate through your own body. It's not disturbing. It's comforting. It's like leaning your head on a loved one's chest and hearing their heartbeat.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:07:27):
It's like coming home.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:07:27):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:07:30):
And I think she just stands there, maybe six, seven feet or so from the obelisk. And she's holding the amber crystal. And she has this feeling, it reverberate. And she's feeling her own body reverberate. And there's just a moment of... She hasn't felt this since she came out of the obelisk. And she says, "For now, I forgive you, for now."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:07:58):
Vlad nods and says, "That's more than I would have asked for."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:08:01):
She's almost crying. Her eyes are watering. There are tears in her eyes. And she's just at peace for now.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:08:08):
All the files that my predecessor collected are here. You can peruse them. You're welcome to stay as long as you like, or, and he motions a hand towards the obelisk, which begins glowing with an amber light and says, "Or you can visit family."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:08:25):
I'm going to stay for a bit. But I like that it's an option.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:08:30):
All right. And Osmus turns to Vlad and says, "I assume this repays the favor?" And Vlad nods. And Osmus says, "Well then, we should return to the others. Lachlan, you're welcome to study as long as you want down here."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:08:45):
Can I come back?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:08:46):
Yes, you can come back down.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:08:48):
Go back upstairs with Osmus and Vlad.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:08:51):
Okay. So you guys walk back into the throne room, as long what I assume is probably a silent walk up the stairs. And you come back into the throne room and there are these three resting. You guys have probably been down there between the walk, that conversation, and the walk back. It's probably been an hour, hint Nix, for your recovery roles.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:09:14):
Perfect. Love it.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:09:15):
Dili and ChaCha are throwing playing cards into one of Nix's holes in her abdomen, trying to get it in.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:09:22):
It's getting more difficult as Nix is recovering and starting to move around.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:09:28):
I imagine you're at least, not quite sitting up, but you're sitting on your elbows on Mantaray as we come back up.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:09:37):
So Osmus turns to you also. So you are looking to go north on the mountains.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:09:45):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:09:45):
That can probably be arranged.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:09:48):
Correct me if I didn't hear you right, you didn't use teleportation to move across these great distances. Is that what you said?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:09:55):
That's more like a magic trick. There are some things that can do that. And he kind of looks over at Lachlan and says, "But we have more practical needs below the ground."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:10:08):
I hope it is an intact public transportation system.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:10:11):
Hell yeah.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:10:12):
Subway, baby.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:10:13):
We have a network of tubes beneath the mountains and beneath the earth. And we have carts that can travel through them at great speed. I don't know if all the lines are open, but long as there hasn't been a cave-in.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:10:26):
Okay.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:10:26):
That's cool as fuck.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:10:28):
How long from the farthest station from here does it take to get there? If that question made sense.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:10:35):
Perhaps four hours.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:10:37):
Hey, not bad. All right.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:10:38):
So it ain't Amtrak. Can we hang?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:10:44):
Vlad looks at you guys and then looks at Lachlan and is just like, "I think this is where we leave you."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:10:49):
I mean, yeah. But does it have to be now, because... You all see that Lachlan, her eyes are still shiny. But yeah, does it have to be now?

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:11:01):
No, yeah. I need a nap and some food.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:11:04):
So Vlad definitely is completely ignoring whatever Nix is saying. And he motions his head at Nix and says, "This one is a handful. And if we don't get this part out of her system soon, it's going to be nearly impossible to get her back on task."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:11:22):
I mean, it's fair. But I wouldn't have gotten here without them.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:11:25):
That's true.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:11:26):
Yep. We would also be dead without Lachlan, Just for the record.

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:11:29):
Yes.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:11:30):
Vlad looks at you, Dili, and kind of half smiles. And it's a half smile that you haven't seen in a while, Lachlan, but you recognize it as a half smile. You remember seeing that on your previous delves with him. And he says to Dili, he's like, "Uh-huh, I'm well aware."

Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:11:46):
Thanks.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:11:47):
I think we can have one night where we just chill.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:11:53):
All right. Osmus says, "There aren't really rooms and accommodations in this temple. It's not designed that way, but you're welcome to use one of the chambers above and roll out that rolls, or perhaps if you...

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:12:00):
Use one of the chambers above and roll out that rolls, or perhaps if you go to the town the people there will provide somewhere for you to stay amongst their homes, if I ask.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:12:11):
I'm used to sleeping on delves, a bedroll and a room is good for me.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:12:17):
No, I totally thought you meant that the people who have the skill of being delves. I was just like [crosstalk 01:12:26]

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:12:25):
I mean...

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:12:26):
Yeah.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:12:29):
I mean...

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:12:31):
To each their own.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:12:32):
It's confusing. Yeah, it's a conundrum.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:12:35):
Yeah. It was like four hours, I'd sleep on them and then four hours and then they'd sleep on me. The ground wasn't that soft, we had to make do.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:12:46):
Yeah, exactly. That was after Lachlan emerged from the obelisk?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:12:50):
Yes, and I'm really pokey.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:12:53):
And probably heavy, because of the rock. [Crosstalk 01:12:58]

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:13:01):
A rock and a hard place.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:13:03):
Literally.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:13:05):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:13:07):
Okay. So, is there anything you guys want to do with this night that you're chilling before you part ways?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:13:12):
I want to make something clear. Is Lachlan inviting Vlad to chill or is she inviting the group to chill?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:13:19):
It's an everyone chill.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:13:20):
All right. Yeah. Nix chill.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:13:25):
She's having this moment of celebration and camaraderie with everybody. manta ray is not made of obelisk.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:13:33):
Oh.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:13:35):
Nope.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:13:36):
I think there's a moment where she pulls Vlad aside, like I can't take my manta ray.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:13:42):
Not through the obelisk, no.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:13:45):
No, I mean, I'm going through the obelisk, but I can't take my manta ray.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:13:49):
No, it wouldn't be able to accompany you.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:13:53):
Do you want it or do you think I should give it to them?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:13:55):
He looks over at Nyx and Cha-Cha and he's like, " They might already have enough pets, but if you're feeling generous," he points over at Dili tinkering in a corner and says, "That one has potential."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:14:12):
Okay, also, were you with them when they got this? And I pull out the Jade egg, that's basically been in my pocket this whole time.
What the heck is this?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:14:26):
I was not with them, but I've heard of them.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:14:29):
It's like organic Numenera. What the hell?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:14:32):
My understanding is that there was a nano who was building them under Charmonde and had built quite a lucrative business, selling them to the rich and powerful of Charmonde.
But yes, you suspect that there's something in it. We don't know because people who lose the egg don't always remember why they lose the egg.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:14:54):
Fancy.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:14:54):
They just know that one day when they go to look for it, it's gone.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:14:58):
Oh. Momma J!

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:15:01):
He pushes it towards Vlad.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:15:04):
He takes it in his hand. He's holding it just between two fingers. It's like he's putting as little of his hand on it as possible.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:15:09):
I mean, also it can't come with me, but also, I don't think I would want it.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:15:16):
That's probably for the best. I don't really want it either. I'll make sure Cha-Cha gets it back.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:15:22):
Awesome. All right. I'm mad that you died without telling me that you weren't dead, but I'm glad you're alive.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:15:32):
Thank you. For my part, I'm glad you're alive too and glad you made it here.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:15:37):
Mm-hmm (affirmative). You still owe me.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:15:39):
I know.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:15:39):
She doesn't say anything else. She walks back to the rest of them.
What were y'all doing this whole time?

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:15:43):
Oh, what were we doing?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:15:45):
"Standing up," Nix says, wobbling on her feet.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:15:50):
I think Cha-Cha's just picking up the cards that were in the bowls.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:15:56):
And I think Dili is off by himself a little bit. He's writing in a notebook that probably doesn't look too dissimilar on the outside from the kind of notebook Lachlan carries. As Dan said, also tinkering with something.
Dan, can I do a little, always tinkering role?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:16:12):
Sure.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:16:12):
Let me remind myself how that works.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:16:15):
It's a random unstable cipher. So it only works for you. And it's a little weaker.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:16:19):
I don't have to roll anything, though?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:16:21):
Nope.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:16:21):
Excellent.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:16:22):
You've created a gravity nullifier. So this is a level four cipher. And when you activate it for one hour, you can float in the air moving vertically, but not horizontally unless somebody pushes you or pulls you up to a short distance. And whoever uses it needs to weigh less than 200 pounds.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:16:40):
Dili weighs less than 200 pounds. Canon.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:16:43):
Yep.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:16:46):
So as I come back in, I'm going to go over. I'm going to smile fondly at Nix and Cha-Cha who are being Nix and Cha-Cha and I'm going to walk over to Dili.
How're you doing?

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:16:59):
So I think it's probably the first time you've seen it in full action. But when you come over to Dili, you see images and shapes, these sketches of Numenera, and these equations and all this right gobbledygook floating over his head. And then I think when your shadow account passes over him, all those images kind of fade quickly and he looks up like,
"Hey, Lachlan, what's up? How's that talk with Icarus go?"

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:17:24):
I'm very angry at him. He's going to remember it for the rest of his life.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:17:29):
Nix is a little disappointed he doesn't have a black eye yet. Just saying.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:17:32):
I'm not good at fighting.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:17:35):
Hey, speak to the choir. Or preach to the choir. That one.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:17:39):
Are you sitting down?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:17:41):
Yes?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:17:41):
She's going to sit with you.
So you all have somewhere to go and I've got somewhere to go, and where I'm going, I can't take manta ray.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:17:54):
Okay.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:17:54):
Would you?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:17:56):
Take care of manta ray?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:17:58):
Yeah. I think, it'll be safe with you.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:18:01):
So, "Safe," is a funny word.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:18:04):
With you.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:18:07):
I think I've gotten eaten like twice so far in the past two months since I've met...
And he gestures towards Nix and Cha-Cha

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:18:15):
They're probably lighting a fire somewhere.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:18:17):
Like lighting the playing cards on fire and flicking them at Nix.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:18:20):
That sounds canon for Cha-Cha!

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:18:23):
I've only known you for two hours and I know this to be true!

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:18:30):
So I...

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:18:31):
Oh, here I'll I'll put it this. I think even though manta ray is a little scary and I mean scary as in, it is a scaredy Ray. I think, of the three of you, it'll be best with you.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:18:44):
I 100% agree with that. Okay. Here's the thing. I promise I will make sure that manta ray is taken care of wherever we go. But if maybe in another decade you come to us, find us without manta ray, it's not...

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:00):
It's not your fault.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:19:01):
Yes.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:02):
I'm going to let you in on the secret. This is manta ray, the [Orth. 01:19:07]

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:19:08):
Wow. Does manta ray know that?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:11):
It's best not to say it in front of manta ray.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:19:14):
Okay.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:15):
I mean, this is also like the fourth in 10 years, so I've got a pretty good track record, but yeah, it's just, it's best not to mention that in front of manta ray.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:19:26):
Okay. Yeah. Yes. Just to say it clearly, I will absolutely take care of manta ray and ensure nothing that I can prevent happens to manta ray.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:36):
That is after knowing you all for a couple of days, that is the best promise I think I can get out of you.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:19:43):
It's the best promise I can make. We get into so much shit.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:47):
Thanks.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:19:48):
Yeah, no problem. And Hey, thank you for bringing us here and showing us the place that, to my knowledge, I didn't think could exist or did exist.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:19:58):
Yeah. New experiences for everybody.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:20:00):
Yeah. So what is the plan? What are you doing that you can't bring manta ray? Or where are you going?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:20:06):
I'm going to be here for a while before I move on to other avenues. Look, I'm researching the obelisks for a reason.
She taps her temple, where it goes tink, tink, tink.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:20:19):
Right, yeah. Just to understand more about it? Or do you have a specific goal?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:20:26):
Both, but I don't know what the goal is yet. But I mean, the obelisks are connected and when I leave here, I can't take manta ray.
And she says this very pointedly at you. Please understand what I'm trying to say.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:20:43):
Are you rolling an understanding check?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:20:48):
No, I'm trying to remember what Osmus said in front of the group and what he did not.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:20:54):
Osmus definitely said that.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:20:56):
He said they were a network.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:20:57):
And those who emerged can travel.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:21:00):
Okay. Okay. Lachlan, are you possibly going to other worlds?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:21:04):
Who knows? I'm just going to see where they take me. But if you run into an obelisk, you might find me again.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:21:12):
Okay! That'd be good to know. You know what also what would be good to know? How to not fall, how to not...
And Dili starts like getting flustered.
Not to say that what happened to you is bad, how would we not, have that not happen to us, if that's at all possible to avoid?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:21:29):
I mean, I could say "Don't touch an obelisk," but I don't quite remember how I got in. I just remember coming out and everything that happened after that.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:21:43):
Do you remember any of your life before the obelisk? Parents, family?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:21:47):
Bits and pieces. Look, I remember my childhood. I remember my parents. I remember. I just... Everything around the obelisk is a bit of a blur. Right.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:22:00):
Okay. Well, I didn't mean to delve. No, I didn't mean to get too much into your past.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:22:06):
It's fine.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:22:07):
And then I think Dili kind of like, "So anyway, this is what I'm working on if you're interested in Numenera stuff."
And then Dili shows the piece that he's working on, the gravity nullifier.
I actually... When you threw the gravity bomb earlier, it sparked something in me. I had an idea and this is what I was thinking of based on the brief moment I saw what you threw.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:22:25):
She nods in a basic understanding of Numenera. But at a point he does get lost, but she continues to nod and like "Mm-hmm (affirmative), absolutely."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:22:35):
The night passes. It's the next day. And Osmus is going to lead the rest of your guys down to his network of tunnels. And Vlad goes up to a Lachlan and says, "You good?"

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:22:50):
Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:22:51):
And good luck.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:22:52):
Thanks. You too.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:22:53):
And he nods and begins going down with the others to the tunnels.
Lachlan, Can you give me a final scene for what Lachlan is doing?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:23:03):
Lachlan sees you all off and there's a not quite tearful goodbye with manta ray. She's choking back tears. Again, she's probably only had this manta ray for like three years, but it's probably the one that's lasted the longest.
So yeah, there's a whole, "Be good for Dili and maybe I'll see you again, if they..."

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:23:30):
It quivers in hope and it wiggles that stinger on the back.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:23:38):
And then she doesn't, there's no physical contact with the three of you, but she just gives you all a really... A nod and, "I'll see you all again."

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:23:46):
I hope so.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:23:47):
Looks for me in the obelisks. She's covering up her sadness with humor. So she's literally choking back tears, but like making this joke and she backs out of the door where y'all are about to leave.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:24:04):
And meanwhile Vlad has just been pushing this stasis pod through the door on this cart. It keeps getting stuck.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:24:11):
But yeah. She heads downstairs and like it's a pan out. She's at the door, there's all this research and knowledge ahead of her. And the camera stops with the obelisk, just in view. And you can see the whole room is waiting for her.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:24:31):
Dope.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:24:32):
Yeah. I love that. And as that's happening there, there's that moment. And then we have like a very slow fade back to the cart and the tunnels.
And as you guys step inside, the door closes, and Dili, for a moment, you see a danger indicator, a threat assessment indicator up here over Osmus that says 35%.
And Dili, you hear a voice in your head and says, "It's just a copy, but I'll have to circle back. I thought I killed him the last time."
And that's where we'll end this episode.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:24:32):
What?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:24:32):
Oh my God!

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:24:32):
Dili, get a hold of your son!

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:25:09):
Put the relentless in relentless reaper, holy shit!

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:25:12):
Oh my God!

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:25:13):
Your son. Time out!

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:25:18):
He's adopted, all right? Because I gave more fodder for her this episode I'm going to pick on LaTia again.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:25:26):
Oh no, stop it, because I'm actually about to cry. Okay. I've got [crosstalk 01:25:33] some shit. Go ahead, though, let's see what you got.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:25:35):
No, no, no.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:25:36):
So I haven't listened to the podcast prior to this, so I had no idea of any of this, but the Icarus-Vlad reveal and just letting me stew in that surprise and getting to come to some kind of resolution about that whole thing is probably my favorite part of the episode, but I am legitimately about to cry.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:25:58):
So that was powerful as fuck. That was so good.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:26:04):
Yeah. I love how that turned out. I'm really glad. Thank you for going with it, full on. That was awesome.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:26:09):
Hell yeah. And thank you. So I've never... I've not recorded a podcast before. I've not done a podcast story before, like an actual... one that isn't a live stream that's been turned into a podcast.
So I'm just going to say for all y'all out here, Daniel, with his subtle clues, for someone who does not know the story that they're telling, and doesn't have a lot of backstory into my own character, his subtle clues and head nods and head shakes about where I need to go with what my character knows is fucking phenomenal. Oh my gosh.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:26:44):
Thank you.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:26:45):
It's magic. And now you know why we're afraid of everything.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:26:50):
Yeah.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:26:51):
But also very trusting at the same time.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:26:53):
No, this is... I can tell like I'm about to legitimately go back and listen to the whole [crosstalk 01:26:59]

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:26:59):
Oh!

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:27:00):
I love the story that y'all are telling. I love the camaraderie between you three. And I would like to do this again.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:27:09):
Absolutely. We can make that happen. That's part of the reason why the obelisks are what they were. I wanted to leave that door open for you.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:27:15):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:27:16):
Well, and I think you did a really good job of finding your character and it was really seamless, yet you were also the adult in the room in a story that you didn't know what we were like. Lachlan was very like common sense, and I liked it. I think you did it very well.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:27:31):
Thank you. Here's the thing about my characters. I actually tweeted during our little break during the recording that I did not build a buff lady with a spear because...

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:27:41):
I feel like there's a "For once."

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:27:43):
No, no, absolutely. For once, My characters are buff ladies with Spears who have a soft spot for kids. And are the mom friend.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:27:51):
Balsa from?

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:27:53):
Yes.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:27:53):
Yes, all right.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:27:55):
Yes, from Berserk. Right?

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:27:57):
I'm thinking of the Guardian of the Spirit. So if you haven't caught that, go catch that lady with the spear with soft spot for children.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:28:03):
Hell yeah.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:28:04):
It's a 24-episode anime.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:28:06):
I'm thinking of somebody else from Berserk because Berserk is... It's a whole other thing, but yeah, no, soft spot for kids loves animals, mom friend, buff lady with a spear, ambiguous sexuality, because I'm ace, so everybody must love me, but I don't want to be perceived.
So, to have something, to have somebody that I could lean out of my comfort zone with this was amazing. So I'm really glad that y'all let me guest and do this.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:28:35):
It was so much fun. Thank you so much for joining us. [crosstalk 01:28:43]

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:28:35):
Yes. Thank you so much.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:28:42):
So, we have a segment that we do each week called player intrusions. That's where we offer you the listener, an XP to check out something that we think you would really dig. This week, it is Samson's turn.
Samson, what would you offer our listeners an XP to check out?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:28:54):
Boy, howdy, I wish they would all check out a book called The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I'm going to hold it up for the...

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:29:02):
It's a very pretty book.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:29:04):
I have that. I haven't read it yet.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:29:04):
Oh, that is so pretty.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:29:05):
It's wonderful.
It is a murder mystery, but with a healthy scoop of quantum leap and Groundhog's day. You follow a POV character as they repeat the same day, eight times and each time they repeat it, they are experiencing that through the perspective of a different character. And with each character, they have different insights, different abilities. So like one day they're just a doctor. And they're kind of seeing everything for like a medical perspective. Another day, they're this absolute douchebag who has poor impulse control-

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:29:38):
Oh no.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:29:38):
Which somehow allows them to get into places that they really shouldn't be, Another time they are cops. So they see everything as evidence, which is very nice.
I can't say much more than that because everything else is a spoiler, because it's a fucking murder mystery. But if you love Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes thing, but you mean like a little extra like zhoosh to make it more interesting.
Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stewart Turton, T-U-R-T-O-N. Highly recommend. I read this book in a week, which was not a good idea for me, because I am very busy.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:30:12):
Well, I just bought it, so thanks, Sampson.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:30:14):
That sounds badass. Excellent.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:30:16):
Good, good.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:30:17):
Very cool. Well, Samson, if people wanted to tell us what they think of that book, Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, or the podcast, how would they do that?

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:30:25):
Well, we have a websites from which you can access all our bullshit on the internet. It is explorers wanted.fm.
One of our bullshits is Twitter, which is @explorerswanted. On Instagram and Facebook, we are @explorerswantedpodcasts.
Also, if you want to hang out with us, pretty active on discord, which you can get to by going to explorerswanted.fm/discord.
And also if it is within your means, support us on patrion.com/exploreswanted. $10 tier and above, you can access character journals and some additional Patreon-only content. Yeah, good times all around, when you look for Explorers Wanted.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:31:01):
And if you can't support us on Patreon, we totally understand. The best thing that you could do for us honestly, is tell a friend. Tell them why you liked the show and why they should listen to it.
The second best thing you could do is to leave us a five-star review on a podcast directory, specifically a written review, that explains why you like the show. That makes a big difference in people checking us out.
If you didn't like the show, or if you thought it was just bad, just remember, it's just a trick of the light. There's no one there. Nothing watching you. It's simply a shadow. You're safe. You're in your home. Leave the light off. The light is how they get you. If you want to reach out to us individually on social media, you can find me on Twitter, @Andrlik. A-N-D-R-L-I-K.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:31:42):
You can find me on Twitter, @StaceWindu.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:31:45):
Nightlights are supposed to protect. I'm @SlamPotato.

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:31:47):
But protect you from what? I am @RealTeaUnicorn on Twitter and teawithaunicorn on Twitch.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:31:54):
I'm from the other side of the mirror. I'm LaTia Jacquise on Twitch.

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:31:59):
No! I'm so sorry for interrupting you! Mirrors at night! That's a whole thing!

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:32:05):
Thank you again, so much, LaTia, for joining us.

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:32:12):
Absolutely.

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:32:13):
Yes, thank you.

Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:32:14):
Thank you to the listener for listening to the show. Hope you enjoyed it.
We will be back next week as we will for every week in the foreseeable future. Have a good night day, weekend, or whenever you're listening to this.
And, bye!

Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:32:14):
Bye!

Alex - Cha-Cha (01:32:14):
Bye!

Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:32:14):
Bye!

LaTia Jacquise [Lachlan] (01:32:14):
Bye!