Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:30): Welcome to Explorers Wanted. We are a weekly Numenera actual play podcast. I will be your humble GM, Daniel Andrlik. With me today is Alex Finn. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (00:40): I yawned real good when we started recording and I wonder if it made a noise. If one yawns, does it make a noise? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:48): Sampson Davis. Sampson Davis [Dili] (00:49): Yeah, yawns make noise. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:51): And Stace Babcock. Stace Babcock [Nix] (00:52): 'Tis I, Stace Babcock. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (00:54): So, who remembers what happened last time? I am going to pick on Stace. Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:01): Joke's on you. I have notes. All right, I'm not going to tell you what my notes are, but I have them. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:07): Mine just say more beer. Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:11): It says, "Episode start, meet Prentis. Episode end, Amaranth bounty hunting Nix." Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:15): Oh, yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (01:16): And there was a lore dump in the middle of there. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:21): [crosstalk 00:01:21]. Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:21): And there's a lore dump in the middle. All right, cool. So where are we at now? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (01:27): Yeah, [inaudible 00:01:28]. Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:31): So yeah, the crew makes their way out of the subway in the general vicinity of the Proving Ground. There, we are met by Prentiss who basically tells Vlad, "You're off the case, bud. Got it from here." Daniel Andrlik [GM] (01:47): Hand in your gun and your badge. You're off the case. Stace Babcock [Nix] (01:52): And so we got rid of Vlad, which was almost sad considering he really came along as a character, and then Prentiss is like Cha-Cha, in that she can see horrors. There was a lore dump, but she wasn't super helpful. She was very vague. Sampson Davis [Dili] (02:13): I disagree. She gave us a lot of information. Stace Babcock [Nix] (02:18): Well, I mean what did you think was important, Sampson? Sampson Davis [Dili] (02:20): Well, we learned a naughty word. That was a big one. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (02:23): Oh, yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (02:24): Yeah, we did. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (02:25): I forget what it is, though. Stace Babcock [Nix] (02:26): We can't say it because it's naughty. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (02:28): Yeah, we'll have to beep it. We'll have to learn how to (beep) things, listener. Stace Babcock [Nix] (02:32): We'll? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (02:34): We'll just keep locking Daniel in his closet until he learns. Sampson Davis [Dili] (02:39): We also learned some of the factions amongst the horror community. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (02:43): Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (02:44): And that Nix is... Is Nix the gritty of the imps? Stace Babcock [Nix] (02:48): I hope so. Sampson Davis [Dili] (02:49): That's what it feels like. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (02:50): Oh, it took me a minute to process the... I was like, "Gritty, gritty," and then I thought of the Domino's commercial. I'm like, "No, that's the wrong one." Orange, but wrong. Stace Babcock [Nix] (03:00): Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (03:00): Yeah, that's the Noid. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (03:02): I was surprised they brought that back because didn't someone try and do something bad over that marketing gimmick a while ago? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (03:09): I don't know. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (03:10): Someone happened to be named Noid and the commercials got to him. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (03:14): Ah, okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (03:16): Catcher in the pizza dough? [inaudible 00:03:18]. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (03:18): Yeah, yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (03:20): Then we found out, oh, something that was cool, was that Bastian was like Cha-Cha and Prentiss and went too far? I'm not clear. Anyway, also owes the same person that Cha-Cha owes a favor a favor. Sampson Davis [Dili] (03:35): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Alex Finn [ChaCha] (03:35): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Stace Babcock [Nix] (03:38): And so theoretically, Cha-Cha could go and turn into a Bastian-like creature, is what I got out of that. I think that was it. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (03:45): She's already got the purple smoke coming out of her eyes. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (03:47): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Stace Babcock [Nix] (03:47): Right? Sampson Davis [Dili] (03:50): We also learned quite a bit about plates and the Society. Her aunt is a capacitor. Stace Babcock [Nix] (03:56): Oh, I wrote this down. No, I wrote this down. Okay, hang on. Hang on. I have more notes. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (04:02): Is it document parentheses two? Stace Babcock [Nix] (04:10): Well, why don't you tell- Alex Finn [ChaCha] (04:13): I would check document parentheses 14. Stace Babcock [Nix] (04:17): Tell us more, Sampson. No, yeah. I can't remember what was what. Nix is the source of the power, and Nix is corrupted. Then Nix's aunt who was, we think, turned into a lamprey creature, is what, Sampson? Sampson Davis [Dili] (04:36): A capacitor? Stace Babcock [Nix] (04:37): The capacitor? Oh, which we discovered stores energy. Sampson Davis [Dili] (04:40): Yeah, it stores and helps regulates in case there's a jump in energy. I'm an engineer. I know how to google these things. Stace Babcock [Nix] (04:47): Yeah, and then her mom was the recipient of the energy? Sampson Davis [Dili] (04:53): Host, but yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (04:54): Yeah, host. I'm still confused, but I feel like we did learn more. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (05:00): We're always learning. Stace Babcock [Nix] (05:01): We're always learning. Oh my God, it's document one. Okay, so plates are... Sampson Davis [Dili] (05:10): At least put the date in the title, like document one October whatever. Stace Babcock [Nix] (05:13): No, no, no. Document one-auto recovered. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (05:23): Oh, shit. This is us to a T, listeners. This is us. Stace Babcock [Nix] (05:26): I tried to take notes, all right? Plates are structured energy transference. Plates collect gathered energy to pass to the host and they're embedded. Plates are embedded with plates, wow that's bad notes, and can only be passed within the same family. There must be an energy source host and a capacitor. So yeah, [Nayo 00:05:44] the mom is the host. Nix is the traveler/guardian/unpronounceable word/capacitor and is the siphon source and she's corrupted, and so the capacitor translation is weakened and the capacitor is one half of the remains of her [Aunt Tolley 00:06:01]. And then the capacitor must be forcibly separated from the remains. It triggers mutations. Nailed it. Sampson Davis [Dili] (06:09): Yeah. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (06:10): Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (06:10): Yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (06:10): So then Prentiss tries to come between Dili and Nix. And so Dili, it kind of seems like Nix has a bad/dangerous plan. Don't you want to come to training? Of course, Nix hears the invitation to training, but then she gets bubbled like... Her and Cha-Cha both get bubbled and Prentiss is like, "Yo, actually I'm just trying to give you an out because this is a real bad idea." Stace Babcock [Nix] (06:36): Yeah, so there was additional conversation, but long story short, we decided to camp in the cave for the night. The bounty hunter that Prentiss had warned Nix about earlier in the episode starts coming around. Lo and behold, it's G-ma. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (06:52): Wait, what? Sampson Davis [Dili] (06:53): This is the ultimate betrayal. Stace Babcock [Nix] (06:55): I'm not sure it's a betrayal. Sampson Davis [Dili] (06:56): It feels like a betrayal. Stace Babcock [Nix] (06:57): It feels like a betrayal. Sampson Davis [Dili] (06:58): We are betrayed. As players, we have been betrayed. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (07:01): But, I mean, have we? Maybe she's just trying to find Nix for positive reasons. Maybe she's like, "Hey Nix, you forgot your sweater." Sampson Davis [Dili] (07:09): Here's another letter from [Atalia 00:07:11]. Here you are. Stace Babcock [Nix] (07:11): Right, yeah. She wrote you back. Wait, Nix write at all? Whatever. You know. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (07:16): Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (07:16): If I remember right, Nix solely wrote Atalia letters and only got one back. Stace Babcock [Nix] (07:21): I meant since Atalia's left. Sampson Davis [Dili] (07:24): Oh. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (07:24): No, no, no. When Atalia left, she gave Nix a letter. Think that's where that left off, unless Nix has been doing things that we haven't known. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (07:35): Nix tried to draft a bunch of letters one night, but- Alex Finn [ChaCha] (07:38): Oh, yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (07:39): That's right. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (07:40): ... there's been no ability to pass them off since you don't know where Atalia is. Sampson Davis [Dili] (07:43): Well, here's your chance. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (07:44): Ta-da. Stace Babcock [Nix] (07:44): Yeah, great. Nix runs after G-ma, screaming. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (07:50): Wait, it's G-ma and not her mom? Sampson Davis [Dili] (07:53): [Soliana 00:07:53] is the mom. Stace Babcock [Nix] (07:54): Yeah, Soliana's the mom. Sampson Davis [Dili] (07:55): Amaranth is the grandmother. Stace Babcock [Nix] (07:56): Because remember, there were A Stones. That was the sign on the hut, A Stone. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (08:00): Listen, I'm bad at names. Stace Babcock [Nix] (08:04): I'm bad at notes. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (08:08): Season two, we bad. I'm making a genuine effort. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (08:18): So yes, you guys have just seen Amaranth and that she taking some notes in her journal and saying, "I guess I'll just have to meet you there," and then walking away down the path. What do you guys do? Sampson Davis [Dili] (08:34): Dili doesn't move a muscle for like 10 minutes. Stace Babcock [Nix] (08:37): Nix has seen G-ma fight. Sampson Davis [Dili] (08:41): And lived. Stace Babcock [Nix] (08:41): Well, at the time. Got to decide what would Nix do. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (08:48): I think Cha-Cha's doing that little side glance at everybody like, "Okay, so what's happening?" Stace Babcock [Nix] (08:55): Yeah, I want to say Nix is staring Cha-Cha dead in the eyes with a question on her face like, "Can we take her?" That's what she's asking with her eyes. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (09:07): Cha-Cha's like... doing a little head bob, maybe. Sampson Davis [Dili] (09:08): I think you all know Dili well enough to see it just in his... Again, he's not moving, not taking a chance, but in his eyes he's just vigorously shaking his head just like, "No, no, no." Stace Babcock [Nix] (09:20): Nix looks over at Dili and sees that, and then she glances over at Prentiss to see what's up. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (09:26): Prentiss is crouched down. Even though she knows she's hidden by an illusion, she's keeping herself very low. She is just staring with full attention in the direction that Amaranth went, not moving a muscle, not saying anything. For all intents and purposes, utterly ignoring the rest of you. Stace Babcock [Nix] (09:47): All right. Nix will hold still, even though it's very hard for her. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (09:50): Prentiss leans back a little bit. It takes several minutes for this. Leans back a little bit and she reaches down to the ground and raises up her hand. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (10:00): Cha-Cha, you can see she's got one of the fleshy centipedes in her hand. She leans down close to it and you can just barely see her lips move. And then she drops the centipede and it goes scuttling off into the side, down the mountain side but along that path in the direction that Amaranth went. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (10:24): Is that a spy or a messenger? Because messenger might not survive. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (10:32): How loudly is Cha-Cha talking? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (10:34): If Cha-Cha says this, she's probably not going to volume control herself. Just going to say it at normal level. She's not going to scream it to the hills, but she's not going to whisper. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (10:47): Okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (10:49): A single tear goes down Dili's cheek. This is how we die. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (10:53): I mean someone could roll a Speed roll and be like, "Can someone slap them out and be like... ?" Daniel Andrlik [GM] (10:59): Prentiss does that when you're halfway through it and she's just glaring dagger at you. Her eyes shift out of that thousand-yard gaze and it's just... Cha-Cha, it's really intense when she makes eye contact with you. There is a similarity there that you did not expect to have such an intense physical reaction to it. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (11:24): She presses her forehead against yours and says in a voice that only you hear, Cha-Cha, and you can tell it's in your head because it's very similar to the sensation you get when you're doing mind reading on somebody, and Prentiss says to you, "Be quiet. She's coming. Now I've wasted a spy." Can everybody make me a Perception roll of 18? It is not visual in nature. Sampson Davis [Dili] (11:52): That's a 12 for Dili. Ooh, got a 19. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (11:53): Nice. Stace Babcock [Nix] (11:56): Six. Love that for me. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (12:02): I got an 18. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (12:02): Everybody but Nix hears a scrape in the distance along the path, like somebody's boots suddenly turning, and then another step back in your direction and then silence. Dili, what would you like for a Minor Effect? Sampson Davis [Dili] (12:18): For a Minor Effect, I would like Nix to notice amongst the crew that we all reacted to something. I probably can't communicate immediately what it is, but Nix at least knows that we know something is up. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (12:31): Okay. Stace Babcock [Nix] (12:32): Legit. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (12:33): Like I said, you heard those couple steps in the distance on the path turning on rock and then a couple steps coming towards you and then utter silence, but no sound of somebody coming to a stop. It's just the footsteps go silent. What do you guys do? Stace Babcock [Nix] (12:51): I mean, Nix is staying quiet. Sampson Davis [Dili] (12:53): I'm just checking in what my range is on some of my illusions real quick. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (12:58): I think Cha-Cha is sulking while this is happening. Someone has reprimanded her, so she is sulking. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (13:05): Prentiss is... She's got her hand on your mouth still, but she's turned to look in the direction that Amaranth came from. There is a solitary chirping of a bird somewhere in the distance. Sampson Davis [Dili] (13:16): Dili continues to wait. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (13:17): The mountain wind picks up a little bit, not an enormous amount, but just a little bit more. Dili, since you had a 19 last time, you hear a footstep coming from behind you. Sampson Davis [Dili] (13:29): Dili will turn his head. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (13:31): Amaranth Stone is standing there. She's outside the boundary of your illusion so you know she can't possibly see you right now, but she's maybe only a foot away from the edge. Sampson Davis [Dili] (13:44): Man. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (13:44): She's standing there, looking back and forth, one hand on a knife sheath on her belt. Stace Babcock [Nix] (13:52): You guys think maybe she's not friendly? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (13:53): Do you say that out loud or is that [crosstalk 00:13:57]? Stace Babcock [Nix] (13:58): No, no. That was me. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (13:59): Okay. No, I totally 100% assume she's not friendly anymore. It's kind of like the whole Cha-Cha question, where it's just like well, once Cha-Cha loses interest, it's like a wild animal. Nature just takes its course. It's just G-ma taking her course of killing us all. Sampson Davis [Dili] (14:19): All right, so with major illusion, which is what I've assumed Dili is using to hide four people, Dili's able to make a complex scene of images that can fit within a hundred-foot cube. What I would like to do is add to the major illusion. Basically, on the other side of this hundred-foot cube Dili would just like to make a small sound, basically like a rock falling, because it sounds like someone kicked it, but have that come from behind where Amaranth is currently standing. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (14:54): Okay, so yes. She absolutely freezes when she hears that and she turns. She doesn't completely turn all the way around. She looks over her shoulder slowly. She takes a couple steps backwards to get a better view of that direction, and then she turns back forward and seems to be pausing, sort of cocking her head to listen better. Her face is... The Stones already had very tan skin in general, but her face looks even darker, like she's been traveling a lot lately and been in the sun. Sampson Davis [Dili] (15:30): Dili's not going to do anything more. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (15:30): Okay. Amaranth stands there for a moment, looking carefully, listening carefully, slowly turning and looking around in every direction in about 15 of the longest minutes that Dili's experienced in his life. And then she slowly moves her hand in the dagger and turns and slips back the way that she apparently came around to get closer to the noise, and seems to be heading down the mountain side, but you lose track of the sound very shortly after she gets moving. Sampson Davis [Dili] (16:09): Can we get a reminder of her character sentence was? I swear she said it. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (16:13): You guys figured out what her foci was. That's what you figured out. Sampson Davis [Dili] (16:16): Was it murders? Does she murders? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (16:18): It was murders. Sampson Davis [Dili] (16:20): Cool. Cool, cool, cool. Stace Babcock [Nix] (16:22): I feel like we're playing that game instead. That's how we win. We figure out people's foci. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (16:27): That is an actual game. I can't remember what it is. You have to figure out someone's sentence or whatever. Or am I just on drugs? Sampson Davis [Dili] (16:37): Sounds like a hard version of Guess Who?. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (16:38): Or charades. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (16:41): So, how long do you guys wait? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (16:44): 10 minutes. Stace Babcock [Nix] (16:45): I mean, Nix is going to take a little schnoozle. Sampson Davis [Dili] (16:47): I think Dili is watching Prentiss, waiting for her to feel safe. Stace Babcock [Nix] (16:51): That's probably more accurate for Nix as well. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (16:56): Prentiss is going to sit still, not moving, for at least the next 15 minutes. So, I guess those 15 minutes pass. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (17:04): Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (17:04): Prentiss is keeping her hand on Cha-Cha's mouth because she's not moving at all. Cha-Cha's feeling a little despondent because somebody reprimanded her. She's sulking, you said? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (17:14): Yep, just like Max does when I tell him no. He just looks at me like, "Mother, how dare? How dare, Mother? How dare?" Daniel Andrlik [GM] (17:23): Is she sulking or is she annoyed? I guess I'm trying to get a beat on what Cha-Cha's like, being reprimanded. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (17:29): It's like sulking, but if it goes on too long, she's going to get annoyed and lick Prentiss' hand. Sampson Davis [Dili] (17:37): Yeah, I have a little sister as well. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (17:39): Okay. It definitely is going to go on for a while and you lick Prentiss' hand. Her eyes turn and look at you and she reaches one finger over on her other hand and bops you on the nose and then brings it up to her mouth. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (17:59): Boops the snoot. Got your snoot boot. Wait. Whatever. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (18:05): It's at this point I will offer Cha-Cha an XP. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:07): Yes, yes. Stace Babcock [Nix] (18:07): Oh, shit. Sampson Davis [Dili] (18:07): Oh, goddammit. Oh, no. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:12): Yes, yes, yes. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (18:13): Who will you give the other one to? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:15): Where's everyone at? Sampson Davis [Dili] (18:17): I have two XP, but I just tiered up. Stace Babcock [Nix] (18:19): Nix has not tiered up. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:22): Okay, Nix. Stace Babcock [Nix] (18:24): Thank you. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:25): You want Cha-Cha to make some whining noises like Max does when you hear him on the recording? Stace Babcock [Nix] (18:30): I mean, that's what I want. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (18:31): Oh no, you don't need to do anything like that. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:37): I will do something more convenient. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (18:37): I need you to tell me evens or odds. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:40): Evens. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (18:41): Sampson, roll die. Tell me if you get even or odd. Sampson Davis [Dili] (18:44): Oh, boy. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:45): I'm excited no matter what. Sampson Davis [Dili] (18:46): Odd. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:47): I'm still excited. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (18:49): Okay. Alex, roll me one D100. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:53): Ooh. Sampson Davis [Dili] (18:55): Oh, shit. Oh, I know what's happening now. Fuck. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (18:59): Did Prentiss not wash her hands and touch some primordial ooze? Stace Babcock [Nix] (19:02): No, I don't think that's it. Sampson Davis [Dili] (19:05): Ah, fuck. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (19:05): Okay, we got a 16. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (19:07): Okay, so as Prentiss is looking at you after she boops you on the nose, you suddenly feel a quiver in your chest. Sampson Davis [Dili] (19:20): Yeah, you got it? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (19:21): I just remembered. Stace Babcock [Nix] (19:21): Yeah, you picking it up? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (19:21): Yeah, I just picked up what you're laying down. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (19:23): I don't know why you guys assumed that it had anything to do with Cha-Cha's hands and not just contact with Cha-Cha. Stace Babcock [Nix] (19:28): I didn't. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (19:29): No, I just realized it. Sampson Davis [Dili] (19:30): Yeah, hands are what's going to touch the things the most. We can't put a muzzle on Cha-Cha. It would be [crosstalk 00:19:38]. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (19:37): Just get her a zentai. It's fine. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (19:40): You see Prentiss is looking at you and then all of a sudden, her face begins erupting in sores- Sampson Davis [Dili] (19:50): Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (19:52): ... and her nose starts caving in on itself. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (19:59): Got syphilis. How can you get syphilis from a mutation [inaudible 00:20:01]? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (20:01): The bone around her left eye socket shifts up a little bit and she's... You can see her gritting her teeth. She is trying not to make a sound, but when her jaw starts shifting to the right, she starts screaming. Stace Babcock [Nix] (20:18): Shit, we're going to be in so much fucking trouble. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (20:21): We're in trouble. Stace Babcock [Nix] (20:22): Nix will tackle her and cover up her mouth. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (20:25): It's a little hard to get a grip. You actually need both hands on her mouth because the jaw keeps spreading out, but you get it there. Sampson Davis [Dili] (20:32): Can Dili try to cover up the sound real quick while Nix is tackling? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (20:37): Sure, you can try. Sampson Davis [Dili] (20:37): All right. Dili's going to try to make it sound like a flock of the similar birds- Alex Finn [ChaCha] (20:42): Seagulls? Sampson Davis [Dili] (20:43): ... that we just heard, but have them moving away from us. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (20:49): Let's see. Let's put this to an interesting bit of chance here. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (20:57): Oh, no. Sampson Davis [Dili] (20:57): Okay. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (20:58): You could all get a chance to do this, or it may just be two of you. We're going to be doing three different rolls. Stace, evens or odds? Stace Babcock [Nix] (21:07): Evens. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:08): Okay. Alex, roll die. Tell me if you get evens or odds. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (21:10): Oh, no. Even. I got a four. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:13): Okay, so you got one. Second roll. Alex, evens or odds? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (21:17): Odds. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:19): Sampson, roll die. Sampson Davis [Dili] (21:21): Evens. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:22): Okay, so that's one miss, one success. It's all coming down to this last one, then, because it's going to be best two out of threes. Sampson, evens are odds? Sampson Davis [Dili] (21:31): I'm feeling evens. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:33): Okay, Stace. Stace Babcock [Nix] (21:34): Three. Sampson Davis [Dili] (21:35): Fuck. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:35): Dili, you think you've done a great job covering it up. Stace Babcock [Nix] (21:40): Oh, we're so fucked. Sampson Davis [Dili] (21:41): The one thing I'm good at. One of the two things I'm good at. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (21:44): Eventually, Prentiss stops struggling and she sits up. You can see her trying to work her jaw. Her face is still hideously distorted and, "That hurt." Sampson Davis [Dili] (21:57): Is it pretty obvious to Dili and nix what happened? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (22:01): Would it be obvious to Dili? You tell me. Sampson Davis [Dili] (22:03): I don't know. I think Dili would know that Cha-Cha can mutate with a touch if she is ornery, but I don't know if he would recognize this as mutation or if this was something else. I'm not entirely sure. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (22:18): Okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (22:19): What happened? Do you know? Dili's trying to be quiet. Why'd you start screaming? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (22:23): She turns and looks at you with her face. Sampson Davis [Dili] (22:26): I could see why, but why did it happen? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (22:29): She turns and looks right back at Cha-Cha. Stace Babcock [Nix] (22:31): Nix saw what went down with Hey You and she's the only one, so I think Nix knows what's up. Yeah, so that's like the arch game, Dili. Sampson Davis [Dili] (22:41): The what? Stace Babcock [Nix] (22:42): The arch game that Cha-Cha plays. Sampson Davis [Dili] (22:48): What is that? Oh, oh. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (22:48): But I'm wearing my gloves. Everyone's safe because I'm wearing my gloves. Sampson Davis [Dili] (22:53): It's your skin in general. Gloves are just because that's what you touch with the most. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (22:57): But how am I going to hug Nix? Sampson Davis [Dili] (23:00): Carefully, I guess. Stace Babcock [Nix] (23:01): Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (23:02): Should we leave? Prentiss, are you okay to move? Do we need to move? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (23:07): We should wait for [Stannis 00:23:09]. Sampson Davis [Dili] (23:10): Right. Okay. Stace Babcock [Nix] (23:12): Is there something that we can do for you, Prentiss? Your face... Daniel Andrlik [GM] (23:17): Is there something you can do? Stace Babcock [Nix] (23:23): Not really. Basic comfort, maybe. Sampson Davis [Dili] (23:27): I don't have a cypher that could help with that, but... Daniel Andrlik [GM] (23:32): She turns and looks at Cha-Cha. She tilts her head to the side, clearly trying to convey that she's asking a question and says, "Permanent?" Alex Finn [ChaCha] (23:43): Most of the time. I mean, we could investigate this further, but I mean, Dili's hasn't worn off yet. Sampson Davis [Dili] (23:52): Nope. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (23:53): Prentiss sighs. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (23:54): Is anything really, truly permanent? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (23:57): She just holds up one hand with a finger up, clearly like, "Not now, not from you." Even for Cha-Cha, that is a very clear social communication. She sits there and lowers a hand. One of those fleshy centipedes crawls up into it and up her arm and sighs. She tickles it on the head and it curls around her neck and nuzzles it. Sampson Davis [Dili] (24:23): Well, how close are we to the cave? Are we in the cave? Are we just outside? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (24:28): Pretty close. Sampson Davis [Dili] (24:28): Okay. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (24:29): Yeah, you're pretty close. Sampson Davis [Dili] (24:31): Would we be safer if we camped out inside the cave? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (24:34): Good idea. Sampson Davis [Dili] (24:35): All right. Let's chill inside the cave, then, for however long it takes Stannis to get here. Stace Babcock [Nix] (24:41): Nix will start moving their stuff into the cave. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (24:47): Okay, so you guys are moving into the cave. You guys settle in there. Anything you're going to do in the cave to set up? Any kind of [inaudible 00:24:56] assignments you want to do? Stace Babcock [Nix] (24:57): Nix will take the first watch, for sure. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (25:00): Okay. Who's taking second watch? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (25:02): Cha-Cha will. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (25:03): Okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (25:03): Dili will take the third watch. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (25:05): Okay. Prentiss sleeps, not super comfortably, but she sleeps. The rest of you have a night that is mostly uneventful. And then Cha-Cha, it's near the end of your watch when you hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (25:22): Guess she's going to ready her gun and wait. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (25:25): Okay. The steps approach closer and then you can see a familiar figure. It's Stannis approaching. She's looking this way and that and she's like, "Prentiss? Dili? Nix? Anyone?" Alex Finn [ChaCha] (25:42): I think Cha-Cha's going to try and wake somebody else up stealthily with her gloved hand over their mouth so they don't scream because she's got gloves on, though. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (25:54): Are you waking up Nix or Dili. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (25:56): Nix. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (25:57): Okay. Stace Babcock [Nix] (25:58): Nix will sit up. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (26:00): I guess Cha-Cha's going to gesture towards Stannis and be like, "Hey." Stace Babcock [Nix] (26:05): Oh, is Stannis clearly visible? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (26:08): Yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (26:09): Oh. Nix will be like, "Yo, Stannis." Daniel Andrlik [GM] (26:11): She turns and she looks at you guys and smiles and then wanders over to where you guys are set up. She notices the pew-pew in Cha-Cha's hand and she winks at you, Cha-Cha, and goes over. Prentiss is getting up and she sees Prentiss. She's like, "What happened?" Alex Finn [ChaCha] (26:32): I'm just going to not look anybody in the eye and just... You know, when you're just very obviously it wasn't me, but it was me. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (26:44): Prentiss, what happened? Prentiss is like, "Mutation." Permanent? Artifact driven? What? Stace Babcock [Nix] (26:50): As far as we know, it is probably permanent. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (26:56): Okay. Prentiss, are you okay? Prentiss just looks at her with this sort of flat expression, well as flat as her expression can be right now and "I'll live." Daniel Andrlik [GM] (27:08): Stannis is like, "Okay, well let me take a look. Let me see what I can do." She checks Prentiss over very carefully and says, "How long ago did this happen?" clearly looking at Nix. Stace Babcock [Nix] (27:20): Yeah, that happened just before we set watches for the night. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (27:25): All right. Stace Babcock [Nix] (27:26): The cause? A while ago, Cha-Cha absorbed a nature god. When she gets pissy and she's touching somebody, yeah, mutation. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (27:38): Oh. Stace Babcock [Nix] (27:39): Or excited. I think it could be positive excited emotion as well. Not a hundred percent sure. Obviously, it hasn't happened a lot. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (27:49): Stannis looks at you for a moment, just processing that. Well, I can't tell if it's going to be permanent or not right now. We'll need longer to see if it starts reverting, but I'm glad I'm relieving you. Did you go over everything you needed go over? Prentiss nods her head. Prentiss says, "Bounty hunter," and Stannis nods like, "Okay, so you guys saw a bounty hunter." Stace Babcock [Nix] (28:13): Yeah, so as you may or may not know, Stannis, I have a pretty good bounty on me from our shenanigans in Charmonde. I have a lot of bounty hunters after me, but it it's Amaranth Stone. She showed up here last night. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (28:31): What's your plan? Stace Babcock [Nix] (28:33): I think what she was getting at, Stannis, is that she's going to wait for me at the Benevolent Society Proving Ground, which is where I am going, or at least was going, I guess. Plans change. But I'm not sure. She's pretty strong. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (28:48): Yeah, most people just start putting their affairs in order when they realize that she's coming for them. Stace Babcock [Nix] (28:53): Yeah, well I think maybe... I assume Nix has a wanted poster for herself somewhere. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (29:01): Yes. Stace Babcock [Nix] (29:01): She pulls it out to see if says alive or if it says dead or alive. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (29:07): Yeah. And of course, it also includes your family listed there as well. Stace Babcock [Nix] (29:11): Right. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (29:13): Stannis says, "Yeah, I know," and then she looks at the bounty listed there and whistles and says, "oh, no wonder." Stace Babcock [Nix] (29:19): Oh yeah, I'm a hot commodity. Nix flexes. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (29:25): All right, so what are you all's plans? What approach are you going to be... Are you still going to the Proving Grounds, Nix, or are you doing something else? Is that where everybody's going? Stace Babcock [Nix] (29:41): The reason why I wanted to go to the Proving Ground was to figure out what the heck is going on with my mom. Did we go over that last time? I seem to remember some almost drowning and stuff last time we were together, so I'm not sure how much of my problems... Daniel Andrlik [GM] (29:56): I think you mentioned that your mom was sick, and I've heard some [inaudible 00:30:02] about the details as they've become available. Stace Babcock [Nix] (30:05): Yeah, so the reason I'm going to the Proving Ground is to try and get more information about what is going on with those teleportation plates, which Prentiss filled me in on some good shit so that was nice. But how do we stop it? How do we break this chain? Where's my aunt? All that stuff. Also, trying to figure out if they're bad. A lot of people think the Society's bad, so it's like a fact-finding mission. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (30:34): I see. Just to be clear, neither Prentiss and I can go into the Proving Grounds with you. If you go in there, we can't come. We'll have to plan on meeting up somewhere else afterwards. Stace Babcock [Nix] (30:46): Why not, though? I'm not asking you to. I'm just curious. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (30:50): "It's too risky to have one of us exposed in something like this. We're already a little nervous about the risk of having you potentially exposed there. We don't want anything bad to happen to you, but we're not going to stop you. You're here after all and," Stannis smirks [inaudible 00:31:10], "and your journey's your journey, right?" Stace Babcock [Nix] (31:13): Yeah, you get it. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, I guess unless there's a group mission or a compelling reason for us to go somewhere else, like you said I'm here. I'm going to do a little scouting. Maybe I'll just walk in, say hi, see what happens. I don't know. Probably some scouting. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (31:32): That's probably a good idea. I don't have anything else that's going to pull you away from this, Nix. I'm here to facilitate helping you guys get to where you need to go before and after. As much as I think it's dangerous, and I'd hate to see you get exposed or come to harm or anything like that, I saw Vlad on the way here and it's clear to me, from what he said, that this was something that at least you need right now. It didn't make sense to try to keep you from it. Stace Babcock [Nix] (32:07): All right. Yeah, cool then. That's what I'll be doing. Up to everyone else if they want to come with. Sampson Davis [Dili] (32:15): In response Dili, who is still sleeping, farts gently in his sleep. Stace Babcock [Nix] (32:18): Nix nudges Dili with her foot. Sampson Davis [Dili] (32:24): What's up? What, what, what? What's up? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (32:27): Hey, Dili. Sampson Davis [Dili] (32:29): Hi, Stannis. Dili picks himself up. Hi. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (32:33): You've filled out. Sampson Davis [Dili] (32:35): All right. And then Dili pulls his sleeping blanket over himself and goes back to sleep. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (32:39): Stannis just laughs as you do that. She's clearly enjoying the moment. She turns back to Nix and says, "Okay. Well, Prentiss, you definitely need to get back to a safe house." Prentiss nods and starts go collecting her stuff and says, "Okay, well," and then she kicks Dili lightly. Sampson Davis [Dili] (33:04): Ow. What? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (33:05): Not hard enough to hurt, but just enough to be clear that you're not really going back to sleep. Sampson Davis [Dili] (33:11): I think Dili's absolutely one of those people that just says ow, even if it doesn't hurt. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (33:15): Okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (33:16): Ow. What? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (33:16): Right. You said you wanted to do some scouting, Nix. Where do we do that? Stace Babcock [Nix] (33:21): Oh, yeah. The Proving Ground is in the foothill, so I figured we would go up and around on the high ground and just take a look. I got this cool wrist thing that zooms in on people and stuff. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (33:35): Okay. Stannis says, "Let's get going, then. Let's get this over with." Stace Babcock [Nix] (33:41): Hell, yeah. Nix likes. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (33:44): I can get you as far as the scouting position so I know where you're going to be and how you're going to be going in. Stace Babcock [Nix] (33:50): Ooh. I guess Nix would probably want to... I assume that she's had some exploration of the environments previously. She is trained in navigation, so I think Nix would try to lead her to a spot that actually has a good... Maybe it would take a few days of... You would wait a while to case it, but you can see a lot. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (34:12): But you already know where it is because you had that natural 20 in navigation when you came out of the cave. You know exactly where you would go. Stace Babcock [Nix] (34:20): Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right. Awesome. Look at me, queen of consistency. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (34:23): Yeah, it only takes you guys like a day and a half to get there. You can see the Proving Grounds. Now Stace, tell me what do the Proving Grounds look like? Stace Babcock [Nix] (34:33): Yeah, so the Proving Grounds, you can tell where the edges are because the surrounding foothills are wooded and a little bit rocky, but the trees have been trimmed back from around a pretty plain, log palisade type perimeter in the shape of a circle. It's a sizable circle. Within that circle, there are just several buildings that are also kind of a simplistic log or hewn wood build. There's only one building that you see that is two stories. The rest seem to be more like longhouses. Stace Babcock [Nix] (35:10): There are a collection of longhouses near a set of three training rings. Those seem to be fairly busy with a lot of people moving back and forth. The rest of the area, where the two story building is and a smaller collection of log houses are, is a little bit less busy at the back. Stace Babcock [Nix] (35:31): If you go into the gate rate in this palisade, or the opening, and if you headed straight back, on the left would be the training rings and the dormitories for the trainees, and then on the right is the more permanent housing and those larger buildings. But straight back is another much larger ring, which right now is empty, but this is the only place that has any sort of real sense of style or design. There are three rows of almost stadium seating around it. It's a gathering place, so there is a dais that's temporary. It looks like can be moved around. There are these little flags flying around the edges, the compass rose on them. Right now, it's unoccupied. Stace Babcock [Nix] (36:12): In terms of buildings, there's the library. There's one that's clearly a kitchen. It's got several chimneys with smoke coming out of them. And like I said, the rest of the buildings are very low. They might hold dorm rooms or they might hold offices and things like that. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (36:29): Okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (36:30): This is definitely given me summer camp vibes. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (36:32): Oh, yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (36:35): Specifically, I'm thinking of the camp from Parent Trap, the Lindsay Lohan one. Stace Babcock [Nix] (36:40): Oh. Yeah, sure. Sampson Davis [Dili] (36:43): That's what I'm thinking about. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (36:45): Okay. So yeah, that is what you see on the Proving Grounds. The one thing that you'll notice that is a little bit odd is... Normally, what you would see, as far as the equivalent to a main way of entry to the Proving Grounds, the way you should go in, there's almost always, just like you would need in any kind of settlement in the Ninth World, some sort of guard duty there. Usually, those are mid-level students that are working their way. It's part of the responsibilities of students to take that in. Sometimes in worse weather, it's younger students. Normally, they're mid-level students. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (37:25): But you notice that at least two of the guards down there are Pathfinders. You can tell not because you necessarily know them particularly well or anything like that. You can just tell because they've had some additional bits of their tattoo filled in, in a pattern. They're currently, for the most part, shirtless there, just waiting. Stace Babcock [Nix] (37:50): Can we say that they have a very distinctive stance? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (37:53): Yes, it's very distinctive. But you know for sure that they are two different schools. There's one from the sort of traditional [inaudible 00:38:03] school that you were trained in. There's also a crusher there. Stace Babcock [Nix] (38:08): Ooh. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (38:08): So you can recognize their idle stances, but the big clue that they're Pathfinders to you is just first of all, they're older than any student would be and yeah, they just look utterly calm. At that point, you notice from some of the wooded area around there, there comes a small group of there's... Three or four soldiers in Naverene dress, essentially, and they've got one official. They come up and they're talking to the guards there. The official is getting clearly worked up about something. They stand there for a moment and then they turn and go back into the wooded area. But they're not dressed for a long hike. They're clearly not going far. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (38:56): It's also around this time that maybe about half an hour later as you're scouting this area, a small group of young people being led by a slightly limping Hey You approaches the Proving Grounds. He's got about maybe 15 kids with him. He shows up and it's so far away, you can't see it. Although Nix, in your head you can already play it, the [inaudible 00:39:26], to the Pathfinders at the gate. Stace Babcock [Nix] (39:29): Absolutely. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (39:30): And leading the kids in. He takes them directly over to somebody else in there, who they're not clear enough that you can see them, introduces the kids to them and he starts limping off to the building that you remember as being where the infirmary is. Stace Babcock [Nix] (39:47): Okay. I might go see where those guards went. That's what I'm thinking. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (39:53): Prentiss, by the way, did not accompany you guys here. Just Stannis. Sampson Davis [Dili] (39:55): Oh, okay. Yeah, should we all go or are you just going to go by yourself, just to run... How do you want to approach this, Nix? What are you thinking? What you thinking about? Stace Babcock [Nix] (40:08): Honestly, Dili, I think it's pretty promising that they turned the guards away. But you see how they're not... They don't even have backpacks. They're nearby, so I want check that out. And then I think my ultimate goal is going to be to sneak into the infirmary, because at least I know that Hey You is friendly. Sampson Davis [Dili] (40:29): Okay. Stace Babcock [Nix] (40:30): But also, G-ma's around here somewhere and- Sampson Davis [Dili] (40:34): Right. Stace Babcock [Nix] (40:35): So ultimately, Dili, I think my goal here is going to be survival. I got to get to the library. Yeah, I got a lot to do. Sampson Davis [Dili] (40:41): I mean, if your goal was survival, I would think you'd accomplish that just by going the other way. Stace Babcock [Nix] (40:46): Well, survival and finding out, you know. Sampson Davis [Dili] (40:49): Right. Stace Babcock [Nix] (40:50): Yeah, yeah. It's a twofer, really. Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (40:53): Yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (40:54): What are you going to do? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (41:00): Stannis is not looking at either of you, by the way. She is just continuing to watch the Proving Ground. Stace Babcock [Nix] (41:02): I want to say Nix is, too, flipping between people on her... Oh, so I guess she needs to roll depletion. Four. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (41:09): I thought you were going to say telephone. I'm like, "What? She's got a hand phone in this?" Stace Babcock [Nix] (41:12): Oh no, on her telescopic wrist device. Sampson Davis [Dili] (41:18): Okay, so the conversation that I had with Prentiss when I bubbled you guys, remember that? Stace Babcock [Nix] (41:24): Yeah, yeah. No, I remember that, Dili. Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (41:26): She said that Stannis was coming here to... Or I had the opportunity when Stannis got here to go with her on a solo training thing. At first I was like, "I don't know," but then I thought maybe it would help because I can't... We get into a lot of fights. You're doing great, by the way. You're pulling a lot of weight and I appreciate that. I'm grateful for that. But I do feel like I could be pulling more weight, so I feel like this training would be a good thing. But also, I'm looking at these guards and these people and the thing that you're going to try to do, sneaking into some Proving Grounds, and I'm like, "My illusions would be helpful there, right?" Stace Babcock [Nix] (42:05): I mean Dili, I'm going to be honest with you. First of all, fights break out all the fucking time in there. You're just always fighting, like for fun. You just do it. Second, you've been kicking ass in fights. I don't know what this is about, but your illusions have been on point. Stace Babcock [Nix] (42:21): But honestly, you're not a Traveler so having you with me, even with your illusions, would probably make us stick out more than it would help. I'm going to be honest with you. I would want to leave you outside. Sampson Davis [Dili] (42:34): How often do fights break out? Is it just- Stace Babcock [Nix] (42:37): I would like six fights to break out. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (42:41): You're looking down and you see two Travelers that are just kind of walking across the courtyard, essentially the ring. There's no indication then all of a sudden, they're just kicking and jumping and trying to throw each other back and forth. They're both rolling out of it perfectly fine until one finally manages to pack a punch into the other's face. And then they stand up and they smile at each other and they do a bro hug. Stace Babcock [Nix] (43:10): Yeah, exactly. Sampson Davis [Dili] (43:13): Oh my God, they'd eat me alive. You guys always seem so chill on the outside. Does the Proving Grounds just... Always be ready for a fight, is that just the number one mantra there? Stace Babcock [Nix] (43:22): It's just sparring, Dili. It's just practice. Sampson Davis [Dili] (43:26): For what, traveling? Stace Babcock [Nix] (43:27): Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (43:30): Cha-Cha, you hear giggling in the distance. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (43:32): Familiar giggling or just giggling? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (43:34): Somewhat familiar, like a small child's but wrong. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (43:39): Your Cha-Cha senses are tingling. I think she's going to look in the general direction of the giggling. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (43:47): You see the path that you guys came down. You see some rocks, and you can see that there's one rock. It's like a huge boulder, essentially, but it's jutting into the side of the mountain. It's maybe about three and a half feet tall, something like that, but it's wide so somebody could crouch down under it. But you notice that just coming over the top of it is just two small plumes of purple smoke. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (44:13): I think I have to take a call. Sampson Davis [Dili] (44:16): [inaudible 00:44:16]. Wait, what? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (44:17): Yeah, I think I'm being paged. I'll be right back. Sampson Davis [Dili] (44:20): Is that a good idea? Nix, is that a good idea, this close to the Proving Grounds? Is that... Stace Babcock [Nix] (44:26): I mean, if Cha-Cha's careful. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (44:30): I mean, define careful. Sampson Davis [Dili] (44:32): [crosstalk 00:44:32]. Stace Babcock [Nix] (44:32): Can you handle patrols that are done by, I don't know, adventurers that have maybe survived one journey? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (44:39): I mean, do I have to survive the adventure with them being alive? Stace Babcock [Nix] (44:45): I would prefer if you didn't kill Travelers. This is our area. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (44:50): Cha-Cha, so the giggling stops for a moment behind the rock and you just hear a familiar voice like Bastian's that says, "Oops," and then starts giggling again. Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:01): Oh, God. Sampson Davis [Dili] (45:04): Oh, little tier one Traveler just got ate. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:07): Maybe it's better I go take this, because accidents might happen. It's Bastian. What can I say? Sampson Davis [Dili] (45:16): Okay. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:16): It might be better for the Travelers if I go. Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:20): Yeah, can you keep Bastian from... Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:23): Yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:23): Yeah. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:24): But I can only stop future, not past. Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:28): Well right, naturally. Wait. Maybe someday, Cha-Cha. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:34): Someday. Okay, I'll be back when I'm back. Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:38): You going to come back here or... Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:40): Do we have a meet-up point? Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:42): You could try here and if I'm not here, it means that I have been captured, killed or fled. Yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (45:49): Or she's just in the Proving Grounds. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (45:52): Leave a mark or something that says, "Hey, Croatoan," or something. Stace Babcock [Nix] (45:57): Okay. Yeah, yeah. But I think worst case, if we had to find each other again, we should meet in Osmus. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (46:05): Okay. That could be a good place, I think. We're allowed back there, right? Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:10): Yeah, I think so. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (46:11): Okay. Sampson Davis [Dili] (46:13): Yeah, that's [inaudible 00:46:14], I guess. Yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:14): It's a short ride on the train from here now, you know. Sampson Davis [Dili] (46:18): I guess, yeah. Well, Osmus or Willem's Foe, or whatever that town was? Because Willem's Foe is at least closer and not across a sky bridge full of bugs. Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:27): All right. Yeah, yeah. Good call, Dili. We'll meet again in Willem's Foe if we survive, right? Yeah, yeah. Sampson Davis [Dili] (46:34): Right. Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:35): Right. Sampson Davis [Dili] (46:37): But we're definitely going to survive, right? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (46:38): If I understand your rendezvous plan right, it's check here first, then Willem's Foe. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (46:43): Yeah. Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:44): I think it's Willem's Foe... Oh, yeah. Check the current scouting spot. Yes. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (46:48): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:48): Yep. Yep, yep. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (46:49): Yes. Okay. Cha-Cha's going to go over and investigate whatever's going on with Bastian. What are the two of you doing? Stace Babcock [Nix] (46:57): Nix is going to look at Dili because he just asked her why they fight all the time. She digs deep into the bottom of her ruck and she pulls out this worn pamphlet that's clearly been crushed on the bottom for who knows how long. She shakes it out and then she hands it to Dili. She's like, "Yeah, I got kind of low marks in proselytization, but I'm starting to think maybe you don't know know what the Travelers is about." Sampson Davis [Dili] (47:24): I guess I don't. I'll take a look. Dili starts scanning the pamphlet? Stace Babcock [Nix] (47:31): I think she was giving it to Dili to peruse at his leisure. Sampson Davis [Dili] (47:35): Yeah, can't just hand Dili reading material and not expect him to start reading. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (47:41): Okay, so Dili's engaged in some reading material. Sampson Davis [Dili] (47:43): He's just scanning. He's just getting the major points. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (47:46): He's scanning. Okay. I guess I'm going to cut back over to Cha-Cha. Cha-Cha, you go around this rock and Bastian is sitting there, giggling. He's holding something in his hands. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (47:57): What's in the box? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (47:59): He looks up. He's like, "Cha-Cha, it's a new toy." Alex Finn [ChaCha] (48:02): Is it a good toy or is this a... How do you phrase this? Is this a good toy for everyone or just us? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (48:09): It's great. It doesn't matter how many times you break it. It keeps reforming and coming back together. You see his hands squeeze and this dark fluid oozes out between his fingers. It's reddish, but almost blackish in how dark it is. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (48:27): And then a moment later, there's a little, just barely audible ping and he holds it out. You can see it is a small, furry stick with tiny legs that goes back and forth, except it's got a little synth head that is shaped like what we in this current place, in the First World, would think of as a smiley face, like a 3D smiley face just grinning. Its mouth moves and reforms, almost like it's liquid metal, almost. It goes round and around. He's like, "It's a new toy. He said we could play with it." Alex Finn [ChaCha] (49:08): Who said? Daniel Andrlik [GM] (49:12): Oh, you know. Here, try it out. He reaches out, holding it out to you. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (49:17): Guess Cha-Cha's going to take it. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (49:17): You put it in your hand and it moves around in your hand. He's like, "Okay, now squeeze it. That's the best part." Alex Finn [ChaCha] (49:22): And she squeezes. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (49:24): There is that sort of squelching sound for a moment, and then there is a strange snick inside of it. You feel just a tiny blade stabbed through your gloves. You feel so dizzy and you have so much vertigo. It's like the world is spinning for you. You can't focus on anything. You're getting confused because you see Bastian's purple smoke and then as your vision is spinning, you're also seeing the leftover bits of purple smoke coming out of your own eyes. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (50:01): And then you are standing in some sort of building. It looks to be synth. The room that you're in is relatively small, like 10x10. The walls are rather plain and there are two doors that both, in broad brushstrokes, have a red grid painted on them. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (50:24): You hear a voice from one of the corners that says, "Cha-Cha, I've been looking for you. It's time to repay that favor." And that's where we'll end this episode. Sampson Davis [Dili] (50:35): Oh, fuck. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (50:35): You Bourne Identity-ed me, Daniel. You Bourne Identity-ed me. Sampson Davis [Dili] (50:43): Cha-Cha got got. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (50:44): Dili, something about this episode. Sampson, something about this episode. You're a real person [crosstalk 00:50:48]. Sampson Davis [Dili] (50:49): Thank you. What about about this episode? Amaranth showing up was terrifying because it felt like our own version of Predator where like, "Hey, we're a bunch of capable people. We can handle a serial killer," and then the slasher is way above our level. I like that. I like trying not to die, and then also Cha-Cha and her and her shenanigans. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (51:15): I've never licked somebody's hand. No, never. Sampson Davis [Dili] (51:19): I thought it was the boop. Stace Babcock [Nix] (51:20): Well, you're missing out. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (51:24): 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'd really dig. This week, it is Stace's turn. Stace, what would you offer our listeners an XP to check out? Stace Babcock [Nix] (51:37): I would offer our listeners an XP to check out Tyranny, the video game. Are any of you guys familiar with it? Alex Finn [ChaCha] (51:42): No. Sampson Davis [Dili] (51:43): Kind of. Little bit. Stace Babcock [Nix] (51:44): Okay, so it is by the makers of Pillars of Eternity. It is an isometric CRPG, party based. Now, a lot of complaints that people have, which I think are legit depending on what you're trying to role play when you're playing CRPGs and things like that, is basically the canon approach to the campaign or quest line is lawful good or at least neutral, chaotic good, maybe. It was always good. Your bad characters just are like, "I'm just going to murder everybody for no reason." That's kind of like your bad choices. Well Tyranny, you play an evil character. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (52:20): Ooh. Stace Babcock [Nix] (52:20): You are a Fatebinder who works and administers justice on behalf of Kyros, the evil overlord that has conquered the world except this one small corner of the world, which has been thrown into rebellion. You have been sent to sort this out. Stace Babcock [Nix] (52:36): It's actually a lot of fun. There's some replay value because you get to choose, are you going to go a lawful evil route? Are you going to go a chaotic evil route? You also have the opportunities to perform acts of kindness and things like that and show mercy throughout the game, but at the end of the day you're working for an evil empire. Stace Babcock [Nix] (52:56): I think that the companions are really well fleshed out. I don't want to ruin too much as usual in terms of the story, but if you've played Pillars of Eternity, you get the gist, or games like that. It was just a really refreshing and kind of different approach. I feel like this game doesn't get a lot of love. It's one of the lesser known games by Obsidian Entertainment. Yeah, I just recommend that people check it out. Stace Babcock [Nix] (53:22): You can do either real time with pause combat... Or actually, is this one... I think this one might only be real time with pause combat. I'm sorry, I'm playing like four CRPGs at once. So, yeah. Anyway, strongly recommend you check it out. The story's pretty cool. It's like a breath of fresh air except you're bad. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (53:42): Okay, cool. Well, if people wanted to tell us what they think about Tyranny or the podcast, how would they do that, Sampson? Sampson Davis [Dili] (53:49): Boy howdy, do we have a website that you can go to and get to all our socials. That website is explorerswanted.fm. The socials in question are Twitter, where we are @ExplorersWanted; Instagram and Facebook, at both those places we are @ExplorersWantedPodcast. But also, if you want to tell us directly how good this game is, we have a Discord where we're pretty active on. You can find that at explorerswanted.fm/discord. Sampson Davis [Dili] (54:14): But also, if you have any loose change just around that you can't apply to laundry, we have a Patreon, patreon.com/explorerswanted. Give us your loose change. Thank you. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (54:24): Yes, absolutely. And if you don't have the loose change to spare, the best thing that you could do for us is to tell a friend. Tell them why you like the show, why they should listen to it. The second best thing that you could do that really help us out is to leave us a five-star written review on a podcast directory like Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It really helps new listeners find us. I cannot express enough how much helps a show of our size. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (54:48): If you didn't like the show or if you just thought it was meh, well the heart wants what it wants. My heart would like me to do more exercise. Their heart wishes for a new adventure. Her heart wants to feel the sun warming her chest, burning a slow hole through the rest of her body. His heart wants you to find it, where it hides, waiting in the dark recesses of your bedroom. It's watched and listened for so long now, and they grows restless. It wants to be free, to roam, to feel, to fuck, to eat, but most of all to have a life. And it wants yours. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (55:27): If you want to reach out to us individually on social media, you can. You can find me on Twitter, @andrlik, A-N-D-R-L-I-K. Stace Babcock [Nix] (55:34): You can find me on Twitter at @StaceWindu. Sampson Davis [Dili] (55:36): I left my heart in Ohio. I'm at @SlamPotato. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (55:39): Wow, I already ate my heart for dinner. I'm @realteaunicorn on Twitter and teawithaunicorn on Twitch. Daniel Andrlik [GM] (55:48): Okay, that's it for us. Hope you enjoy the show. 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. Bye. Sampson Davis [Dili] (56:00): Bye. Stace Babcock [Nix] (56:00): Bye. Alex Finn [ChaCha] (56:00): Bye.