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

Sampson [Dili] (00:00:43):
I make no such promises on humility.

Daniel [GM] (00:00:46):
Marietta Jones.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:00:47):
Hello. Hi. I'm also here.

Daniel [GM] (00:00:49):
Alex Finn.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:00:50):
Don't mind my dog. He's just bitch crying because he likes to be a little old man.

Daniel [GM] (00:00:54):
And Stace Babcock.

Stace [Nix] (00:00:56):
I left my cat in possession over crinkle bags, so I'm going to have to go extract it, otherwise we're going to hear a lot of crinkling tonight.

Daniel [GM] (00:01:04):
Okay. So before we get started, we have an important item of business, and that is we have a new patron.

Stace [Nix] (00:01:12):
Hell yeah.

Daniel [GM] (00:01:12):
Our newest patron is Daniel R. Daniel started supporting us recently as of this recording. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to talk to him and get to know him more. Hopefully he'll join the Discord soon as well. Thank you so much, Daniel. Your support means the world to us.

Stace [Nix] (00:01:30):
Yes, thank you.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:01:31):
Yes, thank you.

Sampson [Dili] (00:01:32):
I'm grateful, but another Daniel is going to make things confusing.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:01:36):
He's Daniel R. It's specified with the R.

Stace [Nix] (00:01:39):
I was kind of thinking what if it's just Daniel Andrlik. You know what I'm saying? Like Daniel, are you supporting the pod?

Daniel [GM] (00:01:49):
No.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:01:49):
Going to say we can have Daniel Prime and Daniel Square.

Stace [Nix] (00:01:53):
[sokundis 00:01:53]

Daniel [GM] (00:01:55):
Yes. Actually, the trifecta. I believe we have three Dans supporting us.

Stace [Nix] (00:01:59):
Oh my.

Daniel [GM] (00:02:00):
So who remembers what happened last time? This time, I'm going to pick on Stace.

Stace [Nix] (00:02:05):
Oh, Daniel, I was clearly indicating that I don't remember what happened last time.

Daniel [GM] (00:02:11):
Most of what happened happened to you. So I'd hope you would remember.

Stace [Nix] (00:02:16):
In all fairness, it happened to Nix, so... Okay. Nix got snagged by Deuces, and she followed him off to a hideout of the Knyxos and started talking to Minos, the head of the Knyxos. Asidra, the Nano who was sort of running the project or who was running the project that Dili was initially a part of, the Reaper Project, was there also. Nix was talking to them, trying to wiggle her way out of her bounty/their possession.

Stace [Nix] (00:03:00):
Minos offered her a deal, offered her be Deuces partner for an indefinite amount of time doing unspecified jobs until her bounty was "paid off", which sounds like a racket if I've ever heard one. Then-

Daniel [GM] (00:03:14):
Correction, her debt paid off, which is not necessarily the same thing as her bounty.

Stace [Nix] (00:03:18):
Oh jeez, even worse. I knew I smelled something, Daniel. Or turn in Dili. Nix denied even knowing Dili. She also countered by offering up some information on the artifacts beneath the city, perhaps information that artifact, if she led them to it, would be adequate payment for the bounty. Or was that also for the debt?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:03:43):
I think for the debt.

Daniel [GM] (00:03:45):
It's all for the debt. Resolving your debt will remove the bounty. Until that point, Minos is leaving it as a bounty that is dead or alive.

Stace [Nix] (00:03:55):
Oh, gotcha. So yeah, so Nix fed them some information on the artifact. Meanwhile, Atalia started doing some sneaky, sneaky things, and I believe she ended up in that house just outside of the door where Nix was being held, and Dili and Cha-Cha and Gma were following not far behind. They got to the door of the house, and Gma basically looked at them and was like, "Here's the plan. We're going to slaughter everybody. Dili, are you in?" Dili was not so sure about being in, but Cha-Cha was all in.

Daniel [GM] (00:04:33):
Yeah, she gave Dili a pep talk.

Stace [Nix] (00:04:35):
Yeah, a pep talk, and a dagger, I think.

Sampson [Dili] (00:04:37):
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Dili isn't combatant. He can only contribute so much.

Stace [Nix] (00:04:42):
Yeah, I think that's the situation now is those three are outside the door of the house, right? Atalia's outside the door to the room, and Nix is singing like a bird inside the room about the artifact.

Sampson [Dili] (00:04:53):
Also, Dili needs a nap. It's like 4:00 in the morning. I need to sleep.

Daniel [GM] (00:04:57):
Well, Gma has already smacked you twice. Friendly word of advice from the GM. You better give it your all, at least when Gma is looking.

Sampson [Dili] (00:05:06):
Okay.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:05:09):
Are you saying you're going to kill Dili if Dili doesn't give it his all? Gma's just going to shank him and keep going?

Daniel [GM] (00:05:16):
Well, I don't know. Let me put it this way. Before we got together for recording, the way I was hyping myself up this afternoon for this episode was I was just listening to the clipping track, "Nothing is safe," on repeat.

Sampson [Dili] (00:05:31):
Nice.

Daniel [GM] (00:05:32):
Those three are heading towards the front door. Atalia has been sneaky sneak and is currently at the door to the room. She's ascertained that the door is not locked, and she's been listening to see if there is distress. What she's heard instead is Nix having a calm negotiation. For a moment, I want you guys to picture something. There is an armed figure in dark clothes on the ground floor of this house. He's walking along doing a random check of the home. There is a knock at the front door. This figure turns, goes to the front door, opens it, and has only a moment before a hooded figure steps in and shoves a dagger directly underneath his mouth, a long dagger, and straight up into his brain and pulls the dagger out. Blood splurts across the door.

Daniel [GM] (00:06:43):
This is the point where Dili and Cha-Cha will roll initiative.

Sampson [Dili] (00:06:48):
Oh shit.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:06:51):
I got a 16.

Sampson [Dili] (00:06:53):
Seven.

Daniel [GM] (00:06:53):
Okay. That's on brand, Sampson. So on brand.

Stace [Nix] (00:06:56):
Dili doesn't want to go first.

Daniel [GM] (00:06:59):
Yeah. Well, Gma already went first.

Stace [Nix] (00:07:01):
That's true.

Sampson [Dili] (00:07:02):
It's mostly just cortisol. There's a little bit of adrenaline, but it's mostly just cortisol.

Daniel [GM] (00:07:06):
Luckily the rest of his friends didn't get a chance to hear anything besides him going to answer the door, because Gma's knife was so quick. Gma is proceeding into the house, and she turns a corner. You hear somebody shout, and then you hear a scream. It is now Cha-Cha's turn.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:07:30):
Oh. I guess Cha-Cha's going to follow with a dagger up.

Daniel [GM] (00:07:37):
Okay. So as you're going around, you see a room that has a Knyxos, presumably a Knyxos agent, dead on the ground. Gma is standing over that body and looking at the next two people. One of them has just thrown a dagger at her, which they missed. She just dodges out of the way. She dodges out of the way. She uses the fold of her cloak to kind of make it more confusing where she's going. That's what you see in front of you.

Daniel [GM] (00:08:16):
The person who threw the dagger is an immediate distance from you. There is another person who is a short distance away. Of course, you also hear footsteps coming from one of the other rooms on the ground floor.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:31):
I guess Cha-Cha is going to rush the guy who through the dagger and try and stab him in the neck.

Daniel [GM] (00:08:35):
Okay. So a dagger is a light weapon, so it's eased, so that will be a 12.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:42):
I'm checking my pools, and would running as a skill help?

Daniel [GM] (00:08:48):
Not in this case.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:50):
Is this speed or might?

Daniel [GM] (00:08:52):
Might.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:53):
Okay. I'm going to use one level of effort in might.

Daniel [GM] (00:08:57):
Okay. So that'll be a nine.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:01):
Okay. Oh good, 15.

Daniel [GM] (00:09:03):
Okay. This guy takes two damage from your dagger. He does not like that. Next up is one of the other guys. He also pulls up a crossbow and points it at Gma and fires. He also misses. Next up is Dili.

Sampson [Dili] (00:09:24):
Dili is going to throw up a illusion of Gma that will move in consort with her and hopefully give her more advantage on dodging and attacking.

Daniel [GM] (00:09:35):
Yeah, for sure. Good. Cool. Makes sense to me.

Sampson [Dili] (00:09:38):
He's also going to close the door behind us as we enter.

Stace [Nix] (00:09:42):
Keep private things private.

Daniel [GM] (00:09:43):
Good call. Good call. Just like, "Do do do, nothing to see here. Nothing to see here." You have to push the dead body on the ground out of the way.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:52):
Ooh, do you push it inside the door or outside the door?

Sampson [Dili] (00:09:56):
The body stays in. The body's inside.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:58):
Just wondering if some rando's going to be like, "I see you've disposed of a dead body, good sir."

Daniel [GM] (00:10:06):
You left some litter on your front steps.

Sampson [Dili] (00:10:08):
What, do you think this is Ward Ana? Get this out of here.

Daniel [GM] (00:10:11):
You know that's against our HOA rules.

Stace [Nix] (00:10:13):
I knew the Knyxos were evil.

Daniel [GM] (00:10:18):
At this point, Atalia, could you give me a perception roll of nine? I think you're trained, so it would be a six.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:10:26):
Okay. That's a natural 20.

Sampson [Dili] (00:10:29):
Nice.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:10:30):
Nice.

Daniel [GM] (00:10:30):
Ooh. Okay. So I will tell you what you definitely hear, and then you can propose a major effect. What you definitely hear is you heard a knock downstairs. Then you heard a weird... Rustling is the wrong word, but it wasn't a thud or anything like that. Just of something heavy being moved or something like that.

Daniel [GM] (00:10:54):
Then you heard footsteps downstairs, and then you heard screaming.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:11:00):
Am I able to identify any of those sources? What I really would have been listening for would have been who was in the room with Nix or how many people at least.

Daniel [GM] (00:11:13):
Yeah, so you definitely heard at least two voices in addition to Nix, and the screams are definitely coming from downstairs, so not where you are.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:11:27):
Okay. I'm hesitant to go back downstairs. I don't know if that's enough of a reason for Atalia to go back. I think maybe she'll see if she can see anything from up here, but she's really just waiting for this door to open or for someone to come or go. That was her priority. I just don't think that commotion downstairs was enough for Atalia, because for her, it would just be like, "Well, I guess I'll jump out this window or something."

Daniel [GM] (00:11:54):
Right, right. So what would you propose is a major effect for your 20 then?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:11:58):
I think just to be aware of where the pieces are or maybe where would be the most beneficial to be to not be detected in this scenario.

Daniel [GM] (00:12:06):
Okay, okay. So I'll just keep that in mind for as those scenarios arrive during [inaudible 00:12:11] you're going to have two assets on things like that.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:12:14):
Cool.

Daniel [GM] (00:12:15):
Okay, cool. Nix, make a perception roll of... You're in this room, so it'll be a 12.

Stace [Nix] (00:12:21):
13.

Daniel [GM] (00:12:23):
You vaguely hear a knock in the distance, but you don't hear much more than that until you hear screaming downstairs. Then you see Minos look up as well. He looks at Asidra and he says, "Check that out," which is odd. You would expect him to send Deuces.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:12:44):
Or to club him with the leg.

Daniel [GM] (00:12:46):
But Asidra almost flows off the couch into a standing position. You can see the implants on her head starting to light up and glow as she turns and walks to the door. I will say Atalia, you for sure will know that she's coming, and especially with your natural 20 for those assets, plus your specialization in stealth. If your goal is to not be seen by her, to just move over to a position where you can hide, that would be a given.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:13:24):
Okay, I'm game for that gimme.

Daniel [GM] (00:13:26):
Okay. So you manage to hide, and you see this woman step out with Numenera implants all over her. She screams evil Nano to you. Like if you were watching a play or something like that, that is the look she has. It's not whimsical like steampunk Dracula. It is very much like Asidra buys into villain aesthetic and dresses herself appropriately.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:13:58):
Man, I thought I had the color black on a lot, but-

Daniel [GM] (00:14:01):
Yeah. Well, see, that's the difference with her is that she dresses in all white.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:14:06):
Oh okay. Man, that just stains so easy. You stand out in the shadows. It's really just an "asking someone to punch you" move.

Daniel [GM] (00:14:15):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Marietta [Atalia] (00:14:15):
I guess I'll let her go.

Daniel [GM] (00:14:17):
Yeah. So she steps out, shuts the door and starts walking down the stairs. Nix, do you anything?

Stace [Nix] (00:14:25):
I don't want to slow down the happenings. Nix would probably make an off-hand comment to Minos about it, but stay put.

Daniel [GM] (00:14:33):
Okay, cool. So back down in combat, Dili and Cha-Cha, you see Gma go up against the one that Cha-Cha just recently wounded. She goes over and she slashes with her knife and cuts in deep in his side. Nothing comes out, but you can see blood pumping. You can see him bring his hand to his side to keep his organs in. At this point, her face is spattered in blood, and it's spattered on her face and in her wrinkles and things like that.

Daniel [GM] (00:15:15):
I don't know how Cha-Cha would interpret it, but I would guess that Dili would see a very frightening visage that you're doing a very good job of mimicking for your illusion.

Stace [Nix] (00:15:27):
All I can imagine is the guy holding up his intestines like spaghetti in like the, "Will you powder my wets?"

Daniel [GM] (00:15:43):
Yes.

Sampson [Dili] (00:15:44):
The forbidden wets that aren't supposed to be dried.

Daniel [GM] (00:15:49):
Yeah, so she does that. That guy makes a half-hearted swing at her, but he's hindered because he's wounded so badly and misses. He's fighting for his life, so he's still trying. She easily dodges his attack. The other guy, clearly scared, tries to fire a crossbow at Gma. He seems shaky when he does it. Like she's spooked him, and he misses again.

Daniel [GM] (00:16:18):
There are footsteps coming from other areas in the ground floor. Dili, you hear somebody coming around, not from behind you, but from one of the other rooms. So another entrance on the far side of this room where the combat is happening. They open the door, and they also fire a crossbow at Gma. Stace, roll a die, tell me if you get even or odd.

Stace [Nix] (00:16:47):
Odd.

Daniel [GM] (00:16:48):
They hit Gma. Gma takes a blot to her shoulder.

Stace [Nix] (00:16:53):
No, I'm responsible?

Daniel [GM] (00:16:54):
Yes. Which she grunts at, but otherwise doesn't seem perturbed by. If anything, it makes her face look stonier.

Stace [Nix] (00:17:07):
Stonier. I see what you did.

Daniel [GM] (00:17:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then it is now Cha-Cha's turn. So there are now three targets in this room, assuming you don't want to include Gma or Dili in that. One of them is very badly wounded. That's the one that you hurt and that Gma just tried to slash their abdomen open. Then there is these two other guys that haven't been hurt at all but are both armed with crossbows, and they are a short distance away.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:17:36):
Would it be a free action to just kind of kick his hands away from his gut to it just splooshed out?

Daniel [GM] (00:17:44):
It wouldn't be a free action, but you could definitely do that. It would just be a might roll. He's definitely injured, because he's trying to hold his guts in and he's trying to face off with Gma.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:17:53):
It would be very simple to get rid of him and be down to two, but I'm just like or would it be more useful to wound another one? Because I don't think trying to help heal her mid combat is the best strategy.

Daniel [GM] (00:18:13):
Probably not. She probably wouldn't take well to that, because her whole thing is you can ignore pain.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:18:16):
Yeah. She would not appreciate that. That's for after the mission. I'm also going, well, is Dili going to keep doing illusions, or is he going to kill this easy kill? Or would it be a thing Cha-Cha would think would be nicer to finish off this guy so Dili doesn't have to get his hands dirty?

Daniel [GM] (00:18:38):
[inaudible 00:18:38] what does the feral child want to do?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:18:44):
You know what? Dili's going to have to get his hands dirty. Cha-Cha's going to try and shoot one of the crossbow wielders in the head.

Daniel [GM] (00:18:52):
Okay, cool. He dart throws a light weapon. If you want to use the one that's already rattled, so that would be light weapon, plus they're rattled, so that would bring it down to a nine.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:19:00):
What about her pew-pew gun?

Daniel [GM] (00:19:02):
Pew-pew gun would be the same, because it functions as a light weapon but does damage as a medium.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:19:09):
Let's go for the guy who's rattled.

Daniel [GM] (00:19:13):
Okay. So it's a nine, and it would be speed, if you want to spend effort.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:19:15):
Fuck, that's... I did not, and I'm going to use an XP to re-roll that.

Daniel [GM] (00:19:19):
Okay.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:19:25):
A three might be grazing Gma. Okay, 18. We're good.

Daniel [GM] (00:19:32):
Okay. So you hit him for plus two damage. So that is six damage total. He does not like that. Okay. Next up is Dili.

Sampson [Dili] (00:19:43):
Okay. Reminder of our enemies. One guy just busted in with a crossbow. There's one guy dead, one guy not looking great, and then another one just stuck, or what?

Daniel [GM] (00:19:55):
There's one guy that Cha-Cha wounded just now. There's another guy who hasn't been hurt at all. He's a short distance away. There's the guy that Gma has just wounded that's holding his intestines in and trying to [inaudible 00:20:08] with a dagger. He's in immediate distance from you.

Sampson [Dili] (00:20:10):
Okay. Are any of them focused on me? Like explicitly focused on me?

Daniel [GM] (00:20:16):
Not yet, no.

Sampson [Dili] (00:20:17):
Cool. Then instead of attacking, I'm going to pull out a cipher. Going to use my no paint and paint that on my dagger, making it invisible for an hour.

Daniel [GM] (00:20:27):
Okay, cool. So you do that. Okay, so next up, I am going to quickly as, Marietta, did you just go back to your position at the door, or are you going to do anything differently?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:20:41):
Is there any other movement from the inside? Does it seem like people that are currently in there with Nix are moving, or is it just quiet?

Daniel [GM] (00:20:53):
You hear Nix's sort of off-hand comment about it after Asidra left, but otherwise, you haven't heard anything else in there.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:21:02):
Okay. Man, I had a thing I was going to ask, but then it just ran away from me. What is the scenario of the room where I am? Like I'm outside the door, I'm hidden is there-

Daniel [GM] (00:21:11):
Yeah, I would say maybe they have the Ninth World equivalent of a grandfather clock that you just step back and hid behind while in the hallway while Asidra came out. You're in the hallway, so you're still in that hallway near enough to the door where you could hear something if there was something big happening, but you're just kind of in that hallway. You could easily move up to the door. There's nobody else in the hallway here. You don't hear anything coming from any of the other directions upstairs.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:21:41):
My other question that I remembered was what is the lighting situation in here? Is it like electricity? Is it Numenera-based? Is it an [esoteri 00:21:53]? I don't know.

Daniel [GM] (00:21:54):
That's a good question. There are glow globes sitting in sconces.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:01):
Okay. For my Numenera skills, would I know of any way to deactivate those?

Daniel [GM] (00:22:05):
You wouldn't even need that. It's pretty easy to deactivate a glow globe, but since they're just glow globes in sconces, they would each have an individual.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:16):
So it would individually have to be done? Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:22:17):
Yeah. Some poor schmuck has to go through here and turn each one of these on at night.

Sampson [Dili] (00:22:21):
I imagine them like tea candles, you have to try to get the switch.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:25):
I think I'm going to hide as much as I can in the corner, and I'm actually going to onslaught the door with the intention of making it sound really bad. Bonus points if I destroy the door, but I'm really just trying to make it sound like a loud boom on the outside so they're like, "What was that?"

Daniel [GM] (00:22:45):
Okay, cool. So you will definitely be able to do that. Just roll initiative for after that happens so I know where you would fall in the order of events.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:54):
11.

Daniel [GM] (00:22:54):
Okay. So your onslaught hits the door and the door shakes in its frame. Nix, the door shakes in its frame, and Deuces pauses, looks at Minos, and says... Atalia, you'll hear this voice, but it's the first time you've heard it in there. He wasn't speaking before. You hear Deuces say, "Want me to check it out, boss?" Minos looks at him and looks at Nix and says, "We going to have a problem if he does?"

Stace [Nix] (00:23:26):
Oh, what do you mean? Am I going to attack you just because we're alone together?

Daniel [GM] (00:23:31):
Yeah, I figure we can have a talk. It's business.

Stace [Nix] (00:23:35):
Yeah. We were talking. I don't know. Is this standard night at the Knyxos?

Daniel [GM] (00:23:42):
Minos pushes back his chair from the desk a little bit, kind of giving himself some space. Then he says to Deuces, "Check it out." Deuces turns towards the door.

Stace [Nix] (00:23:53):
Nix will prop an ankle on her knee and fold her hands and just watch Minos.

Daniel [GM] (00:24:00):
Okay. So do me a favor now and roll initiative. Even though you're not in combat, I just want to know what order to come back to you in.

Stace [Nix] (00:24:05):
16.

Daniel [GM] (00:24:07):
Okay. Down below, Gma goes after the guy holding in his guts. She swings out, slashes the dagger across the hand that's holding his abdomen. He screams, and she, with her off hand, shoves her fist in through the gash and yanks out a line of intestine and then just drops it.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:24:34):
That's way better than what Cha-Cha would have done.

Daniel [GM] (00:24:37):
He is, for all intents and purposes, out of the combat now. He is, if not dead, he soon will be. Gma just kind of drops it and he drops it and kind of turns to look at the others. They both fire... Well, one of them fires a crossbow bolt at Gma and misses. The other one fires a crossbow bolt at Cha-Cha. Cha-Cha, please make a 15 speed defense roll.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:05):
Which douche was it? Was it the one I hit?

Daniel [GM] (00:25:08):
The one that you hurt.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:09):
Would Cirque du Soleil help with a Matrix-style whoosh? Oh no?

Daniel [GM] (00:25:14):
No. Not in this case. We already established you can't use it for speed defense.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:18):
Sorry. I'm looking at my pools and I'm just like... You know that feeling?

Daniel [GM] (00:25:23):
Yeah, this is a rough time for all you guys to all be in a fight.

Sampson [Dili] (00:25:25):
Yeah.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:27):
Yeah. We should have slept after looting those dead bodies. Could have done something.

Daniel [GM] (00:25:31):
You guys got street meat.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:34):
True. Yeah, I'm going to use a level of effort and speed.

Daniel [GM] (00:25:40):
Okay, so brings you down to a 12.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:40):
Okay. I got a 14.

Daniel [GM] (00:25:43):
Okay. So you dodge this crossbow bolt just barely. Now I would say Dili, give me a perception roll of nine.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:55):
Oh no.

Sampson [Dili] (00:25:57):
Oh, is this nine? That's nine.

Daniel [GM] (00:25:58):
Okay, from behind you, the doorway behind you, you hear footsteps coming down the stairs. You turn to look just in time to see Asidra, clad in white, coming down the stairs. You see her see you. Please-

Sampson [Dili] (00:26:18):
Clear disguise. In the last-

Daniel [GM] (00:26:20):
You're still disguised?

Sampson [Dili] (00:26:21):
In the last session, we were all disguised.

Daniel [GM] (00:26:23):
Okay. Yes, so you were all disguised. So she sees you, but not necessarily recognition. She just sees somebody who's not supposed to be here. You see her implants glow and a blast fires forth from her. Let me double check her level here. Please make a 15 speed defense roll.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:26:46):
Going to be pretty.

Sampson [Dili] (00:26:48):
All right. I'm going to put one level of effort into that.

Daniel [GM] (00:26:50):
Okay.

Sampson [Dili] (00:26:51):
Let's roll. Natural 20.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:26:54):
Yay.

Daniel [GM] (00:26:56):
Okay, awesome. So you definitely dodge her onslaught as it flies at you. Asidra's onslaught looks like a breeze, like a burst of ice coming at you. You dodge it. What would you propose is a major effect?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:27:12):
Can I have it hit one of a goons?

Daniel [GM] (00:27:15):
Absolutely. Absolutely.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:27:17):
She gets a headshot that she's going for.

Daniel [GM] (00:27:19):
So it flies through and hits one of the goons. We'll say because it's a natural 20, let's say it's one of the ones that's worse off. He'll take four damage. Okay, cool. So I would say, Marietta, it's not your turn in initiative yet, but you see Deuces come out the door, and then it's either Cha-Cha or Nix's turn. Whichever one. You guys are in the same place in initiative.

Stace [Nix] (00:27:43):
I guess it depends on you, Alex. So I can tell you what Nix wants to do, if that helps you.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:27:50):
Yeah.

Stace [Nix] (00:27:50):
She wants to try to gauge if Deuces leaves the room and goes to the top of the stairs, she's going to try to run over as quick as she can and kick him down then.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:01):
Nix can go first, because that's going to be funny.

Stace [Nix] (00:28:06):
But only if that's the situation Deuces puts himself in, or she thinks that's the situation Deuces puts himself in.

Daniel [GM] (00:28:12):
So Deuces is going out the door and shutting it behind him. So you're going to try to make that run to the door while he's shutting it while you're in there with Minos.

Stace [Nix] (00:28:21):
Is the door close enough to the stairs to make this a feasible plan?

Daniel [GM] (00:28:24):
Potentially, yeah, assuming Minos doesn't stop you.

Stace [Nix] (00:28:27):
I know. I don't know what's up with Minos.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:28:29):
Minos had just put distance between him and Nix though.

Stace [Nix] (00:28:34):
I assume to give him room to kill Nix, not because he's afraid-

Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:39):
Or get up, in case he gets attacked.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:28:42):
I presume to give him room to not be killed by Nix, yeah. Nix is terrifying.

Daniel [GM] (00:28:47):
Everyone fears the [inaudible 00:28:49].

Stace [Nix] (00:28:49):
How powerful is Minos, Daniel?

Daniel [GM] (00:28:50):
You don't know how powerful Minos is. This is your first encounter with him.

Stace [Nix] (00:28:54):
I know. That's why I'm asking you. No.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:57):
If only we could scan him.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:28:58):
Yeah, I'll just calmly come in.

Daniel [GM] (00:29:01):
Just surround him with smoke like, "Don't mind me."

Marietta [Atalia] (00:29:04):
Excuse me. Can you just stand there. I just need to scan you.

Daniel [GM] (00:29:08):
Random resident inspection.

Stace [Nix] (00:29:11):
Yeah, if the opportunity presents itself, Nix is going to go for it.

Daniel [GM] (00:29:15):
Okay. As he opens the door, you get up and start moving. Now Minos is watching you. So as you get up, he is definitely going to start getting up at the same time.

Stace [Nix] (00:29:27):
Okay. So Nix is going to start by standing up and throwing her chair at Minos and then run after Deuces.

Daniel [GM] (00:29:32):
Okay. So give me a might roll of 21.

Stace [Nix] (00:29:36):
Goddammit. Would you call that a medium ranged?

Daniel [GM] (00:29:41):
Actually, you're throwing it, so it's a speed roll, I guess. It's improvised, so it would be a 24.

Stace [Nix] (00:29:47):
Oh good. Trained.

Daniel [GM] (00:29:51):
Okay, so it brings it down to a 21.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:29:53):
I thought it was a 21.

Daniel [GM] (00:29:54):
It was a 21, but a chair is an improvised weapon.

Stace [Nix] (00:29:57):
Oh, so the chair is also hindered?

Daniel [GM] (00:29:58):
Mm-hmm (affirmative). You know what? I'm feeling generous tonight. It could be with your skill, it'll be an 18. I'll ignore the improvised weapon for now.

Stace [Nix] (00:30:07):
I'm going to go ahead and put two levels of speed effort into this.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:12):
Okay. So that makes it a 12.

Stace [Nix] (00:30:17):
I think that's all I got that's going to help with this. Nat 20. Yes.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:19):
Extra damage or major effect?

Stace [Nix] (00:30:22):
A major effect. I know. I know.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:26):
Okay.

Stace [Nix] (00:30:27):
Ooh, big day for me.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:28):
What would you like your major effect to be?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:30):
Push him down the stairs.

Stace [Nix] (00:30:32):
Yeah, I want to be able to get out and push Deuces down the stairs.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:36):
It will definitely slow Minos down a bit. Now you'll be able to start chasing him there. I'm going to give you a chance to try to push Deuces. Be aware that you've thrown a chair, so Deuces knows something is happening behind him.

Stace [Nix] (00:30:48):
Yeah.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:49):
Right?

Stace [Nix] (00:30:49):
Nix is going to full-body throw herself at him, and she's going to go down the stairs with him.

Daniel [GM] (00:30:56):
Okay. Cool. So because you are ignoring the potential damage to yourself, I'm going to give you an asset on that. So Atalia, you see Deuces step out of the door and walk towards the stairs. You hear a crash from inside the room and you see Nix bolt out, coming at Deuces.

Daniel [GM] (00:31:16):
So Nix, because you have an asset on this, it's going to be a 15 might roll to try to push him down the stairs. Go with it.

Stace [Nix] (00:31:25):
Oh man. Pools. I still think I'll spend two levels of effort.

Daniel [GM] (00:31:30):
Okay. So that brings us down to a nine.

Stace [Nix] (00:31:33):
Oh yeah, that is how math works. That's five, so I'm going to spend an XP now.

Daniel [GM] (00:31:37):
Okay.

Stace [Nix] (00:31:37):
I'm going to spend another XP. I really want this to work. [inaudible 00:31:45] 15. Yes.

Daniel [GM] (00:31:47):
Okay, awesome. So you slam into Deuces, and you both go tumbling down the stairs. You will take two damage from this.

Stace [Nix] (00:31:56):
Okay. Armor?

Daniel [GM] (00:31:57):
Armor will help.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:31:59):
Do they hit Asidra?

Daniel [GM] (00:32:00):
As you guys are going down, evens or odds, Stace?

Stace [Nix] (00:32:03):
Evens.

Daniel [GM] (00:32:04):
Okay. Marietta, roll a die. Tell me if you get even or odd.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:32:08):
Odd.

Daniel [GM] (00:32:09):
Yeah, so you guys don't hit Asidra. You guys just land in sort of a heap on the ground floor. It is now Cha-Cha's turn.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:32:16):
Okay. Nix just came down the stairs with Deuces in a heap.

Daniel [GM] (00:32:23):
Yep, and then you've got the two crossbow wielders in the room that are still standing, one of whom is more hurt than the other.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:32:32):
Here's a question, because I've been wanting to do this for so many sessions. Could Cha-Cha at this point run over and just bash Deuces in the head with Ace's leg? Could she make it? This needs to happen.

Daniel [GM] (00:32:48):
Let's say yes, just because it's fun. You are dealing with the person at immediate distance, so you didn't go that far into the room. So yeah, I would say you could easily get to where Nix and Deuces are on the ground to try to do it. Now it is a medium weapon, so you are hindered, but Deuces is also prone, which negates that hindrance. So you're dealing with a... Well, his speed defense is still pretty high. So this is an 18 to hit him, and it's might. Actually, you know what? I'll give you one more asset, because Nix is on top of him. So that's a 15.

Stace [Nix] (00:33:26):
Would you say that Nix has him grappled, no reason?

Daniel [GM] (00:33:29):
No.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:30):
The grapple broke when you fell down the stairs.

Daniel [GM] (00:33:32):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:33):
Yeah, I'm going to put a level of effort into this, because this needs to happen. I've been wanting this for so long.

Daniel [GM] (00:33:41):
Okay. So it's 12.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:42):
All, what, two episodes since I got the leg? Going to use an XP to re-roll that.

Sampson [Dili] (00:33:51):
Oh god.

Daniel [GM] (00:33:51):
What did you get originally?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:53):
I got a seven.

Daniel [GM] (00:33:55):
Okay.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:56):
Going to make this happen. I don't care how much XP I have to fucking spend. 18. Fuck yes. Fuck yes.

Daniel [GM] (00:34:03):
That's a plus two damage. Deuces definitely has a moment of recognition as the leg comes slamming down at his head.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:11):
How much psychological damage do I do?

Daniel [GM] (00:34:16):
He'll take some damage. Roll one D6 for depletion on the leg.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:20):
I got a three.

Daniel [GM] (00:34:22):
Okay. So you still have the leg as a bludgeoning weapon. Okay. So next up is... Let's check in with our favorite [inaudible 00:34:33], Atalia, upstairs. You just saw Deuces come out. You saw Nix come out after him and tackle him down the stairs. You definitely heard a crash from inside the room, and you can definitely hear someone angrily with a deep voice moving towards the door.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:34:51):
What way does the door open? Like if I hit it from this side, would I be shutting it, or would I be opening it and ruining it further?

Daniel [GM] (00:35:00):
It opens towards the inside of the room, and the door is currently open, because Nix had to chase Deuces out of it and hit him.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:35:09):
I think I'm just going to... Can I hold an action and do Numenera? Can I hold an onslaught until he comes out?

Daniel [GM] (00:35:16):
Yeah, for sure. I don't know if that's rules as written, but in my game, for sure.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:35:20):
Okay. Yeah, I'll get my onslaught ready. If anyone's watched Wanda Vision recently, that, but smokey.

Daniel [GM] (00:35:28):
Ooh. I like that. Okay. Cool. So you get that set up, and next up is Dili. You have dodged Asidra's strike. She struck somebody else. Asidra is right there as well as... She's a little bit closer, but behind her is Deuces and Nix on top of him, both of them look like they've gotten a little bruised up on the way down. They're in a heap, like as if you could imagine two Dick Van Dykes doing the same sort of pratfall at the same time.

Sampson [Dili] (00:36:00):
I'm going to say that Dili would see a moment of distraction and Asidra as some fucking athletes just plopped down behind her from the second floor. Dili's going to use that moment to try to attack Asidra with his now invisible knife.

Daniel [GM] (00:36:15):
So I will give you an additional asset because it is an invisible knife. So it already eases the attack. Then it is going to be a... Eases the attack, so it'll be a nine for you to hit with the knife.

Sampson [Dili] (00:36:32):
I can use effort to add damage, right?

Daniel [GM] (00:36:34):
Yes. If you hit, you can choose to say, "I'm going to spend a level of effort to add plus three damage if I hit."

Sampson [Dili] (00:36:40):
Okay, so I don't have to do that until I know I hit. Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:36:43):
No, you need to announce it before you roll.

Sampson [Dili] (00:36:45):
Shit. Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:36:47):
It's a gamble.

Sampson [Dili] (00:36:48):
All right. How much extra damage would I do?

Daniel [GM] (00:36:51):
Three. Three for each level of effort you add for damage.

Sampson [Dili] (00:36:55):
Yeah, why not. One level of effort for damage.

Daniel [GM] (00:36:58):
Okay. So that'll be out of might.

Sampson [Dili] (00:37:01):
Yep. I rolled 11.

Daniel [GM] (00:37:03):
Okay. So you hit her for a total of five damage. She does not like that. You hear her groan as your dagger stabs into her side. Now it goes up to the top of the round, which means the biggest, baddest person goes, which means Minos walks through the door, triggering Atalia's held action.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:37:31):
Gma has a problem with that statement.

Daniel [GM] (00:37:34):
Atalia, you see this huge, hulking guy come through the door. He is big, so his speed defense is hindered, which means it's conveniently only an 18 to hit him as an onslaught.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:37:52):
I am going to spend two levels of effort.

Daniel [GM] (00:37:55):
Okay. Brings it down to a 12. I assume you're doing a physical onslaught, right?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:02):
Oh, I was going to do a mental... Well, but Minos is like a big strong guy, isn't he?

Daniel [GM] (00:38:06):
He is, but he's hindered because of his size and speed defense.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:12):
Oh.

Daniel [GM] (00:38:13):
So his intellect defense would be higher.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:16):
Okay, yeah. I'll keep it physical then. 12.

Daniel [GM] (00:38:18):
Okay.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:20):
Yeah, that's a two.

Daniel [GM] (00:38:22):
You going to keep it?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:25):
Yeah. I only have one XP.

Daniel [GM] (00:38:25):
Okay. So yeah, you miss. His blast goes past him and hits the wall instead. He turns and looks at you.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:34):
I wave.

Daniel [GM] (00:38:37):
He looks at you and he grins and he says, "Well, if it isn't the baby stone." So he is going to come at you and swing. Please make a 21 speed defense.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:38:58):
I have three left in my speed pool.

Stace [Nix] (00:39:01):
Yikes.

Sampson [Dili] (00:39:01):
Oh yeah?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:39:03):
I can't even spend a level of effort. Yeah. That is a 13.

Daniel [GM] (00:39:06):
Okay. He's just using his fist, so it's only two might damage right now. He hasn't gotten out a weapon yet.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:39:15):
Cool.

Daniel [GM] (00:39:15):
Okay. So next up is Gma. Gma goes after the most wounded of the Knyxos guys down there. She goes up and she faints with her dagger, or looks like she's fainting with it. It looks like in a trip as she's moving her hand up to his face, but the dagger still slides in just along his collarbone, and she does this sort of whiplash effect where she's holding his body in place with the dagger so that she can get a lighter grip on his head and just snaps his neck and he drops.

Daniel [GM] (00:39:58):
Next up is one of the other handlers who, while they were attacking Cha-Cha before, they're very worried about Gma now.

Sampson [Dili] (00:40:08):
Quick question. You said handlers? Was that a slip of the tongue, or was that-

Daniel [GM] (00:40:12):
Sorry. Sorry. That was a slip of the tongue. Knyxos agents.

Sampson [Dili] (00:40:15):
Okay.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:40:15):
Surprise.

Daniel [GM] (00:40:17):
The handlers are passe when it comes to the Knyxos. The handlers were just contractors.

Stace [Nix] (00:40:23):
Just Knyxos lite.

Daniel [GM] (00:40:24):
Yeah. So the Knyxos guy aims a crossbow bolt at GMA. She has an asset because of the illusion. So his arrow shoots through your illusion instead and misses her. Next up then... Actually, it should have been Asidra before that. She's going to turn around and see Nix and Deuces there and just hear her go ... She's clucking her tongue. She is going to fire an onslaught at Nix. Nix, please make a 15 speed defense roll. You are hindered because you are on the ground, so it is an 18.

Stace [Nix] (00:41:10):
Two assets to speed defense.

Daniel [GM] (00:41:12):
Okay. So it brings it down to a 12.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:41:14):
Deuces be in that line of fire? Because they are entwined?

Daniel [GM] (00:41:18):
Depends on how well Nix dodges.

Stace [Nix] (00:41:20):
Seven.

Daniel [GM] (00:41:21):
Okay. So you are hit with this icy onslaught for four damage. Your armor will help you.

Stace [Nix] (00:41:28):
Okay, cool.

Daniel [GM] (00:41:29):
Then it goes to Nix.

Stace [Nix] (00:41:33):
Nix is going to take her spike thing damage cipher, which is a thing with two spikes connected to each other, and she's going to use it, and she's going to put a spike into Deuces and a spike into Asidra.

Daniel [GM] (00:41:47):
Deuces is hindered. You're on top of him, which is going to be another level of hindrance. So to get it into Deuces will be a 12. To get it into Asidra will be a... We'll say these are light, so to get it into Asidra... Actually, say Deuces if it's light would be a nine. For Asidra, it would be a 12.

Sampson [Dili] (00:42:11):
Since Dili just attacked Asidra, can I assist on the Asidra attack? Give her an asset on that?

Daniel [GM] (00:42:17):
Yeah, if you want to give up your turn, for sure.

Sampson [Dili] (00:42:19):
Oh, I'd have to give up my turn? Oh.

Daniel [GM] (00:42:21):
Yeah.

Stace [Nix] (00:42:21):
Yeah. So nine for Deuces, 12 for Asidra? I already forgot what you said.

Daniel [GM] (00:42:28):
Yep.

Stace [Nix] (00:42:29):
That's with the advantage, because it's light?

Daniel [GM] (00:42:32):
Yep.

Stace [Nix] (00:42:32):
Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:42:33):
That's everything except if you apply effort.

Stace [Nix] (00:42:36):
Is it a situation where... I don't know how the cipher works, because... Is it a thing that shoots? Is it a thing where Nix has to... It seems like if it goes into two things, you know what I'm saying?

Daniel [GM] (00:42:47):
Yeah. I suppose technically it's normally ranged, although for Deuces, I was giving you an extra... Actually, Deuces is at point blank range, so maybe it's a six for Deuces.

Stace [Nix] (00:42:59):
I'm just trying to-

Daniel [GM] (00:43:01):
And it'll come out of your speed pool, if that's what you're trying to figure out.

Stace [Nix] (00:43:05):
I'm trying to figure out if medium range training applies.

Daniel [GM] (00:43:07):
No, because this is a light weapon.

Stace [Nix] (00:43:09):
Oh right. We established that already. I'm sorry. Starburst is being an absolute menace. I can't have her in here. I can't have her out there. So am I rolling separate or...

Daniel [GM] (00:43:18):
Yes. Two different rolls.

Stace [Nix] (00:43:20):
I don't like this cipher as much as I thought I would. 13 for Deuces.

Daniel [GM] (00:43:26):
Okay. So definitely gets a spike into him. He cries out.

Stace [Nix] (00:43:29):
15 for Asidra.

Daniel [GM] (00:43:29):
Okay. You definitely hit Asidra. So remind me what your cipher does again, this tethered spiked cipher?

Stace [Nix] (00:43:36):
Two damage and they are now connected.

Daniel [GM] (00:43:41):
Cool. Is there a way in the language to get them unconnected?

Stace [Nix] (00:43:45):
No.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:43:46):
They're [inaudible 00:43:46] a spike out of their body?

Sampson [Dili] (00:43:48):
It's permanent.

Daniel [GM] (00:43:49):
Yeah, okay. Then what I will say is that these are barbed spikes, so it'll do significantly more damage for them to get them out, and they'll have to spend a turn doing that if they want to try to do it.

Stace [Nix] (00:43:57):
Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:43:59):
Their current maximum that they can be apart is however apart they are now. So next up is Cha-Cha. What would you like to do? Deuces is still on the ground.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:09):
How's he looking?

Daniel [GM] (00:44:11):
He's annoyed.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:13):
Okay. So I can't kill him easily and force Asidra to be weighted to a dead body.

Daniel [GM] (00:44:18):
Mm-mm (negative).

Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:20):
So...

Daniel [GM] (00:44:21):
It's almost like you guys wandered into the red zone of an MMO.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:24):
I know. It's like the point where they're just like, "Hey, maybe you're under-leveled for this. Maybe don't?" We were just like, "We like the color red."

Daniel [GM] (00:44:34):
When the NPC-

Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:34):
"That means happy."

Daniel [GM] (00:44:37):
When the NPC that you like starts slapping you to go in there, it's kind of hard to argue.

Sampson [Dili] (00:44:41):
[inaudible 00:44:41] Dili. I feel like you're expecting a lot from the support character. That's all I'm saying.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:49):
According to what's happening right now, Nix and Dilly are matched with Deuces and Asidra, who are slightly hindered, because they are spike tethered together.

Daniel [GM] (00:45:01):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:03):
I feel like Cha-Cha is going to try and help Gma finish off the guy in the corner so we can get our most deadly asset free, you know?

Daniel [GM] (00:45:10):
So to get there, that would be a short distance at this point.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:14):
But what if she shot them?

Daniel [GM] (00:45:16):
Yeah. Sure, you could try to shoot them with your pew-pew.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:19):
Yeah, pew-pew.

Daniel [GM] (00:45:21):
Okay. So that'll be a... Since that gives you... It functions, it's a light weapon, so it gives you an asset, so that'll be a 12 to hit him.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:28):
Okay. I'm not going to spend any more effort, because these pools need to be saved for the big bad who's coming down the stairs, because-

Daniel [GM] (00:45:37):
Assuming he comes down the stairs.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:39):
Oh.

Daniel [GM] (00:45:42):
You don't know, so go ahead and do your thing.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:42):
Well, there's also the two bads that are tethered together who need pool reservation.

Daniel [GM] (00:45:49):
Yeah. Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:50):
Okay. Going to re-roll that.

Sampson [Dili] (00:45:51):
Oh no.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:56):
I just fear what a nat one would do in this situation.

Sampson [Dili] (00:45:59):
Well, I'm sure it'd be fine.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:46:01):
Yeah. That's when I accidentally kill Gma, and I'm not sure we can handle that at this moment.

Stace [Nix] (00:46:07):
We sure as shit can't.

Sampson [Dili] (00:46:09):
We cannot.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:46:11):
Okay. 14.

Daniel [GM] (00:46:13):
So you definitely hit this guy. He does not like that. Now it is Atalia's time to shine.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:46:21):
I don't know about that.

Daniel [GM] (00:46:23):
Minos has just swung a fist at you and hit you.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:46:25):
Ow.

Daniel [GM] (00:46:26):
What would you like to do?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:46:28):
What was the room that Nix was being kept in like?

Daniel [GM] (00:46:31):
An office. You wouldn't necessarily know the inside of it, but it was essentially Minos's office. Retreat is always an option, people.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:46:38):
I guess I just don't know where the retreat option is from here if I don't know if there's any windows in there and I'm in a hallway right now.

Daniel [GM] (00:46:45):
There would definitely be a window in this office. You could assume that from the scan that you did of the building before. You'll still have to get past him, but there's a chance that you could do that, or you could go down the stairs to try to get out. You have a layout of this place because you scanned it. So you know every window on this floor and where to get to it.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:07):
Is there any other room I can go into that might have a window in it that's not...

Daniel [GM] (00:47:10):
Going past him?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:11):
Yeah.

Daniel [GM] (00:47:12):
Yes. There is.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:14):
Okay. I guess I will onslaught him and try to dash away after I do that.

Daniel [GM] (00:47:21):
Okay. So it's one or the other for this turn.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:25):
One or the other. Okay. Does the artifact tell me anything about people's ability, like how strong they are? No?

Daniel [GM] (00:47:30):
No. It just told you that there were life orbs at certain spots. So you know for sure based off of your scan and based off of a mental count that there's no way any of these other rooms are occupied.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:42):
Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:47:43):
So you definitely have an escape vector through these windows.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:46):
Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:47:47):
Or you could try to slip past Minos towards his office or downstairs to engage there, or you could continue to try to fight him.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:55):
I just am not liking my odds against Minos by myself.

Daniel [GM] (00:48:01):
That's probably wise.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:03):
Okay, so I'm going to open up whatever door is behind me, hopefully.

Daniel [GM] (00:48:08):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:10):
I duck in there and shut it behind me and head for the window.

Daniel [GM] (00:48:14):
Okay. That's quick enough that even though it would be normally two rounds to do this, go ahead and just like... When you go out the window, are you going to jump or are you just going to try to climb down?

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:22):
I am trained in both.

Daniel [GM] (00:48:24):
So whichever one you want to do.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:25):
So is there anything to jump into? I'm just on the second story?

Daniel [GM] (00:48:29):
Yeah, you're just on the second story, so you're just jumping down to the ground, or you're climbing down to the ground.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:34):
Is there a bush or something to jump into? Or there could be a hay pile?

Daniel [GM] (00:48:40):
Yes, let's say there's some shrubbery, because everyone loves some shrubbery.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:44):
I will jump for the shrubbery then and risk the damage for an expedited departure.

Daniel [GM] (00:48:53):
Okay. So this is going to be you're trained in jumping. So this is going to be a nine jumping roll.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:59):
It's a 17.

Daniel [GM] (00:49:01):
Okay, you land in the shrubbery, and you manage to avoid any damage.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:49:05):
Oh okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:49:07):
You're outside the house. Okay, so now we go back to Dili, your favorite [inaudible 00:49:14].

Sampson [Dili] (00:49:16):
Dili is, again, going to stab Asidra with his invisible knife.

Daniel [GM] (00:49:20):
Okay. So that will be a 12 to hit. Actually, she's also hindered, because she's got this thing in her side, so it's a nine to hit.

Sampson [Dili] (00:49:26):
Wasn't it a nine to hit last time?

Daniel [GM] (00:49:28):
Oh, and your knife is helping you, because it's invisible, so it's a six to hit her.

Sampson [Dili] (00:49:31):
I'm going to add another level of effort for damage.

Daniel [GM] (00:49:36):
Okay.

Sampson [Dili] (00:49:38):
14.

Daniel [GM] (00:49:38):
Okay. So she takes five damage. She really does not like that. She's looking rough.

Sampson [Dili] (00:49:45):
How many times do you have to get stabbed?

Daniel [GM] (00:49:46):
Dili, you're living out the American dream right now. You're getting to kill your boss, assuming you keep going with this. So then it goes to the top of the round. Minos sees Atalia. He follows Atalia initially, opens the door, sees her jump out the window, then realizes there's no point in chasing her. That's his turn.

Daniel [GM] (00:50:05):
So next up is Gma, who goes up to the other person with a crossbow, and this time she takes her dagger, drives it into his abdomen, and slices it across while also punching him across the face. His intestines just spill out on the floor. She's already turning the head back in the direction of the other room. Then it goes to Nix.

Stace [Nix] (00:50:35):
All right. So Deuces is still on the ground also.

Daniel [GM] (00:50:41):
As are you.

Stace [Nix] (00:50:42):
As am I. He's got the thing in him. I think that what Nix is going to try to do is grab the rope or cord or whatever is holding the two spikes together and pull Asidra down.

Daniel [GM] (00:50:55):
Ooh. Okay. I love that. So if she's hindered because the spike is in her, so that is going to be a 12 might roll.

Stace [Nix] (00:51:05):
I don't think I have anything that helps. 18.

Daniel [GM] (00:51:09):
Nice. So you tug her. It definitely does damage to her and tugs her and makes her fall to her knees.

Stace [Nix] (00:51:15):
Okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:51:16):
She's not looking good. She's looking really bad. Nix, if you want to as part of your action, you can stand up.

Stace [Nix] (00:51:23):
Oh yeah. Oh yeah, sure.

Daniel [GM] (00:51:24):
Just off [inaudible 00:51:25] yeah. Yeah. Okay. Cha-Cha, all the crossbow guys are dead. Asidra is on her knees. Then, of course, Deuces is on the floor in front of you, and Nix has just stood up.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:40):
I'll swing with Ace's leg to Deuces's head.

Daniel [GM] (00:51:43):
Okay. So Deuces is hindered by two steps, so that is going to be... You have an improvised weapon, so it's a hindrance of one step. So that will make it now a 15 to hit.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:57):
18.

Daniel [GM] (00:51:58):
Okay, so that's plus two damage. So you hit him in the head with this leg. Okay. So next up is Deuces. Deuces stands up and swings a fist at Cha-Cha. Cha-Cha, please make a, since he's hindered here, please make a 12 speed defense roll.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:25):
Okay, how is speed doing? Yeah, let's take one level of effort in speed.

Daniel [GM] (00:52:32):
Okay.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:33):
14.

Daniel [GM] (00:52:34):
Okay, you dodge this strike as it swings past you, but the fist is so fast it whistles past your ear.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:43):
Does that strain the rope?

Daniel [GM] (00:52:44):
It does not.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:45):
Dammit.

Daniel [GM] (00:52:45):
But Nix, he stood up and did this blow. Even if it missed, his form was perfect. So then it goes to Asidra. Asidra is on her knees. She is going to attempt to onslaught Dili. Dili, she is hindered, so it is a 12 speed defense.

Sampson [Dili] (00:53:08):
I'm going to try the straight.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:09):
Oh no.

Sampson [Dili] (00:53:11):
I'm going to re-roll this.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:13):
The stakes are so high.

Sampson [Dili] (00:53:20):
That's not better.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:22):
Oh no.

Daniel [GM] (00:53:23):
What'd you get, Dili?

Sampson [Dili] (00:53:25):
I think I'm going to re-roll it one more time. Oh, thank God, 17.

Stace [Nix] (00:53:30):
Oh, thank God.

Daniel [GM] (00:53:31):
Okay, so this time, you dodge the icy onslaught. So tell me what these two re-rolls look like, dodging her icy onslaught.

Sampson [Dili] (00:53:39):
It's Dili, so when he sees it starting to coalesce around her, kind of trips a little bit. Like maybe steps back on one of the dead goons and bumbles his way back and it goes over his head.

Daniel [GM] (00:53:53):
Okay. Yeah, because she would have definitely been aiming for the head. She was going for a kill strike.

Sampson [Dili] (00:53:57):
Yeah, okay.

Daniel [GM] (00:53:58):
So yeah, you dodge out of that. See Atalia already got out. We did two rounds to get her out. Now it goes up to Minos. Minos has now reached the top of the stairs and is shouting down.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:54:10):
I did want to run back around.

Daniel [GM] (00:54:13):
I would say you can start running back around, that's fine.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:54:17):
Okay, I'll start that. Okay, cool, cool.

Daniel [GM] (00:54:18):
The problem is that all your friends, with the exception of Nix, are disguised. So you see somebody fighting the Knyxos through the windows, but you don't know who they are.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:54:26):
Ah, excellent. Lovely. I do for certain Nix is still in there though.

Stace [Nix] (00:54:30):
Oh yeah.

Daniel [GM] (00:54:31):
You can see Nix on the ground floor.

Marietta [Atalia] (00:54:33):
Yeah, so that's enough to get Atalia to-

Daniel [GM] (00:54:36):
So Gma is heading back towards the hallway. It'll take her her whole turn to get there. So she gets out there, sees Nix standing up there with Deuces. She sees Cha-Cha there. She obviously will recognize Cha-Cha and Dili's disguises. She looks at Nix, and with no pause, just says, "Where's my granddaughter?"

Stace [Nix] (00:55:05):
Did Nix see her?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:55:07):
No.

Daniel [GM] (00:55:08):
No.

Stace [Nix] (00:55:09):
Oh, and Gma? Oh, Gma broke line of sight or not? So she's not disguised anymore?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:55:14):
Oh.

Daniel [GM] (00:55:17):
Oh yeah, she would have broken line of sight, so you do see Gma now. So Atalia would have seen that it was Gma coming back around, Gma spattered with blood.

Stace [Nix] (00:55:25):
Yo, I haven't seen her. I'll keep looking.

Daniel [GM] (00:55:34):
As she comes around though, since she's no longer disguised, Asidra sees her and screams, "Stone. Stone. It's a stone."

Alex [ChaCha] (00:55:44):
They have a special stone safe room.

Daniel [GM] (00:55:47):
And you hear Minos shout from the top of the stairs, "Yeah, the little one." She says, "No. The other one."

Marietta [Atalia] (00:55:56):
Y'all don't want to mess with my grandma.

Stace [Nix] (00:56:00):
Atalia says from behind Gma. No, I'm just kidding.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:56:05):
And this is her wounded. Fuck.

Daniel [GM] (00:56:07):
So Minos is coming down the stairs, but he paused. It is now Nix's turn.

Stace [Nix] (00:56:14):
Nix is going to take her rage poison dart and stab Deuces with it with the hope of causing him to rage out and inflict damage on both him and Asidra through their tether.

Daniel [GM] (00:56:26):
Okay. Give me a 12 might roll to hit him.

Stace [Nix] (00:56:31):
This is just my [inaudible 00:56:32] effort based.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:56:35):
And a one, you hit Cha-Cha, and she just rages out with Ace's leg, swinging wildly.

Stace [Nix] (00:56:41):
I'll spend one level of effort.

Daniel [GM] (00:56:43):
Okay. Six to nine.

Stace [Nix] (00:56:45):
17.

Daniel [GM] (00:56:45):
Okay. So you definitely hit-

Stace [Nix] (00:56:47):
I poke him in the butt.

Daniel [GM] (00:56:48):
... Deuces.

Stace [Nix] (00:56:49):
Boop.

Daniel [GM] (00:56:50):
Okay. Awesome. He does not like that. He begins to rage out. We'll see what he does when it's his turn. But first of all, it is Cha-Cha's turn.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:56:59):
Would Cha-Cha realize this is what Nix just did?

Daniel [GM] (00:57:03):
Yeah, you would have known about this cipher.

Stace [Nix] (00:57:05):
It's what we took off Doc Taraz.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:07):
Yeah.

Stace [Nix] (00:57:07):
So everyone was there.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:08):
I know. I'm just trying to... I think-

Daniel [GM] (00:57:12):
So you know this. You know Deuces will be hindered for hits. He won't be able to control who he attacks or why, and you know he will do more damage when he hits.

Stace [Nix] (00:57:23):
Six rounds.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:25):
I think with that idea, Cha-Cha's going to retreat back to Gma and-

Daniel [GM] (00:57:34):
To Gma or towards the front door?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:37):
I think this is going to be the opportunity to retreat and try and lay a little hands on Gma, patch her up, and have her just go hog wild.

Daniel [GM] (00:57:47):
Okay. So I would say Gma is technically, since she came to the door, she's in immediate range. If you come towards her, she's going to be kind of waving you away.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:56):
I think then Cha-Cha will go, "Listen, it's about to get real shit storm here. You need a little bit more accuracy if we're going to get Atalia, because I haven't seen her on this floor, and they're all at the stairs."

Daniel [GM] (00:58:14):
Gma looks at you, and then she looks at Asidra and says, now she doesn't yell it, [inaudible 00:58:22] that, the voice is just very cold when she says, "Where's my granddaughter?"

Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:29):
I would assume upstairs hiding. So we need to get past the two tether twins. One of them is about to rage out. Then I think I heard someone upstairs.

Daniel [GM] (00:58:43):
She looks at you and says, and quotes you, she sort of mimics your voice... I can't really do the vocal fry, high pitched thing, but she does a very good mimicry of it, and she says, "Everyone will dye until Nix is safe."

Stace [Nix] (00:59:02):
Oh, Nix.

Daniel [GM] (00:59:02):
That's what Cha-Cha said last time.

Alex [ChaCha] (00:59:03):
Yeah.

Daniel [GM] (00:59:05):
She turns, and now it goes to Deuces. Deuces is raging out. Deuces will... Dili, roll a die. Tell me if you get even or odd.

Sampson [Dili] (00:59:19):
Even.

Daniel [GM] (00:59:20):
That's unfortunate. Deuces is going to try to attack you. Please make a... He's hindered by two, so it's a nine speed defense.

Sampson [Dili] (00:59:30):
I'm going to roll that straight. Oh man.

Stace [Nix] (00:59:34):
You got the might points to get hit with one of them ham fists?

Sampson [Dili] (00:59:39):
I got an XP to give it another shot, which I'm going to do. Seven.

Daniel [GM] (00:59:43):
Please take seven might damage.

Stace [Nix] (00:59:45):
Fuck.

Daniel [GM] (00:59:45):
Asidra is going to level an onslaught against Gma.

Stace [Nix] (00:59:52):
Did Asidra ever stand up?

Alex [ChaCha] (00:59:54):
No.

Daniel [GM] (00:59:55):
She's still on her knees, but that doesn't affect an onslaught. It would affect if she wanted to try to dodge something. So Marietta, evens or odds?

Marietta [Atalia] (01:00:03):
Evens.

Daniel [GM] (01:00:05):
Evens. Okay. Stace, roll a die, tell me if you get evens or odds.

Stace [Nix] (01:00:09):
Odds.

Daniel [GM] (01:00:10):
Okay, so the blast hits Gma.

Stace [Nix] (01:00:12):
No. No. Oh, I'm so sorry if that clips, but I was feeling an emotion.

Daniel [GM] (01:00:21):
Gma gets hit. She's still fine. She's still standing, but it definitely hurt her. Now it is Atalia's turn outside. So you have definitely seen your Gma, you've seen the illusion break off of her. You've seen her come in here. I would say even through the window, you heard her first cry of, "Where's my granddaughter?" You saw Cha-Cha try to console her. You see your grandmother is covered in blood and surrounded by dead bodies. She just got hit with an icy blast from Asidra. You're looking through the window like you're traveling along with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:01:02):
Okay. Can I go in through the window, go in through the front door, or onslaught through the window? What are my options there?

Daniel [GM] (01:01:12):
You basically outlined them.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:01:14):
Oh okay. I think I'm going to onslaught through the window if I see Gma be hit, then I would definitely just stop it, try to onslaught [inaudible 01:01:24] physical, because I presume she's a Nano. I mean she is a Nano. She should still be a Nano.

Daniel [GM] (01:01:31):
Yeah, so she is hindered because she has a spike in her. So that will be a 12 to hit her.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:01:37):
Okay. I will spend a singular level of effort.

Daniel [GM] (01:01:40):
Okay. So that'll be a nine to hit her.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:01:44):
All right. That's a 16.

Daniel [GM] (01:01:45):
What does it look like when Asidra dies from your onslaught?

Marietta [Atalia] (01:01:49):
I think it's just like a black smoke hits her, and then it kind of goes into her ears and her mouth, and then she just kind of is like, "Ahh!" And collapses and dies.

Daniel [GM] (01:02:00):
Okay, so she falls in a bloody heap on the floor.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:02:04):
Yeah, and there's lots of black smoke spooking, and then she's just there. Yeah.

Daniel [GM] (01:02:08):
Yeah. The rest of you would recognize the look of Atalia's onslaught.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:02:12):
Oh, Gma.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:02:15):
I presume I also busted the window open.

Daniel [GM] (01:02:16):
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson [Dili] (01:02:18):
We know that [inaudible 01:02:19]

Stace [Nix] (01:02:18):
Yo, that's your granddaughter. She did that.

Daniel [GM] (01:02:22):
It is now Dili's turn.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:02:23):
I would run, because I don't think you can take another punch from Deuces.

Sampson [Dili] (01:02:28):
He's going to head closer to Gma and try to get behind her, because Dili's not looking good.

Daniel [GM] (01:02:34):
Okay, sounds good. Minos comes into view as he comes down the stairs. In his hand, he has some sort of Numenera weapon that looks like a gun. He sees Gma and he says, "Even stones can get ground to dust," and he fires a weapon at her. Marietta, evens or odds.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:02:57):
Evens.

Daniel [GM] (01:02:58):
Stace, roll die. Tell me if you get evens or odds.

Stace [Nix] (01:03:00):
Gah. Evens. It was a nat 20, not that that matters, but it's even.

Daniel [GM] (01:03:04):
Okay. Nice. So the blast misses Gma. She dodges out of the way. It is now Gma's turn. She kind of looks over her shoulder, sees Atalia through the window, and she looks at you and she mouths the words, "Atalia, run." And she bolts towards the door. Next up is Nix's turn?

Stace [Nix] (01:03:27):
Is everyone else out?

Daniel [GM] (01:03:28):
No.

Stace [Nix] (01:03:29):
Who's still in?

Daniel [GM] (01:03:30):
Cha-Cha and Dili went over next to Gma, and then Gma bolted towards the door.

Sampson [Dili] (01:03:34):
I assume she was the safest place to be then?

Stace [Nix] (01:03:36):
All right. Nix is going to do everything in her power to shove Deuces toward Minos.

Daniel [GM] (01:03:45):
Deuces I think would be, because he's raging and he's got the spike in him to a dead body, so he is hindered by two steps, let's say. So this is going to be a 12 might roll.

Stace [Nix] (01:03:59):
I'm going to spend one level of effort.

Daniel [GM] (01:03:59):
Okay, so it's a nine.

Stace [Nix] (01:03:59):
15.

Daniel [GM] (01:04:04):
Okay. So you shove Deuces is Minos's direction. Okay. So next up is Cha-Cha, whom you've just seen Gma run towards the front door and you've seen Nix shove Deuces towards Minos.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:04:15):
What would it be to shoot Minos?

Daniel [GM] (01:04:20):
If you're using your pew-pew gun or your [inaudible 01:04:22], it would be a 15 to hit him.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:04:23):
I'm just debating Gma's reminded Cha-Cha that she said everyone dies until Nix is safe. Nix isn't safe.

Daniel [GM] (01:04:34):
That's true.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:04:36):
Yeah, we're going to try and shoot Minos.

Daniel [GM] (01:04:39):
So that's 15 to hit.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:04:41):
And that's a speed pool, which I cannot spare at the moment. Okay, we're rolling it straight.

Daniel [GM] (01:04:47):
Seven.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:04:48):
So you miss Minos. The blast goes wide. Maybe you're too intimidated in the moment or something like that, but the blast misses him. Next up is Deuces. Deuces. Stace, evens or odds?

Stace [Nix] (01:05:04):
Evens.

Daniel [GM] (01:05:05):
Sampson, roll a die. Tell me if you get even or odd.

Sampson [Dili] (01:05:08):
Evens.

Daniel [GM] (01:05:09):
Deuces tries to attack Minos and misses. Okay, so now it is Atalia's turn.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:05:15):
Atalia will loop around to try to meet up with Gma.

Daniel [GM] (01:05:19):
Okay. So as you're coming around, you see Gma bolting out the front door. She's holding her side from her wounds from before, and she's also got the crossbow bolt sticking out of her shoulder. She's coming down the stairs, and she spots you, and she points towards an alley across the street for you guys to head to.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:05:41):
Okay. Atalia will start heading in that direction. Well, she'll probably swoop up behind Gma, because Gma's wounded and Atalia doesn't like that.

Daniel [GM] (01:05:51):
Okay sounds good. Dili.

Sampson [Dili] (01:05:54):
Hi. Is it my turn?

Daniel [GM] (01:05:55):
Yeah.

Sampson [Dili] (01:05:55):
Gma is running, so Dili is running.

Daniel [GM] (01:05:57):
Okay. So Dili runs. Minos will... Deuces tried to hit him and missed. Minos kind of scoffs at him and aims at Cha-Cha. Cha-Cha, please make a 21 speed defense roll.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:06:14):
I guess I should put some effort into that, shouldn't I?

Daniel [GM] (01:06:19):
Probably.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:06:20):
Okay, and-

Daniel [GM] (01:06:22):
Or just let it ride, see what happens.

Stace [Nix] (01:06:26):
Take the fall. Act hurt. Get indignant.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:06:32):
Okay. We said Cirque du Soleil does not apply to speed defense. Yeah. Spend a level of effort, because it's just kind of like-

Daniel [GM] (01:06:41):
So if you don't spend a level of effort, unless you roll a natural 20, there's no way you miss.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:06:47):
I know, but unless I roll an 18 or above while putting in effort.

Daniel [GM] (01:06:52):
Yeah, it's a gamble.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:06:53):
You wouldn't happen to give me a little hint on how much this is going to do?

Daniel [GM] (01:06:58):
You have no idea, because the last blast that was shot at Gma missed.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:07:03):
Fine, I'll put in a level of effort and gamble.

Daniel [GM] (01:07:05):
Okay. So it'll be an 18 speed defense roll.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:07:09):
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I suppose so. I don't want to look. I don't want to look. Somebody read what this says to me.

Sampson [Dili] (01:07:18):
Check. [inaudible 01:07:18] Is that a natural 20?

Alex [ChaCha] (01:07:20):
Wait, what?

Sampson [Dili] (01:07:23):
That's a natural 20. That's a natural 20 on that die, on that app.

Daniel [GM] (01:07:26):
Okay, so you dodge this blast. What would you propose is a major effect as you dodge the blast?

Alex [ChaCha] (01:07:33):
Fuck. I guess get closer to the door? Like she moves forward?

Daniel [GM] (01:07:37):
Yeah, I could say that. As you dodge it, it's rolling towards the door. So you're going to have an asset if you're trying to get out of here after this. Next up is Nix.

Stace [Nix] (01:07:48):
Please leave.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:07:49):
Yeah, Nix is going to get the fuck out.

Daniel [GM] (01:07:51):
Okay, so Nix is running towards the door.

Stace [Nix] (01:07:54):
If Cha-Cha's still in it, Nix will hold open her arms.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:07:58):
Aww.

Daniel [GM] (01:07:59):
Yeah, so Cha-Cha was rolling in the direction of the door, so I would say you guys intersect with each other. So one of you could put your arm over the shoulder of the other if you want to kind of guide each other out.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:08:08):
She just fucking suitcase carries Cha-Cha out.

Stace [Nix] (01:08:12):
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:08:16):
Like how I carry Max half the time.

Daniel [GM] (01:08:19):
Now it's Cha-Cha's turn. I assume you're just going with Nix out the door.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:08:22):
Yes. We're running, like we should have so many turns ago. Fuck.

Daniel [GM] (01:08:27):
Okay. So now it is Atalia's turn. Atalia, you and Gma reach the alley. You can see your friends coming out the door and heading in your direction. Gma is looking rough. She's already starting to slump.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:08:39):
I think I help her as much as I can, but I will... How far does onslaught go?

Daniel [GM] (01:08:46):
A short distance, up to a short distance.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:08:48):
Short distance. Okay, so I couldn't hit any of them from where I am?

Daniel [GM] (01:08:51):
Well, not unless you wanted to fire at your friends. That's also not cool.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:08:55):
No, I was going to try to fire at the door or something.

Daniel [GM] (01:08:58):
Yeah, no. Mm-mm (negative).

Marietta [Atalia] (01:09:00):
Nevermind. I guess I'll just stand there and help her into the alley and make sure I make eye contact with one of them.

Daniel [GM] (01:09:07):
Okay. Sounds good. Dili, I assume you're heading in the direction where you see Atalia and Gma going into the alley?

Sampson [Dili] (01:09:13):
Yes. As we're going and I see Nix and Cha-Cha get out the door, I disguise everybody, different face.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:09:22):
Okay, good.

Daniel [GM] (01:09:23):
Good call.

Stace [Nix] (01:09:24):
That's what I was worried about. I'm like, "Did we break line of slight?"

Daniel [GM] (01:09:28):
You have to stop your run to do that, but you can do it.

Sampson [Dili] (01:09:31):
Okay, and I assume I can only get Nix and Cha-Cha? Atalia and Gma are a little too far away?

Daniel [GM] (01:09:35):
You could probably disguise them.

Sampson [Dili] (01:09:38):
Then yeah.

Daniel [GM] (01:09:38):
They're still in eyesight.

Sampson [Dili] (01:09:40):
Then I'll do that as well for Gma and Atalia.

Daniel [GM] (01:09:42):
Okay. Cool. Gma, as you guys are getting in the alley, turns to Atalia, and there is a... Next to you, Atalia, you and Gma are standing there in the alley, and you hear a small woof. Gma reaches down and pets Jeskii in the alley where she's been waiting for you. Gma looks at you and says, "Are you hurt? Are you injured?"

Marietta [Atalia] (01:10:11):
No, but you are.

Daniel [GM] (01:10:12):
"Doesn't matter. Are you hurt or injured?"

Marietta [Atalia] (01:10:15):
No, I'm fine. I jumped out the window.

Daniel [GM] (01:10:18):
"That's my girl." She kind of slumps against the wall. "We need to..."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:10:22):
Atalia's scanning her.

Daniel [GM] (01:10:27):
Yeah. "We need to get distance." Gma, by the way, is a level six human, since you're scanning her.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:10:32):
Oh okay. Cool, cool.

Daniel [GM] (01:10:34):
She is very badly wounded, and she's bleeding from several places. She's like, "We need to get distance, but Atalia, we need to have a talk."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:10:45):
Okay. Let's keep going. Let's get out of here.

Daniel [GM] (01:10:49):
She is going to lead you along the way. As you're going along, she's going to say, as you're moving there, your friends are kind of moving at pace to catch up to you, and she looks back, and she looks at you and says, "Be quiet. This way."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:11:06):
Atalia will look at her friends and follow Gma.

Daniel [GM] (01:11:09):
Okay. Everybody else, please make a 24 perception roll.

Stace [Nix] (01:11:17):
[inaudible 01:11:17]

Marietta [Atalia] (01:11:20):
Six levels of effort.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:11:21):
15. 19. So still nobody knows anything.

Sampson [Dili] (01:11:26):
Yeah, why not? Let's get sassy. Two levels of effort to bring it down to 18.

Daniel [GM] (01:11:30):
Okay.

Sampson [Dili] (01:11:31):
11.

Daniel [GM] (01:11:35):
You guys have completely lost track of Gma and Atalia.

Sampson [Dili] (01:11:40):
Fuck. Not even a trail of blood?

Daniel [GM] (01:11:42):
Nope.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:11:42):
Be like, "Guys. We got to keep going, guys."

Sampson [Dili] (01:11:45):
Yeah. Yeah, we do.

Daniel [GM] (01:11:47):
Where are you going?

Alex [ChaCha] (01:11:47):
Mamma Jerrun. Like we can't go to Atalia's, Gma's house. That place is not a good idea. We need to go to see Mamma Jerrun.

Daniel [GM] (01:11:58):
You guys don't have long to make this decision.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:12:01):
[inaudible 01:12:01] true. They're probably following us so...

Stace [Nix] (01:12:04):
Either Mamma J's or back to where the Nano is stashed.

Sampson [Dili] (01:12:08):
Those are both Ward Ana anyways, so...

Stace [Nix] (01:12:10):
So we head to Ward Ana.

Daniel [GM] (01:12:12):
Okay. You guys head to Ward Ana. Atalia, Gma leads you through a couple alleys, and then she brings you to a stop, and she kind of slumps to the ground. She's like, "Can't walk any more for now."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:12:24):
Atalia makes sure that they're hidden appropriately.

Daniel [GM] (01:12:28):
Oh, you are. She says to you, "We need to have a talk, honey."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:12:33):
I think you're right.

Daniel [GM] (01:12:35):
"What you did tonight, honey, was incredibly dangerous. I know it came from a good place. All good things in you, but we need to have a talk about lines. Lines are important, right? That's what we always say."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:12:49):
I think I know what you're going to say.

Daniel [GM] (01:12:51):
"Honey, too many lines can trip you up."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:12:55):
Wouldn't have gotten caught. I don't know. You're right. It was nice for a little bit, but I think you're right.

Daniel [GM] (01:13:02):
"Think about it. That's all I'm asking."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:13:04):
I am.

Daniel [GM] (01:13:05):
"It'll be fine. We just need to get to one of my hidey holes. I can help you get there, but honey, come here."

Marietta [Atalia] (01:13:13):
I will kneel down.

Daniel [GM] (01:13:15):
She wraps her arms around you and hugs you close.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:13:20):
[inaudible 01:13:20] hugs her back.

Daniel [GM] (01:13:21):
She says, "You're my girl. I'm very proud of you. I know you'll make the right decision." She presses a small object into your hand.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:13:32):
Atalia will take it and pocket it.

Daniel [GM] (01:13:33):
She says, "That's my girl. Now come on. Next hiding spot is about 10 minutes away, and I'm going to need your help to walk. I've been ignoring these wounds for too long." That's where we'll end this episode.

Sampson [Dili] (01:13:47):
Damn. I really thought we were going to die.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:13:49):
We certainly tried.

Stace [Nix] (01:13:50):
We're not back to Ward Ana yet.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:13:53):
Looking at my pools...

Stace [Nix] (01:13:55):
Hey, who wants to do pool totals?

Sampson [Dili] (01:13:59):
Yeah.

Daniel [GM] (01:13:59):
Ooh, that's a good idea. What is everybody's pools?

Sampson [Dili] (01:14:04):
Subtotals, or individual pools?

Daniel [GM] (01:14:06):
Let's do individual pool totals. I think the listeners would love that.

Sampson [Dili] (01:14:09):
I'll go first. Zero, four, and three.

Stace [Nix] (01:14:13):
Oh dang.

Sampson [Dili] (01:14:17):
Yeah.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:14:17):
Oh my gosh.

Sampson [Dili] (01:14:19):
Yep. Fucking seven points from Deuces. Damn.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:14:24):
Yeah.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:14:25):
That's enough to do it.

Stace [Nix] (01:14:25):
I'm at five, eight, and three.

Daniel [GM] (01:14:26):
Shit.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:14:29):
Six, three, and six, but I did take that action recovery roll.

Daniel [GM] (01:14:33):
Hell yeah, that makes a difference.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:14:35):
Yeah, it did. It honestly saved my... I wouldn't been able to will the other pool before.

Daniel [GM] (01:14:40):
What about you, Alex?

Alex [ChaCha] (01:14:42):
Seven, two, 11 after an action recovery roll and a 10-minute recovery roll. That's why I was just like, "Fuck, I can't do any more speed levels."

Daniel [GM] (01:14:56):
Yeah, because if you run out of speed, you literally can't move.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:14:58):
Yeah.

Daniel [GM] (01:14:59):
That's why I always say speed and intellect are the worst to run out of. Let's see here. Sampson, why don't pick something out about this episode for you, because Dili was in the shit.

Sampson [Dili] (01:15:10):
Oh man. Yeah, Dili was able to find a little loophole with Asidra being distracted, and he stabbed. Stabbed with his invisible knife. Yeah, I like invisible knives. They're cool. I like that part. I especially like Nix fucking barreling in with Deuces. That was fucking rad.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:15:26):
That was good.

Daniel [GM] (01:15:28):
That was good.

Sampson [Dili] (01:15:29):
I don't know. Yeah. This whole thing was just razor's edge combat. It was great.

Daniel [GM] (01:15:34):
It was definitely a lion's den moment.

Sampson [Dili] (01:15:36):
Oh yeah.

Daniel [GM] (01:15:37):
And not like where a lion's den where you're prepared. Sort of like lion's den where, "Oh fuck, now we have to go in."

Alex [ChaCha] (01:15:43):
Like we fell in a hole and found the lion's den.

Daniel [GM] (01:15:46):
Yes, exactly. Exactly.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:15:48):
Remember way back when when Nix was like, "Well, we should just confront the Knyxos all on our own."

Stace [Nix] (01:15:54):
She advocated for a war of attrition, okay? Not a full-frontal assault. I feel like-

Alex [ChaCha] (01:15:59):
With a bottleneck. That would have helped.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:16:01):
No, I'm pretty sure it was full-frontal, like we should just address this problem.

Stace [Nix] (01:16:05):
No.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:16:06):
No.

Stace [Nix] (01:16:07):
She suggested ambushes and information-gathering.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:16:10):
No, I think we remember these differently.

Stace [Nix] (01:16:11):
If only there was some sort of record.

Daniel [GM] (01:16:21):
So we have a segment that we do each week called player intrusions. That's where we offer you, the listener on XP to check out something we think you would really dig. This week, it is Stace's turn. Stace, what would you offer our listeners on XP to check out?

Stace [Nix] (01:16:34):
Yeah, so I'm going to recommend that our listeners check out the video game Control. Have any of you guys played it?

Alex [ChaCha] (01:16:40):
I've heard about it, but I haven't played it.

Sampson [Dili] (01:16:42):
I have not played.

Stace [Nix] (01:16:43):
Okay. Well, it is Stace-endorsed, even though it's not an RPG or a strategy game. It's kind of like an action horror game, horror game.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:16:52):
Horror.

Stace [Nix] (01:16:56):
It's a really cool setting. I think it came out in 2018 or 2019. It has won a bunch of awards, so a lot of people acknowledge this game as good, but it wasn't in my typical genre. But I checked it out. It's just about this lady who I think her name's Jesse. She goes to the Federal Bureau of Control, which is like the federal agency that takes care of supernatural phenomenon in I think New York.

Stace [Nix] (01:17:23):
She goes, and it's like you first walk in, and you go through security. You can read this memo. It's like, "You must leave all electronics behind." Then you go down the elevator, and it drops you into it feels... It's like is it '60s, '70s, '80s? It's hard to tell exactly what the era is, but it's that office setting, and all this weird stuff is going on. You start to gain telekinetic-type abilities throughout and different items that you can use. Items of control, which is what the game is named for. It's just like a super X-Files, Fringe-y, like the show, Fringe, type of vibe, and the story is really good. The levels are really well done and thought out.

Stace [Nix] (01:18:08):
My favorite ability is one of the earliest ones you get in the game. It's where you can charge an object and then throw it. Depending on how big the object is is how much energy it takes, but there's a lot of different things that you can do in that game. So if you're into that weird X-Files vibe and a little bit of a horror twist, I recommend that you check that out. Also, it looks amazing. It looks amazing. Huh?

Marietta [Atalia] (01:18:33):
Oh, you mean Daniel's favorite genre?

Daniel [GM] (01:18:35):
So it's an X-Files game where you become either Gambit or you become the Scarlet Witch?

Stace [Nix] (01:18:46):
Yes. I think is probably the best answer to that. Also, there's some dope outfits.

Daniel [GM] (01:18:55):
Okay, cool. What platform is it?

Stace [Nix] (01:18:57):
All of them, I think. Alex, was it on PlayStation? I think it is.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:19:01):
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah.

Stace [Nix] (01:19:02):
So I played the Ultimate Edition on Xbox, on the Xbox Series X, which has ray tracing enabled. It was like you could see the reflections in the tile floors. It was insane. Really a lot of fun. Also, I died a lot.

Daniel [GM] (01:19:18):
Well, if people wanted to reach out to us to tell us what they think about Control or the podcast, how would they do that, Marietta?

Marietta [Atalia] (01:19:27):
They would go to explorerswanted.fm, our website where there are links to all of our social medias where we are on Twitter @explorerswanted, we're on Instagram @explorerswantedpodcast, and we are on Facebook as Explorers Wanted, a Numenera Podcast.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:19:45):
If you're looking to join our community, the best way to do so is to join our Discord server. There are links to that on all of our social media and on our website. We highly encourage you to come check that out if you want to talk about literally anything, we'd love to talk to you about anything. Just come join us. If it's within your means, we also have a Patreon. We have goals that we are trying to reach there. We would love your support. That's [inaudible 01:20:08]

Daniel [GM] (01:20:09):
Awesome. If you like the show, the best thing that you could do to help us out would be to tell a friend about us and what you like about the show and why they should listen to it. The second best thing you could do is to leave us a five-star written review on a podcast directory, specifically Apple Podcast, Stitcher, or Podchaser. Those are the ones that make a huge difference for people trying out the show.

Daniel [GM] (01:20:35):
If you didn't like the show or if you just thought it was meh, well, let me tell you, doctors strongly recommend that if you want to improve your sleep, you should avoid artificial light around bedtime, especially the blue light that comes from your phone, tablet, and television screens. That light tricks your brain into thinking it's daytime, making it harder to sleep. This is known.

Daniel [GM] (01:21:00):
But it's also true that that same artificial light is the best way to prevent sleep paralysis demons from visiting you in the dark, leaving you trapped in your bed, unable to move. What's worse is that once they come into your view, you won't even be able to scream. So the science is still out on that.

Daniel [GM] (01:21:20):
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 [Nix] (01:21:28):
You can find me on Twitter @stacewindu.

Sampson [Dili] (01:21:31):
My sleep paralysis demon likes to bring snacks. I'm @slampotato.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:21:33):
You can find me screaming about my headphones @realteaunicorn, or making bad choices while teaching students @teawithaunicorn on Twitch.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:21:45):
If you would just like to discuss your own demons and night terrors, feel free to tweet at me at @imonahike. [inaudible 01:21:53]

Daniel [GM] (01:21:53):
Okay, that's it for us. Hope you enjoyed 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 listen to this. Bye.

Marietta [Atalia] (01:22:04):
Bye.

Sampson [Dili] (01:22:04):
Bye.

Alex [ChaCha] (01:22:04):
Bye.

Stace [Nix] (01:22:04):
Bye.

Daniel [GM] (01:22:22):
Try talking some more right now just so we can see if that's the case.

Stace [Nix] (01:22:25):
Yeah, or I'll just keep talking. I'm really good at just rattling things off and just going on and on and on and on.

Daniel [GM] (01:22:29):
Yeah. You're going to have to do it again.

Stace [Nix] (01:22:31):
Motherfucker.

Daniel [GM] (01:22:34):
I'm sorry. I cannot fix those rattles.

Stace [Nix] (01:22:36):
All right. All right. Sorry. Sorry for eating my mic.