Daniel Andrlik (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 Stace Babcock. Stace Babcock (00:00:41): Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:00:45): Hell yeah. Alex Finn. Alex Finn (00:00:48): Yeah. I'm still on that woot-toot-toot thing. Just woot-toot-toot my life. Stace Babcock (00:00:53): And a woot-toot-toot. That's what I think every time you say it. I want you to know [inaudible 00:00:58] find that face slightly disturbing. So every time I see it, I'm just slightly disturbed. I want you guys to all know that. Daniel Andrlik (00:01:02): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Alex Finn (00:01:04): I'll find a new one. Daniel Andrlik (00:01:05): And Sampson Davis. Sampson Davis (00:01:07): Every time I hear a woot-toot-toot, something about the rhythm reminds me of an Arcade Fire song [inaudible 00:01:12] or something. So I hear it in my head, I go woot-toot-toot. Stace Babcock (00:01:17): Oh, that's how you hear it. Interesting. Sampson Davis (00:01:20): Yeah. Because that's how they say Rococo. Rococo. Alex Finn (00:01:22): Oh. Stace Babcock (00:01:24): See ... Sampson Davis (00:01:25): So that same rhythm. Alex Finn (00:01:27): I hear it crying because that's how I found it. The crying sound effect. So I'm just like imagining somebody sobbing just like woot-toot-toot, and I just lose my shit. Stace Babcock (00:01:41): Oh, it's not jubilant? Alex Finn (00:01:42): Mm-mm (negative). No. This person was getting beat up and just woot-toot-toot. And I was just like, this is supposed to be sad but I'm losing my ever loving mind. Also, cellphone sound effect was toot and I was just like what? Daniel Andrlik (00:01:57): Okay. So, who remembers what happened last time? I'm going to pick on Sampson. Sampson Davis (00:02:10): Oh, boy. All right. So last time we ran into a fight with some of these tentacle boys. Dealt with them kind of. Bastion showed up and kind of gives a lowdown that these guys were from a different dimension [inaudible 00:02:25]. Either the dimension was called [Reval 00:02:28] or they were called Reval, but they're apparently known as experimenters of things, probably humans. So we got a little bit of that. So we continue to explore this kind of underdungeon that we're in. I don't know if it's part of the dungeon proper. But anyway. We found this room with a pole in the center with this fucking Sauron Eye. Tried to figure that out. Didn't quite figure it out because we had to fight some skinless Baphomets is what I wrote down. Alex Finn (00:02:54): Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Like [inaudible 00:02:57]. Sampson Davis (00:02:57): Yeah. So we dealt with them. Well, we almost went down. Alex Finn (00:03:02): Giggity. Sampson Davis (00:03:03): Nix and Dili, I think, almost went down because I was definitely very low. So, we dealt with them no problem. Instead of running out of the room, I remember the [inaudible 00:03:13]. We had the option of possibly leaving [inaudible 00:03:14]. Alex Finn (00:03:14): Yep. Any time. Sampson Davis (00:03:16): We're not about that. So we go into the next room. Nix takes a power nap after eating one of the skinless Baphomets. And then Dili looks around, got a lay of the room. There's some gravity compensation devices. And also an organic containments with that Nix opened with her strange [cuba 00:03:36] key that she found a few episodes ago. And we found not a tribble, but what in my mind is a tribble. And where we left off was Hubert fucking clocking that thing and trying to fucking run. Alex Finn (00:03:51): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:03:52): And that's kind of where we're at. Alex Finn (00:03:53): He's the only one with survival instincts. Sampson Davis (00:03:55): Yeah. Post short rest and Hubert going like, "We need to fucking go. This is bad." Alex Finn (00:04:02): Has he got the gun or no? This is the important thing. Does Hubert have a gun while he's going? Daniel Andrlik (00:04:08): Not unless it's a very tiny one that Dili crafted for him. Alex Finn (00:04:12): Oh my god. Sampson Davis (00:04:12): Dude, I'll fucking [inaudible 00:04:13]. Alex Finn (00:04:13): Yeah, please do. Sampson Davis (00:04:14): That sounds great. Alex Finn (00:04:15): Please give this mouse some defense. Sampson Davis (00:04:18): Also, Alex, not that I want ChaCha to die, but if she does can you play Hubert after? Alex Finn (00:04:18): Of course. Sampson Davis (00:04:23): Can that be- Alex Finn (00:04:24): Fuck yeah. Sampson Davis (00:04:26): Excellent. Excellent. Yeah. So that's where we are at. Daniel Andrlik (00:04:31): Yeah. So you found this ... like you said, it's not a tribble. It's more spherical than that. And it appears to move by hopping around and it has sort of like circular round black eyes that always look a little bit moist. They are making this little cooing sound and Hubert has tried to sprint away. Sampson Davis (00:04:54): What have you got there Nix? Stace Babcock (00:04:55): Isn't it cute? Is Nix is craving it is the question. Oh, that was adorable. You're making that sound with your mouth. Sampson Davis (00:05:05): Nix, if you eat this ... Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:05:08): Good job. That's fucking amazing. Alex Finn (00:05:11): I mean, it would be more concerning if he was using another body part to make it. Stace Babcock (00:05:16): I thought it was an ... Okay. I thought it was an effect. I don't know. Sorry. Sampson, continue. Sampson Davis (00:05:24): No, Nix I swear if you eat this thing I will never forgive you. This thing is adorable. Stace Babcock (00:05:34): Oh, can I smell it? Like if she having ... because she always wants to eat Hubert. Does she want to eat this furball? Daniel Andrlik (00:05:40): A little. Yeah. A little. I mean, it's a small animal that's definitely smaller than you. But it doesn't seem to be trying to run from you or anything like that. It's not quite the same prey response because part of that prey instinct is Hubert scrambles like prey. You know? Hubert is clearly afraid of you. So there's a bit of the hunt there, as this thing is just kind of looking up at you and just kind of blinking its eyes and going ... Alex Finn (00:06:12): Could we do like a nature check to make sure it's not just too stupid to realize it's supposed to run? Daniel Andrlik (00:06:19): You could. Sure. Alex Finn (00:06:20): Okay. We're going to do that. Daniel Andrlik (00:06:22): For something like this, it would be a nine. Alex Finn (00:06:26): I got 18. Daniel Andrlik (00:06:26): Okay. It could be, like maybe it should be running. It seems to be very excited about seeing other living things. Presumably, it's been in this containment box for who knows how long. But it doesn't necessarily ... it's hard to tell if it's stupid or not. Because if it is stupid, it also seems to really kind of be making sort of the animal companion like is it you? Are you someone to help? Alex Finn (00:06:57): It's kind of trying to trick us. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:06:58): [crosstalk 00:06:58]. Alex Finn (00:06:58): Babies. Daniel Andrlik (00:06:58): Like cats and dogs do. Alex Finn (00:07:00): How they have the whine of the baby level where it tricks us into paying attention to them. Daniel Andrlik (00:07:05): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Alex Finn (00:07:07): Everything about this and Alex's world is screaming don't trust it. It's going to eat us when we fall asleep. But I'm just like, I know. Would ChaCha recognize what this is? Sampson Davis (00:07:18): Would any of us? Daniel Andrlik (00:07:19): No. Sampson Davis (00:07:20): I would say no. Stace Babcock (00:07:21): I love how we immediately befriended the extradimensional cat that was trying to attack us. And yeah. We're extremely suspicious of this adorable furball. Alex Finn (00:07:29): Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:07:30): Vlad kind of looks over your shoulder. He's like, "Hah. That's pretty cool. I haven't seen one of those before." Hey, Race, why don't you come over here and take a look? And Race kind of pauses, like, "I'm okay. I'm allergic to most things that have fur." Stace Babcock (00:07:46): Can you scan it, though, from over there? Sampson Davis (00:07:48): Well, I actually don't think that's a good idea because remember? Remember? And Dili kind of does like eyebrows like ... Alex Finn (00:07:55): Yeah. Remember the last time we scanned something intelligent without consent and it was just like oh, that was a choke session? Stace Babcock (00:08:05): Oh, yeah, yeah. Good point, guys. So Nix will pick up the furball and hold it at eye level and say, "Yo, do we mind if we scan you?" Daniel Andrlik (00:08:14): It kind of sort of tilts itself and by tilting itself it just kind of hops and rotate in your hand. It is so soft. It's like silky fur. And it goes ... and then it kind of bounces around and then you hear like a little ... and then you feel like there's some sort of moist feeling and then you realize it's nibble grooming your hand. Alex Finn (00:08:45): I thought it peed. Everything about this screams danger. Stace Babcock (00:08:49): Yo, I think it's cool. Yeah. I think it's cool with the scanning. Sampson Davis (00:08:55): Yeah. And Race, you've already kind of pushed yourself. So you don't need to do that. Because remember Race had like kind of a seizure last time. Alex Finn (00:09:01): Oh yeah. From, yeah, using his abilities and stress. Oh yeah. That did happen last week on Numenera. Mm-hmm (affirmative). Stace Babcock (00:09:08): Mm-mm (negative). It wasn't in the recap. Alex Finn (00:09:13): So it clearly didn't happen. Sampson Davis (00:09:15): Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I have to write everything down. Alex Finn (00:09:18): You do or else we won't remember. Stace Babcock (00:09:20): I remember things. Alex Finn (00:09:22): I don't. Daniel Andrlik (00:09:24): So Race says, "Yeah. I'll give it a try." Sampson Davis (00:09:29): Are you sure, Race? Are you sure? Daniel Andrlik (00:09:31): [inaudible 00:09:31] we've got to do what must be done, right? Stace Babcock (00:09:34): No. Not if ... No. You know what? After you get some rest, maybe we'll revisit this for now. Daniel Andrlik (00:09:43): Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:09:43): I'm going to keep it and ... Daniel Andrlik (00:09:46): It's so warm. Stace Babcock (00:09:47): It has no legs. Nothing? Daniel Andrlik (00:09:49): No. It just seems to kind of do this sort of rolly hoppy thing as it moves around and it's currently kind of doing that back and forth right now in your hand, like ... like purring to itself. Alex Finn (00:10:02): It's kneading. Daniel Andrlik (00:10:04): And it's just kind of staring at you very happily, apparently. But it seems to be kind of ... but it's doing that and then sometimes looking up at you with its eyes half closed and then opening them again. Stace Babcock (00:10:19): Cool. Sampson Davis (00:10:20): This thing sounds merchandisable as fuck. Like our own little Disney sidekick. Alex Finn (00:10:25): [inaudible 00:10:25]. Sampson Davis (00:10:25): Disney animal sidekick. Alex Finn (00:10:27): I'm just imagining a fluffy cooshball. Stace Babcock (00:10:33): All right. Well, Dili, do you want to hold it or ... Sampson Davis (00:10:39): I do want to touch it, but it's adorable but it was in a cage. Stace Babcock (00:10:45): I know. And that just like ... Sampson Davis (00:10:46): And we shouldn't ... Okay. How about this? We should definitely bring it with us and if it tries to hurt us, Nix, you get a little snack. Alex Finn (00:10:57): Well, could we make gloves out of it or something like that? I feel like that's a good idea. Sampson Davis (00:11:04): Make gloves out of it? Alex Finn (00:11:06): If it turns on us, we could have a really dope hat. Sampson Davis (00:11:12): Okay. How big is it? Because I imagine we could only get like one glove out of it. Daniel Andrlik (00:11:16): Well, it's about probably about nine inches long. Sampson Davis (00:11:18): All right. Daniel Andrlik (00:11:20): Well, I guess nine inches like diameter essentially, because it's pretty close to spherical. It's not like a full on oval. But it's not that heavy, but it's the kind of thing that for most people it would be a better idea to hold it with two hands rather than one. Sampson Davis (00:11:36): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Alex Finn (00:11:37): Make a swanky beret, we could get. Stace Babcock (00:11:40): Yo, ChaCha, I have a counter proposal. I say we name this Hubert Two, and like Dili said, we'll just bring it along with us. Alex Finn (00:11:51): Oh, no. We're totally going to bring it along. I am just saying right now Hubert One is very afraid of Hubert Two. Stace Babcock (00:11:58): But Hubert I, ChaCha and Hubert II. Alex Finn (00:11:59): Okay. So Hubert I seems to get some predator vibes from this guy. So I'm just saying, when he inevitably turns on us and tries to murder, at least Hubert I, my game plan is to make a swanky beret. But Dili, could you make Hubert I a gun? Because then it's Hubert I's problem. Sampson Davis (00:12:31): I will put that on my to-do list right after I put the canon in Nix's leg. Alex Finn (00:12:36): But I feel like they would go hand in hand. Like miniature cannon, miniature gun. Sampson Davis (00:12:42): Yeah. You think so, but no. Because on the one hand, Nix's is inside of her leg and the other I need to make like small enough for mouse's fingers and thumb. Did mice get thumb in the Ninth World? Alex Finn (00:12:54): They do. I think rats at least have thumbs because they can open up cages. I had pet rats and they knew how to unhinge like a little cage lock. Daniel Andrlik (00:13:04): Hubert definitely has like a little thumb. Sampson Davis (00:13:07): Yeah. It would be a completely different kind of casing for it. Stace Babcock (00:13:12): Hey, do we have any leather left? Alex Finn (00:13:16): [inaudible 00:13:16] yeah. Stace Babcock (00:13:17): Yeah. We could make him some leather armor, you know? Sampson Davis (00:13:21): If Hubert is ... I don't know if wrapping Hubert in dried animal skin is a great idea. Won't that just make him more tasty? Daniel Andrlik (00:13:31): It's like nature's tortilla. Alex Finn (00:13:32): Well, we could put like little synth bits on it so it's like leather with some metal plating to it. Just like [inaudible 00:13:42] amount. Sampson Davis (00:13:43): Oh, put razor blades in the candy. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Alex Finn (00:13:46): I think this is a good project to work on when we have our next break. Sampson Davis (00:13:50): Right. Stace Babcock (00:13:51): Yeah. If we ever have our next break, right guys? Sampson Davis (00:13:54): You just woke up from like an hour and a half power nap. That just happened. Stace Babcock (00:14:00): I was digesting, Dili. So ... Alex Finn (00:14:02): It's like a union thing. We get so many breaks. Or at least I do, because I'm a contractor. Daniel Andrlik (00:14:08): So Nix you notice that this creature has ... has closed its eyes and it's gone to sleep in your hand. Alex Finn (00:14:17): Well, do we just shove it in a bag or something? It's kind of big for you holding it around, like palming it like a large boosketball. Stace Babcock (00:14:27): Yeah. I was thinking exactly the same thing, ChaCha. Do you have like a scarf? I think I will just- Alex Finn (00:14:34): Björn. [crosstalk 00:14:35]. Stace Babcock (00:14:34): Yeah. BABYBJÖRN. Alex Finn (00:14:40): Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:14:40): Yeah. Yeah. Alex Finn (00:14:41): Okay. Stace Babcock (00:14:42): Those are here in the Ninth World. Alex Finn (00:14:46): I guess ChaCha's probably going to pull out of one of those disappearing scarf things and untie one layer and give Nix the most obnoxious blue scarf in the world. Stace Babcock (00:15:00): Yo, I love this. And Nix will make a little sling or whatever and tie it around her neck. I don't think [inaudible 00:15:08] make like a full BABYBJÖRN. Alex Finn (00:15:10): No. I'm just like, I feel like that could get caught on something if you roll a one and you'll just get like full on what's it called? Clotheslined with your baby bundle. Daniel Andrlik (00:15:23): Like when you get your headphones stuck on a doorknob. Stace Babcock (00:15:25): Oh. So she'll do it shoulder to under armpit. How about that? Alex Finn (00:15:29): That seems less cumbersome. Daniel Andrlik (00:15:30): Okay. Stace Babcock (00:15:31): What am I rolling, Daniel? Sorry. Daniel Andrlik (00:15:33): Intellect. Three. Stace Babcock (00:15:35): Six. Daniel Andrlik (00:15:36): Okay. So, you have figured out a way of using this fabric that ChaCha's given you to create a secure and comfortable way of holding this creature. Not too tight. It's not too loose. It's just sort of warm against your chest and sort of breathing in and out, softly, occasionally making that sort of purring rumble in the back of its throat. Stace Babcock (00:16:01): Is it high enough on Nix's chest that she can drop her head down and rub her chin on it? Daniel Andrlik (00:16:07): Well, it depends on how high you tied them up. You could definitely do it. Stace Babcock (00:16:10): Okay. So yeah. So, Nix will do that because it's so soft. Daniel Andrlik (00:16:14): It is the softest, warmest fur. It just smells like warm, clean, fur. Alex Finn (00:16:21): Aww. Sampson Davis (00:16:22): Dan, I got a question for you that I probably should have asked at the beginning of the episode. Does Astor's site ping on this that Dili can see? Daniel Andrlik (00:16:32): It does not. Sampson Davis (00:16:34): Okay. Cool. Cool, cool, cool. All right. Left or right door? Because there's two doors exiting this room. Alex Finn (00:16:39): Wait, isn't Bastion leading us? Sampson Davis (00:16:42): Oh yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:16:43): So it's this next door to the right, I believe. Alex Finn (00:16:46): We're going right. Sampson Davis (00:16:46): All right. Stace Babcock (00:16:49): Did we fully loot this room first before going? Or did we just get the Hubert II? Daniel Andrlik (00:16:55): You just got Hubert II. Stace Babcock (00:16:57): Do we want to fully loot this room first? Sampson Davis (00:16:59): Actually, with that Dili will pipe up. Oh, by the way, these green things in the center of the room are some sort of gravity compensation. I don't know what that means fully. So it might not be a great idea to fuck with them. Alex Finn (00:17:12): I mean, we could ransack it a little. Sampson Davis (00:17:14): Yeah. But it may also send us flying across the room, because we don't know what gravity it's compensating for. Alex Finn (00:17:20): Probably overcompensating for something. Sampson Davis (00:17:22): It seems a little presumptuous. You don't know its life story. Alex Finn (00:17:31): [inaudible 00:17:31]. Daniel Andrlik (00:17:31): Still going through that door? Stace Babcock (00:17:32): Yeah. Nix will open it. Sampson Davis (00:17:33): Yep. Daniel Andrlik (00:17:34): Okay. So, this room is sort of like a ... it's weird. Right? So you've been dealing with sort of mostly featureless gray [inaudible 00:17:45]. And then you enter a room that apparently you would think of it like it's a little bit more organic, less organized than say like a hydroponics lab. But there's all sorts of these greeneries growing here. There are some artificial light above. And it is shining on all these little plants and among these little plants that are sometimes you can see sort of like it's very humid in here. So occasionally the humidity kind of forms a little cloud and it dissipates. And there are also a moving amongst the plants, some small, very small creatures, maybe about the length from the tip of your finger to your first knuckles. But they're just these little sort of tiny humanoids with two heads and a deep green skin. And they are singing to each other back and forth. Alex Finn (00:18:45): Like what rhythm? Daniel Andrlik (00:18:45): Sort of like a happy tune. It's definitely in a major key. It's not a minor key. Their songs aren't very long. They're almost like bird song. There's also like you guys can see that there are some openings on the wall above where the plants are that look like some sort of like spigot, something designed to exude mist. And then there's a door forward and a door to the left from this room. Alex Finn (00:19:19): Okay. I'm just going to say this now. Alex, the person is now imagining that section in the grocery store where they miss the vegetables and make rainforest noises when they do it. Daniel Andrlik (00:19:31): Yeah. It's exactly like what that looks like. Your grocery store makes rainforest noises? Alex Finn (00:19:36): Yeah. It plays birds. Like you're trying to be in a tropical paradise. I'm like, ladies I'm looking at cucumbers. I don't think tropical birds give a shit. Stace Babcock (00:19:49): I think it's whimsical and fun. Sampson Davis (00:19:53): My grocery store just fucking sprays them and that's it. [crosstalk 00:19:57]. Stace Babcock (00:19:56): Just hoes them down in the- Sampson Davis (00:20:04): When we hear the singing, is there any mental effect? Do we fall into fairy? Or are we just fine? Daniel Andrlik (00:20:10): No. It's just like hearing birds, almost. Except it's these little tiny humanoids scampering between these plants. Sampson Davis (00:20:18): Cool. Alex Finn (00:20:19): Can ChaCha imitate them? Daniel Andrlik (00:20:22): Sure. Give me a performance roll of nine. Alex Finn (00:20:26): I would like to invoke Cirque du Soleil. Daniel Andrlik (00:20:30): Okay. [inaudible 00:20:31]. Alex Finn (00:20:31): I got a 10. Daniel Andrlik (00:20:33): Okay. Yeah. You can mimic their call pretty well. Some of them nearby freeze and almost like they're a little startled and they're looking around where the plants are trying to find the source of the noise. But then after a moment they go back to continuing to jump through the plants and singing to themselves. Sampson Davis (00:20:53): Every time you Cirque du Soleil, Alex, I imagine whatever you're doing involves a backflip. Alex Finn (00:21:00): Sounds about right. Daniel Andrlik (00:21:02): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:21:02): Oh, what do you think? Straight or to the left? Stace Babcock (00:21:05): ChaCha? Alex Finn (00:21:07): Bastion, what direction? Daniel Andrlik (00:21:09): I think it's to the left? I think. And then he pauses for a moment. And he looks at ChaCha with a worried expression and says, "It's just to the left, I think. I'm sorry. He's calling me." Alex Finn (00:21:29): I mean, that's totally legit. It's a faster [inaudible 00:21:34] coming with us. And I'll see you next time when I don't accidentally try and kill you. Daniel Andrlik (00:21:39): Yeah. For sure. Yeah. I hope this isn't what you meant by play. Alex Finn (00:21:43): No. Daniel Andrlik (00:21:43): But I do look forward to play with you again. And he gets a distant look in his eyes and says, "Oh, he's getting impatient. I have to go." And then he takes a step from your perspective to your right, and it's like he's walking through a door you can't see and he just passes a threshold of he's just not there anymore. Alex Finn (00:22:04): We're going left and we have lost Bastion. Apparently, he can shadow walk or something like that. That's pretty cool. Sampson Davis (00:22:13): Is Bastion okay? Alex Finn (00:22:17): He's okay. But it's led to more worry about the favor I owe. So we will come to that bridge when we get there. Sampson Davis (00:22:25): Wait, what favor? Oh, is this for the prison breakout? Alex Finn (00:22:29): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:22:29): Okay. Okay. What kind of favor? Alex Finn (00:22:33): I don't know. Daniel Andrlik (00:22:34): You owe a favor to somebody you don't know what it is and it was like a prison break? Alex Finn (00:22:40): Yeah. I mean, it sounded like a great idea at the time. But like ... Daniel Andrlik (00:22:45): What did they do for you? Alex Finn (00:22:47): They were able to transport me into the Queen's prison. And they gave me a bomb, and they gave me Bastion to play with. I think I ... Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:22:58): That's a big favor. Alex Finn (00:23:00): Yeah. I'm realizing it. Hindsight 20/30. Daniel Andrlik (00:23:06): He stops for a sec. He's like, "So that's why you [inaudible 00:23:09] now." Alex Finn (00:23:09): Yeah. It seems like a bad idea to join a mysterious organization when you owe a favor to the other mysterious organization and I'm not sure about your stance on the door. I know I'm supposed to open it and save the world. But ... Daniel Andrlik (00:23:26): Can everybody give me a perception roll of nine? Sampson Davis (00:23:34): Dili and me are sweating. Alex Finn (00:23:36): I got a seven. Stace Babcock (00:23:37): 19. Sampson Davis (00:23:38): 11. Daniel Andrlik (00:23:39): Okay. So, ChaCha, you don't notice anything here. Dili and Nix, you see that Race pales and immediately when ChaCha says, "I'm supposed to open it." He darts his eyes at Vlad looking for what to do. And Vlad just kind of looks at you for a moment, says, "I don't have any opinions on doors. We should get moving, though." Sampson Davis (00:24:02): Yeah. It's very humid in this room. Let's go. Alex Finn (00:24:05): Oh wait. Stace got a 19. What's her minor effect? Daniel Andrlik (00:24:08): What would you propose as a minor effect? Stace Babcock (00:24:10): I would like to know if Vlad actually has an opinion on doors. Daniel Andrlik (00:24:14): He definitely has an opinion on doors. Stace Babcock (00:24:18): Oh, Vlad? Daniel Andrlik (00:24:20): Yes, Nix? Stace Babcock (00:24:21): You're lying. So I was just wondering what your actual opinion on doors is. Alex Finn (00:24:27): Bubble. Bubble. Bubble. Sampson Davis (00:24:30): Yeah. I'll bubble. Dili bubbles ChaCha. Daniel Andrlik (00:24:34): Vlad turns to you two and says, "I thought the [inaudible 00:24:37] would have told you that the door must not be opened. That's one of our whole things is that we watch the door because when the door opens, that's the end. That we're prepping for that and for ways to get through some sort of safe refuge if it happens anyway. I mean, the door is going to open at some point, but the whole point is that we're supposed to make sure it doesn't get opened any earlier than it has to. Because I'm going to tell you right now, the door opens today, odds are that's it for humanoid kind." Stace Babcock (00:25:11): Yeah. I'm just still kind of like couple points and maybe this was going to come up in our training. Still just a little bit perplexed as to the dedication to preserving life for the sake of I guess preserving humanoid-kind specifically. I don't know. Shit happens is what I'm saying. Also, I feel like she didn't mention that. Yo, Dili. Sampson Davis (00:25:35): I think she did. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:25:36): Yeah. It was for sure part of the whole pitch for why you should become guardians. That's what they do. You knew that before you even took an oath in front of the fire. Alex Finn (00:25:45): Oh, all right. Well, Nix remember that even if Stace doesn't. I guess. Sampson Davis (00:25:49): Oh, we knew that before the oath? Oh. Stace Babcock (00:25:52): We did? Daniel Andrlik (00:25:52): I'm pretty sure you did. Alex Finn (00:25:54): I know ChaCha doesn't know that. Daniel Andrlik (00:25:55): ChaCha does not know that. Sampson Davis (00:25:56): I thought we were told that after the oath because we took the oath so now we can actually know what the door was ... Alex Finn (00:26:01): I thought we didn't know if ... Sampson Davis (00:26:03): What the significance of it was. Daniel Andrlik (00:26:04): Yeah. Either way, it was, yeah, something that you guys were told by Mamma Jerrun right at the time. Stace Babcock (00:26:12): Second, why are we so certain that what is behind the door is bad? Daniel Andrlik (00:26:20): So, our archivists have done research over the centuries studying the Numenera of prior worlds, decoding what records we can. The door is not the only bad thing that can happen. But it's one that we've identified as a potential entry point for destruction. But it's also the door to somewhere else. And he looks at you and says like, "That's why the door is both entrance and exit. Open despair. But we are not ready to go through the door yet. We don't have enough information yet to safely make the trek." If the door opens, that's it. All the civilizations that you know of in the Ninth World, that's done and it's just rumble with a tenth world to build on. And you may have an issue with that as something in the distant future. I understand traveler philosophy. But short-term, that door opening means the end of everyone you know. And if we fail to protect the door and keep our watch, if we fail to prepare, then all those deaths will be all of our fault. Stace Babcock (00:27:33): That's an interesting take. Yeah. So, why is it hope and despair then? Because, Vlad, I'm not going to lie to you. That sounded like mostly despair. Actually, 100%. So is it like hope or despair? Maybe that's a mistake. Daniel Andrlik (00:27:51): No. It's both hope and despair because while we on the one hand prepare the armory to fend off whatever comes through the door, we have another group that is working on experimental ways using ancient Numenera for us to transport survivors to a safe haven if it's impossible to prevent what's coming. Stace Babcock (00:28:14): Okay. And what about non-humanoid-kind? Daniel Andrlik (00:28:19): Flora and fauna? We try to preserve what we can for the purposes of, if nothing else, food chain. At least our order is mostly focused on those that make similar civilizations to ours. I mean, obviously there are other intelligent civilizations out there. Although, they are sometimes more aggressive to us and or in the case of well, those octopuses have been down there for longer than any of us. Rumor has it, they still remember the first world. But other than that, we focus on those because if we limit it to those, we maybe have a chance. And we'll save whatever else we can beyond that. Stace Babcock (00:29:04): All right. So like humanoid-kind plus. Daniel Andrlik (00:29:07): Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:29:07): I just want to be ... Yo, all right. Daniel Andrlik (00:29:11): Kind of looks like Dili for a moment. Just a questioning glance. It's not quite clear what he's asking. Sampson Davis (00:29:17): May I make an insight check? Daniel Andrlik (00:29:19): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Sampson Davis (00:29:21): [inaudible 00:29:21]. Ooh, 19. Daniel Andrlik (00:29:23): Okay. Yeah. So it doesn't matter. You easily make it. He is definitely looking to you to say something in this moment about whether it's answering a question where it's about how you ... he is looking to you to see. Because this is sort of like a central tenant of the whole thing. And so what he's trying to figure out in that moment is he's looking to you. It's not accusing or anything like that. But out of curiosity what's your take? Because this is sort of a key belief and focus of the guardians. And up until now when it comes to that talking about it, Nix has been doing all the sort of questioning. Sampson Davis (00:30:06): Mm-hmm (affirmative). I think Dili just kind of trying to play neutral says, "Yeah. This all makes sense. Possible [inaudible 00:30:13] Astor's coming. So save what you can. Humanoid-kind does seem a little vague, but I figure that we'll know more when we have gone further in our training." Daniel Andrlik (00:30:22): Right. Because we're not just trying to limit it to just the things that happen to be friendly with us. Sampson Davis (00:30:22): Right. Daniel Andrlik (00:30:30): For example, abhumans. The Murdens are an example of the abhuman and they're often from our perspective, their society is of course different. But from our perspective, they're murderous thieves. That's not the entirety of the story. I'm sure they have reasons for doing what they do. And we know they're highly intelligent. We're going to save them too. Sampson Davis (00:30:59): I don't know how subtle Dili can be, but Dili's just like, "See? Even abhumans, Nix." Stace Babcock (00:31:06): Nix does her best to look like bored of that present conversation, because if Vlad doesn't know she's not going to tell him. Although, he saw her eat a person so ... Daniel Andrlik (00:31:20): No. He knows that part. But he is deliberately not pointing out Nix for that reason. Pointing out there's whole broad categories that we're not trying to make exceptions there. So what would you propose as a minor effect? Sampson Davis (00:31:34): Ah, man. As a minor effect? It's a minor effect on an insight. I have no idea. I have no idea what I would pick. Pass. I have no idea. Daniel Andrlik (00:31:46): Do you want just something generic? Like you get an asset on the next time you have to bail Vlad out, what he's thinking or something like that? Sampson Davis (00:31:55): No. That's boring. Let's take the pass. Daniel Andrlik (00:31:57): Really? You're going to take nothing [inaudible 00:31:59]? Sampson Davis (00:32:00): I can't think of interesting. So I'm just going to [crosstalk 00:32:01]. Stace Babcock (00:32:01): What? Why? Sampson Davis (00:32:02): Extra damage. I do two points of psychic damage. Stace Babcock (00:32:04): It's insight. So it's trying to figure out what he thinks about other things. Alex Finn (00:32:09): Is he paranoid that he's going to kill ChaCha in her sleep, so then we do have to do Hubert I. Daniel Andrlik (00:32:13): Would you like extra insight to ... Alex Finn (00:32:16): Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:32:17): Would you like extra insight into what Vlad is thinking? Sampson Davis (00:32:19): Sure. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:32:21): A few things come together for you, Dili, very quickly. Vlad has definitely been sort of trying to court a mentorship role here and you realize that the reason he's looking into this is because that's important to him, because for whatever reason he seems more concerned with your thought process than he is with anybody else's here. Sampson Davis (00:32:51): Oh. Alex Finn (00:32:52): Teacher's pet. Daniel Andrlik (00:32:53): Not in a creepy way. But for whatever reason, his interest in you is much ... like he seems motivated to help you along your way. Alex Finn (00:33:05): He's trying to be your Obi-Wan. See how that worked out. Sampson Davis (00:33:10): Vlad senpai, what are you trying to say? Daniel Andrlik (00:33:13): It's over, Dili. I have the high ground. Sampson Davis (00:33:21): You underestimate my automaton? Daniel Andrlik (00:33:25): Anyway. Dili keeps all of this to himself for the moment. Sampson Davis (00:33:29): All right. So are we all on the same page then? Nix? Stace Babcock (00:33:33): Yeah. The same page of what, Dili? Sampson Davis (00:33:36): What we're doing here. Our opinions on doors? Stace Babcock (00:33:39): Oh, I don't know honestly yet. But probably. It seems kind of suspicious but also ... Sampson Davis (00:33:48): What's suspicious? Stace Babcock (00:33:49): The certain ... Huh? Sampson Davis (00:33:51): Because personally I believe so far everything they've told us. I don't think they've told us everything. But everything they've said, not just Vlad but also Mamma J. Everything seems kosher. Ninth World kosher. Daniel Andrlik (00:34:06): More Ninth World halal but ... Stace Babcock (00:34:09): Yeah. But honestly, sometimes organizations are just not what they seem, you know what I mean? Sampson Davis (00:34:16): Oh. I see. Right. I got you. And then Dili obviously winks. Gotcha. Stace Babcock (00:34:27): All right. Onward, then. Sampson Davis (00:34:27): All right. Daniel Andrlik (00:34:30): Okay. Sampson Davis (00:34:30): Dili pops the bubble. Stace Babcock (00:34:32): And Nix opens the left door. Daniel Andrlik (00:34:34): Okay. So, you open that left door. Inside, you see this black polyp hanging from the ceiling and underneath it are three humans strapped to rocks. Tied to rocks essentially with ropes. And they're in a daze and one of them looks up and opens their mouth as if to say something. And then the ichor drops from that polyp and hits them and they all start screaming and writhing in the restraints. Alex Finn (00:35:14): Oh, we cut the ropes, yeah? Maybe we should stop this, yeah? Stace Babcock (00:35:14): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:35:17): Yeah. If we can avoid the polyps, yeah. Is there a way we can [inaudible 00:35:21] these guys without getting dripped on? Alex Finn (00:35:23): Oh. ChaCha was just going to take her little dagger and cut the ropes. Sampson Davis (00:35:28): Yeah. But we'd have to go underneath these black polyps and possibly get dripped on. Alex Finn (00:35:33): Trained in running. Stace Babcock (00:35:34): And acrobatic. Alex Finn (00:35:36): Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:35:37): Right? Alex Finn (00:35:37): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:35:37): All right. Daniel Andrlik (00:35:39): Okay. So, ChaCha goes to untie the ropes. These figures, two men and one woman. And they stop writhing and right around the time that ChaCha gets close the rope and they look over at ChaCha and says, "Oh, oh, oh thank you." This is one of the men speaking to ChaCha, "Well, thank you. You don't know how terrible it's been." And that point, ChaCha I need you to give me some sort of speed-based roll as the polyp drips again. Alex Finn (00:36:15): Oh. Daniel Andrlik (00:36:16): It will be a 12. Alex Finn (00:36:19): The training and running applies here, right [inaudible 00:36:23]? Daniel Andrlik (00:36:22): You could argue running or Cirque du Soleil, honestly. Alex Finn (00:36:25): Okay. Anyway, I got a 16. Daniel Andrlik (00:36:27): Okay. So, you manage to get out of the way before any of this ichor drops on you. It lands on the ground where you were originally sitting, that were crouching rather, and sort of sizzles on the ground. It hits all these three humans again and they all start screaming and writhing again. Alex Finn (00:36:48): I'm just going to go with like a cut and dodge kind of rhythm where she goes and cuts and then dodges. Daniel Andrlik (00:36:57): Okay. So there's three of them. So this will take three roles. Alex Finn (00:37:01): Okay. Daniel Andrlik (00:37:01): The first one for you, and you can use Cirque de Soleil for this. So I'm just going to give you the adding in your training. So the first roll will be a nine. Alex Finn (00:37:11): [inaudible 00:37:11] we're using all the good rolls now. Daniel Andrlik (00:37:14): Nice. Okay. So you go up and you cut ropes along one of these humans quite easily. What would you propose as a major effect? Alex Finn (00:37:24): Either it becomes a lot easier because she establishes the rhythm of the ichor drip or the guy can get away quick and not get anymore damage. Daniel Andrlik (00:37:36): Which do you want? Alex Finn (00:37:37): Which one sounds better? Stace Babcock (00:37:38): Avoidance, because you have two more people to cut out. Alex Finn (00:37:40): Okay. Avoidance. We'll go avoidance. Daniel Andrlik (00:37:43): Okay. So, the next roll will be 12 [inaudible 00:37:48]. Alex Finn (00:37:48): Yeah. I got a 10. I'm going to get hit. Daniel Andrlik (00:37:51): Okay. So was the avoidance to make sure the other guy got away? Or for you to avoid getting hit? Alex Finn (00:37:58): Me. Daniel Andrlik (00:37:59): Okay. So you cut the ropes of this other figure and it's a close call. Because you were using your major effect for avoidance, you don't get splashed with it. Alex Finn (00:38:13): Oh, good. Daniel Andrlik (00:38:15): But the person starts thrashing and they do in their trashing, swing out a hand and they don't strike you with it. But as they bring their hand over by that part of the table where you would be, there's a sudden flash of light and their arm is cut through in a diagonal right through, like right where the humerus is, right through the middle of that and they scream even more. And blood starts spurting from that wound. Alex Finn (00:38:51): Gross. Stace Babcock (00:38:52): What? [inaudible 00:38:54] happening. Sampson Davis (00:38:55): I'm not sure. What did they get cut on? Alex Finn (00:38:57): Don't know. Daniel Andrlik (00:38:58): You didn't see it. Sampson Davis (00:38:59): Oh, okay. Daniel Andrlik (00:38:59): Something unseen. Sampson Davis (00:39:01): Dope. Dope, dope, dope. Daniel Andrlik (00:39:02): Next one is a 15, ChaCha. Alex Finn (00:39:04): 17. Daniel Andrlik (00:39:06): Okay. So you cut the third one and they grab their companion. The woman grabs this other guy that just lost half an arm and drags him away from the side and over to Vlad and Race who are frantically trying to do something to staunch the blood flow on the arm. Alex Finn (00:39:34): I did not cut off his arm. Stace Babcock (00:39:36): Noted, ChaCha. Sampson Davis (00:39:39): Yep. We saw it, that at least it wasn't you. We saw that. Alex Finn (00:39:42): And I just want to make it clear. Daniel Andrlik (00:39:44): Vlad is doing his best to try to tie a tourniquet around this guy's stump. Alex Finn (00:39:49): I guess ChaCha will help and yeah. Sampson Davis (00:39:53): Wait, isn't there a third guy still on the rocks? Alex Finn (00:39:55): No. We got everybody. Daniel Andrlik (00:39:56): No. She got [inaudible 00:39:57]. Stace Babcock (00:39:57): Oh, okay. Daniel Andrlik (00:39:58): The third woman, the woman got helped this [crosstalk 00:40:01]. Alex Finn (00:40:01): Got it. Sampson Davis (00:40:01): Oh, I see. Daniel Andrlik (00:40:02): She got the third. So you saved three people, maybe. Depending on how this goes with the second person. Alex Finn (00:40:10): Do we show him the head? Do we show him the head? Daniel Andrlik (00:40:10): The what? Alex Finn (00:40:14): A head? Do we show them the head and be like, "Is this your friend?" Stace Babcock (00:40:17): No. Yo. Sampson Davis (00:40:19): Stop the blood. We stop the blood first. Stace Babcock (00:40:20): Yeah, yeah. Can you cauterize that, ChaCha? Can you just ... you know? Alex Finn (00:40:26): [inaudible 00:40:26]. Sampson Davis (00:40:26): What? Mark her territory? What? What was that? Stace Babcock (00:40:28): Yeah. Dili, it was a sizzle. It was a sizzle. Sampson Davis (00:40:32): Oh, okay. Alex Finn (00:40:34): Can ChaCha use pyromania to cauterize the wound? Daniel Andrlik (00:40:40): Yeah. You could. So I would assume that what you're doing is you're trying to use your hedge magic in combination with pyromania, or healing. Either one would work to try to cauterize the wound. Alex Finn (00:40:53): Yes. Daniel Andrlik (00:40:54): Okay. So, with those two, it'll be a six. Alex Finn (00:41:00): Okay. 10. Dope. We're not lighting him on fire. Cool. Daniel Andrlik (00:41:01): Okay. Cool. So, you send the flame over. The guy screams, just in an agonized scream, and Dili, it smells like- Alex Finn (00:41:12): Bacon. Daniel Andrlik (00:41:13): ... pork barbecue right now. Alex Finn (00:41:15): It's delicious smelling. Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:41:17): Dili tries not to think about it. It's not working. Daniel Andrlik (00:41:20): Yeah. And Nix, on the other hand, you smell it and while you remember that scent as one time being appetizing, it just kind of leaves you cold now. Stace Babcock (00:41:33): What a waste. Sampson Davis (00:41:35): Dili [inaudible 00:41:36] come on. Don't say it. Daniel Andrlik (00:41:40): One of the men, the one who didn't lose his arm, he falls to his knees in front of ChaCha, is like, "Oh God. Thank you. Thank you. I have no idea how long we've been here." And he kind of looks at both of you and then the woman over there says, "thank you so much. I don't know if I could have handled ... It musth ave been what? Like three days that we've been in here?" Sampson Davis (00:42:05): Well, three days do you know ... Well, one, was it the ... and then Dili kind of does like kind of a tentacle face gesture. Like was it, you know [inaudible 00:42:18]. Daniel Andrlik (00:42:18): The man kind of winces, but the woman kind of gives you a steady gaze and says, "Yeah. That's them. That's the one that put us here." Sampson Davis (00:42:27): Do you know what they were trying to do? Daniel Andrlik (00:42:28): I don't know. What you saw is what's been happening to us the entire time. Alex Finn (00:42:33): That seems kind of ... Daniel Andrlik (00:42:34): They didn't speak. Sampson Davis (00:42:36): How do you feel, besides generally awful I get, but anything particular? Daniel Andrlik (00:42:41): I'm very tired. Every time the drip hit us, it felt like being burned and electrocuted at the same time. Stace Babcock (00:42:48): Did we find out how long they'd been here? Sorry. Alex Finn (00:42:51): Three days. Daniel Andrlik (00:42:52): Three days. Stace Babcock (00:42:52): Oh, that's it? Daniel Andrlik (00:42:53): That's what they think. Alex Finn (00:42:56): Do we ask them door related questions? Head related questions? Stace Babcock (00:43:01): No. Sampson Davis (00:43:01): I don't see what doors have to do with anything. But ... Alex Finn (00:43:05): I mean, it would ... Sampson Davis (00:43:07): No. Daniel Andrlik (00:43:08): No. Stace Babcock (00:43:09): Mm-mm (negative). Mm-mm (negative). Mm-mm (negative). Sampson Davis (00:43:09): Was it just you three that came down here or were you part of a larger group? Daniel Andrlik (00:43:15): It's just the three of us. We weren't even going down that far. They grabbed us early up. And Vlad says, "Just to be sure that we're clear, what was the date that they grabbed you and brought you down here?" And I'm not going to try to interpret the Ninth World dates and [inaudible 00:43:25] everything is all [crosstalk 00:43:25]- Alex Finn (00:43:15): Just say February. It's fine. Daniel Andrlik (00:43:25): ... days and things like that. But the date they give is to the best of your recollection, today's date. Alex Finn (00:43:41): I'm sorry. What? Sampson Davis (00:43:43): Okay. Don't be freaked out when I ask this, but what year? Daniel Andrlik (00:43:47): They say the current year by [inaudible 00:43:52] reckoning, but which is in general what the [inaudible 00:43:55] goes by. Alex Finn (00:43:56): So are they from ... Maybe this is when you get stuck inside for long periods of time, it feels like it was longer than it was and it feels like it's been years. But it's really just been like two days. Daniel Andrlik (00:44:12): What do you mean? We've been here three days. Stace Babcock (00:44:14): No. That is today. Yeah. That is today's date. Why did you come down here? Daniel Andrlik (00:44:21): This has got to be some cruel trick. And he takes a step back. Meanwhile, the two men want ... the one who lost part of his arm is crying. And the other one just looks up and starts screaming in terror. Stace Babcock (00:44:37): ChaCha looks up. Daniel Andrlik (00:44:38): And he's just looking at the ceiling. It seems to be a reaction to realizing that these several days that they thought were probably only a handful of hours. Alex Finn (00:44:48): I mean, I get that too when it's just been like one of those days. But ... Daniel Andrlik (00:44:53): The woman comes over to you. She's got sort of shoulder length brown hair. Really striking blue eyes. And she comes over and she says, "[inaudible 00:45:05] we have to go. We were certain it was ... We were saying three days but we were certain it was more than that. And if they come back, they're going to put us back there. They're going to put us back under it." Stace Babcock (00:45:17): Oh yeah. We won't let them, first of all. Let me just tell you that right now. We'll probably kill them if they try. Alex Finn (00:45:26): We're pretty good at the murder. Stace Babcock (00:45:28): It's not, ChaCha, it's not always murder. Sometimes it's just self-defense. Alex Finn (00:45:34): Eh. Sampson Davis (00:45:36): It's still murder. That's ... Alex Finn (00:45:36): Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:45:38): No. It's homicide, Dili. Alex Finn (00:45:40): Oh. Well, we're still defensing them to death. Sampson Davis (00:45:43): That's just the legalese version. Alex Finn (00:45:45): We're self-defensing them to death. Daniel Andrlik (00:45:47): Dili, you hear a voice in your head and says, "Helping these ones is inadvisable. Their best purpose is as a distraction so you can get away." Sampson Davis (00:45:56): [inaudible 00:45:56]. Alex Finn (00:45:57): Your son. Mm-mm (negative). Did not raise him right. Sampson Davis (00:46:02): He didn't get this from me. I wanted him to go into mathletes. Anyway. That would be the kind of dad Dili is. Like don't do sports. Do mathletes. Come on. Stace Babcock (00:46:11): Ah, man. I'm going to [inaudible 00:46:13] Daniel's years [inaudible 00:46:14]. Daniel Andrlik (00:46:14): It's like that [inaudible 00:46:15] bit where your son comes over to you and throws your Blade Runner gun replica on the roof and tells you he'll get it for you if you give him 10 pushups. Stace Babcock (00:46:38): I'm trying not to do that squeal again because Daniel, that was all peak. Just like full Audacity range wave length when I did that squeak. And I'm so sorry for your earholes when I do that. Daniel Andrlik (00:46:57): [inaudible 00:46:57]. Stace Babcock (00:46:56): So I'm Nix. This is ChaCha. This is Dili. Alex Finn (00:47:01): Have you heard of us? Stace Babcock (00:47:03): Race. One second, ChaCha. One second. And the sour one over there, that's Vlad. He's our supervisor. Daniel Andrlik (00:47:11): Kind of looks at them sort of with a sad expression and says, "I'm sorry for what you've been through. Anything that you can tell us will help us get you out of this." And they sigh and both of the men at this point are just crying. But the woman looks at Nix and says, "Yeah. They call me Audria. And these things, they look like they're a human until you get closer.but they're just wearing our clothes. They're not even like a single thing. They're just like a mass of these eel-like creatures. But they all move as one. They brought us here. They strapped us down. One of them waved something over us. And then seemed to be writing something down. And then they left." Alex Finn (00:48:01): Did they take that object with them? Daniel Andrlik (00:48:05): Yes. They did. Sampson Davis (00:48:08): [inaudible 00:48:08] isn't going to get you guys out any faster. So, if you guys want to keep going, unless Nix, you had more to ask? Stace Babcock (00:48:15): Yeah. I was just kind of wondering what's your background? How did you end up down here? Alex Finn (00:48:21): Where are you from? Stace Babcock (00:48:22): Where are you from? The usual kind of make sure ... Alex Finn (00:48:25): Last time you were in Charmonde. Daniel Andrlik (00:48:27): We were prospecting. We were trying to look for a potential new mine and one of the tunnels brought us close to this installation. We assumed. The next thing we knew, these creatures were coming for us. Stace Babcock (00:48:39): All right. Well, so we are exploring these ruins and just trying to make sure there's nothing too dangerous down here, you know? So you can stick with us and eventually we'll leave and you can go with us. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:48:54): Oh, it's definitely dangerous down here. Didn't you just hear what happened to us? Sampson Davis (00:48:58): Yep. Stace Babcock (00:48:58): Yep. Alex Finn (00:48:59): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Stace Babcock (00:48:59): Yeah. Alex Finn (00:49:00): And didn't you hear us self-defensing things to death? Stace Babcock (00:49:03): We've killed some of them already. Right? Alex Finn (00:49:06): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:49:08): Yeah. A few of them. We also don't have an exit because my whole thing falling down a chute. Alex Finn (00:49:12): Oh, and we did do an oopsie upstairs. Daniel Andrlik (00:49:15): Oh. Okay. So you don't even know how to get out. Stace Babcock (00:49:18): No, no. But we have killed a few eel creatures if that makes you feel any better. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:49:23): That's good. But when they left, they went that way, and she points to a door on the far end of the room and she says, "I don't want to go that way. I want to go any way but that way." Sampson Davis (00:49:36): Dan, how many doors are in this room? Daniel Andrlik (00:49:38): One. Sampson Davis (00:49:39): Just the one we came through? Alex Finn (00:49:40): No. And yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:49:41): But there's one beyond the one you came through. Sorry. There's one new door. Let's put it that way. Sampson Davis (00:49:41): Gotcha. Stace Babcock (00:49:47): All right. So I'm going to break it down for you. You can come with us while we hunt them down or whatever. Or you can go the other way and take your chances of being captured again and being put in a room where we can't find you. You know what I'm saying? Of never getting out. So ... Daniel Andrlik (00:50:06): There are so many of them, though. Alex Finn (00:50:09): Yeah. Stace Babcock (00:50:09): You're adult people. Make your choices. Alex Finn (00:50:13): [inaudible 00:50:13]. Stace Babcock (00:50:12): [crosstalk 00:50:12] your journey. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:50:15): She looks down at the other two and says, "I'll need to consult with my almost useless companions here." And she leans down to talk to them. The guy with only half an arm looks up at her and seems to kind of lock on the expression. The other one is still crying until she flat out smacks him across the face- Alex Finn (00:50:15): Good. Daniel Andrlik (00:50:15): ... to get his attention. Alex Finn (00:50:36): Good, good, good. Daniel Andrlik (00:50:37): And then she begins murmuring to them. Alex Finn (00:50:39): I guess ChaCha is going to be going through the room to see if there's anything useful [inaudible 00:50:45] consulting each other. Daniel Andrlik (00:50:46): The only thing of note in this room is the polyp. Stace Babcock (00:50:49): Can we nature check it? Sampson Davis (00:50:52): Yeah. Is there a nature Numenera roll we can make on that? Alex Finn (00:50:55): A nurture check? Sampson Davis (00:50:55): Dili is also interested in that. Numenurture. Daniel Andrlik (00:50:58): I would give either ... actually, understanding Numenera might be best. So it's an understanding of Numenera for 12. So for ChaCha it would be a nine. For Dili, it's a 12. Sampson Davis (00:51:09): Dili is going to- Alex Finn (00:51:10): I got 10. Sampson Davis (00:51:11): ... use his noninability to help ChaCha. Stace Babcock (00:51:13): I got 18. Alex Finn (00:51:14): Oh shit. Sampson Davis (00:51:15): Oh, shit. All right. Stace Babcock (00:51:16): Nix knows her polyps. Daniel Andrlik (00:51:18): Okay. This polyp is organic, but it is definitely created, not grown. There is something about this the way it drips is almost too precise on a schedule to be anything but some sort of construct. That doesn't mean that it has synth, but Dili, you've heard rumors among rights of biological crafting applying right abilities to biological matter to create things that have no synth. No mechanical components. Creating effectively living Numenera of some type or another. It's beyond anything that you've done, but you've heard rumors of it and Master [inaudible 00:52:11] at one point made some sort of cryptic comment about it. You still can't remember his exact wording, but something about, yes, well they say some rights create new life. And then walking away from you. Sampson Davis (00:52:23): I thought it used to be an allegorical. Fuck. All right. Alex Finn (00:52:28): Okay. This is- Stace Babcock (00:52:29): Classic, organic structure, Dili. Alex Finn (00:52:30): Alex has a question. What would happen if Dili scanned these people salvaging Numenera? Like salvage io. Daniel Andrlik (00:52:40): You could try to scan iotum if you want. Sampson Davis (00:52:42): That actually was going to be something I did. But I'm going to scan iotum, at least on the black polyps. Not the people yet. Daniel Andrlik (00:52:48): Okay. So the black polyps. So you do it on the black polyp. There's definitely strong suggestions of biomechanical circuitry, potentially as many as three units of that. And then some sort of energy related io there. You're not sure if it is [om 00:53:12] dust, whether it's a midnight stone. You're not sure what's at the core there. But there's something that's providing the power, and then there's this other io which is allowing that power to be infused in organic material. Sampson Davis (00:53:28): Yeah. I could definitely get some interesting stuff from this. Say, it would have like a spear or a long stick that I could scrape some of this off and see if I can pull anything from it. Maybe just a ladder. Alex Finn (00:53:40): [inaudible 00:53:40]. Stace Babcock (00:53:40): Nix squats down and cups her hands. Daniel Andrlik (00:53:45): Yeah. We have rope, but [inaudible 00:53:48] any of us have a ladder? Sampson Davis (00:53:50): What? I'm just making ... note to self, pocket ladder. Anything? Alex Finn (00:53:56): Oh, shit, Dili. Stace Babcock (00:53:58): Nix pulls out her collapsible crutch and flings it open. Alex Finn (00:54:02): Wait, do we still have those grappling hooks? Daniel Andrlik (00:54:05): Yeah, you do. Sampson started writing his journey entry early just now. Sampson Davis (00:54:10): Pocket ladder would be fucking rad. And that's just, that's the journal entry? Daniel Andrlik (00:54:13): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Sampson Davis (00:54:15): Yeah. All right. Let's see what I can do. So since these polyps are on the ceiling, do I need to make some sort of roll to get them in salvageable reach? Daniel Andrlik (00:54:24): If Nix is aiding you, that will give you an asset and avoiding the extra hindrances of it being on the ceiling while you salvage. Sampson Davis (00:54:35): Cool. All right, Nix [inaudible 00:54:38]. Stace Babcock (00:54:38): All right. So you don't want the crutch? Sampson Davis (00:54:40): No. I think if you could just hold me up for a little bit, that'll be fine. Stace Babcock (00:54:43): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:54:44): And then while Nix is doing that, Dili is also going to kind of arrange his cloak, [inaudible 00:54:50] umbrella against any drips coming out to him or Nix. Daniel Andrlik (00:54:53): Okay. Cool. So, you reach up and this is going to start at with all the hindrances and stuff, an 18. Nix is assisting you. That brings it down to a 15. You're salvaging, which is one of your skills. Sampson Davis (00:55:13): Correct. Daniel Andrlik (00:55:13): Which brings it down to a 12. You have light tools. That brings it down to a nine. You have a free level effort. That brings it down to a six. And there is a moment where everything kind of shimmies in your view for a moment and you hear a voice in your head that says, "Let me offer some help." And overlaid in your vision, you see a diagram of where to cut in to this organic material, identifying how to remove the io. And this [inaudible 00:55:50] gives you an asset that brings it down to a three. Sampson Davis (00:55:52): Awesome. Excellent. I also get an asset for using scan iotum. Daniel Andrlik (00:55:58): Yes. So that's a freebie. Sampson Davis (00:56:00): Yep. Daniel Andrlik (00:56:00): So you get three biomechanical circuitry. Alex Finn (00:56:03): Ooh. Sampson Davis (00:56:05): It's a stone thing. Excellent. Daniel Andrlik (00:56:07): And you initially thought the other one was a night stone, but it appears to be a void stone. Sampson Davis (00:56:13): What to do with two void stones? Dili makes a point of not having them touch, just in case. Daniel Andrlik (00:56:19): Yeah. The biggest problem with the void stones is if they aren't handled correctly, a human handling them will result in a mutation. Alex Finn (00:56:26): Just saying. Sampson Davis (00:56:27): And that's why you double bag the void stones. No. You just put the void stone in two Ziploc bags. Daniel Andrlik (00:56:35): Okay. So you have essentially dismantled this polyp and it's now just fleshy matter, bleeding dark purple blood onto the ground. Alex Finn (00:56:44): As polyps do. Sampson Davis (00:56:45): Hey, Nix, do you want me to cut you off a slice just to see if you like it? Stace Babcock (00:56:51): Is it poisonous, Dili? Sampson Davis (00:56:53): I have no idea. Alex Finn (00:56:53): You could supercharge the voice and ... Sampson Davis (00:56:55): You also eat things that I think are usually poisonous for most people. So, I don't know. Do you want to sniff it? Stace Babcock (00:57:02): Yeah. I'll sniff it. Yeah. Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:57:02): All right. Stace Babcock (00:57:02): All right. Sampson Davis (00:57:04): Dili cuts off just like a little chicken tender of the stuff and passes it to Nix. Daniel Andrlik (00:57:09): You don't recognize the smell but it definitely smells like raw meat. Stace Babcock (00:57:12): Oh yeah. Nix will eat it. Daniel Andrlik (00:57:13): Okay. So give me a ... with your venomous nature, that'll give you an asset. So give me a might defense roll of six. Stace Babcock (00:57:22): 11. Daniel Andrlik (00:57:23): Very yummy. Stace Babcock (00:57:23): Yo, Dili, some more? Sampson Davis (00:57:26): Sure. How many? Daniel Andrlik (00:57:27): I mean, the trunk that you cut off was roughly fist sized. There's probably the equivalent of a Great Dane's worth of fleshy material there. Stace Babcock (00:57:41): I just ate, Dili. So just like a light snack. A couple pounds. Sampson Davis (00:57:47): Gotcha. I'll do my best. Dili does his best. Gets like three or four butterfly cuts out. Alex Finn (00:57:54): Jesus. Daniel Andrlik (00:57:57): Don't even have to roll for it. You get it. Sampson Davis (00:57:59): Dili also makes sure that none of the new NPCs are seeing this. Just don't want to freak them out. Daniel Andrlik (00:58:05): Well, they're in the same room, so they're going to see what you're doing for sure. Sampson Davis (00:58:09): No, that's fine. Daniel Andrlik (00:58:11): They turn to Vlad and they say, "Are you guys sure you're the good guys?" Stace Babcock (00:58:16): No. We're not sure we're the good guys. That's like our whole thing. Alex Finn (00:58:22): [inaudible 00:58:22] self-defense people. Daniel Andrlik (00:58:24): And Vlad says, "They're still learning." Sampson Davis (00:58:27): We're the best you got, so deal with it. Daniel Andrlik (00:58:30): Vlad looks over to you, Dili, and kind of smirks in approval. Stace Babcock (00:58:35): Ooh. All right. All right. Alex Finn (00:58:39): Get it. Yeah. Daniel Andrlik (00:58:41): So, do you guys go back the way you came to one of the other doors? Or you go through the door that these guys are? What do you guys want to do? Do you want to just hang out here for a while and see what happens? Alex Finn (00:58:51): I want to go through the door they don't want to go through. Stace Babcock (00:58:53): Yeah. Sampson Davis (00:58:53): What? [inaudible 00:58:54] check. Let's see what they're so afraid of. Stace Babcock (00:58:57): Yeah. Nix opens it. Daniel Andrlik (00:59:02): Okay. So you check the door. You open it and you see, even before you see anything, you smell a sort of almost lilac odor. Stace Babcock (00:59:11): Oh, pretty. Daniel Andrlik (00:59:12): And you see a room where there are dozens of translucent gray spheres that seems to be emitting this lilac smell. And once you get a little closer, also a little bit of the smell of ozone. But more importantly, in this room, you see 10 of these tentacle dudes that you've encountered before and that's where we'll end this episode. Alex Finn (00:59:12): Fair. Fair. Sampson Davis (00:59:38): 10 tentacles. Stace Babcock (00:59:38): 10 tentacle dudes. Daniel Andrlik (00:59:40): So, Sampson, something about this episode. Sampson Davis (00:59:45): Oh, man. I think it's very interesting that Dili is kind of [inaudible 00:59:49] the fact that somebody thinks that Dili is doing something rightish. Or that someone thinks that Dili is on the ball, even though Dili does not really quite feel that way at all. Stace Babcock (00:59:45): Rightish. Sampson Davis (00:59:45): What? Daniel Andrlik (00:59:45): Rightish. Sampson Davis (00:59:59): Oh, rightish. Daniel Andrlik (01:00:02): Yeah. It's a good pun. Sampson Davis (01:00:04): I think Vlad's cool. Yeah. Rightish. I got [inaudible 01:00:08]. Ooh, this whiskey is tasty. Yeah. So I think that's pretty cool. I'm also very interested in this totally not a tribble thing that we have. Curious to see what GM intrusions Dan is going to throw at us around that. That'll be fun. Daniel Andrlik (01:00:26): Why would you say such a thing? Sampson Davis (01:00:28): Because why else is it here if not to fuck with us? Daniel Andrlik (01:00:32): Why is Hubert here? Alex Finn (01:00:33): Doesn't he just love us? Stace Babcock (01:00:35): I'm still recovering from hey, you. So ... Daniel Andrlik (01:00:36): You just don't question why Hubert is there. Sampson Davis (01:00:39): Is Hubert not part of ChaCha's backstory? Daniel Andrlik (01:00:42): Hubert's not part of ChaCha's backstory. Hubert just showed up when she found it in the cloak that Mamma Jerrun gave her. Alex Finn (01:00:51): Yeah. You think I write backstories? Stace Babcock (01:00:53): Hubert is there because we willed Hubert into existence. Alex Finn (01:00:55): Yeah. Stace Babcock (01:00:55): Hubert I. Sampson Davis (01:00:57): But you have somebody believing in Dili for Dili's own natural talents. Alex Finn (01:00:57): It's a good ... Sampson Davis (01:01:03): [inaudible 01:01:03] interesting. It's interesting. I'm also liking the sass that Nix keeps throwing at Vlad. Alex Finn (01:01:03): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Daniel Andrlik (01:01:07): Yeah. That's fun. Sampson Davis (01:01:09): She's not the golden child anymore. It's Dili. Stace Babcock (01:01:12): I know. She doesn't know how to handle it. Daniel Andrlik (01:01:15): That won't work out against her at all. Alex Finn (01:01:17): Never. Probably not. Daniel Andrlik (01:01:19): So, we have a segment that we do each week called player intrusions. That's where we offer you, the listener [inaudible 01:01:27] to check out something that we think you should really dig or we think that you will really dig. This week it is Sampson's turn. Sampson, what will you offer our listeners [inaudible 01:01:37] to check out? Sampson Davis (01:01:38): Well, listeners, I have another webcomic for you. I've been keeping up with this one for a long time now. The webcomic specifically is called Dark Science but it's at a website called Dresden Codak. D-R-E-S-D-E-N C-O-D-A-K.com. The webcomic, Dark Science, is super trippy. Kind of this match key sci-fi thing. Actually, if I were to give Numenera an aesthetic in my mind, it would be a lot like the set of Dark Science comic book. It is one of many comic series that this author has been creating for a while. Previous one was called Hob. And actually I change my mind. Just look at all the comics on this. Some of them are so cool. So fucking cheesy and nerdy. One of them is a one off called ... oh, fuck. What's it called? Well, there's Sleepwalkers. That's a good one. The cool part is kind of like the punchline at the end so I can't really say why but if you look up Sleepwalkers on Dresden Codak, it's such a cool, nerdy thing to do. There's also another one called Dungeons and Discourse where it's just like these two web comics that's like Dungeons and Dragons but it's like oh, what if the classes were based off of like math and philosophy and all this stuff. So one of the characters is like something [inaudible 01:02:57]. Honestly, there's so much fun, nerdy stuff. And then the main character through most of these, Kimiko Ross. She's cool. She's like this scientist fighter, almost like a science monk at the end of Dark Science which is another just crazy ass long form story about her figuring out what the deal is with this supposedly advanced AI society that's hyperbureaucratical to the point of absurdity. There's just a lot of fun here at dresdencodak.com that I recommend everyone just kind of poke around with. Get into it. Fall into a deep dark webcomical. Alex Finn (01:01:38): Uwu. Daniel Andrlik (01:03:33): I feel like I've heard buzz about that without realizing what it was about. But as soon as you start talking about, it started clicking some sort of memory for me. Sampson Davis (01:03:43): Mm-hmm (affirmative). My one grievance is that he doesn't update often. He updates like once every two months. So don't get too into it but get into it. Get into [inaudible 01:03:54]. Alex Finn (01:03:54): Kind of savor it as you go. Don't be like me and read 430 chapters in one day and be like, "Oh, that's what the story of woot-toot-toot is." Daniel Andrlik (01:04:09): Very cool. Well, if people wanted to reach out to us to tell us what they think of Dresden Codak or the podcast, how would they do that Sampson? Sampson Davis (01:04:16): They can start at explorerswanted.fm. That is our website from which you can access all of our socials. And I believe also see like the transcripts of our episodes and all that. Daniel Andrlik (01:04:28): Mm-hmm (affirmative). Sampson Davis (01:04:29): On Twitter we are @ExplorersWanted. On Instagram and Facebook we are @explorerswantedpodcast. If you would like to talk to us directly and you feel that Twitter is a hellish wasteland full of toxic, just toxic, you're right first of all, and you can find us be more active and personable at explorerswanted.fm/discord. We're very active in our Discord. Talk about stuff. Books. Movies. Are you liking Loki? I like Loki. It's fun. Additionally if you want to give us money, because you have money to give, patreon.com/explorerswanted. Give us money if it's within your means and you feel that we deserve it, which we do, but save yourself first. Daniel Andrlik (01:05:10): Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. And honestly, we totally understand if you can't provide monetary support. Honestly, the best thing you could do for us at this stage is to tell a friend and tell them why you like the show. The second best thing you could do is leave us a five star review on a podcast directory. Specifically, Apple Podcast, Stitcher or Podchaser. Those make the biggest difference with people trying the show out. And if you didn't like the podcast or if you just thought it was meh, well, I don't know if you've noticed but the silence is so loud in your house right now. 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 (01:05:55): You can find me on Twitter @StaceWindu. Sampson Davis (01:05:56): Yeah. What the fuck. I'm @SlamPotato. Alex Finn (01:06:01): I mean, you can tell me your favorite translation mistake or happenstance @realteaunicorn on Twitter or @teawithaunicorn on Twitch. Daniel Andrlik (01:06:09): All right. 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're listening to this. And bye. Stace Babcock (01:06:09): Bye. Alex Finn (01:06:09): Bye. Sampson Davis (01:06:09): Bye.