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 Alex Finn. Alex [ChaCha] (00:00:41): I like so a lot of it like holy shit, my bangs are weird, my hair is wavy, I don't know what's happening. Daniel [GM] (00:00:49): Marietta Jones. Marietta [Atalia] (00:00:50): I'm so excited to deal with bangs. Yeah. Alex [ChaCha] (00:00:55): The choices you made. Marietta [Atalia] (00:00:59): No. Alex [ChaCha] (00:00:59): Tell us more. Marietta [Atalia] (00:01:00): No. Daniel [GM] (00:01:03): Stace Babcock. Stace [Nix] (00:01:04): When I open up my dice app it rolls the last die that was open, which is in this case was a D20, and it rolled it once. So I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Daniel [GM] (00:01:15): It's a free gym intrusion for me. Stace [Nix] (00:01:19): It was outside of play, I would like to appeal to the governing board. Alex [ChaCha] (00:01:22): Are we ever outside of play. Life is just lapping. Marietta [Atalia] (00:01:28): It's true. Daniel [GM] (00:01:30): And Sampson Davis. Sampson [Dili] (00:01:32): Tonight's tea is the lemon ginger. So if you don't have that, you'll have to pause and restart the episode with the proper tea. Sorry, those are the rules. Daniel [GM] (00:01:42): Okay. Who remembers what happened last time? I am going to pick on Alex. Alex [ChaCha] (00:01:50): Okay. So from what I remember happened, we were at the safe house and we were all making a plan on how we were going to do some torture prawn, but dun, dun, dun, dun, Dili was all like, I have a two way street. I'm going to talk to my robot son. And he did. And he saw his robot son beat up deuces. I'm going to keep them straight because that's important. And then his robot son is like, "You know what father, you're not cut out for this. I'm going to come see you." Because, I don't know, his son has separation anxiety, whose child does not, really. My child has it. And so we all kind of panicked because we realized we were in a horrible spot to confront said metal child. So we all were trying to plan for the metal child. And we stuffed a pillowcase on Dili's head. And Dili's like, "Let me just put some of this hair in my ears." Because the pillow was stuffed with hair. Yeah. This is what my mind remembers. And it was eventually made clear to us that Aces was going to come watch the robot son kill us. But we were all like nay nay nay nay. And so Atalia was like, I'm going to be like a sniper on the roof. And she got up on the roof and she started shit. And unfortunately Aces was just like, guess what? I have a love dart. And Atalia felt really bad about kicking the out of Aces. But don't worry ChaCha was like, I'm going to shoot you through this window. Fuck you. And then the rubber sun bust through the walls and like a true hero Nix just jumped in the way to save Dili from being kidnapped through a wall and got grabbed instead. And around that time ChaCha kills Aces, but that's not really important. Don't worry about it. So then Dili thinking he hears something, sees a sun shaped hole in the wall and he goes to confront his robot's son. And he tries again to communicate with his son. And that does not work because him and his son are not on mind speaking terms currently, that's not how it works. But don't worry I believe Nix punched it to death. Yeah. No Nix punched it so hard in it's broken arm that she ripped out its guts. Stace [Nix] (00:04:18): That's how it happened. Alex [ChaCha] (00:04:21): Close enough. It turns out the robot son was wired with a bomb. So we mildly diffuse the bomb, but not really. So Atalia took it to the open Plaza that Dili saw the sucker-faced [Elson 00:04:36] and blew it up. And while Dili was passed out, because later I will tell you why, ChaCha and Nix scavenged, not only Dili's robot son, but Aces' body. So now we have Aces' metal leg, which has no weapon, which we will hit deuces with just to rub it in because that's the kind of people we are. But back to Dili who's passed out, turns out that Dili's robot son is now part of Dili. And so they can work out their family issues in the meantime. And then next we go finally to where all the listeners wanted us to go, because they were kind of like, "What the fuck Daniel? Why'd you do this Daniel." And we checked on [geema 00:05:25] because of the listeners, the pool of blood. No bodies, don't worry listeners there no bodies. And there was unfortunately a letter from Atalia's mom, which was like, I told you, I wanted to see you, did I stutter? And it turns out Atalia's mom wants her to meet in the Handlers headquarters, which we assume implies that her mom has taken over the Handlers and she's going to kind of throw that at Atalia for disobeying. Marietta [Atalia] (00:06:00): I'm so over her already. Alex [ChaCha] (00:06:02): But Atalia with the most wisdom wrote a very sassy note in response. And I think that's where we're at. Well, we busted back into Dili's old workshop to do stuff, because we were already desecrating the dead, so why not add a B&E onto it? Marietta [Atalia] (00:06:22): Good point, good point. Daniel [GM] (00:06:23): It was hardly a B&E the door was off the hinges. Alex [ChaCha] (00:06:26): I mean, Dili no longer technically owns this store. So technically it's a B&E still. Daniel [GM] (00:06:32): I guess. Alex [ChaCha] (00:06:33): Technically. Maybe it's just an E, because we didn't B. Yeah, because it was already broken. But yes, that's what I remember. Daniel [GM] (00:06:44): Do you guys remember the cliffhanger? Alex [ChaCha] (00:06:45): Yes. This is where we're going to be like listeners. This is going to be the most wacky torture scene you've ever seen. Well, heard. Well, [crosstalk 00:06:55]. Daniel [GM] (00:06:55): I don't know if you guys have decided on torture yet. Marietta [Atalia] (00:06:57): Yeah. [crosstalk 00:06:58]. Stace [Nix] (00:06:57): I can kind of see where Alex's head is at. Daniel you've seen me do torture scenes and it's weird, people just get floppy toes. It's weird. Daniel [GM] (00:07:11): Yeah. You can't bloodlessly pull bones out of people this time so- Alex [ChaCha] (00:07:16): But she's got them little raccoon hands to perform surgery, and she can see through things that are six inches. Marietta [Atalia] (00:07:27): Uh-huh (affirmative) definitely. Stace [Nix] (00:07:27): Little raccoon hands for surgery. Sampson [Dili] (00:07:28): So should Nix be asking the questions or should Nix be on ChaCha because he- Stace [Nix] (00:07:31): Yes. Alex [ChaCha] (00:07:34): But yeah, that's what I remember. Daniel [GM] (00:07:40): Okay. So you have walked in to this building, and there, and in the center of the room is clearly tied to a chair Doc Taraz. Sampson [Dili] (00:07:47): Is she blindfolded? Daniel [GM] (00:07:48): She does have a hood over her head. Alex [ChaCha] (00:07:51): Oh. Well Nix will walk over and pull off the hood and say, Doc Taraz, what's up? Daniel [GM] (00:08:00): Nix, are you behind this Nix? I mean, I've heard stories about the shit that you've been getting up in, but I didn't think the stories were true. Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:12): Oh well, Doc Taraz here's the thing, this conversation is just so not about the shit I've been getting up to and is so much more about the shit you've been getting up to. Daniel [GM] (00:08:19): What do you mean? Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:20): I mean, with my mom. And I would like to know exactly what you've been doing and exactly what is going on. Daniel [GM] (00:08:28): I've been treating your mom. Alex [ChaCha] (00:08:30): ChaCha you look doubtful about that statement. Do you care to elaborate? Marietta [Atalia] (00:08:35): I mean, treating, siphoning her powers, it all comes down to the, guess who gave you that migraine and who's ready for seconds. Daniel [GM] (00:08:45): He kind of squints at you like clearly not understanding what you're talking about. And she kind of shakes her head and says, let me out of this chair right now. Nix you know better. You know, I personally serve the queen on occasion. Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:03): Yeah, no, I totally know that. Which is why we're talking here, you know, out of sight, out of mind, but really we know that you are going to the prison where my parents were at. You were siphoning from my mother, so why don't you start? Daniel [GM] (00:09:18): That is the treatment, you siphon off the teleportive energy and then she stays. That's how it works. Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:27): And what are you doing with the energy, Doc Taraz? Daniel [GM] (00:09:30): That's my concern. Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:31): No, it isn't. It is my concern. And that's why you're here. Daniel [GM] (00:09:36): Nix I say this with the utmost respect, but you just don't have the background to understand what I'm doing with it. Stace [Nix] (00:09:42): Oh, I get it. Can ChaCha stab her with a dart. Alex [ChaCha] (00:09:46): Not yet ChaCha, not yet. Marietta [Atalia] (00:09:48): So I'm trained in detecting falsehood and specialized in understanding Numenera, can I see if what she's telling Nix is true? Daniel [GM] (00:09:58): You also have a cypher that will tell you for sure. Sampson [Dili] (00:10:00): You're just a damn lie eater. Marietta [Atalia] (00:10:01): I thought I gave it to Nix. Stace [Nix] (00:10:04): Nix has it. Alex [ChaCha] (00:10:05): Yeah. Stace [Nix] (00:10:05): I need everyone to settle down with the lie eater. Okay. Marietta [Atalia] (00:10:08): Settle down this isn't my thing guys. Sorry, that's Nix. Alex [ChaCha] (00:10:13): That's all right Doc Taraz. I got a couple of nanos here, they can probably understand what you're saying. So why don't you just go ahead and say it. And actually, Nix is trying to get her to Ted Talk and tell the truth before the lie eater has to come out and the general threats of violence have to come out. Stace [Nix] (00:10:29): That's not how ChaCha works. Daniel [GM] (00:10:32): Before you do that I will offer you an XP. Stace [Nix] (00:10:35): Oh yeah. Daniel [GM] (00:10:35): Who will you give the other XP too? Stace [Nix] (00:10:38): God I feel like, well, ChaCha is so far ahead of the rest of us. So sorry, Alex. Alex [ChaCha] (00:10:38): It's legit. Stace [Nix] (00:10:45): So Marietta you're one advancement with two XP. Where's Dili? Sampson [Dili] (00:10:49): I'm at two advancements with two XP. Stace [Nix] (00:10:49): All right Marietta. Marietta [Atalia] (00:10:49): Actually one advancement with one XP. Daniel [GM] (00:10:55): So Doc Taraz looks at you Nix just stone serious, just total poker face and says, I don't think they'd understand either. And then she she looks over at ChaCha. She's like, "What do you have a feral child?" And then she looks over at Atalia and some common cutthroat flaming nano capabilities, this is beyond them and it's beyond you. And I'm not telling you anything Nix. And if you want to be able to live out the next week without being in the Queen's custody, I strongly advise you to let me go right now. And you get nothing off of her at all. Stace [Nix] (00:11:40): I'm sorry, but ChaCha does have to stab her at this point to assert dominance. She has questioned the feral child. Daniel [GM] (00:11:45): Okay. ChaCha can do whatever she likes. So she is tied to a chair. So she can't really dodge much. So you're going to get a bunch of assets here. So that brings it down to a nine. Stace [Nix] (00:12:00): How is she tied to a chair, does this chair have arms? Daniel [GM] (00:12:03): Yes. Stace [Nix] (00:12:04): Okay. She's going to stab her in the hand then, with the throw away dart. Daniel [GM] (00:12:10): Okay. So it's a nine. Stace [Nix] (00:12:10): 15. Daniel [GM] (00:12:11): Okay. You stab her and she shrieks in surprise and she says, "What the fuck, are you kidding?" And then she looks close at ChaCha, who's like, "You're the terrorist, you're the assassin. Nix, Nix. Have you turned on your country? This is not what your parents would want you to do, you know?" Stace [Nix] (00:12:33): Yeah, no, I've actually just turned on you Doc Taraz. I just want to make that crystal clear. So yeah, ChaCha. Daniel [GM] (00:12:41): I gave you a discount. Stace [Nix] (00:12:43): ChaCha. Alex [ChaCha] (00:12:44): Please don't stab doc's Oz, unless she's clearly lying. Stace [Nix] (00:12:48): You need to assert dominance. Marietta [Atalia] (00:12:50): Is she clearly lying? Alex [ChaCha] (00:12:52): Here's the thing Doc Taraz, you're saying I got to worry about lasting the week, you got to worry about lasting the night. You get what I'm saying? Daniel [GM] (00:12:59): Wow, you've really changed this much Nix, is this who you are now? Alex [ChaCha] (00:13:04): Yeah, you fuck with my family this is what you get. Daniel [GM] (00:13:08): She just stares at you. Alex [ChaCha] (00:13:11): So Nick will pull out the squid, the Technicolor squid. So you know what this is doc, since you're such a proficient nano and you're so capable of healing people? Daniel [GM] (00:13:24): She looks at it a little bit. It'd be one of three things, but I'm guessing from context, it's a lie eater. Alex [ChaCha] (00:13:30): Yeah. It's my squid hat. It's going to tell me if you're lying and it's going to tell ChaCha if you're lying and it's going to tell our other friends if you're lying. And that's really whether or not you lie is going to matter a lot for how you're treated. Daniel [GM] (00:13:42): I don't know the way you're talking it makes it sound like I'm dead either way. Alex [ChaCha] (00:13:47): No, no. Because you see, I'm just trying to figure out what's happening with my mother, because I want to solve this problem and paying you 300 shins a month wasn't solving the problem. And then to know that you went into prison and you extracted energy out of her to the point where she was almost dead tells me there's a lot more going on. Daniel [GM] (00:14:05): That was because of the queen, the queen wanted her more subdued than usual. Alex [ChaCha] (00:14:10): So why don't you tell me everything you know about what's going on with my mother and do be careful not to lie. And Nix put the squid on. Daniel [GM] (00:14:19): Okay. It's tentacles light up and you can orient it towards her so that it's focused on her. And she looks at it and says, the queen wanted to make sure that your mother didn't go anywhere. She wanted to make sure that even the occasional attacks she had with my treatment did not become a fact. Alex [ChaCha] (00:14:42): What does the lie eater do? Daniel [GM] (00:14:43): Looks bored. Alex [ChaCha] (00:14:46): Okay. Daniel [GM] (00:14:46): Not a lie. Alex [ChaCha] (00:14:48): What are you doing with the energy? Daniel [GM] (00:14:50): I don't think that's your concern. Alex [ChaCha] (00:14:52): It is right now. Daniel [GM] (00:14:53): Well, it's just excess from your mother's sickness. I take it out of her so that she doesn't teleport, and I use it for research. It's why you get such a good price. Alex [ChaCha] (00:15:04): So you've been using my mother this entire time. it. Damn it that was wrong. Daniel [GM] (00:15:10): I think it was a mutually beneficial relationship. Alex [ChaCha] (00:15:14): I don't think so because she hasn't been cured. So what's the underlying cause? Daniel [GM] (00:15:20): Nix I got to tell you, I don't think there is a cure. I think it's just about treatment and management and it's only going to get worse if she doesn't get treatment on a regular basis. The squid hat is silent. Alex [ChaCha] (00:15:34): Nix looks over at Atalia like, got any other questions? Marietta [Atalia] (00:15:37): Yeah. What is causing this attack for her? Daniel [GM] (00:15:44): She kind of rolls her eyes at you Atalia, and she says, "Like I was saying, it's the, for lack of a better word, teleport energy that builds up in her over time. I haven't been able to identify the source, but extracting that energy is what keeps her from jumping." Marietta [Atalia] (00:16:01): So really you're just actually useless. Wow. Oh snap. Daniel [GM] (00:16:06): What have you done to help Nick's mother Atalia? Alex [ChaCha] (00:16:09): Hey, we're asking the questions here so settle down back, like just settle down. I have another question for you. What does it have to do with the Benevolent Society? Daniel [GM] (00:16:19): She kind of looks for a moment and there is a strange flicker behind her eyes and she says, that's the connection I hadn't thought of. You're full of it too. Or something like it. Alex [ChaCha] (00:16:35): I have been told I'm full of it before doc, I'm going to just need you to be a little more specific. Daniel [GM] (00:16:41): It's not the same energy, but it looks very similar to you. And isn't that interesting, Nix how naughty have you been? Alex [ChaCha] (00:16:51): What do you mean? I've been just an average level of naughty. I'm sorry that the queen thinks ChaCha is a terrorist. That's not really my fault. I haven't been terrorizing. Wait, I'm not answering your questions, I forgot. So why don't you just elaborate on this theory that you have? Daniel [GM] (00:17:08): Not the same. Maybe you're a carrier. She was sick while you were gone. Oh no. I have to think about this connection. It doesn't seem to link up to what the energy is used for. So I'm not sure exactly. It seems to... I can tell you this, the energy loses its tendency to jump once it's extracted. Alex [ChaCha] (00:17:27): So you're saying that the energy spreads between travelers? Daniel [GM] (00:17:31): I don't know yet. This is a new connection I hadn't thought of. Alex [ChaCha] (00:17:35): So are you legit, just bad at your job Doc Taraz? Yeah. Daniel [GM] (00:17:39): I have clients that would disagree with that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:17:41): Is that true? Has there been anything she said that's been untrue so far? Daniel [GM] (00:17:47): She said I have clients that would the opposite of that. So yes, that's true. Alex [ChaCha] (00:17:50): Okay. And nothing else you said has triggered the lie eater? Daniel [GM] (00:17:55): Not yet. Atalia give me a detecting falsehoods roll of 15. Marietta [Atalia] (00:18:01): Yeah, I'm trained in that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:18:07): Well, is it just based on her knowledge? Say Nix is specialized in social, so could she assist? Daniel [GM] (00:18:13): Because of the GM intrusion you're not getting anything off of her, so you're not going to be able to just use social on her, so. Alex [ChaCha] (00:18:18): Oh got you. Got you. Marietta [Atalia] (00:18:19): Can I spend a level of effort? Daniel [GM] (00:18:21): Okay. Yeah. Marietta [Atalia] (00:18:22): 18. Daniel [GM] (00:18:26): So you realize very quickly that it's actually a little bit difficult because she's quite good. But Atalia, you realize that the reason why the squid hat isn't lighting up isn't necessarily because Doc Taraz is being super honest and open anyway, it's that she's very carefully parsing her language. Marietta [Atalia] (00:18:49): So what do you know about the Benevolent Society of Travelers? Daniel [GM] (00:18:51): It's just one of those cults- Alex [ChaCha] (00:18:53): Whoa. Daniel [GM] (00:18:53): That scoops up some young impressionable ones as early as they can get them, trains them as obviously, she looks at Nix, murder. Alex [ChaCha] (00:18:53): It's not a cult, it's a way of life. Daniel [GM] (00:19:08): And she looks at Atalia, she says, in my experience, nobody who's benevolent needs to call themselves that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:19:14): Any lies detected. Daniel [GM] (00:19:15): Nope. Marietta [Atalia] (00:19:17): [inaudible 00:19:17]. Daniel [GM] (00:19:18): This is exactly what Doc Taraz thinks about the Benevolent Society. Alex [ChaCha] (00:19:22): Oh shit. Marietta [Atalia] (00:19:23): But I'm talking about from a Numenera standpoint, they're just a cult. They have no power of their own. Daniel [GM] (00:19:30): This is the first I've thought of a connection to the Benevolent Society to Travelers. Marietta [Atalia] (00:19:34): Okay. What about teleportation in general? Clearly you've some experience with that before or you wouldn't be able to siphon the energy away from her. Daniel [GM] (00:19:44): I siphoned the energy away from her without experience because I'm good. I'm good at what I do. And she kind of blinks at you and raises an eyebrow. She's like anybody's should have been able to scan Nix's mother and been able to figure out how to extract the energy. At least if they had real training. It's supposed to, she kind of looks, she's getting much more confident now and looks at ChaCha and Atalia and says, a couple of hedge witches. Stace [Nix] (00:20:10): ChaCha's going to wiggle that dart she left in Doc Taraz's hand. Marietta [Atalia] (00:20:17): Can I make a remembering details or understanding Numenera roll to see if I have an idea of what she's trying not to tell us? She's clearly dancing around something and misdirecting. Stace [Nix] (00:20:30): If Atalia says that out loud, Nix will just ask what she's dancing around. Daniel [GM] (00:20:35): It's a good question though. I think Atalia would probably be... Atalia is probably very internal in this. Marietta [Atalia] (00:20:39): Yeah. Daniel [GM] (00:20:40): Yes. So Atalia, you can try to roll something to see what you get. You could either use... I think it would be, it's less about remembering details and more about... No, actually remembering details would work. So that would be a 12. Marietta [Atalia] (00:20:54): Okay. And I'm trained in that. Okay. And that's a 15. Daniel [GM] (00:20:58): You realize with some clarity that she has still managed to deflect for quite a bit against what does she do with the energy. Marietta [Atalia] (00:21:07): Good point. So what are you doing with that energy that you siphoned away with your all knowing training? Daniel [GM] (00:21:18): I use it for various experiments. At this point the squid hat lights up a bit and gestures towards her. Alex [ChaCha] (00:21:26): Elaborate. Daniel [GM] (00:21:27): She says, I don't think you guys would understand. And then it lights up again more. Alex [ChaCha] (00:21:32): Oh you do think we'll understand. The squid has spoken. So Doc Taraz, please do not encourage my colleague ChaCha. Marietta [Atalia] (00:21:40): ChaCha's not very socialized. I mean, I'm not either really. Daniel [GM] (00:21:45): The energy is compatible with a certain kind of battery that is useful to me. Alex [ChaCha] (00:21:52): Useful for what? Come on doc. Daniel [GM] (00:21:56): I use batteries to power things. Marietta [Atalia] (00:21:59): What things? Alex [ChaCha] (00:22:01): You're right, this is far beyond my understanding Doc Taraz, batteries that power things. Please continue. Daniel [GM] (00:22:07): Well Nix it's pretty simple, basically you put the power source inside the thing and it starts a circuit against the mechanism [cOztalk 00:22:14]. Oh. Alex [ChaCha] (00:22:15): Nix is paying attention just in case she's wrong. Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:21): What are you powering? Daniel [GM] (00:22:25): I use it to power than artifact that I have access to. Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:33): So tedious. And what does the artifact do? Daniel [GM] (00:22:36): That's proprietary. Alex [ChaCha] (00:22:37): Who are you actually working for? Daniel [GM] (00:22:40): I'm a freelancer. I work for the queen. I'm on retainer for severals, but I work for myself. Sampson [Dili] (00:22:45): Who owns the artifact that you have access to, as you said? Daniel [GM] (00:22:50): She kind of pauses for a moment, like nobody, it can't be moved. Marietta [Atalia] (00:22:57): This is fun. Where is the artifact? Sampson [Dili] (00:23:00): And who allows you to access it, let's say? Marietta [Atalia] (00:23:03): Man, I should have kept that one. Daniel [GM] (00:23:10): I found it. If it was something that I could retrieve back then I could say I owned it, but I can't. It's too big for that. And nobody else has access to it. So I say, nobody owns it, but I'm the one who can access it. Marietta [Atalia] (00:23:25): Where is it? Daniel [GM] (00:23:26): I don't want to tell you that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:23:28): But you will tell me that Doc Taraz. Daniel [GM] (00:23:31): How does that change anything with your mother, knowing where it is? Alex [ChaCha] (00:23:35): Because it tells me more than you're telling me. Because I don't think that you're being completely honest and neither does the squid. So spit it out. Damn Doc Taraz. Daniel [GM] (00:23:46): Do you have any idea how hard I've worked to get where I am right now. I started out without anything else, but to be able to provide services in ward Anna. That's where I got my start. And it took a while to build up my reputation and my personal power to the point where I could serve the queen herself. Marietta [Atalia] (00:24:09): That's a lovely sob story, but- Alex [ChaCha] (00:24:11): That's really sweet, yeah. Marietta [Atalia] (00:24:13): You're not telling us what we want to know. And- Daniel [GM] (00:24:18): I'm not going to give you access to the thing that's helped me get there. Marietta [Atalia] (00:24:24): So you want to have a pain-free existence. Daniel [GM] (00:24:29): Okay. Atalia give me a intimidation. Sampson [Dili] (00:24:36): Can Dili actually help out with this a bit? Marietta [Atalia] (00:24:38): 17. Daniel [GM] (00:24:39): How so? Sampson [Dili] (00:24:40): He's going to put a little subtle illusion, just like a little bit of a red glow in her eyes. Kind of like the anime thing where they get like really intense. Marietta [Atalia] (00:24:48): It's like the flash red. Like I will burn her. Daniel [GM] (00:24:51): Like one vein bulges in her forehead. Sampson [Dili] (00:24:54): Yeah. Just a very subtle glow, just softly like, oh, oh. Daniel [GM] (00:24:57): Okay. Yeah. I'll give an asset for that. So she looks at Atalia. She's like, it's complicated. There's access to it from beneath my home, but it's not just there it's a maze you have to get through. Marietta [Atalia] (00:25:13): That sounds fun. How do you get through the maze? Daniel [GM] (00:25:17): She just stares at you for a second and says, you have to have one of the batteries. Marietta [Atalia] (00:25:23): The batteries that you charge with the teleportation energy from Nick's mom. Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:28): Yes. Which is a reliable source Doc Taraz, which is what tells me that you weren't working all that hard to cure her. Is that the case? Daniel [GM] (00:25:37): I don't think there is a cure. There is only treatment, in my professional opinion. Sampson [Dili] (00:25:48): Is there a better treatment than the one you've been giving her? Daniel [GM] (00:25:51): Not that I'm aware of. Alex [ChaCha] (00:25:53): But what else powers the batteries. Daniel [GM] (00:25:55): She smiles at ChaCha she's like, that's good. Yeah. There are multiple energy types that can be extracted to the batteries. Sometimes you can pull them from cyphers. Sometimes you can pull them from other things. In [Naya's 00:26:11] case she produced it on her own, or however she got it. Sampson [Dili] (00:26:16): What does the device do, or have you not gotten that far yet? Daniel [GM] (00:26:19): It does a lot of things. It can create Numenera. It can graft enhancements. I don't know if there is a practical limit to it beyond the energy that it gets. I haven't yet found it. Sampson [Dili] (00:26:38): I'm going to quickly throw basically a ball of static around her head, but also like audio static, white noise. So she can't hear us converse real quick. Daniel [GM] (00:26:47): Uh-huh (affirmative). Sampson [Dili] (00:26:48): I'm going to throw that up. And then I turn to Nix saying, this might be bigger than just your mom. I think this might be Guardians stuff that we should probably tell mama Jaron about. Alex [ChaCha] (00:26:58): Yeah. I'm thinking the same thing. We should definitely tell mama J about this, but also guys, I really thought she would be more evil, less opportunistic. And it sounds like she's just kind of a leech. What are you guys... And maybe we should ask more about the society, like Pathfinder Jen seemed too interested. Stace [Nix] (00:27:19): No, I don't think she knows about the society. I think if you really want her to live, we need to be really careful about how much of a hint we're giving her to other bigger things. Marietta [Atalia] (00:27:33): Yeah. We're giving her too much data. Stace [Nix] (00:27:35): She's already going to go after this Benevolent Society, if we let her live because she now knows they caused the teleportation. Sampson [Dili] (00:27:45): Yeah. I think we might get more if we get Doc Taraz's notes. But I also think talking to Pathfinder Jen might help. Because I think the plate might be the key to the phenomenon and Pathfinder Jen might be at least the starting point to find out what the plate is and what it does and why it exists. Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:05): Okay. So I say we ask mama J if... Or Merrick, if they can hold Doc Taraz for like a week or like a while. Stace [Nix] (00:28:16): Well we should brief Merrick. Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:21): Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we can act on our other shit. You're sure she can't hear anything. Sampson [Dili] (00:28:27): I'm pretty sure. Marietta [Atalia] (00:28:30): Also we could go check out, she said there's access under her house and that you need a battery to get through to maze. Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:36): Yes. We need time. So I think we just ask that she be held. ChaCha take your dart back and heal her hand, or something. Stace [Nix] (00:28:44): I mean, do you really want her hand healed? Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:47): Yeah. Stace [Nix] (00:28:48): Are you sure? Alex [ChaCha] (00:28:50): I mean, she is a leech and the more intact we leave her after this, the sooner she can conduct her research again. Marietta [Atalia] (00:29:01): Yeah. But we- Alex [ChaCha] (00:29:02): Let's talk about that later after. Okay. This is probably enough for now. Anyone have any final questions? Stace [Nix] (00:29:09): Oh, I have one actually. I think we need to get more ideas on how she powers these batteries when your mom wasn't around, because that might make our decision clearer. Alex [ChaCha] (00:29:21): Oh yeah. She could be like, Oh yeah. Okay, cool. Yeah. Thanks. Stace [Nix] (00:29:23): Hey, I mean, she could be doing more than just siphoning stuff from your mom. She could be, I don't know, kidnapping people and draining their blood and- Alex [ChaCha] (00:29:34): Okay. Yeah, yeah. But we only got a few minutes left on this thing ChaCha, so we should ask or you should ask. Yeah. You should ask first. And I'll ask my question last, if we have time. Stace [Nix] (00:29:44): I can also read her mind so- Alex [ChaCha] (00:29:47): ChaCha read her mind. Stace [Nix] (00:29:49): It just seemed like you were doing so good. And I didn't want to be like, don't worry let me just butt in here on the lie eater. Alex [ChaCha] (00:29:57): No read like, yeah. Sampson [Dili] (00:30:00): How long have you been able to read minds? Stace [Nix] (00:30:04): Oh awhile. Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:04): Jeez. Stace [Nix] (00:30:04): Awhile. Sampson [Dili] (00:30:04): Well, how long is a while? Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:06): That's way more humane than [inaudible 00:30:07]. Hello. I'm not an ethicists. Sampson [Dili] (00:30:11): But we've been doing pretty good for humane right now. Let's give ourselves some credit. Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:13): But there's a dart in her hand. Okay. We don't have time. All right. So ChaCha you do your thing. I'll ask some questions about exactly how else she powers these batteries. You do your thing. We'll find out what we can find out. When we'll ask the guardians to hold her. This a good plan guys, I'm feeling- Marietta [Atalia] (00:30:31): Great plan. Beautiful plan. Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:33): Yeah. Okay. Break. Sampson [Dili] (00:30:35): All right. I dismiss the illusion. Daniel [GM] (00:30:38): She looks around, and she's like, whichever one of you did that, that was really annoying. Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:43): Crickets. Sampson [Dili] (00:30:45): Dili just kind of looks at the ground not really saying anything just like. Alex [ChaCha] (00:30:49): Blushes, puts one foot on its toes and wheels it around. Marietta [Atalia] (00:30:54): That's what we should do for a t-shirt Dili blushes. Daniel [GM] (00:30:57): Taps his index fingers together. Marietta [Atalia] (00:30:58): Who me? Alex [ChaCha] (00:31:06): All right, doc I've got a few more questions for you. First is, okay, so you power the battery with my mother, which I am clearly not a fan of, especially because I was paying you 300 shins a month for the privilege, like come on doc. But anyway, that aside, how else did you power these batteries? Because you've only been training my mom for like a year-ish or so. So how did you power the battery before. Stace [Nix] (00:31:30): ChaCha is activating her mind reading, but not like mind read. Daniel [GM] (00:31:34): Okay. Yeah. And your mind read catches, surface thoughts. So you do catch a surface thought from her that says, only a few minutes left in the lie eater. And she says, like I said, there are some types of cyphers that can be drained, there are other things that can be drained. Alex [ChaCha] (00:31:54): What are the other things doc? Daniel [GM] (00:31:56): There are some artifacts, and there are even some natural phenomenon that produce the energy. Alex [ChaCha] (00:32:03): Tell us about the natural ones. The ChaCha's going to grip the dart that's still in her hand. Daniel [GM] (00:32:07): She looks at it for a second, looks up at you and says, you hear the surface thoughts and you just hear the storms. She says, there are weather occurrences that the batteries can be charged with. Alex [ChaCha] (00:32:20): What kind of storms are these? Daniel [GM] (00:32:22): Bad ones. And in her mind, the surface thoughts void storms. Stace [Nix] (00:32:27): What a void storms? Daniel [GM] (00:32:29): She blinks at you, and she says, "Oh, a little mind reader." Marietta [Atalia] (00:32:34): Yeah. What is it that you don't want us to know anyway. Stace [Nix] (00:32:37): I also can see the centipedes that are going to eat your brain. So if you want all your limbs at the end of this, you're going to keep telling us faster before... We know you're counting the time. My leash is only so long. Daniel [GM] (00:32:50): Okay. Her eyes get that little flicker in a second. And you hear the surface thought. So like, "Interesting, might as well scan her." Stace [Nix] (00:33:04): I think ChaCha is going to take the dart and stab her in the leg. Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:07): ChaCha, God ChaCha. Stace [Nix] (00:33:10): No scans without consent. Daniel [GM] (00:33:14): She shouts as the dart goes into her leg, and she blinks and looks at you ChaCha, and you hear a surface thought of, "What?" And then she says out loud, "Who are you?" Stace [Nix] (00:33:30): That's proprietary. I don't like being scanned without consent. Atalia hasn't even done that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:37): No Atalia to do that one time ChaCha, but we don't have to talk... Well, we know how that ended. So it's a very bad thing to... Maybe. I mean, ethically speaking mind, reading without consent like there's a lot of questions here. Stace [Nix] (00:33:49): I mean it's either that or I start taking her toes. Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:52): No, don't take her toe. Stace [Nix] (00:33:53): You know you have a bad time balancing without the big toe. Alex [ChaCha] (00:33:56): Don't take her toes unless you really have to ChaCha. Daniel [GM] (00:34:01): Wow Nix you really are deep into something. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:05): Oh yeah, neck deep. Marietta [Atalia] (00:34:07): Oh yeah. What are you neck deep into? Daniel [GM] (00:34:10): ChaCha you pick up the surface thought of, there is no way the queen will let her live after this. Stace [Nix] (00:34:20): [inaudible 00:34:20]. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:21): Void stones now. Sampson [Dili] (00:34:22): Or the queen. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:23): Or the queen. Marietta [Atalia] (00:34:24): We're king of ourselves. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:26): Do you guys have any other questions for Doc Taraz before we do whatever? Stace [Nix] (00:34:32): Void stones. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:32): Void stones, tell us more about- Daniel [GM] (00:34:33): Void storms, I'm sorry. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:34): Void storms. Stace [Nix] (00:34:35): Void storms. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:36): If you would please doc. Daniel [GM] (00:34:38): They show up every couple of months. Most of it doesn't reach the city you have to get up high to catch it, but there's plenty of void energy in there, in the storm, batteries like it. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:48): Okay. I guess I have one more question for you. Daniel [GM] (00:34:53): ChaCha you pick up in her head, lie eater's almost done now. Alex [ChaCha] (00:34:57): Doc Taraz tell me the truth are the jade eggs effective? Daniel [GM] (00:35:08): She blinks for a second, and it's like you've clearly derailed her. There's no surface thoughts on this for a second. It's just her sort of trying to process the question. And then she looks at she says, "Define effective?" And the squid hat powers down. Alex [ChaCha] (00:35:26): I knew it. All right. Nix will pull the dart out of her leg and hand it back to ChaCha and then put the hood back over her head and say, all right guys, we're done here for now. Stace [Nix] (00:35:38): Can ChaCha try and club Doc Taraz unconscious. Daniel [GM] (00:35:42): Well, before you do that, as the hood goes back on her head ChaCha sense... Your mind reading lasts for like 10 minutes, right? Stace [Nix] (00:35:48): I think so. I have to read that. Mind reading. Oh, up to one minute. Daniel [GM] (00:35:55): Yeah. Okay. So probably past a minute from when you engaged it. So yeah, anybody who wants to can make a social roll of detecting deception. Yes, Nix you could use your- Marietta [Atalia] (00:36:09): I'm trained in detecting falsehoods. Alex [ChaCha] (00:36:13): [inaudible 00:36:13]. Daniel [GM] (00:36:13): Okay. So it's a 12 for Atalia. It's a 15 for everybody else besides Nix, it's a nine. Sampson [Dili] (00:36:21): Damn it 12. Alex [ChaCha] (00:36:22): Wait a second. Oh 11. Marietta [Atalia] (00:36:22): 14. Stace [Nix] (00:36:28): 14. Marietta [Atalia] (00:36:29): Twins. Yah. Alex [ChaCha] (00:36:32): So you succeeded [crosstalk 00:36:33]. Daniel [GM] (00:36:35): Yeah. So everyone who succeeded notices something, it's very subtle, that as you put the hood over her head it's a sigh of relief. Alex [ChaCha] (00:36:45): Oh hell no. This is why ChaCha's clubbing her unconscious so we have more to talk about. Nix pulls, the hood back off. What are you so relieved about Doc Taraz? Daniel [GM] (00:36:55): She blinks at you and says, nothing. Alex [ChaCha] (00:36:58): Nothing. Sampson [Dili] (00:36:59): While this is happening Dili, you're just going to slowly take the lie eater out of Nix's hands and go behind Doc Taraz. And then I'm going to try to get an extra use out of it. Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:08): Ooh. Sampson [Dili] (00:37:09): Okay. So remind me what level is the lie eater, again? Daniel [GM] (00:37:15): We may not have rolled for it because it was- Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:17): Uh-uh (negative). Stace [Nix] (00:37:18): I think it was a starting cypher. Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:19): Yeah, it doesn't have a level noted, at least. Daniel [GM] (00:37:24): Nix roll won't be six. Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:25): Six, oh six. Daniel [GM] (00:37:30): Okay. Let's say the level six lie eater. Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:33): God damn. Sampson [Dili] (00:37:34): Okay. Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:35): Was that bad. Marietta [Atalia] (00:37:35): Yeah. Alex [ChaCha] (00:37:35): Well, I'm sorry. Sampson [Dili] (00:37:38): Yeah. Because it means it's harder. Daniel [GM] (00:37:40): So Dili, you have... Are you trained or specialized in crafting? Sampson [Dili] (00:37:46): I am trained. Daniel [GM] (00:37:48): Okay. It means it's under 15. And you have tools, so that's down to a 12. Stace [Nix] (00:37:56): Can ChaCha use her little hands to help? Daniel [GM] (00:37:58): You don't have crafting in there so you wouldn't be able to help on this task. Alex [ChaCha] (00:38:02): Yeah, and Nix can't use capita outlook right now. Daniel [GM] (00:38:04): So it's a 12 right now Dili. Sampson [Dili] (00:38:06): 12 all right. I'm going to put two levels of effort into that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:38:09): Fuck yeah, you are. Daniel [GM] (00:38:11): So it's a six. Ooh, 17. Alex [ChaCha] (00:38:14): Fuck yeah. Daniel [GM] (00:38:15): You think that you've got it set up so that you could get an extra use, and it fried essentially some of the connections inside of it, but you're able to basically quickly put together a solution to complete the circuit to bring it back online. Sampson [Dili] (00:38:29): All right. I put it on and stay behind Doc Taraz. So she can't see. Daniel [GM] (00:38:34): Okay. So Nix you see the lie eater turn on Dili's head. Sampson [Dili] (00:38:40): I put the thumbs up. Daniel [GM] (00:38:41): Yeah. It probably takes a couple of minutes of uncomfortable silence while this is happening. Stace [Nix] (00:38:46): I think ChaCha is being distracting with the dart like, we get to go again. Daniel [GM] (00:38:51): And I'm sorry, what was Nix's question again? Alex [ChaCha] (00:38:54): What are you so relieved about Doc Taraz. Daniel [GM] (00:38:56): I'm not relieved. And of course the hat lights up behind. You put the hood on me, who knows what's going to happen to me now. Alex [ChaCha] (00:39:04): Yeah. So you're lying and here's the thing. You have this threat now you're holding over me about going to the queen, which does of course make me disinclined to allow you to ever leave this room. However, I could be persuaded otherwise if you were actually helpful Doc Taraz. So why don't you stop lying and tell me what you're so fucking relieved about. Stace [Nix] (00:39:32): Is Nix trying to intimidate? Alex [ChaCha] (00:39:34): Yeah. Well, yeah. I don't know if Nix has intimidation abilities back yet. Stace [Nix] (00:39:39): Can ChaCha help by taking off Doc Taraz's shoe off and being like, "Okay, toe time." Alex [ChaCha] (00:39:46): What? No. So Nix goes, what exactly does a nano need to be successful Doc Taraz? Is it her wits? Is it her fingers? Is it her toes? Stace [Nix] (00:39:56): I mean, if it's just the brain, that means we can take all the limbs as long as we leave torso alone, people can crawl along pretty good. Daniel [GM] (00:40:04): Okay. So with ChaCha's asset and Nix's specialization, that's going to be a six. Alex [ChaCha] (00:40:11): 16. Marietta [Atalia] (00:40:12): They terrified her to death. Daniel [GM] (00:40:12): I can take you to it if you want. Stace [Nix] (00:40:17): I mean, you don't need legs for that. We can hook you up like a little backpack, Nix is pretty tall she carries me around all the time. Alex [ChaCha] (00:40:24): Take us to your artifact. Daniel [GM] (00:40:25): If harm's going to come to me I don't want to help. Alex [ChaCha] (00:40:28): If you genuinely help us Doc Taraz no harm will come to you. Stace [Nix] (00:40:32): No more harm. Alex [ChaCha] (00:40:34): No. ChaCha... Right. Sorry. No more harm is going to come to you. But what are you taking us to, your artifacts? Daniel [GM] (00:40:42): It's what all your questions are about. Alex [ChaCha] (00:40:45): And that's what you were so relieved about. Daniel [GM] (00:40:47): He pauses like, yes. The squid hat kind of half-heartedly waves at her. Alex [ChaCha] (00:40:53): Try again. Stace [Nix] (00:40:54): ChaCha's going to reactivate mind reading. Daniel [GM] (00:40:56): Okay. She the surface thoughts like, they haven't checked yet. They don't know it's there, echo pockets. Stace [Nix] (00:41:04): I think ChaCha is going to kind of try and whisper that in Nix's ear. Like, we need to check for something it's somewhere. Alex [ChaCha] (00:41:13): Oh gosh, we have been so neglectful. Oh my god ChaCha, I thank you for reminding me. We haven't even scanned Doc Taraz, or like searched her. Marietta [Atalia] (00:41:24): I scan her. It's Atalia's favorite. Daniel [GM] (00:41:27): Yah. Everyone take a shot at home. Alex [ChaCha] (00:41:32): Yeah, don't play that drinking game. Daniel [GM] (00:41:35): Yeah. That'll ruin you. Atalia exudes the smoke for her scan and Doc Taraz for a moment, the worry lights her eyes. So she looks at her, and then she looks at Atalia and she rolls her eyes at the smoke that Atalia produces to do the scan. And then the scan begins. So mechanical things that the scan tells you, the boring stuff, is that she is level five. She has some Numenera implants grafted to her. That appears to be to some degree, the source of some of her abilities. She does not have any armor. So that's a mechanical thing that you know. And you notice that she is carrying a cypher, and there is something else kitten in the folds of her cloak in a hidden pocket. It's Numenera some type. It might be a cypher, but now that you think about, it could just be an empty battery. Sampson [Dili] (00:42:44): Yeah. It is. Stace [Nix] (00:42:45): Steal all of her stuff. Marietta [Atalia] (00:42:48): I will tentatively pull these things off of her. Daniel [GM] (00:42:52): Okay. Marietta [Atalia] (00:42:53): I'm trained in searching. I would like to search those things out and not trigger some self disarm bomb that she has on her. [crosstalk 00:43:01]. Daniel [GM] (00:43:04): You don't have to roll for it because you know where they are. So you pull the cypher. The cypher is a poison dart of rage. It inflicts the target with two damage and then triggers a rage induced response in them for 1D six rounds, equal to the cypher's level essentially. So roll 1D six for me. Marietta [Atalia] (00:43:34): Six. Daniel [GM] (00:43:34): Okay. Does it for six rounds. And during that time it doesn't do much damage, but then they essentially lose control. There are mechanical effects to that of course that detriment them, but also during that- Alex [ChaCha] (00:43:49): [inaudible 00:43:49]. Daniel [GM] (00:43:49): Yeah, essentially. Basically the way it works is that they are less likely to hit, but they do more damage during that time. They could do up to six damage per hit because of the cypher level. Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:00): It's like the rage mechanic. Daniel [GM] (00:44:03): Yes. But it's harder for them to hit. And then the other item is definitely a depleted battery. Marietta [Atalia] (00:44:11): I'll walk around behind her and hand it to Dili and then walk back around the other side and look at her again. Daniel [GM] (00:44:18): Both cyphers to Dili or? Marietta [Atalia] (00:44:20): The empty battery. Daniel [GM] (00:44:22): Okay. Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:22): Nix will lower her hand for this cypher. Marietta [Atalia] (00:44:25): I'll hand her the rage dart. And I'll tell her what it is. Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:25): Oh, cool. Daniel [GM] (00:44:25): Okay. Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:33): Like whatever. Nix will put it in her pocket. Daniel [GM] (00:44:33): I suppose a little thievery on top of kidnapping and torture is no large leap. Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:39): No, not really. No. Marietta [Atalia] (00:44:41): Yeah. You've never done either of those things before, have you? Stace [Nix] (00:44:44): You should see the leg I stole from a dead guy. Alex [ChaCha] (00:44:47): I understand that as a moral citizen of your stature, that you would have issues with this because of course you would never cheat or harm people for your own ends, I'm sure. I'm being sarcastic Dr Oz, just want to make sure you caught that. Sampson [Dili] (00:45:03): Dili's face kind of looks confused, but then slightly behind him, just like. Daniel [GM] (00:45:08): She kind of blinks at you Nix, and she says, "I thought that it's sarcasm." The squid hat is totally fine. And she says, it's sad to see someone of your family station falls so far. It's a shame to house Slay Deck. Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:23): Yeah. Well there isn't really a house Slay Deck anymore now, is there? Daniel [GM] (00:45:27): So I understand that's your fault. Alex [ChaCha] (00:45:29): Oh gosh Doc Taraz, you're going to have to do better than that. Like come on amateur hour over here. Hey guys got any other questions for the doc before we consult? Sampson [Dili] (00:45:40): What motivates you, money or prestige or glory or something else? Marietta [Atalia] (00:45:46): I think she sent him his artifacts. Daniel [GM] (00:45:49): They're all the same thing. Money grants prestige, prestige grants money, all about whatever you have to do. She's looking over her shoulder of course since you asked her. So she sees the squid hat on her head. She pauses for a second and then she says, that's how you get ahead, there's nothing else that's important if you want to get ahead. If you don't want to end up... Then she kind of looks you up and down a little bit Dili, she kind of zeroes in on your face. And she says, if you don't want to spend your life on the run and in hiding, and you want to have personal power and authority over your own life, that's what you do. Alex [ChaCha] (00:46:29): Damn you're evil as fuck, holy shit. Daniel [GM] (00:46:34): She turns and she looks at you Nix, and she's like, I'm not evil. I'm a realist. Alex [ChaCha] (00:46:39): Yeah. Yes. I understand that that's what you would call it. Guys, Dili don't let it get to you. You're super cool and [inaudible 00:46:46] and whatever. Sampson [Dili] (00:46:50): Yeah. Alex [ChaCha] (00:46:50): So yeah. Any other questions for the, I would say the good doctor, but I... Oh, sorry. That's offensive. My part is the good doc. Stace [Nix] (00:47:00): Can I have your Numenera implants? I'm asking because you seem to think it's more polite to ask. Daniel [GM] (00:47:06): No, you may not. Stace [Nix] (00:47:08): What if you weren't using them? Marietta [Atalia] (00:47:10): What's so special about this artifact, why does this need such a big battery? Stace [Nix] (00:47:15): Just so like I can tele out of nowhere. It's just like- Daniel [GM] (00:47:21): And Atalia has just been staring off in the distance and kind of like looking at the shadows to herself, in this light and turns like hands on hips. It's like, wait a second. She turns and looks at Atalia, and she says, it makes Numenera, it's the figuring out the hay to get into that artifact. That's what let me climb through the ranks. It's what made me a real nano, not an amateur. Alex [ChaCha] (00:47:50): Oh my God, doc, you're just fucking trying to stir the pot. Like, Oh jeez. Stace [Nix] (00:47:57): It means she likes getting punched. Alex [ChaCha] (00:47:58): Do you have anything valuable to say, like guys... Atalia what was your actual question? Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:04): It was about the artifact, which she sort of answered. She says it makes Numenera. Does it make cyphers? Alex [ChaCha] (00:48:10): Yeah, no, it does. That's what she said. Yeah. Marietta [Atalia] (00:48:12): Okay. Alex [ChaCha] (00:48:13): Cool. So unless we have any... Oh, we never followed up. So do the Jade eggs do what you say that they do? Daniel [GM] (00:48:23): Sampson roll die for me, tell if you get even or odd. Sampson [Dili] (00:48:25): Oh God. Odd. Daniel [GM] (00:48:28): She looks at you and says, they're effective, but that are better ways to achieve their advertised purchase. They have other benefits. Alex [ChaCha] (00:48:37): All right. Well kind of figured. Stace [Nix] (00:48:39): Oh, I have a question. So deep. Daniel [GM] (00:48:43): Oh wait, ChaCha has mind reading activated, doesn't she? Stace [Nix] (00:48:46): Yeah. Daniel [GM] (00:48:48): So you hear in your head from Doc Taraz. They're addictive. Sampson [Dili] (00:48:55): Fuck. Alex [ChaCha] (00:48:57): I think ChaCha blushes is like, why. Describe and save. Marietta [Atalia] (00:49:10): There's no savings actually, just the options there. Stace [Nix] (00:49:13): Oh God, I've read Alex's brain. So wait. Can you see the horrors? Can the horrors be used to power the batteries? Daniel [GM] (00:49:23): I don't know what you're talking about exactly. Stace [Nix] (00:49:27): The world beyond this world, the ones who think we should all, oh, I don't know if they want us all to die, but they enjoy watching people suffer. Daniel [GM] (00:49:41): That's not one of my abilities, but it's one of the reasons I'm so curious about you. Stace [Nix] (00:49:44): Hey, it's one of the reasons. Daniel [GM] (00:49:46): And then you hear in your head, your mind reading, you hear, "What is she?" Stace [Nix] (00:49:51): I'm ChaCha. I'm going to save the world. That's what I am. I mean- Daniel [GM] (00:49:58): So in her head, it's just, "I'm so confused right now. If I keep them talking long enough the lie eater will turn off and then maybe I can focus on surviving." Stace [Nix] (00:50:09): I mean surviving or thriving? It's really two different things. And maybe- Daniel [GM] (00:50:15): I already offered to take you to it. And now you've been just pressing me on the issue. And then you stole my cyphers. Stace [Nix] (00:50:23): Wow. You were going to let the queen kill Nix, and I can't really let that happen because I like Nix and Nix family. And I protect my family and the horrors protects me. So it's like this vicious cycle where invisible enemies will eat you if you do not become more cooperative. And it's not even my choice, it's just going to happen. Marietta [Atalia] (00:50:48): Well, maybe she could just tell us how to get there and we could go check it out. And if everything checks out, we'll let her go. Alex [ChaCha] (00:50:54): I think that we should consult on those details. Stace [Nix] (00:50:57): Or, I have another idea. She likes research, we could make her an offer she can't refuse and then she can't go against us. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:07): But let's discuss that. Daniel [GM] (00:51:10): I'm sitting right here. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:11): Yeah. We know we can see you. Oh my God. Sampson [Dili] (00:51:14): Should I put the thing up. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:16): Yeah. Put the thing up. Try and [crosstalk 00:51:18] make it less annoying. Daniel [GM] (00:51:19): Please some different sound. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:20): Yeah, yeah, yeah. Some different sound. Maybe have it like- Sampson [Dili] (00:51:24): I make bird noises, but they're a little too high pitched. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:26): Like seagull? Sampson [Dili] (00:51:31): Oh God seagulls right in your ear. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:33): It's like the underlying ocean sound ocean. Sampson [Dili] (00:51:37): Oh actually yeah, ocean sound might be good. Alex [ChaCha] (00:51:37): But like- Sampson [Dili] (00:51:39): But ever now and then a seagull that just kind of sounds like a string being pulled through your head. Daniel [GM] (00:51:46): So that pops up. Stace [Nix] (00:51:48): We could talk to mama Jaron and see if she can force her into working for these knights. Sampson [Dili] (00:51:56): I do agree. I think she can be bought, but that could be a two way street if someone else tries to buy her. Stace [Nix] (00:52:03): She can't be let go. Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:06): Yeah. I think that's not solely our decision, so we should definitely consult like I've been saying. So we should just leave her hood on. Stace [Nix] (00:52:14): Don't leave her conscious though, because guards, et cetera. Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:19): Yeah, she does have a lot of implants. We don't know the nature. Sampson [Dili] (00:52:22): I mean Merrick was able to bring her in, no problem. So assuming we don't have to do cleanup I think that'd be fun. Stace [Nix] (00:52:29): Yeah. Alex [ChaCha] (00:52:29): Let's go. Let's step out. Let's find him. Sampson [Dili] (00:52:32): Yeah. So we put the hood on before we leave. Daniel [GM] (00:52:36): Yeah. Because once you get over 10 feet away the ball drops from around her head. Stace [Nix] (00:52:42): I think ChaCha though will stay with Doc Taraz just to make sure nothing weird happens. And it's also like, she's conscious that she's not in the Knights of New Hope. So she can't make these conversations with Merrick. Daniel [GM] (00:52:56): Oh yeah. It's a good point. Stace [Nix] (00:52:58): So she's going to stay behind and guard Doc Taraz, because she cannot be in these conversations. Daniel [GM] (00:53:05): Yeah. You guys step outside the door and Merrick is still there waiting and watching the door. And he kind of looks at you guys and says, Oh wow. You guys didn't even disguise yourself. You just went in there with your own face [crosstalk 00:53:19]. Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:20): Oh yeah. We don't give a fuck Merrick. Daniel [GM] (00:53:22): It just seems like that's she could... That gives her a lot that she could just tell the queen. Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:28): Yeah. Sampson [Dili] (00:53:29): He was probably going to figure it out by the questions we asked her anyway so- Daniel [GM] (00:53:32): Fair enough. Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:33): No, no, no. It's all good. But so what about holding her for awhile? So Nix will fill him in on the artifact, and like these details, the stuff she thinks that the guardians would really be interested in. Daniel [GM] (00:53:45): Worth checking out to see if it's legit. Alex [ChaCha] (00:53:49): What do with her though? She said she'd take us there. Kind of sounds like a trap to me, but she's desperate so- Sampson [Dili] (00:53:57): He's also the foremost expert on whatever this is. Daniel [GM] (00:53:59): You all were just indoctrinated, you haven't been assigned a guardian yet to oversee you. But I would say, that's your call. You've uncovered this, it's up to you how you want to pursue it. Sampson [Dili] (00:54:12): If she could be held, I think it'd be a good idea to keep her around. Because she's the expert on whatever this device is. And if we run into a dead end or something worse with it, it'd be good to have the ability to- Daniel [GM] (00:54:23): We've arranged things that there shouldn't be any alarm about her disappearance for at least two days. We've forged some travel documents, some work orders and whatnot. But after that, it is going to raise alarm bells so I can hold her for that long. Although I don't even know if you guys want her released, but that's your choice. I'm not going to get involved in that question. I personally have the ability hold her for up to a week, but understand after it's day two people will realize there's a problem. Sampson [Dili] (00:54:57): So yeah, definitely. Alex [ChaCha] (00:54:58): Or we have her take us Dili. Sampson [Dili] (00:55:02): I think we should try to go down there by ourself first. Marietta [Atalia] (00:55:08): I just think that she knows too much and we don't know enough, she would have the advantage. Sampson [Dili] (00:55:11): Yeah. Even with us watching her. We should investigate ourselves first. That's my vote at least. I don't know if anyone else has a- Marietta [Atalia] (00:55:19): I just think she's risky, but whatever you guys want to do with that. Alex [ChaCha] (00:55:23): Nix fingers the poison dart. Sampson [Dili] (00:55:26): We could see if she has a map. She probably won't tell us, but maybe we could ask the question then have ChaCha do her mind reading that she can do, and see if a thought pops up or however that works for ChaCha. Alex [ChaCha] (00:55:40): All right guys. I think we know that Doc Taraz is never going to go back to being Doc Taraz, we can't let her. Sampson [Dili] (00:55:45): Not the way she thought, I don't know. I feel like if the guardians gave her an appropriately tempting deal to be their nano on call or something like that, but that's for the guardians to decide if that's something they want. Daniel [GM] (00:55:58): Yeah Merrick looks, and he's like, that's a very complicated question in this case. And it would have to go through the proctors. Sampson [Dili] (00:56:07): What are proctors? Daniel [GM] (00:56:08): They're overseers of management processes, things like that. Anything beyond our immediate authority, it needs to go through the proctors for approval. Sampson [Dili] (00:56:19): Is it terribly difficult to get a meeting with the proctors? Daniel [GM] (00:56:22): Not necessarily, but it it's time consuming. I mean, there aren't proctors everywhere. Sampson [Dili] (00:56:27): Is mama J a proctor? Daniel [GM] (00:56:29): No, she's a caller. Sampson [Dili] (00:56:30): Okay. Daniel [GM] (00:56:31): He kind of shifts a foot. This is the sort of thing that typically the guardian agent that you're assigned to would go through as part of your training, as part of the organization. But unfortunately you've had to go rather quickly from saying your oaths to this situation. So there hasn't been time to assign you one yet. Sampson [Dili] (00:56:52): Right? Yeah. Marietta [Atalia] (00:56:53): Right. Sampson [Dili] (00:56:54): But even if we haven't come to a unanimous decision yet, we can at least hold her here for a day or two before we have to move. Daniel [GM] (00:57:02): I can hold her here for up to a week. Sampson [Dili] (00:57:04): Right. Daniel [GM] (00:57:05): After that I have to move locations, and we'll just set it up so that she can be found here. But after two days, people will know something's up and start looking for her. That I can't stop. Sampson [Dili] (00:57:17): Right. Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:17): Dili can you craft any sort of memory erase cypher? Sampson [Dili] (00:57:22): So mechanically I have a thing called always tinkering, but that's a random cypher and it's temperamental. It's called a temperamental cypher. Dan does Dili have a Numenera plan or knowledge to make a memory erase cypher? Daniel [GM] (00:57:36): For something like this? Sampson [Dili] (00:57:39): No, not with what I have. Alex [ChaCha] (00:57:42): Then, yeah, I say we take her with us to a catacombs, or whatever I'm assuming it's catacombs I don't know why. The maze beneath her house. Sampson [Dili] (00:57:53): You don't want to just try it first on our own? Marietta [Atalia] (00:57:55): Yeah. I just feel like he might know more about that area than we do, I wouldn't want her to get an upper hand or something. Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:04): I would like her to try something Dili. Sampson [Dili] (00:58:06): Your want her to try something. Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:08): Yes. Marietta [Atalia] (00:58:10): Okay. Cool, yeah bring her along. She can be your friend. Sampson [Dili] (00:58:13): Sorry. Are we doing this before we talk to Atalia's mom or after? Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:13): No. Sampson [Dili] (00:58:19): No what? Marietta [Atalia] (00:58:19): We'll do it before. My mom's not meeting us until tomorrow. Sampson [Dili] (00:58:24): Tonight. It's tonight. Marietta [Atalia] (00:58:26): No, I rescheduled it for the morning. Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:28): Yeah but we were going to go watch at one A, see what's up. Marietta [Atalia] (00:58:31): Oh, right, right. Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:32): Yeah, yeah. So, no, I think yeah. Well let's just think on it. Daniel [GM] (00:58:37): Right. Merrick says, "Okay I can hold her for seven days." Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:41): You're cool Merrick. Thank you. Daniel [GM] (00:58:43): Thanks. I've heard good things about all of you. Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:50): That's nice. Doc Taraz was kind of mean to us, I'm not going to lie. So that's really nice to hear. Marietta [Atalia] (00:58:55): It's like she was tied up or something. Alex [ChaCha] (00:58:57): She's very judgmental for con nano. Daniel [GM] (00:59:01): Yeah. Blinks then says, that's not uncommon for those with money. Alex [ChaCha] (00:59:07): Oh shit. No, you're right. All right. Well thanks. Really appreciate it. We'll decide what to do with her once we maybe figure out some more info. Daniel [GM] (00:59:18): Okay. Alex [ChaCha] (00:59:18): Cool. What time is it? Daniel [GM] (00:59:22): I mean, you got there at dusk. It's now- Marietta [Atalia] (00:59:22): Dusk 30? Daniel [GM] (00:59:27): About an hour later. So it's probably dinner time. Alex [ChaCha] (00:59:31): All right. I mean guys, or do we just want to have her take us to the catacombs? We have so much time till 1:00 AM. Are we going to rest I guess? Sampson [Dili] (00:59:39): I could definitely use a sit-down for a little bit. But I don't know I feel like get some street meat, pull up on whatever roof across the street from the thing and then just wait it out. Marietta [Atalia] (00:59:51): Yeah. I wouldn't mind seeing who else shows up. Alex [ChaCha] (00:59:54): Okay. Marietta [Atalia] (00:59:54): Also, wouldn't mind scanning that building with the new cypher artifact that we have. Alex [ChaCha] (01:00:01): Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Nix will quickly fill Merrick in on the state of the old safe house. Daniel [GM] (01:00:05): Merrick will take a deep breath. Will be like, "It's a problem." Alex [ChaCha] (01:00:10): Yeah. Good news is we killed the relentless Reaper. Daniel [GM] (01:00:14): It's gone? Sampson [Dili] (01:00:15): Yes. Marietta [Atalia] (01:00:16): Relatively speaking. Sampson [Dili] (01:00:18): Technically it's gone. Daniel [GM] (01:00:19): Dili make a deception roll. Sampson [Dili] (01:00:21): Oh God. Oh, I got free level for this. Free level of effort. 18. Alex [ChaCha] (01:00:31): Damn. Daniel [GM] (01:00:32): Merrick says, that's a relief. Sampson [Dili] (01:00:34): Yeah. Thanks. Alex [ChaCha] (01:00:36): Does the rest of the party know it's in Dili's head. Daniel [GM] (01:00:39): No, you guys don't. Alex [ChaCha] (01:00:39): Okay. Sampson [Dili] (01:00:42): I don't think Nix here flipping out it's a robot spleen or however she did it. Daniel [GM] (01:00:45): Impressive. Well, it's probably not good for you guys to be standing out here in the street. You all have sizeable bounties published or unpublished on you. Sampson [Dili] (01:00:55): Oh yeah. Alex [ChaCha] (01:00:57): All right. Dili you want to throw up some disguises we'll bounce? Sampson [Dili] (01:01:00): Yeah. Let's get ChaCha. Dili pops in, kind of waves to ChaCha, like we're leaving. What blood bath do I see when I peek my head in? Alex [ChaCha] (01:01:07): Yeah. Has ChaCha been tempted? Stace [Nix] (01:01:09): The Doc Taraz problem has been solved. Daniel [GM] (01:01:13): No. Doc Taraz is aware that you're there. So she's being very quiet and still, but she does have the hood over her head. Stace [Nix] (01:01:20): Can ChaCha knock Doc Taraz unconscious with Aces' leg. Daniel [GM] (01:01:25): Sure. Yes. Go ahead. Aces' leg is going to be a medium improvised weapon. So it will be a 12. Actually no, 15. To try to knock her out, not to hit her, but just to knock her out. Stace [Nix] (01:01:40): Yeah. She's not trying to bludgeon her to death. That would have probably been a two. Okay. I got an 11, so I just like hit her in the head. Daniel [GM] (01:01:49): Yeah. You just hit her in the head. She's like, mother fuck, God. Stace [Nix] (01:01:57): Go unconscious. Sampson [Dili] (01:02:00): And that's actually what Dili pokes his head in and that's what he sees happening. He just sees that happen when he's walking in. He's like, "Do you need more time? Because we're going to go, but if you need more time, I can..." Stace [Nix] (01:02:11): He needs to go unconscious. Sampson [Dili] (01:02:16): I'll go see if someone has something for that real quick. Dili pops out. ChaCha's trying to make her go unconscious. I probably can't help with that like you guys can so- Daniel [GM] (01:02:28): Merrick blinks, like we'll take care of it, but we can't do it while ChaCha's in the room. Sampson [Dili] (01:02:33): Gotcha. Dili goes back in. ChaCha, they got it. So if you want to, we're going to head out. Stace [Nix] (01:02:39): I think Josh is going to lean real close and say, "I will find you one day and you will never know when." And just leaves. Daniel [GM] (01:02:48): Okay. Sampson [Dili] (01:02:48): What did you say to her? Stace [Nix] (01:02:49): Just some stuff to make her paranoid. We'll see if it works. Sampson [Dili] (01:02:53): Mind games. Stace [Nix] (01:02:55): It's a new thing I'm trying out. Instead of hurting her, I'm hurting her feelings. Daniel [GM] (01:03:02): And ChaCha as you're saying this, you step out the door and you can see across the street kind of hidden in the shadows a figure that you're very confident that nobody else can see. And in fact, you would barely see them for the position of the shadows, except they blink with two glowing purple eyes. And that's where we'll end this episode. Stace [Nix] (01:03:27): And so just ChaCha would just walk and is like, "I got to take a call." One second. Marietta [Atalia] (01:03:32): ARB. Daniel [GM] (01:03:36): So Stace something about this episode. Stace [Nix] (01:03:39): Yeah. Well, we're discovering the dark side of family loyalty and Nix. So it's kind of, everything's like a sliding scale, right? So I think it's really cool. I don't want to give too much away because I'm interested to see what situations unfold for how Nix chooses or doesn't choose to develop in this direction. But yeah, I thought that was pretty cool. Daniel [GM] (01:04:04): We have a segment that we do each week called player intrusions. That's when we offer you the listener an XP to check out something we think you would really dig. This week is Stace's turn. Stace, what would you give our listeners an XP to check out? Stace [Nix] (01:04:19): Yeah. I would give our listeners an XP to check out a book, surprise, called Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones. It is a sort of regency period, but it is definitely a fantasy book. It's set in this European, just sort of vaguely European country called Alpennia, and it's really cool. So it's like I said, it's a regency so there's a lot of political intrigue, honor duels, and there's also magic. And the magic is sort of this mishmash of ancient Greek mystery cults and Catholicism. So it's just a really cool mashup. I don't know really how to describe the magical system, because when I first heard it, I was like, okay so they pray to the saints and that's their magic, but there's a fundamental underlying formula to these things. And that's part of the crux of the book. This book features two main characters, Margaret, I assume that's how you pronounce it, although it's spelled once again, like vaguely European, like German, French, Italian, something like that. And then Barbara is the other main character, and there is also a female-female romance subplot. I call it a subplot, although it is maybe half the plot. So it's really half a story of fantasy political intrigue, and magic, and half a romance novel, which is just great for me personally. It's really my jam. I don't want to give too much away, because so much of it is just figuring out the sort of mystery around Barbara who starts off as a noble men's indentured bodyguard. And then Margaret who's like a sort of just pleasant young woman of the lower gentility. I don't know. So how they develop and grow and become players in their own right. And then I also proceeded to the second book in the series. Yes, it's a series. So let me find the name of that book real quick here because I'm reading it right now, that is called the Mystic Marriage. And it continues the story of Barbara and Margaret and as well as another different female-female romance subplot, between a influential social member of high society and an Alchemist who sort of suffered some sort of disgrace in the first novel. At first I was kind of like, I don't know about the second novel, because I'm not too keen on romance subplots where the couple continues in the next book, but they're sort of forming this powerful woman social club where they're all also like a couple friends group. And so there's more novels in this series. I'm going to read them probably all. So it's really cool to see. And I just stand Barbara, like for real, super cool. So yeah, I totally recommend you check out Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones, and the subsequent books in the series if you find that you like that novel. Daniel [GM] (01:07:24): Very cool. If people wanted to reach out to us to tell us what they think of Daughter of Mystery, or the podcast, how would they do that Marietta? Marietta [Atalia] (01:07:32): Well, they would first go to our website explorerswanted.FM, and it would have all of these things listed on there. But we're on Twitter at explorers wanted. We're on an Instagram at explorers wanted podcast. We're on Facebook as explorers wanted podcasts. If you're looking to support us financially we do have some goals that we are trying to reach on Patreon. We would love your support if you have the means to do so. And really if you're looking to interact with us and get more out of the podcast experience, I highly recommend joining our discourse server. We are extremely active. We've got multiple channels. We want to hang out with you. We've really been developing our own little community and it's wonderful and it's beautiful, and we want you to join us. And again, there's links to that on all the social medias and the website. So come hang out with us to discord. Daniel [GM] (01:08:19): Awesome. If you liked the show, one of the best things that you could do for us is to tell a friend and tell them why you like the show, why they should listen to it. The second best thing you could do is to leave as a five star review on a podcast directory, specifically Apple podcasts, Podchaser, and Stitcher. Those particular directories, those reviews because huge difference in people trying out new shows, and there are so many actual plays out there. So it's really critical to help find an audience. If you didn't like the show, or if you just thought it was bad, well, I have a question for you. Do you remember that ClickHole story about an animatronic fox on Splash Mountain that kept telling the author that it was going to marry his dad. It's not true, it's marrying yours. Regardless of your personal situation, they will find your father using necromancy if they must, and then they will marry them. You're going to have an animatronic step-parent. I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. 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] (01:09:24): You can find me on Twitter @StaceWindu. Sampson [Dili] (01:09:27): You can send me strange sounds to torture people with @SlamPotato. Alex [ChaCha] (01:09:31): You can join me in welcoming the animatronic step Fox father and realty unicorn on Twitter, or tea with a unicorn on Twitch. Marietta [Atalia] (01:09:40): I'm so mildly tweeting at @imonahike. Daniel [GM] (01:09:43): 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, or weekend, or whenever you're listening to this, and All (01:09:55): Bye!