New arc, new me, same podcast. The party follows Alonzo back to the Kiko estate, but they might not get the welcome they were hoping for. What’s waiting for them on the other side of the tree line? Inara carboloads. Johnny tries astronomy. Tracey throws a potted plant.
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Cast & Crew
- Dungeon Master: Eric Silver
- TR8c (Tracey): Brandon Grugle
- Inara Harthorn: Amanda McLoughlin
- Johnny B. Goodlight: Michael Fische
- Creative Contributors: Connor McLoughlin, Julia Schifini, Heddy Hunt
- Multitude: multitude.productions
Transcript
Amanda: Last time on Join the Party.
Eric: Johnny, Inara, and Tracey descend into the 9th level of hell.
Julia (as Kohl): Foolish mortal, you dare enter my domain! ...Oh, Alonzo!
Eric: Oh wait, it was a cool mechanics shop. Turns out the medallion is a thousand years old
Julia (as Kohl): This is a relic. It’s from the centering!
Eric: But it wasn’t all history. We went shopping! And Inara passed a test
Eric: From learning thieves cant and you know that this sign means "ready".
Amanda: Yes!
Eric: New arc, new me. Just kidding—it’s the same podcast. Let’s get the party started.
(Theme music)
Eric: You are walking back up to the Kiko castle, you see Alonzo about 100 feet forward on the path that you took to get back down. Tracey and Inara, you are now at level three.
Amanda: Hey.
Brandon: Woo!
Eric: Johnny you're still chilling at level three.
Michael: Oh yeah.
Amanda: We're on an even playing field now. Dad.
Michael: For now
Eric: Tracey what does Level 3 mean for you?
Brandon: Level 3 means that I get my totem spirit, which is for me the spirit of the Owlbear because Nessie is the greatest.
Amanda: Nessie lives on.
Brandon: She does. And what that means in game, means that when I am raging I am resistant to all damage except for psychic. Meaning I take half damage on everything. And speaking of damage my hit points are now at 34.
Eric: Inara, what does level 3 mean for you?
Amanda: Well I've got some more hit points, I'm now at 24 which is very good. But less than Tracey, and I have this amazing advantage in combat called Assassinate. Basically I get advantage against creatures who haven't taken a turn and I get an automatic crit against surprise creatures.
Eric: You're going to be very hurty.
Brandon: She's going start murdering people left and right. It's going to be terrifying.
Amanda: You don't hear me, then you're dead.
Eric: Now that there was a spooky being that like gave you a spooky card. Your archetype is assassin.
Amanda: Yes. And I'm really excited about it, I don't think I'm officially in the assassin's guild yet but I imagine that I've started a sort of pledging process.
Brandon: You're like a freelance assassin right now.
Amanda: Yeah I'm sort of like, they're testing me out, they haven’t given me a permanent contract yet. But we're just going to see how it goes for a few jobs.
Brandon: Yeah the taxes are very harsh at the end of the year but..
Amanda: Taxes are very harsh. But you've got to be really precise with your accounting.
Michael: And Hell Week is really something.
Amanda: It really is. You just have to make an impression try to outdo the last one.
Michael: Yeah.
Eric: OK. So you are now a hundred feet away from Alonzo and Alonzo was kind of making quick work back to the castle.
Michael: If I remember correctly he was not happy with us which is why he ran off.
Eric: True true true.
Michael: So maybe I'm not going to call on him and be like hey!
Brandon (as Tracey): HEY ALONZO!
Eric: Is that actually what you’re doing?
Brandon (as Tracey): WE'RE OVER HERE!
Amanda: I'm going to send Oatcake forward to try to just like butt her adorable little head against Alonzo's calf and see if she can soften him up a little bit.
Brandon (as Tracey): WE GOT A DOG!
Eric: OK. How are you going to do that?
Amanda: With my psychic nat-20 bond with Oatcake. I say,
Amanda (as Inara): Hey hey, go over there and just just go out there and make him feel good.
Eric: Do an animal handling for me.
Amanda: That's a seven plus one for eight.
Eric: Oatcake lies on her back and asks for tummy rubs.
Amanda: I give her tummy rubs real quick.
Eric: Those are some solid tummy rubs. Plus 1 to tummy rubs.
Amanda: I am writing that down, thank you! We've got secret handshakes, we’ve got tummy rubs.
Michael: Does Alonzo respond at all to Tracey?
Eric: Alonzo looks back and sees Tracey furiously waving and he starts to go a little bit faster. He's not running but he is like fast walking.
Brandon: So Tracey's going to just bolt up to him as fast as he can.
Eric: Sure do athletics for me.
Brandon: 9
Eric: You make some progress. You definitely you're running and you make like 30-40 feet when you close the gap when Alonzo is not paying attention. Then he looks back over his shoulder and then he starts sprinting. He's sprinting away. And now he's kind of like made it through the tree line. So I don't know if you remember when you left but you kind of like wound through some like trees and stuff like the outside you went through like the back of the castle and Alonzo has kind of just like went through the trees and you can't see him anymore. Do you want to follow him? Do you want to keep chasing directly after him? Do you want to like pace back and give him some space? What you want to do?
Michael: Using prestidigitation Johnny yells over,
Michael (as Johnny): Alonzo Khol has a message for you, we brought it, come over!
Eric (as Alonzo): Cool. I'm not talking to you right now. See you later.
Amanda: Oatcake wants tummy rubs!
Eric (as Alonzo): OK. That's pretty cute I guess. I'm still not, I'm still not talking to you though.
Michael (as Johnny): But we're going to go talk to your brother then. Bye!
Eric (as Alonzo): OK. All right. No don't. OK come here. Fine. No don't talk to Max. Come on. Just get over here.
Amanda: Alright, let’s jog up to him.
Eric: You guys kind of push your way through the tree line and you're actually back where you originally saw Alonzo which is standing around the target practice. There are six very large archery targets. He had previously put in a big circle around him and it's like this wide field in the back of the castle.
Amanda: I saw that during my flight of the Bombelades.
Eric: Alonzo's kind of like waving you and he kind of waving you over
Eric: Fish, roll a perception roll for me.
Michael: 18 plus 7.
Eric: Fish as you approach Alonzo, you hear a crackling. And this isn't just a crackling of a footfall on some tree branches. This is the crackling of lightning.
Michael: Can I identify where it's coming from?
Eric: It's coming from the tree line.
Brandon: Behind us?
Eric: Yeah.
Michael: As loud as possible Johnny yells.
Michael (as Johnny): Everybody look out!
Michael: And I point in the direction where I think that's coming from.
Eric: As you say that you see four figures actually walk out of the tree line, three of them are just some guards that you recognized from when they originally grabbed you in the jail cell. Two of them are holding whips and one of them is holding this glowing baton that's crackling with energy. And the fourth figure is tall has long glowing yellow hair and is looking so so pissed.
Eric (as Greg): All right. Hold it right there, you are not going to get away from me this time. You're going to take away my husband right after our wedding day? No sir. I knew you were a bunch of louts when I saw you. Get them guys.
Eric: And I want everyone to roll initiative.
Michael: And that is Greg?
(Laughter)
Eric: Yeah that's Greg.
Michael: Just making sure...
(more laughs)
Amanda: Guys, Alonzo might be polyamourous, we don't know.
Michael: They could have been talking about me. Johnny B. Goodlight with his secret...
Brandon: I dont know why that was so funny (tearing up because hes never heard something so funny ever in his life ever).
Amanda: I got to 16 plus 3 for a 19.
Michael: 18 plus 2 for a 20. Great dice!
Brandon: 13 plus 1 for a 14.
Amanda: Good try Tracey.
Michael: Mediocre dice!
Brandon: 14 is a respectable number.
Amanda: You bring other things to the party.
Brandon: Oh God.
Michael: Like your high HP! H P
Brandon: Hey let's see, let's see if I protect you guys this time.
(Laughter)
Eric: OK. Here's where you're at. You remember you have the six targets around you. Two of the guards are holding whips. One of them is holding a crackling baton and Greg is very angry at all of you.
Amanda: Inara's going to step a little bit in front of Oatcake to protect her.
Michael: And Greg we can't see that he's holding something, other than a grudge against us? (Finger guns)
Eric: First great job, second...
Amanda: Woah! (in awe)
Eric: No he's not holding anything.
(Brandon never gonna recover from Fish's brilliance)
Eric: Alright, first and the initiative is Greg.
Eric (as Greg): This is the last time you're going to make a fool of me. You idiots.
Eric: and Greg whistles loudly and as Greg whistles an arrow whips through the air and kind of just like goes all around, and goes up and left and right and back, and is hovering over his right shoulder. He says,
Eric (as Greg): I'm going to give you one chance, if you just stop and let us take you back to jail. I won't fuck you up with this arrow.
Eric: and he whistles again and it goes right up to Johnny's face.
Brandon: Tracey is furious. He is pulsating and ready to literally run Greg through with his axe and he's waiting for the opportunity.
Michael: The arrow... What does it look like or does it just look like a regular arrow?
Eric: The arrow is gold. It's gold all the way through. There's also etchings all across the sign. And it's actually kind of interesting. There's five lines that go down and there's two solid bars of the left. It's almost like a musical staff.
Amanda (as Inara): You are so welcome Greg. You are so welcome for finding Alonzo in the market and bringing him back. It was hard. He was really surly. We were very distracted. Picked up a menagerie, you can see it behind us. A lot happened and we are so happy to see you here. I'm so glad that you met us. We didn't want to have to go looking around for you all over the castle, tension, meeting, whatever. Who cares. Bumbleades. It's been a it's been a bit of a morning. So here is Alonzo. He is back. He is safe. You got it.
Michael (as Johnny): Oh and by the way you're welcome from last night.
Amanda (as Inara): You know what, we'll just we'll just count this all in one saving action. All we need a little bit of breakfast, a little bit of just, you know, I don't know. Please let us go.
Eric (as Greg): Are you trying to say that I should thank you for kidnapping my husband? Is that what you're saying?
Amanda (as Inara): I mean I was hoping that you would notice what I was saying exactly but. Yes you're welcome for recovering him. We did not kidnap him so much as running to him on our way out of town.
Eric (as Greg): No no, no that's not how it works.
Eric: Greg points at Inara and he casts hold a person on her. Make a wisdom saving throw.
Amanda: 18 plus 1 for 19.
Eric: You feel momentarily restrained almost like your brain was put into a cage for a second but it just kind of bursts all of a sudden.
Amanda: Can't hold Inara down.
Eric: Nah, you shake it off. And Greg says,
Eric (as Greg): Oh alright, dammit.
Eric: And Greg also tried to whistle once more to get the arrow to fly forward and it jerks only an inch forward at you, Johnny. But then it comes back and settles back on his shoulder and Greg says,
Eric (as Greg): Guards get them!
Michael: So I'm also going to assume that Alonzo, the guy now that we've helped a ton is also not saying anything on our behalf?
Eric: No. Alonzo was actually backed up and is behind one of the targets and it is now Johnny's turn.
Michael: Here's the deal.
Eric: Tell me what the deal is.
Michael: I don't trust any of this as being... this all just makes no sense to me. Can I free action just like perception on just Greg.
Eric: Yeah why dont you make a perception roll? And what do you want to know?
Michael: I want to make sure that I'm seeing who he is, that it's actually him that he has all these things.
Eric: Why don't you make in Arcana check.
Michael: Arcana check? Sure I can do an Arcana check. That is a 14.
Eric: OK. You see the arrow is kind of like bobbing at his side like over his shoulder and it's just kind of hovering there and you realize that he pointed out Inara to do hold person and then he whistled at the arrow. So I'm going to tell you with a 14 you realize that, and I'll tell you in gaming terms he can whistle and use the arrow as a bonus action.
Michael: OK. Not wanting to hurt these two wonderful people that we have now saved both. I'm going to cast color spray on all of the people in front of me which are the guards, Greg, and Alonzo. From on top of Joe, Johnny reaches out his hand and bursts out a rainbow of wonderful dazzling rainbow colors blinding everyone because they deserve it for trying to hurt us.
Eric: OK Fish, just roll a 1d10 and I'll count.
Michael: : That's a 10.
Eric: 10. Ok keep going
Michael: 7.
Eric: 17
Michael: 8
Eric: 25
Michael: 4
Eric: 29.
Michael: 8.
Eric: Yeah OK. The spray of color hits everyone in the face and all three guards, Greg, and Alonzo even though he was behind partial cover, he poked his head out to see what was happening and he got him the face by the color as well. So everybody except for your compatriots are now blind.
Michael: As he is casting color spray, Johnny yells,
Michael (as Johnny): This is me holding restraint. We are not here against you. We have helped you twice now. Either talk to us like reasonable people of the Concentric States or face the consequences.
Eric: Inara it's your turn.
Amanda (as Inara): Stoneface!
Amanda: Let's see if we can get some back up in this fight.
Eric: Oh god, ok make a charisma roll for me.
Amanda: That's a 15.
Eric: You wait for a moment after you call up and nothing happens.
Amanda: Got it. So I'm going to ready an action and get my daggers out and sort of get to a crouched fighting stance. If somebody comes at us with what I perceive to be lethal intent or intent to maim or I can see a weapon and they're coming at us. I am going to counterattack.
Eric: Cool. OK. You want to stand where you are?
Amanda: I want to edge forward a couple inches to make it clear that I'm ready to defend ourselves.
Eric: OK. Cool, so now you're standing kind of like within the circle of archery things.
Amanda: Sure. And Oatcake is very importantly safely behind me.
Eric: Oatcake is fine. Oatcake is now on her back asking for tummy rubs.
Amanda: Poor soul, she doesn't even know what's coming.
Eric: Tracey it's your turn.
Brandon: So Tracey is going to ready an action as well he's going to take out his great axe and just ready an action. Stand next to Inara and wait for what happens.
Michael: To be clear, I'm behind them.
Eric: It's now the guards turn. All three of them are rubbing their faces at the same time and they are all holding hands and leaning on each other to try to like move forward. And all three of them are moving at the same time and they're all like in this very small clump together and the three of them stumble up to Inara and Tracey and get within striking distance.
Amanda: Do they have weapons out?
Eric: Oh yeah. Each one on either side is kind of like holding a whip and they're like leaning on each other and trying to like figure out where they are. And the one in the middle still has like the baton ready. Are you going to use readied action?
Amanda: No.
Eric: Are you going to use your readied action?
Brandon: (Grunts in a way to say no)
Eric: Two of the guards use their whip on you (Inara) and one crit fails and kind of like whips out his own foot and falls over and the other one rolls against Tracey and that's a 20 against AC.
Brandon: Oh yeah that hits.
Eric: Ok Tracey you got 5 damage and make a strength saving throw.
Brandon: 13.
Eric: That makes the whip, kind of whips around you and you like move your arms up and fight it off and the whip comes back around and you are good. You just take five damage.
Brandon: Got it.
Eric: One of them is on its face and the one with the electric baton stumbles forward and tries to push his baton into you Inara and... that's eww that's not good. That's an 8.
Amanda: I have a 14 AC.
Eric: OK. That is way lower. And he totally whiffs he just misses, it goes right past your head and you can really hear that crackle. That thing is dangerous. And this point, Alanzo kind of like still tries to rub his eyes and get the color spray out of his head and says,
Eric (as Alonzo): No that's not that's not really what happened. I kindof. I had stuff to do. I can't see. This is horrible.
Eric: And Greg says,
Eric (as Greg): No, you're under duress! You're under duress! You can't. This is the Stockholm syndrome or Fidapolis syndrome as they call it
Amanda: Classic.
Eric (as Greg): No, you are under their care. I'm going to take you back. That's crazy.
Eric: He looks all the guards.
Eric (as Greg): OK. Just, we got to hold them, like you just figure it out. You can do it, just figure it out.
Eric: And he whistles again but with a different whistle. It's like the first one was calling and this one is kind of like Songbird. And the guards look a little a little inspired. They feel like they can kind of take you on, even though they're still stumbling around and messed up. And Greg whistles again and the arrow kind of perks up and goes right at Johnny. And why don't you make it Dex role.
Michael: 17 plus 2 if it’s straight Dex.
Eric: Sure, you jump out of the way and it's still kind of hits you in the hand as you're running out and you take three damage.
Michael: Johnny grabs his Shillelagh from his back and attempts to flick up Tracey's rage switch as Tracey is right in front of him.
Amanda: Are you still on top of Joe?
Michael: While still on top of Joe, yeah. With his new knowledge of Robomancy, Johnny will have advantage on this. So that's going to be a 6 which is no good, and a 15.
Eric: You hit it the second time. And the rage switch is on.
Michael: Excellent, and Johnny makes a final plea for peace and yells,
Michael (as Johnny): Prove to me your non-villainous intent right now by saying you surrender or your life will become flame.
Michael: And I'd love to attempt to perhaps do any kind of intimidation or persuasion or any of those things as I'm doing this yelling of a literally trying to make them... I want them to understand that if they don't really help me out here I'm going to make their day less happy.
Eric: Ok do an intimidation roll.
Michael: I love this dice. That's a 19 plus 4.
Eric: All right. The three guards who are all leaning on each other all kind of just put their hands up in the air while still holding all three of their weapons. Greg takes a step forward into the circle and he says,
Eric (as Greg): I don't understand why you keep calling me the villainous one. You literally ran off with my husband and kidnapped him. Why, why am I the bad guy here. I don't understand what's happening.
Brandon: I'd like to use my readied action and attack Greg.
Eric: All right do it.
Michael: OH! OK.
Brandon: I also am using reckless attack, meaning that I attacked without any thought for myself or others. And I get advantage on my attack roll.
Eric: Alright, do it.
Brandon: Tracey pulls out his great axe glimmering in the light of Johnny and takes a massive swing towards Greg. That's a natural 20.
Eric: All right. Roll it
Brandon: 8 plus 3 thats 11, (incomprehensible math muttering). 23 total damage.
Michael: Oh jeez....
Eric: All right.
Brandon: And I'm going for lethal damage.
Eric: Yeah I could only imagine. uh yeah dude. You very much level your great axe right into Greg's leg. And it gets pretty deep in there. He takes how much damage?
Brandon: 23.
Eric: 23 points of damage. He's not looking good. In fact he starts to scream very loudly. Alonzo actually this point he comes out from behind his target and he runs over to Greg, and Alonzo kind of throws himself on top of Greg and says,
Eric (as Alonzo): No! No stop! I can't, I can't.
Eric: And at this point everyone is kind of screaming, and a circle, a wide circle started to appear around the targets and the ground below you starts to glow. softly at first and then it gets brighter and brighter and brighter. In fact it's like a spotlight is being lit in a 60 foot radius around you. All of you make a wisdom saving throw for me.
Amanda: 14.
Michael: 16 plus 5.
Brandon: 4.
Amanda: Sounds like youre in in rage mode!
Eric: Everyone except for Johnny drops their weapons, and at this point you see a figure with glowing purple skin, glowing eyes, and big angel wings flap over to you and the figure says,
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Everybody stop, there's bleeding. Let's all take a second.
Michael: Before this winged creature tries to disarm Johnny he uses his quarterstaff to just like before turn off the rage switch on Tracey.
Eric: Yeah you flick it off.
Brandon: Tracey wakes up and kind of rubs his eyes again and as he's rubbing his eyes he sees that there's blood on his hands and there's blood on his axe and he immediately falls to the ground and kind of deactivates.
Michael: Johnny would know what that wing beast is right?
Eric: Yeah. That is. An Aasimar, Aasimar is a race of people who have been touched by the light of the gods, One of the three, and you realize this with his glowing eyes and angel wings is a protector Aasimar. Inara why don't you make a perception roll for me.
Amanda: That's a 9.
Eric: Yeah. This figure looks familiar to you. The purple skin is making you think of something. as the figure flaps down to the glowing circle, Greg, even if writhing pain looks up and screams,
Eric (as Greg): Maria, I don't need any help. I got it.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): That's Speaker Martinson to you and I need to talk to all of you right now.
(Mystical music)
Eric: Hey, it's Eric. You know when you’re moving into a new house or apartment, and the last week has been a whirlwind of busy. You’re packing, taping, finding boxes, labeling boxes, repacking, putting old furniture out on the street, trying to give away a desk you’ve had since college. And finally, the day comes and you’ve finally moved all your stuff from the old place to the new place. And the entire space is just cardboard and suitcases and probably a few trash bags. But you know, for now, it’s over, and you sit on a sturdy looking box and feel accomplished. This is that sturdy box. It’s filled with books and a toaster.
First things first I eat your brains, and then I thanking our new Patreon donors: Carman, Bridge, and Chandra. You are joining our wonderful community of donors. We share so many extras, like bloopers and backstories for our NPCs. And you can join our Discord, our chatroom for Patreon donors. We have added a games-games-games channel because everyone wants to play Overwatch together. It just warms my heart. Go team. You can get in on the fun at patreon.com/jointhepartypod.
We’re adding something new to the JTP family of stuff we do: we’re adding a Medium blog. It fits us better than a small blog. We’ve written a whole bunch of blog posts because we’re big big nerds and we want to share it with all of you. We’re talking how to get started playing D&D, how to sound design a podcast, and some of the game mechanics that goes into Join the Party. I’ll reveal the secrets behind Fantasy Chopped! You can check that out at medium.com/@jointhepartypod, or we’ll be sharing these articles through our social media feeds, so just keep an eye out.
I'm very excited to tell you that we are STILL sponsored by Baron Fig. They make these sleek, cool notebooks, pens, and bags to make you and your work look as beautiful as you want to. Their notebooks are their flagship product. We got to take a few of them out for a spin, and let’s just say I was excited.
(Beep sound effect)
Eric: So I have a map, and I want you to figure out what it’s a map of.
Brandon: Great. France.
Eric: That’s possible.
Brandon: Is it France? Did I get it on go one?
Eric: No, that’s not correct. Alright, you ready? Now I spent a lot of work on this, so. Just so you know.
Brandon: I’m so ready.
Eric: Here.
Brandon: POKEBALLS.
Eric: First of all, what do you see?
Brandon: Okay, I’m seeing three circles, they’re in a column arrangement. They’re all divided into different amounts. The first one on top is divided into two and it says 1 2, the second one is 3 4 5 6, and the third one is 7 8 9 10. They all have a shape in the middle and the first one says “Switch,” and it’s pointed to the middle bit of the circle. It says “Top.” So I’m assuming it’s the top of something.
Eric: Okay, good one.
Brandon: And then in the upper right corner next to each circle there’s, the middle one says 2 and the bottom says 1, and it looks like there’s some grass to the left of the bottom one and a river to the right of the bottom one. I’m sticking with Pokeballs.
Eric: You’re thinking this is Pokeballs?
Brandon: Yeah.
Eric: You think I made a map of a Pokemon domicile hidden within the Pokemon universe in which I am now making a D&D map?
Brandon: Yes.
Eric: Okay, this is not what this was at all. I made a lighthouse!
Brandon: Oh, you made a lighthouse! Yes! It’s so good! Okay, I see now. And these are the different floors of the lighthouse. I see.
Eric: And you see the switch? What would the switch do for it?
Brandon: The switch would probably turn on the light.
Eric: Right.
Brandon: Of the lightHOUSE.
Eric: You can see, can you read whose lighthouse this is?
Brandon: It says “Brandon’s Lighthouse of Fun.”
Eric: Yeah!
Brandon: And that’s either very ominous or very good and happy.
Eric: Just like most D&D games.
Brandon: Just like most Brandos.
Eric: Yeah, just all things Brando.
Brandon: You remember that game where Ampharose is at the top of the lighthouse? Am I a gym leader now?
Eric: Sure.
Brandon: Yesss.
Eric: What type of Pokemon are they?
Brandon: Just all Ampharos. Just seven Ampharos.
Eric: I’m so glad I spent all this time working on this map. Good. So! You know, you can use the notebooks, and people will not understand what you’re trying to draw. But that’s not my fault.
Brandon: Can I tell you something though?
Eric: Sure.
Brandon: It’s a beautiful notebook and a beautiful drawing.
Eric: (Laughs) Both of those things. I even drew you! You’re Brandon.
Brandon: Oh I’m outside of the lighthouse! Did I lose my keys again?
Eric: Yeah, it’s your lighthouse of fun, but you don’t know where it is.
Brandon: (Laughs) Can you draw me a map to get to my lighthouse?
Eric: All right, I’ll get started right now.
(Beep sound effect)
You can get 10% off your order at baronfig.com with the code jointheparty, through Sept 15, 2017. Baron Fig, a tool for thinkers. And also map makers.
Finally, I just have one ask of you. If you’re talking to us on social media or sending us emails or making fan art or just one of the many plays we watch in our dashboard, we’d love it if you gave us a 5 star review on iTunes. The dark wizardry that goes into Apple Podcasts is arcane and strange, but we know it helps. If you haven’t reviewed us before, go through iTunes or your Apple Podcast app and give us 5 stars, and maybe a nice note! If you’ve done this already, take someone else’s phone and do it on their phone. All right, don’t do it for a stranger, but like your roommate gets up to take out their mint chip halo top from the freezer and you know their password and quick, you do it. It would be so helpful and gets us and it gets us right to the top of the charts. Thank you.
All right, let’s get back to the party.
(Music fades)
Eric: A little while later you are all in a conference room, together you're sitting in just some roll the chairs and the speaker is sitting in front of you.
Amanda: Is this the same room that I saw from the back of the Bumbleade?
Eric: Yes it is.
Amanda: And second question, is there like, a triangular shaped Vodafone like, like speakerbus in the middle of the table?
Eric: Yeah it's weird the speaker says "All right you're on speakerphone. Just let you know. Thanks everyone for showing up."
Amanda: Did they dial in like four minutes late and you're just waiting awkwardly with the elevator music playing.
Eric: It's weird like a dwarf dials in like four minutes later was like "Hey sorry I'm calling in from Japan.”
Amanda: And theres wierd background noise.
Eric: "Sorry I'm not prepared." The Aasimar, she's sitting quietly just on the other side of the conference room table and there, right in the middle is a plate of danishes and bagels.
(Collective Freak Out)
Amanda: OOOOOOOOH
Brandon: Oh my god
Amanda: We need breakfast so much!
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): I know that you all had a rough morning to say the least. So the least I could do was make sure you got breakfast, go, go ahead.
Michael: What are the flavors of the Danishes?
Amanda: Are there lox? Are the bagels toasted are they pre-sliced? What's the kind of cream cheese array.
Eric: To answer the first question, boysenberry, strawberry, and James surprise
Amanda: Are there flowers in it?
Michael: James surprise?
Eric: Yeah it's the flower, it's elderberry, elder elderflower. Yeah. And yes of course there are lox. Pshaw.
(Laughter)
Amanda: Inara grabs seven bagels.
Michael: Johnny takes one of the James surprise Danishes and an everything bagel with cream cheese.
Brandon (as Tracey): Tracey’s good.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): OK more more leftovers for me.
Amanda: Inara is trying to fit two bagels into her mouth simultaneously so that she can have a second plate before the meeting gets too intense.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Oh dear please, please chew at least.
Amanda: Inara says,
Amanda (as Inara): You’re not my mom!
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): You're right I'm not, I'm not your mom I guess. Go ahead.
Amanda (as Inara): Thank you.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): So a lot. A lot just happened out there didn't it? Greg's fine. We sent him off to the doctor’s. He can't really walk that well for the next few weeks
Brandon (as Tracey): Oh no...
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): But he'll be he'll be right, right as rain. Alonzo's with him right now so it's fine. But those were some moves out there you three. Good job. I haven't seen color spray like that since, years now and that's one that's one mighty swing where you got there my boy.
Brandon: Tracey averts his gaze and just pretends to like count the number of different kinds of pastries.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): You seem pretty quick don't you miss?
Amanda: Inara puts a third and fourth bagel in her mouth and just grins, like sarcastically just trying to show as much of the chewed up bagel in her mouth as she possibly could.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Nice. OK. So you're probably wondering why you're in the Royal conference room right now. I know a little while ago Maximillian Kiko he said something about a job, work and something. Taking your time making it worth you being here. And I'm here to show that. Do you know me? Do you recognize me?
Amanda: Inara puts her hand up and says,
Amanda (as Inara): No!
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): You know, let me just tell you. I'm the Speaker of the Concentric States. When all of the representatives from all the city states come together in Concentra. When we have our our meeting, I keep everyone in order. We are a long line of Aasimar who've been touched by the spirit of Devar to keep the country together. All cities states belong together in the center and it is my job to moderate, to make sure everything goes peacefully, and to keep everyone happy. Right now, I don't know if you could tell. Things are not happy. You, you three were at the wedding weren't you. I saw of you running around in waiter uniforms and I think you ran into a wall at one point Tracey.
Brandon (as Tracey): I don't recall that.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Yeah. Things aren't good if time stops, if anarchists and splinter groups are attacking us during our most sacred holidays. If the prince is running off in the middle of his wedding, things are not good and they're not just not so good here. And it's not just here it's in all five of the city states and we have to do something. Do you know how important that medallion is?
Amanda (as Inara): No.
Michael: It obviously bears much importance.
Brandon (as Tracey): Can I have it?
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): No, Tracey. Alonzo was picked to have that medallion. That medallion comes from another long long long line of Kikos all the way from the Centering. That was worn by Silvanas Kiko, one of the heroes that we speak of during the Centering, and I no one knew that it had that magical ability. Until now. Alonzo is our champion.
Brandon (as Tracey): Really? That guy?
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Yes Tracey, that guy.
Michael (as Johnny): He has a lot of work ahead of him.
Amanda (as Inara): He seems like super nervous and stuff like not really listening to reason or like speaking up when his husband is trying to falsely attack us. You know...
Amanda: Inara eats another bagel.
Michael (as Johnny): I have some literature about the Undying Light that might make him a little more confident.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Hrmmmm cool, I am literally blessed by a different God than you believe, in so let's put that aside shall we?
Michael (as Johnny): You can believe in multiple gods.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Cool cool cool cool. OK. Um... Well you're right. Alonzo is not ready. In fact he's in danger quite a lot. As we've seen. Did he, he got kidnapped a little bit ago didn't he. Yeah, he needs help and that's what I need you three to do. We're sending the champion on tour, a country wide tour of all of the city-states. He needs to show not only all of the representatives of the people of the concentric states that they are safe that everything's fine. We believe in the Trinity and the Trinity believes in the center and that's what he's here to do. He is our champion. And we will show everyone that we're safe.
Michael (as Johnny): I wasn't aware that you knew of all of our exploits. I want to apologize for the misunderstanding that we had with Greg and his guards. I hope that he does recover and I'm intrigued to hear what you have to say about all this.
Eric: The speaker kind of folds her hands together and says,
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): That's, all right. Greg, well let's say there's a reason why Alonzo is the champion. So here is what I need you three to do. You're obviously very capable, very smart, quick, and strong and I need you to protect Alonzo. He needs protection and frankly we need someone to protect him if he's going to travel a long ways away especially away from his home that he's never been away from. We need a security team or confidants or something in between, both. We need you. What do you say?
Brandon (as Tracey): Why us?
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): That's a good question Tracey. I'll be honest. You're all we have right now. There aren't many people who are non-affiliated with one of the five city states and it's not that we don't trust them. It's that we need someone impartial and who is more impartial than a warlock who believes in something that very few others do, a teenager from the wilderness, and a robot that we have not seen in a very very long time. The champions are affiliated, they belong to their city states. That's part of the problem. People care more about their own city states than they do the Concentric States, the center that we have together. And that's why we need you. I'm not asking you to do this out of faith. This is still a job, you'll be paid and quite handsomely at that point. But first before we can talk anything like that I need you to say yes. So are you in?
Amanda (as Inara): How do we know that we won't be attacked again by the government of Concentra
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): No one is going to attack you. Well that's that's that's patently untrue.
Amanda (as Inara): Like 15 minutes and four bagels ago sort of, sort of just happened.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): That's Greg again. Greg is angry. He felt that his husband was taken away from him and I would feel the same way. He's rash, he's angry, and he acts impulsively. That is not on behalf of the government of Concentra. That is a scorned husband who attacked you and just so happens he is one of the most promising bards in the city states. That wasn't us though.
Amanda (as Inara): Long as we have some identification, some sigils, some badge you need proof of identity on the road. And if we have something like that. I... you know if youre gonna feed me like this, I'm in.
Eric: Actually at that point the Speaker kind of reaches into her robe and pulls out three sigils just as you asked. It's a circle with a triangle inside. Very simple. It's polished silver. They all have little clasps for you to put upon whatever you're wearing.
Amanda: Inara fixes it to the robe that she got from Khol.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): I'll take that as a yes from Inara.
Michael (as Johnny): I've traveled a lot throughout this land. And I know of the problems you speak of. It would be an honor to help Alonzo and the Concentric States become more unified. I have some concerns that we can talk about later but with the promise of our safety throughout the lands of the concentric governments I feel strongly that we would be able to perform in the in-between areas.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Johnny I can only give you the word of the literal government of Concentra. I cannot speak on behalf of the individual cities states or in fact the people who live within there. In fact the reason why I need all of you is because it will be dangerous and you will probably be attacked. That's why I need you there. I cannot promise something that frankly I believe will happen.
Michael (as Johnny): Danger is not the issue. More, I'm interested in whether or not our message of unification and of heroes will be met, you think positively or negatively.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Well that's up to Alonzo now isn't it. Hopefully someone wearing a medallion of the first champion will have some sway among the people. We can only hope now.
Michael: Johnny grabs the signal but will not put it on.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): I'll still take that as a yes. Tracey?
Brandon: Tracey thinks for a good 20 seconds or so.
Amanda: Inara eats her seventh bagel.
Brandon: and Tracey eventually says,
Brandon (as Tracey): Speaker, can you come here for a second?
Brandon: And just like motions are over.
Eric: Sure. The speaker kind of gets out of her chair and leans over the conference table.
Brandon (as Tracey): How do I how do I protect these... How do I protect Inara, Johnny and Alonzo? How do, how do I do that?
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Well from what I saw before it seems like you flip that switch. Seems that's about it isn't it.
Brandon (as Tracey): I almost, I almost killed Greg.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Greg's going to be fine. He has that hair and he can still wield that arrow. So I think he's going to be fine. Just like you are going to be fine. Tracey. I just need you to say yes.
Brandon: Tracey stares dead eyed into the Speaker's eyes for a good three seconds or so and then picks up a signal from the table and puts it directly next to the Owlbear crest on his honest cape.
Eric: The Speaker claps her hands together and says,
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): Wonderful. We'll get you along soon enough. As soon as you pass the challenge.
Eric: And out of her robe she kind of fishes out a spyglass, and the spyglasses is silver, it's very shiny and something on the side. She says,
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): OK. Please meet me outside in...
Eric: And she kind of looks up at the sun.
Eric (as Speaker Martinson): About 36 hours’ time. Two days from now in the morning you have your challenge and you'll need to prepare. So good luck, and I'll see you then.
Eric: And she puts the spyglass down on the table and she walks out.
Brandon: Tracey flips the tray of crossaints and bagels and storms out of the room.
Amanda (as Inara): I grab a couple of them on their way down with my dexterous thief fingers.
Michael: And Johnny grabs the spyglass and begins inspecting it.
Eric: All right, etched on the side is kind of winding around in a delicate script are these two lines of text. "I can hit you in the eye, yet I lie beyond your reach. To the lost and traveling soul, my aid you do beseech." Johnny and Inara, why don't you make perception rolls for me? And Inara why don't you... You have advantage
Amanda: 16 plus 5 for 21. And a nat-20.
Michael: Ugh that beats me. 19 plus 7.
Eric: All right I'll give it to both of you. Johnny you're looking down on the spy glass and Inara is picking up the bagels. You see a shadow very quickly passes over the window to your right.
Amanda: I straighten up and my hand goes to my dagger at the hip.
Eric: It's really quick and it's like something dove. And then came back up and Inara you recognize that shadow.
Amanda: Is it Stoneface?
Eric: Yeah you recognize that shadow as Stoneface.
Amanda: Hell yeah! Hell Yeah!
Brandon: Oh my god, this is so good.
Eric: And the shadow is now gone.
Eric: Here is how this is going to go down. You have 36 hours until you have to meet the Speaker outside of the castle for the challenge. And in that time, One: you need to figure out what's the deal with the spyglass and Two, you need to prepare for the challenge. Whatever actions you want to do, you have kind of free reign from the castle and you guys can figure out whatever you need to do to prepare for the challenge.
Michael: I think first things first is the three of us need to figure out the spyglass, the hint, and I'm assuming it wants us to look at something and then from there, you know I don't know. But let's first get Tracey back in the room.
Amanda: Yeah.
Michael (as Johnny): Hey Tracey!
Brandon: Tracey's in the basically like the waiting room before you go into this conference area and he's just flipping chairs and like knocking over plants. But then like putting the plants back up and putting the soil back in there and then knocking more chairs over.
Michael: Johnny goes out there, places his hand on the shoulder and says,
Michael (as Johnny): Hey buddy how are you doing?
Brandon (as Tracey): Not great!
Michael (as Johnny): Yeah. Today's been rough.
Brandon (as Tracey): She lied!
Michael (as Johnny): Yeah it seems that everyone around here is a liar.
Brandon (as Tracey): Yeah! It does seem that way.
Michael (as Johnny): But you know this does give us free reign to leave and go wherever we want.
Brandon: And Tracey ponders that and then kind of settles down.
Michael (as Johnny): You know today's been especially rough on you, falling out of a window, and that whole chase scene, just wow. But you're doing really well. And I'd love for you to come back in here so we can solve this together.
Brandon: Tracey looked at Johnny with the look of trust that they've kind of developed over the years. And he says,
Brandon (as Tracey): Alright, I'll go where you go.
Michael (as Johnny): Attaboy. Let's go on in there.
Michael: And we go back into the conference room to meet with the Inara and let's take a closer look at this.
Amanda (as Inara): So I've seen things like these before when we're navigating, when we're going to new campsites, when we're on the road. We use the stars to navigate by and we use spyglasses like this. So travelers look at stars to navigate. And I'm thinking that might be what they're talking about.
Michael (as Johnny): That's interesting, I didn't think of that. I was thinking more of a landmark, do you think it will be difficult since we don't know which star specifically you're talking about? since it's the middle of the day yeah.
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah and I don't know what would happen thats special. If we look at the stars with a spyglass, maybe it's like a lighthouse or something. That's that's physical?
Michael: Johnny grabs the spyglass and inspects it, thinking back on all of his knowledge on Arcana
Eric: Arcana roll.
Michael: Thats a 9 plus 4 for a 13.
Eric: It's magical. Yeah. You can't really identify what that school of magic it is but there's definitely something flowing through it.
Michael: Is there a specific part of it, because a spyglass is made of different parts, that seems the most magical?
Eric: Yeah. The eyepiece not the front the eyepiece.
Michael: Oh OK so the part where I put my eye not the...
Eric: Mhmmm.
Michael: Oh OK. Thank you.
Amanda: I'm going to perception roll and that is a natural 20 my friends.
Michael: Oooph good roll
Eric: Alright, Amanda. Here's the thing. Like it's a really nice spyglass.
Amanda: Thats all you’re giving me?
Eric: Like it's super pretty. It's definitely... ok. It's not new. It seems worn and it definitely has some like rough and tumble bumps on it, like it's been used a lot before.
Amanda: Its been on the road?
Eric: It's been, yeah. Not necessarily on the road.
Amanda: Been around.
Eric: Yeah it's dented in a few places, like it's been dropped and handled quite a bunch. It's not new. It's seen some stuff. That's the most I can tell you.
Amanda: All right.
Brandon: And I want to roll an investigation check on it...
Eric: Ok.
Brandon: Oh geez.
(Laughter)
Brandon: I quit the podcast.
Eric: Brandon, what did you roll?
Brandon: I rolled a crit 1.
Eric: Tracey, man that pastry was really delicious. It looked really good.
Brandon (as Tracey): Guys I think the eyeglass is a pastry!
(Laughter)
Brandon: Tracey grabs the spyglass and looks out the window like through the eyepiece.
Eric: Yeah. You don't see anything. It's totally dark.
Brandon: Tracey turns it around and looks through the non-eyepiece.
Eric: Wait OK. Are you looking out the window?
Brandon: My eye is closest to the lens and then looking out the window yes.
Eric: No it's still totally dark.
Brandon: Now if I flip it back over again and look out the eyepiece this time and then pointed towards the area where the star blinked out. What do I see?
Eric: It's totally dark.
Michael: OK. Actually that's really interesting. It's totally dark?
Eric: It's OK. You don't see anything.
Brandon (as Tracey): This things broken.
(Laughter)
Michael (as Johnny): Huh.
Michael: Johnny fully extends out the spyglass and attempts to look through it as well to see if it is actually dark.
Eric: Where are you looking?
Michael: Johnny starts looking at Tracey and is moving towards into the sky.
Eric: All right. When you look at Tracey it's totally dark. And as you point up you don't see anything but the light is coming through before when Tracey was looking at it he didn't see anything. Nothing at all, no matter where he looked when you looked at Tracey in the room and Inara in the room you didn't see anything. But when you looked up at the sky... you know like when your eyes are closed when you're outside and you see the sun kind of streamed through your eyes a little bit? You see that.
Michael (as Johnny): Tracey I don't think it's broken but I do think it's not going to work during the day. I'm seeing a little bit of light but either it's because of the glass or maybe we're not high enough but maybe there's just too much light out. There's something wrong that I'm not seeing anything but it is interesting I almost make out light in the sky.
Amanda (as Inara): This seems kind of weird. I think that we should look at Alonzo with it when we see him next.
Eric: Well he's down in the med bay if you want to go down there.
Michael: oooph I do not want to talk to Greg.
Eric: True. Fair point. Fair point.
Amanda (as Inara): I know we don't have that much time but I really want to go and see if Stoneface has seen this before. We're full, don't need his sandwiches. And I just want to see if he knows what the spyglass is or why he didn't come when we called him during the battle.
Michael (as Johnny): That makes sense to me. Let's go talk to our good dear pal.
Eric: Alright you guys walk up the stairs and you remember the ways that the hallways go and you are now at Stoneface's rookery and you open the door and all of the bomblades that are now in there they all make eye contact with all three of you
Amanda: Inara waves.
Brandon: I take out my water skin and fill a little dish with water and put it out in front of them.
Eric: Two of them hop over and start to drinking from their proboscis.
Brandon: I pet them.
Eric: And sitting perched at the edge you see Stonefaces back and he's kind of like in his regular gargoyle stance.
Michael: And Johnny goes up to him and says,
Michael (as Johnny): Stoneface, it's been a morning.
Michael: And I reach out to do one of my arcane handshakes with him.
Eric: Roll for arcane handshake and I'll give you plus two for proficiency.
Michael: that's a 13 plus 2 for 15.
Eric: You reproduce the hand jive that you did before.
Michael: Nice.
Eric: Over Under.
Amanda: Shoulder Shoulder.
Eric: Over the shoulder, side side. Yeah. And he's like,
Eric (as Stoneface): EYYY! Its myy friends! What's going on? What's happening? What's the haps?
Michael (as Johnny): We want to hang out with our favorite gargoyle of the castle.
Eric (as Stoneface): Ey! Well, that's, I'm the only one here but I'm going to take that as a compliment anyway.
Amanda (as Inara): Ey! Stoneface.
(Laughter)
Amanda (as Inara): We tried to call you earlier, by which I mean I was in mortal peril and tried to call you and you didn't come. Did you not hear me?
Eric (as Stoneface): No. I was flying. I was floating around.
Amanda (as Inara): Are you super sure because I saw you like 20 minutes ago?
Eric (as Stoneface): I did hear you later though. Uhhh I'm sorry that I wasn't around. I was just kind of hanging out.
Amanda (as Inara): It was super nuts, Greg homicidal. This lady, the speaker gave us a total question thing. It has been a pretty nuts morning. Have you see anything suspicious?
Eric (as Stoneface): Hey! That all sounds pretty pretty normal to me. I mean they give that quest out every 20 years.
Amanda (as Inara): Do they really?
Eric (as Stoneface): Uh, yeah. I mean, what did you guys not know?
Amanda (as Inara): Has this happened before?
Eric (as Stoneface): Yeah yeah all the time.
Amanda (as Inara): What happened the last one?
Eric (as Stoneface): They didn't do great. They, they did bad.
Michael (as Johnny): What happened when they 'did bad'
Eric (as Stoneface): Well, uh let, me let me tell you what happened. I've been around this castle for a while in the Concentric States are not, eyyyy, you know not so great. They haven't been great for a long time now. Whatever the speaker right? the speaker babe she, I've seen plenty of speakers come through here. I'm here as long as the castle is. Every 20 years to try to get a new champion to unite everyone but they always fail. It never leaves Fidapolis. You know, never leaves the castle. It's kind of like a secret. So if they're putting you up to it maybe, eyyy my three goodtime pals might actually be able to do something about it. Which, which clue did you get? Did you get the golden gear? Did you get the invisible box? Or do you get the spyglass?
Michael (as Johnny): Well I am interested in both the gear and the invisible box.
Eric (as Stoneface): The Invisible Box, eyyyy, you know its a good puzzle you know the thing is that you got to like cover it in like some sort of substance and then it becomes not visible.
Amanda (as Inara): And what is that what is the trick to the spyglass, just theoretically.
Eric (as Stoneface): Oh you got the spyglass didn't you?
Amanda (as Inara): No no.
Brandon (as Tracey): Yes we did!
Eric (as Stoneface): Yeah you're all very bad liars. That's why you're my good time pals.
Amanda (as Inara): OK. But seriously goodtime pal. What does this have to do with anything?
Eric (as Stoneface): I mean you know it's a spyglass. What do you, what do you do with a spyglass.
Amanda (as Inara): You look at stuff so what do you look at?
Michael (as Johnny): Stoneface. I think it may need to be looking up into the sky but maybe does at night make sense?
Eric (as Stoneface): Yeah what is there to look at when, what do you do you look at birds? With a magic spyglass?
Michael (as Johnny): No if I want to look at birds I'd look at these beautiful bumblades.
Michael: And I pet one of the bumbleades
Eric: And it twitters.
Michael: Nice.
Eric (as Stoneface): All right it seems like you all are having some problems. Why don't all three of you tonight you just relax. You get a bottle of mead, and some sandwiches. And you go up to the roof in the courtyard and you just look around. How's that?
Michael (as Johnny): You know this actually makes sense. Stoneface for you, I'm going to eat one of these sandwiches.
Eric: All right. He points to like a shelf. And there are in fact some sandwiches. There are eight sandwiches.
Michael: Uh huh... What's the least old looking one.
Eric: Why dont you make an investigation check.
Michael: 15 plus 2 for 17.
Eric: There are two of them look pretty OK. Roll the d20 and i'll do odds and evens
Michael: Natural 20 now... of course...
(Laughter)
Eric: You realize that both of them are very gross.
Michael (as Johnny): These both look really good. I just ate a few danishes and bagels. Stoneface, do you mind if I take both of them and save them for later?
Eric (as Stoneface): Woah Whoa, youre going to take two sandwiches? That's crazy. what if I need them for snacks?
Michael (as Johnny): OK. You know what. I got you.
Michael: Johnny grabs one of the two sandwiches stealthfully casts invisibility on it and looks like he scarfs it down into his robe pocket.
Eric: OK you now have a gross sandwich. It's now in your inventory. All right.
Michael: Gross. Sandwhich. I'll investigate later the components. But that's a later thing.
Eric: Cool. All right.
Amanda (as Inara): Stoneface, before we go is there anyone else in the castle that you think we should talk to before going out on our like Championship adventuring type stuff? You know your buddy wants to do really well.
Eric (as Stoneface): That's a good question. I guess if you want to get a little bit stronger you know a little bit faster. Like fast like grease lightning you could. You could definitely go use some of the courses outside. They have it for horses and they have it for the champions that come through here every once in a while. You can try to train down there if you so feel like it.
Amanda (as Inara): Cool, thank you.
Amanda: And just before we go I want to check the windowsill to see that if in the last few hours anyone has added to my Theives Cant Inscription.
Eric: OK you peek your head over and you have the three symbols that you have there. And the last one was dad. And right next to it there's actually a fifth one in different handwriting! The symbol for Begin
Amanda: Oh shit.
Eric: It is now nighttime. What do you want to do.
Michael: Johnny leads the group up towards the courtyard where they spend so much time before, lighting plants up, hitting unsuspecting sous chefs on the head,
Amanda: Reviving them, making friends.
Michael: Just general good hug times
Amanda: Costume changes.
Brandon: You know two very good hugs in that courtyard.
Michael: Yeah I wasn't there for that...
Amanda: They were.
Michael: And Johnny expands the spyglass once again and aims it towards the stars.
Eric: OK. Have you ever been at a high school during the summer. You know how it's like oddly quiet, like it shouldn't be quiet but it is. That's how it feels being up there. You feel like this is a place for people, for parties, and there's no one there even though that was like where all of this crazy stuff happened like 24 hours ago. You still wish that someone else was there. So it's just you three sitting there. What do you all look like when you look at the stars.
Amanda: Inara crosses her arms and takes a defensive powerful stance. Legs spread sort of shoulder width apart, looking up as if she was anticipating a fight. But I think her sort of shoulders and neck and face relax despite herself as she looks up at the stars.
Brandon: Tracey actually lays straight down on his back and takes a moment of quiet reflection and meditation and I think the stars remind him of the fact that he is small in the grand scheme of things.
Michael: There's no doubt in my mind that Johnny before he extends out the spyglass and looks up, casts light on a couple of the flowers that he had cast light on before just to make the scene prettier. And then he extends up the spyglass up towards the stars.
Eric: Johnny what are you looking at?
Michael: Johnny aims the spyglass first just above him and then slowly moves it towards the area that he had noticed before, just the previous night the star blink out.
Eric: You point it up at the stars, and at first it's still the darkness and you see the light of the stars come through. And as you get closer and closer to the constellation more light comes through. And now you are focused directly on the Constellation. It used to be in the shape of a rough circle with the five stars and one of them blinked out. As you move the spyglass on top of the now broken Constellation the spyglass jumps out of your hand and it lands on the ground and it starts to glow. And right down the center it opens and you hear a voice clear as day say,
Eric (as Spyglass): YUUUP. There's a storm a coming.
(Theme music)
Eric: Join the Party is brought to you by Brandon Grugle, Amanda McLoughlin, Michael Fische, and me, Eric Silver. I’m your host and game master; Brandon edits, mixes, and scores the show; Amanda manages our community and our digital life; and Michael archives, manual-checks, and cartographs our world. Special thanks to our creative consultants Connor McLoughlin, Julia Schifini and Heddy Hunt.
Michael: The party doesn’t stop here! The day after every episode comes out we publish the Afterparty, where we sit down to discuss what just happened and learn what could have happened. Send us your questions anytime.
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Eric: We’ll see you in two weeks. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.