It’s the final chapter in this story. Inara goes home. Tracey sets up shop. Everyone has a sleepover.
Housekeeping
- This is the last episode of the story of the Concentric States. In two weeks we’ll publish a giant Afterparty After the End of the World, so get your questions in now.
- Join the Party is not over! We will be starting a new campaign after this one ends: bonus one-shots in January and February, then new campaign episodes starting on March 3rd, 2020, featuring DM Eric and players Brandon, Amanda, and Julia Schifini. Read more about what we’re planning on our website: jointhepartypod.com/season2-announcement
- Our Patreon page and patron-only Discord will stay as active as ever, so join up now if you’d like to be the first to hear about updates on the new campaign. That’s at patreon.com/jointhepartypod
Multitude
- Grab your tickets now to see us live in Austin on February 27, 2020! Head to multitude.productions/live today.
- Get your Join the Party enamel pins, Eric’s Labor Party modules, and new merch for all Multitude podcasts at multitude.productions/merch! Our TeePublic (jointhepartypod.com/merch) will remain up through the end of January 2020.
Sponsors
- Hero Forge, a great source for gifts this holiday season. Surprise the Gamers in your life with the perfect gift or gift card at heroforge.com today.
- HelloFresh, where you can get 9 free meals by going to HelloFresh.com/JOINTHEPARTY9 and using code JOINTHEPARTY9.
- Twenty Sided Store, the best indie game store in Brooklyn. Get 20% off your online or in-store order with code JOINTHEPARTY.
Find Us Online
- website: jointhepartypod.com
- patreon: patreon.com/jointhepartypod
- twitter: twitter.com/jointhepartypod
- facebook: facebook.com/jointhepartypod
- instagram: instagram.com/jointhepartypod
- tumblr: jointhepartypod.tumblr.com
- music: brandongrugle.bandcamp.com
Cast & Crew
- Dungeon Master: Eric Silver
- TR8c (Tracey): Brandon Grugle
- Inara Harthorn: Amanda McLoughlin
- Creative Contributors: Connor McLoughlin, Heddy Hunt, Julia Schifini
- Multitude: multitude.productions
About Us
Join the Party is a collaborative storytelling and roleplaying podcast. That means a group of friends create a story together, chapter by chapter, that everyone from seasoned players to true beginners can enjoy. Where else can you get adventure, intrigue, magic, drama, and lots of high fives all in one place? Right here.
After each episode we sit down for the Afterparty, where we break down our game and answer your questions about how to play Dungeons & Dragons and other roleplaying games at home. We also have the Punchbowl, an interview series with people pushing D&D forward creatively, communally and socially. It’s a party, and you’re invited! Find out more at jointhepartypod.com.
Transcript
[cinematic harmony plays]
Eric: Who is a hero? Are they the chosen one, with the weight of history pushing them towards greatness? Are they the face of a revolution? Do they stare into a mob of rolling danger and stand up for what’s right? Or is it something much quieter? Like stepping away at the end of a story.
We mark the end of the Council’s resurrection with an echoing…
[loud slam]
Clunk. The sounds of metal and wood collapsing against each other, all over the world. In the days after, the citizens of the Concentric States would try to find meaning in that resonance. As Stoneface and the bombilate squadron drop supplies to the starving people at the bottom of the hill, the clunk meant he could rest and worry about his own sandwiches for a change.
As Greg sprinted through the back allies of Cronopolis, pursued by a posse of warforged who had a bounty on his head and his hair, whistling his arrow in speedy blows behind him, the clunk meant he could finally stop running and go find that guy who’s his husband or his boyfriend…I don’t know what it is at this point.
As Kohl crushed two warforged heads in a hydraulic press, the clunk meant there was a lot of scrap to clean up and a whole lot of new parts she could mod onto Alabaster.
As Zubi’s club walloped another crowd swarming the Antipolis coast, Ev perched on his shoulder and hollering about another flanking platoon, the clunk meant that they could both start to rebuild their homes…one above, and one below the ground.
AND as Captain Alex resurfaced in the center of Kiko Lake, paddling as hard as she could, with her elk feet and octopus limbs and finally her own hands splayed out on the shore. The clunk meant something had helped her and she would never stop being grateful.
But…even as you step away from a story that’s ending, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t more story to tell.
[wind whistling]
Eric: So…let’s pick up right after the fight.
Brandon (as Tracey): [sighs] Oh! I’m exhausted!
Amanda (as Inara): [also sighs] Oh, oh! It’s really dusty in here.
[Brandon chuckles, Amanda sneezes]
Amanda: I sneezed.
[Brandon and Eric laugh]
Eric: Yeah that was right, that was the one thing we didn’t talk about. Just dust everywhere after the Council was defeated.
Brandon: Have we mentioned Inara’s allergies before?
Eric: No.
Amanda: It’s really ironic growing up in the forest and everything but…yeah.
[Brandon laughs]
Eric: So glad we’re getting this great character work in the epilogue, just…wonderful. Thank you.
[Amanda laughs]
Um, so the Council in his bubble is…[laughs] taken care of at the moment. It’s like after a night out everyone’s hungover and just looking for a Denny’s. [chuckles] Everyone is walking out, they’re tired, beat up. Even Chad is 2/3 of the size that he was.
Amanda: No!
Eric: Just all of his ooze was kicked everywhere.
Amanda: He just needs a good, like, combo plate.
Eric: Yeah. [laughs] Just going to get some sausages and I’ll go back to regular size.
Amanda: Yeah!
Eric: Uh, Brink is still leaning on Inara. She’s still not doing so hot after being mind-controlled for a decent amount of time. Franny is, Franny looks great actually…
[Amanda laughs]
She loves looking this slovenly. She has like a slurpee cup filled with Undying Light energy that she’s drinking out of. And Valentine is uh skulking around, doing their Valentine thing. And the Speaker is doing their best, like scrying to figure out where this diner is.
Eric (as the Speaker): I…I know there has to be somewhere…I, just because the end of the world happened it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a diner open. I mean…they have to get eggs somewhere really.
Brandon: Is there just a waffle house next door?
[Eric laughs]
Amanda: Yeah.
Eric: You know there used to be a waffle house but then it got turned into a…like a garage for…[chuckles] warforged, unfortunately.
[Brandon chuckles]
Amanda (as Inara): Uh… don’t worry guys, I know the way.
Amanda: And Inara’s going to lead them outside the mansion and on their recognizance before we started this like, campaign against the stronghold, uh, we had seen a diner. And Inara remembers because…I was so hungry and so jealous. And just really wanted waffles.
Brandon: She pulls out her map and its just circled with a big X.
Amanda: Yeah…
Eric: [laughs] So you try two diners like…oh that one got, that one’s a propaganda station. Oh that one’s a garage now. But yes, you do find a diner that is open. What’s weird is that it’s the same one you were in, or it’s like modelled after the same one that Tracey and Ze’ol were in.
Amanda: In the way that like all diners are just liminal space and a fourth dimension?
[Brandon laughs]
Eric: I mean, I don’t know if Ze’ol had a favorite diner or this was…even the same one? I don’t want to get into that right now. But, uh you slide in.
Brandon (as Tracey): Oh…this is awkward. Uh...
Amanda: Inara already has a waffle in her mouth.
Amanda (as Inara): [nonchalantly] What…what do you mean awkward?
[Brandon laughs]
Eric: Inara I want you to make a Perception check.
[dice roll]
Amanda: 17.
Eric: Okay with a 17, the waitress comes over with a hot chocolate that’s like overflowing with whipped cream.
Eric (as waitress): [gruffly] Oh…uh…this one is from the lady all the way in the back over there.
Eric: And you look up, and Adamah is sitting at the corner booth and she waves to you. And goes back to eating her steamed greens and egg whites.
Amanda: I, uh…wrinkle my nose at her plate but then give her a little salute and push it between me and Brink to share.
Eric: Oh sorry with a 17, you also see that she has a cup of cottage cheese [laughs] there too.
Amanda: Oh good [phews] is there like little balls of cantaloupe and honeydew in it?
Eric: With a 17, you do notice that there is cantaloupe, yes.
[Amanda laughs]
Listen, I gotta respect the dice, even when doing an epilogue.
Brandon: Eric, how much green juice is she drinking?
Eric: You know…they didn’t invent green juice until…
Amanda: Intense, intense.
Eric: ’88, so it wasn’t really a thing. Um, after Adamah waves you hear a thump against the window, and your table and there is a bombilaid that is floating there with a letter in its mouth.
Amanda: I open the window.
Eric: Yeah, you’re right. I don’t really feel like thinking about this. [laughing] You push open the diner window, and the bombilate floats in and has a letter in it’s mouth to Inara.
Amanda: I open it up, what does it say?
Eric: As you look down to read it, you realize…you see that’s all written in thieves’ cant.
Amanda: [intrigued] Oh…
Eric: And it says,
[reading] Commander Inara, we are happy and proud of the work that you did defeating the Council of Bright and bringing the Assassin’s Guild in with the resistance force of the Friends of the Champion. However, we have known that you have been aiding and abetting a member of the Councils family, and someone who is working as a pawn on behalf of the Council.
Unfortunately, in your time of success and pride, this is uncomfortable news but…we can no longer keep someone who we cannot trust in the Assassin’s Guild.
Eric: And then it’s just signed with a dagger.
[pause]
Amanda: I…dip my finger in the hot chocolate, and then pause, and then pull a pencil out of my pocket and then lick my finger instead, and inscribe the symbols to mean…
Amanda (as Inara): [letter writing] Understood. Gratefully yours, Inara.
Amanda: And then put it in the bombilate’s mouth, and send them on their way.
Eric: Uh, you try to shoo the bombilaid away, but the bombilate still has its mouth open. It’s waiting for something else.
Amanda: I…use a spoon to put some whipped cream in its mouth?
Eric: It eats it happily but then it still stays there.
Brandon: [chuckles] Does it want some sugar water?
Amanda: [short pause] Oh. [sighs] I reach down into my pack and pull out my bag of magic marbles. I put the letter inside of it, tie it up in a bow, give it a little hug, and give it to the bombilate.
Eric: The bombilate receives the bag of marbles and the letter in its mouth and uh…runs directly back into the window.
Amanda (as Inara): Don’t worry about that everybody! Um…hello.
Amanda: And then I give Adamah like a little subtle like, widening of the eyes and I’m like, okay okay okay. I’m Alright, fine.
Eric: Adamah is just like housing that cottage cheese right now.
[Amanda laughs]
Uh and the bombilate flutters away.
Brandon: Tracey smudges some bacon grease on the window so it can see it next time.
Amanda: Aw!
Eric: Brink turns to you and says,
Eric (as Brink): Hey! Uh…what was that?
Amanda (as Inara): Oh, I just…um, needed to return something and I’m a little sad about it, but. It doesn’t belong to me.
Eric (as Brink): Huh. Well I mean, if you took it from somebody else, I guess that’s a nice thing to do. Cause, you know, you steal things…
Amanda (as Inara): I mean…I think I did? And stealing consensually is really fun in like a game or something, but…
Eric (as Brink): How can you steal consensually? Like you stole my heart!
Eric: And then she puts whipped cream on your nose.
Amanda: [excitedly] What?!
[Eric cackles]
Eric: Um, Tracey make a Perception check.
[dice roll]
Amanda: [in reaction to roll] Oh! Oh bud…
Brandon: A classic roll for a classic boy! 4.
Eric: Great, wonderful.
[Amanda laughs]
It’s just like old times.
Amanda: Listen, he’s a war veteran, lay off!
[Brandon laughs]
Eric: Tracey you look up to the corner booth and you’re looking up to where Adamah was, but a golem has sat right in the booth in front of you so you just, you’re just like, Oh! I wonder where that golem got pancakes with rocks on it.
Amanda: [intrigued] Oh!
Brandon: That doesn’t sound good.
Eric: It is very delicious, they are loving it.
Brandon: Candied rocks?
Eric: Candied rocks.
Amanda: They’re good for digestion.
Eric: So you don’t see Adamah unfortunately.
Yeah you guys have some time decompressing after the diner, and uh, the Speaker says she is going to pay for everything after she tries to split up the check between everyone and she’s like…
Amanda: [endearingly] Maria…
Eric (as the Speaker): You know, this is too…I’m too tired. This is too much, let’s go. Let’s all go, let’s all go home.
Amanda: I think we’re all just like recapping how the battle went and celebrating each other’s like badass moves and I don’t know adrenaline and like, syrup high. Uh, but by the end of the meal, yeah, I think it feels like it’s time to hunker down.
Eric: Yeah.
Uh, I think at this point while everyone is kind of milling around and figuring it out, Inara, you see that Valentine gets really really uncomfortable all of a sudden. And Valentine is staring right at Tracey. And they open their mouth and make an alarm sound.
[Valentine's alarm beeping]
The siren that warforged were coming.
[Valentine's alarm continues beeping]
Amanda (as Inara): [confused] Hey…! Valentine what’s wrong?
[Valentine's alarm speeds up sporadically]
Eric: The siren just keeps going and they take out one of their daggers and start walking towards Tracey.
Brandon (as Tracey): [scared] Ah! Uh…hi, I’m Tracey!
Eric: Franny’s like,
Eric (as Franny): Oh! Oh…hey! There’s still one left, hold on. There’s still one left here!
Amanda (as Inara): Hey! Guys!
Eric (as Franny): Were they there the entire time?!
Amanda: I step between Valentine and Tracey and Franny and I’m like,
Amanda (as Inara): Guys, this is Tracey what are you talking about?!
Eric (as Franny): This is dangerous, I don’t…have they been here, was there a cloaking device happening here?
Eric: I think all of this is happening while everyone is stepping forward with their weapons drawn. Alonzo recognizes you Tracey, he makes eye contact with you, but is just like way too overwhelmed with what’s happening and just stares at the ground.
Amanda (as Inara): Did you…what happened? Did you just, he fought alongside us.
Eric: And now Chad wiggles over and says,
Eric (as Chad): Hello! New friend! I’m so glad to see you! My name is Chad, I am a human!
Brandon (as Tracey): Hi Chad, I’m Tracey!
Eric (as Chad): Hello!
Brandon (as Tracey): It’s nice to meet you!
Amanda: I make eye contact with Tracey like, what…what’s happening?
Eric: Even the Speaker now is starting to look really concerned. And she has like this really placid voice and she says,
Eric (as the Speaker): Alright…I think we’re all prepared for this. Let’s just fight one more, it’s fine. Everyone just take a few steps back. I don’t know where they came from. They might not be under control of the Council if the Council is gone. I don’t know.
Amanda: I sort of look for meaning in Trey’s eyes like, do you know what’s happening here?
Brandon: And I glance over at Inara and give her just like a knowing nod.
Amanda (as Inara): This was our man on the inside…our our our victory is, is in part because of Tracey. He led us into the castle. He let us know where the Council was hiding. He told me where Alonzo was. We’ve been communicating.
Eric: Brink is squeezing your hand really hard and is like,
Eric (as Brink): Inara, I know that you trust Tracey, but that’s not Tracey. I don’t know what happened to Tracey during the battle but that, that warforged doesn’t have a switch. Tracey does.
Amanda: I look and…and is your switch missing?
Eric: You see that his switch is still there.
Amanda (as Inara): Um…you’re right. Tracey [sighs] I just, I just miss him a lot. I’m sorry friend, what’s your name again? I know you helped us, but I forgot it. But, um, what...what was your name? We had a code name, like uh, like uh, King of Darkness but what is, what is, what is your common name?
Eric: Tracey as you’re looking around at all your friends who are now pulling out their weapons, you now see in the background, Adamah is just standing and from the back, she waves. And she disappears.
Brandon (as Tracey): Oh! I’m sorry, I was um…sometimes I had to double as Tracey during the thing, uh…
Amanda (as Inara): Right, so no one knew that you were another warforged on the inside?
Brandon (as Tracey): Uh, yeah. I’m, I’m Salmon. It’s nice to meet you all. I promise I’m not going to hurt you. I think the fact that I’m not in a heap on the floor hopefully proves that?
Eric: Everyone still has their hands on their weapons, but I think no one is making any more steps towards you and the Speaker says,
Eric (as the Speaker): Inara, I know that you had this whole operation happening here, but just having Salmon show up, uh, is especially after everything we’ve been through is just a little startling.
Amanda (as Inara): No! You’re right…and I definitely need to work on communication. I know I could get better at it and I’m sorry for startling you. Uh, Salmon just really loves breakfast, so that’s initially how we bonded [chuckling] we were just both in the kitchen and he was like oh I love breakfast, and he was like, oh I love breakfast!
Brandon (as Tracey): You like bagels, I like bagels! You were like what kind of creatures do you like? I like all kinds of creatures!
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah, and his name is the same as our friend Salmon Chad, so I had a good feeling about him and it worked out.
Eric: Chad says,
Eric (as Chad): I’m friends with everyone regardless of what happened earlier!
[Brandon and Amanda laugh]
Eric (as Brink): Well I’m not…thanks Chad for your optimism but I am not…uh, I am not...
ES T: It’s okay. I don’t expect everyone to trust me immediately.
Eric (as Brink): Okay, um…cool. Good. Uh, I guess I’m just going to wait, I’m going to stand over there. I’m not going to…I’m just not, I don’t really want to deal with this.
Eric: And Brink like steps, steps away.
Amanda (as Inara): It’s okay honey, I’m sorry.
Eric: So the Speaker says,
Eric (as the Speaker): Oh, well…okay. Thank you for letting us know that Inara. I guess that one last scare, that everyone still needs to be on their guard. And it’s a good reminder that even though the Council has been dispatched and put back in the astral prison, we must stay ever vigilant if he or they or any other threat comes back to, uh, once again try to destroy the Concentric States. Thank you Inara for that lesson you were all obviously bringing to us. Thank you.
Brandon (as Tracey): I will also say the warforged were also controlled so maybe, you know, we can all work on building trust with our species.
Amanda (as Inara): An…an opportunity for understanding? I love that. Maybe not right now, but I think that’s a great point Salmon.
Eric (as the Speaker): I will make a meeting for next week. Take, let’s all take a few days…
Amanda (as Inara): Put a pin in it.
Brandon (as Tracey): That’s great.
Amanda (as Inara): Circle back…
Eric (as the Speaker): And it seems like this, uh…
Amanda (as Inara): Follow up…
Eric (as the Speaker): Uh, who what was your name again?
Brandon (as Tracey): Salmon.
Eric (as the Speaker): Seems like Salmon is the only warforged around and you can see as you were walking around to the diner, when this was all happening, there were deconstructed falling apart warforged just like everywhere.
Amanda: I give Tracey’s elbow a squeeze as we are walking out.
Eric: Everyone now kind of figuring out where they’re going to go, the Speaker flies off. Franny steps back into her…her jewelry pouch and is just like,
Eric (as Franny): Smell you later!
[Amanda and Brandon laugh]
Eric: Uh, Valentine just kind of disappears. Chad wobbles off somewhere on his [enthusiastically] NEXT GREAT ADVENTURE!
Amanda: Join the Party 2: Chad’s World!
Brandon: Chad!
Eric: The Legend of Chad!
Amanda: Aw!
Eric: And uh, Brink she’s still standing off waiting for Inara.
Amanda: Yeah, I uh, I turn to Tracey and say,
Amanda (as Inara): Uh…don’t really know where I’m going. Do you wanna lay low for a day or two and then I can meet up with you?
Brandon (as Tracey): Yeah, I think that…that would be good for everyone um. I had it back before everything fell apart, before everything went bad. I had a tea shop down in Thistlefield.
Amanda (as Inara): Oh!
Brandon (as Tracey): It was really quant, um, Tally’s still there so I need to go check on them.
Amanda (as Inara): Oh, good.
Brandon (as Tracey): They only had tea to eat so…that’s not great.
Amanda (as Inara): No…
Brandon: And Tracey stuffs some bacon into his pocket.
[Amanda laughs]
Eric: Cut to Tally just like eating everything in the tea shop.
Brandon (as Tracey): But, you know, if you ever find yourself in Thistlefield, like, you’re…you’re teas on me.
Amanda (as Inara): Of course I’ll find myself in Thistlefield! Of course I’ll come visit, what are you talking about?
Brandon (as Tracey): [relieved] Yeah, okay! Great, thank you…I, can I come visit the Great Green sometime maybe?
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah! I…I definitely want to see my family. I don’t know where we’re going to end up. I don’t think, I don’t think were ready to live together but I…I don’t know. I think I’ll be moving around for a little bit and I’ll…I’ll definitely make a stop.
Brandon (as Tracey): Yeah. Alright. Well I’ll…I’ll give some some letters to a bombilate and I’m sure they can track you down.
Amanda (as Inara): Oh! Here…
Amanda: And I hand Tracey the other part of Franny’s coin purse and say.
Amanda (as Inara): I’ll…I’ll ask her for another one, but you take this for now.
Brandon (as Tracey): Thank you.
Eric: Inara you start walking to Brink and you start walking your way. And Tracey you start walking your way up to Thistlefield.
Brandon: And as we start walking away, Tracey quickly turns on his heels and hugs Inara and heads the other direction.
Amanda (as Inara): That was the best warforged attack I’ve ever weathered.
[Brandon chuckles]
Eric: Great, um…
Brandon: And then he uses an extra attack to hug her twice!
Eric: Oh geez.
Amanda: Aw! And then it counters. Surprise attack!
Brandon: Sneak attack!
[everyone laughs]
[serene music plays, fading into midroll]
Eric: Hey, it’s Eric. Do you ever have this moment when you’re listening to your favorite podcast, maybe it’s a D&D podcast, I don’t know, and you’re so inspired by it that you decide to make a podcast of your own. And if it’s a D&D podcast, I guess you’ll be the Dungeon Master, and you like doing character voices, but you need people to do it, like players? So you look for some other people to play with you, hey some guy you work with knows how to edit, maybe your friend from college has been doing podcasts for a while. And you start recording in your office on the weekends. And then you get some better mics and record in one of your player’s bedrooms. Then a different bedroom. Then the podcasting stuff is going so well you get your own office, and you record in that studio. And that sounds really good! So you record like 56 episodes and it’s so much fun and then eventually it’s over. So… you just start it all again. Welcome to the midroll. Is that just me? Is that a universal thing? I guess it’s just me.
Boop-doo-da-boop-boop, JTP season two news alert! We know what’s happening next. DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE TO OUR BELOVED SHOW, there’s good stuff on the way.
● So I want to let you know that on December 16th, we are going to record the Afterparty After the End of the World. So you need to give us your questions by December 16th. Two weeks from now: that’s when the podcast is going to get released. So get your questions in now.
● Mid-January and mid-February: one-shots with friends you are going to be very excited to hear.
● Then, March 3rd, SEASON TWO BEGINS. Yes, yes, yes! Season 2, yes! We’re welcoming your favorite artificer, Julia Schifini, back to JTP as a full-fledged party member. 3 players, 1 heart! We’re starting a contemporary campaign, it is still D&D, that has to do with powers and cities and maybe poutine?? I’m not going to say much more, but it’s gonna be great. We’ll be releasing episodes every other week, same as before, and bringing back the Afterparty. But this time, instead of short APs with every episode, we’ll publish nice chunky ones ever other off week. So at least two JTP eps and one AP per month. Good? Good.
● So stay subscribed! You can also join the Patreon so you can discuss all of this exciting new content in our Discord! We’re so stoked, and we’re counting on you to help us keep growing our audience as we transition to the new campaign.
Speaking of the Patrons whose support keeps the show going, hello to our newest patrons: Rio, Sean, Riely, Jennine, Rita, and Elizabeth!
Pledge just $2 to get access to our Patron-only Discord, among other amazing benefits, at patreon.com/jointhepartypod.
We are sponsored again this week by our friends at Hero Forge. This Holiday Season, surprise the Gamers in your life with a Hero Forge Gift Card! These cards are delivered instantly via email and can be used to purchase all of the minis on our site: Digital and Physical. You never know what mini they’re going to need, like us, as we figure out what minis we might need for the new season, AH!!! Visit HeroForge.com to grab one today.
We are also sponsored this week by Hello Fresh. These meals are simple, delicious, and flexible. They come with pre-measured ingredients that make it super simple to follow their step-by-step recipes in just about 30 minutes. Break out of your dinner rut with their 20+ seasonal, chef-curated recipes each week. And you can also add extra meals, or add-ons like garlic bread and cookie dough, to your weekly order. We just got a mac and cheese recently that was so delicious because there were so many cheeses! It was super easy to make equally delicious as leftovers the next day, and absolutely a recipe we’re incorporating into our weekly rotation. You can get 9 free meals with HelloFresh by going to HelloFresh.com/Jointheparty9 and using the code Jointheparty9. That’s 9 free meals at HelloFresh.com/Jointheparty9 and using the code Jointheparty9.
And our thanks to Twenty Sided Store in Brooklyn, NY for supporting this episode. And I want to recommend an awesome present for the holidays out there - Clue D&D. It’s Clue, but D&D themed, which is already great when you say it out loud. But when was the last time you played Clue? Because it’s actually a boardgame that stands up to the test of time and also the little cousins you’re playing it with. Also, instead of figuring out a murderer, you need to sleuth out who’s has been replaced by a devil in disguise, that’s amazing. No matter if you’re getting a new board game, new dice, or want new friends to play Magic the Gathering with, head to 20 Sided Store in Brooklyn New York and get 20% off using the discount code JOINTHEPARTY, both in store or online.
To everyone who’s joined us on this journey through the Concentric StatEric: thank you. We love you. And now, let’s get back to the show.
[serene music plays, birds chirp]
Eric: Alright, so let’s uh…let’s move a bit forward in time. Let’s take a few weeks. Let’s start with Inara.
So Inara, you have set back out for another adventure, another whirlwind tale for you to tell the world. Now that you don’t have a job, you can kind of do whatever you want. So uh, what do you want to do?
Amanda: Yeah, I think I will, uh, hang out with Brink it Tortipolis for a few days. I think I will crash in that nice garden that I enjoyed so much, um and then just hang out with her and do normal things get fro-yo and talk…
[Eric cackles]
And just not be battling. Then head over to Fidapolis, I definitely want to check in on Alonzo and Greg. So happy to see Captain Alex is alive and I sob and take another Antipolis sailing school shirt so that I can have one for myself and then…I need to go home. I think I am going to stop into the Great Green and based on the time of year, figure out where I think my family will be. And just…go see them and just remind myself what’s waiting for me.
Eric: I assume that the Great Green is pretty big, so like, what is your family collective town look like?
Amanda: Yeah, well…we’re nomadic, so we like move throughout the year and live in different places in different seasons. We’re part of a really big clan, so like my family unit and like immediate group of like 40 or 50 people who move together uh, will meet up with the large family for our annual summer reunion and then there’s like winter holidays that we get together for.
So the Great Green us like…you know where the trees grow over the road to make a bauer of trees? Like a big archway? That is what the path from Fidapolis into the Great Green looks like. Um, that’s where I started my journey, so it’s definitely a little overwhelming to be there. I’m glad I have Oatcake with me, um my pack is a lot heavier. But walking down that road it then turns into, you know, more and more forested. There’s like well-worn paths that I might know that might not be known to most people. Clearings every so often, streams. And then the forest thins a little bit into this more scrub brush looking like side of a mountain. And this is where we spend spring. So, it takes me about a day and a half to walk it but eventually, hopefully I come up to a tent, in and firepit and washing station that I know so well.
Eric: Inara, please make a Dexterity saving throw.
[dice roll]
Amanda: 21.
Eric: Okay. As you crest over a hill, you’re getting ready, you’re preparing yourself to see your family. And all of the sudden you feel something flying towards you. And you throw your hand up, and you grab it, and it’s an orange.
[Amanda laughs]
And you look up and there are like a bunch of little elves running around like,
Eric (as elves): [high-pitched] Oh! That lady has our orange!! We were throwing it around, I’m sorry did you get hit?!
Amanda (as Inara): That lady?! Are you kidding me?
Eric (as elves): I don’t know, I got bored recently. This seems different. Who are you? You look different I like your hair cut! Can I play with your cape? Can I put it on? Where’s your dog, can I pet your dog!?
Amanda (as Inara): Uh, yeah! This is Oatcake, of course you can pet her!
Amanda: And then Oatcake like runs around happily playing with lil kids.
Eric: Sure. They’re running after Oatcake, and Oatcake is just poofing behind them. They’re just like,
Eric (as elves): Oh man! Look at this magic dog! This dog is so magic, come here magic dog!
Eric: And then throws the orange in the air and Oatcake jumps up and catches it.
Amanda: She just like blinks on top of their heads one by one.
Eric: It’s adorable.
Amanda: Yeah.
Eric (as elves): Oh hey…we’re not really supposed to play with people’s dogs who just randomly show up.
Amanda (as Inara): I’m…my name’s Inara. I’m…I’m from this clan. I’ve just been away for a little while, uh, seeing the world, traveling, saving the world. [chuckling to herself] It’s no big deal…but uh where is…where is the leader? Where’s my mom?
Eric (as elves): Well, if you really were one of the clan, um, what’s our favorite thing to eat?
Amanda (as Inara): Duh! Dad’s oatcakes!
Eric: The children look at you for a second and are like,
Eric (as elves): [short pause] I don’t really know how you know that, but you must be! I guess you’re one of us. Okay, let’s go!
Eric: And they all run down the hill and one falls and just tumbles.
[Brandon laughing]
And they run down to the main cooking area, uh with a big fire and a makeshift walk on it, and uh you look up and you see your dad! Uh your dad is a little bit older than you remember, his hair is salt and pepper, his beard is like way longer than you remember. And he moves a little bit slower, but that’s definitely your dad.
Amanda (as Inara): [sweetly] Oh my god DAD, what is this beard choice you’re making?!
Eric (as Inara's dad): Hey! I don’t want judgement from anybody.
Eric: And he turns around and he sees you.
Amanda: I jump up and like spider-hug him.
Eric: [laughs] He’s like,
Eric (as Inara's dad): Uh, yeah that’s uh, that’s is a very interesting haircut you have. Can I pull that off?
Amanda (as Inara): You know what dad, I think you can.
Eric: And then he hugs you, [laughing] and for a long time. You guys don’t move for like 5 minutes. And this time everyone starts coming around. All of your cousins and your aunts and your uncles who are now chastising your cousins fort not knowing you. And uh…
Amanda (as Inara): Oh no, it’s fine! They were really suspicious, good elves are suspicious! It's good. It’s good.
Eric: And they’re like,
Eric (as Inara's family): Inara! She’s back from the big city! Oh man, it’s Inara! Look at her haircut, it’s different, do you think I can pull that off?
Amanda: Someone finds my skateboard. Yeah.
Eric: They’re like,
Eric (as Inara's family): Look at all of these things, tell us everything! That’s wild.
Amanda: Someone’s wearing my cape. Someone's found a dagger and I take it away from them.
[Brandon giggles]
Eric: There's a little, there's a little elf child running around and turning into a ghost and then unturning into a ghost.
Amanda: Yeah. And then I turned around and I think my mom is holding Oatcake like an infant, like over her shoulder as if to burp him. And then I’m like,
Amanda (as Inara): I hope you don't mind that I brought a dog home, mom.
Eric (as Inara's mom): This is worth, everything. Thank you.
Amanda: Aw...
Eric (as Inara's mom): I now forgive you leaving me and for having fun adventures without me. I guess you're gonna have to stay for a very long time to make up for it. [pause] Your haircut is interesting.
Amanda (as Inara): [emotionally] Mom, I'm just...I'm just so glad to be back.
Eric: [chuckles] Uh yeah, I think you spend...how long do you want to spend in the Great Green?
Amanda: I spend a couple weeks there. I don't want to go to long without, um, visiting Tracey and I write to Brink like, every other day, but it's exciting for me to see new kids and people I left as toddlers are now like talking and having precocious opinions and, it um, it feels really good to be back. I...I wanted so badly to see new things when I left at the beginning of all of this, but it's pretty amazing that I have somewhere like this to go home to.
Eric: I think that you kinda lay out your plans and you're like, ‘Oh I'm gonna stay for a few days’ and then you end up staying for a week and then link, ‘Oh I'll leave next Monday’.
Amanda (as Inara): The traffic's really bad at the end of the week so it's good to start at the beginning.
Eric: Exactly but then you end up staying for another little while and then you're like, ‘Okay, fine I'm actually gonna leave this time’.
And I think that this is the day before you are about to leave. Youve told them all your stories to everybody you've met, multiple times. You talk about your haircut a lot. You talk about your skateboard a lot. You get like treads on your skateboard. You get like treads on your skateboard to make sure that you can actually use it...
Amanda: Yeah.
Eric: On the dirt. I think it's your last night. Everyone they make your favorite breakfast for dinner. Everyone makes brinner it's just so much and just oatcake...it's like an oatcake bar.
Amanda: Yeah!
Eric: Like imagine you were making a crepe bar but it's just for oatcakes.
[Amanda laughs]
Eric: And it's delicious. And I think at this point, your mom and your dad are sitting next to you and all of the, all of your siblings, your cousins are all just running around and like jumping all over each other and um, your dad says,
Eric (as Inara's dad): So...you find any uh...oatcakes as good as mine out there?
Amanda (as Inara): Not one dad and I never baked any but someone you gave me just enough.
Eric (as Inara's dad): Listen, a thousand oatcakes is the proper amount. I just...I knew it.
Amanda (as Inara): I know! People they just, they don't understand but it was, it was so crucial.
Eric (as Inara's dad): And I want you to know that I have so much restraint not asking you about this until now. Because I am not a prideful man but thank you for letting me know. Thank you.
Amanda (as Inara): Aw you're welcome dad.
Eric: Your mom hits him with the back of a wooden spoon.
[Amanda and Eric laugh]
Eric (as Inara's mom): Well what we actually wanted to know is uh [pause] what was it like? What was it like out there?
Amanda (as Inara): It...it's sooooo…[sigh]
Eric (as Inara's mom): You know you like told us the stories and everything and all those people sound fun, uh...I do not understand what Chad is, but I will, we'll get to that later. Um…
Amanda (as Inara): Like moss, but gel, very big.
Eric (as Inara's mom): But he's a human?
Amanda (as Inara): He...is whatever he wants to be.
Eric (as Inara's mom): Ok, I am going to have to ask you many questions. I still don't understand so we're gonna just go through the whole thing again.
Amanda (as Inara): But that's, that's what it's like. Is so many people who are so different from and you find something in common and you find a reason to care about each other and it's so different from here where we are there for each other no matter what and I know that I'll always have this and if I need something there are dozens of people who will ask me a bunch of invasive questions and help out at the same time but...needing to choose that, needing to say to somebody 'I care about you even though I don't have to' it...really made me value what I have here and I don't know...appreciate family so much more and finding my own doesn't mean that this isn't my family too, I just…[long pause] I found a lot of people who care about me and a lot more people to care about.
Eric (as Inara's mom): I knew you'd be alright. You'd find a family wherever you went. You got a good head on your shoulders.
Amanda (as Inara): Thanks mom, and I know I'm no...I'm no clan leader like you but you know? I kinda led a revolution there. I made a friend who wears suits who I think you would find really interesting.
[Eric snickers]
Amanda (as Inara): I just, I found reminders of you guys all over the place. And I didn't feel like I was gone.
Eric: And your dad says,
Eric (as Inara's dad): Also, uh, to demonstrate my restraint I have not asked this until now. Were you dating anybody in between the adventures or were you just like a lone warrior type?
Amanda: Is that, is that were the questions end? I'm not.
Eric: Laughs...and we fade to black.
[Amanda and Eric laugh]
Amanda (as Inara): Um, well, there is someone. Her, her name is Brink, or Brinksy, or Brinks. That's just, that's what, that's her last name. That's what I call her, it's sweet.
Amanda: Inara's entire face is red.
Eric: Your dad thinks for a second and says.
Eric (as Inara's dad): Now...um...is that the same one as...Brinksyyyyyyy! I love the bachelorette tournament. It's, I, I…got it by mail every day. I couldn't stop. I did know this. This was a setup! I did know this. I am a man of restraint and pride. And I got you.
Amanda (as Inara): Ah, come on classic.
[Eric laughs]
Amanda: And Oatcake licks my dad on the face.
[Join the Party theme melody plays softly]
[Sounds from the inside of a cafe, the tea shop, play]
Eric: Alright, I guess, Salmon, we’re back with Salmon/Tracey. What do you uh...you’re going back to Thistlefield.
Brandon: Yeah, I think if you were going back to Thistlefield today, the first shop you would notice down the main drag on the left is ‘Salmon's Tea Emporium’.
[everyone laughs]
Amanda: What a name!
Brandon: You know it's a big like wooden side with a bunch of gears on top of it and fish overarching it. And if you walk in the tea shop has been transformed. Tracey's been tinkering and feeling a lot more confident about um with Robomancy and uhhh there's a lot of spare parts around. So, um, if you walk in you notice, the first thing you notice after the tea shop is entirely steampunk. There are shelves of books everywhere full of like technical manuals and nursery rhyme books for children and detective novels, um, there's a big fireplace in the corner and ever chair is the most comfortable chair you've ever sat in your entire life.
Eric: Did you take this tea shop over from Mr. Octavio or is this an entirely new thing and now you’re rivals with Mr. Octavio.
Brandon: Yeah! I think with the money Tracey had left over from the adventure, he came in with a briefcase that he found somewhere on the side of the road, looked like a businessman, and then uh, tried to buy the tea shop from Mr. Octavio.
Eric: So yeah, now you have Mr. Octavio’s, so that’s what, that was the (giggles) the great turnover. You still have all of your regulars. Charlie the halfling. The sentient horse that comes in, Jeremy. And uh, the Sanderson sisters come in all the time and now you have this budding community in there.
Brandon: Yeah and um, Tracey also closes the shop once a week on um, Mondays. He's become a bit of a, um, a creature of habit, of routine. He has taken to wearing tweed blazers.
[Amanda giggles]
Brandon: Umm, and so, every Monday he closes the shop for the full day and switches off between going to Fidapolis to see Alonzo and Greg, to the Great Green to visit Inara, and other places along the city that he's never been before, um, still exploring new spaces, and um, writing about what he sees along the way. And uh, once a quarter he also goes to Fidapolis to talk to elders there and he's really become and advocate for warforged kind within the states. He's taken it upon himself to sort of build trust back with the rest of the concentric states.
Eric: So what is like being this known again, once again, but in a different way, as the only warforged that exists but now, there’s this like, mythology of like Tracey. So what is that like? Like in communication with memories of yourself that other people have? Although Inara has been like pretty low key, the stories of you and you three in general, uh, have definitely spread around especially in Fidapolis.
Brandon: I think for Salmon, it's painful at times but peaceful for the other times. I think, in his travels around the town he's also started to try to write the history of warforged. As, uh, accurately and completely as he possibly can. And so, as he writes more and more of the history his old life as Tracey starts to become more and more of a story for him too.
Eric: Uh, one day, it's about 9:30 in the morning, and uh... Jeremy is having morning coffee as always up at the trough that you've made for him.
Brandon: Tea? Does he get coffee at my tea shop.
Eric: [interrupting] No, he gets coffee at the tea shop. He's a wild horse man, he cannot be tamed.
Brandon: I just have one like pour over brewer just for him.
Eric: Yeah and you just pour it all into a trough. That's how he drinks it. And he says.
Eric (as Jeremy): So uhh…[horse sounds] did you hear that uh the champion he's, uh, he's walking around Thistlefield. Did you see him?
Brandon (as Tracey): Uh...Alonzo? Alonzo Kiko?
Eric (as Jeremy): Yeah, I uh I saw him. he was right over there He was uh, checking out the wares. I think he stayed in the, in the Purple Bed. You know at the inn?
[Amanda laughs]
Eric (as Jeremy): The Purple Bed.
Amanda: Just the one.
Brandon: Uh...
Eric (as Jeremy): It's one real big purple bed. He got the purple bed!
Brandon (as Tracey): No that's really exciting. Maybe I'll go say hi to him.
Eric: It's true, maybe he'll ride me!
[Amanda laughs and chortles]
Brandon: Um, and Tracey walks over to the counter and says,
Brandon (as Tracey): Tally you good to watch the shop?
Brandon: Throws the keys at Tally and then walks over to the Purple...Purple Bed?
Eric: Yeah, it's, it's the Purple Bed.
Amanda: [Interrupting] It's the one.
Eric: Unfortunately, as you're walking out Tally is still in a bag. So you just throw keys at a bag. It's like, ‘Ah! My leather suitcase will take care of the shop while I'm gone!’
Brandon: Yeah, he's got the real reputation around of being very eccentric.
Eric: Yeah you walk over to the Purple Bed, you open the door, and it's all dark. Usually it's lit up by like the regular goings on of like a bed and breakfast but right now it's just totally dark. What do you do?
Brandon (as Tracey): Uh...help? Alonzo? Shopkeep?
Eric: Tracey make a Constitution saving throw.
Amanda: Oh no!
[dice roll]
Brandon: Uhhh....10
Eric: Okay... [Eric chortles] With a 10, all of a sudden the lights go on and Alonzo, Greg, and Inara pop out and say,
[Party horns sound]
Eric (as the group): SURPRISE!
Brandon (as Tracey): [terrified] Dear god, why would you do that?!
Eric (as the group): Happy turning on day!
Brandon (as Tracey): Oh my god, thank you, thank you guys so much, I, holy crap. Uh…I didn't realize that was today.
Eric: Greg gets out from underneath the blanket.
Eric (as Greg): Well, uh, Tracey you're not really known for having a calendar, so we figured we'd do it for you.
[Brandon laughs]
Brandon (as Tracey): This is true.
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah, we got you cake, we got you tea. We got you breakfast, partly from me to I'm not gonna lie to you, uh...and there's some oatcakes and some cupcakes and some fruit and bagel bar.
Brandon (as Tracey): AHHH. Can I get. Can I get pizza bagels?
Amanda (as Inara): Hell yeah you can!
Brandon (as Tracey): Yes!
Eric: Alonzo's like.
Eric (as Alonzo): Yeah, they tried really, they heard I was here and then they put out five different bars of things.
[Brandon laughs]
I rejected the first four, it's just too much, this room is not big. It's not big enough. So uh, happy, uh, listen, I don't you're like three people now. I don't know who you are um…
Brandon (as Tracey): You, uh…you guys know who I am.
Eric (as Alonzo): Yeah uh, Salmon and Tracey and the rootin shootin gunslinger of the with the champion that's how I remember, that's how I called you, I made all those stories. It was very fun for me.
[Brandon giggles]
Eric (as Alonzo): And I told about the time that you cut my leg open. That was also fun.
Brandon (as Tracey): Yeah, um…
Eric (as Alonzo): You were rootin and tootin there weren't you?
Brandon (as Tracey): You've been ignoring my letters to come write that story in the, in my books...
Eric (as Alonzo): (interrupting) I would choose to omit it. I would not, this drama does not...
Brandon (as Tracey): I would like it firsthand if I could get it.
Eric (as Alonzo): This drama does not concern me, please leave me out of the narrative thank you.
Eric: So yeah, I think you guys have a little, a little party together in the bed and breakfast. You know, hanging out and talking and I think this might be the first time that they, uh, have come to Thistlefield, it seems, it seems like you have spent a lot of time going to them.
Brandon: Yeah, and uh, halfway through the party I run out really quickly, go back to the tea shop, and come back and I am excitedly showing them all of the, all of the new teas I've gotten in.
Brandon (as Tracey): [psyched] There's like silver deedless, and leftifidous oolong, and uh this one's like fermented for like two years1
Amanda (as Inara): Oh!
Eric (as Greg): I'm going to be so interested because it is your turning on day.
Amanda (as Inara): That's right, guys just like we discussed.
Eric (as Alonzo): Just like we discussed, WINK.
Eric (as Greg): Alonzo you're not supposed to say wink.
Eric (as Alonzo): I have forgotten all of my skills.
[Amanda giggles]
Eric: Yeah, I think you guys have your little party together and I think that it's kind of winding down and every is kind full from all of the bagels you ate together. And Alonzo is sitting on the big purple bed, THE purple bed. And he's lounging there, and he says,
Eric (as Alonzo): Is this weird? Do you think this is weird?
Amanda (as Inara): The one bed? Yeah! I don't know how they stay in business.
Brandon (as Tracey): It is weird. It's a very expensive bed.
Amanda (as Inara): [interrupting] It's really weird.
Eric (as Alonzo): It's uh...I uh, I could tell.
Brandon (as Tracey): Really only the champion could afford it.
Eric (as Alonzo): Then I'm glad I'm here, I meant, is it weird that we're all still hanging out together? [pause] I feel like it's been so long I mean when, when I met you, you two and Johnny and you were just my, my security guards and....I mean I wasn't even me for like...three fifths of it...so...I don't know. Is it weird? Does it feel weird to you?
Amanda (as Inara): You don't have to be the same to still be friends. We're so different than we were back then. Greg, I hated you for like, for like a long time and then I realize that you were awesome!
Brandon (as Tracey): I regret chopping your leg off!
Amanda (as Inara): Aww!
Eric (as Greg): And I definitely do not hate both of you.
Amanda (as Inara): So we spent most of our friendship....not being friends or in the same place!
Brandon (as Tracey): And frankly forgetting about you a lot!
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah but...I could never forget about you now. Listen, it's nice to have people around who knew you when you were different. But you can still change and, and like the new you.
Brandon (as Tracey): Y'all are the only ones that have, that have been around for, for...all...all the stuff, all the everything. You're the only ones that, we're the only ones that understand each other.
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah, like, there are, there are kids being born and starting to go to school who just know that that huge thing we just did is something that happened in the past, like history.
Eric: Mm...
Amanda (as Inara): And it's important for us to, uh…I don't know, be with each other and remember that. It really happened.
Brandon (as Tracey): What are friends if not, just, you know, a few folks who sit down to tea and bagels every once in a while?
Eric (as Alonzo): Oh, that's a good point. [pause]
Eric: Yeah, Alonzo thinks for a moment and Greg’s like...
Eric (as Greg): Remember our wedding? That was weird.
Amanda (as Inara): You guys should do a vow renewal,
Brandon (as Tracey): [gasps]
Amanda (as Inara): I could come, Oatcake could be a flower...dog.
Brandon (as Tracey): [interrupting] That's such a good idea.
Eric: Both of them, their eyes go like super wide and their both like...
Amanda (as Inara): Or...
Eric (as Alonzo and Greg): I, no, I don't...Listen we're like just dating again, it's kinda, it's new.
Amanda (as Inara): I understand.
Eric (as Alonzo and Greg): Again...
Brandon (as Tracey): No pressure.
Amanda (as Inara): You could just quietly get to know each other and decide where your relationship is gonna go.
Eric (as Alonzo and Greg): Yeah yeah
Amanda (as Inara): Yeah
Eric (as Alonzo and Greg): Yeah
Amanda (as Inara): yeah
Eric (as Alonzo and Greg): yeah
Amanda (as Inara): yeah
Eric (as Alonzo and Greg): Cool nice.
Brandon (as Tracey): We definitely did not plan a surprise vow renewal.
Eric: Oatcake’s wearing like a tuxedo. Oatcake's like...
Amanda (as Inara): (interrupting) We would never, we would never surprise our friends, Tracey, right?
[Nervous laughter from Brandon and Amanda]
Eric: Oatcake has flowers in her mouth, she's like…’what’s up?’.
[everyone laughs]
Amanda (as Inara): Oh no, she got into Tracey's tea oh no! The chamomile.
Brandon (as Tracey): Oh noooo. That's okay. It'll just make her a little tired.
Eric: Yeah, I think you're all sitting around, reminiscing and remembering all the fun times and the not so fun times and the stories and just shoveling bagels into your mouth. And uhhh, we pull back from the purple bed, we look at the town of Thistlefield, and...we look up into the sky. It's this clear blue day, not a cloud in the sky. And for a moment...if you were looking for it, you might see a purple outline. And then it disappears.
[soft ending music]
Eric: And that, my sweet children, is the end. It's time to sleep. My princes, my champions, my heroes. And surely as the sun rises in the east and the bombilates buzz as they fly, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night.
[theme song]