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Speaker 2: Enjoy.
Speaker 1: As our group arrives the Gaffran estate, you see a
very disturbing sight. The Dragon Empress awaits in the courtyard
along with Marek Gaffran and the Gaffran matriarch. The driver.
Speaker 3: Of the magic Tech carriage probably you see the barrier,
uh sort of moved down and he says, were you
aware that the Dragon Impress would be here?
Speaker 4: Excuse me?
Speaker 3: What the who? The Dragon Empress is in our courtyard?
Speaker 5: Ah?
Speaker 6: Remember when I rolled a critical on.
Speaker 7: That uh that that book that I.
Speaker 6: Flipped through, the one with the laws and regulations and everything.
Was there anything on any sort of like etiquette, greetings,
anything like that?
Speaker 1: Laws? No etiquette? No, I don't imagine.
Speaker 6: Oh okay, only.
Speaker 1: The only law was to not disparage the Royal court
in public, something along those lines.
Speaker 4: Okay, let's just calm down. It's fine. I'm sure there.
One of the good news is we have Moon here. Yeah,
hopefully good news.
Speaker 8: Yeah, I look so nervous.
Speaker 4: I'm taking aback by that, seeing how sure she was
in the courts earlier when it came to the council.
I don't say anything, but I kind of look her
away and then.
Speaker 2: Mm hmm.
Speaker 4: Well, we just act with manners.
Speaker 6: Do you know? Do you know the like the proper
mill Offaxian bow or anything like that. This is the Empress,
is it not?
Speaker 9: Yes?
Speaker 8: Yes, this, that's absolutely the Empress.
Speaker 3: If I can give you some advice.
Speaker 5: Maybe advice would be lovely.
Speaker 3: A bow to the Empress, Try not to speak out
of turn, and.
Speaker 4: Be very wary.
Speaker 1: Mind.
Speaker 9: Can we put our hands, hands or spines?
Speaker 10: I call it?
Speaker 9: Oh, I'm very unprepared.
Speaker 6: Are you able to flatten yourself a little bit?
Speaker 9: Kind of spread like yellows?
Speaker 8: Should work perfect?
Speaker 6: Okay, mm hmmm.
Speaker 7: Why do you think she's here?
Speaker 3: I would imagine it is well, either for business or
for you.
Speaker 6: I look at Moon, do you think the doctor is
I lean in and I whisper at the document.
Speaker 11: The don the document?
Speaker 7: What the one with your visa?
Speaker 3: Yes?
Speaker 6: You lie on just.
Speaker 11: I don't know, I don't know.
Speaker 8: Oh, I think she might be looking over here.
Speaker 4: Listen, have nothing to be worried about. We didn't do
anything right.
Speaker 8: Right, Yeah, talk normal.
Speaker 4: One thing about apex P is they can smell bullshit.
Speaker 8: Yeah, that's the truth.
Speaker 1: You can see that the driver is probably looking over
his shoulder directly at Moon, looking very confused.
Speaker 7: She had a sentiment, what's with your face? Why are
you looking at her like that?
Speaker 8: Uh?
Speaker 2: I h.
Speaker 1: That was one.
Speaker 3: I imagine that the Empress is curious as to why
the Savior is here at the very least, yes.
Speaker 4: That history, M.
Speaker 8: Yes, yes, of course, yes. And I stand up and
I make an exit.
Speaker 4: I grab her hand before she goes. Are you sure
you're gonna be okay with this?
Speaker 8: There's only one way out of this carriage.
Speaker 4: I grip her hand tighter. Got this as always? Just
remember now you are the Savior. Have a reputation, right,
and our reputation isn't just fluff. You have saved these people.
They wouldn't be here without you. Right now, whether it
is an elephant and the room monoutical dimberstone. I'll be
right there with you. I'll stand by your side.
Speaker 7: Yeah, and remember, and I'll raise a finger and tap
the side of my nose.
Speaker 8: Just like old times mimosas.
Speaker 7: No, if you need a distraction, just tap your nose.
Speaker 4: After you.
Speaker 8: And I exit the carriage, I'll follow behind. Straighten up.
Speaker 6: Okay, are you ready?
Speaker 12: Rue?
Speaker 3: Mm?
Speaker 7: After you, i'll pop on out. I'll climb out and
my my tail is twitching irritably behind me.
Speaker 12: Hm.
Speaker 4: I'll stop in the tracks and try to motion for
bo to get down. If you're still on the moon's head.
Speaker 9: No, I'm a puddle. What what's up?
Speaker 8: Oh?
Speaker 4: Down on her head? Or not?
Speaker 9: On the couch? Am all flat on the couch the.
Speaker 4: Okay? Okay, all right?
Speaker 6: So are you staying in the carriage? Are you coming
with us?
Speaker 9: I don't know what's going on. Do you want to
him out? I'm confused.
Speaker 8: Yeah.
Speaker 4: It probably maybe his best if he stays.
Speaker 13: But he's part of our party and I did write
him down on the form.
Speaker 7: What happens if I try to put bow in my inventory?
Speaker 1: It doesn't die?
Speaker 6: You kind of folding?
Speaker 7: Yeah, okay, I'll just gather bow into my arms.
Speaker 1: I imagine if you try to put him in your inventory,
like normally what you have is like, uh, the equivalent
of a backpack or something that pops up as a
part of your inventory screen. Right, because if you were
opening up your character sheet, and it's very similar looking
to the character sheets that we have on Foundry, the
if you try to like put him in there, he
just phases right through the screen.
Speaker 7: I do attempt to do it. Upon failing, I will
gather bo into my arms.
Speaker 9: Okay, I'm kind of like a you know when you
pick up a dog or something, and like, you know,
like I'm kind of dangling, you know, I'm sagging.
Speaker 14: As you pick me up, spread my knees, and I
waddle you out.
Speaker 3: Yeah, as you exit, you can see there's not I imagine
you would expect like a big cadre of guards and
whatnot around the Dragon Empress.
Speaker 1: She's only flanked by by one guard wearing full plate
and you can't see their face. They have a dragon
shaped sort of a visor to their helmet that's that's
pulled down. There's a there's no guards from what you
can tell beyond the house. Gafran guards in the courtyard
and they are here, there's all of the guards for
Housekafran are like in the courtyard, at the various doors
and whatnot. I will take a group insight and insight
check though.
Speaker 6: Okay, I'll started because.
Speaker 4: She doesn't see us as a threat.
Speaker 6: And what is the difficulty of this check?
Speaker 4: Ah?
Speaker 1: Twelve twelve excellent?
Speaker 15: Okay, mm hmmm, ooh uh yep, I got a twelve.
Speaker 4: I think I'm more concerned about moon than Wow.
Speaker 7: Around me, all three of you ruled sevens.
Speaker 16: That's wild and there's plus got lucky side from my ooh,
you know what, I will go ahead and start us
off off with a nice uh use of my bond.
Speaker 6: Now is this in terms of kind of trying to
get an impression on the situation, I would assume.
Speaker 1: Yes and no.
Speaker 6: Okay, are any of my things applicable in terms of
re rolling this, because I obviously want to be fair
about it.
Speaker 1: I don't think so.
Speaker 8: Okay, Well, that's sticks.
Speaker 1: This is mainly just related to the It's basically a
group perception. All happen.
Speaker 3: Okay, I see.
Speaker 1: I don't. I don't think you've really got anything.
Speaker 6: No, the only thing would be a bond, and that's
it's not related to our bond. I don't think hey, okay,
unless I could invoke the bond with Gaffran for this.
Speaker 1: No, I don't think it's applicable here.
Speaker 4: Okay.
Speaker 1: As you all exit, you can see the Dragon Empress America, Fran,
and the Lady Griffran all have turned towards you. They've
been eyeing you as soon as you've gotten out of
the vehicle. The guards are not really paying super close
attention to you. The one, the one guard that the
Dragon Empress has behind her, is obviously paying attention to
you and keeping a vision of their head is on
a swivel. In general, you can see except on until
he or whom you assume to be a he is
uh notices Moon and then stops and stares at Moon.
Speaker 8: I nod my head at them in acknowledgment.
Speaker 1: Do you walk over to them?
Speaker 4: Yes, okay, I'm right beside her.
Speaker 1: Okay. So Moon and Enders are in the front.
Speaker 7: Trailing behind with Bow.
Speaker 6: Okay, Iris here in the back, kind of in the
middle of the two, because I was out of the
carriage before rue.
Speaker 4: As I'm walking over with Moon, I am locking eyes
with Marek.
Speaker 1: Marek is a bit white. I diyed.
Speaker 4: He looks.
Speaker 1: He looks a bit like manic.
Speaker 4: I'll kind of give one of these as an acknowledgment
of what he's feeling. Now, I'll just put my hand
on Woon's shoulder as you walk over.
Speaker 1: Okay, Dragon Empress with scepter in hand. She is wearing
the finest armor you've seen. I mean, it's it's a
combination of beautiful reds and golds and deep blacks. And
her scepter is the the The crown of the scepter
is on fire. Her horns are gilded. They have gold
wrapped around them, and there is a sort of crown
that is integrated into the gold that is gilded around
her horns. Her eyes are a fiery they look like
small fireballs sitting in her eye sockets as she turns
towards you, glaring at you, Moon as you walk over.
Speaker 8: Over to her. But I stop about six to seven
feet in front of her, and I lower my gaze
and I get on one knee. I look up at
her and there's no expression on my face, but I
feel like my heart is going to explode out of
my chest.
Speaker 6: Anybody else absolutely bowing absolutely, M.
Speaker 9: I can't, So I don't I'm just kind of dangling
from a route.
Speaker 7: I bow and try to help both bow.
Speaker 1: It's not lower.
Speaker 4: I'm going to recall the moment that I ran into
this Empress back at the council party or it was
like a like a celebration party thing, passing noticing how
they're I don't want to say they're people, but you
know what I'm saying, how they interacted with her with
the bow, and I try to mimic that.
Speaker 1: Okay, mmm, I'll take a group check insane willpower difficulty
is ten.
Speaker 8: I'll do it insight and willpower.
Speaker 9: You said, ye got to fourteen twelve.
Speaker 8: Success.
Speaker 17: Oh, oh, Flory's mankind.
Speaker 1: You all show some deference to the dragon Empress as
you do. She smiles wicked sort of smile dragon teeth.
I mean, like pointed, predatory smile. There is a sort
of mollified look on her face as you do this.
Speaker 3: Ah, you show deference here anile facts and to me,
that is God. I am glad to see you save your.
Speaker 13: Moon at her calling me save your moon. I grit
my teeth.
Speaker 3: That is what most people call you nowadays, isn't it?
Speaker 4: My sharply look over the moon, of course, and then
back at the impresson.
Speaker 18: Please rise, I stand, excuse my visit here, but I
heard that you were a mill offax, and I couldn't
pass up the opportunity to come see you.
Speaker 3: After all, the last time you were here things were
very different, weren't they very different?
Speaker 19: Why?
Speaker 1: I sorry, go ahead?
Speaker 8: Why are you at the estate?
Speaker 3: As I said, I came to see you.
Speaker 8: Well, now you've seen me.
Speaker 1: I have. She begins to sort of circle around you,
sort of an appraising look about your.
Speaker 3: Group, Ah, intriguing heroes. Indeed, I wasn't entirely sure at first.
But what you take these fledglings around with you? You
show them the ropes.
Speaker 8: These are my friends, not fledglings.
Speaker 1: We'll see, do you know? And she seems to be
addressing the entire group when she says this, do you know.
Speaker 3: That this person that you are with, this savior of Regalia,
is far more terrifying than you imagine?
Speaker 9: She's really told, isn't she.
Speaker 4: Terrifying? Yeah?
Speaker 7: It would do anything for her, would you?
Speaker 6: Now?
Speaker 7: I can't quite control my ears, which have flattened, and
my tail continues to whip irritably behind me.
Speaker 8: Yes, embrace, my fists are clenched.
Speaker 3: Do you know some of the other names that this
one has gone by?
Speaker 9: She has like five hundred titles, right she mentioned? Oh, yes,
two hundred.
Speaker 3: Many know her in other way, especially through Millifax.
Speaker 1: Some call her.
Speaker 3: Valkyrie, Others call her the angel of.
Speaker 9: Death, the cool one.
Speaker 6: Hm.
Speaker 20: We have seen her power, her power, have you now?
Speaker 3: H have you shown them valkyrie?
Speaker 8: Stop calling me that?
Speaker 6: Mm hm.
Speaker 8: That was a long time ago, was it. Why did
you really come to make fun of me?
Speaker 3: Make fun? No, I would do no such thing.
Speaker 8: Yet here you are bringing up the past that I
don't want to discuss.
Speaker 3: Very well. Well, I am here because I am curious
what you are doing back here? What brings you to Millifax?
You went through the port, you filled out of visa.
I would have thought you would have smashed your way
in Yild. Who would ever get in your way?
Speaker 4: Moon? Would never do that, would you?
Speaker 8: And I look at enders. It was a long time ago.
Speaker 4: I'm not judging.
Speaker 13: I'm I'm searching for words in front of this empress,
who is just you know, making like like drilling holes
into my skin with her eyes and I can feel it,
like just I filled out the form because I wanted
to do it right this time, and and at this
I really look at her, and because I didn't want
to cause any more pain.
Speaker 1: The smile disappears from her face. I think I'll take
a group role here, but let me just check and
see what this might be.
Speaker 9: It for reading a face, yeah, pass a calm.
Speaker 1: This will just be insight and insight. I think again,
I'm not sure who wants to lead this.
Speaker 8: But I can do it inside insight. What's a ten
or a difficulty?
Speaker 1: The difficulty is twelve twelve.
Speaker 6: It would be ten for the support, not twelve well
for the final would be it but for failure.
Speaker 7: I am unfortunately not looking at the Empress and instead
looking at Moon.
Speaker 6: So I will pass.
Speaker 4: What's the difficulty?
Speaker 1: Well for us, ten ten for you for us So
I passed.
Speaker 8: Yes, so you'll get plus than thirteen success seeded.
Speaker 3: Okay, yeah, I think you notice a bit of sadness
in the Emperor's eyes for just a moment.
Speaker 1: She's very skilled at controlling her emotions or what she
puts out there. From what you can see, there is
like a moment of sadness there.
Speaker 4: And this is what I see as well.
Speaker 1: Yeah, the group notices, I'll.
Speaker 4: Sharply look towards the moon and then recall. I won't
say anything. I won't pass judgment with my eyes, but
it is questioning because she seemed a little off put
to the fact that I did not kill that dragon,
and certain things are starting to make a little more
sense to me. Let's just take a deep breath.
Speaker 3: H Well, acting differently now, very well? But why are
you here?
Speaker 8: I wish it was for any other reason than the
reason we are here, because it's the same reason that
I left. It's too much.
Speaker 13: You're using too much, Emberstone. It's going to cost you,
and you're still wrong. And at this point I can't
help myself if you can continue to be wrong about.
Speaker 3: It, Emberstone. It all comes back to Emberstone.
Speaker 8: How could it not?
Speaker 3: Well, it will take some time for our societies change,
but rest assured.
Speaker 6: I have.
Speaker 3: Clung to these laws set in place.
Speaker 4: So I do not know why you are here, but.
Speaker 3: I have done as the consortium has demanded.
Speaker 8: I understand.
Speaker 4: I'll put it, and I'll put another end one moon shoulder,
if I may.
Speaker 3: Speak.
Speaker 4: It seems like a lot of pain and suffering happened
because these ember Stones, and I've been paying attention around
town and seeing how much everyone relies on it the
power gives. I mean, you have children here as well.
But if I told you that where yell towards Moon,
I am looking for other means to contribute to this
power deficiency. It's going to take time.
Speaker 3: Are you some sort of engineer.
Speaker 4: Let's just say, I have my ways of figuring things out,
but I can't do it alone. Clearly, with the gathered details,
I have to get resources to be on the inside
of a lot of places that may be dangerous. But
what if I say that there may be a small,
tiny sliver of a possibility that there's something that can
possibly be done. But I can't give you a guarantee
unless I do research, And with that we need to
not have well daggers pointed at it Moon to get
it done.
Speaker 3: Do you see a dagger pointed at Moon right now?
I really think you need to consider your words more carefully.
Speaker 4: I wasn't accusing you. There are people out there that
are after I. I believe that if you wanted her
dead or us dead, prob we already, but it made
tied to have that happen. That I can assure you
this might be out of hand, but I can kind
of read people really well, and you seem like someone
that's very much into their word. Now, one of your
mini dragons attacked us on the road, was like my
dragons they in mill Offax, not saying you specifically sent
them after us, but a dragon of some sort of
data attack us, and typically in the laws of adventuring,
so to speak, self defense, if we were to put
that dragon out, probably could have argued our way, but
we spared his life because we understand how important each
life could possibly be. I would say that's my.
Speaker 8: Teeth when you say spirit's life, because I was not
on board with that.
Speaker 4: I feel that we could possibly show a difference in
what happened pre war times. The difference is that Moon
was alone. Now she's not alone. You were alone, you know.
Speaker 8: I look at the Empress.
Speaker 3: You have many things to talk about with this one,
I think.
Speaker 4: I slowly looked down, and I look back up at
the Impress in her eyes. I will find a way.
I don't like and called hero and I do not like.
Speaker 3: Calling anyone heroes, but right the vernacular of this.
Speaker 4: World, well, let's make an agreement. I am no hero.
I have done nothing heroic to earn a title until
I do. I would like to own a t earn
a title from you that suits your house. Let me
prove to you. I can't speak for the rest of
us that I'm worthy of earning such a thing any cooperation. Well.
As powerful as you are, I'm sure there are things
that are happening around you that you're taken care of.
The power is obviously the biggest thing. But let's say
that we are in your trust and loyalty and to
make up for whatever. And I look back towards the moon.
Maybe out she may have in our savior.
Speaker 1: Outs She looks outright bewildered as she looks between the
group and Moon.
Speaker 3: You haven't told them anything.
Speaker 7: Have you.
Speaker 8: I've only been here for a short amount of time.
Speaker 4: Is this dealing with our past? If it is, If
we keep doing on the past, we can never make
for the president or the future. Yes, we have things
to discuss. I agree with that. But there is a
reason why you are standing here in front of us
with one guarden, oh, which means you don't see us
as an enemy.
Speaker 8: And at this I look at enders we are not
We're not your enemies. And then I take a half
step closer.
Speaker 1: Here a shift in the you hear a shift in
the guard behind her plate, just light least scraping.
Speaker 8: I lean in as close as they'll allow, and I say,
and I especially don't want to be your enemy.
Speaker 21: I see through you. Save you.
Speaker 3: Your words.
Speaker 21: Are hollo.
Speaker 6: Then what about action like unders here was saying.
Speaker 3: Yes, action it speaks far louder than words. I stud
to not come to give you tasks to prove your worth.
I have come here to find out why you are here.
I did not make this trip lightly. I have many
things to do, especially now. I came to speak to
you Moon. I came to find out why you are here.
You say, it is ember Stone.
Speaker 9: Yes.
Speaker 1: She glances to the matriarch and Marek. It was sort
of like the matriarch just lets her chin up a
bit and just lightly bows to the Empress. Marek looks
a bit shaken, and he he like bows, you know,
a bit more awkwardly.
Speaker 8: We have been staying at the Gaffrana state they've been hosting,
and we were expected.
Speaker 3: You still do not answer my question.
Speaker 6: When the Empress mentioned that she was clinging all to
the laws that were set up by the consortium and whatnot,
did we get the vibe that she was being one
hundred percent sincere. Hmm you think so, yeah, I think
that I would look to Moon and perhaps tap her arm. No.
Speaker 8: Oh, we were investigating. We were following a lead. There
was a stolen shipment of Emberstone. Let us here.
Speaker 4: She glares.
Speaker 1: She glares, daggers at Merrick and uh Lady Griffran. Mm hmmm,
uh marek sort of he sort of is in like
a supplicating pose with his hands and open in a
in a bowed head, and he says, Impress, if I
may silence.
Speaker 6: He was cooperative with us, insisting us even have you
not been following my royal decree?
Speaker 22: Oh boy, yeah, Empress, I.
Speaker 3: Stop your sniveling marrek. Uh okay, Empress, of course we
followed your royal decree.
Speaker 22: I we we.
Speaker 3: Are not in the business of Emberstone any longer, which
is surely a great slight to the Guffran house, a
merchant that took great advantage of Emberstone's worth previously. I
do not see your house fall into ruin.
Speaker 1: The matriarch. Lady Griffran says, Empress, may I please speak?
Speaker 3: Perhaps you have more sense than your son, one can
only hope, Empress. Empress, I have only found out just
recently that there have been dealings with certain individuals that
are still in Millifax that are taking advantage of the
Consortium and Emberstone shipments. Marek here has been trying to
well to catch them out. He's been doing his best
to find them for you, Empress, it is a great
import that our house does not get sullied by these accusations.
Speaker 21: Hm.
Speaker 4: I just bite my lip very hard.
Speaker 1: The Empress stares at Lady Gafriend.
Speaker 3: We shall see, Samira, we shall see. Yeah, you are
here on consortium business, then Valkerie.
Speaker 8: Yes, And I hope she doesn't see that I am
somewhat telling the truth and somewhat lying.
Speaker 1: Okay, all right, let's see if you're frying to lie
a little bit here. I think this is a role.
Speaker 4: And just for the record, we all think that what
she said was the complete truth. That's all we know.
Speaker 1: You, Yeah, that's all I know.
Speaker 13: Yeah, okay, I mean, I'm my my my goal there
is not to say, is not to necessarily lie and
say that that's not why we're here, because it is
why we're here. But me personally, oh yeah, it's I
have I have my own like you know.
Speaker 1: Like so I think this will be insane world power.
Speaker 8: Okay, difficulty.
Speaker 1: Difficulty is going to be twelve.
Speaker 8: Okay, thirteen success.
Speaker 1: I think it's not so much that she is seeing
through you, as she is very suspect of the grif
hands at the moment.
Speaker 4: Oh I.
Speaker 10: Oh French laugh, Yes, I would I m hmmm, impress,
if you may, if I may a man.
Speaker 4: Ask a question.
Speaker 3: Speak yes.
Speaker 4: So I got this very interesting map you see in
matter of facts is grand. I was wondering, and I
looked towards Maerk and slightly over to the matriarch. But
it's very it's very a quick pulling back to the Empress.
How's drug more doing as of late?
Speaker 1: It's just like silent in the courtyard.
Speaker 3: As soon as you say else, I'll do a work.
Speaker 1: I'll take a group check. This will be insight. Insight
difficulty is going to be fourteen.
Speaker 4: Jesus, that's my way.
Speaker 6: I please anyway, Hey, are you sure you don't want them?
Speaker 3: Okay?
Speaker 6: And you said it was a group check. Difficulty of fourteen.
Speaker 4: M okay, baby, let's go. There is no way I
can get it.
Speaker 1: Can you can create on it?
Speaker 8: Failure?
Speaker 1: Okay?
Speaker 6: Okay? And bo is not rolling.
Speaker 9: No insight.
Speaker 6: Okay, I gotta ask, does this have anything to do
with my background.
Speaker 5: Whatsoever?
Speaker 6: This has been diplomatic. I don't know if reading someone and.
Speaker 1: You could technically use your bond with Marek. Okay, that's it,
and I think that's only a plus one right.
Speaker 6: Yeah, yeah, so I won't do it then.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 6: Seven for the listeners.
Speaker 4: The reason why, let me say the reason why I
said this. I want to see if there's a reaction
from the matriar.
Speaker 23: Yeah, there's, uh there's there's a puzzled looking reaction from
uh Marek, and no reaction from the matriarch and from
the Empress that any of you notice.
Speaker 4: So matriarch doesn't make any kind of facial expressions.
Speaker 1: Interesting, stone cold poker face.
Speaker 4: The reason why I ask is I was thinking about
making a I don't know, journey across I don't know
if the way is dangerous or not.
Speaker 3: Of course it is dangerous. This is the land of dragons. Yeah,
there are many, even though you have the Savior with you.
Of course it is dangerous, maybe especially because you have
the Savior with you.
Speaker 4: I'm just good now. Time i'm speaking with her, I
am looking her dead in her eyes. Trying to feed
our information without saying much. I don't know how intelligent
I mean, I don't say that out loud. I don't
know how intelligent she is is at reading like expressions.
But I'm pretty much telling her like, when's the last
time you looked into drag More? That's why I asked
the question.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, if she got it, she got it?
Speaker 23: She didn't, she didn't, Yeah she she, I think she will.
Speaker 3: She will say drag More Laboratories? Is that all of
whom you speak?
Speaker 4: A slight smile coming across my face. Sounds like a
fine place for research, Yes, powerful engineering, it was.
Speaker 3: They are currently researching away to deal with our ember
Stone crisis.
Speaker 4: Perfect. Then those are the first people I need to
talk to assist you with this. At Never, I would
like to know if you have your blessings for sick travels.
Speaker 8: When he says blessings, I go.
Speaker 1: She more than what you said, has a reaction to Moon,
sort of sighing. There, she swivels her head towards Moon
and she says, my blessing you ask for permission.
Speaker 4: And shake my head to Moon.
Speaker 8: Yes, we would ask for your permission.
Speaker 3: As a member of the Emberstone consortium. You are well
within your rights to investigate any research facilities that are
adjacent to Emberstone.
Speaker 4: Of course, if we find something out of the ordinary, Empress,
would you like to be the first to know.
Speaker 1: She's taking she's taking stock of you anders, She says,
is this your new mouthpiece?
Speaker 8: No, but he understands what's at stake, and I currently
don't feel like saying more than a few sentences to
you at a time.
Speaker 9: Steak e us a steak, oh.
Speaker 2: A shake bow quite, it's just me.
Speaker 4: Why has you earn that special title? Improved to you
that things can change? And it seems like I got
a lot of time to make up.
Speaker 3: You will tell me if you find anything out of
the ordinary in drag war.
Speaker 4: Hi bow, I heard that communication scrolls are the fastest.
Speaker 1: She looks back to her guard. Her guard pulls out
a communications scroll, hands it to you.
Speaker 13: I'm wait at you can see there's like some shock
on my face, like.
Speaker 8: At this generosity.
Speaker 3: Almost do not waste my time.
Speaker 4: Believe me, if anybody knows the expensive time alongside information,
it would be me bound. One will find out soon
enough actions remember what well? I look back towards Marek.
Nothing unless you show action.
Speaker 1: And now it takes like it. He just swallows like
you see his Adam's apple bobbing like a bunch of times,
like just trying to not throw up. And yeah, I
think I think that. Uh, the Empress will again walk
over to you, Moon, and she will look you in
the eyes and.
Speaker 17: Say be careful and millifax Alchyrie does she mean this?
Speaker 1: She's clearly saying it as a taunt. You don't have
to make any sort of check on that.
Speaker 8: And she's a fair bit shorter than.
Speaker 1: I am, right, probably a little bit. I don't imagine
a lot. Dragon can are probably taller by nature, but
they're not as tall as Celestians, I think.
Speaker 8: And I look at her and I just return with
that coldness always.
Speaker 4: Yes, I'll smell at that.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and perhaps come for a visit when you are done. Hm,
I'm sure the capital we would love to entertain ones
such as yourself.
Speaker 8: Uh. And I kind of like pull up my clothes, yes, Empress,
and I bow my head.
Speaker 3: So strange, isn't it? These pleasantries?
Speaker 8: And I sort of humble under my breath. We're in
polite company.
Speaker 1: She leans in towards you, Moon, and she's really sort
of whispering to Moon here, I do.
Speaker 3: Not think I have forgotten what you did to my brother.
Speaker 8: I haven't forgotten either.
Speaker 3: The slights that you have shown my family run deep, Valkyrie.
Speaker 4: But rest assured they will be repaid.
Speaker 13: I did it for you, and then I compose myself.
But I understand.
Speaker 3: Well, then I shall take my leave.
Speaker 8: Mhm hi bow.
Speaker 3: Apologies for not staying longer, sir, that's Samira. But I
have business, as you can imagine. Of course, your majesty see.
Speaker 1: Marrek.
Speaker 3: Okay, your majesty, of course, may we get you anything
before you leave? I am fine. I have much business
to take care of. The Amberstone crisis is a crisis
for us.
Speaker 8: All looking at her.
Speaker 1: She turns. She does not give you another look. Moon,
And as she begins to walk off, you did not hear,
you did not see several dragon riders swooping down into
the courtyard, almost without a sound. Dragons that are significantly
bigger than the drake that you saw. They fly in
tandem like a wing of fighter jets. You see them
land with barely a sound, all of them wearing similar plates.
See the guard behind the Empress. They look a little
bit like this.
Speaker 21: Let's see if I can show.
Speaker 6: You here, seeing all of these drop down, I shift
instinctively out of fear towards my friends. I think Rue
is the closest.
Speaker 11: M easy iris.
Speaker 3: Don't be Okay, that's a lot of.
Speaker 1: Them, Yeah, there's there would be seven. I think you
can see one is being held by another dragon rid.
The reins are being held by another dragon rid. The
dragons are white and blue. They have very sleek appearance.
They have feathers as well along their wings, and you
can see their scales are very sort of sleek and like.
They don't have as many ridges as you saw on
the drake you saw. They are each mounted by a
rider in that similar sort of plate. You can see
they all have like heavy spears as well, and they're
quite clearly like well disciplined. The dragons are barely making
any noise like they're probably they look like they are
well trained.
Speaker 9: I'll bet that tastes heavenly.
Speaker 1: The Empress and the guard behind her mount the empty dragon.
The Empress sits in front of the other rider. She
gives one final look to the group, not specifically at Moon.
Speaker 3: Come see me after your investigation, how about.
Speaker 6: I will as well.
Speaker 1: Gusts of wind circle.
Speaker 3: You see leaves and just you know, minor bits of
dirt here and there sort of swirl up as they
jump and leap up into the air with their massive
wings fans.
Speaker 1: They take to the skies without a word.
Speaker 6: How did I not see all of those?
Speaker 5: Did you all see those? I did not know that
they were there.
Speaker 7: I didn't even smell them.
Speaker 1: Marek rushes over to a potted plant and immediately throws up.
Speaker 8: I go over to I go over to the matriarch.
My apologies for being here under false pretenses.
Speaker 3: False pretenses. What are these pretenses? May I ask, Marrek?
Stop disgracing yourself.
Speaker 24: M h.
Speaker 6: We'll go over to America attempt to give casta what
is it?
Speaker 5: Cleanse on him to see if it helps him?
Speaker 23: It all?
Speaker 1: Sure?
Speaker 5: There there you'll be all right.
Speaker 3: Oh oh, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2: Oh come on, did.
Speaker 4: I get it all?
Speaker 6: It's in your beard?
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, coming, mother coming.
Speaker 8: M we we're under the assumption that the shipment was
somehow here.
Speaker 4: Mm hmm.
Speaker 3: My idiot of a sudden must have told you that
it was not. I assume you did not believe him.
Speaker 4: You're right, well, it appears that.
Speaker 3: Their instincts are better than yours.
Speaker 9: Marek.
Speaker 4: No, I've gone quite fond of Mark. You see, he
has this thing to where it really bad at lying.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that does not bode well for a merchant.
Speaker 4: Well, I have saved your life today. Marek is interesting
but loyal if you want. And I may be speaking
out of the side of my mouth in if I do,
I apologize, but I suggest that we all sit down
and have a very serious talk. Yeah, lives are on
the line at this point, and I'm not just talking
about ours, and it's not a threat. I've grown quite
impressed with mat of Fax in seeing how the people
go on with their daily lives, not knowing that well,
time could be the biggest death toll. The mitifact has
stuff and only people that will survive as well.
Speaker 6: You.
Speaker 8: I turned to enders. I'm not certain we will learn
anything we don't already know.
Speaker 4: Now slows leaning certain things they think we don't know.
Speaker 3: My son has gone over the particulars of your bargain
that you have struck.
Speaker 4: Well, there's a slight chess piece in play here. You
came into the picture. You seem to be very versed
in trade and information. I'm sure you have. Yes, someone
is esteemed as you has information. I'm pretty sure that
can help us all.
Speaker 9: Because trying to putt me up.
Speaker 3: I'm not that sort of a woman.
Speaker 4: No season, I understand, I understand.
Speaker 3: I understand that you are here at our estate and
already the Dragon Empress has begun to investigate us, which.
Speaker 8: Why I think we should get out of your hair entirely.
Speaker 9: A wonderful idea, Am I a hair? I'm sorry? What
is that creature?
Speaker 13: Mm hmm that's our friend bo. Yes, that is Boh. Now,
if there's anything else that we can do for you,
uh as way of of apology for.
Speaker 8: Being here and investigating without telling.
Speaker 1: You, I have all the ears.
Speaker 4: Mhmm.
Speaker 8: Well, then I look at enders. Perhaps we could share
some of our findings from the from the from the
from the what we.
Speaker 9: Find out.
Speaker 4: I get wide eyed?
Speaker 1: Hm uh why not?
Speaker 8: I feel like it should be.
Speaker 4: Seven dragons in impress in agreement already struck. Yes, now
we're throwing aside a curveball.
Speaker 8: Well, it's just could be could be interesting, you know. Oh,
you never know what we'll find there, so perhaps, but
also right for the time being, we will we will
take our leave, as we have bothered you enough. And
of course now politics are involved, and as is the
royal offices. So I think we should leave.
Speaker 3: A wonderful idea and then perhaps as you leave, you could.
Speaker 1: She smarks then like a horrifically creepy smile, just starts
to crawl across her face.
Speaker 3: Ah, yes, I'll take one piece of information from you now.
Speaker 8: As a.
Speaker 3: Well as good faith.
Speaker 8: Mhm.
Speaker 6: Was there anything you you had in mind in what
do you want to specifically?
Speaker 1: Or you can see she's like she's tapping her lips
like this, and she's looking at you, Moon, and she says.
Speaker 3: There was quite a bit of scott old Bart that
was happening a few years ago. Rumor has it you
are the one who killed the Dragon Emperor.
Speaker 4: What that's as superposterous, Moon is would never do something
of that nature. How much was that bo Honestly it'
said joke. They're just trying to throw sheep's wool over
her eyes here. She's a savior, she doesn't she saves.
The whole point of the title. Not to kill someone
that's in power. That would be treason.
Speaker 8: He's a serious accusation.
Speaker 4: You wouldn't.
Speaker 8: I couldn't stop it from happening.
Speaker 4: What do you mean you're in control of your own.
Speaker 13: And I look at the matriarch. It was not necessarily
a rumor, but I will tell you that it was
not entirely my fault.
Speaker 3: Yet you did not challenge for succession, as is mallafact's custom.
Speaker 8: Gasp, and I look away.
Speaker 4: And I.
Speaker 13: Said that to her, And I'm referring to the Empress.
I said that to her, and I said I didn't
want it. And I'm kind of wringing my hands. Ah,
I can't say what you have heard is untrue.
Speaker 8: I leaned in. He was not good.
Speaker 4: Mm hmmm mm hmmm.
Speaker 3: I don't you understand that. I don't suppose many rulers good.
Speaker 4: Or people in power that wants to keep it.
Speaker 8: Say, I look over a bow. Did you get it
totally aware that he's there?
Speaker 9: Yes? Hi, Hi, do you get it? Did you get
a title for it?
Speaker 8: I don't want it?
Speaker 6: No?
Speaker 9: Oh that was it?
Speaker 13: Oh all sorry I stopped collecting after that. But yeah,
I get very confused.
Speaker 7: You know what, this seems like we've successfully given you
your little nugget of information that you like. Perhaps we
should retire a bit that sort of jiggle bow in
my hands.
Speaker 9: We've been out the chicken, I mean the the cock
of trees.
Speaker 7: In the city for a bit, and perhaps we could
do with.
Speaker 9: Lunch trickle trees please, perhaps dinner.
Speaker 7: Mm hmmliven better?
Speaker 1: Will you ving tonight.
Speaker 9: After dinner? Hopefully?
Speaker 4: H Is it too much as to the first thing
in the morning trip to dagon waar? Maybe long and tire?
That gives us tonight to discuss things.
Speaker 8: One more night. Thank you, And at this I look
genuinely pleased.
Speaker 3: Now if you excuse me, it's been a long day,
marek we have much to discuss.
Speaker 1: Yes, mother. He turns his head as the matriarch begins
to walk away, and he looks at you enters and
he just shakes his head and sighs and throws his
hands up.
Speaker 4: I run to him and pat him on the back
and say it'll be okay. As I do that, I
slip a I slip the communication scroll that I bought
to him.
Speaker 1: Okay, make a note. You should be able to edit
your items, but maybe make a note for all of
the communications scrolls you have. Whenever you give them to somebody,
make sure you take note of who you give it to.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I can edit the submarine. I'll just put the
name in there.
Speaker 1: Yeah, if you have issues with that, just let me know.
We'll see, we'll see, because I know, I'm pretty sure
you have a notes section as well that you can
make notes, right, you can.
Speaker 6: Alter the name of the item though. It just makes
it simpler. That's what I did.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's what I would do.
Speaker 4: Yep, it worked. Yeah, as I give it to a
mile edit it. I need to edit the impressist yeah.
Speaker 3: Okay, yeah, he'll he'll pocket.
Speaker 1: It and walk off following Samira.
Speaker 19: Okay, you can see like everybody that was in the courtyard,
everybody's like, the guards are, you know, staying professional, but
some of the other staff are kind.
Speaker 1: Of like, holy shit, what just happened. There's a lot
of shocked expressions, like everybody's looking like, what is going on?
Speaker 9: We should leave?
Speaker 7: Just start dragging the bow over towards uh the manner.
Speaker 1: That the guest.
Speaker 6: Yes, let's collect our things. Perhaps we'll talk a little bit, right, hm.
Speaker 13: I if the group is all here and we're not
within earshot of anybody, I'm gonna say we could have died.
We could have died very easily, especially speaking out of
turn with the Dragon Empress that they they incinerate people.
Speaker 9: H why because they want to Did we do something wrong?
Speaker 8: Well, not necessarily we but it went better than I
thought it was going to.
Speaker 4: I apologize for speaking out of turn.
Speaker 8: No, you don't have to apologize, and I was speechless anyway, reputation.
Speaker 9: And we're not dead.
Speaker 6: You also got a communications scroll from the Empress.
Speaker 5: I don't think you did badly.
Speaker 4: I appreciate that right, and you have to play oasis
where you can. I'm not your you're you're actually in well.
I would beare to say that if they wanted us dead,
we would have been dead on spot and made't make
it out of the vehicle. There is still a level
of respect there as then, as that line may be,
that we have a lot to discuss.
Speaker 6: I do think though, that she was being sincere. That
they are trying very hard to to well hold on
to what the Consortium told them that they need to
do here in malefacts with the power and whatnot. We've
seen evidence of it.
Speaker 8: She'll do what she has to.
Speaker 4: She needs you moon some reason why I was still standing.
Speaker 8: I think she made it very clear that she doesn't.
Speaker 13: But I know what you mean. We are alive and
we should get some rest before we.
Speaker 8: Before we go and investigate.
Speaker 6: Are you okay? Yeah?
Speaker 13: And I pull up my gloves and kind of straighten
my hair. I could just I could just use maybe
a strong drink, maybe some spirits.
Speaker 7: Drinks are a great idea, in fact, And I open
my inventory and pull out the very fancy bottle of wine.
We only drink half.
Speaker 8: Of this, and my face lights up. I do you mind?
And I make like a grab emotion.
Speaker 7: I pull it out of your reach.
Speaker 9: A three week contest.
Speaker 7: You'll have to catch me first, and I'll essentially playfully
run towards the dining room that we had to ourselves.
I want to try to find a comfortable place where
we can all.
Speaker 9: Sit down and drinks.
Speaker 13: I choose after her, but I don't go like super
speed mode. I'm just like just kind of skip it along,
like give me that, give give me, give me wine,
give me wine.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there's I mean, there's the uh there is like
the the dining room if you want to be indoors.
There's also the cliff where the balcony is. I want
to go there.
Speaker 3: But those are probably the two main places I would
suggest everything is really comfortable in here. I mean this
place is lush as fuck.
Speaker 4: Where if I'm going to go to the balcony with
or without them and collect I'll have a journal with me,
and I'm collecting things and writing notes and just staring
out at what view we have a mill offax and
trying to collect my thoughts of what just transpired and
information that I got of everything, especially Moon, and trying
to keep a levelhead of things while everyone celebrates.
Speaker 6: I would be going to go find you.
Speaker 7: I would actually bring Moon and anyone else in toe
to the balcony, but only after swiping a few more
bottles of things to drink. That way we can all
be together.
Speaker 9: So you have dropped me.
Speaker 7: I can do more than one thing at once. You're
just picking up a lot of dirt as I'm dragging
you along, and I'm using you as cold storage, just
shoving bottles of wine into you. I'll drag a few
cushions out onto the balcony and hand surrender the wine
over to Moon and just sit down.
Speaker 8: Ah to be.
Speaker 7: Don't forget to share right right? You look like you
could use a drink too.
Speaker 6: That was really scary, wasn't it.
Speaker 12: Yeah, Moon, I am aware that they brought up quite
a few things that you didn't want to talk about.
Speaker 6: You don't have to talk about it now, but it
would be good in the future.
Speaker 12: To have us know.
Speaker 6: All of you. Okay, so take your time, but we
would like to be able to support you in the
best way that we can. And information is key and
supporting and being able to do such a thing. It's powerful.
Speaker 8: Okay, thanks Cyrus.
Speaker 13: I take her hand, and there's that same kind of
odd glazed look in my eyes. But I do squeeze
your hand.
Speaker 6: If you're close enough, I will pat your head.
Speaker 8: You did well, lean down a bit.
Speaker 6: You did very well. I know it was very stressful.
Speaker 8: Thank you. I just wanted everyone to be okay. I
was really worried for our safety.
Speaker 6: Well, I suppose if we were going to die, there
was really nothing we could have done about.
Speaker 13: It, right, And I guess we would have been nice
and toasty warm for just a half second.
Speaker 6: Horrifying.
Speaker 8: And then I laugh at that, and it's it's like, yeah,
it is. I take another sip of wine.
Speaker 6: Well, I suppose a little bit of revelry and then
we get the hell out of here.
Speaker 5: Oh, I wris.
Speaker 6: I almost did another word, but I didn't.
Speaker 8: Gosh, I'm proud of you.
Speaker 12: Thank you.
Speaker 7: I'll make a nest of cushions next to me. Enders,
Why don't you sit down over here. I know you're writing,
but come on, there's space for you.
Speaker 4: Slowly down the quil and straighten myself up. All right,
I'll come over and I'll sit on the edge of
a PUSTI.
Speaker 13: I sniff, and I look at him, and I say,
you're not a mouthpiece. You know, you're a good human
and I appreciate you standing up.
Speaker 8: For us and wanting to know more.
Speaker 13: Yeah, she's just mean, And I take another sip of wine.
Speaker 6: You know, the Enders, your idea is not a bad one.
To try to find some other alternative. Maybe, oh, maybe
the good friends could be the first to initiate it
so that they don't lose their fortune.
Speaker 4: I have put cogs in place, just waiting for the
right time to let everyone know. But I'm not the
one that likes to just throw random ideas out without testing.
But I have a feeling that I have already gotten
one in my pocket.
Speaker 6: Mark, you too did seem quite chummy when he wasn't
throwing up chum.
Speaker 4: Oh there's something about him that reminds me of us. Okay, white,
put a finger on it. But as they say, if
there are enemies, you keep them close.
Speaker 6: M was it that feeling on the boat.
Speaker 4: It's a lot of feelings right now.
Speaker 7: As you say that, I'll lean over so that my
shoulder bumps yours. You won't be alone. We'll work through
this together.
Speaker 4: And look directly at moon. We will, all right, we will.
That's good. All right. Let's see how many things we
can stick in Bow and I pull out chairs and
lamps and lanterns.
Speaker 5: I've had a book about this once.
Speaker 7: I hope in my inventory and take out the really
expensive fish.
Speaker 8: Hang on, hang on, hang on. I think I have
like a big old set. Oh yeah, we can put
this in here too. Hang on, Bow and I have
like a little like pencil.
Speaker 24: Of course, with your consent, that is, Oh, may we
stick things inside of your membrane?
Speaker 13: Or I'll just like holding things like, can we put
things inside of you?
Speaker 9: I slowly look up to all of them, go mmmmm.
Speaker 7: I shake the fish enticingly.
Speaker 9: Okay, fish, wish great.
Speaker 4: I have an idea. I run and try to pull
the couch towards us.
Speaker 6: Couch.
Speaker 8: Wait, why the whole couch?
Speaker 5: Oh no? When he had something that large the last time.
Speaker 6: He had many issues. Did he not remember? We thought
you were going to burst? Yeah?
Speaker 8: He was a bit. Uh, I couldn't poop.
Speaker 4: Second of all, I mean, what's practice. We may need
you to take over. I don't know an enemy.
Speaker 6: Large?
Speaker 5: Can you absorb the couch bow?
Speaker 7: I have a question. Have any of us pooped since
we got in here?
Speaker 5: I've shipped so much you have no idea?
Speaker 4: Wow? Absolutely, I would like to keep mine personal.
Speaker 9: He just keep it with him.
Speaker 1: Letter. He had like a I think you were gone
that session, but he actually had like a moment where
he went to the restroom.
Speaker 24: Okay it was a lavish bathroom, thrown and coca mm hmm, okay, Uh,
what's happening here?
Speaker 9: You want me to eat stuff?
Speaker 4: M putting yourself up, trying to put yourself across this
whole couch. I think expanding your membrane will be good
practice for the road trip. Large Beasts changed your dragon earlier.
Speaker 5: That was incredible.
Speaker 4: It was more like a figurine.
Speaker 8: But yeah, it was the size of this the dragon.
Speaker 5: It was not a figurine.
Speaker 20: It was good.
Speaker 9: I think we recondent, so I wasn't going to be
the same size as the dragon. I don't think both
can make matter, but I can, you know, like fill
up with air to kind of be a bit bigger
m just so that whack doesn't hate me. So sure,
I could do that again. Or I could try, uh
all those things we we wrote here on I could.
Speaker 5: Do that too, Oh the aquadians.
Speaker 9: Could I could maybe perhaps try and no like that, well,
I know if that requires you to I don't know,
at least yourself on one of those.
Speaker 4: I don't think it's a good idea. Let's not start
with live objects.
Speaker 7: Okay, I pull the fish out of bow surreptitiously, just
not that one.
Speaker 9: It's covered in bow?
Speaker 4: Is it a life cell? Is it dead?
Speaker 7: Don't worry about it, and I'll throw it back into
my inventory.
Speaker 13: Hmm, okay, well, eat the couch, Eat the couch, or
I'm just staring there like with the line.
Speaker 9: Like I kind of move around and like the I
guess that the surface of my membrane looks like I'm
pulling up my sleeves, but I'm not. I'm just kind
of wiggling about. And I moved towards the couch and
then I kind of like flop onto the side and
try and stretch over it. Yep, okay, so you start
to see it's like it's starts to corrode from where
I've touched it, and then like, yes, it sizzles.
Speaker 1: It's very slow.
Speaker 9: Did you say don't eat it? If if so, then
it stops to corrode on the side, and I just
keep trying to stretch over it.
Speaker 4: Mm hmmm.
Speaker 9: After maybe about a minute of straining, perhaps I'm just
stretched over like a thin membrane over this over the couch.
Then my eyes kind of like float towards the center
of the couch and go.
Speaker 8: This movie like this once.
Speaker 6: Impressive.
Speaker 5: Wow, not everyone can strut like that.
Speaker 4: All right, get off of it quickly, and I want
you to yourself.
Speaker 5: You're making a hissing sound.
Speaker 8: No, no, you can keep the penny, keep the pennyn Yes,
it's for good luck.
Speaker 9: I start to push you see like a swell in
the center of the couch, and bits of bow start
like a I guess.
Speaker 1: It wouldn't be a penny by the way it did.
Speaker 7: You get to add one zen it to your inventory.
Speaker 9: And then I come out, uh, out of the front
of the couch and uh huh, huh. Well, I mean
the couch kind of tasted funny, but otherwise it's only
a bit. It's only a bit wrecked, right.
Speaker 4: You know, very interesting, can very good, thank you? And
then I go back and sit down on a cushion.
Speaker 9: Why don't get a treat or anything? What about that
fish that she took it back?
Speaker 4: Oh? That fish should definitely see it's some way back.
Speaker 7: I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 6: I don't know if the fish was alive after that.
Speaker 8: But you want some wine? Boat and I just kind
of like offer too poor. Okay, Uh make a cup.
Speaker 9: Kind of a concave like this, yeah, and I just
glog glog, glog gloggle. Yup. I guess you kind of see.
Speaker 8: You wonder, I wonder what it will do. And I
sort of stand there and just watch.
Speaker 7: Is it like a Coppa lamp?
Speaker 9: Is it red wine or is it white wine?
Speaker 1: It's red wine?
Speaker 9: I was red wine. Okay, Well you kind of see
globules of the wine kind of like drip into bow
and bow starts to reform back into a sphere, and
for a minute it looks like in a blood and
water or like you know, I love a lamp. And
after a while I kind of change you ever so
slightly to the color of the wine for about maybe
five minutes, and I guess where you think my cheeks
would be, or perhaps you know, like just away from
where my eyes are, you know, like in the character
on it starts to glow a bit more red for
a bit. Oh wow, Sam was a bubble popping.
Speaker 3: That's amazing.
Speaker 5: Did can you taste it?
Speaker 8: Mmm?
Speaker 9: Wine? I think he's right school goodness.
Speaker 8: And I put the wine bottle on the table and
slam it. So I was in love with the empress.
Speaker 7: I knew it's had a feeling.
Speaker 5: And what yep, what what?
Speaker 9: What about her was so great? Her gravelly voice or
her evil ness ness?
Speaker 8: Well, I mean that's got a little bit to do
with it.
Speaker 9: Huh.
Speaker 7: We need to talk about some things. Jan gotta swap
some literature later.
Speaker 4: That's interesting. I guess my romance question is have an end.
Speaker 13: Yeah, boy, she's beautiful.
Speaker 9: It's the tail, isn't it.
Speaker 5: Just so red?
Speaker 9: That was my second guess.
Speaker 8: H But we had a bit of a history, you know.
I don't want to I don't want to get too much.
There was a lot. There was a lot there. But
you guys asked if I was alone, and I I
mean I was because I didn't have heroes. But you
know I wasn't alone. You copulate with the tracking.
Speaker 5: Up person, whoa, well you don't have.
Speaker 9: To make mighty and I walk out. I start to
occupy myself by trying to shove myself inside the wine bottle.
Speaker 7: Scally okay, but it was good sharp okay.
Speaker 6: I can, I can.
Speaker 7: I can see that the appeal.
Speaker 9: Right dangerous again appeal because scales shop like iron wool.
Speaker 8: Mm hmmmh sure yeah yeah huh.
Speaker 7: But spend a lot of time with her.
Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, we.
Speaker 6: Yeah yeah yeah, but but she.
Speaker 8: I don't think she likes me very much.
Speaker 12: Guys.
Speaker 9: I think the bottle starts to roll out the room.
Speaker 5: M m m, whether it goes the wine.
Speaker 6: Oh, I don't.
Speaker 7: For more drinks.
Speaker 8: M My cheeks are real flush, like there's some water. Oh,
thank you.
Speaker 6: How long ago it was was your tris was probably
probably about maybe six seven years ago.
Speaker 8: I don't know, it was a while ago. They had
a problem with their government, and I, you know, I
was there and I was she She told me about
it and she was, you know, she was sad because
the family stuff.
Speaker 3: And I'm like I'll do it for.
Speaker 8: You, babe. Don't worry about it. I've got it. I'll
take I'll take care of it.
Speaker 12: Mm hmmm.
Speaker 8: And that was silly. If it was silly, it was
silly of me to get involved. I should have gotten involved.
It was dumb. It was a dumb It was a
dumb time. It was but her, you know, Ah, people
died and it was not great.
Speaker 6: So it was not the plan.
Speaker 8: No, it was not. It was not how it was
it should have happened.
Speaker 6: M h.
Speaker 8: It's really all.
Speaker 13: It' that's all I can That's I I can't. Yeah,
I can't get it's it's it's all.
Speaker 9: That's all.
Speaker 8: Sorry, it's a lot, it's a lot. But but but
she I think I think, no, you know, I think
she still cares because like I you know, I think she.
Speaker 13: Probably would have killed everybody. I'll be really, I've seen her.
I've seen her just just do that. So I'm just
I'm glad that we're all still alive.
Speaker 6: What sorry, do you still have feelings for her?
Speaker 8: Hm hmm. I can remember what it's like to have feelings.
Speaker 25: Uh yeah, yeah, I'm gonna yes, go to bed, go
to bed.
Speaker 8: And but you guys and I lean in, thank you
for listening, because it's really it bothered me today and
I didn't want to say anything because like I don't
want to. I didn't want to bother anybody with it.
Speaker 13: We we will go back, and you don't have to
be nice because like the whole the royalty, like they
know my name and like I, I don't want to
be I don't want to be that person again because
they're they were scared of me. But they're like, we
can let you back, and they said, if you come back,
you know, you have to be on your best behavior.
And I said, I'm probably never coming back anyway because
they just don't like me here, including the Empress. So
why would I want to come back if I have
to have this old flame, you know, no no pun intended.
Speaker 8: Why am I gonna come back? They're just not gonna
they don't like me. But I have to come back
because there because they let us hear. I'm gonna go
to bed, but I stand up, good night, good night.
Speaker 6: Good night. Thank you for telling us. I look to
rue and I just scratched my head a little bit.
Speaker 12: Oh she's not quite.
Speaker 11: The same as she.
Speaker 6: Oh, I will put a hand on your face.
Speaker 22: And look at you and.
Speaker 6: Not quite But she is there. I mean, we're all
a little bit different, are we not.
Speaker 7: Yeah, I'm I'm not. I'm happy that she wasn't alone.
Speaker 8: I mean, I think.
Speaker 7: I think that's had me worried the most out of everything.
Ten years is alone time.
Speaker 6: It is you know when people get really involved in
some sort of fandom where they play a game NonStop
and they live, they breathe it, they dream it, and
it kind of becomes a little bit of an.
Speaker 7: Obsession, maybe a little.
Speaker 6: I've done it before too. This all kind of feels
sort of like that, even though I suppose all of
it is real, But imagine that for ten years, it
is hard to hold on to who you are outside
of this place. I would assume. Yeah, but she is
in there and she is opening.
Speaker 11: I'm not worried about that and worried if she's okay.
Speaker 12: She is not.
Speaker 7: I don't at all, So I don't think she is.
Speaker 6: But you are here, and you're her best friend, and
we're here to support both of you, a whole lot
of us. I mean, I was never quite as close
with you all because we only knew each other for
so long, and in playing a game together. But I'd
like to think we at least we're all friends and
are here.
Speaker 7: But is it still just a game? It feels like
a game, but it doesn't at the same time, And
I think some of us are treating it differently than others.
It's terrifying. What if ten more years pass, what if
what happened to Moon happens to us.
Speaker 6: And it is no longer us LARPing? I suppose that
is how I have been trying to treat it. I
am worried out of my mind as well.
Speaker 7: I don't I want to keep treating this like a cane.
It's it's too weird, it's too different. If if I
admit that any part of this is real, I'm scared
what happened to Jin? I'm scared if it can't be undone.
Speaker 9: A bottle rolls back into the room and clinks onto
the side of the table.
Speaker 7: I cut off, and as I look down at it,
little tears stream from.
Speaker 4: My eyes.
Speaker 9: Kind of exit the bottle slowly. You're perforated, I mean, uh,
are you okay?
Speaker 7: I pick up the bottle and bow as carefully as
I can.
Speaker 21: I'll be okay.
Speaker 1: Are you okay?
Speaker 7: You just ate a couch.
Speaker 8: Mmm.
Speaker 9: I mean, you know, I've never thought about that before,
am I okay?
Speaker 6: M m.
Speaker 9: I feel a bit damaged, but otherwise I'm fine.
Speaker 20: Oh m hmm.
Speaker 6: You still feel as though this is just a game.
Speaker 9: What do you mean.
Speaker 6: All of this around us?
Speaker 8: M hmm.
Speaker 6: Do you treat it or think of it as as
real in any way?
Speaker 9: I mean, huh, I sure as hell. I hope it's
not real because, uh, well have you seen me?
Speaker 6: You are able to take many shapes.
Speaker 9: It is quite convenient, right, But I have no legs,
I have no mouth, I can't scream when I talk.
I kind of just shake a little, and uh well, hm,
I don't know. I mean, right now, it's okay. I mean,
like whenever I'm just tired, I just kind of like,
you know, relax and I feel whatever I mean. But
otherwise I don't know. It is a game, isn't it.
We kill things and they taste like non bread, and
I'll getting all the oh not bred to me and
then like you know, I get to eat all the
cool things with that with moon and uh, I sure
hope this is a game. I mean it's not real.
I mean, surely it's not real. Because we know where
we came from, and well a part of him, that
one guy dying a very horrible death by like fixture.
Speaker 7: Sorry, hmmm, it's gotta be a game. And I opened
my inventory and I pulled the very dead, fucked up
looking fish, and I wobble it around like, you can't
do it, You can't do this in real life.
Speaker 4: You just.
Speaker 9: Hmm, you know. I'm I'm gonna be in this bottle
for a while while I ruminate over, you know, existence.
Speaker 6: This.
Speaker 7: I sadly put the fish down.
Speaker 6: We will try to get out of you're I mean,
that is the only way to truly figure out who
we all are and where we are in the grand
scheme of things, and how this all will play out
and how we are affected.
Speaker 9: Yeah, do you think we can get out?
Speaker 7: Maybe we just need to play the game, you know,
play the game and then we'll get out.
Speaker 9: But what if this is vr? You know, someone got
really hurt. What if we're really hurt? Gosh, what if
we're dead?
Speaker 11: Shit?
Speaker 9: I can't.
Speaker 6: Sort of like in our souls.
Speaker 11: I didn't think about that.
Speaker 7: Something went really really wrong at Regalia Cohn.
Speaker 6: Yes, wasn't that one presenter hurt?
Speaker 9: Right? They were crushed by a lamp fixture. Then all
I remember seeing is red and crikey, what if you know?
Like people used to hop on on the internet all
the time about Oh the large hadrun collider. Oh watch out,
it's black hole. What if that happened?
Speaker 11: I have no idea what you're talking about.
Speaker 9: This big science machine, go boom newspaper.
Speaker 6: But death, Well, it is a possible theory that this
is some sort of after life or something. Mm I
do I do think we should hold on to say
that it is not, and that perhaps maybe no time
at all has passed in the real world. Okay, but
you're in our world. I suppose I should say.
Speaker 9: The Moon's been here for ten years? Right, huh?
Speaker 3: I mean she.
Speaker 4: M.
Speaker 6: I don't know, m. But either way, it is important
for us to be there for each other and to
remind each other who we are. And it is discouraging
that Moon or Jan does not remember quite a lot.
Speaker 9: I understand, right, it's been a while. I mean, you know,
I'll can't really remember what I have a breakfast. Normally,
I suppose as long as we don't split the party,
we'll be fine, right, Wait.
Speaker 6: As long as we're there for each other mm hmm
and remind each other. Memory seems to be a fickle
thing here in Racalia.
Speaker 9: What do you mean, Well, I don't know if what.
Speaker 6: The situation is with enders. He was forgetting things, you know,
whether that is willful or not. I mean it seems
to be.
Speaker 11: I do not know.
Speaker 9: I thought that was just him being an actor, you know,
like you know, big big shot actors and stuff like
what's your name again?
Speaker 6: He wishes to stay oh, and he means it. M M.
Speaker 9: I miss having teeth, So I kind of want to
go back. But at the same time, uh, I mean
what am I missing? What are you missing from back home?
Speaker 6: I don't know.
Speaker 7: I I'm not sure if I want to go back.
Speaker 4: Mmm.
Speaker 9: Do you not have, like I don't know a family
or I don't know a job or friends or a
career or aspiration that's a big word, aspirations. Yeah.
Speaker 7: I mean I, you know, had a pretty good paycheck
and all of that, but it came with other things too,
you know.
Speaker 1: Mm hmmm.
Speaker 7: I had to stay after work hours pretty regular. As
you might remember how desk.
Speaker 9: More desk desks now desk for breakfast.
Speaker 17: M hmm.
Speaker 6: What about you, Iris, Well, I do have family. When
I left for the convention, my mother.
Speaker 8: Was very sick.
Speaker 6: Oh, but she was with my brother. He was taking
care of her, so she's not alone. But I mean,
I would like to see them. I mean, this is
also fantastical and interesting, and it feels wrong to wish
to indulge.
Speaker 7: I don't think so. I think having a chance to
indulge is great. Back home, all I ever did was
deny myself the things I wanted.
Speaker 6: I gave up quite a lot to be there for her. Yeah,
so it feels sort of like gaining an identity of
my own here. I understand's sort of where enders in
particular is coming from. And I had no idea, but
I suppose you as well. This is all very confusing.
Speaker 11: H Yeah.
Speaker 6: But at any rate, even if jan is changed, this
is time for us to get to know the version
of her that exists.
Speaker 11: Now.
Speaker 6: Yeah, that is a gift.
Speaker 9: Yeah and bo huh what what.
Speaker 7: We can get you? Those teeth? Look them right out
of something?
Speaker 9: Oh want big old nashes? You know?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 3: But I mean that happen.
Speaker 6: Would you be like vaneers or would you want like plenty?
Speaker 4: Thanks? Huh?
Speaker 5: You look very creepy with a smile.
Speaker 6: I will say it, you would look very creepy if
you had that. The nearest smile with.
Speaker 9: All right, then I want really big, old take the cheese,
square teeth like a horse.
Speaker 5: No mena il.
Speaker 3: Give me.
Speaker 8: Let me see, I'll get to eat up.
Speaker 6: I know your animal.
Speaker 1: Hello. This is Wax Stephen from table Story. If you
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