Volume 1: In the Blood Ep. 15 - The Atelier of Hephaestus
TRANSCRIPT - In the Blood Ep. 15 - The Atelier of Hephaestus
Tau
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Tau
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ROGUE RUNNERS is...rated R, for pretty much everything you can find in Greek Mythology: violence, assault, self-harm, offensive language, insensitive humor, and intense themes. We encourage everyone to check out our show notes and transcripts on our website at Whisperforge.org. Are you ready to run? Then welcome to Volume 1: In the Blood.
[SFX: Intro music.]
Tau
First things first, Arete make a survival check.
Michael (Arete)
Natural 20 plus my modifier, which is eight. So a 28.
Tau
You find yourself in the frozen wilderness of Greece and you have been searching for your quarry for nearly a week now. You've been running low on food and provisions. But you've got a job to do, a job that will ensure your future and that of your families for many, many years to come. You wake up this morning, you see the beautiful Greek sun rising over the horizon and you see it just barely melting the hoarfrost on the cliff side and your feet are still cold as they tread upon it because I don't know you just didn't have really nice Greek shoes or whatever they had. And you begin your search for the day. Where do you go?
Michael (Arete)
I would like to roll a perception check to see if I notice a trail of anything.
Tau
Sure do it.
Michael (Arete)
A 21
Tau
There seem to be footsteps fading in the snow especially now that the sun is coming up, the snow is melting a little bit so you need to catch this trail quickly. What you find along one long mountain trail, you see tiny tiny steps quickly going up and then running back down. It's probably about a several days worth climb you think.
Michael (Arete)
I'm running low on supplies. I'm gonna go ahead and investigate around me to see if there's any wildlife that I can snatch up for a meal.
Tau
Make a survival check.
Michael (Arete)
21.
Tau
Pick any animal you want.
Michael (Arete)
I am going to find a...
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Dragon.
Michael (Arete)
Saw, I've got (realizing, laughs)
Tau
A mermaid. A Gamer Girl.
Michael (Arete)
(laughing) A Gamer Girl?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
A Gamer Girl???
Tau
It's a joke, get it? GAME-er girl.
[SFX: Badum TSSS.]
Nicholas (Alexander)
She's French.
Michael (Arete)
I'm gonna say I found I found a wild boar and I'm going to be sneaking up to slit its throat in the most humane way possible.
Tau
Your art is not often used to bring humane death upon anyone but you do manage to bring it to bear upon this wild boar. It doesn't even see you coming.
Michael (Arete)
Alright, I'm going to start by skinning the boar in case it gets any colder I can wrap its hide about me. I'll think I'll take almost like a lamb shank style cut of the meat. Do I have a soup pot on me?
Michael (Arete)
Make a history check.
Michael (Arete)
11.
Tau
You would be able to fashion one out of other supplies that you brought. You had to travel very light for this mission.
Michael (Arete)
All right, I'm going to go ahead and fashion some sort of cooking vessel out of the supplies that I have on me and I'm going to start to take the snow and dump it into the cooking vessel for a source of water for the stew that I'm about to prepare. I then will take some of the wood from higher up because you don't want damp wood to start a fire that's just not going to work. So I start a fire with the wood. Doing the rubbing of the twig.
Tau
You find it exceptionally hard to do as the air gets colder and colder and Boreas bears down upon this mountain sending its chills through your fingers making it hard for them to move. You find it nearly impossible to cut open this boar, its flesh seems thick and icy the bone even more so it takes you all of your strength to perform even the simplest tasks but you do do it and you do get this fire starting for the night. Arete, a make a survival check for me.
Michael (Arete)
17.
Tau
It is a brutally cold night when you don't think you can survive much longer but it is a new day and you are halfway up the mountain. What do you do?
Michael (Arete)
I will roll a perception check to see what is around me see if I notice any new like developments in the trail. And it's a seven.
Tau
The trail seems to have gone for lack of a better word cold. Did I mention it is very, very cold up here? You feel a numbing sensation at the edges of your fingertips, it becomes hard for you to wiggle your individual fingers and toes which is an important thing to be able to do for someone in your profession. You feel your age hitting you almost sooner than it should. And even though this trail seems to have gone cold, you are certain that what you need lies ahead.
Michael (Arete)
I make a push forward. I've come this far, I can't turn back now
Tau
That day it blizzards, hail and snow are beating down on your face, it cakes your hair, your skin, your beard, your clothes, everything seems to weigh about 10 pounds heavier, you take numerous cuts and bruises and small incisions Just here and there, you know incidental damage, but you don't even bleed because it's so cold that your wounds instantly freeze as you incur them. It is getting darker and darker by the hour the snowstorm does not seem to be subsiding. Alright, a make a survival check.
Tau
14.
Tau
You think you're not going to make it, your breath is becoming quicker and quicker and shallower and shallower as your body is doing everything it can to keep itself in survival mode. And then just somehow in the darkness of the night, you see a shape at the top of this mountain. And you only see that shape because it has managed to somehow distinguish itself by the outline of snow on it. And in all this wind and all this bluster you see a small urn.
Michael (Arete)
I approach the urn.
Tau
You approach the urn, and you open it. And inside, you hear a small cry.
[SFX: A baby cries.]
Tau
You have found Arete Laskaris. Constantine Enklima you have made this climb up this mountain following a prophecy that whatever you found up here nearly at the cost of your life would assure the future of you and your family for many years to come. And now you are certain that you have it. And now that you have found this baby, Arete Laskaris, you hold there and close to your chest. And you begin the very long, very cold journey back down the mountain. Just a little bit warmer than the way you rose up.
Amanda (Annie)
Aw. Really had us there in the first half.
Tau
That's why I kept saying "Arete, make a survival check." (laughs)
Amanda (Annie)
(laughs)
Michael (Arete)
(laughs then sighs in relief)
Tau
I'm giving Constantine Enklima and Arete Laskaris inspiration. All right, you all land outside the House of Hades or I should say crash outside the House of Hades with a THUD.
Players
(grunts and oofs)
Tau
The first thing that you notice is how cold the stone tile is against your hands and your feet. It is a place that is normally surrounded by roiling boiling blood but it is very cold here. As you start standing up, you see the other two Olympiads also fairly confused about the situation.
Amanda & Michael
(gasp)
Michael (Arete)
"We're getting out of here, baby."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Let's go!" and Rolf walks 30 feet ahead and hopes to see a boon.
Tau
Okay, there is a boon there. It appears to be a blue trident.
Amanda (Annie)
(gasps)
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(whispers) Finally.
Amanda (Annie)
(low pitched squealing)
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"I don't know how this works. I'm assuming this will help us all. Yes? Shall I accept it? I'm going to accept it."
Tau
And the other two Olympiads kind of look at it skeptically. And then Daphne says, "Oh hon, you can just have it. Don't worry about it. We'll figure something out."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Okay."
Amanda (Annie)
(delicately) "Thank you sooo much."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Poseidon, I accept this message," and I touch the orb.
[SFX: Bright high pitched DING. Rushing waves fade in.]
Tau
You start to smell the sea and you are also awash with the sound of the sea, washing all around you and then on what it appears to be a massive whale, you see a shadow of a man just up and down cresting and troughing along these waves distantly, before riding up to you with a glorious trident and you hear a voice saying (deep voiced) "This is disorienting, all right. I'm so used to talking to my good nephew through these things. Is this on by the way? I sure do. Miss my little Hades. I hear he's awfully busy as of late taking over work for my good brother big Hades I suppose. So what am I supposed to call you? Wretched Shades? Little Zagreuses? You just let Uncle Poseidon know."
Tau
"Little little Hades is fine. We're in desperate danger Posei- Uncle Poseidon, please."
Tau
Well, he's helping you with that. So you have an option for a power boon, a survivability boon and a utility boon. Roll a d20 for me.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
11.
Tau
That is a common rarity boon.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"What do we think?"
Michael (Arete)
"Whatever gets us a fishing rod so we can catch that damn fish."
Nicholas (Alexander)
Oh yes, Alexander's scoping hard for that fish (chuckling), he's looking all around.
Tau
You get the sense that if you want the fishing rod, it would be a more permanent upgrade that you would get and it would be through the utility option. So like if you died you wouldn't lose the fishing rod.
Amanda (Annie)
"Y'all as much as I want that fishing rod too, and I want (intensely) that fishing rod, I will say that if catching the fish we would have then taken it to the chef in the lounge and, fingers crossed, we're not going back there anytime soon. Of course it would be awesome to have fish here too and we could probably cook it and make it real nice. Arete, sounds like you- well maybe, no, you don't have skill, sorry that's not you. That was someone else in your flashback. I don't even know I wasn't there. I don't know what I'm talking about. Rolf could probably pick up some real nice for us. But I was just gonna say you know, I think maybe this time round we can go with survivability and when things are looking up for us, which gooosh, I sure hope that soon. Maybe we can then do a utility boon? Question mark? OoooOOOooh?"
Tau
Nausicaa says "Perhaps you best figure that out on your own but I just heard a massacre happening at the House of Hades so I suspect we need to get going. We'll meet you on the other side, yes?" and then her Olympiad starts rushing...
[SFX: Footsteps.]
Tau
...towards the gate while you guys figure out this boon situation.
Amanda (Annie)
(enthusiastic) "Survive-a-bilityyyy!"
Michael (Arete)
"Ah yeah, survivability sounds good."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Works for me!"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Very well."
Amanda (Annie)
"YAYYY!!! Look we did it! I think this is the first time ever!"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Uncle Poseidon, I accept the gift of survivability."
Tau
"That's a pity, I really had this really nice rod ready for you but sure!"
Amanda (Annie)
Ahhhhh!
Michael (Arete)
(flirting) "Oh I'll take your rod Poseidon."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(hiding) "There is a child present, Poseidon!"
Tau
So you take this around as a common survivability boon and it is called the Wave Dash.
Amanda (Annie)
(gasps)
Tau
Hell yeah, when you take the dash action on your turn, you are engulfed in a repelling wave, adding plus two toyour AC for that turn.
Michael (Arete)
(also gasps)
Tau
Now when I say repelling wave, what that means is if you take the dash action and you collide with someone, you can potentially push them away.
Michael (Arete)
Hmmmm.
Tau
Because there'll be these powerful ocean waves falling off of you.
[SFX: Swoosh.]
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Sick!
Michael (Arete)
"Alright everybody, I- uh, let us make haste!" and Arete will follow after the Olympiad.
[SFX: Fast footsteps.]
Tau
As you do that, you notice the other Olympiad. So Pandaie, Adonis, Palestrae, and Ajax. They seem to be like midway on the platform, and they seem to be staring into the blood.
Michael (Arete)
I come to a screeching halt...
[SFX: Screeech.]
Michael (Arete)
...when I see them just standing there and I'm like, "What's going on?"
Tau
So Palestrae says (softly deep) "Well, every time we used to pass by here, I always, you know, used to get a wink from this really cute fish. And I always thought I was gonna catch it. But then uh... that happened," and she points out at the blood. And what you notice is that where always there is this roiling, boiling blood before, the blood all around you is ice and you see a frozen carp just hanging out on a wave about you know, 40 feet away from meyou
Nicholas (Alexander)
Alexander will poke it with his sword.
[SFX: Ice cracks.]
Tau
Yeah, it seems to be solid ice.
Nicholas (Alexander)
He's gonna walk to the frozen carp.
Tau
So make a flat dexterity check for me.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Seven, (smiles) not critical it's just looks like a one.
Tau
You get about 10 feet out towards the fish and you feel the ice cracking below your feet pretty quickly.
[SFX: Ice crackles.]
Amanda (Annie)
"Alex!!!!!!"
Nicholas (Alexander)
(disappointed) Okay, I started running back.
Tau
Pkay, you start running back which makes even more cracks in the ice and you have to kind of quickly jump back onto the platform.
(grunts with effort)
Tau
As the ice cracks, and like even though this ocean of blood was always red, now it's like black blood or blue blood like the liquid underneath it just looks wrong. And you are recognizing that this is the coldest you have you ever been in your life and you and you particularly Alexander, have you know traversed some pretty old climbs so that's where you're at.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Hmm.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(reciting) "The big black bear bit the big black bug and the big black bear bled blue black blood."
Michael (Arete)
"Thank you for that Rolf. Are you okay?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
(grumbling) "One day fish..."
Michael (Arete)
"Blue blood, I think that means we have an oxygen problem down here everyone. I think that's what that means, the blood isn't oxidizing anymore. So if we all pump enough oxygen down to Tartarus that should fix the problem."
Amanda (Annie)
"You know what? That's not that... we gotta go. We gotta, we gotta get out of here."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Ahhh, other Olympiad, I don't know if you have a name for yourselves. We call ourselves the A Team r. The A team with a little 'r'."
Amanda (Annie)
"What? No we dont."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Shhh, I'm trying something. (to the other Olympiad) Are you guys going to be okay?"
Tau
Adonis, sniffles and he goes "(sneezes) I really don't do well in colder weather." And then Pandaie turns around to you and she says "Something is very clearly wrong here. We don't know what but I suppose we'll figure it out. And no, we don't really have a name for our Olympiad. Uhh, the A-Team, I like that perhaps we should be..." and then she quickly looks around at her Olympiad and takes stock of everybody's names and she goes "Uhh, the AA PP Team."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(a bark of laughter)
Tau
And then Ajax goes "The-no no, the PAPA, the PAPA!" and he just says this with enough force enough times that every one of the Olympiad just kind of acquiesce to being the PAPA. It has now just been decided.
Tau
"Ajax, I think you and I need to have a talk about coercion and consent at some point in time but I think that's for a later date."
Tau
(as Ajax) "Nah man, good good a time as any. You want to you want to go? You want to talk about it?"
Amanda (Annie)
"Maybe, maybe not right now, PAPA. But we... come on. I think it's time I think we all--"
Tau
(smirking) "I like it when she calls me that."
Michael (Arete)
Ahhh!
Amanda (Annie)
(recoiling) "Noo! Okay you know what, Arete pull him aside. Go have the conversation right now! That's disgustinggg. I think we gotta go though."
Michael (Arete)
"Yeah, let's let's have our chat as we walk towards that gate over there, shall we?"
Tau
At this, Ajax is going to look at the gate and he notices that the two Skulltivators that are always there have been kind of very handily done away with by the exiting Olympiad. He says, "Are you guys gonna try something weird again, with jumping in to the portal ahead of us? You could just go."
Amanda (Annie)
"No, no, no, we're not gonna do that. We're just, again, really sorry about that totally ahhhh just the wrong decision."
Michael (Arete)
"I think it was a it was a difficult situation. Because there was a we had to be so quiet. And there seemed to be a lot of miscommunication back and forth at times. I mean, I've completely forgotten that somebody tried to push me out by my ass, but you know, like, everything's copasetic."
Nicholas (Alexander)
(snorts) Cope-ass-thetic.
Tau
Alright, so Pandaie nods. And she says, "All right, I confess that I haven't actually figured out the mechanisms of how Tartarus works, but I've managed to put some things together, namely that it seems Megara or whoever is guarding this biome from the next appears to usually appear on the 14th chamber. So if you guys can just survive until then, you may have a better chance of making it into Asphodel. Just a thought."
Michael (Arete)
"You know, that is a great point."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"The advice is appreciated."
Michael (Arete)
"Absolutely."
Tau
Then, Adonis says, "I don't know how it works. Like if some of us go in there and other people go in there. Like do we end up in the same room at the same time? Or do we get split up in different ways?"
Michael (Arete)
"We could always hold hands and walk through the portal to find out."
Tau
Make a... very hard history roll.
Michael (Arete)
That would be an eight.
Nicholas (Alexander)
7.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
10.
Amanda (Annie)
Oh, you butt crack! That's an 11.
Tau
Okay, well, thankfully, Palestrae has something to say. And she says, "Yeah, I don't think it's possible for us to just hold hands and run through all the rooms but I was just thinking about something. You know, I heard a river that Lord Zagreus didn't actually go through the Underworld alone. Isn't that weird?"
Amanda (Annie)
"What are you talking about?"
Tau
"Yeah, I heard this story that he had these these little dolls with him that his friends gave him and when he was close enough with his friends, he could use those dolls to call his friends to help him in combat."
Amanda (Annie)
"Okay, so like when you say dolls, do you mean like, like dolls like awww, like dolls?"
Tau
"Yeah, like little like like little cute little animals like dolls or living little plushie thingies? They sounded really cute but apparently when he was in a bind, he used to use them and then his friends would show up and try to save him. I wish we had those. Then we could show up for each other."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Arete, doesn't your sword have some dolls on it?"
Michael (Arete)
"You mean this?" and I withdraw my Aspect of Arete of La Voix.
[SFX: Shink! of metal withdrawing.]
Michael (Arete)
Then present it to Palestrae. "Is this what you mean?"
Tau
There's a horrifying doll on it with needles stuck through it and she looks at it and she goes "Yeah just like that! So I don't know how it works but apparently when he you know built up a strong enough bond with his friends, he could call upon them and have them help him out in combat. I just think that would be really cool if we could help each other out. But I know we're not at that level yet."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Should we have like a sleep over something?
Amanda (Annie)
"Heart to heart anyone?"
Tau
Ajax says "Hell yeah, I'm down."
Amanda (Annie)
"No, no."
Michael (Arete)
"Maybe like a like a cookout? We all cook a meal together?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Why don't we just cut out the middleman. We don't need the doll. We just need the alliance."
Tau
"How are we supposed to help you if we're stuck in different rooms?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Well, if the time comes and we meet again, hopefully things go smoother. And I apologize for the bad judgment call on our last encounter. But are we not more worried about escaping?"
Tau
"Yeah, I guess it is a race after all. We didn't come here to play Greece's next top best friend."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"I would feel terrible if I'd taken you from Elysium all the way back to Tartarus just to aid us in the simple scrap."
Tau
"Well, again, I don't really know how it works. Those are just the stories but I don't think it was that bad. It sounded more like a helpful thing, but it's okay. It's cool. I get that you're not into it. I just thought I'd, you know, put the vibe out there. You guys go on ahead and we will we'll hop into the gate like the next time around, go on."
Michael (Arete)
Arete walks over to Adonis, and he kind of like holds out the Aspect of Arete of La Voix in his hand. And he's like, "Hold my hand."
Tau
So again true to Adonis's character, the moment anytime anyone hands him anything. He goes (a drippy sneeze) and sneezes really hard on your hand. It is covered in snot. It is juicy. He goes. "Sorry. You really want me to hold that?"
Michael (Arete)
"Yes, hold my hand hold hold it with me. I'm going I'm testing a theory."
Tau
Okay. He puts out his hand and then he holds it and he goes "Ow."
Michael (Arete)
"Well, that's a bust but it's nice to hold your hand anyway, Adonis."
Tau
He seems redder than normal but you think he might just be running a high fever because it's very cold now. He goes "Okay."
Michael (Arete)
And Arete will put his hand down and he looks at the doll and he just kind of stares into its lifeless eyes for a moment.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"I wish you all excellent luck and I hope to see you on the surface and or a doll along the way but I don't see much choice here other than just going through the portal, do you?"
Michael (Arete)
"Hold on, one more one more one more test," and he goes back to Adonis and he's like "Okay, now hold out your hand this time."
Tau
"Okay."
Michael (Arete)
Arete, having not kind of like wiped the snot from the initial sneeze off of of La Voix yet, places La Voix in Adonis's open hand and steps back kind of quick...
[SFX: A few quick footsteps.]
Michael (Arete)
...as if he's expecting something to happen.
Tau
He's able to hold it. I mean, it's painful for him because it's meant to be held by somebody who can really handle all of these needles in the hilt. Like it's clearly designed for somebody who is down for feeling pain all the time. Which he's not, despite being very sick. He says "So um, are you giving me this?"
Michael (Arete)
"No, no, I'm sorry, I thought because the doll and we were talking about connections between people. I thought that maybe there was like a physical contact thing, but I guess it is really much more of an emotional thing. I mean, like I personally subscribe more to emotional connection over physical connect, or at least like the emotional..." and like Arete is getting very kind of like flustered and his cheeks have like this red tint to them as like he just keeps digging himself further in this hole as he is unable to like stop. And then Arete like finally like while rambling just kind of like snatches it back.
[SFX: A whip of air as he grabs the the sword.]
Michael (Arete)
And kind of walks behind the rest of the group. So kind of, Arete is kind of hiding behind the rest of the Olympiad.
Nicholas (Alexander)
I tell Arete, "Say whatever you need to, now this may be the last time."
Michael (Arete)
"(warbly) Adonis! (clears throat) Adonis, it has been a pleasure to make your your acquaintance. And I, um... um... um..."
Tau
Everybody make a charisma saving throw.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
I have a plus six and I got a 10, are you kidding me?
Nicholas (Alexander)
A 30?
Tau
Did you really get a 30, Alexander?
Amanda (Annie)
Ho, wow.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(laughing) I got a 30.
Amanda (Annie)
What the shit. Annie got an 18.
Michael (Arete)
Arete rolled an eight.
Tau
So everybody other than Alexander, Adonis is listening to this. And he's kind of just like looking at the blood on his hands from the doll that Arete snatched out of it, something about his big round eyes and the way he like nods and listens very attentively, is just adorable to you. And you just want to hug him and hold him and kiss him and like just carry him with you in a little thimble forever. And Alexander, you feel that impulse, but you resist it. Everybody else feels that powerfully. But Adonis goes, "Yeah, well, I hope this doesn't get infected. Hang on one second," and then he reaches deep into his cloak and he pulls out a tiny little doll made of sticks and leaves that he stitched together he says, "Maybe we'll have better luck with this one." And he hands it to Arete.
Michael (Arete)
And Arete cleanly wipes down his weapon and sheaths it back in on his waist...
[SFX: Metal scrapes.]
Michael (Arete)
...and with both hands very tenderly, while staring into the big round eyes that he's come to very much like, he takes the doll.
Tau
He beams as you take the doll, a lock of curly red hair falls just so as he lights up and he goes "Well, if this thing really works, you should try using it when you're in a bind and (sniffs) I don't know maybe I'll hear it somehow."
Michael (Arete)
"Sighs)" Arete kind of just sighs, almost swooning. "Yeah, yeah. Next time I'm in a bind, you'll you'll be the first call I make."
Tau
Meanwhile, like seven foot tall Palestrae is standing directly next to both of you two and the whole time her face is just it's it's like, you know, like the Chris Pratt like, "Oh!" face. Like she's just doing that but she's like, so thrilled.
Michael (Arete)
Like, Arete does finger guns for no reason. And then he like he puts his hands down like, "(whispering) Stupid, stupid, why did you do that."
Tau
Ajax is gonna speak up and he's gonna say "(awkwardly) Hey. Girl. Alexandra? Ali?"
Amanda (Annie)
Annie is going to look at Ajax and then like look behind her.
Tau
"Allie right?"
Amanda (Annie)
"I know you're not talking to me."
Tau
"Listen, can, can I sidebar with you for a second?"
Amanda (Annie)
"I don't know. Can you?"
Tau
"Yeah, that's what I'm asking. Just like a real quick sidebar."
Amanda (Annie)
And Annie's gonna look to like the rest of her group, she's gonna whisper to Rolf and be like, "Just have a look out for me, okay?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Rolf pulls out a little crossbow bolt and licks it.
Amanda (Annie)
"Okay, I'm gonna take that as a yes. Okay, thanks Rolf!"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"It may be an olive branch, just stay open."
Amanda (Annie)
(sighs)
Michael (Arete)
"I don't like that turn of phrase, Alexander." (softly laughs)
Amanda (Annie)
"Me neither. Sure, Ajax!"
Tau
"Alright, cool. Let's just do a little touch base over here." He like hikes his knees up doing like a little march 20 feet to the left."
[SFX: Light footsteps.]
Amanda (Annie)
"Okay, I I'm gonna walk normally over."
Tau
"So listen, I'm really big on working out, okay? I'm really big on self improvement, you know, and pushing through things that are hard and difficult, you know, to grow better, right, get bigger, right? But, but but that also means you know, working through like the discomfort of like, personal relationships sometimes, you know? So so. Oh god. Alright, here's I'm trying to say. I've been a royal asshole sometimes. A lot of times. And I can't promise that I'm not going to be a royal asshole all the time. That's just who I am and I'm working on it and I was really a dick to you and your friends before and I know sometimes it's like you guys really deserve it but (struggling) but we're all in this thing together at least until we're not. So... anyway. (dramatically sighs) I'm sorry. And that will get easier to say with time. It's like it's like it's like your first deadlift, all right? It's like it's you just got it here. Can you can you take this?" and then he reaches behind a plate of his armor and he pulls out a nectar for you.
[SFX: A gentle clink of metal.]
Michael (Arete)
(gasps) Aww.
Amanda (Annie)
"Are you trying to like bribe me?"
Tau
"Why does everybody in Olympus say that when you hand them a nectar?"
Amanda (Annie)
"Well because it's not allowed Ajax. I mean obviously I'll take it, this is, uh, thank you but I'm just asking like is this your... Are you trying to buy my friendship or my forgiveness?"
Tau
"Uh... yeah."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(chuckles)
Amanda (Annie)
"Okay, well see. That just takes everything you just said..."
Tau
"Well, okay, hold on, hang on a minute. I buy lots of things that I sincerely want and like nobody's given me a playbook for this, man. All right? I just thought it would be a nice thing to do. But if it's not I'm sorry."
Amanda (Annie)
"No, no no. No, I completely understand. I- hey, if I have the means I love to buy things that I like as well as we all do. I just want to let you know that this is how that kind of gesture might come off."
Tau
"Annie. Mm. Annie." And he kind of just like smacks his forehead a couple of times.
Amanda (Annie)
"All right, well don't lose any more brain cells. Kay? There's only so many. So look, I'm Annie. I'm dead but I'm a person. I'm not a god. You don't have to try and bribe me with nectar or things or. It's a very nice gesture. I do love this. So I'm gonna keep this. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. But yeah, I just want to let you know, the fact that you're big on self improvement, I mean clearly, you know, yeah, you got the muscles. Good for you. But a mental sort of, emotional, that kind of capacity. It's a beautiful thing that you're trying to be better and I know it's incredibly hard so that makes it mean even more to me. So genuinely, Ajax, thank you. Thank you for that and I do forgive you and hopefully from here on out we can be on better terms and hey. Hey, don't get me wrong, I know we can all, my Olympiad and I'm sure I don't I don't I fall into it too sometimes. We can all be kind of jerks. You, you can be a jerk too. You already addressed that. But we're all trying to do better and I appreciate it. So thank you. I forgive you. Keepin' the nectar, thanks. Yeah, good on you. And if- Hey! If you ever want to talk through something or i do i do i do like helping in that area."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"So are we good?"
Amanda (Annie)
"Um. Ajax see? Okay, just another note really quick. Saying things like that also kind of like ruin the moment."
Tau
"Look, I know you're like big on words. And I'm really big on actions and I'm just trying to meet you halfway here. So I'm trying to give you the words but I'm also tried to give you the action so I know... what I'm trying to say is, I know the action doesn't mean as much to you but it means a lot to me that I also do the action because to me, words don't mean that much and. But even though even though, I know they mean a lot to you, I was just trying to also pair it with an action that wasn't something gross or offensive and I had to go through a long list of those and Pandaie and Palestrae shot every single one of them down. And this is where we landed."
Amanda (Annie)
"No, you know what? You're so right. You're so right. I like a good halfway point. This is very kind. The fact that you even went out of your way to talk to Palestrae and Pandaie is really nice so."
Tau
"Oh, they made sure to talk to me. Alright, cool Well, I was gonna say bring it in, but instead here, "and he holds out his fist to bump.
Amanda (Annie)
Do like the high five motion so she just like smacks it like boom!
Tau
"Cool, cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Alright. I gotta do (sighs dramatically) I gotta do one more of these. Hang on." And then he turns around, he says, "(mispronouncing) Atairay."
Amanda (Annie)
(whispers correcting) "Arete. Arete."
Tau
(correctly now) "Arete."
Amanda (Annie)
"There you go. You got it. You got it. You got it."
Tau
And you see Pandaie and Palestrae glowering at him as if they are not going to go through that gate until he says what he has to say. He goes "I'm sorry for calling you a sissy boy. I don't even know what that means. I've been known to avail myself of a sissy boy every now a-- okay that doesn't matter. Alright just just, alright. I'm really sorry all right. Not everybody likes being called that, I get it. And if you if you I don't know. If you need to like work out every now and then and kind of work on that gangly ass frame we of yours, just the hit up your boy."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"We will indeed 'hit up your boy'."
Tau
"Alright, so we're cool?"
Michael (Arete)
"Um, ah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're cool."
Tau
He beams at this as if the words "we're cool" are the only things he needs to hear to believe that everything is fine. All of his social relationships in his life, as soon as he hears "we're cool", he's like he doesn't think about it again. So now he's like, "Hell yeahQ All right, so who's going in that gate?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Yes, I feel the other Olympiad has left us now."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"I wouldn't be surprised if they're halfway to Asphodel by now."
Tau
(Ajax speaking) "Yeah, they're like weirdly close."
Amanda (Annie)
"What do you mean by that?"
Tau
"Oh, I mean, I don't know just don't they freak you out there like they don't even have the cool shit we do, like infernal arms and shit. They're just like, I don't know. They're just like farming Elysium." Adonis speaks up and he says, "Actually, I don't know. It's not unsettling but like they're friendly. I've met them and they're nice and everything but underneath all that niceness, there's something really intense. Like I think they are close, like i think i think there's they have a really strong reason for wanting to get out of here. (sniffs) I wish I did."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Well, this is ominous."
Amanda (Annie)
"Well, I think it's kind of a sweet thing that they're really connected in that way where they can try and get out together and clearly they work really well together, the team. I'm sure they listen to each other and they communicate very well."
Tau
Pandaie says "So what drives you all to leave?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(loudly coughs and clears his throat)
Amanda (Annie)
Like this moment right now or just like?
Tau
You hear shouts and screams from inside the House of Hades.
Amanda (Annie)
"Oh you know."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"That's a good one there."
Amanda (Annie)
That's (laughs)
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Those are the cries of the damned."
Amanda (Annie)
"I would love to have this conversation but if you all maybe maybe we should maybe we should get going maybe?"
Tau
(Pandaie) "Hmm. Perhaps you're right. There never does seem to be a good time for this bonding business."
Michael (Arete)
"In a, in a quick turn of phrase, I am seeking revenge on the person that murdered me. There you go."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"I have to finish a job."
Amanda (Annie)
"Oh, um I died pretty young and I didn't really get to do much and I would like to go back and finish what I haven't started."
Tau
Pandaie nods and she draws her axe...
[SFX: Scrape of metal.]
Tau
...and she actually stands facing the House of Hades and she gpes "Well that has been quite the bonding exercise. Run on ahead. We'll cover you from the rear."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Thank you! Don't die."
Tau
You see a symbol that we would all recognize but no one in the game would recognize. And that is a symbol of a metal gear, like the setting symbol. You see that strange symbol that you definitely could not possibly recognize.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Everyone look at this. Let's go turn the difficulty down."
Tau
Okay, yeah, you touch it the gate slides up and there's a black portal in front of you.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"All right, tally-ho," and he jumps.
[SFX: Portal SWOOSH.]
Michael (Arete)
Arete approaches the portal and before entering, he turns back and just... one last look at Adonis.
Tau
He catches your gaze. (smiling) So he did not think you were gonna look back at the same time he was looking at you so he quickly looks away.
Michael (Arete)
And Arete blushes, turns back to the portal, squeezes, and holds the doll just a little bit tighter and jumps through the portal.
[SFX: Portal SWOOSH.]
Amanda (Annie)
Annie's gonna turn to Alex and be like "Don't don't don't think that you're off the hook, bud. I want to know what drives you to get out of here. That's right. You thought I wouldn't catch that, you sneaky little goose. I caught it, ahhh. But I'm not gonna force you to do that right now cuz I know how I I know we just got on good terms and I don't want to poke the bear. Ya big lug!" She pokes him and then jumps into the portal.
[SFX: Portal SWOOSH.]
Nicholas (Alexander)
Alexander runs to the portal and looks at the fish in the frozen ice.
Tau
Alexander you kind of crane your neck as you're running into the portal to get that last look at the fish. And you see something you would never expect to see in Tartarus. It's snowing.
[SFX: Portal SWOOSH.]
Tau
You find yourself in a room unlike any you've seen in Tartarus. The floors and walls are lined with sleek white marble tile and the room is filled with treasures surpassing your wildest imagination. Now when I say treasures surpassing your wildest imagination, I say that specifically because these are not gold gems in you know treasure chests, things like that. These are items that you clearly understand to be precious but have never seen in your life. These items all sit on pedestals and on walls and are presented in crystal cases, as if in a museum. The room seems to be curated with machines and technologies far beyond your time period. You see four large circles on the ground appear...
[SFX: A pulsing woomf as they appear. A winding whirring permeates the space.]
Tau
...blue circles with blue holographic shields whirling around them. Around one circle, you see one blue shield spinning around it slowly. Another circle a little farther away has two blue holographic shields floating around it. The third circle has three holographic shields floating around it and a fourth has four shields floating around it.
Amanda (Annie)
"What are we thinking? How are we feeling? What are we uh...?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Rolf is like buried in his little journal and he's conducting an investigation.
Tau
Okay, what are you investigating and how?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
I think he's gonna walk around without actually touching any of those shields but more so to see if like by its design or placement if you can kind of infer its function or purpose.
Tau
Sure. I will say because this technology is so unusual to you, it is a fairly high DC if you want to add anything to it or get help somehow.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"What do y'all think?" I rolled almost as high as I can, that's a 22.
Michael (Arete)
Arete comes over and he's like, "Oh, Rolf, you were holding your notebook upside down.
Tau
(laughs)
Michael (Arete)
And he turns it the right way to help with the helping action.
[SFX: Pages flutter.]
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Yes, I suppose I was," and Rolf actually rolls lower so he says "No, wait, I wasn't," and turns it back.
Tau
Okay, so with that 22, can you tell me again what were the things that you were trying to find out about it specifically?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Its purpose or function. Purpose as in why it's here, function as in what will happen if we touch it.
Tau
So the purpose you glean from it is calibration and the function, what happens when you go inside it is nothing bad. So when you go inside it, you may somehow be affected by the symbols that are whirling around it.
Michael (Arete)
"Well, it appears there's one for each of us."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"So here's my understanding of this right? I think we're in some sort of calibration room, something like that right?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Perhaps used by the higher ups in Tartarus to kind of scale the challenge ahead of us The question is what is preferable? One shield? Does that mean that you only need one shield and your life will be easier? Three shields? Does that mean that you have more shields and therefore are more protected? That I don't know."
Michael (Arete)
"Uh huh."
Tau
Based on what you've investigated, you sense that you could step into and out of it without issue.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Um but you know how I like to investigate things? Field study! And Rolf steps into the one with three shields."
Tau
When you step into the one with three shields, Rolf, you feel that only for the amount of time that you were standing in that circle, and there's enough room for multiple people to stand the a circle, while you are standing in that circle, your AC increases by three.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Yes, yes."
Tau
And the moment you step out of the circle just to test it, that AC bonus goes away.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Getting in the circles makes me feel more protected and safe, like I'm wrapped in a warm skin. I would recommend we hook into the one with the most shields possible."
Tau
As you say this, you see a large mechanical construct appear in the middle of the room.
[SFX: A glimmer and deep resounding boom as the construct appears. Deep bass tones reverberate rhythmically.]
Tau
It is a construct with what appears to be like a giant lens shaped like a monocle and the construct begins speaking and it says (deep, mechanical voice) "The Atelier is open to invitees only. Initiating guest verification protocol. Now verifying guests whose defenses align with primes," and then its lens begins searching around the room.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Oh no!"
[SFX: Click and a buzzing whir.]
Tau
Everybody roll initiative.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Does anyone know what prime is?? That's a 19 for Rolf.
Amanda (Annie)
I'm thinking of like prime numbers? I'm not sure though.
Michael (Arete)
Arete rolled a 21 for initiative.
Amanda (Annie)
Annie rolled a 22! Nooooo!
Nicholas (Alexander)
12.
Tau
It is Annie's turn.
Amanda (Annie)
I think our AC has to be a prime number so Annie is going to step into the circle with one shield.
Tau
Okay, what does your AC become?
Amanda (Annie)
13. (tentatively) Which is a prime number right?
Tau
Arete, it is your turn.
Michael (Arete)
Okay. Uhhh. Arete steps into... oh god, do I remember what prime numbers are? Okay Arete is gonna step into the the the four shield circle.
[SFX: A deep woosh.]
Michael (Arete)
My AC becomes 17.
Tau
Okay, Rolf is your turn.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
I will step into the same one as Annie.
[SFX: A deep woosh.]
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Bringing my AC up to 13.
Tau
Alexander it is your turn.
Nicholas (Alexander)
I'm gonna skoosh in nice and cozy with Arete. The four shields.
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Tau
Okay, what does that make your AC?
Nicholas (Alexander)
23.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(whispering) "annie, I hope we don't die together here."
Amanda (Annie)
"Yeah yeah, I think that goes without saying, Rolf."
Tau
Now it is the construct's turn and it says "Executing verification protocol," and the lens sweeps around the room. As it passes over each of you, you feel this like cold glow of light on you and it feels like it's getting this reading of your heart rate, your height, your weight, all of these things like inside of you, it's just like picking up all of this information, that's like your balance of humors you might believe, like you know, whatever.
Michael (Arete)
"Does anybody want to watch me do a scan in the med bay please?"
Amanda (Annie)
Ha. Ha.
Tau
Finally, that lens turns green.
[SFX: Two bright metallic bell tones.]
Tau
And nothing happens then it says "Now verifying guests whose vitals align with values divisible by three."
Amanda (Annie)
Ahhhhh.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"We love to see it!"
Tau
The circles underneath you vanish...
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Tau
...and new circles appear and these circles all have green holographic hearts around them. So you see a circle with one heart, a circle with two hearts, a circle with three hearts, a circle with four hearts.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Rolf is going to stay exactly where he is, bringing his maximum HP up to 45.
Amanda (Annie)
Annie's gonna stay exactly where she is, in the ones, to bring her max HP to 63.
Michael (Arete)
Arete will move to the single heart circle...
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Michael (Arete)
...bringing him to a max HP of 33.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Jesus!
Nicholas (Alexander)
Okay, I'm stepping into one with four...
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Nicholas (Alexander)
...it is 50 and becomes 54
Tau
It is now the construct's turn.
[SFX: CLICK. It whirs and brrrrs.]
Tau
It goes through all the different circles and then its lens turns green.
[SFX: Two bright metallic bell tones.]
Tau
"Now verifying guests whose initiatives allied with values divisible by five." The circles underneath you vanish.
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Tau
You see two circles only and one of them has one mechanical holographic Gundam Wing circling around it and then a second one has two of those wings circling around it.
Amanda (Annie)
No no, no, wait, okay. Aw no.
Nicholas (Alexander)
What do you know what that means?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
It's going to increase your initiative modifier but--
Amanda (Annie)
I don't know if it's increasing the modifier or if it's increasing the initiative I originally rolled regardless, whichever one I pick...
Tau
Make an intelligence check.
Amanda (Annie)
Oh, that's a five.
Tau
Well, that's divisible by five. But it doesn't tell you what you're hoping to find out. Does anybody else want to try to intuit what that means?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Rolf is smart... and he rolls a 13.
Tau
Okay. So what you've noticed from the past is that it's always been your total HP and your total AC. So if you're being called for initiative, it may likely be total.
Michael (Arete)
Arete will step into the circle with the one wing.
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Tau
Putting you at 22 initiative?
Michael (Arete)
Putting me at 22 initiative.
Nicholas (Alexander)
What was it before?
Michael (Arete)
21.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Oh so it is our roll. Ah ha!
Nicholas (Alexander)
I'm still fucked!
Amanda (Annie)
Yeah, me too. Okay.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Rolf is going into the one wing...
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Giancarlo (Rolf)
...bringing his initiative up to 20
Amanda (Annie)
Yeah, you're good. Good for you.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Well.
Amanda (Annie)
(Resigned) Annie's gonna sigh, just like she already did. And she's gonna step into the one with the two.
[SFX: Deep woosh.]
Amanda (Annie)
And she's just gonna sit there and wait. Which brings her to a 24
Tau
Okay.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Is it no bonus we can... does anyone have? I guess I'm the Magic Man.
Tau
People certainly do have things they can do to modify initiative.
Michael (Arete)
(mock Oliver Twist) Please si) May I have some sir?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(Also mock Oliver Twist) Please sir, may I have some initiative?
Michael (Arete)
It's not me is it? I don't remember having something--
Amanda (Annie)
Is it me? Is it song of passion?
Michael (Arete)
I seem to remember you have something to do with that Annie, but I can't remember.
Amanda (Annie)
Shit! It's true. Okay, but okay. Wait, because Arete, you're good. Yeah, no, Rolf is good. You're not good. "Alex, Are you good?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Anastasia, my initiative is zero. And I rolled a 12."
Amanda (Annie)
"So no, you're not good."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"That is correct."
Amanda (Annie)
Okay, Annie's gonna whip out her viol. She's gonna use song of passion. She's gonna play a nice little a little rich tune...
[SFX: Rich viol notes descend.]
Amanda (Annie)
...and use it on Arete, herself, and Alex to hopefully boost us the right amount to survive this, and she's gonna roll a d8 right now. (lamenting) That's a four.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(imitating) That's a four!
Players
(laughs)
Amanda (Annie)
So... Annie's now at a 26.
Michael (Arete)
Arete would like to step outside of the circle and not be in any of the circles. Is that possible?
Tau
Yeah. So that puts you at 25 outside the circle?
Michael (Arete)
Correct.
Tau
Yeah, you step outside of it at 25.
Michael (Arete)
"Thanks for the inspiration there."
Tau
Alexander. What does your initiative become?
Nicholas (Alexander)
Now? It's at 16. So, can I have some alcohol to maybe lower my initiative by one or something?
Amanda (Annie)
I'm gonna stab Alex in the butt.
Nicholas (Alexander)
I don't think that helps.
Tau
So make a perception check.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Okay.
Tau
Annie and Alex.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Four.
Amanda (Annie)
Oh my butthole, five.
Tau
Okay, you get the sense that there may actually be a mechanism in this room that gets you to the number that you want, but you just didn't notice it.
Amanda (Annie)
(laughing) Well now I'm upset.
Tau
Rolf.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
The camera zooms into Rolf's face and you see numbers and equations fly by like the white lady doing math as he attempts to percept the room.
Tau
What you pick up is that you can press your foot over a series of runes around the circle and the wings will turn red.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Hey dummies! This can lower your initiative too! Go into the other circle and kick it."
Tau
But here's the thing that's notable, the raising or lowering effect applies uniformly to that circle.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Yeah.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Go into the two wing and lower-- Ohhh."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"No, I need the one wing."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"All right, take it."
Amanda (Annie)
"No, no."
Michael (Arete)
Wait wait wait. Does it matter, would, do they have to take the Bardic inspiration? Does the negative two work better for you if you guys don't take the inspiration?
Amanda (Annie)
Yeah!
Nicholas (Alexander)
Must I be inspired?
Tau
You don't have to be.
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Alright, then I can make a negative two happen."
Amanda (Annie)
"But who's standing in the one?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"I am."
Michael (Arete)
"I'm gonna take the inspiration. And if you two don't take the inspiration and step into the negative two, Annie you'll be at 20 and Alexander you'll be at 10 and those are both divisible by five."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Yes, that is math."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"I really must thank you floating eyeball for your patience."
Tau
The lens seems to have been malfunctioning for like 20 minutes.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
(laughs)
Amanda (Annie)
(laughing) Sorry, so sorry.
Tau
It starts running again. It activates the scan. It goes around the whole room and the lens turns green.
[SFX: Two bright metallic bell tones.]
Tau
And then it says "Welcome to the Atelier." It powers down...
[SFX: The whirring slows and descends in tone.]
Tau
...its chest opens up and you see a glowing crystal orb with a gear turning inside it.
Michael (Arete)
"Anybody want to go poke that?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Hold up? Does anyone know what atelier is?"
Amanda (Annie)
"Yes!"
Tau
So an atelier is like a workspace or a studio.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
I would like to roll an investigation on the crystal.
Tau
What are you trying to investigate about the crystal?
Giancarlo (Rolf)
The hell does it do?
Tau
It seems to operate much like a deity boon.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Ahhh.
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Rolf, what it do?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"It's a 17 but what it do is a boon, baby."
Amanda (Annie)
Annie ignores everyone else and just wants to touch it.
Tau
You've been very cold all this time. But when you touch this gear...
[SFX: Delicate DING.]
Tau
...the room suddenly feels very hot. You hear a volcano erupting somewhere but you don't know where it is but the room is hot and red and you smell brimstone suddenly. And then you see in the distance this silhouette seeming to pound away at an anvil and the voice says to you (deep voice like honey) "Tell me wretches, have you grievance with the gods?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Yes."
Michael (Arete)
"Hephaestus, is that you?"
Amanda (Annie)
"You bet your sweet ass."
Tau
Even in the silhouette, you can tell he's got a sweet ass. He says "It matters not. You have wandered into my subterrain. And here I shall allow you to make use of my tools, tools which have made gods, tools which have unmade gods. When you bring your arms to bear upon your enemies, may you remember that it is with the blessing of Hephaestus that your blows find their mark." At this, unlike previous boons, which have been power, survivability, and utility, what happens here is that you see different stations in the Atelier rising up mechanically. And then you see these holographic interfaces around them that you can interact with. So there's a high tech forge that you can choose. There is an armory and there is an alchemy station. And roll a d20.
Amanda (Annie)
(laughs)
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Dammit!
Michael (Arete)
Oh my god, Annie.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Hephaestus kills you.
Tau
What did you get?
Amanda (Annie)
(high pitched) I got a one.
Tau
Okay, so that's a common rarity boon. Basically the way this works is you all feel inspired with the brilliance of Hephaestus and you were going to work at this station to get your boon. So you can work at the forge, at the armory, or at the alchemy station.
Michael (Arete)
And we are working as a group, right?
Tau
Yes, you're doing it as a group.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Oh okay. May I inquire what we would presume the alchemy station would do? Like I'm assuming it's not a potion, right?
Tau
There are potions there for sure. But it's not like the boon is you get a potion. It seems like there is a highly technological element to what you're going to do at this alchemy station.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Listen, I dig being harder to hit. I would vouch for alchemy because I'm just curious but I know no one else is going to go for it. So if I have to pick between the other two, being harder to hit as always nice."
Michael (Arete)
"I'm interested in alchemy. Who doesn't love a little little alchemy?"
Nicholas (Alexander)
(pondering) "You know what. I'm assuming that his his utility and I would think that Hephaestus would be best for utility."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Oh!"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"So I would be inclined to go with alchemy as well."
Amanda (Annie)
"Woah. I mean, I was ready to join up for like the armor stuff, but I can, I'm fine with alchemy as well."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"It feels like a little bit of a gamble, but I don't know it's thrilling."
Tau
Alright, so all of you are kind of inspired with this brilliance of Hephaestus and you seem to be working in this flow state like you're not even completely aware of what you're doing...
[SFX: Clink. Clink. Clink. Like hammer on metal.]
Tau
...It's as if just knowledge is flowing through you and your body is just following the motions because you just already know how to do these things. And it is an alchemy station like you have never seen before.
[SFX: Fire crackles and liquids bubble as the clinks continue.]
Tau
So there are these really strange shaped like vials and beakers and glasses, you know, that you would find in say a laboratory 1000s of years in the future. And you were implementing tools...
[SFX: A buzzing whir like a drill powers up.]
Tau
...like a tool that could To create a flame in an instance to heat up under an element and you have these little machines called centrifuges where you can essentially put things in these vials and then agitate and solidify them inside them. So you've been working on this for a while and then as a group, you all create this new piece of technology and it is a disk with a needle inside of it, but the needle is retracted for the moment and you all implant the disks right over your heart.
[SFX: A squishy thump.]
Tau
It is called the adrenaline autoinjector.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Oooo.
Tau
So the way the adrenaline autoinjector works is that when you would die, you are instead healed for 40 hit points as the adrenaline autoinjector stabs into you and that does not use up your death defiance.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Yesssss.
Tau
And it only works once but that is the technology that you made in Atelier of Hephaestus.
Nicholas (Alexander)
Wait, so that's double come back to life?
Tau
Double come back to life once and then your regular death defiance you have in every room. Right. It's a disposable second life.
Nicholas (Alexander)
But you could use death defiance and then die and then this would bring you back again?
Tau
This will activate before your death defiance. So the first time you are reduced to zero hit points, you will be brought back up to 40 hit points and standing.
Giancarlo (Rolf)
And then if we die again in that same room, you can also activate death defiance.
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Wooooah. Not a bad pick."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Before you go Hephaestus, if you're still in the room. How's the wife?"
Tau
You hear a dark chuckle as the heat fades away and the smell of brimstone passes and you are once again in the sleek, white, atelier. Furthermore, you see two mechanical sliding doors on opposite ends of the room. One has a symbol of obols on it and the other has a symbol of a pomegranate.
Michael (Arete)
(cheering) "Pom pom pom pom!"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Pompompompom. I agree. Yes, pom. I do want to raise a query if if we..."
Michael (Arete)
"Yeah?"
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"...are attempting to escape for realsies this time, which I presume we are. Yes, perhaps. You know, once we get acquainted with a number of the gods if we find we really love one, maybe we should try throwing them some nectar. See--"
Nicholas (Alexander)
"I think Hephaestus."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Alright. I'm sure there are plenty we've yet to see. But I would like to start cultivating some relationships. See what wisdom they can offer us."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"I'll be honest with you, I do not trust the others. They cast him off Olympus."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"That's a fair point."
Amanda (Annie)
"Well, I mean it was more Hera."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Just something to keep in mind I don't think we need to stress about it right now. But you know."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Of course."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Conversation worth having. Pom? Anyone? Anyone up for some poms?
Amanda (Annie)
"I like the good pom."
Michael (Arete)
"I'm in for the pom."
Giancarlo (Rolf)
"Alexander go collect that pom."
Nicholas (Alexander)
"Yes."
Tau
As you do that, it's motion activated. So a little green light activates and the door slides open.
[SFX: A soothing tone sounds then the metal rattles a bit as it slides open.]
Giancarlo (Rolf)
Ohhhh.
Tau
"Well you know, that's convenient, but it's not as fun is it?"
Michael (Arete)
Arete will hold out his hand to Annie in a gesture of Let us enter the portal together.
Amanda (Annie)
"Oh, that reminds me!" and Annie is gonna like reach into her back pocket and pull out the feather duster that Dusa had given her and she wants to give it to Arete. "Arete! I um, I told her I wanted you to I wanted you to be in charge of this. Um, just seeing as you've been, like the keeper of all of our winnings and such and also because I have I got that really nice gift from Orpheus. Look! Look! I've turned it into a bracelet." And she's gonna like show her wrist and show that she's tied the coil around her wrist all cutely. And be like "Isn't it? I think it's cute."
Michael (Arete)
"That's really cute. Annie. Awww"
Amanda (Annie)
"Thanks. So here. You want to hold on to the feather duster for us and be in charge of that."
Michael (Arete)
"Sure. Thanks. Shall we?" and Arete will guide her through the portal.
[SFX: Portal swoosh.]
Tau
All right, Annie enters the portal with inspiration.
[SFX: Bright DING.]
Amanda (Annie)
Yeah!!
Amanda (Annie)
[SFX: Intense outro music.]
ROGUE RUNNERS Volume 1: In the Blood, stars our players Nicholas Benetatos as Alexander the Great, Amanda Facosta as Anastasia Pantazis, Giancarlo Herrera as Rolf Yannik, and Michael Pisani as Arete Laskaris. Dungeon Mastering and NPC voices are by me, Tau Zaman. Cover art by Chandler Candela. Audio editing by Daniel Manning. Sound design and editing by Giancarlo Herrera. Title music by Sage G.C., with vocals by Jessica Dahlgren and Sage G.C. Character theme music by Giorgio Volpe. Additional music by Epidemic Sound. Transcription by Eli Barraza.
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