010 - Protectors - Be Well
010 - Protectors - Be Well
Content Warnings
Spiders (mentioned)
Guns
[Show intro plays]
ROVER
Hello everyone and welcome back to Remains To Be Seen. The DnD show where one group's past can determine the other group's future. I am your host and DM Rover Elliott, pronouns he/they, and today I am here with...
ALYSSA
Alyssa, she/her.
RIK
Rik, he/him.
ZOE
Zoe, she/they.
MIKE
Mike, he/him.
ROVER
And who are you guys playing?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yitri, she/her, and we finally got the contact! I mean, took a while, but we did it.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Pierre, he/him. I'm just gonna straighten myself out and, uh, we're back to business.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Aleks, he/him. Since when is Ms Williams married?
MIKE [as KOL]
Kol, he/him. This place is kinda fucky, I'm gonna be real with you.
ROVER
And we had a... (Exhales) God, what did we all have? Literally last week. You wanna tell us about that, Rik?
RIK
It was, uh, it was a lot, wasn't it? So, we just got outta combat, and then a bunch of security guards walk out. And Yitri goes in to save them. So, we enter combat again. Which was great, you know? It's great and all. But, uhm, leading on from that, Aleks got quite fatally shot, and only was able to get back up with the help of some bone spider legs, which, uh, is not terrifying at all. So, the gang evacuates the school. Aleks and Yitri go off to the library and Kol and Pierre go off to the security guards and get everyone to skedaddle on out of there. Aleks and Yitri meet Greta, who's the GOAT, by the way. And Greta lets us stay over at their house. Greta doesn't particularly like Pierre, but does take a liking to Yitri! Which, uh, is why again?
ALYSSA
(Laughing) She's the people's princess, what can I say?
RIK
People's princess, and Fey-bubu's, exactly. After sleeping off the night, Aleks and Kol started having an argument, which they were promptly whisked away to do some cooking. Quite some stellar cooking, I must say.
MIKE
It wasn't an argument. It was very civil. It wasn't an argument. It wasn't an argument. You wanna see an argument? I will show you an argument, listeners.
RIK
Well, uh, Pierre and Aleks then also got into a little bit of an argument. After which Greta got Eva Williams to come over, our one and only lead and she put down a bunch of tarot card information. So, that's where we left off.
ROVER
That is indeed where we left off. And before we go back into the story, we're gonna do a little bit of a mechanics talk, because I know this stuff has happened literally two-ish episodes ago. However, for us, this is a new recording session, and me and Zoe talked a bit about what is going to happen with Aleks continuing forward for the story. Zoe, you wanna run us through basically what Aleks can't do or feel anymore.
ZOE
Yeah, so, we discussed some really fun things. I had a lot of fun during that conversation, and it wasn't sad at all. So, we changed a few things now that he fucking died, I guess. First of all, he is just now, like, cold constantly. Like, when you touch him, it's just cold. He cannot feel warmth, which is just lovely. So, we also decided that, kinda, non-sentient living things, for example plants and flowers and stuff like that, they just die if Aleks touches them. Also meaning that animals are scared of him and we decided to do that with a permanent disadvantage on animal handling. Which is really funny for the guy with the Speak With Animals in the party. (Laughing) So, that's quite lovely.
MIKE
(Chuckles) You speak with the animals and they're just like, "AAAHH!!!" and that's all you hear.
ZOE
Exactly! I activate the spell and I just hear screaming.
[Laughter]
RIK
Oh my god.
ZOE
So that is great. He also has phantom pain from the spider legs that got out of his back. Also now meaning, there are now two scars where the legs were. But, on a slightly more positive note, I can now cast Inflict Wounds.
ALYSSA
Ooh!
ZOE
I know that, Aleks does not. So if Aleks ever punches someone and he just accidentally gives them Necrotic damage, I'm sure that will be really fine and really lovely for him. But, yeah.
ROVER
Yeah.
MIKE
Can this segment have a jingle? Can it be like,
[Short instrumental jingle]
(Singing) "Mechanics talk, ding ding!"
ALYSSA
I love that!
[Laughter]
ROVER
Alright, Jo, you heard it here first. A quick explainer for how scars work in the house rule that we have; if a character goes below zero hitpoints, they get a scar. I allow the players to just choose what they want if it kind of makes sense mechanically, and it looks cool for them. And, yeah, for Aleks that is the two places where the arrows hit and then the spider legs came out. Once again making it very clear; spider legs are not really there. Your characters obviously don't know this, but as players; legs aren't there, it's just phantom pain. Other than that, we are going back into the narrative, (Singing)
[Short instrumental jingle]
Mechanical talk over.
[Alyssa giggles]
MIKE
See, it's better with a jingle. (Laughs)
ZOE
Lovely.
[Ambient sounds of the outdoors, like birds chirping]
ROVER
Yeah, we just had Ms. Williams come in, tell Yitri and Kol that they need to teach her husband how to cook. And then talked about Jonny wanting to make bombs with her expertise on magic and said that he had mentioned anything about tarot cards. And we'll pick up from there. She has just shown you guys the book. And she starts with,
ROVER [as EVA]
I-I'm really not that sure what he had with this. I know that he said he got some kind of delivery from an unknown person with this tarot card. I tried to do research on it. I'm a nerd for a lot of things. Tarot is not my thing. I-I’ve tried to learn it, I don't understand it. It's... some kind of wizardry that's... it's not my expertise. But he said he would... make a sketch for me and I never got that. I don't know if any of you guys know anything more about this information.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
When did he say he was gonna give you that sketch?
ROVER [as EVA]
Phew, then did he leave? Uhm… I think he left around 9th of September, which means he probably would've sent to me a couple days later? At least in a week, but I haven't gotten anything in two months, or something. Or two months, like, a month. So I'm not too sure. And then the news obviously came that he was missing, I don't even know if he ever got back to his shop. Like, he has his own shop in Oxford. But, I never... I don't know. I don't know what happened from when he left from the University.
RIK [as PIERRE]
So, uhm, do you know where he was planning to go? Was he planning to go back to his workshop at the Crown, or to Oxford?
ROVER [as EVA]
He said that he was going to see if he could talk to people from the Solar Bastion and see if he can either get access to their library for some books. He said he could, but he's tried to talk to them to see if he could have some of the books sent over. But I don't know if that's already happened. I know that he wanted to actually go there. He was talking about that he might see if he can make some kind of appointment to talk to Graham, which I don't know why he would want to talk to Graham. But, uhm...
ROVER
Reminder for out of character; Graham is the prisoner that was held there in the Solar Bastion for stealing the Deck of Many Things.
ROVER [as EVA]
Yeah, so that's all I know and next to that, he was going to continue making bombs and canons for the ship that he's making in Dover. That's it.
MIKE
Did she put the tarot deck down on the table?
ROVER
It was tarot book. The deck isn't there. It's just a...
MIKE
Tarot book. She just put the book down?
ROVER
Yeah. It's just a book about witchcraft and tarot readings, yeah.
MIKE
While these guys are chatting, can I go over and have a riffle through the book to see if there's anything in particular that's interesting about it?
ROVER
Of course. Give me an Investigation roll.
MIKE
I will give you an Investigation roll.
[Dice clacks]
Oh my god. Ok, alright. Hold on. (Chuckles) I've put my character sheet to the back of everything.
[Chuckles]
An Investigation roll, uh... Oh! (Laughs) Of course, it's a 15, cause I got a minus one on that.
ROVER
It is mostly a book where a lot of the cards are also explained. So every single card that is in the deck has a full explanation of what it would be if it's turned up right, if it's turned reversed. There are explanations of how the Fool's Journey would be, which is the major card sets.
MIKE
The major arcana.
ROVER
There's explanations on how to… ways on how to self reflect on the guidance that the cards give. There's things about the stereotypes that are there. It really is a full book about every single detail explained for beginners as well.
MIKE
Ok.
ROVER
And I will say, if Kol would ever want to ever actually fully study the book from certain chapters on, for example, let me know and then if you do that for a full night, I will allow you proficiency in any tarot rolls.
MIKE
(Splutters) Well, how could I say...
[Rover laughs]
Don't tease me with a good time, bud. Don't tease me with a good time.
ZOE
Pocket the paper! Pocket the paper!
ALYSSA
(Whispering) Pocket the paper. Pocket the paper!
ROVER
(Whispering) Pocket the paper.
RIK
Paper, pocket. Paper, pocket. Paper, pocket. Paper, pocket.
MIKE
I was gonna... Oh, pocket the... Yeah. I think Kol, visibly to everyone, after like... basically he's having a flick-through on the table of what's in the book, and just turns and is like,
MIKE [as KOL]
Can I have this?
ROVER
Give me a Persuasion roll with advantage.
MIKE
That's... that's... I'm not gonna question it. (Laughs)
ROVER
I'm gonna say that, because...
MIKE
Persuasion with advantage, you say? Thank you, oh honorable GM of mine.
[Laughter]
(Laughing) I appreciate you. That's a 16!
ROVER
Amazing. I gave you advantage because you actually made her soup and she's now quite in favor of you.
[Laughter]
ZOE
It's the soup. Lovely.
ROVER
So, she's like,
MIKE [as KOL]
The soup's pretty good, huh? You should try the bread.
ROVER [as EVA]
I mean, again, I don't really... I don't really get it. Just take it.
ROVER
And she gives a quick glance to Greta, because there's very obviously also a library logo in it. And Greta just really quickly gives this, kind of, glare towards you before she nods once and is like,
ROVER [as GRETA]
Yeah, no, that's fine.
[Laughter]
RIK
Greta the GOAT!
ROVER
And... (Laughs)
MIKE
Me and Greta, I think, are like... We're not on good terms, but we're not on bad terms. I think in between the like and the hate, Kol is in the middle somewhere.
[Alyssa laughs]
ROVER
Yes. Kol is not Pierre, but also definitely not Yitri. There's a line there, but also really not Aleks as well.
[Laughter]
ALYSSA
Yeah, none of these people are gonna be on the Aleks line, like that's...
ROVER
Yeah, so that's the information you have. For how tarot, in this world, is perceived; you... no one needs to really roll for that. It is a thing where mostly it is used at circuses, and you can buy them in certain shops, but it's not really talked about. People frown upon the usage of tarot cards to determine the future. The stereotypes that you can see when you're scanning through the book are also most of the things that are actually said about tarot in this world. It's quite frowned upon and it's "weird", in quotation marks. I will say, out of character, I don't find it weird, because I used it literally every time we play a session. You can now take that book and if you decide to... Kol wants to study it for a certain amount of time, we can roll and see if you can get the full proficiency on anything tarot-related stuff.
MIKE
It looks like he's got some nighttime reading to do.
ROVER
Yeah. And I see a, not really a hand, more of a finger of Zoe over there. Hello, Zoe. How can I help you?
ZOE
Uhm, Alyssa. Do I remember correctly what the photo we found in Jonny's workshop is with Yitri, currently.
ALYSSA
Yes!
ZOE
Ok. Cause I am pretty sure that we still did not identify the other person. Right?
ALYSSA
Yes. Hmm.
ZOE
Ok.
RIK
Question also, is the gun with you?
ZOE
Yes.
ALYSSA
Yeah, the gun's also with me.
ZOE
We showed her the gun and she didn't recognize it.
ALYSSA
Yeah.
RIK
Not even the "Nyx"?
ZOE
I mean, all that's in my notes is she doesn't recognize gun. So.
MIKE
We showed her gun. She doesn't recognize gun. I... (Splutters)
ZOE
(Laughs) She doesn't recognize gun. What else can we do? Uh, ok, so Aleks is gonna look at Yitri.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yitri. Do you still have the photo that we've got from Jonny's workshop?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, yeah!
ALYSSA
She goes into her little pouch thing and carefully pulls it out. And it... it was folded so it could fit, but she unfolds it, and she was like,
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Hey, uhm...
ALYSSA
Puts it on the table, kind of slides it towards Mrs. Williams.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Do you know who the person next to Jonny is?
ROVER
Just for my own memory. Currently, she doesn't know that you guys are the Protectors, right?
ALYSSA
Probably not.
ZOE
Probably not.
ROVER
Probably not. Wonderful.
[Laughter]
I’m gonna see her Insight.
[Dice thunks]
And it's... Ooooook. Give me a Persuasion check just to be sure, Yitri.
ALYSSA
Ok. Uhm... Persuasion… Persuasion... Ok, I have decent Persuasion.
[Dice clacks]
ZOE
Can I help with that, somehow?
ROVER
If you wanna say something extra with that...
ALYSSA
You don't need to worry, I had a 19.
ROVER
Oh.
ZOE
Ok, perfect.
ROVER
She looks at the photo and kind of does this quick glance up at you. And then looks down and is like,
ROVER [as EVA]
I do. Yes. She is his assistant.
MIKE
Insight check!
ROVER
Give me an Insight check!
[Zoe chuckles]
MIKE
(Laughs) Yes, please, oh my goodness. I can smell there's something fishy going on here. And it ain't the soup. 9.
ROVER
Kind of, it... It is kind of exactly as you said. Something smells off here. But you can't really determine if she is lying about knowing her or that she's trying to withhold as much information as she can.
MIKE
Yeah, Kol's just gonna sit on the sidelines and keep on monitoring the situation kinda silently.
ZOE
I wanna say something before this goes even worse.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
So, uhm, before you... you know... actually give us an answer, Ms. Williams. Sorry, Mrs. Williams, congratulations, by the way.
ROVER [as EVA]
Thank you.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Uhm. I feel like we should give you some information. Which, uhm, I apologize so far none of us have done. We are currently looking for Jonny and we are a team appointed by the Crown. Just, you know, just picked yesterday, the whole...It was probably big in the news, as well, with all the reporters there gathered around Darlington Palace about the Protector group that was supposed to be chosen. And now, that is us. I am mostly saying that because I understand that this is probably a sensitive topic and you are in a room with mostly strangers who are asking you kinda personal questions about a maybe friend, we don't know. I... I just want you to know that we are trying to help.
ROVER
Give me a Persuasion check with advantage.
ZOE
Yes!
[Dice clacks]
Good thing I got the advantage, phew. That is a 25.
ALYSSA
(Clapping) Let's go! Let's fucking go!
MIKE
Whoa! Let's go!
ROVER
She sighs and kind of subs her forehead and is like,
ROVER [as EVA]
I.. I could tell the information. I am not really sure if it's smart for you to have the information. And, come on, don't act as if I don't know. You guys have been all over the newspaper since this morning. There's been photos taken of all of you. It's in the papers. But I know whose side you are on. If I start talking about the Wanted Dead... Like... I-I trust you, Aleks, I do. I would not necessarily say much about the rest of you, no, nothing personal to all of you. But –
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Fair enough, I get it.
ROVER [as EVA]
This information will be going right back to... politely saying, Mr. Isworth.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Oh, you don't know that. Please.
[Alyssa chuckles]
ROVER [as EVA]
I-I think I... I think I don't, no.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
We are...
ROVER
And then she looks at the other three.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
The only information that we have gotten from, uhm.. the, ever so polite, Mr. Isworth, is that we are supposed to "protect who can't protect themselves and only kill when necessary." Furthermore, he told us to stay away from the Bounty Hunters, which I believe is a bit stupid, but that is an entirely different topic. He... Well, we didn't... How do I say that? We didn't necessarily get any rules about the information we're supposed to bring back. We have a mission and we can complete it. But what we do in between and what we do with the stuff that we’ve learned; that, as far as we are aware, is completely up to us.
ROVER [as EVA]
I-I mean, and I'm also sure that they already know that Jonny works with them. But... Jonny's assistant, her name is Nyx, and she... She is the main weaponsmith of the Wanted Dead. She... she's mute. Uhm, and she is, I think, Jonny's all-time best friend in a way. He's always talking about her. And... I don't know how well Jonny is with everyone in the Wanted Dead, but from the amount of times that he is with them, it seems pretty obvious that he is either working alongside them, he's working for them, I know that his weapons are getting used by some of the Bounty Hunters. Actually, funnily enough, she... Nyx lost her arm and he made her a new one. And... I know Tobias is – Sorry. Mr. Isworth is... not very fond of them and with the House of Six being there today, like... it's not... It's not going great.
ROVER
For the Protectors knowing who were there in London, before, so not Kol, you guys were told that the House of Six were gonna be there in a couple of days. Not today. And she can hear your hums and is like,
ROVER [as EVA]
I don't know what risk it is for me to tell you guys this information on what's going on in the Wanted Dead. I think if you want to find out without any... with a neutral point of view, you're gonna have to go there yourself.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
That is probably the best idea. But thank you, genuinely. You have been a great help.
ROVER [as EVA]
I mean, what have I given you? Like, maybe a little bit of information. Once again, me and Jonny have worked together for a bit, but...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Look, if we're all being honest here, you gave us way more information than the Crown did, so, like... (Chuckles)
[Rover chuckles]
ZOE [as ALEKS]
That is true.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
So far, so good, yeah. Honestly, we were given nothing. We were sent to investigate something and then they're like, "Yeah, we already knew that." Like, w-we didn't know that. Cause you didn't give th– You know what? Nevermind, sorry, getting off track. But, ok, so you say; Wanted Dead, best way to, kind of, you know... get more information is to talk to them?
ROVER [as EVA]
Absolutely. Wanted Dead... That's, by the way, if you don't know where their location is, they kind of own Waterloo Station back in London. Yeah, I'd say either see if you can... I don't know if one of you speaks sign language?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Pierre does!
ROVER
She looks over at Pierre and is like,
ROVER [as EVA]
You're gonna need to talk to Nyx. If you even get that far. I... I don't know much about who owns it, I do know that she's classified as one of the most dangerous to ever be a Bounty Hunter. So, I... it's good that she doesn't come outside often.
MIKE
Kol is watching this situation and is like... as all of this is going on, he's looking at each person who's talking in turn and his eyes are very slowly narrowing as he's trying to figure out what is going on here.
ZOE
Can I see if I notice that?
ALYSSA
I was gonna ask the same thing.
ROVER
Yeah, you know for this, yeah, roll me an Insight check everyone who wants to look at Kol.
[Dice clacks]
MIKE
Is it an opposed roll?
ROVER
Yeah, if you wanna... If you wanna save it, yeah.
[Dice ASMR]
ALYSSA
Well, I got a 9, so it's not really gonna do anything.
ZOE
What does... what does that mean? Like, opposed roll. Is that like, Mike rolls and we have to roll higher than that? Or?
ROVER
Basically, I feel like Kol can also kind of determine from that point on how obvious he's being.
MIKE
Yeah.
ROVER
And then you all can see which details you notice. How Kol looks in that way, I'm leaving all of that up to Mike. So, yeah.
ZOE
Ok, cool.
MIKE
Hmm. Yeah. Well, I rolled a 12.
ZOE
I rolled a 15.
MIKE
Wow, so literally, we – so, wait, hold up. So to set the scene; we're having this conversation, everyone's like, 'Oh yeah, Graham, Jonny, this guys, that guy." Kol's over there in the corner like, "The fuck is going on?" And everyone just suddenly goes...
[Laughter]
ALYSSA
Everyone's kind of like...
MIKE
And like looks at Kol who's looking at everyone else. (Laughs)
ALYSSA
Because I think they realize, like, "Shit, we never explained this to him." (Laughs)."
ZOE
Yeah.
ROVER
Let me roll for Eva.
[Dice thumps]
Oh, no, she's not looking at him. (Laughs) She rolled a 5.
[Laughter]
ZOE
Mike, do we notice the confusion? Cause we had two rolls under and one roll over the one you had.
ROVER
I'd say...
MIKE
That's for the DM, right?
ROVER
Yeah, I'd say... Yitri, I don't think you'd fully notice why there's a confused face. Same with Pierre. And then Aleks, you can kind of... at some point it's like, you're looking at this confused face and then the cogwheels in your brain start turning and it's like,
ZOE
"Oh, fuck!"
ROVER
"Oh, that makes sense with all of the actions that have been happening for the past, uhm, six episodes."
ALYSSA
(Laughing) Never told him.
ROVER
And for the past 24 hours-ish. So...
[Alyssa laughs]
For you, finally those gears start clicking as to what's been up with Kol.
ZOE
Ok. Then I want to look at Kol and give him, kind of like a reassuring nod that is like, "We're gonna talk about that later."
MIKE
And he returns your reassuring nod.
ZOE
Perfect. I'm gonna look around the room, mostly at my party.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
I... I think I have an idea on how... well, on how we could get a meeting with the Wanted Dead in London.
RIK [as PIERRE]
An idea?
ZOE [as ALEKS]
An idea that I would like to discuss in private with us. And... not in front of other people. Sorry for that.
ROVER [as EVA]
Yeah, no, that’s fine.
MIKE
Kol just grunts, he's like, (grunts)
ALYSSA
Yitri's gonna whisper to Kol, it's like,
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
I really hope it doesn't involve breaking into another building.
[Laughter]
ROVER
Yeah, and Greta at this point makes note off.
ROVER [as GRETA]
I will get her some more soup. You guys go on ahead, you have your conversation, I will make sure that she gets soup.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Thank you, Greta.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
I'm glad you like the soup. (Chuckles)
ROVER [as EVA]
Oh, I love it, it's great!
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
It was made with a...
MIKE [as KOL]
Best soup you'll ever have.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
A lot of love.
MIKE [as KOL]
Rated 8 out of 10 by five people.
[Chuckles]
ROVER [as EVA]
I-I can see that. Definitely remind me that for any cooking lessons in the future, because I... If I don't send him to any cooking lessons, I feel like I'm going to have any sad bits. Anyway, you guys go on ahead. I will have my soup.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Enjoy it.
ROVER
Eva and Greta go to the kitchen. So, yeah, you guys now have your own space.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
We need to get back to London. And before we do that, we need to have a very long conversation about a lot of things. Not only...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok.
MIKE [as KOL]
Yeah, I really, really think we do.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Wait. We forgot to...
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yes.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh my god.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well, at least Yitri had the realization.
ALYSSA
Damn.
MIKE [as KOL]
Start talking.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
I... Kol, I know I've asked you that before, and this time I want you to answer me honestly. Do you know what we are doing here? Because you have been acting like you do. And the last time I asked, you said that you know what you're doing. But a lot of your actions kind of contradict that statement. So, I beg of you to tell us the truth.
MIKE
Question.
ROVER
Yes. (Laughs)
MIKE
Question. (In an over-the-top Cockney accent)) Mr. Rover, sir.
ROVER
Yes? (Also in an over-the-top Cockney accent) Hello!
MIKE
Might I inquire as to the parts that I have been told upon this wonderful day that we seem to be having today, sir?
ROVER
Yes, of course!
MIKE
I beseech thee that I don't know what the fuck we're doing.
ROVER
No, that's fine.
MIKE
But at the same time, I'm more than open to your suggestion, sir. Oh, DM mine.
ROVER
I was just going to talk about that. Let's go, alright.
ZOE
This is horrible.
MIKE
(Normal voice) Thank you.
[Rover laughs]
ROVER
(Laughs)Miguel will have had the conversation with you that they were gonna assign the Protectors and they were gonna come and find you.
MIKE
Right.
ROVER
He said that they were gonna be looking for Jonny in Manchester, explained the whole thing of Jonny's missing, he's the crownsmith.
MIKE
Yeah.
ROVER
He has been missing for a while, people wanna talk about it, Tobias wants this fixed before anything else happens.
MIKE
Mmhmm.
ROVER
And then literally has said, "the team will inform you further on. And there is a contact."
MIKE
Yea. You see, I thought I knew Jonny.
ROVER
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,. Yeah. Miguel was very convinced that this team would be informed well.
ZOE
Well, that's nice.
ROVER
He expected a lot of information to just be sent your way. And other than that, he gave you the name of a contact, which was Elowin, and then everything Elowin obviously went down –
MIKE
Elowin, yeah,
ROVER
– to basically being thrown through a window after trying to kidnap Aleks.
ZOE
Yeah, sorry about that.
MIKE
Yeah! Yeah. Hm.
ALYSSA
Look, he deserved it.
MIKE
Ok. Alright.
ROVER
Yeah, you'll have had that conversation with Miguel.
MIKE
Alright, so Kol is gonna look Aleks in the eye, and say,
MIKE [as KOL]
I was sent here to find Jonny. And finding Jonny required you.
MIKE
Gesturing to the whole party.
MIKE [as KOL]
That was my objective. And I was told that when I got here, I would be filled in on the details. And so far I have had a very serious conversation with one person in a café and my contact utterly decimated. So. From this point, I'm very reliant on you. Can you fill me in?
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well, it's uhm... First of all, of course. We can do that. Secondly, it is lovely how all of us have been given wildly different information. Because we didn't know that we were supposed to fill you in. We just kinda got told that our fourth party member is waiting in Manchester for us. And...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah, didn't we... Weren't we told that you knew what was going on? Like, "Oh yeah, no, he knows what's going on."
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yes.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
"Just find him."
RIK [as PIERRE]
That is exactly what we were told.
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm. The brazen bureaucracy..
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok, that's just messed up. Now we're all looking stupid. They're making us look dumb.
MIKE [as KOL]
Sometimes...
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well, we are working for the Crown.
MIKE [as KOL]
Sometimes your superiors just, uhm... Sometimes they forget things.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
No, I believe sometimes our superior is just Tobias Isworth and he thought it was funny. I wouldn't put it past him.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
I wouldn't either. I think for like an hour, I wouldn't put it past him. Either that or he's just too busy.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Given the fact that we have had to chew out Xana... I, uh... (chuckles)
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Kind of on par.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
So, basically…
MIKE [as KOL]
So, fill me in. What are we doing?
ALYSSA
Yitri's gonna point at the picture, she's like,
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok, so. Now we know Nyx is the woman next to Jonny in this picture. We just found this in his office, and then also the gun that had her name on it. So now we know that she makes... she's dangerous, that's her gun, and that they work together.
MIKE [as KOL]
Can I... Can I see that? The gun that you have?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah!
ALYSSA
Yeah, she hands it to him.
MIKE
Can I give it, like a proper looking over?
ROVER
Honestly, even without rolls, I feel like it makes sense for Kol to know all this stuff. It is a sewn-off shotgun that was unfinished. And on the side of it, there is engraved the name that Mrs. Williams just mentioned as Nyx, which is N-Y-X. For the others, there was a note saying, "Wait for me, I'll be right back." And that was with this gun.
MIKE
Hmm.
ROVER
There is an initial at the… under the grip, there is a "J" signature that a lot of the guns and weapons have from the Hunters Guild that you are a part of. And are also, most likely, on your own guns.
MIKE
I was gonna say, the next thing Kol would do, is pull out his sewn-off shotgun and have a look at the grip.
ROVER
Yeah. Same signature is there. They seem to all be from the same person who made them, which in this case is Jonny.
MIKE [as KOL]
Oh god.
MIKE
As he puts away his shotgun and hands this one back to Yitri. He just looks at you and is like,
MIKE [as KOL]
(Sighs) Well, this is problematic.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Why?
MIKE [as KOL]
Well... This insignia...
MIKE
And he shows you the grip of his sewn-off shotgun.
MIKE [as KOL]
This insignia here... it means they're from the same guild as me. So this could be, uhm, trouble.
MIKE
As he holsters it again.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Same guild as you? Like...
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm. The Hunters Guild. It's where I learned how to, uhm, well... you've seen.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Huh.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well, I hope we haven't.
ALYSSA
Can I roll.. I know I probably don't know what this Hunters Guild is, but can I roll to see if I understand the weight of this? Cause I feel like she's like, "Oh yeah, Hunters Guild! Ok, cool." (Chuckles)
ROVER
Ooh… Give me a History check with disadvantage for both Pierre and Yitri.
[Dice ASMR]
And a normal History check for Alex.
ZOE
Let's go!
ALYSSA
(Wails) I got a 2 and a 3!
RIK
I got a 9.
ROVER
Hey. Hey, Aleks.
ZOE
I got a 17.
[Outdoor ambience continues]
ROVER
17. Yes, Pierre and Yitri wouldn't necessarily know the full weight of that. Mike, I feel like you have quite the vision of how the Hunters Guild was for Kol. What is the... the true meaning for the Hunters Guild for Kol that Aleks could understand?
MIKE
So the Hunters Guild is essentially what it says on the tin. It's a guild of Hunters who are trained how to hunt, like, animals. So, you know; deer, guinea fowl, all of these kinds of things. But for the most part that's all they do. Like I say, it's a guild of Hunters. They hunt, they gather, they bring back food for the local populace of whatever town or city that they happen to be in. I mean, the usage of the Hunters Guild has varied as cities have gotten bigger and smaller. And over time, the Hunters Guild has kind of changed. More from, like hunter-gathering to sort of, like, not a militia, not a police force, but people you can call upon if you have, like, vermin in your house, or, you know, you've got a rabbit that needs to be put down, or whatever. Or you wanna Old-Yeller something, you know. It's basically, they... they're almost like exterminators, but more glorified.
ZOE
Glorified pest control.
MIKE
Yeah, glorified pest control. Like, there is a subset of the Hunters Guild. But, other than that, that's mostly what the Hunters Guild does.
ROVER
Yeah. So they are not the same as the Bounty Hunters, officially. The Bounty Hunters Guild itself...
MIKE
They hunt people.
ROVER
Yeah, they go for people that actively need to be hunted down. They also do not go after just random folk. But that is a different thing. That is not about the Hunters Guild. The Hunters Guild is very much separate. And a morally good level, and Mike said, more a group to call for exterminators. Yeah.
MIKE
Yeah. Like, basically, if you think of them like... If you have a problem that involves animals somehow, you're probably gonna call the Hunters Guild. In small villages, they still do serve the local town. So, they'll hunt like guinea fowl or pheasant or rabbits or, you know, game. Things like that. But they don't hunt people. But they are trained specifically and methodically in tracking, hunting, and destroying animals.
ZOE
Ok. You just basically told us that you're part of... You told us that you are still part of that, right?
MIKE
Yeah, that's right. Yeah.
ZOE
Ok.
MIKE
Yeah, that's what the insignia on the grip of his shotgun means, is he's part of the Hunters Guild.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well, that's interesting. Wouldn't, you know, given your talent that, uh... – not to be rude, but I hope it's a talent that we will still see – for guns, wouldn't it be smarter if you held on to the gun that we found?
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
After all, in case of an emergency, you would know how to use that. No offense to you, Yitri, but I am not certain you could do something with that.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
None taken. I don't know how to use this thing. Yeah, no, none taken. (Chuckles)
MIKE [as KOL]
That's not gonna get you very far. This thing is never gonna fire.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well... That's lovely.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Good thing I didn't try it. (Chuckles)
MIKE [as KOL]
Yeah.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
That would've been embarrassing. I was thinking about it.
[Rik laughs]
MIKE
Kol grabs it from you...
ZOE
Of course.
MIKE
... points it directly at you…
[Gun cocks]
… and pulls the trigger.
ALYSSA[as YITRI]
Oh!
MIKE
And all you hear is a *click*.
[Alyssa yelps]
[Gun clicks]
MIKE [as KOL]
See what I mean?
ROVER
Click, and then the sound of, literally, things going wrong,
[Whirring sounds]
as it's just like; it gets stuck for a moment, and then this tsk, tsk.
[Gun jams]
Cause it's just a mess.
[Rik sighs]
ALYSSA
She's bracing herself at first, then she's like, "Wait, it doesn't work." And then she's kind of, like,
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh. Ok, so it's basically just a hunk of metal that we have?
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm. It's missing a lot of key components. Whoever... Whoever was designing this, they either did a really bad job, or they were in a hurry.
MIKE
And gives it back to you.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Well, it's lovely that this gun is missing a lot of key components. Maybe you're missing a lot of social components?
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Cause you should probably stop pointing guns –
MIKE [as KOL]
It's very rich when the pot calls the kettle black.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Oh, well. I do happen to be quite the ironic person if I want to. But maybe you should just stop pointing guns at your allies, no matter if they work or not.
MIKE [as KOL]
And maybe you should stop pointing words at your allies.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Whoa, ok, ok. Guys? Off track. We're getting off track. (Chuckles) I understand what you were trying to do, like, show it doesn't work. Really glad it didn't, cause I... Oh my god, imagine if it – No, that's not important. It's not important. What's important is, Aleks you said you had a way to get us to the Wanted Dead. And you...
ZOE [as ALEKS]
I said I had an idea.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, well, idea works. And if that... It's probably gonna work. But if that doesn't work, you have an in with the Hunters Guild, and if this gun... if Nyx is a part of the Hunters Guild as well, you have an in, too. So we have... maybe two options on how to move forward.
ROVER
Cause Kol was... is obviously with the Hunters Guild and has been for a good, good while. You do know that the... Has someone shown Kol the picture?
ALYSSA
Yeah.
MIKE
Did you?
ZOE
Did you?
ALYSSA
I gave him the picture. You picked it up and looked at it.
MIKE
Yes! Yes, you did. Confidently, I can say yes!
ROVER
You will have seen Nyx around a couple times, bringing in new supplies for weaponry for the Guild. Her station is in the Bounty Hunters Guild. That is in the Wanted Dead. You will just know that from how long you've worked with the Hunters Guild.
MIKE
Well, would I recognize her, then?
ROVER
And yeah, you've known her with... without the metal arm that she now has.
MIKE
Oh, right, ok, yeah. In that case then, after all of these scathing and damning indictments, Kol will turn back to Yitri and Pierre and say,
MIKE [as KOL]
I think I might actually know this Nyx.
RIK [as PIERRE]
(Stammers) What from? The Hunters Guild?
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm... Yeah, she was in the Guild. I'm pretty sure. She used to ferry weapons in and out. Hmm, I reckon if I was in proximity to her, I would be able to point her out of a crowd. I think I still recognize her face. And her distinctive arms, two of them, to be clear.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
So the missing one... The missing one's a new thing?
MIKE [as KOL]
Yeah. That is different. Why wouldn't she have had an arm? There's more to this than we know.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
I feel like that is a deeply personal question about a person we don't know. Kol, do you think –
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
That, and also, people lose limbs all the time.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
D-do they?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Well, not all the time, but, like, it's not, "Oh my god! No one's ever lost a limb before." It happens.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Right.
MIKE [as KOL]
She was a weaponsmith. Why would she have lost an arm? She never came out with any of us.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Uh, I don't... I mean, like....
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Once again, I feel like that is a question we can't answer. Kol, do you think that she could also point you out in a crowd? Just as someone she has seen before.
MIKE [as KOL]
Hmm. It's hard to know. We didn't speak very much. I only really saw her coming in and out with the Guild. But maybe, possibly.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Ok. We need to get back to London.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah. Wait, also, before we go; what's your idea, Aleks? It's good to have multiple in case one goes wrong. Not saying that they will, but, it's good to just...
RIK [as PIERRE]
Yeah. Do tell.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
You know... Yeah.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
You sound suspicious, Pierre. Why?
RIK [as PIERRE]
No, I'm... I'm... I want to know what your idea is.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Right. Of course.
MIKE [as KOL]
I think he has a right to be suspicious of someone who hides things from people.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Oh.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Not what I said, Koltrast.
MIKE [as KOL]
Not what you said. What I said.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah, I think we're all reading into this a little too much, guys. Aleks, the floor is yours. Just let us know your idea.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Thank you. I... If I can get in contact with Miguel, I might be able to ask him if we can have a meeting with the Wanted Dead.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok, yeah. That... I mean... I think that's a good idea. But do we wanna be in contact with the Wanted Dead on the record or off? Because if we go to Miguel –
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Off.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Well, yeah. But who... I mean, I don't think Miguel would tell, like, our employer, everyone. But you never know, cause he does work with them.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
He wouldn't.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok. I mean, I don't know him that well, so I can't really tell. But, it's... yeah. I feel like, I mean, we could do it a more diplomatic way with the meaning. (Sighs) Yeah, I think we just have to talk to these people. I mean, this is... Everything has been pointing to them so far. I mean, not that we've gotten much anyway, but like... Everyone's so defensive around them, I feel like there's something going on. I mean, Xana was talking about the leader and was all like, "Oh, she sucks." And I'm like, "There's something going on there." Maybe more personal, but that's –
RIK [as PIERRE]
Well, they and the Solar Bastion are our only lead, so...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah.
RIK [as PIERRE]
I suggest we follow up on them. Xana entrusted this case to us –
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Did she?
RIK [as PIERRE]
– for me to make sure we get back with something, and now we got something. So, we should follow up on it.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
We also… We need to be in agreement that if we manage to meet with the Wanted Dead, that stays between us.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, yeah.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
That is not information that especially Tobias or Xana can have.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh yeah, no, that's gonna stick between us.
RIK
Pierre looks puzzled for a sec.
RIK [as PIERRE
Yeah, let's do it off the record.
MIKE [as KOL]
As off the record as we can, given that we're all in the papers now.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yes.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah, uhm...
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Should we take a look at the papers?
[Rik laughs]
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yes! I think we should've done that a long time ago.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
I am kinda curious what they're saying about us.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah!
MIKE [as KOL]
Me too.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
And apparently they're taking pictures of us. Sometimes, I don't look great in candid, so I just wanna see –
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Right.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
– if they got, like, good angles and stuff. And you know, doing us justice.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yitri.
MIKE [as KOL]
Yitri.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yitri, I love that you just voiced that concern, and not me.
MIKE [as KOL]
We're in national headlines, and you wanna make sure that your headshot is correct? Come on, Yitri.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
No! No! That's not the main concern, obviously. But I'm just saying it's, like... The main concern is that we're not being made to look crazy or we're doing the wrong thing.
MIKE [as KOL]
Alright. I agree. This is a good plan.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
But it's a concern. Not gonna lie.
MIKE [as KOL]
Right. Let's get to a train station.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah.
MIKE [as KOL]
There'll be papers there that we can look at while we're on our way to London.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Sounds like an idea.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Before we go, I... I want to have a conversation with Greta. Just before we leave.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Of course, we'll let you do that.
RIK
Pierre gives a small nod.
MIKE
And Kol turns to you and just says,
MIKE [as KOL]
Fine.
MIKE
And walks out the door.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Before you go, can I get us two together here?
MIKE
He's gone, man. Sorry, dude. Good luck.
RIK
I guess I'll run after him.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Yitri, come with!
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, sure, ok. I'm going. And also, I just wanted to make sure I don't only care about how I look. That's just the first thing that came to my head, and I know it sounds stupid, but I just wanted –
ZOE [as ALEKS]
Yitri, it's fine!
RIK [as PIERRE]
You're fine! You're fine! (Laughs)
ALYSSA
And she's walking and talking. Like, she's going behind, but she's saying that. (Laughing) She's just kind of making sure that's known.
ROVER
Before we get to Aleks and Greta, I'm gonna follow the rest and then after that we're gonna get that.
ZOE
Yes, please, cause I'm so curious about that conversation.
MIKE
Ok, alright.
ROVER
Alright, so we're gonna follow Kol walking outside and then a couple seconds later, Pierre and Yitri running after him.
RIK [as PIERRE]
(Clears throat) Uh, Kol, Kol! Wait... Wait up! Wait up! Uh, there's something I have to tell you both.
RIK
Does Kol stop? (Chuckles)
MIKE
Yeah, yeah, he's turned around. He's just looking at you like, "Yes?" You know?
RIK [as PIERRE]
Listen, what you guys did at the University – and I'm saying this as your colleague – I need you guys, you both, to also protect yourself.
MIKE [as KOL]
Well, thanks, Pierre.
RIK [as PIERRE]
We cannot protect anyone if we die ourselves. If we get hurt.
MIKE [as KOL]
You know what, Pierre? You are absolutely right. We, on that train, are talking strategy.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yes.
RIK [as PIERRE]
I agree. I agree.
MIKE [as KOL]
Cause that was a fucking shitshow.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
We were very uncoordinated.
MIKE [as KOL]
So we need to work out a plan.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah. And sorry for running back out. I mean, I just... I was just really caught up in trying to help those people and I didn't even help them, that guy was fucking dead.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Listen, I –
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
But, I know where you're coming from –
MIKE [as KOL]
Yitri.
RIK [as PIERRE]
Yitri.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
I will be more careful.
MIKE [as KOL]
Yitri?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah?
MIKE [as KOL]
Yitri?
RIK [as PIERRE]
Yitri, you did great. I am –
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, thanks!
RIK [as PIERRE]
I am proud of you –
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, thank you?
RIK [as PIERRE]
– for going after that. Even though they were dead.
MIKE [as KOL]
Yitri, you did terribly. It was a bad strategic call. But...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh yeah, I was not great.
MIKE [as KOL]
But we are...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
I... Look, look. Ok, here...
MIKE [as KOL]
We are Protectors.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Mmhmm. Yes.
MIKE [as KOL]
And I respect that that's what you did.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, thank you, I –
MIKE [as KOL]
But next time, we're gonna get you support, ok?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Say something? Ok. Yeah, ok, thank you. Yeah, I just... That was impulse and I shouldn't do that, but... Yeah, I think as soon as we get on the train, we talk strategy. Because I know what we all can do, but we don't know how to utilize that together. Because I think –
RIK [as PIERRE]
I agree.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
If we… Yeah, I mean, I know what we do. It's like, lose. I mean, I asked. But I think I can figure it out.
RIK [as PIERRE]
But this isn't just on you. This is also Koltrast.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh, I know.
RIK [as PIERRE]
I also had a hand in this.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah.
RIK [as PIERRE]
I sent Koltrast out there. Koltrast... You did great, as well. But just... please take care, ok?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
We just gotta communicate better, I think. I mean, this is, like, our first day on the job. We don't really know what we're doing. I mean, we know what we're doing, but like...
MIKE [as KOL]
Pierre.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Not as a unit, you know? Cause they just go like, "Ok, you're hired!" They didn't really try to train us with any synergy, or anything. They're kinda just like, "Go!" And so, now we gotta figure that out on our own, I guess. But, uhm...
MIKE [as KOL]
Pierre, I want to trust this team, ok?
RIK [as PIERRE]
Mmhmm.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah.
MIKE [as KOL]
I was assigned to you by people... By people.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok.
MIKE [as KOL]
But you... You need to look after yourselves.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Mmhmm.
MIKE [as KOL]
I can do this. And I know that I can. But you... (Chuckles) I don't even think you can look after a chocolate bar.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Hey. Look.
MIKE [as KOL]
Now. When we get on that train; strategy.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Look.
MIKE [as KOL]
We are gonna talk strategy.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Ok, yes, I agree with you. But let's go back to what you... Let's circle back to what you just said, cause that was messed up. Cause I get it. I know I don't seem like I have experience, cause, honestly... If we're being honest – cause we're being honest right now – if we're being honest right now, I don't. And you know what? Is it obvious? Yeah. I know it is. But that doesn't mean that I don't know how to carry myself, I don't know how to protect other people. I... This is a very unique set of circumstances we found ourselves in. And I haven't had a chance to, you know... I-it was... We were up against someone we couldn't see, ok? And that was rough. And, yes, we need strategy. But I want you to know that... I.. (Sighs) I don't even know how to put this. Cause I can't say that I... (Sighs) Just..
MIKE [as KOL]
Yitri. Listen.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
That was... Don't say I can't even protect a chocolate bar, cause I can, ok? That was just messed up.
MIKE [as KOL]
I'm on your side here.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Doesn't sound like it, but ok.
MIKE [as KOL]
But what happened back there, that never happens again.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Oh yeah, no, that was...
MIKE [as KOL]
It was risky.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah.
MIKE [as KOL]
It was dangerous.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Mmhmm.
MIKE [as KOL]
And it put everyone in danger.
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yeah, I'm really sorry about that.
MIKE [as KOL]
That's not what being a Protector is about. Now, I might not agree with the name, but I want to trust you people. Ok?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
You have a better name idea?
RIK [as PIERRE]
We can... We can do something about the name, but...
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
We can workshop it, I guess. Ok, let's focus on strategy for a sec.
RIK [as PIERRE]
But I understand your point.
MIKE [as KOL]
Aleks has shown me that he can do this. And I'm starting to trust him more than you two right now. But... But... we are a team, and I am here with you. Ok? You show me that you can fight and I’ll believe you. You tell me that you can fight, and they're just words. All agreed?
ALYSSA [as YITRI]
Yes.
MIKE [as KOL]
Fine. Then let's wait for Aleks to get here and then we'll get to the train station and actually work this out.
[Outdoor ambience stops]
ROVER
Yeah, we are moving back inside to Aleks who is still in the living room.
ZOE
Yes. Aleks is sitting on the couch, kinda just... staring straight at the wall in front of him. And he knows that he just... has to get up. Has to get to the kitchen to talk to Greta, so they can actually leave and continue. But he also feels this weight in his pocket.
[Soft piano music starts playing]
And he knows, right now, he is just finally alone. And he thinks that maybe, depending on what he's about to read, it might be good to do that before the talk with Greta, so, uh... (chuckles) So he takes out the letter that Great has given him from his pocket, and he reads it.
JO [as VIKTOR]
Aleks,
It shouldn’t have taken me 243 days to write this. And if it wasn’t for this bottle of Chardonnay, it might have taken me twice as long.
But there’s nothing a good wine and a little sleep deprivation can’t fix. Almost nothing.
I’m still not sure if you’ll ever come back and actually read these lines. Maybe the mice will eat it. Maybe it will be buried here when these library walls eventually crumble. Maybe a meteor will finally wipe out civilization as we know it and none of this will matter. To be honest I don’t even know if you’d care. I like to think you do. At least on my good days.
243 days and I’m still rambling it seems. Trust me, there have been plenty of iterations – most of them filled with hope that there was a different explanation to your silence than the obvious – but this is the best I can give you. So here goes nothing:
Goodbye Aleks, and good luck.
Be well.
Vik
JO
And out of character so this is mentioned here as well; inside the folds of Vik’s letter is a small, delicate origami forget-me-not that was very clearly fashioned from one of Aleks’ scrap university notes. Since you can see Aleks’ own handwriting peeking through the folds.
ROVER
Can you explain to us what is going on through Aleks' head.
ZOE
So, he has a very, like, firm grip on the letter. It's like he really just... wants to grip it tightly, but he's really scared that it will tear or break in some other form. And there are just silent tears running down his face and staining the paper of the letter. And he is conflicted. Because... for the past year or so, he thought that that was what he wanted to hear. He has been begging every god that would listen that Viktor can move on. Because Aleks knows that he himself can't help him with that. But actually reading a goodbye from Vik feels like... Yeah, kinda just like a stab to his heart that he doesn't really know what to do with that. So he is just... silently crying in the living room, staring at the letter and at the little flower that was in it.
ROVER
And because of the way the others ran out of the house, basically, you, at some point, can hear coming towards the living room,
ROVER [as GRETA]
I-I-I... Let me just... Let me just... Let me just quickly check on him and it's all good.
ROVER
And Greta walks into the room and is about to start her sentence, sees what you're holding, currently. And just the way that you're looking down at it, she has not even noticed that you are fully crying. I'm saying that because she rolled a 4.
ZOE
Oh, Greta.
ROVER
And she takes a cautious step forwards, and is like,
ROVER [as GRETA]
Is this the right time to... come in?
ZOE
Aleks looks up from the letter after a while. It's silent for a few seconds before he does, and he looks at Greta which will probably make the tears a bit more obvious.
ROVER
Mmhmm.
ZOE [as ALEKS]
(Crying) I... I'm not sure there's a better time, right now.
ROVER [as GRETA]
Ok.
ROVER
And she walks towards him and gives him the biggest hug that closes this episode.
ZOE
Yay! (Laughs)
[Rik groans]
MIKE
Damn.
[Alyssa wails]
ROVER
Thank you all so much for listening to this episode of Remains To Be Seen. A very, very out of note: this is the first recording after everything went live. Thank you all so much for the support!
[Cheers from everyone]
MIKE
We're live!
ROVER
We're live. Thank you all so much!
MIKE
The premiere and everything.
ROVER
Yeah, we had a full premiere and everything! We had a livestream with the Protectors, actually. And if you’ve missed it, you can still watch it back for a bit on twitch.tv/RoversTV. And it will most likely come up on Youtube as well, so don't worry about that. I will see you guys with the Bounty Hunters on Sunday, and other than that; whatever happens next and what happens in this talk with Greta remains to be seen. See ya, everyone!
MIKE
#WhereIsKol, am I right? #WhereIsKol?
ROVER
#WhereIsKol!
[Laughter]
ALYSSA
#WhereIsKol! Where is Kol? He's here! Where is Kol?
ROVER
Buh-bye!
ZOE
Buh-bye!
MIKE
Bye!
ALYSSA
Bye!
[Show outro plays]
Remains To Be Seen is an original podcast created by Dyaflame Studios and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-alike 4.0 International License.
Today’s episode was produced by Elizabeth Simpson and edited by Mees Verkade and Jo Mendacium. It starred:
Rik den Breejen as Pierre Ardoise
Mike LeBeau as Koltrast
Alyssa Roldan as Yitri Meadowtwirls
Zoe Emily as Aleksander Aintsworth
And Rover Elliott as the Dungeon Master
The intro and outro were composed by We Talk of Dreams, and the transcript was written by Kim van Teeffelen.
To get in touch with us and keep up to date with our antics, follow us on Instagram, BlueSky and TikTok @ DyaflameStudios or view our website at www.dyaflame.com
Check our show notes for additional credits, links and transcripts.