Ep 22 Recap

First, an apology for the lack of recap last week. Things happened and I was unable to take care of it at my usual time.

Suffice to say, a lot happened. The Despicable Six [1] met with Zoya[2], who seemed eager to escalate and intensify the upcoming fight. Mako[3] and Sasha finally got to see eachother again. Ymitri and Milo came to an arrangement to make some scrolls. It was a good episode, and you can watch it here.

Most importantly, though, Rhea found out that some at the Monestary were accusing her of freeing Borrai[4] and Brandon[5]. After a long, tense trial - where everyone gave testimony for Rhea in a set of really tense, heart felt moments - Sorrowbringers[6] escorted the party to the barracks to await the outcome of the trial.

This episode, we got that outcome. While the party worried that the monks might force them to fight their way out to preserve Rhea’s freedom, they apparently managed to argue Rhea’s innocence well enough to keep her from being interned by the temple. That said, they weren’t able to entirely persuade Vanguard Growle[7] and the other Wayfinders[8] of Rhea’s innocence. And so, Rhea Sagekin became Rhea Kinless - exiled from the monestary she had called her home and family her whole life…

But as night always gives way to day, things didn’t stay bleak for long. Ymitri tried to help lighten Rhea’s spirits by sending a message to Brandon about the beautiful life they might have if only he put an end to the madness. Likewise, Lysta and Ethren shared a brief moment while catching up, and everyone steeled their spirits for coming battle.

The next morning was tense. Everyone knew everything hung in the balance. Ethren[9] gave a speech, Lysta made her move, and Sasha made it clear she would never forgive anyone who didn’t come back.

They finished preparations - in case the worst happened, Sasha and Satina got a letter of introduction to the Shywood Elves from Lysta, Milo finished some scrolls of haste, and the party got ready to head into pandemonium.

From the start, things started going wrong. The Lyric Guard - elite Tarinous[10] reserved only for the most important events - stood watch from building windows. Barricades had been raised. The ground rumbled and shook. Lightning flashed. Blood rained from the sky.

The party attempted to begin stealth their way past their barricade, climbing over roofs, but things quickly went south after some bad rolls, and initiative was rolled!

Several rounds of combat passed, and things got under way. The party began climbing rooftops and taking out archers. Lysta delivered a shocking show of force with a lightning bolt from a tavern. Ymitri moved in to flank using the Amulet he received from Zilstra back in Ep 11 - Heritage. We left as the sky began to open up a portal, even as the party began to tackle their first barricade.

Things left off at an uncertain point, but things seemed to be going well for the party. Still - battle is a fickle mistress, and bad rolls or fate could still intervene to make things go to hell. What will happen next? Tune into Fantasticide on Penny For a Tale next Wednesday at 5:30 PST to find out!

[1] The Despicable Six: The name of the party, including the NPC Satina. Given to them by the Tarinous and Twisted Fang through a series of wanted posters plastered throughout Aquilla, accusing the party of being behind the Blood Tides - the phenomenon that started the campaign where the local waters turned to blood - as well as other nefarious crimes they had nothing to do with.

[2] Zoya: Local crimelord - pulling the strings of the city government, the Tarinous, the Twisted Fang, and even the party, playing everyone off eachother for unknown ends…

[3] Mako: Son of Calix, Pyotr’s rival, and love interest to Sasha, Pyotr’s daughter. It’s complicated.

[4] Borrai: A youth who had given the party some trouble in the past. He was one of the first fish-people (we still need a better name for them…)

[5] Brandon: Ymitri’s estranged childhood friend. He apparently turned to the dark side, becoming a mage for the Twisted Fang until he eventually carried out the Malleficum Ichthys[11] ritual on himself. He was captured in Ep 15 - Depths along with Borrai after a tough fight underneath Aquilla.

[6] Sorrowbringers: The enforcement arm of Rhea’s monestary, the Temple of 17 Sages. They primarily act to deal with deserters and other problems that need to be taken care of with force.

[7] Vanguard Growle: The leader of the Temple of the 17th Sage - Rhea’s home

[8] Wayfinders: The group generally in charge of decision making for the Temple of the 17th Sage.

[9] Ethren: Lysta’s former mentor and member of the Hallowed Reynir

[10] Tarinous: The private police force of Aquilla.

[11] Malleficum Ichthys: A ritual which brings a part of the evil god Vallast, AKA the Blood Mother, into this world and attaches it to the soul of a Towan. This ritual is behind the Fish People the party had been encountering since Episode 1, and now that enough pieces of Vallast’s soul are in Unatowa, the Twisted Fang[12] can finally call the rest of Vallast’s spirit into the world from her planar prison.

[12] Twisted Fang: The shadowy group working to help the Ash’kin in their goal to bring about the end of the world.